His death, was something I had never saw coming, only if I had paid attention to that dream, he died Infront of me then.
And I had thought, that if he was okay after the bullets, he was going to be all fine now, no one would harm him, but who would've thought, it was his death.
When, how and by whom, none of that mattered, only if I had realised it earlier...just a few minutes earlier, maybe I would've skipped going to Kalix, maybe instead of tucking him in for sleep, I would've stayed with him.
But, it was late...too late.
————————————
Within a few days, the marraige talk between my parents and Cassian had begun, and now it had almost been 2 weeks since then.
Cassian didn't take more 10 minutes to accept the proposal, maybe Kalix had insisted him, or maybe manipulated him into marrying me like the original novel, but he seemed happy.
That obnoxious, sadness that usually covered his face when he used to be around me, was gone replaced by a pleasant smile.
Sitting in the VIP lounge, I was sitting on a couch waiting for Cassian to come out of the try room, where he had gone to change into a wedding attire for himself.
My dress was still in pending, and given that the wedding was only a week away, it was quite stressful.
Kalix had shown hurry in the wedding, for him, he was afraid that something might go wrong and that might mess up things, he wanted his sister back so let it be by hook or crook.
The curtains that separated the try room and the waiting lounge slid away as Cassian stood in front of me, in full white tux, his partitioned from more than half and tucked to the side.
They say that a bride's heart is supposed to flutter at a moment like this, but mine wasn't, maybe if it had been Luca then it was possible.
And unfortunately right now it wasn't Luca, but Cassian in front of me.
"So? How does this one look?"
He asked while I looked all over the attire, searching for a small bit that might make me attracted to it, but there was none.
He sighed, after watching the same expressions for the fifth time, it had been almost two hours since we were here, stuck in the try room.
"You know what? Let's do one thing, we first choose a dress for you... and then we will select a suit that matches your gown... okay?"
He was tired and exhausted, I could tell by his tone and hell did I care? no I did not!
"Do whatever you want!" I mumbled.
I may sound heartless but that was what I had turned into, broke, with a heart carved out of a stone.
Even if I tried, I couldn't fix myself and maybe it was impossible to do so anymore.
Cassian was rather patient with me, with the vows, with every single thing related to our wedding.
I was being extra, I know it, but he didn't say a word to me about it.
Did everything on his own, helped Kalix, in every work, every single discussion.
Walking me to the try room, the staff members helped me, in changing into different dresses, each one with different design, beautiful cutting.
The first dress, pearl white with half sleeve blouse with square neck, open back with empire gown.
I stared at myself in the mirror, coverd in white.
The staff woman, who helped me drawed the curtains away, removing the pnly peice of cloth that kept me hidden away from Cassian.
He was sitting on the couch, where I had been sitting before him, lowering the magazine down slightly, he looked at me, scanning me from head to toe.
"Woah!"
Shutting his lips down, he kept looking at me, his tongue rolling against his inner cheek.
"Is this one it?" I asked, not nervously more like tiredly.
"No! Eventhough it's pretty, and suits you but it's not the one, so change it!"
His answer was making me furious, the helper was continuously giving me judgemental stares, and how could she not?
I maybe the first bride to ever be this, bored or unhappy while selecting my wedding gown.
Well after three to four other dresses getting rejected, I was standing infront of the mirror with the sixth dress on me.
Off shoulder sleeves, Basque waistline, a pretty ball gown.
With a lace and net veil that rested on my hair, with a small silver and gem crown.
My hands both were on my waist, my eyes trailing down at every intricate design embroidered on the gown, when my eyes went over my waist, on my hands.
One still wrapped up with bandages and the other, shining with a big red diamond in the centre.
I hadn't still removed it, the heirloom of The Black family, nor had I planned to, but if I had my made my mind on accepting this marriage, accepting Cassian instead of Luca, then isn't it good if I also remove the ring.
Sadly, the question wasn't how was I going to remove it, the question was will I be able to take it, the pain, the agony, the ache?
Taking a deep breath, I removed the ring from my finger, holding it tight in my fist as the helped drew the curtains away, removing the last piece of cover between me and Cassian.
He who was sitting comfortably, using his phone, raised his head slowly after hearing the curtains being dragged away.
His eyes widened, keeping the phone away on his laps, his eyes were glued to me.
"Unbelievable!"
I heard him mutter under his breath, standing up from his place, he walked over to me, and put his hand in his pocket before taking out a velvet blue box.
Opening it, he took out a chain from the box, a pendant.
A tears drop pearl, surrounded by small sapphires and diamonds, with a silver chain.
A heirloom, of Valors.
Walking behind me he tucked my hair to one side and made me wear the pendant.
"Now the outfit is complete."
"You look pretty!"
He whispered in my ear making me duck away slightly from him, maing sure to not look rude, the staff woman was still there looking at us with a smile.
"We are going to take this, and please show me a tux that'll match my finances beautiful gown!"
He chose his tuxedo from many, and purchased some other things with it.
Heels, jewellery, his shoes, and cufflinks.
"We are done with the our outfits, so what's next?"
I shrugged my shoulders at his words.
"Whatever else is remaining."
His face drooped at me response, his shoulders slumped in defeat.
Maybe he has now accepted it, that even with everything he cannot make me happy, he cannot make me feel excited for our wedding.
The ring was still in my hand on my lap, it's gems digging in my palm.
"Can you at least act you're happy?"
He muttered.
"Did you say something?"
Even though I had heard what he said I pretended not to.
"Nothing." Shaking his head, he began driving the car, driving me to the complex he walked with me to my apartment before leaving from the door.
I didn't ask him to stay, didn't ask for water or anything...
Entering my apartment, I was welcomed with a strange floral scent, the same I had smelled the first time at the abandoned farmhouse and then in the guest room.
The thud in my bedroom alerted me, my breath hitching and without wasting a single second I opened the exit door, rushing outside, as I heard someone walked outside behind me, chasing me.
My eyes went at Cassian's figure walking to the elevator, as I screamed his name.
"Cassian!"
He was frozen on his steps and turned around, his eyes widening at me rushing towards him.
Everything was slowing down at its pace, so were my steps and Cassian's worried actions, whether it was him rushing towards me or his hand going behind his back and coming out with a gun or him asking me to duck.
I clashed in his body, his arm wrapping around my waist and three loud shots echoed in the calm oc the corridor.
The three loud gun shots, and Luca's body in my laps, three loud gun shots and the blood splattering on my face.
A painful retching scream left my lips, and involuntarily my hands tightly clutched over his Cassian's shirt.
"Shit-"
His muffled vocie entered my ears, and his arms tightened around me.
There was a groan of a man who was running after me and a thud as his body hit the floor with loud pants.
"Sorry! I...I'm so sorry!"
His other hand went over the back of my head, patting me.
"Take some deep breaths Laurel, I'm sorry!"