Loosing to Harriet... Again!

Evelyn stood at the door with a confused look, not understanding why Damien was with a child. She was about opening her mouth to speak when she realized that it was the same child Harriett was with at Eric’s wedding. As that truth dawned on her, her mood suddenly changed and a surge of anger flowed through her veins. The thought that Harriett could be in this house with her children made her red with anger.

She could already see Harriett winning the challenge by using her children and she wasn’t going to let that happen.

“I’ll rather die than let Damien get back with that bitch and her children.” She said under her breath as she stared at Adrian.

“You didn’t call, Evelyn. What are you doing here?” Damien asked with an unpleasant look on his face. He hated that she had to show when he was trying to spend some time with his son.

This wasn’t good for him since he needed to prove to Harriett that he would be a good father to the twins. What father brings in another woman to his house in the presence of his child?

Harriett would not let him spend another day with Adrian if she finds out about this, that was certain.

“Why? Now that your Ex-wife is back you want to push me away. Is that it, Damien?” Evelyn spat bitterly, her words etched with hatred for both Harriett and her son.

“You shouldn’t be here, Evelyn. Please leave. We’ll talk later.” Damien said, holding onto his son tightly as he tried to reason her. But, Evelyn was anything but reasonable.

“She’s here, isn’t she? That’s why you don’t want me here, right?” She laughed like a mad woman and marched into the living room.

“Where is she, where is that bitch!” She screamed as she approached the living room and Adrian began to cry loudly, shocked by her scary behavior.

“Evelyn!” Damien roared and she immediately flinched out of fear. Seeing how there was no other person in the house, she realized that she had made a fool of herself in front of Damien when she was meant to be getting him to fall in love with her.

“Leave!” He pointed at the door with a straight face. He was furious that she would make his son cry and he wasn’t going to take it.

“Damien… listen. I was just-”

“Get out!” He commanded in a steady voice and Evelyn blinked twice, not believing that he would chase her out because she made his son cry.

“At this rate, he’ll kick me out of his life if I don’t do something.” She thought and hastily racked her brain for a way to bring herself out of the pit she dug.

As though she cared about him, Evelyn ran to Damien, stretching her hand in an attempt to stop Adrian from crying.

“Oh my. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” She pretentiously said and tried touching him but Adrian’s cries got louder and he turned his face away from her, making her grit her teeth in anger.

“Leave, Evelyn. Get out of my house!” Damien grabbed her arm and pulled her to the door before pushing her outside but she was hell bent on not losing to Harriett.

“I can’t leave, Damien. You know I have no one here but you. I’m going through a lot right now and you’re the only friend I have. Please don’t chase me away.” She forced the tears of our her eyes as she used her last card that always worked on Damien.

Friend? That word tasted bitter in her mouth especially since she knew exactly who she wanted to be to Damien. For years she had been by his side as a loyal friend when his wife left, thinking that he would one day see how much she wanted him and eventually fall in love with her. But, She realized later that Damien loved Harriett even though he never told her and was always hostile towards her thanks to the lies she kept feeding him with.

This made her understand that just as she was able to make him not realize his love for Harriett four years ago, she still had a chance of turning him against her.

A small chance.

“Please don’t leave me too, Damien.” She continued, slumping to the ground as a way of making her act look real.

But, Damien’s mind was made up.

“I’ll visit you soon but for now, you need to leave.” He said and shut the door in her face.

Evelyn sat on the floor with her mouth hanging open in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that Damien would actually do that to her.

That had never happened in all the years she had known Damien. Her tears always moved him even when Harriett was still in the picture. There were days where he abandoned Harriett in his house and spent the night at her place when she cried and complained about her made up family crisis.

How did he suddenly become like this?

“Fuck you, Harriett! It's all your fault, you stupid bitch!” She screamed and picked up her purse before heading to her car.

She needed to act fast because soon, articles will be flying around, all talking about Damien getting reunited with his ex-wife and how they now have a set of twins. She knew how the media operated and understood it is only a matter of time until they find out about everything.

Not on her watch though.

She remembered how it was a talk of the town when Harriett and Damien divorced and speculations started flying around that it was because Damien wanted to make her his wife he broke up with Harriett.

People started calling her a homewrecker but she never felt guilty even though they were right.

Though the public was not in her favor, Evelyn loved the attention she got from all the drama but Damien was quick to kill her joy as he clarified that she had nothing to the with the divorce and that they were just friends.

"You win this round, Harriett. I won't let you win again."

She gripped her steering wheel angrily before igniting her car and zooming off.

*

*

“He’s asleep early. He must be really tired.” Harriett smiled as she took a sleeping Adrian from Damien. It was already six and as agreed, he brought Adrian back to Harriett.

“He had a lot of fun today, screaming and jumping around. Of course he’d be tired.” He chuckled and Harriett nodded, joining him.

There was a sudden silence as neither of them said anything, just looking around but careful not to create eye contact. Harriett didn’t like the awkwardness and was about speaking up but Damien beat her to it.

“Thank you so much for today, Harriett. I had a good time with him and I can’t wait to spend some time with Addison too.” He said, tucking his hand in his pocket as he leaned on his car.

This time around, Harriett didn’t let him come into the house since her father was in the living room and the last thing she wanted was chaos.

Tony was also helping her engage her father in a conversation so he doesn’t notice Damien’s presence in his property.

“She’ll open up to you with time. I’ll also put in a good word for you. You are her father after all.” Harriett shrugged, patting Adrian softly as he stirred in his sleep.

“That will be great, Harriett. Thanks a lot again.” He said, his hands itching to tuck the loose strand of hair that was on her face.

“Alright then, Damien. Goodnight.” She said with a small nod and turned to leave but he quickly grabbed her arm softly.

“Wait…” He said, stopping her from leaving.

“What is it?” She asked, shrugging his arm off.

Talking to him felt normal and she didn’t like it. She wanted to feel repulsed by his presence but for some unknown reason, she wasn’t.

Instead, it felt like she was talking to an old friend.

Damien’s palm suddenly became sweaty, showing how nervous he was. He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye, guilt and regret filling his grey orbs.

“What can I do to make you come back to me?”