Page 85 of The Secret Heir Next Door

Logan’s eyes widen in disbelief, and his hand slips down my arm, but I pull away. “Serena, that’s not true. I don’t know where this is coming from, but you have to believe me…”

“I know you’re buying the building,” I interrupt, my voice trembling with emotion. “It would’ve been easier to handle if you’d just been honest with me from the beginning.”

Logan looks completely baffled. “Buying the building? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t lie to me!” I shout. “I know you’re buying the building, and I know you’re dating other women too. Lisa told me about your dinner. What else are you hiding from me?”

Logan’s face falls, and I can see the hurt and anger there. “Serena, that’s ridiculous. I’m not buying the building, and I’m not dating anyone else. How can you even think that?”

“Because it all makes sense!” I exclaim, my voice breaking. “You’ve been keeping secrets from me, and now everything is falling apart. I don’t know who you are anymore.”

He looks at me with desperation and frustration. “Serena, you’re wrong. I’ve never lied to you, and I’ve never done anything to hurt you. You have to believe me.”

But I can’t. I can’t even look at him right now. “I don’t want to do this anymore, Logan,” I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. “I never want to see you again.”

Before he can say anything else, I turn on my heel and start walking away, my heart pounding. I can hear him calling my name, but I don’t stop. I can’t. I need to get away, to put as much distance between us as possible.

When I finally reach my apartment, I fumble with the keys, my hands shaking uncontrollably. I can’t get the door open fast enough. As soon as I step inside, I slam the door shut behind me and slide down to the floor, the tears I’ve been holding back finally spilling over.

I bury my face in my hands and start to sob, the pain and confusion washing over me in waves.

How did things get so messed up? How did we go from being so happy to this?

The doubts keep swirling in my mind, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t make them go away.

Did I make a mistake? Did I push him away for no reason? Or was I right all along?

None of this can be real, right?

He’s a good man, but his family is a bunch of assholes.

I’m not sure what to believe and what not to believe, but I know that my heart is in shambles right now.

20

LOGAN

What just happened?

She just dumped me?

Did I hear her right? She can’t seriously never want to see me again, right?

How can someone throw someone they love away so easily?

They can’t, but they can definitely throw away someone they were using.

My mind races, struggling to grasp the reality of what just happened. This can’t be real. One minute, we walked together, and the next, she tells me she never wants to see me again. My chest feels tight like I can’t breathe.

What just happened?

I replay the conversation in my head, trying to make sense of it. Serena was angry, accusing me of lying, of using her, of buying the building out from under her. But that’s not true. I didn’t buy the building, and I’m not dating anyone else.

I didn’t do any of the things she’s convinced I did. But she didn’t even give me a chance to explain or talk it out. She just accused and judged. She looked at me with such anger and hurt in her eyes, and I had no idea how to make it right. It allhappened so fast, like a wave crashing over me before I even knew it was coming.

She didn’t want to listen. She didn’t believe me.

It hurts more than I want to admit. I thought what we had was real. I thought we were building something together.

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