I lie there, frozen, my heart pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears.
I can't move.
I can't breathe.
The birthmark is all the proof I need.
I might not have seen his face well that night in the dimly lit hotel room where we ended up after hours of wild dancing and reckless drinking. We were teenagers, sowing our wild oats, lost in the thrill of our 18th birthdays. We didn't ask for names. We didn't care where we came from. Our energy just matched…and then it exploded.
We were unrestrained.
But I remember this; when he stood up first to put on his pants, the birthmark on his hip bone was loud and unmistakable.
And now, years later, it's right in front of me again.
Cassian, my two times husband.
The adventurous prince of Matica.
The stranger from that night.
The father of my son.
A cold wave rushes through me. How could this be happening?
Cassian walks back to the bed, stretching lazily before lying beside me. He turns, resting his head on his hand, eyes searching my face.
"Are you okay, Celeste?" His brows furrow slightly. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."
A ghost? If only he knew.
I swallow hard, forcing my expression to stay neutral. I can't tell him. Not now. Not like this. I don't want to ruin our honeymoon with a truth so big, it could shatter everything.
"I…" My voice is barely a whisper. I clear my throat and force a small smile. "I'm starving."
His eyes stay on me, studying. I wonder if he notices the way my hands are trembling slightly beneath the covers. But then, he grins, that carefree, wicked grin of his.
"I wore you out, didn't I?" he teases.
I manage a laugh, though it feels hollow.
"When was the last time we ate?" I ask, keeping my tone light.
Cassian chuckles, shaking his head. "Too long ago. I'll order food now."
He reaches for the phone, completely unaware that my world has just turned upside down.
And I? I lie there, trying to breathe, trying to process …because everything has changed.
Cassian turns back to me, his eyes darkening as they roam over my body, half-clad beneath the sheets. Heat radiates from his gaze, and when he stretches out a hand to tease me, a shiver runs down my spine.
"You are beautiful… too perfect." His voice is husky, laced with something deeper.
I reach out, tracing my finger along his sharp jawline, trying to relax, to breathe. My mind is in chaos, but I can't let him see it.
"You're too wild, aren't you?" I tease, keeping my tone playful.
His lips curl into a smirk. "Always."
I take a steadying breath, knowing I have to push further. "How long have you been this way?" I ask, testing the waters.
His smirk lingers, but something flickers in his expression. "Since the day I broke loose… when I turned 18."
My heart pounds. "What did you do?" I push, praying for the answer I already know but still can't believe.
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I snuck out… to a place I had discovered. It would later become one of my favorite hideouts. The same place I took you to last week."
My chest tightens.
"I went there to celebrate alone, with no real plan. But then I met her."
I force myself to stay calm. "Who?"
His voice drops slightly. "A girl." His eyes darken with memory. "She was innocent… but wild, too. We were instantly drawn to each other. Before I knew it, we were drinking, dancing… making out."
He looks away, something like embarrassment flashing across his face. I feel it too…but I fight to stay composed.
I swallow hard, my voice steady despite my trembling insides. "Was it your first time… being with a girl, that night?"
He hesitates before nodding. "It was hers too," he adds, his voice softer.
I'm stunned. He was a novice that night? But he had been so sure, so confident, so perfectly in sync with me. I had never imagined he was just as lost in the moment as I was.
I push further. "What happened after that night? Did you ever meet again?"
His jaw tightens as he shakes his head. "Never again."
I see something in his eyes; longing, regret, maybe even pain.
"I went back several times, hoping to see her. But she never came back." He exhales, running a hand through his hair. "I was too dumb that night… I never asked for her number."
I watch him carefully, my heart hammering. He searched for me.
He never forgot.
I wasn't just a reckless, foolish girl. I meant something to him.
The shame I carried for years, begins to fade.
A small, knowing smile plays on my lips.
His gaze locks onto mine. "Somehow, you remind me of her."
I stiffen.
No. Not now. Not yet. I can't let him connect the dots.
I stretch lazily, faking a yawn. "Check the food, please."
Cassian chuckles, shaking his head as he reaches for the phone.
I exhale slowly, my heart racing.
I have his son.
He doesn't know.
And he still carries me in his heart.