Tara walked into her office and went straight to her chair. She sat down slowly, placing her right arm on the armrest while her other hand pressed against her temple, gently massaging it in an attempt to ease her morning exhaustion and stress.
Vanessa and Frank were sitting on the couch across the room. The moment they saw Tara enter, they both stood up.
Frank immediately began speaking.
"Tara, what was the meaning of—"
Before he could finish, Tara raised her hand slightly, signaling him to keep quiet.
Frank paused for a moment, but then he tried to speak again.
"Tara, you have no right to—"
Before he could complete his sentence, Tara stopped him with a cold glare.
"Listen, Frank," she said calmly, her voice filled with quiet authority. "You are in my office, and you will speak when I allow you to. Do you understand?"
Her tone was calm, yet commanding.
"Why are you disrespecting your fiancee like that, Tara? That's so rude of you," Vanessa said with disapproval.
Tara slowly turned her gaze toward her.
"Are you deaf?" she asked flatly.
Vanessa looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Tara looked at her indifferently.
"What was the last thing I said to Frank?"
After that question, Vanessa remained silent.
Tara could already tell that Frank was about to interrupt again. This time she spoke first.
"Listen carefully, both of you. Today is Friday. I usually come here three hours later than this. Yet the two of you had the nerve to cause a commotion in my office at seven in the morning, exactly when the office opened."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Even the clients who arrived before you chose to wait for my regular working hours. But my secretary had the courage to call me because of the stunt you two pulled."
She leaned back slightly in her chair.
"Let's set that aside for a moment. Imagine that I came here exhausted, with an empty stomach. Because of that, my stress levels are already extremely high."
Her eyes turned fierce.
"So imagine what might happen… if the two of you decide to push me any further."
Vanessa swallowed hard.
Frank, however, didn't seem intimidated.
He walked toward Tara's desk and bent slightly, staring straight into her eyes.
"Is that a threat?"
"I wouldn't dare," Tara replied nonchalantly.
Then she turned her gaze toward Vanessa.
"By the way… what exactly are the two of you doing here?"
"Wha—what is that supposed to mean?" Vanessa asked nervously.
"What do you think it means?" Tara replied calmly as she looked away from them.
"I want to know where our relationship stands now," Frank said as he sat down in the chair opposite Tara.
Tara looked at him calmly.
"Did we ever have a relationship?"
Both Frank and Vanessa were stunned by her comment.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Frank demanded as he immediately stood up in fury.
"What do you think it means?" Tara replied calmly.
"Tara, what kind of stunt are you trying to pull now?" Frank asked angrily.
"Mr. Wanskin," Tara said evenly, "I am not pulling any stunt. I'm simply stating the truth."
She stood up and slowly walked toward the large glass window of her office. From there, she had a clear view of the busy city streets and the surrounding corporate buildings.
"If my memory is not deceiving me," she continued calmly, "three years ago I was only seventeen, while you were twenty. Because of that, our engagement had to be postponed until I turned twenty."
She paused briefly.
"Well, I am twenty now."
Her gaze shifted back toward him.
"And yet, we have never been formally engaged."
She tilted her head slightly.
"And on top of that, your original fiancee, Ananya, is currently in the city."
Her tone remained calm.
"So tell me, Mr. Wanskin… what exactly are you looking for here?"
Vanessa staggered backward in shock, while Frank glared at Tara's back with fury and venom.
"As you said, you were the one who was introduced to me three years ago," Frank said smugly. "Which means you are the one who must complete the engagement and marriage."
He crossed his arms confidently.
"Besides, everyone knows that I am engaged to you, not your sister."
Tara turned around and looked at him with a faint impressed smile.
"You're absolutely right."
Her expression slowly hardened.
"But tell me something… what do you think will happen if everyone finds out about your three years of infidelity?"
Frank's expression instantly changed from smugness to anger.
"Or perhaps the truth about this engagement," Tara continued calmly.
She tilted her head slightly.
"What would change then? What would happen next? And most importantly… who do you think would benefit the most?"
"Are you threatening me?" Frank asked, trying to suppress his anger.
"Oh, I wouldn't dare," Tara replied lightly. "After all, your family is the most powerful family in this city."
She returned to her chair and sat down calmly.
"And trust me when I say I can't bite off far more than I can chew… including marrying the heir of your family after losing my chastity."
Her voice remained calm.
"So think of this as me doing you a favor."
Frank clenched his teeth in fury but remained silent.
Suddenly Tara turned toward Vanessa.
"And what about you? What are you doing here?"
"Me?" Vanessa asked nervously.
"Who else would I be asking if I'm looking directly at you?" Tara replied.
"You haven't been home for a week," Vanessa said quickly. "I was worried, so I thought I should check on you."
"With Mr. Wanskin?" Tara asked expressionlessly.
"Oh… we met at the reception downstairs," Vanessa answered nervously.
"What a coincidence," Tara said as she looked toward the glass window again.
Vanessa forced a nervous laugh.
"I think it's time for me to leave."
"What's the hurry?" Tara asked calmly. "Since you're already here, let's finish this once and for all."
"What do you mean?" Vanessa asked anxiously.
Tara ignored the question and looked at Frank.
"Mr. Wanskin," she said calmly, "there are three daughters in the Logan family."
Her eyes shifted slowly toward Vanessa.
"I have already lost my chastity, which means I cannot be included in the marriage alliance."
She folded her hands calmly.
"But the other two daughters are perfectly suitable."
The room fell silent.
"However," she continued, "if my family were to investigate your infidelity…"
Her gaze settled on Vanessa.
"…then only one daughter would remain."
Vanessa stumbled backward and collapsed onto the couch, terror written all over her face.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Frank demanded angrily, though panic flickered in his eyes.
"Aren't you two tired of pretending?" Tara said with clear boredom.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," Vanessa said quickly, refusing to look at her.
"If you truly don't understand," Tara replied calmly, "then I won't say anything else."
She leaned back in her chair.
"I'll leave it to the people who will be curious enough to investigate your story."
Silence filled the room.
After a moment, Tara spoke again.
"If there is nothing else, you may leave."
She paused before adding with a faint smirk,
"Oh… and please think carefully about what I said."
Her smile widened slightly.
"After all, the engagement party is this weekend."
Frank and Vanessa were completely speechless. Panic still lingered on their faces.
Without another word, they quickly left the office.
Outside, they stood silently while waiting for the elevator.
Finally, Vanessa spoke.
"Do you think she knows the truth?"
"I'm not sure," Frank said in frustration.
The elevator doors closed.
"When people used to say Tara's intelligence was terrifying, I never believed it," Frank muttered. "But now… I'm starting to see it myself."
"What are we going to do if she really knows everything?" Vanessa asked nervously. "Everything will be ruined."
Frank's expression darkened.
"We'll wait for the party," he said coldly. "Then we'll plan based on what happens there."
His voice turned colder.
"But one of two outcomes must happen."
"She either gets engaged to me…"
His eyes hardened.
"…or we destroy her first and marry her off to someone who will benefit us."
Vanessa looked uneasy.
"Will it work?"
Frank's voice turned chilling.
"It has to."
He looked straight ahead, his expression filled with hostility.
"And if nothing works…"
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"…then we'll just have to kill her."