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Still, my nostrils flare as I exhale at the fact she’s here at all. “Vanessa, how did you get up here?”
She steps forward in her stiletto heels, smugness marring her face. “I still have clearance. You haven’t gotten rid of it.”
Clenching my jaw, I internally berate myself for forgetting to remove her from the visitors list. “I can rectify that. You should leave.”
She steps forward again. “Harrison, I—”
I hold my hand up. “I don’t want to hear it, Vanessa. We’re over. We’ve been over for almost a year. I’ve moved on. I’m married and I’m happy.”
“But I’m still in love with you.” Her eyes fill with tears. But if there’s one thing I remember, it’s how easily she could turn the waterworks on.
“That’s rich, considering you never were when we were together. Not enough to be faithful,” I retort, unable to keep the sharpness from my tone.
Anger flares in her watery eyes. “I made a mistake.”
“At least we both agree that’s what we were.”
This time,hernostrils flare. “Harrison, please.” She advances towards me and comes to stand next to my chair, resting her red manicured fingers on my shoulder. “Maybe we both made mistakes. But I’m willing—”
“—No.” I bark, shrugging her hand off me. “I don’t want to hear it.”
Vanessa’s face contorts as she silently seethes at my rejection of her. “Thatwifeof yours has made you a fucking arsehole.”
I snap my focus to her, giving her a stern stare. “That wife of mine is none of your fucking business.”
“You know,” she sneers. “My father has enough connections that he could ruin you and your pathetic little company. All it would take is one phone call from me, and you’d be buried.” My pulse picks up briefly because, like Zoey with her shelter, I have built this place with my own sweat and tears. When people threaten my company, it’s personal. But then I remind myself that her threats are old and worn. She’s desperately trying to cling to something that was never even there.
The laugh that leaves my mouth is bitter. “Vanessa.” I pin her with a cold stare, my hands steepling on my chest. “My company makes millions of pounds a year. The last time I checked, your father’s company…” I suck in a sharp breath through my teeth. “Wasn’t doing so well. So, getting into a big showdown with me probably won’t help his bank balance.”
Her face reddens. She opens her mouth to say something, but I beat her to it.
“If I were you, Vanessa. I’d leave whilst you still have a sliver of your dignity left,” I say, my voice low and commanding. Standing, I walk towards the door and gesture for her to leave.
She reluctantly stomps her feet as she moves, fury marring her features. Pausing in the threshold, she hisses. “Don’t come crawling back to me when she divorces you.”
I laugh obnoxiously loud, my chest fluttering at the absurdity of her. “Never gonna happen.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” she snaps as she walks out of my life for good.
“Oh, Vanessa?” She turns to face me from across the office floor. “If you bother me or my wife again, you’ll be slapped with a restraining order.” I smile, showing all my teeth, when I see her jaw clench. “Have agreatday.”
I sit back in my chair, my hands stretching behind my head. The office is quiet now, with everyone at lunch. I check my watch. It’s almost two.God, it’s been a day.
A wolf whistle echoes from the doorway into my office. “Fancy place you’ve got here,” Zoey says, seductively swaying her hips as she walks towards my desk. When she slips into the chair opposite me, I’m immediately disappointed she didn’t pick my lap as her seat.
“How was seeing your dad?” I ask, blatantly checking out my wife.
“Weird.” She leans forward, crossing her legs and leaning her elbow on her knee, surveying the items on my desk. “He gave me the money for the shelter. Took it out of my trust fund.”
My head tilts. “That’s… good?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never had to ask him for help before, so I have no idea if it’s good or bad. But I guess we’ll find out soon enough. How’s your day been?”
“Vanessa came by.” I smile, victorious.
“And I missed it?” She looks genuinely disappointed, but then narrows her eyes. “Why are you smiling?”
“She’s gone. For good.” I say it with finality because I know she wouldn’t dare come after me again. I’ve never threatened her with legal action before, but I’m done with her, with all this.
