Caspar's POV:

I sneezed, wondering if someone was speaking ill of me behind my back.

The next second, my phone chimed with a text message from Audrey.

*Free for dinner? My treat.-Audrey*

I stared at the message in disbelief.

Audrey? Inviting me to dinner?

After what happened last night at the estate, I had assumed she'd maintain her distance for weeks, perhaps months.

Yet here was an invitation-unprompted and unexpected.

I couldn't understand her motivation, but the mere possibility of seeing Audrey again so soon overwhelmed any rational thought.

I typed a response, trying not to seem too eager.

*Sure. Name the place and time.*

Her reply came almost immediately, suggesting Le Bernardin at 7 PM.

Le Bernardin was immaculate as always, the lighting subtle enough to create intimacy without sacrificing visibility.

I spotted Audrey immediately.

She sat at a corner table overlooking the Manhattan skyline.

As our eyes met across the room, I caught a flash of surprise in her eyes before it vanished so quickly.

She composed herself instantly, her features settling into a polite smile as I approached.

"Good evening, Audrey," I said,taking the seat across from her.

The waiter appeared almost immediately to unfold my napkin and pour water.

"Good evening," Audrey replied, her voice calm.

After a deliberate pause, she added, "Mr. Samuel."

Then she looked directly into my eyes, her gaze steady and unflinching.

My body went rigid, though I fought to keep my expression neutral.

She'd called me Mr. Samuel.

My mind raced through possibilities at lightning speed.

How much did she know? Was this a deliberate trap or a calculated guess?

When I didn't respond, Audrey calmly reached for her phone and dialed a number without breaking eye contact.

A second later, my phone began ringing in my pocket.

Audrey raised an eyebrow, her expression a perfect blend of triumph and challenge.

I glanced down at my vibrating phone. There it was-confirmation. This call, like the dinner invitation text earlier, was directed to Samuel West's

number.

The mere possibility of seeing Audrey again had so thoroughly clouded my judgment that I hadn't even checked which number had received her message.

This was why she'd looked surprised when I first entered the restaurant-she'd invited Samuel, not expecting Caspar to actually show up.

"How long have you known?" I asked, my voice low and controlled despite the hammering in my chest.

Audrey's face remained expressionless as she took a sip of wine.

"Just now," she replied, her voice devoid of any triumph or emotion.

She set her glass down carefully. "When did you find out? That you were Samuel, I mean. And why keep hiding it from me all this time?"

I exhaled slowly, calculating how much to reveal.

"I... didn't know at first," I admitted, choosing my words carefully."I only discovered the connection later."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, clearly skeptical.

"As for why I didn't tell you," I continued, hesitating before deciding on honesty, "you didn't seem particularly fond of Samuel West. I wasn't sure how you'd react knowing that the man you'd been avoiding and the father of your student were the same."

"So you thought deception was the better choice?" she asked, her composure perfect even as her words cut deep.

I looked directly into her eyes, abandoning pretense.

"I was wrong. I should have told you the truth from the beginning."

"But I wanted... a fair chance."

"A fair chance?" she echoed.

"I don't want the influence of Samuel's identity to affect me while I'm pursuing you." I leaned forward slightly.

"When I realized our marriage was nothing but a constraint for you.I agreed to the divorce immediately. I never wanted to bind you with legal obligations, Audrey. I wanted you to choose me freely."

My voice dropped lower.

"I hope that someday,you might willingly walk down the aisle with me."

My gaze never left hers, intense and unwavering.

Audrey looked away first, her cheeks flushed with color. What had started as her confrontation had somehow shifted, leaving her unprepared for the emotional turn.

"Well," she said, clearing her throat and reaching for her wine glass."speaking of marriages. Clara is getting married to Finley."

I furrowed my brow, momentarily thrown by the abrupt change of subject."Finley?"

Seeing my confusion, Audrey tilted her head.

"I thought the Thorntons and Coles were close business associates. How do you not know that Finley is part of the Cole family?"

"Walt-Finley? The gallery owner?" I leaned back slightly.

"I know the Coles had a younger son who left home when he was barely out of his teens-something about pursuing artistic freedom and rejecting the family business. I just never connected that Finley was that son."

I shook my head, almost amused at the coincidence.

"Ethan mentioned his brother once or twice in passing, but never by name.Said he'd chosen art over finance and their father nearly disowned him."

"That's him," Audrey confirmed.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Is that how you found out? About Samuel West?"

Audrey shook her head. "No, not exactly. Clara mentioned that Finley uses his mother's maiden name professionally-to distance himself from the Cole family influence."

She met my eyes directly."She also mentioned that you have a name based on your maternal surname, too. Samuel."

"You're brilliant," I said, genuine admiration in my voice.

Then my expression grew serious. "Now that you know I'm Samuel... do you hate me?"

The question hung in the air between us.

"I was the reason for that contract marriage. Indirectly, I caused that tragedy in your life," I added, my voice quieter.

Audrey remained silent for a long moment, her eyes fixed on some distant point beyond me.

When she finally spoke, her voice was measured and calm.

"No, I don't hate you," she said.

"If it hadn't been you, it would have been someone else. With Sienna returning home at that time..."

She shook her head slightly. "I was always going to be the sacrifice in some form. That's how the Bailey family operates."

The resignation in her voice touched something in me.

I studied her face, thinking about her history with the Baileys.

"Speaking of family," I said carefully, "The foster famnily Sienna stayed with in Connecticut-were they your biological parents?"

Her fork paused halfway to her mouth.

"No," she said after a moment. "Margaret insisted everyone take DNA tests at the time. None of us matched."

"Have you ever thought about finding them? Your biological parents?" I asked,studying her face carefully.

Audrey set her fork down with deliberate precision.

"After so many years, what would be the point? Everyone has moved on with their lives."

Her voice took on a practical tone, but her eyes betrayed something deeper.

"Besides, finding them might not even be a good thing. Some doors are better left closed."

She paused, her expression pensive.

"Not all reunions have happy endings. I'm content with my life as it is now. That's enough for me."

I studied her for a moment, seeing through her practiced indifference.

I said softly. "You're afraid of loss. Afraid that finding something means risking losing it all over again. Isn't it?"

Something in her expression made my chest tighten.

"But there's another perspective," I said, swirling my wine gently.

"I have a friend who lost his sister when they were both very young.All these years, he's never stopped searching for her."

"He checks every lead, follows every possibility. The thought that she's out there somewhere, maybe living a completely different life, not knowing she has a brother who misses her..."

I let my voice trail off,watching her reaction carefully.

Audrey forced a smile,and her voice was light.

"Well, she's certainly lucky then-to have someone who cares that much."

"Yes," I agreed, meeting her gaze directly. "Some people can't move on until they find what they've lost."