Chapter Seven

Cassie's eyes widened in desperation as she struggled to shout one last time for help. Anderson's face contorted with fury as he yelled, "Hey you! Get your filthy hands off my wife!" His brow furrowed, and his jaw clenched tightly.

Moving closer to Cassie's, Anderson's expression softened with concern as he reached out his hands to help her up from the ground. His eyes darted between Cassie and the thugs, a mix of protectiveness and anger evident in his gaze.

Her face showed a mixture of pain and relief as she responded softly, "I'm fine, Anderson." Her lips trembled slightly, but she managed a small, grateful smile.

"I don't care who the hell you are," one of the men spat out, his brows furrowed in defiance. "But I'll advise you, if you don't want to get your ass whooped, you'll get out of here right now."

Cassie's eyes widened with fear as she pleaded softly, "Please, Anderson, be careful." She could see the determination etched on his face as he signaled for her to move behind him.

In mere moments, Anderson's expression shifted from concern to intense focus as he engaged the assailants. His fists clenched tightly, his jaw set with determination as he swiftly incapacitated two of the men, leaving them bleeding and weakened on the ground.

As the last man lunged at Anderson with a knife, Cassie's heart pounded with panic. With a surge of adrenaline, she swung her heel and delivered a powerful blow to the attacker's head. Relief flooded her features as the man slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Trembling with fear, Cassie whispered to herself in shock, "Jesus, I've just killed someone." She hesitantly approached the man she had struck, checking to see if he was still breathing, her face contorted with dread.

Together, they subdued the thugs, binding them to a chair. Despite their defeat, Anderson's face remained twisted with anger.

He wasn't satisfied with the punishment he had already delivered.

"Which hand did you use to touch my wife?" Anderson's voice rumbled with fury, his eyes blazing with intensity as he loomed over the men.

Again, he demanded, louder and more menacing, "I said, which hand did you use to touch my wife?!" The threat of the knife hung in the air, his face a mask of rage as he awaited their response.

Cassie's eyes widened in shock at Anderson's intense reaction, her expression pleading as she begged, "Anderson, please, calm down."

One of the thugs, his face twisted with fear, cried out, "Please, please don't hurt me! We were just following orders. I don't want to die."

Anderson's brows furrowed deeper in anger as he demanded, "Shut up! What orders?" His eyes bore into the men, his jaw clenched tightly with frustration.

The thugs fell silent, their faces pale with realization as they understood they had nearly revealed the truth. Fear and tension hung heavy in the air, etching lines of worry on their faces.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, one of the thugs spoke "Okay, okay, I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you the truth, please stop..." he pleaded desperately. Anderson, hearing this, slowly lowered his hand, his eyes narrowing with determination.

"Nikolai Volkov," the thug confessed, fear evident in his voice. "He's in the Russian mob. He ordered us to do this because she wouldn't agree to sell the shoes."

"Hmm," Anderson grunted in response, a mix of anger and resolve flickering across his face. "The Russian mob, huh? I see." He clenched his jaw, his gaze hardening. "Well, you tell Nick that Anderson Klein is coming for him." Determination burned in his eyes as he prepared to take action.

As they arrived home, Anderson's emotions churned inside him, the tension palpable in the air. Sitting close to Cassie, he gently tended to the injury on her hand, his expression a mix of concern and relief.

Breaking the heavy silence, Cassie finally spoke, her voice filled with sincerity. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Confusion furrowed Anderson's brow as he looked up at her. "Why are you saying sorry?" he asked softly.

Cassie's eyes filled with regret as she replied, "I shouldn't have tried to pawn off your gift like that. I changed my mind. I couldn't go through with it." Her face reflected her genuine remorse as she admitted her mistake.

Anderson's eyes remained fixed on dressing Cassie's wounds as he responded, his tone tinged with frustration. "Is that what you're sorry about?"

Cassie's confusion was evident on her face as she replied, "Yes, isn't that why you're mad?”

Raising his head to meet her gaze, Anderson's eyes bore into hers, filled with a mix of concern and anger. "No," he asserted firmly. "I'm mad because if you had money problems, you should have told me. I'm your husband. You could have asked me for help. You could have gotten hurt today, and what if I wasn't there? What exactly was going through your mind, Cassie?" His voice rose with frustration as he confronted her.

Cassie's confusion deepened as she questioned, "My husband?"

"Yes, I'm your husband, Cassie!" Anderson replied, his voice tinged with urgency.

Tears welled up in Cassie's eyes as she poured out her heart. "You were the one that said this is all pretend and we should get a divorce in a few months," she explained, her voice quivering with emotion. "What choice do I have? I got rejected from BME because the interviewer hated me for no reason. I married a stranger because my mom is in the hospital and there's no money to pay her hospital bills. I'm drowning in debt trying to pay them. I don't know what to do, Anderson. I'm trying my best." her face was etched with anguish as she shared her burdens with him.

Suddenly, Anderson pulled Cassie closer, his hands gently cupping her face as he pressed his lips against hers in a passionate kiss. Cassie was taken aback by the suddenness of his actions, but she couldn't resist kissing him back, feeling the warmth of his breath against her face. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the moment, her heart racing with a mix of surprise and desire.

Anderson withdrew his lips from Cassie's, and a hush fell over the room as he spoke.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, his voice filled with sincerity. "I lost my temper with you." His eyes met hers, reflecting regret and a hint of vulnerability.