Chapter 130: My Brother’s Son

Chapter 130: Chapter 130: My Brother’s Son

Cassian remained seated.

The laughter from moments earlier gradually faded.

Silence settled over the office.

For the first time that afternoon, neither man seemed particularly eager to speak.

The Emperor leaned back in his chair.

Studying him.

Not Duke Ashford.

Not a noble.

Not the man who had somehow managed to create the greatest political headache of the season.

Simply Cassian.

His brother’s son.

After a long moment, the Emperor spoke.

"You look more like him these days."

Cassian immediately knew who he meant.

His father.

A faint smile appeared.

"I’ve been told that before."

The Emperor snorted.

"By people trying to be polite."

That earned a laugh.

The Emperor pointed at him.

"Your father was a menace."

"That isn’t how most people describe him."

"Most people are liars."

The answer came so quickly that Cassian laughed again.

The Emperor looked entirely unapologetic.

"He was stubborn. Reckless. Impossible to control."

A pause.

"Far too charming."

Cassian winced.

"That sounds familiar."

"It should."

The Emperor pointed at him again.

"You inherited all the troublesome parts."

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

"It wasn’t one."

For a while, silence returned.

Comfortable this time.

Then the Emperor sighed.

"He would have hated this situation."

Cassian nodded.

"Probably."

A pause.

"Though he also would have found it funny."

That earned an unwilling laugh.

"Unfortunately."

The amusement faded.

The Emperor folded his arms.

"Listen carefully."

The tone changed.

Cassian straightened immediately.

Because this was no longer family reminiscing.

This was advice.

The kind rarely given.

The kind that mattered.

"People think love is the end of a story."

The Emperor shook his head.

"It isn’t."

A pause.

"It’s the beginning."

The room fell quiet.

"The difficult part comes afterward."

Cassian listened.

"Anyone can fall in love."

The Emperor shrugged.

"Staying in love is work."

A pause.

"Choosing the same person every day is work."

Another.

"And if you stop doing that work, life tends to remind you."

For several moments neither spoke.

Then the Emperor said:

"I understand Marian."

The statement surprised him.

The Emperor noticed immediately.

"Do not look so shocked."

"I’m not."

"You are."

Cassian wisely remained silent.

The Emperor continued.

"I understand why she made her choice."

A pause.

"I understand why she couldn’t marry Adrian."

Another.

"I understand why I approved the dissolution."

The room grew quiet.

Then:

"That does not mean I like it."

The words were simple.

Blunt.

Honest.

The Emperor looked toward the window.

"For years she stood beside my son."

A pause.

"For years she believed she knew what she wanted."

Another.

"So did everyone else."

Silence.

Then:

"And then she didn’t."

The words weren’t angry.

Which somehow made them heavier.

"I don’t think she is wicked."

A pause.

"I don’t think she is cruel."

Another.

"I don’t even think she was wrong."

The Emperor’s gaze returned to him.

"But if you expect me to be pleased with her, you will be disappointed."

Cassian almost smiled.

"I wasn’t expecting that."

"Good."

The Emperor looked entirely satisfied.

"Because at this moment, she remains the woman who broke my son’s heart."

Silence settled between them.

Then the Emperor sighed.

"Marian is fortunate."

Cassian blinked.

That was not what he expected to hear.

The Emperor folded his arms.

"If she had chosen another man, this would be easier."

The room grew quiet.

"I could remain angry."

A pause.

"I could dislike her properly."

Another.

"I could look at what happened to Adrian and decide that was the end of it."

The Emperor shook his head.

"Instead she chose you."

There it was.

The real problem.

Not Marian.

Cassian.

The Emperor pointed at him.

"You."

A pause.

"The son of my brother."

Another.

"The nephew I watched grow up."

Another.

"The man I trust."

Silence.

The Emperor sighed.

"Every time I try to remain angry at her, I have to remember that you chose her too."

The room became very quiet.

Because that was the truth.

The Emperor wasn’t protecting Marian.

He was protecting Cassian.

"If I spend the next ten years resenting her, who does that hurt?"

A pause.

"You."

The Emperor shook his head.

"And despite everything, I find that I care more about your happiness than I do about my resentment."

For a moment neither spoke.

Then:

"Do not misunderstand me."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes.

"I am still displeased with her."

A pause.

"Very displeased."

Another.

"Understanding her does not mean I have forgiven her."

The room fell quiet.

"But you."

The Emperor pointed again.

"You make it impossible for me to dislike her as much as I would prefer."

Despite himself, Cassian laughed.

The Emperor looked offended.

"What is amusing?"

"Nothing."

"It was clearly something."

That only made it worse.

Eventually the Emperor sighed.

Then:

"If she chooses you today, give her a reason to choose you tomorrow."

The humor disappeared.

"Do not become complacent."

The words landed heavily.

"I am not worried about Marian."

The Emperor pointed at him.

"I am worried about you."

Cassian grew still.

The Emperor’s expression softened slightly.

Only slightly.

"You are your father’s son."

A pause.

"Which means you love deeply."

Another.

"And men like that rarely notice danger until it is standing in front of them."

The room became quiet.

Then:

"If she leaves you someday..."

The Emperor stopped.

As though weighing his words.

Then:

"Come see me before you do anything stupid."

Silence.

Then Cassian laughed.

The Emperor did not.

Which somehow made it funnier.

"I am serious."

"I know."

"Good."

The Emperor nodded.

"Because I have already dealt with one heartbroken idiot this season."

That finally left Cassian without a response.

For several moments neither spoke.

Then:

"Thank you."

The Emperor frowned immediately.

"For what?"

Cassian smiled faintly.

"For not making this worse."

The room grew quiet.

The Emperor stared at him.

Then:

"You assume I was tempted?"

Cassian laughed softly.

"Your Majesty."

The Emperor snorted.

That was answer enough.

"It is already costing you dearly."

A pause.

"The compensation alone would make lesser men cry."

"I know."

"Good."

The Emperor appeared satisfied.

"You should."

Silence settled briefly.

Then Cassian spoke again.

"It could have been worse."

The words were quiet.

Honest.

The Emperor’s gaze sharpened.

Because now they both understood what was actually being said.

Not compensation.

Not money.

Not politics.

Something heavier.

Cassian met his uncle’s eyes.

"You loved Adrian more than anyone."

A pause.

"No one would have blamed you."

Another.

"If you had made it worse."

Silence.

The Emperor said nothing.

Because there was nothing to say.

The statement was true.

Cassian continued.

"I didn’t wait because I thought you would agree."

A small shake of his head.

"I waited because I knew you would decide."

The room fell quiet.

Then:

"And because whatever that decision was..."

A pause.

"I knew it would be one you could live with afterward."

For the first time all afternoon, the Emperor looked genuinely annoyed.

Not because the words were wrong.

Because they were correct.

"You are becoming entirely too perceptive."

Cassian laughed.

The Emperor pointed toward the door immediately.

"Get out."

Cassian’s smile widened.

Unfortunately.

The Emperor looked deeply dissatisfied by that.

Then:

"Go before I remember that all of this is technically your fault."

That finally made Cassian laugh outright.

He rose.

Then bowed.

A proper bow.

Not merely to the Emperor.

To the man.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Silence.

The Emperor froze.

For exactly three seconds.

Then picked up the nearest document.

"Leave."

"Yes, Uncle."

"Faster."

The door closed.

The room became quiet once more.

For a long moment, the Emperor stared at the empty chair.

Then sighed.

Because despite everything—

the boy had understood.

Not the decision.

The restraint.

And somehow that felt far more personal.

The Emperor looked toward the window.

And found himself thinking that his brother would have been unbearably pleased with the man his son had become.