Leave For Westwood.

Liana Blake.

“I know you love Cassian, Liana.”

Everything inside me froze.

At first, I thought I had heard her wrongly, but then the expression on her face told me I hadn’t.

For years, I had thought that I had hidden my feelings perfectly. I thought I had been so careful. I had never confessed. Never written him a letter, except in my diary where I detailed my feelings. Never allowed myself to touch him longer than necessary.

So how the hell did she know?

I parted my lips… I should deny it, right? But then no words came through.

My mother continued. “Don’t look so surprised. A mother notices things. I have seen the way you look at him when you think no one sees you.”

I shook my head. “You don’t understand. He doesn’t even—”

“I understand perfectly!” She cut me off sharply.

My voice cracked. “No, you don’t. Cassian and I—”

“You are stepbrother and stepsister. And that is exactly why this has to stop.”

I stared at her. “Nothing happened between us. He doesn’t even know that I have feelings for him.”

“Yet.” She glared at me. “And I won’t wait until something does.”

Tears burned my eyes. “You think I would do something to hurt you? I have been holding back because of you—”

“This isn’t about hurting me.” She stood. “This is about my marriage.”

I looked at her in disbelief. “Your marriage?”

“Yes. Do you have any idea what people would say if they discovered that my daughter was in love with my husband’s son? I worked too hard to become part of this family, and I will not allow you to ruin everything because you cannot control your feelings.”

Her words were like a sharp dagger aimed at my chest. I looked down at the ticket in my hand, tears burning my eyes. “So you’re sending me away?”

“You’re an adult, and you’ll be safer away from Cassian.”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Safer? Or you’ll be safer? It has always been about you.”

She flinched, and for the first time, I saw something like guilt in her eyes. But it disappeared quickly. “You leave in two days’ time, and that is because you need tomorrow to pack.” Her voice was final.

She gritted her teeth. “I have done a lot for you all these years. At least I’m better than your father. You should be really grateful to me.” She walked toward the door.

At the mention of my father, chills ran down my spine as memories of the past came rushing back.

That man was a drunk and a gambler who physically assaulted my mother and I for years. When I was thirteen, my mother finally divorced him, got custody of me, and three years later, she married Sebastian Vale.

Sebastian Vale is an handsome billionaire and honestly, I did not know how she got him to marry her. She was an employee in his company, worlds apart from each other but somehow their marriage was more beautiful than I thought it would ever be  

“Does Cassian know?” The question left my lips before my mind could catch up.

She stopped. “No. And you don’t dare tell him,” she responded over her shoulder before she stepped out.

My legs felt weak beneath me, and I lowered myself onto the bed. I pressed my hand together with the ticket against my throbbing forehead, letting the tears spill freely.

I was leaving in two days’ time.

I pressed the key into my palm until it hurt.

Maybe this was for the best.

Maybe loving Cassian had always been a mistake, and staying away from him was the only way to suppress my feelings for him.

I would leave for Rosewood City, and I would never come back.

A few minutes later, I was still seated there when the door opened again. I quickly wiped my cheeks and shoved the ticket and key beneath the pillow before looking up.

Cassian walked in, tucking his phone into his pocket, and his eyes rested on me. “Liana?”

I forced a smile. “Yes?”

He frowned. “Why are your eyes red?”

I quickly looked away. “They’re not.”

“Don’t lie to me.” He walked closer and bent slightly to examine my face. “Were you crying?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m just… happy.”

“Happy?” His brows furrowed.

“Yes.” I forced another smile. “I finally graduated. I guess everything just hit me at once.”

Cassian studied me for a moment.

I held my breath, terrified that he would somehow see through the lie.

He eventually sighed. “I don’t like seeing you sad.”

My chest tightened.

If only you knew why I’m crying inside, I thought, a lump rising in my throat. If only you knew this is the final goodbye.

He dropped onto the chair beside my bed and looked at me thoughtfully. “Actually, I have an idea.”

“What?”

“My friend just told me about a masquerade ball happening tonight at the Imperial Crown Hotel.”

I blinked. “A masquerade?”

He nodded. “Apparently it’s some private graduation and charity event. He has an extra invitation and asked me to come.”

He paused. “I’m taking you with me.”

I stared at him. “You’re taking me?”

“Of course.”

“Cassian, I don’t think—”

“Don’t think.” He cut me off with a small smile. “Just come with me.”

I hesitated because my mother’s words were still ringing in my head.

You leave in two days’ time.

I should have refused.

I should have started packing.

I should have spent the rest of the evening preparing myself for life in a completely strange land.

Instead, I looked at Cassian. He was staring at me with that familiar warmth in his eyes.

And suddenly, I didn’t care. If I was leaving tomorrow, then tonight could be my last night with him. My last chance to make one more memory.

“Okay, I will go,” I agreed.

His lips curved into a smile. “Good.” He stood up immediately. “I’ll pick you up at seven.” He walked toward the door, then turned around. “And Liana?”

“Yes?” I answered.

“Look pretty.”

My cheeks warmed. “I always look pretty.”

He laughed. “That’s more like it.” He winked at me before leaving.

I sat there for several seconds after the door closed.

A masquerade ball.

One final night.

Maybe I could pretend, just for a few hours, that tomorrow wasn’t coming.

----

At exactly seven, Cassian’s car stopped outside the mansion.

I had spent almost an hour choosing what to wear. I wanted to look my very best, and in the end, I settled on a simple black dress that he had gifted me two months ago on my birthday. It hugged my body without being too revealing.

I fixed my hair in a messy bun, did simple makeup to accentuate my natural beauty, then slipped on the silver bracelet Cassian had given me and picked up the black mask that came with the invitation.

When I walked downstairs, Cassian was waiting by the entrance. He turned at the sound of my footsteps.

For a moment, he said nothing. His silver eyes moved over me slowly before meeting mine. “You look beautiful.”

My heart fluttered. “Thank you.”

He held out his hand, and I placed mine in his. He led me outside and opened the car door for me.

I felt a pair of eyes burning into my back. Instinctively, I glanced back to see my mother leaning against the railings by the balcony, her nose flared in a mix of anger and disgust.

My stomach twisted, but I straightened and slipped into the seat.

Cassian leaned in to help fasten the seatbelt, his breath mingling with mine and causing my pulse to roar loudly. He managed a smile at me before circling around the car, getting into the driver’s seat, and pulling away.