I Said Yes

   Crystal walked out of the building, a lot of negative emotions consumed her, she had walked in here feeling a bit nervous and unsure of what she would do but now, she was angry.

   Even though a bit relived that she was able to set her sister free from the clutches of such a powerful and controlling man, there was some sort of anger building up in her chest. Her phone rang; and she fumbled through her purse to take it out.

“Hey,” she answered and winced slightly when Cassandra’s panicked voice reverberated inside her ears

“Crystal, what the hell did you do?”  She asked curiously. “I just got released.”

“He kept his promise, that’s good.” Crystal whispered, her voice in a near tears state, she was just so glad Cassandra is finally out.

“Promise? Crystal, what did you do?” she enquired again, but this time, her tone was slightly dark and harsh, she feared the worst. Truly, Kayden was a sweet and kind man towards her, but she didn’t know what lengths he was willing to take his revenge to.

“Cassandra, let’s just talk when you get home.” She muttered tiredly and yawned as she ended the call not even waiting for her sister’s disapproval, it’s better if they would talk at home.

Crystal knew Cassandra’s fear, she could bet a thousand and one things that was going on in her sister’s head right now, and she could guess a thousand and two of them correctly, her mouth lifts in a small smile as she thought about how simple her sister’s mind could be.

   She walked straight to the bus station, all the muscles in her body hurt, she cracked the bones in her neck as she sat on the bench waiting for the bus.

   In less than ten minutes the bus was here, she climbed inside and headed home. She was done for the day, she didn’t care what Harris would say, she had just ditched work and that was it.

 

    Her phone rang again and she glanced at it, it was Paige.

Speaking of the devil…

    Paige is Crystal’s best friend, she must be worried sick, Crystal had not informed Paige of what had happened or where she was going as it was more of a shock for her as well.

  “Crystal, Harris is going wild; you need to get your ass here. I’m afraid I can’t cover for you for too long.” She yells into the phone, her voice shaken from fear.

“Paige tells him, I went to the hospital.”  She answered without any bother in the world.

“You were in the hospital yesterday too.” She replied abruptly, Crystal pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes in frustration, looking for a better excuse.

But she couldn’t find anything.

“Well, I don’t know. Find something, I got knocked down by a bus, I had to pick up my kid from day care, I died, anything. I will see you at work tomorrow.” She yells into the phone before she ended the conversation and immediately turned off her phone.

   For the time being, she didn’t want anything to bother her.

The gravity of the deal she just had with Kayden had settled on her shoulders.

Marriage? With a man who thinks so lowly of her?

Calm down, Crystal. It’s just two years.

 

After two years, she would be free again. She just needs to endure whatever there is to endure.

It can’t be that bad.

  She alighted when she got to her stop and strolled down the street, heading to her house. The lights were on, even though it was still bright outside, the only person who would do that is her sister, Cassandra.

“If we keep these lights on, we might have to change the bulbs sooner.” She grumbled as she switched of the lights and entered the house. Crystal jolts in surprise when she is met by her sister just inches away from the door, she had never expected that she would be standing there, ready to pounce on her.

“Crystal, what did Kayden do to you?” she asked curiously, worry etched on her face. Her troubled blue eyes probed Crystal’s face, trying to find something.

“No, he did nothing.” She answered, she bent slightly to take off her shoes before she stepped further into the living room.

“Did he—” Cassandra asked and Crystal interrupted her sharply. 

“No, he didn’t!”

“Then what?” she asked curiously. “Why did he release me so suddenly and don’t you dare lie to me.”

   Crystal voice distorted the curiosity pregnant atmosphere, as Cassandra waited eagerly for an answer.

“I said I would marry him.”

“What—“she was bewildered. “You did what?”

“I know it might sound weird, but that was the only way I could save you, he wanted someone to replace you and since I was so desperate…” She trails off looking down. “I agreed.”

“Crystal, you shouldn’t have…”

“I can’t just let him keep you locked up,”

Tears well up in her eyes, but she blinked them back. “You’re right.” Cassandra muttered softly.

“It’s all my fault, It’s because of me you had to go to Kayden.” She complained with a small frown on her face.

“Aren’t you going to ask me, why?”

Crystal shook her head. “I don’t need to know why and also I do not blame you. I don’t care how bad, what you did is, I am never going to resent you.”

The tears Cassandra had been holding on to, drops to her cheeks, staining her porcelain white face, Crystal pulled her into a hug.

“You’re all that I have, I can’t afford to lose you.” Crystal confessed as she hugged her sister tightly.

“I promise that I will find a way to fix it.” She said and Crystal shook her head. “It’s really okay this time, Kayden said he would pay all of mom’s bills no matter how expensive they were.”

Cassandra disengages in a hurry and gawked at Crystal; she couldn’t believe her ears. “He said he would do that?”

Crystal nodded. Just how desperate was Kayden for him to make such a deal? Cassandra can’t seem to shake off the nervousness that settled on her, Kayden definitely had something up his sleeves.

And she feared what it could be.

   Kayden’s phone buzzed on the bed side table; he groans half asleep as he reached for the phone effortlessly. “Hello?” he answered he was too tired to look at who was calling. He heard a small deep laugh and he rolled his eyes.

“Father, why the hell will you call me at two am just to laugh?” He asked as he sat up in his bed, the drowsiness departing from him as the time passed.

“I just saw the news, Kay. I heard you’re getting married.” The older man was so pleased by the new discovery, Kayden could tell.

  His father had set him up on countless blind dates in the past and he had always failed because Kayden would never show up on any of those dates; he was always so invested in work and had no interest in doing other things.

There was once a time, news of him being gay was spread through out the company and the old man nearly got a cardiac arrest. Kayden made no effort to clear his name still and it made the old man give up on him.

  His joy knew no bounds when he heard the news that Kayden is finally getting married. “I know you are excited father, but you can save your congratulations for tomorrow.” He climbs down from his bed and turned on some of the lights in the room. “You know how difficult it is for me to get back to sleep once I’ve been disturbed.”

 

He opened the door to his room and went downstairs, he suddenly felt the urgency to drink some water, he approached the kitchen.

“Boss, is there anything you need?” Petra, the head maid of his house, that was busy prowling the house at the time, asked out of nowhere, Kayden jolts in surprise and glared at her.

 

“Stop appearing out of nowhere, you’re not a freaking ghost!” He whisper-yelled as he covered the phone with one hand. Petra smirks, she knew exactly what he wants. She stalked towards the fridge and singled out a bottle of water, he nods at her and she leaves the kitchen.

“Kayden? Kayden! I’m still talking to you here!” His father yells from the other end of the phone.

“Father, I’m right here.” He stated calmly.

 

“How do you expect me to be calm? I’ve been talking to your brother about getting married too but you boys never listen to me.” He rolls his eyes.

 

“I don’t have a brother.” He corrected.

“I will not have you argue with me, Kay.”

Kayden rolled his eyes again as he cracks open the bottle and drinks some water. “Once my checkup is over, I’m running straight home. Send me some pictures of your fiancée.”

“I don’t have any.” Kayden muttered.

“You’ll be a terrible husband.” The old man concluded and Kayden rolled his eyes for the third time since the phone call.

“Good night father, I need to catch up some sleep.” He ended the call with a frown, of course he would be a terrible husband to Crystal.

He checked his phone for some notification and he frowned when he came across a message, one that was from Cassandra.

 

“Please, let’s meet tomorrow. We need to talk.” He scoffs, bold of her to think she still had some right to see him, he chuckles darkly.