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♥ louisa ♥

MY BREATH INSTINCTIVELY slowed down in an attempt to hide the trembling and uneven rhythm to it as Logan gripped my chin and forced me to look up at him. I ripped my head away from his hand as he continued.

"When I forced you to make the choice of whether to tell him or not, I did not mean use this as an opportunity to roam around with him. And you know that so don't play the victim card." He spat the words with such an intensity that I leaned back in shock. Within moments, he had managed to close the distance between us. "We both know how much of a culprit you are."

A lump formed in my throat as I thought about the numerous mistakes I'd made in the past, some bigger than others.

"Let me tell you a little story." Logan sharply turned on his heel and began wandering around the empty classroom. "Yesterday, I was walking towards my Ferrari when Olivia Emmerdale wraps her hands around my neck and tried to force herself on me. I ask her what she's doing and do you know what she says?"

I froze in the seat as Logan's head whipped in my direction. Emmerdale was the daughter of a famous journalist. "She said, seeing as Louisa's moved on from you, I assumed you'd moved on from her too."

The cool air from the window that had been left open ajar surrounded me and pulled me deeper into a tremendous lack of warmth.

Well wouldn't that be the dream? A life without Logan.

I smiled wryly. They were called dreams for a reason. Dreams never came true.

"If some C lister like Emmerdale thinks she has what it takes to get with me, what the fuck do you think the rest of the Academy is thinking? That I'm some piece of junk that you've finished with and put in the trash."

He hissed, slamming his hand down on the table with such force. The flames roaring in his eyes told me that if we weren't at Forteaux, that would have probably been my skull.

Gripping at the diminishing composure I had, I calmly tried to talk it out. "I've already told people that there's nothing going on between me and Gabriel and I've told you that as well so many times. I don't know what else I can do."

Logan's upper lip curled in distaste as he stalked towards me and crouched down in front of the chair I was seated on. Looking me straight in the eyes, he gripped my arms tightly and forced me to observe the flecks of mocha in his iris.

"You can do a tonne more. Starting with putting on a better show of how much you fucking love me." I bit the inside of my cheek tasting blood as his nails dug into me.

"So people know for sure whose the damn boss around here. I'm not letting you put to risk my chances of a successful future. If my father heard any of the rumours going around about his future daughter in law and a poor scumbag from Brighton he's not going to be happy."

Logan had always known that Darling Enterprices was a bigger and wealthier company than his grandfather's business.

The familiar sensation of him painfully holding my arm brought back memories of all the times before he had done the same. I thought back to the numerous times I'd lied to my friends and family about the bruises on my body, feeling like a pathetic wreck for not telling them the truth. I was so tired of pretending to be stronger than I actually was.

Come on, Lou. Final push. Don't let him know he's breaking you down.

Plucking up the courage, I accepted his challenge and clenched my fists before leaning forward towards him so that our noses were almost touching. He dug his nails in further. I gritted my teeth together to bite back the pain.

"Or what? What will you fucking do?" I whispered quietly through my clenched teeth.

"Lay your hands on me again? I've got a better idea. Why don't you tell Lexi that you'll help her climb up the ranks of Forteaux if she sleeps with Gabriel three times? That will show people that Gabriel's too occupied with Lexi to be hooking up with me." I clucked my tongue and simpered at him. "Ah shame, you've already done that, haven't you? That didn't exactly work."

"Shut your damn mouth!" He shouted all of a sudden, standing up abruptly and shoving my chair away from him. Thanks to my feather weight, I was sent flying backwards on the chair until it slammed against the wall behind me.

"You know exactly what I could do so don't tempt me. God, you're a fucking burden to anyone who knows you, especially your parents. I wouldn't be surprised if they spent every day wishing that they hadn't given birth to their first child."

His mention of my parents was a stabbing pierce to my heart. I hated him so bad. I hated every word he was saying. Every singly word he was saying. Because it was true. And he damn well knew it.

My eyes involuntarily filled up with water, the cataclysm of anger, frustration, guilt and hate threatening to overflow within me.

"Don't bring them into this," I said, annoyed when my voice came out softer than I wished for it to. Flicking away the strands of hairs that had escaped from my ponytail, I stood up from the chair that he'd thrown me into. My knees wobbled slightly yet I pulled up from the spine and stood taller. "And if I'm that much of a burden, why can't you leave me the hell alone?"

My voice cracked.

Logan's head whipped towards me as he snarled aggressively. I could feel the rage radiating from him.

His muscles were tensed and a vein was popping out from his forehead as he grinded his teeth together.

He didn't respond to my question and instead picked up another empty chair and flung it across the room. It jetted through the air before crashing loudly against the white tables causing me to flinch in fear at the sinister booming sound it created. "If we weren't at school right now, you'd be regretting you were ever given a voice."

My lower lip trembled as another chair went flying through the air, this one a mere meter away from where I was standing. It smashed into the wall.

The temporary surge of confidence I had burnt into ashes.

Breathe, Louisa.

I gazed blankly ahead of me and focused on breathing deeply to prevent myself to bursting out into tears.

"I could tear this kingdom down and rip the damn seams so it's nothing more than shreds and smithereens!" He smacked his hand against the wall angrily as if he was irritated at talking to someone as inferior as me. "You pathetic waste of space, I doubt you'd feel so bold if the whole world found out how much of an irresponsible psychopath you are."

Seeming to realise something, Logan slowly stalked towards me with a smirk growing on his deceptively angelic face. He was a demon beneath those halo like features.

"You don't believe me, do you? Seems like you need another reminder of what I can do."

His eyes wandered over my short netball dress and my long golden legs that were on display. I shifted uncomfortably as he greedily raked through all my flesh that was on show.

I instinctively took a step backwards as he laughed bitterly. "What are you gonna do? Run away?" He taunted as he continued to close the distance between us.

"Stop it, Logan."

"I haven't even done anything yet, Louisa."

Don't give in, Lou. You know what he's doing. Don't give him what he wants-

My hearts beat was rapid and I could hear it in ringing in my ears. "Fine! I-I'll do something. I'll make sure people know that I've always been yours and will continue being yours. I'll do something." I was going to shatter if his hands came anywhere near me right now. The words tumbled out of my mouth, encased in fear. "J-Just stop."

I didn't have a clue what exactly I was going to do but seeing how furious Logan was, I'd have to think of something soon.

He stopped when he was positioned right in front of me and brought his mouth to my ear so I could feel his warm breath fanning at me. Despite the fact I couldn't see it, I could perfectly imagine the dark smile stapled on his face. "That's better."

Logan's lips brushed against my neck one final time before he leaned away.

"Although you better fucking mean it and make up for your little quality time with Gabriel. And whatever your planning better be good and if there is no 'plan', get thinking."

I let out a little sigh of relief, hoping that would be the end of our conversation but of course, it wasn't.

"But in the meantime, my place of Friday. I think it's been a while since you thought about why you should never back stab me."

Disgust flooded through me as my toes curled. We both knew this was code for the one thing I really didn't want. Sure, physically he was a beautiful man but within, Logan was beyond repulsive and I loathed myself for forcing myself to give in to his touch on those days.

I loathed myself even more for valuing my reputation greater than my body.

I loathed myself the most for continuing to do it.

Holding my nerve, I nodded. "Fine."

Grinning in satisfaction, Logan walked towards the door and gripped the handle. "Also about going to Australia for Arlo's performance. Talisa's agreed to come so you better come too. Use this as an excuse to sort things out with her and public ally spend time with me." He gave me another smirk as I scowled.

He was right though.

Things were getting sourer with Talisa the longer I left it. And after my promise to validate our relationship to Forteux, I doubted Logan would do anything drastic to me on the trip.

Especially not with Ashlei, Arlo and the others there.

Besides, at least it would be an opportunity to show that Ananya woman that she was nothing. Usually, I'd have sent her packing from Forteaux by now yet with all this other stuff recently, she hadn't been a priority.

"Alright, fine. Just don't tell Talisa I'm coming otherwise she'll bail out. Half terms only a couple days away. It would be better if she found out at the last minute."

Logan raised his eyebrows as if surprised I'd made a logical suggestion and nodded. "Fine. I've also invited Lexi for some more entertainment. She'll be a shambles. I think it's time she found out the consequences of getting too drunk and exposing me."

I didn't reply and instead stood shaking against the wall.

A smug smile was wrapped on the face of King of Forteaux as stood tall as if he owned the world. In that moment, it felt like he did. His eyes lustily roamed my body one last time.

"I'll see you on Friday, Louisa."

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KiwiAndKoalas x

♥ 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫! ♥