EllaThe mornings had always been my time of clarity, my beacon of hope. But not today.Two weeks had slipped by since my dismissal. Two weeks of job searching, late nights spent revising my resume, late mornings sleeping in and being awoken by the sound of my neighbors arguing or playing loud music.I felt like a failure. A failure with convictions, maybe, but a failure.Today, I woke up tangled in a mess of bed sheets, my mind muddled with thoughts I couldn't shake off. Groaning, I groggily crawled out of bed and shuffled over to the bathroom, where I flicked on the light and jumped out of fear of my own reflection.My hair was a mess. I had dark circles under my eyes. I was starting to look a little gaunt, too, from not being able to afford halfway decent meals since Mr. Henderson fired me.The weight of Logan’s influence and the web of the Mafia in the city felt inescapable.Even though I tried to reintegrate into another law firm, word had traveled fast, and every door seemed sh

EllaAs we exited the mansion, the gravel crunched underfoot, the sound reverberating in the otherwise silent evening. Logan led the way, his long strides confident and unhurried.We approached a sleek black car with tinted windows. Its polished surface mirrored the moon’s glow, casting eerie reflections of our figures.“Get in,” he instructed, not a command so much as a casual suggestion. But his clear blue eyes told a different story. They were always watching, assessing.I hesitated, eyeing the vehicle and then him.“Where are we going?” My voice carried a hint of defiance, a touch of the suspicion I felt. Logan had an unpredictable streak that made him intriguing, but also undeniably dangerous.“To eat,” he replied nonchalantly, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I know a good place.”The guarded expression didn’t leave my eyes. “And why should I trust you? If you try any tricks, Logan, I swear, I’ll kill you.”His response was swift and unexpected. With an amu

LoganThe chilly wind that night was relentless, and as I stepped out of the car, I felt a pang of emptiness as I looked up at my dark mansion.The ever-present guards flanked my home, silent statues in their tailored suits.Their stillness was deceiving, because beneath the calm exterior, they were ready to leap into action at any moment. All it would take was one order from me. The fight that ensued earlier when they stupidly kidnapped Ella was proof of that.However, even with their presence, I couldn't help but feel isolated.My home was a testament to my tastes: large, opulent, and overlooking the vast expanse of the sea. But tonight, it felt different.The house that had been a silent refuge now echoed the solitude of my thoughts. Why was it that just a short meeting with Ella made everything seem so... incomplete?As I walked through the spacious rooms, I noted the intentional lack of decor. A deliberate choice. The walls held memories, some that I preferred to forget. To fill

EllaThe imposing structure of the law firm stood tall against the city skyline, its grandeur echoing the prestige and authority it held in the legal world. Its broad stone steps, worn by the footfalls of countless attorneys and clients, led up to tall, ornate double doors.Taking a deep breath, I hesitated at the foot of the stairs. The chatter of the city faded as dread pooled in my gut. Logan’s confident stride next to me seemed out of place at this moment, and the realization of what I was about to do hit me full force.Here I was, waltzing up to my old place of work after letting a mobster threaten my old boss. Not only that, but I was walking up to my old place of work with that very mobster. It was absurd! Brazen!Without warning, I yanked my hand away and spun around, my heels clicking against the pavement as I made a break for it.“I can’t, Logan,” I called out, my voice tinged with panic. “I can’t go back in there, not like this. I’ll find another city, another job. This...

EllaWe didn’t just stop at one store. No, Logan wouldn’t have it. The shopping center was enormous, and Logan clearly had a penchant for spending money. We spent hours in there, perusing each store.Normally, I didn’t enjoy shopping trips. My dad never really took me on them, maybe once or twice a year we would go out on a shopping day, but Moana was the type to instill in me that money wasn’t everything, and so we didn’t splurge too much. I didn’t mind, though. Her precautions made sure that I never got spoiled, despite the fact that my dad was one of the richest men in the world.However, I couldn’t deny the enjoyment of shopping with Logan. I hated to say it, but he was… fun. Maybe it was the mate bond surreptitiously slipping rose-colored glasses onto my face, but I liked seeing him smile as we perused the stores. I liked hearing his jokes about silly outfits, ridiculously high heels, and hats with all sorts of bizarre decorations on them.He made me laugh.At one point, we found