How would you feel to be introduced to your future in-law when you least expected it?
~~~~~~~~~~
Tara was obviously jealous and couldn't accept it. She questioned Hardin endlessly.
"I'm telling the truth, nothing's going on with her....are you jealous??" He asked her, leaning in.
"Hardin Cruz! You're really testing my patience!" She replied angrily, trying to leave.
"Where are you going?" He stopped her in her tracks.
"Away from you!" She replied.
But
"You just called yourself my girlfriend, now you want to back off?" Hardin jokingly asked.
"She was so clingy, I just returned the favour for what you did for me with Archie" she replied in a calmer tone. She'd relaxed.
"Thank you" Hardin whispered, loud enough for her to hear.
"You look so comfortable with your job here, you can't be my bodyguard" Tara said after thinking thoroughly about it.
"Tara...you need protection, my protection..I can take care of you and still work here and you know it"
She knew him too well
Hardin was not going to give up that easily.. he'd come this far already, he couldn't back out now. She had to accept it.
"Fine then, Hardin Cruz, I'll give you a chance to be my bodyguard" she finally decided.
"And we'll sign the contract today itself"
Was she being serious?
"Dr. HC, do you agree?" She asked, helping herself in his chair, swinging around in it.
Did he have any other choice?
"I agree, I have no problems with that" he replied, stopping the chair with her in it.
He was too close for comfort.
Way too close
He made her heart race, she liked this man day by day.
"I'll have my lawyer bring the papers, so we can get done with it" Tara diverted her attention to her phone, dailing her lawyer's number.
If she hadn't, he'd surely do something to her in that moment, and she wouldn't resist.
This man!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AT THE MONTESINO MANSION~~~~~
"Irene open the door! Don't make me repeat myself!" Her mom knocked on her door.
She'd locked herself in her room since the previous night,
Heartbroken
"Mom, this is not the time" Irene said, after opening the door.
"What do you think you're doing Irene, your dad's coming home tonight....you should be at the company right now, tending to your duties as COO to make your dad proud"Her mom complained.
"We both know dad is only proud of one daughter, no matter what I do, I'll never compare to Tara in his eyes" Irene replied sadly.
"My life is so unfair mom, why should she get to have everything that belongs to me!" Irene suddenly burst into tears.
"Is this about Archie again? You're crying over him... Irene, I didn't raise you to be that weak for love!" Her mom snapped at her.
"Tara might be stubborn, but she's still your sister and my daughter" she added.
"Its not my fault that Archie is the one my heart wants, I just love him so much! Do you want to deprive me of saying that too!" Irene was clearly having a nervous breakdown.
Archie would never look at her, the way he looked at Tara. Since their childhood, he was always by Tara's side, even when she didn't need him...he treated her like a queen, while Irene was left behind. Even the day before, he clearly mocked her in front of Tara, she wasn't worth his time and attention.
"Ok then. If that's what you want, I'll talk to your dad and get you engaged to Archie today night itself at the dinner, does that make you happy" she wiped her tears with her hands.
Mrs Montesino would do anything to make her daughter happy. Getting her engaged to Archie would be so easy for her.
He was a suitable candidate anyone would want as their son in law, and married to their daughter, good looking, coming from a wealthy family and hardworking.
"That would make me very happy mom, I'd really appreciate that" Irene smiled again, her voice filled with joy.
The question was, would Archie agree to this engagement?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere, not far from the Montesino Mansion, a secluded house, Archie sat in silence..... holding a glass of whiskey in one hand and a picture of Tara in the other hand.
"Why Tara? Trying to kidnap you wasn't enough? Can't you see how much I love you" He complained to the picture.
Turns out, the night Tara was almost kidnapped, he was the one behind it.
He was obsessed with her.
The walls in that house were full of Tara's pictures....
"What's so good about that man? I can give you anything you want....but I won't give up, you'll be mine someday....and I'll wait for that day"
He walked over to the big picture of Tara that was at the centre of the wall, and kissed it.
He was literally insane!
"If I can't have you....then no one can"
~~~~~~~~~~~
AT THE HOSPITAL~~~~~
"So Ms Tara, as per the contract rules,Party B will be obligated to Party B, for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ofcourse considering the other minor duties here at the hospital, Party B will also have to move in with party A immediately...." Tara's lawyer stated all the rules clearly while they both listened, sitting across each other.
"But beware, breach of contract will lead to a high penalty costs"
"Party A, do you have any objections?" He asked Tara.
"None at all" she confidently replied.
"Party B, do you have any objections?" He asked Hardin.
Hardin's sole focus was on Tara, he wouldn't let this chance he had to stay close to her pass by.
"No" he simply replied, before the lawyer handed them both the pens and they signed.
"Nice working with you"
"Happy to be working with you" they shook hands.
It was official, she was now his boss and had to follow her every order.
"Hardin, get ready... tonight, I want you to meet someone, I'll send you the address, be there before time" Tara said, before she walked out, her lawyer following closely behind her.
"Who'd she want me to meet?" Hardin was confused....he didn't expect that so soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tara drove herself back to the Montesino Mansion where everyone was already preparing for her dad's arrival.
Irene and her mom in the kitchen cooking together, like they always did...while Tara watched on the side.
The nanny who raised her was the first to see her.
"Tara, you're finally back home, I thought you're still rebelling against your mom" she said jokingly.
"Nanny Tes, when have I ever listened to my mom, ofcourse I'm still rebelling" she replied.
"You're still the same old Tara I know, your mom and your sister have been in the kitchen all day, won't you also join them and cook for your dad?" Nanny Tes asked with concern.
"I prefer not. I don't want to start any trouble especially with an important guest of mine coming over tonight...nanny Tes, I'll just be in my room if they need me" Tara excused herself and went upstairs, to her room.
It was still the same as she left it, who would even enter it, if her dad wasn't around. Her mom wouldn't think about her at all.
She stared at herself in the mirror, taking deep breaths to calm herself down, or she'd soon erupt and ruin everything, like she always does.
Later that day, the invited guests had started arriving.
"Thanks for coming, you look wonderful" Tara's mom welcomed the guests.
Mr Montesino arrived as well from his long journey.
"Dad"
"Honey, welcome home" Irene and her mom were the first to welcome him home.
"Thank you, where's Tara?" He asked, before she came downstairs... looking extremely gorgeous.
"Daddy" she ran and hugged him.
Irene only felt anger that her dad was more happy to see Tara than her.
"I hope you kept your promise" he said.
"Don't worry dad, he's already here" Tara replied before she opened the door for Hardin who was waiting outside.
"Dad, meet Hardin Cruz, my new personal bodyguard.... Hardin meet my dad, Mr Montesino" she introduced them both.
Hardin had least expected that he'd be introduced to Mr Montesino.