“That, I can’t tell,” Nathan mumbled, and Paisley’s eyes widened.
“But you told me you haven’t touched her since two years before the marriage!” Paisley yelled.
“Why are you so riled up?” Nathan raised a brow.
“You lied?! Is that child yours?! It can’t be! Tatiana can’t have your child; she can’t!” Paisley yelled.
“Go freshen up; I’m hungry.” Nathan stood and made to leave, but Paisley quickly held him.
“It’s not your child, Nathan. Please tell me the child is not yours,” Paisley pleaded, and Nathan shot a glare at her.
“Can you stop overreacting? We are done with this conversation,” he said coldly, shrugging her hand off.
Paisley shook her head. “It can’t be. Nathan doesn’t have another child outside. I’m the only one who bore her child. I’m the only one.” She quickly took her phone to make some calls.
Nathan stepped into his study room, his gaze swirling with an unknown emotion. He pulled out his phone and called his assistant.
“Hello, boss,” his assistant answered immediately.
“Find out what happened to Tatiana Wallington the night before she left,” he ordered in a cold voice.
—
The next day, Jolene took Dylan to school, and Tatiana’s mood was bright. Her audition had gone well the day before, and she reconnected with her old friend, who promised to help her again. She drank with them to make up, while Jolene refrained so she could drive her home.
Tatiana disappeared, remembering Paisley’s words. Dylan attended the same school as Paisley’s son.
“You should stop worrying; nothing will happen to Dylan,” Catelyn said as she stepped into the kitchen too.
“I know, but I can’t help it,” Tatiana replied.
“It’s normal for a good mother to be worried, especially one who would dunk a woman’s head into the toilet for not speaking up. I would kill Paisley if I saw her,” Catelyn said with a serious face, and Tatiana burst into laughter.
After a moment of silence, Tatiana spoke. “Thank you so much, Auntie, for everything. Especially for Dylan.”
“It’s my pleasure. Dylan is like my son too. I watched him grow, and I’ll always be there for him,” Catelyn’s words made Tatiana’s heart swell.
“How’s Reed doing?” Tatiana asked. Reed was Catelyn’s son, who lived outside the country with his wife.
“He is fine; he plans to visit soon, though.” Catelyn’s husband died when Reed was just five, and she had never considered remarrying. She loved and nurtured her son until he got married and left for another country. Reed visits once in a while while they were in Europe. Catelyn talks to her son every day.
Dylan reminded Catelyn of Reed; she missed those days and saw Dylan as her own.
Noticing her dress, Tatiana asked, “Where are you going all dressed up?”
“I need to get some books. These four walls are boring without Dylan. I might even open my coffee shop soon,” Catelyn said.
“That’s great. Oh, I’ve missed your coffee. It’s been a while since you made one,” Tatiana said, blinking cutely at her.
“That’s not going to work. Bye,” Catelyn chuckled and left.
Tatiana went upstairs to freshen up; she had woken up late due to a hangover. She sighed as the emptiness of the apartment weighed upon her. She had no appointments or plans for the day. She decided to continue her research on Issabella.
Her eyes widened as she remembered something.
“Oh shit!” She cursed and rushed to the living room to check her phone.
~Where are you?~
Cassius’s message read, and her jaw dropped. She had completely forgotten about him.
“Nice,” a deep voice sounded behind her. She jumped when she saw Cassius, and her phone dropped to the floor.
She stared at him with guilt before picking up her phone and then looked back at him again.
“How did you…” She trailed off in shock.
“Your passcode is your birthday,” Cassius answered her unspoken question and took an apple from the counter he had rested his back upon. His movements were graceful; no wonder he was called “king.”
The passcode was actually Dylan’s birthday; she had given birth on her own birthday, so Dylan and she shared the same day.
Silence settled in the room as Tatiana waited for the man to scold her, but he only stared at her with a hard face. Did he even smile at all? His piercing gaze made her skin tingle.
“About last night… I am sorry. I went to meet some old friends, and I completely forgot about our meeting,” she explained, her voice barely audible. The room turned silent again until he finally spoke.
“Come here,” he demanded, and as if being controlled, Tatiana found herself walking slowly towards him, her gaze facing down.
“I’m really sorry,” she stopped and apologized again.
“Closer,” he demanded, and Tatiana gulped. How was she going to make him leave soon? Catelyn or Jolene would be back any moment.
She took a step closer, barely meeting his expectations. He suddenly reached for her hand and pulled her to himself. He lifted her fragile body with a swift movement and placed her on the counter.
Cassius parted her legs and stood between them, placing both hands by her side.
His movements were fast; Tatiana froze for a moment. She tried to move, but his cold voice stopped her.
“Don’t.”
Tatiana gulped again, her heart racing as she not only wondered what the man was up to but also because his face was so close to hers. His amazing cologne invaded her nose, messing with her senses.
“Not only are you a stubborn little rebel but also forgetful,” he said.
“I’m sorry.”
“Apologize again and I’ll make you scream my name. You know what I mean,” he warned, and she gulped again.
Her confidence was gone, replaced by her fragile side. How did he manage to make her act this way? She wanted to push him away but dared not.
“How should I punish you, Little Rebel?” he asked huskily, drawing his face closer. His lips almost brushed hers.
“I… I…” She couldn’t find her words.
“First, you let only me carry the memories of that night. You rejected me, disobeyed me, drove me nuts… so many crimes you’ve committed, Little Rebel. So tell me, how should I punish you?” he asked as their gazes locked. She was blushing intensely, unable to look away.
“I… don’t know,” she finally found her words.
“Then I have the right to choose any punishment,” he smirked, seeming to enjoy her stunned expression.
“I’ll… find a way to make it up to you. I promise,” she stuttered.
Cassius smirked, his gaze moved to her inviting lips.
Just when he was about to make a move, the door swung open, Jolene and Catelyn stepped in.
Their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when they saw the position the two figures were in. Their mouths hung open as they froze, and Catelyn’s book slipped from her hands, creating a loud thud that grabbed their attention.
Tatiana’s eyes widened, desperately wishing that the ground would open up and swallow her.
‘Fuck!’ Cassius inwardly cursed.