Chapter 3 Chapter 3

MAE.

Mr. Sterling was driving now, and for some reason, there was an awkward tension in the car. I didn’t know why, but I felt it.

He was so focused on the road, that easy smile he had earlier now gone. No interaction. After he asked me that question, he hadn’t said a word again.

I stole glances at him and looked away each time. I wanted to summon the courage to say something. It was painfully obvious I had been avoiding him because after I got into Westvale University, I never came to New Dallas with Essie, no matter how much she pleaded with me.

I was sure he felt like I was cutting ties with them.

I heaved a sigh for what felt like the umpteenth time and cleared my throat.

“Mr. Sterling, I…”

“Logan,” he corrected without sparing me a glance.

I nodded. “Yeah… Lo…gan.” The name felt strange on my tongue. He had always been more like a father figure in my life. There was a heavy silence for some time.

“Five years peach…. no calls” he said casually eyes still fixated on the road

Now I felt bad. I thought it was for a good cause, but it was definitely cruel on my part.

“Mr. Sterling, I…”

“Logan,” he corrected again.

I breathed in and out heavily.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t want to be a burden,” I said quietly.

But he didn’t say a word again.

When we got to the mansion, he stepped out of the car and walked away without sparing me a single glance.

Just like that.

One of the security workers came over, took my luggage, and carried it inside to my room.

I was even more shocked when I stepped into the room and noticed everything was exactly the same. He hadn’t thrown anything away after five fucking years.

I let out a small scoff, walking over to the wardrobe and pulling it open.

My lips pressed together as memories came flooding back anyway uninvited, relentless.

How he used to hug me..

How he would tell me he was proud of me like it was the easiest thing in the world.

How he would show up when I didn’t even ask.

How he would rub my hair absentmindedly and call me “Peach”… or tease me with “Mae—Mayonnaise.”

It was stupid. Stupid to catch feelings. Stupid to try and cut ties like I could actually erase everything.

I swallowed hard..I was such an ungrateful bitch.

The mansion still looked the same.

And I couldn’t forget what Logan Sterling was in New Dallas.

Everyone knew Sterling Holdings, one of the biggest companies in the city. His name wasn’t just known, it carried weight. The kind of weight that made people quiet when he walked into a room, even when he didn’t say a word.

Essie’s message pulled me out of my thoughts.

(Hey, hope you’ve settled down?)

I quickly replied.

(Yes, Essie. Thank you. I’ll do what I have to do so I can get a place).

(Don’t piss me off, Mae. That is your home. I’ll be joining you soon after my trip with Jonah.)

I let out a small sigh and laid back on the bed.

I wanted to erase everything that had happened today.

Staring up at the ceiling, I stayed like that for a while letting the silence swallow everything.

And at some point, I drifted off to sleep.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was around 8 p.m.

There were faint sounds coming from downstairs, someone making something in the kitchen.

I sat up slowly on the bed and made my way out of the room.

If it was Mr. Sterling… I wanted to talk to him.

The way I had cut ties so abruptly came rushing back to me. He had done nothing wrong, nothing at all. If anything, he had been nothing but good to me.

I was the one who couldn’t control my feelings. I was the reason for the distance.

And maybe… I understood why he was upset.

By the time I reached the stairs, I stopped.

Because I saw him.

I stopped mid-step. He was in the kitchen.

Shirtless.

For a second, my brain refused to process it properly.

Those damn broad shoulders, defined chest, muscles.. He looked like everything but a man in his forties.

His one hand steady on the pan while the other flipped something effortlessly. An egg. I wanted to be that egg, flipped over like that.

It landed perfectly. My throat went dry.

I definitely shouldn’t be staring.

But I was.

He looked up. For a split second, our eyes met. My entire body betrayed me and I froze.

My throat tightened and I bent down immediately, pretending to adjust my slipper, even though nothing was wrong with it. My fingers fumbled slightly as I touched my ankle, like I suddenly had something extremely important to fix there.

My heart was loud, it was slamming hard.

I could still feel his eyes on me even though I didn’t look up.

Did he see me? I bet he did..There was silence. Get it together, Mae.

“peach” That was it.. it was probably emotionless.

I straightened slowly, clearing my throat like I had been doing something completely normal.

“I… I was just fixing my slipper,” I said quickly, too quickly, a little defensive..

My eyes still refused to meet his..

.“Come have dinner,” he said.

I blinked hard and stood up, trying to compose myself.

I walked toward him, and he was already plating the food. I sat down before he brought it over.

My eyes dropped immediately.

Fuck… it was my favourite.

Egg fried rice.

My chest softened before I could stop it.

“Thank you… Mr sterl—”

I stopped halfway. “Logan,” I corrected myself, forcing a small smile.

He didn’t respond. He’s still upset.

I barely managed to lift the spoon while he walked over and sat opposite me.

I could feel his eyes on me.

I looked up, met his gaze, but couldn’t hold it for more than a second.

“You should eat, Peach,” he said.

Silence stretched again.

I swallowed hard.

An apology sat at the tip of my tongue.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, eyes fixed on the food as I stirred it absentmindedly with my cutlery.

He didn’t say anything.

I looked up again.

He was still staring at me, one hand resting against his jaw.

Fuck. I was going to melt.

“It seems like you can’t eat,” he said calmly. “You need me to feed you?”

My eyes snapped away instantly.

“You keep saying sorry,” he added. “But you still haven’t told me why.”

I froze slightly, fidgeting under the table.

A stretched silence followed.

“Essie told me what happened with that man,” he said, voice sharpening slightly. “That motherfucker.”

My breath hitched.

“Screw him,” he continued. “How did you let him do that to you?”

I let out a slow breath. “It’s in the past now.”

“Peach,” he said more quietly now. “You’re a beautiful woman. Don’t let men walk over you.”

I nodded, finally lifting my head. “Thank you.”

“There’s an opening at Sterling Holdings,” he continued. “Executive assistant. I want to employ you.”

My fingers tightened.

“I heard he ”

“No. No, no… not at all,” I rushed out. “Mr… Sterl…Logan, I…”

My words failed me.

His expression shifted instantly. His mood dropped again.

“Peach…”

Then the door bell rang.

He stood up and walked over to open the door. The moment he did, a woman around his age came in.

“Logan!” she screamed excitedly, hugging him before they shared a kiss right there in front of me.

My stomach dropped. My fingers tightened around the spoon.

I quickly took my eyes away.Why am I feeling this way?I shouldn’t be feeling this way.

I forced myself to look back again, just for a second. They were still close like I wasn’t even there. Like I didn’t exist in the same space.

Something twisted in my chest—sharp and uncomfortable.

I swallowed hard and looked away again. Get it together, Mae.

Mr. Sterling pulled away finally and turned toward me, like he suddenly remembered I was sitting there.

That’s when I got a full view of her face.

My breath caught slightly. I knew her.

Victoria, his ex-girlfriend.