Mean while… Ben Harmon's POV
The inside of his skull was pounding. The throbbing felt like a rock being repeatedly smashed against the inside of his head. God, did I drink the Seagrams again? He thought to himself. Slowly he opened his eyes. The world in front of him swam and spun, colors blurring together like wet paint. Ben groaned and tried to concentrate past the pounding in his head. A pale face came in and out of focus. Slowly he realized it was Hayden. Her brown eyes and pointed nose dominated her face.
"Ben," She gasped, her hands lifting and brushing around his face. Ben jerked back, groaning at the pain in his head. Why was he here? Slowly the memory came back…
Ben stood in his office, again and again going through Tate's journal. What had he missed? Why hadn't he been able to see all the subtle signs of the hold Tate had on his daughter and family? Rage again made Ben's vision turn red. He slammed the journal down on his desk, grinding his teeth until his jaw ached.
"You need to relax," Hayden's voice said. Turning Ben saw her sitting on the couch watching him. He glared at her but she didn't try any of her usual tricks to seduce him. She just stared, her expression tight. Slowly she stood, her eyes staying locked on him. Her arm brushed his shoulder as she reached past and grabbed Tate's journal.
"You want revenge?" She asked while flipping through it.
"He's already dead, what more can I do?" Ben said bitterly. Hayden's brown eyes flickered to his.
"We could think of something." Her smile was devious on the borderline of insane, he'd seen it more than once. But this time he welcomed it.
Next thing Ben knew, he was in the basement tearing at Hayden's clothes hungrily. She was clawing down his back, her moans echoing in his ears. He couldn't control himself, and more importantly he didn't want to. But then all of the sudden Hayden's moans turned to screams, her eyes locked on something behind Ben. He twisted his neck to look but white hands with long spidery fingers reached out and grabbed his face. Excoriating pain made Ben twist and convulse. And then nothing but blackness.
Ben gasped from the memory, his eyes searching Hayden's haunted and scared face for answers.
"What happened?" He managed to choke out. Before Hayden could open her mouth a wail came from the other side of the room. Slowly managing to turn his head Ben saw Vivien staring at them. Her hands were clasped around her mouth, eyes brimming with angry tears.
"You promised!" She screamed.
"This isn't what it looks like Viv," Ben gasped, trying to sit up and then collapsing in pain. Hayden laid a hand on his shoulder.
"She already knows," she said softly. Ben stared at Hayden and then slowly back at Vivien, she couldn't even stand to look back at him. She yanked on her curls, hiding her face behind the curtain of her hair. Silence consumed the air, there was no point in anymore lies and excuses. She knew that and he knew that.