Ella
When I finally tore my gaze away from the brilliant sky that hung over us, I was met with Logan’s blue-eyed gaze in the dim light of the car.My eyes widened slightly, and for what felt like the longest time, we just looked at each other. I felt as though he was searching me, searching my gaze for any hint of insincerity in my words.But it was the truth. Everything I had told him, everything from Marina’s threats to the hitman who she said she had hired to watch my every move, was the cold, hard truth. And honestly, I was terrified—terrified that, when I returned to my phone on the bleachers, there would be a missed call from Marina.Somehow, I suspected that she had heard everything. Somehow, despite Logan’s attempts to get us out of her range of sight—or rather, hearing—I felt as though she was still here, watching and listening to my every move.But it was too late now. The truth was out and it was up to Logan toEllaI was still trying to process everything that had happened as Logan drove us back to his mansion in silence.The night sky had darkened, and the desert landscape was a vast expanse of shadows and quiet. It should have been peaceful, but my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions—and I couldn’t help but wonder how I had ended up here, in this surreal situation.
EllaThe morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm golden glow across the room. As sleep released its grip on me, however, I became acutely aware of the fact that I was…Not in my own bed.Slowly, the memories of last night began to return.
Ella“Morning, Ella.”“Morning, Sarah.”I was standing in the breakroom, pouring my morning coffee. It was strange, coming to work today after everything that had happened; I knew that I needed to continue building my ‘secret dossier’ against Logan, but it somehow felt even more con
EllaA few more days passed, and much to my surprise, there were no incidents. No calls or visits from Marina, no more calls from Mr. Lawrence, and all the while, Daisy was home with my parents, safe and sound as ever.I was beginning to think that things were looking up. Logan seemed to have everything under control, and my job was to keep the charade up, to make it appear as though I was still working for Marina.
EllaAs I watched Marina leave, I couldn’t deny the way my hands trembled beneath my desk. It was just out of Marina’s sight, saving me from any further scrutiny, but I had felt it the whole time.“This isn’t good,” Ema’s voice echoed in my mind. “Ella, this is really, really not good.”
EllaWe spent the rest of the ride back to the mansion in silence. I kept grinding my teeth over my frustration with Logan; I hated feeling this way, like I was spiraling out of control. I had thought that telling him would have made me feel better, but after today, I wasn’t so sure.Here I was, having to fight off Marina’s advances, and all the while Logan wouldn’t even tell me what his plan was. He kept assuring me that I was safe, and I believed him, but I hated not
EllaAs the maid walked away, her words kept swirling around in my mind. A networking event? Really?Logan had told me that it was a holiday party, so now that I heard it was really a networking event, I was even more confused.“Great,” I said to my wolf with a sigh as I began to walk away. &l
EllaI stared down at the midnight blue dress in my hands with my brow furrowed.Why was Logan going to such lengths for a networking event? This dress and jewelry was expensive, I could tell; but why? Why buy it for me? He knew I wasn’t the type to expect gifts, and we were not together, so what was his deal?
EllaThe reception was in full swing, the air filled with the soft sound of music, the clinking of cutlery and champagne glasses, and the pleasant murmur of guests. It was the perfect night, too; the sun had set, and the air outside had cooled to a pleasant temperature as the crickets and cicadas sang.Walking hand in hand with Logan, we approached the multi-tiered wedding cake. It was unbelievably tall, adorned with carefully piped flowers and leaves. There were two little figures at th
EllaThe reception hall was filled with the soft, warm glow of hundreds of candles, and the sound of gentle music filled the space. It really was everything that we had wanted. The wedding planner had outdone herself.“What do you think?” Logan asked, holding my hand as we meandered around the room. “Quite the party, huh?”
EllaThe doors to the chapel opened, and the soft sound of orchestral music filled my ears. This was it; this was the moment. Everything felt like it was moving so fast, and yet somehow it felt as though time was standing completely still at the same moment.I watched as the wedding planner gestured from the sidelines for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to pair up and walk through the doors, preceded by the flower girl—a family friend’s daughter, who looked absolutely precious
Ella“Are you nervous, Ella?” the makeup artist, Jenna, asked as she selected a palette of soft, natural colors that complemented my skin tone.Nervous would have been an understatement. It was the morning of my wedding; the day had finally come, after what had somehow felt like both an eternity and no time at all at the same time.
LoganI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the little silver key in the palm of my hand.“I should just go and do it,” I whispered, more to myself than to my wolf. “Get it over with, right?”“What’s the worst that could happen?” my wolf added. “It’s
EllaAs I walked into the bridal boutique with my entourage, the little bell on the door chimed and I was immediately greeted with the scent of lavender and the smile of a bridal assistant.Daisy, Moana, Clara, and Sarah were with me; it was just a couple of days after the housewarming party, and our new house felt full to the brim with my family and Clara staying for a while. Not that I minded, though. It was fun having them here, and I was glad to have them all by my side as I tried on
LoganI was enjoying the party, watching with a smile on my face as Clara, Ella, and Sarah exchanged stories, when the sound of my phone ringing suddenly cut through the lively atmosphere.Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I felt my heart lurch in my chest. It was Hartman; I hadn’t heard from him in months. After Marina and Harry had taken off and Devon had been caught, I had paid Hartman for his help—even though our plan wound up being foiled—and that was the end of t
EllaThe months following Logan’s and my engagement was a whirlwind of change. We sold Logan’s mansion to a wealthy family from out of the area, and before I knew it, we were moving into our new home.It was a 1920s Spanish-style home, with warm stucco walls and breezy windows. The first floor was open concept, and I could already picture all of the wonderful parties we could have here. I fell in love with it immediately.
Ella“Sit down. Both of you.”Sarah and I exchanged wary glances. Her face was just as pale as mine probably was, and I felt a wrench in my stomach.“But Mr. Henderson, Sarah never—”