Chapter Three

Harper

She was here again, smiling and interacting with everyone like she belonged here all her life.

‘You brought me here to watch you and your mistress, again?’ I glanced angrily at Stan.

‘Amy is not a mistress,’ he replied in a cool voice. ‘She’s family now.’

I watched as he walked over to her and swooped her into a passionate kiss.

My chest ached. He never kissed me that way in public. I tried looking away but I couldn’t; almost like an invisible force kept me rooted at the spot.

‘Harper?’

I turned to see Stan’s father- Mr James Hart- behind me, tall and brooding with a presence that commanded respect.

‘Good evening sir,’ I lowered my head. In all my years of marriage, I could never hold his gaze for a minute long.

‘I had no idea Stan remarried…’ he gestured at Stan and Amy, holding each other affectionately.

I tried forcing the words out of my mouth. ‘So much has been going on…uhh…’

‘Harper…’ he pressed on.

‘Stan and I are divorced,’ I forced the words. ‘I had to divorce him. I couldn’t take it anymore.’

‘Take what anymore?’ He asked.

‘The entire-‘

‘Darling, what are you doing here?’ Stan’s mother- Claris- came, stopping whatever conversation we had going.

‘I was just saying hello to Harper,’ he replied her with a kiss on the cheek.

Claris glanced at me with the same hatred that had always been etched on her face for years. ‘Hello Harper.’

I gave her a strained smile while they left. His mother had never liked me, and after what had happened to our child, the hatred had grown worse.

‘Xavier just called. He’s out of Manhattan now, but will arrive soon. He’s probably going to be late,’ Claris said to James, stroking his hair with her bright red nails.

‘Hmm,’ James grunted then turned to me. ‘Have you ever been to Manhattan, Harper?’

‘No, sir,’ I shook my head.

‘Lovely weather, it is.’

‘Darling, the guests are waiting,’ Claris had to drag James away.

‘Wine, madam?’ A waiter presented a glass of wine to me.

I accepted and doused that in one gulp. Soon, I had taken more amount of wine that I needed, making my vision a bit dizzy.

Alone, with no one to talk to, I went on just observing everyone around. Soon, gasps of people filled the entire room, followed by happy squeals.

There, in the middle of everyone, was my husband on one knee, facing Amy.

‘Will you marry me and be the mother of my children?’

The whole place blacked out for me within seconds, and I didn’t notice when I fell to the ground.

By the time I opened my eyes, some guests were holding me; some sympathetic, some confused.

Claris looked like she could strangle me on the spot; James had no expression on his face.

And Stan and Amy looked judgemental as always.

‘Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, Harper?’ Claris asked in a disgusted tone, loud enough for everyone to hear.

‘What-‘

‘First you ruin my son’s life, and now after he finally had the balls to leave you, you draw unnecessary attention to yourself in the middle of his engagement?’

‘I left your son-‘

‘Oh shut up, Harper,’ Amy cut in. ‘We all know you’ve been begging my Stan to take you back ever since he divorced you.’

‘That’s not true,’ I glanced at Stan but he held an unreadable expression.

Stan’s father had a disappointed look on his face. ‘Harper, I think you should leave.’

I stood up slowly, feeling the embarrassment cloud me. Everyone began to disperse with mutters, leaving me, Stan and Amy.

‘Let’s go, baby,’ Amy tugged at Stan, with malicious glances at me.

‘You go on. I’ll catch up,’ Stan replied with his gaze fixed on me.

I didn’t say a word; didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to cry in front of him or anyone, but still the tears threatened to pour.

Stan fixed his cold gaze on me. ‘Happy now? You’ve gotten all the attention to yourself.’

I shook my head. ‘No, I didn’t want-‘

‘You never know what you want, Harper,’ he cut in. ‘You’re indecisive, plain and just not the kind of person…’

‘I’ve heard all that before, Stan. You never stop comparing me to that secretary of yours.’

‘Amy is what every billionaire would want as a wife. She’s beautiful, confident and outgoing. All the things you’re not.’

‘You shouldn’t have married me then!’ I sneered.

‘We both know the only reason I married you was because you were pregnant and I had no choice. I never loved you, Harper. Wasn’t it obvious?’

I stared coolly at him, the words cut into me like sharp wires. ‘Goodbye Stan.’

I picked up my purse and walked away; from the chaos, the embarrassment; I walked away from it all.

My vision was blurry and I felt tipsy as I walked out, that I stumbled when I bumped into a man.

As I fell, all the contents of my purse spilled out. I was in disarray and confused. I tried to stand up but I couldn’t.

The man I bumped into didn’t say a word, but I could see him from the corner of my eyes, helping me pick up my things.

‘How stupid and clumsy can you be?’ Stan was seething.

I tried standing up but I staggered, my legs felt too heavy to carry me.

‘Just look at how pathetic you are,’ Stan continued. ‘I can’t believe I spent three terrible years with you.’

‘Don’t you dare talk to her that way,’ A rough masculine voice made me jerk upright.

It was the man I had bumped into.

At that instant, I felt his strong hand lift me up and swooped me into his arms.

The kiss that happened next was unexpected. His mouth claimed mine fiercely, with his hands grasping my waist. Without thinking, I pulled him deeper and let his scent fill my nostrils.

It was over within a minute, with him pulling away slowly, leaving me trembling slightly. I was shocked but I tried to maintain composure.

He looked nothing like the other guests; from his shirt and pants that looked like old money, to his well structured face.

His perfect structures glowed underneath the lights, brighter than Venus.

When I turned back Stan was fuming outwardly.

‘And how the hell do you two know each other?’ Stan sneered at us.

‘Oh, you haven’t heard?’ The man asked, pulling me closer. ‘We’re engaged.’