Chapter 15 CASSANDRA The following afternoon, they touch down in Barcelona, Spain. Cassandra is a bundle of nerves about meeting Emilios mom, but he seems cool as a cucumber. Hes been glued to his iPad and phone since they left New York early this morning on his private jet. Now theyre on the road to Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, and hes hardly spoken a word to her. Emilio? Hmm? he replies, not even glancing her way. Hes not even noticing me, Cassandra thinks. A few moments later, she feels his hand gently turning her face towards him. Whats up? he asks. She shakes her head. Why do I get the feeling youre not being straight with me? Cassandra lets out a sigh. What do you think your mom will say when she meets me? I bet she doesnt want an American redhead for her son. Emilio strokes her cheek. My mom is super down-to-earth. Just be yourself. As the car starts to slow, Cassandra spots a large, stunning glass house perched on a mountain. They follow a winding road, ascend a lengthy driveway, and finally stop in a roomy courtyard. Emilio hops out and opens her door, and Cassandra unhooks Alexs car seat. Her fiancé then takes the car seat from her and strides up to the front door. Her head jerks up when she hears the doorbell echo through the enormous house. Cassandra shifts uneasily on her feet as the door swings open to reveal a stunning woman. Shes about a foot taller than Cassandra and shares Emilios olive skin, but her hair and eyes are a light brown. Shes dressed in white pants, a white blouse, and a red jacket. The woman grins warmly at Emilio, pulling him into a hug. My handsome boy. This is his mom? She looks so young and vibrant. Emilio pecks her cheeks. Mama, you should be resting. I couldnt wait to see my boy. She glances at Cassandra. This must be my future daughter-in-law. Mama, this is Cassandra, my fiancée. Cassie, this is my mom, Emilia Rodriguez. Rodriguez, Cassandra says. Its a pleasure to meet you. Was that a tremor in her voice? Shes absolutely stunning. Isnt she a bit young for you, though? his mom asks. Emilio chuckles. Mama, Cassie is a grown woman; shes twenty-four. Im sorry, she says to Cassandra. You do look young. Its okay, a lot of people make that mistake. Must be my height. Rodriguez steps aside. Where are my manners? Come in, she says. They step into a foyer thats as big as a bedroom. While Cassandra gazes up at the massive, crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, Emilio and his mom continue on, the latter seemingly unaware that hes carrying a car seat. Go on, she calls back to Cassandra. Dont be shy. Cassandra is led into a vast living room with plush, gray carpet. One wall features a gorgeous fireplace and a large flat screen TV. In the center of the room is an L-shaped couch and two chairsall whitewith a glass coffee table in the middle. The light streaming in through the glass walls gives the large space a breezy feel. Across the living room, Cassandra can see the kitchen and the dining room next to it, both with tile floors. The dining room has sliding doors that lead out to a terrace and an outdoor pool, and there are stairs off the kitchen that likely lead to the bedrooms. Emilio sets the car seat on the living room carpet. Ill be right back, he says, then he joins his mom in the kitchen. Cassandra can hear them chatting as she sits on the couch. If only she knew Spanish. A woman enters carrying a tray of tea. Greetings, she says, placing the tray on the table. Good day, she replies. The woman nods and leaves. Cassandra sees Alexs bottom lip start to quiver. Realizing hes about to cry, she rummages through his bag for his bottle but cant find it. It must still be in the car, she thinks. Cassandra stands up to unstrap Alex from his seat and head to the car, but a second later, his cries echo through the room. She gently pats his back to soothe him, but it doesnt help. You must be hungry, my boy, she whispers, just as Emilio walks in holding his bottle. Thank you, she tells him. After taking the bottle, Cassandra sinks back down on the couch and feeds her son. The moment his mouth latches onto the bottle, he quiets down. Emiliano…? Cassandra hears Emilios mom say. The womans eyes dart back and forth between them. She slowly walks over to them and stares at Alex, then looks back at her son. Rodriguez turns her gaze back to Alex and sits down next to Cassandra. She cant take her eyes off the boy. Its like Im looking at Emiliano when he was this age. Her eyes well up with tears. Is he yours? she asks her son. Emilio walks over to them. Yes, Mama, meet your grandson. I wanted to surprise you. Oh, Emiliano, hes so precious. Hes stolen my heart already. Her tears roll down, and she wipes them away. How Ive longed to see this. I thought I was going to die without seeing my only son happy, but God has answered my prayers. Dont talk about death, Mama, Emilio says. Kneeling before her, he takes her hands in his and kisses them. I still need you, Mama. Youll have a wife soon wholl take good care of youwhat do you need me for? Mother, please. My sweet boy, Im so happy youre content. Thanks for hearing me out. Lets catch up later, okay? Right now, spend some time with your grandson. Ill show Cassie around the house. Cassandra hands Alex to his grandmother and follows Emilio. As they walk through the house, she learns that the main living spaces are on the second floor, above the garage, complete with a full bathroom. The third floor houses five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and two of them are master suites with walk-in closets and dressing rooms. The fourth floor boasts a sauna, gym, movie room, and a heated indoor pool. The fifth and final floor has two additional bedrooms with their own bathrooms and balconies, as well as a studio room and a secondary living room. Cassandra is taken by the stunning views of the city and the ocean. The glass walls in the upper bedrooms let in a flood of natural light and offer a panoramic view of the lush gardens, pristine lawn, extravagant pool, and expansive deck. Waking up to such beauty every day would be a dreammaking love on the balcony, feeling the cool breeze against her warm skin. Cassandra lets out a sigh. How can she continue this charade of loving Emilio? How can she deceive a woman who is so pure, so genuine and honest? How can she? She turns to Emilio. I dont think I can lie to your mom about us being in love and happy. Shes a good woman, and its clear she loves you deeply. Its not right for us to trick her. Cassie, were not having this conversation again. My mom doesnt need any more stress; she just had a heart attack. What do you think will happen if I tell her we dont love each other and are only getting married for Alex? Shell have a breakdown, and if that happens, I wont hesitate to hold you responsible. I think Ive made my point. Emilio heads back downstairs, leaving her alone in the hallway on the third floor. She just had a heart attack. So thats why they couldnt have the wedding in New York; she needs to take it easy. Emilio must be worried. One thing is clear: hell do whatever it takes to keep her happy. Title: Crimson Revenge: Bride Sacrifice (English-dubbed) Embark on a riveting journey with Misty, a fresh police academy graduate, as she fearlessly undertakes a perilous mission to infiltrate the enigmatic 'Divine Marriage' ritual in Florals Village. Disguised as a Florals Maiden, she plunges into the depths of the mysterious Florals Cave with secrets lurking at every turn. Immerse yourself in a tale of deception, vengeance, and intrigue as Misty navigates through the shadows of betrayal and unearths shocking truths that threaten to unravel her very existence. 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