All Chapters of FATED to SIN, BOUND by TIME: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Arielle’s POV “Arielle, hand me that box,” Mom called out with her usual light smile.I picked it up from the counter and walked it over to her, returning the smile even though my chest felt tight again.“How do you find our new home?” she asked in her soft and hopeful voice.“It’s perfect,” I said quickly before turning away as a cough forced its way up my throat.“You still have that cough?” she asked, watching me closely as I moved my hand away from my mouth and saw the tiny smear of red on my palm.“Yes,” I whispered, forcing the word out.“You have to see a doctor, dear.”“I will, Mom.”I didn’t wait for the conversation to continue. I rushed straight to the bathroom and locked the door behind me.The second I faced the mirror, my breath caught.Seven years.Seven years of avoiding mirrors, cameras, anything that forced me to face myself. And now here I was… staring at a version of me that didn’t feel like me at all.My skin was pale, almost washed out.I had dark circles under m

Cassian’s POV“Next time, don’t fucking kiss me back—or look at me like that,” I snapped, my eyes fixed on the file in my hands. “It’s disgusting.”Tricia stood across from my desk, silent for a beat longer than usual.“How do you expect me to make it believable if I don’t?” she asked quietly.There it was. The same tired excuse.“I hired you for two damn reasons,” I said, finally lifting my gaze to her.She sighed. “I know. Because I’m a family friend and because I love money more than anything.”“Exactly,” I barked. “So when we’re in public, you act exactly how I instruct you to act. Nothing more. Nothing less. And when we’re alone, I don’t want you looking at me, flirting with me, or pretending we’re friendly. Am I clear?”“Yes,” she replied, but her voice wavered.She turned toward the door, then stopped.“Why did you choose me?” she asked softly. “Why hire me to be your fiancée?”I laughed without humor. “The contract you signed made it very clear you don’t get to ask questions.”

Arielle’s POVI woke up with tears sliding down my cheeks, silent and warm. Something inside me felt… off, though not painful. Just a strange tug in my chest, like I’d woken up from a long dream I couldn’t fully remember.“Arielle… baby.” A gentle hand shook my shoulder. I blinked against the dim morning light, startled. "It's alright, baby," Mom whispered softly, her voice warm in the quiet room. My chest heaved as I hugged the blanket tight. For a moment, everything felt tiny—the bed too narrow and the room too small. “Soraya, open the curtains,” Mom said firmly. Light spilled in through the holes in the thin curtains, painting the cabin in golden stripes. I squinted, then slowly blinked my eyes. The ceiling was wooden, warm-colored, and familiar. The old cabin. “We’re at the old cabin,” I whispered huskily, as the memory of our little family trip here drifted back. Sunlight glinted off floating dust motes, and the scent of old wood and incense made my chest squeez

Cassian’s POV“Are you seriously going to stay locked in your fucking room, you brat?”My mother’s voice sliced through the door like broken glass.“Madame, please don’t get angry with the young master,” a maid pleaded softly from the other side.“Why shouldn’t I be upset with that weak breed?” my mother snapped. “All he does is lock himself up to prove a point. When my mother-in-law called to tell me he was missing at the temple, I immediately sent my men. They dragged him back here, just like they were supposed to.”Her heels clicked closer to the door.“So what if they did? He’s the heir of our corporation. Nothing should ever happen to him. He should grovel at my feet in gratitude, not act up like this.”I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms.“He was born for a purpose,” she continued loudly, “and he will fulfill that fucking role whether he wants to or not.”The desk beside my bed took the full force of my fist.Pain exploded through my knuckles, sharp and immedi

Cassian’s POV“Cassian,” the man said as soon as we stepped out of the car, “how do you even know this place?”I didn’t answer him right away.The entire drive here, he had been singing—loud, careless, and off-key. It grated on my nerves, but I welcomed the silence once we arrived. I needed it, even if I was borrowing it from someone else’s car.“My grandparents come here,” I replied finally, my eyes already drifting toward the temple grounds. “Whenever I visit them, they bring me along.”I didn’t wait for his response.I walked ahead, my gaze scanning the courtyard as if I were searching for something, though I didn’t know why.The air smelled faintly of incense and rain-soaked earth, just like that day I was there. The sound of murmured prayers floated around me, distant yet loud. It felt like déjà vu in a way I couldn’t explain.“Young man,” an elderly voice called from behind me, “would you like to buy incense for the altar?”I turned.An old woman stood there, hunched slightly, h