Casey couldn't sleep well all night. Despite everything—and even after her talk with Hannah—rest refused to come. The fear in her heart lingered stubbornly.
Somehow, without fully understanding what she had seen or experienced in her dream, she slipped back into her usual self, refusing to let the issue with Xavier trouble her. Truthfully, she didn't know how to interpret her emotions. Perhaps the fear already weighing on her made the thought of Xavier's anger feel insignificant in comparison.
What was stranger still was that, despite knowing all this, she chose not to bother with him at all.
Maybe she simply needed a reason to forget—to let go of the fear and reclaim her life. Not the life she had planned, but at least one where she could be herself again, not a puppet controlled by poison. Unable to sleep, she decided to distract herself.
After a long night of cooking and quiet reflection, Casey finally reached a decision: she would let things remain as they were.
She was already tired—too tired. There was her family to think about, the secrets she had to keep from them, unaware as they were of everything happening beneath the surface. There was also the poison in her body, the uncertainty of it all. Worrying about a dream on top of everything else no longer felt worth it.
So she let it go and decided to move with the flow.
Having finally resolved the mystery of her dream, she felt unexpectedly rejuvenated, ready to face whatever the new day held. With that resolve, she left her room, closing the door softly behind her.
As she descended the stairs, she ran into Xavier, who had just come out of the gym. Though several steps separated them, the faint scent of sweat still reached her.
She smiled faintly and greeted him in a low voice.
"Good morning, Xavier."
Without waiting for a response, she walked past him and continued downstairs.
…
Stepping outside, she noticed Mick standing some distance away—most likely there to pick Xavier up, as usual. Having just finished speaking with the butler, Mr. Miller, she decided Mick should be informed as well.
"Good morning, Lady Casey," Mick greeted when he saw her approaching.
"Good morning. How are you doing?" she asked, her gaze steady on him.
"I'm fine, young madam. Thank you," he replied with a faint smile.
With pleasantries out of the way, Casey went straight to the point.
"I had some spare time this morning, so I cooked," she said calmly.
Mick listened attentively, surprise flickering across his face before turning into confusion. Unsure why she was telling him this, he nodded with an awkward smile.
"Oh…" was all he managed.
Wow, boss… have you neglected your wife so much that she has to report this to your secretary? And now I'm stuck in the middle of it. Almighty, help me, Mick thought silently.
Noticing his reaction, Casey understood immediately. To ease the awkwardness, she continued.
"I packed lunch for Xavier. You can meet Mr. Miller later to collect it."
Mick let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Before he could respond, she added, "I know Xavier's dietary preferences, so don't worry. I also packed lunch for you—you can take it when you collect his."
With that, she turned to leave.
Still processing her words, Mick opened his mouth to thank her when she suddenly stopped. Turning back, she said softly,
"Don't let Xavier know about it. Who knows what he'll do?"
She smiled briefly, then walked away.