Not Just Another Billionaire

by Emma Kingsley

  Emily listened to him without blinking.

  “The story had stuck with me because I had always felt both relief and a huge responsibility at the thought of God handpicking the woman of my life. I was confident that he would make the right choice but fearful that I might make the same mistake as my grandfather and fail to recognize her.” Logan gently caressed her face as he spoke. “We were sitting in the office that used to be my grandfather’s as I listened to them talking about you this morning, and I suddenly remembered the words ‘God handpicked her for me and I ignored Him.’ I realized that that was exactly what I was doing in the moment that I let them fool me into doubting you. I promise I’ll never ignore Him, and I’ll never doubt you again.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. It all sounded too good to be true. When she met Logan in Aspen, she could never have imagined how their lives would change in such a short time. The most wonderful man she had ever met not only loved her, but he saw in her the love of his life.

  “Am I really awake?” She grinned as she pinched her own arm.

  “Yes, you are, baby. And we’re just getting started. I’ll do everything to make you happy.”

  “Just love me and I’ll be the happiest woman alive.”

  “You’ll never have to worry about that,” he whispered in his gravelly voice. “Are you sure you can forgive me?”

  “I am. But you can still spend the next few months making it up to me.” She giggled.

  “Oh, I plan to. I certainly plan to,” he said as he leaned in and claimed her lips.

  Chapter 21

  Emily

  The days at the hospital passed by slowly, but Emily couldn’t complain. The doctors were amazed by how quickly her condition improved, and she was thankful for her recovery. Logan had been by her side every step of the way. The only times he’d stepped away was when he got new leads into the mole at the company from the detectives he’d personally hired. He was consumed with getting justice for her, especially since the traitor’s actions had led to her accident. She rested assured that he would find the culprit. He was one of those men who gave the impression that they were wired to solve problems.

  It was a Friday evening and Logan had been absent for a few hours. Emily struggled to concentrate on her book while her mind drifted to Logan’s smiling face turning serious when he received his brother’s phone call that afternoon. He kissed her on the forehead and immediately left the room, promising that he would return as soon as possible. This time his voice sounded different than when he previously received leads on the case.

  Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. Logan entered the room in silence, accompanied by Robbie. They approached her bed, their steps heavy and their faces hard to read. She knew that Robbie’s presence meant that something had changed.

  “Emily, I owe you the sincerest of apologies,” he said, stopping and looking at Logan to see if his words had been sufficient.

  She had been disappointed by his doubts. But she had to understand that for him she was just another employee and that she couldn’t expect him to know her so deeply as Logan and dismiss his uncle’s inquiries based on her word.

  “Don’t worry, Robbie. I understand your position.”

  Silence descended upon the room for a moment.

  “We know who betrayed us,” Logan finally said, as something dark passed through his eyes.

  “Who was it?” she asked, impatience written all over her face.

  Logan’s eyes darted to his brother as he released a sigh. He looked back at Emily before he spoke.

  “Our mother.” He was a resilient young man, but she recognized the sound of emptiness and defeat in his voice.

  Emily opened her mouth, but she cut herself off before she could say a word. Where anyone else might have seen two handsome, elegantly dressed men in their full strength, she saw only two vulnerable little boys hungry for love. Learning to live with their mother’s detachment had already been hard enough, but discovering that she was capable of selling them out must have been devastating.

  “We all knew that she wasn’t the nicest person in the world, but we didn’t see this coming,” Logan said, trying to keep his tone even.

  Sitting up, Emily stretched her arms toward him, overwhelmed by the need to make him feel how loved he was. He sat beside her as she wrapped him in a tight hug. Speechless, she listened to his heavy breathing. Finally, he pulled away from her arms.

  “She and Uncle Rupert had been selling our secrets to Carlton for a while. They needed a scapegoat, and you were an ideal target because she couldn’t stand the thought of the two of us having a relationship. She roped Rupert into helping her frame you.”

  “I should have realized that her interest in the investigation was driven by ulterior motives. I let myself think that she might actually care about me and the company for once,” Robbie intervened.

  “Did you talk to her? Did she try to say anything in her defense?”

  “Well, to be honest, she didn’t seem to be too bothered.” Logan shook his head.

  “Her exact words were ‘You guys had a little damage control to work with, big deal.’” Robbie recalled his mother’s reaction.

  Emily couldn’t believe her ears.

  “She said she felt betrayed because we weren’t supportive of her alimony claims and complained that nobody worried that she’d had her entire lifestyle turned upside down by our father’s decisions,” Logan explained, rolling his eyes.

  “After all, she sees herself as a victim of the whole situation.” Robbie shrugged.

  “I really don’t know what to say. She’s your mother and I don’t want to be disrespectful, so I’d better keep quiet.”

  Logan suddenly took her hands in his, his expression growing more concerned.

  “Baby, that’s not all we wanted to talk to you about.”

  “What could be worse than this?”

  “I really wanted to punish the person who did this to you and turn them in to the police, but when we discovered that it was our mother, we….” He struggled to find the right words. “We’d like to avoid pressing charges.”

  Emily felt disgusted by what Mimi Marshall had done to her sons, and she was aware that her actions pushed her into an almost fatal car accident, but she didn’t find it hard to believe that Logan and Robbie were too kindhearted to put their own mother in jail.

  “I might forgive her what she did to us some day, but I’ll never forgive her what she did to you,” he continued a bit defensively.

  “You don’t need to turn your mother over to the police to prove to me that you love me, honey.” She caressed his face as she spoke.

  “I believe the worst punishment for her will be to know that her actions actually brought us together. I wouldn’t have been called to come back if there hadn’t been a mole in the company.”

  “Oh, you’re absolutely right about that. I should probably send her a thank you note.” She chuckled.

  “I’m glad your recovery is going well. With all the drama we’ve been through today, I forgot to get you flowers. I’ll make sure they are delivered to your room tonight.” Robbie finally smiled. “I’ll leave you two now then.” He waved at Emily and his brother before turning to the door.

  “Bye, Robbie. Thank you for dropping by,” Emily said.

  Her gaze darted from the door back to Logan. His eyes looked tired. She cupped his face in her hands.

  “It’s been a hard day. You haven’t slept properly in days. You’d better go home. You need some sleep.”

  “I need you more.” He touched the tip of her nose with his finger. “How can you be so perfect? So perfect for me.”

  “How couldn’t I? You said it, I’ve been handpicked.” Her lips split into a grin.

  “True. Handpicked for me.” He laid his head in her lap and closed his eyes.

  Chapter 22

  Emily

  Although Emily had been living in her Portland apartment for only a few months, it felt reassuringly familiar
and homely after the long days she had spent lying in a hospital room. She was finally back, ready to continue with her life.

  To celebrate her return, Logan invited her for dinner. He hadn’t revealed any details about the location. When she asked about the dress code, he surprised her by saying that she could even wear her sweat pants if she wished. She had to admit she was tempted by the idea, a bit reluctant to leave the coziness of her home. Instead, she swept her hair up into a chignon and put on a burgundy, knee-length dress with a split neckline, paired with black heels.

  When the intercom chimed, she pressed the button and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to watch Netflix?”

  “Nice try! I’m waiting for you downstairs. I promise it will be worth it.”

  Logan usually drove his own car when they went out. On this occasion, a driver waited in the front seat as Logan helped Emily into the back of the limo.

  “When you said you wanted us to celebrate my release from the hospital, I thought you meant something more symbolic. It looks like I’m in for a real treat.” She giggled, leaning back in her seat.

  “You have no idea, baby,” he said as the corner of his lips curled in a mysterious smirk.

  Resting her head on Logan’s shoulder and humming along to a collection of love songs being played over the sound system, Emily closed her eyes. A smile danced on her lips until the car pulled to a stop. She couldn’t hide her surprise as she realized they had arrived at the airport, where a private jet was waiting for them.

  “What’s this about?” She looked at him, puzzled.

  “Just a little surprise.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “I’m afraid that piece of information is an important part of the surprise.”

  A couple of men dressed in dark suits greeted them before they boarded the plane. Logan nodded in response as he slid his hand around Emily’s waist. After a few unsuccessful attempts to learn more about their flight destination, she gave up and relaxed.

  “In Los Angeles, I once met a girl who was a private jet interior designer. It sounded like a really cool job,” she said as she observed the stunningly decorated space around her. “So, you rented this plane just to give me a surprise?”

  “I didn’t actually rent it. It’s my family’s jet. I don’t use it much, but I really needed it tonight.”

  “You didn’t tell me to bring my passport, so I guess we’re not going that far.”

  “No passport needed. We’ll get there in a couple of hours.” He leaned forward and touched her lips with his.

  Between conversations and laughs, the flight went by quickly. When they landed, Logan took a silk blindfold from his pocket and smiled.

  “Do you mind if I put this on your eyes? You’ll soon understand why it was necessary.”

  “I trust you,” Emily said with a chuckle, and he carefully led her out of the plane and into a car. She felt a briskness in the air, but that was her only clue as to where they were. She decided not to ask many questions and gave in to the sense of excitement. After a short ride, she expected him to remove the blindfold from her eyes, but he didn’t. He held her hand tightly and they started walking.

  Surrounded by a surprising silence, all she heard was the sound of their footsteps. Logan squeezed her hand as she sensed they had stepped inside. They kept walking until she heard a chair being pulled out.

  “Here we are,” Logan said, his deep, masculine voice close to her ear, and removed the blindfold from her eyes.

  Emily gasped in disbelief as she took in the elegant dining room of the Montmartre restaurant in Aspen. She slipped into the same chair where she was seated the night that they first met. Unlike their first encounter, this one was private and intimate. Logan had clearly booked the whole restaurant just for them.

  He towered over her, his lips splitting into a charming grin. Overwhelmed by emotion, Emily remained speechless as the memory of him walking into her life through that restaurant door kept replaying in her head.

  “Was it worth leaving the house or not?” Logan broke the silence.

  “Logan Marshall, you are absolutely amazing,” she said, emphasizing each word.

  He got down on one knee and pulled a little black velvet box out of his pocket.

  “Amazing enough for you to accept to be my wife?” he asked, holding his breath and revealing the most stunning ring she had ever seen. “Emily Taylor, will you marry me?”

  Emily’s eyes filled with tears, darting between Logan’s hopeful face and the red diamond in his hands. Her heart raced, and her throat grew thick. All she managed to do was nod and whisper, “Yes, I will.”

  Epilogue

  Emily and Logan

  Emily and Logan got married shortly after the opening of Garganelli, a boutique hotel off the coast of Oregon, which promoted the appreciation of simplicity and genuineness and made an experience out of fresh food, understated décor, and beautiful nature. The board had approved Emily’s proposal once the traitor had been discovered, and the hazard of information theft eliminated. The work on the project began promptly and it progressed fast. The first weekend they opened reservations up, all rooms were sold out six months in advance. Making Garganelli a reality had been a labor of love for both Emily and Logan, and that was why four months after the wedding they decided to gather their family there for a special announcement.

  They sat in a private dining room overlooking the shoreline, surrounded by Emily’s parents, Lucas, his wife and daughter, and Robbie. They were all a family, and the room was so full of love that nobody could doubt the bond between those around that table. Logan’s and Robbie’s father had moved to Japan and contacted them only to discuss business-related issues. Mimi Marshall showed no remorse for what she had done or any interest in seeking her sons’ forgiveness. But Logan and Robbie had found in Emily’s family the warmth and love they missed out on in their own home.

  With a smile dancing on her lips, Emily stared into the distance. Her family meant the world to her, and the thought that it kept growing filled her with joy. She recalled how a few days after Logan proposed to her, she took him to her parents’ home in Sacramento for the first time. He entertained her mom with anecdotes from his sailing adventures and won her over with his effortless humor and mild manners. He praised her cooking and showed genuine interest in her pottery course. On the last day of their stay, before kissing Emily goodbye, the woman whispered into her daughter’s ear, “I told you that the Lord had a plan for you, sweetie. He always knows what’s best for us.”

  Logan had bonded with Emily’s father over their passion for baseball. Whenever the couple visited her parents’ home or received their visit in Portland, the two men enjoyed watching games together, talking baseball and life. Logan sent a private jet that took his father-in-law to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to join him for the last game of the World Series final between the Astros and the Dodgers. Robbie and Lucas were more into basketball, and they could often be seen together in the front row of Portland Trail Blazers’ games. They hit it off so well that they decided to invest in a new restaurant together.

  Emily was happy to see that all her family showed Logan their affection. But the family member whose interactions with Logan nearly melted her heart was her little niece, Luna. He taught her to play chess, and she became so good that he encouraged her to participate in a school tournament. Whenever he went to the beach, he searched for additions to her shell collection.

  Suddenly, Emily heard Logan’s voice close to her ear.

  “Where are your thoughts, my lovely wife?” he asked as he kissed her forehead, causing her niece to giggle from across the table. Clearly, he had noticed that she was lost in her thoughts. Though he loved that she was a dreamer, he needed her attention in that moment. They had business to attend to after all.

  “I was just thinking how perfect it all is, you and me and all of the people we love,” she said, caressing his face. They had called their family together for a very important reason
. It was time to let them in on a secret that she and Logan had been keeping from them over the last couple of weeks.

  “You’re right. It is perfect,” he agreed, his arm resting on her chair. He looked around the room, listening to the lively chatter and the laughter of the people they were surrounded by. It was as if Robbie and he had been a part of Emily’s family all along, and it was touching to see them all together.

  “Do you think we should tell them now?” she whispered with a wink.

  “I think it’s time,” he said as they both stood. He clinked his knife against his glass to get everyone’s attention. When the room finally got quiet, he lifted his glass to them all.

  “I would like to make a toast to my wife and my family. We love you all, and we want to share some news with you.” He turned to Emily, his eyes shimmering with adoration. Gently, he placed his hand on her stomach before beginning to speak again. “We’re going to have a baby.” He held his wife close as all their loved ones erupted in joy around them.

  Emily smiled, interlacing her fingers with his. Observing his warmth and patience with her niece made her look forward to seeing him play with their own child. She knew in her heart that he would be a loving and devoted dad.