Chapter 172

Ella

The cleaning began in earnest, Logan and I working side by side to restore some semblance of order to my once-tidy living room. As we picked up the scattered cushions and placed them back on the couch, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude mixed with curiosity.

Finally, unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I cleared my throat and spoke up. “Logan, why are you doing all of this? Helping me clean, taking me to that race... I don’t understand.”

Logan paused for a moment, as though carefully choosing his words. His gaze met mine, and there was a sincerity in his eyes that caught me off guard.

“Ella, despite everything that’s happened,” he said, “I do care about you. I still stand by what I told your father. I care about you more than you realize.”

His words hung in the air, and I couldn’t help but wonder if they held a deeper meaning. Did he mean that he cared for me romantically, or was it just a sense of friendship? The uncertainty gnawed at me, and in my haphazard state of mind, I decided to probe a little more than I should have.

I furrowed my brow and asked, “Logan, if you didn’t stand to inherit your father’s fortune, would you still care for me? Or is all of this just to keep me around until you secure the inheritance?”

Logan’s expression shifted, a hint of hurt crossing his features. He looked away briefly before meeting my gaze once more, his voice firm. “I shouldn’t have to answer that question, Ella.”

His words made me blush. I quickly looked away, suddenly feeling as though my tongue was a thick knot in my mouth. No words would come.

We continued cleaning in silence, but I kept thinking about what he had said—or rather, what he hadn’t said. I didn’t need to ask what he meant; I think I already knew.

And here I was, planning on taking him down in a way that would hurt the most.

With the cleaning finally completed, Logan announced that he was going home. I watched him gather his things, a sense of unease creeping over me. I didn't want him to leave, not now.

But as he headed toward the door, I felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to stop him. My hand shot out, grabbing his before he could leave, and I blurted out, “Logan, please stay.”

Confusion flickered in his eyes as he turned to face me, his brow furrowing. “Ella, what’s wrong?” he asked, the concern evident in his voice.

For a moment, I panicked, unsure of how to explain myself. There was so much that I couldn’t tell him.

“I just... we made a promise to keep up this act until you win the inheritance,” I said. “And you haven’t stayed here in almost a week.”

Logan stared at me for a few moments, his concern and frustration flickering across his face. “Is that really it?” he asked.

I hesitated, torn between revealing the truth or keeping it hidden. I wanted to tell him so badly, but I knew that it wasn’t safe. Finally, I just nodded, releasing my grip on his hand. “Yes. That’s it.”

He stared at me for a moment longer before he finally shrugged. “Alright. I’ll stay.”

Relief washed over me as he settled back onto the couch, and even though I couldn’t tell him the truth about everything that had happened, I at least felt comfort in his presence.

But then, my wolf’s voice came through my thoughts.

“Ella, we should talk.”

…

My reflection stared back at me in the dimly lit bathroom mirror, my eyes filled with a deep and profound sadness that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. I felt like a fraud and a manipulator, and yet at the same time I felt helpless and weak.

“I hate this,” Ema said, clearly just as frustrated as I felt. “I wish we could tell him.”

“Trust me; I do, too,” I responded inwardly. Tears welled up in my eyes as I continued. “I wish I could tell Logan the truth. I wish I could let someone in, share this burden. But I can’t, Ema. I can’t risk it. Not when it involves Daisy.”

Ema’s understanding was palpable, her voice filled with empathy as she responded, “I know, Ella. I feel it too. We made a promise when Daisy was born, fifteen years ago, to protect her. I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to her.”

My heart ached at the mention of my little sister. She was the light of my life, the one thing that always kept me going when times got tough. I still remembered the day she was born.

I was only nine years old, the prime age for a child to resent the birth of a new sibling, and yet the moment I had looked at her I knew that she was the most important thing to me. She was like my soulmate.

And yet, it still hurt, knowing that Logan was doing his best to care about me and yet here I was, plotting his downfall. All thanks to Marina.

“It’s just so lonely,” I admitted. “I hate what I’m going to have to do to him.”

“I know.”

Ema’s voice was filled with sadness. It didn’t often occur to me that it pained her, too, for Logan and I to be at odds. His wolf was her mate just as Logan was mine. All this time, I had denied her that peace, and now it was even more impossible.

…

That night, as I lay in bed beside Logan, I drifted into a fitful sleep plagued by unsettling dreams.

In my dream, Marina stood over Daisy, a malevolent grin on her face as she held a silver knife dripping with blood.. My sister’s lifeless eyes stared back at me, and I awoke with a yelp, drenched in sweat.

Logan was instantly awake, sitting up beside me and pulling me into his arms. “What’s wrong?” he asked frantically. “What happened?”

I struggled to catch my breath, the remnants of the nightmare still haunting me. Now, more than ever, I wanted to tell him; and I almost did.

“It… It was…” I began to stutter, trying to find the right words to explain what had been plaguing me.

But as I came back to my senses, I realized that it was the wrong thing to do.

Swallowing, I simply shook my head. “A nightmare. Just a nightmare.”

“I’m here, Ella.” Without hesitation, Logan pulled me closer and back down onto the bed. His arms were warm and strong around me, and in that moment, I finally felt safe.

I buried my face in his chest, my heart still racing from the nightmare. But in his arms, I felt bulletproof.

As Logan stroked my hair and whispered soothing words, I gradually began to relax. The fear from my dream ebbed away, replaced by a sense of peace and safety that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

In the darkness of my room, with Logan by my side, I allowed myself to drift back to sleep, finding comfort in his presence. Despite everything, despite all of the times I had pushed him away, he was here once again to comfort me.

But that only made it hurt even more, knowing what I was going to do to him.