HARPER
I didn't go home right away. I couldn't. I had just lost my job to my sister. The job I had worked hard and was in line for a promotion, which would come up as soon as Owen became the CEO. Neither relationships nor jobs were to be found.
My life was a mess. Truly. If only my mother knew she'd bring me into this world to suffer this much pain, she would have saved me the stress and had an abortion. As cruel as that seemed, it was the better option because she detested me and wanted nothing to do with me.
Thunder rumbled from afar. And I looked up at the sky to see grey clouds forming. I shivered, swallowing hard. I blinked back the tears in my eyes, but they fell anyway. Cupping my face, I cried, primarily for my job. My body shook, and my heart clenched in pain.
A bus screeched to a stop, cutting through my sob. The doors hissed open, waiting. I looked away, pretending not to notice. I wasn't ready to go home yet. My father would be waiting, and by now, Camilla had surely told him everything. Of course, she had; she never could keep her mouth shut.
Then the sky grumbled again. A low, heavy sound that made my pulse skip. The first raindrop hit the pavement, and my stomach clenched.
No. Not the rain.
Another drop followed, then another, faster now, until the drizzle turned into a complete, pounding downpour. My chest tightened, breath coming shallow as the smell of wet concrete filled the air.
The bus doors began to close. Panic flared. I bolted from the bench and ran for it. Luckily, the driver saw me and reopened the door. I got in. The drive home was longer than I'd have preferred due to the weather. So, I anticipated jumping on my bed with my duvet wrapped around me, enjoying the warmth. But that thought eluded me as soon as I got in front of the door.
I gripped the metal handle, twisting to open it. It was locked. I tried again, my brows furrowing. I got the same result. I didn't take my keys with me. I only remembered when I got to the office, but that wasn't a big deal because most times everyone got home before me.
I caught a movement in the living room and tapped on the door.
"Camilla?" I called.
No answer. I called Elizabeth and my father, believing Camilla was mad at me because of what happened earlier, and wouldn't answer. Yet, on the second ring, the call dropped. I swallowed, staring at the pouring rain and at my phone in my trembling hands.
My finger hovered over Camilla's number, and I pushed to call. "Pick up, pick up," I murmured.
Again, I received the same result. I forced back a swallow, staring inside once more from a break in the curtain. That was Camilla in the living room with her leg crossed on the chair.
"Camilla!" I screamed her name. Her eyes flicked to mine, and a broad smile spread on her face as she stared at me. Then she glanced away, turning up the volume of the TV, before extending her middle finger to me.
She had heard me all along. This was to pay back for what I did in the office. But she could have used other things to pay me back and not this!
I stared at the sky just in time as lightning streaked across it. I flinched, pressing my back to the door with eyes shut tight. My heart pounded and my head reeled. I slid down the length of the door, folding my arms around my legs.
"Please stop," I choked out, tears blurring my vision. "Please."
No one came to my aid, as usual. They all watched me suffer. They all laughed at me, telling me it was ridiculous to be afraid of the rain. It was natural, and you should revel in the comfort it brings to you. But it only brought misery to me.
Memories from seventeen years ago flooded my head. I was only seven…
If I could erase anything, it would be it. But I couldn't. And I was forced to live with the impact on my life. I moaned, blocking my ears from the sound of thunder and lightning. I rocked myself, counting until it stopped, and luckily, my father opened the door. He was inside all along.
I jumped to my feet, wiping my wet palms on my nearly soaked cloth, smiling warmly at him as I tried to walk inside. But he blocked my path.
He sneered. "You're no longer welcome here."
I went still, staring at him in confusion. "W…what?"
"You heard me right, Harper. You are no longer welcome here, and henceforth, I, George Wilson, disown you, Harper Wilson, as my daughter."
His words knocked the breath out of me, and I stumbled backward, holding onto the balustrade to break my fall.
"What did you say?" I stuttered.
"You heard me right. Leave now, or I shall have security throw you out." He threatened.
That was the last thing I expected him to say. Was it because I fought with Camilla? Did he hear that?
I fall to my knees, clutching his hands. "Please, father. I have no one else to go to. I swear, I'll apologise to Camilla if…"
He yanked his hand free from mine, scowling. "What use are you to me now that you are fired and blacklisted? You chose to move around with that useless thing. Now, see what it costs you."
It wasn't Camilla. It was Dominic. My God!
"I listened to your father. I did nothing with him. I never spoke with him. I swear on my life—"
"Are you saying Camilla is lying?" Elizabeth butt in.
She shoved her phone in my face, and there I was… no. Someone who looked like me in a mid-thigh dress stepping out of a black 2025 Cadillac Escalade with Dominic opening the door for me. My stomach twisted, forming knots.
"That isn't me!" I snapped.
"Don't be such a liar, Harper. I got a clearer angle from you." Camilla appeared behind her mother. She smirked at me, wrinkling her nose. "I had to move in closer to get that."
"Stop lying. I was only at the office and…"
"You left the office ten minutes after you arrived. You were fired for your incompetence, and I got to clean up after your ass. Also, you decided to break that rule. Colluding with that one Fletcher that you shouldn't and even went further to sleep with him. That's so low and nasty of you."
God. How could someone be such a smooth liar? I stared at my father in disbelief as he ate up everything Camilla was saying. When I tried to defend myself, he yelled at the top of his voice.
"Someone should get her out of here. I don't ever want to see her face in this building anymore!"
Two of his security appeared and they grabbed my arms, dragging me into the rain. I cried out, struggling in their grip.
"Please, father. Believe me. I didn't do it."
But he turned his back, stepping into the house with his precious daughter and wife. I was thrown out of the gate and left under the heavy downpour. I tried to stand, to run, to find a shelter. But with each attempt I made standing, my knees buckled and I fell back to the ground. I tried three times. Then I gave up and just sat there, waiting…praying to die. I believed it was the only way out of my suffering until a car pulled up in front of me.
I didn't shield my eyes from the bright headlight and stared straight at it. Someone stepped out of it with an umbrella. I saw Oxford brogues shoes first, then looked up as the person crouched down.
"Nico." I managed to say with tears gathering in my eyes.
What was he doing here? I couldn't ask.
In fact, I took his hand that he extended towards me, and before I knew it, I was inside his car, and I gave him the address of the only person I had in mind. Minutes after driving around, his car came to a stop at a familiar building.
I walked up to the front door, ringing the bell, and the door opened immediately. Dominic Fletcher stood in front of me with only a Pajama bottom on, and hair disheveled.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at me.
"I'm sorry, I am here. But I have nowhere to go." I whispered with hot tears sliding down my cheeks.