Transpire

A/N: A lot to take in in this chapter about Logan's past, so read leisurely.

"When I was younger, everyone said I was a carbon copy of my father, both in appearance and size. My memories of him are hazy at best. But I'll never forget his proud smile when I came home with a trophy I won in a school game" a soft smile played on his lips, making me smile as well.

We were sitting on a white bench on the patio, which was decorated with various plant varieties. The rain has stopped for an hour, but the sky remains grey and dull, much like our mood. Logan fiddled with his coffee cup as he reflected on his experiences.

"Father founded Watson Enterprise, but it was not as large as it is now. When my father died in an accident when I was ten, we had to hand over the company to Gregory, my mother's brother, who was already running a manufacturing business. But, seeing my mother's helplessness and vulnerability in the aftermath of my father's death, he agreed to look after the business for a while."

"However, a slew of issues arose as a result of that. So many people showed up, claiming to be my father's lenders, and demanding their money back. It was difficult to accept that dad had debts because he never mentioned it when he was alive."

"Mom felt helpless because she didn't know what to do at the time. She managed to persuade them all that she would repay their money in two years." As the light evening breeze played around us, the aroma of various scented flowers filled the space. Logan had my undivided attention as he continued to speak.

"I still remember that day when Gregory came to see us and said he needed to talk to mom about dad's death."

"Mom cried herself to sleep that day. She didn't look after me that day. She shut herself away in her room for two days. I couldn't figure out what was going on, but I knew it was bad. I'd never seen her like that before. I remember asking her about it, but she cut me off by telling me not to think about it again." He swallowed hard before taking a sip of the coffee in his hand. His gaze was fixed on the table in front of us, and he did not avert it.

"I've seen a new mother since that day. She had completely changed. She never laughed the same way twice, and she was always doing something. She took fewer precautions to look after herself. The little boy in me yearned to see my lively mom again. The one who always laughed and appeared to be carefree." There was a sadness in his eyes that was difficult not to notice. I debated whether or not to take his hand in mine, but ultimately decided against it. I didn't want to disrupt his flow of thought.

"She began taking on a variety of jobs in order to provide for me and my education. When mom found herself in a situation where she couldn't look after me the majority of the time, she asked Charles to do so. I became closer to Charles, and he was always there for me when I missed my father."

"With the help of the loan, we began to pay off all of our debts, and by the end of two years, mom had paid back more than half of the money that dad had borrowed." That same year, she took over the Watson Enterprise."

"Everything appeared to be fine after that, but I noticed how mom became distant and silent. She always kept herself isolated from others due to the stress of her job. We didn't have to wait long to realize she was depressed. It wasn't Dad's death that affected me the most. But my mother's illness made everything worse for me." My heart ached for him, and I tentatively clasped my fingers around his. Before continuing, he squeezed my hand.

"It had an impact on both my academics and my mind. I began to get into a lot of fights. When I was 15, a senior at school with whom I frequently fought introduced me to the world of underground fighting. "The delinquent adolescent in me was drawn to the benefits of it," he chuckled, his fingers tightening around mine but not enough to hurt me.

"It altered all of my perceptions. Everything got to me when I saw how ruthless people fought to win, the cheers of the crowd, and the power we had if we won. I tried to listen to my inner voice, which told me that it was wrong, but I guess all of my pent-up rage and frustration with life took its toll on me, and in the days that followed, I became desperate. I imagined myself as one of those fighters."

"We can't fight until we're 16 years old." It was against the rules to involve children. So it became a goal of mine to begin training so that I would be ready when I turned sixteen. That's also how I met Oliver, who told me I have a fire in me that he hasn't seen in many of the fighters he's trained. So, under his tutelage and my own special tactics learned over the years, I became one of the ruthless fighters."

"However, I was careful not to tell Mom about my activities because I feared it would worsen her condition. Fighting was my only source of solace at the time."

"Olivier also introduced me to his old drug business and taught me the true essence of doing business. He told me everything I'd have to work on if I took over the company, and he also offered to connect me with the overseas drug dealers. At the time, I didn't hesitate and agreed to the deal. I was willing to take on any job that would help the company grow. It was my goal to grow the company and force Mom to step down so she could take the rest she so richly deserved. "I started working for the company as soon as I turned 18," he said, and I tried to absorb everything he said. To be honest, it was a lot to take in.

"I didn't go to university because I knew it wouldn't help me. My goal was already set, and I was able to make changes to the company from the day I started working. My drug business was also doing well, and I met Herbert during one of the transactions. It was thanks to Herbert that I discovered the truth about my father, that he, too, was involved in the drug trade."

"Herbert was a friend of dad's who worked in the same drug business as him. He explained how my father became a target of some private agencies while exporting drugs. He was dealing with some dangerous gangs, and my father had no idea how serious it was until it backfired. When they discovered that these agencies were interested in dad, they cut ties with him. But that wasn't enough for them, and in order to keep their identities and commitments hidden from the government and agencies, they murdered my father and pretended it was an accident." My eyes widened as I heard what he had just said. So Logan's father was murdered?

I couldn't hide the look of surprise on my face, and Logan noticed it as well. His thumb rubbed gently against the skin on my knuckle, calming me.

"As soon as I heard the truth, I realized what had been causing my mother's depression over the years. I'm guessing my father never told her about the side business, and when she found out from Gregory, it broke her heart. I also understood why she never told me the truth in order to keep me from getting involved in such things. The guilt I felt grew stronger as I realized I was doing exactly what my mother didn't want me to discover."

"Everything went as planned for the next three years. My company grew in size and was named one of New York's fifteen multinational corporations. Mom overcame her depression and began to return to normalcy."

"She was proud of how much I grew as a son and as a businessman, but I realized I wouldn't be able to enjoy my accomplishments as long as I kept doing the dirty behind mom's back. My anxiety grew as I began to receive numerous threats regarding the safety of my company." He took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

"That's when I decided to call it quits for good. I didn't want the company or my mother to find out. It took some time, but I believe it was worthwhile. I didn't have to lie to my mother about going on business trips when I was collaborating with mafias. I also didn't have to put pressure on Patrick to keep the details a secret. I thought I'd buried it deep, but our sins don't die easily. It returned to me in the form of Herbert." With trembling eyes, I looked at the person in front of me.

I never imagined someone could go through so much in their life. Hearing everything he had to say made me realize how shallow I thought he was. I guess my perspective on him has shifted more recently. But one question lingered in my mind and bothered me to no end.

"D-did you also use drugs?" I inquired, unsure of his response.

"No, despite the fact that I exported drugs for more than three years, I never had any for myself. I suppose you could say I was scared. Lia, I never wanted to do this business in the first place. But the circumstances compelled me to do so. And once I started, I couldn't stop it quickly."

My heart ached for him as I saw the sadness in his eyes as he told me why Herbert kidnapped me. I realized how much he regrets being in the drug business and how much he regrets dragging me into his mess. A warm feeling flooded through my heart when I noticed how he appeared uneasy and avoided my gaze the entire time. I hugged him slowly and carefully, afraid of his reaction. Despite the fact that he appeared surprised by my action, I smiled softly when I felt him relax in my touch.

"Thank you," I say to him, closing my eyes.

"For what purpose?" Logan inquired as he stepped back from the hug.

"For telling me about your past. I know it was difficult for you to open up, but please know how much I appreciate it." I looked deep into his eyes, hoping he could see my sincerity. When his lips quirked up into a smirk, I frowned.

"Why don't you express your gratitude in another way?"

"H-How?" I inquired. His gaze moved down to my lips, and my heart began to race.

"I craved something since that day at the hospital," he said quietly as he began to lean in closer. My cheeks were cupped by his calloused hand.

"W-What?" I returned a shaky whisper, a shiver running down my spine.

"Something I couldn't find anywhere else in the world, but you have it," he smirked, pausing when he was a breath away from my lips. I swallowed hard, my fists tight around my dress. It's getting hot in here, sweet mother of cookies!

I couldn't say anything and could only stare at his dark eyes and lips. "Would you like to know what that is?" I gave a timid nod.

"Your sweet lips," he said, pressing his lips against mine, and everything else faded away.

There are sparks here, butterflies there, and fireworks all over the place.

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