Episode 7:
1309 Words
They made their decision, and Seraphina returned to her work.
From that moment on, Logan stayed at the café, quietly watching her bustle around. His intent gaze didn’t go unnoticed, and the café staff teased Seraphina about it. When they learned he was her brother, they gasped in surprise and even clamored to get his phone number. Seraphina only laughed, shaking her head and encouraging them to try their luck. She hadn’t mentioned that Logan was her foster brother, not biological, simply because, in her heart, she had always seen him as her brother. It wasn’t intentional—it simply slipped her mind.
Logan, of course, noticed, but all he could do was sigh inwardly.
When Logan found out that Seraphina had been married and learned about the things she was currently going through, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to be near her. Yet, Seraphina consistently treated him as nothing more than a brother. He could only smile bitterly, feeling powerless.
Even so, he told himself he wouldn’t give up easily.
---
“What do you want to eat?” Seraphina asked, holding up two different vegetables for Logan to see. The two of them were at the supermarket, shopping for ingredients to cook dinner together. She had taken the day off to accompany Logan to visit her parents, leaving her free to prepare a proper meal.
But before Logan could answer, a voice interrupted—a voice not exactly familiar but instantly recognizable.
“Caleb, let’s have crawfish!” The tone was playful and sweet, carrying a hint of coy charm, in stark contrast to Seraphina’s quiet composure.
“Mm,” came the cold response from a man, with a barely perceptible note of indulgence.
Seraphina froze, a thought flashing unbidden through her mind: He’s always hated fiddly foods like crawfish, with so little meat. Usually, I had to peel them for him before he’d eat them. And he’s never prioritized them in his meals.
“Seraphina?” Logan’s voice pulled her back to reality, his frown deepening at her sudden absentmindedness.
The sound of his voice not only startled Seraphina but also caught Celeste’s attention.
“Oh, it’s you, Seraphina…”
Celeste turned toward her, her expression momentarily flustered.
But Seraphina didn’t look back. Instead, she calmly said to Logan, “Why don’t we have hot pot?”
Both of the items in her hands were suitable for hot pot. Without waiting for Logan’s response, she tossed them into the basket and took his hand, pulling him along.
To an observer, their actions seemed naturally intimate, as if they didn’t care about others watching. Such closeness caused a certain someone’s brow to furrow slightly.
Before Celeste could say anything, Caleb grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.
“Caleb…”
“Don’t mind her,” he said curtly.
Celeste had been itching to provoke Seraphina, to stir up trouble. But Caleb’s decisive tone stopped her in her tracks, leaving her unable to act. It also signaled to her that Caleb was completely detached from Seraphina, making her feel smugly victorious.
Meanwhile, as Seraphina led Logan away, he turned back to glance coldly at Caleb’s retreating figure. His eyes flickered with an unfathomable light, betraying his thoughts.
Just as he was about to look away, his gaze met Caleb’s.
Caleb’s eyes were deep and piercing, brimming with sharpness and a warning—an unmistakable air of possession.
Warning? Possession? Toward whom?
Logan’s mind raced as he instinctively glanced at Seraphina, walking beside him. By the time he regained his focus, Caleb and his companion were gone. Yet Logan found himself staring at Seraphina, who was once again lost in thought, her eyes lingering on the crawfish.
Logan didn’t know the details of Seraphina’s married life over the past three years, but at that moment, he realized she wasn’t as composed as she appeared. Her calm exterior was merely a facade, cracks appearing as fleeting memories resurfaced.
Three years—it wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either.
He hadn’t been able to stop those three years, nor her marriage to another man. Now, he couldn’t stop her from remembering that faithless man.
Faithless?
Logan’s thoughts returned to Caleb’s earlier gaze, and he frowned.
---
“These crawfish look fresh, don’t they, Logan?” Seraphina’s voice broke the silence as she regained her composure, speaking casually as she looked up at him.
Logan’s thoughts darkened momentarily. Even if they weren’t fresh, so what? He mused. This is my chance, and I won’t let it slip away. It’s Caleb’s loss, not mine. Even if this opportunity isn’t easy to seize…
Outwardly, he responded calmly, “You still like crawfish, don’t you?”
Seraphina blinked in surprise before smiling softly. “You still remember?”
“How could I forget?” Logan said nonchalantly. “Even after seven years, some things remain crystal clear.”
“Some feelings don’t fade with time,” he added, his voice deeper, “but only grow stronger.”
Seraphina froze momentarily, caught off guard. But her rational, composed mind quickly regained control before she could react. She decided to feign ignorance, only for Logan to ask softly, “How have you been these past few years, Seraphina?”
She hesitated briefly, but her response came quicker than Logan anticipated. “Good.”
Her tone was steady, devoid of hesitation or pretense.
“If things could stay this way forever, it would be even better,” she added.
In all this time, Seraphina had never voiced such thoughts to anyone. To her surprise, the words came out effortlessly. Perhaps she had always felt this way but never realized it.
She looked at Logan’s serious expression and smiled lightly. “So, don’t worry about me. You’re not getting any younger—hurry up and find me a sister-in-law.”
Logan remained silent, but inside, he felt a pang of helplessness.
Seven years. Seraphina had grown so much. She no longer needed his protection and was capable of facing her struggles alone.
But now, the bond of “family” between them had become a daunting obstacle.
Even so, he vowed not to let anyone harm Seraphina.
---
Ravenswood Corporation.
“Lately, Mrs. Ravenswood has been frequenting the company,” one employee remarked.
“Yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve seen the matriarch herself,” another replied. “Our CEO is outstanding, though. Under his leadership, the company’s grown tremendously. The family should be proud.”
“Does that mean the rumors are true?”
“What rumors?”
“That the CEO plans to leave his wife for his mistress. Apparently, the mistress has even moved into his office for a workplace romance.”
“Really? Is that even possible?”
“With a face like his, could he even pull off a passionate love affair?”
“I doubt it. I rarely see his wife, but I can’t imagine him ditching her for love. Word is, Mrs. Ravenswood plans to gradually take over the company if he dares to divorce his wife.”
“Scandalous!”
Celeste, hearing the gossip, quietly left the chatty cafeteria.
She returned to the CEO’s office, where it was quiet since most employees were still at lunch. Caleb was in a tense meeting with shareholders, leaving Celeste alone to eat earlier. In just a few days, things had escalated so rapidly that even she felt pressed for time.
Sitting comfortably in Caleb’s chair, Celeste looked at the data running on his computer, a victorious smirk curling her lips.
Caleb had indeed trusted her. He had even discussed such a critical project with her.
She recalled his words.
“Celeste, don’t worry. With this project, even if my mother tries to revoke my control of the company, most shareholders won’t agree. Only I can secure this deal.”
- Writer
