Like what Cassidy promised to Aira and Bryan, she went out on the next day to do some shopping.
For this day-off of hers, she decided to explore the city the way she has not done before. She went to this particular shopping center that had only opened up last year but had already turned into one of the leading business establishments across the country in only a matter of months -
The ever imposing and stately building of CE Mall.
'Hmmm... CE Mall, huh...?' Cassidy thought to herself as she entered the shopping complex and scanned around the surroundings which turned out to be more resplendent than she expected.
'Despite being designed as this sumptuous commercial edifice, it sure is visited by a lot of those from the middle class. Commoners like me don't even stand out even in this kind of setting since there are many of us here-"
Then, she stilled.
While looking around, Cassidy happens to catch sight of an ice cream parlor near the entrance. She comes to a pause almost immediately, beholding the place she has come to know as her sanctuary. This one appears more attention-grabbing in terms of design than those she used to see in the streets, but then again, this is inside of CE Mall.
"Oh, no, no, no~! Why must you seduce me so early, darling...?" she cooed helplessly, already feeling like going straight for the desserts rather than the main course.
"You can't be flirting with me now. I still have work to do, you know~"
Cassidy went and ate, anyway.
Like this, things are bound to happen without any trouble. She is only living her life, chilling out and making the most of what she has. With her strawberry ice cream keeping her company, she feels more than at ease - probably much too much that she is not able to prepare herself for what is about to happen a moment later.
But then again, she could not possible prepare for it if she did not see it coming in the first place.
"Huh? What's with the commotion outside...?" Cassidy wondered out loud as she peered through the glass wall of the ice cream parlor where she was still eating at.
"Is a celebrity here or something?"
It just happened that a crowd was starting to gather outside. Some have taken out their cellphones to take pictures while others settle with spectating the scene. She only continues watching what is trying to escalate there until she finally spots the cause behind all of this.
Entering the mall right now is this group of tall, debonair men dressed in what seems to be their bodyguard uniforms - approximately eight in number, she speculated.
"Oh, looks like some big shot is coming..." Cassidy trailed off and smirked to herself, thinking that it had been a long while since she witnessed this kind of scenario.
"And here I thought everyone just had nothing better to do than make an uproar-"
At that very second, she suddenly cut herself off.
Just when she thought there was nothing more to it, she saw an all-too-familiar figure walking in at the last minute. From that point on, she found herself too stunned and speechless to make any more side comments. She even did not realize that she dropped the spoon that she was using to scoop up her ice cream.
Cassidy is beyond shocked - more shocked than those onlookers who keep beholding this person's staggering features.
"Adrian," she then eventually breathed out, feeling like she was seeing nothing more than a mirage.
Standing over there is none other than her husband - surrounded by his bodyguards and admired by all these strangers.
From that point of view, Adrian is carrying the air of the top-grade, highly-esteemed CEO that he has become known of over the years. The distance is apparent, and the gap is too great. He definitely appears out of this world - too far from anyone's reach. However, these things were already what he became distinguished of even way back before.
What throws Cassidy off guard is the slight change in him.
Adrian doesn't look as neat and tidy like he used to anymore. His hair style is a little messier, and his sense of fashion has taken on a more mature, less mellow tone - he looks devilishly handsome.
"Hey, wait a minute, isn't that...?!" she then bolted out all of the sudden, catching the attention of the other customers at the ice cream parlor.
"A leather jacket?! When the heck did he start wearing leather?!"
While Cassidy is not really against anyone wearing a leather jacket, she can't believe that someone else can wear it better than she does - and it's Adrian of all people. In fact, he perfectly nailed the look. But to begin with, he would look good at anything.
"Excuse me..." someone from behind her called out of nowhere, making her turn around to find that it was one of the female employees at that ice cream parlor.
"Are you a fan of Mr. Millicent, Ma'am?"
"Huh?" was what she could only blurt out, stupefied by her assumption.
"He's really charming, isn't he~? No wonder everyone here would make a big deal about his arrival."
"R-Right. I can see it."
"I do think he deserves a better welcome than this, though. After all, he is the founder of this mall."
At that, Cassidy almost fell from her seat. Her eyes bulge wide in astonishment while her jaw dropped to the floor - it's just one surprise after another.
"He... H-He's the founder of CE Mall?" she asked the employee to which she nodded and smiled in return.
"Yes, he is. He also started a hotel-resort business, and he will be working on an amusement park next - or so I have heard. What a busy man."
Cassidy can't help but gulp at that.
She should really get used to how outstanding Adrian is, though. Not only did he gather so many admirers and fans that it didn't seem like his company was part of a huge scandal two years ago, but he also kept expanding the ranges and domains of his business.
'Though it is a relief that he is doing great and all, his circumstances should not really matter to me anymore...' Cassidy pondered with a downcast gaze before standing from her seat and preparing to leave.
'And yet, why do I feel down after realizing how I have missed a lot of things?'
---
Seeing Adrian two days ago is enough.
Cassidy will not be able to handle any more chance meetings - a one-sided one, albeit.
Two years never felt that long for her, but after seeing him back in that mall, she realized that she must be feeling it all wrong. It was not about the length of time. Rather, it was the change that would happen to a person.
"Ma'am Cassie, you're spacing out again..." Bryan chimed in, making her snap out of her thoughts.
"What's wrong? If you're feeling unwell, you should cancel your plans for this afternoon."
"Oh, no, no! I'm fine! Just... daydreaming?" Cassidy lamely reasoned out.
"What are you? A teenage girl?"
"Oh, do I look like one~?"
As she brags that and conceitedly raises a brow, he only gives her a flat, unamused look. Without saying any more words, he draws out the bouquets of flowers from the servery counter and hands them over to her. She smiles at him and takes them before expressing her gratitude for his help.
"Okay, pull yourself together already. You're going to an orphanage that's a few blocks away. We can't have you 'daydreaming' now or you might get crashed over on the road," Bryan quipped, earning a giggle from her.
"I'll be fine. Really... How much are the flowers, by the way?" Cassidy asked as she got ready to make her way out of the restaurant.
"Flower shop lady didn't place a price."
"What?! But that can't be! I'm buying these!"
"She said that she will always give her flowers free if it is you. And after learning that you're going to give them to an orphanage, she even added more flowers to it."
"That is very nice of her, but still, I have to pay her back in one way or another."
"Treat her to lunch or something! We're a diner, Ma'am Cassie. There's a lot to give!"
Again, Cassidy only giggles at Bryan.
She does think that it is a good idea, but for now, she needs to attend to another matter. With that, she bids him goodbye and goes out of the restaurant in high spirits, heading for the orphanage that she has been planning to visit for a while now.
The thing is, she has been hopping from one charity house to another in order to donate as much as she can. That had always been one of her greatest aspirations since she was little. She really enjoyed spending time with children and giving out presents like what Maruschca used to do in the past.
But for this one in particular, Cassidy did not expect that there would be another visitor that this orphanage was anticipating apart from her.
Like what Cassidy promised to Aira and Bryan, she went out on the next day to do some shopping.
For this day-off of hers, she decided to explore the city the way she has not done before. She went to this particular shopping center that had only opened up last year but had already turned into one of the leading business establishments across the country in only a matter of months -
The ever imposing and stately building of CE Mall.
'Hmmm... CE Mall, huh...?' Cassidy thought to herself as she entered the shopping complex and scanned around the surroundings which turned out to be more resplendent than she expected.
'Despite being designed as this sumptuous commercial edifice, it sure is visited by a lot of those from the middle class. Commoners like me don't even stand out even in this kind of setting since there are many of us here-"
Then, she stilled.
While looking around, Cassidy happens to catch sight of an ice cream parlor near the entrance. She comes to a pause almost immediately, beholding the place she has come to know as her sanctuary. This one appears more attention-grabbing in terms of design than those she used to see in the streets, but then again, this is inside of CE Mall.
"Oh, no, no, no~! Why must you seduce me so early, darling...?" she cooed helplessly, already feeling like going straight for the desserts rather than the main course.
"You can't be flirting with me now. I still have work to do, you know~"
Cassidy went and ate, anyway.
Like this, things are bound to happen without any trouble. She is only living her life, chilling out and making the most of what she has. With her strawberry ice cream keeping her company, she feels more than at ease - probably much too much that she is not able to prepare herself for what is about to happen a moment later.
But then again, she could not possible prepare for it if she did not see it coming in the first place.
"Huh? What's with the commotion outside...?" Cassidy wondered out loud as she peered through the glass wall of the ice cream parlor where she was still eating at.
"Is a celebrity here or something?"
It just happened that a crowd was starting to gather outside. Some have taken out their cellphones to take pictures while others settle with spectating the scene. She only continues watching what is trying to escalate there until she finally spots the cause behind all of this.
Entering the mall right now is this group of tall, debonair men dressed in what seems to be their bodyguard uniforms - approximately eight in number, she speculated.
"Oh, looks like some big shot is coming..." Cassidy trailed off and smirked to herself, thinking that it had been a long while since she witnessed this kind of scenario.
"And here I thought everyone just had nothing better to do than make an uproar-"
At that very second, she suddenly cut herself off.
Just when she thought there was nothing more to it, she saw an all-too-familiar figure walking in at the last minute. From that point on, she found herself too stunned and speechless to make any more side comments. She even did not realize that she dropped the spoon that she was using to scoop up her ice cream.
Cassidy is beyond shocked - more shocked than those onlookers who keep beholding this person's staggering features.
"Adrian," she then eventually breathed out, feeling like she was seeing nothing more than a mirage.
Standing over there is none other than her husband - surrounded by his bodyguards and admired by all these strangers.
From that point of view, Adrian is carrying the air of the top-grade, highly-esteemed CEO that he has become known of over the years. The distance is apparent, and the gap is too great. He definitely appears out of this world - too far from anyone's reach. However, these things were already what he became distinguished of even way back before.
What throws Cassidy off guard is the slight change in him.
Adrian doesn't look as neat and tidy like he used to anymore. His hair style is a little messier, and his sense of fashion has taken on a more mature, less mellow tone - he looks devilishly handsome.
"Hey, wait a minute, isn't that...?!" she then bolted out all of the sudden, catching the attention of the other customers at the ice cream parlor.
"A leather jacket?! When the heck did he start wearing leather?!"
While Cassidy is not really against anyone wearing a leather jacket, she can't believe that someone else can wear it better than she does - and it's Adrian of all people. In fact, he perfectly nailed the look. But to begin with, he would look good at anything.
"Excuse me..." someone from behind her called out of nowhere, making her turn around to find that it was one of the female employees at that ice cream parlor.
"Are you a fan of Mr. Millicent, Ma'am?"
"Huh?" was what she could only blurt out, stupefied by her assumption.
"He's really charming, isn't he~? No wonder everyone here would make a big deal about his arrival."
"R-Right. I can see it."
"I do think he deserves a better welcome than this, though. After all, he is the founder of this mall."
At that, Cassidy almost fell from her seat. Her eyes bulge wide in astonishment while her jaw dropped to the floor - it's just one surprise after another.
"He... H-He's the founder of CE Mall?" she asked the employee to which she nodded and smiled in return.
"Yes, he is. He also started a hotel-resort business, and he will be working on an amusement park next - or so I have heard. What a busy man."
Cassidy can't help but gulp at that.
She should really get used to how outstanding Adrian is, though. Not only did he gather so many admirers and fans that it didn't seem like his company was part of a huge scandal two years ago, but he also kept expanding the ranges and domains of his business.
'Though it is a relief that he is doing great and all, his circumstances should not really matter to me anymore...' Cassidy pondered with a downcast gaze before standing from her seat and preparing to leave.
'And yet, why do I feel down after realizing how I have missed a lot of things?'
---
Seeing Adrian two days ago is enough.
Cassidy will not be able to handle any more chance meetings - a one-sided one, albeit.
Two years never felt that long for her, but after seeing him back in that mall, she realized that she must be feeling it all wrong. It was not about the length of time. Rather, it was the change that would happen to a person.
"Ma'am Cassie, you're spacing out again..." Bryan chimed in, making her snap out of her thoughts.
"What's wrong? If you're feeling unwell, you should cancel your plans for this afternoon."
"Oh, no, no! I'm fine! Just... daydreaming?" Cassidy lamely reasoned out.
"What are you? A teenage girl?"
"Oh, do I look like one~?"
As she brags that and conceitedly raises a brow, he only gives her a flat, unamused look. Without saying any more words, he draws out the bouquets of flowers from the servery counter and hands them over to her. She smiles at him and takes them before expressing her gratitude for his help.
"Okay, pull yourself together already. You're going to an orphanage that's a few blocks away. We can't have you 'daydreaming' now or you might get crashed over on the road," Bryan quipped, earning a giggle from her.
"I'll be fine. Really... How much are the flowers, by the way?" Cassidy asked as she got ready to make her way out of the restaurant.
"Flower shop lady didn't place a price."
"What?! But that can't be! I'm buying these!"
"She said that she will always give her flowers free if it is you. And after learning that you're going to give them to an orphanage, she even added more flowers to it."
"That is very nice of her, but still, I have to pay her back in one way or another."
"Treat her to lunch or something! We're a diner, Ma'am Cassie. There's a lot to give!"
Again, Cassidy only giggles at Bryan.
She does think that it is a good idea, but for now, she needs to attend to another matter. With that, she bids him goodbye and goes out of the restaurant in high spirits, heading for the orphanage that she has been planning to visit for a while now.
The thing is, she has been hopping from one charity house to another in order to donate as much as she can. That had always been one of her greatest aspirations since she was little. She really enjoyed spending time with children and giving out presents like what Maruschca used to do in the past.
But for this one in particular, Cassidy did not expect that there would be another visitor that this orphanage was anticipating apart from her.
