That answer sounded more serious than his usual teasing. Cixi studied him carefully. For once, he didn’t look amused but watchful. Like someone waiting for the correct moment to strike.

"If you are this careful, I am assuming whoever it is behind the attack is very powerful and intelligent, that you haven’t caught the person yet," she asked more softly now.

Cassian’s gaze shifted toward the doctor and nurse briefly before returning to her. "Now you know why I am not still lying low."

"But don’t you think if you come out and they will make a move on you, and that would be the time you catch them?" Cixi asked, not understanding Cassian’s thoughts.

"Concern looks good on you." The corner of his lips curled up. "Keep worrying for me."

"Any decent human being would be worrying," Cixi stated.

"You are the only decent human left on this earth, Cixi." His answer came so smoothly that Cixi instantly looked away before he could notice the heat rising toward her cheeks again.

The nurse approached carefully then.

"Sir, we need your blood."

Cassian extended his arm lazily without even looking at the needle while the nurse collected blood from him first. Meanwhile, the doctor continued typing things into the computer system.

Cixi stood beside the examination bed quietly, though her eyes kept drifting toward Cassian every few seconds.

There was something deeply absurd about this entire situation. The man was legally dead.

His father sat outside investigating whether she was lying. And meanwhile, the dead man himself was sitting inside the hospital room teasing her while getting his blood drawn for a fake pregnancy.

Sometimes her life genuinely felt insane now.

Once the nurse finished with Cassian, she turned toward Cixi next.

"Miss, please sit."

"Why do you need my blood sample?" Cixi couldn’t help but ask.

"For future need, Cixi. Have some faith in me and let the nurse take your blood."

Cixi obeyed quietly before the nurse collected her sample too. Cassian watched the entire thing with shameless amusement.

"You are taking this surprisingly well," he commented.

"Because if I panic now, your father outside will probably bury me alive."

"That sounds dramatic."

"That is because your family is dramatic."

The corner of Cassian’s lips lifted again. "You are adapting well already."

Cixi glared at him. "You know what I still don’t understand?"

"Hm?"

"Why exactly did you transfer shares under my name?"

Cassian remained silent for a second. Then he looked at her directly. "Because I wanted to. To make sure you remain inside the Palace. Now no one will dare to throw you out of the Palace until those shares are under your name," He grinned again.

Cixi exhaled heavily through her nose. One second, he sounded dangerous and calculating, and the next second, he returned to provoking her like some overgrown menace.

The doctor and nurse remained occupied with paperwork and computer entries for several more minutes, leaving the two of them mostly undisturbed.

Cixi slowly moved closer again until she stood beside his chair. "When are you introducing me to my parents?"

That question finally made Cassian properly look at her again.

Ever since he told her she was probably not the biological daughter of the people who raised her, the thought had stayed inside her constantly.

Who were they?

Were they alive?

Did they know she existed?

Did they abandon her?

Or was she stolen from them?

Too many questions kept eating at her mind.

"Soon," Cassian answered eventually.

Cixi frowned immediately. "You always say soon."

"Because patience remains an important virtue."

"I don’t have that virtue."

"I noticed."

Cixi ignored the jab. "What are their names?" Cassian tilted his head slightly while studying her.

"You are becoming impatient again."

"Yes because unlike you, I actually want answers in my life."

For a brief moment, something unreadable crossed his eyes before disappearing again. "You already know one thing," he said finally.

"What?"

"That you have family, and they still live." Cixi pointedly looked at him. And he smirked at her, tilting his head. "You have a younger sister."

Cixi’s breath caught instantly. "A sister? I have a sister?"

Cassian nodded once. The information hit her strangely hard.

"What... what is she like?" Cixi asked after a moment. "Does she look like me?"

Cassian leaned back comfortably again while watching her reaction carefully.

"She resembles your father more."

That answer only made Cixi’s curiosity worse. "And my mother?"

"Beautiful."

"That tells me nothing."

"Just like you. You got her eyes."

Cixi’s fingers slowly tightened together. Nobody had her eyes.

Not her fake parents. Her unusual grey eyes had always made her stand out.

Sometimes people complimented them.

But hearing someone else possessed the same eyes suddenly made something ache unexpectedly inside her chest.

"Do they know about me?" she asked after a long pause.

Cassian’s gaze shifted briefly away from her.

"That situation is complicated."

"That means no."

"That means I said complicated."

Cixi became quiet. The answer already told her enough.

If they knew she existed, then why had nobody searched for her?

Unless...

Something stopped them.

Or they truly didn’t know.

Her mind immediately started creating horrible possibilities one after another. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Cassian noticed the shift in her expression almost instantly.

"Stop overthinking."

"How am I supposed not to?" Cixi whispered. "You casually tell me I have another family somewhere and then expect me not to think about it?"

"They are alive. Hold onto that for now."

"That may be enough for you."

Cassian watched her silently for several seconds before unexpectedly reaching out and catching her wrist lightly.

The movement startled her enough that she stopped speaking.

His thumb brushed once against the inside of her wrist absentmindedly.

"You will meet them," he said quietly this time. "The Crown family and your family will be thrilled to know you exist."

"Your family knows I exist. I am not a ghost."

"You are a ghost from the past." Cassian teased. And Cixi rolled her eyes.

"Tell me more. How is my father?"

"He is in debt. He owes me a lot of money... and you are the collateral against that debt."