Trish Daniels, Hardin’s mom, is about to marry her neighbor Mike. They fell
in love with each other after Hardin was sent to the US to study. The 21-year-old
man and his girlfriend, Tessa Young, went to London to attend the wedding.
The night before the wedding, Hardin caught his mom kissing Christian Vance,
owner of a successful publishing company in Washington. She cheated on Mike! Hardin
could not believe it. He trembled with anger at what he saw. To calm him down,
Trish is forced to reveal to his son that Christian is his biological father.
The wedding was pushed through despite the secret affair. Hardin had a grudge against his mom for
not telling the truth. At the wedding reception, he went in with a dismayed face. He straightly
walked to the venue’s bar to drink liquor. The man wants to bathe himself in alcohol to forget all
the revelations that caught him off guard. While he was drinking, Christian, his biological father,
approached him. He sat beside him to apologize. He also confessed his real relationship with his mom.
Hardin’s mom, Trish, grew up in London with Christian and Ken.
Both of them fell in love with her. She later chose Ken and married him. However,
he became an alcoholic throughout their marriage and barely went home. Feeling alone,
Trish falls in love with Christian, and they have an affair. She bears a child, Hardin,
after sleeping with him. Afraid her husband would know about it, and she insisted that
the incoming baby was his. From that day on, Hardin grows up knowing that his father is Ken.
Hardin went upset after hearing that. He told him that his life could have been
different if he did not have a cowardly dad. He walked out and left Christian. Back then,
he was beaten up by his drunkard father. He only knew Christian for giving him books. He
loves receiving them because he dreams of being a writer someday. Hardin was an intelligent and
talented boy. He loves journalism, and his article was even selected for publication
in a newspaper. In that alone, it cannot be denied that he is a mini version of his dad,
Christian. When Hardin receives books from him, Ken makes sure to tear them all out of jealousy.
Tessa, conversing with Kimberly, Christian’s fiancée,
noticed that Hardin was not at the bar anymore. She went out to follow him.
After the wedding, Hardin rushed to his mom’s place. He had been drinking all day long, angry
with Trish and his dad, Christian. Tessa roamed around the city to look for him. After the tiring
walk, she finally saw him in his mom’s apartment. He was sitting on the stairs drinking liquor.
Tessa pleaded with him to return to their hotel because it was getting cold. Hardin
was irritated. He told her to disappear from his sight. The lady understood he was grieving,
so she chose to stay. All of a sudden, Hardin became hysterical. He broke the door of his
mom’s apartment and went in. He poured a bottle of alcohol and lit the sofa. Tessa stopped him,
but he was desperate to burn the house, where he suffered so much when he was a kid. The fire
rapidly burned the living area. Shortly after, Christian arrived. He stopped his son and told
Tessa to run to the car. Hardin refused and nagged at him instead. The fire was almost
around the house, so his dad had no choice but to push him outside the door. Police siren can
be heard that made Hardin rattled. He immediately drove the car of his dad, where Tessa was seated.
He exited before the cops could catch him. The police arrived, and they only saw Christian there.
The following day, Hardin woke up inside the car. He doesn’t know where he is. He saw Tessa,
who told him that Christian admitted as the one who burned the house. Hardin did not feel guilty.
Instead, he thought his dad deserved that for all the misfortunes he brought into his life. Tessa
lectured him. She also drove the car back to their hotel. Meanwhile, Kimberly, Christian’s fiancée,
heard the incident. She was mad at him for involving himself back in Trish’s life.
In the middle of the drive, Tessa stopped the car. Hardin went out, and she followed him. He returned
to his senses and felt guilty for dragging Tessa to his problems. He told her he would be staying
in London, away from her. Hardin went back to the car. Tessa followed him and sat on his lap.
She doesn’t want them to break up. She promised to stay no matter what happened and kissed him.
The two arrived at the hotel. In the lobby, Hardin told Tessa to go to their room and
take a shower while he will get the bags. Tessa felt sad. She knows that he’s planning something.
Feeling exhausted, she went to Kimberly’s room to share her burdens. Inside, Christian was there to
welcome her. Tessa sat on the floor while Kimberly eagerly listened to her problems. Confused,
she asked whether to continue their relationship with Hardin or to run away to save herself.
She became tired of understanding him. She didn’t know what to do with Hardin anymore.
Hardin left Tessa. He was reconnected to his hoodlum friends. There, he drank and took
substance as his coping mechanism. Tessa, on the other hand, called him. His friend picked
it up and told her that Hardin was there. She asked for the address and drove there.
Tessa found herself in a room that looked like a club. Liquors are everywhere, and drunkard
males and females are having a great time. She walked in further and saw Hardin there. A woman
was hugging him! She approached Hardin. Out of anger, she broke a glass of drink and created a
scene. She screamed and told her boyfriend to stop partying and deal with his problems. The
lady also threatened the man that if he would not go out with her, she would end their relationship.
Hardin was pissed off and told her that they are not in a relationship
anymore. He advised her to go away because she didn’t belong
there. Tessa felt heartbroken. She went inside the car and left him.
Tessa flew to Washington, pissed off with Hardin. S he went to her apartment that she
shared with Hardin to pack her things. There, Tessa reminisces about the good times with him.
When everything was not toxic. She walked further and saw someone lying on the floor. It was her
father! She found him dead. Tessa burst out crying. Landon, her best friend, comforted her.
Hardin receives a call from Landon. However, he declined it. He drank all day with friends,
ignoring Landon’s call. Fortunately, a lady with him answered it. There Landon was so
mad at him. He cursed him for being away when Tessa needed him the most. He ended the call
after. Hardin was confused, and he didn’t know what his ex-girlfriend was suffering. He called
back Landon, and he learned that Tessa’s father had passed away. He froze out of shock. Hardin
snaps back from reality. He badly wants to talk to Tessa, but she refuses to answer.
Tessa was in grief. She locks herself in the room and doesn’t eat the meals that Landon prepares
for her. Besides losing her dad, she was also in pain because of Hardin. She recalled the time when
he already swore a promise to stop drinking. However, he was returning to his addiction.
Hardin flew to Washington to visit Tessa. He rushed to her room to talk to her. But
the lady doesn’t want him anymore. She stared at him with disgust. Hardin was persistent,
so Tessa ran outside to avoid him.
Hardin sat on the balcony, staring blankly. He didn’t know how to approach Tessa anymore. Carol,
Tessa’s mom, talked to him. She lectured the man for breaking her daughter’s heart.
Instead of apologizing, Hardin spoke rudely. He told her that he loved Tessa so much. He
also denied that he hurt her. Carol was not convinced. All her life, she doesn’t want her
daughter to end up with a man like her husband, Richard. Tessa’s father is also a drunkard
and left them. She lectured him that if he loved her daughter, she had to take care of her.
Hardin went to Tessa’s room. Since she wouldn’t talk to him,
he just shared with the lady the last time he saw her father. He was also shocked to
hear that her father had passed away. Shortly after, Tessa finally talked to him. Hardin was
glad and apologized to her. She replied and told him that their relationship wouldn’t
work anymore. She added that he couldn’t even fight for her. He gave up easily when
they encountered problems, leaving her in charge of maintaining their relationship.
On the day of the burial, Tessa sits separately from Hardin. She stood in
front of the eulogy. She tears as she tells everyone how her father tried to
change himself for her. Hardin felt emotional, seeing her in pain. Without Tessa’s knowledge,
he was the one who covered the burial expenses. He requested Landon never to tell her.
At home, Tessa went to the garden to avoid Hardin. However, he was there already standing.
He approached her to apologize. He was sorry that it took him too long to come back. It was too late
for him to realize her value to his life. Tessa did not respond and asked permission to go inside.
After Landon left, Hardin invited Tessa to go somewhere because he had no plans later. The
lady declined and told him that she was tired, and that she had a doctor’s appointment the
next day in Seattle. Hearing that, he offered to accompany him there. He would also love to
look for a place to stay in. This way, he can be with her anytime, whenever she needs him.
Tessa refused. She frankly said that she didn’t want him anymore. Hardin felt hurt and left.
Later that night, Kimberly visits Tessa to express her deepest condolences. Tessa
thanked her and decided to share her plans. She wants to have a fresh start with Landon
in New York. The woman supported her and advised her about Hardin.
Heartbroken, Hardin went to Ken Scott, his adoptive drunkard father. He is now successful,
and his toxic attitude was totally changed. They are already on good terms,
unlike before. The older man advised on his situation with Tessa. He also apologized that
he was wrong for being a drunkard after knowing that he was Christian’s son. He
cried and sincerely told him that he loved him so much. Hardin was touched and hugged his dad.
The following day, Tessa discovers that she only has a slim chance of getting pregnant. She was
advised to adopt kids as an option. Meanwhile, Hardin spent his day at the public park nearby.
As soon as he heard that Tessa was not feeling better, he rushed to her apartment. He found
her outside the pool on a cold night, drunk. He offered to carry her to bed, and she allowed him.
Inside, the lady asked if he wanted a baby from her. He laughed and tucked her into a blanket.
She also said that she loved him and that melted Hardin’s heart. He was confused, but he loved it.
Tessa never wanted him for the past few days. But that night, she requested him to stay with her.
Tessa woke up with Hardin preparing a meal for her. She felt embarrassed and told the
man what she had said last night. Hardin laughed and never went to details. There,
he had a chance to ask Tessa what was bothering her. He suspects she’s pregnant and tells the
lady he wants to keep it. Tessa interrupted and said to him that she could not get
pregnant. If ever Tessa will, she is expected to suffer from miscarriage later. Hardin froze,
and the lady felt nervous about his reaction. He was surprised that they would be deprived of
having kids in the future. The lady was dismayed. She was hurt hearing the word deprived from him.
Tessa walked out but Hardin grabbed her arms. He looked her in the eyes. He wants her to know,
that he wants her with or without kids. He also confessed that when they broke up,
he could see her everywhere. The lady laughed and asked him if the lady he slept with also
looked like her. Hardin denied it because he had never slept with her. She tried to kiss him,
but he moved away and puked. They burst laughing after that.
Landon will be leaving, and their circle of friends will have a barbecue before parting
ways. He will live in New York for good. They teased him to Nora, who has a place there.
Later that night, Tessa wants to clear things out with Hardin
that they should break up. She notices they are slowly getting back together,
and she doesn’t want that. She recalled that in their relationship, they fought more than
they agreed. The man disagreed and told her he had a lot of time to fix the problem. He was
also planning to live in Seattle with her. The lady said she would move to New York to
live with Landon. Hardin froze. He treated Landon as a brother, but he was a traitor.
Hardin went inside to punch him. There, Landon revealed that he had
been dating Tessa after Hardin left her. The lady told Hardin that if he loved her,
he should promise never to follow her in New York. She wants him to give her time. They need
to grow separately before getting back together. Because if they continue their relationship,
they will ruin each other’s life. Hardin was upset and walked out.
Tessa finally arrived in New York and went to Landon’s place. Months passed,
and Hardin eventually graduated with a degree in English literature. He was also planning to
be a writer. He wants to fix himself, and he did well without Tessa. Tessa,
on the other hand, finished her studies at New York University as a wedding planner. Meanwhile,
Landon and Nora fell in love with each other later on.
One time when Tessa was at work in a diner, Nora approached her to tell that Landon was
with Hardin, and he wanted to talk to her. The two greeted each other and felt awkward.
After her shift, Tessa was surprised to see Hardin outside. He waited for her to make sure
that she arrived home safely. The lady teased him if he would do that for her every night.
Hardin accompanied Tessa. She told him that she wanted to study for a semester in spring. The
man asked her why she was working there. She replied that she had made more money
than she expected. A beggar went near to the lady, and Hardin overreacted. He wants him to
move away. Tessa stopped him. She gave food to the stranger, and she did that after the
shift. She treats him as her dad, and it makes her feel good. Before getting inside the unit,
Hardin invited her to go out. However, the lady refused because she was working a double shift.
Inside the apartment, Hardin was shaking. He was having a nightmare and created bothering
sounds. Tessa went to his room to comfort him. She decides to sleep with him to make him feel better.
Days passed by, and Hardin always accompanied Tessa. He was also kind to the beggar and
offered him a scarf. The lady noticed that he had improved. When he drinks, he doesn’t consume the
whole bottle anymore. He was also not forcing their relationship to be restored. Hardin is
willing to wait until she’s ready to commit again. Tessa is slowly falling in love with him again.
She can’t stop staring as he sleeps. Landon and Nora noticed that, and they teased them.
One night, Tessa went home exhausted. She still has an interview the next day. Hardin gently
massaged her body to make her feel better. They missed each other and slept together.
The next day, Hardin kissed Tessa before going to the interview. Tessa smiled and
liked it. Before heading to work, the lady organized things in the living area. There,
she found a book in Hardin’s bag. Curious, she opened it. As she was reading, she realized that
it was her life in the book and her relationship with him. It also included how she was depressed
about losing her father. She continued to read it until Hardin returned. She confronted him
and asked when he started writing about them. The man responded after their first kiss. Tessa
was surprised and thought that he was crazy. She was so mad at him. She doesn’t want the
world to read her life. Hardin apologized. He believed that it was a good idea. He has been
reading the book to the group theraphy, and they loved it. He also revealed to the lady
that many bidders wanted his book. And it was why he came to New York, to settle it. He has
no intention of hurting her. But Tessa continued to argue. She told him that no one wanted to read
her life. It was also what Hardin thought. And he was surprised that there was a bidding war on it.
Hardin was in tears as he continued to explain. Tessa asked him why he marketed a book without
telling her about it. She doesn’t want people to know her life and judge her. But the man
thought that all their challenges would inspire some couples. The book was also not focused on
Tessa but on their story. The story of tolerance and unconditional love. Also,
the vices he was addicted to back then prove that there is a chance for people to change
and see better things in life. That was his main purpose in writing it. Tessa was silent
hearing that. She wants to end whatever status they are in. She walked out and
banged the door. Hardin was teary-eyed. He thought that after changing himself,
he’d get back again with Tessa in a non-toxic relationship. But he was wrong.
Hardin continued his life without her. Even if he was brokenhearted, he did not resort to drinking
alcohol or substance again. Instead, he continued his writing career. He inspired groups of people
and shared with them his life. He was not afraid to be judged and told them that he had burned his
mother’s house before and drank all day. But he was thankful that it did happen. He realized,
it brought him to where he was, living a better life without even trying.
Meanwhile, Tessa celebrated New Year in a club. She was with Nora and Landon. They kissed,
and she felt jealous. She doesn’t have someone to celebrate with. Online, she saw Hardin. He
had become more than she expected him to be. He became mature and turned his dreams into reality.
Hardin published his first ever book―After. He also returned to London. He is already on good
terms with his mom, Trisha. She was incredibly proud of her son as she flipped the copy of his
book. There, she apologized for not telling him about his father. She also feels sorry that she
made mistakes in falling in love. Despite that, she said to him that every decision she makes,
it was out of love for him. Hardin was touched and thanked her mom.
In New York, Tessa was strolling in the city when she saw a poster.
It was about Hardin. He was inviting everyone to visit him there so that he
could sign their ‘After’ book copies. Tessa was amused as she read that.
At Tessa’s apartment, Robert, a waiter at the diner she works, came in to visit her. He ordered
food for both of them. She seems to be comfortable with his presence. She was laughing out loud while
talking to him. Robert, on the other hand, looks like he is attracted to Tessa. He also invited her
to go out that night. The lady agreed but asked permission that she had to go somewhere first.
It was the evening of Hardin’s fan signing for his book ‘After.’ Tessa was wearing hoodies to
disguise herself. She entered the room, and Hardin reads his book to the audience. She
felt awkward as he was giving an inspirational message. She seems to be jealous of what he
has achieved in life. Tessa walked out, Hardin saw her, but he just let her go.