CHAPTER 2: NEW LIFE
1084 Words
Harmony's Pov
Lan pouted again, his little arms crossed tight over his chest.
"I wish I was born after Lucy," he muttered. "Then maybe you'd like me more."
I blinked at him, caught off guard. Before I could speak, Lucy jumped in like always.
"Don't be silly," she said with a smirk. "I'm older and smarter. That’s why Mama listens to me more."
Lan’s face scrunched. He opened his mouth to argue, but I stopped him with a raised hand.
"Enough, both of you," I said with a tired sigh. "Mama’s already late."
I stepped out of the car, bent down, and hugged them both tightly. Their little bodies squished into mine, warm and familiar.
"I have a cocktail party this afternoon," I said gently. "Auntie Pearl will come stay with you, okay? Please behave. No fighting. No shouting. Just… be good for once."
They looked at each other, then nodded.
"We promise, Mama!" they said together, their voices bright and innocent like the argument never happened.
I watched them run inside, Lucy pushing Lan like always, and Lan yelling after her. A smile tugged at my lips, even as my chest felt heavy. They were my headache, my peace… my everything.
---
Golden light flooded the Bonely Group's reception hall, making the crystal chandeliers sparkle. I stood near the edge of the room, holding a wine glass in one hand and my phone in the other. My dress hugged me in all the right places, my makeup perfect down to the last line.
Peter’s voice came through the phone, smooth and familiar.
"I’ll finish the handover at the M country branch next week and fly back. Will you be happy to see me?"
I chuckled softly, sipping my wine. "You said next month."
"I did. But I miss you."
I glanced toward the stage, my gaze locking on the couple standing in front of the reporters. Terra clung to Paul like she owned him. Her fake smile, the glitter in her eyes, the way she paraded him around like a trophy—it was all so familiar.
Seven Years. Six long years since I saw that face.
Paul looked good. Polished. Comfortable in his perfect little world.
Peter's voice brought me back. "Did you meet the person you were looking for?"
My eyes never left the stage.
"I did."
"And?"
I let out a quiet breath. My grip on the wineglass tightened just slightly.
"Some people think kindness is weakness. That if you don’t fight back, you’re a fool. The Austin family owns sixty percent of Bonely Corporation. My father left that to me. And I won’t let it slip away—not to them."
Peter didn’t respond right away. Then I heard his deep, low laugh through the line.
"That’s why I love you, Harmony. You’ve never backed down. Whatever you decide, I’ve got your back."
"Peter…" I paused. "You’ve done too much for me."
"You don’t owe me anything. Feelings don’t work like that."
"Alright," I whispered. "Go on. You said you had a meeting."
"I’ll call you later."
The line went dead. I stood there with the phone still at my ear, the glass still in my hand. I had no idea what I felt. Gratitude? Guilt? Nothing clear. Just that bitter ache I’d carried for years.
When I lowered my phone, I felt it—the shift.
Terra had seen me. Her eyes widened slightly, surprise flashing across her face.
Paul followed her gaze, then turned. Our eyes met.
His expression changed. He froze.
I watched him. "Let’s see what you do now."
---
I stood near the champagne table, half-listening to the background noise of clinking glasses and fake laughs. My eyes scanned the room until I felt it—that uneasy shift in energy.
I turned.
There she was.
Terra Bonely. Dressed like she owned the place, descending the stage with that same fake grace she always wore like perfume.
Our eyes met. She smiled wide.
I smiled too.
She walked straight up to me like we were long-lost friends. I didn’t move.
“Well, if it isn’t Harmony Austin,” she said in that overly sweet voice.
“Not such a coincidence,” I replied calmly. “I came here to see you.”
Her brows lifted slightly. “To see me?”
I sipped my drink and kept my tone light. “Of course. I wanted to ask—how does it feel to enjoy something that doesn’t belong to you?”
The smile dropped from her lips. Her eyes narrowed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh come on, Terra.” I tilted my head. “When you were the mistress, you fought so hard for the wife’s spot. Now that you’ve got it, the shoes pinching already?”
She looked ready to snap, but I could see something else under her carefully held expression—doubt.
I leaned in just a little. “Must be tough watching your dear Paul wine and dine models behind your back.”
Her face hardened.
Bullseye.
She stepped forward suddenly and grabbed at my wrist, but I pulled back before she could touch me.
“Don’t,” I said flatly. “I don’t do trash contact.”
“You set this up, didn’t you?” she hissed. “Those women, those pictures—was that your doing?”
I didn’t answer.
I didn’t have to.
I smiled. Sweetly. “Careful, Mrs. Bonely. All that stress will show on your face. You’ve worked so hard to keep it smooth.”
“You b***h!”
Her hand flew up before I could react, and the slap landed hard across my cheek. A few heads turned.
The sting was sharp. But I didn’t flinch. I just raised my own hand—and smacked her back, twice as hard.
Her head snapped to the side. The red mark spread across her pale skin instantly.
I didn’t stop there. I lifted my hand again, ready to give her another, but then someone grabbed my wrist.
Firm. Warm. Unshakable.
Startled, I looked up—and locked eyes with a man I didn’t recognize.
He had an intense aura, like the air around him shifted just for him. His eyes were black, cold, and sharp. His lips pressed together in a calm line, but I could feel the tension in his grip.
I froze, not because I was scared—no.
It was something else.
Something about him made my heart pause.
- Writer
