I Won't Be Singing

Cassian’s POV

I stared at the pen lying on top of the clear file folder, feeling an intense surge of anger and confusion rising inside my chest as Elaris stood across from me, looking completely unfazed by my presence.

"I am not signing anything today," I declared, pushing the folder away from the edge of my table while keeping my eyes fixed directly on her face, "you don't get to disappear for six years, walk back into my office without warning, and demand that I follow your commands like a servant."

"This isn't a command, Cassian, it is simple legal procedure," Elaris replied, her tone remaining flat and detached as she picked up the pen and placed it right back in front of me, "you were the one who handed me the divorce papers six years ago because you were so desperate to take care of Liora, so there is no reason for you to delay this any further."

Before I could answer her, the doors of my office opened slightly, and my secretary peeked her head inside with a nervous expression on her face.

"I apologize for interrupting, Mr. Virelli," the secretary said, holding a tablet tightly against her front, "but the gentleman waiting in the executive lobby says he is here to accompany Ms. Elaris, and he brought a young boy with him who is asking for his mother."

"A young boy?" I repeated, frowning as my stomach tightened with an immediate sense of unease.

"Tell him I will be out in just a moment," Elaris instructed the secretary, turning her back on me to head toward the doorway before I could even process her words.

"Wait right there," I said sharply, stepping past the corner of my table and following her straight out of the office into the wide executive lobby.

Elaris did not stop walking, so I quickened my pace until I cleared the hallway doors, coming to a complete halt near the center of the lobby as my eyes landed on the tall man standing near the windows. Enzo Everhart was dressed in a sharp business suit, holding a small boy by the hand, but the moment my eyes shifted down to the child's face, the breath was knocked completely out of my lungs.

The little boy was looking around the grand lobby with wide eyes, and as he turned his head toward us, I stared at his facial structure, his dark hair, and the exact dark, striking shape of his eyes that looked like a mirror image of my own childhood photos.

"Mommy!" the boy called out, letting go of Enzo's hand and running straight over to Elaris, wrapping his small arms tightly around her waist as she leaned down to stroke his head.

"Are you alright, Casey?" Elaris asked softly, picking him up into her arms while looking over at Enzo, who walked up to stand right beside them with a protective posture.

"I told you to wait in the car, Enzo," Elaris said to the man, keeping her voice calm while adjusting the boy on her hip.

"Casey wanted to see where you were, and we didn't want you staying up here longer than necessary," Enzo replied smoothly, placing a hand gently on Elaris' shoulder while giving me a cold, assessing look.

I took three long strides forward until I was standing directly in front of all three of them, my blood boiling as I looked back and forth between Enzo's hand on her shoulder and the little boy resting against her chest.

"Who is this child, Elaris?" I asked, my voice dangerously low as I pointed a trembling finger toward the boy, "And why does he look like this?"

"His name is Casey, and he is my son," Elaris answered directly, looking me straight in the eyes without a single hint of fear or hesitation in her voice.

"Your son?" I gasped out, feeling a wave of deep, possessive fury crash over me as I looked at Enzo, "Is this the reason you disappeared six years ago? Did you run away from our marriage just to start a secret life with this man?"

"Do not make absurd assumptions about my life, Cassian," Elaris snapped back, her eyes narrowing as she tightened her grip around her son, "my children and my personal relationships have absolutely nothing to do with you, so keep your voice down in front of my boy."

"He looks like he is six years old, Elaris," I spat out, stepping even closer as my hands clenched into tight fists at my sides, "do the math for me, because six years ago you were still legally my wife, living under my roof until the day you vanished!"

"You surrendered any right to ask about my life the night you handed me those divorce papers and told me you were taking care of Liora and whereas we never had anything together did we? ," Elaris said, her voice turning as cold as ice as she took a step backward toward the elevator doors, "you made your choice back then, so do not stand here and pretend you care about my family now."

"I am not signing those divorce registry documents," I stated firmly, my heart racing as I stared at the boy who possessed my exact eyes, "I will not let you walk out of here and register a divorce just so you can run off and give my legal surname's freedom to another man."

"You don't have a choice in the matter, Cassian," Enzo stepped forward, placing himself directly between me and Elaris while staring down at me with absolute authority, "Elaris is here as my business partner, and we have the full legal backing of the Everhart firm to handle any unreasonable delays you try to create."

"Stay out of this, Everhart," I growled, trying to look past him at Elaris, who was already pressing the button for the executive elevator to open.

"We are leaving now, Cassian," Elaris said as the elevator doors slid open behind her, stepping inside with Casey in her arms while Enzo followed closely behind her, "you can either sign the papers quietly in your office today, or my legal team will see you in court by the end of the week."