Chapter One
Cassandra's POV
New Orleans, Louisiana
"Good morning.Welcome to Totally cute. How can I help you?" I said as two handsome young men walked in. One is fairly tall, dressed in a black tuxedo with black long hair that was properly arranged at the back of his head. Piercing blue eyes stare at me, almost daring me to look away. The other, who seemed like his butler, is a little shorter than his employer. He was dressed in a brown suit and had blonde hair. Both are undoubtedly handsome.
"Lucas, get something you think is perfect for Emelia so I can get out of this place."
Attitude. Lucas walked up to me with a warm smile displayed on his face.
"Good day, Miss, I would like a ladies’ perfume. Which would you suggest is best?"
"Well, Sir, I'd recommend the “Sparkling Sky.” It is rose-scented and every woman loves it."
"Okay, I would have the sparkling...What did you say again?" Lucas asked
"Sparkling Sky,” Sir."
"Okay. How much is it?"
"It's just five-thousand dollars." I packed the perfume in a small bag and handed it over to Lucas, who brought out his credit card and handed it to me.
"Thanks and I must say: you look dashing," I said with a smile plastered on my face
"Oh, thanks, Miss." Lucas smiled and I saw his cheeks redden.
"Lucas, stop flirting and go wait for me in the car," the man in the black tuxedo instructed.
Lucas started walking out of the store, but then his employer turned towards me and said, "Let me give you advice, you stupid commoner: you talk too much and it irritates me and I don't think anyone else is going to like that either so do yourself a favor and talk less."
"With due respect, Sir, you have no right to talk to me in that manner." I tried my best to remain calm.
"You middle-class girl, I can talk to you however I want to. I can also buy this goddamn store and make you work for me or even fire you and there is nothing you can do about it." He smirked at me
"Get out, you grumpy man. Rich men like you stink, and has anyone ever told you how egoistic and arrogant you are? " I was really angry now.
"I don't have much time and to waste it on a stupid commoner like you, I'd rather die," he said and walked away.
"Why don't you just die and go to hell?" I yelled from behind him.
I hate rich brats.
"Who were you arguing with?" Martha, my best friend, and colleague asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"It's just one arrogant fool who thinks he's better than everyone else ‘cause he's rich.' He said I talk too much. Can you believe that?"
"Well...I think he is right."
"So you're on his side." I sulked then Martha laughed aloud. "What's so funny?" I asked
"Oh Cass, you're such a baby. I was just pulling your leg. I just love it when you make that face." She continued laughing at me.
"You better get back to work before Mrs. Smith sees you lazing around."
Mrs. Katherine Smith, a fifty-two-year-old widow, was my employer. She. owns a small boutique in New Orleans, Louisiana, where I work as a sales attendant. She is a very strict woman and very hard to please. Sometimes, when I was newly employed, she always complained about everything I did. But in time, I learned to keep up with her nagging.
"See you later," Martha said and went back to her work post.
Martha is my best friend. We became friends three years ago when I started working at Mrs. Smith's boutique. She helped me a lot when I was newly employed, such as how to stay calm when I attended to snorty customers because I was very short-tempered. She has mud-brown hair, sky-blue eyes, and plump lips. Her face was dotted with freckles which only added to her unique beauty. She was of average height and very curvy in the right places. I've always envied her beauty. Martha is a man-lover; she fawns over any handsome man she sees. She has had a few heartbreaks in the past, but that doesn't seem to bother her. Nevertheless, I still love her.
After closing from work, I took a bus home since I did not have a car yet. Though I plan on buying one, and I have been saving up for my dream car: a blue Audi rs 7. I know it's expensive but I plan on buying it no matter what, I just love the car.
When I got home I knocked on the door since I still lived with my parents and I forgot
my keys. I hope Mum is back from work"Come in. The door is not locked."
l walked in and was greeted with the aroma of mum's special macaroni, fried chicken, and cheese with cornbread
"Welcome home, Dear. How was your day?" Mum asked.
"It was stressful. Where are Dad and Jake?"
"Your dad is upstairs taking a shower and your brother is playing video games," Mum replied while she stirred something in a bowl.
"I need to take a shower. I'll see you in twenty." I walked up the stairs to my room to take a shower. After taking a shower I changed into my nightdress and went downstairs for dinner.
"So how was work, Cass?" My dad, Luis Valdez, asked.
"It's been stressful. Since Mrs. Smith seems to find faults in everything I do. She's a frustrated old woman," I said with a mouthful of macaroni.
"Don't say that, Dear," Mum scolded
"Sorry, mum," I apologized.
"Cassie, would you like to go on holiday for some time?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, dad, but I didn't plan for one," I replied
"What a bummer. "Jake laughed and stuck out his tongue in mockery.
"Jake, stop that instantly."
"Sorry, mum."Jake apologized then went back to eating in silence.
"Cass, would you like to go on a trip to Andalusia for two months?"
"Oh my goodness Dad, are you serious?"
"Yes, I am. I figured you work too much lately with little time to rest, so why don't you go somewhere far away and loosen up a little bit?"
"Okay, Dad, I would love to. So when am I leaving for Andalusia? " I asked.
"How about next week?"
"Next week is perfect. I have enough time to pack and say goodbye."
"Next week it is."
"Thanks so much, Dad. I love you so much."
"Love you too."
"Why can't I go on a vacation too?" Jake asked, ruining the moment.
“Because you have to go to school,” Mum swoops in.
The rest of the dinner is mainly filled with silence. While lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, my eyes remain open as they stare up at the ceiling in the darkness. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to close them and I can’t seem to calm down my racing heart. Endless possibilities of Andalusia flood my mind.
*****
The next day at work, I decided to tell Martha about the trip to Andalusia. She was so excited.
"Oh my gosh Cassie, that's great."
"I know, right?" I said.
"You're going to have lots of fun."
"I wish you were there with me though," I said, making a sad face.
"It's your trip so enjoy it and promise me you will call me when you get to Andalusia. Now stop making that sad face."Martha hugged me tightly.
"Okay, that's enough now. " I freed myself from her tight embrace.
"You might meet the famous prince Rodriguez, I heard he's very handsome." she wiggled her eyebrows at me.
"Prince, what makes you think I'll have any chance with the prince and I'm sure he is like other arrogant men who think they can get any woman they want cause they are rich and all that stuff." I rolled my eyes at Martha.
"Whatever, I have to go back to work now I'll come over to help you pack," Martha said then she sashayed back to her work post.
Later that day Martha came over to my house to help me pack for my trip and I must say she is a pain in the ass when it comes to that, if possible she would pack all the clothes in my closet.
"You need to take this." Martha shoved a glittering blue dress in my suitcase.
"No, I don't need to."
"Why are you being so unreasonable now Cass?"
"How am I being unreasonable? You are the one shoving irrelevant things in my suitcase, why would I need this? It's not like I'm going for one fancy event." I removed the dress and threw it on the floor with some other clothes I had rejected earlier.
"What's with the yelling, I'm trying to do my homework here. "Jake walked into my room and stared angrily at both of us.
"Sorry Jake, we'll bring down our voices."
"You better do." He stormed off to his room while mum walked into the room carrying two glasses of wine.
"Why are the two of you arguing and acting like babies?"
"Martha was putting irrelevant things in my suitcase. "I collected a glass of wine while Martha did the same.
"I was trying to help Mrs. Valdez."
"Okay, now stop fighting, you are disturbing Jake who is trying his best to be serious for once," Mum said then we all burst into laughter. She sure knows how to lighten up my mood.
"I heard that," Jake shouted from his room then we all stopped laughing immediately.
"Oops."Mum smiled and walked out of the room.
After Martha and I finished packing we talked for a while before she decided to go home while I went downstairs to eat dinner looking forward to going on the trip to Andalusia, little did I know it was going to change my life forever.
End of chapter one
Chapter Two Cassandra's POV*Andalusia, Spain*"Welcome to Andalusia." A scrawny-looking lady of about her twenties welcomed me and other people that came out from the airport, I wheeled my heavy suitcase along with me while I tried to find a taxi to take me to Angel's fall hotel."Taxi" l yelled and the taxi came to a halt in front of me."Where would you like to go, Miss?" The taxi driver asked."Take me to Angel's fall hotel, please
Chapter ThreeCassandra's POV"What!" I was very surprised at the condition she gave me."You heard me right," Emelia said."No, I can't do it. I just met you minutes ago and now you are asking me to be your surrogate, I can't believe this. I am sorry I can't help you, I don't even trust you." I stood up from my seat in anger."You should find someone else," I added."I can give you any amount you want and think about your brother,""I'll find a solution to that but I can't do this. I can't get pregnant now, that is a really big decision," I was getting annoyed."Fine, but if you change your mind don
Chapter Four Cassandra's POV A few minutes later Emelia's driver arrived, he helped me into the car and took his place in the driver's seat then he drove off to Emelia's house. A few minutes later we arrived at a huge mansion. I anticipated seeing the royal palace, I have never seen one in my life and I was excited. But when I got out of the car and looked around it didn't look like the Royal Palace I have seen in pictures. Palace or not it is none your business focus on what you came here for. A voice in my head scolded. A maid with mud-brown hair that was packed up in a tight bun walked up to me, "Come in Miss, her highness will join you shortly." She ushered me inside
Chapter Five Cassandra's POV "You." We both said in unison. "What are you doing here?" He asked. "Do you guys know each other?" Emelia looked confused. Nobody answered. We both continued staring at each other like hawks about to attack their prey. "What is she doing here?" The prince asked Emelia. "She is the lady I told you about. We met at the mall and she has agreed to be a surrogate for us." Emelia smiled awkwardly. "Surrogate!" He repeated. "Yeah, do you know her?" Emelia asked again. "Of course not, I was just surprised to see a strange
Chapter Six Cassandra's POV Three weeks later "I think I'm going to be sick," I rushed to the small bathroom in the hotel to empty my breakfast of spaghetti and meatballs in the toilet. After cleaning up I laid down on the bed. My phone buzzed from the bedside table, it was Martha. "Hello, Martha," I said "Hey Cass, how have you been?" Martha asked. "I am not fine, I think I am going to be sick. I've been feeling dizzy and nauseous for the past week now," I blurted out. "Nauseous?" "Yeah," I replied. "Oh...My...God." Martha exclaimed.
Chapter SevenCassandra's POVI woke up feeling all groggy and hungry. I stood from the bed and walked over to the bathroom to take a warm shower which by the way was very refreshing, I went into the walk-in closet and picked up a straight white off-shoulder dress which hung onto my body bringing out all of my curves.I wasn't comfortable with the dress but I had no other option than to wear it since Mr arrogant doesn't want me to wear my old clothes, apparently, it was cheap and demeaning to his status. I let my hair flow free on my shoulder and slipped my legs in pink flat shoes.Who knew in a matter of weeks I'll be living with the prince of Andalusia, carrying his child and wearing fancy clothes. I thought as I went down to the stairs to the kitche
Against The StormBy: Joel Racheal©All rights reservedMeet Cassandra ValdezA hardworking, gorgeous, twenty-eight-year-old redhead. She is a wonderful daughter to her parents and a good sister to her brother, Jake.When she goes on a trip to Andalusia, she doesn't expect to meet Princess Emelia and is quite surprised when she is asked to be a surrogate for Emelia and the prince.Due to unexpected circumstances, she accepts the offer, little does she know the prince is no knight in shining armor.Meet Rodriguez AstleyA smart, hardworking, handsome, and arrogant billionaire prince. He is everything a woman could ever want.
Chapter SevenCassandra's POVI woke up feeling all groggy and hungry. I stood from the bed and walked over to the bathroom to take a warm shower which by the way was very refreshing, I went into the walk-in closet and picked up a straight white off-shoulder dress which hung onto my body bringing out all of my curves.I wasn't comfortable with the dress but I had no other option than to wear it since Mr arrogant doesn't want me to wear my old clothes, apparently, it was cheap and demeaning to his status. I let my hair flow free on my shoulder and slipped my legs in pink flat shoes.Who knew in a matter of weeks I'll be living with the prince of Andalusia, carrying his child and wearing fancy clothes. I thought as I went down to the stairs to the kitche
Chapter Six Cassandra's POV Three weeks later "I think I'm going to be sick," I rushed to the small bathroom in the hotel to empty my breakfast of spaghetti and meatballs in the toilet. After cleaning up I laid down on the bed. My phone buzzed from the bedside table, it was Martha. "Hello, Martha," I said "Hey Cass, how have you been?" Martha asked. "I am not fine, I think I am going to be sick. I've been feeling dizzy and nauseous for the past week now," I blurted out. "Nauseous?" "Yeah," I replied. "Oh...My...God." Martha exclaimed.
Chapter Five Cassandra's POV "You." We both said in unison. "What are you doing here?" He asked. "Do you guys know each other?" Emelia looked confused. Nobody answered. We both continued staring at each other like hawks about to attack their prey. "What is she doing here?" The prince asked Emelia. "She is the lady I told you about. We met at the mall and she has agreed to be a surrogate for us." Emelia smiled awkwardly. "Surrogate!" He repeated. "Yeah, do you know her?" Emelia asked again. "Of course not, I was just surprised to see a strange
Chapter Four Cassandra's POV A few minutes later Emelia's driver arrived, he helped me into the car and took his place in the driver's seat then he drove off to Emelia's house. A few minutes later we arrived at a huge mansion. I anticipated seeing the royal palace, I have never seen one in my life and I was excited. But when I got out of the car and looked around it didn't look like the Royal Palace I have seen in pictures. Palace or not it is none your business focus on what you came here for. A voice in my head scolded. A maid with mud-brown hair that was packed up in a tight bun walked up to me, "Come in Miss, her highness will join you shortly." She ushered me inside
Chapter ThreeCassandra's POV"What!" I was very surprised at the condition she gave me."You heard me right," Emelia said."No, I can't do it. I just met you minutes ago and now you are asking me to be your surrogate, I can't believe this. I am sorry I can't help you, I don't even trust you." I stood up from my seat in anger."You should find someone else," I added."I can give you any amount you want and think about your brother,""I'll find a solution to that but I can't do this. I can't get pregnant now, that is a really big decision," I was getting annoyed."Fine, but if you change your mind don
Chapter Two Cassandra's POV*Andalusia, Spain*"Welcome to Andalusia." A scrawny-looking lady of about her twenties welcomed me and other people that came out from the airport, I wheeled my heavy suitcase along with me while I tried to find a taxi to take me to Angel's fall hotel."Taxi" l yelled and the taxi came to a halt in front of me."Where would you like to go, Miss?" The taxi driver asked."Take me to Angel's fall hotel, please
Chapter One Cassandra's POV New Orleans, Louisiana "Good morning.Welcome to Totally cute. How can I help you?" I said as two handsome young men walked in. One is fairly tall, dressed in a black tuxedo with black long hair that was properly arranged at the back of his head. Piercing blue eyes stare at me, almost daring me to look away. The other, who seemed like his butler, is a little shorter than his employer. He was dressed in a brown suit and had blonde hair. Both are undoubtedly handsome. "Lucas, get something you think is perfect for Emelia so I can get out of this place."
Against The StormBy: Joel Racheal©All rights reservedMeet Cassandra ValdezA hardworking, gorgeous, twenty-eight-year-old redhead. She is a wonderful daughter to her parents and a good sister to her brother, Jake.When she goes on a trip to Andalusia, she doesn't expect to meet Princess Emelia and is quite surprised when she is asked to be a surrogate for Emelia and the prince.Due to unexpected circumstances, she accepts the offer, little does she know the prince is no knight in shining armor.Meet Rodriguez AstleyA smart, hardworking, handsome, and arrogant billionaire prince. He is everything a woman could ever want.