"Where are you taking me? Put me down!"

Michelle Harris stared up at Thomas Cruz, her eyes wide with terror. She knew him—he was her surgeon—but she couldn't shake the icy fear that had clamped around her chest right then.

Her frantic struggling had already drawn more than a few stares from passersby, when a low voice suddenly rumbled right in her ear: "I’m not going to hurt you. There’s something you need to see to understand just how reckless you’ve been."

With that, Thomas carried her into his office and locked the door behind them. Michelle scrambled backward until her back hit the corner of the room, her nerves frayed. "What are you planning?"

"Open it and see," Thomas said sharply, handing her a manila folder.

Michelle flicked a confused glance his way before flipping the folder open. Her eyes blew wide with shock, and she snapped her head up to stare at him. "Who even are you? Why are you showing me this?"

"Looks like you never stopped to question the real story behind the Harris family accident," Thomas said, stepping closer as he casually flipped to a middle page, revealing a full evaluation report.

"The fire at your family’s factory all those years ago wasn’t an accident—it was arson. The perpetrator paid off people to fake the report and pin it on worker error. Put simply, your parents didn’t just die in a tragedy… they were murdered." Thomas dragged the last word out sharp, emphasizing every syllable.

Michelle shivered uncontrollably. Her mind flickered for half a second to Logan Harris’s parents, but she shoved the thought away immediately.

"You already know who did this. You just won’t let yourself admit it," Thomas said pointedly.

She flung the folder straight at him, voice blazing with denial: "I barely even know you! Why would I believe this garbage?"

With that, Michelle spun on her heel and headed for the door.

Thomas watched her back retreating, and called out right before she reached the handle: "Have you ever wondered why the accident happened the way it did? How Logan’s family showed up to save the company so fast? Why they pushed that agreement on you right after? You really think all of that was just one big coincidence?"

"Enough!" Michelle screamed, desperate to shut him up. She wrenched the door open and stormed out, never looking back.

When she got back to the main hospital wing, she ran straight into Logan’s parents, who were just stepping out of the elevator. Logan’s mother hurried over, wrapping her worried hand around Michelle’s. "Thank god you’re alright, honey. Why do you look so upset? We’re always here for you, you know that."

Michelle stared blankly at Logan’s mother, Thomas’s words suddenly ringing loud and clear in her head. She pulled her hand back coldly, her tongue already itching to ask about what happened all those years ago.

But when the questions hit her lips, she swallowed them down. All she said was, "I’m just tired. I need to rest. You two should head home."

When she saw they still hesitated to leave, Michelle huffed a cold laugh. "Don’t worry. I won’t do anything stupid before I keep my end of the deal. After all, you were the ones who saved the Harris family name back then, weren’t you?"

She glanced at Logan’s mother, and caught a faint, almost invisible smile tug at her lips.

"Silly girl, what on earth are you going on about? Alright, go get some rest," Logan’s mother said, tugging her husband along with her as they left.

Michelle pretended to head back to her hospital room. Only after they’d turned the corner and were completely gone did she turn back around, heading straight for Thomas Cruz’s office.

Maybe some things aren’t just coincidences after all.

Lost in her swirling thoughts, Michelle never noticed the pair of cold, sharp eyes watching her every move from the shadows behind her.

Thomas had clearly been waiting for Michelle. He flipped the lock shut behind her, casual as anything, and tilted his head. "Do you trust me now?"

"Who the hell are you, really? And why are you telling me all this?" Michelle’s brows knitted so tight they ached as she pinned him with a glare.

He answered without a flicker of panic. "My name doesn’t matter. All you need to know is your parents saved my life, and I won’t let their murder go unpunished."

"Saved your life…"

Bang! Bang!

Before she could finish, thunderous banging shook the door. Michelle’s heart jumped straight into her throat. Thomas wrenched the door open to reveal Logan, his entire face tight with rage, his icy gaze sharp enough to cut.

Michelle’s eyes blew wide with terror. Logan stared her down cold and sneered, "Feeling bold now, huh?" Then he flicked a mocking glance at Thomas, drawling, "How long have you two been sneaking around behind my back?"

"I suggest you watch your mouth, sir," Thomas shot back, his eyes glinting with a threat that made Logan’s brow furrow. Logan brushed right past him, zeroed in on Michelle, and wrapped a bruising grip around her wrist.

"You’re coming with me."

He dragged her all the way back to the hospital room. His hold was so tight when he finally let go, she stumbled backward, her back slamming into the wall hard enough to bring tears stinging to her eyes. Before she could even catch her breath, Logan hooked his long, firm fingers under her chin and wrenched her face up to meet his.

"You’ve got a lot of nerve, Michelle. What is this? Already out looking for a new man? Or just couldn’t stand being alone?"

His cruel words cut deep. Michelle glared up at him, her voice finally breaking free. "We aren’t the disgusting cheaters you think we are."

Logan barked a contemptuous laugh. He squeezed her chin harder and hissed, "Oh really? Then why lock the door? Michelle, do you really think I’m that stupid?"

His grip was so tight it felt like he could crush her bone. Michelle clenched her fist—she knew no matter how much she tried to explain, he’d never believe her anyway.

"Logan, I’ll have a lawyer draw up the papers tomorrow. Let’s end this marriage."

Her tone was rock-solid, and Logan’s heart skipped a beat he’d never expected. His dark eyes hardened, burning into her face with such intensity it made her skin prickle. "I told you. I’m not getting a divorce."

"No divorce? Aren’t you scared I’ll slit your throat while you sleep? You’re a killer, Logan! I told you to come after me directly! Why did you make my grandmother see all that?" Michelle finally exploded, her eyes blazing with fury as she spat the words at him.

Logan knew he’d been framed. But he refused to offer a single explanation. His gaze flicked to the carving knife sitting on the side table, he picked it up, and shoved it right into Michelle’s hands. "You got the guts to do it?"

Michelle froze, stunned by his move, hesitation coiling in her chest for a split second. But the memory of her grandmother stoked her hatred back to a roar. Without a second thought, she drove the knife straight toward Logan’s heart.

"Michelle!"

A sharp scream split the air, and Michelle’s hand jerked off course.

A dark shadow lunged across her line of vision, followed by a guttural gasp of pain. Michelle’s eyes went wide as dinner plates when she saw the knife buried deep in Josephine’s chest.

"Joey!" Logan caught Josephine instantly, craddling her to his chest, urgency wiping every last trace of cold from his dark gaze.

His glare burned straight through Michelle to her very soul. Even though she’d written him off a long time ago, her heart still ached at the sight of it.

Michelle stood rooted to the spot, stunned. When Logan brushed past her to get out, she stumbled back a few steps. Before she could even wrap her head around what just happened, a stinging slap cracked hard across her face.

Michelle glared daggers at Logan’s mother, who was shaking so hard with rage you could see it. “Michelle, I thought I treated you right—how can you be so cold-hearted?”

“So here’s my advice: keep your son the hell away from me. Or one of these days, I might actually hurt him.” Michelle’s stare cut straight through her, sharp enough to leave Logan’s mother squirming.

She was totally caught off guard—this wasn’t the soft, sweet Michelle she knew. “Don’t you forget who helped your family when they had nothing…”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Michelle stepped forward, backing her right into the wall, trapped.

Logan’s mother went bone white with fear. “Wha—what do you think you’re doing?”

Michelle studied her for a long beat, then huffed out a cold, bitter laugh. “Don’t forget what me being around does for your son. Not unless you’re positive Logan won’t have one of his episodes without me.”

“You!” Furious, Logan’s mother lifted her hand to slap Michelle across the face.

Michelle caught her wrist mid-swing and glared harder. “Mrs. Harris, what goes around comes around, remember? You know exactly what the Harris family did to mine.”

“What are you talking about?” Fear flickered in her eyes—and Michelle didn’t miss it for a second.

Michelle snorted, wrenched her hand free, and walked straight out of the hospital room.

After she claimed her grandmother’s body and arranged the funeral, Michelle was just turning to leave when Logan stepped right in front of her, blocking her path.

His face was stony cold, and the ice in his gaze was enough to make anyone’s blood run cold.

Michelle held his stare for a second, then looked away and tried to step around him.

But the second she moved, his hand wrapped around her throat and he wrenched her roughly against his chest.

“You heartless bitch! You ran someone over with your car!” Logan snarled the accusation right in her face.

Michelle’s brow furrowed, she gasped for air, and finally forced the words out: “I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about. Let me go!”

“No idea? The driver already spilled everything. Why the hell are you lying?” Logan’s grip tightened, like he was fully prepared to choke the life out of her right there.

Sensing she was actually in danger, Michelle drove her knee hard into his groin, fast as lightning.

“Fuck!” Logan grunted in agony and shoved her hard away from him.

Michelle didn’t stop for anything—she just ran as fast as she could.

“Don’t let her escape!” His icy voice barked the order, and four big men grabbed her before she could get far.

“Logan, you brute! Let me go!” Michelle fought and struggled, but they threw her into the back of a car before she could break free.

She barely had time to adjust to the seat before Logan climbed in after her, nodding at the driver to floor it.

As the car sped down the highway, Michelle fought the roil of nausea in her stomach and shot a furious glare at the man sitting next to her. Her lips parted to speak, but before a single word could come out, Logan’s phone rang.

“Mr. Harris? Your mother just woke up.”

Logan froze for a beat, then ended the call. He glanced over at Michelle, his voice ice cold. “You got lucky this time. But this isn’t over.”

Michelle stayed silent. She already knew Logan had never trusted her, not once.

Soon they pulled back up to the hospital. The police called him away, so he didn’t go with Michelle to see his mother.

To stop her from running, he left a couple men posted outside to watch her.

When Michelle walked into the room, only Josephine was sitting by the bed. Logan’s mother lay there, eyes closed, still unconscious.

A cold dread washed over Michelle when she saw Josephine’s lips curl into that wicked, knowing smile.

Everything clicked into place. Michelle rounded on her, voice sharp with anger. “You did this. This was all your doing!”