Chapter 321 v4 - 22: in just a few hours

Chapter 321: v4 Chapter 22: in just a few hours

Cassian closed the door to his assigned quarters.

For a moment, he simply stood there.

The room was comfortable.

Spacious.

Appropriate for a visiting nobleman of his rank.

He barely noticed.

His thoughts were still somewhere else.

Marian.

He closed his eyes.

He had finally seen her.

He had seen her.

Really seen her.

After almost six years, she had finally stood before him again.

And somehow, that was not the part that unsettled him most.

It was the way she had looked at Adrian.

The ease between them.

The warmth.

The happiness he had seen on her face.

Cassian lowered his gaze.

He had known she was Empress.

He had known she was Adrian’s wife.

He had known they had been married for years.

None of that had been new.

But knowing something and seeing it were very different things.

Before coming here, Cassian had thought only of the truth.

Marian needed to know.

She deserved to know what had happened.

She deserved to know that he had never abandoned her.

And once she knew, she could choose.

He had believed that so completely.

Now, for the first time, he wondered what that choice would actually ask of her.

If she chose him, what could he give her?

His name.

His title, perhaps, once it was restored.

But his life had been torn apart six years ago.

He had no place waiting for him.

No certainty about what would happen after his identity became known.

And Marian—

Marian already had a life.

A position.

A husband.

An empire.

Could he honestly ask her to abandon all of that?

Could he give her something better?

Cassian leaned back.

He did not know.

That was the problem.

He loved her enough to want her back.

But he loved her enough to want her happy even if that happiness no longer included him.

His eyes closed.

Perhaps the kindest thing would be to leave.

The thought lasted only a moment.

No.

He had not chosen to disappear.

He had not walked away from Marian.

His life had been taken from him.

Adrian had ordered him killed, and for six years Marian had been forced to live believing that he was dead.

Cassian could not allow that lie to continue simply because the truth had become inconvenient.

He had already lost six years.

He would not surrender the right to tell Marian what had actually happened.

Nor would he decide for her what she should do with that truth.

If she chose Adrian after knowing everything, then that would be her choice.

Not something decided for her by a death that had never truly been hers to mourn.

Cassian opened his eyes.

That was what mattered.

He would not force her to choose.

He would simply give her the truth.

And if Marian recognized him—

if she looked at him and still saw the man she had once loved—

then he would know there was something left to fight for.

If she did not...

Cassian looked away.

He would have his answer.

A knock sounded at the door.

Cassian straightened.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Lorenz entered, followed by Marcus.

Lorenz looked at him for a moment.

Then his expression changed.

"Do you want to go back to Milicia?"

Cassian stared at him.

"What?"

"We can still leave."

Cassian frowned.

"Why would I?"

Lorenz glanced toward Marcus.

Marcus remained entirely unhelpful.

"You saw them," Lorenz said.

Cassian sighed.

"I know what I saw."

"I saw them."

Marcus nodded.

"So did I."

Cassian looked between them.

"And?"

Lorenz folded his arms.

"Cassian, I’ve never seen a couple look more perfectly suited."

Cassian stared at him.

"You’re enjoying this."

"Not particularly."

"You are."

"A little."

Marcus’s mouth twitched.

Lorenz continued.

"I’m only saying that if I were you, I might reconsider whether I want to make this more complicated."

Cassian’s expression hardened.

"I didn’t come here to make anything complicated."

Lorenz raised an eyebrow.

"You came here to take back the woman married to the Emperor."

Cassian said nothing.

"That is, by definition, complicated."

Cassian looked away.

Marcus finally spoke.

"For what it’s worth, you don’t have to decide anything today."

Cassian glanced at him.

"I know."

"The banquet is tonight."

Lorenz nodded.

"Which brings us to the important question."

Cassian already knew he would dislike it.

"What?"

"What are you planning to do?"

"I don’t know."

Lorenz smiled.

"Good."

Cassian frowned.

"Why is that good?"

"Because if you had told me you had a detailed plan, I would have been worried."

Cassian almost smiled.

Almost.

Lorenz’s expression softened.

"At least you saw her."

Cassian looked at him.

"Yes."

Lorenz shook his head faintly.

"Now I understand why you were so determined to come back."

Cassian said nothing.

Lorenz smiled.

"And I understand the problem."

Cassian gave him a flat look.

"You’re enjoying this again."

"Perhaps."

Lorenz turned toward the door.

"Prepare yourself for tonight."

He paused.

"I’ll see you later."

Cassian nodded.

Lorenz left.

Marcus followed him without another word.

The door closed.

Cassian remained alone.

He looked toward the clock.

There were still several hours before the banquet.

He had no plan.

Not yet.

But there was one thing in his favor.

He had already seen them.

He had seen Adrian.

He had seen Marian.

They, meanwhile, had seen nothing of him.

Adrian had looked over the delegation without recognizing him.

Marian had not even known he was there.

Cassian let out a slow breath.

Perhaps that was an advantage.

When he saw them again tonight, he would not be seeing them for the first time.

He already knew what Adrian looked like now.

He already knew what Marian looked like now.

He knew how she smiled.

He knew how she looked at her husband.

He knew what waited for him on the other side of the room.

Tonight, he could prepare himself.

He could keep his expression calm.

He could stand before them as Carlo.

He could let them believe he was exactly who he appeared to be.

And if the opportunity came—

he would let Marian look at him.

Not force her.

Not call her name.

Not demand that she remember.

Just let her see him.

Cassian glanced at the clock again.

For the first time since arriving in the Empire, he felt the nervousness beginning to settle in.

His hands were steady.

His face was calm.

But his heart was not.

He had spent six years waiting for tonight.

And now it was only hours away.

--

Tbc