Chapter 8
1433 Words
*Night*
Logan jolted awake, heart pounding from a nightmare.
In his dream, Jane was covered in blood, waving at him as she drifted farther and farther away into the darkness.
He sat up, forehead damp with sweat, and ran a hand through his hair. The room felt suffocating. He got out of bed and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, the moon hung high, surrounded by a sea of stars. He lit a cigarette, its glow casting fleeting shadows across his tired face.
It had been six years, but the regret never left.
Back then, after their divorce, the nanny had found a small leather-bound journal hidden in Jane’s vanity drawer. Without saying a word, she had handed it to him.
Logan never opened it.
Maybe he was scared of what he’d read — scared to confront the truth of how she’d felt. So, he locked it away in his bedroom safe, untouched all these years.
But tonight... after that dream, something shifted.
He walked over to the built-in wall safe, entered the code, and pulled out the journal. It was just as he remembered — worn edges, her name etched faintly on the inside cover.
He hesitated for only a second, then opened it.The first words hit him like a punch to the chest.
His hand trembled as he turned the pages.
*"February 3 — love him. God knows I do. But he doesn’t see me. I’m just a name in his life, not a feeling".*
*“February 8 — I made his favorite dinner. Waited. He didn’t show. I lit candles, then blew them out one by one.”*
*“Match 4 — He forgets my birthday, and he looked at me like I didn't mattered.”*
*“Match 14 — He didn’t come home again. He didn’t even call. I sat with dinner getting cold and kept telling myself he was just busy. But my heart knows he just didn’t care.”*
*“April 18 — I stood in front of the mirror for an hour, trying to look perfect for him. He glanced at me once and said nothing. It’s like I’m invisible in my own home.”*
*“April 26 — I heard him laugh today. Not with me. But with someone else on the phone. That laugh used to be mine.”*
*“May 10 — I still love him. God help me, I still do. But love shouldn’t feel like begging for crumbs.”*
*“May 12 — Logan smiled at me today. Just once. It made my whole week.”*
*“May 13 — I wish he knew how proud I am of him, even when he shuts me out.”*
*“May 19 — I love him. Even when he doesn’t say it back.”*
*“May 20 — Logan looked tired again today. I wish he’d let me help him, even just a little.”**
*“June 21 —He didn’t eat dinner. Should I cook something special tomorrow?”*
*“June 22 —I wish he could smile at me.”*
Logan closed the journal slowly, every word now burned into his memory.
She had loved him. Desperately. Quietly. Until it hurt.
He had been so blind. So distant.
And now… she was gone.
He leaned against the wall, eyes closed, the journal clutched to his chest.
Some mistakes could be forgiven.
Some couldn’t.
And some were meant to haunt you for the rest of your life.
---
In the project department, Jane’s desk was buried under piles of documents and construction blueprints for the Galax-Zee project.
She sighed, glaring at the wall clock.
She had promised the kids she’d pick them up from school today, but here she was—still stuck at the office, drafting yet another proposal for Logan’s company.
Of course. Nothing good ever came from crossing paths with Logan Anderson.
Just then, her phone rang. Seeing Clara’s name on the screen, Jane’s mood lightened.
"Are you done for the day?" Jane asked as she answered.
"Yes, Mommy! When are you getting off work?" Clara’s sweet voice came through the phone.
Jane glanced at the time. "In about thirty minutes."
"Okay, how was work today? Any admirers?" Clara teased.
"Admirers?" Jane scoffed. "Right now, everyone at work is probably trying to stay far away from me. I’m like a walking plague."
"I don’t believe it! Mommy, you had a long line of admirers overseas!" Clara insisted.
"Maybe people in this country just have... more unique tastes," Jane said with a smirk.
"Okay, get to the point," Liam’s voice cut in from the background.Jane smiled. "Alright, alright. I know what you're really asking. You want to know if I’m still picking you up."
"It’s already past dismissal," Clara reminded her. "You promised to come today."
Jane hesitated. "I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry but I don’t think I’ll make it. I’ve got a lot to finish."
There was a short pause. "Will Godmother Genevieve come get us?"
"Yes, she’s already on her way. And I’ll make it up to you with your favorite snacks after work," Jane offered.
"Mom, are you bribing us?" Isabella’s voice chimed in from the background.
Jane laughed. "Not at all!"
"Okay, then. We love you, Mommy. Bye-bye!"
"Love you more. Bye-bye."
Hearing their sweet voices warmed Jane’s heart. Her exhaustion faded just a little as she put her phone down and returned to work with a soft smile.
---
Genevieve stood at the school gate, smiling as she watched other parents pick up their kids. She wore a short blue dress, her long hair flowing down her shoulders. She looked pretty and calm, but she knew any moment now, chaos was coming.
A teacher walked by and smiled. “Hi, Genevieve! Picking up the kids again?”
“Yep,” Genevieve smiled. “Here to collect my little tornadoes.”
The teacher laughed. “I still can’t believe you have six kids! You look way too young for that!”
Genevieve laughed too. “Oh no, they’re not mine! I’m just the godmother. Their real mom is my best friend. I just fill in sometimes.”
“Well, you still look amazing,” the teacher said.
Before she could answer, six children came running out like a mini-stampede and hugged her all at once.
“Godmom! Bryan got in trouble again today!” Isabella said.
Bryan made a face. “I only told the teacher that math is boring and hid under the table with chips. That’s not trouble!”
Genevieve gasped. “You took snacks under the table? Were you camping?”
Bryan grinned. “I call it survival.”
Then Isabella said loudly, “Godmother, a boy gave me a flower today!”Genevieve’s eyes widened. “A flower? At your age? Should I start planning the wedding or what?”
Bryan rolled his eyes. “She blushed like a tomato.”
“I did NOT!” Isabella said, crossing her arms.
Liam added, “She smiled like the princesses in mommy’s movies.”
“Okay, okay,” Genevieve laughed. “Let’s save the drama for dinner. Who’s hungry?”
All six shouted, “Me!”
As they walked to the sidewalk, the kids kept talking all at once.
“Can we get pizza?”
“No, ice cream!”
“Can we get a dog?”
“Can we name the dog Pizza?”
Genevieve just shook her head, smiling. “You guys are going to make me crazy.”
Meanwhile, across the road, a sleek black Benz sped by. The driver, catching sight of Genevieve surrounded by the six children, did a double take and gasped.
“Whoa!”
Logan, seated in the backseat, opened his eyes with a frown. “What is it?”
“Mr. Anderson, look at that woman with the kids. It’s rare to see someone with six children—at once! They look like little stars around her.”Logan barely glanced out the window, his eyes briefly sweeping past the scene. He didn’t see their faces clearly, just a blur of color, movement, and laughter.
“What does that have to do with me?” he said coldly, closing his eyes again. “Don’t bother me with that nonsense.”
The driver blinked, stunned by the icy response. “Sorry, Mr. Anderson.”
He forced a smile, but deep down, he wondered—could his boss ever smile at anything again?
- Writer
