Chapter 297
Chapter 297
Third Person’s POV
“Paisley, he gave everything to that woman and her kid. That was his choice p>
“To protect Samantha’s son, he strangled my last bit of hope for us. He effectively killed my child p>
Trista’s voice grew fainter with every word.
Cassian stood frozen at the door of the hospital room, his eyes bloodshot.
Every syllable out of her mouth was like a silver blade, precisely piercing his heart until he felt he might actually suffocate from the pain.
Late that night, after Paisley left to return to the pack, Cassian entered the room.
Trista was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. She didn’t react when he walked in.
He stood by the bed, staring at her hollowly. He wanted to move closer, wanted to release a soothing scent to calm her, but his feet felt like lead.
Trista spoke, her voice devoid of emotion. “Are you going to sign the papers, or not p>
Cassian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His eyes were rimmed with red. “I’m not signing p>
Trista picked up her comms stone, her tone icy. “If you refuse to let go, don’t blame me when I leak the truth about your ‘son’s‘ real father p>
Cassian stepped forward and caught her wrist. “Trista, give me one more chance p>
Trista looked him dead in the eye. “Sign the papers, or I tell Howard exactly who Algernon belongs to. Your
move p>
They faced off in the heavy silence. “Trista, I know I’ve hurt you,” Cassian said. “If you stay, I won’t stop you from doing whatever you want. You have total freedom p>
The second the words left his mouth, Trista called Alaina.
Right in front of Cassian, she told his mother flatly that Samantha’s kid wasn’t an Ironthorn. Then, she coldly announced that she had terminated the pregnancy.
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She cut the signal. The room fell into a deathly, suffocating silence.
Cassian reached out with trembling hands to pull the covers up over her shoulders.
Trista looked at him with nothing but cold detachment. “Cassian, I p>
“If you’re about to bring up a legal separation, don’t,” Cassian interrupted.
Seeing her frown, he added softly, “I’ll stay outside tonight p>
Trista watched him for a long time, genuinely puzzled. “You’ve done all of this for that woman and her
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child, yet you’re still stubbornly refusing to let me go. Why are you torturing yourself p>
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Cassian took her hand, his voice steady, “I was out of my mind. I’ll make a public statement clarifying everything with Samantha. Just trust me one last time p>
He had vastly overestimated Trista’s feelings for him.
He had been so certain she loved him too much to ever leave that he thought he could control the mating
bond.
It was that arrogance–that sense of security–that gave him the nerve to claim a child that wasn’t his just to help an ex.
He was wrong. He had frozen Trista’s heart and personally snuffed out his own flesh and blood.
Trista pulled her hand away. “Cassian, you don’t deserve forgiveness, and you definitely don’t deserve trust p>
She had overestimated her place in his life, too.
Even though the Silverlight pack had fallen and she lacked a powerful background, she was beautiful, a top- tier graduate, and a respected healer.
She was talented, multilingual, and refined.
She had assumed Algernon was a product of a secret affair, thinking Cassian’s favoritism was driven by
blood.
her ever and over again—was another She never dreamed the child he protected–the one he chose over her over and over again–was another
man’s son.
Her mate had destroyed her for a stranger’s child. It made her feel like a total joke.
Trista turned her back to him and closed her eyes in pain.
Cassian sat by the bed in silence. He didn’t leave.
Only when she was deep in sleep did he move closer.
He pressed a kiss to her hair, his eyes wet.
He held her through the covers, not daring to use any force, whispering into the dark. “Trista, I’m so sorry p>
The next morning, a sharp knock at the door woke Trista.
She opened her eyes to see Cassian curled up at the foot of the bed, asleep while hugging her shins through the duvet.
She scowled and kicked him.
Cassian snapped awake. Hearing the commotion outside, he stood up quickly. “I’ll see who it is p>
He opened the door to find Alaina and Wynn charging in, looking furious.
Cassian looked down, unable to meet their eyes.
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Chapter 297
They brushed past him and rushed to Trista’s bedside.
Hearing the soft sobbing behind him, Cassian’s eyes burned. He turned and walked out of the room, heading to the private lounge at the end of the hall.
Fifteen minutes later, Alaina walked out, her face a mask of rage. She looked at Paisley. “Where is that bastard p>
Paisley pointed toward the lounge. Alaina marched over and threw the door open.
The second the door clicked shut, she swung her hand and slapped her son across the face twice–hard.
Cassian stood there, his head snapping to the side from the force, but he didn’t try to dodge.
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Chapter 297
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They brushed past him and rushed to Trista’s bedside.
Hearing the soft sobbing behind him, Cassian’s eyes burned. He turned and walked out of the room, heading to the private lounge at the end of the hall.
Fifteen minutes later, Alaina walked out, her face a mask of rage. She looked at Paisley. “Where is that bastard p>
Paisley pointed toward the lounge. Alaina marched over and threw the door open.
The second the door clicked shut, she swung her hand and slapped her son across the face twice–hard.
Cassian stood there, his head snapping to the side from the force, but he didn’t try to dodge.
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