CHAPTER 08

CASSANDRA

"Maybe when I can't take what they are doing to me, I'll fight back. "

"You should defend yourself. Don't wait until you become disabled before you defend yourself." Jack joined in our conversation.

"I never fought with someone before. I don't want trouble."

"Then try to start today. Don't let anyone hurt you. If you can't handle them, call us. See this muscle?" He flexes his bicep in front of me, earning Jack a playful smack. I giggled when Billy smacked him in return. These scary men are cotton candy inside.

"Someone coming out," Jack said, and I saw one of the maids step out of the gate with a hose.

"Wait for me here," I told Billy and Jack and went to Jenny. "Jenny!!

"Cassandra!!!. Oh my god. What happened? Sir Carlos said you and Aunt Amara run away."

"What? I didn't. He used us as a payment for his debt."

"What? But that's what he told everyone. Mrs. Revira is furious, as well as the twin."

"He lied. Jenny, can you help me get my sketchbook in my room? I don't want my family to see me. They might hurt me. It's under my bed in a brown box."

"Okay, luckily, you come today, because Mrs. Rivera asked us to burn all your things tomorrow. Wait for a while. I'll get it."

"Thank you, Jenny." She nodded and rushed back inside. I stood outside the gate, waiting for her return. I sigh sadly. This place is where my family stays, and I should stay as well, but it doesn't feel like home for me. This place makes me feel like a nuisance and a burden to my family.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice the approaching car. It stopped a few feet away from me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I stepped back when I noticed it was Christina. She stepped out of her car and marched toward me.

Jenny returned carrying my box, and I rushed to her and took the box. "Thank you, Jenny. I owe you for this." I said and walked past Christina, ready to ignore her, but she pulled my hair.

"You think you can come and go if you want?" She snarled and pulled my hair. I winced and wiggled from her hold, but she pushed me, and I stumbled backward.

I'm used to this kind of treatment from my family, and it doesn't affect me anymore. I only wanted her to let me go so that I could leave.

Two arms held my shoulder before I could hit the ground and straighten me up. When I looked up, I saw Jack looking at me worriedly.

"I'm okay." I mouthed but quickly hid me behind him when Christina charged toward us. Jack grabbed her hand, who tried to pull me behind him and pushed her harder than she did to me. Christina fell sprawling on the ground.

"You, listen here, woman, lay your hand on her again, and I'll make sure you don't have a hand to use for the rest of your life," Jack warned.

Christina stood up, and I gasped when she slapped Jack.

"And who do you think you are to warn me? You came into our property bringing this garbage. Do you think you have a right to warn me? You dick head."

Jack chuckled and touched his face. "Your property? Do you know that the property you are talking about should be gone right now without Miss Cassandra? You and your family should be much poorer than a rat, but your useless father used Miss Cassandra to pay his debt. So don't act high and mighty in front of me because you are nothing but a brat kid who knows nothing and couldn't live by herself without the help of his parents' money." Jack mocked.

"It's not true. You are lying." Christina screamed.

"I don't care if you believe me or not. Why not ask you good for nothing of a father? Bear this in mind, brat. One day, you will kneel in front of Miss Cassandra, and I'm there to witness it." Jack said before leading me to the car, leaving the flabbergasted Christina.

***

"Miss Cassandra, why you don't fight back?" Jack asked after a few moments of silence inside the car.

"Can you stop calling me Miss? It makes me feel uncomfortable, and I'm already used to what Christina did.

"It's sir Alexander's order to call you Miss, and we can't disregard it. And that's kindness of yours, you should show it to people who deserve it, but your family doesn't deserve it. They did so many bad things to you. You should hate them and curse them for what they did to you." Jack angrily said. This guy has a temper.

"Because I couldn't do it for them, I'm sure other people will do it. I know karma always comes. I wait and see what will happen to them. I don't want to be like them. I know what they are doing is bad. That's why I don't want to follow in their footsteps. They said if you do good, good things will come, and if you do bad, bad things will come to you as well."

Billy chuckled while Jack laughed awkwardly. "Yes, you're right," he replied shortly, and the car turned quiet again. I focused my eyes outside the window when I spotted someone.

"Isn't that James Larson? " I asked as I saw him walking towards us. He was wearing Gym attire, so maybe he was heading to a Gym.

", Ah yes, he is staying in the Mansion beside us. " Billy replied.

"He did, Oh my god. Docked when he passed by us with my heart pounding hard in my chest.

"Hello, Sir. Going to the Gym? " I heard Billy say and gasped when the car stopped.

"Ah, yes," Oh my god. I'm hyperventilating. His voice is so deep.

"I heard your employer already came. "

"Yes, Sir. Miss Cassandra and Mr. Larson want to meet you, " Jack said. This guy—couldn't he see that I was hiding? I cleared my throat and casually fixed my hair. I rolled down the window and smiled at him.

"Hello, Sir. But I'm not their boss. I'm just a stray woman their boss picked up and brought home." I smiled awkwardly at him. Oh my god, he is so gorgeous. Those magazines didn't lie.

"You are not a stray woman. Miss Cassandra," Jack said.

"You must be important to their boss." He smiled, and it was a beautiful smile. "I'm James Larson. We are neighbors. "

"Hello, sir. I'm Cassandra, and it's an honor to meet you. " I smiled. I looked calm, but my heart pounded when he offered his hand for a handshake, and I hesitantly accepted it. Oh my god, I'm holding James Larson's hand. It never crossed my mind that I would meet him, but holding his hand feels like I'm dreaming.

"Nice meeting you, Miss Cassandra. "

"Same here, sir. "

"I'll go ahead. See you around, Miss Cassandra." I smiled and waved at him as he resumed walking. I bit my lips and screamed, startling Jack and Billy. I gasped when I saw James stop walking and rush back to the car.

"What happened? " He asked. I buried my blushing face between my legs, embarrassed.

"Nothing. " I whispered, hiding my blushing face. I only see a spider." I lied. He chuckled, then resumed walking.

"I didn't see a spider, " I heard him say, and I wanted to vanish at the moment. I glared at Jack, and Billy suddenly burst into laughter.

"What funny? "

"The spider." They laughed.

"Yah! It wasn't funny. It's embarrassing. " I murmured.

"Why did you scream anyway? " Billy asked as the car started moving again.

"Don't tease, okay? Mr. Larson is my ultimate crush. Don't laugh, don't tease. " I warned.

"Our lips are sealed, " they said, but I could see they were biting their lips, and their shoulders were shaking, holding their laughter. I pursed my lips, folded my arms on my chest, and turned my eyes outside the window.

"Mr. Larson, is your ultimate crush?" Jack asked, which earned a smack from Billy.

"Mind your own business." Billy scolded him.

"Yes, I honestly answered. Only Mama Amara knows about my crush on James Larson because I don't have a friend with whom to share it. But I feel comfortable with Jack and Billy after knowing them for two days. They look scary, but if you know them, they are kind and friendly.

"Really? Wow! Do you know Mr. Larson? He is a wealthy man. He is good but dangerous to those who hurt the people he cares about. His parents died four years ago." Billy said.

"I know.