"I have made arrangements for the paperwork we will be making use of regarding the shares," James said via video call, while Keir, Hardin, and June were on the other end of the laptop.He didn't get why Keir would go to a cabin out of town when it was obvious Alex had gotten what he wanted which was Octavia but it was still right to stay in hiding, one could not fully trust someone to keep to their words.He had been investigating Sandy's case when he found some link to Alex, apparently she had been making some calls to him regarding Keir, he was able to get this from her laptop which she had forgotten in Keir's office after she went on her mission to hang Octavia.He also found some pictures of her and Alex meeting up, as well as videos, it seemed she was keeping records of all their conversation, people that did that usually had ulterior motives or they just didn't trust the person they were with. In Sandy's case, she didn't trust Alex because Alex was blackmailing her."I just want
~ PALMS HOTEL ~Clara stared outside the curtain looking across the street with a smile on her face, when Hardin had called her two hours back to meet up somewhere she had been overwhelmed with joy.Never in a million years did she expect that Hardin would actually call her, and not just to talk to her over the phone but to meet up with her in a hotel room.It could only mean one thing, he was finally developing feelings for her after all those years of trying so hard to get his attention and affection, she had decided to go commando in a tight knee-length gown that showed off all her curves, she even went ahead to use red lipstick instead of her favorite pink.This was her opportunity to show him yet again what he had been missing since the last time they had been intimate, she checked her phone wondering what was holding Hardin up, she was tempted to call him and ask him, the last thing she wanted to hear was that he was unable to show up because of a meeting or something impromptu.
"Like?" Hardin said. He came out of the bathroom patting his face with a hand towel as he stared at Clara, was that what she wanted to tell him? Was that it?"I think we would...""We both know I am not interested in dating anyone and even if I was it wouldn't be you Clara, I am not attracted to you sexually.""We could talk about this when you are sober.""I am sober right now, we already talk about this, I am not into you Clara, that doesn't mean you are not attractive or beautiful but I....""But what? Why don't you want to give me a try? Give us a try, out of all the girls that you have been with, I have been...""Leave Clara please, I need to rest and this is the last thing I need right now."~ PRESENT TIME ~The last he remembered was drinking that wine and the next morning she was in bed with him naked, he remembered kissing her and touching her breast but he wasn't sure he was in the right frame of mind, he suspected that she spiked the wine because even in a drunk state he wa
"Fine," Octavia muttered. She reached for the toasted bread in front of her as Alex signaled his bodyguard to step back as he was already close to Octavia and ready to drag her back to her room."Being stubborn doesn't suit you Tavia.""Don't call me that ever," Octavia warned placing the tip of the bread at her lips and taking a bite, the only person who called her Tavia was Keir, he had been the first to start calling her that and it sounded better when he called her that. "Even after leaving him for two months, you still love him? isn't that pathetic? Why did you leave him if you knew you were still in love with him?"Octavia stared at him without saying a word, she didn't owe him any explanation for her actions, she had every right to do what she had done, it was obvious Alex had never been in a proper relationship to understand the dynamics of it."It's funny that you ended up with him, I had a soft spot for you back then, I even discussed it with Keir but I guess he never told
"If you can't do it, then just leave," Alex said."It's your friend we are talking about here, Hardin, what if he finds out about this?" Clara asked. She had not imagined in a million years that Alex would say something like this, how was she going to sleep with him? She wasn't even attracted to him and if Hardin were to find out about it, she knew Hardin wouldn't be pleased to hear that she had slept with Alex."I thought you wanted to seduce him," Alex asked closing the distance between them. He places his thumb on her lower lips with a smirk on his face. "or have you changed your mind?""I haven't, I want Hardin.""Hardin is a hard catch and if you really want him like you say you do then you need to prove to me how badly you want him," Alex said. "When Hardin is finally yours, it isn't like you would even remember this moment," Alex pressed on, but with the look on her face, he could tell she was going to agree to it. She had not stopped him from touching her so far and she wasn't
Clara walked into the kitchen where some maids were cleaning up, she stared at them repulsively as they bowed their heads to her surprised by her presence, it was unusual for guest to come into the kitchen but they had seen Miss Clara once or twice so they knew their master must have allowed her since his bodyguard was following behind her. "Don't just stand there, get me something to drink.""Juice or water Ma'am?" One of them asked."Juice?""Let me get the wine," the other responded immediately rushing to the fridge to get one of the wine, while the other rushed to get a clean wine glass. "Leave it on the counter and get out," Clara ordered. "Ma?""You heard me, or are you deaf?" Clara asked."No ma," they both replied doing as she had ordered and leaving immediately with their heads bowed, it wasn't a new thing for them to be ordered around by guest."We don't have much time Clara stop fucking around and find out," Clara heard Hardin's voice on the device connected to her ear.
"Charles," Clara yelled banging on the door, how had she been so dumb to not see that he had been playing her, she got carried away by his looks and thought he would really help her and disobey Alex's order. "Charles," she yelled again banging the door, "you fucking piece of shit," she cursed. "Let me guess, he locked you up somewhere," Hardin voice finally came on, he had been listening in on their conversation and trying to picture what was going on between them, he was surprised that Clara had it in her to seduce someone. He always suspected her to be a fiesty girl, but listening to it first hand was interesting to him. He had wanted to warn her against it but he could tell she was finding it difficult to concentrate on listening to him and doing as she pleased. "The crazy bastard," Clara cursed. "Is it an open space?""It's a basement leading somewhere, hopefully not to my death," Clara rolled her eyes angrily as she turned around going down the stairs carefully. She had left
Octavia and Clara looked at each other hesitantly, wondering if they should risk crawling through it. The basement had turned out to be a dead end and this could also be one but with no other options available to them, they had to decide quickly."So?" Hardin voice came up again this time worried, Clara knew better this time, she knew Hardin wasn't bothered about her but Octavia safety and what Keir would do if Octavia wasn't out of there as soon as possible."It's a tunnel, dark as hell," Clara said turning her phone torchlight on while Octavia rushed to get the candle on the nightstand that was already lit."This is our only option," Octavia said."You have to take it, it might lead to somewhere safe," Hardin said. "Is anywhere safe in this house?" Clara rolled her eyes staring at Octavia who was already figuring who was talking to, it wasn't Keir, it was Hardin. "Shall we?" Clara added accepting her fate. They peered inside and noticed it was a tunnel. Without hesitation, they go
- 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