The Billionaires's Temptation (Book 1)

31. Quinn Speech

Olivia

"Are you Mr. Wilfred?" I asked, rushing towards an elderly man at the entrance of the school gate. The man's features excluded he was an athlete. The outfit he was wearing indicated that he had one or two skills.

"You are Olivia, right?" He asked, glancing at his phone. I nodded my head, trying to steady my breathing. We had managed to arrive at the school within the said minutes. However, we were yet to accomplish our task. We needed to find Quinn before her speech started.

"Please follow me," the man said, sparing Logan and me a quick glance. We followed suit. I would've taken my time to check around the school premises, but we were currently on a mission. A school tour or any other activities could wait.

"Take a deep breath, at least," Logan muffled out behind me. His tall frame was overshadowing mine. Hands stuffed inside his pockets, he didn't seem distressed at all, unlike me. One would think I was Quinn's aunt, not him.

"I'm breathing, you know. The one who needs to show an ounce of effort is you. Try and act like her uncle," I shot back, adding a glare on the run.

"That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm supposed to be signing off a deal, but I ditched that for her sake. What more do you want from me?" He said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You—" just when I was about to give him another piece of my mind, Mr. Wilfred's voice sounded through our eardrums. "This is the hall the event is taking place," he announced, turning the doorknob.

I literally had to hold my breath upon seeing the crowd in front of us. A big hall full of people—students, to be precise. "Wow," I exclaimed.

"This has to be one important speech in here," I let out.

"Maybe because you haven't been in a school in a while. It's a normal thing, Olivia," Logan retorted with a bored expression. I swirled my head towards a nonchalant-looking Logan.

"Says who? You don't even know your way to her school, yet you're talking about me not having been in a school," I replied.

"Whatever. I hope you don't have a phobia, because I can't deal with two things at the same time." Before I could get the chance to attack him, he strode forward, his neatly sized two-piece suit a stark reminder of who Logan Nero was.

Pull yourself together, Olivia. I mentally scolded myself before catching up to Logan. "How do we locate Quinn then?" I asked, my eyes roaming around the crowd. I had only seen her briefly this morning, and I didn't think my memory was that good to store her exact appearance. But then again, it wouldn't be that hard.

"Simple logic. She would be called for her speech. Just watch," he said. I decided not to answer him on that one and just did as told. The hall was thick with silence as contestants were being called out for their speeches.

Honestly, that made a part of me twitch. It reminded me of my childhood and how nervous I used to get whenever I was called on stage to perform a speech or a singing charade. My parents might not have been present to support me, but a little effort from a family member wouldn't hurt, right? I think that was what made me worried about Quinn. I knew how it felt to be left out, seeing other children being cheered on by their parents while you were left alone.

It had become a memory etched deeply in my heart. Sometimes, I couldn't help but recall those days, but I knew it was a part of me. No matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't be able to erase it. Those were the days when I used to sit and cry my eyes out, longing for my parents. They passed away when I was seven, and since then, my grandmother took care of me before she later went back to the countryside. I had become capable of taking care of myself alone, and I was okay without the thought of being left out.

"Our next contestant is Quinn Scott. Please give her a round of applause!" Mr. Wilfred's voice echoed through the speakers, diverting my attention from my thoughts.

"Wait... are you crying?" I was taken aback by Logan's voice. His eyes were fixated on me, and I didn't miss the amused smile that had occupied his lips. Shit. I didn't even know I was in tears.

"No, I'm not," I answered shortly, turning my attention back to the crowd. He didn't need to know the reason behind it. We weren't in that position yet to share the bitterness of our lives.

Quinn looked nervous as she walked onto the stage. I could see how her eyes were roaming around the crowd. I'm sure she had hoped that her parents might show up. I didn't know what came over me, but I pushed through the crowd and waved my hands in the air. "Go, Quinn!" I shouted, getting the attention of most people around me. I couldn't care less.

She was confused at first, but after a few seconds, strength bloomed in her. She held onto the microphone tightly. At least she knew someone was out there for her. "Someone would think you're her mother" Logan hushed out beside me.

"I thought you wouldn't get through the crowd," I said.

His eyes danced left and right, as if calculating whether the people around him would recognize him. Well, he's Logan Nero. It wouldn't be hard for people not to notice him. "What's the use of staying back there when I can stand here and watch her clearly?"

I suppressed my laughter, not at anything in particular, but at the way he kept checking his surroundings. "Calm down, Mr. Logan. No one will recognize you if you stay quiet and don't make it obvious that you're Logan Nero." He cleared his throat in return.

I pinned my hair behind my ears and wrapped my arms across my chest. "Just be yourself. I know it's hard for you to stand in the midst of a crowd, but remember we're doing this for Quinn's sake. We are here as her family."

"You don't have to remind me of that," he whispered, enough for me to hear.

I nodded my head. "Right, I don't. You have done a great job by coming here. So let's hear out her speech."

The way silence prevailed as Quinn read out her speech was exceptional. It was as if everyone was waiting for her. The way she stood her ground, how her voice was sharp, it filled my head with all shades of emotion. I felt proud that we had made the right decision by showing up to be there for her.

As she said her final line, the whole room erupted with applause. Some were even whistling. I was among those whistling with enthusiasm. I turned around to have a look at Logan. By the smile on his face, you'd know he was also amazed by his little niece's brilliance.

"I thought you wanted nothing to do with this?" I said, my eyes still on the stage. Quinn had left the stage, and Mr. Wilfred had occupied the microphone again, maybe for the next contestant or another announcement.

"I had no choice," he said, turning around. "Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm leaving, of course. Aren't we done here?"

"We are not done yet, Logan. We need to meet her and congratulate her," I said the moment we were out the door. I wrapped my arms around my chest and stared at him.

"What!" he said, getting the message that I didn't plan on allowing him to leave. "Didn't I do a good job by standing in front of the crowd and also keeping on a cool face?"

"Nope, you didn't. You haven't fulfilled all the requirements yet."

His eyes slightly widened. "What do you mean requirements? Olivia, you-"

I shut him up by grabbing his hand and leading us inside again. I had to remind myself how my heart was thumping at the mere touch of our hands, but I managed to keep a cool face. It was the first time I had taken the initiative of holding Logan in public, and that wasn't doing justice to my heart. Not even a bit of it. We found our way towards the crowd just as parents were being called to take a prize and photograph with their children. "This is what I'm talking about," I said, finally getting the courage to release my hand from his hold.

However, my heart rate picked up increasingly when Logan intertwined our fingers. Fireworks erupted inside my chest. The whole crowd was no longer beneath my head, but Logan's unexpected touch had ignited something within me. It made my heart and body mingle into flames. "I didn't ask you to let go of my hand," came his husky voice just below my ears. And at that exact moment, I was sure my heart was going to be in flames for the rest of the day.