Vivi, still nestled in her mother's embrace, pulled back slightly, her curiosity piqued by their hushed exchange. As she did, she felt a gentle caress on her cheeks, drawing her gaze upward.
Cassius looked down at her, his crimson eyes gleaming with a knowing intensity, his expression both tender and calculated.
"You're lucky, Vivi." He said, his voice smooth and resonant, carrying a warmth that softened his scheming tone. "Not many have a mother like Diana, someone so devoted to you." He paused, his smile widening, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Just now, to help you feel confident in yourself, in your body, she promised me she'd do anything to make you feel better...Anything at all."
Vivi's breath caught, a shiver running through her as his emphasis on 'anything' hung heavy in the air, his bright gaze promising something bold and unsettling and she immediately whipped her head toward her mother, her voice urgent with alarm.
