The Little Imperial Grandson Latches Onto Cassidy Sterling
Cassidy patted the princess on the shoulder. "Hey, snap out of it. Spring Breeze Tower opens tomorrow. Who cares about whatever is going on with Consort De? You're a co-owner, remember? No slacking."
That was all it took. The princess's worries vanished, replaced by the thought of their new business.
"Let's get out of here, then. Now," she said, her focus completely shifted.
Cassidy nodded. She still needed to check on Ryder Sinclair and make sure he was actually writing the scripts.
But after just a few steps, she glanced back.
A little boy was still squatting on the ground, completely absorbed in a lollipop.
Miles Sterling, the emperor's own grandson.
Cassidy frowned, remembering the other boys.
She worried that if they left him, Cade and his friends would be back to bullying him.
"What about him?" she asked.
"Let's take him to the empress's rooms," Cassidy decided, and without waiting for an answer, she scooped the little boy into her arms and started walking.
It was weird that the kid was all alone, no guards, no servants, nothing.
But getting involved in palace drama was a good way to get yourself killed. The less she knew, the better.
As if on cue, the empress herself appeared in the doorway just as they arrived, clearly on her way out to find the boy.
Cassidy moved to hand him over, ready to make her escape from the palace, but the little boy's hand shot out and clamped onto her sleeve, refusing to let go.
Cassidy froze, completely baffled. *What is happening? Is he... attached to me?* She tried to gently pry his small fingers off her sleeve, but the moment she did, his other hand flew over to join the first. Now he was holding on with both hands, his grip surprisingly strong.
Leaning in, Cassidy tried to pull his hands away while whispering a low threat. "Let go. I got you home, kid. Don't push it."
But her words had the opposite effect. His grip only tightened, and he stared up at her, blinking his huge, sad eyes. He looked so utterly pitiful it almost hurt.
Cassidy had a huge soft spot for kids like this.
He reminded her of her little cousin back home, the one who was just as quiet and serious at that age, staring at everyone with a solemn expression.
A doctor had diagnosed her with autism at three, but then a few years later, for no reason at all, she'd turned into a complete chatterbox who never shut up.
The family still joked that the doctor must have been a quack.
Her resolve melted. "Alright, how about this," she tried, switching to negotiation. "I'll give you another lollipop if you let go of my sleeve."
The little boy just shook his head. He didn't want candy. He wanted to follow her.
The empress had been watching the whole exchange, her eyes wide. Seeing her grandson, Miles, clinging to Cassidy's sleeve with such clear dependence shocked and thrilled her. She'd never seen him show emotion like a normal person before. A slow, hopeful smile spread across her face.
"Cassidy," the empress breathed. "This child... you're the first person he's ever willingly gone near."
*That line sounds awfully familiar,* Cassidy thought, a shiver running down her spine.
It was straight out of one of those cheesy billionaire romance novels she used to read.
*"I've never seen the young master take such an interest in anyone."
* or *"You're the first woman he's ever brought home." * Ugh. She practically had goosebumps.
Watching them, the princess piped up, "Why don't you just take him with you to Ashworth Manor? It's not every day the little prince gets attached to someone."
The empress's eyes lit up at the suggestion. She grabbed Cassidy's hand, her expression pleading. "Cassidy, since he likes you so much, would you please take him to Ashworth Manor for a few days?" Maybe, just maybe, being around Cassidy would help Miles's condition.
Cassidy immediately started shaking her head. "Auntie, I don't know the first thing about taking care of kids. Besides, I'm really busy." She was no Florence Nightingale, and she wasn't about to start now.
Before Cassidy could finish her protest, the empress simply raised a hand. A nanny appeared with a chest of jewelry that glittered so brightly it was practically blinding.
"Cassidy, just a small token of your aunt's appreciation."
*Is she bribing me?* Cassidy thought. *Because it's working.*
Her hand seemed to have a mind of its own, reaching out to stroke the sparkling gems. "Well," she said, her voice suddenly much more agreeable, "I mean, I *am* busy, but everyone at Ashworth Manor is very helpful. I'm sure we'd take excellent care of the little prince."
The empress was overjoyed. "Oh, wonderful! I knew you were a kind soul, Cassidy." She squeezed Cassidy's hand again before turning to her attendants. "Quickly! Pack the prince's clothes and necessities. And select a few of our best guards to escort them to Ashworth Manor later."
Her attendants bowed and hurried off.
A wave of regret washed over Cassidy. What if something happened to the kid on her watch? The responsibility would crush her. "Uh, Auntie," she began, backtracking, "Ashworth Manor isn't nearly as secure as the palace. Maybe it's better if he stays here?"
But the empress waved her concerns away. "Don't you worry about a thing. I'll send guards with him, the best we have. His safety won't be an issue. Just let him stay for a few days. I'll come pick him up myself."
Just a few days? Cassidy's relief was immediate. Okay. A chest of jewelry in exchange for a few days of babysitting? She could live with that. The deal was back on.
After saying her goodbyes to the empress, Cassidy hoisted the little prince, who was still stubbornly attached to her, onto her hip.
She was about to head for the exit when she remembered Spring Breeze Tower opening tomorrow.
An idea sparked, and she changed course, making a beeline for the Imperial Study.
The emperor looked up as the very person he'd been trying to track down all afternoon strolled into his study. His eyelid twitched. This could not be good.
And sure enough, Cassidy didn't waste any time. "Uncle," she announced, "your grandson is coming to stay at Ashworth Manor for a few days."
The emperor squinted, skeptical. But then he saw the boy clutching her sleeve, looking almost shy. He turned to Cassidy, puzzled. "Did you threaten him?"
Cassidy's face fell. "Threaten him? What kind of person do you think I am?"
To prove her point, she tried to pry the boy's fingers off her sleeve right there in front of the emperor.
But the harder she pulled, the tighter he clung.
"See?" she said, gesturing with her free hand.
"It's your grandson who won't let go of *me*."
The emperor looked genuinely surprised. For a second, he seemed to think Miles's condition had improved, and he called out his grandson's name a few times.
But the boy remained lost in his own little world, paying his grandfather no mind.
After a moment of awkward silence, the emperor's expression shifted.
The same thought that had occurred to the empress now dawned on him: if the boy liked Cassidy this much, maybe spending time with her would actually help.
His tone changed instantly. "Cassidy, since the boy likes you so much, by all means, let him stay at Ashworth Manor for a few days."
Cassidy just held out her hand. "Fine. But if I'm babysitting your grandson, you're going to have to compensate me."
The emperor scoffed. "Compensation? We're family."
"Business is business," Cassidy shot back. "Besides, I'm a very busy woman. I don't exactly have time to watch your grandson for free."
The emperor gritted his teeth. "Is Ashworth Manor running out of food? Do you need a drink?" he muttered, exasperated. *Good grief, why is it that every time this girl opens her mouth, it's to ask for money?*
Cassidy let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Uncle, you don't run a household. You have no idea how expensive things are. I'm the pillar of my family! I have all of Ashworth Manor to support, *and* I have to keep Spring Breeze Tower afloat. I'm broke!"
The princess poked her in the side and whispered, "Spring Breeze Tower opens tomorrow. Ask him for a plaque with the royal seal."
Now *that* was a good idea.
Cassidy's entire demeanor changed in a flash. She beamed at the emperor. "You know what, Uncle? If you don't want to give me money, that's fine. My Spring Breeze Tower is opening tomorrow. How about you grant us a plaque to wish us good luck on our grand opening?"
The princess quickly chimed in. "Father, if we have a plaque from you, business will be booming! We'll even give you a cut of the profits as a thank you."
The emperor had heard whispers about them taking over that old brothel and turning it into some kind of theater. He grinned, deciding to tease them. "Alright, how about this: I'll grant you the plaque, and you give me half your profits."
"No way!"
"Are you kidding me?"
The two of them shouted in perfect unison. He wanted half their money for scribbling a few words on a board? The nerve.
*These two little rascals,* the emperor thought, amused. Was offering him a small cut really worth such a dramatic refusal?
Cassidy fixed him with a look of utter betrayal. "Uncle, my sister and I have been working our fingers to the bone on this! And now you, the emperor himself, want to rob two poor, innocent girls?"
The princess nodded frantically beside her. "Father, that's so unfair! It's bad enough you won't help, but now you're trying to take what's mine!"
Cassidy threw her head back and began to wail dramatically. "Oh, the sorrow, the sorrow, the life of a weed!"
The princess, not knowing the words but catching the vibe, immediately copied her tone. "Oh, the sorrow, the sorrow, the life of a weed!"
Cassidy pressed on, clutching her chest. "No one to love me, no one to heed!"
The princess started to follow along, "No one, " She stopped dead, glaring at Cassidy, who had almost tricked her into insulting the emperor right to his face.