جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

EllaIt was well past midnight, and I was still stuck in the office. The glare of my laptop screen was almost a comfort, a sign that I was working hard, that I was progressing.“Almost done,” I murmured to myself with a sigh as I rubbed my tired eyes.Such was life for me, though. At this point, I was getting used to spending all of my time here at the law firm.As a rookie lawyer, I never expected to be treated like a queen, but surely they could see me for more than their errand runner?“Could you get these photocopied for me, Ella?” James had asked earlier that day, handing over a stack of case files as if it was just assumed that I would be the one to do it.And so I did, along with a dozen other tasks that didn't particularly scream ‘lawyer’. But I believed, perhaps foolishly, that perseverance would earn me respect and better opportunities.It was my first year out of law school, after all. What did I expect?The soft hum of the janitor’s vacuum cleaner interrupted my thoughts.

LoganTwo days before that life-altering encounter with the peasant girl on the street, my assistant had dropped a file on my desk.“Sir,” she started, clearing her throat. “I thought you might want to know that Edrick Morgan’s daughter, Ella, has relocated to the city. She’s working at a local law firm.”A smirk tugged at my lips. “Thanks, Susan,” I said, taking the file with excitement burning in my fingers.Susan, my ever-loyal secretary—a young, pretty woman with a roundness to her body in all the right places, more eye candy for myself than anything, if I was being honest—smiled and walked out of the room.I flipped open the file and grinned with satisfaction.If there was one thing that would put me ahead of my brother in the never-ending game of power and influence, it was Ella. My brother was always better than me, always quicker to accomplish major goals in life.But he hadn’t married anyone of any importance yet, despite the fact that he had already been married and divorced

EllaWith my boss’s directive, the rest of the day was uncharacteristically light for me.There was an odd sense of liberation, knowing that the usual tasks weren’t waiting for me. I ventured into the heart of the city, selecting a sophisticated yet sharp charcoal-gray suit. As I felt the smooth fabric against my skin, I thought that I definitely needed this upgrade.Returning to the firm, I noticed my colleagues glancing curiously at me. Their confusion was understandable; they weren’t used to seeing me so relaxed and unburdened.Sarah, on the other hand, sulked by her desk without a word. She was surrounded by a sea of papers, and looked utterly overwhelmed. I felt a little bad for her.“Hey,” I said quietly as I made my way up to her. “Want some help?”Sarah’s face turned red. “Not from you,” she hissed. “Why did you have to go and tattle? It’s not like I ask for help from you because I look down on you or anything. It’s just… Well, I normally have better clients than you do.”I to

EllaLogan said nothing. The ambiance of the room was thick with tension, so much so that it felt almost palpable.I understood now what this man’s true intentions were. With my heart pounding wildly against my chest, I stood, grabbing my purse.“Well, like I said, I’ll be forwarding your case to one of the other lawyers in the firm,” I said, taking a step back. “Dinner was a pleasure, but I don’t believe it’s appropriate for this to continue.”I turned to leave, but immediately stopped in my tracks. Before, there had been one man standing by the elevator, and now there were four. And I could tell that they weren’t going to let me leave.The dim lighting, the bodyguards blocking my exit, and Logan’s intense gaze felt intimidating and suffocating.There was silence. The room felt palpable with tension. All at once, I wanted to both rush forward and kiss him again as his scent overwhelmed me and I wanted to leap out of the window to get away from him.“Let me out,” I said, my voice shak

Ella“I’m the son of the city’s most influential mafia boss.”I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had stepped into this city with a single purpose — to fight against the malignant tumor that was the mafia. Not with them.And now, here I was, face to face with the son of the most influential mob boss in the area. And he was my client.“Well?” he asked, his lips curling up into a smirk at the corners. “We have client-lawyer confidentiality. You know the truth now. I told you that there was more to worry about than my infidelity.”“Oh god,” Ema said, sounding surprised. “A mafia boss? Can it get any worse?”“At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if it does somehow get worse,” I replied.I swallowed. My mind raced. I knew how the mafia worked, at least to a certain extent. I knew, at the very least, that it was dangerous to go against them. That was why Mr. Henderson was so insistent on me taking Logan on as a client. He was afraid.Logan did bribe my boss with that nice Rolex watch