Cara reached home in the afternoon, after fixing her appearance properly. She didn’t want her family to know anything about what she was going through. The door opened and Vera squealed with delight seeing her at the doorstep along with all her luggage.
“Aunt Maggie, Cara has come home. Yay, I’m so happy,” said Vera, helping her with the luggage. Soon the twins came out excitedly to help. Cara smiled at their enthusiasm, hugging her little family closer. One year she had been away from them but not anymore, she was back to where she belonged.
A beaming aunt Maggie came out of the kitchen and opened her arms out to her. “I’m so happy to see you, Cara,” she said, hugging her tightly. Cara’s throat choked with emotions she couldn’t restrain any longer and hot tears pooled into her eyes.
“I’m back forever, Aunt Maggie.” Her aunt didn’t miss the catch in her voice, the sob that she tried to hold back.
“I know, dear,” said Aunt Maggie. Tears spilled from her eyes and aunt Maggie gently led her to her room while the children went back to their studies. “Calm down and freshen up. I heard from Adam that you’ve done exceptionally well in your college. Have you applied for any placement assistance?” asked aunt Maggie, steering her mind away from the heartbreak that she was going through. Cara wiped her eyes and looked at her aunt thankfully. She had completely forgotten about it.
“I’ll go to college tomorrow and talk to the placement department.” While aunt Maggie arranged her stuff into her closet, Cara freshened up. She found a new direction, a newfound energy to pick herself up and move on. She was thankful to her family for the support and love they bestowed upon her. No one mentioned Marcus and she was glad. With her talent and hard-working nature, she was sure to find something or the other. She would move on from Marcus and get a grip over herself.
Marcus locked the house and drove home after a year with a heavy heart full of memories. They were the best memories of his life, memories of a true unconditional love that he lost forever. His heart wept for what could have been his if only he had taken the plunge. If only he could get over the fear of betrayal, of rejection, his Cara would have been his forever. But he was afraid to commit to her. She was talented and eight years younger than him. What if she grew tired of him and his emotional baggage and moved on to someone younger and more compatible? He knew that with her capabilities, she would someday make it big. What would he do when she discarded him just like Cassie did? No, this was for the best. She would forget him in a few months and move on with her life. Who wanted a broken man trying to reinvent himself? No one!
Marcus parked his car and walked into his empty penthouse in New York after a year. It seemed a dull and grim place full of blank canvases to remind him of his dismal life. He needed to renovate the place if he were to live here forever. It was late and he just cleaned his room and fell asleep. The next morning, he drove over to his granny’s house to meet his family. He knew that everyone was annoyed and disappointed with him for not visiting even when Sienna gave birth to his nephew, Adrian. He had a lot of explaining to do! Parking his car, he climbed out and walked up the driveway towards the door. He noticed Lucas’s car parked at the side which meant that he was here as well. Pressing the doorbell, he stood waiting when the door opened and Maria’s mouth hung open seeing him there.
“Mark! So you remembered us after all?” she scolded with an eye roll. Marcus grinned and pushed past her into the house.
“Yeah, I remembered you last night,” he chuckled.
“Not at all funny, Mark. Everyone is angry with you,” informed Maria.
“I know. I can explain,” he said, sobering up. His mom rushed out of her room with Alexia and Lucas and stared at him with disbelief.
“Finally you got time to visit us! Seriously Mark? Don’t you think you stretched this a little too far? One year is too much,” complained his mom, scowling at him. Lucas chuckled and came forward to give him a welcome hug and so did Alexia. Marcus picked her up and kissed her cheeks, making her giggle. He was still her favorite uncle!
“I missed you, Uncle Mark.”
“I’ll make it up to you, Princess,” he promised.
“I asked you something, Mark. What kept you so busy that you forgot about us completely?” asked his mom, glaring at him with barely suppressed anger.
“I was working on an art series, mom. After two long years, I recovered from my condition.” His mom scoffed angrily. Just then granny emerged from her room hearing the commotion in the living room. Her eyes brightened up on seeing him and she came forward to give him a hug.
“You’re looking better, Mark. So how have you been?” she asked with a warm smile on her face.
“I’ve been doing well, granny. How about you?” he asked. Granny sat down pulling him with her.
“I’m fine. Do you know about your nephew or not?” she asked excitedly. Lucas smiled at his brother, sitting down beside him while Alexia left the room with Maria to have her breakfast.
“He is least bothered about us, mom. All his attention is on that girl. He is hardly concerned about whether we live or die. I’m sure he has no interest in Adrian,” said his mom angrily. Marcus’s face paled considerably knowing that his mom was pointing at Cara. So she knew about her!
He stood up agitatedly. “Which girl are you talking about, mom? I told you that I was working. Of course, I want to meet my nephew now that I’m free,” he defended himself.
His mom looked angrier at his retort. “Don’t feign ignorance, Marcus. I know that you’ve been living with that maid. She’s not of our level, don’t you see? What do you see in her? I’m really ashamed of your choice. Do you have any idea what will happen when this leaks out? Imagine the scandal that will follow. We would have nowhere to hide,” scolded his mom. Marcus trembled with fury at his mom’s words.
“She isn’t a maid. She is a very talented music artist. It’s not her fault that her parents died leaving the responsibility of her young siblings upon her,” Marcus defended Cara, his heart breaking at his mom’s words. How could she be so against Cara? What has she ever done to his mom?
“Relax, mom. It’s no big deal at all. If Mark marries her then there would be no scandal at all,” said Lucas calmly.
“Why does he need to marry her? I’ll talk to my close friends and fix him up,” said his mom, looking a little relieved.
“If I ever marry, it will be only to Cara,” said a determined Marcus, his mind made up. Before the art exhibition is inaugurated, he would bring Cara home and propose. He would marry her to put an end to all speculations.
“Let him live, Claudia,” said his granny. “Bring Cara home for dinner and then we can fix up everything,” she said to Marcus. Lucas chuckled at the happy look on his brother’s face.
“Thank you, granny, I love you. I have a collection of Cara’s portraits that I wanted to exhibit at my art gallery. She inspired me to start painting again but now to stop all speculations, I want to marry her before the inauguration,” he said, sitting down beside granny. His whole body was alive with excitement and he didn’t make any effort to restrain himself.
His mom muttered curses at Cara as she stormed out of the room. Lucas sighed and went after her while Marcus planned everything with granny. After a few minutes, Sienna came in with baby Adrian and they all planned his wedding with Cara. All except his mom, who just got ready and left.
“Where is mom rushing off to?” asked Sienna with concern. Lucas shrugged as he had no idea. His mom didn’t say a single word to him.
“Maybe she’s going to her club to meet her friends,” said granny.
“What’s the use? I won’t marry their daughters. I’ll only marry Cara and no one else,” Marcus stated determinedly.
“Are you in love with her, bro?” teased Sienna. It made Marcus thoughtful. So was he in love with her, after all? What he felt for Cara wasn’t anything to what he felt for Cassie when he was engaged to her. His feelings for Cara are hundred times deeper, more intense. While he could survive being away from Cassie, he felt dead without Cara in his life. Just a few hours without her and he was desperate to see her.
He smiled at Sienna, a smile that held a lot of meaning. Sienna understood and smiled back. “Go bring her home,” she whispered. Marcus nodded. He couldn’t wait to bring Cara back into his life.