Chapter 13
1182 Words
Talia stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the satin of her emerald gown over her hips. The fabric shimmered under the warm lights, hugging her curves and pooling softly at her feet. It was the most daring thing she’d ever worn, an open back, a dangerously high slit, and a neckline that flirted with every glance. Her makeup was soft but sultry; her hair pinned up with just enough loose curls to frame her face.
She didn’t usually dress to turn heads. But tonight? Tonight was different.
Cassian’s world was made of glass and gold, elegant lies dressed as charm, polished smiles hiding calculated intentions. And this gala, the Locke Foundation’s annual charity ball, was the heart of it.
She was walking into the lion’s den.
As his wife.
When she stepped into the foyer, Cassian stopped speaking midsentence. The driver waited patiently beside him, but Cassian’s gaze never moved from her. It dropped slowly, from her face to her silhouette, lingering far longer than necessary before snapping back up to meet her eyes.
His voice was quiet. “You… look—”
“Like a damn goddess?” she teased, arching a brow.
He gave a short laugh, then shook his head. “No. Worse. You look like trouble.”
She smiled at that. “Then you’re overdressed for survival.”
The car ride was quiet, their banter lingering in the space between them, but when the red carpet loomed into view, Cassian turned serious.
“Whatever happens tonight,” he murmured as they stepped out, “just stick close.”
“Not planning to run off with a stranger, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
He gave her a look. “I’m not.”
The ballroom was breathtaking. Chandeliers sparkled like stars above an ocean of champagne flutes and silk gowns. The music was soft and elegant, the crowd dripping with generational wealth and carefully manufactured charm.
Cassian took her hand. A soft touch at first. Then firmer, as cameras started flashing near the entrance.
They walked in together, all grace and glamour, but inside, his fingers slid away.
As expected.
Talia mingled. Smiled. Sipped. Nodded. Posed for a few press photos and politely endured comments from older women who complimented her “fresh” look like she was a museum piece.
But Cassian …
Cassian kept watching her.
She felt it. In the way his eyes burned holes into her back when she laughed at someone else’s joke. In how his gaze would flick down to her legs when she shifted weight from one heel to the other. She caught him more than once. And every time, he didn’t even bother looking away.
But then came the others.
The first few were harmless enough, donors and attendees charmed by her presence. But then a tall, grinning man in an expensive dark green suit strolled up with two glasses of wine and handed her one.
“Mrs. Locke,” he said smoothly. “I’m Julian Sanders. One of Cassian’s associates in the renewable energy deal.”
She took the glass, wary but polite. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Sanders.”
“Julian, please. You’re every bit as stunning as the rumors promised.” His eyes dipped briefly to her neckline. “No wonder Cassian’s been so distracted lately.”
Talia laughed tightly. “Distracted, huh?”
“Oh, completely,” Julian said, stepping slightly closer. “Frankly, I can’t blame him. If I were married to you, I wouldn’t get any work done either.”
Behind her, she felt a presence, quiet but sharp. Cassian.
“Julian,” he said, voice calm but cold. “I see you’ve met my wife.”
Julian didn’t flinch. “Just introducing myself, Cassian You’re a lucky man.”
Cassian’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I know.”
Talia could feel the tension rolling off him. His hand slid around her waist again, his thumb pressing lightly against her spine. She wasn’t sure if he was calming himself or claiming her... maybe both.
Julian gave a mock bow and disappeared into the crowd.
Cassian didn’t speak for a moment.
“You okay?” she asked, lips barely moving.
He gave a tight nod. “People like him talk too much.”
“And you don’t talk enough,” she said lightly, sipping her wine.
But his jaw stayed clenched for a long time.
—
Later that evening, just as she excused herself from a conversation with the CEO of a tech startup, she heard the tapping of heels, sharp, practiced, familiar.
She turned.
Cassandra.
The name had hovered around Cassian in every article, like a ghost people whispered about. She was stunning in a golden dress that looked hand-stitched to her frame. Her skin glowed, her eyes sparkled, and her steps held that calculated grace of someone who knew they were the center of any room they entered.
“Cassian,” she called, smiling like they shared a secret.
He turned. And his expression shifted. Not warm. Not cold. Just… unreadable.
Cassandra leaned in and kissed both of his cheeks, then turned to Talia with a tilt of her head.
“And you must be the new wife.” Her smile widened. “You’re so… fresh.”
Talia returned the smile coolly. “I get that a lot.”
“I bet,” Cassandra said, eyes scanning her from head to toe. “The dress is… brave.”
“And yet here we are,” Talia replied, not flinching.
Cassian cleared his throat. “Cass, this isn’t the time.”
“Oh, come on,” she purred. “It’s just a chat.”
She turned to Talia again, voice syrup-sweet. “Cassian and I were engaged once. Briefly. But you probably knew that already.”
Talia met her gaze. “I also know how to recognize a woman clinging to what she lost.”
Cassian choked on his drink.
Cassandra blinked, stunned for just a second, then laughed lightly, like it didn’t matter. “Well, he’s clearly chosen… differently this time.”
“And thank God for that,” Talia said with a tight smile.
The silence that followed was tense and fragile, like a crystal ornament about to fall off a shelf.
Cassandra finally drifted away, but not without one last lingering touch to Cassian’s arm.
“I missed this,” she said, with a wink. “We should talk soon.”
Cassian said nothing. Talia didn’t wait for him to.
—
They found quiet later, near the fountains outside. The cool air wrapped around her bare shoulders, and she closed her eyes for a moment.
“You handled that better than I expected,” he said.
“She’s insufferable,” Talia muttered. “How did you ever date that?”
He was quiet for a long moment. “Because I didn’t know any better.”
She glanced up.
“And now?” she asked.
Cassian looked at her then, really looked at her. “Now… I’m learning.”
Their eyes lingered. And this time, he didn’t pull away.
- Writer
