“I won’t listen to anything, make sure the job I paid for is completed successfully,” Cassandra spoke on the phone. It was obvious that what she wanted to be done was something so important to her with the way she looked. Jasper switched off the TV and passed by without saying a word to her. He headed into his room to have a cool shower.
That Saturday was surely one of the tiring non-working days in his life. After returning to his office, he had spoken with Carl about what happened at the Hansworts villa and how he felt about it. The two brothers had worked their ass up trying to bring down the news from the media and only succeeded halfway when it was evening.
They were only able to bring it down from some TV channels and online blogs but not the newspapers. An order was also passed to every newspaper company, but they all replied that they couldn’t bring it down until after a week as someone already paid them to publicize the news.
Jasper had gone to one of the newspaper companies with Carl and they found out there that it was someone named “Cassandra Hanswort” that paid most of the news companies. Definitely Jasper’s wife, no doubt about it.
The sound of running water was heard and Jasmine went to stand on the table in front of Cassandra. A childish stunt, she wanted to pull.
Cassandra raised her brows and averted her gaze just after. “What are you doing there?”
Jasmine crossed her hands on her chest and retorted.
“I don’t know, I just wanted to ask you the same thing.”
“What’s wrong with you?. Is that a way to talk to your mother?”
The little girl wheezed out a laugh “Daddy said you’re my mother, but I don’t think so. If you’re my mother, you would act like one. I think I got my real mother changed at the hospital after I was born.”
Cassandra got on her feet with the intent of raising her hand on Jasmine but the little girl laughed a little childishly making her stop her hand from moving.
“No wonder you look like grandpa. He almost hit me too” said Jasmine.
“Did you go to see my dad?”
“Why do you care?”
“Y…..” Just as Cassandra was about to speak, a message popped up on her phone. It read:
“Tame that beast you call a daughter. If she tries me again, it won’t go well.”
“So, you really went to see my dad”
“Why did you lie against my daddy?” Jasmine replied with a question.
“How’s that your business? You should go into your room right now.”
“I just want to tell you that next time you lie against my daddy, you’re going to jail. Trust me.” the little girl left Cassandra’s sight and headed for her room when she bumped into her dad on the way.
“You still got your clothes on?” Jasper placed his hand on her head.
“Yes, I want you to prepare dinner before taking a shower.”
“Jasper, we have to talk,” Cassandra said from behind.
He held Jasmine’s hand making their way into the kitchen. “I’m not interested.”
“We really need to talk,” Cassandra repeated.
“Please Mrs, I’m so pissed off right now and I don’t want some stress of any sort this night. As you can see, my princess needs to get her belly filled.”
“Why did you go to Dad’s place?” she asked before Jasper could walk away.
“Is it a crime for me to visit my father-in-law?”
“I’m not talking about that. Between you and I, we know you won’t go there for no reason.”
Jasper ignored her and walked away. He rinsed his hand and wore an apron, then threw an apple to Jasmine for her to munch on as an appetizer before the meal would be ready.
“Fine, If you won’t answer that, I want to know who the lady on TV is”
“Thee are many ladies on TV mummy,” Jasmine smirked and Jasper smiled mockingly. That reaction got Cassandra angry and she stomped her foot on the ground nibbling on the left part of her lower lip.
“Jasper, I’m asking about the lady who slapped you. Who is she?”
“Is her identity that important to you?” he paused. “You should know her as my new girlfriend right?. Why ask when you already have an answer to that. Moreover, do you have the right to ask me who she is?”
“I have every right to know who she is because I’m your wife.”
Jasper scoffed at the word ‘wife’ she uttered, his eyes squinting. He instructed Jasmine to leave for her room and she obeyed understanding the tense atmosphere that was developing between her parents.
“Then I think as your husband, I have every right to know the owner of the dick you get screwed with.”
“Are you insane?. Have you forgotten the deal we had before giving birth to that girl?”
“Then you should know that you lost the right to question me when we made that deal too.” Jasper fired back.
Cassandra was taken aback. Never had Jasper made an utterance in that manner. Despite all she does, he still played the role of the responsible husband he wanted to be.
“If you want to know who she is, you should have asked me before announcing it to the media.” he lashed out at her, “Why are you acting shocked?. Do you think I won’t know?. Every newspaper company had to mention your name saying you ordered it to be done. Didn’t you make your findings before announcing it?. Why are you asking me now?…”
“Will you keep it low and listen?”
“What’s there to listen to?. Tell me! do you expect me to waste my time here bickering with you?…”
“My Angel is waiting for me to serve dinner, so please….”
“I’m not the one who announced it. I didn’t go to the media, I mean I didn’t even have an idea you went to the hospital that day.”
“Really?. And you expect me to believe you?”
“I don’t care if you believe me, I only said what I wanted to.”
“Fine, kindly leave please,” Jasper said and Cassandra turned around exiting the kitchen. Immediately she stepped her right foot past the door, Jasper threw her a question. “Why do you hate me so much?”
“I don’t get what you’re saying.’
“Why can’t we just try to make things work, if not for anything, let’s try to make things work for the sake of our baby.”
“I don’t hate you, Jasper, I hate to think or be reminded of the fact that I got married to you.”
Jasper leaned across the counters “And why is that?. It’s been five years now. A whole five years.”
“Don’t you get it?. I don’t love you, not even a bit.”
“But why didn’t you go against it back then when your father proposed it.”
Cassandra stared into space for a while before answering the question. Truly, she should have insisted against her father. But does she have the power to do so?. Once her father decides on something, there’s no going back no matter who intervenes.
She remembers clearly well what her father had told her mother when she went against it. He had shunned her pleas and turned deaf ears saying it’s all for the greater good of the family.
“I wanted to but I can’t.”
“Why?”
“The lesser you know, the safer you will be?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I won’t say anything more, but you can ask your father about it.”
“My father?”