The weight of the exams lifted off my shoulders, leaving me feeling lighter than I had in months. Finally free, my school friends and I gather at a cozy coffee shop near campus, our laughter filling the space as we celebrate. The air is electric with relief and excitement.
Jim, one of my closest mates, leans in with a grin. "You have to come to my birthday party this weekend, Celeste. It won't be the same without you."
I open my mouth to respond, but before I can utter a word, a shadow looms between us. The shift in atmosphere is instant.
Cassian.
His presence is sharp, commanding, impossible to ignore. His dark eyes scan Jim briefly before locking onto me, suspicion flickering in them. Without a word, he reaches for my hand and pulls me up from my seat.
"I've been waiting for you to come out of the hall," he says, his tone controlled but firm. "Come with me."
There's no room for argument. The way he speaks, the way he moves - it's as if he's making a statement, claiming something.
"Wait, Cassian…" I stammer, confused, my heart pounding as he leads me towards his sleek black car parked outside.
"Get in," he orders, opening the door.
I hesitate, glancing back at my car. "What about my car? I can't just leave it here …"
Before I finish, Alexander, his PA, appears beside us as if on cue.
"Give me your keys," Cassian demands.
Something in his tone makes me comply without thinking. I fish out my keys and hand them over. He passes them to Alexander without a second thought.
"Take it to her home," Cassian instructs.
Alexander nods, heading off immediately. My chest tightens. The control he exerts so effortlessly unsettles me, yet there's something equally thrilling about it.
With a deep breath, I slide into the passenger seat. Cassian follows, his jaw tight, his grip firm on the steering wheel as he drives off without another word.
The silence in the car is thick, charged with something I can't quite place. My mind races with questions. What just happened? Why is he acting like this?
I glance at him, but his expression is unreadable. All I know is that whatever is coming next, it's going to change everything.
The ride is silent, but the tension is thick. Cassian's grip on the wheel is firm, his gaze unwavering as he drives through winding roads. I don't ask where we're going. There's something in the way he moves, the way he's focused, that tells me this isn't a kidnapping. But it's something important. Something personal.
When we finally arrive, I'm stunned.
The villa stands against the dark sky, perched at the edge of a hill, surrounded by trees that make it feel like an escape from reality. The architecture is modern but warm, unlike the cold, imposing grandeur of the royal palace.
Cassian steps out, comes around, and opens my door. "Come," he says.
I hesitate, but his expression is unreadable. I step out, my heels clicking softly against the stone driveway.
"This is my real home," he says as we walk towards the entrance. "Away from everything. My sanctuary."
He pushes the door open, and the scent of wood, expensive whiskey, and something distinctly him washes over me. Inside, the space is breathtaking; dark leather couches, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the city below, and a bar stocked with the finest liquors.
Cassian watches my reaction. "Like it?"
I nod slowly. "It's… beautiful."
He smirks. "Wait till you see the rest."
He leads me through the house, showing me the study where he escapes the pressures of the crown, the music room where a grand piano sits untouched, the private gym, and finally, the terrace. The view here is mesmerizing, the kingdom sprawled out beneath us, lights twinkling like fallen stars.
I exhale slowly. "This place is incredible, Cassian."
He leans against the railing, watching me. "I come here when I need to breathe. When I need to be me - not the crown prince, not the perfect heir, just… Cassian."
I meet his gaze, and for the first time, I see something vulnerable there. Something real.
We settle into the plush chairs on the terrace, a bottle of wine between us. The night feels lighter, the tension easing as we talk. Then, out of nowhere, he mentions it.
"My birthday's coming up."
I glance at him. "Oh? When?"
"December 4th."
My entire body goes still.
My breath hitches, my fingers tightening around the glass. The world tilts slightly.
Cassian notices my reaction and frowns. "What?"
I swallow hard. "That's… my birthday too."
His eyes widen, and for a moment, neither of us speak. We just stare at each other, the realization hitting like a thunderclap.
"No way," he breathes.
"Way," I whisper.
He straightens. "How old will you be by then?"
My voice barely comes out. "Twenty-seven."
His reaction is instant. "You're joking."
I shake my head, my heartbeat hammering.
His voice drops, almost disbelieving. "I'll be twenty-seven too."
Silence stretches between us, thick and charged.
A strange kind of knowing creeps over me. My mind races, connecting the dots.
Eighteen. That night, I was eighteen. The man I danced with, the one who felt so familiar, so electric - he was celebrating eighteen too.
We were both celebrating our birthdays that night.
My throat runs dry. I feel like I'm about to fall through the cracks of time itself.
But I don't say anything.
I can't.
Cassian is watching me too closely, sensing something, but not quite grasping it.
And for now, I intend to keep it that way.