Cassandra's pov
I was sitting idle on the couch and thinking about the words that kept playing in my mind 'same like old times'. It hurts a lot, it really does. It was 6 years ago, the same day I proposed to Vince only for him to break me into pieces, which took me years to get them back together.
6 years ago
It was now 1 pm and I was outside Vince's house dressed in a white net pattern dress that reached above my knee level. As I walk in I see Vincent coming out of the house, dressed in a red hoodie with a black jacket and ripped jeans. As soon as he sees me, he comes to give me a hug.
"What are you doing here Cassandra? Looking for Aiden?" he asks.
"No not Aiden, I wanted to meet you, I wanted to tell you something, if you don't mind can you come to Garden Estate, at 7 pm sharp? I have something really important to tell you." I say looking into his eyes.
He stares back and says "About what Piccolina, Hardvard, Aiden, me or us?"
"Everything, it will surely change everything, I hope you make it on time, and please don't forget," I say as I stare down at the pavement.
"Sure bambina I will be there, if not for you then who else? il mio mondo ruota intorno a te" he says with a smirk. God his Italian is so sexy but I didn't understand what he said.
(il mio mondo ruota intorno a te= my world revolves around you)
"Can you repeat that in English?" I ask in a small voice and he closes the distance between us, our bodies attached to one another and says "Now I have to go bambina, it's urgent, I hope I can answer that part later."
"What if I say no?" I raise my eyebrow and stare at him "Then don't worry, I will make it up to you with your prince charming kiss, you are such a tease bambina, if not for Aiden's sanity, you would have been my girlfriend."
I know he is just teasing me, he usually flirts that way, I don't care a lot though. "What's stopping you now?"
"Nothing actually, keep my snack ready, at 7 I will devour it." He winks and lets me loose, and creates space between us. Finally kissing my forehead he says "Niente può impedirmi di conquistarti, Tesoro, tranne te stesso."
(niente può impedirmi di conquistarti, tesoro, tranne te stesso = nothing can stop me from getting you, darling, except yourself.)
*****
"I was dressed up in a red off-shoulder gown, with a middle slit, it was a shimmering dress, I choose this dress because it was one of Vincent's favourite colours. I was completely dolled up for him and as I waited for him in the garden, it was now 7:15 pm but he did not show up yet, I think he was struck in traffic."
3 hours have passed now since then, I haven't seen him coming, so I gave him a call nearly 10 times now, which he has not accepted. I finally lost hope that he might come, so I sat there with tears at the brim of my eyes, when suddenly light flashed into my eyes. I looked up to see him, getting out of the car, and coming towards me, he looked like a mess, hair dishevelled, coat dampened with water, his eyes with filled with rage, maybe something has happened, it was important to him, so he didn't show up on time.
I run to him and hug him tightly, he does not hug me back nor does he stop me "I seriously was thinking you gave up on me, if you were late you could have called me".
He pulls out of the hug and says "Maybe your heart knew I would be late."
"is it so? How come that never reached me?" I tease along with him, he does not reply but just stares at me. I take hold of his hand and lead him to the deck, where I made all the arrangements for him. Today I was going to confess my love for him, I know he had a lot of girlfriends, one night stands but I have full faith in my love, I mean our love.
Finally, when the time came, staring into his eyes, sent a shiver down my spine, I muttered the courage to speak and finally said the 3 words that were due for the past 10 years. "Vincent, there is something I need to tell you." He nodded at me blankly when I finally said "I really like you, Vincent, more than you could even imagine, I can't hold it any longer, I love you, Vincent Lorenzo, I love you a lot, with my whole heart."
I take a deep breath and continue, "I Cassandra Knight, never thought I would propose to someone, let alone make all these arrangements myself, I fell for you very hard Vincent, I would be honoured to love you, cherish you till death do us apart, I truly love you, Vincent, from the bottom of my heart."
"The day I saw you, I knew you were trouble, I knew that the minute my heartbeat accelerated I was yours and you are mine, now after so long I don't think I can hold any of this to myself Vincent, I love you."
The words hung in the air, and for a moment, I felt suspended in time. Vincent's expression remained unchanged, and a heavy silence settled between us. It was as if the world held its breath, waiting for his response.
"You seriously have to audacity to tell me you, the great Cassandra knight love's me, I guess I am truly blessed am I not Cassandra?" he finally broke the ice.
"What are you telling Vincent?" I asked a bit conscious as I didn't know where the conversation was heading towards.
"Yes, Cassandra, I am blessed, I am truly blessed, to be with a slut like you, for you to enjoy each night with a different guy, each day you being in someone's arms wouldn't I Cassandra? I would love that." He finishes off with anger building inside him.
"What are you try... trying to say Vincent? I didn't get you?"
"Didn't you get it love, then let me explain it to you?" he says slowly as he circles me, he grabs my waist and pushes me towards himself and says "Listen carefully, you are unfit for my love or for that sake anyone's love, I do hope for you being in loves means to be in someone's arms every day, but I don't like to share what's mine, moreover how can a bitch and home wreck be mine?"
My eyes turn glossy but I don't speak up, each breath I am trying to take is so hard that I wish I could just stop breathing. "wha...what do you mean?"
"I fulckingly mean each and every word I said to you, I just wish your parents didn't have to look after a spoiled brat like you, who is just a nuisance, nor Aiden, who has to babysit you each second of his life." He lets out a low chuckle and says "Do you know the funny part in all this, no one could tame the brat in you. I do hope you are happy after all you have done, I hope you the best Cassandra" he leaves me shaking. I crumble to the ground.
"Cassandra do you know how hard it to build an empire, I hope the best for your dad and Aiden, but your slut nature will just cause the downfall of all, you are like a ticking time bomb to them, who will destroy their entire empire, with one move."
I literally cannot understand what he is trying to tell, I take in a deep breath and he continues " I don't even know if you are a blessing or a lesson in my life, do you know Cassandra you had me wrapped around your arms but if you truly needed pleasure you could have just come to me instead of thousand other men, maybe you know what, you thought I can't satisfy you, right?"
"Vince please, I don't.." he cuts me off and says "You know marriage is said to be a 3 ring circus, but if I accept and marry you it will only be filled with suffering for me, I can't stand to see you being a whore for every other pole that you see. I knew you were going to break my heart but a part of me really hoped you wouldn't."
The rejection hit me like a tidal wave, crashing over me and leaving me breathless. I struggled to maintain composure while he didn't take the hint to stop at all "I hope you are happy with the stunt you pulled after all, I don't really you get you, you are jealous of Hazel for what? What has that poor girl ever done to you? You wanted me right, you could have just asked me out, but no you can fulfil your thirst only by harming someone."
"I... I don't..." he barks at me saying "Shut up Cassandra just shut up, I am done listening to you, for once in your lifetime agree to that she is better than you and your jealous of her, I have heard of your countless stories of how she is a home wreck, but my mistake was to never show you the mirror of you being a bitch to her, or people around you."
"You use people like tissue paper, toss them around once you are done, after one night of pleasure I do hope you would want to toss me off the same way, don't you?" he said.
I had hoped for a different outcome, perhaps a glimmer of reciprocation, but all I received was a dismissal, not a polite one, rather a heartbreaking one, I don't even know why he calling me names. The garden, once filled with the promise of autumn romance, now seemed desolate and cold.
I sat there for what felt like an eternity, my mind replaying the scene. I wondered if I had misread the signals if I had let my feelings blind me to the reality of what's between us. The pain in my chest intensified, and I struggled to hold back the tears threatening to spill over.
"Now listen to me Cassandra, I Vincent Lorenzo reject you, I do hope you will never find true love when you don't even know how to love your family. I do pray for the one who falls for your beauty, I do hope to say him see how bad the apple is rotten before it's too late. I wish you the worst of the bad luck in life, Cassandra. I do hope to never see your face again, I repeat never but I don't have a word here, since you are just Aiden's responsibility who will just tag along any which way."
"Goodbye Cassandra, have a nice life in hell, but one thing's for sure, if anything happens to her I will kill you myself, I swear, I will show you what it's like to burn in hell." With that, he stormed off. I just sat there trying to process what just happened when it started to pour. I don't even know how I reached home, but one thing is sure that I locked myself in the room for a week, none to even disturb me or ask why I locked myself in.
*****
hey guys sorry for the delay, I was too busy. Also, I wanted to inform you guys the story is coming to an end, with 2-3 chapters left.
Also, what do you guys think, why does Vincent behave so badly with Cassandra? any idea? do comment.
Guys also like, vote and share. I will update the chapters soon and finish the book by month's end, I do hope you guys support me.