Chapter 102

The soft curl of incense hung in the air. Matilda sat cross-legged on a cushion, fingers slowly turning a string of jade prayer beads. In the dim light, her expression seemed oddly solemn. She looked up at Cassian standing silently before her. Maybe she had spent too many years fussing over the younger kids. By the time she realized it, Cassian was already a full-grown man. And it hit her-she had never really understood this grandson of hers. What scared her more was that he was now completely out of anybody's control. "Grandmother." Cassian's tone was polite as always, rigidly respectful. Matilda eyed him carefully. His manners were impeccable, like always, but the politeness was just surface-level. She knew this boy had grown into a man with a mind of his own-someone not easily swayed. "You've had a hard time, Cassian. Your mother passed early, your father's mostly abroad with his health issues-you've been holding down the whole house on your own. I think about that, and I feel deepl