Marcus POV
It stings to watch Cassandra grieving over a man who was merely a pawn in a game designed to distract her from me. Cassandra has proven to be sharper than I anticipated; anyone capable of orchestrating a plot for her own demise is someone who will stop at nothing to evade me.
I regret my past actions—not treating her the way she deserves. But I want her to see me for who I truly am. I refuse to pressure her into anything. Instead, I’m committed to giving her the time and space necessary for her to realize that I am meant for her.
“Why didn’t you tell her?” Fernando’s voice rang out from behind as he entered my room.
“I’ll tell her when the time is right, Fernando,” I stated firmly, closing my eyes to gather my thoughts. Today had been overwhelming enough; I didn’t want to ad
