"Does Dad really think Logan likes Natalie?" Hailey hissed, her chest heaving with rage. "He's delusional! With so many eligible ladies in New York City, why would Logan choose someone like her?"
"Your dad's just getting old and foolish," Ashley said coldly. "Hailey, listen to me. Logan might be popular now, but the true head of the Parker family is William's mother. Garner is too soft-hearted. Ultimately, William will inherit the Parker legacy."
"So, no matter what, you must win over William. Understand?"
Hailey nodded firmly.
Of course, she would get William.
But first, she had to crush Natalie's arrogance.
Using Logan to escape her dependency on Hailey? That was never going to happen.
Upstairs, Hailey pulled a small box from her cabinet. Inside was a snow globe.
She shook it hard and watched the snow swirl around a red-scarfed snowman smiling sweetly in the glow of the room. The soothing imagery slowly calmed her raging thoughts.
Once her rationality returned, she pulled out her phone and called her assistant.
"Mia, gather some people. I want to introduce Natalie to the public."
"Huh?" Mia was stunned. "You… want to launch Natalie?"
"Relax. There's no way she'll succeed in this industry."
---
Parker Corporation.
In the chairman's office, Logan, Garner, and William sat on separate sofas.
Several documents were spread across the marble coffee table—confessions from paparazzi and witnesses.
One confession came from a paparazzo William had paid to stalk Logan and Hailey at a hotel. The others came from individuals who'd interacted with Logan the night before.
One of them admitted to spiking Logan's drink, even detailing the exact time, place, and substance used.
Despite the evidence, William denied everything. No matter how solid the confessions were, he refused to admit guilt—and Logan had no proof strong enough to press charges.
Meanwhile, Logan seemed uninterested in the confrontation. He hadn't spoken a word since William entered the room, his eyes glued to his phone, fingers swiping silently across the screen.
William remained quiet too. Garner glanced between his sons, struggling to decide whom to believe. The tension in the room was suffocating.
William fidgeted, adjusting his tie to ease the pressure on his neck.
Just as he did, Logan suddenly chuckled.
Startled, William jerked and accidentally tightened his tie further.
Logan raised an eyebrow. "What, feeling guilty already? Trying to strangle yourself?"
William yanked at the tie. "I'm not guilty!"
Logan's smile didn't fade. "Then how about we upload all this online and let the netizens judge?"
"I'm really looking forward to the comment section. Should be entertaining."
William was shocked. "How dare you!"
Logan calmly put away his phone, his sharp gaze locking onto William's face. He didn't need to say a word—his eyes made it clear he dared, and he would.
"Logan, don't act on impulse!" Garner quickly stepped in, afraid that if he spoke even a second too late, the scandal would be all over the internet.
Logan, giving him just a little face, put down his phone. His deep, obsidian eyes shifted to Garner, silently waiting for his next promise.
Garner's head throbbed. He was certain—he didn't like Logan, and he probably never would. His words were always cryptic, his temperament volatile. No one could predict what he'd do next.
Logan had only just returned, and already Garner felt like his lifespan had been shortened by years. If it weren't for Logan's undeniable capabilities—and the fact that Parker's Corporation needed him to turn the tide—Garner would've shipped him off to another country without a second thought.
Let someone else deal with the chaos he brought.
With a sigh of frustration, Garner pinched his brows. "Fine. What's your proposal?"
As long as it wasn't too outrageous, he felt he could accommodate him.
A flicker of amusement lit up in Logan's eyes. "Initially, I thought my contributions to Parker's Corporation were enough to earn me the position of chairman."
Garner and William both stiffened.
Then Logan changed his tone, casually adding, "But now… since William is so thoughtful and even gave up his fiancee to help me feel welcome in this family, I'll let it slide."
He lowered his eyes slightly, savoring the words. "Natalie… is really something else."
"I truly like her."
William's expression collapsed.
He hadn't cared much about Natalie before, but now that Logan suddenly declared he liked her, it felt like something that belonged to him was about to be snatched away.
Fury bubbled inside him. "What kind of fantasy are you living in?"
"How could I possibly give my fiancee to you?"
"All the rumors floating around from the entertainment media and business insiders—was that all your doing?"
"Logan, are you really going this far just to humiliate me?!"
He ranted endlessly.
But Logan didn't react. Instead, he kept toying with the cuff of his left sleeve, pulling it with his right hand over and over, as if caught in some amusing thought. A subtle, cruel glint played in his eyes.
"Actually, it doesn't matter whether she was 'given' to me or not," he said calmly.
William's instincts flared. "What are you planning?"
"I've set my sights on her," Logan said, voice unwavering. "I'm going to marry her."
William had assumed Natalie took his cufflink as leverage—but Logan had already planned for that.
And the result?
William had gone to the Roberts family in a rage and returned with nothing but humiliation.
After years of blind devotion and betrayal, Natalie finally found her voice—and for the first time, William felt threatened.
His hands curled into fists, knuckles white as he gripped the armrest. Natalie was his. Even if he didn't want her, he wouldn't allow Logan to have her!
"You're dreaming!" William roared. "Natalie is mine! She loves me! Me, and no one else!"
"Are you sure she's still yours?" Logan asked.
William's mind flashed to Natalie's signed termination agreement.
"Heh," Logan chuckled.
It lit William's fury like gasoline.
"What the hell are you laughing at?! Even if Natalie and I had something, so what? She's loved me for years! No matter how I treated her, she always came back—like a dog trained to stay. You think—"
Suddenly, Logan lifted his leg and slammed it into the marble coffee table. The table—nearly five feet wide—scraped violently across the floor toward William.
Luckily, William moved fast, dodging at the last second. Still, the edge scraped his right calf, peeling a layer of skin.
A second slower, and he could've lost both legs.
"Logan! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Garner shouted, stunned and furious. "Can't we just talk like normal people?!"
But this was always how it was with Logan. You never knew when he'd snap. Just like when he was a kid—fine one minute, then brandishing a knife the next.
"Words are for humans," Logan snarled. "Is he even one?"
Garner was rattled and immediately called for security.
But Dylan—calm and alert by the door—intercepted them before they could even enter.
"Logan!" William shouted, his face pale. "Are you out of your mind?!"