Liora barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the torn pages.
Five days before the yacht disaster.
Five missing days.
Five days ago, someone had deliberately erased.
The thought followed her through the night and into the following morning.
Even as she dressed.
Even as she forced herself through breakfast.
Even as she found herself seated in the back of a black luxury vehicle with Adrian sitting opposite her.
Neither had spoken much during the drive.
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable.
Just heavy.
Liora stared out the window as the estate grounds rolled past.
Her hands rested in her lap.
Clasped tightly together.
Adrian noticed.
Of course, he noticed.
He noticed everything.
“You’ll wrinkle the fabric.”
Liora glanced down.
Sure enough, her fingers had twisted part of her dress.
She immediately released it.
“Sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologise.”
The correction came automatically.
Then he added,
“You need to breathe.”
Liora laughed nervously.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Painfully.”
She groaned.
“That’s reassuring.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
The corner of Adrian’s mouth twitched.
Almost a smile.
Almost.
The vehicle slowed.
Then stopped.
A moment later, the chauffeur opened the door.
Sunlight spilt inside.
Adrian stepped out first.
Liora followed.
She immediately recognised where they were.
The smaller garden.
The hidden one.
White roses lined winding stone paths.
Lavender swayed gently beneath the afternoon breeze.
A small fountain sat near the centre.
The entire place felt peaceful.
Private.
Loved.
She suddenly understood why Elara had favoured it.
Adrian glanced toward her.
“He’s already here.”
The words made her stomach tighten.
Liora followed his gaze.
Near the fountain stood a man.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Perfect posture despite his age.
Dark hair streaked lightly with silver.
A tailored charcoal suit.
One hand tucked into his pocket.
The other was resting against the stone edge of the fountain.
Even from a distance, something was commanding about him.
Not because he demanded attention.
Because he naturally carried it.
Yet there was something else, too.
Something quieter.
Loneliness.
The man turned.
And everything stopped.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Cassian Valmere stared at her.
Completely still.
The colour seemed to drain from his face.
His eyes widened slightly.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
As though he had seen something impossible.
Liora’s heart hammered.
This was it.
The moment she’d been preparing for.
The moment she had feared.
The moment she had lain awake imagining.
And suddenly, none of the preparation mattered.
Because standing before her wasn’t a billionaire.
Wasn’t a powerful businessman.
Wasn’t the head of an empire.
He was a father.
A grieving father.
A man who looked as though someone had returned a piece of his soul.
“My God.”
The words escaped him quietly.
Almost inaudibly.
Liora swallowed.
Adrian remained several feet behind her.
Silent.
Watching.
Always watching.
For a long moment, Cassian simply stared.
Then slowly…
very slowly…
He stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
As though afraid the slightest sudden movement might cause her to disappear.
The closer he came, the more she noticed.
The faint lines around his eyes.
The exhaustion was hidden beneath his composed exterior.
The years’ grief had carved into him.
He stopped a few feet away.
Close enough to touch.
Yet he didn’t.
His gaze searched her face.
Studying every feature.
Every detail.
Every similarity.
Liora suddenly felt guilty.
Painfully guilty.
Because this man was looking at her with hope.
And she wasn’t the daughter he thought she was.
At least….
In personality and not in character.
Cassian swallowed.
Then his voice emerged rougher than before.
“Hello.”
Such a simple word.
Yet somehow it carried years within it.
Liora forced herself to answer.
“Hello.”
His eyes briefly closed.
As though hearing her voice had affected him more than he expected.
When he opened them again, they glistened slightly.
But the tears never fell.
Neither of them knew what to say.
The silence stretched.
Not awkward.
Not uncomfortable.
Simply emotional.
Finally, Cassian gestured toward a nearby bench.
“Would you sit with me?”
Liora nodded.
Together, they walked toward it.
When they sat, a careful distance remained between them.
Neither seemed certain how close they were allowed to be.
Cassian glanced toward the roses.
Then back toward her.
“I wasn’t sure this day would ever come.”
Liora didn’t know how to answer.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem to expect one.
For several moments, he simply sat beside her.
Looking at her.
Not in an uncomfortable way.
In a disbelieving way.
As though he still wasn’t entirely convinced she was real.
Then unexpectedly, he asked,
“May I?”
Liora blinked.
His gaze dropped briefly toward her hands.
The request immediately softened something inside her.
She nodded.
Cassian reached out carefully.
Almost hesitantly.
And took her hands in his.
The moment he did, something shifted.
Not just in him.
In her.
His grip wasn’t strong.
Wasn’t possessive.
It was gentle.
Almost fragile.
Like he was afraid she might vanish if he held too tightly.
The simple gesture hit her harder than expected.
Much harder.
Because nobody had ever looked at her the way he was looking at her now.
Like she mattered.
Like her existence alone was enough.
Cassian smiled faintly.
“You’ve grown.”
The words slipped out naturally.
Instinctively.
And immediately afterwards, he looked almost embarrassed.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
“I suppose that’s obvious.”
Liora smiled.
A shaky smile.
But a real one.
Cassian looked relieved.
As though every smile she gave him was a gift.
The realisation nearly broke her heart.
Without warning, moisture gathered in her eyes.
Not because she was acting.
Not because she was trying to convince anyone.
Because she suddenly understood how much this man had suffered.
How long he had been waiting?
Hoping.
Grieving.
The tears remained unshed.
Just shimmering.
But Cassian noticed.
Of course, he noticed.
His expression softened immediately.
And behind them…
standing several feet away…
Adrian noticed too.
His posture didn’t change.
His expression remained composed.
Yet for the briefest second—
His jaw tightened.
Only slightly.
Then it was gone.
So quickly, most one would miss it.
Cassian squeezed her hands gently.
“I’m sorry.”
The words surprised her.
“What for?”
A sad smile touched his lips.
“For all the years I wasn’t there.”
The guilt nearly crushed her.
She looked away.
Unable to meet his eyes.
Because he was apologising for something that wasn’t his fault.
And she was lying to him.
Before she could respond, Cassian suddenly chuckled.
The sound startled both of them.
“You still hate tea?”
Liora froze.
Completely.
Tea?
Panic immediately sparked.
She had no idea.
None.
Thankfully, Cassian laughed before she could answer.
A genuine laugh.
Warm.
Rare.
“You always hated tea.”
Relief nearly knocked her over.
“I did?”
“Passionately.”
A smile tugged at his lips.
“You once poured an entire cup into one of my flower pots.”
Liora stared.
Then burst out laughing.
Cassian laughed too.
The sound seemed unfamiliar.
Like something he hadn’t used in years.
For the next several minutes, he shared small stories.
Nothing important.
Nothing political.
Nothing business-related.
Just memories.
Stories about frogs hidden inside his office.
Paint splattered across expensive furniture.
Arguments over vegetables.
The little pieces of fatherhood he’d lost.
And with every story, Liora found herself smiling more.
Not because she remembered.
Because she wished she did.
Eventually, the sun began sinking lower.
Golden light washed across the garden.
The conversation slowed.
Neither seemed eager for it to end.
Yet eventually it had to.
Cassian rose first.
Reluctantly.
Liora followed.
For a moment, they simply stood facing each other.
Then Cassian surprised her again.
He stepped forward.
And pulled her into a hug.
A careful one.
Tentative.
As though asking permission even while doing it.
Liora froze.
Then, slowly relaxed.
And returned it.
Emotions flooded Cassian’s face when she did.
When they finally separated, neither spoke.
There was nothing left to say.
At least not today.
Adrian stepped forward.
The signal that it was time to leave.
Liora nodded politely.
Then turned and followed him.
She didn’t look back immediately.
Didn’t trust herself to.
But halfway down the path, she finally did.
Cassian was still standing there.
Watching.
Exactly where she’d left him.
The roses swayed gently around him.
The fountain trickled softly nearby.
And for the first time in years…
He looked hopeful.
Liora’s chest tightened.
Then she turned away.
Beside her, Adrian remained silent throughout the walk.
Only after they reached the vehicle did he speak.
“You did well.”
Liora stared ahead.
Not trusting her voice.
Because despite everything…
despite the lies…
despite the contract…
One thought kept repeating itself inside her head.
That man deserved the truth.
Even if neither of them knew what the truth actually was.
Far behind them, hidden among white roses and fading sunlight, Cassian remained standing alone.
Watching the path where she had disappeared.
A faint smile touched his face.
A smile nobody saw.
“Welcome home.”
The words were barely more than a whisper.
Yet somehow they carried across the quiet garden.
And for the first time in many years…
Cassian Valmere felt less alone.