Logan

"No."

"What do you mean no? Isn't that what you came here to tell me?" She replied, shrugging her shoulders. If you ask me why I came to her clinic, I wouldn't be able to answer because I don't know either. I don't even know how we'll tackle the problem.

"This is not the right time to tell them. I'm currently working on a big project, and I don't want it to affect my work. If not-"

"Your reputation will be tarnished," she cut me off. Something flashed in her eyes—disappointment. And that somehow didn't sit well with me. I don't know why seeing her sad clenched my heart. I know it's my responsibility to take care of her as the father of the unborn baby, but at the same time, I felt the need to put a smile on her face.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like her—or harbor any feelings towards her. Maybe I'd call it pity. She has to go through the stages of pregnancy with a total stranger whom she knows nothing about. I didn't say anything and turned my focus back to the road, driving away.

As the car came to a halt in front of her clinic, she muffled out, "Thank you," and stepped out of the car. A sharp breath escaped me as I stared at her disappearing figure. What the hell is going on with you, Logan?

I headed back to the office to pick up where I left off. I was going through the reports from Liam's part of the company that was assigned to him to monitor. The percentages were reasonable for the quarterly year, but now they are dropping. With my brows quirked in confusion, I reached for the telephone and dialed Liam's number. "Can you come to my office" I said, ending the call without waiting for his response.

After a while, my office door was pushed open with Liam hot on his heels. "Hope everything is good?" he asked, taking the visitor's seat.

"Um, not really. I see something concerning in the reports from your section," I said, pushing the papers in front of him.

"The reports from January to June are reasonable. However, from September to December, they are poor. And I know those are the months the company gets a lot of sales because of the end of the year. Lastly, there are no reports for July and August," I explained, pointing out the loopholes I found in the report. Liam went silent.

"Liam, I need answers," I muffled out. He knows quite well how much effort our father put into building the company. He assigned each one of us a  part to monitor. Scott is taking care of his part reasonably, Bernard is managing the showroom we used in showcasing our products, and I'm also trying my best. But I feel like Liam is not putting much effort into his own part.

"Are you trying to say I'm not doing my job?" he broke the silence, his eyes boring into mine. "I'm trying my best to handle the business, even though I have no interest. But I had no choice, no one really cares about what I want. Not Scott, Bernard, or you," I was taken aback by his statement.

"No one is stopping you from pursuing what you want, Liam. Each one of us has a life outside of this job. But try your best to stay committed to the position you've been given. I don't want anything to go wrong," I replied, trying to defuse the situation.

Anger flashed in his eyes. "That's why you get all the spotlight alone, because you're just like father. You don't care about anyone but yourself and your ambitions."

"Mind your language," I warned,

"What? Did I strike a nerve? Maybe nobody has ever told you this before, but you only care about yourself, Logan, As for the percentage, I have no hand in them. I will try my best and give the missing report within this week. I'm out" He said, his  words hitting me hard. This wasn't the first time I had heard such accusations. Tiffany said the same thing before she left me, and even Olivia had voiced similar sentiments. And now, Liam had joined the chorus. Was I truly the selfish person they labeled me as? Can't they see the effort I put in?

I sat there, stunned by their words, for what felt like an eternity until the ringing of my phone interrupted my thoughts. It was Brian calling. Normally, I might have chosen not to answer, but at that moment, I needed something to distract me. "Brian," I spoke up, placing the phone to my ear.

"Brian? Is that how you're supposed to greet someone who's calling you with excitement?"

"I'm not in the mood, Brian. What's wrong?" I replied, my voice filled with a hint of frustration.

A sigh resonated from the other end of the line. "I want you to help me with something."

"What kind of help?" I asked, wanting him to get straight to the point.

"I have someone, a close friend who is into the tech business. So..."

"Cut to the chase, Brian."

"He's really in need of a job."

I had suspected as much. That was why he had been beating around the bush. "You know that's not how we operate, Brian. We can't just give jobs to people based on favors."

"Please, help me," he pleaded, but I couldn't help but feel suspicious of his sudden request.

"I don't remember you having any close friend apart from me."

"Come on, Logan. You're my only close friend. He's a relative of mine. I'll consider this as your approval. I'll send him over to the company. Bye. Daddy Logan," he said, and the line went dead silent.

"Daddy Logan?" I muttered to myself. The name didn't even sound right. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but sooner or later, I might be labeled as a father. Am I ready for that?

The rest of the afternoon flew by as I meticulously reviewed the reports from the previous year, searching for any discrepancies. I couldn't understand why Liam had overreacted just because I had spoken the truth. I didn't harbor any grudges against my brothers, but sometimes I felt like our bond was forced, lacking the genuine connection that siblings should have.

My head was pounding as I returned home, desperately needing a shower to ease the throbbing pain. Since I had come home earlier than usual, the dining area was not yet set for dinner.

My stepmom was the only one present in the living room, engrossed in a soap opera. I greeted her briefly before making my way upstairs. As I passed Olivia's room, I couldn't help but glance at the door, wondering if she had returned. Shaking my head to dispel those thoughts, I continued on to my room, heading straight for the bathroom. The moment the water started cascading over my body, I began to feel the tension melt away. Taking a shower at night was essential for my sanity and a good night's sleep.

I discarded the towel that was wrapped around my waist and walked towards my wardrobe, completely naked. After all, I lived alone in my room, so I could move around however I pleased, dressed or undressed.

However, the sudden knock on the door startled me. "Who's there?" I exclaimed.

"It's your wife, Olivia," came the reply. My heart pounded in my chest, and I hurriedly rushed to the door. What scheme was she coming up with this time?

"What-"

"Oh my God!" Olivia yelled, her eyes darting downward. I followed her gaze, my eyes widening in horror. Shit! I slammed the door shut in her face. I had completely forgotten that I was naked. Completely exposed!

I quickly made a dash for the wardrobe, where I had tossed the towel on the floor. What an embarrassing situation.

I walked back to the door, ensuring that the towel was tightly wrapped around my waist, covering my private parts. I had assumed Olivia would take the hint and leave, but there she stood, still staring at me with the same shocked expression. "Did I just... " she stammered.

I pulled her inside the room, catching a glimpse of Scott ascending the stairs. With her back against the wall, I trapped her between my bare chest and the door. "Why are you here?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"I..."

She lifted her face, and our eyes locked. The anger that had been building inside me dissipated. The depths of her eyes lured me in, causing me to lose myself. I released my grip on the door, slowly encircling my arms around my waist, drawing her closer to me. "Do you realize the consequences of entering a man's room alone at night?" I rasped, barely recognizing my own voice.

"What do you mean?" she whispered, equally taken aback.

Intending to tease her, I trailed my fingers lightly across her face. But the moment her eyes met mine again, accompanied by a shiver running down my spine, my thoughts became clouded. I found myself leaning closer, narrowing the distance that separated our lips. As the gap dwindled, I knew I was heading into a deep trouble.