Don't play with me.

Madeline's POV

I look at my family and my ex-in-laws, and I can see the shock on their faces. I look at Roman, and the way he looks at me, it is as if he looks at me differently. When I was younger, I had a crush on him, but he never saw me as a potential wife. He never treated me as his wife. He always loved Celeste. I look at them again, and I don't know what I saw in him. I have grown up, and I no longer want him. I don't have any feelings for him. I look at Celeste. It is true what they say: if you don't have a good heart, it'll show on your face, but the same goes if you have an evil heart. Celeste is not as beautiful as she used to be when we were in school. Her beauty has faded. She is not the beautiful cheerleader all the boys dreamed about. Even my brother had a crush on her. She also looked shocked, as if she couldn't believe I had made a success of my life. My father is standing next to my in-laws. There is a younger woman on his arm. After all these years, has he forgotten about my mother?

I want to go and check on my children. I want to ensure they have everything. I do not want any of these people to know about them. I am here to get my revenge. After I bankrupted my family and in-laws, I will disappear again, this time for good. No one will find me. I will change my name and surname to my mother's name. She was Italian. I will take my grandfather's surname. Connor and Carmen can keep their name, but their surname will be Santoro. However, I can not walk up the stairs. Everyone is looking at me, and I do not want them to follow me. I will have to wait until my family and my ex-husband, and his family leave. What the hell is Logan doing here? I did not send him an invite. I do not want him to find out about my children! He can never know about them! What if he tries to take them away from me? I may have money now, but Logan has power and authority. Besides, he has not said a word to me yet. He looks dangerous and handsome at the same time. I cannot take any changes with my children. I need to keep them hidden until I can figure out who Logan is and if he is a threat to us. 

I look at Logan, walking towards me with the beautiful Michelle Morris on his arm. Michelle Morris is a supermodel. She was always more beautiful than Celeste. However, she and Logan were always an item, and nobody dared to touch Logan's girlfriend. Logan looks irritated as he pushes her hand away from his arm. 

"Hello, Maddie. It is good to see you again. How long has it been? Seven years?" Logan asks. I do not know if I should answer him or not. What if he finds out about the children? I just look at him and do not say a word. Lucas, my assistant and manager of the restaurant chain, is my date for tonight. I take his arm and only smile. 

"Is it good to see you again. Who is your companion?" Logan asks. His voice is soft but dangerous. I know that he must have a lot of authority in this town, and he thinks that she can push it off on me. 

"What has that got to do with you. Mr Rossi, my personal life has nothing to do with you," I say. 

"You did not answer my question. You don't know who you are playing with, Maddie," Logan says. No one has ever called me Maddie, besides my grandfather, who was the only one who cared about me. My grandfather on my mother's side never blamed me for my mother's death, unlike my father. I want to take his surname and carry on his legacy, as he never had any sons, and his only grandson does not deserve to carry on my grandfather's legacy. 

"I don't have to answer your question," I say. I do not owe him any answers. I have nothing to say to Logan. Besides, I'm not going to tell him that he is the father of my children. I do not know what he will do. I am not even going to tell him he has two beautiful children. Logan told me to never bother him. I kept my part of the deal. 

"Maddie, don't make me angry. I am warning you. I am going to ask you this once. Who is your companion?" Logan asks. 

"Logan, don't be ridiculous. You have no right to ask Madeline who she is sleeping with or if he is her sugar daddy. You do have the right to interfere in Madeline's love life.  You always loved me. She's not worthy of your attention. Besides, we all know Madeline could not have made it this far on her own. She must have slept her way to the top. Madeline always ran after Roman. She is a gold digger who will do anything for money. We can all see that. I bet she is this man's little slut," Michelle says. She smirks at me. 

"Shut up, Michelle, and keep your nose out of my business. We are not a couple, and we will never be. I am sick and tired of you running after me. Get lost. I am talking to Madeline, and our business has nothing to do with you. If you dare to call her names again, you'll regret it," Logan says. Is he standing up for me? I'm sure the man is drunk. Nobody ever stood up for me after my grandfather passed away. 

"Listen, I am going to do my duties as the hostess of this party. Why don't you two lovers take your lovers' quarrel elsewhere? How did you get in? I don't remember inviting you anyway," I say. Michelle tries to grab Logan's hand, but he pushes her away. Logan looks me deep in the eyes. I feel mesmerised by his eyes and cannot look away. What the hell is wrong with me? 

"There is something you need to know. If I want something, I get it. Don't play with me, Maddie. You will not win. I'm much more dangerous than you know," Logan says. Michelle tries to pull him away, but Logan pushes her away again. 

"There is something you need to know about me, Logan Rossi. I don't let people walk all over me anymore. I am not afraid of you. I don't care how dangerous you think you are," I say. Everyone is staring at us, and I do not understand why Logan is trying to make a scene. 

"Logan, let's leave," Michelle says. 

"I told you to get lost! I only ask you to come with me to this party because I didn't want to come alone. You know that I never liked you, Michelle, and I will never marry you. So get that idea out of your head and get lost," Logan says brutally honest. Michelle is in tears and storms off. I thought Logan was going to follow her, so I tried to walk back to my table, but Logan walked in front of me. 

"We are not done yet," Logan says. 

"Yes, you are. Please leave my fiancée alone," Lucas says. I could kiss him as Logan glares at him. Logan looks at my finger and smiles. I am too late to hide the fact that I am not wearing an engagement ring.