by Emma Vikes
When I’d stared at that pregnancy test, it never occurred to me that Logan would leave.
He’d then broken up with me before I could even tell him, I wasn’t sure how things would turn out. Maybe I would be angrier at him than I was now. It would be different if he’d turned his back on me knowing I was pregnant. It would’ve made him more of an asshole than he already was.
But then again, breaking up with me with no valid reason had been a dick move in itself.
Still, there were moments when I caught myself thinking: if Logan knew and if he stayed, how would it have turned out?
Logan was always a charmer and when it came to kids, he was natural too. Whenever we went to places and there were little kids, he could easily get their attention and they would cling to him. No one could deny the fact of Logan being magnetic. He did everything with such confidence and grace that it made him seem perfect.
When I saw the two lines on the pregnancy test I took that time, the only reassuring thought I had was Logan would be doing it with me. If I didn’t do a good job at being a parent then I knew Logan would.
Ha. I thought bitterly. He didn’t even get to have the chance to be a parent.
But then again, now he had the chance to be.
All it really took was for me to tell him about Amy. If he needed evidence, I could provide it. If he wanted to take a DNA test, then, by all means, I’d let him do it. Then, my daughter could have a father in her life. She wouldn’t have to continually answer questions about her dad and she wouldn’t have to stay at home on the father-daughter day in school.
“No fucking way, Olivia,” I muttered to myself as I closed the door and made my way back to my office. The place was all a mess. There were papers everywhere and I had to resist the urge to tidy everything up. The only reason why I felt the need to do so was to buy myself some time before I had to face the task I was meant to.
I adjusted my glasses and then pulled my laptop closer to me. On the screen was Logan’s financial records. I’d gone through every printed out statement his team had provided me and compared them with the documents of the opposing team. I was trying to find something fake, something which could be used as evidence.
But it was hard. The opposing team had so many documents that could be used as evidence against Logan, to prove their client’s claim. What made it worse was the fact the client used to be Logan’s accountant. She had access to Logan’s business accounts as well as the personal ones he had.
The only thing I’d managed to dig up that could be of use for the whole thing was the fact she was one of the many women Logan had strung along. A former fling and maybe she hadn’t been fully aware of Logan’s modus operandi when it came to women. Or maybe she thought she could be the one to change him.
Ha! As if.
Julija Ivanov. I’d looked her up on social media already and I could clearly see why Logan had been interested in her. She was gorgeous. Her beauty had made her an Instagram model but it was her brains and diploma that had made her an accountant.
“She must’ve been too damn irresistible for the jackass,” I muttered under my breath, clearly annoyed. The whole scandal must’ve happened because he broke her heart, another clear implication that Logan was still an asshole.
Of all the big breaks to come my way, it had to include Logan Crewe.
The fact that they used to be a thing and she was his accountant and being the same person who’d reported the claim, seemed all too suspicious. It could clearly be an act of revenge for Logan for breaking her heart. Obviously, it seemed a little too much but nothing was ever too much for a woman with a broken heart.
She could’ve authored the documents and made them look legitimate. She could do so and she had the resources she needed. Logan must’ve wrecked her up so badly for her to have done this. But then again, I didn’t have any evidence for my assumptions, so I couldn’t bring that to the judge and plead Logan’s innocence.
I let out a frustrated sigh. There wasn’t really much I could use. I could fact check all of the items Logan had bought, from luxury cars to more things he didn’t really need. I could check if his financial records had listed them and if there were things that weren’t, we would be in deep shit.
The whole case was about Logan merely pocketing money from Outright Auto. Allegedly, he had set up a PayPal account wherein outside transactions of the business would wire the money there. In the opposing team’s claims, Logan would then wire the money from PayPal to his own personal card. There were records of that transaction and there were even records of withdrawal.
My phone suddenly rang, the shrill sound making me bite the tip of my fingers harder in surprise. I yelped, sucking in my index finger quickly as my other hand reached for the phone. It was Hadfield. “Hello?”
“Ah, hope I didn’t catch you in a bad time, Olivia,” Hadfield said in his gruff voice.
I made a face, slightly annoyed. He didn’t catch me in a bad time. He just caught me off-guard. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from saying something rude. “No, of course not. I’m just going over Crewe’s case.”
“Oh, I was going to talk to you about him.” Hadfield sounded serious.
For a moment, I wondered if Logan pulled out of the firm. Or maybe he requested another lawyer. I wasn’t entirely nice to him during the exchange we had the other day. He must’ve been offended with how I responded from him, so he wanted someone else to represent him. It would be a pity. The case was huge and it would’ve been good for my career. But then again, I honestly didn’t think I would mind if he replaced me.
“Logan wants to meet with you tomorrow.”
I blinked, almost dropping my phone. “I thought I had a week!”
“It’s been a week, Olivia.” There was a patient tone in Hadfield’s voice when he pointed this out.
My heart sank. Tomorrow was Monday and it would mark the one-week timeframe that Logan had given me.
“Are you not done going over every document they sent over?”
I had been done, yes. I’d read and reviewed everything twice already and it annoyed me how I couldn’t find the right evidence I could use for our benefit. “I have.”
“Then, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem meeting Mr. Crewe tomorrow for lunch.”
I have gone over the entirety of documents and obviously, I would need to meet with Logan as soon as possible. Technically, if there weren’t anything in the documents I could use, meeting up with the client would be the next best thing. But the thing was, the client was Logan and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to any meeting with him. “Of course, it wouldn’t,” I lied through gritted teeth. I had to refrain from showing my distaste over the whole situation. The last thing I wanted to happen was for my company to notice that I had personal issues with my client. If they noticed, they would be inclined to dig up the whole thing. I didn’t want them to find out the past I’d shared with Logan.
I’d been a young and naïve college girl at that time. I should’ve known better but I got swayed with what I thought was love. My colleagues didn’t need to know I’d been a victim of Logan Crewe. They didn’t need to know that he broke my heart once. And most of all, I could do well with the whole case without the teasing, bound to happen if they knew.
“That’s great!” Hadfield chirped, sounding relieved. “You can use the firm’s credit card. We’ll pay for lunch since it’s an honor for him to choose us to represent him.”
I rolled my eyes and tried to keep my voice pleasant as I replied, “Okay, Mr. Hadfield. I’ll see you at the firm tomorrow.”
Setting my phone on the table, I rested my head beside it too, sighing deeply. There were two things I could do now. One, I could continue studying Logan’s case or review the other cases I had to represent. Or two, I could pour myself a glass of wine and come to terms with the fact that tomorrow, I would be meeting with Logan again.
When we met, it would mean that I was truly representing him. We would have to work toget
her and would have to meet with each other a lot. I wasn’t really sure if I felt ready for that. For nearly ten years, I’d tried to steer clear of whatever could cause us to bump into each other. I just never imagined we still would, despite my caution.
God, what had I gotten myself into? I would be representing the man who’d held my heart, wrapped his fingers around it, and squeezed until it bled dry.
Wine sounded so good right now.
6
Olivia
Would he assume that I tried to look good for him?
This question continued to plague me ever since the company car pulled out of its parking space in the firm and drove me to the restaurant that Logan picked. Apparently, the restaurant was fancy, as Hadfield had told me when he handed me the credit card. And we were also meant to pay for the lunch, although Hadfield assured me that Logan would pay us even more.
I fidgeted in the backseat of the car. “Are you going to stay while I’m at the meeting?” I asked the driver.
My car had broken down just as I was about to leave for work and I didn’t have any other choice but to get an Uber to take me to the firm. I told Hadfield about the whole car issue, so it meant I couldn’t drive myself to the restaurant. He offered for me to use the company car and that he would even have his personal driver drive me to the restaurant.
He was being nice because he knew how huge this case was and what it meant to our firm. Despite that, I did appreciate the kind gesture. I honestly thought I would have to take a cab or get an Uber to take me to whatever restaurant I was meant to meet Logan in. If I end up being late because of that, it wouldn’t leave a good impression on the client…Especially this client
“No, ma’am. There’s something that Mr. Hadfield had asked me to do right after I drop you off. You can call me when you’re done and I will come as soon as I can. I’ll give you my number before you get off.”
I bit my lower lip. I believed him, but the whole morning hadn’t really gone too well for me. It started with Amy almost being late for the school bus. She had so much fun with Lacey and Xavier yesterday that it drained her energy. She was a little cranky when I had to wake her up earlier for school.
It made me worry about her because Amy didn’t look too good earlier. I had told her she could stay at home if she didn’t feel too well. But she told me she had a big quiz in her Science class and she didn’t want to miss it. Her passion for her academics reminded me of when I was her age and still in school. It scared me a little.
The passion I had with the academics had created my bad habit of disregarding my health. Even when I felt sick and could barely concentrate, I would force myself to push through. I never really thought much about it and never really cared when I got my own mother worried. Now that I was a mother too, seeing Amy do the same thing bothered me.
If Amy ended up feeling even more unwell than she did this morning, I would have to pick her up. After she had gotten on the bus, I didn’t really think much of it. I could always leave work easily. But then my car refused to start earlier and I was forced to take an Uber to work. Now, a stranger was driving me to meet up with a client and he couldn’t guarantee he would be there when it was done.
Suddenly, everything felt stressful.
What made things worse for me was there seemed to be a part of my brain constantly thinking about what Logan would think. It wouldn’t shut up either, so it continually added to the stress-ball churning in my stomach, making it bigger and bigger.
I desperately wanted to keep the meeting short. I wanted to go over the documents I’d reviewed with him. There wasn’t any evidence to support his innocence and although, we could push that fact that Julija made it all up, I needed proof to support that claim. It wasn’t like I could just make a statement and force it as a fact.
We finally reached the restaurant and I felt my stomach do another flip. The driver sped off right after I got out and I took a deep breath, calming myself before entering. Hadfield made a reservation under my name and I was led to a table for two. I asked for a glass of mimosa, desperate to steady my nerves even a little.
The seat reserved for us was lovely. We’d been placed in the balcony area and it overlooked the busy streets of San Francisco. If I were here for something else, I would’ve taken it all in even more. But I was to meet with a client and I needed to make sure I had everything prepared. As fancy as this all was, I shouldn’t forget I was here for business.
I had to wait for Logan for a little while. Despite everything going on, he must still be busy with the number of companies he had to oversee. To be honest, I had been impressed by how far he’d reached. When we were dating, a part of me wondered if everything he’d vowed to do would be all talk. Now, he finally could shut up the ones who’d doubted him.
A little while later‒and half a glass of mimosa later‒Logan finally arrived.
He came from the door located at the side of the patio and strode towards me. As if he was shooting a commercial, he walked in slow and measured steps. On cue, the wind blew and tousled his hair.
I swear I heard the women in other tables swoon.
Logan was gorgeous and that wasn’t something even I could deny. The first time you would see him, it would probably be the first word that would come into your mind. Gorgeous. Like his face had been formed into perfection, in the same way as Adonis’ during his time. And Logan was very much aware of this.
He knew the effect he had on women and he utilized it as much as he could. It made him a jerk, an asshole, player, and a heartbreaker. Everyone in our university knew this and yet, so many girls still threw themselves at him.
I didn’t. At least, not at first.
“Excuse me, can you please step aside?” I politely asked the guy in front of the vending machine. I’d become desperate for a can of coffee and the café was too far from where I was. I needed to run to the library and study and I needed the caffeine.
The guy turned around to face me.
I was struck by his green eyes. They were bright and alive, vibrant, and striking.
But he didn’t step aside. Instead, he stayed where he was, blocking me from the vending machine.
I really didn’t need this right now. “Can you please step aside, sir?”
His eyebrows furrowed. “I’ve noticed that there had been a stream of girls trying to catch my attention in their own ways. If this is your attempt, it’s not exactly amusing.”
I stared at him in confusion and then shook my head. “I just really want a can of coffee, so can you just please step aside so I can get one?”
He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. Then, he let out a short and amused laugh, shaking his head. “Alright, I’ll bite. What’s your name?”
I couldn’t help but let out a scoff and then I pushed him aside. “I just really want a cup of coffee but you’re blocking me from it, so move.”
He let me move him easily and he stood there at the side.
I could feel him staring at me as I dropped my quarters and then pressed the button. The can of coffee fell on the slot and I took it out. When I turned, the guy was still there, still staring at me.
“You were already rude for not stepping aside and now you’re staring? That’s rude.”
He blinked and then he took a step closer, his height towering mine. “Is this your idea of impressing me because honestly, it’s working.”
Again, I scoffed and shook my head. “You’re not exactly worth impressing so if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”
That had been my first encounter with Logan and then he was introduced to me by someone in our dorm he was ‘friends’ with. After that, he suddenly appeared wherever I was. He was persistent in wanting to get to know me and ‘befriend’ me. Eventually, he made his intentions clear. He wanted me.
But at first, I didn’t want him until I caved in. I wished it had played out differently but then again, had it done so, I wouldn’t have Amy.
“You look absolutely beautiful,�
�� Logan complimented me as he pulled up the chair across from me.
I merely nodded, wanting to keep my word of being a professional.
He waved over a waiter to get our orders and we were handed the menu.
As I read through mine, I could feel Logan glancing at me from time to time.
“This is nice,” he began as he lowered his menu so I could see more of his face.
I resisted the urge to lift mine higher to cover my face.
“And this is what I wanted to happen last week that you refused. See? It’s not too bad, Liv.”
I sighed and put my menu down. “I’m here as your lawyer, Mr. Crewe, and there are many things I wanted to discuss with you.”
The waiter was by our side in an instant and we made our orders.
I took out all the documents I wanted to show him.
A flash of annoyance appeared in Logan’s eyes when I did it but he didn’t complain. He listened to me explain everything I’d reviewed as I showed him the notes I’d made. Only when our food arrived was I forced to set aside the documents.
Cutting through the beef I ordered, I said, “We have a lot of work set out for us, Mr. Crewe, given how legitimate most of their documents seem to be. Julija was your accountant before she made claims of your embezzlement; she had access to your accounts. Both personal and of the company.”
Logan let out a frustrated sigh as he lowered his knife and fork. He laced his hands together as he looked at me with his beautiful green eyes. “Look, she’s just pissed that I dropped her the way I did, Liv. I would never steal money. You know that.”
The thing was, I did. As much as I wanted to forget the history I shared with Logan, it wasn’t something I could simply delete in memory. I knew what he was like and it could either be an advantage or disadvantage for me in this case. It was hard for me to believe Logan would steal money, even if it was from one of his own businesses. “Then why do you think she did this to you?”
