Earlier...
"Mr. Thompson, I apologize if I did disturb you but I have something urgent to say. This is about Mallory," Betty said, one of Harris's house helpers.
Harris straightened his back on his chair at the mention of Mallory's name. "What about Mallory? Tell me," he urged.
"Miss Mallory has a visitor right now. It's the same man who attended Harriet's birthday."
Harris combed his hair. "Betty, there were several men present on Harriet's birthday," he said in frustration. He doesn't want to waste his time. Maybe it's just Scott visiting along with Heidi. "Can you describe the man?"
"He was the last man who came and brought Miss Mallory a bouquet of flowers."
Harris narrowed his eyes. "Dominic?"
"Yes, that's him. I heard Miss Mallory call him Dominic."
"Betty, you were supposed to tell me his name immediately instead of letting me guess." He ended the call and got his suit before leaving his office.
"Ruby, take charge. I have an urgent matter to attend to."
Before Ruby could even reply, Harris was out of sight, entering the elevator.
Harris's footsteps echoed through the ornate hallways of his mansion as he stormed through the imposing front doors, his face etched with a deep scowl. The call from Betty had set his blood boiling. It was bad enough that Dominic had dared to visit his home again, but the fact that Mallory had welcomed him in had sent a surge of anger through Harris that he could barely contain.
As he entered the grand living room, he found Mallory and Dominic sitting across from each other on one of the plush sofas, their expressions tense. Mallory's eyes widened with surprise and concern as she caught sight of Harris's thunderous expression. They both stood as Harris stopped in front of them.
Mallory was the first to speak, her voice trembling slightly with unease. "Harris, what's wrong? Why do you look so—"
Harris cut her off, his voice sharp and unforgiving. "Mallory, did you invite him here?"
Mallory hesitated, her eyes flickering between the two men. "Harris, no. But I thought—"
Harris's anger flared, and he didn't let her finish. "You thought? Mallory, I've made it abundantly clear how I feel about him being anywhere near you or our home. After everything that's happened, you invite him in?"
Harris has recently discussed how uncomfortable he is with Dominic even if Mallory considered him as a friend. He didn't tell Mallory about Dominic's secret yet as he was waiting for the perfect time to do it. And it seems luck was on his side, he doesn't need to set a meeting with Dominic and confront him again.
Mallory's cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. "Harris, please, let me explain—"
But Dominic interjected, his voice laced with a hint of apology. "Harris, I apologize; it's not her fault. I came here unannounced to talk. I am here as Mallory's friend."
Harris's piercing gaze turned toward Dominic, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. He knew it was a fake apology. "Talk about what, Dominic? What could you possibly say to Mallory?"
The atmosphere in the living room of the Thompson mansion was tense, with an undercurrent of emotions swirling beneath the surface.
"Wait," Mallory chimed in. "Can we all sit down and calm down for a while?"
As they settled into the opulent living room, Mallory made a feeble attempt at small talk, reminiscing about their shared past in St. David. She spoke of the days when their lives had intersected, trying to bridge the chasm that had developed between them. However, Harris, his jaw clenched with restrained anger, was having none of it.
Finally unable to contain his simmering fury any longer, Harris interrupted Mallory with a pointed glare at Dominic. His voice was low but filled with an intensity that made the room grow colder. "Mallory, there's something you need to know about our guest here."
Mallory, startled, turned her attention to him. Her eyes searched his face for an explanation, sensing what she needed to know about Dominic. "Harris, what's going on?"
Harris took a deep breath, his gaze locked onto Dominic, who had grown visibly uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "Mallory, this man, Dominic, he's not who he pretends to be. He's one of those people who wants to destroy us, our reputation, and our family."
Mallory's eyes widened in confusion and surprise as she turned to Dominic, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Is this true, Dominic? Have you been hiding something from us?"
Dominic hesitated for a moment, then sighed, conceding to the truth. "Yes, Mallory, I have. My real identity is not what you think. My name is Dominic, but I'm also the CEO of News Hubb Plus, a media company known for sensationalized rumors and gossip."
Mallory's face paled as the realization dawned on her. "That's one of the online news who keeps spreading rumors about us," she turned to Harris. Harris nodded to confirm.
She couldn't fathom why someone she considered a friend would do such things and infiltrate their lives like he hadn't done something wrong. Her voice quivered with a mix of hurt and anger as she confronted Dominic. "Why, Dominic? Why would you do this? What could you possibly gain from spreading fake news about us? Do you understand how it affects me, Harris, and Harriet?"
Dominic looked down, unable to meet her gaze, and his voice carried a hint of remorse. "I thought I could protect you, Mallory."
Harris, still seething with anger, spoke up. "Protect her? You've only added fuel to the fire and put our family at risk. Mallory, this man has no good intentions from the very beginning."
"Harris was right, Dominic. None of what you published has helped us. You ruined our name and reputation. There was too much at stake."
Dominic sighed, realizing that Mallory's anger was justified and that he had a lot to answer for. "I wanted to explain my actions, Mallory. I know I've caused a lot of trouble, and I regret it. I never intended to hurt you or Harriet."
Mallory crossed his arms, his expression unrelenting. "Explain, then. I'm listening."
Dominic leaned forward, his demeanor contrite. "When I found out about your relationship with Harris, I thought it was my duty to protect you. So, I tried to show people the truth about Harris. Mallory, Harris is not good for you. You haven't lived a peaceful life since you and Harriet were with him."
"I'll be the judge of that, Dominic, not you. You treat me like a child who doesn't know how to perceive what is right or wrong. Dominic, I can take care of myself and my daughter Harriet."
Harris's anger simmered as he listened to Dominic's explanation but he celebrated hearing Mallory's response. Dominic has dug his own grave by coming into his house. "That's not the only thing you need to know about this man, Malory. Your old friend has too many secrets he has been hiding from the very start."
Dominic's eyes widened. "Harris, not everything you found out was true."
Harris smirked. "Oh really? Then why are you looking so terrified?" He teased Dominic.