More Than A Favor (Elaine and Logan)

< More Than A Favor

Logan's tone grew sharper.

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"I understand, Logan. No matter what I do, Mrs. Mercer won't like me. I'm sorry for dragging you into this emotional mess," Selene said quietly.

Her apology was humble, almost self-deprecating. She hadn't done anything wrong. Even if she had, it would've been out of her overwhelming love for him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have endured so much

for his sake.

"I don't mind the mess-it's what I deserve. But you should stop torturing yourself," Logan said, his voice unusually irritable.

"Logan, I don't understand you. What do you mean?" Selene asked, her

meekness somehow amplified around him. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or just a facade.

As they continued walking away, their voices faded, and I couldn't make out the rest of their conversation. I wasn't unfamiliar with scenes like this. Logan often acted like an emotional child, and it was one of the many reasons our relationship had been so miserable.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Alex's voice broke through.

"How long do you two plan to hug? The food's getting cold."

His words snapped me out of my thoughts, and I suddenly realized I was still in Ashton's arms. My face flushed crimson as I quickly stepped back, escaping his embrace.

"You two carry on. I need to get back to my table," I said hurriedly, trying to leave.

But Ashton tugged at my wrist, stopping me. When I turned around, I noticed Logan and Selene looking in our direction.

Their reactions couldn't have been more different: Logan's face was grim, while Selene looked pale and uneasy. I ignored them and turned back to Ashton.

"Go enjoy your lunch. I need to head back," I said, keeping my tone neutral.

"Alright," Ashton replied, his gaze warm and affectionate. "Let's leave together afterward. I'll wait for

you."

I nodded and parted ways with him.

Ashton returned to the private room with Alex, while I headed back to join Tessa. "What took you so long in the restroom?" Tessa asked when I sat down.

"I ran into Ashton," I replied honestly.

She looked momentarily surprised but quickly smiled and teased, "Did he follow you here to make sure you wouldn't get abducted?"

"No, he's here for lunch with his superior," I said vaguely, avoiding too many details.

Tessa placed more food on my plate. "Elaine, I'm sure Ashton's a good man, but can he really take care of you?"

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< Chapter 183

"You think he doesn't come from a good enough family background, don't you?" I replied, cutting straight to the point.

"That's right," Tessa admitted with a sigh. "Ethan and I wouldn't want you to struggle. It's extremely difficult to live a life worrying about money every day."

I understood her concern. She and Ethan had built Mercer Corporation from the ground up. It wasn't a legacy handed down through generations but rather the result of their relentless hard work.

As her words lingered, I couldn't help but ask, "Were things really hard for you and Ethan before you started Mercer Corporation?”

Tessa nodded, her expression softening. "Very much so, but I'd rather not think about that time. It's not something I like to revisit."noveldrama

Some struggles were too painful to reflect on, no matter how far you'd come.

I studied her face and said, "Is that why you two decided to start the business? Because it became too overwhelming?"

"Yes, but it was also fate," she said with a faint smile.

"You're right," I murmured. "My parents came to Hilcord to start a business too, but..." I trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

Hearing this, Tessa reached out and patted my shoulder. "Let's not talk about the past, Elaine. What's

done is done. Let's focus on the future."

But I shook my head, my voice firm. “Tessa, were you there when my parents had their crash? Do you know if it was a mechanical failure or a collision?"

For the first time, I realized how little I knew about my parents' deaths. All I knew was that they had died in a car accident, but I had never asked how or why.

Tessa's expression shifted slightly, and she reached for my hand. "Elaine, I told you-we shouldr bring this up. It's in the past."

"But I'm not a child anymore, Tessa. I can handle the truth. Please... tell me," I pleaded, holding her hand tightly.

Her fingers trembled slightly. "It's all in the past, Elaine. Why are you so determined to dig it up now?"

I stayed silent for a moment before replying, "Because they were my parents, Tessa. My only family in

this world."

My parents were orphans who had grown up in an orphanage. When they passed, I became just like them—an orphan.

My words seemed to strike a chord with her. After a moment of hesitation, Tessa finally began to

speak.

"Ethan and I were at the scene of the accident. By the time we arrived... your mother had already passed away, and your father... he was barely hanging on. He grabbed Ethan's hand and whispered

your name..."

Her voice caught, and I could see the pain in her eyes. My chest tightened as the weight of her words

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< Chapter 183

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Even after all these years, the memory clearly still hurt her. And for a moment, I understood why she had never wanted to bring it up. She was afraid of reopening old wounds-both mine and hers.

"We knew he wanted us to look after you," Tessa continued softly. "He cared so much about you,

Elaine."

I felt a pang of guilt for making her relive such an emotional moment. But I hadn't brought this up to dwell on the pain-I needed answers.

Suppressing the emotions rising in my chest, I asked, "How did the accident happen? Was it a collision?"

Tessa let out a heavy sigh. "The car rear-ended a large tanker truck."