Sophia's POV.
What just happened? Harvey's gun was a foot or so away from him and he was breathing heavily, as sweat dripped down his face. How is it possible?
Harvey kept on wriggling in his place.
“How is this possible?!” He screamed insanely.
I would like to know that too.
“You didn't even move a muscle!” He said to Alex through his suffering.
Alex didn't even flinch. “So?”
I looked at him and my breath hitched, a soft tear strolled down my cheek. He's alive.
Harvey groaned loudly and I turned to him again.
“I know Steve Harrison has barely held a gun throughout his entire life and he doesn't even know how to shoot—” His voice trailed off as his eyes fell on Steve.
Similarly, my breath got stuck in my throat when my eyes fell on him too. Oh. My. Goodness.
Steve's muscles were contracted under the fabric of his thin, body-hugging shirt. The veins in his forehead popped slightly. Andrea and Stephanie were no longer leaning on him but cowered somewhere by the corner.
His eyes were dark and almost burning. For a second, his features mirrored hatred even though I knew he was nothing like that. My eyes widened as they traveled towards his hand which was stretched before me, a revolver clutched between his fingers.
I gasped. “Who said so?”
The words came out of him in the form of a deadly hiss. Good God in the heavens!
Steve has shot Harvey in the hand, knocking his gun off.
“How were you so... Ughhhh!” Harvey groaned, “Fucking fast to shoot before I even took a shot?”
The coldness in Steve's eyes at the moment mirrored that of Alex, no doubt.
“The only difference is that I prefer not to waste much time with words, Harvey.” He clenched his teeth. “You were busy with your bullshit while I was busy with you. Pretty much the same, huh?”
I blinked at him. I've never heard Steve talk this way before. I turned to look at Alex, standing beside me. So he knew this all long huh? That was why he was sure he wouldn't die.
Steve started walking towards us, confidently and calmly until he finally stopped steps away from Harvey. He put his gun back somewhere in a belt around his waist.
Harvey turned to him.
“You son of a bitch!” His lips thinned into a straight line, “I didn't see that....” He heaved, “Coming from you.... agh!”
Steve cocked his head. “Indeed?” He voiced. Harvey laughed.
“Has Nicole been doing fine?” He mocked. Steve's eyes widened and he clenched his fists.
“I have missed her very badly.” The bastard smiled, although his hand was still bleeding. “Be silent!” Steve spat, anger spewing from every part of his body.
Harvey just laughed at that.
“Oh, but she might be a little frustrated considering I got myself a new fling. My new fling was most beneficial to me in my latest affairs.” He smirked.
I couldn't hold back at that.
“Curse you!” I cried at Harvey. “You lied to her, you bastard!”
“Oh my dear Stephanie,” He laughed. “You have no idea how much I miss you screaming my name. I remember how well you used to scream it.”
My eyes widened, shocked that he could utter such rubbish. I clenched my fists and bit my lips.
“Stop it–” I started.
“I remember very well how loud you've always been during our—”
Stephanie sobbed softly and I turned to be with her.
I heard the sound of bone crushing as Harvey's voice was cut off.
I looked at him again and my eyes widened. Harvey was pinned to the ground as Steve started hitting, punching, boxing madly. “That is as far as you go!!” He roared. I have never seen Steve Harrison like this. Madness. Craziness. Insanity. Brutality.
Violence.
Resentment.
Anger.
They all radiated off of him. I realized another thing. The mass of what he'd been bearing over the years because of Harvey was all resurfacing now. He was striking at Harvey, one fist after another.
“That is not,” he held Harvey's collar violently, “how you speak to a woman you piece of shit!”
My eyes snapped back to Stephanie.
She was eyeing the scene as she gazed at Steve in disbelief.
“Before, it was my sister!” He shouted. “Now it's her? And both of them loved you more than anything!” He breathed loudly.
“And even worse, Stephanie had nothing to do with your shit! And neither did Sophia or Andrea! And yet you treated them as if they were nothing! Damn you!” He roared as he continued punching Harvey.
I made a move towards him, a small step. He has to stop.
Because he's not a killer. And that's what would happen if he continued punching Harvey.
“Stephen,” Alex called him by his full name. He had picked up Harvey's gun and pointed it sharply towards Harvey.
“That is enough.” He pulled a panting Steve off of Harvey.
“It is I who shall take care of the rest.”
I shivered as he took some steps towards Harvey, with Steve following closely behind. And they towered the helpless jerk. Please don't kill him, babe. You're not a murderer. I screamed inwardly.
“Oh, the look on your faces! So priceless!” Harvey still had the effrontery to laugh with blood all over his face.
“The last time I'd seen it was back to that night when I hit Nicole till she lost the child.” Steve's eyes went wide at that and just then, I heard a loud bang.
And Harvey screamed, clutching his left leg. He had been shot.
“I'm not even going to waste another second on your piece of shit! My sister, my girlfriend, and her friend all need immediate medical attention and I'd let the police deal with you and your accomplice, Emily. Don't even think about running, you've been surrounded.”
I was so proud of how calmly he handled the situation.
He tucked the gun under his belt and tapped Steve on his shoulder as he walked towards me, giving me a big hug.
“It's over now, babe.”
I just had one question.
“How did you know Emily was involved?”
“Let's get you three to the hospital first, and you can ask me whatever you want.” He placed a quick kiss on my forehead and he rushed over to his sister and lifted her.
As Stephanie walked past Harvey, who was still writhing in pain, she spat on him. “Go to hell, you bastard!”
***
I woke up in the familiar room of a hospital. It was almost like dejávu as I saw Alex walking in with a phone to his ear just like he did the first time we met.
“Yeah, they're all fine now.”
“Are you guys all set?”
What's he talking about?
I cleared my throat to get his attention and he quickly ended the call without even saying goodbye to whoever he was talking to.
“Hey, baby.” He said as he sat by my bed, taking my hand in his. I smiled.
“How do you feel about going home today?”
“I literally will cry if I have to stay in this room for one more day! I can't stand it!” I pouted and he laughed. Oh, how I missed this.
Andrea and Stephanie were fine too. We'd been in the hospital for the past week after the horrible event we went through and we were all scheduled to be released today.
“So what are you waiting for? Let's go.” He seemed unusually in a rush as he lifted me bridal style and dashed out of the room. I burst into laughter.
“What are you doing? The discharge papers?” “Already signed, love.” He replied.
“Andrea and Stephanie?” I asked in between giggles.
“Already in the house, love.” He answered, weirdly avoiding my eyes. We got outside and he put me down and we both walked to the car.
*****
Immediately we got to his apartment, I was about to pull down the door handle but he stopped me. I looked at him and my eyes widened when he got on one knee.
“Sophia Anna O'Brien. You crashed your way into my life and ever since then, I always wanted to be your knight in shining armor. The events of the past week have made me realize how fragile life is and how I don't want to spend even a single second away from you. So, Sophia O'Brien, will you marry this rude boss of yours?”
I was bawling my eyes out at this point and at the same time, laughing. As if that was not enough, the door flew open at that point and I saw everyone I'm my life that I loved to death holding placards with the words ‘SAY YES!’ boldly written on it.
My mum, Mia, Andrea, Stephanie, Steve, Mrs Hayes, and even Mr Hayes were all smiling as they held onto their placards.
I couldn't help my laughter at that point. I brought out my hand and screamed “Of course I'll marry you!!!” And the house erupted in joyous celebrations.