Chapter 129
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I no longer lingered to eavesdrop after hearing Selene’s words. That revelation alone was enough to leave me reeling for days. All my suspicions about Logan had been answered, but I hadn’t anticipated this.
Liam. I remembered him vividly–a slender, cheerful man who radiated a boy–next–door charm. He had been nothing but kind. It was tragic enough that he died so young, but knowing that he left this world betrayed by the two people closest to him–his wife and his best friend–was unbearable.
I finally understood why Logan had been so devastated and guilt–ridden after Liam’s death. He was the reason for it.
It also explained why Liam’s parents had treated Selene so poorly after his passing and refused to acknowledge her child. They likely believed the baby wasn’t even Liam’s.
When I first discovered Logan’s infidelity, I didn’t feel much anger–just disappointment. But now, my chest burned with fury. Logan wasn’t just a cheater; he was a pathetic coward whose actions had cost his best friend his life.
Sensing my inner turmoil, Nora led me back to her office so I could calm down. I sat down in silence, staring blankly at the floor.
Although Liam and I had never been particularly close, I could feel the weight of his despair. I could imagine the suffocation he must have felt in his final moments–the betrayal and heartbreak that must have consumed him.
“Logan is unforgivable,” Nora said, her voice trembling with anger.
I nodded faintly. “Now that Selene has blamed everything on him, he has no choice but to keep making amends. He owes her that much. But Selene isn’t innocent either–Logan wouldn’t have pursued her if she hadn’t encouraged it.”
“It takes two to tango,” Nora agreed, her tone bitter. “But she’s acting like it’s all Logan’s fault. And don’t forget–she’s willing to end Liam’s bloodline just so she can marry into the Mercer family. She’s evil to the core!”
I picked at my nails absentmindedly, murmuring, “Nora, whatever you do, make her keep the baby.”
Nora sighed, her expression softening. “Elaine, I understand how you feel. But even if I delay the procedure, she’ll just go to another clinic. And let’s be real–Selene has her sights set on Logan. She’s not going to keep the baby. Even if she does, that child won’t live a happy life.”
Her words stung, but they were true.
I suddenly recalled a quote I’d read somewhere: “Nobody has the right to dictate someone else’s life.”
As much as I hated to admit it, I had no right to decide for Selene.
Still, the thought of losing Liam’s last connection to this world devastated me. If this baby ceased to exist, so would Liam’s legacy.
I felt helpless and hollow–an ache deeper than anything I’d felt when I learned of Logan and Selene’s affair.
“If Logan has any conscience left, he won’t let Selene go through with this,” Nora said, her voice heavy with frustration.
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I closed my eyes. “Let’s hope he doesn’t disappoint us again.”
While I was trying to calm myself in Nora’s office, my phone rang. It was Logan.
“Can you ask Nora to stop Selene’s abortion?” he asked, his voice strained.
At least there was still some humanity left in him.
I repeated Nora’s earlier words to him before adding, “Logan, she’s used her baby to emotionally manipulate you before, and now she’s willing to give it up just to marry you. Whether the baby lives or not isn’t up to Nora–it’s up to you.”
Logan’s silence on the other end of the line was telling. After a long pause, he asked in a low voice, “You know everything?”
“Selene came to me and asked if Ethan and Tessa would accept her baby. I think you know my answer to that,” I said bluntly.
Logan didn’t respond. After a few moments, he ended the call.
Later, I reached out to Caleb to find out where Liam was buried. I didn’t know why I felt compelled to visit him. After all, we hadn’t been close.
Maybe it was empathy.
Liam and I were both casualties in this tangled web of betrayal. I had lost what I thought was my truest first love. Perhaps I would fall in love again someday, but it would never feel as bittersweet or pure as my first.
But Liam… Liam had lost everything. He had lost his love, his life, and his family’s happiness. He was his parents‘ most cherished child, and now he lay forever beneath a cold tombstone.
I couldn’t help but feel sorrow for him.
On my way back from the cemetery, it began to rain. The location was remote, and no cabs were available, so I trudged through the rain, my clothes quickly soaking through.
By the time I got home, I was drenched and shivering. I sneezed several times and felt a creeping grogginess take over me. Weak and exhausted, I collapsed onto my bed without even changing out of my wet clothes.
That day, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When I woke up, the sky had already darkened. My head throbbed slightly, and I felt weak all over.
I thought I heard noises outside my apartment. Curious and still groggy, I got up and opened the door cautiously.
Standing there, as if he belonged, was Ashton.
