marked by midnight: the enemy's heiress-Chapter 38: He’s got no conscience

With a grumpy little huff, she shoved the dress into the closet and slammed the door shut. Muttering something completely incoherent under her breath—most likely a long list of complaints—she turned to look for the kids.

"Alright, my babies," she said, clapping her hands once. "It’s bath time. Let’s get you two cleaned up."

"Yay!" Ivy squealed, bouncing on her feet. "I love bathing! Soapy soap! Make us shiny-shine like a star!"

Lucien scrunched up his nose dramatically.

"Ugh. What’s so fun about showering? It’s just... showering." He crossed his arms. "I’d rather swim in the ocean. No Ivy. No chaos."

"What did you say?" Ivy gasped, spinning toward him with mock offense. "Lucy Wooshie!" she teased, poking his cheek. "You’re such a cutie-patootie!"

"Don’t call me that!" Lucien snapped. "I’m not cute. I’m beautiful," he declared proudly, lifting his chin.

Ivy frowned thoughtfully. "Girls are beautiful. Boys are handsome."

"No, men can be beautiful too!" Lucien argued instantly.

"No, they can’t." Ivy shook her head firmly.

Watching them spiral into yet another pointless debate, Mira couldn’t help but laugh softly.

"Okay, okay," she said, waving her hand. "Debate over. Bathroom. Both of you. I’ll help you bathe."

"Fine," they chorused, nodding with exaggeratedly tired faces.

As they turned to go, Lucien added over his shoulder, "By the way, I’m still beautiful."

Mira shot him a death glare.

He opened his mouth, clearly about to restart the argument—

"Fine," he whined, surrendering immediately.

Mira tied her hair into a quick ponytail and headed toward the bathroom.

What she walked into made her freeze.

Absolute. Chaos.

One child was hurling washcloths like throwing stars, while the other had somehow gotten hold of her curling iron and was swinging it around like a lightsaber.

"A miniature ninja war," Mira realized faintly.

Her mouth fell open. "Oh no! HEY!"

"You troublemakers!" she shouted, sprinting forward. "Get back here! That is my expensive curler!"

The kids shrieked with laughter and took off—through the bathroom, out into the room, Mira chasing after them, half-laughing, half-scolding.

"Come back here right now!" she yelled. "You’re both grounded for life!"

Their giggles echoed down the hallway as chaos officially won.

She caught them both eventually, scooping them up with mock severity and herding them back into the bathroom.

"Captured," she announced.

Bath time turned into another disaster in the best possible way. While she scrubbed them clean, the kids somehow managed to get their hands on the soap. Ivy dabbed a foamy bubble right onto Mira’s nose.

Mira crossed her eyes to look at it and made the strangest face she could manage.

Both kids burst into laughter.

"Mom!" Ivy giggled.

"You look funny!" Lucien added, snorting.

"Excuse you," Mira said dramatically. "This is my serious cleaning face."

That only made them laugh harder.

Once they were clean, dry, and finally calm, Mira dressed them in comfortable clothes—nothing fancy yet. The party was still hours away.

By noon, the house had settled into a rare, peaceful quiet.

Mira spent the afternoon moving from room to room, tackling chores she’d ignored all week. Laundry. Dishes. Straightening pillows that didn’t need straightening. Anything to keep her hands busy and her thoughts away from one certain man.

Eventually, she opened her closet and pulled out her collection of heels, lining them neatly on the floor. One by one, she tried them on, turning in front of the mirror, evaluating each pair with a critical eye.

Too tall, hmm.. too dull. nah too loud.

She was still annoyed, no, angry at Cassian. At his tone. At his words.

By the way he’d told her to get ready for the party as if the discussion was already over, arguments dismissed before they could even begin.

And yet... she was getting ready anyway.

With a quiet sigh, she slipped into one last pair and turned toward the mirror.

Perfect.

She nodded once, satisfied, and turned around—

And froze.

Both kids were sitting on the floor, side by side, each wearing one of her high heels on their tiny feet.

Her scream echoed through the room.

"No! no! NO! What are you two doing?!"

She rushed forward. "Those are my heels! You’ll fall watch out, Ivy!"

Then she turned to Lucien. "And you, those are not hammers! You do not hit the wall with them!"

Lucien looked completely unrepentant.

Mira pressed her fingers to her temple and sighed.

"God," she muttered, shaking her head.

"These kids... today."

Somehow, Mira managed to reclaim every single heel from Ivy and Lucien, one at a time, despite their dramatic protests.

"Alright," she said firmly, pointing toward the hallway. "Afternoon nap. Both of you."

"Okaie," they replied together, their earlier energy finally drained. The troublemakers looked exhausted—chaos clearly took effort.

Mira sighed, softening as she tucked them into bed, smoothing their hair until their breathing evened out and their eyes fluttered closed.

When she finally stepped back, she felt it too.

"Well... I guess I’m tired as well," she murmured.

She collapsed onto her own bed without bothering to change, the weight of the day pressing down on her shoulders. As she stared at the ceiling, Cassian’s words replayed in her mind—sharp, unfair, cutting.

The way he’d insulted her. The way he’d claimed her. The way he’d called her a secret mistress of his childhood friend.

Her jaw tightened.

She hadn’t even been allowed to explain—about Kael, about the truth, about everything Cassian had twisted with his assumptions. He hadn’t asked to understand. He’d accused.

With a frustrated breath, she shook the thoughts away.

Not now.

Sleep pulled her under.

The sound of the doorbell woke her later that evening.

Groggy and disoriented, Mira pushed herself up and walked toward the door. When she opened it, Cassian stood there—calm, composed, infuriatingly familiar.

"I’m home," he said casually.

She didn’t respond.

She simply turned and walked away.

Cassian exhaled slowly, irritation flickering across his face. He regretted his words—only a little—but he was still angry too. She hadn’t clarified anything either. At least, not yet.

"Get ready for the party," he said coolly. "I’ll get dressed after I shower."

His tone left no room for discussion.

Mira scoffed as she headed for the closet. "As if I’m some kind of robot programmed to obey his orders," she muttered under her breath. "Just because he doesn’t have emotions doesn’t mean nobody else does."

She was rummaging through her clothes when she felt it,

A warm presence behind her.

She turned and Cassian was suddenly there, far too close. One arm braced against the closet door, the other against the wall, caging her in without actually touching her.

"I heard what you said, darling," he murmured.

His fingers lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Don’t be a brat."

He released her just as easily.

"Or," he added quietly, leaning in to whisper near her ear, "I might have to punish you."

A shiver raced down her spine.

Cassian straightened, smirked once, and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Mira stood frozen for a second before finally releasing the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her hand pressed to her chest as she inhaled deeply.

"Unbelievable," she muttered.

She hurried to get ready, herself first, then the kids, moving on pure determination.

Later, as she stepped out fully dressed, Cassian looked up.

And stopped.

He moved closer, his voice dropping, edged with something dark. "I should have bought this dress only for special occasions. Not for a party where other men will stare at you like this."

His hands curled into fists at his sides. "I regret it now."

Her brows knit together. "Then why did you even want me to wear it?" she snapped, clearly annoyed.

Cassian leaned in, his lips brushing her ear, close enough to make her breath hitch. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"I told you to wear that damn dress," he said quietly. "Not because it’s appropriate for a party."

His hand tightened around her waist, pulling her just a fraction closer.

"But because I wanted to see you in it," he finished. "Because I liked it."

"Seriously?" Mira rolled her eyes.

She planted her palm against his chest and pushed him back just enough to slip past. "You’re impossible," she muttered, already walking away.

Cassian watched her retreat, a smirk on his face. He shook his head lightly, the earlier edge of his anger dissolving as quickly as it had come.

I’ll convince you easily, he thought. But where’s the fun in rushing it?

"I’ll let you win for now," he muttered under his breath, amused. "Just a little longer."

Mira glanced back at him with that familiar expression, annoyed, unimpressed, chin lifted just enough to challenge him.

Bad idea.

Cassian laughed under his breath. "Don’t make faces like that," he called after her.

She ignored him.

"That only makes you look sexier," he added loudly, already moving after her.

"Cassian!" she snapped, quickening her pace.

He followed her.

"God, you have absolutely no conscience."

She couldn’t stop the faint warmth creeping up her cheeks at his words, even as she tried again to look unimpressed.