LoganI couldn’t shake the feeling of her lips against mine as I stood there on the balcony, the night air cool against my skin. The city lights twinkled below, but their beauty was lost on me. All I could think about was the kiss, the way Ella had reacted, the look of shock and confusion in her eyes.It had happened so quickly, a moment of weakness, a lapse in judgment. One minute we were talking, laughing, enjoying the serenity of the night, and the next, I was kissing her, my wolf driving me forward, excitement and desire clouding my judgment.But she hadn’t wanted it. She had pulled away, her face pale, her eyes wide. “What was that, Logan? What are you playing at?” she had asked, her voice trembling.“I don’t know,” I whispered, my heart pounding. “I just… I felt something, and I acted on it. I’m sorry, Ella.”I replayed the moment in my mind, trying to make sense of it, trying to understand what had driven me to act so impulsively. I knew she had been regretting our fake relatio
EllaI arrived home that night, the weight of the evening still heavy on my shoulders. The glittering chandeliers, the fancy gowns, the laughter and chatter of the party all seemed like a distant dream as I stood in my dimly lit apartment, still wearing my beautiful white dress.The words Logan had spoken to me on the drive home lingered in my mind, a soothing balm to the chaos of emotions I felt. His promise that no one would get hurt, the determination in his eyes, it somehow made me feel a little better. But could I really trust him?I unzipped my beautiful white dress and let it fall to the floor, my reflection in the mirror looking pale and lost.Logan was a part of a world I knew nothing about, a world that seemed both thrilling and terrifying. What would my parents think if they ever found out? What would they say if they knew I was pretending to be involved with a Mafia boss?I shuddered at the thought, realizing with a sickening feeling that I could never tell them the truth.
EllaThe office hummed with the usual activity, but as I sat at my desk, the files for the new case spread out in front of me, my mind kept drifting to Sarah’s words. They clung to me like a shadow, her insinuations and her accusations haunting me.I tried to focus on the documents in front of me, the complicated legal jargon and the details of the new case with Logan. But my hands trembled slightly no matter how hard I tried to steady them, and I couldn’t shake the fear that had settled itself in the pit of my stomach.What if Sarah was right? What if I was trapped? A pawn in a game that I didn’t fully understand? A game that I could never understand?“Ella,” a voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to find Mr. Henderson standing over my desk. “Are you okay? You look distracted.”I forced a smile, willing myself to push Sarah’s words aside. “I’m fine,” I lied. “Just a lot on my mind.”He frowned, his eyes searching my face from behind his wire-rimmed glasses. He
EllaThe sun’s late afternoon light spilled into my office, casting long golden fingers over the documents I had meticulously drafted the previous night and spent all morning working on. I sipped on a cup of coffee, its bitter tang juxtaposed against the heavy sweetness of my lingering doubt.Instead of spending the day working on my case with Logan, which I should have been doing, I spent it writing up this contract. Every word, every line, every clause had to be absolutely perfect. I had to protect myself, and this was the best way that I knew how.But in reality, what was I really doing? Could a simple contract—a piece of paper—really guarantee my safety in a world so deeply entrenched in intrigue and power plays?Of course, Logan was late. He was supposed to meet me at my office an hour ago, but he never showed. I figured that it would be just like him, to make this promise and then ghost me without signing the contract.Just as I was engrossing myself in a particularly tricky cla
Ella“A broken furnace? Isn’t this a servant’s job?”As soon as the words slipped out of my mouth, I felt my eyes widened.“Ella!” my wolf growled, annoyed by my words. “That’s rude! Why did you say that?”Truthfully, I didn’t know why I said it. It just… slipped out. Surprise, maybe?“I-I’m sorry,” I said aloud, swallowing. “That was rude. I just meant that I’m shocked to see you working on a furnace, that’s all.”My words were met with a chuckle from the other man who was working with Logan. The servant, a man of about fifty with grizzled hair and weathered hands, looked up at me from where he kneeled on the floor next to the furnace and winked.“None taken, Miss. I know it’s shocking for a man of Mr. Logan’s status, but believe it or not, we work on all kinds of stuff together,” the servant explained, his voice full of pride. “Mr. Logan here is so good with his cars, it allows him to fix all manner of things. We’re all happy to have him for a boss ‘cause he helps out with difficult
Ella“Wait! What about that ride?”I slowly turned around, my eyes wide, my heart hammering in my chest. My eyes were met with Logan’s smirking face, his expression dancing with mischief.“Well?” Logan asked, pushing himself off of the hood of one of the cars and coming over to meet me by the door. “Just one joyride? I’m itching for a good drive. Being stuck in the basement all day really made me crave seeing the sunset.I swallowed. “I really shouldn’t,” I said, glancing at my watch. “I’ve got work…”“Work, shmork,” Logan interrupted with a grin. “Pick a car. Any car.”“But… I've never been on a really fast ride,” I stammered, my mind a whirl of confusion and excitement. “I mean, growing up in such a dense city, we barely drove at all except to go to our mountain estate in the summers.”Logan’s eyebrows shot up, and he let out a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement and making them stand out against his dirt-stained skin. “So that must be why you always want to walk everywhere.”
EllaAs we pulled up to the lookout point, the dazzling city lights sprawled out beneath us like a twinkling tapestry.The vastness of the view was breathtaking, and I felt a small shiver run down my spine, not from the cold, but from the sheer beauty of it all. Logan parked the car and turned off the ignition. The silence of the night was only punctuated by the faint hum of the city below.“Come on,” he whispered, gesturing for me to follow. We clambered onto the hood of the car, the cool metal pressing into my legs, and sat side by side, staring out at the shimmering skyline.The vast city lights stretched out before us, flickering in a rhythmic dance of night. It felt as if we were suspended between two worlds—the serenity of the elevated viewpoint and the bustling city below.“It looks so small from up here,” I murmured, my fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on the cool metal of the car hood beneath us. “But when I’m in it, it feels endless.”Logan chuckled softly, his eyes c
EllaThe large wooden conference table felt cool and smooth beneath my fingertips as I arranged the files in neat stacks. I could feel my palms getting sweaty with anticipation. This was one of the first significant cases I’d handled solo at the firm, and I wanted everything to be perfect.To add a touch of hospitality, I carefully set out a tray of assorted pastries fresh from a popular bakery downtown.There was a soft knock at the door, and Logan sauntered in. His demeanor was relaxed, in stark contrast to my tight bundle of nerves. “Good morning, Ella,” he greeted, raising an eyebrow at my meticulous setup.“Morning,” I replied with a half-smile, adjusting a paper clip that was slightly out of place. “Thank you for coming.”Before Logan could respond, the door opened again, and in walked the tenant accompanied by his lawyer.I recognized the lawyer from previous interactions around the firm. He was known to be a tough negotiator, a thought which only fueled my anxiety. They settle
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—”