CHAPTER 07

CASSANDRA

My eyes are brimmed with tears again. Even though how hard I try to hold it back, it's still streamed down my face. I feel so overwhelmed by everything they did to me, especially Alex. I don't know him, but it seems like he knows me very well.

"I'm here more than twenty hours only, but what he did, it seems like I've been here for a long time. All of you make me feel like I'm important too, that I am wanted, the opposite of what my family makes me feel."

"This room?"

" Sir Alexander prepared this for you. Your studio so that you can paint without disturbance."

"Thank you so much, Harold, and I'm so thankful and happy for Sir Alexander's birthday gift. I don't know how to express how happy and grateful I am for everything he did for me, but one day, if he asked for something for me in return, I would gladly give it to him. " Harold smiled widely.

"Don't worry, he will when the right time comes."

"Okay!" I agreed, without a doubt, after what he did to me. All the doubt in my heart vanished.

"Umm!!! Harold, can I go back to the Revira's residence?"

"It's very dangerous for you to go back there. They might hurt you."

"I just want to take my sketchbook. It's very important to me. Billy and Jack failed to bring it here. Please, Harold,

"They might hurt you, Cassy. I cannot let you go there. Sir Alexander will kill me if something happens to you."

"It's very important. All my sketches are there. It's my only treasure."

"Let Billy and Jack get it."

"I don't want others to see it. No one is allowed to see it."

"But, Cassandra...

"I'll hide. I will wait for one of the maids to come and ask her to get it for me. I won't get inside the house. I won't show myself to them."

"Okay, fine, but Billy and Jack will accompany you tomorrow. It's already late. Go and rest now, Miss Cassy."

"Thank you, Harold. Good night, and thank you for everything." He nodded, smiling, and I left the room. I will arrange everything tomorrow.

The following day, I woke up at five a.m. I'm used to waking up early at the Revira residence because if I don't, Sir Carlos will punish me.

I took a bath. After that, I went out of my room and to the kitchen. And I smiled when I saw Mama there.

"Good morning, Ma."

"You don't need to wake up so early starting today."

"I already got used to it. What can I do to help you?"

"Okay, you set the table while I'm cooking."

"Okay, I enthusiastically said. I feel so happy. It is the start of my new life and my freedom. I set the table while Mama continued cooking. After that, I help her place it on the table.

Everything was ready at six-thirty in the morning, but we were startled when Dan and Andrea burst into the dining area.

"Good morning." I greeted, smiling.

"Oh my god, Miss Cassandra, you shouldn't wake up so early and prepare food. It's our job." Dan said with fear in her eyes, as did Andrea.

"It's okay. Where is the other? Let's eat together."

"Andrea, call everyone." Andrea rushed outside the dining area. I wonder why they looked so scared. After a few minutes, she returned with Sarah, Aries, and Harold following behind her. They still looked disoriented, and their hair was still cluttered and messy. It seemed like they hadn't gone to the toilet before coming here.

"Are both of you alright? You can go to the bathroom to wash up first."

"That's what we told, Mom, but she dragged us here," Aries whined.

"Do you know who you are talking to?" Dan asked. Aries groaned, and then he looked at me.

"Miss Cassandra?" He gasped.

"What the commotion early in the morning? "a man I didn't recognize asked, yawning. Dan, you cook breakfast. Early?"

"Sir, it wasn't me. It's Miss Cassandra and Amara.". Is he Alexander? He looks young and handsome.

"Hello, Cassandra, Amara. Let me introduce myself. I'm Adrian, I'm Alexander's lawyer. I'm staying here occasionally when I'm around

"He...hello, Sir."

"Adrian is fine. Let's eat. I want to taste Cassandra's cooking." Adrian smiled. I'm glad that he looks friendly.

"Mama is the one who cooked. I only help set the table." I murmured.

"Okay, sit. Don't be shy," Adrian urged, pulling the seat I had taken the other night. Hesitantly, I sat down, and he took the chair at the head of the table. "Everyone sit down," Adrian said, filling his plate with food.

"This is good," Adrian commented while munching his pancake and omelet.

"Mama is a good cook. She's the cook in the Revira's residence. Now they couldn't taste her cooking, only us." I grinned.

"You complimented me too much. Just eat." Mama scolded, but I only grinned at her. Aries, try this omelet. It's good." I said and placed some on his plate. Sarah snorted while Adrian smiled at Aries, who looked like I had put rotten food on his plate.

"He doesn't like omelets," Andrea said, chuckling.

"Oh, sorry."

"Give it to me. I like it," Sarah said, scooping the omelet from Aries's plate.

"You're the best, Sis." I smiled when I remembered my siblings. Siblings should treat each other like Aries and Sarah. They always backing each other.

After thirty minutes, we finally finished eating. Andrea and Sarah cleaned the table and washed the dishes while I took the vacuum to clean the living room, but Carol, who just arrived, quickly took it from my hold.

"You are not a maid here. Do whatever you want, but don't bother doing any household chores. It's our job.

"I want to help, and Sir Alexander said I can help."

"Clean your room then. That's the only place you are allowed to clean. Got it?" She reprimanded, but I could see the smile on her lips.

"Okay, Ma'am." I smiled. She chuckled and softly petted my head. That action warms my heart. In this place, I feel so loved and cared for.

I went to the living room, where Adrian was watching television, and when I saw what he was watching, I quickly settled on the couch.

Mama, who passed by, chuckled when she saw who was on the television.

"What?" Adrian asked when he saw the teasing smile on her lips.

"Nothing," I replied, smiling. "That guy is James Larson, right?"

"Yes, Why?" Andrian asked.

"Nothing," I replied and focused my eyes on the man on the television. James Larson is my only crush. I first saw him when I was fourteen. The magazine featured him as the youngest business in the country.

At the age of fourteen, I already admired him, and it grew as time passed by, and after four years, it never changed. I'm hoping one day, I will meet him in person.

James Larson is the reason why I started to paint. I wanted to paint him because I knew I couldn't have him, and painting him soothes my longing heart.

"Adrian, can I go to the Revira's residence after lunch? I want to take something from there.

"Isn't it dangerous? They might hurt you."

"I'll ask Billy and Jack to accompany me."

"Dear, it is dangerous," Mama said behind me. "They might hurt you."

"I won't show myself at them, Ma. I'll wait for one of the maids to come out and ask her to get my sketchbook from my room."

"It's still dangerous."

"You know how important that sketchbook is for me. I promise I'll be careful; besides, Billy and Jack are coming with me. Please, Ma."

"Okay, but when you saw one of them coming, run away, okay? Especially when it was sir Carlos."

"Okay, don't worry. I'm a fast runner." I smiled. Mama chuckled, patted my head, and resumed whatever she was doing.

After lunch, Billy and Jack went with me to Revira's residence. They used a BMW. I'm still hesitant to ride an expensive car, but I must get used to it if I stay with them. It took us almost an hour before we parked outside Revira's residence.

It's already three in the afternoon, and I know around four to four-thirty, one of the maids will come out to water the plant outside.

"We will wait here for a while. Someone will come out to water the plant in an hour," I told Billy, who was sitting in the driver's seat while Jack was sitting in the passenger seat beside him.

He nodded his head and opened a chip. He offered one for me, and I gladly took it, smiling.

"Thank you." He smiled and poked my forehead.

"You are very kind, Miss Cassandra. It is good, but you should be bad sometimes. You know, when someone bullies you, fight. Sir Alexander will back you up. Don't let anyone lay their hand on you." Billy advise.