CHAPTER THREE

TESSA’S POV

“ Good morning principal Sanders “ I greeted our principal lazily as I entered her office and sat down in front of her. She looked at me with her brows furrowed and sighed afterward before she began to speak.

“ You are normally the first student to pay your school fees and now your final exams will soon come to an end but you still haven't paid. I tried calling your mum several times but she wouldn't take my calls '' Principal Sanders complained.

Well, I didn't blame her, Not everyone knew that my dad died due to the frustration of his bankrupt company and the threats from the bank.

He was coming back home drunk and left his car at the bar he drank at, in the process of crossing the road a trailer hit him and he died on the spot.

Nobody knew this aside from Kace and Drake's parents and my mom suggested we keep it that way. All she does is brood over how she can't live her lavish lifestyle anymore.

“ We'll pay you soon Mrs. Sanders, my mom’s bank account is having issues right now but once it's rectified we'll pay, “ I said and she nodded her head.

“ Alright, then that'll be all. You can leave “ She said as she pointed to the door. I stood up to leave her office but my steps slowed down when I reached her office door and I finally stopped, feeling dispirited due to everything that has transpired this morning.

“ Principal Sanders, please can I take today off from school? I'm not feeling too well, “ I said as I turned back to face Principal Sanders.

She looked at me in contemplation for a while before she then said “ Just for today Tess and it's clear because I can see you aren't okay, it's written all over your face “.

She signed a permission letter and gave it to me which I collected gratefully.

“ Thank you ma, “ I said and finally left her office. When I closed her door and raised my head, I was startled to see Drake and Triss standing in front of me with their hands folded on their chests.

“ What are you guys doing here, if principal Sanders finds out you both aren't in class you'll both get detention “ I whispered and dragged them to a corner after the hallway that led to principal Sanders's office.

“ What's going on Tess, you've been acting weird since I saw you today… Drake said and continued speaking but I couldn't pay attention to him because I was trying to listen to what Triss was saying at the same time.

“ I saw you get down the school bus which you've never been on before and now you are coming out from principal Sander's office I… “ Triss continued talking and so was Drake, they were saying different things at the same time.

“ I'm getting married to Kace!! “ I yelled as I covered my ears hoping that’ll stop their non-stop talking and of course it did. They stood there frozen with their eyes widened and their mouths agape.

At the rate at which Drake's eyes widened, I thought his eyeballs were going to pop out of their sockets. While Triss shook her head, as though she was trying to clear the thoughts that were in her head thinking they were all lies.

Triss wanted to talk but Drake stopped her with a wave of his hands and walked to stand directly in front of me.

“ Repeat what you just said if it's true, “ He said with a serious and dark expression on his face.

“ I'm getting married to Kace, my father's company went bankrupt and we owe the bank, your family has refused to help us unless I get married to Kace and I have no choice but to do that. I just came out of Principal Sander's office because I haven't paid my school fees “ I said and couldn't stop the tears that began rolling continuously down my face.

“ We are broke!! “ I conpleted while sobbing and saw the sorry look they had on their faces.

I felt ashamed and pathetic, the way they looked at me when I finished explaining made me feel like I was an object of sympathy. I ran away from them heading for the school gate even though I heard them calling out to me.

I showed the permit letter to our gatekeeper before he allowed me to go out and he too was looking at me with concern evident on his face.

I continued running till I reached the bus stop close to my college, luckily no one was there so I cried to my satisfaction. The sound of a bus stopping in front of me made me instantly clean the tears on my face and got on the bus.

While on the bus I thought of my situation and weighed everything before finally deciding that I would go ahead with the marriage. I was deeply hurt because after I told Drake everything he still couldn't confess his feelings for me.

Secondly, I knew that I had to save my dad's company, he worked hard to build it and make it popular. If agreeing to this marriage would save my father's company and our name I would do it, this is the least I could do in honor of my dad.

I sucked in some air and calmed down a bit, planning that when I get home I'll get some rest, then go to the Crawfords manor with my mom to tell them of my decision.

I got down from the bus and walked home, luckily it was a short walk from my house to the bus stop in our Area. When I got into our house, I didn't see my mom so, I went straight to my room and crashed on my bed falling asleep instantly with my uniform still on.

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I woke up a few minutes past four in the evening feeling better and headed straight to mom’s room. I opened the door without knocking and saw her crying silently in her room.

She rushed to clean her face but she was too late I had already seen her crying. For the first time since all this, I took time to put myself in her place and know how I would be feeling, it was only then that I knew that the pains she was going through were equivalent to or more than mine.

I took long strides toward her and hugged her, that was all it took for her to break down and wail while crying. I couldn't help but join her in crying it was like we were letting our tears speak for us, we were pouring our anger, sadness, and all the unspoken words we had in our hearts out as tears.

I braced myself and detached myself from the embrace. One of us had to be strong to console the other. I placed my hands on her shoulder and she looked up at me with her hazel eyes staring and piercing into my soul.

“ Mom, clean your tears and get dressed, we are going to Crawfords Manor to get this over with. I have decided to marry Kace “ I said trying to keep a determined look and hoping I did it well.

“ Really baby? “ She asked as she sniffed and cleaned her face with a look of hope coming back on her face. I was satisfied that at least she wasn't crying anymore which made me more sure that marrying Kace was what I should do.

“ Yes mom, now go take a shower and get dressed while I do the same, “ I said and patted her shoulders before standing up to leave. I hadn't taken three steps when she called out to me and I turned.

“ Thank you honey “ Was all she said smiling sadly before she entered her bathroom. I sighed and went to my room to shower and dress up.

When I was done bathing? I packed my red hair in a messy bun and chose to put on simple shorts and a polo shirt, This visit wasn't anything important to me, I was only doing this because I didn't have a choice.

When I was done dressing up, I wanted to carry my phone from my bedside table but that was when I realized I had left my bag in school and my phone was in it.

I left my room after deciding to ask Drake if he helped me to carry it from school. The time I left my room and closed my door was the exact time my mom was coming out of hers too.

“ Ready? “ She asked as she walked to me and held my hand and I nodded after releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding.

We left our house and hailed a cab which drove off heading for the Crawfords Manor.

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We alighted from the cab and my mom paid the cab driver. We were walking towards the manor gate when I saw Kace's car drive into the manor with speed.

I rolled my eyes after observing the fact that he is a rough driver. My mom and I just quietly walked behind his car and it seemed he didn't notice us.

Far ahead I saw Drake standing still putting on his school uniform with his hands folded on his chest, he didn't look happy at all. What surprised me more was that when Kace got out of his car Drake rushed to him and jacked Kace on the collar.

I instantly ran towards them at full speed and stood beside them but they didn't notice me. I reached them early enough to hear Drake ask Kace why he wanted to marry me when he told Kace of his plans for me.

I was perplexed and curious at the same time, what plan did Drake have for me? And why would he disrespect his elder brother this way because of me?

“ What plans? “ I asked looking confused at the both of them as my mom walked to stand beside me. Kace and Drake's heads immediately snapped in my direction.

Drake immediately took long strides toward me as he held my hand and brought me in for a hug.

“ Please I love you, Tess, don't get married to Kace. I’m sorry that it took me this long to realize it to tell you but the truth is that I love you so much “ Drake said as he hugged me tighter.

I just stood there utterly speechless and frozen on the spot I stood where Drake was hugging me but I didn't return the hug and he didn't care anyway.

I looked at Kace who stood looking at Drake with furrowed brows and his head tilted a bit to the side. There was something about the way he was looking at the scenario that I couldn't fathom yet. I didn't know if his look was that of worry or surprise.

My mom on the other looked at Drake warily but didn't alter a word. There was once a time that Drake confessing his feelings for me was all I wished for but now it was too late, I didn't even know how react to him but heaven knows I still loved him.

I wished his parents would let me get married to him instead of Kace. What's the difference, Kace and Drake were both the sons of Crawford It'll make no difference as long as I am getting married into their family, so why were they insisting that I get married to Kace?

“ Get off her Drake “ A baritone voice which wasn't Kace's voice ordered.