PARK
"I'm really scared Hardin"Lavender cried like a baby as she held Hardin tightly.
"Woah!!!! Mom is acting like a baby!!!"Ava screamed happily as the rollercoaster kept moving speedily.
"This is fun, seriously!!!"Oliver nodded in affirmative, but Lavender still held unto Hardin, never to let go.
"Hardin!! I can't keep in, I think I'm going to fall" Lavender cried and Ava turned to Hardin.
"Mom keeps screaming manically, make her keep quiet!"Ava scoffed and faced her front, before continuing her silly scream. It was obvious she was happy.
"Hardin..."
"Ava already complained, so keep it low"Hardin rolled their eye as he was forced to pull Lavender into his arms, Lavender in turn hugged him tightly with her eyes closed as she inhaled his cologne.
Ava giggled when she saw them in that position, secretly and with carefulness, she brought out a phone and took a picture of them.
•••
LATER~LAVENDER'S MANSION
"Careful, over there!"Lavender told Nanny Esther who was arranging Oliver's room.
"All done Ma" she bowed and Lavender smiled as she looked around the room.
Her phone dinged in her pocket and she brought it out, only to see the chairman calling. Sighing lightly, she swiped the answer icon.
"I'm on my way to your house and hope you're at home?"He almost yelled and Lavender was forced to remove the phone from her ear.
"You almost destroyed my eardrum, Dad. What happened?"Lavender inquired.
"I just asked a question Lav..."
"I'm at home, Dad"
"Cool, that's all I need to know" With that said, he hung up and Lavender shook her head.
"Please, make sure the room is comfortable for him" she instructed before walking away.
••••
Hardin who was scrolling through social media, while sipping his juice occasionally looked up to see Lavender, descending the stairs. For a moment, he got carried away as he drooled over her gorgeousness, Lavender chuckled lowly when she saw how he was looking at her.
"Are you that stunning right now?"She asked with a knowing smirk and Hardin coughed. He was completely whipped that he couldn't notice she was right before him.
"I'm. I'm..."
"You're having juice? That's More like you're a baby" Lavender chuckled as she tried going to the wine cellar but Hardin pulled her back.
"You wanna get drunk again, don't you?"He asked and Lavender smiled.
"A sip won't hurt or will it?"She giggled and Hardin shook his head.
"Alcohol is off-limit, I don't want you getting drunk" he replied to her and Lavender's smile widened, she took a few steps close to him and leaned closer to his ear.
"You're afraid I'm gonna kiss you again?"She asked with a smirk and Hardin gulped the lump in his throat, he made to reply but no word came out from his mouth, instead he began staring at her beautiful face.
"I won't get drunk, that's a promise"She pinched his and Hardin scoffed.
"Better don't get drunk"He warned and Lavender giggled.
"I won't hubby"
"Lavender!!"
"It hits differently hubby, keep calling my name hubby" She smirked and Hardin was forced to keep shut, the moment he made to sit, the door flung open and an angry chairman walked in.
"Dad...."
"What's this Lavender?"Chairman shouted, showing her his screen. It was the picture Ava took hours ago and the internet is already burning cuz of the picture.
The chairman was on his way to her house, obviously to find out why she wasn't at the office that day, only to get shocking news on his way.
"Oh Dad, that's nothing" She waved it off with a smile and Ava chose that instant to climb down.
"Daddy!!!"Ava screamed as she ran down the stairs, chairman opened his arms widely, expecting Ava to him, only for her to run past him and straight into Hardin's arms.
His eyes and mouth were just wide agape as he couldn't believe what was happening.
Did she ignore him? Like she didn't see him? The first time this has happened.
He was still shocked when what Ava called the person she ran to hug hit his ears. "Daddy?" Was that a dream? When did Gerald remember them? Just thinking about that, he turned swiftly and his eyes popped out of the socket when he saw Hardin. The same guy, he and Lavender's picture is trending on the net?
"What's happening Lavender?"Chairman Deluxe voiced out when he couldn't take it.
"There's nothing much happening, Dad. As clear as you can see, Ava found her Dad and...."
"You call this thing her Dad? Damnit!! Where is my daughter? Where the f**k is Lavender? You skipped a Day cuz of this poverty strip...
"Daddy!!!!!"Lavender screamed and the chairman stopped talking.
"I won't have you insult him right before me Dad. We share a very special relationship which I wouldn't want you to ruin. I'm never trading it for anything Dad" She warned with gritted teeth and Chairman Deluxe chuckled as he turned to stare at Hardin like some disgusting wag.
"You share a special relationship with this wacko? This Gold digger? Lavender wake up for Pete's sake. He isn't good for you and to think that you guys are already trending on the internet?"He scoffed angrily and Hardin gulped.
Lavender brought out her phone and logged in, and a big smile crept on the corner of her lips as she stared at the picture.
It came out pretty well. She turned to look at Ava who only gave her thumbs up and without being told, she already knew it was Ava's doing.
That little wench!!!
"Why are you here Dad?"Lavender asked after pocketing back her phone and the chairman scoffed.
He couldn't believe what was happening.
"Lavender see with your eyes, he isn't your type!!"He grunted and Ava pouted before hugging Hardin tightly.
"I'm not losing him again, Big Daddy!!"She cried, referring to the chairman as Big Daddy.
"Ava..."
"Mom, talk to your Dad" Ava cut chairman off and he furrowed his brows.
Something indeed is happening.
"Daddy..."
"Young Man, what do you do?"Chairman cut Lavender off as he faced Hardin and asked.
Hardin gulped into emptiness as he didn't know what to reply with. He was here to act as Ava's Dad for six months and of course, he's not revealing that to him.
Hardin opened his mouth to speak and that was when Oliver climbed down the stairs. Time stopped and everything froze as the chairman turned to look at the little boy who just climbed down.
"And this is your son I guess?"He asked after some minutes, staring from Hardin down to his son.
"Yes!"He bowed slowly and that was all it took for another hell to let loose.
"Lavender a single Dad!! Where were you bewitched? Did he cast a spell on you? Of all the millions of guys in Australia, you choose a riffraff? Aren't you ashamed? He barely has something doing Lavender! He is staying under your roof, you're the one feeding him and still yet he calls himself a Man? Are..."
"Enough!!!!!!"Hardin shouted for the very first time and the chairman wiggled his brow surprisingly.
"Enough Sir!!! I won't sit and watch you insult me. I've heard enough Sir and I'll leave your daughter for Good! Not like I loved her or approached her, to begin with, she did! So spare me the insult!"He shot with rage, he turned to Oliver and grabbed his hand.
By now, he already stood up from the couch.
"Nice meeting you, Lavender Deluxe!"With that said, he began walking out of the Mansion.
The only crime he committed was being poor right?
"Hardin!!!!"Lavender shouted and made to go after him, but the chairman pulled her back.
"Daddy!! No! Daddy, please don't go!! Daddy!!!"Ava broke down in tears while Lavender struggled to break free from the chairman's grip.
"It is the Best!!"Chairman said instead and Ava turned to him angrily.
"I hate you, Big Daddy!!"She spat on his face as she continued crying.
Hardin didn't stop, and neither did he turn to look at the back, he kept going till he walked out of the Mansion completely.
"No!!! Daddy!!! No!!!! Daddy!!!!!!!! Please!! Don't leave me again!! Daddy!!!!!!!!"Was all she muttered in tears, before going down slowly.
"Ava!!!!!!"Lavender shouted with wide eyes as she ran towards her.