Chapter 01: The promise

~Cassandra~

The faint ticking of the ornate grandfather clock seemed to sound louder echoing in the quiet as the tension in my Dad's study room grew thicker. Golden rays slipped past the curtains brightening the room but the atmosphere between us was far from warm.

“What’s this?” Dad bellowed as he flung the newspaper at my face, anger evident in his voice as he kept scowling. I clenched my fist tight, bending my neck to look at the headline written in the newspaper.

‘?&? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ??????????- ??????? ?????????.’

This wasn't my first time seeing it, but it still made my blood boil, adrenaline gushing in with full force. The news came out earlier this morning while I was preparing to go to the office and I have been trying my best to shut down the media company that brought this news out.

“Tell me Cassandra what the heck is this? I thought you said you've sorted out this mess, so now what?” Dad said, sounding so exasperated and disappointed.

“I was-”

His eyes, usually cold and calculative, were now filled with fiery rage, “You were what? I handed the company over to you three years ago and now look at what's happened! My legacy– our family’s legacy is now crumbling due to your incompetence!”

“Can’t you take care of the company for that long? Is the burden too much for you? I keep hearing about how you've fought with all the shareholders. Tell me what the heck is wrong with you?” Dad yelled. I closed my eyes trying to take in all his words and also constantly reminding myself of how much of a failure I am.

Honestly, I don't know what went wrong. I don't know why everything went down the rail. Things were fine two years ago but this year is really chaotic. Every time I think I have solved a problem another would arise and I have to start from scratch again.

“Dad I-”

“Listen, young lady, I did not call you here to listen to any excuses. I want to know what solution you've come up with,” Dad interrupted as he rubbed his temple in frustration. I get it he is mad, I would be mad too but still… I turned my gaze to my mother's. She's been in the room with us but has been quiet, not even making the slightest noise. There was nothing she could do than to give me those, ‘Sorry eyes.’

I turned my gaze back to Dad's, where he was standing behind the oak desk, “I will look for a solution before the end of the week,” I answered.

“The end of the week is a no to me,” Dad uttered, his cold voice jolting me out of my reverie. Confusion laced in my eyes, if not the end of the week when then does he expect me to come up with a solution?

“Friday?” I inquired.

“No, I want you to come up with a solution before 5 P.M.” Dad demanded, which elicited a gasp from Mom.

“Aren’t you going a little overboard Dad? How do you expect me to look for a solution before 24 hours, that's insane,” I fired back at him. Honestly, I am already finding Dad quite unreasonable.

“You still have the gut to talk back at me, you this unfilial child!” Dad countered and then shook his head trying to show how disappointed he was.

I stood still with my hands crossed, my posture like that of a fierce warrior, “I am going to look for a solution before the end of the week. Tomorrow is a short notice for me.”

“Sorry to burst your bubbles Cassandra, but this time you are going to do it my way whether you like it or not,” Dad remarked while I hugged at his words.

“Dad!” I called in a menacing tone, but he raised his hands to stop me from saying anything.

“I am so tired of the way you run things, so now you listen to me–”

“Father!” I interjected, my patience slipping away.

He threw his hands to silence me, “I am still talking, young lady,” Dad scowled at me. He leaned into and placed his hands on the table in front of him.

“Luckily for you, I received a marriage proposal from Willow’s at this crucial time.”

Laughter erupted from my lips immediately after Dad stopped speaking. He must be joking because I know I am not getting married to any fridgin-fvcking person.

I knew I wasn't going to escape an arranged marriage and I did not care since it would be beneficial for the company's sake, but an arranged marriage at this crucial time is a No.

I want the company to be balanced before I think about getting married.

I have a goal to achieve and no marriage would stop me from doing whatever it is I want.

Marriage is a hindrance to me… marrying anyone because the company is on the verge of falling is a huge blow to me.

My pride is at stake here.

“I am not getting married and that's final,” I said in a firm tone.

“You have no option, Cassandra. It's an order from me, either you do that or I take control of the company again.” Dad said and paused.

“You have three options, young lady, and these are to accept the marriage proposal from Willow’s, find a solution before 5 P.M., and the last is to step down as the CEO. If you don't do either of the two, that means you are going for the last option, and trust me, you won't like how I'll strip you of your power,” Dad threatened. Our gaze clashed like lightning and thunder, neither of us wanting to back down and I definitely won't.

He can't bring up one ridiculous term and expect me to go on with it. I do not care what the heck he is planning, but I assure you that I won't stay still.

“Louis, please reconsider your words,” Mom uttered in a pleading tone as she held the hem of Dad's shirt.

“I gave her a choice Sophia and I hope she chooses the right decision and that's if she has sense,” Dad said, not giving Mom a look before walking out of the room in a fit of rage.

“If you think I am going to do what you have asked of me, then you do not know who I am!” I yelled.

“Cassandra, calm down,” Mom tried to coax me.

I scoffed internally.

Mom's too gentle for my liking and I wondered how she copes with this stone-hearted man, I call my Father.

The fact people preferred working with Dad doesn't amaze me, at least, he's patient and reasonable when working, but I'm more aloof and strict when it comes to business.

“You know that's impossible.” Mom might be the one person who can make me or my dad change our mind, but not this time.

“You can't say that Honey, you know he wants what's best for you even though he's doing it in the wrong way,” She tried to make the best of the situation.

Hmmph… This time I don't care whether Dad wants the best for me or not, the only thing I know is I'm not getting married, not till I sort this problem out.

Dad might be stubborn, but I take after him after all he's my Father.

~Sebastian~

“Are you sure you want to get married to her?” Mom asked for the umpteenth time, I forced a fake reassuring smile that looked sincere.

“Yes Mom, I want to marry her... This is the only chance I have to make her mine.”

Mom sighs.

She knew there was nothing she would say that would make me change my mind.

What I want I get…

My family might think I'm still in love with her and that's why I'm hellbent on getting married to her. But that's where they are wrong because I'm not in love with her instead I feel the opposite.

I despise Her. Loathe Her and I want her to pay dearly for what she has done to me.

“All right, any decisions you make I'll support you,” She taps my cheeks lightly before kissing it.

“Thanks, Mom,” She smiles at me, her marble gray eyes which I inherited glows brightly before turning on her short pink heel leaving my office.

After the office door had been shut, I opened my left drawer and brought out a picture,

“I made you a promise Diane. I promised that I would avenge your death, and very soon that will happen.”