4

One evening, after a training session with Emily, Logan had received a message from Camilla, her tone already tinged with annoyance.

- I don't understand why you have so much time for her and so little for me. I hired you to be mine, Logan. To me alone.

He clutched the phone in his hand, annoyed. He'd been trying to find a balance for weeks, but each attempt was immediately dashed by his unrealistic expectations. He knew he had to tell her, but the fear of an emotional outburst held him back.

In reality, he was losing control of his life. The passion he felt for Camilla was palpable, but he had also begun to develop more nuanced feelings for Emily. The mere idea of her being a gentler, truer option terrified him.

One evening, while leaving a session with Emily, he decided to invite her for coffee. It was an attempt to get closer to her, to better understand who she was beyond the reserved image she projected.

- Do you want to come with me? he asked, hoping she would accept.

Emily looked at him, surprised, but ended up smiling shyly.

- Why not ? I don't have many opportunities to have coffee after training.

They sat at a table in a small local café. The ambiance was warm, and the aromas of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Logan felt light, far from the pressures of his life as an escort and the demands of Camilla.

- Do you like coming here? he asked, watching Emily pick up her cup.

She nodded.

- Yes, it's quiet. Sometimes I just like to sit here and watch the people go by. It reminds me that everyone has a story.

He smiled, impressed by her perspective.

- And what's your story, Emily?

She hesitated for a moment, playing with the handle of her cup.

- I don't really know... I'm just an ordinary girl, with dreams of the extraordinary.

This response caught his attention. He wanted to encourage her to share more, but he also knew that each question could be a step toward a vulnerability that she might not be ready to share.

- I'm sure you have more potential than you think, he replied sincerely.

At that moment, their eyes met and he felt a rising heat. He couldn't ignore this connection that was growing between them. It was as if, in this café, they were sharing a moment of truth, far from the expectations of the outside world.

But in the back of his mind, Camilla's voice kept ringing, reminding him that his life had become a dangerous game. A world where love and passion mixed with jealousy and possession.

Logan found himself torn between two worlds, two women, two lives, and every smile he exchanged with Emily reminded him of the price of what he was losing.

The day after the gala, Logan woke up with a mixture of euphoria and confusion. Memories of the night before still danced in his mind, especially the way Camilla had glowed under the twinkling lights, but all of that was clouded by the lingering thought of Emily. He stood up, rubbed his face, and tried to clear his mind. Today he had to focus on his workouts, on his work as a personal trainer.

The afternoon passed as usual, with happy customers praising his skills, but every time he interacted with his customers, a part of him looked forward to meeting Emily. When she finally appeared at the gym, a shadow of hesitation crossed her face. She was dressed casually, in a loose t-shirt and yoga pants, but what really made her beautiful was the aura of mystery that surrounded her.

- Hello, Logan, she said shyly, her gaze falling on him. Ready for a session?

Logan felt a warmth wash over him.

- Absolutely. How are you feeling today?

She shrugged her shoulders, a discreet smile on her lips.

- How are you. A little nervous, I suppose.

He encouraged her with a smile.

- No pressure. We'll take our time.

As the session progressed, he noticed that Emily was more receptive than before. Every movement, every encouragement he gave her seemed to resonate more within her. But at the same time, there was a melancholy in her eyes that troubled him. He couldn't tell if it was just her reserved nature or if there was something deeper behind her shy smile.

At the end of the training, they sat down on a bench, out of breath but happy. Logan turned to her, feeling a growing connection.

- You're making incredible progress, Emily. You are getting stronger and stronger.

She smiled, but the look in her eyes betrayed another story.

- THANKS. I do my best. But I... I think I need more than training.

His voice was so soft, almost a whisper. This caught Logan's attention, and he moved a little closer to her.

- What do you mean by that?

Emily hesitated, looking at the ground for a moment.

- I had a difficult childhood. Sometimes I feel like I still have demons to face.

Logan felt his heart tighten. He never imagined she would carry such a burden.

- You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, he said, but I'm here to listen.

Emily looked up at him, and he saw a glimmer of gratitude mixed with pain.

- I think I want to talk about it, actually. Maybe this will help me free myself.

Logan nodded, ready to listen.

- Go ahead .

She took a deep breath.

- When I was little, my mother was very ill. She struggled with depression, and it affected my entire family. I often felt like I had to take care of her, like I was the mother and not the child. It created a void in me.

Logan listened intently, every word she said echoing in his heart.

- It was a burden for you, wasn't it? he asked softly.

She nodded, tears beginning to form the corners of her eyes.

- Yes. I felt responsible for his happiness. But I couldn't give it to him, and it left me feeling empty. I...I believed for a long time that I wasn't good enough.

A dull anger rose within Logan, not towards her, but towards the world that had been able to inflict such pain on him.

- Emily, it's not your fault. You were just a child.

She met his gaze, tears now visible on her cheeks.

- I know, but sometimes it's hard to make peace with that. This is why I come here, to try to rebuild myself.

He moved closer, the desire to comfort her pushing him to reach out and gently touch her arm.

- I'm proud of you. Talking about it takes courage.

A slight smile played on his lips, and the warmth of his skin against Logan's hand made something vibrate inside him. It was then that he realized how attracted he was to her, but it wasn't just a physical desire. He felt a deeper connection, an emotional connection that he had never experienced before.

Emily's tears dried slowly, but the vulnerability she had shared with him had left a deep impression on him.

- Thanks for listening, Logan. You are a good friend.

That word, "friend," echoed in his mind. He wasn't just his coach. They shared something more, something that both disturbed and excited him.

- I'm here for you, no matter what you're going through, he said, his voice laced with sincerity.

A comfortable silence fell between them, and he was aware of the space slowly shrinking. He leaned forward slightly, losing himself in her eyes, losing track of time and the world around them. Emily was a light in his life, a breath of fresh air that pulled him out of the darkness he had begun to explore with Camilla.

But the thought hurt him. Every time he indulged in what he really felt about Emily, he felt guilty towards Camilla, towards this woman who had taken care of him and who was so present in his life. It was like he was juggling fires.

- I...I'm going to have to go, Emily whispered, slowly getting up.

Logan followed her, part of him hoping she would stay a while longer.

- Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer? he asked, his voice tinged with a frustration he couldn't suppress.

She gave him a melancholy smile.

- I have to think.

She walked away, leaving Logan with a mixed bag of feelings. As he watched her disappear into the gym, he realized that the barriers he had put around his heart were beginning to crumble.

It was that night, as he lay in bed, that all these emotions overwhelmed him. He thought of Camilla, of her charm, of her strength, of their physical connection. Then he thought of Emily, of her fragility, of her courage, of the sweetness of her smile. Both women represented parts of him that he never knew he possessed.

Logan turned over in bed, fighting with his thoughts. His feelings for Emily were growing stronger and stronger, and it terrified him. How could he develop such intense affection for someone when he was involved with another woman? This only made his life more complicated, and he knew he had to make a decision. But how do you choose between burning passion and authentic connection?

The following days were a whirlwind of emotions. Every time he saw Emily, he felt a rush of adrenaline, a thrill of joy. But each meeting with Camilla also reminded him of what he had to lose. This inner struggle was becoming more and more palpable, as if the walls around him were slowly closing in, and he knew he couldn't continue like this forever.

One evening, while dining with Camilla in a chic restaurant, he felt more lost than ever. The conversation was flowing, but Logan couldn't get the image of Emily out of his mind. Camilla talked about her plans, her ambitions, but all he could think about was how Emily had opened a window into his soul.

Camilla looked at him curiously, her piercing eyes searching his face.

- Logan, you're a little distant tonight. Everything is fine ?

He almost lied to her, but something inside him knew he had to be honest.

- I... I'm thinking about a lot of things right now, Camilla.

She looked at him, her expression hardening slightly.

- I hope I'm not putting too much pressure on you.

He shook his head.

- That's not it. I like what we have, but...

He stopped, hesitant.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to express how he really felt.

- But ? Camilla repeated, her tone encouraging, but her look betraying an underlying tension.

- But I...I'm feeling a little torn right now.

His admission left a heavy silence between them, and he saw Camilla's expression change, a mix of concern and defiance in her eyes.

- Pulled between who, Logan?

This question struck him. He knew he had to be honest, but he was afraid of the consequences.

- Between you and... another person.

He left his sentence hanging in the air, his heart pounding. Camilla seemed to consider his words, then straightened up, anger and disappointment plastering her face.

- Who is she?

Logan felt his heart tighten.

- I don't want to talk about it, Camilla.

- So I'll take it as a no.

She crossed her arms, her posture stiffening.

- You're supposed to be committed to me, Logan. Why does this other woman worry you so much?

He realized that he might be losing control of the situation, and what he had with Camilla, although passionate, was beginning to crack.

- It's complicated.