LOGINCassian’s POV I didn’t even realize how late it had gotten until the door to my office swung open without a knock. Only one person did that. “Tell me you didn’t forget.” I didn’t even look up from the file in my hand. “Get out.” Slash chuckled as he walked in. “No, seriously,” he said, stopping in front of my desk. “Don’t tell me you forgot about the wine party.” I sighed and dropped the file on the desk before finally looking at him. The damn bastard looked like he was already ready to attend a damn fashion show. He had on a fitted black suit tailored perfectly to his body, with a crisp white shirt underneath. The top two buttons were undone, like he was trying too hard to look effortless. His hair was styled neatly, slightly pushed back, and his shoes were polished enough to reflect my irritated face. “You look ridiculous,” I muttered. “And you look like a man who is about to ruin a very important connection,” he shot back. “I’m not going.” He blinked.“W
Soraya’s POV I dragged my suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it, a smile slowly spreading across my face as I began pulling clothes from my wardrobe. I didn’t even know why I was smiling this much. Maybe it was excitement. Maybe it was hope. Or maybe… it was just the feeling that something... anything... was finally going to change. Because for once, life wasn’t just about surviving. It felt like an opportunity. A real one. Still… I paused, holding a dress in my hands. “What if it’s a scam?” I muttered under my breath. Angelina and I weren’t exactly best friends. Back in high school, I had friends. Real ones. People I laughed with, studied with, and even shared secrets with. Angelina… She was just there. She was loud, pretty, and very friendly. She was also always surrounded by attention. And always using people when it suited her. Even after graduation, we barely spoke unless she needed something.So when she called me out of nowhere asking if I wa
Slash’s POV I still couldn’t believe this bastard had dragged me along. A whole dinner. A whole damn *date*. And not just any date—one with a high-class heiress whose name alone could move markets. I had no say in it. Absolutely none. The moment we stepped into the restaurant, I already knew who owned the place. The place screamed money, from the lighting to the quiet music, even the way the staff moved like they were trained to breathe in elegance. And then there was her. Tricia. She stood up the moment she saw us, surprise flickering across her face when her eyes landed on me. But just as quickly, it vanished, replaced by a perfect smile. Exactly what you would expect from someone of her status. “Cassian,” she greeted warmly before shifting her gaze to me. “And… Mr. Johnson. I’m glad you could make it.” Like I was *invited*. I forced a polite smile. “The pleasure is mine.” It wasn’t! Not even a little.We took our seats, and from that moment on, I knew
Cassian’s POV “You look very distracted. Are you okay?” Slash asked, his tone softer than usual as he leaned back in his chair across from me. I sighed and straightened in my seat, rolling my shoulders as if that alone could shake off the weight sitting on my chest. “Have you ever felt like everything going on in your life… isn’t how it’s supposed to be?” I asked, my voice low, almost careless. He smirked immediately, as if I had just handed him a joke. “Absolutely,” he said, nodding. “Because I know for a fact I wasn’t meant to inherit shit from my parents. If they had a second child, that life would be his, and I’d be somewhere traveling the world, drinking expensive liquor and flirting with danger.” I gave him a murderous glare. “What?” he asked, raising a brow. “That’s not what I mean,” I muttered. What he felt was completely different. He felt trapped in a life he didn’t want. I… I felt like I was in the wrong one entirely.Like something was missing. Like
Cassian’s POV I was about to shut my laptop and finally call it a night when my phone buzzed loudly on my desk. “Yeah?” I answered coldly, already regretting the interruption. “Cassian, your parents insist you come home immediately,” Rudolph's voice said. “It’s important. No further details.” I ran a hand through my hair. It was late. I was exhausted. I hadn’t slept properly in two nights. The thought of leaving the office, letting all the pending files sit while I handled some vague parental scheme, filled me with a mixture of frustration and dread. “Fine,” I muttered. “I’m leaving.” By the time I pulled into the driveway, my mood had worsened. More cars than usual were parked outside. Guards I hadn’t seen before lined the path to the front door. The extra lights reflecting off polished vehicles made my stomach twist. Something was definitely up. Rudolph opened the door before I could, lowering his voice as I stepped in. “Sir… uphold the family manners tonight. Your p
Arielle’s POV By the time we got home, my body felt heavier than it should have. Not because of the injury, but because of everything else. Soraya helped me inside carefully, her arm wrapped around my waist as if I would collapse at any moment. “I can walk, you know,” I muttered weakly. “I know,” she said softly. “But let me do this anyway.” We stepped into the house quietly. For a moment, everything felt… normal. And somehow, that made it worse. “Go sit,” Soraya said, guiding me toward the couch. “I’ll get you water.” I nodded and lowered myself carefully, biting back a wince as my knee throbbed. The pain was there, but it was nothing compared to what I felt inside. Each time Cassian’s words replayed in my head, I felt like I had lost everything. Going back in time felt like my punishment for whatever sin I had committed. I also felt like a part of my heart was being stabbed by an invisible dagger, over and over. I swallowed hard and looked away.Here,” Sora
Cassian’s POV“Grandson, are you listening?”Grandfather’s soft voice pulled me out of my thoughts.I blinked twice before forcing a small smile.“What?” I asked calmly.Grandfather exchanged a look with Grandmother before turning back to me.“Cassian,” he called gently.“Yes, Grandpa.”“You’ve bee
Soraya’s POV“I’m back.”Arielle’s voice echoed from downstairs.The moment I heard it, the clothes I was folding dropped from my hands onto the bed. My heart jumped as I rushed out of my room and down the stairs two at a time.The second my eyes landed on her, relief flooded through me so strongly
Cassian’s POVI opened the heavy doors to my parents’ mansion and stepped inside, my patience already gone.My head was pounding.I had barely slept. Most of the night had been spent staring at the ceiling, replaying every word that crazy woman had said in that hotel room.There was no way those de
Arielle’s POV I looked at the clock on the wall and let out a heavy sigh.After walking away from Cassian earlier that day, I had returned to the hotel and booked the same room again. I told myself I needed to prepare. I needed a plan.I even ignored the throbbing pain in my injured leg just to l







