Too Much to Bear, My Love
Chapter 41

“You called me?”

Cassie nodded as she made herself look even more innocent and pitiful.“I called you, but Ms. Winters said that you were in the shower. She wasthe one to say that too. Oz, I don’t mean to ruin your marriage. I justlove you too much. If you think that I'm a homewrecker, I'll go back toErihal.”

Oscar narrowed his eyes, but his gaze remained fixed on the road. “I'lldeal with Amelia, so don't overthink it.”

Cassie mumbled, “Oz, are you mad at me?”

He shook his head and reassured, “Why would I? But you'll have tominimize your visits to bars. It's fine if you want to go there, but you'llhave to call me along. You're too pretty, and I'm afraid others might dosomething to you.”

Cassie nodded. "Oz, I'm sorry. I won't do it again.”

“You must have gotten a fright from that. I'll send you home first.”

“Oz, send me to the hotel from earlier.”

“You're not going back to Yard Manor?”

“It's too late. Ill only wake my parents and worry them if I go backnow," Cassie replied.

Oscar nodded in understanding and drove to the hotel instead.

After taking the elevator to the twentieth floor and sending her to theroom, Oscar said, “Cassie, rest well. I'll take a trip back first.”

Promptly, Cassie hugged him from behind and sobbed, “Oz, don't leaveme. I was nearly molested by a bunch of gangsters earlier. I'm scared.Can you stay with me?”

As she expected, Oscar relented

He led Cassie to the couch before boiling some water. Then, he pouredher a glass of hot water and placed it on the table. “Drink when it'scooler.”

Cassie wrapped her arms around his waist and mumbled, “Oz, I was soscared just now. I was so afraid that they'll violate me, and I won't beable to be with you anymore. I'm so glad you came in time.”

He patted her back and consoled, “Silly, even if anything does happen,I'll still love you like before. To me, it's nothing. Don't get stressed overit.”

Cassie paled, but still, she shamelessly continued, “Oz, you always saidthat I'm innocent, so I wanted to save myself for you. I only have oneman, and that's you. Regardless of whether we marry or not, I just wantto save myself for you.”

Oscar was a man, and a man loves it when a woman saves herself forhim.

Since ancient times, men were always the ones who could flirt around,but women were not allowed to do the same.

“Cassie, you're too good. I'll never do you wrong.”

A cunning look flashed past her eyes, but she whined, “Oz, at the end ofthe day, you're still married. No matter how good or bad yourrelationship with Ms. Winters is, I'll still be the mistress who'll ruin yourmarriage. Those who don't know what's going on will say that I'm ashameless woman. That's something I mind. If I were more sensiblewhen I was younger, I wouldn't have abandoned you for my future andleft for Erihal. Now that I'm back, I only have myself to blame that younow have a wife.”

“You're my woman. Who dares to talk bad about you?" Oscar whisperedas his heart ached, hugging her tightly.

Cassie's eyes turned bloodshot as she croaked, “But I'm still the thirdwheel of your relationship. Oz, I'll really have nothing left if youabandon me in the future.”

Holding her tighter, Oscar coaxed, “Silly, I'll marry you. Don't mindAmelia's words. I'll deal with her soon. I won't let her intervene in ourrelationship.”

Cassie leaned into his arms. “Oz, if I'm putting you in a tight spot, I'll goback to Erihal. I'm fine staying in Erihal.”

Oscar insisted, “You're not allowed to say you're going to leave meanymore. I let you leave once, but I won't let you leave again. Even ifyou were to go back to Erihal, I'll go there and bring you back.”

A victorious smile crept upon Cassie's smile as she uttered words thatseemed considerate. “Oz, don't blame Amelia for picking up my call foryou. I don’t want to be the reason for you to fight with her.”

Patting her head, Oscar sighed. “You're too kind, but I won't let her offthe hook so easily this time. If I were to come any second later, I don'tknow where those gangsters would bring you to. No one will knowwhat will happen to you.”

Cassie stared into his eyes and consoled, “Oz, I'm fine.”

“Amelia should feel glad that you're fine, or else I'm going to kill her,”Oscar said through gritted teeth.

"Oz, don't get mad. Ms. Winters didn't know that something wouldhappen to me either. I was too reckless; if I had stayed at home, thiswouldn't have happened. I wouldn't have troubled you to come all theway here to save me. Oz, am I too difficult? I've been troubling you alot,” Cassie said quietly as she stared at him with wide, distressed eyes.Hunching over to lift her into his arms, Oscar carried her to the bed andtucked her into the blanket. Softly, he said, “Sleep. I'll stay with you.”Cassie gave him a sweet smile, then patted at the empty spot besideher. “Oz, it's getting late. You should sleep too.”

Instead of rejecting her, Oscar climbed onto the bed and held her in hisarms. “Sleep.”

She nodded.

Just then, his phone rang. When Oscar picked up his phone, he realizedit was a call from Amelia.

Oscar instantly declined the call, and Cassie asked, “Oz, who's that?”With a grave look on his face, Oscar responded, “Amelia.”

Cassie gasped, “Oz, you should take the call. I'm sure Ms. Winters isworried since you came out in the middle of the night.”

Oscar simply switched off his phone and placed it on the bedside table.“Sleep.”

Burying herself in his arms, Cassie cooed, “Oz, will Ms. Winters fightwith you tomorrow if you don't pick up the call?”

He only patted the back of her hand and repeated, “Sleep. I'll knowwhat to do about Amelia.”

Cassie closed her eyes and mumbled under her breath, “Oz, you haveto tell me if Ms. Winters gets into a fight with you. I don't want to keepcausing troubles for you.”

The next morning at eight, Cassie woke up. When she realized thatOscar had yet to wake up, she smiled and leaned down to kiss him.Right as she was about to part his lips, he opened his eyes and stoppedher. “Cassie, don't.”

Cassie frowned as she looked at Oscar, disappointed. “Oz, you said youdon’t want to touch me for now, but not even for a kiss?”

Oscar ran his fingers through her hair and answered, “Cassie, I'm scaredthat if I touch your lips, my body will respond to it. I don't want to takeyou before marrying you.”

Cassie eagerly replied, “Oz, I've grown up. I want to give myself to you.”Immediately, he turned gloomy. “Cassie, I'll send you back to YardManor first. Ill be going back home in a bit.”

It was only an excuse that Oscar did not want to have sex with herbefore marriage. Although he said he loved Cassie, he did not want heras much as he wanted Amelia. Every time he looked at Amelia, his mindwas full of those thoughts. On the other hand, when he looked atCassie, there was a strict line between them that forced him to stay onhis side and to treat Cassie rationally.

Abruptly taking off her pajamas, Cassie lunged toward Oscar andseductively whispered, “Oz, does my body look good?”

Oscar stared at her fair skin and calmly put her pajamas back on. “Thetemperature is quite low in the room. Don't catch a cold.”

Panic exploded in her mind as she grabbed Oscar's hand. “Oz, do I notlook pretty?”

Oscar gazed at her serenely. “Cassie, don't overthink it. I just want us tohave the perfect memory for our first time.”

Cassie returned his gaze woefully. “Oz, is that what you'll do to Amelia?Will you put on her clothes calmly like this too?”

His mood darkened, and he uttered, “Cassie, you had a frightfulexperience last night, so I'll pretend you never said that. Don’t say themanymore.”

“Oz, I'm sorry.” Cassie put on her gentle facade again. “I was too rashjust now. I'm scared that Ms. Winters will take you away from me. Shelooks so beautiful and so much like me. I'm scared that you'll projectyour feelings for me onto her instead. I'm really afraid.”

“All right, cease your thoughts. I'll send you back first,” Oscar consoled,patting her back.

She nodded.

When they arrived at Yard Manor, Cassie unbuckled her safety belt andturned to Oscar. “Oz, come in for a while. My parents have been talkingabout you to me. They'll be thrilled to see you.”

However, Oscar shook his head. “I'm good. There are some things Ihave to settle at home first.”

“All right, I'll go in by myself then. Remember to give me a call whenyou reach home, okay?” Cassie replied easily as if she did not mind hiswords.

He nodded.

“Cassie, don't think about it, okay? My heart is yours.”

A bright smile grew on her face, and she beamed, “Oz, stay safe on theroad. Call me when you reach home.”

He nodded again.

After Cassie alighted from the car, Oscar drove straight to the Clintonresidence

Stepping into the living room, he instantly saw Amelia peeling an applewhile sitting beside Olivia, his mother. Oscar had originally returnedwith anger burning bright in him, but when he was greeted by the sightof Amelia and his mother spending a joyful time together, his angerdissipated

Olivia was the first to notice Oscar's return. The moment she did, herexpression turned grim. "You're back?”

“Mom,” Oscar greeted as he walked over.

Olivia looked daggers at Oscar and uttered, “Oscar, you're getting moreand more unruly. You won't even listen to me anymore. I know I can’tchange your thoughts, but I'll tell you now—the only daughter-in-lawI'll accept is Amelia. If you choose someone else, you can forget aboutcalling me your mom anymore.”

Oscar gave Amelia a perplexed look. “Mom, what are you talkingabout? I respect you the most; why would I not heed your words?"“You know I don't like Cassie, but you ignored my words and went toher. Are you trying to piss me off?”