LOGINCassian's POVI had a smile on my face even as I drove back to my parents' house after receiving their call.My time with Ari kept replaying in my mind.Her laughter.The way she had held my hand.And most importantly, the way she had casually called me her husband.Just thinking about it made my heart flutter.I really wanted to be the one to drop her home. I wanted to see her safely walk inside and perhaps stay outside for a few minutes just talking to her.But after receiving the call from Rudolph, I had changed my mind.Whatever my parents wanted seemed urgent enough for Rudolph to call me himself.So I called my driver, who had been trailing behind us, and asked him to take Ari home.She looked unhappy for a few seconds.That expression on her face almost made me change my mind again.But then she smiled as though it was nothing.Before stepping out of my car, she leaned toward me.I had expected her to say goodbye.Instead, she kissed my cheek.It was brief, but enough to leave
CASSIAN'S POV"Did you see that woman on the road?" Ari asked with a laugh.Of course, I had.It was hard not to notice her when she was practically forcing the man beside her to dance with her in the middle of the road.I glanced at Ari and shook my head with a small smile."I did."She laughed again, and somehow the sound made the drive feel less awkward.Since we had decided to leave the villa, something between us had changed.The wall I had spent so much time building had cracked.I could feel it.I was no longer constantly reminding myself to keep my distance from her. I still tried, but it was becoming harder with every passing minute.I even found myself holding back words that might hurt her, even when they were the truth.Maybe it was because I had seen how easily her smile disappeared whenever I became cold.Or maybe it was simply because I didn't want to be the reason she looked sad.I was still lost in my thoughts when her hand moved to my thigh.My body immediately tense
Arielle's POVI stood frozen in place, my heart beating rapidly.Did he desire me the way I desired him?Of course he did.I had followed him, thinking he was upset with me, but the sight that greeted me felt like déjà vu.Goosebumps covered my skin, and my throat felt dry. But what bothered me the most was how aroused I felt.I couldn't believe I had witnessed something like this again.Cassian was alone, completely lost in his own pleasure while calling my name as though I was everything he longed for.I struggled to resist walking over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and slowly sliding them down to his length to stroke him, eager to hear him call my name in pleasure.It was crazy, but that was exactly how I felt at that moment.When he pushed me to the ground and kissed me deeply, all I could do was surrender to everything he was willing to give because I badly wanted him.I missed the feel of his lips.I missed his skin against mine. And I missed his groan. I was a litt
Cassian's POV I had planned this night because I wanted her to enjoy herself.Instead, I had spent the drive frightening her and then sent her ahead alone.I took a deep breath and followed her.The moment I reached the spot, I stopped."What the hell were you trying to do, Nemesis?" I asked myself in disbelief.The place looked like a romantic Valentine's getaway.There was a large gazebo-like structure covered with a soft, transparent fabric that allowed the night sky to remain visible above us. Warm lights were wrapped around the edges, while small candles were arranged safely around the area.A large fluffy mat had been placed underneath the structure, with several cushions scattered across it.There was a small table filled with snacks, fruit, bottled water, wine, and a few desserts.A telescope stood nearby, already positioned toward the clearest part of the sky.It was beautiful.Too beautiful.This was supposed to be friendly.Nemesis had clearly misunderstood the assignment.
Cassian's POVEverything was set and ready, yet I felt nervous as I stood outside her room.After telling Ari to rest, I had spent most of my time making calls to prepare everything for the night. I wanted everything to go smoothly, from the place we were going to, to the food and drinks that would be waiting for us.After making sure everything was taken of, I took a long bath.For some reason, I spent more time than usual standing in front of the mirror, looking at myself and wondering if I was attractive enough.The thought was so ridiculous that I actually laughed at myself.Since when did I care about how I looked before meeting a woman?Apparently, since Ari.I dressed simply but made sure everything looked good. I wore a black fitted shirt with the sleeves rolled slightly up my forearms, dark jeans, and black boots. I added a black jacket over the shirt and ran my fingers through my hair, leaving it slightly messy instead of styling it too carefully.I looked at myself one last
Soraya's POV"Quickly, take this liquor to table two," Lady Chi-Chi instructed.I quickly grabbed the tray and rushed toward the table.The moment the men and women sitting there noticed me, I could immediately feel the distasteful aura."Low life," one of the men whispered.The others laughed softly.I ignored them and continued serving the drinks as if I hadn't heard anything."Hold it together, Soraya. It's not the first time you've been looked down on," I reminded myself silently.The room was filled with dim blue lights, making it difficult to see everyone's faces clearly. Not that I could do anything even if I could.These people were obviously from a different social class, and I needed this job.Firing back at them would only make things worse for me.I placed the bottles on the table and was about to walk away when a man's voice came from another table."Which of you trash said those words?"I froze.The laughter instantly died.I slowly turned my head toward the direction of
Arielle’s POVSilence came first in my darkness.Not peace. Nor comfort. Just… nothing.The burning in my chest was gone.The suffocating panic, the sharp pain every time I tried to pull in air—it all vanished so suddenly it scared me.I tried to inhale out of habit, but my body didn’t respond.Tha
Arielle’s POVI lay on my bed, exhaling deeply as if I had been holding my breath for days. The walls of my bedroom had always felt familiar, like a shield—but now they felt like a trap.It was very late, yet I couldn't hear anyone's voice. Usually, Evelyn and Raya were noisy whenever they came int
Arielle’s POVI lay on my bed, tangled in sheets that I couldn't bring myself to fix. My mind was restless, and my heart beat louder than ever.Cassian.That name had become a curse for me.Every time I blinked, it was him I saw. The way he moved and smirked whenever things went his way. The way hi
Arielle's POV A few days had gone by, and I was trying my very best to ignore and avoid Cassian. Raya was now usually coming home late, and her excuse was, "I'm doing two shifts since my bestie Kayla sometimes goes to take care of her sick mother." I understood her, but I also felt very uncomfor







