Chapter 0220
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Logan watched as Hazel processed his words. First, she was still as a statue, her face blank.
Then, in a flash, hurt crumpled over her features and she slinked into herself somewhat, shoulders curling inwards. A moment after that, she collected herself, pulling on an expressionless mask, but the paleness in her face and the wetness to her eyes gave her true feelings away.
With regret, Logan knew his words were going to hurt her. He wished he could have kept them to himself, but if he dated behind her back, she would undoubtedly find out. The paparazzi were always interested in the dating habits of the high society members. He didn’t want Hazel to be surprised.
He couldn’t do anything about the betrayal she might feel, though he hoped understanding might help heal the wound somewhat.
“In exchange for returning things to normal around here, I agreed to date someone from high society,” Logan explained more clearly. “Those were the conditions, and even that took some doing. Grandfather takes nothing lightly.”
“But you are married to me,” Hazel said, her voice so soft yet so powerful that it seemed to stab straight through my heart.
“It would only be a cover,” Logan said. “I have no intention of any real matchmaking.”
“So you’ll be using those girls..”
Logan frowned. “They’d likewise be using me. My name carries weight.” Did she not understand how typical high society relationships work? It was about comparing bank statements, moving up in wealth or power. Or, at the very least, preserving that wealth and power.
No one in high society wanted to marry down. Those that did were frowned upon.
Logan was different, in wanting to marry for love. Finding Hazel changed him in ways he couldn’t imagine in anyone else he knew from high society, except Dylan. But Dylan was already very different.
“This won’t mean anything,” Logan said. “Not for us. It’s merely a show I must put on to protect our company.”
And our relationship, but Logan couldn’t say that.
When his grandfather had suggested this compromise, Logan had initially thought to say no, no matter what. But… there were two factors that ultimately changed his mind.
The first, of course, was that this would be the easiest way to return the company to its previous status quo and keep the employees content.
The second was that this might be the perfect way to counter Cameron’s threat. If Logan was in a relationship with a high society type, any ‘evidence‘ Cameron presented could be easily countered as being doctored or fake, especially if Hazel also disputed it.
The public, as wrong as it was, would not be so easily swayed into thinking Logan stupid enough to sacrifice his high society relationship to chase after an employee.
This relationship would protect his true relationship with Hazel, so that they could continue to be together in secret, without his grandfather’s influence or knowledge. And without the judgement of the rest of the
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world.
“I don’t like it,” Hazel said.
“Me, either,” Logan admitted. “But it is the only way.”
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Hazel inhaled and exhaled a great breath. She closed her eyes, like she was struggling to control herself.
“If it would help… I will give you the list of my grandfather’s approved dating candidates, and you can help me select one. We can do this together,” Logan said.
Her frown grew deeper. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say.
“Hazel,”
1s that an official order from my boss?” she asked, blinking open her eyes. The hurt was still there, but it was buried beneath a fierce determination and a fiery kind of anger.
“No,” Logan said quickly, hoping to eliminate any misunderstanding.
Before he could explain more, she stood up.
“It’s fine,” she said, though it clearly wasn’t fine at all. “Please email me the list and I’ll look at it.”
“Hazel we can talk about this.”
“I’m fine,” she said again, more firmly.
This wasn’t exactly the time or place to have this conversation, so with a sigh, Logan accepted her desire to end this conversation. For now. He was determined to bring this up again, however, and reassure her that she was his wife and the only one for him.
“I’ll email you,” Logan said, and that was all the dismissal Hazel needed before she stormed out of his office and returned to her desk.
I didn’t need Logan’s grandfather’s list. I already still had the one from before, and I doubted that much had changed. It was all high society girls with well–known last names and good reputations. Got it.
Disgust churning in my stomach, I wanted to get this over with. If this had to happen at all, I’d rather pick someone out right away and be done with it. Yes, it would still haunt me every time Logan had to sneak away from me to pretend to be with someone else.
Yes, I’d still feel bad for the woman who thought she’d be in a relationship with Logan, only to find out it’s not real. Despite what Logan said, could high society relationships really be that different? Even if people were angling for money or power, weren’t they also looking for affection?
No, I had to trust Logan. At the very least, I had to do my best to help him.fulfill this agreement he made with his grandfather. Per my station as Logan’s assistant, I needed to help him with this, even if it broke my heart as his secret wife.
Steeling my heart, I brought up the old list and began combing through the names. I was careful as I researched, splitting time equally between this and my actual work. I wasn’t going to let my true work fall
behind for this.
Around midday, Logan sent out a company–wide apology letter, letting everyone know that the new standards had been rescinded and everything would be returning to as it was before. He also mentioned
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Chapter 0220
that the on–site employees impacted the most would be receiving a one–time bonus as a thank you for their understanding
Thirty minutes later, my phone buzzed with a text from Maria.
Walkout canceled.
Thank God.
I supposed, for the sake of the company, I needed to continue to search for Logan’s new date. After all, it was only because of this agreement that everyone’s jobs were saved. Maybe I should have been grateful?
Instead, my chest ached and everything kind of hurt.
How long would Logan have to keep up this ruse for? Would he have to take on a girlfriend? A fiancé? Would a day came when he would have to divorce me for real and keep me as a side chick instead, so that he could be actually married to a high society woman?
I continued my search, all the while feeling like I was signing my own death warrant. I was marching toward my relationship’s hangman’s noose.
I cared deeply for Logan, but how could our relationship grow if he was going to be dividing his time between me and some other woman? I already shared him too much with work.
But I didn’t have a choice. This was the hand we were dealt and we have to play it through.
By the end of the day, Logan had sent me his grandfather’s new list. As expected, many of the names were the same. It was difficult to choose one, when I really wanted none of them to touch my husband.
Still, I settled on one. Tina St. Louis.
