Harrison arrived at the coffee shop on Cross Road, earlier than the time they had agreed on. Harrison felt the atmosphere shifting from what seemed to be warm to a cold one. The past had a way of haunting the present, and today, it was coming for him.Now, he understood that just apologizing because of a past does not mean it won't come back at him, haunting him like the Grim Reaper.He ordered a black coffee and took a seat near the back, where he could watch the door, and where he could hardly be seen.The minutes ticked by, and his mind replayed the conversation he had had with Ivan the day before. He knew today would be awkward, but as he waited, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.The bell above the door jingled, and Harrison looked up. Ivan stepped inside, his expression guarded and his eyes hard. He spotted Harrison, like he knew where he was, and made his way over, sliding into the seat across from him without a word.“Thanks for coming,” Harrison began, t
“How the hell did he escape?” Harrison asked, his voice low, almost as though he lost it."I'm sorry, sir. He fought through, and we tried to stop him, but he was able to escape."Harrison's anger was boiling. He ended the call, his fingers coiling into a ball, trying to hold off his anger.As he left the coffee shop, his mind was clouded with thoughts."Go to James Street," he instructed Hardy, who immediately veered the car to the left.The air was thick as Harrison stood at the corner of the street, the night’s chill biting into his skin. He was not sure why he had accepted to meet up with this guy in such an isolated, cold spot, but something told him that he had to. The man before him was a shadow of his past, reminding him of an ugly memory.The man exhaled a plume of smoke, a smile creeping onto his face. "So, you came...""How did you escape?" Harrison asked, ignoring him.“Let’s just say I have my ways. They thought they had me, but I’m smarter than they think. Got a few c
Harrison gripped the phone tightly, as the hangup tone resounded in his ears.He knew that just the call could change everything. Everything in the surrounding felt muted, as though something had sucked up the noise."Harrison."He hesitated a bit, before raising his eyelids, his hand still gripping his phone tightly. He needed to lie and buy himself time to think clearly. He could not afford to make a mistake.The truth was too messy, that he needed to clean it up before it was exposed. Harrison forced a look of urgency onto his face, a look that would justify the words he was about to speak.“Ivan, I—I’m sorry, but I have to go. It’s an emergency,” Harrison stammered, his voice sounding urgent.The tension was so thick that he tried all he could to avoid Ivan's deep stare.Ivan’s expression was unreadable, but he nodded slowly. “Alright, Harrison. Take care of whatever you need to.”Harrison muttered a thank you and turned away, hurrying out.***The door swung open, revealing Iva
Quinn’s heart pounded as she watched Ivan leave the room. His usual expression had softened, but the non-communicable tension between her brother and Harrison did not go unnoticed. She turned back to Harrison, who sat opposite her, his face masked with concern. Harrison's eyes met hers, searching for her fears. “Quinn,” he began softly, taking her hand in his. His voice was steady, but she could feel his anxiety. “I want you to tell me what happened. What happened with your ex? I want to understand. I want to help.”Quinn felt a shiver run down her spine at the mention of her ex. She had tried so hard to keep the memories buried, to forget the fear and the trauma. The look in Harrison’s eyes was one of genuine concern and not pity. She knew she owed him the truth if they were going to move forward together, and there were no hiding secrets.She took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she began to speak. "I need to know what happened with your ex. You've told me bits of it, but
Quinn and Harrison sat in one corner of the Italian restaurant.The tension that had been on Quinn's mind was slowly going away, softened by Harrison's presence and the gentle breeze of the evening. The clinking of glasses and muted conversations of other diners created a comfortable atmosphere, making them feel as if they were the only two people in the world.Harrison reached across the table, his hand gently touching Quinn's. His touch was reassuring, calming her down. "You seem more relaxed now," he observed, his eyes softening as they met hers.Quinn nodded, allowing her lips to curve into a small smile. "I am. It’s nice to just be with you." For a moment, she felt that like nothing else mattered.But then, a shadow fell over their table. Quinn looked up to see a couple approaching, their expressions seemed calm. "Rowena," Harrison said, his voice flat and emotionless, as he turned to see the woman of his past.Quinn's heart skipped a beat. She recognized the name, Harrison’s
Yvonne stood in the dimly lit street, her mind was clouded with different thoughts. It was a cold, dark night, and she just wanted to get home, but she had first, wanted to clear her mind. She narrowed her eyes at the man standing before her, his face was barely visible as the night protected him. His voice was etched with confidence, as if he knew what had happened before now. “What kind of deal?” She asked, trying to make out his face. The man’s lips curled into a smirk. “It’s simple,” he said, his tone calm. “I want Quinn, and you want Harrison. We both have a common goal, don’t we? To get what we want, we work together, and once we’ve both gotten what we want, we go our separate ways.” Yvonne frowned, her mind working through his ordeal. This was not the first time she had been offered a deal, but this one was something she would benefit from for a lifetime. The idea of teaming up with a stranger to achieve her desires was quite appalling. Her thoughts drifted to Quin
Ivan’s eyes squinted as he watched Mrs. Gerald storm out of Quinn’s office, her face covered in fury. There was something about the way she carried herself, like a serpent coiled and ready to strike. Eva, who was standing beside him, exchanged a concerned glance with him. They both knew that whatever had just transpired between Quinn and Harrison’s mother was far from a friendly visit.Without a word, the two hurried down the hallway to Quinn’s office. Ivan’s mind raced with different thoughts on what transpired between Quinn and the woman. He knew that her visit was for a purpose relating to her relationship with Harrison, as she had never liked her for her son.Eva knocked lightly on the door before pushing it open.Quinn was sitting at her desk, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. The tension in the room did not go unnoticed, and it only took a moment for Ivan to realize that whatever Mrs. Gerald had said to Quinn had shaken her to the core.“Quinn?” Eva’s voice was sof
"JB."He muttered, almost inaudibly.The initials hit him like a punch in the face, and without thinking, Harrison snatched the phone from her hand. His hand shook slightly as he stared at the screen, the call still ringing. "Who is it, Harry? Is everything alright?" JB was not someone Quinn would want to know. JB was her traumatizing past; the one who almost destroyed her.Without a second thought, Harrison answered the call and slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him to avoid Quinn getting any bit of their conversation.His heart pounded in his chest, anger and fear swirling within him as he lifted the phone to his ear, looking back, making sure Quinn did not follow him."What do you want?" Harrison’s voice was sharp, cutting through the silence of the stairs. "Good evening to you, Harrison," Jacob's voice came through the line, soft calm. "I see Quinn has already gotten you to play the part of the dutiful boyfriend."Harrison’s jaw clenched. "What do you wan