ログインHarper's POV:The man I had spent six years mourning had just asked me to meet him, and I did not know whether I was about to find my dead father or walk into the trap of someone who knew exactly how to destroy me.Hardin's arms remained around my waist as he studied the paper in my hand, and his expression hardened when he read the date beneath the message."You are not going alone," he said, keeping his gaze on mine."I was asked to come alone," I replied, folding the paper against my palm.His jaw tightened as he stepped away from me. "That does not mean you have to listen.""It does when I want answers."Hardin looked toward Hailey, then Roman, before returning his attention to me. "You think I am going to let you walk into a meeting with someone who stole that card from your bedroom?""I think you are forgetting that this is my father we are talking about," I said, holding his gaze. "If he is alive, I need to hear from him myself.""You do not know that he is alive.""I know his
Harper's POV:My father's handwriting was on the envelope in my bedroom, which was impossible because I had watched him die six years ago and spent every year since believing he was dead.I could barely breathe as my fingers tightened around the paper because the letters were too familiar to mistake for anyone else's."That's my father," I said quietly, keeping my eyes on the handwriting.Hardin moved closer, his attention fixed on my face rather than the envelope. "Harper, are you sure?""I know his handwriting," I replied, tracing one of the letters with my eyes. "I grew up seeing it on bills, notes, grocery lists, everything, so I would recognize it anywhere."Hailey stepped forward and held out her hand. "Do not open it yet."I turned toward her sharply. "Why?""Because whoever left this wanted you to find it," she said, glancing toward the bedroom door. "We already know someone got inside this house, stole the card, and knew exactly where you kept it, so this could be another tra
Harper's POV:"Hardin, what card is he talking about?" I asked, staring into his face because the fear in his eyes was the one thing I could not explain.He did not answer immediately, and that silence made my stomach twist harder than the accusation on the screen ever had."The black card," he finally said, lowering his voice as his fingers tightened around my wrist. "The one you took from Daniel Reeves."My mouth went dry because I had spent six years trying not to think about that card, and now a stranger had called me to tell me it should have been destroyed."How the hell does he know about it?" I asked, pulling my wrist free as I looked between Hardin, Hailey, and Roman. "Nobody was supposed to know I still had it."Hailey's expression sharpened as she stepped closer. "You still have it?"I nodded slowly, and the movement felt heavier than it should have."Where?""In my bedroom."Hardin's eyes immediately moved toward the hallway."No," I said, catching his arm before he could m
Harper's POV:The headline was bad, but the photograph beneath it was worse because it showed a version of me that did not exist. Someone had taken pieces of my life, twisted them into something ugly, and handed the world a reason to hate me. The worst part was the final line beneath my name because it contained a detail that should have belonged only to me.I stared at Hardin's phone, my fingers tightening around it as the words blurred in front of my eyes. "Man snatcher?" I finally asked, my voice shaking with disbelief as I looked up at him. "Who the hell did I supposedly snatch?"Hardin reached for the phone, but I pulled it closer to my chest while my eyes moved down the article. "Connor Blake's former wife has allegedly been involved with multiple powerful men while secretly moving illegal money through her fashion company," I read aloud, my stomach twisting as the words became more disgusting. "They actually wrote this about me?""They wrote lies about you," Hardin said, steppi
Harper's POV:"So what's the update?" I said to Hailey the moment Hardin dropped me in the living room. He had carried me all the way from the garden, placing kisses from my lips to my neck. I wanted Hailey and Roman out of my house at that point, but I know they were here for me. Well, Roman more for his friend."Okay, your court case is in two days, Harper. I've been trying to speak to the judge to push it back, but he wouldn't budge. And to cap it all, he isn't agreeing to severance of charges.""What's that? Please talk in a language I understand, Hailey." I don't understand a jack of what she just said."Okay, I'm trying to make your charges separate so you don't have to be charged together with Jessica. Her lawyer can fuck up your case, you know?""Oh, fuck! That bitch. I'm sure that's what she wanted all along. But I trust you, Hailey." I said. I didn't know I could say that though. Trust Hailey? I do though. Fuck, my mind is even contradicting itself."Don't worry, Harper, but
Harper's POV:Hardin drifted off to sleep before me. I wished this moment could last forever. Just me lying on his chest while he's off in his dreamland."Hmmmph..." He was murmuring something in his sleep. I tried placing my ear close to his mouth, but I couldn't make out his words."I'm...I'm — I'm sorry... Harper." I finally made sense of what he was saying.Fuck. My heart twisted at that. Here he was apologizing even in his sleep.I wished it were that easy. I know I love him, but a part of me still wants to make sense of it all. Am I sure I'm still not just a tool to him? A tool to get back at my fucking ex-husband? That thought keeps nagging at me.He loves you. A voice spoke into my head as if responding to the question sitting in my heart."Fuck, I know." I didn't realize I'd said that out loud. Hardin shifted in his sleep. I quickly snapped my eyes shut and pretended I was asleep too. I didn't want him worried that I wasn't sleeping...I didn't even know when I finally drifted
Harper's POV:His hand was on mine before I could process what was happening, pulling me away from Connor and Jenny and all those cameras pointed at us like we were some kind of show they paid to watch."Your property?" Connor's voice came from somewhere behind us but Hardin didn't stop moving, his
Hardin’s POV:"Let me out!"Her voice almost made me laugh... the feisty part of her was still there, just more intense now than it used to be.The memory jumped at me without permission... the last time we'd been together like this, the last day I'd had her at my side.I'd locked her in my car tha
Hardin’s POV:I had prepared for her.Booked a private dinner just for the two of us because I'd noticed she didn't really enjoy her meal at the cafeteria earlier... not with Hailey sitting there staring daggers across the table.I could see it in the way Harper had pushed her food around on her pl
Harper's POV:Something warm pressed against my side and my eyes cracked open slow.Hardin.He was still here... still asleep next to me with his arm thrown across my waist like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.My chest did this stupid flutter thing and I hated it... hated that just lookin







