The Divorced Heiress Is Entering a New Marriage

“I can’t.”

I can’t. Two simple little words that echoed in my heart Logan wanted me, of that I was sure with 100% certainty. So why this hesitation?

“Is something wrong?” I asked. He’d been acting strangely since our dance, when I had first suggested Intimacy tonight. Since then, he’d been moving like a zombie, nodding and grunting at the appropriate spots in conversation, but otherwise was completely detached.

He had returned to himself now. I could see in the way he blinked and his eyes cleared.

“You aren’t my mistress,” Logan said.

My blood turned cold. I’m your wife,” I reminded him.

Logan sighed and pushed his hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. I’d seen this look before, so I knew that he was pulling back, away from me.

“I’d thought we were past this,” I said. “When we called off the divorce, I thought things would be different.”

Logan glanced behind him down the empty hallway, as if he was worried someone would overhear. It shouldn’t I knew what we were and the secrets we’d both agreed to keep yet seeing him this cagey about us still cuts through my chest like a knife between my ribs.

He had said I wasn’t his mistress, yet here he was treating me like his dirty little secret.

“Goodnight, Hazel,” he said and left me. He didn’t even wait for a reply. He simply bid his farewell and disappeared like a thief in the night, having stolen my heart.

Familiar disappointment coiled around inside of me as I went inside of my apartment.

I did not hear from Logan again for the rest of the weekend. I called twice, sent to voicemail each time. I didn’t bother texting. Not answering or returning my calls was a message clearly delivered.

On Monday, I was cranky. I’d barely slept at all, and wasn’t looking forward to Dawn’s many frivolous tasks. Yet I’d have gladly handled a hundred pointless tasks from Dawn than have to see Logan, so I made a line straight for her office.

Only, once I get there, Dawn’s office was empty. Not just empty, but barren. All of Dawn’s personal effects were totally gone. Her knick–knacks. Her pictures. Her diploma on the wall. All gone.

Even her name was off the door.

I turned around, back into the hallway, and ducked my head into another HR employee’s office.

“Is Dawn out today?” It was the nicest way I could think of asking if she’d been fired.

“She quit,” the other HR rep said. “Last Friday, without notice. But we can’t be too mad. She said she hit the lottery. We’re all thrilled for her. I think she moved to Cabo.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say. “Thanks.”

I backed out into the hallway once more. Dawn won the lottery? Why did that seem so damn suspicious?

Or was I being paranoid?

Maybe I needed more sleep.

Rubbing my forehead, I dragged myself back to my usual desk outside of Logan’s office. Through the window, I saw him already here, typing away at his keyboard while simultaneously on the phone.

Hard at work as always.

I tried to follow his example. Even if I was hurt and confused by our personal problems, there was no denying that Logan was an extremely committed worker. He put almost everyone else in the office to shame. Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

The only other person I’d ever seen put in so many hours was one of the IT guys. Though I was suspicious. that guy was sleeping under his desk. As someone who also needed to live at the office for a while, I wasn’t about to dig further or call him out.

After settling, I turn on my computer and start to get back to my usual work, Logan had handled most of it in my absence, but I could see some gaps in the differences of our styles.

All of the company required Logan’s attention, so he didn’t give individual clients the personable service that I did. He just couldn’t. There were too many people and his time was valuable.