Harper’s POV“What are you freaking out about?” Marco turned around, clearly annoyed.“I said stop the car, I need to go back and find him.”Without realizing it, tears were streaming down my face. My cheeks ached from crying.Marco’s expression darkened. We stayed like that for a while, locked in silence. Finally, he cursed under his breath and ordered the driver to stop.The door swung open, and he yanked me out of the car. “Look around, it’s the middle of the night. Do you think I brought a whole team to pick you up for fun? Can you stop being so damn stubborn?”It hit me then that it was late at night. Joseph had probably sent Marco to take me away because he didn’t want to face me. That’s what Joseph meant when he talked about the future. He chose to run instead of talking things through.I swallowed back more tears as my chest tightened. I didn’t want to believe it. Just this morning, everything seemed perfect. Joseph promised we’d be together forever. How could he change his mi
Harper's POVJasmine hugged me tightly, her voice soft and comforting. “Hey, it’s okay, stop crying.”Her warm embrace, with that faint, familiar scent, only made me feel more overwhelmed. I couldn’t hold back the flood of emotions any longer. No one truly knew how much I’d been holding in, how long I’d kept these feelings bottled up.It felt like the entire world was real, but I was the only one living in some strange, fake version of it. My memories, my past, everything I thought I had was suddenly called into question, like it had all been wiped away in a second.“I want you to come back to the U.S. with me,” I blurted out, regretting it immediately. I knew Jasmine couldn’t just up and leave for America. It was a selfish, impulsive request.“Never mind. I’m going to start sending out résumés. See if I can find a job.” I grabbed my laptop and started scrolling through listings.Jasmine looked at me in surprise. “You don’t want your parents to help? I mean, your dad has enough connec
Marco's POV"Why are you back?" My father greeted me with a smile, but I could tell Harper’s mother didn’t care much for me. The moment she saw me, she turned and left."She’s just worried about Harper. Don’t take it personally," my father said, patting me on the shoulder.I pulled my gaze back and replied, "It’s fine. I made mistakes too. But I came to ask you about the business deal with Mexico."My father put down his cup, looking at me sharply. "What’s the issue? Is the deal falling apart?"“No, it’s not that. But I want to know—why did you give such an important deal to Elena?”My father coughed a bit before turning to retrieve a file from his drawer. "You think it's something dramatic, like her being my illegitimate daughter?"He chuckled dryly and handed me the file. "She’s the child of an old friend. She’s got her own revenge to seek, and all I could do was equip her with the skills. The rest is up to her."“Is her enemy connected to this deal?”Even without an answer, I knew
Harper's POVThe boy standing in front of me was much taller than me, his presence filled with teenage energy. It was obvious what he was thinking, but I saw no need to call him out on it."Nice to meet you. I’m a friend of your sister's, just staying here for a while."I didn’t mention my purpose for being here. They’d figure it out soon enough. His friends, also teenagers, looked like they hadn’t eaten either. I politely declined Megan’s mother’s offer for more food, remembering my reason for coming here. I was determined to do whatever I could to help these kids have enough to eat.Marco’s POV"Are you really okay with leaving Mexico deal to Elena?" The man organizing my files on the plane asked me.I flipped through the folder. My father had shielded Elena from a lot, and I never imagined her background could be this complex. She was a mix of Russian and Mexican, though her Russian father’s genes clearly dominated her appearance.Few people knew the brutal truth about her father's
Harper's POV“How old are you?” I asked gently.“Seventeen,” she replied. Her baby-fat cheeks made her seem even younger, despite the heavy makeup she was wearing.I reached out and lightly pinched her cheek. “Don’t worry, your mom won’t find out.”“Then why are you giving us money?” Her wide eyes were full of suspicion, mixed with fear.“I want to help people around here, but I can’t help everyone. I want more people to see what life is really like here. By sharing your stories, maybe others will come forward to help too.”She didn’t fully understand, but the older woman in the group clearly did.“I’ll agree to talk, but you better make sure no one can identify us. No names, no pictures, nothing,” she warned.“Of course.”I booked a hotel room nearby, making sure it was clean and decent. When we checked in, the receptionist gave us a sleazy look. I pulled out my black card and slapped it on the counter. “Charge it.”His attitude shifted as soon as he saw the card. “Your room is on th
Harper's POV"Hi, sweetie, happy new semester," I said, smiling at my reflection in the mirror.I tied my soft, golden-brown hair into a high ponytail and wore a lemon-yellow knit sweater over a white shirt, paired with a white skirt. This outfit wasn't exactly glamorous, but it made me look youthful and cute—perfect for spring. Luckily, I had taken the time yesterday to iron my clothes; otherwise, I'd definitely be rushing around in a panic right now.Oh, it’s already 8:45. I need to leave for school soon. Matthew has a game today, and as his girlfriend, there's no way I’m missing it!Grabbing my backpack and swiping a bit of lip gloss on my lips as I ran downstairs, I nearly tripped over myself on the way. These complicated stairs!"Sweetie, have breakfast—""No time, Mom! I’m in a rush!"With time running out, I couldn't sit down for breakfast with my family. Oh, I'm so excited about the new semester. I didn’t fall asleep until late last night, and my alarm had to go off four or fi
Third Person POV"Sir, the reserved seats are ready for you today. When will you and your guests be arriving?"In the VIP corridor of the stadium, several uniformed staff members stood with serious expressions as a middle-aged man in a suit made a phone call. During the conversation, he unconsciously bent his back even lower.He didn’t even get to finish his sentence before the call was cut off. Yet, he didn’t show any sign of frustration; he simply stood in place, waiting."Manager, are we really going to keep waiting for this guest?""Of course! Be cautious," the middle-aged man, addressed as the manager, whispered back, scolding the staff member while carefully scanning the surroundings."This guest is a very important person. I’m not even sure if he’s here for the game, but all of you better be on your best behavior. Do not do anything that might displease him."The tense atmosphere was nearly suffocating as the sounds of the game announcer filled the stadium, making the man grow
Harper’s POVI had such a great time with my friends. Amid everyone's teasing, Matthew took out the gift he’d prepared. Besides the championship ring already on my finger, he had carved my birthstone into a rose and made it into a necklace.I can’t even describe how moved I was when I saw the gift. My father left me when I was young, and my mother had to work just to make ends meet. We never really had time to celebrate birthdays properly. When we were at our poorest, we couldn’t even afford a cake. I never thought I’d ever receive a real birthday present.My grandmother once said that my mother was a beautiful young woman, but fate hadn’t been kind to her. She endured a lot, so I could never blame her. She gave me life and raised me.I don’t know the full love story between my mother and my stepfather, but I imagine it was something sweet. No matter what kind of person my stepfather is or what kind of past he has, I’m thankful. He took away the hardship from my mom’s life.I never da