The moment the door to the hospital room opened again, Cassian's muscles tensed, every nerve on edge. His gaze snapped toward the doorway, and his heart sank as Victor Vale stepped into the room with a calm, collected air, like a predator surveying his prey. His presence seemed to fill the room, the chill in the air thickening with each step he took toward the bed where Seraphina lay.
Victor's eyes darted over to her, and the faintest of smirks tugged at the corners of his lips. He wasn't here to check on her. No, this was something else entirely.
"You should have listened to me, Cassian," his father's voice cut through the room like a knife. It was low, cold, but laced with a sense of satisfaction that made Cassian's blood boil. "I warned you this would happen."
Cassian's grip on Seraphina's hand tightened, but he kept his eyes locked on Victor, unwilling to let his father see how his words affected him. Every part of him wanted to lash out, to scream, but he couldn't. Not here. Not now. He needed to stay in control.
"You're sick," Cassian's voice was strained, his jaw clenched, but the fury in his eyes was undeniable. "You told me to stay away from her, but you had her hurt... hurt because you couldn't stand me being with her. You're insane."
Victor's eyes flickered with an emotion Cassian had seen countless times before—disdain. He took a step closer to the bed, his eyes falling on Seraphina's bruised form once more.
"I never wanted her alive, Cassian," Victor's words were cold, matter-of-fact, as though it were nothing more than a business transaction gone wrong. "She's a complication. A threat to everything I've worked for. And now, she's still here. Still breathing." He sneered, clearly unimpressed by her will to survive.
Cassian stood, his hand still gripping Seraphina's, though he could feel his fingers starting to tremble. The weight of his father's words pressed against him like a vise, and it took everything in him not to let his fury spill over.
"She's not a threat to me, and she's not a threat to you, Father," Cassian's voice dropped to a dangerous level, barely a whisper, but full of venom. "And I'll make sure you never touch her again."
Victor's smile faltered for just a moment. He knew Cassian was dangerous when provoked, but there was no fear in his gaze. Instead, there was only cold calculation.
"You don't get it, Cassian. I've warned you. I gave you every opportunity to fix this before it got out of hand. But you chose her." Victor's tone was full of contempt. "She's a weak, broken thing, and she will never belong with you. You need to see that."
Cassian's eyes blazed with rage, and for a moment, it felt as though the walls of the room were closing in on him. Every inch of him wanted to shove his father out of the room, to force him to leave and never return. But he stayed composed, breathing through the anger, trying to suppress the fury building inside.
"You don't get to decide who I'm with. You don't get to tell me how my life goes," Cassian's words were sharper than a blade, each syllable dripping with contempt. "If you ever lay a finger on her again, I will make you regret it, Father. You'll never see the consequences coming. I will destroy everything you've built, and you won't even know how it happened."
Victor's smile reappeared, this time, twisted and amused. "You've grown soft, Cassian. I warned you. She's already caused you more trouble than you can imagine. But I suppose it doesn't matter now. You'll learn the hard way, like always."
For a brief moment, their eyes locked in a silent battle, a moment of unspoken understanding. Victor knew that Cassian had already chosen his path. He had stepped beyond his father's control, and no matter how much Victor tried to manipulate him, Cassian wouldn't back down. Not this time.
"You've made your choice," Victor said, his voice almost a whisper now, his eyes cold as ever. "But I won't forget this." He turned to leave, his movements calculated and deliberate. "I'll be watching. Always."
As the door clicked shut behind him, Cassian was left alone with Seraphina once more. His body was rigid, every part of him still vibrating with the anger that was now a constant ache in his chest. He'd never been so furious in his life, but he couldn't afford to let it consume him. Not while she needed him.
His gaze fell to her again, the soft rise and fall of her chest giving him some sense of relief. But the rage still simmered, and he knew this wasn't over. It would never be over. His father had crossed a line, and there was no going back now.
Cassian leaned forward once more, placing a soft kiss on Seraphina's forehead, his fingers gently brushing against her bruised skin. He would keep her safe. No matter the cost.
"Don't worry, Sera," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'm not letting him win."