His Unwanted Wife

Chapter 9

Eli was packing her things when she heard the door to her office creak open. She turned and there he was—Logan, standing like a shadow of her past. Before she could process his presence, he broke the silence.

"Leaving already?"

She froze, her entire body tensing. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She knew that voice too well—had heard it in her dreams and nightmares for years.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned, steeling herself. There he stood, Logan Brandon in the flesh. He looked almost exactly the same—tall, broad-shouldered, and exuding that quiet confidence that used to draw her in. His black suit was perfectly tailored, and he carried himself like he still owned the world.

"Eli," he said her name like it was a statement, his eyes locked on hers. There was no warmth in his gaze, just the cool detachment she had become so familiar with during the last year of their marriage.

She forced herself to speak. "Logan," she replied, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions brewing inside her. "What are you doing here?"

He raised an eyebrow, as if the answer were obvious. "I didn't expect to see you here." His tone was calm, but Eli could sense the underlying tension. He had expected something. He always did.

"I didn't expect to see you either," she shot back, gripping her bag tighter.

Logan took a step closer, his presence filling the space between them. "It's been a while."

Eli swallowed, her throat dry. She knew where this was going, but she refused to let him have any power over her. Not anymore. "Five years," she said, her voice clipped. "What do you want, Logan?"

He didn't waste time. "I want you to live with me." His voice was firm, leaving no room for discussion.

Her eyes widened. "What? What are you talking about?"

"You heard me," he replied, his tone colder than it had been the day before. "I want you to live with me."

"Do you want me to repeat it again? I said, I want you to fucking live with me. Is it hard to understand?" His voice was cold, a command more than a request.

Eli's jaw dropped at the audacity. Is he possessed or something?

"Are you out of your mind?! Hiwalay na tayo, Logan! It's been years. Ano pa bang kailangan mo sa akin? Kulang pa ba 'yung dalawang taon? Gusto mo pang dagdagan? Then go ahead! Slap me, kick me—do whatever you want! Just... just stay out of my life!" she shouted, her voice cracking from a mixture of anger and exhaustion.

Logan's expression didn't change—still that same unreadable, blank face that used to frustrate her to no end. "Leave and pack your things," he said flatly, "Pagkatapos ng trabaho mo bukas, titira ka na kasama ko."

She stared at him, stunned. Was he serious? He gave her no room to argue as he turned his back and started typing on his laptop, dismissing her like she was nothing.

"You're insane!" Eli snapped, tears welling in her eyes as she marched toward the door. But before she could leave, his hand gripped her wrist, pulling her back.

"And one more thing," he said, his voice low and firm. "I will not give you a choice. You're still married to me, Eli. And I'm not done with you."

She stood there, her breath caught in her throat. Married? The word echoed in her mind. The annulment she had been waiting for—did it never happen?

Back home, Eli was numb. The weight of Logan's words kept crashing over her in waves. She couldn't even process it properly, as if everything around her was happening in slow motion. She didn't notice the twins at school; she didn't even register the passage of time.