After Forever

Chapter 52

Tessa

Kim failed to mention that everyone associated with Hardin would be here.

I had just walked in when Vance went from opening the door for me to barging outside.

Vance doesn't say anything just storms out and before I can turn around I know it's Hardin.

When I go to look I don't see him instead I see the car drive past.

It's Molly. Yes THE Molly.

What in the actual fuck Hardin is all I can think. I know I can't be mad but he went to her. Her of all people.

"Sorry I am late for the party" Hardin yells in his perfect accent and still wearing the same clothes that I saw him in the other night as he is clearly drunk.

"What is your problem Hardin...we have all been worried sick about you." Vance yells.

"Well unfortunately I can't stay for this little family reunion. You know with my mum and my dad." Hardin says as he gestures to Vance.

Vance doesn't say anything. And I am unfortunately just observing this interaction in the door way.

"You are my father then right?..."Hardin asks as he walks past Vance. Then walks through the door to walk past me.

He looks at me...actually glares at me. Then keeps walking towards the room he was staying in.

Vance comes in and walks towards the room.

"Christian let me talk to him." I say stopping him.

Everyone else is in the living room who I haven't even seen yet. But I can hear talking and they have no idea what just went on outside.

I walk to the doorway and Hardin is just throwing his stuff into his suitcase.

"Can you just stop for a second?" I say as I grab what he just threw and place it out of his suitcase.

He still doesn't say anything and Just grabs what I took out to put it back in.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"Tessa why are you here?" He questions.

"I came here to see Kim. I had no idea what I was actually walking into." I reply.

"Well here you are to once again witness my life being one big fucking joke." He says.

"What were you talking about out there?" I ask.

"Oh just you know me thinking my whole life this man I hated who destroyed mine and my mums life was my dad when in reality he's not even my father." He shouts.

"What...how could that even be?....so you think Vance is your father?" I ask.

"Tessa I have to go." He says as he tries to move past me.

"Did you mean what you said?" I ask him as I am grabbing his arm trying not to let him walk out of the room.

"Whatever I said, I meant." He says.

I let his arm go and I think he is going to leave but he walks into the living room. I follow behind him.

Everyone stops what they are doing when he walks into the room.

"Don't stop on my account, I just came to pour a drink for myself and my dear old dad." He says as he hands Vance a drink that he poured from the decanter on the bar.

"Hardin stop" I insist as I see Kens face change. And everyone else in the room confused.

"What is he talking about Christian?" Kim asks confused.

"Hardin, can we just go outside and talk about this?" Vance insists.

"There really isn't much to talk about is there...except you knocked up my mum 27 years ago and let Ken think he was my father. When you knew...right? You both fucking knew?"Hardin says gesturing to his mum and Vance...as he chugs down the drink in his glass and slams it down on the table and walks back to the front door to go outside.

Everyone is just in shock. His mum has not said a single word. Kim looks embarrassed and confused. Ken is looking at Hardins mum wondering if it's true.

I am expecting Christian to go after him again but he doesn't.

I walk outside and Hardin is just sitting on the porch with his bag and a joint.

"I understand you are mad and you should be, but was that necessary?" I ask

"Was it supposed to stay one big secret, Tessa?" He asks.

"I guess not...What are you waiting for anyways" I ask.

"my ride." He responds.

"From molly?" I ask.

"My car is at her place." He responds.

"Why were you with her?" I ask.

"Tessa is it really any of your business?" He responds annoyed.

"Okay." I reply.

I have no idea what to say to him. He just found out his dad isn't his dad. I just ended my engagement over this man who has made it abundantly clear he wants nothing to do with me. He was just with a girl who I hate more than anyone in this world and is now waiting to leave with her again.

"Why aren't you home with your fiancé anyways?" He asks.

"I...I told him I needed a break." I respond.

"Well that was stupid why would you do that?" He asks confused.

"Oh I don't know because ever since you came back I can't stop thinking about an us and all the what if's." I respond.

"I told you that you are going to have to keep living your life without me." He says.

"I don't want to though. I love you Hardin." I say looking at him as he is still just looking away. And doesn't even acknowledge that I just said that.

Perfect timing—Molly pulls up with the stupidest smirk. And he gets up without saying anything. Tosses his bag in the back. And opens the passenger door. The door is quickly slammed back shut by his mum.

"What are you doing?" He asks her.

"You aren't walking away from this like you do with everything" she yells.

Ignoring what she just said he says "Kind of messed up hooking up with a man while his wife and son were sleeping upstairs." All while he is holding the handle of the door that she is trying to keep shut.

"I know you are upset with me but you don't need to destroy his family over my mistakes." She says.

I am again just the observer of this interaction. Molly gets out of the car now and leans up against it.

"Are we going or what?" She asks.

I surprise myself and respond to her. "No he's not"

"Yes we're going" he says looking at me.

"Is she going to take you to your treatment too?" Harden's mum asks.

"His treatment?" I question and his mum quickly looks as if she said something she shouldn't.

Molly looks over at me. "You do know he has cancer, right?" she asks

My face I think turns a different color and I look at him and his face is also a different color and we both almost look like we did when I found out about the bet.

"You didn't know...did you?" Molly asks.

"You have cancer?" I question my voice quivering.

He takes a deep breath and looks down and away. "I was going to tell you Tess." He finally says.

"But you told her...."I  say clearly upset.