Author’s POV
Something inside Cassian snapped the moment she said his name like that...
"Cassian, please."
Her voice had been low, barely audible, but something dark and uncontrolled inside him shifted.
He had heard women beg before; he had heard desperation, fear...submission—every shade of it.
But this?
This wasn’t any of those.
This was instinct.
And he didn’t like what it did to him.
His gaze dropped to her fingers, which were clutching his shirt, and he saw how they were trembling.
Her grip wasn’t strong; if anything, it was weak and unsteady, like she was holding on to the last thing keeping her upright.
His jaw tightened and he finally moved. He slid one arm beneath her knees, the other wrapping around her back, and in one clean motion, he lifted her into his arms.
She didn’t protest; she didn’t tense. If anything, she melted against him.
Her body collided with his, soft and burning, her breath uneven against his chest.
And that’s when he felt it. It wasn’t just the weakness; something was off.
His eyes darkened and he began to walk briskly out of the building, with her in his arms.
Behind them, he could feel him: Ryan Morgan, standing there and watching.
Like a man who had already planned the outcome.
And then footsteps followed. He was coming after them. Cassian acted oblivious and continued walking.
As he stepped out into the night air, the cool breeze hit her skin, and she stirred slightly in his arms, a soft sound escaping her lips.
Cassian’s grip tightened unconsciously. "Easy," he murmured.
He wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or himself. He just didn’t like seeing her like this, so quiet, so weak.
Randy was already moving when he saw Cassian coming out, especially with the lady in his arms.
He held the car door open instantly. Andrew was already in the driver’s seat.
"Boss—" Randy began.
"Get in." Cassian cut him off. He slid into the back seat with her still in his arms, and she shifted again, pressing closer... Seeking warmth
Randy didn’t ask questions. He was about to close the door after his young master when someone held the door.
Ryan.
Ryan took a step forward.
"Cassian, wait. Where are you taking her?" he asked, his face full of worry.
"It’s none of your business what I do with my fiancé. I can take care of her."
"There’s no need for that," he said, voice tightening just slightly. "I can take her home. Her parents –"
"Stop." Cassian cut him off with one word. He slowly turned his head, his eyes meeting Ryan’s.
This time he didn’t bother hiding anything.
Not the intent.
Not the warning.
Not the violence sitting just beneath his skin.
"You don’t get to touch her," he said, his tone calm and final.
Something flickered across Ryan’s face, but it was gone just as quickly.
But Cassian saw it.
"She’s my responsibility," Ryan said after a pause, tone colder now. "She’s my sister."
Cassian almost laughed.
Almost.
Instead, he adjusted his hold on her slightly, ensuring she was secure against him.
Her head rested against his shoulder now, her body naturally moulding with his. Cassian didn’t dislike the feeling at all.
"You couldn’t even protect her, and you say she’s your responsibility?" His tone was controlled, but every word carried weight.
Ryan didn’t even flinch.
"I already told you," he said smoothly. "She just had a drink. Something must’ve been wrong with it."
"Who served the drink?" Cassian asked without looking away from him.
"I’ll find out," Ryan replied immediately. "No one touches her and gets away with it."
The audacity.
For a second, he considered breaking his jaw right there.
Not out of impulse. No, he would do it out of principle.
But he didn’t move... Because this wasn’t the place and he wasn’t the priority.
She was.
"You can lie to them," he said, his voice dropping. "But don’t insult me by doing the same."
The silence that followed after Cassian’s words was deafening.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
A silent war between two men...a war neither of them had declared out loud.
"Cassian..." Isabelle murmured, breaking the silence.
Cassian looked down. Her lashes kept fluttering, and her breathing was worse now. Her focus was slipping.
"Let go," Cassian said.
Ryan quietly let go of the door. He didn’t try to stop Cassian again... He didn’t even speak.
The door shut.
The car pulled away.
But Cassian could feel it – his burning gaze behind their backs.
A promise that this wasn’t over... It had barely begun.
Good.
And as the city lights blurred past the window, Cassian looked down at the woman in his arms. He kept wondering why.
Why did she choose him over her brother?
Was it because she was under the influence?
Was it because of her body’s reaction? Could it be that her body, without permission, without thought, kept choosing him?
His eyes darkened.
That was enough.
Her fingers tightened weakly in his shirt again, and he tilted her chin up with two fingers.
"Look at me."
Her eyes struggled to focus. Her pupils were slightly dilated. Her breathing had turned shallow and her skin was flushed.
He pushed away the hair that had fallen on her face and felt her feverish skin beneath his fingers.
He pressed his palms against her forehead and checked her temperature again. She wasn’t too hot, and she wasn’t acting like a person being drugged with an aphrodisiac.
She just looked drunk out of her mind with a fever underneath.
His thumb brushed lightly against her cheek, which was still flushed, and his jaw clenched.
Even though it wasn’t that type of drug, it was still wrong.
Someone could still take advantage of her in a state like this, and she wouldn’t even be able to defend herself.
"Find out what she was given," Cassian said without looking up.
Randy nodded immediately. "Yes, boss."
Isabelle, who was delirious, slowly opened her eyes and tried to focus. She reached out and grabbed his arm, hugging it close to her chest, and let out a contented "hmm".
Cassian looked down at her and smiled at how cute she looked acting like a child.
He shifted slightly and tried to make himself comfortable, but she held onto his hand and refused to let go.
"Nathan, hug me, don’t let go...please..."
Cassian stiffened, the name echoing in his head.
...Nathan?
His expression didn’t change at first until a glint crossed beneath his eyes. It was slow, sharp and ugly.
His gaze dropped to her face. Her expression was soft and vulnerable as she clung to him—but it wasn’t him she wanted.
Even like this... she was thinking of another man.
His hand slipped from hers.
His good mood instantly turned bad. This woman... she was still using him as a substitute.
He hadn’t finished dealing with Ryan, and now there’s another Nathan?
Who was Nathan?
Why hadn’t he heard that name before?
Feeling displeased, he pulled away his hand, his eyes full of coldness.
He was furious.
Who allowed her to call another man’s name in front of him?
She was seeking death.
The rest of the ride was silent. Randy and Andrew, as usual, kept quiet. They were already used to the boss’s mood swings and his temper.
~~~♧♧♧~~~
When they arrived at Cassian’s mansion, he begrudgingly carried Isabelle out of the car and stormed upstairs.
He had wanted to send her to his bedroom, but knowing he might strangle her out of anger if she kept mistaking him for another man, he changed direction at the last minute and took her into the guest bedroom.
He dropped her onto the bed without any hint of gentleness and was about to walk away when Isabelle reached out again, reaching for his hand. "Nathan...don’t leave me..."
Cassian gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with anger.
"Take a good look at me," he said, gripping her chin, his two fingers tapping on her skin.
"Do I look like him?"
Isabelle, who had imagined the gentle man before her as Nathan because in her subconsciousness, no one had ever treated her so gently, was forcefully awakened.
Her lashes fluttered as she tried to focus on the man before her, her eyes full of confusion.
"Cassian...?" Her words came out too slowly and uncertainly. She looked dazed.
His eyes darkened.
"You remember my name now," he said softly. "Good."
"Now explain why you were calling another man’s name in my arms."
She didn’t react... Then she pouted...
"Cassian," she called his name again, smiling sheepishly. "Cassian is handsome, and Cassian is my fiancée."
Cassian was speechless. Was she pretending to be drunk?
"Isabelle, look at me. Who am I?"
She blinked and looked at him, her drunken gaze squinting slightly, and then chuckled.
"You’re Cassian... Cassian is handsome, and Cassian is my fiancée..."
Cassian never imagined she’d still have the courage to lie to his face and act dumb.
He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Don’t you dare think you can get away with—"
Cassian didn’t get the chance to finish speaking before she lurched at him, catching him off guard and pushing him down, claiming his lips for a kiss.