When Isabelle's mother, an ambitious socialite, marries for the fourth time, she introduces Isabelle to her new stepfamily. To Isabelle's horror, her new stepbrother is none other than Logan Sinclair—the very boy who tormented her during high school. Seeing him again rekindles all the old fears and resentments. To make matters worse, Isabelle is soon hired as Logan's secretary at Sinclair Enterprises, the megacorporation run by Logan’s father. Isabelle braces for the worst, expecting her nightmare to continue. But instead of cruelty, Logan is calm, professional, and oddly protective of her. Isabelle is torn. The wounds of her past run deep, and the humiliation she endured at his hands isn’t easily forgotten. Can people truly change? Or is Logan just playing a long game, trying to manipulate her emotions once again?
View MoreIsabella -The music shifted, becoming slower, more seductive. The soft rhythm of the song seemed to weave through the air, urging me to move."I am tired." I said to Trent.He stopped dancing, and I stepped onto the deck. I leaned against the railing, closing my eyes for a second to breathe in the salty air, trying to regain some clarity. But before I could settle into the moment, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.“Leaving the party already?” Trent’s voice broke the silence, and I turned to see him standing a few feet away, his ever-present grin in place.“I just needed a break,” I said, forcing a smile as I adjusted my posture, hoping he wouldn’t push.He didn’t seem to take the hint. Instead, he moved closer, his eyes lingering on me a little too long. “I get it. Sometimes, all this”—he waved a hand toward the house—“can get a bit much, huh?” He stepped closer again, his tone lower now, more intimate. “But I’ve got to say, you look incredible tonight, Isabella.”“Thanks, Tr
IsabellaThe night was warm, the salty breeze from the ocean carrying with it the sound of laughter and music. Paris’s beach house was breathtaking, glittering with golden lights that illuminated the sprawling deck and the sand below. The entire scene felt like something out of a movie—perfect, polished, and far too intimidating.Despite Logan’s insistence that I wait and go with him, I had decided to arrive on my own. Something about the idea of walking in with him felt too complicated, too public.I had spent an unreasonable amount of time deciding what to wear, eventually settling on a fitted black dress with a plunging neckline and a slit up the side. It was a little risqué for me, but tonight, I wanted to feel pretty.As I stepped onto the deck, the party was already in full swing. The sound of waves mingled with the upbeat music playing through hidden speakers, and the air buzzed with conversation. Waiters weaved through the crowd with trays of champagne flutes, and the guests—e
Isabella -The invitation came out of nowhere.“Isabella,” she said, dragging out my name like we were best friends. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”“Nothing special,” I replied cautiously, sensing a trap.“Perfect!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “I’m throwing a party at my beach house. You simply have to come.”I blinked. “Uh, thanks for the invite, but I don’t know if—”“Oh, don’t even try to wiggle out of this,” she interrupted, waving a manicured hand. “It’s going to be fabulous. Everyone’s coming—people from work, some old friends, and even a few familiar faces from high school. It’ll be like a mini-reunion!”That didn’t sound appealing in the slightest. “I am not sure.”She dismissed my concern with an exaggerated sigh. “Nonsense. You’ll know plenty of people, and besides...” She leaned in, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “Logan will be there.”That gave me pause. “Logan?”“Of course!” she said with a grin. “I told him about it when we had dinner the other ni
Isabella -The next morning started like any other—a blur of meetings, emails, and hurried cups of coffee. I had just settled into my desk when Derek approached."Isabella," he began, his tone careful, "I need a favor."I raised an eyebrow, already sensing where this was going. "What’s the favor?""Amy’s out on leave today, and we need someone to supervise the shoot." He gave me a hopeful smile, as though that would soften the blow.I blinked. Supervise the shoot? That was Amy’s domain, not mine. But Derek looked genuinely stressed, and it wasn’t like I could say no without good reason."Alright," I said, standing up and grabbing my notebook. "I’ll handle it.""Thank you," he said, visibly relieved. "The studio’s already set up. Just... try to keep Paris in check."That last comment made me pause. Keeping Paris in check? Easier said than done.The studio was a whirlwind of chaos when I arrived. Cameras were being adjusted, lights were glaring, and the director was pacing like a man on
Isabella - The buzz around the office had quieted down—at least for the time being. The whispers had reduced, and the stares, though still there, seemed to carry less venom. But I knew better than to think this was over. The moment any of the gossipers found a new angle, the cycle would start again. And then there was the looming question: what if they found out about Logan and me? What if they discovered our affair, something far more dangerous than simple rumors?I rubbed my forehead, the pressure of it all weighing heavily on me. I’d been avoiding Logan—more out of instinct than anything. My mind had been in turmoil ever since Paris’s subtle provocations, and the last thing I wanted was for anything to spiral further. And yet, every time I found myself thinking about him, my heart would betray me, reminding me of how easy it had become to trust him.I had never let anyone get this close. I’d kept everyone at arm’s length, protecting myself from getting hurt. But with Logan, someth
Isabella -I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off the moment I stepped into the office. The air felt heavy, charged with something I couldn’t quite name. As I walked past desks, conversations dropped to a whisper, and people suddenly found their computer screens fascinating.Why was everyone staring at me?I smiled at a few colleagues on my way to the coffee station, hoping to break whatever weird tension had settled in the room. Amy was there, chatting with a couple of other girls. I greeted them with a polite “Good morning,” but my words seemed to bounce off an invisible wall.The murmurs started just as I reached for the coffee pot.“Nepotism,” someone whispered, the word cutting through the air like a knife.My hand froze mid-pour. For a moment, I thought I’d misheard, but the awkward shuffling and sideways glances confirmed it. My cheeks burned as I tried to focus on filling my cup, my fingers gripping the handle tightly to keep from trembling.Amy approached me, her
Logan“Actually,” she said, her tone softer now, as if she’d flipped a switch, I was... relieved."“Relieved?” I repeated, unsure where she was going with this.“About you and Isabella being siblings,” she clarified, her hands clasped in front of her, an almost genuine expression on her face. “I mean, it explains a lot. The closeness, the little moments that might’ve... been misinterpreted.”I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Paris, if this is another attempt to justify gossip—”She raised her hands in mock surrender. “It’s not. Honestly. I’m just saying, it’s a relief to know there’s nothing... inappropriate going on.”The insinuation made my stomach turn, but I pushed the feeling aside. “Right. So, now that we’ve cleared that up, was there something else you needed?”Paris hesitated, as if debating her next move. Then she flashed that practiced smile of hers.“Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to grab dinner. You seem stressed, and I thought maybe a change of scenery m
Isabella-“Logan...” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to say, but he held up a hand, stopping me gently.“You don’t have to say anything,” he said, his tone softer now. “I just needed you to know. I’m not asking for anything. I’m not expecting anything. But I can’t keep pretending it’s not there.”I swallowed hard, my hands gripping the strap of my bag as though it were a lifeline. “Do you even realize how complicated this is? How messy it could get!“I do,” he said simply. “But I also know that you don’t run away from complicated things. You face them. You always have.”I shook my head, my mind racing. “This isn’t just complicated, Logan. It’s... it’s taboo. It’s wrong.”“Is it?” he countered, his voice calm but firm. “Is it really wrong, or is it just something you’ve convinced yourself is wrong because of what other people might think?”His words hit me like a punch to the gut because, deep down, I wasn’t sure I had an answer. All my life,
Isabella -The evening had gone better than I had expected. Dinner with Logan had been surprisingly lighthearted. We laughed over silly anecdotes, shared bites of dessert, and for a moment, it felt like all the tension from the past weeks had melted away. Maybe I really had been overthinking everything.As we walked out of the restaurant, the cool night air wrapped around us. Logan glanced at me and smiled. “Do you feel like taking a walk? It’s a nice night.”I hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “Sure, why not?”We wandered over to a nearby park, the soft glow of streetlights casting long shadows on the path. We grabbed ice creams from a nearby stand—mine a simple vanilla cone, his some elaborate chocolate concoction—and strolled along the winding paths.It was nice. That was, until I spotted Trent.He was walking toward us, and my heart instantly sank. I froze mid-step, my ice cream forgotten in my hand. Logan noticed my sudden stiffness and followed my gaze.“Hey, Trent,” L
The grand hotel loomed before me, its marble stairs bathed in the fading amber of the late afternoon sun. I stepped out of the car, smoothing the folds of my elegant silver gown, wishing I could disappear into the pavement. This celebration had nothing to do with me, even though it was my mother’s wedding dinner.I hadn’t seen her in months, not since she’d called to announce she was marrying for the fourth time, this time to a wealthy businessman, Robert Sinclair. I had only agreed to attend because I knew the alternative was worse: weeks of her relentless guilt trips and scathing remarks about my "ungrateful attitude." So, here I was, bracing myself for a night of fake smiles and shallow congratulations.The grand entrance to the hotel shimmered with chandeliers and luxury. As I walked in, a sinking sensation twisted in my stomach. No matter how many times I was pulled into her world of glitz and glamour, I never quite fit in. My mother, once a minor actress who still clung to the r...
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