~CASSIUS GORDIAN~

My optics flickered to where she sat on the dining table. This time, she neither sat close to me nor my beta. She was just on her own, shoving her share of food down her throat greedily. She would leer at Claudius at intervals whenever he uttered a statement, mumble something and go back to her meal. I observed that her demeanor brightened once when the teenage maid stepped in. One who's known to be Phoenix.

'Earlier, Rayna brought it to my notice that you need Phoenix to discharge some duties for you'

I tore my gaze from the mate who chose to ignore my presence in the...