Instead of staying silent and enjoying what Alexander was doing, Casandra actually refused. She held back Alexander, who wanted to enjoy her lips again.
“Why?”
Being rejected like that, of course, Alexander protested. Previously, Casandra had challenged him to have a child, but now it seemed like she was building a barrier between them.
Yet, Alexander started feeling suffocated down there. He really wanted it, in the true sense. He couldn’t even ask properly because his mouth couldn’t be silenced, so he made Cesilia the scapegoat to claim his rights.
“If it’s just to satisfy Madame, I don’t want it, sir,” she said, looking away so Alexander couldn’t reach her lips.
Alexander’s grip instantly loosened. He looked at Casandra, who was looking down at him.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. He withdrew and covered Casandra with a blanket.
Without saying a word, he walked away. He closed the bedroom door, leaving Casandra with a million questions in her head.
In solitude, Casandra pondered if what she did earlier was right. Refusing her own husband for physical intimacy was definitely a mistake.
Moreover, Alexander had defended her from Cesilia’s hurtful words. Alexander had done so much to support her.
Casandra felt regretful and guilty. She shifted in her seat and put her clothes back on, pondering what she should do next.
“Where’s Mas Alexander, Mama?” Casandra asked as she arrived in the living room.
There was no sign of her husband there, and his car was also missing outside. Earlier, she heard the sound of a car driving away from the house. It must have been Alexander.
“Alexander,” Meri thought for a moment. “He went to the office. He said there was a meeting he had to attend. Robert called him earlier.”
Casandra nodded softly and sat next to Meri, observing what the older woman was doing.
“What are you doing, Mama?”
“Just nothing,” she replied nonchalantly.
“Is Mama angry with me?” Meri frowned, showing that she was not pleased with her beloved daughter-in-law.
It was understandable since she witnessed the altercation between Alexander and Casandra earlier. Naturally, Meri didn’t want to interact directly with Casandra, expressing her frustration to make Casandra aware that she didn’t want to be disturbed.
“Is Mama angry?” Casandra asked again, wanting to be sure about what to do. If she couldn’t reconcile with Meri, who else could she talk to in that house?
“How could Mama not be angry with you? How dare you ask for a divorce from Alexander when he doesn’t want to divorce you? Why do you want to give up, to stop here? You know how deeply Cesilia has hurt my son,” Meri raised her voice slightly to make Casandra realize her disappointment and unconsciously dashed the hope that Meri had nurtured all this time.
If only Casandra hadn’t accepted that offer from the start, there wouldn’t have been such great hope. If Casandra hadn’t been there, maybe Meri would have returned to her own home. She would no longer interfere in Alexander’s marriage, nor demand grandchildren.
Oh well, maybe Meri would just surrender. She didn’t know when she would be blessed with that innocent little angel.
“So, what should I do? Fight? It’s impossible, especially when Mrs. Cesilia…”
“It’s up to you. Ask your own conscience. Mama doesn’t want to interfere because if it’s forced, your marriage with Alexander will become even more troubled,” Meri closed the magazine in her hand and walked away, leaving Casandra alone in the living room.
Allowing her daughter-in-law to contemplate what steps she should take. Whether she wanted to divorce or stay, Meri didn’t mind. For now, she just wanted to calm her mind. If things continued like this, Meri would become fed up.
Maybe Meri will leave the house.
It was too piercing; Casandra found herself lost in Meri’s words. Combining them with Alexander’s words from earlier in the room and imagining what he might do to her.
Whether it was because of her emotions towards Cesilia or even her own desires, she didn’t know, but one thing was clear: Casandra was torn about what to do with her marriage to Alexander.
Honestly, she didn’t want to lose Alexander either because she was starting to feel something when she was near her husband. Consequently, suppressing her ego, Casandra got up from her seat and headed to the kitchen. Glancing at the clock hanging there, it was half past nine in the morning, and there was still about two hours left to prepare lunch.
She opted for a simple menu, nothing too fancy, but something Alexander would surely enjoy. As a complement, Casandra planned to make shallot sambal, which she knew her husband liked very much. She briefly marinated the chicken before frying it until crispy.
At exactly 12:00, Casandra was ready with the packed lunch. There was a simple menu for her husband. She left the house without saying a word. Gathering all her courage, Casandra hailed a taxi in front of the Complex.
So far, Casandra hadn’t thought about paying for the taxi. Even when she remembered, she didn’t think too much about it, even though there was no money in her pants pocket. Casandra was sure no one would refuse to help her when she arrived at the office and asked for assistance.
As expected, as soon as the taxi parked in the lobby, Casandra asked the receptionist for help to borrow fifty thousand rupiahs to pay for the taxi she took.
It was quite comical as Casandra claimed she was sent by Alexander to deliver lunch, but he had forgotten to give her money. Although it was a bit strange and awkward, the girl, who was almost the same age as Cesilia, responded to Casandra’s request.
Once Casandra finished paying her taxi fare, she returned to the reception desk. “I’m Alexander’s cousin. Aunt Meri asked me to deliver his lunch.”
The girl nodded. “Alright. You can go to the eighth floor. It’s the room at the very end, Alexander’s office.”
“Thank you.” Casandra expressed her gratitude to the girl. It seemed that she would suggest to Alexander to increase her salary later.
“Now you have to choose between me and her!” Cesilia crossed her arms, as the debate with Alexander for several minutes failed to find a resolution to their morning argument.
In order to meet Alexander at this moment, Cesilia was willing to leave Maxime without his knowledge. She wasn’t sure how angry he would be when he found out that she wasn’t in the dressing room. But she didn’t care; what mattered was finding a solution to their marital problems.
“I can’t answer that question. So it’s better for you to go home and calm your mind. Stop blaming Casandra because she’s the real victim here, not you. You were the one who paid her to be my wife in the first place, right?” Alexander emphasized each word he spoke.
Prolonged debates with Cesilia only revealed her true nature. If he continued to indulge her, Alexander might grow more disgusted with the woman he had been married to for six years.
“So, does that mean you’ll still keep Casandra as your wife?”
“Of course!” Alexander nodded firmly. “You better go home and calm yourself. I’ll be back around three or four this afternoon. I’ll try to finish my work as soon as possible. We can talk later.”
“No need!” Cesilia interrupted. “I won’t go home today, and I’m not sure when I’ll go back because I’m really disappointed in you. After I took the time to come home, you were having fun with your new wife.”
“Really?” Alexander raised one corner of his lips. “Didn’t you not come home last night? You came home around 3 a. m. Mama told me everything. So don’t act like so much time has been wasted to meet me.”
“So, that old woman said that to you!”
“Enough, Cesilia! She’s my mother, not an old woman you can belittle!”
“But that’s how it is.” Defending herself because she was hurt, Alexander always defended his mother.
What Meri said was indeed true, but Cesilia still had a right to her own choices. She didn’t want to be controlled and manipulated, especially regarding having children, which could significantly change her physical appearance.
“Don’t speak ill of my mother or…” Alexander’s words hung in the air.
“Or what?” Cesilia challenged, although her heart was pounding, afraid that Alexander’s words would be a divorce.
“Go home!” He opened the door for Cesilia to leave the room. “I don’t want to lose my temper and make things worse.”
Cesilia snorted and walked away with dissatisfaction in her heart. So irritated, Cesilia didn’t even notice that Casandra was standing not far from the room.
As soon as Cesilia left, Alexander closed the door. He was truly tired of the misunderstandings between him and Cesilia. Trying to straighten things out seemed impossible since she no longer had time like before. It was as if her job was her sole purpose for living in this world.
Alexander bowed his head, feeling weary and unsure of what to do next. “Sir,” Casandra greeted from the doorway. She wanted to come in but was afraid of being seen as presumptuous since her visit was not invited at all.
“Casandra.” Alexander quickly got up and approached Casandra. “What are you doing here? How did you find the location of this office?”
“Who doesn’t know the location of an Alexander Prakasa’s office? I easily found this place. I just ordered a taxi outside the complex and borrowed money from the receptionist downstairs to pay for it.” Casandra candidly revealed everything.
“You really…” He sighed. “An executive director’s wife borrowing money to pay for a taxi.”
“Yes, what else can I do? I can’t use the card given by Mama to me. You also didn’t take the initiative to give me pocket money, even just for a lollipop from the supermarket near the complex.” Casandra’s lips pouted, acting as if nothing happened between her and Alexander earlier that morning. As if she didn’t hear the commotion between Alexander and Cesilia.
“Please sit!” Alexander offered, closing his office door to ensure no one would overhear their conversation.
“I came here not to argue, let alone discuss the issue from this morning. I came here to invite you to have lunch together. I’ve prepared the food,” she said while arranging the meal she brought.
Alexander smiled. It was quite refreshing to divert his anger by having lunch with his young wife.
“Sir,”
“Yes?” Alexander paused eating.
“Are you busy?”
“Busy? Not too much. Why?”
“Would you accompany me to the village? I miss the atmosphere at home,” Casandra offered without any hesitation. She wanted to take Alexander away from Cesilia for the next few days.