Chapter Three — Cassian
1585 Words
Cassian Valerian stared at the spreadsheet on his computer screen.
Numbers.
Finally, something that made sense.
Revenue projections.
Investment returns.
Quarterly expenses.
Acquisition costs.
Everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.
Cassian leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes.
It was almost six in the evening.
He had been in his office since seven that morning.
He wasn’t tired.
Not exactly.
He was simply used to it.
Work was predictable.
Work didn’t ask him personal questions.
Work didn’t try to get close to him.
Work didn’t look at him with pity.
And most importantly, work didn’t leave.
His phone began vibrating.
Cassian glanced at the screen.
Elias.
He ignored it.
The phone stopped.
A few seconds later, it started again.
Cassian sighed and answered.
“What?”
“Nice greeting.”
“You called twice.”
“Because you ignored me the first time.”
“I was working.”
“Of course you were.”
Cassian looked back at his computer.
“What do you want?”
“You haven’t forgotten about tonight, have you?”
Cassian frowned.
“Forgotten what?”
There was silence on the other end.
“Cassian.”
“What?”
“The gala.”
Cassian immediately remembered.
He closed his eyes.
“Elias.”
“Don’t.”
“I don’t want to go.”
“I didn’t ask if you wanted to go.”
“I have work.”
“You always have work.”
“I have a company.”
“And?”
“And I’m busy.”
Elias laughed.
“You’re coming.”
Cassian stared at the screen.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Cassian.”
“Elias.”
“You promised.”
Cassian’s jaw tightened.
He hated promises.
Especially the ones Elias remembered.
“You said you’d attend this one,” Elias continued. “It’s for your mother’s foundation.”
Cassian’s expression changed slightly.
His mother’s foundation.
That was different.
His mother had started the foundation years before her death. She had always believed that wealth meant nothing if you couldn’t use it to help someone else.
Cassian had kept it alive.
He donated generously.
Far more than most people knew.
But attending events?
That was another matter.
He hated crowds.
He hated cameras.
He hated strangers approaching him.
He hated people asking questions about his personal life.
He hated people pretending to know him because they knew his surname.
“I’ll donate,” Cassian said.
“You already donated.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The problem is that you’re never there.”
“That’s why you have staff.”
“Cassian.”
“What?”
“I’m organizing this event.”
“I know.”
“And I need you there.”
Cassian glanced at the clock.
“You’re becoming demanding.”
“I learned from you.”
Cassian almost smiled.
Almost.
Elias continued.
“Just come. Stay for an hour. Make an appearance. Donate. Talk to nobody if you don’t want to. Then leave.”
“That sounds like torture.”
“It’ll be fine.”
“I don’t like people.”
“I know.”
“I don’t like crowds.”
“I know.”
“I don’t like charity galas.”
“I know.”
“Then why are we still having this conversation?”
“Because you’re coming.”
Cassian sighed.
Elias was impossible.
But he was also his best friend.
The only person who could speak to him this way.
The only person who had stayed.
“Fine.”
There was immediate silence.
Then—
“Wait. You said yes?”
“Yes.”
“You’re actually coming?”
“I just said yes.”
“Oh my God.”
Cassian frowned.
“Don’t make it dramatic.”
“I’ve been trying to get you to attend one of these things for years.”
“Don’t ruin it.”
“I’m serious. I’ll see you tonight?”
“Yes.”
“What time?”
“Elias.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll see you tonight.”
Cassian hung up.
He stared at the phone for several seconds.
Then he looked at his computer.
The spreadsheet suddenly seemed less interesting.
He sighed.
One hour.
He could survive one hour.
⸻
It took Cassian another three hours to finish working.
By the time he left his office, it was almost nine.
His driver was already waiting downstairs.
Cassian arrived home shortly afterward.
The Valerian mansion was enormous.
Beautiful.
Expensive.
Quiet.
Far too quiet.
Cassian walked upstairs and entered his bedroom.
He stood in front of his closet.
His eyes moved across dozens of suits.
Black.
Gray.
Charcoal.
Navy.
Then he stopped.
Blue-black.
He pulled it out.
The suit was perfectly tailored.
He changed into it, buttoned his shirt, adjusted his cuffs, and slipped on his watch.
He looked into the mirror.
Tall.
Sharp.
Controlled.
His soft gray eyes were the only thing that seemed out of place against the severe expression on his face.
Cassian adjusted his jacket.
“One hour,” he reminded himself.
Then he left.
⸻
The charity gala was already crowded when Cassian arrived.
Cars lined the entrance.
Cameras flashed.
People stood everywhere.
Laughter.
Music.
Conversations.
Perfume.
Champagne.
Cassian stepped out of the car.
Immediately, several people looked toward him.
He ignored them.
He straightened his jacket and walked inside.
His security team followed discreetly behind him.
The moment he entered the ballroom, he regretted coming.
Too many people.
Too much noise.
Too many eyes.
Cassian’s expression remained neutral.
He had perfected that expression over the years.
It said:
Don’t approach me.
Unfortunately, people rarely listened.
Before anyone could reach him, a familiar figure appeared.
“Cassian!”
Elias came rushing toward him.
His suit was slightly disorganized, his tie wasn’t perfectly straight, and he looked like he had been running around for hours.
He was.
Elias was one of the main organizers.
He was deeply involved with Cassian’s mother’s foundation and had been helping manage several of its charity projects for years.
Unlike Cassian, Elias genuinely loved these events.
He loved people.
He loved talking.
He loved meeting donors.
He loved fundraising.
Cassian couldn’t understand him.
Elias grabbed his arm.
“Oh, thank God.”
Cassian looked at him.
“What?”
“You came.”
“I told you I was coming.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you surprised?”
“Because you’re Cassian.”
Cassian stared at him.
Elias laughed.
“I honestly thought you’d call me at the last minute and say you had an emergency.”
“I’ve never done that.”
“You’ve done it six times.”
“That’s an exaggeration.”
“Four times.”
Cassian sighed.
“The last time I didn’t come, you were mad for four days.”
Elias’s expression immediately became serious.
“Yeah.”
Cassian raised an eyebrow.
“You admit it?”
“I hope you understand that I was mad.”
“I do.”
“You disappeared.”
“I was busy.”
“You didn’t even answer my calls.”
“I was working.”
“You ignored me.”
Cassian shrugged.
“And yet you’re still here.”
“Unfortunately for you.”
Elias smiled.
“Come on. I need to introduce you to a few people.”
“No.”
“Cassian.”
“No.”
“Fine. Five people.”
“Zero.”
“Two.”
“One.”
“Fine.”
Cassian reluctantly followed him.
He shook hands.
Smiled when necessary.
Nodded.
Said polite things.
And mentally counted the minutes.
Thirty-eight minutes.
Forty-one.
Forty-seven.
He could already feel his patience disappearing.
He found a quiet corner near one of the large windows and stood there.
From where he was, he could see the entire ballroom.
People were laughing.
Talking.
Moving from table to table.
Some were genuinely there for the cause.
Others were there because charity galas were excellent places to network.
Cassian knew the difference.
He always did.
His eyes moved across the room.
A wealthy investor.
A politician.
Several business owners.
People who wanted access.
People who wanted favors.
People who wanted pictures.
People who wanted his attention.
Cassian exhaled slowly.
Just donate and leave.
That was the plan.
He had no intention of staying for the entire evening.
The donation portion of the event was scheduled to begin soon.
That was all he was waiting for.
He looked at his watch.
Then at Elias.
Then back at his watch.
Elias caught him.
“You’re counting the minutes, aren’t you?”
Cassian didn’t deny it.
“How long?”
“Twenty-three minutes.”
“That’s too long.”
Elias laughed.
“You’re impossible.”
“I’ve been told.”
The lights in the ballroom slowly dimmed.
Everyone began moving toward their tables.
The host stepped onto the stage.
Cassian straightened.
Finally.
The donations were about to begin.
He reached for the program sitting on the table.
He wasn’t interested in the speeches.
He wasn’t interested in the applause.
He just wanted to make his donation, make sure the foundation received what it needed, and go home.
But as the first donor’s name was announced, Cassian’s attention suddenly shifted.
He didn’t know why.
Something had changed.
Not in the room.
Inside him.
His gray eyes moved across the crowd.
And for the first time that evening—
Cassian wasn’t thinking about leaving.
He was looking for someone.
He just didn’t know who.
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