“Alexander, how is it?” Meri hugged Casandra’s shoulder as Alexander stood in front of them. Meri’s smile widened, showcasing how proud she was of her daughter-in-law, who may not come from a wealthy family and has a significant age gap with Alexander, but Casandra’s kind and polite personality and her way of speaking convinced Meri. It wasn’t much, but Meri hoped that Casandra and Alexander would become a complete family with many successors. As for Cesilia… well, Meri didn’t consider Cesilia much of a daughter-in-law, as the woman never considered Alexander her husband.
“How is what?” Alexander loosened his tie, which had felt suffocating around his neck as soon as he saw Casandra. “I’m tired, Mom. Don’t make it weird.”
“Who’s making it weird? Mama was just asking, how is Casandra? Is she beautiful?” Meri let go of Casandra and blocked Alexander’s path as he tried to go upstairs.
Before going to dinner with Robert, of course, Alexander would take a short rest and change his clothes. But Meri seemed to be obstructing or perhaps slightly altering Alexander’s plans.
“According to Mama, how is she?” Alexander’s eyes rolled. His mother had some strange questions.
“According to Mama, Casandra is beautiful. Very beautiful,” Meri observed Casandra from head to toe. Not much had changed, just a different type of clothing and a touch of light makeup.
Alexander glanced at Casandra again, this time with the corner of his eye. Casandra, who unintentionally looked in Alexander’s direction during his debate with Meri, made eye contact. Instead of being scared, Casandra’s cheeks blushed. Her hands intertwined nervously as she faced Alexander in a different situation.
“It’s up to Mama. I’ll go along with it,” Alexander said briefly before leaving Meri.
“You and Casandra have dinner together, okay! Mama has a dinner invitation from our neighbor!” Meri exclaimed before Alexander could get too far.
“I have a dinner event with my business colleagues. If you don’t mind, Mama can take her instead!”
Alexander responded without stopping his steps. He continued climbing the stairs, thinking about what else he could do to make Cesilia return to how she used to be. It wouldn’t hurt to cancel all the contracts, but at least he should set aside some time for their togetherness.
“Ah, the event…” Meri’s voice trailed off. She also smiled, knowing exactly what she needed to do to give Alexander and Casandra some time alone. Moreover, Casandra could accompany Alexander so that all his business colleagues would know that Casandra was in her son’s life.
“Mama… where are we going?” Casandra tried to stop Meri, who was dragging her into the car.
Just as Alexander was complaining, now Meri was dragging Casandra into his car. Casandra couldn’t imagine Alexander’s reaction when he saw her in the car. There were only two possibilities, either he would be angry and scold her, or he would drag her out of the car and tell her to get out.
“You sit here quietly! I’ll talk to Alexander to take you to dinner with his business colleagues. It’s Sunday night, usually people bring their partners. I don’t want Alexander to go alone!” Meri scolded, fastening Casandra’s seatbelt. She even left Casandra in the driver’s seat while she sat next to her.
“But… Mama…” Casandra tried to resist, trying to free herself from the seatbelt that restrained her.
“But what, dear?” Meri put on a pious face. “Do you want Mama to get sick again? Do you want Mama to have a short life and die without being able to hold her grandchildren? Is that what you want, Cas?”
Casandra shook her head. “I don’t want that to happen,” she mumbled. She resigned herself to following Meri’s orders. After all, it was just sitting quietly in the car, right? Alexander could go alone for dinner.
If Meri didn’t go, she wouldn’t know what happened between Alexander and Casandra. So, it wasn’t so bad to fulfill Meri’s wish.
“Ma, I’m leaving.” Alexander grabbed Meri’s hand and kissed the back of it. “You don’t have to wait for me to come back. I’m going with Robert, so I’ll just go back to the office and finish some documents for Monday.”
“Yes, Mama understands. You’re the busiest and don’t have time for Mama. That’s okay, there are many people here.” Meri stroked Alexander’s hand, which was still holding hers. “But Mama pleads with you, don’t chase Casandra away. Take her with you so she can experience the position of a wife. You can introduce her as your wife, cousin, or sister, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that Yaswoi is there.”
“Ma, I don’t…”
“You know, Casandra refused to go with you earlier. But because she didn’t want to see Mama end up in the hospital, she agreed to go with you.” Meri released Alexander’s hand. She quickly moved back. “While others are willing to fulfill this old woman’s wish, you refuse. How pitiful.”
“Okay, okay… I’ll take Casandra!”
Alexander immediately corrected himself when he saw the sad expression on his mother’s face. Helpless, wounded, and disappointed.
“I’m leaving, Mama. Take care at home… If anything happens, contact me quickly!” Alexander said as he saw Robert’s motorcycle enter the yard and park next to his car.
Rather than having Meri intercept Robert and making them go alone, it was better to go together with Casandra. Three was definitely better than two.
“Be careful on the road!” Meri exclaimed, waving her hand at Alexander as he started to move away.
***
“Oh my!” Alexander closed the car door again as he saw Casandra sitting in the driver’s seat. “Robert, you drive!” he requested, tossing the car keys to Robert.
Robert promptly caught the keys and got into the car.
“Eh… there’s an angel here.” Robert patted his chest. “Did you come here looking for a scarf or a partner, sweetheart?” he teased, looking at Casandra, who was equally surprised.
“I-I…”
“Don’t get out if you don’t want to put me in an awkward position in front of Mama!”
Casandra, who was about to open the car door, froze. She slowly turned to Alexander, who was now sitting in the back seat.
“Stay still and just do as I want!” Alexander’s eyes narrowed. “And when we get there, please don’t say you’re my wife. Just say you’re my relative or Robert’s girlfriend!”
“Robert’s girlfriend, sir?” Robert pointed at himself. From the rearview mirror, he looked at Alexander. “I can’t pretend, afraid of going too far.” Robert teased.
Casandra’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe the man in front of her could be so audacious toward Alexander, even though Alexander had referred to her as his wife, albeit indirectly acknowledging it.
“Wait,” Casandra muttered to herself. “Wife? Of course, this man doesn’t hesitate at all. You’re just a paid wife, Cas! Wake up, realize it…” she continued in her mind, shifting her gaze to the car window. So that no one could see how disappointed she felt at the moment.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s going too far or not. I can’t accept this marriage!” Alexander replied, folding his arms across his chest. “If it wasn’t for my mother, this would have never happened.”
Robert simply nodded, no longer responding to Alexander’s words, as he could see the immense disappointment in Casandra’s eyes. Although they hadn’t gotten to know each other well, Robert already knew. The woman beside him was the reason for Alexander’s unclear anger at the office.