Chapter 121

Logan

“Mom? Dad?” Ella called out as we stepped out of the elevator and into the brightly-lit foyer.

Walking into Ella’s parents’ penthouse felt like stepping into a different world.

Rather than the pure extravagant opulence that I had expected, I was instead met with understated elegance, creaking hardwood floors, and tall arched windows that allowed the sun to beam in. The furniture was chic yet comfortable, and the entire place smelled like fresh baked bread.

However, despite the beautiful and comfortable decor, I felt anything but comfortable. This evening was like a high-stakes performance, and my mind was on edge for every little change in the atmosphere. This was my one chance to make this entire arrangement with Ella worth it.

“Logan, let me introduce you to Selina, our housekeeper,” Moana said, gesturing toward a distinguished elderly woman standing nearby. She was leaning on a carved wooden cane, but there was a sort of understated dignity about her.

Selina approached, extending a hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Logan.”

“Same to you,” I said, shaking her hand. Despite her age, Selina’s eyes were sharp, studying me for a moment before giving a nearly imperceptible nod. Something told me that she was more than a housekeeper; she was a part of the family, and her opinion of me held just as much weight as Moana’s and Ddrick’s.

As we moved into the next room, two younger women in matching French maid uniforms approached. “These are our maids, Lily and Amy,” Ella explained.

“Nice to meet you both,” I said, offering a polite smile.

“Welcome, Logan,” Lily replied, returning my smile. Amy nodded, her eyes lingering on Ella as if there was some sort of unspoken conversation there. Once again, I was struck by their relationship; these women weren’t maids, but rather friends and confidantes.

The room was already filled by the time we entered the living room, the atmosphere buzzing with the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses. A woman about Ella’s age, a little shorter but with the same kind of vivacious energy, caught sight of Ella and rushed over.

“Ella!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Ella in a tight embrace.

“Clara!” Ella squealed, returning the hug with equal enthusiasm.

“This is Clara, one of my oldest friends. We met when we were kids,” Ella told me as they finally pulled apart. “She’s human but grew up here in the city.”

I reached out a hand, trying to match their enthusiasm. “Nice to meet you, Clara.”

“Likewise,” Clara said, her eyes twinkling as if she knew a secret I wasn’t privy to.

As the three of us chatted, my eyes kept drifting to Ella. I was seeing a different side of her tonight, not just as the woman lawyer or as the daughter of one of the world’s biggest business moguls, but as Ella the friend, Ella the sister.

Just as I was getting wrapped up in that thought, a young girl with red hair and no older than fifteen burst into the room, heading straight for Ella. Ella’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Daisy!” Ella shouted, her arms open wide.

Ella caught her little sister in a big bear hug, lifting her up off the ground and twirling her around. Daisy was giggling, her small arms wrapped tightly around Ella’s neck. Ella peppered her sister’s face with kisses, making Daisy blush with a mixture of embarrassment and delight.

“You’re too much, Ella,” Daisy giggled, trying to squirm out of her sister’s embrace.

I couldn’t help but smile, watching the love and joy that flowed so freely between them. Ella was different with her family, her walls down, allowing herself to just be… well, herself. For all of her complexities and layers, for all the differing roles she played in her life, this was Ella at her core—loving, nurturing, and beautifully unguarded.

And it made my heart swell to see her this way. I just wished that my family could be like this, and for a moment, I entertained the idea: what if my fake relationship with Ella was never fake to begin with?

But it was a silly notion. It was never going to happen, and I had to come to terms with that.

Moana caught my eye from across the room, raising her glass in a silent toast. I nodded, lifting my own glass. In that instant, amid the laughter and conversations and the drifting aromas of hors d’oeuvres, I felt something settle within me.

It was as if I had been granted a temporary pass, not into the family, but into Ella’s world. And standing there, watching her happiness radiate like the warm glow of a setting sun, I realized it was a world I could easily get lost in, if only I were given the chance.

Suddenly, while Ella and Clara chattered away, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find Edrick standing there, a subtle smile tracing his lips. His eyes flitted to an expensive-looking chess table tucked away in a corner of the room.

“Do you play chess, Logan?”

I glanced at Ella, who offered an encouraging nod. “I know the rules, but I can’t say I’m an expert or anything.”

Edrick chuckled. “That doesn’t matter. Shall we?”

He gestured toward the table, and as I followed him, I couldn’t help but feel the gravity of the moment. There was a weight to his invitation, a subtext I couldn’t ignore. We were about to engage in much more than a mere game. This was a test.

Taking our seats, Edrick gracefully moved a pawn forward. “Your move.”

I countered, pushing my own pawn ahead. As the game progressed, so did the probing conversation, every question subtly cloaked in strategic layers.

“So, Logan,” Edrick began, moving his bishop with calculated finesse, “to continue our conversation from earlier; what would your plans be as ‘mayor’ of your city?”

“I think the focus needs to be on education and healthcare,” I replied, maneuvering my knight to threaten his bishop. “Too many kids grow up without access to quality schools, and too many families are one medical emergency away from financial ruin.”

“A noble vision,” Edrick commented, shifting his queen. “But the city’s problems are deep-rooted. How do you intend to implement your ideas practically?”

“By forming partnerships between the private sector and local governments,” I said, capturing his bishop with my knight but leaving my knight vulnerable at the same time. “Charitable foundations can fill in where tax dollars fall short.”

“Ah,” Edrick mused, taking my knight with his queen. “The knight sacrifices itself for the greater good. Commendable.”

I felt the strain of multitasking, juggling a cerebral conversation and a strategic board game, fully aware that each move, each response was a form of evaluation. Yet I had to press on.

“Sometimes sacrifices are necessary for the bigger picture,” I replied, pinning his queen with my bishop.

“Indeed,” he said. He paused for a moment, thinking, before his eyes lit up. He skillfully moved his queen away from my bishop in a way that I hadn’t expected. “Now, tell me, what’s your stance on the recent rise in crime? It’s a topic quite close to our hearts, as you might imagine.”

“I think it’s about building community trust,” I answered, advancing my remaining knight, aware that I was falling right into a trap but seeing no other option.

“Explain.”He moved his rook to a strategic square, setting up multiple lines of attack.

I swallowed, feeling the walls not just close in on my king, but on me as well. “I look around at this city and I see a certain trust that the citizens hold in their local government,” I said, lifting my gaze to meet his. “I’d hope to create that same level of trust in my own city, one step at a time.”

Edrick nodded slowly, absorbing my words. Then, with a triumphant gesture, Edrick moved his queen. “Check.”

The room suddenly felt ten degrees warmer. Edrick leaned back, interlocking his fingers as if relishing in the suspense. I scanned the board, calculating possible moves, weighing my options, and realizing the precarious position I was in.

But Edrick had one more question, and it struck with the force of a sledgehammer. “So, most importantly… How do you plan on keeping my daughter safe from your family, Logan?”