A Love Worth Fighting For

Chapter 5: Time Don’t Meet Time

Zachary Lawson's Pov.

Since I can't bear the thought without hearing from her. I grabbed my phone and texted her. I was so glad that she replied instantly. But it didn't really last long because she had some meetings. I reverted my attention once again to my laptop.

After an exhausting morning, I had a few hours of resting. I grabbed my phone to call Steven. "Where are you?" "I have just arrived. I'm at your apartment now." "Good. Just rest there for a while. I know you are tired from your flight." I heard him laugh from the other side. "Oh. Getting worried about me." He says playfully. "Don't worry. I'm fine. I know you mis-" I ended the call immediately instead of listening to his disgusting words.

While I was waiting for my meeting with Ms. Smith. I decided to call her. Sadly, I couldn't reach her. Her phone is off. I tried to call her secret number that she gave me. "Hello, this is the secretary of Ms. Watson's from Watson's company. How can I help you?" I didn't reply instantly because of annoyance. “This is Cassandra’s boyfriend. Is she there?” “Yes, she’s here.” “Can I talk to her?” “I’m sorry, sir. But she’s currently in the middle of a board meeting.” “Will you let me know when she’s done?” “No problem, sir.” “Thank you.” And I ended the call.

I was eating my lunch in one of the nearest restaurants in the hospital when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pressed the button when I saw it was the number of her secretary. “Is she free now? Oh, god. Finally,” I said before she could even utter a word. "That's what I want to say, sir. I'm sorry, but she will have a lunch meeting within minutes." I felt a sudden pang in my chest hearing that. "Did you tell her, I called?" "Yes, I did, sir." "What did she say?" "She just nodded, sir." Nodded? "Okay, sir. I have to go." "Okay." She ended the call, yet I am still holding my phone. I couldn't move even a little after I heard that she didn't say anything when her secretary told her that I had called.

Cassandra Takahashi Watson’s Pov.

I couldn't help the thought of calling him when my secretary told me that he had called. What can I do when I still have a lot of things to do? "Ma'am, we have to go now or else you will be late for your lunch meeting." My secretary entered my office. I was about to ask her if he called again, yet I chose to be quiet. I got up and headed outside the company.

After our lunch meeting, I went back to my office for my immediate return and went back home early since I didn't have anything to do. I dialed his number. I waited for him to pick it up, but it seemed like he was busy. I tried to call 3 times, but it was just ringing, he was not picking it up. Instead, I texted him. 'If you are not busy, Can I call?’ I waited for a minute for him to reply, but he didn't.

After an hour, I was waiting to hear from him again. I gathered my thoughts to compose the papers that I was making until I saw his name pop up on my screen. I smiled at that thought and didn't think twice about answering the call. "Hey." He just kept silenced. "What's the matter? Are you okay?" Still he didn't answer me. "Zachary?" "Yeah?" "I'm sorry, okay. I know I missed your calls. If I am not just in the middle of an urgent meeting, I do not turn off my phone." "That's not a big deal for me." "Then, what's the matter?" There was a silence between us before he answered. "You know I called your secretary, right?" "Yeah." "She told you I called you, yet you just ignored it." He's right. But I didn't ignore it, I just can't help it. "I want to ask her more about what you said, but I'm at work. I need to focus on my work." "As I am, Cassandra. I can focus on my work at the same time as focus on thinking about you." I don't know what I should answer when it hits me inside. I know we are chasing time because we have a little time zone conflict. I sighed before answering him. "I'm sorry, Zack." "Sorry again, Cass? Bullshit! You know how painful it is for me every time you say 'sorry' without even meaning it?" "Of cou-" "No, don't say that because you don't." "Let me talk." "Then, what?" "I know I messed it up, but I need to work. I have got a lot of meetings on my schedule, plus we have a new store that we are planning to build." "I don't care. It's not affecting me. What I need is you to need me." "I can't." "See? You can't because all this time you are not taking it seriously. All this time I am nothing to you. All this time-" "Can't you f*****g listen to me this time? I can't because if I did, I couldn't help myself crave you. I can't help myself from begging you to come back and stay with me." Tears started to fall in my cheeks. "Then if you don't care, let's stop it." I continued. "Wai-" I ended the call. He tried to call me once again, but I just let my phone ring in front of me.

Zachary Lawson's Pov.

I tried to call her for 5 f*****g consecutives, and she didn't answer. I should listen to her sometimes. I am too dumb. Now, I don’t know what I should do when I f**k it up again. I immediately dialed the number. “Wherever you are now, meet me at the club. I f*****g need something to heat my throat.” “What happened, dude?” “Not now. I’ll f*****g tell you when you go to the club.” I immediately ran down and called a cab.

I drank 5 bottles of golden grain 190, and it felt like it didn’t have any effect on my body. “Aren’t you going to tell me?” Steven demanded. “You almost finished the bottles that we were ordering, yet you are not saying anything if what f*****g happened to you.” “I messed it up again.” “Huh? What do you mean? Is it about your girl?” I didn’t answer his question. “Earlier I called her secretary, and it seemed like she didn’t give a f*****g damn care about it-” “Oh, that’s pretty painful.” “Can you f*****g shut up first and let me tell the story?” I give him a death glare. “Oh, chill.” “I don’t she doesn’t care, but when I called her earlier she explained to me everything, but it’s too late because I f****d it up. I told her painful words that she didn't deserve.” I waited for him to react, and he didn’t, so I continued. “She ended the call. I tried to call her again, but she was not answering. f**k!” I straight drank the bottle of golden grain 190. I turned my gaze to him and I saw him smiling. What the f**k is his problem? Why is he smiling? “Why are you smiling, Steven? Did I give you a f*****g permission to smile?” “I just can’t help myself from smiling and seeing you falling in love deeper. See? If you hadn't tried before to get her you wouldn't be like this.” “What’s your point, Steven?” I asked impatiently. “It’s okay if you act like that because you love her. You are just showing how much you love her.” “But it’s too much. I hurt her and I hate that thought.” He continues advising me, and we continue drinking for more battles until it has a strong effect on my body.

I'm on my urge right now to call her phone, but I can't because I know it's still 5 am in California. All of this is my fault. f**k! Every time I hold my phone, I expect her to send me a text or even call me, but neither happened. When I was about to return my phone in my pocket, her name showed on my screen, 'Cassandra's calling'.

"Hey, Cass." "Hey." "I'm so sorry for putting you into this. I'm sorry for making it difficult for you-""No, I should be the one apologizing for turning my back on you-""No, you didn't do anything. It was me. It was me who didn't try to understand you." "Okay, let me talk this time. I'm sorry, I choose my work over you. I'm sorry I didn't meet you on time. It is just complicated." "Yeah, it is. I understand that." "Btw, don't you have work right now?" "I have. It will be starting within a minute." "Is it okay that I am calling?" "No one goes before you. You are my top priority, baby." I heard her chuckle when I called her 'baby'.