Aiden’s party took a twisted turn when Cade made himself known in the most dramatic way ever and due to most of the guest murmuring and guessing about if that was the Lorenzo’s first son that was dead years back or not, the party had to be ended early so that they can recover from the shock that made Patricia fall unconscious.
Aiden had to countlessly apologize to his fiancée who assured him that it was fine and it was better they had the issue sorted to clear the tense air around them.
Everyone was still in shock with what happened that day, even Dimitri who had missed his brother so much was in shock to see him standing there with the microphone in his hand as he gave his wishes to the couple.
Everybody in the family is still trying to recover from the shock but were thankful that it didn’t do any damage to Patricia’s health.
Cade has been staying in an ensuite hotel for the past four days while he fills a happy Darius in about what happened that day. Darius was satisfied with the reactions according to Cade and the news that recently came up with the question about Cade’s death and his appearance now.
“What happened that day was quite something. I want to give them a few days before going home and do the explaining” he told him.
“That’s good my dear nephew, it’s such a shame that Patricia didn’t get that heart attack. She deserved it anyways, she was one of the factors that stopped my plans from working and I will get my revenge on all of them” Darius told him and Cade sighs.
“You heard about the news going around?” Cade asked to which Darius nods.
“I want you to clear that out and make sure people believe everything we worked so hard to build. There must not be any form of doubt in anything… I can’t risk that, people have to believe what we say so that things can work out the way we want them to” he explains.
“Yes sir, I’ll get to that and make sure our work will not be put to waste. We are doing the right thing and I will make you proud” Cade said the same thing he says to assure his uncle that he wouldn’t turn against him.
“That’s very good, I love that you are obedient, and remember that?”
“We are the only one who has our backs, no one else” Cade completes and managed a smile. “Its night here uncle, I need to get to sleep”
“Okay, when do you go to meet them?”
“Probably tomorrow” he answered.
“Good, the sooner the better. Keep me updated with how things are, I don’t want to have to get some of my guys there, eh?”
“Yes uncle, you’ll be the first to hear of any news, talk to you later sir”
“You too Cade, bye”
The line was disconnected and Cade threw his phone beside him on the bed then lay back on the bed with his eyes closed as he rubs his head, there was a headache already forming and it groaned in distress.
He sat up and went to the living room to get himself a bottle of water to drink and hoped there was some paracetamol in the cupboard for him to kill this headache before it grew big.
The headaches started when he woke up in that dark room he was kept in his uncle’s home and it thinks it was the accident he was told of that caused it to be that way.
Thankfully, he saw the paracetamol and took two tablets before heading back to the bedroom to get some rest. He needed it.
He lay down on his bed and looked at the ceiling as he thought about the things that would happen soon.
“I don’t know what is going on but I will figure it out soon, soon,” he said then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
… A week later …
Aiden and Cade came out of his car which he parked in the garage, then they made their way to the front door, Cade looked around the compound and took in the beauty of the surrounding.
“This place looks good” he acknowledged and Aiden looks at him with a little furrow on his brow.
“There wasn’t much that changed since you were…” he trailed off, not knowing what words to use.
Cade smiled in understanding “Gone… since I was gone” he completes for him and they stood in front of the door while Aiden rings the bell and await the Lorenzo’s to open the door.
“I know that I should have come here earlier and I am sorry for that, I am sorry if I caused some confusion between you guys. It wasn’t in my intention to do so” Cade turns to Aiden to apologize.
Aiden shook his head and just then the door opened to Donald who looked between both men. “You know who your apologies are for,” he said then entered the house.
Donald and Aiden both exchanged pleasantries then Donald looks at Cade with a blank look on his face.
“Come in, Cade,” he said in a small voice that gave more space for him to get in. “Your mum is waiting in the living area,” he said from behind Cade who was standing and looking around.
“Okay dad,” he said then walked further to the living room, where he saw his mum seated with his brother whose arms were around her shoulder.
Patricia’s head rested on his shoulder and she had a solemn look on her face. Dimitri looks to be in deep thought as he stared ahead, Aiden sat beside him and touched his shoulder when he noticed Cade now standing in front of them.
All their attention was brought to Cade who had a sad look on as he looked at them all.
Donald went to sit beside his wife and held her in his arms instead. Dimitri slowly stood to his feet, he held eye contact with his brother, and his forehead creased as he tried to take it all in.
“You are really alive?” he asked.
Cade nods then moved a step closer “Yes, I am. I have been for a long time” he said.
“Why didn’t you come home to us when you were alive all this time?” Patricia asked with a frown as she now stood to her feet.
You could see how she visibly shook from what is happening and how much she is trying not to lose her footing and fall to the floor. Dimitri tore his eyes away from his brother and looks at his mum to be sure she was fine because she did sound shaky when she spoke.
“Are you okay mum?” he asked and she nods her head.
“Mum, I missed you so much” tears filled Cade’s eyes.
“Answer my question, Caden! Why didn’t you come when you were fully alive and well? Why?” Patricia burst out as tears fell down her cheeks.
Donald stood to his feet to hold her but she shrugged him off and took a shaky foot closer to Cade, she could feel her entire body shake and her legs felt like they would give up on her which scared her. She didn’t want a repetition of that day.
“Tell me why you choose to stay in the dark… stay hidden when you have a family here who was grieving your death that wasn’t even true, tell me what happened? Why didn’t you come home to us and stop the worrying and heartache we felt? Why?” she cried.
“Mum” he held out his hand to hold her but she stopped him by holding her hand up.
“Answer my question Cade, why? Do you know what we went through during those times? Do you know how much we prayed that you were okay and the news we heard wasn’t true? Do you?” she wiped the tears from her cheek ‘Do you know how affected your younger brother was during those times? He lost his baby and the woman he loved then he had to deal with losing you, do you think that was easy for anyone of us? Do you?” she asked pointing a finger at him.
Cade couldn’t help but cry, seeing how badly hurt she looked. His brother and father too looked hurt and that broke his heart. Aiden stood by the corner trying not to look affected by what was happening.
“Your dad tried so hard to keep it in and be strong for us all but I knew he was hurting just as bad as we all were, even Michelle your girlfriend couldn’t bring herself to date someone else because of how deeply in love she was with you” she shook her head.
“But you… you were in whatever place you were without any bother as to what your family was going through then, five years later… five good years later, you thought it was a good idea for you to show your face in the most dramatic way ever” she laughed sarcastically.
“That was a move, Cade, that was a move” she sniffled and wiped her face with the handkerchief her husband offered her.
Cade bow his head because he had no words to say to them, the words he practiced saying when he was coming from his hotel room all went out of the window when he saw the hurt in her eyes. He didn’t know how impactful that incident was to them all.
They all looked like they were grieving their loved ones, nothing like he was told but as much as he wants what he had been told to overcome his thinking, deep down he feels like all those were lies and these people seem to be sincere with the emotion played on their face.
He could feel it in his heart but he is conflicted with what he had been constantly told about this family. He came for one mission and he could feel like he was already failing it by allowing their fake tears to get to him.
‘You can’t get me’ he said to himself and cleaned his face with the back of his palm.
He opened his mouth to say something but no words came out so he closed them back and looked up at them, still maintaining that remorseful look on his face.
“I am sorry” he started “There are no words that are enough for me to say to prove how sorry I am for all the pain you all feel” he looked at Patricia who looked away from him and stayed in her husband’s embrace. “It wasn’t my fault… I… a lot of things happened during those times” he said to them.
“Some that still lingers in my memory, that wouldn’t even want to leave no matter how hard I try to get it off,” he said then got flashes of the fire that consume the family he stayed with before he was found by his uncle.
He closed his eyes to get the memory away from his head, it was making him uncomfortable, talking about it to the people that probably caused the death of those innocent families. His anger rose and he tried really hard to keep himself calm and not destroy their plan.
Cade kept his eyes closed and continued talking “After that fire, I was taken by a nice family who took care of me till I woke up but I couldn’t remember anything when I did, I couldn’t even remember my name or who I was” he said and that made Patricia look at him.
He saw how that caught their attention and he smiled within as he continued the tale “They gave me a name, took care of me, clothed me, and made sure my healing was quick and effective” he said, remembering all the nice things the Devanto’s did for him before their deaths.
Then the memory of the fire came again and he opened his eyes to look at them. His eyes held anger and contempt as he stares at them.
“They were caught in a fire, a fire that was planned to destroy them all” he said and Patricia gasped.
Donald, Dimitri, Patricia, and Aiden all looked horrified at the knowledge of what happened to the family.
“The whole family?” Patricia asked, her eyes holding tears that freely fell down her cheeks then she moved away from her husband’s hold and went closer to him, she placed her palm on his cheek and caressed them softly.
Cade felt irritated with how great she was able to use the hurt in her eyes to mask the happy glint that should show when she heard him speak of what they did to that family. How could they do that? he accused within but it is too early to burst open their cover. His uncle will not be pleased.
“Yes,” he gritted “The whole of them and I wish to do something so bad to whoever did such” he spoke, his voice filled with hate.
Patricia frowned then hugged him, this is my Cade, my Cade wouldn’t speak this way” she leaned away from the hug to look into his eyes “You are better than that… whoever did such will be brought to justice but you wouldn’t do something grave to anyone… that’s not my Cade, that’s not him” she said to him and his features soften.
She was right, he was her Cade and he needed to stay that way.
“You are right mum, I would never do that. I am sorry” he apologized then hugged her and sobbed on her shoulders. “I am sorry for all the pain you all felt, I am truly sorry”
“It’s okay, you are fine… that’s all that matters” she consoled then urged the rest of the men to come in for the hug. “We will all be fine, the family is complete”