Harper got home and pulled the Bentley into the garage. She got out of the car and went to close the garage door when a distraught red head confronted her outside.

"Are you Harper?" She asked frantically. Harper was taken aback.

"Yes," She stammered, not sure on how to handle the situation. "Who are you?"

The tearful redhead pushed back her fiery curls with her small paint smudged hand, her tear stained violet eyes, searched Harper's face. Her voluptuous form was dressed in old jeans and a beige oversized men's linen shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up.

"Mia." She replied, trying to hold back tears. Harper looked at her confused.

"I'm Brooklyn's girlfriend." Mia added, trying to clarify what was going on. "I know that you two have been seeing each other for a while now."

Harper's stomach dropped. "What?" She whispered. "No. Not anymore."

Sebastian stuck his head outside when he heard the commotion outside.

"Har-Bear is everything ok?" He called out. Harper ran her hands through her hair.

"Yeh, no, I have no idea." Harper shrugged helplessly.

He looked around and recognised the same redhead that had come to the door earlier. He sighed.

"Come inside you two." He called. "Let's talk about this."

He ushered in the two women, not knowing what to expect. Even though Mia seemed teary and on the edge of collapsing in a heap, there was every chance that things could turn quite ugly quickly.

"Would you like a drink Mia?" He gestured to the kitchen. Mia ignored Sebastian's question and stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the artwork that adorned the wall. She walked up to the large six panel one that hung in the dining room just off from the kitchen.

Across the six panels, there was a glorious gradient of colour, greens and blues fading into an orangey red and purple to a light orange and deep purple. On top of the rainbow gradient, there was a chaotic scribble of colours, falling over themselves drawing the eye from left to right and all around.

"This is one of mine." She smiled sadly, her small paint stained finger pointing to her signature on the last panel. Sebastian joined her in front of the series of paintings.

"It's beautiful." He replied. "I bought it recently." His hand reached up and passed in front of the painting almost touching it. "I fell in love with the colours and the emotion that this painting expressed."

"I painted it when I met Brooklyn." Mia explained sadly, her violet eyes welling up with tears again. "This was how I felt while we were together. It was a glorious whirlwind of beautiful emotion."

Sebastian patted her on the shoulder soothingly. "How about that drink darling?"

Mia nodded and looked over at Harper who was leaning against the back of the couch trying to come to grips with the new situation. Even though she was sure that this was the woman that she had walked in on Brooklyn with, but she was unsure as she hadn't seen her face that day as it had been buried in-between Brooklyn's legs.

Sebastian went to the fridge and pulled out the vodka from the freezer. "I think we all need to have a drink."

He poured a shot into three glasses, threw in a handful of ice and handed a glass to Harper and Mia. Harper took a deep drink and looked at Mia, wondering whether to say anything or to let her speak on her own. Mia stood next to the kitchen island like a lost little girl with the drink clutched in her hands.

"Brooklyn and I have been together for four months now." Mia said in a quiet voice, breaking the silence abruptly. "I thought that we were in love."

Harper stood stunned, trying to process this new information. For four months, Brooklyn has been seeing someone else. Granted they'd had never spoken about being exclusive but Harper had just assumed that she was the only one in Brooklyn's life. Her chest started to feel tight and her newly healed broken heart was being torn open again and her blue eyes started to well up with tears.

Sebastian looked at both of them and took a mouthful of his drink. It was tearing his heart out to see how distraught Harper was becoming. Maybe it would be best to find out why Mia came over and then send her on her way quickly and quietly.

"What are you hoping to achieve by coming over here Mia?" He asked quietly. Mia shrugged as she stared down at her untouched drink.

"I don't know." She replied softly. "I was expecting to argue, scream and confront."

Sebastian nodded, urging her to go on with a kind understanding look on his face.

"I just want my life to go back to how it was before." She said forlornly. "I want my happiness back."

"I understand that," He replied diplomatically. "But how is confronting Harper going to achieve that?"

Mia shrugged again. "I don't know. I was hoping that if she broke up with Brooklyn, then all she'd have left is me." Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Harper and Brooklyn are over darling." Sebastian tried to explain gently. "Have been for a while now."

"Just get out of our lives!" Mia suddenly screamed at Harper, like Sebastian hadn't said anything at all, something deep inside her snapping. She threw her vodka in Harper's face. The glass tumbled on the floor as Mia launched herself across the room, scratching and pulling her hair like a wild hellcat. "Why are you trying destroying our happiness?"

Sebastian swiftly put down his glass and grabbed Mia around the waist pulling her off Harper. She stood there in shock, vodka dripping down her cheeks and onto her clothes. He gently disengaged Mia's fingers from Harper's hair and held the distraught struggling woman until the fire of her anger waned.

"Shhhhh," Sebastian soothed. "Just calm down girl."

Mia's breaths came out in ragged gasps and her tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She collapsed in Sebastian's arms, leaning on him for support.

"Please," She sobbed. "Please just leave us alone."

"I have left you alone." Harper replied, wiping the vodka off her face. "We broke up a little while back."

Mia stared at her, wide eyed, not knowing how to react to this piece of news.

"But... but..." She stammered. "Why haven't things gone back to the way they were then?"

Harper shook her head, still shocked, not knowing how to react. Mia had just thrown a drink in her face, then attacked her and was now begging her to get out of Brooklyn's life, even though she was already out of their lives. This was all a bit too much for her.

She locked eyes with Sebastian and he mouthed to her, "I'll take care of it." over Mia's head. He nodded his head towards the stairs. Harper nodded and made her way upstairs to wash her face and change her blouse. As she walked upstairs, she heard Sebastian talking to Mia in a quiet soothing voice.

"Come on darling," Sebastian consoled. "Wipe your eyes and pull yourself together."

Mia nodded, still clinging to him. "I just want to be happy with Brooklyn." She sobbed. "We were so happy before all of this."

"How did you find out about Harper?" Sebastian questioned mildly.

Mia cast her eyes down and mumbled, "I went through her phone."

"What made you do that?" Sebastian gently probed. "Was she acting strange?"

"She's been away from work for a few days," Mia replied, her voice slightly stronger. "I went to see her at home and she was distant and drunk. She didn't want to talk to me at all."

Sebastian nodded, his blue eyes filled with concern and understanding.

"So I went through her phone and saw her conversation with Harper and her address a little while back." Mia wiped her eyes with her hand. "I just wanted to talk to her. Ask her to leave Brooklyn alone. It feels like Brooklyn is still hiding things from me, maybe deleting the newer messages from Harper."

Sebastian nodded again. "And how do you think that went tonight?" He asked gently.

Mia shook her head. "I don't know," She answered despondently. "Not the way I thought it would. I guess my emotions got the better of me."

"Perhaps its Brooklyn that you need to talk to instead?" Sebastian suggested mildly. Mia nodded in agreement. Sebastian helped her up and led her to the door. "Try and sort out what's going on between the two of you?"

"I'm so sorry about the drink and the screaming tonight." Mia apologised, her voice small and defeated. She looked up at him with bloodshot violet eyes, her face still red and tear stained.

"What's a little vodka between friends?" Sebastian replied jokingly, with a brilliant smile crossing his face briefly. His face turned serious. "You go sort out things with Brooklyn."

Mia nodded. "Please tell Harper I'm sorry."

Sebastian nodded with a small smile. "Will do. Good bye Mia."

Harper slowly washed her face in the sink and took off her vodka stained top. She stared at herself in the mirror, her face still pale from the shock of everything that happened. She couldn't even begin to process what was going on. Jackson forcing himself on her tonight and all Brooklyn had been seeing Mia while they were together. So it was much more than just a one off time. Harper tried to concentrate on rinsing her blouse in the sink, but her hands shook too much. She wrung it out and hung it over the glass shower door. She padded to her room to get her pyjamas.

"How are you feeling?" She turned and saw Sebastian leaning against the door frame. Harper reached for her robe and tied it over her bra and soft leather leggings.

"Must say that I've had better days." Harper remarked. "Especially with what happened with Jackson tonight."

"I brought you a drink to calm your nerves." Sebastian held out a glass of vodka. Harper gratefully accepted and took a sip.

"Can you believe that she threw that drink at me?" Harper joked. 'What a waste of good vodka!"

Sebastian chuckled. "Tell me about it my darling."

His face turned serious. "I had a chat with her downstairs. I don't think that she'll bother you again."

Harper nodded thankfully. "Thank you so much Sebby. You really are my knight in shining armour."

"This must make you glad that you got out when you did." Sebastian remarked.

Harper chucked softly. "You're telling me."

Sebastian put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her on the forehead. "Get some sleep my darling. We can talk in the morning about what happened with Jackson. I think we've both had enough drama for tonight."

Jackson reflected on how the evening went with Harper and cursed himself as he sat outside on his deck. He let his emotions get the better of him and tried to show her how much he wanted her, misguidedly thinking that she would enjoy his show of bravado and masculinity.

Next time. He thought. I'll take it slower next time. She was just so beautiful and tempting tonight. I should probably apologise for what I did.

He played with his heavy bottomed scotch glass, swirling the amber liquid around. His fingers flew over the screen of his phone as he sent her a text, knowing that she wouldn't answer her phone if he called her.

Jackson: I'm so incredibly sorry that I got carried away tonight. I simply miss you so much my darling and you looked so beautiful tonight. Please forgive me.

His cigar smouldered in the ashtray next to him as he put his phone down. His phone lit up seconds after he put it down. He snatched it up thinking that Harper was answering his message.

Isabella: I really had a good time with you the other night. Would you like to catch up again?

He shook his head as he read the message. Ever since she'd stayed the night with him, it seemed that she felt that she could take further liberties. He sighed deeply and took a sip of his scotch, debating whether or not to invite her over. He puffed on his cigar contemplatively. She was always a welcomed distraction when his mind was overrun by thoughts of Harper. He placed his cigar down in the ashtray before he answered.

Jackson: Yes. The front door is unlocked. Let yourself in. I'll be upstairs.

He picked up his cigar and puffed on it slowly. Yes. She'll be a wonderful diversion while Harper was still away. He thought musingly. He checked his antique stainless steel rolex watch, the mother of pearl face and diamond markers glinting in the ambient glow of the pool lights, admiring the gorgeous timepiece and remembering when Harper had gifted it to him as a wedding anniversary gift. Jackson smiled at the memory of happier times. She always had such impeccable taste.

He got up and slowly made his way upstairs to freshen up in anticipation of Isabella's visit. He sprayed some more Hugo Boss aftershave on his neck and chest. Isabella shouldn't be far away. Jackson was still dressed in his tailored beige cotton Armani jacket, white t-shirt and distressed dark blue jeans, his hair was mussed up from playing with it. Even though his thoughts were still occupied with Harper, he looked forward to Isabella's deft touch, reminiscing about the way she would make his clothing simply melt away with her touch. Although he was revelling in his new steamy sex life, it was more than just sex, he was enjoying having another woman's body next to him again to keep him warm on the cold nights, even though he wanted it to be Harper's so he could get his envied life back once more.