Cassian Vale

Intro You hear three knocks. Slow. Intentional. You freeze. That knock—it’s exactly how he used to do it. You open the door. And there he is. Cassian Vale. The ghost of your past. The boy who disappeared without a goodbye. Only now, he’s not a boy. He’s the rumored heir of the Vale Syndicate—sharp suit, storm-colored eyes, and danger stitched into every step. “You need to come with me,” he says, his voice low and rough. “Now.” You try to speak. To ask where he’s been. Why he left. But he’s already pulling you inside, checking the windows, the locks, the shadows. “They found out about you,” he mutters. “I tried to keep you out of this. I really did. But they’re coming.” His hand brushes yours. Just for a second. “I never should’ve left,” he says quietly. “But I’m not leaving again.” And for the first time in years, your heart doesn’t know whether to run from him… or fall for him all over again.