The World's Most Eligible Bachelor

Week 6: You're Wrong

*HARRY'S Point of View*

Finally, I was "summoned" to Tyler Vance's makeshift office in the hotel. I had caught sight of him maybe three times since we began filming. Claudia was his acting representative, and the other producers reported to her.

When I entered his office, I made every attempt to be respectful, but my patience and my emotions were worn so thin right now, I was sure I'd fall apart at the slightest provocation. Ben came with me, ready to intervene if I went psycho or something.

"Hello, Mr. Vance," I said politely upon entering.

"Harry," he said with a smile, as if he was fucking oblivious to my suffering. "Come on in! Have a seat. Can I get you a drink?"

"No, sir," I replied curtly. "We really need to discuss Harper's disappearance. We can't finish the show without her. She's the one I want!"

He bobbed his head a little, pretending to be sympathetic to my feelings. Finally he said, "I'm sorry, Harry. But everything points to the fact that she left willingly."

"It's not a fact!" I snapped, becoming agitated. "The note wasn't even in her handwriting! Besides, her contract stated that if she decided to leave, she had to sign a form indicating that she left on her own accord. Did you get a signature from her?" I demanded.

"Harry," he said, shaking his head. "Just because her contract stated it doesn't mean she complied. You have to face the facts."

"There are no facts, except that she's gone!" I shouted. Ben pulled me back and told me to calm down.

Claudia pulled up her laptop screen and said, "Let me show you something, Harry." Why the hell did she have to be here anyway?

She pressed play and I watched a montage of clips showing Harper in the mansion, talking to the other women, talking to cameramen, to the occasional interviewers who popped in to get everyone's take on the way the show was going. I ached for her. Watching her smile and hearing her voice made me happy and heartsick at the same time.

Claudia turned up the volume so I could hear the upcoming clips of Harper talking.

"I'm only here because my best friend forced me to do it. Besides I had vacation time."

"Celebrity romances never last."

"He's too shallow to settle down into a relationship."

"Harry is too young."

"I know about Harry's reputation. I'm not letting myself get too close."

"He's not the type to get serious with any woman."

And the last one was like a punch in the gut, even though I knew her words had been twisted.

"I'm just going to stick around and have some fun, but I could never fall for someone like him."

"You've got that all wrong," I said, trying to hold back my indignant tears. I absolutely hated that they were painting her in this light. "Do you think I'm stupid? That I can't tell you just pulled together some words she said and played them out of context?"

"Harry," Claudia answered with false kindness in her voice, "being a worldwide superstar doesn't protect you from getting your heart broken."

I had never felt fury like the kind that was boiling inside of me right now. "Are you suggesting that I'm a just narcissistic celebrity brat who thinks he's god's gift to women?! Like I just can't accept that she doesn't love me?" I felt like a raging bull, my nostrils flaring in anger. "Believe me, I've already covered that with just about every reporter on the fucking planet! I am not that kind of person. I know that Harper loved me because she told me, she showed me. I know she was telling me the truth!"

"How did she...show...you?" This bitch. I would never, ever hit a woman, but she made the idea very tempting.

"If you want me to admit that we had sex, fine. We did. That's what you expect us to do on this show anyway, isn't it? But Harper was the only one, the only one! Because I wasn't interested in sleeping around to find out who was the best fit. I wouldn't do that to a woman I love, so I waited until I knew I loved her and her alone. I'm not choosing anyone at the end of this show if you don't tell me what happened to her," I threatened.

"Harry," Tyler broke in. "May I remind you that you have a contract that states you are to choose one woman at the end of the series. You are not required to propose, but you have to at least make it look like you're planning to continue a relationship with one woman."

"Such a romantic show you people have cooked up," I huffed. "Just make it look good for the cameras. If you want me to show my true feelings, then find Harper!" I stood up and headed for the door, but I was stopped by Tyler's warning.

"Harry, we will require you to go to Holmes Chapel tomorrow with Victoria and Ariana. And you will make good in front of the cameras, so I hope you're planning on changing your attitude. We'll do the final Candle Ceremony in Liverpool. By midnight on Saturday, you must make your final choice, or we will be imposing the full ten million dollar fine on you."

"Fuck you," I mumbled under my breath and walked out.

_____

In the middle of the story, the gif of Harry saying "You're wrong" communicates how he would have felt after Tyler and Claudia showed him the clips of Harper. In the actual video, a reporter was asking him/accusing him of being a womanizer and look how much it upset him :'(