In out and back in love with you.

9. It’s all coming back to me

-Hello, Alexander.

Cassie's voice crossed the room, firm and professional jet somehow sensual.

-Motherf***er- Edward said almost in a whisper but loud enough Cassandra could hear.

Alexander’s face was a poem, there was surprise, excitement, nostalgia, confusion, anxiety and even some sadness. No one had ever seen so many emotions in the CEO's face.

Cassie remained standing firm in front of him, with a raised eyebrow and a smug smile on her lips, although inside a storm of emotions was brewing as all their memories came rushing back to her, like a flash.

Cassandra came out of her revery when she heard a camera shutter sound somewhere behind her back. When she turned around, she could see Monica putting something in her pocket. Was that a camera?

- Sorry- Came Monica's apology though you could see in her face she was everything but.

- What is this woman doing here? - Edward asked a little too loud.

- I was hired to do a comprehensive audit, so naturally I'm here to do my job - Cassie replied in a tone that take no prisoners.

- Mind telling me who hired you. - Edward's voice was dripping poison.

- Ouh, that would be me- Monica told him, suddenly in a cheerful mood.

- Well, you shouldn't have, this kind of matters only Alexander or I can approve. - Edward tried again.

- I was the one who hired her, but Alexander approved, so... - Monica looked at her cousin for confirmation but before he could answer Edward approached Cassandra and told her in the most ironic tone.

- Well, as you can see, I don't agree so if you have an ounce of decency left.

- WATCH IT!!!!- Alexander hissed furiously, the protective instinct took him out of his previous astonishment, a protective instinct only one person awakened in him, and that was his Baby Face. Not he’s, though, not anymore…

- Ok I get it, that was rude, I'm sorry, I'm just surprised, that's all, you side blinded here!!! - Edward apologized to his business partner but his false apology didn’t deceive anyone.

- Well, it’s done, got it? done, signed and delivered. Let it go. - Looking at Alexander's icy expression, Edward knew he couldn't do a damn thing, at least not now, so he just looks at the young consultant and warn her.

- Let me be clear about this, I don't agree with this, we don’t need this, and if we did, hire you wouldn’t be mi first choice.

Cassandra wasn't going to back down, she didn’t even flinch, she was holding her ground, with her chin up and her poker face, if there was something she hated with passion was a man who wanted to browbeat her.

- I'm only here to do a job, a preventive one at that, I'm not here to cut heads off, what are you afraid of? -She didn't hesitate, she told him her intentions head-on and knew what Edward was doing, he was sizing her up, and it would be too late for him when he finally realized he was going to fall short. Now, put under the spotlight Edward couldn't say anything, if he did Alexander could think he was hiding something, and he was, but he couldn't lose face.

- You're reading too much into it- he said and went out slamming the door behind him.

- Well, that went well. - Monica tried to lighten the atmosphere.

- Monica! Long time no sees! Guys, this is Monica; she is the finance manager, and this is Alexander, he is the owner of MTC & associates. - Cassie looked at her team, with a bright smile, the consultants had been standing behind her during the confrontation, ready to jump in defense of their leader.

- Excuse me. - Alexander said before leaving the boardroom as if his ass was on fire.

His sudden departure shouldn't have hurt but it did. As soon as Alexander left, Mónica ran to Cassie and hold her tight, then started scrutinizing her team, she took a good look at them all, but she stops when she saw Anthony, maybe Cassandra’s eyes were deceiving her but she could swear Monica blushed and then quickly compose herself.

- Good God girl, we're happy you're here! The finance expert said

- Yeah, I can tell!!! -Cassie replied with all the sarcasm possible.

- Oh, don't mind Edward, you know why he doesn't want this audit.

- I didn't mean Edward... -Cassie's tone was bitter

- Do you mean Alex? he's thrilled you're here; he was just… a little surprised, that's all...- Suddenly Monica was nervous.

Cassie felt confused. He had hired her, didn’t he? or at least he had approved her hiring: Alexander himself signed the contract, she saw it, it was HIS signature, she would recognize that signature among thousands, so, why would he be surprised? Unless...

- Mónica, Alexander knew I was the one hired for the job, right???

- Miss Donovan, my dear friend, do you think I'm capable of hiding something like that from my dearest cousin? - and she said it with such an innocent expression that Cassie doubted her suspicions, but she had to know.

- Ok, Mon, answer the question. Did or didn’t Alexander know I was coming?

- Well… I'm sure I sent him your contract, and the name of your firm is there, right? but I don't think your name has SPECIFICALLY come up in the conversation. - Her old friend told her.

- Monica!!!! I thought he knew!! - Now she understood, he didn't know!

- Augh, Tomato, tomato, you're here!! We need you, how it happened it's not important. - Monica was practical like that, she always was.

- Okay, you're right, I'm already here anyway, and I'm not the one who could be murdered for this, so... let me introduce my team: Amanda will review regulatory compliance, Sonia here, is my expert in general process, she's going to focus on traceability, Erick is my star accountant, I think he will work best with Henry, he can track anything. I'm with you, we're going to focus on finances, and I want to see your budget sheet and set some traps. - Cassandra was certain Edward was going to get nervous but not enough to stop stealing, so she was going to leave baits here and there, and when the cunning fox strike, she was going to hunt the wretch without mercy.

- And this handsome boy here? - Monica asked referring to Anthony who rewarded her with a flirtatious smile.

- Anthony is my best Chameleon, he reinforces all positions but will start with IT security breaches- Cassie said with pride of her best apprentice.

- Oh, I’ll let him reinforce me alright- Monica said shamelessly.

- I'll reinforce you anyway I can be of service, Ma’am - Anthony replied and it was so unusual, in all the time he had worked for Cassie, she had never seen him flirt with anyone, much less a client.

- Down boy! she's married. - Cassie stopped him.

- I AM NOT!!!! Monica exclaimed indignantly.

- What? I’m sorry honey, when you told me you were on maternity leave, I assumed...

- Cassie! Please!! To have a baby you don't need a man!! - Was she serious?

- Actually, my friend, YOU DO!!! - Cassie sneered.

- No, you don’t, at least not the whole man- Monica replied, winking.

The day went by quickly, Monica integrated teams with Cassie’s consultants and trusted personnel from her own company, each one began to work on their own reviews and soon the time to go home arrived, or hotel, in Cassandra's case.

They had spent a whole day away from home and for Cassie a day away from her children was torture, so she called home. Arthur answered at the first ring.

- Hello cowgirl!! What news from Texas? - The old man had a sense of humor, that’s for sure.

- Hi daddy. How are my little monkeys!!! Did they do well at school? Do they miss me? - The young mother's questions came one after another.

- Hey, slow down, everything’s fine my love, that school is wonderful, today I went to see them swimming, and they look wonderful in that pool, they are as happy as can be, they did their homework and now we are making spaghetti for supper. If they miss you? nah, I don't think they've noticed you’re gone, hahaha. - Arthur said knowing that would irk her.

- Dad!!! You are unbelievable, but seriously, thank you… for everything. - And she meant it, if not for Arthur, Cassie would have shipwrecked long ago.

- Is it mom? - Ethan's little voice was heard in the distance.

- Here’s Ethan. - And before the grandfather could say anything else the little boy snatched the phone from him.

- Mommy guess what!! Today I played on the swings and made a new friend, his name is Robin, and his dad is a liar. -Ethan said sounding a little unsure with his last word.

- Hahaha you mean Lawyer, my love, the word’s lawyer- Cassie corrected tenderly.

- Grandpa says it's the same thing, so- said the boy dismissably.

- I'm sure grandpa was joking love; Grandpa has a twisted sense of humor sometimes.

- Ok mommy, I must make spaghetti sauce, So I must go, Here's Chelsea, love you, bye- Ethan said in what seemed like a breath.

- Hi Mom! How’s Texas? - Chelsea’s calm voice got to Cassie.

- Hey my beautiful girl!! Texas is fine, I guess, a little too warm for my taste - And it’s even hotter with a beautiful, amber-eyed man in the same building, argh, the young woman thought.

- Hey Ma, I'm going to have a spelling contest on Wednesday, you gonna see me? When you coming back? - Chelsea sounded nostalgic, the girl was very self-sufficient, but she also missed her mother, after all she was only eight.

- Oh baby, I won’t be back so soon, but I'll tell you what, I can ask grandpa to make a video call so I can see you in the contest, okay? We’ll Study hard and you're going to win the contest!! - It was one of the things Cassandra hated about traveling, being away from her little ones, but a girl must do what a girl must do.

- Really?! Are you going to be on the phone throughout the contest just to see me?? Promise? - her firstborn asked, excitement lace her voice.

- Of course I wouldn't miss it. Let's do something, why don't we practice some words while I have dinner in my room, right now -Besides, that way she wouldn't feel lonely through dinner.

- Ok, I have my notepad right here so…the first word is… “development": D-E-V-…

The mother and daughter duo practiced for 30 minutes, while Cassie ate dinner in her hotel room, she was so happy talking to her daughter she even called the front desk to order dessert. Chelsea informed her, her grandfather had called her for dinner already, so they only had time for just one more word.

- Ok Mom, the last word is... "forbidden": F-O-R... - While Chelsea spelled "forbidden" someone knocked on the door, great! Her dessert was here! So, Cassandra went to open the door with the phone still on speaker, and dressed only in her nightgown, while listening to her daughter spell. But when she opened the door, her brain stopped working …that was NOT room service.

-D-E-N: Forbidden, Mom? Mommy? Are you there? Did I spell it right? "Forbidden." - Her daughter's voice brought her back to reality.

- Yeah, yes baby, you're right "forbidden." - Cassie said while looking at the amber eyes of the man in the hallway... Alexander.