Part 1: To change your destiny; Part 2: 4 2 1(For you); Part 3: Second Chances

Chapter 52: Jin and Cassandra

The next day, Ivy decided to take a taxi over to Cassandra's boutique as she was still unfamiliar with the roads in Landsfield to drive around although she really wanted to but decided to not ask her busy brothers about which car she could drive.

The moment she stepped out of the taxi in front of the boutique, she was once again captivated by the mysterious disguise of the boutique which looked exactly like a subway station. The doorbell was heard ringing as the door of the boutique opened and Cassandra came out in her maxi dress elegantly with her half-tied hair and a wide smile, greeting her half excited and half politely. "Older sister! Come in!" Cassandra urged as Ivy smiled and walked over with her.

"Cassie, just call me Ivy..." Ivy giggled as she stepped into her boutique while Cassandra nodded. Ivy could smell the fragrance of the brewing tea from the corner of the boutique.

"Let's have some tea first?" Cassandra invited Ivy. Ivy nodded and couldn't help but wonder if her guess was right about the tea's origins as she often smell the same aroma when her grandma was still around.

"Are these freshly roasted green tea leaves from the hills of Camille in Manes?" Ivy prompted while taking a seat opposite Cassandra. Cassandra smiled knowing Ivy knew quite a lot about tea. "Yes... It's given by your Uncle James... He has a manufacturing production on fresh tea leaves which comes from his plantation and is exactly where you said..." Cassandra explained as she poured the tea out into two cups while Ivy inhaled the fragrance of the tea.

Ivy wondered if her grandma was always in contact back then with her father secretly or even with her Uncle James in this case as she observed the view from their window. She noticed the view was strange as it should have been the subway but they could view the street in front of them. The visual looked like a recording but she didn't mention anything about her doubts in case it offended Cassandra. Instead, Ivy tried to focus back on her family.

Cassandra noticed Ivy must have figured out the view they were looking at wasn't exactly the view outside instead it was a recording of the boutique's hidden CCTV in front of her store so that she would know if there were visitors. Cassandra was prepared to reveal anything to Ivy so long as Ivy asked as, after all, Cassandra knew the reason Ivy's family was protecting her from so many brutal truths. After all, Ivy was still new to the family, and to be burdened with so much negativity might cause her to stray away eventually. Besides, Cassandra's business secret trades were all taught by Peter and soon Ivy would also pick up those skills along the way of being trained under Peter. Cassandra beamed thinking about it and couldn't wait for that day to come.

"You sure know a lot more about my family than I do..." Ivy said solemnly as she lifted the cup to sip on the tea.

It was refreshing and kept her calmer as Cassandra looked at Ivy happily. "I do... They were after all just like my family too..." Ivy put down her cup on the saucer. "Tell me more... I have time today..." Ivy gave a welcoming smile.

"And what is it that you have been very curious of?" Cassandra asked with a mysterious smile as Ivy pondered a moment.

"Let's start with you first then... How did you meet my family?" Ivy questioned curiously.

"It... wasn't very pretty I should warn you first..." Cassandra said as she put down her cup of tea onto the saucer. "I could relate... Neither was my history..." Ivy smiled primly as Cassandra took a deep breath.

"I had a broken family from an abusive father to a mother who had succumbed to her injuries of being constantly being abused. I nearly had the same fate as my mother if it weren't for Uncle James who saved me from being sold to the human traffickers by my father who had turned into a druggie after my mother's passing..." Cassandra explained solemnly as Ivy try to sympathise with her situation.