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Chapter 27

"You don't like it?" he asks smiling shyly brushing it back. He approaches the heavy, wooden table that serves as my desk with caution and I can tell he feels out of place.

Still stunned that he is actually in front of me, in my house, my daughter opening the door for him, I remain silent for a few seconds. All I want to do is hug him and run my fingers through his soft, short hair but I control myself. I have to.

"You look great, Ashley," he says still smiling and I realise I am, too.

"It's lovely, Harry. I liked it longer but you still look good. You always do," I say blushing but I don't want to lie. He always does look good.

"Then I guess I'll let it grow after the filming is over," he replies cheekily.

"How are you?" he asks before I get the chance to say anything back. Suddenly he looks concerned.

"I-I am OK."

"That weasel, Noah! When I get my hands on him..."

"It's OK, Harry," I near him guardedly. I still cannot get over the fact that he is here. Left everything behind to come and resolve this.

"It's not OK!" he shakes his head frustrated. "Had I not come here...If I hadn't pursued you...If only I," his face clouds with the variety of feelings that surface.

"I didn't resist much," I try to lighten the atmosphere with a chuckle.

"But you did, Ash. You did resist. I didn't listen. And I insisted and now your job is on the line. Your future! I went about this in such an immature way. In my attempt to show you that I am an adult, a man that you can depend on, a man who is your equal in all levels...I enrolled in your university, in your class for crying out loud, and-and I jeopardised your job, your reputation. Everything! " He pauses for a few seconds and I am surprised by what I hear.

"Harry, you didn't know..."

"In my attempt to show you that I am a man, that I deserve you, I acted childishly and immaturely. Of all the universities and all the classes in the world I had to come to yours and show you that I am smart and educated and intellectual and ..."

"But you are all these things," I don't understand.

"I had to show you what you're missing in hope that you will want me as much as I do, in hope that you wouldn't forget about me and look how great everything turned out," he says in a louder tone.

"Harry, please calm down!" I still could not believe that these were the reasons he actually enrolled in my class. I don't know what to make of that. It was reckless and immature and he did put my job on the line but his intentions...

"My daughter is in the other room. I don't want her to hear that..."

"Jesus! Now I'll ruin this for you, too," he covers his mouth with his hand and starts pacing the small office.

"Harry, please have a seat," I hear myself say, my voice trembling. It kills me to see him torturing himself like this. He takes the seat opposite my desk and I have to resist coming closer.

"It's not OK. It's not OK! This is all my fault!" he keeps saying.

"Harry, stop saying that. We are two consenting adults and we knew the consequences of our actions. Stop taking the blame and let's figure out how we'll deal with this."

I cannot handle Harry breaking down right now. We should just pay attention to one thing at a time.

"That fucking asshole!" he exclaims once he is reminded of the conniving rich prat that has messed up our lives. Immediately my eyes turn to the door worried that my daughter might hear and his voice drops a few octaves.