“What can I do to make you come back to me?” Damien asked, his eyes begging Harriett. He knew that it would take years if he tried on his own so, he wanted to hear her own terms from her mouth. Maybe then, he’d be able to win her heart faster.
Harriett on the other hand wasn’t ready for the conversation, especially with Adrian sleeping in her arms. But, she was still going to let him know how she felt before leaving.
“Don’t you think you should earn my forgiveness first? Wanting me to come back to you is a big step. You need to start from the beginning, Damien. Goodnight.” And with that she left him to his thoughts and strolled into the house to tuck Adrian in.
When she was done with Adrian and went to her room, she realized that she had the opportunity to make him kneel and beg for her forgiveness, thereby winning the challenge. But, what fun is it if Evelyn wasn’t there to witness it?
Since it was still early, she went downstairs to join her father and Tony in their conversation to kill some time.
“Did someone come to visit? You were out for a while.” Jake Edwards asked. He noticed that she went out without Adrian but returned with him which made him really suspicious.
He didn’t want to think about it so much but he was having a feeling that she was keeping in touch with Damien. Not that it would be wrong of her to do so, he just wasn’t comfortable with his daughter being around Damien.
Jake Edward had still not forgiven him.
“Uhh.. no.. I just took Adrian out for some fresh air and he slept off soo…” She chuckled awkwardly, inwardly face palming herself for being a terrible liar. She knew her father didn’t buy her lie but thankfully, he let it slide.
“Right. I was telling Tony here that I think it’s time you join the company. We were already processing that before your marriage with Damien put a stop to it. What do you think, honey? Are you ready to work for the company?” Jake Edward asked knowing fully well that his daughter was more than capable of running the company well.
She had graduated from the Oxford University with a first class degree in Business management and had already taken a few other courses on the same subject. Before she got married to Damien, she was his personal advisor on company matters and they were in the process of making her the manager as she was the heir to all of his establishments and would one day lead the company.
But, she gave up on that dream because she wanted to be completely devoted to her husband. If only she had known.
“I- I don’t know if I still remember all I learnt then, Dad. What if I’m not that good anymore?” She asked, her heart racing for fear of letting her father down.
Tony on the other hand wasn’t in complete support of it because it would mean that she won’t be returning to Paris anymore. Unlike Harriett, he couldn’t stay in New York for long because he had a hospital in Paris that needed his attention and he had already spent too much time in New York.
He had been hesitant to leave because he thought that Harriett was wrapping up and getting ready to leave. But, from this present conversation, it was looking like she had no plans on returning to Paris.
“You don’t need to worry about that, Honey. I’ll put you through and make sure you’re in good shape before you resume work. Does this mean you’ve decided to stay in New York?” Jake finally asked and Tony immediately shifted his eyes to Harriett, awaiting her reply with crossed fingers.
Harriett looked down at her nervous fingers and sighed loudly before looking back up.
“I guess. The twins need their father and I can’t live without them. It is only right I stay here… for their sake.” She explained and Tony’s face fell, his mood changing to a sad one.
“I agree with you, Harri. The kids need their father even though you don’t. I’m sure you’ll find someone else here in New York who will love you.” Jake assured, his words carrying a double meaning as he eyed Tony.
Harriett immediately understood what he was trying to say and shook her head.
“With or without a man, Dad, I’ll be fine. As long as my babies are happy, I’ll be happy.” She smiled and gave her father a goodnight kiss on his cheek before waving to Tony and heading up to her room.
As she laid on her bed, she knew that she wasn’t going to sleep so easily so, she opened her iPad and decided to study a little in preparation for her work resumption.
*
*
“What do you mean you might move to New York? You can’t be serious, Tony.” Tony’s friend, Dion, yelled over the phone.
He was his business partner and also had a hospital just like Tony. When he heard that Tony was going to New York with Harriett, he suspected that something like this might happen. He always knew that Tony had feelings for Harriett even though he never admitted to it.
It always marveled Dion because he didn’t expect his friend to fall for a woman with not one but two children.
“I can’t leave her, man. If I do, her ex-husband is going to waltz back into her life. She might be acting all strong but I can see right through her. If he doesn’t stay away, she might make a mistake and give him another change to ruin her.” Tony explained, his heart aching at the thought of seeing Harriett miserable because of her ex-husband.
“So you’re just going to abandon everything because of her? Everything you spent years building? Have you forgotten why you left New York in the first place? What if-”
“Nothing will happen, Dion! Don’t fucking bring that up.” Tony groaned, holding his head in frustration.
“I-I’m really sorry, man. I just can’t help but worry about you. New York isn’t good for you. Don’t let your feelings blind you, Tony. You could get in trouble.” Dion warned before cutting the call abruptly.
“Fuck!” Tony hissed and slammed his fist on the table in frustration.
A few minutes later, he heard a light knock on his door and after a few seconds of recollecting himself, he opened the door.
“Is everything okay? I was heading to my room when I heard a noise from here. Are you doing okay?” Harriett’s soft voice instantly calmed his nerves and before he could stop himself, he pulled her in for a hug.
Harriett was taken aback at first but a few moments later, she relaxed into the hug and wrapped her arms around him, sensing that he was being troubled.
The hug lasted for two minutes before Tony finally pulled out with a smile on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Harriett asked again, pulling him into the room.
“Don’t look at me like that, Harri. I’m not dying soon.” He joked and she playfully slapped his arm, placing a hand on her chest in relief.
“Thank goodness. So tell me, what’s the problem?” She inquired.
“Promise me that whatever I say, you won’t scream.” He said and Harriet eyed him suspiciously.
“I can’t make that promise. But, I can promise not to hit you.” She said and he chuckled.
“Even better.” He replied and she nodded, urging him to speak.
“I’m moving to New York.” He blurted, looking her straight in the eye but there was not a single response from Harriett. It was as though she was still waiting to hear him speak.
“Harri?” He tapped her.
“That’s an obvious joke so please, say something else. She replied with a straight face but when she saw that Tony wouldn’t say any other thing, she understood that he was actually being serious.
“Wait? You are actually serious! Why?” She screamed with her eyes wide open.
“Don’t tell me it’s because you heard me tell Dad I’ll be staying in New York?” She asked but Tony had nothing to say in his defense.
“How can you make such decision just because of me? You have a life in Paris, Tony. I don’t. With my family now back in New York, my life is here! I have no reason to go back to Paris but you? You have a thousand reasons!” She explained, hoping that it would get him to change his mind.
“I know but… I just can’t let you stay here alone knowing fully well that your ex-husband is around the corner.” He replied
“I am not a child, Tony. I can take care of myself! If it’s Damien you are worried about, you don’t need to be. I am more than capable of dealing with him so please, go back to Paris and live your life. It’ll kill me to know that you left all of that for me.” She took his hand and pleaded with him.
Tony knew that she would never agree to it so he just decided to end the conversation and agree to go back to Paris even though he knew that he would still be around her.
“Fine. I’ll give it a second thought.” He said and she nodded with a smile.
*
*
“You haven’t been picking up my calls or replying my texts since the wedding. I was beginning to think you found another friend.” Eric chuckled, taking a seat opposite Damien in his living room. He was shocked when the maid informed him that Damien was in his house as they had not spoken to each other since the wedding.
He knew it was because Damien felt betrayed after seeing Harriett at his wedding but, he was only following Harriett’s instructions.
“You were in touch with Harriett but didn’t bother to tell me when you were fully aware of how I had been searching for her. Tell me, would you be happy if you were in my position?” Damien sneered, gulping down the entire glass of red wine.
“I already told you, man. Harriett begged me not to tell you and besides, she was doing so much better than when she was married to you. You may be my friend but I care about Harriett too.” Eric defended and Damien gripped the seat angrily.
He knew Eric was right but damn, the truth hurt!
“I’m going to make her fall in love with me again.” He said and Eric snorted, finding Damien’s statement amusing. His reaction caused a frown to appear on Damien’s face as he wondered what he said that was so funny to Eric.
“I’m sorry but… how do you plan on doing that with Evelyn still lurking around you? You’re funny, man.” Eric chuckled and shook his head.
“If you want Harriett to forgive you, first get Evelyn out of your life and start from the beginning. Win her heart like a teenager who’s trying to get his crush to like him.” Eric advised.
It was as if a veil was lifted off Damien’s eyes as he could finally see some sense in what Eric was saying.
“One more thing.” Eric said and Damien nodded, giving him the go-ahead.
“Reinvestigate the case from four years ago. Maybe then it wouldn’t be so hard to get rid of a certain person.”