"you okay?" Cassandra could sense his concern, his eyes focus on her like she was some fragile girl.
Screw him! Her mind said. She doesn't need his concerned drama, she far well knew it wasn't real after everything that happened.
"don't mock me." She hiss as she straighten herself trying to find composure and tried to leave her own version of hell.
She walk fast as possible as if she was joining an Olympic walkathon and she's very determined to win. She even too did not tried to look back at them, afraid that they might just see her broke.
She was strong, she made it all these years of struggle but now that the world she had built all came little by little stumble down, brick after brick. She feel so helpless all of a sudden. She feel like all her barrier are going down this instant and the only relief available for her is crying.
"This can't be happening." she mutters to herself as she roughly wiped her tears away telling herself she cannot let him win. No. He can't destroy her, not her and definitely not her sister and their relationship.
She drove back home despite all the confusion, she made it safe and sound and hurried herself to get upstair and into her haven wishing for a moment of comfort but she was just halfway in the stairs when she hear her name like a thunder. She automatically halted.
"Cassandra Jean Gonzales!!" he stormed. She didn't notice him to follow but as she look back he was alone. She was alarmed at once forgetting her own emptiness as she remember Emily.
"where's emily??" She hurried back down stairs taking two steps at a time.
"she's at the resto, crying. I told her to stay and that I'll talk to you." he calmly explain but maintaining his dark self to himself.
Cassandra feel instant relief for a moment, she was too selfish not to think about her sister when she leave but then when she realize her despair and the man himself her anger rose at the same heights. --"Im not talking to you!" She turn her heels and sprang to be upstairs as she wish to be alone at the moment. Her sister, her world has come to an engagement with that man. How so evil fate could be? Marriage? She's getting married and of all people, him! Goodness.
"you can't run always. .your sister is not your prisoner! She need to have life!!" he caught her arm as he demanded and force her to face him. They hold gaze for a while and she could even sense his anger but she never mind for she is in rage. Beyond rage.
"she has life. She had me!!!" Cassandra said pointing to herself, trying to atleast protect what's hers.
"the world does not revolve around you alone!" His eyes were damn fierce tearing her soul into tiny pieces but she is beyond any shattering, beyond any fears or rage. She is in sea of turmoil and its depth are unshakable.
"I've done and give up everything for her. She is my life!"
"then don't expect her to give hers to you. .you've given it freely then give her her choice!"
"ha! And that choice is you? For petesake. .Jeremy! She is just a kid! She's my baby sister!!"
"No..She's not a kid nor a baby. She's already 25 yrs old and capable of her own decisions." he said firmly trying to awaken her of the naked truth she have quiet forgotten. But no to her Emily is still her baby sister. Her only family and that she's everything she have. She needed to protect her, Emily needed her and she needed Emily too.
"you've just fooled her. .she's so innocent and charming. .gullible too."Cassandra said with empathic voice describing something so delicate and fragile like she was begging for someone to spare something from their wrath or ruin.
"Ha! You don't know her at all." he said full of mockery and twisted smile. "Just so you know. Im his fifth boyfriend. . Her second love. Her true love. She have her first when she was in college, got broken and had loopsided relationship afterwards until we met each other."
Cassandra step back, was she hearing him right? But so what? She could have dozen of boyfriends and she wouldn't even care as long as it was not him or as long as. .as. .she don't know. And she doesn't even know her sister after all.
"lies..." she growl but half known that it could be the truth. But Hell she care about the truth.
"see. .you dont know your own sister. . She's so afraid you'll over react that is why you rarely approve of her choices. .you thought she's innocent who don't interact with opposite sex. You thought you could protect her and detach her from the world!-- but You thought wrong. Your sister is much braver than you are. She can face heartaches, pains and love. .and she had loyalty." The man was trying to bend her and he is succeeding, all this years she just thought she was perfectly protecting her sister and yes, she was indeed wrong. The truth hurts.
Cassandra drop silent, she was mentally trying to cope everything but he is merciless so he took the opportunity to push her to more pain and agony.
"were you too naive? Or your just too busy working you haven't have time with her?. . .Your too self centered and ambitious. Always aiming high, always leaving people behind who care for you. Thinking they'll be fine but no, Emily needed someone. .someone she could run to and be with. .not just you so that when your all too busy she wouldn't be all left behind again. Hanging. Waiting then --- Forgotten." His voice, it was like a deadly melody that sang bitterly and slice you in pieces. His lyric were stressed and emphasized like he have known how it felt. Like she had made him felt the same way before.
Hangin'. Waiting. Forgotten. Have he feel those feelings before? But should she care when his doing it with her taking away her most precious sister and leaving her with nothing?