5. Clash and Claddle

Harper was dumbstruck as the woman gloriously descended the stairs. Beautiful was a understatement. Her long wavy black hair flowed smooth, accentuating her small face. Even under the lights, her skin glowed. Her dropping diamond earrings listened under the lights, sparkling directly in your eyes if you stared at them too long. 

“I didn't know you were around.” she cooed softly, walking past Harper. 

Eros tucked his hands in his pockets, giving her a handshake instead as she wanted to hug him and walked towards Harper. 

“Meet my fiancé, Harper.” he held her hand in his. 

Harper swallowed hard. The woman standing in front of her was no ordinary person - it was Elena Darros, the daughter of Darros Pharmaceuticals, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. 

Elena looked at Harper in surprise mixed with contempt. It was like she immediately accessed her from head to toe. 

“Fiancé?” She asked, folding her arms in amusement. “and when was…this?”

Harper was about to reply when Eros tightened his grip on her hand. 

“We're getting married soon. Please, if you'll excuse us.” Eros gave her a nod and left. 

Harper was shook. She took a glance back at Elena who's eyes followed them as they walked. There was something between her and Eros, although it was none of her business but she could see the disappointment on her face when he dropped the bombshell. 

“You have to truly act like this is real.” Eros began, pulling her forward. They were on the balcony and luckily no one was around. “You have to keep whatever surprise or shock on your face away and act like you belong. Elena could have picked hints of what was going on from the way you were staring at her.” his tone was cold and authoritative. 

“Well I'm sorry I am not able to act or play along like you want me. But you should understand that I'm not used to all of these, this is not my life!” Harper responded, rubbing her wrist. 

“Then you act like it. You adapt to anything you see or notice here. If you want to make this work, you get that poor ideas you are used to and shove it down!”

Harper stared at him blankly and scoffed. Get the poor ideas she was used to? Like she was wretched? 

“Oh I'm sorry I have poor ideas. I'm sorry I wasn't born to the lavish lifestyle you're born into and don't know how to hide my surprise but that doesn't give you the damn right to talk to me like I'm some lowlife.”

“If that's what is going to let you get your head straight and realize what you're into then I don't mind.”

Harper scoffed again and rolled her tongue. “You know what, I didn't even agree to this bullshit before. So now I'm out. You can go fuck yourself and find someone else you can talk to anyhow.”

She shoved her purse on his chest and stormed out from his presence. She was furious, so furious that it got frustrating when her gown got caught in her heels. 

“Where are you going?” Eros called after her, holding her purse. 

“Away from here!” Harper lifted her gown, took off her shoes and stormed out, making her way through the crowd. 

What stupid right does he have to talk to me anyhow? Me? Poor ideas? Who the fuck does he think he is? 

She kept on walking, her bare feet on the cold ground as she clutched her gown above her knees. Everything was annoying. The gown itched her skin, the sequin was too much and was tight. The shoes hurt her leg that she already had a bruise at the back of her feet. The pins in her hair was beginning to cause her headaches and worse of all, the night was cold. 

And as if the universe wanted to teach her a dirty lesson, she didn't even know where she was or where she was going. 

A black Rolls Royce Phantom drove slowly next to her as she walked. She know who it was - the obnoxious idiot. Harper didn't stop but continued to walk, this time increasing her pace. 

But there was how fast she could walk as her feet were beginning to get sore. 

“Get in the car Harper.” Eros said as he wind down. 

“No!” she replied, not stopping. 

“Don't be stupid. Get in the car now!” he ordered. 

“You can't order me around. No!” 

“God help me Harper, you're not going to like what will happen next.”

Harper didn't stop but instead continued walking. There was no way she was going to get into the car with him. And if the worst comes to worst, she'd call an Uber. 

Oh shit! 

She remembered that she threw her purse at him. 

The car stopped and Eros got down, walking after her. His strides were wide and in no time he was next to her. 

“Let's go home, Harper.” he said. She was getting on his nerves so much that he wanted to leave her and drive off. But he couldn't. Her stubbornness was amusing. 

“I am not going home with you. Never ever ev—”

Eros carried her on his shoulder before she could finish her sentence. “I don't know if you're stupid or just an idiot. It is fucking cold and you're walking barefooted.”

He walked back to the car with her over his shoulder. Harper struggled to get down, kicking her feet. She was inside down, on his shoulder. 

The distance to the ground was a lot, judging from her 5'4” height and the pace he walked was wide. His hands firmly pressed on her waist that she couldn't easily fall even if she wiggled. 

“I said put me down!” she struggled. “put me down now Eros!”

He pretended not to hear her and continued walking. Harper didn't stop trying to free herself, her hands pressed on his shoulder as she tried to get off. 

Unable to endure it anymore, Harper felt two smacks on her butt. 

Twice! And she stopped immediately, shock written all over her face. 

Eros didn't say a word and his firm hands moved from their waist and secured her thighs as her upper body draped on his back. Harper felt her butt sting so hard from the spank. 

He opened the door and carried her in, fastening the seat belt around her. 

There was silence. Harper watched him with hate as he turned to the driver's seat. Her butt still stinged painfully from the spank. 

He was crazy. 

The drive home was quiet. He stopped in front of her apartment and turned to face her. 

“You have till Saturday to give me a response. You might have to meet my parents so get ready.” 

Harper hissed and got of the car. He didn't even think of apologizing for what happened at the party. He didn't even talk about why he spanked her. 

She was going to tell him her mind - there's no way she can pretend to be his fake wife not to talk of living with him for a year. 

He was rude, self-obsessed and didn't even know how to talk or apologize 

She hadn't even gathered herself when he zoomed off. 

“Son of a bitch!”