Adler | The Monarch & The Heirs BOOK 2.

Euphemism | A SEVEN

She never wanted to walk in on a sight like that again.

"But she's better now." Cassandra proclaimed. Both ignored the hoarseness of her voice. "My mummy's moved on and officially declared him as dead. Written up a eulogy and left flowers on a waste site in honouring his passing. It's all in the past."

The faint chuckle from the brunette came to be very much appreciated by Cassandra. She hated gloomy situations. Laughter did more comfort than silence.

"Maybe I should do the same for my dad. He didn't cheat on my mother though." Andrea hastily added. "But he's far from Father of the Year."

"What did he do?"

"I have an older brother, Jeffrey. He didn't want to go into the family business but he pursued it anyway. When he failed to get into the law school our parents went to, my dad disowned him."

"W-What? Just for that?"

Andrea nodded. "He takes strict to a whole new level. Called Jeffrey a failure and everyday, he has to put it to remind me that I can't let myself end up the same or I won't be welcome in his house anymore."

"Fuck, Andrea. That's, that's not okay."

"I know. But he'll never see it that way." Andrea's gaze fell into a hollow masking as her grip on Cassandra's shoulder tightened. "So I have to keep my head down and do as told. I have to succeed. And Coeus has a one hundred percent success rate in university applicants."

Cassandra quickly put the dots together. "That's why you're...?"

"Yeah." Andrea confirmed, already knowing what was on to be said. "Jeffrey was way smarter than me and only got backlashed for hanging with a 'bad crowd'. The law school only cares for image, nothing more. So this is my best shot and once I do get in, I'll do my time to earn my own living then get out of that bastard's house. He can write me out of his will for all I care. I'd much rather have my freedom than all the money in the world."

Freedom.

A word Cassandra had thrown around so much, thinking she'd been trapped in a prison of her own if her mother didn't let her dress how she liked for an outing. Or if she wasn't allowed to have dessert because she ate a biscuit before tea. It was all so ignorant, childish and blind.

Cassandra wanted to kick herself. She hadn't a clue of what it was truly liked to be caged. To be so confided and deprived of liberty to do as she wished.

Andrea had only revealed a glimmer of what that suffocating world she walked in everyday and that alone was enough for Cassandra to see the distance of where they stood on freedom.

She clasped her hand on the one Andrea offered to console and gave it a gentle squeeze.

It worked to prompt the brunette to tear her listless gaze from the water beneath them and face Cassandra.
"Then I'll help you in whatever way I can to do that." Cassandra said solemnly. "I give you my word, Andrea and a Lovett, keeps her word."

Despite the clouds still harbouring in the Andrea's eyes which would only lift with time, she graced Cassandra with a smile.

**

Garren awoke to the sound of a thumping at his door. Abnormal heat clung to his abdomen and he gave the heavy comforter a hefty shove to the side. His bare chest was revealed to the cool air flowing from the open arched window, running a chill down his spine. He yawned.

The thumping repeated.

Lazily fumbling around, he recovered his robe and slipped it on. Rubbing out the grogginess in his eyes, he proceeded to the door, feet padding along the polished flooring and he unhinged the handle.