Chapter Eight

"Before you say anything", Harry said.

"It's important I let you know what is at stake. If you decide to walk away from our little arrangement", Harry said.

Anastasia knew she had beaten much more than she could chew.

"After I tell you my family history you may understand my plight", Harry said before he started his story.

" My grandmother, Paris and Matthew's grandmother were best of friends. It's as though they were joined at the hip. So it came as a shock to Megan when Paris told her that she now had a boyfriend", Harry said. Anastasia listened intently as Harry kept narrating his family history, Anastasia was drawn into as she imagined everything Matthew said.

******

"I now have a boyfriend ", Paris had said to her friend with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"You're kidding right?", Megan asked and Paris shook her head, "It's Stephen Smith", Paris said.

"When did this happen ", Megan questioned her friend, completely baffled.

"We met during summer camp and I just accepted to be his girlfriend after the science fair ", Paris clarified.

Megan was confused, she and Paris were among the popular girls in school. Even though Stephen attended a different high school, Megan knew Stephen wasn't popular. Megan knew all the popular boys in Stephen's high school. Megan was surprised her friend had accepted Stephen even without telling her, they told each other everything.

The day Megan had met her friend's boyfriend, she understood why Paris had accepted him.

Paris was a sight for sore eyes, he was very handsome but he wasn't popular.

Stephen was cute and intelligent but Megan loved rolling with popular boys in school.

After high school, they both attended the same college and before long, Paris told Megan that she had eloped with Stephanie to Paris and had gotten married.

Megan had hoped her friend would later get over her infatuation and move on but Paris had done the direct opposite. At college, Paris had gotten into modelling and was doing well for herself.

Things took a different turn when Megan found out that a machine, Paris and Stephen had walked on together was making waves.

What Megan didn't know was that her friend had invested all her earnings from her modelling jobs in the business.

Paris' sacrifice paid off big time.

Huge companies were lining up to invest in the machine and Stephen's innovative ideas.

Before long Paris and Stephen were billionaires. It looked like an overnight success story but those close to them knew the years of trial and error that led to their breakthrough.

After the initial shock, Stephen and Paris' parents had gone through after they had shared the news of their secret wedding. Both families had made peace and came together to plan a wedding for Paris and Stephen. While Stephen stayed home, Paris went to her parents' house. Her mother and Stephen's mother were waiting for her so that they could continue with the wedding preparations.

She had developed a headache and had gone home early. She walked into the most shocking scene of her life. Her best friend Megan stark naked, in bed with Stephen. Paris had run out of screaming. She had quickly gone into denial. Paris' screams had woken Megan and Stephen up. Stephen was disoriented and confused, while Megan blamed Stephen.

"You seduced me", Megan had said repeatedly and Stephen had been tongue-tied.

Anastasia was so immersed in the story that the sound of Harry's phone ringing startled her back to reality.

"Excuse me", Harry said as he picked up the phone and answered the call.

Anastasia was completely mortified, she had lots of questions. Why did Stephen sleep with his wife's best friend?

Why did Megan agree to it?

Did Stephen really seduce her?

Anastasia" 's heart went out to Harry's mother, she couldn't imagine being betrayed by her best friend.

"I am sorry Ana but I have to be part of a conference call. My little story had made me lose track of time", Harry apologized.

"pls let's continue this discussion once I am done with the call", Harry pleaded and Anastasia accepted.

While Harry made his call, Anastasia went to her room and was surprised to see a message on her phone from her friend Britney.

The last time they had spoken was the morning of her wedding. Britney had tried talking to her that morning but all she had wanted to do was run. Throughout that year, Britney had tried to contact her. She had sent countless messages on social media but Anastasia had ignored all her messages. Now she was back in town she could no longer ignore Britney because she knew she could run into her.

Anastasia decided to call the line Britney used years ago and it rang. Anastasia had no idea if Britney was still using the line. On the first ring, a voice said "hello", Anastasia knew it was Britney.

"Britney it's Anastasia ", Anastasia had said and immediately tears came to her eyes. Walking away from her family and friends had been really hard and hearing her friend's voice suddenly made her emotional.

"Ana, was I such a bad friend that you would turn your back on me too", Britney said.

"I am so sorry. Let me explain to you in person ", Anastasia pleaded.

"Are you in town?", Britney asked.

"Yes I am", Anastasia replied.

After the call, Anastasia felt so much better. Britney had agreed to come over in a few days.

Anastasia's thoughts were interrupted by a light tap on her door. "Can I come in?", a voice she recognised to be Harry's said. "Come in", Anastasia responded.

He came in and sat on the vanity chair, after Harry apologized for the disruption he continued.

"My mother found herself in a serious dilemma. My father had never been unfaithful to her. She didn't know why it had to happen weeks before their wedding and with her best friend", Harry said.

Anastasia could understand Harry's mother's plight. She had run away without even giving Matthew a chance to explain.

"So what happened next?", Anastasia asked.

"After a lot of begging from my father and his family, my mother married my father. But that was not the worst part of it", Harry started.

" What was the worst part?", Anastasia asked.

"The worst part was when my parents discovered one week after their wedding, that Megan was expecting ", Harry said.

Anastasia shook her head. It really was a difficult time for Paris Smith, Harry's mother.

Harry related how his father had insisted Megan terminate the pregnancy but Megan had bluntly refused and had given birth to Herbert, Matthew's father.

Anastasia was horrified, Harry's mother had really gone through a lot.

"Megan made my mother's life a living hell and her son was even worse. He came over to my dad's for a holiday and not long after he got the maid pregnant. And that was how Matthew came into the picture", Harry disclosed.

Anastasia could sense that Harry's parents had a very difficult marriage because of Megan.

"Things got worse when Herbert clocked eighteen. Megan insisted Herbert be given his inheritance. And so my father shared all his assets and businesses with Herbert. I was born to hear that Megan and my half-brother squandered everything ", Harry explained.

Anastasia now understood Harry's mother's pain, Megan her friend was a gold digger. Paris was the reason Stephen was a millionaire while Megan and her son were gold diggers.

"Why my mom is very furious with me is because there's a clause in my father's company bylaws that stops me from taking over the company if I am not married", Harry said.

Anastasia now understood Harry's plight.

"So are you leaving me for my nephew?", Harry asked.

"Are you still in love with him?", Harry asked.