Chapter 5
The weight of the silence in the room pressed down like a heavy cloud as Mr. Devereux continued to scan the document. His hands trembled slightly, betraying the calm exterior he desperately tried to maintain. His eyes flicked between the lines of text and Cassian's cold, impassive face, but nothing in the contract made sense.
"Are you out of your mind?" Mr. Devereux's voice shook, his hands gripping the papers harder, as if trying to tear them apart. "You want me to give up my daughter? To you? Like some… some prize?"
Cassian's gaze never wavered. His tone remained even, calculating. "This is not a prize, Mr. Devereux. It's business. You're familiar with the concept, aren't you?"
"You—" Mr. Devereux's voice broke for a moment, then he steadied himself. "You have no right to demand this of me! I don't care about the deal, I don't care about your threats. My daughter is not for you to use as leverage."
"I didn't say she was," Cassian responded, his voice smooth like silk, but sharp underneath. "I'm offering you a way to secure everything you've worked for, Mr. Devereux. All you have to do is honor the terms."
"Honor?" Mr. Devereux spat, standing up so abruptly that the chair scraped across the floor. "You expect me to honor a contract that would give you access to my daughter? Are you even hearing yourself? You've crossed a line!"
Cassian remained unfazed. He didn't even flinch. He knew exactly what buttons to press. The more Mr. Devereux raged, the more it worked to his advantage.
"You forget yourself, Mr. Devereux," Cassian said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "I'm the one with the power here. You've been running circles around business deals, but when it comes down to it, your company's future is at stake. You can sign the deal or you can walk away and watch everything crumble. Your daughter is just collateral—nothing more."
The words hit Mr. Devereux like a slap to the face. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing through every possibility. His company, the empire he had built with blood, sweat, and years of careful maneuvering, could come crashing down in an instant. All it would take was a single wrong move. And Cassian Cole was holding all the cards.
"You bastard," Mr. Devereux growled, his fists clenched. He felt a surge of anger rising within him, but he forced himself to swallow it down. "This isn't over, you hear me? This isn't over."
"I'm sure it isn't," Cassian replied without a hint of emotion, his eyes never leaving Mr. Devereux's. "But it is the only way forward."
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. For a long moment, neither man spoke. Mr. Devereux was a man who had always prided himself on control, on strength. But now, with his back against the wall, he had no choice but to give in.
Slowly, painfully, Mr. Devereux sat back down at the table. His eyes flicked once more to the terms of the agreement. His fingers trembled as he reached for the pen, signing the contract with a single stroke.
"Good," Cassian said, his voice as cold as ice. "I knew you'd come to your senses. You'll hear from me soon."
Mr. Devereux slammed the pen down onto the table, his face flushed with anger and humiliation. "You'll regret this, Cole," he muttered through gritted teeth, standing up to leave. "You will."
Cassian didn't respond. He didn't have to. His silence spoke volumes.
As Mr. Devereux stormed out of the office, Cassian remained seated, his eyes lingering on the signed document. The deal was done. The pieces of his plan were falling into place. He was one step closer to his revenge, and soon, Aria Devereux would be his to do with as he pleased.
Aria's POV
The sound of her father's voice broke through the quiet hum of the house, startling Aria as she sat in her room. She had been lost in her thoughts all morning, her mind drifting from one daydream to another. She had been thinking about the ball—about the strange, inexplicable feeling she'd had when she saw the guests, heard the music, and watched people dance in the grand hall. It was a fleeting moment of normalcy, but it felt like the entire world had been beyond her reach. She had never felt more isolated in her life.
"Get Aria To My Office!" her father's voice boomed from downstairs, sharp and urgent.
Her heart skipped a beat. There was something different about the tone of his voice today—something that set her on edge. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But then, pushing herself to her feet, she walked toward the door and descended the staircase slowly, her mind racing.
When she reached her father's office with the help of the maids since she haven't been to his office before, the door was already open, and he was standing near the desk, his back to her. His expression was tight, strained, as though he had just come from a long, difficult meeting. Aria's steps faltered for a second, but she forced herself to enter.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked softly, trying to keep her voice steady.
Mr. Devereux turned to face her, his eyes unreadable. He was clearly still shaken, his mind preoccupied with the events of the morning. He didn't speak right away, only motioned to the chair across from him. Aria sat down, her curiosity growing.
"I just came from a meeting with Cassian Cole," he began, his voice low. "You know him. The business partner we've been dealing with for years."
Who is Cassian Cole, She asked even though she wasn't entirely sure what her father was getting at. She'd never paid much attention to the details of her father's business dealings. She had been kept away from the world, locked in her room for most of her life, only hearing whispers about the men who came and went from the estate.
"We've signed the deal," Mr. Devereux continued, his words hanging heavy in the air. "With Cassian."
Aria's brow furrowed in confusion. "The deal? What do you mean?"
Her father's gaze shifted away from her, and for a moment, he seemed to lose his composure. He exhaled sharply, rubbing his forehead as though trying to shake off a headache. "I… I don't have time to explain all the details, but I need you to understand something, Aria. This deal is crucial. It's everything and also you don't have to know who he is ."
She blinked, still not fully understanding. "What deal, Father?"
Mr. Devereux stood up abruptly, pacing the room as if trying to organize his thoughts. "You're going to have to go live with someone… someone for the next three months. It's just for a short while—just until the deal is finished. After that, you'll come back home."
Aria's mouth went dry, and her heart skipped in her chest. "What? Live with someone? Who?"
Her father's voice was firm, though tinged with something she couldn't place. "Cassian Cole," he said, his words cutting through the air like a blade.
A chill ran down Aria's spine. "What do you mean? You want me to go… with him? I don't even know him!"
Her father's eyes hardened. "It's the only way. This is how things have to be for the business to stay afloat. You'll be fine. Just stay with him until the deal is completed. Then you'll return home."
Aria felt as if the floor had been ripped out from beneath her. "I can't… I can't just leave, Father! You can't—"
"I'm sorry, Aria," her father said, cutting her off. "But this is how it has to be. I'm doing this for the future of this family. You'll understand one day."
Her mind was spinning. She felt a lump form in her throat, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Her father, the man who had always been her protector, had just handed her over. To Cassian. A man she didn't know, didn't trust. It didn't make sense. It felt like her entire world was unraveling before her eyes.
Her father reached for the door, his voice low as he turned the handle. "I'll be back for you soon. Just wait here until everything is settled."
Aria's heart pounded in her chest. She was trapped. There was no escaping this. And for the first time in her life, she felt truly alone.
As her father left the room, Aria collapsed onto the chair, her mind racing. How had everything changed so quickly? What kind of future was she facing?
And what did Cassian Cole really want with her?
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