A second chance: Sequel of Against all odds (55 page)

“
Yes
 I know..”

Just then I felt someone
touching my shoulder from behind. I turned around and saw Blake. My
heart jumped in my chest.

“
Cassidy,
can I speak to you for a second, please?” He asked.

Lexie looked at me and shook
her head pleading me with her eyes not to go. I was undecided but
then I accepted.

“
You
shouldn't go.” Lexie whispered.

“
I
have to see what he wants. Don't worry, I won't be long.”

I stood up and strolled
outside the hall. Blake was there waiting for me leaning against the
wall.

“
So
Blake what do you want?” I asked.

“
Just
to give you this.” He said as he gave me a white envelope.

“
What
is it?” I asked confused.

“
It's
from Claire, she wants you to have it.”

I opened the envelope and
inside I saw the photo which she had used to blackmail me with.

“
It's
the only copy so don't worry we don't have another.” Blake
reassured me.

“
I
can't understand, why?”

“
Claire
loves Mr Bayne and she would have never reported him. She was just
trying to get rid of you, thinking you were the problem. Thinking
that if she got you out of the way, he would be hers but she was
wrong... he only loves you.”

“
Oh...”

“
She
has changed school, she won't come here again. She doesn't want to
see him anymore and wants to forget him. It hasn't been easy for her
these days you know. She keeps crying. I hate to see her like this
although I'm happy ..”

“
Happy?”
I frowned confused.

“
Yes..
maybe someday she will realize that I love her.”

My eyes widened as I looked
at him astonished.

“
Blake?”

“
Yes
I know, she's my stepsister, but there is no blood connection. I have
always wanted her, but she never showed any interest in me at least
till now. Who knows maybe in the future...”

“
And
Gloria?” I asked interrupting him.

“
Well,
I guess she was just a distraction. I have left her, and I'm focusing
just on Claire now.”

“
OK...
well thanks for this and I wish you luck with Claire. Really...”

I took a step to leave. I
didn't know why he was telling me all this but he stopped me grabbing
me from the shoulder. I turned around and looked at him...

“
What?”

“
Cassidy
why didn't you tell her?”

“
Tell
her what?” I asked not knowing what he was talking about.

“
If
she had known from the beginning, maybe she wouldn't have done all
this. Maybe she would have just accepted the defeat..”

My eyebrows dipped together
as I frowned in confusion.“What are you talking about?”

“
Why
didn't you tell her you had a daughter with Mr Bayne?”

My jaw dropped. My heart
stopped, and my stomach clenched.

“
What?
What are you saying?” I asked weakly.

“
Yes,
you're his daughter's mother. This would have made a difference. Why
didn't you tell us?” he repeated.

I felt dizzy and without
breath. I was going to pass out.

“
I'm
not Kylie's mum... I'm....”

“
Yes
you are. Mr Bayne told Claire.”

I had to rest against the
wall as my knees began to tremble while I looked at Blake in
disbelief.

“
What's
wrong Cassidy?”

“
I
can't believe this. I'm Kylie's mum... Oh my God.” I cried.

“
You
didn't know... you... how? Oh wait... your memory.. you had told me
you lost your memory. Oh my God...” He shouted shocked.

I put my hands in my hair
and knelt down. I couldn't stay on my feet.

“
Cassidy,
I'm sorry. I didn't know you didn't know.. I...” Blake knelt
next to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“
I
have to go.. I have to go.” I repeated as I tried to pull
myself up. I walked away . I didn't know what to do. I wanted to find
David, to talk to him, ask for an explanation but I couldn't, he was
at damned meeting. I kept walking back and forth in the corridor like
a mad person. Just then Lexie came out.

“
Cassidy
what's wrong. I was worried; you didn't return. Where's Blake?What
did he tell you? You look distraught. Cassidy you're crying. What's
wrong?”

“
Nothing..
But I'm leaving..”

“
Leaving?
To go where? Cassidy.”

“
I'm
going to my mum's house. Yes that's the only place I can go to to
have an explanation..a confirmation..” I said more to myself
than to Lexie.

“
Confirmation
of what?” 

“
I'm
sorry not now... I have to have to run..”

I stormed out of the school
and walked briskly all the way to mum's house. I wanted to arrive as
soon as possible. I couldn't believe this was the truth... although
it did make sense. Kylie loved me so much. She wanted to call me
mummy and David... David has always insisted he loved just one woman
in his life. Oh my God. I didn't know how I managed to arrive at my
mum's house. I was so upset that I didn't even recall passing through
the streets. I stopped in front of her door and I began to knock hard
but she didn't open. Probably she was still at work. I slammed my
hands on the door. I couldn't wait, someone had to tell me the damned
truth. Just then I remembered that I had the key. I could go in and
try to search for a proof. Yes if I were truly Kylie's mum then my
mum would be her grandmother. She would have photos or something of
when she was a baby. I had to find them. I opened the door and went
in. I climbed the stairs and strolled towards my mum's bedroom. I
began to open the drawers and search making a mess of my mum's
belongings. I opened the wardrobe, the dresser, everything. I didn't
find anything. Maybe I was searching for something that didn't exist
after all. Maybe David had lied to Claire just to leave us alone. I
sat down on the bed sighing in exasperation and looked around me. I
had searched everywhere...or nearly? The bed? I hadn't looked in the
bed's storage. I stood up and dragged the mattress away; it was heavy
but I managed. Then I pulled up the wood layer under the bed where
there was the storage. There I saw a box. I took it out, my heart
pounding heavily. I sat down on the floor and opened it. My heart
stopped. There were albums, many of them. I took one, it was pink, it
looked like a baby album. I opened it with trembling hands. The first
photo I saw made my stomach contract. It was of myself pregnant. I
had a really big bump, I seemed happy, I was smiling and caressing my
big tummy. I turned the page, and I saw a bracelet, the one that they
put around babies hands in hospital. There was my name written,
Kylie's name, how much she weighed and her birth date. Tears began to
stream down my eyes. I was truly her mother. I had already a child
with David. Oh my God. How could I leave him when we had a child
together? I kept turning pages, they were all Kylie's photos of her
growing up. Her first tooth, the first time she walked, a curl of her
hair... I trembled while I kept looking. Then there was one of David
holding her. His eyes were so sad. He looked younger, so handsome. I
caressed the photo. I cried and sobbed hard. How could I ever forget
about my child?  Then I saw an envelope, I took it out and
opened it. Inside there was a DVD. I stood up and switched on the DVD
player. I opened the DVD tray and put the DVD in and pressed the play
button. I sat down, my heart jolting. I didn't know what to expect...
I held my breath and looked at the words on the screen. I nearly
fainted. I felt nausea clawing at my stomach as I read the words. I
opened my mouth and covered it with my hand in shock. My eyesight got
blurred with tears. On the screen there was written,THE WEDDING OF
CASSIDY AND TYLER...

“
Oh
my god. Tyler is my husband.” I cried.

Just then the movie began, I
saw myself getting ready. Mum was there helping me. Then I saw myself
going to the church. Tyler was waiting for me at the altar. We
exchanged vows and he slipped the wedding ring on my fourth finger
 and kissed me...

“
NO!!!”
I shouted. My scream echoed in the bedroom. I felt so bad. This was
too much to bear. I had a baby from David and I had left him to marry
Tyler. I couldn't believe this I just couldn't. Why? Why nobody told
me these things? Not even my mother? What did Kylie feel when she
knew that I had completely forgotten about her? What had Tyler felt
seeing me with another man? And David, he had kept loving me even
after I broke his heart marrying Tyler. No... I buried my face in my
knees and cried until my eyes were so swollen that I could barely
open them.

Tyler's POV

It was nearly three. The
bell was soon going to ring. Finally, Cassidy would know the truth.
Yes, it was time to know that I'm her husband. She will return to me
and we can continue with our lives. She will. I had to believe that.
I had to,although deep down I feared she never would...

“
What
are you doing here?”

His deep angry voice pulled
me out of my thoughts. I looked up and saw David in front of me.

“
David.
I have to speak to Cassidy.”

“
Why?”

 “
I
want to tell her the truth. David she will leave you when she 'll
know that I'm her husband. She has always love me in the past.”
I said with a sureness I wasn't feeling.

“
Not
this time. This time she will stay with me. Tyler you better accept
it.”

“
No..
she will know the truth. And don't try to stop me.”

“
I
won't. I agree with you. It's time that she knows. I'll tell her
about Kylie and you tell her about yourself.”

I looked stunned at him. Was
he getting mad? How could he be so sure that Cassidy would stay with
him? He seemed confident. What had changed from the past? We were in
the same position we've been into 7 years before. That day after
graduation we both waited for her reply. We were at her mother's
house, she had stood up, walked towards David and knelt down in front
of him. She had grabbed his hand and crying she had told him she was
sorry. That she couldn't stay with him. That she loved him but she
was choosing me. She had also told him that if the baby was his she
would have never prohibited him from seeing his daughter or son and
that he will forever be a part of her life. I had swallowed. My heart
had raced so much and I had cried with happiness. She had chosen me.
David had broke down. He had cried like a baby, but I wasn't sorry
for him, not a bit. Maybe I should have been, now I knew how much it
hurts to be rejected. And I was afraid that this time I was going to
be the one to cry. Maybe she would still choose him after knowing the
truth.

“
I'll
wait with you Tyler. She will soon be out. We'll go somewhere and
tell her everything OK?”

I nodded. We waited, but
Cassidy didn't come out.

“
Maybe
I should call her?” David said pulling out his mobile.

“
There's
a girl there that keeps looking at you, do you know her?” I
asked looking at the pretty girl that kept gazing timidly at us.
David turned around and..

“
Yes,
that's Lexie, she's Cassidy's friend. Maybe she wants to tell me
something. Lexie!!”

She walked slowly in our
direction.

“
Sir,
Cassidy is not here. She left.” She informed us.

“
Left?
Why what happened?”