LOGINOnce my probation period ended, I checked out of my short-term rental and signed a year-long lease on an apartment in the new city.The day I moved in, I snapped a picture of the view from my window and posted it on my social media.Cassian couldn't see the post.He only found out later through our mutual friend that I'd settled down for good in this coastal city.When my friend mentioned it later, she said Cassian had recently had his pilot file a flight plan to my city. He'd also tried fishing for my address and apartment number from her.My friend kept her mouth shut and didn't give him a thing.After she shut him down, Cassian surprisingly didn't use Family connections to track me down.I took a slow sip of my coffee and told her gently, "Whatever he does from now on, you don't need to tell me about it."My friend paused for a second, then nodded and agreed.In the end, Cassian canceled that flight plan himself.The day he called it off, he sent all his bodyguards away and sat alon
After passing the final partner interview, I joined the new law firm out of state on a trial period.Just two weeks into the job, the firm's HR director suddenly called me into her office.She told me they needed to reassign the major M&A case I'd been working on.She wanted me to step back and handle internal compliance reviews instead, leaving the heavy travel and discovery work to other associates so I wouldn't burn out.I pressed her directly on why I was being pulled off the case out of nowhere.The director hesitated for a moment before lowering her voice and telling me the truth. Cassian had used Family connections to reach out directly to the senior partners."Cassian is just worried about you. He mentioned you had a health scare recently. The partners talked it over and felt a lighter workload would give you time to recover."I didn't argue. Keeping my tone professional, I asked her to hold off on the transfer for now and leave me on my original cases.Walking out of the offic
After I moved out, Paige started reaching out to me on Cassian's behalf.Missed calls from her piled up on my spare phone one after another. I didn't answer a single one.When I didn't pick up, she started texting me, claiming I'd left a diamond necklace in the back of the limo on the day of the wedding.She said she was keeping it safe for me and wanted to meet up to return it in person.I texted her an address and told her to mail it.She immediately shot back another message, playing the victim, saying Cassian hadn't slept a wink in days and just wanted to sit down and talk things through with me.I completely ignored that part and scheduled a courier to pick up the package from the compound.The next afternoon, the package with the necklace arrived.Opening the velvet box, I found a heavily perfumed note tucked inside.In neat handwriting, Paige wrote that Cassian hadn't worn his earpiece in days just waiting for my reply, holding up several dock shipments worth millions. She added
After moving back to my parents' house, I got a new number.I put my old SIM card into a spare phone, keeping it only until my final retainer cleared.When Cassian couldn't reach me, he started getting our mutual friends to pass messages along.He had a friend tell me he hadn't touched his earpiece in days, his ringer was always on, and he was waiting whenever I was ready to talk.My friend hesitantly tried to talk me around over the phone. "I can tell he really knows he messed up this time...""I have nothing to say to him."I was looking over the quote from the moving company and added two more items to the list."Stop playing messenger for him. If you're free this weekend, come with me to the apartment to grab my things."My friend sighed and agreed.Early Saturday morning, we drove over to the apartment building at the agreed time.The bodyguards who usually stood watch out front were all gone. Cassian was standing alone at the bottom of the lobby steps.The second he saw me get ou
When Cassian drove back to the clinic, he brought takeout from an upscale Italian restaurant.Before the black sedan pulled up to the gates, he'd even told the driver to stop by a florist on the corner and picked out a huge bouquet of roses himself.While wrapping the flowers, the clerk smiled and asked who they were for.Looking down at a territory update from his men, the hard line of his mouth curved into a rare, faint smile."For my wife. We just found out she's pregnant today."The clerk wrapped the bouquet quickly, but Cassian was unusually particular. He made her check every single staple along the edge of the wrapping paper.He was afraid a sharp edge might scratch me.But when he pushed open the door to the VIP room, it was completely empty.A nurse was putting fresh sheets on the bed. Startled when he barged in, she took a step back. "Can I help you?"Cassian frowned and stepped back, looking up to double-check the room number.Another nurse passing by recognized the Underbos
My throat started closing up, and red hives broke out across my bare forearms.With trembling hands, I hit the emergency call button by the bed.Cassian finally pulled the earpiece from his right ear and glanced at me."What's wrong now?"Paige spoke up before I could. "She probably drank it too fast and choked. Or her stomach's acting up. I'll go get a nurse."As she backed toward the door, static crackled in Cassian's earpiece. Someone was calling in an attack on our turf.He glanced down at his watch, then at the nurse pushing the door open, and casually set down the container of soup."Keep an eye on her. I have to go handle something."I tilted my head back, watching him slip that black earpiece right back into his ear."Cassian."He stopped and looked back, his thumb distractedly brushing my burning cheek."I hate you so much."My throat was already so swollen I could barely form words, my voice reduced to a harsh rasp."I never want to see you again."He nodded absentmindedly."







