Chapter 187: A Promise Unspoken

Lena followed Caspian down a quiet hallway lined with portraits. Oil paintings of stern-faced ancestors watched them pass.

He stopped in front of a large window overlooking the garden. The afternoon light streamed through the glass, casting long shadows across the polished wood.

Caspian was quiet for a moment, then he turned to face her.

"I know you weren't really Theon's girlfriend," he said.

Lena's stomach dropped. "I—"

He waved Lena off. "I'm not angry. I've known since the beginning."

Lena stared at him. "You did?"

Caspian nodded. "Jessica and I know our son. He doesn't bring women home. Especially not women married to his cousin." He chuckled. "We knew something was off. But we also saw how he looked at you."

Lena's throat constricted.

"And we saw how you looked at him." Caspian's gaze held hers. "Even if you were pretending, there was something real there. That's why we never said anything."

Lena didn't know what to say. Her fingers curled against her palms.

"How do you feel about him, Lena?" Caspian asked. "Truly."

Lena looked away. The garden blurred beyond the window. She could see the sea in the distance, a thin line of blue between the green hills.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I've spent so long trying not to feel anything that I don't recognize what I actually feel anymore."

Caspian nodded slowly. "I understand."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. He untied the drawstring and tipped the contents into his palm.

A necklace caught the light.

The chain was delicate, woven from pale gold. Suspended from it was a pendant—a deep red gemstone, cut into a teardrop shape. It seemed to hold light inside it, glowing faintly like embers in the dark.

"It's beautiful," Lena breathed.

"Family heirloom," Caspian replied quietly. "Passed down through generations. It first belonged to my grandmother… then my mother… then Jessica kept it safe for years.”

He looked down at the pendant for a long moment before extending it toward her.

“Jessica told me I was being impulsive. Perhaps I am.”

Lena’s gaze remained fixed on the pendant, her heartbeat growing uneven.

"Lena.” Caspian called her name in a steady voice. “I know my son. He has always pursued what he wants, regardless of the obstacles. But with you… he's been different. I've never seen him like this."

He let the words settle.

"I've watched him push everyone away. I've watched him bury himself in work to avoid thinking about you." A faint smile crossed his face. "I don't think he knows what to do with his feelings for you."

Lena's eyes burned. "Caspian—"

"You don't have to answer me now." He pressed the necklace into her palm. "But I want you to have this. If you ever decide that you want to be with my son, you can return this to me. I'll have the gemstone crafted into an engagement ring for the both of you."

Lena looked down at the necklace resting in her hand.

"And if I don't want him?" she whispered.

Caspian smiled. "Then you can return it. No questions asked. No hard feelings." He gave her shoulder a gentle pat. “But I hope you don't."

With that, he turned and walked back toward the drawing room.

Lena stood alone in the hallway, the necklace clutched in her hand, her thoughts tangled beyond reason.

She looked down at the red gemstone, glowing faintly in the afternoon light.

—

Lena walked back into the drawing room and stopped in her tracks.

Jessica was bent over in the middle of a coughing fit, her face flushed a deep shade of red. Evelyn sat beside her, gently patting her back.

“Slowly,” she urged, collecting the glass of water form her as the coughing gradually subsided.

Caspian, who had stepped in, frowned in concern. “What happened?”

Jessica waved him off, still clearing her throat. “I’m fine. It just… went down the wrong pipe.”

She collected the glass and took another sip of water before setting it back on the table.

Lena’s gaze shifted to Evelyn, raising her brows in a silent question.

Evelyn gave a small shake of her head. Not now.

Understanding, Lena let out a quiet breath and took a seat. She slipped her phone from her pocket, pretending to scroll, but her attention stayed fixed on the room.

Jessica leaned toward Caspian and murmured something too softly for anyone else to hear.

He nodded once. “I’ll be back.” And disappeared down the hallway.

Once he was gone, Jessica looked back at Evelyn. The redness had faded from her face, and she had regained her usual graceful composure.

“I’m sorry about that,” she said. “It was my fault for bringing up Victoria.”

Lena’s thumb paused over her phone.

Jessica offered Evelyn an apologetic smile.

“She and Roman were engaged a long time ago, but that’s all in the past. Roman only has eyes for you now.”

She hesitated before continuing.

“I’m afraid I’m not in a position to tell you anything about Victoria. It would put me in a rather difficult situation. I hope you understand.”

“Of course.” Evelyn smiled warmly. “I completely understand.”

Relief crossed Jessica’s face. “Thank you.”

She reached for her glass again. “You can ask me about anything else. Anything at all.”

“Oh.” Evelyn’s voice was casual, almost as though the thought had only just occurred to her. “That reminds me.”

Jessica’s hand stopped halfway to the glass.

“You mentioned earlier that Roman built the aquarium three years ago. For me.”

Jessica’s smile faltered for the briefest moment. Her shoulders stiffened.

Lena’s gaze remained on her phone, but every word registered.

“I was just wondering…” Evelyn continued with an easy smile. “What made him decide to start building it?”

Jessica lowered the glass without taking a drink. The smile remained on her face. Only this time, it looked a little strained.

“Roman has always been…” She searched for the right word. “Thoughtful. He likes planning ahead.”

Evelyn gave a small nod. “But three years is a very long time to plan ahead.”

Jessica traced the rim of the glass with her fingertips. “He has always been a patient man.”

Evelyn tilted her head, genuine confusion written across her face. “But that’s what I don’t understand.”

A brief silence settled over the room.

“I didn’t even know Roman three years ago.”