Chapter 10
Mira remained frozen on the sofa long after the front door closed behind Cassian.
The sound echoed through Aunt Mayla’s house—soft, final—and then there was nothing. No footsteps. No voices. Just silence settling in, heavy and watchful, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.
Less than an hour ago, Cassian Draymond had been sitting across from her, calm and immovable, altering the course of her life with a decision delivered in that low, steady voice of his. No hesitation. No doubt. As if he had already accepted the weight of it long before she ever understood what it would cost.
One moment, she had been arguing with Rafael—defending herself, her choices, her right to exist without being rescued.
The next, she had agreed to a contract marriage with the very man she had been raised to distrust.
None of it made sense.
And yet, every part of it felt terrifyingly real.
Aunt Mayla moved quietly in the kitchen, humming under her breath as she prepared tea, blissfully unaware of the storm tearing through Mira’s thoughts. The house smelled warm and familiar—fresh bread, cinnamon, a trace of salt carried in from the nearby sea. It was the kind of place where nothing catastrophic was supposed to happen.
But Mira’s chest felt tight, constricted, as though the walls were slowly closing in.
She lowered her gaze and pressed a hand against her abdomen, fingers curling instinctively. Fear stirred there again—not sharp, not panicked, but constant. A quiet reminder of how fragile everything had become.
Was she strong enough for this?
She didn’t know if Cassian’s offer had come purely from responsibility or from something deeper—something neither of them was ready to name. She didn’t know what his silence hid, or what lines he had already drawn for himself.
But she did know one thing.
He was the only person who hadn’t turned her away.
A soft vibration broke through the quiet.
Her phone buzzed once on the table.
She ignored it.
Another vibration followed.
Then another.
Her pulse quickened. Reluctantly, she reached for the phone, half-expecting Rafael’s name to flash across the screen again. Instead, her display flooded with notifications—headlines, alerts, messages from unknown numbers piling up faster than she could read them.
Her breath caught.
BREAKING NEWS: Cassian Draymond calls emergency press conference.
Rumors of Mira Serrano pregnancy — Draymond responds LIVE.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
He had said he would handle it.
She just hadn’t expected it to happen this fast.
A chill slid down her spine. Knowing he was going to face the media was one thing. Watching the world react in real time was another entirely. This wasn’t damage control behind closed doors. This was exposure.
She swallowed hard and set the phone down without opening anything.
Maybe it was better not to watch.
Maybe she needed a moment first.
“Mira?” Aunt Mayla appeared in the doorway, concern etched across her warm face. “You look pale, sweetheart. Are you feeling alright p>
Mira forced herself to nod. “Just… overwhelmed p>
Aunt Mayla smiled knowingly, setting a cup of tea on the table. “That boy will take care of everything. He always does. Quiet, stubborn, and immovable when it matters most p>
Mira didn’t respond.
She wasn’t sure she believed it yet.
Later That Evening
Cassian stepped out of the car into the courtyard of Draymond Tower, where reporters had already gathered in a restless mass. Cameras flashed the instant he appeared. Questions flew before he even reached the podium.
Security cleared a narrow path as the noise swelled—accusations layered with curiosity, speculation tangled with outrage.
Cassian walked straight through it all, shoulders squared, expression unreadable. To the public, he looked unshaken. Untouchable.
Only Ryan, walking half a step behind him, knew better.
The microphones were already live when Cassian reached the stand.
“Mr. Draymond, were you seen leaving a hotel with Mira Serrano p>
“Are you responsible for her pregnancy p>
“Was it consensual p>
“Is this retaliation against the Serrano family p>
Cassian raised one hand.
The crowd slowly quieted.
“I called this conference for one reason,” he said calmly. “To state a fact. And to end the rumors p>
Silence spread across the courtyard.
He let it linger.
“I am marrying Mira Serrano p>
The reaction was immediate. Gasps, shouted questions, frantic scribbling. Cameras surged closer.
“The wedding will take place in one week,” Cassian continued evenly. “Preparations are already underway p>
A reporter lunged forward. “Is this a corporate merger between Draymond and Serrano holdings p>
“No comment p>
“Is this because she’s pregnant p>
“No comment p>
Another voice cut through the noise. “Then is this marriage based on love p>
For the first time, Cassian paused.
The cameras zoomed in. Ryan stiffened.
Cassian’s gaze remained steady, his expression controlled, his silence deliberate.
He said nothing.
Then he stepped away from the podium.
The questions erupted again, louder than before, but Cassian didn’t turn back. Security escorted him to the car. The door closed, sealing him away from the chaos.
Inside, the silence was deafening.
Cassian loosened his collar slightly, exhaling through his nose. Ryan said nothing. There was nothing to say.
Mira’s face surfaced in his mind—her fear, her fragile trust.
He would not betray that.
Not even with a single word.
Minutes Later — Aunt Mayla’s House
Mira heard the announcement before she saw it.
The television flickered on, already tuned to a live broadcast. Cassian’s image filled the screen, reporters shouting behind him as the anchor spoke breathlessly.
“Cassian Draymond has officially announced his upcoming marriage to Mira Serrano, scheduled for one week from today. This unprecedented alliance marks a dramatic shift between two families known for decades of rivalry p>
A week.
Her heart thudded painfully.
He hadn’t told her that part.
Her mind went blank before everything rushed back at once—her father’s rejection, Rafael’s offer, Cassian’s promise, the quiet agreement that had changed everything.
He actually did it.
Aunt Mayla rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Breathe, sweetheart p>
Mira nodded, though she wasn’t sure she remembered how.
This wasn’t private anymore.
This was the world watching.
Elsewhere — Same Night
Thousands of miles away, Adrian Serrano stared at the headline glowing on his tablet.
CASSIAN DRAYMOND ANNOUNCES MARRIAGE TO MIRA SERRANO.
His jaw tightened.
“So,” he murmured darkly. “He finally made his move p>
The tension in the room sharpened.
“This isn’t over,” Adrian added quietly. “Not even close p>
Later That Night
Back in Aunt Mayla’s house, the television continued its endless speculation. Mira hugged the blanket closer, her hands trembling.
She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.
But she knew one thing.
Nothing would ever be the same again.
And there was no turning back.