Lines Drawn

“Is she right?”

I asked softly this time. A..about the engagement”.

The sentence Yura made kept ringing in my head as I looked up to Cassian in expectation of a good answer.

“Yes”. He finally said.

And it felt like a sledgehammer hit me.

“But not the way she made it sound”. He said quickly.

Cassian made me follow him to a quiet living room with a floor to ceiling windows.

Cassian narrated how his father was expanding into Asia. then, Korean was critical. And Yura's family controlled access.

I sat down slowly.

“Was she part of a deal?”, I whispered.

“Yes,” he admitted. “An engagement arranged by our families”.

Cassian told me that he doesn't love Yura. He told me how she threatened him and how his father paid for silence and sent him to London when she threw herself on the stairs and claimed that he pushed her.

“What about the company?” I asked.

He looked at me.

“I still own part of it”. He admitted.

“My father insisted. He said it was a "leverage”.

“What? Leverage over who?” I asked.

“Everyone”, he said flatly.

My legs were weak. I looked at him like he had betrayed me.

“You should have told me before she did”, I said with a trembling voice.

“No Elowen, I wanted to protect you”, He said.

“By lying?” I snapped with teary eyes.

“No, umm. I didn't want to drag you into a war you never chose”, He said harshly.

“You think I wanted her near you, huh? Near the twins? Come on!”.

My heart skipped.

“So you knew she would come”,

“Yes”. He admitted.

“And you….you still let me believe that we were safe”. I asked him with a look of disbelief and tears in my eyes.

Cassian came closer and started assuring me that he would protect me and never let Yura hurt me but the truth is that he had already hurt me.

“So what else do I need to know?” I inquired.

He kept mute and that answer alone was enough.

I backed away slowly.

“Elowen….”, he called slowly.

“I need space”, I interrupted him.

“I need to know that I'm choosing this life with open eyes”.

He nodded reluctantly.

He told me that he would give me whatever I wanted except the distance from danger.

“If your past keeps coming for us…”. I swallowed hard looking at the ground.

“I…I don't know if love will be enough”.

I said and left sobbing. He watched me leave and for the first time he looked afraid of losing something he couldn't buy.

—-----

The room Mary prepared for me was beautiful and I sat on the mattress, one hand pressed on my stomach and the twins shifted faintly like they felt the tension.

“It's okay”, I whispered.

“I've got you”.

But my voice didn't sound convincing.

Cassian really kept to his word. He didn't come after me and somehow that hurt me.

Every sound outside the door made my heart skip. Even though I was surrounded by protection…I still felt utterly alone and scared.

—----

Meanwhile, down the hall, Cassian stood in his study staring at his phone while his head of security waited silently for him.

“Find the breach”, Cassian said coldly without looking at the man.

“Someone fed Yura information”.

“We are tracing internal access logs now”, the man replied.

“But there is something else”. He said keeping Cassian in suspense.

“She contacted the board in Seoul this morning”, the man continued without mincing words.

“She's claiming you abandoned contractual obligations”.

“What? Cassian's jaw tightened and he folded his palms in rage.

“She's escalating”.

“Yes,” the man said. “And she's not acting alone”.

—----

Yura sat comfortably in a luxury hotel suite across the city pouring herself a drink.

A message entered her phone.

“She's staying in the West wing.”

Yura smiled evilly twirling her hair.

“Good”, she murmured.

Another message came in.

“Medical appointment confirmed”.

Her smile widened.

“Mmmmmh. So predictable”.

—-

That evening, Mary knocked on my door to serve me dinner.

But I told her that I wasn't hungry.

She hesitated.

“Mr. Blackmoor asked me to give you this”.

She said, handing me an envelope.

My heart thudded. I looked at Mary like someone that was so unsure.

“From him?”

She nodded. I opened the envelope slowly and inside it was a simple note

“I'll fix this…. I swear”.

It was not a promise though. I folded it and held it to my chest.

That night I was unable to sleep. The house felt too large and quiet. I walked quietly down the hallway and stopped near the nursery wing Cassian had prepared.

Footsteps approached.

My heart started beating fast. I turned and saw Cassian.

We both froze.

“I…I didn't mean to intrude”, I said softly amidst stammers.

He nodded.

“I'm scared”. I said quietly and almost immediately.

“Same here”.

I was shocked. Our eyes met and I could see the truth in his eyes.

Before I could say another word, Cassian's phone rang and he answered.

“Yes?”

His facial expressions changed instantly.

“Whattt?”

I stepped closer in fear and curiosity.

He lowered the phone slowly looking at me.

“She filed a legal claim against me”.

Cassian said.

“Why? But for what?”

“For the children”.

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.

“She's claiming that the twins are part of an unresolved engagement contract”.

I felt dizzy instantly.

“That's madness”, I breathed.

“She's desperate”, he replied.

“And desperate people don't stop”.

—---

Somewhere across the city, Yura lifted her glass.

“To the drawing lines”, she said, smirking evilly.