This is the end.

Hold your breath and count to ten.

The song played softly in the background but his mind was distant away. He had been sitting on the couch since Samuels dropped him back home leaving Manny in despair to what she could do. James just couldn't stop thinking about what he saw. Harper actually left with Ethan; the man he had despised. How? Why? James had become the state of a ghost, words passed straight through him and he began to feel transparent himself.

-"Mr Brewer?"

-"Mr Brewer?"

Numerous times Manny tried to catch his attention but he just didn't respond. He couldn't understand. It was like an intense riddle that he had been attempting for over months trying to resolve. Why? Why did she leave with him? James knew that he had become weaker, fragile over the topic of Harper, for being without her had changed him. He had no backbone. James was a coward and was no longer that stronger powerful man that months back he was.

Manny was clearing his empty glass from the side when she jumped out of her skin as James bashfully slammed his hands on the coffee table centred before him. James stood up running his hands through his hair as he raced towards the kitchen grabbing his car keys off the counter.

"Mr Brewer! Is everything okay?" Manny called out, chasing him until she halted watching as he slammed the front door behind him.

James got into his car burning rubber as he sped out the garage heading onto the main road. He took onto changing gears till he was reaching top speeds that needed great handle. He knew where he was going. Stopped slightly drifting to the left as he turned the ignition off jumping out the car as he headed to the glass doors. James threw the doors open heading straight to the lift that opened its doors giving him chance to escape the demanding receptionist who followed behind on his trail just missing him as the doors closed. No one else occupied the lift as it went on up to the top floor. James didn't even give the doors chance to open as he pushed through heading on as he passed a blonde haired assistant who called out after him. James went on opening the door flooding into the office where Ethan sat bemused trying to hide his shock by James' sudden in burst.

"You f**ker!" James growled heading over to his desk rushing past as thrashed his hand out grabbing Ethan by the collar. Ethan laughed dryly. "What brings your presence?"

-"Sir, would you like me to call security?" His PA interjected in.

"Oh no. Casey do me a favour and stand outside. James here, is just getting a little too friendly." He said, brushing James' hand from his collar. James only grabbed back with two hands lifting Ethan off his feet. "Where is she?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Who?" Ethan chuckled, ever so innocently smirking.

"Where is she?" James growled rattling Ethan.

"You mean Harper, I thought she never meant anything to you." Ethan said, his eyebrows lifting as he watched James' face flood with realisation.

"You. Your f**king plan. Stringing Katherine into this? You two f**king each other, such a nasty thought." James spat.

"Oooo but we both know she's good in bed. Don't we James? And Harper, wait till I get a taste of her." He smirked. James instantly reacted throwing a punch into Ethan's face causing his lip to break a bleed. Ethan laughed shaking his head. "Anger. Always the same. Though Harper, she's mighty fine. Seen her ass? Hey, we all know you seen that." James growled in the back of his throat as he pulled Ethan along throwing him against the wall.

-"Don't you f**king talk about her like that!"

"Why? Am I hurting your feelings?" He laughed. James threw a punch into his stomach causing Ethan to wheeze, James attacked again watching as Ethan dropped below to his feet wheezing however still trying to make of a joke with it all, a smirk plastered on his lips.

"Make...you...feel good, does...it?" Ethan wheezed, smirking as he turned in.

James went in for a kick to the stomach until he froze. Didn't freeze because he felt guilty or whimpered on the thought that he could kill him but because someone stopped him. Ethan bellowed wheezed chuckling lightly to himself below James' feet as he turned around. Harper stood there her eyes full of tears, her bottom lip quivering as her eyes never once left James.

"Harper..." He gasped.

Nothing was said only but the doors yelling as security bombarded in heading over to James as they took both of his arms firmly. "Harper!" James pleaded. Ethan was helped up behind where he wiped his nose and the blood that bled from his cracked lips with his back hand.

"I guess he couldn't take the truth." Ethan said as he approached over to Harper who still hadn't spoken a word as such yet. James watched in disgust and anger as Ethan placed his arm around her back in attempt to comfort her but only he knew it was his move of taking the piss, to anger James only further.

"Harper, don't believe a word he said!" James snapped, trying to thrash out the two bulky men's grip.

"James, I forgive you. You need to stop living in the past." Ethan beckoned, smirking slyly trying to play his part, before he snapped his fingers. "Take him out, gently though. He's fragile."

James snarled. "You f**king b**tard!" The two bulky men that kept James well locked into their grip started moving him out towards the door. "Harper!" He shouted in final hope that she would see sense.

Ethan only smirked as he rubbed his hand across his stubble before turning to face Harper. "I'm sorry you had to see that. He had come into my office all guns blazing, I couldn't fight him. What would that have made me?" Then he sighed, his head falling to the ground so he could smile to himself.

Harper still hadn't said a word and only moved away from him. "Excuse me for a moment." She said. Ethan nodded. "Of course, when you're ready, I'll get Casey to go through with you on the all the forms. I better clean myself up." Harper nodded heading out the office.

James gave up trying to get out their grasp and only succumbed as they stood either side by him as the lift went down. They led him out the exit all the way to the glass doors before letting go as they pushed him gently out. He sighed letting out air as he dug his hands into his pockets. That was the last straw. He had practically nearly killed a man and for as long as he knew, Harper could have watched him tear punches at him. What was the point now? Nothing was going to make it better. Congrats James Brewer, you deserve fool of the year.

-"James."

He turned around watching as Harper exited from the glass doors heading over to him. "Harper." He gasped, shocked by her presence.

"Was everything he said a lie? Did you mean what you said about me? Am I naïve, was I stupid fling?" She muttered, single tears escaping both her eyes. "I want to believe what I saw wasn't true, I want to believe what I heard that day wasn't true but I won't ever stop thinking or dwelling unless I know the real truth." Harper closed her eyes for a second, her bottom lip quivering as she added. "I'm giving you a chance. All I want to know, is...did or do you even love me? I want to hear it face to face."

At that moment, a group of cars sped up to the front of the building and with it a stampede of press climbed out.

And you know what James did, the only thing he was good at. Walking away. All for the cost of a deal. What happened to getting Harper back? Well he lost all hope.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could say as he pushed through the press that were encircling him demanding to know about the bust up which Ethan would have set up to create chaos. Harper refused to cry, no, she knew that was the truth. In actual fact, she felt like a weight had been pulled off her shoulders.

James had nothing to say after his Mother clipped his ear. "You stupid, stupid boy." She cried. His father sat on the opposite couch drinking from his mug and his sister, Violet well neither was she pleased and only shook her head in dismay.

"I have had it up to here. No more, you've disappointed me James. That woman, you've lost out. Big time. I have no choice, Michael tell him." His Mother sighed as she sat down next to Violet who wrapped her arms around her Mother in comfort.

Michael placed his mug down onto the coffee table, his eyebrows lifting up as he informed his son. "Your Mother and I have decided that you're getting married, soon as possible. Punishment, you lied so now you pay."

James said nothing in return, he expected this. Even Jackal would have probably recommended marriage sooner or later, he had just hoped he might have had the choice.

"James, why? Why do you do what you do? Why drag a poor woman into your games? Why son, when are you ever going to learn your lesson?" She insisted. "I didn't want to have to arrange your marriage, I didn't want that, you're a grown man who can make his own choices. I wanted you to fall in love." She sighed.

James still hadn't said a word. His Mother still had yet to find out that in truth he did really date Harper at one point until he messed up. He wasn't going to say that though. He and Harper were over. What could you achieve once you walked away?

Later that night, his Mother refused to speak to him. To make matters worse, the fresh print of accusations of him hitting Ethan were highlighted on the front page. His father was disappointed, angry at his behaviour that he made sure James had planned an excuse for tomorrow when he would meet the press.

The only person who dared to speak to him, was Violet who knocked on his bedroom door. His old bedroom that hadn't been touched since he was a late teenager. James was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling as Violet entered.

"I've brought up food. Thought you might be hungry." Violet said as she sat on the edge of his bed. James said nothing.

"James. Please talk to me." She begged. "I know there's something more to it than what you're bargaining. This isn't usually you. Gosh dammit James, they're arranging a marriage for you. The old James, he wouldn't stand for that. You're not even fighting back." She huffed.

James said nothing.

"James! What is f**king wrong with you! Why are you giving in?" She exclaimed.

"I f**king messed up! I messed up, there's nothing I can do!" James snapped sitting up.

"What did you do?" She hissed.

James sighed turning to hang his legs off the edge of his bed. "I...messed up. I walked away. I f**king walked away." He hung his head down low.

"Walked away from what?" She asked.

"I fell for her, and then I ruined it. Like I always do, I walk away from things." He blabbered on hiding his face into his arms.

"Who? Harper? I...thought that was all fake. Wait." She said as her forehead burrowed. "You love her, don't you?"

James looked up. "I don't know." He admitted.

Violet sighed. "You're too proud to admit it." James snorted. "Am I?"

"James, when you finally had the chance to meet someone you love, you blew it because the truth is you're scared. James, I don't know what you're going to do to change Mother's decision but truth is, you're going to get married."

"Basically to sum up the story of my life, I've messed up big time." He sighed. Violet sighed herself shaking her head as she got up heading for the door. "You have the power to change it."

The following day, James was forced into an interview on the accusations in which he reported were false then to make matters worse, his Mother was already preparing on picking the right one from the eligible woman in line to marry him, something he wasn't pleased about. He couldn't blame his Mother though and luckily the press on the accusations didn't falter the deal with Jackal, not like it mattered to him despite he had walked away from Harper because his excuse was the deal in his head but in reality perhaps his sister was right in saying he was scared.

Harper refused to think of James again. The whole week she had done nothing but focus on her new job. She had more trust in what Ethan had said on James, now knowing nothing between them was ever real. Her job was better now she was focusing on what she had learned to do. She had met new colleagues and became adjusted to her workplace.

Two weeks had gone. Elliot himself had been visiting more often that at one point, she was sure she had nearly walked in Elliot and Dani leaning in for a kiss. It was nice to see Dani actually falling for someone, it reminded her...of. No, she wouldn't say his name.

Josh, the man she had met on the bus. On one Friday, she had the courage to ask him out. He agreed; it sounded like he had been anticipating her phone call for a while. And for the first time, she felt great.

A Month Gone.

It that brief moment when she passed her old workplace that she saw the CEO. Saw James but he was not alone. Auburn haired, latching onto his arm as they entered the building. For that moment she was sure she saw him smile. And instead of jealously that she felt, she was happy for him........

Thanks for reading!!!! Yeah, I'm little :0 with this chapter. Not sure if it is any good. But I do hope you enjoyed it. And just to say thanks to all those loyal readers who have sticked with me all the way. It has been hard with all the comments in earlier chapters saying how's it similar to fifty or I have terrible grammar etc,etc. But honestly those comments mean nothing and will not stop me from writing! So thank you!! Chapter 54 should be up soon! I do have a week off in other-words a half term so I should have time to update. Thank you again, please VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE if you enjoyed this chapter.

You guys are honestly amazing!!!!!

VAMPIREFANGSRULES

xxx