Chapter 14 Brianna Pushed A Little Too Far
Harper's POV,
I reached the podium and turned to face the room full of reporters, all of them with cameras pointed at me, phones recording, notebooks ready.
Joel stood frozen by the exit, face pale, his mouth slightly open like he couldn't believe what was happening.
Good. Let him feel what it's like to have someone else control the narrative for once.
"Hi," I said into the microphone, my voice steady. "I'm Harper Sinclair. The woman Joel just spent ten minutes pretending to care about."
A few nervous laughs rippled through the crowd.
"First, let me address Joel's concern for my safety and wellbeing." I looked directly at him.
"Where was that concern six months ago when you dumped me on our ten-year anniversary? Where was it when you told me I wasn't 'brand-friendly' enough for your image?"
The reporters were leaning forward now, sensing blood in the water.
"Where was your concern when you were sleeping with Brianna Cross while we were still together?"
The room exploded. Cameras flashed like lightning. Reporters started shouting questions all at once.
Joel's face went from pale to bright red. "Harper, that's not–"
"Oh, I'm sorry." I tilted my head.
"Did you want to keep that part private? Because you didn't seem too worried about my privacy when you called this press conference to question my judgment in front of the entire Seattle media."
His agent grabbed his arm, trying to pull him toward the exit, but Joel shook him off.
"For the record," I continued, turning back to the cameras, "Joel ended our ten-year relationship by telling me he needed to be 'single and marketable' for his career. What he didn't tell me was that Brianna was already pregnant. He didn't tell me he'd been cheating for months. He just made me believe I wasn't enough."
My voice cracked slightly on that last word but I pushed through.
"So forgive me if I don't find his sudden concern for my wellbeing particularly credible."
"Ms. Sinclair," a reporter called out. "Are you confirming that Joel Hartley cheated on you with his current fiancée?"
"I'm confirming that Joel Hartley is a liar who rewrites history to make himself look better." I gripped the edges of the podium.
"Which brings me to Crew Lawson."
The room went quiet again, everyone waiting.
"Yes, Crew collapsed last night. Yes, he's been struggling with addiction to painkillers that started after a serious injury three years ago. Yes, I knew about it. And yes, he's getting help."
I took a breath, steadying myself.
"Joel wants to paint Crew as dangerous. As someone I need to be protected from. But the truth is, Crew Lawson is one of the bravest people I've ever met. He's been playing through chronic pain for years because he loves hockey and didn't want to let his team down. He made some bad choices trying to manage that pain, and now he's facing real consequences and getting real treatment."
"But you knew," another reporter called out. "You knew he was using and you didn't say anything?"
"I found out three days ago." I met the reporter's eyes. "And the first thing I did was tell him he needed to get help. The second thing I did was stay by his side when he collapsed instead of running away to protect my own reputation. Because that's what you do when you actually love someone."
I looked at Joel again.
"You want to know the difference between you and Crew? Crew admits when he's struggling. He doesn't hide behind pretty lies or blame other people for his choices. He's honest about being broken. And he's doing the work to fix it."
"This is inappropriate," Joel's PR director cut in, stepping toward the podium.
"Ms. Sinclair, if you have personal grievances–"
"Personal grievances?" I almost laughed.
"Joel called a press conference to publicly trash my boyfriend and paint himself as my savior. I'd say that makes it pretty public."
I turned back to the reporters.
"Joel wants to position himself as the concerned ex. The good guy who just wants to make sure I'm okay. But the truth is, he's a man who's getting married in six weeks to someone he got pregnant while he was still with me. And instead of owning that, instead of just moving on with his life, he's using my relationship to make himself look better."
"Are you saying Joel Hartley's wedding is a sham?" someone called out.
"I'm saying Joel Hartley's entire nice-guy persona is a sham." I stepped back from the podium.
"He cheated. He lied. He made me feel worthless for months. And now he's pretending to care about my wellbeing while simultaneously trashing the man I love to every camera in Seattle."
"Harper, please–" Joel's voice came out strangled.
"I'm done, Joel." I looked at him one final time.
"I'm done letting you control any narrative about my life. I'm with Crew because I choose to be. Because he sees me as a partner, not an accessory. And because he's honest about his struggles instead of hiding them behind PR statements."
I walked away from the podium, the room erupting into absolute chaos behind me.
Reporters were shouting questions, cameras flashing, Joel's team trying desperately to regain control. I heard his agent saying something about "misleading statements" and "emotional distress" but I was already halfway to the exit where Maya was waiting with the biggest grin I'd ever seen on her face.
"Let's go," I said. "Now."
We burst through the doors into the hallway and Maya grabbed my arm.
"Holy SHIT, Harper! That was… I don't even have words! Did you see Joel's face? Did you SEE it?"
"I saw it." My hands were shaking now, adrenaline flooding my system. "Can we please just get out of here before–"
"Harper Sinclair!"
We both froze.
Brianna Cross was power-walking down the hallway in designer heels and a tight red dress, her face twisted with fury.
"Oh, this should be good," Maya muttered.
Brianna stopped three feet away, breathing hard. "You fuckin' BITCH."
"Wow, okay, starting strong." I crossed my arms. "What can I do for you, Brianna?"
"What can you– are you SERIOUS?" Her voice went shrill.
"You just ruined everything! Our wedding, Joel's reputation, our entire story–"
"Your story was built on lies." I kept my voice calm. "I just told the truth."
"The truth?" Brianna's laugh came out bitter and sharp. "The truth is that you're a pathetic ex-girlfriend who can't move on. Joel felt sorry for you, so he tried to help, and you repaid him by attacking him on live television!"
"Joel felt sorry for me?" I stepped closer.
"Brianna, he cheated on me with you while we were together for ten years. He got you pregnant and then dumped me like garbage to cover it up. Exactly which part of that deserves my gratitude?"
"He was going to break up with you anyway! You were holding him back!"
"Then why didn't he just do it honestly?" I tilted my head.
"Why the elaborate lie about being single and marketable? Why make me think I wasn't enough when the truth was he just knocked up someone else?"
Brianna's face went bright red. "You're just jealous aren't you?... Jealous that I'm marrying him and you're stuck with a drug addict who's going to destroy your life."
"Careful," Maya warned.
"No, let her talk." I held Maya back. "I want to hear what else she has to say."
"You think you're so special?" Brianna's voice dropped to a hiss.
"You think Crew Lawson actually loves you? He's using you for PR, Harper. Just like Joel said. The second his career tanks and you're not useful anymore, he'll dump you just like Joel did."
"You know what the difference is between you and me, Brianna?" I stepped even closer until we were almost face to face.
"I don't need a man's career to define my worth. I don't need Instagram followers or a hockey player's last name to feel valuable. I'm with Crew because I love him, not because of what he can do for my image."
"That's easy to say when your boyfriend is rich and famous."
"My boyfriend is an addict who just got suspended from his team," I shot back.
"His career might be over. He's going to rehab for a month. There's no glamour in that, Brianna. No Instagram content. No perfect couple photos."
Brianna's jaw worked. "You're going to regret this. When Joel and I get married, when we have this baby, when we build our perfect life… you're going to realize you threw away ten years for nothing."
"I didn't throw anything away." I straightened my shoulders.
"Joel threw it away when he stuck his dick in you. I'm just refusing to pretend it didn't happen."
The next thing I heard…
SMACK!!
My head snapped to the side, my cheek exploding in pain. For a second, everything went white.
The slap came so fast I didn't see it coming.
Then, instinct took over.
I grabbed a fistful of Brianna's perfectly styled hair and yanked hard. She screamed, her hands coming up to claw at my arms, and suddenly we were on the floor, a tangle of limbs and fury.
"You BITCH!" Brianna shrieked, trying to pull my hair.
I twisted, using my weight to roll us over. "You slapped me first!"
Meanwhile, phones were out, recording everything as camera flashes went off.
"HARPER!" Maya's voice cut through the chaos. "Harper, let go!"
But I wasn't letting go.
Six months of anger and humiliation and being made to feel small came flooding out in one explosive moment.
Brianna got a hand free and scratched at my face. I felt nails rake across my jaw and the sharp sting of broken skin.
"ENOUGH!" Maya grabbed my shoulders, trying to pull me off. "Security is coming! Harper, NOW!"