Chapter 218

Ella

“What is this, Ella?”

The moment Sarah’s eyes had landed on the contents of the file, a cold wave of panic washed over me. I couldn’t let anyone know about what was going on behind the scenes, and yet I had been careless and allowed her to see it. And it wasn’t even that I was worried about myself; it was that now, thanks to my thoughtlessness, Sarah was at risk.

God, how could I have been so stupid?

My heart pounded in my chest as I snatched the file away. “It’s nothing, Sarah,” I said, my voice hoarse and frantic. “It’s just... just some old paperwork. That’s all.”

But the look on Sarah’s face told me that she had already seen enough to know I was lying. “Ella, I know a fake file when I see one,” she said, her voice laced with confusion and concern. “It’s got stuff in there that could put Logan in prison. Are you plotting something against him? I thought he was your fiance.”

“No, no, it’s not like that,” I stammered, my mind racing for possible explanations as I opened the drawer to my desk and hurriedly shoved the dossier inside. “Trust me, it’s nothing of importance. It’s just… for fun, okay?”

Sarah’s eyes narrowed as she folded her arms across her chest. “For fun?” she scoffed. “You’re building up a secret dossier against your fiance for fun?”

I swallowed. “Yep, that’s it,” I said. “I get bored sometimes, so I like to mess around and make up pretend cases in my head. Logan knows about it, and he thinks it’s hilarious. We’ve already laughed about it.”

But Sarah wasn’t so trusting. Her eyes narrowed even further, searching me for any cracks in my facade; and there were many cracks. My hasty explanation was clearly a lie, and it would only take a complete and utter idiot to not see that.

“Ella, something’s clearly going on here,” Sarah said, a bit more gently now. “Why else would you have a file like this on him? Are you two okay?”

I hesitated, torn between the instinct to protect the intricate web of deception Logan and I had woven and the need to confide in someone. I trusted Sarah, and so did my wolf; Ema said so herself. And I wanted so badly to finally be able to talk to someone about all of this, someone who wasn’t Logan.

And, as Sarah looked at me, her eyes were filled with genuine worry, her concern for my well-being evident in her expression. I let out a soft sigh, my shoulders slumping as I sank back down into my chair.

“Tell her,” Ema said softly. “I trust her. You know you can trust her. Besides, you left your tapped phone at home; you’re safe now.”

Ema was right; maybe it was safe. But I still had no clue if my office was bugged. And so, without a word, I rose from my chair again and took Sarah by the hand.

“Follow me.”

Sarah paused, pulling her hand away as she leveled me with a stern glare. “Why?” she asked.

“Just… follow me,” I said, nodding my head toward the door. “Please.”

For a moment, Sarah just looked at me incredulously. But she wasn’t stupid, and I knew that she could see the desperation in my eyes. Finally, with a nod, she followed me out of my office. I led her down the hall, my eyes darting around until I spotted a supply closet at the end of the hallway. Figuring that this was the last place that would have been bugged if Marina had gone so far as to bug my office to begin with, I opened the door and gestured for Sarah to follow me into the dimly-lit room.

“Seriously, Ella?” she asked, hesitating in the doorway. “A supply closet?”

“Trust me,” I said quietly. “Please, we can talk in here.”

Sarah sighed, but didn’t argue. She followed me into the supply closet, and once the door was shut, she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at me again. “I hope you’ve got a good explanation,” she said.

“Look, Sarah, I can’t explain everything,” I began, my voice barely more than a whisper. “There’s a lot at stake here. Logan... he’s being framed by someone in the mafia. That file that you just saw, it’s part of a ruse we have to maintain for everyone’s safety.”

Sarah’s expression shifted from confusion to fear. “Are you serious?” she said, her voice trembling. “Ella, what have you gotten yourself into?”

I reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. “Don’t worry; I’m safe, Sarah. Logan is handling it, and he won’t go to prison. It’s all just a facade, a fake file to keep up appearances.”

“I just don’t understand,” Sarah said. “Appearances? Facades? None of this makes sense.”

“Trust me, I know it doesn’t,” I said. “But look, the person who’s framing Logan needs to believe that I’m working with them to take them down, when in reality, I’ve been working with Logan.”

“So you’re a double agent,” she said.

I almost chuckled. “Sort of,” I replied. “But listen, really, I’m safe. Well, now I am, at least. But this cannot get out, do you understand?”

Sarah sank onto a nearby crate, her face pale. “This damn mafia,” she muttered. “They’re always in control, always hurting people. They’ve destroyed this city.”

I nodded, understanding her fear all too well. “Logan and I are trying to take down some of the biggest players in the city,” I said softly. “I know it seems dangerous, but it’s the only way.”

Sarah’s confusion was evident. “But Logan’s one of them, right? One of the biggest mobsters in the city.”

I let out a small chuckle, despite the gravity of the situation. “Yes, he is. But he’s trying to get out, to change things. He’s working from the inside. That’s why we’ve been ‘together’. We’re not really engaged, Sarah. Think of Logan and I as… business partners who are just trying to make a difference.”

Sarah’s eyes widened in realization. “That explains so much,” she said, a hint of awe in her voice. “So you’re not fated mates?”

I swallowed. “Well… we are,” I admitted. “But it’s complicated.”

For a moment, Sarah just blinked up at me before she spoke again. “Do you love him?”

I felt my cheeks warm at the question. “What?”

“You heard me,” Sarah replied. “Do you love him?”

Her question left me taken aback. I opened my mouth to respond, but then shut it again, uncertain of what to say. She was too intuitive for her own good, or at least, that was how it felt at the moment.

“I…” I began, but my voice trailed off, my throat closing up.

Sarah chuckled. “I see how your eyes get so far away when you talk about him,” she said. “And how you practically run out of the building at the end of the day when he comes to pick you up. You think no one notices, but I do.”

“Maybe… Maybe you’re right,” I whispered, sinking onto another nearby crate. “And maybe that’s why it’s even more important for our plan to work. Because if we get caught, the consequences will be dire.”

Sarah nodded, her expression solemn. She extended her hand towards me. “I’m making a pact right now, Ella,” she said. “I swear on my life that I won’t say a word to anybody. I’ll take your secret to the grave.”

I looked at her, my eyes brimming with tears. “Are you sure, Sarah? This is dangerous.”

She gave me a firm nod. “You’re my friend, Ella,” she said gently. “I care about you. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Overwhelmed by her loyalty and support, I jumped up from the crate and hugged her tightly, the relief and gratitude washing over me in waves. “Thank you, Sarah,” I murmured into her shoulder, hugging her so tight I was worried I might crush her. “Thank you so much.”

In that moment, the burden I had been carrying felt a little lighter, and the path ahead, though fraught with danger, seemed a bit more bearable with a friend by my side.