Chapter 5

Cassian didn’t know what was wrong with him, but ever since he met me yesterday, his mind hadn’t been able to delete me from his thoughts. He knew Hanna would definitely try something shady. He had spoiled her over the years, making her think she could do anything and still get away with it because he was a powerhouse. But when you stay with someone for a long time and they just stop valuing you, that’s how he felt about Hanna. He had never cheated on her, never even had it in his mind, but she was crossing every button line. He pocketed his phone and used the office landline to call the finance department to send some money to Victor, then went to work.

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I walked out of the Blue Stars Hotel with Lila beside me. The night air was cold, and my feet ached from the long shift. My head still throbbed a little under the bandage, but I kept my face soft and tired.

Lila looked at me with worry in her eyes. “Hazel, let me walk you home tonight. It’s dark and after what happened yesterday…”

I smiled gently and shook my head. “No, it’s okay, Lila. Go home and greet your mom for me. Tell her I said thank you for the cookies last week. I’ll be fine.”

She hesitated, biting her lip, but finally nodded. “Alright… but text me when you get home, okay?”

“I will,” I promised, keeping my voice sweet.

Lila waved and walked away. The sky was already dark, with only a few streetlights working. I waited a long time on the sidewalk until an old cab finally stopped. I got in, gave the driver the address, and rested my head against the cold window. The gentle movement of the car almost made me fall asleep. My body was exhausted from the concussion and the long day.

When the cab stopped at 47 Elm Street, I paid the driver with the little money I had left and stepped out. The moment I walked toward my old building, a group of thugs surrounded me.

My face paled instantly. Fear gripped my chest.

“When are you going to pay up the money?” the leader growled, stepping too close.

“I… I promised I would pay,” I said, my voice shaking just enough to sound real. “Please, give me a little more time.”

That only made them angrier. They reminded me that I borrowed 500,000 dollars two years ago for my “sick grandmother’s” treatment. With interest, it had climbed to 1.5 million. I had managed to pay back the original 500,000 through endless shifts, but the interest remained — one million dollars still hanging over my head.

“We heard you have a new boyfriend now,” one of them sneered, grabbing my arm. “Some rich guy. Why don’t you ask him for the money?”

“I don’t have any boyfriend,” I said quickly, eyes wide. “I just got off work. Please…”

They didn’t believe me. “You’ve waited long enough. Since you don’t have the money…”

They rushed forward to grab me. Rough hands closed around my wrists. Pain shot through my arms as they squeezed hard.

Just then, bright headlights cut through the darkness. An expensive Maybach pulled over smoothly beside us. Victor stepped out first and opened the back door.

Cassian Hale stepped down.

The thugs froze.

He only tracked me down because he thought Hanna would send someone to bully me. Instead, he found me being harassed by loan sharks. He walked closer with that cold, commanding presence that made the air feel heavier.

“What’s going on here?” he asked calmly, his voice like ice.

The men let go of me at once. Maybe it was his cold face or the icy tone in his voice, but they stepped back immediately.

One of them, still trying to act tough, pointed at me. “If you’re her boyfriend, you should pay her debt. She owes us one million dollars.”

Cassian looked slightly surprised when they called him my boyfriend. I felt my cheeks burn. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. But I didn’t correct them. I kept my head down, playing the part of the scared, helpless girl.

Cassian turned to me. “How much exactly?”

“They said one million,” I whispered, my voice small.

He didn’t hesitate. He looked at Victor and said, “Send them the money. One million euros. Now.”

Victor worked fast on his tablet. In less than a minute, the transfer was done. The thugs checked their phones, eyes wide with shock and greed. They muttered a few words and quickly disappeared into the shadows, happy to escape without trouble.

Cassian turned fully to me.

I stood there trembling, rubbing the red hand marks on my wrists. The bandage on my forehead felt slightly dirty from the struggle. I looked small and pitiful under the weak streetlight.

“Why did you run away from the hospital this morning?” he asked, his gray eyes studying me.

I looked down at my feet. “I can’t afford it, Mr. Hale. I don’t want to owe anyone anything. Hospitals are too expensive. I thought if I left early, I could avoid adding more bills.” I took a shaky breath and added softly, “Thank you for paying the debt just now. I promise I will keep working hard to pay you back every cent. I have four jobs. I’ll find more shifts if I need to.”

Cassian didn’t say anything for a moment. He looked at the building behind me. It was in one of the most dangerous streets — dark, dirty, and crumbling. The walls were cracked, paint peeling off in large patches, and the whole structure looked like it might fall apart anytime soon. Windows were broken, and the entrance smelled of garbage and dampness.

I could see in his eyes that he really didn’t know what to say.

Finally, he spoke. “Go get your things. Come with me.”

I blinked in surprise. “Mr. Hale… I can’t. You’ve already done too much for me.”

“I’m not asking,” he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. “It’s not safe here.”

Victor stood beside the car, looking at Cassian like he had lost his mind. Maybe he had. Cassian probably didn’t understand why he had this strong urge to protect me. Maybe he saw his dead sister in me, or maybe he was trying to ease the heavy guilt he carried about Marie. Whatever the reason, he knew he just had to protect me.

He knew Hanna too well, and he had a lot of enemies. So he needed to keep me close. He also needed to find out who leaked the information to Hanna’s friends so quickly.

I hesitated for a few seconds, playing the shy and grateful girl, then nodded slowly. “Okay… thank you.”

I went inside the shabby building, packed the few clothes I owned into my small worn backpack, and came back down. Cassian opened the car door for me himself. I slid into the back seat quietly, feeling the soft leather under me. He sat beside me. The Maybach pulled away smoothly, leaving my dangerous old life behind.

Inside the car, the silence was thick. I kept my hands folded in my lap and my head slightly lowered, looking every bit the fragile orphan.

After a while, I whispered, “Thank you again, Mr. Hale. I really will pay everything back. I promise.”

He didn’t reply. He just stared out the window, his face cold and unreadable as always.