Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Avery stumbled back, clutching his jaw, his face twisted with pain and fury. “You’ll pay for this, you maniac!” he spat, pointing a shaking finger at Harry. “You think you can just attack me and get away with it?”

Harry stood his ground, his eyes cold and unyielding. “You got what you deserved, Avery. I warned you to stop harassing Lily.”

Avery straightened up, his arrogance returning in full force. “I’ll have you thrown out of here. You don’t know who you’re messing with. I’m a regular here, and you’re just a nobody. Riley, get him out of here!”

Riley Hilton, the lobby manager, stepped forward, her expression calm but stern. “Mr. Thornhill, I saw what happened. You provoked Harry, and he was defending himself and Lily.”

Avery’s face contorted in disbelief. “What? Are you serious? You’re taking his side? He assaulted me!”

Riley’s eyes narrowed. “I saw everything, Avery. You were the one causing trouble. And I won’t tolerate harassment of any kind in this establishment, no matter who you are.”

Avery’s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. He glanced around at the gathering crowd, his face reddening with humiliation. “You can’t do this to me! I’m a loyal customer! My father has invested a lot of money here!”

Riley crossed her arms, her voice firm. “And that doesn’t give you the right to mistreat my staff or any of our guests. Now, I suggest you leave before I call security.”

Before Avery could respond, a new voice cut through the tension. “What’s going on here?”

Everyone turned to see Peter Lyons, a tall, impeccably dressed young man, striding into the lobby. He surveyed the scene with a smug expression, his eyes settling on Avery. “Avery, what’s happened?”

Avery rushed over to Peter, his voice desperate. “Peter, thank God you’re here! This thug attacked me out of nowhere! He’s trying to ruin my reputation!”

Peter turned his gaze to Harry, his eyes filled with contempt. “And who the hell are you?”

Harry remained silent, his eyes meeting Peter’s with calm defiance.

“He’s nobody,” Avery sneered. “Just some loser who thinks he can throw his weight around. Riley’s even siding with him!”

Peter’s eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. “Riley, is that true? You’re taking this... nobody’s side over a valued customer like Avery?”

Riley held her ground, her voice steady. “I’m taking the side of what’s right, Mr. Lyons. Your friend was out of line, and Harry was defending Lily.”

Peter’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t care what happened. You should know your place, Riley. Siding against my friend is a big mistake.”

Riley lifted her chin. “I know my place, Mr. Lyons. It’s ensuring that all guests and staff are treated with respect. Now, if you have an issue, you can take it up with management.”

Peter’s face darkened, and he turned back to Harry, his voice laced with menace. “You must be out of your mind to mess with us. Do you know who I am?”

Harry crossed his arms, unfazed. “I don’t care who you are.”

Peter’s lips curled into a sneer. “You will.” Without warning, he grabbed a chair and hurled it at Harry.

Gasps echoed around the lobby as the chair sailed through the air. But before it could reach Harry, a hand shot out and caught it mid-flight, the force of the impact reverberating through the room.

The entire lobby fell silent as Farris Knightley stepped forward, his expression unreadable. He set the chair down gently, his eyes locking onto Peter. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Peter took a step back, his bravado faltering. “Mr. Knightley... I... He started it! I was just—”

“Enough,” Farris said, his voice like steel. He turned to Harry, his eyes softening slightly. “Are you alright?”

Harry nodded, still processing Farris’s sudden appearance. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

Farris nodded, then turned back to Peter, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury. “You’ve made a grave mistake, Peter.”

Peter’s face paled. “I... I didn’t know... He—”

“Save it,” Farris snapped, his voice carrying an authority that made everyone in the room hold their breath. “You think you can just throw chairs at people? You’re nothing but a spoiled brat who thinks his father’s money can buy him out of anything.”

Peter looked around, panic creeping into his eyes. “Mr. Knightley, please. It was just a misunderstanding. I—”

Farris held up a hand, silencing him. “You think your father’s money means something here? You’re gravely mistaken.”

Just then, an older man, tall and dignified, pushed his way through the crowd. It was Fred Lyons, Peter’s father. “What’s going on here?” he demanded, his eyes darting between his son and Farris. “Peter, what have you done?”

Peter stammered, his eyes wide with fear. “Dad, I—”

Fred’s gaze shifted to Farris, his tone immediately deferential. “Mr. Knightley, I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding. Whatever my son did, I’m sure we can resolve it.”

Farris’s eyes never left Peter. “Your son threw a chair at Harry Winstone.”

Fred blanched. “Harry... Winstone?” He turned to Peter, his face ashen. “Is that true?”

Peter swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t know who he was... I thought—”

“You thought?” Fred roared, his hand swinging out and landing a harsh slap across Peter’s face. “You thought you could assault someone and get away with it? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

Peter staggered, his hand flying to his cheek, his eyes wide with shock. “Dad, I’m sorry, I—”

“Shut up!” Fred snarled, his face twisted with rage. “You’re a disgrace to this family! I’ve warned you time and again to control your temper, and now you’ve embarrassed us in front of Mr. Knightley and the entire Winstone family!”

The crowd watched in stunned silence as Fred turned to Farris, his voice trembling with desperation. “Mr. Knightley, please, accept my sincerest apologies. My son will face the consequences for his actions, I assure you.”

Farris’s expression softened slightly as he looked at Fred. “It’s not me you should be apologising to.”

Fred nodded, his face flushed with humiliation. He turned to Harry, his voice breaking. “Mr. Winstone, I am so sorry. Please, my son didn’t know who you were. He made a terrible mistake.”

Harry regarded him quietly, his anger cooling as he saw the genuine fear and regret in the older man’s eyes. “Your son’s behaviour is unacceptable, Mr. Lyons. But this isn’t just about me. It’s about the way he treats people. You need to teach him that actions have consequences.”

Fred bowed his head, his shoulders sagging. “You’re absolutely right. I’ll make sure he understands.”

Peter, still clutching his cheek, looked at his father in disbelief. “Dad, you can’t be serious. You’re taking their side over your own son?”

Fred’s eyes flashed with fury as he turned on Peter. “You’re no son of mine,” he spat. “Not after tonight. You’ve shamed this family for the last time.”

Peter’s face crumpled in shock and pain. “Dad...”

“Don’t ‘Dad’ me,” Fred snapped. “You’re on your own now. You’ve made your bed, and you can lie in it.”

Tears welled up in Peter’s eyes as he took a shaky step back, the weight of his father’s words crashing down on him. “I didn’t mean to... I just...”

Fred turned away, his face set in a grim line. “We’re done here.”

The room was heavy with silence as Peter looked around, his eyes wild with desperation. “Please, I—”

But no one moved to help him. The crowd, once eager to see a confrontation, now watched with a mixture of pity and disdain as Peter’s world crumbled around him.

Farris took a step closer to Harry, his voice low. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Harry nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I’m fine. Just... tired of all this.”

Farris placed a hand on his shoulder, a rare gesture of solidarity. “You’ve handled this well. Better than most.”

Harry managed a small smile. “Thanks.”

Farris glanced back at Peter, who was still standing there, his face a mask of disbelief. “You did the right thing, Harry. Some people need a reality check.”

Harry nodded, but his thoughts were already drifting back to the hospital, to his foster mother. “I just want to get back to Celia.”

Farris’s eyes softened. “Of course. Let’s get you out of here.”

As they made their way to the exit, the crowd parted, whispers following in their wake. Harry could feel the weight of their gazes, but he held his head high, the confrontation with Peter and Avery already fading into the background. He had more important things to worry about.

The doors of the Sea Pavilion swung shut behind them, and Harry breathed in the cool night air, feeling a strange sense of peace settle over him. He had faced down his past, his doubts, and his anger, and come out the other side stronger for it.

He glanced at Farris, who gave him an approving nod. “You’re doing well, Harry. Just keep moving forward.”

Harry nodded, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. “I will. For Celia.”

With that, they got into the waiting car, and as it pulled away, Harry felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He was ready to face whatever came next, with the people who truly mattered by his side.