Chapter 9 Still searching
Tessa was left speechless at her children’s request. She whipped her head around and glanced at her mother for help but Elena evaded her eyes.
Deep down, she also wanted to know the children’s father because the triplets had been craving a father’s love.
Elena had been cancer free for a year now and was no longer participating in the clinical trials. Naturally, she hoped her daughter would accept Harry’s affection but she saw that she didn’t love him so she never asked her about it.
Tessa sighed and was about to answer her kids when Harry interrupted.
“Who wants to go to the theme park?”
The children’s eyes lit up. Especially Willa who loved the sweet cotton candy they always had at the park.
“Uncle Harry, are we going now?” She toddled toward him, asking sweetly and he ruffled her hair.
“Of course, we are going now.”
He smiled at her. Of all of Tessa’s children, he liked Willa more because she resembled her mother with green eyes and dark hair. Regrettably, the other two resembled Aaron. Dark brown hair and blue eyes.
He hated them so much but he had to put on a façade for him to woo Tessa. After spending so much time with her, he had fallen for her and he wanted to make her his.
Nia frowned unhappily and went to sit on the couch, grabbing her tablet. “I don’t want to go.”
Tessa’s shoulders sagged. Nia had the worst temper and she didn’t know where she inherited it from. She didn’t have time to explain about Aaron to them so she hoped Harry would distract them for the time being.
However, Nia didn’t want to go to the theme park only to see happy families when they didn’t have a daddy. She would rather stay home and play games! There was a deep frown on her adorable face as she pretended
to play games on her tablet.
“Ok. We can stay home and order pizza!” Harry offered when he noticed that Tessa was about to scold her daughter and this time all the children looked satisfied.
Willa was carefree. Hearing that she was about to have pizza, all thoughts about cotton candy were thrown
out the window.
“Yay! Pizza! I want sweet and sour chicken!” She happily chirped.
Harry glanced at Tessa and met her eyes. He saw how her eyes turned sentimental and her lips curved into a smile as she stared at him gratefully.
He breathed out a sigh of relief knowing she was impressed with how he handled the situation. It was just a matter of time before their relationship progressed.
A week had passed and Tessa’s architectural firm was running low on clients.
“Ma’am, another customer just terminated their contract with us,” Lisa Brooks, Tessa’s assistant said and Tessa looked up at her.
Lisa was a young woman. Short with blonde hair and brown eyes but very hardworking.
“How many are remaining?” Tessa asked calmly. She didn’t show it but her stomach was twisting and turning with nerves.
Her clients had suddenly started pulling out of their contracts. Even going as far as paying for the breach of contract. But such a situation would paint the Company bad. People would wonder why the clients changed their minds.
“He was the last one, ma’am,” Lisa announced.
Tessa’s heart sank. The Company was her bread and butter. She couldn’t afford to lose it.
Lisa saw her boss’s dismayed look so she decided to ask what was on her mind.
“Ma’am, did you offend someone lately?”
Tessa’s head spun as she tried hard to remember. She didn’t offend anyone but the only ones capable of influencing clients like this are the Jones.
They owned many Companies in Whitpalm City. Tessa didn’t expect them to be so unreasonable.
She had realised no kindergarten wanted to enrol her kids and now she knew why.
“Don’t worry, Lisa. We shall recover very soon-” Tessa was interrupted by the ringing of her phone.
She glanced at Lisa who nodded and excused herself, only then did she pick up the call.
“Hello?”
“Where are my darlings? Put them on the phone! I want to say hi!”
Tessa had to pull her phone away from her ear to avoid the shriek that came through.
She smiled to herself knowing how much her best friend, Michelle Adams, loved her kids.
When she was sure Michelle had stopped screaming, she placed the phone to her ear again.
“You know I’m not with them right now,” Tessa sighed.
“Yes, I know. I was just teasing you. How are you doing? Still having troubles with your company? Maybe I can help,” Michelle offered.
Michelle Adams was from a rich family in Ashford City. Her family was involved in the transport and logistics
business.
She and Tessa were childhood friends. But they got separated when Michelle went abroad for her studies.
Tessa bit her lower lip, glancing around her office. She had rented an office space. Even if it was only her and her assistant for now, all this was done without anyone’s help.
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“I just don’t know what to do. Someone is making things difficult for me on purpose.”
“Have you told Harry?” Michelle queried.
Tessa furrowed her brows.
“No. I don’t want to trouble him anymore.” She sighed and rubbed her temples.
Tessa wasn’t blind. She could tell that Harry had special feelings for her. But Tessa was done with anything to do with men and love. To her, love was a dangerous thing that could make or break you.
Getting more help from Harry would give him the wrong impression and she was trying to avoid that.
“What do you suggest I do?” She asked, her eyebrows knitting together. The company has to be saved at all costs!
There was a brief silence as Michelle thought about her response.
“How about returning to Ashford City? This City is bigger and has more potential for a business like yours to bloom.”
Tessa frowned. Returning to Ashford City? The place where she vowed never to return to?
“Michelle, you know-”
“Come on, Tessa. Should you stop living just because some jerk broke your heart?”
It was because Tessa didn’t want to risk running into that man that she wasn’t keen on the idea of returning home. But…
‘Michelle’s right. Why am I hiding? Besides, I’ve always known that my business would do better in Ashford.”
She made her resolve and replied, “Help me out with the procedure. I’m returning to Ashford City.”
“Woohoo! My best friend is coming!” Michelle squeaked in a singsong voice.
Tessa chuckled and shook her head. She then packed her bag and decided to go home to spend time with her
kids.
At the same time, a tall man with dark brown hair that was styled neatly and cerulean blue eyes sat in the
back seat of an expensive silver Bentley as it drove through the street, heading to his office.
The man was none other than Aaron Wentworth. A charming businessman who was capable of influencing the Country’s economy.
At thirty-one, he was now the most powerful man in Ashford City, having brought his father’s company to greater heights in the past five years.
“Sir, the chairman said you have a dinner appointment this evening.” his assistant, Enock, announced from
where he sat in the driver’s seat.
Aaron’s eyes narrowed and the hairs on the back of Enock’s neck rose from his skin. The temperature in the car had suddenly dropped to a negative and he broke out in a cold sweat.
“What did I tell you about Dad’s obvious matchmaking tactics?” Aaron’s voice was low, it sounded lazy as he trailed his gaze to the pedestrians walking on the streets.
“You said I should decline them on your behalf, Sir.”
“So?”
“This time it’s different. The chairman said he will fire me if you don’t show up. He wants grandchildren=”
“Enock, do you have that little faith in me? My father may still be the Chairman but he holds no power now. I’ve dominated the Company. He wouldn’t dare fire my people.”
“Then I shall let Miss Winston know that you’re not available,” Enock said as he drove the car slowly since they were stuck in traffic.
“Just then, Aaron happened to see a woman who looked familiar. He hadn’t seen her face but her back… her long dark silky hair and the way she walked… it all reminded him of someone in his memories and his stomach turned.
“Tessa!” He called out anxiously and opened the car door.
“Sir, it’s dangerous! You can’t-”
Enock’s words were cut off as Aaron had already alighted from the car and ran across the street without hesitation.
When he reached the familiar figure, he grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.
“Tessa…” He trailed, his heart sinking when he found she wasn’t the one.
For five years he has been unable to forget about her. He saw her every night in his dreams, terribly missing her.
It was only when she left that he realised his feelings for her. That he did, in fact, love her. After spending years chasing her shadow, he was sad and depressed that things between them had ended that way.
If he had the power to turn back time. He would treat her better. He would cherish her knowing how much it hurts to lose her.
The woman he had grabbed frowned at him and shrugged his hand off before giving him a wary glance.
“You’ve got the wrong person,” she said and turned to leave.
Aaron didn’t know how long he had stood on the street. His eyes stung and tears rolled down his cheeks. He felt like someone was brutally slashing his heart with a sharp knife.
It was because a tiny spark of hope had been ignited in Aaron’s heart when he thought he saw Tessa that his heart was now bleeding.
He missed her so much. When he got into the car, his phone rang and his heart jumped when he saw that it was his friend; Graham, who was calling.
Aaron had implored Graham to help him find Tessa but after all these years, his faith had dwindled and he was almost losing hope.
What he didn’t expect was for Graham to say three words that made his day brighter.
“I’ve found her.”
Graham was in the military and had just been promoted to the position of general, so he had many resources at his disposal.
Aaron’s heart sk ip ped a beat and his eyes widened.
“What? Where?”
His heart was racing erratically as he waited for the answer.
“She’s been in Whitpalm all along, man. I don’t know how we missed it.”
The two of them exchanged a few words before Aaron said, “Thank you, bro. I owe you one.”
“Yeah, buy me a drink when I return.”
Aaron killed the call and ordered his assistant. “Go to the airport. Call Nora and tell her to commission a
private jet for me. We are going to Whitpalm.”
It didn’t take long for a jet to be commissioned. The power of money. Just when Aaron’s private jet took off. The family of five had just taken off from Whitplam too, heading to Ashford City.
When Aaron arrived at Whitpalm City, he used his resources to find Tessa’s whereabouts.
After a long day of finding out information that shocked him to the core, he sat on the bonnet of his car and sighed.
He had just found out that Tessa’s mother had cancer and he was none the wiser. Tessa and her mother moved to Whitpalm City for treatment.
Aaron was filled with guilt and regret. “Is that why she took the money? She was paying for her mother’s treatment?”
He asked no one in particular but Enock felt obligated to answer.
“I think so, boss.”
Aaron’s heart clenched as a memory flashed through his mind. Tessa had gone to look for him but now that he thinks about it, she didn’t look like herself. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were red as if she had cried.
‘Did she come to ask for my help and I turned her away with my indifference?”
His stomach churned at the realisation. He had failed to protect and be there for her.
He didn’t know how long he sat there, regretting his actions. Night had fallen and the city was now glowing from the lights that had been turned on.
Aaron’s heart felt heavy. All he wanted was to find Tessa and ask her for forgiveness. He hoped they could put the past behind them and start afresh.
For he had now realised his mistake. He didn’t cherish the gem that was once in his care and now, he had lost “Sir, we’ve gotten news from our informants. Miss Hilton has left Whitpalm City.”
Aaron’s heart lurched. ‘Did she leave because she knew I had found her? Does she hate me that much?”
His heart squeezed in pain but he ignored it. “Let’s go back and start looking again. I won’t stop until I find her.”
