More Than A Favor (Elaine and Logan)

Chapter 86 Get 10 Menu

As Ashton spoke, his grip on my hand tightened briefly. His eyes narrowed slightly, and something flickered in their depths-a fleeting emotion I couldn't quite name. But then, as quickly as it came, the pressure on my hand eased, and he let go.

I stepped back instinctively, rubbing the spot where his grip had been firm. "I've made all the changes you marked. Do you want to review them now?" Ashton remained seated, lounging in the chair. He didn't even open his eyes. "No need. You should go

rest."

"Okay. Good night," I replied, turning to leave.

But just as my hand reached for the door, I heard him call out softly, "Elaine."

I froze in place, my heart skipping a beat.

Elaine.

It was my nickname. Only my parents had ever called me that when they were alive, and occasionally Nora, though she usually stuck to "Elaine."

I turned back to face him, my brows furrowed in confusion. "What did you just call me?"

"Nothing," Ashton said, his voice calm as he kept his eyes closed. "Just... don't forget to close the door."

Bewildered, I stared at him for a moment longer. Then, making sure the door was firmly shut, I left his

room.

Instead of heading straight back to my own room, I leaned against the wall in the hallway. My breath came in shallow bursts, and my heart raced uncontrollably.

No matter how much I tried to calm myself, the events of the evening replayed in my mind-Ashton's intense gaze, the feel of his hands encircling mine, and the way he had called me Elaine.

I shook my head and forced myself to return to my room. After collapsing onto the bed, I grabbed phone, hoping the distraction would bring some clarity.

On WhatsApp, I noticed several unread messages.

my

One from Nora read: "The villains always live forever. He's not dead or even seriously hurt, just lost at

lot of blood."

I chuckled softly at her message and replied: "I'll aim harder next time."

She didn't respond. She was likely asleep or busy with another surgery.

Next, I opened my chat with Caleb. His messages were focused on Logan:

Caleb: "You really headshot your ex. That's impressive." Caleb: "Keep this between us, but good job." Caleb: "If you'd had this attitude earlier, maybe things wouldn't have gone so far." Caleb: "Logan's the type who needs a reality check to stay grounded." His last message made me pause.

I couldn't stop thinking about Selene's words-how she claimed Logan owed her and had ruined her.

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I typed a reply: "Caleb, does Logan... owe Selene something?"

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After a moment's hesitation, I added: "Or does Logan owe something to Selene's late husband?"

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I stared at my phone for several minutes, waiting for a reply, but none came. Setting the phone down, I closed my eyes, hoping sleep would take me.

The room was silent, save for the soft sound of Maya's breathing.

Out of nowhere, she mumbled in her sleep, "Ashton... you're so heartless..."

I stifled a laugh and turned to look at her.

How badly had Ashton pushed her during the day for her to curse him even in her dreams?

But as I lay there, Ashton's face surfaced in my mind again-his sharp features, his steady voice, the way he had looked at me earlier.

Strangely, the more I thought about it, the less flustered I felt. Eventually, I drifted into a dream.

In the dream, I was a child again, running barefoot through a sunlit meadow. Behind me, a boy's voice called out, "Elaine, be careful! Don't fall..."

I turned to see Ashton, younger and full of energy, chasing after me.

The next morning, his name lingered in my thoughts as I woke. It was the second time Ashton had appeared in my dreams, making me question if we had crossed paths long before now.

Then I remembered-when I was younger, I used to dream of a boy who carried me on his back. He had a mole near his shoulder blade, just like Ashton did.

And last night, he had called me Elaine.

During breakfast, my phone buzzed. It was Olivia, the landlord of the unit across from mine.

Thinking she had resolved the issue, I answered, "Hello, Mrs. Nash."

"Sorry to bother you so early, Elaine," she said politely.

"No problem. What's up?" I replied, taking a sip of my milk.

"I spoke to the tenant about your request, but he refused-even with compensation. So..." She trailed

off.

t

Her words gave me a sense of déjà vu, as if I had heard them before.

"But don't worry," she continued. "I've checked his background. No criminal record, no bad habits. He's quite decent-looking, too. And he used to-" Before she could finish, Ashton's voice interrupted.

"Ms. Hart, can I have your fried egg?" he asked, gesturing toward my plate.

Caught off guard, I barely registered Olivia's words as I hastily ended the call with, "Okay, thanks," and turned to Ashton.

"If it's a no, that's fine," he said casually, already peeling a boiled egg.

"Mr. Drake, you can have mine!" Maya offered enthusiastically, lifting her egg from her plate.

"No, thanks. I don't want it anymore," Ashton replied coldly, popping the boiled egg into his mouth in

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I swallowed hard, feeling a lump in my throat. A nagging feeling crept in-he didn't really want egg. Then why did he ask for it?

my fried

Before I could dwell on it, Ashton finished his meal, stood up, and said, "You two carry on. I'm leaving."

Maya watched him go and turned to me. "Elaine, it's not that he didn't want the fried egg. He just wanted yours

I raised an eyebrow. "What? Does eating my egg make him immortal?"

Maya grinned. "Elaine, Mr. Drake has a crush on you."

Her words made me choke. I coughed and grabbed my milk to soothe my throat. "Just because he wanted my egg?"

"No, it's the way he acts around you, the way he looks at you. There's... tension."

I wasn't some naive teenager. I had sensed it, too.

Ever since Ashton first mentioned marriage, I'd noticed his subtle signals. But his mixed behavior confused me, especially after last night.

"So what? I'm not into him," I said dismissively.

The moment the words left my mouth, I sensed someone sitting back down at the table.

I looked up to see Ashton, staring directly at me.

Feeling awkward, I curled my fingers nervously.

Maya mirrored my nervousness but quickly smiled. "Mr. Drake, what brings you back? We were just talking about Elaine's ex-fiancé. She-"

"I get it," Ashton interrupted, his eyes still locked on mine.