The sound of children’s laughter floated through the air as they ran and chased each other around.“Children, I told you to stop running around,” the event organizer, who was the owner of the foundation, chastised. But his words fell on deaf ears as the children continued to play.One of the children was so excited that he didn’t realize someone was approaching until he crashed into the person.It was Linda, who immediately had a scowl on her face. Opening her mouth to say something scathing, she stopped herself when she realized the number of people present who were all staring at her for her reaction.Immediately, she put on a smile and crouched a bit, patting the boy on the cheek. “Careful, boy. We don’t want you getting hurt.”Kris watched on with an approving smile, but he wasn’t the only one who’d accompanied his mother. Karen, his siblings, and his aunt had also come along.“Mrs. Miller, you came!” the event organizer exclaimed in surprise as he approached them. “The Miller fam
Linda was so upset that she was beginning to hyperventilate, gritting out under her breath, “What the hell is she doing here? How did she...”“She’s obviously here to bother us as usual. She just won’t leave us alone,” Karen said as she held onto an irritated Kris’s arm.Linda turned to her children and Aunt Cynthia. “Did you tell anyone that our family would be coming to this function?”Tyler’s face scrunched with disgust as he also said quietly, “Tell our friends that we’re going to a charity event? How boring!”“Then how did she know that I would be here? Because I know this isn’t just a coincidence!” Linda silently fumed some more.Kris, on the other hand, was scowling for a whole different reason, watching how Thalassa’s hand was so intricately wrapped around Zeke’s arm and how close their bodies were.The event organizer had his eyes wide, but he soon frowned, not believing that anyone would be willing to pay so much for the painting.“And you are?”Before Thalassa could respond
“Mum, what have you done?”“How can you buy that ridiculous painting for that amount?”While the other family members chastised Linda, Kris only fumed silently as he stared at Thalassa. Ironically, he felt more upset about her being so close to Zeke than about his mother losing such a large amount of money.“Mrs. Miller, the foundation cannot even begin to express how grateful we are for your immense generosity,” the organizer said. “Please, I believe we would all like to hear a word from you.”Everyone was staring at her, so Linda plastered a smile on her face even though she felt like crying. She got up and walked to the stage. She knew she could withdraw her bid, but if she did, she would be even more humiliated.Forcing an even wider smile, she began speaking. “Ladies and gentlemen, this donation is from the heart. There’s nothing more important than these children. I’m glad that I’ve made the biggest donation, which can go a long way to support them.”Thalassa rolled her eyes. Tr
Linda’s face contorted with anger, the mere sight of Thalassa making her blood boil.Thalassa tipped her head to the side, shaking her head with an unsurprised look on her face. “I always knew you were a wretched woman, but you’ve reached an all-time low. Threatening a man who’s only politely asking for something you promised to give?”Linda shot to her feet and faced Thalassa. “You stupid girl. You tricked me! You tricked me into bidding that amount.”“Tricked you?” Thalassa couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t be so dense, Linda. I didn’t point a gun at your head to bid that high. You did it because you were too proud to lose to me. It’s your own stupidity that cost you.”Fury flashed across Linda’s face as she stepped forward and threw her hand, but Thalassa saw it just in time and grabbed her wrist, squeezing tightly.“You don’t learn, do you, Linda? I already warned you not to throw hands at me because I’ll throw it back at you.”“Let go of me,” Linda groaned in pain, trying to free h
Kris was so upset that the veins in his neck were popping from how hard he was clenching his fists.“Brother...Kris, I was just putting this bitch in her pla—”“Shut up, Susan,” Kris hissed, staring daggers at his sister. “Is it true? Everything you just said?”He felt so conflicted. Was this truly how his family had treated Thalassa three years ago? He’d known his family didn’t like her, especially his mother, but had it been that bad?“Kris, she attacked Mum in the organizer’s office. Look what she did,” Susan said, taking his mother’s hand to show the red marks on her wrist.“Just answer my question,” Kris gritted out, his anger and anxious need for an answer overshadowing his worry for his mother.Susan didn’t speak. Instead, it was Thalassa. “Why are you so surprised by what you just heard, Kris? How else did you expect them to treat me when you never treated me with respect?”Thalassa scoffed as she turned to Susan. “And you, what did you think you were going to achieve by bring
As Zeke drove Thalassa to her and Luisa's house, the ride was silent all the way. The few times he'd tried to initiate conversation, she'd instantly killed it with short, disinterested answers.Some time later, he pulled the car into the driveway of her house. Killing the engine, he turned to her, concern etched on his face.“Lasaa, are you okay?”She raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn't I be?”Zeke bit his lip, wondering whether to probe. Since the day she broke down in his arms at her office, she'd gone back to never sharing her thoughts or emotions with him. He knew she wouldn't tell him what was on her mind if he asked, but he was certain it had something to do with Kris Miller.“You shouldn't let him get to you,” he finally risked saying.Thalassa stiffened. “What are you talking about?”“I’m talking about Kris and his claims that he didn’t know how his family mistreated you. You shouldn’t let him deceive you. He’s obviously only trying to free himself from his guilt and—”“I’d rathe
On the other side of the city, the Millers weren’t in the best of moods by the time they arrived home. Susan was the most upset, immediately storming up the stairs to go to her room. Tyler followed shortly.“See how upset you’ve made Susan? You treated her—us—like we were strangers while you defended that woman,” his mother accused.“Mum, what Susan did was uncalled for,” Kris pointed out, his mood souring further.“Uncalled for?” His mother stared at him in disbelief. “Even after that woma attacked me in the organizer’s office and said she would help them sue and disgrace me?”“What you did wasn’t right either, Mum. What were you thinking, trying to use threats to withdraw your bid?”“But how do you expect me to pay that amount for that ridiculous painting?”“Then you shouldn’t have bid for it, Mum,” Kris snapped, much sharper than he’d intended to.Seeing the hurt look on his mother’s face, he let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Mum, but it’s the truth.”Karen stepped forward. “But it was T
“You’re going to make her yours?” Kris gritted out. “Thalassa is not an object to be owned. She makes her own choices.”Clark stared at him. “Of course I know that. But don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean. I’m just planning to win her over.”“Sure. Good luck,” Kris said sarcastically.Clark leaned towards him. “Come on, why don’t you help me out? You had better luck than me the first time. So tell me, what do I do to win her over? What are her likes and dislikes? What makes her weak in the knees?”Alden, who was taking a sip of his whiskey, nearly choked on his drink when he saw the murderous look in Kris’s eyes as he glared at Clark.When Kris didn’t bother to respond after a few seconds, Clark shrugged. “Even if you don’t help me out, I’ll figure a way to make her mine myself.”“Dude, chill, no?” Alden said, not liking how possessive the man sounded. “You just saw her again after a couple of years, and you haven’t even talked to her.”Clark sighed. “The truth is I never stopped
Tessa’s heart thudded as her father stared at Gendry, his brows furrowing deeper by the second."Of course I figured that out already." her father finally scoffed, shaking his head. "It's just... Tessa is two months pregnant. Two months. I—" He blinked rapidly as the realization dawned. "Unless..."Tessa took pity on him. She sighed and decided to just put him out of his confusion. "Dad," she said carefully, "there was… something between Gendry and me. When we were in Jamaica."Her father's frown only deepened. "I don’t understand. Since we left Jamaica, I haven’t seen you two together until yesterday. How could there be something between you when–”Beside him, Thalassa let out a small chuckle and placed a hand on his chest. "Leave them alone, Kris," she said, eyes twinkling with amusement.Kris turned to her, narrowing his eyes. "You don’t seem surprised."Thalassa shrugged.Kris’s jaw dropped. "Lassa. You knew?"She gave him an innocent look. "I had my suspicions.""And you didn’t
All eyes turned towards Tessa and Gendry as they entered. In the living room were her parents, Alex, Rita, Maya, Jace, Aunt Luisa, Uncle Alden, and their youngest 17 years old daughter, Tessa's cousin, Emma.The moment Rita spotted Gendry, she gasped. "Gendry!" she squealed, jumping up from her seat and rushing toward him.Gendry barely had time to react before Rita crashed into him. He let out a soft chuckle, crouching slightly to meet her height as he ran a hand through her hair.“Missed me that much, huh?” he teased, the corner of his lips lifting in amusement.Rita huffed and pulled back, immediately smoothing down her hair. “You're ruining my hair,” she grumbled, glaring up at him.“My bad,” Gendry said, his voice dripping with fake remorse. His amused gaze flicked toward the others, and laughter rippled through the room, even from Alex.Despite the lighthearted moment, Tessa caught the curious look in her father’s eyes. There were unspoken questions swimming in his gaze.“Good e
“Marry me, Tessa.”Tessa stared at him, her lips parting as she tried to process what he had just said. Her voice came out in a breathless whisper. “What?”Gendry didn’t hesitate. He looked straight into her eyes, his expression open and sure. “Marry me, Tessa.”She felt like her heart had stopped. Her mind raced, but no coherent thoughts came. “You—” She swallowed, utterly flustered.Gendry chuckled at her shock, rolling onto his side so that he was partially on top of her. His fingers traced lazy circles on her arm, his touch soothing.“Hear me out,” he murmured. “I know it sounds crazy. Maybe it is. But I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”Tessa’s breath hitched, her pulse drumming in her ears.“We just made things official, like, yesterday,” he admitted, his lips curving into a small, sheepish smile. “But it doesn’t feel new, does it? It feels like I’ve known you forever. We’ve been through so much. Hell, even we were against each other at some point. And yet, here we
“Don’t worry. You’re not the first couple to ask that, and you definitely won’t be the last.” The doctor said with a teasing note in her voice.She pulled out a disposable wipe and began wiping the gel from Tessa's belly. Tessa sighed in relief.“That should be all for today,” The doctor said warmly. “As I said, for the first few months, it would be best to be checked monthly, so please when you're ready, let me know when to schedule the next appointment.”She began rearranging the equipment. “Please wait outside for a few minutes. Your ultrasound pictures and the recording will be ready soon to take with you..” Gendry helped Tessa sit up and adjust her clothes before they stepped out. They waited in the reception area, their happiness and excitement tangible. Ten minutes later, a nurse handed over the envelope containing the picture and the USB. Gendry took it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. They made their way out of the hospital and back to Gendry's car. Aft
In the afternoon, when it was a couple of minutes to get an appointment, Gendry arrived a few minutes earlier than he promised to pick her up.Gendry leaned against the doorframe, looking relaxed yet effortlessly gorgeous in his button down shirt. His eyes swept over her in that way that always made her feel like the only woman in the world. "You're early," she teased, walking toward him. He beamed. “I'll always be early for you, princes.” Her heart did a little flip at that, but she rolled her eyes to keep her cool. "Such a smooth talker." He grinned and reached for her, pulling her close and covering her lips with his. When they finally broke the kiss, he took her hand. She let him take it without hesitation, their fingers interlocking. It felt so right.As they walked through the office, she felt the weight of dozens of eyes on them. Conversations momentarily halted, only to resume in hushed murmurs once they passed. She knew exactly why. One, no one had ever seen her h
A bitter smile curled Tessa’s lips as she unfolded her crossed arms. "You say you want me back in your life," she murmured, tilting her head slightly. "But let’s be honest, Henry. I was never in your life to begin with."Henry flinched at the use of his name instead of "Dad," but he quickly recovered, forcing a weak smile."Tessa, that’s not true. I’ve always—""Spare me," she interrupted coldly. "What do you really want? Me? Or money?"His face paled. His fingers curled into fists at his sides, but he quickly unclenched them. He let out a nervous chuckle, trying to maintain his composure. "I won’t lie to you. I... I am in a difficult situation right now, financially. But that’s not why I’m here—"Tessa’s expression darkened. "Don’t insult my intelligence, sir." She straightened up, placing her hands on the desk as she leaned forward slightly. "I know what you tried to do years ago, Henry. I know you tried to sell me for a couple of billion dollars."Henry’s head snapped up. His eyes
Tessa sat at her desk in her office, flipping through a few design sketches when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw Gendry’s name.Gendry: What have you done to me, Tessa Miller?A small smile tugged at her lips. She set the sketches aside and picked up her phone, quickly typing back.Tessa: What have I done?His reply came almost immediately.Gendry: I can’t concentrate on a damn thing because I can’t stop thinking about you. You left my apartment just a few hours ago, and I already miss you like crazy.Tessa felt a warm, fluttery feeling spread through her chest.Tessa: I miss you too.There was a pause of a couple of seconds, then another message came.Gendry: Waking up with you makes my mornings the most beautiful. I want to experience that forever.Tessa stared at the message for a long moment, her fingers hovering over the screen. She wasn’t sure how to respond to that. It was sweet, but she didn’t want to overthink it. Instead, she just smiled. While she was s
Gendry shook his head. “No, it's not that. It's just... I'm scared we might hurt the baby.”“No, we won’t. I heard it's safe to do it even when pregnant,” Tessa said, chasing his lips again.It had been too long. Too fucking long. And God knew how much she wanted him inside her again.Initially, Gendry kissed her back hesitantly, but his reluctance soon vanished. His lips trailed from hers and ran down her neck while he wedged his hands between them to fondle her breasts. His hard dick was pressing against her thigh, filling her with even more anticipation. But before they could undress each other, the jarring ring of her cellphone shattered the moment.Tessa tried to ignore it, but the sound was too grating. Gendry broke the kiss, and they both sighed as she reached for her phone. It was her brother calling. She answered.“Tessa!” Alex’s relieved sigh came through the phone. “Mum and Dad called me this morning and told me what happened yesterday. Are you... Okay, we know you're safe
Taking in the earnest, almost desperate look in Gendry's eyes, Tessa felt warmth spread through her chest. But she couldn't help but mess with him a bit.“Did I?” She shrugged, turning her gaze away from him. “I don't remember saying that. I must have been really tired.”“Oh.” She saw Gendry's expression sink from the corner of her eye. “I... you said... I thought…” He pursed his lips, struggling for words. “Tessa, you... I...”Tessa couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst into laughter. “Oh, Gendry...” She chuckled, finally looking back at him. “Of course, I remember, and of course, I meant every word.”The smile that crossed his face was the most beautiful thing Tessa had ever seen.“You evil woman,” he growled playfully. “Did you want to give me a heart attack?”And then he pounced, tickling her until she was on her back, peals of laughter vibrating through her.“Gendry, stop,” she pleaded between gasps, but he didn’t listen, dipping his head to nuzzle her neck and using his lips