Mated To The Deranged CEO

Chapter Seven

I said, the confession cutting through the air like a blade.

“My mother actually disowned me when she discovered I slept with a stranger,” I said nervously, then added, “Her reputation mattered a lot to her, so I had to leave to have my peace and avoid ruining her name.”

Cain’s expression darkened, his fists clenching at his sides. “They abandoned you?” he asked, his voice laced with barely contained anger.

I shook my head frantically. “My father didn’t. I still contact him. My brother is married, and I don’t really know my other relatives.”

“To her, I was a disgrace. I had to fend for myself, Cain. I worked little jobs day and night to provide for Evie, to keep her safe. And now, after all these years, you can’t just expect me to trust you.”

He reached out, gently brushing his hand against mine. The gesture was so unexpected, so tender, that it caught me off guard.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, his voice heavy with regret. “I can’t change the past, but I want to make things right. For you and for Evie.”

I stared at him, torn between anger, sadness, and a flicker of hope I didn’t want to acknowledge. Could I let him back into our lives? Could I risk trusting him again?

“I don’t need your pity,” I said finally, pulling my hand away. “I’ve survived this long without you. I can keep doing it.”

Cain’s eyes hardened, a steely resolve replacing the vulnerability. “This isn’t pity, Luna,” he said firmly. “This is me taking responsibility. Whether you like it or not, I’m here now—and I’m not going anywhere.”

I turned away, unable to face the intensity of his eyes on me. “We’ll see,” I muttered, my voice barely audible.

He didn’t push further, instead stepping back and giving me the space I so desperately needed.

“Take tonight to think about it,” he said, his tone gentler now. “And tomorrow, we’ll talk more. About the job, about Evie—about everything.”

I nodded stiffly, not trusting myself to speak.

He smiled softly, tilting his head. “Now, will you go out with me for dinner? I can leave Evie with my sister.”

I averted my gaze. “I don’t know who that is, and I don’t want to leave her with a stranger.”

“Luna, trust me. My sister would never hurt a—”

He trailed off when a loud scream caught our attention. At first, I thought it was an accident or something trivial.

But my expression turned cold when a woman ran straight into his arms, almost knocking him over.

I had expected him to push her away, or at least tell her to stop, but he embraced her tightly.

And, once again, I felt jealous.

I watched in silence as the woman stayed im Cain’s arms. For a brief moment, my chest tightened, jealousy bubbling violently under the surface.

Was this someone from his past? Another secret waiting to surface and shatter any illusion of trust I might have had?

But then, Cain's soft voice broke through my thoughts.

"Alyssa," he said, a mixture of relief and exasperation lacing his tone. "What are you doing here?"

“I was worried about you!” the woman—Alyssa—replied, her voice trembling slightly. “You weren’t answering my calls, and I thought something had happened.”

Cain sighed, gently pulling away from her embrace. “I told you I’d be busy today,” he said, his voice firm but kind.

She finally turned her gaze toward me, her eyes filled with curiosity. “Who’s this?” she asked, her tone light but slightly guarded.

Cain stepped closer to me, resting a hand on my shoulder. “This is Luna,” he said, his voice steady. “And this little one is Evie.”

Recognition flickered across Alyssa’s face, and her expression softened. “Oh,” she said, her tone warming. “So this is who you’ve been talking about.”

I blinked, startled by her words. He’d been talking about me?

Alyssa smiled warmly at Evie, crouching down to her level. “Hi, sweetheart,” she said gently. “I’m Alyssa, Cain’s sister.”

“Sister?” I repeated, the word slipping from my lips before I could stop it. Relief washed over me, though I quickly masked it.

“Yes,” Alyssa said with a soft laugh as she straightened.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to make sure my brother was okay.”

Cain gave her a pointed look. “I’m fine, Alyssa. You didn’t need to barge in.”

She smirked, clearly unbothered by his annoyance. “Well, now I’ve met Luna and Evie, so I’d say this trip was worth it.”

Alyssa turned back to me, with a warm smile. “It was nice meeting you, Luna. And Evie, you’re absolutely adorable.”

“Thank you,” Evie said shyly, hiding behind my leg.

With a final wave, Alyssa left, leaving me alone with Cain once more.

“She’s… spirited,” I said, breaking the silence.

Cain chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “That’s one way to put it. She’s been looking out for me ever since we were kids.”

I nodded, the tension between us easing slightly. “Well, she seems nice.”

“She is,” he said, his gaze softening as he looked at me. “And so are you, Luna. I meant what I said earlier—I want to help. Let me take you and Evie out for lunch. Please.”

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Alright. But just lunch.”

Cain smiled, his silver eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Just lunch,” he promised, his smile widening like a little kid.

And I couldn't help but find it really, really cute.