Chapter 309

Chapter 309 Shadows of The Past

Ella

The familiar scent of mahogany and fresh ink greeted me as I walked into the firm, but something felt

different that day.

It wasn’t a physical change in the surroundings, but a shift in the atmosphere-the type of shift that

instantly lets you know you’ve become the topic of whispered conversations.

Conversations halted mid-sentence, eyes diverted, and the atmosphere grew noticeably cooler. Jane

from the legal research team was suddenly very interested in her coffee cup, while Peter from

corporate had suddenly taken an intense interest in his shoe laces.

My inner wolf, always keen and alert, sensed the discomfort instantly. “It’s because of Logan”, she

growled softly in the back of my mind. “It’s because of him and your association with him.”

I gave a forced smile to Diane, the receptionist, trying to brush off the internal chatter of my wolf and

the external coldness of my colleagues. “Morning, Diane,” I greeted cheerfully, though I could feel the

strain..

“Ella,” she replied, her tone lacking its usual warmth. Her gaze flicked to her computer screen, avoiding

direct eye contact.

My heart sank. Diane had always been friendly, we had shared countless coffees and gossip during

break time. This distant, almost clinical response wasn’t like her.

“Ignore them. What do they know anyway?” my wolf snarled. “We don’t need their validation.”

But it wasn’t about validation. “It’s about respect,” I answered in my mind, almost pleadingly to my wolf.

“I’ve worked too hard to let this whole arrangement with Logan taint everything.”

But as I moved deeper into the firm, it became painfully evident that the frosty reception wasn’t limited

to just the foyer.

“Ella,” Sarah remarked, her voice dripping with faux surprise as she approached, her stack of case

papers in hand. “I must say, I didn’t expect to see you here today. I figured you’d be off somewhere…

else. We all did, actually.” The insinuation was clear.

“All of you?” I asked, filling my coffee cup at the counter. “I guess I’m popular, huh?” My words were

genial, but I felt the exact opposite. And Sarah didn’t return my good humor. “If that’s what you want to

call it,” she said.

I took a deep breath, feeling my wolf bristle at the comment. “Well, I’ve got cases to work on, Sarah.

Just like any other day.” She smirked. “Right. Cases.” And with that. biting remark, she moved past me,

but not without knocking into me. The pile of papers

that she held in her hand, still warm from the printer, went scattering everywhere. Instinctively, I bent

down to help. “Here’s your chance,” my wolf whispered. “Show her you’re more than just rumors. Show

her your heart. You’re a good person, Ella.”

Gathering a handful of papers, I tried handing them back with a smile. “Quite the morning, huh?” Sarah

hesitated, then snatched them away, her eyes cold. “I can manage,” she snapped. “But thanks.”

Standing up, I tried to maintain my composure. “Of course, Sarah. Let me know if you need anything.”

The rest of the walk to my office was a gauntlet of veiled remarks and pointed glances. Ben from family

law joked loudly about how “connections” made things so much easier, while Melissa from criminal law

raised an eyebrow and mused about “interesting bedfellows,”

When I finally reached my office, I closed the door softly behind me, letting the weight of the morning

sink in. The walls felt like they were closing in, the whispers growing louder even though they were now

muffled by the solid wood of the door.

“I told you they don’t matter,” my wolf grumbled, frustration evident. “She couldn’t even be bothered to

show a little gratitude for helping her out.”

“They do matter,” I shot back quietly, sitting heavily in my chair. “These are my colleagues, my peers.

Their respect matters.”

My wolf huffed. “So what if they want to gossip? It’s their loss.”

“It’s not just about rumors, Ema,” I murmured, rubbing my temples. “It’s about perception. If they see

me as just… Logan’s plaything, then everything I’ve done, everything I’ve achieved- it’s all

overshadowed.”

My wolf growled, the sound deep and guttural. “Then prove them wrong. Let your work speak for itself.

Show them that you’re not just a Mafia girlfriend; you’re a damn good lawyer.”

I took a steadying breath, trying to center myself. “I know, I know. It’s just… it’s easier said than done.

I’ve worked so hard to be here. To be seen as competent, capable. Not just… someone’s girlfriend.”

A softer, more reassuring voice from within responded. “Then let’s remind them of who Ella really is.

Show them your strength, your grace. Your abilities. Not because of Logan, but in spite of him.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “Thanks. I needed that.”

With renewed determination, I decided to put the morning behind me and get to work instead.

Hardly half an hour passed before I already found myself swamped with paperwork. Files were

scattered all across my desk, and my computer screen flashed with new emails. Among them, one

particular message caught my eye.

It was from Logan. Clicking on it, I quickly scanned the attached document detailing our new case. I

had expected something about extortion, smuggling, or maybe another high-profile heist. Instead, I

found myself reading about land disputes and allocation issues.

It wasn’t the type of case I was accustomed to, and for a moment, I was puzzled as to why Logan was

involving us in such a matter.

It appeared that the land in question was straddling the boundaries of two distinct regions in the city.

For years, it seemed, the piece of land had been in a sort of limbo, without a clear jurisdictional ruling

on which region it truly belonged to.

During this period of uncertainty, the owner of one region had seen an opportunity, and cheap

apartments had sprung up across the land.

Now, Logan, who had recently acquired the adjacent region, seemed to have pulled some strings. The

land had been formally allocated to his region after his intervention.

His plans? Tear down the apartments and establish a plaza. The document also hinted at conflicts

regarding potential back-rent owed by the owner of the other region and the issue of compensating the

current tenants.

I leaned back in my chair, a tad overwhelmed by the complexity of the case. But more than that, I found

myself shocked. I’d always known Logan to be influential, but getting the local government to change

land allocation? That was on a whole different level.

A buzz from my intercom interrupted my thoughts. “Logan is here to see you, Ella.”

“Send him in.”

The door swung open a few minutes later and Logan stepped inside, looking as composed and

polished as ever. But there was something in his eyes-a certain heaviness that I hadn’t noticed before.

Without preamble, I dove straight in. “This land dispute… it’s not our usual fare, Logan. And you

managed to get the government to reallocate land to your region?” I paused, trying to find the right

words. “Why this case?”

He hesitated for a moment, those striking eyes of his meeting mine. “Remember when you asked about

my mother once?”

I nodded. The topic had come up briefly in one of our past conversations, and though he hadn’t shared

much, I remembered the look of pain that had briefly clouded his features.

“It’s about her,” Logan said softly.