HARRIET: The Heiress Strikes Back

“You’ve got fifteen minutes. Don’t be late” The man spoke rudely on the phone and hung up. Harriet sighed in distress as she removed the phone from her ear and set it down on her worn out dresser table. ‘Patience, Hari patience’ her inner voice tells her like it does every time she faces the most difficult situation or should she say person. Arthur Benson. Handsome, wealthy, influential, every girl’s dream husband and also her living nightmare. Just as he has the good qualities, his terrible mannerism, rude attitude, and arrogance is a headache she has to deal with every day for being his fiancée. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her disheveled red hair, the bags and dark circles under her eyes and her pale skin, all results from being the billionaire’s fiancée, ‘you knew what you were getting into by accepting to marry him’ her inner voice reminded her. Of course she knows, but what choice does she have? Being an orphan wasn’t easy, it never is. When the offer popped up, she had no choice, he’s all she has just like he always reminded her. His words rang in her ear ‘unless you have another living parents or a family member willing to claim you as their own, you have no one but me and you must do everything I want or you’ll have no one and eventually die lonely’ She winced at his harsh words that have constantly become a reminder of who she is. He never fails to remind her of her humble beginnings and how no one wants her, how she’s privileged to be engaged to him, and he constantly reminds her about how she degrades him and humiliates him because she’s engaged to him. Harriet shook her head, trying to push the thoughts from her head to focus on the present. She has to get ready and meet up with Arthur for the event else, she’ll receive another wave of insults. 17 MINUTES LATER Arthur looked at his watch again and sighed irritably as he tapped his foot impatiently on the floor. He was pissed. Annoyed even. He looked at his watch again when his butler approached him. “Yes Mr. Wesley?” he didn’t hide his irritation and noticed his butler wince at his choice of tone. “She’s here sir” Mr. Wesley stepped aside to reveal Harriet Fidelis elegantly walking behind him, a forced smile on her lips. He bows respectfully and leaves them in the foyer of Arthur’s mansion. “The Lord helps her soul” he muttered as he walked away. A tense silence filled the foyer. He could see Harriet visibly shake before him. ‘Good, she should. She’s before a mighty being’ he praised himself. Arthur let his eyes take in her appearance for the evening. Her hair was packed in a sleek, firm bun and her face was adorned with some light make-up. His eyes traveled down to her body covered in a knee length peach colored dress which accentuates her curves, down to her sexy long legs and feet strapped in a silver stiletto. He noticed the black clutch she held when his eyes scanned her appearance again. ‘Sexy’ he thought to himself when he noticed her blushing from his intense stare. Clearing his throat, he asked curtly “Why are you late?” Harriet swallowed and opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She was beyond terrified of him. “What happened? Cat caught your tongue?” he walked closer to her “I asked you a question, why are you late?” his voice went low, vibrating in her chest and forcing a whimper from her She cleared her throat, “Arthur, I—“ he cuts her off. “Fifteen minutes. I said fifteen minutes and you came in two minutes late.” His eyes were cold as he spoke “Do you know how much time you’ve wasted?” he asked harshly. He watched her quiver at his raging words and didn’t give her the chance to speak “Also, what are you wearing? I mentioned we were going to a big event and you decided to dress cheaply.” He points to her entire being “Why are you so cheap?” He asks derisively. Harriet bowed her head to cover the mist that formed in her eyes. He grabbed her wrist and stopped in front of a full-sized mirror then made her look at herself. “Look at yourself, everything on you and about you is cheap. Why do you like embarrassing me? Just take a look at your outfit, no just look.” He gestures mockingly at her and she slowly casts her gaze on the floor “Is this what I told you to wear huh?” “Arthur, this is what I can afford and the dress is nice and—“ he cuts her off again. “Of course it’s what you can ever afford in your entire life.” He snarled and Harriet pursed her lips “You can never get anything good. What do I expect from an outcast orphan who can’t afford a $5 stale sandwich not to talk of a nice dress” he blasts her and she wipes the tears that fell down her cheeks as she listens to him rant about her cheap lifestyle. “Look, you have wasted enough time, let's just go but don’t stay close to me. Only do that when necessary or when I call you.” he says curtly as he walks past her then stops when he passes her. He looked behind him to see her shoulders slumped and turning to follow him but was caught off guard to find him staring at her. She moved a few inches close to him while maintaining eye contact with him. He shifted his gaze from her eyes to her body and his eyes roamed her body for a few seconds before going back to her eyes. He saw her eyes were already red and filled with unshed tears and he said “The least you could do is wear perfume rather than smell like a sewer” and he walked away to his car. Harriet’s mouth dropped open. She couldn’t believe what he just said to her. She smelled her armpits and around her but she didn’t smell bad. She wasn’t wearing a heavy scented perfume but still doesn’t mean she smells bad. She was offended by his words and balled her hands into fists. First, he insults her for coming in late, then insults her outfit and now she smells? She wouldn’t take this from him. “Keep standing there or I will leave you” his voice brought her out of her train of thoughts. She saw him opening the driver’s door and entering the car and she quickly made her way to his car and entered before he left her behind. Harriet tried to calm her breathing as she wore her seat belt. She was determined not to let his words get to her and enjoy the party. After all, she has heard worse from him. He started the car and drove out of his mansion heading for the event.