A Fresh Start
The Harper Enterprises boardroom used to feel suffocating—like a place where I was constantly being judged, measured, and inevitably found lacking. But today, it felt different. I walked in with my shoulders back, chin high, because this time, I wasn't just Edward Harper's daughter. I wasn't a pawn in someone else's game. I was here because I'd earned it.
The room was filled with the usual board members, all impeccably dressed and scrutinizing every word that came out of my mouth. But instead of feeling intimidated, I felt calm, steady. I was presenting a clear, strategic plan to stabilize Harper Enterprises post-scandal, and for the first time, I wasn't hoping for their approval—I already knew I deserved it.
As I wrapped up, I noticed Margaret Harper sitting near the end of the table, her hands clasped in her lap. She wasn't tapping her nails impatiently, or pursing her lips in silent disapproval. She was watching me with something I'd rarely seen from her: pride.
---
After the meeting, Margaret approached me in the hallway. For once, her usual sharpness was gone, replaced by a quiet, almost hesitant tone.
"You've done well, Lila," she said, her voice softer than I'd ever heard it. "I may not have agreed with your methods, but… you proved me wrong."
I blinked, momentarily stunned. "Are you feeling okay?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Margaret's lips twitched into the faintest smile. "Don't ruin the moment, dear."
"Well, don't worry, Mom," I replied, smiling faintly. "I'll try not to make a habit of it."
It wasn't a full-blown reconciliation, but it was something—a small step toward understanding.
Edward joined us a moment later, his expression characteristically reserved, but there was warmth in his eyes as he looked at me.
"Your grandfather would be proud," he said simply. "You've earned your place here, Lila."
Coming from my father, it felt like a standing ovation.
---
Jackson's Goodbye?
When I got back to the apartment, I froze in the doorway. Jackson was standing in the living room, a half-packed duffel bag at his feet. My chest tightened at the sight.
"Going somewhere?" I asked, keeping my voice casual even as my heart raced.
He looked up, his grin faint but still there. "Well, the contract's over, isn't it? You don't need me anymore."
The words hit harder than I expected. I crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe. "That's it? You're just leaving?"
"What else am I supposed to do?" he asked, his tone light but his eyes searching mine. "Stick around until you get sick of me? I figured I'd go out while I'm still ahead."
He kept packing as he spoke, his movements deliberately casual. But there was something in the set of his shoulders, the tightness in his jaw, that gave him away.
"This was fun, Lila," he said, zipping up the bag. "Chaotic, dramatic, occasionally life-threatening… but fun. You'll be fine without me."
He moved toward the door, but I couldn't let him leave.
---
The Confession
"Jackson, wait." My voice came out sharper than I intended, but it stopped him in his tracks.
He turned to look at me, one eyebrow raised. "What is it, Mrs. Carter?"
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. "I don't care about the contract. I don't care what anyone else thinks. I want you to stay. For real this time."
For a moment, he just stared at me, his usual confidence replaced by something like disbelief. "Lila…"
"I mean it," I said, stepping closer. "I know you think you're doing me a favor by leaving, but you're not. I don't want you to go, Jackson."
He set the bag down slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. "You sure about that, Mrs. Carter? I'm not exactly a safe bet."
I smiled, my voice steady. "Good. I'm tired of playing it safe."
---
The Kiss
Jackson stepped closer, his usual bravado melting away. "You realize what you're getting into, right? I'm a mess."
"We're both a mess," I replied, my voice softer. "But maybe that's why we work."
For a moment, neither of us moved. Then, slowly, he cupped my face with one hand, his thumb brushing lightly against my cheek.
And then he kissed me.
It wasn't rushed or tentative. It was real—equal parts tender and passionate, like every wall we'd built between us had finally come crashing down.
---
The Epilogue Scene: Six Months Later
A Happily Chaotic Marriage
Six months later, life was chaotic—but it was ours.
Harper Enterprises was thriving under my leadership, and Jackson had started his own business—a quirky art studio that, against all odds, was wildly successful.
Our apartment was a constant mess of my work papers and his sketches, but somehow, it worked.
---
At a family dinner, where Jackson was, unsurprisingly, the center of attention.
Margaret, who had once been his harshest critic, was now cautiously warming up to him. "I suppose you're growing on me, Jackson," she said, her tone begrudging but genuine.
"Careful, Margaret," Jackson replied, smirking. "Keep that up, and I might start calling you Mom."
I groaned, burying my face in my hands, but I couldn't stop the smile tugging at my lips.
As the dinner wound down, Jackson pulled me aside, his arms slipping around my waist as we stood on the back patio. My family's laughter drifted through the open door, but for a moment, it felt like it was just the two of us.
"You ever think about how we got here?" he asked, his voice low. "A mix-up at a courthouse, and now…"
"And now you're stuck with me," I teased, grinning up at him.
"Best mistake I ever made," he murmured, his forehead resting lightly against mine.
---
"And for the first time, I didn't care what anyone else thought. This was my life, my love, my choice—and it was exactly where I wanted to be."