Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 325

**Chapter 325**

Alina found herself standing at a critical juncture, her heart pounding in her chest as she prepared to engage in what felt like an intense game of chess with Cassian. The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, each inhale heavy with the gravity of their impending confrontation. She could feel the weight of unspoken words pressing down on her, a palpable force that made the air feel electric.

Cassian tilted his head ever so slightly, a seemingly casual gesture that masked the turmoil roiling beneath his composed surface. “And what if I’m the man they label as soft?” he queried, his voice steady but tinged with an urgency that hinted at deeper stakes. “If I refuse this marriage, do you truly believe that our families will allow us to keep what we’ve painstakingly built? Do you really think your father will simply stand by and let this slide without seeking vengeance? The Stormvales won’t let this merger dissolve without a fierce struggle. It’s not as straightforward as you seem to think, Dahlia.”

Frustration bubbled inside her, a tempest of emotions threatening to spill over. Why was he reducing their lives to mere business transactions? This wasn’t the Cassian she once cherished; had he become so entrenched in this farce that he was beginning to believe it was the only reality?

A wave of panic surged up her throat, constricting her chest and making it difficult to breathe. “Then create another path,” she implored, her voice surprisingly steady despite the storm raging within her. “Devise a different plan. Don’t drag me into the chaos of something you can resolve without shattering my world.”

He stepped closer, the distance between them vanishing, allowing her to see the firm line of his mouth and the determination etched into his features. “You don’t see how this benefits me in ways you might not comprehend just yet,” he replied, his intense gaze boring into hers.

“Then enlighten me,” she insisted, her tone sharp with urgency. “Lay it out for me plainly.”

His gaze held hers for what felt like an eternity, each second stretching into a taut silence before he finally spoke, his words heavy with significance. “Because when I stand at the helm of a family that has both legacies united under my command, there’s nothing anyone can do to undermine my authority. I gain immunity—politically and socially. I acquire leverage to shield myself and break free from his control. Promises like these render a man’s decisions unassailable.”

Whose control? The question raced through Alina’s mind, bubbling just beneath the surface, but she chose to let it slide, pretending she hadn’t caught his slip.

“And your idea of protection involves dismantling my life,” she countered, her voice steady yet laced with hurt. “It means tearing me away from the people and the future I desire.”

Cassian’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Do you think I orchestrated this from the beginning? That the world laid these moves at my feet as if they were mine to command? I inherited cages and locks just as much as you did.”

Alina shook her head vehemently, indignation flooding her veins. “You can’t wield your excuses as justification for ruining my life.”

A thin, resigned smile crossed his lips, his tone almost mocking. “I didn’t use. I accepted.”

The weight of his words hung between them, a grim verdict neither could ignore.

She stepped back, the wind brushing against her skin, a futile attempt at comfort as it tousled her hair across her face. She brushed it away, seeking clarity in the moment.

For a fleeting instant, she closed her eyes, and a memory washed over her—the way Lucian had looked at her that one time—not on the balcony when Cassian forced a memory, but in that brief moment of genuine tenderness that had felt like safety, like home.

She muttered under her breath, so softly that only she could catch it, “It’s not over.”

Cassian nodded almost imperceptibly, an acknowledgment of her spirit. “I know you well. You won’t back down. You will find a way to make a noise that they can’t ignore.”

With renewed determination, she faced him fully, her rage and resolve woven tightly together. “And I will ensure everyone sees the truth. I will dismantle whatever façade you’ve constructed. I refuse to hand over my life as if it were a mere piece of paper you call destiny.”

He inhaled deeply, as if gathering the courage to speak his most honest words of the night. “You will try. And perhaps, in your pursuit, you will hurt people along the way. But then we will see whose resolve is truly stronger.”

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