“My father fell sick last night. Rosa called to say he had a fever. I had to rush back home. I’m sorry for not telling you. I thought you might need some rest after your return,” Jolene’s voice sounded over the phone, and Tatiana smiled.
“It’s alright. I… I was just worried you left so late. How is your father’s health now?” Tatiana asked.
“Here, talk to him,” Jolene said, and Rowan’s voice replaced hers.
“Hello, Tatiana. I’m sorry I stole Jo away. I had called her to find out where she keeps the first aid, and she came running here. Such a fragile heart she has,” Rowan’s voice sounded weak. He cleared his throat.
“It’s fine. I hope the fever isn’t serious?”
“No, it isn’t. After some rest and medication, I’m as good as new,” Rowan chuckled weakly.
“How’s Rosa?” Tatiana asked.
“She’s out,” Jolene answered instead. “She went to get some appliances. The kitchen sink had a problem, and she said she could fix it… I’ll head back to the mansion tomorrow. I’ll see you soon, Tatie,” Jolene’s soft voice came through the speaker.
“Alright, I’ll be waiting,” Tatiana said with a weak smile.
“Bye, and give my regards to the little lion,” Jolene said excitedly over the phone and hung up.
Tatiana sighed in relief. She couldn’t let her father’s words get into her head. They hadn’t announced their return, so who had?
Her gaze shifted to Cassius, who was staring out the window.
“It’s not her,” Tatiana sighed again. “She left because of her father. She can’t be the one.”
Cassius turned his gaze to her. His eyes flashed with something she couldn’t read.
A small smile crept onto his face. “Alright, let’s go down to meet the others.”
Tatiana dramatically let herself slump onto the bed. “I want to sleep some more.”
Before she knew it, Cassius was carrying her. She gasped at his sudden action.
“Hey!” she tried to move.
“Stay still and don’t argue, or I’ll take you back to bed and teach you how to,” he warned, and Tatiana knew exactly what he meant. Her face reddened.
“Good,” he muttered, taking her downstairs. They found Dylan asleep on Aurora’s lap. It seemed Aurora had been reading until he fell asleep. The boy was now very used to his grandmother. The scene was beautiful.
Aurora turned her gaze to them, and Tatiana bit her lip harder. She was a bit glad Dylan hadn’t seen them like this.
“Hi, Mother,” Tatiana greeted awkwardly.
“Hm… My son didn’t go easy on you, huh?” Aurora smirked, and Tatiana felt like burying her face in Cassius’s chest.
“Don’t start, Mother,” Cassius helped Tatiana sit at the dining table. He gave Butler Conrad a cue to bring her meal.
“Start what? Look at the beautiful marks you gave her.”
Tatiana’s eyes widened as she looked down at the love bites Cassius had left on her neck and chest. She shrank into her chair and tried to use her hair to cover up.
Cassius ruffled her hair and kissed her. “I’ll be right back.”
Tatiana wanted to speak, but Butler Conrad arrived with the food and placed it in front of her. “Eat well, ma’am.”
Tatiana nodded and watched Cassius walk out of sight.
“You okay?” Aurora asked, nibbling on a plate of diced fruit. “I heard about the poison. Do you feel hurt anywhere?”
Tatiana smiled at how sweet her mother-in-law was. She noticed Aurora didn’t have blue eyes like Cassius, though he looked a lot like her. Cassius must have inherited his eyes from his father.
“I’m fine, Mother,” Tatiana replied.
In the study, Cassius waited for Jaxon to pick up his phone, and when he did, Cassius spoke coldly.
“I need to ask you something…”
—
“So, tell me your name,” Rafael demanded.
The mysterious man shifted his gaze to Rafael and raised an eyebrow.
“You go by Mr. Falcon at school, but I know that’s not your real name. Like I said, you’re not a teacher,” Rafael added.
The man didn’t respond and turned his gaze back to the white wall. They were at the hospital, waiting for feedback from the doctor.
“C’mon, telling me your name won’t hurt.”
“Your brother called me old,” the man finally said, slowly shutting his eyes. “Do I look old?”
Rafael couldn’t believe this man had let his brother’s words get to him. His face twisted in a scowl.
The man appeared to be in his late forties or early fifties, though the way he carried himself, his actions, and his words made him seem younger. He was incredibly handsome, cold, and his voice sent shivers down Rafael’s spine.
He never smiled and was always blunt, no matter how hurtful his words might be. Rafael knew the man was dangerous, but he still felt safer around him than with his own family.
“You’re about the same age as my father,” Rafael responded. “Now answer my question.”
“Silence,” the man replied.
“Huh?”
“The name is Silence.”
“Silence isn’t a name,” Rafael argued, and the man gave him a cold look. Rafael fell silent and nodded. “Fine, Mr. Silence.”
“I’d advise you to keep calling me Falcon for now. Using the name ‘Silence’ outside might get you into trouble,” he muttered.
“What do you want with me, Falcon? I’m sure you approached me for a reason.”
Falcon’s gaze lingered on Rafael for a moment before he spoke, his voice low. “You’re different, Rafael. You’re different from your family. You have this spark… within you.”
Rafael’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Falcon leaned his head back against the wall, eyes closing. “You have potential. Potential to be more than just a pawn in your family’s game.”
He continued, “How did it feel when you retaliated against your brother’s attack?”
Rafael stared down at his palm. He had struck Leonard with his cutter, drawing blood. That was the first time he had hurt him, and it felt… it felt right.
Leonard had always been an asshole, tormenting him, and their mother always took Leonard’s side. His whore of a mother.
Rafael felt like his whole family was a lie, full of scumbags, except for his three stepsisters who had suffered as well.
“Pawns are meant to be sacrificed,” his father always said.
“What are you thinking about?” Falcon’s words snapped him back to reality.
A dark expression clouded Rafael’s features. “My family is a joke.”
Before Falcon could respond, the doctor stepped out of his office and approached them.
“The results are ready.”
Rafael’s breath hitched as he exchanged a look with Falcon.
Later that night, Rafael stared at the results he had gotten from the hospital. The word ‘POSITIVE’ was written boldly. He shifted his gaze to the burning furnace before him and sighed.
He threw the paper into the fire, clenching his jaw.
‘My family is a joke,’ he thought.