Chapter 5 -Jane Smith

“No!!!!”

Karina shoves the bottles of perfume on her dresser to the floor. They all smash into pieces and she stares at her disheveled state as anger coursed through her veins.

“Karina! What the hell are you doing?!”

Dario scolds feeling angry himself. Karina scoffs.

“Didn't you see that bastard at the party! Didn't you see how well-dressed he was looking?! That damn smug look on his face! He came to daunt us I'm so mad!”

Dario lets out a deep sigh as he sits on the bed silently fuming.

“I can't believe he made his way into the elite society and what? Did he change his name? How could it be that he acquired all that wealth?”

Karina glares at Dario.

“Why didn't you figure out he was released already?! He was meant to be there for five fucking years Dario! How the hell is he out?!”

Dario rises to his feet and grips Karina's shoulders.

“Calm down Karina! Pull yourself together! Don't turn into a mess because of that bastard”

Karina pushes him away.

“Then you need to do something and fix this immediately. I won't be able to be at peace knowing that man is walking free. Did you see the way he looked at us?”

Karina gasps with fear in her eyes.

“What if he comes to get us for what we did? With all the money he has now it won't be so easy to toss him away like before”

Karina was making sense but Dario was too shocked to even speak. He was in awe that Hardin was released. It didn't make sense. How was that even possible and how did he acquire so much money with few days? He sat on the bed with his two hands on his head. It all didn't make any sense.

For a man who recently came out of jail to have such wealth and power to join the elite club. Had he been rich all along and faked his identity?

“Dario!”

Dario lets out a long sigh.

“I can't think Damnit!”

Karina was starting to get on his nerves with all the fuss she was making. It was only adding to his anxiety.

Dario rises to his feet and places two hands in his pocket.

“You don't go around panicking. I will handle this myself and make sure it is sorted out. In the meantime don't bother me about this. Okay?!”

Dario walks out of the room leaving a worried Karina with her thoughts.

“Hardin. How dare you return?”

…

Hardin sipped on his cup of coffee as he reminisced on the looks on Dario and Karina's faces. He had waited so long to see that look. It was worth it.

Hardin smirks. He is interrupted by a brief knock on his office door.

“Come in”

Layla, his secretary, walks in and bows at him.

“What is it?”

It was too early in the morning for any sort of problems and Hardin didn't want to deal with it.

“Sir, you have a guest”

Hardin quirks an eyebrow at Layla in confusion. He wasn't expecting any guests.

“Who is it?”

“You should know by now”

A woman dressed in a silk shirt and red dress pushes past Layla. She had a designer bag in one arm and huge dark sunshades that hid her face.

Her entire aura screamed rich.

“Layla you may excuse us”

Layla leaves, shutting the door behind her. Hardin frowns.

“Who are you?”

The woman scoffs and takes off her sunglasses. She looked young. Maybe in her mid-thirties.

“Jane Smith”

She sits down and crosses her legs staring at Hardin with a disdainful look.

“What? No coffee for me?”

Hardin scoffs.

“I'll ask for the last time before you'll be kicked out of here. Who the hell are you?”

Jane snickers.

“Oh you're quite scary but I'm disappointed you must have heard of me. I'm your father's mistress”

Hardin's expression hardens. He had heard from Attorney Paul that day that Jane was trying to get her hands on his father's inheritance.

“I have a son who should have been the one in that little position you're comfortable in right now”

Hardin leans back on his seat.

“And what makes you think an illegitimate child should deserve this position”

Jane slams her hands on the table.

“Don't you dare address my son like that! I don't know who the hell you are. You came out from nowhere and took everything I had worked so hard for! I stood by your father throughout his last moments. My son and I deserve every part penny so how dare you show up from nowhere and take it all?!”

Hardin leans forward with a stoic look.

“Don't tell me, Miss Smith…You didn't kill my father did you?”

Jane rises up almost knocking down the seat.

“How dare you?!”

“Listen Carefully!”

Hardin rises as well staring at her with a cold expression.

“Don’t you dare show up in front of me ever again if you don't want to get on my bad side? Trust me, you wouldn't want to make me an enemy Jane. I suggest you live a quiet life with your son with the money you already acquired over the years and get lost”

Jane scoffs.

“Do you think your threats will work on me? Do you think I will give it all up so easily? No. Absolutely not Hardin. I have no idea how you fell from the sky and claimed what you didn't deserve but I will make sure what is mine returns back to where it belongs and no one can stop me”

Hardin was amused by Jane. He couldn't imagine how she had no shame in wanting more than she deserved.

Hardin gently sits down.

“I wish you good luck with that”

Jane puts on her big sunglasses and storms out.

“However…”

She halts in her steps but doesn't turn back.

“If you dare to mess with me. Be prepared for the consequences”

Jane scoffs loudly and turns around.

“Oh I just got chills”

Her tone was filled with mockery before she turned on her heels and walked away.

Hardin calls in Layla.

“Yes sir?’

“Find out everything you know about Jane Smith”

Hardin leans back on his seat with a smirk.

“What an interesting woman”