Page 69 of The Secret Heir Next Door

I look at her, my frustration bubbling up to the surface. "You know what irritated me the most? Logan swooped in, trying to play the hero, trying to buy the building so I could keep my shop. I don’t need to be saved, Em. I can handle my own problems."

She gives me a gentle smile, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear in that comforting way she always does. "I know you don’t need saving, Serena. You’ve always been strong, independent, and determined. But sometimes, it’s okay to let someone help you, especially when they care about you. Maybe Logan isn’t trying to control you; maybe he just wants to be there for you, to support you in his way."

I sigh, the fight slowly draining out of me. "Maybe," I admit, looking down at my wine glass. "But how do I know he’s not just using me to get back at his family?"

She shrugs, taking a sip of her wine. "You won’t know unless you talk to him. Really talk to him. And if it turns out he is using you? Then you walk away with your head held high, knowing you did everything you could."

I nod, appreciating her advice more than she’ll ever know. "Thanks, Em. I just... I’m scared. Scared of losing my shop, of getting hurt, of everything."

"You’re going to be okay, sis. You’re one of the strongest people I know. And whatever happens with Logan, we’ll figure it out together."

I smile back at her, feeling a little more optimistic. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."

"Luckily, you don’t have to find out," she says with a grin, raising her glass. "Now, let’s eat this pizza before it gets cold."

I laugh, clinking my glass against hers. "To sisterly love and surviving impossible situations."

"To that," she agrees, and we dig into the pizza.

Pizza, wine, and the warmth of my sister’s presence makes everything feel slightly more manageable.

Emily sets her empty plate aside and looks at me with that determined glint in her eye—the one that means she’s about to go into full lawyer mode. "Alright, Serena," she says, leaning forward, "we need a game plan."

I nod, taking a deep breath. "I know. I’ve been thinking about it, but everything feels so overwhelming right now."

"That’s why you have me. We’re going to fight this. If that landlord thinks he can just waltz in and kick you out, he’s got another thing coming."

I can’t help but smile at her confidence. "You sound like you’re ready to go to war."

"Oh, I am. But first, we need to figure out our strategy. So, let’s start with the basics. What do we know about this guy? What’s his angle?"

"His name is Donald Levy," I begin, thinking back to what little I know about him. "He owns the building and apparently, he’s been getting offers from some big developers who want to turn it into executive studio apartments. He told Logan that he couldn’t renege on the deal because the people involved are...well, not people you can say no to."

Emily raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Not people you can say no to? What is this, a bad mafia movie?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "I don’t know. That’s just what he said. But it sounded pretty final—like there’s no way he’s backing down."

"Well, we’ll see about that. First things first, we need to make sure he’s following the law to the letter. Most of these guys get greedy and try to cut corners. If he did anything wrong, we’re going to find it."

"So, where do we start?"

She leans forward, her mind already working a mile a minute. "We start by filing a motion to delay the eviction. We’ll need to buy some time to gather evidence and build our case. I can file enough motions to keep you in there longer, even if it’s just to make his life miserable in the meantime."

I chuckle, appreciating her tenacity. "You’re really going to make him work for it, aren’t you?"

"Damn right I am," she replies with a broad grin. "No one messes with my sister and gets away with it. Besides, it’ll be fun to watch him squirm."

"Do you ever get tired of being this ruthless?" I ask, only half-joking.

"Never," she says, laughing. "It’s my job, and I’m good at it. Now, let’s think about possible scenarios. If we file these motions, he might try to get aggressive. What if he offers you a buyout to leave quietly?"

I consider it for a moment. "I guess it would depend on the offer, but I really don’t want to give up my shop, Em. It’s my dream, my livelihood."

Emily nods thoughtfully. "I know, and I’m not saying you should. But we need to be prepared for all possibilities. If he tries to buy you out, we’ll negotiate the hell out of him. We can use the threat of dragging this out to get more favorable terms. You might end up with enough to open a new shop somewhere even better."

"Somewhere better? That’s a tall order," I say, raising an eyebrow. "I love that spot, Em. It’s perfect."

"I know," she says softly. "And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you don’t lose it. But we have to be smart. If push comes to shove, we need to be ready to pivot."

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