Fourty One

CHAPTER 41

Antonio’s hand gently but firmly gripped Cassandra’s wrist as he pulled her toward the bedroom. Without a word, he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers with fiery passion. Cassandra, startled, hesitated for a moment before finally responding to his kiss. The tension and confusion of the night melted away in that moment. Antonio closed the bedroom door with a decisive click, shutting out the world as they surrendered to the night.

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in a warm glow. Cassandra stretched, her body aching from the events of the previous night. She reached out to the other side of the bed but found it empty. Antonio was gone. The faint scent of his cologne lingered on the sheets, a reminder of his presence just hours earlier.

Groaning softly, Cassandra sat up and stretched her sore muscles. Her gaze fell on her phone on the nightstand. Picking it up, she realized it had died sometime during the night. Frustration bubbled up as she remembered she hadn’t charged it.

After plugging the phone into the charger, Cassandra waited impatiently for it to power back on. As soon as the screen lit up, a flurry of notifications appeared, most of them from Martinez. Her heart sank as she read the timestamps. She had missed many messages.

Quickly, Cassandra tapped on Martinez’s name and called him. He answered almost immediately, his tone urgent. “Cassandra, where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you all morning.”

“Sorry, my phone died,” Cassandra replied groggily. “What happened?”

“Alexander is awake,” Martinez said, relief evident in his voice. “He’s been asking for you. You need to get to the hospital as soon as you can.”

Cassandra’s heart skipped a beat. “He’s awake?” she repeated, a mixture of relief and urgency flooding her tone. “I’ll be there right away.”

Ending the call, Cassandra sprang into action. She quickly dressed, choosing practical clothes that allowed her to move easily. After grabbing her keys and bag, she rushed out of the house and headed to the garage.

Sliding into the driver’s seat of her car, Cassandra started the engine and pulled onto the road. Her mind raced with questions. What did Alexander remember? Could he identify who attacked him? Would he be able to speak clearly?

The drive to the hospital felt longer than usual, her impatience making every stoplight seem eternal. When she finally arrived, Cassandra parked hastily and sprinted toward the entrance. Her shoes clicked against the polished floor as she navigated the familiar hallways to Alexander’s room.

Pushing the door open, Cassandra froze for a moment. Alexander was sitting up in bed, his face pale but alert. Bandages covered parts of his head and arms, and an IV drip was attached to his hand. He looked up as she entered, his expression softening with recognition.

“Cass,” Alexander said, his voice hoarse but steady.

Relief washed over Cassandra as she approached the bed. “Alex,” she murmured, her eyes scanning his injuries. “Thank God you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a truck,” he replied with a weak smile. “But I’m alive, thanks to you.”

Cassandra shook her head. “I just found you, but the paramedics and doctors are the ones who saved you.”

Alexander’s expression grew serious. “I remember some of what happened,” he said, his tone dropping. “They came out of nowhere. It was planned, Cass. They knew where I’d be.”

Cassandra pulled a chair closer to his bed and sat down. “Do you remember what they looked like? Or anything they said?” she asked, leaning forward.

Alexander closed his eyes, his brows furrowing as he tried to recall. “There were three of them. All men. The leader had a deep, commanding voice. He told me to stay away from you…”

Cassandra’s blood ran cold. “From me?” she echoed, her mind racing. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Alexander admitted, frustration flickering in his eyes. “But they meant it. They weren’t trying to scare me—they were making a point.”

Cassandra’s hands clenched into fists. Her thoughts immediately turned to Antonio. Was this his doing? Did he know more than he let on? She struggled to suppress the storm of emotions brewing inside her.

“Cass,” Alexander said, drawing her attention back to him. “Be careful. Whoever they are, they’re dangerous. And they’re watching.”

Cassandra nodded, her jaw set with determination. “I’ll be careful,” she promised. “But I’m not letting them get away with this.”

Alexander looked at her with a mix of worry and admiration. “Don’t do anything reckless,” he warned. “We’ll figure this out together.”

A knock at the door interrupted them. Martinez stepped in, his gaze flicking between Cassandra and Alexander. “Good to see you awake, Alex,” he said. “We need to talk, all of us.”

Cassandra stood up, her resolve firm. “Let’s get to work,” she said.

They sat around the small table in the room. Cassandra broke the silence. “There’s something that’s been bothering me since yesterday. When we visited Maria’s house for the investigation, I smelled almond in her coffee.”

Alexander frowned immediately. “Almond? What do you mean? Are you saying she tried to poison me?”

Cassandra nodded. “It’s possible. Almond is often associated with the smell of cyanide. I think Maria might be involved, Alex. She has a strong motive to protect her husband.”

But Alexander shook his head firmly. “No, Cass. The people who attacked me weren’t Maria. They were professionals, not someone like her.”

Cassandra refused to back down. “But the evidence points to her! Who else has a motive as strong as hers?”

Alexander sighed deeply, trying to stay calm. “I know she’s suspicious, but this isn’t her way. Maria might have secrets, but she’s not behind this attack.”

Martinez raised a hand, halting the escalating argument. “Enough, both of you. We’re here to uncover the truth, not to point fingers. Cassandra, your theory about Maria will be considered. Alexander, if you’re certain she’s not the culprit, we need evidence to support that. Our focus now is gathering information, not arguing.”

Cassandra and Alexander exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. Martinez continued. “We’ll investigate all possibilities. Nothing will be dismissed.”

Martinez turned to Cassandra. “You have an important task. I need you to check the CCTV footage around the police station. If we’re lucky, we might find out who left Alexander in the parking lot.”

Cassandra, though still annoyed with Alexander, nodded reluctantly. “Fine. I’ll head there now.”

Martinez then looked at Alexander, his expression softening. “Alex, you need to rest. I’ll arrange for security to watch over you while you’re in the hospital. We won’t let them try again.”

Alexander offered a faint smile, though his face still showed exhaustion. “Thank you, Martinez. I appreciate it.”

Cassandra grabbed her bag and left the room, her mind occupied with the next steps. Meanwhile, Martinez stayed with Alexander, ensuring everything was in order before continuing the investigation.