Chapter 115

Theodore was seated behind his desk when he heard a knock at the door.

"You may enter," he called, barely paying attention until the door creaked open and light footsteps entered the room.

"Your Highness," Cassandra greeted, dropping into a low curtsey.

He looked up at the familiar voice and was pleasantly surprise to see her. "Oh, Cassandra. What brings you here?"

His voice was light and welcoming, vastly different from the weariness etched across his features. The strain of the past few weeks had clearly continued to take its toll on him.

Faint shadows remained beneath his eyes, and there was a sadness in his expression that Cassandra noticed almost at once. Yet something in his manner softened when he saw her, as though her unexpected arrival had offered him a welcome distraction from the burdens occupying his mind.

His gaze lowered to her hand.

The ring on her finger never failed to garner attention, its polished surface gleaming prettily. Cassandra had grown quite fond of it herself and had lost count of how many times she had caught herself admiring it throughout the day.

A genuine smile lit up his face.

"My wife told me congratulations were in order."

Cassandra wasn’t particularly surprised by this. It had been less than a full day since the proposal, and by now, Delphine had probably already shared the news with anyone willing to listen. Adrian congratulated her earlier that day, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before Theodore did the same.

She glanced down at the ring for the umpteenth time that day before looking back at him.

There was no reason to conceal her happiness, particularly from Theodore, and a smile slowly spread across her face.

"Then I suppose congratulations are in order. His Grace finally proposed."

"I am very happy for you," Theodore said. "I hope the two of you will be very happy together."

The sincerity in his voice made the real purpose of Cassandra’s visit feel heavier.

She stepped farther into the room and approached his desk, the leather portfolio tucked securely beneath her arm. When she reached him, she placed it carefully on the desk between them.

"This is why I came," she told him, gesturing toward the documents. "Please have a look at this. The matter is of great importance."

His expression grew serious as he opened the portfolio.

Cassandra waited while he began reading. Whenever necessary, she explained what she had discovered, providing the context behind the documents without burdening him with every detail she and Sebastian had already examined.

He needed to understand what the evidence established, how serious the matter was, and what she intended to do with it.

Her father had committed serious offenses.

Her family had helped conceal them, preserving the appearance of respectability while ensuring that Nathaniel never had to face the consequences of his actions.

Cassandra intended to change that.

"I want him brought to justice," she said. "I want everything he has done to come to light, and I will not stop until he has answered for it."

Theodore continued turning the pages, his expression becoming increasingly grave as he examined the evidence.

When he finally spoke, his voice was measured.

"I will help you where I can. But if this proceeds formally, the Lord Chancellor will have to be informed."

The words struck Cassandra with such force that, for a moment, the edges of her vision blurred.

Theodore’s desk, the shelves lining the walls, the muted afternoon light surrounding them—all of it disappeared beneath a sudden rush of memory.

She was standing before the court again.

She could hear the cold voice of Thomas Fairmont as he pronounced the verdict that had ended her life. She remembered the weight of every word, the terrible finality of the sentence, and the certainty that there would be no appeal, no intervention, and no one powerful enough to drag her back from the edge of certain doom.

Death.

The memory vanished as quickly as it had appeared, but Cassandra’s body jolted as though she had been struck.

A faint tremor travelled through her hand. She clenched her fingers until it stopped, then drew in a slow breath.

"No." She shook her head, almost frantically. Even Cassandra did not understand her sudden reaction or why the mention of the Lord Chancellor had provoked such a visceral reaction in her. But she knew herself well enough to recognize that this was not meaningless.

She had no evidence to explain it, but she had learned the hard way that ignoring her instincts could have devastating consequences. This time, she would listen when it warned her. And it was warning her now.

Theodore looked up sharply.

Cassandra steadied herself before continuing. "The Lord Chancellor should not be involved. Not yet."

His brow furrowed. "Why?"

"My father is a powerful man, Your Highness. He has powerful allies, and I do not yet know the full extent of his influence." She paused, carefully considering her next words. "I have no proof that he has any particular connection to the Lord Chancellor, but I cannot afford to assume that he does not. If this reaches the wrong person too early, my father will have time to prepare himself and protect everything he has built."

Theodore studied her for several moments.

Cassandra met his gaze without looking away, even as unease tightened around her chest.

"But I trust you," she said. "That is why I brought this to you. I am asking that this remain between us until we are ready to take the next step."

She knew exactly how much she was asking of him. Yet she was not asking him to bury the evidence or shield the guilty. She only needed time.

Time to make certain that when Nathaniel Ashford finally fell, there would be no way for him to recover.

"Very well. I will do what I can to help you." He relented.

The tension that had settled across Cassandra’s shoulders eased slightly.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Once Theodore had finished examining the documents, he returned them to her.

Cassandra gathered the papers carefully, arranging them into a neat stack before securing them inside the leather portfolio. She then offered him another bow.

"Your Highness."

She turned toward the door, her fingers tightening around the portfolio as she walked away.

She had come to Theodore because she trusted him.

Now, all she could do was hope that the trust she had placed in him would not become another mistake she would one day regret.