Chapter 71

Blake Adamson.

“I’m going to have to pass on the party tonight. I’m leaving for a few days,” I said, trying to avoid Cassie’s persistent attempts to get me to attend. This girl was getting on my nerves. Even if I wasn’t leaving, I still wouldn’t go to a party with her.

You would think that after the debacle with Manny, my father would have gotten the message - that his attempts to set me up with various women were not going to end well. But no, he remained stubbornly optimistic, convinced that his next match would be the one that could help me run the company. His latest attempt was Cassidy Morgan, the daughter of one of his business partners, a woman who was as clingy as she was annoying. From the moment I walked into the room, I could feel her eyes on me, like she was trying to stake her claim. My father seemed to think that Cassie was the perfect match for me, but I couldn’t help but think that he was delusional. Luckily for him, Cassidy’s father was a legit friend and business partner.

What Manny Keaten did was still unbelievable. Despite knowing him for most of my life, I had never suspected that he was capable of such heinous crimes. After learning about what happened, I understood what Ophelia’s call that night was about. She borrowed my phone because she was in on the plan and needed to inform whomever she spoke to that night to know that Manny’s wife was locked away in their mansion. I shouldn’t have judged Ophelia. I felt even more horrible after seeing the interview she did with her boyfriend and Camila. She put up a brave front all while suffering at her father’s hands.

As I fastened my Rolex, Cassie’s voice pierced the air, her words dripping with an unsettling familiarity. “Where will you be going?” she asked, her tone casual, yet her green eyes fixed on me like a hawk’s gaze. “Is it alright for me to come with you?” she added, her blonde hair glistening in the dim light of my room. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I turned to face her, wondering who had given her permission to enter my private space while I was away. Her presence was unnerving, and I couldn’t help but think that my father had somehow facilitated this unwanted intrusion.

“Don’t you have anything better to do than follow me around?” I asked, my tone laced with frustration as I gazed down at her. The idea of a woman being constantly attached to a man’s side was a relic of the past. Even if we were in a romantic relationship, it was essential to maintain some independence and personal space. But Cassie seemed to think we were inseparable, acting as if our bond was unbreakable. In reality, she was more like an annoying little sister than a suitable partner.

She brushed her hair over her shoulder, her gaze locking onto mine as she raised those big, piercing green eyes. “Dad said we’re going to get married,” she said. “If that’s the case, shouldn’t we spend some quality time together to get to know each other better?” Her words were a gentle reminder, but they still made my blood boil.

Here we go again. Didn’t it bother her that I wasn’t exactly the kindest to her? “Listen, Cassidy,” I said. “Your father is mistaken. I have no intention of marrying a woman I didn’t choose, a woman I don’t love. The only reason they want us to get married is for the sake of the company, but Gliding Corp doesn’t need to merge with anyone else. I’m more than capable of handling everything on my own and taking the company to new heights.” With that, I reached for my phone and turned to leave my room, my words hanging.

I could hear Cassidy’s footsteps pounding behind me as she tried to catch up. “But you can’t do that,” she called out. “How can you say such a thing?” I could hear the anguish in her words. “You don’t have a say in this, Blake,” she reminded me, her voice growing more urgent as she hurried after me.

I scoffed, then turned to face her, my sudden stop causing her to bump into my chest. I quickly steadied her with a hand on her shoulder, then took a step back to put some distance between us. Looking down at her, my eyes searched hers. “Listen, Cassidy,” I said. “I’m twenty-one years old, not some child who can be controlled by my father. I don’t want to marry you, and I’m sure you have better things to do than being someone’s housewife. You’re beautiful, smart, and only eighteen. Go out and enjoy your life. Don’t you want to experience freedom and independence? Do you even have feelings for me?”

Cassie’s green eyes welled up with tears, and I felt a pang of guilt, but I quickly pushed it away. The last thing I wanted was to be manipulated by her emotions. I let go of her arm and stepped back, trying to create some distance between us. Why couldn’t she just understand and back off? “Look at you, Blake,” she says, motioning her hands to me. “Which woman wouldn’t have feelings for you? You’re handsome, hot and the soon-to-be owner of a billion-dollar company. Any woman would be over the moon to wake up next to you.”

I ran my fingers through my hair, frustration evident in my gesture. “She doesn’t get it,” I muttered to myself. Turning my back on her, I began to walk away, my eyes fixed on the black car waiting for me at the curb. “Maybe one day you’ll understand, Cassidy,” I called out over my shoulder, not bothering to look back at her. “Until then, enjoy your weekend.”

I had traveled all this way to get the chance to see her again and as I stood outside the University, I couldn’t help but be drawn to her striking features. Gone were her long braids, replaced by her naturally curly hair that framed her face and stopped just above her shoulders. She wore a simple purple t-shirt and black jeans, paired with black shoes, and yet it was her presence that truly captivated me. Despite not knowing her name, I felt an inexplicable pull to see her again, and as I leaned against the black rental car, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of longing wash over me.

This time I will talk to her. She laughs at something Ophelia said and then looks in my direction. My heart skipped a beat and stood to my full height before fixing my suit. She was coming my way and so was Ophelia, who was marching toward me as if she was about to start a war.

“What are you doing here, and how did you even find me?” Ophelia asked when she was close enough.

I walked past Ophelia, her eyes narrowed in a mixture of confusion and annoyance, but I didn’t have time to concern myself with her reaction. The beauty behind her had captured my attention. “Hi, I’m Blake Adamson,” I introduced myself while holding a hand out to her.

She gazed down at my extended hand, and I slowly retracted it, tucking it into my pocket as I realized she wasn’t going to offer a handshake. Instead, she nodded and said, “The guy who my best friend was going to be forced to marry.”

I didn’t know what I had expected, but this was definitely not it. I’ve been told before that I have a gracious smile, so instead of smirking, I smiled at her. “It wasn’t my choice to marry her either,” I said, trying to convey a sense of shared understanding.

“Is that the reason you were rude to her?” she asked, and I turned to glance at Ophelia, who was observing our conversation with interest. So that’s why she was upset with me. Ophelia told her how I reacted at dinner.

Before I could respond, Ophelia interrupted. “I’m going to ask you again one last time,” she said, looking at me intensely. “What are you doing here?”

I turned my attention to Ophelia, and as I looked at her, I noticed that her blonde hair was curled. The memory of a childhood incident flashed back: my cousin tossing a water balloon at her, which hit her head and burst, leaving her straight hair curled and wet. I recalled how she had cried so hard that I had to get my nanny to blow dry it and straighten it for her. I didn’t understand why she was so upset. She looked pretty to me. Her curly hair reminded me of Goldilocks, and now, after seeing her interview and the pressure her father put on her, I understood why she reacted that way.

Instead of commenting on her hair, I reach into my pocket. Ophelia’s eyes widened in surprise as I held out the diamond bracelet. “I figured I should return this in person,” I said.

She gasped, her expression softening, and reached out to take the bracelet from my hand. “I didn’t even realize it was missing,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s the only thing I have left that belonged to my grandma.” Her eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at the delicate jewelry, her fingers closing around it as if she were reluctant to let it go.

As Ophelia spoke about her grandmother, a pang of guilt struck me. Hearing her talk about the person she loved so dearly made me feel like I’d been caught in a lie. The truth was, I hadn’t come to Cuba just to return the bracelet. I could have easily sent it to her or had someone else deliver it, but that wasn’t my intention. The real reason I was here was to have the chance to see her friend again.

“You mean your mom’s mother?” Her friend asked.

“You mean your mom’s mother?” her friend asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Ophelia nodded, her eyes fixed on the bracelet as if it held a thousand secrets. “Yeah, I never really knew her,” she mumbled. “She died when I was small, but my aunt had given this to me when I was twelve. She said that my grandma would want me to have it. I didn’t ask questions, and I didn’t care. So I hid it away in a box, but the night they arrested Manny, I wore it, hoping for something good.”

Her friend nodded sympathetically. “I understand what you mean. I carry around my mother’s favorite ring wherever I go,” she said, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. I caught her gaze, and suddenly it struck me: she carried her mother’s ring because her mother was no longer alive.

“Do you want me to drop you ladies somewhere?” I asked, attempting to change the subject. The conversation was becoming too somber, and I knew the pain of losing someone all too well. I’d made a fortune in two days, but comforting a woman when she was sad was beyond my expertise.

“No —”

“Olivia, chill out,” Ophelia said, interrupting her friend. I smiled, feeling a sense of relief that the tense moment had passed and that I now know the name of the woman I came here to see. “We were about to head home,” Ophelia continued, “but maybe we can invite you to our favorite cafe as a thank you for flying all the way to return my bracelet.”

Olivia’s expression turned sullen as she folded her arms and gazed away from us. “Why should I go?” she asked.

“I’m not going to let you walk home alone after what happened and why the sudden mood change?” Ophelia asked, her concern evident.

I wondered what had happened, and Olivia’s eyes flicked to me before she rolled them in annoyance. Rather than responding to Ophelia’s comment, Olivia surprised me by agreeing to go with us.