The night after Dean's departure, Tony was hardly able to sleep, and when he could finally sleep a wink, he dreamed once and again about Dean and Cassandra's engagement, which for him was more like nightmare.
The next morning, he went to his mission with his head in a knot. Should he resign and let Cassandra marry Dean, or should he stop the wedding and ask her for another chance?
He could barely focus in his work, thinking about all these things.
But in the end he accepted the facts: Cassandra had finally forgotten him and she was going to marry someone else.
He was left alone, and that's how he felt. Even in Shang Simla, where he had been surrounded by friends before, they barely talked to him now. All because of those rumores about him and Lin Hua. And to top it all off was his affair with Adaeze Min.
It was the end of an era, he had to accept it and move on with his life, start again. So he promised himself the last day at the Thyme House, he'd leave Shang Simla and wouldn't return in a long time.
He attended his last Martial Arts practice at the Academy and cleaned the house.
He meditated for hours, looking for peace.
The afternoon before his departure he spend it planting some seeds in the garden of the house.
He wouldn't be there to see them grow, but Adaeze promised she would go there once in a while to take care of the garden.
When he finished, he took a short nap.
Then he finished cleaning the house.
And spent the last hours reading, thinking, deciding.
It was a nice evening, with a clear sky and a cool weather that made him feel at ease, and ready to leave, not only Shang Simla, but Cassandra's life.
That night, for the first time since he had arrived, he was able to sleep soundly.
"Okay now, goodbye and good luck, Cass".
The next day he was back in Island Paradise, ready to let her go and wishing her the best.
On that night he prepared for the great moment.
"Forces of the Universo, grant me the courage I need, please".
And the next day, very early, he went out ready for anything.
Daniel and Simon were busy with their respective jobs, so he gathered with Jessica to, by means of her, inform his other children what he had decided. He would keep a good relationship with their mom in spite of her marriage. Jessica was glad with the news cause she loved her father and she was tired of watching him suffer.
In the evening, Tony arranged a meeting for dinner with Cassandra to talk, not only about the wedding, but about Bradley's future. Bradley was invited to this dinner too.
Tony and Cassandra were a bit nervous, but Bradley's entertaining chat saved the evening... for a while.
At times, Tony's sadness was evident, putting Cassandra in a difficult situation. The good news was Brad will soon became a teen, and in doing so, just like his other two brothers, he would go to live with Tony. Brad love the idea, on the one hand, but on the other hand, he was going to miss his mom.
"Are you drinking again, Tony?"
"Calm down, it's just mineral water".
After an awkward talk about Cassandra and Dean's plans, the wedding reception and their honeymoon in Brindleton Bay, the food arrived and the three of them were able to relax a bit.
Tony and Brad talked about their own plans.
"You'll like living in the houseboat, it's fun".
"Will you teach me to dive?"
"Sure, and to fish and to windsurf too".
"Houseboat?", Cassandra chimed in."Please Tony, get yourself a decent house".
"I will, before my trip to Champs Les Sims".
"Champs Les Sims, of course, Jeannine's homeland", Cassandra thought to herself.
Cassandra wasn't wrong, now that she was out of Tony's life, he was sereiously considering to look for Jeannine. Although not that fast, he'd take some time first to travel, rest, and spend time with Bradley. And, of course, to enjoy his bachelorhood. After all, now he was truly free, or so he hoped.
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