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

I return to my shift with Saraya. The air between us isn't quite frosty, but it's … off. Like lukewarm tea that used to be hot. She doesn't ask anything. Not about yesterday. Not about the sudden disappearance. Not even about the missed messages or how strangely I must've looked when I stumbled in this morning—puffy eyes, lips chapped, coat collar turned up too high like I was trying to hide.

She just nudges my apron towards me and mutters, "You good?"

I nod. A lie that's halfway true. "Yeah. Thanks."

And we let it slide. Like two people who've been through enough this week to not dig any deeper unless the other breaks first. There's a quiet pact in the clinking of cups and the low hum of the refrigerato.

Before The Talk