<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I lowered my head, avoiding Logan’s gaze.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Then, he suddenly asked, “Did Ruby and Normane today?*</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">His question caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected him to ask about this.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I nodded.</font></font>This is from N?velDrama.Org.
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Did they say anything hurtful?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I shook my head.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Really?” he asked again.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I shook my head again.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan stared at me for a long while before he said, “Go upstairs and get some rest.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I looked at him, unable to say the words that I have rehearsed all afternoon.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">When he turned around and noticed that I hadn’t gone upstairs yet, he asked, “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Or do you have something to say to me?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I quickly shook my head. “No, it’s nothing.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">With that, I hurried upstairs.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Behind me, Logan suddenly said, “Don’t listen to what Ruby says. And as for Norman, just ignore him.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">| absentmindedly nodded</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“I’ll arrange for you to stay somewhere else once I finish settling things tomorrow,” he added.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">This caught me off guard.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“There are too many peopleing in and out of here. It’s not safe.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">At that moment, I finally had the courage to say what I had thought about all afternoon. “Logan, I actually have a ce I can go.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He frowned and asked, “Where?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“I can stay with Teri.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“No.” Logan rejected the idea without hesitation. “You’re not staying with Ms. Stuart.*</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I was surprised. “Why not?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">For the first time, Logan’s face showed a trace of displeasure. “Can she take care of you? She has to work.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He nced at me and said, “I said no, and that’s final.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I fell silent</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">It was the first time I’d noticed Logan’s stubbornness. I couldn’t argue with him, and I didn’t have the courage to either.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Logan then nced at the calendar at the wall and said, “Go upstairs and rest. Don’t go around tomorrow. I’ll take you to look at some houses.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">So, I went upstairs with mixed feelings.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Then, at theer of the stairs, I heard Logan make a phone call.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He spoke with deep displeasure, “Norman, back off. It has nothing to do with you. That’s it.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Then, he quickly hung up.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">At that moment, I could sense that Logan had nced up toward the second floor, so I didn’t dare to eavesdrop any longer and quickly retreated to my room.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Back in my room, Iid on my bed, feeling confused.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">There were so many things that I wanted to discuss with Logan. But for some reason, all my courage disappeared the moment I saw him.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He was like an unfathomable abyss or a towering mountain.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He was close to me, yet so out of reach.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I took a deep breath.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">At the end of the day, I knew I had to depend on myself to solve my problems.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">The next morning, I woke early, washed up, and got dressed.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Frank came to check on me as usual. However, this time the examination was brief, and there was no need for more IV drips. He simply left some medication and exined how to take it before he left.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">As usual, after breakfast, I took a walk in the garden.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">During my walk, I called Ten.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">She knew about my estrangement from my family. She sighed and said, “Ari, I didn’t mean to keep things from you. I just didn’t want to cause you more shock in the midst of your amnesia.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Do you have my brother’s number or his Whatsapp? I asked.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">She sighed again. “How could I possibly have that?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Frustration welled up in me</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Teresa then asked, “Isn’t Mr. Wood close to your brother? Why don’t you ask him to reach out for you? He’ll definitely help you.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I gritted my teeth. “He’s already helped me so much. Besides, if my brother wanted to forgive me, he would’ve reached out by now. But it seems like he- I choked on my words, unable to continue.</font></font>