Chapter 35
Later that night, Cassian finally returned.
The meeting had dragged on far longer than he’d expected—hours of polished smiles, relentless negotiations, voices overlapping until they blurred into numbers, clauses, and signatures that refused to end. By the time he stepped inside Draymond Tower, the weight of the day settled heavily on his shoulders, exhaustion sinking deep into his bones.
The apartment was quiet, dimly lit, the kind of silence that felt lived-in rather than empty.
He hung his coat by the door, loosening his tie as he moved further inside, his eyes instinctively scanning the space even before his mind caught up.
“Where are you, my love?” he called out, his voice low, roughened by fatigue.
“Hey,” Mira replied softly from the living room.
He turned—and smiled instantly.
There she was.
Curled comfortably on the couch, hair loose, expression calm and familiar in a way that eased something tight in his chest. The world narrowed to that single image of her waiting for him, and the exhaustion suddenly felt manageable.
Without another word, he crossed the room and pulled her with him as he dropped onto the couch, guiding her effortlessly so she ended up straddling his lap. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close, grounding himself in her warmth like he’d been waiting all day for this exact moment.
“Missed me?” he asked, his voice warm despite how drained he looked.
“I’m tired as hell,” Cassian added with a quiet sigh, resting his forehead briefly against her shoulder, breathing her in like she was oxygen.
She smiled, fingers instinctively sliding into his hair, brushing through it slowly, soothingly. “Did the kids already sleep?” he asked, his voice muffled slightly against her skin.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “They waited for you to come early and play. Ivy was especially stubborn—she kept saying she’d stay awake until you came back.” Her smile softened with fondness. “But I finally managed to make her sleep p>
Cassian closed his eyes for a moment, guilt flickering across his face. “Hmm… yeah. I promised.” His arm tightened slightly around her waist. “I wanted to come early too. Those clients, though He sighed softly. “They never know when to stop p>
She traced slow, absent-minded circles over his chest, her touch steady and grounding, easing the tension from his body little by little.
After a moment of quiet, he spoke again, his tone lighter. “You know… we have a party to attend p>
She lifted her head, studying his face. “Hmm. But our relationship is still complicated,” she said carefully. “The paparazzi finally shut down the rumors, but… is it really okay p>
Cassian smiled, calm and unbothered. “It’s completely fine p>
He met her eyes steadily. “I hold enough power to make anyone there lose their jobs if they talk nonsense. Don’t worry.” His thumb brushed her side in a reassuring stroke. “They already see you as my family. And we don’t owe explanations to anyone p>
She hummed thoughtfully, then smiled. “You do have a point,” she admitted, her fingers resuming their lazy patterns over his chest.
“Yes,” he replied smugly. “I know that p>
“So it’s final,” he continued. “We’ll all go. Our family p>
Her heart warmed at the word, something tender settling in her chest.
“Important question,” Mira said suddenly, shifting slightly as she settled more comfortably on his hips while he leaned back. “When is this party p>
“This weekend,” he replied, pulling her closer and rolling them just enough to make her giggle as she fell back against his chest again.
He smiled, eyes closing as he held her there, the world quieting around them.
He spoke after a moment, his voice softer now.
“Let’s go sleep, angel p>
Before she could respond, he lifted her bridal-style, as if she weighed nothing at all. Instinctively, her arms wrapped around his neck, her cheek brushing against his shoulder as he carried her toward the bedroom.
He laid her down gently on the bed, movements careful and unhurried, before finally collapsing beside her with a tired exhale.
“Go shower and get changed,” she murmured, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “It’ll turn all that exhaustion into something comfortable, Mr. Draymond p>
He groaned dramatically, tilting his head back. “You’re cruel p>
Still, he pushed himself up and walked into the bathroom.
Moments later, the soft sound of the door opening drew her attention.
She wasn’t asleep—just lying there, waiting.
Their eyes met.
And then her gaze betrayed her.
She scanned him slowly, helplessly—from his damp hair, water droplets sliding down his temples… over his shoulders… down the defined lines of his chest… to the sharp V visible at his waist.
Her throat tightened.
She swallowed hard and quickly looked away.
Cassian smirked.
Of course he noticed.
He walked toward her deliberately, every step unhurried, confident. When he reached the bed, he leaned over—not touching—reaching instead for his phone beside her. She was caged between him and the headboard, his body close enough that she could feel his warmth.
A single droplet of water fell from his hair, landing on her cheek.
Cool. Startling.
His nose nearly brushed hers.
Their eyes lock.
The room goes quiet—too quiet.
His gaze darkens, slow and intense, studying her face like he’s memorizing it. Her breath stutters as she holds his stare, heart racing, chest rising and falling beneath him. The air feels thick, heavy with everything neither of them says.
Then—he pulls back.
She releases a low, shaky breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
“What did you think, sweetheart?” he asks casually, grabbing the towel and drying his hair as if nothing just happened.
“N-nothing,” she replies quickly, eyes still averted.
He pauses. “Nothing, huh p>
She looks back at him then, cheeks warm, eyes slightly accusing.
“You know exactly what you do to me,” Mira says softly. “And you do it on purpose p>
He chuckles, low and amused. “No, I don’t p>
Then, after a beat—
She rolls her eyes, turning her face away, cheeks burning despite herself.
“Impossible man,” she mutters.
His smile widens.
“No,” he admits quietly. “I’m your man p>
The words send butterflies straight to her stomach.
He comes back dressed and settles beside her on the bed, pulling her against his chest. She fits there perfectly, like she was always meant to be. His arm circles her waist, his hand resting over her stomach as he nuzzles his face into her hair, breathing her in.
“You know His voice cracks when he speaks again, barely above a whisper.
“I missed you. I missed my babies. Five years—five years of first smiles, first cries, first steps His grip tightens just a little. “I want every moment back. Every single fucking moment p>
He presses a kiss into her hair, lingering. Regret weighs heavy in his voice.
“I wish I could turn back time p>
She turns in his arms to face him, her expression soft but steady.
“They don’t need a perfect past,” she murmurs against his lips.
“They need their father—now p>
A breath of silence passes.
“And this father,” she adds gently, tapping his nose, “needs to sleep. Before he’s late for work tomorrow p>
He smiles, the tension easing from his face, and kisses her forehead before drifting off. She cuddles closer, holding him tight, the night passes peacefully.
Next morning
They wake early.
Cassian gets ready for work while Mira heads to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, humming softly to herself. The sound of little footsteps fills the house. The kids run around the room, toys clutched in their hands, laughter echoing through the air.
Mira smiles—and then notices Cassian standing still, watching them with a quiet, almost reverent smile, laughing softly as they play.
He walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her neck.
“Cassian,” she laughs, nudging him lightly. “Move. I need to cook p>
“And I want to hold,” he replies, refusing to let go.
“You’ll get late,” she warns.
“It’s okay,” he says smoothly. “I’m the boss p>
“That’s wrong p>
“It’s fair,” he counters, turning her around and caging her gently between his arms and the kitchen counter.
“Cass—” she starts, but he kisses her before she can finish.
The kiss is deep, passionate and full of everything they haven’t said. She tries to push him away, but her hands betray her, gripping his shirt instead. When they finally part, she gasps, eyes dazed.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he mutters.
“Like what?” she asks, breath uneven.
“Like you want me to stay in bed with you and skip work,” he says with a smirk.
He leans in to kiss her again—but the moment breaks.
Her phone buzzes.
Kael Rowan.
She glances at the screen and smiles without thinking, gently pushing Cassian back. “Excuse me,” she says softly, already walking toward the room.
Cassian stays frozen.
His jaw tightens. His hand curls into a fist.
“Fucking timing,” he mutters. “And that bastard p>
Without eating, without saying goodbye, he grabs his keys and walks out. He doesn’t even look at the kids as they wave enthusiastically from the doorway.
His mind is already elsewhere—stuck on one thing.
The way Mira smiled at someone else’s text.