Chapter 3

The first time I met Logan, he had just been beaten by Melvin. He was filthy and lay wounded in the alley. In fact, he looked no different from a stray dog.

In the original story, he'd eventually kill Melvin and use the latter's assets to catapult himself into becoming a rising star in the industry.

Later, when Gwen and the male lead, Quintin Kennedy, were happily entangled in their romance, Logan would discover that he was actually the true heir of the Kennedy family.

With a tragic childhood and parents who favored others over him, poor Logan would completely descend into darkness.

Unfortunately, Gwen and Quintin found the evidence of Melvin's murder later, and the story's greatest antagonist would ultimately end up in prison.

However, none of that would happen now, because I was here.

I looked at the boy curled up on the ground, barely clinging to life, and disdainfully nudged the back of his hand with my foot.

"Hey, do you want to get back at the man who hurt you?"

Logan spat out a mouthful of blood and looked up at me with alarmingly bright eyes.

"Yes."

A vicious smile curled on my lips as I lazily tilted his chin up with the toe of my shoe.

"Then become my lapdog, and I'll give you everything you want."

Logan lowered his head and fell silent.

Just as I grew impatient and was about to turn away, he reached out and grabbed my ankle.

"Woof."

From then on, Logan became my most devoted lapdog.

I hired a lawyer to sue Melvin for trafficking and child abuse, then took Logan along to witness the moment Melvin was arrested.

I didn't keep idle hands around, so I took the initiative to ask Mom to send Logan to the best school in Clamdale.

Mom didn't think much of me bringing home some random child. She simply patted my head and transferred another three million dollars into my account.

"As long as you're happy, you can do whatever you want."

During that time, I kept Logan in one of the villas under my name.

Since I couldn't stand to see him comfortable, I took twisted pleasure in crafting a study plan for him that was even more demanding than my own.

It was a pity he was so messed up that he actually thrived on it.

Nourished by money, Logan no longer bore any trace of the boy he once was. He'd become refined, composed, and unnervingly calm.

Even when I told him about his fate in the original story, his expression remained unchanged as he knelt on the floor, washing my feet.

I disdainfully kicked him in the chest, splashing water at him, leaving his shirt soaked.

"Don't you feel any resentment? That fake heir stole the wealthy life that should've been yours."

The tips of Logan's ears turned red. But instead of getting angry, he lowered his head and reverently pressed a kiss to the top of my foot.

"I'd rather stay here as your lapdog than go back now to fight him to the death."

He could think again, as I had no intention of letting Quintin keep strutting around.

That was why I sent Logan back to the Kennedy family two years ago.

Logan didn't disappoint me.

He was the antagonist in the original story who, despite never having received a higher education, could still hold his own against Quintin in the business world.

Now, after years of careful cultivation on my part, he was already showing signs of surpassing Quintin shortly after returning home.

In fact, Quintin had apparently botched a project a couple of days ago. Rumor had it he was so anxious that he'd started taking medication.

Just thinking about Quintin possibly losing sleep from the stress made me smile.

I tilted Logan's chin up and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Good boy. Don't let me down."

Emily Kaufman—or rather, Mrs. Strickland—was hosting her charity gala at her beachfront villa.

By the time we arrived, Gwen had already been ushered into the venue by Bernard.

In just a few days, she had acquired some new jewelry. Her makeup was still understated and elegant, but the white gown she wore was clearly a haute couture piece.