He Got Bored, so I Got Younger

Cassius used to say I was the one spark of light in his gray, dreary life.

I stood up for him when they called him a bastard. I secretly patched him up when his half-brothers beat the hell out of him.

And I was right there beside him when he took the throne.

But then we took over the Family and had the twins. And in the quiet that followed, day after day, he grew bored of me.

"If I'd known, I wouldn't have settled down so fast. Could've had a few more years of the wild life."

He said it like a joke to his advisor.

And me? I was standing right outside the study, holding his coffee.

His advisor chuckled, clearly not taking the comment seriously. "Don, you used to treat the missus like she was spun from glass. Any regrets?"

"Not exactly."

His voice dropped low. "Scarlett's great. It's just…"

It's just that he was bored.

I’d spent years trying to figure out what made Cassius tick.

Buried deep beneath a cold, dark childhood was a reckless man who craved blood and chaos.

This was the man who’d knelt for me all night in a snowstorm, the man who’d walked into an ambush at the docks alone just to seize new turf.

The man was a thrill-seeker, born and bred.

And now? Our quiet, safe life was boring him to death.

As I stood there, lost in thought, I heard the advisor's sly suggestion.

"You could always have a little fun on the side. The missus is getting older. There are always pretty young things willing to climb into your bed."

Cassius shook his head, his voice turning sharp. "I won't cheat on my wife."

Then, quieter, a warning. "Don't ever suggest that again."

So he was loyal. But the fire was gone.

Eight years of marriage, two kids. All the memories of how we met, how we fell in love… had it all just been reduced to family obligation?

Was that all it was?

I didn't have an answer.

That night, I glanced at the empty dining table and asked the butler, "The Don isn't joining us for dinner again?"

"No, ma'am. He said he's occupied with Family business."

I said nothing.

After dinner, I put on a coat and strode to the study.

I could hear soft voices drifting from behind the office door.

It was him and the young maid, Lily.

I was about to push the door open when I heard Cassius let out a nostalgic sigh. "Your eyes… they're just like my wife's were when she was young."

"So innocent, so full of life. Like a sun that could burn forever."

The girl's voice was playful. "If the missus is so wonderful, why won't you go back to the master bedroom?"

"She's too serious," Cassius said flatly. "She's thirty now. The room feels… heavy. Suffocating."

The girl giggled.

"So you'd rather talk to me. That's nice. You can tell me all your troubles."

"Don't worry," she cooed. "I don't want anything from you. I just think it's a shame you have a house that doesn't feel like a home."

Through the crack in the door, I saw them leaning against the desk, their bodies nearly touching.

Lily reached up, her fingers brushing his face.

Cassius warned her softly, "Watch yourself."

But he didn't pull away.

The girl giggled again.

He watched her, this bright young thing, and his eyes held that old, familiar look of wonder.

It was the same look he gave me years ago, when I surprised him with fireworks for his birthday. Exactly the same.