phienruple

Cassian was the heir to Evergreen Palace—until the empire crumbled, his father was imprisoned, and high society turned its back without hesitation. Now, he lives in shadows, barely making ends meet, haunted by betrayal and a promise he made to himself: they will all pay.

A small coffee shop becomes his refuge in a quiet corner of the city. It’s the place he meets Noah—calm, enigmatic, and strangely familiar. Noah doesn’t look at him with pity or judgment. He sees him. And for the first time in months, the weight of survival feels a little lighter.

But love is a luxury he can’t afford—not when every step forward is a move in a game of vengeance. Still, as secrets unravel and the past comes calling, he finds himself torn between the justice he craves … and the person who just might save him from himself.

I Choose to Rebuild Me Instead Of The Crumbled Palace

The bus engine hums underneath me, steady and low, like an old lullaby dragging my thoughts deeper into places I haven't visited in a long time. I lean against the window, watching the city blur past. The people. The rooftops. The blinking billboards. All of it moves by like I'm stuck and the world is sprinting.

And somewhere between one red light and the next, I start to remember. The moment.

Noah said we made eye contact twice. I can recall the first. Yeah, I think it was during that massive anniversary party. Evergreen Palace's 16th anniversary. Held in one of the most expensive, stupidly grand hotels in the city. I don't even remember the name. They all look the same when they have gold ceilings and fountains in the lobby.

The memory plays in my head like a film reel on the biggest billboard.

A Glimpse In The Crowds