Stolen Hearts

Chapter 23

Sarai stood in the master bedroom, her hands trembling slightly as she took a deep breath. Quincy was beside her, his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. Cassius, already in the room, looked exhausted yet relieved, his face softening at the sight of them together.

"How was it?" Sarai asked gently, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.

Cassius sat down across from them, a deep sigh escaping his lips. "It was... intense," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But I met my daughter. Her name is Blair Eleanor. She's beautiful."

Sarai's eyes widened, a soft smile curving her lips. "What is she like?" she asked, leaning forward slightly.

Cassius chuckled, his eyes twinkling with pride. "She looks identical to me, minus the red hair. She gets that from Ember," he said, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and affection.

Quincy, intrigued, leaned in closer. "Does she really look like you?" he asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Cassius nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah, it's uncanny. The same eyes, the same smile. It's like looking at a miniature version of myself," he said, his voice softening as he spoke.

Quincy looked at him, concern etched on his face. "How was it with Ember and Enzo?"

Cassius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They're both in their own worlds. I mean, Enzo was fine, I guess, but I did have to set him straight. But he was nothing compared to Ember."

Quincy raised an eyebrow, "Why? What did Enzo do?"

Cassius shook his head, the memories still fresh and raw. "He was happy to see me, and he said something about how he was glad we had each other to go through this. I told him all we have to talk about is playdates, but that he hurt me and that doesn't just go away because Ember is crazy and fucking us both up."

Cassius's voice grew more intense as he continued, "And then, God, what did I ever see in her? She came downstairs in this ridiculous green lingerie, barely anything on. It was like she was trying to seduce us both, as if that would somehow fix everything."

Quincy frowned, his concern deepening. "What happened then?"

Cassius let out a bitter laugh, "I told her off. Told her she didn't have any hold over me anymore. That Sarai is the woman I love. Ember's eyes filled with tears, but I couldn't care less. She tried to make me feel guilty, but I wasn't having it. She's just so manipulative, always playing games."

He paused, looking into Quincy's eyes, "Enzo was just standing there, looking lost. I almost felt sorry for him. But then I remembered all the pain he caused too. It's just... it's a mess, Quincy. But I'm done letting them get to me. I'm done with Ember's games."

"I never knew I could love someone so much," Cassius said, his voice soft and sincere. "Blair is everything I could have ever wanted in a child. She's smart, beautiful, and so full of life. When I look at her, I see a part of myself that I never knew existed."

As Cassius continued to talk about his daughter, he smiled warmly and said, "When I first met Blair, I couldn't help but compliment her striking red hair. She laughed and said, 'Mommy says that's why I took so long to bake, so I'd come out so pretty and be a perfect reminder of you and her.' Then she added, 'Just like my brother Ander looks like his daddy. We make Mommy happy when she looks at us." Sarai's face grew more rigid, her eyes distant, as the impact of his words hit her. Sarai's face grew more rigid, her eyes distant. Cassius noticed the change, his brows furrowing in concern. "Sarai, what's wrong?" he asked gently.

She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "Nothing, I'm fine," she said, but her eyes betrayed her fear.

Quincy looked at her, concern etched on his face. "Sarai, please, be open with us. Talk to us. We can work through anything together," he said softly, his voice filled with love and reassurance.