"I think you need custom-made clothes from now on, Cas," Evadne said as they browsed through racks of menswear in one of the boutiques in Olympus District, one of the biggest malls in New York and one of the Falcon family's properties.
After leaving the Dalton Villa, they had decided to go straight to the mall to shop for an entirely new wardrobe for Casadin, because it was painfully obvious that almost none of his clothes would fit him anymore after his sudden growth.
And Casadin liked his clothes a certain way... comfortable, fitted, and light on the body. The kind that did not feel hot to wear, but still subtly showed off his build.
"Cas?"
Evadne glanced over her shoulder when he did not answer. He was just standing there, looking at her.
She frowned a little. It was not an annoyed look. Not distracted either. It was… something else.
Evadne quickly looked around, checking if there was something or someone nearby that could have caused that expression.
Then she walked back to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and looked up at him.
"Is there a problem?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice.
"Stop calling me Cas," Casadin said suddenly, pouting in an exaggerated way... but beneath it, there was a small ache in his tone.
Evadne blinked.
"You always call Hades 'hubby,'" Casadin continued, "but I'm always just Cas. You only use an endearment for me when we're alone, and even then, most of the time I'm still just Cas."
"That's not true," Evadne protested immediately. "I call you my Prince Charming in public from time to time."
"Yeah," Casadin said, still pouting, "but only when we're playing around. Not the way you call Hades hubby. Like you really mean it."
Of course, he knew why Evadne drew that line.
To everyone else, he was still the male best friend. The best friend who was always around. The one who hovered close, touched too freely, smiled too fondly, but was still, officially, just the best friend.
He understood.
But now that their mate bond had awakened, even if he did not feel jealousy toward Hades being with Evadne, the difference in how she addressed them suddenly felt unfair in a way it never had before.
Casadin let out a breath and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in the curve of her neck.
"I'm sorry, Princess," he murmured. "I didn't mean to put you in a difficult position. Just forget what I said."
Evadne smiled a little.
Cas was her endearment for him. She had always said it in a way that was unmistakably fond, unmistakably hers.
It must be the mate bond amplifying his emotions, she thought.
Then she leaned closer and whispered against his ear, "I'm sorry, mate."
It would take some getting used to, but she would not deny him something so simple.
And with just those three words... one soft mate... Casadin's whole face lit up. He straightened and looked at her with a wide, bright grin.
"So dramatic," Evadne muttered, rolling her eyes even though she was smiling too. "Do you feel better now, mate?" she asked, emphasizing the word before rising on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss.
"Yup," Casadin said at once, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Now… what were you saying earlier about my clothes?"
Evadne made a face at him.
"I said you need tailored outfits now," she repeated. "We're going to have a hard time finding clothes in your new size that still fit the style you like."
She turned back to the racks and resumed picking pieces for him.
"Let's go to House Angelina after we buy a few things here," she added, referring to the Falcon couture house where most of their custom-made and tailored pieces were designed and produced.
As the Monteverde-Falcon Princess, most of Evadne's clothes were custom made too. But of course, like every other normal girl, there was still something satisfying about shopping in a real store... seeing something you liked, paying for it, and taking it home immediately. Custom pieces took forever.
"Whatever you say, Princess," Casadin replied, trying to look cute.
Evadne's gaze dropped to his feet. He was still wearing one of Romos' slip-on house slippers, because of course even his feet had gotten bigger.
"We should get you new shoes too," she said. "And remind me to buy Daddy a new pair of slippers."
Then she dragged him toward another set of racks and started making him try on different outfits she picked out for him, because he was too lazy to choose anything for himself and wanted her to do it all.
That laziness, however, did not stop him from constantly pulling out his phone.
He took pictures of the two of them together. Pictures of Evadne holding shirts against him. Pictures of her scanning racks with a serious expression while choosing clothes for him.
And, of course, he posted them on social media almost immediately... bragging shamelessly that his Princess was busy choosing new clothes for him.
While Casadin and Evadne were busy shopping, Hades was buried in his CEO training.
Especially now that Jupiter and Caspian had entered into a joint venture with Heavensblade Corporation.
Shock was an understatement when he found out about it early that morning the moment he stepped into the office.
He knew immediately that the reason behind the partnership was not purely business. In his gut, Hades knew this was Michael's way of keeping tabs... not only on Evadne, but on him and Casadin as well.
And he became even more certain when he learned from Casadin that Michael was now living at Dalton Villa, right next door to the Monteverde estate.
It was not a coincidence.
Hades knew Michael had made all these moves to get closer to Evadne.
To take her away from him and Casadin.
"Read this contract, son, and tell me what you think," Jupiter said, handing Hades a leather folder. "I have a meeting. We'll talk about it in an hour when I get back."
"Yes, sir," Hades replied to his father.
He took the folder and excused himself, heading to his own office one floor below Jupiter's.
He could not help the small smile that touched his lips.
He remembered very clearly the first time Jupiter had called him son and truly meant it.
It had been three months after he and Evadne became real.
He was having dinner at the Falcon estate because Angelina had insisted, but all evening he had been busy exchanging messages with Evadne in their Trois group chat with Casadin. At first, Evadne had been pouring her heart out, crying after watching Hachiko. Then later, Hades had been trying not to laugh as she started sending updates on what she would do if she were a serial killer, all because Casadin had told her to watch a true crime documentary that had been airing at the time.
At the Falcon dinner table, phones were not allowed.
Jupiter had looked at him then and said, "Put your phone away, son, so we can start eating before the food gets cold."
Hades had almost looked around to check if someone else was there.
His eyes had widened for only a second before he recovered, apologized, and explained that he had been messaging Evadne. Then he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
Angelina had asked what he and Evadne had been talking about, and Hades had answered immediately... with bright eyes, a real smile, and none of the stiff politeness he used to wear in front of them.
No acting.
No lies.
Just genuine happiness.
Jupiter had asked him questions from time to time during dinner, had even added his own comments, still calling him son in that same tone. And every single time, it had made something warm spread through Hades' chest.
Jupiter had always called him son in public before.
At galas. At business functions. At formal events.
But those had only been words used for appearances, for business, for show.
There had been no affection in them.
Now there was.
And not just in public, but in private too.
Not often.
But enough.
Ever since he and Evadne had truly become a couple, everything in his life had slowly started falling into its proper place.
And Hades could not help thinking that if only he had not been so bitter before... if only he had accepted earlier that he had been adopted and betrothed for Evadne... then maybe he would not have grown up carrying so many hurtful insecurities.
Maybe he would not have wasted so many years resenting the life meant for him.
And maybe, like Casadin, all his firsts would have been with Evadne.
But he could not turn back time.
He could only be grateful that he had still been given the chance to make things right.
"Tyla, I'll be busy reviewing contracts for now," Hades told his secretary the moment he entered the outer office. "Just let me know when Dad gets back from his meeting."
"Yes, Hades," the woman said at once.
"Should I bring you something to eat?" she asked.
"I'm fine. I'm good," Hades replied before finally entering his office.
This had once been Zeus' office.
When Zeus died twenty years ago, the office had passed to Caspian, who took over running Falcon Empire while the Falcon couple grieved. Hades had not even been born yet.
He had no personal memory of Zeus.
But with all the videos, photographs, and stories... especially in the Falcon estate... he knew exactly what kind of man his brother had been.
Outstanding.
As a son.
As a businessman.
As a person.
Hades used to hate being compared to him.
Back then, every comparison felt unfair, and in his mind he would rage that no living person could ever fairly compete with someone who was already dead.
Because how could anyone compare to the dead?
The dead were always polished by memory. Elevated by grief. Turned into something untouchable.
But now, Hades understood something different.
Even if Zeus had been alive, Hades still would not have held a candle to him.
Zeus was simply that kind of person.
The kind blessed to stand taller than others without even trying.
Even Caspian... whom Hades had idolized for as long as he could remember... always said that he himself fell short when measured against Zeus, but Caspian had never resented him for it.
Never envied him.
Because to Caspian, Zeus had simply been his brother.
And Zeus had always had his back.
They had never competed.
There were just some people in the world who were born blessed enough to rise above almost everyone else.
And Zeus Falcon had been one of them.
To accept that kind of reality was the most natural thing to do.
To fight it was like trying to push a mountain that would never move.