Chapter 9
Cassandra
My legs hurt like a bitch and my head throbbed like someone was smashing it with a hammer. I finally stepped back into my apartment after a long tiring day filming. My crappy apartment hasn’t looked this welcoming since I first settled in after all the drama that happened at my old job. Falling onto the old couch I had bought from the second hand furniture shop, I closed my eyes. All I wanted to do was to get a good ten hours sleep. Spending the day on set was exciting and I loved every second of it. It would have been perfect if they let me have a break every now and then. David, the creative director of LeoField Ad Group was a dream to work with. He was so professional and polite. He made things look so easy, but only those who worked with him knew how detailed his work was. No wonder I was exhausted beyond description. But my work for the day hadn’t ended. I still needed to write that report and send it to Aaron. I kept myself distracted so that the thoughts won’t wander to him like they loved to do.
He kept trying to explain himself but I didn't want to hear his pathetic excuses. I showed weakness that I won't show again. I did not need him.
I fixed myself a strong cup of coffee and set to work. I hadn’t been able to get anything to eat all day and right now, I wanted to get rid of the work and then get a bite to eat.
By the end of the report, the only energy I could muster up was spent mailing the damn thing to Aaron and then stowing the laptop on the coffee table. That was it, I passed out on the couch right there in the next two minutes.
The loud radio alarm woke me up with a jolt. I looked at my phone to see it was seven thirty. “Shit!” I was late for the shoot. Today was the final sequence take and I had to reach the set by eight thirty. I called for the taxi and rushed into the washroom for a quick shower. I had no time for breakfast.
“Melinda, hi. This is Cass Levant,” I called Aaron’s assistant as I locked my apartment and climbed the stairs down to the taxi. “Good morning, Cass,” she sounded as if she was accustomed to waking up at six every Sunday morning. “I need to know where the shoots location is for today. David told me yesterday but it slipped my mind.” I couldn’t help the apologetic tone as I got into the taxi. “Oh it’s on Aaron’s yacht. You’ll need to come to Union Lake Park.” Yacht? Panic begin to raise inside me and I gulped. “Where to Miss?” The taxi driver asked in an irritated tone. “Are you there, Cass?” Melinda said through the speaker. “Uh yes. Thanks, Melinda.” I dropped the call and turned to the driver. “Union Lake Park Bridge, please,” I said to him, my voice barely louder than a whisper.
I could see a moderate sized yacht on the dock as I stepped out of the taxi and paid the impatient driver his fare. “Cass! Right here!” I heard Adrian, one of the creative department guy's waving at me enthusiastically from the deck of the yacht. I felt sick already. My head was spinning and my stomach was giving me ugly signals. Given I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday morning. I boarded the yacht which was filled with people I had never met before. “You look sick,” Adrian commented as I joined him. “I‘m not a fan of water” I said looking at the water and he laughed at me. “Boy, you are so chicken. We’re perfectly safe on here.” David called to order and the shoot started. I stood at one corner end and observed everything, occasionally making notes on my iPad. Just then I felt the air around me change – more intense. I turned around to see Aaron walking towards my direction.
My throat dried at the sight of him. He was wearing a gray T-Shirt and khaki shorts paired with wayfarers. His usual gelled hair was now all tousled and messy, making me remember the night when we were together. Before I could ogle him any further, that brunette appeared from behind him, Elsa. Jealousy poured inside me and I looked away from that brooding man and his latest flavor whom he obviously didn’t count on his list of one timers.
They walked past me and Aaron didn't even glance at me. I tried not to care, not to look at him but if only my body and mind could be on the same page. I looked at him through the corner of my eye, he was looking straight ahead and the brunette was on the chair next to him. That was it. I couldn’t take it anymore. “I need to use the restroom,” I told the girl standing next to me and walked away. I didn’t know which direction I was walking in but I just kept going along the railing. The spinning in my head intensified and my eyes began to close. My knees threatened to stop working. I pushed and pushed but then darkness came before my eyes and everything spun around and next I knew my iPad slipped from my hand and I was hitting the low railing and then falling across it – into the water.
Aaron
“Take the hint, Elsa.” “Come on, Aaron, you promised to give me today. You are already breaking my heart. This is the least you can do for me,” she shifted on her chair and I wanted to groan in frustration. Getting involved with Elsa was the biggest mistake of my life and I had only realized it now. After the scene on Friday, she had spent all Saturday pleading to come on the yacht then she’d back off. I’d agreed just because I was irritated with her and later I had remembered that Cassandra would be there too. But it was too late. And now I had to not only tolerate Elsa but also see that expression on Cassandra’s face.
I know she was getting punished by this but I wanted her to be the first to come and tell me. I wanted her to come back to me and say that she wanted me. As much as I ached for her, I didn’t want to back down first. She had left me in the first place and I wanted it to be her to make the decision of returning. My ego would only be healed then.
I looked past Elsa towards where Cassandra was standing. Where’d she go? I gazed around. She was nowhere. I got up, ignoring Elsa’s protest and walked straight to where Cassandra was previously. “Where’s Cassandra?” I asked Hannah. “She left for the restroom. I don't think she was feeling well.” Wasn’t feeling well? I turned to walk towards the restroom and that’s when I caught a glimpse of her – falling off the railing and into the water. ”Cassandra!” My heart flinched at the sight and I, along with others, rushed to the deck.
There was no movement in the water. I was shocked still for a moment. Everybody was talking behind me, telling her to swim, telling her that the water wasn’t deep, throwing life jackets, shouting for a lifeguard. And then I remembered that day before Quinn’s wedding when Logan was about to throw her in the water. Her face was filled with fear. She was afraid of the pool – of water. She didn’t know how to swim. Holy Christ! I instantly pulled off my shoes and stripped out of my shirt and jumped into the water.
She was sinking down like a motionless body. Fear struck deep inside me. I couldn’t lose her. I swam to her and caught her by the wrist. She made no effort to hold me back. I tried not to think of the worst case scenario and swam back to the shore.
Let her be okay. Please, let her be okay. No more gameplay. I was blaming myself for all this. I had pushed her for too long. I laid Cassandra's back on the dry ground. She was pale and all white and lifeless. The rest of the crew was probably getting off the yacht but all I could see was Cassandra.
I pumped her chest and excess water spilled from her mouth. “Cassandra, wake up,” the pleading in my voice was raw. I checked her pulse, it was barely there. “God, no. Please,” I placed my finger under her nose and there was no sign of breathing. “Breath, damn it!” I cried and started CPR. My hands trembled as I pumped to bring her back to life. Thirty compressions after diving into that freezing water was so difficult, I wasn’t going to let life take her from me yet. I took a lungful of air and lowered my mouth to her purple lips and covered them with mine, pinching her nose closed. Come back to me, baby. I said to her silently and then gave five breaths and then started with the compressions again.
“911’s on way,” I heard someone calling from behind and another person started rubbing her foot to resume the blood flow. On the second cycle of chest compressions and rescue breathes, she finally jerked up and spat water from her mouth and coughed. Relief flooded inside me and I cradled her head in my hands. “Cassandra,” I whispered her name. Her eyes opened briefly and then closed again. But now she was breathing. I reached for her pulse, it was steadier than before but her body was now shivering. A few minutes later the siren of the ambulance rose in the air. They wrapped her in a large blanket and checked her vitals. “She needs to be shifted to the hospital. Can you please provide the necessary details?” one of the guys asked me but my eyes were frozen on the woman before me. She opened her eyelids and looked up at me. She was scared. Her usual strong headed and composed persona was all gone. She was vulnerable and weak in that moment. A fierce protectiveness rose inside me and in that moment I knew I could break legs and sprain necks for this woman. I would go to any length to keep her safe and sound by my side. I would conquer the world for her. I couldn’t let her go. Not anymore. I didn’t care if I had to back down first.
I followed them to the ER and stayed outside the room while the medical officer examined her. “How is Cassandra?” I asked as soon as the Doctor left her room. “She is fine. It was dizziness that made her faint and then her phobia of water that drove her to shock. But she is alright now. She needs someone to look over her for a couple of days to make sure she takes in proper meals and stays rested.” I thanked him and entered into the room. She was lying on the bed looking out of the window. I admired the sight for a few seconds. She was alive and alright.
“Hey.” I walked up to her. She turned her face to look at me. Her lips were back to rosy pink and her skin was gaining its color back. “You scared me to death there for a second.” She tried to get up. “Don’t move. What do you want? I’ll get it for you,” I caught her shoulders and made her lay back again. “I am fine. Thank you, Mr. Maxfield. I was told you saved my life,” she said and I frowned at her tone. “You do not have to thank me, Cassandra.” I sat on the stool beside her bed and reached for her hand. She fisted her hand and looked at me intently. “I am sorry, I ruined your shoot.” What was she doing? “Cassandra, you…” “You should join them. I mean they need you. You don’t have to sit here. I am fine,” she said and I got it. She was pushing me away.
“I am not going anywhere and they can wrap things up without me.” I was not going to let her put distance between us. Not anymore. “I don’t want to keep you from your work or other things you are busy with.” Her tone had that hint of jealousy. By other things she meant Elsa. “Cassandra, that day you saw me and Elsa you have it all wrong. She tried to kiss me, but I forced her away.” “Then why was she between your legs?” “I pushed her away from me and she fell onto the floor, you walked in at the worst possible time, I promise.”
“I couldn’t care less about anything right now, Cassandra. I am here because I want to be with you,” I said in a soft tone and an emotion flickered on her face. Hope? But then she turned her face away. “I appreciate the thought, Mr. Maxfield. But it’s unnecessary. I’ll be leaving for home in a bit anyway.” Her resistance and that stupid staying professional attitude was pissing me off.
“You are coming with me.” She snapped her face in my direction with disbelief and panic. “No, I am not.” “Yes, you are. I’ll go check with the papers and see if we can leave now.” I gave her a hard stare, challenging her to refuse my offer. “I am telling you, Mr. Maxfield, I am going nowhere with you. You can leave right now,” she sat up. Her expression surprised me. It was more of panic and fear rather than anger. What was she afraid of? I sat on the bed, facing her and cupped her cheek. “I’ll take care of you, babe, I don’t want you to be on your own. Not after this. Why don’t you trust me to look after you?” She looked away and pulled from my touch. “I don’t want anybody to take care of me. I can do that on my own. I don’t want you. You are my boss and this is highly unprofessional,” she said and I decided to end this professional charade right now.
“To hell with the professionalism, Cassandra! Stop fighting the attraction that’s between us. We both know that we want each other. Why do you keep bringing this boss employee thing between us? Why are you pushing me away when I want to take care of you? What are you afraid of? Why aren’t you willing to give me a chance?” I burst out. She looked at me, stunned. Her eyes were filled with raw emotions. But then she looked away, hiding herself, her soul from me. “I cannot do this,” she said. I had already made my decision. “Give me one good reason why you can’t and I’ll back off. And I am your boss is not one of them.” I waited for her to answer but nothing came out. “We are having it my way until you provide me with a reasonable answer. You are coming with me now. Either you willingly walk on your own or I’ll be more than happy to pick you up on my shoulder.” I didn’t allow her to think of an answer and left the room.