“What are you doing?” Harriett looked at Damien suspiciously as she entered the hospital room. Eric had been in for so long that she was starting to feel uneasy so, she decided to check in on them. When walked in, she saw Damien trying to get off the bed while Eric was trying to remove the IV from his hand. As soon as both men saw her, they immediately paused, both looking like children who had been caught stealing ice cream from the fridge.
“Harriett..” Damien spoke up, his voice cracking as he wondered if she had heard their conversation. He accessed her face just to be sure and from the look on it, he concluded that she didn’t.
“Do not ‘ Harriett ‘ me. What do the both of you grown men think you are doing?” She walked up to the both of them with her hands on her waist like she was their parent.
“Well… I was just checking this cool thing out.. I have no idea what he was doing.” Eric immediately defended, throwing his hands up in the air. Damien turned to his friend and raised a brow, shocked at how he easily abandoned him.
“Really, Eric? You’ve never seen an IV before?” Harriet stomped her feet while Damien laughed.
“Fine. You got us. I need to leave this place, Harriett. The doctor who came in earlier said that I am recovering fast.” Damien confessed, his eyes pleading with Harriett.
“No.” She replied bluntly with a stern look on her face and Eric took it as his cue to leave as he sensed that a lovers argument was about to begin.
“Harriett, please. I really need to leave. There are some very important matters that I must take care of.” He said as soon as Eric was out of the room.
“What matters? Leave them to me, I’ll handle them for you. You must already know how competent I am.” Harriett replied with both her hands now crossed.
Damien sensed that there was no way out of the matter if he didn’t come clean to Harriett, so, he decided to tell her.
“You might not know this but, Evelyn was behind the kidnap.” He said, expecting a reaction from her but she only stared at him like it was old news.
“You knew?” He asked with a bewildered expression and Harriett shook her head, disappointment filling her face.
“It breaks my heart to know that even if until this moment, you still think of me as the same naive woman I was four years ago.” She said and sadness immediately appeared on Damien’s face as he was suddenly reminded of his shameful past. Harriet immediately noticed this and cleared the air to avoid it having any impact on his health.
“What I mean is, of course I knew that Evelyn was behind the kidnap. I figured that out pretty early.” She explained with a small smile as she sat by his side.
“Look, Damien. I know that you are aggravated by this and probably want to kill her but, you need to remember that your health comes first. She has already gone into hiding, so it’s going to be hard to find her. Especially if she is working with someone.” Harriet said and Damien couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face.
He had just told Eric about how he suspected Evelyn to be working alone and now, he was hearing that his ex-wife thought the same.
She was really something.
“You’ll be discharged in a few days anyways. Do not even try to do anything until then.”
*
*
PARIS***
“Don’t tell me you still have feelings for that whore?” Tony’s sister, Rachel spat as she watched her brother try to get to Harriet’s phone.
“Do not call her that, Rachael. She’s not a whore.” He warned, ruffling his hair in frustration. He had been trying to get to Harriet for a week but for some strange reason, her number wasn’t reachable. He was beginning to fear that something serious had happened to her. He had even tried reaching out to her parents but they were also unable to pick up.
He was deeply worried.
“I’m sorry if my words offend you, brother. But, the lady has two children for a man who isn’t her husband and was also making advancements towards you. If that is not what whores do then please tell me, what is it?” She said and Tony immediately flared up, hitting his table harshly.
“He was her husband. She got pregnant a few weeks before the divorce and Harriett is not making advancements towards me. If anything I am the one who is trying to secure a future with her but thanks to you and your stupid problems, I had to leave her.” He shot back, eying his sister.
“Do not give me that look, Tony. I am your older sister. Your nephew was on the verge of death and you call that ‘ my problem ‘ ? Do you really value that woman more than your own family?” She laughed but deep down she was vexed.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Rachael. I’m sorry.” He said but she scoffed and crossed her legs on the chair.
“Look, I am only doing all of this for your own good. You know how had things were for you when you had to literally run for your own life from New York but yet you still decide to risk it and go back.” She said worriedly, fearing that her brother would be in danger if he decides to return to New York.
“I understand your good intentions, Rachael but I cannot keep running away forever. I’ll have to face her eventually. You know that. Besides, I don’t think I’ll run into her.” He said, shaking his head as he remembered how he almost lost his life ten years ago because of a crazy woman.
“That Psychotic bitch is still hovering around in New York, Tony. I’m a hundred percent sure.” Rachael said with gritted teeth..
“You know what, Tony? I’ll come with you to New York this time around. You can open another branch there if you want. We’re getting that bitch, Bethany this time around.” Rachael finished off with a smirk.
*
*
EVELYN
“How long do you plan on staying here, Beth. Everyone is out looking for you and knowing the Daniels and Edwards , they’d stop at nothing to find you this time. Even if it means placing a bounty on you, I’m sure they’ll do it. You already know that money isn’t a problem for them.” Evelyn’s partner said, placing a bottle of wine on the table for her.
“You messed up big time, Beth.” He shook his head, chuckling at her foolishness.
“Don’t you think I know that?! Stop rubbing it in, okay?” She raised her voice out of frustration and downed an entire glass of whiskey, squeezing her face from the effect.
“Fine. Jesus Christ, Beth. Calm down before you hurt yourself.” He said, handing her another glass but this time around it was filled with water.
“What’s your plan?” He asked as she held her head with both her hands, thinking of a way out of the mess she created for herself. Ten minutes later, her head suddenly snapped as an idea flew in.
“Got something?” He asked and she turned to him with a relieved smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Yeah. Someone, rather.” She said, squealing happily.
“Who is this person that will willingly help you out even after your reputation has been totally ruined?” He asked with a snort and Evelyn shook her head before placing a light kiss on his lip.
“Tony. Harriet’s lover.. or should I say.. ex lover?”