Page 99 of The Secret Heir Next Door

His laugh is short and cruel. “Oh, come on. I’m just trying to help. I know how much this place means to you. And it’s a shame… Logan’s the golden boy, but you’re the one that really shines.” He steps closer, his hand reaching out to brush against my arm, and I flinch, stepping back until I hit the counter.

He still advances. “If you do for me what you do for him, I can make sure you have plenty of time to get out of this shop.”

I put my hand in his face, pushing him back with every ounce of strength I have. “Don’t touch me.”

His smirk only grows as he stumbles back a step, straightening his jacket like I’ve inconvenienced him. “Relax. It’s just business, Serena. You scratch my back. I scratch your?—”

“Leave,” I order, my voice shaking but firm. “Or I’ll call the police.”

“The police?” He mocks, moving back in close enough that I can smell his cologne—overpowering, expensive, suffocating. “I own the police. They won’t do a damn thing to me.” He looks down into the gap of my blouse. “You know, you could end all this. Dump Logan, stay away from him, and I’ll make sure you keep this place. Otherwise, you’re just setting yourself up to lose everything.”

His words hang in the air like poison. I don’t respond. I turn my face away from his seedy glare.

I’m trying to keep my breathing steady, but the panic clawing at my chest is overwhelming. His hand is heavy on my arm, pinning me against the wall of my own shop like I’m some kind of prize to claim.

His touch makes my skin crawl, his arrogant smirk so close I can smell the mint on his breath. My heart races and every muscle in my body tenses as I try to shove him off, but he justleans in closer, his lips brushing against my ear as he speaks in a jeering whisper.

I try to twist away, but he’s stronger, and the wall is unyielding at my back. My mind spins, desperate for a way out, but all I can see is his smug face and his cold eyes, enjoying every second of my discomfort. “Get off me, Chaz.”

He laughs, a sound that makes my stomach turn. “You’ve got some fight in you—I like that. But it’s wasted, Serena. You’re not going to win this. You can’t. Not unless you?—”

The bell above the shop door rings, cutting him off, and we both turn to see Logan standing in the doorway. Relief floods through me, but it’s mixed with dread. Logan’s eyes are locked on us, his expression going from confusion to pure fury in seconds.

“Chaz,” Logan’s voice is cold, edged with anger I’ve never seen in him before. He steps forward, closing the distance in three long strides. Chaz finally lets go of me, his grip loosening as Logan grabs his shoulder and yanks him back.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Logan growls, his voice deadly. He’s standing between us now, blocking Chaz from me like a shield, and for the first time since Chaz walked in, I feel like I can breathe again.

Chaz straightens, brushing off his suit jacket. “Relax, Logan. We were just having a conversation.”

Logan moves in, his face inches from Chaz’s. “A conversation?” Logan’s voice is tight, barely controlled. “I don’t think pinning a woman against a wall qualifies as a conversation.”

“You’re overreacting. Serena knows what this is—just a little negotiation. I was offering her a way to keep this sad little shop of hers.”

Logan’s jaw tightens, and I can see the rage simmering beneath the surface. “I’m not going to tell you again, Chaz. Get the hell out of here. And pull the eviction notice. Now.”

Chaz scoffs, crossing his arms. “Or what? You gonna punch me, little brother? You really want to make this worse?”

Logan doesn’t flinch. He’s calm, too calm, and that scares me more than anything. “No, I’m not going to punch you,” Logan says evenly. “But I do have something better. You see, Serena has security cameras in this shop.” He gestures to the corners of the room, and my eyes follow, landing on the small cameras mounted near the ceiling. “And guess what? They caught everything. Your little ‘negotiation’ included.”

Chaz’s face pales, his smug confidence slipping for the first time. “You’re bluffing.”

“Try me. I’m sure the media would love to see how the great Chaz Morelli conducts business. And it won’t stop there. You think you can keep bullying women without consequences? Once this footage goes public, every other woman you’ve done this to will come forward. You’re not as untouchable as you think.”

Chaz’s expression twists in anger, and he takes a threatening step forward, but Logan doesn’t budge. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You release that footage, and you’re going down with me. Our parents won’t cover for you when they see what you’ve done.”

Logan’s eyes narrow. “I’m not the one who needs their help. But you? This would be the umpteenth time they’ve had to cover up one of your scandals, and they told you the last time, didn’t they? One more slip-up, and you’re out. No inheritance, no business, nothing. You’ll lose everything, Chaz. And this deal you’ve got going? It’ll die faster than you can blink.”

Chaz’s composure cracks, and for a moment, his fear is plain as day. He clenches his fists, his eyes darting between me andLogan. I can see the reality of his plight register behind his narrowed eyes.

“You think you’re so smart,” Chaz spits furiously. “But this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

Logan doesn’t back down. “Get out, Chaz. And pull the eviction, or I’ll make sure everyone sees exactly who you are.”

Chaz glares at him, seething, but he knows he’s lost this round. He takes a step back, his anger boiling over as he points a finger at Logan. “You’re going to regret this,” his voice shakes with barely contained rage. “You’re throwing everything away for some nobody.”

Logan just stands there, blocking me from view, and doesn’t respond. Chaz storms out of the shop, slamming the door behind him so hard that the bell above it shatters, sending tiny shards of ceramic scattering to the floor. The sound echoes in the silence that follows, and I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

Logan turns to me, his face softening instantly, and the concern in his eyes makes my chest tighten. “Serena, I’m so sorry,” he says, his voice laced with guilt. “I didn’t know he would do this. I swear, I didn’t?—”

---