TessaI stared, shocked, at Liam. I looked away, debating if I heard him right, and then I turned back to him, but he still had that stoic expression on his face, which meant he said it, and I heard him perfectly right.But how could he say such a thing after everything I have been saying since we came to the bathroom? Didn't he hear me tell him Alex is suspicious of us? And is asking questions? Did he realized that we are all in the same house, in one roof? And he wants me to suck him off in the bathroom after telling them downstairs I won't stay long?"Tessa, back to earth," Liam snaps his finger on my face; I jolt, coming out of my reverie."Sorry, I got lost," I muttered."Okay...." He dragged the words arching an eyebrow at me."Okay, what?" I ask."Suck me off, of course, I don't understand the reason you are suddenly carried away?" Liam hissed already pissed off."Liam, I am not trying to dictate or alter what you said, but I really cannot give you a bj right here and now," I s
CarterI gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove to the school. My mind was racing with thoughts of what could happen when I got there; would I be fired, or would the issue be settled amicably despite the rumours, or would I find a more juicy story to it? Whichever it was, I am going to see through like the man I am.Mila had warned me that the school might call me in, and now it was happening."Dear Mr. Carter, you are hereby invited to the school by the school management for a meeting regarding the springing up rumors on a breach of the school rules and regulations." The text message had entered not quite long after she said so.I told Tessa to come home, and I waited for her homecoming, but since she was not forthcoming and seeing I could not delay myself anymore, I decided to go to the school even with her absence.As I parked my car at the school parking lot and stepped out, I couldn't shake off the feeling of nervousness. I took a deep breath and walked towards the school
TessaAfter eating dinner with the family, I lay down on the couch, my heart racing fast. It had been days since I last saw my mum, and I wouldn't lie that I missed her so much. I wished to see her. I glanced around the sitting room, it was empty, with only me inside. Leah and Alex had just stepped out, while Liam went to work, leaving only me with my thoughts.I contemplated whether to go home or not, considering the boredom taking space in my heart and the fact that I missed my mum. I stood up, concluding that I would go visit my house. I wanted to see her face, even though we wouldn't talk, just seeing her face would suppress my longing for her.I went to my room, picked up my purse and slippers, before storming out of the house and grabbing a taxi. I entered the taxi, told the cab driver my destination, and he started driving. My mind was occupied with the awkwardness that would be between me and my mum.I didn't know if what I did was a bit off, but I guessed it was just the r
Tessa"That's not possible," I shook my head nervously, even though I knew it could be. Liam looked desperate and ready to take what he wanted with all possibilities, but sometimes I had been giving him what he wanted, so why would he report us?"Then who? Who would report us if he's not the one, and to top it all, you said he's threatening you, so what are you expecting?" Mr. Carter sounded broken, trying not to show his sad side. His breathing became trembling, staring around the house. He folded his hands, supporting his jaw while his eyes looked around for what he didn't lose."I have a plan," My lips firmed. I had thought I would keep it to myself, but not anymore. Liam deserved nothing but cruelty. He fucking trapped me. After giving him everything. I hate the fact that I gave him everything yet he went ahead and trapped me."Plan? Which one?" Mr. Carter asked, staring at me with doubt."Let's get rid of Liam," I pronounced, unsure if I made any sense right now, but that's the
TessaAfter eating breakfast with Leah, she rose from the table to take the plates to the kitchen while I waited for her to come back. I've been having peaceful breaths ever since Liam went to work and hadn't come back. I wish it could continue going like this.Leah came back from the kitchen and sat down in front of me, her eyes staring at me with something I couldn't dispatch. She had been asking me what was wrong and why I had left the house since we woke up, but for real, I don't think I'm ready to talk about it. Especially mentioning Mr. Carter wasn't part of the plan at all.She cleared her throat, supporting her hand with her jaw, her eyes mainly on me. "Now that I've served your empty stomach and it's now full of your cravings, can you tell me what I desire to know?" She asked for the umpteenth time. I looked away, trying to avoid her question, but her persistence gazed at me, doesn't change anything."I told you it's nothing," I scoffed, trying to downplay everything."Really
Carter"Hey, love," I opened my arms wide, welcoming Mila into my body frame; my hands snaked around her waist while I kissed her on the cheek and her forehead. "How are you doing today?" I questioned releasing her to search her face."Well, I can't say if I am happy or excited, but I am good; everything is good." Mila flashed me a smile, I needed no one to tell me something sweet happened. I am not saying she doesn't smile but she looks super excited."Is there something I need to know that you are hiding from me?" I took a glass from the rack, poured myself some content from the bottle, and then gulped the whole content."I am not hiding anything," she chuckled collecting the glass and bottle from my hands, she set it herself. "Tessa came in earlier today, but she is not feeling well; she looks sick and pale; all the color on her skin had drained, but she is fine." She announced.My expression faltered down at her. The last piece of news I was expecting to hear was that Mila saw Tes
CarterI was surprised to see Mila standing outside Tessa's door. My mind reeled. What was she doing here?I approached her, my voice low, although I knew Tessa had discovered what was going on but would rather keep her cool than talk and raise suspicions between us."Mila, what are you doing? I thought I left you in the kitchen not quite long trying to prepare dinner or I think you were fixing some stuff in the kitchen?" I asked, my presence still covering the entrance to the door.She smiled, a hint of surprise as she was not expecting me to open the door to find her standing quietly and noiselessly. "Is it a crime if I decide to leave the kitchen and come to my daughter's room?" Mila replied teasing me."Come on, don't quote me wrong. I was just surprised to see you standing at her door after telling me you guys had a lengthened talk not quite long, and you straightened out the issues between the both of you," I paused breathlessly. "I didn't realize that mother and daughter's bond
TessaMom walked in after Carter left the room, a warm smile spread on her lips as she approached the bed where I sat with my Teddy bear on my thighs, staring at nothing in the room in particular."You exchanged pleasantries with Carter right?" she asked.I nodded, feeling uneasy even though I knew we just didn't exchange pleasantries as father and daughter would but chatted about something she should not know about."That is nice; he was worried sick of you when you left; I am sure he is happy you are back to the house and family, too," She sat down next to me on the bed, her position directly facing me."Yeah, I guess so," I shrugged carelessly.But then Mom's expression turned serious. "So tell me Tessa, how have you been all this while you were not with us? Tell me what your neighbors are like. Did you hang out with your friends a lot, or did you lock yourself up in your room reading and studying? Or have you found a hobby you are suddenly in love with and buried yourself in it? G
CarterI was anxious as I stepped into the hospital with Samuel by my side. The atmosphere was heavy with worry, the kind that clings to you like a shadow. Tessa has been through so much of lately."Let's go to the security room," Samuel said, his voice steady but his eyes revealed his own concern. I nodded, feeling the weight of the moment. We made our way through the busy hallways, past doctors and nurses who moved quickly, their faces focused and serious. Each step felt like it took forever, and the sounds of the hospital echoed in my mind, amplifying my anxiety.When we reached the security room, I took a deep breath. The room was small and dimly lit, filled with screens showing different angles of the hospital. I felt a mix of hope and fear as I wondered what we would find in the footage. The security guard looked up from his monitor, noticing us."What can I help you with?" he asked, his tone professional but kind."We need to see the footage of when Leah was brought in for some
TessaI sat on the cold, hard bench in my prison cell, tears streaming down my cheeks. I never thought a simple favor would land me here, but life had a funny way of twisting things. I felt the weight of my choices, heavy and suffocating. All I wanted was to help someone, but now I was paying the price.The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, and my heart raced. I looked up to see my mother, Mila, Carter, and Samuel approaching. Relief washed over me at the sight of them, but it was quickly overshadowed by sadness. I wanted to be strong, but the tears wouldn't stop.Mila rushed to me, her arms wrapping around me tightly. I could feel her warmth, her love, and it made my heart ache even more. I hugged her back, trying to find comfort in her embrace. "I'm okay, really, Mom, I am fine," I said, but my voice wavered. "This is just what my help got me into."Mila pulled back, her eyes searching my face. "Tessa, I'm so sorry. I didn't want this for you." Her voice was soft, filled wit
CarterI felt a rush of confusion and anger as I paced the living room, my phone still buzzing in my hand. Mila had just told me that Tessa was arrested. "Why would they arrest Tessa?" I shouted, my voice echoing off the walls. My heart raced. Tessa was my friend; she was kind and caring. It made no sense to me.When I finally got home, the weight of the news sat heavy in my stomach. Mila was waiting for me, her face serious. My heart was racing. Mila was sitting on the couch, her eyes wide with worry and she looked concerned, and that only made my heart beat faster. I needed answers. I wanted to know why this was happening."Carter, you need to sit down. I have something to tell you," she said. I felt a knot form in my stomach. The tone in her voice told me it wasn't good news."Mila," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "What happened? Why was Tessa arrested?" I asked, already treading the answer.She took a deep breath, her eyes searching mine as if she were trying to gauge how
Tessa I stood there, my heart racing as I faced Liam. The anger in his eyes felt like a storm, and I could barely breathe. "I didn't poison Leah!" I shouted, my voice shaking. "She called me when she got sick! You can't seriously think I would do something like that!"Liam's face was cold, his disbelief cutting deep. "Prove it," he said, crossing his arms. "You were the last one with her. You need to show me that you didn't do this."I fumbled for my phone, my hands trembling as I pulled up the chat with Leah. "Look! She messaged me just before she got sick. She was asking for help!" I held the phone out to him, desperate for him to see the truth.Liam glanced at the screen but then shook his head. "This doesn't mean anything. You could have staged this. You could have poisoned her and then acted like you were trying to help.""Staged it? Are you serious?" I felt a surge of frustration. "I rushed her to the hospital because I was scared! I thought she was going to die!""Then why is
TessaI stood in the dimly lit room, my heart racing as I stared at the screen in my hands. His words was more of like present, echoed in my mind."You poisoned my sister, Leah." I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Leah was not just his sister; she was my best friend. The anger bubbled up inside me, mixing with confusion. How could he say something like that?"Why would you say something like that?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "You're joking, right? This isn't funny!"Liam's expression was serious, and that only made my fury grow. I had known him for years, but in this moment, I felt like I was looking at a stranger. "Tessa, I'm not joking," he said quietly, his eyes locking onto mine. "You did it. You poisoned her."I couldn't take it in. My mind raced, searching for answers. Leah was sweet, kind, and always there for me. How could Liam accuse me of this? I remembered all the times we laughed together, the secrets we shared, and the dreams we talked about. "Why would I hu
TessaI paced anxiously up and down in front of the emergency door, my mind racing with terrifying possibilities. What if Leah died? What would I do? The thought sent a chill down my spine, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread.Tears streamed down my face, and my heart pounded rapidly, threatening to burst out of my chest. My fingers hurt from clenching my fists, and I kept glaring at the emergency door, willing myself to see what was happening inside."Calm down, she'll be okay," the driver who had dropped me off earlier said, his eyes red-rimmed, filled with empathy.I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Thank you," I replied, genuinely thankful. If not for him, maybe, I might still be at home. Even though I told him to go so I wouldn't delay his work but he was proven too stubborn to heed. I wanted to tell him to be going but his phone rang, he contemplated for some minutes before he slid the green button and pressed the phone against his right ear. He went mute
TessaThe multiple calls and messages on my phone jolted me awake from my deep slumber, shattering the peaceful silence. I yawned countless times, my eyes puffy from sleeping all day. I rubbed my red eyes, trying to shake off the fatigue, before picking up the phone to check who the persistent caller was. Shockwaves ran through me as I saw all the calls and messages were from Leah.Why had she flooded my phone with calls and messages at the same time? Concern etched on my face, I clicked on her number and put her on speaker. The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before her voice chimed in, weak and uncharacteristic."What's up? I saw your missed calls and dozen messages," I said, trying to sound casual despite my growing unease."I'm good," she replied, but something about her tone sent alarm bells ringing in my mind. Her usual jovial demeanor was replaced by a frailty that unsettled me."Is everything okay with you?" I pressed, my brow furrowed with worry. Her labored breat
TessaI had already gone to bed, the warmth of my blanket wrapping around me like a cocoon. I was trying to forget the day and the picture of Carter with that woman. My heart was heavy, and sleep felt miles away. Just as I was starting to drift off, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I grabbed it, squinting at the screen.It was a message from Carter. My heart jumped into my throat. What now? Did he want to talk again? I opened the message, but my stomach twisted when I read it.Carter: "Do you know Liam? He's here at the meeting. I don't know who he is but he keeps on watching me like a magnet glued to a metal."Liam? My mind raced. Carter didn't know about Liam... unless Liam had done something. My breath caught in my chest. I had thought I could keep Liam a secret, but now it felt like everything was unraveling."Is there any possibility he was the one you sent to stalk me? I mean, your doctor friend?" I was still thinking about the first message when the second one popped in.I sa
CarterImmediately, Tessa ended the call even though she gave me no chance to explain myself and pacify her, which I badly wanted to do; I felt a strange feeling settled in my stomach. I looked around, feeling hyper-aware of my surroundings. It was as if someone was watching me, tracking my every move. The thought nagged at me. Had Tessa told a friend to keep an eye on me? Would she stoop so low to order a friend to monitor my every movement, the people I talk to and move with? I shook my head, trying to dismiss the idea. But doubt lingered.I glanced around, my heart racing. In the corner, I spotted a man who looked familiar. It was Liam—the same guy who had been at the conference and had sent Tessa that picture. He was drinking and chatting with another man, and I felt a wave of discomfort wash over me.I wondered if he was the one who had been watching me. Maybe he was reporting back to Tessa, telling her things that weren't true. The idea made my blood boil. Why would he want to c