Annoyance

She dropped her phone beside her, lost in thoughts.

The lady wouldn’t just wake up and decide to apologize for body shaming her, there was more to it.

She picked up her phone and tried to message the lady but she found out that the account had been deactivated immediately.

“Strange.” She mumbled.

As she scrolled through, most of the news were talking about the lady that apologized to her.

The comments under the posts were saying the lady did well by apologizing and it made her wondering. Weren’t most of the comments also body shaming her yesterday?

She suddenly thought about her dad and her lips curled into a smile.

“He couldn’t stand his daughter getting body shamed, despite pretending he doesn’t care about me anymore.” She giggled.

She typed a thank you, letting him know she was grateful for what he did by making the girl do an apology video and she sent the message to him but he didn’t reply.

She went to freshen up and changed her clothes, waiting for Harry’s return.

After about an hour later, she heard a knock on her door and she rushed to the door expectantly, thinking it was Harry, but to her disappointment it was the lady from earlier.

“What do you want?” She was frustrated.

“Mr Harry is back. He wants you to meet him in his study room.”

She sighed in relief. “Let’s go.”

When they got to the study’s room door, the lady excused herself, leaving only Zara there.

She was about to knock on the door when it opened automatically.

She walked in, observing every little details of the study room.

The room had a big white bookshelf which had books arranged neatly on it, and sofas to sit.

Harry was seated comfortably on one of the sofas, holding a cup of coffee while reading through the papers on his other hand.

He didn’t spare her a stare, despite knowing she just walked in.

“Your meeting didn’t last long.” She spoke first, breaking the silence.

He finally looked up. “No, it was just a quick meeting with the shareholders. By the way, the papers are ready.” He passed the papers to her and she took it, reading through it while still standing.

She nodded in satisfaction after going through the details of the first paper. “Good.”

When she read the second paper, she let out a scoff. “There’s no way you’re getting full rights to my properties.”

“It is included there in the contract because I want to be able to watch all your moves. I do not want you secretly meeting a lawyer and planning to get half of my properties after divorce. I honestly do not trust you.” Harry explained.

She chuckled dryly, keeping the papers on the table. “Why would I want half of your properties? You do know who my father is and the things I’ll get after he accepts me back as his daughter…”

“I don’t care.” He cuts her off. “Are you in or out?”

Taking a deep breath, she muttered, “Like I have a choice.”

She took the papers from the table and collected the pen Harry offered.

While signing, she noticed he had already signed his part.

“Here it is.” She handed him the papers when she was done.

Harry dropped the cup of coffee on the table before collecting the papers from her. He went through it, making sure her signature was on all the necessary part.

After confirming, he stood up. “Fix a date for the wedding, and also a date to meet your parents.”

“How about we meet my parents today and hold the wedding next week?” She didn’t want to waste any time.

She was desperate to have her rights back and return to her old life.

Harry didn’t immediately reply. His gaze moved around her body, from her head to her toes, as if accessing her.

She moved uncomfortably, not understanding the reason for his keen stare.

“What?” She had to ask.

“Don’t you think it would be demeaning for my bride to look like this?” He scoffed. “Even for a fake wedding, I can’t get married to you in this form.”

His words sliced through her heart like a blade but she didn’t show how hurt she was. Instead, she flashed him a smile. “And do you think I’ll think about getting married to someone like you if not because of my current situation?”

His brows creased into a frown, causing his forehead to form wrinkles. “I’m not in a mood to banter with you. I just lost a huge deal.” That being said, he walked out of the study room with the papers.

As soon as he left, the tears she had been trying to conceal finally fell from her eyes.

“Look at yourself. If you were to be a guy, would someone like this entice you? Would you get the urge to have sex with someone like you?”

“Don’t you think it would be demeaning for my bride to look like this?”

Those words by Felix and Harry hurt her to the core. They needed to understand that she was only human and she had no control over her body, but instead they were body shaming her, making her confidence to crumble.

She received a notification on her phone and it was a message from Harry.

She clicked on the message and it reads;

‘A gym instructor from Spain with 10 years experience

A gym instructor from Italy with 12 years experience

Those are the two world best gym instructors, do your research and pick the one of your choice.’

Her tears stopped flowing immediately. “Where does he want me to get money from? Is he trying to ridicule me again?”

She stormed out of the room, searching for him.

“Where’s Harry?” She stopped by to ask the unfamiliar guy dressed in suit she came across.

“On his way out, ma. He…”

Without waiting for the guy to finish talking, she walked away in a rush, hoping to meet up with him before he leaves.

When she got outside, she found him just about entering the already opened limo.

“Harry!” She called loudly.

He stopped and turned to her direction with his brows raised.

She hastened her steps and within the blink of an eye, she was standing next to him.

“Those are professionals and I won’t be able to afford them.” She went straight to the point.

Harry eyes dimmed in disappointment. “You walked all the way here to say that? Why didn’t you text me?”

“I didn’t think of that.” She muttered.

“Zara, you and I both know you still won’t be able to afford the least gym instructor. So why do you think you are the one paying?”

She bit her lower lip in embarrassment.

There was a time she could get whatever she wanted, but now she was being broke shamed.

“Where are you going to?” She changed the subject to divert her shame.

“Work.”

“Can you please give me a lift?”

“You can use any of the other cars.” He entered the limo and slammed the door.

She scoffed. “Son of a bitch! Couldn’t even ask where I’m going to.”

She watched as the car drove out. It had tinted glass and one wouldn’t know it was Harry that was in it? And she guessed that was the reason he didn’t go out with bodyguards, just the driver.

As soon as the car drove out of the compound, she was approached by a man dressed in black suit.

“Where’s your destination, ma’am?” He asked calmly.

“Wellington’s head quarter” She replied.

Wellington, her surname was a brand, her father owned numerous products and companies under the name, but the head quarter was the biggest in California and it was where one could easily find her father by this time of the day.

“Would you like to pick a car of your choice or any one is okay by you?”

Her eyes moved to the garage and there was no bad car there. All the cars there were luxurious and expensive.

“Any.”

Thirty minutes later, she was in a Bentley heading to her father’s company.

Her phone suddenly rang and she shrugged when she saw it was Harry calling.

She answered the call and placed the phone on loud speaker.

“Is there any special reason you are visiting your father’s company?” His voice was heard, and from his tone he seemed annoyed.

She stared at the driver who didn’t look back. “Asshole.” She knew he must had texted Harry about it.

“Going to tell him about the wedding so he can start considering accepting me.” She replied, staring at her unpolished nails.

“And you think he’s going to believe? For fuck’s sake this is so quick. Aren’t you smart?”

A deep frown appeared on her face immediately. She removed the phone from speaker and placed it on her ear. “I don’t have time.”

“If you’re going to keep making stupid decisions then maybe you should count me out.”

She let out a scoff. “Fine! But why on earth are you so pissed off?”

Silence. He didn’t reply.

“Surely this isn’t just about me going to my dad’s company…”

“It’s about you not thinking before making a decision. Head back home.”

“You don’t expect me to just sit at home and do anything. I didn’t return to California for that.”

“Go back home, Zara.” His tone was firm and authoritative.

“Wait now you’re ordering me around?” She scoffed.

“Miss Kimberly Reynold is here, sir.” She heard a voice say in the background.

“Let her in.” She heard Harry’s reply.

“We will talk when I get home.” This was directed to her.

“Wait, why…”

He hung up.

She gritted her teeth in frustration. “Why on earth is Kimberly at his company?” Her fists clenched tightly as she pictured the smiling face of the twenty five years old girl.

She had no history with Kim, they were just two girls being compared by online viewers.

Before she got married to Felix, she had a social media page with lots of followers and she normally posts vlogs about how she spent her day and the new designers she bought.

She was always compared to Kim, they were doing same thing online and she hated that Kim made a post after her marriage with Felix.

“There are standard to this things. Won’t see me settle for less.” Kim had used the caption on a post, indirectly shading Zara.

It had been two years but she still had it in mind.

“So should I take a U-turn home?” The driver asked to be sure. He was able to listen to part of the conversation.

“No.” Her reply was curt.

“Mr Harry asked me not to take you to your dad’s company.” The driver said, stealing glances at her from the front mirror.

“We aren’t going there anymore.”

“Then home is the next destination.”

“No!” She snapped. “Take me to Harry’s company, I need to teach that bitch a lesson.”