Broken

It's not the years we count, it's the days we spent with them

Hammering, Banging, Pummeling, you name it. All of those things are happening to me at the same time. I groaned loudly before opening my eyes, but I winced immediately when the harsh rays of sunlight hit my cornea. I sat up straight, my hand on my pounding head, and blinked my eyes repeatedly until my blurry vision became clear. When I realized I was back in my room at Watson Mansion, I looked around the room and frowned in confusion. What the hell is going on? I don't remember much from the night before, other than getting dressed up to go to the pub to fulfill Scarlet's request and taking shots with her.

My stomach began to clench and my legs began to shake. I jumped up with wobbly legs and dashed to the bathroom. I puked after hurling my head into the toilet, emptying the contents of my stomach. I flushed the toilet after wiping away my tears, and then washed my face without looking in the mirror. I'm well aware that I look bad. Due to sweat and dirt, my dress hugged my body like a second skin and I threw it in the hamper.

After a long hot shower, I returned to my room and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to recall yesterday's memories. How did I get here? Who dragged me here? Is it Logan?

With these thoughts racing through my mind, I turned to the side and noticed a black suit jacket. I sat up straight, took the satin cloth in my hands, and sniffed it long and hard. The aroma! Even if I'm sleeping, I won't mistake this scent for someone else's. But how did he track me down? He was supposed to attend his high school reunion.

I stood up and walked determinedly to Logan's room, knowing I wouldn't find answers lying in this bed, ready to bombard him with my questions and doubts. As usual, the house was quiet, and I came to a halt in front of his room. When I didn't hear back after five minutes, I slowly turned the doorknob, hoping my eyes won't see anything they shouldn't see.

I came to a halt. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. He was shirtless, and his hair was messy, indicating that he had just gotten up. I paused for a moment before softly calling his name.

"Logan," he said, slowly raising his head from his hand and looking at me. When I noticed how red his eyes were, as well as a few drops of tears that leaked from them, my breath caught in my throat. My mind raced through the worst-case scenarios. Is there something going on with Grecia? I quickly approached him and sat on my knees. I was shaken to my core by the sadness in his eyes.

"Are you all right?" I inquired, tentatively taking his hands in mine. He didn't open his mouth but just stared at me which made me more anxious.

"Charles died," his eyes glistened once more with tears. "He's gone, Lia," he said as he drew me into his arms and began sobbing in my neck. For a brief moment, I was startled. I then heard him. The sound of him sobbing broke my heart, but I bit my lower lip, trying to keep my tears at bay. I gently stroked his hair as he expressed all of his emotions.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into his ear. I slowly drew back, my hands cupping his cheeks. It took everything in me not to pull him back into my arms when he looked into mine. He appears to be very vulnerable.

"I'm sure he was a nice guy. He is safe in the hands of God. He is now in a world without pain or heartbreak. "Only happiness," I reassure him. I'm dying to find out who this Charles was, but that's not my top priority right now. He certainly is.

"Please, no more crying. "I'm sure Charles would hate to see you cry," I said as I wiped his tears away. He nodded his head.

"Thank you," he said graciously, and I gave him a weak smile. Someone knocked on the door before it opened. We turned to look at Natasha, who was dressed to the nines in high heels and a short sundress that barely reached her knees. She came to a halt when she saw me, and I immediately stood up and backed away.

"What exactly are you doing here?" When she noticed my attire, a disgusted expression appeared on her face. It's just a plain blue hoodie and mismatched track pants. I opened my mouth, but she rolled her eyes and turned to look at Logan, who appeared to be composed, but his red eyes told the story.

"Logan, I'm leaving," she announced cheerfully. I scowled. It's not the best time for a cheerful atmosphere here.

"You said you'd take me out to dinner. "I hope you didn't forget," she said as she sat down beside him. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before returning his gaze to the rug in front of him. I stood awkwardly to the side, contemplating whether I should leave or stay.

"I'm afraid I can't, Natasha. "Charles is no longer alive," he said, his voice deep. Her mouth formed an 'o,' but there was no emotion on her face.

"R.I.P.," she said, and my pupils constricted slightly. She didn't bother to say the whole thing. "He was a good butler," she commented. So he's the butler for Watson's family. Grecia mentioned that he had left for a medical emergency before I arrived. But one thing is certain. Charles was more than just Logan's butler.

Logan muttered to himself, "I should see him one last time." Natasha, on the other hand, huffed.

"You're not required to do that, L. You have a lot of other important responsibilities to fulfill. He was just a butler, after all. "You will get a lot of other better servants," she said, and I glared at her from afar. How can she be so callous?

Logan rubbed his temples and said, "Natasha, please." I wanted to punch her when she rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I'm going to leave. My friends are waiting," she said as she kissed his cheek and stood up. We both stared at each other, challenging each other to be the first to look away. I finally won when she rolled her eyes and exited the room. I smirked with delight. Logan rose from his bed. He then turned to face me after looking at his phone.

"I need to take a shower." His tone was solemn and reserved, as he demonstrated before Natasha interrupted us. "So, please leave."

"I could drive you there," I offered hesitantly. He came to a halt and looked at me.

"What?"

"I mean, you don't look like you're in good enough shape to drive to church. "I'm free," I shrugged. "Or I can call Thomas-"

"Are you willing to accompany me?" He asked, his eyes filled with expectation. I gave a weak nod of my head. "Isn't that what friends are for?" We haven't stated who we are. But I assumed we had crossed the line into Acquaintance. Logan stiffened.

"Right, friends," he said, his face cold and distant.

"Get ready then," he says as he enters the restroom and closes the door in front of my face. Huh, rude.

We've been driving for about 30 minutes. Except for the GPS lady's occasional 'turn right, turn left' instructions, we are surrounded by comfortable silence. Logan was looking ahead of him, his body relaxed and composed, in contrast to mine. Even though I can drive, I'm not the best. He had a glazed look in his eyes, which indicated he was deep in thought.

"Would you like a penny for your thoughts?"

He looked at me, puzzled, and I repeated my statement. He smiled softly before looking out the window at the passing scenery.

"He wasn't just a butler to us," he began, and I cast a sidelong glance at him.

"I knew it."

"He was only there to care for me after my father died. Back then, no one was interested in caring for this troubled kid," he chuckled darkly, and I realized he was referring to his relatives.

"Mom suffered from depression for five years after my father died. Charles was the one who puller her out from her depression. He was the one who brought us both back," he murmured softly. To show my silent support, I reached across the console and interlocked our fingers.

"Mr. Watson" We both looked over to see a man in his early thirties approaching us as soon as we got out of the car. I was dressed in a knee-length black dress and heels. I chose to keep things simple. Logan's toned and muscular body was hidden beneath a black suit and a white shirt. The first two buttons on my shirt were unbuttoned, which caused tingles in my stomach. He looks good in black.

"I'm glad you're here, Logan," the man said as he gave him a firm handshake. He then gave me a small smile as he looked at me.

"Hello. "My name is Jensen, Charles's eldest son," he said, shaking my hand.

"Karolia Kingston". Logan and Jensen exchanged a few words then.

"I have to leave right now; I'll see you later, Logan." "It was nice meeting you, Miss. Kingston," Jensen said as he quickly exited the room. We all walked to the church where the funeral was being held.

I sat down in the third row. There were about 60 chairs set up in the room, and it was packed. I watched as people walked up to the coffin in the center. All of these people would kneel next to him or stand over him and look at him sadly, possibly crying. Logan was conversing with someone a few meters away from the coffin.

My memories came flooding back after seeing the coffin and all these people dressed in mourning attire. I had cried for days and nights because I couldn't even attend my parents' funeral. Seeing this made me vulnerable. But I don't want to cry in front of everyone, especially Logan. It became difficult to breathe all of a sudden. I got up from my seat and exited the church, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. I noticed a garden that extended a few yards from the church. Sitting on a bench beneath a tree, I take in the scenery and breathe in the fresh air. I raised my head and gazed at the brilliant blue sky.

"I miss you guys a lot," I said as tears streamed down my cheeks, which I had been holding back the entire time. Seeing Charles's lifeless body reminded me of my parents' lifeless bodies, their dresses stained with blood. I remember the day I lost everything. My beloved parents... I sobbed quietly, burying my face in my hands.

After a while, I heard a voice say, "Excuse me." I quickly wiped my tears and stood up, only to turn around and see two men, one in a black suit and the other in grey, standing a foot away from me. Their faces appear young, and the man in the black suit has a scar that runs from his brow to his cheek.

"Aren't you with Mr. Watson?" one of them inquired, and I nodded.

"May I ask about your relationship with him?" My brows scrunched in confusion, but I responded anyway.

"I'm his friend." They exchanged a brief glance and nodded their heads.

"Mr. Watson asked that we bring you to him. "He's waiting in the parking lot," the scarred man said.

"What do you mean...he's leaving early?" I inquired, perplexed. We've only just arrived.

"Yes, he has some urgent work to take care of," the same guy replied.

"All right," I said hesitantly. They motioned for me to join them. Perhaps he received a call from his office. Today is still a working day, and as a CEO, he may have a lot of work. But I assumed he'd call his secretary to reschedule everything. Perhaps he forgot.

I quietly followed them, but when we arrived at the parking lot, I became extremely skeptical. I couldn't see a single person, and the eerie silence scared me. I came to a halt when I realized Logan was nowhere to be found, and the action was not lost on them. They're walking alongside me.

"You know, I forgot something back in the church," I said as I took a few steps back. "I'll go get it," I said nervously as I turned around to run.

"Grab her," one of them yelled, and the next thing I knew, a hand was grabbing my mouth from behind. I screamed, but my voice was muffled. I continued to thrash as they dragged me into a grey van.

I knew I couldn't win against two, but I kept screaming, hoping for a miracle. I was thrown into the back of the car and the door closed behind me, the darkness inside the car surrounding me.

Logan's POV:

Mrs. Charles, who was standing next to the coffin, makes my heartache. Her eyes were all red, just like mine, but unlike her, I wasn't crying. I cried in the morning over his death, but it was behind the closed door of my room. I'd never shed a tear in public before, and it's something I like to keep to myself. I never want others to notice how emotionally unstable I am right now. But I made an exception today. In front of Karolia, I shattered all of my barriers. I made myself vulnerable in front of her.

I was stunned to hear the news early this morning and couldn't process it for a full minute. Mom burst into tears as soon as I told her the message. I knew she felt helpless because she couldn't attend the funeral.

I thought he was getting better after the surgery, but I think Charles wanted everyone to believe that. He was always like that; he never wanted to bother others with his problems, and he always wanted to project a cheerful demeanor. I was aware of the man's burden, but whenever I offered to assist him, he would brush me off, saying, "Don't worry about me, kiddo, I'm fine," with a beaming smile.

To say he was just my butler would be an understatement. He was more to me than that. I've always felt a fatherly affection for him. He never let me down when I needed an elderly man to guide me. I don't remember how my father treated me, but I wish he had treated me like Charles did. He has become my guardian in some ways over the years, and it hurts to know that the only person I love besides my mother is no longer with us.

I averted my gaze, trying to calm myself and scan the room for Lia. I knew she was in the audience, but I had no idea where she was sitting. I felt bad now that I hadn't bothered to make sure she was at ease in these strange surroundings.

I frowned as soon as I realized she wasn't there after scanning the entire hall. I debated calling her cellphone but ultimately decided to go look for her myself because it would be impolite to use the phone right now. I excuse myself from the crowd and go to the restroom to see if she went there. I knew she wasn't in there after calling her name more than five times. I decided to go outside and look for her. What happened to her?

I leave the church to look for her and scan the entire lawn outside the church, becoming increasingly concerned because there was no sign of her. I dialed her number four times, but each time it went to voice mail.

I had hoped she would be at the back of the church, and when I found out she wasn't, my concern grew. I dashed back into the church to scan the hall one last time before briskly walking towards my car. She must have returned home. She'd better have a good reason to worry me.

But I knew Lia wouldn't leave like that; she'd at least say something to me. But, how did she go The car was still there, and when we arrived, she handed over the keys to me. It doesn't make sense, and my anxiety was growing by the second. Did she hail a taxi? What happened to cause her to have to leave so abruptly?

I dash out of the parking lot and onto the highway at full speed. I kept trying her phone number, hoping she would pick up and get me out of this situation, but it never happened. So I sped down the road, hoping to get to my house as soon as possible. I find myself tightly gripping the steering wheel.

My attention was drawn to my phone, which was ringing in the phone holder. I take a look at the caller ID and subconsciously reduce my speed. As I read Lia's name on the screen, a wave of relief washes over me. I answer the phone, ready to give her a piece of my mind.

"Where the f**k are you, Lia?" I yelled. I was hoping to hear the voice of the woman I wanted to hug and yell at the same time. But all I could hear was silence.

"This is not the time to have fun, Lia. Please respond." I clenched my teeth. I nearly stopped breathing when I heard a muffled noise from the other end. I hear some shuffling on the other end of the line before it goes dead.

"KAROLIA!" I yelled at the phone once more, despite the fact that I knew the line had been disconnected.

She is in peril.