Chapter 706 One Week
Two days after Andy's last encounter with Cassidy, she still had not been able to make up her mind on what to make of him.
Was he good or bad? Should she forgive him or not? Should she call him Alex or Cassidy? Should she keep finding a way to leave or just relax and trust him to let her go when the time was right?
Although, since they got to the Island, she had seen a different part of him. There was no denying that the man on the Island was completely different from the drug lord who had forced himself on her. But that did not make it any easier to forgive him or understand him.
It was true that hurting people hurt people, but that did not make what he did right. And no matter how much he apologized she doubted that she could ever truly forgive him for doing that to her.
What she couldn't understand now was the reason he had brought her to the Island. He could easily have let her go and pretended to be dead, and no one would bother about her, so why did he bring her here? Although he had said it was because he wanted her to take care of his daughter, but she highly doubted that was it.
Andy looked at her door when a knock sounded on it, and she smiled when it opened a crack and Maribel's head appeared.
"Can I come in?" She asked hopefully.
"Sure you can, doll," Andy said as she sat up and patted the side of her bed for Maribel to join her.
walk further into the room and get on the bed.
"I think you were right. Daddy said I look more beautiful," Maribel After her conversation with Susan the other day, they had both agreed that she would look after Maribel under Susan's supervision, while Susan continued to take care of the home.
"How was your beauty sleep?" Andy asked as she watched Maribel walk further into the room and get on the bed.
"I think you were right. Daddy said I look more beautiful," Maribel said and Andy giggled.
Because Maribel always struggled with sleeping whenever it was time for her nap, Andy had told her it was called beauty sleep not nap, and that if she wanted to look more beautiful like Cinderella and sleeping beauty, she needed to sleep more during the day as that was when the beauty fairy moved around to make little girls more beautiful.
"When did he say that?" Andy asked with interest.
"Just now," Maribel said and Andy raised a brow.
"Your father is back?" Andy asked and Maribel bobbed her head.
She hardly ever saw Cassidy or crossed paths with him during the day, and from his routine, she already knew that the only thing she could see him if she wanted to speak with him was at night. And that was only if she decided to stay up and wait in the living room.
It almost seemed like he was avoiding her. But that would be ridiculous, right? Why would he bring her here and then stay away from his own home just so he could avoid her?
She couldn't help wondering why he was home at this time of the day. Perhaps he wanted to take a nap like he had done the other day.
"Are you listening?" Maribel asked to get Andy's attention.
"I'm sorry, doll. I got distracted for a moment. What did you say?" Andy asked as she focused her attention on the little girl.
"I said I want you to spend the night with me in my room or I could sleep here if you let me," Maribel repeated.
"Oh, why?" Andy asked with an amused smile.
"Because it feels nice being next to you. And when the night beauty fairy comes to visit you, she can see me too," Maribel said with a grin as she pushed her glasses up her nose bridge and Andy laughed out loud.
They both looked at the door and a knock sounded on it, and seeing as the door didn't open, Andy could tell it was Cassidy and not Susan.
Susan usually poked her head in after knocking once whenever Maribel was in the room with her.
"Give me a moment, doll," Andy said as she rose from the bed and went to answer the door.
"Hi!" Cassidy said once the door opened and he stood face to face with her.
"Hi! You want Maribel?" Andy asked, curious to know if he had come because he wanted to see her or his daughter.
Cassidy cleared his throat and shifted on his feet, feeling slightly uncomfortable, "No. I wanted to find out if you'd like to step out. Maybe take a stroll. I know you haven't been out of the house and you must want to take a look around," Cassidy said and Andy raised a brow.
"You're no longer scared I might try to escape?" She asked and he shrugged.
"I already explained the situation of things to you. You're not my prisoner. If you decide to leave without my knowledge, that's up to you. But I'd rather you give me time to sort things out, and I will get you back home safely to your sister and nephew," Cassidy said, and although Andy wanted to argue, Maribel was now standing between them.
"Alright. Let's go," Andy said, but Cassidy's gaze ran over her and he shook his head.
"Do you mind changing what you're wearing? And maybe putting on something suitable under?" He asked not wanting to expressly ask her to wear a bra since Maribel was standing there.
Andy rolled her eyes, "Alright," She said and Cassidy took Maribel's hand and led her away to give Andy privacy.
After Andy had changed into a more suitable outfit, she went out to join Cassidy in the living room and raised a brow when she didn't see Maribel with him.
"Where is Maribel? Isn't she coming with us?" Andy asked and he shook his head as he rose.
"No. She stepped out with Susan to get some groceries," he said and Andy raised a brow.
"So, we are taking a stroll together alone?" She asked and he looked at her with a blank expression.
"Does that bother you?"
"No. Just asking. Why did you suddenly offer to show me around?" She asked curiously.
"It wasn't a sudden offer. I was going to get around to it but I've been too busy taking care of stuff since we arrived and I didn't want to ask you to go alone," Cassidy said easily.
"Why? Because you are scared I might escape?" She asked and Cassidy sighed in exasperation.
"Because you don't know your way around and could easily lose your way around here. It would be dangerous," he said and Andy scoffed.
"If that was the case you could have asked Susan and Maribel to show me around," she said, and this time Cassidy scowled.
"Why can't you just be thankful when I left all I had to do just to show you around?" He asked and she raised a brow as she crossed both arms in front of her.
"Thankful?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes. Thankful. Why do you like to get on my nerves by arguing with me over everything and finding faults with all that I do?" Cassidy asked, and Andy's face contorted with anger.
"I can't believe you are expecting me to be thankful. Thankful for what exactly? That you took me away from my family and brought me here? Or that you are showing me around the prison where you've kept me?" She asked and Cassidy sighed.
"I thought we were over this already? I already explained why I had to bring you here and I told you this isn't a prison. Why are you bringing it up again? Why do you keep making us go around in circles?" He asked in a slightly raised voice, feeling frustrated.
"You have no right to lose your temper. If anyone is supposed to be mad here, it is I. So, don't you dare raise your voice at me!" Andy snapped at him angrily, and Cassidy drew a deep breath to calm himself.
He was thankful that they were alone in the house and weren't having this conversation outside either.
"Alright. I'm sorry for losing my temper. I don't know what you want from me…"
"I don't want anything from you, Cassidy! I never asked you for anything. All I want is to be free from you. I don't want to see you…"
"Do you think I don't know that already? Do you think I don't see the look of disgust on your face every time our paths cross? Why do you think I stay away from my own home and do my best to stay out of your way?" Cassidy asked and Andy raised a brow.
So, that was the reason she never saw him around? He was deliberately staying away from her path?
"You tell me. I don't know," she said and Cassidy took a deep breath as he rubbed his eyes.
"What can I do, Andy? How can I earn your forgiveness? What do you expect me to do? I'm doing my best to make up for what I did to you. If there is something you need me to do, anything at all that I can do to make you less angry, please, I'm asking you to tell me," Cassidy said calmly.
"You are doing your best to make up for what you did? What exactly is the best that you have done? And which of your crimes are you trying to make up for? Raping me? Or kidnapping me? Or was kidnapping me your way of making up for raping me?" Andy asked and Cassidy looked at her for a moment.
"I don't know how to make up for forcing myself on you. If you want me to compensate you financially, I will. I don't mind giving you every dime I have in my account. I have no excuse for doing what I did, and I will always be sorry for that. I was wrong to have brought you here regardless of my reasons. I will arrange for you to be taken somewhere else far away from me. You can stay there and return to your family when it's safe enough. I promise to stay out of your sight until I've put everything in place for you to leave, and after that, you don't have to ever see me again," Cassidy said quietly and he dipped his hands into his pockets as he headed for the door.
"How long would that take?" Andy asked calmly before he could open the door.
"What?"
"How long would it take for you to put everything in place for me to leave?" She asked, and Cassidy thought about it for a moment.
"A week or less. I will do my best to make it as soon as possible," he assured her.
"Alright. Let's go then," she said jerking her head to the door for him to lead the way.
Cassidy couldn't help wondering why she had suddenly become calm and not baring her teeth anymore.
He raised a brow when he saw her heading for the door, "Go where?"
"You were going to take me on a stroll around the island, weren't you? Since I'm going to leave soon I should as well take a look around the prison where I was held captive for some time, shouldn't I?" she asked, but Cassidy said nothing as he held the door open for her.
As they both walked out together, Cassidy couldn't help the feeling of sadness that overwhelmed him.
All his plans to show her this side of him so he could earn her forgiveness and possibly her love had proved futile. Now she was going to leave him and Maribel too.
Thinking about it now, it was stupid to have abducted her the way he had done and expect forgiveness and love in return. The last thing he wanted was for her to develop Stockholm syndrome thinking it was love.
It was best to let her go. Some things couldn't be forced, and among those things were forgiveness and love.
"Cassidy?" Andy called, and he turned to look at her.
"Do you really think avoiding me is the best way to earn my forgiveness? I don't care about you staying away from your home for my sake. I wish I could easily forgive you and forget what happened between us, but I can't. So, if you truly want my forgiveness then you should do your best to earn it. I can't tell you how to earn it, it's up to you to figure out how. And I hope you keep your word about letting me go in a week. I will do my best to get along with you until then. We should at least path on good terms," Andy said quietly.
"Thanks. I will do my best to earn your forgiveness. And I will put everything in place so you can leave in a week," he promised and she nodded.
"Then I will take your word for it, Alex."
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