I'm lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, still fuming over the council's ridiculous demand that I quit my job. Not in their life!
I sigh and roll over, trying to push the thought away when I hear a knock. I assume it's Esther.
"Come in," I say lazily.
The door opens, and my body stiffens.
Cassian steps inside.
I blink. What?
This is the first time he's ever walked into my bedroom. He's been careful, distant but now, here he is, standing at my door like he belongs. His gaze runs over me. I'm in my nightwear - revealing but decent. Still, under his scrutiny, I feel oddly self-conscious.
"Your Highness," I say, sitting up, "What brings you here?"
He smirks slightly, recognizing his own words thrown back at him. "We need to talk." His voice is calm, but his eyes are dark, unreadable.
"Here?" I raise a brow.
"Wherever you feel comfortable."
I exhale sharply and throw on my house robe. "Fine. The living room."
He nods and steps out. I take a second to steady myself, then follow him.
When I enter, he's pacing. That's new. Cassian is always composed, always in control. But now, there's tension in his shoulders, something simmering beneath the surface.
I gesture to the couch. "Do you want to sit?"
He hesitates, then sits.
"I was with Lord Edric an hour ago," he begins. "He told me you disrespected the council."
I roll my eyes. "Oh, please."
Cassian's gaze sharpens. "You openly defied them."
"I didn't mean to be disrespectful, but why on earth would they demand I stop working?"
"It's tradition," he says, as if that explains everything. "A queen-to-be doesn't work. The royal family has enough wealth to take care of you."
I let out a dry laugh. "Oh, really? And you're suddenly telling me this now?"
He shifts in his seat. "I assumed the Queen had already discussed it with you."
I scoff. "You assumed wrong." My fingers tighten around my robe. "Cassian, I'm married to you, not to your mother."
He exhales. "Well, the marriage idea was between you and her, wasn't it?" His jaw tightens. "I was dragged into it."
That stings more than it should.
I swallow hard, my emotions a tangled mess. "It's not my idea anymore," I murmur. "I'm not interested anymore."
Cassian stills. "What?"
I meet his gaze, forcing the words out. "I want out."
A thick silence settles between us.
His expression doesn't change, but I see the flicker in his eyes; something sharp, something dangerous.
"You want what?" His voice is quiet, but there's a weight to it that makes my heart race.
I stand and start pacing. "This… what we have here wasn't what I imagined. It wasn't what the Queen promised." I turn to face him. "I made a mistake, and I want to move on with my life. I want to set you free."
Cassian's jaw clenches, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine.
"Set me free?" His voice is controlled, measured; but I can feel the storm brewing beneath the surface.
He takes a step closer, his towering frame radiating tension. "I am not in any cage, Celeste, and I certainly don't need setting free." His words are slow, deliberate, but edged with frustration.
I swallow hard, trying to hold my ground. "Cassian, I just meant…"
"Meant what?" He cuts me off, his tone sharp. "Marriage isn't some game you walk in and out of at will. It's a commitment, a bond. You don't get to decide when it ends just because things get complicated."
His words hit me like a slap, and for a moment, I can't breathe. The weight of his conviction, the raw emotion in his voice..it's overwhelming.
I see it now. He's not just angry. He's hurt. And beneath all that, there's something deeper. Fear?
He exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair before fixing me with a softer, but no less intense, gaze. "Tell me, Celeste… is that what you want? To walk away?"
My heart pounds. I open my mouth, but no words come out.
"Yes," I whisper. "I got this job so I could get my life together. So I could ask for a divorce."
That does it.
Cassian stands abruptly, the air between us crackling with tension. His gaze locks onto mine, hard and unreadable.
"You want a divorce." His voice is low, almost mocking. "That's your solution?"
I square my shoulders. "Yes."
For a moment, he just looks at me. Then, without another word, he turns and walks to the door.
But just before stepping out, he pauses.
Without looking back, he says, "I'll speak to the council. You'll apologize to them."
Then he's gone.
I stand there, frozen, my breath shallow.
He didn't argue.
He didn't fight me on it.
But somehow, his silence feels louder than any outburst could.
And for the first time since stepping into this palace, I feel truly uneasy.
***
I'm at work, but my mind isn't.
All I can think about is my conversation with Cassian last night.
His words, his expression, his silence.
For the first time, guilt creeps in. Was he right? Did I walk into a marriage of convenience only to bail the moment things didn't go my way? But then again, what exactly was I supposed to fight for? A man who barely acknowledges my existence?
I scoff under my breath.
"Celeste?"
I blink, suddenly aware of my boss standing by my desk, arms crossed.
"The documents are long overdue. Send them to the client already," he repeats, looking mildly annoyed.
"Oh! Yes, sir." I scramble to my laptop.
He studies me for a moment. "Are you okay? You seem distracted today."
I plaster a small smile on my face. "I'm fine, sir."
He doesn't look convinced, but he walks away. I exhale and refocus, pushing Cassian out of my mind, at least for now.
***
When I get home, I waste no time. I strip out of my work clothes, take a quick bath, and slip into a comfortable lounge dress.
Just as I'm tying my hair up, Esther walks in, carrying my dinner tray. But something else catches my attention.
An envelope.
She sets my meal down and hands it to me.
"This is from the Prince," she says.
I freeze.
My eyes lock onto the envelope, suspicious and hesitant.
"What is it?" I murmur, more to myself than to her.
Esther shrugs, waiting for me to open it.
But I don't. Not yet.
Instead, I set it aside and focus on my dinner.
Because whatever's inside that envelope… it can wait.
For now.