Chapter 7: So Sure Of Yourself

They pulled into a long driveway surrounded by trees. 

"What is this place?"

"The house I built for my mother, but she refused to move here," Logan said, pulling down the windows. The air smelled fresh and clear, of the countryside. 

"Did you have this built after you married her? What is her name, by the way? She never told me," Charlotte said.

"Julia. It was almost done when we got married."

Soon the house came into view, and it was anything but a house. The place was a mansion, possibly bigger than the country club main house in Chateau Ella. It was three stories tall, and it seemed like there was a fourth floor in some sections. The tall, slender windows had black aluminum frames that contrasted with the off-white walls. It was gorgeous.

"Is this in your mother's name?"

"I never got around to change it. Now, I can't."

"And why does she want this place? Aside from the obvious reasons," Charlotte asked.

"Because she knows it's one of my favorite places in the world." 

Charlotte could see why. The garden around the house was perfectly tended, with flower bushes and enormous leaves of some tropical-like plant Charlotte couldn't name. 

Logan stopped the car in the driveway and exited the car, opening the door for Charlotte. The second she stepped out, she lost her footing on the uneven stones, but Logan caught her. 

"I didn't take you for a swooning lady, Miss Astor," he said, smiling down at her.

He wasn't too bad-looking, Charlotte thought, as she stood on her own and awkwardly backed away from him.

"Thank you. You drive too fast," she said.

"Let's go," he said, opening the front door. 

He gave her a tour of the place that had to have lasted at least half an hour. Charlotte's feet were starting to hurt from walking so much on her heels. There were three sitting rooms, a library, two kitchens, five guest rooms, four other bedrooms, and an enormous pool in the courtyard that was surrounded by two wings of the house. Logan described each room in detail, how he picked the furniture, paintings, and colors. It was clear he loved the place and had taken great care to furnish it.  

"So, do you think I should let her keep the house?"

"I would fight for it," Charlotte said. "I worked my ass off to save my childhood home. It's by no means as large or grand as this place, but I love it, and I wouldn't let it go to someone else who clearly doesn't deserve it."

She regretted saying that the second the words came out of her mouth. It was a very personal revelation that she hadn't told anyone ever before. Edward knew part of it, but she had never been able to tell him how bad it had been when her father died. 

"I lied, Miss Astor. Partially. I did want your opinion about this, but I also wanted to get to know you and see if you were fit to handle the divorce. You passed," he said, tossing her his car keys. "Let's go back. You can drive. I don't want you dizzy when you arrive." 

He began to exit the house, but Charlotte didn't move. 

"Why did you hire me?" Charlotte said. "Did you feel sorry for me after snooping on me and Edward?"

Logan turned and furrowed his brows.

"I was not snooping. To be honest, I was impressed with how you handled the situation. I've seen women grovel and play it sweet when you went all out on him. He deserved that, by the way. But I guess it was all for nothing if you're still pining for him." He shrugged and took a few steps closer to Charlotte. "You're not planning to forget him just like that, are you?" 

"Respectfully, that's none of your business," Charlotte said, handing him back the keys. 

"Answer me and I'll answer anything you ask," Logan said. 

"What makes you think there's something I want to know about you?" 

"You've asked a lot of questions today. I know you have more."

"You're always so sure of yourself."

"So are you..." Logan said. He was edging dangerously close to her. 

"I have pushed my feelings for Edward aside. As a matter of fact, I'm seeing someone else."

"So quickly, Miss Astor? Is that proper?" he said mockingly, pretending to be shocked. "It was only yesterday that you were professing a lifetime love for that man." 

"Please take me back to the office," Charlotte said, walking past him and heading outside. She was not going to let her mock her like that, but she couldn't tell him off, either. He was now technically her boss.

"Aren't you going to ask me something?" Logan said, opening the door for her. 

"There's nothing I want to know. I will ask you if the case requires it," she said coldly, getting inside. 

He closed the door and got in too, and started the engine. They drove away in silence, but Charlotte could swear he was still laughing at her internally. 

---

When they got to the office building, Logan headed towards his personal elevator to get back to his floor.

"I will have my people send over the divorce files," he said and left her standing at the entrance.

Charlotte went to her old office, quickly avoiding Janet and everyone else. She didn't want to run into Edward just yet. 

The new people in charge of her old cases came by, and she made sure they were up to date with the developments. She was sorry to let these cases go, but it was what it was. She ordered lunch and ate inside her office, alone. When she had finished, in stepped Stuart, Logan's receptionist, with two enormous boxes he could barely carry. He was quite scrawny, after all.

"Miss Astor, where can I leave these?" he said from behind the boxes. They covered most of his head.

"You can leave them on the floor. Thank you," Charlotte said, clearing her desk of the empty sushi boxes.

"You're welcome," he said and left. 

She dug into the files immediately. One box was filled with property titles and bank statements. The more she read, the more she realized she'd be needing an assistant to help her file through everything. If they had to divide all of these assets, it'd take forever to write the final divorce statement. The other box was filled with credit card statements from Julia Hamilton's cards, where someone had highlighted all the biggest purchases. There was one payment of fifty thousand dollars for three nights in a hotel in Aruba. 

Logan was probably right. No one would go to Aruba on their own for three spa nights, although if Julia had access to so much money, maybe one would. Personally, she'd never squander money like that, no matter how much of it she had. 

The phone rang a little after four. It was her mother.

"Charlotte, can you bring a few drinks for the party? I think we miscalculated because Edward just called to ask if it was all right if he brought a few of your colleagues."

"I told you I can't go, mother," Charlotte said. She had completely forgotten about the party. 

"And I am telling you to cancel whatever plans you have and be here." 

"You can't order me around, mother."

"Why do you have to be like this?" her mother said, her voice squeaky. 

Charlotte knew how this went. Her mother would start to pretend to cry and get her to do whatever she wanted. If she didn't, she'd have to suffer her silent treatment for at least a few weeks, and if Charlotte didn't relent and beg for her to talk to her, something would happen to her. The last time they had reached an impasse about something so silly she couldn't even remember what it was, her mother called an ambulance because "her heart was racing." It turned out there was nothing wrong with her, but her craving for attention had been satisfied. 

"Like what?"

"It's important for me that you come, Charlotte. If I can't do this for you, let me enjoy this for Mary," she said, sniffling. 

"Goodbye, mom," Charlotte said, hanging up on her. 

Yes, her mother couldn't hold an engagement party for her because the man she was supposed to marry was getting married to someone else. Thankfully, her mother had no idea what Edward meant for her. Like most people, she thought they were just good friends. 

She let out a long sigh and hit the table. 

Fine. She'd go to the stupid party, and look her best. At least she could make Edward see once again what he was missing out on.