Chapter 6
Vesper's dad watched the scene, nodding with satisfaction as he took a sip of his coffee.
"Cassian, work matters, but your health does too. If you're ever swamped, just let Vesper come home on her own. Don't push yourself too hard," he reminded.
"Of course," Cassian replied with a smile, turning to Vesper with a gentle look.
"Vesper, shall we head home? What do you want for dinner? I'll cook for you," he asked.
Vesper stared into those supposedly loving eyes, and suddenly the whole thing felt absurd.
He played his part so well, she almost fooled herself into thinking he actually cared.
"Alright," she said, slipping her hand out of his grip and standing up, putting on a practiced smile. "Let's go home."
As they stepped out of the building, the sunset cast their shadows long, intertwining on the pavement.
On the surface, they looked like the perfect couple.
On Monday night, Cassian told Vesper they'd need to have dinner at the Blackwood family's house the next day.
It was her mother, Oriana's, birthday, and she'd made a point of asking Vesper to be there.
Vesper just nodded, keeping silent.
She knew the Blackwood family didn't care for her.
But she had to play along for appearances' sake.
She didn't want to start a fight with Cassian over something like this.
The next evening, Cassian and Vesper arrived at the Blackwood family's house.
Liora opened the door for them.
"Cassian, Vesper, you're here," Liora said, smiling softly.
She was dressed in comfy loungewear, her face even paler than usual.
She looked small and delicate, her big eyes watery and a little shy, like someone you just wanted to protect.
"Vesper, you look so healthy," Liora said, sounding genuinely envious with a hint of insecurity.
"Not like me. I have to take meds every day, but it never seems to help," Liora added.
Vesper just gave a faint smile and stayed quiet.
At the dinner table, Oriana kept serving Cassian extra food.
As his birth mother, she'd never really stopped worrying about him, even after remarrying into the Blackwood family.
She gave Liora, her stepdaughter, a bit of extra attention as well.
"Cassian, eat up. You work so hard," Oriana said.
"Liora, you too. Don't just talk, eat some more," she turned to Liora.
Liora ate in small bites, sneaking glances at Cassian every now and then.
Her gaze was a mix of dependence and something else she couldn't quite hide.
"Cassian, I want to try the ribs over there," she said softly. "Can you get me a piece?"
Cassian calmly reached over and served her the ribs she asked for.
Vesper just focused on her food, keeping quiet and staying out of the conversation.
Halfway through dinner, Cassian's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, then headed to the balcony to take the call.
The table fell silent.
Liora's mom went to the kitchen to get some soup, and Liora set down her fork, glancing over at Vesper.
"Vesper," she murmured, her voice soft and tentative, eyes full of concern. "Did you and Cassian argue again...because of me?"
Vesper looked up.
Liora sighed, her face showing just the right touch of guilt and helplessness.
"It's really all my fault. My health is so bad, I'm always making trouble for him," she said quietly.
"Please don't be upset with him, Vesper. He's just worried about me.
"You probably don't know this, but when I was little, I got really sick, almost didn't make it," she explained.
"Cassian stayed by my side in the hospital every single day. As long as he was there, I wasn't scared at all," she added.
She then paused, her voice grew even softer, her eyes showing she understood.
"I get it, it must be tough for you," she said quietly. "Honestly, if I were you, I couldn't handle it either."
"But that's just how Cassian is; he cares deeply and always takes responsibility," she added.
"Wasn't that why you liked him in the first place?" she asked.
Vesper looked at her, and suddenly a word came to mind.
Master!
She'd only seen the term online before, always thought it was just internet hype.
But now, she realized people like this really existed.
Every word was gentle and thoughtful, every sentence seemed to care about one.
But somehow, every single line left one feeling suffocated.
"Liora," Vesper said, her voice steady, "do you know what I admire most about you?"
Liora paused, caught off guard.
"You always sound so perfect when you talk. You're the one who takes up all my husband's time, the one who makes things hard for me," Vesper said.
"But somehow, when you say it, it turns into my problem, like I'm not generous enough, not understanding enough, not grown-up enough," Vesper added, her tone unwavering.
She smiled, and this time, her smile was way more genuine than Liora's ever was.
"That's pretty impressive," Vesper remarked, her voice cool.
Liora's expression changed.
"What do you mean, Vesper? I was only—" she tried to retort.
"Only what? Only worried about our relationship? Only didn't want us to fight because of you?" Vesper retorted, her voice cutting through the room.
Vesper stood up, fixing Liora with a steady gaze.
"Liora, let's just lay it all out," Vesper said, her voice calm but cutting.
"You don't like Cassian as a brother. let's not pretend," she added.
"Ever since you came back from abroad, nothing you've done has been accidental.
"You know he's married, but you still do everything you can to keep him close," she detailed.
"You play the victim, always sick, always fragile, acting like the world owes you something," she pressed.
"So you think you deserve to get whatever you want, don't you?" Vesper pressed.
Liora's face went completely pale.
"How...how can you say that?" she stammered.
Her words hung in the air, unfinished.