Chapter 126

Nathaniel chose to drop the issue.

His fingers had accidentally brushed against Harrison's bare foot—a particularly sensitive spot for any woman. She jerked back immediately, her voice sharp as a blade. "Release me!"

Realizing his mistake, Nathaniel met her furious gaze and instantly let go.

Her pale foot disappeared beneath the folds of her skirt like a startled bird retreating to safety.

Nathaniel straightened, forcing his attention back to the matter at hand. "I'll have someone take care of this for you—"

Harrison curled tighter on the bed, shaking her head. "I appreciate the offer, but it's unnecessary."

His eyes narrowed. "Don't be stubborn, Harrison. Do you think I enjoy cleaning up your messes?"

"Then don't," she snapped, her tone unyielding. "The moment you threw me out of Falcon Estate, my problems ceased to be your concern!"

The air between them crackled with tension. Nathaniel's temper flared.

Harrison arched a delicate brow, her sharp gaze sweeping over him. "Didn't Isabella satisfy you last night?"

Nathaniel froze.

"If she did, why are you here?" Harrison pressed, her voice laced with venom. "Just another excuse to make me indebted to you, isn't it?"

That night—the storm, the secrecy between them—flashed through his mind. He'd helped her once, and she'd repaid him in ways that still haunted him.

His expression darkened. He stood abruptly. "I must have lost my mind coming here."

With one last icy glare, he turned and strode toward the door, his long legs carrying him away without another word.

As the door slammed shut, Harrison hugged her knees to her chest.

Good. He should stay out of her life. No more false kindness, no more twisted favors. She didn’t need his pity.

The door creaked open again. Rosalind slipped inside, frowning. "Harrison, why did Mr. Falcon leave so soon? He came all this way, and you didn’t even try to keep him here. Are you really handing him over to Isabella?"

Rosalind had discreetly left earlier to give them privacy.

Harrison knew exactly what her friend had been hoping for. She gave a bitter smile. "It's pointless, Rosalind. He'll never choose me."

Rosalind opened her mouth to argue, but Harrison cut her off. "Right now, we have bigger problems to handle."

Rosalind's eyes brightened. "You have a plan?"

Of course she did.

Harrison didn’t need Nathaniel's help. She never had.

Swinging her legs off the bed, Harrison gathered her dark hair into a loose bun, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. She turned to Rosalind with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Let's go."

Rosalind blinked. "Go where?"

Harrison smirked. "To deal with Julian Ashford."

Rosalind laughed. When Harrison had stopped her in Gregory's office earlier—gripping her wrist, urging patience—she'd known her friend had something brewing.

"Perfect. Let's do this!"

Nathaniel slid into the backseat of his Rolls-Royce, jaw clenched. Dominic, his driver, glanced at his stormy expression and ventured carefully, "Mr. Falcon, how should we handle Mrs. Falcon's situation?"

Nathaniel's voice was glacial. "Leave her to it. She can handle her own problems."

A bitter laugh escaped him. "Once Willowridge University finally kicks her out, I'll wait for her to come crawling back, begging for my help."

Dominic wisely stayed silent.

Another fight, then.

A notification pinged. Dominic checked his phone, then stiffened.

"Mr. Falcon—there's been a development in Mrs. Falcon's case!"