marked by midnight: the enemy's heiress-Chapter 31 : "I’m not worth loving back"

Cassian’s patience finally snapped.

The moment the words left Kael’s mouth, Cassian swung.

His fist connected with Kael’s face with brutal force, the impact sharp and unforgiving. Kael staggered back, crashing hard against the table before losing his balance completely and falling onto it.

"Cassian!!!" Mira screamed.

She rushed forward without thinking, dropping to Kael’s side. Her hands trembled as she cupped his face, gently wiping the blood from his split lip with her thumb.

"You okay?" she asked urgently, her voice thick with worry and panic.

That.. that was what shattered Cassian.

Not the insult, not the challenge, not even the fight itself.

It was her.

Her kneeling beside another man. Her hands on him. Her voice soft with concern... for someone who wasn’t Cassian.

His chest constricted violently, as if something inside him fractured beyond repair. His eyes burned red, fury mixing with something far worse, something dangerously close to tears he refused to let fall.

Mira glanced at Cassian briefly, then back at Kael as she helped him sit upright. But something about Cassian felt wrong.

She looked at Cassian again.

Really looked.

He was standing a little away from them now, shoulders tense, fists clenched so tightly his fingers trembled. His jaw was locked, his breathing uneven, his eyes dark and hollow all at once.

That wasn’t just anger.

That was pain.

Her heart skipped painfully.

She turned back to Kael, steadying him as he tried to rise. "Kael," she said firmly, her voice shaking despite her effort to sound composed, "you need to go now."

Kael scoffed, touching his bruised jaw. "Don’t expect me to leave you alone with this fucking bastard."

"No," Mira said sharply. Then her voice softened. "Trust me. I’ll be okay. Hm?"

She met his eyes, pleading now, desperation seeping through.

"It’s between me and Cassian. I don’t want you dragged into this mess. Please," she said quietly. "If I mean anything to you at all... just go."

Kael winced as he touched the spot where Cassian had punched him, the pain clearly visible on his face.

He looked between Mira and Cassian one last time, at Cassian’s rigid form, at Mira’s conflicted expression, before exhaling sharply.

"...This isn’t over," Kael muttered, though whether it was a warning or concern, neither of them could tell.

He took one sharp step forward again, rage flashing across his face.

"Just because you said so," he snarled. "If anything bad happens to you, I will fucking kill this bastard-"

He lunged toward Cassian.

But Mira moved faster.

She stepped between them, pressing her hands against Kael’s chest, forcing him back with what little strength she had.

"I’ll be okay," she said firmly, her voice steady despite the chaos and fear pounding in her chest. "I promise."

She reached up and gently touched his cheek, her thumb brushing against his skin in a way that softened his fury just enough to stop him.

Kael’s jaw tightened. His eyes searched her face, torn between anger, fear, and helpless worry.

He nodded once, sharp, reluctant, and turned away. The door slammed behind him with a loud, furious thud that echoed through the apartment.

Silence followed.

Heavy. Suffocating.

Mira turned slowly.

Cassian had already turned his back to her.

His shoulders were rigid, his head bowed, as if he were trying to physically hold something inside himself, something threatening to spill over.

She walked toward him.

"Cassian," she said quietly. "What are you doing?"

He didn’t respond.

"Why are you creating a whole scene here?" she continued, her voice trembling now despite herself. "What do you even want from me?"

He stayed silent.

"We belong to rival families," she said, emotion bleeding through every word. "Do you want to kill me? Then do it. I’m right in front of you."

She stepped closer.

"But don’t hurt the people close to me," she whispered. "I’d rather die than let you hurt them."

Cassian’s hands clenched harder at his sides.

"Look at me, Cassian," Mira said.

Slowly, painfully slowly, he turned.

His head remained lowered at first.

Then he lifted it.

And Mira froze.

Tears filled his eyes, unrestrained, raw, completely unguarded. They shimmered in the light, clinging to lashes he had never allowed to weaken before.

Her heart clenched painfully.

"Cass..." she breathed. "Cassian..."

Seeing him like this undid her completely.

She had told herself for years that he must hate her. That it would be easier if he did. That hatred would explain everything. That hatred would hurt less.

But this?

This shattered every dark thought she had ever clung to. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

He broke.

The unshed tears spilled freely now, falling without restraint from a man who had probably never allowed himself to cry. not like this.

He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, burying his face into the crook of her neck as if holding on was the only thing keeping him upright.

His body shook as he sobbed.

"I don’t-" he choked, breath hitching. "I never hated you. You know that."

A broken laugh tore from his throat. "I destroyed people I hate... but you? I took care of you. I protected you..."

His voice cracked completely.

"I hate this," he gasped. "I’m fucking crying-"

Mira wrapped her arms around him, holding him just as tightly, grounding him.

"Shh," she whispered, fingers threading gently into his hair. "It’s okay."

She pressed her forehead to his temple.

"Don’t hide it," she murmured. "I pushed too far because of my fears. Just breathe."

Her voice softened further.

"We’re past that now."

He pulled back slightly, his voice breaking again.

"But tell me... if it’s not hate, then-"

"I fucking love you, damn it," he said hoarsely. "I love you so much it hurts. I’m not worth loving back, but this is all I wanted to say for so long."

He leaned forward and kissed the top of her forehead.

The pain etched into his face gutted her, knowing he had spent years of his life believing he was unlovable, all because of his guarded persona, as if he had been afraid to fall in love at all.

Mira cupped his cheek gently.

"I love you too. Today. Tomorrow. Forever."

"You say that now..." His voice drifted off as his eyes darted away, fear still clinging to him.

Mira’s chest clenched.

"I believe it."

"It could take forever," he said quietly.

Then he continued, voice low but honest.

"Five years without you nearly turned me into a crazy man."

"Oh, as if there were no other women?" Mira said softly, looking away.

He stepped closer.

"Baby," he said firmly, lifting her chin. "You think I have the capacity to consider other women when you have all of me?"