Chapter 5 - Do you think that i’ll fall in love with a woman as you did?

"Miranda's mother was Caddaric's father's betrothed before. Unlike her mother, Miranda already won Caddaric's heart while she was in school. He already promised to marry her and the Blades do not go back on their words," Juliet said seriously, trying to debunk the girls having eyes for the heir of the Blade Towers. Unknown to her, Ariana was equally disturbed but there were pending things for her to think about at the moment, such as finding out Dario’s whereabouts. Since she didn’t believe that she could make a lot of money to pay him off, she had directly filled in his account details, and all her money less the club charges had been paid to him. It was the reason why she was teary this morning.

The lobby was quiet because most of the girls were crushing on Caddaric but it seemed that there wasn't hope at all. "How do you know all this?" One of the girls asked Juliet. 

"Have you forgotten whose daughter I am?” How could they forget that she was Santiago’s daughter? Santiago was a mafia kingpin in Mexico. Juliet was just stubborn, loved the club, and hated bodyguards. Her father ceased her allowances when she dropped out of school. It was the reason why she worked at the club. Yet still, everyone knew that should she change, her father would gladly take her back. 

“I have to go home and rest before the night. Don’t forget our shift at the casino too,” Ariana said, uneasy with the information released. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be with you.” Juliet saw that her best friend was in a bad mood but could only attribute it to the fact that Dario ran away with her money. They had to find him and take back the two point something million if not, Ariana would have to continue working at the club and casino to pay for her mortgage and kid brother’s fees.

Back at the conference room at the Blade Towers, important matters were being discussed off-camera. After the discussions, the directors and managers left but Miranda remained. She wanted to speak with Caddaric, who in the end had a meeting with his dad. Everyone excused them except Hunter, his father’s most trusted bodyguard, and confidante.

“So dad, what is this assignment you are talking about?” Caddaric asked curiously. He was happy that Cassandra was in charge of the Blade Towers for a while. It would allow him enough time to change his businesses into his name. His father’s punishment seemed to him like a blessing and he knew that whatever his father assigned him to do, it was because he trusted that Caddaric could handle it.

“I’m surprised that you didn’t disapprove of my letting your sister take over the company for a while,” Casper said impassively, sat back, and crossed his legs. Caddaric sat down and faced him.

“I know that you have good reasons. It would keep her busy. I saw her flirting with a man last night and it wasn’t the way a person born of the Blades should behave,” Caddaric revealed but he wasn’t the only smart one.

“I saw it too and it’s one of the reasons for my decision,” Casper agreed. They were overly protective of Cassandra, making her feel as if the airs around her were choked with boredom.

“What is the other?” Caddaric asked, not surprised at his father’s wisdom. Casper was silent for a while and said,

“There is a criminal on the loose, his identity unknown.”

“Invisible, I’ve heard about him,” Caddaric concluded for him. Among the mafia organizations, a lot of names were feared but the ones greatly feared were those of the masked man and Invisible. 

“Good. You should find and stop him. You know how we do it,” Casper said coldly. In other words, Caddaric had to kill invisible to become the most feared when it’s revealed that he was the masked man. Casper would never allow anyone to be more feared than himself except his son.

“That’s ridiculous. If anyone knew who he was, then he should have been arrested by now. How do you expect me to stop a man without an identity?” Caddaric saw it as a mission impossible. No one knew what Invisible looked like. When he attacked, it was flawless and no one knew if he operated alone or had a backup. For four years, no one knew his identity and no one could locate him. As such, they came up with the name Invisible.

“That’s the reason why it’s your assignment. If he isn’t stopped, you would have a lot of work to do, watching your back all the time. I heard he’s looking for the man behind the mask,” Casper said calmly. He knew that if Caddaric didn't stop Invisible, then Invisible would stop the masked man, who was still Caddaric.

“You think he can defeat me?” Caddaric couldn’t imagine losing a fight to anyone and asked.

“No, but he can cause a lot of fear among women and children,” Casper touched his soft spot. Living with his mother for four years before being opportune to meet his dad and join the Blades academy, Caddaric had bonded with her mum, being protective of her. When his sister was born, he would escape from the academy to see her on every one of her birthdays till she joined the academy where he protected her every time and helped her to survive. He was also protective of the few women and children who joined the academy. 

When his father became a trainer in the academy because Rex was growing old, he was amazed by this trait in his son but never complimented him for it.

“I will do it but you didn’t have to put my wedding on hold. I already decided to marry Miranda,” Caddaric said, a little annoyed. He wanted to restore the Blades to their former glory, where they married from just one family but his father wanted to amend more rules. This was the conflict between the father and son.

“I’m only taking away distractions. I saw how irritated you were when she complained about your absence. Are you ready to live with it for the rest of your life? At first, it would have been easy because the wicked Blade elders would have eliminated them a few years after they gave birth but it isn’t so anymore. Things have been put in perspective so there’s no way out.”

Casper wanted his son to experience what he had with his mother but Caddaric had a mind of his own. His calm expression turned ferocious and his tone frosty.

“Do you think that I’ll fall in love with a woman as you did? I am a true Blade dad, the only thing that made you weaker than me was the sacrifices you made for mum. You shouldn’t have done that.” Caddaric never got over his father taking the whip to marry his mother. It was talked about at the academy frequently, making him ashamed. Meanwhile, Casper was proud of what he did and didn’t take offense.

“You know what son, I want you to be happy. All the power, wealth, and ruthlessness, are far from giving you happiness.

Caddaric was even more upset. “If that happiness means being weak, then I don’t want it.”

The corner of Casper’s lip curled up in the form of a mockery. Hunter had informed him about a woman Caddaric purchased and rescued in the club. He also heard that the woman slept in Caddaric’s hotel room. Casper didn’t say anymore to not let him know that he was being spied on. “We shall see but why don’t you get a haircut? You look like my grandpa.”

Hunter chuckled at Casper’s words, recalling the grandpa Casper talked about. The length of Caddaric’s hair was nowhere near that of the late old man but Casper couldn’t stand it. Luckily, Caddaric never wanted his hair to be so long and said, “I intend to.”

He stood up, ready to leave when Casper said, “Bring Invisible to his knees. Only then, will you marry Miranda and take back your company.”

“I will bring him to you,” Caddaric vowed and as soon as he turned to the door, his mother was standing there, looking sad. He didn’t know how much the woman heard but couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty about it. His mother was strong and intelligent but she made his father weak. “Mum.”

“Cadda. Do you hate me?” Jenna couldn’t hide the pain in her voice. For over twenty years, Caddaric still harbored a grudge against her. It made her weak on her knees.

“No. It’s just a pain that you made dad weak after all he did for you. You two could have still lived together without marriage and saved him from…”

“Enough! Now get out, Caddaric.”  Casper roared. He was angry. He didn’t mind the words Caddaric hurled at him but if he tried it with his mother, Casper would not accept it.”

“Love is a weakness dad,” Caddaric looked at his father sadly and said before walking out of the conference room.

“Ignore his words,” Casper walked up to Jenna, pulled her into his arms, and said. Jenna couldn’t hide the pain she felt. Caddaric grew up with so much love so why was it hard for him to allow his heart to understand that side?

“I thought he had changed but he’s still cold-hearted.”

“He’ll change Jen, all he needs is a little adventure. He has been caged by the Blades and it’s time for him to see the world for what it is,” Casper said confidently. Jenna knew that the man knew what he was doing and asked,

“Was that your reason for giving him the assignment?”

“What do you think?” Casper winked and smiled a little. When he was with Jenna, his emotions were all intact. “I can’t stand the Wreaths, knowing what they are capable of and how they killed the woman my father loved. My mother might be one of them but it changes nothing. Caddaric should experience the world.”

“And what if he still doesn’t change?” Jenna was still pessimistic, as she hugged him tighter and asked.

“I’ll just know that my part is done. However, I might make things a little difficult for him,” Casper assured her. He was the only one who could control Caddaric but only did so subtly.

“Thanks, Casp, I love you,” Jenna tiptoed and kissed him. They never had enough of each other.

“I know, and I love you too,” Casper smiled a little after she pulled away and said.

In front of the conference room, Miranda refused to let go of Caddaric. “Why did you accept to go on an assignment? Don’t you miss me? I thought we were supposed to get married?” She asked with pleading eyes but Caddaric was annoyed by her Clinginess and nagging. He said indifferently, 

“I also have to work. You have to know that I’m not a man who would sit by your side like a premium husband. I have a lot of responsibilities,” he applied a little force and peeled himself from her embrace, creating a gap between them. Since he was a child, he never liked bodily contact. Miranda was displeased with his action and felt the need to ask,

“But you love me right?”  

At the mention of the word love, Caddaric’s expression was frosty and his response chilled her.