Chapter 2

• The voice that echoed through the hall was undeniably Lucas's, yet Cassie scarcely recognized its newfound timbre - like steel wrapped in velvet.
• That voice, which had always spoken softly, now carried an authority that made the crystal chandeliers tremble.
• “Between I and them, whom will you choose?” Lucas stopped right in front of Cassie and he pointed to himself first, and then back at the Ryan family.
• ”Lucas, you bastard, how dare you come back?”
• Lady Ryan’s voice sounded abruptly and interrupted the couple’s reunion.
• “Mind your choice Cassie. This is your last warning. If you move out of this door, I’ll going to cut every funds you ever have from this family.”
• “Grandma, you have never …….” Cassie was about to say, but then something crashed the floor, off course it was Lady Ryan who crash a cup to show how angry she was.
• “I don’t want any useless person in my family and this family is doing you favor by accepting you, your reputation had brought this family down, and won’t you repay us by feeding and housing and clothing you?” Lady Ryan stern voice was heard from afar.
• “This is my command, you are going to marry the Wilkins family and nothing you said shall change that decision.” Lady Ryan said with finality
• “But Grandma I am also a human being, not a tool to make money. I have feelings and emotion. I have blood running in my veins, I am ………………………”
• Off course Cassie was saying every words with pain and tears. Everyday she was forced to do the family works. She had suffered the most for the family. She had worked tirelessly for the family, and every time she was never paid any salary nor wages nor any dividends. In fact she had used her money to run the family business, and yet she was always blame for any misfortune. But Harold and the rest had been the cause of every misfortune.
• Funny enough she was never praised, and in fact the family will want to sell her off to the highest bidder at any moment, it was like they sees her as an object and not a person.
• “My Ryan family become like this all because of you ridiculous decision to marry that spineless husband who is more useless than the word useless itself, you have a minute to make your decision, are you going to marry into the Wilkins family or not?” Lady Ryan voice came again.
• Cassie was now completely torn, she looked to the sky not know what to do, on one hand is Lucas whom she loved wholeheartedly, the other hand was duty to the Ryan family, her night became a battle of emotion.
• Just when Cassie was at a loss for words due to Lady Ryan's verbal attack, Lucas stepped forward at the right time and stood in front of Cassie.
• “You don’t have to follow anybody coercion, you must do whatever your heart tell you to do.”
• Cassie was finally able to take a breath from Lady Ryan's sharp eyes.
• She blinked. “Off course I would choose you first.” She swallowed her saliva and she continued. “Whatever it takes.”
• “Then follow your heart Wife, you are independent and hardworking than anyone here, if not for you, that family business would have crumbled down.” Lucas said as he was looking down at Cassie in the face.
• Cassie smiled, because she felt that Lucas had change, and that he looked far more confident than before, well she was a woman too, and she also wished to be protected by her husband more than anything.
• Lucas knew what Cassie concerned.
• He handed over the paper bag to Cassie, she also took it and walked back towards Lady Ryan, Lucas also sat down beside Jonathan.
• “What took you so long?” Jonathan asked worriedly. Not that he hated his son-in-law, yet he didn’t love him too.
• Lucas wanted to replied to Jonathan question, but Harold voice came over from behind Lady Ryan.
• “Lucas, how are you able to make it here?” Harold tone held shock; even his expression showed that he was shocked.
• A wise man would be able to discern the meaning behind Harold question, even his expression betrayed him. Lucas scoffed first.
• “Off course some people wanted me dead, so they shot me in the stomach.” Lucas stood up for others to see, he also raised his cloth for others to see.
• Everybody in the hall all gasp in surprise seeing that gunshot wound, even Cassie who only wanted to present her gift also stopped on her track and turned back, she actually saw that blood before, but her mind was not in it, she only recollect herself right now.
• “Are you saying I tried to kill you?” Harold said angrily.
• Lucas scoffed again. “I have not even mentioned any name, I only said they shot me and pushed me off Gory cliff.”