Cassandra vitale
I was so nervous and scared at the same time, being caught like this wasn't the plan. I wanted to at least get back into town and figure out what I needed to do first. Seeing this maid right now ruins everything. There was no place to run and hide. I just had to face whatever happens next. She walked up close to me and greeted me.
"Madam Cassandra, Good Morning" she greeted with a smile on her face.
"Good morning Errrm?"
"It's Pauline" she replied, still with a smile.
"Good morning Pauline" I greeted politely, trying to get on her good side.
"If I may please?" She said, waiting for my response.
"Yes please, do go on" I said, urging her to talk.
"What could you possibly be doing out here madam Cassandra?" She asked so politely and still with a smile on her face.
I gave her a once over, she was very well kept and seemed like someone that could probably keep a secret and she was pretty outspoken.
"Can you keep a secret?" I blurted out, without thinking.
"Anything for you Madame" she said, bowing her head as a sign of respect.
"I'm going back into Shadowbrook, the orphanage home needs my attention and I have to be there," I said, watching her face keenly for any reactions or objections.
"The orphanage home?" She asked, her face mixed with confusion and intrigue.
"Yes, I'm running an orphanage home and it really needs my attention. I'm sure you wouldn't want to deprive me of that by telling anyone right?" I said, searching her face for an answer.
"No madame Cassandra" she said, shaking her head and sealing her lips with her fingers.
"I won't say a word," she added.
"Thank you very much Pauline" I said, my heart full of gratitude and relief.
Keeping it a secret has been an easy ride so far, but getting a ride into town was the problem now. Like as though she read my mind, Pauline asked almost immediately.
"Do you need a ride?" She asked, her eyes scanning my face for a reaction.
"Yes please" I said, without hesitation.
She brought out her phone, turned to face the other side as she dialed a number and called someone
"Yea, Good afternoon" she said, talking to the other person at the other end of the phone.
"Yea, someone is in need of a ride into town" she added.
"She needs the ride now! Yes thank you very much" she said, ending the phone call.
She turned to face me. "I'll send him the location, he'll be here any minute" she said, tapping away at her phone I guess sending him the location.
I found myself hugging her, I could feel her body probably tense and shocked that I was hugging her. I broke off the hug to look at her, I thought as much, her face was wrapped in shock.
"It's okay Pauline, you don't have to be so shocked" I said, trying to make her loosen up and feel more comfortable.
"You're an Angel, thank you so much" I said, thanking her. The shock on her face increased when I thanked her. She had a beautiful face, she would pass off being a model without stress, her brown skin was really popping, she was tall, slim and slender, she was way too much to just be a housemaid, she could be so much more.
If she hadn't passed by this place I was not sure about what I was going to do next if I didn't get a ride back into town. It would have been bad, like really bad.
"You're welcome Madame Cassandra" she said, bowing down with a smile on her face.
In the next fifteen minutes, the ride was here, Pauline bade me goodbye as I entered into the car. The journey back into Shadowbrook was four hours long, I just couldn't wait to just get there on time. I got back at shadowBrook at 2:05 PM. I alighted the car, paid off the driver and adjusted my face cap to keep my identity hidden. I entered the orphanage home and all I could see was chaos and panic.
"Mrs Cassandra vitale!" Fiona called out to me, running down the stairs as she held my hand. Her hands were trembling in fear.
"I'm so glad you could come, things are not looking good at all Mrs Cassandra," she said, panicking, sweat beads dripping down from her face.
Fiona Lakewood had been my friend since college, we studied the same course in school, journalism. She had this awesome personality and a character that would make her relate with anybody and everybody that's why I gave her this job as my manager.
"Just breathe, Fiona" I said, demonstrating the breathing method Kevin had taught me when I was having a panic attack. Memories of Kevin flooded my head that instantly, it was then it dawned on me that I had not seen him around today which was strange.
"Let's go into the office" Fiona said, pulling me out of my thoughts after she had finished practicing the slow breathing to calm down her nerves.
We walked up the stairs, I looked down the stairs and could see the fear in the children's eyes. The plan, When I started the orphanage home was to create a safe space for the children and definitely not to stir up fear in their hearts. My heart broke a million times just by seeing the fear in their eyes.
We got into the office, I sat down and waited for Fiona to give me details. She sat on the chair beside me. "So what happened to Susan?" I asked curiously.
Amongst all the children in the orphanage home, Susan was the closest to me. She was smart, bright and lovable. If I had it my way I would adopt her myself.
"Going to pick her up from school like the rest of the older children, she got kidnapped," Fiona explained.
My jaw dropped at the last word she had mentioned. Kidnapped?! In broad daylight?! My brain was beginning to malfunction at this moment. I was gasping for air, I tried the breathing technique Kevin taught me, but right Now it wasn't working. I continued gasping for air, my vision becoming blurry slowly. I couldn't hold myself in the chair anymore, I fell to the ground. All I could think about, how was Susan kidnapped? I thought Anthony's men were always with the children? What's happening to Susan right now? She must be so scared right now.
"Mrs Cassandra!" Fiona called out severally, till I passed out.
The water splashing in my face, bringing me back to consciousness. I stood up from the floor seeing worry all over the children's face. "Mrs Cassandra, are you okay?" Fiona asked, but I was too lost in my thoughts to respond.
Susan, hang on a bit, I'm coming for you. No one messes with my children.
"Mrs Cassandra?" Fiona called out again.
"Sorry Fiona, I'm alright" I replied.
I walked up to the children and knelt down in front of them. They were about a hundred of them in front of me with the exception of the babies. "I'm really sorry about today," I said, pausing .
"I promise to bring Susan back safe and sound. I don't want you to be scared or worried, it's all going to be fine okay?" I said looking at each and every one of them.
"Okay, Mrs Cassandra" they all chorused, they all looked a bit relieved.
I kissed a few of the kids on their forehead.
"I love you all so very much and I'll do anything to protect you guys you understand?" I said, as they all nodded in response.
"You can all go back to your rooms" I said, signaling the matrons to take them to their rooms. As they all silently walked back to their rooms.
I sat on the chair, thinking of a possible way to get Susan back.
"Have you informed the police?" I asked Fiona.
"I called the police immediately, it happened" Fiona replied.
"And what was their response?" I asked.
"They would get back to us," she replied.
The soft knock on the door got our attention, the door opening afterwards and seeing who walked inside, my heart beating a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I wasn't expecting to see him. Anthony walked into the office with his two men behind him. How did Anthony know I was here? A million questions were running through my mind.
"Did you call him?" I whispered, asking Fiona. She shook her head in response saying she didn't.
He walked closer to me and spoke out.
"Cassandra, my darling" Anthony said so sweetly, hugging me tightly.
"What are you doing here, cass?" he whispered, enough for only me to hear. He broke off the hug and flashed a wide smile to Fiona.
"Fiona, it's been a while," he said, smiling at her and shaking her hand. I knew all this was all a facade. If there was anything Anthony hated, it was me disobeying him. He hated it alot.
"Good afternoon, Mr Anthony. It truly has been a while since we've seen you" she said, smiling and shaking his hand.
"I believe you've been running the orphanage home safe and sound?" He asked with a grin on his face. Fiona looked at me and then at him. "Yes, the orphanage home has been running smoothly." She replied, as she almost choked on her words.
"You must have been surprised to see me here right?" He asked, as she nodded in response.
"I came to see my lovely wife, I have missed her alot," he said, looking at me sweetly. Anthony was truly a good actor, the display he was putting on anybody could be fooled by him except for me.
"If you would be so kind enough to leave the room for me and my wife I'd really appreciate it," he said, still smiling. His checks must hurt to be smiling this much.
"Yes, absolutely," She said, walking out of the office and closing the door behind her. He walked over to the chair behind the desk, sat on it and looked up at me.
"So Cassandra, care to explain to me why you disobeyed my orders?" He asked, his arms resting on the table with his hands clasped together.
I swallowed nervously, a lump forming in my throat.