“That’s not the point here,” he stated, and Indigo felt he was avoiding the question.
“It doesn’t matter. If you’re accepting the child, once we get married, I’ll treat him like my own-”
“Indigo,” he cut in, his voice laced with slight anger.
“Please, Cash, please. I can’t lose you. I know you warned me about this day, but I can’t. Don’t, please,” she shook her head. “Please.”
Cassius’s gaze didn’t soften, and guilt flashed in his eyes, but he had warned her. She suddenly wiped her tears and sniffed.
Shaking her head, she clenched her jaw. “I hate you.” She dashed out of the office afterward.
Hudson came in shortly after, with a worried look. He immediately understood the situation upon meeting Cassius’s gaze.
“Will she be alright?” Cassius asked him. Indigo was his childhood friend who had helped him, and he felt guilty for hurting her, but he had no choice.
“She will, with time. At least you were honest with her. I know she’ll understand,” Hudson said, soothing some of the heaviness in Cassius’s chest.
“And Nathan Redmond?” Cassius’s gaze turned serious.
—
Maya smiled as she watched Tatiana step in. Her bruises were slowly fading, and she was responding to treatment quickly.
“Tatie,” she grinned.
“Hey,” Tatiana hugged her briefly and sat before her.
“I can’t thank you enough, Tatie,” Maya’s voice croaked.
“Are you going to cry? C’mon, that’s over.”
“Jojo told me how he lost his dick,” Maya said, and they both laughed, along with Jolene, who stood behind Tatiana.
“How are you feeling?” Tatiana asked.
“Just a few pains here and there, but the doctor said I’ll be completely fine soon. I’m glad I’m out of that hell,” Maya’s eyes teared up with joy.
“I’m glad too. I’ve made sure that bastard rots in jail,” Tatiana assured.
“Did you hear anything from father?”
“No, I don’t think he even cares about us, and we don’t either. We are free now; we’re not under his stupid rules anymore.”
Maya nodded, and her face turned serious. “About Isabella-”
“A man named Zero. I heard Mason mention Isabella while talking to him that night before Isabella’s death. They are quite acquainted, and I heard he is dangerously insane. He deals with a lot of dangerous things in the entertainment world and only acts on orders after being paid a lot. That’s why I couldn’t tell you when you asked; the man is really dangerous-”
“So someone paid this man called Zero to order his men to tarnish Isabella’s image. What exactly did you hear?” Tatiana asked.
“Mason said, ‘Isabella is just as foolish as her sisters, Zero. I wonder who she had offended.’ That was all I heard before he noticed my presence. Mason warned me that night never to speak of it to anyone.”
Tatiana clenched her jaw. ‘Zero’-that name stuck in her head. It would be dangerous, but she would turn the world upside down if that’s what it took to hunt down those who killed her sister.
As Tatiana drove to Cassius’s mansion, Maya’s words echoed in her head. She would have to talk to Mason first-maybe he would tell her the truth.
“Mum!” Dylan rushed to hug her as soon as he saw her.
Tatiana poured kisses on him and asked about his day.
“Where is Mr. King?” Tatiana asked the butler.
“Master is asleep,” the man replied.
It was already evening, and he was asleep-was he okay?
“Mum, I missed your chicken parmesan. Uncle Conrad made it last night, but it wasn’t nearly as good as yours,” Dylan said, and Tatiana glanced back at butler Conrad, who smiled in return.
“Then I’ll make some for you tonight,” Tatiana said, and Dylan jumped excitedly.
Soon, Tatiana wore an apron around her waist, making the meal. Her movements were professional as she added each ingredient carefully.
Butler Conrad, who was helping her, couldn’t help but compliment her.
Soon, Dylan’s stomach growled at the sight of the meal, his mouth hanging open as he wondered where to start.
“Thanks, Mom,” he chuckled and began to dig in.
Tatiana caught sight of Cassius descending the stairs. His tired look was replaced with surprise at seeing her. He looked at the butler, who immediately explained himself.
“Ma’am insisted we not disturb your sleep, Master.”
Sighing, Cassius approached Tatiana, whose gaze remained fixed on him.
“You could have informed me you were coming,” he stated, taking his seat. The meal in front of Dylan showed she had been there for a while.
“I prepared yours,” Tatiana said, sliding his meal to him.
“I didn’t ask you. I’m not hungry.”
Tatiana simply drew the meal back to herself and opened it. “Wow, it’s going to be so good in my belly,” she said, looking at Dylan, and they both chuckled.
“Huh? I thought you said it was mine,” Cassius raised an eyebrow.
“You said you’re not hungry,” Tatiana retorted.
“I never said I wouldn’t eat. It’s obvious you don’t plan to give me that…”
“I knew you’d reject it.”
“How sweet of you, Little-uhm,” he paused and glanced over at Dylan.
“Mom has a title too? What is it?”
Tatiana slowly looked back at Cassius, wondering what he would say.
“Little-dove,” he said, and Tatiana blinked. “Your mother is a calm, loving woman, like a dove.”
“That’s sweet, but mother isn’t calm all the time. She once broke the nose of a man who insulted me,” Dylan said, and Cassius blinked.
“Dylan, don’t talk while eating, remember?” Tatiana said lightly, then asked the butler to bring Cassius his own share of food.
Receiving it, Cassius’s stomach growled at the sight, and he saw the smirk on Tatiana’s face before she began eating hers.
Dinner went smoothly. Dylan and Cassius both ate more after one plate, and Tatiana couldn’t help but wonder how similar the two were.
She was slightly jealous that Dylan took most of his features from Cassius.
Dylan fell asleep in her arms while Cassius watched in silence. The maid took the sleeping boy to his room, and Tatiana prepared to leave.
“Where are you going, Little Rebel?” he asked, back to his usual self.
“Home,” Tatiana rolled her eyes.
“It’s 11 p. m.”
“Still not late.”
“Stay.”
“No, thank you,” she began to leave, but the man caught up with her in three strides. “What?”
“Why must you be so disobedient whenever I try to be nice? Why can’t you stay? The road is dangerous at night, and the rain will fall heavily in a minute.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said stubbornly and left the mansion.
The thunder roared, and she halted. The rain began to fall heavily without warning. It was so bad it forced her back into the mansion, all drenched.
She saw Cassius with his arms folded, as if he had been waiting for her.
“Are you a wizard or something?” she asked, squeezing the water from her shirt.
“You’re just a witch who doesn’t listen, Little Rebel.”
“Asswipe,” Tatiana whispered under her breath, but the man heard it.
“What did you just say?” he asked, stepping closer. She swallowed, wondering if he really heard her.
“Nothing,” she shook her head, avoiding his gaze. He shifted closer, leaving no space between them, trapping her between the door and himself.
First, she disobeyed, and now she lied.
Tatiana barely reached his shoulder, as his height towered over hers.
“Lie again, and I’ll make you breathless until tears creep out of your eyes. What did you say?” he asked again.
‘What’s the worst he can do?’ Tatiana thought and stubbornly replied, “Nothing.”
With swift movement, he grabbed her neck and crashed his lips so hard on hers…
With the aim of making her breathless!