Chapter 5

The day Julian returned, the entire rescue team was buzzing with excitement.

He stood before the headquarters building, his posture still commanding, his handsome features now graced with a new, mature charm.

Cassandra stood by the third-floor window, watching him for a full ten minutes.

I stood behind her, noticing the slight tremble in her hands.

"Julian's as dashing as ever," the team members whispered. "He's done incredible work on the border these past few years, helped so many people, I hear."

At the welcome reception that evening, Julian raised his glass to Cassandra. "Cassandra, thank you," he said.

Cassandra, rarely one to drink much, was visibly tipsy. Her eyes were red as she replied, "Welcome back."

Those four simple words silenced the entire room. Everyone knew how long she'd held them inside.

I sat quietly, watching them exchange a knowing smile. A sudden, chilling premonition washed over me.

From that day on, Cassandra rarely came home.

She claimed to be preparing for some critical rescue mission, but I knew she was with Julian, helping him refamiliarize himself with all the equipment and protocols.

I'd cook dinner and wait, but she'd say she was in meetings. Yet, colleagues told me they'd seen Cassandra and Julian having dinner, chatting for hours.

If I asked where she'd been, she'd lean in and kiss my forehead. "Just handing over work to Julian. Don't overthink it."

But I clearly saw her phone light up on the coffee table. It was a text from Julian.

She instinctively pressed the screen off, then hugged me a little tighter.

She became increasingly tender, so tender it made my heart pound with a terrible unease.

Every day, she'd come home with my favorite desserts. When I had insomnia, she'd sing me to sleep. For my birthday, she even took the day off just to be with me.

As if worried I'd overthink things, she started acting overtly affectionate towards me in front of others.

Sometimes, even in front of Julian, she'd deliberately stand on tiptoe to kiss me.

But Julian's smile was strange, as if he were watching a performance.

Was she trying to reassure me, or make him jealous?