Chapter 52: Jin and Cassandra
The next day, Ivy decided to take a taxi over to Cassandra's boutique as she was still unfamiliar with the roads in Landsfield to drive around although she really wanted to but decided to not ask her busy brothers about which car she could drive.
The moment she stepped out of the taxi in front of the boutique, she was once again captivated by the mysterious disguise of the boutique which looked exactly like a subway station. The doorbell was heard ringing as the door of the boutique opened and Cassandra came out in her maxi dress elegantly with her half-tied hair and a wide smile, greeting her half excited and half politely. "Older sister! Come in!" Cassandra urged as Ivy smiled and walked over with her.
"Cassie, just call me Ivy…" Ivy giggled as she stepped into her boutique while Cassandra nodded. Ivy could smell the fragrance of the brewing tea from the corner of the boutique.
"Let's have some tea first?" Cassandra invited Ivy. Ivy nodded and couldn't help but wonder if her guess was right about the tea's origins as she often smell the same aroma when her grandma was still around.
"Are these freshly roasted green tea leaves from the hills of Camille in Manes?" Ivy prompted while taking a seat opposite Cassandra. Cassandra smiled knowing Ivy knew quite a lot about tea. "Yes… It's given by your Uncle James… He has a manufacturing production on fresh tea leaves which comes from his plantation and is exactly where you said…" Cassandra explained as she poured the tea out into two cups while Ivy inhaled the fragrance of the tea.
Ivy wondered if her grandma was always in contact back then with her father secretly or even with her Uncle James in this case as she observed the view from their window. She noticed the view was strange as it should have been the subway but they could view the street in front of them. The visual looked like a recording but she didn't mention anything about her doubts in case it offended Cassandra. Instead, Ivy tried to focus back on her family.
Cassandra noticed Ivy must have figured out the view they were looking at wasn't exactly the view outside instead it was a recording of the boutique's hidden CCTV in front of her store so that she would know if there were visitors. Cassandra was prepared to reveal anything to Ivy so long as Ivy asked as, after all, Cassandra knew the reason Ivy's family was protecting her from so many brutal truths. After all, Ivy was still new to the family, and to be burdened with so much negativity might cause her to stray away eventually. Besides, Cassandra's business secret trades were all taught by Peter and soon Ivy would also pick up those skills along the way of being trained under Peter. Cassandra beamed thinking about it and couldn't wait for that day to come.
"You sure know a lot more about my family than I do…" Ivy said solemnly as she lifted the cup to sip on the tea.
It was refreshing and kept her calmer as Cassandra looked at Ivy happily. "I do… They were after all just like my family too…" Ivy put down her cup on the saucer. "Tell me more... I have time today…" Ivy gave a welcoming smile.
"And what is it that you have been very curious of?" Cassandra asked with a mysterious smile as Ivy pondered a moment.
"Let's start with you first then... How did you meet my family?" Ivy questioned curiously.
"It… wasn't very pretty I should warn you first…" Cassandra said as she put down her cup of tea onto the saucer. "I could relate… Neither was my history…" Ivy smiled primly as Cassandra took a deep breath.
"I had a broken family from an abusive father to a mother who had succumbed to her injuries of being constantly being abused. I nearly had the same fate as my mother if it weren't for Uncle James who saved me from being sold to the human traffickers by my father who had turned into a druggie after my mother's passing..." Cassandra explained solemnly as Ivy try to sympathise with her situation.
"I'm sorry to hear about it, Cassie…" Ivy expressed as Cassandra waved at her. "It's long ago… Not to worry… At least, things are much better now... Even for you too" Cassandra quickly shrugged it off before her emotions get overwhelmed by directing the conversation at Ivy. Despite the incident happening many years back when Cassandra was still a teenager, no one could escape the haunting of their own notorious childhood memories.
"Uncle James…" Ivy took a sharp inhale before continuing. "Seems to be a nice person despite the nature of his job…"Ivy said trying to stay composed as she noticed Cassandra was deliberately trying to change the topic.
"He is… The only reason he didn't keep me by his side as his stepdaughter was because he feared his enemies would one day come after my life. Hence, he sends me to your gentle father. Uncle Peter is a brilliant businessman. I'm sure you could tell from his company's performance and I hope you take after him. And mind you, real estate isn't the only company he owns. I'm sure he owns more with Uncle James..." Cassandra noticed Ivy's skeptical look as Ivy squinted her eyes half wondering what other businesses were there and if they were any illegal acts involved.
"Worry not… They are with the thugs for a reason… I'm sure by now you have already met every one of your relatives. Aside from Uncle James and Uncle Peter, the other two siblings are practically living off them both, especially your Uncle Charles. He is forever scheming and shouldn't be a trusted person at all…" Cassandra said with disgust as Ivy nodded in agreement.
"I could tell in fact… after whom he brought along last night to a private family dinner…" Ivy said as she took another sip of tea.
"Oh, you mean Jeremy Rahi? He is a notorious playboy mind you…I'm sure you would have known since you're that close with his brother…" Casandra said as Ivy smirked. "I'm not surprised… And you really know a lot, Cassie… Does Jin fill you in on every single detail?" Ivy asked feeling a little uncomfortable at how vulnerable she was that every single detail of her personal matters Cassandra knew. However, Ivy knew Cassandra wasn't harmful to her although Ivy believed Cassandra can be ruthless when she wanted to be.
Cassandra chuckled. "Not really but in fact, I have my own sources… When we are in the business industry, we need the thugs to keep things amicable among those in power as well as other thugs who would come to harm us… Hence, news travel like fire underground. Worry not, again I would like to stress, that Uncle James may be retired and may have done tonnes of bad stuff back then but he only seeks justice for those who deserve it. He doesn't harm the innocent like what Uncle Charles does…" Cassandra said with much hatred. Ivy wanted to pry further but thought she should retreat as Cassandra seemed to be a little tense. Ivy took her cup of tea for a sip as Cassandra began to calm down and did the same as her mind wandered to who else she missed out on and was reminded of their indigenous Auntie Patricia.
"If you are wondering about your Auntie Patricia… She may be obnoxious and caring about her reputation most of the time but that's just about it… She is all talk mostly but is harmless…" Cassandra smiled as Ivy nodded as she thought to herself. "Looks like the loudest are always the harmless ones…"
In order to not keep things so tense, Ivy decided to shift the attention back to Cassandra and Jin. "I see… Point noted… So, tell me how did you meet my twinnie?" Ivy teased Cassandra as Cassandra smiled wider noticing more similarities between Ivy and Jin. They both are great at reading and observing situations. "No wonder, they are both nicknamed as twins…" She thought to herself.
"Where else if it wasn't in the real estate business? Am sure you heard plenty about it?" Cassandra was testing the depth of knowledge Ivy had discovered. "Hmm... Mind you, my twin is secretive. I haven't heard much… Fill me in please…" Ivy giggled as Casandra raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
"I'm surprised to learn about the extent of his low profile even with his siblings…" Cassandra exclaimed jokingly as Ivy chuckled. "Guess he really shares all of his secrets with you alone… Bet there is a lot of history both of you had gone through together…" Ivy teased as Cassandra smiled with a touched look. Cassandra reminisce about her past with Jin and knew all along that Jin was like the light at the end of her dark and cruel tunnel.
"Well, each of the brothers was in the sales team first for the experience of starting from the bottom to know the operations. I'm very surprised your dad bypassed that process for you but again perhaps it was because of the experience you had previously in your internship with the Rahi. Anyway, when I first join the team, it was Jin's turn to join the sales team whereas Ray was taking over the higher management part from Uncle Peter. At that point in time, Ryu was still too young… Not even teenager age yet. Your dad only allow them to participate in business matters the moment they turned thirteen. Therefore, the rest was history as you can see at present…" Cassandra took a sip of tea as Ivy smiled and nodded as she listened in curiously.
"What made you got attracted to Jin or rather what was it that made him attracted to you?" Ivy prompted as she chuckled watching Cassandra smile sweetly.
"I'm sure you know how charismatic Jin is when he is serious at work. I suppose that's the plus point when I had a smart partner in my sales team. We both were always in competition to hit top sales that I suppose the rivalry had turned into something I dare not and never expected myself." Cassandra beamed as she explained. Ivy knew she would be at ease from now on with Cassandra as her explanation had confirmed from the beginning that Ivy was right about Cassandra being a trustworthy person who would last long with Jin. Ivy took another sip of tea from her cup as she watched Cassandra indulging herself in her memories.
"Thanks for the details… My dad hasn't allowed me to know much about the family but thanks to you for filling me in… At least I know what to do and say around my family and daddy…" Ivy thanked her sincerely as Cassandra nodded in acknowledgment.
"Well, if you want to thank me, come, help make justice to my creation, especially for you…" Cassandra stood and led her down the aisle to the end of the boutique and revealed to Ivy her outfit for tomorrow's ceremony.
"After a long time thinking about it… guess you might agree, maroon for tomorrow?" Cassandra said as she sat on the table by the side with a leg swinging while crossing her arm while Ivy stood in front of the maroon jumpsuit admiring every detail on it. It looked simple and professional just the way Ivy liked as she gave Cassandra an "ok" sign before heading to fit it. "Cassie… You're very charming and you know me too well… I am beginning to suspect if you stalk me before…" Ivy teased as Cassandra laughed out loudly. "With time, Ivy, you would learn more about your lovely family too I hope…" Cassandra said humbly as they both continued to spend the entire afternoon together in the boutique being deep in conversation like sisters that it slipped Ivy's mind about Andrew and Sandra's arrival in the evening.
"It was beginning to feel more like home…" Ivy thought on the way back home as she smiled watching the breath taking sunset along the way.