Athens, GreeceTwelve months earlier“So, you have returned,” my grandfather stated, and his once powerful voice turned rough, almost inaudible. His blond hair had turned gray. He might be old, but his eyesight and his memory were clear as crystal.
“My grandson,” he called as he looked upon me. He was sitting on his favorite padded wooden chair. I stood in front of him.
“Yes, I have, Grandfather.” My respect for him did not change. He was the only person who favored me in the family.
“Yes, yes.” He forced a smile. “You know that I’ve been waiting for you to accept what’s rightfully yours, finally.”
“I did not come here for that,” I said. “I came here to regain my old self.” I wasn’t interested in his fortune. I returned to make everyone pay and to bring myself back to who I really was. I was my mother’s son and a brother to my sisters. “But I do have one request to make.”
“What is it? I’ll be happy to do anything to make up for my failure to you and your mother.”
“I need your help—your power... your voice. I know that you still have it in you, and I have a plan.”
“I heard a woman made you come back home. Is this true?” he answered instead.
I gritted my teeth. “I wanted to protect her, but I decided to come back here. It will be easier if you leave her alone.”
“I did not ask about her because of that. Our family has become greedy, and you must know that while she’s still with you, she isn’t safe. She will be a target.”
I clenched my fists. “I’m well aware,” I said quietly.
“They killed your mother and your sister.” He suddenly began to cry. “And I did nothing. I was blind, so I’m going to help you, my grandson. This is my promise to you. I’m going to protect you with everything I have. Your request is granted. Do whatever you think is right.”
“Thank you, Grandfather.”
ALAYNA“Alayna? Alayna, it’s Cassius! It’s Cassius!”
Casey dashes to the door, but I remain still as my heart is pounding abnormally just from hearing Cassius’s name. It means heBrandon...I follow Casey, but my knees feel frail, like they were about to fail me. Then suddenly, Oliver squeezes my shoulder.
“Alayna?” he mumbles, his eyes worried. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know,” I say. I don’t think I will ever feel right.
“You’re going to be fine.” Seeing Oliver like this has always comforted me.
After he broke up with Betty for some reason, Oliver was always there when I was crying at night, despite his own problems. He was there when I fought against my nightmares. He waits until I fall asleep to make sure I’m okay.
“I’m okay, really.” I fake a smile.
“No, you’re not okay. You’re bothered. I can see it.”
“Ollie, you know exactly what happened that day.” I hug myself as I try to stop myself from crying again. I am getting tired of it. It’s as if the massive pain in my chest never stopped.
“Don’t overthink it for now. He’s finally here. You can be together again. You should be happy,” he says, then smiles faintly. “Now, shall we go and greet him?”
“I’m ready.”
“Good. For now, let’s just welcome him.”
A white Aston Martin stops in front of the mansion. In a couple of seconds, Cassius gets out of the car. It has been half a year since we last saw him. Casey rushes toward her brother and embraces him. Even if I was lonely as hell, I can’t help but smile at the sight of them.
“Look at you! You gained weight,” Cassius jokes.
Casey pouts and slaps him on the arm. “You didn’t even come home for a year, and that’s the first thing you’re going to say to me?”
“Oh, come on, you knew how busy I was.” Cassius scratched his head. “Why don’t you give me something to eat now? I’m starving.”
His eyes wander until they meet mine. His expression turns serious, and I realize something I’m not sure I can take. Brandon is not with him.
I heave a sharp breath and shut my eyes.
“Where’s Brandon?” Casey asks the same question that’s in my mind.
“Can we just go inside first?” Oliver suggests. “I’m sure Cassius is tired, Casey.”
“What? I just asked where Brandon is—” she says but stops. “Sorry.”
I grab Ollie’s arm. Suddenly, I feel out of air. I knew it. I knew Brandon was avoiding me.
“Casey...” Ollie calls out again. “Let’s see if they’ve prepared lunch.”
She averts her eyes from mine. “Okay.”
“I’ll give you two a space to talk,” Oliver mumbles in my ear. “You should talk to Cassius.”
“Thanks.”
Oliver takes Casey back inside. Now it’s just Cassius and me. I want to hear any excuse Brandon would’ve told him. However, Cassius stands still.
“Hi,” I say, low-spirited.
“Hi... Are you okay?”
“Same as always.” I shrug. “... and you?”
He smiles faintly. “Good.”
“Where’s he?”
“He’s here. In Manhattan. He’s back, but he went to the office first.”
I nod. It’s not like I didn’t anticipate this. If I were important to him, he would be here to see me. It turns out I was right, and everyone else was wrong.
Simply, I’m not his priority anymore. For the millionth time, I shed quiet tears and bury my face in my hands.
“Come here.” Cassius’s arms wrap around me. “I’m so sorry, Alayna. But he’s coming here tonight. This is his home. We just have to wait for a few more hours. You’ll get to talk to him again.”
“Oh, God.” I sniff. “I don’t know anymore, Cassius.”
“Maybe he just needs some time.”
I raise my head. “Time? I’ve given him enough time. You know how long I’ve waited for him, but he’s been indifferent to me. You saw how he was in Athens—”
“Stop thinking about what happened in Athens for one second,” he snaps. Cassius rarely snaps, and he draws a deep breath to compose himself. “Please, Alayna. There’s nothing we can do for now but wait.”
“Why do I feel like you’re not telling me everything?”
“Ask him whatever you want to ask, and if you are right, you can tell me or tell Casey. We are here for you. But please do remember that Brandon’s still hurt, and he’s lonely. He just went through a lot the past year. I know how much he longed for you. It’s too early to doubt him now.”
I cry hard. It seems there will be no end to my agony. I’m already losing hope. My head suddenly feels so light.
“Alayna? Alayna? You don’t sound fine.”
“No, I’m... I’m all right...”
My vision turns from fuzzy to dim. Unwittingly, I shut my eyes and succumb to darkness.