Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Didn’t change for you Tessa’s heart almost jumped out of her chest when she saw the man in front of her. Her breath caught in her throat and her stomach knotted- memories of how he treated her years ago flashed through her mind.

‘What is he doing here?” Her face was devoid of any emotion but she silently asked herself that question.

Of course, she knew that she would bump into him one day since he was from Ashford City. She just didn’t expect it to be so soon.

Deciding to ignore him, she continued to walk like nothing happened but just when she was about to pass. Aaron grabbed her arm.

“Tessa, can’t you see me?”

A wave of anger washed over Tessa and she roughly shrugged Aaron’s hand off.

“I am not blind, Mr Wentworth. I just didn’t think there was a need for us to acknowledge each other,” she said coldly.

Aaron’s heart sank at her obvious hostility. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He was too shocked. After all, the woman he’s been looking for was standing in front of him but she looked like she hated him.

“Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you. For years...”

Tessa frowned at this but her eyes suddenly trailed to the platinum ring on Aaron’s ring finger and her heart grew cold.

“There’s no need for you to look for me, Mr Wentworth. We are strangers now.”

It was because Tessa thought the ring on Aaron’s finger was for his marriage to Serena. She didn’t want to be seen associating with him.

She made to move and when Aaron saw this, he panicked. He had expected Tessa to not want anything to do with him but it was worse than he thought.

She was like a vicious lioness protecting her cubs.

Aaron suddenly grabbed her arm again and pulled her in for a hug. His voice shook as he said, “I finally found you, my love. I missed you so much, Tessa. You have no idea.”

Tessa didn’t expect him to hug her so she was caught off guard and Aaron managed to engulf her in a hug. She could smell his musky cologne and feel how ripped his chest was.

Regardless, his words brought her back to reality. She pushed him away and landed a hot slap on his face.

“Please respect yourself, Mr Wentworth!” She hissed.

She wanted to remind him of his marital status but she had no time or energy for that. This man had nothing. to do with her now.

Aaron was taken aback when Tessa slapped him. A complex emotion rushed through him as he looked at her.

Her eyes were cold, empty even. They had no emotion. She was once a sweet woman but now, she couldn’t Chapter 12 Didn’t change for you even stand his presence.

It was as though he disgusted her.

Looking at her, he ignored the pain on his cheek and decided to tell her what he’s been wanting to say all this time. “Tessa, I’m sorry. When you came to see me last time, I didn’t know about your mother. I-”

Tessa suddenly chuckled darkly. She was already irritated when he hugged her just now.

“How dare he touch me with the same hands that touch another woman?!”

She was livid.

Glaring at him, she spat, “Don’t give yourself too much credit, Mr Wentworth. That happened five years ago. and I don’t think about it anymore. Excuse me, I have work to do.”

“She then whipped around and entered the shop she wanted to inspect.

However, Tessa had underestimated Aaron.

He had been looking for her for five years. He spent every day regretting. The pain of losing her ate at his heart daily. How could he let her go after finally seeing her? A slap was nothing. Heck, she could burn him alive if she wanted to.

Now that he had found her, he was willing to turn the world upside down just to have her back.

When Tessa walked into the shop, she found her client, Mrs Salvatore, waiting for her.

The elderly lady smiled at her when she saw her.

“Good morning, Mrs Hilton. Michelle spoke greatly about your work. I’m looking forward to seeing how you transform this place.”

Tessa nodded. “I’m flattered, ma’am. I’ll try my best and please, call me Tessa. I’m not married.”

Mrs Salvatore’s eyes widened. “You’re not married?”

She was shocked because when she was signing the contract, she had met Tessa’s children so she assumed Tessa was married.

As if she could tell what she was thinking. Tessa clarified. “No, I’m not. I’m a single mother and I don’t need a man. My kids are my world.”

She wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Her children were the biggest blessing to ever happen to her. So what if she wasn’t married? As long as she could provide for her kids, nothing else mattered.

Aaron who just entered the shop happened to hear the last part of her sentence. He stopped in his tracks, his stomach twisting viciously as her words echoed in his head.

‘My kids are my world.”

He felt his heart sink to his feet.

‘She has children? Did she have them with the man she left with?’

He felt like a cat was clawing at his heart viciously.

Chapter 12 Didn’t change for you “Oh, that’s ok. I hope I didn’t offend you. I was just shocked. You look so organised and your business may be starting here but it looks established. You’re doing well,” Mrs Salvatore praised.

She was a kind elderly woman who decided to start a business since her children had all grown up and she was lonely.

“I’m not offended, ma’am,” Tessa replied. She was used to people assuming she was married because she had children.

Deciding to drop the topic, she looked at Mrs Salvatore and asked, “Shall we begin?”

Mrs Salvatore nodded but her eyes trailed to the man standing behind Tessa. He didn’t look like Tessa’s subordinate. He was tall and handsome with neatly styled dark brown hair. He was in a black suit with an imposing presence.

“And you are?” She asked him.

“I’m her fiancé,” the man answered with a straight face.

“Oh really? Wow... you sure have a handsome fiancé, Miss Hilton,” Mrs Salvatore remarked.

Tessa almost jumped out of her skin when she heard Aaron’s voice.

She whipped around and glared at him. When did he follow her into the shop? Deep down, her heart was racing.

‘Did he hear me say I have kids? Oh my God! What if he takes my children?’

“What are you doing here?!”

Aaron smiled despite the obvious hatred oozing off of Tessa.

“I came to accompany you, honey.”

Tessa clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. ‘He’s a married man but he’s pretending to be my fiancé in front of my client. Is he trying to make me a mistress again?’

“I’m working, Mr Wentworth. Please see yourself out,” she hissed.

Aaron saw that she was angry so he decided to wait for her outside. He didn’t want her to run away.

When Tessa began to do her measurements, Mrs Salvatore who had witnessed how she chased Aaron out couldn’t help but remark.

“You’re fighting, aren’t you? Don’t be too hard on him. He’s a reasonable man since he came to apologise. Men don’t apologise, dear. Free advice, your man is very handsome and many young women would want to seduce him. Don’t be angry at him for too long.”

Tessa was speechless at her words. Why was she being so meddlesome? She didn’t even know the whole story!

Not wanting to discuss her private life with her client. Tessa just nodded. “I’ll try my best.”

Meanwhile, Aaron rushed into a flower shop and bought a bouquet of roses. His heart was racing all the while as he prepared gifts for Tessa.

No matter what, he had to at least leave with her number and address tonight.

He was looking at a shelf of chocolates and didn’t know what to choose. A sales lady saw this and walked up to him.

“Do you need any help, sir?” She inquired.

There was a frown on Aaron’s forehead as he nodded. “Yes, please. Can you recommend the most delicious chocolate that women love? Something that can make her feel special?”

The sales lady smiled and pointed at a section on the shelf. “You can get her a box of Lindt Lindor truffles. They are creamy and very tasty.”

Aaron quickly got five boxes and then he saw some snacks meant for kids and grabbed some. If Tessa had children then he could grab something for them too.

Although he was jealous that she had children with someone else, he still didn’t mind. He loved her the same and he hoped she would give him a chance.

He returned to wait outside the shop just as Tessa and Mrs Salvatore were walking out of it.

Seeing how Aaron’s hands were full of flowers and gift bags, Tessa’s eyebrows furrowed but she didn’t say anything because her client was there.

She suddenly felt a nudge on her side before Mrs Salvatore’s voice reached her ears. “See, I told you. He’s a keeper.”

Tessa waited until her client left before she glowered at Aaron.

“I believe I made myself clear, Mr Wentworth. Why are you still bothering me?”

“Tessa... I want us to talk.” Aaron said as he handed the flowers to Tessa but she just eyed them without taking them from him.

“Stop wasting your time. There’s nothing to talk about.”

She began to walk to her office when she stopped in her tracks because Aaron was following her.

Sometimes the children asked the driver to bring them to her office. If Aaron lingered around then he would meet them. Her stomach knotted at the possibility of fighting with Aaron for custody.

She whipped around and said seriously. “What do you want to talk about? You can tell me right now.”

Aaron’s eyes lit up. At least if she’s willing to give him some time then there’s hope, right?

“I want to explain what happened five years ago. I didn’t ignore you.”

Tessa furrowed her brows. She didn’t want to give him any attention but now she had to tolerate him because she wanted to chase him away.

The children can’t see him!

She sighed. “Ok. We can talk. But not today. How about I give you a call when I’m free? I have your number.”

Aaron knew that she was bluffing but he agreed anyway. If she was here, it meant she works at one of the for you small companies, at the mall.

And whose mall was this? Yours truly.

He knew where to find her so he couldn’t push her anymore.

Stretching his hand out, he once again attempted to give her the flowers.

“I got these for you. Beautiful flowers for a very beautiful lady.”

His words were sweet and any woman would love to hear them. However, Tessa sneered.

“Why don’t you give these to Serena? She will appreciate them more.”

Aaron’s heart dropped further and further into the pits of his stomach. This was not the Tessa he remembered. Her eyes no longer sparkled when she looked at him. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat but it wouldn’t “go away. It was uncomfortable and painful.

“Tessa, you’ve changed,” Aaron said, noticing how she carried herself with an air of confidence but Tessa scoffed.

“Don’t worry, Mr Wentworth. I didn’t change for you.”

Natie Author Thank you for reading.