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But amidst the despair, a flicker of determination ignites within me. I refuse to let this be the end of the road for me. I refuse to let my circumstances define me or dictate my future.
Wiping away the tears that threaten to fall, I steel myself with a newfound resolve. I may be facing the fight of my life, but I refuse to go down without a fight. With every ounce of strength I possess, I will find a way to overcome this obstacle and emerge victorious on the other side.
Harrison suddenly appears in the doorway of the porch, opening the glass door and stepping outside.
It’s impossible to hide my tears, but I try anyway.
I swipe at my cheeks, but I only succeed in smearing them. I stare at the ground, my cheeks already flaming with embarrassment.
“Breanna?” he asks, taking two steps to cross the carpet, screen porch. “Breanna, what’s going on?”
He bends down in front of me. I think he might be reaching for my hands, but I don’t want him to be gentle or kind. I just need money, but I can’t ask him again.
I can already see how it would make his eyes harden around the edges.
His kindness would disappear if I say the “m” word.
I wrap my arms around myself as a sort of shield and take a deep breath. The cool morning air infiltrates my lungs and makes me feel more alive.
I stand up, and Harrison quickly stands as well.
“You go on to work,” I tell him. “I’ve got Jaxon taken care of.”
Harrison’s eyes continue to scan my face, and I can tell he doesn’t want to let it go that easily. But I need him to. I’ve already suffered through enough for my parents’ sake. If the bank forecloses on the house, then, I’ll… I don’t know yet. But I’ll figure out something. I always have in tough situations.
Chapter twenty-four
Harrison
Ican’t let this go. Whoever was on the other side of the phone really bothered Breanna. A flash of inspiration hits me as I realize it must have been Garrett.
Who else could bring Breanna to tears so quickly?
I know that I’ve only heard part of the story from both of them, but things went badly. Now, both of them are filled with hate for the other one.
“You should just block his number,” I tell Breanna, moving into problem-solving mode. “Don’t talk to him. He has nothing positive to say.”
Breanna bites her bottom lip, considering my advice for a moment, then she just nods. “Good… advice,” she says after a moment.
When my phone rings, I pull it out to see Garrett’s number and realize that this is the perfect opportunity to put him in his place and get him to leave Breanna alone forever.
I know that answering the call will only invite more conflict, but I can't resist the urge to confront him head-on.
With a deep breath to calm my anger, I answer the call, my voice clipped and cold. "What do you want, Garrett?"
There's a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I can practically feel Garrett's simmering rage through the phone. "You know damn well what I want," he finally spits out, his tone dripping with venom. "I want you to get rid of that leech you call a nanny."
I grit my teeth, struggling to maintain my composure in the face of Garrett's relentless hostility. Breanna can’t hear Garrett’s side of the conversation, but I can tell by the way her eyes are trained on my face that she can imagine the negative things he is saying. "Don’t call her that," I retort sharply, my voice tinged with frustration. "She's been nothing but reliable and trustworthy since she started working for us."
"Trustworthy?" Garrett scoffs, the sound grating on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. "She's a manipulative little gold-digger who's only after your money, Harrison. Can't you see that? How many times has she asked about an extra payday? I used to live with that. She barely worked and expected me to pay for everything plus extras like her nails every week and… you don’t-"
I feel my blood boil at Garrett's audacity, his words cutting deeper than I care to admit. "You don't know anything about her," I snap, my voice rising with indignation. "You're just bitter because things didn't work out between you two."
I start pacing back and forth, unable to keep my frustration under control.
There's a bitter laugh on the other end of the line, and I can practically hear the sneer in Garrett's voice. "Oh, I know enough to see through her little act," he retorts, his words like a punch to the gut. "And mark my words, Harrison. She's going to screw you over just like she did me. Has she convinced you to sleep with her too? Is that it? Better make sure you’re using protection or she might pretend she’s pregnant and-"
I clench my fists at my sides, struggling to contain the raging storm of emotions swirling inside me. "You don't know what you're talking about," I growl, my voice trembling with anger. "Breanna is not like that, and I won't let you poison my opinion of her. You-"
