20: He wants to introduce me his son

Cassie POV

Joshua took me to a pier in Los Angeles, saying he wanted to take me for a ride on his private boat—just a lovely boat trip with him.

When we got there, his “boat” was nothing less than a stunning, sophisticated two-story yacht in cyan blue and light brown. My eyes widened in surprise.

I’d already seen his private jet and his beachfront mansion, and now, seeing the yacht, I realized Joshua Carter must be *really* rich—richer than I’d imagined.

In the truest sense of the word.

“Wow, what a surprise!” I exclaimed, staring at the yacht. We were walking along the pier, hand in hand. “What a humble little boat you’ve got here, huh?” I said sarcastically.

He laughed, shrugging. “The result of a lot of hard work and such,” he replied, still being ironic. From what I knew about him, he was born into a wealthy family—it’s not like he couldn’t afford everything he has now if he wasn’t working. The truth is, he worked because he loved it.

“You’re so humble,” I said sarcastically, giving him a quick peck. Even if I worked hard my whole life, it’d still be unlikely I could afford something like this yacht.

Joshua stepped away briefly to talk to the man in charge of the yacht, and when he returned, he helped me up the ramp until I was on board, the yacht already floating on the water, docked at the pier. Inside, it was spacious and well-equipped, and even though we were on the sea, it felt as calm and stable as any apartment. He hugged me from behind and nuzzled my neck.

“Everything okay? Do you get seasick on boats?” he asked, concerned for me.

I shook my head, stroking his arms that were wrapped around my waist. “No, it’s not that. I don’t get seasick. I’m just surprised by how rich you are,” I said honestly, looking at him. “Can you tell me a bit more about yourself? Besides being handsome, gentlemanly, and sexy. Who is Joshua Carter?”

He gave a soft laugh and led me to the yacht’s deck. I could see a pilot steering the yacht farther from the pier.

It was a beautiful day outside, with the cool sea breeze tousling my hair and the button-up shirt of Joshua’s that I’d worn earlier, left unbuttoned to show off my red bikini. My gentleman handed me a drink as refreshing as the ocean and led me to sit on a set of comfortable sofas on the deck.

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know about me,” he said, and then he started talking about himself.

He shared that his family indeed owned an expensive wine brand and that he’d never faced financial struggles. He also said his parents were still alive, living in a beautiful house in Switzerland, a peaceful place where they could enjoy their old age.

His father occasionally showed up at the company since he was still a shareholder, and their relationship wasn’t very close, but they managed. His father raised him to be the perfect businessman and wanted him to focus solely on the company, even arranging a marriage for him with a woman he never loved.

He also mentioned that Andrew, Connor, and Spencer had always been his friends and never abandoned him, even during the worst moments of his life, like when he went through the difficult divorce process with his ex-wife.

Joshua spoke about the love and respect he had for his friends. I listened intently, never looking away. His life story fascinated me; it was so good to learn more about him. From his account, I realized not everything had been pleasant in Joshua’s life. Though he was rich and powerful, he’d also faced tough times, especially when it came to his ex-wife, who seemed to have hurt him deeply in the past.

In that moment, I caressed his hand as he recounted how hard it had been to go through that period. Facing a divorce was already tough, and having to go to court over it was even harder. Suddenly, I remembered Mark Skyland, whose parents were divorced, having gone through a complicated situation because of his father, and I was struck by the similarity to Josh’s case.

That only made me more emotional and filled me with a strong desire to ease Josh’s pain. I wished I’d met him earlier. I wished I’d known him during that dark period of his life—maybe then I could have helped him. But since I met him now, I’d help him now and protect him. I’d do anything to protect Joshua Carter.

Though I’d known him for such a short time, it felt like, in my heart, I’d known him forever. It was as if we were finally finding each other, and I had this duty within me to protect him. I genuinely loved protecting people—that’s why I was studying law.

Who knows, maybe one day I’d become Joshua’s lawyer to defend him from all those people who hurt him? I wanted to do that. I couldn’t wait to finish my degree and get my diploma—then I’d like to see who’d mess with Joshua when I was there to protect him.

He also told me he had a son with his ex-wife.

“Really? A son?” I was surprised to hear that. My mind was already forcing me to imagine living with my stepson and caring for him the way I cared for his father. My God, Joshua and I weren’t even dating, let alone married, and here I was imagining being part of his life.

He laughed genuinely at my reaction and caressed my leg. “You’re so excited that I have a son? Why?” he wanted to know.

“Oh, I love kids. I even have a pet at home. Her name’s Kittie, like a cat-dog,” I said excitedly. What was Kittie doing at home right now? Beckie was probably taking care of her since I was away this weekend. I missed my furry little pet just thinking about her. “My mom says I’m very maternal,” I added.

“You’d look so cute with a kid. I can already picture you being a very caring and protective mom,” he said, chuckling after speaking.

I joined him, giving him a playful swat on the shoulder. “You silly. Are you all caring and protective with your son too?” I asked innocently.

Joshua sighed heavily, his smile faltering. He still tried to seem relaxed, but I could clearly see sadness in his light eyes. “Well, he’s a man now. A few years older than you, actually,” he said.

“Really?” He nodded in confirmation.

“Yeah, so I can’t exactly pick him up and pamper him,” he said. That made me laugh, and he spoke again after a moment. “He’s very attached to his mom, so we don’t see each other much, but whenever we can, we end up meeting,” he shared.

I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder, stroking his arm. I could see how difficult his relationship with his son was. “I get it. Do you think I’d get along with your son?” I asked, and he laughed and replied.

“Everyone would get along with you, Cassie. You’re totally irresistible,” he complimented.

“How charming,” I said, giving him a smacking kiss on the lips. “I’d love to meet him.”

“Oh, I have a picture of him here on my phone,” Joshua said, pulling his phone out of his pocket to show me his son’s profile.