Nadine

Nadine
Nadine
I know he’s up to no good.
Now that his true nature has finally come to light, there’s no mistake that Logan is still the same cold, ruthless, heartless man.
I glare at him, pointing at Rosa.
"What have you done to her, Logan?"
Because this is not the Rosa I know.
Rosa, whom I’ve grown close to over the past few months, is bright, lively, and bursting with energy. But the woman standing in front of me now? She looks drained and broken.
Something is very wrong.
Logan slowly closes his eyes. I see the tension in his face, the way his jaw clenches, his knuckles turning white as he grips the table.
But I don’t care.
I don’t give a damn about whatever emotions he’s trying to suppress.
I turn back to Rosa, and my heart clenches as I see the silent tears streaming down her face.
That’s all Logan ever does—manipulate people for his gain.
Who knows what the hell he’s done to Rosa to make her cry like this?
My anger boils over.
"What the fuck did you do to her, Logan?" I snap, stepping closer. "Do you even have a conscience? Or do you just get off on making people suffer?"
He says nothing.
And that silence infuriates me even more.
"Answer me, damn it!" I yell, my fists clenching at my sides.
Because whatever he’s done—I swear, I won’t let it slide.
"I..."
Rosa is about to say something, but before she can get the words out—
"Don’t you dare say a word!"
Logan’s voice booms through the room, rattling the air between us.
Both Rosa and I flinch.
For a moment, the sheer force of his tone stuns me, but then I quickly regain my composure and square my shoulders, I will not be intimidated.
I met his gaze.
He’s on his feet now, his piercing stare locked onto mine, daring me to back down.
But I won’t.
I need him to say something—to answer my damn question. And Rosa, the one person who wants to answer, he won’t even let her speak.
Then, as if to make his point, Logan turns his attention to Rosa.
"Rosa’s services will no longer be needed here," he states coldly. "As you can see, her bags are packed. She’s ready to return to Italy."
His eyes flick back to her.
"Isn’t that right, Rosa?"
My breath catches as I watch her reaction.
Rosa slowly closes her eyes, and the tears that had been threatening to fall now pour down her face like rain.
And that’s when I saw it—the suitcase.
It’s right there, sitting by the side, packed and ready to go.
"Why, Rosa?" My voice is desperate now, my heart hammering in my chest. "Is he threatening you? Talk to me! What did he do to you? You’re scaring me—just tell me the truth!"
But all she does is slowly shake her head, her eyes still tightly shut.
Then Logan moves again, stepping forward, and in his hand, I see a plane ticket.
"Here’s your one-way flight back to Italy," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And I don’t want to fucking see you back in New York. Ever."
I stumble back, staring at him in disbelief.
What the hell is going on here?
"Why would you do this to her?" I demand. "Is this how you repay her for taking care of your son like he was her own?"
Rosa is about to speak, but Logan interrupts again, his voice cold and commanding. "Enough."
I feel this overwhelming urge to snap at him, to yell everything I've been holding in, to finally tear him down.
"Is it not enough that you’re a manipulative asshole who thinks the world revolves around you?" I say, the words coming out faster than I can stop them.
His eyes snap at me, surprise flickering across his face for a moment.
"Yes, Logan, you are!" I shout.
"You think so highly of yourself like you're some unstoppable force. I can't count the number of times you made me go to bed crying! And now you're doing the same to this woman—who has done nothing but care for me and your son."
Rosa starts to sob, her voice shaky as she tries to speak, "Nadine..." She raises her hand to her face, wiping away the tears, but her emotions are too much for her to contain. The mucus drips from her nose, and my heart aches to see her like this.
But Logan?
He's unfazed. He just stares at me like I’m some obstacle he’s ready to crush.
That look in his eyes makes my anger boil over even more.
"You know what?!" I nearly shout, my voice breaking with emotion. "I wish I had never met you! Oh God, why did I ever agree to that fucking contract with you in the first place? You are despicable, arrogant, and self-righteous! A man who cares for no one but himself!"
I can barely hold back the tears, but my fury makes me want to scream instead.
Before I can say another word, his voice booms again, an angry roar that I've come to recognize all too well:
"Enough, Nadine!"
I laugh.
It’s a loud, bitter laugh that’s almost manic, and I turn toward him with my finger pointing straight at his chest.
I dare you, Logan. What will you do now?
My voice is steady, but there's a fire inside me, daring him to do something, anything.
His eyes close for a moment, probably fighting the urge to snap at me, but I can see his jaw clenching tightly, his anger barely held in check.
"Come here, Rosa," I say, pulling on her hand and trying to get her away from him.
But then Logan’s voice rings out, cold and demanding. "Don’t you dare move an inch, Rosa."
She freezes, her body tense, not daring to look me in the eye. I keep pulling on her hand, but I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up with Logan's gaze locked on me.
"You will not go with her," Logan says, with an icy tone. "One of my men will escort you to the airport."
He pulls out his phone, dialing a number without taking his eyes off me for a second.
I watch, disgusted, as he speaks into the phone. "Come right up now," he orders, hanging up with a finality that makes my skin crawl.
His eyes turn back to me, that familiar control back in them. "Nadine, step outside right now," he commands, with a low, sharp tone; it’s not enough to make me flinch. I almost stumble from the intensity of it, but I won’t back down.
Who was I kidding? A leopard can’t change its spots. Logan will always be Logan. A mafia man who thinks the world bends to his will.
"I’d rather be anywhere but here, near you," I snap back with annoyance. I don’t care about his authority anymore. I don’t care what he thinks.
I make my way out of his office. My mind races, but my focus shifts. I was looking for Shawn before all this madness with Rosa and Logan unfolded.
"Shawn?" I call out, my voice softening as I search for him. Logan hired Rosa, and if he decides it’s time for her to go, then so be it. But right now, all I want is to see my son.
"Shawn?" I call again, and this time I hear the sound of laughter, pure and bright. It makes my heart melt. The frustration and anger from earlier begin to fade as I follow the sound of his laughter.
I round the corner, and there he is—on the playground Logan had built for him while I was gone. I hadn’t seen it before, not a month ago.
It’s new, a sign that Logan did something for my son while I was away.
And then I see the person who’s making Shawn laugh. My stomach tightens as I see who it is.
It’s her.
I stand frozen, my heart pounding, as the smile fades from my face.