Chapter 101

"Well, SM smiled, if you put it that way, then I will grant her protection." SM knew she was being sly towards Cassiuz since even without him asking and his offer, she would still protect Cassia because Cassia was a dear friend to her, but she had to accept Cassiuz's offer. It's so much better to have two members of Ultor's court supporting her rather than just one, which was her husband's little brother, Thanatos, also known as Nite.

"Thank you." Cassiuz slightly bowed down. "I'm grateful."

"Don't mention it. It's my pleasure."

Cassiuz nodded and thanked the queen once more before bidding him goodbye to go visit his little sister in the hospital.

When Cassiuz arrived at the hospital, Cassia had already given birth to a girl—a princess. Although Cassia was still asleep because of exhaustion since it was a normal delivery, "You're early." Thorn turned his attention to Cassiuz when he entered Cassia's private room. Cassiuz immediately grimaced at Thorn. "You sounded like you didn't want me to be here."

Thorn smiled. "Oh, you can tell?"

Cassiuz just sighed and let his annoyance go. He was already so used to Thorn's annoying comebacks that it didn't bother him anymore like before. Cassiuz looked at his sister and was about to ask her condition when his eyes caught sight of a baby bassinet beside Cassia, and his eyes were instantly glued to the little princess sleeping peacefully inside.

"She's so adorable," Cassiuz whispered as he approached the bassinet.

Thorn smiled proudly. "Of course. I have an adorable wife."

That put a smile on Cassiuz's face. "Indeed. My sister is adorable." He reached out his hand to rub the tip of his finger against the little princess's cheek. "Hello there, little princess. I’m your uncle, Cassiuz. I hope I can see you grow into a beautiful lady."

"Don't even say that," Thorn said, cutting Cassiuz off. "My daughter is too adorable. Boys—no, men in general are animals; they will prey on my daughter for sure!" (15)

Cassiuz looked at Thorn flatly. "You say that as if you're not a man."

Thorn smirked. "I say that because I'm a man."

Cassiuz looked at his niece again, and then an idea hit him.

"We could train her so she could protect herself. I'm well versed in hand-to-hand combat. I'll turn her into a pro-fighter in no time."

Thorn nodded with a smirk. "Hmm. I like that a lot."

Cassius nodded back. "I do too."

"She's just a baby." It was Cassia, and her voice came as a whisper after hearing these two grown men plotting something.

Cassiuz immediately smiled at Cassia. "How are you feeling, little sister?"

Cassia smiled at Cassiuz. "I feel so sore."

Thorn immediately grabbed his wife's hand and squeezed it sweetly. "Do you need anything? I'll get it for you."

"Our daughter, please. I want to see her."

Immediately, Thorn carefully took the child from the bassinet before slowly placing it next to his wife. "Is this okay?"

"Yes."

"The nurse said you should breastfeed her after you wake up."

Cassia nodded. "Doc. Cza told me as well before I fell asleep."

Cassia lay on her side so that her chest was angled towards the newborn baby, and Thorn immediately helped her husband slowly release one breast for their son.

Thorn smiled, and it turned into a chuckle when he saw his daughter's mouth move to accommodate her mother's nipple. But his smile vanished when he saw his wife flinch at the contact.

Thorn tensed up and got worried in an instant.

"Cinnamon-"

"I'm okay." Cassia smiled at her husband. "Doc. Cza already warned me about the discomfort and sometimes pain while breastfeeding for the first time. I can take it."

Thorn slowly calmed down, but he was still worried every time his wife would flinch. But if there was something he realized while his wife was in labor and giving birth, it was that his wife was strong. She was a crybaby, but she was strong enough to get through this.

"If you need anything, tell me," said Thorn to his wife.

Cassia nodded and continued breastfeeding their daughter while Cassiuz was looking everywhere, but Cassia, to give her privacy while breastfeeding. He even excused himself afterwards. Cassiuz went back inside just as Thorn came out of the room to let her in.

Cassia just finished breastfeeding her baby and even though she looked drained and a little weak because she just gave birth, she still had a sweet and happy smile on her lips making Cassiuz feel relieved.

"Thank you for visiting me," said Cassia to Cassiuz while the baby was still sleeping soundly next to him on the bed.

Cassiuz sat on the sofa near Cassia's bed, while Thorn sat on the edge of Cassia's bed and rubbed his little daughter's cheek.

"What's her name?" Cassia asked after sitting on the sofa near Cassia's bed.

Cassia looked down at her son. Thassia," Cassia smiled while still staring at her son, is a combination of my name and Thorn."

Cassiuz also looked down at his nephew. "Thassia... nice name."

Cassia's smile grew even wider. "I know, right?"

Cassiuz smiled back at his little sister before he said, "If our parents are alive, they'd be very happy to see Thassia."

Cassia's smile disappeared slightly, and her eyes looked at Cassiuz in confusion while Thorn stopped for a moment to play with her son's cheek before continuing to do so while listening silently.

"What do you mean by our parents?" Cassia asked, completely confused by what Cassiuz said.

Cassiuz took a deep breath before looking deeply into Cassia's confused eyes. "Our parents. What I mean is, our biological parents."

Cassia was even more confused. "H-how... w-what—w-what are you saying?"

"Cassia"—Cassiuz offered his little sister a smile—"we're siblings."

Cassia's mouth was agape. It was clear how confused she was. Looking into her eyes, she had so many questions, but she was too shocked to even ask a single one. She was just looking at Cassiuz, the person who claimed that they were siblings. And when Cassia slowly pulled herself together, she turned to look at Thorn, who was still playing with their daughter. There was not even an ounce of surprise on his face.

"You knew?" Cassia concluded as she asked her husband.

Thorn finally looked up at his wife before silently nodding.

Cassia didn't know what to feel. "Why did you keep it a secret from me?"

Thorn smiled apologetically at Cassia. "I have to respect my brother-in-law's wishes even when I'm against them."