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ALAYNA
“NO, NO! PLEASE, NO!”
“Please come back.”
“Don’t leave me again.”
“Please come back to me.”
“I’m okay with it. Just come back to me.”
“No. No. I’m not a burden.”
“You said you would come back.”
“Don’t leave!”
“Brandon, don’t leave.”
“No!”
“Alayna? I’m here. I’m here.”
“No. You are not.”
“Please don’t be like this, Alayna.”
“Brandon, just tell me you won’t leave!”
“Ahh!”
“Alayna, wake up!”
I open my eyes, and it isn’t Brandon, but Cassius’s face in front of me. His hands are cupping my cheeks, and his expression is one of concern.
“Cassius? Why what happened?”
“You had a nightmare... I guess.” He brushes my tears with his thumb. “So, this is what Oliver’s talking about. Alayna, how long has this been happening?”
“He doesn’t want me anymore,” I answer differently, and I don’t know why I’m not getting tired of it. But it’s just too painful.
“That’s not true. He’s just in bad shape right now. Here, drink this.” Cassius helps me sit, then hands me a glass of water and a capsule. Quickly, I take the medication. I look around the place. I’m not in the mansion.
“Where am I, Cassius?”
“You’re in my clinic. You fainted. Oliver and Casey know you’re here, so you only just need to rest. Try to hydrate yourself more.” He puts the glass back on the side table. “And you’ll be staying here for a few days. You need some time away from the mansion.”
I feel my chest cramping again. “But I’ve been away from him for a long time.”
“You need to rest, Alayna,” he insists. “This is not good for you anymore. Let him rest too. Both of you are just tired.”
“Please take me to the mansion!” I beg. “I... I need to know what he has to say. I can’t stay here like this. He must be home by now so—”
He hugs me abruptly, and his body feels so warm that it briefly calms my senses. “Stop, Alayna... Please.”
I clutch the fabric of his shirt. “I can’t take this anymore, Cassius.”
“This is why we are here. Oliver, Casey, and I... I am here for you, so please calm down, Alayna.”
“I’ve been dreaming the same dream every night,” I begin to open up. “It started when he returned from Athens. I went all the way there to see him, but he was with another woman. Tell me, Cassius, did he find someone else? Is that the case?” I ask. I can’t think of any more reason but that.
“He didn’t find someone else, I can assure you.”
“The woman at the party... Who is she to him?”
“It’s Pauline.”
“So that’s her. Oliver wouldn’t tell me.” I chuckle bitterly. I pull away from Cassius. “I know her. Brandon told me.”
“Yes, she’s Brandon’s childhood friend.”
“Don’t cover up for him. I know she’s his ex. She’s his first love. Did he forget all about me because he reunited with her?”
“I told you, that’s not it. They were best friends, Alayna. Brandon feels he has some sort of responsibility for her. It’s never something more.”
“But you are his best friend, Cassius,” I point out.
“Don’t make such conclusions for now. Brandon misses you, even if he doesn’t say it. But if you are right, I will be the one to confront him. I promise.” Cassius tucks the strands of my hair behind my ears. “Now, why don’t you go back to bed? It’s only past three. I’ll have the nurse look after you.”
I pull the fabric of his shirt. “Are you going to leave?”
“No, I’ll be right outside, Alayna.” He chuckles.
“Stay here. I don’t want to sleep alone.”
He brushes his thumb across my cheek. “Are you okay with that?”
I nod. “Yes. As long as I know someone’s with me.”
“Okay. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
I smile a little. I lay back on the bed and roll to my side so I can see Cassius. He brushes off the invisible dirt on the couch and rests his back.
“I always knew you were a good person,” I say.
He laughs, looking at the ceiling. “People tend to judge me by appearance.”
“Are you admitting that you look like a bad guy?” I joke.
“Yes, a good-looking bad guy.” He glances at me and flashes out a grin.
I giggle. “Thank you for staying with me.”
“You’re welcome. Now, sleep. I’ll be here until you wake up.”
“GOOD MORNING, ALAYNA. Breakfast in bed?” Cassius places a tray of toast and a glass of milk on the bedside table.
“Sure. Thanks, Cass.”
“You’re welcome.” He grins. “Oh, your complexion is back. I think you’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“I can’t thank you enough for this treatment, and I’m sorry. I’ve been a mess.”
“You’ll be fine. You just need to clear your mind and,” he picks up a piece of the toast and hands it to me, “start fresh, you know? I suggest you eat your breakfast. I’m taking you out later.”
I take a small bite of the toast. “I thought I’m not allowed to go out?”
“I didn’t say you’re not allowed to go out,” he corrects, smiling. “Casey wants to see you. She called me this morning.”
“Oh.” I nod. “I just realized one thing. I don’t want to meet anyone right now. It’s kind of exhausting.”
“Then, would you rather stay here?”
“Yes, and actually, I have one favor to ask you. I know that you won’t allow me, but I need this to move forward.”
He sits on the edge of the bed. “What is it?”
“First of all, thank you for not leaving me last night, and you’re right. I’m just tired, and maybe I need more time to clear my mind. I know Brandon just arrived, and I still have a few more months in my contract, but I’m thinking of going on a vacation.”
“Hmm. I believe your contract does say you’re entitled to vacation leave. That’s a good decision, Alayna. Where are you planning to go?”
“Home. In Lawrence.” I shrug. “But I still want to talk to Brandon and clear things with him. Only then can I move on.”
“Are you sure about that? I’m not going to stop you, but I won’t advise it either. I worry more about the aftermath, but of course, it’s still your decision,” he states, understandingly.
“I need to know if he still cares for me or not, and I need your help to do that because I really feel like he doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Unfortunately, Brandon is being difficult right now. Not just with you, but with everyone else,” he says honestly. “I’m not trying to be negative here, but what will you do if he answers you differently?”
“If he wants to really break up, you say?”
He nods slightly.
I look down at my lap. “Then I’ll let him go. It’s all I want. His clear answer.”
Cassius doesn’t answer right away, thinking maybe, but then he speaks again. “Okay. I’ll help you talk to him. I’ll call Oliver.”
I smile at him, grateful for how understanding he is.
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BRANDON
Athens, Greece
MY GRANDFATHER TOSSED the glass of wine. Deep inside, I was grieving. I promised him that I would protect the family because he knew I could be trusted. But right now, I might’ve failed him. What I was doing isn’t enough.
“How?” he howled as if someone died again. “How could you not tell me such information? Since when have you known about it?”
I wouldn’t want to believe it myself.
“I was wrong for not telling you,” I clenched my fist, “but I thought we agreed that you would let me do these things my way. You got into my private files, grandfather. Did you think I’m doing nothing?”
I know that it will hurt him, finding out a family was killed by his own flesh and blood.
“Helen lost her life because her son murdered her. He made her transfer everything under his name, then killed her. I didn’t mean to get into your files. I trust you, my boy, but you should’ve told me about this. Oh, Helen, my sister,” he whimpered. “What did they do to you? Oh! Why did you not tell me about this sooner?”
I swallowed. “Even before, they already had half of your properties. When your brother Euricius died of a disease, he had already transferred everything to Helen. What are they going to do next? And what is this that I found out? There was a reason why you want me to have the rest of your fortune. You want to invest it in my company so you can secure it. Then what? So, you could have it back at the right time?”
“You know that I decided to give my fortune to you since you were just a child. Don’t say that, Brandon!” he bellowed.
“I want to trust you, but how could you do this to us? At the end of the day, this is all about fucking money!”
“Watch your language, Brandon! That’s a long time ago! I regret all of it now, and I need your help. I already told you this, my boy.”
I shook my head.
“I’m going to present myself publicly at the party this weekend. Now that your properties are under my name, please don’t think that I’m doing this because of you. I’m doing this for my mother and Elga.”
He nodded; his eyes filled with guilt.
“After all these years, what this family is fighting for... worth nothing.” He looked at me with sincerity. “I do not wish for us to fight. You are all I have. I’m so sorry, Brandon.”
“I don’t wish for us to fight, too,” I mumbled, surrendering. “But all I want from you is your trust.”
“Of course, I trust you.” He forced a smile. “What is your plan now?”
“To start with the root of all. I can’t get rid of the root because it’s a foundation. But if I get rid of the stems, I might have a chance.”
“Your father’s mistress,” my grandfather said. ”Annette. Your Uncle Alfio’s half-sister.”
