Harieth

Each step I took felt heavy and exhausting but I couldn’t stop. This was my solace. This was my therapy.

I shrugged my shoulders a bit as I adjusted a half filled shopping bag in my hand before going further. The cry of a child made me come to a stop and I slightly look past my shoulder to the direction of the cry.

There, a young girl, around the age of six, stood, crying as her mother tries all possible best to pacify her. I watched her shake her head in rejection to the apology before pointing to the lollipop she had apparently dropped by mistake. Her mother, an average caucasian stood straight as she let out an exhausted sigh. The child on the other hand kept crying, causing several eyes to lurk their side in the mall. I graded the lady’s appearance from head to toe and I could tell she was having a hard time but for some reason, managed to make her way into the mall. Therefore, her sigh wasn’t really because of her inability to handle her daughter and her daughter’s cry, perhaps, not just because of the dropped lollipop but because of not generally having all she really wants and the lady unable to afford what her daughter truly wants.

A weak but definite smile curled up the side of my face, something about the two seeming a bit funny. Well, I’ve finally got the distraction I’ve truly craved all day. Without thinking twice, I walked up to the two.

Upon my arrival, the lady gave a clueless stare at first but I displayed a broad smile in understanding that everything would be alright then crouched down to meet the height of her daughter whose face had turned a bit red. Her raven hair had been braided into two ponytails and her lips twitched a bit as her sobs tuned down upon laying eyes on me.

“What’s wrong dear? Why are you crying?” I intentionally questioned and waited for her reply. She blinked a few times then sniff before giving a reply.

“My lollipop… I dropped it.” She explained in an adorable voice that I couldn’t help smiling.

“Is that all?” I questioned and she nodded.

“You know what dear, pretty girls like you shouldn’t cry because of lollipops. If you want to cry about something then let it be worth your tears. Okay?” I narrated but she just stared at me with confusion. Okay, perhaps, I just spoke jaggons to her. I’ll have to come down to her level.

“What’s your name dear?” I popped and she sniffed once more in hesitation before speaking.

“Gretha.”

“Gretha. That’s a nice name…”

“Um, excuse me miss.” Her mother finally intervened and I’m forced to look up to her.

“Thank you for attempting to calm her down but we’re fine. I can take care of her.” She defended and I’m forced to stand straight on my feet once more. My eyes burrowed into hers.

“Really?” I stated in a bit of a mockery. Why do people have to lie all the time? Just say you need help and everything’s solved.

She narrowed her brows at me, a bit unhappy with my comment. Truly, I couldn’t care so I returned to my position with her daughter.

“Gretha, how would you love to have more than enough lollipops than you can take?”

“More lollipop?” she questioned with slightly widened eyes.

“Yes!” I replied enthusiastically.

“You can also have ice cream, pizza, cotton candy, clothes, shoes, anything you desire. Assume today’s christmas.”

“Christmas!?” She exclaimed with a brighter face.

“Excuse me miss.” Her mother intervened once more as she took hold of her daughter’s hand and dragged her to her side like I was some plague. I was forced to stand straight once more as I properly turn to the lady.

“I appreciate the gesture but you have to understand how strange your offer sounds at the moment. You’re a stranger…”

“Harieth. My name is Harieth Gryffin. Now, we have the introduction out of the way, let’s go get your lollipop Gretcha.” I stated the last statement while having my eyes fixated on the little girl whose smile broadened at the sound of getting her heart desires.

“Miss!” The lady exclaimed a bit louder to get my attention.

“Thank you but no thanks. I might not be well-off as you but I can fend for my daughter quite alright. Don’t always be quick to assume every lackey looking person would rush at your offers. Good day.” She queried boldly before turning away almost immediately and walking away. I watched as they went.

Suddenly, Gretha turned her head back to take a look at me. As our eyes met, I displayed a simple smile and gave a slight wave. She looked away and in less than a minute, she dragged her hand off her mother’s hold and ran back to me which kind of took me by surprise. She took hold of my hand in hers and I found myself staring at our hands joined together.

“I want to go with Harieth.” She boldly stated and as I shifted my eyes back to her mother, I could see the disappointment as well as exhaustion in her eyes. Clearly, she had expected more from her daughter. With Gretha by my side, I walked up to her.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I have no intention of hurting your daughter… Honestly, I was struggling with a bit of a dilemma when I heard her cry. I just want to make her smile. Perhaps, I’ll forget my problems as well. What do you say?” I narrated, kind of hoping my honesty would make her come around.

I watched her battle a great conflict within her, unable to utter a word yet. She focused her eyes on her daughter and I could see them grow soft. Immediately, I knew this was a done deal. A broad smile played out on my face.

Christian

The light came on once more as a message came through and I’m forced to take a quick glance at my phone. It was an alert from the bank.

Sooner than later, another alert came through and a light frown surfaced between my brows so I reached for the phone to find out more about the alert. Almost right away, another came through and I quickly tap on the message. My eyes widened a bit at the amounts withdrawn almost at the same time upon different locations.

“Christian. Christian are you listening?” Lucas voice pushed me back to reality. My brows raised at him in momentary confusion.

“Are you okay?” He questioned and I’m forced to take one look around, the few eyes of the personnel in the room reminding me that I wasn’t alone.

I put up a quick smile alongside a nod.

“Yes.” I replied to his question before letting my phone lay back on the table. Eventually, they all looked away and the meeting proceeded as usual.

As words and ideas were exchanged, all I could think about was the fact that my wife had no self control. The light of my phone kept coming on at intervals and I’m forced to remain calm and pretend like nothing was happening. My hands folded into tight fists beneath the desk.

How infuriating.

Harieth

“Welcome back Mrs. Hendrix.” Sylvia’s warm and simple smile greeted me as soon as I stepped into the mansion that evening and I nodded in acceptance of her greeting.

“I’ve got quite a lot of stuff in the car. Do get someone to help you bring them all up to my room.” I told her and watched as she gave a polite nod before I was on my way towards the stairs.

“Oh and…” suddenly, I turned back to her upon an unexpected thought and she immediately does the same upon hearing the sound of my voice.

“Is Christian back?” I had to ask and watched as she shook her head alongside a quick reply.

“No madam.”

“Ah… I see.” I commented in a strange manner before turning away from her and making my way up the stairs.

I set the hand dryer back on the table once sure my hair was all dry. I had taken my bath and was now dressed in my pyjamas. I picked up the hair brush and began brushing my long golden hair to smooth and neat appearance. Afterwards, I applied the necessary cosmetics on my skin, especially my face and in the end, found myself staring at my reflection.

A tiresome sigh eluded my lips. Surely, I do feel better after doing some shopping. That little girl and her mother got to see the generous side to me. A simple smile curled up on my lips. I’m not so bad afterall.

“What is wrong with you?” Christian’s voice startles me to immediate turn to him.

For the first few seconds, I stared at him a little surprises by his sudden presence and eventually noticed the little frown settled between his brows. I looked a little behind me and found the door wide open.

“Did you barge into my room again?”

“Are you really never going to grow up?” His question follows mine right away, disregarding my question.

A disbelief sigh eluded my lips as I looked away from him for a second.

“What? What did I do this time around to offend his majesty, Christian Hendrix?” I questioned a little nonchalantly as I push my eyes back to him.

A scoff eluded his lips as he slightly moved his weight onto the right leg.

“What did you… forget it. Just hand over the card to me.”

“What card?”

“The credit card registered under my name. The one I let you have because I thought you were reasonable and mature. Return that card to me.” He requested with a hand stretched out.

I stared at him quite speechless before looking at his hand and back to his face. This man right here must be kidding.

“So I spent a few dollars today, big deal. Christian, in three generations to come, you’ll still be super rich. Do me a favour and don’t be greedy.” I stated as I got to my feet and attempted walking past him but he suddenly grasped onto my arm and I’m forced to look up to him. As our eyes met, I noticed his frown had disappeared but something deeper and unexplainable entailed within his eyes.

“I’m not here because of the money you spent. I’m here because you neither have respect nor regard for how that money was gotten so you spent carelessly.” His words come out sharp and hot that I felt a little taken aback for a moment.

I shouldn’t let him get to him.

“What’s this? Some pep talk of sorts?” I questioned in a light amusement, clearly disregarding his words or point.

“It’s just money, Christian.” I stated as I attempted freeing my arm from his grip but to no avail.

“True. If it’s so ordinary then you can live without it. I’ll just take the card with me.” He stated before releasing my arm and for the first seconds I watched as he headed towards the bed and only when my eyes caught sigh of my purse did I realise what he was heading for. Immediately, I rush after him. I just can’t let him take it.

“Christian stop!” I exclaimed just as he reached for the purse but he turned deaf ears and took hold of it anyways.

I took hold of it as well in his hands.

“It’s my card. You can’t take it.” I argued as I attempted all possible means of taking the purse off his hands but a man would always be a man. His strength was obviously greater than mine.

“Harieth stop it.” His words come out quick and short. A calm warning and it angers me that he’s still so calm.

“Let go Christian.” I ordered as I pull on the purse and he does his own fair share of it as well. We pull at opposite ends that a part of me feared my pretty purse might end up tearing into two in the end but the opposite happened. My fingers slip out of hold and almost at once, I lose my balance going backwards. In fear of getting hurt, I quickly grasped onto his shirt hoping I would be okay. Turns out his balance was shaky as well so in a spun of a moment, we both fell.

Luckily, it was on the bed. In only took about a minute for me to realise he had fallen on top of me. As he raised his head and our eyes met, mine widened in surprise as to how close we were as well as the position we were in. He just stared back as well. There, I could feel my own heartbeat accelerate and every other sound around me went silent. All I could see were his eyes, his lips and how… how I strangely anticipated… his kiss at this moment.

I’m doomed, aren’t I?

Hi guys! Hope you loved the chapter. Sorry for the late update. I'm finally done with my exams so updates will come more frequently now. Thank you for your patience.