Episode #13: “Rekindled Flames”

Hailey exclaimed with a frustrated tone, "You are still calling me from a private number," as she paced in her office. It had been around ten days since Cassian and Caleb had visited. They had spent the weekend with her before returning to work. Before leaving, Cassian had appointed guards for her, which she knew was pointless to refuse, so she didn't protest.

But Cassian regularly called her, always from a private number. Many times she had asked him to message her from his number so she could call or message him back. "I don't want you to block me if you get angry," came Cassian's teasing voice from the other side.

"You are texting me from your number or not?" Hailey demanded sternly. "Okay, okay, I'm doing it. To be honest, I forgot to call from my number. Look, you have got a message," Cassian replied. Hailey pulled the cell phone from her ear and found a message from his number.

"Wow, golden number," Hailey murmured, and Cassian chuckled on hearing this. "Okay Rose, I've called you to inform you that you have to come to the Holts' office. We need to discuss further proceedings," Cassian said.

"When?" Hailey asked, glancing at her schedule. "What about on Friday? Then you can spend the weekend here," Cassian suggested.

"Okay, see you on Friday," Hailey agreed. "Take care," Cassian replied before disconnecting the call. Shortly after, Cassian sent her the ticket details.

"Abria, we have to go to the Holts' Office this Friday," Hailey informed Abria when she came to her cabin. "Ooo, okay ma'am," Abria said in a low voice, hiding a paper behind her back which she had come to give her. She was about to apply for leave.

"Ma'am, these files," Abria said, turning to leave. "Never compromise when it comes to your rights," Abria heard Hailey's voice from behind. She turned around and saw Hailey looking at her with a stern expression.

"I'm your boss, Abria," Hailey said, raising her hand to indicate that Abria should give her the paper. Abria gave her a sheepish smile and handed over the leave application.

"Taking leave is your right, and I haven't stopped you from that. Nor have I mentioned anywhere in your contract that you have to go everywhere with your boss," Hailey said while signing her leave. "Remember, Abria, never let anyone take advantage of your goodness. Not even me. Because in the end, you'll be the one who'll face the consequences," Hailey advised.

"I will, ma'am. It's my father's retirement party, and I don't want to skip that," Abria explained.

Hailey felt a pang in her heart but composed herself. "Okay, you can go now," Hailey dismissed her. She opened her first drawer and took out a photo frame.

It was a picture of her with her elder brother, Damien, who was seven years older than her. It had been twelve years since he left—or, better to say, was killed. She was fifteen years old when Damien was murdered.

"You know, Demi," she murmured, caressing her brother's picture, "I will never forgive Dad. He didn't listen to me. He believed your murderer but not his daughter." A lone tear escaped her eye, but she wiped it away and put the photo frame back in the drawer.

The day she left her father's home, she had nowhere to go. Everything was blank, so to escape from her thoughts, she went to the cemetery to visit Damien's grave.

Flashback to 8 years ago:

"I don't know, Demi, what I'm going to do now. Please help me," she murmured, caressing her brother's grave. It was raining heavily, but she didn't care and kept sitting there in the cold, near her brother's grave at night. Suddenly, she felt the rain stop falling over her. She looked up and found their chef, Scott.

"Your brother always told me to take care of you whenever he had to leave for work. I won't ask you to return because they are not good people. I'll try my best to take care of your dad, but you should leave from here," Scott said, passing her a bag and an umbrella.

"I've kept all your important documents and other necessary items in the bag. Stay in a hotel, but leave this country as soon as possible. I don't have much time to explain," Scott said, glancing around to ensure no one was watching, then hurried away.

Hailey was confused but took the bag and left. Scott had packed some clothes for her. In a park restroom, she changed clothes and booked a hotel for a one-day stay. She checked the bag and found all her documents, money, and a mobile phone. There was a new SIM card and a letter from Scott.

"Use the new number. I will contact you. Leave the country as soon as possible. This is my bank card which nobody knows about; use this only. Don't use your bank cards. I've installed the banking app on your mobile," the letter read.

She had many questions but knew things were serious because of Scott's warning. She checked flights to the UK and luckily found one for the next day. She booked it immediately.

Flashback ends.

Present:-

It was Friday, and Hailey was on her way to Cassian's office. The driver took her directly to Caleb's cabin.

"Hey, Angry Bird, how are you?" Caleb exclaimed happily, approaching her and pulling her into a side hug.

"You," Hailey started but then shook her head with a smile.

"Come on, your Psychopath is in his office," Caleb said, leading her out. On the way, they met Skylar, who greeted her warmly.

"Thank you for that day. You and Abria did a lot for me," Hailey thanked her.

"No need for that, ma'am," Skylar replied with a smile and left.

They reached a cabin door. Hailey watched as Caleb pressed a few buttons and then scanned his eye to enter.

"Come on," Caleb said, taking her inside.

"I need the documents by tonight," Hailey heard Cassian's voice and saw him standing near the window, talking on the phone. He ended the call as he turned to face them.

"Look, I've brought your Rose," Caleb exclaimed. Cassian's face lit up with a bright smile when he saw her. He walked toward her, and Hailey stepped forward.

"How are you?" Cassian asked, hugging her. He then pulled back to examine her face, especially her healing wounds. The mark on her cheek had almost vanished, and her lips were fine. He brushed her hair away from her temple and found only a light scratch left.

"I'm fine," Hailey replied, returning his smile. Cassian then turned his attention to Caleb.

"Documents?" Cassian asked.

"I've placed the file on your table," Caleb said. Cassian went to check the file. "Come, Rose," he called her over.

"These are the papers," Cassian said, handing her the file. Hailey took it and moved toward the chair in front of the table.

"Sit here," Cassian instructed, gently pushing her toward his chair before she could react.

Caleb was momentarily surprised but then smiled brightly. He quietly left to give them some privacy.

"How can I sit in your chair?" Hailey asked, genuinely shocked.

"Are there thorns on my chair? Sit down and read the file," Cassian said sternly, picking up another file. Hailey gazed at him for a moment but then shook her head and focused on the file.

"I'll be back," Cassian said once she had signed the papers. Hailey looked around and instantly fell in love with his office. She decided to freshen up and went to the washroom.

She washed her face and undid her hair bun, feeling a slight pain from the pins. She massaged her head a little and came out while pressing her head a little. Before she could take another step, she was pushed against the wall, and a pair of lips landed on hers.

She was shocked for a moment, as it was the first time anyone had kissed her on the lips. She came to her senses and realized it was Cassian who had kissed her. Cassian, who had been dying to kiss her from the moment she entered his cabin, held her tightly by the waist and deepened the kiss.

Cassian's lips moved with an intensity that conveyed the longing he had felt. He had been trying to control his emotions, but seeing her again had made it impossible. His hands roamed up her back, pulling her closer as if he could never get enough of her. Hailey felt her resistance melting away, her own hands finding their way to his shoulders and then tangling in his hair.

The kiss grew more passionate, and Cassian's grip tightened, his body pressing against hers with a need that had been building for days. He broke the kiss for a moment, their foreheads touching as they both caught their breath.

"Do you know how much I've wanted to do this?" he whispered, his voice husky with desire.

Hailey could only nod, her heart racing. Before she could say anything, Cassian's lips were on hers again, more demanding this time. His hands slid down to her hips, lifting her slightly so that she was almost off the ground. Hailey wrapped her legs around his waist, her desire matching his as the kiss deepened further.

Cassian walked them to his desk, not breaking the kiss, and set her down on the edge. He pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes with an intensity that made her shiver.

"I've been dying to kiss you since the moment you walked in," he admitted, his voice raw.

Hailey's breath hitched, and she pulled him back to her, their lips crashing together once more. This time, the kiss was even more fervent, filled with the unspoken emotions and desires that had been building between them. Cassian's hands roamed over her body as if trying to memorize every curve and contour, while Hailey's hands moved under his shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin.

Cassian pulled apart after some time and closed his eyes to control himself. He pressed his lips on her forehead who was breathing heavily. Hailey encircled her arms around his back and kept her head over his chest to calm herself down. Cassian rubbed her back and kissed her head tightly.

Cassian picked up the glass from the table and handed it to Hailey. She drank the water and took a deep breath.

"Better?" Cassian asked, gently brushing her hair away from her forehead.

"Yeah," Hailey replied, resting her head back on his chest. She felt shy, remembering what had happened between them a few moments before. She couldn't quite believe how bold she had become.

"I missed you so much," Cassian said, breaking the hug but keeping his arms around her waist. Hailey, who was playing with the buttons on his shirt, looked up and found him gazing at her softly.

"Me too," she murmured.

"Will you go on a date with me tonight?" Cassian asked. Hailey was shocked for a moment. She looked at him for any sign of a joke, but he was serious and waiting for her reply.

"What if I say no?" Hailey asked in a teasing tone.

Cassian pecked her lips lightly. "I'll take Caleb with me," he replied, and Hailey smacked his chest.

"I hope you both are not gay," Hailey said, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe," Cassian replied, trying to control his laughter. Hailey made a disgusted face.

"Eew," she murmured, and Cassian burst into laughter, kissing her cheek tightly.

"So, is it a yes or no?" he asked.

Hailey flipped her hair with attitude. "Okay, since you're insisting this much, I'll go with you," she replied.

Cassian chuckled and bent his head to kiss her neck softly.

"Good choice, Miss Andreev," he whispered, causing Hailey to giggle.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Caleb's voice came through. "Cassian, are you done with your romantic moment? We need you in the meeting."

Hailey looked at Cassian with wide eyes. "Always Caleb," Cassian muttered, shaking his head. "Come in," he called out.

Caleb walked in, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Hailey sitting on Cassian's desk. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said with a smirk.

"Nothing we can't continue later," Cassian replied with a grin.

Hailey blushed and quickly got off the desk. "I'll just freshen up," she said, hurrying towards the washroom again. Cassian set his clothes on and picked up the important things for the meeting.

Caleb had already left. Hailey came out. Cassian came near her and pecked her cheek lightly. "The driver will take you home. See you tonight," Cassian whispered to Hailey as he left for the meeting.

Hailey smiled, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. She watched him leave, then took a moment to compose herself. As she made her way to the car, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of anticipation for the evening ahead.

To be continued…