THE BILLIONAIRE'S VENGEFUL WIFE RETURNS-Chapter 26: LOST FRIEND 2

When Harlow arrived at the salon, she stepped inside and immediately spotted Layla waiting for her in one of the plush chairs. The sight of her best friend brought a bittersweet smile to her lips. As they embraced, Harlow’s hug lingered, her emotions threatening to spill over.

It had been years, two lifetimes, really, since she had seen Layla. In her previous life, she had abandoned their friendship in her blind devotion to Alanis. Now, standing there with her friend again, Harlow vowed never to let that happen.

"Tell me all about it, Harlow. Did that man threaten you, did he cheat on you?" Layla turned her friend around to be sure there was no injury.

"He did nothing lay," Harlow said. She couldn’t tell her friend she had reincarnated and that this was another life. It was unbelievable, people would see her as a mad woman.

"So why did you file for a divorce?" Lay was confused. "You’ve loved him for ten years, ten years Harlow, and now you had the opportunity for your dream marriage, you want a divorce? It doesn’t make sense."

"I have been stupid for ten years, I don’t want to be married to that man." Harlow shook her head. But even as she spoke, memories of Alanis haunted her. His lips brushed hers teasingly earlier, the brief moment of intimacy that was nothing more than a cruel game. She clenched her fists, anger bubbling beneath the surface. He was toying with her, just as he had in her past life.

He had made her recall their first night together in her past life. It wasn’t the best night like other ladies say. It was the worst and most painful night of her life. Alanis wasn’t at all gentle. He had been brutal to her, turning deaf ears to all of her pleas, he used her body as his playfield.

She didn’t find him the next morning, or the next year’s to come. He abandoned her after that night. Even when she got pregnant, he was nowhere to be seen, leaving her to the mercy of Garth and Jane.

The day she gave birth to Alex, he was still nowhere to be seen. Alanis Hamilton had been the worst thing that had happened to her. She cried every day but still held onto her sliver of hope.

After three whole years of leaving her wanting and begging for his love, he returned drunk again and used her body as his playfield. She was always his last option. Claudia had been the one he preferred. He only needed her for her money and inheritance.

She had been foolish then, she had been blinded then.

"What brought about the change of heart?"

"I don’t want to speak about that man or his family anymore Lay. They don’t exist to me." Lay stared at her friend suspiciously. She knew something was wrong, but she couldn’t quite place her hands around it.

"It’s your turn now ma’am." The hairdresser approached them and both ladies walked to sit before the dressing mirror.

"What style do you want ma’am?" The first hairdresser asked Lay.

"Just maintain curls, and trim the edges," Lay said.

"And you ma’am." Harlow’s dresser asked.

"Remove the dye," Anna said. She had dyed her red hair black to please that man, but not anymore. She had the roughest red hair anyone would find in this world, her hair was a mess, but every week she endured the pain and would go to the salon to treat and straighten it with all of the hot combs and stretchers.

They would spend hours smoothing her hair, yet he never acknowledged or spoke about it. She would go to his business place to make him notice her, and throw tantrums around to get his attention. That has been the reason she was labeled a mad woman. She had been mad for his love, but he never gave any to her.

She didn’t need it anymore. Even if the Alanis in his life is in love with her, she would never grant him access to her heart ever again. She would guard her heart this time, and make sure even the little stunt he pulled today, will never get to her.

Layla stared at Harlow like a completely different person. She wondered if her best friend was free from Alanis’s spell already, or if this was some joke. But looking at Harlow, it was clear she wasn’t joking at all.

"So when will you two go to the civil affairs to finalize the divorce?" Lay asked.

"There’ll be no need for that, it’s already done. All he has to do is sign the papers." She said.

"What do you want to do with your life now?" Lay asked.

"Better my career and make a name for myself," Harlow said. She was here to correct all of the mistakes she made in her past life. She would never let anything come in between.

"Harlow, we need to celebrate your divorce. So I’ve decided we throw a party." Lay said. Yes, she was the partying and outgoing type, while Harlow was the serious and shy one. Her eyes back then had only been on Alanis so she saw no one else. But right now, she felt like exploring. She wanted to taste all the options.

Anna stared at her reflection through the mirror and smiled. Her red scattered hair was back again matching her green eyes perfectly. She didn’t care how it looked, anyone who loved her in her true form truly loved her. She could never compromise for any man anymore.

Both girls did their manicures and left for their respective homes.

"Miss Harlow." Ava greeted Harlow from the door when she arrived. She had heard the news about Harlow’s divorce decision from Elisa and her daughter Claudia.

"Ava." Harlow greeted the woman with a big hug. To her, it might be only yesterday she had left the mansion, but to Harlow, they have spent years apart. Ava is one of the few people Harlow had missed so much, she was a maid, but also a mother to her.

"Young miss, I heard what happened," Ava said in a hushed tone, scared the others would hear them. Even if Harlow loved her so much, she couldn’t forget her place. She was a maid and would always be a maid.