Chapter 5

Cassandra's POV.

I felt my body move forward. For a second , I thought, Not again. Please not here or now.

Just then, I felt an arm wrapped around my waist.

I stopped.

A warm chest blocked my fall.

It was that familiar scent of sandalwood.

I held on to the suit as quickly as I could.

"Easy," a calm voice whispered. "I've got you."

My eyes flew open.

It was him.

Theophilus.

His face was just inches away from mine.

His hands still stayed around my waist.

But why was he running before?

That didn't matter anymore right?

"You almost hit the floor, Cassandra," he said quietly.

"I noticed," I whispered, my breath shaky. "Thank you... for...um... thank you for catching me."

"I didn't catch you." He smiled softly. "I saved you."

Despite everything going on, I laughed, almost embarrassed. "Same thing."

He shook his head. "Not to me."

My cheeks were red.

My heart pounded too fast, too loud.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, scanning my face.

"No..just suprised." I continued. "You were running away from me a few seconds ago."

"I just didn't know how to react, I didn't know if you'd want to see me." He replied.

"But why would you think....."

"It doesn't matter anymore. I'm here now."

My chest tightened.

"Why are you always-" I bit my lip. "Well why are you always there? Helping me? Supporting me? What do you get out of it?"

"What do you mean? It's been years Cassandra."

"I know you had something to do with it, I know you had a lot to do with it, Theophilus. Things like this don't just happen. So why? What's in it for you?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he gently removed his hands from my waist, but he didn't step back.

"I don't get anything," he said.

"Then why? Why did you come to me that day? Why did you tell me everything you did? Why have you been helping even after I left."

He looked away for a moment, like he was thinking of what to say.

"Becsuse I know what he did to you,"he finally answered. "I know how much he hurt you. And I just couldn't watch you and the twins get hurt."

"You knew? All this time?"

"Yes." He looked into my eyes again. "I've been watching. Quietly. Making sure you don't break. Making sure life isn't too hard on you. I was making sure he didn't get another chance to destroy the peace you managed to build."

"Why didn't you say something?" I asked. "Why did you reach out? Why didn't you call, text, anything."

"You needed time. You needed to stand on your own first. I wasn't going to take that from you."

"But I felt alone," I whispered.

"You weren't," he replied. "Not for one day."

Something inside me felt that.

"I want to trust you," I admitted. "I really do. But trust doesn't work for me."

"I know," he said gently. "I'm not asking for your blind trust. Just... let me be here. Let me help you now."

"You already are.'

"Not enough," he murmured.

I raised a brow. "Wait what?"

"Nothing," he responded quickly. "Just...be careful. Today especially. He's not going to let it slide. He's going to be watching your every move. He'd get desperate."

I took a deep breath. "I'm not scared of Austin anymore."

"You should be," Theophilus said. "Not because you're weak. But because obsession is unpredictable."

I let out a deep breath. "You're tight. But I'll survive him. He won't do what he did to me again."

He leaned in closer. "I won't let him touch you again."

I swallowed.

"Theophilus...." I didn't know what else to say.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he replied. “Just allow me to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

"Supporting me?"

"No. Protecting you."

There was nothing but silence between us after that.

I finally took a small step back. "I..I need to get back to Gideon."

He nodded. "I'll come with you."

"No, you don't have to"

"I know." He moved beside me. "But I want to."

We walked side by side through the lobby. Cameras flashed.

Reporters whispered

I tried to ignore all of it, but I felt Theophilus' presence beside me.

When we reached the car, Gideon opened the back door. He gave me a small nod, like he already knew something besides thanking Theophilus had happened.

Just before I stepped in, I looked up

And froze.

Across the street, behind all the voices, cameras and reporters stood Austin.

His face was filled with anger.

He looked at me and then at Theophilus, his eyes were filled with something dark and dangerous.

My heart dropped.

"Theophilus...." I whispered

"I see him," he replied quickly, taking a step in front of me.

Austin didn't move.

He just stared.

Stared like he wanted to break something or someone.

A stare I recognized too well

"He looks..." I paused. "He looks furious."

"That's not anger," Theophilus replied. "That's obsession, Cassandra and this is just the beginning."

Austin looked more annoyed the moment he saw Theophilus’s hand holding mine

"He saw that, you know." I whispered.

"I know," he said.

"He's not going to let any of this go, is he?"

"Not one bit," Theophilus replied. "He's going to make a move."

"I don't want another fight,"

"You won't face it alone."

"T-the twins," I murmured. "I just want to protect them."

"And I'll help you do that," he said firmly.

Gideon cleared his throat. "We should leave, Cassandra."

I nodded quickly and got into the car.

Theophilus stood outside, closing the door behind me. As the car pulled away from the reporters, I tried not to look back.

But I couldn't.

Austin was still there, still watching, his eyes following the car until we disappeared into the traffic.

And in that moment, I knew Theophilus was right.

This wasn't the end.

It was only just the beginning of something far more dangerous, and this time I wasn’t going to let him have his way