Page 5 of The Secret Heir Next Door

“Character?Is that what you call it? It’s an embarrassment.”

“An embarrassment? Coming from a man who can’t watch where he’s going,” I shoot back with venom.

“I’m on the board for community development and have reported this monstrosity already. I know the owner of the building, and I’ve already filed a complaint. This place needsto be made more respectable. We’re a business district with Fortune 500 companies, and this looks like the Magic School Bus on parade.”

I cross my arms over my chest, standing my ground. “You can’t just waltz in here and start making demands. The former owner assured me that my lease terms wouldn’t be changed.”

“Things change,” he says coldly. “Adapt or find a new location.”

“I’ll fight this. I have rights, and I won’t let you bully me into changing everything about my shop just because you don’t like it.”

He leans in, his face inches from mine. “Go ahead and fight but know this: I always get what I want.”

“What in the world did I ever do to you?”

He doesn’t respond and instead, turns on his heel and strides out of the shop, the bell clanging in his wake. I stand there, angry and frustrated, watching him go.

What in the literal hell?

2

LOGAN

Ipace back and forth in my penthouse, phone pressed to my ear as I rant to my best friend, Brant. The view of the city skyline usually calms me, but today, nothing seems to help.

“Can you believe it,Brant? This shop is a total eyesore. Whimsical doesn’t even begin to describe it. It’s like stepping into a candy-coated nightmare. Like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory comes to life. I’m constantly looking for Oompa Loompas!” I can hear him chuckling on the other end, and it only fuels my frustration. “And the owner! Don’t even get me started. Not only did she ruin my suit, but she’s ridiculous and rude.”

“Rude, huh?” he asks in amusement. “Are you sure she’s the rude one, or is she just reacting to your crudeness?”

I stop pacing and stare out the window, frowning. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well,” he says, “You’re kind of an asshole right now. You don’t switch off from the mindset of a C-suite executive and back to being a human being anymore. How many times have I hadto bring you back in check? I can’t imagine how intimidating you are to women.”

I let out a laugh, but it’s more hollow than genuine. “What? That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? Tell me how she ruined your suit.”

“I was leaving the office. I had to hurry to get to a meeting. She spilled her coffee and oatmeal all over me and then made it worse by trying to clean it up.”

“So she just dumped it on you? Threw it at you as you were walking by?”

“Okay, so I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and bumped into her. Who tries to clean an Armani suit with their hands?”

“Someone who doesn’t own an Armani suit,” he chuckles. “She was probably embarrassed and didn’t know what else to do.”

I stand there, thinking through his logic for a second. Maybe she didn’t realize she was only making things worse. Her clothing wasn’t particularly high-end.

Well, what a shitty thing to think.

Since when do I care about how much someone’s clothing costs?

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ve forgotten how to be human. I’ve been so stuck in CEO mode. I know I’m consumed—trying to build my own name apart from my family. Everything else has taken a backseat.”

“Logan, you’ve been pushing yourself too hard. It’s okay to take a step back and breathe once in a while. When that happens, you hyper-focus on one thing until it eats at you. This candy shop thing, why is it such a big deal to you?”

“It’s not just the shop,”I admit, rubbing the back of my neck. “It’s everything. I’m using the money I’ve made in my business to buy up properties. This block is my next investment. I’m trying to transform it into a premier destination to rival any of my family’s endeavors. Picture a tall building with executive studio apartments, office space, and an upscale restaurant. Then picture that idiotic shop that clashes with the image.”

“And you think harassing the owner into changing it is the way to go?”

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