"I can and I will..."
Hattiea announced being fearless as Jayson's eyes widened at her claim.

She was going to leave him, even the thought of it was a huge threat for Jayson.

He cannot see any future without her. He needed her.

His business needed her and he was not ready to let go of her in any manner.

"Hattiea-"
Jayson addressed her name but she had already turned around to leave the scene ending their conversation, trying to get closer to her yet again in a desperate way but suddenly Jayson's phone rang stopping his steps right then, he cursed under his breath because of the interruption.

Reaching out for his cellphone, he picked up the call before speaking over the device with a professional attitude the next second.
"Yes, Mr.Smith!"
He sounded lot more decent than he was a moment ago.

But Hattiea cared less about it all, sooner her steps halted in the middle when she heard him mentioning her in his conversation out of nowhere.

"Don't worry Mr.Smith, me and my fiancé are coming tonight!"
Jayson chuckled over the phone as he faked his professionalism for the caller on the other side of the device.

Well, that caught Hattiea's attention immediately as she turned around again only to look at him with utter confusion.

Her eyes widened at the same.

The audacity of him to make plans without informing her was not a new thing.

He had always done that.

Regardless knowing the fact that Hattiea never liked tagging along in any of his business events, he still managed to get her accompany somehow in the past but at the moment their relationship was in the verge to break up...

Yet he dared to get her into his mess again for the sake of his business?

How dare he?

Does he only care about his work and not her mental health?

Hattiea balled up her hands as she glared at Jayson who still faked his professionalism so well. Not even asking her consent about coming to the event with him, he declared out loud so confidently about her.

He truly knew no boundaries shame.

Jayson certainly acknowledged very well about how heart broken was Hattiea at the moment.

Also the fact that their relationship needs more time to heal to make any sort of judgement this sooner.

Yet he behaved like Hattiea's feelings held no importance to him.

Jayson's eyes were on Hattiea the entire time as she continued glaring at him angrily while clenching my jaw.

How heartless he could be? He has the audacity to force her against her own will now?

Not going to happen, thought Hattiea as she stepped forward towards him to question about the matter.

"Oh sure, meet you at the venue."
Jayson hung up the call with the final greet and eyed Hattiea again with his blank expressions, who now stood in front of him angrily.

He did not dare to defend himself as Hattiea decided to throw a question first.
"What are you up to Jayson?"

Jayson nodded as he took a deep breath before licking his lips and again matching sharp his eyes with her with some sort of negative confidence radiating through his aura.

"Look, we can talk about this later. First go get ready, we have an event to attend!"
He demanded unpredictably with his emotionless tone as Hattiea watched him in utter disbelief.

Passing out a snort out of mock, she was displeased enough by him to argue yet again but she couldn't help no more...

He was now ordering her around like he owned her.

Which was obviously not the case.

She was not the woman who can be owned by a man like him.

Never!

"I am not going anywhere, Jayson!"
Hattiea announced with dare as her eyes reflected only seriousness and offence to his order, not wanting to even talk to him anymore... Hattiea angrily turned around to leave again but before she could have taken another step away from him.

She felt a harsh pull on her arm halting at her feet.

Jayson stepped forward and stood in front of her immediately as his eyes darkened the same minute.

Maybe he couldn't digest her denial that well.

Hattiea was always obedient to him.

And he expected the same now as well.

He tried being sweet to her earlier, he tried to beg too but not anymore he got any time for that...

So now if he had to use force on her to get her ready then he will do it!

"If it is about us then be it. Work should not get affected because of our personal issues. Do not make it more hard for me, Hattiea. This event is important for me, I need you to ensure the clients that everything is fine within the agency. Can't you see how much the fu*k I am trying to clean all these rumours. Why can't you just cope up with me like you always did damn it?"
Jayson argued raising his voice while his jaw sharpened giving the clear idea about how serious he was about this situation.

The mess was sure created by him, hence he was trying his best to cover up all the rumours about him and his agency.

He was fearing that once the media got to know about him being the father of Tiara's unborn child then his clients will boycott him and his business.

Also another risk that arises here was, directors and famous brands blacklisting his agency.

Jayson would not be able to afford any of that.

That is why, he was very desperate to secure his image in the public again.

But knowing Hattiea well, she would never be the part of his lie at all.

She would not take a part in his mess not because Jayson cheated on her and made another woman pregnant but because she knew this was all wrong.

Jayson should own up for his mistake now and take the responsibility of his unborn child at least.

Because sooner or later, people are definitely going find out about Tiara and her child being linked to him.

He wanted her tonight to show her off in front of the world. Is his work more important than Hattiea's heartbreak?

Maybe yes...

"You want to ensure people that everything is fine when it is not. I am not okay to even have you around me and here you want me to accompany you to some shitty business event?"
Hattiea argued back with the equal intensity as Jayson's eyes held a weird offence at that time.

"Never Jayson, you know me. I cannot pretend to be fine when I am not!"
She continued again, shaking her head and denying every possibilities of him involving her in his business.

She would not take a part in his lie.

Sure she needed time for her own but her talking back like that only made things worse with Jayson as he lost control over his tongue.

He still had her arm in his possession as he gave it a harsh squeeze, Hattiea flinched feeling the pain rushing through her vessels.

"Let go of me, what are you doing?"
She said struggling on his grip as she maintained the glare on him stubbornly.

Her vision momentarily got blurry as some hint of tears started pooling her eyes.

Jayson started manhandling her now.

As Hattiea felt so stupid to cope up with him all this time without knowing his real face, her sole cooperation in their relationship leaded her to be hurt at the end.

How did she fail to notice that the real priority of Jayson wasn't their relationship but his business?

He can do anything for his image at this point and Hattiea knew that too well.

By hook or by crook, he will have his way with Hattiea.

"You are really taking my patience for granted now!"
Jayson spoke with darkness, Hattiea saw him clenching his jaw tightly as she felt his grip hardening around her arm more making sure to bruise it up later.

"AND YOU ARE TAKING ME FOR GRANTED!"
Somehow Hattiea managed to break free from his grip while pushing him away from her in defence.

Jayson stumbled back from the effect as he looked at her back with shocked and offended eyes, as if he did not expect her to behave so boldly.

She never raised her voice at him before this day... let alone push him away from her like that.

Jayson was clearly angered with Hattiea's action as he eyed her like he is going to hurt her the other second again. He clenched his fist furiously as he stepped forward towards her again...

But the next moment he only shifted his gaze down before closing his eyes to control himself down.

It was as if he held back his urge to slap Hattiea...

Strangely laughing off the other minute to his own, Hattiea watched Jayson acting weird suddenly.
"Have you forgotten it was me who provided you this house to live, even the lifestyle you are so proud of now... it was all provided by me!"
He uttered.

That very statement shocked the guts of Hattiea who heard him without any error.

Jayson smirked counting on the things he had done for Hattiea.

And there was no lie about it as Hattiea's heart broke recalling her past.

True was that, Jayson and Hattiea knew one another since their early college years.

Hattiea's father unexpectedly expired after a year of her still being in the college, her family faced bankruptcy sooner without any financial support.

And that time, none came in help for the poor mother and daughter.

No one...

But him.

It was Jayson who stepped in Hattiea's life at the time of need.

"You and your mute mother were kicked out on the streets, if it was not for me you two would have been-"
Jayson continued but a tight smack across his face halted his statement in the middle.

Hattiea's palm pained because of the effort, it was so intense that even Jayson's face turned left brutally.

Mentioning the past wasn't the thing that triggered Hattiea but counting on the things he had done for her like he was too proud of it, caused Hattiea's heart to burn.

Was he trying to put her down just because he helped her in need?

Yes!

"Never knew you can be this pathetic..."
Hattiea uttered as Jayson rubbed his affected area on the left cheek where he got smacked by her.

He laughed again matching his dark pair of orbs again with Hattiea who cried another tear of disgust, the same minute.

"That's the fact Hattiea, if I can make you a woman of your own then I hold the power to finish you too... knowing me, you would not want to test me, honey!"
Jayson spelled out.

Sounding too devilish, Hattiea knew what he meant by that.

He was emotionally blackmailing her now, just because he had done favours to her in the past...

Now he had a opportunity to be proud of that and control her to do things according to him.

Hattiea was ashamed of once loving the same man who now stood in front of her without any shame.

Only if she knew what was his real intentions in the past, then she would have never even trusted him.

Never...

"30 minutes. I am waiting outside!"
Snorting out, Jayson emotionlessly uttered sounding scary. He then turned back around to leave her house.

Hattiea's breath sharpened the other minute and her eyes were obviously wet witnessing this new side of her fiancé.

Jayson made her feel all choked up now.

And she had no way out of it.

The fact that he did help her in the past, now she cannot deny him.

She had to repay him with anything he asks for...

That is the least thing she could do.

Hattiea was helpless at her own ground as she sobbed lastly before erasing her tears off and entering inside her house to get changed for the event Jayson was talking about.

If her situation can't do any good to her, then better her fate lead her ahead tonight.

That is all she thought.

But little did she know, tonight was going to change her entire life...

She was going to come across someone who would get her out of this hell very soon.

Someone, who was desperately finding her round the entire town...

Jordan Lawrence.