Chapter 7
1116 Words
The meeting lasted about twenty minutes.
Finally, Manager Kim turned to Logan. “Mr. Anderson, what do you think?”
But Logan didn’t respond. He hadn’t said a word since Jane’s presentation, his eyes distant, thoughts clearly elsewhere.
Vanessa cleared her throat and spoke on his behalf. “Manager Kim, the proposal is impressive, but we need to discuss it further internally. Once a decision is made, we’ll get back to you.”
Though slightly anxious, Manager Kim nodded politely. “Of course. Our new project lead was the one who solved the core issue. But if Mr. Anderson or your company have additional requirements, we’ll be happy to accommodate.”
Vanessa gave a polite smile and began gathering her documents. “Logan, let’s go.”
Logan stood, following her toward the door—but just as he reached it, he suddenly stopped and turned around.
His gaze locked on Jane.
“What’s your name?” he asked, voice low and unreadable.
The entire room froze. Heads turned toward Jane in stunned silence.
Jane, caught off guard for a moment, quickly composed herself. She glanced at Vanessa, then looked back at Logan with a faint, indifferent smile.
“Julie,” she answered smoothly.
Logan stared at her for a beat longer.
Julie.No—he shook the thought. It couldn’t be her. Similar face, same eyes maybe… but the aura, the confidence, even the tone—everything was different. The woman he knew back then could barely meet his eyes. This one had just dismantled his project in under five minutes.
He looked away, jaw tight, and exited the room without another word.
The moment the door closed behind him, quiet murmurs rippled through the room.
Manager Kim returned with a bewildered expression. “Jane… do you know Mr. Anderson?”
Jane shook her head calmly. “No. Never met him before.”
“Then why did you say your name was Julie?” he asked, still confused.
Jane leaned back in her chair. “He asked a question. I answered with the first name that came to mind. It didn’t seem important.”
Manager Kim looked unconvinced but didn’t press further.
Jane lowered her gaze, hiding the storm in her eyes.
But Andrew, ever sharp, didn’t buy it. He shot a glance at Jane and muttered, “Women always causing trouble,” before standing and walking off.
Jane blinked, speechless.
What did that have to do with her?
Just as she turned to leave, Manager kim stopped her. “ Jane, do you know who the woman who came with Mr. Logan is?”
Jane shook her head. “No idea. And I don’t want to know either.”
“She’s Mr. Logan rumored fiancée,” Manager Kim explained. “Her name is Vanessa Young. She’s not just a pretty face she basically runs his company. She has authority to make decisions, and whether this project succeeds or fails could very well depend on her.”
Jane raised an eyebrow. “So?”
She knew Vanessa well—Logan’s trusted assistant. Back when she and Logan were still married, Vanessa had shown up at their home a few times, always with some excuse: dropping off documents, needing a signature, or delivering urgent files.
At the time, Jane hadn’t thought much of it. She never imagined there was anything more to their interactions. Vanessa had seemed professional, distant even. Jane never took their relationship seriously… but now, seeing her at Logan’s side, things felt different.
The manager sighed. “Mr. Logan may be young and charismatic, always surrounded by women but Vanessa has been the only one by his side all these years. She’s powerful, and fiercely protective. If you cross her, you’re finished. That goes for both of us.”
Jane folded her arms, unimpressed. “Don’t worry, Manager. Even if Logan Anderson is every woman’s dream man, he means nothing to me. I’ll stay far away from him.”
Manager Kim nodded in relief. “Good. Stay clear. Playing with fire only gets you burned.”
Jane simply gave a small smile and said nothing more. She was the fire.
Unknown to them, Vanessa had been standing just outside the door. She’d heard every word. A faint smirk tugged at her lips cold and satisfied as she turned and walked away without a sound.
Back in the car, Vanessa glanced over and noticed Logan scrolling through his phone. He was searching the internet for anything related to Jane her inventions, her background, anything at all. But all that came up were photos and vague mentions of her achievements. No name. No past. No trace.
Frustrated, he set the phone down and rubbed his forehead.
"Did you find it?" he asked without looking up.
"Yeah, it fell on the road," Vanessa replied, holding up the pen. "I couldn’t leave it behind."
Logan barely glanced at it. "It’s just a pen. Don’t worry about it."
"But it was your birthday gift to me two years ago. It means a lot. I couldn't bear to lose it," she said, gently tucking it into her purse.
Logan said nothing, pulling out the project file and flipping through it.
Vanessa watched him for a moment before speaking again. "That Julie… she's beautiful. And she has a presence."
Logan’s fingers paused mid-scroll. "Yeah," he replied flatly.
"Is she your type?" Vanessa asked, her tone light but laced with quiet curiosity.
He looked up slowly, eyes unreadable. "What are you trying to say?"
Vanessa gave a small smile. "Nothing. Just making conversation. She's hard to ignore."Logan leaned back. "Pretty faces are everywhere. What matters is the soul behind it."
"But her face isn’t exactly ordinary," Vanessa said softly, a trace of envy in her voice.
Logan’s gaze darkened. "My type is Jane. Always has been."
Vanessa’s smile faded slightly. "But didn’t Jane walk away from you and sleep with someone else the same night? Maybe it’s time you moved on."
Logan didn’t respond. He looked back down at his phone, lost in thought.
For the past six years, it had always been Jane. The only woman Logan ever thought about day and night was Jane.
Even after seeing that photo of her with another man, looking intimate just hours after their divorce, he told himself he deserved it. That it was her way of getting back at him. And still, he loved her.
To Vanessa, it was sickening.
Couldn’t he see her? See the woman who had stood by him all these years? Through his silence, his anger, his obsession—she had been there.
Where was Jane then?
Vanessa sighed, glanced at him once more, then turned to the driver. "Let’s go."
- Writer
