Cara's heart still beating hard after realizing that she did not have a bad dream last night. She is, in fact, living in a nightmare.
"Sakalam? What are you talking about?" Cara furrowed her perfect eyebrows as she asked Ashton.
He leaned back and opened his office table drawer. Ashton took a small mirror and positioned it in front of Cara's face.
She gasps for air as she could not believe her eyes, literally could not believe her eyes. How her dark brown eyes turned bluish grey.
"The powers I told you about earlier are typical of any witch, but only you; the Sakalam would bear super strength and your spells ten folds more powerful than a normal one. And your eye color change is the mark; the mark of the Sakalam." Ashton said with a straight face.
"hahaha" Cara started laughing so hard her tummy started to ache. "You are such a talented actor, boss. Is this a prank? Where is the camera?" Cara finally stopped laughing when she saw Ashton's serious face.
"You are not joking?" Cara wanted to make sure.
He firmly shook his head. "No. I am not the type of person who wastes my time on jokes." Ashton stood up and sat beside Cara. He gaped at her. "What is your name?" Ashton asked her.
"Cara. Cara de Luna." She briefly answered.
"Cara, if I was joking; do you have a better explanation about what happened to you?" Ashton was slowly making Cara realize how her life is changed forever, starting last night.
She took a deep sigh and started crying. "What the hell is happening to me? I don't want this." Cara said as she wiped her tears.
"Calm down. I know it is hard for you to understand everything now and I assure you it will not get better so get a hold of yourself because I don't want this too." Ashton said, like he means business.
Cara nodded and bluntly asked Ashton. "Can I trust you?"
He sneered at her as if she offended him. "Do you have a choice?" He stood up and went behind his desk. He pressed a button and suddenly the shelf behind him opened; exactly like those cool movies with hidden rooms.
It stunned Cara that she had to pinch her arm just to make sure she isn't dreaming. There is too much going on since last night, and this one is the coolest by far. Ashton motioned to her to follow him, and she did without a second thought.
"Interesting. I thought you have cool gadgets here that you have to get this cool room." Cara mocked Ashton as she looked around. "Oh look, what do we have here? Yeah, just as I thought; more books! Yippee!" Cara made light of the situation, as there is nothing much to do at this point.
"All the books here are for you and about you." Ashton replied to Cara.
Her jaw dropped to the floor after hearing what Ashton just said. "Do you mean I have to read all of these?" She asked Ashton while still in disbelief.
"Well, if you want to understand your being. It is totally up to you." He said, while pointing at her from head to toe. Cara felt naked the way Ashton pointed at her; as if he knows her better than she knows herself.
"I… I suppose you know all of these already. Why don't you just explain everything to me?" Cara stuttered, thinking her lazy ass excuse won't cut it to the arrogant and strict boss.
Ashton flinched a bit and took a deep sigh. "Okay." His short answer was unprecedented. Never did Cara expect him to be this easy to convince.
"Oh, Boss. I did not know you were so easy to convince. You might as well get me a hot cup of tea while we discuss these books." Cara made fun of Ashton.
"Ahh…"Ashton exclaimed as he clenched his fists and slammed the table hard. "Okay." He said as he left Cara in the room to get a hot cup of tea.
It flabbergasted Cara how she was able to convince Ashton with a few hints of hesitation. Nevertheless, he still did it. Ashton left the room with heavy feet. Cara can't help but chuckle looking at this grown man, pout his luscious lips like a kid who was told to go to his room and sleep.
Cara walked around the library since there is nothing much left to do here but to accept the situation as it. She literally feels like she's going insane. Crying, giggling, confused, and hungry, although surprisingly not tired all at the same time.
"What the fudge am I doing here?" She lightly mumbled as she looked around the vast library. Everything that has happened is too much to digest right now, however it does not leave her with much choice but to accept the changes coming her way.
While walking around, one book caught her eye. It is as if her instinct is pushing her to get that book. She pulled it out of the shelf. The book was thick but unusually light; it was old but well preserved. She gently opened it and saw the intricate hand writing. Author; it was Amadeus Crafter.
"He is my great grandfather." Ashton said as he walked closer to Cara and handed her the cup of tea she asked for.
"Thanks for this." Cara smiled at him, feeling guilty for pressuring him to get her a cup of tea. She handed the book to Ashton, and she noticed his effort in holding the enormous book.
"tsk, such a weakling." She muttered under her breath as she felt like his broad shoulders and ripped muscles do not translate to his strength.
"ring, ring,"
Cara almost dropped the cup she was holding when her phone rang. She took out her phone from her pocket and looked at the broken screen of her phone. She tried swiping the answer button, but the shattered screen was a challenge to do such a simple task.
"Finally, you answered!"
It was Theo. His furious tone sent shivers down Cara's spine. Theo is such a big brother to her that she will surely hear an earful from him for not going home on time.
"I'm sorry. I broke my phone last night. I'm really sorry, I can explain everything later." Cara's flimsy excuse was something she immediately regretted when she heard the older Willis.
"You better have a good explanation." Uncle Thomas grabbed the phone from Theo and warned Cara of her behavior.
"I… I,"
Cara was not yet done talking when Ashton took her phone from her.
"I can explain everything, Sir. Also, starting today, Cara and I will live together." Ashton was firm in his words, as if he really meant what he said.
Cara's eyes widened, listening to Ashton. She is as good as dead when she gets home. Uncle Thomas and Theo will not let her go of her unscuffed.
"What the hell are you talking about? Who are you?" Uncle Thomas's voice was so loud it could burst your eardrum.
Ashton moved the phone away from his ears, with obvious pain from his ringing eardrums.
"I am Ashton Crafter and I am marrying Cara tomorrow."
He said it like it was the most natural thing for him to say; it amazes Cara on how he can easily talk about marriage when they literally just met.
"This is not a joke, young man. Do not use the name of my boss just so you can get away with what you did to Cara!" Ashton's voice did not convince Uncle Thomas that he was indeed the one and only heir of the Crafter Empire.
"I understand your concern, sir; I guess we will head to your home now so we could talk. Please expect us in about an hour." Ashton was courteous to the old man, something Cara did not see coming. He gave back Cara's phone and walked towards the exit.
"Wait, Ash! Stop!" Cara shouted, and in an instant Ashton stopped in his tracks.
He turned around and raised his thick brows and asked Cara. "What?"
"You have not explained that to me yet. Why do we have to get married or live together?" Cara got rid of all the formalities for a boss she used earlier. This is marriage and it is not something she would take lightly.
"You know my reputation, right? Do you think the people will not notice you being around me?" Ashton tried explaining, but Cara had other things in mind.
"Then let's just hide this relationship with everyone else. No need to go around being together." Cara insisted.
Instead of answering, Ashton grabbed her arm and led her outside. She resisted and stopped walking. She was like a little kid who is afraid to go to the dentist.
Ashton took a deep sigh and wiped his palm over his frustrated face.
"Tell me the truth," Cara said in a calm voice, wanting Ashton to come clean to her.
"I can't live without you, Cara." He answered with his eyes filled with sincerity.