Invisible to My First Love (Harper and Maddox) novel Chapter 160

WPI [OU

Chapter 160

Grayson

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Thanks to Tiffany signing ownership over to me, one of the most luxurious malls in San Francisco was now mine.

I showed up in my newest suit, the manager and a few members of staff walking with me as they showed me around.

I’d been to that mall several times before as Tiffany was my wife, but that was different as it was on a business level and I had to know about every single part of that building.

Being in the company of those people helped keep me distracted for a while, until my eyes landed on a glass storefront and I spotted a dress that was on display. It reminded me of Harper as it was similar to the one she’d worn the day she’d come to my party. I tried to shut out the thoughts about her and focus on that moment, but I couldn’t go back to who I was just a few seconds earlier. I imagined her in that dress, the fabric hugging her sexy curves in all the right places while she had a beautiful smile. If only I could actually see her like that.

The manager had to raise his voice as he called my name so he could get my full attention.

I forced a smile like I’d been listening the entire time, moving on to the next store along that corridor.

Financially, everything was going great, but I couldn’t lie to myself about the state of my heart. I didn’t want to admit it before, but I’d begun to feel like losing Harper was far more painful than Tiffany cheating on me.

I’d told myself to give it a few months before even attempting to talk to Harper face–to–face, hoping that by then, she would’ve calmed down.

I paid full attention for a few minutes, even taking interest in one of the newest clothing stores. I was in the middle of asking a question when I trailed off at the sight of something I didn’t expect just across from me.

Harper was right there and I was so thrilled to see her that I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. She may not have been in that dress as I had imagined, but she was there and still looked gorgeous in her shorts and tank top.

She was with Ella and Zoey and none of them looked in my direction. For a second, I made the assumption that they must not have spotted me, but it soon became clear from their body language that they did. Her friends pursed their lips with their chins raised higher while she quickened the pace of her footsteps.

Fighting the urge to go after her, I looked away and proceeded with my question to the manager. My reaction must’ve looked weird to everyone in my company, but I didn’t care.

Even as I got my response from the manager, more than half of what he said hadn’t even been processed in my brain. I was still thinking about how it was unexpected to see her there, but it was worth every second.

The manager began to move in the opposite direction so we could check out the next store, but I wished we could stand there just a little longer.

I had to keep my personal feelings under control, so I followed him along with the others, but found myself

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looking back.

The more distance was between us, the more my heart began to race as she was getting away. I realized at that moment that it might have been the universe talking to me. Maybe I didn’t have to wait for a few months to talk to her. She was right there.

It was for this reason that I excused myself from everyone else and rushed in the opposite direction so I could catch up to her.

Right before I called out her name, her friends blocked the way like they didn’t want me to get too close. It was also clear from the way they glared at me, but I didn’t give a shit. They weren’t the ones I was interested in at that moment.

Harper slowly turned to face me and nothing about her expression has changed. It hadn’t softened even a little for me. Still, I gave her a warm smile as I was so glad to run into her there.

I had so much to say and something important to ask. I’d been so curious about it and she was the only one who could answer me.

Her friends made it difficult for me to talk to her and I hated that. But the fact that they were the ones talking for her made me believe she might’ve had a change of heart and just wanted to play hard to get.

All I wanted was just to talk to her, but it turned out to be difficult, because even when she spoke for herself, her tone was hostile.

No matter what I said to her, she just wouldn’t excuse herself and talk to me. That was when I lost it. I didn’t want to hold back anymore, so I asked her how much longer she would keep doing that to me and if she would only forgive me if she saw me on my knees.

I expect her to roll her eyes as a way to shut it down and tell me that I was being dramatic. Instead, she stepped forward with a hand on her hip, looked straight into my eyes and said, “Yes, get down on your knees and beg.”

I let out a sharp chuckle of disbelief, telling myself that I must have misheard her.

“What? You’re not serious,” I said.

She maintained steady eye contact, not cracking even the slightest smirk. “I am. You asked what it would take.”

I glanced around, then back at her. People were definitely watching as they walked by, making me shake my head.

“Harp, you really can’t be serious about this.” I lowered

my

voice.

“Right here, right now,” she demanded.

At that moment, I realized she wasn’t bluffing. She was so detached, like the outcome didn’t matter to her either way.

Then, I understood something. That wasn’t about forgiveness. That was a test.

Chapter 160

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Just a few minutes ago, my heart had been racing because I was so excited to see her, but now, it was racing because I panicked. I pictured myself kneeling down on that mall floor with people watching. My parents hearing about it and the Internet roasting the hell out of me made me come to a decision. No fucking way. “You’re just being unreasonable,” I snapped. “That’s humiliating and you know that.”

“Would you rather we went somewhere more private so you can get on your knees?”

“Now you’re just trying to humiliate me. You’re acting like I committed some unforgivable crime.”

“What you did to me was definitely unforgivable,” she snapped.

I parted my lips to speak, but the words escaped me.

The silence stretched on for a few seconds. Not even her friends wanted to say a word. They didn’t have to. The glares made it pretty clear they thought the same way as Harper.

Then, she exhaled softly, like she was over it. “I don’t even know why we stopped. Let’s go, girls.”

She turned around and stormed off, but I didn’t want it to end like that, so I tried to go after her while calling out her name, but her friends got in the way again. I fought the urge to shove them both to the side.

I kept my voice down as I asked to speak to her, but they wouldn’t let me through. Those passing by began to grow more curious and I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, so I sighed in defeat.

I even regretted excusing myself just so I could talk to her. It was still too soon to show my face and act like nothing happened.

I wasn’t about to make a fool of myself by getting down on my knees and begging for her forgiveness. She just wanted some payback.

As she and her friends got further away and were approaching the furniture store at the far end of that corridor, I just stood in place, like she would suddenly turn around and come back to me so we could talk, but I was wrong.

Had her friends not been with her, would I have been able to talk to her? I desperately wished there had been a way to get rid of them.

I may not have been treated like the friend I used to be to her, but I told myself there was nothing wrong with just staring as she walked into a furniture store.

Her friends were about to go in as well when suddenly, they both turned right and ran away along that corridor stretch while holding hands.

Whatever it was they had just seen, didn’t seem to have the same effect on Harper as she just stood by the entrance, looking over to the left at who had made her friends run away like that. I couldn’t see who it was just yet and had to wait until they would come into view.

It then became clear when two familiar faces emerged from the left stretch of the corridor and stopped right when they got to Harper. It was the Barclay Twins..

Chapter 160

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When she smiled at them like she was glad to see them, my heart was filled with longing as I desperately wished she could smile at me like that.

They didn’t talk to her for too long as they went in the same direction as Ella and Zoey. Whatever that was about, had just worked to my advantage because now, she was alone.

I was still watching her when she glanced in my direction. It didn’t look like she meant to do that, but when she saw me standing there, the amusement from her face faded and she entered the furniture store.

I had two options at the moment. I could go back and join the others to continue the tour, or I could take that chance and speak to Harper alone.

Though she was hostile when she was with her friends, I still wanted to talk to her, so I began to make my way to the furniture store with wide footsteps. I was finally going to be alone with her and this time, I knew she wasn’t going to act the same way. What I didn’t know was that I had underestimated her.

AD