She was a Logan.
His granddaughter.
His only granddaughter.
Did that mean she was the same oldest sibling of Ronin and Eric who disappeared years ago?
Carmen had heard about her, had seen her pictures. Her dark eyes and bright smile. But not a single one of those could justify the woman in front of her. She looked so weak now, so fragile. Grandpa was right, the life that she once was so rich in was now robbed away from her. Now she was just a girl on the bed who hadn't even blinked for the last three years.
Questions bombarded Carmen like never before, her curiosity stabbing her like a knife, urging her to know more. After a minute-long silence, and trying her best to not sound desperate, she mumbled to herself, "I don't understand. I thought she ran away." Her mind wandered back to all the conversations she had with Jane, Ronin's mom, about Willow's disappearance. "How did she end up here?"
Grandpa scoffed, his eyes fixed on Willow as he gently squeezed her hand before laying it back on her stomach. "She did run away, or at least that was her plan, I believe. But obviously, as you can see, things didn't go according to her plans."
Carmen couldn't help but feel a mix of confusion and concern. "How did you find her? And what happened to her? And how did she..." Her words stumbled as she tried to find the right questions to ask.
"So many questions, aren't there?" Grandpa said, turning to face her as he reached for his cane and slowly walked around the bed. "I wish I knew everything, Carmen. I wish I could find the one who did this to her. I wish I could bring her some justice, if not all. Because I know she would have wanted to be avenged. I know. She was a Logan. A woman like her didn't just accept what she didn't deserve. She fought against it. Just like you."
Carmen swallowed, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. Her eyes were fixated on the sleeping form of Willow—a once vibrant and beautiful girl reduced to nothing but a shell. Even though Carmen had never met Willow before, her heart ached for the girl. Anger and frustration swirled within her at the brutality of whoever had done this to her.
Carmen had to force herself to look away from her, if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to clear her mind and focus on the things that now seemed more important than ever. She watched as Grandpa walked across the room and sat down on the couch near the window, the faint rays of the rising sun casting a soft glow around him.
"I know what you're thinking," he said after a long silence and settled into the room, his words carrying the weight of the past and the gravity of the present. "You're probably wondering how you're connected to all this, aren't you? Why I brought you here instead of revealing everything back in Asheville? You must wonder, don't you?"
There was no need for Carmen to nod. He knew that was the truth.
He continued. "I brought you here because there are only a few people in the world that I can trust. And whether you asked for it or not, Carmen, you are one of them."
Carmen had heard those words before, yet they echoed with such different weight this time. She didn't know what she had done to earn that trust, but hearing him now, and remembering the moment when he told Dr Mitchell that he couldn't trust his own—she wanted to know if that was all related to what happened to Willow.
"Who else knows about her?" She asked instead.
"Just me, Dr Mitchell, and now you."
The exclusivity of this situation stiffened Carmen's shoulders. She stared at him for a long moment before dropping her eyes and brushing the back of her wrist, her mind racing. "Is this why you want me to be the CEO?" It was a careful analysis, one that her guts told her could be the only reason. "Do you suspect someone within the company is responsible for what happened to Willow?"
Grandpa's brows furrowed in distress. "I don't know what to think, Carmen. All I know is that I can't trust anyone else. Three years ago, when I found her outside the company, she was barely alive. She tried to speak, but she could only utter a few words before slipping into this unending coma. The doctors said someone had mercilessly beaten her, striking her head twice with something metallic. Her ribs and wrist were broken, and her face bore terrible bruises. I can't forget that lifeless, broken look she had..." Tears glistened in his eyes while a sob racked through his trembling body. "...it still haunts me."
Carmen's heart broke at the sight of him, her legs growing the will of their own, as she quickly found herself on her knees in front of him, holding his hands.
"I promise, Grandpa, I'll do everything in my power to find out what happened to Willow and who is responsible," she told him, her own tears shimmering, her heart in pain. But there were still questions that needed to be answered. "Why didn't you tell anyone else about this?"
Grandpa gently patted her hand, a bittersweet smile on his face despite the tears in his eyes. "Because when it comes to Willow and what happened to her, I can't trust anyone. Not even my own family. It's a painful truth, but I've lived long enough to know that betrayal often comes from those closest to you. My family has always been my blind spot; with them, I can't see the darkness they might hide inside. I know it might sound foolish, but with my age, I lack the strength to make wild guesses. However, you, Carmen, are young, capable, and possess an outsider's perspective. You are perfect for this task. I want you to be the CEO so that you have a position of power, and no one would question your motives. They may think I'm trying to reconcile with you after everything that happened between you and Ronin, and I don't mind that. Let them believe what they want. What truly matters is that we keep our eyes on the ultimate goal. We need to find out what Willow saw that night three years ago that led her to such a horrific fate."
Carmen had no idea how she was going to do it—she didn't have a plan—but she knew it had to be done. If he thought that bringing an outsider to catch the culprit was the right way to do it, she trusted his instincts. He had been a successful businessman once; he must know what he was doing.
"You have a plan, don't you?" Carmen asked, her eyes searching his face for any hints of what he had in mind.
He shifted his eyes back to Willow before something akin to determination crossed his features. "I have thought about this for months. So yes, I do have a plan. But before that," he looked down at Carmen, who still sat at his feet. "You have to give me your word that you won't breathe a word about Willow to anyone, not even someone you trust the most. My granddaughter is safer as long as the world believes she is far away—leaving only us and her attacker to know the truth. That's the advantage we need to exploit."
"I won't say anything to anyone." She assured him. "Her safety is of utmost importance, and I won't do anything to jeopardize that."
He patted her head gently, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Carmen. I knew I could trust you with this." He patted her head one more time, before finally getting up, looking relieved.
"Come on now," he announced with a smile. "We need to make it back to Asheville and share this good news with everyone. It's time."
* * *
After Carmen and Grandpa left Willow's room and Dr Mitchell checked up on her one last time before heading back to her bedroom, the door of Willow's room opened once again and a little girl emerged. However, this time, Alice wasn't alone. A young woman in her late thirties appeared from behind her and they both looked at each other before approaching the sleeping Willow.
Alice hopped on her little feet, tugging at the girl's fingers gently. "When are you going to wake up, Aunt Will?"
Aunt Will sighed, looking at her own unconscious form on the bed and scrunching up her face a little. "God, I hate braids. Why would they do that to my hair?"
"Aunt Will," Alice chided, her adorable face twisting into a frown. "Focus."
Willow shook her head. "Yes, of course. Well," she huffed. "Soon, I guess. But not before your mom finds out the man behind this."
"Will she ever find out?" Alice asked innocently.
Willow could only scoff, her dark eyes glinting as the sun rose from behind the horizon. "Oh, you have no idea. She is about to do a lot more than just find out about the people behind this. She is going to change the tapestry of Logans forever."
"Yay, mommy is the best," Alice giggled, jumping on her legs.
"Shh," Willow had a big grin on her face as she scooped Alice into her arms and looked at her with a bit of a serious expression. "You remember why we are here, right?"
"Yes!" Alice chirped. "We need to change the past so we can change the future."
"Right," Willow kissed Alice's cheek, a tiny tear slipping through her eyes. "I promise you, Alice, you won't lose your parents this time. Never again. Do you hear me? Never Ever."
A/N: The game begins I guess :P