'It takes effort to get someone to accept something you're offering'
Hardin sat silently in his cabin, going through Tara's file that was labelled "TM" by the receptionist claiming that's what she'd told her to write as her name. It was obvious she wanted to hide it from Hardin. He suddenly got a flashback of what had happened a few hours ago.
Flashback~~
"Doctor HC, when can I be discharged?" Tara asked Hardin who was currently tending to her and carrying out some tests on her.
He suddenly stopped after she'd called him "HC", no one had ever addressed him like that besides Tara back in their school days. Little did he know, his Tara was right before him.
"In two days" he replied.
"Two days!! Doctor I can't stay here any longer! I hate hospitals, I can't bare ....." She started complaining but he covered her mouth with his palm again. She looked like an innocent child complaining about what she didn't like.
"It's not good for patients to talk too much" he said, slowly releasing her.
"Dr. HC, did anyone ever tell you how handsome you are when you're all serious" she was definitely teasing him, just like she used to.
" ...." He was speechless.
"Doctor, can I have your contact card, I like you,"Tara abruptly said, staring right into his eyes, she was undeniably cute without makeup. Hardin had faced multiple women like her confessing their love, but none of them had an effect like Tara's. His heartbeat unexpectedly increased.
"Doctor I mean, I'd like to offer you a job as my bodyguard, to protect me like you did last night," Tara was straight forward, she knew what she wanted and it was the man before her, she thought he wouldn't reject her.
"NO!!" He immediately rejected her offer without a second thought.
End of flashback ~~~
He felt guilty about rejecting her offer, more like rejecting her, especially after he found out she was nowhere to be found in the hospital. He jumped to conclusion that she'd been kidnapped again, but CCTV showed she left on her own will.
His shift at the hospital had ended, so he had to leave for his other job. Since high school, he was multi tasked, his family wasn't financially stable, yet he had to study and care for his four year old brother after his parents abandoned them at such a young age.
He'd work at cafés, stores, restaurants, garages just to raise money for his tuition and his little brother. Most of the times he'd be bullied, it was always Tara who stepped in to help. They'd always be together, that's why he fell for her but couldn't even get the chance to tell her.
His hardships drove him away from her and they never saw each other again. Sometimes, he works as an emergency doctor, a software engineer and other times as a part time skilled bodyguard on special occasions, perhaps Tara knew,, that's why she wanted to hire him to protect her. He received a text on his phone from someone that he took off his coat and left immediately.
~~TARA~~
It's been years since I last stepped into this house, the last time I did was on my 19th birthday since I couldn't celebrate it at home. No one was there not dad,mom or even Irene, I have a family but feel so lonely in this world, like no one cares about me.
"Alright Tara, I've got you home, my job is done,,, but will you be living here all by yourself?" Lian asked.
"Of course and you shouldn't tell anyone, not Archie or my family especially my dad" I replied, walking over to the balcony.
"Ok fine, but I'm worried about you Tats,these men can come back again and try to hurt you. Leaving alone isn't such a great idea," Lian said.
"No one but us knows of this place, you have to keep this secret" This was my get away place, a place where I could calm my mind and think.
"Alright, I'll keep this secret like I kept the one of you being the LH fashions true owner" Lian replied.
"My mom made Irene COO of the family company and dad supported it, while I'm still stuck in the petty position of a Director.So I had to do it, I have to prove to them that I'm capable of leading my own company, but now's not the right time for them to know it" I stared blankly into the sky that was starting to go darker and darker by the minute.
"It's clear your mom treats you unfairly compared to Irene yet you're both her children, it's like you aren't hers" Lian said.
"She's always been like that, I don't think she'll ever change, my mom hates me for what happened to Corey six years back that horrible night on my 18th birthday."
"What happened to your brother Corey?" Lian worriedly asked.
"It's a long painful story, I don't want to talk about it,, I need to relax and there's no champagne here, how about we go out and have some fun!?" I wanted to forget my pain even just for tonight.
"Tats, I don't think it's safe for you to go out in your condition, something bad might happen to you" Lian said.
It's so nice to have a caring bestie like her. My phone rang the next second and the caller ID left me dumbstruck.