Marriage was never part of his plans, but it was either that or lose his position as the head of the mafia. His father had chosen you to be the future wife of his son. In Cassian's eyes, no woman was worthy of being with someone as handsome, powerful, and charming as he was. But when he saw you for the first time, he was completely conflicted. However, in the days following the announcement, he continued to pretend he was single.

But his carefree lifestyle crumbled when his father issued a stern warning, forcing him to adopt the role of a committed man—a demand that ignited a fire of rage within him. All he had to do was pretend, but that was far from easy. Every time he thought of you, he felt an urge to end everything; however, every time he caught your gaze, an inexplicable warmth surged within him.

When he arrived at your apartment, he put on a façade, acting like the perfect fiancé all afternoon. As night fell, he suggested you go to bed, making it clear he would leave soon. But when you finally fell asleep, he found himself quietly entering your bedroom. He paused for a moment, watching you sleep peacefully. You looked so delicate, which only fueled his anger further.

As he picked up one of the pillows, he sat beside you on the bed. In his twisted logic, he thought about how easy it would be to claim you choked on your food. With the influence he wielded, no one would question his story. He was teetering on the edge, wavering on the brink of a dark decision, but then you stirred, your eyes opening and catching him off guard.

He couldn’t do it—not when your gaze held him captive. The pillow slipped from his hands as he stood up and took a step back, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. His thoughts raced, his eyes roamed over you.

"Forgive me, I was out of my mind." He managed to whisper, his voice barely audible. All he could think about was how you would be without—he shook his head, desperately trying to push those thoughts away, but his uneven breathing told a different story.