I don't share, and that includes you

Lia thought the conversation with Cassius was over, that everything between them had been settled. But as she lay there, feeling her exhaustion deepen, it became clear he didn't seem to take things as lightly as she had thought.

Despite the whirlwind of thoughts running through her mind, she drifted into sleep. When she woke again, a dull headache throbbed behind her eyes, and her throat felt raw, each breath scraping painfully. It didn't take long to realize that her cold hadn't just lingered—it had worsened.

She attempted to sit up, but before she could manage, a firm hand settled on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down.

"Mr. Cassius?" Lia blinked, her vision blurry as she focused on his face. There was concern in his eyes, something she wasn't used to seeing from him.

"Lie down," he said softly. "You've got a fever."

He reached out to touch her forehead, his palm warm against her overheated skin. Lia winced at the contact, realizing just how high her temperature had climbed.

The realization hit her like a wave—no wonder she felt weak and disoriented. "I'm sorry to trouble you," she murmured, embarrassed by her state. "I'll go home and take some medicine."

"Go home?" Cassius raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with impatience. "What for? You can take medicine here."

Lia opened her mouth to protest, but before she could get a word out, Cassius cut her off with a comment. "What, you think I'd poison you? Are you that afraid of me?"

His words were teasing, but his tone held an edge that made her pause. He gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his eyes softening as he looked at her.

Lia sighed softly, closing her eyes for a moment. "Thank you, Mr. Cassius, for taking care of me."

Cassius gave her a brief nod, standing up from the bed. "I'll get the medicine," he said before disappearing from the room.

As he walked out, Lia found herself staring at the door, her thoughts a jumble of confusion. He was so different from what she had expected. There was something softer, more human about him than the distant, controlled man she had thought she knew. Maybe she had misjudged him after all.

...

Cassius stepped out into the hallway and immediately pulled out his phone. He dialed a number, the screen lighting up as he waited for an answer.

"Cold medicine for a cold?" Arthur's voice echoed from the other end of the line. "Cassius, since when do you care so much about someone's cold?"

Cassius rubbed his temple, clearly annoyed. "It's not an ordinary cold, Arthur. I need to know if there's something else I should be doing," he replied, his voice laced with irritation.

Arthur chuckled on the other end. "Oh? And what exactly makes this cold so special? You're acting weird, Cassius. Who are you with?"

Cassius let out a sigh. "It's not important. I just need to know—after, well, after *that*, is there anything else I should do?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Arthur burst out laughing. "Wait, wait—*that*? Are you serious? You're actually asking me about this?"

Cassius frowned, his patience wearing thin. "Just answer the question."

Arthur continued to laugh, clearly amused by his friend. "Well, I'm a cardiologist, not a gynecologist, Cassius. But from what I know, if it was, uh, a little rough, it might not hurt to take extra care. You're really asking me this?"

"I've had enough," Cassius muttered, his angry boiling over. "Thanks for nothing."

"Wait! I'd say give her some ointment if things got a bit… intense. You don't want her to suffer, especially if it's her first time—" Arthur's voice trailed off as Cassius ended the call abruptly.

Arthur's curiosity was getting the better of him. He wanted to ask who Cassius was so concerned about, who had managed to break through his friend's impenetrable wall of solitude, but he knew better than to push too far.

...

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Lia was staring at the ceiling. Her fever made her feel disoriented, and her body ached from the cold and the events of the night before. Just then, her phone buzzed beside her.

The screen lit up with a familiar name: *Mrs. Selena*.

Lia's heart sank. She knew she couldn't avoid this conversation forever. With a deep breath, Lia pressed the phone to her ear. "Mrs. Selena," she greeted politely.

On the other end, Mrs. Selena's voice was sharp, almost furious. "Lia, how dare you resign? Do you think you're in a position to make those kinds of decisions on your own?"

Lia had been expecting this. She owed the Valen family a lot, and she couldn't deny it. If it weren't for them, she wouldn't be where she was today. But she couldn't stay tethered to Lucas forever.

"I'm sorry, Madam," Lia said softly, her throat aching. "But I've made up my mind."

Mrs. Selena's voice grew even colder. "Do you think you can just leave after everything we've done for you? I've invested in you for years, and this is how you repay me?"

"I'll return the money," Lia replied firmly, though she knew it wouldn't be easy.

Mrs. Selena let out a harsh laugh. "Return it? With what? You can't possibly afford to pay back what you owe."

"I'll repay you," Lia said, her voice calm but firm. "The five million you mentioned, I'll transfer it to you by tomorrow."

There was a silence on the other end of the line. "Where did you get that kind of money? Did Lucas give it to you?"

"No," Lia responded, her voice steady. "It's mine."

She didn't explain further, but she knew Mrs. Selena wouldn't believe her.

Finally, Mrs. Selena spoke again, her voice softer but no less biting. "Is Lucas treating you poorly? Is that why you're leaving? Because if he is—"

"The boss has been good to me," Lia interrupted gently. She didn't want to involve herself in Lucas's life anymore, whether he was good or bad to her didn't matter. She needed to move on.

Just then, she heard footsteps behind her. Lia turned and saw Cassius standing in the doorway, holding a small bag of medicine in his hand. He met her eyes briefly before gesturing toward the medicine.

"Take this," he said quietly, placing the medicine on the table beside her.

Mrs. Selena, hearing the male voice, immediately grew suspicious. "Who's that with you, Lia? What's going on?"

How could Lia suddenly have money? To leave the control of the Valen family, has she discovered something?

No, it's impossible.

She quickly ended the call, muttering, "We'll talk tomorrow," before hanging up. It was the first time she had cut Mrs. Selena off so abruptly, but right now, she didn't have the energy to deal with her.

Cassius's gaze darkened slightly as he stood beside her. "Since Lucas was so good to you, why didn't you stay with him?" he asked, his tone colder than before.

Lia looked down, avoiding his intense stare. "Mr. Cassius, if you're doubting me—"

"Doubting?" Cassius interrupted. "I don't doubt you. But understand this—whatever your connection with the Valen family was, you're mine now." Lowering her eyes, Lia bit her lip.

"Drink the medicine," he said, his voice softening as he handed her the pills and a glass of water.

Lia took the medicine without protest, swallowing the pills and setting the glass aside. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Cassius leaned closer, his gaze locking onto hers. "Lia, the money isn't important to me. But I don't share what's mine, and that includes you."

She nodded, understanding the meaning behind his words. "I… only have you, Mr. Cassius," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and he nodded, satisfied with her response.

"Good," he murmured.

Lia shifted slightly, feeling awkward as she lay in bed. "Thank you for the medicine. Have my clothes arrived yet?"

Cassius shook his head, his tone casual. "No."

"Oh." She didn't push the matter further.

"Rest," he instructed, his voice taking on its usual commanding tone.

Lia lay back down, feeling the weight of his presence beside her. As she closed her eyes, she heard him moving around the room, and when she opened them again, she saw him holding a small container.

"What's that?" she asked, confused.

"It's ointment," he replied, lifting the thin blanket covering her legs.

Lia's eyes widened, and she quickly grabbed the blanket, her face flushing with embarrassment. "Mr. Cassius, I don't need that."

"It'll help you heal faster," he said matter-of-factly.

Lia's heart raced, and she shook her head. "I can do it myself."

Cassius raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Lie down. If you're not feeling well, you should rest."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice trembling.

He looked at her, his gaze steady. "Because I care, Lia. Now lie still."

"..."