Chapter 6

Naomi had been asleep for a long time. When she finally woke up groggy and parched, the room was pitch dark. She forced herself to sit up and instinctively reached for the nightstand, where Cassian always left a glass of water for her. But tonight, it was empty. A hollow feeling rose in Naomi's chest, followed by a bitter, self-mocking smile. Ever since Rayna got pregnant, no matter how well Cassian pretended, things would never go back to the way they were. She got up and went downstairs. As she passed the guest room, she heard Cassian's voice and stopped instinctively. "It's my fault Naomi got hurt. I shouldn't have acted so recklessly," Rayna sobbed. "You're pregnant. You can't go hungry. Naomi was just overreacting. It's my fault for spoiling her too much. No more tears, okay? "If you keep crying, my heart's going to break. You've become such a crybaby lately." Cassian held her in his arms, gently stroking the top of her head. "Don't scold me." Rayna pouted, her sultry face tinged with grievance, making her all the more alluring. Cassian's Adam's apple bobbed as he looked away. Their sex had gotten too intense on the yacht. Rayna had almost miscarried. He no longer dared to be reckless. "Have you been thinking about it? Too bad Naomi's injured. She can't help you." "Even if she wasn't hurt, she's not as tempting as you. Little vixen, I can hold back for now. But once the baby's stable, I won't go easy on you." Cassian smirked. "I can still help you," Rayna whispered, sliding down slowly. Her seductive face and innocent-sounding voice made for a striking contrast. With her movement, Cassian couldn't help letting out a low, stifled groan. "Ray, you're amazing." ... As Naomi beheld the scene once more, it evoked no emotions within her. Feeling a sense of numbness, she proceeded down the stairs to fetch a glass of water. She slept so deeply, likely due to the head injury, that she didn't wake up until the next evening. "Honey, I wanted to save you, but you fell too fast. I couldn't catch you." Cassian rushed to explain the moment he saw that she was awake, his eyes flickering with guilt. Naomi looked at him. It was pointless to confront his lie. She asked indifferently, "Where's Rayna?" "Blame me if you must. She's impulsive and careless, but she didn't mean to hit you. She nearly got hurt herself as well," Cassian explained, defending Rayna. "I understand." Naomi's tone was flat, her expression unreadable. "Tomorrow is my parents' death anniversary. Can you come with me?" "Of course." Cassian felt more relieved when he saw she wasn't angry. However, he turned to look at Naomi again. Something felt different about her. He couldn't shake the feeling that the way she looked at him had changed. There was less love in her eyes. He wanted to ask, but Naomi had already closed her eyes. She spent the entire night in a daze, drifting in and out of sleep. Cassian spoke to her several times, but she didn't respond. The next day was Desmond and Elena's anniversary of death. Naomi got up early, washed up, and changed into a set of casual black clothes before heading out with Cassian. He had thoughtfully prepared breakfast and gathered the necessary items for the grave visit. Seeing how pale she looked, he was hit with an ache in his heart, assuming she was simply grieving. Along the way, he continued to try to make conversation to lighten the mood. But Naomi remained disinterested, giving half-hearted replies at most. Just as the car arrived at the cemetery, Cassian received a phone call. He immediately became tense, and he slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden stop at the side of the road. Naomi was caught off guard and lurched forward. The seatbelt dug into her shoulder, leaving a red mark. She couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?" "Honey, something urgent came up at work. I need to take care of it. You go ahead and pay your respects to your parents. I'll be back soon." Cassian looked pale, anxiety and worry flickering unmistakably in his eyes. Naomi nodded considerately and stepped out of the car. Just as she found her footing, Cassian anxiously pulled away, almost causing her to lose her balance. Dust kicked up by the tires scattered around her as she watched the car speed off. Naomi let out a sarcastic smile. Cassian appeared to have overlooked the fact that his phone remained connected to the car's Bluetooth, as the incoming call displayed a clear name that read, "Ray of Sunshine." Rayna was hurt and had called Cassian in tears. Without hesitation, he chose to leave Naomi behind to go to her. However, Naomi no longer cared. She had long since stopped loving Cassian. Even the resentment she once felt for him seemed to have faded away.