Cassandra's pov
We all took our seats in the living room. All eyes were on Hazel and Vincent. I was now feeling better and my sore throat was better with the ginger tea I had just a few minutes ago but my mind was a complete mess as well as my heart was shattered, as I might think of the dreadful news I have to hear. I always knew Vincent was not mine but I did not expect him to fall for Hazel.
Not even in a million years, I did not think I would be seeing the day when Vincent and Hazel will be getting married. It's such a lame and boring couple. Vincent is a heartthrob and the most famous person of all and there is Hazel a plain and boring girl, with no style nor class, I do pray she does not stay long in Vincent's life.
I heard Vincent finally speaking "Actually I and Hazel have some news to share with you all. As you all know we both have been to various proms and parties and all the social gatherings and many more" The hell I know, as though I was here with them. Why can't he just come to the point and break my heart at once like he did it before?
"Bro please come to the point no one is interested in knowing the details and also I might add the 'BORING' details" Nick told with his thick Italian accent and was smirking at Vincent. I saw all the expectant eyes towards Hazel and Vincent.
"Hmm about that actually iandhazelaredatingandwanttogetmarried" he told at jet speed and there Hazel was sweating as though she was a Mt. Everest which was melting.
"What?" was the only reply Vincent got in unison from all of us.
"I and Hazel are dating and we want to get married" he completed looking everywhere but at us. Everyone stood silently but the asshole started to laugh out and concluded "Ohh boy never in a million years did I think Vincent Lorenzo will tell, 'he will get married' and what shocked me even more is he is marrying Hazel but bro I am seriously happy for you both, might as well our, I mean me, dad and aunt's wedding plans for you are destroyed."
"My sweet girl finally found love but she did not tell me anything" Dad told with a playful expression. Mom followed suit and went to Hazel and kissed her forehead "Indeed she finally found love, my daughter grew up too fast. Dear, we are truly happy about this and you both have her blessing."
Matteo came to Vincent and hugged him "I am very happy for you son, you finally understood your responsibilities and ready for the next step in your life. I never really thought you will come up to me to tell me that you are ready for marriage."
"Indeed we were planning for an arranged marriage seeing your lack of interest in marriage. Grazie a dio, dio ti ha dato dei cervelli" Sinnea told and hugged both Hazel and Vincent. I did not understand a word she told not because I was heartbroken or you know I just know only one language and that's English and a bit of Spanish due to Cole, as his mother is Spanish.
{Grazie a dio, dio ti ha dato dei cervelli = thank god, god gave you brains}
"Truly guys my best friend and my sister, I never ever thought I will see this behaviour from you guys, you broke my trust completely" said Aiden turning red from anger I guess. I didn't comfort him as he snapped at me at the table. But what can I even comfort him when I myself will break down any moment now? But he suddenly started laughing and hugged both of them. Ok, when did Aiden start to have bipolar disease? He was on Vincent's throat when people assumed he wanted to marry me but when it came to Hazel people are blessing them.
"Relax guys I was just joking, I am truly happy for you and you both have my blessing. What can even be better than my sister and best friend being together forever." Ok no bipolar disease, he is just joking it seems. Here I am dying because Vincent rejected me and broke my heart for what? To marry this bitch Hazel. When I was thinking all eyes turned towards me with expectation.
Ohh yeah, I guess I have to wish the couple. I plastered a big fat smile and told 'Congratulations guys', I was rooted in my place, but that bloody fool of a Hazel could not stay there and she had to waltz her way towards me and gave me a thigh hug which I obviously did not return.
With expectation in her eyes, she told "Cassie will you do the honour of being my bridesmaid on my big day." Here I am shocked to the core and this bitch wants me to be her bridesmaid. Yeppp as you guessed, she does not have any friends in university nor school. She thinks she is a lone wolf but I know the truth, that no one could stay with her for more than 10 minutes.
I do not what to say to her, when I saw Vincent, his eyes were begging Hazel to stop but she had her back towards him so she did not pay attention to him. And everyone's eyes were on me and I cannot even give a proper excuse for not attending the wedding also, so I just nodded my head and heard her squeal like a chalk on board, and once again she embraced me in a hug.
*****
After the devastating news which broke my broke to bits and pieces, I retired to my room and cried for an hour and later Ryan called me and asked me to meet up. I didn't deny him and asked him to pick a bar as I wanted to get wasted and forget the world even for a while. I told him not to call Avery nor Cole.
Both Avery and Cole know how much I loved Vincent and how heartbroken I was when he rejected me and told me the most awful words anyone has dared to ever tell me. I do not wish to tell what happened today to any of them, when the time comes they will get to know. I don't want their sympathy-filled eyes, I know I am strong and not as weak as before. When he rejected me seven years ago I did some things which I am not a fan off and regret whatever I did.
Today as I see how happy he is with Hazel, I feel it was nothing wrong with me but the way he perceived things was wrong. I really hate him to the core, he rejected me and compared me to her, for what?
Hazel is like an exploiter, ready to snatch away things that does not even belong to you. Actually, she is my mom's brother's daughter and a year younger than me. I don't even know what crazy things happened to her family but when I was around 11 years she came to my house and started staying with us. When she first came, I thought she will stay for some time and leave, and I find days rolling into weeks and to months and finally a year and she never left.
Tired of all the attention she is getting I asked my mom one final day when she will be leaving to which my mom replied never and she will be staying with us due to some family problems of her. And she turned out to be a parasite, who never left but took complete advantage of us or as I think only me. So yeah she is a kind of adoptive daughter in our house.
For the first few months, I was happy as I got a friend to play with, but later I was just jealous of her as she took all my attention towards her. Mom and Dad were so happy with her as though they found their long last child. Aiden was not ok with her for nearly 3 years but some things are meant to change and he loves her like a sister but I am sure he does not love her as much as he does me, but sometimes the world can be against us. My maternal grandparents were happy about her staying with us but my parental grandparents loathed her more than me.
*****
Around 5 pm I was summonsed down so I cleaned up and freshened up and applied a little makeup and went down. Everyone were seated in the garden and there was only one space left for me and that was in between Vincent and Aiden. I quietly took my seat and we were waiting for our grandparents to come.
"Vincent, when do guys plan on getting married"? Sienna asked.
"Somewhere in the next 3 months' Mom, we were planning a simple wedding which is private and with only some important family and friends." Here even he lost his mind like Hazel to have a simple wedding. Before he was a party animal and did everything to show people and would turn all the heads towards himself. But now I am seeing one more Hazel.
"Don't you think it's a bit of a hurry" and there I could smell something fishy in her tone and body movements but she composed herself well within seconds.
"Hmm maybe but we are dating for 5 years now and we both feel we are ready for the next step" At the same time I see our grandparents walking towards us. We all got up and went towards them to wish them and exchange pleasantries and made our way towards the living room.
*****
Vincent's pov
We all were seated in the garden having evening snacks and tea. Everyone were talking about businesses. Both Aiden and my grandparents live on the outskirts of Brooklyn on a farm next to one another. They are very good friends from starting and started their own business as partners ditching their parent's age-old family business.
I was seated next to Hazel and in front of Cass. Hazel was concentrating on the conversation even when she could not understand it. Cass was too distracted in her own world sipping coffee. She is a very big fan of coffee and books; she has had a strong dislike for tea from the beginning only. She was looking too hot and I felt like devouring her in every other way. To fuckingly suck on her plump lips that were inviting me and her flawless skin that would mould in every other way my hands roam around her body but her dress only helped my imagination grow.
Coming out of my drooling session I tried to concentrate on the discussion going on but things repeated in my brain like a broken record. The way she came down for lunch dressed up, the way she was looking like Aphrodite, she didn't even spare a glance towards me from the last time I saw her in that club. She was like super cute and feisty that day, which can turn on any guy.
I was literally scared to announce our engagement to our families, especially the way Aiden and Mr. Kinght reacted when Cassandra's marriage was brought up. What scared me was the way Aiden lashed out at Cass. I swear, I have never seen Aiden snapping especially at Cassandra that way.
On top of everything Nick had to crack up jokes which ended in Cassandra's choking. Everyone tried to calm her but she did not hear out to anyone. So I dragged her up and bent her head to the floor and hit her neck and the food piece came out but she started to drop to the floor. I caught her in due time and placed her against my chest, her lavender smell made my heart go crazy but suddenly she started to wiggle and I set her free.
I actually got a better response from our families than expected on our marriage proposal even though I was afraid of Cassandra's reaction but I guess along with time she moved on. She even agreed to be a bridesmaid which I doubted she would even agree to.
Finally, when everyone came out of business talks I thought of telling our grandparents about our engagement. I am sure they will wholeheartedly accept our relationship, since there is no class difference. But there was still 0.1% doubt.
"Actually I have an announcement to make" I stood up and stated, I also got a nod from Hazel and both of our parents.
"Yeah, even we have an announcement to make which depends on the future of the company," Carter Knight, Cass's grandpa told and Penelope Knight, her grandmother agreed while nodded her head.
"Yes Vincent we have a very important news to share with you all, but you do go ahead, we will talk after you finish" my grandpa Alessandro told. But even before I could talk Grandma Amara interrupted me and said "Dear I hope whatever we are about to tell you please listen carefully. I do hope everyone understands and listens to us, it's only for all of our wellbeing. Now my child you may continue."
"Actually I was dating a girl and I proposed to her and she did say yes so I wanted to...." I was abruptly cut off by my grandpa's loud and booming voice. "ENOUGH u my boy are not saying a word now, you will listen to each and every word I say or rather whatever we are saying" he said pointing towards himself, Amara, Carter and Penelope.
Everyone were shocked, especially me and Hazel, I was wondering why he is shouting when I did not even announce the name of the girl let alone introduce her. There I see Aiden getting up and going towards Alessandro and telling him "Calm down Mr. Lorenzo just listen to what he has to say, I do hope it's not some sought of a crime that he has done."
"You better shut up Aiden, we don't want your advice here, we know what we are doing and we do hope no one interrupts us" Carter raised his voice.
Aiden turned around I could see disappointment flashing in his eyes and he just went and stood next to Cassandra who was still seated but the shock was evident on her face. She murmured to Aiden, "See I told you, them coming here is not a good sign." "I know Cassie, I know" he murmured back to her, but they were loud enough for me to hear.
*****