“Mr. Hayes, I was honestly expecting to see your parents with you,” Adam said as they settled into the- sitting room.


    Mary sat on one end of the long sofa while James remained by the window. Deana enteredte, barely offering a nce at Logan as she took a seat beside her husband. Emery, meanwhile, picked the farthest single chair she could find, hoping to blend into the fabric.


    Logan didn’t sit immediately. Instead, he straightened his cufflink and offered Adam a short nod.


    “I understand the expectation,” he said. “But I don’t involve my parents in matters of the heart. And this”-he gestured toward Emery-“is very much a matter of the heart.”


    Emery closed her eyes for half a second. Please stop talking, she thought. Please…


    Adam blinked. “Matters of the Heart?”


    Logan finally sat beside her. “Yes. I fell in love with your daughter the moment I met her.”


    Emery’s head snapped toward him. “Logan-”


    But he kept going.


    “She’s brilliant. Strong-willed. Sharp-tongued when necessary.” He turned toward Adam. “You should be proud. Emery doesn’t bend. Not easily. Not even when she’s terrified.”


    Mary looked between the two of them, hiding a twitch in her mouth. James tilted his head, watching Logan like someone slowly opening a confidential file.


    “Terrified?” Deana repeated..


    “She was,” Logan said, ncing at Emery. “Of me.”


    “I wasn’t terrified,” Emery said quickly, her ears burning.


    “You were,” Logan said,pletely unfazed. “But you still stood your ground. That’s the moment I


    knew.”


    Adam cleared his throat. “Knew what?”


    “That I wanted to marry her,” Logan answered. “Not just because she’s carrying my child-which, to be clear, I am thrilled about-but because I couldn’t imagine letting her walk away after that. Emery is the kind of woman you build empires around.”


    46.70%


    Emery shifted in her seat. “Logan-” She wanted to dig a hole and hide herself inside! What is this man doing!?


    “And she’s beautiful when she’s annoyed,” he added, looking right at her. “Which is most of the time, with me.”


    Mary coughed. James scratched the back of his neck.


    Adam looked like he wasn’t sure if he should interrupt or let it all y out.


    Deana frowned. “You’re saying you proposed to her after a few days?”


    Logan turned to her. “I didn’t propose. I dered my intentions. There’s a difference. Emery signed the marriage documents willingly.”


    “Under what context?” Adam asked sharply.


    Logan smiled. “Complete understanding. In fact, she read every use in the prenup before I did. And amended some of them. She’s incredibly thorough.”


    Emery leaned forward, covering her face with one hand. “Can we stop now?”


    Logan looked at her. “Why? I haven’t even gotten to the part where I cried in the car after she told me she was pregnant.”


    “You didn’t cry,” she said through her fingers.


    “No,” he admitted, “but I considered it. The emotion was there.”


    Mary snorted.


    James looked down, pretending to cough.


    Deana sat stiffly, clearly regretting her decision to show up at all.


    Logan turned back to Adam. “I know Ie off a bit… direct. But I didn’te here to ask for approval. I came to let you know that your daughter will be taken care of. Protected. And respected.”


    Adam narrowed his eyes. “You really love her?”


    “More than anything,” Logan said. “Even when she res at me like she’s doing right now.”


    Emery sighed. She could feel her face burning, and there was no escaping it.


    Mary finally stood. “Well,” she said, sping her hands together. “Why don’t we all have dinner?


    73.00


    Before Logan starts reciting poetry or something.”.


    “Don’t tempt me,” Logan said.


    Emery gave him a look that clearly said shut up.


    He winked back.


    God help her. This was her life now.


    “What the heck are you doing!?” Emery hissed as she pinched Logan’s arm.


    He didn’t flinch. Her father, grandmother, and James had already made their exit, each moving as if staying in the living room any longer might cost them their sanity.


    “I didn’t want to drag out the conversation,” Logan said, shrugging. “This is the fastest way.”


    Emery narrowed her eyes. “The fastest way?”


    “The human way,” he added under his breath.


    She blinked. “Did you just say the human way?”


    He didn’t respond. She chose to ignore it. For now.


    “Stop embarrassing me,” she muttered.


    Instead of backing off, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.


    “Logan-”


    He lifted her chin with two fingers, forcing her to look at him.


    “I should’ve kissed you earlier.”


    Her face turned red instantly.


    It worked. She knew it. The awkward tension had shattered. The room had emptied. Conversation deflected. But still-he was infuriating.


    Then someone cleared their throat.


    Emery quickly pulled back. Logan straightened, but didn’t look surprised.


    James stood by the doorway. He nced away as if trying to pretend he hadn’t just seen anything.


    Sept


    70%台


    “Dinner’s ready,” he said.


    Logan nodded once, let go of Emery, and started walking toward the dining room.


    But before Emery could follow, James reached out and held her wrist.


    “I want to talk to my sister,” he said.


    Logan stopped, looked back, then leaned down and pressed a kiss to Emery’s cheek. He gave James a nod and left the room.


    Emery sighed and turned to her brother.


    “Did that man threaten you?” James asked, voice low.


    She stared at him. “What?”


    “I checked his background. Or tried to. There’s nothing. It’s a ckout. And I don’t mean private. I mean wiped clean. No media. No financial reports. No photos. Nothing that isn’t controlled.”


    Emery crossed her arms.


    James continued, “But my contacts-guys I trust-knew the name. Logan Hayes. They said he’s well- known in the private sector. Ruthless. Quiet. And tied to Russian contracts in the past. That’s not normal. So I’m going to ask you again-did he threaten you into this marriage?”


    She shook her head.


    “Emery-”


    “I’m serious,” she said. “Have you seen him?”


    James blinked. “What?”


    “He’s exactly my type,” she said inly. “And don’t worry. I can handle myself.”


    James looked down at her stomach, “You’re really pregnant?”


    She nodded.


    He hesitated. “Is it Samuel’s?”


    “No,” she said. “It’s Logan’s.”


    He stared at her for a second longer. “How is that even possible? You and Samuel just broke up. Did you… cheat on him?”


    sept


    Emery shook her head. “It was after. After he announced his engagement to Talia.”


    James pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything right away.


    “I’m fine,” Emery said, meeting his eyes. “Really.”


    But as the words left her mouth, she realized they were more for herself than for him.


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