Logan’s thumb brushed gently over her knuckles, but he said nothing. He knew she wasn’t done.

"I know what you think... about Tyler. Whatever picture you have in your head of me and him... it’s not what it looks like."

She drew in a shaky breath.

"He wasn’t my boyfriend. He wasn’t even a friend. He was obsessed. Always lurking, always cornering me, making me feel like I was going crazy."

Logan’s jaw tensed, but he stayed quiet.

Jean finally looked at him. Her eyes were glassy but determined. "Logan, the picture you saw... Tyler and me on the bed—it wasn’t what you think. We weren’t having sex." She paused, heart hammering in her chest. "It was after he took advantage of me."

His entire body went still.

She exhaled, voice cracking. "He ripped me of my innocence. That night... I died, Logan. Over and over again. I screamed. I begged. But no one came."

Tears slipped silently down her cheek. "And after that, I couldn’t breathe around any man. I couldn’t even stand your presence back then. I was broken. But I wore a mask because I didn’t want to be a victim again."

Logan pulled her gently into his arms, wrapping her tightly in his embrace. Not a word, not a whisper—just his steady breath in her hair and the tremble in his arms that told her he was hurting for her.

Jean buried her face in his chest. "I didn’t want to be touched. But you... you’re different."

He held her tighter.

"I love you, Logan," she whispered. "I don’t know when it happened. Maybe on that damn island. Maybe before. But I love you." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Logan leaned back just enough to look into her eyes. His voice was low, rough with emotion. "You didn’t deserve any of that. Not a second. But you’re here, Jean. And you’re still standing. That strength... it’s beautiful. You’re beautiful."

She smiled through her tears. "Even with all my broken pieces?"

He kissed her forehead, gently. "Especially because of them."

Logan remained still, arms still around Jean, his breath brushing lightly against her hair. Her words echoed in his head like a scream muffled by time.

"I couldn’t stand your presence back then..."

He had always believed it was hatred. Rejection. Maybe even cruelty. But now—

It wasn’t him.

It was what had happened to her.

A sharp ache bloomed in his chest. He pulled back slightly, enough to see her face again. She looked so fragile and yet so brave—like porcelain forged in fire.

"It wasn’t me," he said quietly, as if tasting the words. "It wasn’t because you hated me. It was because..." He trailed off, voice caught with sudden guilt.

Jean gave the faintest nod, her eyes searching his. "I couldn’t stand any man near me, Logan. I flinched even when my father tried to hug me. But you... you were persistent. And kind. Even when I pushed you away, you were still you."

He blinked slowly, his throat tight. "All this time I thought you were disgusted by me... because I was fat. Because I was poor. Because I—"

She shook her head fiercely and placed her hand on his chest. "No. That was never the reason. You were the only one who didn’t try to corner me. You’d just... show up. Sit near me. Smile like it didn’t matter that I never smiled back. That meant something."

His hands gently cupped her face. "I would’ve waited forever, Jean. If I had known, I would’ve never—" His voice cracked. "God, I was so angry. I thought you broke me. But you were the one who was broken."

Jean leaned her forehead against his. "We were both hurting."

A long, aching silence wrapped around them like a shared secret finally set free. And then, without thinking, Logan tilted her chin up and stole a kiss. Soft. Light. Not asking for anything. Just feeling.

A promise.

When they pulled apart, Jean looked at him with eyes no longer clouded by fear.

"I’m ready to heal," she whispered. "With you."

Logan kissed her again—tenderly this time, with a reverence that said I see you now. His lips moved softly over hers, not demanding, not urgent—just present. When he pulled away, his forehead stayed pressed to hers.

"Jean..." His voice was hushed, yet full of weight. "Does anyone else know about this? About what he did to you?"

Jean slowly shook her head. "No," she whispered. "Not even Emma. I never told a soul."

Logan pulled back, just enough to look her in the eyes. "Then why me? Why now?"

Her lashes fluttered. "Because you deserve the truth. You think I broke you back then... but really, you were the only person who made me feel safe without knowing what I’d been through. And now... I’m not afraid anymore. Not with you."

She swallowed hard, her eyes turning glassy. "When it happened, my parents didn’t even ask me what I went through. They just... they panicked. Darla and Derek locked me in my room for days. Said no one must find out, not even the staff. They waited until the bruises faded and the... evidence disappeared from my body."

Logan’s fists clenched instinctively, the thought of her being treated like a stain on their reputation making his blood burn. "They silenced you... for what?"

Jean looked away, voice brittle. "Business. Deals. Money. Tyler’s father was a powerful investor back then. Derek didn’t want to risk it. Darla said—" her voice cracked, "she said no one would believe me anyway. That I must’ve asked for it."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Logan wiped it with his thumb gently, his voice trembling with fury he tried to contain. "They let him get away with it... just to protect a deal?"

She nodded.

He exhaled harshly, his jaw tightening. "I’m going to destroy them, Jean. All of them. For what they did to you. For making you carry this pain alone."

Jean touched his hand gently. "You don’t need to avenge me, Logan. You just need to stay with me. That’s enough."

He leaned in, pressing another kiss to her forehead. "I’ll stay. As long as you’ll have me."