Aria’s POV
I ran.
My lungs burned. My legs scread. My heels were definitely ruined.
But I didn’t stop.
Not until I’d turned three corners. Not until the Blood Crown Industries building was completely out of sight. Not until I was absolutely, positively certain that no one was following .
I stumbled to a halt near a bus stop. Bent over. Hands on my knees. Gasping for air like a drowning woman.
The tears wouldn’t stop falling.
They dripped onto the pavent. One after another. Creating dark spots on the concrete that blurred and multiplied before my eyes.
What just happened?
My mind was spinning. Fragnts of the last hour crashed through my brain like broken glass.
His face when he saw .
His voice saying my na.
His lips on mine.
That kiss.
That devastating, world-shattering kiss that had made forget everything. Made forget who I was. Who HE was. Made forget three years of pain in the span of a heartbeat.
I pressed my palm against my mouth. Tried to stop the sob that wanted to escape.
Stupid.
I was so stupid.
How could I have let him kiss ? How could I have kissed him BACK?
After everything he’d done. After the way he’d thrown away. After the money and the cold words and the complete destruction of everything I thought we had.
I’d kissed him like none of it mattered.
Like my heart wasn’t still bleeding from the wounds he’d caused.
"Ma’am? You okay?"
I jerked upright.
A taxi had pulled up beside . The driver was leaning out his window. Middle-aged. Concerned expression.
"Ma’am?" he repeated. "You need a ride sowhere?"
I stared at him.
Words wouldn’t co.
My brain was still stuck in that office. Still feeling his hands on my face. Still hearing his voice crack when he said my na.
"Ma’am?"
I blinked. Focused on the driver’s face.
"I..." My voice ca out hoarse. Wrecked. "Yes. I need a ride."
"Where to?"
Where to?
Good question.
I couldn’t go ho like this. Couldn’t let Lina see falling apart. Couldn’t explain why Mommy was sobbing uncontrollably in the middle of her living room.
I needed to pull myself together first. Needed to—
Wait.
What ti was it?
I fumbled for my phone. Pulled it out with shaking hands.
5:47 PM.
Oh no.
"Silverpine Academy," I blurted. "I need to get to Silverpine Academy. Now. Please."
I collapsed against the seat. Pressed my hands against my face.
Deep breaths. I needed deep breaths.
In. Out. In. Out.
My heart was still pounding. My thoughts were still scattered. But slowly—so slowly—the panic started to fade.
Tomorrow I would go back to Director Black. Hand in my resignation. Find a new job sowhere far away from Kael Blood Crown and his devastating kisses and his lying, manipulative mouth.
I’d done it before.
I could do it again.
---
The taxi pulled up to Silverpine Academy at 5:58 PM.
Two minutes to spare.
I shoved cash at the driver. Didn’t wait for change. Just bolted out of the car and ran toward the pickup area.
Parents were already gathering. The usual after-school crowd. Moms chatting. Dads checking phones. Everyone looking calm and normal and not at all like they’d just had their entire world turned upside down.
I tried to blend in. Smoothed my hair with trembling fingers. Wiped my face with the back of my hand.
Did I look okay?
I probably looked like a disaster.
The school doors opened. Children stread out. Bright colors. High voices. That chaotic energy that only kids under ten could generate.
My eyes scanned the crowd.
"MOMMY!"
Lina ca sprinting across the courtyard. Pigtails bouncing. Backpack flapping against her shoulders. The biggest smile on her little face.
Sothing cracked in my chest.
I dropped to my knees. Caught her in my arms. Held her so tight I probably squeezed the air out of her lungs.
"Oof!" She giggled against my shoulder. "Mommy, you’re squishing !"
"Sorry." I loosened my grip. Just barely. "Sorry, baby. I just missed you."
"You saw this morning!"
"I know." I pulled back. Looked at her face. Those black-gold eyes. That button nose. "But I still missed you."
She studied with that serious expression she got sotis. The one that made her look way older than three.
"Mommy? Why are your eyes red?"
My heart stuttered.
"What?"
"Your eyes." She reached up. Touched my cheek with her tiny finger. "They’re all red. And puffy. Were you crying?"
I stopped. Took a breath. "I’m just... I’m just going to miss Auntie Sophie. That’s all."
Lina’s expression softened.
"Oh." She nodded seriously. "I miss Auntie Sophie too."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Her bottom lip stuck out slightly. "She was really fun. And loud. And she let eat cookies before dinner."
Despite everything, I laughed. The sound ca out watery. Wrong.
"She did, didn’t she?"
"Uh huh." Lina grabbed my hand. Started tugging toward the exit. "Can we call her when we get ho? I want to tell her about my day."
"Of course, baby. We can definitely call her."
We walked out of the school grounds hand in hand. My daughter chattering about her day. About the art project she’d started. About the boy who’d tried to steal her crayons and the girl who’d helped her get them back.
We walked the last block in comfortable silence. Lina swinging our joined hands back and forth. Humming so song she’d learned at school.
I focused on her. On this. On the simple joy of walking ho with my daughter after a long day.
This was what mattered.
We turned the corner to my building’s entrance.
Soone was standing at my door.
Tall. Silver-white hair catching the evening light. Arms full of shopping bags that looked ready to burst.
Cassius.
"Uncle Cassius!" Lina shrieked.
She tore her hand from mine. Sprinted toward him at full speed.
Cassius barely had ti to set down his bags before she crashed into his legs.
"Whoa!" He laughed. Scooped her up with practiced ease. "Hey there, little monster. Miss ?"
"YES!" She threw her arms around his neck. "Why are you here? Are you staying? What’s in the bags? Is it presents? Is it for ?"
"One question at a ti!" He was grinning now. That warm, gentle smile that always made everything feel a little bit better. "Let your mom catch up first."
I approached slowly. Still processing.
"Cassius." My voice ca out surprised. Confused. "What are you doing here?"
He looked at over Lina’s head. Those gray eyes taking in every detail.
My red eyes. My tear-stained cheeks. My general disaster appearance.
Sothing flickered across his face. Concern. Understanding.
But he didn’t comnt on it.
"I heard Sophie left today." He shifted Lina to one hip. Picked up the bags with his free hand. "Figured you two might be feeling a little lonely. So I brought reinforcents."
He held up one of the bags. I could see chips peeking out of the top. And cookies. And what looked like an entire box of chocolate.
"Snacks!" Lina’s eyes went huge. "You brought SNACKS!"
"The best snacks," Cassius confird. "Everything a proper movie night requires."
"MOVIE NIGHT?!" Lina was practically vibrating with excitent. "Can we have a movie night, Mommy? PLEASE? Pretty please with sprinkles?"
I looked at her face. Glowing with joy. All traces of her earlier worry completely erased.
Then I looked at Cassius. Patient. Kind. Standing at my door with bags full of comfort food because he’d sohow known I needed it.
How did he always know?
"Sure, baby." My voice ca out thick. "Movie night sounds perfect."
Lina cheered. Threw her arms up so enthusiastically she nearly knocked Cassius’s head off.
"Careful there, monster." He laughed. Set her down gently. "Why don’t you help carry so of these bags inside?"
"Okay!" She grabbed the smallest bag. Hauled it toward the door with impressive determination.
Cassius watched her go with that soft smile he always had around her.
Then he turned to .
His expression shifted. Gentle. Knowing.
"Rough day?"
The question was simple. No pressure. No demands. Just an opening if I wanted to take it.
I didn’t.
Not yet.
Maybe not ever.
"Sothing like that." I dug my keys out of my purse. Avoided his eyes.
He didn’t push.
That was the thing about Cassius. He never pushed. Never demanded explanations or answers. Just showed up when I needed him and waited patiently for whatever I was willing to give.
"Well." He picked up the remaining bags. "Good thing I brought extra chocolate then."
I actually laughed. A small, surprised sound.
"You really didn’t have to do all this."
"I know." He smiled. "I wanted to."
Lina’s voice echoed from inside. "MOMMY! UNCLE CASSIUS! HURRY UP! THE SNACKS ARE WAITING!"
Cassius raised an eyebrow. "You heard the boss."
I shook my head. But I was smiling now. A real smile. Small and tired but genuine.
I unlocked the door. Held it open for him.
"Thank you, Cassius." The words ca out quiet. Sincere. "Really. Thank you for being so thoughtful."
He paused in the doorway. Looked at with those calm gray eyes.
"Always," he said simply.
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