In between the good and bad.

Chapter 24

Harrison's POV

I sat on the sofa staring out into my empty living room.

"Hey..." Lisa says walking in.

"Hi." I say clearing my throat. "I forgot to give Gia Riley's favourite toy. She just left with the kids."

"Its okay." Lisa says. "Im sure he has lots of others."

"But he loves playing with this one." I say staring at it. "Shall I ask her to come back?"

"The journey is already long, the kids were pretty tired."

Its been a week. Penelope refuses to talk to me or see me. Gia, our new nanny is now our go between. She drives 2 hours up and down.

"You okay? Your lawyer has just arrived." She says. I nod. "Let them in."

"Hi Harrison." Stuart says walking into the living room shaking my hand. Behind him was William.

"So what the hell is going on?" William asks. I havent told him Penelope left with the kids or about the nanny business.

"Hi." I say sitting down. I was listening only half... I couldnt believe what mess I've created. Last week, Penelope and I were happy. Being a family. She was happy for once. We were just living all together as a family. The kids were happy and we were the best we have ever been.

I knew it was the end of my marriage. It was like we were holding on to a small tiny little rope. It was the last straw.

"If you press charges against her this will go public." He says. "It will be everywhere. The video might even leak."

"I dont care. Penelope knows now. She thinks she can record me without consent? Then black mail me?" I was beyond pissed off. That tornado of a nanny has ruined my life. She messed with the wrong one. All I could think about was leaving her with dust.

"You can negotiate it different..." He says and I stare out thinking of Penelope's tear streaked face sat at my desk. How could I have been so stupid.

"Sign the NDA. You know... that way it is all under wraps. The video doesn't ever get leaked. It doesnt hit your clients. We dont have a scandal on our hands."

"I'm not giving shit to that girl."

"She asked for 3 million dollars." Stuart says. "Its not the end of the world? Its what? A little change for you?"

"Its not about the money. Why should she benefit from this? She had a clear motive in this family." Penelope and I both might have been fooled but damn.

"Harrison. Youre paying me to advise you correct? This is a poor girl with no money. Trust me, this pay out and NDA will be the way forward. Or this is what will be talked about for the next 10 years. Your clients will suffer. Your business deals. The guy who slept with the nanny? Cliche." He says. "The guy with a sextape with the nanny? Your children will be able to find this out when they're grown."

"So let me get this straight..." William says who stood in the living room. "You slept with Simone? She recorded this and now is black mailing you."

"Yep. She was going to... tell Penelope."

"Is that why she is not here?" He asks. "Jesus. Just a couple of weeks ago she was saying how you would never go there with "the help"."

"Look, I don't care. I do not care okay about your sad eyes. Ive got bigger problems."

"A nanny got you. She outsmarted you." He says.

"Shut up William." I snap. I can deal with all of this myself.