Elowen stepped out of the building with her child secured against her, the afternoon light soft against her face. For a brief moment, everything felt controlled again. Predictable. Manageable. She adjusted the strap of the bag on her shoulder, shifted her grip on her child, and moved forward with the quiet discipline she had rebuilt over months. She did not notice the van until it was already too close. It stopped beside the curb with sudden precision, not the hesitation of traffic but the certainty of intent. The sliding door opened before she could step away. Her first instinct was to turn back. Her second was to run. But she did neither fast enough. A hand reached out—firm, trained, and unkindly efficient—and pulled her inside before her voice could fully form. The child’s cry cut sharply through the sudden chaos as the door slammed shut. “Let me go!” Elowen shouted, struggling immediately, her body twisting in instinctive resistance. “What are you doing?” But the van did n

The silence in the warehouse shifted the moment Elowen finished speaking. One of the men exhaled sharply through his nose, then stepped forward with sudden intensity. “Stop lying,” he growled. Elowen flinched slightly, instinctively tightening her hold on her child. “I am not lying,” she said quickly. “I already told you—there is no close relationship between me and Logan.” The man’s expression hardened immediately. “Do not insult our intelligence,” he said coldly. The second man remained near the door, arms crossed, watching her closely as if evaluating every word for weakness or inconsistency. “We already know,” the first man continued, his voice rising slightly, “that you are befriending Logan.” Elowen shook her head in disbelief. “That is not true.” But the man stepped closer, cutting off any sense of space between accusation and response. “Listen carefully,” he said, each word deliberately slow now. “If you try to pretend otherwise, if you try to act innocent and refuse

The road to Brookstone was long enough for Elowen’s thoughts to settle into something sharp and unwavering. The meeting with Logan the previous day had not gone the way she had expected—if she could even say she had expected anything anymore. Everything now felt like it was being arranged by forces outside her control, and she was simply being moved between decisions rather than making them herself. The men’s instructions had been clear. Logan’s wealth was now part of the equation. The child was now leverage. And everything she did, whether she agreed with it or not, was already being watched. By the time she arrived in Brookstone, Elowen no longer debated whether she wanted to be there. She only focused on what had to be done next. Charlotte’s office building stood tall and modern, all glass and polished metal, reflecting the morning light in sharp angles. Elowen entered without hesitation, her presence drawing attention from reception staff who were not expecting someone with he

Logan refused to believe that the situation was beyond repair. He had spent years building his reputation through discipline, careful planning, and sound judgment. Every business venture he entered was thoroughly documented, every investment carefully structured, and every legal obligation handled professionally. Losing several valuable assets in such a short time was something he could tolerate temporarily—but accepting defeat was another matter entirely. The morning after another report reached his desk concerning property transfers, he gathered his legal team. The conference room was unusually quiet. Every attorney present had stacks of files spread before them, each representing another attempt to challenge the proceedings that had steadily stripped Logan of portions of his holdings. Logan entered calmly. "Let's begin." His lead attorney stood. "We've prepared appeals regarding the asset dispositions." Logan nodded. "What are our chances?" The attorney hesitated. "Reaso

Logan remained silent for a few moments after hearing Elowen's condition.The restaurant around them continued its quiet rhythm. Glasses clinked softly in the distance, and a waiter passed by carrying a tray, completely unaware of the tense conversation unfolding near the window.Elowen watched Logan carefully."I've made my condition clear," she said. "Tell me the source of your power, and I'll return everything I have taken."Logan lowered his eyes briefly before looking back at her.Then, to Elowen's surprise, he laughed.It was not loud.Nor was it forced.It was the kind of laugh that carried genuine disbelief.Elowen frowned immediately."What's so funny?"Logan leaned back comfortably in his chair, shaking his head."I can't believe you just asked me that."She folded her arms."I'm serious.""I can see that."His smile lingered."And that's exactly why it's funny."Her expression darkened."You think I'm joking?""No.""I think you're being foolish."The word landed heavily be