Hardin awoke, disoriented and groggy, he attempted to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his chest, and stomach forcing him back down onto the uncomfortable bed.As his eyes adjusted to the surroundings, he realized he was in a hospital room and noticed a familiar face sitting in a chair beside his bed, her head lay peacefully beside his leg and she was asleep.He stretched his hand placing it on her head, caressing it softly his lips curled into a smile. "Hmm," June breathed out slowly as she opened her eyes to stare at him. Conrad tried to get the bullet out but he was unable to stop the bleeding and they rushed him to the hospital immediately."How are you feeling?" June said softly, her voice soothing like a gentle breeze. "You're in the hospital, but you're going to be okay."Hardin's heart raced as he tried to piece together the fragments of his memory. The last thing he remembered was a gunshot ringing out in the darkness. Panic set in, and he stammered, "Could I make a call
Part two title: Forbidden Desire. Blurb: In a surprising twist, Hardin discovers that his half-brother is none other than June's ex-boyfriend, Conrad. Their fates collide when Conrad expresses a strong desire to win June back and worse make her his wife. Hardin, unwilling to let her slip away, sets for a heated battle of emotions, love, and lust as the two brothers battle for June's affection, with their love and loyalty hanging in the balance.* * *"Let go of me," June yelled as Conrad dragged her to the park about to put her into his car, she continued to struggle with him. How could he do this? What was wrong with him?Conrad barely stared at her as he opened the door of the back seat and placed her in closing it, he circled the car and got in next to her as he tapped the driver to drive off. "What do you plan to do with him? You can't just force me to come with you," June yelled at him angrily, she placed her hand on the handle of the door trying to open it but she knew deep d
Octavia and Keir walked into the hospital room, they stared at June and they could see it in her eyes that she bore no recognition of them, Octavia rushed to her side hugging her. She hoped it was a prank, like the one Keir had pulled on her but she knew it wasn't, she busted out in tears as she held on to June but her tears only irritated June. "What is going on? Who are you?" June said in a low voice trying to make sense of why this woman was holding her so tight and crying. "It's me Octavia, your best friend," Octavia said letting go of June as she placed her hand on her chest. "Don't you recognize me? I am your best friend, Octavia," she said in between sobs but June just stared at her blankly."You are my best friend?" June questioned raising her brow, her eyes darted from Octavia to Keir. "And this is Keir, my husband," Octavia said rushing to Keir's side and pulling him closer. The doctor stepped into the room, he walked up to June, "Mrs we are just going to do an assessme
Hardin woke up to his head banging, he knew he was in Keir's house when he had sat up and scanned the room but he couldn't remember how he got there, he was about to call out to Keir when a maid walked in to check on him. He instructed the maid immediately to go and get Keir, "I thought you did be up by noon," Keir said finally stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. "We need to find June, that bastard Conrad has -""Relax," Keir said noticing Hardin wanted to get out of the bed. "We found her.""Really?" Hardin raised his brow."She is fine and right here in the mansion," Keir added. "You are serious, and Conrad?" Hardin asked still in doubt about what Keir had just said."What I am about to say might sound unbelievable but it is the current situation right now, you have been out for two days," Keir began. "In those two days, June had an accident and lost her memory, I brought her here to stay until we can figure all this out.""W-What?" Hardin's jaw dropped. "W-Wh
"What the hell do you want?" Emma asked angrily, she was about to step into her car when two men grabbed her into their van. She kept trying to reason with them since she thought they kidnapped her but no matter how much she offered they didn't respond."You want Hardin and I want the company and June," Conrad went straight to the point. "I have an offer for you that will make this possible.""What are you talking about? Who are you? How do you know Hardin?" Emma asked. Yes, she wanted Hardin but she didn't know who this man was and why he would just make her such an offer. Was this some kind of trick? She looked around and behind her to see if there were any familiar faces or hidden cameras."Long story short, I am Hardin's stepbrother," Conrad briefly explained the situation."Hardin has a brother?""Step," Conrad corrected."This must be a joke, step or not, Hardin doesn't have a brother, if he did he would have told me," Emma shook her head not believing Conrad. "This isn't a jo
"Hardin! Hardin!!" Emma called out following him and Keir out of the office. "Please can we talk?" she pleaded with him holding his hand and trying to stop him from leaving. "What do you want gold digger?" Hardin asked turning around to face her as Keir continued to head to their car."Gold digger?" Emma raised her brows surprised that Hardin would use such words to address her. "Isn't that what you are? Clearly, I didn't work out for you and now you think Conrad would.""You have got this all wrong, yes we didn't work out but Conrad kidnapped me. I didn't even know you were-""Don't give me that bullshit," Hardin shunned her. "He kidnapped you and then forced you to attend this meeting?" "It's a long story but you should keep June safe, he has plans to-""June will be safe, you should worry about yourself than poking your nose into other people's business," Hardin interrupted her, he glared at her for a moment before leaving her standing there dumbfounded. "Hardin!" she called ou
June contemplated Hardin's conditions for a moment, after a brief pause, she nodded in agreement."Alright, I'll accept your conditions," June said.Hardin's eyes softened as he squeezed her shoulder gently. "I'll go and arrange everything for you, you can pack whatever you need," he placed his hand on her cheek, it was the first time he saw her smile since the accident and he hoped he could continue to make her smile like this. He brought his hand down and left the room to inform Octavia and Keir, when he got to the living room he found them talking on the sofa and he was sure they were talking about June. "Has she decided to eat?" Octavia asked raising her head to meet his eyes. "We will be going to stay in her house, I think it's better that way," Hardin announced."We?" Octavia questioned."I told her we could go to her place if she allows me to stay with her, with a maid and bodyguard.""and she agreed?" Octavia asked not believing it. June looked hellbent on wanting to be alo
June felt her heart leap out of her chest at Hardin's words, her lips parted as she tried to say something but there was nothing coming to her head. That kiss had done something to her and she knew deep down Hardin could see it in her eyes.They both remained still staring deep into their eyes but that brief moment of blissful oblivion was shattered when the maid unexpectedly entered the room.Startled by what was going on, she quickly averted her eyes and mumbled an apology, "I'm sorry for interrupting. I didn't know you had company, Sir." Her face turned crimson as she hastily headed back inside. Hardin and June exchanged a sheepish glance before breaking into a light chuckle. "It's quite alright, Maria" Hardin reassured the flustered maid stopping her on her track as she turned around bowing her head to them. "June, this is Maria, your new housekeeper."Maria nodded, still blushing, and extended a polite greeting, "Nice to meet you, Ma'am. If you need anything, don't hesitate to
- MONTHS PASSED - - HARDIN’S MANSION - “Where are you going to?” Hardin asked, reaching out to June on the bed as he embraced her tightly from behind, planting a kiss on her ear. “Octavia is going to kill us if we don’t attend her baby shower,” June muttered. “Why does her baby shower have to be today?” Hardin groaned. After Conrad was arrested, they spent months going to the station, talking to the police, and going to the court to provide evidence and act as witnesses to make sure Conrad got locked up for good. Finally, the judge ruled in their favor and Octavia decided to put her baby shower on the one day that they needed to rest. Why? “We are not spending the whole day in her house remember,” June smiled, understanding Hardin’s frustration and his desire to spend the whole day with just her. She turned around and placed her hand on his cheeks. “We could leave early.” “Early? Once I see Keir I don’t think early is going to come to mind, those two are still in their honeym
“What are you talking about?” Hardin asked."I need to show you something," June said, grabbing Hardin's laptop from the dining table and bringing it to the living room. She inserted a flash drive into the laptop and placed it on the table. Hardin sat down next to her, already repeating what she had said again in his head, ‘I have been faking it’. His eyes widened slowly as it dawned on him what June meant, but she showed him the video already playing, interrupting his thoughts. - VIDEO RECORDING -Emma places her phone on the top shelf. She goes back and looks around to check if the camera is showing. She rushes back to sit on the office chair in the library. Soon Conrad steps in, discussing something over the phone. His eyes flare up at the sight of Emma sitting in his seat in his library. “What the hell do you think you are doing sitting in my seat?” Conrad asked, disconnecting the call and placing his phone back into his pocket. “I thought it best to come and play with my hus
An hour later, Conrad arrived at Hardin’s house, and Hardin felt anxious when he opened the door and caught sight of him.He glanced at June and noticed how she was nervous to see Conrad. He wondered what she was up to. “I’m glad to see you, June,” Conrad whispered. He walked over to June, about to give her a hug, as Hardin stopped him by raising his hand to his chest and shoving him off. “Don’t touch her,” Hardin warned. This meeting was already taking a lot from him to endure. If he touched her, he wouldn’t hesitate to take him out.“We should all sit down and talk,” June asked, like she wasn’t aware of the tension between the two men.Hardin and Conrad stare at each other for a moment, both trying to contain the resentment they held towards each other for June’s sake. They finally sit on the couch and June sits next to Conrad instead of Hardin. Her action doesn’t go unnoticed by Hardin, who eyes flare up, but he allows it. “This should be a private conversation. He shouldn’t be
Hardin was furious and bewildered by June’s desire to meet Conrad. He understood that she had lost her memory and couldn’t remember Conrad, but wasn't that enough reason for her not to want to see him?He ran his fingers through his hair as he got to his feet, pacing around, trying to process her request. “June, I don’t think this is a good idea. Look, you don’t know the kind of person Conrad is. I mean, he is not the person you think he is.” Hardin voiced out, hoping June would back down.“Allow me to see him, Hardin.” She said, with a straight face.Hardin sighed heavily. This was the last thing he wanted. “Why can’t you listen to me, June? I just told you he is not the person you think he is, and he doesn’t love you. "He's nothing but a liar," Hardin muttered through clenched teeth.“Why do you think so, Hardin? Just allow me to meet him. You don’t have to be so stiff about it.” “Stiff?”“I want to meet with him. I don't remember anything. You make it sound like I do and I am int
Hardin held June in his arms for almost five minutes until he realized she had fallen asleep and stopped crying.He lovingly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as he kissed her forehead. "I promise to protect you from any harm," he whispered, carrying her in his arms.He got up on his feet and laid her gently on the bed, covering her with the duvet. He smiled at her. She looked so beautiful when she was asleep. He could watch her this way without being tired.His mind finally drifted to that call Maria had placed. Something must have caused June to act like this. A frown suddenly fell on his face at the thought of Maria probably doing something to trigger her. Seething with anger, he stormed into the living room, “Maria! Maria!!” He called out to her as she rushed from the kitchen into the living room, bowing her head down. “Maria, what did you do to her? I specifically instructed you not to stress her out,” Hardin bellowed, his voice filled with frustration.Maria, her eyes dow
June stumbled back, her head pounding with confusion. She couldn’t remember who this man was, and it left her feeling disoriented. “Who are you?” she asked, her voice trembling.Conrad looked hurt by her question. He took a deep breath and said, “June, it’s me, Conrad.”“Conrad?” June muttered. In the hospital, she remembered uttering that name, but couldn't piece it together. “I- I am sorry, but Conrad, from where? I don’t know you.”“You do. We’ve been dating for over a year now. How can you not remember me?” Conrad lied.“What?” June questioned. That couldn’t be possible. Hardin was her boyfriend. His mother was here just now to confirm that they were indeed dating, and she wasn’t pleased about it."I was in a car accident, which is why I couldn't reach out to you earlier," Conrad explained, stepping towards her, but June stepped back.“Please Sir, leave,” Maria finally spoke up, seeing the distraught look on her madam’s face.“Who are you?” Conrad asked, but Maria didn’t reply to
"Mrs Scott?" June said. Hardin had mentioned his mother but he barely said much about her, he told her he would explain better today but now here she was. How did she know Hardin was here?"Where is my son? I want to see him," Mrs Scott asked looking behind June to see if Hardin was there."I told you Ma, he is not here," Maria replied angrily, she had been repeating over and over again that Mister Hardin wasn't around but Mrs Scott refused to believe her. "Will you shut up?" Mrs Scott yelled at her."He is not around at the moment but if you want to wait for him you can," June said in a low voice."No Ma'am, Sir said she shouldn't come in," Maria shook her head not accepting what her madam was saying."It's fine Maria, I will handle the situation, you don't need to worry about it," June reassured her seeing the terrified look on her face, it seemed Hardin had given her strict rules to not allow anyone inside including his mother.But why his mother? Was he hiding something from her?
By nighttime, June decided to take her bath and get some rest. As she took her shower the scent of the bathing soap felt familiar in her nose as she scrubbed her body trying to remember anything but she couldn't.She emerged from the bathroom afterward, her freshly washed face glistening under the soft glow of the vanity lights. Dressed in her cozy pajamas, she climbed onto the bed, preparing herself for a good night's sleep. As she settled under the covers, the door creaked open, and there stood Hardin. He held his pajamas, ready to freshen up and join her in bed.He dropped the pajamas on the bed and went to take a quick shower when he came back he had a white towel over his waist. June stared at his body, his raven-black hair was slicked back, water droplets glistening on his chiseled chest and strong shoulders. Her choice of boyfriend wasn't so bad she smiled to herself, he was not only handsome but also sexy. A smirk danced upon his lips as he caught June admiring his post-show
June felt her heart leap out of her chest at Hardin's words, her lips parted as she tried to say something but there was nothing coming to her head. That kiss had done something to her and she knew deep down Hardin could see it in her eyes.They both remained still staring deep into their eyes but that brief moment of blissful oblivion was shattered when the maid unexpectedly entered the room.Startled by what was going on, she quickly averted her eyes and mumbled an apology, "I'm sorry for interrupting. I didn't know you had company, Sir." Her face turned crimson as she hastily headed back inside. Hardin and June exchanged a sheepish glance before breaking into a light chuckle. "It's quite alright, Maria" Hardin reassured the flustered maid stopping her on her track as she turned around bowing her head to them. "June, this is Maria, your new housekeeper."Maria nodded, still blushing, and extended a polite greeting, "Nice to meet you, Ma'am. If you need anything, don't hesitate to