“You’re welcome young mistress” a maid collected the handbag Cassandra was carrying as she walked into the mansion. It has been a while since she last visited her father.
She slipped into the living room and found no one in sight except another maid who was standing close to a couch with her hands crossed and folded in front of her.
“Where’s dad?” Cassandra asked looking around.
“Master is in his room ma’am” replied the maid who collected her bag.
“In his room by this time?” Cassandra checked what time it was on her wristwatch. It was a few minutes past 10 a. m on the silver Rolex watch she had on her wrist.
She carried her legs way down a hallway which led to her father’s room and knocked at a door. Before she received an answer, she already turned the doorknob and cranked the door open.
“Dad!” she almost yelled playfully like the daddy’s girl she was. In the room, Mr Hanswort was seated on his bed with his back resting on the headboard of the bed as a blood pressure checker was being removed from his left arm by a man who looked to be in his late forties. From the way he was dressed, there was no doubt he was a doctor.
“Good day, Doctor Stone” Cassandra greeted with a smile as she went ahead to sit on the vacant wooden stool beside her father’s bed.
“Good day to you too Cassandra, it’s been a while since we met”
“Sure, it’s been long. Business things here and there.”
“Hope you’re keeping fit? You shouldn’t let stress drown your youthful bones.”
“Of course, I am. If I don’t, I’ll sure be admitted to the hospital by now. How’s family?”
Doctor Stone managed a smile while looking at her, “They’re all fine.”
“How’s my dad?” Cassandra changed the topic tugging at her father’s just rolled down the sleeve of his white pyjamas.
Mr Hanswort squinted his eyes at the doctor, giving a signal. Doctor Stone caught his stare and smiled “He’s doing well, but his blood pressure needs to be taken care of. From what I examined just now, it showed that he’s been overexerting himself way more than his body can take these days…”
“Ok, I’ll make sure to tell the head maid about it, she’s in charge of that. You know, I no longer reside here.”
Doctor Stone wanted to ask how her husband and daughter are doing but decided against it. He’s been with them long enough to know that topic was quite a sensitive one in their family. Being the family doctor of the Hansworts comes with a lot of gains and losses depending on his action.
Obviously, he wouldn’t want to do anything to anger Grey Hanswort and affect his family.
“Sure, I have to go now.” Doctor Stone said and left after Mr Hanswort waved his hand permitting him to leave.
“Why are you here?” he didn’t bother taking a look at his daughter’s face. He picked up the tablet beside him and began to scroll through the reports of the company stocks and shares of the month which were sent to him not long.
“Can’t I come and check on you?”
“You can, but you won’t except if it involves money or you’re here to lay complaints again.”
“Am I that bad?. Anyway, I took after you in that aspect.”
“So, what do you want this time?”
“Jasper said something about me announcing his scandal to the media, does it have anything to do with you? I’m so sure I never ordered such.”
“I didn’t know anything about the scandal until I saw the news”
“Then who could have played such a game?. Jasper was so mad yesterday that he didn’t even listen to my explanation. He was told I was the one who ordered it at every newspaper company he went to.”
Mr Hanswort sighed and raised his head. He stared at his daughter, flickering his thumb on his knuckles.
“I guess more people have gotten to know about it.”
“About the treasure?” Mr Hanswort hummed a yes. When he had informed Cassandra that she would be getting married to Jasper, he had told her that she had to do it for the treasure he wants to get. He didn’t tell her more than that despite how buggy she was. “I need the treasure” was all he told her and Cassandra had little idea about what the treasure was.
“What do you think we should do?. From the look of things, Jasper has no idea about it.”
“How sure are you?”
“I’m so sure dad. I monitored him enough to know that much.”
“That’s not too bad, I have two chess pieces I can use to get what I want.”
“And what are they?” Curiosity flashed through Cassandra’s eyes.
“You don’t have to know about them, but I can tell you that talkative daughter of yours is number one.”
“Jasmine? I tell you that girl is a bad piece. She’s wiser than you can imagine. You won’t want to hear how she acted and spoke to me yesterday, I was so annoyed I nearly freaked out.”
“She did the same here too, that was why I said you should tame her and make her a good piece.”
“Birthing her is enough for me dad, I don’t have the time to babysit her or be the caring mother for her. If not because of you, she wouldn’t be in this world today.”
“Yes, I needed someone who would be able to get close to Jasper and his father. That was why I told you to leave the pregnancy so we won’t look suspicious.”
“You’re right dad, Jasper won’t even think of the possibility. He still thinks I kept her because of the deal we had.”
“That’s a good job on your part. You sure took after me.”
“So dad, I need money.”
“I knew you would still ask for it. How much do you need?”
“Ten million dollars.”
“What for?” Mr Hanswort furrowed his raised eyebrows.
“Business!”
“Plain business?”
“Sure, what else?”
“Alright, I’ll give you a cheque before you leave.”
“Thanks, dad, also help me investigate who impersonated me at the newspaper companies.” she dashed out of her father’s room with a snarky grin on her face.
*
*
“What’s wrong Drake?” Jasmine asked as she sat on the sea-saw. Drake didn’t reply to her as tears escaped his eyes. Jasmine climbed down to where he was and pulled him in her embrace.
“Why are you crying?” she asked patting his back softly as her father does to her.
“Sister Katrina is not here. Has she gone far away too?” It’s been three days already and Katrina was still in a comatose state in the hospital. She hasn’t woken up, and neither did she show a sign of doing so anytime soon.
Drake felt strange and insecure in the presence of others with the absence of his sister. That morning, Jasper had dropped him and Jasmine off at school and left immediately.
“Sister Katrina would be fine soon. Do you want to see her?” Drake nodded innocently, his innocence making him seem like Jasmine’s younger brother.
“Ok, don’t worry. I’ll tell my daddy to take us to the hospital this afternoon.” she consoled him and smiled at him.
Soon, a familiar car was cited from afar. She held Drake’s hand and carried their lunch packs while Jasmine carried their backpacks.
“Uncle Carl? Where’s my daddy?” she asked looking inside the car to see if he might be at the other side.”
“Your daddy is busy today, so I’m here to pick you up. Young boy, how’re you doing?”
Drake scampered behind Jasmine scared of Carl as he was not too familiar with him.
“You don’t have to be scared okay?”
“Uncle Carl, we want to see Sister Katrina.”
“Oh that, I already planned on taking you there.”
“Let’s get going.”