Il Suo Zaffario (His Sapphire)

Chapter 14

Three weeks had passed since Logan left, and the longer he stayed away, the more worried I became. The house felt emptier without him, a silence that even Sara couldn't fully fill. I spent my days trying to stay busy, but as time dragged on, the uncertainty gnawed at me.

That evening, I was curled up next to Sara on the couch, my head resting on her shoulder as we watched a movie. I couldn't focus on the screen; my thoughts kept drifting back to Logan. "Has Logan texted or called? Anything?" I asked, my voice tinged with worry.

Sara shook her head, offering me a comforting smile. "Don't stress yourself, dear. Logan goes on business trips all the time. He'll be home soon."

I nodded, trying to take her words to heart. I wanted to believe her, but the anxiety was hard to shake. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and I snapped my head toward it. Logan stood in the doorway, his suit immaculate, hair slicked back, and a briefcase in hand. Relief and excitement surged through me, and I squealed, rushing over to him.

Throwing my arms around him, I hugged him tightly. "I'm so happy you're home! What took you so long?" I asked, but he didn't answer. My excitement faltered when I realized he wasn't hugging me back. Confused, I pulled away, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, but he took a step back, his expression cold as he walked away.

"Logan?" I called after him, trailing behind as he ascended the stairs. He didn't respond. I followed him into his room, where he loosened his tie and sat on the edge of the bed. His silence was unbearable.

"Logan, why are you so silent?" I whispered, reaching out to hold his hand, desperate for some kind of connection. But he pulled away, the rejection like a punch to my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes, and frustration bubbled to the surface.

"You're so mean, you know that? You left without a word, not even a call, and now you come home and treat me like this?" My voice cracked, tears slipping down my cheeks. His sudden anger caught me off guard, and I instinctively stepped back as he stood up, his eyes blazing.

"I'm home," he said, his voice low and dangerous. He stepped closer, and I backed into the wall. "What the f**k do you want me to do, Sapphire? I was on a f*****g business trip. Fine, you want a welcome home kiss? Here it is," he snarled before grabbing me and pressing his lips to mine in a rough, punishing kiss.

I tried to push him away, my hands pounding against his chest, but he wouldn't relent. Panic and hurt welled up inside me, and I bit down on his lip until I tasted blood. Still, he didn't let go. He pinned my arms above my head, his grip bruising as he forced the kiss deeper. I was gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face as I struggled against him.

Finally, he pulled back, his eyes dark as he licked the blood from his lip. The moment he released my arms, I slapped him hard across the face, the sound sharp in the silence. Without a word, I turned and ran from his room, choking on my sobs.

I fled to my room, collapsing onto the bed as the tears came in waves. He was so mean, so different from the Logan I had known before he left. Maybe if he hadn't gone on that trip, he wouldn't have treated me like this. The pain of his coldness cut deep, and I cried until exhaustion finally pulled me into a fitful sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, I was woken by a sharp knock on my door. Groggy and still emotionally drained from the night before, I dragged myself out of bed and opened the door. Logan stood there, hands shoved into his pockets, his expression unreadable.

The sight of him brought back all the hurt and confusion from last night, and I was about to slam the door in his face when he stopped it with his hand. "Leave me alone," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but he ignored me.

"We're going over to my mom's house today. Don't do anything stupid, okay?" he stated flatly. His tone was so cold, it made me flinch.

"I don't feel good. I'm not going," I replied, my voice low and defeated. His jaw clenched, and I could see the anger flash in his eyes.

"You are f*****g going, and that's final," he snapped before turning and walking away. I slammed the door shut, fury and hurt swirling inside me.

Tears welled up as I stormed into the bathroom, ripping off my clothes before stepping into the shower. I let the hot water cascade over me, trying to wash away the ache in my chest. Why was he being so mean? Was it something I did? Regret twisted in my gut as I replayed our time together. We never should've slept together. I was stupid to let him touch me.

After what felt like forever, I finally turned off the water and got dressed. My heart felt heavy as I made my way downstairs, hoping to find some comfort in Sara's presence.

She was in the kitchen, and the moment she saw me, concern filled her eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle. I nodded, but the truth was written all over my face. She pulled me into a hug, her embrace warm and comforting. "You look pale, darling. Maybe I should make you some soup," she offered, brushing a hand through my hair.

"Thank you, Sara. I really needed that, especially since Logan is being so mean to me," I admitted, my voice breaking slightly. She sighed, leading me to the kitchen.

"I don't know what's gotten into him. He's never like this," she said as she took out a pot and started preparing the soup. Her words gave me little comfort, but the small smile she gave me as I sat down at the stool was enough to hold me together, at least for now.

A knock sounded on the door, pulling me from my thoughts. I wondered who it could be. I walked over and opened it, only to be greeted by a stunning girl who looked every bit like a model. She was taller than me, with long blonde hair that flowed effortlessly down her back and piercing blue eyes that seemed to take everything in. She wore ridiculously short shorts and a crop top that clung to her like a second skin.

"Are you finished admiring me?" she asked, her tone dripping with impatience before she rolled her eyes.

"Who are you?" I asked, taken aback by her attitude, but she brushed past me without a second thought.

"How dare you ask who I am! Christy Abbot, ever heard of me? I'm a famous model," she declared with a slight attitude, like she expected me to be impressed.

"Sorry, never heard of you, Abbot. Now can you please leave?" I rolled my eyes right back at her, feeling my irritation rising. She huffed in response and shoved me lightly.

"For your information, I'm Logan's girlfriend," she said, and my heart plummeted.

"Oh," I managed, trying to keep my voice steady. "How long have you guys been together?" I asked, hoping she'd say three weeks, but deep down, I knew it wouldn't be that simple.

"Umm... like a year now but we've been on and off! Somehow we couldn't get along sometimes. I can't wait for him to propose to me. He said I'm going to meet his parents today! I can't wait!" she squealed, her excitement a sharp contrast to the storm brewing inside me. I just wanted to crawl into a hole and cry.

"So, who are you?" she asked, her gaze sharp as she assessed me. I hesitated, the words feeling heavy on my tongue.

"I'm his friend, Sapphire," I said with a small, forced smile. She chuckled, clearly unimpressed.

"Oh, well, okay," she said dismissively. "Now, tell me where he is."

I pointed upstairs, barely able to meet her eyes. She brushed past me again, her presence overwhelming the small space.

I felt a wave of nausea hit me as Christy disappeared upstairs. My heart was pounding, and I could barely think straight. Logan had a girlfriend—someone he had been with for a year. And she was meeting his parents today.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, trying to steady myself, but my thoughts were racing. Everything felt like it was spiraling out of control. How could Logan move on so quickly? How could he be with someone else after what we had shared?

I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill, but it was no use. I wiped at my eyes angrily, not wanting to break down in front of Sara. She had just finished making the soup and was about to serve it when she noticed my expression.

"What's wrong, dear?" she asked, her voice full of concern.

"Logan... he has a new girlfriend," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "She's upstairs now."

Sara's face softened, and she set the soup down, coming over to pull me into a comforting hug. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry," she murmured. "I didn't know."

I sniffled, trying to pull myself together. "She's... she's meeting his parents today. She thinks they're going to get married," I said, my voice breaking at the end.

Sara held me a little tighter. "You don't have to pretend to be okay, Sapphire. It's alright to be upset."

But I couldn't let myself fall apart, not here, not now. I took a deep breath, pulling away from Sara and wiping my eyes. "I'm fine," I lied, forcing a smile. "I just need to be alone for a bit."

She nodded, her eyes full of understanding and concern. "If you need anything, you know where I am."

I nodded, and without another word, I left the kitchen, heading back to my room. As I climbed the stairs, I could hear Christy's laughter coming from Logan's room. The sound of it felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

I closed the door to my room and leaned against it, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor. My head fell into my hands as the tears finally broke free. It felt like my heart was shattering into a million pieces. I didn't know how to make it stop.