“Tell whoever you want. But you’ll face the consequences. Evelyn isn’t alone anymore. I have the best lawyers in the country. I’ll see you put away for blackmail and drug dealing for a very, very long time. And the day you get out, you won’t even have this shithole to come back to, because you’ll have lost it in the lawsuit Evelyn will file for the debts you racked up in her name.”
“I’ll ruin you first!” he choked out.
“And what do you think that will do to me?” I asked, leaning in closer. “You’ll cost me a professional opportunity or two, but I’ll still be one of the most respected surgeons in this country. The same ‘millionaire doctor’ I’ve always been. You’ll be a headache, but my life will go on. And yours? Are you really willing to spend the best years of your miserable life in a cage?”
He tried to speak, but I increased the pressure. He was trembling now.
“And before you see the inside of a cell, I’ll make sure you get a personal tour of a hospital. So think. Is this really the hill you want to die on?”
Terrified, he managed a weak, jerky shake of his head.
“I guess we have an understanding, then.”
He nodded, frantic this time. I released him and turned to leave. But a final, convincing point needed to be made. I turned back and drove my fist into his face. The impact sent him stumbling backward until he crumpled to the floor.
“Let me be perfectly clear,” I said, looking down at him. “Stay the hell away from Evelyn. Stay the hell away from my daughters. Stay away from my family.”
I finally left, that last word echoing in my mind.
Family.
I hadn't even had to think about it. When I said it, the only people I saw were my daughters and Evelyn.
Chapter Thirty-Three
EVELYN
Ten days later, we were back in New York.
Just like our first trip, we went straight from the airport to the hospital. This time, however, the girls were buzzing with excitement. Carol Holloway met us and showed us to the maternity ward. While Logan went to his board interview, the twins pressed themselves against the nursery's glass wall, utterly captivated by the rows of newborns.
They invented a game on the spot: Anna would propose a name for each baby, and Aurora would give a thumbs-up or a firm shake of her head until they reached a consensus. I watched them, my anxiety over Logan's interview momentarily soothed by their laughter—especially when Anna suggested names like ‘Mickey’ and ‘Simba.’
After every baby had been duly christened by the two self-appointed experts, we headed to the hospital cafeteria. We ate lunch and waited, the minutes stretching on until I finally saw him walking toward our table.
My heart sank a little. His expression was so serious. He stopped in front of us, saying nothing.
“So?” I finally asked, unable to bear the silence. “How did it go?”
“Tell us now!” Anna demanded, echoing my impatience.
He paused for one more dramatic beat, then raised his hand. Pinched between his fingers was a magnetic key card. It featured his photo and name, and just below, in bold letters, was his new title:
GENERAL DIRECTOR
“Andthis,” he said, holding it up, “is a badge.”
I couldn’t contain my happiness. I stood and threw my arms around him. “You did it! Logan, that’s amazing!”
“It’s way cooler than a piece of paper,” Anna declared, carefully taking the badge from his hands. Aurora studied it over her sister’s shoulder, but it was clear they still didn’t grasp its full significance.
From the hospital, we collected the car and drove to the house Logan had rented—a temporary home while he searched for a permanent property.
It was located in a quiet, upscale neighborhood, a world away from the city's bustle. Logan pulled into the driveway of a beautiful two-story home with a wide, inviting porch. The girls tumbled out of the car, already buzzing with excitement. It warmed my heart to see them in a place like this. I truly hoped he would find them a permanent home with just as much space to run and play.
A property manager was waiting for us with the keys. Minutes later, we stepped inside, and the interior was even more stunning than the outside.
“Look, Rory!” Anna shouted, signing simultaneously as she pulled her sister toward the living room fireplace.
