جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

HARPER: “Mummy?” I looked up from my suitcase. Ethan sat cross legged on the hotel bed, hugging his dinosaur plushie against his chest. His fever had finally gone down during the night, thank God, but his curls still stuck messily across his forehead. He looked too much like Alexander this morning. My chest tightened. “Yes?” I asked. He hesitated… then his tiny face scrunched up seriously. “If Daddy is mean to you, I don’t want him anymore.” My hands paused midair as I was about to put one of his toys into the suitcase. My heart broke into pieces hearing that. I moved toward him and grabbed his face into my hands. “Baby…” “No.” He shook his head. “Daddy must love you.” I swallowed hard because how exactly was I supposed to explain this situation to a four year old. Oh, yes, sweetheart, your father cheated on me repeatedly with his ex-girlfriend, emotionally destroyed me, accidentally helped me discover a possible baby theft conspiracy and now might be raising

HARPER: “What are you going to do now?” Ross asked. I looked down at Ethan who had somehow managed to make himself comfortable in under thirty minutes. “I don’t know yet,” I admitted. The truth made my heart feel heavy. I hated not having a plan. For four years, my entire life had been built on plans. Wake up. Work. Take care of Ethan. Build my business. Keep my head down. Stay invisible. Don’t let Alexander Banks find me. Simple but, now the universe had apparently decided I hadn’t suffered enough and dropped me straight back into the mess I spent years escaping. Ross leaned back against the couch, studying me carefully over the rim of her mug. “Where are you planning to stay?” I sighed. She was right. I hadn’t thought about that yet. God. I hated needing help. Depending on people. The old Harper used to depend on everyone. Alexander. His money. His house. His attention. And look where that got her. “I’m still looking for a place,” I admitted. “I just need a li

HARPER: Why was it so hard to choose a dress? I groaned. I picked a brown pencil skirt and a white T-shirt in my wardrobe. I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. After changing my outfit eight times, I finally settled on the one that looked perfect. Simple. My heart was racing so bad. I needed this job. I looked up toward Ethan who was eating cereal. “Hey,” I said, and Ethan raised his head up. “I’ll be leaving now. Be a good boy okay?” “Can I come with you?” I ruffled his hair. No way. “Umm… another time. Okay?” He pouted his lips. Stubborn boy. I inhaled deeply. It would be hard maintaining the job, that is if I would be able to get it, and taking care of Ethan… and maybe if Ross wasn’t traveling I wouldn’t be so bothered. I shook my head. One thing at a time. First, I need to get this job. Then I could think about what comes after. I stepped into the living room where Ross was engrossed in fixing the curtains. Her eyes caught mine and she smiled. “Are y

HARPER: Hospitals and I had a complicated relationship. The smell alone was enough to make my stomach twist. I stood outside Elias’s hospital room, my hands clenched so tightly that my nails bit into my palms. This was my fault. I should have known that there was a reason Elias hadn't wanted to eat the cookies. Ethan was also allergic to milk. My chest tightened. “He’s going to be okay,” James said, but I wasn’t so sure if he was trying to reassure himself or me. I laughed once, broken. “You don’t know that.” James rubbed the back of his neck. No. He didn’t. Neither did I. Every ticking second dragged across my nerves. I kept seeing Elias’s face. The way his skin had gone pale. The way his breathing had changed. The way his little body had sagged in my arms. God. I squeezed my eyes shut. Please be okay. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. Marcus straightened. I turned. I already knew who it was before I looked. Alexander. My stomach dropp

HARPER: “Put this on,” the head maid commanded, shoving a folded uniform into my arms. A gray dress with a white apron. Not exactly the glamorous undercover mission I had imagined. Then again, I was here to steal back my child, not walk a runway. “Welcome to the Banks household,” I muttered under my breath. The head maid narrowed her eyes at me “What was that?” “Nothing,” I said quickly. She eyed me and kept walking. How many hours have I been here and I already had someone mad at me? “Follow me,” she ordered, already striding down the hallway without waiting to see if I obeyed. I hurried after her. The mansion looked different and yet exactly the same. The head maid stopped in front of a door. “This is your room,” she said, pushing it open. “Change into your uniform and come back out.” A smile curved up my lips. This place had once been my sanctuary. It hadn’t been a room. It was a library. The place where I’d hidden whenever my marriage became too difficult.