chapter 9: The Twin's Shadow
958 Words
A soft knock pulled me from restless thoughts the next morning. I had barely slept, the flashback still lingering like a shadow I couldn’t shake. I opened the door cautiously, expecting staff or another set of rules.
Instead, a man who looked strikingly like Cassius stood there, same height, same sharp features, but his eyes were warmer, hazel with a gentleness that immediately set him apart, he smiled, small and genuine.
“Lena? I’m Calder Moretti. Cassius’s twin. I sent the message last night. May I come in?”
I hesitated, then stepped aside. His presence filled the room differently than his brother’s, less storm, more steady light. He carried a small tray with herbal tea and plain crackers.
“I thought these might help with the pregnancy symptoms,” he said, setting it down. “The first weeks can be rough. I’ve seen enough in this world to know how isolating it feels.”
I sat across from him, wary but drawn in by the kindness. No one had offered me anything without strings since the party. “Why are you here? Your brother made it clear this is a business arrangement.”
Calder leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Cassius handles the empire’s steel. I handle the parts that keep it from crumbling. The tensions are high right now, council members questioning succession, rivals sniffing for weakness, bringing you here... it’s strategic, but it doesn’t have to be cruel. You didn’t ask for any of this, none of it.”
His words carried genuine empathy, but there was something careful in how he phrased the next part. “Especially after that night,the night that changed everything. I… wish I had noticed the signs sooner, understood what was happening around me. Some things were beyond my control, but I still wonder if I should have done more.”
The subtle hint at guilt hung there, not fully explained. He met my eyes briefly, pain flickering before he masked it with a calm smile. It wasn’t a confession, but it felt real. For the first time in days, I felt seen, not as a problem or a pawn, but as a person.
Unexpected comfort washed over me. I sipped the tea, my shoulders easing slightly. “Thank you. It’s been... a lot. My own family threw me away, now I’m here, in this fortress, trying to figure out how to protect my child in a world I don’t understand.”
We talked quietly. He explained some of the empire’s surface tensions, the old-guard council pushing for stability, the need for a clear heir. Nothing too deep, but enough to make the walls feel less suffocating, his warmth contrasted so sharply with Cassius’s ice that it stirred conflicted emotions in me. Part of me craved this gentleness, another part wondered if it was another trap. The first seeds of tension bloomed, gratitude toward Calder mixing with the strange pull I felt toward his brother.
Meanwhile, I had no idea Cassius was watching every second through the surveillance feeds in his office, his jaw clenched tight.
My phone rang, breaking the moment. Liora’s name flashed on the screen. I answered, putting it on speaker without thinking.
“Sister,” she purred, voice full of fake sweetness. “Settling into your new palace? Cassius Moretti must be quite the upgrade from Nikolai. Or is the devil as cold in bed as they say?”
Her gloating hit like acid. “Enjoying my leftovers, Liora? Nikolai must be thrilled to have someone so eager to scheme for him.”
She laughed. “Oh, he is, the family’s already shifting focus to me, you were always the obstacle. Now look at you, locked away, pregnant with a stranger’s bastard. Pathetic.”
The words stung, but I refused to break. “Keep telling yourself that. Your victory is built on poison. It always collapses.”
She hung up with another laugh. Pregnancy symptoms hit harder then,nausea surging, fatigue pulling at my limbs, a sharp cramp low in my belly that made me wince. I pressed a hand to my stomach, breathing through it.
Calder noticed immediately. “Are you alright? I can call the doctor.”
“I’m fine,” I lied, though the comfort from his visit warred with the growing isolation pressing back in. This world was dangerous, and even small kindnesses felt like risks.
The door opened without warning. Cassius strode in, eyes dark with raw intensity. His control was slipping, I could see it in the rigid set of his shoulders, the way his gaze flicked between me and Calder.
“Brother,” Calder said calmly, standing. “Just checking on our guest.”
“Leave,” Cassius ordered, voice low and edged. Calder gave me a small nod of understanding before exiting.
Cassius turned to me, stepping close. “What were you talking about with him?” The question came sharp, possessiveness bleeding through. “You think his pretty words will change anything? You’re mine now, Lena. Not his to comfort.”
His intensity filled the room, raw and unfiltered. My pulse spiked at his nearness, that unwanted pull flaring again despite the fear.
Before I could respond, a knock sounded. The doctor entered, medical bag in hand. “Routine check for Miss Valenti, as requested.”
Cassius didn’t leave. He stayed, arms crossed, as the doctor examined me. His presence loomed, tension thick.
The doctor’s face tightened after the ultrasound and vitals. “Early complications, spotting and elevated stress levels. The pregnancy needs careful monitoring, bed rest periods, and reduced stress. I’ll need to stay close for the next few days.”
Cassius’s eyes met mine, his control still fraying at the edges. He wasn’t going anywhere.
- Writer
