Chapter 717 I Forgive You
"Mind if I join you beautiful ladies for dinner?" Cassidy asked when he walked into the house and saw Andy, Susan and Maribel seated for dinner.
Although it sounded like a general question, his gaze was on Andy since he wanted to be sure she didn't mind sharing the table with him.
Despite their discussion two days ago about not staying away from his house on her account, he still tried to minimize contact with her as much as he could.
"I don't know about the others, but we could use the presence of a handsome male around here," Andy said with a friendly smile since she had told him she would do her best to get along with him until she left.
Although Cassidy was slightly taken aback by this unusual show of friendliness, he smiled as he glanced at his daughter, "And you ma'am? Am I welcome to stay?" He asked with mock politeness and Maribel giggled.
"You are welcome to stay," she said and he sat down.
"It's nice to have you with us during dinner for a change," Susan said as she dished some food into his plate.
"It's nice to have dinner with y'all for a change," Cassidy said and Andy looked at him, noticing that he had shaved and gotten a haircut.
"Your haircut looks good on you," she said and he looked up at her, surprised that she had noticed his haircut and had even commented on it.
"Thanks," he said, feeling a bit awkward since he really didn't know how to act around her now that she was being so friendly.
"You know, there's a really nice hairdressing salon and spa in the island where you could get your hair washed and done," Susan told Andy, and Andy involuntarily raised a hand to touch her hair.
She couldn't even remember the last time she had walked into a salon to get her hair done. That had been weeks ago with Candace.
"Yeah, Alex pointed it out to me two days ago," she said as she returned her attention to her food.
There was no need to worry about getting her hair made or her nails done here when she wasn't even going anywhere. She could wait to do that after she left here in a couple of days.
"Would you like to make use of their services?" Cassidy asked, and she shook her head.
"No. I'm good," Andy said as she took a sip of water.
"How is work going by the way?" She asked, wanting to know if he was still putting things in order for her freedom.
"Everything is going smoothly. I would be leaving the island the day after tomorrow. But I should be back in two days," he said for the benefit of everyone on the table.
Although Andy was curious to know where he was going, she didn't ask since she doubted it was something he would want to say in front of Susan and Maribel.
"Will you get me pretty toys and books?" Maribel asked, and Cassidy smiled.
"Sure, I will, honey."
"I trust you to be safe," Susan said, knowing better than to ask him any questions about his trip.
"Can we talk privately after dinner?" Cassidy asked Andy, and she shrugged.
"Sure," she said and they all settled into comfortable silence.
A short while later when they were done with dinner, they both offered to do the dishes while Susan went to prepare Maribel for bed.
Neither of them said a word to each other as they stacked up the dishes and took them to the sink in the kitchen.
The moment they stepped into the kitchen, Andy turned to Cassidy as he put on the dishwashing gloves, "What did you want to talk about? And where are you traveling to? Did something happen? Did they find out you're life? Are we in danger?"
Cassidy couldn't help the smile that curved his lips when he heard the worry in her voice, "Calm down. Everything is okay. I'm traveling to secure a safe place for you to stay," he said calmly.
"Oh!"
"Yeah. Although I trust my men to do a good job, I still have to see it myself and be sure," he said as he started washing the dishes.
"Was that what you wanted to talk about?" She asked curiously and he shook his head.
"It's related but not entirely it. And I don't think it's a discussion I want to have with you in here. So, do you mind waiting a bit for us to finish? And maybe we can talk over a nightcap?" He asked, hoping she was still very much in her friendly mode even though they no longer had an audience.
"Alright," Andy said easily as she rinsed and dried the dishes.
Once they were done, they both retired to the living room, "Why don't you get us something to drink while I pick up something from my bedroom? I'd prefer whiskey," He said, and Andy nodded as she went to the wine cabinet while Cassidy headed for his bedroom.
By the time he joined her a couple of minutes later with two envelopes in hand, she had his glass of whiskey with ice in it chilling on the table, and was sipping from a glass of wine as she waited for him.
"It's a nice evening. Let's sit by the terrace outside," he suggested as he picked up his glass of whiskey and she followed him outside with her drink in hand.
"Why does it seem like you are stalling?" She asked the moment they were seated, before Cassidy could speak.
"Stalling?" He repeated and she nodded.
"Yes. First you didn't want to talk in the kitchen while doing dishes, and then just now in the living room you suddenly realized it's a nice evening and want to sit outside. Are you going to ask that we walk over to the waterside next?" She asked dryly, and Cassidy laughed despite himself.
Somehow hearing him laugh, took Andy by surprise and she blinked as she gazed at him.
"What?" Cassidy asked when he noticed the way she was staring at him as if he had sprouted another head.
Andy shook her head. Although he smiled a lot, he wasn't the type who laughed often. However, this wasn't the first time she was seeing him laugh since she knew him.
She was taken aback mostly because it was the first time she was hearing him laugh with no hint of bitterness or sarcasm in his laughter.
"What did you want to say?" She asked, and Cassidy cleared his throat.
"First of all, I wanted to give you this," Cassidy said as he handed one of the envelopes to her.
Andy set her glass aside as she took it from him, and without wasting any time she opened it, and her lips curved in a wide smile when the first picture her eyes fell on was that of Jamal and Aaron.
Cassidy watched as she ran her hands over his laughing face as if by doing that she could actually touch him, "He seems to have grown a bit taller," she said very softly as she pored over the picture taking in every detail.
In the picture Jamal was standing in front of Harry's building with Aaron and was laughing at something Aaron said as he looked up into his face.
"He looks happy," she observed and Cassidy nodded as he waited for her to look at the other pictures so he could answer her questions.
After spending over five minutes looking at Jamal, she moved to the next picture, and she saw Candace and Harry placing their bags in the trunk of a car, and in the next picture, Jamal and Aaron are getting into the same car with Harry and Candace standing by each door as they waited for to shut the doors.
"Who is the elderly man with them?" Andy asked curiously as she looked up to look at Cassidy.
"He is Harry's father. He is also your sister's father," Cassidy said as he watched her reaction, and Andy raised a brow.
"Candace's father? Did he adopt her?" She asked as she glanced down at the picture again.
"No. He is her biological father, and Harry is her twin brother," he said, and she frowned.
"How is that possible? That doesn't make any sense," she said as she looked at him.
"Yeah, that's what I thought too when my men first told me about it, but after they dug deeper they were able to confirm it. It also explains why her and her son has been living with them this whole time," Cassidy said, and Andy looked at him with a frown.
"Are you very sure about this?" She asked, and he gave her a nod.
"But I could also look into it when I leave here and find out exactly how it all happened," he said and her lips curved in a smile.
"It would be nice if that's true. I mean, Candace being with her family. They seem like really wonderful people, and both her and Jamal looks so happy," Andy said and Cassidy held her gaze.
"Would you want me to help you find your family?" He offered, and she shook her head.
"No. That's not necessary. I'm not interested," she said without hesitation.
"But Candace has her own family now," he pointed out and she smiled.
"That's where you're wrong. Candace is my sister, and her family is mine. I'm sure she didn't go searching for them. She met them because they must have been trying to find her. That makes them a worthy family. I'm not interested in finding a family that isn't interested in finding me," Andy said and Cassidy sighed.
"What if they are trying to find you?" He asked and she giggled.
"Then they would have to try harder cause I'm not going to make any effort to find them," Andy said before returning her attention to the pictures.
"Are they going back to Sogal?" She asked curiously.
"They left for Heden. I'm guessing it's because of Lawrence Hank's death," he said and when Andy raised a brow making it clear she wasn't following he explained who Lawrence Hank was and why they had to go there.
"I've asked my men in Heden to keep an eye on them," he said and she raised a brow.
"You seem to have men everywhere," she observed as she picked up her wineglass and sipped from it.
"So it seems," he said without expanding on it.
"Thanks for this. It's good to know they are doing so well," Andy said and he gave her a nod.
"Here," he said as he handed her the second envelope.
"What's this?" She asked as she took it from him and opened it.
"I wanted to give you this now because this might be the last time we get to sit this way. I won't be around for most of tomorrow and I will be leaving first time in the morning the day after tomorrow. By the time I get back to the island, there might not be any time left to talk to you since you'd be leaving immediately," he said as he watched her look through the contents of the envelope.
Andy's eyes widened slightly when she realized what she was holding. They were bank documents with her name on it which contained more money than she could ever imagine owning in her lifetime.
"What is this for?" She asked, looking up at him with disbelief.
"I may not be able to correct the past or the role I played in making it a night are for you, but I'm hoping your future will be better. You can do whatever you want with the money and become whoever you want to be. I hope you'd live a happier life and leave your past behind," he said, and tears gathered in her eyes.
"Is this your way of earning my forgiveness? Are you trying to buy it?" She asked, and he shook his head.
"Not at all. I thought about. I don't think there is anything I could ever do to earn it. What can I do? Hang around all day trying to crack jokes to make you laugh? Buy you stuff and take you out to fancy places? Cook you nice meals? Would any of that take it all back? What could I ever really do to make up for my crime against you? It's pointless. I don't think I deserve it either. So, I think it's best I let you go and we part ways for good so you wouldn't have to remember each time you see me. The money isn't for buying your forgiveness. I'm giving you that because I genuinely wish that you'd have better life and that's the least I can give to you. Please accept it. I assure you that there are no strings attached to it," he said and Andy looked down at the envelope.
The amount of money there was enough to set her up for life and she wouldn't need to lift a finger to work for money ever again in her life if she didn't want to.
"Thanks for this," Andy said, knowing that she would need the money.
Cassidy gave her a nod, "No. Thank you. I should let you get some rest now. Goodnight," he said as he rose abruptly to go inside.
"Alex?" She called before he could leave, and he looked her.
"It's good enough for me that you understand that nothing you could do would ever make up for what you did. That's all the apology I need. I forgive you," she said, and he smiled slightly.
"Thanks," he said with a slight bow before walking into the house.
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Hello Everyone!
I welcomed my Babygirl on the 29th of September hence the break. We are both taking our time to recuperate. I can't say I'm fully back but I can assure you that I will write whenever and as much as I can.
Dearest privilege readers, you don't have to purchase privilege chapters as I don't want you to not get your money's worth and I don't want to have to feel guilty about you being cheated. I'm sorry if you've purchased some already as I've noticed some of you have done.
I will do my best to release a minimum of two chapters weekly. It could be more. But won't be less than two. Thanks for your understanding and patience. Much love from my baby and I.
Author's Note.
Thank you so much for the love and support this last month. Thanks for your patience too. I'm back now and updates will resume as usual. You can purchase privilege chapters if you wish to. And for those asking, Nicole and I are doing great. Much love.
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