Caspian descends the grand staircase of the Hale mansion, a rare smile playing on his lips.
The early morning sun filters through the tall windows, casting golden light on the marbled floor.
Last night’s chat with Winter had gone better than expected.
Her agreeing to be his plus one for the party is the cherry on the cake, not that he hadn’t suspected that she would agree in the first place.
He had, but a small part of him knows she’d prefer to play hard to get, which is why he’d been persistent.
And it works.
But despite the warm sense of accomplishment he is feeling, an itch remains—a nagging reminder of Winter’s curiosity about his relationship with Drae.
The mention of Drae stirs something inside him, an unease that has been festering since the night Drae betrayed his family.
Caspian can’t shake the suspicion that Drae has already started sowing doubt in Winter’s mind about him.
He needs to handle Drae soon, before the bastard sticks a wrench into his plans.
It wouldn’t be the first time.
Still, it isn’t all bad.
From his conversation with Winter last night, Caspian gathers that Drae and Winter don’t seem to get along, likely due to Drae’s behavior.
Caspian can use that tension, make it work to his advantage.
Perhaps, he thinks, a bit of honesty could play in his favor.
He promised Winter they would talk about it today.
A carefully chosen dose of truth, spiced with emotion, might be exactly what he needs to draw Winter closer—and push her further away from Drae.
She could be more than an ally; she could be his key to dismantling the Bonds from the inside.
Caspian chuckles quietly.
Drae is already doing half the work for him.
At the bottom of the stairs, Aunt Rebecca’s voice calls from the dining room.
“Caspian! Where are you going without breakfast?” she chides, her tone playfully reproachful.
Caspian laughs, his mood too buoyant to mind.
“I don’t need breakfast every morning, Aunt,” he calls back, stepping into the dining room.
“Of course you need breakfast. What else is going to keep that brain of yours sharp?” she asks, motioning for one of the maids to bring him a plate.
Caspian sighs but sits down, joining her.
As he does, he notices Aleira across the table, raising an eyebrow as she watches him.
“Well, someone’s in a good mood today,” she remarks, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms.
“Last night, you were sulking. Today, you’re practically glowing. Did you win the lottery or something?”
Caspian smirks, glancing briefly at his aunt before answering.
“Better. Winter agreed to be my plus one for Sophia Turner’s party on Friday,” he replies.
Rebecca claps her hands together, clearly pleased.
“Good job, Caspian. That’s a step in the right direction,” she praises.
Aleira, however, scoffs.
“Please. She’s my friend; she would’ve come with me anyway. You’re just being dramatic,” she teases, rolling her eyes.
“Well,” Caspian says, flashing her a smug grin, “she’s better off with me than following you around all night.”
Aleira rolls her eyes again.
“Bad cop, huh? We’ll see who wins by the end of this,” she replies, a teasing edge to her voice as she spoons another portion of food into her mouth.
Caspian chuckles, grabbing an apple from the table as he stands.
“I’m heading out,” he announces.
Aleira grabs her bag, standing as well.
“You’re not leaving without me,” she says, glancing at him.
“My car’s in for an oil change, so Raj is handling that. You’ll have to drop me at school.”
Caspian groans but doesn’t argue.
Instead, he says, “Great. I hope you’re ready to deal with Josh, though. I’m picking him up too. His car’s acting up,” he explains.
“Perfect,” Aleira replies, sarcasm dripping as they head to the front door.
Rebecca calls after them, wishing them a great day and mentioning she might be late coming home from the office tonight.
In the car, silence settles as they navigate through morning traffic until Aleira breaks it.
“Caspian,” she begins, her tone cautious, “when are you going to read Dad’s will?”
Caspian’s grip tightens on the steering wheel.
He has been avoiding this conversation, but he knows Aleira won’t let it go.
“Soon,” he mutters, keeping his gaze on the road.
“‘Soon’? When exactly is ‘soon’?” Aleira presses, her voice edged with frustration.
“We need to read the will, Caspian. This isn’t just about you,” she insists, bringing up the same argument she has used since their father died.
Caspian’s chest tightens.
The truth is, he isn’t ready to read his father’s final words.
It feels like closing a door he isn’t prepared to shut.
Alexander Hale had been his friend, his mentor, and his guide through life.
They had spent time talking about the complexities of running a tech company, and Alexander had taken time to instill in Caspian a love for innovation and business.
Reading the will would mean accepting that his father is truly gone, and he can’t do that until he avenges the man’s death.
“I just… need more time,” Caspian finally says, not meeting her eyes.
Aleira sighs, clearly unconvinced.
“You’ve had enough time, Caspian. It’s been a year,” she points out.
Before Caspian can respond, they pull up to Josh’s house.
The sight of his best friend bounding down the driveway is a welcome distraction.
Josh climbs into the back seat, a grin spread across his face, and Aleira decides to drop the conversation—for now.
“Hey, guys!” Josh greets, his energy infectious.
“What’s up?”
“Not much,” Caspian replies, glancing at Aleira, who forces a smile.
Josh wastes no time turning his charm on Aleira and throwing out playful lines as usual.
The mood in the car lightens as they banter, teasing each other and laughing like old friends.
Watching them, Caspian resolves to do whatever it takes to uncover the truth, seek justice, and make his family whole again.