- 5.
^
The plane landed in chilly Massachusetts.
I pulled my coat tighter, spotting Carla waving
enthusiastically.
She rushed over and engulfed me in a hug.
“Congrats on ditching the dead weight!”
I playfully punched her shoulder.
Her cheerful demeanor shifted instantly to
business mode.
“Come on, we’ve got a ton of work to do at
the studio.”
“Oh, and this is Ben Carter, your new
assistant.
99
She gestured to a young man standing behind
her.
We exchanged greetings, and then I was
whisked off to the studio.
From the moment I saw Carla, I was thrown
into a whirlwind of activity.
I finally stumbled into my rented apartment
after eleven that night.
And was out the door again by eight the next
morning.
This relentless routine continued for a week.
Finally, the studio was officially launched.
At the opening ceremony, exhaustion finally
caught up with me.
But the sense of accomplishment was
exhilarating.
At the Harrison estate, my life had revolved entirely around Henry, leaving no room for
personal pursuits.
Let alone chasing my own dreams.
In stark contrast to my celebratory mood,
Henry Harrison was experiencing a rude
awakening back home.
Rewind to a week earlier.
After I hung up on him, a flicker of unease
pricked at Henry.
www
He was about to call again when Molly called
him back to the engagement party.
He put his phone away.
After the party, Molly suggested a celebratory
trip.
Looking at her, a mirror image of his lost
love, Henry couldn’t refuse.
They jetted off to the Bahamas.
A week later, he returned home.
He pushed open the door, calling out my
name habitually.
Silence.
<
He called again.
Still nothing.
A frown creased his forehead.
Recalling my recent odd behavior, the unease
he’d dismissed earlier resurfaced, stronger
now.
He called my number. It went straight to
voicemail.
The housekeeper returned just then.
Henry demanded to know where I was.
The housekeeper stammered, his nervousness
growing under Henry’s increasingly dark look.
く
“Mrs. Harrison… she left a week ago with a
suitcase.”
Henry’s frown deepened.
“Why wasn’t I informed?”
The housekeeper hesitated.
“We couldn’t reach you, sir.”
Henry remembered. Molly had insisted they
turn off their phones in the Bahamas, wanting
some “us time.”
He’d delegated all work matters and
complied.
He hadn’t realized he’d also shut out any
news about me.
<
Frustration boiled inside him.
“Mia Williams, don’t bother coming back!” he
yelled at the empty room.
“Let’s see how you survive without me.”
He stormed off to his study, ready to bury
himself in work.
Two documents lay on his desk.
The top one, a private agreement, caught him
off guard.
He couldn’t recall signing such a document
with me.
He opened it. Memories of eight years ago
flooded back.
Г
“How… how could I forget this?” he
muttered.
He lifted the agreement. Underneath was a
signed divorce decree. My signature.
He stared at it for a moment, then ripped it to
shreds.
“Mia! This isn’t valid! I didn’t agree to a
divorce. You can’t just leave!”
He looked at the date on the agreement. It
coincided with the change in my behavior.
He refused to believe that eight years of my
care and attention were solely due to a
contract.
<
“Mia, you can’t escape me. Not without my
permission.”
He grabbed his phone and called his
assistant.
“Find Mia. Now.”
