Harry.

I watch as the love of my life marches away with me moments after leaving me with an ultimatum.

Her or the business.

I never thought the day would come where she ever made me choose, but here I am, watching her make her way towards the elevator to leave, and here I am, just standing and watching.

I glance over towards Niall and don't think twice about extracting him from Anastasia's grasps. I don't need to say a word before he gives me a nod and steps away from Anastasia.

"Harry, what is the plan, what are you doing?" Niall murmurs as I hammer against the tile and stride my way to the elevator.

I glance towards Niall, "First, we are speaking to that son of a bitch, then I am dismissing this party from hell. Apparently, I need to salvage my fucking marriage." I inform Niall before I stare at my phone, sending a signal for security to wait at the entrance of my building with Jack. I have quite a few words to say and I'll be damned if I don't get them out.

Niall and I step into the elevator and he pushes the ground floor, "Harry, what do you mean salvage your marriage?"

I clear my throat with a heavy sigh, "well, my wife has finally cracked. She wants me to choose between her or this business."

"And what are you doing?"

I roll my eyes and gaze up at the elevator numbers gradually declining. "She's the love of my fucking life, Niall. I have no choice. I will always choose her."

"What are you going to do? Are you selling?"

I shake my head, at this point, I am not selling, I don't think that is what Elise is requiring, but if that is what she desires, then I will sell. I have a decision to make and I don't want to lose her. I don't think I could function if she left me. I don't want to even think about the possibility of her walking out on the marriage. Like her, I never desired for all of this tragedy to occur. I desired a successful business and a loving marriage. I guess we don't always get what we want. I should have learned that a long time ago.

"Unless that is what I have to do, no. Until I can have a proper conversation with Elise, I am going to have to hand you the reins for a little. I can't dive full force into the business while my marriage is on the rocks. She has had enough."

Niall nods, seeming to be a bit more understanding than I had anticipated, "Whatever you need."

"I'll pay you extra from my own earnings. This is just until I can figure things out."

"Not a problem, lad. Work on your priorities."

I nod, it seems like Niall even knows I don't have my priorities in order. I didn't think things were that inadequate.

I just got my business back and here I am handing it off to Niall and I don't even know what the fuck I am meant to do to correct anything. How do I fix my marriage if I don't exactly know what is wrong with it? I thought we were doing fine and this rough patch would blow over. I thought this rage inside me and the irritation would subside. I didn't think it would cause Elise to give me a decision to execute.

"She basically said I was like my father," the words leave my lips and I feel as though every nerve in my body pulsates rapidly at it.

I never in a million years aspired to become him in any way, no shape or form. I desired to be the complete opposite of him, loving, caring, humble and most of all successful with life, a business and love. Perhaps I have failed and have become my worst nightmare, him.

"She's just scared, mate."

"No, she was furious, not scared. It was the retaliation of fear."

"I don't know your father, but I gather he is a horrid man since you never talk about it. I am sure you're not who he is."

"I don't know, but Elise took a low blow," I murmur just as the doors open and I stride out, dismissing the conversation. My father, who can rot in hell, is not of my concern right now.

I make eye contact with the team of security and the man who made it his mission to destroy this evening. "Jack," I greet with a fake smile, doing my best not to beat the living daylights out of him. I should have done it the moment his hands wrapped around Elise's wrist nearly two years ago at my event. "What was your mission tonight?"

He doesn't answer, instead, he stares at my marble flooring. "Jack, you took my wife and his girlfriend, what was your motive?" I request, attempting to stay composed and collected. I want to know what the fuck his plans were and I intend to get my answer.

"Can't say," he shrugs and I step closer to him. I press my finger under his chin and force him to look me in the eye.

"You have two options, you can tell me and get an easier sentence or you can not tell me and I make sure you sit in a prison cell for a long time. Don't play me, I have the fucking power to do it." I warn the man with ease, surprised I am managing my temper quite thoroughly.

Jack bites his lip and gulps, perhaps swallowing his pride. "He'll kill me."

"Who?"

"The master." ... "If I tell you, he'll kill me."

"This is fucked up. Are you fucking with me? Is this some kind of joke?" I raise my voice due to his comments. His words are the kind of words I would hear in some kind of fucked up movie.

Jack shakes his head, "he wants everything you have... he plans to hurt her now that I failed the task." Jack whispers and I bite my lip, forcing myself not to react in any sort of irrational way.

"Take him away, I am done," I murmur, stepping away and enabling security to take him.

I don't think I want my questions answered. I want this torment to cease. This is a game I don't want to play anymore. This is why Elise is on edge and has threatened to basically walk out on me, I guess she figured out this game of death before I did.

Fuck.

"I want everyone out of this building in an orderly manner, we will tell them there has been an emergency of some sort. I don't really fucking care. I want all guests to leave." I inform Niall as my phone starts vibrating with Elise's name appearing on the screen.

I ignore it.

"Okay, we can do that." Niall nods just as I hear the sound of heels against the marble flooring, for a moment I assume it is Elise, but I am surprised when it is Anastasia.

I thought I left her with security upstairs?

"Anastasia, you can go home."

"Do you need help with anything?" She quickly asks as I thread my fingers through my hair.

Anastasia, I am beyond help at this fucking point.

"I think it is safer if you go home."

"Are you sure? I can help usher the guests out before I leave."

I glance towards Niall, unsure of whether she should stay. I don't really know if I need to speak to her as a CEO or as a friend who is just attempting to help. I can't separate work and that is another one of the fucking problems with my marriage. Niall gives me a nod, "we are going to tell them it is an emergency or some shit."

"Niall, that is not professional."

"Love, I don't think he is looking for professional at this point," Niall endeavours to whisper but I hear his shit attempt and can't help but grunt a chuckle from it. He is correct, I am not really looking for professional, I am looking to get everyone the fuck out of my building and to secure it before I go and attempt to reconcile with my wife.

"We will tell them it is a family emergency and Mr Styles needs everyone to leave so he can too, leave. Be polite, Niall." Anastasia orders and I look down at my phone to see Elise calling again.

For fuck's sake— she is pissing me off right now— I am busy. The quicker I get this done, the quicker she can bitch at me in private. I don't want to hear her bitching over the phone.

"Let's get this done." I gesture towards the doors where I still have guests mingling and doing only god know what, I hope my caterers have kept them well occupied with fresh foods and wine.

My phone rings again and I subsequently pick up, "Elle, what?" I huff, but the line is silent, I frown for a moment, "Hello?" ... "Elise?" I speak as I hear muffled sounds from the other end.

That's when I overhear the voice that makes me weak in my knees, the voice that has tormented me since I can remember, my father. His voice booms and sends my nerves pulsating, "Been waitin' on Harry... What are you doing?" His voice is piercing in my ear.

"Elle? Elise? Fuck, love?" I roar as I gather a small squeal before shuffling and a deadline.

I look down at my phone as the call ends, I try to call back but it goes straight to her voicemail like the phone is off.

I glance towards Niall, "get everyone the fuck out of here, then call security and cops," ... "Don't alarm the guests, but get everyone out ASAP," I instruct fiercely before I am traveling towards the elevators.

"Harry—"

"Get the fuck out of my way," I push Charles to the side as I reach the elevator. I thrust the button countless times, hoping it opens the elevator doors faster.

"Harry, what's going on?"

"I don't have time, Charles. Fuck off." I respond with a heavy groan before the doors open and I step in. I press the top floor and glare at Charles. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Coming with you, what's going on."

I feel the blood in me boil and before I can think twice, I pin Charles against the elevator wall, "if I find out you have anything to fucking do with this, I swear on my life I will make your life a living hell before I put you six feet under. Do you understand me?" I gnarl, my fingers embedding themselves into his shirt with such satisfaction. "Don't fucking nod, speak."

"Yes."

I can feel my body shaking with ferocity, my hands only want to grip him tighter and continue to knock him against the walls' of this elevator like a rag doll. I swallow and take a breath before I release my grip on him and step away. Mainly for my own sanity. I don't need to physically harm anyone. Not when I want to show Elise I am not my father.

The elevator doors open and I fly out of the quicker than I can blink. I run down the hallway, a hallway that I swear just got 30 miles long since my heart is in my throat and I want nothing more than to make sure Elise is perfectly fine.

*** ***

The moment I recognize Elise and my father in front of me, my world ceases. There he is, handling a gun towards the most exquisite creature I have ever come across. He's holding the love of my life at the end of a barrel and has every moment to pull the trigger without warning.

Her eyes glance over at me and I swear on everything, every inch of my heart fractures into pieces. "No, please," my words are delicate as I gaze over at my father while Charles halts beside me. "Don't do this, not to her."

I'll give it all up, everything, the company, the money, every single fucking thing. I don't give a damn if I never see my business again or if I never see the day of light, all I care about is Elle.

My father glances at me and my whole body trembles with fear, I know what he's capable of. My body stings at the reminder of that one night he sought to kill me while he was intoxicated, the last time I had contact with him. He still has that same relentless stare that is ruthless and piercing; I'm a man who isn't easily scared, but I'm not lying when I say he terrifies the fuck out of me.

"Welcome to the final show, Harry," my father welcomes me with this evilly malicious smile that is, of course, sarcastic— I'm not fucking smiling— and I don't find this fucking funny.

I want to move and hold Elise, I want to shield her with my body and do everything possible to keep her nice and safe, but I know from the look in my father's eyes and the gun in his hand that it'll be no use. My impromptu move will only cause him to retaliate. "Please don't do this, she doesn't deserve it, you know this. You know better. She's not who your issue is with."

"You're right, it isn't, you are," he waves the gun towards me as though it's some gadget that is regularly played with, "but hurting her kills you more than anything." He points the barrel back to Elise.

She breaks contact with me and stares down at her feet — sweetheart, I'll never let anything happen to you, have confidence in me. I want to console her and assure her she's okay, but I can't. I don't even think she'd believe me at this point. After tonight, I'm not sure I'll have much of a marriage, this is surely the last straw with her.

I should have taken her home when she requested, I should have put her first and not worried about anything else. I'm a fuck up like the man in front of me— I destroy everything.

"Whatever you want, it's yours."

"Her."

"No, not her. Anything else and it's yours." I shake my head, unsure of how the hell I'm meant to bargain my father for my own wife.

I will get down on my hands and knees and beg if that is what it takes to ensure her safety. I don't give a flying fuck about my own life at this point— he can take it— he can take my last breath like he has tried to do before. He can take it, as long as he spares her.

I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to her, I wouldn't live. I couldn't do it. I promised I would always protect her and honour her, I intend to keep my vows to her until my last day on this earth. I don't care what the cost is. Nothing measures up to her— she is my everything.

"Dad, please don't do this. You can have anything, fuck you can kill me, but for the love of god, please don't hurt her. I am pleading, please." I put myself on the line, giving him the perfect bargain, if he wants to take a life, he can fucking take mine. I don't give a damn.

"Wait, Dad?" Charles interjects, not picking a good time to ultimately speak the fuck up. "Why are you calling him Dad?"

I immediately glance at him, "He's my fucking father, why else?"

Is he fucking stupid? Why the hell else would I call a man father?

"That's impossible, he's my father. He's a Taylor."

I roll my eyes, I don't know what kind of fuckery Charles is on right now, but I don't care.

"Ah, I forgot the two of you are clueless." My father snickers, "Harry, meet your other brother Charles, the only one I thought was loyal out of the three of yeh, oh how I was wrong." My father enlightens us with an exhalation.

I would love to say that I'm surprised that this bombshell is being revealed, but I'm not. With how things have been the last few months, nothing surprises me. For fuck's sake, I escaped death somehow that was meant for Logan.

"Just let her go, have some remorse. Somewhere deep down you still have a heart who cares for their children."

"Ha, I killed your brother and almost you— do you think I have remorse for any of you? You all are just puppets with X's on their backs." ... "you all just couldn't play the game right. You had to go off and be successful in business. Well, now look at you all. Logan's 6 feet under. Harry you, were nearly in a grave, now it's about to be your wife, and Charles, well you're just a fucking moron who believed everything I said."

He seems to be getting some sort of entertainment out of all of this. He has to be psychotic. It is evident. This is no longer something that can be blamed on the alcohol consumption. He's sober. The red in his eyes aren't from alcohol, they're his reminder to me that he is my own personal Satan.

Oh, how I wish I could just have my way with this man and send him to hell. We all know that's where he belongs.

"You can have everything."

My father shrugs as though he doesn't care, maybe he doesn't, but part of me hopes he does, "Eh, you're a bit too late, Harry."

"You can have every last cent I have, you can have the vault, everything."

"Everything? Even the offshore accounts? And Logan's assets?" He challenges as if money can buy him everything plausible and satisfy that void inside him.

I nod, "everything, I will give it all to you in return you put the gun down and let her go."

"No. That's too easy."

"Fine, you get nothing," I murmur out of irritation. Probably not the right thing to do in this situation, but it seems I can't do anything.

"You're testing the limits."

"A hostage is only worth anything alive." ... "If you want everything, it is all laid for you,"

"I think you forgot who's in charge."

Fuck, his voice is enough to want to wish he would just take me already and put me out of my misery. His voice is similar to nails on a chalkboard— no matter how much you attempt to ignore the shivering squeal, you just can't. "You know she means more than anything to me, I know you know what it's like to be in love. Remember when you were in love, Dad? It was great, wasn't it? You know what it's like to love a woman, please don't do this to her." ... "she's the mother of my child, your grandchild, deep down you know you don't want to hurt her."

He shrugs as though my words mean nothing. To him, they may just be words, but to me, they are my whole fucking heart.

"She's the only way to make you suffer and that's what I want. For you to feel the same lonely, bitterness I have felt. I want you to know what it's like to lose everything you love. I want you to fail. This all should have been mine." He gestures his arms around the penthouse, essentially referencing the fortune that my business has managed.

If only he knew that all the success in the world doesn't mean shit if you don't have the love of your life to support you and love you.

"It can still be yours. There's no way you can look at her and not feel remorse for wanting to harm her. She's not me or Logan, she's innocent." I comment, digging into my pocket and drawing out the set of keys for the building, "all yours," I murmur while holding the keys in front of him as a bargaining tool. He raises a brow, he's thinking about whether to take my proposal or to keep torturing me.

For a moment, I think he's going to continue to torture me, but he proves me wrong.

He holds his hand out for them, "give me Elise," I instruct, gesturing for him to enable her to at least walk to me. Anything. I just need her closer to me and closer to the fucking door.

I can't imagine what's rushing through her head right now.

"Drop the keys and walk." My father instructs, pointing the gun at me and gesturing towards Elise.

Without thinking twice, I make my way over to her and draw her into my chest. I feel her fingers embed themselves into my shirt as though she's holding on for dear life— and in a way, she is— we both are.

"It's okay," I whisper, unsure of whether I am attempting to convince her or myself that things are okay— let's be real, this isn't okay at all— this is all fucking crazy. "I love you," I breathe out and she mumbles into me, her grip tightening when my father's voice echoes through the room.

"You sicken me, turn around and face me," my father growls and I feel Elise flinch at the tone of his voice.

"I love you," I immediately whisper again before I turn around and face my father, the devil. I purposely position myself to shift Elise closer to the wall so my own body is shielding her. I feel her hand press to my shoulder with a squeeze.

I want to console her, I do. But I can't. I have to continue dancing with the devil to get my way. I promise if I make it out alive I am done with gambling and this business world. Elise was right, it's my business that's going to end up killing me.

"You have what you want, why are you doing this?"

"Do you think I'm that easy to brush off?" He snickers and rolls his eyes, "you, I see you are a trader. Went to your brothers' side. You know what happened to the last guy that jumped sides? Of course, you do, he's also your brother." Our father laughs that roar that is cringeworthy and repulsive. It sends erratic shivers down my spine and I can feel Elise shuttering at it.

Charles just stares at his father, stunned. Poor guy, he has quite literally been living a lie. I guess my father fucked him up just like he managed to fuck Logan and me up. He played us all off of each other with some ridiculous mastermind game.

"I don't know what to say," Charles breathes out and our father waves the gun over towards him.

"Get on your knees, trader. You will learn a lesson or two about life. You don't bite the hand that feeds you. You don't betray your only family to save the ones that took everything from you. He never once helped you."

"He didn't know about me, he is family. You told me you just wanted to scare him for double-crossing you."

Our father laughs for what feels like the hundredth time. "A good master never reveals his full plan. It's a good thing I didn't, Logan turned on me and so did you." ... "You know, if you all played along with my plans, this wouldn't have come to this. You should have handed everything over the first time it was set up, but no. You all had to be complicated." My father begins to ramble on and on about how we didn't play his game precisely.

Like we were meant to know he had set this game up for us to play. I don't know what went wrong with him, I thought him attempting to kill me that drunken night was just the alcohol, I guess I was wrong. I don't think I will ever understand the whole reason behind this torment that has followed me from my childhood to now.

"If you're not going to take the money and everything else, why don't you just shoot me already? You're wasting time." I mutter, staring my father dead in the eye like a bull ready to pounce on that red flag.

Elise gasps, her hand squeezing my shoulder, "Harry, sh." She whispers, somewhat scolding me for my comment.

It is the truth, if he was wanting to get me out of the picture, he would have done it already. Why waste time when the barrel is loaded?

He may as well rip it off like a band-aid. Get this over and done with.

"You've always been the one who speaks his mind. Why don't you step away from her and let me take my aim?"

I shake my head. Over my dead body can he take his aim at her. "No, take what you want and let us be. There are the keys. Here, here is my wallet with all my cards, go to town on them," I dig into my pockets and pull out my wallet before throwing it towards him.

I don't know what he wants, I am willing to give him everything I own, but he is being greedy. Am I meant to get on my knees and beg? I will.

"Tell me the access code to the vault." My Father instructs and I gesture towards the keys and my wallet.

"On the seventh floor, when you get out of the elevator, take a right, walk down the hall to the seventh floor on the left, a key on the chain will unlock it. You will then have to use the card in my wallet that is all black with gold numbers on it, swipe the card. The code to get in is 02-05-21-05, her birthday and the date we got married. The vault will then open and you have all you desire." I inform my father on how to get exactly what he requires, access to sealed files, (Important high dollar files), half a million in cash that I stored for emergencies, access to everything that has made me successful basically.

He takes my keys and wallet and lowers his gun. I feel my breath escape my lips and the weight lift from my shoulders.

I hope the bastard gets caught by security and the defence team that seems to have taken the sweet fucking time. I turn around and wrap my arms around Elise, holding her tightly. I never went to let go of her again or leave her side. I vow to never allow her to be put in this position again. I will do what it takes, even if she hates me.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper while holding her.

That's when everything happens. I apprehend the raucous sonance before I feel the rush of adrenaline hitting my body. It takes the breath out of me, making me feel as though I've suddenly been winded.

"No, please–" Elise begins, "No, Harry."

My body tenses and I try my hardest to stay withdrawn and not scream out in anguish, I try, I do. But I can't help but let out a groan to channel out my pain.

FUCK.

"Fine, darling. Shh." I mutter as I kiss her forehead, agonising pain shooting through me like a raging fire that has no intentions of burning out before everything feels numb and tingly.

Please, just take her to safety, I'm begging.

I take a breath, everything already commencing to feel as though it is rotating.

My time is near, I know it.

"I love you, always have... always will."

Elise shakes her head, "No, I swear to fucking God this isn't happening, no. We aren't doing this again, no. I love you but no." She continues to shake her head as though we have control over this.

I let out a faint chuckle, unable to keep it in. "I love you, jus' promise to remember."

"I love you, but you're not leaving me again." ... "Please, don't leave me, Harry." I see her eyes becoming coated with a glossy film before her tears fall.

As I stare into her eyes that are doe shaped and the windows to her soul, I witness the gorgeous woman I first saw when I was twenty-one, when I didn't know what love was. I see the woman that made me the happiest man to exist, the woman who never gave up on me and made me a better man. I see the woman that turned me down the first time I asked her on a date, the woman who resembled an angel when I finally saw her stepping down the aisle to me—the aisle she eased down with a balletic grace. I see the woman of my dreams— my true love.

To this day I still think she is the most beautiful spirit to have ever graced this earth, I hail the ground she walks on.

I want to tell her I am sorry— I am sorry for all of this, but I can't. Everything feels heavy, my legs, my arms, my body, my eyes and more importantly my heart.

"I need some help, someone get me fuckin' medical help," Elise yells out. Even when cussing and yelling, her voice still is the most beautiful thing to overhear.

I can feel things getting closer, my body trembling even more, "hey, please, stay with me, I love you, but please stay with me." She breathes out as my eyes go in and out of focus. I lean on the wall while she does her best to help me... She should just let me fall.

At this point, I'm not even sure I want to fight through all this. I don't think I have it in me.

Life is bursting with choices, I made some exceptional choices— her being the best damn thing— but I also made some severe ones, ones I regret.

I promised this woman 'until death does us part.

Is this where we part?

If it is, I can live with it because I know I have loved her with every beat of my heart, every day of my life and with every breath I have endured.

"Harry, please, stay with me, sweetheart. Don't let him win, stay with me. Look at me." Elise instructs, her voice slowly feeling as though it is fading into the distance and I am getting further and further away from her. "You're stronger than this, keep your eyes on me, there we go. I love you, you can't go anywhere," she tries to smile at me through her tears. I think she knows just as well as I do that this may be the last time we see each other in the same world. "Help is on its way, H."

"Tell.. Mum and.. Gem, I love...them." I breathe out slowly. "I'm sorry."

I truly am sorry, I am sorry for everything I have put her through, I am sorry for being so pig-headed and self-centred at times, if I had my time over I would change. I am so sorry for being a dick the last few weeks because of the lost I have felt, I pushed her away and destroyed things. She may never know this, but I am sorry for not appreciating her more until this moment. I realise how egotistical I have been over the years.

I'm sorry that I might not get to meet my son or teach him how to play football, teach him how to ride a bike, do math equations, how to tie a tie and how to be a great man. Although, I don't have much to offer on being a stand-up man. I've had my moments of being an ass. I won't get to show him how to run a business or how to love a woman with all his heart... maybe it's for the best. I don't want to be like my father and ruin my child— I don't want my child to resent me in any way— I'm a fuck up and he deserves better. If my father wins, which I'm pretty sure he has, I hope my son knows I loved his mother more than life itself and I love him. I hope life treats him kind. I hope he knows that no matter what happens in this world and to me, I'll always be proud. If he's anything like his mother, he will take this world by storm and be a masterpiece.

I'm nowhere near ready for a kid, so maybe this is just best for all of us.

"Don't talk like that, you're going to be okay." Elise shakes her head as my world spins even further, all I want to do is lie down. I want to close my eyes and relax, but I know I can't.

Nothing in life is for certain, the flowers will wither, the storms will cross, just like the sun will become eclipsed— the stars will align before dimming and fading to dust— Nothing stays the same, everything withers and comes to an end, but love; love never dies.

"I..love...you," I murmur as I feel my chest getting heavier. I feel as though my lungs are overflowing with water as I attempt desperately to breathe. But I can't come up for air.

Her beautiful eyes are the last thing I see before my world turns black and I don't feel any of the pain or numbness.

———

I'd like to greatly thank the individuals that have helped me with these chapters and allowed me to bounce ideas off of them countless times at ungodly hours. They know who they are. And thank you to all my readers, I appreciate each and every one of you. Xx