Jaxon’s voice dripped with shock, anger, and disbelief. Tatiana was confused by his expression. Did he know her from somewhere?
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Jax,” Cassius called from behind.
“She doesn’t know, does she? You didn’t tell her what her father did,” Jaxon spoke again, his eyes still locked with hers.
Her father? Mr. Wallington?
Tatiana looked at Cassius, standing behind Jaxon, wondering what they were talking about.
“About what?” she asked.
Jaxon looked at Cassius. “You didn’t?”
“Tell me what?” Tatiana stepped forward, seeing guilt flash in Cassius’s eyes. “What did he do?”
“C’mon, Cash, tell her,” Jaxon said, and Cassius clenched his jaw, his eyes throwing daggers at Jaxon. Cassius gestured to Butler Conrad to take Dylan upstairs. Once he was gone, Cassius faced Tatiana.
“My mother’s accident-” he paused and sighed. “Rebel, it doesn’t matter. You’re not him. You’re not a Wallington.”
“I still want to know, Cash. Was he-” her voice trailed off as a thought struck her. “Was he behind your mother’s accident?”
Tatiana froze when Cassius slowly nodded. A soft gasp escaped her lips, and her eyes teared up. Her father had caused Cassius’s pain in the past, and yet he still wanted to be with her, to marry her.
Tatiana’s heart raced as she tried to process the new information. Guilt, sadness, and pain surged through her.
“Rebel,” Cassius called softly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she croaked, tears spilling from her eyes.
“I didn’t want to lose you. I knew you’d feel guilty, responsible. And I didn’t want any of that burden on you. I love you, and that won’t change.”
Tatiana’s heart ached, and when he tried to reach for her, she dodged his grasp.
“I… I’ll be in the garden,” she muttered, turning to face Jaxon. “Good afternoon, Mr. Jaxon.” Jaxon nodded at her greeting, and she left.
After she was gone, Cassius faced Jaxon. “Let’s talk,” he said, walking past him.
“How did you even meet her?” Jaxon snapped as they entered a room.
“She is not like her father, Jaxon. Don’t direct your hate at her,” Cassius said coldly.
“I don’t hate her, Cassius. I just don’t understand what you were thinking. She is a Wallington,” Jaxon snapped.
“Her father disowned her years ago, and she won’t have their name after I put a ring on her finger,” Cassius stated calmly.
“That doesn’t stop anything. The Wallingtons have tried to collaborate with you many times, and by marrying his daughter, you’re giving him a chance. You even have his grandson. He’ll definitely come for you,” Jaxon snapped.
“You don’t tell me what to do, Jaxon. If the Wallingtons come for my family, I’ll be ready.”
“Cash, he grows his empire every single day. He isn’t in the entertainment industry you dominate. His family members are psychos-his eldest son, his younger brother, even his wife. They are all psychos.”
“And Tatiana is not one of them.”
“You trust her?” Jaxon asked, and Cassius moved closer to him, ensuring their gazes locked.
“She loathes her father. He’s the reason her younger sister is dead. I trust and love her. Tatiana is going to be my wife, and nothing will change that.”
Jaxon knew how stubborn Cassius could be. Once he made up his mind, nothing could sway him. Though he trusted Cassius’s decisions, this time, he felt his friend was inviting trouble.
“If you trust her, fine. Do what you want. I just hope you don’t regret it. I hope Grandfather accepts her too. You know how protective he is of you,” Jaxon said and made to leave, but halted and faced Cassius again.
“You’re planning something, aren’t you?” Jaxon said. Cassius remained calm. “Considering the fact that he hurt your woman too.”
“Bastard, you’re so good at reading people,” Cassius mumbled.
“Tsk,” Jaxon smirked. “Let me in on the game.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“C’mon, Cash. At least I’ll avenge Auntie, and you’ll avenge your woman.”
“Fine. Just don’t die when we start,” Cassius said, and Jaxon smiled.
“What happened to your eyes?” Cassius asked, noticing the small red area in the corner of Jaxon’s eyes.
“Pepper spray. A cute woman did it. Maybe I’ll punish her for it,” Jaxon replied, and Cassius scoffed.
“You’ve never had your eye on a woman before. She’s going to be in a lot of trouble. Aren’t you staying for lunch?”
“No, I’ve got a cute woman to chase,” Jaxon responded and left.
After he left, Cassius went to the garden and found Tatiana standing, staring at the sky as her hair blew behind her.
Sensing his presence, she turned to look at him, her expression unreadable as he stepped closer. They remained silent for a while, until Tatiana decided to break it.
“Why did my father do it?” Her voice was soft.
“Because I refused to be part of his empire. He wanted to spite me, so he managed to send my best friend to harm my mother.”
Her eyes flashed with guilt and hurt, and Cassius hated that look. He wanted her to know he didn’t care about any of that. He only wanted her-just her.
“When we first met, you said you were going to make me regret crossing you. You didn’t only say that because I kept Dylan away. It was because of my father too.”
Cassius clenched his jaw. She was right. When he first met her and found out she was a Wallington, thoughts of his mother filled him with anger. The day he met Dylan and took him to his mother, he had almost blurted out that her father had caused it all.
But soon, he realized he had fallen for her. He had fallen for her the first day they met-the day he claimed her as his.
Tatiana was the only woman in his mind, and that’s why he searched for her.
“You’re not a Wallington. You’re not your father-”
“You didn’t answer my question, Cash. Did you?”
Cassius clenched his jaw. “Yes, but that was in the past. Let it stay in the past,” he said, stepping closer and reaching for her hand. “I love you, and that won’t change.”
“I love you too, Cash, but I can’t help it.”
“Help what?”
“I can’t help but think about it. It’s overwhelming. It’s just too much to take in.”
Cassius crossed the small distance between them and held her face. “Look at me, love,” he whispered. She looked up to meet his gaze. “What do you see?”
After a while, she replied, “I see the man I love.”
His hand gently caressed her cheek. “I fell in love with you the first day I met you-the day I claimed you as mine. I was just too stupid to realize it sooner. I think about you every single day. You’re mine. You’re not with them-you’re with me,” he whispered.
“I won’t ever keep anything from you again. I promise,” he added.
Tatiana felt the burden in her chest lift as he spoke those words. He was right-the past is the past. What matters now is the present and the future.
Yes, she wanted to be with this man forever.