Chapter 8 The Other Woman
Harper's POV,
"Brianna's pregnant."
The words hit me like a slap,
"She got pregnant six months ago," Joel continued, the words rushing out like he'd been holding them in forever. "Six months, Harper. While we were still together."
"WHAT?" The word came out barely a whisper.
"I… I'm so sorry, I never meant for it to happen, I swear–"
"You CHEATED on me?" My voice cracked and suddenly I couldn't breathe properly.
"For six fuckin' MONTHS? And then you dumped me and told me it was for my own good? That you were setting me FREE?"
"It's not what you think" Joel's voice cracked.
"She told me she was pregnant, I got scared… so my agent said the cleanest way out was to rebrand as single and I just… I made the worst decision of my life, okay? I know that now."
I stared at him, this man I'd spent ten years loving, and felt absolutely nothing except disgust.
"Get out."
"Harper, please–"
"Get the hell… OUT!" I grabbed the door and yanked it open.
"You cheated on me. You lied to me. You made me think I wasn't enough when the whole time you were just a coward who couldn't face what you did."
"I was scared!"
"So you made me feel worthless instead?" Tears were burning behind my eyes but I refused to let them fall.
"You let me spend six weeks thinking I was the problem? That I wasn't pretty enough or interesting enough or something enough?"
"No, Harper, you were always–"
"I don't care." I cut him off, my voice going cold.
"I don't care what you think I was. You threw me away like garbage and now you want me to do what? Feel sorry for you? Take you back?"
"I just want you to know the truth," Joel said desperately. "Before you make a huge mistake with Crew Lawson. Harper, that guy is bad news. Everyone knows he's got problems, that he's–"
"Stop." I held up a hand.
"You don't get to have an opinion about my life anymore. You don't get to warn me or protect me or pretend you care, because you just lost that right from the very first day you stuck your dick in someone else."
Joel's face went white.
"Now get out of Maya's apartment before I call security."
"Harper."
"NOW!" I yelled.
He left, shoulders hunched, looking back once like he wanted to say something else. But I slammed the door in his face and locked it, then slid down to the floor as the tears finally came rushing.
The last three minutes felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.
Ten years of my life. Spent stacking bricks of lies, thinking I was building a relationship.
And I never even saw it coming.
…..
I was still on the floor when Maya came home an hour later.
"Harper?" She dropped her bag the second she saw me.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
"Joel was here."
Her entire body went rigid. "What?"
"He followed me from the arena. Showed up at the door." I wiped my face with the back of my hand.
"He cheated on me, Maya. The whole time. Brianna's six months pregnant."
"That MOTHERFUCKER." Maya dropped down next to me, her face going through about fifteen emotions at once.
"I'm going to destroy him. I'll call every contact I have and make sure he never gets another endorsement deal as long as he–"
"There's something else," I said quietly.
Maya stopped mid-rant. "What?"
"I found pills in Crew's car tonight. Oxycodone. A prescription bottle just rolling around loose."
Maya's face went completely still. "What are you talking about?"
"Pain pills… and a lot of them. From three months ago."
"That's not…" Maya shook her head like she was trying to process.
"Harper, I've worked with Crew for two years. I've never seen anything like that. Are you sure it was his?"
"It was in his car, Maya. And when I asked him about it, he didn't deny it. He just told me to drop it."
"Jesus." Maya sat back against the wall, staring at nothing. "I had no idea. I mean, I knew he played through pain, everyone does, but I never thought…" She turned to look at me.
"Did he say anything else?"
"He said he'd get help. After this weekend." I pulled my knees up to my chest.
"I know it's a lie. That's what addicts usually say. But Maya, you should've seen his face. He's terrified."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know." I rested my forehead on my knees.
"Joel's a cheating liar and Crew's hiding an addiction and I'm supposed to show up at a charity gala tomorrow night and pretend everything's perfect."
"You could cancel," Maya said carefully.
"I can make an excuse for you."
"No." I lifted my head. "No, I'm going. Joel doesn't get to ruin this for me. And Crew needs this for his image. I made a commitment."
Maya studied me for a long moment. "This isn't about the contract anymore, is it?"
I wanted to deny it…
But I just couldn't lie to Maya.
"No," I said quietly. "It's not."
…..
The next evening,
Maya had dragged me to three different stores before finding the dress.
Deep emerald green silk that clung to every curve, a slit up one thigh that went almost to my hip, back completely bare.
I'd never worn anything like it in my life.
For ten years with Joel, I'd dressed safe. Nice but not threatening.
But this dress was unforgettable.
"If Crew doesn't lose his mind when he sees you, check his pulse," Maya said, finishing my makeup.
She'd done something dramatic with my eyes, made them look fierce and dangerous. My hair was down in waves instead of my usual ponytail.
And as I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back.
….
At exactly seven,
There was a knock on the door.
Maya opened it and I heard her say, "Holy shit, Lawson, did you rob a modeling agency?"
I grabbed my clutch and walked out, and Crew's entire face changed when he saw me.
He just stared, his mouth slightly open, like every thought in his head had evaporated.
"Harper," he finally managed. "You look–"
"Finish that sentence," I said.
"Dangerous." His voice came out rough. "You look absolutely dangerous."
Heat flooded through me. "You're not so bad yourself."
He was in a black tux that fit him perfectly, his hair styled back, and he looked like he'd stepped out of some magazine spread.
As he walked towards me, his eyes lingered, dragging over my face slowly enough that heat climbed up my neck before I could look away.
Maya cleared her throat loudly. "Okay, lovebirds. Get out of here before I vomit from how cute you're being."
We made it down to his car and the drive started quiet.
"I meant what I said last night. About the pills." Crew said.
And my heart jumped. "Yeah?"
"After this weekend, I'll talk to someone. Get real help." He kept his eyes on the road. "I'm scared as hell, but I'll do it."
It was the same promise as before, but his voice sounded different this time. More honest.
"Okay," I said. "I'll be there with you."
He glanced at me quickly. "You don't have to–"
"I want to."
Neither of us spoke… as the silence stretched between us, gentle and certain, like both of us already knew what would happen.
We pulled up to the venue and cameras immediately exploded around us.
This wasn't the arena photographers. It was a full red carpet event, media on both sides, lights everywhere.
Crew came around and opened my door, offering his hand. "Ready?"
I took it and stepped out into the chaos.
Cameras flashed from every direction.
People shouted questions I couldn't hear over my own heartbeat. But Crew's hand settled on the small of my back, warm against my bare skin, and suddenly everything else faded.
"Just stay with me," he said quietly in my ear.
We started walking toward the entrance when someone shouted from behind the velvet rope.
"HARPER!"
The voice sounded so familiar.
I turned around and my entire body went cold.
Joel stood at the edge of the red carpet, not supposed to be here at all. And next to him, looking absolutely furious in a tight red dress, was Brianna.
Our eyes met across the cameras and chaos.
Crew's hand tightened on my back. "Do you want to leave?"
Joel’s eyes were wide, almost pleading. Brianna stood rigid beside him, her jaw tight, hands balled into fists. I took it all in, the wreckage of what I used to care about… and felt nothing.
Then I looked at Crew, at the man who'd defended me and held me and promised to fight his demons even though he was terrified.
"No," I said. "Let's go inside."
Crew smiled, fierce and proud. "That's my girl."
He pulled me closer and we walked past Joel without looking back.
We stepped through the doors into the ballroom and as soon as I entered, I stopped breathing.
Crystal chandeliers, hundreds of people in designer clothes, champagne flowing like water. And standing near the bar, watching us with cold calculation in her eyes, was someone I absolutely did not expect to see.
Crew's ex-girlfriend.
The one Maya had mentioned once, the one who'd destroyed his trust so badly he swore he'd never date seriously again.
She raised her champagne glass in our direction, her smile… sharp as a knife.
"Well," Crew muttered next to me. "This just got interesting.”