CHAPTER 264: WITH MY FEELINGS

Idris had dozed off in the backseat. From the front passenger seat, Zilia turned slightly to glance at him, a gentle smile touching her lips. She then shifted her gaze to Casaio, who was silently focused on the road.

"Thank you for taking Idris out for shopping," she said. "It was his first time enjoying something like this."

Casaio didn’t respond. His eyes stayed on the road.

Zilia sensed the distance in his silence. She pressed her lips together and turned away, her gaze falling to the city lights beyond the window.

’So he’s giving me the cold shoulder now... Is this how it’s going to be from now on? Tomorrow, we’ll be together, he said he would mark me. But should I let him? He used to be easier to understand. But I shattered everything in him.’

She closed her eyes briefly, trying to shake off the unease curling in her chest.

"We’re home," Casaio finally said, his voice breaking her thoughts.

Zilia blinked and looked around, realizing they had already reached the building. "Ah," she murmured, quickly getting out of the car. She opened the backseat door to wake Idris, but before she could speak, Casaio appeared beside her.

"Don’t wake him," he said softly. "Just take the shopping bags. I’ll carry Idris."

Zilia hesitated, then nodded. She gathered the bags and walked ahead toward the entrance of the tall building.

Casaio turned back and shut the door of the backseat. After parking the car, he carefully lifted Idris into his arms. Though Idris was a young teenager now, Casaio didn’t see the point in disturbing his rest, not after such a full day.

Idris instinctively curled closer, his arms wrapping around Casaio’s neck.

Carrying him with steady arms, Casaio stepped into the elevator. As the doors closed, he stood in silence, waiting for the floor to arrive. More people walked and greeted him. They were surprised seeing a boy in his arms, but none of them dared asking.

The elevator doors slid open, and Casaio stepped out, Idris still resting in his arms. He approached Zilia’s apartment and rang the bell.

Zilia opened the door almost immediately, as if she had been waiting.

"Why—" she began.

"Shh," Casaio hushed her before stepping inside.

Zilia quietly closed the door behind them and followed. Her steps slowed when she saw Casaio laying Idris carefully on the bed, removing his shoes with practiced ease. The simple, caring gesture made her chest flutter.

Once Idris was tucked in beneath the blanket, Casaio stood and turned to leave the room without sparing Zilia a glance. She hesitated for a moment, then walked in and turned off the lights, leaving only a glow from the bedside lamp.

She found him in the adjacent room, drinking a glass of water.

"Sleep here tonight," Casaio said suddenly, as he began rolling up his sleeves.

Zilia blinked, startled.

He turned to face her. "How did you get trained to be a spy? And what did you really feel the first time you saw me, when our wolves connected? I want to hear all of it."

Then, without waiting for a response, he began unbuttoning his shirt. "I’ll freshen up first," he added and headed to the bathroom.

Zilia remained still for a moment. She then made her way to the second bathroom to wash up as well.

As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she whispered, "I wonder if he’ll believe me if I tell him everything. I’m not bound to anyone anymore... I owe him the truth. And if he’s asking, it means he’s willing to accept the real me without keeping the room for hate."

~~~~

When Zilia returned to the bedroom, her eyes fallen upon Casaio resting on the bed, without shirt, with an alcohol bottle in his hand. She recalled him buying a premium alcohol bottle when Idris was away.

And what bewildered her was that Casaio was drinking straight from the bottle. He was taking huge gulps as if telling her he was in a deep pain.

Zilia locked the door from inside first, then made her way to the bed. She remained in her sitting posture, wanting him to speak first.

Casaio lowered the bottle and glanced at her sideways.

"You didn’t open your mouth during interrogation. You simply said you had to save your brother from being killed, so you just did what you were told. But I do think you were trained too." He tilted his head, already expecting her to speak.

"Not a high-grade training. It was a simple training. And because my main task was to seduce you and get inside the palace, I wasn’t trained much," Zilia answered truthfully.

"Seduce me? How?" Casaio arched his eyebrow.

She turned her head to look at him, so did he.

"Our wolf connected. I didn’t have to seduce you," Zilia replied.

"Because like a fool I accepted you. A person of my status doesn’t even bat an eye on the wolves, who can’t stand before me. But I accepted you, thanks to a single bond. I didn’t care about your family background or anything. I only wanted you," Casaio explained.

"I never fooled you with my feelings. In fact, I never thought you’d be so affectionate toward me from the first meeting. My reason to not marry you because once I did that, it would have been tough for me to choose between you and Idris. I couldn’t lose any of you. That’s why I delayed it for ten years."

Casaio took in that information, bringing the bottle to his mouth once again. He took a few sips before letting it rest on the bedside table.

"What was your life? I would like to know how you grew up," Casaio said in a soft voice. He tilted his head and looked into her eyes. "Idris was only two when you have to come here. How did you manage to look so bright when everything was messed up inside you?"