Chapter -5

*Cassandra's POV*

Oh my goodness. This was bigger than I imagined it to be. The last two days, my mother was running up and down to prepare this ball and I can't even get started with the money.

I for sure know this isn't my mother's money spent on a welcoming ball. Who am I kidding, she isn't this rich.

I swerved my eyes on many faces from our neighborhood. Most of the people present here aren't people I know of. They are here as per my mother's invitation.

"Cassie? Right?"

Red hair, black eyes. Those are the only two things I need to see to identify her. Sasha.

I did manage to control the rage I felt when I saw her today though.

"Yes, you must be the outspoken Sasha?" I said giving her the same amount of bright face that she's giving me. She seemed to be pleased with the compliments as I saw her face get brighter if possible.

"You are right. And you look so beautiful in that dress by the way." She said and we started to walk aimlessly at the pool of people.

"Thank you so much. You also look… lavish in the dress." Oh lord help me! I was about to say 'you look like a witch'. What is wrong with me?

"Thanks, your mother is asking for you. You should find her before she goes out of her mind." She chuckled.

"You're right about that. I am already late for my own party." I smiled politely at her and walked to my mother who was at the buffet. She was wearing an ankle length red dress while her blonde hair was tied up in a professional style and she seemed to be talking to a man whom I couldn't make out from behind.

Well, should I be walking to her and say hi? We have been getting close to each other in the past days but still I find it hard to reach out to her and say a decent greeting.

I should probably go there and say something.

"Cassie?" Oh yeah my mother was the one who called me this time.

I smiled brightly and walked to where she's standing. I'm sure I've never smiled more in the past ten years than I did in these three days I spent here. But most of them are fake.

"Hello, mother." She hugged me and kissed the air beside my ear.

"Where have you been darling, you are late." She whispered in my ear.

"It was the traffic." I lied. The truth Is: I have been thinking about not coming in here from the beginning. I changed my mind at the last minute thinking it would be the best opportunity to meet all of the people I came here for.

"Come and meet our guest here." She said, her voice louder this time. I didn't notice the person she was talking to when I came and he was still standing there but he was facing the buffet. He is tall and from his broad shoulders, I can tell he's well fitted.

But what I didn't expect when he turned around slowly was to be greeted with the face of a man who I very much wronged.

It was Don Tobias Assante. What in the whole world was my mother thinking when she befriended an international mafia Don?

His green eyes were piercing through mine and that mocking smile that he had on his lips was nerve wracking. He looks gorgeous yet intimidating with his black suit. He had the first two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned and he is smiling at me with a smile that says 'got you'. The only thing I found amiss is that the silver piercing he had on his lips were gone.

"Honey, say hello to Tobias Assante. He is a very important person in our business." She said but I was lost in my thoughts after the word Tobias Assante.

What do I do now? Should I run out? Why is he looking at me like that? It felt as if he was waiting patiently for this day to come.

My thoughts again broke when I saw his hand stretched to shake mine. And as if my hand had its own mind, it entered in his.

It was warm in his hand. And I missed that warmth. It has this force on me that makes me calm.

"Cassandra Velasquez." I introduced myself. The next moment, he pulled my hand and put his lips on the back of it, his eyes never leaving mine.

"You look beautiful." He said with his hoarse voice. 'You too.' I wish I could say but I don't know how that would come out to be.

"You take care of her for me Mr. Tobias. I will be here shortly." My mother said with her mischievous smile and left us alone.

What am I supposed to say now? Should I apologize? I couldn't even dare to see his face.

"I don't know how a person could radiate like you. Cassie, look at me." He said gently and I obliged.

He was looking at me like I was the only person he could notice in here. 'Oh, Don. What are you doing to me?' I was getting lost in those forceful emerald eyes.

"So you run away to come here? To your home?" He asked.

Why is this harder than I planned it to be? My home? This was never my home and nothing has changed at all. My home is the mafia. My home is not here but somehow I have to be here.

I wish I could tell him everything but I couldn't. How could I tell him that I'm here to murder my highschool bullies? He would definitely try to interfere. And I want this all to myself.

"No, Do-"

"For the millionth time, call me Tobias." He said. Yes he always wanted me to call him by his name.

"Ok, Tobias. I didn't run away to enjoy my past home. I only have one home and that with the mafia. It's the only place I could call home." I finished and his eyes gave a look around us and his cold dangerous aura returned after he spotted something behind me.

I didn't have to wonder for too long as someone rested their hand on my shoulder and I flinched out of the coldness of their hand.

"Hey Cassie. You told me you'd call me to drive you here." It's Jaden. What in the whole freaking world is he doing here?

I only turned around to see that he was glaring at Tobias. My eyes returned back to Tobias and I caught him staring at Jaden too. Is there some kind of staring contest I didn't know of?

Why are they glaring at each other like they were sworn enemies? But if they knew each other before, I know Jaden wouldn't dare look at him like that. He just wouldn't dare.

"Um, I kind of forgot." My voice came out colder than I expected it to be and Tobias's eyes softened at my tone.

'So you like it when I get cold to other men, huh Don?'

I smiled at my thoughts. My mother's voice from the stage made us all turn around as she temporarily broke the tension with a speech.

"This welcoming ball as you all know is for my beautiful daughter who came back after many years of absence. I am happy and proud to introduce my beautiful daughter, Cassie." She smiled and added "Please give it all to my beautiful daughter."

Again mother, you are the wisest of us all aren't you. You knew what would happen out of this situation and you decided to interfere.

I went to my mother who's coming down from the stage and she met me halfway catching me in a tight bear hug.

I returned the gesture patting her back. She picked up some glasses of wine from the passing waiter and handed me one.

"Welcome home, darling." She said, putting the glass close to her lips.

"Thank you, mother."

"You should meet some people." She said and held my hand pulling me toward the pool of people and introducing me to each one of them.

After a dozen people later, things started to get interesting for me as she introduced me to the main character in my plan.

Carolina Michaels. She was wearing a very revealing black dress. It was a long sleeveless dress. The dress was beautiful, it's the dresser I'm finding ugly.

She had her poisonous smile on her face. Her overdone makeup made her look angelic but I couldn't miss the evil behind the beautiful make-up. Her shortly cut blonde hair was freed, reaching her shoulder.

"I have been wanting forever to let you guys meet." My mother squealed beside me.

"This is Carolina Michaels. You would be best friends." She said to me and I held out my hands for a hand shake.

She also held out her hand and I took her in a firm hold. She is going to have it hard this time.

"Call me Cassie." I smiled at her.

"Oh my gosh, Sarrah. I didn't even know you had a beautiful daughter like this." She said to my mother.

Turns out my mother became friends with my highschool bullies who turned my life into a miserable hell. All of them seem to be close to her.

"You are so nice." I said. My mother was getting all too happy with every word I exchanged with her. And after some stupid chats, my mother left us both alone and went to greet other guests.

It definitely was a wrong move from my mother as I am finding it terribly hard to contain myself and not strangle her to death. 'Why the f*ck is she smiling at me like that?'

"You seem to be close to Tobias?" Wait, what?

"Come again?" I looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I can see he warmed up to you. But you have to help me get close to him." She said and held my free hand with her.

I don't know what came to me but I snatched it harshly away from her slim hand and glared at her.

"Oh, sorry. You're not that much of a touchy person, I see." She said, shocked by my abrupt movement.

"I'm sorry." I voiced out but I couldn't form a smile on my face. I don't know if it's the memory or the mention of Tobias's name in her tongue that made me this angry but either way, I didn't like her hand on me.

"I'm not used to strangers touching me." I smoothed out my voice and she breathed out in relief. Am I this intimidating? Why does she look like she saw a monster?

"Well, I didn't notice. Please don't get me wrong."

Hold on a minute. Did she just apologize to me? Does this mean she's changed?

"Ohh. It's not a problem." Finally a smile came to my face.

But the next moment, my questions about her change of behavior got answered. A female waitress was walking by when she tripped and fell, breaking the glasses which she was holding.

The waitress quickly stood up and started collecting the shattered glasses.

"Are you hurt?" I bent over and asked.

"I'm- I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." She stuttered.

"Be careful with the glass." I said and stood up with that.

"Don't mind lowly beings like her, Cassie. Some of them need to learn with experience that they shouldn't talk to their higher ups." Carolina said watching the poor waitress like a piece of nothing.

Should I let this whole plan f*uck up and beat this piece of shit to her death now? How could a person be the same after a decade? It has been a freaking decade for God's sake!

"I will be back." I said and headed to the restroom. I need fresh air out of everyone's presence. Unfortunately for me, the restroom is at the far opposite end of the hall.

I took long strands and reached the restroom and I was glad to find it empty. Everything is becoming blurry all of a sudden. I opened the tap to let the water flow on the sink and try to get rid of the painful memories flooding in my mind.

I remember just how she did this to me. How all the people laughed at me.

"Cassie?"

Tobias?

"Cassie, are you ok?" I looked up and saw Tobias's figure in the mirror standing behind me. I saw him as he locked the door behind him and started to walk to me.

I turned around and faced his body which was getting closer to me by the second.

He put his hand on my cheek when he got close enough and I closed my eyes with the contact. He has this strange effect on me.

"Cassie, you can talk to me. What is happening?" He asked.

Tobias, I wish I could tell you but I can't. I know you would somehow get involved in it and I want to do this on my own.