Bain’s pain

 Unmasking the Shadows

Cassie found herself drawn deeper into Bain Blackwood's world. It was a world of power and influence, yet shadowed by pasts and secrets so painful that even Bain tried to bury,

The more time she spent with him, the more she noticed the cracks in his armor, revealing that beneath the calm, cold, ruthless demeanor was pain, bitterness, and a man looking for peace and love.

Bain was a man of silence, a grandmaster at masking his emotions. Yet many times in his quiet moments, Cathy would catch glimpses of vulnerability.

If she had not caught those moments several times, she wouldn't have believed Bain had a humanity.

But moments where his gaze lingered on some family portraits that adorned the grand hallways, or when his shoulders tensed up at the mention of certain names showed that there was more to Bain than the cold exterior she had become accustomed to.

He was more than a ruthless businessman or a calculatedprotector. There must be a story behind it all.

Even when she subtly asked, not even Esther; her personal maid, or Mrs. Persephone had ever told her. And when she pushed, the conversation was usually redirected.

She also needed to know what it was. They might be master and slave, but they were also husband and wife, and whether Bain liked it or not, she would be a wife to him.

She had resigned herself to that. It wasn't so bad anyway.

One evening, as the sun dipped beyond the horizon and the sky was coloured in hues of crimson and gold.

Casey found Bain standing alone at the balcony, leaning against the railing, staring beyond, almost as if he was looking at something that wasn't there.

Something was wrong. His fists were clenched, and Casey could sense anger from him.

This might just be her moment.

Without a word, she joined him. She stood a few feet away to respect the boundary that he had put up.

After about 30 minutes in silence, Casey looked directly at him.

His features had softened, and for a moment, he looked like a different person from the one she had seen 30 minutes before.

"You ever wondered how things would have been if life was different?" Bain asked, almost a whisper, but heavy with emotion. It was the first time he had ever started a conversation, one that was raw and open.

Casey hesitated, weighing his words and trying to find the best answer to it.

"Every day" she admitted. Gradually, her own memories of pain, suffering and abuse crept to the surface.

"Every single day" she whispered again.

"But it doesn't change anything, does it?"

He took a long sigh and then shook his head, and with a bitter smile, he responded, "No, it truly doesn't.”

Silence settled between them once again. But this time, it was different; the air felt lighter.

Its tension radiating from him had eased up a bit.

Bain, her voice was gentle, cautious. "What happened?"

He didn't look at her. His gaze was fixed on what he saw beyond the horizon. A flicker of pain passed through his face. Casey was scared he would retreat to been the cold person she knew again. But he surprised her when he spoke up.

"My parents were murdered.” his words sounded like thunder, leaving a sense of foreboding in the air.

Cassie's chest tightened and her breath caught in her throat.She had known there was a dark past, but she didn't imagine anything like this.

"He was a powerful man, respected and feared, but power makes enemies, and one of them wanted him gone" Bain explained.

Cassie's eyes widened, "Who?” she asked.

Bane snared as he responded. “Someone he trusted, one he called a brother from another mother, a man he would have died for.”

She watched as his face hardened.

"He betrayed my parents ,murdered them in cold blood , i was there, i saw everything happening and soon after I was left alone to fend for himself.”

Cassie's heart broke for him. She began to see Bain in a different light. She saw the lonely man, the sad child who had been robbed of his innocence and forced to grow up so soon.

"I was alone.” Bain continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "Left to survive, while vultures tried to tear apart and take out a chunk of everything my father built. I learned to be ruthless. Even as a child, there was no other way to survive.”

Cassie blinked away the tears. She wanted to touch him, but she knew it wasn't time yet. So she stood still, offering her silent support.

"Did you ever find out who did it?" She asked softly. A cruel smile spread across Bain's face as he said, "Oh, I know who did it and i will make him pay ."

Casie didn't ask for details. She didn't want to know. The look in his eyes was enough.

"It won't bring them back,” he whispered. "It won't change anything but i will have my vengeance.”

Cassie understood now. The ruthless facade, cold demeanor, and dangerous personality this man had, was built up brick by brick over the years to protect himself.

This wasn't a mafia boss or a businessman. This was a broken man. And a very lonely one.

This time, she stretched her hand and placed it on his shoulder, softly, gently.

"They would have been proud of you" she whispered. "Your parents would have been proud of you for surviving and becoming who you are today.”

He turned to her, skepticism in his face. "Would they?" his voice cracked, revealing the hurt in it. "Or would they see the monster that I have become?"

Blinking could not keep the tears away anymore, and Cassie let them run down her cheeks.

"You are not a monster bain. You are a survivor.”

His eyes softened and his gaze lingered on her face for a while."Why do you care so much, Cassie?"

With her heart pounding, she answered, "Because I see the man behind the mask. I see you Bain.”

His hands went to her cheek. And for a moment, she remembered the kiss they shared on their wedding.

But suddenly, his expression hardened and he pulled away once more.

"I don't need your pity.” he coldly responded.

"It's not pity Bain. It's empathy. It's been over 10 months with you here, and I see you. I see your kindness. I see your thoughtfulness. I see your protectiveness. I see you Bain."

He turned to her, his eyes conflicted. And without another word, he walked away, leaving her alone on the balcony.

Cassie watched him disappear as he touched the spot where his hand had held her cheek. She could still feel the warmth. She was happy.

The connection she felt, he also felt it. She wasn't going to give up. She had seen Bain, the whole of him, and she wanted him.

As the wind whispered through the night, Cassie made a silent vow. She would stand by him.

She would fight his demons with him. She would never betray him. She would stay with him; servant or wife. And she wasn't letting him get away.

Not without the fight.