Cassie’s POV
“Wait, you painted that?” Mark sounded surprised.
We were taking a stroll in the office lounge area when I stopped to look at one of my paintings. I was surprised to see it there. Apparently, Enzo bought it when they first started the firm.
“Yes.” I said.
“But… I didn’t know you painted!”
I smiled, “I remain anonymous, of course.” I said, “But I’d given up painting a while ago. I don’t paint anymore.”
I began painting as a child. Mom and Liza would always go out together and leave me behind at home with my nanny. Dad was always on business trips and barely
Cassie’s POVWithin a week’s time, Mark had managed to find me a perfect location and time to host my first ever art exhibition. It was the first time I was going to make my name public. My paintings would no longer be sold anonymously.Safe to say, I was rather thrilled about it.“This calls for a celebration!” Mark said as Emma and I finally read the confirmatory email about my upcoming event. “Let’s head over to Club Raven for some drinks after work!”And so we did. I briefly went home to get dressed for the party before I joined Mark and Emma at the club. As soon as we got a table, Mark called for a round of shots.“To Cass
Cassie’s POV“Enzo?” I said, perplexed. “Leave me!”But he didn’t. Instead, he threw a nasty glare at Ryan and dragged me out of the dance floor.“Where are you taking me?” I asked but he didn’t stop nor did he respond. He just kept moving. He only stopped when we reached a dark area in the club where nobody was around.“Enzo-”“What the hell are you up to, Cassie?” He asked in a dangerous tone.“Me? I was just dancing-”“With who?” He asked, “Who was that bastard?”
I exhaled in disbelief.Enzo wanted… me? I could not believe it!“Me?” I asked, “But… you were trying to get back with Liza, weren’t you? That night when you went to her house… I thought you were-”“No, Cassie. I didn’t go there to make things right with her. I went there to permanently break things off. To tell her that her and I can never be a thing.”“Why?” I asked, “You were serious before she went abroad right? You wanted to give it a chance when she came back.”“Well, that is partly true. But things were different back then.
Cassie’s POVNext day at the office was rather awkward. Enzo and I ended up travelling in the same lift along with Emma, yet we didn’t exchange any words. As we got off on our floor, Emma asked me,“Is Enzo okay?”“Er… yes. Why do you ask?”“He seemed grim.” She said, “Didn’t you notice the circles under his eyes?”Well, I did. And it pained to know that I was the reason for it. I wish I could help him. But how? I was the reason he was suffering. How could I alleviate his pain?“Work stress, perhaps.” I said.
The weekend arrived sooner than anticipated.I barely had enough time amidst all of this to process that I was going on a business trip with Enzo. What the hell! How was I going to survive it?“You're carrying your passport, right?” Enzo asked as we arrived at the airport.“Yes.” I said and pointed to my shoulder bag, “Right here.”Nodding, he walked us to the private lounge area reserved for business class passengers. We took a seat by the couch, and instead of making conversation with me, Enzo opened his laptop and started working.Although he asked me to accompany him, Enzo barely made any effort to make things less aw
By the time Enzo returned, I managed to regain some of my composure.I found a movie to watch and was about to play it when I heard someone giggle near the aisle. It was right outside mine, and it was two girls, possibly in their teens, who were gushing.The brunette said, “Oh, my god. Did you look at that man? He looks like a Greek god!”“I know right!” The blonde replied, “He’s like chiseled to perfection. I’m sure he’s european!”“Probably, but wow. He’s so hot. I wonder if he would be up for a quick snog in the washroom.”I widened my eyes in amusement. Who could be this handsome hunk they were talking about?
Warm rays of sunshine woke up the next morning.And as soon as I did, I realized that my body was pressed against Enzo's!I widened my eyes in surprise. Our legs were entangled, and our bodies were cuddling against each other.How did we end up like this?Somehow, I got out of his hold and went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. When I came back, Enzo was wide awake."Shit." I muttered to myself, holding the towel closer to my chest.Enzo's eyes lifted to steal a glance at me, and surprise was evident on his face. I watched as his jaw clenched. I knew too well that his gaze was not an innocent one. Grabbing my bag, I almost ran to the walk-in closet to change.After a while, we were on our way to meet our client.“It’s an unusual place to set up an office, isn’t it?” I asked once we got into the car.“Yes, which is why it's not here.” Enzo said, “It’s in Seoul. Just that Lee
Mr Lee was not kidding.His beach property a few kilometres away from his residence was astounding. It was a member’s only resort, meaning only the wealthy had access to it. Mr Lee’s friends were also here for a small get-together, and we would be joining them to have some fun.“My staff will guide you to your villa, Mr De Luca.” Mr Lee said as we got out of his car. “This is mine. I’ll be heading in. See you in the evening for dinner. Don’t be late.”“Sure. Thank you, Mr Lee.”Only when we reached our villa did it occur to me that I would have to share it with Enzo. After all, in Mr Lee’s eyes, we were a couple.I humped
“Axon.” Mr Ashford boomed. “Boy, why are we discussing that now? We’re not here for that.” Axon’s jaw was tightened as he continued glaring at me. And then, he looked at Mrs Ashford, his face softening, “I’m sorry, Grandma. I was just… taken aback seeing him there.” “Well, he is soon going to be your family.” Mr Ashford said, “What’s in the past better stay in the past. He might have been your business rival then, but now, he’s the man marrying your cousin. Don’t you forget that.” “I know.” He said, “As long as he doesn’t come after me, I’m fine with having him around.” “Well, it was part of his profession.” I said, “I’m sure things will be different now. Why don’t we just forget what happened and make a fresh start?” “Of course, that must come easy to you, right, dear? Making a fresh start everytime life gets inconvenient.” Alfred chimed in, “Just like your mother. What a dear soul she was.” Although his words were intended to be kind, nobody missed the hidden undertone of it.
We were having breakfast in their backyard this morning, and my eyes were just wandering around as Enzo conversed with my grandparents. The Ashford’s estate back in the states was one thing and here in Sicily was completely another. To say it was magnificent would be an understatement. It was a huge property amidst which lay the house that we were staying at that could easily house 250 guests I think. It was built in a true European style with no compromise on the size and the quality.“Cassie?” I heard Enzo's voice, and when I turned toward him, he was already giving me an amused smile. I guess it was not the first time he was calling me. “I’m sorry, yes?” “Mr Ashford has some good news to share with you.” “Is it?” I said, turning toward him. “Yes, dear.” He said, “Turns out, your mother and mother-in-law are not going to make it to the engagement.” I widened my eyes at that, “What? How did you manage that?” “Well, all thanks to your father, I must say.” He said, “He learned
The meeting went on for another half hour before we decided to call it a day. Enzo and I were about to head out when Raymond called my name. “Yes?” I said, turning around. “That software you used…” He started, “Is that your company’s?” “Nope. It’s mine. It was my project in college.”“I see.” He mused, scratching his jaw. “Well… I think we would benefit from it. Do you have any plans of selling it?” I smiled, “Sell? Raymond, I’d give it to you for free.” His brows went up, “Seriously?” “Of course.” I said, surprised that he even thought I would accept his money. “How about I rent it then?”I scoffed, “No, I’m not accepting any money from you. I never created this to make money off of it. Use it for as long as you want. I’d be glad that it is of some use to someone.” “Well. I don’t know what to say.” He said, giving me a grateful smile. “Thank you so much, Cassie.” “As long as you don’t regret hiring me, I’m happy.” He laughed, “Never.” Wearing a smile I got into the elevato
The morning of our Italy trip, Raymond called us for an emergency meeting. Enzo and I had already finished our packing for the trip, so we were able to find time to go to his office. I had an idea about what this meeting was going to be about, and my suspicion was proved right once we arrived there. “The bidding for our new project in the UK is just a week away,” Raymond announced, a tired look claiming his face. I could tell that he must have endured many sleepless nights over this. “I have a feeling that Calvin Anderson is going to win this one as well. Like he always does.” “That will be what, his third time in a row?” I asked. He nodded, “He bids the lowest amount for every government project that he wins. If you look at the numbers, it’s practically impossible to finish the project with that budget. Forget breakeven, you will run into losses with that amount. I don’t know how he’s making profits from it.” “Well, do you have the data of your last three biddings?” I said, “I ha
I couldn’t believe this woman. She didn’t change a bit. Every time she finds an opportunity to exploit, she makes sure she gets it by hook or by crook. And that’s exactly what she’s doing now too. I clearly underestimated how smart my mother could be when she wanted something.“Of course you are, Mrs Harper.” Mrs Ashford said. “You’ve raised Cassie all these years. You must attend her engagement.” Mrs Ashford was not familiar with my mother’s game. She probably thought she was meaning well, but the truth couldn’t be farther from it. “Thank you, Mrs. Ashford.” She said, “I wouldn’t miss her engagement for the world.” “Of course, you won’t.” I said, walking away from her. Mrs Ashford followed me as I got the dress packed. As expected, the two evil women left us alone after they got what they wanted with victorious grins on their faces. Shaking my head in dismay, I walked out with Mrs Ashford and got into the car. She noticed my troubled face and reached out for my hand. “Don’t wor
I folded my arms across my chest, glaring at her. Did they plan this? Of course they had to. There was no way they were here by coincidence. They were so eager to kick me out of their lives back then, so why did they want to speak to me now? “Fiona?” Mrs Ashford said, “What are you doing here?” Right. I forgot they were friends. Great. “Mrs Ashford, I just came to meet my daughter-in-law.” She said, “I wanted to see how she was doing. I heard there has been a lot going on in her life after the divorce…” “First of all.” I said, “Calvin and I are divorced. I’m no longer your daughter in law. And you never treated me like one when I was married to your son, so I don’t get why you’re talking to me now. If you’ll excuse us, I need a lot-” “Oh, don’t be so upset, Cassie.” She said, “What has happened is in the past. You know we don’t have to remember everything. Why can’t we make a fresh start?”“A fresh start?” I scoffed, “I’m already doing that and I urge you to do the same.” “No, C
As I walked along the pavement of the busy streets of New York, I couldn’t help but miss the smell of the ocean, the humid air that added curls to my hair and the fresh breeze that kept me alive. Miami turned out to a perfect escape for Enzo and I. After spending our days by the ocean, strolling through the streets and exploring beautiful cafes, flying back home left a longing in my heart. I couldn’t wait to go back to Miami. “Hello, dear.” Mrs Ashford said as she saw me approaching her. Opening her arms open for me, she welcomed me into a warm motherly embrace. “You look wonderful. How was your trip?”“It was perfect.” I said, pulling away from her hug. “When have you come back here?” “Just last night.” She smiled. “I promised I would help you pick the dress, didn’t I?” “Oh, you didn’t have to come all the way here for that. I could’ve asked one of my friends to help out.” “But I wanted to be here.” She said, “I never got to celebrate my daughter’s wedding. Life’s giving me a se
I watched with anticipation as Enzo spoke to that man. The man’s face twisted with fear, and before I could understand why, he got up from his seat and headed outside. Enzo came back to the table with a neutral expression, making sure nobody suspected anything. Once he was seated, I turned toward him to ask, “What did he want?” He shook his head, “He was someone from the press. He wanted pictures of us together.” “Press?” I frowned. He didn’t look like he was from the press. Why would he ask me to take care of Enzo if he was a journalist? “I don’t think so…” “He was under a disguise so he would look like a tourist.” He said, “It’s fine. It’s nothing we should be worrying about. I warned him to not bother us anymore.” I nodded, but somewhere deep inside, I knew that the man was not telling the truth. There was more to the story than he let on. But for now, I let it go. If I saw him again, of course, I would confront him. Right then, Enzo touched my forearm. When I looked toward h
He was looking at me with a curious gaze, as if he was trying to figure me out. “Excuse me?” I said, urging him to move. “You’re Cassandra?” He asked. He didn’t seem like a native english speaker. “Uh… yes.” I said, “Do I know you?” He shook his head, “No.” He said and glanced behind him toward our table. “You’re with him?’I looked at Enzo. “Yes. What do you want?” “Nothing.” He said, stepping away. “You take good care of him, young lady.” I frowned, but took the chance to walk away. As I walked back to the table, Enzo turned around to reach out for my hand. As I took the seat beside him, I turned around to see if the man was still there. He was gone. “What’s the matter?” Enzo asked, looking at my confused face. “Nothing.” I said, turning away. “It was nothing.” ***After lunch, Enzo took me to one of Miami’s tourist attractions- Wynwood Walls. It was an art museum of sorts situated in the streets, with many famous artists displaying their work there. As a fellow art lover