- Cassian's POV -
Spending long hours discussing and debating inside the meeting hall about business-related matters is a typical day in my working life. I have been doing my responsibilities as the CEO non-stop for a week without getting proper rest. Normally, I bring home the papers I have to review and write up. Then the rest will be handled by my secretary. The reason for that is I dislike staying in the hospital for too long.
I love working but I won't let myself work in my office until midnight. Luckily, our meeting ended early. It's earlier than I expected. Now, I don't have to rush my lunch.
I stretched my arms before I stood up and grab my leather notebook. I pushed the chair to its right position when I suddenly heard a knock. The door opens and my secretary enters inside, holding a few piles of papers.
"Sir, Mr. Tevine is waiting for you at the office" she informs.
"I'll be there in a minute" I replied then walk straight towards the door and left the meeting hall.
I pull up the sleeve of my blazer to check the time. It is already 12:00 noon. It didn't actually take me a minute to reach my office. It's just a one left-turn and a few steps away from the meeting hall.
When I saw the glass door of my office, I knock first before opening it. I stepped inside and my eyes immediately saw a figure of an old man standing with his back to me in the corner, it is where our family pictures are displayed.
"Dad" I called and closed the door behind me.
I removed my blazer and dropped it on the near sofa. The room is air-conditioned but I feel well without my blazer on. I walked towards him and crossed my arms against my chest.
"You were just so young," he said in a reminiscing tone. His voice is rough, deep, and slow. An indication of his old age.
"I'm still young dad," I said, forming a smirk.
I stood beside him and noticed that he is looking at the medium-sized photo frame placed on top of the wooden corner table together with the other photos. I picked it up and stared at it. It's a picture of me when I was eight years old, looking skinny in my uniform, and grinning from ear to ear. It has been my signature smile back then, except that I don't make that face on my school ID pictures.
"There the smile that caused a lot of mess" he commented raising his left eyebrow. He looks at the photo I'm holding and back at me again.
"Dad, did you come here just to say that to me?" I asked.
"No. I came here to say that I want you to get married already," his eyes wrinkled and he raised his grizzled eyebrows. A teasing smile formed his thin crinkled lips.
My eyebrows met and my lips slightly parted. I was surprised, leaving me wordless for a second.
"Dad..."
"Come on Cassian, look at Navy they are spending their one-week honeymoon in Naples," dad says sounding like a kid who's comparing his old toy to a new one.
"Isn't that romantic?" he asks showing his white teeth.
"It's what married couples do," I said dryly and rolled my eyes. I started imagining how Navy would look like. His black hair is slicked-back and he wears a white top with two unopened buttons. He would pull the chair for his wife to sit on their date and play an acoustic song. I know that man is a pure romantic and I'm sure his wife would swoon over him.
"And it's what a man like you should be planning by now" he added with a quick glance at me. "Are you seeing someone already?"
I shake my head and sigh. "Dad, if I do, then I'll tell you right away."
His face suddenly changed into a kid beaming with excitement. "I'm anticipating that Cassian," he said in a sing-song manner and started lifting his hands and swaying his waist.
I tightened my lips to prevent myself from laughing. Dad is a fat old man and whenever he does that swaying thing, he looks like a dancing white egg. Imagine Humpty-dumpty? Yep, just like that damn egg.
He twirled around and paused to look at me again. "Make it quick, Cassian," he said with authority while pointing at me.
Dad continued swaying and dancing like a toddler until he reached the door.
"What exactly is the reason why you came here, dad?" I asked, not wanting to sound serious and funny at the same time.
"I had a meet-up with a friend" he replied.
I just shook my head when dad opened the door and left--still swaying his hips side-to-side. He might be the kind of dad who gets nervous and upset easily, but he's not afraid to show the little quirky side of him.
There must be a specific reason why he acts like that. I guess he's having a good day today.
My eyes looked back at the photos. There are some pictures of me and Navy and more pictures of dad when he became the director of the Golden Heart Hospital. I looked at my photos again and realized the years that had passed already.
I am glad to be here, that's the truth. I love my work, I love the money I earn, I love my success. However, that question dad asked me is still bothering the hell out of me.
Why does a simple question trigger me easily? Well, I'm twenty-six years old. I'm an adult.
Navy, was married at the age of thirty to his wife Alyanna. They were college blockmates turned into a campus couple. I can still remember how he would ask me to help him rehearse his sickening pick-up lines to say them to Alyanna. Well, I can say I am more of a sweet-talker compared to him during those days. Until now, of course.
I won't lie but I was popular among girls back when I was in high school but I didn't pay much attention to them. Fighting with my schoolmates who messes with me is my number one physical activity. I was a prefect of discipline's loyal client and she would always inform my dad about my misbehaviors.
Then, we will deal with the mess once we get home. I think that's the reason why dad got white hairs so easily. It's all because of me.
Back to my cousin, his wedding was held in Venice last week. I was his best man and two days before the big day, Navy asked for my help on how to deliver his vows in a saccharine way. That's how we support each other's sexy backs. And I'm proud that I am his charismatic brother.
Thank heavens he didn't sound cringy the moment he and Alyanna exchanged their wedding vows. She actually cried emotionally in bliss. Watching him, Navy seems like he learned a lot from me, after all those practices and advice, he has an obligation to provide me free meals--breakfast to dinner--at all of his restaurant branches.
Now, I don't have a problem searching for another place to eat because in Navy's restaurant--it's always free.
My stomach thunders when I'm thinking of eating in a restaurant and I realized that I was starving in hunger.
And my mind came back unexpectedly to the question that my dad asked me a while ago.
I want to get rid of that thought but it keeps coming back. Seriously? For me, it's too early to get a wife and get married.
But I already told my dad I will tell him right away if I have found one.