Chapter Four
1019 Words
FOUR YEARS LATER
"This is incredible! You have really turned the company around", Ivan, Cassidy's immediate older brother said as they sat in the conference room in their house.
Cassidy smiled.
"I don't think I'll say it like that, I didn't do much", She said.
"Oh nonsense. Pay-TON Jewelries was the least profitable subsidiary of ours in Nashville. Many times it has been raised in board meetings that we should just close it down", Ivan told her.
"When you came to me and asked me to let you take it over, I honestly didn't have much hope for it but look what a turnaround you've made and in just three years. This is amazing", Ivan complimented her and Cassidy's smile grew wider.
"It makes sense that you and the board would be at a loss for what to do. No one understands jewelry like a woman and no one understands the jewelry of the rich better than a woman who is rich herself", Cassidy pointed out.
"I guess so", Ivan smiled at her.
Cassidy smiled back and took a sip of her coffee.
"Regardless, I'm sure the board members will be pleased when I take this back to Nashville in two days", Ivan said waving the papers in his hands.
"Actually..", Cassidy began as she put down her coffee.
"There would be no need for that. I'll be going to Nashville and I'll take the report to the board myself", Cassidy told him.
Ivan regarded Cassidy for a few seconds, surprised.
"You'll be going to Nashville?", he asked.
"Yes", Cassidy nodded her head.
"Following our sharp increase in sales, Pay-TON Jewelries has been invited to the business summit/ball at the end of the week. I thought I would attend. I am the CEO after all", she explained.
"Oh so it's to attend the ball then", Ivan said.
"Yes that and I was thinking of basing in Nashville for a while", Cassidy said.
Ivan's eyes grew wide in surprise.
"Really?!"
Cassidy had expected this reaction from her brother. After all, when she had gone to him to let her take over the management of Pay-TON Jewelries a year ago after Ryan's birth, she had strongly insisted on working remotely from New Orleans.
"Yes. Pay-TON Jewelries is doing well now but it is a delicate time for the company. I thought it would be better if I was there to handle things more thoroughly"
"You'll be going alone?", Ivan asked.
"No, I'll take Ryan with me"
Ivan blinked.
"And you're sure it's fine?", he asked her.
"Of course"
Ivan regarded his sister for a long time. If she was intending on returning to Nashville with Ryan, it meant she intended to stay there a while. After what happened four years ago, he thought his sister would never want to settle in Nashville for a long period of time again. He couldn't help but be a bit worried.
"You'll return with me then?", Ivan asked.
Cassidy shook her head.
"No. The ball is on Saturday, I'll fly down on Friday"
"Alright then", Ivan said as he took a sip of his coffee, thoughtfully.
Actually, Cassidy had her own ulterior motives for wanting to return to Nashville now but she wasn't about to tell her brother.
Nashville
The plane touched down on the tarmac in the Nashville international airport at exactly 10am on Friday.
As the car drove through the streets of Nashville, Cassidy stared out the window.
Four years! She thought to herself, she hadn't been in this city in four years. Cassidy let herself get lost in the memories and the nostalgia until the body next to her stirring awake pulled her out of her thoughts. Cassidy looked down to see her son, Ryan staring up at her with his huge grey eyes, one of the many resemblances he had with his father. She smiled at him.
"Mommy, are we there yet?", Ryan asked.
"No darling. Soon, you can go back to sleep, Mommy will wake you when we arrive, ok?", Cassidy told him softly.
"Ok", Ryan nodded his head and went back to curling himself up in Cassidy's laps.
Cassidy stared at him for a long time, gently stroking his head. He looked so much like Dave, it made her heart ache sometimes. Not many people knew she had a son. She hadn't told anyone and had stayed in her family home in New Orleans all through the period of her pregnancy. Even after giving birth, she had stayed there, insisting on handling her work in Pay-TON Jewelries from home. She had wanted Ryan to grow up a bit before she returned to Nashville.
Now it had been four years, Ryan was three years old now and Cassidy was ready to put her plans into action.
When Dave had returned from work on that day, four years ago, and found the divorce papers placed neatly on the center table, signed, he had been surprised to say the least. He had thought Cassidy would hold out a bit longer and he had been prepared to fight with her over it till she signed. Hell! He had been prepared for everything that would follow the announcement of his divorce.
His family's questions, his mother's nagging, the curiosity of the press, even blow backs from Cassidy's family which surprisingly never came, he had been prepared for it all. Cassidy had left him alone and had her family's lawyer go through the stages of processing their divorce, he had not seen her even once and that left everything to him but he had handled it all expertly.
What he was not prepared for however, was to attend the business ball he had been invited to only to see Cassidy Peyton again. She looked dazzling in a floor length, sea blue evening gown, their eyes met and Dave saw no emotions, no hint of recognition or acknowledgement in her eyes as her eyes glossed over him and she quickly looked away. What he wasn't prepared for was how Cassidy's blatant act of ignoring him made his heart lurch.
What the hell was wrong with him?
- Writer
