CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“What did you just say?” Harley asked in shaky voice as Amanda folded her arms.

“Ha, you look surprised. I don’t think you would be though. That’s not all; your movie. Sparrows in the Sky, one of the supporting celebrities messed around and the director almost changed you from being the female lead until my brother invested five hundred million dollars to make you remain as the female lead. You don’t want me to start mention deals; [personally you know you shouldn’t have gotten easily that you’ve gotten?” Amanda asked as she shook her head.

“I’m sure you know it deep down, I’ve forgotten a lot of favours that Zane has done for you Harley Madison” Amanda added as she breathed and folded her arms.

“I’m only here to tell you two things and in which you can make you choice, whatever you want to do but I must tell you in advance that whatever your choice you make, you have to stick to it, to the very end” Amanda said.

“My brother has suffered physical and emotional pain all because of him and I can’t watch him while he continued to suffer or be in pain, I can’t. so I am offering you two options, Harley” Amanda started as Harley turned to meet his eyes.

“You will meet Zane and apologize to misunderstanding him and you will walk out of his life and never show up again. You left him hanging on the thread all these while, he’s not sure if you share the same feelings as he does or not so if you don’t, walk away properly and stop allowing him to get ideas in his head. You are not even allowed to be his friend, if you two run into each other, you walk the other way, if your paths cross, you uncross it. When I mean walk away, I mean you will have nothing to do with him ever again” Amanda added.

“Two, you meet him and apologize for being such an asshole and for doubting him in the first place. Then you stand by his side, pay the debts you owe him and you owe him way too much. You should pay your debts till you die. This seems like I’m forcing you but I’ve given you two choices already. If you choose the second choice, you’ll have to learn how to love him for the rest of your life” Amanda said.

“You are old enough to make decisions that will affect your life. Like I said, whatever is the decision or choice that you make, you have to follow it to the very end. You have less than twenty-four hours to make your choice Harley else, when if I make a decision for you; you’ll as well have to follow it to the end” Amanda said as she stood up.

“Have a good day” Amanda said as she walked out of the restaurant. She walked into the black car waiting by the side and sighed.

“How did it go?” Kayden asked as Amanda shook her head.

“I don’t know” Amanda replied as she turned to Kayden

“What choice do you think she’ll going to make?” Amanda asked as Kayden chuckled as he reached out his hand and rubbed her hair.

“Isn’t that obvious already?” Kayden replied as Amanda swallowed her saliva and nodded.

Till Harley stepped into the house, she was still dazed and confused. She slumped on the couch as she looked around and her eyes caught the pot of flowers she had sent to her mother’s house a few weeks before because her garden was already getting quite full; she sent out pots of flowers to a few people.

Zane had been sending those flowers? And that for seven years?

Harley almost couldn’t believe her own ears. By the time her head started processing all the kinds of deals she had gotten that naturally she wouldn’t have gotten; she couldn’t begin counting. She was indeed popular but that was just in the country and she also had a few fans abroad, she wasn’t that big to have gotten such ambassadorships deals in the first place.

She fell to the floor as tears started streaming down her cheeks. For someone who had loved her for more than half of his entire life; she had been too cruel to him. She didn’t notice her mom walking into the seating room and sighing softly as she sat down on the floor beside her daughter.

“What are you going to do now?” her mom asked as Harley turned to face her mom as she lunged into her embrace and started wailing miserably.

“Mom” she called softly as she continued crying.

“It’s time you make a choice Harley, it’s high time you made a choice” her mom whispered softly.

“Mom, what should I do? What can I do?” Harley asked as her mom laughed.

“What you choose to do is totally up to you Harley. I have no say in your life matters, just know that whatever choice you make; you have to hold it till the end, so be very careful when you make your choice” she replied as Harley continued sobbing.

“Harley, age…. Is nothing. Understanding, trust, respect, love, faith in each other, being there for each other are the things essential for two to get together. Age has nothing to do with it, whether he’s seven years younger than you, it’s makes no difference as long as those six things I mentioned are present, everything else will fall into place” her mom said as

“Mom” Harley called as she raised her head to stare at her mom. Her mom smiled at her and she nodded.

“Everything will fall in place. That boy, you love him don’t you?” she asked as Harley resumed sobbing loudly.

Zane yawned lightly as he browsed through the files in front of him, another glance at the pile of file son his table told him it was going to be another long night. It had been two days after his live interview and his story had apparently thrown the whole country into a state of quiet and calm. Everyone looked moody and solemn, his story was by far too painful and heart breaking.

He got calls, messages and all kinds of sympathy emails. Adrian had been around constantly trying to get him laughing and smiling. Zane couldn’t but help be grateful for these people that he now had in his life. He had locked up those feelings for so long that he didn’t even realize that he was supposed to let those emotions out.

The kind of calm and peace that came after telling that story, Zane couldn’t describe in words at all. He felt very much better, better in all kinds of ways that he couldn’t describe. He sighed softly as he continued working on the file as someone knocked on the door he raised his head to see Dylan walking to the office with an expression he didn’t understand on his face.

“What is it?” he asked as Dylan swallowed her saliva.

“You have a visitor” Dylan replied as Zane furrowed his brows lightly.

“Who is it?” he asked as Zane turned t the door and a very familiar person walked into the room. Zane stared at her his mouth agape as he rose to his feet and quickly regained his composure after a while.

“Miss Madison, how can I help you?” Zane asked as Harley pursed her lips.

Miss Madison?

She swallowed her saliva as she tried to wear a small smile and allowed her eyes to roam over him as she wished. After almost two months, it was the first time she was seeing in persona and Harley had to admit that he had lost weight and somehow had gotten more handsome.

“I’m sorry” Harley replied as Zane stared at her dazed.

“I’m very sorry Zane. I’m so sorry” Harley muttered as tears started running down her cheeks startling Zane.

“I messed up. I didn’t trust you” Harley continued rambling while Zane stared and listened.

“Rather than saying I didn’t trust you, I’ll be honest with you. I was much more scared, I was very scared, I was so scared that you would leave me. That was exactly what I was scared of, that you would abandon me for someone else” Harley said as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry Zane. I didn’t know what to do. I hurt you so bad, too much and I am very sorry. I am sorry for everything, for being so cruel and inhuman” Harley said as Zane sighed softly and walked towards her as he stood in front of her his eyes red.

He reached out his hand as he wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks “Since when have you been crying?” Zane asked softly as tears continued streaming down her cheeks.

“I know, so stop crying” Zane whispered softly as Harley suddenly hugged him.

“I’m sorry Zane” Harley said as Zane pressed a kiss to her hair.

“I know” Zane whispered again.