Chapter 23: Lia, can I kiss you?
Lucas' heart suddenly flared with anger. Lia? Was it really her?
He was about to step forward to get a closer look, but just then, Sophie pulled him back by his arm.
"Honey, let's go back now, I want you too," she pouted, her lips painted a bright red as she leaned closer to him, but Lucas angrily pushed her away.
"I don't want it," he snapped.
Sophie's patience wore thin. She didn't want Lucas's attention to wander to anyone else, so she grabbed him forcefully, trying to pull him in her direction.
"What are you doing?" Lucas barked, his temper flaring. If she weren't a woman, he would never let her act this way.
"Honey, I want it too," she whined, trying to play the victim.
"Sophie, you've crossed the line," Lucas's voice was cold, his anger evident. "If you do it again, get out."
He shook off her hand in frustration, leaving her standing there, tears welling up in her eyes. "Wait for me, honey!" she called, chasing after him.
"This man has no heart," Sophie thought as she chased him down, but it wasn't enough to break her resolve.
Meanwhile, Lia was still reeling from his kiss. Her mind was a blur, and her body felt light. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Cassius's neck to steady herself, her breath coming in shallow bursts.
As the sound of footsteps grew fainter, Cassius's lips curved slightly. He slowly let her go, but his gaze remained soft, watching her with interest.
Lia, her autumn eyes wide, looked at him nervously, her red lips quivering slightly. She was caught off guard by her emotions and his sudden actions.
"I couldn't help it just now," Cassius murmured, his voice low and soothing, as he gently caressed her flushed cheek with his fingertips.
Lia's eyes fluttered as she half-closed them. "Yeah," she answered quietly, still processing everything that had just happened.
In truth, she didn't need an explanation. For Lia, as long as it wasn't anything illegal, she had no right to refuse him.
"Can you stand?" he asked, his gaze shifting to her legs.
"Yes," Lia replied, feeling self-conscious as she noticed how intently he looked at her.
With a subtle smile, Cassius's large hands settled on her slender waist, guiding her to her feet.
"Let's go back," he said gently.
"Okay," Lia agreed, feeling an odd mixture of calm and confusion. The kiss had been so unexpected, and though it seemed like it was no big deal, part of her was trying to process the rush of emotions that had followed.
She hoped no one had seen them—after all, this was public. She thought Cassius was usually calm and composed, but this time he had done something far beyond what she had imagined.
Cassius, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, his behavior almost as though it had been the most natural thing in the world.
Once in the car, Lia rolled down the window, letting the cool night air calm her down. The heat of the moment had dissipated, but her mind was still racing.
"Are you angry?" Cassius asked casually, reaching out to hold her hand as he fiddled with her fingers.
Lia looked at him, her gaze steady. "No," she answered firmly. Whatever he did, whatever he wanted, it was right. At least that's how she felt in that moment.
He gently pinched her hand, a playful gesture. It didn't hurt, but it made her feel light, almost ticklish.
"You can be angry, you know," Cassius said with a soft chuckle. "If it bothers you, I'll pay more attention to it in the future."
Lia shook her head slightly. "At the time, we were boyfriend and girlfriend, weren't we? Even if there were... behaviors like that, it should be normal," she said, her tone steady, even though her mind was still trying to come to terms with it all.
"But... what about now?" Cassius asked, his voice low but filled with meaning.
"Hmm?" Lia looked at him, slightly confused.
The man smiled softly and leaned closer, tilting his chin so that she had no choice but to meet his eyes.
"Lia, can I kiss you?" he asked, his voice quiet but full of intensity.
His eyes were calm like a still lake, but in that instant, it felt like the surface was being disturbed, the calm about to be broken by a storm.
Ryan, who had been following Cassius as his assistant for years, had never seen his boss act this way. It was as if he had a completely different side to him. No wonder he'd never had a girlfriend—he was clearly clueless about flirting. But now, watching him, Ryan had to admit, Cassius was a master at it. The way he interacted with Lia, so confident and smooth, was far beyond anything Ryan had ever expected from the man who had always been so focused on work.
Lia blinked, caught off guard. Was he really asking her permission? It was as if he could do whatever he wanted, and she had no right to refuse.
"Can I kiss you?" he asked again, his voice patient, but with a certain underlying eagerness.
"Okay," Lia whispered, her lips already parting.
Without hesitation, Cassius closed the distance between them, his lips pressing firmly against hers. There was no second thought, no pause; it was direct and powerful, as if the world around them had melted away. Their breathing quickened, and Lia felt herself growing weaker in his arms, her body going soft as she leaned into him.
Cassius's kiss was intense, but gentle, and Lia found herself swept up in it, her earlier thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind.
After a long moment, Cassius pulled back slightly, looking down at her with a light smile. "Why don't you know how to kiss yet?" he asked, his voice teasing but with an edge of affection. "Is it because I'm not a good teacher?"
Lia's face flushed bright red at his words, feeling embarrassed by his observation. He was a good teacher, she knew that much. But sometimes, she just didn't know how to keep up with him. She followed his lead, but her own thoughts often wandered, unsure of what to do next.
"Very good," Cassius said softly, his fingers brushing against the side of her temple, playing with a lock of her hair.
Their kiss had been missing something, though. Lia could feel it, even if she couldn't quite put it into words.
"A kiss without emotion is always a pity," Cassius mused aloud, as if to himself, his eyes distant for a moment.
Emotion. She couldn't help but wonder about that. How could they have emotion? It wasn't like they had that kind of relationship, was it? Lia scoffed internally, her heart twisting slightly. This was all just part of the game.
Later that night, at Edenbrook Manor, Cassius was reading in his room, his posture relaxed, seemingly deep in concentration. Lia, however, didn't want to disturb him. Instead, she excused herself and went for a walk in the garden.
The moon hung low in the sky, a soft gray, and the stars were hidden behind a veil of clouds. Taking out her phone, she called her grandmother, but the call was answered by her adoptive mother, Karen.
"Lia, why are you calling so late?"
"Mom, I just wanted to check on grandma," Lia explained.
"Your grandmother is fine, don't worry. You stayed with your boyfriend, have you?" Karen's tone was a bit sharp, though she tried to sound casual.
Lia paused, surprised by the question. "What? No, I haven't."
"These days, there are so many scammers out there," Karen continued, her voice lowering with concern. "You need to be careful, especially with men. Some of them prey on young, beautiful girls like you. They might try to deceive you, cheat you of money and sex. The one I found for you... well, I think he's trustworthy."
Lia's expression hardened. "Karen, what are you talking about?" Grandma, overhearing the conversation, immediately took the phone from Karen's hands.
"Give me the phone," Grandma said firmly.
"Mom, I'm just looking out for Lia. There are a lot of bad people out there, I'm only trying to protect her," Karen insisted as she reluctantly handed the phone to Grandma.
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