A few sunrays peeked through the cracks in the curtains, landing across Isabelle's face. This pulled her out of a deep, peaceful sleep—the kind she hadn't had in years. Blinking her eyes open, she felt a bit disoriented at first, then sighed quietly.
She stretched, enjoying the sensation of waking up slowly, before getting out of the soft bed. Rubbing her eyes, she made her way to the bathroom. It was beautiful—a marble floor, shiny chrome fixtures, and a rainfall shower that looked like something from a sci-fi movie.
Isabelle paused, looking at the buttons. "Okay, this can't be that hard," she mumbled, hitting buttons and turning knobs. A blast of cold water made her jump, but after a few attempts, she finally got it to the right temperature. Once the warm water hit her, she let out a breathe of relief, letting the steam work its therapeutic effects on her tired muscles.
She wrapped herself in a soft white blanket and retreated to the room, her hair still damp and curling at the edges. She opened a door in the corner of the room. The changing room was huge—almost as big as the bedroom. Clothes hung neatly on racks, sorted by color and style, and boxes full of shoes and accessories sparkled in the soft light.
"Wow… this is crazy," she whispered, running her fingers along one of the shelves. After scanning the clothes, she picked out a simple shirt and a pair of jeans.
As she went down the great stairs, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the room, making her hungry. When she got to the living room, she saw Logan sitting on the sleek couch with a hot drink in his hand. He looked up at her, but she couldn't read his face. His presence was still strong, though.
She notices another person in the room. It was a woman with short, curly black hair, sharp raven eyes, and a serious, professional air about her. The woman, who was wearing a well-fitted black suit, stood stiffly. Her eyes briefly met Isabelle's before snapping back to Logan.
"You're awake," Logan said, setting his cup down with an elegance that made even mundane actions seem deliberate. "This is Alice, your bodyguard."
Isabelle offered a polite smile and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Alice's lips twitched slightly, almost imperceptibly, before she dipped her head in a subtle bow, ignoring the handshake.
"There's an event we'll be attending tonight," Logan announced, rising to his feet. His tall frame made Isabelle instinctively straighten her posture.
"A masked event," he added, moving closer until he was standing just a step away from her. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, and a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and disappeared immediately
"Make sure you are ready,"
Before she could respond, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving her standing there with Alice.
Isabelle let out a soft huff, then turned to the bodyguard, who remained stone-faced. "Since we'll be stuck together, we might as well get to know each other, right?"
Alice's response was as curt as her demeanor. "That won't be necessary, miss. My contract forbids me from discussing personal matters."
"Oh. Right. Of course," Isabelle replied awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck. "How could I forget?"
Silence followed, and Isabelle bit her lip. She glanced at the cup of coffee Logan had abandoned, her stomach grumbling again. This is going to be a long day, she thought.
The awkwardness was cut short when a female servant appeared.
"Good morning madam. Master said we should prepare your breakfast," She said , her head low.
Madam…it feels weird being called that.
"I thought you all went on a vacation?" Isabelle asked in confusion.
"We were, madam, but we've returned to resume our duties," the servant replied with a slight nod. "What would you like to have this morning?"
Isabelle's stomach growled quietly, betraying her thoughts. She pressed a hand against it, hoping the noise hadn't been too obvious.
"A breakfast bowl and a matcha latte, please," she finally said.
***
Logan sat in the back seat of his sleek Phantom Rolls-Royce, his face a mask of indifference.
Thirty minutes later, the car came to a smooth stop in front of a towering, foreboding skyscraper. The building loomed like a dark sentinel over the city, its sharp lines and glass windows reflecting the harsh, clouded sky.
Logan stepped out of the car with effortless grace, his presence commanding the attention of everyone nearby.
He strode into the building, his footsteps echoing in the sleek, marble-floored lobby. The atmosphere was tense, the employees moving with quiet urgency, careful not to make a misstep. Everyone looked serious with their jobs, for fear of getting fired in the next second.
A man approached quickly, walking alongside Logan until he was almost at his side. Thomas, Logan's personal assistant and secretary, adjusted his tie slightly as he spoke
"The company's shareholders are holding a meeting with your uncle. He keeps demanding for you to be removed as the CEO" he remarked.
Logan's expression remained unreadable, but internally, his thoughts darkened. Tch. Greedy motherfuckers. He said nothing in response.
His silence lingered as they reached the elevator. After the short ride to the designated floor, Logan stepped out with his usual confident stride, Thomas close behind him. As they walked toward the double doors to the conference room, he pushed open the doors, the shareholders were already seated, mid-discussion. The room went quiet as they noticed him enter, their faces draining of color.
Logan wasn't expected to be here today, and his sudden arrival made the tension in the room palpable.
Logan's uncle, Barry, whose smug smile faltered slightly upon seeing him. He leaned back in his chair and spoke with feigned ease, "Well, look who decided to show up. Perfect timing."
Logan ignored him, striding confidently to his seat at the table. Barry's expression darkened, clearly irritated by the apparent snub. Spoiled brat. Let's see how you plan to wiggle your way out of this one, Barry thought, seething internally.
Logan sat down with deliberate ease, his presence filling the room. His cold, calculating gaze swept over the shareholders, and in that instant, the weight of his authority seemed to press down on them. No one dared to speak.
Barry, irritated by the silence and the palpable fear in the room, took it upon himself to speak first. Such cowards.
"We are gathered today to remove you from your position as CEO. You have yet to fulfill the clauses required for you to maintain your role," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. The other shareholders nodded in agreement, though their eyes betrayed unease as they glanced at Logan.
Logan raised an eyebrow, his posture casual yet commanding as he rested his elbows on the table, his knuckles pressed beneath his chin. His gaze never wavered, piercing through each shareholder, who averted their eyes in uneasy silence. A devious smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Barry, unable to stand the tension, broke the silence with a sharp remark. "Cat got your tongue? You've no right to hold this position. It should be given to someone else."
Thomas moved swiftly through the room, handing out a file to each of the shareholders. As he placed the final file on the table, the room fell into a tense silence. The shareholders stared at the documents in front of them, their hands hovering, unsure whether to open them. The weight of the moment hung thick in the air.
Barry, impatient, reached for his file first. He flipped it open, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the document inside. A photo of Logan's marriage certificate. His throat tightened, his breath catching in shock. "What?" he stammered. "You… you're married?"
The room seemed to freeze. The other men hesitated, then one by one, they opened their own files, their faces blanching as they read the same revelation. The shock was palpable, each of them trying to process the bombshell that had just dropped.
Barry's mind raced. How could I not know this? he thought, his heart pounding. Did he forge this? No, Logan isn't the type to fake something like this.
He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, feeling the burn of humiliation.
Who is this woman that agreed to marry him. How did he fulfill the clause in less than a month?
For so long, he had been plotting to seize control of the company, convinced that the opportunity had finally come. But this? This was an unexpected blow to his plans.
Logan sat across from him, arms casually folded, a smug expression stretching across his face as he observed the chaos he'd caused. Barry's fists clenched on to the files.
Before he could make another move, security guards burst into the room, swiftly taking hold of Barry's arms, pulling him out of his seat with no regard for his protests.
"What is this?" Barry snarled, struggling against their grip. "Is this how you're going to treat your own uncle, Logan? Your father's brother?" His voice was harsh, desperate, but the security men didn't flinch. They tightened their hold, dragging him toward the door.
The room was silent, save for the sounds of Barry's futile attempts to break free. The other men looked on; their eyes wide, relieved that it was not them being dragged out. A few even exchanged nervous glances, fearing they might be next.
As the door swung shut behind them, Logan's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "This will be the last time anyone holds a meeting without my permission," he said, his voice cold, each word dripping with authority. The shareholders nodded in immediate agreement, their faces pale, recognizing that defying Logan was no longer an option.
Logan rose from his seat, his movements fluid and commanding. Thomas, who had been silent until now, followed closely behind him. As they exited the room, Thomas spoke up, his tone urgent. "Sir, we have a breach in the company."
Logan's expression darkened; his irritation evident. "Where?"
"In the underground parking lot," Thomas replied, holding up a tablet that displayed the security feed.
Logan's jaw clenched. "These morons don't know when to quit."
The elevator ride to the underground lot was swift. As the doors slid open, Logan stepped out, his eyes scanning the dimly lit area.
"It won't do you any good if I find you instead"
Figures emerged from their hiding spots, each holding a weapon aimed at him.
Logan's lips curved into a dark smile as he stepped forward, shrugging off his suit jacket. "Finally decided to show yourselves."
Without warning, he moved with lightning speed, his body a blur as he appeared right in front of one of the intruders. The man froze in shock, unable to react in time. Before he could pull the trigger, Logan gripped his throat with ironclad strength.
CRACK
The body went limp in his grasp, and Logan released it, letting it fall to the ground. His smile widened; his eyes gleaming with dangerous satisfaction.
The remaining intruders hesitated. Logan's gaze flicked toward them; his voice filled with menace. "Get ready."