Till the Flower Blooms

When Cassiopeia woke up again, Lucas was holding her hand tightly. She looked up and met his dark eyes.

"Cassie, why were you lying so still in the pool? Did you know how worried I was knowing that you would drown?"

Cassiopeia jerked her hand away and remarked mildly, "That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?"

Lucas froze and seemed more hurt than ever. "I only did it because I needed something to make up to Liam and Freya. I never wanted you to get hurt. I didn’t think that you’d…"

All of his frantic explanations did nothing to absolve him. In the end, he resorted to embracing her and apologized profusely, "I’m sorry, Cassie. I won’t ever hurt you again."

Cassiopeia closed her eyes and no longer spoke.

Over the next few days, Lucas stayed by her side almost all the time as if to compensate for the guilt he felt. He would bring her warm water, feed her, attend to her… He was very attentive to her needs.

However, he would disappear for precisely an hour every morning and night. Cassiopeia was convinced he was going to the other ward to spend time with Freya and Liam.

When Lucas returned from his hour-long sojourn again, she looked at the sweat on his forehead and asked faintly, "Lucas, aren't you tired?"

It must be exhausting having to juggle between her and the pair of Freya and Liam.

The entire time she was hospitalized, she never spoke a word. This was the first time she initiated a conversation with Lucas.

Lucas gently caressed her cheeks and assumed that she was upset at him.

"Cassie, it is not tiring for me to look after you. Don't worry. I have made arrangements for Liam and Freya to live somewhere else. After they leave, we can bring Anya back and go back to the way things were."

Cassiopeia lowered her eyes so Lucas would not see the morose expression within them.

Anya was gone. Things could never go back to the way they were.

Lucas hesitated briefly before continuing, "I will ship Liam to study abroad, and Freya will be with him. You’ll never have to see those two again.

"There’s just one thing." He paused briefly to gauge Cassiopeia's reaction and continued upon noticing that she did not react visibly, "I decided to let Liam take on the Cadell name so that he can be part of our ancestry. I have spoken to Freya and she gave her blessings too."

He immediately supplied further explanation as if expecting Cassiopeia to become upset.

"But there is nothing to worry about. He will not be taking away Anya’s inheritance. I'll ensure he and his mother get monthly allowances, and I'll pay for his tuition fees. Maybe I’ll visit them every once in a while.

"He is my biological child, after all. I can’t just leave a pair of mother and son to fend for themselves out there."

Cassiopeia lowered her head so he would not see the wry look in her eyes. Lucas was basically telling her that he was harboring a family overseas.

However, she was over it by now. She nodded calmly.

Lucas was going to keep explaining, but his words became caught in his throat. A strange look flashed across his eyes. He did not expect Cassiopeia to relent so easily.

He was almost in disbelief. "Cassie...you, don’t you have anything to say about that?"

Cassiopeia remarked faintly, "Sure, I have no objections."

She knew she was going to leave soon anyway. What Lucas wanted to do with Freya and Liam was none of her business.

Lucas studied her expression for a long time and seemed relieved upon realizing that she was truly not upset.

"I was thinking of hosting a party to make a public statement about Liam becoming one of the Cadells. I was hoping... that you would attend the party too. After all, the party wouldn’t make sense without Mrs. Cadell herself present."

Cassiopeia observed his somewhat uneasy expression and returned a smile. "Sure."

Lucas was relieved and kissed her forehead affectionately. "Cassie, thank you for being so understanding."

Over the next few days, he was busy planning the party and did not visit Cassiopeia at the hospital again.

Even on the day of her discharge, he only assigned a driver to pick her up.

After getting in the car, she received a call from Lucas whose voice sounded as gentle as ever. "Cassie, remember to get a gift for Liam so that everyone can see that you are also eager to accept him as part of our family."

Cassiopeia chuckled at his attentive reminder. "Don't worry. I will prepare something."

She would prepare an unforgettable gift.

After getting in the car, she did not go straight to the venue but instructed the driver to take her to the government office instead.

Today happened to be the day their divorce was to be finalized.

After heading to the office, she had the divorce finalized at last. With that, two decades of her bond with Lucas had come to an end.

She produced a brown paper bag and tucked three things inside: a document pronouncing Anya’s death, a USB drive containing the recording of Freya's conversation with Liam, and the divorce certificate.

She was going to let Lucas know that he had made a fatal mistake and that there was no coming back from it!

After instructing the driver to deliver the paper bag to Lucas, she took a taxi home to collect the suitcase she had packed up. With that, she departed for the airport.

The moment the plane took off, she seemed to glimpse a vision of the old Lucas, who used to love her, waving goodbye.

"Good job, Cassie. Take Anya with you and leave the person I have become, the person who doesn’t love you anymore."

Cassiopeia clutched the necklace and smiled for the first time in days.

'Lucas, you have lost me for good!'