Not alone.
My mother stepped in behind him.
I froze.
“Mom?”
She looked between us, a little uncertain, but smiling.
“I hope this is okay,” she said.
I stared at her. “What are you doing here?”
“I ran into him,” she said, nodding toward Cassian. “Well—he found me, actually.”
My gaze snapped to him.
“What did you do?” I asked.
“Arranged something,” he said.
That wasn’t an answer.
My mother stepped further into the room, her eyes taking everything in—Harper, Luca, me.
“He asked me to come,” she said gently. “Said it mattered.”
My chest tightened.
“Why?” I asked.
Cassian met my gaze.
“Because you chose me in front of everyone,” he said. “And I wanted to show you I choose your world, too.”
The room went very still.
Harper’s expression shifted first—surprise, then something softer.
Luca just watched, like he’d expected something like this.
I looked between them, then back at Cassian.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I said quietly.
“I know.”
“Then why?—”
“Because it matters to you,” he said.
Simple.
Always that.
My mother stepped closer, touching my arm.
“He didn’t just invite me,” she added softly. “He asked me about you. About your work. About what you care about.”
