Later That Night
The wedding celebration had finally come to an end.
One by one, the last of the guests departed , leaving behind only the staff cleaning the beautifully decorated ballroom. The once lively atmosphere had grown peaceful under the moonlit sky.
Outside the Rodriguez Mansion
Outside the mansion, Mrs. Eva stood beside her car while Leon sleepily rubbed his eyes, clutching his favorite stuffed dinosaur.
Santino and Cassandra walked them to the entrance.
Mrs. Eva smiled warmly at the newlyweds.
Mrs. Eva: "I'll be taking Leon home with me for a few days."
Santino looked at his grandmother.
Santino: "Grandma, you don't have to."
She waved him off.
Mrs. Eva: "Nonsense. You two have had an exhausting day. Besides, I want some quality time with my great-grandson."
Leon yawned.
Leon: "Can I have pancakes tomorrow, Great-Grandma?"
Mrs. Eva chuckled.
Mrs. Eva: "Of course you can."
She gently patted Leon's head before turning back to Santino and Cassandra. A mischievous smile slowly spread across her face.
Mrs. Eva: "Now that Leon is staying with me..."
She glanced between the two of them.
Mrs. Eva: "...don't waste the opportunity."
Cassandra frowned.
Cassandra: "Opportunity?"
Mrs. Eva smiled innocently.
Mrs. Eva: "To give me some lovely grandchildren."
Cassandra nearly choked.
Cassandra: "Grandma!"
Santino couldn't help but laugh.
Mrs. Eva continued as if she hadn't embarrassed them at all.
Mrs. Eva: "I'm getting older, you know. Leon deserves brothers and sisters to play with."
Cassandra's cheeks flushed bright red.
Cassandra: "We've only been married for a few hours!"
Mrs. Eva simply smiled.
Mrs. Eva: "Exactly. You should get started."
Santino covered his mouth, trying—and failing—to hide his amusement.
Cassandra shot him a glare.
Cassandra: "Don't you dare laugh."
Santino: "I'm not."
His grin said otherwise.
Mrs. Eva opened the car door for Leon before looking back one last time.
Mrs. Eva: "Take good care of each other."
Her gaze settled on Santino.
Mrs. Eva: "And remember what I said."
Santino smiled helplessly.
Santino: "I'll remember, Grandma."
Satisfied, Mrs. Eva helped Leon into the back seat, buckled him in, and kissed his forehead.
Leon waved excitedly through the window.
Leon: "Bye, Mommy! Bye, Daddy!"
Cassandra smiled and waved back.
Cassandra: "Goodnight, sweetheart."
The car slowly pulled away from the mansion, disappearing through the grand iron gates.
Silence settled over the driveway.
For the first time all day, Santino and Cassandra were completely alone.
They looked at each other... then immediately looked away.
The taillights of Mrs. Eva's car disappeared through the gates, leaving the mansion quiet.
Cassandra folded her arms and looked toward the driveway where her own car was parked.
Cassandra: "Well... I'm leaving."
Santino, who had just loosened his tie, looked at her calmly.
Santino: "Leaving?"
Cassandra: "I'm going back to my parents' house."
Without another word, she walked toward her car.
To her surprise, Santino didn't try to stop her.
Instead, he slipped one hand into his pocket and smiled faintly.
Santino: "Go ahead."
Cassandra paused and turned around.
Cassandra: "You're not going to stop me?"
Santino: "No."
She raised an eyebrow.
Santino: "Because I'm sure your parents will send you right back."
Cassandra scoffed.
Cassandra: "We'll see about that."
She climbed into her car, started the engine, and drove away.
Santino simply watched the car disappear into the night.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Santino (to himself): "Three... two... one..."
He shook his head and walked back inside the mansion.
---
The Clifford Mansion
The doorbell echoed through the quiet house.
Inside the living room, Gabriel, Charlotte, Samantha, Rose, and Ruby were still awake, chatting about the wedding.
Everyone looked toward the front door.
Rose: "Who's visiting at this hour?"
Ruby: "Maybe someone forgot a gift."
Gabriel smiled knowingly as he set down his teacup.
Gabriel: "I know exactly who it is."
Charlotte looked at him curiously.
"You do?"
He nodded.
Without another word, Gabriel walked to the front door and opened it.
Standing outside in her wedding gown, suitcase in one hand and an annoyed expression on her face, was Cassandra.
Gabriel wasn't surprised in the slightest.
He folded his arms.
Gabriel: "What are you doing here?"
Cassandra frowned as though the answer was obvious.
Cassandra: "This is my parents' house. Where else would I be?"
Gabriel didn't even blink.
Gabriel: "Your husband's house."
Cassandra sighed dramatically.
Cassandra: "Dad, don't start."
Gabriel stepped into the doorway, making no move to let her in.
Gabriel: "You got married today."
Cassandra: "I know."
Gabriel: "Then your home is no longer here."
Cassandra stared at him in disbelief.
Cassandra: "You're seriously not going to let me inside?"
Gabriel smiled.
Gabriel: "Not unless Santino is standing beside you."
From the living room, Rose quietly peeked around the corner.
She whispered to Samantha with a grin.
Rose: "I knew she'd be back before midnight."
Samantha chuckled.
"I was about to bet she'd last until tomorrow morning."
Ruby covered her mouth, trying not to laugh, while Charlotte watched the father and daughter with an amused smile, knowing exactly how stubborn they both were.
Gabriel looked at Cassandra for a long moment before giving her a calm smile.
Gabriel: "Goodnight, Cassandra."
Before she could react, he slowly closed the front door.
Click.
Cassandra stared at the closed door in disbelief.
A second later—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
She pounded on the door with both hands.
Cassandra: "Dad!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Cassandra: "Open the door!"
Inside the mansion, everyone froze.
Rose burst into laughter.
Rose: "Dad actually locked her out."
Samantha leaned back on the sofa, trying to hold in her laughter.
Samantha: "I didn't think he'd really do it."
Ruby covered her mouth, giggling.
Charlotte simply shook her head with a helpless smile.
Outside, Cassandra continued knocking.
Cassandra: "Dad! Open this door right now!"
There was no response.
She knocked even harder.
Cassandra: "If you don't open this door..."
She took a deep breath.
Cassandra: "...I won't speak to you for years!"
Inside, Gabriel calmly sat back down on the sofa and picked up his teacup.
He took a slow sip before answering loudly enough for her to hear through the door.
Gabriel: "Then I suppose we'll have a very peaceful few years."
The living room erupted with laughter.
Outside, Cassandra's jaw dropped.
Cassandra: "Dad!"
She knocked again, almost stomping her foot like an angry child.
Cassandra: "You can't do this to me!"
Gabriel smiled to himself but made no move toward the door.
Gabriel: "You're a married woman now."
Cassandra: "I'm still your daughter!"
Gabriel: "And you'll always be my daughter."
He paused before adding with a chuckle,
Gabriel: "But you're also Mrs. Rodriguez. Go home."
Cassandra let out an exaggerated groan, resting her forehead against the door.
Cassandra: "I can't believe my own father kicked me out on my wedding night."
From inside, Rose couldn't resist calling out.
Rose: "Should we send her a pillow?"
Everyone laughed again as Cassandra sighed dramatically, realizing no one was coming to rescue her.