Escape from My Mate's Test-Tube Lie

Under the harsh hospital lights, my vision swims from dehydration. My legs are numb below the waist, barely holding me up as I lean against the wall. Laughter cuts through the haze, sharp and cruel.

"God, she pissed herself. How gross!"

That piercing voice slaps me awake. I lock eyes with Olivia, her smug grin glowing, her makeup flawless, her smile venomous.

"You should've heard yourself, whimpering like a dog, begging for help," she sneers. "Logan was with me the whole time."

Her words click it all into place-she set this up. Shame and fury burn my cheeks, and I snap at the gawking nurses and healers. "I'm Sophie Ramirez, mate of Reed Industries' biggest shareholder. Call the enforcers now. I want last night's negligence investigated!"

Olivia's smugness falters, panic flickering in her eyes. But then Logan strides in with his bodyguards, clearing the room in seconds. He steps in front of Olivia, shielding her, while I'm forced into a wheelchair by his men.

His gaze is stormy, a mix of rage and exasperation. "It was just a she-wolf's prank, Sophie. Don't make a big deal out of it."

Even after everything, his dismissal cuts deep. I laugh, but my eyes sting with tears. "Logan, today it's me or her. Choose."

In five years, he's never seen me this broken, like I've got nothing left tying me to this world. His pupils flicker, but his voice stays cold. "Be good, babe. Stop throwing tantrums. No enforcer's touching this case with me around."

His words shatter the last shred of hope I was clinging to. I laugh, bitter and sharp. "What if I demand an answer?"

His eyes flash with impatience. "You wouldn't dare."

A bodyguard steps to the window, pulling back a black cloth to reveal Mom's urn. My nails dig into my palms, pain radiating through my trembling soul.

"You're threatening me with my mother's ashes?" I choke out.

Logan's gaze darkens, but he drapes a blanket over me with infuriating gentleness. "Don't touch me!" I slap him hard, my voice raw with grief. "Logan, I should've never saved you. I regret ever loving you."

He doesn't flinch, just keeps tucking the blanket around me, his touch soft but his eyes turning to ice. "My mate, you'll stay by my side forever. You're never leaving me."

His voice drops to a lover's whisper, chilling me. "As punishment, you're grounded for a week. Rest up at the villa."

"Take her home!" he barks.