Chapter 15\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian couldn\u2019t tell which side of Logan was real anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her finally soften, Logan loosened his hold a little.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He bent down, tapped her nose affectionately, and spoke in that gentle, coaxing tone. \u201cEven if you\u2019re still angry, get your hand bandaged first. Then, you can be mad at me. I won\u2019t let you punish me by hurting yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took her hand and started pulling her toward his office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian resisted the second she realized where he was taking her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It turned her stomach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His grip on her wrist was firm. She couldn\u2019t shake him off. She swallowed it down and said flatly, \u201cLet\u2019s go to the clinic.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A tight ache settled in Logan\u2019s chest at the look of disgust on her face. When she still refused to budge, he finally gave in and took her to the on\u2013site clinic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the door, Vivian yanked her hand free and walked in as if nothing had happened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan followed and waited off to the side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she flinched at the sting of disinfectant, he shot the doctor a warning look and snapped, \u201cBe gentle.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Mr. Whitfield.\u201d The doctor forced a smile and kept working.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once it was done, the doctor gave a few quick instructions and left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment the door closed, the small room held only Vivian and Logan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan frowned at the fresh bandage around her hand, concern evident in his eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just then, Logan\u2019s phone rang again and again, the same cloying little love song blaring each time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian frowned at once and looked at him. \u201cYou\u2019re not answering?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan pulled out his phone, put it on silent, and leaned closer like he had nothing to hide. \u201cIt\u2019s not important. I don\u2019t need to take it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian let out a cold laugh. \u201cIs that so? When you took me away, Ms. Mercer was still kneeling on the floor, looking pitiful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
BC.GAME\u00a0<\/p>\n
View\u00a0<\/p>\n
X CLOSE\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 15\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that have to do with me?\u201d Logan asked coolly, his voice completely unruffled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian smiled and said slowly, \u201cI don\u2019t come into the office much these days, but I still have some standing here. Even if I say nothing and do nothing, there are people who\u2019ll try to curry favor with me by making Ms. Mercer\u2019s life difficult.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf she\u2019s calling you, maybe she\u2019s asking for help. Aren\u2019t you worried she\u2019s in trouble?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan\u2019s brow furrowed. Annoyance flashed through his deep eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVivian, I let Sloane work with me because I felt sorry for her. She reminded me of you when you first started out. She was new to the workplace, but she kept pushing forward no matter what she ran into.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you\u2019d asked Stella to have Sloane fired, so I acted out of spite and hired her. I even let her use your office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve felt guilty about you for years. Back then, I didn\u2019t have the power to protect you, and you had to take all the hits on your own. That\u2019s why I showed her some consideration.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Consideration?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian almost laughed in his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you were so considerate that you even took care of her physical needs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan\u2019s brows drew tight. \u201cWhere did you hear that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom Ms. Mercer herself,\u201d Vivian replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan\u2019s expression hardened, turning serious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVivian, we\u2019ve been together for years. Back when Whitfield Group was just starting to rise,\u00a0<\/p>\n
people sent women to me all the time. Every single one of them was prettier and more\u00a0<\/p>\n
tempting than she is, wasn\u2019t that true?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan had passed plenty of tests before. That was why she had believed that the man she chose wasn\u2019t like other men.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But now, he was laying out lie after lie as if it were reason itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All she felt was a hollow kind of disappointment. He said he felt sorry for her, and that was why he had taken pity on Sloane as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had taken the guilt for her and made it up to another woman instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BC GAME\u00a0<\/p>\n
X CLOSE\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 15\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was so ridiculous she almost laughed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian had wanted to give their seven years together a clean break. But he had never been honest with her, not even once. He didn\u2019t want to end it with dignity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, she would give him exactly what he wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His cheek was still swollen from the slap. Vivian hadn\u2019t held back at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Logan noticed her glance, his shoulders eased slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fine,\u201d he said quickly. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t hurt.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan thought Vivian still cared about him. That meant he could still fix it. He slid his left arm around her waist and leaned in, pressing close. \u201cVivian, we promised a long time ago that we\u2019d be together forever. This is just a bump in the road. I promise you, Sloane won\u2019t ever show up in front of you again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He lifted his right hand, his pinky curling toward hers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was an old habit from when they had been in love. Pinky swear it, and she would forgive him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But this time, Vivian didn\u2019t move.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan\u2019s face tightened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian stood and deliberately pulled away from him. \u201cYour face is so swollen. You probably won\u2019t be able to sign the renewal with Edgewell Group tomorrow, will you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A flash of irritation crossed Logan\u2019s eyes. The warmth and concern vanished so quickly that it was as if they had never been there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fine. Edgewell Group has worked with Whitfield Group for years. Signing a few days late doesn\u2019t matter. They won\u2019t just switch partners.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian didn\u2019t respond. She only smiled faintly and walked to the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was so sure of himself. He was so confident that Edgewell Group would never change partners, and just as certain that she would never leave him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This time, he was going to be wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian walked out without another word. Logan quickly followed, forcing patience into his voice. \u201cI\u2019ll take you home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian shook her head, her tone flat and calm. \u201cNo. You already have plenty to deal with. Go back to your work. Besides, there\u2019s still someone upstairs waiting for you, isn\u2019t there?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
X CLOSE\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 15\u00a0<\/p>\n
4\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t give him time to react. She walked straight out of the building.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Logan stopped where he was, watching her go, his expression dark and unreadable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian pulled out her phone as she stood by her car and called Stella. \u201cSign the termination agreement Logan gave you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stella was taken aback. \u201cMs. Hartwell, if I sign it, the project will fall through\u2014\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian tightened her grip on her phone. Her knuckles turned white. \u201cI\u2019ll find you another investor. Their backing will be stronger than Whitfield Group\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a moment of silence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, Stella asked carefully, \u201cSo, you couldn\u2019t get Mr. Whitfield to change his mind?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian didn\u2019t answer. She only looked back at the Whitfield Group building.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t just that she couldn\u2019t change his mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her silence was answer enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stella realized that Whitfield Group was about to change hands. She sighed and asked softly, \u201d Ms. Hartwell, may I ask who you\u2019re planning to introduce us to?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She cared about this project. Even if someone was willing to invest, she needed someone reliable. Halcyon Group couldn\u2019t take another hit like this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivian hesitated, then said quietly, \u201cThe Howard Group. Kingston Howard. How does that sound?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Enjoy Ad\u2013Free Reading>>\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 15\u00a0 Vivian couldn\u2019t tell which side of Logan was real anymore.\u00a0 Seeing her finally soften, Logan loosened his hold […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-i-cancel-the-engagement-and-level-way-up"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":358,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions\/358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}