Dinner stretched between them like a tightened wire, humming with everything left unsaid. Mira pushed a piece of roasted lemon cod across her plate, pretending to eat, pretending she wasn't unraveling each time Cassian's gaze lingered on her too long. He watched her with that unnerving intensity,like he was reading her pulse through her skin.
He finally set his glass down. "We need to talk about last night."
Her fork slipped. "Cassian, don't.."
"No more running." His tone was firm, calm, dangerous. "Whatever you think happened, whatever you're afraid of, I.."
His phone vibrated sharply. His jaw tightened. He glanced at the screen, and the shift was immediate: irritation, then cold focus, then a curt exhale as if someone had just detonated a landmine under his evening.
"I have to take this."
Mira nodded too fast. "Yeah. Go. It's fine. Really."
Cassian's eyes narrowed, but he didn't comment. He stepped away, voice low and clipped as he spoke into the phone, too sharp and businesslike. Something had gone wrong. He pocketed the phone and turned back to her.
"I'm needed," he said. "Immediately."
"Right," she said. Relief flooded her bones so quickly she nearly sagged in her chair.
His gaze locked onto her. "This conversation isn't over."
She swallowed. "I know."
He slipped on his coat and walked out, leaving the room colder the moment he disappeared.
Ryan appeared seconds later, as if he'd been stationed outside like a watchdog. "Ms. Serrano, the driver is ready."
"Thanks," she muttered, keeping her eyes down as she followed him.
The apartment's quiet warmth felt like a blessing when she returned. Livia was sprawled on the couch, face mask on, popcorn bowl in hand.
"Well?" Livia asked immediately. "Did the powerful, morally ambiguous billionaire try to seduce you or sacrifice you to Wall Street?"
"He didn't get the chance," Mira said, kicking off her heels. "He was interrupted."
Livia clapped her hands dramatically. "Bless the heavens."
Mira managed a weak laugh before collapsing into bed, drifting into sleep the moment her head touched the pillow.
Mira woke late the next morning, her head heavy, her thoughts slow. For a few seconds, she lay still in her bed at the Serrano Estate, trying to pull herself fully into consciousness. The sunlight filtering through her curtains was soft, almost gentle, but something inside her felt unsettled.
She sat up slowly. A strange tightness pulled in her chest.
She tried brushing it off, but as she moved through her room, brushing her teeth and splashing water on her face, the sense of wrongness only grew sharper.
By the time she stood in front of the mirror, towel around her shoulders, her stomach dropped with a sudden and terrifying realization.
Her period.
She checked her calendar mentally and felt heat rush to her cheeks.
Three days late.
Her cycles were always precise, almost obsessively regular. She swallowed hard, gripping the counter. "No. Please no."
She grabbed her phone and called the only person who would understand without exploding.
"Livia," she said the moment the call connected.
Her sister answered in a groggy voice. "What? Why are you calling me this early? Did Cassian kidnap you?"
"No," Mira whispered, pacing the bathroom. "Something's wrong."
That woke Livia instantly. "Wrong how? Where are you?"
"In my room. Just..come."
Within seconds, Livia burst through the door, hair messy, wearing her satin robe like she had sprinted the entire hallway. "Are you dying?" she demanded.
Mira looked at her with panicked eyes. "I'm late."
Livia blinked. "Late for what?"
"My period."
The silence that followed was slow, heavy, and horrifyingly clear.
"…How late?" Livia asked carefully.
"Three days."
Livia stared for two whole seconds before letting out a whisper, "Oh shit."
Mira clutched her stomach. "Liv… what do I do?"
Livia snapped into action instantly. "Okay. Okay. First, we take a test. Do you have one?"
Mira opened the bathroom drawer with shaking hands and pulled out a sealed box. The Serrano sisters grew up under a microscope, in society's spotlight; they kept everything prepared, even pregnancy tests.
Livia exhaled. "Thank god. Take it. I'll wait outside. Yell if you faint."
The two minutes felt like an eternity.
Mira stood frozen in front of the sink, staring down at the test she had flipped face-down to avoid looking too early. Her heart beat so loudly she felt it in her throat.
The timer buzzed on her phone.
"Mira?" Livia called softly from behind the door.
"I'm here," Mira whispered, barely able to breathe. "Okay. Okay, I'm going to look."
She turned the test over with trembling fingers.
Her breath caught the moment her eyes landed on the result.
Two pink lines.
She staggered backward, hitting the wall.
Livia burst inside instantly. "What..what does it say?"
Mira lifted the test with a shaking hand, tears stinging her eyes. "Positive."
Livia inhaled sharply, then clamped both hands over her mouth before she screamed. "Oh. My. GOD."
Mira sank onto the bathroom floor, the test still in her hand. "Livia… I don't know what to do."
Her sister dropped beside her. "Mira, you! this is!!oh god!! this is his baby."
"Livia!!"
"Mira Serrano," her sister said in a horrified whisper, "you are carrying the heir of our family's biggest rival. Cassian Draymond's child. Your father is going to lose all remaining hair."
Mira buried her face in her hands. "I can't think. I can't breathe."
"It's okay. It's okay," Livia said quickly, rubbing her back. "We're going to figure this out. It's just… wow. Wow, Mira. This is huge."
Mira lifted her head, eyes glassy. "I have to tell him, don't I?"
Livia groaned. "Yes. You absolutely do. Because Cassian Draymond is not the type of man who will appreciate being left out of this kind of update."
Mira pressed her hand to her forehead, devastated. "Oh god."
Livia nodded solemnly. "We are living in a telenovela."
Meanwhile, across the city…
Ryan Hale stood in Cassian's office, tablet in hand, wearing the same controlled expression he used for every disaster he managed.
"Sir," he said slowly, "you should see this."
Cassian, who was still reviewing a contract, didn't look up at first. "Unless it's on fire, it can wait."
Ryan cleared his throat. "It's… not on fire, sir. But it is spreading. Very fast."
That made Cassian look up.
Ryan turned the tablet toward him.
BREAKING NEWS:
"Cassian Draymond Seen With Mira Serrano After Gala , Rival Heirs or Secret Lovers?"
EXCLUSIVE:
"Aide Confirms Private Dinner Reservation for Draymond & Serrano, What Are They Hiding?"
SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTION:
#DraymondSerrano is Trending Worldwide
Cassian's jaw tightened.
Ryan swiped to another headline.
INSIDERS CLAIM TENSION TURNED TO PASSION BETWEEN THE HEIRS OF TWO RIVAL EMPIRES.
Cassian stared at the screen in a deadly, unreadable silence.
Ryan cleared his throat carefully. "Sir… what would you like me to do?"
Cassian didn't answer at first.
Instead, he set the tablet down, leaned back in his chair, and exhaled through his nose.
"Mira didn't answer my messages this morning," he said finally.
Ryan nodded once. "Should I find out where she is?"
Cassian's eyes darkened, sharp and focused.
"No," he said quietly.
"I'll go myself."