The morning sun pierced through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Harris's penthouse, casting a golden glow across the polished marble floors and sleek designer furniture. Amid this opulence, Harris stood with his phone pressed to his ear, his brow furrowed as he spoke in hushed tones.
"Jane, I need you to find out who told my mother and Nicole about Harriet," Harris said, his voice tense but firm. "I don't care how you do it—just get me answers. Only you and my best friend, David, knew about Harriet, but I trusted David, so it must be someone else."
"Understood, Mr. Thompson," replied Jane, her voice exuding professionalism. The seasoned investigator with a lifetime of experience is the only one Harris could be trusted.
"Thank you," Harris said, hanging up and tossing the phone onto the plush leather couch. He clenched his fists, feeling the anger simmering beneath the surface as he considered the betrayal of someone he might know.
Someone from the office must have accidentally known about the news or seen him with Mallory and Harriet. There are countless loopholes he could think of. But now was not the time to dwell on vengeance; he had more pressing matters.
On his way to Thompson's tower, he called David. His best friend picked up immediately.
"Hello, Harris. What made you call this early?"
"David, let me ask you. Do you happen to accidentally share the news of my daughter, Harriet?"
"No," David answered immediately. "You wanted me to keep it a secret, and I live by my word. Why are you asking about it?" David sounded confused.
Harris tapped the wheel of the Bugatti Chiron he is currently driving. "Someone must have seen me with Mallory and Harriet or maybe accidentally heard the news. I don't know. Only you and Jane know about this."
"Oh, sorry about that, Harris," David said apologetically. "That's not a piece of good news. I'm sure your mother is furious about this. What did she say?"
"David, all the worst you could imagine. And I know she's not done yet, so I have to form a perfect plan to protect Mallory and our daughter, Harriet."
"See, this is what I'm talking about," David said worriedly. When they were in the club, David reminded Harris to consider leaving Mallory and Harriet alone. He knew exactly what would happen if Marian learned about Harris's secret daughter. And now, all his nightmares are coming true.
"I know, David, I know," Harris said firmly. "What can I do? I love Mallory and our daughter. This is the right time to fight for what I want in life. David, I'm tired of being a puppet all my life. Aren't you tired?"
There was a long silence on the other line. "I feel you, Harris," David said, defeated. He knew exactly how it felt to be controlled all his life. "I'm with you. Let me know how I can help."
"Thank you, David. I'll call when I have to. Take care!"
Harris was stuck in Thompson Tower, where he had his big office, apart from his penthouse office. He only used his penthouse office whenever he had to work overtime. So, he is at Thompson Tower most of the time, slaving in redeeming the company's legacy. He wants Thompson Group to be independent of Hudson's family so it would be easier for him to decide whatever he wants.
It may be tiring to lead their companies, especially their chain of hotels, but it was all worth it when he thinks about Mallory and Harriet. Now, It's not just his own whims in life that he has to consider but also the welfare of his daughter and hopefully being a complete family with Mallory. Harris couldn't wait but be with Harriet and Mallory again for his visiting rights that he and Mallory agreed on.
The day finally arrived for Harris's visit with Harriet again. Mallory watched their daughter run around the living room, her excitement contagious. Though she couldn't shake off the nervousness entirely, Mallory felt satisfied with her decision.
"Mommy, when is Daddy coming?" Harriet asked, her wide blue eyes filled with anticipation.
"Any minute now, sweetheart," Mallory responded, smoothing Harriet's unruly curls. Just as the words left her lips, the doorbell echoed through the house.
Mallory's heart raced. She took a deep breath and opened the door, revealing Harris's tall, handsome, charismatic figure. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, and the past washed over her momentarily like a tidal wave.
"Come on in, Harris," Mallory called out.
"Hi, Mally. This is for you," Harris handed a bouquet of flowers to Mallory.
"Oh, thank you," she said, surprised. She took it from Harris with a sense of gratitude.
"Harriet!" he exclaimed. His face lit up at the sight of their little girl. "I've missed you so much, my princess." His arms are laden with gifts and surprises for their daughter. He put it on the couch as Harriet was coming to give him a hug.
"Missed you too, Daddy!" Harriet squealed, throwing herself into Harris's open arms.
As Mallory watched father and daughter embrace, she couldn't help but feel a sense of hope that they were on the right path. The painful past seemed to slowly fade away, leaving room for healing and new beginnings. And they could find a way to make their unconventional family work for the sake of their precious little girl.
"Harriet, this is all for you," Harris handed all the dolls and toys he bought for Harriet.
Harriet checked the boxes individually and was excited to start playing with them. "Daddy, thank you," she hugged her dad again.
"Anything for my princess. But you'll have to keep them now as we must go to the park again. You want to play at the park with your friends, right?"
Harriet's eyes flashed with excitement. "Yes, Daddy. My friends told me they would return today, so I want to be there and play with them again."
As Mallory watched Harris interact with their daughter, she couldn't help but feel a pang of hope. They could make this new family dynamic work for Harriet's sake. And who knows? Perhaps someday, she'd even learn to trust Harris again.
"Talk to me, Mallory," Harris urged with concern while they watched Harriet play with her friends at the park. Harris noticed Mallory was uncomfortable ever since they arrived at the park. "What's really bothering you?"
She hesitated, then sighed heavily. "It's just... your mother. I can't shake the feeling that she will swoop in and take Harriet away from us."
"Listen to me," Harris said, his eyes intent on hers. "My mother has no power over us unless we give it to her. We are Harriet's parents and make the decisions for her life – not my mother. We're in this together, remember?"
Mallory looked into his eyes, searching for the truth behind his words. And as she gazed at him, she saw the genuine warmth and sincerity that drew her to Harris 5 years ago. For the first time in what felt like forever, she believed they could make this work for Harriet.
"Okay," she whispered, her hand trembling slightly. "We'll face whatever comes together for Harriet."
"Promise?" he asked, his voice tender and full of hope.
"Promise," she replied, a smile crept out of her lips. Harris celebrated secretly.
Mallory watched with a mixture of anxiety and joy as Harriet clambered up the jungle gym, her laughter mingling with the delighted shrieks of the other children at the playground. Reluctantly, she relaxed into Harris's comforting presence beside her.
"See?" Harris said softly, his hand brushing against Mallory's. "She's having the time of her life. There's nothing to worry about."
Mallory glanced at him, catching the warmth in his eyes, and she felt her apprehension begin to ebb away. "You're right," she admitted, her voice low and grateful. "Thank you for being here, for supporting us."
"Always," he replied, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll never let either of you down again."
It was hard for Harris to keep his mom from knowing about Harriet, but he couldn't let Mallory worry about it. He thought it would be best to find a solution instead of adding another burden to Mallory's mind. Although he must admit, the solution he sought might be impossible.