Q: Out of curiosity, who would like to see a sequel of this book?
I'll be publishing Chapter 2 of Logan's short story on Monday. Stay tuned! (✿◡‿◡)
_________
The truth
~•❤️•~
~ Sera ~
Entering the mansion with Bethany by my side, the familiar scent of home enveloped me, and I let out a sigh. Though I had only been away for a little over an hour to visit Parker, I felt utterly drained-mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Gabriel and my parents were once again off to who knows where, their mysterious comings and goings a common occurrence.
"How was your visit to Parker?" Bethany inquired as we entered the kitchen. The aroma of food provided a small comfort, and I found solace in the thought of Beth's delicious cooking, slowly rekindling my appetite.
"It was good. Parker seems to be doing fine and appears much more healed compared to the last time," I replied, referencing my previous conversation with Parker about his injuries.
"I'm glad to hear that, Honey. He seemed like such a sweet boy when I met him on the day of your birthday party."
"He is. He's one of the kindest and most considerate people I've ever met," I told her. However, as I gazed down at the island counter, a wave of disheartening emotions washed over me.
Beth slid a bowl of pasta in front of me, bringing me a sense of relief. "Eat up," she encouraged.
I nodded and clasped my hands together for a silent prayer before raising the fork. The first bite of the creamy seafood pasta provided a small semblance of normalcy. "Thank you, Beth. This is one of my comfort meals," I said softly.
"Of course, Sera. Anything for you," she replied, ruffling my hair and offering a grin. When she pulled away, she added, "Oh yes, I forgot to mention, Bella called me while you were at Parker's."
I dropped my fork, looking at her in surprise. "Why?"
"She said your phone was turned off, but she really needs to see you."
I chewed the remainder of the food in my mouth slowly and gulped. "To be honest, my phone was turned off precisely to avoid Bella, Caitlyn, and anyone else attempting to contact me." I shrugged. "If my teachers wanted to let me know something, they'd contact my parents."
Beth sighed. "She really misses you."
"I know, and I feel horrible for what happened to her, but I can't stomach to see her, Beth. I think I'd puke if I saw her. Not after I found out about how she really feels about me." My mouth soured at the thought.
Years of friendship with Bella turned out to be a façade. She had been badmouthing me to Caitlyn and harboring negative thoughts about me for who knows how long. If she had any issues with me, she should have communicated it, and I would have tried to be a better friend. Instead, she was dishonest, and now, looking back, I wasn't sure which memories we shared were even genuine.
It hurt a lot, but any pain I felt regarding our fractured friendship was overshadowed by my heartbreak for Logan.
Beth raised her brows in apparent surprise. Of course, she didn't know the truth. I hadn't shared Bella's hurtful words with anyone. I was certain the police had seen the video by now, but I had no interest in knowing what they did with it. I was too drained to even worry about Bella. For once, I was being selfish, and I didn't care.
"How does she really feel about you?" Beth asked. When she noticed my expression, she got the hint that I had zero energy to talk about this. "Never mind, don't worry about telling me. Do whatever feels best for you, Sera."
"Thanks, Beth." I offered her a small smile, truly appreciating her genuine understanding of me.
The sound of the front door opening again signaled the arrival of Mikhail and Sebastian. They entered the kitchen a few minutes later.
"I'm starving," Sebastian declared, slumping onto the stool next to mine.
I glanced at him and noticed genuine fatigue on his face. Feeling guilty, aware that my situation was affecting everyone around me, I reached over the table to grab a bowl. I began scooping out some pasta from the dish when Sebastian stopped me. "I'll do it myself," he chuckled. "You just relax, okay?"
"No, it's fine. I want to," I insisted. I prepared bowls for both Sebastian and Mikhail and handed them over.
They exchanged a look.
"What? Stop acting like this is the first nice thing I've ever done for you guys," I scoffed, shoving a forkful of pasta into my mouth.
Mikhail laughed. "I missed this. Uni is so far away from home, and we don't get to eat together like this very often."
"Me too. For the next school year, I'm considering doing my postgrad in a college closer to home."
I looked at Sebastian in surprise. "Really?" I asked.
"Of course," he confirmed. "Mikhail will be graduating finally, and I'll be moving closer."
"That's amazing news, Seb," I gushed.
"I want to be closer to the family, especially after what happened."
Sadness washed over me, but I pushed it away. "I love you guys," I said.
Sebastian made a puking noise, and Mikhail only laughed, causing me to giggle.
Maybe there wasn't all bad news around.
**🌹**
When late afternoon arrived, I found myself back in my room after spending the day with Mikhail and Sebastian. We had made homemade ice cream together, relished it outside, played soccer, and even indulged in a game of hide and seek. The quality time with my brothers made me realize that not everything in my life was negative lately.
However, my parents and Gabriel were still nowhere to be found, fueling my suspicion. The desire to confront them about their mysterious activities grew with each passing moment. I wanted answers, and the longer they delayed their return, the more impatient I became to unveil the truth.
Turning my phone back on, I discovered three missed calls from Bella. With a sigh, I swiped them away. In doing so, my phone accidentally hit the call button, and before I could rectify the mistake, Bella's voice filled my ear.
"Sera!"
I winced at her screech, pulling the phone slightly away from my ear. "Bella."
"I'm so surprised you called me. I really want to speak to you, Ser."
That didn't make two of us. I didn't let her know that though. "What did you want to say?"
As she began to respond, I detected noises in the background-a chorus of chatter. Uninterested in Bella's current whereabouts, I paid it little attention. Suddenly, amidst the noise, I distinctly heard... Gabriel's voice?
Confusion gripped me. Why would Bella be in the same place as Gabriel, who had left just hours ago with my parents? It seemed too much of a coincidence. A nagging feeling urged me to investigate further.
The background noises dwindled as I heard Bella walking, followed by the sound of a door opening and closing, reducing the background noise. "Can we talk in person? Please? I miss you, and I'm so sorry," she pleaded.
"You're sorry?" I asked skeptically. "I'm sorry too, but we've had this conversation already."
"But still, I feel like we didn't talk enough about everything that has happened. I'm also concerned about you. Are you... Are you okay, Sera?"
I detected sadness in her tone, but I simply didn't care. Bella's true feelings were now laid bare, revealing a stark contrast to the perfect best friend I once believed her to be.
"I'm fine," I lied. Normally, I'd share my true feelings with Bella, but not anymore.
"Are you really fine? Can I come over?" Her voice carried a tone of dejection.
"No," I replied. "And if you're really sorry, tell me why I heard Gabe's voice in the background of where you are?" My grip on the blanket tightened, my heart rate escalating.
Something wasn't right. They were keeping something from me. Earlier, I had discovered Parker lying to me about Logan, and now Bella was suspiciously in the same place as Gabe, who had just left with my parents. Bella's presence seemed too coincidental to be true.
My family persisted in not divulging their whereabouts every day. Secrets, lies, and silence-these were the only responses to my inquiries.
My heart sank when Bella remained silent. No response, just slowed breathing-all telltale signs of hesitation, nervousness, or the preparation to lie.
I guessed I learned some things from Logan before he left.
"I, um, I'm at the mall, and I happened to-" Bella's hesitant explanation was cut off as my impatience peaked.
"Cut the bullshit." The words escaped before I could stop them. The possibility of her genuinely being at the mall evaporated. "You've been lying to me since the beginning of our so-called friendship. While I opened up, showing my deepest insecurities and confiding in you, you pretended to support me, all the while thinking badly about me. I'm a boring prude? An attention-seeking brat? You stuck around because of my brothers and my big house? Get lost, Bella."
My words scorched my tongue, fueled by the vivid recall of the hurtful things she had said in that recording. On the other end, I heard Bella's sudden sniffling, indicating that she was crying, but I didn't care. "Tell me the truth, or we're done. I won't want to see you ever again."
A part of me resented my selfishness, unwilling to give her a chance to explain. But what was there to explain? Her hurtful words came from her own feelings. Her drugged state didn't alter the essence of her words.
She didn't deserve anything that happened to her. I was angry about what Logan and his friends did to Bella, but that didn't absolve her of the things she said. I was hurt, most of all, by betrayal.
"Sera," Bella's tearful voice begged, her throat sounding tight. "I-I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
"As I said, tell me the truth, or we're done. Where are you, and why is Gabe there?"
"I can't," she whispered. "Please, I can't tell you this."
Tears welled up in my eyes. "You can't tell me because my parents and Gabriel told you not to, right?" My voice wavered, on the brink of crying. "Just like they told Parker not to tell me the truth."
"Sera-"
"Is he alive?" I asked, my vision growing blurry from tears. My grip on the phone tightened. If I had been stronger, the phone might have shattered. "They didn't let me see his body when they told me that he was gone. There was no funeral for his death. The police are treating this as an active case, asking me strange questions. My family is keeping too many secrets from me, disappearing every day for the last two weeks. Parker said Logan should rot in jail, but when I asked him about it, he tried to cover it up. W-why? Why is everyone lying to me? I never hurt anyone, but I'm in so much pain because everyone is hurting me. It's not fair."
The tears wouldn't cease, and suddenly, I felt nauseous. I wanted to puke the contents of my lunch.
"I'm so sorry," Bella whispered. "I can't tell you."
"Bella!" I nearly cried. "Is Logan alive?"
Silence.
She didn't deny it. She didn't treat my question as absurd.
"He is, isn't he?"
More silence and heavy breathing. That was confirmation enough.
I hung up the phone. "No, no, no," I whispered, dropping my phone, slowly pushing my bed covers away from my body. Standing up on wobbly legs, I took a step, only to collapse onto the ground.
Landing on my hands and knees, I felt the sting, my vision blurred with tears.
"No, no," I whispered.
Moments later, I found myself lying on my side, arms clutching the area above my heart. Quiet sobs wracked my body before I could stop them, and my eyes shut tightly.
I didn't know how much time passed in my futile position on the floor, arms wrapped around my legs. My chest hurt so much that my cries were barely audible.
In moments like these, time felt weird and incomprehensible. When pained, time passed by so agonizingly slowly, but when happy and joyful, it flew by in a second. I was sure hours had gone by in my pathetic and sobbing state, but a mere twenty minutes had passed.
The feelings I experienced upon discovering Logan was alive were indecipherable.
What what that? Relief? Uncertainty? Agony. . . Or simply, pain? No, I'd never felt anything like this before. Perhaps it was a combination of all.
When I woke up after crying myself into a slumber, my eyes were sore, droopy, and tired. It was a physical struggle to even get up.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I tried to make sense of my surroundings. Numbness in my legs made standing difficult, and the ache in my chest made breathing a challenge.
Seeking comfort, I pulled the chain I'd made with Logan's ring out of my top and clutched the metal. Instead of allowing me to move on peacefully and find solace, my family had let me mourn the 'death' of someone I loved for two weeks. They let me experience the pain of loss and the cruel emotion of grief, all to fit their perception of protecting me.
Emotions of anger and hopelessness swirled within me. Anger at my parents for their actions, and hopelessness because I had no idea how to navigate the aftermath.
Standing up and leaning against my bed for support, thoughts raced through my mind like a whirlpool. The tornado of thoughts, centered around the fact that Logan was alive, made me shiver.
Logan.
Oh, God.
Where was he? What was he doing? Had he healed from the bullet wound that left a pool of blood? There was so much blood.
Images of Logan's motionless body, surrounded by a pool of blood, flashed through my mind. The police rushed in, lifting me off the ground and dragging me away.
My head pounded, eyes sore, insides shaking.
Before I knew it, I was asleep on the floor once again.
**🌹**
My eyes were trained on the mansion tiles as I walked. My destination in this big mansion was Gabriel's room, quite close to mine but still quite far for the standards of an average house.
The cold tiles on my bare feet gave me a sharp enough sting to keep me awake while I walked to my brother's room. My mouth was sour because I'd just puked the contents of lunch into the toilet and didn't bother to brush my teeth afterward.
Upon reaching Gabriel's bedroom, I raised my knuckles and knocked. My mind urged me to barge in and demand the truth, yet my physically drained body struggled to even raise my hand. My nose tingled as new tears formed in my eyes.
"Come inside, Sera," Gabe's voice called out.
Entering the room, I left the door slightly ajar.
"What's wrong?" Gabe inquired, rising from his bed with deliberate slowness. He approached me, genuine concern etched across his features. "Are you feeling upset again?"
I wanted to respond, but when I looked at Gabriel, the hurt from his deceit about something so profound overwhelmed me. Uncontrollable tears spilled from my eyes, emotions cascading over me. I lifted my hands to cover my face as sobs shook my entire body.
"Sera, what's wrong? Please talk to me," Gabriel's voice persisted, his hands gently pulling at mine. When I finally met his gaze, a cruel mixture of anger and sadness washed over me.
"You're a liar. You, Mom, Dad, Beth, all of you are liars!" Even as I shouted, my voice sounded feeble.
"Calm down, Princess. What are you talking about?" He asked, eyes widening.
He likely assumed that I had finally lost my sanity, the reason why he and my parents insisted on therapy.
"He's alive. I know that Logan is alive!" I raised my hands, and before I could restrain myself, I shoved Gabriel away. He stepped back, surprise crossing his features.
Gabe remained silent, appearing utterly at a loss for words.
Shaking my head, disappointment flooding me me, I turned to run away. I felt the urge to vomit again.
"Sera, wait!" I didn't make it two steps out of the door before Gabe stopped me, his hand tightly latching onto my arm.
I tried to pull away, bile rising to my throat. In the next second, I was vomiting the remaining contents of my lunch all over the floor.
"Fuck," Gabe muttered anxiously, releasing my arm and stepping back. The distance didn't last long before he knelt beside me, rubbing my back.
"W-Why did you lie to me?" I forced out.
He sighed. "It was never my plan to do that. Dad and Mom insisted on it even when all of us were against it."
More nausea washed over me, and I vomited a transparent substance, devoid of any remaining food.
"Shit, I'm getting you to the doctor."
"You could have told me even when they lied." I cried. "It hurt too much to think he was dead, Gabe. In the first week, I didn't want to live anymore."
I felt him freeze. "W-what?"
"I didn't want to live anymore knowing that he was dead," I admitted.
I'd never even acknowledged this fact to myself. As much as my words surprised Gabe, they surprised me too.
I sensed myself being lifted from the ground as Gabe prompted me to stand up. "You have to see a doctor. You're not okay, Sera."
"No," I denied, trying to push him away. "Leave me alone. You've done enough."
"No, let's get you to a doctor. You're not okay. You cannot be having thoughts like that." He attempted to pull me again, and I used all my strength to shove him away.
"Leave me alone!" I yelled.
"Sera-"
"You could have told me, but you lied. I thought that you were on my side!"
"I was trying to fucking protect you!" My eyes widened in surprise, and I froze when Gabe raised his voice. Not once in my life had he ever spoken to me in that manner. "Gosh," he ran a hand across his face in stress. "He was my best friend, Sera. I trusted him, and I found out he did all of that to you. Do you have any idea how I felt? You didn't once try to see if I was doing good. But I can understand that. I don't blame you for anything. You are more hurt than anyone. I blame Logan, and I blame Mom and especially Dad for sheltering you like a child and letting you seek consolation from someone like Logan. Fuck all of them!" He hissed.
I shook my head, more tears falling from my eyes. It was all a mess.
Gabe stared at me, his expression pained. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes, causing an unexpected stab in my chest. "I-I didn't mean for you to get hurt. If I knew that prison changed him so much, I would never have brought him into the mansion. I was so stupid, and you have every right to resent me. I'm so sorry, Seraphina."
Using a hand to wipe away my tears, I had no idea how to respond. All I knew was that Gabe was right when he said that I didn't once check up on him to know how he was feeling. I let him be hurt alone. While he and everyone else were trying to be there for me and paying attention to me, no one was seeing to Gabe.
"I'm sorry too," I said quietly, letting my eyes rest on the floor, feeling so dejected. "I didn't mean to come here and yell at you. It's just been a rough two weeks, and the pain was so much. To find out you all lied and that he's actually alive brought me so much relief, but it also hurt so much."
Gabriel nodded, wiping his tears away quickly with the back of his hand. I was so selfish to let him be alone when I knew what Logan meant to him.
"I understand, and I'm so sorry." He said.
Although the whole situation was miserable, I only then realised that the heavy weight that was on my shoulders had been lifted.
**🌹**
"Do you... miss him?" My gaze drifted away from the star-studded sky, locking onto Gabe as his unexpected question landed with a weight I hadn't anticipated.
An hour had passed since I confronted Gabriel about his deception. Seated on the balcony attached to his room, we shared a contemplative silence, our eyes absorbing the breathtaking view of the estate beneath the enchanting embrace of a dark blue sky. The scenery offered a semblance of peace amid the turmoil within.
Rather than bombarding Gabriel with questions, I chose to remain silent in order to reach a point where the emotions wasn't suffocating me. Unfortunately, Gabe's inquiry pierced through my attempts at composure.
"I do." I said shakily, feeling emotional just by thinking about the awful situation that I was in. I loved someone that hurt me on multiple occasions when he couldn't control his anger. He then went on to hurt the people in my life, and that was when I drew the line. I was so prepared to leave him, but my parents decided that it would be okay to lie to me about his whereabouts.
I grappled with conflicting emotions, torn between the regret of leaving him behind and the painful memories of his past actions. Thinking that he was dead made me regret wanting to leave him. It made me regret that I moved on and left him behind, when he so desperately needed someone to be there for him.
The sickening realisation hit me-I was back at square one, yearning and missing Logan despite everything he had put me through.
"Why?" Gabriel's voice shattered my thoughts, pulling me from my reverie. "Why do you miss him? After everything he has done to you, you should hate him."
My gaze fell to my hands, forming a frown. "I don't hate him."
"Is it because you feel sorry for him? Fuck, he has a pretty good way of making a person empathise with him. I was the same."
I looked at him expectantly, urging him to continue.
Gabe sighed, reclining in his seat. "We've known each other since I was ten and he was eleven. We did everything together, and in that time, I learned a lot about his past. His upbringing was cruel, traumatizing him to the point of developing all those mental issues. I took pity on him all those years, truly cared about him, and wanted to see him move forward. But I can't forgive what he did to you, Sera. I can never forgive that."
I closed my eyes tightly, my heart aching. "I understand," I said softly.
"Good, because you'll never see him again."
"I didn't agree to that," I quickly retorted, surprised.
"I didn't give you an option. No one in this house, including me, will let you step even ten feet close to Logan. Over my dead body," he asserted firmly.
I gulped, releasing deep breaths. "Is he... imprisoned?"
"Not yet, but he will be in a few days. We've been to court the last two weeks. Since Dad pulled every connection to keep you out of the case, it was complicated. We resolved everything today, though. You don't have to worry about any of it."
I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. Moments passed before my eyes welled up.
"What's wrong?" Gabe asked in concern, looking at me from the couch.
"He just got released from prison four months ago, and now he's going back in. It's cruel," I whispered.
"No, what is cruel is what he did to you."
"You were his best friend; how can you not see how it's cruel?"
"Please don't go there, Sera. I don't want to think about that, and I sure as hell no longer view him as my best friend. Don't force me to feel more bad for him than I do for you."
I shook my head. "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant to do."
He sighed deeply. "Just... go to bed now. We can deal with Mom and Dad tomorrow. I'm so mad at them, and I'm too fucking tired right now to deal with them."
I nodded before standing up from my seat. A cool breeze passed me, and I shivered. Looking at Gabe, I asked, "How long?"
"How long what?"
"How long will he be locked up for?" I was conflicted and afraid for the answer.
"Three years."
"O-okay." I nodded. "It's okay. He'll be out in no time, and then he can move on with his life." I desperately tried to make myself feel better by thinking positively.
"For fuck's sake, stop caring so much about him. It makes me so mad." Gabe sighed in frustration before standing up. "Come on, I'll walk you to your room. I have to get one of the maids in here to clean up your puke that's all over my floor."
"I'm sorry," I said dejectedly, my shoulders slumping. I had passed out twice upon finding out Logan was alive, yet I was still exhausted.
"Don't apologize. Nothing is your fault. Okay?"
I nodded, feeling slightly assured.
**🌹**
The following morning, I found myself wide awake at 6 am, lying in bed and fixating on the ceiling as a torrent of thoughts raced through my mind at one-hundred miles per hour. Throughout the night and into the early hours, I grappled with a persistent sense of depression, unable to find any solace.
As the clock struck eight, a realization took hold: I needed to see Logan.
I ventured to Gabriel's room, knocking eagerly, but received no response. My search extended to every familiar room in the mansion where I thought I might find him, only to discover his absence from each of these places.
Finally, after growing tired, I found Gabriel just as he was about to enter my father's office.
Before he could do so, I rushed to grab his hand. "Wait, can I talk to you quickly?"
Gabe looked surprised at the sudden encounter. "Sera? Good morning to you too."
"I need to talk to you."
"Ans I need to talk to the man who was always supposed to protect you but ended up hurting you worse instead," he declared with determination, shrugging my hand off.
I grabbed his hand again. "No, wait!" I whispered urgently. "I'm mad too, believe me, I am. But that can wait."
Finally, he turned to look at me. "What can be more important?"
"Come with me to the garden; I don't want anyone to hear." Before he could object, I began dragging him down the stairs. He followed me in silence until we reached the backyard.
"Sera, what's this about? Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?"
"No," I said, stopping at the entrance of the rose garden. "I need to ask you something, and you can't say no."
Gabe nonchalantly shrugged. "The answer is 'no.'"
"What? I didn't even ask the question yet!"
"I feel like I know exactly where you are going with this, Sera."
I let out a humourless laugh. "You think you know me so well?"
Gabe shot me a look. "Yes, that's actually exactly what I think."
"I need to see him one last time," I said calmly, wishing that Gabe would automatically understand why, sparing me the need to explain myself because I was too embarrassed.
"Absolutely not, are you insane?" He widened his eyes, urging me to reconsider.
"You got to see him all week. It's not fair that I can't."
"Yeah, I got to see him, much to my fucking dismay," he scoffed.
"Please, Gabe," I begged, lifting a hand to my heart. "I'll never be at peace without saying goodbye. I think he needs it too."
"Who gives a fuck what he needs?"
He was about to step out of the garden's entrance when I blocked his path, extending my arms on either side of me.
He raised a brow. "You do know that I can walk you out of the way without fail?"
"Please!"
"No, I'm not letting you see him, and I will lock you up in your damn room if you ask again."
He gently pushed me aside before shoving his hands into his pockets and proceeding to walk towards the mansion.
"Gabe, wait," I followed after him. "If you can't do that, then please just don't tell our parents about my knowledge that he is alive. I'm too pissed and tired to deal with them right now. I just want to feel better right now; I don't want more trouble."
Contrary to what I told Gabe, I wasn't too tired to confront my parents. It took all my strength to resist barging into their bedroom, demanding to know why they kept such crucial information from me. But I wanted to delay and give myself more time to convince Gabriel to take me to see Logan. If my parents knew I found out and wanted to say goodbye to him, it would be ten times harder to make it happen.
Gabe paused in his steps and turned to look at me. "Are you sure? Because I swear if you decide to yell at Mom and Dad, I am one hundred percent on your side. Let it all out on them and me; I don't care."
"I'm sure. Please do this for me."
"Fine, I will stop myself from barging in there and yelling."
I pulled Gabriel in for a hug and sighed, feeling slightly better that I had someone on my side. "Thank you."
He patted my head. "Of course."
The next three days blurred into a repetitive loop of me pleading with Gabe to let me see Logan, only to be denied each time. I would do things for him, be extra nice, only to be met with his abrupt rejections.
I was tired of asking and felt defeated, unsure of how I would ever convince Gabe to take me. Going alone was out of the question. My parents would interrogate me, and Ben, my bodyguard, would have to go with me everywhere. Beyond that, I had no clue where Logan was being imprisoned.
Each sunrise brought with it the haunting reality that Logan was alive and thinking that I was dead. Gabe let me know that he told Logan that I thought he was dead. It hurt so much knowing that he was alone right now, imprisoned and with those depressing thoughts. I related somehow.
On the fourth day, my resolve solidified into a desperate determination. The frustration of not seeing Logan gnawed at me, a foolish pain that defied reason. Ignoring the consequences and complications, I was desperate to see him, and today, I decided, would be the day.
Navigating the familiar hallways of the mansion, I moved with a cautious yet purposeful stride, my heart pounding in sync with each step. The front door loomed ahead, an escape to the outside world where Logan was imprisoned. My trembling hand gripped the doorknob, and the cool breeze outside flowed underneath my purple dress. Just as I was about to step outside, a strong grip closed around my arm, bringing me to an abrupt halt. Gabe stood behind me, his eyes a blend of concern and frustration.
"What do you think you're doing, Sera?" Gabe's voice carried a mixture of exasperation and genuine worry.
Tears welled up in my eyes. "I can't bear not seeing him, Gabe. Please, just let me say goodbye."
Gabe sighed in frustration. "How many times do I have to say no?"
"You're not being fair." I shook my head, ripping my arm out of his grasp. "You're being selfish."
"How am I being selfish?" He lowered his voice slightly, with the knowledge that the rest of my family was home. "I'm trying to protect you."
"Just like how Dad tried to protect me by omitting the truth and making everything worse?"
"What? It's not the same. This is different."
"How?" I almost yelled. "You're ripping a decision away from me."
"No," He shook his head. "You can't see him. I don't want to give him that satisfaction."
I laughed humorlessly. "So this is actually about you? You don't want me to say goodbye because it goes against your agenda of hate that you developed for him?"
Gabe let out a sound of frustration, raking a hand through his hair. "It's not like that."
"That is exactly how it is!" I yelled in a hushed voice.
"Will you please just give up?"
"No, if you won't let me go, I'll go on my own." I was ten steps out of the mansion when Gabe obstructed my path, standing in the way. "Get lost."
"And what exactly will you do? What is your plan of action, Sera?"
"I don't know! But I need this closure. I don't care if you understand or not."
"Fuck," He released a long breath. "Fine."
Relief surged through me, mingling with gratitude for Gabriel's reluctant understanding.
We left the estate in the next five minutes, my whole body shaking with the idea of seeing Logan again. I was so nervous. What would he think? Would he be happy to see me? Would he want to say goodbye?
Endless scenarios ran through my head, and I closed my eyes tightly.
"Are you sure you want to do this? You're shaking, Sera." Gabriel's concerned voice sounded over my racing heartbeat.
"I'm certain."
The prison's imposing structure came into view, and as we approached the gates, a mix of anticipation and fear gripped my heart. The reality of seeing Logan again, after the events that had transpired, loomed before me.
In that moment, I knew that this visit would either bring the closure I desperately sought or unravel me even further.
**🌹**
A/n. I re-read and reviewed this chapter multiple times, trying to delete stuff or add stuff to make it better. To be honest, I was really nervous about writing the final parts and after reading this chapter I am a little disappointed in how it turned out. I'm not sure it conveys to the readers exactly how I want you to know what Sera is feeling. However, I'm so tired right now. It is 2am and I had a really long week of early mornings and late nights. I also promised to publish the chapter on November 10, so I couldn't delay it as it's already the 11th.
I had to cut out Logan and Sera's final scene and put it in the next chapter instead, because this one was just getting too long.
On a lighter note, coffee or tea?
Your votes and comments are greatly appreciated!<3
I know I said two more parts left in the previous chapter, but there's actually two more parts now remaining❤ The final chapter and an epilogue.
See ya x
Next update: November, 2023 (I'm sure not which day yet, but follow me for announcements.)