1: The New Man in the House

Arielle's POV

It was already 8 PM and dark outside; I could see that through the open window and drawn curtains.

The air in the small, modest living room crackled with anticipation as I sat beside my older sister, Soraya, who looked very serious.

My heart was beating rapidly, and I had a lot of questions going through my mind. Our mother, Evelyn, had called a family meeting—something she never did unless it was very serious.

To say I was nervous was an understatement; I felt scared because the last time she had called such a meeting was when Dad was in the ICU.

Unlike the last time when I had to rush to the hospital with my sister dressed in pajamas, this time I had dressed in my casual clothes while my sister wore her favorite dress. It was stupid of us, but we were thinking ahead, and perhaps the same thing, and I felt like we were more than prepared this time.

"I'm glad you are both here," she said softly, then cleared her throat. She stood behind the dining room's table, tall and confident, though her eyes revealed a nervous glint.

"Mother, it's late," my sister said in a respectful, low tone.

"I know, Raya, but I have something very important to tell the two of you," Evelyn answered.

I wanted to ask her loudly what could be so important that she would stop me from going through my assignment and stop my sister from going to her night shift, but I just couldn't bring myself to do that.

“There is someone I want you both to meet right now,” Evelyn announced, and immediately the front door creaked open, and in, walked a man.

He was tall, dressed in a tailored black suit that hugged his powerful build. His jaw was clean-shaven, but a small scar near his mouth gave him an edge. His gaze was intense, scanning the room, pausing on me with an unreadable expression.

“This here is Cassian,” Evelyn continued. “My... husband.”

My sister looked at me with widened eyes and then blinked multiple times before looking back at her.

“Wait, what? Did you just say husband?” she asked at the top of her voice.

"Well, he is. As of yesterday, he is my beloved husband," she answered with a nervous smile.

“You got married and didn’t tell us?” I asked in disbelief and shock as I looked at the man, then swallowed hard.

I was dying to ask his age because the man next to our mom looked younger than she was.

He had dark, rich brown hair, thick and swept back. His eyes were a storm gray with a hint of silver.

The kind of eyes that were sharp yet piercing. The kind of eyes that felt like they would see right through you—but still leave you craving more.

Such eyes, in dim lighting, almost looked like steel-blue, cold and unreadable, and that alone gave me a shiver because it wasn't the first time I had seen such eyes.

Such eyes burned like lightning caught in a storm cloud when angry, they resembled the eyes of the young man I had met in the past when I was a little girl. But then again, nothing about him looked like the young man I remembered.

Although he stood a little further from us, his scent was a warm, masculine cologne. His height, although I wasn't sure, was like he stood at 6’4. Towering, but with graceful movement—like a panther in a suit.

“It was a quiet thing,” Evelyn rushed to explain.

"Seriously!" my sister yelled.

For real, that wasn't enough explanation!

"Well, I did it for work..."

"Evelyn," he called in what sounded like a calm warning.

"I meant for personal reasons,” she corrected and then blushed when Cassian wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," he said and then gave a polite nod.

Raya looked at me with a raised brow that said more than her words could.

She was telling me how everything felt and looked suspicious. Not so long ago, our mother was okay with being single, and now she was happily introducing a stranger in our house as our stepfather!

I shrugged and then showed her my calm, warm smile that she knew too well.

I wanted her to know that I, too, was surprised, but then I wanted to support Evelyn with all of my heart.

Ever since our father passed away, Evelyn worked a lot harder than when our father was alive. She also refrained from experiencing other things that brought her joy.

It was like a part of her that we knew and adored died with our father that day.

Because of the new change, we tried so hard to cope with the loss as well as to adjust to the new her that we never knew existed.

If the man in front of us would bring back the side of our mother we knew, loved, and cherished from years back, then it wasn't such a bad thing.

"Welcome to the family, Cassian," I said simply.

When he smiled widely and his dimples showed, I felt like my heart was going to stop in that moment.

I had no idea what it was, but something stirred deep within me. Something was wrong. Or maybe it was too right as I tried to keep my composure.

"Thanks, kiddo," he answered simply as I felt a soft ache tug at my heart.

"Well then, if our mom is happy, then I am happy. Welcome to the family, Cassian, but do not expect me to call you Dad any time soon," Raya said simply as she stood up.

Evelyn looked at her with a thankful expression on her face and then nodded.

"If you don't mind, I have to go to work, so we will talk later, okay?" Raya said as she moved forward and kissed our mother's cheek. When she pulled back, she extended her hand towards Cassian, who took it and shook it confidently.

"Of course, I look forward to getting to know you and your sister," he answered seriously and then dropped his hand.

"Let me walk you outside," Evelyn said and then grabbed Raya's hand, walking with her to the door.

I looked at Cassian and then swallowed hard.

He was looking at me with a smile, although his eyes were serious, and they made me feel uncomfortable—not in a good way.