Chapter 802 - Penelope (1) (1/2)

~ Los Angeles, Hollywood Views hotel ~

Sometime earlier…

Harriet is in the hotel room, sitting on a chair and facing Benjamin Casano over a small desk which has two glasses filled with liquor. He is the man she 'met' previous night in the Dark Prince club.

She is super nervous and more than once she wanted to leave, but her curiosity told her to stay. Besides her unexplainable interest in the man in front of her, this is the first time that Harriet is doing something that she knows her parents will absolutely not approve. She is terrified and exhilarated by the sudden sense of freedom. At the age of twenty seven, for the first time, she is doing something she wants to do without asking her parents for permission or expecting them to agree with her actions.

Benjamin is nervously rotating the glass in front of him with tips of his fingers while his eyes are darting between his drink and Harriet.

”Did Stephanie sent you?”, he asked after some time. ”Tell her that I can't afford to give her any more money on top of the alimony. I can barely pay my bills and rent. I'm already giving her more than half of my paycheck!”

Harriet was confused. It seems that he assumed she is here to ask for more money on top of existing alimony.

”Stephanie? Is that your ex-wife?”

”Don't pretend that you don't know…” Benjamin paused and observed Harriet's expression. ”Wait… you don't know who Stephanie is… Who are you? What do you want?”

Harriet mind was racing. Who is she and what does she want? She can't tell him who she is… if he ends up looking for her, it will be a disaster.

”You can call me… Penelope.” That was the first name that came to her mind... the name that Kyra used to book the VIP room. ”You assumed that your ex-wife sent me. Why?”

”Because you used Becca to make me come here and mentioned last night. And Stephanie will do anything just to squeeze more money out of me.”

Harriet understood that his ex-wife is getting money from him because she has the custody of their daughter. And it seems that woman wants to get as much as possible without caring how much is left for him. But that is none of her concern. She is here for another reason…

”How much do you remember from last night?”

”We were drinking, and some guy gave us a card for a VIP room, and that was sweet because those rooms come with a full minibar… and then some girls got in by accident…” Benjamin looked at Harriet carefully for few seconds before his eyebrows shoot up. ”You are the girl from last night!”

Awkward silence filled up the room.

”Why are we here?”, he asked.

Harriet nervously took a deep breath. ”What do you think?”

Benjamin glanced at her from top to bottom. ”I don't think it's about the money. Your dress alone is probably worth at least my three monthly salaries. You are young and beautiful so I can't assume that you are interested in me… I don't know. Are you upset because I didn't pay extra? I remember kissing, and… touching… and then I passed out. Do I need to pay for the touching? I didn't do more than that, right?”