Chapter 5 - Her Father's Life and the Price of Kindness
For five days, Harper lived at Blackthorne Estate under protection.
She hated every minute of it.
Not because anyone mistreated her.
Because suddenly everyone treated her differently.
Mrs. Aldridge began saying “Miss Quinn.”
Caroline stopped making jokes.
Staff members stepped aside when Harper entered rooms.
It was unbearable.
On the second morning, Harper cornered Mrs. Aldridge in the pantry.
“Please yell at me.”
Mrs. Aldridge blinked.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Tell me I folded something wrong.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Everyone is acting like I’m carrying a bomb.”
“Technically, Miss Quinn, you did survive poison.”
“That is not helping.”
Mrs. Aldridge’s mouth twitched.
Harper pointed.
“That. Do that.”
“Do what?”
“Be normal.”
Mrs. Aldridge sighed.
“Very well. You have arranged those napkins incorrectly.”
Harper looked at the perfectly arranged napkins.
“How?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Thank you.”
Life almost began feeling recognizable.
Then Mercy General called.
Her father’s condition had worsened.
Harper reached the hospital forty minutes later with Adrian’s driver and two security men behind her.
Gerald looked smaller than he had three days earlier.
Harper sat beside him.
“Hey, Dad.”
He opened his eyes.
“Kid.”
“You look terrible.”
“So do you.”
His gaze found the bandage on her cheek.
“What happened?”
Harper hesitated.
“Work accident.”
Gerald stared.
“At the mansion?”
“Yes.”
“You get hit by a chandelier?”
“Something like that.”
He was too weak to laugh properly.
His fingers found hers.
“The hospital called about the next treatment.”
Harper’s throat tightened.
“I know.”
“Insurance denied part of it.”
“I know.”
“Harper.”
“I’m handling it.”
“No.”
“Dad.”
“You’re twenty-seven.”
“And?”
“And I’m tired of watching you build your whole life around keeping me alive.”
Tears burned behind her eyes.
“Please don’t.”
“I need you to hear me.”
“I said don’t.”
“You can’t keep trading pieces of yourself for more days.”
Harper looked away.
The door opened.
Adrian stood there.
Gerald’s eyebrows rose.
“Who’s the undertaker?”
Harper almost choked.
Adrian entered.
“Adrian Blackthorne.”
Gerald looked at his expensive coat.
“Your boss?”
“Technically,” Harper said.
Adrian pulled up a chair.
“Your daughter saved my mother’s life.”
Gerald’s eyes went to Harper.
She sighed.
“This is why I didn’t want him talking.”
Adrian continued.
“She was injured doing it.”
“You said work accident.”
“It was an accident at work.”
“Harper.”
“Semantics.”
Gerald looked at Adrian.
“Is she in trouble?”
“No.”
“Are you?”
Adrian paused.
“Frequently.”
Gerald nodded.
“At least you’re honest.”
Harper covered her face with one hand.
“This meeting is going terribly.”
Adrian glanced at her.
“I think it’s going well.”
Gerald studied him.
Then his voice changed.
“Why are you here?”
Adrian answered without hesitation.
“Because she matters to my family.”
Harper looked at him.
Gerald noticed.
Fathers noticed things even from hospital beds.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian’s gaze stayed on Harper for one second too long.
“I’m still determining that.”
Harper kicked his shoe.
Gerald smiled.
It was the first real smile she had seen from him in weeks.
Later, in the hallway, Adrian handed Harper an envelope.
She didn’t open it.
“What is it?”
“Your father’s medical balance.”
Harper immediately handed it back.
“No.”
“It’s paid.”
Her eyes widened.
“What?”
“Already handled.”
“You had no right.”
“You saved my mother.”
“So you bought my father?”
His expression hardened.
“That’s not what I did.”
“That is exactly what it feels like.”
“I can undo it.”
“Yes.”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Yes.”
He nodded once.
“All right.”
Harper hadn’t expected that.
Adrian turned.
She caught his sleeve.
“Wait.”
He stopped.
Harper looked through the glass at her father.
“I don’t want charity.”
“It isn’t.”
“What is it?”
“A debt.”
“I don’t want that either.”
“Then call it compensation.”
“For what?”
“The household failed to protect you at work.”
Harper stared.
“That is the most corporate way anyone has ever described being poisoned by an assassin.”
“It’s accurate.”
She almost laughed.
Then Adrian became serious.
“Harper, your father’s care shouldn’t depend on whether you can carry enough champagne trays.”
Her eyes filled.
She hated him for saying the exact thing she was too exhausted to admit.
He continued.
“This doesn’t purchase you.”
“I know.”
“It doesn’t obligate you.”
“I know.”
“You can leave Blackthorne Estate tomorrow and never speak to me again.”
That hurt unexpectedly.
Adrian saw that too.
Harper lowered her eyes.
“I don’t know what my life looks like anymore.”
“You don’t have to decide today.”
May you like
It was probably the kindest thing he could have said.
So naturally, that was when Isabella Duca returned.
