Chapter 33
Kassia's POV
After delivering her valedictorian speech, Mrs. Charity decided to treat everyone to a celebratory dinner. She invited Christy, Williams, and the rest of their team members, along with Caleb, who was joining them for the first time since graduation began—and ended.
It had been a while since Kassia had last seen Caleb, especially since he hadn't attended the engagement party.
"You look nice," Caleb said to Kassia, his voice warm yet distant.
Kassia snapped out of her thoughts. "Thank you," she responded, offering a small smile.
Christy and Kassia rode with Mrs. Charity to the restaurant. The conversation flowed easily between them.
"I am so happy to have left high school," Christy said, singing softly as she looked out the window.
"So, what gift did our darling husband get for Kassia?" Christy teased, turning toward Mrs. Charity.
Mrs. Charity rolled her eyes. "Look, girls, we're here at the restaurant."
"Wow, it's beautiful," Christy and Kassia exclaimed in unison.
"I just hope the food is as good as the interior of this place," Christy added, her eyes lighting up as she looked around.
They arrived at the Italian restaurant and took their seats at a large table. A waiter came in shortly to serve them.
"Can you order for me?" Kassia whispered to Caleb as the waiter approached. "I can't read anything on the menu; it's all in Italian," she mumbled.
"Yeah, sure," Caleb replied, nodding as he glanced at the menu.
Minutes later, the food arrived, and the table fell into easy chatter.
"So, what do you plan on doing now, boys?" Mrs. Charity asked, glancing at Caleb and Williams.
"Well, I've received my admission to Oxford," Christy said, her voice light with excitement.
"Really?" Williams chimed in, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"I also applied to Oxford and got in," he added, his tone casual but with a hint of pride.
"Wow, so we're going to the same school," Christy pretended to be surprised, though she was quite aware of Williams's plans.
"I got into Liverpool John Moores University," Cain suddenly interrupted, his deep voice cutting through the conversation.
Everyone froze.
"What...?" Mrs. Charity exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock.
"Really?" Kassia whispered, her mind racing.
"Yes, I got the email just this morning," Caleb explained, glancing at his mother.
"Wow, that's amazing," Mrs. Charity said, her voice filled with pride. "Congratulations."
As they all absorbed the news, Williams suddenly asked, "Is that not your brother?"
Everyone turned toward the door, where Cain had just entered, walking toward a private booth with a stunning woman by his side.
Kassia felt her stomach churn as she stared at them. The woman was beautiful—too beautiful—and Cain's posture suggested they shared an intimacy that made her uncomfortable.
Why did they have to come here, out of all the restaurants in New York? Kassia muttered to herself. I really need to check my email and get out of here soon before I get tied down to this man for life.
"Who is that bitch that's with him?" Christy suddenly hissed, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the couple.
"Hey, calm down," Mrs. Charity said sharply, turning toward Christy. "That is my son, and nobody should make nasty comments about him or anyone he's with."
Kassia felt irritated. Couldn't Cain have gone on a dinner date somewhere else? If he wanted to embarrass her, he was doing a great job of it.
"Can we all stop staring at them and eat our dinner?" Kassia asked, trying to mask her discomfort. "This is a celebratory dinner, right?"
"Yes, sure. Yeah, of course," they all whispered separately.
As Cain and the woman settled into their booth, Kassia looked away, clenching her fists. She focused on herself, trying to smile, fighting the embarrassment she was feeling.
"So, John, what do you plan on doing?" Kassia asked John, one of Caleb's team members.
"Our final game with Keshbull Horn is tomorrow. It'll take us to the international level, then everything changes," John explained.
"Caleb, you didn't mention any upcoming games," Mrs. Charity remarked.
"Yeah, we've been training," Caleb replied, "I would've mentioned it, but with the recent event (his brother's engagement), it slipped my mind."
Minutes later, Kassia felt a sharp presence at the side of the table, and before anyone could react, Cain was standing in front of her. His eyes were locked on her, his expression unreadable.
"Kassia," he said, his tone colder than she remembered. "I need to speak with you."
Kassia felt her chest tighten. Her breath caught as she looked up at him. This wasn't a request. It was a demand.
"Now?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, though she felt a lump form in her throat.
"Yes," Cain said flatly. "It's important."
His gaze shifted toward Caleb and the others for a brief moment before he added, "Now."
Kassia glanced at Mrs. Charity and Christy, who both seemed confused and slightly concerned. Mrs. Charity's face showed a flicker of disapproval, but she didn't stop him.
Cain reached out, his hand hovering by her elbow. Without another word, he motioned for her to get up. It felt like all eyes were on them as she stood and followed him. The weight of the moment pressed heavily on her chest. She didn't know what was going on, but something about the way Cain looked at her, the coldness in his eyes, made her feel small.
They made their way out of the restaurant, the sound of her heels echoing in the quiet space. She could feel the gazes of the others on her back as she left with him, but she didn't dare look back.
Outside, Cain turned toward her, his expression hardening even more.
"We are getting married," he said, his voice low and angry.
Kassia froze. "What?"
"Prepare yourself. We'll get married in the UK," he added.
She swallowed hard, unsure how to respond to his sudden announcement.
"I—" she began, but he cut her off.
"I suggest you start packing. I need to get this done with, once and for all. And I have some rules— or rather, conditions. You need to look them over and send them."
Her heart pounded. This wasn't just a casual discussion. Cain was serious, and she had no idea what he was about to say next.
But she had no choice but to face it.
"Let's go," he muttered, grabbing her arm with surprising force as he pulled her toward his car.
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Author's note
Thanks for reading 📚
Xoxo
CC