Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 324

**TITLE: Collapsed 324**

Alina stood on the balcony, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest as the warm evening air enveloped her, thick with tension. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows that danced across the floor, mirroring the turmoil within her. She turned to Cassian, and her voice quivered, a blend of disbelief and frustration spilling forth.

“Why?” The word hung in the air, slicing through the stillness of the evening like a sharp blade. “Why do you want to marry me? You barely know me at all.”

Cassian’s gaze remained steady, his expression a mask of calm that concealed any hint of surprise or guilt. He radiated an unsettling composure, as if he had rehearsed this moment a hundred times in his mind, ready for any challenge she might pose.

“Because I honor the legacy of my family,” he replied, his voice unwavering and firm, like a stone pillar against the storm of emotions swirling inside her. “Our parents made a wise decision with this merger. I refuse to be the one who disrupts that bond.”

Alina felt her stomach plummet, as if the very ground beneath her was crumbling away. “So, you’re willing to marry someone you don’t love just to uphold some antiquated agreement?” Her voice rose, sharp and incredulous, echoing her disbelief. “You’re prepared to sacrifice your happiness for that? How can you even entertain such a notion?”

Cassian held her gaze, his eyes unwavering. “Love is not merely a fleeting emotion; it can be nurtured and developed over time,” he asserted, his conviction unyielding. “This connection must be respected.”

She scrutinized him, like an artist examining a painting that was slightly askew, noticing the cracks in his facade that hinted at deeper issues lurking beneath. There was an underlying tension in his words, a hardness that suggested he was motivated by something beyond mere respect for their families’ merger. No, it was more complicated than that.

He had an ulterior motive, a secret he was carefully concealing behind those placid words, and the realization sent a chill down her spine.

Alina let out a laugh that was more of a scoff, the sound rough and unrefined. “I would never agree to marry you.”

A smile crept onto Cassian’s lips, low and patient, but it felt wrong, like a weapon concealed beneath a facade of charm.

“You do not have a choice in this matter,” he asserted, his voice heavy with finality, resonating in the stillness around them.

Heat rushed to her cheeks as she straightened, indignation fueling her words. “I have a choice, and I would rather die than marry you.”

His smile sharpened, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes. “And who exactly is your choice? Lucian Blackwood?”

Alina’s eyes widened, shock coursing through her like ice water. “Don’t act surprised,” he continued, his confidence momentarily wavering. “I know about him. I took it upon myself to investigate your past. You were on the verge of marrying him… thankfully, you didn’t go through with it. Because if you had, you would have had to divorce him to honor the merger.”

“I would never have divorced Lucian! He would have killed you before he let you near me,” she shot back, her voice steady but filled with conviction.

Cassian chuckled softly, a sound devoid of cruelty yet lacking warmth. “You mean the same Lucian who has been parading another woman around the city of Ravinne?”

His words struck her like a slap to the face. For a moment, she felt breathless. She had seen it just days ago—Lucian at the mall, a woman on his arm, both of them laughing in a way that had once felt exclusive to her. The memory crashed over her, heavy and burning behind her eyes.

She blinked rapidly, her throat constricting. Tears threatened to spill, but she fought them back. Not here. Not in front of him.

“It doesn’t matter,” she forced out, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. “Even if Lucian has someone else, I will not marry you. I would rather perish than bind myself to someone I don’t love.”

Cassian’s expression shifted subtly, though he remained unfazed. “Be careful what you wish for,” he warned, his tone simple yet ominous.

Alina’s breath quickened; the man she thought she knew—the one who had bumped into her at the jewelry store, the one who had made her laugh on the balcony—now felt like a carefully constructed mask. This was the real man before her: calculated, patient, and dangerous in a way she was only beginning to comprehend.

“This is not the man from the jewelry shop,” she reminded herself, though he stood right there. “He has been playing a role.”

With determination hardening her voice, she squared her shoulders. “Even if it costs me everything, I will expose you. I will ensure my family sees you for who you truly are.”

Cassian’s smile sharpened, a predatory glint in his eyes. “And how do you plan to do that? What proof do you have? What will you say when your father tells you to be quiet? When he reminds you of your obligation to the merger?”

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