OBSESSION

TWENTY.

Bethany stood outside Logan's penthouse, her hands trembling as she raised them to knock. Anxiety twisted her stomach, threatening to pull her under as she tried to steady her breathing. The city lights glimmered behind her, but they felt distant, like a world she no longer belonged to.

The door swung open before she could knock, Logan standing there in dark jeans and a fitted black shirt, his green eyes immediately narrowing with concern as they took her in.

"Bethany?" His voice was low, laced with worry. He reached out, gently cupping her face, his thumbs brushing away tears she hadn't realized had fallen. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Bethany opened her mouth, but no words came out. She stepped inside, her legs feeling weak as the weight of Juliette's threats bore down on her. Logan shut the door behind her, his movements quick but controlled, guiding her to the couch as she sank into the cushions.

He crouched in front of her, his hands firmly holding hers. "Talk to me, sweetheart," he urged, his voice softer now. "You're scaring me."

Bethany swallowed hard, her chest tightening. "It's Juliette," she whispered, her voice breaking. "She... she threatened me."

Logan's expression darkened instantly, a storm brewing in his eyes. "What did she say?" His voice was ice-cold, his jaw tightening as anger began to ripple through him.

"She said if I didn't leave you—if I didn't move away from Seattle—she'd destroy my career," Bethany said, her words tumbling out between sobs. "She said no one would work with me, that she has the power to ruin everything I've worked for."

Logan stood abruptly, pacing in front of her like a caged animal. His fists clenched at his sides, his body radiating fury. "That manipulative bitch," he growled, his voice low and deadly. "I'll destroy her before I let her touch you."

"Logan, no," Bethany said quickly, standing to grab his arm. "You can't. She has influence, and if you escalate this—"

"I don't care," Logan cut her off, his voice rising. "She has no right to threaten you. She thinks she can bully you into walking away from me? She's out of her damn mind."

Bethany shook her head, her tears flowing freely now. "You don't understand. This isn't just about us. If I fight her, I lose everything. I'm a Black woman in a white-dominated industry. She can recover. I can't. It's not the same for me, Logan."

Logan's fury didn't waver, but his gaze softened at her words. He stepped closer, cupping her face again. "You're not going to lose anything," he said firmly. "If she wants to ruin your career, then we'll make sure she doesn't have the chance."

"Logan..." Bethany began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think we need to—"

"No." His voice was sharp, cutting off her sentence. "Don't you dare say what I think you're about to say."

Bethany's lips trembled as she tried to push through. "I think we need to end this."

"Absolutely not," Logan said, his tone resolute. He pulled her closer, his hands gripping her shoulders. "Bethany, listen to me. I'm not letting you go because of her. Do you hear me? She doesn't get to win."

"Logan, I can't—"

"Yes, you can," he interrupted again. "If you lose your career, then I'll help you start your own firm. You'll have your own clients, your own name, your own rules. I'll make it happen."

Bethany's breath hitched, her heart pounding. "Why would you do that for me?" she asked, her voice breaking.

Logan's green eyes softened, and he pulled her even closer, resting his forehead against hers. "Because I love you, Bethany," he said, his voice raw and unwavering. "I love you, and I'm not letting anyone take you away from me."