Even though the footage was only a few seconds long, Anastasia could clearly see the worry in Candereyes. “She really did drop everything to be here?” Anastasia muttered to herself, her voice tinged with awe.

Honestly, Anastasia didn't even know what the problem was. They’d gotten married for practical reasons—a mutually beneficial arrangement. What was the fuss all about?

Just then, Cassian walked out of the kitchen carrying two plates, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Ans, dinner’s ready,” he said with a warm smile, setting the dishes on the dining table. Anastasia got up and joined him at the table.

There was a bowl of steaming creamy tomato basil soup, along with two perfectly prepared dishes: herb-crusted salmon and roasted vegetables. Cassian was seriously talented in the kitchen. The portions were reasonable but definitely enough for both of them. And it was all stuff she absolutely loved.

Suddenly, Anastasia felt her pulse quicken again. “Try the soup—I added some fresh basil that’s supposed to be really good for you,” Cassian said gently. “This looks amazing, thanks. It’s all my favorite stuff,” Anastasia said, trying to push away her chaotic thoughts. “Then you better dig in,” Cassian said with a grin.

Anastasia nodded and picked up her spoon. The soup was incredible—rich and flavorful. The salmon was cooked to perfection, and the roasted vegetables were caramelized just right. Eating this homemade meal, Anastasia felt an overwhelming sense of contentment. They talked casually while they ate, and the whole vibe was really nice.

Just as they were wrapping up, Cassian’s phone started buzzing. He checked it and his expression shifted slightly. Anastasia stopped eating and looked at him. Cassian set down his fork. “Keep eating—I need to grab this call real quick.”

Anastasia nodded. “Sure,” she said. She watched him step out onto the balcony to take the call. Sora’s soft voice came through immediately. “Cass, I’m so sorry about what happened today. Some paparazzi got photos. I think they might be spinning it the wrong way. I don’t want to mess things up for you. Should I have my publicist put out a statement?”

The story was making pretty big waves—tons of people had probably seen it by now. "Damped Today. Married Tomorrow: My Overnight Wedding to a Tycoon."

“Don’t stress about it,” Cassian said after a pause. When he came back inside after hanging up, Anastasia had already finished eating. “Done already?” Cassian looked surprised. “Yeah, I’m stuffed,” Anastasia replied. Cassian seemed to have lost his appetite, too.

When Anastasia started gathering the dishes, Cassian waved her off. “I got it—go chill out.” Anastasia felt kind of bad. She’d basically come home from work and been waited on hand and foot. Meanwhile, Cassian was running this massive empire but still found time to cook for her. Something warm bloomed in her chest.

Jenny really was a powerhouse manager—she’d managed to get a complete dossier on Anastasia in record time. Sonia had been discharged and was recovering at her penthouse. Right now, she was flipping through that investigation file. Sands read every detail carefully. When she got to Anastasia’s photo—this fresh-faced, girl-next-door type—her jaw tightened and her mood darkened.

So this was the little bitch who’d gotten her hooks into Cassian? She was pretty in that basic, wholesome way. But Sonia was totally confident she was in a completely different league. Obviously, sitting around wasn’t going to cut it—time to go on the offensive…