Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 The runaway bride


    “Tessa? I’m waiting for your answer,” Aaron said


    A few minutes had passed since Tessa saw the words outside but she was yet to say anything. He was


    waiting with bated breath for her to say something; when she kept quiet, he couldn’t help but remind


    her.


    Tessa broke out of her daze and dragged in a sharp breath. She turned to face Aaron and said, ” When


    you cast me aside five years ago, I felt like my world was crashing down on me. I had loved you with


    my all but you didn’t. You took me for granted, Aaron. I was the only one putting effort into the


    rtionship. It felt like I was in the rtionship alone. Your heart was out of reach. You were


    emotionally unavable. I was in love with you but that love was too painful. I don’t want to go through


    that again.”


    Aaron’s stomach twisted at her words. He swallowed painfully as he once again regretted his actions.


    He knew it wouldn’t be easy for Tessa to forget about the past but he thought they were making


    progress. He admitted that back then, he took Tessa for granted thinking she would always be there.


    When he was supposed to love and cherish her, he ended up hurting her instead. In the end, she left.


    Unfortunately, that was when he realised how much she meant to him. It is said that you never know


    the worth of what you have until you lose it.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Aaron had learnt the hard way. He lost Tessa For years, he searched for her and when he couldn’t/ find


    her, the hole in his heart became bigger. He felt lost and life had no meaning. Knowing what it feels like


    to lose Tessa, Aaron never wanted to make the same mistakes again.


    He was about to plead with Tessa when she spoke again.


    “Do you promise not to hurt me again?” She asked, looking at him with watery eyes.


    Aaron’s heart raced and he grabbed Tessa’s shoulders. Gazing into her eyes, he said excitedly, “I will


    never hurt you again, Tessa, I promise. I’ll treat you like the Queen you are. I’ll put you first in


    everything and I’ll love you with all my heart and soul.”


    Tessa smiled. She searched for something in Aaron’s eyes and when she saw that he was being


    sincere, she nodded and said, “I would like to try.”


    Hearing her words, Aaron’s heart soared. He was over the moon and his jaws almost hurt from smiling


    too widely.


    He cupped Tessa’s face and leaned down to kiss her but she ced her index finger on his lips. and


    pushed him back gently.


    “I’m not done. I would like to try but no kissing for now. Let’s try to date without any form of intimacy. I


    don’t want sex to cloud my judgement again,” she proposed.


    At her words, Aaron furrowed his eyebrows. He asked, “Do you still not trust me?”


    Tessa shook her head and replied, “It’s not that I don’t trust you but I want us to take things slow. I’m


    scared of falling in love again so it’s not something I want to go all in at once. Let’s gradually


    fall for each other, ok?”


    Chapter 42-The runaway bride


    Aaron sighed. He had been waiting for a long time for Tessa to agree to be with him again. Now that


    she had agreed, there were a lot of things he wanted to do with her. He wanted to hold her in his arms


    and kiss her like there was no tomorrow. He wanted to make love to her and im her-


    mind, body and soul.


    However, he was willing to wait if that was what she wanted. What mattered was that she had agreed


    to be his woman again.


    He tucked the stray hair that had fallen in front of Tessa’s face behind her ear and smiled at her before


    replying, “I’m ok with taking things slow. And thank you for giving me a chance, Cupcake. But… How


    about hugs? Can I at least hug you? I miss having you in my arms.”


    Tessa’s face flushed and she responded, “A hug is ok-”


    Before she could finish her sentence, Aaron had pulled her against his chest and cupped the back


    of her head.


    He stroked her hair and said, “You have made me the happiest man on earth by epting to be my


    woman. I know I have a long way to go to make you my wife. But I hope it will be soon. I can’t wait to


    have you and our three children living under one roof. I’m already building a vi for us.”


    Tessa didn’t respond but she rxed in Aaron’s arms. She noticed how she felt at home and how his


    scent was so soothing. Her mind was reeling with thoughts about her decision.


    Did she make the right choice? She was still afraid of the possibility of getting hurt but for herself


    and the children, she was willing to take the risk.


    She let go of her fear and raised her arms to reciprocate the embrace. A smile crossed her lips as they


    held each other like tomorrow will nevere.


    ‘I hope I don’t regret this,’ she murmured in her mind.


    When they pulled away from each other. They turned to watch the view of the city again. All the lights


    were back on and Tessa nced at Aaron, asking, “How did you get the lights to turn off and


    med those words?” only switch on a few which


    Aaron chuckled and responded, “We had asked for permission from the people upying those


    buildings. The electricity suppliers


    trolled the whole thing and of course, everyone was


    Tessa was touched once again. Her heart thudded twice and butterflies fluttered in her stomach.


    She smiled and snaked her arms around Aaron’s waist before resting her head on his chest. She


    said, “Thank you for this, Aaron. It was very sweet of you.”


    “Anything for you, my love,” Aaron dered and a thought suddenly urred to him, “The kids’


    birthday is this Saturday, right?”


    “Yes, it is,” Tessa confirmed.


    “We can have a party for them. My friends would like to meet them. And I would like to officially


    introduce them as my children and heirs of the Wentworth group.


    Dayster.


    Chap 42-The runaway bride


    The day for the triplets’ birthday had finallye. At the imperial hotel which was under the Wentworth


    group, the hall was lively with activity.


    Aaron had gone all out and invited the press so that they could get the news from the source and not


    report lies that they got from gossip media tforms. He had hired the best event nners to decorate


    the ce and instructed the hotel’s chef to make the food delicious and disy it elegantly.


    The hall was decorated with a blue, pink and purple theme. Three-tier character cakes were ced at a


    round table next to the high table. Reagan requested a paw patrol character cake, Nia requested a


    frozen character cake with Elsa as the main character and Wi requested a Princess


    Sofia character cake.


    Aaron had also asked the employees who had children toe with them to the party so that the


    children could have fun and also y in the temporal yground that he had made in the hotel’s


    garden.


    The family was waiting in the lounge for the party to start. The two girls were dressed adorably in blue


    and pink princess dresses and Reagan was in a little ck suit that matched his father’s. Tessa was in


    a simple but elegant blue dress. It was one shoulder with a sheer long sleeve and a right thigh-high slit.


    Her hair was pulled into a messy bun and she had put on light make-up.


    Reagan was getting impatient, he nced at his parents and asked, “Mommy, what time is the party


    starting?”


    “It will start soon. We are waiting for your godmother and your uncles,” Tessa replied.


    The triplets’ eyes lit up. “Our


    “They are Daddy’s friends.”


    uncles are


    Just then, the door to the lounge opened and Michelle entered the room. She immediately said in a


    singsong voice, “Woohoo! I’m just on time!”


    She rushed to the kids and began to lift them before pecking their chubby cheeks. “Oh, my god! I


    missed you so much! You even forgot about me after meeting your Daddy!”


    When she carried Reagan and kissed him, the little boy’s face flushed. He wiped his cheek and


    protested, “I’m a grown-up now, godmother. I don’t need kisses!”


    Michelle chuckled and brushed his hair since she knew he hated it messy. After she was done giving


    the kids attention, that was when she turned her attention to the adults. She nced at them and said,


    “Oh, hi there. I forgot you were in the room since the children took all my attention


    Tessa rolled her eyes and replied, “Stop being dramatic. You look good by the way, did you invite


    someone?”


    Michelle was in a mermaid sequin dress. It had a sweetheart neckline and she let her strawberry


    blonde hair fall down to her shoulders.


    “No I didn’t. I was hoping your baby Daddy would introduce me to his friends. Where are they by the


    way?” Michelle inquired, looking around the lounge.


    Aaron shook his head and said, “I’m hoping one of them can handle you. They shall be here soon.”


    Chapter 42- The runaway bride


    Michelle ced her hands on her waist and red at Aaron. She questioned, “What do you mean, Mr


    Wentworth? Are you saying I need someone to tame me?”


    Aaron shrugged, “Your words, not mine.”


    Tessa noticed that Michelle was about to respond so she intervened. “Would you like a drink?”


    Michelle rolled her eyes but she maintained her re on Aaron. Stepping closer to him, she lowered


    her voice and warned him, “Just because Tessa forgave you and decided to give you a chance doesn’t


    mean I did. You hurt my girl. I’m still watching you to see if you will do right by her this time. If you hurt


    her again…”


    She trailed and made a cutting gesture across her throat with her thumb. And then she pointed two


    fingers at her eyes and pointed at Aaron, saying, “I’ve got my eyes on you. Break my girl’s heart again


    and you will have me to answer to!”


    Tessa was worried that Aaron would get angry but he surprised her byughing. He then nced at


    Tessa and said, “I’m d you have such a good friend.” He raised his head and looked at Michelle


    before promising, “Don’t worry. I’ll worship the ground Tessa walks on from now on.”


    Suddenly, there was amotion at the door and three good-looking men entered the lounge.


    They were all in ck suits with neatly styled hair except for one who had a buzz cut.


    Michelle’s eyes widened as her eyes fell on the man with a buzz cut. She trailed her eyes up and down


    his huge frame to check if she was dreaming but when she confirmed that he was real, she gasped and


    mped her hand over her mouth.


    Tessa noticed her strange reaction. She furrowed her eyebrows and asked, “Michelle what’s wrong?”


    However, Michelle just shook her head and ran out of the lounge, leaving everyone dumbfounded.


    Aaron nced at the man who was none other than Graham Thompson, the military general. He


    arched an eyebrow and inquired, “What’s up, G? You two know each other?”


    Tony smirked and added, “The poor woman looked like she had seen a ghost. I’m a hundred per cent


    sure you know each other.”


    Graham shoved his hands into his pockets to stop himself from taking out a cigarette to smoke his


    stress away. His jaw clenched as he replied through gritted teeth, “Yeah… she’s my runaway”


    bride.”