The Call
1124 Words
Chapter 2
Cassandra’s pov
“Miss Vale, get up,” I glanced up to see the wife of the senator extending her hands. I was lost in my own confusion that I didn't remember that we have a killer in our midst. “We need to get out of here now.”
I held her hands as support to stand. We joined the other people who were running out of the hall. Just immediately my foot stepped outside the hall, my phone rang. I hurriedly answered without looking at the caller ID. I thought it was my dad. I wanted to tell him everything that had just happened.
“Dad, something happened,” I said quickly into the phone. “Someone was shot right in front of me. They said the company is in danger. I need you….”
“Is this Cassandra Vale?” an unfamiliar man asked.
“Yes. Who is this? Why do you have my father’s phone? Where is my dad?” I started panicking already.
“There’s an accident. Mr. Vale is involved.”
“What kind of accident? What are you talking about? Please, I want to talk to my father, give him the phone.” tears were already gathering in my eyes.
“A car crash. It is very severe.”
I panicked. “Where is he now? Is he already? Give me his location. I am coming right now. Please, take him to the hospital and stay with him. I’ll pay you.”
“We are not at a hospital. We cannot move him.”
“Why can you not move him? Put him in an ambulance right now! Please save my dad!” my voice broke and I started crying. “Please,” I begged.
“He wants to talk to you.”
“Give him the phone. Give him the phone right now!”
I calmed down a bit as I heard the phone shuffling. Then, my father’s weak voice came on the line.
“Cassandra.”
“Dad! I am here. Are you okay? I am coming to get you okay? You’ll be fine.”
“My daughter, listen to me. I don't have much time.”
Those words broke my heart in pieces but I just had to listen to him. “I am listening, Dad. Just hold on. Help is coming soon. They are going to get you out of the car.”
“I love you, my daughter.”
I cried at his words, sniffing and wrapping my running nose with the back of my hands. But the tears wouldn't stop. “I love you, Dad.”
“Please, whatever you do, do not trust anyone…”
“What do you mean? Dad? Who shouldn't I trust? The man at the gala said the exact same thing! He said they are destroying the company. Dad, tell me what is going on!”
He was quiet.
“Dad? Dad, answer me! Please talk to me!”
I screamed, calling him over and over again. “Dad! Dad! Say something!”
The other man answered the phone again.
“Miss Vale?”
“Why did he stop talking? Give the phone back to my father!”
“He’s..” he paused, trying to use the right word I guess.
I was impatient and my heart was beating too fast. “He’s what?”
He’s.. dead.”
“No! You are lying! He was just speaking to me now! Try to wake him up!”
“He is gone, Miss.”
I cried and screamed, dropping to my knees on the sidewalk. I cried into the phone, but the man had already ended the call. My father can't just die. No! It is impossible. He was strong and full of life.
I screamed loudly into the night. After a few minutes, I slowed down a bit, trying to put myself together a bit. I needed someone. I called the only one I could trust and the only one I had loved. I called my fiancé.
He picked up on the third ring.
“Well, well,” Leo said. He sounded mockingly.
“Leo, my dad…” I cried. “There was an accident. He was in a crash. He is dead, Leo.”
“Have you seen your company's stock?”
“What? Did you not hear me? My dad is dead!”
“Is it all over the news. It’s crashing.”
I dried up my tears. “What are you saying, Leo? Why do you care about the stock right now?”
“You might want to check it out yourself. It is falling fast. And also, there’s more. I think you are no longer in charge of the company.”
I didn't understand what he was saying. It doesn't make sense. “I am the only heir. Of course I am in charge. What do you mean?”
“I mean exactly what I said, Cassandra.”
“Where are you? I’m coming over. Please, I need you right now.”
He scoffed. “We are done.”
“Done? What do you mean we are done? We are getting married!”
“You must be a fool to think that. Don't you ever look for me again.”
“Leo, wait! You cannot leave me today! Leo!”
Before I could say another word, he ended the call. I screamed, crying into my hands again. Everything was falling apart. Then, my eyes glanced through the large screen in front of me on the building across the street. I saw the news and Leo wasn't lying. The anchor was talking about Vale Holdings. The stock chart showed a massive red line pointing straight down. It was true.
The news anchor stopped talking, and the screen switched to a live press conference. The most shocking part was that one of the board members, Mr. Richard, was standing at the podium. He looked directly into the camera and issued a warning to me.
“Cassandra Vale is entirely responsible for this,” Richard said. “She has collapsed the company through secret embezzlement and recklessness.”
“That is a lie!” I yelled at the screen. “This is my father’s legacy!”
“She is no longer affiliated with Vale Holdings,” Richard continued. “She is stripped of all power. If she ever comes close to the company, if she ever steps foot on our property, we will have her arrested immediately.”
“No, no!” I shouted. I have lost everything. In less than an hour, my father was dead, my fiancé had abandoned me, and I had been completely thrown out of my own father's empire.
- Writer
