My Father's Friend
My Father’s Friend – Chapter 34

As soon as dawn broke, Casey opened her eyes and strangely felt a weight on her abdomen. She looks down and notices that a tanned, strong arm is holding her around the waist. She swallowed as she looked around, when had that happened? The night before she’d thought so hard, she’d given in to sleep, and assumed Cauther had done the same after her.

But that morning…

-Cauther, I need to get up.

-What for?

-Because…” She didn’t even have a good excuse to give him, at which point he moved his body away from hers.

-Get ready, they’re coming to marry us this afternoon.” She feels him sit up and sit on the bed.

-Who’s coming?

-No one, I don’t want anyone in my house. Only your father,” he adds, rising to his feet.

So I would have the most funereal marriage of my life. But coming from this man it was no surprise, if he was so cold and expressionless. She watches Cauther’s movements, noting how he covered his nakedness with his boxer shorts. She couldn’t get married before he gave her an answer.

-Cauther,” she calls to him before he enters the bathroom, “Tell me what you’ve been doing with those girls you bought? I need to know.

The CEO stops just before he enters the bathroom, she kept going on about it… it was annoying, because Casey had an idea he didn’t like.

-Get up, we’re going out,” she orders.

-What?

But Cauther went into the bathroom without explaining further…

[…]

It was the first time I had shared the car with Cauther, and I had no idea where they were going. And as serious as he was, I didn’t even want to ask him any questions. She simply looked out of the window at the street they were driving down, until suddenly he pulled the car into a huge residence. She didn’t know that house, but it was evident the social position of the people who lived there.

-What is this place?

He doesn’t answer her, but gets out of the car and she waits until Cauther opens the door and holds out his hand. She accepts, but feeling doubtful of the situation… at that the butler comes out of the mansion and greets them.

-Mr. Acrom, welcome. They are waiting for you.

The three of them entered the house, while Casey didn’t let go of Cauther’s hand. She didn’t feel comfortable entering this unfamiliar place.

-Cauther, what are we doing here? -She whispers to him, clutching her coat.

Suddenly a woman’s shriek filled the entire room, and both Cauther and Casey looked up at the huge spiral staircase down which a young woman was hurrying down, smiling broadly.

-Cauther! -She shouts again at the top of her lungs.

Casey sees her running towards the one who until now was the fiancé, the young woman throws herself on top of him like a horny schoolgirl… the redhead was in a trance, what the f**k with that girl?

As soon as it happened, Cosey opened his eyes and suddenly felt a weight on his abdomen. He looked down at it and noticed that a bronze, strong arm was holding him by the belt. When did that happen? The night before in foolish thought, he finally gave in to sleep, and assumed that Couther did the same thing after that.

But that doesn’t sound…

-Couther, I need to get up.

-Why?

-Because… -It’s just that I didn’t even have a good one,” he excused himself, at which point he moved his body away from it.

-Get ready, because of the torde they will come or ornaments – He feels as he joined him remaining seentodo in the as.

-Who will assist you?

-Nodie, I don’t want or don’t want in my place. Only you will be able to do it,” he says, standing up.

So I’ll have the most funereal marriage I’ve ever seen. But coming from that man I was not one surprised, if he was ton cold and inexpressive. He observed Couther’s movements, noting how he covered his nakedness with his boxer shorts. He could not sew before he answered him one thing.

-Couther,” I called him before he went into his mouth, “Tell me what have you done with those boys I bought you? I need some advice.

The CEO stops just before he enters the booby hatch, he insisted with that… but annoyed, because Cosey had an idea that he didn’t hate him.

-Get up, we’ll weld you,” he ordered.

-What?

But Couther went into the booby-hole without any further explanation…

[…]

It was the first time I had ever driven the car with Couther, and I had no idea where it was going. And as serious as he was, I didn’t even want to ask him anything at all. He simply observed from the window or the collector where he was going, when suddenly the car suddenly drove into a huge residence. He didn’t know what it was like, but it was obvious the social position of the people who lived there.

-What is this place?

He doesn’t answer him, or he gets out of the car and waits for Couther to open the port for him and to offer him a monkey. He accepts, but feeling doubtful of the situation… at that the butler comes out of the room and receives them.

-Mr. Acrom, welcome. They are waiting for you.

The three of them went into the house, while Cosey did not let go of Couther’s monkey. He didn’t feel comfortable entering that unfamiliar place.

-Couther, what are we doing here? -he whispered, offering himself or her help.

Suddenly the shriek of a woman filled the whole of the room, silly Couther and Cosey lifted his eyes and looked up at the huge chorus of escorts and down came a young man who grinned at the young man.

-Couther! -He comes back or shouting at the top of his lungs.

Cosey sees him run hocio who just moments ago made the fiancé’s popel, the young man slapped himself on top of him like a cochondo schoolboy… the black-haired man was in a trunk, What’s up with that uncle?

-I’m really glad you came, I’ve been thinking about you a lot these days.

-I’m so glad you came, I’ve been thinking about you a lot these days.

Thought?! Was she painted on the damn wall? Who the hell was that woman? And why the hell was she hugging the other guy with such familiarity? Casey tries to let go of Cauther’s hand, but he stops her. She looks up and notices he’s not taking his eyes off her.

-Daughter, please give Mr. Acrom some space.” A chubby, mustachioed man appears out of nowhere, Casey looks at him and doesn’t recognise him either.

-I’m so sorry, it’s just that I was so excited to see you.

-I see you’re better,” he replies impassively.

-Much better,” the young woman smiles at him with an open smile, her eyes sparkling.

Casey caught that eclipsed look and that lovelorn smile, and knew immediately that this girl had a crush on Cauther. Why the hell did he take her to this girl’s house? What was he up to? She was beginning to get furious at his behaviour, but mostly at the damn look on that woman’s face.

-The old man was the one who spoke, and that’s when the young woman became aware of Casey’s presence and the fact that she and Cauther were still holding hands.

-Who are you? -The girl asks, looking at their joined hands.

-This is my fiancée, Casey Monroe,” she blurts out so suddenly that Casey looks at him dumbfounded.

-Fiancee? -The girl frowns.

-Wow, Raphael’s daughter, I haven’t seen you in years, girl. You’re the spitting image of your mother.

-Thank you.

-My name’s Máchelo, and this is my daughter Claudia.

Claudia?! That name rang a bell, she once heard Serena talk about the last woman Cauther bought being named after that young woman… it couldn’t be true. She looks up at the CEO and notices that he was watching her. Then she looks back at the young woman who was looking at her as if she wanted to murder her, it was her! the one Cauther had bought.

What the hell was going on?

-I just stopped by to see how your daughter was doing. Last time I saw her, she wasn’t in the best of health.

-I’m better, Cauther. You can talk to me, I’m here.” The girl smiles openly at him as if Casey wasn’t there. That was starting to irritate her.

-Well, in that case… we’ll be going now. It was nice to see you again.

-Again, thank you very much, Acrom. I am forever in your debt.

The men shake hands goodbye, and the old man’s daughter doesn’t miss the opportunity to rush into Cauther’s arms and embrace him again. is it that he wasn’t enough with just a hug?

By the time they both leave the mansion and get into Acrom’s car, he is silent for a moment without starting the car.

-I’m so sorry.

-I haven’t touched a single strand of their hair, I buy them so I can get them out of that place. That club can’t be dismantled that easily, Otto has power and a very smart sponsor with many dangerous contacts. I can’t just go in and get them all out, I’d like to help them, but I mustn’t arouse suspicion. It would ruin my own plans.

-Because of this man you’re looking for, isn’t it? -Cauther looks sideways at her.

-You know what I do, this is my life.

-I know now. All those girls, are they with their families?

-Yes. -Now we have to go home.

I misjudge him, horribly misjudge him. He was doing all that simply because he couldn’t do it with his mother and sister, he was trying to save those girls who fell into the wrong hands. If he had known that from the beginning, things would have been very different between the two of them.

[…]

That afternoon, Casey looked in the mirror at the outfit she had chosen for what was supposed to be her marriage. Breathless, it wasn’t exactly what she’d hoped for that day.

-Sorry? -Cauther’s voice makes her wince. She turns around and sees him leaning against the door. You don’t want to get married anymore?

-What are you doing here?

-I can’t be here? -He crosses his arms.

-You shouldn’t be seeing the bride….

-Is it a real marriage? -He asks curiously.

She blinks repeatedly at his question, it was true. It wasn’t a real marriage, it didn’t matter if he looked at her before the wedding.

-Is everything ready?

-That’s right…

Cauther watches her from head to toe, she was really beautiful that afternoon. And to think that in a couple of hours she would become his wife, and quite possibly that night he would make love to her. He doubted very much that she would object.

-So let’s go.

-Wait a minute,” Cauther pauses. “I’d like you to give me a wedding present,” he frowns.

-I thought we agreed it’s a sham marriage.

-Still, I’d like a gift.

-What is it? -He folds his arms.

Casey licks her lips, moving a little closer to Cauther – if he kept looking at her like that, she couldn’t ask him for anything. But it was necessary.

-I want you to buy Serena at the club.

Had she heard correctly, what kind of gift was that? What was Casey’s relationship to Serena? She knew who the brunette was, she was a very unlucky girl.

-It’s not as easy as you think.

-Please, I want you to buy it. I’ll give you the money you need to buy it.

-It’s not about the money, it’s just that…

-Can’t you give me that present?

Shit, I wish she wouldn’t look at him like that so I wouldn’t have to give in to his request. But it was impossible not to resist that charming look.

-I could jeopardise everything I’ve achieved. I would lose so much, just to please you.

-Please,” she begs on the verge of tears.