Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Chapter 14′′ Trial date Tessa had left work early. For some reason, her heart kept racing and her stomach was in a knot.

Deep down, she was worried that Aaron had already made his move and found her children. So she quickly returned home to check on them after they knocked off from school, just to be sure.

When she entered their apartment, she found the children writing their homework on the carpet in the living room while Elena was busy cooking in the kitchen.

Willa was the first to run towards her mother.

“Mommy! You’re back!”

“Tessa spread her arms wide and bent over to carry her daughter.

“Yes, sweetie. Mommy is back early today.”

Reagan and Nia followed suit and each wrapped their arms around her waist.

“We missed you, Mommy,” they chorused.

Tessa’s heart calmed down when she saw that her kids were safe.

“I missed you more, my babies. Come, show me what you are doing,” she said, leading them towards the books on the carpet.

Willa picked up her book and showed her proudly.

“Mommy, look. I drew our family,” she uttered sweetly, showing her mother the family of six on the paper.

Tessa smiled. “This is very nice, Willa. Well done. I can see your grandma here, your brother and sister and myself. You also drew Uncle Harry!”

Willa shook her head when she heard that.

“No, Mommy. That’s not Uncle Harry, that’s Daddy.”

Tessa’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at the drawing again. It wasn’t a well-done drawing. But the man was in a poorly drawn black suit and had rough hair. He was also the tallest one.

Her eyebrows knitted as she stared at her daughter.

“Willa, why did you draw this man?”

“The teacher said I should draw Daddy too. So I drew him, Doesn’t he look like Daddy?”

Reagan glanced at his mother and frowned. “Mommy, didn’t you say Daddy was in Ashford City? When is he coming to see us? I didn’t draw him because I don’t know what he looks like.”

“Mommy, why doesn’t Daddy want to see us? Does he hate us?” It was Nia who asked this time.

Tessa felt like someone was squeezing her heart.

She went down on her knees and engulfed all three of her children in a hug.

*Do you really want a Daddy?” She asked, her heart clenching at the word.

The little ones nodded.

“Yes, Mommy. We want a Daddy. Our friends talk about how their daddles take them to theme parks and how they play with them, but we don’t have a daddy to talk about at school,” Reagan muttered.

Tessa was filled with guilt. Her children wanted a father but she couldn’t just force parenthood on Aaron when he never wanted it.

She sighed, about to respond when someone knocked on the door.

Walking to the door, she opened it but she didn’t expect Harry to hug her so tightly.

“What do you want to talk about, Harry? You’re scaring me.”

It was because Harry was holding onto her for dear life that Tessa thought something bad had happened to him.

Harry pulled away from the hug and looked into her eyes. “There’s something I want to tell you.”

Tessa’s eyebrows furrowed. “It can’t wait? I was helping the children with their homework.”

“It won’t take long, I promise. I just need a moment of your time.”

Tessa sighed and stepped out of the house before closing the door behind her.

“We can talk outside and then go in later.”

The apartment was on the third floor of a four-storey building so they just stood in the hallway.

Harry handed Tessa the flowers he got for her and she reluctantly took them.

“I’ve been wanting to tell you that I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember, Tessa.”

Tessa’s stomach turned. She didn’t expect Harry to tell her about his feelings.

She shifted uncomfortably in her stance before saying, “Harry, you know how I feel about such-”

“I know, Tessa. That’s why I kept my feelings to myself and decided to just watch you from a distance. But I can’t do that anymore. Not when my love for you is so strong. I don’t think I can live without you. I’m not like that guy who hurt you, I promise.

I’m different. I love you so much.”

He took a step forward but Tessa took a step back, feeling uncomfortable. Her heart was pounding brutally against her ribcage.

She didn’t know what to say without hurting him.

“Harry, I don’t believe in love anymore. You’re a good person and I wouldn’t want to hurt you-”

“Then don’t hurt me, Tessa. I love you with all my heart. I’m willing to give your children my last name and call them my own.

They’ve been asking for a father lately, right? We can be together and then they will naturally see me as their father.” Harry said and grabbed Tessa’s hands in his, looking deeply into her eyes.

“Give me a chance to prove that true love exists. I’ve been by your side for five years. Wouldn’t I have left if I wasn’t sincere? I stayed because I cared and I hoped you would open your heart to me one day.”

2/5 Tessa bit her lower lip as a complex disturbing emotion surged within her.

Something that Harry had said hit home. Her children were demanding to see their father and there was no way in hell that Tessa would involve their real father in their lives. Harry had been there for the kids. He took care of them and babysat them when she was busy. They were practically like his children. He loved them too.

She knew he would make a good father and if they got together, the kids would stop asking about their biological father- the sperm donor.

It was tempting but Tessa felt strange. Was it really ideal for her to date someone she didn’t have feelings for?

She didn’t want to fall in love because it was a scary thing but she couldn’t date someone she didn’t love either.

Harry saw that Tessa was deeply contemplating his words so he added, “How about we go on a few dates? Not as friends but as people aspiring to be lovers. We can call it a trial date. Just tell me that you’re willing to try and I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”

Tessa inhaled sharply, her stomach churning but she nodded in the end. If her children wanted a father figure, she would do whatever it takes to make them happy.

Aaron- the sperm donor was out of the question so Harry would make do.

The next day, Harry was quick to show up on time at Tessa’s apartment. He was in a casual grey T-shirt and dark jeans.

Tessa stepped out in a simple pastel pink pencil dress with no makeup on. Her hair was left to flow down her shoulders and she looked simple, yet beautiful.

“Bye-bye, Mommy! Bring us a lot of snacks!”

The little ones shouted behind her. It was a weekend and she had to make up an excuse about why she was going out with Harry. The kids had asked her a lot of questions but she didn’t want to confuse them by telling them it was a date when she wasn’t sure if it would work.

Hearing her babies’ words, she blew kisses at them and waved. “I’ll see you soon, my angels. Be good and don’t make trouble for Grandma. I’ll bring the snacks!”

“Ok, Mommy!”

After Tessa left, the three little ones shared looks. Nia was the first to remark. She crossed her little arms on her chest and frowned.

“Do you think Mommy has gone on a date with Uncle Harry?”

Reagan furrowed his brows. “No. Uncle Harry is not our Daddy. Mommies only go on dates with daddies.”

“Perhaps she’s gone to bring Daddy!” Willa chirped.

Elena who was seated in the living room happened to hear their conversation. She didn’t like where it was going so she stopped it before they said more.

3/5 “Come and watch your favourite TV show, my darlings. It’s starting in a few minutes.”

Reagan and Nia’s eyes lit up and they hurriedly jumped on the couch. However, Willa toddled to her grandmother’s side while fiddling with her fingers.

“Can I go and play with Barbie dolls in the bedroom, Grandma?” She asked adorably.

Her chubby cheeks were rosy and very squishy. She was the cutest thing you could ever see.

Elena smiled and brushed her precious granddaughter’s hair back.

“Of course, honey.”

Willa grinned and rushed to the bedroom. When she saw that her siblings didn’t follow her, she took out her tablet and hid on the other side of the bed.

She hadn’t been able to call her play Dad because her mother and siblings were always around. Yesterday, when the teacher asked them to draw their family, she naturally added Aaron to the drawing.

Excitement was plastered on her face as she dialled the number.

Meanwhile, Saturday was a busy day for Aaron. While others indulged in outings and relaxing massages, he was busy hosting a meeting in the conference room.

They had been at it for five hours straight because he wanted to keep his mind occupied. Enock was yet to find info about Tessa...

Come to think of it, Aaron was surprised that his team couldn’t track her. They were one of the best tech teams in the city. But they still had difficulties in finding her. It was as if someone was deliberately pushing them in a different direction.

The general manager, Mr Stevens, was presenting in front when Aaron’s phone that was on the table suddenly rang.

The shareholders stared at Aaron and then shared secret looks. They knew he didn’t tolerate calls during meetings and were actually surprised that it was his phone that rang.

Aaron’s eyebrows creased but when he noticed it was a video call coming from his new little friend, his sour mood suddenly disappeared.

With a small smile crossing his lips, he picked up the call but the first thing he saw was a magnified nose on the screen.

Followed by one eye that almost fit the entire screen as if someone had placed the camera right on their eye.

“Daddy, what are you doing?” A child’s voice echoed through the room and the place fell deadly silent.

The shareholders were stunned. A little girl just called Aaron daddy! When did he have a child?

Just when they were expecting Aaron to scold the child, he surprised them by responding in a gentle, almost doting manner.

“Willa, how are you? Daddy’s working.”

4/5 “I’m fine, Daddy. I just wanted to tell you that I drew you yesterday!”

Aaron smiled. Although he couldn’t see the little one’s entire face, there was an inexplicable warmth surging within him as he talked to the child.

His eyes were full of gentleness as he responded. “Really? I would like to see the drawing.”

“I’ll show you when I tell Mommy about you. And then you can come and live with us. We will be a big happy family!”

Aaron chuckled in amusement. The duo chatted for a little while until Willa cut the call abruptly.

By that time, Aaron was no longer in the mood to continue with the meeting so he dismissed the shareholders.

“Take some time off on the weekend. I know you’re workaholics but take care of your health too.”

The shareholders were bereft of words. Who was the one that called them as early as 6:00 am for a meeting on a Saturday?

When the room was empty, Enock finally walked up to Aaron and reported the findings that he had just received on his phone.

“Sir, I’ve found out that Miss Tessa is not an employee but she’s the CEO of Tessa’s architectural firm. She lives along Sandton Street on the third floor of the Sandton building in apartment number 307. I couldn’t find out if she has kids. The tech team said the system was suddenly wiped before they could find out more.”

Aaron sat back in his seat, crossed his legs and stroked his stubbled chin.

He didn’t expect Tessa to have started her own business. She had really changed indeed. But that made him admire her more.

She had been through a lot but she still managed to thrive through it all.

A thought suddenly occurred to Aaron and he glanced at his assistant. “Find those proposals for the realty business that I had rejected. Prepare a better plan and find someone to visit Tessa’s firm as a client,” he instructed and then added. “Make an offer for a ten-billion-dollar project.”

Since Tessa was being too guarded around him, the only way he could get close to her was to become her client.

Natie Thank you for reading.