“Life goes on Leo, just visit me frequently and I’ll be full.” Leo nodded. “I will. I’ll try to visit you as often as possible. I don’t want to live without you Dad.” He muttered quietly. My father wrapped his hand around my shoulder, and I leaned in, resting my head on his shoulder. I missed my father, and now that I learned he had done nothing wrong, I felt a pain in my chest.

  Leo,” my father started, his voice sounding frail and weak. “Forgiveness is powerful. Don’t let anger and resentment consume you. Find it in your heart to forgive your mother and even yourself.”

  I nodded even though I knew, it would be the hardest thing to do. I lifted my eyes to see the guard signaling at him. The minute he had been given for the visitation was over. He let out a sigh. This made no sense.

  Chapter 20

  Istared out the window of the bus. Everyone could say whatever they wanted. But, I was totally sure that something had happened to Leo. It was already Tuesday, and yet he was still nowhere to be found.

  Jack claimed to have received a message from Leo, but I wasn't buying it. If Jack was telling the truth, then where was Leo hiding? My eyes snapped open in shock as the bus pulled up to my stop. I jumped out and marched towards the large company, determined to get some answers. I groaned when it dropped onto the large white T-shirt I had chosen to wear that morning. I let out a sigh.

  “Arrgh!” I hissed.

  Rubbing angrily on the stain, I bit my lower lip, realizing I was only making it worse. I headed towards the large company building. I was feeling more on edge than usual. After all, Leo was supposed to meet me for a date on Saturday, and now he had vanished into thin air.

  Lisa believed he had gone because he couldn’t care less but I knew better. I had spent nights awake, my mind spiraling into dark thoughts. Perhaps it was time I called the police. As soon as I stepped into the reception, I froze. There he was, his blue eyes locking with mine as the elevator doors closed. My heart raced. Without thinking, I yelled out his name.

  “Leo!” I yelled.

  My voice echoed through the hall, drawing everyone's attention as I felt like I was drowning. It was Leo, no doubt, but he looked different. His eyes were swollen, his appearance disheveled. Wearing an unbuttoned black shirt, he seemed frustrated. Leo glanced at me. His blue eyes met mine briefly before he looked away, eyebrows raised in surprise.

  I frowned in confusion. Why would he act like that? I was about to rush toward the elevator when I hesitated. My gaze shifted to the reception desk, where Lily's expression spoke volumes. With a sneer, I lifted an eyebrow in question. I took a deep breath. I'll deal with Lily later. Right now, I needed to check on Leo, and he didn't seem okay at all. I rushed to the elevator and pressed the buttons quickly.

  I quickly stepped into the elevator, my anxiety making me chew my nails. As it ascended to the final floor, my heart pounded in my chest. Leo wasn't okay, and I needed to see him. I deserved an explanation for why he stood me up.

  I rushed out of the elevator, surprised to see him walking down the hallway toward his office. He looked like he was walking slowly and heavily, he was trudging more than walking down. “Leo!” I cried running towards him. Reaching him, I spread my arms to hug him, a sigh escaping my lips when my body pressed against him. I had missed him terribly, and I'd been so worried about him.

  However, my brows knitted when I realized that he wasn’t hugging my back and his body had stiffened. My eyes darted around and I pulled back, holding his arms."Leo! I’ve been so worried about you. You didn't show up last Saturday, and I tried calling and texting, but got no response. When I checked yesterday, I still couldn't find you. I was really scared something awful had happened!"

  There was a cold stare in his eyes, and I stepped back, feeling a little unsettled. Why was he looking at me like that? Eventually, he let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "You're being very dramatic. It's not like I disappeared from the face of the earth!" he snapped; irritation obvious from every pore of his skin.

  I swallowed. I gulped nervously. Feeling both confused and hurt, it was like there was a lump in my throat. His words burst my excitement. They did it like a needle to a balloon. They left me deflated and hopeless.

  “Leo! You didn't show up, and all I... I... did was worried about you and make sure you were okay!” I stuttered, finding it hard to speak with the lump in my throat. Leo sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration, avoiding eye contact. "I appreciate your concern, but you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

  The hurt soon turned into disappointment and anger, bubbling within my chest. Here I was, trying to ensure he was okay even though he had hurt me. But, he didn’t want my concern and was pushing me away.

  "You freak stood me up, Leo!" I snapped, my anger simmering over. "I didn’t even think about that fact, and here I am, caring about you and offering support, and you're throwing me off. How dare you?" My hurt spilled into my voice as I fired off my words.

  Leo let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. He placed a finger under my chin and lifted my eyes to meet his. I swallowed. I hated how easily I melted into his arms, my heart pounding violently against my ribcage.

  "I'm sorry, but listen, I can handle whatever is going on in my life. I don't need your so-called concern." I blinked, feeling my heart squeeze in my chest. I took a deep breath and tried to contain the surge of my emotions that threatened to spill out as tears.

  "I... I'm not trying to coddle you. I'm just showing that I care about you. I wanted to be there for you if you needed someone to talk to," I stuttered. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. He rolled his eyes and pushed me backwards. “Go back to your desk. You’re irritating me.”

  I blinked, feeling my heart break inside. Why was he being so cold and distant? How could he say such a thing? His words left me feeling numb.“Why would you even say something like that?” I snapped, my voice quivering with both tears and anger.

  His eyes narrowed at mine. "Because I don’t need your help or your pity. Because I don’t want you hovering over me. Please!" He hissed, his blue eyes holding so much irritation that I thought I would melt.

  My eyes watered, but I swallowed and refused to let tears fall. I bit my lower lip. "I’m not even trying to treat you like a bird. I’m just here trying to care about you," I retorted, blinking to hold back my tears.

  He shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Well, I don’t need your care. Thanks." With that, he turned and headed towards the office.

  I felt like my heart had broken into a zillion bits. Once more, Lisa was spot on. She always seemed to be, and I was getting a bit annoyed by it. Taking a big breath, I held back tears. I couldn’t lose it here. I could go to my office and cry my eyes out later. For now, I had to keep it together. "Okay," I said, my voice tight. "If that’s what you want."

  He never turned back but kept walking towards the mahogany doors.“You don’t have to be so mean!” I yelled as he walked away, my voice shaky, tears ready to spill. He turned quickly, his blue eyes flashing with anger.

  I staggered backwards as he walked towards me. I feared for my life for a moment. I imagined he might wrap his hands around my throat and kill me. He wore a smirk that was both mocking and bitter, and his voice was so low, I could barely hear him.

  "You think I'm being cruel? You think?" He hissed. "You have no bloody idea what I'm going through, Cassandra, so how about you stop trying to be the best and stay out of this. Go back to work. I don't pay you to stand around and ask stupid questions."

  I stumbled back and blinked. So now he didn’t want me asking dumb questions? He used to want me around, but now he can’t stand me. Lisa was right. He was just toying with me. He didn’t really care about me. I blinked, holding back tears.

  “You’re right, Leo. I don’t know what’s going on with you,” I retorted. “But maybe it’s because you don’t want to tell me. Maybe it’s because all you’ve ever done since college is hide your problems like they're trophies.”

  He glared at me, his anger simmering. “Maybe because I don’t want you all to know. So leave me alone and get back to your workstation, or I’ll get you fired,” he snapped.

  He rolled his eyes.

  “No more tears!” He groaned and headed towards the doors.

  I blinked. He was upset with me and threatened to fire me. Then, he called me stupid for crying, which I couldn't bear. I held my chest, trying to calm my aching heart, and fought back tears. Finally, I wiped away my tears with my wrist.

  “Fine,” I choked out, my voice barely a whisper. “I'll leave you, Leo. I'll go back to work so you don't fire me.” With that, I turned towards the elevator, refusing to look back. This was the last time I would care about Leo or anything related to him. I would finally move on. I pressed the buttons and stepped into the elevator. Purposely, I stared at my feet, avoiding meeting his eyes, or seeing him. My heart shattered as the doors closed behind me. Once alone in the elevator, I pressed a hand over my mouth to stifle my sobs and let the tears rack through my body.

  Chapter 21

  Iput the phone to my ear, biting my lip. I knew one thing: spilling the beans to Lisa about what went down was a bad move. It was kinda silly, but I had to spill the beans to her to let out my feelings. Wrapping the bathrobe tightly around my body, I headed towards the fridge and opened it. I grabbed a can of soda and twisted the cover, opening it to take a huge gulp.

  “Can you hear me?” Lisa asked, my voice impatient and holding a tinge of anger. "I'm here, Lisa. It's just that I already know all these things. I do. I just..."

  “You just what? You just what?” Lisa fired from the other end. “You don’t know anything! The only thing you think about is him! Who is going to protect you? Who? Now the idiot not only stood you up, but he also called you a nuisance! I need you to decide to cut him off, once and for all!”

  I rubbed my index finger and thumb against my head. I pulled the phone from my ear and placed it on the kitchen counter, switching to loudspeaker. Lisa’s voice filled the room and for a brief second, I wanted to tell her that I would call her back some other time.

  But I figured my friend knew me well enough - I'd definitely catch myself lying and trying to weasel out of this conversation. "I heard you loud and clear, Lisa. I won't waste my time with him anymore," I muttered beneath my breath, taking another swig of the bottle.

  I wasn't just saying that to end the conversation. I genuinely have no desire to be with Leo anymore. Not after everything he did to me today. He disrespected me once again. “Please don’t, please don’t.” Lisa begged, my voice quivering.

  Cassie's brows knitted. I tilted my head to listen. Could it be that my best friend was crying? Even if Lisa was crying, it wouldn't be out of character for her to be invested in my problems. I often cried when anything went wrong in her life.

  I clicked my tongue and caught the last bit of soda. Then, I shook the bottle over my mouth, hoping for more. Finally, a small smile crossed my face as I tossed the empty bottle away.

  “I won’t, babe. I promise. It’s all over. He declared it with his own words, and I have no issues here. What are you saying? That if he didn’t declare it, would you go back?” Lisa asked, my voice rising in what I suspected was either disbelief or anger.

  I was about to say Lisa should trust me more when I heard a loud doorbell. I frowned. It was strange. Looking at my phone, I saw it was past nine pm. So why would someone be at my door now?

  “Is that your doorbell?” Lisa asked and I nodded even though no one could see me.

  The doorbell rang again and I panicked. “Alright then Lisa, I’ll call you back,” I muttered.

  “Don’t forget to…”

  Doorbell again.

  I hurriedly ended the call and walked towards the door. I jerked when I heard the doorbell again.“Will you calm down?” I fired. “I’m on my way. What is wrong with you?” I snapped.

  I walked towards the door, and I pulled it open with frustration, hating that it still shook. I had barely opened it when someone fell face flat, right into my house. I froze. I had to be dreaming. There was no other explanation for what was happening. Bending down to touch his back, the smell of alcohol hit me strongly. What in the world was going on?

  I bent down to touch him, gently tapping his shoulder. "Leo? What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice filled with concern. "I'm trying really hard, but I love you!" he slurred, then rested his face back on the floor. I froze.

  “What is he doing here?” Lisa would kill me if she heard that I had allowed Leo into the house. Hadn’t she said it was all over? I let out a breath and extended my hand to help him up. "You're drunk, Leo. Come with me," I murmured quietly and guided him inside the house.

  I swallowed and held him, helping Leo stand on his feet. He swayed slightly, his eyes glassy and red. I swallowed again, my eyebrows knitting together in worry. I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was past 9 PM! What was he doing in my house at this hour, and drunk, no less!

  Oh no! Lisa would be so mad at me. But I couldn't just send him away if he came all the way here. Did he drive here? "Hey Leo, what's up?" I asked, walking to the window to check if I could see his car in the driveway. My heart raced as I noticed a black Mercedes Benz parked in my driveway. Concerned, I turned to him. How had he managed to drive in this state?

  He smiled at me, his blue eyes lightening up disturbingly. “I’m not drunk I. I’m depressed. I’m very depressed!” He groaned, digging his fingers into the curls of his hair. I let out a breath and held his arm. He leaned on me for support and I led him towards a couch.

  “Why Leo? What’s going on?”

  I gently put him down and he leaned back, tears spilling from his blue eyes. He grabbed my wrist and my eyes widened slightly. "I... I just... I just couldn't stop thinking about you. I needed to see you. Oh no!" He smacked his forehead. He looked away before turning his eyes back to my face. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. I’ve run away from it for so long but I…”

  I stepped backwards and blinked. My mouth fell slightly open. The wheels in my head were spinning so fast, I thought my knees would buckle and I would fall. This had to be a joke. There could be no other way.

  Without saying a word, I turned around and went to the kitchen. I quickly opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. He drank the water and is now confused. As a result, he can't think straight or speak clearly.

  I slammed the fridge door shut, leaning against it. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, hoping to steady my racing heart. This was insane! Clutching the bottle, I swallowed and headed to the kitchen to prepare some lemonade for him. Returning to the living room, I handed him the glass. "Here, drink this. You need to stay hydrated."

  He stared at me blankly for a moment. His eyes widened in shock. Then, he took the lemonade with a quick nod. As he took a few sips, I couldn't help but notice his disheveled appearance. It struck me how much worse it was compared to the other day at the office when he snapped at me. His overgrown stubble and unkempt blonde hair suggested neglect. It was like he hadn't touched a comb in days.

  Had he even showered? "Why are you being so nice to me?" he muttered, aggressively wiping away the tears streaming down his cheeks. "I was so mean to you at the office. After everything I said, I don’t deserve your kindness. I thought you would yell at me."

  I stared at him for a moment, then sighed and sat down beside him, tightening my bathrobe. As I looked him over, a wave of pity washed over me. "What else could I do, Leo? Turn you away in this state? You're a mess, and regardless of everything, if I can help, then I want to”

  He turned to look at me again, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about the tears rolling down his cheeks. Leo wasn’t the kind of man who cried. I had never seen him shed a tear, even when we were dating in college.

  I don’t deserve your kindness," he sobbed, clutching the bottle of water. "All these years, I've only been mean to you, and yet here you are still taking care of me. I gave him another once-over. Something felt off. That much was certain. He had disappeared, and now that he was back, he looked disheveled. And to top off it, he was drunk in my house?

  I really wanted to care for him, but how could I? Wasn’t he mean to me when I tried to be nice? I bit my lip and blinked, hating that I was starting to tear up. Leo, I'm only being kind because you need it. However, that doesn't excuse how mean you were to me. All I wanted was to show you concern.

  My voice sounded strong and confident, like something Lisa would totally dig. I held back a grin of victory. When he tried to grab my hand, I pulled it away and shot him a fierce look. I was dead set on my choices. I wasn't going to let him back in, no way. He glanced down, lips tight, deep in thought.

  “Cassandra, you’re right. I shouldn’t have treated you that way. But I was just so lost and confused. My world had turned on its head, and I didn’t know how to handle it!” He groaned. I shook my head and let out a bitter laugh. “When I asked you to talk to me instead of pushing me away, didn’t you say you could handle your issues?” I sneered.

  “I lied! I lied!”

  His voice echoed around the house. He leaned forward, with elbows on his knees and fingers clutching his hair. I stared at him curiously, raising an eyebrow. "I lied! Because how do I explain that my Dad never killed anyone! It was my mother who did it and my father only took the fall?" He cried, his body quivering.

  I blinked. That made no sense. I must have heard him wrong. “What did you say?” I leaned forward, my eyes filled with concern. He didn’t turn to look at me. His eyes remained fixed on the wooden floor as he spoke.

  I had been getting some strange calls, Cass. They were about my past and threats to go to the press. That Saturday when I was supposed to meet you, I got the call again and they wanted to meet urgently. It was my Aunt Isabella who told me that my father never killed anyone. It was my mother who did, and he only took the fall."

  I stared at him, struggling not to act shocked by every word he spoke. As he spoke, a couple things started to make sense. “I had to get confirmation from my mother and then end up seeing my dad who is sick and dying. Everything I had ever known was a lie !” He groaned, his fingers digging into his blonde hair.

 

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