What They Don't See

Chapter 4 - Who are you?

As soon as Maxwell walked into the room, Kate stiffened and was suddenly back to her cold, unfeeling self. It was like she hadn't been laughing a moment ago. She was irritated with herself for letting her walls down even for this moment. It was a slip-up she couldn't afford to make again. Nodding sharply, her expression became neutral as she swiveled the chair to face the one Maxwell had plopped himself on.

"Let's just go over everything for the next few weeks, shall we?

"So tomorrow you'll be seen leaving again but be sure to catch more attention both in and out, and then the day after, Logan will be spotted at your apartment, at which point your identity will be discovered..."

As Maxwell spoke, Kate's mind began to wander to thoughts of her plan. She knew that Maxwell was a clever man who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. She had to be careful. He now had a signed contract to use against her. Although she knew the odds of him releasing it were slim, considering it would have a greater effect on his client and himself rather than her. Regardless, she needed to make sure her plans lined up with his plans for this fake relationship, at least until she had the power back.

As her mind drifted to plots, Logan watched her. He watched how her forehead creased as she focused on something intently, and somehow he knew that it wasn't Maxwell's detailed description of their dinner date that had her so focused. It made him wonder what could be so serious that it would have her undivided attention like this. 

"...and then of course at that point we'll have the big, dramatic breakup. It'll be in public, with waterworks of course, and harsh words thrown back and forth, etc. And then-"

"Wait what? No. We're not doing that," Kate declared, eyes blazing as she turned her glare at Maxwell. At the interruption, Maxwell gaped at her. This was his power, his element, and he didn't appreciate being challenged.

"And why not?" he asked, one eyebrow raised in an attempt to look intimidating.

"Because when I go back home, I'm going to run a company. I will not have my reputation tarnished by a stupid, childish, public breakup. I will not have my respect undermined like that. Have I made myself clear?" Kate declared, eyes blazing with authority, and her voice rang with finality.

Both men stared at her in surprise. Logan stared at her for a long moment, silently wondering if she could get any more perfect. Maxwell, on the other hand, did not appreciate this unwillingness to cooperate, and he began to regret the decision to place Miss Delaquor as Logan's new girlfriend. 

"Alright then. We won't do the dramatic breakup. Right, Maxwell?" Logan finally spoke, breaking the silence. His manager only nodded dumbly.

After that, the meeting went on relatively smoothly, with Maxwell pausing now and then as if waiting for Kate to disagree again. But she stayed quiet for the rest of the evening, a silent observer of her surroundings. Logan made a few remarks here and there for small changes, but otherwise, Maxwell went unchallenged for the rest of the meeting. 

"Alright, I think that's everything. I'd suggest that you two take tonight and tomorrow to talk and learn more about each other. When we do the interviews you guys need to look like a happy, loving couple. I don't care if you have to fuck each other's brains out to do it. Just get it done," and with those last words, Maxwell left the two alone in the kitchen.

Once he was gone, Logan sighed in exasperation, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry about that. Maxwell is good at getting what he wants, but he can be quite crude sometimes."

"No need to apologize. It is nothing I am not used to," Kate replied smoothly, picking up her bottle for another sip of water. 

Logan didn't say anything for a moment, mesmerized by the movement, and he found his imagination wandering to some dirty thoughts about those lips of hers. Then, mentally shaking himself, he registered her words.

"Really? I would have thought an heiress such as yourself would be... what's the word... a 'proper lady' so to say?"

"Not this one. I spent a lot of time with my father, learning the ropes of the business even while I was in high school, and my father has quite the 'foal mouth'. He is not the kind of man that sugar coats his words, and he doesn't lie," Kate told him, smiling softly at the thought of her father, as she leaned her head on her hand, with her elbow on the counter.

"Well your father sounds like a great, yet unusual, businessman," he replied, turning his stool to face her fully.

"He is. Always has been," there was a pause in the conversation after she said this.

"So tell me. If you're going to run the family business soon, why are you here? In America, dancing at nightclubs?" he asked, leaning against his elbow as well.

Kate sighed, moving to lean back in the chair. For a moment, her dislike for this man, who put her in this predicament, was set aside.

"Running away from my responsibilities. At least for a little while," she murmured.

"Sounds complicated," Logan replied, getting up from the stool and gesturing for her to follow him as he led them into the living room. Once in there, Kate plopped herself down on the sofa, with her feet tucked under her.

"It's not really. I asked for a freedom period before my official takeover, and that's what I got. Papa doesn't know how to say no to me, so here I am," she replied with a shrug.

"Now it's your turn. What's the deal with your family?" Kate added, leaning into a pillow as Logan sat down next to her. Instead of answering right away, Logan gave her a strange look, before chuckling softly with a shake of his head.

"What?" she asked.

"I haven't been asked that question in so long. Everyone seems to already know everything about me before they even meet me," he replied. She could tell he wasn't being cocky, this was genuinely something that seemed to bother him.

"Hey, I'm not most people. Before yesterday I didn't know who you were! That night I thought I had just kissed a random stranger that I would never see again!" Kate declared in an effort to lighten the mood a little.

Logan looked shocked at this revelation.

"So that night, you didn't know who I was? Huh. And here I was thinking you were a fan," he snorted, saying the last part slightly under his breath.

"Yeah yeah, you can cry all you want while you nurse your bruised ego later. Now answer the question," Kate taunted, her French accent completely hidden. Logan looked surprised. Whether it was because of the words she said or at the sudden disappearance of her accent, she couldn't tell. He just sat there stunned for a while. Then just like that, he was back.

"You're really good at that."

"Good at what?" Kate asked, confused at the turn in the conversation.

"Hiding your accent. It was there one second then completely gone the next, even the most experienced actors have trouble with that," he replied with a light chuckle.

But Kate didn't find it funny.

It suddenly occurred to her that she had slipped up. For just a moment there, Kate's walls had been down.

A feeling of self-loathing filled her. She knew better than to let her guard down for a cute face!

Papa would be so disappointed she thought to herself in disgust.

Just as Logan opened his mouth to answer her original question, Kate stood up.

"I need to get going. I have some international calls to make. I'll be sure to get spotted by the paparazzi on my way out," she told him, her voice devoid of any emotion, as she got up and picked up her phone.

And just like that, Kate was gone.