Chapter 9
Logan called Albert.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No answer.
On the fourth call, it went straight to voicemail.
Chelsea paced behind him.
“Leave a message.”
“What do I say?”
“Say we need to talk.”
Logan laughed bitterly.
“We did need to talk. He was standing right there.”
Chelsea stopped pacing.
The truth of that sentence cornered them both.
Logan lowered the phone.
For the first time that night, he let himself remember what Albert had actually looked like.
Not like a burden.
Not like a meddling old man.
Like someone who had finally stopped asking to be loved correctly.
That frightened Logan more than the documents.
Because money could be negotiated.
Trust could not.
Chelsea sat slowly in the office chair, papers spread around her.
“He won’t ruin us,” she said, but her voice lacked conviction.
Logan looked toward the foyer.
“You think that’s what this is?”
“What else would it be?”
He turned back to her.
“Maybe he’s done saving us.”
Chelsea looked down.
That was worse.
Ruin sounded dramatic.
Being left to the truth sounded surgical.
The phone buzzed once in Logan’s hand.
Not from Albert.
From an unknown number.
A short message appeared, but Logan did not open it fully in front of Chelsea.
Only the preview was visible.
Mr. Higgins has requested that all future communication—
Logan closed the screen.
His heart sank.
Albert had already chosen process.
No shouting.
No pleading.
No revenge at the doorway.
May you like
Just the beginning of a clean removal.
Read the full story 👉 Logan kept calling, but Albert had already moved the conversation out of family emotion and into formal process.
