CASSANDRA 

After Calix met with his mom it was time I met my father. I told my fiancé that he didn't have to accompany me knowing how he felt for my father but he insisted that he would go along with me.

Once we arrived at the hospital, I met with my Dad's doctor first who gave us a warning not to stress the patient since he just came out of the intensive care unit. He informed us about the current status of his health. He also mentioned that my father is refusing the treatment for his illness and it would mean a lot if we could convince him otherwise.

I nodded keeping in mind the doctor's order while Calix remained with a passive expression on his face.

My heart was pounding so hard as we walked in the hallways leading to the private room of my father.

I knocked on the door before twisting the doorknob and entering the room. The first thing I saw was my Dad lying on the bed with machines attached to his body to monitor his health.

He was gazing outside his hospital window but when he heard the door he looked in our direction and then recognition hit his eyes.

My eyes began to water, in the two years that I have been away his health deteriorated so much. He was now frail and thin very different from the father I used to know.

I slowly moved further inside the room watching the tears begin to form in the corner of his eyes. I managed to smile in his direction. "Hello, Dad. How are you?"

"Cassie," he drawled my name, trying to reach my hand, and then hesitated last minute.

I put my hand in his waiting hand and sat on the chair next to his hospital bed. I glanced back to see Calix only to see that he was leaning against the wall with his hand tucked in the middle, a stance that tells me that he wasn't comfortable being here but decided to support me just as I did when he met his mom.

"I heard you are sick," I said conversationally. "I didn't know until Loukas informed me that you were rushed to the hospital. How are you?"

He smiled weakly in my direction, refusing to let go of my hands. "I'm fine now that I see my daughter again."

I looked back at Calix once again and I saw him looking at me intently. I smiled at him and he gave me a faint smile in return before facing back my father. "I want to inform you of some news," I showed him my engagement ring. "Calix proposed to me and I accept it."

Alarmed appeared in his eyes. He still probably thinks that Calix was his son.

"Before you say anything," I added hastily to dispel any further misunderstanding. "Calix is not my half-brother. There was a mix-up at the lab. We had undergone sibling DNA test when I got back here just to be sure."

My father's eyes were still saucer-wide. "H-How did this happen?"

"There was another Spiridakou specimen sent to the lab." For the first time, Calix joined the conversation.

Dad looked in Calix's direction. "What do you mean?"

My fiancé let out an angry sigh. "It means that my sister, Dionne, is your daughter too."

I winced at the harsh way he delivered the news. I get where he was coming from. Everyone knew that he adored his father so much and it was believed it was from his father that he got his passion for photography. And for his Mom and my Dad to betray his father like that was blasphemous.

Shock registered on my father's face and it began to show on the machine attached to his body how he was taken aback by the news. The machines started beeping crazy and a nurse rushed to him to check his vital.

The nurse gave us a stern look reminding us about my father's condition. When his vitals came back to normal the nurse left us again with an unmistakable warning. From the corner of my eye, I saw Calix roll his eyes.

I cleared my throat, facing my father again. "I know it must come as a shock to you also but--"

"I'm sorry," I stopped talking and stared at my father. "I'm sorry for creating this mess. It's all my fault." He looked at Calix earnestly. "I'm truly sorry for my actions back then. No words can describe the shame we have caused both of our families."

"Calix shrugged nonchalantly. "No amount of sorry can change what already happened. The best thing we can do is move forward, don't you think?"

"Yes, of course," my father answered ruefully. He stared at me with rueful eyes. "Have you already had a date in mind for the wedding?"

"Not yet," I replied. "We just got engaged a few days ago. We don't have definite plans yet for the wedding."

Dad nodded with a proud smile on his face. "I'm sure that you'll be the prettiest bride, my daughter. I wish I could be there for that very special occasion."

I was about to answer when Calix crossed the distance between us and placed his hands on each side of my shoulder. "If you want to be at our wedding then get well soon. Go ahead with the treatment your doctors want you to have."

"Calix is right, Dad," I said, fighting back my tears. "I would be happy if you could walk me down the aisle."

"O-Of course," he said in a croaked voice. "I would be more than happy to see my daughter walk down the aisle and marry the man she loves."

*****

It had been a little less than a year since the wedding took place. Part of the reason why it took us almost a year before having the ceremony had something to do with Dad's treatment. It took longer than we anticipated with a series of intense chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants before he regained his health--somewhat.

He was still in the last part of his treatment and thankfully his doctors gave him the go signal to attend festivity for my wedding.

So many things have happened since Calix's proposal late last year. Irinna confessed to Dionne about her real father and my friend and also my sister now, took it maturely. There was a lot of tears had been shed when my future mother-in-law asked for forgiveness from the Spiridakou family.

As for the Spiridakous, they said that Dionne was very much as Spiridakou as she was a Vitalis. For them, she was still part of them and family didn't always mean by blood to be called as part of the family.

Take it from Sapphire and Loukas who adopted a young boy last year. Since Sapphire's high-risk pregnancy, her doctors were against the idea of her conceiving again. They could opt for surrogacy but the couple wanted to give a child who had unfortunate life circumstances and give him a second chance at a better life which was why they chose to adopt instead.

Dan was now residing in New York, trying to win his ballerina ex. So far from what I heard since our last convo, they were now back at the talking stage.

As for Dionne, she took the news of her paternity with grace. She slowly built a relationship with our father and as for our relationship, it became just stronger than before. We were now officially sisters.

Also to everyone's surprise she was a perfect match for Dad's bone marrow. She didn't hesitate to be a donor.

My relationship with Dad was almost the same in the past. I learned to forgive him for his adultery, the same with Calix's mom. If it were not for that affair, I wouldn't have a sister and a friend at the same time.

Calix's relationship with his mom was better than before. He was now civil with his mom and often visited her from time to time. She was also included in the preparation for the wedding at my insistence. I knew it would give her great joy to be part of the planning.

I could say that our families were now in the process of healing after the scandal that nearly shook both families to the core. Even the media already lost interest in the news after publishing the same story for months!

Now our families were once again back on the tabloid front page. But it was not a scandal anymore--it was a celebration of love.

Our wedding day.

We decided to have the ceremony at the beach where Sapphire and Loukas' second wedding took place here on their family's private island. It was the same place where it all started for me and Calix.

I let out a small giggle recalling that scandalous offer he had at the wedding reception. My reckless and broken-hearted self went into a full-blown affair with him, allowing myself to fall for him in the process.

As of this time, I was waiting for the ceremony to start. I was in the main villa while Calix spent his night in his pad not far from here.

There was this tradition that the bride and groom shouldn't see each other until the ceremony. Calix was adamant saying that it was just stupid tradition and he was not used to not sleeping next to me but he was no match to the matron ladies of the family.

I told him that it was just one night and it should be fine. Now the anticipation had been building inside me as the time for the ceremony getting near. A light knock on the door drew me back to the present time.

I saw Dionne's head peeking in the doorway. "May I come in?"

I smiled brightly at her. "Of course," I said adjusting my wedding gown. It was quite heavy with these detailed embroidery and Swarovski crystal embellishments.

"How are you feeling?" My sister asked, adjusting my veil and crown.

"Nervous."

She beamed at me looking at me from head to toe appreciatively. "You look like a goddess today, sis," she was getting emotional suddenly. "I'm so happy that I will be able to see my sister and my brother tie the knot. God! That sounded so wrong."

I groaned while looking at her. "Not the tears! You'll ruin your makeup."

She laughed while wiping the corner of her eyes. "I know. I just can't help it. I'm so happy for my siblings. You guys have one more thing in common other than love for each other. Me."

"We know," I answered gleefully. She was my matron of honor today. "Calix and I are so happy to have a sister like you."

"Speaking of that man," she stated, completely changing the topic. "I went to visit him before coming here. He is so nervous for today that he already had a glass of whiskey before the ceremony even started!"

"Oh, dear, I hope he is not wasted by the time he has to say his wedding vows."

Dionne laughed deviously. "Mom will have his head if he did that."

A knock sounded on the doorway. We both looked at the door and it was the wedding coordinator. "It's time."

I took a deep breath as I stood from my seat. I suddenly felt nervous about the whole thing.

"I have to go and take my place at the venue
I'll see you later." She hugged me while smiling brightly.

I nodded at Dionne, once she left the wedding coordinator helped me with the train of my dress as I held my bouquet. I didn't think that my feet would carry me outside.

The wedding march was being played once I went out of the mansion. The guests sitting on the Tiffany chairs stood as the procession started.

I saw Dad carefully standing from his wheelchair with the help of his private nurse to walk me down the aisle. He still couldn't quite walk without losing his balance but for this occasion, he wants to be able to escort me.

I hooked my arm around his and carefully walked heading to the end of the aisle where the most handsome man I ever laid my eyes on was waiting. He looked dashing in his suit while grinning through misted eyes while watching me walk in his direction. He stood beside Loukas who whispered something in him that made him scowl.

I laughed softly. Loukas might be teasing him again. From the corner of my eyes, I spotted Dan among the guests with Mia next to him. I beamed at him and he winked as an answer.

Once we reached them along with the wedding celebrant, Dad led my hand into Calix's hand. "Take care of my daughter, young man."

"I will, sir."

Dad sat in his place on the front row next to his nurse and the wedding officiant cleared her throat to begin the ceremony. "Friends and family of Cassandra and Calix, welcome and thank you for being here on this important day. We are gathered together to celebrate the very special love between Cassandra and Calix, by joining them in marriage."

As the ceremony started, my only focus was on the man standing in front of me. I never thought we would end like this when we first met.

His gorgeous blue eyes like the shade of the cloudless sky in the summertime gleamed at me. They showed pure genuine love for me alone.

I got lost while staring at him that I didn't realize it was time for the wedding vows. It was Calix's turn first. He took a deep breath before saying. "You are my every dream come true, and I still can't believe that you are now standing in front of me. I used to watch you from afar before. You love me with all of my flaws and I am grateful for choosing me. Today, in front of our families I promise to love and cherish you until I took my last breath. I love you, my Cass. Always, forever, and every succeeding lifetime after."

My eyes were misted with tears. I didn't even know if I could say my wedding vows without hiccups. "Calix. You came when I least expected it. You came to my life when my heart was broken into pieces. You picked up the pieces trying to heal my heart. Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for taking good care of me. Thank you for loving me when I almost gave up on love. I promise to love you above all others and to value you in life as my precious gift. I promise to be your wife in sickness and in health, in peace and in turmoil, in prosperity and in hardship, as long as we shall both live. I love you."

"Please exchange rings--" the wedding officiant had been saying but abruptly stopped midsentence when Calix held my face with his hands and kissed me deeply. I heard some of the guests gasp while the others cheer on us. "--We are not on that part of the wedding, sir."

I could feel my cheeks heat once he broke the kiss. We exchanged rings and then finally we were officially husband and wife.

"May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Calix Spiridakou." the wedding officiant stated with a smile on his face.

Our wedding guests clapped their hands while we shared another kiss. This time he dipped me backward in a dramatic way for a celebratory kiss from my new husband.

When the wedding reception was in full swing and we were enjoying our first dance as man and wife. Calix leaned down to whisper something in my ear. "How about we skip this festivity and have our celebration somewhere?"

I gave him a stern look. "Behave."

He pouted at me. "They can enjoy this celebration without us. I miss you so much, wife. You don't know how I want to strip this wedding gown on you since I first saw you walking down the aisle."

I felt the butterflies in my stomach when he called me his wife. "I thought we agreed to have our wedding night on our honeymoon in Anguilla?"

He made a face once again. "I don't think I can wait for that long. We need to fly across the world to reach that island. Just one and then we'll continue our celebration in Anguilla."

I knew that I shouldn't entertain his naughty idea but when his hands started to move seductively on my body my self-control slipped. "Fine. But we need to go back to the party after. Are we clear?"

He beamed at me. "You have my word, wife."

We danced for more until we slipped away. Hopefully, no one would notice that the bride and groom were missing.