Chapter 25 And for a while?
~Haven.
Everything seemed perfect— even if it was just for a while.
……….
A drop of tears rolled down my eyes. Harrington looked at me, a soft smile parting his lips. “You deserve to be happy, Haven… you… you deserve someone who loves you,” he whispered, and I nodded.
I deserved happiness… and that happiness? It was somewhere far away from Walter.
Harrington slowly let go of my hand, slipping the wine glass into it.
“Drink, c’mon, stop crying,” he said, handing me a handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
“Do you want to… dance?” he asked. “It’s okay if you don’t want to. I just thought it’d be nice if you let the music make you feel better,” he offered, stretching out his hand.
I took Harrington’s hand. “Sure.”
It was an effort Walter never made… All he ever cared about was the sex.
Fair.
Harrington walked me to the dance floor. Couples held each other—hands wrapped around their woman’s waist.
“Can I?” he asked.
I looked into his eyes, then placed his hands around my waist.
I felt it… his heart racing.
I chuckled.
“Who would’ve thought you’d be such a gentleman?” I asked, resting my head on his chest.
He swayed, but the peace I felt only lasted for a while.
My thoughts drifted back to Walter… a part of me wished he’d treated me better.
A part of me wished he’d never married Hannah in the first place.
A part of me wished he wasn’t such a liar.
But they were all baseless wishes. Ones that were never going to come true.
“I’ve always imagined this,” Harrington’s words pulled me from my thoughts.
Our eyes met. “Since… today?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I’ve known you for a while, even before you got married to Hannah. Walter showed me a picture of you and Hannah back then. Somehow, I could tell you apart. Your eyes sparked with… warmth.
They still do,” he said, rubbing my cheeks gently.
All my life, all I’d ever heard was how my gaze carried hatred and my heart carried resentment.
Harrington seemed to see a side of me no one else did.
I finally felt… SEEN.
“I’ve always wanted to reach out to you—right from the beginning—but Walter didn’t let me. He always told me to stay away from you like… like he owned you.”
“He doesn’t,” I answered. My voice was so sharp, it sounded angry.
“He doesn’t,” Harrington said, stroking my head.
“I was happy when my grandfather told me you’d be coming to work at my company. I was happy I’d finally get to talk to you. And maybe get you to like me….”
I halted.
“Like you?” I asked, my brows creasing.
Harrington smiled. “Yeah. But… I’m not asking you for an answer now… given that we just met and all… I’ll wait. I’ll wait till you’re ready. I don’t care how long it takes.”
I blushed.
It suddenly felt new, being seen by someone who liked me for who I was.
Harrington was soft. So soft that I questioned whether or not he was real.
“Can we still maintain the boss-to-employee relationship?” I asked.
Harrington shook his head. “No. Let’s just say we’re really good friends who work in the same company.”
We laughed.
“I think I have to leave now. It’s getting late, and my father doesn’t really like the idea of that. He still thinks I’m a child.”
No, he doesn’t. He thinks I’m stupid and shouldn’t be left alone.
“I’ll drive you back home then.”
Harrington walked me to his car, and while he drove, I caught him several times stealing glances at me.
We finally arrived in front of Walter’s house.
Just as I was about to leave, his voice stopped me. “You shouldn’t let him bother you,” he said. “The last time Walter and I spoke about you… he didn’t say much, but I could tell he had no good intentions. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”
I nodded, then lowered my head slightly. “Thank you,” and I left.
I walked into the living room, my shoulders slumped.
I tried to be happy, but I wasn’t.
I still felt used by Walter. Like I’d been stupid all along. Yet somehow, I couldn’t get him out of my mind—and it hurt.
I walked up the stairs and heard noises coming from Hannah’s room.
Hannah was yelling at God-knew-who.
I wondered if it was Mason and wanted to know what they were talking about. I slowly walked toward their door, my shoes in my hands.
I leaned closer and… the one she was arguing with was Walter.
It was the first time I’d ever heard them argue.
They’d never had to disagree—living like their marriage was glass, both careful not to break it, even though Walter’s feelings for Hannah weren’t true.
I listened.
“I won’t be having this conversation with you anymore, Hannah. My father is on my neck! He desperately wants us to have a fucking child, and you’re behaving like this?
Not that I want a child either, but even if we’re adopting one, just let me know!” Walter yelled.
What?
So it was true…
I shook off the feeling. He definitely lied about his father adding something to the drink.
Hannah laughed, sounding unhinged. “I don’t think there’s a reason to explain anything to you, Walter. I do not want a child—adopted or not. It’s not that hard to understand, is it?”
“It is! For fuck’s sake, it is! You think you can just make decisions and I’ll have to adhere to them?”
I’d never seen Walter that angry.
Hannah went silent. She said nothing else… like she left him to answer his own questions.
I slowly walked away from the door, trying to understand why Hannah didn’t want a child.
She was always the perfect daughter who believed building a family was the best decision.
Dad loved that about her… that she wanted to give him a “grandson.”
So what changed?
I got into my room and shut the door behind me when my phone buzzed with a notification.
At first, I thought it was Harrington—but it wasn’t.
It was Walter.
“I know you hate me now, but if you ever find out that you’re pregnant, please keep our child.”
Our child? I laughed.
“I’m not pregnant,” I texted back before switching off my phone.