《Always Been Yours》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 A Painful Separation ¡°She¡¯s the woman who can bear my child?¡± ¡°Yes, Master Nichs. She¡¯s the only one in the entire Brentwood City who is gicallypatible with you.¡± In the darkness, Tessa Reinhart was half-delirious as shey on the king-sized bed, clutching and wing at her thin clothes. She felt as if mes were licking her body, and she whined, ¡°It¡¯s so hot, I can¡¯t stand it¡­¡± The door closed with a heavy thud, and a towering figure sauntered over to the bed. Tessa tried to open her eyes to see the person approaching, but all she could make out were the blurry edges of what would otherwise have been a rather chiseled face. Even so, she could still feel the dominance that radiated from the person, and as he drew near, the air around her suddenly grew so dense that she could hardly breathe. The next moment, she felt a weight pressing down on her. The heat of her body seemed to wane as soon as the hard contours of the man¡¯s body molded against hers. Relieved and tempted by the inexplicable coolness that washed over her, Tessa arched her back fearlessly as though to close even more distance between herself and the man, wriggling impatiently as she mumbled, ¡°More¡­¡± At that moment, Nichs Sawyer¡¯s gaze darkened, and a sense of hot urgency ran down his spine. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he whispered huskily, seductively, his voice like velvet. The Sawyers had extremely rare gics, but rarer still were women who could bear Nichs¡¯ offspring, and this mewling woman beneath him happened to be one of them. He would never have intentionally gotten close to women, much less fool around like a rogue. The only reason he was doing this tonight was to fulfill the duty, Remus Sawyer, his grandfather, had given him. Little did he know that he would be ovee with such an intense desire for this woman, whom he had never met before. Presently, the woman in his armspletely ignored his orders as she writhed and ran her hands all over him, the soft curves of her silhouette pressed precariously against him. Gulping convulsively, the man turned into a hungry beast, ferocious as lust cascaded over him and made him grab hold of Tessa by her waist, flipping her over. ¡°Woman, you¡¯re the one who asked for this!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, a searing pain went through Tessa, and she stiffened at the unfamiliar sensation. The pain itself was so extreme that for a minute, she was almost lucid. Who is he? she asked herself frantically, btedly. What am I doing here? She recalled going over to her stepmother¡¯s to demand the inheritance her mother had left for her, only to be drugged by thetter. When she woke up muchter on, she had found herself confined in this strange ce. An abrupt and rough thrust cut off her thoughts. ¡°Ow¡­¡± she cried out piteously, protesting against the vition, but the man didn¡¯t show any sign of stopping as he continued to have his way with her, his assertion evident and overpowering. Drops of sweat trickled down the man¡¯s body, and amidst his low grunts and her tortured panting, he went on to thrust tirelessly into her, switching positions as he pleased as he reduced her into something like a rag doll. With one final shriek, Tessa felt an intense wave of pleasure crash over her like a tsunami. She threw her head back as she rode out the euphoria, then copsed onto the bed,pletely cking out. Her long hair slid over one slender shoulder, and Nichs saw her birthmark, which was a shade darker than her pale skin and was shaped like a delicate butterfly about to take flight. ¡­ Ten monthster, in the delivery room of Prime Hospital, Tessa¡¯s sweat had soaked through the bedsheets as she clutched the protective rails on either side of her, her knuckles turning white. ¡°Argh! It hurts!¡± she cried while enduring the pain that tore through her abdomen. ¡°Keep pushing harder. I can see the baby¡¯s head¡­¡± ¡°Wah¡ª¡± A loud baby¡¯s cry resounded in the deathly silent delivery room, heralding the birth of a new life. ¡°Your duty has been fulfilled, and from now on, the child has nothing to do with you!¡± The cold and impassive voice filled Tessa¡¯s ears as shey ashen-faced on the hospital cot, so weak and drained that she couldn¡¯t even lift a finger. All she could do was watch wide-eyed as her child was carried away by someone else. ¡°M-My baby¡­¡± Hot tears streamed past her cheeks uncontrobly. After the night she had spent with that man, whose identity she still did not know, Tessa found herself kept under housewatch. Not long after that, she discovered that she was pregnant. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The person guarding her to keep her from escaping told her that if she were to deliver the baby safely, then her brother, Timothy, would get the best treatment there was for his medical condition. Upon hearing that, Tessa agreed immediately and without a second of doubt. Timothy suffered from a condition that atrophied his calves, and with his heart growing weaker day by day, he was confined to bed most of the time just to stay alive. After their mother passed away, their vicious stepmother, Lauren, cast Tessa out of the house and cut off the funds for Timothy¡¯s medical treatment, leaving him on the brink of death. When Tessa agreed to give birth to the baby even without knowing who the father was, she couldn¡¯t be bothered about it. She had lost everything and everyone but Timothy, and she would have given her life willingly if it meant saving his. But as the baby grew in her and she began to feel his first kicks and his strong heartbeat, she started to be reluctant about making good on her promise to hand the baby over as soon as she gave birth to him. After all, he was a part of her¡ªher very own flesh and blood! And now, he was taken away from her forever. ¡­ Meanwhile, outside the hospital, a luxurious Maybach was idling in the dimness of the night. An elderly man sat in the backseat of the car, his hair entirely gray and his face somber. There was a sharp gleam in his eyes, and the air seemed to grow still around him, for hemanded a sense of fearsome authority. Not long after, a doctor marched over to the car with a newborn in his arms. ¡°Congrattions, Old Master Sawyer. It¡¯s a little prince!¡± When the elderly man heard this, his eyes lit up with unadulterated joy, and he grinned as he took the crying baby into his arms. ¡°How wonderful! This is a cause for celebration! I finally have a great- grandson!¡± Then, the joy seeped out of his voice as he barked grimly at his assistant next to him. ¡°Tell Nichs that that woman sold this baby for ten million and fled into the night!¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Setup Five yearster, Tessa sat in the lounge of a luxurious private yacht treading through the waves of the expansive, glittering blue sea. She had an arm around her mahogany-colored violin as she quietly tuned it. The other members of the orchestra took up their own space around her, chattering excitedly among themselves about the owner of this very yacht, who happened to be the regaled Little Prince of the Sawyer family. Rumor had it that the Little Prince was already worth billions even though he was barely over four years old, and his great-grandfather¡ªOld Master Sawyer¡ªdid not hold back when it came to celebrating the young boy¡¯s birthday. In fact, this very yacht was his gift to the Little Prince, and he bought it without so much as batting an eysh. ¡°Hey, why do you think the Sawyers appointed our orchestra to perform during the Little Prince¡¯s birthday celebration? I mean, there are plenty of other orchestras more famous than ours!¡± ¡°Who knows? I only heard that it was the Little Prince who hand-selected us to perform today. It¡¯s only thanks to him that we get to perform on a morous yacht like this one, and our fee practically quadrupled for this event!¡± At the mention of this, the other members of the orchestra began to sound off their envy. ¡°We should all be so lucky to have only one-tenth of the Little Prince¡¯s riches. Think about how easy our lives would be then!¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Destiny favors some over others, and the Little Prince seems to have taken almost all the favor! Our jealousy of the little boy is all we have to our name.¡± ¡­¡­ Upon hearing this, Tessa felt the corners of her lips curl up in a bitter, humorless smile. Indeed, she thought darkly, there are those whom destiny favored and granted them victory from the moment they were born, just like the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family. Then there were those like her, who had fallen behind before the umpire could even shoot the nk and start the race. Tessa¡¯s father was a piece of scum who fooled around behind his wife¡¯s back and ignored all the things she had done for him, abandoning her and forgetting their past struggles together as soon as his business peaked in its sess. When Tessa¡¯s mother passed away, Tessa and Timothy had no one else to rely on but each other. As a result, Tessa had been forced to sell her own flesh and blood just to get the money for Timothy¡¯s medical treatment. I never even got to see my baby¡­ she thought ruefully. Every time she was reminded of this, a searing pain tore through her heart, threatening to rip her to shreds. Now that she thought about it, her baby ought to have turned four this year, which was around the same age as the Little Prince. I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s a dashing baby boy or an adorable baby girl. I don¡¯t know where the baby has gone or if he¡¯s doing well¡­ Suddenly, her eyes grew misty, and she couldn¡¯t help the prickling sensation in her nose that signaled oing waterworks. Just then, a shrill cry pulled Tessa out of her thoughts. ¡°Tessa! What are you doing here?¡± The mistiness in Tessa¡¯s eyes cleared as she turned in the direction of the voice, only to see someone whom she wished she never had to see for the rest of her life¡ªSophia Reinhart! Sophia was dressed in an elegant evening dress, and her face was delicately made-up. There was a haughty tilt to her chin as she looked down her nose at Tessa, just like she had six years ago. Tessa grimaced in disgust at the sight of Sophia, for she didn¡¯t expect to see her here. ¡°Hah! So it really is you!¡± Having made sure that the woman in the lounge was Tessa, Sophia crossed over to her, the sound of her stilettos clicking against the floor echoing throughout the room. When she came to a stop in front of Tessa, she sneered arrogantly, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d still be alive. Why, I was under the impression that you and that useless brother of yours died a long time ago!¡± Timothy¡­ Tessa gritted her teeth. If Sophia and her mother, Lauren, hadn¡¯t so brutally cut off Timothy¡¯s medical funds, Tessa would never have needed to give birth to that man¡¯s child, let alone go through the devastation of parting with her own flesh and blood. This vicious mother-and-daughter duo is responsible for all my tragedies! Hatred shed in Tessa¡¯s eyes as she retorted snarkily, ¡°If you and your b*tch of a mother are still alive and kicking, then of course, Timothy and I are perfectly fine as well. We¡¯re just waiting for lightning to strike the both of you heartless witches dead!¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Sophia was at a loss for words, stunned by Tessa¡¯s retort. As far as she remembered, Tessa had always been too timid and unsure of herself to fight back. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few years since west saw each other, but it looks like time sure has made you a vicious shrew.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not as vicious as you and your mother,¡± Tessa replied coolly. Right now, her priority was to make sure the performance went on without a hitch, and this was not the time to be bringing up the past. With that in mind, she rose to her feet so she could seek out a quiet ce to practice, not wanting to spend another minute longer with the eyesore that was Sophia. Sophia, on the other hand, grew even more incensed at the sight of Tessa¡¯s graceful indifference. She couldn¡¯t help but recall how hard she had worked alongside her mother to throw Tessa and Timothy out of the Reinhart Residence. She thought she had won. But for some reason, she still felt as if she was beneath Tessa even as she stood here before her, all morous and dolled-up. Be it the looks or the grace, Tessa was the true winner between the both of them! At the thought of this, jealousy shed in Sophia¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s supposed to rot away on the streets as soon as we cast them out of the family! How dare she show up here at thisvish event like the world is her oyster? Sophia¡¯s gaze fell upon the extremely valuable violin that Tessa was currently carrying, and malice colored her features. Looking around to make sure no one was paying attention to her, she slid her foot out over the floorboards. ¡°Ah!¡± Tripping, Tessa hurtled forward, caving into gravity as she crashed to the floor unceremoniously. Following her fall, a tuneless sort of grunt came from the violin as it toppled to the space in front of her. High-pitched tweaking sounds emitted from the broken violin as two chords strained and snapped in quick session. Coincidentally, Trevor Oswald¡ªthe orchestra manager¡ªcame through the door at that moment, and when he saw the scene before him, all the color drained from his face. Horrified, he eximed, ¡°Tessa! I can¡¯t believe you broke the violin! Madam Sawyer was the one who lent it to us out of goodwill, and there¡¯s only one of it in the whole world! We wouldn¡¯t be able to pay for it even if we sold the entire orchestra!¡± Tessa nched. ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± She scrambled to her feet and turned to re balefully at Sophia, snapping, ¡°It was hers! She was the one who tripped me on purpose!¡± ¡°Me? Don¡¯t make up lies to cover your own backside!¡± Sophia put her hands up, denying the allegations with utmost innocence. ¡°You tripped over your own feet, so don¡¯t go around using me for your own mistake!¡± Then, she crossed her arms as she eyed Tessa with wicked amusement. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d go apologize to Madam Sawyer right away and beg for her forgiveness, then quit the orchestra altogether. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want your mishap to drag the orchestra¡¯s reputation through the mud.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right! Come with me right now, and we¡¯ll go ask Madam Sawyer for forgiveness.¡± Trevor reached for Tessa¡¯s wrist and began to pull her out the door. ¡°Also, you don¡¯t have to go up on stage after this. Our orchestra has no need for a musician as clumsy as you, so leave after the performance today!¡± Leave the orchestra? This made Tessa¡¯s blood run cold, and she was ashen-faced as she thought wildly, No! If I lose this job, I won¡¯t have the money to feed myself and Timothy. I can¡¯t leave the orchestra! ¡°Mr. Oswald, I really didn¡¯t¡ª¡± But just as she was about to plead her case with all her might, a childish but calm and collective voice sounded from the doorway. ¡°Why should she be the one to apologize? The one who should go in her ce is thatdy over there!¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Miniature Knight Upon hearing this, everyone present turned to look in the direction where the voice came from. An adorable little boy had, at some point during the ruckus, shown up unnoticed at the doorway. He looked to be around four or five years of age, and he was dressed in a white blouse and ck trousers with suspenders, coupled with a pair of matching leather shoes. He was the very picture of the perfect little gentleman, or more urately, a young boy of nobility. ¡°What an adorable child!¡± ¡°Where did this little cutiee from? He¡¯s adorable!¡± Most of the people at the scene had never seen this child before, but it was clear that they found him endearing as they appraised him. Tessa, too, was gazing at the child in surprise. He had a chubby little face but boasted fine features. One could only imagine how devastatingly handsome he would be once he grew up. Presently, even though the child was only of tender age, he still looked somber with his features set in a grim expression. He even looked authoritative, like he had a wizened soul hidden inside his miniature frame. ¡°You,¡± he began in clipped tones, his gaze icy as he jabbed a finger at Sophia. ¡°You should be the one to apologize.¡± Sophia was shocked at first, but she quickly turned furious as she snapped, ¡°Whose brat is this? You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re saying! I had nothing to do with her breaking the violin, so why should I apologize?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± The words had only just been said when the two bodyguards standing behind the little boy barked angrily at Sophia, ¡°Who do you think you are, woman? How dare you talk to our young master in such an insolent manner!¡± Young master? Sophia drew back in surprise, and for a moment, she couldn¡¯t wrap her head around the title. Trevor, on the other hand, pressed a palm to his forehead when he suddenly recalled that the little boy was none other than the young master of the Sawyer Family, the heir to the Sawyer Group! At the recollection of that, Trevor hurried up to the little boy with a grin on his face and greeted courteously, ¡°Why, Young Master Gregory, what brings you here?¡± To the side, Sophia froze when she heard this. What? This brat is Young Master Gregory, the birthday boy for today¡¯s asion? The little boy looked impassive, and though he sounded young, there was still an intimidating edge to his voice as he said, ¡°I was just passing through here when I saw everything happen clearly before my very eyes. It was that woman who tripped this prettydy over here.¡± Meanwhile, Tessa was moved by how the little boy came to her defense, even though he didn¡¯t know her. Warmth surged through her as she stared at the little boy with gentle gratitude andpassion. Sophia, however, swallowed convulsively when she heard the boy¡¯s exnation. She tried to hide her fear with a nervousugh as she pointed out soothingly, ¡°Young Master Gregory, you do understand that one must have proof before making such ims, and you can¡¯t go around making false usations like this.¡± The little boy scoffed, and his face was still grim as he countered, ¡°And what makes you think I don¡¯t have proof?¡± With that, he pped his hands once, and a videographer with a recorder in hand stepped through the doorway as summoned. The videographer was holding up the recorder as he announced stoically to those present, ¡°I¡¯m the person exclusively in charge of recording Young Master Gregory¡¯s birthday banquet today, and I have here in my camera the exact moment you tripped thatdy and caused Madam Sawyer¡¯s violin to break from the fall.¡± Sophia¡¯s heart plunged to her stomach when she heard this, and she was rendered speechless, unable to retort against the videographer. Her expression was tight with fury as she thought menacingly, Damn it! I was this close to pushing that wretched Tessa into the depths of hell once more! ¡°That violin was a precious instrument of my grandmother¡¯s, and it¡¯s worth six million! So pay up!¡± the little boy demanded seriously, staring at Sophia with pointed indifference. At that moment, it was as if Sophia¡¯s mind imploded. All the color drained from her face as she considered the sum she needed to pay. Six million! Right now, the Reinharts¡¯ family business had been on a steady decline for the past few years, and six million was an astronomical price as far as Sophia was concerned! Panicking, Sophia bowed her head and apologized in a trembling voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Young Master Gregory. I truly am. I didn¡¯t mean to trip her just now. As you can see, there isn¡¯t much space here, and I didn¡¯t think I could trip her just by stretching my leg for a bit. The violin is of such extravagant worth, and I wouldn¡¯t be so foolish as to break it on purpose! Tessa¡ª¡± Faltering, she added in amanding tone, ¡°Tessa, tell the young master that I didn¡¯t trip you deliberately!¡± Tessa looked more thunderous than she had before this. I can¡¯t believe how shameless this girl is! It¡¯s bad enough that she set me up, and now she wants me to plead her case? But Tessa never got the chance to say anything because the little boy went on to snap at Sophia mercilessly, ¡°You broke the violin, so you have to pay for it! And because you were in the wrong, you have to apologize to the prettydy, too! Now, fork out the money and say you¡¯re sorry!¡± The little boy was probably only three feet in height, but he sounded like an old soul, not to mention imperious. Sophia¡¯s face nched, then she flushed furiously. Not only had she not taught Tessa a lesson, but she was also now forced to apologize to her as well! She didn¡¯t think she could live down the shame of it all, but more importantly, she had no means of forking out six million on the spot, not even if she were to pawn herself. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on her right now, and in a moment of panic and fear, Sophia actually fainted. For a while, the crowd was thrown into chaos. The little boy, however, merely looked contemptuous as he stared at Sophia¡¯s unmoving figure. Is that all it takes for you to crack under pressure? You seemed pretty brazen when you were framing another innocent person earlier. N?velDrama.Org content. Then, he turned to look at the bodyguards behind him as he ordered, ¡°Take her away and keep an eye on her. Have her cough up the money, and if she doesn¡¯t, drop her off at the police station!¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the bodyguards replied in unison. In one long stride, one of the bodyguards reached Sophia and dragged her out the door. Almost instantly, a deafening silence fell over the room. Everyone was amazed by how the young master had radiated such unquestionable and intimidating authority, even though he was only a child. He is, indeed, from the Sawyer Family. There¡¯s no mistake about it! However, the little boy couldn¡¯t be bothered about what the others thought of him as he turned to eye Tessa curiously, and at that moment, he seemed to have shed his icy demeanor. There was a childish gleam in his crystal-bright eyes as he stared at Tessa like he was assessing her. Tessa, too, held his gaze steadily. The little boy had shell-pink lips and pearly-white baby teeth, and while his features had yet to set, he was already quite the delicate and handsome little man. He looked stoic when he did not smile, but it was precisely how stern he looked that made him all the more endearing, so much so that one would be filled with the urge to pinch his chubby cheeks. The thought had only just crossed Tessa¡¯s mind when the little boy marched over to her on his little legs. He came to a stop in front of her, tipped his head back to meet her eyes, and opened his arms as wide as they would go as he said, ¡°I want upsies.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Are You Single, Pretty Lady? Hmm? Tessa was a little stunned to give an immediate response. ¡°Prettydy, I want upsies,¡± the little boy repeated, this time with a bit more emphasis as he stared up at Tessa with wide eyes, which were lit with a childlike gleam. At the sight of how endearing he was, Tessa felt her heart melting, and she quickly picked him up. It was like holding a soft bundle, and as she carried him, she could pick up the faint powdery scent on him that made her want to nuzzle into his chubby cheek. She was inexplicably fond of the child as she smiled and said gently, ¡°Hey, little guy, thanks for speaking up for me earlier.¡± Without him, she would never have been able to clear her name. Seemingly unfazed, the little boy shook his head and said with an air of impishness, ¡°You¡¯re wee. I did what I had to. Besides, I hate two-faced women like her.¡± Upon hearing this, Tessa was so entertained that sheughed. ¡°Do you truly understand what it means to be two-faced when you¡¯re only so young?¡± He nodded solemnly, his chubby face very grim as he replied, ¡°Of course, I do. My uncle told me that a two-faced person is someone whose actions don¡¯t match their words.¡± Tessa¡¯s eyes curved into crescents. ¡°Well, I¡¯m impressed. You¡¯re a very intelligent little boy, aren¡¯t you?¡± Having gotten her praise, he flushed in embarrassment, though the way his eyes glittered betrayed his happiness even as he tried to act indifferent. In the end, he pursed his lips to keep himself from grinning, which only made him more adorable. Seeing him like this, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but wonder if her own baby would turn out this adorable had she not been so cruelly separated from them at childbirth. She suddenly tightened her hold on the little boy, her motherly love practically overflowing. She was just about to speak when a voice interjected, ¡°Young Master Gregory, the banquet is about to start. We must be leaving now, or the old master and the old madam will grow worried.¡± The little boy nodded when he heard this, then turned to say to Tessa, ¡°Seeing as I¡¯ve helped you out earlier, could you carry me over to my daddy? I¡¯m tired, and I don¡¯t want to walk anymore.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Taken aback by this, Tessa was somewhat hesitant as she pointed out, ¡°But I still have to get ready for the performance, and besides, we¡¯ve only just met. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to carry you all the way to where your parents are.¡± The little boy tightened his grip on her as he whined stubbornly, ¡°No, if I say it¡¯s appropriate, then it is! Also, how are you going to perform without a violin, prettydy?¡± His eyes grew to the size of saucers as a bright idea popped into his head, and he stared at Tessa in earnest as he quipped, ¡°My grandma still has a violin to spare in her precious collection. If you carry me over, I¡¯ll get her to lend it to you.¡± There was nothing morepelling than when a child stared at you with sparkly doe eyes, and Tessa found herself relenting after a brief second of doubt. ¡°Very well, then. I¡¯ll carry you over.¡± This evidently pleased the little boy to no end, for his soft little body slumped against her as he grinned with satisfaction. This prettydy has a really warm embrace, and she smells really nice, too, like how a mother would. Along the way, he asked aloud, ¡°Are you single, prettydy?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Tessa answered readily, ncing down at the child with affection. She was starting to like him more and more. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Then you should definitely marry my daddy and be my mommy!¡± She couldn¡¯t hide her shock. Isn¡¯t this little guy¡¯s father Nichs Sawyer, as in the president of Sawyer Group? N?velDrama.Org content. After Nichs¡¯ retirement from the special forces, he only took two years to bring Sawyer Group to new heights. He was a man of legendary proportions in the business world, with a tenacity that matched his formidable reputation, not to mention how he ruled thepany with an iron fist. He wasn¡¯t someone any ordinary person could trifle with, let alone Tessa. But now that the little boy has mentioned it¡­ Unable to suppress her curiosity, she asked, ¡°What about your mommy?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t have a mommy,¡± the little thing mumbled disappointedly with misty eyes. ¡°I want you to be my mommy, prettydy.¡± As soon as he said this, he nuzzled into her, and she felt an overwhelming sense of reliance emanating from his tiny frame. Tessa couldn¡¯t help her astonishment. As it turned out, the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family¡ªthe object of envy for many¡ªdid not have a mother. She wasn¡¯t sure howplicated it was to keep a marriage in the world of the rich, but she knew that she only needed to hug the little boy tighter, as if tofort him with all her might. She wondered idly if the baby she never got to hold was sitting in some corner of the world missing his mother as well. ¡­ Meanwhile, over at the VIP lounge of the banquet hall, Nichs sat on the couch, looking like a finely carved statue. The ck suit he wore was painstakingly tailored to his lean and muscr frame, entuating his broad shoulders and perfect silhouette. His features were like a work of art by the heavens, and in his icy dark orbsy a bona fide intimidating indifference that seemed ingrained in his bones, much like his elegance. Presently, the air around him was startlingly cold. Standing in front of him in great despair was the second son of the Sawyer Family, Kieran Sawyer. Kieran had never felt more like he was standing before an iceberg than at that precise moment. Under Nichs¡¯ piercing, dangerous gaze, he unconsciously gulped. ¡°I swear, Nichs, I¡¯ve already sent someone to look for him. Greg will be just fine! This whole yacht is ours, so no one would dare to even lay a finger on the boy!¡± ¡°You better hope so, because if anything does happen to Greg, then you can bet that there¡¯s nothing you can do to save your own skin!¡± With that, Nichs shot his brother a sharp look. ¡°What are you standing here for? Get out and start looking for him!¡± ¡°Yes, of course, right away!¡± Kieran replied with a shudder, then dashed out the door. He berated himself for having tried so hard to pick updies around the yacht that hepletely lost sight of Gregory. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Kieran to return, and as he addressed Nichs, there was still fear in his eyes. ¡°Nichs, Greg¡¯s back!¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 I Could Keep You ¡°Prettydy, it¡¯s just right up ahead!¡± Gregory eximed as he pointed at the lounge up ahead. Daddy must be in there right now, and once he sees the prettydy, he¡¯ll fall in love with her for sure! Then she¡¯ll finally be my mommy! All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. In stark contrast to the little boy¡¯s excitement, Tessa was uneasy. They were presently at the VIP lounge, which was tucked within the core of the yacht. Standing at the entryway was a row of bodyguards, all of them resembling broad and towering statues as they put up an intimidating front. At the sight of them, Tessa slowed in her steps and said a little hesitantly, ¡°Hey, little guy, why don¡¯t I just put you down here and you walk the rest of the way back? I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to go in with you.¡± The boy immediately wrapped his arms tight around her neck as he cried, ¡°No, I want you to go in with me!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what she was supposed to do. The Sawyers could very well be in that lounge right now, and it would be inappropriate for her, an outsider, to intrude. ¡°Do you not like me at all, prettydy?¡± Suddenly, the little boy pouted, hisrge eyes glistening as he stared at her woefully. She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and replied, ¡°No, of course, I like you! How can I not when you¡¯re so adorable?¡± ¡°Then why won¡¯t you go in with me? It just means you¡¯re lying to me when you say you like me,¡± the little boy muttered, his voice close to breaking into a cry as he kept his arms around her. Just then, Nichs marched out of the lounge, but he was so startled by the sight of his own baby son whining for affection in some woman¡¯s arms that he halted in his steps. Kieran, in particr, looked as if his jaw might hit the floor soon. ¡°Goodness, is Greg actually asking for attention?¡± Aside from Nichs and Kieran¡¯s mother, Greg did not show affection for any other woman. He would reel back in disgust whenever anyone so much as brushed skin with him, so hugging him was close to impossible. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him get so up close and personal with another woman! Kieran thought bewilderedly. What in the world is going on here? Upon hearing approaching footfalls, Tessa looked up and instantly locked gazes with two incredibly handsome men. Of the both of them, she recognized Kieran first. He was something like the right-hand man in Sawyer Group. He frequently appeared in finance magazines, and he was in the top ten most eligible bachelors in Brentwood society. With good looks and plenty of charm to spare, he soon made a name for himself as a suave, devilish, and incorrigible heartbreaker, though that didn¡¯t stop the hordes of women from fawning over him. As for the man next to Kieran, he boasted a strong resemnce to the little boy in Tessa¡¯s arms. This man looked as if he had made a home at the top of the social food chain, like he was an untouchable king. While he looked cold and distant, there was an unmistakable air of nobility about him. This must be Nichs Sawyer, Tessa thought. He was an elusive figure who had never once appeared in any magazine or on the news, but he was an existence that could not be replicated nor surpassed. Presently, this formidable pair of brothers were appraising Tessa warily. She held her breath when she felt their watchful gaze fix on her, and she quickly bowed her head in greeting. ¡°President Sawyer, Master Kieran,¡± she began, willing herself not to fumble like an idiot. ¡°I-I¡¯m Tessa Reinhart, a violinist in the orchestra hired for today¡¯s celebration. The young master identally wandered over to the orchestra¡¯s lounge earlier, and I¡¯ve brought him back, as you can see.¡± When Nichs and Kieran heard this, they realized that there was nothing for them to be vignt about. In a cool, crisp voice, Nichs said, ¡°Thank you for bringing him back here, Miss Reinhart. You may leave after you put him down on the ground.¡± His voice was deep and a little husky, and when he spoke, it was as if the rest of the world melted into the background. Dazed, Tessa nodded slowly and made to put the little boy down. However, he abruptly tightened his arms around her neck as he cried, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to be put down on the ground! I want the prettydy to carry me!¡± He liked how warm it felt to be in Tessa¡¯s arms, and he didn¡¯t want to leave her embrace. Also, he wanted her to get to know Nichs a little better. But Daddy needs serious help in the chivalry department! How can he speak so coldly to the pretty lady? This man is as hopeless as theye! Meanwhile, Nichs and Kieran were obviously taken aback by the boy¡¯s avid protest. Neither of them had expected the child to have developed such a strong liking for a woman at the first meeting. Tessa was starting to look flustered as well as she cajoled, ¡°Baby, listen to me carefully, okay? I still have a performanceter, and I have to put you down now, or I won¡¯t be able to do my job.¡± ¡°Well, if you can¡¯t do your job, then just quit,¡± the little boy grumbled, still pouting. She shook her head firmly, but her eyes were gentle as she tried to persuade him. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work out, because if I don¡¯t go back to work now, I¡¯ll be fired on the spot. If that happens, then I¡¯ll lose my ie, and I won¡¯t have money to pay for food. You wouldn¡¯t want me to starve, would you, little one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you get fired; I could keep you and feed you if you¡¯d like!¡± His voice rose by an octave as he looked at her proudly, as if he had just given a gentleman¡¯s word for the first time in his life. Tessa was highly amused by this, so much so that she wasn¡¯t sure how she should respond. At that moment, Nichs interjected tersely, ¡°Gregory Sawyer, stop messing around at once!¡± He looked impassive, but there was an authoritative timber in his voice. He reached out and took Gregory away from Tessa¡¯s arms, saying, ¡°Come here and stop making trouble for thisdy.¡± Crestfallen, the little guy dipped his head and blinked hisrge doe-eyes, looking dejected as he asked Tessa softly, ¡°Have I really made trouble for you, prettydy?¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 I Don¡¯t Want Her Near Gregory ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Tessa cast the briefest of looks at Nichs, unsure how to answer Gregory¡¯s question. The next second, the little boy¡¯s eyes turned red, and he pressed his lips into a thin line as he tried to keep from crying, but s, his tears fell anyway. His tears alone were enough to make Tessa¡¯s heart shatter into a thousand pieces. To one side, Kieran felt his heart twist at Gregory¡¯s silent crying, and he quickly interjected, ¡°Just let her carry him for a while, Nichs. What¡¯s the rush? Besides, thisdy is going on stage in a bit, so she could just bring Greg into the hall and get right to the performance afterward. I mean, look at our baby ¡ªhe¡¯s crying! If Mom sees how puffy his eyes are, she¡¯s going to freak out.¡± Nichs frowned, and his sharp gaze lingered on Tessa for a long moment. What is it with this woman? What did she do to make Greg so obsessed with her? But he didn¡¯t want to see Gregory cry, either, so he maintained hisposure as he said in clipped tones, ¡°If it isn¡¯t too much of a bother, Miss Reinhart, then we¡¯d be much obliged if you could keep our Gregorypany for a while longer. He¡¯s just a child, and he can be a little clingy, so we hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± Instantly, Tessa shook her head. ¡°Oh, please, there¡¯s no need to be so formal. It¡¯s no trouble taking care of him at all.¡± Frankly speaking, she was far too fond of Gregory to think of minding him as a chore, though she was admittedly surprised that Nichs would allow an outsider like herself to take care of his son. Gregory, on the other hand, did not dwell too much on this. He had cheered up considerably after his father had given the green light, and in his trademark childlike voice, he said, ¡°Thank you, Daddy!¡± Then, he hastily turned to look up at Tessa with adoration. ¡°Prettydy, you still need a violin, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ll take you to see Grandma¡¯s huge violin collection, and you can pick whichever you like!¡± Tessa nodded indulgently. ¡°Alright, lead the way.¡± With his spirits clearly restored, Gregory happily reached out his little hand and pointed out directions to Tessa. Just like that, the both of them retreated from the vicinity of the VIP lounge and headed toward Madam Sawyer¡¯s makeshift music room on the yacht. Now that Kieran and Nichs were the only ones left behind, they exchanged a quick look of disbelief. The former was the first to muse in bewilderment, ¡°Wow, don¡¯t you think Greg is being a little too generous here? Mom wouldn¡¯t even let anyone breathe on her violin collection, and she only put them out on disy because it¡¯s Greg¡¯s birthday today. Are we just going to let him bring outsiders into the room and borrow whichever instrument they wanted?¡± Nichs¡¯ gaze darkened, but he said nothing as he watched Tessa and Gregory interact with each other up ahead. Turning, he addressed the bodyguard next to him in a low voice, ¡°Tell me everything about what happened earlier, and don¡¯t miss out on any of the details!¡± The bodyguard knew better than to keep him waiting, so he quickly recounted all that had taken ce outside the orchestra¡¯s lounge that led up to this present moment between Tessa and Gregory. Having heard all that, Nichs merely frowned. As far as he could tell, Gregory was the one who had offered his affections to the woman voluntarily, without her having done anything. But the little guy has never been this close to any outsider before, so why this woman? What¡¯s so special about her? Nichs was still pondering on this when Kieran suddenly recalled something next to him. Rubbing his chin pensively, Kieran said quietly, ¡°I remember Greg saying that he wanted a certain violinist to perform for his birthday, and he even told me her full name. Do you think that woman is the violinist he was talking about? If that¡¯s the case, then¡­ Greg must have met her before.¡± When he heard this, Nichs¡¯ expression grew stormy. ¡°Nichs, I think there¡¯s something off about this woman! Maybe she¡¯s trying to get close to Greg with some ulterior motive in mind. We have to be on guard.¡± ¡°As soon as the performance is over, I don¡¯t want this woman anywhere near Gregory!¡± Nichs barked coldly. ¡°Of course. Leave it to me,¡± Kieran promised solemnly, looking grim. ¡­ In the music room, Tessa was shocked when she was greeted by the sight of the dozens of precious, priceless violins disyed before her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Of all the violins here, the cheapest one could fetch close to a million, and if there were an ident, she shuddered to think about how she was going to pay for the damages. Just then, Greg reached upward and pointed at the violin on the highest shelf, then told one of the bodyguards behind them, ¡°You there, take that violin down for us at once.¡± Without wasting a second, the bodyguard did as he was told. Gregory looked at Tessa meaningfully. ¡°Prettydy, this violin suits you.¡± When she took a proper look at the instrument, she felt her heartbeat skitter to a stop. The violin presented to her was handcrafted by one of the most renowned violin makers in the world, and it was worth at least ten million. Asking me to y symphonies on this will only add pressure to my performance! Presently, Nichs and Kieran were standing in the doorway as they watched this scene with mild interest. Perhaps swayed by Gregory¡¯s insistence and somewhat bemused by Tessa¡¯s subsequent hesitation, Nichs spoke up coolly, ¡°Miss Reinhart, seeing as it¡¯s Gregory¡¯s birthday today, you should take the violin for your performance if he likes it so much.¡± Judging by the hard assertion in his tone, Tessa realized he was not offering room for negotiation or rejection. Nheless, she was still skeptical when she heard this, but she caved in and took the violin as graciously as possible. ¡°In that case, I¡­ Thank you, President Sawyer.¡± Nichs nodded curtly. ¡°This violin is the only one of its kind, so I hope you can bring out its best, Miss Reinhart. We wouldn¡¯t want Gregory to be disappointed now, would we?¡± With that, he lifted his arm and checked the time on his limited collector¡¯s edition wristwatch, then pointed out, ¡°The banquet is already starting. You may leave to get ready for the performance now, Miss Reinhart. I¡¯ll bring Gregory out of here. See youter at the ceremony.¡± Then, he deftly took Gregory out of Tessa¡¯s arms. Reluctant to leave, Gregory stared at Tessa wistfully and muttered, ¡°S-See you at the banquetter, prettydy!¡± Nichs did not spare him the chance to protest or dawdle as he spun on his heels and marched out of the music room without looking back at Tessa. When his retreating figure finally disappeared from sight, Tessa let out a small sigh of relief. She would be lying if she said she did not feel Nichs¡¯ wariness and aversion toward her, but she couldn¡¯t me him. Gregory was an important child, after all, one who stood to inherit the Sawyer family name and fortune. It made sense that he was under such intense scrutiny and protection at all times. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Love at First Sight The ceremony was getting off to a slow and steady start in the banquet hall, and midway through, the emcee went up on stage to read out the name of the violinist for the solo performance. Gregory, who had been sufficiently bored since the beginning of the banquet, immediately lit up as he eximed, ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s the prettydy!¡± Nichs¡¯ gaze flickered over to the stage. Presently, Tessa had already changed into an elegant beige dress, which had a modest cut that entuated the curve of her waist and ttered her silhouette wlessly. She was holding the violin Gregory had picked out for her earlier as she strolled gracefully to center stage. When the track lights shone on the porcin skin of her doll-like face, she looked dazzling. For a minute, surprise shed in Nichs¡¯ dark orbs, and he thought he might actually be enchanted by her. On stage, Tessa couldn¡¯t help being a little nervous as she stood tall and straight under the scrutiny of the deathly silent audience. This was the first time in her entire life she was performing before so many important and distinguished members of society, particrly ones as formidable as the Sawyers. As she looked up, she unintentionally noticed Nichs among the crowd. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. His long and lean build seemed to stand out among the other guests, and the imperious air with which he carried himself made him look untouchable and high above everyone else. Inadvertently, she locked eyes with him, and she shuddered when she saw how his eyes resembled a deep and endless sea, like dark whirlpools that threatened to pull in and drown you with one look. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly broke eye contact, meeting Gregory¡¯s eager gaze instead. The little guy was perched on a highchair as he stared at Tessa with glittering eyes, the anticipation clear in his face. For some reason, all the anxiousness drained out of Tessa as soon as she saw the child, and she even managed an easy smile. Before she kicked off her performance, she leaned toward the microphone and said gently, ¡°It¡¯s a great honor to be able to perform here today. The symphony I will be ying next is dedicated to the most adorable and brilliant little birthday boy. Here¡¯s to many more happy aplishments, little one!¡± The hall burst into encouraging and enthusiastic apuse. Tessa smiled graciously, then bowed. Having done so, she resumed her position at center stage, and as the noise in the hall gave way to silence once more, all the lights turned and fell on her. Unfazed by the spotlight, she wedged the violin firmly beneath the curve of her jawline and poised to y the first chord. Soon, the gentle melodious sound of the violin filled the hall, soothing the crowd as they immersed in the quiet beauty of the performance, much like how one might take in the choir of skrks. The petite woman on stage was like a fairy who had descended under the moonlight. Her features were soft and delicate, her beauty so ethereal. Her confidence was as dazzling as she was as the spotlight shone on her. Everything about her seemed so wonderful that no one could bear to look away from her for even a second! What was more impressive was the sound of the violin, which appeared to have put the audience into a trance as the melody moved and transported them to some wondend. The audience were having a whale of a time, and they were each admiring the girl¡¯s skillful performance. A whileter, Gregory pped his little hands as he apuded Tessa¡¯s breathtaking performance, and he turned to ask Nichs excitedly, ¡°Isn¡¯t the prettydy brilliant, Daddy?¡± Nichs¡¯ gaze darkened slightly, but instead of answering Gregory, he asked, ¡°Have you seen her before?¡± The child nodded. ¡°Yes, I saw her once when I tagged along with Great-Grandpa to one of those orchestra performances.¡± Somehow skeptical, Nichs pressed, ¡°Was that all? You didn¡¯t speak to her or anything like that after you saw her?¡± Gregory shook his head and replied firmly, ¡°No, but I like her a whole lot!¡± While the father and son were discussing this, Remus was seated among the guests at another table, and his eyes were narrowed as he appraised Tessa, who was still on stage. He looked pensive and somewhat frustrated as he thought, Have I seen this girl before somewhere? Why does she look so familiar? Before he could dwell more on this, the hall burst into thunderous apuse and cut off his train of thought. As it turned out, the solo violin performance on stage had alreadye to a perfect end. Tessa came back to her senses after her musical reverie ended, and she bowed deeply before the distinguished guests below the stage. Gregory even let out a few whooping cheers as he pped his little hands tirelessly. Just as Tessa was stepping out of the banquet hall, she handed the violin gingerly to the bodyguards behind her. ¡°Could you please help me take this violin back to the music room? It¡¯s worth too much for me to hold on to it much longer.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the bodyguard said readily, taking the violin from her and leaving in a hurry. Now that Tessa had performed smoothly and returned the extravagant violin, she felt the weight slide off her shoulders, and she was ted. More importantly, she even got to celebrate the adorable little boy¡¯s birthday. He must be happy now, she thought with a warm smile. I hope my performance lived up to his expectations. Then again, she wondered if this meant she would never see him again. After all, they came from very different worlds, and the chances of them ever crossing paths in the future were slim to none. For some reason, the thought of this left her feeling a little forlorn and reluctant. Meanwhile, inside the hall, Gregory asked Nichs when he saw Tessa go down the stage, ¡°Daddy, I want to see the prettydy. Can the bodyguards bring me to her, please?¡± ¡°No, we have to go home right now. Your grandmother¡¯s waiting up for you,¡± Nichs said with forced patience as he picked Gregory up from the chair and held him to his torso. He wasn¡¯t about to let his son get close to some strange woman with an unknown background. Heaven knows what ulterior motives she may have for being so chummy with Gregory! ¡°No, I want to see the prettydy! Let me down, Daddy!¡± Gregory whined, wriggling and struggling to break free from his father¡¯s arms, but that did little to hinder Nichs from bringing him out of the banquet hall. ¡°Stupid Daddy! You poopy head! I want to see the prettydy! You told me that you would let me have whatever I want on my birthday!¡± Nichs ignored him as he stormed out of the hall wordlessly, the air around him growing dangerously cold. ¡°Liar! You¡¯re nothing but a big, fat liar! It¡¯s bad enough that you won¡¯t bring me to see Mommy, but now you want to stop me from seeing the prettydy, too!¡± With that, Gregory began to sob piteously. The word ¡®mommy¡¯ instantly made Nichs think about that woman from five years ago. At that moment, hatred and rage seemed to course through him uncontrobly as he thought, You don¡¯t need a mommy who abandoned you for money, Gregory! You deserve better than that! However, when he saw how miserably the child in his arms was crying, he felt his heart soften as he promised, ¡°Look, I¡¯ll bring you to see her some other day, okay?¡± It was as if he had uttered the magic words, for Gregory immediately stopped crying, and as he sniffled, he looked up at Nichs with wide, sparkly eyes. ¡°Do you really mean it, Daddy?¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Gregory¡¯s Lone Visit ¡°Yes,¡± Nichs said, just to humor the kid. He was convinced that it would only take a few days for Gregory to forget all about that woman, and he was even more convinced that there was no way a woman unknown to the Sawyers could make such a longsting impression on a tender-aged child. s, Nichs had spent every waking moment of the following three days keeping Gregorypany, only to hear the boy whine about seeing Tessa. While Nichs hade up with various excuses to dy such ns of seeing Tessa, Gregory lost patience and threatened to ignore him for good. Then, the boy king decidedly locked himself in his room, refusing toe out or let anyone in. Staring at the tightly shut bedroom door, Nichs began to grow exasperated. He didn¡¯t have time for this, certainly not on a day when he had to drop by thepany to attend an inter-continental meeting. As such, he summoned the butler and ordered sternly, ¡°Keep an eye on Greg, and don¡¯t let him get up to nonsense. Call me if anything unexpected happens.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Andrew, the butler, said solemnly with a respectful nod. Then, Nichs straightened up and headed out the door. Soon, his towering figure disappeared behind the door of an exquisite Bentley idling outside, and the car pulled away from the curb, cruising away from the house. Presently, Gregory was huddled up in his room, simmering in childish anger as he pressed against the balcony and watched his father¡¯s car drive out of sight. When the car disappeared entirely from view, Gregory turned and stalked back into his bedroom, then slung his Superman backpack over his tiny shoulders. After that, he sneaked out through the hole in the backyard wall and promptly deleted all the camera footage that would have recorded his escape. In actuality, he had already looked up online the address where Tessa¡¯s orchestra was supposedly based. If Daddy doesn¡¯t bring me to see her, then I¡¯ll go and see her myself! Now that his mission was aplished, Gregory dusted off his starfish-like hands and made a triumphant noise. ¡°You must have underestimated me if you think you can keep me under lock and key!¡± The little one had only just made his great escape when he hailed a ride through a phone application. He cleverly set the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra as his destination, which was around a startling hundred-something miles away. Nearly two hourster, Gregory finally stepped out of the car and looked up at the entrance of the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra building. Tightening his grip on the strap of his backpack, he took a deep breath and walked through the doors, then looked up at the receptionist as he asked softly, ¡°Hello, miss, I¡¯m here to find my mommy. Her name¡¯s Tessa Reinhart, and she works here! Could you help me call her, please?¡± The receptionist took an immediate liking to the little boy, but when she heard he was Tessa¡¯s son, she couldn¡¯t hide her astonishment. Tessa had been working here for all these years, but never once had she mentioned that she was a mother to such an adorable little boy. ¡°Are you here on your own, little one? Give me a moment while I call your mommy right now.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you, kinddy!¡± Gregory said cheerily, then stood by the front desk and waited. Meanwhile, when Tessa got the call from the receptionist saying somebody was here to see her, she had thought that it could be a member of the audience from one of her shows, but what the receptionist told her was, ¡°Miss Reinhart, your son is here to see you, and he¡¯s on his own. Pleasee over as soon as possible; it¡¯s not safe for a child like him to be wandering around alone. Heaven knows what kind of predator would try to kidnap him!¡± ¡°Er¡­¡± Stunned, Tessa blinked and finally said, ¡°Okay, got it, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Her child had been taken away from her five years ago, and she wondered idly if some kid hade over to the building and mistaken her for his mother. Then again, she thought it was some kind of twist of fate, so she hurried over to the building. Better me than some human trafficker, she told herself. N?velDrama.Org content. It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach the orchestra building, but the moment she stepped through the doors, she locked eyes with Gregory. She stared at him with wide eyes, and she stood frozen in shock. What¡¯s the little guy doing here? Gregory, on the other hand, beamed when he saw Tessa, and there was no hiding his excitement. He slid off his seat with his backpack slung over his shoulders. He barreled toward her with as much speed as his little legs would allow. He threw his arms around her leg and said sweetly, ¡°Prettydy, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Tessa felt her heart melt into a puddle. Crouching down, so she was at his eye level, she asked gently, ¡°Sweetheart, what are you doing here?¡± Gregory pouted and mumbled, ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t have time to bring me to see you, so here I am on my own!¡± On your own? For a minute there, Tessa wondered if she had heard him wrong. She felt the hair on her neck stand to attention as she found herself at a sudden loss for words. I don¡¯t know what sort of blind courage a little boy could have to make a trip all by himself here! Also, the Sawyers will be at their wits¡¯ end when they discover he¡¯s gone missing! She shuddered when Nichs¡¯ frosty expression shed in her mind. Hastily, she made to cate Gregory, ¡°Sweetheart, it isn¡¯t right for you to be here on your own without telling your family beforehand. Come along now. I¡¯ll bring you home.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you to go home!¡± When Gregory heard that she was asking him to leave, he hugged her tightly and looked up at her dejectedly. Still pouting, he asked, ¡°Why do you want to send me home, prettydy? Is it because you hate me?¡± ¡°Of course not! That¡¯s impossible. I can¡¯t even begin to tell you how much I like you,¡± Tessa cajoled soothingly. Still, he seemed unconvinced, his little face somber as he pointed out usingly, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me goodbye before you left the banquet the other day? I asked Daddy to bring me to you, but we couldn¡¯t find you anywhere, and I didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye.¡± Upon hearing this, she stiffened in surprise. This little guy actually tried to look for me while on the yacht? She hadn¡¯t had a reason to stay back after her performance, given how the rest of her orchestra was already alighting the yacht. She didn¡¯t think that the little one would think she had left without saying goodbye to him. A fond smile curled on her lips as she gazed at him gently, then consoled him, saying, ¡°Sweetheart, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Anyone who sees how adorable you are will love you at first sight, but I just think that it¡¯s inappropriate for a child your age to be wandering out of home without a chaperone.¡± She paused for a while before adding, ¡°See, if your daddy finds out you¡¯ve gone missing and called the police, then I would be a kidnapper, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± A kidnapper who has taken the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family away from home. Now that¡¯s a crime I¡¯d never dream ofmitting, even if I had Dutch courage. However, Gregory unexpectedly patted his chest as he promised confidently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, prettydy, I¡¯ll protect you! Daddy won¡¯t be able to bully you at all!¡± Amusement shed in Tessa¡¯s eyes as she sputtered at his childish oath. Reaching out a hand, she caressed his little face gently, more than happy to have the little guy¡¯s promise of protection. That being said, she was still worried and unsettled. After a moment of thought, she pressed, ¡°Sweetheart, do you think you could give me your daddy¡¯s number?¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Gregory Has Gone Missing Over at Sawyer Group, Nichs was still in the meeting when he got a call from Andrew. As soon as he heard that Gregory had gone missing, he stood up abruptly and walked out of the conference room with a steely expression, announcing through gritted teeth, ¡°Dismissed!¡± There was no hiding his anger and hostility. The sheer ipetency! What¡¯s the use of keeping the staff if they can¡¯t even keep an eye on a toddler?! He looked more mutinous than he had seconds ago as he boarded his car. Just as he was about to rush back to the manor, his phone rang with an intrusive trill. It was an unknown number, Nichs noted, but he was in such a daze that he mispressed and answered the call instead of rejecting it. As soon as the call was put through, an awkward female voice filled the other line, stammering, ¡°H- Hello, President Sawyer. It¡¯s me, Tessa, the violinist who performed at Young Master Gregory¡¯s birthday banquet the other day. Do you still remember?¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. She heard no response, but what she did hear was her heart thumping wildly in her chest. She wasn¡¯t so presumptuous as to think Nichs would still remember her after their brief meeting on the yacht, but then again, that wasn¡¯t her priority at the moment. Clearing her throat, she exined promptly, ¡°President Sawyer, Gregory hase to the orchestra building to look for me all on his own. I was concerned that you might be looking for him, so I figured I¡¯d give you a call. If it¡¯s not too much trouble, could you pleasee and bring the little one home?¡± Nichs¡¯ gaze darkened ominously at this as he said icily, ¡°I see. I¡¯ll be over right now. Thank you.¡± Then, he hung up the phone decisively and gave his assistant a call, snapping irritably, ¡°Find every bit of information you can on a woman called Tessa Reinhart right now¡ªher childhood, her aplishments in school, every single detail there is to know about her!¡± Keeping his phone, he stepped on the elerator and sped over to the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra company building. ¡­ At the speed he was driving, Nichs managed to get to the building in record time, having taken a mere hour toplete the otherwise two-hour drive there. When he stormed through the main entrance of the orchestra building, anyone could see how stormy his face was. At the sight of him, Tessa straightened up and greeted him stiffly and awkwardly, ¡°P-President Sawyer!¡± Trevor, on the other hand, looked rattled as he kept quiet, not daring to so much as let out a breath. In stark contrast to their uneasy demeanors, Gregory was happily seated down, his little legs dangling over the edge of the chair as he looked entirely rxed. The vein near Nichs¡¯ temple was throbbing dangerously, and his voice sounded somewhat disembodied, as if it came from the depths of hell, as he demanded darkly, ¡°Gregory. Sawyer. I don¡¯t know where you keep all that audacity, but how dare you run away from home!¡± Tessa and Trevor jumped at the thunderous volume of his voice. Gregory, however, seemedpletely at ease as he turned his head away haughtily, sneering, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that you didn¡¯t keep your promises, Daddy. You told me you¡¯d bring me to see the prettydy, but you went back on your word, so I have no choice but toe here alone.¡± He spoke softly, but that did little to hamper the hurt and usation in his words. Nichs was taken aback by the forward protest, and for a second, he wasn¡¯t sure if he had the right to argue. He couldn¡¯t deny that he had been stalling Gregory, hoping that he might eventually forget about the promise, though Nichs couldn¡¯t very well admit this. As such, he took a deep breath and walked up to Gregory, intending to talk some sense into the boy. ¡°You have to cut me some ck here, kid. I¡¯ve been really tied up at work, but I did try to free up my schedule to bring you to see Miss Reinhart. You shouldn¡¯t have run away from home. All of us were worried sick!¡± ¡°Hmmph!¡± Gregory scoffed, then added primly, ¡°As if I would believe you. You were cooped up at home for the past three days, so don¡¯t tell me you were busy working! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you see me as a dumb kid who will fall for your lies! I¡¯m already four, and I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. You can¡¯t keep spinning lies to humor me!¡± Amused by this, Tessa sputtered aloud before she could stop herself. Meanwhile, Nichs blinked in surprise, but he, too, was amused. The rage that had welled up in him seemed to disappear after the little guy¡¯s grumbling. Having calmed down, Nichs went on to cajole the child, saying, ¡°Okay, so now that you¡¯ve seen the prettydy like you wanted to, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time for you to go home with me?¡± Naturally, Gregory refused to entertain the idea of leaving, given the Herculean effort he had put in to track down his favorite prettydy. He slithered down from his seat and stumbled over to Tessa on his little legs, then scoffed at his father contemptuously once more as he snapped, ¡°You can go home on your own if you want to, but I want to stay here with the prettydy. I will not be going back!¡± As soon as he was done with his announcement, he wrapped his little arms around Tessa¡¯s leg like a stubborn baby sloth. Presently, Nichs¡¯ gaze flickered over to Tessa, his eyes so cold and dark that they evoked a barren winternd, but there was an inquisitive gleam in them nheless. Tessa nched, and she grew a little flustered. Knowing that Gregory was throwing a childish fit, she quickly joined in Nichs¡¯ efforts to change the little fe¡¯s mind. ¡°Sweetheart, I know you really like me, and I¡¯m ttered. But this isn¡¯t the right way to go about it. Besides, I still have work to do¡ªright, Mr. Oswald?¡± She shot Trevor a meaningful look. Trevor had no idea what was going on at the moment, but he went along with her bluff as he muttered hesitantly, ¡°O-Oh, yes, that¡¯s right, Young Master Gregory¡ªour Tessa still has plenty of work lined up for her today, and she won¡¯t be able to keep youpany.¡± Disappointed to hear this, Gregory lowered his head sadly as he mumbled, ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡± However, he had notpletely given up. He bit down on his bottom lip, then stared at Tessa with bright eyes as he asked softly, ¡°Then maybe we can have lunch together, prettydy. What do you say?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Tessa was working up to another rejection, but when she saw how piteous the little guy looked, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say no to him. Then, she caught sight of Nichs¡¯ dangerously stormy face and thought, There¡¯s no way he¡¯d agree to this. As such, she sighed and said firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work out, Sweetheart.¡± Upon hearing this, Gregory sniveled, and his eyes turned red as tears glistened in them. His shell-pink lips quivered, and it looked like he was about to cry at any given moment. Tessa¡¯s heart twisted at this, and she quickly shot Nichs a pleading look, hoping that he could intervene and calm Gregory. Nichs seemed equally distressed as he pinched the space between his brows, caving into his child¡¯s tantrum. ¡°Then do you promise to go home with me right after lunch?¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Who Are You Calling a Mongrel? Gregory appeared to be considering the proposition, then nodded with a hum. ¡°Daddy, I thought about it, and you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t just stick to the prettydy and get in the way of her work if she has a busy day ahead.¡± Next to him, Tessa broke into a bemused smile. He¡¯s so well-spoken for his age that it¡¯s hard to remember he¡¯s just a toddler. Having heard his father eding to the lunch request, Gregory grinned, the sadness fading from his eyes as he cheered, ¡°Yay! That means I get to have lunch with you, prettydy!¡± Tessa¡¯s lips curled into a gentle smile as she crouched down and wiped away the boy¡¯s tears. In the process of her doing so, Gregory pelted her with an endless stream of questions, one of which was, ¡°Prettydy, is this where you usually work? Can I have a tour of the ce?¡± Not waiting for Tessa to respond, Trevor interjected immediately, ¡°Of course, you can, Young Master Gregory!¡± Tessa agreed readily. ¡°Well, of course, you can have a tour if you¡¯d like. I¡¯ll be your personal guide.¡± With that, she picked up the little one and propped him on her hip as she showed him all the different departments of the orchestrapany building. That being said, her impromptu tour guide duty came with immense pressure, given that Nichs was behind them the whole time. She knew he didn¡¯t like Gregory getting toofortable with her, so she merely held the boy without encouraging affection. However, Gregory seemed to think differently, for he took to her like a fish to water. He had one arm wrapped around her neck like it was the most natural thing in the world to do as he nced around curiously and asked about anything he was remotely interested in, and Tessa answered him patiently. It was nearly noon when they were finally done with a full tour, and Tessa thought it was time for lunch. Just as she was about to voice this out, the receptionist walked up to her and said quietly, ¡°Miss Reinhart, there¡¯s somebody here to see you.¡± Tessa raised her brows in mild surprise. Who could look for me during lunch hour? Nheless, she set Gregory down and addressed Nichs politely, ¡°Just a moment, please, President Sawyer. I¡¯ll go and take a look at who it is.¡± Then, she walked toward the front desk to do just that. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Tessa had not expected to be greeted by the sight of her stepsister, Sophia, and her stepmother, Lauren, the moment she rounded the receptionist¡¯s desk. When she saw them, her expression immediately turned grim, and unconsciously, she clenched her fists even tighter. She could already guess what the both of them were doing here even before they exined themselves. They must be here because they¡¯re seething over the six millionpensation! True enough, her guess was correct, and they were indeed here to confront her about the six million compensation. Aggressively, Lauren reached out and grabbed Tessa by the arm, her nails digging into thetter¡¯s flesh as she shrieked like a maniac, ¡°You little b*tch! I didn¡¯t peg you for the heartless sort. I can¡¯t believe you actually framed Sophia and pinned six million worth of damages on her, even though she was innocent!¡± Lauren had spent a small fortune getting Sophia onto that yacht, hoping that she could introduce her daughter into high society and bag a rich man of prestigious background. However, instead of achieving that end, Sophia ended up having to fork out six million in damages! The sum alone was of astronomical proportions, and it was a smidge away from crushing the Reinharts altogether. Tessa smirked when she heard this baseless usation and retorted icily, ¡°I suggest you rify this, Lauren. It was your daughter who messed up and broke Madam Sawyer¡¯s precious violin before the banquet started, so it only makes sense that you have to pay for it.¡± With her rage provoked, Lauren snapped, ¡°How dare you speak back to me? You were the clumsy little fool who couldn¡¯t even walk without tripping over your own feet, and after you broke the violin, you decided to pin the me on your sister! Where the hell is your good conscience, Tessa?!¡± Seething, she paused to catch her breath, then warned shrewdly, ¡°You little wh*re, if you don¡¯t cough up the six million by the end of the day, then don¡¯t me me for making you do it the hard way!¡± ¡°Hah! Let¡¯s just see if your bark is worse than your bite!¡± Upon seeing the disdainful look in Tessa¡¯s eyes, Lauren grimaced menacingly and shouted, ¡°Get in here and take her away!¡± Having heard this, the two burly bodyguards dressed in ck hurtled into the lobby of the building to do as they were told. Lauren had hired the two men earlier today to take Tessa by force. In addition to demanding the six million from Tessa, Lauren came with an ulterior motive in mind. As things were, the Reinharts were having a hard time tiding over the steady regression of the family business, and in an attempt to salvage thepany, they hade to a collective agreement to form an alliance through marriage. Among their clientele was a man whose family was powerful enough to help the Reinharts get their business back on track, but his son, to whom Sophia was initially arranged to marry, had suffered a terribly high fever during his childhood, and his brain was damaged as a result. When Sophia learned of this, she refused to make good on the arranged union, and Lauren thought that now would be the perfect opportunity to force Tessa to take her ce instead. Presently, the two bodyguards restrained Tessa in their vice-like grip, and she realized with horror that she could not possibly take them down. Struggling to break free of the men¡¯s hold, she eyed her stepmother mutinously as she demanded, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Lauren? Let me go right now!¡± The receptionist panicked as well when she saw how quickly things had escted, and she frantically cried, ¡°Security! Security!¡± The security guards were several floors down, so they wouldn¡¯t get to them that soon. Unexpectedly, Gregory beat them to it, and when he came out to see Tessa being apprehended by two aggressive men, he rushed over angrily. ¡°Let go of the prettydy right now! You can¡¯t just take her away!¡± Sophia heard him shouting and turned to look at him. When she saw that it was Gregory, all the color drained from her face. Before she could snap out of her daze, Lauren stepped forward and reached to shove the child. ¡°Where the hell did this mongrele from? Get out of my sight!¡± Gregory had been shoved with no small amount of force, and his little body staggered backward before he toppled to the ground. Mortified, Tessa shouted, ¡°Are you out of your mind, Lauren? Why would you do that to a kid?!¡± She broke free of her captors and hurried to help Gregory up to his feet, looking pained as she asked worriedly, ¡°Sweetheart, are you okay? Does it hurt?¡± He shook his head, looking cherubic as he answered quietly, ¡°No.¡± He might be saying that, but Tessa saw that there was a red patch on his arm that was proof of how hard he had fallen. Lauren, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the trouble she had stirred up as she grew even more incensed, yelling, ¡°I will not hesitate to hurt anyone who gets in my way today. What are you going to do about it?¡± Tessa eyed her balefully. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for what you did today!¡± Lauren merely smirked contemptuously when she saw how Tessa so vehemently defended the child. ¡°All I did was push him. There¡¯s no need for you to be so defensive. What, is he your mongrel or something?¡± she sneered. Just then, a tall and lean figure approached the ruckus ominously, and a voice as cold and frigid as ice descended upon Lauren like the warning breeze of a snowstorm. ¡°Who are you calling mongrel?¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Throw Them Out Lauren¡¯s breath hitched when she felt a chilling presence drawing close, and she turned to see a tall and impably elegant man walking toward them, carrying with him an overwhelming sense of rage. Sophia, too, followed her mother¡¯s line of vision, only to be stunned by the view at first sight. The man looked like a noble work of art, and she had never seen such a refined and top-quality specimen before this. In fact, he seemed so high above others, so imperious and intimidating, that she was seized with the urge to shrink back from him. However, she quickly straightened up as she asked bluntly, ¡°Who are you?¡± To one side, Trevor scoffed disdainfully and drawled in an icy tone, ¡°This is Nichs Sawyer, otherwise known as President Sawyer¡ªthe man who holds the reins in Sawyer Group.¡± Then, eyeing Lauren condescendingly, he added, ¡°And as for the mongrel you were talking about, he happens to be Young Master Gregory, the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family.¡± At that moment, it was as if Lauren¡¯s mind imploded. She felt like lightning had struck her where she stood, and all the color drained from her face. Sophia wasn¡¯t much better off. Both mother and daughter were so astonished that their jaws nearly dropped to the floor. He¡¯s Nichs Sawyer? As in the man over whom countless socialites and heiresses are fawning over? What is he doing here? What is his rtionship with Tessa? Countless questions flooded their minds as their hearts slowly filled with jealousy and envy. Lauren was the first to snap out of her reverie, and in a fit of shock and fear, she stammered, ¡°O-Oh, President Sawyer, I do apologize for the misunderstanding. I identally pushed the young master in the heat of the moment just now, and I promise you I didn¡¯t mean to hurt him in any way¡ª¡± Nichs looked down at her like she was nothing more than a pest to him, his voice deep and frigid as he demanded, ¡°In the heat of the moment? Do you think I will let you off the hook after you called him a mongrel and pushed him to the ground?¡± ¡°Well, I¡ª¡± Lauren faltered, and cold sweat was breaking out over her forehead as she stuttered, ¡°I-I really didn¡¯t mean to push him, President Sawyer, or call him harsh names. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no need for an esteemed man such as yourself to pick a bone with the humble likes of me.¡± There was an insidious gleam in Nichs¡¯ eyes as he gazed down at her with scorn. He wouldn¡¯t mind sparing her, but he had no intention of making it easy for her. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. If you p yourself on the face and teach yourself a hard lesson for messing with my kid, then maybe I¡¯ll think about letting you go unscathed.¡± The assertion in his voice meant he was not offering room for negotiation. Lauren grimaced at this ridiculous and humiliating proposition. Does he really think I¡¯d agree to something like that? Sophia, too, was ashen-faced as she said piteously, ¡°We¡¯re really sorry, President Sawyer. My mother and I were truly at our wits¡¯ end, and we meant no harm to the little master. We¡¯re really sorry about this whole misunderstanding. You seem like a man who appeals to reason, sir, and we¡¯d appreciate it if you just let us off on a warning.¡± She put on a damsel-in-distress facade as she pleaded for mercy on her mother¡¯s behalf, hoping that this would be enough to gain Nichs¡¯ sympathy. She had always been the sort to have too much confidence for her own good, and now that a man of Nichs¡¯ standing and stunning visuals had presented himself before her, she had half a mind to throwContent ? N?velDrama.Org. herself at him. However, her little act earned nothing but disgust from those watching this tense exchange as they collectively thought, Is she actually trying to seduce him at a time like this? Nichs regarded her with repulsion, and spite filled his gaze as he countered frostily, ¡°What, are you offering to take the punishment on her behalf?¡± Startled, Sophia gulped and hastily replied, ¡°N-No.¡± He raised a brow, and as the air around him froze, he concluded ruthlessly, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll just have to find someone to do the work.¡± With that, he turned and zoned in on Tessa, then said authoritatively, ¡°You¡¯re the cause of this mess, so you¡¯ll do the honors.¡± Tessa gaped at him. This sure is some funny logic. If she didn¡¯t know better, she would think that this was his way ofing to her defense, but it clearly wasn¡¯t. As things were, she was furious as well, and in particr, she had been filled with inexplicable rage when she saw Gregory fall earlier. After a moment of thought, she gritted her teeth and bit out coldly, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it!¡± Lauren red at her incredulously. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± In such grim tones that one might think the devil himself was speaking, Nichs barked, ¡°Anyone who dares stop her will have to deal with me personally!¡± With a casual wave of his hand, four bodyguards barreled through the entrance and swiftly dispatched the two men Lauren had hired. Then, moving at lightning speed, they apprehended Lauren and Sophia. ¡°Hey, what are you doing¡ªno, President Sawyer, please just spare us. I know I made a huge mistake, and I¡¯m sorry!¡± Lauren had gone pale with fright as she begged for forgiveness. However, Nichs ignored her and merely ordered imperiously, ¡°p her!¡± Lauren had enough sense to refrain from baring her teeth at him, but she did not fear Tessa at all, for she shrieked, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare p me, Tessa! I¡¯m older than you!¡± Tessa let out a cold bark ofughter. ¡°Oh, believe me, I dare!¡± As soon as the words left her mouth, her hand came down and smacked Lauren hard across the face. A resounding crack filled the deathly silent room, and Lauren¡¯s cheek throbbed where Tessa¡¯s p had landed. ¡°That was for Gregory,¡± Tessa bit out. Outraged, Lauren refused to ask for mercy as she yelled, ¡°You useless wh*re, Tessa! You¡¯ve crossed the line! Why don¡¯t you just drop dead right now?!¡± A few more cracks rang out Tessa, scoffing, pped the seething woman a couple more times in quick session. ¡°I¡¯ve crossed the line? But aren¡¯t you the one who started all this in the first ce? What right do you have to call me names?¡± The pping continued, and the sound of her palm connecting hot and fast with Lauren¡¯s already- swollen cheek filled her with indescribable satisfaction. She thought about how the vicious mother-and- daughter duo had put her and Timothy through all the hardship, and they had been so shameless that they took away the only house she and Timothy had ever known. It was because of Sophia and Lauren that Tessa and Timothy lived so miserably. Now that she finally had a chance to pay them back for their misdeeds, Tessa certainly did not hold back and rather delivered each p with full force. Meanwhile, Sophia was taking this all in with bloodshot eyes, and even though she was furious, she dared not speak up in front of Nichs. She had never hated Tessa more than she did at that moment, but there was nothing she could do other than watch her mother suffer the abuse. Everyone who stood by the sidelines to witness this scene felt a rush of satisfaction as they watched the pair of mother and daughter get what they deserved. It wasn¡¯t until Tessa¡¯s hand was tingling and growing numb with pain that Nichs put a stop to this endeavor. The room was filled with silence once more, and Lauren looked as if she had been pped into a stupor. Nichs turned around andmanded the bodyguards, ¡°Throw them out of here before their presence stinks up the ce!¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Too Many Coincidences for Comfort ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The bodyguards immediately moved in synchronization as they dragged Sophia and Lauren like the women were two bup sacks of potatoes. Upon reaching the entrance, they unceremoniously threw them out the doors. The members of the orchestra who had gathered around to watch this were stunned speechless, and a stifling hush followed Nichs¡¯ ruthless and unforgiving gesture. Tessa, too, took a while to recover from the initial shock of it all, and she didn¡¯t snap out of her daze until Nichs spoke again. ¡°Greg, are you hurt?¡± Nichs drew closer to Gregory, a warm, fatherly concern filling his dark orbs. He looked entirely different from the intimidating and domineering president he had been moments ago. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Daddy,¡± Gregory answered with a gentle nod of his little head. When everyone heard this, they let out a collective sigh of relief. Knowing that she was the cause of this fiasco, Tessa stepped forward with her shoulders squared and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, President Sawyer. Those two were after me, but Gregory nearly got hurt in the midst of the chaos. This is all my fault!¡± When Nichs heard this, he gave her a brief, frosty look, then retracted his gaze as he replied stoically, ¡°Yes, this all happened because of you, but since somebody else has been punished for it, I¡¯ll let you off the hook.¡± He paused, then added in the same frigid tone, ¡°It¡¯s almost time for lunch anyway. I¡¯ll bring Gregory home after we dine at the restaurant. Come along.¡± With that, he deftly picked Gregory up into his arms and headed for the doors. As Gregory leaned against the curve of Nichs¡¯ broad shoulder, his mind began to race. He was desperate toe up with a n to stay by Tessa¡¯s side for the rest of the day. Tessa, on the other hand, dared not dawdle as she straightened her clothes and followed Nichs out of the building. ¡­ The three of them were presently housed within a private restaurant by the name of Winston Trove. Being one of the most exclusive private restaurants in the industry, the head chef manning the kitchen was as good as any Michelin-star chef, and he had once been involved in the food preparation for a national banquet. Members of the upper-crust society and famous icons had tried to dine here, but the restaurant wouldn¡¯t take them in unless they had a reservation made at least a month in advance! Under normal circumstances, Tessa would never be able to step foot into a ce like this. It was only because of Nichs and his powerful connections that she was able to sit here today for what would be the most expensive lunch of her life. That being said, the pressure that came along with such fine food was insurmountable and suffocating. Tessa sat stiffly in her seat, unsure if breathing was something she could afford to do in the presence of a world-renowned business mogul. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Conversely, Nichs seemed rather at ease, if not overtly impassive. He ordered a few dishes, and when he handed the menu over to Tessa, he said tly, ¡°Order whatever you like.¡± She took the menu graciously, intending to order something simple for herself, but when she saw the prices on the menu, her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. These prices are ridiculous! She stared at the numbers incredulously. Broli stir-fry thates with a three-digit price tag? What, was the broli nted in golden soil or something? Shuddering at the thought of the bill that woulde at the end of this meal, she made a small order and picked out the cheapest fruit juice there was, then shakily handed the menu back to the waiter. ¡°Thank you.¡± She managed to thank the attendant, still in disbelief. It didn¡¯t take long for the dishes to be served, and all of them looked as delicious as they smelled. They were arranged neatly at the center of the dining table, so aesthetically pleasing that it was hard to believe they were actual food. As Tessa¡¯s gaze swept over the dishes, she noted with no small amount of surprise that they all featured luxurious ingredients, the names of which she probably could not pronounce! More to the point, the dishes before her would at least fetch a four-digit price tag each! She gulped, suddenly finding herself at a loss for words as she mused wistfully to herself, These rich folks sure live differently. This meal alone would cost me a month¡¯s worth of ie! Just then, a sweet and childish voice pulled her out of her thoughts. ¡°Lunch will be on Daddy today, Miss Pretty Lady, so dig in!¡± Gregory grinned at her adorably. Tessa shed him a gentle smile upon hearing his invitation. ¡°Alright.¡± She might have agreed to dig in, but she hardly ate anything at all. At the sight of this, Gregory asked worriedly, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating, Miss Pretty Lady? Do you not like the food?¡± Nichs looked up at her inquisitively when he heard this and pressed, ¡°What is it? Does the food not agree with your pte, Miss Reinhart?¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s not that. Everything¡¯s delicious,¡± Tessa said hastily, then promptly shoveled a few spoonfuls of food onto her own te. Both father and son said nothing more after this, and the three of them ate their meal in silence. Nichs wasn¡¯t much of a talker, though he did help Gregory load up his te every once in a while. Tessa, on the other hand, was so mortified by the idea of things turning awkward that she chose to dedicate most of her energy to deshelling prawns and crabs for Gregory, but at that moment, Nichs pointed out in his signature deep baritone, ¡°Miss Reinhart, Greg can¡¯t take crabs. He¡¯s allergic to them.¡± Blinking in surprise at this new information, she said, ¡°Really? I¡¯m allergic to crabs, too!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gregory eximed, delighted that he had something inmon with his favorite prettydy. He added enthusiastically, ¡°You know what, Miss Pretty Lady? I¡¯m not just allergic to crabs, but prawns and other shellfish as well! I can¡¯t touch them, but I can eat fish!¡± Tessa couldn¡¯t hide her bewilderment when she heard this. ¡°What a coincidence! Me, too!¡± Next to them, Nichs listened to their exchange with a somber expression on his face. He was starting to think that this woman was trying to get on Gregory¡¯s good side, but upon closer observation, he noticed that she indeed avoided the prawns and crabs, though she ate a healthy portion of fish. He also noticed that she was a rather fastidious eater. She had delicately picked out the green onions, cntro, and carrots from her food, and all these happened to be the same things that Gregory hated. What was even more ridiculous was how her taste in food matched Gregory¡¯s to an exact tee, and she was just as picky as he was. The revtion made Nichs gloomy. He liked to think of all these as coincidences, or more urately, coincidences that had been deliberately created by this woman. Midway through lunch, Tessa excused herself to use the restroom. The moment she left their table, Nichs pulled out his phone and hurriedly texted Edward, his assistant. ¡®How¡¯s the investigation on Tessa Reinharting along?¡¯ Meanwhile, Edward had spent a whole morning looking into everything there was to know about Tessa and her background. However, he was ovee with shock when heid eyes on the information he had painstakingly retrieved. This¡­ She¡­ Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 This Woman Actually Lectured Me? Seeing Nichs¡¯ message, Edward thought for a while, then decided to only send part of the information. He would discuss the rest with Kieran, and they would investigate further for confirmation before doing anything else. ¡­ Meanwhile, Nichs received information on Tessa. From what he saw, Tessa¡¯s birth and experiences were typical, and he couldn¡¯t find anything out of the blue. After graduating from college, Tessa frequently followed the orchestra on their tours. There was once when she chanced upon Gregory, but the two didn¡¯t seem to have any interactions. After that, Gregory was the one who specifically asked for her to perform at the birthday party, clinging to her and refusing to let go. Nichs¡¯ brows furrowed in contemtion because he couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. While he was deep in thought, his son crept quietly onto the scene. ¡°Daddy, can I discuss something with you?¡± He stared at Nichs with his bright eyes, an expectant look on his face. Nichs paused his train of thought and ruffled Gregory¡¯s hair, nodding at the child. ¡°Go on.¡± Gregory was hesitant as he asked tentatively, ¡°Daddy, can I¡­ sleep over at the prettydy¡¯s house?¡± Nichs didn¡¯t even think before he declined. ¡°No!¡±N?velDrama.Org content. This child is getting bolder by the day. He hasn¡¯t even known thedy for long, but now he¡¯s asking to sleep over at her ce? ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t agree to it!¡± Greg humphed and lowered his head dejectedly. He even had a pitiful look on his face. Nichs didn¡¯t want to see his son sad, so he gathered enough patience to ask, ¡°Greg, can you tell Daddy why you like the prettydy so much?¡± After all, Gregory had gotten to know Tessa only recently, so he was being a little too chummy. In the next second, however, Greg said something shocking. He said in full earnestness, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I just feel that she smells like Mommy. I want her to be my mommy!¡± What did you just say?! The identity of Gregory¡¯s mother was unknown to both of them, and even Gregory had never seen his mother since birth. Nichs merely heard from Remus that this person would never exist in their life. At that time, Nichs was in a hurry to return to the special forces, so he couldn¡¯t care less. However, he overlooked the fact that Gregory would crave motherly love! All these years, many daughters of rich families had racked their brains in order to be Gregory¡¯s stepmother, and the child was extremely disdainful of them. But now, he said of his own ord that he wanted Tessa to be his mommy, and only now did Nichs recognize the gravity of the situation. If this goes on, this child will call Tessa mother by tomorrow! He shall not be anywhere near her again! Nichs recovered his usual expression and got ready to give him a lecture. However, before he could start, Gregory looked up at him pleadingly and begged, ¡°Daddy, Greg wants a mommy. Pretty please? The kids at kindergarten said that I¡¯m an unwanted child without a mommy. They sounded just like the old woman who scolded the prettydy just now. Daddy, I don¡¯t want to be an unwanted child. I want a mommy too¡­¡± At that, the child¡¯s eyes uncontrobly turned red. His pitiful look was enough to stab Nichs right in the heart. Nichs could still remember when he returned after retiring from the special forces. His rtionship with Gregory had been distant since then. Afterward, he had spent arge amount of time and effort and finally managed to get closer to his son. Now, if he declined Gregory¡¯s request because of something insignificant, the child might start sulking. Greg was young, but he was also terrifyingly stubborn. If he got mad, even the whole family would not be able to appease him. Nichs fell silent as he began to think. Just then, Tessa had returned from the bathroom. Upon entering, she saw Greg with his reddened eyes, threatening to cry. She felt a tight squeeze on her heart as she hurried forward and asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Sweetheart, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gregory was obviously upset as he hugged Tessa, burying his face in Tessa¡¯s arms as he sobbed. Tessa was heartbroken by his sobbing, and she couldn¡¯t help but look up at Nichs, saying in dissatisfaction, ¡°President Sawyer, I know there are things I shouldn¡¯t say, but I still feel the need to address this. It¡¯spletely normal for children to be immature. You have to teach him and communicate with him. Greg is a smart child, so he definitely has his own reasons and thoughts. He¡¯ll understand if you talk to him properly, so don¡¯t scold him just like that. It¡¯s very detrimental to your rtionship with him!¡± Nichs was stunned. This woman actually lectured me? Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Visiting the Sawyers Nichs parted his thin lips and said calmly, ¡°He is behaving like this because he wanted to go home with you. I don¡¯t think it was wrong to stop him. However, since you insist on tolerating him, why don¡¯t youe to the Sawyers instead? Treat it as my invitation to you to perform for Greg at home, and I¡¯ll pay you at your usual rate. How does that sound?¡± Hm? When Tessa heard the suggestion, she was instantly stunned. Gregory¡¯s sobs also halted as he looked up in surprise. He was quick to realize that his daddy had, in a way, agreed, and he was beaming as he looked at Tessa. ¡°Is that all right?¡± What on earth¡­ Nichs doesn¡¯t want me to go near Greg, right? Why would he allow me to be in contact with Greg all of a sudden? Still, no matter what, Tessa wouldn¡¯t say no to more ie. Tessa¡¯s lips curved into a smile as she cupped Gregory¡¯s plump cheeks, replying in a loving tone, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯reing over to my ce!¡± The child was overjoyed, and his little face was flushed red as his eyes twinkled like stars. Then, he ran over to kiss his father¡¯s cheek and grinned happily. ¡°I love you, Daddy! You¡¯re the best!¡± Nichs didn¡¯t know if he shouldugh or cry. This little guy changes his mood so fast. After lunch, Tessa followed the father-son duo back to the vi. However, it was more of a manor than a vi. It had arge area, and it was indescribably extravagant. It looked out of this world, surrounded by incrediblendscapes designed and molded carefully by famous designers and craftsmen. After passing through the front door, one would be greeted with low-profile yet luxurious decorations. The off-white theme of the space also introduced a warm touch to the surroundings¡­ N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Come sit here!¡± Gregory tugged at Tessa¡¯s hand in enthusiasm, inviting her to sit on the couch. Attendants entered one after the other, serving various pastries, tea, and even a fruit tter¡­ On the other hand, Nichs didn¡¯t say anything as he secretly observed the woman¡¯s behavior. Except for Tessa¡¯s constant amazement ever since entering the house, she hadn¡¯t behaved abnormally. She didn¡¯t actively try to win the child¡¯s heart but kept thanking him instead. After finishing tea, Tessa even took the initiative and asked, ¡°Sweetheart, when would you like me to start my performance?¡± Gregory was quite clever indeed. It didn¡¯t take him long to think of an idea as he responded with a smile, ¡°At night! I y the piano for half an hour every day after dinner, so can we y a duetter?¡± Tessa hesitated for a moment as she nced at Nichs. Thetter didn¡¯t seem to be upset by the idea, so she nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Oh, then we can be together for longer.¡± Gregory looked extremely happy as he reached out his little arms to hug Tessa. Tessa patted Gregory on the back, obviously taking a liking to this child. Hence, she stayed until the evening, and she also had her dinner there. She was a little embarrassed, since she was in someone else¡¯s home. She had epted their money, but she spent most of her time eating and ying instead of performing, so it didn¡¯t feel right to her. However, Gregory was happy about it, and Nichs didn¡¯t seem to mind, so Tessa humored them dutifully. After dinner, it was finally time for the performance. Gregory tugged Tessa¡¯s hand excitedly as they went to the living room, stopping in front of the majestic ssical piano. Then, a servant fetched a violin for her. Gregory sat down in front of the piano, and the two began their duet. Tessa had a knack for music, and she matched her ying with Gregory¡¯s with great ease. During the duet, she suddenly realized that Gregory was also shockingly talented at ying the piano. He was so young, but his ying skills were impressive. After the piece, Gregory and Tessa were both greatly satisfied. ¡°Do you know how to y the piano?¡± Gregory suddenly turned around as he asked Tessa. Tessa smiled faintly. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Gregory beamed in glee, asking, ¡°Then, can we y the piano together?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Tessa readily agreed, taking her seat beside the child. Her slender fingers were ced on the ck and white keys as she readied herself to y. Just then, Nichs was going down the stairs as he caught sight of the scene. Under the warm yellow light, the adult and the child looked just like a mother and her son¡­ He felt something waver within him, an unspeakable feeling rising in his heart. The sounds of the piano were soon heard. The smooth and gentle tones of the instrument were like a clear stream of water that flowed in the air, melodious and touching. After they were done ying, Gregory hadn¡¯t had enough, so he pulled Tessa along to y a few more songs. They were all children¡¯s songs Greg loved. Nichs also listened for a long while as he stood at the stairs. He was interrupted, however, by the arrival of Edward and Kieran. ¡°President!¡± Edward had greeted him respectfully. Kieran also called his name. ¡°Nichs.¡± The two had on a serious expression, as if something had happened. ¡°Why? What¡¯s up?¡± Seeing the expressions of those two, Nichs decided to ask. Kieran was about to talk when he caught sight of Tessa sitting on the piano stool. He couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise, ¡°Tessa Reinhart? Why are you here?¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 You Can Stay Tessa and Gregory stopped ying when the men came in. When she heard her name, she stood up and greeted, ¡°Hello, Master Kieran. I¡¯m here to perform for Gregory.¡± ¡°Perform?¡± Kieran was confused. Gregory exined, ¡°I asked her toe and y the piano with me. Her ying is wonderful!¡± Hearing that, Kieran had aplicated look in his eyes as he shot a nce at Tessa. Now, what does that supposed to mean? Tessa felt a little weird with him looking at her like that. However, Kieran quickly averted his gaze as he spoke to his brother. ¡°Nichs, let¡¯s talk somewhere else.¡± Nichs nodded nonchntly, then said to Tessa, ¡°Miss Reinhart, please keep Gregpany for a while longer.¡± With that, the three walked straight into the study. After entering the room, Nichs finally queried, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Edward and Kieran exchanged nces but stayed silent as they gave Nichs a folder. There was a set of documents inside. Nichs took the documents and gave them a look. When he realized it was Tessa¡¯s information, he thought that there was something up with her. However, upon closer inspection, everything seemed to be alright. Except for her mysterious disappearance for one whole year, Nichs couldn¡¯t see anything special about her data. Kieran could see the confusion in his brother, so he hastily hinted, ¡°Nichs, look carefully at Tessa¡¯s data from six years ago.¡± Nichs could only do as he was told, studying the information closely. He found that Tessa¡¯s blood type was recorded, and also information that she was a top student at Southfield College. She was also qualified for a rmendation to study abroad in Vienna¡­ Everything perfectly matched the details of that woman six years ago. His face went dark, and his tone was obviously colder than before. ¡°What are you trying to say? That she is Greg¡¯s biological mother?¡± Seeing his brother¡¯s dark expression, Kieran hastily exined, ¡°Nichs, we¡¯re not saying that we¡¯re a hundred percent sure, but the possibility is there.¡± In order to guard the secret of the Sawyers¡¯ genes so that no one would take advantage of it, the elders of the Sawyer Family had put in great effort to seal off their gene bank. Hence, it was impossible to get a sample of Tessa¡¯s genes. They had to tackle the problem from another angle. ¡°I asked Edward to investigate the school today, to figure out what Tessa did in her year of disappearance. We found that there were various versions of the story being circted in the school. Some say that Tessa was pregnant out of wedlock, and she went to give birth to her child. Some others say that Tessa¡¯s younger brother was critically ill, so she took some time off to take care of him¡­ But, Nichs, don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s weird? Tessa¡¯s blood type was the exact same as the woman from that time. Also, Greg is never close to any outsiders, but he has taken to Tessa, and he¡¯s exceptionally reliant on her.¡± If possible, Kieran also wished that Tessa weren¡¯t Gregory¡¯s biological mother. After all, that woman was vain in the eyes of the Sawyers. However, after the investigation, the truth had revealed itself. The exnation from the school stated that Tessa had taken one year off because her brother was critically ill. However, Edward had asked Tessa¡¯s neighbors, and they all testified that her brother was home the whole year and he wasn¡¯t going through any treatment. He also didn¡¯t know where his sister went. He had managed to survive on his pay from working as a tutor, plus the neighbors¡¯ donations. Everything pointed to one possibility¡­ Tessa¡¯s one year of disappearance coincided with the woman¡¯s pregnancy right until childbirth! Nichs¡¯ expression sank. It wasn¡¯t fully confirmed that the woman was Tessa, but if Tessa really was Gregory¡¯s mother, then what right did she have to stay by the child¡¯s side? N?velDrama.Org holds this content. She had abandoned Gregory for money, so what right did she have to be his mother? Seeing his brother¡¯s terrible expression, Kieran tried to appease him. ¡°Nichs, please calm down. We¡¯re just guessing at this point, and we can¡¯t bepletely sure.¡± The atmosphere around Nichs turned cold, but he remained silent. Boom! Just then, a muffled thunder rolled across the night sky. When lightning struck the ground, the instant peal of thunder was deafening. Kieran looked out the window and said, ¡°Um, Nichs, it¡¯s going to rain soon. I¡¯ll go back with Edward now, so please consider it carefully and decide how we should go about it. You can ask her directly or choose to keep observing.¡± With that, he left in a hurry. After the two were gone, Nichs sat for a long time, his dark eyes trained on Tessa¡¯s data. His re seemed to bore holes through the thin paper. After a long while, he finally recovered himself and went down the stairs. In the hall, Tessa could feel that Nichs was emanating an aura much heavier than before. His gaze had also turned sharper. She had a feeling that these changes were directed at her. Fear crept into Tessa¡¯s heart, and she didn¡¯t dare to stay much longer. She hastily stood up and said, ¡°Um¡­ President Sawyer, I think it¡¯s going to rain soon, so I¡¯ll take my leave now. Thank you so much for your invitation¡­¡± ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Hearing Tessa¡¯s words, Gregory instantly put on a longing face. The look in Nichs¡¯ eyes was dark and hidden. He stared at Tessa for a few seconds, then narrowed his eyes as he said, ¡°Since Greg insists, you can stay.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°Huh?¡± Tessa thought she was hearing things. Nichs¡¯s tone was calm. ¡°It¡¯s going to rain soon anyway, and it¡¯s not easy to hail a cab around here. You can stay the night, and Greg will be ted as well. I can get the driver to send you back tomorrow morning.¡± Tessa was stunned. I was not hearing things. Nichs really allowed me to stay the night. But¡­ Why the sudden behavior change? ¡°¡­ don¡¯t think I should.¡± She didn¡¯t like the idea of staying in a man¡¯s house all alone. Just then, Gregory rushed over and wrapped his arms around Tessa¡¯s thigh, pleading in a spoiled manner, ¡°No, you should! I think it¡¯s a great idea! Please stay! Stay with me, please?¡± Tessa¡¯s heart melted when she heard his voice, but she still hesitated for a long time. While she wavered, the rain had begun to pour outside, and it seemed to be getting heavier by the minute. In the end, Tessa could only nod her agreement helplessly. Later that night, she gave her brother a call. ¡°Something came up with the orchestra tonight, so I won¡¯t be going home today. Don¡¯t wait for me, and remember to rest early.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Timothy¡¯s warm voice sounded. ¡°All right, got it. Don¡¯t overwork yourself, okay?¡± As the siblings talked, Nichs stared at Tessa behind her, seemingly trying to ovep her figure with that of the woman from that night six years ago. That night was a night of madness, and he hadn¡¯t even taken a good look at the woman¡¯s face. Now, as he looked at her figure, he still didn¡¯t have a clue. Tessa ended the call. She didn¡¯t notice anything unusual with Nichs as she said tentatively, ¡°President Sawyer, pardon my intrusion tonight.¡±. Nichs came to his senses and nodded nonchntly. Then, he turned around and said to Gregory, ¡°Take her to see the guest room upstairs. It¡¯s also time for you to wash up and go to bed.¡± Gregory nodded obediently, and then he seemed shy as he asked with a blush, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, can you bathe me?¡± Tessa smiled lightheartedly. ¡°Of course.¡± The two proceeded to ascend the stairs together. After watching them go, Nichs turned his gaze out the window. As the rain was pouring outside, he silently lit a cigarette. The curling smoke was reflected in his eyes, hiding his thoughts from view. Meanwhile, in the bathroom upstairs, Tessa had filled the tub with water, and she was helping Gregory bathe. He seemed to be a little shy as his adorable cheeks burned red. However, there was also glee in his eyes. Miss Pretty Lady feels a lot like Mommy! I love this so much! As Tessa bathed Gregory, there was a wavering look in her eyes. She thought about the child a few years back¡­ If he had stayed with her, he would probably be the same age. These years, she had held a deep regret in her heart, along with endless guilt. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 She had never even met him, and she couldn¡¯t be there with him as he grew up, but she knew that she wasn¡¯t fated to be with her son. I might never have a chance to see my child in this lifetime! Every time she thought this, there would be a piercing pain in her heart. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why¡­ are you crying?¡±. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Gregory had looked up then, and he panicked as he saw Tessa. Tessa came to and realized that there were tears pooling in her eyes. She had blinked just now, and the tears had slid down her face. Gregory was terribly anxious. ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t like it here? Did I upset you?¡± With that, Gregory¡¯s eyes began to redden, as if he were about to cry as well. Tessa didn¡¯t expect him to have such a huge reaction. Hence, she was guilty, and she also felt pity for the boy. Instantly, she wiped her tears as she said, ¡°That¡¯s not true. I cried because I remembered something in the past. Sweetheart, it has nothing to do with you.¡± With that, she wiped the tears away and carried Gregory in her arms. The little boy in her arms was soft and adorable, and one couldn¡¯t help but want to pamper him. How would anyone bear to me him, even a little? Gregory wasn¡¯t quite ready to believe it yet, but when he saw Tessa returning to her usual self, he rxed. Then, he wrapped his arms around her neck and said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll protect you if you get bullied, so don¡¯t cry anymore! I¡¯ll feel bad.¡± Tessa felt warmth in her heart as Gregoryforted her. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll count on you.¡± As the two talked, Tessa dried Gregory with a towel. The boy had a pleasant smell, and his cute cow themed pajamas, coupled with his exquisite features, only served to enhance his cuteness. As Tessa gazed at him, she could feel her heart melt. She hugged him and simply refused to let go. ¡°Sweetheart, you¡¯re too cute! I¡¯ve never seen a child so cute like you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re very pretty too. You¡¯re the prettiestdy I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± Gregory was overjoyed to receive praise, and he praised Tessa in return. ¡°You¡¯re so good with words.¡± Tessaughed at the sight. Just then, Nichs had just finished a cigarette, and he was striding up the stairs. He had just arrived at the door to the room when he saw the two chatting away happily. Gregory leaned into Tessa¡¯s embrace as he asked softly, ¡°Can I sleep with you tonight?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Tessa hesitated, unable to agree right away. She was quite willing herself, but she should get the green light from Nichs first. Nichs walked in slowly. When Gregory saw his father, he immediately asked for permission. ¡°Daddy, can I sleep with Miss Pretty Lady tonight?¡± Nichs didn¡¯t want to let the boy down, so he parted his thin lips and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re here already, Miss Reinhart, I guess you¡¯ll have to apany Greg for a while longer. He rarely gets this close to other people, you see.¡± Tessa didn¡¯t expect him to agree, and she was even more curious now. Why did he have aplete change of attitude? That night, Tessa apanied Gregory to sleep, and she also told him a bedtime story. Nichs, on the other hand, calmly sat on a couch beside them. The woman¡¯s gentle words rang in his ears, her sentences entuated with a particr tone that was slightly attractive. As Nichs listened, he gradually felt as if her voice coincided with some voices in his memory, but also didn¡¯t feel real at the same time. Six years ago, the woman¡¯s small and weak figure was like a fragile flower. Her breaths were so labored that they almost broke, and she also made some faint sounds with her hoarse voice. It had been too long, so Nichs could barely remember it. At that moment, however, he felt a sense of familiarity He examined Tessa with a searching gaze. The look in his eyes grew darker as he attempted to see through the woman. Tessa managed to get Gregory to sleep, then she hastily got off the bed and whispered to Nichs, ¡°President Sawyer, he¡¯s asleep.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± As the words left his thin lips, Nichs stood up and got ready to leave Gregory¡¯s room. Tessa naturally followed suit. After they went out, Nichs stood coldly by the door as he said nonchntly, ¡°You may stay in the guest room next to Greg¡¯s room.¡± Tessa nodded lightly. ¡°Understood. Pardon the intrusion. I¡¯ll be off now.¡± With that, she went through the door and finally let out a huge sigh of relief. For unknown reasons, whenever she was face to face with Nichs, she would always feel a sort of heavy pressure. Also, she always felt that Nichs¡¯s eyes looked terribly dark and deep, harboring a frightful abyss within. Now that she was alone in a room, she was considerably more rxed. She quickly took off her clothes and went for a bath in the bathroom. Meanwhile, Nichs had returned to his own room as well. He suddenly remembered it was Tessa¡¯s first time sleeping over, and she probably hadn¡¯t brought a change of clothes with her. After some hesitation, he went to his wardrobe and picked out a clean shirt. I guess I¡¯ll need to lend her my shirt Soon, he arrived at the door to the guest room. He knocked softly at first, but there was no response after a while, so he simply opened the door and went in. When he got in, he heard the sounds of a hairdryering from the bathroom. Tessa seemed to be done with her bath, and she was drying her hair now. Nichs held the shirt in his hand as he walked toward the bathroom. Surprisingly, the door wasn¡¯t locked. Tessa had her back to the bathroom door with a towel wrapped casually around her body. Her long ck hair was dancing in the hot air. Subconsciously, Nichs averted his gaze, but he caught sight of a spot on Tessa¡¯s body near her scap. There was a red butterfly on her skin, with its wings spread out and ready to take flight! Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Nichs¡¯s dark pupils constricted as countless scenes shed across his mind. That night six years ago, when the woman was squirming under him, he could make out a mark on her shoulder in the dark. It was a mark shaped like a butterfly with its wings spread out! As Nichs watched the butterfly marking in and out of sight under Tessa¡¯s hair, he strode forward. Sensing movement behind het, Tessa turned around to look. She was suddenly held down by Nichs and forced against the washbasin. Tessa was terrified as she began to struggle. ¡°Nichs! What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The man¡¯srge body was pressed tightly against hers. Mercilessly, he grabbed her struggling arms and pinned them behind her. As Nichs stared at the bare skin under the woman¡¯s hair, his breaths quickened. Reaching out his hands, he brushed her long hair aside¡­ The butterfly mark was well-defined on the skin near her scap, extremely simr to the one he saw six years ago. Still, it was dark that night, so he couldn¡¯t make out the color of the butterfly mark on the woman¡¯s body. But he remembered a scar near the skin bearing the butterfly mark, and it felt slightly rougher to the touch¡­ With that in mind, Nichs reached out toward Tessa¡¯s tattoo. ¡°Ah!¡± Tessa panicked as she registered the unfamiliar sensation. ¡°N-Nichs! Let go!¡± Ignoring Tessa¡¯s struggles, Nichs carefully touched the spot near her tattoo. However, he felt only smooth skin, entirely different from the sensation that night¡­ Nichs trained his gaze on the butterfly mark. He refused to give up as his finger inspected Tessa¡¯s skin further. The spot was near the scap on her back, and Tessa immediately felt a wave of numbness, as if an electrical current had gone through her. She was terribly confused, and she shouted in her mind, Nichs looks like a gentleman, so how can he do such horrible things so suddenly?! ¡°Nichs, what are you trying to do? D-Don¡¯t do this to me!¡± Tessa¡¯s voice was trembling. She feared that the man would get aggressive, so she could only talk in a quiet voice. There was a discernible panic between her breaths. Nichs could hear it, and her voice sounded ever so familiar to that voice from six years ago. It was a fearful murmur akin to sleep talking. The look in his eyes went dark, and then he forced Tessa to turn around so that they faced each other. He yanked her closer to him, so close they could feel each other¡¯s breath. Wait? Why do I not hate this woman? He didn¡¯t spend nights with women, for he wasn¡¯t interested in them and maybe even disliked them. The only woman he wasn¡¯t disgusted with was that very woman six years ago. Now, the aura emanating from Tessa was simr to that woman, an aura that negates any feelings of disgust.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 18 Meanwhile, Tessa almost stopped breathing. She could feel Nichs¡¯s palm on her spine, slowly inching downward¡­ ¡°N-Nichs?¡± Tessa tensed up, deciding that once he went over the line, she would discard all courtesy Nichs was silent as he focused on his actions. He could still remember the woman six years ago had a scar on her lower back. If Tessa¡¯s waist had the same scar, he could be sure this woman was Gregory¡¯s biological mother! Nichs felt around for the scar, but just when his fingers were about to reach it, the towel on Tessa¡¯s body fell off! The air seemed to have frozen solid! Tessa was terrified as she struggled. ¡°Nichs, let go of me-¡± Nichs was equally surprised. He realized how rude he was behaving, so he subconsciously moved to let go. However, he remembered Tessa wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes. Her struggles had produced some friction between the two. The next moment, he could feel a fierce fire leaping to life from the depths of his body! This was the first time this had happened in years! Save for that instance with Gregory¡¯s biological mother¡­ Nichs returned to his senses and gripped Tessa¡¯s wrist even tighter. ¡°Tessa, if you don¡¯t want me to make the next move, you¡¯d better stay still!¡± His voice was slightly hoarse and attractive, a thick sense of warning in his tone. Clearly feeling the change in a certain area of the man, Tessa widened her eyes and held her breath. She didn¡¯t dare struggle anymore. However, her eyes were already reddening. This seemed to be too much for her, as fear and injustice invaded her senses. She was so scared that she wanted to cry. Seeing that, Nichs didn¡¯t suppress the fire inside him. Instead, the self-control he was so proud of was beginning to unravel. The little woman in his arms had tears pooling in her watery eyes. Her pitiful expression was like the morning dew that came with the dawn, like a fragile bud waiting to bloom. It nagged at his urge to invade and pluck the flower off its stalk¡­ The sudden urge seemed to burst forth from his body. Dang it! Am I possessed or something? He just wanted to confirm the tattoo, but now he was the one getting excited A strong desire kept stimting his sense of reason, and a part of him began to shift uncontrobly in a direction¡­ Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°Nichs, don¡¯t you dare! I¡¯ll kill us both!¡± Seeing the man¡¯s look that threatened to swallow her up. Tessa shouted in part embarrassment. As the woman¡¯s sobbing roar entered his ears, Nichs was stunned. He saw the woman¡¯s tiny face twisted in rage, and the look in his eyes slowly returned to normal. Forcing his urges away, Nichs let go of Tessa. Then, he hastily grabbed another towel and draped it over Tessa¡¯s body, saying calmly, ¡°I have acted too rashly tonight. Don¡¯t take it to heart. You can wear this shirt for the time being.¡± With that, he turned around and left without looking back. Tessa remained alone in the bathroom, her panic still lingering. She gripped the towel around her, trembling as her legs threatened to give way. After a long while, she finally released a sigh and looked at the shirt on the floor. Why would he assault me? He came just to deliver this shirt, didn¡¯t he? She didn¡¯t think Nichs would actually be interested in her. Nevertheless, he behaved as if he were a lecher! The more Tessa thought about it, the angrier she got. In the end, she decided that she really couldn¡¯t get along with Nichs. If it weren¡¯t for Greg¡¯s cuteness, I would¡¯ve left long ago! After cursing the man for a while, she told herself that she absolutely must keep a distance from him, in case he did anything spontaneous again! After returning to his room, Nichs began to regret his rash actions just now. When he saw the mark on Tessa¡¯s shoulder, he hadn¡¯t thought twice before touching her. My actions were so inappropriate. However, he also felt curious about the experience. He couldn¡¯t believe that he would be interested in Tessa in that sense. All these years, many women flocked to him, trying their best to appeal to him so that he would be interested in them. However, he only felt disgusted by them! But that woman just now almost made me lose control¡­ Nichs felt that he must have been possessed. After forcing himself to calm down, he started to brainstorm ideas about how he should confirm Tessa¡¯s identity. He had to halt his attempts tonight, so he would have to leave it for another time. He had all the time in the world, anyway! As Nichs settled on his decision, his phone rang. He stopped his train of thought and picked up the call. ¡°Hello, Mom?¡± Stefania Buchanan¡¯s voice sounded over the phone. ¡°Nichs, were you asleep? Did I disturb your rest by calling you at this hour?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Mom. I haven¡¯t slept. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Nichs¡¯ voice regained its usual steady calmness. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Stefania said, ¡°I¡¯ll make it quick, then. Can you fetch someone at the airport for me tomorrow afternoon? It¡¯s my friend, and I wanted to go myself, but something came up so I can¡¯t go after all. Can you go on behalf of me?¡± Nichs didn¡¯t decline as he asked, ¡°Which friend of yours?¡± Stefania said gently, ¡°It¡¯s Yana Johnson from the Gingham Family and her daughter, Roselle Gingham. You should know her, right? I remember you yed with her when you were little.¡± Nichs paused for a while. He did remember the Gingham Family; they had a long history with the Sawyers, but he hadn¡¯t seen them ever since the entire family moved overseas. As for Roselle, he did remember someone like that, but it had been too long, and he had already forgotten what she looked like. Nichs nodded gently, saying, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go fetch them when the timees.¡± After that, they chatted for a bit before hanging up. The following morning, Tessa woke up with dark rings under her eyes. She hadn¡¯t slept the whole night, and she only had some shuteye near dawn. Thus, she had some weird dreams as a result. She even dreamed about that incident six years ago, where she was entangled with a man in the dark, crazed with lust for the whole night¡­ ¡°It¡¯s all his fault!¡± Tessa growled in embarrassment. Just then, Gregory came over and shouted at the door in his childish voice, ¡°Are you awake, Miss Pretty Lady? It¡¯s time to get up for breakfast.¡± ¡°Ah, sure. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Tessa hurriedly got out of the bed and washed up before leaving the room. As she emerged from the room, she saw Gregory waiting for her in the corridor. The boy was wearing overalls and a white shirt, looking cute yet stylish. Tessa gave him a warm smile, then walked up to him and took his hand as they descended the stairs. Meanwhile, Nichs was already eating at the table. As the two met each other¡¯s gazes, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but recall what happenedst night. Uneasiness crept onto her face as she averted her gaze. The look in Nichs¡¯ eyes wavered a little before returning to normal. He looked calm and nonchnt, as if nothing had ever happened. Really? I can¡¯t believe this man is acting as if nothing happened? Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°Good morning, Daddy!¡± Gregory headed downstairs and politely greeted his father. Nichs nodded in response and greeted the boy back ¡°Good morning. Come and have your breakfast.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Tessa was about to make a move, but Gregory wouldn¡¯t let go of her hand. Unable to walk away, she helplessly stayed behind and kept himpany for breakfast. In the meantime, Andrew¡¯s eyes lit up with warmth when he witnessed the interaction among the trio, which he found surprisingly harmonious because they looked just like a family. Nheless, his feelings were not mutual as Tessa didn¡¯t feel the same way because she hurriedly tried to leave right after breakfast. Nheless, Gregory seized thedy¡¯s hand with a heavy heart and asked, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, can I pay you a visit when I miss you?¡± Tessa curled her lips upward when she heard the boy¡¯s question. ¡°Of course, provided that I have an off day and you¡¯re allowed to visit me. However, I have a brother whom I need to look after at home, so I can¡¯t be away overnight like I didst night, even if I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°Alright, understood.¡± Gregory nodded his head, clearly telling thedy he understood with his gesture. ¡°I knew you¡¯re the most obedient and lovely kid ever.¡± Tessa smiled, gently pinching the boy¡¯s rounded cheek lovingly. While Tessa¡¯spliment put a smile on Gregory¡¯s face, Nichs suddenly realized something at the sight of their interaction. No, I mustn¡¯t let her just leave like that. After a few seconds of contemtion, he calmly said, ¡°Wait, Miss Reinhart.¡± Tessa paused upon hearing the man¡¯s voice as she subconsciously kept her distance from him and asked, ¡°W-What¡¯s the matter, President Sawyer?¡± Nichs raised his eyebrows in slight astonishment. Hmm. She was calling me by my first namest night, but now she is addressing me as President Sawyer. Soon, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°I have something I¡¯d like to tell you, Miss Reinhart. I¡¯m sorry if my action startled youst night, and I hope you didn¡¯t take that to heart. After all, I just¡­ The mark on your shoulder simply looks familiar to me, so I wasn¡¯t trying to do you any harm or hurt you.¡± Tessa didn¡¯t expect Nichs to apologize to her, feeling stunned, but after a short while, she calmly answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t take it to heart at all.¡± Despite her reassurance, she continued to deliberately keep her distance from the man. Although Nichs could sense her wariness, he wasn¡¯t bothered by that as he changed the subject and asked, ¡°By the way, would you be interested in teaching Gregory the violin, Miss Reinhart?¡± Tessa was stunned into a trance. Wait, what? Am I being offered to be Greg¡¯s teacher? ¡°Would you, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± Gregory excitedly looked at Tessa. ¡°Well¡­¡± Tessa knitted her eyebrows hesitantly as she was about to turn the man down. However, before she could do so, she was interrupted by Nichs¡¯ timely reply. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll make sure your sses with Greg won¡¯t sh with your orchestra¡¯s schedule. All you have to do is just teach Greg when you¡¯re not busy preparing for your performance. In return, I¡¯ll pay you an hourly rate of two thousand. What do you think?¡± An hourly rate of two thousand?! Tessa was dumbfounded and surprised upon hearing how much she was offered. In spite of her initial intention to stay away from Nichs after what happened the night before, she was somehow tempted to take him up on it. After all, she would be able to live a better life with her brother if she could have an extra source of ie. Besides, her brother wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard as a home tutor either for meager earnings that barely helped them make ends meet. Nevertheless, Tessa didn¡¯t ept her offer right away despite her temptation. ¡°President Sawyer, you had previously tried to keep me away from Greg, hadn¡¯t you? I can tell that you didn¡¯t really like me.¡± So, the question is-why did you change your mind now? Nichs was surprised by her blunt question, but after he paused shortly, he directly answered, ¡°Honestly, I did a little digging about you. Although I know this might have been a vition of your privacy, I didn¡¯t have much choice in order to ensure Greg¡¯s safety. Anyway, as far as my investigation results suggest, your resume seems clean, Miss Reinhart. The reason I want to make you stay is that I think you¡¯re reliable, but of course, the most important thing is¡­¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Greg likes you. While you may not be aware of this, Greg is a child who loves to keep to himself so much that he¡¯s been diagnosed with mild autism. He doesn¡¯t like to associate with anyone else, but you seem to be his exception, which means you¡¯re special to him. So, if you stay, you could perhaps change Greg¡¯s life for the better.¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa was touched, yet surprised at the same time because she didn¡¯t expect that something so dramatic would befall an adorable child like Gregory. How could something like this ever happen to this cute little boy? Look at his smile. He is such a lovely child! Soon, Gregory sensibly approached Tessa and hugged herp, sincerely begging her not to leave. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, please be my music teacher, would you? You¡¯re so good at ying the violin, and I want to learn from you.¡± As soon as Tessa heard the boy¡¯s adorable voice, she naturally cast all her doubts aside. Not knowing well, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn down Gregory¡¯s request, so she nodded and replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯II stay and be your teacher.¡± Gregory was delighted, evident in his blushed cheeks and happy look. ¡°This is awesome! I¡¯ll be able to see you every day then, Miss Pretty Lady.¡± Tessa smiled, for her mood lifted when she saw Gregory¡¯s exhration. N?velDrama.Org content. In that instant, Nichs unknowingly curled his lips upward for a split second just before his smile disappeared. He then stood up and said, ¡°Well, now that you¡¯ve epted my offer, I suppose you could start your first lesson today, Miss Reinhart. I still have some business to attend to in the office, so I¡¯m going to leave Greg in your hands.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Tessa agreed without much hesitation, thinking she should just obey her employer¡¯s wishes. Furthermore, she reckoned she had just moved on since she had already forgiven him after he apologized. On the other hand, Nichs was about to leave home, but before he did that, he spoke to Andrew and said, ¡°Keep an eye on Tessa for me. If she ever acts strangely, I want you to let me know immediately.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The butler nodded but felt stunned and wondered whether Nichs still didn¡¯t trust Tessa. When Nichs returned to his office, he gave Edward an order. ¡°I want to buy the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra over. Get it done as soon as you can now!¡± ¡°Alright, President Sawyer.¡± Edward heard his instruction and went ahead to do as he was told without asking any more questions. Meanwhile, Tessa proceeded to conduct her first lesson with Gregory not long after Nichs left his home, Dynasty Garden. Able to y the piano well, Gregory demonstrated a good memory and understanding of music theories, which made Tessa feel grateful because it would make her job a lot easier. At the same time, the butler, Andrew, secretly observed Tessa but failed to notice anything wrong with her as she taught Gregory with patience and dedication. I don¡¯t understand. She is showing traits of a good teacher, so what could go wrong with that? In the meantime, Nichs was upied with several meetings throughout the morning before going through dozens of documents, which barely left him with any free time. When he finally had his break in the afternoon, Stefania called to remind him of something. ¡°Nichs, you need to pick Roselle up at the airport in another half an hour. I have already given her your number, so she¡¯ll contact you by then.¡± After hearing that, Nichs didn¡¯t say anything, only answered briefly, ¡°Alright, I heard you.¡± Upon hanging up the call, he gave Edward an instruction. ¡°Prep the car. We¡¯re heading to the airport now.¡± Edward nodded in response. Ten minutester, Nichs received a phone call from Roselle when he was on his way to the airport. ¡°Hello, Nichs. This is Roselle speaking.¡± Thedy on the other side of the phone introduced herself with a soothing and gentle voice, but Nichs somehow felt nothing about it. Instead, he even found it ufortable to hear her address him by his first name. Thus, he frowned and asked coldly, ¡°Is this Miss Gingham?¡± Roselle paused and continued her speech in a tender manner. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the sudden call if I did interrupt you, but I wanted to let you know that my mom and I just arrived after our flight touched down not long ago. I heard from Stefania that you¡¯d be picking us up, so I was hoping you could bring Greg along¡­ Because I haven¡¯t seen him in a while. Besides, I didn¡¯t manage to make it back in time during his birthday back then, so I got him a present and would like to give it to him in person. Is that perhaps possible?¡± Roselle spoke with a gentle voice that no one else could bear to reject in Nichs ce. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Any man would sumb to my soothing voice! Roselle was confident with her voice, believing Nichs would soften up upon hearing it. Nheless, Nichs didn¡¯t seem to feel anything when he heard thedy¡¯s words. After all, he was a man who preferred living his life as a bachelor, and he wasn¡¯t interested in women at all. Thus, Roselle¡¯s voice didn¡¯t really do its trick and work on him. Furthermore, he could sense something awry about being sent to the airport by his mother, but despite his unhappiness, he didn¡¯t turn down Roselle¡¯s sudden request. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring Greg alongter.¡± Nichs gave a calm reply, which put a smile on Roselle¡¯s face on the other side of the phone. After the phone call ended, Nichs called his butler, who was at Dynasty Garden. ¡°Andrew, please bring Greg to the airport.¡± On the other hand, Gregory showed strong reluctance when he learned that his father wanted him to leave home. He then hugged Tessa with a stubborn look on his face while acting up. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going anywhere. I want to be with Miss Pretty Lady.¡± Helpless, Andrew tried his best to persuade the boy. ¡°But Master Nichs has made it clear that you must be there, so you¡¯ll only make it difficult for me if you won¡¯te along¡­¡± Gregory reacted with a bitter expression on his face, but after a short hesitation, he turned his attention to Tessa and asked, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, would youe along with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Tessa was stunned as she was prompted by her subconsciousness to say no, but before anything coulde out of her mouth, she was interrupted by the boy. Gregory murmured and said, ¡°I want Miss Pretty Lady to be with me! If you don¡¯te along, then I won¡¯t go anywhere.¡± When Andrew heard that, he turned his gaze to Tessa. ¡°Miss Reinhart, pleasee with us.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Tessa was amused yet helpless but eventually decided to go along with the butler. Half an hourter, they arrived at the airport, where they met up with Nichs. When Nichs noticed Tessa¡¯s presence, he couldn¡¯t help but feel stunned about it. Tessa awkwardly said, ¡°It was Greg who insisted that I tagged along¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it was my idea for Miss Pretty Lady toe along.¡± Greg made his point clear by emphasizing it once more. Meanwhile, Nichs fixed his gaze on the boy and Tessa without saying a single word more but somehow decided it wouldn¡¯t make any difference anyway. While the man was pondering, Roselle and her mother, Yana, showed up with their luggage at the airport¡¯s gate. Standing in ce with his body straight, he greeted the twodies just when they got closer. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Gingham. Hello, Miss Gingham.¡± ¡°Long time no see, Nichs.¡± Roselle curled her lips upward and smiled gracefully, just as her beautiful make-up entuated her aura as the daughter of a prestigious family. At that moment, she looked at Nichs with the admiration she could barely hide. Oh gosh! This guy looks so much more handsome and outstanding than he did a few years ago. Not only is he gorgeous and decent-looking, but he is also giving off a manly aura. I guess there is a reason why he is the one I have had a crush on for years, but the only sad thing is the way he addresses me. He is making us sound like strangers, doesn¡¯t he? ¡°Oh wow! We haven¡¯t met for years, but now you look like a sessful and talented businessman, Nichs. Now that you¡¯re running the Sawyer Group, you seem even more manly and capable to me, which reminds me of your father when he was younger. In fact, it seems to me that your charm can match his back then.¡± Soon, Yana, who was dressed like a typical rich man¡¯s wife, joined the conversation andplimented Nichs while keeping her eyes on him. ¡°Thanks for thepliment,¡± Nichs coldly answered and waved at Gregory. ¡°Come here and say hi, Greg.¡± Upon hearing that, Gregory came closer and greeted the adults politely. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Gingham. Hello, Miss Gingham.¡± In spite of his courteous greetings, his tone somehow sounded rather cold and indifferent, as if there was an estrangement between them. On the other hand, Roselle smiled and approached Gregory when she saw him. ¡°Oh gosh! You¡¯ve grown so tall, Greg. You¡¯re such an adorable kid who looks just like your father. I¡¯m Roselle, by the way, and I even carried you in my arms before when you were little, but I doubt you remember it!¡± She then stretched out her arm to pinch the boy¡¯s cheek, only to be met with a reaction that would leave her embarrassed. It turned out that Gregory dodged thedy¡¯s hand with a long face and a pair of furrowed brows while clearly expressing his dislike for Roselle, who froze awkwardly in response. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Upon witnessing the awkwardness, Yana immediately tried to defuse the situation with a smiling face. ¡°Oh dear, it looks like Greg is pretty shy in front of strangers. No worries. We¡¯re all like a family to you. so we¡¯re not going to hurt you¡­¡± Then, she turned her attention to Nichs and added, ¡°By the way, Roselle missed Greg so much when she was away, so she specially prepared some presents a week before she returned. Look at the suitcases, three of which are full of presents for Greg, and they are all some toys and tidbits that she prepared for him. My daughter may not be perfect, but she is definitely one thoughtful and tenderdy.¡± Roselle then pretended to be humble when she heard her mother¡¯spliment. ¡°Stop it, Mom¡­¡± After that, she bashfully gazed at Nichs and said, ¡°Please just forget what my mom said, Nichs. It¡¯s just some presents that I prepared, and my mom was surely overreacting about that. Furthermore, I don¡¯t know if Greg is going to like them.¡± Nichs coldly replied, ¡°Thank you, Miss Gingham.¡± On the other hand, Gregory pursed his lips unhappily in response. Despite his young age, he could still tell that Roselle wanted to be his father¡¯s woman and take over the ce of his mother. Thus, he couldn¡¯t help but feel disgusted, coldly saying, ¡°Thank you, Miss Gingham. I don¡¯t think I need anything at the moment, but I do appreciate your kind intention.¡± Although the boy put his words politely, he didn¡¯t seem to be as happy or excited as expected. Instead, he only seized Tessa¡¯s finger with his little hand. In the meantime, Roselle had long noticed Tessa¡¯s presence, finding it hard to ignore the fact that Gregory rejected her but was close to Tessa. She then knitted her eyebrows unknowingly and asked, ¡°And who might this be¡­? It appears that we haven¡¯t really met before, have we?¡± Tessa was stunned, but as she was about to answer, Nichs beat her to it and replied, ¡°She is Greg¡¯s violin teacher, Tessa Reinhart.¡± ¡°Oh, so this is Miss Reinhart!¡± Roselle greeted her with a smile while still politely showing decency. ¡°Greg has always shied away from strangers, yet he is close to you. Perhaps there is something special about you, Miss Reinhart, and that we should really talk about it.¡± Upon hearing thedy¡¯s words, Tessa paused for a split second, somehow finding it weird even though Roselle struck her as a courteousdy at first. Deep down, it seemed to Tessa that Roselle was acting like she was the Sawyer Family¡¯s matriarch, but even so, she didn¡¯t dwell too much on it and went on to nod politely. Soon, Nichs knitted his eyebrows unhappily and said, ¡°This is not the ce to talk. Let¡¯s go back.¡± Roselle smiled and replied with a smile, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s head to the hotel.¡± Nichs was about to say something, but Yana was one step ahead. ¡°Of course not! The hotel is nowhere asfortable as home. Moreover, Stefania and I haven¡¯t met each other for a while, and we¡¯re going to have so much to talk about, plus you¡¯re going to have to drop by and say hi anyway, so how does staying in the hotel seem convenient to you?¡± ¡°But¡­ are you sure it won¡¯t be troublesome for them?¡± Roselle appeared a little hesitant. As the mother and daughter put on a show, Nichs went on to say, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go back home. We have a lot of empty rooms anyway.¡± Roselle continued to pretend that she was hesitant for a while and said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll just do as Nichs says.¡± After that, the few of them returned to the car, whereupon Roselle wheeled her luggage to the trunk and was about to put them in it. Meanwhile, Yana, who was also lugging the heavy luggage right behind, saw that and subconsciously shifted her gaze to Tessa. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Feeling unhappy with her presence, Yana tried to boss her around. ¡°Miss Reinhart, would you help us load the luggage, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°S-Sure.¡± Tessa was caught in a trance before she nodded. Nheless, just when Tessa got closer to help, Nichs frowned and got in her way, staring at Yana with a cial look. ¡°This is no job for ady like you. Edward can take care of it.¡± He then called out to his assistant. ¡°Please load Miss Gingham¡¯s bags for her.¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 ¡°Alright. President Sawyer.¡± Edward proceeded to carry out his orders and loaded the luggage onto the trunk of the car by which they came to the airport. At the same time, Yana¡¯s face changed, showing an expression that clearly indicated that she was ufortable with what had happened. In the meantime, Roselle¡¯s eyes also lit up sinisterly shortly before her gaze turned normal. Nheless, Nichs acted as if he didn¡¯t realize anything and told the mother and daughter to go without him. ¡°Mrs. Gingham and Miss Gingham, I have something to attend toter, so I¡¯ll have the butler take you back to the mansion. As for dinner at night, I¡¯ll be there.¡± When thedies heard his words, they were stunned into a trance, but as Yana was about to express her dissatisfaction, Roselle quickly came to her senses and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had toe so far just to pick us up despite your busy schedule, Nichs. If we had known, we would have taken a cab by ourselves.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Nichs gazed at thedy with a cial look. Roselle nodded and smiled gently. ¡°Well, you should probably attend to your business now, Nichs. I¡¯ll take Greg home first and meet his grandmother.¡± Nichs didn¡¯t reply to Roselle directly but instead looked at Gregory to see what he had to say about that. The boy reacted with a long face, decisively turning Roselle¡¯s suggestion down. ¡°I want to be with Miss Pretty Lady. I don¡¯t want to go back home with some strangers.¡± As soon as he said that, he made his way to the Maybach that Nichs had just got on. While Tessa was left standing without any idea what to do, Gregory poked his head out of the door and called out to her. ¡°Come here, Miss Pretty Lady. Let¡¯s go home together!¡± Sensing how differently the boy¡¯s tone sounded when he spoke with Tessa, Roselle could barely hide the unhappiness written all over her face. As her gaze darkened even more, she continued to smile and maintain her decency, waving her hand while saying, ¡°A-Alright, Nichs, Mom and I will go first. See you tonight.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure.¡± Nichs nodded and told his butler to ensure thedies¡¯ safety before thetter agreed with a nod and drove away. ¡°Please take them home safely, Edward.¡± On the other hand, Roselle finally dropped her pretense and showed a cold expression on her face when she was on her way back to the manor. At the same time, Yana was also angry, evident in her gloomy look. Who¡¯s thatdy? Howe she is so close to Greg?! Is she really just a music teacher? Or is she some woman that Nichs has a fling with? Despite the problems that were bothering her deep down, Yana didn¡¯t dare to speak her mind but shot a gaze at her daughter. When Roselle met her mother¡¯s gaze and understood what it meant, she was overwhelmed by her anger, which she was able to suppress shortly after. Then, she raised the corner of her lips and sounded out Edward, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Edward, Miss Reinhart seems like a nice person. How long has she been here? She seems to be really close to Greg.¡± Without much hesitation, Edward went on and replied with a smile, ¡°Not very long, actually. She¡¯s only been here for a few days, but for some reason, the Little Prince just seems to click perfectly with her. Wherever Miss Reinhart goes, he¡¯ll surely want to be along, which is strange because he hardly associates with anyone until he meets her.¡± When Roselle heard Edward¡¯s reply, her eyes darkened, and a pang of bitter jealousy surged through her. Thatdy has only been here not long ago, yet she¡¯s gotten so close to Greg already? What the heck is going on? Although Roselle might have been living her life abroad previously, she had never stopped following everything that happened around Nichs. Thus, she was aware that Gregory was a shy child who was onlyfortable with people with whom he was familiar and hardly socialized with strangers. Other than that, she also knew that Nichs hadn¡¯t really gotten to know any woman, but after she took a break from following Nichs, she was stunned by Tessa¡¯s sudden appearance. Then, when she recalled the moment that Nichs protected Tessa earlier on, her jealousy took over her mind and swamped her with a great sense of danger. Yana was able to see through her daughter¡¯s worry and patted her hand tofort her, but her eyes were filled with a darkened, sinister energy. After all, the mother and daughter had returned to the country they came from with an agenda to win Nichs over. In fact, the Gingham Family had been suffering from poor performances in their international businesses, although they might still look sessful on the outside. Therefore, the twodies were counting on the marriage between Roselle and Nichs to secure the necessary resources from the Sawyer Group in order to help save the Gingham Group. Because of that, they were determined to get what they wanted and would do anything to get rid of anyone who stood in their way. Anyone who tries to stop me will be gotten rid of! Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 In the meantime, the ck Maybach was traveling on the road while Tessa was hugging Gregory quietly beside Nichs. ring at his own father with apparent dissatisfaction, the boy murmured. ¡°I don¡¯t like that woman. I hate her.¡± Nichs raised his eyebrows and met his son¡¯s gaze calmly. ¡°That woman is Grandma¡¯s guest, like it or not, but you mustn¡¯t show your dissatisfaction. Show some manners, at least.¡± ¡°Hmph! Of course I know that, which was why I greeted her politely!¡± Gregory thought to himself that he wouldn¡¯t have entertained Roselle if she hadn¡¯t been his grandmother¡¯s guest. Nichs smiled and went on to say, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re going to have dinner with them tonight, so you¡¯d better behave yourself. Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Can I choose not to go?¡± Gregory asked bitterly. ¡°No!¡± Nichs rejected the boy meanly. Gregory bitterly asked, ¡°Can Miss Pretty Ladye along?¡± Tessa heard the boy and replied with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s your family dinner, Greg. I¡¯m an outsider or your violin teacher at most, so of course, I can¡¯t go.¡± Considering herself as an outsider, she didn¡¯t think it was appropriate for her to join the Sawyer Family¡¯s dinner. ¡°If Miss Pretty Lady isn¡¯t going, then I¡¯m not going either, Dad. You could dine with them by yourself!¡± sourly just when Nichs knitted his eyebrows helplessly and stared at his son¡¯s stubborn look All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Oh boy, here we go again. Nichs¡¯s face darkened as he was about to lecture Gregory. Nheless, Tessa beat him to it and said, ¡°Greg, how could you throw a tantrum at this moment? You¡¯re the Sawyer Family¡¯s little master, so you¡¯re obligated to receive your guest, but as for me, I really shouldn¡¯t be there, considering my position. For that, I need you to stop being mad and behave like a good boy!¡± Gregory remained silent, keeping his head down while refusing to listen to anyone¡¯s words. ¡°Sweetheart¡­¡± Tessa couldn¡¯t stand to watch Gregory in that sympathetic state, so she pitifully and coax him. ¡°Sweetheart, please be a good boy. It isn¡¯t appropriate for me to be around for the asion, so what do you say that I wait for you at home until you¡¯re done?¡± While Gregory remained silent, Nichs felt helpless, knowing that it was his son¡¯s trick to make him give in to him. Thus, he rubbed his forehead and said, ¡°Maybe you should join us, Miss Reinhart. We¡¯re just having a family dinner after all, plus you¡¯re Greg¡¯s teacher, and I can introduce you to our family. Nothing wrong with that, right?¡± Tessa was surprised to hear that because she was actually reluctant to visit the Sawyer Family due to her fear of how awkwardly it would y out. However, Gregory continued to wrap his arms around her neck like tree roots without showing any signs of letting her go, stubbornly begging her to join them for dinner. In the end, she gave in to her sympathy in the face of the boy¡¯s lovely voice and coy behavior, unwillingly agreeing to join the dinner. Later that night, Nichs arrived at the Sawyer Residence just on time with Tessa and Gregory around 7.00 PM. The moment they stepped into the house, they were greeted by the sight of Stefania happily chatting with Roselle and Yana. As soon as the olddy saw Gregory, she excitedly approached him and hugged him lovingly, asking, ¡°Oh, my dear handsome boy! Have you missed me?¡± ¡°Yes, I have. Grandma.¡± Gregory nodded obediently with a bright smile on his face, lifting Stefania¡¯s spirit so much that she couldn¡¯t help but gently pinch the child¡¯s chubby cheek. At the same time, Roselle rose from her seat and greeted Nichs with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re back. Nichs.¡± Nichs nodded indifferently in response while Roselle squinted and gazed at Tessa unhappily. Why is thisdy here again?! Despite her frustration, she didn¡¯t show it as she smiled faintly at Tessa. ¡°You¡¯re here too, Miss Reinhart.¡± As Tessa nodded, Stefania soon noticed the former¡¯s presence but couldn¡¯t ce her face, although it felt like she had seen her somewhere else at first sight. Trying to jog her memory, she asked, ¡°Who might this be?¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡°She is Greg¡¯s violin teacher, and her name is Tessa Reinhart,¡± Nichs answered on Tessa¡¯s behalf. At the same time, Gregory excitedly helped introduce Yessa to his Stefania. ¡°Have you forgotten Grandma? She was the one who yed the violin during my birthday party!¡± ¡°Oh, so that was her! Now I remember. She yed the violin really well.¡± Stefania took a while before she recalled thest time she saw Tessa. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Tessa smiled faintly and replied, ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Madam Sawyer, but at the same time, I¡¯m sorry foring here without informing ahead.¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t be,¡± Stefania responded with a friendly attitude. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Greg would agree to let you be his violin teacher. After all themotion he made on the ferry, it seems that he truly likes you! Come, please take a seat.¡± Surprised by the pleasant attitude that Nichs¡¯s mother showed, Tessa immediately thanked her and sat down. Then, Stefania went on to order the butler to prepare some refreshments before she proceeded to ask Tessa more questions. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good chance to know you, Miss Reinhart. May I know which music institute you graduated from?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a graduate from Southfield Music School,¡± Tessa replied steadily, presenting herself with decency and politeness. Upon hearing that, Stefania wasn¡¯t unimpressed at all because Southfield Music School was the best music school in their country, although it was still outssed by some other international colleges. Therefore, she believed Tessa was no phony at all and had nothing to pick on her. ¡°Oh, you graduated from a prestigious school. No wonder you yed the violin so well.¡± Then, she added, ¡°Well, since you¡¯re already here, you might as well join us for dinner.¡± Stefania appeared to be satisfied with Tessa. On the other hand, Roselle, who witnessed the happy conversation between the twodies, could no longer hold her frustration back as she smiled and seized the right opportunity to say something. ¡°It seems to me that Greg has changed a lot, Mrs. Sawyer. He used to shy away from strangers a lot, but he no longer does that now.¡± When Stefania heard that, she said, ¡°Not really. Greg still tends to avoid strangers most of the time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Roselle ambiguously shifted her gaze to Tessa, smiling in an unfathomable manner. ¡°But it seems to me that Greg is really close with Miss Reinhart.¡± At that moment, Tessa felt her heartbeat rising, finally sensing the sarcasm behind Roselle¡¯s words. She then turned her attention to Roselle, noticing the unfathomable aura beneath the gentle look on her face. After that, she knitted her eyebrows and replied, ¡°Well, I guess Greg probably liked it a lot when I yed the violin well thest time, which is why he¡¯s started to grow so close with me.¡± When Stefania heard that, she smiled and answered, ¡°That could be possible! Greg has always had it in him since he was little when ites to music. After all, he picked it up pretty fast when a piano teacher was previously hired to teach.¡± ¡°Well, Greg is indeed an observant fast learner in music, and that he is an absolute talent. Tessa complimented Gregory, putting a smile on the boy¡¯s face. At the same time, Gregory¡¯s face blushed adorably right after thedy¡¯s praise filled him with happiness. In the meantime, Yana somehow felt disgusted with Tessa as she continued to listen to their conversation. Thus, she sniggered and suggested something. ¡°Stefania, I can see that Miss Reinhart will be a good teacher, but If you really want to hone Greg¡¯s musical talent, you should probably hire someone from overseas to help him. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Nheless, Gregory refuted thedy with a long face as soon as he heard what she said. ¡°No! I only want Miss Pretty Lady and no one else to be my teacher!¡± Then, he freed himself from Stefania¡¯s arms and hugged Tessa¡¯sp, emphasizing his point like he was asserting dominance. ¡°I said I only want Miss Pretty Lady!¡± While Yana was instantly humiliated by the boy¡¯s response and put in an awkward position, Roselle quickly interfered to help her mother by hoaxing Gregory. ¡°Greg, my mom was just kidding, so don¡¯t be mad.¡± However, Gregory ignored her and looked away, turning his attention to Nichs. ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want any other teacher!¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Nichs sat aside indifferently but gazed at Gregory with a pair of tender eyes. He then gently replied. ¡°Alright then, If you don¡¯t like it, we¡¯ll just stick to Miss Reinhart as your teacher.¡± While Gregory was delighted upon hearing that, Yana started to hate the child, showina a darkened look on her face. Damn you, child! How dare you ruin my daughter¡¯s n! However, Yana¡¯s train of thought was soon interrupted by the return of Tobias and Kieran as the two men¡¯s tall build came into view after they entered the house. While the father¡¯s stern look gave off an made him look like a powerful old king, Kieran had a pair of attractive eyes and charisma on par with his handsome brother that could take anyone¡¯s breath away. When the maids noticed their arrival, they immediately bowed down and greeted the two men. ¡°Old Master Sawyer, Master Kieran.¡± Soon, Roselle walked closer to them and courteously looked down. ¡°Mr. Sawyer¡­ Kieran, long time no see.¡± ¡°You must be Roselle. It¡¯s indeed been a while since thest time we met. You¡¯ve grown up a lot and be so much prettier,¡± Tobias replied with a smile. Kieran politely greeted Roselle back. ¡°Miss Gingham, Mrs. Gingham.¡± Then, when he shifted his gaze away to the others, he went on to greet his brother. ¡°Nichs, when did you arrive¡­?¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, he noticed Tessa from the corner of his eyes and paused in a trance. ¡°Tessa? What brings you here?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Tessa felt a little awkward but decided to exin why she was there one more time before she greeted the father and son. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. While Tobias had nothing much to say, Kieran looked at his brother confusedly and leaned closer to him. ¡°What¡¯re you doing, Nichs? Why are you still keeping her by your side? Isn¡¯t thisdy your¡­¡± Nichs gazed at his younger brother and interrupted him with a deep voice. ¡°I can¡¯t confirm her identity at the moment, which is why I have kept her by my side until I can get to the bottom of the matter. If she turns out to be thedy I was looking for, I¡¯ll make sure she disappears forever!¡± In that instant, Kieran didn¡¯t dare to say a single word more because he knew what his older brother was capable of. Nichs has always been a man of his word and will not hesitate to do what he means to. So, if Tessa is really thedy who abandoned Greg back then, she will likely be as good as dead. Meanwhile, Roselle had always thought highly of her own status as she was used to being the center of attention wherever she went, yet she was neglected and left in the cold, again and again, this time on her return. Thus, she quickly found herself at the end of the rope, barely able to hide her darkened eyes. Soon, the butler came over to inform. ¡°Sir, Madam, the dinner is ready, and you may help yourself anytime now.¡± Thus, Stefania immediately summoned everyone to the dining area. When they all surrounded the table to grab a seat, Roselle wanted to sit beside Nichs, but before she could do so, Gregory beat her to it and sat there. Therefore, she was forced to step aside and take the seat next to the boy, only to be stunned by his reaction. ¡°Sit here, Miss Pretty Lady!¡± Gregory patted the seat and called out to Tessa. Roselle¡¯s face stiffened as she made her way to ihe other seat next to Nichs on the other side, but once again, she was one step behind Kieran, who apologized to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Gingham, I¡¯d like to have a word with my brother. Please sit there, would you?¡± In the face of several thwarted attempts to sit beside Nichs, Roselle was overwhelmed by the anger that was written all over her face. Nheless, she forced herself to stay calm in front of everyone else in order to maintain her decency. Upon suppressing her anger, she returned to her mother and grabbed a seat courteously. During dinner, Kieran¡¯s presence filled the atmosphere with a lot of energy and liveliness, which Yana sentimentallymented about. ¡°Kieran and Nichs are starting to look like their father, who dominated themercial world back then. The Sawyer Family is so blessed to have these two sons.¡± As thepliment put a bright smile on Stefania¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t deny that she couldn¡¯t be any prouder of her sons, but even so, she decided to react with humility. ¡°Aw, you¡¯re ttering me. While Nichs is reliable and mature, Kieran is a bit of a free spirit who worries and frustrates me because he simply won¡¯t want to settle down and get married.¡± Kieran was displeased with his mother¡¯s words. ¡°Come on, Mom. I did carry out my responsibilities, didn¡¯t I? But speaking of marriage, I can¡¯t force what¡¯s not meant to be mine!¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chaptet 28 ¡°Hmph! Look at yourself, foot. Who would want to marry you? You¡¯re destined to be single forever!¡± Stefania sniggered with disgust. Kieran was helpless upon hearing that. ¡°Come on! Do you have any idea how many people are dying to marry me? You can¡¯t ditch me like that, Mom. What am I to you? A disposable ¡®rubber sheath¡¯ that you have just used for once and threw away?¡± While everyoneughed in amusement after hearing his hrious reply, Roselle thoughtfully ced some dishes on Nichs¡¯ te. ¡°Nichs, I remember this is your favorite dish. Please have more of it.¡± Although Stefania and Tobias had noment about Roselle¡¯s thoughtful action, Kieran couldn¡¯t help but be scared for her. After all, he was aware of his brother¡¯s mysophobia as Nichs had always preferred to enjoy his meals without sharing anyone else¡¯s silverware. What is Roselle trying to prove by picking up and cing dishes on Nichs¡¯ te with her own fork and spoon? Oh dear, is thisdy trying to make herself look special? Soon, Kieran peeked at his older brother and realized that he had his eyes coldly fixed on the food with an unhappy frown. Nheless, Nichs didn¡¯t express his dissatisfaction but instead calmly expressed his gratitude. ¡°Thank you.¡± For the next few moments, Kieran continued to observe his brother and discovered that Nichs never touched the dish that Roselle had just ced on his te. Meanwhile, Roselle also noticed that as her face slightly paled. However, she wasn¡¯t about to give up like that, so she turned her attention to Gregory and grabbed a nice juicy shrimp for him. ¡°You need to eat more so that you can grow healthier, Greg.¡± Nheless, as soon as the shrimp fell onto Gregory¡¯s te, he instantly furrowed his eyebrows in disgust. A few secondster, Tessa quickly collected the shrimp and took it away from the boy¡¯s te, smiling while saying, ¡°Miss Gingham, Greg is allergic to seafood, so he can¡¯t eat this.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°O-Oh, really?¡± Roselle reacted with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Stefania smiled in an unconcerned manner and shifted her gaze to Tessa. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were even aware of Greg¡¯s allergy to seafood. You seem to know Greg well, Miss Reinhart.¡± ¡°Well, President Sawyer told me about that.¡± Tessa silently lowered her head. In the meantime, those words sounded like jarring noises that annoyed Roselle when she heard them. Is thisdy trying to show off her rtionship with Nichs? Who is she to deserve Nichs¡¯ favor? In spite of her irritation and frustration, Roselle hid her feelings well, though. At the same time, Yana, who was also unhappy with Tessa, sumbed to her evil intentions. Then, she ambiguously said in a coy manner, ¡°I understand that you¡¯re thoughtful and close with Greg, Miss Reinhart, but if anyone who is unaware of the situation sees this, they might probably think that you know everything about Greg because you had been stalking him.¡± While Yana¡¯s words might have sounded ordinary and innocent, they inevitably portrayed Tessa in a bad light to make her look like she had a hidden agenda by warming up to Gregory. As Stefania and Tobias furrowed their eyebrows upon hearing Yana¡¯s words, Gregory sensibly interfered and exined Tessa¡¯s innocence. ¡°I was lost a few days ago until Miss Pretty Lady found me and took me back to Dad. In return, Dad thanked her and treated her to a meal, which was when she found out about my allergy to seafood.¡± When Stefania and Tobias learned about the truth, they were both relieved to find out that Tessa was not like who they thought she was. Then, she courteously looked at Tessa and said, ¡°Speaking of this, that little boy never stops wandering off, but anyway, I guess I owe you my thanks for having taken Greg back to his father.¡± Tessa smiled in relief. ¡°You¡¯re wee. I was just doing what I should.¡± While Nichs silently shot a gaze at his son after witnessing how he defended Tessa, Gregory looked back at his father and raised his eyebrowscently, as if he was trying to boast hispetence in protecting Tessa. Nichs smiled in response to his son¡¯s behavior whereas Rosellepletely lost her appetite since she found it hard to continue enjoying her meal in front of Tessa. This woman is really grinding my gears! Unable to maintain the smile on her face any longer, she quickly came up with an excuse and walked away. ¡°Excuse me, I need to use the washroom, so please carry on with your meals without me. I¡¯ll be right back shortly.¡± The moment she turned around, her rage and wickedness filled her eyes as it surged through her. At the same time, Yana saw Roselle¡¯s reaction and followed her daughter to the washroom. ¡°Who is thisdy? Where the heck is she from?!¡± Roselle¡¯s face twisted in anger. Noticing her daughter being grumpy, Yana couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated while trying tofort Roselle. ¡°She is but a violin teacher, nothing more than a nobody. In fact, I can tell that she is just an ordinarydy whom we can easily get rid of. Just like crushing an ant!¡± ¡°I want her gone then! She is such an eyesore to me!¡± Roselle mmed the basin with a sinister look on her beautiful face. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 ¡°Alright. Alright, just calm down, would you?¡± Yana tried to pacify her daughter. Soon, Roselle took a deep breath and was finally able to keep a cool head momentster. Then, her eves were filled with arrogance and insolence. ¡°Mom, the aim of our return this time is for me to win over Nichs, so you have to lend me a hand! If we can be the bridge between the Sawyers and the Ginghams, I¡¯m sure our family¡¯s status will reach a higher peak than we ever have before! Besides, with regards to Nichs¡­ I have always loved him deeply, so I¡¯m never going to give up on him!¡± Yana patted Roselle¡¯s back steadily and reassured her with her promise. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, girl. I¡¯ll keep what you said in mind! From today onward, all you have to focus on is to win Nichs¡¯ heart because I¡­¡± She squinted and grunted coldly, her eyes filled with malice and wickedness before continuing, ¡°I will get rid of everything that stands in your way for you!¡± As Roselle eased her mind after hearing Yana¡¯s promise, Yana noticed her remaining calm again and reminded her to return. ¡°Alright, girl. We¡¯ve been away for too long, and it¡¯s time for us to return.¡± Roselle nodded in response, whereupon the mother and daughter made their way back to the dining area and rejoined the others. An hourter, they returned to the living room right after they were done with their dinner. On the other hand, Tessa was thinking that her opportunity to leave had perhaps arrived as she didn¡¯t e dinner at all, finding it hard to fit in among the people in the family. However, before she could say goodbye, Tobias called out to Nichs and asked, ¡°Fancy a chess game? You and I haven¡¯t yed together in a while, so let¡¯s do that now.¡± As Nichs nodded without any rejection, the rest of them sat on the couch and watched the game, which forced Tessa to follow suit and take her seat. Meanwhile, Roselle seized the opportunity and asked, ¡°Mr. Sawyer, would you like me to make you some tea? I have brought some overseas premium tea back with me, and they¡¯re different from the local ones. So, maybe it¡¯s a good chance for you to try them out now.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure, that¡¯s a great idea.¡± Tobias nodded in agreement. Roselle¡¯s lips curled upward as she began to make some tea. Witnessing her skilled mastery amidst the preparation, Stefania could tell that Roselle had been practicing it a lot. Thus, she nodded andplimented, ¡°Roselle is such a tender and thoughtfuldy. Whoever marries her will be so blessed and fortunate.¡± Roselle bashfully looked down to act coy. ¡°Aw, you must be kidding me, Mrs. Sawyer. I haven¡¯t nned to get married yet.¡± ¡°Silly girl, who wouldn¡¯t want to get married? Furthermore, you¡¯re an outstanding beauty and I believe you¡¯re the type ofdy that every man dreams of.¡± Stefania smiled in embarrassment. Yana, who was listening to the conversation aside, chuckled and responded, ¡°You think too highly of Roselle, Stefania. She can never match Kieran and Nichs whom everydy dreams of. In fact, we had heard stories about them even when we were living abroad. So, I bet every singledy in Southend must admire them.¡± Upon hearing Yana¡¯s words, Stefania couldn¡¯t help butment in worry, ¡°Well, how is all that admiration going to help if both of them aren¡¯t concerned about their rtionship status? Neither one of them seems willing to settle down and start a family.¡± ¡°I beg to differ.¡± Yana smiled and steered the conversation in the direction she wanted it to go. ¡°Kieran and Nichs are probably still waiting for the right people to show up in their life. Take Nichs for example. He is a handsome man sessful in his career, so if he can marry a capable and thoughtful wife, I believe it¡¯ll surely help him to further his career.¡± Despite Yana¡¯s indirect meaning behind her ambiguous words, Stefania quickly caught on to what she was trying to say and immediately sized Roselle up. Well, thisdy looks decent, so maybe it¡¯s not such a bad thing either if she can be the Sawyer Family¡¯s daughter-inw. Furthermore, I can tell that she is deeply in love with Nichs. At the thought of that, Stefania nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Well, if the feelings are mutual between the kids, I wouldn¡¯t object!¡± She had implicitly phrased her words, but bothdies were able to read between the lines. At the same time, Roselle shifted her gaze to Nichs, barely hiding her admiration for him. Nheless, Nichs was only seen with a cial look as he calmly concentrated on his chess game while pretending like he hadn¡¯t heard anything at all. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Neran stood by the side, feeling appalled Don these elders have anything else to talk about besides ome people¡¯s major hfe events To prevent them from grilling him next, Kieran immediately changed the subject and asked Gregory. Greg do you want to go out after dinner? I can take you out for a walk.¡± Much to his surprise, Gregory pouted and looked at him disdainfully. In a babyish voice, Gregory revied ruthlessly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I want to apany Miss Pretty Lady You, on the other hand, are a single man who should be looking for a girlfriend now.¡± The corner of Tessa¡¯s mouth twitched as she resisted a slight smile. Initially, her presence here made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles as she couldn¡¯t make conversation with others. When she heard him saying those words, she couldn¡¯t help feeling better. As for Kieran, he looked hurt. He didn¡¯t expect that even Gregory felt disdainful of him and immediately retorted, ¡°Greg, your father is also a singleton. Why don¡¯t you speak of him?¡± Gregory said seriously. ¡°That¡¯s because Daddy already has a baby, but you don¡¯t.¡± The minute Kieran heard that, he felt as if he was hit by a critical attack and suffered lots of damage. Stefania was also amused by Gregory¡¯s behavior, so she hurriedly added with augh, ¡°Do you hear that? Even Greg knows this. Why don¡¯t you hurry up?¡± Of course Kieran didn¡¯t want to, so he retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t care. I won¡¯t get married if my brother doesn¡¯t! In any case, if things don¡¯t pan out, I¡¯ll go for artificial insemination and give you a few babies who will all bear the Sawyer name!¡± As soon as she heard this, her expression changed greatly and she stepped forward tond a blow on him. ¡°You little idiot, what nonsense are you talking about? See if you dare to try this! See if I don¡¯t break your legs after the fact if you do!¡± ¡°Ouch, it hurts! Mom, I was wrong! I was wrong!¡± he cried in pain; his tears almost flowing. Then, she released him while scolding, ¡°Good to know that! You little b*stard, see whether you dare to do anything like that or not!¡± Rubbing his ears aggrievedly, Kieran couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Sure enough, I was probably picked up from the garbage dump as a child. My parents don¡¯t love me. I¡¯m really heartbroken and think this family is not suitable for me. I¡¯m leaving¡­¡± After speaking, he slipped away and ran off faster than a rabbit. A speechless Stefania sighed as she felt a little helpless. Seeing this made Roselle smile and she praised, ¡°Kieran is still so spirited.¡± Amidst theughter, Tobias and Nichs had finished a game of chess. Tobias had won by a small margin, but he wasn¡¯t happy with it because it was Nichs who obviously allowed him to emerge as the winner. Feeling unhappy, Tobias ordered, ¡°One more round!¡± However, Nichs didn¡¯t care for it. ¡°I have an online meetingter, sool have to go back first. I¡¯lle again next time.¡± With that, he rose to his feet and was ready to leave. Hearing this, Roselle immediately followed suit and tugged at his jacket. ¡°Nichs, won¡¯t you stay here? It¡¯s rare to see you and Greg. I still want to chat more with you. Besides, online meetings can be held at home, right?¡± Yana quickly helped Roselle by adding, ¡°Yes, Nichs, it¡¯s not convenient for you to drive at night, so stay here.¡± A frowning Nichs subconsciously pushed Roselle¡¯s hand away. His tone was calm and firm without any room for discussion as he responded, ¡°No need. Greg only likes his own bed, so he won¡¯t like sleeping here. Besides, it¡¯s not appropriate for Miss Reinhart to stay here either.¡± Roselle¡¯s heart suddenly constricted when she heard the words and she asked all of a sudden. ¡°Miss Reinhart, will you be going back to your own home tonight?¡± At that, Gregory suddenly answered in a loud voice, ¡°No, she will live in Dynasty Gardens to further teach me how to practice the violin. She will stay with me.¡± When she heard that, Roselle waspletely stunned. Her gaze tightened subconsciously as she stared daggers at Tessa. This woman is living in Nichs¡¯ vi? At the same time, Tessa was also a little confused as she wondered when she had lived in the vi. She wanted to exin, but since Roselle was ring at her, she chose to remain silent. Stefania was also extremely surprised when she heard it. Other than the father and son as well as the housekeepers and servants, there was basically no one else staying at Dynasty Gardens on the weekdays because her son simply would not allow it. Yet, this violin teacher is actually staying there?! N?velDrama.Org content. Yana was equally startled and she at once questioned, ¡°Is that even appropriate? You guys are unmarried. How can you live together?¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 To everyone¡¯s surprise, Nichs had an icy gaze as he responded in a cold volce, ¡°Miss Reinhart is only there for work, so It has nothing to do with her marital status. What¡¯s wrong with itzu Yana was speechless the moment she heard those words whereas Roselle clenched her fists, feeling jealousy coursing through her veins. However, he ignored everyone¡¯sments and his strong figure abruptly turned around with a powerful aura to leave with Gregory and Tessa. On the way back, Tessa looked at the dark scenery outside the window and sald, ¡°Um¡­ Please send me to Pinnacle Community.¡± When Gregory heard that, he anxiously asked, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, are you going back? Aren¡¯t you staying in Dynasty Gardens?¡± She gave a slight smile before apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Although I have agreed to be your teacher, I can¡¯t live with you all the time. I still have my family to take care of and my own work to do, but I promise you that I will teach you every day. Okay?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The little boy sounded sad as he lowered his head, his face filled with disappointment. When she saw this, Tessa felt a little awful but still insisted on leaving. Although she had only attended a simple family dinner in the Sawyer Residence tonight, she clearly felt that there was a huge gap between herself and Gregory. He was from the top wealthy family in the city while she was an ordinary person with no strong identity or background. Hence, they werepletely from two different worlds. Since he liked her and wanted her to stay, the Sawyer Family reluctantly tolerated her appearance so as not to make him sad. However, she was not stupid! How could a top wealthy family like the Sawyer Family allow an ordinary person to develop a deep rtionship with Gregory? On top of that, she didn¡¯t want them to feel that she was someone with bad intentions. Recalling the attitudes of Roselle and Yana in the Sawyer Residence earlier today, Tessa knew that the two of them clearly had impure intentions toward the Sawyer Family. So, after thinking about it, she decided to keep an appropriate distance from Gregory. Thinking of this, Tessa no longer wavered and persuaded Gregory, ¡°Greg, you have to be obedient. I am just going back to rest and we can meet again tomorrow, okay?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. Gregory still had his head down and looked depressed without responding. She couldn¡¯t help but be a little worried, so she turned to Nichs with the hope that he could persuade the boy. However, Nichs only nced at the little boy from the corner of his eye and responded in a frosty voice, ¡°Don¡¯t pay any attention to him. He wille around by himself.¡± After he finished, he ordered the assistant in front, ¡°We¡¯ll head to Pinnacle Community.¡± The assistant nodded and the car turned around immediately. Their journey there was silent and soon, the car stopped at the entrance of Pinnacle Community. Before Tessa got out of the car, she said goodbye to Gregory. ¡°Sweetheart. I¡¯ve arrived home and will head back first. Be good and I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Gregory was sulking, but he still nodded sullenly. Smiling gently, she then alighted from the vehicle and turned to walk off. The little boy immediately rolled down the car window, then put his two hands on it. Looking at the back of Tessa¡¯s figure with an unhappy face, he was so sad that his heart was about to shatter. I don¡¯t want to be separated from her, not even for a second! Nichs nced at him and reminded lightly, ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll never see her again. Drive.¡± The car engine was restarted and it drove away thereafter. Gregory immediately withdrew his aggrieved expression before he stared at his father sullenly toin, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for not persuading Miss Pretty Lady to live with us!¡± Nichs¡¯ expression was leisurely and indifferent. ¡°Why should I? Letting her be your teacher is already my limit. Gregory Sawyer, don¡¯t push your luck.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 After he heard that, Gregory became more annoyed and raised his voice. ¡°She is not just my teacher! She is also a prettydy whom I like! I like her very mucht¡± Nicholes¡¯ face darkened Instantly and his voice was cold as he threatened, ¡°Then, you better stop liking hert¡± If he discovered that Tessa was the woman from back then, he would only sever his rtionship with her, but might even do something bad to her! my won¡¯t! I won¡¯t!¡± Gregory¡¯s face was red with anger. Then, he added angrily, ¡°You¡¯re a bad daddy. Daddy is the worst, and I hate Daddy the most!¡± With that, the little boy turned his head and ignored Nichs. Nichs was really troubled for a moment because he still couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of strange magical powers the woman had to make Gregory repeatedly yell that he hated Nichs. I will definitely learn more about her identity! It was already 9:00PM by the time Tessa arrived home. The lights in the room were still switched on, which indicated that Timothy hadn¡¯t slept yet. He had been worried about his sisterst night and when he saw her returning, he hurried forward and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe backst night? Did something happen to the orchestra?¡± Tessa didn¡¯t want to worry her younger brother, so she smiled lightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that the orchestra¡¯s rehearsal took too long.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± He breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she entered through the door andmented, ¡°By the way, I found a job as a tutor today. I¡¯ll be teaching a child to y the violin and the ie is not bad. I was thinking that you should quit your job as a tutor first. After all, you will graduate next year, so you should focus on your studies!¡± Her younger brother¡¯s academic performance was excellent. It was something that his lecturers had informed her about, saying that they wanted to assist him in obtaining a ce overseas. Of course, Tessa didn¡¯t want her brother¡¯s quest for a meager ie to negatively affect his studies. Hearing this, Timothy was silent for a moment before he agreed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± As his major in college wasputer software programing, he and a friend jointly developed a software 6 months ago. The software was sure to earn a lot of money once it was sessfully sold to a multinational corporation. Timothy only tutored in the past to help his sister to lower their family¡¯s financial burdens, but now, he decided to make a change so that she could fulfill her musical dream and perform dazzlingly on the international stage! After Timothy made breakfast early the next morning, he headed off for ss. As Southend University was a first-ss institution in the country, those who were admitted into the university were excellent students from all over the country. The university culture was excellent with the annual enrollment rate increasing each year. Thus, it could be said that the university was full of talents. Carrying his bag, he walked slowly into the campus with his feeble legs. Along the way, many people greeted him. ¡°Timothy, good morning.¡± ¡°Timothy, have you eaten breakfast? I bought some for you¡­¡± He responded to them with a warm smile and people instantly ignored his physical ws thanks to his handsomeness. Soon after arriving at the lecture hall and taking his seat, he heard an excited shout from behind. ¡°Timothy, Timothy!¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. When he heard the voice, he turned around and saw his friend, Henry, rushing over. He smiled slightly and asked, ¡°What are you so excited about early in the morning?¡± An enthusiastic Henry answered, ¡°I have good news! Apany has taken interest in the software that we have developed before! Although it¡¯s not a bigpany, I think the price that they are offering is excellent!¡± When Timothy heard those words, his eyes brightened as he asked curiously, ¡°Whichpany?¡± Henry immediately replied, ¡°Reinhart Group! Although thepany has been going downhill over the years, they¡¯re looking for a breakthrough now. They coincidentally learned about the software we developed 2 days ago and think it is very creative. They also think that the possibilities of a future market expansion are good, so they are extremely eager to spend 2 million to purchase the software we designed! Timothy, the efforts we have spent more than half a year researching and developing have finallye to fruition!¡± He was overjoyed and spoke without stopping for breath while happiness filled his face. Yet, when Timothy heard this, his face darkened. Reinhart Group? Isn¡¯t that my father¡¯spany? Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Chapter 33 As soon as Timothy heard the name, he felt sick in the pit of his stomach. He would never forget how thless man had abandoned him and his sister without caring about their survival. Timothy would also never forget that his sister disappeared for an entire year in order to raise funds for his medical expenses. In that year, he had no loved ones close to him, and along with his lea iniury. he almost lost his will to live! At that time, he even gritted his teeth and went to the Reinhart Residence to desperately ask for help. All he wanted was to ask them to help him find his sister! Sadly, in the end, they had cursed him and even brutally drove him out. Fortunately, his sister returned a yearter, but that didn¡¯t erase the hatred toward his father in his heart at all. He deeply hated that vicious family along with Reinhart Group. ¡°I won¡¯t sell!¡± he blurted out with a cold gaze. Henry was stunned. ¡°You won¡¯t sell? Are you for real, Timothy? T-This is two million! We will never see so much money in our lives as ordinary people!¡± Timothy took a deep breath, barely suppressing the surging hatred in his heart. Half of the credit of this software¡¯s development had belonged to Henry, so he knew he couldn¡¯t refuse the offer so Imed down and replied, ¡°I¡¯m serious! Henry, this is the product from half a year of research by us. They want to buy our technical expertise for only 2 million? Do you think we are worth so little? Reinhart Group is looking down on us! I¡¯m thinking of 20 million.¡± When Henry heard this, his eyes widened and he was extremely shocked. ¡°20 million? How is that possible?¡± ¡°Why is it impossible?¡± Timothy analyzed carefully. ¡°Our software is unique in the current market. It is novel and highly marketable. Reinhart Group is a shittypany that is about to go bankrupt and has no funds to operate further. If this software falls into their hands, it will only fail. Expecting them to seed is simply nonsensical! Thepany¡¯s roots are already rotten. Even if you give them more nutrients, they won¡¯t be able to absorb it. Do you understand?¡± Upon hearing this, Henry nodded solemnly. ¡°What you said makes sense, but Timothy¡­ Why do you seem to know thispany very well?¡± Timothy¡¯s eyes were dark. Of course he knew it well! However, he wouldn¡¯t tell Henry the reason and instead answered in a calm tone, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just did some homework beforehand. Let¡¯s wait and see; I¡¯m sure there will definitely be better choices!¡± ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Henry had a lot of trust in Timothy, so he didn¡¯t say much more. Although Timothy was someone with physical defects, his mind was much more mature and calmer than his peers. On top of that, he had clear judgment and good decision-making ability. In fact, the sess of the software¡¯s development was mostly due to him. Thinking about it carefully, Henry felt that he had indeed been blinded by the 2 million. This software had cost them countless hours of hard work day and night. 2 million is certainly not enough¡­ Naturally, Tessa knew nothing about all this. In the morning, after she cleaned up at home, Gregory had eagerly called her. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, when are youing over? Do you want me to pick you up? When Tessa heard the little boy¡¯s cute voice, her heart softened and she quickly smiled. ¡°I will be there soon.¡± By the time she arrived at Dynasty Gardens, Nichs had already gone to thepany and it was only Gregory at home with the servants. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady!¡± When Gregory saw Tessa, he rushed over with his short legs and gave her a big hug.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Chapter 34 It seems that the little boy was no longer angry about what had happenedst night and was rather ted now. Tessa breathed a sigh of relief as she thought that Gregory would ignore her today. Then, she started the violin lesson. in the second lesson, she mainly taught him how to hold the violin and bow as well as the posture of carrying the instrument. The little boy was intelligent and a quick learner; he had almostpletely mastered these basic skills in the span of one morning. Seeing that his learning progress was fast, she then began to teach him the most basic tunes. Surprisingly, the little boy was quite urate and learned very well when he repeated the tunes. At the same time, in the Sawyer Residence, Roselle thought about going to Nichs¡¯ private vi early in the morning. She had been thinking about Tessa¡¯s stay therest night and was so jealous that she hardly slept. Slightly after breakfast, Stefania asked both Roselle and her mother, ¡°You guys just came back, so do you want to go out? Southend has changed a lot over the years.¡± Roselle thought about it and smiled elegantly. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Dynasty Gardens. Greg didn¡¯t take the gift that I gave to himst night. Why don¡¯t we give it to him there?¡± Stefania thought that she could also head over to see how Gregory behaved in ss, so she agreed. Soon, the three of them went to Dynasty Gardens together. It was already 12:00PM and Nichs had finished the work at hand by this time. Therefore, he drove back to the vi. He had an extremely distant rtionship with Gregory a few years ago because he had been away from home working. In a When Tessa learned about what Nichs did, she felt that he was a good father. Nheless, the little boy seemed to still be angry at his father. ¡°Are you still angry?¡± Nichs saw that the little boy was still upset when he returned. However, Gregory ignored Nichs with a sullen face. ¡°Hmph!¡± A puzzled Tessa couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you two having a conflict?¡± Nichs helplessly replied, ¡°You didn¡¯t stay overst night, so he mes me for not persuading you to stay.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Tessa was startled when she heard this. When she came over in the morning, Gregory was ecstatic, so she thought the little boy was already fine with it. Unexpectedly, he had actually vented all his anger on his father. She hurriedly handed some vegetables to Gregory and gentlyforted, ¡°Sweetheart, don¡¯t be angry. Since I¡¯ll be here every day, you can still see me. Isn¡¯t it the same?¡± Gregory puffed out his cheeks and responded, ¡°It¡¯s different. I want to see you every moment. When I grow up, I will marry you and let you apany me every day.¡± way. At this, she almost choked and couldn¡¯t helpughing before saying, ¡°Greg, I¡¯m ted. It¡¯s just that when you¡¯re finally an adult, I would already be an old hag.¡± He shook his head and said firmly, ¡°No way, you¡¯re the most beautiful in the world and will remain as the prettiest!¡± Tessa pursed her lips slightly and smiled even more. ¡°You are good atpliments! However, it¡¯s really unlikely that I can live here. Do you understand that?¡± The little boy¡¯s face suddenly sank as he was extremely disappointed, but thinking that Tessa also had her own things to attend to, he nodded. ¡°I know that you¡¯re very busy and I don¡¯t want to be annoying either, but¡­¡± He trailed off before expectantly adding, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, can you live here asionally? It¡¯s just for some of the days. I don¡¯t have a mommy, and my friends in kindergarten say that when they head to bed at night, their mommies will tell them bedtime stories¡­ I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t get to experience that, which makes me so envious of them.¡± The little boy¡¯s expression was miserable as his eyes reddened. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Hearing this. Tessa felt her heart constrict with distress. Nichs stood on the side and his heart was moved as well. Al the moment, Gregory¡¯s tearful eyes were full of longing, which made people ache for him and with the desire of giving him everything Nichs couldn¡¯t say no, so he simply looked at Tessa and asked softly, ¡°Miss Reinhart, if you don¡¯t mind the trouble, will you stay here asionally and apany Greg?¡± She was surprised that he would actually allow her to stay. Seeing Gregory¡¯s face full of expectations, she couldn¡¯t bear to refuse the boy, so she immediately nodded in agreement. The sadness on Gregory¡¯s face instantly dissipated and his eyes brightened with joy. Seeing that he was finally happy, she had visibly rxed a lot. Looking at this, Nichs felt helpless, but his face was still serious. ¡°Since the circumstance calls for it. I can agree to your request, but only for this time. You are not allowed to push your luck in the future.¡± Gregory nodded quickly. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t! I will listen to you obediently in the future!¡± Then, he asked Tessa, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, you will sleep in the room next to mine, okay?¡± Tessa smiled gracefully. ¡°As long as your daddy has no opinion, I¡¯m fine with that.¡± He grinned from ear to ear andmented, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Pretty Lady. Daddy won¡¯t have an opinion. Absolutely not!¡± As long as I am here, Daddy will follow what I say! Then, Nichs¡¯ gaze softened as he asked, ¡°Can you properly have your meal now?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes.¡± Gregory immediately gulped his food in a well-behaved manner. When they were about to finish eating, a voice suddenly came in from outside. ¡°My dearest Greg, I¡¯m here to see you!¡± He looked over and was overjoyed. ¡°Grandma!¡± After cing his bowl down, he ran over quickly and threw himself into Stefania¡¯s arms. ¡°Why are you here, Grandma?¡± Stefania carried him with a doting smile. ¡°Of course I came to see you; have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. I¡¯m full now,¡± Gregory answered obediently and just after he finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of Yana and Roselle behind Stefania from the corner of his eye. The mother and daughter actually came! When he saw this, the little boy suddenly stopped smiling and frowned, as if he did not wee them. However, he still maintained a polite look on his face and greeted, ¡°Hello, Miss Gingham. Hello, Mrs. Gingham.¡± Roselle maintained a smile on her face, but her eyes held a sharp re. When she entered moments ago, she saw the three of them sitting at the dining table talking andughing like a family. That harmonious scene made her feel ufortable, but she didn¡¯t dare to show it and could only hold back as a result. Nichs was slightly unhappy when he saw that so many people had suddenly arrived at the vi. After all, he was a private person and preferred serenity. However, he hid it well, but his tone was a little t as he asked, ¡°Mom, why didn¡¯t you let me know before you came?¡± ¡°I came to see my grandson, so why should I let you know?¡± Stefania responded crudely. At the same time, she nodded to Tessa. ¡°Miss Reinhart.¡± Tessa got up and greeted, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer.¡± Then, she also nodded to Yana and Roselle. When they saw that, they felt indescribable disgust, but had to wear fake smiles. As Stefania¡¯s attention was entirely on her precious grandson, she didn¡¯t realize the duo¡¯s reaction. ¡°How was your violin ss, Greg?¡± When Gregory heard this, he said happily, ¡°I learned a tune today. Do you want to listen to it, Grandma?¡± A surprised Stefania responded, ¡°Really? y it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gregory immediately went to get the violin and after striking a pose, he began to y the tune that he had just learned in the morning. After the tune was over, she was ted and repeatedly praised while holding him, ¡°Greg, you¡¯re really good! You already learned a tune in just one morning. I like it a lot.¡± Gregory¡¯s little face was bright after hearing the praises, but then he turned toward Tessa. ¡°Grandma, this is all taught by Miss Pretty Lady. She¡¯s amazing!¡± As soon as these words came out, the few people looked at Tessa with mixed feelings. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Nichs was the calmnest since he had already known of Gregory¡¯s musical talent and the boy¡¯s ability to learn a piece of music in a short period of time. So, it didn¡¯te as somethingpletely unexpected to him. However, he was pleased to know that Tessa had taught Gregory with all her heart and soul! Nevertheless, Yana didn¡¯t share the same sentiments and didn¡¯t know how to appreciate the violin, so she felt that it was all the same to her. Stepping forward, Roselle agreed and softly congratted, ¡°It¡¯s really good, Gregory. You are really amazing!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Gregory responded indifferently, but he didn¡¯t look exceptionally happy, he still acted distant and polite. Although when he turned to look at Tessa, he had a different expression as if he wanted to be praised by her. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, how did I do? Did I do well?¡± A smiling Tessa approached and patiently taught, ¡°You did a great job, Sweetheart, but there is one part that was wrong. In the treble rhythm, it should have been half a beat faster.¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯ll remember it!¡± A serious Gregory then obediently nodded. While everyone was chatting, Nichs retrieved his jacket and was about to return to thepany. ¡°Mom, I have something else to do, so I¡¯ll head off first.¡± Roselle¡¯s gazended on him. Then, she quickly asked, ¡°Nichs, are you leaving so soon? Can¡¯t you go a bitter? We rarelye and want to chat with you.¡± There was a bit of reluctance and intimacy in her tone. Hearing that, he frowned imperceptibly and replied coldly, ¡°I have an appointment with a client at noon.¡± Roselle lowered her head slightly, feeling a little disappointed. However, she did not persuade him any further. As for Stefania, she didn¡¯t say anything and merely reminded Nichs to be careful while driving Then, Gregory also waved his little hand, saying obediently, ¡°Bye bye, Daddy.¡± Nichs nodded slightly at Gregory. Soon after, his gaze hesitantly fell on Tessa before he said in a low voice, ¡°If you¡¯ll be busy in the afternoon, you can leave first and leave Greg with my mother.¡± Since there were other people here, Tessa might not be able to adapt to staying here. It would also be bad if something unpleasant had happened. Hence, she nodded slightly and answered, ¡°Okay, see you then, President Sawyer.¡± Roselle watched their interaction from the side and felt extremely jealous. She felt that Nichs was bing interested in that woman. What is so good about this woman? Her gaze couldn¡¯t help but darken a little before she looked at Yana, trying to signal to her that they had to drive this woman away! Tessa didn¡¯t know what they were thinking at this moment. Instead, she focused on pointing out the mistakes in Gregory¡¯s performance. Watching her, Stefania looked a little more appreciative. As she was delighted that Gregory nad performed so well, she acknowledged Tessa¡¯s expertise a little more. N?velDrama.Org content. After nearly half an hour, Andrew, the butler, stepped forward and said respectfully, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, before he left, Master Nichs had instructed the kitchen to make lunch again. If you will, please move to the dining room for lunch.¡± Roselle turned to look at Tessa before politely asking, ¡°Miss Reinhart, do you want to have lunch together with us?¡± However, Tessa shook her head and replied with a smile, ¡°No, we have already eaten just now. Please carry on. I will take Greg upstairs and then teach him more.¡± Stefania readily agreed. ¡°Thank you for teaching Greg.¡± The corners of Tessa¡¯s lips rose slightly before she lowered her head. ¡°You¡¯re wee. This is what I should be doing.¡± Without saying anything more, she took Gregory upstairs. Then, Stefania and the others took their seats and had lunch together. Halfway through the meal, Andrew emerged with two sses of juice and was ready to head upstairs to give them to Gregory and Tessa. When she saw it, Roselle developed a n in her heart and called out to Andrew, ¡°Andrew, I¡¯m full now. Give me the juice, and I¡¯ll send it to Greg and Miss Reinhart.¡± A hesitant Andrew replied, ¡°Um¡­ I shouldn¡¯t like to bother you with this, Miss Gingham. Nevertheless, Stefania said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Roselle wants to help out, so let her deliver the drinks.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Since Stefania had already spoken, Andrew naturally couldn¡¯t refuse, so he had to give the tray to Roselle. Roselle soon came upstairs with the juice and knocked on the door. When Tessa saw it was Roselle, she was slightly surprised, but still politely greeted, ¡°Miss Gingham.¡± Roselle walked in with a smile. ¡°Thanks for your hard work; here, have a ss of juice.¡± Upon saying that, she handed a ss to Tessa. ¡°Thanks.¡± Tessa reached out and took it. A smiling Roselle turned to look for Gregory, but she didn¡¯t see the little boy. ¡°Where¡¯s Greg?¡± she asked in confusion. Tessa responded, ¡°He is in the bathroom.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± When Roselle heard Tessa¡¯s reply, her gaze slightly darkened before she smiled and said, ¡°Greg is really troublesome, isn¡¯t he? He has had an introverted personality since young and he doesn¡¯t like to have too much contact with outsiders. Since he likes you so much, I¡¯m quite happy to be honest.¡± While taking a sip of the juice, Tessa didn¡¯t seem to understand why Roselle was talking about this. Roselle then continued, ¡°Nichs is busy with work and isn¡¯t able to care for Greg all the time. I have been abroad for my studies in the past and have been busytely with mypany¡¯s affairs too, so I couldn¡¯t take care of Greg either. Thus, I rarely have the chance to hang out with the boy and feel apologetic about it. I will strive to cultivate a good rtionship with him this time, though. After all, we will be a family soon. So, during this time, I have to trouble you for your help, Miss Reinhart.¡± She had a gentle expression when she said this. However, throughout her speech, she continuously hinted that she would be the future mistress of this vi. Tessa was not stupid, so she naturally understood what was being insinuated. Looking indifferent, she said with a light smile, ¡°Miss Gingham, I¡¯m only responsible for teaching Gregory the violin. Apart from this, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to help you much. If you¡¯re really sincere, I think he should also be able to feel your sincerity too. Don¡¯t put too much of your hopes on me.¡± Upon hearing this, Roselle blinked as viciousness shed past her eyes. She felt that Tessa was unwilling to help her. What a shameless woman! If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll drive you out! At this time, Gregory happened toe out of the bathroom. Hence, Roselle quickly withdrew her sinister look and said softly, ¡°Greg, this is the juice that Andrew has just made for you. Here you go.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± He gave her a cursory nce before taking the ss of juice from her hands. He was indeed thirsty, so he drank half the juice in one go. When she saw this, she secretly felt triumphant. Soon, Tessa nced at the time, then looked at Roselle politely and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Gingham, but Greg and I still have half a lesson to go. May I trouble you to head out first? Greg doesn¡¯t like being interrupted.¡± Roselle¡¯s expression froze for a moment before it returned to normal. She smiled softly and replied, or course. Greg, you must behave in ss.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After she finished speaking, she immediately backed out of the room. She couldn¡¯t maintain the smile on her face any longer and her gaze instantly became icy the moment the door was closed. Later, Tessa finally finished her lesson and said goodbye to Gregory, who sent her downstairs, his face full of reluctance to see her leaving. However, he still restrained himself and didn¡¯t lose his cool as he obediently waved his hand. ¡°Goodbye, Miss Pretty Lady¡± She smiled at him and turned to leave. He stood in the same ce, watching Tessa leave without moving for a long time. Seeing Gregory like this, Roselle immediately stepped forward with a smile and suggested; ¡°Greg, it¡¯s okay even if your teacher is gone. Why don¡¯t I y the piano with you?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t be sad, Greg. Miss Gingham can y the piano with you too.¡± Yana stepped forward to help. My daughter¡¯s piano skills are good too, so she will not disappoint! Nheless, he was in a bad mood. He immediately lost his cool when he saw that Roselle approached him on her own. With a hardened expression, he refused ruthlessly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t like ying the piano with others!¡± Hearing that, Roselle was startled and felt utterly awkward. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Chapter 38 As for Yana, her expression was also terrible. Seeing that the atmosphere was awkward, Stefania quicklyforted Roselle warmly, ¡°Roselle, don¡¯t take offense. Greg is unfamiliar with you at the moment. It will be much better when he bes more acquainted with you in the future.¡± When Roselle heard these words, she pretended to give a benevolent smile. ¡°I understand; it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Yet, her heart was already boiling with rage. This little b*stard without a mother, you will suffer sooner orter! At this moment, Gregory¡¯s face suddenly contorted with agony. As his small features distorted, he covered his stomach with his hands in an attempt to resist the pain. He initially remained silent, but the pain gradually spread and became worse! He couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, so he suddenly screamed, ¡°Ahhh!¡± Upon seeing his chubby facepletely pale, Stefania was so frightened that she froze on the spot. A momentter, she quickly asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Greg? What¡¯s wrong? Tell me!¡± Gregory pursed his mouth, his little face distorted with pain. He merely tightly held his stomach in response and moaned in a babyish voice. Her heart leaped to her throat at that sight and she immediately shouted, ¡°Andrew! Andrew!¡± Andrew immediately ran in. ¡°Mrs. Sawyer?¡± An impatient Stefania urged loudly, ¡°Greg is not feeling well. Hurry up and take him to the hospital!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He did not dare to dy for a moment longer. At once, he rushed off to prepare the car. Roselle and Yana were also nervous at this time. Then, a worried Roselle said, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, let me go with you!¡± Yana hurriedly added, ¡°I¡¯lle along as well!¡± Stefania was so anxious that she didn¡¯t care and only nodded. Then, the three hurriedly took the child to the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, the doctor was already waiting outside as Andrew had informed him in advance. After that, a group of nurses and doctors rushed the boy to the emergency room at the fastest speed. Stefania was so concerned that she quickly called Nichs, who was in a meeting with a client. However, when he heard that something bad had happened to Gregory, he immediately left the meeting and hurried over. When he arrived at the hospital, the door to the emergency room had just Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. opened to reveal the doctoring out while removing his mask. Stefania hurried forward and asked urgently, ¡°Doctor, how is Greg?¡± A frowning Nichs followed her. Although he didn¡¯t ask anything, he was equally worried. The doctor was fortunately calm as heforted, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, don¡¯t worry. Young Master Gregory only has mild food poisoning. We have just pumped his stomach and he¡¯s now out of danger!¡± Everyone breathed a sigh of relief on hearing that. However, in the next second, Stefania¡¯s voice rose uncontrobly out of anger. ¡°Well, how could Gregory be down with food poisoning? What did he eat! Andrew, what the hell is going on?¡± Andrew was shocked and felt a chill run down his spine. He was usually in charge of housework, procurement of food ingredients, and so on; all of which were under his full control. Now that Gregory had a health issue, he was equally anxious. He hurriedly lowered his head and although he was afraid, he still responded politely, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, all the ingredients at home are bought at the market on the same day and they are all the freshest of the bunch. Furthermore, all the dishes at home are prepared with the nutritionist¡¯s advice. Leftovers would be thrown away when the meal is finished! Thus, there should be no problem with the food!¡± As soon as he said this, everyone was doubtful. Since it was not the food that contained the problem, what or where was the source of the problem? Nichs frowned again and coldly asked the doctor, ¡°There is a source in every case of food poisoning. Didn¡¯t you find out anything about it?¡± The doctor thought about it and replied, ¡°If the food is fine, the problem lies in what Young Master Gregory has drunk. All the juice and water that he consumed are possible sources of contamination!¡± At that, Roselle and Yana¡¯s expressions changed drastically. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 The doctor continued, ¡°Some leftover food was flushed out of Young Master Gregory¡¯s stomach earlier and we found that it was mixed with some drugs. That kind of drug is extremely unique. There is no problem in taking it alone, but if it is mixed with liquids such as juice, milk, or soup, it will secrete toxic substances. Of course, as the amount of the drug ingested by the young master is not veryrge combined with the quick treatment, there will be no major damage. However, a heavy dosage of this drug will most probably damage his intestines, leading to dire consequences.¡± Hearing this, Stefania was at once furious. ¡°Drug? How did he even ingest the drug?¡± Nichs¡¯ expression was even darker to the point where it was terrifying. His gaze was so icy that it froze on the spot and his voice sounded like it wasing from the depths of hell as he asked, ¡°Andrew, who brought the juice to Greg this afternoon?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Andrew was trembling while his heart threatened to leap out of his throat. That juice was squeezed from fruits by himself, so there was naturally no problem with it. As for the person who sent it¡­ His timid gaze turned toward Roselle. Roselle felt terrified; if she waited for Andrew to point her out, it would be the same as an usation. Hence, she immediately stood up and said indifferently, ¡°Nichs, I sent Greg the juice, but I swear | didn¡¯t do anything to him.¡± Yana quickly spoke up to help her daughter. ¡°Nichs, Roselle likes children and you know that. She has brought so many gifts to Greg, so how could she have drugged him?¡± Then, her eyes eagerly turned to Stefania. ¡°Stefania, you know Roselle¡¯s character well. No matter who it was who harmed Greg, it can never be Roselle.¡± Stefania didn¡¯t say anything. Since this matter had concerned her precious grandson, she would not jump to conclusions. Nichs ignored Yana but instead turned to Roselle. ¡°Miss Gingham, why did you bring Greg juice?¡± Roselle¡¯s face changed slightly, but she tried to keep her voice as calm as possible as she answered, ¡°Nichs, please don¡¯t think too much. Miss Reinhart was teaching Gregory again at that time, so I just helped Andrew to bring them the juice. This way, I could check out Greg¡¯s learning progress. However, when I entered the room, there was only Miss Reinhart in it. At that time, I had a few words with her and asked her to concentrate on teaching Gregory. After that, because the ss had to continue, I left the room.¡± After Roselle coolly said this, it was clear what she meant. These words clearly hinted that the suspect who had drugged Gregory was. Tessa! Hearing that, Yana narrowed her eyes. In a sharp voice, shemented, ¡°I knew it. How could Miss Reinhart, an outsider, treat Gregory so well for no reason? It turns out that she has bad intentions! Stefania, this matter is about Greg, so you can¡¯t just let it go! That woman is so cruel that she could bear to harm a child. It really shows how dark her heart is. You can¡¯t let such a person stay by Greg¡¯s side anymore!¡± Stefania¡¯s face darkened and her expression became extremely ugly. She only had just one precious grandson and she already felt agonized at the little boy¡¯s minor difort from time to time. This time, something terrible almost happened to Gregory, so she felt even more heartache and anger. No matter who the culprit was, she would make them pay the price when she discovered who the mastermind was. Then, Stefania looked anxiously at Nichs and asked in a cold voice, ¡°Nichs, what¡¯s up with that teacher? Before you brought her over, didn¡¯t you check her information? Is this woman¡¯s background bad?¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Nichs¡¯ expression was dark as he replied, ¡°I had sent someone to check her background before and there was no problem. If there was a problem, I would not have allowed her to be Greg¡¯s teacher.¡± Stefania frowned as her heart seemed to be tightly clenched. ¡°There¡¯s no problem with her? Then why has something like this happened?¡± She couldn¡¯t calm down, so her tone was still irritated, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Anyway, my grandson can¡¯t suffer this in vain. Since Miss Reinhart is definitely involved in this matter, she must give me an exnation today. Otherwise, I will call the police. There¡¯s no negotiation allowed!¡± His expression was still the same, but he frowned slightly and responded coldly, ¡°Mom, this matter has not been Investigated yet and we are only specting. It may not be her. Don¡¯t rush to conclusions.¡± However, to Roselle, Nichs seemed to be covering up for that bitch! Biting her lip. Roselle secretly looked at her mother. A hint of cunning shed in Yana¡¯s eyes before she stepped forward to add, ¡°Nichs, you have to figure it out properly. Earlier, Andrew and Roselle said that this ss of juice has passed through their hands, as well as Miss Reinhart¡¯s. Andrew has watched Greg growing up, so naturally it is impossible for him to drug the boy. As for Roselle, you know that she has a meek temperament and the friendship between our two families is so deep. Moreover, she loves Greg, so how could she have done such a thing?¡± Then, Yana said in an odd manner, ¡°Miss Reinhart is different, though. She has only known Greg for a few days¡­¡± She was obviously fanning the mes with her words and instigating everyone to suspect Tessa. Stefania¡¯s face darkened instantly and she obviously became more suspicious of Tessa. At this time, Roselle also proposed, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, since we don¡¯t know the truth of the matter, why don¡¯t we call Miss Reinhart over to ask about it? If we ask her in person, maybe we will have an answer.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t just stand here and specte. It¡¯s better to call her over, and we¡¯ll know the truth then!¡± Yana echoed. Hence, Stefania nodded, feeling that this was a good solution and thereafter ordered coldly, ¡°Nichs, you should call Miss Reinhart over now. I have to ask her clearly in person!¡± Nichs¡¯ expression darkened once again, but he still took out his phone and called Tessa. At this time, Tessa was conducting intensive training for the orchestra members as the orchestra would hold a large-scale performance at the Southend Opera House next month. Besides, she had been promoted to the position of assistant concertmaster by the orchestra. Thus, she was an important part of the performance and naturally, she was careful not to make any mistakes. In order to avoid interruptions during the training, she did not bring her phone, so Nichs could not get in touch with her despite calling several times. Due to that, his brows tightened even more, and finally, he had to try to contact Trevor, the head of the orchestra. In the past two days, the Sawyer Group had acquired the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra. As Trevor was the only one who knew that the orchestra had changed hands, he suspected that it was all Tessa¡¯s credit, so he quickly promoted her to assistant concertmaster. At this moment, when Trevor received a call from Nichs asking for Tessa, he was so shocked that he quickly went to look for her. He strode into the training room to pause the training, and then walked to Tessa¡¯s side to hand her the phone with both hands. ¡°Tessa, your call.¡± She was a little puzzled, but she took the phone from Trevor¡¯s hands. When she was about to speak, the other party spoke first. ¡°Tessa?¡± Tessa naturally recognized the voice, but because Nichs had a very bleak tone, she couldn¡¯t help being a little startled. Then, she asked in a low volce, ¡°President Sawyer, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Nichs¡¯ tone was cold and domineering as he replied, ¡°Greg is in the hospital. You shoulde immediately.¡± A shocked Tessa¡¯s voice rose several octaves higher. ¡°He¡¯s in the hospital? Why? What¡¯s wrong with him? When I left today, he was still at home and doing fine!¡± Her heart leaped to her throat instantly and she suddenly became anxious. ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll be right over!¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Hanging up the phone without further dy, Tessa immediately Interrupted the training and apologized to Trevor, ¡°Trevor, I have an urgent matter, so I have to head off first!¡± Instead of ming her, he advised worriedly, ¡°Tessa, remember to be careful on the road!¡± Tessa strode out of the room and went downstairs to hail a cab to head to the hospital. After getting into the car, her right eyelid suddenly jumped with fury, which suddenly left her with a bad premonition, Nichs¡¯ gaze was thoughtful. When he heard the anxious tone from the other side, he didn¡¯t feel like she was faking it, but he didn¡¯t immediately believe in Tessa either. After all, this matter was rted to Gregory¡¯s personal safety, so he needed to wait and hear from her before he could understand the whole matter. At this moment, two tall figures strode over from around the corner of the corridor. When Kieran and Tobias learned that Gregory was in the hospital, they came at once. Kieran was as nervous as a cat on hot bricks while Tobias had a serious expression. Tobias then stepped forward to ask, ¡°What happened to Greg? How is he now?¡± When she saw her husband, a worried Stefania stepped forward almost immediately and answered, ¡°Tobias, Greg had food poisoning! Although he¡¯s all right now, I was scared to death!¡± Knowing that Gregory was all right, Kieran and Tobias breathed a sigh of relief almost at the same time, but their faces quickly turned cold. ¡°Who poisoned Gregory? How dare they!¡± Kieran was also furious. ¡°This person really has the guts, huh? How dare they treat Gregory like this! They¡¯re seeking death!¡± Gregory was the apple of the eye of the whole family and those who dared to attack him were really audacious! 10 minutester, the cab stopped at the entrance of the hospital. Tessa ran into the hospital in a hurry, and when she arrived outside the emergency room, she found that all the members of the Sawyer Family had arrived. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She instantly realized the seriousness of the matter. After entering through the door, she didn¡¯t care about anything else but hurriedly asked about the situation, ¡°President Sawyer, how is Greg? What happened?¡± No one responded. The air seemed to be stagnant for a few minutes and everyone around looked at Tessa with unfriendly gazes. Stefania¡¯s face was extremely cold, while Tobias was stern. Even Kieran, who was usually spirited, looked extremely unsympathetic. As for Nichs, he looked gloomy and said nothing, while Roselle¡¯s gaze had a few shades of gloating in it. Yana couldn¡¯t wait to see Tessa being ripped apart, so she sneered, ¡°What do you mean? I think we should ask you this, Miss Reinhart.¡± Startled for a moment, Tessa then frowned before she asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± A sarcastic Yana answered, ¡°How dare you ask us! The doctor found some kind of drugced in the juice that Gregory drank in the afternoon, which caused Greg to have food poisoning and was sent here for gastricvage.¡± What?* Tessa¡¯s eyebrows twitched in disbelief. How could that little boy be¡­ Snorting. Yana gradually looked derisive. ¡°Miss Reinhart, you don¡¯t have to pretend to be innocent. Other than Andrew and my daughter, you are the only one who has touched this ss of juice. You first tried to obtain Greg¡¯s affection, and then drugged him with sinister intentions¡­ You¡¯re so despicable! Say, what¡¯s your purpose in doing this? Or, did someone else send you here?¡± Tessa¡¯s face suddenly sank. How could they be suspicious of me? It¡¯spletely bizarre and iprehensible! with a firm expression, she responded strongly, ¡°Mrs. Gingham, what evidence do you have to nder me with such words? Greg and I have no grievances or enmity with each other, so why should I harm him?¡± Almost immediately after that, she looked anxiously at Nichs and members of the Sawyer Family. Then, she said resolutely, ¡°President Sawyer, Mrs. Sawyer, Old Master Sawyer, I promise that I had only given Greg lessons today, and I did not know about anything else! As for that ss of juice¡­¡± Looking directly at Roselle, Tessa said curtly, ¡°If I remember correctly, Miss Gingham, you are the one who handed the ss of juice to Greg. Miss Gingham, you¡¯ll admit to it, right?¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Roselle was stunned for a moment, but she immediately nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true, but what do you mean by that, Miss Reinhart? Do you think I¡¯ll really drug Gregory? Both familles have such a close rtionship, so it is impossible for me to do that and I have no reason to do so.¡± Her face was rxed as she added, ¡°Instead, I think it¡¯s you, Miss Reinhart. Sadly, I thouant you really liked Greg and that¡¯s the reason why you¡¯re so good to him. In order to improve my rtionship with Greg, I even asked you for advice on how to get along with him, but I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± At this point, Yana suddenly sneered, ¡°Oh, yes. After all, it is the first time that you havee into contact with such a wealthy family. If you think about it, it is understandable for you to develop bad intentions.¡± The mother and daughter spoke one after another and dished out all the dirt on Tessa. Tessa¡¯s expression was extremely dark as she knew that these two were talking nonsense. At the same time, she realized in her heart that she could notpete with them. Hence, she simply raised her head and looked at Nichs resolutely. Her tone was steadfast as she said to him, ¡°President Sawyer, I swear that I never did anything to hurt Greg. If you must use me, please produce the evidence then!¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Her attitude was so unwavering that everyone around her suddenly doubted the usation for a second. Tessa was honest and trustworthy, so she wouldn¡¯t acknowledge anything that she didn¡¯t do. For some reason, Nichs felt a little shaken in his heart, but before he had time to speak, Stefania interrupted, ¡°Miss Reinhart, we haven¡¯t found any evidence yet, but you are indeed the most suspicious one!¡± Tessa chuckled, her tone full of irony. ¡°So, do people inrge families like yours like to jump to conclusions? Just because I¡¯m an outsider, I¡¯m most suspicious?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Stefania was lost for words. Seeing that the situation was heading in the wrong direction, Roselle immediately took the initiative to stand up and suggest, ¡°Okay, since Miss Reinhart refuses to admit it, let¡¯s do it this way: the only people who have been in contact with juice are you, me, and Andrew, so the three of us should be investigated together.¡± When Yana heard this, she nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, since you won¡¯t admit it, let¡¯s just ept the investigation together and see who the evidence points to, which will naturally reveal the truth.¡± Tessa was in a terrible mood when she heard that. She was initially worried about Greg, so she hurried over, but not only did she not see him, she also bizarrely suffered an usation. Nevertheless, she obviously didn¡¯t want to take the me, so she nodded and readily agreed. ¡°Okay, I agree to cooperate with the investigation.¡± Yana snorted coldly and said, ¡°Then, call the police!¡± The people around them no longer had any objections. Soon, the police came. Because this matter concerned the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family, the police did not dare to ck off. As soon as they arrived at the scene, they bowed their heads and assured, ¡°Old Master Sawyer, don¡¯t worry. We will definitely investigate this matter in depth!¡± Subsequently, the police began a series of operations. The police mainly investigated two different parts-the first was to search the vi while the second was to investigate the personal belongings of the three people. No matter who was carrying drugs, they could detect even a little powder residue. AS for the vi, several police officers were dispatched to investigate. Over at the hospital¡¯s side, Kieran looked for the hospital director, who freed up a room to investigate the three suspects: Tessa, Roselle, and Andrew. They took out their personal belongings and sent *them to the police for inspection. Besides, the police interrogated them and learned about their respective itineraries earlier today. Tessa didn¡¯t want to be wronged, so she exined honestly, ¡°I came to Dynasty Gardens in the morning, and had lunch with President Sawyer and Young Master Gregory at noon. Next, I taught the young master a violin lesson in the afternoon. After that, I went back to the orchestra¡­¡± ¡°That is to say, you haven¡¯t been to other ces during that time?¡± The police¡¯s shrewd eyes met hers. She nodded affirmatively. ¡°That is correct!¡± The police took notes, nodded, and then began to interrogate Roselle and Andrew. Andrew¡¯s itinerary was simple-he had been in Dynasty Gardens all day, so naturally there was nothing strange about that. As for Roselle, she said that she only returned to the country yesterday and came to the vi the next day. Stefania had apanied her for the entire trip, so she wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to buy any drugs. Therefore, both Andrew and Roselle were ruled out by the police at once. At that, Tessa¡¯s heart sank. Her bad premonition in her heart was getting stronger! Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 At this time, the two brothers, Nichs and Kieran, stood together outside the office door. Their slender foures were imposing, with one being taller than the other. At this moment, Kleran¡¯s expression was enigmatic and he asked his brother heartantly, ¡°Nichs, do you really think that Tessa did this? Tsk, why do I feel that it wasn¡¯t her?¡± Nichs lowered his head and thought for a moment, but his face was still dark. ¡°I only look at the evidence. Everyone can say their plece, but the evidence won¡¯t deceive me. Anyone, or no one, could¡¯ve done it.¡± Listening to the roundabout response, Kieran felt that his brother seemed to be hinting at something. However, considering his own Intelligence, he really couldn¡¯t understand the insinuation. Inside the house, the interrogation was soon over. After some investigation, there was nothing wrong with Roselle and Andrew was also quickly ruled out. After all, he was the experienced housekeeper of the Sawyer Family for many years. He was loyal to the Sawyer Family and he was even fonder of Gregory. It was to be expected that there was no problem with him. The only person left was Tessa. The police said that from the time Tessa left Dynasty Gardens yesterday, she would have had enough time to buy drugs. Moreover, she also left this afternoon, so it was difficult to rule out that she did not throw away the drugs thereafter. In short, the possibilities still pointed to Tessa as the suspect. This is from N?velDrama.Org. She felt extremely distressed, but still insisted, ¡°Sir, after I left Dynasty Gardens, I went to the orchestra directly. I can¡¯t skip work, right?¡± The police nodded and said in a calm tone, ¡°I understand, but, Miss Reinhart, you are still the biggest suspect. As for other aspects, we still need to collect evidence, so please give us the license te numbers of the cars you rode today as well as your routes.¡± Tessa almost copsed. She felt like a prisoner who was being strictly interrogated, so she felt distraught. On the side, Roselle had a triumphant smile in her eyes, and she was so proud of herself. She naturally knew who did it, but she also knew that it was impossible for the police to locate any evidence, so she had no fear. What satisfied her the most was that after this incident, the Sawyer Family would definitely take precautions against Tessa and even make her leave the Sawyer Residence, away from Nichs and Gregory! This was also Roselle¡¯s ultimate goal since she had long disliked that woman. Tessa Reinhart, hurry up and get lost! However, just as she calcted her next moves in her head, Nichs¡¯ phone suddenly rang outside the door. The caller was his assistant, Edward, who informed on the other end of the line, ¡°President Sawyer, 1 have just received the hidden surveince camera tapes for the kitchen, the hall, and Young Master Gregory¡¯s room. I finally found that Miss Reinhart was in the young master¡¯s room for the entire afternoon and did not do anything unusual. She also didn¡¯t spike the young master¡¯s ss of juice, so the time the culprit did that should have been during the time the ss was brought from the kitchen to the room upstairs!¡± in order to keep an eye on Gregory, Nichs had once installed a hidden camera in Gregory¡¯s room, which could monitor the boy¡¯s every move. And as the device monitored Tessa¡¯s moves, there was nothing abnormal about her actions. In other words, the culprit who ced the drug in the juice was not her, but either Roselle or Andrew? Nichs¡¯ obsidian-like eyes were deep and bottomless as he pondered. After a moment, he ordered in ¨¢ frosty voice, ¡°Continue the investigation for me. In an hour, I want to know the results.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Edward agreed. After hanging up the phone, Nichs turned around and pushed: open the office door with a dark expression. At his sudden entrance, Tessa suddenly turned around. It was obvious that her eyes were red with tears and full of grievance. As he nced at her, he felt as if he was stabbed in the heart. However, he quickly restrained himself. Then, he stepped forward and told the police, ¡°There¡¯s no need to interrogate her anymore¡±. The police officer was surprised and looked at Nichs in confusion. ¡°President Sawyer, why is that?¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Nichs replied in a cold manner, ¡°This wasn¡¯t done by Miss Reinhart, so stop asking about it anymore.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing that, everyone in the office was shocked as thelr eyes widened. Even Tessa was stunned when she heard what he said. When he entered earlier, she thought that he¡¯d be exasperated and ask the police to take her away. However, he actually came to save her. At the same time, Tobias and Stefania were both shocked after witnessing what had happened before she approached to reprimand Nichs. ¡°What are you trying to do, Nichs? You¡¯re messing things up!¡± Nevertheless, Nichs ignored Stefania and dragged Tessa to her feet in a bossy manner and dered, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± When Tessa was pulled to her feet by Nichs, she was so shocked that her mindpletely went nk. On the other hand, Stefania was so pissed off that she went forward to block his way. ¡°Nichs, what is wrong with you? I told you that I need an exnation for what has happened, and this is the exnation that you¡¯re giving me?¡± However, Nichs returned her gaze with a determined look on his face. ¡°Mom, Miss Reinhart is not the murderer. You¡¯ve made a mistake in ming her.¡± An extremely agitated Yana immediately rushed forward to chastise his actions. ¡°Nichs, you must know how to distinguish between right or wrong! If it¡¯s not her, are you implying that Roselle and the butler did it? Nichs, h-how can you believe an outsider instead?!¡± Still, he replied coldly, ¡°I only believe in the evidence. The footage from the surveince camera at home has shown that Miss Reinhart didn¡¯t spike the juice that Gregory drank, and that¡¯s the truth. Would you like to head back with me to investigate the case, Mrs. Gingham?¡± In a state of agitation, she quickly interrupted, ¡°No, no. Even though Miss Reinhart wasn¡¯t caught doing anything in the footage, what if she fed Gregory something else after that?¡± However, Nichs gave her a chilly look immediately after hearing what she said, ¡°Mrs. Gingham, why do you sound like you knew what exactly went down? Could it be that you¡¯ve done something like this before?¡± Immediately, a terrified look appeared on Yana¡¯s face before she waved her hands with a pale look. ¡°No! I-I am just saying!¡± At this moment, Roselle stood up in a hurry and gently coaxed, ¡°Nichs, please don¡¯t be mad at my mom as she¡¯s just worried about Gregory¡¯s condition and wants to help you investigate the actual perpetrator behind this. Since Miss Reinhart is innocent, it¡¯s our fault for suspecting her. Please don¡¯t be mad.¡± Yet, Nichs¡¯ cold gazended on her a secondter, which caused beads of cold sweat to start forming on her forehead. Then, he ignored everyone¡¯s protest and turned around before leaving with Tessa. When the two of them arrived at the hospital entrance, Nichs released his grip on Tessa before apologizing, ¡°Miss Reinhart, I hope that you won¡¯t take my family¡¯s behavior to heart since they only suspected you because of their concern for Gregory.¡±¡± Tresa couckled coldly when she came back to her senses. Does he really think that I¡¯m going to act like nothing happened just because he used the carrot after stick approach on me? Her demeanor then became cold. ¡°President Sawyer, you don¡¯t have to exin yourself. You had also suspected me from the very beginning, right?¡± Nichs fell silent. Indeed, he wouldn¡¯t believe in anyone until he saw the proof. Meanwhile, sheughed lightly before her gaze darkened and shemented, ¡°Still, I will have to thank you for clearing my name and believing in me. Despite that, I still have to say that¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯m suitable for the job at your house, so I think this will be the end of me being Gregory¡¯s teacher. I believe that your family has the capability to hire a better teacher than me for Gregory.¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Nichs Irowned while Tessa gently sighed as if she tried to gather her courage before she spoke noain ¡°President Sawyer, I¡¯m just an ordinary person and different from you guys in the sense that only want an ordinary life. We shouldn¡¯t have interacted with each other from the very start, but I don¡¯t regret knowing you and Gregory. Please tell him that I said goodbye when he wakes up and apologize to him on my behall. Also, thank him for liking me so much.¡± Then, she turned around and left without looking back Tessa¡¯s back now looked frall and unbending. She resembled an injured deer that was heading into the deep forest on her own. He stood rooted to where he was with a deep frown. ¡°Nichs!¡± It was at this moment when Kieran came out from the hospital as well. When he saw what had happened, he frowned before asking, ¡°Nichs, what¡¯s going on? Are you sure that Tessa isn¡¯t the one who wanted to harm Gregory? If It wasn¡¯t her, who else could it be?¡± Before Nichs could answer him, Kieran mumbled, ¡°Sigh, we¡¯re done for. Now that Tessa has resigned, Gregory will surely throw tantrums once he regains consciousness!¡± When he heard that, Nichs could feel a headacheing up. Since Gregory really fancied Tessa, he would surely be mad now that she had resigned. However, things could only be dealt with one step at a time now. Massaging his temples, Nichs replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll settle this.¡± Then, the two of them headed back into the hospital. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Tobias and Stefania were still annoyed after seeing Nichs dragging Tessa out. This was especially true for Stefania, who waspletely filled with rage. When the brothers returned, she dashed toward them almost immediately before she reprimanded, ¡°Nichs, what is wrong with you? How could you let that woman walk free? Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s the culprit who harmed Gregory?!¡± However, Nichs frowned before he answered with annoyance, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t I say that I have the evidence to prove that,¡± Still, Stefania was in disbelief as she snapped, ¡°It¡¯s not her? Who else can it be? Tell me! Do you really think that it¡¯s possible for Roselle or Andrew to do something like this?!¡± Upon hearing that, Andrew was shocked before quickly defending himself in fear. ¡°Master Nichs, I¡¯ve watched you and your brother growing up since you guys were little kids. You guys have also treated me well over the years too. I¡¯ve been nothing but loyal to you, and I¡¯ll never do something like that!¡± For someone who had dedicated his entire life to the Sawyer Family, Andrew would have already made his move earlier if he had any ill intentions, so why should he have waited until now? Then, Yana¡¯s facial expression was extremely dark as she tried to argue, ¡°Nichs, there¡¯s no reason for Andrew to do this, not to mention Roselle! How could someone like her, who had been kind and gentle since she was a child, attempt to harm someone else? Besides, there¡¯s no reason for Roselle to harm Gregory! Nichs, you must believe-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Nichs snapped when his patience ran out! Everyone immediately jumped from fear and went quiet. At this moment, Nichs¡¯ gaze was also dark as he dered in a chilly voice, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to investigate this issue. For now, we shall wait until Gregory wakes up!¡± At the mention of Gregory, Tobias and Stefania quickly fell silent as they were more worried about Gregorypared to finding the actual perpetrator . Tessa was really upset when she left; it felt as if she was weighted by a heavy rock that was pulling her down. Even though Nichs had already cleared her of the suspicion, she still felt extremely sad at the fact that she wouldn¡¯t be able to see Gregory ever again. Although Tessa had interacted with other kids in the past, she had never experienced this much pain when they were separated from each other, which reminded her of how she felt when she was separated from the child in her stomach. Her heart was in so much pain that it suffocated her. As she exhaled deeply, she tried to assure herself and thought, I guess I¡¯m reacting like this because Gregory is too adorable and likable. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 After that. Tessa bit her lip before her gaze became determined as she forced herself to beposed. Then, she returned to the orchestra for her practice. Nevertheless, her performance during the practice during the entire afternoon wasn¡¯t good. Although Tessa kept telling herself to stop thinking about Gregory, her mind kept wandering back to what happened, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder about his condition now¡­ However, every time she pondered to herself, she¡¯dnd in a daze and fail to notice that her violin had gone out of tune. After a few times of this happening, Trevor couldn¡¯t stand it anymore as he frowned and stopped the practice with his hand. ¡°Stop, stop, stop!¡± The music paused abruptly while he tookrge strides toward her with a dark look. ¡°Tessa, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you acting as if you¡¯ve lost your soul?¡± Immediately, Tessa returned to her senses and lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± However, Trevor wasn¡¯t satisfied with her reply. ¡°Tessa, you need to know that it¡¯s not easy for me to promote you to this position, so you must show your capabilities to everyone so that you can secure your position! If you can¡¯t adjust your mindset, there¡¯s always someone who can rece you here, do you understand me?¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa realized that her condition had affected everyone¡¯s performance, so she quickly nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worried, Mr. Oswald. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stay back tonight and work hard to practice. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± He was finally satisfied with her reply and nodded with gratification. It was during the evening when Gregory woke up groggily in the hospital with a pale look. At that moment, he looked so frail it was heart-wrenching. When Stefania noticed that he had regained consciousness, she rushed forward almost immediately and hugged him emotionally. ¡°Sweetheart, my dear grandson, you¡¯re finally awake! How are you feeling, sweetheart? Do you still feel ufortable? Does your stomach still hurt?¡± she asked in a worried tone. Then, hey in her embrace and nodded obediently before he tried tofort her with his childish voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Grandma. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright!¡± Stefania looked like she had just rediscovered her most valuable treasure and even wanted to keep Gregory under her protection 24/7 so that he wouldn¡¯t be harmed again. On the other hand, he started to look around. After scanning the entire room, he asked curiously, ¡°Grandma, why is the prettydy not here? Where is Miss Pretty Lady?¡± Right then, the entire room fell silent while Stefania and the others looked shocked. None of them had expected the first person that Gregory would look for was his violin teacher instead of his father or grandparents. Why is Tessa Reinhart so important to Gregory? However, no one could understand the reason. When he saw that everyone was quiet, Gregory¡¯s bright eyes widened before he turned to Nichs *Daddy, why Is Miss Pretty Lady not here? Does she not know that I¡¯m sick?¡± Still, Nichs stared at Gregory lovingly as he couldn¡¯t bear to tell Gregory the truth when he saw the expectant look on Gregory¡¯s face. There was a gentle look in his eyes as he assured Gregory lightly, ¡°Yeah. I was afraid that she might be worried, so I didn¡¯t tell her about it. Greg, you¡¯ll have to rest well so that she can continue teaching you violin once you¡¯ve fully recovered.¡± When Gregory heard Nichs¡¯ words, a smile bloomed across his face before he nodded obediently. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll rest well and wait for Miss Pretty Lady toe back.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. At the same time, Stefania felt like her heart was about to break when she heard Gregory¡¯s words. Although Gregory was a smart, adorable and lovable child, he never liked interacting with outsiders. However, when he epted Tessa, that woman¡­ Stefania sighed in her heart Even though Nichs had already exined that Tessa wasn¡¯t the perpetrator, she still couldn¡¯t help but think that Tessa was the one behind this because there was no one else who could possibly do such a thing. How could that cruel woman betray Greg¡¯s sincerity like this? As she was upset, she couldn¡¯t hold herself back and said, ¡°Greg, let¡¯s stop seeing Miss Reinhart from now on. Isn¡¯t Miss Gingham nice to you too? Besides, she can teach you piano too. Miss Gingham was really worried about you when you were sick, so you should hang around with her sometime in the future. It¡¯ll be the same too.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Yana tried to convince Gregory as well. ¡°Yeah, Mice Gingham really likes you too.¡± ¡°Greg, I can be nice to you too.¡± Roselle bent over and gazed at him gently However, he gave her a cold look before he shook his head stubbornly. ¡°No, it won¡¯t be the same.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Stefania couldn¡¯t understand. Nevertheless, Gregory grabbed Stefania¡¯s hand with his chubby one and shook his head before saying with determination on his adorable face, ¡°It¡¯s different. Miss Pretty Lady is the best person to me. Grandma, why can¡¯t I just have her? Please? She¡¯s irreceable to me.¡± The mischievous child¡¯s words were extremely genuine, causing Roselle¡¯s expression to immediately tense while Yana smiled gently despite secretly gritting her teeth in anger. How dare this brat act so arrogantly? You¡¯re going to get it soon! Not being able to withstand Gregory¡¯s antics, Stefania had no choice but to agree to his request. ¡°Alright, alright. You can hang out with whoever you want and I¡¯ll go along with my sweetheart, alright?¡± ¡°Yes! You¡¯re the best, Grandma!¡± He immediately became happy. After seeing that Gregory was fine, Nichs said quietly, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll head back to grab Greg¡¯s clothes and return to apany himter on. You can go back to rest after that.¡± However, she shook her head as she was still worried. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let me stay and take care of Greg.¡± Still, Nichs refused. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mom. Go back and rest well together with Dad. I¡¯ll stay back.¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡± Stefania couldn¡¯t argue after seeing how determined Nichs was. At the same time, Roselle looked around before she chimed in gently, ¡°Nichs, why don¡¯t I stay back to take care of Greg together with you?¡± Nevertheless, he replied coldly without even looking at her, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Miss Gingham. Kieran and I can manage from here onward.¡± Now that she was rendered speechless, she went quiet. After that, Nichs turned toward Andrew and instructed lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Andrew.¡± Then, the two of them left the hospital. On the way back, Andrew drove the car in fear as his hands holding the steering wheel trembled. It was as if he was terrified that Nichs might have misunderstood him for drugging Gregory and thereafter firing him. Nichs had noticed Andrew¡¯s anxiousness from the corner of his eyes, so he said nonchntly, ¡°Andrew, you don¡¯t have to be nervous. I know that what happened is not rted to you.¡± Upon hearing that, Andrew almost felt like crying. Immediately, he lowered his head and thanked Nichs. ¡°Thank you for believing in me, Master Nichs. Thank you! It¡¯s really nice to know that you trust me!¡± At this moment, the corners of Nichs¡¯ lips slightly curled up before he remarked gently, ¡°You¡¯ve been working by my side for years. It would be really disappointing if I suspect you too.¡± Then he grabbed a tissue paper and gave it to Andrew. ¡°Wipe your face. It¡¯s dangerous to drive when you can¡¯t see well.¡± Andrew was touched as he took the tissue paper to wipe off his tears. My dedication to Master Nichs didn¡¯t go to waste, after all! When he finally calmed down, he asked, ¡°Master Nichs, now that you¡¯ve ruled me and Miss Reinhart out as your suspects, are you suspecting that Miss Gingham might be¡­ behind this?¡± Hearing that, Nichs¡¯ gaze darkened immensely as if it was an endless void before he exined coldly, ¡°I didn¡¯t suspect Miss Reinhart because there¡¯s evidence showing that it wasn¡¯t her and I don¡¯t suspect you because I trust you, but¡­ I don¡¯t know Roselle Gingham well. From what I know so far, Roselle Gingham is definitely suspicious, but I do not have enough evidence to prove that it¡¯s her.¡± When Andrewprehended what Nichs was talking about, he frowned and asked, ¡°Master Nichs, how are you nning to find evidence since you suspect Miss Gingham?¡± Right then, Nichs narrowed his eyes before answering, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get new ideas when I get home.¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. A whileter, they finally arrived at Dynasty Gardens. When Nichs and Andrew headed into the house after exiting the car, Edward was already waltina for them in the living room as he nodded dutifully upon the sight of Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer!¡± Nichs hummed in acknowledgement and didn¡¯t say anything else before asking, ¡°What did you discover?¡± Then, Edward nodded and started reporting, ¡°President Sawyer, after our conversation, I went to check all the hidden surveince cameras in the mansion. ording to what I saw, Miss Gingham didn¡¯t do anything. However¡­ After Gregory drank the juice, I heard some of the servants there merrtioning that they saw Miss Gingham¡¯s mother, Yana Johnson, touching Young Master Gregory¡¯s cup. They also said that Yana was acting really suspicious and it seemed like she ced something in the cup. Of course, I¡¯ve already asked some of the men to send the cup to Mr. Sawyer¡¯s ce to identify what was ced there and the results should be out soon!¡± Right then, Nichs¡¯ facial expression changed. ¡°Yana Johnson?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Edward nodded, to which Nichs¡¯ gaze darkened. ¡°Alright.¡± Then, he turned and instructed, ¡°Andrew, go upstairs and prepare a few sets of outfits for Greg so that we can bring them overter.¡± ¡°Yes, Master Nichs.¡± While Andrew went upstairs to pack Gregory¡¯s stuff, Nichs stayed in the living room to wait for Andrew. However, his demeanor was cold and his presence pressurizing. About half an hourter, the sound of the car engine stopping rang out. When Edward went out to take a look and understand the situation, he rushed back inside and reported, ¡°President Sawyer, Mr. Sloan is here!¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs¡¯ gaze slightly brightened. A few secondster, a slender and tall man in a gray suit entered the house and it was none other than Ashton Sloan, Nichs¡¯ childhood friend. Ashton was an extremely handsome man who sported a gray suit and a pair of sses that had gold rims. He was wearing an expensive watch while giving off a wise look, which matched his identity as he was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine at a young age. As the youngest Nobel Prize winner in the country, it was an understatement to say that Ashton was a genius. When he entered, Nichs looked at him before asking coldly, ¡°Why are you here?¡± With a smile on his face, Ashton answered chirpily, ¡°I¡¯m obviously here to tell you the results of your investigation.¡± Nichs¡¯ gaze darkened. Although he didn¡¯t ask anything, he knew that Ashton¡¯s presence was enough to prove that something was indeed wrong with Gregory¡¯s cup. As expected, Ashton took Gregory¡¯s cup out of its packaging after he sat on the couch. The cup was kept in a sealed stic bag attached with a document file that contained the report. Nichs nced at the cup as curiosity shed past his gaze. ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± Instead of beating around the bush, Ashton cut to the chase and exined, ¡°There are drug residuals on the cup. From what I found, the drug was just released into the market for sale abroad two months ago to treat headaches. The content of the drug is fine for adults, but extremely harmful to children. Fortunately, the drug properties were suppressed by the orange juice, so I¡¯m guessing that Greg had a Cup of water after drinking the orange juice. The drug in the cup entered Greg¡¯s stomach after that and reacted with the orange juice, so he ended up with minor poisoning.¡± White Ashton exined with detailed analysis, Nichs¡¯ face darkened as his demeanor turned cold. Trying his best to suppress his anger, Nichs asked with a chilly voice, ¡°How can I get evidence on what happened?¡± Sentencing Yana to a crime based on the testimonies of a few servants was way too careless and he could only take revenge for Gregory with concrete evidence. Ashton immediately adjusted his sses and answered, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s easy to get evidence for this drug. As long as you can determine whether the person who drugged the orange juice has symptoms of headache and go through the list of medicines that the person uses, the truth will be revealed.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 A sharp alint shed past Nichs¡¯ dark gaze when he heard that before instructing immediately. ¡°Edward, bring Mr. Sloan to the main house. Even if you guys were to entirely mess up Yana Johnson¡¯s room, I need you guys to obtain evidence for me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Edward nodded without any hint of dy. Then, Ashton nodded slightly and stood up before he followed Edward to the main house. At the same time, Yana and Roselle, who were still at the hospital, were still oblivious to what had happened and they finally found the opportunity to talk to each other when they went to pour some warm water for Gregory. At this moment, a worried Roselle asked with a small voice, ¡°Mom, are you sure that no one saw you when you ced the drug in the cup?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Yana nodded before she insisted, ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you believe what I say? I was really careful and even avoided all the surveince cameras! Besides, the living room is amon area, where there¡¯s no need for any hidden surveince, so I definitely didn¡¯t make any mistakes this time!¡± She sounded full of confidence. Although Roselle nodded lightly in acknowledgement, she couldn¡¯t help but worry somehow as she initially thought that Tessa wouldn¡¯t be able to clear her name after being framed as the perpetrator. However, Tessa had somehow gotten lucky. Besides, Andrew was the least suspected among the three of them considering how loyal he was to the Sawyer Family. Hence, Roselle couldn¡¯t help but worry that she might be in trouble soon. When Yana noticed the worried look on Roselle¡¯s face, she quickly assured again, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Roselle. Stop scaring yourself. I promise you that we won¡¯t get exposed!¡± Nevertheless, Roselle bit her lip and continued to agonize over what happened. She suddenly narrowed her eyes and whispered, ¡°Mom, if we really get exposed, I hope that you can stand up and take responsibility for what happened. Can you do that?¡± When Yana paused, Roselle¡¯s gaze darkened before she added, ¡°Mom, do you understand that I can¡¯t be involved in this at all? If I¡¯m not involved, there¡¯s still a chance for us to make amends. If not, everything will be over!¡± Upon hearing that, Yana nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the responsibility for everything if we are really exposed!¡± Roselle exhaled and felt much more relieved now that she had Yana¡¯s assurance. Some timeter, Nichs returned to the hospital with Gregory¡¯s clothes. Although he didn¡¯t directly expose Yana, his face was dark as he told everyone to return home. . Before leaving, Roselle, who still refused to give up, went toward him and asked gently once again, ¡°Nichs, why don¡¯t I stay back as well? I¡¯m worried that you won¡¯t be able to take care of Gregory on your own.¡± Still, he rejected her coldly without even looking up. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± What a straightforward response! Not being able to say anything anymore, she could only trall behind Yana as they prepared to leave. At this moment, a worried Stefanie exhorted again, ¡°Nichs, remember to notify us at the first moment If anything happens to Greg again!¡± Nevertheless, he replied with an emotionless look, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± In no time, Nichs and Gregory were the only ones left in the huge hospital ward. At the same time, Tessa was hiding at a corner of the hospital entrance and sighed when she saw all members of the Sawyer Family leaving in their respective cars as she arrived at the hospital again to visit Gregory An hour ago, she was supposed to head home after finishing her orchestra practice, but she still felt somewhat worried about what had happened. After struggling for about an hour, she finally convinced herself to sneak to the hospital to check on Gregory¡¯s condition. I¡¯m only here to check up on Greg¡¯s condition so that I can feel better and stop worrying. Once I¡¯ve checked on him and made sure that he¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll sneak out again. Then, she took a deep breath and entered the hospital in confident strides. Not long after, Tessa found herself standing in front of Gregory¡¯s ward as she looked around from the transparent window of his ward. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 At this moment, Gregory was sitting on his bed with crossed legs. He was ying with a Rubik¡¯s Cube as his pale fingers actively moved it around. From the looks of it, he seemed like he was fine. Meanwhile, Kieran was sitting next to Gregory¡¯s bed and apanying him as the sound of their laughter asionally rang out. It seemed that the pair of uncle and nephew were close to each other. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Nheless, Nichs was nowhere to be seen. After making sure that Gregory was alright, Tessa finally sighed in relief before the corners of her lips curled upward and she mumbled, ¡°Thank God you¡¯re alright.¡± Then, she turned and wanted to leave. However, she banged into a firm chest the moment she turned and the sudden strong scent of male pheromone caused her to jump in shock. When she looked up, Nichs¡¯ slender body came into view and it seemed like he had been standing behind her for a while. Immediately, Tessa felt so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole and hide in it as she started stuttering, ¡°P-President Sawyer, why are you here?¡± While holding a kettle, Nichs had an indifferent look as he said coldly, ¡°I went to get some warm water for Greg. What about you? Why didn¡¯t you enter the room when you¡¯re already here?¡± Tessa hurriedly lowered her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡­ I was just worried about Greg, so I came over to check whether he¡¯s alright. Since he¡¯s already okay, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Then, she quickly walked past him and wanted to make her escape. Yet, a strong force suddenly gripped her wrist and pulled her back when she wanted to turn around. Forced to turn around, she jumped before she immediately tried to withdraw her hand from his grip. However, she couldn¡¯t seem to get away from him, no matter how hard she tried and her voice started wavering. ¡°President Sawyer, what are you doing?¡± Nevertheless, Nichs¡¯ expression remained indifferent as usual before he answered coldly, ¡°The first thing that Greg did when he regained consciousness was to look for you, so I want to tell you that, if you want to say goodbye to him, let him know on your own and tell him about your resignation. I can¡¯t bring myself to tell him about it.¡± Tessa was in a dilemma as she bit her lip. ¡°I can¡¯t bring myself to tell him about it too¡­¡± However, his voice became cold and firm when he heard her. ¡°Tessa Reinhart, you need to learn to be responsible. Escaping isn¡¯t the solution to your problems.¡± ¡°But,¡± While Tessa was still in a dilemma, she looked up instinctively and met Nichs¡¯ gaze. At this moment, the man¡¯s gaze was as deep as the ocean and the immense aura that he had was pressurizing. Immediately, she lowered her head despite still feeling conflicted. She didn¡¯t want to say goodbye to Gregory because she was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t be able to tell him about her resignation when she saw his adorable expression. Nevertheless, he slightly increased his force and pulled her into the ward before she could even react. Bang! The door to the ward suddenly opened as the two of them barged in, causing Gregory and Kieran to react in shock. Gregory returned to his senses first as his eyes brightened like stars when he saw Tessa and greeted. ¡°Hi, Miss Pretty Lady!¡± Then, he climbed down from the bed without any difficulties before pouncing on her as hts little hands tightly grabbed Tessa¡¯s legs. He looked really happy at this moment. ¡°You¡¯re finally here! I really thought you weren¡¯t going toe visit me anymore. I missed you.¡± Tessa¡¯s heart softened as she looked at Gregory. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but ponder, Since I¡¯m already here, I should give him a hug. Thus, Tessa bent down to carry Gregory before she coaxed gently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Greg. I¡¯m here to visit you now. Are you feeling any better now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He nodded enthusiastically as his eyes twinkled. ¡°I¡¯m feeling way better now, but my stomach had hurt during the day to the point that the nurse had to give me an injection.¡± Then, he extended his chubby arm and showed Tessa the needle mark on his wrist. On the other hand, she felt her heart aching for him when she noticed the bruises forming around the crook of his arm due to the injections that he had received, so she reached out to caress his cheeks beforeforting him. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy, Gregory. Once you recover, your stomach won¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°Yes!¡± Gregory nodded before he looked around and noticed that Tessa was carrying a violin with her, so he asked curiously. ¡°Did youe here right after your work?* Tessa smiled gently. ¡°Yeah, I just finished my practice.¡± art he had a genuine look on his face as he asked again, ¡°Can you stay over tonight, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± While she was taken aback and looked hesitant, a disappointed look appeared on his face before he asked with a pitiful voice, ¡°You can¡¯t, huh?¡± Although she couldn¡¯t beat seeing him disappointed, she made up her mind and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry, Greg. I need to go home today.¡± Upon hearing that, Greogry lowered his head in disappointment and he looked really dejected. Meanwhile, Nichs, who couldn¡¯t stand to see Gregory like that, immediately frowned and gave Kieran a look. Kieran initially returned Nichs¡¯ gaze innocently as he didn¡¯t understand what Nichs was trying to say, but Nichs red at him again. Right then, Kieran felt his head numbing before he finally caught onto what Nichs had meant and chuckled before suggesting, ¡°Miss Reinhart, why don¡¯t you stay over with Gregory tonight? How can you bear seeing him so dejected when he looks up to you so much? Besides, my brother hasn¡¯t been able to go to thepany to work because of Greg, so I¡¯ll have to manage thepany in his ce. In that case, I won¡¯t be able to stay over to take care of Greg, so please remain to take care of him.¡± However, Tessa paused. ¡°But, even if you can¡¯t stay, isn¡¯t your brother still here?¡± While Kieran was rendered speechless, Nichs gave himself a facepalm before giving Kieran a sharp re. Immediately, Kieran started to perspire before he shook his head and exined, ¡°No, no, no. That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Miss Reinhart. Do you really think someone like my brother can take care of Greg well?¡± Why can¡¯t he? She thought in curiosity as Nichs had been the one taking care of Gregory ever since he was a baby. However, Kieran quickly changed the topic before Tessa could say anything. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore. It¡¯s set for tonight, then. Miss Reinhart, I think that you¡¯re a really nice person and you can definitely take good care of Greg. Besides that¡­ Please don¡¯t take what happened earlier to heart. I¡¯m sure you know that my family only reacted that way because they were worried about Greg¡­ Nevertheless, all of us felt apologetic once we found out that you were framed! So, I really hope that you¡¯ll forgive us for our suspicions toward you earlier.¡± At this moment, Tessa was stunned and didn¡¯t know what to say. It was undeniable that she felt offended about what had happened previously, but¡­ She couldn¡¯t help but soften up when she saw Kieran¡¯s sincere expression. Besides that, Gregory was staring at her with an expectant look as well. Not being able to refuse their requests, she could only nod. ¡°Alright, then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Miss Pretty Lady can stay over to apany me now!¡± Seeing that Tessa had compromised, Gregory was so excited that he wanted to prance around in happiness. Now that Kieran had finished the mission that Nichs gave him, he quickly packed his stuff and made his escape. Meanwhile, she couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed. Why can¡¯t i endure Greg¡¯s pestering and always end up being soft-hearted¡­ Sighing helplessly, she could only take her phone out to send Timothy a text. ¡®Timothy, I won¡¯t be coming home tonight, so do rest well.¡¯ Knowing that Tessa was busy and it wasn¡¯t her first time noting home at night, Timothy¡¯s reply came quickly. ¡®Alright. Do take care and don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡¯ ¡®Of course. You should go to bed earlier. Goodnight! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After that, Tessa kept her phone before turning to look at Nichs. At this moment, Nichs had walked to the side of the table and poured some warm water into Gregory¡¯s cup before opening Gregory¡¯s medicine packet to dissolve it in the cup of water. When Gregory saw the medicine that Nichs was holding, his face immediately scrunched up into a frown, causing Tessa to burst intoughter and ask, ¡°Greg, are you afraid of taking your medicine?¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Gregory nodded before heined, ¡®The medicine is so bitter and it tastes horrible. I don¡¯t like it.¡± However, Nichs, who stood at a side, harrumphed coldly when he heard his son¡¯s words. ¡°You still have to take it even if you don¡¯t like it. You¡¯ll only recover from your illness once you take your medicine.¡± Upon hearing that, Gregory¡¯s frown deepened. In a blink of an eye, Nichs had already walked toward Gregory with the cup of medicine in his hand while waiting for Gregory to consume it. Yet, Gregory looked as if he saw something terrifying before he pouted and ran into Tessa¡¯s arms. Right then, he had his head buried in her arms before he said pitifully, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, I don¡¯t want to take my medicines¡­ I don¡¯t like it.¡± At this moment, Tessa could only look up at Nichs awkwardly while he frowned and looked as if he had a headache before he suppressed his impatience and coaxed, ¡°Greg, be a good boy and take your medicine. You don¡¯t have to eat them anymore once you have recovered.¡± Despite that, Gregory still refused to take his medicine as he whined in Tessa¡¯s embrace. ¡°No! You can take them instead. I don¡¯t want it. It¡¯s too bitter!¡± ¡°Greg!¡± Unable to convince him, a helpless Nichs snapped. However, Gregory was still stubborn as he held onto Tessa tightly as if he was clutching at straws and refused to let go Nichs hadpletely ran out of ideas to get Gregory to take his medicines this time. Suddenly, she was struck by an idea. Then, she opened her bag and took a candy out before she coaxed gently, Greg, can you see what I¡¯m holding right now? Be a good boy and take your medicine; I¡¯ll reward you with this candy.¡± When he heard that, Gregory finally looked up before his reddish eyesnded on the candy. After hesitating for a while, he asked with curiosity, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, will you really give me that candy if I take my medicine?¡± Tessa smiled gently. ¡°Of course. You¡¯ll recover if you take your medicine and you¡¯ll be able to have this candy.¡± Right then, his cheeks puffed up as he looked as if he was considering her proposal before he looked up to ask, ¡°Can you feed me my medicine?¡± She immediately grinned, ¡°Of course!¡± Then, she took the ss of medicine mix from Nichs and blew gently at it before she started feeding Gregory his medicine. At this moment, Gregory finally mustered up the courage and finished his medicine in one go with a frown. ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Greg!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Tessa had a proud look on her face as she gave him the candy from earlier. ¡°And now, this candy belongs to you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Pretty Lady!¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes crinkled as he smiled with a hint of proudness in his eyes and took the candy. On the other hand, a conflicted look shed past Nichs¡¯ eyes as he witnessed what happened. Ever since Gregory was a baby, he hated taking medicines and wouldn¡¯t have it no matter how much everyone in his family tried to coax him. However, Tessa had managed to coax the boy with just a candy. Nichs found it hard toprehend the reason behind this and it took him a while to process what had just happened. When he noticed that it was alreadyte, he went forward to hasten them. ¡°Okay, Greg, it¡¯s time for you to sleep now. You can¡¯t stay up sote since you¡¯re sick, alright?¡± Nevertheless, Gregory showed his mature side by nodding before he returned to bed obediently. Still, he was still grabbing onto two of Tessa¡¯s fingers and refused to release it before he dered, ¡°You must apany me, Miss Pretty Lady.¡± Smiling gently, Tessa held Gregory¡¯s hand before she promised, ¡°Of course I¡¯ll apany you. I won¡¯t leave your side.¡± This made Gregory feel relieved before he requested with a cute voice again, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, I can¡¯t fall asleep. Can you sing me a song? A bedtime story works too.¡± Upon hearing this, she was taken aback before a smile bloomed on her face. ¡°Why don¡¯t I sing you a luby?¡± She wasn¡¯t able to tell him a bedtime story without a storybook, but she still knew how to sing lubies. ¡°Alright.¡± Henodded without any objections. Then, Tessa started singing, ¡°Hush, little baby, don¡¯t you say a word¡­¡± She was a music student with a good sense of musicality. Along with her gentle melodic voice, her voice was like a soft feather gliding on their hearts. In no time, Gregory closed his eyes and fell asleep. Meanwhile, Nichs was sitting on the couch and staring at them in silence. As the light shone on Tessa¡¯s face, her clean features and charisma was illuminated while the slight smile on her face was extremely capturing. At this moment, Nichs felt his heart skipping a beat. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Right then, he had to admit that it was really hard for him to connect the pure woman in front of him to the woman who abandoned Gregory in the past. In fact. Nichs was starting to think that there was nothing wrong with his past assumptions. However, he knew numerous people and realized that he wouldn¡¯t recognize the wrong person. Despite that, Tessa looked like she genuinely liked children and wouldn¡¯t abandon them for her own benefits. This made Nichs suspicious that the woman from six years ago might not be her. During that wild night, he could barely see anything as the lights were extremely dim and he only recalled touching the woman¡¯s birthmark on her shoulder. Still, what if this is all just a coincidence? At this moment, Nichs fell into a daze and unknowingly started to ponder on the matter. When he came back to his senses, Tessa had already fallen asleep next to Gregory¡¯s bed. Suddenly, Nichs abruptly stood up and walked toward the bed before he noticed that the both of them had slept close to each other and their facial features somewhat had a hint of resemnce. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It was at that moment when Nichs felt his heart pounding before a warm feeling started to course through his body¡­ Following that, he took a coat that was on the side and ced it on Tessa gently before tucking Gregory in. At the same time, Roselle, who had rushed back to the hospital, witnessed that scene when she arrived at the entrance of Gregory¡¯s ward. In the dark, her eyes narrowed dangerously while her gaze was filled with so much hatred that it might shed blood! When she went home earlier that night, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep and all she thought about was Nichs. Still, she couldn¡¯t understand something-was she really that bad? Otherwise, why would Nichs treat me so coldly? Roselle had specially returned to the hospital at midnight as she wanted to express her gentle side in front of Nichs so that he would realize how great she was, but she didn¡¯t expect to see Tessa there at all. Did Nichs just ce a coat on her? That f*cking b*tch! As she gritted her teeth, hatred coursed through Roselle¡¯s body before she started trembling from rage. How dare she? How f*cking dare she?! Roselle refused to believe that she would lose to someone like Tessa. Tessa Reinhart is nothing but a b*tch, so who is she to snatch my man from me?! Does she think that she can heighten her social status just because she¡¯s dating someone from the elite ss? In her dreams! A sinister glint shed past her eyes before she gritted her teeth and thought, Just you wait, Tessa Reinhart! I¡¯ll make you pay for what you did! Then, she turned to leave in anger. Right then, Edward emerged from a dark corner of the hall and smirked as he stared at Roselle¡¯s retreating figure before he entered Gregory¡¯s ward. ¡°Shh!¡± When Nichs saw Edward entering, he ced his slender finger in front of his thin lips and motioned for Edward to be quiet. At that moment, Edward was taken aback before he noticed Tessa and Gregory both asleep. Then, he nodded and left the room conscientiously while Nichs followed right after him. As the two of them stood at the hospital corridor, their shadows were so dark that it blended into the background. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation?¡± A deep voice rang out and broke the silence. Hearing that, Edward took the medicine that Yana had been taking, which was a piece of evidence, out of his pocket and gave it to Nichs. ¡°Look at this, President Sawyer. This is what I obtained from Yana¡¯s room. I¡¯ve already sent this medicine to Master Ashton¡¯s ce for identification where it was confirmed that the content of the medicine is the same as the one in Young Master Gregory¡¯s cup!¡± ¡°So, what you are saying is that Yana is confirmed to be the one who tried to harm Greg?¡± Edward nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± Nichs¡¯ expression immediately darkened before a chilly aura started to spread from his body. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 A shudder went through Edward when he heard those words and he couldn¡¯t help bristling as he felt the ait around him freezing lowering his head, he asked in a hughed and frantic tone, ¡°Then, what are you nning to do next, President Sawyer? How will your expose Yana?¡± Nichs¡¯ gaze was icy and dark. He gritted his teeth and in a voice so frigid and deep that it sent chills running down one¡¯s spine, he replied, ¡°If everything goes well, Greg should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow I want you to drop by the main house and inform them that I¡¯ll be bringing Greg over for lunch tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Edward nodded solemnly before he retreated out of sight without another word. Presently, Nichs returned to the hospital room and gently closed the door behind him before sitting on the couch with a vignt look. It was nightfall before anyone realized it. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Bang! A loud crack of thunder tore through the sky and thereafter followed by a purplish-white streak of lightning. It didn¡¯t take long before the rain relentlessly poured down outside the window while being apanied by the violent symphony of thunder. At that moment, Tessa bolted upright when she heard the angry rumble of thunder and she very nearly toppled off her chair. The stormy weather seemed to have transported her, as it always did, to that particr moment six years ago when she swore that she had been dragged through hell. It had been raining that night too, she thought with a painful twist of her heart. It took a while for her toe back to her senses, although she still looked rattled! Then, she turned to look at a restless Gregory sleeping on the bed as the storm raged on. At the sight of his unease, Tessa reached out hastily and patted his chest to soothe him. That seemed to have reassured the little boy, for with a purse of his lips, he fell into a deep slumber again as his frown smoothened, Tessa let out a sigh of relief, but found that she no longer wanted to sleep. As she turned around, she was about to pour herself a ss of water when she saw Nichs sitting stiffly on the couch, frowning as he massaged his legs. She could tell that he was ufortable, and before she could stop herself, she asked curiously, ¡°Are you alright, President Sawyer?¡± It was only after Tessa¡¯s question that Nichs noticed she was awake. Then, he shook his head before exining indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Whenever the weather is unpredictable and bes humid, the old wounds in my legs tend to resurface. It takes some time, but rubbing tends to help with the pain.¡± Tessa nodded sympathetically when she heard this as she understood his pain. Indeed, the months of June and July would arrive with heavy downpours. Since Timothy had in the past shared the same affliction as Nichs, his legs would start acting up as well and cause nim to be sore. Whenever that happened, she would massage Timothy¡¯s legs the moment she had the time in hopes of soothing his pain. At the recollection of this, she hesitated for a while and finally crossed over to where Nichs was, then asked tentatively, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, President Sawyer, perhaps I could give your legs a massage and see whether that will help?¡± A stunned Nichs eyed her with a little skepticism. ¡°Do you know how to go about it?¡± While nodding, Tessa exined frankly, ¡°Since childhood, my brother has had a medical condition that affects his legs and he was enrolled in post-surgery physiotherapy. I had to massage his legs everyday to encourage the recovery, so I learned a few tricks from the professionals along the way to help with the aches. Perhaps you would be more convinced once I have shown you.¡± He stared at her warily for a moment after hearing words. Then, he finally nodded, albeit hesitantly. Having seen that he eded to her offer, she walked over to him and sat down next to him. Tessa propped his legs on top of her knees as if it was the most natural thing in the world before she began to massage his legs in earnest. It was only when she touched him that she realized with a start how embarrassing and awkward this position was for the both of them. She reminded herself pointedly, and rather btedly, that this man was not her brother, Timothy, but the formidable Nichs Sawyer. She had only ever been intimate with one man in her lifetime, and that was six years ago. There was no other man with whom she had been subsequently up close and personal with. In an instant, the air seemed to weigh down on her, suffocating her as she grew distressed. s, it was toote for her to draw back and stopping halfway would only make things even weirder between them. As such, she cleared her throat a little shyly and tried to look unfazed as she asked, ¡°Could you tell me where you feel the most difort, President Sawyer?¡± Nichs¡¯ lips pressed into a thin line as he answered coldly, ¡°My knees.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded courteously and ran her fingers up along the meridian points in his calves. When she reached his knees, she paused and firmly kneaded the area. There was no denying that the muscr lines of his statuesque legs felt divine despite being d in pants and she found herself marveling at how strong and perfect they looked. Even as she focused her attention on the massage, her gaze still swept over the wless lines of his legs. She suddenly became aware of just how much devotion the heavens had put into carving this man before her. Be it his family background or his refined looks or his astounding abilities, Nichs seemed to embody perfection. It was no wonder then that so many women pined after him, Tessa thought ruefully. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Then again. Tessa reminded herself sharply that his perfection and his hordes of admirers had nothing to do with her. Her awkwardness was maintained throughout the massage, although there was no denying that her skills wereparable to those of a professional masseuse¡¯s. Presently, a pregnant and strange silence filled the room while there was something odd about the atmosphere. At some point, and without her even noticing, the tips of her ears began to heat up. Nichs, however, seemed unaffected, and he only thought of her massage as a professional one. He had to admit that the pain in his bones and muscle had been significantly soothed as she continued to work on them. At that moment, his dark gaze fell and lingered upon her. She had her head bowed, and her face was serious and focused under the warm lights. She had neither a heart-stopping beauty nor the delicate elegance that seemed innate to socties, but there was something refreshing and enigmatic about her that somehow drew him in. Her porcin hands were nimble as they swiftly found and worked on the aching spots in his legs, effectively putting his difort to rest. All the staring must have led him into a trance, for after a while, Nichs started to feel a surge of something like desire rush through him, and it wasn¡¯t ebbing away any time soon. In fact, the impulse to push Tessa down and have his way with her suddenly felt genuine and overwhelming. He forced himself to avert his gaze. Pinching the space between his brows, he tried to keep calm as he suppressed the strange urge that had welled up out of nowhere. Around ten minutester, Tessa looked up at him and asked softly, ¡°Does it feel better now?¡± Nichs nodded and said, ¡°Much better.¡± She let out an awkward dry cough and hummed in response, muttering, ¡°Well, d to be of help.¡± Following that, she quickly ced his legs down once more and created some distance between them rather intentionally. At the sight of this, the corners of Nichs¡¯ lips twitched with the beginnings of a smile, and he thought that there were still some things that he might have to go over with her. His deep voice pierced through the veil of silence between them as he abruptly said, ¡°Miss Reinhart, I hope you will reconsider what we talked about earlier today. I¡¯m sure you can tell that Greg truly is enamored with you, and I hope that you will continue to stay and tutor him.¡± After he paused, he added as an afterthought, ¡°If you¡¯re worried about my family picking a bone with you, though, I promise that I won¡¯t let any one of them affect your duties. Naturally, I¡¯ll take care of your wellbeing for as long as you teach Greg.¡± Tessa felt her heart give a heavy thump at this. The only person in this world who had sworn to protect her was Timothy, and now Nichs was the second man to have told her something along the lines of that. For some reason, the reassurance behind his promise warmed her, but she still rejected his offer nheless. Parting her lips, she replied sensibly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, President Sawyer, because I¡¯ve already thought about this. I¡¯m grateful for your kind offer, but regardless of how things might turn out, I don¡¯t think I can continue teaching Gregory.¡± Upon meeting Nichs¡¯ curious gaze, she exined steadily, ¡°You¡¯ve seen how Gregory has taken an unexpected liking to me, and while I¡¯m extremely ttered by this, there is no promise that he wouldn¡¯t grow overly attached to me. What will happen then?¡± Tessa eyed him seriously, as though quietly asking him to consider this possibility. ¡°Also, President Sawyer, I¡¯m acutely aware of who I am and where I stand in society. I never belonged in the same world as you and Gregory. The both of youe from the most elite family in the entire country; you stand at the top of the social pyramid and everyone respects you. I, on the other hand, am just an ordinary woman who¡¯s trying to get through life day by day. Besides, you¡¯ll have to start a family someday, won¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you think your future wife-Gregory¡¯s future mommy-would have something to say about my constant presence in your lives? I have no wish of bing an eyesore to someone else. That said, I think it would be much better for us to stop Gregory from pursuing this matter any further while he¡¯s still oblivious than to drag things out. It¡¯ll save us from plenty of trouble in the future, don¡¯t you think?¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Tessa had to keep herself from sighing aloud as she said this. The sensibility of her rejection did not take away from the sadness that came with it. Nichs, on the other hand, fell silent as well, like he could not bring himself to argue with her. With nothing more to add to this, she looked away from him and muttered softly, ¡°It¡¯ste. You should get some rest, President Sawyer. I¡¯m heading back to sleep.¡± She rose from the couch after that and returned to Gregory¡¯s bedside. She tucked the nket snugly around him, then hunched over the side of the bed and slept. In truth, however, sleep evaded her. She was merely resting her head on her folded arms as she took in Gregory¡¯s cherubic sleeping face, feeling an inexplicable rush of sadness. Meanwhile, Nichs sat on the couch like a statue as he stared at Tessa¡¯s back with interest, but he left her decision as it was and did not attempt to dissuade her from it. Admittedly, he was surprised to hear how much thought she had put into her rejection and how far-sighted her reasons had been. That being said, he had to agree with her. Gregory was developing an attachment to her that would eventually grow into a bond. More importantly, if Nichs had any confirmation at all that she was the woman who had abandoned her child for money all those years ago, then he would have cast her out of their lives without a second word. As things were, it was better for Tessa to leave them now rather than wait forplications to arise over time. Gregory would be upset and throw fits at first, but he was a smart kid, and as time went on, he would figure out the reasons behind her departure. And so, for the rest of the night, neither Tessa nor Nichs spoke to each other. Early next morning, Gregory broke into a wide grin as soon as he woke up and registered Tessa¡¯s presence at his bedside. ¡°Good morning, Miss Pretty Lady!¡± he greeted cheerily. Tessa¡¯s smile was a gentle and dazzling one as she reached out to caress his soft cheek. ¡°Good morning, sweetheart.¡± She promptly led him to the adjoining bathroom to wash up, and when that was done, the three of them enjoyed breakfast, which was delivered personally by the Sawyer Family¡¯s butler. Then, Nichs and Tessa brought Gregory to run several more tests to see whether he was doing much better. When the check-up was done, the doctor walked to Nichs and dered, ¡°Good news, President Sawyer. Young Master Gregory ispletely fine and there is nothing for you to worry about anymore. However, his gastrointestinal system is still working to purge the remaining toxins, so it¡¯s advisable for him to stick to in, healthy food for the next month or so until his body fully recovers. Remember, he must stay away from foods that could stimte any sort of stomach or gastrointestinal difort.¡± Nichs nodded somberly as he replied, ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± They went over the discharge paperwork and made their way out of the hospital once that was done. Before leaving, Tessa waved goodbye at Gregory, saying reluctantly, ¡°Goodbye, sweetheart.¡± Gregory froze and doubt crept over his little face as he asked, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, aren¡¯t youing home with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart,¡± she began apologetically. ¡°There¡¯s a really important performance lined up for our orchestra, though, and I¡¯ll have to go for a really long training before that, so I won¡¯t be able to see you at all.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± His expression fell when he heard this and he mumbled in disappointment, ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ll be gone for a really long time? How long will that be?¡± The question shot through her heart like an arrow, but she maintained her smile as she said quietly, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be gone either.¡± He looked up at her with wide, glistening eyes, and pressed, ¡°Then, can I go and visit you whenever | miss you?¡± Her heart twisted even more, but she stood her ground and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart, but it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t visit me at all for the time being. It might be a little hard on my schedule as it is.¡± Gregory¡¯s mind raced, as if he had sensed something was off. A prickly sensation assaulted his nose as he asked sorrowfully, ¡°You don¡¯t want to tutor me anymore, do you, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tessa trailed off, thinking of a way to gently let the child down, but after a minute or so, she decided that she could not be anything but blunt as she pursed her lips and replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± After leaving the hospital, Gregory was silent on the entire way home. He had his head down the whole time and there was unmistakable sadness written all over his face, coupled with heart-wrenching disappointment. Unsettled by the child¡¯s depressing demeanor, Nichs tried to get the little guy to speak, but his attempt at conversation was brutally rebuffed by Gregory¡¯s silence. With a sigh, Nichs gave up. They pulled up at Dynasty Gardens half an hourter. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Presently, having gotten word that Gregory would return home today from the hospital, Stefania was already waiting eagerly for his arrival. As soon as she saw him walk past the threshold, she walked up to him happily and crooned, ¡°Oh, hello, my little baby! I have missed you!¡± Ecstatic to know that the little boy was perfectly fine, she went on to ask a flurry of questions out of concern. ¡°What do you want for lunch, Greg? I¡¯ll get the kitchen to whip up something delicious for you, how about it? Do you still feel terribly, my darling?¡± However, he kept his head down the whole time and he did not utter a single word. He even stepped around her and sulked his way into his room before rising on his tiptoes to lock the door. Something was definitely off and Stefania couldn¡¯t help but grow distressed as she asked frantically, ¡°Nichs, what¡¯s wrong with Greg?¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Nichs was already exhausted as it was. When he saw how flustered and worried Stefania was over Gregory¡¯s obvious depressive state, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin as he muttered, ¡°He¡¯s just throwing a fit. You know how kids are. Just let him work through it himself in his own space, Mom. Why don¡¯t you go home and get some rest? You can drop by some other day.¡± She nodded in silent agreement, but added fretfully, ¡°It¡¯s only normal that he¡¯s feeling down after leaving the hospital. Try to cheer him up as much as you can, Nichs, and if you give him a hard time, trust me when I say I¡¯ll give you an even harder one!¡± ¡°Got it,¡± he replied grimly with a nod. A satisfied Stefania then began to head for the door, but abruptly turned to give the butler a pointed look as she ordered, ¡°Andrew, make sure you keep an eye on Greg for the rest of the afternoon and call me if anything happens.¡± With that, she spun on her heels and left for thepany. Over at Pinnacle Residence, Tessa had washed up as soon as she returned home from the hospital, and after having a change of clothes, she got ready to leave for orchestra rehearsal. Timothy couldn¡¯t help worrying when he saw that she was rushing for work. ¡°Tess, don¡¯t you want to take a break before going for orchestra rehearsal? You¡¯ve been on your feet for the whole of yesterday and you have only just returned!¡± Tessa gave him a small smile and exined soothingly, ¡°I really do need to rush, though. The orchestra¡¯s schedule is packed tight with rehearsals.¡± Clearly displeased that she was working so hard, he grumbled, ¡°It¡¯s inhumane that the orchestra doesn¡¯t let you take a day off or something. I get that rehearsals are important, but you need your rest!¡± She knew that he only had his best interests at heart, and instead of getting irritated by his grumbling, she proceeded tofort him. ¡°This has nothing to do with the orchestra. Besides, I¡¯ve already gotten enough rest.¡± As reluctant as Timothy was, he knew he had no choice but to let her go to work. With an imperceptible sigh, he said quietly, ¡°Hey, Tess, once I start earning my own money, I promise I won¡¯t let you work so hard anymore. You¡¯ll have me to rely on.¡± Upon hearing this, Tessa was so moved that she shed him an indulgent smile. ¡°Well, then, I guess I¡¯ll have quite the retirement n lined up for me.¡± She paused, then added softly, ¡°Be safe on your way to schoolter, okay?¡± He nodded obediently. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be waiting to have dinner with you this evening, Tess.¡± She hummed in response, and with the violin case slung over her shoulder, she made her way out of the apartment. The sun was high in the sky by the time she left Pinnacle Community. She felt the hot and dry breeze caress her face, and all of a sudden, she felt a little hollow. Perhaps this is the life that I¡¯m meant to have, and I shouldn¡¯t hold out for anything more. Meanwhile, not long after his exchange with Tessa, Timothy cleaned the house and left for school. He didn¡¯t have any lessons that morning, but he arrived early to go through some things associated with the student council. He had only just sat down in the student council¡¯s designated office when his friend, Henry, barreled through the door and cried, ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Timothy!¡± Timothy smiled at him in greeting. ¡°What is it? Did something exciting happen?¡± Henry nodded eagerly with bright eyes, slightly out-of-breath as he said, ¡°Remember how I told you about Reinhart Group the other day? The person-in-charge actually came to school and asked to see us personally! He wanted to go over the details of the project, and he says the price is up for negotiation. I think they really mean business this time!¡± Anyone within their range could hear how excited Henry was about this prospect, but his enthusiasm was met with a scoff from Timothy, who said decisively, ¡°We will not be seeing them.¡± Henry gaped at him in bewilderment. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because there isn¡¯t a need to,¡± Timothy answered matter-of-factly, his voice t and cold. ¡°They won¡¯t be offering us much anyway, and I¡¯d say they would cap the offer at a measly five million and nothing more.¡± While Henry did not argue with him over this, he was still a little hesitant about the decision. ¡°Timothy, I know what you¡¯re thinking, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little snobbish of us to turn them away even after they¡¯vee to see us personally? I mean, that seems a bit offensive, no?¡± Timothy was quiet after hearing this, and he considered Henry¡¯s standpoint. Then, as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head, he changed his mind and suggested, ¡°How about if you meet them instead, Henry? Tell them that maybe I¡¯ll consider if they¡¯re willing to offer us twenty million.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Henry thought about this for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go along with your n, then!¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 That same afternoon, Henry was at the cafe near school grounds, where he met up with the representative from Reinhart Group at the agreed time. The representative was a middle-aged man with rather refined features and he was dressed in a suit and leather shoes while looking proper. After the both of them took their seats in the cafe, the man introduced himself affably, ¡°I¡¯m Ss Reinhart, the chairman of Reinhart Group. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Upon hearing this, Henry immediately straightened in his seat and said courteously, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Reinhart. I¡¯m Henry.¡± Ss shed him a casual smile, and he seemed rather enthusiastic as he chuckled heartily. ¡°How refreshing! You certainly know your manners, young man.¡± Then, he cut to the chase by asking, ¡°So, Henry, what does your buddy think about the deal we¡¯re offering for your project?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Henry trailed off, unsure how he was supposed to ry what Timothy had told him. Sensing the boy¡¯s hesitation, Ss grew serious and prompted jovially, ¡°Actually, Henry, I came to meet you today with the utmost sincerity. If you¡¯re willing to sell the software rights to ourpany, then we¡¯re more than ready to up the initial offer of two million to five million.¡± Henry worked hard to hide his astonishment at this. Is Timothy psychic or something? I can¡¯t believe this man is actually offering us five million for the software! If he¡¯s willing to up the price by three million in the spur of the moment, then surely five million won¡¯t be the upper limit! Being an intellectual, and a street-smart one to boot, Henry pursed his lips and pretended to look torn as he said slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mr. Reinhart¡­ Five million isn¡¯t exactly what I had in mind.¡± At that moment, Ss¡¯ smile slipped a little, but he maintained a friendly front as he chuckled. ¡°Henry, I get what you mean, but we can¡¯t go any higher than five million.¡± He paused and stared at the younger boy assessingly. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that your software is a rather brilliant one, and with its bright prospects in the market, it¡¯s definitely worth more than the two million we initially offered. That¡¯s the reason why our company has decided to re-evaluate the offer and came up with the adjusted sum of five million instead. I don¡¯t think any otherpany would make an offer like this.¡± Henry knew that the man was beating around the bush, so he countered with a smile, ¡°Mr. Reinhart, we aren¡¯t new to this whole thing, and I¡¯m sure that everyone involved has a clear idea of how much our project is worth. Actually, I came here today to tell you that my buddy refuses to sell the software unless you¡¯re offering twenty million. That said, we are incredibly ttered that yourpany has such high regards for our project, but five million¡­¡± Twenty million? Ss¡¯ expression turned grim at this. He couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of these kids. He was acutely aware that the software was definitely worth twenty million on the market, but to be outsmarted and have his bluff called by two college kids wounded his pride. They¡¯re just kids who are still wet behind the ears! They should thank us profusely and feel so honored that Reinhart Group even noticed their software project at all! More to the point, he thought he had been the bigger person when he offered to up the price by three million. And yet, these punks are turning a blind eye to my good favor! As displeased as he was, Ss willed himself to calm down, for he knew that the Reinhart Group was in a precarious position right now. Procuring the project would be the pivot point for the wholepany to get back on track, so he couldn¡¯t very well throw a tantrum in front of Henry right now. Swallowing his rage, Ss forced out a friendly grin as he cajoled, ¡°Look, buddy, I¡¯ve been through the same thing, so I know how you young ones think. Of course it¡¯s wonderful for young people like you to be ambitious, but you need to have an eye for these things and know when to take the offer instead of blindly spewing your demands. ¡°Whether or not this software of yours is worth twenty million, the both of you must first understand that we¡¯re the onlypany on the market right now that wants to buy your software; the fact that we¡¯re willing to pay a hefty sum for it is more than enough proof of our genuinity. If you refuse to sell it, who¡¯s to say that you will get a better offer? At the end of the day, the software could very well end up losing every bit of its worth, and you won¡¯t be able to sell it off at all. ¡°Besides, there are plenty of talented peopleing up with various high-tech stuff, and we see technology reced by even more innovative ones overnight. Do you really think your software is the best one out there? Hah! Don¡¯t be naive, boy. It could be superseded by an even better one in the next two days. By that point, I won¡¯t even consider buying yours for cheap even if you beg me! Do you understand?¡± Henry froze when he heard this, taken aback by the threatening and haughty edge to Ss¡¯ tone.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Henry secretly agreed with what Ss had said. An opportunity like this was scarce these days, and if they didn¡¯t take Reinhart Group up on their offer, someone else would. Admittedly, Henry was starting to sway, but when he thought about how insistent Timothy had been about the twenty million, he shook his head atst and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Reinhart, but I¡¯m afraid can¡¯t be the only one calling the shots.¡± Ss gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing slightly. He finally realized that this negotiation was going nowhere, for the person who called the shots was not Henry, but the co-creator of the software. As such, he seized the chance to say with a tight smile, ¡°In that case, get your buddy toe over. I¡¯ll be right here waiting, and I¡¯ll talk to him about the offer. If price remains the only problem, I¡¯m sure upping it by a fraction won¡¯t do any harm. Although to be realistic, twenty million would be too steep!¡± Upon hearing this, Henry nodded slowly. ¡°Very well, then. Just give me a moment while I give him a call.¡± He rose from his seat after this and walked to a quiet corner, then called Timothy so he could ry what Ss had said. On the other line, Timothy let out an amused bark ofughter after he heard the full story and sneered, ¡°Not realistic, eh? Then, there¡¯s nothing for us to talk about! I don¡¯t have the time to meet him anyway; I have to see the teacher about the college sponsorship, so just ask him to leave without a deal.¡± With that, he hung up decisively. Henry heaved a sigh, frustrated by his friend¡¯s stubbornness and theplicated situation waiting for him back at the table. s, he rejoined Ss and said apologetically, ¡°Mr. Reinhart, I¡¯m afraid my friend won¡¯t being; he¡¯s busy at the moment.¡± Ss frowned when he heard this, looking grim and offended. He was the chairman of apany, and he had taken the time of day to go over the deal personally, and yet he was being snubbed by some college kid here. Busy? Hah! How busy can a college student be? Sensing the older man¡¯s displeasure, Henry quickly spoke up for Timothy. ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Mr. Reinhart. My friend really is busy at the moment. He has his hands full sorting out the sponsorship for his studies abroad, and if he weren¡¯t, then I wouldn¡¯t be the one talking to you right now.¡± Ss scoffed coldly when he heard this, though his anger was reduced by a smidge. That being said, he was still upset that he was going to walk away without a deal. As such, he demanded bluntly, ¡°Then, the least you could do is give me a name. If your friend truly is too busy to see me, then I shall go and see him personally when I have the time.¡± Henry blinked, and he thought this sounded like a feasible enough n, so he answered, ¡°His name¡¯s Timothy Reinhart.¡± An incredulous Ss stiffened in his seat. ¡°What?¡± Without thinking too much of it, Henry repeated, ¡°Timothy Reinhart.¡± Meanwhile, Timothy had never nned on coborating with Reinhart Group in the first ce. Money aside, the name Reinhart Group was enough to make him gag. s, who could have thought that the representative from the revoltingpany would still badger him even though he had already asked Henry to reject the offer? Looks like thepany¡¯s really desperate, Timothy thought grimly. Then again, this is what they deserve! He was of the apathetic opinion that he would never have anything to do with a repulsivepany like Reinhart Group, not even if it went bankrupt and the whole family had to beg on the streets for a living because that was the punishment they deserved. However, such a thought disappeared as quickly as it came. Presently, when he saw that it was getting close to evening, he took out his phone and texted Tessa, ¡°Hey, Tess, what do you feel like having for dinner? I¡¯ll get the groceries and make you a feast after I¡¯m done with ss.¡¯ Tessa was still busy with orchestra rehearsal and time was a luxury none of them could afford. When they finally caught a few minutes¡¯ break, she fished out her phone and replied, ¡®I¡¯m thinking sticky pork ribs and battered fish. These were Timothy¡¯s specialties. Having read her text, he smiled gently and texted, ¡®Got it.¡¯ Following that, he left to go grocery shopping as soon as ss was over. However, he had only just stepped out of the school gates when a man in a suit stopped him from going any further. ¡°Are you Timothy Reinhart?¡± the man asked straightforwardly. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Timothy could sense the man¡¯s hostility, and he narrowed his eyes as he demanded icily, ¡°And you are?¡± The man introduced himself without missing a beat, ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Reinhart¡¯s assistant. He¡¯d like to see you for a moment, so if you¡¯ll follow me, please.¡± Timothy¡¯s expression shifted, and he looked behind the man. Sure enough, there was a ck Mercedes Benz idling by the side of the road, and it bore a really familiar license te number, too! Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 An icy gleam shed in Timothy¡¯s eyes as he side-stepped the man in the suit, snapping, ¡°I will not be following you anywhere!¡± Seeing this, the assistant rushed toward Timothy and barred his way once more. ¡°Timothy, the chairman¡¯s offer is a genuine one, which is why he wanted to see you personally today. We hope that you¡¯ll give us a chance!¡± Timothy was ruthless as he let out a bark ofughter. ¡°Then, tell the chairman that I have nothing to say to him! Also, I will never sell my product to yourpany, so if you know what¡¯s good for you, stay away from me!¡± With that, he pushed the assistant aside and continued on his way. Meanwhile, Ss took in all this from where he sat in the backseat of the car. He was furious that the boy he had been waiting to see was treating his invitation with such disdain. I can¡¯t believe the nerve of this punk! At that moment, Ss could no longer contain his rage as he pushed open the car door and got down from the vehicle. Then, he stormed up to Timothy and snapped angrily, ¡°Timothy, it¡¯s only been a few years, but it looks like you¡¯ve developed quite the temper!¡± Upon hearing this, Timothy turned to register a seething Ss standing not too far away. He regarded the older man with the same disgust as one might a repulsive street rat. Presently, Ss crossed over to him in long, angry strides, sounding like a self-righteous ogre as he bellowed, ¡°I was just thinking about how insolent two college kids could be to turn down an offer to coborate with me, but as it turns out, you were the one behind all this! Looks like you¡¯ve grown a pair, haven¡¯t you, Timothy? Do you actually think you can go head to head with me?¡± Scorn colored Timothy¡¯s gaze when he heard this and he found this incredibly hrious. Glowering at Ss icily, he stood his ground and pointed out sarcastically, ¡°Dear Mr. Reinhart, I think I¡¯ve made it very clear from the beginning that I will not be selling my software and that¡¯s the end of it! Why are you still pestering me like chewing gum stuck on a shoe? It¡¯s one thing to be shameless, but you ought to consider how irritated the rest of us might feel.¡± ¡°You-¡°Choking on fury at the insult, Ss felt his nerves dangerously close to popping, and he bit out belligerently, ¡°You useless punk! Is this the way to talk to your father?!¡± A humorlessugh escaped Timothy as he drawled pointedly, ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. Tess and I never had a father and hearing the worde out of your mouth makes me want to retch!¡± Ss¡¯ face had turned as dark as the bottom of a pan. I can¡¯t believe this brat has the audacity to speak to me this way! Timothy had no intention to waste more time on this, for he still had groceries to grab. As such, he said in in and simple words, ¡°Mr. Reinhart, this is all I¡¯ll say for today: I will not sell my software to Reinhart Group even if it means certain death, so I suggest you give up on this futile effort of yours and leave me the hell alone!¡± The harsh words lingered in the air between them and he turned on his heels to march away from the fuming man. Rooted to the same spot, Ss watched with burning rage as Timothy retreated further away, and his face was grim as he muttered mutinously, ¡°That¡¯s not up to you!¡± He immediately barked at his assistantmandingly, ¡°Go and bring that punk back here!¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the assistant replied, then hurried after the boy. Timothy¡¯s legs were not strong enough to begin with, so there was no way he could have outrun the assistant, much less put up a fight. Within seconds, the assistant hauled the boy into the car unceremoniously. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hey, let me go! Let me go right now!¡± Timothy cried, outraged as he tried to break free. However, no matter how hard he tried and how much he shouted, his efforts of escape were to no avail. He red at Ss somberly and demanded, ¡°What the hell do you want, Ss?¡± Ss eyed him triumphantly, taking pleasure in the boy¡¯s hapless struggling as he scoffed. ¡°What | want is simple enough: for you to hand over the rights to the software you and your buddy created. Reinhart Group needs it.¡± Initially, he had thought of upping the price by a smidge if the college kids still refused to sell the software for five million. That had been a possibility until he discovered that the software was created by none other than his own son. As things were, Ss could get his hands on the software without having to fork out a single penny! Children were born to obey their parents anyway, and it was only right for Timothy to hand over the software without objection. Ss grinned like the cat that ate the canary, seemingly proud of how clever he was in handling this. However, Timothy had figured out what the man thought, and with a defiantugh, he countered, ¡°And if I refuse?¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 An astonished Ss narrowed his eyes and seethed, ¡°That¡¯s not up to you. If you refuse to hand over the software, then I¡¯ll have you locked up until you do! Don¡¯t underestimate the ways I can force your hand, boy!¡± Timothy chuckled dryly as he mocked, ¡°That sounds like yo¨´; alright. Looks like you¡¯re still the same vile person you were all those years ago. Your shamelessness disgusts me!¡± He glowered at Ss reproachfully. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that I won¡¯t ever hand you the rights to the software, not even if I die. A scum like you doesn¡¯t deserve to own any part of my creation!¡± ¡°You useless piece of trash! Try me one more time and see if I won¡¯t give you a good beating!¡± Ss snapped, his chest rising and falling rapidly in anger as he brought his hand up, ready to p Timothy across the face. However, Timothy merely closed his eyes and turned away, decidedly treating Ss like he was mere thin air as he stubbornly ignored the man. Meanwhile, Tessa was unaware of all that had happened. It was only at night when she returned home, tired from the rigorous rehearsal, and noticed that Timothy was nowhere to be seen that she thought, Hmm, that¡¯s odd. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Isn¡¯t Timothy supposed to be making dinner by now? Why isn¡¯t he home when it¡¯s already sote? Is he being held up at school?¡± Tessa mumbled, as if answers to her questions might pop out of thin air. Still racking her brain for reasons why he could bete, she set her violin down and carefully propped it where it belonged. Then, she took out her phone and gave Timothy a call. She was put through after two rings, and without waiting for a greeting, she asked, ¡°Timothy, where are you? Why aren¡¯t you home yet?¡± Tessa did not expect a gruff and familiar voice to answer on the other line. ¡°He won¡¯t being home!¡± Upon hearing this, she bristled, and her eyes widened in shock. Of course she would recognize this voice; it was the same voice that had be the base of her and Timothy¡¯s nightmares! Looking grim, she did not bother with niceties as she demanded belligerently, ¡°Why are you picking up the phone? Where¡¯s Timothy?¡± Ss¡¯ thick baritone was smug as he drawled wickedly, ¡°I brought your brother home and he¡¯ll be staying with us for the next few days, for old time¡¯s sake. Now, if you have nothing important to say, stop calling.¡± For old time¡¯s sake? As if anyone could believe that! Tessa pressed angrily, ¡°Why the hell did you bring Timothy over, Ss? What do you want with him? I¡¯m warning you: if you so much asy a finger on him, I¡¯ll tear you to shreds.¡± Ss merely snorted at her threat. ¡°Tessa, I suggest you stop nagging. I only wanted to see my son and catch up with him after all these years; surely I don¡¯t have to call you to tell you that. Also, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m your father, so watch your tone when you speak to me, you savage youngdy!¡± With that, he brusquely hung up the phone. At that moment, Tessa¡¯s face twisted into a malicious grimace. Her so-called father had eyes for only money and nothing else. More to the point, the Reinharts had never shown any concern toward her and Timothy. So, why start now? They must be up to something fishy! Timothy was the only family she had, and she couldn¡¯t just let him suffer in false imprisonment at the Reinharts¡¯ ce without doing anything to save him. As such, she grabbed her things and made her way over to the Reinhart Residence. However, by some cruel twist of fate, Tessa had only just left the apartmentplex when Nichs¡¯ car pulled outside with Gregory happily riding in the backseat. Nichs looked as handsome and untouchable as ever, even as frustration and resignation was wrought over his chiseled face. Gregory had been sulking the whole day ever since his return from the hospital. He had refused to speak and hardly ate lunch either. It was as if his soul had left his little body. Naturally, everyone in the family had been worried sick. When it came to dinner, Nichs had specifically asked the kitchen staff to prepare all the things that Gregory liked to eat, not at all bothered about being healthy as the doctor had earlier warned. s, the little guy had only taken two mouthfuls of dinner before he threw up and the full projectile left him deathly pale. Nichs had panicked, thinking that it might be a side effect of the toxins, but the next second, the fatigued and upset little boy decided to throw a tantrum right after vomiting across the dinner table. With all the might he could summon, he swept all the food and dishes off the table with his little hands. He didn¡¯t stop even as hot soup spilled over his delicate skin. Pouting, he could no longer hold back his sadness as he burst into tears, sobbing, ¡°Why? Why doesn¡¯t Miss Pretty Lady like me anymore? Daddy, tell me why, please! Did I do something wrong? Why doesn¡¯t she want me-¡± He had broken off into incoherent cries after that, his chubby little hands furiously rubbing his face as fat teardrops rolled down his cheeks. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Chapter 62 There was no stopping Gregory¡¯s fierce waterworks. He sobbed and sniveled, his button nose reddening as his breath grew more ragged. The whole family thought their hearts might shatter there and then. Even Nichs couldn¡¯t bear the sight of this and he patiently tried to talk some sense into the crying child. ¡°Greg, be a good boy and listen to me. Of course Miss Reinhart likes you, but she has her own life as well, and you can¡¯t force someone to stay. Do you understand?¡± This only spurred Gregory on, for he sobbed even more in devastation. He had tipped his head back, his little mouth parting wide as he cried and shrieked his voice hoarse. To one side, Stefania and Tobias felt as if someone had stabbed a dagger through their hearts. They finally understood why Gregory was throwing such an ultimatum; as it turned out, this was all because of Tessa! That woman is a bad apple who probably has ill intentions against our family. Why can¡¯t Greg just let her go? A frustrated Stefania walked up to Gregory and began to cajole slowly, ¡°Come now, Gregory. There¡¯s no need to waste your tears on thatdy. She¡¯s a bad person who will only hurt you.¡± He was furious to hear this, and as he tried to breathe through his sobs, he yelled, ¡°No, Miss Pretty Lady is not a bad person and she would never hurt me!¡± She felt her buttons being pushed and she thought it was about time she stopped giving in to his tantrums. Raising her voice deliberately, she snapped, ¡°You¡¯re still too young to understand how twisted mankind can be! That woman is out to get you, and you only ended up in the hospital because she poisoned you, did you know that? She fled after that because she couldn¡¯t bring herself to face us!¡± However, Gregory¡¯s face scrunched up in a grimace when he heard this as he cried belligerently, ¡°No, mean stories about her, Grandma!¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing this, Stefania frowned as she began to grow frantic. That wretched woman has him bewitched! He¡¯s too naive to specte against her, and he won¡¯t listen to any of us now. What are we going to do? With her thoughts racing, she shot Nichs an anxious look and urged, ¡°Nichs, say something!¡± Nichs¡¯ brows drew together, and his head was throbbing from all the ruckus. However, he was still composed as he thought, I guess there are some things I still have to tell Mom. Snapping out of his reverie, he turned and told Andrew frigidly, ¡°Andrew, go and retrieve that document from the backseat of my car.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The butler did as he was told and soon returned with the document in question. Nichs took the document over and handed it to his parents, then exined icily, ¡°Mom, Dad, take a look at this. I¡¯ve had someone look into Gregory¡¯s poisoning and the results show that Miss Reinhart was not the one at fault. The true culprit who hurt Greg was-¡± Yana. Stefania gaped at the name written on the document and her eyes widened in shock at that moment. She looked at him in disbelief as she stammered, ¡°N-Nichs, is this some kind of a joke?¡± She refused to believe that the person who tried to hurt her precious Gregory was none other than her long time friend, Yana. Nichs sighed, looking impassive. ¡°You wrongly used a good and honest person, Mom. Also, Miss Reinhart left on her own will; she was never interested in squeezing her way into our lives.¡± Stefania froze, but Nichs did not try to soothe her as he spun to take Gregory by the hand. ¡°Come along. I¡¯ll take you to see Miss Reinhart.¡± It didn¡¯t take long before the father and son came to a stop outside Tessa¡¯s apartment. However, little did Nichs know that he had only just missed her by seconds. He walked up to her door and rang the bell several times, but he could tell that the house was eerily quiet. Doubt filled his gaze as he asked in hushed tones, ¡°Edward, are you sure this is the ce she¡¯s staying at?¡± Edward immediately nodded in affirmation. ¡°One hundred percent! Only the lights have been turned off, so maybe she isn¡¯t in at the moment.¡± ¡°Could she be at the orchestra?¡± Gregory chimed. He shed a kind smile at the little boy as he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already inquired with the orchestra about that, Young Master Gregory, and they told me that they finished practice rather early this evening. Logically speaking, Miss Reinhart ought to be home by now, but perhaps she was caught up in an emergency. None of my calls to her were connected. Should we just wait for a while longer?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Nichs¡¯ gaze turned grim. He hated waiting, but when he caught sight of the steely look on Gregory¡¯s face, he took a deep breath and bit out, ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s just wait then.¡± Meanwhile, Tessa had rushed over to the Reinhart Residence. It had been years since she stepped foot here and that was enough to make her cringe in disgust. Were she not doing this for Timothy, she would have stayed away from this house forever. She walked up to the front gates of the vi and saw that there was a guard standing next to them. Ignoring him, she marched toward the house purposefully, only for the guard to stop her in her tracks. ¡°Hey, who are you? No outsiders allowed!¡± ¡°Move!¡± Tessa roared as she shoved the guard aside, not at all bothered about refraining from violence. The guard tried to stop her again, but she moved with such obvious rage that not even a handful of guards could get in her way. While Tessa was barging across the front yard, Ss, Lauren and Sophia were happily having dinner inside the house, seemingly content as they exchanged pleasant conversation. They then heard faint noises of argumenting from the outside and he asked one of the household staff, ¡°What¡¯s going on out there?¡± Before the member of staff could answer, Tessa barreled into the dining room, looking grim as she demanded thunderously, ¡°Where¡¯s my brother, Ss? Give him back to me right now!¡± The cheerful atmosphere instantly shattered, reced by a suffocating tension. Ss was stunned at first when he saw her, but he quickly scoffed and went on to eat dinner nonchntly. Having swallowed a mouthful of soup, he drawled, ¡°It¡¯s been years since west saw each other and you¡¯ve only be more savage! What are you yelling and making a fuss about in my home? Where are your manners?¡± Tessa was on the verge of exploding with rage. ¡°Manners?¡± she snorted, ¡°Why should I mind my manners when I¡¯m talking to a low-life scum like you after you kidnapped my brother and betrayed our family? I¡¯ll only say this one more time: Give my brother back to me right now!¡± He turned red with anger as he mmed his spoon down on the table, which rattled the crockery. Gritting his teeth, he bit out, ¡°Why should I? Don¡¯t forget that your brother is still a Reinhart, and as long as he bears my name, he will be a part of my family even in his death! It¡¯s only right that I bring him back home, seeing as he is my son, and you don¡¯t get to have a say in this!¡± The scorn and disgust welled up in Tessa when she heard this, and she felt the distinct urge to retch the contents of her stomach onto the dining table. Raising her voice, she retorted, ¡°How shameless of you to be spouting such nonsense, Ss! Did you forget how you refused to lend us money for Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Timothy¡¯s surgery back in the day? He couldn¡¯t even walk! And now that his legs are working again, you decided to im him back as your son!¡± She scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting. What¡¯s so great about being a Reinhart? In fact, my biggest regret in this lifetime is to have been born as your child and to have your blood flowing in my veins! I feel filthy!¡± Ss was burning with rage as he shouted, ¡°How dare you, Tessa!¡± She shot him a withering look and snapped, ¡°Shut up and release Timothy at once, or I¡¯ll call the police and press kidnapping charges on you!¡± ¡°You useless piece of trash!¡± He did not hesitate to show his anger as he mmed a palm hard against the table. ¡°Is this the way for you to speak to your father?¡±. As she watched the tension unfold, Lauren seized the chance to add fuel to fire. ¡°That¡¯s right, Tessa, you¡¯ve crossed the line here! You wretched girl; you ought to show respect to your father no matter what! How dare you go around behaving like a savage?¡± Grimacing, she added, ¡°Need I remind you that blood runs thicker than water? You can try to deny it, but you are a Reinhart through and through! You and Timothy are still your father¡¯s children, and there¡¯s no way for either of you to escape that!¡± Tessa¡¯s blood boiled at this, and she felt as if someone was setting her alight. She couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of these people to act all high-and-mighty in front of her. Not at all backing down, she was about to retort when Lauren cut her off with an icy chuckle. ¡°And to think you have the nerve to bring up that idiot brother of yours. Don¡¯t you know what he¡¯s done? Reinhart Group is hanging by a thread as it is, and your brother not only refused to help us out of his own goodwill, but he has even made outrageous demands, too! He wants us to cough up a whopping twenty million for that lousy project of his, did you know that? Let me make one thing clear, Tessa: for us to bring that heartless brother of yours here is already a huge act of charity, and we¡¯re only feeding him because he¡¯s a Reinhart. So, don¡¯t you dare throw a fit here and call us names! You deserve a good beating, that¡¯s what!¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 The harsh speech gave Lauren immense satisfaction. Sophia, on the other hand, remembered how humiliated she and her mother had been when they were so unceremoniously thrown out of the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra building, and she was more than pleased to finally see Tessa and Timothy being insulted now. Tessa was stunned. It was only at that moment that she understood why Timothy had been kidnapped by the Reinharts in the first ce; Lauren¡¯s little speech had enlightened her more than it insulted her. Timothy has something they want! Tessa snorted, a little incredulous that the Reinharts would go to such a despicable and shameless extent to make a profit. As she connected the dots, she let out an abrupt bark ofughter, then mocked condescendingly, ¡°So, that¡¯s what¡¯s going on here! You suddenly realized that your son had the means to help you achieve the end you wanted, which was why you brought him back! And there I was wondering whether you had found your conscience and decided to care for him. This is all because Timothy has some use to you, and you just want to make a quick profit off his efforts, isn¡¯t it? Some good father you are, Ss!¡± Herughter was shrill, mocking, and almost aggressive. It sent a chill running down Ss¡¯ spine, and for a moment, he faltered. Just as guilt seized him, Sophia interjected with a presumptuousugh and said, ¡°Come now, Tessa, you have to admit that Dad has given Timothy life and raised him from a young age. It¡¯s only right that he gets something out of it, don¡¯t you think?¡± The wicked smile on Tessa¡¯s face slipped when she heard this. Her expression was frigid as she ignored Sophia and regarded Ss ominously before seething, ¡°You have no right getting anything out of us! Timothy and I were brought up by Mom; to put things bluntly, the only thing you ever contributed was your semen, and other than that, I can¡¯t think of a single incident where you have been a father to us! Mom worked hard to give us a life, but you were never present, nor did you ever ask about us. You even fooled around with other women, and now you¡¯re turning around to point fingers at me?¡± She was shouting her voice hoarse, but she doubled down on her harshness as she snapped, ¡°Pride is what makes or breaks a man, but yours is so foolish that it makes you all the more disgusting! Keep your nonsense to yourself, and mark my words: if I don¡¯t see Timothy back home by tomorrow morning, then I hope you¡¯re ready to be held in police custody! This warning is final!¡± With that, Tessa spun around and began to furiously march away. However, Lauren could never live with it if she merely allowed Tessa to walk away scot-free. Gritting her teeth, she narrowed her eyes menacingly and barked, ¡°Stop her! Don¡¯t let her get away!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The bodyguards immediately rushed forward to form a human blockade. At the sight of this, Tessa frowned. There was a frosty gleam in her eyes as she turned to look at Lauren contemptuously, ¡°What, are you going to lock me up too?¡± Tessa¡¯s re went through Lauren like a frozen arrow, but Lauren stood her ground and spat venomously, ¡°You ipetent moron! As if we¡¯d let you leave just like that! For as long as your brother doesn¡¯t hand over the software, the both of you will never step out of this house!¡± Then, she shouted at the bodyguards, ¡°Bring this brat into the room and lock her up!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± A couple of bodyguards surged forward and immediately pinned Tessa¡¯s arm behind her back. She struggled with all her might to break free of their hold, all the while roaring at Lauren, ¡°You wretched b*tch! You vicious homewrecker! You ought to die painfully by a thousand cuts!¡± s, even as she thrashed and shouted with all her strength, Tessa could not pull away from the burly bodyguards. Before long, she was thrown into one of the spare rooms of the house and kept under lock and key. After Tessa had been held captive, Ss thundered, ¡°Lauren, what the hell are you locking her up for?¡± Sophia couldn¡¯t understand her mother¡¯s logic behind this either. ¡°Yeah, Mom, isn¡¯t it enough to lock Timothy up seeing as he¡¯s the one with the project? There¡¯s no point in keeping Tessa; she¡¯s useless!¡± A devious and triumphant smile curled on Lauren¡¯s lips. ¡°The both of you are so short-sighted. Don¡¯t you know that Tessa is Timothy¡¯s weakness? If we hold her captive, we can ckmail him into giving up the software, and he¡¯d have no choice but to hand it over to us free of charge!¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Enlightened by this, Sophia mused, ¡°You know what, Mom? That actually makes sense!¡± Lauren sniffed indignantly. ¡°Of course.¡± Next to them, Ss was starting to look a little uneasy at his wife¡¯s scheming. Catching sight of his obvious hesitation, Lauren frowned as she eyed him skeptically. ¡°You¡¯re not actually feeling sorry for them, are you? Don¡¯t forget that Reinhart Group is hanging by a thread, Ss! There won¡¯t be anyone taking pity on us if ourpany were to crumble. Besides, all that we¡¯re doing is locking them up; it¡¯s not as if we¡¯re torturing them or anything. What are you getting so worried about? Do I look like I would dispose of them and carry their parts out in body bags?¡± Ss¡¯ heavy brows were knitted together in concern. He had been worried that their endeavors had crossed the line, but after hearing Lauren¡¯s boration, he decided that she had a point as well. He sounded his agreement, but he still told the butler, ¡°Make sure you send three meals every day up to their rooms; I don¡¯t want them starving.¡± The butler nodded solemnly. ¡°Of course.¡± Her lips curled in displeasure, and while she said nothing, a vicious gleam shed in her serpent-like eyes. She had no objections to feeding Timothy three meals a day, given that he was of some use to them, but she refused to let Tessa have the same privilege! I ought to teach that little wench a hard lesson for pping me senseless the other day! As such, she waited until dinner was done and Ss had gone out of the room before telling the butler, ¡°Remember, that wretched girl only gets one meal a day and any more than that will be on your head!¡± The butler stiffened when he heard this, but after a moment of hesitation, he eded.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Tessa had been belligerent and manic ever since she was thrown into the room. She banged her fists against the door and yelled profanities, but no one paid attention to her. She gritted her teeth as rage coursed through her veins. The deep-seated hatred in her heart was consuming her. Initially, Tessa hade to the house mentally prepared that Timothy might not follow her back home, but as it turned out, she had sorely underestimated how despicable Ss and his new family could be. What she didn¡¯t expect was to be held captive as well. And it¡¯s all Lauren¡¯s doing! That treacherous b*tch! However, Tessa had no intention of remaining there to wait for her turn to be hung at the gallows. She took a deep breath and willed herself to calm down, then decided to look for a way out of here; if she didn¡¯t leave now, she and Timothy would be sacrificialmbs, ready to be ughtered at the altar of the Reinharts. With renewed determination, she walked over to the bedroom window and peered out of it, assessing its viability as an escape route. She was on the second floor. She pictured leaping off the window ledge and running away, and while there was a chance she could get caught, she had no better option. She took a deep breath. Once I get out of here, I¡¯ll find a way to break Timothy out, too! Then, she swallowed her worries and finally calmed down. Rummaging through the drawers, she came across a pair of scissors, and set herself to work cutting up the bedsheets. I will not stay in this repulsive ce for a minute longer, she thought grimly. Over at Pinnacle Residence, Nichs and Gregory had been waiting outside Tessa¡¯s apartment for over an hour, and it was already close to 9:00P.M. Nichs had nced at his watch countless times while waiting, and Gregory had asked a dozen times, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Miss Pretty Lady home yet?¡± s, neither of them had their answers, for Tessa nev showed up, and she didn¡¯t pick up her phone either. To one side, Edward couldn¡¯t help worrying as he pointed out hesitantly, ¡°President Sawyer, from what I know, Miss Reinhart¡¯s brother is a college student. He ought to be home by now even if she hasn¡¯t returned; the house shouldn¡¯t be standing empty at this hour. Do you think we should send someone to look for them, sir?¡± He had only just said this when the neighbor next door poked his head out into the hallway. rmed by the sight of the three figures hovering out in the hallway, the neighbor took a wary step back. However, upon noticing that these three figures did not look like ordinary folks, she asked curiously, ¡°Excuse me, sir, but are you perhaps looking for someone at this hour?¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Edward nced over at the neighbor and answered readily, ¡°We¡¯re here to see Miss Tessa Reinhart.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here to see Tessie!¡± The neighbor¡¯s eyes widened in understanding and she asked affably, ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you knock on the door? I¡¯m sure I saw hering home not too long ago.¡± ¡°We did knock,¡± Edward said. ¡°No one¡¯s home, though.¡± The next-doordy nodded, and suddenly, she let out a sentimental sigh. ¡°She must have gone back to work again. Tessie has it tough; she needs to take care of her brother while bncing her job, but she¡¯s always been so kind to her neighbors. She¡¯s such apassionate youngdy, and it breaks my heart to see her shouldering all that burden. There was a time when I identally fell and hurt my leg, and I couldn¡¯t get home on my own. It was Tessie who helped carry my heavy load of groceries up the stairs, and it was no easy feat! However, that youngdy said not a word ofint, and she even helps me to buy groceries every now and then. If she sees any discounts in the supermarket, she¡¯ll get my share, too. She¡¯s a darling girl, and Timothy is an absolute angel as well. He helps his sister with the chores because he knows how busy she is, and he would even pop into my ce every so often just to learn a cooking skill or two, hoping that he could whip up a feast for his hard-working sister. Oh, these two siblings just break my heart, I¡¯m telling you¡­¡± The neighbor was an elderly woman, and perhaps it was her old age that prompted all her sentiments. She didn¡¯t sound like she would stop talking about Tessa and Timothy any time soon, and one story only led to another. When she was finally done, she shed the gentlemen an embarrassed smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for droning on like this. Age is catching up with me, and I can¡¯t help being long-winded sometimes. If the three of you don¡¯t mind, you can alwayse in and have a cup of tea while you wait for Tessie to come home. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t make a difference.¡± She sounded warm and enthusiastic while her smile belied her kind intentions Nichs parted his lips and said courteously, ¡°Thank you for the invitation, ma¡¯am, but we don¡¯t want to impose. We¡¯ll just wait here; maybe she¡¯ll be home before we know it.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The olddy had met enough people in her lifetime to know that he was the prim and proper sort, the kind of man who wouldn¡¯t want to trouble others. As such, she nodded and left, but not before taking out a piece of candy and giving it to Gregory, crooning, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you just an adorable little fe? You¡¯ll grow up to be a handsome man, mark my words. Actually, you look a little bit like Tessie. Here, have some candy, little one. It¡¯s Tessie¡¯s favorite!¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am!¡± Gregory took the candy and stared at it in awe. Soon, the olddy disappeared into her own apartment, leading to the hallway being quiet once more. Then, Edward leaned closer to Nichs and asked, ¡°Do we keep waiting, President Sawyer?¡± Nichs checked the time again and his dark orbs were clear and devoid of emotion as he answered, ¡°Just for another half an hour.¡± Edward nodded. ¡°Very well, sir.¡± At that exact moment, Tessa had finished cutting through the bedsheets and tied the pieces together to form a long rope.. She tied one end of the makeshift rope to railing on the window ledge, and the other end around her waist. Hoisting herself up onto the ledge, she took a deep breath and summoned every bit of courage she had, ready to take the leap. However, by some twist of fate, the doorknob turned just as Tessa was about to jump into what would have been a glorious escape, and in strolled a haughty Sophia. The day had finallye for Tessa to be taught a hard lesson and Sophia didn¡¯t want to miss out on sweet revenge, so she decided toe in and rub salt into Tessa¡¯s wound. However, when she pushed the door open, she could hardly believe that she was seeing the moment that Tessa was about to escape! Shock and anger colored Sophia¡¯s features as she screamed, ¡°Hey! She¡¯s running away! Tessa is running away! Somebody catch her!¡± Panic rushed through Tessa when she heard this, and knowing that she had not another minute to spare, she leapt down from the ledge hastily. However, she did not grab hold of the rope in time to hamper her momentum and she found herself free-falling through thin air. Shended on the ground with a thump, twisting her ankle as she slipped and scraping her arm badly. She turned pale, but she knew this was not the time for her to cry out in pain. Gritting her teeth, she scrambled onto her feet and suppressed the pain as she ran maniacally for the gates. While she was making her escape, the bodyguards rushed out of the house and chased after her. She frantically ran to the middle of the road, only to be nearly run down by an approaching vehicle whose headlights momentarily blinded her. Thankfully, the driver had mmed on the brakes in time for the car to screech to a halt inches away from Tessa. She had barely recovered from the shock of the almost-collision when she heard a harsh voice shout, ¡°You there! Stop!¡± She turned around, and her eyes widened when she saw that the bodyguards were fast closing in on her like hungry wolves locking down on their prey. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Tessa thought her heart would fly out of her chest, but without stopping to think, she opened the door and hurtled into the car to shout at the driver, ¡°Sir, there are some bad guys chasing after me right now, so could you please drop me off somewhere crowded in the city? Please! I¡¯ll pay you double!¡± Startled by how quickly things had escted, the driver was shocked when he finally noticed the approaching burly bodyguards, all of whom looked like vicious brutes. Adrenaline rushed through him as he mmed on the elerators, whizzing Tessa away in record time. Tried as they might, there was no way the bodyguards could catch up now. They stalked back to the house, looking guilty as they reported to Lauren, ¡°She escaped, ma¡¯am.¡± Lauren¡¯s blood boiled when she heard this and she barked, ¡°You fools! You had one job! How could you allow one person to outrun all of you?¡± Sophia, too, was seething with rage. She had wanted to teach Tessa a hard lesson, and yet, the woman had gotten away. ¡°We can¡¯t let her get away that easily, Mom!¡± she cried, her fists clenching at her sides. Lauren looked as wicked and ferocious as a scorned witch. ¡°Of course I won¡¯t let her get away!¡± Then, she snapped at the bodyguards, ¡°Go over to Pinnacle Community now and drag that wench back here!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The bodyguards immediately rushed out the door after receiving their orders, not one of them daring to dawdle. Meanwhile, after her narrow escape, Tessa let out a huge sigh of relief when she peered out the window and saw that none of the bodyguards was pursuing her. The driver who had aided her escape was an honest man, and presently, he couldn¡¯t help worrying as he registered how rattled Tessa was. ¡°Say, youngdy, do you need me to call the police or something? You look like you got yourself into trouble with the wrong folks.¡± ¡°No, thanks,¡± she replied with a shake of her head. He let the matter drop although he added, ¡°Then, how about if I drop you off at the hospital? You¡¯re hurt, and if you don¡¯t see to those wounds, they¡¯ll get infected.¡± She nodded and didn¡¯t turn down his offer. Not long after, they pulled up at the hospital. As she stepped out of the car, Tessa insisted on paying the driver double as promised. ¡°Take the money, sir. Thank you for going through the trouble so save me.¡± However, the driver refused to take the money, and he was sympathetic as he responded, ¡°I can¡¯t take the money, youngdy. I can tell you look like you have it rough in life. Now, go and get those wounds treated; I can only do so much to help you for now.¡± With that, he drove away before she could press the money into his hand. Tessa felt a surge of warmth as she watched the car disappear into the distance before she muttered under her breath, ¡°Thank you.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. She turned around and stared at the hospital building, then looked down at the abrasion on her arm. After hesitating for a second, she walked away from the hospital entrance. Going in there meant she had to spend money and she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Besides, her wounds weren¡¯t serious enough to warrant an overreaction; she could easily purchase ointments and such from any nearby pharmacies without tearing a hole through her wallet. There happened to be a pharmacy not too far away and it was still open for bus The pain made her grit her teeth as she braced through each step. When she finally limped through the doors of the pharmacy, she bought antiseptic and pain relief ointment before she staked out a bench near the roadside greenery. She stretched out her leg on the bench to proceed to tend to her wounds. As she did so, she thought about where she was going to stay for the night. She most definitely couldn¡¯t go home; knowing Lauren and Sophia, they would never allow to escape that easily, and going home would be the same as digging her own grave. Meanwhile, Nichs and Gregory were still waiting outside Tessa¡¯s apartment, but when she never showed up, they decided to leave in disappointment. On the way back, Gregory pressed against the car window and stared out at the scenery dejectedly, the light in his eyespletely gone. Their car drove past the bench where Tessa was seated a secondter. He was the first one to notice her sitting on the roadside bench. His eyes immediately sparkled as he shouted cheerily, ¡°It¡¯s Miss Pretty Lady! She¡¯s there! I saw her! Daddy, she¡¯s over there!¡± Nichs raised a brow in surprise and looked in the direction Gregory was pointing, then realized that it really was Tessa! At once, he ordered, ¡°Stop the car.¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 This is from N?velDrama.Org. The car screeched to an abrupt halt. Nichs immediately led Gregory out of the car and they headed toward Tessa, who seemed oblivious to their arrival as she focused on tending to her injuries. The cotton bud in her hand had been dipped in antiseptic solution. As she brushed it over her abrasion, . a low hiss of pain escaped her and she frowned to brace through the sting. Nichs happened to see this as he drew nearer to her and a worried frown etched itself on his chiseled face as he asked grimly, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gregory, on the other hand, was a little bundle of panic. He ran to Tessa and pressed urgently, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, why are you hurt?¡± Upon hearing their approaching voices, she looked up in a daze and finally noticed that, at some point, both father and son had materialized next to her. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± she asked in disbelief. Atst, he grinned and his eyes were bright as he exined, ¡°I wanted to see you, so Daddy brought me over to your ce. We waited and waited, but you never came home. We were on our way back when we ran into you here!¡± Then, his tion was quickly reced with worry. ¡°Why are you injured, Miss Pretty Lady, though? Does it hurt?¡± Tessa blinked slowly, then cast a brief look of askance at Nichs. Didn¡¯t I make myself clear thest time? she thought in bewilderment. Why is Nichs still letting Gregory keep in touch with me? Nheless, she maintained a gentle voice as she told the little one, ¡°I¡¯m fine. These wounds won¡¯t hurt me. Thank you for asking, Sweetheart.¡± Next to them was Nichs, who suddenly frowned, and his eyes darkened as he demanded icily, ¡°Who did this?¡± She looked at him, stunned that he was trying to get to the bottom of her injuries. Sparing him the details, she said vaguely, ¡°No one. I identally fell from the second floor, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s nothing big.¡± Nichs¡¯ eyes looked like ominous dark pools. How is it not a big deal that she fell from the second floor? That said, he could tell she wasn¡¯t in the mood to divulge more on this, so he allowed the matter to slide and coldly ask, ¡°There¡¯s a hospital right over there. Why don¡¯t you head in there for a proper check-up instead of sitting here tending to your wounds?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an abrasion; nothing¡¯s going to happen to me,¡± Tessa drawled nonchntly. ¡°Just an abrasion¡¯?¡± His voice turned somber as he pointed out, ¡°You¡¯re a violinist by profession. You of all people should know how important your hands are. If you¡¯re just going to decide that your wounds are ¡®no big deal¡¯, doctors would lose their jobs then!¡± She gaped at him, startled by his sudden concern. Also, why is he shouting at me? Then, the thought of all the things she had endured tonight, and coupled with her frustration of not having saved her brother from captivity, she couldn¡¯t very well be pleasant at the moment. As such, she retorted frigidly, ¡°I don¡¯t think you get a say in what I choose to do with myself, President Sawyer.¡± Nichs bridled at this, but thankfully, Gregory was clever enough to sense the tension brewing. He immediately rushed to mediate, saying, ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, Daddy¡¯s just worried about you. Please don¡¯t be mad.¡± Tessa retracted her hostile gaze, and it was only after she registered the pleading look on Gregory¡¯s face that she realized she had overreacted. With a deep breath, she quickly resumed her gentle demeanor and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not mad, Sweetheart. I¡¯m just¡­ feeling a little down at the moment.¡± Nichs scoffed when he heard this and said acerbically, ¡°Feeling down or not, you should at least have a medical professional tend to those wounds before you decide to snap at everyone!¡± With that, he marched up to her and grabbed her by the wrist so he could yank her off the bench. Tessa¡¯s ankle was already sprained as it was, and when he pulled her to her feet, she felt an acute stab of pain course through her. She inhaled a sharp breath as hot tears swam in her eyes. It took a while before she recovered from the mind-numbing pain, but just as she was about to snap at him for being so rough with her, she staggered. The next second, she fell forward, stiff and straight like a domino piece, onto him. Possessing lightning reflexes, Nichs reached out to catch her just in time and she found herself falling into his arms. She was so terrified that she would hit the ground face-first that she instinctively clutched the front of his shirt to steady herself. The both of them stood so closely together that they could hear each other¡¯s breathing, and in that moment, it was as if time stood still. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Nichs¡¯ breath hitched, the softness he was gripping firmly onto rendering him into a stupor. Meanwhile, it didn¡¯t take long for Tessa to burrow out of his arms. She straightened up, but that made the pain unbearable, so much so that it brought fresh tears to her eyes. She crouched down in hopes of soothing her protesting ankle, and as she breathed through the pain, she grumbled, ¡°Can¡¯t you just be a little less aggressive?¡± Nichs was about to retort when he suddenly looked down and noticed that her ankle was as swollen as fully-proofed bread dough. Seized with an inexplicable anger, he snapped irritably, ¡°Why are you being so stubborn when you¡¯re already this badly hurt? Are you nning on waiting for paralysis to set in before you¡¯re willing to go to the hospital?¡± She red at him and snapped mutinously, ¡°Be quiet if you don¡¯t want to be the first one to get paralyzed!¡± ¡°You-¡± Stumped by her sharp tongue, he found himself at a sudden loss for words. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. To the side, Edward watched the both of them bickering with wide eyes. He was sick of seeing women fawn over and throw themselves at Nichs and it was refreshing to see a woman argue with him for once. Not to mention, President Sawyer¡¯s anger seemed to have been borne out of worry. Could it be that he actually cares about Miss Reinhart? No, that can¡¯t be! Edward shook his head slightly to dismiss the thought, but the next moment, he watched with shock as Nichs carried Tessa into an embrace. As she was suddenly weightless, she gasped and began to struggle, shrieking, ¡°Let me go, Nichs! What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± He ignored her and there was a hard set to his jaw as he turned to say to Edward, ¡°Keep an eye on Greg.¡± Edward nodded hastily, and with Gregory¡¯s hand firmly sped in his own, he fell in step behind Nichs and the shrieking Tessa The few of them filed into the hospital, whereupon Nichs arranged for a doctor to tend to Tessa¡¯s wounds and run several tests on her. When all that was done, the doctor said dutifully, ¡°The youngdy here will be just fine, President Sawyer. Shended on the wrong note and sprained her ankle when she jumped from a high spot, but a couple of days¡¯ rest will have her looking as good as new. As for the abrasions on her arm, they¡¯ll fully heal if she regrly changes the dressing.¡± Tessa let out a sign of relief when she heard this, then glowered at Nichs as she grumbled, ¡°See, I told you I¡¯d be fine, but you just had to put your big foot in!¡± Nichs snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t actually want to put my foot anywhere. I¡¯m only doing this to stop Gregory from fussing over you.¡± She quirked her lips and pointed out sourly, ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t even spare you a thought if it weren¡¯t for Gregory.¡± Then, she nced over at the little boy, who had been holding her hand throughout the check-up and blowing on her wounds to soothe the pain. Hispassion was heartwarming, and whatever frustration she had been feeling earlier dissipated because of the little guy. She indulgently reached out and ruffled his hair before saying gently, ¡°I¡¯m fine now, Sweetheart. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ; Gregory, however, was obviously unhappy that she was hurt. There was sympathy in his doe-eyes as he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have tofort me, Miss Pretty Lady. I fell down before and it really hurt, so I know how much it hurts for you too. I¡¯m going to blow your wounds for you each time you apply the ointment. That way, it won¡¯t hurt so badly anymore.¡± She thought her heart might melt at that moment. Almost instinctively, she cupped his little face and kissed him lovingly on the forehead, murmuring, ¡°You¡¯re such a little angel, Sweetheart. I¡¯m so lucky to have met you.¡± Gregory pursed his lips and turned bright red from the unexpected kiss, although he was secretly happy about it. Then, he asked carefully, ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ll continue to teach me the violin, Miss Pretty Lady? I really like you, and I like ying the violin as well¡­¡± Tessa faltered, unsure how she should go about answering this. A part of her wanted to turn him down, and indeed, she had done just that not too long ago in no unclear words. However, for some reason, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say no to him now that he was looking up at her with wide, pleading eyes. As such, she was forced to look to Nichs for help, hoping he could interject and save her from having to break the little boy¡¯s heart. However, much to her dismay, the man chose now of all times to stop butting into her business. He had turned to face the other way, looking impassive as he pointedly ignored her silent plea for help. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Exasperation seized Tessa. Anytime now, Nichs! You like butting in so much, so why don¡¯t you say something now and articte your thoughts on this? Seeing as he wouldn¡¯te to her help, she had no choice but to make up an excuse. She looked at Gregory and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sweetheart, but I still have a ton of things to do back home, not to mention work¡¯s been piling up over at the orchestra. I won¡¯t be able to give you violin lessons anymore, but if you¡¯re still keen, there are plenty of other teachers out there who can do a much better job than me.¡± However, she had only just said this when his little head drooped low in disappointment, and with tears streaming down his little face, he mumbled sadly, ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to teach me, though; I want you¡­¡± It was heartbreaking to hear how hurt he sounded. At that moment, even Edward couldn¡¯t bear to see the child cry and he hurriedly interjected, ¡°Miss Reinhart, I have to inform you that Young Master Gregory refused to eat a single morsel of food today, and when he finally ate a few mouthfuls, he threw up thereafter. He can¡¯t even function without seeing you.¡± He paused and eyed Tessa imploringly. ¡°I¡¯m asking that you continue teaching him the violin out of your own kindness, Miss Reinhart. He¡¯s always kept his distance from strangers until he met you, and I¡¯ve never seen him being so insistent before. Can¡¯t youpromise for his sake? What else can he do to change your mind?¡± Tessa was shocked by this revtion. She could hardly believe that Gregory would go on a hunger strike because of her, and the thought of this caused her heart to twist. She was touched, and at the same time, heartbroken. She didn¡¯t think there was anyone else in this world who would care about her other than Timothy, but that was until this little one came into her life. She had never expected for someone as young as Gregory to be at his wits¡¯ end when he found out he wouldn¡¯t see her anymore to the point where he would go on a hunger strike because of it. Tessa realized that her heart could be made of the hardest stone and she would still cave in to the little one at that moment, but, even so, she gritted her teeth and fought against every fiber of her being. Then, she said, ¡°No.¡± Nichs¡¯ face turned grim. Edward, on the other hand, swallowed convulsively, and he wondered what could have prompted a woman to be so heartless in the face of a crying child. However, the men were caught off guard when Tessa suddenly added, ¡°Not right now, at least. How about if we start next week, Sweetheart? I still have a couple of things to work through these few days.¡± Gregory¡¯s glistening eyes brightened once more and he stared at her in disbelief as he asked softly, ¡°A Are you saying yes to teaching me again, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± She smiled and nodded gently. ¡°Yes, I am. How could I say no after seeing you cry so much, Sweetheart?¡± In all honesty, Tessa had been close to rejecting him earlier, but she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to say, those words aloud. She wasn¡¯t a heartless monster; it wasn¡¯t like she could say no after all the agony the little one had gone through. Presently, Gregory finally smiled through his tears after hearing her reply. He threw himself into her arms and hugged her around the waist. Then, in a voice as sweet and velvety as honey, he said, ¡°You¡¯re the best, Miss Pretty Lady! You¡¯re my favorite person in the whole world!¡± She smiled down at him, her gaze indulgent as she said, ¡°Well, I like you, too, Sweetheart.¡± That being said, she was more than prepared to take on the rest of the Sawyers if they were to stop her from teaching Gregory. She didn¡¯t want to let him down anymore. It was alreadyte by the time they came out of the hospital. Nichs was indifferent as he asked casually, ¡°Where are you headed, Miss Reinhart? Home?¡± Tessa felt her heart skip a beat. Shaking her head vehemently, she said, ¡°No, I can¡¯t go back!¡± ¡°Why?¡± He immediately sensed that something was off, and with a raised brow, he asked coolly, ¡°Did something happen?¡± She hesitated, then shook her head once. ¡°N-Not at all, but would you mind dropping me off at a motel? I¡¯ll be staying there for the night.¡± This prompted Gregory to chime in protest, ¡°No, motels aren¡¯t proper ces for you to stay, Miss Pretty Lady! Why don¡¯t you stay at my ce tonight?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tessa blinked at this and she grew even more hesitant. Meanwhile, it took Nichs only one look to know that she was torn by a dilemma. Coupled with her injuries earlier, he wagered that things were serious at her end, if notplicated. N?velDrama.Org content rights. With that in mind, he announced with an air of finality, ¡°Stay at my ce tonight. You¡¯re injured and you can¡¯t do much on your own, but luckily for you, our household staff could take care of you.¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Tessa chewed on her lower lip. Of course she didn¡¯t want to stay at Nichs¡¯ ce for the night. After all, that wasn¡¯t her home, but she had nowhere else to go or spend the night as things were. Atst, after a long debate with herself, she nodded and said, ¡°Very well, then. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble.¡± That night, she followed Nichs and Gregory to Dynasty Gardens. Gregory, in particr, was so happy with how his night had turned out that he did a little dance to celebrate. After his bath, he clung to Tessa like a baby ko and said, ¡°Can I sleep with you tonight, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She gave him a maternal smile and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll sleep in your room tonight then.¡± Nichs did not put a stop to this, which was surprising, but his lips curled unknowingly into a smile as he headed into his study to continue with work. At the same time, he had Edward look into whatever incident that culminated into Tessa¡¯s injury. She hadn¡¯t said much on this, but Nichs had a feeling that something had rattled her. Edward, on the other hand, did not press further as he set himself to work right away. However, he found himself wondering just what Nichs¡¯ intentions were for Tessa. Meanwhile, over at the Reinhart Residence, the bodyguards who had been dispatched to Pinnacle Residence to trap Tessa returned without sess, which irked Lauren to no end. She thought about how Tessa had threatened to call the police on them and a shudder went through her. Seized with a sudden ferocity, she knew she could no longer drag things out. If Tessa really did call the police on us, then that little brat Timothy will escape right under our noses! All the hard work we did will be for nothing! At the thought of this, Lauren immediately revealed her worries to Ss. Having heard her reasons, he agreed that time was something they could not afford, so they rose and left to see Timothy in the dead of the night. Timothy was presently being held captive at the old Reinhart Manor, which was heavily guarded by the bodyguards patrolling downstairs. It didn¡¯t take long for Ss and Lauren to arrive. They had only just stepped through the door when Ss scoffed and asked snidely, ¡°Have you considered our offer yet, you brat?¡± Timothy was sitting in the corner of the room with his eyes closed, but when he heard this, he let out a harsh bark ofughter. He didn¡¯t even want to dignify Ss with a response. At the sight of his defiance, Ss grew incensed and his voice took on a harder edge as he demanded, ¡°Watch your attitude, you punk!¡± Lauren, however, hurried to soothe him. ¡°Now, now, honey, why are you getting all riled up for? Leave this to me.¡± Then, she turned to re at Timothy as she drawled icily, ¡°Looks like you aren¡¯t too bothered about whether your sister lives or not, Timothy.¡± Timothy bristled at this, and his eyes flew open at once. He fixed a cold and baleful look on her as he asked through gritted teeth, ¡°Tessa? What did you do to her?!¡± Her chin tipped up at a haughty angle as she cackled. ¡°Oh, I guess there¡¯s something that gets under your skin, after all. I suppose I¡¯ll juste right out and tell you that after your dear sister discovered you were taken away, she came over to our house to look for you. Unfortunately, a petite girl like her was no match for any of my bodyguards, and now she¡¯s being kept under lock and key. She can scream herself hoarse and no one wille to her help!¡± ¡°You two are,¡± Timothy clenched his jaw, looking belligerent as he growled, ¡°You¡¯re despicable!¡± ¡°Despicable?¡± Lauren repeated in amusement, as if considering the word. ¡°Why, I suppose we are, but what are you going to do about it? I know you care deeply about your sister, Timothy, so I won¡¯t hurt her just yet. If you hand over that software of yours, then maybe I¡¯ll consider letting you go. If you don¡¯t¡­ I guess your sister will just have to be married off for our benefit.¡± She rubbed her temple as if the idea of this wore her out. ¡°Our family has a few elite acquaintances, and we know a few rich boy-types who would not hesitate to pay a handsome bridewealth if they find a gorgeousdy they want to marry. That alone would be ample money for us to live off of! So, I suggest you think this over carefully, Timothy. If you don¡¯t give us the software, then I¡¯ll simply pawn off your sister. The Reinharts are in an extremely precarious position right now, and I¡¯m desperate enough to do anything!¡± Thest part of her speech came off as a vicious threat and Timothy could tell she meant it. A loud, maniacal roar escaped him as he shouted, ¡°You evil witch, Lauren! If you so much asy a hand on Tess, I will rip you all to shreds!¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Chapter 72 After yelling, he rushed forward in anger, as if he wanted to fight with his life. However, the bodyguard instantly came forward and fiercely pushed Timothy to the ground. Suppressed by him, Timothy frantically yelled, ¡°Let go of me! Let go!¡± As if looking at a clown, Lauren sneered, ¡°How we act depends on what your decision is. Tonight, we came here on purpose to inform you that by 8:00AM tomorrow morning, we must have the answer; otherwise, you will never get your sister back!¡± Timothy was so furious that his wrath skyrocketed and he was almost hysterical with rage. Suddenly, he red at Ss and bellowed, ¡°Ss, is this your intention?¡± Ss opened his mouth, but he didn¡¯t deny it. Thus, Timothy let out a bone-chilling sneer. ¡°Good, you¡¯re really a good father! You¡¯re giving your daughter up for fame and threatening your own son!¡± Being spoken to like that made him inevitably feel a little ufortable, but for the sake of his individual interest, he remained silent. Timothy¡¯s eyes shed with a strong hatred; he hated this father of his who gave him life but never took responsibility. In Timothy¡¯s eyes, such a person who gave birth to children but did not care to raise them and even used them as bargaining chips was simply worse than an animal! I hate him!! hate him to the bone! Under Timothy¡¯s re, Ss felt guilt rising in him, so he hurriedly left with Lauren. The next day, Tessa ate breakfast early in the morning and immediately called the Reinhart Family to ask them angrily, ¡°Lauren, are you going to let him go or not?¡± At this point, it was already 7:30AM. It was still half an hour before the 8:00AM appointment with Timothy, so naturally, Lauren could not release him. Laurenughed aloud on the other side of the phone and spoke in a reckless tone. ¡°Tessa, do you want to report to the police? It¡¯s not 24 hours since Timothy has disappeared, so you don¡¯t have enough time to actually file a case. Do you think the police will care about it?¡± After speaking boldly, she hung up the phone. Tessa was extremely exasperated. Of course she knew that the police would not open a case if people had gone missing for less than 24 hours. However, she couldn¡¯t wait any longer! She immediately went out, ready to head to the police station to report the case. Before leaving, Gregory pulled the corner of Tessa¡¯s shirt and said in a reluctant manner, ¡°Will you stille over at night, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. She leaned over and lovingly stroked the boy¡¯s head, softly saying, ¡°I am not sure, but if I doe, I will call you in advance.¡± He nodded, his two dark and round eyes like grapes. Then, he asked again, ¡°So, does what you said yesterday still count? Will youe back to teach me?¡± Tessa smiled warmly. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t worry, Sweetheart. I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± The little boy nodded, looking much more at ease, and only then did he allow her to leave. Coincidentally, at this time, Nichs happened to leave the house too. The morning sunlight fell on his tall figure as he came out of the house, shrouding him in a dazzling halo of light. As he came to the door, he had arrived just in time to see Tessa also going out, so he casually asked, ¡°Miss Reinhart, where are you going? Let me give you a ride.¡± Tessa did not want to trouble Nichs, so she quickly refused. ¡°Thank you, President Sawyer, but there is no need.¡± With that, she turned around and went to the road to hail a cab by herself, and soon disappeared from sight. Seeing that, he furrowed his brows. However, he did not care too much and soon, his slender but imposing figure entered the waiting vehicle. After getting into the car, Edward reported the situation to him, ¡°President, I found out about the situationst night.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Nichs spoke icily without raising his head. Edward exined, ¡°President Sawyer, ording to my investigation, Miss Reinhart¡¯s brother, Timothy, seemed to be in school yesterday, but was taken away by people from the Reinhart Family. Miss Reinhart was not at homest night because she went to them to bring him back, but not only did she not get her brother back, but she was also injured.¡± Hearing this, Nichs suddenly turned cold and stern. ¡°Why does the Reinhart Family want to take Timothy captive? I thought the siblings have severed all ties with them?¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Edward nodded and continued, ¡°President Sawyer, ording to previous investigations, this is indeed the case, but the Reinhart Family took Timothy captive for a reason this time.¡± The topic finally came to the most important part. He looked inexplicably grave as he continued, ¡°From my sources, Timothy and his ssmate have recently developed a high-end artificial intelligence software. The software¡¯s concept is state-of-the-art and unprecedented on the market, so its value is high. These years, the Reinhart Family¡¯spany has been going downhill and in danger of going bankrupt. Hence, they urgently need a product to resolve the current dilemma. Coincidentally, they are interested in Timothy¡¯s software. Unfortunately, Timothy does not want to cooperate with them and has repeatedly refused them. Nevertheless, the Reinhart Family continued to pester him without giving up. At first, they did not know that the software was designed by Timothy, so they did not do anything to him. They somehow learnedter that Timothy was the developer of the design of this software, though. Since they were eager to grab it to boost their own interests, they decided to employ the use of violence and took him captive.¡± Having said that, he let out a deep sigh. ¡°President, I would say that the Reinhart siblings are really unlucky. They actually have a father who is so irresponsible and who even uses his own children for his own benefit! It¡¯s ridiculous!¡± After listening to the story, Nichs¡¯ expression was stiff and his brows were unconsciously tightened. He recalled how Tessa had hurried out earlier¡­ Could it be that this woman is going to get Timothy back by herself again? Although this woman appeared meek on the surface, she was actually stubborn. Clearly, since she still couldn¡¯t get her brother back home, she refused to give up and went back there early in the morning. Suddenly, Nichs coldly ordered, ¡°Drive faster and follow Tessa. I want to see what she really is going to do.¡± When Edward heard this, he was slightly startled. ¡°President, forgive me for saying this, but are you not a little too concerned about Miss Reinhart?¡± Too concerned? As Edward finished his words, Nichs red at him from the rearview mirror. ¡°She will continue to teach Greg, so I just hope that there will be less unnecessary trouble. In addition, I am very interested in the artificial intelligence software that Timothy developed. If we can get this and sign the contract smoothly, it will be of great help to thepany.¡± Hearing this, he suddenly realized Nichs¡¯ intentions. So, he immediately stepped on the gas and caught up with Tessa. A few minutester, she alighted from the cab at the police station and ran straight in to report the case. ¡°Officer, my brother has been kidnapped. I want to report a crime!¡± she shouted loudly. Once the police heard that it was a kidnapping case, they hurriedly went up and asked about the situation, including the identity of the kidnapper and any possible feuds. Tessa told them the truth, but after the police officer listened to it, he frowned and apologized, ¡°Sorry, Miss Reinhart. There is no way to file a case for adults who have gone missing for less than 24 hours. Besides, how do you know it must be a kidnapping? Maybe it¡¯s just a family dispute. I suggest that you handle it privately.¡± When she heard this, she became anxious. ¡°No, Officer. This is not a family dispute; this is a kidnapping!¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Her tone was urgent as she added, ¡°You may not understand the situation well yet. My brother¡¯s legs are weak and my stepmother took him away with bad intentions! Now, my brother is imprisoned and I don¡¯t know what bad things he is experiencing. Officer, please help me!¡± Tessa pleaded out of desperation. Unfortunately, the police officer still shook his head and said sternly, ¡°Miss Reinhart, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but thew is thew. If you want to report a case, you must wait for your brother to disappear for 24 hours before we can ept the case. However, I¡¯ll make a note about the information you gave first. If your brother has not returned 24 hourster, we will certainly send someone tomunicate with the other party.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 So, it was still a lost case. This made Tessa extremely difficult to ept in her heart. In the blink of an eye, the time was now 8:00AM. After Timothy thought about it the whole night, he finally made a decision. When Lauren came, he spoke in a cold voice. ¡°If you want the software in my hands, I can give it to you, but I have two conditions. First, you have to release my sister and make sure she is safe and sound. Second, you have to give me 10 million. This software is the result of joint research and development between me and my friend, so I have to give him his due.¡± When she heard these demands, it was as if she was listening to a joke. She sneered, ¡°Timothy, why do you think you are qualified to state to us your conditions? Let me tell you, the only choice you have now is to give us the software you have for free, and I will let you and your sister go. It¡¯s that simple!¡± She was implying that they didn¡¯t want to pay anything in exchange for the product without any due compensation! At this, his eyes glowed with rage. They must be dreaming! However, Timothy was not na?ve. He knew well what the Reinhart Family¡¯s situation was like now, so even if Lauren really wanted to marry his sister off, there might not be someone willing to pay a high price for the bride, in which Lauren might not be able to get what she wanted. It was something that Timony had realized after thinking about it for the whole night. Thus, he sneered with a cold face. ¡°Lauren, do you think you can threaten me with this?¡± Lauren¡¯s pupils contracted; she gritted out between her teeth, ¡°You little brat, what do you mean?¡± Looking indifferent, he rebuked, ¡°I mean, if you do not do as I say, then we shall just tear each other apart without a deal. Anyway, if my sister is harmed in any way, I¡¯ll drag the Reinhart Family down with us! Let¡¯s see whether the Reinhart Family can afford being struck!¡± ¡°Y-You brat! How dare you!¡± Her throat tightened as her voice trembled with anger. She knew that Tessa was stubborn, but she did not expect that Timothy also had a tough attitude. She originally nned to grab Tessa and thereafter use her to intimidate Timothy to force him to behave, but Tessa had actually escaped! In this way, all of Lauren¡¯s threats would not work on him. Lauren was so angry that her breathing hitched. Gritting her teeth again, she glowered at Timothy with hatred. It seems that we have to use more force on these two to get what we want! However, just as she was about to do something, Ss suddenly spoke from the side, ¡°I will give 1 million, but no more.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Saying that, he handed the phone directly to Timothy, then ordered, ¡°Call your ssmate now and have him send that software over. Otherwise, I will send your sister to the Linus Corporation.¡± Linus Corporation? Timothy had never heard of the name, but his intuition told him that the Linus Corporation was definitely not a good ce to go to. ¡°Hah.¡± As he was pondering, Sophia suddenlyughed at the side. She looked at Timothy disdainfully and gloated, ¡°The young master of Linus Corporation is of an excellent husband material. It is said that he has married two women before. One of them was forced tomit suicide because she couldn¡¯t stand domestic violence whereas other one disappeared without a trace overnight and her whereabouts are still unknown. Tsk, my sister will be very ¡®happy¡¯ if she can marry him.¡± Hearing this, he felt his blood surge with fury whereupon he roared in rage, ¡°Ss, how dare you!¡± Ss narrowed his eyes contemptuously. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? Brat, if you don¡¯t want me to mess with your sister, immediately call your ssmate. I want to see whether you think money is more important than your sister!¡± Timothy clenched his teeth in outrage, the sarcasm in his eyes iparably deep. ¡°Ss, do you think everyone is as cold blooded as you and only care about money? You b*stard! You will never meet a good end!¡± After saying that, he grabbed his phone and called Henry. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 On the other end of the phone, when Henry heard that Timothy wanted him to bring hisputer, he didn¡¯t even think about it and quickly agreed. After that, they hung up. Upon seeing that Timothy finally caved in, Lauren, whose face was still twisted with anger, now looked smug. She raised her chin as the corners of her mouth curved up into a sneer. ¡°Now, wasn¡¯t that easy? You have to be aware of who you are. You¡¯re just a b*stard without a mother. Thus, you¡¯re not qualified to fight us.¡± Resentment boiled deep within his heart, but he did not say a word. All he did was clench his fists so hard that his knuckles became white! In the blink of an eye, half an hour passed and Henry had finally arrived. While entering the door, he saw at a nce that Timothy was with Ss, and he could not help but be surprised. ¡°Timothy, what¡¯s going on?¡± Henry took a few steps forward in uncertainty. Timothy looked at Henry, his eyes full of guilt before exining why he told Henry toe. ¡°What?¡± After hearing the exnation, Henry was shocked for a long time. He had never thought that Timothy and Ss were actually father and son. Moreover, there was such a deep conflict between the two! Immediately, Henry clenched his teeth and became resentful. He was angry, not because the software could only be sold for 1 million in the end, but because Ss had actually treated his own son like trash! He could even use his own son to gain benefits! Is he even human? Henry immediately opened his mouth, his voice as cold as winter. ¡°Mr. Reinhart, you are a true businessman. How ruthless you are to scheme against your own son! You¡¯re not worthy of being a father! Moreover, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve forgotten that it wasn¡¯t only Timothy who developed this software. I also participated in its development, so I also have the right to make decisions. I won¡¯t sell this software to you, so it is useless even if you threaten Timothy.¡± With that, he took theputer and turned around to leave. When Lauren saw that, her eyes instantly darkened! How dare this boy leave after he hase? Dream on! She suddenly shouted in wrath, ¡°Stop right there! It¡¯s either you leave the software here today, or you cannot leave! Guards, grab him for me!¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. The bodyguards swarmed forward and blocked Henry¡¯s path. A frowning Henry suddenly sneered. ¡°What, are you going to force me to give it to you? You businessmen are really despicable nowadays, but let me warn you first that I am not rted to you. If you use force on me, it¡¯s equivalent to robbing me and this is against thew! Try me if you dare!¡± Everyone felt stunned upon hearing this! As for Ss, he was really frustrated. He had never imagined that this problem would ur right after he managed to force Timothy to agree to sell the software. Moreover, what Henry said was true. It didn¡¯t matter if Ss had forced his own son, but it was against thew to coerce others. After thinking about it, he suddenly rxed his tone a little and said, ¡°Then, how about this, Mr. Tompkins? I can give you 5 million as originally agreed. You just need to leave this software here with us and both of you can leave in peace.¡± Nevertheless, Henry sneered and responded, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not selling it for 5 million. I already said I want 20 million for it.¡± When these words came out, everyone in the whole room was stunned. Timothy was taken aback too, but soon realized that Henry was trying to obtain justice for him. Thus, his heart could not help but feel a little warm. As for Lauren, she was livid. How could anyone defy her? Greed and menace intertwined in her gaze as she clenched her teeth and suddenly shouted, ¡°Stop talking nonsense! I have no time to discuss with you. I won¡¯t give you 2 million, let alone 20 million! You have to give us the software today no matter what! Guards, grab hisputer for me!¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Chapter 76 The bodyguards immediately swarmed forward and reached out to snatch theputer from Henry¡¯s hands. Of course, Henry refused to give in and protected theputer at all costs while struggling hard. Then, he said, ¡°How dare you! This is my stuff! How dare you try to grab it from me by force!¡± However, he was no match for the bodyguards, who were all well-practiced, and after three or two blows, they easily knocked him to the ground. Henry fell down on all fours and hisputer was taken away from him. After that, the bodyguards brought theputer to Ss and Lauren. An ted Lauren said, ¡°Open it for me and remove the software!¡± Theputer was quickly turned on, but after that, the screen was set with an advanced fingerprint password, which required fingerprints to unlock. What the hell! Her happiness dimmed as she instantly became furious and ordered, ¡°Bring that brat over and use his fingerprints to unlock theputer.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The bodyguard immediately stepped forward and dragged Henry over. Then, he forced Henry¡¯s hand on theputer to unlock it. At this point, Timothy shook with rage. Who would have thought that the venomous Lauren would be so insane as to go this far? He originally wanted to have his friende over to resolve the issue, but e had caused his friend to be brutally treated like this. He could not help but feel so angry that his face turned purple. Feeling wrath skyrocketing in his chest, he screamed, ¡°You guys let go of him!¡± All of a sudden, he recklessly rushed toward the bodyguards like a fierce beast, trying to drag Henry out of trouble. However, Ss was unwilling to release Henry and strode forward at once to push Timothy aside. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t get in the way! Get lost!¡± Since Timothy¡¯s legs were weak, Ss¡¯ push caused his body to uncontrobly fall backward. He fell directly to the ground, his head severely smashing against the corner of the table next to him, sending pain shooting through his head. Timothy¡¯s expression contorted with pain, and all of a sudden, a stream of warm blood flowed from his forehead. ¡°Timothy, Timothy!¡± Upon seeing this, Henry was terrified and he desperately tried to break free from the bodyguard¡¯s grip to rush over to Timothy. Unfortunately, Lauren would not give him a chance to escape and she bellowed angrily with fury, ¡°Hold him down! Today, I must make him unlock theputer!¡± The several bodyguards had to exert more force to grab Henry, not letting him move. In an instant, chaos ensued. Timothy wiped the blood from his forehead as it profusely flowed while Henry struggled hysterically like a maniac. As for her, her expression was even more hideous than a mad woman while Ss was entirely dumbfounded. At this moment, the main door was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang, after which a group of police officers aggressively rushed in. ¡°Do not move!¡± Almost all the people inside the house were astonished at the sight. Then, they saw several police officers entering with their guns raised. One of them spoke coldly, ¡°Lauren and Ss Reinhart, you are hereby suspected of kidnapping Timothy Reinhart. Please immediately give yourself up and cooperate with us!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Ss and Lauren were so shocked that they didn¡¯t dare to move while the bodyguards were so frightened that they froze. Henry, who now regained his freedom, immediately rushed over and held Timothy. ¡°Timothy, how are you? Is everything okay?¡± At the same time, Tessa rushed in from outside! Obviously, these police officers hade under her insistence. While she was at the police station, the police had initially refused to help her to file a report and she was so desperate that she didn¡¯t know what to do next. However, at such a critical moment, Nichs appeared like an angel from heaven to pull her out of the dark abyss. After Nichs talked to the police, they immediately rushed over to the Reinhart Residence, where they of course failed to locate the person. The housekeeper finally cracked under the pressure of the police¡¯s questioning and told Tessa that Timothy was being locked up here. It was after hearing those words that Tessa hurried over. Unexpectedly, when she entered the door, she saw her brother¡¯s bloodied face. ¡°Timothy!¡± She was so terrified that her face was drained of blood and she rushed over toward him. As she held her brother, she called out, ¡°Timothy, what happened to you? Why is there blood all over you?¡± Timothy¡¯s face was now pallid and his lips were devoid of color. However, once he saw Tessa, he immediately regained some life in him and asked worriedly, ¡°Tessa, are you okay? Did they do anything to you? Did they hurt you?¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Even though Tessa didn¡¯t understand Timothy, she still said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. They didn¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Timothy was relieved to hear that, and then he realized that he had fallen for Lauren¡¯s schemes! What a scheming fox Lauren is; I almost fell for it! Fortunately, Tessa arrived in time. Feeling reassured, Timothy slightly smiled and tried tofort his sister. ¡°Tessa, I¡¯m fine. Do not worry.¡± When Tessa heard this, her heart felt like breaking. How can I not worry? She gently asked Henry, ¡°You should be Timothy¡¯s ssmate, right? Help me watch over Timothy, okay?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Henry nodded at once. Thereafter, Tessa stood up, brimming with anger. Her eyes were scarlet with rage as coldness emanated from her. ¡°Who pushed him?¡± she demanded in all seriousness. Ss trembled, but he avoided looking at her because of guilt. Immediately, she stared him down. ¡°Was it you?¡± At this time, Lauren felt anger rising in her chest, and she could not help but shout, ¡°Tessa, what kind of a daughter are you? How dare you talk to your father like that and even dare to call the police here? Are you nuts?¡± Tessa red at her coldly, and suddenly, she pped Lauren across the face. Then, she clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth, saying, ¡°You b*tch! Yes, I must have been nuts to think you all would be nice to Timothy because he¡¯s rted to this family by blood! Now it seems that I really underestimated your hardheartedness! I¡¯m telling you, Lauren, you have a wicked heart! I won¡¯t let this matter go just like that.¡± After saying that, Tessa turned her head to look at the police and solemnly said, ¡°Officer, they are the ones who kidnapped my brother. Please arrest them immediately.¡± Hearing that, the police were about to go forward, causing Ss and Lauren to panic on the spot. For a moment, Lauren forgot that she was pped and hurriedly exined, ¡°Officer, you have misunderstood! These are just some family matters. In fact, it is just a family conflict, so how can you use us of kidnapping Timothy? Officer, you must not listen to this girl¡¯s nonsense!¡± Ss also spoke anxiously. ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s just a conflict in our own family. Besides, I am their biological father, and the reason why I brought my son here is just to talk to him about some things. We wanted to discuss some personal matters, and it is totally not some kind of kidnapping going on.¡± He fumbled for a pack of cigarettes in his pocket, then handed them over to the police one by one, smiling fawningly. ¡°Sorry for causing you all to make a trip here for nothing. I hope you don¡¯t mind. Anyway, there will be conflict in every family. Later, when we are done with our family issues, we will definitely go and personally invite all of you to dinner.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Unexpectedly, the police officers coldly red at him. ¡°Mr. Reinhart, what do you mean by that? We are here to do business, not to take bribes from you!¡± Ss¡¯s face suddenly stiffened, and he hastily exined with a smile, ¡°No, Officer. How can this be considered a bribe? It¡¯s just that there was some misunderstanding, and I want to make it easy for you.¡± Snorting, the police officer replied seriously, ¡°Misunderstanding? But ording to our investigation, this is not a misunderstanding. You did forcefully kidnap the boy from the school entrance without his consent, and we have gotten confirmation from the school entrance surveince cameras too. In addition, your so-called bodyguards were pinning this other young man down, and we also saw it with our eyes. As for Timothy, his head is still bleeding even at this moment. How can any of this be fake? Hence, you are not only suspected of kidnapping but also battery! This matter cannot be exined away by mere family conflict!¡± The police officer¡¯s icy words made Lauren and Ss¡¯s expressions change significantly. For a moment, they realized there was no way around for them to argue about this! The police officer¡¯s tone was stern and non-negotiable as he continued, ¡°Okay, no more talking. You twoe with us to the police station!¡± Then, the officers came up to take them away. Obviously, Ss was deeply reluctant to go with them. In a state of panic, he no longer cared about anything and suddenly said in a loud voice, ¡°No, Officer! You really misunderstood! I am the chairman of the Reinhart Group, and I usually have a good reputation. How would I even do things that are against thew? Officer, please be more amodating!¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Lauren was even more rmed as she quickly begged for mercy. ¡°Yes, yes, Officer, this must be a misunderstanding!¡± However, the police officer still had a strict attitude. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not it is a misunderstanding. Juste with us to the station. We¡¯ll find out the truth through the investigation.¡± His attitude clearly implied that there was no negotiation allowed. Ss felt chagrin in his heart. He never thought that the police would be so upromising, so he was a bit exasperated. Then he suddenly thought about how everything was because of Tessa, immediately turning his head to re at her. ¡°Tessa, you dimn girl! You¡¯re really something now, aren¡¯t you?! Not only did you not help when something happened at home, but you even called the police to arrest your own father. You! You animal! You¡¯re simply traitorous!¡± Hearing this, Tessa sharply red back at him. Sheughed coldly and replied, ¡°Mr. Reinhart, don¡¯t you feel guilty when you say this? Do you still remember how my brother and I were kicked out of the house by you many years ago, Mr. Reinhart? At that time, I begged you to save my brother¡¯s life, but you didn¡¯t care, and now you are trying to use me of being the traitor of the family? I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re even better at that than I am! And as far as acting like an animal is concerned, you seem to be better at that than me too, right? You didn¡¯t care about my brother¡¯s life in the first ce, but now that you see he is of use, you hurriedly try to acknowledge him as one of you. I think you are the only one who could be shameless enough to kidnap your own son! Honestly, even if you are not ashamed about it, I¡¯m freaking ashamed of you!¡± ¡°You!¡± Upon hearing this, Ss was so furious he almost exploded. ¡°Tessa, I dare you to say it again!¡± Tessa¡¯s eyebrows gradually tightened in ruthlessness. ¡°What if I do? Everyone can see what kind of person you really are! Besides, let me warn you, if this kind of thing happens again, I will never let you go! Let¡¯s go!¡± After saying that, she leaned down and picked up Timothy, ready to send her brother to the hospital. The police also came forward without saying anything and wanted to take Ss and Lauren away. Ss looked flustered as he thought that he was the chairman of the Reinhart Group after all. If word got out that I was brought to the police station today, what would outsiders think? Thinking of this, he immediately shouted loudly and angrily, ¡°Tessa, stop right there! Are you sure you want to do this to me? I am your father! If you treat me like this, aren¡¯t you afraid of karma?¡± When Tessa heard the words, she paused and turned back, smiling sarcastically. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll suffer karma, but at least I know that it¡¯s time for you to be punished for all the terrible things you have done in the past now! Enjoy it; it¡¯s all your own doing!¡± After saying that, she picked up her brother and left without looking back. No matter how much Ss and Lauren shouted behind her, she no longer paid any attention. These idiots! Would they do what they did if they knew they would face this today? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Soon, all the people walked out of the house. At this time, the luxurious dark gray Rolls-Royce was still waiting at the roadside. After hesitating for a while, Tessa slowly walked over with her brother and gently knocked on the car window. The car window slid down, revealing Nichs¡¯s impable face and powerful aura. Biting her lip subconsciously, Tessa felt some apprehension but still asked, ¡°President Sawyer, it¡¯s hard to hail a cab in this neighborhood, so will you please send us to the hospital?¡± Nichs raised his indifferent gaze and nced at Timothy¡¯s blood-stained forehead, then let them in without saying a word. At this time, Henry also followed along. He was still clutching theptop in his hands, and there were bruises on him. Thus, he went to the hospital together with the others. On the other hand, Ss and Lauren were also escorted to the police car without pity. Sophia had never seen this scene before, so she felt terrified in her heart. She hurriedly caught up with them, calling out desperately, ¡°Dad, Mom!¡± ¡°Sophia!¡± Lauren¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears. Ss, on the other hand, was calmer. Before he left, he made sure to tell her daughter what to do next. ¡°Sophia, it¡¯s okay. Talk to Mr. Fisher, ourpany¡¯swyer, and have him help bail me out. Do you hear?¡± Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 ¡°Mm-hmm, I will!¡± Sophia was reduced to tears, but she could only watch Ss and Lauren being sent away in the police car. After Tessa sent her brother to the hospital, she immediately had him undergo medical examinations and had his wounds bandaged. Fortunately, other than suffering some superficial wounds, there was nothing serious about Timothy¡¯s injuries, and Tessa could not help but breathe a sigh of relief when she heard that, feeling much more relieved in her heart. After her brother got the wounds treated, they all left the hospital. At this time, Tessa unexpectedly saw that Nichs had not left yet and was still waiting outside. Thinking about what had happened today, she bit her lip and immediately went forward to thank Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer, thank you so much for today. If it weren¡¯t for your help, my brother might still be locked up right now.¡± She was really grateful to him from the bottom of her heart this time. After all, if he hadn¡¯t been there, she really wouldn¡¯t have been able to guarantee that she could get her brother out by herself alone. Nichs¡¯s expression was as usual, without the slightest ripple. He said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. As long as you¡¯re all fine.¡± As they were talking, Henry happened toe out with Timothy. Seeing his sister talking with a man, Timothy was slightly surprised, so he went close. ¡°Who is this, Tessa?¡± Smiling, Tessa quickly introduced, ¡°Timothy, this is President Nichs Sawyer of the Sawyer Group.¡± Once Timothy and Henry heard who this man was, they were both stunned, especially Henry, who immediately snapped into a proper posture. It was widely known that the Sawyers were the top family in the country and that the president of the Sawyer Group was a legendary figure. Both of them didn¡¯t expect Tessa to know this man. However, Tessa did not notice anything and continued to smile. ¡°Timothy, in fact, I was only able to bring the police over thanks to the help of President Sawyer. Without him, I really may not be able to save you.¡± Upon hearing that, Timothy quickly came back to his senses, then politely bowed. ¡°Thank you, President Sawyer.¡± Nichs still looked indifferent; he simply said in an icy voice, ¡°No need to thank me. It¡¯s not a big issue. Since you¡¯re fine, I will leave first.¡± Tessa nodded slightly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Greg. I will go over to teach him.¡± Hearing this, Nichs looked at her deeply for a moment, then nodded and was about to leave. Unexpectedly, before he could step away, Timothy suddenly shouted after him, ¡°President Sawyer, please stay for a minute!¡± Stopping, Nichs slightly raised an eyebrow and looked back in confusion. ¡°Is there something else?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Timothy¡¯s heart was pounding, and his breathing was a little quick. He subconsciously gulped and finally gathered the courage to ask, ¡°President Sawyer, are you free? May I take up some of your time? have some business matters that I want to talk to you about.¡± On hearing that, Tessa and Henry were startled. Thetter naturally knew what Timothy wanted to do, and all of a sudden, he too got a little excited, and his gaze also shone. Nichs¡¯s deep eyes were slightly averted, but he was a tad surprised. Originally, he was nning to find an opportunity to talk about this, but he did not expect the other party to take the initiative to approach him. However, Nichs was not impatient. His ck eyes swept across Timothy, and seeing the bandage around his head, he could not help but ask in a light voice, ¡°Will you be fine? ¡°I¡¯m f-¡± Timothy wanted to say he was fine, but after talking for some time, he felt a little dizzy and stumbled backward suddenly. When Nichs saw this, he said withou ¡°There is no hurry. Since you are not feeling well, go back to rest first, and we can set another time to discuss work-rted matters.¡± Hearing this, Timothy had no choice but to nod. ¡°Okay, then have a nice day, President Sawyer.¡± No longer hesitating, Nichs turned around and quickly left. After the Rolls-Royce drove away, Tessa breathed a sigh of relief. Turning her head, she asked in a slightly puzzled tone, ¡°Timothy, is the work rted matter you guys discussed just now about the software you developed?¡± Timothy replied, ¡°Yes. I developed a piece of software with Henry, and it was also the reason Ss came for me.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 ¡°I see.¡± Tessa nodded, then added, ¡°No matter what, you¡¯d better get well first. Let¡¯s talk about the rest later.¡± Timothy nodded docilely. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Tessa.¡± Tessa smiled happily but felt a little worried in her heart, so she added, ¡°But Timothy, you should not go home these days. Go and live on campus for a while, where it is safer.¡± Timothy understood she was worried about the Reinhart Family going to their house to look for trouble, so he naturally nodded in agreement. Then, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Then where would you live?¡± Startled, Tessa realized she had forgotten to consider where she would stay at night. It seemed to be a difficult problem. However, she thought that things would naturally fall into ce, and so she gently smiled while reassuring her brother. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will find a ce to stay.¡± Although Timothy was not at ease, there was no other way, so he nodded. On the side, Henry was a little confused, so he asked, ¡°Tessa, are you worried about that family looking for you again? But haven¡¯t they all been arrested already?¡± Tessa smiled bitterly. ¡°What¡¯s the use of being arrested? They will be released sooner orter. It¡¯s just a matter of time. The danger from the Reinhart Family still exists, and considering what they are like, they will never let us go now that they were harmed by us.¡± Hearing this, Henry could not help but fall silent, sighing quietly inside. Timothy and Tessa are really unlucky to have such a horrible father! T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Of course, Henry did not dare to say this aloud. After all, it was akin to rubbing salt on their wounds, so he simply just kept it in his heart. Then, Tessa thought of something and asked gently, ¡°Henry, may I ask you for a favor?¡± ¡°Yeah. Tell me.¡± Henry nodded. Smiling, Tessa then said, ¡°Actually, it is not a big deal. I just want to ask you to help take care of Timothy because he is physically weak. Now that he is injured, I feel uneasy letting him stay on campus. So, I hope you can help him with things. As for today¡¯s incident, I¡¯m really sorry to involve you in it and cause you to be injured.¡± When Henry heard this, he smiled brightly. ¡°Tessa, you are too polite. I am Timothy¡¯s good friend, and I have thick skin, so they did not hurt me at all.¡± Tessa smiled even wider as she praised, ¡°You are courageous and righteous. Timothy is lucky to meet a good friend like you. Anyway, thanks a lot.¡± Faced with thepliments, Henry felt a little embarrassed and blushed without saying another word. Soon, they arrived at the campus. Before the two got out of the car, Tessa continued to remind her brother, saying, ¡°Timothy, if anything happens on campus, remember to call me. Take good care of yourself.¡± Timothy nodded obediently, then smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tessa. I will take care of myself. You take care of yourself too.¡± Satisfied with the answer, she said no more. After that, she watched the two enter the gates before leaving and heading to Dynasty Gardens. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady is back!¡± When Tessa entered the door, Gregory did not expect her toe back so soon and was surprised. His unhappy little face lit up, and he immediately rushed over with his short legs before he hugged Tessa¡¯s leg. Likewise, she also smiled warmly. Squatting down, she lovingly rubbed the little boy¡¯s head and asked, ¡°When I was not at home, what did you do?¡± Gregory sprang up and said, ¡°I was with Grandma!¡± At that, Tessa was stunned, and when she looked up, she saw Stefania. Stefania was now sitting on the sofa quietly, her expression somewhat serious and her gazeplicated when she looked at Tessa. When Gregory had food poisoning, she med Tessa at the first instance, causing the atmosphere to be very awkward. Unexpectedly, in the end, she had wronged someone innocent. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 In the end, the person who had harmed Gregory turned out to be Stefania¡¯s most trusted best friend Yana! When Stefania thought of this, her heart surged with rage. Last night, when she returned to her residence, she was full of anger and suspicion. She couldn¡¯t believe that Yana would actually do something to hurt Gregory. However, the evidence provided by Nichs was still with her, which was so strong that she had to believe it. Thus, after arriving home, Stefania went to find Yana first, but she happened to meet the latter, rummaging through her room¡¯s contents and looking for something. Stefania¡¯s face immediately sank, but on the surface, she still asked, without giving her emotions away, ¡°Yana, what have you lost? Do you want me to help you find it together?¡± Startled by the unexpected questions, Yana turned around to see Stefania there, so she hastily said, ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need. It¡¯s just a cosmetic ring. It should have rolled under the bed, so I¡¯ll get it outter.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The disappointment in Stefania¡¯s heart intensified, after which she said, ¡°In that case, then let the maidse and help you find it. You are not well. What if you identally faint? By the way, you keep saying you have a headache. Have you taken your medicine?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As soon as she mentioned medicine, Yana felt a chill run down her spine. In a guilty voice, she hurriedly said with a smile, ¡°Yes, I have taken it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Stefania¡¯s tone was somber, and her eyes darkened a little. ¡°It just so happens that I also have a bit of a headache recently. Why don¡¯t you also give me a pill? It¡¯ll make me feel better.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work!¡± Yana was so frightened that she blurted out. Stefania¡¯s gaze became deeper. ¡°Why not?¡± Yana hurriedly tried to calm down and changed her tone. ¡°Oh, I suppose it will work, but that medicine is a newly developed drug from overseas. I have stayed abroad for a long time, so it¡¯s fine for me to take it, but I¡¯m worried that it may not be very suitable for you. Moreover, I¡¯ve just finished the bottle.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Stefania¡¯s face suddenly turned cold. Then, she said in an icy voice, ¡°Have you finished the medicine or actually lost it? Are you looking for this bottle?¡± After the question, Stefania unhurriedly took out the bottle, and upon seeing it, Yana felt her gaze contract. Her face instantly changed dramatically. In fact, her expression looked as bad as if she had eaten dirt! Stefania¡¯s gaze was dark while she coldlyughed. ¡°What? Isn¡¯t it this bottle? Why do you look like you are in shock?¡± Yanaughed awkwardly before saying, ¡°Yes, this is the bottle. I must have forgotten and left it downstairs somewhere, right? Thank you, Stefania, for finding it for me.¡± Then, Yana reached out for the bottle, but before she could take it, Stefania suddenly let go, and the bottle of medicine fell directly to the ground and rolled away. At that, Yana froze. Her face changing color, she looked at Stefania, then hesitantly said, ¡°Stefania, w what are you doing?¡± Stefania looked at her coldly before she snorted angrily. ¡°Do what? Shouldn¡¯t I ask you this? Since your return, I have been treating you and your daughter well, but you tried to poison Greg! Yana, do we owe you something? How dare you treat a child who is only a few years old so viciously?¡± Yana¡¯s face turned white after her friend called her out. Instantly, she plunged into fight-or-flight mode and hurriedly denied, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t harm Greg. What are you talking about? Is there some misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Stefania was in a rage, thereafter throwing a piece of paper at Yana before exposing her ruthlessly. ¡°Nichs has found out that the medicine you take is the medicine that poisoned Greg! In addition, you were caught on the vi¡¯s surveince cameras too. Yana, do you dare to deny it all?¡± Yana was in a state of confusion. She thought she had done everything right, so she never thought she would be exposed. In a hurry, she shook her head and strongly denied it. ¡°No, Stefania! Listen to me! That was not what happened!¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to harm Greg. I just didn¡¯t like Tessa, so I wanted to get rid of her, and that¡¯s why I came up with this scheme. Stefania, you should know me well. I don¡¯t have that kind of bad intention toward your family. I originally thought that.¡± p! While Yana was still trying to deny it, Stefania did not have the patience to listen any longer and directly pped her across the face. Anger churned in her heart as she instantly screamed in a fury, ¡°That¡¯s enough! I don¡¯t want to listen to your exnation anymore! For the sake of our past friendship and the fact that Greg is fine, Yana, I won¡¯t deal with you this time. But! From now on, the friendship between our families is severed once and for all! Now, get the hell out of here!¡± Yana was so frightened that she hurriedly grabbed Stefania¡¯s hand and kept begging for mercy. ¡°Stefania, I beg you. Will you give me another chance? I¡¯m begging you! We have been friends for so many years; how can our friendship be broken like that?¡± Stefania coldly flung off Yana¡¯s hand in disgust. ¡°Yana, since you know that we have been friends for so many years, how dare you harm my grandson? I was crazy to be friends with you! Get out!¡± ¡°No, no, I really didn¡¯t mean to do it. Stefania, please forgive me!¡± Yana continued to beg without giving up, almost falling to her knees. At that moment, just as the two were tussling with each other, Roselle entered the door. Once she saw Stefania, she greeted thetter with a smile, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, you¡¯re back.¡± Stefania¡¯s cold eyes red straight at her. Only then did Roselle find something wrong. Her face changed, and she hurriedly asked, ¡°Mom, Mrs. Sawyer, you¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± Stefania didn¡¯t bother beating around the bush and asked furiously instead, ¡°Roselle, let me ask you this! Did you also y a part in drugging Greg?¡± Roselle was shocked, and her eyes were like a frightened deer. In a panicked and innocent voice, she said, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, what are you talking about? I drugged Greg? How is that possible?¡± Stefania narrowed her eyes, staring at Roselle. ¡°You really don¡¯t know? Your mother drugged Greg. Do you really not know anything about it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Roselle immediately stared at Yana with wide eyes and looked at her in disbelief. ¡°Mom, you¡­ How could you do such a thing?¡± Her acting skill would probably get her an Oscar because she appeared not to know what was going on. In a sad and angry voice, she said, ¡°Mom, Greg is such a small child. How could you harm Greg like this?¡± Yana immediately cried out, ¡°Roselle, I didn¡¯t mean to do it! I was blinded by stupidity! I know you¡¯re interested in Nichs, so when I saw Tessa, I thought she had bad intentions and wanted to seduce Nichs, so I thought of using some methods to drive her away.¡± ¡°Drive this pair of ungrateful mother and daughter out!¡± Soon, Stefania came back to reality from her memories. She let out a deep breath, barely suppressing the remaining frustration in her heart, then turned her head to look at Tessa and said with a friendly smile, ¡°Miss Reinhart.¡± Tessa nodded politely. ¡°Mrs. Sawyer.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Stefania¡¯s smile was very rxed. ¡°Miss Reinhart, have a seat.¡± Tessa nodded silently, then moved over to sit down. She was not very restrained, nor was she enthusiastic. She only maintained the appropriate civility. Stefania liked to drink tea, so at this time, she served Tessa a cup of it. ¡°Miss Reinhart, this tea is not bad. Try it.¡± Tessa epted it tly. ¡°Thank you.¡± After that, she gently picked up the cup of tea and took a sip. As the tea just entered the mouth, its taste was slightly astringent, but it had a long aftertaste. However, that was all she felt, and after drinking it, she put down the cup in her hands and said in a slightly embarrassed way, ¡°I¡¯m an ordinary woman, and I don¡¯t know how to taste tea. All tea tastes the same to me.¡± Hearing this, Stefania slightly smiled. Then, in a gentler voice, she said, ¡°Miss Reinhart, you¡¯re candid.¡± At this moment, she paused, her gaze bing apologetic. ¡°Well, Miss Reinhart, I think I should apologize to you for wronging you before.¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°Apologize?¡± Tessa was slightly puzzled. Stefania nodded, ¡°At that time, I was too worried about Greg, so that¡¯s why I med you, an outsider, without any evidence. Now that I think about it, it was really unfair to you. But how could I expect that the one who drugged Greg was actually one of our own?!¡± With a deep sigh, Stefania¡¯s tone was full of remorse. She had been treating Yana as her best friend for many years, but that person had been scheming against her most precious grandson. She hated herself for not seeing through it and almost harming the little boy! Tessa, who still did not know everything, could not help but frown in confusion on hearing that. ¡°One of your own?¡± ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, it was Mrs. Gingham who harmed me.¡± Halfway through the conversation, Greg suddenly spoke. The little boy came in with a Rubik¡¯s cube in his hands, after which he moved toward Tessa and widened his dark eyes before interjecting, ¡°The one whom we went together to the airport to pick up.¡± Went to the airport to pick up? Aren¡¯t they Roselle and Yana? Tessa frowned and looked at Stefania. ¡°Why her? Aren¡¯t you and Mrs. Gingham friends? How could she?..¡± However, Stefania did not exin. She held back the answer in her heart, thinking that she couldn¡¯t tell Tessa that the reason Yana did this was to get rid of Tessa. Thus, she simply said, ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s not talk about this. Anyway, this matter has been solved, and the misunderstanding has also been exined clearly. Miss Reinhart, I should¡¯ve right the wrong earlier. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Tessa¡¯s face sank slightly; in fact, there was indeed a thorn in her heart. But if she thought about it from Stefania¡¯s standpoint, at that time, the older woman was worried about Gregory, so it was reasonable for her to suspect an outsider indiscriminately. Thinking of this, Tessa rxed and simply said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s all over. Mrs. Sawyer, I also know that you only suspected me because you were worried about Greg. If I were you, I might have thought the same way at that time too. So, it¡¯s okay.¡± When she said this, she sounded nonchnt. Stefania, on the contrary, was startled, seemingly not expecting that this matter was actually so easily shrugged off by Tessa. If it were someone else, they might already be asking for somepensation, but Tessa was considerate. At that moment, she had a change of heart toward Tessa. It seems that, indeed, I had thought wrong of this girl before. Afterward, the two had no words to say to each other, and Tessa sat stiffly for a while. Feeling slightly awkward, she said, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, I have promised Greg to continue teaching him the violin. If it¡¯s alright with you, then I will start the lesson now.¡± Stefania nodded in agreement, so Tessa immediately got up and took Greg¡¯s hand, and the two of them went to the study together. After one lesson, it was already lunchtime. When Tessa came out holding Greg, she found that Nichs had actuallye back. At this moment, he was sitting downstairs on the sofa, talking with Stefania. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you back at this hour.¡± Stefania made a nonchntment after seeing him. Nichs¡¯ eyes carelessly swept a nce at Tessa and responded, ¡°I left some documents at home, so I came back to get them and apany Greg for lunch as well.¡± Although he said this, he had heard that his mother hade to the house and was worried that Tessa would be given a hard time, so he rushed back home. When Stefania heard this, she did not suspect anything and only nodded before turning to the little boy. ¡°Greg, it¡¯s almost time to eat. Go wash your hands.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Next, shended her gaze on Tessa, and she added kindly, ¡°Miss Reinhart too. Do get ready to eat.¡± Tessa hesitated but nodded atst. After that, she took Greg away to wash his hands. At the dining table, the little boy naturally wanted to sit together with Tessa as if he was reluctant to be far away from her. During the meal, Stefania also passed her dishes from time to time. ¡°Miss Reinhart, have some more.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Tessa nodded and answered, then she ate quietly, trying not to make a sound. Stefania inspected Tessa but found that Tessa was not as vulgar as she thought. At least, this girl¡¯s behavior and demeanor were very decent and elegant, and there seemed to be no bad habits about her that Stefania could nitpick. However, halfway through the meal, it was suddenly interrupted. Andrew suddenly hurried in to report, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, Master Nichs, Miss Gingham is here.¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 As Stefania listened, her face turned cold and serious, and disdain was evident in her eyes. Nichs¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, betraying the displeasure he felt. Gregory also pouted his tiny lips, obviously upset. Nichs was silent for a while, then nodded at the butler. ¡°Let her in.¡± The butler nodded in response, and soon Roselle was sashaying through the door. To her surprise, the sight that greeted her was Tessa, Nichs, and Greg sitting at the dining table, halfway through their meal. The harmonious atmosphere was very simr to a family reunion¡­ There was a shadow across the look in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared. She took two steps forward and greeted them politely in her gentlest voice, ¡°Good day, Mrs. Sawyer. Hi, Nichs.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Stefania red at Roselle, her voice cold. ¡°And what business do you have here?¡± Roselle looked haggard as she said in a soft voice, ¡°I¡¯m here to apologize. Ever since I left the main house yesterday, I haven¡¯t slept a wink. I keep feeling guilty when I think about Greg. I know that my mother did all that for my own good, but I can¡¯t get over it no matter what. So, I decided toe and apologize to Nichs and Greg. Of course, I know that no matter how much I apologized, I would never be able to make up for Greg¡¯s pain, but I still want your forgiveness! Today, right here, I¡¯m kneeling in apology for my mother¡¯s sake as well. Please forgive us!¡± With that, Roselle bent her knees and knelt on the floor. Tears began to flow out of her eyes, and she sobbed ever so softly, looking so pitiful and touching the hearts of those whoid eyes on her. Seeing that, Tessa remained silent, but she had to admit that Roselle honestly had a way with words. Roselle didn¡¯t have to say much to subtly push the me on her mother, hence presenting herself as innocent. She also came meekly to apologize in her mother¡¯s stead, and her helpless tears wonpassion for her, adding to her constructed image of a thoughtful daughter. Those who understood would know how Roselle¡¯s mind worked. Those who did not, however, would bepletely deceived. Nevertheless, this had nothing to do with Tessa, so she could care less. She just ced more food on Gregory¡¯s te, then silently ate her own food, pretending not to know anything. Nichs¡¯s face was icy cold as he remained silent as well. He lowered his head and ate in silence, then quietly said to Gregory, ¡°Eat up.¡± In fact, he refused to spare Roselle even a nce. The man¡¯s unfazed attitude shocked Roselle so much that she paled. She hade here today to get Nichs¡¯s understanding and attention by showing how tragic she had been. However, the man didn¡¯t even seem to hear her, so she felt very defeated. Roselle was a little regretful now. She should¡¯ve known how ipetent her mother was, and she shouldn¡¯t have used such a terrible tactic which benefited no one. She only had herself to me, for she was too anxious to chase Tessa away. But now, Tessa was eating at the table, enjoying the Sawyer Family¡¯s warm wee. Roselle herself, however, had to be on her knees in humiliation! The contrast between the two women was so strong that Roselle felt extreme difort. Her chest was filled with rage and indigence, and her watery eyes were tinted with a vicious gleam. On the other hand, as Stefania looked at Roselle kneeling on the floor pitifully, her heart softened a little. In the end, she sighed quietly and said, ¡°Get up now, Roselle. Even kneeling won¡¯t erase the fact that your mother had caused harm to Greg. However, since you weren¡¯t in the know, I won¡¯t me you for this.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hearing that, Roselle was instantly delighted as she got up from the floor and thanked her hurriedly, eximing, ¡°Thank you so much, Mrs. Sawyer!¡± With that, she bit her red lip and looked nervously at Nichs. ¡°Nichs,¡± Nichs didn¡¯t even raise an eyebrow as he interrupted her in his bitter voice. ¡°Your mother has harmed Greg, so even if you came to apologize, I would never forgive you. However, you mustn¡¯t forget one thing. Remember how you pushed the me on Miss Reinhart despite your conscience? Now, apologize to her. She¡¯s the truly innocent one.¡± Hearing that, Roselle was instantly dumbfounded. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 When Roselle looked at Tessa, she felt an insidious rage inside her. Thus, she clenched her fists so tightly that her sharp nails dug into her skin. She had never thought that Nichs would ask her to apologize to such a wretched woman! However, she had an image to save, so she still suppressed her disdain as she said apologetically, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± She took a deep breath to hold down her dissatisfaction, then turned and bowed toward Tessa, saying in a meek voice, ¡°Miss Reinhart, I¡¯m really sorry. My mother had ndered you without thinking, and I¡¯m very sorry for that!¡± Tessa gave her a calm look, her attitude cold. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m a normal person of normal background, so I cannot ept your apology.¡± In the hospital that day, Yana had mocked Tessa and said that she was a lowlymon folk. Now, Tessa had retorted with the very same words. Instantly, Roselle went pale in the face. This woman really doesn¡¯t know her ce! Still, she hid those thoughts behind her regretful tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Reinhart. I know you¡¯re not happy about it, but I am truly apologizing to everyone earnestly. I really hope you can forgive my mother for her mistakes!¡± Tessa remained unmoved. ¡°Save your apology.¡± Tessa wasn¡¯t a saint, and she also knew that this woman might be apologizing on the outside, but on the inside, she still looked down on her. So, she refused to be nice as she said casually, ¡°After all, President Sawyer had cleared my name for me. I didn¡¯t do it, so I have nothing to hide. As for you, I hope that you and your mother will never hurt Greg again. He¡¯s just an innocent child.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Hearing the reproach, Roselle hastily smiled in apology. ¡°But of course, I will never hurt Greg. I even wish I was his mother.¡± Unexpectedly, after Roselle had finished talking, Gregory immediately retorted, ¡°Ew! You¡¯re not my mommy!¡± The harsh truth pped her face so hard she looked awful. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Nichs could see that the boy didn¡¯t like Roselle at all, so he said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said your apology, you can go back now.¡± The request for her to return was so unanticipated it stunned her. She had wanted to grab the opportunity to stay here after apologizing, but Nichs had chased her out without any regard for her. In a situation like that, she couldn¡¯t insist on staying even if she was reluctant. She could only lower her gaze in disappointment as she said quietly, ¡°All right, then. I¡¯m leaving now. See you next time¡­¡± With that, she turned around and went out. Then, there was an awkward atmosphere surrounding the people in the dining room. After a brief sigh, Stefania was the first to speak up. ¡°Actually, Roselle is a good girl. She¡¯s gentle and understanding, and she¡¯s also a dutiful daughter. It¡¯s too bad that she has a mother like Yana. It must be hard for her.¡± . Hearing that, Tessa remained emotionless, for she had no opinions orments about Roselle¡¯s character. There was, however, a certain chill in Nichs¡¯ eyes. He never believed that Roselle was an innocent bystander. Roselle was always with her mother, so the olderdy couldn¡¯t have done this of her own ord. Moreover, Roselle didn¡¯t look like she was as nice as she had portrayed herself to be. Nichs just didn¡¯t want to reveal the truth. His mother was already furious about this incident, so he didn¡¯t want to add to her troubles. Later in the day, after lunch, Nichs got ready to go to thepany, and he would give Stefania a ride as well. After the two had left, Tessa finally heaved a long sigh of relief. With Mrs. Sawyer around, Tessa felt uneasy no matter where she went, and she had to restrain herself from getting too intimate with Gregory. Now that Mrs. Sawyer was gone, Tessa and Gregory could finally rx. Meanwhile, after taking her leave, Roselle felt regret and anger, and also a brief panic. She had returned this time with an aim to win Nichs over, but now everything was ruined. No! Roselle shook her head furiously, a determined expression on her face. I must think of a way to convince Nichs to believe me! There¡¯s also that Tessa¡­ I¡¯llpletely get rid of that woman, eventually! Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 In the afternoon, Tessa gave Gregory lessons as usual. She stopped teaching after two periods and allowed the child some time to digest the lesson on his own. Music wasn¡¯t something one could learn overnight, and one would need a stable foundation to flourish in the future. The two came out of the study, one after the other, and moved to the hall for a break. Meanwhile, Andrew served up some delicious desserts. Gregory ate two pieces, then fed Tessa another two. The atmosphere between them was warm and friendly. After that, the boy fetched his drawing tools and began to draw at the coffee tabte. Tessa wanted to join him, but her phone rang at that moment. ¡°Hello, is this Miss Reinhart?¡± As soon as she picked up, she heard a humble and courteous voice. ¡°And you are?¡± Tessa frowned. ¡°Hello, Miss Reinhart. I am Patrick Kramer, awyer from Reinhart Group. I have contacted you today to schedule a meeting with you so that we can discuss some things. I¡¯m wondering if you¡¯d have the time-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. I have nothing to discuss with you.¡± Tessa interrupted the other coldly, then hung up straight away. Awyer from Reinhart Group?Pst! She didn¡¯t even have to think to know the reason this person contacted her. What else would he talk about other than the stupid issues concerning the Reinhart Family? Do I look like I¡¯m interested in those foolish issues? Meanwhile, in thewyer¡¯s office in Reinhart Group sat an exasperated-looking Partick. He didn¡¯t expect the call to end so quickly and looked at Sophia beside him, sighing. ¡°Miss Sophia, she hung up.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sophia instantly gritted her teeth in anger. She was filled with rage, which she barely had anywhere to vent. She cursed in a low voice, ¡°That wretched Tessa! She really wants to destroy my parents! What an ingrate!¡± This morning, after Ss and Lauren were arrested, Sophia hade to thepany to get help. When Patrick knew of the situation, he immediately rushed to the police station and attempted to bail Ss out. However, the police refused the bail. He hurriedly gathered more information on the case. When he understood how it all happened, he suggested that Sophia and Tessa should talk it out with each other; hence, the previous call. However, Patrick hadn¡¯t expected Tessa to hang up, with no regard for them! Despite being a tough case, he still analyzed the situation professionally. ¡°Miss Sophia, the main fault lies with Mr. Reinhart, so he has to take responsibility as well. This incident isn¡¯t as serious as we thought. As long as we can convince Miss Reinhart and her brother to drop the charges, we can work out the rest.¡± Sophia was enraged as she said in dissatisfaction, ¡°Are you suggesting reconciliation? Look at her attitude! We can¡¯t even talk properly; how am I supposed to reconcile with her?¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. Patrick also found it difficult, but he advised her patiently, exining, ¡°Maybe we can try another way to convince them.¡±. Hearing that, Sophia frowned as she looked at Patrick. ¡°What way?¡± Patrick replied, ¡°I suggest you give them something nice. It can be money or something else, just something they¡¯d be satisfied with. Maybe then they will be willing to let Mr. and Mrs. Reinhart go.¡± At that, Sophia red at him furiously and shouted, ¡°You must be kidding! Those two harmed my parents, but I still have to give them something nice? Nonsense!¡± Patrick remained patient. ¡°Miss Sophia, you can¡¯t think like that! News of Mr. Reinhart getting arrested is still suppressed; word hasn¡¯t gotten out yet. In the meantime, we have to grab this opportunity to get them out. If not, when people know about it, Reinhart¡¯s already precarious situation will only worsen, maybe even to the point of no return! Please consider the situation!¡± As Sophia listened, she was so pissed that she could explode at any moment. Of course I won¡¯t consider it!That wretched Tessa put my parents in jail, so why should I bow my head to her, much less give her benefits just to save our skin?She can keep dreaming! I will never, in a million years, give in to Tessa! Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Besides Sophia, Patrick could guess what she was thinking. As he watched her grit her teeth with hatred, he knew she wouldn¡¯t be going down that route. So, he could only suggest an alternative. ¡°Miss Sophia, if you¡¯re really unwilling to do it, then we can find another way. Well, why don¡¯t you try talking to Sawyer Group and ask them to let Mr. Reinhart off the hook? After all, Sawyer Group is the one behind all this. If they do the talking, the police won¡¯t be so stubborn. It¡¯s useless for us to brainstorm because none of us has the power to affect the Sawyer Group!¡± Hearing that, Sophia had her expression turned even darker, and the hatred in her heart only burned fiercer. If she could get in touch with Sawyer Group, she wouldn¡¯t have to ask Tessa in the first ce! Also, the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family is now obsessed with Tessa! Even if she went there, she would only be shown the door! Sophia thought long and hard about it. In the end, she realized that this whole incident could only be resolved through Tessa. However, if she begged Tessa, her pride would be mercilessly stepped on by that wretch. No!I refuse! will neverpromise with that wretched Tessa! Sophia¡¯s expression kept shifting, her mind desperately thinking of ways to get out of this pickle. Suddenly, a wizened face urred to her¡­ Right, Grandma! I can ask Grandma toe back! When Tessa and her family were chased away, Grandma had a part in it! Now that my parents are in jail, she will do something about it!Then, Tessa and her brother will get what they deserve! As Sophia thought of the idea, her sour expression turned into joy. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She looked up at Patrick and said, ¡°I have an idea. I¡¯ll ask my grandmother toe over, and then she¡¯ll order those siblings to let my parents go. I don¡¯t believe they¡¯d rebel against her!¡± With that, she took out her phone and called Amber Reinhart. Behind her, Patrick watched as she dialed. Oh, girl! I think this is a horrible decision!. Patrick had met Amber before. She was an unreasonable woman whose irrationality only worsened with her age, and she was likely on par with Lauren in terms of foolishness. If Amber got involved in this, Tessa and her brother might be more stubborn and vicious instead! Patrick had worked as awyer in Reinhart for more than ten years. He had a clear picture of all the terrible things Ss did in secret. Now, with Ss getting into this situation, he more or less deserved it. He had treated the siblings poorly all this while. He neverpensated them, but instead, he had done many things to inflict harm on those two. The whole family had even teamed up to oppress them. Honestly, Patrick had had enough of their behaviors, so he shook his head with a sigh. He could only watch as Sophia exaggerated Tessa¡¯s and her brother¡¯s faults over the phone. Around five minutester, the call finally ended. There was obvious shrewdness and glee in Sophia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Done! Grandma has agreed toe tomorrow. Mr. Kramer, you can go back now and leave things to me.¡± Patrick nodded, albeit hesitating a little. ¡°Then¡­ how do you n to exin the disappearance of Mr. Reinhart to thepany?¡± Sophia thought for a while before answering. ¡°Simple. I¡¯ll just tell them that Dad is feeling unwell. It¡¯ll be a temporary facade, and everything will be solved when Dad gets out.¡± Patrick nodded in understanding, after which he quickly turned to leave. At Dynasty Gardens, Tessa was drawing with Gregory after a violin lesson. The two leaned against the coffee table, the boy¡¯s little legs swinging happily. He looked very adorable indeed. ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± Gregorypleted his masterpiece and shyly passed it to Tessa. Tessa took the picture and gave it a look. She beamed, as if in delighted surprise. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Wow, this kid is talented in art as well! Even though the picture was a little abstract in nature, it wasn¡¯t unorganized. There was something he wanted to express in his artwork. The corners of Tessa¡¯s mouth turned up into a grin. ¡°You draw very well. Sweetheart, you could be an artist.¡± Hearing her praise, Gregory immediately blushed, his face turning red like an apple. He was getting even cuter by the minute. Tessa couldn¡¯t help but scoot over and kiss Gregory on the cheek. The boy¡¯s face turned even redder, but in the next moment, he also moved closer and kissed Tessa¡¯s cheek in return. His innocent eyes were filled with delight. ¡°I love you so much! You¡¯re my favorite person.¡± Hearing his childlike voice, Tessa felt as if her heart was filled with honey. He¡¯s just too sweet! As the two chatted away, footsteps sounded outside the door. Tessa turned around and caught sight of Nichs right away. It was already evening, the time when people usually got off work. Nichs wore a ck shirt, and his coat draped casually over his shoulder. His slender figure stood upright with a certain pride emanating from him. He seemed to have walked out of a picture, blindingly charming and handsome.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. As Tessaid her eyes on this man, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at him. God really did put in effort when creating him! It was as if everything beautiful in this world could be found in Nichs. No matter where he went, his surroundings would simply pale inparison. She was stunned for a while, then she averted her gaze and got up from the floor, greeting, ¡°You¡¯re back! I leave Greg to you, then. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± With that, she was about to take a step when the little child behind her tugged at the hem of her clothes. She turned around to see the boy¡¯srge watery eyes filled with reluctance. ¡°Won¡¯t you stay for dinner first?¡± Tessa¡¯s gaze was gentle as she smiled and said, ¡°Sweetheart, I don¡¯t think I can. I should go back.¡± Nichs casually tossed his coat on the couch, his ck pupils trained on her. ¡°You¡¯re going home?¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Nichs¡¯s voice sounded cold, but there was also a hint of good intention as he said, ¡°I think you¡¯d better not go home right now. Your father and stepmother may be arrested right now, but you mustn¡¯t forget that your stepsister is still running free. The police called today and told me that Reinhart¡¯s lawyer is trying to bail them out. I think you understand that the man being imprisoned is your father, Even if you¡¯ve cut ties with him, you¡¯re still rted to him by blood. There isn¡¯t enough reason for you to get them convicted, so your step-sister might attack a breach in you or your brother. In the worst-case scenario, a second kidnapping might happen, so you have to consider this.¡± Hearing that, Tessa hesitated for a moment. However, she really had nowhere else to go at the moment. After thinking it over, she could only say, ¡°It¡¯s okay. If worsees to worst, I¡¯ll stay with a neighbor for the time being.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Gregory tugged at her clothes again, saying, ¡°What if you stay here instead? Please? We still have many rooms here. I dont want you to leave¡­¡± Tessa frowned slightly. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not appropriate.¡± Thest time she stayed over, it was because of the rain. This time, she couldn¡¯t give herself a good enough reason to stay, Gregory was stubborn, however, and he frowned as he insisted on her stay, ¡°Why? You¡¯ve stayed here before.¡± Then, he turned to look at Nichs, his voice softening. ¡°Daddy, let her stay, pretty please?¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Nichs lowered his thoughtful gaze, looking at Gregory¡¯s expectant expression, then Tessa. He nodded and said, ¡°We do have a lot of empty rooms, and it won¡¯t affect much if you stay for the night. You can apany Greg while you¡¯re at it, too. Sometimes I get busy and overlook his needs, so maybe you can stay and chat with him.¡± Tessa hesitated for a while turning her gaze toward Gregory. The boy¡¯s watery eyes were filled with expectation, and one could hardly bear to refuse him. She could only sigh helplessly. ¡°All right, then. Thank you very much, President Sawyer.¡± Instantly, Gregory was overjoyed by her reply. Later in the day, the three gathered for dinner. Perhaps because of Tessa¡¯s presence, Gregory had an exceptionally good appetite. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He shouldn¡¯t overeat, regardless. The doctor had told them to take care of his digestive system. Nichs saw the joy in Gregory¡¯s face, and the coldness in his eyes eased off considerably. As for Tessa¡­ Nichs¡¯s eyes turned dark, for he had other reasons for letting her stay, aside from taking care of his son. Last time, he had to stop halfway through his investigation of her identity, and so many things had gotten in the way after that, so he couldn¡¯t find a good opportunity to continue. Now that he had allowed Tessa to stay, he naturally wanted to see if he could have another chance to confirm who she was. They were soon done with dinner, and Nichs went to the study to work. Tessa, on the other hand, apanied Gregory as he yed the piano. The boy seemed to enjoy ying the piano very much, a sweet smile ever-present on his face. Meanwhile, the butler stood on the sidelines and watched him for a long while. He couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Young Master Gregory so happy before. Miss Reinhart, you¡¯ve really brought him joy!¡± Tessa shyly smiled and said, ¡°You tter me, Andrew. In reality, Greg is the one who brought me joy.¡± After that, she helped Gregory bathe again, then told him bedtime stories as she tucked him in. When he had fallen asleep, she went to the guest room next door to rest. However, it was still early for Tessa. She couldn¡¯t sleep even when shey on the bed, so she sat in front of the French windows and watched the lights outside. The entire Dynasty Gardens was as magnificent as a castle with its glowing lights, and the swimming pool in the backyard reflected the lights beautifully. So many things had happenedtely, and she was especially annoyed with those involving the Reinhart Family. For some reason, she began to entertain the idea of getting into the water to calm herself down. With that in mind, she turned and walked down the stairs, where she found the butler. ¡°Andrew, can I take a dip in the swimming pool?¡± Andrew hesitated for a while. Only Master Nichs and Young Master Gregory had used the swimming pool before¡­ Still, seeing how much Young Master Gregory likes Miss Reinhart, he will agree to it, won¡¯t he? With that in mind, Andrew nodded lightly at Tessa. ¡°Of course. Feel free to do so, Miss Reinhart. I¡¯ll inform the staff and make sure no one else is in the area.¡± Tessa smiled as she gave him a nod. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± After that, she walked to the swimming pool outside. She proceeded to take off her coat and tossed it on the ground, revealing her slender waist and limbs. She was slightly underweight, but she had grown in all the right ces. No undesired fat existed anywhere on her body. She wore white suspenders, and she began to do some warmups onnd. Then, she sshed into the water. It was right in the middle of summer, but the water was quite cool, so she gained relief from the heat as soon as she got into the water. She swam a fewps, agile like a fish. She would disappear under the surface of the water, then resurface for a change of air. The dark fog in her heart seemed to have dissipated considerably. Meanwhile, Nichs had busied himself the whole night in the study, and when he finallypleted the work on hand, fatigue was apparent on his face. He raised his slender fingers to rub his temples, then got up and went out of the study. The first thing he did was to check on Gregory. The child had his eyes closed, fast asleep. His soft face was tinted with adorable peace. Nichs leaned in and nted a kiss on the boy¡¯s forehead, after which he tucked in the nket before leaving the room. As he passed by Tessa¡¯s room, he saw the door tightly shut, so he thought she was asleep. Hence, he didn¡¯t linger for long before going down the stairs to fetch himself a ss of water. While he was finishing the ss of water, he suddenly heard water sshing outside. A frown crept onto his face as he curiously walked over to the French windows for a look. Just then, he caught sight of Tessa emerging from the water¡­ Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Under the lights, an alluring and slender figure emerged from the water. Her hair resembled seaweed as it spread out behind her, while her exquisite figure was like a mermaid¡¯s, charming anyone whoid eyes on her. Coincidentally, Tessa had her back to Nichs, so the butterfly tattoo entered Nichs¡¯s line of sight once again. Nichs¡¯s pupils were constricted. The bright red color was eye-catching, so red that he thought it would bleed at any moment. He couldn¡¯t see the tattoo clearly due to the distance between them, but this fact only likened the tattoo to the one from that night in his memory, ovepping his blurry perception of that woman¡¯s tattoo. Nichs could feel his heart race all of a sudden. He subconsciously tightened his grip on the ss, the look in his eyes darkening so much that no light remained. Tessa, however, hadn¡¯t realized that someone was staring at her from behind the French windows. She reached up and wiped the water off her face, which looked alluring under the magnificent lighting of her surroundings. She felt nothing but pleasure as she bobbed in the water for some time. She took a deep breath, then slid under the surface of the water once again¡­ Nichs stood where he was, stunned. He fought hard to suppress the sudden urge he had to tear her clothes off. After Tessa disappeared from his sight, he hadn¡¯t seen her appear above the water again. Instantly, a deep frown formed on Nichs¡¯s face. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Where is that woman?Don¡¯t tell me¡­ she drowned? Nichs¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he hastily put down the ss and strode across the hall to get outside. He soon arrived at the side of the pool and peered into the water. The ripples in the swimming pool were disappearing, yet there was no sight of the woman. Worry shed across his face as he called, ¡°Tessa, can you hear me? Tessa?¡± Meanwhile, Tessa was at the bottom of the pool, water rumbling in her ears. This was why she couldn¡¯t hear Nichs¡¯s voice. She had dived underwater to try and see how long she could hold her breath underwater In the past, her best record was two minutes, so she wanted to see if she could break her record now. However, at that moment, Nichs jumped right into the water! He dived to the bottom, his eyes searching frantically for Tessa¡¯s figure. A few secondster, he saw Tessa at the bottom of the pool, motionless. He immediately swam toward her as fast as he could. At the same time, Tessa had been holding her breath for a while, and she was reaching her limit. She opened her eyes and was about to swim up for air when she felt someone hugging her body! Shocked, she subconsciously opened her mouth to scream, but water immediately rushed into her lungs from her open mouth. Air bubbles streamed through the water as Tessa choked, her limbs iling due to panic. Nichs was furious. Does this woman want to drown herself? Is she so sick of living now?Even if she wants to die, she shouldn¡¯t die here, of all ces! Exasperated, he held Tessa tightly as he swam forcefully upward. Tessa, however, was so shocked that she didn¡¯t recognize who the person was. Hence, her hands fought to push Nichs away. After some struggling, the two still hadn¡¯t broken the surface, and Nichs had sunk a little instead. Tessa¡¯s throat was filled with water, which also invaded her nose and mouth, suffocating her. Nichs already thought Tessa was drowning, so now that he saw her struggling in pain, he only grew more anxious. If this goes on, she¡¯ll die! His expression sank a little. He didn¡¯t bother thinking twice before pulling Tessa into his arms and pressing his lips against hers. As their lips touched, Tessa was stunned and stopped her struggle. Her hands were ced against the man¡¯s chest as she allowed him to transfer breaths of air into her mouth. The two were thus entangled in a kiss underwater. Tessa¡¯s long hair spread out around her, and she waspletely dumbfounded. The perfect and wless face in front of her belonged to none other than Nichs! Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Boom! Tessa felt as if she were struck by lightning. She froze, not knowing where she should ce her limbs. Nichs¡¯s gaze turned upon her, and the two locked eyes. His slightly cool lips continued delivering air to her mouth. Tessa was stunned, and she had a brain fart moment. She could only feel her heart thumping in her chest, as if threatening to leap right out. As for Nichs, he saw her trance as a chance, so he grabbed it by keeping his lips on hers while he swam upward. Finally, with much effort, he managed to drag Tessa above the water. The two emerged in bewilderment, and Tessa was almost fainting. The water in her nasal cavity was causing her too much suffering. ¡°Hey, hang in there!¡± Nichs hurriedly ced her on the ground and began to give her first aid. He pressed his hands against her chest, then did CPR. His actions were fluid as he executed them all in one go. Tessa had just opened her eyes when she saw the man¡¯s hands on the most awkward spot ever. Flustered, she coughed out the water, which proceeded to ssh on his face. His expression immediately soured. There was disdain in his eyes as he forcefully wiped his face and reprimanded, ¡°Tessa, what are you trying so hard for when you can¡¯t even swim? Do you want to die?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Tessa gripped her chest as she coughed violently. Due to the sudden scolding, she lost her temper as well, so she rambled while she coughed, ¡°I should be the one asking you! What are you doing, grabbing me like that? You scared me!¡± Nichs¡¯s eyes went dark as he replied in his icy cold tone, ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. If it weren¡¯t for me, you¡¯d be drowned by now!¡± Tessa was so pissed that she rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re the one getting drowned! I was just holding my breath underwater, and I waspletely fine! If you hadn¡¯t appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me, I wouldn¡¯t have choked.¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs was immediately stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected that, and his expression darkened. ¡°Why would you suddenly hold your breath underwater? What if you died and haunted this ce? Find somewhere else to die if you want to!¡± ¡°You!¡± Tessa couldn¡¯t find a good enough retort as she choked on her words. Good Lord!Can this man be any more vicious with his words?Why does he keep going on about me dying and haunting this ce? Does he want me to die so badly? A few coughster, Tessa finally calmed herself and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not a fool. I have a long life ahead of me, so I won¡¯t choose to die just like that.¡± With that, she got up on her feet. She squeezed the water out of her clothes and shook her clothes out. Nichs frowned as he watched her clumsy actions. However, his gaze still managed to get attracted to her figure. The girl only wore white suspenders, and she was soaked wet. Her clothes were almost transparent as they clung to her body, revealing all the curves of her marvelous figure. The most eye catching part of her was still the clearly visible butterfly tattoo on her back. It grew even clearer as he looked closer. Nichs narrowed his eyes as he reached out and caressed them, unable to control his actions. Tessa immediately shivered from the touch and leaped away, her wary re meeting Nichs¡¯s dark gaze. ¡°What¡­ What are you doing?¡± He¡¯s not going to do the same thing he didst time, is he? Tessa hastily took a few more steps backward to put some more distance between them. She was alert and on guard. Do you think I¡¯m a pervert? Nichs realized his inappropriate behavior and calmly retracted his hand. He started, ¡°Your tattoo¡­¡± Tessa blinked, then nced behind her, answering gingerly, ¡°Oh, this? I thought it looked nice, so I got it tattooed. What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Nichs¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°When did you get it tattooed?¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Without overthinking, Tessa answered, ¡°About three to four years back, perhaps? I can¡¯t remember, but it should be around that point.¡± Nichs knitted his eyebrows in bewilderment. Three to four years back? That doesn¡¯t match the time frame because thatdy already had it five years ago. Is she lying, or did I mistake someone else for her? Between the two possibilities, Nichs was more inclined to believe thetter because it seemed to him that it was too much of a coincidence for Tessa to be Gregory¡¯s mother. Soon, Tessa snapped out of her trance and saw Nichs absorbed in his thoughts, asking, ¡°Are you alright, President Sawyer?¡± Nichs returned to his senses and calmly replied, ¡°Oh, nothing. It¡¯s going to get cold at night, so be sure to change your clothes because you don¡¯t want to catch a cold.¡± Tessa sniffled and felt the chilly atmosphere around her, breathing in the chilly air through her nostrils. Thus, she immediately nodded and left with Nichs. As both of them remained silent on their way back, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed because she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the moment that she and Nichs shared a kiss underwater. At the thought of that sensation, she felt goosebumps running all over her body. Furthermore, when she was rescued from drowning moments ago, she was still too befuddled to think straight and give a proper answer to the questions she was asked. In fact, the butterfly tattoo on her shoulder was right on the mark Lauren left her many years back. Back then, Tessa was at her wits¡¯ end when she ran out of options to raise funds for her brother¡¯s surgical treatment. Thus, she was forced to return to Ss for help at the Reinhart Residence, where she ran into Lauren and Sophia instead. Due to their hatred for the sibling duo, the mother and daughter immediately turned Tessa away, driving her out of the house with a broom, while Lauren grew so mad that she even hurled a vase at her in the process. Although the wound subsequently recovered, Tessa¡¯s shoulder was left with a hideous scar on it. In order to avoid scaring people with it, she decided to cover the scar with some tattoos. Needless to say, she didn¡¯t think it was necessary to reveal too much of her past, which she was not proud of, so she downyed her story without any intention of correcting it, even though she got some of it wrong. Not long after that, the two of them headed upstairs just when Tessa looked at Nichs and said, ¡°Rest well, and good night.¡± After that, she returned to her room and took a shower, whereupon she changed into her pajamas and went to bed. The next morning, Gregory woke up and proceeded to go about his morning ablutions. After changing into some clean clothes, he walked to the guest room and politely knocked on the door. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, it¡¯s time for breakfast.¡± When he heard nothing from the inside, he tipped his toes in confusion and turned the doorknob before he opened the door and entered the room. ¡°Are you still sleeping, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± Gregory approached the bed and gently asked. Tessa woke up to the noise in the room and responded in a befuddled manner. Then, she opened her eyes just when the first thing that came to her view was the boy¡¯s adorable face. She then smiled at Sweetheart? You¡¯re up.¡± She struggled to sit up straight and creep off the bed, but as soon as her feet landed on the ground, her head felt so dizzy that she fell backward and copsed onto the bed once more. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± Gregory could tell something was wrong, asking with a concerned voice. Tessa shook her head while trying to tell the boy that she was fine, but her headache hurt her so much that she began to knit her eyebrows obviously and tightly. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Worried, Gregory quickly sprang off his bed and scurried away. ¡°Wait for me, Miss Pretty Lady! I¡¯ll get Daddy right now!¡± Then, the boy made his way to Nichs¡¯s room and started patting the door rapidly. ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± At that moment, Nichs was already awake as he was changing his clothes. Later, he opened the door even before he managed to button his shirt just when Gregory seized his hand. ¡°Help! Miss Pretty Lady needs help!¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Chapter 93 ¡°What happened?¡± Nichs followed behind Gregory in confusion and hurriedly made his way to Tessa¡¯s room, only to see her lying in bed noticeably with her heavy breathing and abnormally flustered cheeks. The man then knitted his eyebrows and patted thedy¡¯s cheek, asking, ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± As soon as his hand came into contact with her cheek, he realized that she felt a little feverish. Thus, he naturally ced his hand on Tessa¡¯s forehead and immediately found out that she had a fever. Furrowing his brows, he asked, ¡°How do you feel now?¡± Tessa opened her eyes, barely clinging to her consciousness. When she made sense of what was going on, she found herself just inches away from Nichs¡¯s handsome and chiseled face. At that moment, she could feel her heart beating rapidly, like a jackhammer. Soon, she felt slightly ufortable and immediately tried to get up from the bed, only to go weak in her knees and fall forward face down. As she screamed on the inside, she was ready to brace for impact, but the next second, she felt someone¡¯s muscr arm wrapped around her waist shortly before she found herself in a warm embrace. It turned out that Nichs managed to catch Tessa just in time and had his arms wrapped around her in his embrace. While Tessa was caught in a trance, she subconsciously looked up and met the man¡¯s gaze, finding herself even closer to him. Staring at Nichs¡¯s cold dark gaze that looked like obsidians, she somehow felt like there was some spell in his eyes, as if there was a force that could suck her into them. At the same time, Nichs was caught in a trance as well when he caught the scent of thedy¡¯s fragrance. Meanwhile, Tessa¡¯s soft skin on his palm made him feel like there was an electric current that ran through his body. Soon, he unknowingly tightened his fingers and squeezed his grip, only to let go of thedy shortly after. Then, he spoke with an unhappy gaze and told thedy to rest. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t outdo your body¡¯s limits, so lie back down and get some rest!¡± He showed his dominance with his unyielding tone and released Tessa at the same time, helping her return to the bed. Feeling feverish in her cheeks, Tessa decided to lie back down in bed. After making sure thedy listened to him, Nichs bent over and picked Gregory up in his arms, speaking to thetter with a gentle voice. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady is not feeling well, so we need to leave her alone and let her rest.¡± Gregory nodded sensibly and wrapped his arms around his father¡¯s neck, suggesting in a childish tone, ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t we get a doctor to check on her? It looks like she is feeling really ufortable, which reminds me of myself when I was sick.¡± Nichs replied with an affirmative hum. ¡°I¡¯ll call the doctor right now.¡± Then, he stepped out of the room and rang Ashton up. As soon as the call was answered, Nichs went ahead and asked, ¡°Are you free at the moment? I need your help here right now.¡± Thinking it was Gregory who needed his treatment, Ashton instantly agreed. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Fifteen minutester, he showed up and asked in a concerned manner, ¡°Are you alright, Greg?¡± Gregory shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not me, but Miss Pretty Lady. She is sick!¡± Ashton was stunned, wondering who Miss Pretty Lady was. Shortly after that, his question was answered when he followed the father and son to the room, where he saw ady in there. Dumbfounded, he gazed at Nichs in puzzlement, with a pair of eyes that looked like they were asking him who it was. Nheless, Nichs appeared calm and proceeded to exin, saying, ¡°This is Greg¡¯s violin teacher.¡± Ashton nodded in spite of his furrowed brows and confusion. This isn¡¯t right! Nichs has always kept to himself, so why would he allow an outsider to stay in his house? It¡¯s just Greg¡¯s violin teacher, after all. Furthermore, it¡¯s ady-a beautifuldy-who gets to lie down in bed in Nichs¡¯s guest room. Hmm. Something tells me that thisdy is no ordinary person. Needless to say, Ashton spoke nothing about the monologue that was going on inside of him. Soon, he examined Tessa¡¯s condition and turned his attention to Nichs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s just some normal fever, and she¡¯ll recover shortly with the right medicine. In fact, this is not a big deal at all. You shouldn¡¯t have called me for something so trivial. I have bigger and better things to do with my talent and profession.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Nichs reacted with a calm expression on his face when he heard Ashton¡¯sment. ¡°Greg is worried about her, so you¡¯d still be needed here anyway.¡± He steered the conversation in his way by mentioning Gregory. Nheless, Gregory didn¡¯t seem to find anything wrong with that as he asked in a serious manner, ¡°Mr. Sloan, how is Miss Pretty Lady now? Is her fever serious? When will she recover?¡± Noticing how concerned the boy was about someone else for the first time, Ashton was somehow touched by his heart-warming response. He then patiently answered Gregory¡¯s question, meeting the latter¡¯s gaze firmly. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine, Greg. Soon, she¡¯ll be up and around again, as all she needs is some medication and sufficient rest.¡± However, Gregory seemed a little disheartened as he looked away and shifted his gaze to Nichs. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady is sick, and I¡¯m sure it feels torturous for her. So, please leave me here!¡± The boy sympathetically implored his father to grant his wish, his watery eyes filled with sympathy. While Nichs didn¡¯t go against Gregory¡¯s wish, he nodded and stepped out of the room with Ashton. When the two men got to the corridor, Ashton finally brought up his confusion. ¡°Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! So, that¡¯s your secret girlfriend whom you¡¯ve been hiding in your house all this while. You¡¯re full of surprises, Nichs!¡± Nichs reacted normally without giving any further exnation as he calmly replied, ¡°Greg likes his teacher, whom he trusts without question, much to my surprise as well. So, I decided to let her stay with us.¡± Ashton raised his eyebrows with his mouth wide agape just when he was about to ask more questions, but Nichs refused to let him do that and took the opportunity to change the subject. ¡°By the way, is she really going to be fine?¡± Ashton nodded in response. ¡°Yeah, she probably just caught a cold. Furthermore, her body seems to have a lower cold tolerance, which renders her susceptible to coldness and other rted symptoms. Anyway, I made sure she took her medicine, so I believe her fever should subside byter in the afternoon. If her condition doesn¡¯t improve, you could take her to the hospital directly, but I won¡¯t be there because I have an international meeting with a foreign specialist.¡± Nichs nodded understandably and answered with a calm voice, ¡°Alright, see yourself out then.¡± Ashton paused, thinking it was a shame because it was time for him to go and attend to his business when he was so close to discovering something gossipy. Thus, he casually said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make a move now. When Ie back next time, I look forward to hearing more of thatdy¡¯s story.¡± After that, he took big strides and walked out of the house. Once Ashton disappeared from sight, Nichs turned around and returned to the guest room, in which he saw Gregory resting his head on the bed with his hand holding Tessa¡¯s palm. At the same time, he appeared to be murmuring something. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, you have to recover as soon as possible. I¡¯m waiting for you.¡± Befuddled and barely conscious, Tessa seemingly heard Gregory¡¯s voice and replied with gibberish. ¡°I I¡¯ll get well soon. D-Don¡¯t worry, Sweetheart.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gregory nodded obediently. At the sight of their amusing reaction, Nichs unknowingly curled his lips upward and decided to leave them both to it before he gave his assistant, Edward, a call. ¡°Deliver all the documents that I need to sign to my residence. I¡¯m going to be working from home right now.¡± Nichs gave his assistant an instruction. ¡°What?¡± Edward¡¯s reaction gave away his surprise as he could barely remember Nichs was ever absent at work. Because of that, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why his boss would want to work from home, which immediately gave him an idea that there could be something wrong with Gregory. At the thought of that, Edward asked in a concerned manner, ¡°Is Young Master Gregory alright?¡± ¡°Greg is fine, but Tessa isn¡¯t,¡± Nichs replied with a casual answer. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Edward was confused, wondering what it had to do with Tessa. Nichs answered calmly, ¡°Miss Reinhart has a fever, and Greg is worried about her. So, if anything happens to her, my boy will be desperately looking for me. Thus, I¡¯m going to be working from home today. Any questions?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°N-Nothing!¡± Edward responded with a brittle smile, somehow finding Nichs¡¯s excuse funny, although he couldn¡¯t really exin what it was. However, he didn¡¯t dare to ask further and went ahead to do as he was told, ready to head to the Sawyer Residence after packing the files in his briefcase. Alright, so I¡¯m now heading over to President Sawyer¡¯s house, where I¡¯m supposed to take these papers all the way to Tessa¡¯s room. ¡°President Sawyer, these are the urgent documents that you need to sign while the rest aren¡¯t,¡± Edward gently ced the documents on the desk and said. While Nichs nodded and continued to appear serious with his work, Gregory didn¡¯t seem willing to leave Tessa, thinking he should be there to look after her since her fever still hadn¡¯t subsided. Nheless, Edward couldn¡¯t help but find it strange at the sight of the scene just right in front of his eyes. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Deep down, it seemed to Edward that Nichs looked like he had a family when he was with Tessa and Gregory. Needless to say, that was a thought in his mind that he was still not daring enough to speak up. When Nichs was done with his speech, he looked away and gave his assistant permission to leave. ¡°You may leave now. If there are any other important documents, you could just take them to Kieran.¡± ¡°Understood, President Sawyer.¡± Edward nodded and walked away. Throughout the entire morning, Nichs sat on the couch and silently concentrated on his work. In the meantime, Gregory, who was keeping Tessapany by her side, was slowly dozing off as his head copsed onto the bed not long after. However, his hands were still tightly holding Tessa¡¯s palms all the time. Meanwhile, Nichs got up from his seat a few times to check on thedy¡¯s body temperature. When he learned that her temperature had gone down, his eyebrows seemingly rxed. Subsequently, the atmosphere remained peaceful and restful until noon, when Tessa¡¯s ringing phone broke the silence in the room. Gregory was awoken from his sleep by the ringtone, rubbing his eyes sleepily. On the other hand, Nichs knitted his eyebrows and walked closer to check on the phone, only to see an unknown caller. Thus, he declined the call, but the phone rang again momentster. After that, it kept ringing non-stop, frustrating the father and son so much that they wished they could just smash her phone into pieces. Worried that the call might disturb Tessa, Gregory furrowed his eyebrows and looked at his father in dissatisfaction. As Nichs grew more and more annoyed, he walked closer and picked up the call, but before he could say something, he instantly heard an angry voice. ¡°Tessa Reinhart, you ungrateful b*tch! You¡¯d bettere back to the Reinhart Residence at once, or I¡¯m going to skin you alive. Do you hear me?! Come back here now!¡± Surprised by the caller¡¯s harsh attitude, Nichs furrowed his brows and asked with a cial voice, ¡°Who¡¯s on the line?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. When the caller heard a man¡¯s voice, she appeared stunned and asked, ¡°Who is speaking?¡± Nichs shot a gaze at Tessa, whom he saw was still sleeping. So, he took a second to contemte and replied, ¡°I¡¯m her superior. She is unavable at the moment, so you could perhaps tell me what you want her to know.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Her superior.¡± Amber softened up a little when Nichs told her that he was Tessa¡¯s superior. Refusing to rub him the wrong way for no good reason, the olddy continued to vent in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m Tessa¡¯s grandmother. Please tell her toe home right away because I want to speak to her!¡± Amber said in amanding manner. ¡°She is at work now,¡± Nichs responded with a cial look on his face. Amber was rendered tongue-tied and forced to change her tune. ¡°Oh, in that case, please tell her to come home when she is done with her work.¡± As soon as Nichs heard that, he hung up the call right away. Judging from the olddy¡¯s unpleasant tone, he could tell that she wasn¡¯t someone easy-going. Then, he recalled the investigation results about Tessa¡¯s family background with the Reinharts, which reminded him of the olddy¡¯s sarcastic character. Knowing Amber was responsible for driving Tessa away from home along with her mother and brother, Nichs found it strange for the olddy to summon Tessa back now. As he believed it was probably for Ss and Lauren, he frowned and sympathized with the poordy for the trouble that never stopped haunting her. ¡°These people really won¡¯t let you live your life in peace for even one day!¡± Later, he put away Tessa¡¯s phone, thinking to tell her about the matter and letting her decide what to do about it after she woke up. When it was time for lunch, Nichs woke Tessa up with Andrew standing right beside him. Then, the butler greeted Tessa with a smile and asked her how she felt. ¡°You¡¯re up, Miss Reinhart. Do you feel better now? I ordered our chef to cook you some porridge. Since you¡¯re sick, you should eat something nd to keep your strength up.¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°I¡¯m fine, Andrew. Thanks!¡± Tessa expressed her gratitude and slowly sat up straight in bed. At the same time, Gregory quickly came closer and gazed at her in a concerned manner with his watery eyes. ¡°Are you alright, Miss Pretty Lady? Do you still feel unwell?¡± Tessa smiled andforted the boy. ¡°I feel a lot better now. Although I¡¯m still a little dizzy, I think it¡¯ll go away in a while. Thanks for asking, Sweetheart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re fine. I don¡¯t want you to fall sick, Miss Pretty Lady.¡± Greg heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing Tessa¡¯s words. Tessa¡¯s heart was melted by Gregory¡¯s thoughtfulness. A few momentster, she turned her attention to Nichs and apologetically said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t conduct my sses with Greg today due to my condition, President Sawyer.¡± Nichs didn¡¯t take it to heart and calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just remember not to swim when it¡¯ste at night. After all, you know your own body better than anyone else.¡± Tessa was reminded of what happened the night before and nodded awkwardly with her blushed cheeks. ¡°Sure.¡± Nichs¡¯s eyes darkened because he was soon reminded of the call that Tessa¡¯s grandmother had made earlier. After a brief hesitation, he decided to go ahead and tell her about it. ¡°Your grandmother called you a number of times this morning and demanded that you go back, saying she has something to speak to you about.¡± Tessa was stunned when he heard Nichs¡¯s words. Grandmother? Is he talking about the olddy from the Reinharts? At the thought of Amber, Tessa could be seen with her eyes turning indifferent, her voice sounding as cold as ice. ¡°Alright, I heard you.¡± Despite Tessa¡¯s affirmative response, it was clear that she was reluctant to return home. Deep down, she was unhappy with Amber, whom Nichs was referring to as her grandmother. That olddy is not my grandma! She is just some old hag who threw a weight around and treated me and my brother like nothing. Thanks to her, my mother lost her ce in the Reinhart Family. What was worse was that she encouraged my father to cheat on my mother by feeding him lies that my brother and I were not his children. Because of that, my father has always hated me and Timothy. From the moment Tessa was cast away from the Reinhart Family, she only considered her brother as the only family member she ever had and swore to never cross paths with the Reinharts ever again, let alone reconcile with them. On the other hand, Nichs could tell the indifference in Tessa¡¯s eyes but knew that she was still wise enough not to confront the Reinharts alone, so he said nothing about what he saw. Instead, he said, ¡°Alright, now that you¡¯re feeling better, I suppose it is time for us to have lunch together. Because of you, Greg got so worried that he didn¡¯t even take breakfast. So, you must take care of yourself, in order not to worry him.¡± As soon as Tessa heard what Nichs said, her cial eyes were filled with warmth once again. She then gazed at Gregory and spoke with a gentle voice. ¡°Sweetheart, that¡¯s very kind of you. I love you so much! I promise I¡¯ll take my medication on time and make sure not to worry you, okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Alright, I love you too, Miss Pretty Lady!¡± Gregory nodded rapidly, his eyes lighting up with exhration. After lunch, Tessa seemed more energized upon eating. Since she had been sleeping the whole morning, she decided not to sleep anymore but instead spent her time ying lego with Gregory in the games¡¯ room. In the meantime, Nichs went out and headed to his office, thinking Tessa should be fine from that moment on. Later that afternoon, Tessa¡¯s phone was bombarded with iing phone calls from none other than Amber once again. In fact, when Amber returned to the Reinhart Residence earlier that morning, she ran into Sophia, who exaggerated the matter about Ss and Lauren¡¯s arrest and med it all on Tessa. Upon hearing the news, Amber was taken over by her anger as she condemned Tessa for putting her only son through so much suffering. How could Tessa do something like this to her father?! Where is her sense of morality and decency? It was then that Amber reached for her phone and gave Tessa order to summon thetter and give her a piece of her mind N?velDrama.Org content rights. Nevertheless, Amber¡¯s attempt to summon Tessa was thwarted by Nichs, who brushed off her with an excuse that she was at work. When it was finally the afternoon, Amber¡¯s impatience made her restless and prompted her to make the call again. Meanwhile, Tessa eventually grew so annoyed that she went ahead and cklisted Amber¡¯s number after several irritating phone calls. Out of sight, out of mind! On the other hand, Tessa¡¯s action didn¡¯t sit well with Amber, who sat on the couch with a twisted facial expression. She then cursed Tessa with a sarcastic tone. ¡°You b*tch! How dare you just block my contact like that! Great! You¡¯re starting to show me your backbone now!¡± Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Noticing her grandmother¡¯s frustration, Sophia quickly served Amber a cup of tea and instilled hatred in her. ¡°Calm down, Grandma. Tessa had it all nned when she sent Dad to jail, so it¡¯s pretty obvious that she doesn¡¯t want to save him, but I¡­ I just feel sorry for the fact his daughter is so heartless and wicked. Thus, you must teach Tessa a lesson!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. When Amber heard what Sophia said, she grew even angrier. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to lecture her! That lady has to be humbled and taught a lesson the hard way! When I find her, I¡¯ll be sure to rough her up!¡± Sophia was happy at the sight of the olddy¡¯s reaction but was aware that Nichs could have Tessa¡¯s back. Thus, she suggested an approach to Amber. ¡°But we can¡¯t find Tessa as long as she doesn¡¯t show up, Grandma. So, why don¡¯t we go to the school and find Timothy instead?¡± A sinister look shed across her eyes. ¡°That guy is probably studying right now, so he can¡¯t be going anywhere else. If we have him with us, Tessa will surely have no choice but toe and meet us.¡± Upon hearing that, Amber stood up and urged Sophia toe with her. ¡°What¡¯re we waiting for, then? Let¡¯s go! We¡¯re going to get that bast*rd from the school now!¡± Sophia shook her head rapidly and immediately left home with Amber. Soon, they both arrived at Southend University, whereupon Sophia took her grandmother straight into the institute to look for Timothy. However, they were stopped by the security guard, who questioned their purpose of visit. ¡°Excuse me, what¡¯re you two doing here? No outsiders should be allowed to enter the school. Can¡¯t you see the signboard right here?¡± Frustrated with the hindrance, Amber lost her temper and berated the guard. ¡°I¡¯m a parent of a student who studies here, so why can¡¯t I go in?¡± The olddy¡¯s tone sounded like she was there to stir up trouble with her granddaughter to the security guard, but instead of picking on them, he patiently exined the proper registration procedures to them. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re a parent, you should probably know the school rules. You need to enter from the front gate and register in the office before you¡¯re given permission to enter.¡± While Amber was about to lose her temper out of desperation, Sophia restrained her and tried to charm the guard with a smile that she narcissistically thought was pretty. ¡°Sir, we¡¯re Timothy¡¯s family. Today, his grandmother hase a long way to see him, and it wasn¡¯t easy for an olddy to go through all the hassle and trouble to travel all the way here. So, can¡¯t you just let us in?¡± The security guard shook his head adamantly. ¡°You could give him a call and tell him toe out, but we can¡¯t let you in. I hope you can understand that.¡± ¡°But.¡± Sophia frowned because she didn¡¯t have Timothy¡¯s number. Even if she did, she couldn¡¯t tell whether Timothy would block her number like Tessa did to Amber, which was why she was thinking of directly approaching him. Nheless, she didn¡¯t expect her n to be thwarted by the annoying security guard, but just when she was about to talk him into changing his mind, she caught a glimpse of Timothy from the corner of her eye. At that moment, Timothy was on his way to meet Nichs along with his best friend, Henry. In fact, Nichs had told his assistant to contact Timothy after lunch that he wanted to meet him at a cafe near his school. After all, Timothy almost recovered from his illness, on top of the fact Nichs¡¯spany was in search of a new project for more revenue. Most importantly, the annoying calls that Tessa¡¯s phone had received earlier that morning alerted Nichs about the possibility that Timothy might be a target for the Reinharts. Thus, he quickly arranged a time to meet up with him but was unaware of Sophia and Amber¡¯s simultaneous actions as well. On the other hand, Timothy was too caught up in his conversation with Henry and failed to notice the two women¡¯s presence. At that moment, Henry agitatedly said, ¡°If we can seal the dealter, our future is going to shine even brighter than the stars in the sky! Think about it. We¡¯re going to be dealing with President Sawyer, the big shot from the Sawyer Group! He has 80% of all the connections in Southend and is the richest man in our country. Besides, hispany is even among the top 100 global enterprises and has businesses spread across every part of the world. Man! Even the thought of talking with the likes of him makes me feel super nervous!¡± Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Unlike Henry, Timothy appeared to behave more like a mature man. ¡°Well, there is nothing to be nervous about, actually. If we can close the deal sessfully, we¡¯re going to build our ownpany when we secure our capital. So, think about it. You¡¯re going to be a big shot too, someday. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re taking your first step to getting there.¡± Upon hearing that, Henry was amused by Timothy¡¯s reply. ¡°That¡¯s some encouraging words. What a strong and positive mindset you have there!¡± While Timothy chuckled in response, the two students continued to chat happily and walked toward the gate, where they were greeted by two unexpected figures that made the smile on Timothy¡¯s face disappear. Sophia shouted, ¡°Grandma, Timothy is right there!¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Amber looked in the direction Sophia told her to and saw Timothy. In that instant, she felt an overwhelming rage surging through as she approached the two young men intimidatingly and bellowed at them. ¡°Finally, you b*stard! Here you are!¡± While Timothy reacted with a pair of cial eyes, Henry frowned and asked with a soft voice, ¡°Who is this? Why can¡¯t she talk nicely?¡± Timothy didn¡¯t answer his friend¡¯s question, only staring at the twodies with a nonchnt expression. ¡°What are you both doing here?¡± Amber¡¯s anger got the better of her, prompting her tosh out like a madwoman with a jarring screech. ¡°How dare you ask that question, b*stard?! You and your b*tch sister plotted against your father together and put him in jail, yet you¡¯re asking me what we¡¯re doing here?! Do you really think you can disrespect your elderly now just because you¡¯re already a grown-up? I¡¯m warning you now! Tell your sister, Tessa, to release your father at once!¡± Despite her old age, Amber tried to dominate the encounter with her feisty nature. After a few harsh and cold reprimands, her voice drew everyone else¡¯s attention around them. Nheless, Timothy wasn¡¯t afraid of all the intimidating gazes. Instead, he chuckled and talked back. ¡°Is there something you misunderstood, Grandma? Ss only had himself to me for how he ended up, and he deserves it! Anyway, I think you havee to the wrong ce if you want them to be released. Talk to the cops because talking to me isn¡¯t going to change anything. I¡¯m busy right now, so I don¡¯t have time to y your game. If I were you, I would turn around and walk away before things turn ugly here!¡± Timothy ignored thedies and turned around, leaving them behind. Nheless, Timothy¡¯s response instantly pissed Sophia off, urging her to start rebuking him as well. ¡°Where is your conscience, Timothy?! It¡¯s your father we¡¯re talking about. How can you say something so heartless? Aren¡¯t you afraid of karma at all?!¡± Timothy felt as if he had just heard a joke upon listening to Sophia¡¯s words, sniggering and replying to thetter sarcastically. ¡°Karma?! You guys weren¡¯t afraid of that when you did what you did, so why should I be?¡± ¡°How dare you, Timothy!¡± Sophia felt her rage surging through her. However, Timothy eventually ran out of patience and barked coldly with a cial expression on his face, ¡°Sophia, I don¡¯t have a father! My sister is the only family member I ever have, so stop trying to warm up to me like we¡¯re a family! Because that disgusts me!¡± ¡°You! You son of a b*tch!¡± Amber¡¯s wrath consumed her rationality as she squinted at Timothy. Then, she screamed at the top of her voice like a strangled hen. ¡°Ah! You wicked little b*stard! How dare you say something like this! If I had known that was how you¡¯d behave, I would have strangled you to death right after you were born! I¡¯m going to kill you right now, you motherf*cker!¡± The olddy charged at the unsuspecting security guard and snatched the baton from his belt when thetter was unaware of her intention. Then, she raised the baton in the air, ready to strike Timothy. While the security guard, who was caught by surprise, was going to stop the olddy, Amber¡¯s arm was already swinging in mid-air. Despite her old age, she was still strong enough to generate a powerful swing that packed a punch. In the meantime, Timothy was shocked by the olddy¡¯s outburst and tried to dodge her attack, but he staggered and nearly fell down to the ground because of his impaired mobility. Meanwhile, Henry didn¡¯t expect an outburst from an olddy at such an age. The next moment, he immediately stood in front of Timothy to protect him and angrily berated Amber. ¡°Stop! What¡¯s wrong with you, olddy?! Why are you getting physical here? Now, I don¡¯t want to put an olddy like you into trouble, so you¡¯d better stop what you¡¯re doing, or I¡¯m going to call the cops!¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Timothy was seen with an unhappy and sour look on his face. At that moment, they were surrounded by the bystanders around them. Due to Timothy¡¯s good looks and outstanding academic performance, he was easily recognized just when the atmosphere was filled with murmurs of gossip. ¡°Is there something wrong with this olddy? Why is she hitting my baby, Timothy?¡± ¡°Why is an olddy like her acting like this? What a feisty old hag!¡± Despite the disapproving noises around her, Amber wasn¡¯t bothered by then at all. Instead, she held the baton tightly in her hand and yelled, ¡°Quit hiding, Timothy! You¡¯re a b*stard born to be a liability to the Reinhart Family! You¡¯re a cheapskate, just like your mother and sister! How could you put my son in jail? If I don¡¯t beat the hell out of you, I¡¯ll be sorry to the Reinharts!¡± After finishing her sentence, the olddy tried charging at Timothy to continue her violent madness. In that instant, the security guard quickly interfered and stopped Amber, reprimanding her with a loud voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, olddy?! How could you try to hit our students for no good reason?! Are you out of your mind or what?!¡± He then snatched his baton from her and put it back into his sheath. When Amber failed in her attempt to give Timothy a beating, she grew more frustrated and felt ashamed of herself for allowing the bystanders to witness everything. Then, she sat on the ground and started whining like a child. ¡°Where is justice?! Is there really no justice in this world?! How could any son put his father behind bars and show his grandmother disrespect?! Yet all of you ignore his mistakes and point your fingers at me. s! After all those years we spent raising him up, this is how this ingrate repays us! He is an animal!¡± Crying and thumping her chest, the olddy sobbed in tears with sadness written all over her face.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. However, Amber¡¯s words sessfully created a misunderstanding by swaying everyone else into doubting Timothy¡¯s innocence, causing them to question his character. ¡°Seriously? Is Timothy really that kind of person?¡± ¡°No way! Who would do such a thing to his own father?¡± When Sophia saw that, she cunningly seized the opportunity and tried to make a mountain out of a molehill. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, your ssmate, Timothy, is a crooked and wi innocent appearance. If he could bear to put his father behind bars, what do you think someone of his character could be capable of in the future? So, is this the kind of person your school recruits? Sophia¡¯s words were like a bucket of filthy water that was sshed on Timothy¡¯s head. ¡°Enough with your nonsense, Sophia!¡± Timothy angrily called out to Sophia with a resentful expression on his face. In the meantime, Henry grew furious as well after hearing Sophia¡¯s words. ¡°Watch your mouth,dy! The Reinharts are the ones without a sense of shame! Many years ago, you both abandoned Tessa and Timothy and left them to their fate, but now that Timothy seems useful to you, you want him back! Besides, you both were in the wrong in the first ce for trying to kidnap Timothy thest time, yet here you are, trying to take advantage of him one more time!¡± Henry¡¯s voice was so loud that everyone could hear him, which quickly tipped the scale back to Timothy¡¯s favor. ¡°What?! How could they do this to my baby, Timothy?!¡± ¡°Oh, poor Timothy! He doesn¡¯t deserve this, does he?¡± ¡°Where is their sense of shame? How could Timothy ever have someone so shameless in his family?¡± Surprised by Henry¡¯s quick wit, Amber lost her cool and flipped out in front of the outcry. ¡°Shut up, everyone! What do you know? Look at your attitude when you¡¯re talking to your elderly! How did people like you all manage to enter this school? I want to talk to your principal! I want to understand whether this is the best that Southend University can do in producing talents with this ¡®quality!¡± As soon as everyone heard Amber, they immediately kept their mouths shut. While the security guard also furrowed his eyebrows, the olddy continued to threaten everyone else. ¡°I want to see your principal now. I want an answer by today, or I swear I¡¯ll tell the reporters how terrible your university is!¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100 As one of the top-notch institutes in the country, Southend University couldn¡¯t afford to allow its name to be stigmatized. Furthermore, the entiremotion that took ce at the school gate created an. opportunity for it to be caught on camera and uploaded onto the inte. By then, the incident would inevitably take a toll on the school¡¯s reputation. Refusing to be responsible for that, the security guard immediately informed the principal before the few of them made their way to the office. At that moment, Tessa was having a great time ying with Gregory in the manor when she suddenly received a call. ¡°Hello, may I speak to Timothy Reinhart¡¯s guardian?¡± The caller¡¯s stern tone was heard as soon as the phone was answered. Confused, Tessa instantly asked, ¡°Yes, speaking. Who is on the line, please?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I¡¯m the principal¡¯s secretary from Southend University. Timothy has been caught with inappropriate behavior on campus grounds, so we need his guardian, which is you, toe over. So, pleasee to the school as soon as possible.¡± The call was hung up once the caller finished her sentence. Inappropriate behavior on campus? Tessa knitted her eyebrows, finding it hard to believe her ears. After all, she had always known her brother as a smart and kind student and would never beli go around looking for trouble in school. Puzzled, she immediately rose from her seat and decided to leave the manor. Meanwhile, Gregory noticed Tessa¡¯s worried look and asked in a concerned manner, ¡°What happened, Miss Pretty Lady?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just have some important business to take care of. Just stay home and be a good boy, okay? I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m done.¡± Tessa patiently hoaxed the boy. Gregory heard thedy¡¯s words and asked, ¡°But are you sure you¡¯re alright, Miss Pretty Lady? You¡¯re still sick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can hang in there.¡± Feeling touched by the little boy¡¯s thoughtfulness, Tessa ruffled his hair and told the butler to look after Gregory before leaving the manor. Half an hourter, Tessa arrived outside the principal¡¯s office at Southend University. She then opened the door and was greeted by her brother, Timothy, right away. ¡°What happened, Timothy?¡± she asked earnestly. ¡°Tessa,¡± Timothy called out to his sister with a gloomy face and turned his attention to the couch. When Tessa followed Timothy¡¯s line of sight, she instantly saw Amber and Sophia, whose presence turned her face into a gloomy one. At that moment, she could tell what was going on by the looks of it. The principal sat behind his desk, asking Tessa the moment he saw her. ¡°Are you Timothy¡¯s guardian?¡± Tessa nodded and calmly answered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m his sister.¡± The principal responded with a nod and went ahead to tell Tessa what had just happened. ¡°I just came to understand the situation, which seemed like your family feud. At that time, when the heated confrontation in which Timothy was involved took ce, many witnesses saw what happened. For that, it has surely taken a toll on the school¡¯s name. So, I suggest you settle your disputes at home instead of handling them publicly.¡± Tessa¡¯s face darkened after she heard the principal¡¯s exnation. Without even bothering to look at Amber, she went on to say, ¡°Sir, I understand your situation, but this matter is actually not as complicated as you think it is. My brother and I have been living together for years, and there are only the two of us in the family. So, if anyone who ims to be our family messes with your students in front of the school gate, you should immediately call the police. Timothy is a student in your school, so he should be protected by you. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Tessa spoke with a chilly yet intimidating tone but maintained a polite expression on her face. However, the principal was speechless upon hearing her words, as he seemingly didn¡¯t expect to hear them. Upon hearing Tessa¡¯s words, Amber lost her cool andshed out at the former. ¡°You b*tch, Tessa! Where is your conscience?! You put your dad in jail, and now you¡¯re trying to do the same thing to your grandmother! After all these years your father spent raising you, this is how you repay him, you ingrate! I¡¯m warning you! I don¡¯t care how it is, but you must get your father out of prison by today, or I will make you regret it!¡± Tessa stared at the olddy with a pair of cold eyes, speaking with a cial voice. ¡°You¡¯re wee to try. If you ever dare to mess with me, I¡¯m just going to call the cops! By then, don¡¯t me me if you get locked up in the cell!¡± ¡°What did you just say?!¡± Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Chapter 101 As Amber shivered in rage and showed her anger, Tessa remained calm and said, ¡°Ss deserved what wasing to him, but you? Who are you to lecture me? My grandmother? Speaking of that, I guess you might have forgotten the fact that you drove my mom away from home and told me and my brother to forget about you as our grandma! So, why are you trying to boss us around here now? You were the reason Ss cheated on his wife. Because of you, he took our only home away and let us go hungry without qualms at all! A few years ago, my brother needed money to treat his legs, but you all turned us away! Now that Timothy has sessfully created some revolutionary invention that could possibly bring him a huge fortune, you guys try to kidnap him back home because he seems useful to you all now! Where is your sense of shame?! I¡¯m telling you now! I don¡¯t care whether it¡¯s you or anyone else, but Ss is going to spend his days behind bars, like it or not. If you mess with me again, I¡¯ll be sure to have you locked up in a cell too, and I swear I mean it.¡± Tessa angrily refuted the olddy, talking back with words like des that cut through the skin. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. In the meantime, Amber was rendered tongue-tied when she heard Tessa¡¯s words, finding herself on the brink of her sanity. She then pointed at Tessa¡¯s face with her shivering fingers. ¡°Y-You! You wh*re! You¡¯re an animal! You heartlessly sent your father to jail, and now you have no respect for your grandmother at all!¡± After that, Amber turned her attention to the principal. ¡°Do you see that, Sir? Anyone with conscience and manners would show some respect to their grandmother! So, I¡¯m giving you two choices now! You either expel Timothy from your institute, or I will stay here and make sure everyone knows what kind of students your school educates. I¡¯m going to involve the reporters and have them explore the hidden culture in your school!¡± When the principal heard that his face darkened. Judging from the conversation he just heard, he could tell that it was the people from the Reinhart Family who had wronged Tessa and Timothy in the first ce. Thus, he couldn¡¯t help but disapprove of Amber for her shamelessly mean attitude toward Timothy, who was considered an outstanding student in the school. Nheless, when he heard Amber¡¯s threat, his face turned cold shortly before he sternly gave the olddy a stern warning. ¡°You came to our school and stirred up trouble, and you should be grateful that I¡¯m not holding you responsible for that, olddy! But now, you¡¯re threatening me! If you don¡¯t put a stop to what you¡¯re doing, I¡¯m going to call the cops right away!¡± Then, he shifted his eyes to Timothy and said, ¡°Besides, Timothy is an outstanding student here, but the Reinharts failed to treasure his potential back then. So what right do you have to treat him like this now?¡± Amber didn¡¯t expect to be lectured by the principal, feeling speechlessly exasperated. ¡°I guess I finally understand why the students from your school are so rude and disrespectful. It¡¯s all because they have a principal who sets a bad example for them like you! Good! Aren¡¯t you worried that I¡¯ll bring this up to the minister of education?! Let me tell you something. The Reinhart Family has a widework of connections, so when this matter esctes, you can kiss your position goodbye as the principal of the¡­¡± Noticing Amber¡¯s unreasonable attitude, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but feel disgusted. After all, she knew that escting the matter wouldn¡¯t do Timothy any good. It¡¯d only create more trouble for the school instead. Thus, she clenched her jaw for a moment and said, ¡°Do you really want me to get Silos out of jail? Fine, I can do that, but on one condition-give me back our ce at Maple Hill Condominium. Besides, want all my mom¡¯s dowry back when she married into the Reinhart Family. Otherwise, I¡¯ll call the cops and let them be the judge of who¡¯s right and wrong!¡± Sophia¡¯s anger surged through when she heard Tessa¡¯s words. She then screeched at thetter, ¡°Forget about your pipe dream, Tessa! That house belongs to the Reinharts, so who are you to demand it? Furthermore, your mother was broke when she married into the Reinhart Family, so what dowry are you talking about? Have some sense of shame, would you?¡± Tessa sarcastically chuckled and replied, ¡°Keep telling that yourself! When my mom married into the Reinhart Family, she had a red jewel worth about five to six million, but your mistress mother took it and imed it as her own, not to mention the Reinhart Group that was rightfully my mom¡¯s. Speaking of that, both of you also took my mother¡¯s shares like they were yours from the start.¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102 ¡°Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know that both of you changed the legal sessor of the shares when my mother went missing! How can you have the audacity to steal my mother¡¯s shares?!¡± Tessa snapped as she exposed the wrongdoings of the Reinharts. N?velDrama.Org content rights. At this moment, Sophia¡¯s face went pale, but she couldn¡¯t argue against Tessa while Amber got pissed off and reprimanded, ¡°You little b*tch, you¡¯re surprisingly good at running your mouth considering how unsessful you are, huh? How can that b*tch of a mother of yours get her hands on jewelry?! Everything in the Reinhart family belongs to the Reinharts. Even you and your brother¡¯s lives are provided by us! When the Reinhart Family is in need, you two are obliged to help the family out! No buts!¡± Upon hearing how ridiculous and illogical Amber¡¯s statement was, Julius Chance, the principal, frowned unconsciously. It is tragic that these siblings are born into a family like this! Not being able to stand seeing the siblings get bullied anymore, he wanted to stand up for them. However, a loud bang rang out at this instance before the door to the office was mmed open from the outside. Following that, an elegant figure entered the office from outside, effectively attracting everyone¡¯s attention. When Julius saw who came, he was stunned, while Tessa and Timothy were taken aback as the person who entered was Nichs, and he was followed by Edward and Henry. Half an hour ago, when Timothy was called to the principal¡¯s office, he had gotten Henry to meet Nichs instead because he didn¡¯t want theirbined effort to be wasted because of his own private matters. After Henry went to meet Nichs, Nichs asked him about Timothy when he noticed Timothy wasn¡¯t there, while Henry exined what happened in an upset manner. When Nichs heard what happened, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Tessa showed up when something so serious happened to Timothy. Still, Greg will surely worry if anything happens to her when she¡¯s still sick now! At the thought of that, he decided toe over to see what really happened. Nevertheless, he had already heard Amber¡¯s outrageousments when he reached the entrance of the office. I can¡¯t believe that there are people as shameless as this in this world! Then, Nichs pushed the door open and entered the office. At this moment, his presence stunned everyone, as they were all taken aback until his cold voice rang out. ¡°Mr. Chance, the university was still doing well before you took over, so how are you nning to exin this chaos?¡± Right then, Julius came back to his senses before his face went pale. He hadn¡¯t ever expected Nichs to be informed about this ande over on his own. Southend University was established sixty years ago by Nichs¡¯s maternal great-grandfather, Mason Buchanan, and he was the first principal of the university. His grandfather, on the other hand, was once the head of the Ministry of Education as well as a well-known figure in the literature field with a strong standing. Although Southend University was now a public school, the Sawyers still held authority over the school. On the other hand, Nichs was the eldest grandson of the Sawyer Family, and it was a well known fact that he was Remus¡¯s favorite. Hence, Julius felt his throat constricting the moment he saw Nichs before he trembled and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Sawyer. I¡¯ll sort it out immediately.¡± However, Nichs frowned before an upset look shed past his eyes. ¡°Are you sorting things out by letting these people insult your own students? You¡¯re really a failure of a school principal!¡± Upon hearing that, Julius waspletely horrified before he quickly exined, ¡°It¡¯s not like that, President Sawyer. Things are a littleplicated right now.¡± Nevertheless, Nichs didn¡¯t want to waste his time on Julius any longer and cut him off. ¡°What¡¯s so complicated about this? Timothy Reinhart is an outstanding student that I¡¯ll be coborating with soon, so it¡¯s obvious that there won¡¯t be anything wrong with his behavior! As for the others¡­ People who try to disturb the order of the school should be taken away byw enforcers, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Afraid to go against Nichs, Julius quickly nodded his head. ¡°Yes! You¡¯re right, President Sawyer. I¡¯ll lodge a police report now. Please hang on.¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Lodge a police report? N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Amber felt something snap within her the moment she heard Julius wanting to lodge a police report. ¡°Who are you? How dare an outsider like you interfere in our matter!¡± Right then, Sophia quickly pulled on Amber¡¯s shirt before whispering, ¡°Grandma, this is Tessa¡¯s strong backing that I told you about. Do not lose your cool and cross him.¡± Amber was stunned. For someone who had lived more than half of her life, she knew well who she could and couldn¡¯t cross. If they really crossed the Sawyers, the Reinharts would definitely find themselves in serious trouble. Hence, Amber quickly rposed herself before saying, ¡°President Sawyer, although you¡¯re an influential person, don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s inappropriate for an outsider like you to interfere in the Reinharts¡¯ family matters? Of course, I get that you want to help Tessa out, but you have to know how to differentiate between good people and bad people. That little liar is just an ungrateful child that leeches on the family! You can¡¯t get cheated by her!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± There was a hint of arrogance in Nichs¡¯s voice while his gaze turned cold. ¡°How dare an unreasonable woman like you, who takes advantage of your seniority to cause a scene, dare to lecture me on how I judge people? I¡¯m more than capable of making my own judgments, and I know Tessa and Timothy¡¯s characters well. I don¡¯t need you to educate me.¡± Upon hearing that, Amber became exasperated as her face turned red. If this was Tessa, she would have already reprimanded her. However, she had no guts to talk back to someone from the Sawyer Family, so she could only hold her tongue and sigh. Still, Nichs wasn¡¯t done just yet. He was emitting a pressurizing aura before giving Amber a hard look and continued, ¡°Besides, I was the one who got Ss captured. Even if you harm Tessa and Timothy today, the police won¡¯t release him without my permission, so you don¡¯t have to waste your effort.¡± Sophia and Amber¡¯s faces ashened when they heard him. Although they knew that Nichs was the person behind what happened, they went to Tessa and Timothy because they had no choice, but it seemed like Nichs was hell-bent on protecting those two, which meant they had no other option than to plead with him. Ss is the only son that I¡¯ve ever had in my entire life, and there¡¯s no way that I¡¯ll let him rot in prison for the rest of his life! Amber became sorrowful at the thought of that before the arrogant look on her face vanished, and she asked in a humble manner, ¡°What¡­ What do you want us to do to let go of my son?¡± Nevertheless, Nichs only gave her a sharp look and didn¡¯t say anything before he turned toward Tessa and dered in a cold manner, ¡°That depends on Tessa. She¡¯s my woman, and she holds the say to decide how she wants to deal with you guys!¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa felt a mixture of feelings she couldn¡¯t pinpoint. Throughout these years, she and Timothy had been bullied a lot, and all they could do was carry all of the pain and sufferings quietly without anyone standing up to protect them. However, Nichs had been protecting her every time and backing her up. Despite her going all out to keep a distance away from him, he¡¯d never fail to reach out to help her out. I guess I really need a long time to be able to repay him for everything he has done for me. Tessa sniffed and tried to suppress her urge to cry before she turned to look at Amber and Sophia coldly. Then, she dered, ¡°I¡¯ve already said this once. If you want me to let Ss go, return the apartment that my mother left me and Timothy, and change the ownership of the house to my brother¡¯s name. Besides that, give me back my mother¡¯s dowry as well. That¡¯s it.¡± Although she didn¡¯t want anything from the Sawyers, she must take what belonged to her mother back. When Sophia heard Tessa¡¯s demands, her face darkened before she felt a powerful urge to kill Tessa. This bitch¡­ How dare she make such outrageous demands just because Nichs is helping her out? What made Sophia even more jealous was the fact that Nichs would make so much effort just to help her. How dare she? If we are talking about looks, I should be the one who is favored! She was so jealous that she was about to go crazy. However, Nichs suddenly asked, ¡°That¡¯s all? Don¡¯t you want some other things like shares?¡± Nevertheless, Tessa sneered disdainfully, ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Nevertheless, Nichs gave her a look before hemented. Although you don¡¯t need it. I still think that you should at least ask for apensation of about five million! After all, it¡¯s nothingpared to thern kidnapping and harassing your brother along with causing you to lose so much money throughout these years! Besides that, you should also get them to sign a contract to never harass you or your brother again and failure toply would result in a fine of another five million.¡± When Amber heard that she had her facial expression darkened before a look of disbelief appeared on her face, ¡®Are you kidding me? That¡¯s extortion!¡± Yet Nichs¡¯s gaze narrowed before his facial expression turned to one that¡¯d scare anyone. ¡°You. cant do it? If you cant¡­ then leave! From today onward, your son will be in jail for the rest of his life, and he won¡¯t be able to ever see the sunlight ever again!¡± He hadpletely lost his patience as he instructed, ¡°Get these people out of here!¡± Then, Edward quickly came in with the bodyguards to escort them out. However, Amber started struggling. ¡°Hang on President Sawyer. Let¡¯s just have a civil conversation. Let me go¡­ Don¡¯t touch mel I¡¯m a senior citizen-¡± Yet Nichs ignored her pleas and watched coldly as Amber and Sophia were dragged out. The office quickly became quiet after that, and Nichs turned around to look at Tessa. At the same time, Tessa was staring at him with a conflicted look as well. Nevertheless, she quickly came back to her senses before saying, ¡°Thank you for helping me out this time. Timothy gave Nichs a grateful look as well. ¡°Thank you for helping, President Sawyer.¡± Nichs nodded a little. ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. It¡¯s impossible to talk sense into people like these, so it¡¯s better if we settle it the hard way, as she only acted like this because she thinks you guys are pushovers, Then, he turned to Julius and said sternly, ¡°I hope things like this won¡¯t happen again.¡± Julius replied respectfully. ¡°Yes. It will never happen again, I¡¯ll clear up Timothy¡¯s name as soon as possible, and it won¡¯t affect his student life.¡± ¡°Alright. Nichs nodded in satisfaction before leaving with Tessa and Timothy. Following that, they returned to the cafe where they had agreed to meet earlier. After they all ordered their drinks respectively, Nichs turned to Timothy. ¡°Now that your family matter is resolved let¡¯s get down to business.¡± Timothy hadn¡¯t forgotten why he came here today, and immediately, he nodded and looked at Henry. ¡°Laptop.¡± Henry quickly logged into theptop before opening the document that contained contents of artificial intelligence before he handed theptop to Timothy. Then, Timothy gave a brief introduction regarding the idea behind their software and its features. Finally, he ended his pitch with a strong conclusion. ¡°Since no one has developed a software like this, I think that our project has high potential, and we will be able to profit a lot from it!¡± After that, Timothy gave Nichs an anxious look. ¡°What do you think, President Sawyer?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Although Nichs didn¡¯t say anything, he was really satisfied with the artificial intelligence program that Timothy had developed. This project was way better than what he imagined, as everything was designed well instead of empty talks. Just like what Timothy said, this software was an all-rounder. Nichs didn¡¯t expect a sophomore like Timothy to be able toe out with an excellent project without any first-hand experience. Even though Timothy¡¯s project had exceeded Nichs¡¯s expectations, Nichs remained calm and unwavering. There wasn¡¯t an ounce of expression on his perfect features as he remained quiet. ¡°I can buy this software. However, you¡¯ll have toe out with aplete business and action n for me if you want to sell it at a higher price. Besides that, you¡¯ll also need toe to thepany to personally brief the executives. Can you do that?¡± At the same time, Tessa was listening to their conversation attentively. Although she had no knowledge of programming, she knew how outstanding her little brother was. Even though she didn¡¯t know how Timothy developed his software, she was blown away after hearing his exnations. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Tessa was observant, and she could tell the importance of this project to her brother from his body language. If not, the leader of the Sawyer Group would never waste his time listening to a babbling student that hadn¡¯t even graduated. Therefore, the project was probably already set. Right then, Timothy hesitated before his once confident hands slowly lowered themselves under the table before intertwining them together, expressing his uncertainty. ¡°Can I send someone else to go? Henry is one of the creators of the software, and he knows everything that I know as well.¡± Although Timothy usually looked fine and could talk smoothly, he tended to feel uneasy when he was with strangers. His emotions were mainly due to an inferiorityplex from his slight disability. Although Timothy got better now, he was still wary of other people¡¯s gazes as well as their quiet chatters. Nevertheless, Tessa had been hoping that Timothy would take a step forward all along, so she grabbed his hands that were under the table. ¡°Since President Sawyer really values you, why don¡¯t you try to do it? You can just do it like how you did just now.¡± After the reason behind Timothy¡¯s hesitation, Henry tried to persuade him as well. ¡°Timothy, I believe that you can do it. Although the two of us developed this software, you know way more about it than 1 do. Besides, you know that I¡¯ll have stage fright when I¡¯m in front of many people. I really can¡¯t do this, so you¡¯ll have to do it.¡± Since everyone tried to persuade him, Timothy had no choice but to nod his head. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll go, then. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± After everything was settled, Nichs reached out for a handshake. ¡°I hope that we can have a pleasant cooperation.¡± Slightly stunned, Timothy quickly came back to his senses to shake Nichs¡¯s hand. ¡°Same goes.¡± He looked high-spirited, and the upset look he had previously when he was in trouble had disappeared. Right then, Timothy looked even more confident than before. After they finished their meeting, Nichs nodded at Timothy and Henry. He was nning to leave, so the two young university students sent him off to the entrance. ¡°Have a safe drive, President Sawyer.¡± However, Nichs turned around and gave Tessa a look after taking a few steps forward. ¡°Are you staying with your brother or going back with me?¡± At the moment, Tessa was slightly taken aback before she asked curiously, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back to yourpany?¡± Nheless, Nichs tapped at his expensive wristwatch before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t have to go back since my working hour is almost over.¡± Since she¡¯d still have to return, she would have to take a cab if she wasn¡¯t nning to leave with Nichs. As that would be more of a hassle, so it¡¯d be better if she took the free ride with Nichs, so she nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s head back together.¡± However, Timothy was shocked when he saw Tessa leaving with Nichs willingly. ¡°T-Tessa, why are you leaving with President Sawyer? How well do you know each other?¡± He had been wanting to ask this question ever since Nichs showed up to help them out previously, and he couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity when he witnessed it again today. At this moment, Tessa finally thought of exining herself. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I¡¯ve gotten myself a frencing job to teach a kid violin? That kid is President Sawyer¡¯s son, so he¡¯s my superior now.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Timothy looked enlightened before he turned toward Nichs and eximed, ¡°Please take care of my sister, President Sawyer! Have a safe journey!¡± Tessa nodded and reminded him of the things he needed to take note of before leaving. On the way back, she sat at the back of the car together with Nichs. As the space at the back of the car was narrow, the two of them sat really close to each other, and they could feel each other¡¯s breath if they turned around. Right then, Tessa felt uneasy before scooting closer to the window so that she could distance herself from Nichs. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Nevertheless, Nichs didn¡¯t notice her action as he was leaning back on his seatzily and had already lost his strong and calm facade during the meeting just now. He also lost the intimidating aura that he had when he was facing Amber and Sophia. At this moment, Nichs looked casual and free. After hesitating for a moment, Tessa spoke up. ¡°Nichs, thank you for helping us out today. Also, thank you for guiding Timothy.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106 While Nichs was removing his coat and rolling up his sleeves nonchntly, his hands paused slightly when he heard Tessa thanking him. ¡°How many times do you want to thank me? Are you really just going to say thank you and not do anything else? You should at least do something to repay me.¡± He looked at her with a deep frown. Tessa was taken aback before she thought to herself, How would he want me to repay him when he already has everything? ¡°What would you like me to do to thank you? I¡¯ll do it if it is within my capabilities.¡± When Nichs heard her, he raised his eyebrows and stared at her in a teasing manner. ¡°It¡¯s not like you can afford anything expensive for me. What do you have currently?¡± Although his words sounded offensive, it was the truth. Currently, Tessa was indeed poor and powerless. After contemting to herself, Tessa trailed off,¡±1 have nothing with me but myself¡­¡± Then, she realized that something wasn¡¯t right. Why does it sound like I¡¯m telling him that I can only offer him my body because I have nothing else to me? Disgusted by her thoughts, Tessa quickly exined so that Nichs wouldn¡¯t misunderstand, saying, ¡°I¡¯m a violinist as well. If you don¡¯t mind, I can y you a few tunes.¡± However, Nichs snorted before scanning her up and down a few times. ¡°Are you nning to dismiss all of the favors that you owe me with just one tune?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll y you ten tunes if one is not enough. If I really be a renowned violinist in the future, my appearance fee will surely be expensive, so you¡¯re not losing out since I¡¯m not asking you to pay.¡± Staring at Tessa, who was amusing herself by thinking of her future, Nichs curled his lips with a hint of a smile on his face. ¡°That¡¯s the future, though. You¡¯re not worth the price and don¡¯t have that kind of talent now. Besides, it might not even happen in the future.¡± After getting hit by a cold bucket of water, Tessa got annoyed and red at Nichs. Does this man not know how to speak properly? Why does he have to be so rude? He doesn¡¯t even need the money, anyway. Can¡¯t he just say that it¡¯s alright? Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m not able to get famous¡­ It¡¯s just not the right time yet. He¡¯s really getting on my nerves. Upon seeing Tessa getting pissed off, Nichs suddenly felt pleased. At the same time, Edward, who was driving in front, was surprised when he saw their interaction through the rearview mirror and overheard their conversation. President Sawyer, who couldn¡¯t even be bothered to talk to women in the past, actually knows how to tease them now? He couldn¡¯t help but feel odd as he could sense that something was different with Nichs now, but he couldn¡¯t seem to figure out what was out of the ordinary other than the fact that something was different. On the other hand, Tessa didn¡¯t argue with Nichs and chose to be quiet as she huffed her cheeks. Right then, she kept telling herself to remain cool-headed and be the bigger person. N?velDrama.Org content rights. After all, Nichs just bought the copyright for Timothy¡¯s project, and they are now business partners. Hence, it was better not to cross him at this moment. Taking a deep breath, Tessa calmed herself down before she asked, ¡°By the way¡­ I have a substantive question for you. Do you think Timothy is capable? Is his software really that good? Will yourpany really buy it?¡± She bombarded Nichs with a series of questions while looking worried. However, Nichs gave her a look before he remarked, ¡°He¡¯s way more capablepared to you.¡± Nevertheless, Tessa was pleased instead of upset. ¡°That¡¯s true! Timothy is indeed an outstanding person. Still, thank you for acknowledging him! He really needed that!¡± Right then, there was a look of gratitude on her face. Yet, the car suddenly took a sharp turn after she thanked Nichs. Not anticipating the turn, Tessa immediately rammed into Nichs due to the sudden movement of the car. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107 At this moment, cold sweat started forming on Edward¡¯s forehead as he focusedpletely on swerving the car to avoid other cars. He did not even dare to look back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Sawyer. Someone ran the red light, and I was trying to avoid them, but I identally pressed on the pedal too hard. Are you and Miss Reinhart alright?¡±. Yet no one answered Edward¡¯s question. At this moment, Tessa and Nichs were in an intimate position. Nichsy on the seat while Tessa had her hands against his chest, as if she was trying to listen to his heartbeat. It was a peculiar situation, and they were breathing really close to each other. In fact, Tessa could smell the subtle cologne on his body. It was a seductive woodsy scent with a hint of musk. Immediately, Tessa felt the tip of her ears heating up before she got embarrassed and quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ll get up now.¡± Then, her hands pressed against the ground as she tried to support herself to get up. However, Edward suddenly mmed on the brake pedal of the car. Before Tessa could stabilize herself, she fell toward Nichs, who was in front of her, again. This time, the situation got more outrageous as her lipsnded on his! Right then, Tessa was stunned as she stared at the erged handsome face in front of her with wide eyes and didn¡¯t know what to do. At the same time, Nichs was also taken aback by the sudden kiss and couldn¡¯te back to his senses. When Edward checked on them from the rearview mirror, he was instantly struck before he gulped and stuttered, ¡°P-President Sawyer, I¡¯m so sorry. I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose. There was a person trying to cross the road, so ¡­ Are you guys alright?¡± However, Nichs didn¡¯t say anything as he stared at the woman in front of him while enjoying the moisture and softness of her lips. Although he had already kissed Tessa once at Dynasty Gardensst night, it wasn¡¯t strictly a kiss. Back then, he only performed CPR on Tessa as he thought that she had drowned and wanted to save her. Hence, he didn¡¯t think much about it and didn¡¯t feel anything. However, it was a real kiss this time. Normally, Nichs would kick her out of the car and sanitize all parts of his body that were touched. Yet, he didn¡¯t do anything like that this time. Instead, his gaze darkened. Nichs didn¡¯t hate Tessa¡¯s scent or her touch, and this wasn¡¯t his first time getting this weird feeling from Tessa. He didn¡¯t feel disgusted every time she touched him. In fact, he¡¯d even crave for more. Instinctively, Nichs tightened his grip on her slender waist, as if he wanted to be closer and more intimate with her. However, Tessa came back to her senses when Nichs¡¯s hand touched her waist, immediately jumping from fear. At this moment, her rosy cheeks flushed red as if it was burning. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry. I-I wasn¡¯t trying to take advantage of you on purpose! All of it was an ident! I¡¯m really sorry.¡± As Tessa was still in a buzz, she got too anxious and ended up hitting her head on the ceiling of the car. Because she was still sick, the hit on her head felt as if she had been struck by a blunt weapon. Soon, her tears started welling up because of the pain. Right then, Tessa held her head with teary eyes and had the urge to dig a hole before hiding in it, as she was too embarrassed. Nevertheless, Nichs looked pleased after watching Tessa¡¯s series of flurry movements before he straightened his posture and tidied his outfit before saying, ¡°Why are you being so anxious when I didn¡¯t even say anything?¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Still, Tessa was embarrassed. ¡°I-I¡¯m just afraid that you might misunderstand.¡± Nichs snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t.¡± Then, his gaze shifted toward Edward coldly. Immediately, Edward flinched when he met Nichs¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. President Sawyer and Miss Reinhart¡­ Are you guys alright?¡± Although he saw everything that had happened just now, he was afraid to mention it, as he was scared that Nichs mightmand him to remove his eyes. Still, did President Sawyer really just lose his kiss just like that?! If those youngdies after President Sawyer knew about this, they¡¯ll surely go crazy and cause chaos. However, Tessa was still in distress over how embarrassing she was instead of getting mad at his reply. At this moment, she could still sense the temperature of the man¡¯s lips on her own, and it was a really odd feeling. Tessa¡¯s heart skipped a beat before her face became even redder. At that moment, even the tips of her toes were starting to flush red as her heart continued racing as if it was about to lose her heart. Upon seeing Tessa like that, Nichs didn¡¯t know why, but his mood somehow got better as the corners of his lips curled up. In no time, they reached Dynasty Gardens. Staring at the woman next to him, who still had her head buried between her arms and was afraid to look up, Nichs couldn¡¯t help himself but ask, ¡°How much longer do you want to act like an ostrich? We are already here. Are you not nning to get out of the car?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tessa stared at Nichs for a while before realizing that they had reached their destination. Then, she quickly came back to her senses and jumped down from the car before the two of them entered the house, one after another. When Gregory noticed they had returned, he quickly ran into Tessa¡¯s arms. ¡°Miss Pretty Lady, you¡¯re back!¡± Tessa had a grin as she carried Gregory up. ¡°Yep! I¡¯m back! And please, you¡¯re making me blush with your constant ¡®Miss Pretty Lady¡¯. It¡¯s Miss Tessa from now on.¡± ¡°Hehe, alright. Have you settled everything yet?¡± Gregory nuzzled against Tessa¡¯s neck before asking in a worried tone.¡± ¡°Yes, Sweetheart. I did. Thanks for asking.¡± Right then, Tessa felt a warm feeling coursing through her body before she asked in a sweet tone, ¡°What about you? What did you do at home after I left?¡± ¡°I went to my secret base! Would you like to visit my secret base, Miss Tessa?¡± Gregory looked at Tessa expectantly with his bright eyes while Tessa asked curiously, ¡°What secret base?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ce where only me and Daddy can enter. Let me show you my secret base, Miss Tessa.¡± Gregory brightened up visibly at the mention of his secret base, as it was his favorite ce to hang out. At this moment, Tessa was taken aback. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be bad if you brought me to you and your father¡¯s secret base?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course not! You can go because you¡¯re my favorite person! Miss Tessa, I bet you¡¯ll like that ce too!¡± Gregory jumped down from Tessa¡¯s arms before he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the basement. On the other hand, Nichs gave them a conflicted look before trailing after them. Then, the three of them reached the basement, one after another. This was Tessa¡¯s first time entering the basement, and she had always thought that the basement was a wine cer, so she never expected to see somethingpletely different down here. The first thing that came into view when she entered the basement was a high-tech space with all sorts of advanced electronics. This is indeed a secret base! There was an electronic disy right in front of Tessa that took up about half of the room. It had ess to the security system of Dynasty Gardens, and she could see the footage from all of the surveince cameras clearly. At the same time, there were also all sorts of robots in the basement. When the three of them had just entered the basement, one of the robots actually came over to greet them. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re finally here! Do you need any help?¡± Right then, Tessa ogled at the robot in shock, and it was obvious that she didn¡¯t expect the robot to act so human-like. Meanwhile, Gregory introduced the robot to Tessa chirpily. ¡°Miss Tessa, this is my robot, Shadow. Daddy got her for me on my birthday previously, and she wouldunch attacks if any outsiders trespassed this ce! However, I¡¯ll change themands of this robot to recognize you as her owner the next time you enter my secret base because you¡¯re my favorite person!¡± Then, he took a remote control out and started entering a series of codes onto it. A few secondster, Tessa heard the robot speaking again. ¡°Hello, mydy. My name is Shadow. May ! know if you have any orders?¡± At that instance, Tessa didn¡¯t know how to react. Mydy? That doesn¡¯t sound right! Still, she was more surprised than anything. ¡°That¡¯s so cool! Where is this robot from?¡± Gregory grinned before replying, ¡°Daddy got someone to customize it for me overseas!¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa was amazed before she eximed again, ¡°That¡¯s really cool!¡± Usually, Gregory was indifferent topliments. However, it was different when it came from Tessa because anything she said made him happy. Immediately, Gregory¡¯s eyes brightened up as he dragged Tessa along and continued introducing her to other robots. ¡°I still have many other robots. Come with me, Miss Tessa.¡± Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Chapter 109 ¡°Daddy gave me this six months ago. It¡¯s different from Shadow because it can¡¯t talk. However, if you key inmands for it, it can even dance for you. Let me show you how it works.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Then, Gregory entered a series of codes into the robot. Although the robot looked big and clumsy, it actually started dancing like popr modern-day robots. In fact, it looked even better than those robots. ¡°This is from Grandpa..¡± Gregory introduced all of the robots that he had as if they were his treasures while Tessa listened attentively. Meanwhile, Nichs trailed behind them and watched Tessa and Gregory interact with his dark gaze. Gregory normally wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to enter this ce, and not even Kieran was allowed to enter. However, Tessa was the only person who was able to enter the basement besides Gregory and Nichs. For Gregory, who had a strong sense of territorial awareness, revealing his secret base to Tessa without any hesitation indicated that he trusted her with all his heart. Right then, Nichs narrowed his gaze before he stared at Tessa with a hint of curiosity. Nevertheless, Tessa didn¡¯t notice his gaze at all, as she was exploring the basement with a smile, along with Gregory. About an hour had already passed by when they had finally finished exploring the basement. After the tour, all Tessa felt was astonishment, as the Sawyers were way more extravagant than what she had imagined When they got back to the mansion, Gregory asked, ¡°Miss Tessa, did you like my secret base?¡± ¡°I love it.¡± Upon hearing what Tessa said, Gregory pursed his lips and smiled before his cheeks flushed. It was as if he was delighted with Tessa¡¯s answer. ¡°Master Nichs, dinner is ready.¡± Right then, Andrew came over and said to Nichs respectfully. ¡°Alright.¡± Nichs nodded before he brought Tessa and Gregory to the dining room to have dinner. After they were done with their meals, Edward came to Dynasty Gardens with a document in his hands. ¡°President Sawyer, this is a document from Roselle Gingham.¡± Yet Nichs frowned without even scanning through the document. ¡°Return it.¡± Nevertheless, Edward had a hesitant look on his face before he said again, ¡°But, President Sawyer, this is the overseas project that we had always wanted to get our hands on.¡± Sawyer Group had always been trying to get in contact with this overseaspany for a long time now, but thatpany had taken advantage of them and gouged them, causing them to reach a stalemate. Therefore, Roselle had been a great help for them by scoring a deal with that overseaspany. Despite that, Nichs remained quiet. Although he really wanted this project, that didn¡¯t mean that he wanted to owe Roselle any favors. Even though Edward could notice the look of refusal on Nichs¡¯s face, he still had to convey what he had to convey. ¡°Miss Gingham wants me to convey to you that she¡¯s very sorry for what her mother had done to Greg, and she hopes that she can make up for it with this deal. She also hopes that you can forgive her mother.¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa thought to herself, Roselle is really clever enough to exchange forgiveness with a deal like this. Yet, Gregory looked away arrogantly when he heard Edward¡¯s words before he harrumphed to show that he was upset, as he really disliked Roselle. Who wants her project?! When Nichs noticed Gregory¡¯s reaction, he returned the document to Edward without any hesitation. ¡°Sawyer Group doesn¡¯t need this! There¡¯s nothing in this world that can be more important than Greg¡¯s safety to me, and I don¡¯t need a mere project like this. Return it.¡± Still, Edward looked reluctant. Is he really going to reject a deal that came delivered up to his doorsteps? Nheless, he knew that Nichs wouldn¡¯t change his mind after making his decision. Although he thought that it was a pity to let go of a deal like this, he didn¡¯t try to convince Nichs otherwise and quickly left with the document. Not long after Edward left, Gregory dashed toward Nichs before climbing up his legs and sitting down on Nichs¡¯s thighs. Then, he dered in a childish voice, ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re the best! You¡¯re the best daddy ever!¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Right then Nichs grinned before he reached out to ruffle Gregory¡¯s hair. ¡°Good boy.¡± When Tessa saw that, she smiled as well. In fact, Nichs¡¯s actions made her change her impression of him, as she used to think that Nichs was a cold-hearted entrepreneur that wasn¡¯t affectionate at all. However, it seemed like he was a father, after all. Greg is really fortunate to have a father like this. On the other hand, Edward went to the Gingham Residence to look for Roselle along with the document. When Roselle saw the document that she had sent out being returned without even getting opened, her face went pale. ¡°Is¡­ Is Nichs unwilling to forgive me?¡± She was really hurt as her eyes turned red, and she felt pity for herself. ¡°There are things you can¡¯t just resolve with just some deals. Even if Sawyer Group really wanted this project, Young Master Gregory¡¯s presence is irreceable to President Sawyer.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. After saying that, Edward left without looking back. When Yana noticed the document in Roselle¡¯s hands, she immediately got pissed off. ¡°Why is Nichs acting like an ungrateful brat? How dare he scoffed at the deal that you managed to get after you pleaded for it?¡± ned to Gregory, Yana had gotten pped. However, that was not enough to get Nichs to forgive them, and Roselle had to lower herself to plead for the overseaspany to get a deal with them, but that was still not enough. Isn¡¯t it obvious that Nichs is just trying to screw with us? At the same time Roselle was irritated as well. Right then, her grip on the document tightened before she tore the document into pieces angrily. Nevertheless, that wasn¡¯t enough for Roselle to vent her anger as she turned around to push everything on her desk to the ground. This time, she had really regretted her actions. I shouldn¡¯t have made my move on Gregory when it wasn¡¯t the time to do so yet. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be more patient?¡± Roselle pulled at her hair harshly before Yana stopped her. ¡°We will still have chances in the future. Even if we don¡¯t, we can still create our own chances. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure that Nichs will be able to see you for your good¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± Roselle had already lost hope. However, Yana smirked. ¡°It¡¯s easy. We can hire some people to kidnap Gregory, and you can show up to save him at a critical and sustain some light injuries. That would be enough for him to forgive you.¡± Upon hearing that, Roselle looked shocked. Isn¡¯t that a little too¡­ ¡°This is the only chance for Nichs to forgive you because you¡¯ll be his son¡¯s lifesaver!¡± Yana eximed. At this moment, Roselle looked taken aback. It seems like this is the only way now. Biting her lip, she nodded. ¡°Anything you say.¡± The next morning, Tessa woke up early and started packing her stuff as she was nning to return to her orchestra practice because she had been busy dealing with her family issues and hadn¡¯t been going to her practices. Although Trevor never said anything about her absence, Tessa knew she was running on limited time as the performance was due next month. Although she had worked hard to be able to be the assistant concertmaster, she knew that it was possible for her to be reced if she made any mistakes, and she would not allow herself to be stagnant Right then, Gregory gave Tessa a sad look. ¡°Miss Tessa, can you stay?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, since I need to go to work. However, I promise to visit you for lunch if I¡¯m free at noon, alright?¡± Tessa ruffled Gregory¡¯s hair before she suggested gently. With Tessa¡¯s promise, Gregory nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a promise, then.¡± Then, Tessa nodded and quickly left while Gregory stood there and watched with reluctance in his eyes. At that moment, he really wanted to dash toward her and cling onto her leg so that she couldn¡¯t leave. When Nichs saw that, he asked ¡°Do you want to go with her?¡± Immediately, Gregory¡¯s eyes brightened, and he nodded. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. She¡¯s going for practice, and you¡¯ll distract her if you go along.¡± Nichs took him back to the living. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t disturb Miss Tessa. I¡¯ll just observe her from outside, and she won¡¯t know about it.¡± Gregory clung to Nichs¡¯s leg before he pleaded, ¡°Daddy, I promise that I¡¯ll be obedient, and I¡¯ll listen to what you say. I won¡¯t disturb her from her job. Can you send me there? Please?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s time for you to start going to kindergarten, and you can¡¯t ck off like this anymore.¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Nichs rejected Gregory again. This time, Gregory let go of Nichs angrily. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to go to kindergarten. All of their sses are boring! I¡¯ve already learned all of them, and the games they y are too childish. I¡¯m already five years old, and I¡¯m no longer three years old!¡± Although Nichs looked like he was about tough, he didn¡¯t say anything as he thought to himself, How can a five-year-oldin about other kids being childish? Still, it was true that Gregory didn¡¯t need to go to kindergarten with his high IQ. Nevertheless, Nichs insisted on sending Gregory to kindergarten because he wanted Gregory to interact with others and fit in with them. However, there was no use forcing Gregory to go to the kindergarten if Gregory didn¡¯t want to go, so Nichs didn¡¯t force him to do so. Despite that, it was dangerous to leave Gregory at home if he was going to think of ways to sneak out, Although Gregory was disappointed that he couldn¡¯t go to visit Tessa, going to Nichs¡¯spany and having lunch together with Tessa was way better than staying at home. After contemting for a moment, he nodded reluctantly, and the two of them left the house to go to thepany On the other hand, after Tessa rushed to the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra building, she went in full swing and started practicing. Miraculously, Trevor didn¡¯t lecture her but was friendly toward her instead. After two hours of practice, it was finally her break time. Tessa ced her violin down before going to the pantry to get a cup of water. At the same time, a few colleagues next to her were discussing the rhythm during the practice just now before they started discussing makeup, clothes, Shoes, and bags. After all sorts of topics, they started gossiping about celebrities. ¡°Did you see the trending topics today? Charles Smith cheated on his wife. Tsk, tsk. I knew that there was something wrong with his character. There¡¯s no man in this world that doesn¡¯t have an affair. Even if he already has a wife, still¡­¡± ¡°Him? Isn¡¯t that already old news? He¡¯s going to get canceled soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nothing to be surprised about since there are too many terrible men in society nowadays. Instead of reading about those, it¡¯s better to pay attention to news about corporations. Do you guys know about Reinhart Group?¡± ¡°Of course. What happened to them?¡± ¡°Reinhart Group¡¯s chairman was arrested, and it¡¯s already getting reported everywhere. Their company¡¯s share value is dropping like insane now. It might be over for them soon.¡± ¡°What? Are you sure you¡¯re talking about Reinhart Group? Oh no, I just bought their shares recently. It looks like I¡¯ll have to sell them quickly.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Upon hearing that, Tessa, who was drinking water, paused before she quickly took her phone out. As expected, the news about Ss was all over social media right now. His detainment had always been a secret, and Tessa never told anyone about it, as she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to expose herself. Now that the news that had been kept a secret got leaked, Reinhart Group quickly got into a mess. All of their shareholders were going insane with the share value dropping, and everyone was condemning the Reinhart Group about it. This instantly added much more pressure on the already unstable company. himself. Hence, she turned a blind eye to the news before keeping her phone and returning to the practice room. On the other hand, Sophia was still sleeping at the Reinhart Residence before she was forcefully woken up by the doorbell. As she was still angry after being woken up forcefully, she spoke rudely when she opened the door and saw Patrick and Ss¡¯ assistant, Edgar Dean, standing outside. ¡°Why are you guys here so early in the morning? Don¡¯t you know I need my beauty sleep?¡± Right then, Patrick massaged his temple before asking, ¡°Miss Sophia, I would like to know you and Tessa Reinhart¡¯s progress? The news that Mr. Reinhart got detained had spread all over Brentwood City now¡­ If we can¡¯t get Mr. Reinhart out, thepany will definitely be over if this continues.¡± Upon hearing that, Amber immediately became anxious. What can we do? Ss is still in prison, and thepany is in a crisis now. Then, she snapped angrily, ¡°All of this is Tessa¡¯s fault! If it wasn¡¯t for her, none of this would have happened!¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Sophia panicked, and she told Patrick, ¡°We went to see her, but she just wouldn¡¯t let him go.¡± ¡°I got Grandma to see her. She did that to her own father. It¡¯s normal that Grandma wants her to release Dad.¡± Sophia justified her actions. She didn¡¯t go into the details, but Patrick could guess the gist of it. If her grandma is involved, then it was probably chaos. Now that this case has blown up, Tessa Won¡¯t relent. Patrick was speechless, and he told Sophia seriously, ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest here. Thest thing you want to do now is to get on Tessa¡¯s bad side. Listen to me and give her what she wants.¡± Sophia was furious that herwyer wanted her to give in. ¡°Why? My father is her father too! And now she demands five million and the house? That¡¯s absurd!¡± Amber agreed, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not giving a single cent to that ingrate. I shouldn¡¯t have allowed that woman to give birth to her.¡± They¡¯re still being stubborn? God. Patrick gave them an ultimatum. ¡°Keep this up and you¡¯ll end up with a bankruptpany and a chairman who¡¯s sentenced to jail for life. Either you give up five million and a house, or you lose everything. Pick your poison.¡± Sophia seemed upset about that suggestion. She still didn¡¯t want to give up. ¡°Can¡¯t we do anything else other than give her money?¡± ¡°No.¡± Patrick frowned at her. You¡¯re still obsessed about that at this point? None of this would have happened if you had just given her the money. The chairman would have been released a long time ago, and thepany wouldn¡¯t be in this crisis. Amber thought about it for a moment, then she said, ¡°Fine. I can give her what she wants.¡± Compared to Ss, money is nothing. As long as Ss is here, we¡¯ll keep making money. Once he¡¯s released, we can take care of that little bitch. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Sophia was still fuming, but since her grandmother had said so, she could do nothing but agree as well. After all, she knew an even worse oue was waiting for them if they refused to pay up. ¡°Call her.¡± Patrick nodded. Finally. So, you do know what fear means. And I thought you¡¯d be stubborn till the very end. You should have given in a long time ago, but you just had toplicate matters. After Patrick and his assistant came up with a draft, they left the residence without saying another word. Back at the orchestra, Tessa got a call from Gregory after she was done with training in the afternoon. ¡°Miss Tessa, we¡¯re in the restaurant near your orchestra. Come over!¡± Tessa didn¡¯t expect the boy toe over. She refused her colleague¡¯s invitation to a meal and went over to the restaurant. When she arrived, she saw Nichs there as well. They had ordered their food and were just waiting for her. Tessa looked at the boy lovingly. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I miss you, so I came. You must be hungry. Dig in!¡± The boy slid down from his seat and trotted over to Tessa¡¯s side. Tessa felt warm and fuzzy. She picked the boy up, sat him down beside her, and fed him lunch. ory had a great appetite, as Tessa was there, and he ate happily. Tessa smiled and looked at Nichs. As usual, he was eating like a noble, elegant and charming. Nich looked at her when he noticed her gaze. When their eyes met, Tessa¡¯s ears turned red, as she was embarrassed for being caught. Nichs arched his eyebrow, and he asked, ¡°Did you see the news?¡± Tessa paused for a moment, then she asked, ¡°The one about Reinhart Group?¡± ¡°What do you think about that?¡± Nichs asked. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Chapter 113 ¡°I don¡¯t waste my time thinking about that. What the Reinharts do has nothing to do with me,¡± Tessa answered. Nichs disagreed. ¡°This isn¡¯t the end of it. They won¡¯t necessarily think you have nothing to do with this. I think they might just give in.¡± There¡¯s no way they would give me any money. But at this moment, her phone rang. Tessa picked it up curiously, and a familiar voice traveled into her ears. ¡°Hello, Miss Reinhart. I¡¯m Patrick, thewyer for Reinhart Group. I wish to talk about the terms brought up in ourst negotiation. Do you have some time to spare?¡± Tessa looked at Nichs in surprise. Whoa. He¡¯s right. She agreed immediately, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll send my location over to you.¡± Nichs smiled, but he said nothing and went back to his lunch. About ten minutester, Patrick came over from thepany. When he saw Tessa after entering the restaurant, he said directly, ¡°I¡¯m Patrick, Miss Reinhart. I¡¯m here on behalf of Reinhart Group. We ept your terms. If you will release Mr. Reinhart, then you shall receive Maple Hill Condominium and five million. This is the agreement. Please have a look.¡± He handed a file over and continued, ¡°Due to thepany¡¯s current circumstances, we can¡¯t give you that much cash, so Miss Sophia used her estate as coteral. It is worth five million. If you¡¯re willing to ept it, then do sign this document.¡± Nichs said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re missing one agreement here.¡± ¡°And you are?¡± Patrick looked at him curiously. He didn¡¯t know Nichs, but judging from the vibe he was radiating, the man must be special, so Patrick was polite. Nichs introduced himself briefly. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Oh, hello, Mr. Sawyer.¡± Patrick got even more polite. So this is the famous Nichs Sawyer. Are you dumb, Reinharts? If you just treated Tessa well, you would have been friends with the Sawyers, but what did you do? You backed her into a corner and created this mess. Fools! Nichs nodded. ¡°You should add another use to this agreement. The Reinharts are not to harass m today onward. Breaching that use will cost them another five million.¡± As expected of Nichs Sawyer. He won¡¯t put himself in a disadvantageous situation. Patrick answered politely, ¡°I¡¯ll add this use right after I go back. Do you have anything more to add, sir? If this is all, then can you release my client?¡± Nichs didn¡¯t answer immediately. He took the agreement over and looked at it first. Once he confirmed that it was alright, he handed it to Tessa. Tessa put it aside and looked at Patrick. ¡°You¡¯re still missing something. Where is my mother¡¯s dowry? Aren¡¯t you giving it to me?¡± ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. I have it here in my bag.¡± He took out a small velvet box at once and smiled. ¡°This is valuable after all. If it goes missing, it¡¯ll be a great loss.¡± Tessa looked excited. She took it from him and opened it to check the contents. Alright. Everything¡¯s here, and they¡¯re the real deal. The dowry reminded Tessa of her mother. When she was a child, her mother used to say that she would leave the items for Tessa as her dowry, but things took a turn for the worse, and Lauren took those items for herself. I finally got them back after so long. Even though she had gotten the dowry back, Tessa still looked sad. Patrick noticed her sadness, and he left her to mourn for a while. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Gregory held her hand and looked at her, feeling worried. ¡°Miss Tessa.¡± Tessa calmed down and assured the boy, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m crying tears of joy.¡± She sniffled and took a pen out of her bag, then she signed the agreements. Tessa then looked at Nichs and said, ¡°Release him. I don¡¯t want to get involved with them anymore. And thank you for this.¡± Nichs nodded, then he called Edward. ¡°Release Ss.¡± Ss came out of the detention center, and he saw his mother and daughter waiting for him outside. Sophia teared up the moment she saw him, and she went over to give him a hug. ¡°You¡¯re finally back, Dad. I miss you.¡± She started crying. ¡°Alright, alright. Calm down now. I¡¯m out, right? It must have been hard on you,¡± Ss hugged her back and assured her gently. He was having mixed feelings about the situation. ¡°This is not the ce to talk. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Amber looked at the center¡¯s front door and frowned. What an unlucky ce. After they got in the car, Patrick nodded at Ss. ¡°Chairman.¡± ¡°Thank you for helping out.¡± Ss sighed. Patrick didn¡¯t want to take the credit, so he said honestly, ¡°I have nothing to do with this. Miss Tessa was willing to release you, so all credit goes to her.¡± Sophia was furious that Patrick gave Tessa all the credit. ¡°Don¡¯t you try to back her up. She¡¯s an ingrate! She got everything she wanted, so of course she¡¯s willing to release Dad. Dad! Grandma and I went and asked her to release you, but she ignored us and chased us out. She even demanded Maple Hill Condominium and five million. And she even took the jewelry away. I don¡¯t mind her doing this to me, but going for you is too far! She called the cops on you and smeared the c to pay her just to get you released, but apparently, she¡¯s the hero!¡± Ss¡¯s face fell. ¡°How dare she?¡± ¡°Alright, enough. What¡¯s important is to get thepany back on track. That b*tch can¡¯t run away. She has to take care of that useless cripple. We can handle her after this,¡± Amber said. They¡¯re twisting the truth? Patrick was speechless. They¡¯re beyond hope. Don¡¯t they know what they should do now? Well, I work for them, so I can¡¯t just let thepany crumble. Patrick advised, ¡°Chairman, please don¡¯t do anything to Miss Tessa. She has Nichs Sawyer from Sawyer Group to back her up.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Sophia was furious that Patrick was stopping them from teaching Tessa a lesson instead of supporting them. ¡°Patrick, what are you doing? Whose side are you on? Why do you always take her side, and why are you bringing Nichs up? If you think she¡¯s so much better than us, then go work for her. See if she wants you.¡± Patrick¡¯s face fell. How ignorant. If it weren¡¯t for me, Ss would have been locked up until god knows when. ¡°Silence! That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Ss chided Sophia. I spent a lot of time and effort to hire him. If he leaves us because of this girl, it¡¯ll be worse for the company. He looked at Patrick. ¡°Pardon the girl. She can be a bit rude.¡± Patrick looked slightly less upset. He nodded and said nothing else. After they came home, Amber cooked a feast to wee Ss back. ¡°You got a lot thinner, Dad.¡± Sophia looked at her father, worried. Ss gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°Eh, I¡¯ll fatten up in a few days.¡± ¡°But Mom is still locked up. Can you save her? That bitch just won¡¯t let both of you go. Now Mom has to take all the me. She must be suffering inside.¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Ss¡¯ face fell. ¡°I¡¯lle up with something.¡± Tessa went back to practice after she signed the agreement. When she came back to Dynasty Gardens in the evening, she noticed a familiar figure in her home, and she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The guest seemed surprised to see her too, and he stood up at once and went over to Tessa. ¡®Tessa!¡± Tessa looked at her brother curiously. ¡°Tim? What brings you here?¡± ¡°Mr. Sawyer asked me toe over. I just arrived.¡± Timothy smiled sheepishly. Tessa looked at Nichs, and he exined, ¡°Business. He¡¯ll be staying over for the night. He¡¯lle with me to thepany tomorrow to discuss the Al project he developed.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Tessa was reminded of the terms they talked about during the negotiation, and she nodded. They had dinner in the Sawyer residence that night. Timothy was reserved, since he wasn¡¯t used to having dinner with someone like Nichs. He didn¡¯t eat much, and Tessa filled his te with some food. ¡°You look thin. Have some more.¡± ¡°Thanks, sis.¡± Timothy nodded, but he still didn¡¯t eat much. Tessa couldn¡¯t do anything about that. Maybe he¡¯s not used to the food in this household. I shouldn¡¯t force him. After they had their dinner, Nichs said, ¡°Come with me to the study. We¡¯ll talk about your business n.¡± Since Nichs was being kind, Timothy had no reason to refuse. He smiled at his sister and went to Nichs¡¯ study. ¡°So what are we doing, Miss Tessa?¡± Gregory looked up at her. ¡°Hm, wanna practise violin?¡± Well, it¡¯s been a whole day, and I haven¡¯t taught him yet. ¡°Awesome! Let¡¯s go!¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes shone. He loved to see Tessa y the violin. She¡¯s pretty, she ys the violin well, and she¡¯s so patient and gentle with me. They stayed in the music room for more than two hours. After that, Tessa took Gregory to the bathroom and bathed him. It was alreadyte when the boy fell asleep, and she tiptoed out of his room. She noticed that the lights in the study were still on. Nichs and Timothy were serious men, and if they got into a discussion, they would not stop until they found the perfect solution. Tim didn¡¯t eat much, and it¡¯s been a while. He must be hungry. She went into the kitchen and made some supper for them. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you two started working. Take a break.¡± She ced two bowls of ramen on a table in the study. Timothy looked at the food. One whiff of the scent was enough to tell him that Tessa was the one who made the ramen. Nichs thought the scent was special too, and it lingered around his nose. ¡°Why don¡¯t we catch a break and continue after we have some supper?¡± Timothy smiled sheepishly. He didn¡¯t eat much during dinner, and he forgot all about his hunger in the heat of the discussion. But when he smelled the ramen, his stomach started rumbling. ¡°Tessa seldom cooks, but her culinary skills are off the charts. Especially when she cooks ramen. It¡¯s delicious,¡± he said proudly. Nichs nodded. He went to see what Tessa made for them. It was just two bowls of in ramen with soft-boiled eggs and barbecued pork, but it seemed tantalizing enough. ¡°Told you, Mr. Sawyer. She¡¯s a great cook, isn¡¯t she?¡± Timothy cheered up after he had the ramen, and he seemed a lot more willing to talk. Nichs nodded. ¡°She is.¡± The men went back to work once they had their fill. Tessa cleared the table and left the men to their own devices. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up toote, you two,¡± she told them before she left. Timothy smiled. ¡°I know.¡± Tessa closed the door after her, but instead of going to sleep, she sat on the couch and waited for Timothy toe out. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Chapter 116 It had been days since they met, and since he was here, she could take the chance to talk to him. However, it was already midnight before she knew it, and it was alreadyte night when they were done with the discussion. Tessa couldn¡¯t hold it and had already fallen asleep on the couch. ¡°Why is Tessa sleeping here? She¡¯s going to catch a cold.¡± Timothy frowned when he saw his sister on the couch. He was about to wake her up and tell her to go to the bedroom, but Nichs stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t wake her up.¡± Tessa looked at him curiously. ¡°But we can¡¯t let her sleep here.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Nichs picked her up before Timothy could react. Tessa didn¡¯t notice it, and she even huddled closer to him so she could be morefortable. A smile curled Nichs¡¯ lips, and he took her to the bedroom. Timothy looked at them in surprise. He didn¡¯t know what he should do, though he thought they were being a little too intimate. Tessa didn¡¯t even wake up when Nichs put her on the bed. Instead, she slept soundly, and when she woke up the next day, she realized that she was in her room, much to her surprise. When did I fall asleep? How did I get back anyway? She turned around and saw a lump on her bed. It was Gregory, and he was wearing his cow-patterned pajamas. For some reason, he was on her bed, and she was amused by that. Tessa woke him up. ¡°When did youe here, Greg?¡± Gregory rubbed his eyes groggily. ¡°Morning, Miss Tessa. I had a nightmare earlier and it scared me, so I came to your room. You were sleeping, and I didn¡¯t want to wake you up.¡± Goddammit. Why did I have to sleep so soundly? I didn¡¯t even notice that. She picked him up lovingly. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Greg. If you have a nightmare next time,e to me and wake me up. I¡¯ll beat those monsters with you.¡± Gregory smiled happily and rubbed his head against her shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Miss Tessa. You¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°We should get up now and have breakfast.¡± Gregory nodded quietly and asked Tessa to wash his face and change his clothes for him. That used to be Nichs¡¯ job, but it became hers ever since she arrived. Nichs turned a blind eye to that, and he said nothing. ¡°Are you up, sis?¡± Timothy knocked on the door. ¡°Yes. Come in,¡± Tessa said. Gregory smiled politely at Timothy. ¡°Hi, Mr. Timothy.¡± Timothy smiled at him as well, but when he realized how skilful Tessa was at changing Gregory¡¯s clothes, he started having doubts. Tessa is being a bit too close to them. They look like a family. He wanted to know what was going on, but in the end, he chose to keep that question to himself, since he didn¡¯t know how he should even bring it up. The three of them went down after Gregory was dressed. Nichs was already up, and Kieran was sitting beside him. Two different but incredibly handsome men appearing right before Tessa in the morning was an impactful event for her. She panicked a little before she greeted them. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Nichs, Mr. Kieran.¡± Timothy greeted them as well. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Nichs and Mr. Kieran.¡± Nichs said, ¡°Everyone¡¯s here. Let¡¯s have breakfast.¡± They went to the dining room, and breakfast was typical. Gregory drank his milk, chewed on his toast, and had a bite of eggs. However, when he saw the bacon, he frowned and gave them to Tessa. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Miss Tessa. You can have them.¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Tessa stared at the bacon on her te. But I don¡¯t like bacon either. Hm, Nichs doesn¡¯t seem to hate it. It¡¯s his son¡¯s bacon, so I guess he can eat it, right? So, she put the bacon on Nichs¡¯ te. Kieran could not believe what he was seeing. Nichs is a particr guy. He never eats anything that¡¯s been touched by someone else, and he hates it when women try to get close to him. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t-¡± He was about to tell Tessa not to do it, but before he could finish his sentence, Nichs ate the bacon without evenining, much to his horror. Did an alien abduct him and rece him with another guy? Timothy had mixed feelings about it. Before this, his sister would give what she didn¡¯t want to eat to him, but now, she was giving them to someone else. They¡¯re weird. Kieran and Timothy looked confused, and they lost a little appetite. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The men were about to go to work after breakfast, but before they left, Timothy held Tessa¡¯s arm. ¡°Take care of yourself, sis. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t be nervous, Tim. You¡¯re a brilliant man. You can do it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They smiled at each other. Since the Reinhart siblings were having a little chat, Kieran took Nichs to a corner and whispered, ¡°What is going on, Nick? I thought you were going to chase her out after you confirmed your rtionship with her? What¡¯s with you acting so close to her?¡± Nichs pursed his lips. ¡°Just shut up. I know what I¡¯m doing, so stay out of this.¡± Kieran said, ¡°But I¡¯m curious. What do you want from her? You keep her around, and you let Gregory get along with her. Aren¡¯t you worried she might get attached?¡± Nichs paused, and he had a pensive look in his eyes, but he didn¡¯t answer. He did think about that, but he didn¡¯t delve too deep into it. He loved to let things unfold naturally, though he wouldn¡¯t tell Kieran about that, so he just said, ¡°Shut it.¡± Kieran muttered under his breath, Man, I can¡¯t talk to this guy. The men left a whileter. Since Tessa was packing up, Gregory followed her around. ¡°Are you going out to practise, Miss Tessa?¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you take me along then? I don¡¯t want to stay at home alone. It¡¯s boring.¡± Gregory was giving her the puppy pout, and Tessa¡¯s heart melted. I can¡¯t say no to that. He looks like Puss in Shrek 2. ¡°Then you have to promise me you won¡¯t run around.¡± Tessa and Gregory reached the orchestra at nine o¡¯clock, sharp. Her colleagues were very interested in Gregory, and they asked, ¡°Hey, where did this boye from? God, he¡¯s cute. Tessa, did you pop a child out overnight? Are you a god or something?¡± ¡°He¡¯s so adorable. I want to take him home.¡± ¡°Alright, enough.¡± Tessa chased them away in amusement. ¡°You guys are scaring him.¡± They left inughter, and they didn¡¯t realize that the boy was the Sawyers¡¯ young master. Only Trevor Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Tessa smiled. ¡°He wanted to follow me and I couldn¡¯t say no, but I promise he won¡¯t disturb us.¡± Trevor looked at the boy who was hugging Tessa tightiy, and he had mixed feelings about it. Tessa¡¯s really lucky the boy likes her so much. He couldn¡¯t chase the boy away, so he agreed. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll get someone to look after him. You go and practise.¡± Tessa was surprised that Trevor wasn¡¯t angry, and she heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she quickly took Gregory to one of the crew members. ¡°Keep an eye on the boy.¡± Before she left, she told Gregory, ¡°Don¡¯t run around. I¡¯lle back during my break time.¡± Gregory nodded. At the same time, a few men in ck skulked around the center¡¯s entrance and stared inside. One of the men was on the phone. ¡°The Sawyers¡¯ young master is in the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra. There are no bodyguards.¡± The man on the other side said, ¡°Take him to me. I want him alive.¡± Gregory was still blissfully unaware about the impending danger, and he waited in the guest hall, just like what Tessa said. The crew members adored him, since he was quiet and obedient. They got him some toys to y with and some snacks to eat. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Gregory took it calmly. ¡°Thank you, miss,¡± he said. The crew member¡¯s heart melted, and she smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Tell me if you need anything.¡± Gregory thought about it for a moment, then he asked, ¡°Can I watch the practice, then?¡± He wanted to see Tessa practising with her colleagues. The crew member hesitated. Trevor¡¯s a grumpy man. If someone just waltzed in there, he¡¯s going to kill us all. Oh, but the boy is so adorable. I can¡¯t say no. The crew member gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mr. Oswald. If he says yes, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Delighted, Gregory said, ¡°Thank you, miss.¡± He yed with the toys as he waited for Trevor¡¯s reply to stave off the boredom. A whileter, his phone rang. It was from Nichs, and the boy took it immediately, ¡°Hi, Daddy.¡± Nichs said, ¡°What are you up to?¡± Gregory said honestly, ¡°I came to Miss Tessa¡¯s orchestra, but I haven¡¯t disturbed her. I¡¯m waiting in the guest hall right now.¡± This boy just won¡¯t stay still, huh? Gregory thought Nichs was angry, so he said, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me to go home, Daddy. There¡¯s only me and the butler. It¡¯s so boring. Just let me stay with Miss Tessa. I¡¯ll be good, I promise. Sigh. What will I do about him? ¡°Then promise me you won¡¯t run around. I have something to settle today, so I can¡¯t have lunch with you guys. Tell Miss Tessa to take you somewhere.¡± Gregory was delighted. ¡°I¡¯ll be good, I promise! You¡¯re the best, Daddy.¡± Nichs smiled and hung up. Gregory was left alone. After a while, he was filled with the urge to pee, so he wanted to use the restroom before the crew member came back. However, he couldn¡¯t find the loo after walking around, so he asked the receptionist, ¡°Where¡¯s the restroom,dy?¡± The receptionist was on the phone, so she pointed in a direction. ¡°Walk straight down.¡± Gregory thought it was outside, so he came out of the center. The street was right outside, and it was bustling. He looked around, but he didn¡¯t see any restroom signs. Did I go the wrong way? He was about to ask the receptionist again, but before he could turn around, a man in ck came up behind him and covered the lower half of his face, then he picked the boy up. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Gregory gasped in reflex and tried to struggle free, but he was just a child. He was too weak to fight against an adult. A momentter, he was taken into a car, and the kidnappers left immediately. After the crew member got Trevor¡¯s permission, she went back to take Gregory to the practice hall, but he wasn¡¯t in the guest hall. She looked around, but he was nowhere to be found, so she asked the receptionist. The receptionist said Gregory went to the loo. The crew member shrugged and went to work on other stuff. Half an hourter, Tessa got her break, and she came out to see Gregory, but he was nowhere to be found. She thought he went somewhere else to y, so she searched the area, but she still couldn¡¯t find him. Concerned, she asked the crew member where Gregory was. The crew member paused for a moment, and only then did she realize something was off. ¡°Oh no, I forgot because I was too busy! Where is he? He¡¯s been in the loo for a long time now. I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± Tessa looked horrified. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about the case. She quickly went to the loo to look for Gregory, but he was not there. The crew member was shocked as well. She searched for the boy, and everyone else helped, but he was nowhere to be seen. Tessa started to panic. If he¡¯s not here, then he must have gone out. She ran to the surveince room.¡± want to see the security camera¡¯s footage.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The crew member in the room didn¡¯t stop her. A momentter, he showed her the footage, and they saw Gregory being taken away by a man in ck after he went out. Tessa¡¯s heart almost stopped right there and then. Trevor was shocked as well. That¡¯s the Sawyers¡¯ young master! ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Call the cops! Tessa, call the boy¡¯s family.¡± Tessa snapped out of it and called Nichs at once. Nichs and Timothy had just finished the meeting for the product introduction and were walking out of the meeting room. Nichs was talking about the contract signing. ¡°I¡¯ll get Edward to draft the contract. Once you sign it, the partnership will begin. We¡¯ll be counting on you for the technical difficulties.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Timothy answered happily, and he looked confident. The meeting had gone smoothly, and he wanted to share the news with Tessa. Just then, Nichs¡¯ phone rang, and when he took the call, his face fell. ¡°What? Greg is missing? I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Timothy froze up as well. ¡°What happened?¡± Nichs had a dark look on his face. ¡°Tessa said Greg¡¯s missing. The signing will have to be dyed. I have to leave now.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯ll go with you then.¡± Timothy was worried too, since Tessa was involved. Nichs nodded. When they went into the elevator, they met Kieran. Kieran was shocked to find out about the news, so he went with them as well. They arrived at the center as quickly as they could. The moment they came in, they saw Tessa in tears. ¡°What happened?¡± Nichs sounded dark. Tessa teared up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault for not keeping an eye on him. I never thought this would happen.¡± Nichs looked furious. ¡°This is not the time for crying. Tell me what happened.¡± ¡°Calm down, sis. Tell us how Gregory went missing,¡± Timothy told her gently. Tessa told everyone what happened. Trevor was already prepared, and he handed theptop to him. ¡°They seem to have nned this out. Nichs watched the footage sullenly, and he knew roughly where the kidnappers had taken Gregory even though the event happened in less than one minute. ¡°They went north. Kieran, go to the cops and get the footage of the streets.¡± Kieran nodded seriously. ¡°Okay.¡± Kieran turned to leave at once, but before he could, the receptionist hurried in. ¡°Sir, Trevor. The officers are here.¡± Don¡¯t just tell us! Trevor yelled, ¡°You imbecile! This is not the time to stop them! Don¡¯t just stand there, let them in!¡± Gregory had gone missing in his center, and that was a disaster. Everyone was searching for the boy to face even graver consequences. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Trevor gave up his seat after the officers came in so they and the Sawyer siblings coulde up with a solution. ¡°I¡¯ve told my men to extract the footage, Mr. Sawyer. I¡¯ll bring your son home, so don¡¯t worry,¡± the captain told Nichs the moment he came in. After they received the call and realized that the young master of the Sawyers¡¯ was kidnapped, they quickly gathered a team to look into this case. They had called the traffic officers immediately after that and asked them to help with the investigation. ¡°Thank you, Detective Lawrence.¡± Nichs nodded. He and Lawrence went way back. Detective Lawrence was a veteran and had cracked a lot of kidnapping cases, so he knew what to do. Since the officers had gone to take the footage, Kieran stayed back. Tessa was still ming herself, and Timothy held her hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright, sis. The officers are here. Gregory will be back in no time,¡± he assured her. Assurances were empty, however. No assurance could bring Gregory back, and Tessa could not rest easy until she saw the boy in one piece. Gregory¡¯s mouth was taped the moment he was brought into the car so that he wouldn¡¯t shout and attract people¡¯s attention. ¡°How much is this kid worth, boss?¡± One of the kidnappers held Gregory¡¯s chin roughly and forced him to look up. ¡°Beyond your wildest dream.¡± The kidnappers¡¯ leader chortled. ¡°He might be a kid, but he¡¯s worth so much, we can all live the rest of our livesvishly.¡± He smacked hisckey¡¯s hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him, or it¡¯ll bring his value down.¡± ¡°I got it. The customer is king. I won¡¯t do anything until we get the money.¡± The other kidnappers said, ¡°What a loser.¡± The kidnapper red at his aplices in displeasure. ¡°I bet you guys think the same way.¡± Gregory didn¡¯t shout or scream, but he was just a kid, so he did panic at first, but now that he heard the conversation, he calmed down and looked at them coldly. They won¡¯t hurt me for now.If it¡¯s just for the ransom, then that¡¯s easy to deal with, but these guys are viins. Even if we are rich, I won¡¯t let them get away with it Gregory wasing up with an escape n, and he thought about the tips his father told him. Daddy said there¡¯s a GPS tracker on my watch. I can press the button whenever I¡¯m in danger, and he can receive the signal. Good thing these guys only tied my hands behind my back. They didn¡¯t think the boy could The moment he did that, Nichs¡¯ phone rang. ¡°Got him. Get the car!¡± He synced the GPS tracker to Lawrence¡¯s phone. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you for the surveince camera footage, detective.¡± ¡°Leave that to me.¡± Lawrence nodded. Nichs turned to leave at once. ¡°I want to go as well.¡± Tessa quickly held his hand and gave him a pleading look. ¡°Greg was kidnapped because of me, and I can¡¯t ever make up for that, but I want to see him rescued. Take me with you.¡± Nichs looked at her darkly. ¡°Wait for the news here.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get in your way. I¡¯ll just be a passenger. We have no time to waste, so don¡¯t dwell on this anymore.¡± She teared up and was persistent about it. Nichs didn¡¯t want to waste any time on this matter either, so he said, ¡°Suit yourself.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Nichs then got in the car. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Sawyer.¡± Tessa sat in the back as well. Since Tessa was going, Timothy followed her. He was worried about her, as she would be med for Gregory¡¯s disappearance. He couldn¡¯t let his sister face the usations all by herself. I need to be by her side. Also, he thought he coulde in useful. Nichs said nothing about Timothy tagging along. He told the driver, ¡°Drive.¡± The Maybach roared, and they went toward where Gregory was ording to the GPS. About an hourter, the kidnappers received a call, and a person with a cold voice said, ¡°Toss out all of the kid¡¯smunication devices right now.¡± Gregory started to panic. His smartwatch was amunication device as well, but he was counting on it to pinpoint where he was. If it was tossed out, his father would be left with no way to find him. His mouth was taped and he couldn¡¯t say anything, so all he could do was pull his hand closer to himself and pray the kidnappers didn¡¯t notice it. However, the kidnapper saw what he did, and he tore the watch away from him and held it in his hand. ¡°Smart kid. Were you using this to lead the cops to us?¡± Gregory was scared, but he didn¡¯t cry. Instead, he looked at the kidnapper calmly. The kidnapper scoffed. ¡°Smart brat. He won¡¯t even cry. Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t hurt you. We just want money. I¡¯ll toss this watch out for now. Your daddy can get a new one for you.¡± He tossed the watch out the window right in front of the boy. A whileter, Nichs¡¯ driver noticed that the tracker wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°Sir, the tracker¡¯s been in one spot for a long time.¡± ¡°Stop talking and get us there immediately,¡± Nichs said coldly. He wasn¡¯t sure if Gregory was there, but even if there was only a sliver of hope, he would go all out. But when they got there, they saw no houses around. There was only asphalt, and Nichs quickly got out of the car to look around. All he saw was a broken smartwatch on the ground, and there was Gregory¡¯s favorite sticker on it. Not far from the smartwatch¡¯s remainsy a small red light that kept blinking. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. The kidnappers¡¯ car had already blended into the traffic and was nowhere to be found. Nichs had a stormy look on his face. It¡¯s been more than an hour since Greg was kidnapped. If they tossed the watch out, they must have realized something. Nichs couldn¡¯t be sure if the boy was fine. The traffic officers¡¯ update came to a halt at the same time, and they lost their only lead. Nichs gnashed his teeth and punched the steering wheel. He looked furious, as if he could kill everyone around him, and the air seemed to be even colder. Nobody said a thing. Nobody knew what kind of suffering would fall upon Gregory, and Kieran looked worried. He was under a lot of pressure now-he had to find Gregory ASAP, but he also had to hide Gregory¡¯s disappearance from his family. If the folks knew, they would be worried sick. Kieran mumbled, ¡°Which b*stard took Greg away?¡± ¡°The family is being targeted. We¡¯ve had a lot of sesses these few years and a lot of people want to get something from us. We also got in the way of some people, so the range of suspects is too big. Where on earth are we supposed to start looking?¡± Tessa almost started crying. The boy is still so young. It¡¯s going to be a disaster now that he¡¯s fallen into the kidnappers¡¯ hands. If anything were to happen to him, she wouldn¡¯t forgive herself even if she took her own life. Just when everyone was waiting for thetest update, someone called Nichs, but it was an unknown caller. The kidnappers. Nichs took the call, and a cold, monotonous voice sounded. ¡°Good Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Chapter 122 ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, and let¡¯s just talk about the conditions. What do you want in order for you to release my son?¡± Nichs asked. ¡°Good, you¡¯re straightforward. I like dealing with people like you who don¡¯t beat around the bush. Ten million in cash to be put in several bags, and I guarantee that nothing will happen to the young master. If not, well, as you know, we are not some good Samaritan.¡± Upon hearing that, Kieran who was standing nearby shouted angrily, ¡°We can give you the money, but you better make sure that Gregory is safe and sound! Otherwise, don¡¯t me us for what we will do.¡± Nichs tried to calm his enraged brother. He then said over his phone, ¡°Okay, give me the address.¡± Within seconds, he received a few messages containing different addresses. The kidnapper then said, ¡°You better not have any tricks up your sleeves, President Sawyer, or else I cannot promise that Young Master will not be hurt.¡± ¡°I can agree to your request, but let me talk to Gregory now,¡± he requested. ¡°Not a problem. Young Master, they¡¯re asking for you.¡± The man on the other side of the phone ordered Gregory to answer the phone while tearing off the tape on his mouth. ¡°Daddy,¡± Gregory said after getting the phone. His voice, which was originally mellow, now seemed hoarse as a result of not speaking for a long period of time. Nichs¡¯ brows furrowed when he heard Gregory¡¯s voice. ¡°Are you alright? Did they hurt you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. They didn¡¯t hurt me.¡± Gregory wanted to say more, but the man in ck took away the phone before he could. ¡°President Sawyer, do you believe me now? I¡¯m not a patient person. Get me the money within an hour.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t hurt him.¡± After ending the call, Nichs said to his assistant, ¡°Prepare ten million.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± replied Edward. He then left right away to get the money. ¡°Kieran, check with the police if they have found anything,¡± ordered Nichs while looking at Kieran. To him, paying them did not imply that he would simply let them off. Kidnappers never kept their promises, so even if they got the money, they would most likely kill the hostage in order to conceal their identity. Thus, before that, he must do everything that was possible to stall them. Nothing was allowed to happen to Gregory, and at the same time, these men must pay their dues. A cunning person would have more than one hideout, and these kidnappers would never stay and wait in just one ce. Even if they had dictated five different locations, these locations were only given to distract Nichs¡¯ own people, and Gregory would most probably not be in any of them. To locate Gregory, they needed to use other ways. After a while, Kieran came back to Nichs, looking depressed. ¡°Nick, the police attempted to locate the kidnapper¡¯s signal area during the call earlier, but they failed.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Tessa¡¯s face turned pale immediately after she heard what was said. Failure in locating the area meant that the clues they had obtained with much difficulty came to a halt once again, and that Gregory¡¯s location still remained unknown. ¡°What should we do now? Even if we pay them the ransom, they¡¯re most likely going to¡­¡± Tessa med herself for this, and she was on the verge of breaking down. the chubby and tender little guy called out to her, ¡°Miss Tessa, I want a hug.¡± Despite the fact that they had only known each other for a month, she felt deeply for Gregory. She would rather be the one who was kidnapped, and she would never want Gregory to be hurt in any way. ¡°Tessa, Gregory will be fine. At the very least, they won¡¯t hurt him before they get the money,¡± Timothy gentlyforted. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Suddenly, an idea shed through Timothy¡¯s mind. He immediately looked at Nichs and asked, ¡°President Sawyer, did you record the phone call earlier?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nichs answered with a solemn face. This recording was their only clue leading them to Gregory¡¯s location now, as well as being crucial evidence in identifying the perpetrator. It was impossible for Nichs to not do so. All of Sawyer Group¡¯s IT experts had set aside their usual tasks and were working on cracking the recording to see if they could find anything useful. However, they didn¡¯t find anything yet. ¡°Let me have it. I might have a way,¡± Timothy said while starting hisputer. He then entered a code using some details he found in the anonymous phone call. Within minutes, an analysis of a portion of the call appeared. Seeing this, Timothy felt encouraged. He continued to enter the remaining information, and a tiny red dot appeared on the map disyed on theputer screen. ¡°The outskirts!¡± ¡°What?¡± Nichs immediately leaned closer to him. ¡°Young Master is now at one of the hilltops in the outskirts! Go and get him now!¡± Timothy shouted. Nichs nced at him, then immediately ordered his driver, ¡°Get the car.¡± Soon, a fleet of cars hurtled down the tar road. In the car, Kieran felt slightly relieved since they had a rtively clear path forward. He looked at Timothy curiously and asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, I am certain that that is the ce.¡± Timothy felt awkward being questioned, but he remained calm and answered with certainty. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°How are you so sure?¡± Kieran asked again. ¡°I developed this software previously which can track anonymous calls. Even though it might get blocked, there is still a chance that it will be able to crack the calls. Not only that, this software can also analyze the background of the caller to improve its uracy. In that phone call, there was a distinct sound of the wind swishing in the mountains and birds chirping. All of these were recorded, and hence, I am fairly certain.¡± While Timothy was speaking, his eyes seemed to be filled with tears. It was just a random idea of his when he built this software, and due to a variety of other factors, this software had yet to be used on a daily basis even though it waspleted. It was out of his expectation that he could be of some assistance, and what was more, he was faster than all of the leading experts in determining a more precise location. The two brothers of the Sawyer family looked at each other. Both of them thought that Timothy¡¯s deduction was right. They did, in fact, hear sounds simr to birds chirping. Despite the other party¡¯s use of a voice changing device, the distinctive sound of the birds was easily identifiable. Brentwood City was one of the busiest cities in the country, and no matter how well the urban greening was done, it was impossible to have birds staying here, let alone birds chirping one after another. Such a situation would only ur on the hilltops. Hearing what Timothy said, Kieran couldn¡¯t help but give Timothy a thumbs up. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this good! Work for me from now on, and I guarantee that you will have a good sry.¡± ¡°Not all of the credit goes to me; it all goes back to President Sawyer¡¯s recording. I wouldn¡¯t have reacted that swiftly upon getting the call.¡± Timothy smiled embarrassingly. ¡°Further, it appears that the kidnappers are not skilled. They used professional tricks to conceal their location, but there are still some loopholes. I wouldn¡¯t have found Young Master as smoothly if it hadn¡¯t been for that.¡± Nichs nodded in agreement. ¡°Anyhow, it¡¯s true that we have some hope now, but don¡¯t get reckless. There is still room for mistakes, and for prudence sake, we still have to abide by their request.¡± ¡°Nick, just let me handle the matters for the payment of ransom. I¡¯llplete the task well. Those fugitives will never be able to get away from me,¡± Kieran dered. Regardless, Nichs said, ¡°Also, contact Detective Lawrence.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You trust me, right? It¡¯s merely a matter of apprehending some petty thieves, and such a minor issue doesn¡¯t even necessitate my personal attendance. I will arrange for it, don¡¯t worry.¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Kieran seemed like he was prepared for a battle. How dared these peopley their hands on Gregory? Were they tired of living? He was going to make sure that they wouldn¡¯t be alive to spend the money! In a short span of time, Kieran had arranged everything that was required. Following that, the fleet of cars dispersed to the different locations previously agreed upon, each with a portion of the money. Whereas for Nichs¡¯ group, they proceeded to get Gregory out, following the path marked by Timothy. To avoid raising suspicion on the part of the kidnappers, they took the most covert and hidden routes. Halfway through, Nichs¡¯ phone rang. He was slightly stunned when he saw the caller ID. After a while, he regained control of his feelings and answered the phone. ¡°Mom? What¡¯s the matter?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Nichs! How dare you have the audacity to ask me what¡¯s the matter? You should be the one telling me what is happening now! What happened to our Gregory? Why was he kidnapped?¡± Stefania asked angrily. Even though she had retired and spent most of her time in the house, the connection she had built over the years remained. Additionally, there were also many people who fawned over her in light of the Sawyer family¡¯s growing influence. As a result, she was informed of Gregory¡¯s kidnapping within a short period of time. When she first heard about it, she assumed that they were just kidding. However, as more people approached her for the same matter, she began to believe their words, which caused her to be so worried that she nearly fainted. Nichs knew that he couldn¡¯t keep this matter under wraps any longer, and it was within his expectation to receive her call. Hence, he didn¡¯t panic for long. He, too, knew that this matter was a big blow to Stefania. He didn¡¯t want anything to happen to her, especially when Gregory was still missing. Thus, heforted her, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s alright. We know his location now and we are going to get him out. I promise I will bring Gregory back in one piece.¡± Hearing Nichs¡¯ seemingly calm tone, Stefania was furious. ¡°Gregory was kidnapped, so how do you expect me to be calm? He¡¯s my grandson! Let me tell you, I¡¯m e go easily. If Gregory was hurt, no matter how slight it is, they¡¯ll suffer! And causing him to be kidnapped and to suffer unnecessarily. This is the one thing that Yana is right about - Gregory will suffer as long as this woman is around. Does she hate Gregroy or something? She¡¯s really a jinx! I don¡¯t care; when we get Gregory back, that Reinhart girl must go!¡± All this fuss made Nichs¡¯ head hurt, and he couldn¡¯t help but pinch the area between his brows. Feeling slightly annoyed, he said, ¡°Mom, calm down. We can talk about this after Gregory returns. It¡¯s pointless to talk about it now. Throwing a tantrum wouldn¡¯t solve the problem or save Gregory.¡± Despite the fact that he did not use the speaker mode, Tessa was able to hear what Stefania said, which made her even more upset. Her face, which was already pale, became even paler. She wanted to defend herself and say that she was not a jinx, but she was indeed the one who brought Gregory out, and she was also the one who left him in the guest hall. Gregory had run out on his own also because she was not present¡­ Remembering these, she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say to exin herself, no matter how much she wanted to. It was all her fault. And no matter what, she was the one to me. When Timothy saw Tessa feeling guilty, he felt sorry for her. He held her hands tight as if he was trying to pass on his strength to her. ¡°President Sawyer is right, Tessa. Stop ming yourself and having these useless thoughts now. You are only making things worse for yourself. The most important thing now is to find Gregory. Don¡¯t worry, the location I¡¯ve found is correct, and President Sawyer has also made all necessary arrangements. As long as they remain at that location, it¡¯s just a matter of time before Gregory is rescued. Believe me, will you?¡± Hearing Timothy¡¯s words offort, Tessa felt better and nodded. In truth, she was still filled with guilt, but she didn¡¯t dare to express it anymore. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. They¡¯re right. Gregory won¡¯te back just because I¡¯m crying. This is not a dream. Everyone¡¯s just going to get annoyed if I keep this up. They eventually came to the mountaintop, and the driver stopped at the teau. There was an abandoned factory on the mountaintop, and the signal was blinking quickly. This is it. This is where the signal is the strongest. The young master should be in this factory.¡± Detective Lawrence and his team got out of the car and surrounded the factory. A few officers charged inside, but it was an empty factory, so they saw everything with one nce. Aside from a few men in ck, there was nobody there. The men in ck panicked when they realized what was happening. They started screaming and iled their wooden bats around. They caused a ruckus by banging their bats against the wall, and the moment the officers came near, they swung their bats in front of themselves to keep the officers at bay, but they couldn¡¯t stop the experienced cops. The officers raised their arms to block the attack and took the men in ck down with a single kick. Then, they cuffed their hands and pinned the men in ck down. ¡°Where are you keeping the boy?¡± The men in ck refused to answer. One of them red at the officers hatefully and sneered. ¡°You want the kid? Sure. Someone will send him over in a moment.¡± Kieran destroyed the factory¡¯s door with a single kick. ¡°B*stards!¡± Sh*t. They won¡¯t give up that easily, and they were knocking on the walls. They were probably telling their friends that we¡¯re here. They¡¯ll know we¡¯re on the mountain now. Greg¡¯s in danger. Kieran kicked the man in ck. ¡°Where is he? Tell me, or I¡¯ll break your leg!¡± ¡°Do it then. Your precious Greg will get his leg broken too.¡± The man in ck scoffed. I can¡¯t even do anything. Furious, Kieran shot them a re and looked at Nichs. ¡°What now?¡± Nichs¡¯ phone rang, and Nichs took it, but he looked upset. The mastermind chortled. ¡°Never thought you would break your own promise, Mr. Sawyer. I thought you¡¯re a man of your word, but now I see we¡¯re the same kind of people.¡± Nichs ignored his taunt. He wanted to hang up, but Gregory was still in danger, so he couldn¡¯t do that. He held his anger back and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Timothy was surprised when he heard the call, as he never thought he would make a mistake. He didn¡¯t expect the mastermind to separate the boy and the phone. That¡¯s a fatal mistake. Am I actually stupid? Tessa trusted her brother, however. They only got to where they were because of the tracker. She held his hand and assured him quietly. She trusted him because the men in ck were captured here, so the location was correct. Tessa stared at theputer¡¯s screen. The dot is nearby. These men couldn¡¯t have called their boss. Did we miss someone? No, there¡¯s no time to think about this. We need to save Greg. She looked at Nichs. He¡¯s still talking. Good. Greg is fine for now. She heaved a sigh of relief and got out of the car to check out the surroundings. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw a man in ck in the forest, and it was obvious that he was the kidnappers¡¯ aplice. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126 The man didn¡¯t notice her. He skulked around for a moment and retreated deeper into the forest. That might be the lead. I can¡¯t let him get away. Tessa didn¡¯t have time to inform anyone else. She had no choice but to follow the man alone, and she kept some distance in case the man noticed her, but she always kept him in her sight. About ten minutester, her hands were already drenched with sweat, but she realized they were about to exit the forest, so she slowed down and hid among the bushes. Then, she saw a house before her. The man went inside. ¡°Boss, Nichs and his men are at the factory, and they¡¯re holding our guys. What should we do?¡± The man raised Gregory¡¯s chin and asked, ¡°What should we do indeed? What should we do, boy?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Let me go. If money¡¯s what you want, my Daddy can pay you,¡± Gregory answered calmly. Tessa paused for a moment. I knew it. Greg¡¯s here, but there¡¯s a lot of kidnappers inside. I can¡¯t save him even if I tried to face them head on. What should I do? Oh, right. Nichs. I have to call Nichs. She took her phone out and called Nichs with trembling hands. ¡°I-I found Greg. Come over quickly. There¡¯s a ton of thugs here.¡± ¡°Where are you? Don¡¯t make a move until I arrive.¡± Nichs¡¯ face fell, and he raised his hand to silence everyone. Tessa almost couldn¡¯t even hold her phone. She whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll send my location to you. Get here ASAP.¡± She sent her location to him and hid in a ce where she could see everything. The kidnappers¡¯ leader held the boy¡¯s chin. ¡°Your father? Your father doesn¡¯t want you anymore.¡± Gregory struggled to break free. ¡°That¡¯s a lie! Daddy and Miss Tessa must be looking for me!¡± The man in ck snorted. ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s why they don¡¯t want you anymore. I told them to pay up, but they came here to look for you. They don¡¯t want you anymore, and you lost your only use. I might have to give your father a warning.¡± He swung his bat a few times. Gregory looked at him fearfully. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± The man in ck snorted. ¡°Break your arm, of course. This might scare your rich daddy into paying up.¡± Tessa¡¯s eyes widened. No, I can¡¯t let this happen. I can¡¯t wait for Nichs anymore. She charged ahead grunted painfully, and she could feel her insides churning as pain spread across her body. She was seeing stars, and she almost cked out. Gregory was shocked, and he cried. ¡°Miss Tessa! Are you alright, Miss Tessa? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± Tessa was pale from the pain, but she wanted to calm the crying Gregory down. She tried to touch his face, but her whole body was screaming with pain, and all her strength left her, so all she could do was force a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she assured him. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Gregory had been holding on for a while, but when he saw blood flowing from Tessa¡¯s shoulder, he couldn¡¯t stay calm anymore, and he bawled. ¡°I-I¡¯ll blow on your wound, Miss Tessa. The butler said that¡¯ll take all the pain away. Don¡¯t leave me alone, Miss Tessa. I¡¯m scared.¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Chapter 127 The kidnapper didn¡¯t see thising, and he was annoyed by the boy¡¯s crying. He roared, ¡°Stop crying or I¡¯ll kill this woman!¡± Shocked, Gregory stopped crying, and he whispered through his sniffles, ¡°Miss Tessa¡­¡± Tessa tried to stay awake. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Gregory. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine.¡± Once themotion died down, the kidnappers¡¯ leader turned around and kicked hisckey. ¡°You trash! You didn¡¯t even know you were followed! Did I hire you for nothing?¡± Theckey tumbled backward, and he quickly got up just to kneel before his boss. ¡°What should we do, boss? She¡¯s already here, so¡­¡± ¡°What else? She probably already told Nichs. Take them away and tell the guys to split up!¡± the leader ordered quickly. ¡°Yes!¡± The kidnappers quickly came to separate Tessa and Gregory. Tessa knew Nichs was on his way. She was his greatest lead, and she would not allow them to quash it. Tessa hugged the boy as tightly as she could, and she whispered, ¡°Hold onto me, Gregory. Do not let go no matter what.¡± Gregory held her as tightly as he could after he heard what Tessa said. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go.¡±. She was an injured woman, and the boy was raised in a loving and rich household. Anyone would think they could be easily separated, but the kidnappers were finding it tough to do so.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Tessa kept holding onto Gregory, and the boy wouldn¡¯t let her go. The kidnappers tried hard to split them up, but they still couldn¡¯t do it. They could feel their boss fuming, so they stopped and reported carefully, ¡°We can¡¯t split them up, boss.¡± Infuriated, the leader pushed the kidnappers away. ¡°You useless sh*ts. We already kidnapped the boy. Just beat her up for Pete¡¯s sake.¡± He raised his rod and smashed it down on Tessa¡¯s back. Tessa grunted, and she could feel her insides getting moved. However, she didn¡¯t scream, for she was worried Gregory might be scared. She swallowed her scream and told the boy, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Gr¨¦gory. I¡¯m fine. Do not let me go. Your father will be here soon.¡± Even with her assurance, the boy still cried. ¡°Miss Tessa.¡± The kidnappers thought they could finally split them up, so they tried to pull her away, but she still wouldn¡¯t let the boy go. One of the kidnappers decided to push down on her injured shoulders to make her let him go. Tessa could feel her wound getting torn, but she had held on for so long, and she was not going to give up now. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do it.¡± Nichs isn¡¯t here yet. My boy still isn¡¯t saved. I can¡¯t give up. She was starting to panic, however. Why isn¡¯t he here yet? She kept holding on. I must protect him at all costs. / cannot let them take him away again. I have to hold on until Nichs is here. Enraged by her persistence, the leader raised his rod and aimed it at Tessa¡¯s head. ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t me me for this.¡± He swung his rod down, but someone stopped it before it could hit Tessa. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Nichs stood before the kidnapper and took the rod away, then he mmed his foot into the man¡¯s chest. ¡°How dare you?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He came straight to her location after she told him where he was, but it was dizzying in the mountains, and he could only know her rough location even with the GPS, so he spent a lot of time finding her. He was already furious that Gregory was kidnapped, but when he saw Tessa hurt and Gregory bawling in her arms, he was enraged. His fury swept across the room and made everyone shiver. The kidnapper¡¯s leader couldn¡¯t get up after he was kicked, and he looked pale. He curled up on the ground and spasmed, while the other kidnappers trembled in fear. They didn¡¯t help their boss, nor did they go against Nichs. They didn¡¯t even dare to escape, and all they could do was stare in disbelief. The cops arrived and caught all the kidnappers easily, then they pinned the perpetrators down. ¡°Tessa? Are you alright, Tessa?¡± Timothy ignored the kidnappers and went toward his sister. Tessa eased up the moment she saw Nichs. She knew they were saved, and all her strength left her. She couldn¡¯t even move a muscle, so all she could do was smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Timothy was shocked, but he didn¡¯t touch Tessa in case he made things worse. ¡°Shh, shh. You have to save your strength, Tessa.¡± ¡°Greg!¡± Kieran quickly went to pick the crying boy up to check up on him. ¡°Are you hurt, Gregory? Tell me. I¡¯ll mess them up if they hurt you.¡± Gregory was still bawling, but he shook his head and looked at Tessa. ¡°But Miss Tessa is.¡± Kieran looked at Tessa¡¯s wound, and he frowned. She¡¯s badly hurt. Those guys must be trying to kill her. She was protecting Gregory, or he would have been the one who was hurt. That would be a disaster. The thought that Gregory might have been hurt so badly enraged Kieran. How dare they hurt my nephew? They just signed a death warrant. He looked at the kidnappers, but when he saw who the leader was, his eyes widened. ¡°Lionel? It¡¯s you?¡± Lionel used to be one of Sawyer Group¡¯s suppliers, and Kieran used to be the one working with him, so they knew each other. However, six months ago, Lionel, who had been working honestly all this time, provided subpar products for a big client and caused Sawyer Group to incur a huge loss. When thepany found out, Nichs ordered everyone to stop working with Lionel and demanded a huge sum ofpensation from him. Lionel was also cklisted. Kieran exined the situation to Nichs, though he never thought Lionel would vent his anger on a boy. Nichs looked at Lionel darkly. He tried to hurt my son because I stopped the partnership with him? Unforgivable. Since Kieran recognized him, Lionel knew it was no use hiding anymore, so he smiled. ¡°Nichs, Kieran, you guys are only sessful because you¡¯re born with a silver spoon, while I worked my way up. You guys called me unscrupulous just because I made one mistake? You guys have enough money for your grandkids¡¯ grandkids! But yet you came for ayman like me. Disgusting.¡± Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your orders, my other clients wouldn¡¯t have stopped working with me, and my wife wouldn¡¯t have remarried another guy, nor would mypany have gone bankrupt. Just because you said it¡¯s my fault, my whole family is now in ruins. My mother fell ill because she couldn¡¯t handle the huge change, and she died because I had no money to pay for her treatment. Even the homeless think h now. Do you have any idea how hard life is for me? No, because you¡¯re sitting on top of your throne, destroying our lives on a whim. You don¡¯t care about us, and you ruined my family! I must have my revenge!¡± Nichs frowned. ¡°This is your own fault.¡± Lawrence agreed. The hell is with this guy? He¡¯s a criminal, but he med the Sawyers for not covering it up for him? And he wants them to keep the partnership up? Does he think they¡¯re idiots? His skewed values is the very reason his wife went with another guy, but he mes someone else for it? What an arse. One of the officers was annoyed, so he interrupted, ¡°Shut up. You can talk all you want after youe with us.¡± The officers took the kidnappers away, but Lionel was still shouting. ¡°As long as I live, I won¡¯t let any of you off the hook! You love that kid, don¡¯t you? Then keep a close eye on him, because he¡¯s going to get it bad when Ie out. Curse you and yourpany! I hope you go bankrupt! I hope your family falls apart like mine did.¡± Nichs ignored him. Just a dying man¡¯s empty threats. Tessa was the person he should be paying attention to. She had fainted from the pain of her injuries, and Nichs picked her up. ¡°To the hospital.¡± Timothy was also tearing up, and he followed Nichs. Kieran checked on the boy once more. It was lucky that the kidnappers didn¡¯t hurt him, and Tessa protected him before he was injured. He was fine, though he was out of breath from all the crying. Kieran was about to catch a break, but Gregory pointed at Tessa and sniffled. He wanted to follow them and was asking Kieran to carry him, so Kieran picked him up and chased after them. They went straight to the hospital, and Kieran called the medical staff on the way so they could get prepared. out, Tessa Thanks to the police cars, they came to the hospital soon after, and the moment they was surrounded by the medical staff who took her to the operating theatre. the doors. ¡°Will she be fine?¡± Gregory started crying again after he finally stopped. ¡°Miss Tessa¡­ Daddy, she¡¯ll be fine, right? I¡¯m scared.¡± Nichs was inscrutable. He held the boy who was crying on his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s fine.¡± Kieran had been tense until that moment. Now that he had calmed down, he looked at his brother, feeling a bit confused. Hm, nothing wrong with that. He¡¯s a responsible man, and he didn¡¯t say that just to calm Gregory down. Tessa was hurt because she wanted to protect him. But for some reason, he thought Nichs was acting weird. He¡¯s different from how he used to be. He had a lot of questions, but he knew he shouldn¡¯t talk about that right now, so he opened his mouth just to swallow his words in the end. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130 After finding out that Gregory was safe and at the hospital, Tobias and Stefania quickly came over. everything.¡± Gregory cried again when he saw his grandparents. He backed away a little from his father¡¯s embrace and hugged his grandmother, and he sobbed. Stefania was worried. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Get someone to check on Gregory.¡± Gregory sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Grandma. But Miss Tessa¡¯s badly hurt, and I¡¯m really scared, Grandma.¡± Stefania was heartbroken seeing him so sad, and she patted his back tofort him. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Greg. Miss Tessa will be fine. It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t cry, Gregory. She¡¯ll be fine. Everything¡¯s okay now.¡± She looked at her sons. ¡°Where¡¯s the culprit?¡± Kieran answered, ¡°Arrested and detained. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure they pay the price for hurting Gregory.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better.¡± Stefania¡¯s face fell. She almost died when she heard that Gregory was kidnapped. He was her precious grandson, but those kidnappers took him away. I will not let this slide. They must pay the price. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Everyone nodded. An hourter, the light above the operating theatre¡¯s doors went out, and Timothy went over to the entrance to talk to the doctor. ¡°Is she alright, doctor?¡± he asked anxiously. The doctor answered, ¡°Yes, but her shoulder is heavily wounded. It¡¯s a bit cracked.¡± All the color disappeared from Timothy¡¯s face. ¡°Can she still y the violin?¡± ¡°Not for now,¡± the doctor said. ¡°She has to rest, and she can¡¯t use her shoulder, so don¡¯t ask her to lift anything heavy.¡± Timothy looked upset, so the doctor said, ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that she¡¯s not in any danger. If Tessa was taken to a ward, and she looked as pale as a sheet. Her eyes were tightly shut, but she was frowning, possibly from the pain, and it pained Timothy to see her like that. ¡°Tessa dreams to be a musician, and she loves the violin. Will the orchestra take her like this? The performance is next month, and she just got promoted to assistant concertmaster. But this¡­¡± Nichs heard Timothy, and he looked at Tessa quietly. Gregoryy before Tessa¡¯s bed and stared at her. He was tearing up, but he didn¡¯t make a fuss. All he did was stare at her. Stefania felt sad seeing him like that. He just got away from the kidnappers, had the shock of his life, cried the whole afternoon, and now, he was staring at Tessa without even moving. This can¡¯t go on. He can¡¯t take it. She tugged on him. ¡°Can youe home with me, Greg?¡± ¡°No. I want to stay here with Miss Tessa,¡± he answered without turning back. I¡¯m not leaving. What if she wakes up and misses me like how I missed her? If I¡¯m not here, she would feel sad. Stefania still tugged on him. ¡°Be good. She¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯s just sleeping.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t go home. I want to stay with Miss Tessa. What if I¡¯m not here when she wants to see me? That¡¯ll make her sad.¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Gregory turned around and looked at Stefania adiamantly. His eyes were still red, and he sniffled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave, Grandma.¡± Left with no choice, Stefania looked to Nichs. ¡°Tell him to go home.¡± ¡°Leave him be, Mom, Kieran will take you and Dad home. I¡¯ll stay here to take care of him,¡± Nichs said. Kieran noticed the look his brother was giving him, so he said, ¡°Yeah, mom. it¡¯ll be fine if Nichs is here. And the kidnappers have been caught, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Stefania couldn¡¯t do anything if Gregory didn¡¯t want to leave, so she just nodded and followed Kieran back home. Tessa finally opened her eyes at night, and she saw white walls all around her. She blinked a few times, and she realized she was in a hospital. Gregory had been staring at her all this time. Now that she was awake, he was delighted, and he called out to both men, ¡°Daddy, Mr. Timothy! Miss Tessa is awake!¡± He climbed up the stool and leaned his head on the bed. ¡°Are you alright, Miss Tessa? Are you hurt anywhere? Tell me. I can blow on the wound for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m fine,¡± she answered weakly. The anesthetic had worn off, and she could feel her wound clearly. It was painful, but she couldn¡¯t show it to the boy, who was concerned for her. She didn¡¯t want a child to be worried about her. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Do you want to eat anything, Miss Tessa? I¡¯ll get Daddy to buy it for you,¡± the boy said. Tessa forced a smile. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not hungry yet.¡± She still looked lethargic after she woke up, so Gregory was worried, and he teared up. ¡°Are you alright, sis?¡± ¡°How do you feel?¡± The men asked her at the same time, and they looked at each other, but they said nothing. Then, they looked at Tessa with worry in their eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tessa said. She felt like she had been lying down for a long time, so she tried to sit up, but the moment she moved, she felt the wound on her shoulder tearing apart, so she gasped. It was a simple movement, but she was already sweating from it. ¡°Don¡¯t move. You can¡¯t move too much with that kind of injury.¡± Timothy quickly helped hery back down. Then, he adjusted her position so she wouldn¡¯t press down on her wound. Both Timothy and Tessa were sweating when they were done. He¡¯s being so careful. Tessa wanted to joke and say he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but the pain on her shoulder felt real, so she asked, ¡°What happened to me?¡± ¡°The doctor said your shoulder bone cracked, so you have to rest and try not to pull on the wound.¡± He paused for a moment before telling her about the injury, but he didn¡¯t tell her that the doctor said she couldn¡¯t y the violin for now. Tessa¡¯s heart sank, and she immediately knew what he was getting at. I can¡¯t practise now, so that means I can¡¯t join next month¡¯s performance as assistant concertmaster. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 She nched, for that was bad news indeed. Timothy sighed. He knew he couldn¡¯t hide it from her. Even if he didn¡¯t say it, she would reach that conclusion eventually. I can¡¯t do much. She can¡¯t heal up immediately and perform onstage right away. He paused for a moment and pretended to look rxed. ¡°You¡¯re really fortunate, Tessa. It¡¯s just your shoulder. You¡¯ll be fine in no time. The doctor said you would have been in danger if the perp hit your artery.¡± She nodded and forced a smile. ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± She might be smiling, but she felt sad. However, she couldn¡¯t worry them, for they were already concerned about her wound. She looked at Gregory. ¡°Are you alright, Gregory? Did they hurt you before I came?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°I¡¯m okay. They told me to be quiet, so I was, and they didn¡¯t do anything to me.¡± He shook his head. At least they didn¡¯t hurt him and I managed to get there in time. She heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Good to hear.¡± She had been worried the whole day. If Gregory was hurt, she would never be able to forgive herself even if she was hurt. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Miss Tessa. Heal up soon. I¡¯m waiting for you toe home.¡± He looked at her, worried. Since Gregory was looking lively, Tessa felt her pain subside a little. They made some small talk, but Tessa was tired not long after that, as her wound was serious. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I need to sleep. You¡¯ve been out the whole day, Tim. Go back to school.¡± Timothy had always listened to her, but this time, he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with you. I won¡¯t leave no matter what you say, so stop convincing me. Get some rest if you feel tired.¡± Tessa was easily exhausted for the time being, so she couldn¡¯t argue with Timothy and just let him do what he wanted. A whileter, she drifted to sleep. Thanks to the Sawyers, Tessa was staying in the most luxurious single ward. There was a couch and another bed beside Tessa¡¯s. It seemed more like home than a ward, and that was thanks to the Sawyers. Timothy didn¡¯t want to take the other bed, so he slept on the couch. Since Gregory was shocked and refused to leave Tessa no matter what, heid his head on her bed and stayed there. He wanted to hug Tessa, but since his father said that might make Tessa¡¯s bad condition worse, all he could do was sit on the stool and stare at Tessa. Gregory had gone through a lot in the day and cried for the whole afternoon, so he was already tired. He was only a child after all, so he slept not long after. Nichs looked at the sleeping boy, and he sighed. He took the boy and put him on the other bed. The boy was still sniffling. Nichs didn¡¯t sleep. Because of the kidnapping incident, he had left some work aside, so he had to go through some files now. However, he would nce at Tessa and his son from time to time. All of a sudden, he heard someone sobbing quietly, so he paused and looked at Tessa curiously. Her nket was trembling, and her head was bobbing. Oh, she¡¯s crying. Tessa didn¡¯t know Nichs had noticed her. Indeed, she was crying silently under the nket. Everyone knew she couldn¡¯t perform this time, but she knew that that wasn¡¯t the only thing she lost. There were a lot of people in the orchestra, and a lot of them were more experienced than she was. Missing a performance or two was enough to warrant a performer change. It wasmon in the orchestra. Moreover, she was just an inexperienced newbie who had nothing in her portfolio to back her up. Even though she had solid basics, the possibility of her getting promoted was slim to none. She wanted to be seen, so she had been practising as hard as she could in the orchestra and tried her best to be the top performer among the newbies. Thanks to her effort, Trevor noticed her. Because of her unbelievable talent and hard work, Trevor promoted her to assistant concertmaster. It was a never-seen-before act, but her path after that promotion was rocky, and because of that promotion, she was inevitably the object of a lot of people¡¯s envy. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 It was her maiden performance after her promotion, but she couldn¡¯t show up because of her injury. She knew recovery would be a long process, and she would lose a lot of chances to perform. Maybe someone will have taken over after I go back. If that happened, it would be hard for her to take her position back after she made her return. Now I¡¯m further away from the stage I dream of. She only pretended to be calm after she knew about her injury so she wouldn¡¯t worry Timothy. However, when she was left alone to ponder about her situation, she was overwhelmed by sadness. She wanted to cry her heart out, but she was worried she might wake everyone up, so all she could do was hide under her nket and shed her tears quietly. Because she didn¡¯t want to pressure her wound, she had turned her back to the other bed, so she didn¡¯t know that Nichs was awake. Nichs was startled that Tessa was wallowing in her sadness. But after thinking about what Timothy said andbining that with Tessa¡¯s reaction after she found out about her wound¡¯s severity, he knew why she was so sad. Nichs was a smart man after all. She had gone through a lot today and had been holding it down, so it was natural that she had to vent it all out to heal. Since she¡¯s crying quietly while everyone¡¯s asleep, that means she doesn¡¯t want everyone to worry. Hence, Nichs didn¡¯t say anything. All he did was stare at Tessa, who was still crying silently. After Tessa woke up the next morning, she chatted with Timothy like nothing had happened. Gregory was awake as well, and he looked happy that Tessa was getting better. ¡°Are you feeling better today, Miss Tessa?¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Yes. Thanks for the concern, Greg.¡± Gregory was happy to hear that. ¡°Great. I asked the doctorst night. He said you¡¯ll heal up in no time.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy¡± Since she was keeping it to herself, this novel ¡°Always Been Yours¡± daily new chapters update only on .infobagh Nichs pretended nothing had happened as well. He told Edward to bring breakfast over for Gregory and the Reinhart siblings. After they had breakfast, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go home to get changed. Call me if you need anything. I¡¯lle back shortly.¡± Tessa disagreed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Mr. Sawyer. I¡¯m feeling better now. You have a lot of work to do, so please go to yourpany. You don¡¯t have to stay with me.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°And I was the one who caused this, so I was supposed to save Gregory. We¡¯re even now.¡± . Gregory knew what she was getting at, so he hugged Tessa. ¡°No, Miss Tessa. It¡¯s not even. You got hurt because you tried to save me. It¡¯s only right that we take care of you.¡± He looked at his father imploringly. Say something, Daddy. She¡¯s chasing you away now. Does that mean she doesn¡¯t want me too? I can¡¯t let that happen. Nichs nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not to me. Gregory was the one who insisted oning with you. You did not make the offer, and the kidnappers are my family¡¯s enemies. That has nothing to do with you as well. Even if you hadn¡¯t taken him along, they would still have found a way to kidnap him. In any case, you saved Greg.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Tessa was stunned, and she was at a loss for words. But I did lose Gregory while he was under my care. I can¡¯t just shirk my responsibility. Nichs looked at the boy. ¡°Are youing home with me?¡± ¡°No. I want to stay with Miss Tessa. You can go home if you want to, Daddy, but I¡¯m staying.¡± Gregory couldn¡¯t tug on Tessa, so he held the edge of her bed. He didn¡¯t want to be taken home, and he looked at his father adamantly. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Feeling helpless against Gregory, Nichs took a nce at him. However, he eventually said nothing much. ¡°We¡¯re in the hospital. Don¡¯t make too much noise.¡± Upon hearing that, Gregory nodded happily. ¡°I¡¯ll behave!¡± Following Nichs¡¯ departure, Tessa turned to look at her younger brother. ¡°Tim, you should head back to the university. I¡¯m really fine.¡± After carefully tucking Tessa into the nket, only then did Timothy raise his head and look at Tessa. ¡°Young Master Gregory is still young. Who will take care of you after I leave? I think I¡¯ll just wait here until President Sawyer is back. Once he¡¯s back, I¡¯ll go back to the university.¡± ¡°Mr. Timothy, that¡¯s not true. I-I can take good care of Miss Tessa!¡± Gregory straightened up the nket for Tessa, unwilling to show his weakness. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Both Tessa and Timothy did not know whether tough or cry after they saw Gregory behaving in such a manner. ¡°Young Master Gregory, you¡¯re great, but that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m just worried about your Miss Tessa. She¡¯ll need help if she needs to do something. Am I right?¡± Timothy smiled. Upon hearing that, Gregory felt a little troubled. ¡°T-Then, Mr. Timothy, you should stay and wait until my daddyes back.¡± If Miss Tessa needs help to do something, I am really of little help. After letting out augh, Tessa still pulled a long face and said, ¡°No, Tim. You should listen to me and go back to the university. Don¡¯t set aside your studies. If not, I¡¯ll ignore you no matter what. Besides, this is the hospital. Doctors and nurses are constantly walking up and down the hallway. What more is there for me to be worried about if I ever need any help? Right now, your time is precious, so don¡¯t waste it by staying here. It¡¯s not toote toe over after your ss.¡± Seeing Tessa was being so strong-headed about this matter, Timothy could only nod his head. ¡°Well then, Tess, if you face any problem, make sure to give me a call.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Sure, I will.¡± ¡°By the way, is there anything you want to eat? I¡¯ll fix it up for you shortly after my ss,¡± Timothy uttered. Upon hearing that, Tessa smiled. ¡°As long as it¡¯s made by you, I¡¯ll take anything. Even simple cheese omelet, I¡¯d still think it¡¯s delicious. So, just cook anything you feel like cooking for me.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Timothy nodded. After that, he simply freshened up and left the ward. The once rather lively ward now only left both Tessa and Gregory. Looking left and right, Gregory eventually fixed his gaze on the sofa. Then, he slid down the stool located at the head of Tessa¡¯s bed and ran next to the sofa. Rather confused by Gregory¡¯s action, Tessa looked at him and saw him standing on tiptoes. With slight difficulty, Gregory took up the kettle and filled the cup with water. Next, Gregory walked carefully to the side of her hospital bed, holding the cup of water. His big eyes shone brightly. ¡°Miss Tessa, have some water.¡± Tessa was stunned for a moment but instantly smiled. Like a ball of threaded wool in the winter months, Greg really melts the coldness and warms up my heart. Still smiling, Tessa said, ¡°Sweetheart, you are so well-behaved and even can take care of others now.¡± Then, Tessa saw there were droplets of sweat on Gregory¡¯s nose tip. I guess pouring a cup of water is still a rather difficult task for him. After taking a sip of the water, Tessa added, ¡°Hmm¡­ As expected from the cup of water poured by my sweetheart. It tastes so good.¡± , Pursing his lips, Gregory smiled happily. ¡°Mr. Timothy was wrong. I can take care of others. Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Tessa?¡± As she saw Gregory happy smile, Tessa burst into a happyughter. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re the sweetest.¡± This child is trying to prove his capability, it seems. Meanwhile, Gregory thought to himself, There¡¯s no sign of toys around here, and Miss Tessa can only lie on the bed. She cannot move or go anywhere, so it must be boring for her. After taking a look around the ward, Gregory suggested, ¡°Do you feel bored, Miss Tessa? How about I tell you some stories?¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa looked at Gregory in surprise. ¡°Sure!¡± Instantly, Gregory¡¯s eyes lit up. Yay! Miss Tessa wants to listen to my story-telling! Feeling rather delightful, Gregory retold the story he had heard in a serious yet adorable voice. After Gregory was done with his story-telling, there was a knock at the door. Immediately afterward, a middle-aged guy walked in with a fruit basket. ¡°Tessa, how are you feeling now?¡± The guy was the orchestra manager, Trevor. Upon hearing Trevor¡¯s voice, Tessa looked at him and smiled. ¡°Much better.¡± Last night, Trevor had heard the news about Tessa injuring her shoulder and hand and was in constant worry about her injuries. So, he rushed over to the hospital early in the morning. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Before visiting Tessa in her ward, Trevor had gone to the doctor¡¯s office and asked about her condition. Minor bone fracture¡­ The thought of these words were enough to make Trevor¡¯s mood be rather heavy. Now, after seeing the thickyer of gauze bandage on Tessa¡¯s shoulder, Trevor seemed pretty upset. ¡°You should rest and take care of yourself during this period.¡± As she knew what Trevor meant, Tessa felt her heart jolt, and her smile became slightly disinclined. ¡°I am distressed by your injury and personally feel bad for you. I know how hard you¡¯ve worked for the performance, but Tessa, there¡¯s not much time left until our day of performance, you know? Not only aml a member of the orchestra, but I¡¯m also the orchestra manager. The fate of the orchestra rests in the palm of my hand, and I¡¯m responsible to decide on what¡¯s good for the orchestra. Hence, you may probably need to give up the position of assistant concertmaster. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find a suitable person to rece you.¡± Although she had already expected this the moment she knew of her injury, it was still difficult for Tessa to swallow the news now that she heard it with her own ears. There was a sense of anger lingering in her heart, and she felt terribly suffocated. No, I¡¯m really unwilling to hand over this chance. It took me tremendous effort and time to climb up to this position from the bottom as a mere substitute. And now, all my previous efforts have gone to waste because of my injury. No doubt, it was rather hard for Tessa to ept the fate Before Tessa knew it, her eyes turned red, and her voice trembled. ¡°Mr. Oswald, c-can you give me a chance? I-I think I can do it. I¡¯m sure this injury won¡¯t affect my performance.¡± Upon hearing that, Trevor had no choice but to reprimand Tessa, ¡°Are you kidding me!? With this injury? Even if I ignored the risk of possible mistakes during the performance, and even if you executed your performance perfectly and achieved sess momentarily, what about your future? This is bone fracture that we¡¯re talking about, and not some other minor injuries like ligament strains. It¡¯s a bone fracture! If you don¡¯t tend to your injury, no one can say whether you¡¯ll be able to recover in the future or how much you will recover. Are you really willing to ruin your whole life because of one performance? Do you think it¡¯s worth it?¡± Aftershing out, Trevor stayed silent. He knew his words were a bit harsh, and it was inappropriate for him to say such harsh words to an injured patient. However, he had to p Tessa back to her senses with his words. Tessa had always been an outstanding member among the younger generations in the orchestra. She was smart and hardworking, and there would be a time in the future where she would shine. Because he valued her very much, Trevor needed to be responsible for Tessa, and even more for the entire orchestra. If Tessa was really allowed to perform alongside the other musicians, or even perform as an assistant concertmaster, that would not only be a fatal risk to the orchestra but would also potentially send Tessa to the rock bottom if something went wrong. By then, it would be difficult for Tessa to reestablish herself again. Regardless, it was impossible for Trevor to take such a risk and promise Tessa to let her perform with an injury. Undeniably, Tessa herself understood these facts. She knew that Trevor was thinking about the orchestra and her future, but she felt extremely afflictive deep within her heart. I don¡¯t want to ruin my life because of my injury. But, I really am unwilling to let go of this opportunity. It¡¯s my first time to participate in such arge-scale performance as an assistant concertmaster. My talent can potentially be discovered by more people. Now, that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is about to slip out of my hand. I don¡¯t know how much longer I¡¯ll have to wait and how much more I¡¯ll have to endure to achieve another opportunity like this. Once again, Tessa¡¯s so-called day to shine bright on stage became a distant prospect. Knowing that this was not a yard sale, Tessa sighed as she knew she could not bargain her way into this. The decision was final. After all, she was injured to this extent, so there was nothing that she could do to turn the table. Upon realizing that, Tessa reluctantly quirked up the corners of her mouth and said to Trevor, ¡°I understand. Thanks, Mr. Oswald, for enlightening me.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that Tessa had slightly calmed down, Trevor breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Don¡¯t you be all sad now. You¡¯re only in your twenties. Age-wise, you¡¯re still young, and you¡¯re talented too. So, you don¡¯t have to rush for sess.¡± As a matter of fact, it was not easy for Trevor to make this decision. As part of the orchestra, Tessa was a budding violinist, but now¡­ ¡°Mr. Oswald, I understand.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll get going first because there¡¯s still something I need to attend to in the orchestra. You can consider this as a break from the orchestra. Don¡¯t pressure yourself too much, take adequate rest, and take care of your injuries. I¡¯ll see you again in the orchestra.¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Trevor gave Tessa a gentle pat andforted her. ¡°Thanks, Mr. Oswald, foring over to visit me today. Be careful when you¡¯re on the road.¡± Tessa nodded and thanked him, Nodding back at Tessa, Trevor then got up and left. As soon as Trevor opened the door, a tall figure in front startled him, and he nearly screamed. That tall figure was Nichs. As he stood at the door, he nodded at Trevor and made a ¡®shh¡¯ gesture. Understanding Nichs¡¯ gesture, Trevor took another nce inside the ward and saw that Tessa and Gregory weren¡¯t aware. So, he immediately closed the door and greeted Nichs, ¡°Good day, President Sawyer.¡± Once more, Nichs nodded. Then, he turned his body sideways, allowing Trevor to go first. After taking two steps, Trevor stopped. Later, he turned his head back to look at Nichs, hesitating. ¡°President Sawyer¡­¡± ¡°Speak,¡± Nichs ordered. All of a sudden, Trevor was clueless on where to start his sentences, and he went silent for a while. Upon seeing that, Nichs simply frowned and did not rush Trevor. After a while, Trevor said, ¡°President Sawyer, I have a presumptuous request. I hope you can help me encourage and enlighten Tessa. I know her. She¡¯s a girl who practices very seriously on a daily basis. While others pour in their 100 percent, she pours in her 120 percent. I know because I have noticed her effort. We all feel very sorry that this happened. This would have been her first orchestra performance as an assistant concertmaster, and not to mention, it¡¯s arge-scale event. Now that she can¡¯t participate in it, I fear it will hit her hard. Tessa has always taken things too seriously. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to regain herself for a while¡­¡± Upon hearing Trevor¡¯s words, Nichs remembered Tessa was crying secretly under the nket by herselfst night. Therefore, he understood what Trevor meant. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. epting Trevor¡¯s request, Nichs nodded slightly. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Then, I shall leave her in your care. There are some other matters that I need to attend to in the orchestra, so I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Trevor bowed to Nichs, feeling grateful. Not knowing the situation outside, Tessa sat on the bed and recalled her conversations with Trevor. She was still somewhat unwilling to ept what was going on. The anger in Tessa¡¯s heart stuffed up, making her a little overwhelmed. Right now, she had no idea what she was going to do in the future. Seeing that Tessa was in a trance, Gregory became worried too. He understood most of the matters discussed by Nichs and Tessa. Also, Gregory knew that Tessa probably could not y the violin anymore. Realizing that fact, he became upset. ¡°Miss Tessa, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. If I hadn¡¯t been yful and disobediently ran out of the orchestra, then you wouldn¡¯t havee to find me, and you wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt.¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes turned red as he said that, and he looked like he was about to cry. Upon seeing this, Tessa felt her heart soften. Not bothering much about her own grief, she raised her uninjured arm and touched the top of Gregory¡¯s head. ¡°Oh, silly boy. You have nothing to do with this, so you don¡¯t have to apologize. I saved you out of my own will, and I don¡¯t regret it at all. Despite knowing things would turn out this way, I¡¯d still save you if given another chance. I would rather injure myself than see something bad happen to you. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m strong, and I¡¯ll be fine after resting for a few more days. Soon, I will be able to hold you in my arms again.¡± Meanwhile, outside the ward, Nichs was about to open the door but stopped after he heard that. For some reason, Tessa¡¯s words tugged at his heartstrings. ¡°Okay, Sweetheart. I¡¯m really fine. I didn¡¯t cry, so why are you crying? There, there, my cry baby. Don¡¯t cry anymore. If you cry again, then I¡¯ll cry too.¡± Looking at the crying Gregory, Tessa felt slightly helpless for a while, yet she did not know whether to laugh or cry: This child is superbly adorable. His original doll-like appearance is even more adorable now with his teary eyes looking dewy. He just makes me want to pinch his cheeks. In fact, Tessa really did so. With her delicate fingers, she pinched Gregory¡¯s face. Feeling Tessa pinch him, Gregory was stunned for a moment. He forgot to cry and just let Tessa pinch and rub his face in a daze. Tessa looked at him and could not help but chuckle. Although he did not know what Tessa wasughing about, Gregory stopped crying after he saw Tessa chuckling. Then, he obediently wiped his tears away and giggled happily. At this moment, the door of the ward was pushed open. In came Nichs, who had changed into a tailor-fitted suit. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137 ¡°Daddy!¡± Gregory rushed forward with a smile and hugged Nichs¡¯ thigh. As she could not believe that Nichs actually showed up in her ward, Tessa did not quite know what to say. So, she could only say prosaically, ¡°I¡¯m really fine here. You didn¡¯t have to speciallye here to visit me.¡± However, Nichs merely took a nce at Tessa and did not answer. Then, he casually put the bag, which contained various imported fruits, in his hand on the table and asked, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Seeing that Nichs did not take her words seriously, Tessa did not feel angry at all. Instead, she felt rather helpless. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat anything.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do. Miss Tessa, have some fruit. Grandma said that eating fruit is good for your health. Besides, you said it yourself that you want to get better soon,¡± Gregory said as he gave Tessa a disapproving look. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Tessa was stunned for a moment. Am I actually being refuted by my Sweetheart? Shortly after, Tessa smiled and said, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll listen to you and have some fruit.¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs sat down with an apple in one hand and a fruit knife in the other. Tessa always felt that a person like Nichs would never get his hands dirty with chores and definitely didn¡¯t know how to do them. She had always thought that with a mere wave of his hand, someone would arrange everything for Nichs whenever he wanted to eat or drink something. However, at this moment, Nichspletely subverted Tessa¡¯s cognition of him. It was nothing like Tessa had imagined. Nichs¡¯ fingers were very nimble, and the action of him peeling apples looked very skillful. There were no holes on the apple, and the skin peeled was not choppy at all. His slender fingers moved in an unhurried manner. Yet, it was a little unclear whether it was the apple or the knife that was moving. Tessa could only see the extremely thin peel grow longer and longer. Shortly after, a perfectly peeled apple appeared. Unexpectedly, there was no sense of peculiarity for someone as noble as Nichs to peel an apple while wearing a suit. Besides, Tessa thought Nichs was inexplicably good-looking while peeling the apple. At that moment, Tessa suddenly felt that it was worth it for her to sustain this injury, seeing that she could witness such a scene once in her lifetime. While Tessa was entertaining herself for a while, Nichs had already pulled out and set up the dining table in front of her. Then, he put the fruit te with apple pieces on top of the table. ¡°Thanks.¡± After thanking Nichs, Tessa helped herself and started digging in. She directly took one piece and ate it. When she noticed Gregory was staring at her, she fed him another piece of apple. Gregory¡¯s eyes were shining bright, and he was a little joyful. And so, he followed Tessa¡¯s example, eating a piece by himself and feeding Tessa a piece. In a few minutes, the fruits on the te were all gone. Nichs¡¯ usual sharp gazes gradually softened as he watched the interaction between Tessa and Gregory At noon, Timothy came over to the hospital, carrying arge insted container. ¡°Tess, are you hungry? I have prepared your favorite food for you.¡± As he said that, Timothy ced the dishes on Tessa¡¯s table one by one. Just by looking at it, one could tell that it was not the same grade as the takeaway from the hospital canteen. Not only did the color of the food look nice, it was also aromatic. One nce at the food was all it took to unlock one¡¯s appetite. Seeing as she had eaten apples earlier, she should not feel hungry. However, upon looking at Timothy¡¯s food now, Tessa actually felt somewhat hungry again. So, she smiled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Told you to let me stay here. If I stay here, at least you could have your dinner earlier,¡± Timothy grumbled. He was still grudging about Tessa urging him to ss. At once, Tessa asked, ¡°Then, will you stop attending your sses?¡± ¡°¡­ I can make up for themter.¡± Timothy smiled, feeling embarrassed. Then, Timothy took out four sets of utensils and set them up one by one. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, President Sawyer and Young Master Gregory, you can try my cooking. Although it¡¯s not as good as the master chef of the Sawyers, it should be edible.¡± epting Timothy¡¯s offer, Nichs nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Upon hearing Timothy¡¯s offer, Gregory nodded vigorously as he could not wait any longer. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Timothy! Looking at this meal, I think it is perfect in color, vor, and aroma. It must be scrummy!¡± After finishing his words, Gregory moved the small stool very consciously. He sat on the side and waited for Nichs to serve him the dish. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Chapter 138 The moment Gregory gorged on a piece of pork ribs, his eyes lit up. ¡°Mr. Timothy, this tastes amazing! These ribs taste divine and are exactly like the one made at home by the chef!¡± Upon hearing that, Timothy smiled at Gregory and said, ¡°Young Master Gregory, your ttery is not suitable for a humble servant like me. Surely, I could not bepared to a five-star chef. Help yourself to some more of those ribs since you find it delectable.¡± Gregory nodded vigorously and continued to eat. ¡°I¡¯m not sprouting nonsense here. Mr. Timothy, your cooking is truly delicious; these ribs can even bring the dead back to life!¡± Upon hearing Gregory¡¯sment about the food, the adults burst intoughter. After everyone enjoyed their meal, Timothy cleaned up the tableware and sat down immediately, not wanting to return to the university one bit. Feeling slightly amused, Tessa nced at the time. ¡°Tim, don¡¯t you still have sses in the afternoon?¡± ¡°Tess, don¡¯t speed me up. I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t return to my sses. I¡¯m merely hoping to spend some time with you. That¡¯s all.¡± Seeing he was busted, Timothy scratched his head with slight embarrassment. After sitting for a while, though reluctant, Timothy was silently urged by Tessa to return to his sses. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Tessaughed yet slightly scolded, ¡°You¡¯d better hurry up and return to your sses instead of waddling like a child in the yground.¡± Contented with the food and drink she had, Tessa felt more awake and spirited than when she woke up this morning. After entertaining Gregory for a short while, Tessa felt a burning sensation of paining from her back. Tessa managed to endure it for a while. However, the pain didn¡¯t subside in the slightest. In fact, it was the opposite. The pain intensified, resulting in her forehead gleaming with sweat a little. I suppose it¡¯s about time to apply the medicine and change the dressing. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Fortunately for Tessa, the nurse left the medicine in the ward and noted to her that if the wound started to hurt, she should seek assistance from her family to apply medication or let the nurse do it when it was time to change the wound dressing. Unfortunately, in her current situation, it was nearly impossible for her to wait for the nurse to arrive. There was only Nichs avable at the moment, but Tessa felt embarrassed to ask him for assistance. The only solution to Tessa in dealing with the crisis was clear. Left with no choice, she took the medicine and went into the bathroom, thinking she could apply the medicine on her wound first to at leastbat the pain she was feeling now. Upon locking herself up in the bathroom, Tessa took off the hospital robe to only the crook of her hand. After removing the gauze, to her horror, she found that her back was painted and drenched in blood. This was her very first time confronting her wounds, so Tessa took a deep breath of cold air to calm down. Her hands could not reach the wound, but at the same time, she could not dy the medication she so badly needed any longer. Thus, she took a Q-tip, dipped it into the medicinal liquid, and moved it in the direction of her wound. However, the location of the wound made it very tricky for her to treat on her own. After spending so much time, all Tessa had was a sore arm instead of getting the job done. Seeing this was going nowhere, Tessa took a short break. Then, she gritted her teeth for another attempt, yet she still could not reach it. After several more attempts, some sweats dripped from the tip of her nose: Right outside the door, Nichs saw that Tessa had been in the bathroom longer than usual. He was a little puzzled, so he knocked on the door. ¡°Is everything okay in there? Do you need any assistance?¡± Despite being in an excruciating amount of pain, Tessa refused to let slip and worry anybody else. So, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I will be out in a jiffy.¡± After giving Nichs an answer, she continued trying again. However, she was still unable to reach the wound on her own. Nichs waited outside the door for more than ten minutes yet still caught no sight of Tessaing out. Thus, he decided not to ask any more questions and just barged through the door and weed himself in. At once, Nichs saw Tessa¡¯s back facing the door; her clothes were half removed, disying her whole back. The sphenoid bone of the butterfly on her back was prepossessing and apparent. Also, the lifelike butterfly tattoo that appeared as if it was fluttering away looked even more delicate and charming at this moment. It was hard for one to take their eyes off such a beautiful tattoo. The blood of the wound on the pale white skin of her back created an extremely striking contrast to the sight. It was beautiful beyond words. Not to mention, the curves of her backside were perfectly beautiful. The strong collision yet harmonious merge between these sights dazzled Nichs, and he was momentarily speechless out of astonishment. Shocked by the sudden door opening sound, Tessa once again strained her injury, and the burning sensation of pain came back once more. ¡°Argh!¡± Tears welled up and threatened to fall from Tessa¡¯s eyes due to her immense pain. Seeing that it was only Nichs, Tessa was slightly flustered. She did not know where to hide her hand that was holding onto a piece of Q-tip. Hence, she could only stay stupefied in ce, not knowing what she was going to do the next moment. The moment Nichs heard Tessa cry in pain, he snapped back to his senses. Once he saw the Q-tip in Tessa¡¯s hand, he immediately took the hint on her shenanigan in the bathroom. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Calmly retracting his gaze, Nichs asked, ¡°Are you hiding here by yourself and attending to your injury?¡± Although Nichs had calmed down, Tessa had not. She hurriedly put on her clothes, turned her head around, and looked at Nichs. ¡°Go out first.¡± Taking a nce at the bloody wound after the gauze was removed, Nichs uttered coldly, ¡°If I head out, do you n on applying the medicines all on your own without any assistance? How long are you nning to take to apply the medicine? Until the sky and earth deste?¡± ¡°Turn around.¡± Nichs held Tessa down and forced her to face him in seemingly rude gestures. However, he was careful so as not to touch her wound again. Once again, Nichs pulled Tessa¡¯s clothes down to the crook of her hand, just enough to reveal the horrifying open wound on her back. Tessa was in a state of shock. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you do not wish to get injured twice, be wise and stay still.¡± Nichs¡¯ ice cold voice hovered above her head. Before tending the wound, Nichs made sure to wash and sanitize his hand. Then, he took the medicinal liquid that Tessa ced aside, and by the looks of things, it seemed like Nichs wanted to apply the medicine for Tessa personally. Blushed with embarrassment at such thoughts, Tessa stuttered, ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to resort to doing it yourself. Just summon the nurse for me, and let the nurse assist me instead.¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± Nichs had no intention of heeding her suggestion. Shortly after, the hand that was rubbed with the medicinal liquid came into contact with her wound. The icy cold mint feeling came, soothing the burning hot wound, and Tessa instantly kept silent. She stopped putting up a fight, her face crimson red. Suddenly, Nichs saw the scar on Tessa¡¯s lower back and paused. That scar¡­ Could Tessa be who I think she is? When they were at his house before, he wanted to confirm it. However, her reaction was a bit too much to handle at that time, so the confirmation of her identity was not sessful. Now¡­ it¡¯s a good chance for me to find out. Uncontrobly, Nichs reached out his hand and touched her scar. Due to Tessa feeling that the burning pain on her back was getting much better, she was not aware of the shift in movements of the person behind her. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The moment the fingers came into contact with and sneaked around the back of her waist, Tessa was startled. She immediately grabbed the hand on her back and questioned, ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Nichs¡¯ hand touched the scar on Tessa¡¯s waist. His pupils suddenly dted. This scar¡­ The touch, feel, and even the shape of her scar were seemingly simr to the one on the woman back then. Even so, there seemed to be a slight difference. Staring at the scar, Nichs¡¯ gaze became deep in trance with a mixture of suspicion. Could it truly be her? However, Nichs dared not to directly ask the question that could probably confirm his suspicion. He wanted to take a deeper look to confirm his suspicion at least, so his hand touched Tessa¡¯s scar once again. At this moment, Tessa was rmed. She immediately turned around and grabbed his hand. Due to her sudden aggressive movement, Tessa identally ripped open her wound once again. In that instant, she felt the burning pain from the wound that had calmed down from medication earlier. The pain made her gasp loudly. She gritted her teeth and looked at Nichs. ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡± Angered, Nichs immediately withdrew his hand and blurted, ¡°You¡¯re still in the midst of having medicine applied to your wound. Why are you even struggling? Do you honestly think the wound would heal instantly with the snap of a finger?¡± Unsure if it was because of pain or anger, Tessa¡¯s eyes started to well up with tears. She put her guard up against Nichs and took a step back. ¡°It¡¯s your fault. What were you doing apart from applying the medicine on my wound? I think you¡¯re very clear of your motive. Isn¡¯t that right, you hooligan?¡± On the other hand, Nichs was also angered to the point he startedughing. For the very first time in so many years, someone even dared to utter that to him. Me? Behaving like a hooligan? Do I look like a guy who would act like a hooligan? Does she even know just exactly how many women are after me? Yet, I don¡¯t even bat an eysh at them. So, why would I inflict thuggish behavior on her? Surely, if it wasn¡¯t to ensure she was the woman in my memory, I would not even think of touching her one bit. Nichs said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t get your head clouded just yet. I am not at all interested in you.¡± With a look of disbelief, Tessa gritted her teeth and cautiously stepped back again. ¡°Is that so? Then, do you care to exin your actions earlier? Can you confess truthfully that you did not touch me elsewhere other than just the wound?¡± Hearing Tessa questioning his motive like this, Nichs could not help but sneer sharply. ¡°I have no such intention. Besides, you are a half-disabled patient, so it is impossible for me to even have any sexual intentions toward you.¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Chapter 140 ¡°It¡¯s just that I saw the scar on your back and felt like touching it to see how it felt. Don¡¯t think any more than that.¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa looked at him suspiciously. Judging from his righteous and dignified appearance, Nichs doesn¡¯t seem to be such a man. There¡¯s no w in his speech, and he doesn¡¯t look guilty either. Perhaps, it was me who misunderstood him. But, what was he doing though, touching my scar? He¡¯s acting strange indeed. With an impatient tone, Nichs urged, ¡°Do you still wish to apply the medicine? If you do, turn around.¡± As she could not think of a possible reason for Nichs¡¯ action earlier, Tessa was slightly dispirited. Since he has said so, I think Nichs will be more mindful so as to not simply touch me again. Hesitantly, Tessa spun around and allowed Nichs to continue tending to her wounds. Behind her, where Tessa could not see, Nichs¡¯ gaze turned deep as his deep eyes stared at the back of her head. Though Nichs did test Tessa once or twice, it did not bring any substantial results at all. Instead, the answers confused him even more. Precisely five years ago, Nichs clearly saw a butterfly-shaped tattoo on that woman, but she imed that she got the tattoo three or four years ago. Still, it was hard for Nichs to ignore how simrly the scar was located and how it felt. So, is Tessa the woman stored in my memory? There were dozens of doubtful thoughts dancing around Nichs¡¯ heart, but there were no immediate answers to be given to him at the moment. This gave him an unsettling feeling. Both parties had unsettling doubts buried in their hearts, yet none of them dared to utter a single word. In the silence of the bathroom, there was only the sound of Nichs applying the medicine and tending to Tessa¡¯s wound. Soon enough, Tessa¡¯s wound was painted with medicine. After getting dressed, the two returned to the ward together. Gregory was getting a little impatient from all the waiting. Upon seeing both Nichs and Tessa shing back to the scene where both of them were in the bathroom, Tessa blushed like a tomato as she was not certain on how to answer Gregory¡¯s question. She could only nce at Nichs with some embarrassment. Meanwhile, Nichs showed a meaningful smile and said calmly, ¡°I was applying some medicine on your Miss Tessa¡¯s wound.¡± Hearing the word ¡®medicine¡¯, Gregory looked at Tessa worriedly. ¡°Miss Tessa, are you still in pain? Do you want me to give you a helping hand?¡± As he spoke, he climbed onto Tessa¡¯s hospital bed,y his head on her shoulders, and huffed softly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you, Sweetheart.¡± Once again, Tessa was struck by Gregory¡¯s thoughtfulness and had forgotten about the embarrassing moment earlier. After disturbing Tessa for a while, Gregoryy beside her and fell asleep. A knock on the door interrupted the moment. Edward walked in. ¡°President Sawyer, this is the document meant to be reviewed and processed today.¡± Taking the document, Nichs just nodded. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Except Lionel, all the other kidnappers had spat out the truth and admitted their guilt. They said that they were instructed by Lionel. They did it because they thought that since it involved the son of a rich family, the family of the kidnapped child wouldn¡¯t publicize the issue so as to not disturb the stability of their stock market and image of thepany. More importantly, they thought the family would certainly not dare to contact the police at all. They also mentioned that although they kidnapped Young Master Gregory, they didn¡¯t cause him any substantial harm. So, they¡¯re hoping you will forgive them and let this slide.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. In an instant, Nichs¡¯ facial expression turned cold. ¡°Tell them they can dream on.¡± I really am not afraid that this incident would affect the Sawyer Group¡¯s stock market. In my eyes, Greg¡¯s safety is far more important than anything else. And if these kidnappers dare toy their hands on even a single hair on Greg, I will never let them go. At once, Edward felt that the surrounding air in the room seemed to be condensed. He had worked for Nichs for so many years, so he naturally knew what was in Nichs¡¯ mind. This time, it¡¯s very fortunate that Young Master Gregory was not injured. Yeah, sure, these kidnappers tried to make it sound nicer than how it was. They did not harm Young Master Gregory? How about the psychological effect of the kidnapping inflicted on Young Master Gregory? If Tessa hadn¡¯t arrived at the right moment, who could have imagined the level of harmful impact the bat could have brought to Young Master Gregory¡¯s tiny body! Swallowing his saliva, Edward then added, ¡°As for Lionel, Detective Lawrence said it¡¯s inevitable that he will subsequently face imprisonment as the evidence against him was solid.¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs nodded. After exining thepany¡¯s affairs, Edward left. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Tessa heard everything he said, and it filled her heart with a mixture of emotions. Lionel was a rascal, a rogue. He had obviously done something wrong, yet he med others for not helping to hide it. He even vented his anger on a five-year-old kid, and heined when he got caught. How shameless. Although Tessa didn¡¯t regret saving Gregory, she still felt ufortable when she thought about her injury. Due to these strange incidents, she didn¡¯t know if she could return to the state she was in pre-injury, or if she could go on stage again. Originally, her future was bright, but now, all her ns had turned into uncertainties. At this thought, she felt pained and tormented. It would be a blessing if she could recover and perform on stage again, but what if she couldn¡¯t perform anymore in the future? What if she couldn¡¯t be on the stage of her dreams anymore? What should she do then? How was she supposed to carry on in the future? Tessa felt a little troubled thinking about her future, but in the end, she got tired and fell asleep in a daze. By the time she woke up, it was already past 6.00PM. Seeing that she was awake, Nichs walked to the bed. ¡°What do you want to eat tonight?¡± Although she had slept for a while, Tessa still remembered the incident, which made her lose her appetite. However, she didn¡¯t want to reject Nichs¡¯ kindness, so she answered, ¡°Anything¡¯s fine.¡± Nichs nodded, then left the ward and called Andrew before ordering him to prepare a nutritious meal and have it delivered to the hospital. While waiting for the meal to be delivered, Nichs received a call, and his face changed subtly. He turned back to look at Tessa and Gregory. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to attend to at the office, so I won¡¯t stay for dinner. If you need anything, just tell Andrew.¡± Upon seeing this, Tessa figured that something urgent must have happened at the office, so she didn¡¯t retain him. Nodding, she said, ¡°Okay. Hurry over, then.¡± Afterward, Nichs packed up the documents Edward had brought and hurriedly left the hospital. Nichs had always been busy, so Gregory was quite ustomed to it and didn¡¯t urge him to stay. He stuck by Tessa¡¯s side and told her a story he hadn¡¯t told her before. After the two yed for a while, the ward door was pushed open. Andrew had arrived, and Stefania was with him. When Gregory saw Stefania, he immediately rushed up and hugged her leg, then asked in his childlike voice, ¡°Grandma, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Madam Sawyer.¡± Tessa was a little surprised to see Stefania. After thinking about it, she figured that Stefania must have missed Gregory, so she simply gave a polite nod. Stefania returned the nod, then took the lunch box from Andrew¡¯s hands and set it down while saying, ¡°This is a bone broth specially stewed by the chef at home. It¡¯s helpful for the repair of bone fractures.¡± Tessa responded politely, ¡°Thank you, Madam Sawyer.¡± Stefania exuded extravagance, but her behavior was gentle. ¡°This is nothing. In fact, I have to thank you, Miss Reinhart. If it weren¡¯t for you saving Gregory¡­¡± As she spoke, she shook her head, as if she didn¡¯t want to mention the matter anymore. ¡°Anyway, thank you, Miss Reinhart.¡± ¡°Madam Sawyer, there¡¯s no need to be so courteous.¡± Tessa felt ashamed. After all, she was the one who had lost Gregory. Stefania nodded, then seemed to hesitate before saying, ¡°Miss Reinhart, there are some things¡­ that I wanted to discuss with you in person.¡± Tessa saw the look in her eyes and knew that she had something to say, so she gave a slight nod and turned to Gregory. ¡°Sweetheart, I want to eat grapes. Will you and Andrew please go down to buy some for me?¡± When Gregory heard that she wanted to eat despite having no appetite before, he immediately stood up. ¡°Okay! What else would you like to eat, Miss Tessa?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Tessa shook her head, then looked at the butler and said, ¡°Andrew, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to take care of Greg.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Andrew nodded, then left the ward while holding the hand of a bouncing Gregory. As soon as they left, Stefania sighed and stated outright, ¡°I¡¯m here today mainly to ask you to resign, Miss Reinhart.¡± Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Chapter 142 For a moment, Tessa was taken aback. ¡°Resign?¡± Stefania responded with a slight nod. ¡°Although it¡¯s a bit sudden, but¡­ Greg had always been independent and had never been so clingy, but he¡¯s too dependent on you, Miss Reinhart. In the future, if you leave, where are we supposed to find someone to rece you?¡± When Tessa heard this, she was reminded of the fact that she thought about a simr reason when she resignedst time. Stefania continued, ¡°Besides, you know what kind of status Nichs has. He¡¯s not the son of an, ordinary family. As the president of Sawyer Group, he cannot be emotional in terms of marriage choices. What he needs is the right wife, not someone of your status, Miss Reinhart.¡± Tessa instantly knew that Stefania had misunderstood. She frowned. She didn¡¯t want to climb her way up to Sawyer Group, nor was she trying to make use of Gregory. Previously, when she stayed despite wanting to leave, it was because of Gregory. No matter what unpleasant things were said, she could tolerate it, but this kind of misunderstanding must never exist. So, Tessa pointed out, ¡°Madam Sawyer, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood¡± Stefania interrupted her. ¡°Miss Reinhart, I don¡¯t want to know what you¡¯re thinking, and there¡¯s no need for me to know. You don¡¯t have to exin anything to me. Although there¡¯s currently nothing between you and Nichs, or you and Greg, that might not be the case in the future. Greg is already too dependent on you, and Nichs loves this child too much. As long as Greg doesn¡¯t agree, he will definitely try to keep you. You¡¯re a ticking time bomb, so I can¡¯t let you stay by their sides. I hope you can understand the concerns of a mother. I know that you¡¯re the one who rescued Greg from the kidnappers. I¡¯m not such an unreasonable person; I know that the kidnappers targeted Greg from the start. This matter has nothing to do with you, so I won¡¯t me you. No matter what, you saved Gregory. Since this is considered a favor the Sawyer Family owes you, I can give you a sum of money. I hope you can take the initiative to leave.¡± Tessa¡¯s heart felt inexplicably ufortable, as if someone had grabbed her heart and was taking her strength away, suffocating her. She never had the intention of currying favor with the Sawyers. She just couldn¡¯t bear to leave Gregory. After taking a few deep breaths, Tessa said, ¡°Madam Sawyer, I signed an agreement with President Sawyer to be Greg¡¯s teacher, so I can¡¯t leave yet.¡± Stefania suddenly snorted and replied, ¡°Miss Reinhart, let me remind you that you¡¯ve injured your n¡¯t y the violin anymore. In this case, you can¡¯t be Greg¡¯s teacher. Although our family¡¯s well-off, we don¡¯t support idlers. If you ept my proposal, I can find a way to help you void the agreement.¡± Tessa once again felt as if her heart was being pierced by a sword, causing it to ache terribly. Her face turned pale, and she couldn¡¯t even say a word at the moment. Stefania patted her uninjured shoulder, then immediately signed a check for three million and put it on her bedside table. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll think it through.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. With that, she picked up her bag and walked out of the ward. ¡°Miss Tessa, I¡¯m back!¡± As soon as Stefania left, Gregory cautiously carried a pile of food into the ward before happily cing them in front of Tessa¡¯s table. ¡°Miss Tessa, which one would you like to eat?¡± he asked while blinking and smiling at Tessa. Tessa¡¯s heart was already in a mess, and she had long lost her appetite. Despite that, she forced a ¡°I¡¯m not hungry now, so I¡¯ll eatter. You can have some first, Sweetheart.¡± Gregory shot Tessa a strange nce. ¡°Miss Tessa, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can eat first, Sweetheart.¡± Tessa patted his head in assurance. In the evening, after Nichs returned to the hospital, he saw Tessa staring out the window in a daze, and he instantly sensed that something was wrong with her. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Chapter 143 He walked forward and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Coming back to her senses, Tessa took a deep looked at the man in front of her. ¡°Just feeling a little difort. It¡¯s nothing.¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°President Sawyer, I want to get discharged and go home tomorrow.¡± Nichs contemted it for a while. Tessa¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t in serious condition now, and there was no need to hang drips. As long as the medication was applied on time, there was nothing else to worry about. He figured that she had previously been staring out the window because she wanted to go home after staying in the hospital for too long. If she stayed any longer, he was afraid that it would affect her mood and hinder her recovery process. At this thought, he nodded. ¡°If the doctor agrees, then let¡¯s go back.¡± Tessa nodded gratefully. ¡°Thank you, President Sawyer.¡± Early the next morning, the doctor came in to check on her. Tessa asked, ¡°Doctor, can I be discharged from the hospital?¡± After taking a look at the state of Tessa¡¯s wound, the doctor nodded. ¡°Miss Reinhart, you¡¯re indeed recovering well now, so you can be discharged from the hospital. But, after you go back, don¡¯t carry heavy objects, don¡¯t do housework, and pay more attention to resting. Just make sure toe back regrly for a checkup.¡± Tessa answered gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡± After receiving the news that Tessa was going to be discharged from the hospital, Timothy stopped by the hospital after school. ¡°Tessa, can you really be discharged?¡± Tessa smiled. ¡°The doctor said I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not that pretentious. I¡¯m not used to living here, so it¡¯s better for me to go back and recuperate.¡± She paused, then looked at Nichs and said, ¡°President Sawyer, I want to go back to my own home. I won¡¯t go back to Dynasty Gardens with you.¡± Initially, Gregory was happy, but after hearing that she was going back to her home, he was stunned. ¡°Miss Tessa, aren¡¯t you going home with me?¡± ¡°Sweetheart, be good. I want to go back to my own home,¡± Tessa exined while patting his head. When Gregory heard the words ¡®my own home¡¯, his face copsed, and his eyes turned red as he held Tessa¡¯s leg in a tight grip. ¡°My home is also your home. Will you please go back with me, Miss Tessa?¡± ¡°Miss Tessa, don¡¯t go home, okay? Mr. Timothy needs to go to school, so he doesn¡¯t have time to take care of you. Go back to Dynasty Gardens with us. There¡¯s Andrew, Daddy, and me. We¡¯ll definitely take care of you, Miss Tessa.¡± Seeing that Tessa didn¡¯t answer, Gregory grew anxious. ¡°Miss Tessa, I can¡¯t bear to not be with you. Aren¡¯t you happy living in Dynasty Gardens too? Why do you want to go back?¡± Tessa forced a smile. ¡°But, Sweetheart, you have your own home, and so do I. I haven¡¯t been home for a long time, so I miss it. I¡¯ll go visit youter, okay?¡± Gregory was silent for a moment, then all of a sudden, his eyes lit up. ¡°Then, how about I go and live with you? I promise I won¡¯t cry or create any trouble. I won¡¯t disturb you from resting. I¡¯ll be good.¡± He had been staying in the hospital with Tessa for two days, so what difference would staying somewhere else make? Since Tessa was going back to stay in her own house, he could just follow.. This way, he wouldn¡¯t need to separate from her. He blinked at Tessa, looking at her with hope. However, Tessa wasn¡¯t as happy as he thought she would be, but looked a little calm instead. As he was puzzled, Tessa spoke. ¡°Sweetheart, that won¡¯t do this time. I¡¯m injured, so I can¡¯t take care of you, and there are no servants at my ce. Be a good boy. When I¡¯m freeter, I¡¯ll go find you.¡± Gregory was a little disappointed, but after thinking about it, he figured that Tessa was indeed injured, so much so that she didn¡¯t even have the strength to eat. He reckoned he was a little ignorant for wanting to go over and have her look after him. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Feeling helpless, Gregory could only nod. ¡°Then, when you get better, I¡¯ll go visit you, Miss Tessa.¡± Tessa opened her mouth, then eventually nodded and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Okay.¡± Nichs had sensed that something was wrong with Tessa since the night before, and now, it seemed like there were still some problems with her emotions. However, it was possible that she had yet to ept the fact that she could no longer perform, so he figured it was better to let her be alone for a while. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Nichs didn¡¯t say anything as he drove Tessa and Timothy home. ¡°If you need anything, just call me.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Thank you, President Sawyer.¡± With that, she entered the house without looking back. Upon returning home, Tessa breathed a sign of relief and thought, That was close. Earlier, when she saw the look in Gregory¡¯s eyes, she nearly relented and brought him home. Now, this oue was pretty good. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. She sighed, then smiled and said to Timothy, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I came back. Our own home is always the mostfortable.¡± Not noticing anything strange, Timothy smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t say. You haven¡¯t been home for so long that it¡¯s starting to umte dust, yet you¡¯re saying that it¡¯sfortable. Go outside and sit down. I¡¯ll clean up the room for you.¡± Tessa chuckled, then obediently sat aside. ¡°It¡¯s been a hard time for you, Tim. When I¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll cook a grand meal for you.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve said that, you can¡¯t go back on your word. You always lie to me,¡± Timothy responded with augh. Tessa leaned against the sofa and smiled. ¡°Okay. Thank you for being so kind, Tim. By then, I¡¯ll cook whatever you want to eat. Do you want a full banquet like they had during the olden days?¡±. Early the next morning, in the cafe, Stefania looked at Tessa. ¡°Miss Reinhart, have you considered it?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Tessa answered. Tessa had indeed thought about it all night since Stefania said that. ¡°So, have you decided to leave Greg, Miss Reinhart?¡± Stefania asked. After she got to know that Tessa had been discharged from the hospital, but instead of following Nichs and Gregory back to Dynasty Gardens, she returned to her own home, she already knew what Tessa¡¯s decision was. She had been waiting for Tessa to contact her, then take the money and leave the Sawyer Family. Tessa nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll propose my resignation to President Sawyer. I won¡¯t trouble you, Madam Sawyer.¡± Stefania was right. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t suitable for her to stay by Gregory¡¯s side. He was unwilling to mix around with strangers and was too attached to her. This wouldn¡¯t help Gregory¡¯s growth. He must learn to have contact with the outside world while he was still young. The first step to take was for her to leave the child and give him the opportunity to mingle in the outside world. Stefania smiled. ¡°So, I guess you¡¯re not a teacher anymore. On behalf of the Sawyer Family, I thank you for knowing what¡¯s good. After you take the money, I¡¯d like you to also keep your promise.¡± Tessa interrupted her, her attitude indifferent. ¡°Madam Sawyer, you should take back this check. I will only take the sry that belongs to me. I don¡¯t want anything more. Besides, I was the one who lost Gregory, and I saved him willingly, not for any other purpose. This can¡¯t be measured by money, and I don¡¯t need any tokens of appreciation. With that, Tessa stood up, picked up her bag, and left the cafe. After leaving the coffee shop, Tessa felt emptiness inside her. She took several deep breaths, trying to dispel the difort. But, after a few times, there was still no relief. Now, she really had to draw a line with Gregory¡­ In the past few days, she had been thinking about this matter, and now the dust had finally settled. Since it was her own decision, there was no need to hold on to the past. She could only hope that Gregory would thrive somewhere she couldn¡¯t see. That was all. After Tessa made those remarks and left, Stefania stayed seated for a while. This matter was solved so easily that she had yet to react. Tessa actually didn¡¯t want money, and she took the initiative to leave Greg? Stefania thought, Since she doesn¡¯t want anypensation and offered to resign, then this matter can be regarded aspletely solved. Soon afterward, she packed her things and left the cafe. After she left, a woman emerged from the cubicle behind the seat where the two were talking. It was none other than Roselle. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Chapter 145 As Roselle watched Stefania¡¯s retreating back, her lips twitched. Originally, she thought about finding a way to drive Tessa away, but she didn¡¯t expect that God would help her. Before she could make a move, her opponent took the initiative to withdraw. She knew about Gregory¡¯s ident, so initially, she thought of performing a heroic act. In the end, she didn¡¯t get to save him. Although she felt a little regretful, someone got injured in ce of her, and that person left without epting any kindness. To her, this was a good thing. Now, her rightful opportunity hade. In the afternoon, Roselle brought gifts to Dynasty Gardens, walking with a spring in her step. Andrew was a little surprised when he saw Roselle. ¡°Miss Gingham, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Ah, I heard that Gregory had an ident, so I wanted to visit him. He didn¡¯t suffer anything serious, did he?¡± Roselle gave Andrew a gentle smile. Andrew paused, then said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Miss Gingham, but the young master is fine.¡± ¡°Nichs is quite something too. He should¡¯ve told me about such a huge incident as soon as possible. Although the Gingham Family had left Brentwood City for many years, we can still help,¡± Roselle comined indignantly. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Miss Gingham.¡± Andrew smiled. When Roselle noticed that Andrew hadn¡¯t invited her in yet, her smile stiffened, and she prompted, ¡°Andrew, how¡¯s Gregory now? Can I go in and see him?¡±. Andrew kindly answered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Gingham. The master gave the order that you can¡¯t enter.¡± Roselle¡¯s face copsed slightly, but she quickly went back to smiling. ¡°Andrew, I came all the way here just to see Gregory. Just let me in.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Seeing that Andrew stood firm on not letting her in, she felt angry and resentful. However, she was helpless. She couldn¡¯t possibly let go of her pride and cause trouble. That would be too unsightly. Roselle bit her lip and gave Andrew a pleasing look. ¡°Andrew, I¡¯ll just take a look at Gregory and leave when I¡¯m sure he¡¯s okay. There won¡¯t be any trace of my presence. Nichs won¡¯t know either. Let me take a look at him. I¡¯ll feel more at ease.¡± ¡°Miss Gingham, I don¡¯t have the authority to do that. Go back first. Young Master Gregory must be looking for me by now.¡± With that, Andrew cast the bodyguards a look before striding into the vi. ¡°Andrew! Andrew! Don¡¯t leave yet. Will you please let me in?¡± Roselle shouted, feeling anxious when she saw him leaving. However, Andrew didn¡¯t stop. She was about to walk in, but was stopped by the bodyguards around her. ¡°You can¡¯t go in.¡± eant, ¡®You can No matter what she said, the bodyguards were unperturbed. Their expression clear say whatever you want. If I let you in, I¡¯d consider I had lost. Helpless, Roselle could only give up and leave Nichs¡¯ vi. Inside the house, Gregory sat in front of the easel, painting while mumbling. When he heard themotion outside, he ignored it, knowing that it wasn¡¯t Tessa. However, he kept looking outside. He looked at the bodyguards at the door and thought to himself, I have to be the first one to notice if Miss Tessaes, and I have to bring her in. I can¡¯t let her be denied entry. Tessa said that she woulde and see him within these few days because they were separated, but it had been a day. Why hasn¡¯t Miss Tessae yet? When he saw Andrewing in, Gregory looked up and asked, ¡°Andrew, have you seen Miss Tessa?¡± Andrew sighed. ¡°Miss Reinhart hasn¡¯te yet. She probably hasn¡¯t recovered yet.¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes were filled with disappointment, and he immediately stopped talking. In a deste manner, he picked up a drawing pencil and began to doodle on the drawing paper. After dark, Nichs got off work, and as soon as his car arrived at Dynasty Gardens, someone jumped out. Nichs frowned subconsciously and got out of the car, only to discover that it was Roselle. ¡°Nichs.¡± The moment she saw Nichs, her eyes lit up. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time, but Nichs was the embodiment of youth and good looks as always. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Chapter 146 It was still hard for her to pry her eyes away from him. Roselle¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she stared greedily at Nichs. Thetter frowned impatiently and asked coldly, ¡°Miss Gingham, what are you doing here?¡± Roselle gave him a slightly aggrieved look. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you here all afternoon. I heard that Greg had an ident, and I was so worried that I couldn¡¯t eat, so I hurriedly came to see him. But, Andrew said Dynasty Gardens doesn¡¯t allow outsiders to enter. Nichs, we¡¯ve known each other since we were young. Am I considered an outsider? Besides, I really just came to see Greg. I¡¯m really worried about him. Just let me see him. As long as I see that he¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll leav?.¡± Nichs responded indifferently, ¡°He¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need for that.¡± With that, he walked in, his legs slender as ever. The bodyguards once again blocked Roselle from entering. Staring at his retreating back, Roselle angrily bit her lips. After stomping her sore legs on the ground, she got into the car and drove off. After Nichs went into the house, Gregory dropped the things in his hand and ran toward him. He looked at his father with some hope. ¡°Daddy, did you see Miss Tessa today? Did she say when she¡¯sing?¡± Nichs shook his head. ¡°Her injury hasn¡¯t fully healed yet. We¡¯ll have to at least wait until her injury is healed before shees.¡± ¡°But, I miss Miss Tessa so much.¡± Gregory blinked, looking aggrieved. ¡°Daddy, since Miss Tessa can¡¯te to us, can I go and see her? I just want to take a look at her.¡± ¡°No.¡± Nichs immediately refused. Tears filled Gregory¡¯s eyes in an instant, and he was a little puzzled. ¡°Why not? I won¡¯t disturb her. I¡¯ll just stay at the door and take a look. I¡¯ll leave after seeing her.¡± Nichs was silent for a moment. ¡°Not for the time being. When I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll take you to her.¡± ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re so mean! All you do is lie to me!¡± Gregory went upstairs in a huff. Feeling helpless, Nichs could only follow Gregory upstairs and try to reason with him. At Silverscape Residence, Timothy didn¡¯t stay on campus because Tessa was recuperating at home. He went to school and came back on time every day to take care of his sister. During the meal, Timothy hesitated for a moment before proposing, ¡°Tess, now that we have money, why don¡¯t we move and stay in a better ce?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Tess had such intentions too. Before this, they had to live in this rental apartment because they had no choice. Back then, after they were evicted by the Reinharts, Timothy still had to go to school and get medical treatment, so they couldn¡¯t afford to live in a better house. Moreover, the exploiting Reinhart Family didn¡¯t know that they were living in a ce like this. Even if they knew, they would look down on them, so it was fine. Now, it was different. They had sent Ss to prison, and they even cheated them of five million. Needless to say, the Reinharts woulde looking for trouble. So, they had to move out as soon as possible. Tessa smiled. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll be responsible for looking for a new ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you with that, Tess. Don¡¯t worry about the cost. My software can sell very well. We have money now.¡± Timothy returned her smile. Seeing as her brother had said this, Tessa was relieved. She lifted her hand and touched Timothy¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re all grown up and can really support me now.¡± Having been praised so suddenly, Timothy felt so embarrassed that his ears turned red, but he was still delighted. He pursed his lips and smiled. ¡°Tess, you should focus on recovering now. When you¡¯re well, you can focus on chasing your dreams. I won¡¯t let you have any worries. In the future, I¡¯ll be able to take charge, and I n to establish my own company too.¡± Tessa was happy to hear this. ¡°I knew that you were outstanding. You¡¯re only a sophomore, but you¡¯re already so capable. No doubt, you¡¯ll have a great future. When the timees, I¡¯ll go and help you look for an office space. If you need anything, just tell me. I¡¯ll fully support you.¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Timothy was still a little embarrassed. ¡°Thank you, Tess. Let¡¯s eat.¡± He had long made this a goal of his, but he was always too embarrassed to say it. Now that he had told his sister, he got her support. Feeling happy, he ate another bowl of rice. After they were done eating, Tessa was about to help clean up the dishes, but her brother stopped her. ¡°Tess, don¡¯t do these heavy jobs. Leave these to me. You can go back to your room and rest.¡± Tessa smiled. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± After she returned to the room, the smile on Tessa¡¯s face slowly faded. Although talking about the future with Timothy just now made her happy, she still felt a little lost. Before this, she joked that she wanted her brother to support her, but she was just joking. How could she possibly let him have so much pressure? My brother has his own goals in life, but ¡­ Regardless whether it wasst time or now, ying the violin was her biggest dream, and she didn¡¯t want to give up on the chance to stand on stage. She was dissatisfied. She finally got the position, but now, she had to hand it over to someone else. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to be seen amidst the dense crowd, but before she could step out, she was kicked back in again. It had been so many days since the incident, but no matter how she convinced herself, she still couldn¡¯t ept it. This kind of mood made her feel like someone was choking her heart and lungs, as if a stream of air was blocked in her airway, unable to pass through. Early the next morning, after Timothy went out, Tessa dressed up and walked out the door. With her head clouded with worries, she called for a car and left the residence, not noticing the Maybach parked on the side of the road. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Nichs, who was in the Maybach, couldn¡¯t help but frown when he saw her leaving. What is this woman doing? Her injury hasn¡¯t healed yet, but she¡¯s already running around. He said to Edward in an impatient manner, ¡°Drive. Follow her.¡± There were a lot of questions in Edward¡¯s heart. President Sawyer is following Miss Tessa instead of going to work in the office this morning. What¡¯s going on? However, he didn¡¯t dare to ask too much. His hands and feet reacted one step faster than his brain as he immediately obeyed the order, weaved through the traffic, and followed her. Ten minutester, Tessa got out of the car that had stopped in front of the orchestra¡¯s office building and walked in. Edward asked, ¡°President Sawyer, do we still have to follow her?¡± Nichs was silent. Edward knew what he was thinking, so he parked the car and waited for Tessa toe out. After entering the building, Tessa went to the manager¡¯s office and found Trevor. ¡°Mr. Oswald.¡± ¡°Tessa? Why are you here?¡± Trevor was taken aback when he saw her. Tessa took a deep breath. ¡°I want to participate in training. I want to go on stage. I promise that my performance will not go wrong. Please give me this opportunity.¡± She thought a lot about itst night, and she still felt that she couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. ¡°Mr. Oswald, my situation isn¡¯t that serious now. Let me go on stage. There won¡¯t be any mistakes. I promise!¡± She immediately picked up the violin in the office. ¡°I can prove it to you.¡± Trevor was stunned for only a second, and he instantly grabbed the violin from Tessa¡¯s hand. ¡°Tessa! You¡¯re going too far. Wake up. Don¡¯t you want to y the violin in the future?¡± ¡°Mr. Oswald, just let me perform. Really. I¡¯m almostpletely fine now.¡± Tessa¡¯s voice softened, but her eyes were fixed on Trevor. Since he was being stared at like that, Trevor¡¯s heart softened, and he answered softly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to give you a chance. It¡¯s also for your own good. Don¡¯t you remember what I told you that day? Tessa, you¡¯re still young. You¡¯re only in your twenties now. Do you know how many people only get famous in their thirties and forties? You¡¯re already doing well at your age, so don¡¯t rush this.¡± Tessa didn¡¯t answer but just stood there. Trevor didn¡¯t know how else tofort her, so he could only pat her on the shoulder. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re young. You have to know how to settle down. Go back and recuperate. There will always be opportunities. ¡°Alright.¡± Tessa nodded, feeling a little lost. ¡°Yo, you¡¯re here, Tessa?¡± At this moment, a sharp female voice rang out. Tessa turned and saw that it was Queenie Myers. At this moment, Queenie was wearing the custom-made outfit of the assistant concertmaster as she sashayed over to Tessa. When Tessa saw the outfit, her eyes felt as if they had been pierced, and they turned a little red. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Queenie patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Tessa, it¡¯s really a pity that you can¡¯t go on stage this time. There¡¯s no other choice. The team can¡¯t be without an assistant concertmaster, so Mr. Oswald let me take up this position. I don¡¯t mean to take your ce either. But don¡¯t think too much about it, and don¡¯t be discouraged. You¡¯re still young, so it¡¯s not a big deal for you to lose this opportunity. In the future, there¡¯ll be more opportunities for you to get famous. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re the youngest and most talented person in our orchestra. You have to recover from your injuries. It¡¯ll be the same when you come back after your injuries are healed.¡± After she spoke, the corners of her eyes were slightly pinched upward, and she was looking provocatively at Tessa. Queenie had always held a grudge against Tessa. She had always been the focus of training in the orchestra, but ever since Tessa came along, everyone¡¯s attention had been taken away. Later, even Trevor highly regarded this neer. After the previous assistant concertmaster left, the team had been trying to select a new one. Tessa was a few years younger than her, so judging from seniority, she should have no problem winning. However, she never expected that Trevor would give the position of assistant concertmaster to a young, immature girl. She had long held in her anger toward this decision, but it had already been decided, and it wouldn¡¯t help no matter how much trouble she caused, so she could only endure it. Who would¡¯ve thought that at this moment, God would open his eyes and let Tessa suffer such a serious injury, resulting in Queenie getting back the position that was rightfully hers. How could Queenie not feel prideful? Tessa forced a smile, not bothering to argue with Queenie, knowing that she was just looking for trouble. However, Queenie obviously didn¡¯t want to let her go, so she said, ¡°By the way, I heard that you have a backer. That¡¯s pretty amazing. Why don¡¯t you just go on and live a pampered life? You don¡¯t have to suffer like this.¡± Trevor frowned when he heard this. He bit his tongue when he heard the first few sentences, but she had gone too far with her following remarks. Feeling extremely displeased, Trevor reprimanded her. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Queenie! Are you so free that you can mingle around here and chat? Aren¡¯t you going to go practice?¡± Queenie grunted coldly, then cast Tessa a sideways nce before strutting out of Trevor¡¯s office. Tessa was at a loss. She could still carry on fighting if she hadn¡¯t seen the outfit, but now, she truly didn¡¯t have a chance anymore. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Trevor had already selected someone who could rece her, and there was no space for another assistant concertmaster in the team. Seeing Tessa¡¯s deste appearance, Trevor sighed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t take her words to heart. You¡¯re responsible for your future. Don¡¯t stop here. Your future is promising.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Oswald.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll head back now.¡± After walking out of the office building, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but let loose the tears she had been holding back She walked to the roadside and sat down by the stone pier. She didn¡¯t have anything in mind anymore; she just wanted to have a good cry. When Nichs saw Tessa walking out in a daze and sitting by the roadside while crying all alone, he reckoned he knew what the purpose and result of her trip was. Her negotiations with Trevor must not have ended well. However, he didn¡¯t approach her either. He just sat quietly in the car and silently watched the woman. Squatting by the roadside aside, Tessa cried for a while. When her phone rang and she saw the caller ID, she stopped the tears from rolling. She raised her head and took several deep breaths, then fanned her tearful eyes and cleared her throat. She even tried to pull up the corners of her mouth. After she was done with this series of actions, she pressed the answer button and asked with a slight smile, ¡°Tim? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Timothy replied, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. My sses will be over in a while, so I wanted to ask what you¡¯d like to eat. I¡¯ll go buy groceriester, then I¡¯ll go back to cook for you.¡± Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Tessa smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that because I¡¯m not at home now. Didn¡¯t I say I was going to move? I¡¯m looking at houses outside now. Sigh, it¡¯s really difficult to find a house now. I don¡¯t think I can go back at noon, so I¡¯m just going to eat something here. You don¡¯t have toe all the way back as well.¡± Her words were impable, so Timothy didn¡¯t doubt it, and he even felt more distressed for her. ¡°Well, don¡¯t work yourself too hard-there¡¯s no hurry to find a house.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°I know. I heard your ss bell ring. Go back to ss, you.¡± After hanging up the phone, Tessa wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and let out a deep breath-she felt that it was definitely not that easy to lie. If she talked for a little while longer, she would have definitely been found out. However, she didn¡¯t exactly lie that much. For things like moving, it was always better to rip the bandaid off and move fast rather than drag the matter on. Soon, she began to browse the listings on the website and found a property agent¡¯s phone number. ¡°Hello, is this Springfield Residence? I¡¯d like to take a look at the property. I just want to check with you if you are free to do itter.¡± After making an appointment, Tessa pped both sides of her face to make herself seem more awake, and then she went to the side of the road to take a taxi. When Edward saw that she was leaving, he turned to look at Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer, are we still following her?¡± Nichs paused. ¡°Go and make some arrangements to give her the apartment in Regal Gardens. Set whatever rent price, but don¡¯t tell her it¡¯s mine.¡± Edward was startled when he heard this. This apartment in Regal Gardens was in close proximity with the Sawyer Group. Not only was the security system there one of the best, but every aspect showed that it was in an extremely high-end community. asionally, when Nichs could not go back to Dynasty Gardens because of overtime work, he would rest there. So thest thing Edward would have expected was for him to rent this apartment to Tessa now. However, when he thought about it again, since Tessa suffered such a serious injury in order to save Gregory, it was only appropriate for him topensate her with this. Fortunately for Nichs, he only asionally stayed there, so there weren¡¯t any obvious signs of him living there yet, and it was almost impossible to tell if someone or anyone had lived there. He nodded. ¡°Alright, President Sawyer. I¡¯ll make arrangements now.¡± Once Tessa found the agency, they immediately received the news from Edward and took her directly to Regal Gardens. ¡°Miss Reinhart, take a look. Are you satisfied with this ce?¡± This apartment was well-decorated, and it came with everything one could ask for in a rented house it was estimated that the owner was a minimalist who was very capable and not cumbersome at all. When Tessa took a look at the furniture in the house, she found that they were of good quality as well. The whole apartment looked low-key but luxurious-it definitely did not look cheap at first nce, so Tessa hesitated. ¡°Can I know how much the rent is here?¡± The agent replied, ¡°So it¡¯s like this¡­ The owner of the house is now abroad. To be honest, he just doesn¡¯t want the house to be idle, and he doesn¡¯t really care about the rent. It¡¯s not expensive at all¨Cit¡¯s only 2,000.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. The agent seemed calm, but he was moring in his heart, This house is worth way more than just, 2,000! As an experienced property agent, he felt that this was too cheap a rent for such a ce, and when he heard the price, he felt his heart drop. He was really distressed that such a good house was going for such dirt cheap rent. However, not only the property agent, but Tessa was also stunned as well. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears, and looked up and down the apartment again. ¡°How much did you say the rent was?¡± The agent gritted his teeth and replied again, ¡°2,000, miss.¡± Tessa was really confused. ¡°In such a location, forget this apartment-other apartments with normal renovations would cost at least 4,000 rent a month. Look at this decoration. It is only 2,000?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Reinhart, 2,000.¡± The agent twitched the corners of his mouth as he spoke. Tessa still couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Tell me honestly: Have people died here, or are there other problems?¡± The agent was dumbfounded for a moment. ¡°Of course not. This house is in very good condition, and I guarantee that it is absolutely safe-there is no such situation as you said. Also, as I¡¯ve mentioned previously, the owner is not short of money. He just doesn¡¯t want the house to be idle. I brought you here because I find you a nice person. If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll rent it to someone else.¡± Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Tessa thought about it again. Well, she was an atheist, so she didn¡¯t believe in God, let alone spirits and ghosts, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of them at all. Now that she had stumbled upon such a good unit, why would she bother to find other options now? Moreover, there were office buildings near this ce. If Timothy wanted to start apany in the future, he could also settle here as well. Getting to and from work would also be much more convenient. So, she didn¡¯t think about it anymore and just decided. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s sign the contact. I can pay the rent now.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. During dinner in the evening, Tessa talked about the house. Timothy was also a little surprised after hearing about the location and seeing the photos taken by Tessa. ¡°Wow, Tessa, good work! You¡¯re one for one! I didn¡¯t know such a good thing would happen to us one day.¡± Tessa also smiled. ¡°I know, right? The agent told me that it was a new property to rent, and I was the first one to see it. Such a coincidence, isn¡¯t it? I signed the contract-let¡¯s move out tomorrow.¡± Timothy naturally wouldn¡¯t say anything to object, so he nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll pack up in a while and prepare to move, then.¡± At Dynasty Gardens. After Edward received the news from the agency, he came to report, ¡°President, Miss Reinhart and her brother have already settled on Regal Gardens, and it is said that they will move in tomorrow.¡± Nichs nodded. ¡°Got it.¡± The next morning, Timothy didn¡¯t have to go to ss, so he called the movingpany first thing in the morning. As soon as Ss arrived at the apartment, he saw the pair of siblings moving in full swing and was stunned. ¡°You two-where are you going?¡± When Tessa saw Ss, she instinctively hid Timothy behind her. Her eyes met his, and she replied coldly, ¡°It has nothing to do with you where we are going. What are you doing here?¡± Ss opened his mouth and wanted to criticize Tessa¡¯s attitude, but he held back, and his eyebrows even became kinder. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t Ie and see my son and daughter?¡± Tessa snorted coldly. Without answering, she wanted to go back to the house to continue packing her luggage. ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak so coldly to me. I¡¯m only here to talk to you two this time,¡± Ss followed behind Tessa and said. When Timothy heard this at the side, he couldn¡¯t help but sneer and said, ¡°We don¡¯t seem to have anything to talk about. Am I right, Tess?¡± Tessa also nodded. ¡°Yes. Mr. Reinhart, we are busy and have nothing to talk to you about. You should go back.¡± Ss was annoyed by her formal words which were not respectful at all, and his face became colder at the moment. When he thought of his purpose ofing here which had not been achieved, he gritted his teeth to suppress his anger and instantly changed into the character of a loving father. ¡°I know the two of you are doing well now, and you look down on the Reinhart Family. I believe you know that our family is currently not doing well. Of course, I know that you have no reason to help us, but I still hope that you will help the family out because, you know, blood is thicker than water and everything¡­¡± When she heard the phrase ¡®blood is thicker than water¡±, Tessa only felt likeughing. When he chased the penniless orphans and their mother out of the Reinhart family, why did this phrase not appear in his mind? When the two of them were living on the streets and when Timothy¡¯s leg was injured, why didn¡¯t they hear him say that blood was thicker than water? Now that she heard him mention this again, she thought he was simply too shameless! Tessa snorted coldly. ¡°We no longer have anything to do with the Reinhart Family, and since you have signed the agreement, let¡¯s just end this matter between us. You should go back, Mr. Reinhart.¡± Although Tessa¡¯s rejection was expected by Ss, his expression changed. ¡°Tessa, you can¡¯t say that.¡± He put on a pleading look again. ¡°I ask for nothing else. I just hope that Tim can lend me 10 million. As long as you can help the Reinhart Group get through this, I will definitely pay it back.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Chapter 151 ¡°I know what I did to you both before, but we alsopensated for it, didn¡¯t we? We gave you a house and paid you 5 million dors and even your mother¡¯s dowry. We don¡¯t owe you anything anymore, so you don¡¯t have to look at me with such vengeful eyes.¡± Tessa replied coldly, ¡°I hope you can understand that the apartment was originally left to us by my mother. Besides, my mother¡¯s dowry was hers by her name, so it naturally had nothing to do with the Reinharts. As for what you said about the 5 million, that was what you owed us in the first ce. You kidnapped us both for merely a project, so this was the price you should pay. If there¡¯s nothing else, Mr. Reinhart, you can leave.¡± After Tessa finished speaking, she stopped paying attention to Ss. Immediately, the short-tempered Ss was irritated. ¡°Okay, Tessa. I¡¯ll remember this.¡± After he finished speaking, he left immediately. In the Reinhart Residence. ¡°How did it go? Have you gotten the money back?¡± When Amber saw Ssing back, she hurriedly stood up and asked anxiously. Ss¡¯ anger from the meeting with the siblings had not subsided, and he said with a sullen face, ¡°Those b*stards-they wouldn¡¯t give me the money.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The light of hope in Amber¡¯s eyes disappeared instantly, and her face grew cold. Ss told Amber about his conversation with the siblings. After listening to him, Amber mmed the table angrily. ¡°Would you look at that! These are the ungrateful brats you¡¯ve raised! You even begged them like that! Oh¡­ what should we do now?¡± Originally, due to Ss¡¯ imprisonment, Reinhart Group¡¯s stock price plummeted, and it didn¡¯t improve for many days. Right now, even thepany¡¯s shareholders were moring to cash out their shares. Besides, the employees in thepany had also found a way out and were nning to pack up and leave at a moment¡¯s notice. Reinhart Group was now basically scattered, and whatever they had wouldn¡¯t be able to support the company for long. When Ss heard that Timothy had sold his software to Sawyer Group at a high price, he shifted his target to the siblings immediately. Tessa had always been prone to be suggestible when dealt with gently, so Ss bit the bullet and went to her, with the intent to y the warm and loving father. He just didn¡¯t expect that Tessa was not the girl who she used to be. Now, she knew not to y along with any of his approaches anymore, and even knew how to negotiate with him and refuse him when she saw fit. When he thought about this, he suddenly lost his temper and threw the teacup in anger. ¡°Dad, Grandma, what are you fretting about now? Who said we can¡¯t do anything about it now?¡± Sophia heard this when she just got home and was instantly invested. ¡°Dad, what were you begging her for? Why didn¡¯t youe and ask me instead?¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. When Ss heard this, his eyes lit up. ¡°What do you mean? What can you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t know that Tessa¡¯s hand is broken, right?¡± Sophia raised her eyebrows. Ss thought about it carefully. Tessa really didn¡¯t really lift any heavy objects, and she was always only holding small things, as if she had no strength. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her hand?¡± ¡°The cousin of one of my ssmates is in the same orchestra as Tessa. ording to her, something happened to Tessa, so she lost her hand strength and was now kicked out of the orchestra.¡± Ss couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard this. ¡°What does this have to do with saving the company?¡± A merciless light gleamed in Sophia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Dad, do you remember the arrogant master of the Finch Family, the one who wanted to have a marriage of convenience with our family? Their family hasn¡¯t stopped thinking about it until now. Anyway, since they just wanted one of us, we should just grab Tessa and bring her directly into the room of the young master¡­ And once everything is said and done, she could only go through with it. After all, isn¡¯t it just 10 million? It¡¯s nothing to the Finch Family. As for the siblings, they are both disabled anyway; what else can they do? It¡¯s her honor that Young Master Finch fancies her, so she should thank us.¡± Ss was all too familiar with the young master of the Finch Family, Eric Finch; almost everyone in Brentwood had heard of his name. With the thought that his family name had some weight in Brentwood, he did as he pleased from his childhood to adulthood, which even got him the moniker of a yboy-no one could tell how many girls had been ruined by him. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Chapter 152 That was why Eric had yet to settle down till now: The matter of his marriage worried the head of the Finch Family. For such marriage of convenience, forget the rich families-even girls from ordinary families had been scouted by them, but none of them were willing to marry him. The Finches long knew that the Reinhart Family was in trouble, and they even looked for the Reinharts many times before to offer to help them get through the tough times. However, because the Reinharts were too reluctant to let Sophia go through with it, they did not agree to the proposal. But Tessa was different. She was Ss¡¯ daughter, but she was so ignorant to him. After all, he had put on his kind face when he went to borrow money from her, but she still refused to give him face, so he figured he should present her to the Finch Family as courtesy as well. Now, it was time to teach this disobedient brat a lesson. She¡¯s such a brat. After all these years of living off the Reinharts, how could she not make any contributions to the family? Sending her to the Finch Family would be the best use of her. After making up his mind, Ss thought about it again. No, it might not be possible. Tessa was no longer the obedient child she used to be. Now that she had someone backing her, she was bold and fearless, so how could she listen to him and leave the Sawyers to go to the Finches? He frowned and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone backing Tessa? If the Sawyers find out about this, then we will be done too¡­¡± As if Ss had thought of some unpleasant memory, he shook his head again and again. ¡°No, no. If I mess up and get caught again, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t see the day of light again.¡± Amber also said, ¡°Yes, Sophia, your father finally came out of jail, and your mother is still inside. Plus, we won¡¯t get any benefit by sending her to them. No matter how capable the Finch Family is, in front of the Sawyers, they are just a bunch of nobodies. We can¡¯t go through with it.¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter? When the timees, and everything between Tessa and Eric is done and dusted, do you think Nichs will still want her? Who would want to take in a ¡®used¡¯ person? He¡¯ll probably want Tessa to disappear by then. When ites to that, how would he help that b*tch to deal with us? Besides, Tessa is just bluffing using the Sawyers¡¯ status. Once she marries Eric, she probably won¡¯t have a chance to cause trouble anymore, and we can get the money. Isn¡¯t it killing two birds with one stone?¡± Ss and Amber were still a little hesitant, but their greed shone from deep within their eyes. Sophia waved her hand impatiently. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Since you guys don¡¯t have the guts to do it, I¡¯ll do it and get the money when the timees. Dad, don¡¯t forget to thank me then.¡± Tessa Reinhart, your good days are over! You robbed me of what was rightfully mine. You dared to covet my properties, so I will make you pay the price now! As Sophia thought of the treatment Tessa would suffer, a vicious smile shed across her face. She continued, ¡°Okay, leave this matter to me. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go upstairs.¡± After returning to her room, Sophia found Eric¡¯s mobile phone number and dialed it directly. ¡°Young Master Finch, it¡¯s me, Sophia.¡± Eric, who was on the other end of the phone, seemed to be in some entertainment center. The singing and charmingughter kept ringing on the other end of the line. Heughed and said, ¡°Yo, Miss Reinhart, to what do I owe this pleasure?¡± Sophia smirked and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say to introduce someone to you the other day? Before, I showed a photo of my sister, Tessa. Do you remember her? She will be waiting for you at the Monarchy Clubhouse tomorrow.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Okay! If this goes well, I¡¯ll give you whatever you want.¡± He had always loved drinking and beauties in his life, and ever since he saw the photos of Tessa, he had been coveting her. She was a natural top beauty, and she was definitely many times better than those pointed-chin and big-eyed beauties who were the product of stic surgery. Now that the beauty was delivered to his door, he didn¡¯t see any reason to not ept it. ¡°Thank you. Have fun, Young Master Finch.¡± Sophia smiled. After hanging up the phone, she couldn¡¯t helpughing. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. It was her that the Finch Family took interest in before, but with her standard, how could she marry such a person? Hence, she was sending Tessa instead. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Unexpectedly, after such a long time, Eric still fancied that bitch, Tessa, and just in time, she could do him a favor in this regard. As long as she follows Eric, Tessa will never be a problem again. Even if she could still end up alive, she wouldn¡¯t be in a great state. Everyone knew that whoever that got tangled with Eric would not have any good ending to them. At that time, even if she could find Nichs, he would most likely despise her and wouldn¡¯t even get close to her-he might even have long forgotten her by then. Who would want this waste of a woman? At that time, by Nichs¡¯ side, there would only be her, Sophia Reinhart! What an impable way to kill two birds with one stone. She imagined that in the future, she would be with Nichs, and Tessa would be wagging her tail and begging for pity. Ah, what a joyful time it would be. Having said that, how could she even get Tessa to go to the clubhouse in the first ce? It would definitely be impossible if she were to tell her directly. After all, Tessa was not that stupid to leave Nichs, who was a big fish, for Eric. If she said she was the one that wanted to meet her, it was obvious that Tessa would probably not even answer the call from her. That¡¯s it! Timothy Reinhart! Yes, there is also that crippled little guy! Couldn¡¯t she just let him ¡®call¡¯ her? Sophia thought about it, and then began to call someone. ¡°William, I¡¯m Sophia Reinhart. I heard that you and Timothy are in the same ss, right? Oh, I called to ask you for a favor-can you get his cell phone for me? Okay, thank you. Next time, I will buy you a grand meal.¡± The next evening, after Timothy got out of school, Sophia got his mobile phone and immediately got someone to crack his password. Sophia turned Timothy¡¯s phone around her fingers, and the corners of her mouth curled upward slightly. Now that everything was ready, all that was left was to call Tessa at night. She didn¡¯t believe that Tessa, who had always loved her brother, would disregard her brother¡¯s safety and let him stay in the clubhouse instead of looking for him herself. At that point, Sophia already couldn¡¯t wait to see Tessa¡¯s helpless, miserable appearance. As soon as it got dark, Sophia found someone and called Tessa with Timothy¡¯s mobile phone. ¡°Hello, is this the sister of the owner of this mobile phone?¡± Tessa, who was tidying up in her new home, was slightly taken aback when she received the call. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a waiter at the Monarchy Clubhouse. Your brother got drunk in our clubhouse. Can youe and pick him up?¡± After that, the man hung up the phone. This left Tessa looking at her phone in surprise. Tessa knew her younger brother best. He had always been obedient and sensible, and he spent almost all of his time studying. Besides, he usually had no other activities aside from school. After all these years, she had never once seen him drink alcohol. Why would he go out and get drunk all of a sudden? Moreover, before he went out this morning, he also said that he would go look at office buildings in the evening after school, so he would be backte. Anyone could lie to her, but Timothy wouldn¡¯t. If he really went to drink, he would definitely tell her¡­ However, this was indeed a call from his cell phone-there was no doubt about that. If Timothy really was drunk, she couldn¡¯t just let him stay at such a dodgy ce all alone. The incident happened so suddenly, and Tessa didn¡¯t have much time to think about it, so she went out immediately to find him. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. At the Monarchy Clubhouse. When Tessa arrived, she immediately went to the waiter at the counter. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to look for someone. He¡¯s a tall, thin, quiet-looking boy named Timothy. You just called me to say he was drunk and told me to pick him up.¡± The waiter was stunned and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask around for you.¡± Then, a foreman came and nodded to Tessa. ¡°Hello, I¡¯ll bring you to him now.¡± Tessa followed him into a room and found a plump person in the room-there was no sign of Timothy. The look in the man¡¯s eyes made her very ufortable. She looked around to make sure she didn¡¯t see Timothy, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I¡¯ve entered the wrong room.¡± Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Chapter 154 After speaking, Tessa wanted to leave the room and nned to ask for the foreman again. The man in the room said, ¡°You¡¯re Tessa Reinhart, right? You are in the right room.¡± Tessa¡¯s footsteps stopped, and she looked back suspiciously. ¡°Then where is my brother? I¡¯m here to pick him up.¡± The man didn¡¯t answer, but the way he leered at Tessa became even more unscrupulous. This figure, this face¡­ She is much prettier than in the photo. At first, she thought that Sophia was deceiving him, and that she had photoshopped the photos to deceive him, but he really didn¡¯t expect the Reinhart Family to have hidden such good stuff from him. He was so fascinated that he looked at Tessa from head to toe and said maliciously, ¡°The eldestdy of the Reinhart Family really doesn¡¯t fail to fascinate me. Not bad-you suit my taste very much.¡± Immediately, Tessa was disgusted by his look and his rude words, but she held herself back and continued, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just came to find my brother. Where is he?¡± ¡°Your brother? Well, it¡¯s not a big deal for me to be your ¡®brother¡¯ this once.¡± He picked up the ss, took a sip of alcohol, and said, ¡°But, sis, do you really not know who I am?¡± Tessa frowned a little unhappily. How could this person¡¯s words make me so ufortable? However, she wasn¡¯t sure whether Timothy was here or not, so she couldn¡¯t just leave. She endured the disgust and said, ¡°If my brother isn¡¯t here, then I¡¯ll take my leave first. Sorry for bothering you.¡± Eric couldn¡¯t help butugh when he heard this. ¡°Wait. Miss Reinhart, aren¡¯t you too ignorant? You don¡¯t even know me? Who doesn¡¯t know about my family in Brentwood? Go and ask around, will you? Who doesn¡¯t know me? I¡¯m the young master of the Finch Family.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Tessa¡¯s face immediately turned cold at the mention of that. The story about her brother being drunk in a clubhouse was all a lie. She was set up! She had naturally heard of Young Master Finch¡¯s reputation, but she had never seen this person in real life. Now that she met him finally, she could see how disgusting he actually was. Immediately, Tessa knew that she shouldn¡¯t stay there any longer. Without even bothering to say goodbye politely, she wanted to escape from this ce quickly, so she immediately turned around to go out To her dismay, before she reached the door, two bodyguards directly blocked her way. They were like an iron wall. No matter how she pushed, they didn¡¯t budge an inch. Tessa¡¯s face instantly fell. At that point, she could feel the man behind her getting up and walking toward her with a sinister smile. She panicked, but she quickly reacted and turned her head back with a force ofposure. ¡°Young Master Finch, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I apologize to you if I¡¯ve bothered your fun here, but what do you think you are doing?¡± Eric smiled as his greasy hand touched Tessa¡¯s chin. ¡°Since you know you¡¯ve bothered me, how can you not make it up to me? And isn¡¯t it obvious what I¡¯m doing?¡± Tessa gritted her teeth and turned her head away to escape his touch. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Tessa Reinhart, stop acting dumb. I¡¯m giving you face by even indulging you, but your sister, Sophia Reinhart, received 5 million from me as your dowry, so you are mine tonight,¡± Eric said with a smile. When she heard Sophia¡¯s name, Tessa immediately realized what happened. So Sophia was the one behind all these! Tessa let everyone from the family go at first, but she actually unknowingly fueled the arrogance of these shameless people! Nevertheless, the current situation didn¡¯t allow her to regret her actions. What she had to think about now was how to get out of this hell of a ce and find Timothy. With that in mind, she put on an extremely gloomy expression and said coldly, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should be looking for whoever took your money and made a deal with you. This has nothing to do with me.¡± She gritted her teeth. ¡°Please have your people get out of the way, or I¡¯ll call the police.¡± However, the bodyguards at the door were unmoved. They remained firm like a wall, unmoved by her words, and they sneered at her remarks instead. When she saw that they wouldn¡¯t move, she was so angry that she took out her mobile phone and was about to call the police. However, before she could unlock her phone, Eric snatched her phone away. ¡°Even if you call the police now, it¡¯s useless. Tonight, no matter what, you will be mine, little beauty. Don¡¯t struggle, lest you get hurt.¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Chapter 155 After throwing Tessa¡¯s phone to the bodyguard, Eric immediately tried to hug Tessa. Having never encountered such a scene, Tessa was suddenly frightened by such a big plot twist, so she quickly ducked and ran in the other direction. At the same time, there happened to be a wine bottle on the table. Tessa went over to pick it up and smashed the ss bottle directly. Before Eric could get to her, she held the wine bottle in front of her, facing Eric. ¡°I am warning you don¡¯t come any closer.¡± Eric scoffed when he saw that. ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect that the quiet Miss Reinhart has such a bold and intense personality.¡± He looked Tessa up and down again. ¡°However, you being like this only makes me like you more; you know that? I don¡¯t know if you know this, Miss Reinhart, but men have a desire to conquer. The more you struggle, the more I can¡¯t resist the urge to conquer you. What are you afraid of, anyway? There¡¯s no harm in being with me. Don¡¯t listen to the nonsense outside. I know how to show good love.¡± At this point, Tessa¡¯s face was already pale. ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Let me go, or I will¡± ¡°Or you will?¡± Eric sneered and looked at the bodyguards again. ¡°What are you still standing around for? Tie her up and send her to my room at once! If I don¡¯t get to enjoy myself today because of you¡­ Just you wait and see what would happen to you. Go!¡± Upon receiving the order, the bodyguards stepped forward. There were many of them against Tessa. She was so frightened that she didn¡¯t know who to attack, and she waved the bottle randomly. ¡°You! Don¡¯t you daree near me! Otherwise, I¡¯ll call for help!¡± Her words not only did not scare the group of people, but the other party who was at a greater advantage even took the wine bottle from Tessa¡¯s hand directly. Several bodyguards even started to grab her. Tessa was shocked and angry. She struggled desperately, but as she managed to escape one grip, another would appear to hold her down. No matter how much she tried to escape, she couldn¡¯t get rid of them. Even her wound was reopened, and a burning pain shot through her body. Outside the room. ¡°President Sawyer, I wish us a pleasant cooperation in the future. My apologies for any inconvenience caused today. Next time round, we will have a better chat in another ce,¡± a man said to Nichs. Nichs nodded lightly. ¡°Stay. I¡¯ll see myself out.¡± He never liked these kinds of ces. After staying at ces like this for a long time, the smell of cheap perfumes made him feel a little nauseous. He came here today to talk business. After he was done, he got up right away and didn¡¯t want to stay any longer. Right then, he got up and was about to leave. As soon as he reached the door of the room, he saw a group of ck-clothed bodyguards noisily surrounding a woman while walking forward in a mighty manner. The woman seemed reluctant and was still struggling, forcing the bodyguards to stop and adjust their pace as they nned to just drag her upstairs. The woman in the room took advantage of the bodyguards¡¯ halt in action and began to call for help. However, her voice was too low, and all kinds of loud noises were mixed together, making it difficult to hear what she was saying. This kind of thing was verymon here, and it was also some unknown little fetish of some frequent- comers here. There were many different tricks and roleys done here, and this was probably a new one. Nichs was not interested in any of these, nor did he want to pay attention to it. After just taking two steps, he heard a very familiar voice. His footsteps paused, and his brows frowned slightly. When his escort beside him saw this, he also quickly stopped, thinking the noise disturbed the man. He hurriedly exined, ¡°President Sawyer, these are all tricks yed by kids these days. If you think this is too noisy, why don¡¯t you just wait in the room, and we¡¯ll leaveter?¡± Nichs nodded. It shouldn¡¯t be her, he thought. ording to what he knew about her, it was impossible for her toe to such a ce. However, since the voice was all too familiar, he still looked in that direction, and through the gaps between the bodyguards pushing and shoving, he could clearly see the person inside. It¡¯s really her-Tessa Reinhart!? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Chapter 156 In an instant, Nichs¡¯ face turned solemn, and his eyes were so terrifyingly grim that even the temperature of the air around him dropped several degrees. That was enough to scare the escort, and he stood quietly at the side, not daring to urge him anymore. Realizing that something was amiss, Edward nced in the direction of those people and immediately caught sight of Tessa. Stunned, he hurriedly went forward to stop that group of people. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Eric was a good-for-nothing rich kid to begin with, and he had never been in touch with anyone from the business world. Therefore, he didn¡¯t recognize Edward and thought that he was just a regr guy. Raising his head snobbishly, he roared, ¡°What are we doing? What I¡¯m doing is none of your business! | advise you to stay out of this, or else I¡¯ll make sure that you can¡¯t make a living in Brentwood!¡± Saying that, he shoved Edward, and his bodyguards who saw itughed nonchntly, thinking that Edward was overconfident and trying to be a knight in shining armor ¡°You even have the nerves to snatch someone from Young Master Finch? Are you tired of living?¡± ¡°Get out of here. If you wish to keep any of your limbs, you shouldn¡¯t stick your nose into this.¡± When Tessa saw clearly that it was Nichs and Edward who had arrived, her eyes, which were a little helpless, lit up in an instant. ¡°Save me!¡± Her plea had just left her lips when one of the bodyguards impatiently twisted her arm to the back forcefully. ¡°Who are you calling for help? Just save your energy,¡± he said and turned to Eric, hoping to receive some credit for his actions. Again, Tessa¡¯s injury was tugged, and she gasped in pain. Herplexion turned pale, and she broke out in cold sweat, unable to cry for help anymore. The look on Nichs¡¯ face turned even more displeased. Losing all patience, he called out coldly, ¡°Edward!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He simply called Edward¡¯s name once without saying anything else, but Edward instantly understood what his boss wanted him to do, and he lunged forward directly without even a warm up move while keeping a stony face. Then, he managed to bring the group of well-built bodyguards to the ground in a few strikes and helped Tessa up. ¡°Are you alright, Miss Reinhart?¡± Trembling from the pain, Tessa couldn¡¯t utter a single thing and merely shook her head softly. Pacing over, Nichs stepped over the group of bodyguards dressed in ck and looked at Tessa with a cold face. ¡°What happened?¡± Initially, she had no idea what was happening as well, but from the things Eric said, she realized that Sophia was the one who sold her out. However, she was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t exin that much. Gritting her teeth, she muttered in pieces, ¡°It was Sophia. Using Timothy¡¯s phone, she lied to me, saying that he was drunk and told me toe here. Then¡­ she passed me to these people.¡± After he listened to her, murderous intent emanated from Nichs, while Eric was stunned to see that all his bodyguards were nowying on the ground. When he snapped back to his senses and saw that Tessa was now in Nichs¡¯ hands, he was furious. ¡°Who are you people? You sure have some guts! Do you have any idea who I am? How dare you snatch someone from me! Looks like you¡¯re all tired of living! Where¡¯s the manager? Get over here! These punks think they¡¯re someone simply because they¡¯re dressed in suits and ties. Throw them out of here!¡± After the manager learned of the situation, he quickly rushed over, but he was dumbfounded when he saw Nichs. Shrinking his neck, he muttered, ¡°Young Master Finch, he¡¯s¡­ P-Please don¡¯t put me in a spot. I don¡¯t have the guts to do this.¡± Timidly, he nced at Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer, uh¡­ maybe Young Master Finch had too much to drink. Please don¡¯t hold it against him¡­¡± However, when Eric continued with his tauntings, the manager felt a chill through his neck and hurriedly tugged Eric¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Please stop it, Young Master Finch.¡± Jerking his hand away, Ericshed out, ¡°Why should I stop? Ask around and you¡¯ll find out that I¡¯m afraid of no one in Brentwood. Was my family ever afraid of anyone? What did you call this guy? President Sawyer? I think you must have lost your mind. Don¡¯t simply call anyone like that, or I¡¯d really think that Nichs Sawyer himself was here!¡± ¡°Young Master Finch, he¡¯s-¡± Sensing the grimness in the air, the manager suddenly stopped speaking. Forget it. This person is beyond help. Even though Eric visited the club every day and was a generous customer, he had also offended quite a number of people, and the manager couldn¡¯t risk offending Nichs because of him. Otherwise, it would be the end of this club. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Chapter 157 With icy cold eyes, Nichs scanned Eric and hissed angrily through gritted teeth, ¡°Which one of your hands did you use to touch her earlier?¡± As though shocked by Nichs¡¯ aura, Eric stared dumbly at the domineering man in front of him, feeling that this person was a little terrifying. The shock even cleared the biggest part of his mind from the effects of alcohol, and he realized that nobody around dared to say a thing, as though it was some great person in front of them. This atmosphere and situation startled him so much that he didn¡¯t know how to answer the question. ¡°You¡¯re not speaking?¡± Nichs said coldly. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s both hands, then.¡± With that, he turned to Edward, who immediately understood his intentions and answered, ¡°I got it, President Sawyer.¡± Then, he turned to the bodyguards keeping watch on the side and signaled to them with a wave. ¡°Take them away.¡± Upon receiving the order, the bodyguards swiftly dragged the people who were howling in pain on the floor-plus Eric, who was starting to tremble-out of the club. A few minutester, shrilling cries of pain could be heard from the alley outside of the club. ¡°What¡¯s that sound? What happened? Should we go and take a look?¡± look?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to look at? Let¡¯s go quickly!¡± Passersby who heard the cries shuddered but didn¡¯t dare to watch what was happening. Naturally, all these had no effect on Nichs, and his gaze never left Tessa the whole time. On the other hand, she didn¡¯t know what was happening and already broke out in cold sweat from the pain. Crouching, he asked, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Gritting her teeth, Tessa wanted to tolerate the situation by herself, but the pain was so intense that she couldn¡¯t go against her senses and say that everything was fine. ¡°I think my wound has ruptured. Can you please send me to the hospital?¡± she asked weakly. Nichs¡¯ expression was stoic as he picked her up with a princess carry and left for his car. Right after, the eye-catching Maybach zoomed through the streets. Fifteen minutester, they reached the hospital, and Tessa was sent to a series of checkups by the doctor upon arrival. After taking one look at her ripped wound, the doctor was annoyed and berated, ¡°You don¡¯t want to y the violin anymore, do you? I told you to take good care of yourself at home, but not only did you not do that, you made the injury even worse now!¡± At the mention of ying the violin, the light in Tessa¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°Doctor, can I y the violin again?¡± ¡°If you continue to neglect your injury, forget the violin-you might not even be able to lift something slightly heavy,¡± the doctor chided. Solightbinare the deaterte When Tessa heard that, her face turned pale, and she pleaded with tears in her eyes, ¡°I realized my mistake and will take care of my injury, doctor. Please help me. I really don¡¯t want to be a cripple.¡± The doctor sighed. ¡°Alright, just as long as you know that you have to take care of yourself and don¡¯t cause any trouble. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to help you even if I were a deity.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Looking at the doctor with gratitude in her eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief. Although the doctor was rather harsh and gave her a scolding, at least he mentioned that she could still y the violin if she recuperated well. After this incident, she had no other requests anymore. As long as she could y the violin, she would be very happy. All of a sudden, she saw Nichs sitting on the couch from the corners of her eyes. Recalling that he was the one who had saved her, she turned to him and said sincerely, ¡°Thank you for saving me, President Sawyer.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. In reply, he nodded slightly. If he didn¡¯t happen to be there by chance today, he had no idea what would have happened to her. His face remained stony as he thought of this. ¡°Tess, are you alright?¡± Just then, Timothy, who had received the news, had rushed to the hospital, and he looked very worried. Shaking her head, Tessa answered, ¡°I¡¯m alright now.¡± ¡°You gave me a scare, Tess. The minute I reached home, I saw President Sawyer¡¯s men, and they told me that I shoulde to the hospital because something happened to you. I was scared out of my wits!¡± Even now, Timothy was still feeling jittery. With a smile, she stroked his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m fine now, aren¡¯t 1? I have President Sawyer to thank for this.¡± Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Chapter 158 ¡°Thank you, President Sawyer.¡± Timothy thanked Nichs sincerely while looking at him. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Nichs nodded and answered, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± ¡°What happened, Tess? Why did you go to that ce and get into trouble with those people?¡± Timothy asked. Then, Tessa told him a simplified version of what happened. ¡°It¡¯s all Sophia¡¯s doing. Using your phone, she told someone to call me and pick you up¡­¡± The look on Timothy¡¯s face changed after he heard that, and he gave her a guilty look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tess. I really am. I lost my cell phone and thought that I left it in the ssroom, so I didn¡¯t tell you beforehand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Everything is fine now, isn¡¯t it?¡± she said, shing him an assuring smile. She understood her brother too well; if she didn¡¯t reassure him properly, he might feel guilty for months, or maybe even years, and thest thing she wanted was for him to return to his introverted self from before. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything is fine, really. At least now we know what Sophia and Ss are up to now. What doesn¡¯t kill you makes you stronger, right? And even if your phone wasn¡¯t stolen from you, they¡¯d most probably think of other schemes. Now that President Sawyer has saved me, Young Master Finch wouldn¡¯t dare to cause us more trouble anymore even though he¡¯s injured, and I reckon he¡¯ll settle the score with Sophia instead. All we have to do is watch what happens to them.¡± Obediently, Timothy nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± But then, he gritted his teeth. ¡°But that woman is really crossing a line by doing something like this. I definitely won¡¯t forgive her!¡± Tessa sighed and tried to straighten him out. ¡°It¡¯s alright; it¡¯s fine, really. You shouldn¡¯t be angry. Karma will take care of the viins, so we shouldn¡¯t soil our hands.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he muttered and nodded unwillingly. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t let this greedy family off. Don¡¯t even think about hurting my sister again! Nodding, Tessa said, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired.¡± Today, she was already exhausted from cleaning up the house and suffering a great shock at the clubhouse. However, as she didn¡¯t know about Timothy¡¯s situation until now, she was finally relieved and much more assured after seeing for herself that he was doing well and was not hurt. In addition, the doctor gave her some anti-inmmatory medication and painkillers when he stitched back her wound, and the effects of the drugs was making her drowsy now. ¡°Alright. Sleep well, Tess. I¡¯ll be staying by your side,¡± Timothy said. Soon, he saw that she had really fallen asleep, and he paced toward Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer, can you please do me a favor?¡± Lifting his gaze at him, Nichs said, ¡°Tell me what you need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving for a while. Please look after my sister because I¡¯m worried that the Reinharts won¡¯t let this matter rest and wille here to make a scene,¡± Timothy exined. Nichs nodded at that and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Thank you for the trouble, President Sawyer.¡± Instead of answering him, Timothy left the ward with a cold face after asking for a favor. The muscles on Nichs¡¯ face tensed up, and he instructed Edward, ¡°Follow him and make sure he¡¯s alright.¡± From the way Timothy acted, it was highly possible that he was going to the Reinharts to settle the score, but with that figure of his, just one p from Amber was enough to take him down. With Tessa still hospitalized, Nichs reckoned that it would be best to keep him out of trouble. Clearly, Edward had thought of this as well, and he hurriedly answered, ¡°Okay, President Sawyer.¡± Then, he left the ward as well to carry out his mission. After stepping out of the hospital, Timothy stopped a cab. Seeing the fury written all over his face, the driver shuddered. ¡°Where¡­ Would you like to go?¡± ¡°Cherry Oak Estates,¡± Timothy answered with a stoic expression. The driver¡¯s mouth opened, but he closed it in the end and thought, This guy came out of the hospital in a huff. Is he going for his revenge? Should I call the police? Despite that, he lost all guts when he looked at Timothy¡¯s expression again. Forget it. This has nothing to do with me. All I have to do is drop him off at his destination. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Timothy didn¡¯t know the driver¡¯s concern as he thought about everything that had happened today with an aloof expression. When the image of Tessa wrapped in thick bandages over her shoulder with her face and lips pale from the loss of blood came into his mind, it was like a bucket of fuel to his burning rage, and he was unable to calm down. Never could he forget how the both of them lived by themselves all these years. Like blood-suckers, the Reinharts drove them out of the house without any child support, looted away the dowry their mother left behind, and even took away all valuables from them. Even though both of them did well in their studies, received schrships every year, and their schools even reduced their school fees, they still lived a very hard life. Coupled with Timothy¡¯s leg injury, it only made their already very poor life even more difficult. Tessa, who had always loved and doted on her little brother, had long taken up the responsibility of taking care of him and always ced him first in every matter. Because of his leg, she took up several part time jobs while schooling and was busy from day to night without any time for rest. That was how she managed to save up his huge operation and recovery fees-bit by bit through her hard work. He had always appreciated her effort, feeling sorry for her. The whole time, he always hated himself for being useless. If it wasn¡¯t because of him, his sister wouldn¡¯t have had to go through so much hardship. In this world, Tessa was the person closest to him, as well as the person he cared about the most; she was his sensitive spot that nobody should ever touch regardless who they were. But now, not only was she injured, she was injured because of him! This was even more unforgivable. Hence, the Reinharts, especially Sophia, totally deserved death! At the thought of this, Timothy gritted his teeth angrily, wishing that he could tear Sophia to pieces and let her feel a hundred times all the pain Tessa went through. Noticing that Timothy¡¯s face had turned even more grim, the driver was all alert and sent him to his destination as quickly as he could. At Reinhart¡¯s vi, Timothy heard the sounds ofughter from the inside after he reached, and his eyes turned icy cold. While his sister was still lying in the hospital and suffering, this family was having it good, gathering on the couch andughing happily. This was simply unforgivable! In big strides, he paced to the front door. It was alreadyte at night, and the bodyguard keeping watch at the door couldn¡¯t fight back his sleepiness anymore, dozing off as he cradled the baton in his arms and not realizing at all that someone was approaching. When Timothy saw the baton, a scheming light shed in his eyes. He hadn¡¯t brought any weapons with him when he arrived, but the Reinharts had given one to him now. Great. Without thinking, he took that baton, and before the bodyguard could realize what was happening, he dashed into the house. At the moment, Sophia and Amber were unaware of the impending danger as they were happily discussing the plot of the TV series, and they had no time to react when Timothy burst into their house until he raised the baton and swung it at Sophia with force. ¡°Ah!¡± Sophia shrieked in pain. Shocked, Amber froze and didn¡¯t know what to do. However, Timothy swung the baton and hit Sophia again. After a few hits, only then did Sophia realize what was happening, and she dodged while trying to take a look at her attacker. Seeing that it was Timothy, sheshed out furiously, ¡°What are you doing, Timothy? How dare you hit me!¡± At the same time, Amber had also snapped back to her senses and immediately ced Sophia behind herself while yelling, ¡°Timothy, you ingrate! Stop it now!¡± Timothy chuckled coldly at them, and the murderous air around him thickened. Then, he raised the baton and swung it again. While escaping, Sophia yelled, ¡°Timothy! What got over you today? Have you lost your mind?¡± Their shouts didn¡¯t stop him at all, and he sneered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve lost my mind. If I were not crazy, I wouldn¡¯t have tolerated all of you again and again!¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Chapter 160 ¡°I regret not losing my mind earlier over the years so I could cut all of you out of our lives and make you guys pay for all of your actions! That¡¯s why you guys ended up repeatedly hurting my sister! I¡¯m leaving my words here today, and you can call the police if you want. Even if it means jail time for me, I¡¯ll make sure to cripple you, b*tch!¡± Then, he gritted his teeth and swung his baton again. Looking into Timothy¡¯s bloodshot eyes, Sophia was suddenly struck with fear, and she shrieked angrily, ¡°Somebody,e quickly! Are all of you dead? Somebody has barged into the house, you idiots!¡± But no matter how she shouted, none of the Reinharts¡¯ bodyguards showed up. Unbeknownst to her, the men whom Edward had brought with him were holding back all of their bodyguards, and none of them could make a move now. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Shout! Go on and shout!¡± Timothy snorted and hit her with the baton again. Ss, who was working in the study, finally heard themotion and walked out in frustration, scolding, ¡°What¡¯s the ruckus about? Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m busy right now?¡± However, when he saw the chaos in the living room, he froze in his tracks. Why is Timothy here? Why does my son, who has always been weak, have the nerves toe here and even hit Sophia? Is he still the Timothy that I know? Catching sight of the stunned Ss, Sophia hurriedly called out to him, ¡°Dad! Save me, Dad! Timothy has lost his mind! Save me, quickly, and stop this mad dog!¡± Hearing her cries for help, Ss finally reacted as fury rushed through his veins. ¡°Timothy, what are you doing? Stop right now!¡± Timothy merely regarded his shoutings as barks and ignored himpletely. With the baton, he swung his arm and chased after Sophia, continuing his attack. ¡°Stop him, Dad! If he continues, he¡¯ll beat me to death! Dad, save me quickly and don¡¯t just stand there!¡± Sophia shouted while running toward him. Seeing that his words fell on deaf ears, and his precious daughter was covered in bruises, Ss was mad with rage. ¡°You unfilial child! I told you to stop! Do you hear me?¡±, Still, he was ignored by Timothy as thetter continued with his assault. When Ss saw that, he was overwhelmed with rage. Picking up a vase next to himself, he then smashed it hard at Timothy¡¯s head. With a loud crash, the case broke into pieces, and Timothy stopped moving. Immediately, blood flowed from his head as his vision turned blurry, and he could no longer hold the baton in his hand. ng! The baton fell to the ground. Just then, Edward happened to enter the house and witnessed Ss smashing the vase into Timothy¡¯s head. He lunged forward, but was toote to stop Ss; he only managed to catch hold of Timothy before he fell. ¡°Are you alright?¡± All Timothy felt was the ringing in his head, and he couldn¡¯t hear clearly what Edward had said, nor could he say anything. Despite that, he was ring at Ss with deep hatred in his eyes, which were already bloodshot. No words could describe just how much he loathed this man! On the other hand, Ss was also shocked to see his bloodshot eyes because it was rather terrifying to be red at by a person who was bleeding from his head. ¡°Dad, you have to speak up for me! Timothy hit me right in front of your eyes today, and he might just kill me tomorrow!¡± Sophia cried bitterly as she shook his arm. Looking at her wounds and her tearful face, Ss was more angry than he was shocked. ¡°Timothy Reinhart, you¡¯re a good-for-nothing! Why did you do this out of the blue? Don¡¯t you think you should exin your actions?¡± Even though Timothy couldn¡¯t say anything, he was still stubbornly ring at Ss. Holding Timothy, Edward patted his shoulder, gesturing to let him handle this matter. Then, he chuckled indifferently. ¡°Mr. Reinhart, the one who should give an exnation is your precious daughter. If you don¡¯t know what she has done, I can tell you about it. First, Miss Sophia Reinhart sent someone to steal Timothy¡¯s phone. After that, she had somebody call Miss Tessa and asked her to show up at the Monarchy Clubhouse.¡± Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Chapter 161 ¡°She ganged up with Eric Finch, who made Miss Tessa drunk and tried to vite her.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. When Sophia heard Edward say this, her face turned pale, but Edward wasn¡¯t finished yet. With contempt in his eyes, he continued, ¡°This kind of person deserves it even if they¡¯re beaten to death. Don¡¯t you think so, Mr. Reinhart?¡± He paused for a second and chuckled sarcastically. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Before you even found out the truth, you already cracked open your own son¡¯s head. It¡¯s the first time for me to see such a thing. Even a tiger doesn¡¯t eat its own cubs, but it¡¯s really an eye-opener for me when I see how you treat him and your methods.¡± Astonished, Ss quickly exined, ¡°I-I was m-merely¡­ caught up in anger for a moment. I can¡¯t possibly watch on as he beat Sophia to death, can I?¡± ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s your exnation. But if Miss Tessa didn¡¯t happen to run into President Sawyer tonight, I¡¯m afraid she would be ruined in the hands of your other daughter. At that time, will you be as heartbroken as you are now? Or, do you actually not regard Miss Tessa and her brother as your children?¡± Every word he said was powerful, and Ss was dumbfounded. After being in a daze for a few seconds, he turned to Sophia with an ashened face and asked, ¡°Is it true what Mr. Jackson just said?¡± Terrified, Sophia shook her head anxiously. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am? Would you rather believe an outsider than me? Listen to me: This matter isn¡¯t what you think it is. I really didn¡¯t contact Young Master Finch or steal Timothy¡¯s phone, nor did I try to harm Tessa. You have to believe me!¡± After hearing her out, Ss turned back to Edward and said, ¡°You heard her, Mr. Jackson. My daughter said she didn¡¯t do it, and this is my family affairs, after all. So, I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡± In other words, he meant to say that Edward was an outsider. No matter what, they would settle this behind closed doors, and he shouldn¡¯t be involved in this. As for how it would be settled, that would be entirely up to Ss¡¯ rules. Edward sneered, ¡°Family affairs? If I remember correctly, both Miss Tessa and her brother are no longer members of this family. How can you say that this is a family affair, then?¡± He was very sure that if he left Timothy here by himself, Ss, the incredibly biased man, would never let him off that easily. And the reason he was here was to make sure that Timothy was alright. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t leave just like that. In addition, he had carried a dislike for this spineless Ss for a very long time and was very disgusted with his blood-sucking ways. ¡°Well.¡± Since Edward didn¡¯t n to leave the matter alone, Ss was caught in a dilemma, and he red at Timothy angrily. ¡°It must have been troublesome for you to make this trip, Mr. Jackson. However, my daughter already said that this incident has nothing to do with her, so how should I settle this, now that she was beaten up for nothing?¡± Seeing that Ss was covering Sophia adamantly, Edward decided not to be polite as well and said indifferently, ¡°Nothing to do with her? Tell me then, Sophia: How did five million end up in your bank ount? Do you dare to say that it wasn¡¯t given to you by Eric Finch? Or are you going to say that it¡¯s the pocket money your father gave you? As far as I know, the Reinhart Group can no longer give you that much money to spend anymore. Otherwise, is Mr. Reinhart still giving you special treatment? If word of this gets out, you should know what the consequences are without me telling you, right? Oh, by the way, I thought of an excuse for you: You have found a boyfriend now, and it¡¯s understandable that he gave you five million just to make you happy.¡± Before Edward could go on, Sophia interjected furiously, ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! My father didn¡¯t give me that money, and neither do I have a boyfriend.¡± Halfway through her sentence, Sophia stopped herself, and her face was a few shades whiter. I blurted the wrong thing¡­ A smirk crept across Edward¡¯s lips. ¡°Since you admit it yourself that this money was given to you by Eric Finch, then it¡¯s kind of obvious whether you really sold off Miss Tessa. Ss, if you don¡¯t even regard them as your children, you should stop trying to make a benefit out of them.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Chapter 162 *You should at least have some dignity as a human; even I feel embarrassed for you for being this shameless. To put it bluntly, besides contributing two sperm, what else did you do for them? Did you fulfill your responsibility as a father? Do you have any right to ask Miss Tessa and her brother for anything? Don¡¯t be mad because I¡¯m merely stating the truth.¡± In one shot, Edward told him off with a lengthy speech, and it turned Ss¡¯ face sour. However, that delighted Edward even more! Somebody had to say it! That was just how Ss was-shameless, bad at managing hispany, and f?iled at educating his child. He even lost the most basic ethics of being a person. What was the point of such a person to continue living in this world? Ashamed, Ss was livid, but he couldn¡¯t say a thing in rebuttal. Meanwhile, Amber was an unreasonable person who was fiercely, albeit biasedly, protective of her son. As she was old, she always liked to use her age to her advantage, and when she heard Edward¡¯s criticisms, a rush of fury washed over her. A bunch of useless bums! They already came to our ce to walk all over us, but Ss is still acting like an ostrich, forcing an old woman like me to step up! Immediately, she opened her mouth andshed out, ¡°Who do you think you are that you can lecture my son? Indeed, birds of a feather flock together. You have no manners at all and merely bark around because of your master¡¯s influence. How dare you make a scene at my ce, insulting and beating my family as you wish! Do you really take me for a pushover?¡± Even though Amber had met Edward before and knew his status, she was so furious that she couldn¡¯t care less. In an instant, the shrewdness in her bones and her vitriol personality surfaced. My bodyguards can¡¯te to the rescue? Fine. I can take care of these two arrogant guys by myself, she thought. Rolling up her sleeves, she prepared herself to teach them a lesson. In spite of that, Edward wasposed and merely raised his brows at Amber, but her gesture made Ss break out in cold sweat instead. Hurriedly, he tugged Amber¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Mom, just keep your words to yourself. You have no business here. Go back to your room.¡± Jerking her sleeve away indignantly, she argued, ¡°Why should I hide? Did I say something wrong? Say, can you change that weak character of yours? You didn¡¯t pick up any of my good points. They¡¯re walking all over us at our house, yet you¡¯re still being sopliant and need me to stand up for you.¡± Ashamed at being lectured by his old mother, Ss eximed, ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene, Mom!¡± Although Edward didn¡¯t have a background like Nichs, he still had Nichs behind his back and couldn¡¯t be insulted! But Amber wouldn¡¯t listen to him and chided in anger, ¡°How am I making a scene? Even if you can tolerate getting scolded by a nobody, I can¡¯t do the same!¡± Her words made Edward chuckle in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t have the right to scold you all, but at least I¡¯m still somethingpared to all of you.¡± Amber choked and wanted to argue back, but Edward already decided to ignore her because there was nothing to be said to an unreasonable old woman. Turning to Ss, he said, ¡°Also, I have something to tell you: President Sawyer already said that Miss Tessa is under his wing, and this will be a lesson to you today. After this, just give it a try if you have the guts toy a finger on her.¡± Instantly, Ss understood what he meant. After a short pause, Edward¡¯s expression turned strict, and he added, ¡°If you do anything to her, there¡¯s no need for Reinhart Group to exist anymore!¡± Leaving Ss in a daze, he lowered his head at Timothy. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Lifelessly, Timothy nodded. ¡°Thanks,¡± he uttered and let Edward help him out of the ce. After they left without a hup and got into the car, Edward cast him a look of disapproval the second they were seated. ¡°You were too impulsive. There are thousands of ways to settle an issue like this. Why did you have to make your way there and do this?¡± Bearing with the pain, Timothy clenched his jaw. ¡°Thank you so much for today, but even if I knew that things would turn out this way, I¡¯d still do what I did! So what if he broke my head? Nobody should hurt my sister, especially the Reinharts.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Chapter 163 When Timothy mentioned the Reinharts, his jaw was tightly clenched because he loathed these people to the bones. Everything Edward chastised about Ss earlier were true. Never mind the fact that the Reinharts didn¡¯t raise them after giving birth to them, but every time they wanted something, they would go and snatch it from them directly, which made them even more disgusting than plundering robbers. However, after what happened this time, he reckoned that the Reinharts wouldn¡¯t dare to push their luck with them again. Once again, Timothy thanked Edward. ¡°Thank you, really, and to President Sawyer as well.¡± Edward shook his head. ¡°This is not a big deal. But your head isn¡¯t something which can recover in a night. Who knows what your sister would feel if she found out about this.¡± It was fine before Tessa was mentioned. Upon the mention of his sister, Timothy shriveled and lost all the guts he had when he was at the Reinhart Residence. Even though he did this to avenge Tessa, she should never ever find out about this. Otherwise, she would definitely me herself once she saw his injury. Anxiously, Timothy tugged Edward¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Mr. Jackson, please do me a favor and don¡¯t let my sister find out.¡¯ Edward chuckled unwittingly. ¡°You¡¯re afraid now, eh? Do you think she wouldn¡¯t find out what you did if I don¡¯t tell her? Do you think that your sister hurt her eyes instead of her shoulder?¡± ¡°You can make up an excuse¡­ Please help me hide this from her. She¡¯ll believe it,¡± Timothy pleaded, looking at Edward intently. While they were speaking, they soon reached the hospital, and Edward brought him to have his wound bandaged. After taking one look at the cut, the doctor grumbled helplessly, ¡°Why can¡¯t youngsters like you talk things over peacefully instead of getting into a fight at the slightest disagreement? Why do you even bother toe to the hospital?¡± Feeling a little embarrassed, Timothy smiled sheepishly. ¡°Doctor, how long will this take to recover?¡± The doctor gave him a once-over. Seeing his clean-cut features and noticing the polite tone he used when speaking, he had a good impression of him, but he still spoke rather strictly. ¡°This will take a while, and you need to take good care of this injury. Even though it¡¯s only skin-deep, it would have caused a head concussion if more force was used. You¡¯re afraid now that the fight is over? You don¡¯t look like a bad kid to me, so it¡¯s better to keep your cool in the future.¡± Timothy hurriedly nodded his head. ¡°I learned my lesson now.¡± Seeing that Timothy had returned to his docile and sensible self, Edward thought that it was rather amusing. When they were finished with the dressing and the doctor had given his advice and precautions, Edward brought Timothy with him to report to Nichs. In the ward, Tessa was still sleeping, and Nichs went out of the room when he saw that they were back. Looking at the bandages on Timothy¡¯s head, Nichs couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What happened?¡± While Timothy was feeling embarrassed and didn¡¯t know where to begin, Edward had no psychological burden and exined in his stead. In just a few words, he recounted what happened at the Reinhart Residence. Nichs knitted his brows but didn¡¯t lecture Timothy about anything. Even though he had acted impulsively, it was also understandable. Timothy could do this for his sister, and the fact that he didn¡¯t even regret after getting hurt showed that he was a warrior. Not only that, but it also showed that he wasn¡¯t someone to hide behind his sister whenever something cropped up. Still, even if Nichs could understand what he was thinking, he didn¡¯t approve of his actions. In this aspect, this pair of siblings were incredibly simr-both of them wanted the best for each other but didn¡¯t care about what would happen to themselves and the consequences they would cause. Not caring about the consequences of one¡¯s actions and merely having emotions would make them a fool who could be easily manipted by others. ¡°This time, you were fine because Edward tagged along, but I would advise you not to be so rash and think about it carefully if something happened next time. If it was someone else instead of Ss today, and you rushed there to try to solve the problem with violence, you should have ended up in jail regardless of your reasoning.¡± In reply, Timothy nodded and said, ¡°Thank you, President Sawyer. I understand.¡± Back at the Reinharts¡¯, Amber was still infuriated after Edward took Timothy away. ¡°I really wonder what¡¯s the problem with you. He¡¯s merely a stinky rascal. Why are you afraid of him? It¡¯s not like he¡¯d eat you or something. And you let him go just like that. Are you even my son at all? Can¡¯t you have a little more backbone?¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Chapter 164 At that moment, Ss was slightly impatient as he voiced out, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, so stop causing trouble by unnecessarily interfering!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He thought, Judging by the situation at Reinhart Group right now, I still need to depend on the two of them. Everyone in this home keeps causing trouble for me! In the end, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s implicated and have to suffer all that humiliation too! As soon as Amber heard that, she angrily retorted, ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s causing trouble?! Yeah, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. That¡¯s right; I¡¯m just causing trouble here. Alright then, I won¡¯t interfere in your affairs from now on! You can do whatever you want. They¡¯ve turned up at our door to berate us and besides not joining me in chasing them off, you¡¯re even being so nonchnt about it now.¡± Meanwhile, he was full of frustration upon hearing her words. ¡°Mom, you know I didn¡¯t mean it that way, but we really can¡¯t afford to offend Mr. Jackson.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve just reminded me. Right, that guy was brought home by your darling son. He¡¯s such an ungrateful kid andcking in manners! I must say, we should have strangled him to death in the past. At least he wouldn¡¯t have been able to return to target us.¡± ¡°Timothy has the guts to actually bring someone back home and behave so atrociously too. I reckon that you were too easy on him with that blow you gave him. You should have just skinned him alive and I¡¯m sure that would teach him a lesson to think twice before he makes a move.¡± Ss couldn¡¯te up with the words to retort. After all, Timothy was no longer the submissive kid who could be bullied around. He had the help of the Sawyer Group and even Ss didn¡¯t dare to cross them. Suddenly, Sophia tugged on Ss¡¯ arm. ¡°Dad, it hurts so much. That b*stard, Timothy, whacked me and it hurts so badly. Hurry up and send me to the hospital.¡± At that moment, he was quite mad after Amber had berated him. As soon as he heard Sophia¡¯s sobs, the frustration in him welled up and he instantly pped her. ¡°This is all a result of what you¡¯ve done! You deserve all this!¡± Meanwhile, she had an incredulous look on her face. ¡°Dad, you didn¡¯t object to it when I suggested for us to seek help from Master Finch. You guys supported me, didn¡¯t you? Why am I being med for this right now?¡± However, Ss angrily responded, ¡°Did I support you?! Did I even say a word back then? Did you inform me that you were going to trick the person to such a location? I shouldn¡¯t have trusted you at all back then!¡± After he finished saying that, he went upstairs immediately without bothering to even nce at her. Then, Sophia eximed with a shocked expression, ¡°Dad!¡± However, Ss didn¡¯t even bother to turn back and all she could see was a coldly, indifferent back. As soon as she saw that, she was angered beyond words and she clenched her fingers into a tight fist, which caused her fingernails to be deeply embedded within her palms. She had an extremely angry look in her eyes to the point where her features were distorted. Tessa and Timothy! You two better watch out! I won¡¯t let you two get away with this! Meanwhile, in the hospital, Tessa had only woken up from her deep slumber the following day. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw that Nichs was in the room alone. Slightly stunned, she sat up and asked in confusion, ¡°You¡­ Why are you still here? Where¡¯s Timothy?¡± Shouldn¡¯t it be Timothy here? ¡°He went back to school,¡± he replied calmly. Tessa didn¡¯t think too much upon hearing that and she nodded her head slightly before scrutinizing him for a short while. She noticed that he was still in his clothes from the day before and she guessed that he must have been here the whole night, so she mentioned, ¡°Thank you for your helpst night, President Sawyer.¡± Meanwhile, Nichs coldly responded, ¡°You seem to be able to easily express your gratitude verbally, but I can¡¯t sense any sincerity at all! Tessa Reinhart! If you actually intend to thank me, then you shouldn¡¯t keep running away! Are you such a scaredy-cat?!¡± Then, Tessa was stunned by his rebuke and it took her a short while to understand his words. She was indeed running away from the issue. Ever since she had been discharged from the hospital, she had been avoiding both Nichs and Gregory. However, there was no point in running away because the issue had still remained. This was something that had been at the back of her mind all this while and she found herself quite overwhelmed by it. Right now, Nichs took the initiative to bring up the issue, so she should take this opportunity today to make things clear. Tessa lowered her eyes. ¡°Well, since this is the case¡­ President Sawyer, I would like to have a chat with you.¡± In response, he lifted his brow and stared at her as his breathing hitched slightly. He seemed to be able to predict what she was going to say. Soon, she mentioned, ¡°My hand is useless now. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to recover and I also don¡¯t know whether I¡¯ll be able to return to my previous state after my recovery. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯ll be able to continue ying the violin.¡± She took a deep breath and her tone was slightly anguished. ¡°Gregory¡¯s still quite young and he is very talented. Besides, his time is precious too. I¡¯m keen to continue, but I¡¯m no longer able to be of any help so I shouldn¡¯t be selfish and waste his time by being an obstacle in his road to sess.¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Chapter 165 ¡°Based on the Sawyers¡¯ prestigious family background, you should be able to easily hire another teacher. Compared to me, there would be many more talented people out there who can guide Gregory. Besides, I have other personal reasons that I can¡¯t disclose, so I hope that you¡¯ll understand my decision and allow me to leave.¡± At that point, Tessa thought that she could finally heave a sigh of relief when she finished her words, but the ache in her heart seemed to amplify in intensity to the point where she found herself slightly breathless. Despite that, she continued to maintain her silence and kept her eyes on Nichs. She had decided that she wanted to speak up and resolve everything today. As soon as Nichs heard that, his expression darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare forget about the deal we had!¡± Meanwhile, Tessa responded, ¡°I can pay the penalty.¡± However, her words triggered him and he coldly mentioned, ¡°Tessa, I¡¯ve really underestimated you!¡± After he had said that, he turned around and coldly strode off. He could tell that Tessa was adamant to leave. Meanwhile, he wasn¡¯t one to continuously retain someone and since she didn¡¯t intend to stay back, then there was really no need to force her. Meanwhile, in Dynasty Garden, Nichs had just arrived home and immediately went into his room. There was a cold look on his face as he took a shower and changed his clothes. He hadn¡¯t slept at all the night before and it merely added onto the inexplicable anger he currently felt, making the current expression on his face rather ugly. Gregory was in his room when he distinctly heard the sound of Nichs arriving home. He immediately didn¡¯t even bother to change his clothes and he ran to Nichs¡¯ room in his pair of little cow pajamas. Besides, he also carried in his arms a fluffy little plush toy. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re up,¡± Nichs noted. Gregory rubbed his eyes and spoke in a childish voice, ¡°I had a bad dream and Miss Tessa told me before to look for her if I had a bad dream. I can¡¯t seem to find her. Daddy, I miss her a lot.¡± As soon as Nichs heard Gregory mention that he missed Tessa, his own expression darkened before he responded, ¡°You can look for me too, though.¡± ¨C ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Meanwhile, Gregory didn¡¯t realize that Nichs was in a foul mood and continued to ask expectantly, ¡°Where¡¯s Miss Tessa? When is sheing back? It¡¯s been so many days and I really want to see her.¡± At that point, Nichs noticed that Gregory couldn¡¯t stop mentioning Tessa and at that point, Nichs¡¯ anger had reached its boiling point in which he couldn¡¯t contain himself. ¡°Don¡¯t you have other things to do? If she wants toe back, then she will. There¡¯s no need to wait for her! If she doesn¡¯t want to come back, then you shouldn¡¯t force it. You must be having too much free time on your hands to be able to think of all this. From now on, your daily homework will be doubled! That will keep you busy so that you won¡¯t have the time to mention all this.¡± At that moment, Gregory was momentarily stunned by Nichs¡¯ sudden fierce outburst. Nheless, he was an intelligent child, so he instantly understood the meaning behind Nichs¡¯ words. All of a sudden, the tears swam in his eyes as he mentioned in an aggrieved tone, ¡°Miss Tessa¡­ Is she gone forever?¡± However, Nichs remained silent. Gregory immediately knew the answer and the hopeful glint in his eyes gradually dissipated. In the end, he didn¡¯t say a word and turned around to leave. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Young Master Gregory?¡± At that moment, Andrew had intended toe and inform Nichs that breakfast was ready, but he noticed a dejected Gregory walking out of the room. Meanwhile, Nichs, who generally doted on the child very much, had a cold look too. As such, Andrew couldn¡¯t help asking out of curiosity. In response, Nichs coldly mentioned, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just ignore him.¡± Then, Andrew was tempted to say something but held his tongue since Nichs was in a foul mood. However, Andrew couldn¡¯t help thinking, Master Nichs has always doted on Young Master Gregory, and whatever that Young Master Gregory is after, Master Nichs would always give it to him. What¡¯s going on right now? Meanwhile, Nichs realized that Gregory was surely throwing a tantrum right now but the former didn¡¯t bother to coax thetter. Everyone in this house dotes on him so much and he gets his way all the time. Each time he encounters anything that makes him unhappy, he would definitely throw a tantrum. This time, I want him to understand that he can¡¯t always have his way! No one is obligated to sacrifice themself for him. Nichs was adamant not to pamper him so much anymore. After Nichs finished his breakfast, he returned to thepany where he had consecutive meetings for the entire morning before dealing with some paperwork too. It was finally mid-afternoon when he suddenly received a call from home. It was Andrew on the line. ¡°Master Nichs, Young Master Gregory has locked himself in his room and refused to eat lunch. What should we do now? Could you perhapse home for a short while?¡± he asked with a worried voice. As soon as Nichs heard that Gregory refused to eat, he instinctively grabbed his jacket and made his way out of the room. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Shortly after that, Nichs paused in his tracks, though, and ced his jacket in its original position. Subsequently, he coldly eximed, ¡°Ignore him.¡± ¡°Then again, Young Master Gregory is a growing child and this would be bad for his development.¡± Andrew expressed his worries. At this moment, Nichs¡¯s expression darkened, but he steeled himself and said, ¡°He can starve then. Once he feels hungry, he would naturallye out to get some food.¡± ¡°But-¡± Andrew was just about to express himself, but Nichs had already hung up the phone. With a sigh, Andrew could only stand by the entrance and continue to coax Gregory. ¡°Young Master Gregory, stop throwing a tantrum. Come out and eat something. There are your favorite sweet pork ribs for lunch.¡± However, Gregory ignored him. A resigned Andrewmented, How can Master Nichs be so heartless and just let Young Master Gregory starve? Young Master Gregory¡¯s such an adorable child and it would be such a shame if he were to starve for a long time! Ultimately, Gregory didn¡¯t step out of his room for the entire afternoon. Meanwhile, Nichs stayed back in the office to work, but he was preupied for the entire duration. In the evening, he had left before it was time to clock off from work to head home. As soon as he entered the house, Andrew instantly greeted him, ¡°Master Nichs, Young Master Gregory hasn¡¯t eaten anything yet and it¡¯s been a whole day.¡± Then, Nichs couldn¡¯t help himself from frowning. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the music room,¡± Andrew responded. Nichs casually flung his suit aside and quickly made his way to the music room. As soon as he entered the doorway, he noticed that Gregory had a violin in his arms and he had fallen asleep on the couch. There were droplets of tears evident on his eyelids while he continued to sniffle even in his sleep. Evidently, he had fallen asleep from the exhaustion of all that crying. Then, Nichs patted Gregory. ¡°Wake up. Let¡¯s go and have some food.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, Gregory was woken up from his sleep and he rubbed his eyes sleepily. As soon as he saw his dad¡¯s face, he immediately responded with a pout. Shortly after that, his expression darkened as he turned his head in the other direction to avoid looking at Nichs. Meanwhile, Stefania got word of Gregory¡¯s hunger strike, so she hurriedly came over with Tobias and Kieran. The two older adults noticed Gregory clutching his violin as soon as they walked in. Meanwhile, they felt a pang in their hearts upon seeing him sitting on the couch with an aggrieved expression. At this moment, she hurried forward and asked, ¡°My little precious, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you refusing to eat? Did something bad happen to you? Or, is it because Daddy has bullied you? Let me know and I¡¯ll stand up for you.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Kieran quickly added, ¡°Yeah, Greg. I¡¯ll definitely stand on your side too! Tell us what¡¯s wrong. Don¡¯t keep it to yourself. It¡¯s not good to keep everything to yourself.¡± Subsequently, Tobias coaxed Gregory too. ¡°Greg, you can tell me what happened.¡± Everyone tried hard and took turns to coax Gregory, but he chose to remain silent as he mechanically toyed with his violin. ¡°Gregory, could you at least say something? Don¡¯t make me worried.¡± Stefania then hastily reached out to hug him. However, before her hands had even touched him, he immediately pushed her hand aside. Suddenly, the entire music room descended into silence. Stefania was quite affected by his actions. Her heart ached very much as she was quite despondent, but she forced a smile. ¡°Greg, I thought I was your favorite person? Come, let me give you a hug. Tell me what¡¯s affecting you.¡± However, Gregory kept his head lowered without saying a word as he ignored everyone. At that point, Nichs lost his temper upon seeing Gregory¡¯s stubborn attitude. ¡°Gregory Sawyer, watch your attitude!¡± However, Gregory remained indifferent. Nichs suddenly red up and he instantly yelled, ¡°You¡¯re grounded, so go and stand in the corner. Don¡¯te over until you¡¯ve realized your mistake!¡± As soon as Gregory heard that, he finally turned his head to look at Nichs. However, he merely shot a cold, indifferent look at Nichs and took his violin with him to stand at a corner. His stubborn little figure stood out prominently. Stefania couldn¡¯t bear to see Gregory being punished and she turned tosh out at Nichs, ¡°Why can¡¯t you talk to him nicely?! Why did you yell at him?! Sweetheart,e over to me.¡± However, Gregory stood there without moving an inch and he expressed his stubbornness by keeping his back to them. Meanwhile, Kieran was filled with curiosity upon seeing everything and he nced toward Nichs while speaking softly, ¡°Gregory must be throwing a tantrum because of Miss Murphy again, right? Why did you fire her again out of nowhere?¡± As soon as Nichs heard that, his expression darkened significantly. ¡°She was the one who wanted to leave and I tried to retain her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get this. She¡¯s well-paid and this is such a great opportunity for her to get close to the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family. This is a job that so many others would have fought tooth and nail for! can¡¯t believe that she would actually reject it.¡± Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Kieran was significantly surprised. However, he noticed that Nichs had a thunderous look, so he immediately returned to normalcy and said, ¡°Uhh, well, this is a great thing too. After all¡­ Gregory¡¯s too dependent on her and it¡¯s not good for him.¡± Nichs didn¡¯t respond, but his expression turned darker than ever. As soon as Kieran saw Nichs¡¯s reaction, he suddenly found the situation quite interesting. ¡°Nichs, your current reaction is¡­ Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re reluctant to see her leave too?¡± At that point, Nichs shot a cold re at Kieran. However, Kieran couldn¡¯t care less as he continued with his words, ¡°Oh, by the way! Didn¡¯t you intend to investigate her background earlier on? What¡¯s the progress?¡± Then, Nichs¡¯s expression turned colder than before. ¡°I didn¡¯t find out anything about her.¡± At the hospital, Timothy removed the dressing on his forehead before covering the wound with his fringe. Once that was done, he entered Tessa¡¯s room once again. The hospital room was exceptionally quiet and he scanned the surroundings, but he realized that Nichs was nowhere to be found. Besides, there was noptop or documents strewn around, so it looked like Nichs had already left. Slightly surprised, he asked, ¡°Tessa, where¡¯s President Sawyer?¡± Meanwhile, Tessa calmly responded, ¡°He went home and he won¡¯t being anymore.¡± ¡°Why? Did you guys have a disagreement?¡± Timothy had a perplexed look. At this moment, she lowered her gaze. ¡°No, I don¡¯t n to continue teaching Gregory and he¡¯s not obligated to take care of me, so I sent him home.¡± At that point, Timothy nced at Tessa and found that she sounded quite calm and rxed, although he astutely sensed that she seemed slightly unhappy. Nheless, as she had no intention of divulging anything, he didn¡¯t bother to pursue the matter. His only wish now was for her to recover as soon as possible. ¡°Tess, do you feel better today?¡± he asked her in a gentle voice. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better.¡± However, she hesitated slightly before adding, ¡°Timothy, 1 find it quite boring in the hospital and since there¡¯s nothing wrong with me now, there¡¯s really no point staying here. Let¡¯s go home, alright?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t take your word for it. I¡¯ll have to ask your doctor first. If he agrees, I¡¯ll bring you home.¡± He was aware that Tessa felt ufortable staying in the hospital, but he was quite worried about her condition at the same time. Anything rted to Tessa was of utmost importance to him, so he would never respond haphazardly. After he had said that, Timothy subsequently went to look for her doctor. The doctor ran some checks on her and confirmed that her wound was recovering well before nodding his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to continue administering antibiotic infusion for you, so you can go home if you want to. However, you must remember to be careful with your injury. If you want to continue ying the violin, then you must get plenty of rest and avoid straining the injured area. If your injury worsens, you might not be able to recover from it again.¡± As soon as Tessa heard that, she nodded solemnly. ¡°Thanks, doctor. I¡¯ll definitely be cautious.¡± Meanwhile, Timothy also followed suit and thanked the doctor profusely. Meanwhile, at Sawyer Group. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°President Sawyer, Miss Reinhart has made arrangements to be discharged from the hospital. I think she should have arrived at Regal Gardens by now.¡± Edward had just received word from the hospital, so he mentioned this to Nichs immediately after reporting about work to him. Meanwhile, Nichs coldly replied, ¡°Do you have too much time on your hands? Are you paid so much by Sawyer Group to report on such trivial matters? From now on, don¡¯t mention anything that¡¯s rted to her to me.¡± As soon as Edward heard that, he was slightly perplexed. I thought that they were fine yesterday, but today¡­ Nheless, it was Nichs¡¯ personal matter, so Edward didn¡¯t dare to ask too many questions. After all, it was wise to avoid trouble by not getting involved too much as the most important thing for him was to focus on his job. He awkwardly nodded. ¡°Sure, President Sawyer.¡± After Edward left the room, Nichs looked at the document in his hands as a sudden sense of frustration welled up within him. Suddenly, he lost all of his motivation to continue working. Since it was close to the time to get off work, he gathered his belongings and prepared to leave earlier. He wanted to head home to see what Gregory, who was still in a bad mood, was doing. Nichs arrived at Dynasty Gardens and asked Andrew as soon as he entered the house, ¡°Where¡¯s Gregory?¡± ¡°Young Master Gregory is in the music room. He locked himself there again as soon as you left, but he did eat something in the afternoon,¡± Andrew mentioned with a slight wince. I really don¡¯t get what¡¯s wrong with the two of them! Why are things in such a state? Meanwhile, Nichs nodded. Okay, it¡¯s great that he has eaten. At least he¡¯s not silly enough to actually go on a hunger strike to protest. His tantrum doesn¡¯t usuallyst long. Generally, he would be able to interact with Gregory the following day, so he intended to have a talk with Gregory to help him see sense. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Nichs casually flung his jacket toward Andrew and made his way into the music room. He saw that Gregory had his back facing the door and staring at the violin usually used by Tessa with a zed look. The boy did not move an inch and seemed to be lost in thoughts. Suddenly, Gregory noticed the sh of shadow that seemed to being toward him, so he came to his senses and turned to look toward the door. However, his expression turned cold as soon as he saw that it was Nichs. He merely gave a cold snort before turning in the other direction once again without even caring to greet Nichs at all. ¡°Are you done throwing tantrums?¡± Nichs coldly questioned Gregory. Meanwhile, Gregory responded coldly as well, ¡°I just want Miss Tessa back. Get her back for me.¡± ¡°Gregory Sawyer, you should know when to stop even though you may be upset. No one will be there for you forever in this world. Some people are just meant to appear in your life for a short while before leaving. She¡¯s one example and there will be many more others like her in the future. You can¡¯t force them to stay by your side forever.¡± Nichs suppressed his anger and exined to Gregory. Gregory had also calmed down after being upset for the past two days, so he nonchntly nced back at Nichs and spoke in a calm voice, ¡°There¡¯s no need to preach to me. I¡¯m not a three-year-old kid and I understand everything that you just said. However, every other person can leave my life and it doesn¡¯t concern me. I wouldn¡¯t care about it either. Miss Tessa is the exception. She must not be a stranger to me. I know that you guys don¡¯t like her, but I do and that¡¯s all that matters! I won¡¯t allow you all to point fingers at her. I want her in my life and no one can stop me!¡± As soon as Gregory finished his words, he didn¡¯t even bother to cast another look at Nichs and immediately walked out of the music room to return to his own room. Meanwhile, at Sawyer Residence, Andrew respectfully asked Remus, ¡°Sir, I heard that Young Master Gregory has been depressed for the past two days since Miss Reinhart left. He even went on a hunger strike the entire day yesterday. Do you want to go over and visit him?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Miss Reinhart? Remus remained lost in his thoughts for a moment before finally linking the name to a face as he slowly recalled. ¡°I found that youngdy quite familiar-looking when I first met her. I feel like I¡¯ve seen her from somewhere before. During our second encounter, I was too worried about Gregory, so I didn¡¯t pay attention to her. Come to think about it, something seems amiss¡­¡± Then, he paused for a short while and spoke slowly, ¡°I have a strong feeling that she looks like the youngdy who delivered Gregory back then.¡± As soon as Andrew heard that, he was significantly stunned. The whole thing had been orchestrated by Remus back then and he had been by Remus¡¯ side the whole time, so he naturally knew everything that happened. However, so many years had gone by and they had nearly forgotten about the whole thing. Logically speaking, the youngdy had no idea of their identities back then, so it seemed quite odd to suddenly bring this up. Andrew tried to reassure himself by saying, ¡°Well, I think she shouldn¡¯t be that youngdy, right? Perhaps this is all just a coincidence?¡± Meanwhile, Remus shook his head and exined, ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be just a coincidence. There are too many issues in this matter. Go and investigate this properly and investigate whether she¡¯s the one or not. If she is, we must stop them from seeing each other before the whole thing gets exposed. She must not step foot into the Sawyer Family.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Andrew nodded solemnly. The next morning, Remus had just gotten out of bed when Andrew appeared by his bedside. ¡°What¡¯s the result of the investigation?¡± Remus asked in a low voice. ¡°Sir, it is her indeed. These are her details.¡± Andrew nodded and handed over two documents. One of them contained the details of the youngdy from their selection process and the other one had Tessa¡¯s details. Meanwhile, the contents in both of the documents were exactly the same. Remus wore his sses and took a look at Tessa¡¯s photo with narrowed eyes. So many years had gone by since the episode and she had changed drastically. Back then, she was just a college student and looked way younger than she was right now. Over the years, there had been a significant change in her disposition too. As such, he had merely caught a quick glimpse of her twice, which was why he hadn¡¯t been able to identify her at that point. At that moment, Remus spoke in a low voice, ¡°This is unexpected indeed. She is actually Gregory¡¯s mother.¡± Blood was thicker than water so it made sense that Gregory was so dependent on her. After he had seen her for the first time ever, he then requested to hire an unknown orchestra for his birthday celebration. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Besides, Nichs¡¯ actions were rather strange too. There were so many other professional musicians to choose from but somehow, he adhered to Gregory¡¯s wishes and chose someone like her without too many credentials. Has he started to suspect something? Then, Andrew noticed that Remus¡¯ expression was quite solemn so he asked in a soft voice, ¡°Sir, what should we do now?¡± Meanwhile, Remus paused to think before responding, ¡°You should start making some preparations and select a few youngdies from reputable families. Make sure that theye from good backgrounds and have exceptional personalities. Let¡¯s find a match for him and get his marriage sorted first.¡± As soon as Andrew heard that, he asked, ¡°Sir, didn¡¯t Mrs. Sawyer previously arrange for that? She picked Miss Roselle Gingham from the Gingham family. Isn¡¯t she a suitable candidate?¡± Remus snorted coldly. ¡°That girl from the Gingham Family? No, she¡¯s not suitable. That girl doesn¡¯t have pure intentions. Although she¡¯s a worthy match for our family, she¡¯s quite good at putting up pretenses. In fact, she dislikes Gregory, so she¡¯s not a good candidate.¡± He added in a low voice, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t mind about anything else except for one single request. The person must be truly fond of Gregory and treat him well. Other than that, I can temporarily overlook the rest.¡± Remus was someone excellent at judging a person from their character, so he could tell with just a single nce what the other party was thinking. Roselle and her mother, Yana, were no match for him yet. Although they pretended to be gentle and caring in front of him, and had lovingly fawned after Gregory, he had actually seen through their facade. Previously, the incident with Gregory being poisoned was also the despicable plot of this mother daughter duo. They had done that to approach Nichs. In the end, the conclusion was that while Roselle was innocent and Yana had taken all of the me, Remus didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make arrangements right away.¡± Andrew hastily nodded his head. Andrew had been working for Remus for so many years, so he naturally knew that Remus had an excellent judgment of a person¡¯s character. The people whom he disapproved of all ended up being worthless ones, so no matter how sincere they acted, their true selves would be revealed in the end as well. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Meanwhile, at Dynasty Gardens, Nichs had no idea of Remus¡¯ n and he arrived at the manor with Kieran in tow. As soon as Andrew saw the two brothers arriving, he quickly walked forward to greet them, ¡°Master Nichs and Master Kieran, you¡¯re back. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± Kieran then smiled and nodded. ¡°Are there any of my favorites for dinner today?¡± ¡°There is. Otherwise, do you want to add any extra dishes Master Kieran?¡± Andrew responded with a smile. Meanwhile, Nichs couldn¡¯t help slightly frowning upon noticing the duo¡¯s interaction. Everything seemed to be pretty much the same in the manor, but he somehow felt that itcked some human presence. Ever since Tessa had left, Gregory seemed to revert to his previous self two years ago when Nichs had just returned. Back then, Gregory was not used to Nichs¡¯s presence, so he was exceptionally resistant to Nichs. Whenever he looked at Nichs, Gregory generally had an indifferent and distant look in his eyes. It was pretty much history repeating itself. As soon as Nichs thought of Tessa, he couldn¡¯t help his frustration. Meanwhile, Kieran didn¡¯t realize that there was a change in Nichs¡¯ mood and scanned the surroundings. ¡°Where¡¯s Gregory?¡± ¡°Young Master Gregory is in the music room,¡± Andrew mentioned with a sigh once again. At that moment, Kieran nced in the direction of the music room with worry. ¡°Nichs, we have to do something about it. We can¡¯t allow this to continue. Don¡¯t you think that Gregory seems slightly depressedtely? I¡¯ve always been his favorite Uncle Kieran but now, no matter how hard I try to coax him, he keeps ignoring me.¡± Nichs coldly responded, ¡°Stop being nosy about our matters here. You should focus on performing well at your job.¡± ¡°But then, Nichs-¡± Kieran attempted to continue with his advice, but before he could finish his sentence, Nichs had shot such a sharp look that he instantly held his tongue there and then. That expression of his is scary¡­ Kieran didn¡¯t dare to continue with his words but he thought, It¡¯s okay, you can treat Gregory like this right now. However, in the future, when you want to restore ties with him, you¡¯ll finally have a taste of your own medicine! I give up! Meanwhile, now that Tessa was back home, she was resting well and didn¡¯t have much to do on a daily basis. Her injury hadn¡¯t fully healed yet, so the orchestra had also sought out another assistant concertmaster and didn¡¯t need her there at all. Besides, she had also resigned from the job of guiding Gregory, so her originally busy life seemed to be on halt at the moment. Generally, most people would enjoy some rxing time, but having nothing to do all of a sudden was something that Tessa couldn¡¯t quite get used to just yet. She was like a couch potato day in and day out to the point where she was bored with such a sedentary lifestyle. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Chapter 170 It was a coincidence that Timothy was recently about to start his ownpany, so she had followed him to the site. ¡°Tess! Stop walking around and put down that piece of cloth!¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Tessa had just taken a piece of dishcloth in her hand and she was about to wipe the table with it when he hollered at her to stop. He instantly strode forward and took away the cloth in her hands. ¡°You said that you were just here to have a browse and don¡¯t do anything else. Just rx and have a rest. Have you forgotten what the doctor instructed? You need plenty of rest right now, so don¡¯t exert yourself with all these menial jobs.¡± As soon as Henry heard that, he couldn¡¯t contain hisughter. ¡°That¡¯s right, Tessa. The two of us are fully grown adults, so trust us, we can definitely handle all these minor jobs! You should just sit back and rx.¡± Meanwhile, Tessa was slightly helpless. ¡°Only my shoulders are injured, but my limbs are perfectly fine. I¡¯m just wiping the table, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m fine with doing that. An adequate amount of exercise will be beneficial for my recovery, you know.¡± A resigned Timothy then spoke up as soon as he heard that, ¡°Tess, stoping up with all sorts of excuses to find odd jobs for yourself. I clearly remember your doctor¡¯s words. You¡¯ll have the chance to attend some recovery exercises in the future, but it¡¯s not the time for that now.¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, his expression suddenly became solemn. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to experience any more hardships. In the past, it was because I didn¡¯t have the capability, but everything has now changed. Just take a break when you need to. Whatever it is, the most important thing is to recover from your injury.¡± Tessa knew that Timothy was merely being considerate, but she couldn¡¯t quite shake off the sadness within her. It wasn¡¯t that she refused to take a break, but she didn¡¯t know what else she could do during that period. Not to mention, the fact that she felt a strong emptiness within her to the point where she felt rather useless. Meanwhile, Henry noticed that Tessa was rather moody, so he paused for a moment before mentioning, ¡°By the way, Tessa, I heard from a friend who is a major in music that there will be an extremely popr orchestraing to perform in Brentwood soon. Would you be interested to attend?¡± ¡°Is it the Berlin Philharmonic? I¡¯ve already known about it for quite a while now, but they¡¯re a famous orchestra, so the tickets were well sought-after. As soon as the tickets went on sale, it was sold out almost instantly. There are no more tickets avable.¡± As he wasn¡¯t a major in music after all, he didn¡¯t know much about this. As such, Henry was shocked to learn about it, but he ultimately found it a shame. ¡°Is that so? I thought that there would be some tickets avable. That¡¯s such a pity.¡± Tessa stayed on for a while longer, but she realized that not only was her presence merely useless, others had to be mindful and work around her. Their efficiency hadrgely reduced as a result of that, so she decided to head home. After she left, Timothy nudged Henry on the shoulder. ¡°Hey, Henry. I need a favor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up? Just say it.¡± Henry smiled at Timothy as he spoke. Meanwhile, Timothy was slightly abashed. ¡°You¡¯re friends with a lot of music majors, aren¡¯t you? Could you help me to find out whether anyone has managed to get tickets for the orchestra? I can pay them double the price that they paid.¡± Henry smiled in response. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re buddies so there¡¯s no need to be so courteous with me. Even if you didn¡¯t ask for this favor, I would definitely ask on Tessa¡¯s behalf too.¡± It was at this moment when Timothy smiled and he was about to say something when his cell phone interrupted with its ringing. When he answered, it was Nichs on the line. ¡°President Sawyer, do you need something from me?¡± Timothy asked. At that moment, Nichs¡¯ calm voice rang out. ¡°I need you toe over to the Sawyer Group now.¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Timothy was slightly confused. ¡°The software that you developed has slightly malfunctioned during the execution stage, so we¡¯ve stopped using it for the moment,¡± Nichs replied. As soon as Timothy heard that it was a software issue, he hurriedly responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± Henry had also heard the details of the conversation as well. As soon as Timothy hung up the phone, a worried Henry asked, ¡°Hey, how about I go along with you?¡± At that moment, Timothy grabbed his jacket and spoke while wearing it, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can handle it by myself. I¡¯m sorry, though. You¡¯ll have to tidy up the ce on your own. Once you¡¯re done, head back for some rest.¡± ¡°Okay then, let me know if you need any help.¡± Henry nodded. Shortly after that, Timothy headed off toward the Sawyer Group as fast as he could. This was by far his most important project and the most prospective one that he was currently involved in. Moreover, this was also the venture that earned him his first profits, so he couldn¡¯t allow anything to happen to this project. Otherwise, it would result in unrecoverable consequences for his future company and he was definitely concerned about the issue. ¡°President Sawyer, may I know what the issue is?¡± Timothy didn¡¯t waste any time at all and he went straight to the point as soon as he entered the office. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Apart from Kieran and Nichs, the office was bustling with people. At this moment, Nichs raised his head and looked at Timothy. ¡°Come over here and take a look for yourself.¡± After giving a slight nod of his head, Timothy walked over to theputer. Next to him was a technician clicking on the screen. ¡°There¡¯s a problem here-it looks like something invisible is blocking the video. I¡¯ve tried several methods, but haven¡¯t been able to bypass it no matter how I try to start the program. Is there a bug?¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± With that, Timothy¡¯s fingers began to fly so rapidly across the keyboard that the only evidence of what he was doing was the sound of the keyboard cking. Not longter, he pressed the Enter key and stopped moving. The light that indicated the software was working lit up and the originally frozen video began to y as well. Following that, ethereal music began to y in the background. ¡°Is it working now?¡± the technician asked with some surprise. It was after Timothy inclined his head once more that he exined, ¡°It¡¯s not a bug. It¡¯s a hidden protection software that I previously installed. As I was afraid that our information would be stolen, installed the software and was prepared to unveil it on the eve of the listing, but kept forgetting to inform you guys about it. I apologize for the trouble.¡± Hearing that, Nichs lifted his head and deeply looked at Timothy. On the other hand, Kieran threw his arm around Timothy¡¯s neck with a smile. ¡°Who knew that you had such hidden depths, you little scoundrel? You¡¯re more capable than I thought.¡± In response, Timothy offered a somewhat embarrassed smile. The only reason why he had installed this software was precisely because of the incident where his computer had been snatched by Ss and Lauren. He was afraid of such a situation happening again. The technician was so astonished that hemented, ¡°How could we not have discovered it before?¡± ¡°I set it in such a way that it wouldn¡¯t lock unless the program was shut down,¡± Timothy exined. ¡°Since you had kept the program running before, you wouldn¡¯t have been locked out. Today must have been the first time you exited the program. I¡¯ll teach you how to unlock it now.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Since all the employees present were elites of the IT industry, the only reason why they had been bamboozled was because they hadn¡¯t known of the hidden protection software. Now that they were aware of it, they were quick to learn the method to unlock it. They understood the basics in a short while. Then, another technician asked, ¡°Are there other programs apart from this which are locked in a simr way?¡± ¡°Yes, I installed them on five programs in total. Each one has a different method of unlocking, which are these¡­¡± Timothy moved the mouse once again to point out the remaining four areas. Then, the technicians quickly memorized the methods to unlock the respective softwares. ¡°Not bad; you¡¯re very capable. We weren¡¯t able to discover this software even after working on it for ages.¡± An apologetic Timothy smile. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not mentioning it earlier, though. Once again, I¡¯m sorry.¡± After pointing out a few key parts for the technicians to take note of, he looked at Nichs. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else that you need, President Sawyer, I¡¯ll be leaving now. Do call me if there are any other questions.¡± Tilting his head, Nichs questioned, ¡°How¡¯s yourpany doing?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve found the physical space that we need and are beginning to hire people, but it¡¯ll take a while before we¡¯re on the right track,¡± Timothy replied. Nichs nodded. ¡°Let me know if there¡¯s anything you need my help with.¡± Although he was angry at Tessa¡¯s departure, he was not one to distinguish between personal and public affairs. Thus, he naturally wouldn¡¯t vent his anger on Timothy, who was not involved in the situation. Moreover, he had admired Timothy¡¯s way of resolving issues without dragging it out. Furthermore, he was a firm believer in fostering talent and Timothy was an IT genius who deserved his assistance. After a moment of hesitation, Timothy said with some embarrassment, ¡°There is a small matter that I may need your help with.¡± Looking up at him, Nichs responded, ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°The Berlin Philharmonic ising to Brentwood City to perform, but the tickets have been sold out. Sawyer Group has more influence and connections than me, so I was wondering whether you¡¯d be able to help me secure a ticket. Of course, it¡¯s okay if you aren¡¯t.¡± Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Since Nichs had already offered his assistance, Timothy was no longer bashful and instead made his request in a few short words. The moment that Timothy mentioned about an orchestra, Nichs didn¡¯t need any rification as he knew why Timothy was asking. Thus, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, but I¡¯ll have Edward ask around.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°How¡¯s your sister¡¯s injury?¡± An exasperated Timothy replied, ¡°She hasn¡¯t been able to sit still since leaving the hospital and keeps looking for something to do. That¡¯s why I want to get her a ticket to the concert. Otherwise, I have no idea how else she¡¯s going to keep herself busy.¡± Since he wasn¡¯t a chatty person, he ended the conversation at that point and simply thanked Nichs once more. However, Nichs¡¯ expression had slightly darkened at the statement. After Timothy left, he nced at Kieran and ordered, ¡°Handle this.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kieran asked in a somewhat manner. ¡°The tickets.¡± With that, Nichs swept out of the office, leaving his brother behind. Although Kieran was somewhat dumbfounded, he couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of his mouth upward when he recovered hisposure. It was because Nichs¡¯ actions had betrayed him. Despite being exasperated at Tessa that no one had dared to bring her name up in front of him for the past few days, here he was, so eager to help her find a ticket the moment the orchestra was brought up. Why was it that Kieran had to look for a ticket when Nichs was the one who made the promise, though? After thinking about it, he decided that his brother probably had hundreds of matters to attend to and would be too busy to personally look for a ticket. Very well. I can help with such a small matter. At the worst, I can get back at himter. Not long after Timothy returned to his workce, someone came by with a ticket. When he received the ticket, he thought to himself, Tessa would be thrilled to see it. He immediately went home as he was eager to see his sister¡¯s happy expression. ¡°Guess what I have for you, Tessa?¡± Timothy beamed at her the moment he entered the door. Taken aback, Tessa shook her head. ¡°What is it? You¡¯re acting so mysterious.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Look at what it is!¡± Timothy brandished the ticket in her face with a smile. Upon seeing the ticket that was difficult to obtain, she cried out with a pleasant surprise, ¡°What? Weren¡¯t they sold out? How did you get one?¡± Although he had been about to say ¡®through Nichs,¡¯ on a second thought, he decided that she wouldn¡¯t be thrilled if she knew that it was Nichs who helped now that she had drawn the line between them both. So, Timothy guiltily replied, ¡°A music teacher at school gave it to me. Something happened toe up in her schedule and she couldn¡¯t make it.¡± Tessa smiled in happiness. ¡°Thank you, my darling brother.¡± She hadn¡¯t been in a good mood as ofte and even though she went about her day with a smile, he had been able to sense that her emotions were forced, rather than it being genuine. It was only now that Tessa was genuinely ecstatic did Timothy breathe a sigh of relief. He had no other wish; it was only to give his sister a good life at any cost. Somewhat amused by him staring at her with a smile, Tessa asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Did you do something behind my back?¡± Timothy¡¯s grin broadened. ¡°Don¡¯t nder me. I¡¯m only d to see that you¡¯re happy.¡± After they chuckled at each other, he proposed, ¡°By the way, will youe with me to buy a car tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯lle along with you. It¡¯s about time that you have your own car, anyway,¡± Tessa agreed with a nod. The next morning, they set out for the car dealership together after getting ready for the day. Since there weren¡¯t many people in the shop that early in the morning, a salesperson greeted them the moment they entered the door. ¡°Sir, miss, is there anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to look at cars thatpanies use,¡± Timothy replied. The moment the salesperson heard that, he led them in the direction of an exhibition area while saying, ¡°We have many models here. Take a look at this one first-many people have been purchasing ittely.¡± Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Chapter 173 It was a brand that Timothy was familiar with-he had done some nning and studied all of the major car brands. The car that the salesperson showed them was pretty much what he had expected, but it didn¡¯t feel quite ssy enough. Since he was looking for a car for corporate use, he would have to look for something better. Although he was not a vain man, there were some principles of the industry that he understood. Since hispany was just starting, he would undoubtedly need to travel to his clients. If the car looked terrible, the client would inevitably doubt the ability of thepany and look down on it. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it to have such an unnecessary doubt. On the other hand, if the car was perfect, it would look like he tried too hard-not an oue that he wanted either ¡°Can I look at the Mercedes instead?¡± he asked, pointing at a ck Mercedes-Benz. The salesperson¡¯s eyes instantly brightened when that question was heard. ¡°Of course. You have good taste, sir. That model was released this year and some people have been purchasing it as well. It has sleek lines and good performance while being cost-effective. It¡¯s not that expensive.¡± The trio then walked over to the car. After getting into the car, Timothy tested out its different functions and how it felt under his hands before turning to look at Tessa. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± She nodded. This model was much better than the one they had previously looked at, and for someone who was about to start his ownpany, he was better suited driving a Mercedes as well. ¡°We¡¯ll take this one, then.¡± Timothy inclined his head at the salesperson before turning to Tessa. ¡°Next, let¡¯s look for a car for you.¡± ¡°Me? I don¡¯t need one.¡± Tessa waved her hands with a frown. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Although they were somewhat well-off now, they were not meant to be splurging their money. Now that he was about to start his ownpany, there would no doubt be a lot of ces in the future where he would need to spend money on. To spend it on a car for her would be too much of a waste! ¡°It¡¯s fine, Tessa. Let¡¯s get you one. I¡¯ve long thought about buying a car for you, and now that we¡¯re already here, we might as well get you one. Otherwise, we¡¯d have toe again in the future, and that would be so troublesome.¡± Although Timothy knew what his sister was worried about he¡¯d already decided beforeing over that he would get Tessa a car. After all, he wanted nothing but the best for her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to buy one for me. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m always on the go, anyway. The vehicle would only be sitting there and collecting dust, which would be such a waste.¡± Despite Timothy¡¯s reassurances, Tessa was still unwilling. Seeing that Timothy was extremely generous, the salesperson at the car dealership hurried to interject, ¡°It¡¯s rare for a brother to dote on his sister so much, miss. You should ept his gift. Even if you don¡¯t head out a lot, there might be a day when you¡¯ll need to leave the house. It¡¯lle in handy then. I¡¯ve been working here for at least five or six years, and this is the first time I¡¯m seeing a pair of siblings with such a good rtionship. Truly, I¡¯m envious! Since your brother wants to give you a car, why shouldn¡¯t you ept it?¡± An exasperated Tessa could only nod. ¡°It¡¯s for home use, so it needn¡¯t be too extravagant.¡± She quickly chose a car that was worth 250,000. By the time theypleted the paperwork, it was already noon. Since they were toozy to cook at home, the siblings dined outdoors before heading back: Upon arriving home, Timothy told his sister, ¡°I have to go to work, so I can¡¯t keep youpany this afternoon. Do be careful when you¡¯re home alone and don¡¯t do any heavybor, okay? If there¡¯s anything that you need done, just wait until I¡¯m home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tessa nodded with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a three-year-old. I don¡¯t need you to apany me. Quickly head back to work aspany matters are more important.¡± ¡°Be careful when you attend the concert tonight, then. Stay safe and call me when it ends so that I can head over to pick you up,¡± he exhorted softly. ¡°I know, I know.¡± Once again, she inclined her head. As she watched his confident figure leave the house, she felt in a much better mood. Without Tessa even noticing, Timothy had grown into an adult who was much more mature in speech and action than he was as a child. He had such a bright future as well and would be opening his own company in the blink of an eye. As she reflected on how he had changed these past few years, she suddenly realized that he doted on her so much that her motherly attitude had somehow turned into a maidenly one. Truly, she was all too grateful to have such a good younger brother. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Tessa went to select the outfit that she would wear to the concert in rather good spirits. In the end, she wore a dress in haze blue that had a tad bit of starry decoration before heading to the International Convention and Exhibition Center. Meanwhile, Nichs returned to Dynasty Gardens. Upon seeing him, the butler, Andrew, went forward to greet him, ¡°Master Nichs, Young Master Gregory has been in the music room for the entire day again.¡± Nodding his head, Nichs passed his coat to Andrew before striding off to the music room on the second floor. Gregory was inside wiping the violin strings with a special cloth so carefully that he didn¡¯t even notice when Nichs entered the room. His behavior caused Nichs to frown before calling out in exasperation, ¡°Greg.¡± When Gregory heard the greeting, he looked up before lowering his head to continue what he had been doing once he saw that it was Nichs. He carefully and mechanically wiped the strings while treating Nichs as an invisible person and didn¡¯t even give Nichs another nce. He hadn¡¯t addressed Nichs as ¡®Daddy¡¯ for the past few days and apart from their argument a few days ago, he hadn¡¯t spoken to Nichs either. His son¡¯s lukewarm attitude toward him left Nichs in a truly bad mood. In his twenty-odd years, he had been ever victorious, be it in school, the army, or even the corporate world. He was able to get what he wanted to the point where no one was able to make him feel fear. Yet, he was now defeated by a child. For the first time in his life, he understood what a setback was. With a sigh, he slowly approached Gregory and handed him two tickets. ¡°This is for tonight¡¯s orchestra Are youing along?¡± s, Gregory only continued his motions, not even ncing at the tickets that his father handed him. An undeterred Nichs continued mildly, ¡°No? If you aren¡¯t, I can give these tickets to someone else, but you must know this is Tessa¡¯s favorite orchestra from Berlin.¡± Seemingly catching Nichs¡¯ drift, Gregory looked up at him as if searching for a lie. At the same time, the little boy was trying to guess whether Tessa would be attending. However, Nichs intentionally remained silent and only smirked at Gregory in response to the little boy¡¯s question. After they stared at each other for a while, Gregory found the answer that he wanted from Nichs¡¯ gaze and snatched the tickets. ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± When he saw the word ¡®Berlin¡¯ on the tickets, Gregory¡¯s eyes brightened in happiness. Whatever music that Miss Tessa fancied, he would make an effort to attend the concert as well. Then, he would be able to see Miss Tessa! Who would know whether Miss Tessa would be ted or surprised to see him? Upon seeing the vigor return to his son¡¯s eyes, Nichs finally let out a breath. For the past few days, Gregory had been as lifeless as a block of wood as he went about his day listlessly. The most active thing that he did was shut himself in the music room and space out with Tessa¡¯s violin in his arms. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°If you want, we can go, but you¡¯ll have to eat first,¡± Nichs instructed with a deliberately stern face. Of course, Gregory didn¡¯t care what expression his father now had and only thought about seeing Miss Tessa again. So, he vigorously nodded. ¡°A promise is a promise!¡± With that, he ran down the stairs and sat at the dining table while dering; ¡°I want to eat, Andrew.¡± When Andrew heard that Gregory finally wanted to eat, he frantically nodded. ¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯ll serve you at once, Young Master Gregory.¡± After turning back to see that Nichs was no longer furrowing his brows, the weight in Andrew¡¯s heart was finally lifted. The father and son had at longst reconciled. Meanwhile, Gregory ate in an enthusiastic manner and epted whatever dish he was given. His pale face gradually regained its color. It was possibly due to his eagerness to see Tessa that he ate at lightning speed. Soon, he was soon so full that his little stomach swelled. After finishing, he lifted his head and wordlessly stared at Nichs to urge Nichs along. The concert would start at six in the evening. If they left now, they would be able to make it in time, but they would bete if they dyed any longer. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Chapter 175 At this juncture, Nichs couldn¡¯t help but smile at Gregory¡¯s liveliness. He quickly packed their belongings whereupon they left the house together. ¡°Faster. Faster!¡± Gregory urged throughout the entire journey. Truly, he had hoped that he would be able to meet Miss Tessa as soon as possible. If only he could attach a pair of wings and fly to Tessa¡¯s side at this moment! By the time the father and son arrived at the International Convention and Exhibition Center, the check in process was close to the end, but there was still a line at the entrance. Although he was in Nichs¡¯ arms as they waited in line, Gregory craned his neck and scanned the area as if searching the crowd for Tessa. His eyes suddenly brightened as he stared at the front of the line. The frontmost woman in the haze blue dress looked like Tessa! Gregory was eager to rush forward to hug Tessa and tell her just how much he had missed her during these few days. However, he recalled that she was dodging him during this period of time and hadn¡¯t called or video called him. Afraid that she would run away if he called out to her, he forcefully swallowed his shout while his eyes remained bright and excited. Noticing Gregory¡¯s reaction, Nichs followed his son¡¯s line of sight to spot the figure. Instantly, his gaze turnedplicated. At this moment, Tessa had no idea that there were two pairs of eyes locked on her. Now that her ticket had been inspected, she entered the concert hall and headed to the second floor. It was only when she arrived at her destination that she realized she had the best seat in the house. At a nce, there were only about a dozen other seats like hers. The reason why VIP seats were so named was that their upants had the widest views and the best treatment. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t help being astounded. Since the ticket had only mentioned ¡®2nd floor¡¯, she had no idea that her brother was able to secure such a good seat for her. Meanwhile, Nichs entered the concert hall with Gregory and entered the booth opposite Tessa. They were facing each other from a distance. However, because Tessa didn¡¯t care about who sat opposite her, she never nced over and had no idea that there was a child staring at her. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Tessa!¡± Gregory, who was in the other booth, joyfully and longingly stared at her. He had truly missed a lot. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was still in Nichs¡¯ arms, he would have pounced over there at once. Then, he would climb into herp and burrow into her embrace as they enjoyed the music together. Reading his thoughts, Nichs warned.in a low voice, ¡°I only brought you here today to look at her, but I do not permit you to head over there to greet her. If she wants toe back, she wille and look for you on her own. This is just like when someone has to apologize after they¡¯ve done something wrong and intend to reconcile. Do you understand?¡± Although Nichs¡¯ words had entered Gregory¡¯s ears, he ignored his father and kept his eyes on Miss Tessa. In his heart, he thought, Who doesn¡¯t know that? However, what if¡­ What if Miss Tessa isn¡¯t willing to return? No, he would not stupidly agree to his father¡¯s order just like that. The entire audience was seated ten minutester. Given how hard it was to secure tickets to the performance of an international orchestra, there were naturally no absentees after a ticket had been purchased. Seeing that the audience was packed and the hour had arrived, the music director took the stage to make a short speech. ¡°And now, I dere that the performance formally begins!¡± With that, he withdrew. The curtain behind him instantly drew back to reveal therge orchestra already set up onstage. With a flourish of the conductor¡¯s baton, the concert began. Tessa fell into a trance as she listened to the powerful music. Since her gaze had been drawn to the orchestra on stage, any hustle and bustle around her fell on blind eyes and deaf ears. This was the Berlin Philharmonic-the most famous orchestra in the world. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. She sadly nced at the concertmaster¡¯s seat. It was the position of her dreams in which she had yearned for and been looking forward to. Ever since she started learning the violin, she had dreamed of the day when she would stand on the magnificent stage and fluidly, confidently, perform the piece that she excelled at. However, now that her arm was injured¡­ The day of Heavenly Chorus Orchestra¡¯s performance abroad was fast approaching and her arm had yet to fully recover, which meant that she had missed her golden opportunity. As she listened to the heart-stirring ensemble from the orchestra, grief and unhappiness once again crept into her heart. That night, the Berlin Philharmonic¡¯s performance went on for two hours before it finally ended. After the music director dered the end of the concert, the audience was allowed to disperse and Tessa followed the crowd moving at a snail¡¯s pace to the exit. She idly watched the performers leave the stage. Although she felt like she could still hear their music ying in her ears, she felt somewhat unfulfilled. That was because she couldn¡¯t help imagining what it would be like for her to also be standing onstage. With her whole head full of the earlier performance, Tessa would have stood there lost in thought as she reyed the audiovisual feast she experienced earlier that night if it weren¡¯t for the fact that the hall was closing. Since she was lost in thought, she didn¡¯t notice the child and the adult following behind her. Seeing that Tessa was about to leave and head home, Gregory became somewhat anxious. He longed to run up to block her path and demand, ¡°Come home with me, Miss Tessa!¡± Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Chapter 176 However, Nichs was still tightly gripping onto Gregory¡¯s hand. Even after struggling for a long time, he could not free himself from Nichs¡¯s grip. As Gregory swung Nichs¡¯ hand, he beseeched, ¡°I want to chase after Miss Tessa, Daddy. May l?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nichs answered with a dark face and in a cold tone. The moment Nichs said that, Gregory lost his temper and whipped his head to re at his father, whom he now treated as a dictator. ¡°You¡¯re a meanie, Daddy! You¡¯ll allow me to look at Miss Tessa, but won¡¯t let me say hi to her!¡± It was clear that Nichs was bullying him by keeping Tessa just tantalizingly out of reach. Pouting furiously, Gregory watched as Tessa followed the crowd out of the exhibition center. Meanwhile, after leaving the exhibition center, she looked at the time and found that it was still early enough where Timothy might not be done with work yet. Thus, she didn¡¯t immediately call him. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. At this moment, her surroundings were beautiful and she hadn¡¯t had such a rxing day in a long while. Since she was already there, she might as well take the opportunity to stroll around. While meandering along the path, she was lost in her thoughts once again and forgot to keep track of where she was going. It was only when she stopped moving that she realized the exhibition center was no longer in sight. Her surroundings were unfamiliar and she was obviously lost. Once Tessarealized that, she pulled up a navigation system on her cell phone and intended to return along the same way that she came from. However, she had only managed to make it until halfway when she passed by a park where the adjoining path was somewhat dimly lit. She turned on the shlight on her cell phone, but when the area in front of her became bright, she realized that there were several people blocking her path with a sinister smile. A somewhat panicked Tessa made to turn and look for another way back, but the moment she did so, several more people appeared behind her and blocked her escape path as well. These people were wearing ear studs and tight, ripped jeans while there were heavy chains around their necks. With sudden rity, she realized she must have run into a group of gangsters! One of the gangsters leered at her. ¡°You must be lost, little missy. Why don¡¯t l escort you out?¡± Due to the number of people the other party had, she feigned calmness and tried to sidestep them so that she could evade them and walk away. However, before Tessa could even leave the circle, the gangsters shrank its size and trapped her in the middle, after which one of them tutted at her. ¡°What are you afraid of, little missy? It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll eat you up. We¡¯re simply hoping to escort you out because you¡¯re lost. In return, why don¡¯t you drink with us as a toast to our chivalry?¡± An annoyed Tessa snapped, ¡°Get lost!¡± However, they only began tough raucously as if they had heard a joke. Then, the fattest gangster rubbed his chin and responded, ¡°You know, this chick has quite the spirit. I like it.¡± At this moment, she couldn¡¯t help remembering the events of the other day. Tessa immediately paled and her palms started to break out in sweat. She didn¡¯t want to stay a moment longer and had to leave at once! ¡°Leaving? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not so easy. I think you should serve us first. y with us for a while before we¡¯ll consider allowing you to leave.¡± A lecherous gaze wandered her body. ¡°What a nice figure you have.¡± She coldly warned, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me or I¡¯ll start shouting.¡± ¡°Shouting? The whole park is filled with our people. You can shout if you want. The louder you shout, the more we¡¯ll like it. Isn¡¯t that so, guys?¡± As the group closed in on Tessa, her face paled even further. ¡°Help!!!¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re really screaming. I¡¯m so scared-Ah!!!¡± As one of the gangsters reached out toward her, his hand was blocked by someone else and it had violently jerked backward before he could even touch her or finish with his words. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Chapter 177 At this moment, the gangster squealed like a caught pig. Only then did everyonee to their senses and notice a tall man in a suit and leather shoes interrupting them. Instantly enraged, they stopped paying attention to Tessa and started flocking around Nichs. After a round of fighting, all of them were scattered on the ground and wailing in pain. Standing coldly in the middle of them, Nichs turned to look at Tessa. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shocked by the scene, she nodded numbly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± At this moment, Gregory emerged from behind Nichs and kicked several of the gangsters hard. ¡°Don¡¯t you touch my Miss Tessa, you bullies!¡± Coldly, Nichs warned them, ¡°The cops are arriving soon. You can stay if you¡¯d like a shortcut to jail.¡± Knowing they were no match for this man and feeling even less like being arrested, the group of gangsters scrambled up from the ground and fled the park so quickly that they nearly stumbled over their own feet. Seizing the opportunity where Tessa had yet toe back to her senses after the gangsters left, Gregory rushed forward and threw his arms around her leg. Dazedly, Tessa looked down at Gregory. Lately, she had been acting like she didn¡¯t care about him, but now that she was looking at him, she realized how much she missed him. Unable to help herself, she reached out to rub his head before suddenly thinking of something and retracting her hand. ¡°Why are you both here?¡± she asked. Calmly, Nichs answered, ¡°We were passing by.¡± At the insincere answer, she couldn¡¯t help grumbling to herself, There¡¯s no such coincidence in the world. On the other hand, Gregory red at Nichs before saying, ¡°Daddy is lying.¡± And then, he looked back at her. ¡°We went to the concert, and then we followed you here because we saw you walking over here.¡± Not expecting such a truth, Tessa paused. At that moment, she looked down at Gregory, and saw him refusing to let go of her leg and staring up at her with bright eyes. Clearly, he was thrilled. However, she had spoken very decisively before, and she suddenly didn¡¯t know how to face the father son duo standing there. After a moment of silence, Tessa finally said, ¡°Thank you both.¡± With a grin, Gregory waved a hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need, Miss Tessa. You don¡¯t need to thank us.¡± Flushed and chubby, the little boy looked both adorable and sensible, and Tessa couldn¡¯t help wanting to hug him. However, right as she was about to touch him, she stopped once more. Since Gregory had his eyes on her, he naturally noticed her actions and immediately let go of her leg. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Hurt, he lowered his gaze to stare at the ground. Only a whileter did he lift his head and ask softly, ¡°Do you hate me now, Miss Tessa?¡± His timid behavior nearly shattered her heart, and she reflexively hurried to justify her behavior. ¡°No, of course not! I love you so much. Why would I hate you? It¡¯s just that my arm is still weak from the injury, and I¡¯m afraid of dropping you if I pick you up.¡± Brightening at her words, Gregory asked, ¡°Really?¡± Nodding, Tessa tried to cate him, ¡°Really. I can¡¯t carry you, but I can hold your hand. Do you want to hold my hand?¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Gregory broke into a smile. Before Tessa held her hand out, he beat her to it by taking her hand and grinning at her. ¡°You are so kind,¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tessa couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. No matter how confident she had sounded about her life without them, she still couldn¡¯t bring herself to be harsh toward the little guy when facing him. She could never reject the kid¡¯s request and couldn¡¯t bear to see him upset. ¡°Daddy¡¯s car is over there!¡± Holding Tessa¡¯s hand, Gregory walked toward Nichs¡¯ car. The child kept swinging her hand the entire time and he said, ¡°Miss Tessa, I haven¡¯t met you for days! Do you know that I really missed you?¡± After he said that, he nuzzled his face against her hand, looking content. Upon seeing how excited he was, Tessa twitched the corner of her lips without saying a word. As a matter of fact, she didn¡¯t know how she should face the kid and his father. What she had said in the hospital that time had been too harsh, and she would be eating her words if she were to give Gregory a glimmer of hope at that moment. At present, Tessa¡¯s head was in such a mess that she had lost the ability to even think. She didn¡¯t know how she should bring it up and what she should say after that; all she could do was to remain silent to ease the awkwardness. When she had entered the car, Nichs looked at her and asked, ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± He posed the question before Tessa managed to return to her senses. After a moment of silence, she replied, ¡°Uh¡­ anywhere is fine.¡± It was a casual question that Nichs didn¡¯t expect an answer to, as he had noticed that Tessa seemed to be in a daze. Therefore, he turned to Gregory and asked. ¡°How about you? Where do you want to go?¡± Gregory paused for a moment and responded, ¡°Can we go and watch a movie?¡± He then shyly added with pursed lips, ¡°I heard from Uncle Kieran that the movie of my favorite anime-Detective Conan-is in theaters now. I have never watched a movie together with Daddy and¡­ Mommy. I want to know what it feels like.¡± After he said that, he timidly nced at Tessa. Tessa felt a lump in her throat when she saw him this way. Gregory had always been a bubbly and adorable kid who never failed to charm the people around him. However, he had never mentioned anything like that. Now that he had mentioned this, Tessa really wished to embrace andfort him. Nichs was equally stunned as well as he had never been to that sort of ce, so he never expected that his son would make such a request. Nheless, it was a rather minor request, so he wasn¡¯t against the idea of three of them watching a movie together. Yet, the main concern at that moment was what Tessa thought about that. He turned to her and asked, ¡°Do you want to go? You don¡¯t have to force yourself if you don¡¯t.¡± Tessa initially wanted to reject the idea as she was still concerned about what she had said at the hospital, but when she turned to her side and saw Gregory eagerly looking at her with pleading eyes, she found the words that she was about to utter just couldn¡¯t leave her mouth. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded and agreed. ¡°Sure.¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, shining as bright as a star as he looked at Tessa. ¡°Thank you, Miss Tessa. You are the best!¡± Tessa smiled and reached out her hand to ruffle his hair. At about 9.00 PM, Nichs, Tessa and Gregory arrived at the cinema. When they entered the premises, Nichs found that it was rather noisy with a lot of people inside, which made him frown subconsciously. Even so, since he had agreed to bring Gregory here, he couldn¡¯t break his promise of watching a movie with his son. As Nichs had never bought a movie ticket before this, he didn¡¯t know how to do so. His gaze was fixed on the long queue beside him, which seemed to lead to a self-service ticketing machine. With his brows knitted, he stared at the queue, as though he was carefully observing the process of purchasing a movie ticket. Tessa, who took notice of how Nichs kept staring at the machine, was puzzled at first, but the reason behind his strange behavior suddenly dawned upon her. ¡°President Sawyer, could it be that you have never been to a cinema before?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask. Nichs pressed his lips and nodded, as he had nothing to hide. ¡°Yes.¡± As the first in line to seed the Sawyer Group, his family had been raising him with elite education since he was little. Since Nichs was in elementary school, he had had endless lessons every day. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Chapter 179 When he grew older, he had enlisted in the army and after he had returned, he entered thepany to be the president. Since then, Nichs had been so busy with work almost every day that he did not have the time nor chance to rx in this sort of ce. Looking at his expression, Tessa was able to gauge his situation, so she couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for the high and mighty president. It suddenly dawned on her why he was able to remain unexceptionally calm and contained every time she saw him, and he never seemed anxious or flustered no matter what happened. ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll go get the tickets with Gregory.¡± With that, she took Gregory by his hand and queued up at the end of the line. When they returned, Tessa brought two cups of coffee and arge box of popcorn with her, while Gregory was slowly and contently sipping the beverage that he was holding in his hands. Upon seeing theming back, Nichs remained calm as he automatically took the food and drinks from Tessa. He could ept having coffee while watching a movie, but he frowned when he saw therge box of popcorn. Why did she buy popcorn? Tessa grinned at him. In her opinion, popcorn was a must-have when watching a movie at a theater. It was her favorite, and Gregory, who had never tried popcorn before, seemed eager to give it a try. Upon seeing that, Tessa gave the child one. Gregory took a bite. Crunch! He giggled happily. ¡°Miss Tessa, this is yummy!¡± Tessa turned to Nichs. ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡± Nichs stared at the weird-looking food and started doubting if it was edible. Tessa found that he seemed adorable when he was acting out of character. Subconsciously, she took the popcorn and brought it to his mouth. ¡°Just give it a try. Maybe you¡¯ll find it yummy too.¡± Staring at the yellowish popcorn, Nichs was a little hesitant, but he still opened his mouth to eat it. His lips identally grazed Tessa¡¯s finger in the process. Meanwhile, she felt as though her finger had been struck by lightning. The numbing sensation caused her to immediately retract her hand while her ears flushed. Seeing that Gregory didn¡¯t notice their interaction, she looked around and said, ¡°They are checking the tickets. Let¡¯s head over.¡± At that moment, Nichs finally realized what had just happened, and his gaze was unfathomable as he watched Tessa fleeing the scene. Then, with a calm expression, he followed her while holding all their stuff in his hands. After having their tickets checked, the trio entered the theater together. Perhaps it was due to the fact that the movie they had chosen was a newly released film, hence the upancy rate was high with almost all the seats upied. As a child, Gregory wasn¡¯t required to purchase a movie ticket, but there weren¡¯t any empty seats around them. ¡°Gregory,e here. You can sit on myp.¡± Tessa picked the kid up and set him down on herp. As a matter of fact, when Tessa first heard that Gregory wanted to watch Detective Conan, she had slightly doubted that a five-year-old kid could understand a movie that required strong deductive reasoning Although this movie wasn¡¯t violent, she had wondered if it would traumatize him. However, it was soon apparent that her worries were unnecessary. About one third through the movie, she was incredibly thankful that she didn¡¯t pose her initial question at Gregory. Otherwise, she would have felt humiliated. This was because of what Gregory was quietly whispering to her at that moment. ¡°I suspect that the lady in the red dress is the killer.¡± Feeling stunned, Tessa murmured back at him, curiously yet incredulous at the same time, ¡°How did you know?¡± Nichs chimed in from one side, ¡°It is her indeed.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tessa¡¯s head was filled with questions. What¡¯s wrong with this father and son? We are only a third through the movie, so why are they making a conclusion so early? They even sound adamant when they say it! Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Nichs thought that Tessa was confused and wanted him to exin his reasoning. So, he leaned in at her and whispered, ¡°That¡¯s simple. Look at the woman¡¯s wrist-there¡¯s an inconspicuous cut that couldn¡¯t have been made by herself judging from the angle. Also, look at the vase¡­¡± Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Chapter 180 ¡°President Sawyer, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt. Maybe you aren¡¯t aware of this, but spoiling the movie is a shameful act, let alone when doing so in a cinema,¡± Tessa growled through gritte N?velDrama.Org holds this content. He chuckled at herment, which frustrated her even more. What¡¯s so funny about it? It¡¯s normal to go along with the plot when watching a movie, so I shouldn¡¯t be med for being unable to grasp the plot, right? Besides, spoiling the movie affects the whole watching experience! Gregory let out a soft chuckle as well. ¡°Miss Tessa, don¡¯t worry. You can ask me if you don¡¯t understand anything.¡± Argh! I¡¯ve had enough of the two of them! Don¡¯t they know that the joy of watching movies ftes in not requiring us to use our brain? They should at least be kind to the producer by being enlightened at the very end of the movie and praising, ¡°Oh, I see!¡± Isn¡¯t that a better way to watch a movie? However, Tessa broke into a smile the next instant. The father and son not only look alike, but are equally intelligent as well. Could it be that this is the work of gics? No, I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about all these when I¡¯m watching a movie. I should be nice to the producers by watching the movie from the beginning till the end. Fine, I¡¯ll forget about the spoiler and pretend that I knew nothing at all. Hence, she paid full attention to the deduction process,pletely practicing the act of watching-without- thinking throughout the movie. However, Tessa still found the father-son duo funny when they were spoiling the movie. She chuckled and shook her head, attempting to shake away the messy thoughts before she took the coffee by her hand and sipped it. When she returned the coffee to its original position, she suddenly felt a stare from Nichs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked in puzzlement. Nichs calmly replied, ¡°Nothing, but the coffee that you drank is mine.¡± Tessa¡¯s face flushed crimson when she heard that. l-Isn¡¯t that the legendary indirect kiss? What did I just do?! Come to think of it, Nichs kissed me before, so an indirect kiss is insignificantpared to that, right? Nheless, with such thoughts in mind, she still turned to him awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was unintentional. If you mind, I¡¯ll get you another cup of coffee.¡± He casually responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Tessa thought that Nichs wouldn¡¯t drink that cup of coffee since the movie was about to end, so she continued to pay attention to the screen. However, when she noticed what he was doing through the corner of her eye, she was rooted to her spot at that instant. She felt as if her head had exploded and she started screaming inwardly, H-He¡¯s actually taking that cup of coffee and sipping it as if nothing had happened? But I drank that before! Upon seeing that, Tessa could no longer focus on the movie, nor could she force herself to respect the producers by finishing the movie. As she couldn¡¯t focus at all during the second half of the movie, she had no idea if Conan¡¯s deductions and the details of the crime-solving was just like how Nichs had exined. Finally, after a long excruciating wait, the movie ended and they exited the cinema. Nichs carried Gregory in his arms while Tessa walked next to them. She suddenly realized that the end of the movie also signified her parting with the child. At that thought, she felt reluctant to leave. Gregory, who realized this as well, was equally reluctant to part ways from her. He looked at Tessa pitifully and asked, ¡°Miss Tessa, are you going home now?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± A shred of disappointment shed through Gregory¡¯s eyes when he heard her confirmation. He looked at Tessa sadly but this time, he didn¡¯t stubbornly insist on her to go home with him. Instead, he whispered, ¡°Daddy, let¡¯s send her back.¡± Nichs was slightly stunned but he still nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Truth was, Nichs was a little shocked that Gregory didn¡¯t act like before-crying and pleading for Tessa to keep himpany. It seemed like thetter had be a little more mature. Nichs was d to see him acting like this. It was the right decision to bring him out today, he thought, but he still felt a little distressed for the child. This little guy really adores Tessa, which is why he chooses to respect her and not force her against her will by insisting that she stay with him. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Tessa nodded. ¡°Thank you, Gregory and President Sawyer.¡± When they were in the car, the three of them were quiet; even Gregory, who used to be loquacious around Tessa, disyed a rare quiet self. He only leaned against her as he yed with his fingers in a daze. A strong sense of reluctance bubbled up inside Tessa when she saw him like that. However, there was nothing she could do since their parting was inevitable. After letting out a sigh inwardly, she embraced him firmly. I should hug him more, who knows if I will have the chance to see him again after this? When they were halfway through their journey, it started drizzling outside. It was pouring heavily, and there was lightning and thunder in the sky when they arrived at Tessa¡¯s new ce. As the car park was a little far from her new ce, she would be drenched if she were to head home in that weather. Therefore, Tessa had no choice but to give Timothy a call to ask him to bring an umbre to the car park. When Timothy arrived, he was surprised to see Nichs¡¯ car, but the sight of Gregory inside the car shocked him even more. Why is the father and son here? he thought, but he didn¡¯t ask the question. Instead, he nodded thankfully at Nichs and said, ¡°President Sawyer, thank you for sending my sister home. It¡¯s raining cats and dogs now and it¡¯ll be dangerous for you to drive in the rain. Perhaps you coulde upstairs with us and sit around for a bit? You can leave after the rain stops.¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs paused for a moment, feeling a little hesitant to ept the invitation. On the other hand, Tessa was stunned by Timothy¡¯s sudden warm invitation for Nichs and Gregory toe to their house, and she couldn¡¯t return to her senses. The fastest among them to respond was Gregory as he excitedly shouted, ¡°Sure! Thank you Mr. Timothy.¡± Then, he nced at Tessa and Nichs, who seemed to be in a daze, before grinning at Timothy. ¡°Mr. Timothy, I want to share an umbre with you.¡± With that, he swiftly got out of the car and snuck under Timothy¡¯s umbre. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ll head in with Mr. Timothy first.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Since Gregory had chosen to follow Timothy upstairs, Nichs naturally couldn¡¯t just leave without him, so he nodded slightly. Tessa looked helplessly at the only umbre left for them. However, she was reluctant to leave Gregory as well, so she acquiesced to their decision of the father and son staying a bit at their ce. She turned to Nichs and said, ¡°President Sawyer, pleasee upstairs to stay until the rain stops.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nichs alighted from the car before she did and extended the umbre over her head as she got out of the car. Then, they walked toward the building shoulder to shoulder. The umbre actually belonged to Tessa and was meant for only one person. It might be big enough to shield a single adult but it was stillcking in size, so it was definitely too small to shield the two adults. Tessa felt a little awkward under the umbre. She tried to keep her distance from Nichs by standing to the side to stay away from him. Before long, the rain fell on her shoulder and soaked her arm. The next instant, Nichs wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her toward him As Tessa¡¯s arm was cold because of the rainwater, his sudden action of embracing her shoulder caused his body heat to spread to her. It startled her, so she subconsciously struggled, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to do this. We are almost there.¡± Nichs seemed calm as he locked the woman tightly next to him. ¡°Your hand still hasn¡¯t made a full recovery. Do you want to catch a fever?¡± Since the man did so for her sake, she kept quiet and stopped struggling to prevent both of them from catching a flu. After they had entered the building, Nichs let go of her arm chivalrously and kept the umbre before slowly following them upstairs. ¡°President Sawyer and Young Master Gregory, pleasee in.¡± Timothy shed a smile at them. Gregory¡¯s eyes lit up the moment they stepped into the house. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so nice here. Miss Tessa, did you decorate the ce yourself?¡± Tessa nodded with a smile. She had some free time in her handstely, so she briefly decorated the house. It was nothing fancy, but she had exhausted a lot of effort to make the space seem cozy. Nichs surveyed the space. If it wasn¡¯t because of the fact that he was the owner of the house, he nearly couldn¡¯t recognize that it was the same ce that he owned. Other than theyout, there seemed to be no signs of him anywhere in the space. When he had used to live here, the space was mainly ck and white, with little to no decorations. He would have described the previous design as minimalistic, but when it waspared to how it looked at the moment, the design of the house when he had been around seemed cold and empty. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Tessa, who was d to hear Gregory¡¯spliment, smiled and said, ¡°Have a seat. I¡¯ll get you guys a towel to dry your hair.¡± Timothy quickly got them a ss of warm water as well. It was only when Tessa returned with towels did she realize that Nichs¡¯ shirt was wet. He got it wet presumably from when he was taking care of her by not letting her get wet. She blushed at that thought. ¡°President Sawyer, your clothes are wet. Would you like to wear Timothy¡¯s shirt for the time being?¡± Without hesitation, Nichs nodded lightly, then followed Timothy to his room to get a set of clothing. ¡°Gregory, let me help you take a shower.¡± Tessa squatted down and stroked Gregory¡¯s head. Although Timothy had taken care of him when they were walking in the rain, Gregory had still been exposed to the rain due to his height. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Gregory was naturally d to have Tessa help him to shower, so he nodded. ¡°Alright. Thank you, Miss Tessa.¡± After showering the kid, Tessa realized that she didn¡¯t have any suitable clothes for him to wear. She had no choice but to find a smaller T-shirt of her own and put it on for him. Although the T-shirt was still slightlyrger on Gregory, it entuated his delicate, pink face and made him look even more adorable. Tessa smiled. ¡°Do bear with it for a moment. I¡¯ll dry your clothes and you will be able to change into your own clothester on.¡± Upon hearing that, Gregory nodded with a grin. He didn¡¯t find it unbearable at all to wear Tessa¡¯s fragrant clothes, he was beyond happy, in fact. At that moment, Nichs had changed into Timothy¡¯s clothes as well. He had taken off his shirt and changed into a casual outfit. His hair had been wet in the rain, so he let down his fringe, freeing it from his original immacte slicked back hairstyle. These simple changes in him transformed him into a hot, vibrant, young man. This was the first time Tessa saw him like this, which caused her to fall into a daze. However, she retracted her gaze before Nichs noticed it and focused on drying their wet clothes. It waste when the lot of them finally settled down. Timothy nced outside the window and uttered, ¡°It¡¯s pouring even heavier. I doubt that the rain will stop any time soon. How about you two rest here tonight?¡± When Gregory heard that he could stay, he was so happy that his eyes were filled with eagerness. ¡°Daddy, can we?¡± Truth be told, it didn¡¯t matter to Nichs whether they could stay for the night, since it wasn¡¯t a challenge for him to drive on a rainy day. Besides, it was merely a suggestion by Timothy, which a certain someone might object to. Hence, he turned to look at Tessa. Timothy understood his cue and looked at his sister as well. ¡°Tess, it¡¯s raining very heavily out there. Young Master Gregory may catch a cold. I suggest that we allow them to stay. They can leave after the rain stops tomorrow.¡± Since he had said so and Gregory kept staring at her, Tessa had no choice but to nod and agree. ¡°Gregory can sleep with me tonight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll sleep with Miss Tessa and Daddy will sleep with Mr. Timothy!¡± Gregory was so ted that he kept holding Tessa¡¯s hand and refusing to let go while blinking at her. An amused Tessa caressed his little head. ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed. It¡¯ste.¡± Gregory, who had been in high spirits for the whole night, suddenly felt sleepy as soon as he heard that they were going to go to bed. He yawned and followed Tessa to her room groggily. After Tessa helped him to brush his teeth and wash his face, she brought him to her bed. Gregory closed his eyes the moment hey on the bed and fell into deep sleep. Although he was sound asleep, he still wore a contented smile by the corner of his lips, tightly clutching her hand with his as he mumbled, ¡°Miss Tessa¡­¡± Tessa, who was embracing him, heard his mumble. She was stunned at first, but then broke into a smile and gently patted him on his back. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Gregory seemed to sense herforting him and nudged himself toward her. An inexplicable sense of satisfaction welled up inside Tessa when she saw that. The next morning, Tessa got up, and she was going to do her morning routine in the bathroom before making them breakfast. Blurrily, she pushed open the door and entered the bathroom. Just as she was about to reach out for her toothbrush, she heard the sound of running watering from the shower enclosure. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 She inadvertently looked in the direction of the sound, and what she saw through the ss partition that separated the dry and wet area instantly struck her to the core. It turned out that Nichs was behind the ss partition and he was taking a shower. Tessa instantly returned to her senses. She screamed at the top of her lungs, dropped the toiletries in her hands and staggered her way out of the bathroom as fast as she could. Timothy and Gregory, who happened to wake up at that moment, heard her scream, so both of them rushed to the bathroom, only to see a flushed Tessa leaning against the wall. ¡°Tess, what happened?¡± Timothy asked softly, looking at her in puzzlement. She darted a nce at the two people who had been attracted over by her shouting, feeling so embarrassed that even her ears flushed crimson. Feigning calm, she patted her knees and replied, ¡°Nothing happened. I knocked on something.¡± Timothy immediately asked, ¡°Is it painful? Do you need me to support you to go take a rest?¡± Just then, Nichs exited from the bathroom in his bathrobes. He calmly nced at Tessa, which made her flush even harder. She immediately waved her hand and rejected Timothy¡¯s help. ¡°No need. There¡¯s no need.¡± After saying that, she looked back at Nichs in frustration and red at him for not locking the door when he was taking a shower. Nichs blinked innocently at her. He used to stay here alone sometimes, so he had adopted the habit of not locking the door. When he woke up that morning, he had forgotten that Tessa was in the apartment as well. Nevertheless, it was still a negligence on his end. Timothy merely cast a suspicious look at Tessa¡¯s leg without making anyments but instead, he said, ¡°Since everyone is up and about, I¡¯ll go and make breakfast.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. With that, he headed over to the kitchen, leaving behind two tall and one short figure standing at the bathroom entrance. Gregory, who had no idea of what had happened, gently massaged Tessa¡¯s leg when he had heard that she had knocked on her knee. Seeing Gregory¡¯s reaction as well as the smug look on Nichs¡¯ face, Tessa suddenly didn¡¯t know how she should face the father-son duo, so she mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ll go and give him a hand.¡± ¡°Miss Tessa, wait for me!¡± Gregory immediately went after her when she left. The child carried out the thought of following Tessa wherever she went to the fullest, tailing after her like a little chick following its mother. His eyes sparkled with adoration when he saw Tessa helping up with washing the ingredients in the kitchen. After having breakfast, Nichs was prepared to leave and he turned to Gregory. ¡°Do you want to leave?¡± Gregory hesitated, unwilling to leave his Miss Tessa. However, he still put on his shoes, although he dilly-dallied while doing so. He turned around to nce at the woman, who was standing at the door gently gazing at him. His subconscious reaction was to tell her that he didn¡¯t want to leave and wanted to stay, but the words just couldn¡¯t escape his lips. Miss Tessa has things to do. I can¡¯t be too clingy and be an obnoxious kid. However, Gregory¡¯s gaze still lingered on Tessa as he hoped that she would ask him to stay. Tessa, in fact, noticed him cautiously feeling her out, but she didn¡¯t ask the kid to stay. Therefore, Gregory pouted in dejection, which made Tessa feel distressed. She couldn¡¯t help but think, Am I being too harsh on him? Nheless, when she recalled what Stefania had told her, Tessa forced herself to retract her gaze from Gregory After the father and son had left, Timothy, who noticed Tessa¡¯s reluctance and guilt, let out a sigh. ¡°Tess, didn¡¯t you tell me that we have to fight for what we want? The young master of the Sawyer Family seems to like you a lot. If you like him as well, you can try to keep him here.¡± He paused for a moment before he added, ¡°Even if you are not his teacher, you can still be his friend.¡± When Tessa heard that, she felt a lump in her throat. ¡°I can¡¯t be friends with just anyone, and the Sawyer Family is way out of my league.¡± She then added inwardly, The Sawyer Family is not someone we ordinary folks can get close with. Getting acquainted with Gregory itself has been a miraculous thing, so I should be satisfied with that. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Chapter 184 The deste look in Tessa¡¯s eyes made Timothy fall into a silence. Inparison to the Sawyer Group, they were insignificant people at the bottom of the pile who alified to make friends with them or get along well with them. Nheless, just because they were at the bottom now didn¡¯t mean that they would be in the future. And so, Timothy swore to himself that from now on, he would work extra hard and run thepany well so that sooner orter, his sister would have the confidence to hold her head high no matter who it was standing before her. Timothy smiled, ¡°Tess, don¡¯t be upset. It¡¯s nothing, everything will turn out well. I shall be on my way to the office.¡± Tessa curled up the corner of her lips. ¡°Alright. Be careful on your way there.¡± After her brother had left, Tessa, who had some free time, focused her attention on cleaning the house. She cleaned and wiped every nook and cranny of the house. Meanwhile, Gregory was feeling down when they were on their way home. He kept looking behind and staring at where Tessa¡¯s house was, not withdrawing his gaze until they had left the neighborhood. Nichs cast a nce at him. ¡°You want to stay there, right? Why didn¡¯t you voice it out earlier?¡± When they were leaving, it was obvious that Gregory was very reluctant to leave. The way he opened and closed his mouth but said nothing had revealed his thoughts at that moment, so it would be impossible for Nichs to not notice it. Gregory shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to force Miss Tessa. Miss Tessa was hurt, so she must be really sad. Even if I don¡¯t mind that she can¡¯t continue teaching me, she herself must be concerned about it. I don¡¯t want to see her being upset.¡± Nichs kept quiet for a moment and changed the topic. ¡°Do you want to go home or follow me to the office?¡± Afterst night, the rtionship between the father and son had eased a lot. Gregory seemed to have be more mature overnight. Nichs wasn¡¯t worried that the boy would lock himself in the music room after they went back, but he still thought he should ask his son¡¯s opinion. ¡°The office,¡± Gregory replied. When Nichs arrived at the office of the Sawyer Group, he immediately threw himself into work without wasting a second. His entire morning was spent having meetings, while Gregory quietly stayed in his office and yed by himself. The child was in his best behavior even without having anyone to keep himpany. When it was almost noon, the door to Nichs¡¯ office was suddenly pushed open. ¡°Great-Grandpa!¡± Gregory looked behind and saw Tobias. The boy smiled as he dashed toward the man. He pounced on Tobias¡¯ leg and wrapped his arms around it, nuzzling his face against it affectionately His reaction put a smile on Tobias¡¯ face. ¡°Little guy, why are you here on your own? Where¡¯s your dad?¡± ¡°Daddy¡¯s having a meeting,¡± Gregory answered. ¡°Let me see what my sweetheart is doing.¡± Tobias walked up to the couch where Gregory had been ying ¡°It¡¯s Lego. Great-Grandpa, guess what I¡¯ve built!¡± With a grin, Gregory raised the Lego up high and brought it near Tobias, showing off his work. ¡°A European-style castle?¡± After giving it a nce, Tobias could roughly tell from the iplete structure that it was a ssic,plex European castle from the med ¡°Yes, Great-Grandpa! You have guessed it correctly.¡± A beaming Gregory leaned against the old man. Tobias praised, ¡°That¡¯s a nice piece of work.¡± As Tobias seldomplimented others, his suddenpliment made Gregory feel embarrassed. And so, the child smiled with pursed lips and blushed face. The old man chatted with Gregory for a while before thetter asked, ¡°Great-Grandpa, why are you here to see Daddy?¡± Tobias smiled and mysteriously said, ¡°To talk about something.¡± Just then, the door to the office swung open again. Both Tobias and Gregory looked at the door, only to see a slender figure walking in through the door while the man¡¯s couture leather shoes tapped on the floor. Upon seeing that it was Nichs, Gregory hopped off the couch and ran up to him, calling out to him sweetly, ¡°Daddy.¡± Nichs ruffled the boy¡¯s hair before looking at the old man before him in surprise. ¡°Grandpa, why are you here? Did something happen?¡± Ever since the old man had retired, he had seldome to the office. They would usually report to him at home when there were any issues, so Tobias had nevere to the office in person to see him. His sudden appearance gave Nichs a sense of foreboding.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Tobias smiled mysteriously. ¡°Of course it¡¯s good news.¡± Both Nichs and Gregory were looking at him confusedly. ¡°Great-Grandpa, what good news are you talking about? Stop keeping us in the dark.¡± With an inscrutable smile, Tobias ruffled Gregory¡¯s head before taking out a stack of photos and cing them in front of Nichs. ¡°Here. Is there anyone here you fancy? Try and choose one.¡± Suddenly, Nichs understood the old man¡¯s intentions, so he furrowed his brows and asked bluntly without epting those photos, ¡°Grandpa, what is this?¡± ¡°Our precious Greg is now all grown up but for so many years, you¡¯ve been all alone, so it must have been difficult for the two of you. Now is the perfect time to find someone to settle down with. Not only can she help you share some of the burden, she can also give this child some motherly love. He is still young and we can¡¯t deprive him of thefort of having a mother¡¯s love.¡± Tobias chuckled and shoved the photos over to Nichs again. ¡°This should have been on your agenda long ago, but you dragged it out for so long. Why don¡¯t you take a look at these photos first? If there¡¯s anyone you like, I¡¯ll help you arrange it.¡± No matter how smart Nichs was, he never expected Tobias toe all this way just for this particr matter. Listening to the elderly man, Nichs couldn¡¯t help but frown. I¡¯m not interested in marriage or having a child at all, let alone choosing a random woman from these photos to spend my life with. Having Greg is enough for me.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Therefore, he answered, ¡°Grandpa, I just got back not long ago and I¡¯m currently busy with the company. I don¡¯t have time to worry about these.¡± As if he had expected him to say this, Tobias chuckled once more and said, ¡°It is exactly because you¡¯re too busy with your work that we need to find someone to take care of Greg. I have carefully selected these women for you. All of theme from elite families and make great wives. If you are interested in any one of them, we can propose a marriage to them right away.¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs was rather startled. ¡°Grandpa, why are we in such a hurry? Besides, even if I choose one, Greg may not be able to ept her.¡± ¡°Oh-does that mean you¡¯ll get married if he agrees?¡± Tobias turned toward Gregory with an eloquent smile. ¡°Come here, Greg. I¡¯m helping your daddy find a mommy for you. What do you think?¡± Although Gregory was ying with his Lego all this while, he still heard their conversation. Deep down, he was always worried that Nichs would simply find a woman to be his stepmother. That was why Gregory didn¡¯t want a stepmother at all. However, since the two adults were having a conversation, he was in no position to interrupt them, so he became frustrated. The moment Tobias asked him for his opinion, he immediately lifted his head and looked at him. ¡°Great-Grandpa, to be honest with you, I don¡¯t want a stepmother.¡± As if he had expected the rejection, Tobias remained calm and uttered slowly, ¡°That¡¯s because you are still young, so you don¡¯t know the benefits of having a mommy. If you have a mommy, she can take care of you whenever your daddy is busy, and she can also give you a lot of unconditional love. You will be very happy. Didn¡¯t you see that those kids you met before all have a mommy with them? I still remember that a while ago, you said that you wanted a mommy. Why don¡¯t you want one now? ¡°But I¡¯m very happy right now. Besides, all these women only want our family¡¯s wealth and status. They won¡¯t actually love me. If they have a baby of their own in the future, do you think they¡¯ll still treat me well, Great-Grandpa? Aren¡¯t you afraid that they will secretly hurt me?¡± Gregory answered straight away. Listening to him, Tobias furrowed his brows with annoyance. ¡°Who told you all this nonsense? Of course I won¡¯t let anyone bully you, so I¡¯m now choosing the best mommy for you.¡± ¡°No one is speaking nonsense to me, but I don¡¯t want any of these women to be my mommy.¡± Gregory frowned. Therefore, Tobias asked tentatively, ¡°Does that mean you already have someone in mind? Can you tell me who it is?¡± Gregory lifted his head and replied, ¡°I like my violin teacher-Miss Tessa Reinhart.¡± The moment Tobias heard her name, he could feel his expression immediately darken. ¡°No. We are not only choosing a wife for your daddy, but we are also choosing someone to join the Sawyer Family. Not just anyone can join us, so you can only choose from these photos.¡± Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Chapter 186 After that, Tos shoved the photos over to Gregory ¡°Try to find one from here. Maybe there is someone you really like.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Gregory also got angry as he pushed the photos back to him again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to look.¡± While frowning, Nichs grabbed his hand and looked at Tos, ¡°Grandpa, why are you in such a hurry all of a sudden? I need a reason.¡± ¡°Why do you need a reason to find a wife? It¡¯s all because you don¡¯t like the person that your mom chose for you before. In that case, I¡¯ll personally find one for you.¡± With that, Tobias withdrew his smile and knocked on the photos three times. While staring at Nichs sternly, he ordered, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days to choose.¡± Then, he waved his hand and walked out of Nichs¡¯ office in a calm manner. In the end, only the father and son were left in the office. Gregory looked at his father worriedly and asked, ¡°Daddy, are you really going to find a new mommy for me? I don¡¯t want one, though. I¡¯m happy with just the two of us.¡± Naturally, Nichs knew who Gregory had in mind. If that person is actually Tessa, I don¡¯t think I would mind it. However¡­ this is just my imagination since it is almost impossible. He touched Gregory¡¯s tiny head. ¡°If you don¡¯t want a mommy, then we won¡¯t get one either.¡± Instantly, Gregory was delighted. ¡°Thank you, Daddy. I love you the most.¡± ¡± After nodding his head, Nichs went back behind his office desk and continued with his work while Gregory happily yed with his Lego. A whileter, Kieran heard that Tobias personally came to thepany, so he found some time to rush over to Nichs¡¯ office. ¡°Nichs, what did Grandpae here for?¡± After that, he noticed the stack of photos on the edge of the couch. The moment he saw that they were photos of unmarried women from each elite family, he instantly got the whole picture. Did Grandpae here to urge Nichs to get married? Seeing there are so many photos, I can see that he is really pushing for him to get married. Suddenly, Kieran felt a little sorry for his brother. But¡­ this should be something for our parents to worry about. Grandpa has always turned a blind eye on this matter, so why did he suddenlye here with so many photos? Feeling confused, Kieran asked, ¡°Nichs, why is Grandpa doing this?¡± ¡°He came so suddenly that I¡¯m also confused. If you are interested, you can look into what¡¯s going on.¡± Nichs shook his head. Understanding the intentions in his brother¡¯s words, Kieran nodded his head without hesitation. ¡°Leave this to me, Nichs.¡± Even though Kieran was eager to know what Tobias was nning, the former also wanted to see what would happen to his brother. Seeing the stack of photos, he could feel his body shivering. Looks like the old man has put in a lot of effort to force Nichs to get married. If he actually seeds¡­ I don¡¯t even want to think about it! There is no quarantee that he won¡¯t put this much effort on me after he is done with Nichs. I dont think til be able to handle such ferocity! Therefore, Kieran sincerely hoped that his brother could resist the temptation that Tobias was about to bring to him. When the thought of a possible future blind date nned for him came up in his mind, Kieran began to feel goosebumps all over his body. The thought of it is enough to make me tremble, so I can¡¯t imagine how I¡¯ll react when I actually have to go through it. It¡¯s better not to think about it since I still want more happy memories. That¡¯s why I must look into this for the sake of Nichs, and of course, for myself. Meanwhile, after leaving Nichs¡¯ office, Tobias went straight downstairs without looking around the company He was confident with his grandson¡¯s management of thepany, and the only thing worrying him was the marriage, so he felt that he must resolve that matter for Nichs. Seeing a concerned Tobias walking out of the building, Andrew quickly went up and opened the car door for him. After a while of driving, he turned his head around and asked, ¡°Sir, what did Master Nichs say about the matter? Did he choose someone?¡± Tobias sneered at that. ¡°I gave him the photos and asked him to choose, but he didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid. Even Greg was against the idea. We can give up asking him to choose someone. In that case, I¡¯ll help arrange everything for him myself.¡± ¡°But, you know Master Nichs¡¯ temper very well. He won¡¯t allow anyone to arrange anything for him.¡± Andrew lifted his head andmented. ¡°Of course I know that, but in the end, if he doesn¡¯t want topromise, I will think of a way to make him do so. To prevent that thing from ever happening, he must get married as soon as possible!¡± Tobias growled. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Thinking about what happened previously, Andrew instantly understood Tobias¡¯ intention since he knew thetter so well. And so, Andrew asked tentatively. ¡®Sir, have you already made a choice?¡± Tobias answered, ¡°If he refuses to choose, I¡¯ll just match him with Maxwell¡¯s girl. She is quite a nice girl. Shees from a rich and educated family, so she is intelligent and polite. Not only is she gentle and elegant, she also has patience with children, so she definitely can take good care of Greg. When she develops a rtionship with Greg, he¡¯ll naturally ept her.¡± Listening to him, Andrew remained silent for a moment as he recalled the woman Tobias mentioned He is referring to the granddaughter of his best friend ¨C Maxwell Stone ll I remember correctly, her name is Hayley Stone and she is gorgeous. Her looks are as elegant and gentle as her personality, and she has a smile that is pleasing to the eye. Because of that many people havee to the Stone Residence to propose a marriage in recent years. Based on the two families¡¯ rtionship, this marriage will probably happen He lifted his head, ¡°Miss Stone is quite a match with Master Nichs in terms of their personalities and style of handling matters.¡± ¡°However, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that easy. We still need that Tessa girl to leave. She shouldn¡¯t show up in this ever again. I want you to think of a way to drive her away,¡± Tobias pondered for a moment and said. Originally, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry for Nichs to get married, but after knowing who Tessa was, he felt as though a knife was pierced through his heart. If she kept lingering around, coupled with Gregory being so fond of her, that secret would be exposed sooner orter, When Andrew looked into Tessa earlier, he found out everything about her family¡¯s situation. ¡°Her little brother, Timothy Reinhart, is starting apany recently. It is now probably almost finished.¡± Listening to him, Tobias said straight away, ¡°In that case, I want you to use all means to make them leave. I don¡¯t want her to have any more involvement with Greg.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Andrew received his orders. Meanwhile, when having a meal in the Regal Gardens, Timothy smiled and said, ¡°Tess, didnt I tell you a few days ago that I¡¯ve registered mypany? I heard that all the certificates and official seals are almost ready. After I get my hands on them, thepany can begin to operate.¡± Tessa looked at her little brother concernedly, but she smiled, ¡°That¡¯s great. You should eat more. I can see that you¡¯re getting skinniertely.¡± Recently, Tessa had been recuperating at home, so she wasn¡¯t involved much in thepany. Therefore, she could only watch while Timothy ran around from his school to hispany every day. Seeing how skinny he had be in the past few days, she couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned. ¡°On-I¡¯m fine, Tess. Just see this as me going on a diet. After all, there needs to be some suffering before the rewards. When thepany begins to run, I¡¯ll probably be fat again. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°You always have a way with words. Come on, eat more.¡± She sighed while grabbing a piece of chicken for him. I must look after his food intake. Otherwise, he is going to overwork his body, After a pause, Timothy smiled and said, ¡°Tess, since thepany is just starting to run, I dont n to hire a lot of people. I¡¯ll first hire a dozen or 20 people to focus on one or two softwares. After making a name for ourselves, I¡¯ll then expand the team.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± She smiled. Lately, Timothy had been working hard to learn the management side of things, so she was confident with what he had learned. Since hispany has just started, there¡¯s no need to hire so many staff as it¡¯ll only be a waste of resources. Just like he said, it¡¯s better to move forward slowly one step at a time. ¡°Also, I¡¯ve talked with Henry. He has a lot of connections, so I¡¯ll leave the recruitment to him for now. I¡¯ll be responsible for finding some projects.¡± Timothy smiled embarrassedly. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Chapter 188 It was true that Timothy wasn¡¯t very sociable, but he had been growing uptely and gained a lot of confidence. His speech at the Sawyer Group was a great example, Knowing that her brother was exceptional in his field and now had enough confidence in himself, Tessa smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Whenever Timothy mentioned thepany, she saw that his eyes would always light up. Tessa could clearly see the sparks of a young man fighting to achieve his dream. Then, she grabbed two cups and poured some drink into them before raising a cup to him. ¡°Although we don¡¯t have any wine, I want to wish yourpany a steady future. I really hope that it gets better.¡± Timothy was startled for a moment, but he smiled and clinked cups with her. ¡°Alright. Thank you, Tess.¡± The two of them chatted about their future on the couch. Whenever the conversation got interesting, Timothy would move his hands around to demonstrate his idea. However, the approval that he mentioned a few days earlierpletely disappeared without any trace. Timothy felt that something was off, so he went directly to the agency to ask about the progress, but he didn¡¯t receive any reply. He was only told that his materials were not up to standard, but no specific problems were stated. The next few days, he went over to the agency again and again, but it always turned out fruitless. Timothy was afraid that Tessa would worry about him, so he didn¡¯t tell her anything. As he got increasingly busier, the smile that used to hang on his face also faded away. Every time he came back home, he would lock himself in his room to study the information. When Tessa realized that something was wrong with him, she guessed that there must be some problem with thepany, so she went to ask Henry for confirmation. She then found out that Henry himself was also in a frustrated state, not knowing how to deal with the situation or where to start. After letting out a sigh, Tessa gently knocked on Timothy¡¯s room. ¡°Tess, is there anything wrong?¡± he asked. She ruffled her brother¡¯s hair concernedly. ¡°I know about yourpany. You don¡¯t need to hide it from me. We can handle the problem together.¡± Listening to her warm words, Timothy suddenly felt a little aggrieved after pretending to be calm in front of her. No longer hiding the problem from her, he exined his previous conversations with the agency to her. ¡°But I¡¯ve checked the information and all my indicators are up to standard. They are even at a good level. I just don¡¯t understand why the unit handling the documents keeps on saying that our qualification is not enough to form apany. Therefore, the certificates that should havee to us are now withheld and the process has alsopletely stopped. I¡¯ve asked them many times, but they always give me a vague exnation. They are not willing tomunicate with me at all about where the problem is or what I can do to fix it.¡± When exining the situation, Timothy was a little exasperated. Since he had made full preparations before, he couldn¡¯t ept the fact that his materials and qualifications werecking. Something like this shouldn¡¯t happen! However, the other party refused to tell him exactly what went wrong as they kept on asking him to give up the idea of opening apany. I won¡¯t ept this. I won¡¯t ept this at all! There¡¯s clearly nothing wrong with thepany! Because of this situation, Timothy hadpletely lost the vigorous spirit he had a few days ago when talking about his future to his sister. Seeing how frustrated he had be, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. She knew that her brother had given up a lot for thispany since it was his dream. Initially, they thought that it would be smooth sailing from now on but now, everything was ruined. To him, it would be a massive blow. ¡°As long as we are here, there will be many ways to solve this. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here for you. No matter what happens, I will always share the burden with you.¡± Tessa hugged her brother as sheforted him in a low voice. Suddenly, she remembered that Trevor seemed to have mentioned before that he had a rtive working in that institution. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. At the moment, the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra was rehearsing. Seeing Tessa here, Trevor was a little surprised. Thinking that she came back again for training, he brought her to his office and said resignedly, ¡°Tessa¡­¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Chapter 189 ¡°Mr. Oswald. I came to you today not to resume training. Actually, there¡¯s something that I need your help with,¡± Tessa immediately interrupted Trevor¡¯s words. Seeing how serious she looked, he withdrew his words since she rarely asked people for help and always stood her ground. In the orchestra, the person he was most satisfied with was her, so after hearing that she needed his help, he instantly replied, ¡°What is it? You can just tell me.¡± ¡°My brother is starting apany recently, but his registration was inexplicably terminated and it has been going on for days without any answers being given. Would you be able to ask about it?¡± Tessa pleaded. Upon hearing that, Trevor didn¡¯t feel that it was a big deal, so he nodded in agreement. ¡°But, aren¡¯t you on good terms with¡­ President Sawyer? Why dont you ask him for help?¡± he asked confusedly. Tessa concealed the emotions in her eyes. Even if she didn¡¯t draw a clear line between her and Nichs, she felt that it wouldn¡¯t be suitable for her to ask for his help on such a matter. Therefore, she smiled reluctantly and said, ¡°Since he is so busy, I don¡¯t want to bother him on such a small matter. That¡¯s why I want you to help me ask so that I can handle it myself.¡± Trevor didn¡¯t feel anything wrong with herment. Even though Nichs can settle this matter with a twitch of his finger, Tessa is always determined to do everything herself. She must be in a desperate state if she came to me for help. Then, he immediately called his rtive. Not long after, he hung up the phone and exined hesitantly, ¡°My rtive didn¡¯t say much except the fact that you might have offended someone, so that person is now messing with you. He said that based on your brother¡¯s assets and ability, there is no problem at all for him to register hispany. In fact, the certificate is ready, but¡­ Tessa, I don¡¯t think I can be of much help.¡± Without being able toe up with a solution, Tessa nodded her head disappointingly. However, now that she knew that someone was messing with them from behind the scenes, she felt that there was hope. After saying her goodbyes to Trevor, she left the orchestra. When Tessa found Timothy in thepany, she said bluntly, ¡°I know what¡¯s going on. Tim, did you¡­ offend someone? Or rather, are you getting in the way of someone?¡± He pondered for a moment and answered, ¡°Tess, I don¡¯t know. The only person I offended is Ss, but he is now in a mess himself, so it¡¯s impossible for him to do anything to me. Even if he wants to mess with me, why would the institution listen to him?¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s going on? Do you have any hidden enemies?¡± She was also confused as she also felt that Ss wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. In the blink of an eye, Nichs¡¯ three-day promise with Tobias had arrived. As for Tobias, he didn¡¯t forget their promise at all. The moment Nichs left work, thetter immediately received a call, and he was informed that he should be back home for dinner. He knew that Tobias wanted an answer. Even if Nichs refused to go back home today, the old man would still think of a way to force him toe, so he agreed. As soon as Nichs arrived at the Sawyer Residence, he could see Tobias waiting for him at the dining table. And so, he called out, ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Here. Have a seat.¡± Seeing that he was here, Tobias lifted his head slightly. After sitting down, Nichs swept his eyes toward the old man and spoke bluntly. ¡°Grandpa, I know why you asked me toe here today. I¡¯m also here today with an answer.¡± ¡°Really? Which youngdy do you have your eye on?¡± Tobias stared back at him calmly while tapping his hand a few times on the table, seemingly very interested in hearing the answer. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not in that mindset at the moment. Marriage is something that involves both parties. It¡¯s not something that you can force upon two people. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t think you should worry about this,¡± Nichs answered bluntly. However, Tobias wasn¡¯t surprised with his answer. Instead of bursting into anger, he slowly drawled, ¡°T already knew that you wouldn¡¯tpromise.¡± Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Chapter 190 ¡°Then why are you.¡± Nichs furrowed his brows slightly Although he didn¡¯t know Tobias very well, Nichs was certain that the former wasn¡¯t someone who would give up easily. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to reign in the business world for so many years, Even until now, his legendary status in the industry still stood. A decisive person like Tobias would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. That was why Nichs had a feeling that something was waiting for him today. Tobias smiled gently. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to go through the trouble of choosing, I¡¯ve personally arranged everything for you. You just have to ept what I nned for you.¡± Listening to him, Nichs was slightly stunned. What did he prepare for me?! In the meantime, Andrew came into the dining room and said, ¡°Sir, Master Nichs, Miss Stone is here.¡± ¡°Hmm-she came just in time.¡± Tobias smiled at Nichs excitedly before looking at Andrew. ¡°Let her in.¡± Listening to them, Nichs frowned. Miss Stone? Just as I expected, the old man is fully prepared. This is a trap waiting for me. Ever since Nichs returned to the country two years ago, he didn¡¯t attend any gatherings of the elite families, so he only knew that there was a person called Hayley Stone, but he did not have any impression of her. ¡°Pleasee in, Miss Stone.¡± Andrew bowed slightly at a young woman while making a standard gesture to lead the way. Hayley glided into the dining room in her vintage dress that gave her a gorgeous picturesque look. With a faint smile, she walked up to Tobias and bowed slightly. ¡°Hello, Old Master Sawyer. It has been a long time since Ist saw you. My grandfather misses you very much. How is your health these days?¡± Tobias smiled and patted her hand. ¡°It¡¯s good. When you go back home, tell your grandfather that I¡¯ll go and have some tea with him one of these days.¡± ¡°Great. Then I¡¯ll prepare everything at home to wee you,¡± she replied to him with a smile. Hayley turned around to look at Nichs and her eyes lit up, but she was able to perfectly conceal her happiness as she smiled politely. ¡°Hello, Master Nichs.¡± Nichs didn¡¯t expect Tobias to bring the person all the way here just to force a ¡®blind date¡¯ on him. Although the former¡¯s expression was gloomy, he still nodded politely. ¡°Miss Stone.¡± Meanwhile, Hayley could see the reluctance and alienation in his eyes, but she didn¡¯t care or feel awkward at all. Instead, she smiled confidently at him and said, ¡°Master Nichs, it has been a long time since we met. Have you already forgotten about me?¡± Nichs remained silent, so she smiled unconcernedly and said nothing. Even so, it didn¡¯t feel as though she was discontent with him since her smile perfectly expressed how tolerant she was. Seeing how well-educated Hayley was, Tobias felt more satisfied the more he looked at her. She is truly the daughter of an elite family. Only a woman like her is suitable for Nichs and the Sawyer Family Then, he chose a perfect opportunity to break the silence. ¡°Alright, Hayley, Stop standing there. Come and have a seat next to me while we eat.¡± with a smile on her face, she walked to the side of Tobias and sat across from Nichs After the meal, Nichs immediately got up. ¡°Grandpa, Miss Stone, I still have some unfinished business in thepany, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Upon hearing that, Tobias said to Hayley with a smile, ¡°As you can see, he always puts thepany ahead of everything. If I didn¡¯t ask him toe back, I don¡¯t even know when he would evene back to visit me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he is ambitious. It¡¯s no surprise that the Sawyer Group has been growing exponentially in recent years. I believe you are very relieved, right? You should be happy that thepany has him, I¡¯m sure that the Sawyer Group will only get better in the future.¡± Hayley then nced at Nichs and smiled. ¡°Old Master Sawyer, if you don¡¯t find me boring, you can ask me to keep youpany.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Hayley¡¯s words got to Tobias, and he chuckled before saying, You really have a way with words. I don¡¯t even feel angry anymore.¡± Then, he ordered, ¡°Nichs, I want you to send her back home.¡± Listening to his orders, Nichs furrowed his brows, showing his reluctance. However, Hayley thanked him first. ¡°Thank you, President Sawyer.¡± As for Hayley, she was interested in Nichs some years ago, but outside the friendship between Tobias and Maxwell, the two families didn¡¯t have much connection. Also, there were rumors that Nichs didn¡¯t n to get married, so she decided to let it go. When Tobias came to her, she immediately understood his intention. Seeing that he was quite satisfied with her today, she agreed to join them for dinner without hesitation. Even though Nichs had a child, Hayley didn¡¯t see it as a bad thing since she didn¡¯t want to give birth anyway, so it wasn¡¯t out of the question for her to treat Gregory as one of her own. Since she had agreed to ept a ride and it was only a short distance, Nichs had nothing else to say. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve received several huge projects recently. You must be very busy.¡± After getting into the car, Hayley saw that Nichs wasn¡¯t talking to her, so she found a subject to talk about. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied curtly. And so, she changed the subject. ¡°What about Greg? Thest time I saw him was at his birthday party. How has he beentely?¡± Again, he replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Throughout the journey, Nichs was basically silent as he only replied to Hayley¡¯s questions with simple words, but she didn¡¯t mind at all and kept on changing the subject with a faint smile on her face. When the car stopped in front of the Stone Residence, Nichs got straight to the point and said, ¡°Miss Stone, I believe you know about my grandfather¡¯s intention, but I¡¯m not thinking about that at the moment. Besides, Greg doesn¡¯t want a stranger to suddenly be his mother. I hope that you don¡¯t take this to heart.¡± The smile on her lips faded a bit, but she still maintained a smile. ¡°What if I actually take it to heart?¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs didn¡¯t answer her. However, Hayley continued, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to be so cold toward me. If you want someone to marry you, I¡¯m the best, and the only candidate. We are both children of elite families, and I have a clear understanding of the situation at every major family. I believe that you know what their twisted intentions are. I don¡¯t know who Greg¡¯s real mother is, but by the looks of it now, he doesn¡¯t have a mother. What if your future wife gives birth to a child? What will happen to him? I believe that you¡¯ve thought about this problem before. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be single for so many years. However, I¡¯m different. I will treat him as if he is my own and give him the best care.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Nichs uttered coldly. This was the first time Hayley had been rejected by someone, so she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little hurt inside her heart. Even the smile on her lips had faded slightly. However, the feeling also felt new to her. She turned around and nced at Nichs¡¯ exquisite face. Every feature of his was permeated with fortitude and toughness, which made him very handsome. It also gave an intimidating feeling, as if he was a heavenly being, preventing others from getting close to him. Because of Nichs¡¯ looks, it added another feeling to his cold words, giving others a sense of inferiority whenever they heard his voice. However, Hayley didn¡¯t think that this was necessarily his fault. It was an amazing feeling. Not only did his cold words not make her retreat, but it aroused her desire to have him for herself. Putting aside his words of refusal, even his perfunctory answers felt as though they were attracting her while she fell into a deep addiction. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Someday, I¡¯ll be the woman standing beside him. Only I am worthy of standing next to him. At that thought, Hayley suddenly giggled. ¡°Master Nichs, I¡¯m not going to give up because of what you said. In my mind, there is no such thing as giving up. There is nothing in this world I want that I can¡¯t get.¡± Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Chapter 192 ¡°Although you are now indifferent toward me, you will understand someday in the future that only I am worthy of you. To prevent any further embarrassment, I suggest that you don¡¯t make up your mind vet.¡± After that, Hayley quickly got out of the car and walked back home, her footsteps light, The moment she came in the door, Sonia quickly went up to hold her hands and asked, ¡°How was it? Did you meet him? What do you think about Nichs? Do you have any feelings for him?¡± Listening to her, Hayley giggled. ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t have to ask so many questions in one go. I don¡¯t know which one to answer.¡± ¡°Do you like him?¡± Sonia asked again. Hayley¡¯s ears turned crimson when she heard that. ¡°Mom, I like him. I¡¯m sure of it. Other than him, 1 don¡¯t want anyone else.¡± Sonia wasn¡¯t surprised by her daughter¡¯s words, since thetter had said the same things many years ago. That was why she never epted any marriage proposals from other families in recent years. ¡°You silly girl! Don¡¯t you feel shy saying that? How is he?¡± Sonia asked with a smile. ¡°Actually, he is as brilliant as when he was young. No-he is now much more charming and attractive than when he was young. He is the most perfect man I¡¯ve ever met!¡± With that, Hayley began to blush. ¡°He is mainly worried about his child. For Nichs¡¯ sake, I¡¯ve decided not to have any children, and I will focus on taking care of him and Greg. I believe that no one else will do the same. Mom, that is why I¡¯m bound to be Mrs. Sawyer!¡± Sonia stroked her daughter¡¯s hair and smiled. ¡°I knew that there won¡¯t be any problems given how brilliant my daughter is.¡± Nichs drove away, and the corners of his lips were pursed into a straight line as he was extremely upset with this forced marriage. Also, he felt that Tobias¡¯ sudden change was very odd. Before Gregory was born, Tobias had told Nichs that he wouldn¡¯t force him to quit the army and get married as long as he provided him a great-grandson. Now, however, the old man insisted on interfering with Nichs¡¯ marriage without giving any reasons at all. Is he really doing this so that Greg has someone to take care of him? Gregory said it himself that he didn¡¯t need a stepmother to keep himpany, but Tobias was bent on arranging this blind date himself. For some reason, Nichs felt that Tobias was hiding something, but he couldn¡¯t point out what it was as he didn¡¯t know his intentions. No matter how I think of it, there is something wrong about this. I must find out what it is as soon as possible. Therefore, Nichs immediately called Kieran. ¡°Nichs, what¡¯s wrong? I thought you went over to Grandpa¡¯s ce to have dinner. Are you already done?¡± Kieran¡¯s side was so noisy that he was practically screaming at his phone. On the other end, Nichs furrowed his brows and asked patiently, ¡°I asked you to look into why Grandpa is urging me to get married. How is your progress?¡± ¡°I found nothing¡± Thinking about the investigation, Kieron felt a little defeated. He had been looking into the matter for three days, but he didn¡¯t find anything and was almost caught by Tobias¡¯ men, Sure enough, Kieran was still too inexperienced to go against the old man As Kieran¡¯s side was too noisy. Nichs couldn¡¯t help but ask with annoyance, ¡°Where are you right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m drinking with my friends in a bar¡± Kieran paused tor a moment before speaking in a mysterious tone. ¡°By the way, Nichs, can you guess who I met here?¡±. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. Try not to drink too much. That¡¯ll be all¡± Nichs replied, He knew his brother very well. Even though Kieran was very serious when working, he was also the type to let go of himselfpletely when having fun Mowever, he always did so in a measured way, so he never did anything outrageous For the past few years, the Sawyer Family had been turning a blind eye to Kieran¡¯s yful attitude and no one would dare toy their hands on the young master of the Sawyer Family, so Nichs was at ease with things too. ¡°Nichs, walt! Don¡¯t hang upl You¡¯ll definitely be interested in the person I saw. It¡¯s Timothy!¡± Kieran quickly shouted before Nichs could end the callContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Nichs hesitated in his actions. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Timothy¡¯s in a bar? Tessa was led to the clubst time by people using his name, which is why those unfortunate events happened. With things still fresh in their memories, he still dores to go to a bor? Nichs Expression darkened when he thought back on Tessa¡¯s panicked look. However, he suddenly thought of what Tessa said. She had once mentioned that her brother was a sensible person, and that he would not go to such ces of his own ord, Judging by how close they were, the siblings were not the type to keep secrets from another, so Timothy was not likely to lie to his sister. Also, Nichs had met Timothy a few times in person. The former always had an urate grasp on a person¡¯s personality, and Timothy was exactly as how his sister had described him-a sensible and mature person. Under normal circumstances, he would not go to a bar without good reason, ¡°What¡¯s he doing there?¡± Kieran replied, ¡°I only saw him going in alone. I think he was there to meet someone. But, I don¡¯t know the specifics of it.¡± ¡°Watch after him and make sure that he doesn¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± Nichs ordered. Kieran, who received such an order for the first time, felt confused by it. He then grumbled to himself, Why do I have to know what Timothy is up to? Also, why do I have to make sure that he will not cause trouble? Why is Nichs acting so strangely today? However, since his brother¡¯s matters were not something that he could ask after, Kieran could only do as he was told. And so, he replied, ¡°Alright, consider it done. I¡¯ll make sure everything goes as intended.¡± After hanging up, Kieran snapped his fingers and a subordinate came running. ¡°Master Kieran, what are your orders?¡± ¡°Go down and make out what the people at that table are talking about.¡± Pointing in the direction of Timothy, Kieran spoke quietly. ¡°Yes, Master Kieran.¡± After a short while, the subordinate came back after hearing what they were talking about. ¡°That man is here to look for someone who can help him.¡± ¡°What help does he need?¡± Frowning, Kieran looked in Timothy¡¯s direction again. Now that he took a closer look, he did realize that there was something off about Timothy¡¯s expression. The subordinate answered, ¡°I only heard that he was constantly pleading with the other party for help. Something about the required certifications for hispany being stuck in process indefinitely. So, he wanted the other person to help him by using his connections.¡± Hearing this, Kieran frowned, as he knew something was up-regarding the whole incident. Although it was a tricky thing to get an operating license for apany, he already knew that Timothy had done his fair share of preparation before starting it At least, with his capital and qualifications, it would not be stuck in processing, After a brief moment of silence, Kieran took his phone out and sent a message to Nichs. ¡°Nichs, the reason Timothy came here was to find someone with connections to help him with his issue on the operation license for hispany.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve found something suspicious. With his preparation, it should have been adequate for him to get it. So, do you think that someone is secretly pulling the strings?¡± After receiving the message, Nichs frowned. Knowing what his brother said made sense, Nichs thought that Timothy had probably offended some big shot. Then, he promptly called Edward. ¡°The operating license for Timothy¡¯spany isn¡¯t being approved. Go check and find out what¡¯s happening.¡± Edward thought that the order was a bit strange, as he had been told by his boss to not concern himself over the situation with that pair of siblings. So, why was Nichs suddenly caring about their wellbeing now? Not wanting to guess his superior¡¯s deep thoughts, Edward knew to receive his orders as was. And so, he responded immediately, ¡°Yes, President Sawyer.¡± As for Timothy, he was currently looking at a man who was wearing branded clothing. ¡°So, Bruce, can you help me out here?¡± Being former ssmates with Timothy, Bruce Liston was a somewhat rich kid who had a family owned business. Left with no choice, Timothy could only go to the bar in search of Bruce, as the former wanted to find a way to get hispany up and running first. Yet, Bruce only smirked as he swirled the wine in his hand. ¡°Who are you to request for my help? Why should I help you out?¡± Inclining his head, Timothy replied, ¡°If you really help me out here, I¡¯ll owe you one. This means that it you need my help with anything in the future, I¡¯ll do it to the best of my abilities.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Upon hearing that, Bruceughed out loud as the surrounding rich kids looked at Timothy as if he was a monkey, theit eyes full of disdain. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Bruce, he said that he would help you if you really needed it!* one of them quipped. Reaching out, Bruce pped Timothy¡¯s face lightly and ridiculed him. ¡°I say, are you drunk, Timothy? Helping me out? Are you dreaming here? Or are you trying to conjure up some borate prank?¡± ¡°Opening apany? As a half disabled, you should just stay at home obediently. Do you think that anybody can just delve intomerce as they like? What a joke!¡± Bruce¡¯s words made his surrounding friendsugh ¡°I dare you to say one more word!¡± Angrily, Henry wanted to go and punch him in the face. Seeing this made Timothy quickly stop him. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Henry ¡°But..¡± Still angry, Henry stared fiercely at the bunch of rich kids in front of him. Timothy, who knew that Henry acted out due to him, knew that now was not the time to cause trouble. He did not want his friends to be in hot water due to helping him out and end up offending this group of people. Gently, Timothy tapped Henry¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Switching his gaze to Bruce, Timothy said coldly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to help, I won¡¯t force you, but you don¡¯t have to say such awful things.¡± ¡°Awful things? Don¡¯t forget that you found me yourself just to get humiliated, Timothy.¡± Then, Bruce sneered, ¡°You little cripple, aren¡¯t you always the capable one at school? What happened? Scared now?¡± The other party¡¯s attitude made clear that they were not going to help. Timothy also knew that the longer he stayed, the longer he would have to endure their insults, so he pulled Henry along and was preparing to leave ¡°What? That¡¯s enough for you? You think you can just leave as you like, don¡¯t you? If you kneel down and beg me, I might just let you go. Or maybe, if I¡¯m in a good enough mood, I could even solve that problem for you.¡± Bruce blocked their exit. Seeing this, the rich kids surrounded them in the middle as theyughed. ¡°Don¡¯t go! Come back. We have not had enough fun yet!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line, Bruce!¡± Timothy shouted angrily, ¡°This is crossing the line? You really are a clueless little hatchling. I have even something more overboard that you¡¯ll be experiencing.¡± Bruce smirked. ¡°What do you guys think that this cripple is good for? I can¡¯t even count how many people he has seduced with that slutty face of his. Say, I wonder if he can continue to go to school after I¡¯ve ruined his pretty face.¡± Grabbing Timothy¡¯s jaw violently, Bruce smiled evilly. At school, Bruce was always in the limelight as he had the money and body to back up his looks and grades. He was the popr one. Yet, ever since Timothy appeared, the girls stopped paying Bruce any attention. On top of that, because of Timothy, thetter would always get second ce, so he was teased as the Eternal Runner-up¡¯. Finding Timothy Irritating since a long time ago, Bruce had found the perfect opportunity to show his true colors now that the former had served himself up on a silver tter. Presently, Timothy shook his hand off. ¡°You¡­ Don¡¯t cross the line!¡± ¡°Do you only know that word? Brothers, do you think that I am crossing the line here?¡± Bruce asked as he looked at his ¡®friends.¡¯ One of themughed and said, ¡°How is that crossing the line? It¡¯s your blessing that Master Liston is willing to y along with your act. You should be grateful.¡± Standing not far away, Kieran was looking at the whole situation developing, and he sneered and said to his friends, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen someone act so arrogantly in a long time.¡± A noble-looking man with Kieranmented, ¡°I agree. Those youngsters do not know how big the world truly is. You really don¡¯t see people as ignorant as they are everyday.¡± ¡°Ha! They look just like kids arguing. How childish.¡± One of themughed, and another suggested, ¡°The fellow in the middle is considered quite hot-blooded. Should we go over and help him out for a bit?¡± Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Biting his lip, Kieran put down the wine ss in his hand. ¡°But of course.¡± Laughing, they all stood up and went to where Timothy was. Everybody knew that this group of people were the real young masters of their respective families from the upper echelon, so they all made way upon seeing them walk over. Aside from Bruce hailing from a family-owned small middle enterprise, the others¡¯ families were all just upstarts in the industry. Compared to Kieran, they were practically nobodies. Seeing Kieran and his gang walk over made the group all stop dead in their tracks. Not daring to continue bullying Timothy, they all greeted the young masters respectfully. Timothy, although a bit shocked upon seeing Kieran, still greeted politely, ¡°Master Kieran.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Kieran nodded. Hearing Kieran¡¯s reponse, Bruce was shocked and confused. They had just greeted him in the same way, yet he did not even bat an eysh. So, why did he respond to Timothy now? Don¡¯t tell me this poor cripple knows the second young master of the Sawyer Family?The other young masters are also eyeing Timothy with interest. It¡¯s as if they came over for him this time¡­ No, that can¡¯t be! Timothy is just some broke kid with a schrship. How could he know these people from the upper echelon? Although Bruce was worried about the current situation, he still managed to keep up his current fa?ade. Switching into a smile, he spoke courteously. ¡°I did not know that the young masters wereing over, so I did not prepare anything. I can arrange for whatever your heart¡¯s wishes.¡± CO Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Not wanting to y along, Kieran immediately interrupted Bruce¡¯s intention to call the waiter over. Then, Kieran¡¯s friends alsoughed. ¡°Do you think that Master Kieran would want some trash that you¡¯re offering? Do you think that he¡¯scking in any way?¡± ¡°Apologies, I was too brash,¡± Bruce said pathetically. He was counting on sheer luck and wanted to build a rapport with these young masters. However, looking at the circumstances now, it would be close to impossible to do that. They seemed to havee with not-so-kind intentions. ¡°Who said that he was a disabled just now? Was it you? Or you?¡± Those people who were on the receiving end of Kieran¡¯s finger did not even dare to breathe as he questioned them. The people who were being pointed at were already scared of Kieran. Everybody knew that he was usually easygoing, but they also knew that if one offended Sawyer¡¯s second young master, death would be waiting. And now it was obvious that Kieran was not in the best of moods, so they were trembling out of fear and nobody dared to admit to it. Laughing awkwardly, Bruce replied, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to it, Master Kieran. Maybe you¡¯ve heard wrongly? We¡¯re schoolmates, after all. We have a close rtionship.¡± Henry growled in response, ¡°Heard wrongly? Do you think Master Kieran is deaf?! Master Kieran, don¡¯t let him pull the wool over your eyes. It was him that said that just now.¡± Henry was not a fool, and he obviously saw that Kieran was here to back them up. Even though Henry could forgo the fact that Bruce did not want to help them, he could not forgive those people for their insults. Since it hase to this, Henry chose to voice out hisints instead of holding it in, as he no longer cared about them being schoolmates. Kieran then nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Now that everyone knows that it was you who said it, apologize and p yourself twice. After that, I¡¯ll treat this as something that never took ce.¡± Bruce turned pale-faced upon hearing this. He was extremely astonished due to the fact that Kieran really dide for the cripple to back him up. At that thought, Bruce truly did not really care about how these two knew each other, as cold beads of sweat had already drenched his back. Trembling, he replied, ¡°Master Kieran, this is all a misunderstanding. We really are schoolmates who were just ying around earlier. I think you also know that close friends often joke around like this, no?¡± Chuckling coldly, Kieran only demanded, ¡°Who¡¯s ying around with who now? If I want you to apologize, you apologize. If I want you to p yourself, you are going to p yourself.¡± Bruce still hesitated upon hearing this. If he really apologized to such a nobody in front of such a crowd, he could give up the thought of mixing with his current group of friends in the future. On top of that, Kieran even demanded that Bruce p himself. If word of this got out, thetter would lose all dignity. Yet, Kieran was not somebody that he could offend. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Maybe their rtionship isn¡¯t as good as it seems to be? Maybe he just came here because of the injustice? Seeing Bruce not responding made Kieran lose his patience. ¡°I¡¯m giving you one more minute. If you still want to drag this on, the personingter might be my brother. I think you don¡¯t know that Timothy is a talent my brother truly cares about, do you?¡± N-Nichs Sawyer? Bruce¡¯s expression changed for the worse. Compared to Kieran, Nichs was a person who was even more fearsome. Rumor had it that Nichs had the nickname of the cold-faced grim reaper. As to how powerful he truly was, nobody knew. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Nobody even knew about what happened to people who offended him, because none would care for an abjected person. The only thing people knew was that whoever they offended, they could never, ever offend Nichs Sawyer. If Bruce let his father know that he had crossed Nichs, it would be fortunate if things ended with the former¡¯s leg being broken, as the Liston Family might be up in mes by then. Trembling, Bruce started to p himself hard. Even though Kieran had said two times would suffice, the former did not stop until he had pped himself over ten times and his face was all swollen. Turning around, he bowed deeply to Timothy, thereafter saying hoarsely, ¡°Timothy, I¡¯m sorry for what happened today. I won¡¯t do this again next time.¡± ¡°Now this is how you should¡¯ve done it.¡± The ending made Kieran nod satisfyingly, as he turned his gaze toward Timothy. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± After leaving the bar, Timothy hurriedly thanked Kieran. ¡°Thank you for helping me out today, Master Kieran.¡± Nonchntly, Kieran waved back at him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. After all, we are acquaintances. It was something that I should¡¯ve done. Anyway, you should go back if you have nothing else. In the future, it would be wise to note to ces like these.¡± Nodding, Timothy responded, ¡°Still, thank you for your help. We¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± On the way home, Henry asked doubtfully, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you seek help from President Sawyer? With his family¡¯s backing, he would be able to solve your problems with just a flick of his wrist. Why did you seek Bruce out instead?¡± Hearing this, Timothy only muttered, ¡°Because some favors are not meant to be shouldered.¡± How could Timothy not know about how powerful the Sawyer Family was? However, since his sister did not want anything to do with the Sawyers anymore, he would not do anything that would put her in a hard ce. Although he still did not figure out who was messing with him, he believed that the truth would show itself when the culprit slips up. Even without the Sawyers help, the process of opening theirpany would just take a bit longer, as it was something that could be solved with time. Nodding, Henry understood Timothy¡¯s thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re right. They helped us to save our software before, and now they¡¯ve helped us disperse Bruce and his gang. But that doesn¡¯t mean that they are obligated to help us solve our current problem.¡± ¡°Also, with President Sawyer being so busy, it¡¯s not like anyone can just ask him for help.¡± After reaching home, Timothy was greeted by the sight of Tessa waiting for him on the sofa. ¡°Tess? Why are you still awake at this hour?¡± Timothy said as he looked at his watch in resignation. Shaking her head, Tessa replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not sleepy yet. Besides, how could I sleep knowing that you aren¡¯t back yet? Why did youe back sote today? Have you found a solution to our problem?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still pondering over it.¡± Fullyprehending his sister¡¯s temper, Timothy did not dare to utter anything about what happened today, in fear of her seeking revenge against those people if she knew he had been humiliated. Hearing his reply, Tessa did not show any disappointment on her face, as she only looked at her brother, whose face had shrunk from all the weight he lost. At that moment, she felt pain deep down. Sighing, she continued, ¡°No worries. Let¡¯s take it slow. We¡¯ll find a way somehow. Are you hungry? Do you want me to whip something up for you?¡± Shaking his head, Timothy murmured, ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. I¡¯ve already eaten with Henry just now. I¡¯m not hungry yet.¡± At that, Tessa nodded. ¡°Then you should rest up. Goodnight.¡± a ¡°Goodnight, Tess.¡± The next day, Timothy went out early in the morning to think of how best to solve this problem. Tessa looked at her brother, who was insomniac for quite a few days now due to running around town all day to solve this problem, and she felt sad. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 It was not as if Tessa did not want to reach out to Nichs for help as she knew full well that this should not be much of a problem for him. However, thinking back on what she said to him, coupled with her multiple rejections to meet Gregory, Tessa would feel utterly embarrassed if she were to go looking for help from Nichs. Only able to worry needlessly from the sidelines yet unable to help made Tessa feel down. If she was a bit more capable, her brother would not have to run around looking for ways to solve this problem whilst being rejected all the way. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°President Sawyer.¡± At the Sawyer Group, seeing that Nichs had reached the office, Edward greeted him with a serious expression, ¡°I¡¯ve found out the mastermind who has been messing with Timothy.¡± Seldom seeing Edward being so serious made Nichs realize that the other party might be a big shot. And so, Nichs frowned as he stated, ¡°Just tell me who it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Old Master Sawyer,¡± replied Edward. Nichs frowned upon hearing this. ¡°Is there something wrong with your information? Why is he aiming at Timothy? It¡¯s not like he knows the siblings, much less has any grudge against them.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know the exact reason, as I¡¯m still following up on the case as well. At first I did not believe it either, but after sending people to investigate that organization and confirming it myself time and time again, it really was all Old Master Sawyer¡¯s doing.¡± Edward said with a serious expression. Nichs rubbed his temples. For the life of him, he could not figure out his grandfather¡¯s intentions, as the elderly man had already mostly washed his hands of the group and has been rearing birds and living the good life ever since. However, Nichs did notice Remus¡¯ actions being out of the ordinary these few days. It looked like thetter was preparing for something. Firstly, he was pushing Nichs to get married and now, he was secretly stopping Timothy from opening hispany. Although these two things seemedpletely unrted, it was precisely because of that that it seemed extra suspicious. Not knowing Remus¡¯ thoughts, Nichs did not know what his grandfather was really up to. However, if one were to think from another standpoint, even though Remus had already retired, he still had a deep and long reaching influence in the city, to the point where even Nichs and the rest didn¡¯t know how deep it went. The old master¡¯s every move always carried a certain meaning to it. Yet, it was not something that the group of juniors could just simply guess at. Seeing Nichs furrow his eyebrows tightly, looking as if he could not grasp the old master¡¯s intentions, Edward then proceeded to ask, ¡°How about we just ask him directly, President Sawyer?¡± Nichs only replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need. He might not admit to it even if we ask him. Just keep an eye out on Grandpa¡¯s action and report it to me as you see fit.¡± ¡°Yes, President Sawyer.¡± Edward then nodded. ¡°Also, go approve Timothy¡¯spany¡¯s operating license;¡± Nichs ordered, to which Edward answered, ¡°Yes, President Sawyer. I¡¯ll see to it now.¡± That afternoon, Timothy, who was still running around because of the licensing issue, suddenly received a call from the licensing organization. Shocked, Timothy then immediately picked it up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello, is this Mr. Timothy Reinhart? The operating license for yourpany has been approved. If you have the time, pleasee over to take it.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± After hanging up, Timothy still hadn¡¯t recovered from the news. Seeing him standing there in a daze made a curious Henry tap on Timothy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tim? Did something happen?¡± Snapping back to reality, Timothyughed. ¡°It was from the organization. They said they approved the license and wanted me to go get it.¡± ¡°Are you serious? I¡¯m not dreaming, am I? Pinch me!¡± Henry said in disbelief. Finding this humorous, Timothy responded, ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± After their quick celebration, Henry asked in confusion, ¡°But, it all seems so strange. The licensing that did not get approved no matter what suddenly went through, even though we did not find anyone with the proper connections?¡± After a brief moment of silence, Timothy answered, ¡°I think Master Kieran might have helped us behind the scenes.¡± ¡°That makes sense. After he solved that problem for us yesterday, maybe he knew about our other troubles as well and helped us out too. What a great guy!¡± Believing that Kieran might have helped them out, Henry now looked at Kieran in a much more respectable light. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Somewhat worshippingly, Henry murmured, ¡°He really is someone with power and authority. He does things so cleanly and so efficiently.¡± Timothy alsoughed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off to get that license. I want to get thepany up and running as soon as possible.¡± After getting the license, Timothy thought that since Kieran helped him out, it would be impolite of him to just ept it as is. And so, he decided that no matter what, he had to treat Kieran to a meal. In the end, he sent thetter a message. ¡®Master Kieran, thank you for helping me yesterday at the bar. Also, the licensing organization called me, and I have already gotten the license. Hence, I would like to treat you to a meal as a sign of gratitude. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kieran was rather shocked upon receiving the message. I just helped him out yesterday on the ount of serving justice, so how did I ever solve his problem with the licensing issue?On top of that, I only came to know about the situation yesterday, and I told Nichs¡­ Right, my brother!It must have been him! That shy boy! He only knew about this yesterday as well, and even said he wanted to find who was causing all this trouble. It¡¯s only been a few hours and he¡¯s already had the problem solved. This speed is¡­He even said that he wasn¡¯t interested in anything concerning Tessa, but his actions seem to contradict his words, though. He went so far as to help out her brother.Looks like Nichs wants to be some anonymous hero by doing the good deed and letting someone else get all the glory. Giving away a free feast?Tsk!I have to give him a prize for his hard work. At that thought, Kieran could not hold it in any longer as he shut the folder on his desk and went to Nichs¡¯ office, wanting to discuss this with his brother. ¡°Nichs, I heard that you solved Timothy¡¯s problem?¡± Kieran asked as soon as he opened the door. Standing there calmly, Kieran looked at his brother, who always had an unchanging expression even if the sky were to fall. Gazing at his brother, Nichs then admitted it was him with a short ¡°yes¡± before lowering his head, continuing to sift through his documents. ¡°If you¡¯re free, then go and sort out the reports.¡± ¡°Wait! Nichs, I have a lot on my te as well. I came here because there was something important that I have to tell you,¡± Kieran said resignedly. Emotionlessly, Nichs then replied, ¡°Out with it, then. After that, sort out the reports for me.¡± ¡°I say, if you treated me as well as you treat that pair of siblings, I would¡¯ve been on your side unconditionally a long time ago,¡± Kieran said, his tone aggrieved. However, before Nichs had the chance to chase him away, he quickly followed up, ¡°Timothy wants to treat me to a meal as thanks for my help.¡± Hearing this, Nichs stopped for a second before continuing to read through the documents while saying, ¡°Go then.¡± Upon hearing that, Kieran asked in confusion, ¡°But, don¡¯t you want toe as well?¡± Meanwhile, Nichs responded calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing Greg with me.¡± On the other end, Tessa was at home racking her brains and seeing if she could contact any friends who hadpanies of their own for help. Suddenly, Timothy gave her a call. ¡°Tess, I¡¯ve got the license!¡± ¡°What? Why so sudden?¡± Although ted, Tessa was confused too, as she had seen her brother still being heavily concerned over the issue this morning. It was just afternoon and he had already solved the issue. ¡°It was Master Kieran who helped me out. Yesterday, when I was out looking for someone with connections, I bumped into him. He helped us to solve it after hearing about our predicament.¡± Out of concern for Tessa, Timothy had intentionally omitted him being at the bar and what went down there. His words stunned Tessa. I had never thought that in the end, we will still owe the Sawyer Family one. Hearing his sister go silent over the phone made Timothy think that she might be afraid of owing them something. Hence, he said reassuringly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry that we owe them something, Tess. I¡¯ve already arranged for dinner tonight with Master Kieran. You shoulde with me.¡± Thinking that this was the proper thing to do, she agreed. ¡°Alright.¡± That night at the restaurant that Timothy had pre-booked, the moment Tessa entered, she saw that besides Kieran, there were two unexpected people that showe up, namely Gregory and Nichs. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Seeing Tessa made Gregory happily pat the seat beside him. ¡°Miss Tessa,e over quickly. I left this seat empty for you. I didn¡¯t even give it up when my uncle came!¡± To be able to see Gregory here filled Tessa with emotions. On one hand, she did not know how to face the child. On the other hand, she was very happy to see him. ¡ª¡ª- In the end, she walked toward Gregory, smiling as she asked gently, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Gregory replied happily, ¡°I brought Daddy along when I heard that Mr. Timothy was treating us to a meal.¡± Timothy did not deny what Gregory had said. Nichs must have known about Kieran helping us out. He might even have contributed some help himself. It¡¯s fine if we include him as well. A few more people makes no difference, after all. After sitting down, Timothy raised his wine ss and toasted the two brothers. ¡°President Sawyer and Master Kieran, I sincerely thank you both for helping me out with the matter of mypany¡¯s startup.¡± Reciprocating his gratitude, the two brothers drank the alcohol. Because he was the scapegoat for his brother¡¯s doings, Kieran naturally had to say something. Therefore, he also raised his wine ss and said, ¡°This is but a small matter. You don¡¯t have to thank us like this.¡± Since he had already said it, Timothy could not just keep expressing his gratitude, so he just smiled gratefully. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Ever since the incident, Tessa had always wondered about something. Now that the crisis was over, she thought that it would be suitable to bring it up. Opening her mouth, she asked, ¡°You investigated why the licensing process for my brother¡¯spany would not go through, right? Someone told me that it was because my brother might have offended somebody, so I was wondering if Master Kieran has found out who the mastermind was?¡± After stopping for a brief moment, she then proceeded, ¡°This matter is very important to me, so I hope that you will divulge this information.¡± Although she did not have a headstrong character, Tessa would be the first to fight the person who bullied her brother. These few days, she was heartbroken seeing Timothy losing sleep due to the issue. Since the problem wasn¡¯t solved by Kieran, he was not aware of the mastermind that was targeting Timothy, so he could only look toward his brother, pleading for help. Calmly, Nichs took over and said, ¡°It was a rivalpany. After our group purchased the software designed by your brother, it has now officially entered the developmental phase. On a technical level, it is well ahead of the otherpany, with it showing the potential to single handedly dominate the market in the future. That¡¯s why they started looking for trouble. Not daring to offend us, they instead feared that Timothy, who was leaving thepany at that time, would pose a serious threat to them. It could be said that the whole incident was partly caused by us, so you guys don¡¯t have to worry yourselves anymore,¡± Nichs said as he analyzed the situation rationally. After hearing the nonsense he made up on the spot, Kieran respected his brother even further. His exnation had absolutely no w in it and flowed beautifully. Silently, he gave a thumbs up to his own elder brother. Not having dabbled in business, Tessa naturally did not know the ins and outs of it, so she fully believed what Nichs had said. Because of a technical skill point, Timothy was blocking others¡¯ futures, which was why he was targeted. She could still grasp this simple logic. Now that they know where the problem stemmed from, they could prepare themselves better. Looking gratefully at the two brothers, Tessa murmured, ¡°Thank you for your help, President Sawyer and Master Kieran.¡± Then, they promptly changed the subject and never brought it up again. As the men did not really like to gossip, the subject started to revolve around how best to develop Timothy¡¯spany. Striking first, Nichs questioned, ¡°Now that you guys have the operating license, what ns do you have for the future? Have you thought about where to start?¡± Timothy nodded and he smiled at Henry, who was sitting beside him. ¡°I¡¯ve already discussed this with Henry, and we¡¯re now preparing to develop a new software,¡± he replied. ¡°The software in question is a position tracking system; we¡¯ve temporarily named it ¡®Eye of Horus¡¯ for now. I¡¯ve been preparing for this since the first year of my university, but because of technical issues and other areas that werecking, I could notplete it.¡± Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 After that, he stopped andughed in embarrassment. ¡°Actually, you all have seen it before. It was used to find the young master when he was kidnapped.¡± Upon hearing that, Kieran was mildly interested in it as he looked toward his brother. ¡°It was already very efficientst time. Just a moment was all it took to narrow the range and confirm the location. If developed properly, it could bring huge profits to thepany in the future!¡± Nichs agreed with his brother¡¯s point of view. Being born and raised in the Sawyer Family, they were exposed to business from a tender age, so they could tell with a nce whether something had potential or not. And the software developed by Timothy had huge potential. Not wanting to beat around the bush, Nichs asked, ¡°What are your ns for future development?¡± Timothy replied, ¡°Actually, the software¡¯s function doesn¡¯t stop at echolocation. It can even use electromaic waves to¡­¡± Because this was confidential, Timothy chose to only describe the partial functions in a simple manner while keeping the important bits under wraps, even though he was saved by the brothers. Although he only revealed a few aspects, Nichs found it to be full of potential. And so, he said somewhat amusingly, ¡°With such a big project, I doubt that twenty million would be enough, no? Go back and draft up a proposal for me; if it looks functionable, then the Sawyer Group might consider investing in it.¡± Initially worried about the capital, Timothy and Henry now looked each other in the eye after hearing Nichs¡¯ words. With both of them agreeing to it, they immediately nodded. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll draft up a perfect proposal, so rest assured, President Sawyer.¡± Because she was not someone who conducted business, much less involved in IT, Tessa could not pitch in to their conversation. However, because this was something that concerned her brother, she was still listening attentively. She could still understand it as their topic was quite shallow. After a few minutes of listening in, Tessa was a bit taken aback that they had decided on such a big project based on a few exchanges. However, she knew that Nichs was not a careless man when conducting business. The fact that he decided on the deal meant that the project her brother was heading was really good. That was why Timothy got the stamp of approval. On one hand, she was feeling proud that she had such an excellent brother. On the other hand, she was a bit sad because she felt that she could not contribute much help. After this deal, he will be busy as a bee again. Together with theunch of thepany, Timothy will surely overwork himself yet again. In the midst of being sad and happy, Tessa could feel her emotions running wild. Gregory, who was listening by the side, felt that their conversation was not as interesting as talking with Tessa, so he lightly tugged on her clothes and said sweetly, ¡°Miss Tessa!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Tessa looked at Gregory ¡°Miss Tessa, is your wound getting better? Does it still hurt?¡± Gregory blinked as he asked, his tone full of concern. Smiling, Tessa ruffled his hair gently. ¡°Thank you for caring about me, Greg. I¡¯m feeling much better now and it doesn¡¯t hurt as much anymore. The checkup tomorrow will be thest one.¡± Hearing that her wounds were healing up made him nod happily. ¡°That¡¯s good. I hope that you can heal quickly.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Tessa smiled. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Looking at her shoulder as he tilted his head, Gregory kneeled on the chair and started to blow on Tessa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I blow on it for you. So, when you go for the checkup tomorrow, it will be fully healed then!¡± Gregory, who was being as caring as always, made Tessa feel all warm and fuzzy with just a greeting, as he was just too sweet. After a while, the dinner ended. With Henry and Timothy in tow, Tessa bidded Nichs and the rest farewell as they stood by the entrance. Before getting into the car, Gregory kept his gaze on Tessa. Like an adult, he sighed lightly. ¡°Why does time pass so quickly? I haven¡¯t spent enough time with Miss Tessa yet.¡± Tessa¡¯s heart clenched as she somewhat resonated with his words. She also felt that time flew by and that she did not spend enough time with this small fluffball. Reluctantly, Gregory looked at Tessa. He was about to ask her to go back with them, but then he forcefully swallowed his words. He had already said itst time that he would not make it hard on her or make her sad again. Since her hand was not fully healed yet, he decided to hold back. When she was fully healed and able to y the violin again, Gregory would look for Tessa again, with confidence that she woulde back. What he could not do now was to be a kid that people disliked. Gathering his energy, the boy raised his head and looked directly at Tessa. ¡°Goodbye, Miss Tessa!¡± Smiling, Tessa replied, ¡°Goodbye, Greg.¡± Carrying Gregory in his arms, Nics did not open his mouth as he silently waited for the two to bid their farewells. Only then did he get into the car with Gregory and leave. On the way back, Kieran looked like he had something to say to his brother, yet he kept stopping himself. Shooting a nce at him coldly, Nichs childed, ¡°Whatever you want to say, spit it out. As a man, why are you acting all hesitantly?¡± ¡°It was you who wanted me to say it, so don¡¯t get mad after I do so, Nichs.¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Kieran initially wanted to obtain confirmation from Nichs. After waiting for a while, he saw that Nichs didn¡¯t even bother to look in his direction once. He became bored of waiting and bluntly asked, ¡°How are things going between you and Tessa recently?¡± The rtionship between those two had always been a puzzle. He had long wanted to know what was going on. It was just that he was constantly blocked from the truth. The feeling of not knowing the full story drove him crazy. Having observed them all night today, Kieran couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the rtionship between them was bing stranger by the minute. He didn¡¯t believe there wasn¡¯t anything going on between them because he clearly saw how his brother had quietly cleared all the obstacles in her way without her knowing and even obtained a ticket for her just because it was one of her interests. But, if he were to say that there was something going on between them¡­ Aside from speaking a few words to each other at the beginning, they had not said another word between them for the entire night. They didn¡¯t even look at each other. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Isn¡¯t the story between Nichs and Tessa a little tooplicated? Or, is their rtionship concealed so deeply in order to deliberately mislead others? This was the first time in his life where Kieran could not get the true story behind the juicy gossip. Therefore, this piece of gossip that had no conclusion made him feel very depressed. He had asked this question at the risk of being kicked out of his brother¡¯s car. Even so, he received neither the ruthlessmand to get lost nor an answer to his question. Feeling puzzled, he lifted his head and nced at Nichs only to see thetter staring at the rearview mirror with narrowed eyes. There was a dangerous look in those eyes. Putting away theints in his heart, Kieran nced at the rearview mirror as his expression immediately changed drastically. That was because there was a car following behind them. No matter how they changednes, the car was always following behind them at a constant speed! Inside the Sawyer Residence, Remus brewed a pot of tea in the living room after dinner. He serenely used the wooden spoon made out of redwood to scoop out the tea leaves and ced them in the teapot. Next, he drenched the leaves in boiling water from a kettle by the side. The steam immediately rose into the air, along with the fragrance of tea. Ever since he retired from the industry, his mental state had gradually calmed down. At this moment, his figure wrapped in the steam made his leisurely atmosphere stand out even more. He carefully took his tea cup with three fingers in a refined manner and took a small sip. Only then did he look at the person who came to visit him and quietly asked, ¡°What happened?¡± One should not be fooled by his serene appearance, seemingly unconcerned with worldly affairs. He was the highly revered Remus Sawyer. Even if he no longer managed the business, nobody would dare to take his words lightly, much less disrespect him. Andrew bowed slightly and responded respectfully, ¡°Timothy Reinhart¡¯s documents have been approved today. ording to the report from the men shadowing Master Nichs, Master Nichs, Master Kieran, and Young Master Gregory have just finished having dinner with the siblings. As there was no way to enter the private room, we do not have any information on the specifics of their conversation for the time being. Judging by the speed the documents are being released, I¡¯m afraid Master Nichs is aware that you are secretly intervening in this matter. The organization probably believes that it was done under your orders. That¡¯s why they allowed Timothy¡¯s documents to pass through so easily. After all, nobody else is capable of doing this aside from the Sawyer Group.¡± Remus was not surprised by what he heard. Calmly continuing to sip his tea, he gently said, ¡°Since he already knows, then there is no need to be so secretive. Let it be known that anypany that dares to do business with Timothy Reinhart will be making enemies of the Sawyer Group.¡± Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Chapter 202 ¡°Alright, Old Master Sawyer.¡± Andrew epted the order and thought to himself, Looks like Old Master Sawyer is seriously nning to make a move now. I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be a ce for those siblings in Brentwood City. ¡°Tess, I¡¯m off to work now!¡± Ever since Timothy¡¯spany registration documents werepleted, he became energetic and spirited. All his depression had been tossed aside without a second thought. He was filled with confidence and quickly threw himself into the various establishment and organizational works. At this moment, his entire mind was filled with work, work, and more work! Even if he was so busy that his eyes were spinning, he was extremely happy. He left with a smile on his face and returned with a smile on his face, every single day. Tessa couldn¡¯t help curling her lips into a smile upon seeing him like this. ¡°You¡¯re just like a child. It¡¯s okay to work, but don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Tess. I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± He smiled brightly, then energetically added, ¡°I¡¯ve been recruiting people and building my team for the past two days. It won¡¯t be long before my team is ready to go. Once we create andunch ¡®Celestial Eye, our name will begin to spread everywhere. In the future, we will never need to worry about sourcing capital again.¡± ¡°I know you can do it, considering how talented you are.¡± She looked at his thin but extremely lively face and couldn¡¯t help reaching out a hand to stroke his head. ¡°I¡¯ll get going. Henry is waiting for me.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± Soon, Timothy left home to begin a brand new but hectic day. Not long after he left, Tessa decided to go to the hospital for a check-up. Before she could leave, she heard the doorbell ringing. She opened the door to see two figures standing at the door-onerge and one small. Therge one was Nichs and the small one was Gregory. Thus, she couldnt help being taken aback for a moment. Why are these two here? Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The soft and cuddly Gregory was very happy to see her and immediately hugged her leg. He shouted in a sweet voice, ¡°Miss Tessa!¡± She came back to her senses and asked somewhat suspiciously, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Miss Tessa, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to go for a check-up? Mr. Timothy is so busy, so I was certain you wouldn¡¯t allow him to apany you. But, I was worried about you and couldn¡¯t helping here to apany you to the hospital.¡± He looked at her joyously with an expression that seemed to be begging forpliments. I¡¯m already here; there¡¯s no way Miss Tessa can chase me away! I can stay with her all day long again today. I¡¯m so happy! What surprised him the most was his father¡¯s reaction. I was afraid Daddy would reprimand me when I told him about my n this morning. Unexpectedly, not only did Daddy not scold me, but he also agreed toe along with me! Gregory¡¯s words hit the nail right on the head. Timothy had indeed offered to apany Tessa to the hospital only for her to reject his offer. Tessa looked at Gregory¡¯s flushed face and sweet smile, feeling ratherplicated inside. She thought she would never see this little guy again. However, it was not just a child who was going to be apanying her. An extremely busy big boss would also being along as well. This line-up seemed a little overwhelming. Seeing that she was taking very long to respond, Nichs said, ¡°You were injured because of Greg, so it¡¯s only natural for us to apany you for your check-up.¡± Upon hearing those words, she didn¡¯t say anything else. She simply nodded lightly. picked up the bag she had prepared earlier, and followed the father-and-son pair out of the apartment. When the three of them arrived at the hospital, they went straight to the attending physician who treated Tessa previously. As it was only a check-up, it was a much simpler procedurepared to the previous examination when Tessa was first injured. It didn¡¯t take long before the doctor returned with her radiograph. He pointed at a spot on the radiograph where her original bone fracture was located and said, ¡°The wound is healing very well. It¡¯s very surprising to see that the wound has not worsened when you went home to recuperate this time.¡± Tessa said nothing and only lowered her head in embarrassment when she heard those words. The last time she went home for recuperation, it was not long before she was sent back to the hospital again. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t help feeling extremely embarrassed when the doctor brought up the past again. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Chapter 203 ¡°Keep this up and you will recover soon,¡± the doctorughingly said when he saw Tessa¡¯s reaction. ¡°Then, can 1-¡± Tessa spoke up impatiently. She wanted to ask about ying the violin. Unfortunately, the doctor interrupted her before she could even finish her question. The doctor said, ¡°Don¡¯t think that you can start ying the violin again just because you¡¯re much better now. As they say, broken bones take a hundred days to heal. You should also take more care when it comes to a bone fracture like yours. You will need to recuperate quietly for at least a month or so before you can touch that precious violin of yours.¡± Upon hearing those words, the light in her eyes vanished instantly. A month¡­ I can afford to wait, but the orchestra can¡¯t¡­ There¡¯re only a few more days left before the orchestra leaves to perform abroad, yet there¡¯s no way I can go on stage in my current condition. In the end, will I just end up as a spectator again? The look on her face did not escape Nichs¡¯ notice. He was well-aware of her unfulfilled wishes. Nevertheless, what could he do even if he knew? There were many things he could help her with, the only exception being matters involving her body. Unfortunately, there was no other method to solve this problem aside from slowly recuperating from her injuries. Compared to her health, everything else was not as important. He did not wish for her to destroy herself for the sake of the performance this time. That was why he didn¡¯t encourage her to return to the orchestra and the stage where she belonged. Likewise, Gregory noticed the changes in her mood and quicklyforted her. ¡°Miss Tessa, it will be okay. You are so talented. There will be many, many more opportunities in the future.¡± Knowing that Gregory was worried about her, she forced her lips to curve into a smile. ¡°I know.¡± It was almost lunch time by the time Tessa was done with her check-up. Since these two hade along to apany her for her check-up, she could not just leave without doing anything in return. Hence, she suggested, ¡°President Sawyer, Greg, why don¡¯t I treat the two of you to lunch as a thank you for apanying me for my check-up?¡± Naturally, Gregory was ted to hear those words and immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°Sure!¡± It was probably thanks to Tessa¡¯spany that his lunch tasted especially delicious today. He ate quickly without needing anybody to persuade him to eat, let alone worry about him. She was thinking about going home after lunch. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she was interrupted by the urgent ringing of a phone before she could say anything Nichs answered the call and frowned deeply while listening to the report from Edward. She could tell that he seemed to be having an emergency when he finally ended the call. Thus, she asked, ¡°Is everything okay, President Sawyer?¡± His expression was gloomy. ¡°A problem came up with the project in the neighboring city, and I need to go there and solve this issue immediately. I might not be able to send Greg back in time.¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes immediately lit up at those words. He quickly piped up before she could even utter a word. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Daddy, you can go. I¡¯ll just stay with Miss Tessa. You cane and pick me up from her house once you¡¯re done with work tonight.¡± Although he had made the decision to stay with her on his own, she didn¡¯t mind at all. It was a rare opportunity for them to be together alone, so naturally, she would not refuse. She nodded. ¡°Leave Greg to me. You don¡¯t need to worry, President Sawyer.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Nichs nodded gratefully. Afterward, he got into his car and left the restaurant. Once Nichs was gone, Tessa looked at Gregory. ¡°What should we do now? Do you have a ce you want to go? I will bring you there.¡± ¡°Anywhere?¡± He blinked in delight. She nodded. ¡°Yeah. Where do you want to go?¡± ¡°The aquarium!¡± he replied happily. It was rare for him to have somewhere that he particrly wanted to go. Besides, it was not a dangerous ce. Hence, she immediately nodded to indicate her agreement to his suggestion. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s head for the aquarium immediately.¡± ¡°Miss Tessa, you¡¯re the best!¡± He kissed her on the cheek, leaving a saliva mark on her face. After buying the tickets online, Tessa brought Gregory to the aquarium. It was a working day today. For that reason, not many people were at the aquarium, and they could enter the aquarium without needing to wait. ¡°Wow! Miss Tessa, it looks so cool inside!¡± Gregory was greeted by the sight of a water tank that arched over their heads as soon as they entered the aquarium. Moreover, there was a school of fish swimming yfully above their heads. He couldn¡¯t help but exim in excitement.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Simrly, Tessa nodded at the novelty of the sight. This ce is really beautiful. Gregory tugged at the corner of her clothes lightly. When she leaned down, he whispered in a hush voice, ¡°Miss Tessa, this is the first time I¡¯ve been somewhere like this.¡± Upon hearing those words, she couldn¡¯t help feeling astonished. However, it made sense when she thought about his family background. Nichs was such a busy man. He had never even gone to the movie theaters before, what more bringing Gregory out to y at these kinds of ces? Thus, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a little sad for the little boy. She smiled. ¡°What a coincidence. It¡¯s also my first time here.¡± When Gregory heard those words, his eyes brightened, and a tinge of red climbed up his ears. He pursed his lips and smiled. ¡°In that case, Miss Tessa, we have to let loose and y to our hearts¡¯ content today!¡± She nodded and walked through the ocean tunnel with him. The aquarium was veryrge and could even be said to have everything. Be it deep-sea fish or coastal fish, anything they could think of could be found here. He was stunned when he saw a bloom of glowing jellyfish. Pressing himself against the ss, he stared at them curiously. ¡°Miss Tessa, I heard that these kinds of jellyfish are poisonous.¡± She nodded. ¡°Little guy, you sure do know a lot.¡± Hearing thepliment made him blush in slight embarrassment. ¡°I learned about them while reading my picture books. They were also mentioned in the encyclopedia on the animal world. These jellyfish are really beautiful. The books im that the more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it is. However, I don¡¯t believe that. That¡¯s because you are so beautiful, Miss Tessa. But, you¡¯re not dangerous at all.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It was her first time beingplimented by a child, so she couldn¡¯t help blushing furiously at those words. Despite being so young, he is already so honey-tongued, not to mention how good looking he is. I¡¯m sure he will be a master at seducing thousands of girls when he grows up. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s a coral!¡± His attention was instantly drawn by another disy, and he ran over excitedly. Sheughed and followed him while taking a lot of pictures of the child at the same time. Gregory looked very simr to Nichs in appearance. They both had very delicate features. It was just that this little guy had yet to grow up, so he was much more delicate than his father. For that reason, his gentle appearance made him even more adorable and charming. Many people had been sneaking nces at him from the moment he entered the aquarium. They secretlyplimented on his good looks and couldn¡¯t help being tempted to kidnap him home for themselves. ¡°Miss Tessa, this ce is beautiful. Let¡¯s take a photo here together!¡± he suggested with a smile. Tessa had long wanted to take a photo together with him but was too embarrassed to mention it herself. Now that he brought it up himself, she no longer hesitated and immediately nodded in agreement. There was a click of a shutter, and their picture was taken. The smile on their faces conveyed their overflowing joy that almost spilled out from the screen on the phone. He was very satisfied. ¡°Miss Tessa, don¡¯t forget to send the photos to meter!¡± All of a sudden, an announcement rang out across the aquarium. ¡°Dear guests, the beluga whale performance this afternoon is about to begin. All guests who wish to watch the show are weed to enter the venue.¡± The little guy looked at her expectantly. ¡°Miss Tessa, can we go?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She smiled and took his hand, then she headed directly toward the venue of the beluga whale performance. The beluga whale performance was very entertaining and exciting. By the time the show was over, Gregory¡¯s hands were red from pping too hard. The host on the stage smilingly announced, ¡°Did you think the show¡¯s over? We are going to have an interactive session next! We now invite the guest sitting at seat No. 118 toe up to the stage!¡± Tessa nced at Gregory¡¯s seat number, which happened to be the lucky No. 118! Gregory was ted to see that he had been chosen. Thus, he immediately stood up and walked toward the stage excitedly. Worried that something might happen to him, she got up and apanied him for the interactive session. ¡°Miss Tessa, he is so cold! It¡¯s so nice to touch!¡± He was very bold and immediately reached out to stroke the beluga whale¡¯s head gently. Seeming to sense that he had no malicious intentions, the beluga whale affectionately rubbed itself against his palm and even kissed him. This action immediately made himugh out loud, and he looked at the beluga whale with crinkled eyes. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Unknowingly, it was nighttime. Seeing as Nichs had yet toe and pick Gregory up, Tessa decided to bring Gregory home with her. Gregory immediately saw Timothy sitting on the sofa when they walked in through the door following their return to the Regal Gardens. Thus, he immediately greeted Timothy politely. ¡°Hello, Mr. Timothy.¡± Timothy was dumbfounded to see Gregory. ¡°Tess, why is Young Master Gregory here?¡± Tessa smiled and exined, ¡°President Sawyer and Greg apanied me for my check-up earlier. After the check-up, President Sawyer had to leave for an emergency and left Greg in my care as a result.¡± Timothy did not say anything else after listening to her exnation. Besides, Gregory was extremely likable. Not only was he honey-tongued, but he was also very well-behaved and rarely threw temper tantrums. He was different from all the other boisterous children. Children with these kinds of temperaments were very rare, so how could Timothy not like Gregory? Thanks to Gregory¡¯s presence, Tessa decided to cook dinner herself. She even made two additional dishes that were his favorites. ¡°Miss Tessa, your cooking is great!¡± Gregory said excitedly while patting his tiny stomach in satisfaction. Her cooking skills areparable to the chefs at home! He ate cheerfully throughout the meal and even had an extra serving of spaghetti. After dinner, Timothy went through some documents on hisputer. A constant series of clickety- ckety sounds came from his mechanical keyboard. He typed so quickly that it was dazzling just to watch him work. Gregory couldn¡¯t help being curious and quietly sneaked over to watch Timothy working from behind with a look of admiration in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Timothy, that¡¯s so amazing. Can you teach me?¡± Timothy nodded and softly exined the codes he wrote just now. Gregory listened attentively. When Timothy finished exining, Gregory clenched his fists and asked, ¡°Mr. Timothy, can I try?¡± Timothy saved his documents before handing theputer to Gregory. Gregory went through the motions of what Timothy did earlier in his mind. Then. he ced his hand on his shoulder and looked up at Timothy with pursed lips. ¡°Mr. Timothy, please let me know if there are any mistakes.¡± Timothy nodded and responded, ¡°Okay.¡± Afterward, he watched Gregory¡¯s movements seriously. Gregory worked very quickly, entering the forms into theputer one by one ording to the forms given by Timothy. His level ofpetency absolutely shocked Timothy. I have never seen anybody with such a good memory before, much less a child. This level of intelligence is simply amazing! Timothy couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°You really are President Sawyer¡¯s son. Like father, like son. You are amazing, Young Master Gregory!¡± Tessa initially thought that Gregory was only fooling around. After all, how could a five-year-old child understand coding? That was why she sat by the side to watch with the mindset of admiring his? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. performance. To her surprise, he memorized the codes that even she could not understand after only reading them once. Moreover, there were no ws in the codes he wrote. He really is a little genius! No, that¡¯s not right-he is an all-rounded little genius! When he goes to school in the future, such a smart and clever boy will definitely be the legendary model of others and the darling of the teachers. It is said that a talented child is more likely to be born to the family of a talented person. He has clearly inherited his father¡¯s intelligence. Thus, she sincerely praised him. ¡°Wow! I didn¡¯t know you were this amazing, Greg!¡± ¡°This is not that hard. If you study hard, Miss Tessa, you will definitely understand it too. Do you want me to teach you?¡± Gregory blinked shyly. He was truly looking forward to the scene where he could write codes together with her on aputer. ¡°No, thanks. You can continue ying with Mr. Timothy.¡± She quickly shook her head. She was completely clueless when it came toputer programming. With my utterck ofputer programming skills, there¡¯s no way I canpare with this little guy. It¡¯s embarrassing just to think about it. I cannot let my outstanding image in his head be destroyed! He seemed a little crestfallen but did not question her. Nodding, he turned back to Timothy. ¡°Mr. Timothy, can you teach me more? I want to learn.¡± Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Back at home, Gregory had always wanted to learn when he saw Nichs working. It was just that his father was always so busy that he felt bad about disturbing him. Besides, he had so much homework that he had no time to y around like this. So this was the perfect opportunity for him to learn. Furthermore, a talented person like Timothy was around to teach him. How could he not grasp the opportunity firmly? ¡°Sure.¡± Timothy had always been fond of Gregory. Seeing how much Gregory liked coding and how naturally talented he was, Timothy¡¯s favorable impression toward Gregory immediately soared. He couldn¡¯t wait to teach Gregory all the knowledge he had learned in the past. He took out anotherputer so that they each had aptop to use. After that, he wrote a simple software. Gregory followed his example. There was barely any need for him to correct any minor mistakes that Gregory might have made while entering the codes. Gregory¡¯s memory was so good that he practically copied and pasted everything. It was a perfect replica. The two of them had a lot of fun together, creating software after software without getting tired of it. Tessa listened to the sounds of their hands flying swiftly across the keyboard and shook her head helplessly. Timothy was already crazy enough about programming when he was creating software by himself. It was to the point where he would even forget to eat or sleep. The addition of Gregory only made him even more excited. It looks like he won¡¯t be getting any rest tonight. Fortunately, what she was worried about did not happen. Gregory was just a child after all, so he could not stay awake after his bedtime. After ying around for a bit, he was so sleepy that his eyes were watering. He looked at Tessa with tears in his eyes and said, ¡°Miss Tessa, I want to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go take a bath first. You can sleep after taking a bath.¡± Tessa shook her head in amusement before she took his hand and headed to the shower. When Timothy saw the sight of thatrge hand holding the small hand, a particrly harmonious picture suddenly popped up in his head. He jokingly said, ¡°Tess, if you went out with Young Master Gregory like this, people who didn¡¯t know you would probably think that he was your son.¡± His statement also amused her. ¡°If I can give birth to a child as adorable and intelligent as Greg, then I¡¯d probably wake up fromughing in my dreams.¡± Gregory felt a little shy when he heard herplimenting him. ¡°If I had a Mommy like you, Miss Tessa, I would also wake up fromughing in my dreams.¡± She smiled and stroked his small head. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Time for a shower.¡± At this point, he was so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open. She was the one who washed him throughout the entire process, and he was very well-behaved the entire time. Afraid that he would catch a cold, she quickly finished washing him. She took out a set of her clothes and put them on him. Then, she led the almost sleepwalking child into her room. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was probably because he yed a lot today that he immediately fell asleep the moment his head touched the pillow. She looked at the child sleeping soundly on the bed and shook her head in amusement. The current situation between them seemed to have returned to a time in the past. This peaceful time painted a very beautiful picture. However, she remembered something-Greg would need to go home eventually.I wonder whether Nichs managed to resolve the problem. It¡¯s sote, yet I¡¯ve not received any news from him abouting to pick Greg up. He didn¡¯t forget that he has a son, right? Thinking that, she gave Nichs a call. Nichs answered the phone when he saw Tessa¡¯s number on the caller ID. He straightforwardly said, ¡°Please take care of Greg for a little longer. I¡¯m on the highway right now. I¡¯ll be there in an hour.¡± Tessa could tell from his tired voice that he must have worked hard all afternoon, so she did not say anything else. She simply went to the living room after ending the call and waited for his arrival. One hour passed very slowly. Just as she was about to fall asleep, the doorbell finally rang. She rubbed her eyes. When she opened the door, she was greeted with the sight of him standing at the door with his suit jacket hanging over his shoulders and the cor of his shirt wide open. More importantly, he looked rather exhausted. She was slightly taken aback. He had always given off an impable vibe that gave him an extremely calm and steady atmosphere whenever she saw him. It was rare to see him looking so tired. Today must have been very tiring for him to be in this state. His voice was slightly hoarse. ¡°Thank you very much for today. I¡¯m here to pick Greg up.¡± Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Upon hearing those words, Tessa stepped to the side and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe inside first? Greg has fallen asleep.¡± Nichs nodded. ¡°Thanks.¡± With her consent, he walked into her bedroom and saw Gregory sleeping soundly. Thus, he was in no hurry to bring Gregory home. He walked out of the bedroom and lowered his voice. ¡°Do you have anything to eat? I¡¯ve not eaten anything since lunch, so I¡¯m having some gastric issues.¡± She frowned slightly when she heard those words. This man is torturing his stomach again. During her stay at his home previously, she often saw Andrew preparing some gastric medicine for him. Andrew mentioned that he rarely ate his meals on time, so he had ruined his stomach. He sure doesn¡¯t take care of himself when he¡¯s busy. Fortunately, she had some gastric medicine at home. Quickly taking out the medicine box, she found the gastric medicine and poured him a ss of water. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from asking, ¡°Regardless of how important work is, is it more important than your health?¡± He didn¡¯t look disgruntled despite being criticized. However, his gastric issues caused his lips to turn pale and his expression to be unsightly. He leaned back against the sofa after taking the medicine and closed his eyes to rest. Looking at him in this state, she couldn¡¯t help havingplicated feelings. It was way past dinner timer. Besides, greasy meals did not suit those with gastric issues. It was better if he had something light and nd instead. ¡°Are you okay with noodles?¡± she asked softly. ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± He nodded. She went straight to the kitchen and cooked a simple bowl of noodles for him. When Gregory went to sleep, Timothy returned to his room and prepared to work. Although it had been fun to y with Gregory for a few hours, it did not change the fact that he still had work to do. He was writing the codes for a brand-new software when he heard some noisesing from the outside all of a sudden. It sounded like they had guests, so he came out to investigate. He was surprised to see Nichs lying on the sofa. ¡°President Sawyer? Why are you here?¡± Nichs opened his eyes and massaged his temples, looking like he was feeling unwell. Only then did he answer the question. ¡°I came to pick Greg up. Thank you for helping to take care of my child today.¡± Timothy waved his hand dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Young Master Gregory is very well-behaved. He doesn¡¯t make a fuss, so we like him very much. It¡¯s not a big deal even if he stays here overnight. You didn¡¯t need toe all this way to pick him up. But, why were you sote?¡± Nichs replied, ¡°Something came up in thepany. I had just finished dealing with it.¡± Judging from Nichs¡¯ tired face-seemingly in poor health-and the sounds in the kitchen, Timothy guessed that his sister was probably making something for Nichs to eat at the moment. So, he said, ¡°In that case, you don¡¯t need to go back after you finish eating. Why don¡¯t you rest here for the night instead? Going back and forth is very tiring after all. Besides, Young Master Gregory is already asleep. There¡¯s no need to wake him up.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. At this time, Tessa walked over with the noodles. ¡°Eat something first.¡± She noticed that Nichs was massaging his knee, whereupon a scene from the past shed through her mind. She vaguely recalled seeming something simr back at the hospital. At the time, Nichs exined that he had injured his leg before. As a result, his leg would hurt if he was overly busy or if it was a rainy day. Andrew would often arrange acupuncture appointments for him in the past, but it was likely that the appointments had been put on hold recently because he was far too busy. His condition must have red up again today, She added, ¡°Just stay here tonight. You probably have not received acupuncture in a long time. I will perform acupuncture for you after you eat. You should also take a medicinal bath while you¡¯re at it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he replied lightly. When Timothy looked at the natural interaction between these two people, he couldn¡¯t help feeling that something was strange. How does Tess know that Nichs needed acupuncture? Not to mention how naturally she offered to help him perform acupuncture! Didn¡¯t she clearly state that she would distance herself from the father-and-son pair and slowly remove herself from their lives? But, it looks like that is not the case. Before he could ask any of those questions, she interrupted the barrage of questions in his heart. ¡°Tim, can you get me the medicinal herbs and needles, please?¡± After being interrupted, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask anything anymore despite all the questions in his heart. Hence, he nodded and obediently returned to the bedroom to bring the items she had asked for. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Chapter 208 After Nichs finished eating his noodles, he went straight to take a medicinal bath. Half an hourter, he came out of the bath and changed into Timothy¡¯s clothes. A faint scent of medical herbs that calmed the nerves and aided sleep lingered around him. ¡°Come here and lie down,¡± Tessa immediately said when she noticed that he was out of the bath. He nodded at those words. Striding over to the sofa, he obedientlyy down. Then, she turned to Timothy. ¡°You lie down too. I¡¯ll perform acupuncture on your legs as well.¡± Timothy had been running back and forth recently to settle thepany¡¯s affairs, which ced great strain on his legs. As a result, his legs would hurt from time to time. It was just that he never said anything. However, that did not mean she did not notice. She had always been rather observant. For that reason, she had noticed his condition a long time ago. It was just that he would definitely have refused even if she offered to perform acupuncture on him just because he wanted to prevent her from bing exhausted. It just so happened that Nichs was also here today. There was no difference between performing acupuncture on one person or two, so she figured he would not refuse. As expected, he massaged his legs and immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°Thanks, Tess.¡± The tworge meny down next to her, one on each side. They left themselves to her mercy without the slightest hint ofint. Because she had helped Timothy with his rehabilitation in the past, she learned the art of acupuncture. The practice umted over the years had allowed her skills to mature over time. She located the pressure points, slid the needle in, and then pulled it back out. All the time, her movements were as smooth as flowing water. She did not make any mistakes. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. By the time she finished performing acupuncture on both of them, it was veryte. The two men felt the fatigue in their bodies gradually fading away after enduring the acupuncture treatment. The tension of the day finally rxed and went away. As a result, they both fell deeply asleep as soon as they returned to Timothy¡¯s bedroom. The next day, Nichs woke up feeling extremely refreshed. All the difort from the day before was gone without a trace. On the other hand, Gregory woke up and discovered that he was still at Tessa¡¯s house. Not only that, but his beloved Miss Tessa was also sleeping next to him. He was extremely satisfied. The days where I can wake up and see Miss Tessa immediately are the best! However, he was stunned to see his father. He did not know that his father had arrivedst night. Why did Daddy appear at Miss Tessa¡¯s ce so early in the morning? Is he here to take me away?No! I haven¡¯t spent enough time with her! The moment he saw the look in his father¡¯s eyes, he became certain. Daddy is here to pick me up. It looks like I won¡¯t be able to stay here any longer. Gregory slowly put on his shoes after breakfast and gave his father a pleading look. When Tessa was not paying attention, he whispered, ¡°Daddy, can I not leave?¡± Nichs shook his head. ¡°But¡­¡± Gregory was reluctant to leave, so he wanted to negotiate with Nichs. Nichs coldly said, ¡°Your actions will cause her stress.¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡± Gregory finally nodded and agreed to leave upon hearing that he would cause trouble for Tessa. That time when she had ignored him for a few days had been very torturous. She might hide away again if I keep pestering her. If that happens, I might never see her again even if I wanted to. Tessa did not remain idle after everybody else in the house had departed. After giving it much thought, she decided to return to the orchestra. Even if I can¡¯t make any violent movements at the moment, it should be fine if I yed some gentler pieces. By the time Tessa arrived at the orchestra, everybody had already begun to enter a state of intense training. The receptionist at the front desk was slightly astonished to see her there. ¡°Tessa? Why are you here?¡± She smiled. ¡°I wanted toe and practice.¡± ¡°But, the name list for the performance this time has already been set. Wasn¡¯t it decided that Queenie will be the assistant concertmaster?¡± the receptionist asked puzzledly. She lowered her eyes. ¡°I know. I came to join the practice for the sake of future performances.¡± Although she could not participate in the performance this time, it didn¡¯t change the fact that it was painful for her to miss this opportunity. However, Trevor was right she would still have other opportunities in the future. It¡¯s been so long since Ist practiced. At this rate, my skills may be rusty, and I might really lose my position. Then, even in the future¡­ Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Chapter 209 That was why Tessa insisted oning back to train even though she was not fully healed. Even if she just yed a gentle piece, it would still help to stabilize her techniques somewhat. When the receptionist heard those words, an awkward expression appeared on her face. She paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Tessa, the truth is¡­ Queenie is not just serving as the assistant concertmaster for this performance. It has been decided in the orchestra that this position will be hers from now on.¡± Tessa was shocked to hear those words. Even though she could understand every single word the receptionist was saying, the words suddenly sounded like a foreignnguage when strung together in a sentence. Thus, she paused for a while before she raised her head to look at the receptionist in confusion. ¡°The position will be hers from now on? Winnie, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Tessa¡­ please don¡¯t be so upset. I¡¯m just the receptionist. I don¡¯t know why the orchestra issued that directive either,¡± the receptionist said softly while patting Tessa on the shoulder. Knowing that it was useless to question the receptionist any further, Tessa nodded and went to look for Trevor. Trevor was astonished to see Tessa, and his expression immediately became strange. ¨C He spoke with his guilty conscience weighing down on him. ¡°Tessa? Why aren¡¯t you recuperating at home? Why did youe here?¡± She replied, ¡°I came to train. But, I heard that Queenie was officially appointed as the assistant concertmaster. Didn¡¯t you say that she was just a temporary recement for this performance?¡± Upon hearing those words, his expression changed again. He avoided her gaze and did not dare to look her in the eye. Even his manner of speech became hesitant. ¡°Uh¡­ Tessa, please listen to me. It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to appoint you. But.¡± ¡°But what?¡± she immediately asked. He gritted his teeth and answered straightforwardly, ¡°This is the decision of the higher-ups. They imed that you are not suitable for the orchestra and chose Queenie to take your ce. I¡¯m just a lowly employee. I don¡¯t have the power to make such decisions. So¡­ please don¡¯t make things difficult for me.¡± She waspletely stunned by those words. Does that mean I no longer have a chance? Ne that can¡¯t be. It wasn¡¯t easy for me to climb to that position. Just because I lost my first chance to perform doesn¡¯t mean that I will never have another chance to perform in the future. She looked at him beggingly. ¡°Mr. Oswald, you know how I am. It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t do anything for the orchestra. Please, give me another chance. Just one more chance.¡± He looked at her with a troubled expression. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but I really don¡¯t have the power to do anything.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Even if he put aside the fact that he trained her himself and spoke strictly in terms of talent within the orchestra, she was far more talented than Queenie. He was reluctant to see her leave just based on this point alone. Not only was she young, but she was also more hardworking than most people. Comparatively, she had more potential. She would surely be a remarkable performer in the future. It would be a pity to lose such a promising talent. He had already nned everything in advance. After this performance, he was going to ask Queenie to step down and return the position to Tessa. However, Remus suddenly came to visit himst night. The first directive the Sawyer Group issued when they bought over the orchestra was to abandon Tessa Reinhart. Otherwise, the orchestra would cease to exist. This orchestra was his life. On the other hand, Tessa was simply a junior that he had : high expectations of. He knew where his prioritiesy. Therefore, he had no choice but to sacrifice Tessa for the sake of the entire orchestra. He shook his head and said to her, ¡°Tessa, I¡¯m really sorry. You should go home.¡± Trevor thought back to the past. At that time, Nichs had stood up for her and proimed that she was one of his people. He even went so far as to entrust the care of Gregory to her. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t say a single negative word to her when Gregory went missing and personally took care of her in the hospital. Therefore, it was unexpected to see how he suddenly turned on her and became so hostile instead. Trevor couldn¡¯t help feeling sad for Tessa. Although he was very puzzled as to why the Sawyer Group was targeting her, now was not the time to speak of such matters. Besides, he was afraid that asking about this would only rub salt into her wounds. After all, nobody wanted to be ridiculed for being abandoned after losing their job. Perhaps, the care that President Sawyer showed her previously was nothing more than a game among the wealthy. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Chapter 210 The affairs of the Sawyer Family were not something ¡®revor could meddle in. Therefore, he kept silent regarding that matter. He nned tofort Tessa a bit more before asking her to leave. It would not be good for her t¨° stay here for too long. Before he could speak a word, a sharp female voice interrupted him. That person said, ¡°Tessa, you came! Why didn¡¯t you let us know in advance?¡± Tessa looked up. It was Queenie! Although she rarely interacted with Queenie, they worked in the same orchestra, so it was only natural that she was familiar with Queenie¡¯s character. Not wanting to speak to Queenie, she simply nodded indifferently in response. Unfortunately, Queenie had no intention of letting Tessa off the hook just like that. She had been rehearsing in the training room earlier but came here specifically tough at Tessa when she heard that Tessa was here. Sheughed and uttered, ¡°Tessa, to be honest, it¡¯s impossible for you to be the assistant concertmaster with your qualifications. Your violin skills are only mediocre at best, so please don¡¯t disgrace us. Not long ago, I heard that you were bragging about how you obtained this position because you were favored by Mr. Oswald. He feels too bad to say anything, so I will speak for him instead. He doesn¡¯t value you at: all. He simply felt that you worked too hard, and you wouldn¡¯t understand your value unless he gave you a chance to run into a wall.¡± ¡°Queenie, stop that.¡± After watching how Queenie triumphantly mocked Tessa, the people who came out with Queenie couldn¡¯t bear listening any longer and frowningly interrupted her. Her words were too much. Who among those in the orchestra did not know that Queenie was no match for Tessa, both in terms of behavior or violin skills? Tessa treated everybody equally, regardless of whether she served as the assistant concertmaster or not. She was so good-natured that it was unbelievable. On the other hand, Queenie began throwing her weight around as soon as she came to power. She constantly undermined and oppressed the others to establish her position. The truth was that everybody was dissatisfied with the orchestra¡¯s arrangements. But, what could they say? If they raised an objection, they would probably be forced to leave together with Tessa. It was not easy for any one of them toe this far, so there was no way they would act so foolishly. Now that things hade to this, they could neither speak up on Tessa¡¯s behalf nor openly go against Queenie. All they could do was try their best to help Tessa by stopping such unpleasant words from being uttered. Tessa couldn¡¯t care less at this point. Her heart was overflowing with faint disappointment. Even so, she refused to give up. Since Mr. Oswald can¡¯t speak up for me and it¡¯s the directive of the higher-ups, then I won¡¯t trouble Mr. Oswald. I¡¯ll go straight to the higher-ups. I want to know just who exactly is targeting me. She said, ¡°Mr. Oswald, I respect your decision. Nevertheless, can you tell me who is behind the acquisition of the orchestra? I want to speak with them myself.¡± To her surprise, Trevor¡¯s expression froze when he heard the question. He had no idea how to tell her. If it was anybody but the Sawyer Group, then he would have had no qualms about telling her. Unfortunately, it just so happened to be the Sawyer Group. It would be a huge shock to her if I told her the truth. Queenie smiled sweetly. ¡°No way! Tessa, don¡¯t you know the identity of our new owner? Mr. Oswald, didn¡¯t you tell her?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. His expression darkened. He shot a look at her, indicating for her to shut up: However, she ignored himpletely and bluntly said, ¡°Since Mr. Oswald refuses to tell you, then I¡¯ll tell you. Our new owner is the Sawyer Group. So, do you understand now?¡± Upon hearing the words ¡®Sawyer Group, Tessa immediately froze in shock. She never imagined that the person who wanted to terminate her¡­ would be the Sawyer Group. That is to say, the directive to rece me and force me to leave the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra was issued by Nichs? Or, is it somebody else within the Sawyer Family? Or, is it Stefania¡¯s doing? I don¡¯t understand. Why is the Sawyer Family doing this to me? Is it because I deliberately ignored Greg and made him upset? Or, is it because I¡¯ve gotten close to Greg recently? Is it really because of such a minor and insignificant reason? Did the Sawyer Family spare no expense to acquire the orchestra just to drive me away and make me lose my job? Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Chapter 211 The Sawyer Family sure hasvish spending habits! Tessa clenched her fists tightly and forced herself to be calm. However, she could not stabilize her emotions. It was her first time experiencing the feeling of being dominated by the power and wealth of the wealthy. The wealthy and the powerful could ruin all the effort she put in over the years with just a simple sentence. To them, doing something like this was as easy as killing an ant. How is their domineering behavior of destroying my dreams any different from a robber!? It was the first time she ever felt so insignificant in her life. She thought she was strong and powerful; contrary to her expectations, she waspletely defenseless when facing the Sawyer Group. Queenie could tell that the news was a huge blow to Tessa, so she continued ridiculing Tessa coldly. However, Tessa did not hear a single word that was uttered. She simply felt as though her surroundings were very noisy, almost like having a bunch of flies constantly buzzing around her ears. Her thoughts were a mess. Not knowing what to say, she walked straight out of the orchestra instead. As soon as she stepped on the road, she felt as though arge hand was firmly squeezing her heart. Even her internal organs felt as though they had been emptied out. She felt weak and sick. Her dream, her faith, and her future all crumbled the moment Queenie¡¯s statement came out. Inside the Sawyer Residence. ¡°Old Master Sawyer.¡± After receiving a message from Trevor, the housekeeper immediately came to Remus, who was drinking tea in the hall. ¡°The matter at the orchestra has been resolved. From this moment on, Tessa has officially quit the orchestra.¡± Behind the intense tea aroma, Remus nodded indifferently to indicate that he already knew about it. The housekeeper hesitated slightly when he saw Remus¡¯ calm demeanor. ¡°But, Old Master Sawyer, won¡¯t Master Nichse after us once he learns about this matter? What will we do then?¡± He had more or less watched Nichs growing up, so he had a good understanding of Nichs¡¯ temperament. Nichs was very stubborn. If something went against his wishes, then he would do everything in his power to turn the situation around. Meanwhile, although Remus was retired, he was not somebody who would back down easily either. Otherwise, he would not have dominated the market for so many years. If these two were to go against each other¡­ Remus snorted coldly. ¡°Then, let hime. If that little brat dares toe after me because of a woman, then he can also be said to be very ¡®promising¡± He did not care whether Nichs knew about this matter or whether Nichs would turn against him. He had his ways to deal with his grandson, after all. Seeing Remus¡¯ attitude, the housekeeper did not dare to say anything else. He could only pray in his heart. I hope Master Nichs will understand Old Master Sawyer¡¯s painstaking efforts and keep himself and Young Master Gregory away from that woman. Remus slowly took his cup of tea and took a sip of tea. The look in his eyes was very cold. There was no need for anybody to say anything. He understood his own grandson better than anybody else. Putting down his tea cup, hezily looked up at the housekeeper. ¡°How is the progress between that girl from the Stone Family and the brat recently?¡± The housekeeper replied, ¡°ording to our observations, there seems to be no progress. They have not met in private again since theirst meeting.¡± Remus coldly suggested, ¡°Tell her to be more proactive. There are many women who want to enter the Sawyer Family; there is no shortage of women like her. If she continues to be so useless, I will let somebody else do the job instead.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Alright, Old Master Sawyer.¡± The housekeeper acknowledged the order. Tessa was in no hurry to return home, but she had no idea where to go either. Thus, she simply wandered aimlessly along the streets on her own. Her thoughts were currently a huge mess. Despite racking her head for so long, she could not figure out who among the Sawyer Family would want to target her. Fortunately, it was not as if she gained nothing from all that thinking-she had ruled out Nichs as a suspect. Although she had not known him for long, she believed in him. He was not somebody who would do something so insidious. Besides, he just walked out of her house today, and there was nothing strange about him at the time. More importantly, he did not show the slightest hint of guilt. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Aside from him¡­ who else could it be? Is it really Stefania? Tessa could not be certain that it was Stefania. Although she promised to leave Gregory, she could not deny having met Gregory three more times since then. It was possible that Stefania wanted to take revenge. However, this matter was very strange. It was far too convoluted, causing her to be depressed. She had been mulling over this matter for half a day now, but her efforts were in vain. She couldn¡¯t even be certain who was targeting her. There was only one thing that she could be certain of-the mastermind behind this incident was somebody in the Sawyer Family. If I offended somebody or didn¡¯t do a good job, then why didn¡¯t they tell me? Why can¡¯t we talk things out peacefully? It¡¯s another matter altogether if we can¡¯te to a peaceful agreement. But, we didn¡¯t even talk. Why pull such insidious tricks from the shadows? The bourgeoisie are powerful indeed. When they im that they want to destroy somebody, then they really intend to destroy that person. While stewing in her thoughts, she wandered off the pedestrian sidewalk in a disoriented manner and stepped onto the side of the road. A row of cars honked and shouted at her angrily as they passed. However, she continued walking forward, as though she didn¡¯t hear them. All of a sudden, somebody grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, whereupon a car narrowly brushed by her side. Only then did she return to her senses. She looked at the person who pulled her back in confusion, almost as though she did not understand why this person had grabbed her. This person turned out to be a good-looking young man. He was wearing a well designed casual suit, and he looked very clean and gentle. His face was fair and amicable, making him seem rather gentle and elegant. More importantly, she had the feeling that he looked very familiar. It was just that she could not recall where she had seen him before. After the man helped to steady her, she finally realized that it was rude of her to stare so brazenly. Thus, she quickly stood properly. ¡°Thank you.¡± The man¡¯s gentle lips curved into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. But, don¡¯t daydream while you¡¯re walking. It¡¯s very dangerous.¡± She nodded in embarrassment. Now that she thought about it, she felt a sense of lingering fear. She had failed to notice the danger that was approaching her when the ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. WIM car drove by and continued to be immersed in her own world. If this man was just one stepter, the consequences would have been disastrous. The man continued, ¡°You have some scratches on you. They should be treated as soon as possible.¡± Reacting to those words, she looked down at her arm and discovered that there were indeed some scratches. It was just that they were not serious. She was not a vain person; these injuries were nothing to her. Therefore, she smiled at the man gratefully. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll treat them myself when I get back. Thank you for your help just now. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± When he saw how uncaring she was toward her own body, he immediately frowned in response. ¡°Women should cherish and take good care of themselves. You clearly don¡¯t take your body seriously. Wait for a bit.¡± Looking around their surroundings, he finally found a rtivelyrge-scale pharmacy nearby. He continued, ¡°Come with me.¡± Following his gaze, she saw the pharmacy and immediately shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Thank you very much.¡± Her injuries were not so severe that she needed to go to the pharmacy. It would not take long for them to heal on their own, so there was no need to go to the pharmacy. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate. Juste with me. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to sell you off.¡± The man chuckled softly. Acting as though he had not heard her refusal, he pulled her by the arm and walked in the direction of the pharmacy. He might look tall and thin, unlike those who often exercised, but his grip was so strong that it was scary. No matter how she struggled, she could not pull her arm out of his grasp. On the contrary, her struggles hurt her arm instead. It didn¡¯t seem like he was a bad person. Besides, he rescued her just now. If she continued to refuse him after what he said, it would seem like she was unappreciative of his help. Hence, she sighed to herself in her heart. I wonder where this enthusiastic passerby came from. Forget it. It¡¯s just buying some medicine. I might as well go with him. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Chapter 213 After entering the pharmacy, the man immediately bought some bandages and a bottle of disinfectant. Tessa originally thought that they were only going to buy some sters. Thus, she was a little astonished to see these two items. Isn¡¯t this a little too much!? Who needs bandages and disinfectant for some scratches!? However, the man gave her no chance to make any objections. He had already torn open the package of bandages and broke the seal on the disinfectant. When he was about to apply the medicine on her, she cleared her throat awkwardly. ¡°I can do it myself.¡± The man moved his hands away and avoided her. ¡°Miss, please sit still. Your injuries are on your right hand. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s inconvenient for you to apply the medicine yourself. Let me do it.¡± She was a little dumbfounded and mortified, but she could not refuse his kind intentions. Thus, she could only nod and allow him to apply the medicine on her. ¡°It might burn a little. Please bear with it,¡± he murmured gently. She nodded helplessly. Her gaze was fixed on his face. The more she looked at him, the more familiar he seemed. I¡¯ve definitely met him somewhere before! But, I can¡¯t recall where I met him before. She blurted out, ¡°Have I seen you somewhere before?¡± Upon hearing those words, the man broke into a charming smile. ¡°I thought such pick-up lines were only used by men. I never thought that women would use them too.¡± Those words made her feel a little embarrassed. She had reason to suspect that he had misunderstood something. Moreover, he wasughing at her for being old fashioned. She said dryly, ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m not trying to flirt with you. I just find you very familiar-looking. I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve seen you somewhere before.¡± The manughed and shook his head but said nothing. Lowering his head, he continued to dress her wounds in all seriousness. He finally lifted his head when he was done. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Her wounds had been bandaged very nicely. It was neither too thick nor too cumbersome. More importantly, it would not affect her arm movements. This surprised her slightly. She had originally assumed that the bandages would be lumpy because they were done by a man. Nevertheless, they were strangers that didn¡¯t even know each other¡¯s names, so it was not right for her to mention her initial assumption. She could only smile politely. ¡°Thank you.¡± The man stood up and looked at her warmly. ¡°In the future, you shouldn¡¯t wander around aimlessly if you have something on your mind. You should look at the road when walking.¡± She nodded subconsciously. He added, ¡°I have something to do, so I¡¯ll be leaving first. Be careful on your way home.¡± She followed suit and stood up, nodding gratefully once more. ¡°Thank you.¡± The other party nodded in acknowledgement and left inrge strides. Tessa kept watching him until his figure disappeared down the end of the road. Only then did she recall his face all of a sudden. He seems to be¡­ the main violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic¡­ Scott Brooks! He is a genius violinist famous throughout the industry! Not only did he win numerous prizes, but he also participated in many national-level performances. In addition, he met and shook hands with various country leaders before. In any case, he was a legend in the violin world! Most importantly, he was the first young performer in the country to perform in the Wiener Musikverein in Vienna. She smacked her head in annoyance. My brain must have short-circuited earlier. That¡¯s why I failed to recognize him. I had no idea that he remained in Brentwood City after the Berlin Philharmonic¡¯s performance. What a shame! Is it toote to tell him that I wasn¡¯t trying to flirt with him because he¡¯s handsome but because I recognized his face? But, he has already left. Shepletely failed to notice that there was a car nearby. The car had been parked there for a very long time, and the person in the car had been quietly looking in their direction all this while. Not only did he take in every move and interaction between these two, but he also inquisitively took some pictures of them. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kieran smiled and adjusted the sunsses that he lowered earlier. I can¡¯t believe I ran into this scene when I came out to run an errand. He was very curious as to what hisplicated brother would think after seeing this photo. Therefore, he casually sent the picture he took to his brother. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Kielinlso added a message while he was at it. ¡®Nichs, I was out running errands when I saw Tessa with another man. They seem to be on a date!¡± The angle of his photo was very ambiguous. From the picture, Tessa¡¯s lightly blushing face could be seen clearly, but only the back of the man¡¯s head could be seen. Moreover, the man could be seen kneeling with one knee on the ground and holding her hand. However, the bandages and disinfectant in his hand could not be seen. When he saw the photo, Nichs¡¯ expression immediately darkened for some reason. At this moment, a knock sounded on the door of his office. He looked up and coldly responded, ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°President Sawyer, Mr. Reinhart is here,¡± Edward said. Nichs nodded. ¡°Let him in.¡± Timothy followed Edward into the office with a stack of project proposals. ¡°President Sawyer, I¡¯ve completed my project proposal. Please have a look.¡± S Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Nichs nodded and took the stack of documents from Timothy. ¡°Exin it to me.¡± ¡°For this software, I n to..¡± Timothy¡¯s gentle voice sounded inside the room. He took his time to bring up the main points of his project proposal and exined them in detail. After Timothy was done, Nichs nodded. ¡°This part needs some revision. The rest are fine.¡± Timothy carefully marked that particr section. Once everything was done, Nichs subconsciously asked, ¡°Does your sister have a boyfriend?¡± Timothy was stunned by the question. Despite feeling a little confused as to how the conversation arrived at this topic, he answered nheless, ¡°No.¡± Then, he asked puzzledly, ¡°Why do you ask, President Sawyer?¡± Then, he seemed to have realized something, so he smiled and began to defend his sister. ¡°To be honest, the only things that my sister thinks about over the past few years are making money, ying the violin, and taking care of me. She doesn¡¯t concern herself with anything else. It¡¯s not like nobody tried to woo her in the past. It¡¯s just that she does not care much for rtionships. Over time, those feelings tend to disappear. It can be said that she has never been in love before. Besides, we don¡¯t have any secrets between us. Even if my sister is in a rtionship, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t know about it. Even if she doesn¡¯t tell me about it, I know her very well. She can¡¯t keep a secret from me.¡± After he heard those words, Nichs¡¯ expression softened slightly and became less hideouspared to earlier. At the same time, he was puzzled by his own reaction. What does Tessa being in a rtionship have to do with me? Why did I react so strongly to it? In any case, it was her freedom to decide whether to be in a rtionship or not. It was just that he was somewhat unhappy about this freedom of hers. Tessa returned home in a terrible mood. She fervently wished that everything was just a dream. I wish that when I wake up, I would not be targeted by the Sawyer Group; I would still be part of the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra, and everything would go back to how it was. Feeling rather sullen, she covered herself in her nkets. She wanted to bury her head and sleep so that she could wake up from this nightmare a little sooner. Unfortunately, all the emotions in her heart were suffocating her, and she could not fall asleep. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Not long afterward, she heard the door of the house being opened. She got up from the bed to take a look and saw Timothy walking in through the door with arge gift box in his hand. When Timothy saw Tessa, he hurriedly waved at her and eximed happily, ¡°Tess,e here quickly! I¡¯ll show you something nice!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Tessa was a little curious. He handed therge gift box over to her carefully, as though he was handling a precious treasure. ¡°Open it and see.¡± She suspiciously opened the box and immediately widened her eyes in astonishment. What was inside the box was none other than an extremely exquisite violin! Unable to help herself, she reached out to touch the violin strings and asked in surprise, ¡°Why did you suddenly think of giving me a violin?¡± Seeing that she liked the present, he exined with a smile, ¡°I bought this from a teacher who likes to collect violins. ording to him, this is an excellent violin. Moreover, it has a beautiful name. Its name is ¡®Nirvana.¡± She nodded. She recognized this violin. It was the personal possession of an extremely famous violinist in the country, Alexander Flores. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Alexander would perform with this violin in almost all of his performances, so this violin was extremely well-known. It was onlyter that the master violinist auctioned off this violin after retiring from the music scene. The violin was then bought by an anonymous buyer; it was now worth a lot of money. Tessa never expected that Timothy would get his hands on it. Although she loved the present very much, she couldn¡¯t help frowning. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have spent so much money. I can y any old violin. Yourpany has only just started, so I¡¯m sure you will need to spend on many things. Why did you buy something so expensive? What if you don¡¯t have enough fundster?¡± Timothyughed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Just ept the gift. I know what I can do and what I cannot do. My project proposal has reached the initial stage of finalization, and I brought the materials for President Sawyer to review today. He expressed great interest in the project. That¡¯s why you have nothing to worry about financially. I told you that I¡¯ll take care of you and that I can make our lives better. So, I will definitely make it happen.¡± The light in her eyes instantly dimmed when she heard Nichs¡¯ name. She didn¡¯t even hear what Timothy said afterward. When she suddenly fell silent, he realized that something was not quite right. She seemed to be feeling down today, so much so that she didn¡¯t even express much excitement when she saw the famous violin. Thus, he couldn¡¯t help feeling odd. ¡°Tess, what¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± She shook her head weakly. She did not wish to tell him that she had been fired by the Sawyer Group. His career was just beginning to take flight. Moreover, he happened to be working with the Sawyer Group. Telling him about this matter would only add to his troubles.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The more he looked at her, the more he felt that his sister was being very strange today. He worriedly said, ¡°Tess, you can share whatever troubles you are facing with me. There¡¯s no need to suffer alone.¡± She shook her head again. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t y the violin right now, so it feels like such a pity. I hope I can get better soon. That way, I can finally y this violin.¡± Upon hearing her answer, he stopped thinking too much about the matter and did not suspect her again. After all, it was true that his sister had been feeling upset because of this injury all this while. Gifting this violin to her at this juncture would certainly affect her emotions negatively. The next day, Timothy left for work very early in the morning because he had a bunch of things to do at thepany. Tessa¡¯s emotions had calmed down considerably after a night of contemtion. The Heavenly Chorus Orchestra is good, but it is not the only choice I have. There are countless other orchestras in Brentwood City. I will eventually find one that is suitable for me. In the worst case, she would just have to start from scratch once more. She did notck the courage to do so. Therefore, she created her resume and went to interview at the other orchestras with her resume in hand ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Reinhart. We are at full capacity at the moment. Please go back¡± ¡°Miss Reinhart, I had a look at your resume. I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have enough umted work experience. We are looking for people with at least eight years of working experience. Please try another ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Reinhart¡­¡± Unfortunately, something outside of her expectations urred. She interviewed at countless orchestras, but none of them were willing to hire her. All the other orchestras were clearly in desperate need of people. They didn¡¯t even take down the recruitment notices posted on their doors. Nevertheless, the answer she received once she went inside and finished her self-introduction was a rejection; they even came up with all sorts of excuses to turn her down. Over the next few days, she visited almost all the orchestras in Brentwood City. Unfortunately, none of them took her interview seriously or asked her to perform a segment on the spot. Repeatedly running into a wall caused her mood to sink to the bottom of the abyss. She even began to doubt her own ability. Tessa returned home dejectedly. There were clearly no problems with her resume. She might be young, but she had quite a lot of working experience. Furthermore, she graduated from Southfield Music School at the top of her ss. Even among the various music schools in the country, Southfield College was one of the best music schools there was. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Just what is the reason for them to shut me out? Just as Tessa was racking her head to figure out the problem, her phone started ringing. It was her old music director, Trevor! As soon as the call connected, Trevor spoke first. ¡°Tessa, have you been interviewing around?¡± She was puzzled to hear those words. She had not told anybody about her interviews-even Timothy did not know about this. ¡°How did you know, Mr. Oswald?¡± He sighed. ¡°We are all in the same industry, so it¡¯s only natural for the other music directors and I to interact with each other. That¡¯s how I heard that you¡¯ve been interviewing everywhere.¡± She was speechless and did not know what to say. She initially assumed that she had been very secretive about how she had been interviewing around. Even her younger brother was clueless about this matter, so it should have been impossible for outsiders to know. Who could have known that news of her being rejected everywhere had already spread throughout the industry? However, this was not the time to wonder why everybody knew about this. It was more important to know why this was happening. She hesitated for a long time before asking in a hoarse voice, ¡°But, why¡ª¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re wondering. But, you¡¯re such a smart person. Can¡¯t you tell? You¡¯re being targeted. None of the orchestras in Brentwood City would willingly risk being shut down by hiring you. Tessa, we¡¯ve known each other for so long. I hope you give up on the interviews. No matter what you do, the oue will be the same.¡± At first, Trevor thought that she would understand on her own. Contrary to his expectations, he continued to receive news about how she was going around interviewing everywhere even though it had been days since she first got declined. She was stuck in a constant and daily cycle of attending interviews and being rejected. Despite being rejected repeatedly, she continued running around and asking everywhere. She worked tirelessly, like a spinning top that could not stop. It was all in hopes that one of the orchestras would take her in. He originally did not want to tell her such a terrible truth, but he could not bear to continue watching her struggle. After all, he was well aware of how hardworking and inherently talented she was. It was for this reason that she could not withstand such a shock. If she continued to fail at her interviews, she might start to doubt her abilities. In the end, she might never muster up the courage to y the violin again. That would be a great loss to the music industry. He couldn¡¯t bear to watch a rising new star fall just like that. Therefore, he decided to call her to remind her of her circumstances. He hoped that she would not be discouraged just because nobody was hiring her When Tessa heard those words, she was shocked to the core. It¡¯s the Sawyer Family again? She had felt that something was odd during her interview, but she was so focused on looking for a job that she did not think about the Sawyer Group. Allirol, she had assumed that her past performance in the Heavenly Chorus Orchestrcollenderlher peers, so that was why they refused to ept her. It never urred to her that it was inually the Sawyer Group pulling the strings from the shadows to make everybody avoid berlike the gue, It was not until she heard the truth from Trevor that she fully understood the situation, She did not know how she ended the call or what she said before ending the call. All she knew was that her head was filled with thoughts of rushing to Nichs and asking him why they were doing this to her. Why must they force me into a corner like this? After further consideration, she immediately dismissed the notion that Nichs was behind all of this. She was certain that he was not the mastermind. The di day and night. Their statuses were so far apart that they were like two parallel lines. As long as nothing went wrong, these two lines would never intersect with each other. If he did not wish to approach her, then he could just choose to not meet her again. There was no need for him to bring Gregory to visit her again and again. In that case, there was only one answer-the mastermind was Stefania. Could it be that she regarded it as a breach of contract because I met Greg a few times after I resigned? Just because of that, she refuses to tolerate my presence? Stefania is too much for doing that! Thinking that, Tessa furiously made an appointment to meet with Stefania. The two of them decided to meet at the cafe where theyst met. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Having heard that Timothy had just established apany, Stefania assumed that Tessa was meeting her this time to ask for more money. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Stefania was very familiar with the principle of spending money to mitigate disaster. Besides, it was only a few million dors. That amount was nothing to her. She did notck this trivial amount of money, so she might as well just hand over the money and be done with it. However, Tessa acted very stern and righteous when refusing my money previously. Now that she is short of money and regrets her previous actions, it means that she wants something from me. Hence, I don¡¯t need to persuade her to stay away from Greg like before. Therefore, she got straight to the point. ¡°Miss Reinhart, have you changed your mind? How much do you want? Just name your price.¡± Tessa¡¯s expression was already cold in the first ce. After listening to Stefania humiliating her in that manner, her expression practically turned to ice. ¡°I am not here for money. There¡¯s something I wanted to ask you, Mrs: Sawyer.¡± She emphasized each word carefully. ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, you have already made me lose my tutoring job. Is that not enough? Why are you banning me from the entire orchestra industry? Don¡¯t you think your actions are too much!?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Being used out of nowhere left Stefania feeling dumbfounded. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I ban you from anything?¡± Seeing that Stefania refused to admit to her crime, Tessa spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Are you unaware? Fine. I¡¯ll tell you what¡¯s going on. After the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra was acquired by the Sawyer Group, I was fired without another word. I tried to interview at other orchestras, but none of the orchestras would hire me because they know that I¡¯ve offended you. Mrs. Sawyer, let me ask you this: Are you nning to exterminate mepletely? Don¡¯t you think that doing this is like children ying house? Aren¡¯t you being immature!?¡± After listening to Tessa¡¯s exnation, Stefania immediately understood the situation. She involuntarily scowled and answered bluntly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are trying to use me of. This matter has nothing to do with me.¡± Even at this point, she refuses to admit to what she has done. Tessa¡¯s voice suddenly turned frosty. ¡°It¡¯s meaningless for you to y dumb at this point. I have inquired about this matter. Everybody says that it was a directive issued by the Sawyer Group. President Sawyer has no need to do something like this. Aside from you, I have never offended anybody else; I can¡¯t think of anybody else who would target me like this.¡± Stefania was a little stunned. It was the truth that she was not behind this incident. Since Tessa had already resigned, there was no reason for her to target Tessa again. Nevertheless, Tessa¡¯s words were very convincing. It doesn¡¯t sound like she is making up nonsense just to deceive me. If this is true, who else will do something like this but me? Could it be that my son has finallye to his senses? Does he n to iste the root cause and separate the two of them by forcing her to leave Brentwood City? When Stefania remained silent, Tessa assumed that Stefania had acquiesced to her usations. Thus, she straightforwardly said, ¡°I hope you will hold back on your methods, Mrs. Sawyer. Please leave me a way out.¡± After saying that, she left the caf¨¦ without another word. Stefania sat there a little longer, mulling over what Tessa mentioned earlier. It¡¯s true that my son will not corner her into a dead-end no matter how much he dislikes her. This is certainly not my son¡¯s style of doing things. There¡¯s something suspicious about this matter. Ruminating over this matter was not going to give her an answer. Therefore, she also left the caf¨¦. When she got into the car, she turned to the driver and said, ¡°Help me investigate the rtionship between the Sawyer Group, the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra, and Tessa Reinhart. See who is targeting her.¡± The driver epted the order. ¡°Alright, Mrs. Sawyer.¡± Ever since returning from Tessa¡¯s home, Gregory had been in a very good mood. Not only did Miss Tessa treat me no differently from before during ourst few meetings, but she even invited me to stay overnight at her home twice! The feeling of seeing her the moment I wake up is the best! Furthermore, the doctor mentioned that Tessa¡¯s shoulder was recovering well. Gregory was already dreaming of the day when Tessa was fully recovered. She will soon be able to return and teach me the violin. However, he did not receive any news of her return despite waiting for a long time. Feeling very anxious, he wanted to visit her immediately, so he mustered his courage and said to Nichs, ¡°Daddy, can I visit Miss Tessa? Daddy, I miss her. Besides, the doctor says that she has almost fully recovered. I want to bring her back and ask her to stay with us so that she can continue to teach me the violin.¡± He looked at Nichs expectantly. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Nichs thought back to the time when Tessa resigned from her position. She mehe not return on her own initiative as things stood, but she might be willing to return if Gregory took the initiative to ask her. When it came down to it, the right to decide was in her hands. Hence, he said, ¡°You can video call her. If she agrees, I¡¯ll send you there.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Gregory nodded repeatedly in delight. He had been worried that he might annoy Tessa if he kept disturbing her, so he had not contacted her recently. ¡°I miss Miss Tessa. I¡¯m sure she misses me too.¡± Tessa was at home talking to Timothy when she received the video call notification. After hiding for so many days, she suddenly felt her heart pounding a little faster at the sight of Nichs¡¯ name. She was reluctant to answer the video call. Her reaction puzzled Timothy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tess? Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± Not wanting her brother to overthink about this matter, she gritted her teeth and epted the invitation to the video call. Gregory¡¯s face instantly appeared on the screen of her phone. As soon as he saw her, he greeted her sweetly. ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Tessa! Have you eaten? Did you miss me?¡± She did not answer his questions. Instead, she asked faintly, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He was so ted to see her at this moment that he failed to notice the change in her attitude. He happily eximed, ¡°I missed you, Miss Tessa. That¡¯s why I asked Daddy to video call you. Are you free later? I want to y with you, Miss Tessa.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free.¡± She lowered her eyes to conceal her emotions and gave an indifferent answer. He was taken aback by her words. Although he seemed slightly disappointed, he still looked at her hopefully. ¡°I see. What about tomorrow? Or, the day after tomorrow? I¡¯m okay with any time as long as you¡¯re free, Miss Tessa.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be busy in the near future. I have something to do, so I¡¯ll hang up if there¡¯s nothing else.¡± Her expression was cold. Reading between the lines, he understood the meaning behind her wordshil widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Miss Tessa¡­ is something wrong?¡± Her reply was frosty. ¡°No.¡± Imm¨¦diately after that, she ended the video call without another word. Timothy, who was standing nearby, was also quite shocked by her attitude toward Gregory. Tess loves Young Master Gregory the most! Why did she refuse to meet him? Besides, she¡¯s at home all the time. How can she be busy? He asked worriedly, ¡°Tess, are you atright? Did something happen?¡± She shook her head tiredly. She had no intention of telling her brother about the affairs between her and the Sawyer Family. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then, why?¡± He didn¡¯t quite understand. She shook her head again. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just a little tired. Don¡¯t you need to go to work? Hurry up and eat. Go back to work after you finish eating.¡± Seeing that she was not willing to exin further, he did not force her even though he was overflowing with questions. Either way, he would respect the decisions that she made. Gregory was currently at the Dynasty Gardens. He stared at the screen that had returned to the chat interface in shock. Did Miss Tessa just hang up on the video call? ¡°Daddy, did something happen to Miss Tessa? Why is she unwilling to meet me or talk to me?¡± He raised his head to look at his father sadly. Nichs had been nearby during the video call between Gregory and Tessa. Although he had not intended to listen in on the conversation between them, there was no doubt that he heard the entire conversation. At this moment, his expression was not very pleasant. He did not know what had caused her attitude to shift so abruptly either. It was different from the time she was discharged from the hospital. This time, she seemed even more resolute than before. It felt like she had made up her mind to draw a firm line between them. ¡°Daddy, I want to see Miss Tessa. Can you bring me to visit her? Please bring me to visit her. She won¡¯t be like this after she sees me.¡± Even though the words came out of Gregory¡¯s mouth, he pouted sullenly. He subconsciously knew that Tessa was pulling away from him and did not wish to meet him.. Nichs had a vague spection in his heart. Tessa must be facing difficulties of some sort. Otherwise, she would not have such a drastic change in attitude. We were the ones to set up thest two meetings with her while she herself has never actively reached out to contact us before. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Chapter 219 She¡­ even offered to resign. Why did she do that? Am I missing something in the middle? When Nichs fell into contemtion and did not answer,rge tears fell from Gregory¡¯s eyes. ¡°Daddy, please let me meet Miss Tessa. I really want to meet her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not serious about leaving me. Daddy¡­¡± Nichs¡¯ expression sank slightly when he saw Gregory wailing so sorrowfully. He is too dependent on Tessa. This is not a good thing. He solemnly said, ¡°Stop crying. You have to respect her. It doesn¡¯t matter whether she is busy or not. Even if she is free, you cannot force yourself on her if she doesn¡¯t want to meet you.¡± Gregory froze on the spot. Daddy said¡­ Miss Tessa doesn¡¯t want to meet me. It was one thing to specte on his own. However, it felt as though those words became the truth when it came out of his father¡¯s mouth. Miss Tessa doesn¡¯t want me anymore. I¡¯ve been abandoned by Miss Tessa! No! It can¡¯t be! It can¡¯t be real! He stood there for a while before he looked at Nichs¡¯ lowered eyes with reddened eyes and sniffled. ¡°I understand.¡± After saying that, he turned around and left. He only paused in his tracks for a moment when he passed by the music room. Nevertheless, he did not enter the music room and quickly returned to his own room instead. Nichs heaved a sigh of relief to see Gregory walking by the violin room without entering Greg has matured a lot recently. He knows that he can¡¯tpel others to do his bidding. He didn¡¯t comin even when I tried to separate him and Tessa. All he said was that he doesn¡¯t want her to hate him. He has always been very obedient. Even now, the reality of the situation has probably dawned on him. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Although Nichs felt sorry for the sensible child, he stopped worrying that the child would kick up a fuss at home. Thus, he left and headed to thepany. Gregory was standing at the window when he heard the sound of Nichs¡¯ car leaving. He stared motionlessly at the car until it vanished into the distance. Immediately after that, he swiftly packed his stuff and sneaked out of his room when Andrew and the servants were not paying attention. Avoiding the surveince cameras in the house, he ran to the garden behind the vi. His father might have sealed the route hest took to escape, but he had already found a new route. It was the perfect route to escape from home without crawling through a hole in the wall or going through the main gates. He once again seeded at escaping from the vi, but he did not show the slightest hint of joy. His head was lowered as he walked to the side of the road, stopped a taxi, and gave the driver Tessa¡¯s address. Although Tessa had lied that she was tired and wanted to sleep, she simplyy on the bed in a daze until Timothy left home for work. She could not fall asleep as her mind was filled with Gregory¡¯s hurt expression. At the same time, the sound of him calling her ¡®Miss Tessa¡¯ echoed in her ears. She could sense just how sad he was. She herself was miserable too. But, what else can I do? This is what I previously promised Stefania. I am also the one who mentioned my resignation to Nichs and actively cut off all opportunities to interact with Greg. In that case, there¡¯s no need for us to keep in touch anymore, right? Nevertheless, she did not reject Gregory¡¯s attempts to visit her afterward. She even allowed the father- and-son pair to stay overnight at her house. Therefore, she was the one who had vited her agreement in the first ce. She was the reason why things had progressed to this point. Although Stefania¡¯s actions were overboard, it was not without reason. Besides, the status of the Sawyer Family was not something a person like her could hope topete against. She was satisfied that she could even act as Gregory¡¯s teacher for a short time. Just as she was ruminating over these thoughts, she faintly heard her doorbell ringing. She opened the door only to see an aggrieved-looking Gregory standing in front of her. He shouted aggrievedly, ¡°Miss Tessa!¡± Tessa was shocked to see Gregory until she recalled her previous attitude toward him. With his personality, it was a given that he woulde looking for her. Thus, she said nothing It was just that she did not see Nichs anywhere when she looked around. In fact, she didn¡¯t even see anybody from the Sawyer Family. Puzzled, she brought Gregory inside and asked, ¡°Who brought you here?¡± Gregory was also brimming with questions, but he could not bring himself to ask anything when he saw her as it seemed like she, too, was very sad Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Gregory opened his mouth and swallowed his questions. Then, he answered honestly, ¡°Nobody. I sneaked out and came here.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing those words, Tessa was shocked, and her expression immediately darkened in response. ¡°Do you know how dangerous it is for you to run out on your own!? There are many human traffickers out there who specialize in kidnapping children like you!¡± He blinked aggrievedly. ¡°I know I was wrong. I should not have made you worry, and I won¡¯t do it again. But, can you please don¡¯t refuse to meet me? Miss Tessa, I miss you. You said you are not free, so I came to visit you on my own. You can do whatever you want, and I¡¯ll just watch from the side. I promise I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± His words rendered her speechless for a moment. She was not busy. Rather, her unemployed self was very free. She had so much time on her hands that it was driving her crazy! The only reason she said that was as a perfunctory answer to his question earlier. It never urred to her that he would run here on his own because of something she said. I wonder if Nichs knows that this child snuck out on his own. The vi is very far from here. Won¡¯t he search around like crazy once he discovers that Greg is missing? Sighing, she poured a ss of juice for him and spoke in a lukewarm manner. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯m going to my room. I¡¯lle and keep you company in a short while.¡± He nodded obediently. Even so, he couldn¡¯t help feeling sadness wash over him. It was clear that her attitude toward him had changed. He watched silently as she returned to her room and closed the door behind her, cutting off his sight. After entering her room, she took out her phone. She took a few deep breaths before she finally tapped on Nichs¡¯ name to initiate the phone call. It didn¡¯t take long for Nichs to answer the phone. His cold voice sounded from the other end. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Greg came to my house on his own. You shoulde and pick him up.¡± She immediately ended the call after delivering the message coldly. When Nichs heard that Gregory had snuck out to visit Tessa, his expression immediately darkened. This child is getting bolder and bolder by the minute. He keeps sneaking out of the house. Not to mention, he agreed that he would not disturb Tessa, only to turn around and run to her house. Be that as it may, it was certain that something was wrong with Tessa¡¯s attitude. She used to be so nice to Greg. It didn¡¯t look like she was just acting nice. Besides, it¡¯s beneficial for Timothy¡¯spany if she builds up a rtionship with the Sawyer Family. Why is she pulling away all of a sudden? No, that¡¯s not right. Her words might be firm and cold, but they were also a little strange. It gives off the feeling¡­ that she is forcing herself to do this. Why does she have to do something that goes against her wishes? In any case, he was not worried about leaving Gregory in her care. Before leaving thepany, he instructed Edward, ¡°Investigate who Tessa met recently and what happened.¡± Edward had long ustomed to the concern that Nichs showed Tessa. Thus, he hurriedly nodded. ¡°Will do, President Sawyer.¡± Ten minutester, Nichs arrived at Tessa¡¯s door. He looked at Gregory, who was sitting on the sofa dejectedly, and his expression involuntarily darkened. Even so, it would not be right of him to reprimand the child in front of Tessa, so he faintly said, ¡°I came to pick the child up.¡± Gregory turned pale at those words. During the time he spent here, Tessa had not said much to him. She simply sat there and kept himpany. Even if Miss Tessa doesn¡¯t want to be with me, I don¡¯t want to leave. He looked at his father pleadingly. ¡°Can I stay a little longer, please?¡± Tessa coldly said, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, President Sawyer, then please take him away. Please watch your child properly in the future. Don¡¯t let him wander around on his own. He might have safely arrived at my house this time, but what about the next?¡± ¡°Miss Tessa¡­¡± He widened his eyes in disbelief. Does Miss Tessa not want to see me anymore? Thinking that, he quickly climbed off the sofa and ran over to her. ¡°Miss Tessa, why? Why don¡¯t you want me anymore? Miss Tessa, I won¡¯t cause trouble or annoy you again. Please don¡¯t hate me. I won¡¯t come to your house to visit you anymore.¡± His aggrieved eyes reddened, and tears flowed out once more. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Chapter 221 ¨C Tessa could not bear watching as Gregory sobbed his heart out. Nevertheless, she turned away and refused to look at him. All she coldly said to Nichs was, ¡°Please leave, President Sawyer.¡± Nichs took in her expression, feeling more and more confused. What on Earth is she trying to do? It¡¯s clear that she is reluctant to part with Greg. Even so, he did not expose her lie. He simply turned to Gregory and said, ¡°Gregory Sawyer,e here. Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°But, Daddy¡­ Miss Tessa¡­¡± Gregory was crying so hard that he was out of breath and couldn¡¯t string a coherent sentence together. He simply hugged Tessa¡¯s leg tightly to express what he wanted to say. ¡°Stop crying. Miss Tessa is busy. I¡¯ll bring you here once she is done with her work.¡± Nichs was feeling exasperated. Gregory¡¯s current attitude could only be ovee through coaxing. He had to coax the child and bring him home before he could do anything else. 0 Gregory nced up at Tessa before he nced at his father. In the end, he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Afterward, he put on his small backpack and left her house with Nichs. When the father-and-son pair returned to the Dynasty Gardens, Gregory was still sobbing non-stop. However, he understood in his heart that Tessa¡¯s current attitude clearly indicated that she did not wish to see him. If he stubbornly refused to leave, he might never get a chance to see her again in the future. Nichs was afraid that Gregory might kick up a fuss at home, so he did not return to thepany. He simply called Edward to inform the other party that he was working from home. Not long afterward, Edward handed the documents that needed to be processed to Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer, I¡¯ve finished investigating the matter you asked me to investigate,¡± he reported. ¡°Miss Reinhart was fired by the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra. It is said to be Old Master Sawyer¡¯s directive. Moreover, Old Master Sawyer ordered that she be banned from the entire industry.¡± Nichs furrowed his eyebrows tightly together. Why is Grandpa targeting the Reinhart siblings? Just what is his objective? He immediately drove to the Sawyer Residence. The moment Nichs stepped through the door of the Sawyer Residence, he saw Remus calmly drinking tea and looking veryfortable. Remus was not very surprised to see Nichs. He simply looked up calmly and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you sit down and drink some tea with me?¡± Nichs¡¯ expression was grim. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Have a taste of this Dragon Well tea. The girl from the Stone Family gave me this a few days ago. The taste is magnificent. The old man of the Stone Family has collected a lot of good tea over the years.¡± Remus picked up his teacup and lightly sniffed the aroma of the tea. Nichs might be familiar with the art of tea drinking, but that did not mean that he was in the mood for tea. Seeing how Remus was ying dumb and acting like he didn¡¯t understand, he got straight to the point. ¡°Grandpa, why are you targeting the Reinhart siblings?¡± Remus chuckled softly. ¡°Nichs, you are the heir of the Sawyer Family. You should be focusing on your work, not standing up for others. It turns out that the Sawyer Family has gotten so idle that they have time to stick their noses in other people¡¯s business while I was away.¡± Nichs scowled. ¡°Grandpa, you know why I¡¯m here, so don¡¯t try to suppress me with these words. I¡¯m not trying to stand up for anybody. I just want to know how these siblings have offended you that you have to be so ruthless toward them.¡± Remus coldly snorted at those words. ¡°Ruthless? Little brat, do you know what it means to be ruthless? Don¡¯t interfere in this matter.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°By the way, if you have so much time on your hands, why don¡¯t you meet the girl from the Stone Family more often? You should marry her soon.¡± ¡°I refuse. Greg is not willing either.¡± Nichs¡¯ voice turned frosty, VAN . Remus seemed to have expected Nichs¡¯ response, so he was not surprised in the slightest. He even responded in a t tone, ¡°You don¡¯t like that girl? That¡¯s fine. Have you gone through the pictures I sent you previously? Choose one from among them. Just let me know if you find somebody you like.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nichs gritted his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. If you are targeting the siblings, then you should at least give me a reason. If they are in the wrong, you won¡¯t need to do anything yourself. I will do it for you.¡± ¡°A reason? The reason is that the girl is not worthy of the Sawyer Family. I neither wish nor agree for you to marry an unknown person like her. How can she enter the Sawyer Family when she can¡¯t even handle her family affairs properly?¡± Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Nichs fell silent. His reasoning is not wrong, but the Reinhart siblings have never interacted with Grandpa before. At most, they only met each other once or twice in passing. Forcing them to pay this kind of price based on those one or two meetings is overboard. Besides, there¡¯s nothing between Tessa and I. Why did he mention her marrying into the Sawyer Family? This matter can¡¯t be so simple for Grandpa to target them like this. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some inside story behind this incident that I don¡¯t know about. Meanwhile, Tessa felt extremely distressed after Nichs came to pick Gregory up. In particr, the aggrieved look that Gregory gave her before he left lingered in her mind. She could not get it out of her head. It felt like her emotions were going to suffocate her to death. She turned on her phone and looked at pictures of herself and Gregory. Reaching out, she stroked his smiling face in the picture. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Greg. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you¡­¡± Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Although Nichs managed to coax Greg into going home under the excuse that I am busy, I¡¯m sure Greg no longer wants to see me again. He has never liked talking to strangers. In the future, what will Greg do once I¡¯m gone? She thought back to the time when she first met Gregory. The image of him stretching out his hands for her to carry him made her heart hurt so much that she felt as though her heart was about to explode. She sighed. Eventually, she exited her photo gallery and stopped looking at the pictures inside. It felt as though Gregory¡¯s shadow lingered in every corner of this house. As a result, it became too depressing to stay here alone. Picking up her keys, she walked straight out the door. It was not until she left the house that she realized she had nowhere to go. Timothy¡¯spany was a no go because she would only worry him if she went there in her current state. Therefore, she wandered the streets aimlessly. Before she knew it, she arrived in the vicinity of the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra building. She was taken aback by the sight of the familiar-looking building. I don¡¯t even work here anymore, so why did Ie here? I should go back quickly! She turned around and bumped into a person¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She hurriedly lowered her head and apologized. ¨C H ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just pay more attention to where you¡¯re going next time. Don¡¯t wander along the streets again if you have something on your mind.¡± A gentle voice rang out above her head. This voice¡­ These words¡­ Why do they sound so familiar? She hurriedly looked up. When she saw the person standing in front of her, she immediately became dumbfounded. Scott was also taken aback to see that it was Tessa. Then, he immediatelyughed. ¡°It¡¯s you. I already told you to watch where you¡¯re walking. Why are you still being so absent-minded? Tessa was embarrassed. Out of the two asions that she failed to pay attention to where she was going, she just had to run into him on both asions. Be that as it may, she was a little happy to meet him again. ¡°If I remember correctly, you are Scott Brooks, right?¡± This time, he was the one who seemed dumbfounded. ¡°You know me?¡± She smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯ve seen your performance before. You are the main violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic, Scott Brooks. The Italian song ¡®Devil¡¯s Trill Sonata¡¯ that you performed previously was the most emotional version that I¡¯ve ever heard in my life. The ¡®Zigeunerlieder¡¯ that you performed also perfectly portrayed the musical style of the gypsies. If I didn¡¯t know your origins, I would have thought that you grew up there.¡± He had heard manypliments in his life, but almost all of them were very fake and shallow. They were usually praises telling him that he yed very well. It was rare for somebody toment on his music in this manner, so his eyes immediately lit up brightly. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯ve heard me y before?¡± She smiled. ¡°To be honest, I used to dream of bing a performer like you and bing famous all over the world.¡± She didn¡¯t just listen to his music-it was not as simple as that. The truth was that she had listened to the music of almost all the world-renowned musicians to the point that her ears were about to fall off. She could tell who was ying what in an instant. Even so, I still can¡¯t find a job or a stage where I can show off my talents. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the world-renowned musicians has be nothing more than a far-off dream. He was a little shocked. ¡°You¡¯re a violinist too?¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°Yes.¡± Tessa nodded. Raising his head, Scott nced at the office building behind Tessa as realization hit him a little. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder I stumbled upon you near here twice. Are you a member of the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra?¡± A trace of intricacy shed in Tessa¡¯s eyes. Then, she lowered her head and said in an upsetting tone, ¡°I used to be, but I guess I¡¯m not anymore.¡± He was a little surprised. ¡°Why do you say so? Did you resign or something?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s all in the past. So, it¡¯s pointless to talk about it again.¡± She raised her head. After that, she pulled the corners of her mouth into a smirk and pretended to smile indifferently. It¡¯s just a casual question that I blurted out. So, I don¡¯t really expect a clear answer. Besides, now that I look at her current facial expression again, I can see that there¡¯s something upying her mind. What is more, she looks like she doesn¡¯t want to mention it. Scott was someone who knew when to stop meddling in people¡¯s affairs, so he simply did not ask any further questions. However, he could still vaguely guess that there was a hidden reason behind Tessa¡¯s departure from the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra. After all, he met her near here twice in a row. Perhaps she did not want to leave. It was rude to rub one¡¯s nose in the dirt. Thus, Scott smiled gently and said, ¡°I still didn¡¯t catch your name, considering we¡¯ve been chatting with each other for so long. Care to tell me your name?¡± As he spoke, he reached out with his hand to offer a handshake. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Scott Brooks.¡± Tessa was a little stunned. Shortly after, she smiled brightly and reached out to shake hands with Scott. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Tessa Reinhart.¡± ¡°Well then, Miss Tessa Reinhart, I think thement you made just now was very interesting, so I wish to chat with you more for a while. If you can spare me some time, may I buy you a cup of coffee?¡± Scott asked with a smile. Scott could see that Tessa was actually passionate about music, and thement she made was also spot-on. She might be a fellow from the same industry. As someone who had always been ustomed to keeping a distance from anyone, Scott inexplicably wished to befriend Tessa. Certainly. Tessa was willing to chat with someone like Scott. Maybe I can even learn a lot of musical knowledge from him. Therefore, she nodded without any question. ¡°Sure!¡± After that, Scott took Tessa to a cafe called ¡®Encoded Strings¡¯. As she stood in the doorway, she silently read out the name of the cafe in her mind. Encoded Strings? It seems like this cafe is rted to stringed instruments. As expected, as soon as the both of them entered, they heard mellifluous music drifting from the violin inside the cafe. In an instant, Tessa¡¯s eyes brightened up. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Curling the corners of his lips, Scott exined, ¡°Ie here often. Although the violin performance here is not as good as those violinists in the orchestra, there¡¯s a sense of tranquility. I feelfortable here.¡± Agreeing with Scott, Tessa nodded. ¡°Truly. The skill of the violinist here is indeed nowhere near a professional violinist. However, they¡¯re still good at ying songs with a slow melody. It¡¯s rxing.¡± After finishing her sentence, she looked at the violinist on the stage rather longingly. It¡¯s a pity. As long as I¡¯m still in Brentwood, I have no chance to stand up on stage and perform, not even on such a small stage. Upon seeing Tessa¡¯s envious look, he smiled and asked, ¡°Do you want to go up there and give it a try?¡± However, she shook her head. ¡°They have their own team performing here. I don¡¯t think they will simply allow anyone to perform on stage.¡± ¡°Yes, you can. This ce is a public space. Anyone who¡¯s willing to perform can go up there to do so. If no one is willing to perform, the staff of the cafe will do it. Go on. Go ahead and try.¡± Scott¡¯s gaze was full of encouragement. The reason why Scott had brought Tessa here was to check out her ability. Herment previously showed that she has put a lot of effort into this aspect. If she were to actually y it, I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t be too bad. Tessa was already tempted to give it a try in the first ce. Now that she looked at Scott¡¯s gaze, she felt a little excited. At that moment, she felt like each and every cell in her body was shouting at her, Don¡¯t chicken out! You like ying violin, don¡¯t you? Then go ahead and try! And thus, Tessa immediately got up. Aftermunicating with the staff of the cafe. she directly stood on the center of the stage. Although her arm had yet to fully recover, Tessa could still y songs with a much softer tempo as they would not affect her injury. Therefore, she chose a song titled ¡®Cinema Paradiso! From the moment she picked up the violin, the aura surrounding Tessa changed immediately. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Although Tessa was only wearing a simple white T-shirt and a pair of light blue jeans, she appeared as someone who was well-put-together in the eyes of the public. Her simple outfit looked even more imposing than those gorgeous stage costumes, making people¡¯s eyes light up. Tessa took a few deep breaths before putting the violin on her shoulder. One by one, the musical notes came alive and danced around, apanying Tessa¡¯s musical movement. It was as if they had a soul of their own. Soon, the melodious violin sound came. At once, the initially whispering noises among the visitors in the cafe disappeared. Everyone¡¯s attention seemed to be attracted by the person standing on the bandstand. The main rhythm of this song was pristine and clean, while the sound of the violin was melodious and beautiful. By incorporating her own emotions, it was as if Tessa was ngently telling a story through the music. As the people listened to Tessa¡¯s performance, they had mixed emotions. When the music ended, there was still silence in the cafe. Suddenly, there was a burst of apuse coming from the corner. Subsequently, the audience gave out thunderous apuse. At that moment, Tessa could not help but twitch her nose a little. Although it had not been long since herst performance, she felt like a lifetime had passed now that she heard the sound of apuse again. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Showing a meaningful smile, Tessa took a deep bow. ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± Soon after, she walked down the stage. Meanwhile, the apuse did not stop until Tessa returned to her seat. Looking at Scott smiling gently in front of her, Tessa felt slightly clueless. ¡°Was I a little showing myself up in front of an expert?¡± Upon hearing that, Scott smiled and shook his head. ¡°Why do you think so? Your performance was perfect! It was a performance that carried a slight emotion, which I don¡¯t hear often.¡± Then, Scott paused for a while before continuing, ¡°Miss Reinhart, your violin skill is so good. Didn¡¯t you consider joining other orchestras after leaving the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra?¡± Tessa was slightly frustrated. ¡°How could I not think of it? But¡­ if I continue to stay in Brentwood, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the chance to stand on the stage.¡± ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you consider leaving Brentwood to develop?¡± Scott asked tentatively. After listening to Tessa¡¯s performance, Scott had a vague idea that he wanted to recruit Tessa. I want to recruit her to join the Berlin Philharmonic. Such a good candidate should not be cramped here. If Tessa is willing, I can rmend her and arrange a chance for her to meet with our music director, Robert Miller. ¡°She¡¯s not leaving.¡± Suddenly, a sullen low voice of a male sounded above their heads before Tessa could answer. Feeling a little shocked at the voice, Tessa raised her head. When she saw the person who came, she was instantly at a loss. ¡°Nichs? Why are you here?¡± However, Nichs pursed his lips. Instead of answering Tessa, Nichs simply turned to Scott. ¡°I¡¯ll take her away.¡± After the statement was made, Nichs directly pulled Tessa¡¯s wrist and walked out of the cafe. ¡°Nichs! Let go of me! You¡¯re hurting me! What are you doing?¡± Tessa eximed as she struggled, trying to break herself from Nichs¡¯ clutch. However, Nichs¡¯ grip became stronger and stronger, and he firmly held her wrist in his hand. Still, Nichs pursed his lips and did not speak. Instead, he directly pulled her and walked forward. Nichs showed up here because he had received news saying Tessa was in a cafe. So, he came to find her deliberately. He wanted to tell her that the decision made by the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra previously was annulled, so he came here purposely to ask her to return. However, Nichs did not expect that he would see Tessa performing on stage as soon as he arrived at the cafe. After finishing her performance, she even talked andughed with an anonymous male. How would I not know the hidden message behind that man¡¯s words? If he wants to trick Tessa, that¡¯s out of the question! ¡°Nichs! Did you not hear me? Let me go! What are you doing exactly? Where are you taking me?¡± Tessa was a little exasperated. Are all members of the Sawyers so hegemonic, doing whatever the hell they want without any negotiation? I¡¯m not someone that the Sawyers can ask toe and can get rid of at the wave of a hand. By what rights are they treating me like this? Upon hearing Tessa¡¯s constant exmation, only then did Nichs halt his tracks. Then, he said coldly, ¡°Come with me. I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it that you want to tell me that you can¡¯t say properly? Let me go first,¡± Tessa also said coldly. At the same time, Tessa was secretly making snidements in her mind. How inexplicable! Did I mess around with him or provoke him? Why is he having such a huge resentment? He¡¯s making it seem like I did something to him! Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Chapter 225 To be honest, Nichs also had no idea what was going on with him. Why was I so angry when I saw Tessa talking andughing with an unknown man? Nheless, Nichs let go of Tessa after he nced at her reddened wrist. ¡°Follow me.¡± Although Tessa was extremely reluctant to see Nichs, it was toote for her to make a run for it now. Therefore, she thought she should just take this opportunity to clear the air between Nichs and her. With that in mind, Tessa followed Nichs silently. Later, they entered another cafe which was quieter. After they were seated, Tessa asked in a cold tone, ¡°Why exactly did you look for me?¡± ¡°I learned about the incident with the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra. Previously, I was uninformed of your expulsion. I came to see you this time to ask you to return. About the order of your expulsion, I have revoked it.¡± Ever since he was a child, Nichs had never spoken with people so patiently. However, it was different this time. It was indeed the Sawyer Group that had wronged Tessa. At heart, Nichs felt a little guilty about what Tessa and her brother had suffered recently. ¡°I¡¯ll compensate you for your losses these past days and the damage to your reputation.¡± However, Tessa merely sneered, ¡°Are all things measurable by money in the eyes of the rich?¡± There was a slight change in Nichs¡¯ facial expression when he heard that, but he did not answer. Indeed, using money aspensation does hurt one¡¯s self-esteem. In this regard, Tessa is also someone who stands by her own principles despite her usual personality being gentle. Furthermore, the Sawyer Group did go a little too far in this matter, so her resentfulness is expected. I also sincerely want to invite her back to the orchestra. In the meantime, Tessa also understood Nichs a little bit. Usually, he will let his assistant handle these things. However, for him to be able toe to me in person today also rifies his stance. At the thought of that, Tessa¡¯s tone softened a bit. ¡°Let me be straightforward with you. President Sawyer, I have my own view on whether to stay or leave. However, I will not return to the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra for the time being. Thank you foring to me in person and letting the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra take me in. But¡­ I think we should keep some distance.¡± Tessa paused for a moment. Then, she curled the corners of her lips. ¡°After all, it¡¯s good for you, me, and Greg. Thank you, President Sawyer, for appreciating me. But we¡¯re eventually just different. By the way, President Sawyer, there¡¯s one more thing. My brother and I are simply ordinary people, and the Sawyers are really out of our league. So, I sincerely hope that your family will stop targeting us. Thank you.¡± After Tessa finished speaking, she felt sick at heart for a while. She did not want to keep staying in the cafe, so she stood up and left. This time, I¡¯m afraid that we will never cross paths again once I leave. Also, I can¡¯t possibly see Greg and can¡¯t listen to him calling me ¡®Miss Tessa sweetly anymore in the future. There was a wry feeling in Tessa¡¯s heart. But this is also the best choice. At least, it can give Timothy and me a stable life. Let the two people who should never have crossed paths return to their original lives. Since Tessa started to speak, Nichs did not once interrupt her. He also did not persuade her to stay when he saw she was leaving. Only his facial expressions became unsightly. Ever since she had made things clear with Nichs, Tessapletely cut off all ties with the Sawyers for the next period of time. As for Nichs and Gregory, they never once contacted her as well. Both of them had extreme tacit understanding, and neither of them talked about the conversation from that day. It was as if nothing had ever happened. Therefore, Timothy¡¯spany still maintained a good cooperative tie with the Sawyer Group Once in a while, Timothy woulde back and mention the progress of the project with the Sawyer Group. However, Tessa simply smiled and did notment much. She merely asked Timothy to focus on his work asionally. However, Tessa still had the same attitude during the first and the second time Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Timothy mentioned the cooperative project. She seemed to be a little disinterested in everything. Hence, Timothy was a little puzzled. ¡°Tess, what happened to you recently?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m fine. Why do you ask?¡± Tessa replied with a smile. When he saw Tessa¡¯s smiling face, Timothy became even more worried. ¡°I just think that you¡¯re not looking very happytely. You¡¯re obviously smiling, but¡­¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 226 ¡°Silly, I¡¯m really fine.¡± Tessa burst outughing. Still feeling worried, Timothy said, ¡°Tess, why don¡¯t you go study abroad? At the same time, you can also take a break. You don¡¯t have to worry about inoney. Just do whatever you want. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m all grown up. Instead, I can protect you.¡± Study abroad? It has always been my wish to study abroad. In fact, I had the opportunity when I was in college. However, the n was put on hold as I had to take care of Tim at that time. I have always regretted letting the opportunity slip away. But now that Tim mentioned it, I¡¯m suddenly hesitating a little. Firstly, Tim¡¯spany has just been established, and he¡¯s extremely busy every day. If I leave, I don¡¯t know how he will torment his body. I¡¯m worried about leaving him alone in Brentwood. Secondly, I¡¯m a little reluctant for some unknown reason. For a moment, Tessa stayed silent. ¡°This matter isn¡¯t urgent, so I¡¯ll think about it again.¡± ¡°Sure. Tess, anytime if you feel like going, just let me know. I¡¯ll arrange everything for you.¡± Seeing that Tessa was unwilling to go now, Timothy did not force her much. Instead, he catered to her opinion. ¡°Very well. You¡¯re really sessful now. I¡¯ll let you know when I want to go.¡± Tessa smiled. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It just so happens that I havepleted both my work and assignments for today. Why don¡¯t I watch TV with you for a while?¡± Timothy suggested. Recently, Timothy had been busy with hispany¡¯s affairs. Moreover, he was also busy handling the cooperative tasks with the Sawyer Group. So, he hardly had time to apany Tessa. After thinking about it, I may also be a part of the reasons why Tess has been in a bad mood. After all, she doesn¡¯t have a job for the time being. Inevitably, she¡¯ll be struck with boredom from being left alone at home. In the meantime, Tessa also knew what her younger brother was thinking. Therefore, she could not help butugh. Even so, it was true that the two of them had not chatted much recently. Seeing that Timothy finally took a break for a while, Tessa thought it was also very suffocating for him if he did not have any entertainment to unwind. Hence, she nodded. After turning on the TV, they saw it was time for entertainment news. 11 What came in sight was a photo of Nichs¡¯ side profile, followed by a photo of an unknown woman with a gentle and quiet look. The two photos were shown side-by side. With a professional smile, the anchor started announcing, ¡°Now, for someone. entertainment news, it was recently reported on the Inte that the rtionship between Nichs Sawyer, the president of the Sawyer Group, and the daughter of the Stones, Hayley Stones, has intensified. The couple is expected to hold a wedding in the near future.¡± After Tessa heard the anchor¡¯s words, she was stunned for a while. However, she quickly regained her composure. Then, she turned to look at Timothy. ¡°This sort of entertainment news is quite boring. Is there anything else you want to watch? How about we watch thetest movie?¡± In a daze, Timothy nodded and subconsciously said, ¡°Up to you, Tess.¡± Timothy was still a little stupefied even after a while. I suppose I didn¡¯t have blurred vision, and my ears also weren¡¯t deaf just now. The news reported that Nichs and the Stones would be united in marriage. B-But wasn¡¯t he still single a while ago? Moreover, there seems to be a little notion between him and Tess. But why is he off the market in the blink of an eye? Furthermore, he¡¯s reported to be getting married in the near future. Was it all my delusions? Tess¡¯ reaction was too chill when she learned about the news as well. After all, I was also the former owner of this house. Didn¡¯t Greg drop by a few days ago? What happened in between the timeline that I wasn¡¯t aware of? And thus, Timothy asked cautiously, ¡°Tess, what happened between the two of you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tessa raised her head and looked at Timothy with a confused look on her face. Once again, Timothy asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any opinion about the marriage of convenience between President Sawyer and the Stones?¡± However, Tessa smiled indifferently. ¡°What opinion can I have? It has nothing to do with me regarding whoever he marries. Besides, they¡¯re both well-matched in social and economic status. They¡¯re already in the same circle in the first ce. The opinion that I express wouldn¡¯t carry any meaning at all, so we¡¯ll just live our separate lives well. Alright, let¡¯s not meddle too much in someone else¡¯s affairs. Didn¡¯t you say you want to watch TV with me? How about this movie?¡± Tessa picked a movie and turned to ask Timothy. Since Tessa had said so, Timothy naturally chose to listen to her words unconditionally. So, he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Chapter 227 In Dynasty Gardens, Nichs was still unaware that he had been ¡®engaged¡¯ unterally. After work, he went straight home. As soon as he entered the house, he saw a slightly aggrieved-looking Gregory sitting on the sofa. When Andrew saw that Nichs came back, he immediately stepped forward and pleaded, ¡°Master Nichs, young master has found out. He¡¯s throwing a little tantrum right now. Pleasee quick and cheer him up.¡± Nichs was a little puzzled. ¡°What did he find out?¡± For a moment, Andrew had no idea how to answer Nichs. It¡¯s a little hard for me to grasp Master Nichs¡¯ mind. It¡¯s obviously his business, but why do I have a feeling that he¡¯s unaware of it too? At that moment, Gregory got off the sofa and looked at Nichs aggrievedly. ¡°Daddy, is it because anotherdy wants to marry into our family that Miss Tessa ran away?¡± What¡¯s about this topic of marriage? Also, what does this have to do with Tessa? Therefore, Gregory handed Nichs the phone. ¡°Daddy, see for yourself! I don¡¯t want anyone else! No one can rece my beloved Miss Tessa!¡± After Nichs saw the trending topics in the search bar, he could not help but frown immediately. There was also a picture of Nichs sending Hayley homest time. The woman in the photo was smiling and looking at the person in the car with a blissful look on her face. One nce, and people could feel that there was a kind of unclear ambiguity between the two. Grandpa actually came up with such a trick! He¡¯s directly forcing me into epting this marriage by publishing the article with the secretly taken photo! Great! Just great! Squatting down, Nichs caressed the head of his aggrieved-looking son. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Besides, I won¡¯t let thatdy marry into our family.¡± Upon hearing that, Gregory looked at Nichs hesitantly for a while. Eventually, he felt that Nichs would not lie to him since he had always kept his words. Thus, he nodded obediently. ¡°Okay. Daddy, you must keep your word.¡± Nichs nodded. Then, he looked at Andrew. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the Sawyer Residence for a while. Make sure you take good care of Greg.¡± After that, the car engine let out a roaring sound, and it drove away. Not long after, Nichs arrived at the mansion. Just like usual, Remus was drinking his tea while teasing the birds. He was feeling very rxed. Upon seeing Nichs entering the house in a rage, he simply raised his eyelids a little. ¡°Oh, you came?¡± Nichs said coldly, ¡°What are you trying to do again? Since when did I agree to be engaged to Hayley?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still going to marry her even if you don¡¯t want to.¡± In contrast with Nichs¡¯ raging state, Remus simply nced at him lightly and continued drinking his tea. ¡°You¡¯re still not the one who gets to make the final decision in the Sawyers. Since when is it your turn to oppose my decision?¡± ¡°I can obey all your decisions when ites to thepany¡¯s affairs. But this is my own marriage. I don¡¯t need your intervention. No matter what, I will not marry Hayley! I suggest that you dismiss this idea as soon as possible,¡± Nichs said with a cold voice. At this moment, Nichs¡¯ aura was not inferior to Remus¡¯. A storm of anger exploded as the powerful aura between these two directly collided. Instantly, the living room of the Sawyer Residence became silent. The housekeeper and the servants did not dare to make any sound. As they were well-trained in this manner, they exited the room. Even the birds in the cage seemed to have sensed the danger and stopped chirping. Then, Remus said coldly, ¡°Nichs, don¡¯t forget: You¡¯re part of the Sawyers. Yourst name is Sawyer!¡± Simrly, Nichs said coldly, ¡°I remember myst name. But if you insist on doing things this way, then I will solve it my own way!¡± With that, Nichs left the Sawyer Residence in great strides. After he got into his car, he called Edward with a sullen look on his face. ¡°I want you to suppress the news for me now and refute the rumor in the name of the Sawyer Group!¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. C AHA Edward, who was far away in his own house, could feel Nichs¡¯ anger through the phone. The anger was followed by a bit of trepidation. It¡¯s rare for President Sawer to be this angry. Therefore, Edward did not dare to dy any longer. He received the order swiftly. ¡°Will do, President Sawyer.¡± VV Not long after, the Sawyer Group¡¯s rumor refutal statement appeared on the trending topics of each major social media application. Initially, Hayley was very happy when she saw that she was trending along with Nichs. However, she was left with an egg on her face within an hour, and her facial expression instantly turned hideous. Sonia was a little puzzled when she saw Hayley¡¯s smiling face disappear in an instant. Then, she nced at the news, and her facial expression also darkened. ¡°What does Nichs mean by this?¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 228 This piece of news was actually released by Remus, and it was approved by the Stones. Hence, this matter could be regarded as consensual between the two families. Initially, they wanted to rely on this news to give pressure to Nichs. They thought this would allow the two youngsters to go with the flow and directly get married. However, everyone did not expect that Nichs would be so resolute and frankly defy Remus¡¯ idea. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Maxwell was also enraged, and he snorted, ¡°He¡¯s obviously making a fool out of our family! Well, this kid is so courageous! Get the car ready! We¡¯ll pay a visit to the Sawyer Residence!¡± The more Maxwell thought about the matter, the more he could not let this slide. His crutches rattled on the ground as he stormed out. Maxwell swiftly rushed to Remus¡¯ residence. Once he arrived, he red at Remus angrily. ¡°You ought to give me an exnation for this.¡± Likewise, Remus also did not expect Nichs would directly embarrass the Stones in such a way. So, he thinks he¡¯s all grown up now, and he can make important decisions without asking me. Although the business of the Stones was nowhere near as good as the Sawyers¡¯, both Remus and Maxwell were lifelong friends. Besides, it was Remus who had released the news. Hence, this could also be considered as Nichs publicly embarrassed Remus. At the thought of that, Remus was also instantly enraged. ¡°Call that evil grandson of mine!¡± Upon receiving the order, the housekeeper immediately called Nichs. After calling him for ten times, no one answered the call. The housekeeper was rather in a difficult situation. ¡°Sir, Master Nichs isn¡¯t picking up¡­¡± Maxwell had requested Hayley to stay at home and wait for his news. Nevertheless, it was her first time to experience such an obvious embarrassment, so she was a little annoyed. Without saying a word, she directly went to search for Nichs in the Sawyer Group¡¯s office building. Along the way, Hayley had figured things out. As long as Nichs is willing toe up with a logical reason, then I¡¯ll forgive him and will not pursue this matter. I¡¯ll ept his rification if he has his own reasons. Even if his reason is for the sake of thepany¡¯s development, I can still ept his rification as long as he¡¯s still here with me. After all, it¡¯s true that we¡¯re the ones who forced him into this marriage. But my feelings for Nichs are also real. I really love him. I¡¯m willing to do anything as long as Nichs is willing to marry me. Soon, the car stopped downstairs at the Sawyer Group¡¯s office building. When Hayley saw Edward, she smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Jackson, I have some matters that I wish to discuss with President Sawyer. So, I wonder if he can spare me some time.¡± Upon hearing that, Edward simply asked Hayley to wait outside. He soon returned to the office to inquire with Nichs if he would let Hayley in. ¡°No,¡± Nichs said coldly after he found out who the visitor was. Not once did he pause flipping the document in his hand or raise his head. Even though Nichs had issued a rumor refutal statementter, Tessa was still disinterested in this matter. It has nothing to do with me whether Nichs is marrying Hayley or not. At this moment, Tessa had been invited to meet with Scott at a cafe outside. When Tessa saw the gentle-looking man again, she immediately thought about how she had left him alone after being taken away by Nichsst time. Hence, she felt a little embarrassed and apologized to Scott by saying, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about the incidentst time.¡± However, Scott did not take it to heart. He smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I had some things to deal with not long after you left. Not to mention, you didn¡¯t leave on purpose. So, there¡¯s no need for you to apologize.¡± After that, Scott paused for a while before he continued, ¡°But I asked you out this time because I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Tessa was a little curious, Scott said, ¡°I want to ask you this: What do you think about the Berlin Philharmonic?¡± ¡°Frankly speaking, the Berlin Philharmonic has always been the muse in my heart. I like your performances very much. The Berlin Philharmonic can be regarded as the top-tier orchestra among the international orchestras. So, I¡¯m very longing to join the orchestra one day.¡± Whenever she spoke of music, Tessa¡¯s eyes would light up. At once, Scott said, ¡°Like you said, the Berlin Philharmonic¡¯s standard is very high. With your talent, there¡¯s a possible chance that you can join us in the future. However, you¡¯re stillcking something, so it¡¯s really unlikely that you¡¯re able to join now.¡± Upon hearing this, Tessa lowered her eyes. I have watched so many performances done by the Berlin Philharmonic. How would I not know the gap between my skill and theirs! But now that someone suddenly pointed it out mercilessly, I feel even more dejected. ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡± Seeing Tessa acting this way, Scott could not helpughing. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get dejected so soon. The Berlin Philharmonic intends to train neers recently. If you want, you cane to the Berlin Philharmonic and learn first. When you have improved, you¡¯ll definitely have an opportunity to join in the future.¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Once again, Tessa¡¯s eyes lit up. She was very moved. ¡°Is what you said true?¡± Indeed, having the opportunity to learn in such an international orchestra was like a dream for any musician. Furthermore, Tessa had always dreamed of being part of the Berlin Philharmonic. Upon hearing that, Scott nodded. ¡°Why would I lie to you? Do you want to give it a try first?¡± Tessa also nodded. ¡°I do!¡± ¡°Then, prepare yourself for these two days. I¡¯ll take you to the orchestra for an interview this weekend. If you pass the interview, you cane and learn,¡± Scott said with a smile. Tessa nodded. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll definitely try my best!¡± After returning home, Tessa turned her attention to practicing her violin. al mine ¡­mi Meanwhile, in the Sawyer Group¡¯s office, the employees had felt that the atmosphere of thepany was extremely depressing in the past few days. It seemed like thepany was surrounded by a gloomy vibe. ! !! As everyone knew that Nichs was in a bad mood recently, they were so scared that they were very careful when they worked. They were in fear of making mistakes with their work and enrage Nichs. ¡°Was Mr. Lennington from the Sales Department summoned away by President Sawyer?¡± an employee asked in a low voice. Another employee hurriedly followed and whispered, ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that there¡¯s mistakes with his report again. At this juncture, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll get scolded to the point he would weep.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Later, another employee who was sitting beside them also suppressed their voice. ¡°You guys still dare to chit-chat? Aren¡¯t you all afraid that you¡¯ll be the next target? Hurry up and check your documents!¡± ¡°When will these dreadful days be over? When will President Sawyer be happier? I¡¯m willing to contribute all my snacks.¡± As soon as Kieran entered thepany, he heard these gossips, and he could not help frowning. Then, he coughed a few times at the whispering employees. Like they had seen a ghost, everyone was frightened that they were silent for a moment. When they saw it was Kieran, they breathed a sigh of relief. However, their faces instantly turned grim again. ¡°Master Kieran, please persuade President Sawyer for us¡­¡± Kieran had always had a good rtionship with the employees. Upon hearing their request, he smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Leave this matter to me. You guys should get back to your work now; don¡¯t make mistakes after I put good words with him. By that time, not even deities can save you all.¡± Only then did the group dismiss and start getting busy with their own work. However, Kieran actually chickened out just like the rest of the employees when he truly stood at the doorway of the president¡¯s office. It seems like Nichs is really angry this time. I can even feel his anger through the door. It¡¯s true that Mr. Lennington is getting scolded regarding his report inside the office. Therefore, Kieran took a deep breath and knocked on the door before entering. ¡°Nichs, Mr. Lennington knows his mistakes. How about you let him go and correct the mistakes first?¡± Upon hearing that, Nichs nced coldly at Bill, who was about to cry. ¡°Run along.¡± After Bill left, Kieran sighed. ¡°Nichs, don¡¯t be angry. Didn¡¯t you resolve the matter regarding the alliance marriage with the Stones? Besides, you issued a statement, and grandpa didn¡¯t say anything. Getting angry will only harm your health.¡± Nichs looked up at Kieran coldly. ¡°Are you so free that you don¡¯t have anything to do? Are you aware of the time now? Yet, you¡¯re here telling me this?¡± ¡°Okay, Nichs-no, President Sawyer. Since we¡¯re going to talk about business at work, don¡¯t you also bring your emotions to work. Look at the people working under you; they¡¯re all looking like they¡¯ve been drained out of their lives. Can you please have mercy on them?¡± Kieran uttered helplessly. ¡°They¡¯re not carrying out their tasks when they have the time, yet they have the time to talk nonsense behind my back. Is Sawyer Group a charity organization? Does it only support idlers? If they make mistakes again next time, you¡¯ll be held ountable for thepany¡¯s losses,¡± Nichs said with a sullen look on his face. At once, Kieran¡¯s face fell, and he did not even dare to pull the corners of his mouth into a smirk. ¡°N- No. I was wrong, Nichs. If they deserve a scolding, go ahead and scold them. If not, I will scold them for you!¡± I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to be a persuader! I¡¯m even being attacked for no reason. What¡¯s worse, the attack doesn¡¯t seem totally illogical. Argh! I have so much suppressed grievances! At the thought of that, Kieran sighed deeply. This father-son duo is really behaving in the same manner. I just went to Dynasty Gardens in the morning and met Greg. That little buddy also had a cold facial expression. He was looking unhappy as he hugged his drawing board. No matter what I said or how I cheered him up, I couldn¡¯t put up a smile on Greg¡¯s face. Later, he even told me to shut up in a cold tone. He asked me toe to work if I was so free and told me not to disturb him. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Chapter 230 I have no idea how I, the second son of the Sawyer Family, got into such a plight and be despised by others. Tessa Reinhart is truly a venomous woman! Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the day Tessa would go for her interview with the Berlin Philharmonic. Apart from attending their concert, this was Tessa¡¯s first opportunity to meet the members of the world- famous Berlin Philharmonic face-to-face. Tessa was a little nervous because not only was she about to meet with her favorite orchestra band, but this interview was also very important to her. This may be a highlight to my violin career! Therefore, Tessa was very attentive when it came to this interview. I have to show my professionalism. And thus, Tessa did something that she rarely did: She dressed herself up. Tessa put on a white dress and tied her hair high. She also wore light make-up, which brought out the delicacy of her facial features. Wearing a nice-looking dress, she gave out a well-put and elegant vibe yet did not lose her briskness. As soon as Scott entered the rehearsal studio, which was recently rented by the orchestra, he saw Tessa sitting on a stool obediently, waiting for the interview. When Scott noticed Tessa had dressed up, his eyes could not help but light up. The two times I saw Tessa, she simply wore a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Moreover, she went out without makeup. Even her face without makeup looked very attractive. Today, she looks stunning. It feels like her whole person is shining. Her aura is so dazzling that it¡¯s making people can¡¯t take their eyes off her. Upon hearing footstepsing from behind, Scott suddenly realized that he was a little lost in his thoughts. So, he nodded slightly to his colleague and walked toward Tessa. Scott smiled gently at the person in front of him who looked a little ufortable. ¡°Tessa, why are you here so early?¡± The moment Tessa entered the studio, she started getting butterflies in her stomach. Her palms were sweaty, and she was constantly revising the skills and techniques of Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. the music piece she was going to perform. She was so focused that she did not notice anyoneing. When Tessa heard the sound, she was startled. So, she immediately raised her head. Seeing that it was Scott, she breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, she felt she was not as nervous as before. Being honest, Tessa said, ¡°Interview is an important matter, so I can¡¯t bete.¡± Furthermore, the Berlin Philharmonic is one of the top orchestras. My future career path would be determined by whether I am epted or not today. Therefore, I can¡¯t afford to be careless. Seeing that Tessa¡¯s face was a little flushed, Scott smiled gently. Then, he turned around and poured her a ss of water. ¡°Drink some water first. Don¡¯t be nervous when you go inter. Just y like how you normally would. Your performance that day was already great enough.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± It did not take long for the staff to call Tessa in for her interview. ¡°Hello, teachers. I¡¯m Tessa Reinhart. I graduated from Southfield Music School¡­¡± Tessa briefly introduced herself. Hearing that, Robert nodded. ¡°Very well. What piece are you going to y?¡± With that, Tessa replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to y ¡®Canon.¡± Upon hearing that, Scott widened his eyes. This piece is the most ssical piece in the violin world, and it¡¯s also a very difficult piece, not to mention it¡¯s difficult to grasp the emotion while ying this piece. The technique is also veryplicated, and it¡¯s very easy for the violinist to make mistakes. Normally, violinists with little foundation wouldn¡¯t dare to try this piece out easily. After all, if the performer makes a slight mistake, the whole piece will lose its soul. As such, Tessa is likely to miss out on her chance of being a part of the Berlin Philharmonic. Just as Scott was still stunned, Tessa was ready to y. She bowed to the interviewers in front of her with a very good mannerism. Then, she put the violin on her shoulder. As a matter of fact, Tessa actually thought about the things Scott was worried about. This piece indeed possesses a challenge to the musician¡¯s skills. However, I can¡¯t perform a piece that¡¯s too ordinary in front of these advanced performers. It¡¯s not enough to impress them. Only such a piece with high-level difficulty will impress them. Besides, it can exemplify my ability. After that, Tessa slowly closed her eyes, unlocking the confidence that the violin brought her. Within seconds, her aura changed dramatically¡­ Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Tessa¡¯s anxiety and fear from earlier had now turned into self-confidence. Her whole person seemed to have be one with the violin. The performance began when Tessa moved her bow gently. At this moment, Tessa¡¯s figure looked elegant and tall in her white dress. Her fair fingers skillfully danced on the strings of the violin. The sound of the violin was sometimes tactful while sometimes bubbling with enthusiasm. Each movement was affecting people¡¯s emotions. As the music ended, Tessa slowly opened her eyes. Her previous aura was still lingering. However, there was a tinge of nervousness in her eyes. Then, she raised her eyes cautiously and looked at the interviewers in front of her. The interviewers looked at each other. Shortly after, a round of apuse broke out. Scott, who was beside Tessa, also sighed in relief. I really underestimated Tessa. The piece she performedst time was much gentler. So, I thought pieces with slow rhythm suits her better. I don¡®t expect that she can even score such a difficult piece like ¡®Canon! Robert Miller was also a little shocked. When I heard Tessa say she was going to perform this piece, I felt that she was a little too mboyant and arrogant. I expected her to embarrass herself. However, now it seems that it is us who will eat our humble pies. Tessa is quite capable. Later, Robert smiled. ¡°I have interviewed so many experienced performers before, and they rarely dared to challenge this kind of music. You are the first. Moreover, you performed it so perfectly with various technicalplexities such as pizzicato, overtone, glissando, and trill. There are simply no ws in your techniques.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Following thepliment, Tessa breathed a sigh of relief. When she saw they were looking at each other, she thought something was wrong. Then, she immediately smiled and thanked them by saying, ¡°Thank you, fellow teachers, for yourpliments.¡± After that, Robert added, ¡°You should thank yourself. It¡¯s thanks to your talent and hard work that you achieved your sess. Congrattions, you¡¯ve passed the interview. Also, we would like to wee you to the Berlin Philharmonic for further training and learning.¡± Tessa was a little excited, and she bowed deeply again. ¡°Thank you.¡± Without a doubt, Tessa was on cloud nine. This is the first good news I¡®ve heard after I got fired. Not only did I pass the interview, but I also passed the interview conducted by the internationally renowned Berlin Philharmonic! I¡®ll definitely work harder in the future. I will certainly stand on the best stage in the world! After walking out of the interview hall, Tessa was still so thrilled that her palms were sweaty. Looking at her, Scott smiled and said, ¡°I knew you could do it. I was truly amazed by your performance today.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t officially thanked you yet. Thank you for introducing me and letting me come over to the Berlin Philharmonic for an interview. Also, thank you for listening to me ying the violin,¡± Tessa said very solemnly as she looked at Scott. Upon hearing that, Scott smiled softly. ¡°I have nothing to do with this. Just like what Mr. Miller said, it was your own hard work and talent that made you seed. I was simply doing you a favor. Even without me, I believe you will still shine on the stage.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, I¡¯m still in debt to you. Otherwise, I have no idea how much longer I¡¯d wait for the right time to shine. So, I have to thank you no matter what. How about I invite you to dinner and repay your kindness for introducing me to the Berlin Philharmonic?¡± Still, Tessa was headstrong and insisted on thanking Scott. In Tessa¡¯s eyes, Scott showed up when she was at her worst. Therefore, he was nothing less than an angel sent by God to save her. ¡°Thank you, then.¡± Seeing that Tessa was being so headstrong and insisted on thanking him, Scott immediately agreed as he actually wanted to chat with her more. Hence, the two found a fancy restaurant. After they entered the restaurant and sat down, Tessa felt a gaze staring at her all the time. The stare was very intense. It was as if the person would not stop until they caught her attention. Feeling rather strange, Tessa turned her head. At once, her eyes met with the eager eyes of Gregory. When Gregory saw Tessa was looking over, the stars in his pair of eyes instantly gleamed. Gregory was so overjoyed that he smiled. It¡®s Greg! In an instant, Tessa was a little surprised. Then, it was followed by a moment of difort. I have already made it clear to Nichs, so I absolutely cannot go back on my words now! Gritting her teeth, Tessa forced herself to look away almost indifferently and stopped looking at Gregory. Gregory came to the restaurant with his grandparents, who told him that they were going to take him out to y. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Only when they left home did he find out that it was to meet Hayley, whom his father allegedly was going to get engaged to, as well as to meet her family. Initially, Gregory was disinterested in meeting them, but it wouldn¡¯t be good for him to find fault with his grandparents and leave rudely, so he sat in his seat, acting indifferent. As he looked at Hayley, who was in front of him, he started to miss Tessa even more. While he was thinking about this, he heard Tessa¡¯s voice, so he raised his head abruptly. Sure enough, he saw Tessa opening the door and walking in. Gregory was extremely happy that his dreams had been realized and he wanted nothing more than to rush forward and hug Tessa¡¯s leg. However, he remembered that Tessa had been avoiding him recently, so he couldn¡¯t approach her and let her baby him, which made him feel a little dispirited. He could only sit obediently in his seat while he stared at her, trying to get some response. Yet, his heart sank when Tessa, whom he missed terribly, pretended not to see him, despite having obviously seen him. Is Miss Tessa nning to ignore me forever? Tessa sensed that the look in Gregory¡¯s eyes had gotten a little sad, so she began to hesitate. Deliberately being indifferent to Gregory was also a form of torment to her, but she had no choice. Not daring to look at Gregory again, she feigned calmness and chatted with Scott. From the corners of her eyes, she saw that there was a ssydy sitting at Gregory¡¯s table, and she was coaxing the boy to talk to her the entire time. At the table, Tessa heard Stefania call the woman Hayley, so she guessed that this was Nichs¡¯ fianc¨¦e-Hayley Stone, the treasure of the Stone Family. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Nevertheless, who Nichs would marry and who he was with had nothing to do with Tessa. Hence, she stopped paying attention to their table and concentrated on her conversation with Scott. Seeing that Tessa hadpletely shifted her attention, Gregory grew even more frustrated. Miss Tessa doesn¡®t even want to look at me anymore.... Hayley noticed that Gregory¡¯s mood was fluctuating and she found it strange. ¡°Greg, what¡¯s the matter? Are you unwell?¡± Gregory shook his head and didn¡¯t answer. Even though Hayley was gentle, she still wasn¡¯t better than Tessa. He didn¡¯t like Hayley. Hayley didn¡¯t mind Gregory¡¯s attitude much either, as she had long known that he didn¡¯t like strangers. She believed that feelings could be cultivated. She carried on smiling at Gregory while putting food on his te. ¡°Here, Greg. How about I feed you? The food in this restaurant is delicious. If you eat them, you¡¯ll definitely ask for more.¡± He turned his head away to dodge the food that was about to be fed into his mouth. He wasn¡¯t a three-year-old child, and it had been a long time since he needed to be fed. He figured if Tessa saw this, she wouldn¡¯te back anymore. What should he do then? ¡°Greg, Miss Stone is feeding you because she likes you. You¡¯ll have to give your opinion about whether you like it or not.¡± Stefania was a little embarrassed when she saw that Gregory wasn¡¯t showing Hayley any regard whatsoever, so she exined, ¡°Gregory has always been like this. He¡¯s shy with strangers.¡± Hayley smiled, seemingly unbothered. ¡°With time, I¡¯ll be less of a stranger. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m very patient. Gregory will definitely ept me, and I like his character very much because he expresses his dislikes outrightly.¡± When Stefania heard this, she secretly expressed her liking toward Hayley. Hayley was polite and also patient with Gregory. If she actually married into the Sawyer Family in the future, it would be regarded as a great thing to her. She believed that Hayley would definitely treat Gregory as her own. Then, she smiled. ¡°Hayley, you really are a good woman.! Hayley was also happy to have received the approval. To put it bluntly, the purpose of this meeting was none other than for her to tackle Gregory with all her heart and soul, The Stone and Sawyer Families had no objections to this marriage. The only variable was the child in front of her. The Sawyer Family had spoiled this child, so if the child didn¡¯t agree, she was afraid that even if Hayley and Nichs got married, Gregory wouldn¡¯t acknowledge Hayley. This was something that both families didn¡¯t want to see happen. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Chapter 233 However, no matter how Hayley coaxed Gregory, he ignored her as he remained in low spirits, wallowing in the misery that Tessa was ignoring him. His mind was full of questions as to why Tessa would do that. Is it because Daddy is getting married? But, Daddy has already promised me that as long as I don¡®t like it, he won¡®t marry this woman. He didn¡¯t pay attention to the woman in front of him although she said that she wanted to take care of him. He didn¡¯t even look at her, for fear that Tessa might notice it. Hayley didn¡¯t know what Gregory was thinking, so she continued to patiently coax him, only to realize that Gregory¡¯s gaze had been fixed on the woman at the next table, as if he knew her. However, this woman wasn¡¯t even sparing Gregory a nce. She assumed that Gregory was just taking a couple more nces at her because she was good- looking T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Hayley didn¡¯t think much about it and continued to focus on Gregory, showering him with motherly love. Unfortunately, Gregory was unmoved. Tessa wasn¡¯t aware of the situation happening at Gregory¡¯s table at all. At first, she forced her attention away from Gregory and asked Scott a series of questions. She gradually forgot about Gregory¡¯s presence and was just focused on unearthing the secrets of the first chair violinist. When they talked about matters rted to violin, both of them were utterly excited. It didn¡¯t take long for the two of them to finish their meal, and the academic inquiry was over in just a short time. After paying the bill, they were about to leave the restaurant right away. But, before the two of them could reach the door, they were blocked by a tall figure. Tessa looked up at the person in a gloomy manner, and she was about to let him pass when she saw the familiar face. The person who had just arrived was none other than Nichs, Tessa gulped, then swallowed the words she was about to say. Nichs swept his indifferent gaze across her face. Then, as if he didn¡¯t know her, he turned sideways and avoided the two of them before walking toward Gregory¡¯s table. Hayley saw Nichs as soon as he entered the restaurant. Her eyes lit up in an instant, and her gaze was stuck on the man who exuded a powerful aura. Even if he frowned and didn¡¯t show a single smile, so what? That was his character. He was unmatched in Brentwood City. Seeing Nichs again this time, Hayley was firmly attracted to him, and she decided that this man could only be hers! As she had been staring at him, Hayley keenly sensed that something was wrong after he saw the woman who was sitting at the next table. Nichs was a person who didn¡¯t talk much, and he was indifferent toward strangers, so he usually ignored them. But just now, when he saw that woman, Hayley could feel that Nichs¡¯ anger was undoubtedly rising. Although he was silent as usual, she still felt that after seeing that woman, his mood took a change for the worse. When the woman saw that it was him, she obviously froze for a moment before shifting her gaze, not daring to look at him. It was obvious that she knew him. Among strangers, there was no need to be like this. Coupled with Gregory¡¯s reaction, Hayley figured there must be something happening between the three of them. Hayley¡¯s heart sank slightly, and there was now a different look in her eyes when she peered at Tessa¡¯s back. What¡®s that woman¡®s identity? Nichs walked to their table in a cold manner. ¡°Dad, Mom, Mr. and Mrs. Stone.¡± ¡°Nichs, you¡¯re here. Have a seat. We haven¡¯t seen you in such a long time. You¡¯re getting more and more handsome. Let me take a good look at you,¡± said Sonia with a smile. A trace of displeasure shed across Nichs¡¯ eyes as he replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up my son. There¡¯s some business to attend to at thepany, so I won¡¯t be staying.¡± Hearing this, Gregory got out of his seat directly and held tightly onto Nichs¡¯ hand. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go back, Daddy.¡± Nichs gave his elders a slight nod before leaving the restaurant. After Hayley returned to the Stone Residence, she found the situation increasingly strange the more she thought about it, so she told her assistant, ¡°Find the information of the woman who sat at the table in the upper right corner of the restaurant where I had lunch with the Sawyers this afternoon.¡± Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Her assistant did as she ordered. Not long after, he handed Tessa¡®s information to Hayley. ¡°This woman¡®s name is Tessa Reinhart, and she¡®s a violinist. When Young Master Gregory¡®s birthday party was held...¡± When Hayley flipped through the document and saw that Tessa had once been Gregory¡®s teacher, her grip tightened as her fingers turned pale. Sure enough, they knew each other. When Roselle¡®s mother drugged Gregory and framed Tessa, she was eventually exposed by Nichs, and he also let Tessa stay by Gregory¡®s side. Hayley felt that something was off about this matter. It seemed like this woman was special to Gregory. Judging from Gregory¡®s attitude today, he didn¡®t want Tessa to leave. That woman was indifferent to Gregory, and she didn¡®t even give him a look. It seemed that the woman had left on her own ord. If she left on her own, why would Gregory still be hung up on her? Greg was so cold to me, but to Tessa... Hayley couldn¡®t help but feel a little upset. However, after pondering for a while, Hayley figured there was no reason for her to hate Tessa. She was just a person who could y the violin, If she didn¡®t have any background or status, and she didn¡®t even know anything about high society etiquette, how could she beparable to Hayley? Moreover, with Tessa¡®s status, it was absolutely impossible for her to marry into the Sawyer Family, so she didn¡®t pose any threat to her. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡®t necessarily have to take action personally to get rid of Tessa. Hayley pondered for a moment, then made up her mind. She would take the initiative to act this time. Even if Nichs didn¡®t contact her, so what? It wasn¡®t like she couldn¡®t go to him. In a short period of time, she wanted to attack Nichs, Gregory, and even Sawyer Group! Remus was satisfied after he got to know about Hayley¡®s intentions, so he told her to do whatever she wanted, and that he would give her permission to enter Sawyer Group Every day for the next few days, Hayley brought lunch to the office for Nichs. As Remus had given a direct order to not stop her, Hayley came every day, which defeated the purpose of Nichs¡® rification, On this day, Hayley came again. After nodding and smiling at the staff, she got into the elevator and went to Nichs¡® office. When an employee watched her graceful figure as she left, they couldn¡®t help but sigh. ¡°Hey, it suddenly urred to me that the president probably issued that statement to prevent the gossip from affecting Miss Stone. After all, there are all sorts of people on the Inte, and those who hate the rich would probably bash Miss Stone.¡± Another employee said enviously, ¡°I think so too. Miss Stone is so gentle. The point is, she¡®s beautiful, has a nice figure, and she¡®s the daughter of a wealthy family. Together with President Sawyer, they¡®re a perfect match!¡± ¡°If President Sawyer really gets married with her as the bride, then I approve! I will support this couple!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± After Hayley delivered lunch, she went, downstairs. She wanted to establish herself as a gentle and virtuous person¨Csomeone who didn¡®t constantly pester Nichs but knew when to advance and retreat. If Nichs was busy, she wouldn¡®t stay and bother him. Although so many days had passed, Nichs was always busy, so the two of them barely said a word to each other. But, as long as she got to see Nichs, Hayley was satisfied. So what if Nichs was like an iceberg? One day, she would melt him! As soon as she exited the elevator, an employee smiled and said, ¡°Miss Stone, you really are virtuous. I wonder when I¡®ll be able to attend your wedding. President Sawyer is really lucky to be able to marry someone like you.¡± Hayleyughed. ¡°Stop, you guys. It¡®s not confirmed yet.¡± ¡°So what if it¡®s not confirmed yet? Sooner orter, you¡®ll be the leadingdy of Sawyer Group. We sincerely like you, so don¡®t be shy.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. In our minds, you¡®re the only candidate for leadingdy, Miss Stone.¡± Hayley was happy to hear this kind of praise, so she generously took out two brand new lipsticks in her bag and gave them to the two honey¨Clipped girls in front of her. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Chapter 235 ¡°Thank you, Miss Stone.¡± The employees were grinning from ear to ear when they got the lipsticks. These were limited-edition lipsticks from a high-end cosmetic brand. One of the employees had always wanted to buy it but couldn¡¯t bring herself to, and neither could she get her hands on it. Now, someone gave it to her. In an instant, the reputation of Sawyer Group¡¯s future leadingdy as a generous person began to spread within thepany. Every day since then, Hayley heard all sorts ofpliments when she came to the office, which was exactly the oue she wanted. She prepared a bunch of branded gifts as well, and would give them to anyone who praised her. Her poprity in the office was even higher than that of the humorous Kieran. ¡°Miss Stone is such a good person. She¡¯s so gentle and generous. I love her to death!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± When Kieran returned to the office, he couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard these gossips. For the sake of his icy brother, Hayley not only brought him lunch every day, but also tried to gain poprity among the employees. She figured this woman was quite scheming, First, she went to the Sawyer Residence to meet with his brother, then she got someone to take ambiguous photos and publish them on the Inte to force a marriage. Now that it wasn¡¯t possible to use the public opinion on the Inte to force a marriage, she changed her methods and yed a nice person to establish a gentle and virtuous persona? She even knew to start with the employees and let their opinions stabilize her position. Kieran knocked on the table in front of him before saying solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s office hours now. Do you want to go home and talk to your hearts¡¯ content?¡± ¡°Master Kieran, Miss Stone asked us tobine work and leisure.¡± An employee was a little afraid to see Kieran angry for the first time, so she brought up Hayley. At any rate, she was his future sister-inw, so they figured he wouldn¡¯t humiliate her¡­ When Kieran heard this, his face darkened. Hayley bought them over so well that employees of Sawyer Group were actually speaking up for her? Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He answered coldly, ¡°If you want tobine work and leisure, go work at Stone Enterprise.¡± ¡°We were wrong¡­¡± Seeing that Kieran was truly angry, the employees immediately lowered their heads and apologized before quickly returning to their seats. However, those employees couldn¡¯t help but think, They¡®re obviously going to be a family. Why is he still dividing Sawyer Group and Stone Enterprise? Why are the rich soplicated? Despite that, this had nothing to do with them. It was important for them to keep their jobs, so the most they would do was to not mention this in front of Kieran in the future. ¡°From now on, speak less of this kind of gossip. Sawyer Group pays you not to hang around and do nothing. Carry on with your work.¡± Looking at their expressions, Kieran knew what this group of employees were thinking. Of course, they didn¡¯t know about the internal matters, so they spoke up for her after receiving benefits. He had always been more rxed with the employees and didn¡¯t really care about such matters, but it was best to not let his brother hear these sorts of remarks. Otherwise, there was no telling what the consequences would be. He sighed. After making that statement, he took the elevator to the top floor to look for Nichs. As soon as he entered the room, he saw an eye-catching lunch box on Nichs¡¯ table, and he figured Hayley had sent it. Although his brother didn¡¯t touch it, he found it a sore sight. Kieran frowned again. ¡°Nichs, you¡¯re not really going to obey grandpa and marry that Hayley woman, right?¡± Although it was the old man¡¯s request and they couldn¡¯t disobey his wishes, Nichs didn¡¯t seem like someone who was so easily ordered around. He wouldn¡¯t possibly ept it wholeheartedly, But, if he wasn¡¯t going to ept it, then what was he doing? Kieran couldn¡¯t see through his brother¡¯s thoughts, and he felt that his brother had been a little strange lately, but he couldn¡¯t tell exactly what was strange about him. Nichs replied coldly, ¡°If you¡¯re just here to gossip, get out.¡± ¡°No, Nichs. I was just asking a casual question. I came to you to talk business.¡± Kieran¡¯s expression turned bitter at once. He just asked one question. What was he so fierce for? Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Besides, he had obviously asked that for his brother¡®s sake. Forget it. I¡®m aware of Nichs¡® temper, and I¡®m not allowed to talk about personal matters during office hours, especially if they are rted to him. Kieran was also the one who had said all that nonsense and agitated him. He dared not dawdle anymore, so he quickly reported the progress of his work. After Nichs finished listening, he nodded slightly. ¡°You did a good job handling this matter. There¡®s one more thing that I need you to do. There¡®s a social event tonight. Go on behalf of me.¡± ¡°But, Nichs, I... All right. I¡®ll be sure to handle it well. There won¡®t be any problems.¡± As soon as Kieran was about toin, he received an unbelievably cold look from his brother. Fine. I¡®ll just go. It¡®s just socializing. As for why Nichs couldn¡®t go on his own, he dared not ask. In the end, he could only leave his office, looking aggrieved. After getting off work, Nichs didn¡®t go home, but drove to Regal Gardens instead. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After parking the car, Nichs couldn¡®t help frowning. Even he didn¡®t know why he hade here. Obviously, that woman had already made her intentions clear. She didn¡®t want to have anything to do with Sawyer Group, so what was he doing here? But, as soon as he thought of Tessa being with other men, he felt panicked and a little empty inside, even a little miserable... When he met her in the restaurant the other day, his anger emerged from nowhere when he saw her acting indifferent when facing him despite talking andughing with the man. Although she had already made herself clear before this, how could she be so happy with another person so quickly? He didn¡®t believe that Tessa didn¡®t see Gregory or his injured expression, yet she pretended not to know him, which was simply too cruel. Nichs looked up at the direction of Tessa¡®s room, where the light was still turned off. It¡®s already so late, but she¡®s not home yet... What the hell is she doing? Irritated, he took out a cigarette, got out of the car, then leaned against the tree on the side of the road. After lighting up the cigarette, he felt much better after inhaling once. Suddenly, the sound of people talking sounded in front of him, causing his eyes to freeze. He saw Tessa walking in the direction of her home while carrying a violin, and there was a man beside her. This man was none other than Scott. It¡®s that man again. Nichs¡® eyes turned gloomy in an instant as he stared at the two people who were walking leisurely, talking andughing along the way. Tessa stopped at the bottom of her building, then looked at Scott and said, ¡°Thank you for sending me back today.¡± ¡°You don¡®t have to be so courteous. It¡®s along the way.¡± Scott gave Tessa a gentle smile as always. All of a sudden, Tessa shuddered as she felt a cool sensation on her back, as if someone was watching her, so she couldn¡®t help but look in that direction. However, after turning back, she saw nothing except street lights and trees. There wasn¡®t even a single pedestrian on the road. Seeing that she suddenly turned to look behind, Scott turned as well, then said strangely, ¡°What¡®s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡®s nothing.¡± Tessa shook her head. It might just be that it was getting cold. She was probably thinking too much. This was a high¨Cend residential area, so visitors would have to register before entering. Naturally, no one would be randomly allowed entry. ¡°Well, I¡®m home,¡± Tessa said. Scott nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡®ll go first, then. Good night. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Good night. See you tomorrow.¡± Tessa stood under the streemp and watched Scott leave, then turned and went upstairs. Seeing that the two of them had parted ways, Nichs extinguished his cigarette and trailed behind Tessa as they walked into the building together. After Tessa entered the elevator, she heard the peculiar tter of leather shoes against the marble floor. Then, she thought of the fact that she felt someone watching her earlier, so she was frightened and was about to close the elevator doors when she saw a hand stopping the elevator doors from closing. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Then, a tall man walked in. He brought with him the crisp smell of tobo, which Tessa found inexplicably familiar, so she looked up nervously. The person who came in was none other than Nichs! Seeing that it was him, Tessa breathed a sigh of relief, and she wasn¡¯t as scared as before. Fortunately, it was just him. But, what was he doing here? She looked up at Nichs and saw that the expression on his face was a little sour and gloomy, not as calm as usual. He was frowning, his demeanor hostile as he stared at her with anger in his eyes. Suddenly, her heart thumped. ¡°You¡ª¡± Tessa was about to ask him why he was here and why he was looking at her like this. But, before she could say anything, Nichs closed the elevator doors, causing her to gulp. Nichs is quite scary when he acts like this... It seemed as if she had done something wrong, and he was here to seek revenge. However, Tessa didn¡¯t know what she had done wrong. After they rified matters that day, they had only seen each other once, and the two of them didn¡¯t even speak. Now that he suddenly showed up, she found it strange no matter how she thought about it. She shrank into the corner, as far away from Nichs as possible. When Nichs noticed her minor movements, his eyes darkened a little. Before Tessa could escape, he pressed her against the elevator wall in a swift action and trapped her. ¡°P-President Sawyer, what are you doing?¡± Tessa was nervous and found this kind of enclosure a little stifling, so stifling that it made her ufortable. She wanted to escape from his confinement. To her surprise, Nichs lifted his other hand¡¯and pressed it against the wall as well, firmly trapping her between himself and the elevator, not giving Tessa any possibility of escaping ¡°W-What are you doing? Don¡¯t do this.¡± Tessa began to panic a little, thinking that he was being truly frightening. His voice was hoarse as he muttered, ¡°Is that man the reason you rejected me?¡± For a moment, Tessa was taken aback, then she realized who Nichs was referring to. She didn¡¯t expect that after so long, Nichs hade to her only to question her about this matter. However, the fact that she left the Sawyer Residence and left Gregory had nothing to do with Scott. The two of them only started to meet after she had made up her mind to cut off rtions with the Sawyer Family. Tessa didn¡¯t know how powerful Nichs was, but she knew that she must not provoke him. He was number one on the list of people not to provoke in Brentwood City. Scott was such a good person, so she didn¡¯t want to implicate him because of her own affairs. Turning away, she said subconsciously, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. We¡¯re just¡ª¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nichs pressed himself closer to her, his scorching spreading across her face. ¡°If it¡¯s not what I think, then what is it? You¡¯re just what? What else do you want to exin?¡± Seeing as Tessa was speechless, he gritted his teeth and snarled, ¡°Tessa, you¡¯re quite something. In just the blink of an eye, you already got intimate with another man. Did you leave because you have someone you want more?¡± Tessa was immediately annoyed by his remarks. What does he mean getting intimate? What does he mean ¡®someone I want more¡°? ¨C ¡ª She didn¡¯t do anything. These were all just figments of his imagination! She suppressed her anger. ¡°Nichs, do you have to be so harsh when you speak?!¡± Nichs snapped angrily, ¡°Wow. You¡¯re actually calling me by my name now because of that man?¡± ¡°Enough with the nonsense. He and I aren¡¯t what you think. The two of us are just friends from work,¡± Tessa said coldly. Nichs sneered, ¡°Friends from work? Wow, you¡¯re friends now. You¡¯ve only known each other for a few days, but you¡¯re friends already? Was this premeditated, or did you just randomly find a man to hook up with?¡± There were thorns in these words, and each sentence was more unpleasant than the one before. In his eyes, what kind of a person have I be? His remarks angered Tessa in an instant. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Gritting her teeth, she red at Nichs. ¡°Regardless of what my rtionship is with him, what does it have to do with you? Don¡®t forget¨Cthere¡®s nothing between us anymore. That day, I¡®ve already exined everything I should. I don¡®t want to have anything to do with the Sawyer Family anymore. I¡®d like to beg you, President Sawyer, as well as the Sawyer family, to note find me again. Please don¡®t disturb me and my brother¡®s peace. Also, even if I didn¡®t resign and was still Gregory¡®s violin teacher, I¡®m afraid you wouldn¡®t have the right to interfere with my right to make friends either. Could it be that you believe no one can have their own freedom, President Sawyer?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Nichs didn¡®t mean it that way, but as she chattered on and repeatedly said that she wanted nothing more to do with him, he got inexplicably angry. He couldn¡®t help himself anymore, so he bent down abruptly and sealed Tessa¡®s lips. All of a sudden, Tessa¡®s mouth was blocked, and the entire elevator fell silent, so silent that Tessa could hear her heart beating rapidly. She was shocked by Nichs¡® sudden action, and her eyes widened as she forgot to breathe. She even forgot to push him away. Coincidentally, they happened to reach her floor, and the elevator slowly opened with a ding. Standing outside the doors, Timothy was nning to enter the elevator when he suddenly saw two people inside, and they seemed to be his sister and Nichs. Initially, when he saw Tessa¡®s message saying that she was about to reach home, he wanted to go downstairs to fetch her. Unexpectedly, he didn¡®t need to fetch her now, as his sister was already home. Moreover, she had returned home in this state, causing him to be dumbfounded. The three of them stood frozen in ce. ince. : After Timothy calmed down, he subconsciously took a few steps back, then turned around and left. He didn¡®t pull them apart in a rage, nor did he interrupt them. He just left the elevator to the two of them. ¡°Mmm!¡± When Tessa saw her brother leaving, she instantly reacted and began to struggle, but she was being held firmly. Not only her lips, but even her hands and feet were held in ce, firmly restrained so that she was unable to move. Seeing the elevator door slowly closing again, Nichs¡® lips curled up into an enigmatic smile as he leaned in toward Tessa again. Tessa was a little scared when she saw the raised corners of his lips and the elevator door closing. Nichs is really scary today. Sure enough, he didn¡®t disappoint Tessa¡®s fear as he imprisoned her in his arms once again, so forceful that it was as if he wanted her to melt into his body: With an aggressive kiss, he deprived Tessa of air. U After a while, Tessa was kissed until she had lost all her strength. Left with no strength to struggle, her whole body went limp. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. When the long kiss ended, Tessa couldn¡®t escape, so she could only lean against Nichs¡® chest as she panted and relied on him to stand. Tessa¡®s breathing slowly stabilized, and she suddenly remembered that she was still leaning on Nichs. Relying on him to stand up straight, she was instantly furious and pushed him away. She moved aside, her face flushed. After keeping a safe distance from Nichs, she gave the man in front of her a cold, hard stare. She noticed that he was still smiling, as if he didn¡®t feel that there was anything wrong with doing such a thing. On the contrary, it seemed that he was in a good mood after doing that, which made Tessa even more annoyed. Biting her lip, Tessa snapped bitterly, ¡°Pardon me, but do you know what you¡®re doing, President Sawyer? If you are here just to... Then, you can leave now.¡± Nichs didn¡®t answer, but simply smiled and silently studied her. Somehow, she looked cute when she was angry. Her face was flushed, and even her ears were red. Her aggrieved red¨Crimmed eyes and her puffy face made him want to pinch her cheeks. He couldn¡®t help but want to get closer to her. He had just moved his feet a little when he saw Tessa ring at him stubbornly, and she even moved a little more to the side. Upon seeing this, Nichs chuckled. He had no doubt that if they weren¡®t in the elevator, Tessa would¡®ve turned and run away. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Hence, he stopped approaching her and didn¡®t force her anymore, no longer giving her stress. His rationality told him that this was enough. If he continued, the person in front of him would probably fight him. Seeing that he didn¡®t answer, Tessa said coldly, ¡°President Sawyer, don¡®t forget that you still have a fianc¨¦e. You went behind her back and did this to another woman. Aren¡®t you afraid that,¡± Before Tessa could finish speaking, Nichs interrupted her as he said solemnly, ¡°I don¡®t have a fianc¨¦e.¡± From the very beginning, he had never agreed to an engagement, and there was nothing going on between him and Hayley whatsoever. All this was just arranged by Remus and the Stone Family. As long as he didn¡®t acknowledge it, he¡®d take it as if she didn¡®t exist. Moreover, he had already made it clear to Hayley that he wouldn¡®t marry her, and he had never even been nice to her, but she was bent on having her own way. He didn¡®t bother talking nonsense with her, so he stopped talking to her altogether. Tessa was still staring at him coldly, making it clear that she didn¡®t believe him. Even if Sawyer Group had already rified the matter, she had seen Hayley and the Sawyer Family having a meal togetherst time, and she was even being all affectionate with Gregory, All of them looked happy, and she even heard Hayley calling his name affectionately. Only a fool would believe that there was nothing going on between them. All of this evidence made it clear that none of this was made up. Her face hardened as shebeled Nichs a scumbag in her mind. He appeared rather decent, but the well¨Cdressed President of Sawyer Group was actually a scumbag! Nichs smiled, discerning Tessa¡®s thoughts from the way she was staring at him. ¡°Regardless whether you believe me or not, I¡®m telling you clearly that there¡®s nothing going on between me and Hayley, and she¡®s not my fianc¨¦e. No matter what, I won¡®t marry her.¡± For a moment, Tessa was taken aback. Then, she came to her senses and reckoned that whether anything was going on between Hayley and Nichs had nothing to do with her. She was just a passerby. However, this couldn¡®t be an excuse for Nichs to forcibly kiss her! Nichs seemed to have figured out what she wanted toin about, and his lips curled up into a smile. ¡°There¡®s one more thing. You asked if I know what I¡®m doing. Naturally, I do.¡± Tessa¡®s heartbeat instantly elerated, and she vigntly hid from him, staying as far away from him as possible. Although this man was good looking when he smiled, in this case, his smile just felt evil, which made her a little flustered. Feeling Tessa¡®s nervousness, Nichs deliberately paused before speaking again. ¡°This is just a punishment for you.¡± With that, Nichs didn¡®t exin anything more. He just smiled and looked at Tessa, who was in a daze, before pressing the elevator button. Tessa was stunned. The elevator slowly came to a stop on the first floor. With a ding, the elevator doors opened, then he strode out of the apartment contentedly, a pleasant spring in his steps. A punishment? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Tessa¡®s face darkened in an instant. What kind of punishment is this? She didn¡®t do anything wrong at all, and there was nothing going on between the two of them anymore. Even if she was with someone else, she wasn¡®t doing anything wrong. That man is so strange. How puzzling! Tessa wiped her lips in annoyance. Her mind was already in a mess, as all she could think about was Nichs¡® kiss. Although she was very angry now that she had recovered her senses, Nichs had still kissed her until her legs went soft and her whole body was numb... As she thought of this, her face instantly turned red again. That b*stard! After Nichs left, she wasn¡®t in a rush to go home. She stayed in the elevator alone, trying to calm down. But after a long time, no matter how she tried to calm herself down and to persuade herself to not take this matter to heart, it was useless. The empty elevator seemed to be filled with the man¡®s aura, so she could not avoid it, and her mind was full of what he said and did. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Feeling ashamed and annoyed, Tessa left the elevator and went straight home. As soon as she entered the house, she saw her brother sitting on the sofa with a contemtive look, as if thinking about a difficult problem, and as if waiting for her toe back ¡°Tessa, what¡¯s your rtionship with President Sawyer?¡± Timothy asked out loud after hesitating for a moment. Hearing this question, Tessa took a deep breath. He had seen the scene earlier after all. In fact, Timothy didn¡¯t think that there was anything wrong with who his sister was dating. Even if it was Nichs, he didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with it. It was just that from the beginning, he already found these two people to be weird, but he couldn¡¯t determine what was weird about them. He just had a strange feeling about them. But, how could they be together? His sister had obviously said that she wanted to cut off all contact with them, and she even refused to meet with Gregory. However, this practice of cutting off all rtions didn¡¯tst long. Various incidents happened afterward, and they didn¡¯t seem like anything other than a couple¡¯s fight. If there was nothing going on between them, then what could exin what he saw just now? And every time he went to Sawyer Group to report on his work, Nichs would always casually ask about Tessa. What was the reason? This question had been on his mind for a long time, and he couldn¡¯t help it anymore; he truly wanted to ask his sister what was the rtionship between them. Looking at the sincere look on her brother¡¯s face, Tessa was suddenly a little speechless. What kind of a rtionship did they have? Even she didn¡¯t know what their rtionship was. She murmured, ¡°If I say I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, do you believe me?¡± ¡°Of course I believe you, Tessa. No matter what you say, I¡¯ll believe it. I¡¯ll support whatever decision you make.¡± Timothy smiled warmly. When he saw the scene in the elevator, he had the feeling that these two people were probably already a couple, but now, his sister was obviously angry and a little confused. Thinking back to the incident in the elevator earlier, he realized that he might have jumped to conclusions. Perhaps she was reluctant, and perhaps he shouldn¡¯t have walked away. The matter between these two people was tooplicated. However, since his sister wasn¡¯t willing to speak of the matter, he would treat it as if he didn¡¯t know, and he wouldn¡¯t ask about it anymore. What mattered most was that his sister was happy. I ! Although Timothy didn¡¯t pursue it, Tessa still felt like a mess. The impact this time was so strong that she couldn¡¯t recover from it. Tessa worked hard to adjust her mentality. After cleaning herself up, she immediately went to bed, ready to rest. The next day, she would go and participate in orchestra training. She finally got the opportunity to practice with the Berlin Philharmonic, so she couldn¡¯t be distracted by matters like this. Despite that, Tessa still failed to fall asleep early, Fortunately, Tessa¡¯s foundation was good enough, and she was serious when it came to training, so the next day¡¯s practice wasn¡¯t much affected. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After she finished her training, she had almost forgotten about the incident the day before. When she got into the elevator again, her mind was a lot calmer. She was in a good mood today. Just after changing her shoes at the door, a little boy suddenly appeared before her and was looking at her sweetly. ¡°Good evening, Miss Tessa!¡± Tessa was momentarily stunned. ¡°Greg?¡± Immediately afterward, a tall figure walked toward her, and a familiar scent greeted her. Tessa couldn¡¯t help but look up, then her eyes widened in shock. Yesterday¡¯s incident, coupled with the fact that they had showed up at her house unannounced, made Tessa a little angry. He was truly bing more and more domineering and was doing whatever he wanted now, entering her house like it was no man¡¯snd. Tessa asked coldly, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Nichs wasn¡¯t irritated when he saw her reaction; his lips even curled up as he said lightly, ¡°I¡¯m not here for you today.¡± Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Gregory was happy to see Tessa and wanted to hug her thigh, but she seemed a little angry now, so he could only restrain himself. After ncing at Nichs, he said solemnly, ¡°We¡¯re here to getputer lessons from Mr. Timothy.¡± Tessa turned to look at her brother in confusion. ¡°Tess, I forgot to tell you about this in advance. Young Master Gregory is indeed here to takeputer lessons from me. He¡¯s very talented. I like him very much, so I just asked him toe over.¡± Timothy scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°President Sawyer happened to have some work matters to discuss with me, so he came over too.¡± Hearing what he said, Tessa didn¡¯t know what else to say, as she couldn¡¯t just chase them out of their house. She truly wanted to do so, and it was fine doing that to Nichs, but Gregory¡­ She didn¡¯t want to hurt him anymore. She felt miserable again, and she decided to just turn a blind eye to them. Turning away, she walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Gregory watched her retreating back as she walked away, and he noticed the expression on her face when she looked at Nichs, so he couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Is Miss Tessa angry? Mr. Timothy, what should we do?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not.¡± Timothy gave him a warm soft. Others might not understand his sister, but it was impossible for him not to. When she didn¡¯t chase them out of the house earlier, she had already acquiesced to the fact that these two people could stay in their home although she was a little aggrieved. Nevertheless, her resistance would soon dissipate. Smiling, Timothy shouted in the direction of the kitchen, ¡°Tess, please cook some food for President Sawyer and Young Master Gregory. They¡¯re going to stay and discuss the project proposal. It might not be over so soon. Henry will being over too.¡± Tessa¡¯s movements paused slightly, as she felt a little annoyed. It was one thing to turn up unannounced, but now, she even needed to cook for them! They had better not go too far! However, after Tessa thought for a while, cooking for one person was the same as cooking for a group of people. Nichs was cooperating on a project with her brother, and she couldn¡¯t bear to let Gregory starve. In the end, she could only ept her fate and cooked dinner for all of them. It didn¡¯t take long for Tessa to finish cooking a table full of food. After wiping her hands, she walked to the living room. ¡°You guys can take a rest now. Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Gregory immediately set down theputer in his hand, jumped off the sofa, and followed Tessa to the dining table. He was grinning from ear to ear when he saw the sumptuous dinner at the table. Mr. Timothy was right. Miss Tessa isn¡®t angry. He happily sat with Tessa, while Timothy and Nichs sat opposite them. Throughout the entire meal, Tessa¡¯s face was nk, and she didn¡¯t speak at all. However, she never stopped taking care of Gregory, feeding him and wiping his mouth. Although she had a lot ofints about Nichs and the Sawyer Family, Gregory was different. She couldn¡¯t bear to hurt him, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be angry when he was around. Gregory was happy, feeling as if they were back to the good old times when Tessa wasn¡¯t ignoring him. He couldn¡¯t stop hispliments too. He praised every dish she had prepared and imed that her cooking was better than the five-star chefs back home. Tessa smiled at this. Nichs watched Tessa¡¯s movements. She still loved Gregory as always, but she only turned cold because of the messy situation. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He didn¡¯t say much about this, but continued to talk to Timothy about the project instead. ¡°I think the n you mentioned before is feasible, but there are still areas that need to be changed.¡± Timothy loved his job very much and wouldn¡¯t mind working all day long. Now that there was one more person at the dinner table to discuss work matters with, he was excited as well. During the meal, the two of them ate and talked without stopping at all. When Tessa saw this, she was a little troubled. These two workaholics would probably get indigestion or stomach difort from talking while eating. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Chapter 242 However, seeing that the two of them were discussing enthusiastically and eating normally, she suppressed her nagging and continued taking care of Gregory. ¡°Miss Tessa, you should eat too. I haven¡¯t seen you for several days, yet you¡¯ve already lost weight.¡± Gregory peered at Tessa¡¯s thin face, looking a little distressed. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Tessa nodded. After the meal, Timothy brought Nichs back to the living room to continue discussing their n. Seeing them like this, Tessa was a little helpless. In their eyes, nothing couldpare to work. But, in the end, she couldn¡¯t say anything. As long as they could take care of themselves and work hard, it wouldn¡¯t be good for her to interrupt. She turned around and went back to the kitchen to wash and cut some fruits for them. ZA Setting the fruit tray onto the coffee table, Tessa went straight back to her room without saying much. They were talking about work, and she didn¡¯t understand what they were talking about, so it didn¡¯t make sense to stay. Not long after she entered the room, there was a knock on the room door. As soon as Tessa opened the door, she saw Gregory standing awkwardly at the door. When the door opened, the little boy raised his head and looked at her expectantly. When she saw how cautious Gregory was being, Tessa let out an inward sigh, then her voice softened a notch as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gregory said, ¡°Can I stay here with you, Miss Tessa? I don¡¯t understand what Daddy and Mr. Timothy are talking about. It¡¯s very boring.¡± Tessa understood how he was feeling, so she nodded and brought Gregory into her room. The moment he entered Tessa¡¯s room, Gregory grinned. He hadn¡¯t been to Tessa¡¯s room for many days, but it was fragrant as always, and her scent was everywhere. Tessa was a little troubled with Gregory¡¯s sudden appearance. What could they do in the room? They couldn¡¯t just stare at each other andugh. She asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°y the violin, Miss Tessa. I want to y the violin. You haven¡¯t taught me for a long time, so I¡¯ve regressed.¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes lit up in an instant as he gave Tessa a hopeful look. She thought about it and figured that ying the violin required perseverance, so she went to get two violins to give Gregory a bit of guidance. Picking up the violin, Tessa demonstrated it to him. The piece she chose to y today exhibited the softer and melodious side of the violin, and the music spread around every corner of the apartment. The three people in the living room were chatting when they suddenly heard the sound of a violin. They all had a tacit understanding and fell silent all of a sudden. At the end of the song, Henry smiled and said, ¡°Tessa ys the violin really well. I will never get tired of listening to her y.¡± Timothy smiled and said nothing, but his eyes were full of pride. Nichs didn¡¯t speak either, but when he nced in the direction of Tessa¡¯s room, his eyes were gentle. He hadn¡¯t heard her y the violin for a long time, and now that he was hearing it again, he found that he quite missed it. However, the three of them quickly withdrew their emotions. The sound of the violin was pleasant, but they still had to discuss the project. Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was already past 10.00PM. Tired from ying the violin, Gregory couldn¡¯t help but yawn, his eyes glistening. ¡°Miss Tessa, I¡¯m a little sleepy. I want to sleep.¡± Tessa went out of the room and took a look at the three people in the living room. They didn¡¯t seem to be stopping anytime soon, so Tessa sighed helplessly and returned to the room. It seemed like they weren¡¯t going to stop for a while more, and Gregory was already sleepy, so she couldn¡¯t just interrupt them and ask Nichs to bring him back. ¡°Let¡¯s get you washed up. You can sleep here first,¡± Tessa said softly.. Gregory nodded obediently. ¡°Okay.¡± Tessa helped him take a bath, then helped him change into her clothes before she brought him back to her room. Gregory was so sleepy that he couldn¡¯t even open his eyes, but he still tugged on Tessa¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Miss Tessa, when I wake up, I¡¯ll still be here, right?¡± When Tessa heard this, her hand, which was patting his back, stopped abruptly, and her emotions grew complicated. If she was being honest, she didn¡¯t know if she wanted him to stay. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Nevertheless, she still coaxed him. ¡°Get some sleep.¡± Under thefort of her pats on his back, Gregory finally fell asleep, but his fair, tender hands were still firmly grasping Tessa¡¯s clothes. Helpless, Tessay down next to him, and it didn¡¯t take long before she fell asleep too. After the three men had finished discussing work, they looked at the time and found that it was already past 12.00AM. The men suddenly nced at each other and smiled. They were all people who strived for excellence, and it was rare to meet people who they could converse with so well Nichs got up and went to Tessa¡¯s room to look for Gregory. As soon as he opened the door, he saw that Tessa was already in deep sleep while hugging the child. The corners of Nichs¡¯ lips rose slightly when he looked at the two people sleeping peacefully, and he didn¡¯t wake them up. After walking out of Tessa¡¯s room, he closed the door, then said to Timothy in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll let Gregory sleep here tonight. I¡¯ll pick him up tomorrow.¡± ¡°President Sawyer, you don¡¯t have to trouble yourself. It¡¯s okay to stay for one night,¡± Timothy offered. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± With that, Nichs picked up his belongings and strode out of the apartment. Early the next morning, Nichs¡¯ car reappeared in Regal Gardens and he knocked on Tessa¡¯s door. Tessa was having breakfast with Gregory, and she froze when she saw Nichs again. Nichs exined calmly, ¡°I¡¯m here to pick Gregory up.¡± ¡°President Sawyer,e in first. Young Master Gregory is still eating. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to grab a bite too?¡± Timothy called out from the table. ¡°All right.¡± Nichs wasn¡¯t reserved either. After changing his shoes, he sat down at the table. Seeing that he was being so casual and humble, Tessa couldn¡¯t say anything, so she made him a cup of coffee and toasted a few slices of bread for him. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nichs replied in a low voice after epting the food from Tessa. After the meal, he wordlessly carried Gregory, who was reluctant to leave Tessa¡¯s arms. After getting in the car, Gregory was a little upset. ¡°Miss Tessa has already let me sleep at her ce. Why did you have to pick me up? Daddy, if you hadn¡¯te, I could¡¯ve followed her around today, and you could¡¯ve picked me up at night.¡± Nichs had long known that Gregory would be resentful, so he exined patiently, ¡°Miss Tessa¡¯s life isn¡¯t like it was before. She has her own job now. If you follow her like this, she can¡¯t take care of you, and she won¡¯t be able to concentrate on her work. This way, won¡¯t she want to avoid you even more?¡± ¡°But, we finally got to see Miss Tessa. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll see her again. I just don¡¯t want to leave¡­¡± Gregory was still a little upset. As soon as he woke up today, he saw that he was still in Tessa¡¯s room, wearing her clothes and sleeping in her bed. She even fed him and spoke softly to him. Undoubtedly, it made him extremely happy He hadn¡¯t been happy for long before his father came to take him away, which left no room for discussion. It was so irritating. Nichs¡¯ lips curled up. ¡°There will be other chances.¡± Gregory didn¡¯t believe him. Previously, he said Gregory would see her again, but so much time had passed to the point where Tessa was almost ignoring him. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, unless I head there again tonight.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nichs answered. Sure enough, that night, Nichs showed up at Tessa¡¯s house with Gregory again. The reason he gave was that Gregory hadn¡¯t mastered hisputer skills yet, and he and Timothy still had work to discuss. Although Tessa was a little suspicious, they had already shown up, so she couldn¡¯t chase them out of the house. She could only let them in to take the so-calledputer lessons and discuss work. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Then, the next day, the third day, and the fourth day¡­ The father and son used the same excuse to visit their house every night. Kieran found that his brother seemed to be acting a little differentlytely. These days, his temper had improved a lot, and even the employees who made mistakes wouldn¡¯t be scolded, but would at most be asked to redo the work instead. As the president¡¯s mood had changed for the better, the working atmosphere of the entirepany was more rxed now, and everyone was all smiles. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Chapter 244 The president, who was still angry the day before, had been in such a good mood recently. He wasn¡¯t even this happy when they managed to negotiate a major business deal This made the employees a little confused, thinking that it was because of Kieran¡¯s persuasion the other day, so they praised the second young master for his excellence and hoped that he would continue to maintain this. Kieran was a little amused. What does this have to do with me? He was scolded that day and was even forced to participate in an extremely boring dinner. It was simply too miserable! He let out a mirthlessugh. ¡°All right. Go back to work when you¡¯re done with the ttery, lest you make mistakes again and I have to take the me for you. Go on!¡± Sure enough, the employees fell silent and returned to their workstations to start the day¡¯s work. However, he didn¡¯t me this group of employees for being idle and ttering. His brother had indeed been acting strangetely, and he wanted to know the secret behind the behavior too. Without thinking twice, he went straight to Nichs¡¯s office. ¡°Nichs, what¡¯s up with youtely? Have you lost your marbles?¡± Kieran asked with a smile as soon as he entered the office. Nichs looked up before he swept a cold nce over his brother. Kieran had goosebumps in an instant and quickly defended himself. ¡°No, Nichs. Let me exin. I¡¯m not saying anything bad about you. It¡¯s just that you seem to be in a good moodtely and you don¡¯t work overtime anymore. Heck, you even¡­¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. You even leave work earlier. Kieran continued those words in his mind, but instead added, ¡°I just wanted to ask whether something has happenedtely.¡± ¡°Office hours,¡± Nichs stated in a deep voice. ¡°Oh, I got it. I understand. Don¡¯t talk nonsense during office hours. It¡¯s just that the project between us and Timothy¡¯spany has been progressing very smoothly. Are you getting off work early to discuss business with him?¡± Kieran asked tentatively. He didn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t pry any information out of Nichs even after asking Nichs that. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t deserve to be Nichs¡¯ brother! ¡°Yeah.¡± Nichs responded casually and looked through the documents in his hand, not taking his brother¡¯s question seriously at all. Moreover, as biological brothers, even if Kieran didn¡¯t tell him, he knew what Kieran had guessed. After all, his nosy brother would definitely probe elsewhere. This wasn¡¯t anything unspeakable anyway, so it was fine for him to know about it. ¡°Then, you¡¯ve really been working hard.¡± Kieran smiled again. It was just a standard response, but it seemed that the news was true. His brother had actually been taking Gregory to Timothy¡¯s house every day to see that woman. Kieran couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether Tessa had magic powers that could captivate people as cold as Nichs and Gregory. Nevertheless, his brother appeared calm. ¡°You¡¯re focused on work too, so why shouldn¡¯t I be? Where¡¯s the report that I asked you to preparest time?¡± ¡°Um, excuse me. I¡¯ll carry on with my work first. Take care of your body and get more rest.¡± With that, Kieran ran away and left no room for a scolding. At the Sawyer Residence, Remus asked while drinking tea in an old-fashioned manner, ¡°What has Nichs been up totely?¡± Andrew answered, ¡°Master Nichs has been attending meetings and processing documents at the office as usual. Thepany is also operating normally. However, he often leaves work on time and has been taking Young Master Gregory out every Remus raised his eyes listlessly. ¡°Where have they been going to?¡± The housekeeper reported hesitantly, ¡°G-Going to Regal Gardens to find that pair of siblings in the name of work. Master Nichs goes over to talk about the project with the young man while Young Master Gregory is there to practice violin with Tessa, but they don¡¯t stay overnight¡­¡± When Remus heard this, he set the teacup down with force. Originally, when he heard that Tessa was distancing herself from his grandson and great-grandson, he thought that she had already given up and no longer clung to the Sawyer Group. What he never expected was that with so many obstacles, the two of them had not severed their rtionship yet. He couldn¡¯t even tell whether it was his grandson going against him or whether the girl was skillful enough to pleasure a mature and stable man like Nichs. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Remus snorted coldly. ¡°It seems that what I did before wasn¡¯t enough. Since that little girl and her brother are doing this, then they shouldn¡¯t me me for my actions.¡± ¡°Then, Old Master Sawyer, what are we going to do now?¡± Andrew asked respectfully. He had followed Remus for so many years, so how could he not understand the old man? In this world, Andrew was the person who knew Remus the best. As soon as Remus frowned, Andrew would know what Remus wanted to do and now, he was sure that serious action had to be taken against the siblings. Sure enough, Remus said coldly, ¡°Start the n that was stopped before this. Start within Brentwood City. I don¡¯t want to see anypany coborating with that boy¡¯spany.¡± Tessa and Nichs¡¯ ¡®rekindled me¡¯ had touched a sensitive part of Remus as he didn¡¯t allow the sessors of Sawyer Group to be entangled with people from poor families. The housekeeper nodded. ¡°Understood, Old Master Sawyer.¡± Remus¡¯ order was distributed to everyrge and smallworkpany in Brentwood, except for Sawyer Group and Timothy¡¯spany. In an instant, there was an uproar. On this day, Timothy went to Sawyer Group to start a new round of project exnations as scheduled. As soon as he entered the office building, he found that several employees were giving him strange looks. He looked back at them, but they never said anything. Although he found it weird, he didn¡¯t have any other choice if they didn¡¯t want to say anything. He could only smile politely at those people before taking the elevator to the president¡¯s office on the top floor. As soon as he left, the office area was full of noise after that. An employee whispered, ¡°He¡¯s Timothy Reinhart, right? He looks weak and somewhat well-behaved. I heard that he¡¯s still a student, but he went and started apany on his own. Just how capable is he?¡± ¡°I heard that he didn¡¯t rely on a single penny from his family. He and his sister have lived independently since they were young. His first capital to start thepany was the artificial intelligence project that was sold to ourpany. He¡¯s really clever because that project is on fire now.¡± ¡°Is he that capable? Since he¡¯s so talented and has such a good rtionship with President Sawyer to the point where he¡¯s even cooperating with ourpany now, why did that kind of news spread? I heard that it¡¯s a direct order from the higher ups.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s very strange, but there¡¯s also a possibility that ourpany wants to keep this talent, so no otherpanies can have him. In that case, wouldn¡¯t all his achievements belong to the Sawyer Group? If you ask me, ourpany is really forward-looking.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t understand. I really can¡¯t. We will never know what goes on in the world of the rich. Otherwise, we would¡¯ve started our ownpanies a long time ago. Hahaha.¡± After Timothy finished the report with the senior management of Sawyer Group, he went back to his office. Although they were now cooperating with Sawyer Group on arge project, ¡®Celestial Eye, there were many people in thepany to feed and one project alone wasn¡¯t enough to support apany, let alone the fact that this project had yet to be fully developed and executed. Lately, Timothy was responsible for following up on this project while Henry led thepany¡¯s marketing team to approach otherpanies for a coboration to rapidly expand their growth. However, thepanies that had been having smooth discussions suddenly had no interest in their projects. Somepanies would even shake their heads as soon as they heard theirpany¡¯s name, leaving them with no room for any negotiation. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Henry and Timothy were undoubtedly worried about this. As soon as Henry returned, he saw that Timothy was already in the office, so he stepped forward and patted Timothy on the shoulder, then said with a serious expression, ¡°Let¡¯s go into the office. I have something to tell you.¡± Seeing the look on Henry¡¯s face, Timothy figured that the meeting that Henry had might not have gone well. His heart sank, but he nodded and followed Henry to the office before asking, ¡°How did it go today?¡± Henry shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s the same. He didn¡¯t even tell me the reason for rejection. What about things on your side?¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Chapter 246 ¡°It went well. Their senior management approved this project,¡± Timothy informed. However, what was the use of things running smoothly on his side alone? Without other resources, the company would notst long, and everything else would be in vain. ¡°What¡®s going on?!¡± Henry mmed hard on the table with resentment, his face turning bitter. ¡°Don¡®t worry, let¡®s think of a solution. We were in a tough spot before, and we came through. This is just a small bump in the road. Let¡®s take a look at the software in their hands. If we have performed well internally, we don¡®t have to worry that no one will see it,¡± Timothy said solemnly. They had no choice. Since the situation was like this now, Henry nodded. Over at the Reinhart Residence, when Amber saw Ss returning home with a delighted expression, she was a little curious, ¡°What¡®s up with you today? Did something good happen?¡± Ever since Reinhart Group received the warning from Sawyer Group, his business had plummeted even more. It had been a long time since Ss smiled, so he was a bit abnormal today. He smiled and said, ¡°Mom, I think I can make aeback.¡± ¡°Why do you say that? Are there new investors, or are there any good projects?¡± Amber¡®s eyes lit up when she heard this. It had been too long since shest heard any good news. ¡°No, mom. It¡®s Timothy,¡± Ss answered with a smile. When Amber heard this, she snapped angrily, ¡°What are you still doing with that traitor? All these years, we¡®ve raised that ungrateful b*stard for nothing. I get angry as soon as you mention him. I should¡®ve strangled him the moment he was born!¡± ¡°Mom, calm down and listen to me first,¡± Ss persuaded in a seemingly rare good temper. ¡°Previously, that kid was so arrogant only because he was relying on the Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. support of the Sawyer Group. Today, Sawyer Group said that nopany in Brentwood City is allowed to cooperate with him. Don¡®t you think they¡®re breaking up? So, why should I be afraid of him?¡± ¡°What does this have to do with us, though?¡± Amber was slightly puzzled. ¡°It has a lot to do with us. What Sawyer Group said is that no one is allowed to cooperate with him, but he didn¡®t say anything about taking over their projects. We¡®re not giving money, which isn¡®t within his restrictions. I don¡®t want much. I just want to take away that software of his and give him a way out,¡± Ss said with a smile. The olddy shook her head after listening to him. ¡°No. That¡®s not enough!¡± Ss asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That kid made us suffer so much, so we can¡®t do things so hastily. Those siblings are tough. If you take away what is theirs, don¡®t you think they¡®ll fight you?¡± Amber scoffed coldly. ¡°Then, Mom, what do you think I should do?¡± After Amber mentioned this, Ss immediately remembered the siblings¡® temper and the fact that Timothy had almost crippled Sophiast time. This time, if they really took advantage of the danger and snatched those projects, the siblings would probably create a huge scene again. They could certainly take over those projects, but they had to take precautions in advance so as not to create another huge mess, Amber smiled and suggested, ¡°Just teach them a lesson. The wings of these siblings are too tough, so just break their wings. We¡®ll see how they can fight back then.¡± Ss pondered for a while. ¡°That¡®s true. I was too kind before. Otherwise, I could¡®ve used that kid, and ourpany would have thrived a long time ago.¡± Sophia had just returned home and was in an exceptionally good mood. Seeing two people muttering to each other, she asked curiously, ¡°Dad, Grandma, what are you talking about? It¡®s so lively here.¡± He told her about the news he had heard, which made Sophiaugh. ¡°That¡®s such a coincidence. I just heard a piece of good news too. It just proves that your guess is correct.¡± She smiled, then stopped talking without continuing her words. Amber¡®s patience ran thin, so she hurriedly urged. ¡°Hurry up. Be a good girl. What do you know?¡± ¡°Didn¡®t I say that my friend¡®s cousin is the assistant concertmaster at the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra? Well, her cousin said that Tessa has been dismissed from the orchestra the other day!¡± Sophia revealed with a smile. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Chapter 247 ¡°It¡¯s just a job that she has lost: She can seek employment elsewhere. How is it good news?¡± Ss snorted coldly. He didn¡¯t think Tessa would be sessful in ying the violin, but now that she had been dismissed, he looked down on his daughter even more. He even felt a little embarrassed and didn¡¯t bother to listen to thest sentence. ¡°Oh, Dad, let me finish. Why are you so anxious?¡± Sophia pouted and red at her father before continuing, ¡°What other job can she have? I¡¯m afraid you didn¡¯t even know that the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra was acquired by Sawyer Group a few months ago!¡± ¡°What? So, Tessa was fired by the Sawyer Group?¡± Ss asked in surprise. Sophia smiled and replied, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a big deal to be fired by Sawyer Group. After all, for a company as big as Sawyer Group, there¡¯s no saying how many people leave every day. However, she¡¯s the most special one. President Sawyer had even spoken up for her before and imed that she was his woman, yet now, he¡¯s involved with Stone Enterprise. He was probably just messing with Tessa. She really thinks too highly of herself, unting her power and angering President Sawyer. Now, it isn¡¯t as simple as losing her job. None of the orchestras in Brentwood dare to ept her because Sawyer Group has given a direct order that if they epted Tessa, they would be going against Sawyer Group. Hahahaha. The fact that such a thing would befall Tessa is so amusing to me.¡± After listening to what Sophia had ryed, Amber and Ss exchanged nces with each other. Sure enough, Tessa had now been thrown out by Sawyer Group. Not only was she targeted, but even her younger brother was affected too. Wouldn¡¯t these two siblings just be waiting to be ughtered in the future? If they didn¡¯t grab it now, when was the right time? After making up his mind to take over their projects, Ss began to investigate the address of Timothy¡¯s company, then broke into thepany with a group of people. ¡°Who are you people?¡± The people at the reception table were a little shocked when they saw the group of people and hurriedly stepped forward to stop them. Ss didn¡¯t answer, but immediately asked his bodyguards to restrain the receptionists while the others rushed in. It happened that neither Timothy nor Henry went out today, so they couldn¡¯t help frowning when they heard themotion outside as they went out to check the situation. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡± Seeing Ss, they froze in unison before Timothy took an angry step forward. ¡°Ss, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°What am I doing here? I came to visit my precious son. Can¡¯t I do that?¡± Ss sneered, cruelty obvious in his eyes as he said the most gentle words. ¡°Pfft, bullsh*t. Who¡¯s your precious son? Do you think you¡¯re worthy?¡± When Henry thought of how the father had treated his own son, he was sickened when he heard Ss use the words ¡®precious son! He interrupted Ss coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not wee here! Get out!¡± Timothy gritted his teeth. Being an orphan was better than having a blood-sucking father. ¡°Get lost.¡± Ss snarled, ¡°B*stard. What kind of tone are you using with me?¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing here? Get out of here after you¡¯re done,¡± Timothy added coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not here for anything else today. Just hand over yourpleted softwares,¡± Ss demanded with a smile. ¡°In your dreams!¡± Henry hissed. He had never seen such a shameless person before! Trash! Timothy held Henry back, then gave him a soothing smile before turning to shoot Ss a cold look. ¡°Ss, it¡¯s only been a few days. Have you already forgotten the Sawyer Group?¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What? Hahaha. Sawyer Group? Oh, my dear son. Are you acting stupid, or are you really stupid? Do you think Sawyer Group is helping you? Are you dreaming?¡± Ss burst intoughter when he heard this. Timothy asked coldly, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It seems that you¡¯re really clueless. Why do you think yourpany can¡¯t get any clients? It¡¯s all because Sawyer Group sent out the order that anypany who cooperates with you will be going against Sawyer Group. So, while I still want your scraps, hand them over now.¡± Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Chapter 248 When Ss thought about how crazy he was when Timothy had the Sawyer Group as a support previously, he was even in a rage when he went home. He didn¡®t mind adding more fuel to the fire as he said coldly, ¡°You treat them as a savior, but they¡®re just treating you as a pitiful b*stard. When they wanted your project, they helped you, but once they received the project, didn¡®t they still kick you away?¡± Hearing this, Timothy and Henry were both taken aback. They exchanged looks and could both see the shock in each other¡®s eyes. It made sense; besides Sawyer Group¡®s order, what else could make the otherpanies avoid them like the gue? However, what was Sawyer Group¡®s reason for doing this? Would Nichs really do that? Obviously, for the past few days, they were all fine and Nichs even went to Timothy¡®s house on a daily basis to give him knowledge about running apany. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he was turning his back on them? Did something happen in the middle that he was unaware of? However, Timothy and Henry weren¡®t given time to think about it as Ss sneered, ¡°Pull out the USB sh drive.¡± Having received the order, several bodyguards swarmed toward them in an instant. The employees quickly reacted and unplugged the USB sh drive on theputers before holding them tightly in their palms. These USB sh drives were the life of these programmers and the softwares inside were genuine. They had coded them one by one, so how could they possibly hand them over? When they heard the argument, it was not the time to think about it although they thought it was unbelievable that a father and son could fight like this. It was more important to keep the softwares safe. Timothy and Henry had also reacted instantly by firmly guarding the employees behind them, preventing the bodyguards from approaching them. ¡°Ss, even if that¡®s the case, what does it have to do with you? Trying to sponge on us? I¡®m afraid you¡®re just daydreaming. Even if I don¡®t want the softwares, I won¡®t give it to a dog! Don¡®t think about laying a finger on my staff either.¡± Timothy gritted his teeth, Calling me a dog? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Ss let out an angryugh. ¡°What a good boss. You¡®re the one who said that, so don¡®t hold it against me for not going easy on you.¡± He turned to the bodyguards he had brought with him. ¡°Attack them. I¡®ll take care of everything, as long as you don¡®t kill them.¡± ¡°Don¡®t you dare!¡± Henry hissed through gritted teeth. However, the group of bodyguards were people who eliminated threats after epting money from others, so they didn¡®t listen to Henry¡®s warning at all. They stepped forward, then punched and kicked Timothy and Henry, who were standing in front of their team. Timothy gritted his teeth and said to the employee behind him, ¡°Bring the USB sh drives to my office. Lock the door and don¡®te out.¡± ¡°Okay, all right. Very brave.¡± Ssughed and apuded. He shot a look at the bodyguards, who instantly subdued Henry and escorted him to Timothy. The remaining bodyguards stopped what they were doing too, Henry snarled coldly. ¡°How are you worthy of being a parent?¡± Ss chuckled. ¡°I¡®m not worthy. You are. Do you think you¡®ve protected yourpany well?¡± was being held hostage, fearing that he would be seriously injured. ¡°Then, it depends on how sincere you are.¡± Ss continued tough. Timothy trembled. ¡°I¡®ll give it to you. I¡®ll give it all to you. Let him go. Don¡®t hurt him.¡± ¡°No, don¡®t give it to him. Even if I die, I don¡®t want our project to fall into the hands of someone like him!¡± Henry gritted his teeth. ¡°You b*stard. You¡®re really disobedient. What do you mean people like me? What¡®s wrong with me?¡± Ss squeezed Henry¡®s chin and asked coldly. ¡°Ss, didn¡®t you just want the software? Okay, but I have a premise. You¡®re not allowed to hurt him,¡± Timothy bargained. ¡°Okay, if I get the software, then I definitely won¡®t hurt him.¡± Ss smiled. Timothy gritted his teeth and said, ¡°However, our software is equipped with advanced anti¨Ctheft locks, so you can¡®t open it even if you take it away. Give me a day. I¡®ll unlock it all for you. Let Henry go.¡± ¡°No. Timothy, don¡®t! That¡®s all our effort there!¡± Henry shouted. ¡°Okay, then it¡®s a deal. You¡®ll personally deliver it to me at the Reinhart Residence tomorrow. I¡®ll return him to you when I get the goods.¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 After that, Ss, with his bodyguards grabbing hold of Henry, left the office with his head held high Seeing Ss and his party leaving with great vigor, an employee asked worriedly, ¡°Boss, do we really have to hand it over to him?¡± Although he was reluctant to give his software away, these two bosses had always treated them well and even protected them earlier by getting beaten up themselves. If his boss had ordered him to hand over the software, it wasn¡¯t impossible either. Timothy wiped the blood from the corners of his lips. ¡°We¡¯re not. I have a way to save Henry. Carry on with your work. I¡¯m going out for a while.¡± With that, he took his car keys and left the office before rushing to Sawyer Group. He needed an exnation for this matter! Before Ss went to Timothy, he told his precious daughter to find fault with Tessa at the same time. There was no point in dying such a simple task. This time, he wanted the siblings to know how capable they were. Sophia had a long-standing grudge against Tessa; now that she had such an opportunity to deal with her, it was naturally impossible for her to simply let Tessa go. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, Tessa had already moved, so she certainly wouldn¡¯t be found there. The Heavenly Chorus Orchestra had already dismissed her, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to locate Tessa at either one of these two ces. Deciding to give it a try, she called Queenie. ¡°Queenie, I¡¯m Sophia. Do you know where Tessa went?¡± ¡°Tessa? Oh, she¡¯s gone, so why should I pay attention to a defeated underling? After being so thoroughly humiliated, Brentwood has no ce for her. If she hasn¡¯t left yet, then she¡¯s probably hiding in a corner.¡± Queenie snorted contemptuously. ¡°Then, does anyone in your orchestra have a good rtionship with her?¡± Sophia asked. Queenie didn¡¯t care about who in the orchestra had a good rtionship with Tessa. She was only concerned about whether she could remain as the first chair violinist. Now that herpetitor, Tessa, was gone, no one could threaten her status anymore, and she had be all the more arrogant.¡± ¡°Have a good rtionship with her? Oh, I don¡¯t know. Why are you looking for her?¡± Sophia had nothing to say about Queenie¡¯s attitude, but at any rate, both of them hated the same person, so after the two of them badmouthed Tessa for a while, they hung up the phone. Since the orchestra didn¡¯t know where she went, Timothy definitely wouldn¡¯t tell even if she asked, so she could only think of other ways. After pondering for a moment, Sophia picked up her phone again, then found a private investigator and gave them Tessa¡¯s photo while offering a high reward to find her within a limited period of time. Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long for the private investigator to find Tessa¡¯s address Regal Gardens. When Sophia saw the name, she gritted her teeth with hatred. Tessa had taken Sophia¡¯s apartment awayst time and had now moved into a high end residential area in the blink of an eye. She¡®s just a cheap b*tch, so what right does she have to stay in such a good ce? She must have hooked up with another man. I must really humiliate her this time! She gathered her bodyguards and went to block the entrance of the residential area. At the entrance of Regal Gardens, Scott walked beside Tessa and smiled, ¡°It can be seen that the music director likes you very much, and you¡¯ve been progressing fasttely. I believe that in time, you¡¯ll stand on the stage of the Berlin Orchestra and deliver a world-ss performance.¡± He felt that he had dug up a treasure. With Tessa¡¯s talent and her hard-working attitude, he figured she would be on the stage earlier than he expected. Tessa returned his smile. ¡°I have you to thank for the introduction, as well as the guidance of the orchestra teacher.¡± ¡°Tessa, it¡¯s been a long time since Ist saw you.¡± Sophia sneered after jumping out from the side. When Tessa saw the intruder, the smile at the corners of her lips froze as she said coldly, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°What else can I be doing here? I was waiting for you. I heard that you lost your job, so I purposely made a trip here to visit you. Who would¡¯ve thought¡­ Tsk, tsk. This must be your new boyfriend. Hello, I¡¯m Sophia.¡± The corners of Sophia¡¯s lips rose slightly, and her scrutinizing gaze swept over Tessa and Scott before finallynding on his face. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Although he didn¡®t know Sophia, as Scott listened to their conversation, they seemed to be sisters as well as enemies. Scott couldn¡®t tell the difference. No matter what their rtionship was, Sophia¡®s remarks were too unpleasant, so he frowned with displeasure. Tessa said coldly, ¡°What does our rtionship have to do with you?¡± ¡°Oh, Tessa, don¡®t be so fierce. I¡®m just worried about you, alright? Didn¡®t you just break up with that Sawyer guy? You have found another one so soon. Does the Sawyer guy know? No, that¡®s not right. He must know about it. Otherwise, he wouldn¡®t have targeted you and made it impossible for you to find a job in Brentwood City. What a cheater!¡± Sophia acted like she was watching a show as she watched Tessa¡®s expression darken even more, then she turned cautiously to look at Scott. ¡°My sister¡®s new boyfriend, don¡®t get me wrong. I¡®m not trying to separate you two. I¡®m just telling the truth. Tessa is... How do I put it? Let me advise you. You think you know someone, but you really don¡®t. She has a lot of men in her heart. After she hooked up with that person who cannot be named, she had all kinds of power and prestige. Now that he has a fianc¨¦e, I don¡®t even know whether my sister was the mistress. In short, she was dumped. Sigh.¡± Tessa¡®s face turned sour and she responded coldly, ¡°Sophia, shut up. There¡®s nothing going on between me and Nichs.¡± ¡°Look. Look. Her shame has turned into anger. I¡®m really not lying,¡± Sophia assured. Tessa didn¡®t bother arguing with her. It wasn¡®t the first time that Sophia was trying to humiliate her, so it didn¡®t matter if she tried to do it again. Tessa simply looked back at Scott. ¡°Do you believe me?¡± Although Scott felt a little shocked when he heard these statements, it was so different from what he knew about Tessa. He hadn¡®t known her for a long time, but he still believed her. He guarded Tessa behind him before he stared coldly at Sophia, who was being a real b*tch. ¡°No matter what my rtionship with Tessa is and what kind of a person she is, I can see it with my own eyes. You¡®re a girl, how can you speak so unpleasantly?¡± Sophia sneered. ¡°It seems that another one has been deceived by you. My sister has good tricks, but don¡®t feel regretful next time for protecting her now.¡± Scott retorted, ¡°I know what kind of girl she is and I won¡®t regret it. I also hope that you can keep your foul mouth clean, Miss.¡± ¡°How dare you talk to me like that! Who do you think you are?¡± Having been criticized for having a foul mouth for the first time, Sophia was suddenly enraged. However, in no time, she calmed down and let out a coldugh. ¡°I have no intention of dealing with strangers, but since you want to protect her, don¡®t me me for being rude. Why are you guys still hiding? Come out now!¡± There was a loud sound as a group of bodyguards in ck emerged from the green, and in an instant, they had Tessa and Scott surrounded. Upon seeing this, Tessa was taken aback and she said coldly, ¡°Sophia, you can take action against me. Let him go.¡± Sophia chuckled contemptuously. ¡°Let him go? Tessa, you¡®ve said that a little toote. I gave him the opportunity to leave. He¡®s the one who didn¡®t leave. He¡®s the one who scolded me earlier. The crime has been made. I can¡®t possibly let him leave in one piece now.¡± At this moment, Tessa¡®s phone rang. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. There was a sh of inspiration in Sophia¡®s mind as she suddenly said, ¡°Ah, by the way, Tessa, don¡®t look for Timothy either. Your useless brother is busy now. Don¡®t bother him. Let¡®s solve our own business by ourselves.¡± ¡°What did you do to Timothy?!¡± Tessa¡®s eyes reddened and it happened to be Timothy calling ¡°It¡®s nothing. My dad just went looking for him, but instead of worrying about him, you might as well think about your current situation.¡± Sophia waved to the bodyguards. ¡°Do it.¡± Meanwhile, Timothy¡®s car engine roared as he came to a stop right in front of Sawyer Group. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Chapter 251 He strode right into Sawyer Group. When the employees saw him being angry for the first time, they found him a little terrifying. As soon as they wanted to stop him, Timothy would shoot them a re. However, Timothy still stopped at the front desk, his voice cold when he spoke. ¡°I need to speak to President Sawyer about something important. Please help me to inform him now.¡± The receptionist nodded and was about to contact Edward. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Edward happened to be on the first floor. When he heard themotion, he walked out to take a look. Upon seeing that it was Timothy, he smiled warmly. ¡°What brings you here at this hour?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for President Sawyer. Where is he now?¡± Timothy demanded coldly. Edward was taken aback to hear this, so he wondered, Besides the time the goods were delivered to the Reinhart Residence, Timothy had hardly shown his temper. He¡®s so angry today. Could it be that something has happened? He didn¡¯t dare to dy any longer. ¡°Wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll go and look for President Sawyer now.¡± Timothy¡¯s mind was in a mess throughout the entire journey, but now that he saw Edward, he was calmer. Edward was Nichs¡¯ special assistant, so he had to be notified first about anything regarding the president, but now it seemed like he wasn¡¯t guilty. It indicated that he didn¡¯t know about it either. Moreover, Nichs didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person who would y such tricks. However, even if he didn¡¯t do it, it still had something to do with hispany. Whether he knew it or not, the two of them needed to have a good chat. Soon, Edward came out and invited Timothy into the president¡¯s office. Nichs had his head lowered and was going through some documents when he heard Timothy¡¯s footsteps and looked up. ¡°Edward said you were urgently looking for me. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Timothy was initially calm, but when he saw Nichs, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°President Sawyer, let me just ask you one thing. In your eyes, what do my sister and I count as?¡± Hearing this, Nichs ced the document in his hand aside and frowned, ¡°What do vou mean by that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just ask you one thing, President Sawyer. Regardless of whether the answer is yes or no, I¡¯ll believe you. About the matter of the entire Brentwood City going against ourpany, it is said that it¡¯s a direct order given by Sawyer Group. Do you know about this, President Sawyer?¡± Timothy said. Surprised to hear that, Nichs turned to look at Edward. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Edward was surprised as well since he hadn¡¯t heard news of this matter at all. If Nichs had given the order, it would¡¯ve been done through him. Someone else must be behind this matter. He hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll check it out right away.¡± However, whether Edward checked it or not, Nichs already had his suspicions. Within the Sawyer Group, there was no conflict of interest with Timothy and neither had the authority to issue such announcements. It was probably Remus¡¯ doing, as only he was able to do such a thing. Last time, he failed to take action against Tessa, so he was targeting her brother now. Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long for Edward toe back with his back soaked with sweat. ¡°President Sawyer, there is such a notice, but it was Old Master Sawyer who gave the order, so it didn¡¯t need to go through us.¡± Nichs informed coldly, ¡°Lift that order and make a rification right now.¡± ¡°Okay, President Sawyer.¡± Edward took the order and went out to start making arrangements. Only Nichs and Timothy were left in the office. Although this matter seemed to have been resolved, Timothy was still in a panic. Ile looked at Nichs with aplicated expression. ¡°President Sawyer, can you exin to me what on earth is going on? President Sawyer, I don¡¯t understand. Your grandfather and I didn¡¯t seem to have met before. I¡¯ve only seen him on TV and in magazines. Did I do something to offend him?¡± Nichs was silent for a moment, and it was rare for him not to know how to answer Timothy¡¯s question. Neither sibling had done anything wrong. It was just because Remus felt that Nichs was getting too close to the siblings, so Remus wanted to drive them away. Nichs found it a little strange that Remus was using this reason to target them, and he even felt that Remus was unreasonably creating trouble. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Chapter 252 He said in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll solve this matter.¡± ¡°President Sawyer, is there some kind of trouble?¡± Timothy felt that he was very close to the truth, but if Nichs didn¡¯t say anything, he wouldn¡¯t be able to ess it. However, there was always a good reason for being targeted. Somehow, he felt that this matter wouldn¡¯t be that simple. ¡°Okay.¡± Timothy nodded. ¡°If it is indeed because of us, please let us know what we did wrong, President Sawyer. Do you have other work toplete? Are you going back with me? My sister is almost getting off work now.¡± Nichs closed the file and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll pick her up first.¡± Remus had already begun to take major action since he urgently needed to solve this matter, and it was time for them to be mentally prepared. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nichs had to be prepared to start a war with his grandfather as well. Timothy said, ¡°I¡¯ll call my sister first and ask her to wait for us to pick her up.¡± Then, Nichs nodded. The phone rang and when it was about to end, Tessa answered before she asked anxiously, ¡°Timothy, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Tessa. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Timothy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He didn¡¯t tell his sister about Ss approaching him, so why did she ask that as soon as she answered? Tessa¡¯s voice irembled slightly as she asked, ¡°Did Sse to look for you?¡± ¡°Tessa, I already told you that my dad went to find him. Why don¡¯t you believe me? If he¡¯s safe and sound and can call you, it means that he knows what¡¯s right and should¡¯ve already handed over what he should. Thepany is on the verge of bankruptcy. Why do you still ask so many questions? Oh, yes, you should ask him to return the things that he took away.¡± A female voice vaguely sounded from the other end of the line. The surrounding was noisy while there seemed to be many people around, Timothy caught some words and his face turned pale. ¡°Tessa, where are you¡® Is Sophia with you?¡± Tessa didn¡¯t answer his question, but she answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Timothy. Are you okay?¡± She knew Ss too well as he wasn¡¯t a soft-hearted person. If he had really taken away those softwares, he would give Timothy another beating. They refused to help Ss before, so he would probably settle the scores for this time and thest, which must mean that Timothy was not having it the easy way. She didn¡¯t want to worry her brother even more. ¡°Tessa, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll look for you now. Try to dy some time. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Timothy quickly hung up the phone. Through the tracking system that he had previously installed in Tessa¡¯s phone, he found her location, so he turned to Nichs and said, ¡°President Sawyer, my sister is in trouble. She¡¯s at the intersection in front of Regal Gardens.¡± Before he could finish speaking, Nichs had already moved forward. After getting into the car, Nichs took out his phone, called Edward, and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll send you a location. Send some men to that location.¡± ¡°Got it, President Sawyer.¡± Knowing that something must have happened to Tessa, Edward did not dare to hesitate as he quickly arranged for bodyguards to rush to the location Nichs had sent Since Timothy knew that Tessa was in Sophia¡¯s hands, his palms began to sweat. Each Reinhart was more difficult to deal with than the other and none of them were good people. Sophia, in particr, was ruthless. nting evidence was a small matter, but she relied on the fact that she was spoiled to order people to beat others up for no reason. So many things had happened recently to the point where he had even beaten up Sophia a while ago. However, this time, she came for Tessa, so she was harder to deal with since she came prepared. Since Ss had gone to thepany to find him and steal his software, Sophia should also know that they were ¡®breaking up with Nichs. That was why she dared to make such a big move after being previously dealt with. As he was too worried about Tessa, Timothy kept urging the driver, ¡°Can you go faster?¡± Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Seeing that Nichs¡¯ expression was also dark, as if something major had happened, the driver did not dare to ignore the order and quickly elerated. As the car approached the intersection, they saw a group of ck-d bodyguards, who seemed to be surrounding someone. Timothy hurriedly said, ¡°Stop the car. This is it.¡± A piercing brake sound rang out before the Maybach stopped steadily at the intersection. Nichs and Timothy alighted from the car and rushed toward that location. ¡°Tessa, who do you think you are? Sure enough, the daughter of a b*tch is also a b*tch who hooks up with people all day long. Let¡¯s see whether you can continue seducing people if I ruined your face.¡± Sophia¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°What right do you have to speak of my mother? Don¡¯t forget that my mother is the legal wife. You¡¯re just the child of a mistress. Since you treasure Ss so much, why don¡¯t I give him to you?¡± Tessa snapped coldly. Sophia hated it the most when people called her the daughter of a mistress. For so many years, she had been firmly known as Young Miss Reinhart. Now that it was brought up and she was even said to be picking up someone whom Tessa didn¡¯t want, she was suddenly furious. ¡°What are you talking about?! Grab her!¡± After she gave the order, two bodyguards grabbed Tessa¡¯s arms. ¡°Let her go.¡± Scott was about to protect Tessa behind him, but he was restrained by the remaining bodyguards and couldn¡¯t move. Sophia quickly stepped forward and lifted her hand high to aim it at Tessa¡¯s face while ignoring Scott. Seeing that Sophia was about to p her, Tessa knew that she couldn¡¯t escape, so she didn¡¯t struggle, but simply red bitterly at Sophia. ¡°B*tch, what are you ring at? If I don¡¯t beat you up today, I¡¯m not Sophia Reinhart!¡± With that, Sophia¡¯s hand came swinging down. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. A strong gust of wind had messed up Tessa¡¯s hair, but the pain caused by the p Tessa thought was coming didn¡¯t appear. Sophia¡¯s hand was caught mid-air, which made her furious. Not knowing who the person was, she cursed, ¡°Which nosy b*tch dares to stop me? What are you doing standing there in a daze? Why aren¡¯t you getting rid of him for me-P-President Sawyer?¡± As she was speaking, Nichs kicked away the two bodyguards who were holding Tessa. His expression was gloomy and terrifying while his eyes were full of hostility as he shoved Sophia hard. Sophia fell to the ground right away while she stared at Nichs with an incredulous expression on her face. Aren¡®t the two of them already separated? Why did he suddenly show up? ¡°Tessa, are you okay?¡± Timothy asked softly as he rushed in and took Tessa from Nichs¡¯ arms. Tessa nodded. When she saw the injury on Timothy¡¯s face, she raised her hand to touch his face in distress. ¡°Did Ss hit you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Tessa.¡± Timothy shook his head. Nichs took a step forward and fixed Sophia with a condescending look. It gave her a sense of oppression, as if the dead wereing for her. Sophia, who had been cursing and swearing, suddenly fell silent and didn¡¯t dare to say anything. ¡°Who were you calling a b*tch just now?¡± Nichs asked coldly. Sophia did not dare to say anything and she was so scared that her tears flowed down from her cheeks. She could only shake her head repeatedly, pretending that she hadn¡¯t scolded anyone. The temperature around Nichs dropped, as if he was trying to freeze someone. ¡°Let me ask you again. Who¡¯s the b*tch?¡± A frightened Sophia hurriedly exined, ¡°P-President Sawyer, you¡¯ve misheard. I didn¡¯t say b*tch. I-I said Tessa. It¡¯s Tessa¡­ We sisters were just fooling around. I didn¡¯t say those things.¡± Seeing that she was shoved to the ground, the bodyguards quickly turned and surrounded Nichs. One of the bodyguards went to help Sophia up. Although they were afraid of Nichs, and the person whom Nichs had just kicked still couldn¡¯t get up, Timothy was weak and the other person looked like a puny nerd. So, Nichs was the only one who could fight them. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Since they have received the Reinhart Family¡®s money, no matter how arrogant and domineering Sophia was, the Reinhart Family was their employers. In the case of these bodyguards, it was humiliating for the employer to be injured and they wouldn¡®t be able to continue in this industry if that persisted. After Sophia regained her bnce, she shook off the bodyguard¡®s hand and cursed in a low voice, ¡°Idiots, this is President Sawyer. How dare you surround him!¡± The several bodyguards exchanged looks. She was the one scolding Nichs earlier and the one suffering a beating was her. Had they been wrong to save her? Sophia wasn¡®t stupid. With the current twist of events, she knew that Nichs was here to save Tessa, and the information she received was probably false. Not only did these two people not break up, they seemed to be in a better rtionship than before. When the bodyguards heard this, they spread out a little as they were slightly upset. They were all experienced in such situations, so what was she ying at? Seeing that Nichs¡® expression was still bitter, Sophia panicked, but she still persisted. ¡°President Sawyer, I wasn¡®t really going to hit her. Sisters often y like this. I didn¡®t touch her at all. She didn¡®t even lose a single strand of hair. Um, as for these bodyguards, my dad asked me to bring them around with me as self¨Cdefense. I have no ill intentions.¡± ¡°President Sawyer.¡± At this moment, Edward arrived with a group of bodyguards as well.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. When the two teams of bodyguards faced each other, they could immediately distinguish who was the stronger side. The bodyguards who were originally high and mighty wilted like balloons as they didn¡®t even have time to resist before they were subdued. Upon seeing this, Sophia was afraid that there would be no way to solve this matter. This was how her mother was sent to the police stationst time, and she didn¡®t want to be locked up herself. She hurriedly took a step forward, tears streaming down like rain as she pleaded, ¡°President Sawyer, I really didn¡®t mean to do it. Please spare me. I will never do it again.... Please, President Sawyer.¡± When Nichs didn¡®t say anything, Sophia felt her heart thumping in her chest. What does he mean by this? Is he going to let me go To her surprise, Nichs turned to Tessa. ¡°How do you want to settle this?¡± ¡°T¨CTessa, you know me. I¡®ve always messed around with you. After you moved out did I not bother you anymore? Didn¡®t I give you everything you asked for? I even gave you a house.¡± When Sophia saw that Nichs was ignoring her, she knew that the decision was in Tessa¡®s hands, so she turned to her legal sister. Then, Sophia reached out to grab Tessa¡®s hand while looking aggrieved. However, Tessa didn¡®t fall for this and immediately shook off Sophia¡®s hand. ¡°Oh, enough of that. Don¡®t touch me. ¡°Tessa...¡± Sophia was truly terrified now. When she was a child, even if she had framed Tessa, someone would take the me for her and she didn¡®t even have to apologize. However, now that the situation had changed, Tessa didn¡®t seem like she was going to let Sophia go easily and no one could protect her. ¡°President Sawyer, please help me to call the police. Do whatever should be done. The police will be fair. I don¡®t want to do anything excessive.¡± Hearing Tessa¡®s cold orders, Sophia felt as if all her strength had melted away. I¡®m done for... My life is over... Even if this didn¡®t constitute a felony, it would still be on her record. She was afraid that no wealthy family would look up to her in the future. In that case, her dream of a luxurious life would be extinguished... Edward nodded before the two bodyguards stepped forward, each holding one side of Sophia as they dragged her into the car. ¡°Tessa, you can¡®t do this to me! You can¡®t, Tessa!¡± In no time, the car left their view and Sophia¡®s voice gradually became inaudible. ¡°Tessa, let¡®s head upstairs,¡± Timothy said. Tessa looked apologetically at Scott. He had kindly sent her home today and even became involved in the crime for nothing. However, she didn¡®t want to say much about the Reinhart Family and also did not want to make the matter known to everyone, so she was a little troubled about whether or not she wanted to tell Scott. Seeing that they seemed to have something to discuss, Scott didn¡®t ask any more questions, but simply stepped forward and said to Tessa, ¡°If you¡®re okay, then I¡®ll leave now. See you tomorrow.¡± Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Tessa nodded. ¡°Thank you for today, and I¡¯m sorry for getting you involved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not hurt either. Don¡¯t worry so much.¡± When the two of them were talking, Scott felt a cooling sensation behind him, as if he was being given a deathly stare. After speaking, he quickly left their sight and that sense of oppression slowly disappeared. Upon returning home, Tessa examined her brother¡¯s face. Now that Timothy had been beaten up until he was bruised, his face was terribly injured, which made her extremely distressed. Without saying a word, she turned to get the medical kit before helping him to treat his wounds. ¡°It may hurt a little. You¡¯ll have to bear with it for a while.¡± Tessa held his face and gently cleaned the wounds. After applying salve on his face, his wounds looked even more severe. The more she looked at it, the angrier she became and she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°The Reinhart Family are animals.¡± They actually came up with such a vicious n, bringing one team of bodyguards respectively to restrain each side where they even made a physical attack. Timothy nodded. Knowing that his sister was distressed because of him, he repeated after her. ¡°They really are animals! Garbage!¡± As Nichs watched the two people, who were usually calm, scolding their enemy, not only did he find them childish, but also a little cute. However, Scott didn¡¯t interrupt the siblings, but simply listened quietly. Timothy suddenly thought of their conversation at Sawyer Group, so he added, ¡°But, Ss said this incident is because of the order issued by Sawyer Group. All thepanies in Brentwood knew. Only the two of us were kept in the dark. President Sawyer, why did it suddenly be like this?¡± Tessa thought of her own dismissal. Nichs didn¡¯t refute it and Stefania had silently agreed. Was there a connection between these two matters? Nichs pondered for a moment. ¡°Old Master Sawyer did this.¡± He turned to look at Tessa and saw that her expression was rather nasty. Krowing that she had vaguely guessed the truth of the matter, he had no ns to hide it from her anymore and exined, ¡°Because Old Master Sawyer thinks that I¡¯m getting too close to your sister.¡± There was no need to exin the rest. For a moment, Timothy was taken aback before the realization dawned on him. Does Old Master Sawyer think that Tessa isn¡®t worthy of the Sawyer Family, so he broke them apart? But, what right does he have to do this? Tessa was even more annoyed now. In order to keep her from getting closer to Nichs, Remus had thrown them repeated warnings. 1 Tessa suddenly realized that it was probably Remus¡¯ doing that the documents for starting the company couldn¡¯t be obtained. Otherwise, who would dare to be so bold as to fight against Sawyer Group¡¯s business partners? Then, she lost her job and Timothy¡¯spany couldn¡¯t obtain any business partners. It seemed that Remus was just trying to push the siblings to the edge. Moreover, he was trying to destroy their lives just because of an unconfirmed rumor? Isn¡®t he being too arbitrary? For their family to rely on their status and wealth to fight against people like them, it was a task as simple as crushing an ant to death. If Remus truly didn¡¯t want them to be together, he could just make it clear that they should leave. If he had yed such tricks in secret, they wouldn¡¯t know what they did wrong even if they died. Tessa sincerely felt that the Sawyer Family wasn¡¯t something that a small family like them could deal with. She didn¡¯t want both of them to suffer this kind of nonsense again. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Standing up to face Nichs, she said, ¡°President Sawyer, I have a clear conscience about whether or not I was approaching your family.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Nichs nodded. From the beginning, he and Gregory were the ones pestering Tessa. She had avoided them many times before, but in the end, the father and son still came knocking on her door. To put it bluntly, this matter was indeed the Sawyer Family¡¯s fault. No matter what unpleasant remarks Tessa was going to throw his way, Nichs was going to endure it. However, Tessa didn¡¯t say much and merely sneered, ¡°You know, but what¡¯s the use of knowing? When you came knocking, so did the problems that your grandfather created. Are we supposed to be grateful that you¡¯re solving the problem for us?¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 ¡°Nichs, I always thought that even the rich and influential are reasonable people, but I now realize that I was wrong and being too hopeful.¡± Tears started to swim in Tessa¡¯s eyes and she didn¡¯t know whether it was because of her anger or aggrievement, but she red at Nichs without blinking. Seeing her this way, Nichs felt inexplicably heartbroken. ¡°I¡ª¡±. ¡°President Sawyer, my brother and I merely want to have a quiet life and the feud in your family has nothing to do with us, really. So, I¡¯m begging you. Please don¡¯te over anymore, President Sawyer. We can¡¯t afford to be hurt. Really, there¡¯s no need for us to be in contact anymore.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Tess?¡± Timothy was a little shocked by the things she had just said. Even though he was aware that she was angry, he thought that she would onlyin a little and he didn¡¯t expect that she would say something so decisively. However, judging from the look on her face, he knew that she had to be feeling bad inside. Every time she wanted to break things off, she would be soft-hearted whenever Gregory appeared and it was unbearable for her to say that they should never be in contact again. She had said something like this for the sake of them both as a family, but he felt that it was difficult on her¡­ On the other hand, Nichs wasn¡¯t surprised at Tessa¡¯s words. While on the way here, it had already urred to him that Tessa would choose to avoid it if she found out about this matter and would even make a clean break with him and Gregory. However, Nichs had also thought of a counter-move for himself because he didn¡¯t want her to be away from him and Gregory. In addition, just the thought that Tessa would be dating other men in the future made him very ufortable. Springing up to his feet, he gazed down at her from his height. ¡°I have a way to resolve this issue. In the future, the Sawyers won¡¯t be making things difficult for you and Timothy anymore. Don¡¯t worry about this.¡± Thank you so much for your generosity, but please leave. Our humble abode isn¡¯t capable of hosting a man as noble as you,¡± Tessa reminded as she pointed at the direction of the door. Despite that, Nichs stood motionless and didn¡¯t take it to heart that she was asking him to leave. ¡°I told you that I¡¯ll take care of this matter, but I hope that you¡¯ll calm down and think about it. I didn¡¯t do any of those things, so you shouldn¡¯t be mad at me and say such heartless things, too.¡± At the mention of this, the things Tessa had said earlier shed through her mind. Indeed, it was a little heartless, and on second thought, it was true that Nichs didn¡¯t do anything and was never involved at all. However, his only mistake was not immediately telling her who the mastermind was when he found out. Still, even after finding out the truth, he didn¡¯t stand with his grandfather and even went against him to help her and bore all that burden by himself. Inparison, all she did wasin about him and tried to avoid him at this time. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t so mad anymore, Nichs pulled her onto a seat on the couch while his voice turned gentle as well. ¡°I did consider not to look for you to avoid you from getting hurt, but I can¡¯t do it.¡± Without a word, she lifted her gaze and probingly met his eyes. Then, he continued, ¡°For the past few days, I had no other motive when I kept bringing Greg over to look for you. It was all because he misses you, and as his father, I can¡¯t bear to watch him suffer like this. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°What happened to Greg?¡± Tessa asked shakily, ¡°Ever since you left, Greg had locked himself up in the music room all day. He won¡¯t say anything and will only eat very little. It¡¯s true that I arranged to run into you at the orchestra the other day, and I purposely bought a ticket opposite from your seat so that Greg could see you. After going home that day, his condition slightly improved and he would eat something. The next day, he was upset again and wanted to go to the hospital with you, saying that you¡¯d be afraid to go alone. He even promised me that he won¡¯t force you toe back to teach him, so I brought him to see you. After that, it was the same every time we bump into each other. I keep finding excuses to let him meet you so that I can get him to eat something and catch some sleep, but if you feel that we¡¯re affecting your lives¡­¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Chapter 257 At this point, Nichs didn¡¯t continue speaking, and suddenly, Tessa could visualize Gregory¡¯s situation. She could even feel the helplessness that Nichs felt at the same time. Maybe they really didn¡®t want to disrupt my life on purpose or allow the Sawyers to make life difficult for me, she thought. In addition, Gregory did look like he had lost a lot of weight recently and he seemed so cautious every time he saw her, which was so unlike his bubbly and lively manner from before. After hearing everything, Timothy also felt his heart wrenching a little and he peered at his own sister; she wasn¡¯t so mad anymore and there was a mix of frustration and reproach in her eyes. Silently, he sighed. Tessa sincerely loves Gregory, Timothy thought. Even if she didn¡¯t say it now or even said something heartless, she would still be upset and he didn¡¯t want to see her sad. Hence, he interjected, ¡°Tess, it¡¯s true that President Sawyer is caught in the middle of this issue, and he¡¯s doing it all for Greg¡¯s sake without thinking so much. He helped us out a lot, though, didn¡¯t he? If it wasn¡¯t for him, mypany may not have been able to kick off either.¡± Although Tessa was quiet, her heart was already beginning to sway as she thought that Timothy had a point. Then, Timothy turned to Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer, you admit that it¡¯s your family who did it. Even though you helped us, you are still the cause of it. Do you agree with this?¡± In reply, Nichs nodded. ¡°I may be powerless, but if Old Master Sawyer continues to make life difficult for us, we won¡¯t care about any affections either,¡± Timothy continued. Nichs nodded again. Meanwhile, Tessa had recollected herposure and said to Timothy, ¡°There¡¯s one thing, though. Whatever Ss did has nothing to do with President Sawyer and he has to be responsible for it himself. What did Ss do at your workce?¡± Astonished by her words, Nichs thought, Everything she said earlier was out of anger: but she¡®s actually very rational. This girl is simply too kind¨Chearted. In a few words, Timothy told her the story of what had happened in hispany earlier in the day. When Nichs heard that Timothy was deliberately buying time for three reasons, so that Henry wouldn¡¯t be hurt again, to protect hispany¡¯s secrets and to allow time for himself to find out the truth, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed with him. Not only did Timothy know how to program and create software, he wasn¡¯t a kid who would hide behind his sister¡¯s back and was an extremely calm person instead. On the other hand, Tessa was again triggered by Ss¡¯ actions, but she was also worried about Henry at the same time since she had also regarded him as her half brother. Henry was exceptionally kind to Timothy and took care of him when they were in school. Also, he was of great help thest time Ss caused an issue. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. And now, he was again caught up in some trouble because of them both. Feeling guilty, she said, ¡°Even though Ss has abducted Henry, I guess he won¡¯t hurt Henry since you promised to give the software.¡± ¡°No, since it¡¯s the software that he¡¯s after, he won¡¯t do something stupid again. If we call the police, he won¡¯t have anything to gain either. However, it¡¯s bad for Henry to be in his hands for a long time. President Sawyer, I would like to borrow a few bodyguards from you to get him back from the Reinharts,¡± Timothy said as a menacing look shed across his face, which was unlike him. It was nothing if he was hurt, but Ss should have never ever allowed Sophia to hurt Tessa while abducting Timothy¡¯s best friend to ckmail him. He deserves death for this! Timothy thought. ¡°There¡¯s no need for so much hassle. If you only want to give Ss a warning, just let Edward go with some men and Henry will be back safely,¡± Nichs said. If Timothy went personally, he would definitely be in conflict with Ss again despite bringing bodyguards where he couldn¡¯t even protect himself, not to mention put up a fight. However, if it was Edward who went, Ss wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble and would even allow Henry to leave without a fight because he recognized Edward. Everything else would be fine after Edward merely issued his warning. While Timothy knew this as well, he still shook his head stubbornly. ¡°I have to settle this matter myself.¡± Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Chapter 258 ¡°I would like to make a clean break with him so that he won¡¯t have the guts to mess with us again in the future,¡± Timothy said with a stoic face. ¡°President Sawyer, we won¡¯t trouble Mr. Jackson for now,¡± Tessa said. ¡°Tim, I¡¯ming with you.¡± At first, Timothy nodded in agreement, but when he heard that she wanted toe along, he was stunned and directly responded, ¡°No, Tess. Just wait at home for my news.¡± ¡°How can I not make a clean break with him if you¡¯re doing it? If you¡¯re going, then I¡¯ming as well. Otherwise, let Mr. Jackson go in our stead. Choose one way out yourself.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Tessa looked at Timothy with strong, determined eyes and she knew that he would choose to settle this personally. So, he had to take her with him as well. In fact, her thoughts were simple; if the only two persons left at the Reinharts were still up to no good and hurt Timothy in front of her, she would definitely not have mercy on them too. Even if she had to burn all bridges, she wouldn¡¯t allow the Reinharts to be a threat to them again. Caught in a dilemma, Timothy was afraid of her behaving like this. If she went with him and was hurt, he would me himself to death. Seeing that the siblings were in a stalemate, Nichs chuckled lightly. ¡°Both of you will go in while Edward and I will wait outside so that Ss won¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much trouble for you, President Sawyer?¡± Timothy asked hesitantly. Despite this being a good idea, he felt that it was a little odd, yet he couldn¡¯t exactly describe it in words. ¡°Nope. Let¡¯s go.¡± As Nichs stood up, he went straight for the door. Tessa and Timothy exchanged nces, but went out with Nichs in the end. With Nichs around, it was safe to say that nothing bad would happen again. At the Reinhart Residence, Ss returned home in high spirits and asked his bodyguards to lock Henry in a dark room while he was having tea in the living room, his mind filled with delightful thoughts. ¡°Were you sessful?¡± Seeing how happy Ss was, Amber felt so much better as well. Taking a sip of tea leisurely, he grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Just wait until tomorrow That kid wille to us by himself.¡± ¡°Will he really give it to us?¡± she asked doubtfully. Ss snorted. ¡°Of course I know what that kid is like. He¡¯s a loyal friend and he¡¯ll definitely hand over the software now that I have his pal in my hands. When that timees, it¡¯s no longer a dream for us to rise again. Even though he¡¯s not talented, he¡¯s quite gifted when ites to software. After the Sawyer Group started operations thest time, he managed to make a profit of several hundred millions. That ungrateful brat, if he had given me the money at that time, I¡¯d consider treating him better, but now, hmph!¡± Upon hearing that all those coding which she didn¡¯t understand had made millions, Amber had a sparkle in her eyes. ¡°Can he really make that much money?¡± His eyes swelled up with jealousy. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s raking it in. The Sawyer Family really made a steal with the son I brought up.¡± ¡°Then, we shouldn¡¯t let him go when hees tomorrow. I wonder what is happening at Sophia¡¯s side. We¡¯ll ask her to bring that slut back so that we can control Timothy in the future,¡± she said, her eyes gleaming as a grin slowly appeared on the edges of her lips. At the same time, Ss happened to have the same idea as her. ¡°Of course.¡± Suddenly, the hurried ringing of a phone interrupted their fantasy before a man¡¯s voice sounded over the phone. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m calling from the police station. May I ask if I¡¯m speaking with Sophia Reinhart¡¯s father?¡±, ¡°Yes, speaking. What happened?¡± When Ss heard that it was a call from the police, his heart skipped a beat. ¡°What happened to my daughter? Is she alright?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine, but she was involved in a gang fight. Make a trip to the police station now,¡± the police said and hung up. Blood drained from Ss¡¯ face. My precious daughter is arrested? She¡®s in the detention center now? Amber had heard the conversation as well and she urged him, ¡°What are you still doing here? Go and quickly bail her out! It doesn¡¯t matter if your wife is in jail, but not your daughter who¡¯s going to be married into a prestigious family in the future! Anyone but her can be in jail! It will really be the end of us if she ends up imprisoned!¡± He rose to his full height in a hurry and nned to make a trip to the police station. Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Chapter 259 At this moment, Tessa walked through the door with Timothy, and they stared indifferently at their father and grandmother in name. When Ss saw that Tessa was fine, but his own daughter was now detained without him knowing anything about the situation, heshed out at her, ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it, Tessa Reinhart? You¡¯re the one who did it, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What are you speaking about? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Tessa replied icily. ¡°You¡¯re a monster! Here you are, all fine and alright while my daughter is locked away. Y-You¡­ You¡¯re a rotten person!¡± Mad with fury, Ss couldn¡¯t even swear coherently. Taking a step forward, Amber directly shoved her useless son aside and pointed a finger at Tessa¡¯s nose. ¡°Little slut, you better release Sophia now. What are you doing here?¡± Tessa sneered. ¡°Hmph, do you think I can let her out just because you asked me to? She¡¯s getting her desserts because she was the one who came to provoke me first, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it now that she¡¯s already locked behind bars. Thew will serve a fair judgment.¡± Seeing that Tessa was acting high and mighty as though the situation had nothing to do with her, Amber became even madder, and since she was an experienced shrew at markets, she had never held back or acted cowardly whenever she was in a verbal fight. With one hand on her hip and another pointing at Tessa, she started cursing angrily, ¡°You shameless, ungrateful thing. How are you repaying us when we¡¯re the ones who fed you and brought you up? All you have done is hook up with men and even have the nerves to make a scene here after he has dumped you. Even if you¡¯re shameless, we¡¯re still embarrassed. Sure enough, you¡¯re just like your useless mother. Each of you is cheaper than the other. All of you are just cheap breeds!¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Both Tessa and Timothy were the same; they didn¡¯t mind if others vilified them, but they couldn¡¯t stand it when their family was affected. They were both furious instantly. With a solemn face, Tessa warned, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare mention my mother.¡± ¡°I already did, so what? If you don¡¯t let Sophia out, not only your mother, but even her father will get a roast from me. You shameless slut, are you proud that you seduced someone from the Sawyer Family? What do you take the Sawyers for, that you could show off and throw your weight around here without any embarrassment?¡± Tessa¡¯s face was emotionless, and as Amber continued and even brought up unrted people, she said, ¡°You better watch your mouth.¡± This littless even has the nerves to give me a warning! Amber thought furiously and lunged forward to p her. Seeing that the p was about to strike her, Tessa didn¡¯t even dodge or flinch a little this time and grabbed the wrinkled hand in one swift, urate move. Even though Amber was fit for her age and her ability to swear was on par with her younger self, her strength was far off from those years, and she was unable to move an inch from Tessa¡¯s grip. ¡°Tessa Reinhart, you slut! Let go of me now!¡± Despite being caught, she still couldn¡¯t stop her abusive mouth. If it was someone else, she might have been afraid, but if it was Tessa whom she had brought up since young, there was no way that Amber would be afraid at all. Hence, abusive words continued to pour out of her mouth. ¡°You damn thing, I should have just strangled both of you back then!¡± However, Tessa ignored her and stared coldly at Ss instead. ¡°What are you doing? Release your grandmother immediately.¡± Seeing that Amber was still relentlessly going on, he was dismayed and said, ¡°Mom, just hold back your tongue a little.¡± Ignoring the both of them who were ying the ¡®good cop, bad cop¡¯ act, Tessa said coldly, ¡°I would advise you not to be up to some hanky-panky and start trouble when there is none.¡± Earlier, she had seen that Ss had pressed a button, and she reckoned that their bodyguards would rush over from their dorms soon. However, she wasn¡¯t afraid at all since Nichs was outside. Initially, Ss wanted to y for time, but since her attitude infuriated him, he couldn¡¯t help but snapped, ¡°Tessa Reinhart, is this how you should speak with me?¡± ¡°Release Henry and I¡¯ll let her go.¡± Ignoring everything he said, all Tessa wanted was Henry¡¯s release. Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapter 260 ¡°Who¡¯s that? I don¡¯t know him,¡± Ss barked. ¡°He¡¯s my friend whom you took away from mypany. Hand him over.¡± At the same time, Timothy¡¯s blood was starting to boil as well. Clearly, Ss was doing this on purpose and refused to release Henry. For an evil person like him, he definitely has a n to deal with us and is just ying for time now, Timothy reckoned, but at the thought that Nichs and his men were still outside, he somewhat felt a little more confident. It had previously crossed Timothy¡¯s mind that such a thing would happen. Usually, Ss would just clown around a little and bluff his way through. Even if Ss was up to no good, so what? As long as he hadn¡¯t shown hisst card yet, he still had the advantage in the situation. Stealing a peek at the surveince in the house, Ss sneered. ¡°You¡¯re just a useless bum who can¡¯t even protect your friend, and that guy named Henry is equally useless as well. He can¡¯t even put up a fight. All of you who can¡¯t do anything useful are called useless bums. So what if you¡¯re just a little smarter? Didn¡¯t you end up in my hands just the same?¡± Timothy¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot from anger; he hated it the most when someone called him useless, and he couldn¡¯t take it that his friend was hurt because of him. In one shot, Ss had struck two of his bottom lines, and this made him furious. Taking a big step forward, he grabbed Ss by the cor and roared at him angrily, ¡°What did you do to Henry? Say it!¡± Even when he was being held by his cor, Ss still had a sneer on his face as he cast a nonchnt look at his son. ¡°Go on, Go ahead and hit me, If I¡¯m dead, nobody will be able to find him again.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. A frustrated Timothy raised his fist high and aimed it at Ss¡¯ face. ¡°Hand him over.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking for it. If it¡¯s a dead end you seek, then don¡¯t me me for being heartless, son,¡± Ss said and snorted. Then, he shouted at the door, ¡°Come out quickly!¡± A group of bodyguards barged into the house and surrounded Timothy and Tessa. While outnumbering them and being stronger, the bodyguards yanked Ss and Amber out of their hands easily. The tables turned instantly and Ss nced at Tessa, his own flesh and blood. without any emotions in his eyes. ¡°Give me what I want and let Sophia go. Then I¡¯ll consider letting the both of you go. From now on, we¡¯ll never interfere with each other ever again,¡± he said indifferently. Tessa snorted. ¡°Dream on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine as well; it¡¯s not bad to keep the both of you here. I¡¯ll provide you with the daily necessities and keep the both of you in the cer. If I die of starvation, both of you won¡¯t live either,¡± he sniggered. Not only was Tessa unafraid of what he said, she burst into a chuckle instead. ¡°Ss, you can¡¯t bear to die. Even if we give you what you want, you won¡¯t let us go, for sure. In fact, you n to keep us prisoners as well, right?¡± After pausing for a second, she added, ¡°Are you nning to imprison both of us separately and force Tim to work for you or you¡¯ll kill me? Or vice versa? Ss, I didn¡¯t think that you remain the same, greedy and disgusting as you¡¯ve always been.¡± That was Ss¡¯ n indeed, and he directly stopped his disguise when his n was exposed, sneering, ¡°Since you don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you and want to seek death, then I won¡¯t be courteous anymore. The ending will be the same, anyway. Isn¡¯t it just a USB sh drive? You think I won¡¯t be able to find it? So what if it¡¯s encrypted? There will be plenty of people who can decrypt it, but I can¡¯t be so sure about the treatment that the both of you will receive.¡± With a wave of his hand, the bodyguards quickly restrained Tessa and Timothy. After that, Ss raised his hand and wanted to p Tessa as punishment when a clear but icy voice echoed from the door. ¡°Stop.¡± Nichs walked through the door with a group of bodyguards and stared grimly at the raised hand which had yet to strike Tessa. Walking forward briskly, he served Ss with a kick. The kick was so strong that it sent Ss to the floor and he rolled over a few times on the floor before coming to a stop while clutching his abdomen, feeling as though all his internal organs were sent flying as well with this kick. ¡°Ss!¡± Amber shrieked in shock. She no longer watched the fun and lunged forward to check up on Ss, but the bodyguards held her back firmly and she was unable to move. Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Chapter 261 When they witnessed their master being assaulted, Ss¡¯ bodyguards hurriedly rushed forward and wanted to surround Nichs, but were kicked over by the bodyguards from the Sawyer Family. All of a sudden, the situation was reversed where the men working for the Reinharts were eitherying on the floor or kneeling as they cried out in pain. With a face as solemn as the grim reaper, Nichs paced to Ss. ¡°Where¡¯s Henry Tompkins?¡± Even if Ss was an idiot, he could now tell that Tessa didn¡¯t have a fall out with Nichs. Furthermore, Nichs even came over specially to help her. Threatening Tessa was a child¡¯s y to him, but in front of Nichs, he didn¡¯t dare to throw his weight around as he did not dare say a word. To Ss, Nichs was simply too terrifying and he wouldn¡¯t mind giving up on the USB sh drive if it meant that his life could be saved. Even if hispany went bust, so be it. However, it was clear that Nichs didn¡¯t want him to have an easy way out. When Ss didn¡¯t answer him, he peered at him from above. ¡°Where is he?¡± Whether it was from the pain or from the fright, Ss couldn¡¯t be sure, but his back was instantly soaked in perspiration. His face was also covered in ayer of cold sweat as he had been fished out of the waters. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Striking back would only mean his own death, and he lost all guts as he hurriedly ordered his injured bodyguard, ¡°T-Take that brat, no. Bring Mr. Tompkins out. Quickly.¡± After receiving the order, the bodyguard quickly scrambled off to release Henry. Besides Ss, all the other bodyguards were motionless and remained as quiet as mannequins. None of them even dared to help Ss to his feet either while the noisy Amber didn¡¯t dare to make a scene. Soon, that bodyguard returned from the dark room with Henry while shouting, ¡°We¡¯re back. I¡¯ve brought him here!¡± At the sight of Henry, Ss felt spiteful and relieved at the same time; spiteful because after going through so much hassle, the hostage he had finally abducted was released just like that. At most, he had given that brat Timothy a beating, but he also had a taste of his own medicine because that earlier kick from Nichs had almost sent him on his way. However, Ss was relieved that he didn¡¯t take it out on Henry after bringing him back; otherwise, he reckoned that his ending would be even worse than now. After his release, Henry was still a little lost, thinking that Timothy had really handed over the software in exchange for his safe release. Hence, when he saw Timothy, he yelled, ¡°Tim, don¡¯t give it to him! I¡¯m fine!¡± Seeing that Henry didn¡¯t sustain any more injuries and was merely locked away without being deeply hurt, Timothy breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I didn¡¯t give it to him. Don¡¯t worry,¡± he assured with a chuckle. It was only then that Henry took a good look around and saw an expressionless Nichs, after which he whispered to Timothy in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t President Sawyer¡­ Why is he here?¡± ¡°We have misunderstood him. He¡¯s innocent and I could only save you without a glitch because he came to help us out this time. Or else, I think I¡¯ll really need to use the USB sh drive in exchange for your life,¡± Timothy said, grinning. Still shocked, Henry said, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good. That¡¯s our blood and sweat, and we can¡¯t give it away no matter what, not even if it¡¯s in exchange for me.¡± Then, he turned to Nichs. ¡°Thanks for your help, President Sawyer.¡± In reply, Nichs nodded slightly in acknowledgement. ¡°P-President Sawyer, I have already handed him over and didn¡¯t harm him further. Will you let me go?¡± Ss asked, looking at him pleadingly. Henry spat and looked at Ss, who was still on the floor, with contempt. ¡°You have no shame at all. Earlier, you were not like this when you came to ourpany to rob. us. Where¡¯s your swagger from before?¡± ¡°You!¡± Humiliated publicly, Ss was a little embarrassed and wanted to curse him, but when he spun his head and saw Nichs¡¯ face, he suddenly lost his voice. For some unknown reason, he felt that it would be even more shameful if he started cursing in front of Nichs. This was the attitude of a true elite; even without cursing, he was able to instill fear by just standing. Ignoring what Ss was thinking in his head, Timothy stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m warning you for thest time. Don¡¯t disturb our lives again.¡± Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Chapter 262 ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Bobbing his head eagerly, Ss immediately felt as though a huge stone had been lifted off him. Looks like he¡¯s not going after me for responsibility. While he was still rejoicing, Edward took out some papers. ¡°President Sawyer, I found the agreement which was signed before.¡± When Ss heard that, his face visibly paled. ¡°President Sawyer, Ss had obviously vited the agreement by finding fault with them. In addition, he¡¯s also involved in kidnapping and abetting injury against others.¡± A terrified Ss knew that he would definitely end up in jail if this was reported to the police. Scrambling to his feet, he cast Nichs a pleading look. ¡°President Sawyer, I won¡¯t dare to do it again. From now on, I won¡¯t cause them any more trouble. I¡¯m a man of my word!¡± At the same time, Amber was equally terrified upon hearing that. Her daughter-inw was already behind bars for months and her granddaughter had just been arrested. If her son was also sent to jail, how would she be able to survive by herself? Losing all her guts from earlier, she pleaded anxiously, ¡°President Sawyer, please have mercy and let my son off. I promise I won¡¯t let him cause any more trouble in the future.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nichs said, looking at Tessa. All eyes in the room turned to Tessa as well. Some had a pleading gaze, a few were imploring her and there were also some who were determined. Tessa¡¯s crisp, cool voice echoed. ¡°It¡¯s pointless to have mercy on them and just let thew deal with them. Also, there¡¯s a surveince camera with a voice recorder next to it. Take all of it as evidence,¡± she pointed out, gesturing to the lens pointed at herself. Once again, Ss slumped to the floor. Initially, he wanted to use the surveince to ckmail them, but unexpectedly, Tessa also knew that his voice recorder was there. Earlier, I had said so much about my ns, but now¡­ Nichs nodded, gesturing to Edward to collect the evidence. Even though he didn¡¯t say anything, he had another deeper understanding of Tessa¡¯s personality again. In the beginning, he thought that she was quiet and weak, but heter realized that she was also a little tough. And now, she could even stand with reason instead of her blood and kin, was brave with her feelings and also a little sassy. Her attention to detail kinda drew Nichs¡¯ attention a little. After leaving the scene to Edward and his bodyguards, Nichs sent Tessa and the rest home before driving alone to Sawyer Residence. In the house, Remus was having tea while ying chess by himself, and the butler, Andrew, rushed to him after receiving a call. ¡°Something happened, Sir.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Speak.¡± Lifting his eyes, Remus looked at himzily and continued with his tea and chess, looking so strategized as if everything was within his control. ¡°It seems like Young Master Nichs has already noticed that it¡¯s us and canceled our instructions using the Sawyer Group¡¯s name earlier. He even rified everything and it looks like everything will proceed normally.¡± Remus snorted. ¡°So what? What can he do even if he knows about it? It¡¯s only a matter of time before this matter is.exposed and we didn¡¯t n to hide it from him either.¡± Of course he knew his grandson like the back of his palm. ¡°Nichs would do this simply because he¡¯s willful and felt that the Reinhart siblings had suffered this unwarranted trouble because of him. That¡¯s why he helped them to solve all those problems. In addition, that littless, Tessa, will back off after just a small warning. It has always been like this the last few times before, but it¡¯s her brother who has been targeted this time. So, she¡¯ll probably get mad and sever all contact with him.¡± Giving it a second thought, Andrew thought that it was true. Moreover, Nichs had a strong personality and wouldn¡¯t do something knowing that it would end up in him being snubbed. Hence, Nichs definitely wouldn¡¯t stand to take this. Once he cooled down for a couple of days, he wouldpletely ignore Tessa. So, the old master has already considered everything. Then, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem to break these two up, Andrew thought and bowed slightly. ¡°What a wise n you have, sir.¡± Continuing with his tea and chess calmly, Remus said, ¡°Come and y with me.¡± Andrew nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Just a while after they started ying, a bodyguard walked in briskly and whispered something into Andrew¡¯s ears. Instantly, the expression on his face fell. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Chapter 263 ¡°What happened?¡± Remus asked, raising his gaze. Andrew answered truthfully, ¡°Old Master Sawyer, maybe Young Master Nichs isn¡¯t as simple as we think. After canceling the instructions, he followed Timothy home and ran into Tessa being bullied by some people. Then, he took care of the thugs and went upstairs together with the siblings.¡± Then, he continued, ¡°A short while after, they went to Ss¡¯ ce in a big group and beat up Ss and his bodyguards, and even dragged him to the police station to settle their family problems for them. I¡¯m afraid that Master Nichs is serious this time. It¡¯s said that Tessa was really so mad that she even said that she wanted to break all ties with Master Nichs and Gregory, asking him not to disrupt their lives. However, Master Nichs has somehow managed to turn her mind around.¡± Upon hearing that, Remus paused mid-air from taking a sip of his tea and mmed the cup hard on the table. Theposed look on his face hadpletely disappeared and he looked a little furious. ¡°That rascal!¡± After all his meticulous calctions, including correctly predicting Tessa¡¯s reaction, he didn¡¯t expect that it was his own grandson who didn¡¯t act ording to his expectations. Let Tessa be if she¡¯s angry and left in a huff, he thought. Why did he talk her around and exin things to her? Remus never imagined that the grandson whom he had brought up himself to be so outstanding that no one else in Brentwood could match him, that high and mighty young president of apany, would do all this for Tessa¡¯s sake. It was based on this point alone that the Reinhart siblings had to go. ¡°Thatss has to go,¡± Remus said solemnly. A concerned Andrew asked, ¡°Sir, we already interfered with these two siblings thrice, and Master Nichs is well aware of it as well. He¡¯s not dumb, and he¡¯ll definitely be suspicious. If we continue to make a few more obvious moves, he¡¯ll start to investigate and we probably won¡¯t be able to hide what happened back then. When that timees, things may get veryplicated.¡± Remus snorted softly. ¡°I have a way to deal with that. Just do what you are told.¡± In fact, he knew very well that with Nichs¡¯ intelligence and ability, it definitely wouldn¡¯t take him long to find out the truth. So what even if he finds out, though? He hates the woman who abandoned Greg to the core, and it won¡¯t change anything even if that woman is Tessa. The only thing that would change is, the two people who were previously nice to her would hate her and find her disgusting. At that time, she won¡¯t even be able to stay in Brentwood without the need for me to chase her away. There was nothing good about a woman who would give birth to a baby out of wedlock for money and abandon her own child. Remus¡¯ n had almost never gone wrong, and he was sincerely doing it for the Sawyer Family and Nichs. Undoubtedly, Andrew knew how much Remus had poured in and wouldn¡¯t go against his wishes. ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± he answered with a nod. Nichs had been standing outside the door of the main hall for a long time and overheard a big part of their conversation. Since a long time ago, he already knew that Remus had secretly sent someone to follow him, but such a menial thing didn¡¯t bother him. Judging from all the things that recently happened, he vaguely felt that Remus was really hiding something from him, and it was an important thing at that. Unfortunately, these two elders had been in the business world for decades and were very sharp, knowing what should be said and what not. When they were speaking, a lot of important information was directly skipped over. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Years of working together had created a strong rapport between them, and some things were understood without even the need to say it out loud. Therefore, Nichs didn¡¯t hear anything useful, but a seed of doubt had been nted in his heart, and he marched in with big strides. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Enjoying a sip of tea from his cup, Remus returned to his usual leisure self and greeted his eldest grandson with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve been making frequent visits here recently, rascal. Are you here to have a game of chess with me?¡± Knowing that Remus was avoiding the topic with him, Nichs didn¡¯t fall for it and asked straightforwardly, ¡°Just what are you hiding from me?¡± Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Chapter 264 The smile on Remus¡¯ face fell a little. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of that. Which one are you asking about?¡± ¡°Grandpa, you know what I¡¯m asking about, and this will be thest time I¡¯m asking you. Why exactly are you picking on the Reinhart siblings so much?¡± an emotionless Nichs asked. After Remus snorted, he answered, ¡°Picking on them? I¡¯ve told you the reason very clearly thest time. That girl is not good enough for you, and you should stay away from her while it¡¯s not toote. If you keep being so close with them, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± Nichs eximed angrily. ¡°What? You have the guts to raise your voice at me and challenge me because of that woman? Nichs Sawyer, there¡¯s a limit to my patience as well, and you keep trying it time after time. Do you really think that I¡¯ll just let you do as you wish?¡± he snapped. As he stood motionlessly, Nichs¡¯ sculptured face was incredibly grim. Even though Remus had always been a man of his words, Nichs wasn¡¯t a person who couldn¡¯t scheme either. If both of them really went head to head against each other, nobody could predict who the winner would be in the end. And just like that, they were in a silent stalemate for a few minutes. Finally, Remus sighed, as though he was defeated by Nichs¡¯ stubbornness. He said, ¡°I am the one who brought you up, Nichs, so I won¡¯t ever harm you. All you have to know is that no matter what I do, I do it for your own good. It¡¯s undeniable that you¡¯re running thepany well, but rtionships areplicated. When you were schooling and in the military, you didn¡¯t have much contact with girls, and I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll be misled. If you really want someone like Tessa Reinhart, there are plenty of girls like her on the streets outside. She¡¯s nothing special and you can just forget about her after having a fling with her. However, if you¡¯re really looking for a wife, you have to search for one from a prestigious family because that¡¯s the correct choice. If you really think that you¡¯re having too much free time despite the work in thepany, then you can look for Hayley who¡¯s missing you very much.¡± A solemn Nichs said immediately, ¡°I don¡¯t like Hayley. Don¡¯t bother to match us up.¡± Once again, Remus¡¯ anger sparked. ¡°Who do you like if not her? That Reinhart girl? Don¡¯t even think about it because it¡¯s impossible. As long as I¡¯m still around, she can forget about stepping into the Sawyer Family.¡± Nichs¡¯ voice turned a few notches colder. ¡°You should enjoy your retirement in peace, Grandpa. Take care of your health, and if you¡¯re bored, just do some gardening while cultivating your health and well-being. Don¡¯t interfere with my affairs again. Also, don¡¯t make any decisions for me and hurt innocent people in the name of ¡®for my own good.¡± While Remus took it that Nichs had indirectly admitted his liking for Tessa, he was furious when he heard all the sarcastic and hostile things that his grandson had just said. ¡°Nichs Sawyer, if you really want the best for her, tell her to obediently leave Brentwood. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s nothing to discuss between us. You can give it a try,¡± Nichs threatened in a low growl and left the ce directly in big strides. After he left, all the peace and leisure which were previously on Remus¡¯ face were gone. In its ce was menacing fury. ¡°Damn it!¡± Meanwhile, Nichs was looking glum after leaving the mansion. Although Remus refused to tell him the reason he was picking on Tessa, he was already sure that Remus had a great deal of malice for her. What would the exact reason be to make a weak girl like Tessa the target of Remus¡¯ attack to the point where Remus would do all that he could to match Nichs with another? Could it be¡­ Tessa is Greg¡¯s birth mother? Nichs wondered. It seemed that there were a lot of simrities between Tessa and Gregory¡¯s biological mother-seafood allergy and musically gifted. In addition, Tessa even had the same scar and tattoo which that woman had. All these were simply too much of a coincidence. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The woman from before was arranged by Remus, so he definitely knew who she was. However, if Tessa was that woman, why didn¡¯t she recognize Remus, and why did she get close to Gregory? Wasn¡¯t she the one who abandoned him? Everything was just so odd. Seeing that Nichs didn¡¯t look good after leaving the Sawyers, Edward could guess that Nichs didn¡¯t manage to get the answers which he wanted from Remus. Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Chapter 265 ¡°What are we going to do now, President Sawyer?¡± he asked tentatively. With a stoic face, Nichs answered, ¡°We¡¯re going back first.¡± Things had been happening one after another recently, and he needed to gather his thoughts properly. Turning to Edward, he asked, ¡°Do you think that Greg and Tessa resemble each other a little bit?¡± When he heard Nichs¡¯ question, Edward¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Did President Sawyer guess it as well? Previously, Edward and Kieran were merely suspicious, but theycked the guts to conduct a DNA test on their own, so Edward was so shocked at the sudden question that he broke out in cold sweat. Turning his head stiffly, he turned to Nichs. ¡°You mean a biological rtionship? Do you want me to have a test done?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nichs rejected him decisively. ¡°But, President Sawyer¡ª¡± ¡°Let me think about this matter. Start the car,¡± he instructed in his husky voice. It was true that he had his own considerations; if he impulsively ordered for the test and it turned out to be her, what would he do? However, if it wasn¡¯t her, what would happen instead? For all these reasons, he hadn¡¯t thought over it carefully yet. It wasn¡¯t a good time to conduct the DNA test now because he still needed to observe the situation for a little more. Lifting his gaze at the rearview mirror, Nichs caught sight of a ck sedan car behind him, which was maintaining almost the same speed as his car, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Now that Remus had openly ordered people to monitor him and if this was how he wanted to y, then he shouldn¡¯t me Nichs for using the same method against him. ¡°Send someone of our own to closely monitor everything that Old Master Sawyer is doing and inform me immediately once there¡¯s anything,¡± Nichs instructed coldly. ¡°Yes, President Sawyer.¡± Again, Edward¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Looks like these two are really going to confront each other. Although Edward was working for Sawyer Group, he was firstly Nichs¡¯ man, so he would definitely do as instructed by his boss. Therefore, he acknowledged the N?velDrama.Org owns all content. instruction and made the arrangements. At the Sawyer Residence, the atmosphere in the mansion had a weird aura after Nichs stormed out. It was so quiet, and nobody dared to make the slightest sound.. The look on Remus¡¯ face was incredibly unpleasant and he reckoned that Nichs was determined to go against him this time. The heir whom he had nurtured with his own hands was now willing to confront him because of a woman. Even if it happened to someone else, they wouldn¡¯t be able to ept it either. Andrew refilled Remus¡¯ cup of tea. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t be mad. Master Nichs hasn¡¯t experienced such a rtionship in his youth whereby it¡¯s his first time encountering a person like this. So, it¡¯s unavoidable that he¡¯s smitten with her. In the future, he¡¯ll definitely understand all your efforts for him.¡± ¡°Hmph, it will be toote by that time.¡± After Remus snorted, he mmed the table with force again. ¡°I can¡¯t allow him to destroy himself because a woman.¡± ¡°So, what should we do now, Sir?¡± Andrew asked with a bow. ¡°Not only are we targeting the Reinhart siblings, we are also after everyone around them. Investigate all of them carefully and don¡¯t miss out on anyone. There¡¯s no need to do a clean job,¡± Remus answered emotionlessly. Andrew nodded. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Remus clearly wanted to make it obvious that he was targeting Tessa and Timothy to the point where they would be left alone and helpless, thereby pushing them into a dead end However, this was the result of their own doings. In the beginning, he had given them the chance, but they didn¡¯t cherish it and continued to do as they wished instead. On this day, Timothy went to university since he had some things to get done there. Right after he walked through the main entrance, a group of people had blocked his path. Lifting his head, he took a nce at them and saw that it was Bruce with his annoying friends. Recalling what happened at the bar, Timothy wanted nothing to do with them at all and moved to the other side. Despite that, Timothy was still surrounded by them before they started to snigger. Without saying or doing anything, Bruce and his friends merely gathered around Timothy as though they were watching a show. An annoyed Timothy lifted his eyes and stared right at Bruce. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Bruce?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything, but what about you? Why are you blocking my path for no reason?¡± Shoving Timothy¡¯s shoulder strongly, Bruce then took a step back and sneered. ¡°Reinhart, have you heard that a good dog will move out of the way? You¡¯re still in my path now, though. Looks like you¡¯re not a good dog. Get out of the way!¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Timothy¡¯s face instantly became glum after hearing that, but he was different from Bruce; he had always been polite to others and almost never said anything menacing or sarcastic. Now that he was hearing all this, he didn¡¯t know how to react all of a sudden while the sniggering around him became louder. ¡°Bruce, the bookworm from your ss is nothing. Can he even speak?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, how can you expect a dog to say anything? It would be terrifying if he really did.¡± One of them roared out inughter and said, ¡°What a joke! Someone like him have the guts to throw his weight around in front of you? It can¡¯t be true that the two masters from the Sawyer Family are helping him.¡± Holding his fists tightly, Timothy hissed, ¡°Don¡¯t go overboard. You guys are the ones standing in my way.¡± ¡°Oh, he really spoke! Master Liston, he¡¯s speaking about you. What should we do now?¡± another of his sidekicks asked with a sneer. ¡°He¡¯s just a cripple who looks cute enough to charm others. The masters from the Sawyer Family took a liking to him simply because¡­ But his sister has good looks, too. Maybe this is what these siblings have relied on to get into their good books. Forget it, I¡¯m not saying anymore. You guys know what I mean,¡± Bruce said, thoughtfully giving Timothy a once-over. Laughter echoed from around Timothy and showered him with it as he understood what Bruce meant behind his words as well. Everything he had now was acquired through his own efforts and it was fine if he was insulted, but not his sister. Lunging forward, he thennded a punch on Bruce¡¯s face. Immediately, blood trickled from the corners of his lips. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°What are you boys doing?¡± At this moment, the principal, Julius, suddenly came out and looked at Timothy sternly. ¡°All of you, to my office!¡± After casting a re at Timothy, Bruce followed behind Julius as a gleeful smirk appeared on his face. You¡¯re done for, Reinhart. In Julius¡¯ office, Bruce started first by saying, ¡°Mr. Chance, look what happened. I don¡¯t know what has gotten over him, but he punched me straight in the face. Look at my face now that he has hit me. How am I supposed to go out looking like this? Furthermore, I have witnesses. So many people around had seen his actions.¡± Julius turned to Timothy. ¡°What else can you say? You even dare to start a fight at the university gates, which is something that had never happened here before! Can you take the responsibility if something like this affects the university?¡± ¡°Mr. Chance, it¡¯s true that I won¡¯t be able to shoulder this responsibility, but I wasn¡¯t the one who started it. Bruce was the one who insulted me first,¡± Timothy said with a solemn face. ¡°He insulted you? What did he say?¡± Julius asked. At the thought of those insulting sneers, Timothy helplessly pursed his lips. It didn¡¯t matter what happened to him, but his sister¡¯s reputation had to be protected. ¡°You can¡¯t answer him, can you? Mr. Chance, he was the one standing in my way and I said something to get him out of the way, but I didn¡¯t know why he turned violent and came straight at me with a punch. If my father knows about this, he¡¯ll think that the university is mismanaged.¡± Then, he cast a delighted look at Timothy. Hearing that, Julius¡¯ face instantly became stoic; the Liston Family had some shares in the university, and his higher-ups had also told him to find a reason to evict Timothy, no matter what. So, now was a good time to do it. ¡°The university won¡¯t tolerate a student who starts a fight. Timothy Reinhart, you¡¯ll go through the withdrawal procedures now. I¡¯ll inform your sister for you.¡± After Tessa received the call, she immediately took the day off from the orchestra and rushed to Timothy¡¯s university. The second she went into Julius¡¯ office, she hurriedly turned to her own brother. ¡°Tim, are you alright?¡± Timothy nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Tess.¡± ¡°Of course he¡¯s alright, Miss Reinhart. Why don¡¯t you take a look at me and ask me if I¡¯m alright? The one who got punched is me, and all you care about is your brother the minute you came here? Hmph, both of you sure are birds of a feather and exactly the same,¡± Bruce sneered in annoyance. ¡°I dare you to say one more thing!¡± Taking a step forward, Timothy looked like he was going to hit him again. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Hurriedly, Tessa stood in front of her brother and stared at Bruce. ¡°Excuse me, if you didn¡¯t do well in your literature sses when you were young, I would suggest you retake the subject, and I¡¯ll pay for all your medical bills and other fees.¡± Stumped for words, Bruce red at Julius and hinted that he should say something. Julius cleared his throat. ¡°Miss Reinhart, I didn¡¯t ask you here to educate my pupil but rather to settle the case of your brother hitting someone else. The university has decided to expel him. Follow me to complete the procedure.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± she questioned coldly. ¡°The reason as to why my brother hit someone and also, what about the evidence?¡± ¡°So many people in the school saw it and they¡¯re all my witnesses. Furthermore, there¡¯s also surveince at the university entrance. You can check it out yourself¡± Bruce couldn¡¯t help but interject. Convinced that Timothy wouldn¡¯t start a fight without a reason, Tessa was still worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to view the surveince, so when she heard that, she nodded cheerfully. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s check the surveince then.¡± In the end, the surveince showed that it was Bruce jostling around,and the people around him were sneering inaudibly, but this was enough. ¡°The one who blocked Timothy¡¯s path first was him, and was the person who pushed him first. Also, he was the person who was speaking the whole time. So, I don¡¯t understand why the university is only taking actions against my brother,¡± Tessa said indifferently. ¡°This..¡± Julius muttered in embarrassment. Timothy was a good student, starting apany even before graduation, and this was very helpful for the university¡¯s publicity. However, Julius couldn¡¯t defy the instructions from the higher-ups at the same time. Between the fate of a student and the survival of a university, Julius was still able to tell which was more important. Then, Tessa added, ¡°If the university insists on expelling Timothy, then Bruce and the group of students in the surveince have to receive equally severe punishments.¡± While he couldn¡¯t offend the Liston Family, he was also unable to refute Tessa¡¯s reasoning. And so, all of them entered a stalemate just like that. After a long while, Julius said, ¡°Timothy¡¯s actions have affected the university in the end. I can revoke the decision to expel him but he has to have a huge demerit. He won¡¯t be able to study abroad and has to stay home to repent for a period of time.¡± Upon hearing that, Timothy didn¡¯t say anything else anymore. As he had already started his own company and it was now taking off, he didn¡¯t n to study abroad either. However, he was still upset that he was almost expelled and had a huge demerit because of something like this. However, the university had already made it clear that they wanted to punish him, and he had a hunch that even if he didn¡¯t have a demerit this time, they would still find another excuse to pass judgment on him. When that time came, they would probably expel him for real. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Aftering out of Julius¡¯ office, Tessa was a little baffled. ¡°Tim, what happened? What did he say that made you hit him?¡± Shaking his head, Timothy didn¡¯t want his sister to hear those nastyments. On the other hand, Tessa didn¡¯t want to force him if he didn¡¯t want to tell, but she thought that the university¡¯s attitude was a little odd. ¡°Why do I have a feeling that your university is picking on you and completely silent about the other student named Bruce Liston?¡± This was the same question on Timothy¡¯s mind, but judging from everything that happened recently, it was only possible that Bruce was the one who set up the trap today. ¡°His family is a shareholder of the university and he has been doing mean things in the school. I went to him for help thest time but he turned me down. After that, Master Kieran helped me out, and I offended him because of that. Maybe it was since that time that he held a grudge against me and used this opportunity to get back at me when he heard the rumors that we¡¯ve fallen out with the Sawyer Family.¡± Thinking about it, Tessa thought that it made sense as anger sparked within her. ¡°These people are just bullying others because of their background. This is too much! Tim, don¡¯t brood over it. You¡¯re an outstanding person, and you¡¯ll only be staying home for a short period. There are so many people with demerits and you cane back in the future.¡± In a second, she gazed at her brother with concern. Shaking his head, Timothy responded, ¡°I¡¯m fine. In fact, I will have more time to spend on my work and you now. Didn¡¯t you say that I lost some weight? I¡¯ll use this opportunity to rest well.¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Tessa¡¯s heart wrenched even harder for her brother at that and she sighed with a nod. ¡°Okay, so are we going home now?¡± To that, Timothy shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going hometer because there¡¯s a bunch of work to do at the company. Now that I have the extra time, I can get them all done.¡± At first, Tessa wanted to advise him not to work so tirelessly, but when she recalled how lost she was when she lost her job previously, she thought that he wouldn¡¯t be bored to tears if she let him go to work; at least, he still had a job. Thest thing she wanted to see was her brother depressed, so she didn¡¯t try to talk him around ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going with you, then. At the same time, I can buy the employees some refreshments or something to cheer them up.¡± As the Sawyer Group had made a rification earlier, many aspects of thepany were going smoothly now. Hence, when they walked into thepany, they heard the sounds of keyboards tapping; it was completely void of the chattering it used to have as everyone was working seriously. Seeing everyone engrossed in work, Tessa was also a little delighted. Looks like Tim¡¯spany is running well. Taking out the refreshments, she ced it gently on their desks, and the employees spun their heads around in surprise. When they saw that it was her, they eximed happily, ¡°Thanks, Tessa!¡± Smiling, she answered, ¡°You guys have been working hard. Have something to drink to relieve some tiredness. Work is important, but more so your health.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Tessa.¡± Grinning happily, the programmers thanked her. In the early days of thepany¡¯s establishment, Tessa woulde here often to reward them. Even though they hadn¡¯t officially set up thepany yet and were kind of free, she didn¡¯t tell them off at all. Simrly, everyone in thepany had a very good impression of her, taking her as their own elder sister and were always happy to see her. At this, Tessa¡¯s real brother just turned a blind eye to it. Well, what could he do since his sister was such a likable person? So, Tessa stayed in thepany and chatted with them for a while to help them unwind while Timothy went to look for Henry with a drink. The moment he walked into Henry¡¯s office, he saw that the most bubbly person in thepany was actually sitting in a daze. Unwittingly, he was puzzled and went to tap him on the shoulder, passing him the drink. ¡°What happened? Why the long Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. face?¡± When Henry lifted his head and saw that it was Timothy, he forced out a smile and took the drink from him. After he opened it, he took a huge gulp and lowered his head again, looking very distressed. At the same time, Tessa didn¡¯t want to disrupt the other employees at work and came in as well. Upon seeing Henry¡¯s bitter face, she assumed that he was upset that Timothy was punished by the university. As Timothy was a rather well-known person in the university, the news that he was punished because he hit someone had already spread throughout the campus. Even if the both of them didn¡¯t say anything, Henry must have heard about it as well. The both of them had always been great friends. If something happened to Timothy, Henry would be the first to stand out, just like thest time at the bar. And now that he heard Bruce had set up a trap for Timothy and caused him a huge demerit, he was probably more agitated than Timothy himself. Next to her, Timothy had the same idea, and he shed Henry a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I was merely given a demerit, which will be written off sooner orter. It¡¯s great that I don¡¯t have to go for sses now because I¡¯ll have time to be in thepany and not bump into Bruce.¡± Instantly, Henry jerked his head up, looking at him in disbelief. ¡°You have a demerit? What happened?¡± In a few simple words, Timothy told him what happened, skipping the part where Bruce made assumptions about him and Tessa. Even after that, the expression on Henry¡¯s face became even more distressed, and he said in a huff, ¡°What¡¯s happening now? Why are all of you in trouble? I really. From this, Tessa could tell that Henry didn¡¯t know about this, and probably something else happened on his side as well. ¡°Forget about what happened to Tim. The demerit is already done and there¡¯s nothing we can do to change that now. What happened at your side?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about thepany but my dad. Today, he was investigated out of the blue and his unit wants to fire him,¡± Henry said while grabbing his hair in frustration. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Chapter 269 A stunned Timothy muttered, ¡°Mr. Tompkins? How did it happen?¡± He had met Henry¡¯s father a few times. An honest and sincer¨¨ man with very few words, Mr. Tompkins had always been meticulous in his work and was the type of hard-working worker in hispany. Generally speaking, he wouldn¡¯t have made such a huge mistake that would cost him his job. ¡°That¡¯s my question as well. My father is a cautious person who has made almost no mistakes in his unit for almost thirty years. After this sudden investigation, my old man has locked himself in the room and refused toe out.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they tell the reason why he¡¯s fired?¡± Tessa asked. ¡°They did, saying that he had vited their code of conduct. They went through a bunch of stuff, including his cell phone andputer. In the end, they came up with a software and called it the evidence. They¡¯re simply unreasonable!¡± The more Henry thought about it, the angrier he became. ¡°Then, did you try to ask?¡± Tessa asked again. ¡°For an issue like this, you have to confront them personally to make things clear. They can¡¯t just frame the innocent.¡± ¡°Of course I did, and I went straight after my dad told me about it. Not only did they not give me an answer, they even said that I was disrupting theirpany¡¯s protocol and wanted to call the cops on me. Unreasonable!¡± he said in a resigned manner. Today, he had made a few trips back and forth, but he was thrown out every time without even the chance to exin anything. He even pulled some strings and went inside to look for thepany owner directly, but still, nothing could be done. After hearing everything, Tessa and Timothy exchanged nces with each other. Somehow, they felt that this issue had a striking resemnce to what had happened to Timothy today. The only difference was that the evidence provided by the university was weak, which was how Timothy avoided being expelled. On the other hand, what happened to Mr. Tompkins was sudden and the other party was unreasonable to have fired him without listening to any justifications. The other party really had evidence in their hands, and even if all three of them felt that this incident was weird, they couldn¡¯t say what was wrong about it. Patting Henry¡¯s shoulder, Tessaforted. ¡°It will be fine. Maybe it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. When the truthes to light very soon, they¡¯ll definitely allow Mr. Tompkins back to work.¡± ¡°That will be the best, but I¡¯m worried that hispany won¡¯t admit their mistake. There isn¡¯t a company who would voluntarily admit their mistake and not let their employees take the me,¡± Henry said, helpless. ¡°Moreover, even though my dad doesn¡¯t speak much, he¡¯s very stubborn. Even if they come and look for him after giving him the boot, he would never return as well because he¡¯s a very proud person. Still, he had worked in thatpany for so many years and has developed feelings for it. Always busy with work, he must be upset now that he suddenly lost his job, and I think it will be difficult for him to snap out of it.¡±. Tessa was silent for a few seconds; she happened to understand this kind of feeling. For sure, he would be feeling upset because when Nichs wanted her to return back then, she had also turned him down directly. After a sigh, she thenmented, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry so much. Mr. Tompkins will be fine. It¡¯s not a big deal if he has an early retirement since you are capable of providing for them. You can even let them go on vacations.¡± Nodding in agreement, Henry responded, ¡°I think the same as well. I¡¯ll speak to him again when I get back.¡± On the other hand, Timothy patted his shoulder without saying anything. Sometimes between best friends, there was absolutely no need to say anything extra when just one small gesture was the best encouragement. Casting the both of them a grateful look, Henry recovered his spirit and energy. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m alright. Let¡¯s get back to work. There are many things to get done today.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, you guys can¡¯t go in. Who are you people?¡± From outside the office, amotion had started. ¡°Get your boss out here,¡± a very rough, loud voice boomed. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Sir, do you have any business here? May I ask if you have an appointment?¡± the receptionist asked. ¡°Why does a small sh*ttypany need an appointment? I want to see him right now; otherwise, I¡¯ll tear down this garbagepany of yours,¡± the man threatened. As the man sounded really vulgar, Timothy couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows and exchange a look with Henry. Turning back to Tessa, he said, ¡°Tess, stay inside for now. I¡¯m going outside to check it out with Henry.¡± Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Tessa wanted to follow them out, but Timothy was afraid of any possible ident. Hearing the noise, he knew that the visitor surely had ill intentions. Therefore, he could not let Tessa get hurt. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just stay in here.¡± At this moment, the person outside was still shouting. Upon hearing the constant shouting, she frowned. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go out with you guys. It¡¯ll be fine. If you keep dying, the person might really start causing trouble.¡± Since he was powerless against Tessa, Timothy could only let her go out with them. And thus, the three of them appeared in the staff office area together. The big man turned his head as if he could sense their presence. ¡°Are you three the bosses here?¡± Timothy answered in a deep voice, ¡°What are you guys trying to do here? Why are you looking for the boss?¡± The man responded, ¡°Your previous project was substandard. So, I¡¯m here to ask forpensation on behalf of my boss. Don¡¯t you know how important reputation is to a smallpany like yours? How can you guys irresponsibly develop such minor software? It¡¯s no wonder thepany is such a small one.¡± As soon as Henry heard this, he immediately burst into anger. ¡°What are you talking about?! Don¡¯t you know anything about the art of speaking? If it¡¯s the problem about the project, you should just say that there¡¯s a problem with the project. Stop your personal attacks!¡± ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m not good with my words? Why don¡¯t you see for yourself? Go ahead and see whether there¡¯s any problem with the software you guys had developed,¡± the strong man sneered and threw the thing on the table. Henry suppressed his massive anger. Just as he was about tosh out, Tessa had stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Let¡¯s take a look first. Then, we¡¯ll talk about it.¡± Upon hearing that, only then did Henry sit down indignantly. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Later, Timothy calmly took the USB sh drive and plugged it in. Then, he clicked open the software. After a while, a very obvious bug appeared in the software. Timothy and Henry looked at each other. They could still recall that this software was indeed developed by theirpany and they had just given it to the first party a couple of days ago This software was a small and simple application. It only took thepany two days toplete the order from the receipt to its delivery. Even so, both of them had checked repeatedly. Hence, they were very sure that there was no problem with the software at that time. In a sh, Timothy quickly found the bug with the swiftness of his fingers. Then, he fixed the bug again. However, other problems instantly appeared again and continuously popped up. Then, he tried other methods again as he wanted to find the source of the problem all at once. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Henry asked, feeling anxious. However, Timothy shook his head. ¡°This is a veryplicated virus. I¡¯ve seen it on the Inte a while ago, but no one has been able to crack it yet. They still can¡¯t find the precise details of the problem.¡± ¡°These software bugs, they are linked one by one. It is as if there¡¯s no end to it. No matter how many times we¡¯ve solved it, they will still appear in the future.¡± After Timothy finished speaking, the face of one of the employees in the Research & Development Department turned pale in fright. ¡°B-Boss, it wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t do this. It really wasn¡¯t me. There were no such problems when I developed it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know it¡¯s not your doing.¡± After giving the employee a pat on his shoulder, Timothy looked at the strong man again. ¡°Sir, this software was indeed developed by ourpany. However, the problem isn¡¯t the software itself. Rather, it has been tampered with by others,¡± Before Timothy could finish, the strong man directly interrupted him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to your nonsense. Anyhow, it¡¯s the problem with the software. You also admitted it yourself. I won¡¯t make things difficult for you guys either. I have called the police while I was on my way here earlier. The police will be here in a while.¡± Upon hearing that, Timothy could not help frowning. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know much about Information Technology, I just mentioned that someone had maliciously tampered with the software. Isn¡¯t now the time for us to find a solution? It¡¯s still not toote to find out the mastermind, isn¡¯t it? Why must you make hasty conclusions?¡± The strong man sneered, ¡°It¡¯s no use telling me these. Our boss said that if it requires thewmaker to solve the issue, then we shall bring this matter to the police station. At worst, we don¡¯t want to use this software anymore, but we still have to talk aboutpensation.¡± ¡°You! Don¡¯t you understand humannguage?! We have already told you that we should find the problem and solve it at its core. Besides, you shouldn¡¯t be asking our side forpensation. There¡¯s no defects with the software when it was given to yourpany. Why are you guys onlying over and making a fuss after two days? Who knows if any of you have done anything to the software in between the two days? Are you trying to extort money?¡± Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Henry could not help but say those words angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say. It¡¯s true that there¡¯s a problem with the software. Regarding this matter, you guys can¡¯t deny the fact. It¡¯s pointless for you guys to make more fuss about it. Indeed, I received money and did them a favor. If we continue to quarrel over this, who knows what my boss will expose when he gets annoyed. By then, it¡¯ll be you guys who will be upset.¡± The strong man shrugged his shoulders indifferently. ¡°B-Boss, it¡¯s really not me,¡± the employee pleaded as he looked at Timothy. The employee was so frightened by these words that his legs went weak. At this point, Timothy had no other way out as he patted the employee¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. The police will definitely clear our name.¡± It did not take long for the police to arrive at thepany. Then, the police took the employee away with them. Shortly after, the strong man followed and left. In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire office dropped to a freezing point. There was one employee who was a little frightened. ¡°What should we do now? Leo is really innocent. Thepany is just starting to improve, yet it is now like this. What should we do in the future?¡± ¡°As soon as the news of today¡¯s incident breaks out, do you think ourpany will be ostracized? Sigh¡­ I also believe in Leo, and also in Boss, but what should we do now? How do we find that culprit in order to clear Leo¡¯s suspicion?¡± In the meantime, Timothy¡¯s facial expression had also turned ugly. Henry and I had checked the software. Now that this kind of incident has taken ce, both of us are hardly able to absolve ourselves from the me. There was no problem with the software then, but why is there a problem with it now? Could it be that this bug was hidden too deep and the two of us didn¡¯t manage to check it out before? Patting everyone¡¯s shoulders, Henry cajoled, ¡°Okay. The two of us will solve this matter. We¡¯ll never let innocent people be implicated. You guys still have projects in hand. Go ahead and get busy first.¡± Timothy also looked at Tessa. ¡°Tess, you¡¯re on leave, am I right? It¡¯s been so long since you¡¯ve gone out, so I think you should head back now. You don¡¯t wish to cause the progress of the orchestra to be impacted, don¡¯t you?¡± Seeing that she could not help much here, Tessa nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. There¡¯s always a solution.¡± Upon hearing that, he nodded. ¡°We know. Hurry up and go back. Let me know when you arrived at the orchestra.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go back first.¡± With that, Tessa left. At Berlin Philharmonic¡¯s training camp, Tessa informed the Human Resource Department to cancel her leave after she returned to the orchestra. Then, she directly headed to the training room for practice. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Tessa, Mr. Miller is looking for you.¡± Just as she was about to pick up the violin and find the passage where everyone was practicing, the staff at the front desk knocked on the door, walked into the training room, and informed her. Feeling a little surprised, Tessa ced her violin down and walked out of the training room with the front desk staff. Standing at the door of Robert¡¯s office, Tessa knocked on the door. Robert¡¯s calm and deep voice sounded from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± After Tessa walked in, she saw that Scott was also standing inside. He was talking to Robert. She paused for a while before saying, ¡°Mr. Miller, did you look for me?¡± ¡°Yeah. I have something to tell you.¡± Upon hearing that, Scott said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll run along first. You two go ahead.¡± However, Robert simply nced at Scott. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll just say a few words.¡± Once again, Robert turned to look at Tessa. ¡°Pack up your things and leave today.¡± Tessa was stunned at that moment. ¡°M-Mr. Miller? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, hasn¡¯t Tessa been doing very well here? Didn¡¯t you praise her for making great progress a couple of days ago? Why suddenly¡­¡± Scott was also surprised. . Robert said in a deep voice, ¡°Tessa is not suitable for the Berlin Philharmonic.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, please give me a reasonable reason. As a music director, although you have the authority to decide whether a staff member stays or leaves, I can¡¯t ept this if there¡¯s no justifiable reason.¡± Tessa spoke softly, ¡°If it¡¯s because I took leave today and you¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll be holding the orchestra back, I can promise you that there is no need for you to be worried about that. I will use my efforts to prove myself.¡± Giving a dry cough, he added, ¡°But, Tessa, we really can¡¯t afford to let a saint like you stay here. You have the ability, so aim and reach even higher.¡± At that moment, Tessa was silent. I don¡¯t believe that there is any reason for them to can¡¯t afford to let me stay. The Berlin Philharmonic is second to none in the world. In my eyes, this is what I desire the most! Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Now that I have worked so hard to finally arrive here, they¡¯re telling me I should aim higher. Where¡¯s the worth of that higher ce? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s the opposite. They¡¯re implying that I have nowhere to go¡­ Likewise, Scott¡¯s voice had also cooled down instantly. ¡°Mr. Miller, isn¡¯t your reason a little too far- fetched? Don¡¯t you understand what kind of person Tessa is after getting along with her these days? She works harder than anyone. She works even harder than me! If you want to fire her, then our band will have one less capable performer! You said that the Berlin Philharmonic wants to recruit top musicians and build a world-ss team, but ask yourself, is this really the right thing to do?¡± In a cold voice, Robert responded, ¡°Scott, don¡¯t think you can be self-aggrandizing just because I support you. You know how an orchestra operates. All staff members listen to the music director, and not the so-called world-ss musicians like you!¡± ¡°Regarding Tessa¡¯s expulsion, it¡¯s a decision made by me and all the orchestra managers. Whether she is in our orchestra or not is of little importance. We won¡¯t sacrifice the entire orchestra solely for her sake!¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa lowered her eyes. The light in her eyes dimmed. As expected¡­ Since Scott was unwilling to give up, he continued by saying, ¡°Mr. Miller, you should reconsider again, though.¡± ¡°We have finalized our decision on this matter, and we will not change it,¡± Robert said without hesitation. ¡°Also, Tessa, I really appreciate your talent. However, we really can¡¯t keep you here any longer.¡± ¡°I have learned about the incident revolving around the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra. Previously, I didn¡¯t understand them, but I do now. So, I hope you have some self awareness and don¡¯t bring harm to other orchestras.¡± Tessa nodded. ¡°Mr. Miller, no more words are needed. I¡¯ll leave.¡± After that, she immediately left Robert¡¯s office. ¡°Mr. Miller! I¡¯ll find you when Ie back.¡± Scott wanted to say something, but he did not continue his sentence when he saw Tessa had left. Then, he immediately chased after her. ¡°Tessa, hold up!¡± Scott strode to keep up with Tessa. However, Tessa lowered her eyes as if she did not hear Scott¡¯s words. She simply kept walking forward. From the beginning, Mr. Miller knew that I was fired by the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra. He even said that he would like to thank the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra and the Sawyer Group for leaving him with a good candidate. Prior to this, Mr. Miller also vowed that he would introduce me to the other managers. He said that I will be a rising star in the music industry, and that the orchestra will have a ce for me in the future. He even said that the Berlin Philharmonic isn¡¯t afraid of arbitrary power, and it is impossible for them to abandon any musician because of this kind of corporate oppression. But now¡­ ¡°Tessa! Listen to me.¡± Scott took Tessa¡¯s hand and pulled her to a quieter corner. She looked up at him. ¡°Why? Why do things suddenly change?¡± At that moment, he did not know how tofort her. Suddenly, he remembered the first time they met. The first time we met was when Tessa was fired. She was walking on the road alone and even nearly got into a car ident. This time, she was once again fired for an unknown reason. It¡¯s absolutely rubbing salt on the wound. All of a sudden, Tessa curled her lips upward and smiled. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m used to it now. If the Berlin Philharmonic doesn¡¯t ept me, there must be other bands that want me. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll go to that cafest time and y my violin.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Even though Tessa could let out augh, that was not the case with Scott. Tessa is one of the most talented people that I have met before. If she is going to perform in that kind of store, I¡¯m afraid her talent will really be neglected. Thinking of that, Scott said, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely try to convince Mr. Miller. He¡¯s the music director of a world- ss orchestra. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not so pedantic. Perhaps there have been a lot of rumors circting around recently. He¡¯ll regret his decision in the future.¡± Tessa smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. It¡¯s their loss that they don¡¯t appreciate you. It¡¯s almost time to get off work now, so let me send you home.¡± Upon hearing that, she rejected his offer by saying, ¡°No, I can go back by myself. You just talked back to Mr. Miller a while ago. It¡¯s not good for you to leave earlier now. Don¡¯t affect your career development because of me.¡± Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Chapter 273. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± Scott smiled gently. Seeing that Scott was being persistent, Tessa could only nod her head. Meanwhile, in the Sawyer Group¡¯s office building, Edward followed behind Nichs once Nichs had returned to his office after finishing a video conference. ¡°President Sawyer, Old Master Sawyer is taking action again,¡± Edward said in a solemn manner as he cast aside his usual gentle smile. Since Nichs had long expected this, he was not surprised at all at the fact that Remus would make a move. Grandpa doesn¡¯t understand the true meaning of ¡®Give Up, and he will do whatever it takes to achieve the goal of the matter that he has set his mind on. Nichs raised his eyes and said, ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Old Master Sawyer has asked the school to expel Timothy today, but because of Miss Reinhart¡¯s reasonable argument, the mission failed. However, Timothy was still issued with a major demerit and is unable to study abroad. In addition, Henry¡¯s father was fired from hispany. Another employee of Timothy¡¯spany was arrested because of a software hack. As for Miss Reinhart, she was also fired by the Berlin Philharmonic.¡± The moment Nichs heard that, the look on his face darkened. Grandpa is starting to take out his anger, and he will attack both Tessa and Timothy indiscriminately. He¡¯s trying to leave them high and dry to the point of driving them into great desperation. Then, he coldly ordered, ¡°Go and solve these matters. Don¡¯t let these matters affect more people. Also, protect the two of them well.¡± ¡°Yes, President Sawyer.¡± Edward received the order and quickly left the office. In the meantime, at the Sawyer Residence, the housekeeper bowed to Remus and reported, ¡°Sir, everything has been arranged properly. Except for Timothy Reinhart¡¯s dismissal being changed to a demerit, everything else has gone well.¡± Remus raised his eyes slightly as he blew lightly at the teacup. For a moment, the smoke filled his face and covered his facial expression, making people unable to read his thoughts. ¡°Sir, what should we do next?¡± The housekeeper understood Remus. As long as Tessa Reinhart doesn¡¯t leave Brentwood, or Master Nichs is not married, Old Master Sawyer will never stop. Sure enough, Remus ced the teacup down. ¡°Go and inform Hayley Stone that I¡¯ll allow her to visit the manor and catch up with Greg from today onward. Also, inform the people at the manor that none of them are allowed to stop Hayley.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Upon receiving the order, the housekeeper immediately left to arrange this matter. After Hayley learned that she was free to enter and exit Dynasty Gardens, she was overjoyed. Wrapping her arms around Sonia¡¯s neck, Hayley announced, ¡°Mom! I can go to Nichs¡¯ house! I¡¯ll be able to get married to him soon!¡± ¡°I knew my daughter could do it. Remember, be nice to Young Master Gregory. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you don¡¯t project yourself in front of Nichs. What matters most now is that child,¡± Sonia reminded. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Upon hearing that, Hayley nodded. ¡°I understand. Besides, I also like that child. I¡¯ll definitely treat him very well and he¡¯ll ept me sooner orter.¡± Early the next morning, Hayley wore a long dress in the color of light yellow. She brought the sweet snacks that Gregory liked-something that she had inquired about earlier. Then, she arrived at Dynasty Gardens. ¡°Young master, Miss Stone is here.¡± . In the meantime, Gregory was in the music room practising the music piece that Tessa had taught him before. Andrew knocked on the door and led Hayley into the music room. However, Gregory misheard and thought it was Tessa who had arrived. Thus, he quickly raised his head and called out softly, ¡°Miss Tessa, how is my violin ying skill?¡± When he saw that the person standing in front of him was not the person whom he imagined, Gregory¡¯s facial expression changed slightly. All the bragging words were stuck in his throat while his initially bright eyes were now full of disappointment. Hayley did not notice the change in Gregory¡¯s facial expression, but she felt that she was directly stabbed in the heart by Gregory when she heard him call out ¡®Miss Tessa¡¯. Gritting her teeth, Hayley immediately replied, ¡°You y really well. It¡¯s excellent!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gregory responded coldly. Then, he looked at Andrew again. ¡°Andrew, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It was an arrangement made by the Sawyer Residence. They¡¯re afraid that you will be bored at home alone, so they have asked Miss Stone toe and y with you,¡± Andrew commented respectfully. Gregory hummed, but his facial expression still remained cold. There¡¯s no way for me to refute Great- Grandpa¡¯s order. Even Grandpa and Daddy can¡¯t easily disobey Great Grandpa. No matter how unhappy I am, I can¡¯t chase her out. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Chapter 274 When Hayley saw that Gregory acquiesced to her staying, she was delighted. Yes! I¡¯m one step closer to sess! ¡°Greg, I have bought your favorite pastries for you. You should take a break first. Come over and try these pastries.¡± She ced the pastries in front of Gregory, one by one. However, he simply nced at those pastries and did not say anything. Then, he continued to pick up his violin as all he thought about was Tessa. I have promised Miss Tessa that the next time we meet, I¡¯ll master this piece and y it for her. I have no time to eat those pastries now. Moreover, the pastries made by Miss Tessa are a hundred times better than store-bought pastries! Hayley¡¯s facial expression stiffened when she saw that Gregory was ignoring her. However, she did not say anything to reprimand him. Instead, she just said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll put the pastry here. What do you want to drink? I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± Silence. Gregory still ignored her. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll squeeze a ss of orange juice for you,¡± Hayley informed after a moment¡¯s silence. In the next few days, she came to the manor whenever Nichs was away and left before he returned. She did not disturb the father and son bonding time between him and Gregory at all. Also, Nichs was not aware that Hayley had visited his residence on a daily basis. Over at the Gingham Residence, Roselle looked at the private detective in front of her. Gritting her teeth, she rified, ¡°What did you say? Hayley, that b*tch, is entering and exiting Dynasty Gardens every day?¡± Nichs doesn¡¯t allow me to get close to Gregory and Dynasty Gardens. I¡¯ve always suspected that he had something going on with other women. I have been secretly following Tessa for several days but found nothing. So, I began to monitor the situation in Dynasty Gardens. As expected¡­ She gritted her teeth. ¡°Hayley, that b*tch! She thinks she¡¯s worthy of Nichs?¡± How should I deal with Hayley now, though? Suddenly, Roselle remembered the consequence that her mom faced after poisoning Gregory. She could not help but smile. I¡¯m afraid Hayley will never be able to get close to that child ever again. It would be best if the child died. Roselle had been lurking near Dynasty Gardens for a few days. Finally, she spotted a servant with her eyes. So, she stepped forward and asked, ¡°You must be working for the Sawyers, right?¡± Upon hearing that, the servant nodded timidly. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am, but I¡¯m here to give you money. Let me ask you: what is the rtionship between Young Master Gregory and Hayley Stone?¡± Roselle asked. ¡°Miss Stone treats Young Master Gregory well. However, he keeps ignoring her for some reason,¡± the servant said. Roselle nodded. ¡°In that case, here¡¯s 20,000. Do me a favor: help me hurt the child and frame Hayley for it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that harming people? N-No, I can¡¯t.¡± The servant kept shaking her head in fear. However, Roselle continued to tempt the servant with money. ¡°After this is done, I still have another 100,000 to give you.¡± After thinking about it, the servant eventually took the money. Cha¡­ When the servant returned to Dynasty Gardens, she happened to see Hayley and Gregory talking at the stairways. Thus, she took the fruit from the other servants. After taking the fruits upstairs, the servant then pushed Hayley hard. ¡°Ah! Greg!¡± With that hard push, Hayley lost control as she fell forward and her body directlynded on Gregory. At once, he rolled down the stairs from the second floor to the first floor and red blood started dripping from Gregory¡¯s head within seconds. Upon hearing the noise, Andrew hurriedly came out to check. The servants were in chaos, and he immediately shouted, ¡°Quick! Call 911! Hurry!¡± ¡°Quick! Call Master Nichs!¡± ? ¡°Young master¡­ Young master. Andrew whispered to Gregory. The situation was chaotic at the manor. At this moment, Nichs had just picked Tessa up as he was nning to take her to visit Gregory. He had promised Gregory that he would let them meet today. When he received the call from home, Nichs¡¯ facial expression took a sudden turn. ¡°Edward, go to the hospital! Quick!¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Tessa asked as she was a little puzzled. ¡°Greg is injured,¡± Nichs answered in a deep voice. Upon hearing this, Edward stepped on the elerator without saying a word. He turned the car around and drove in the direction of the hospital. By the time they arrived at the hospital, Gregory was already in the operating room. ¡°How is his condition?¡± Nichs asked. Andrew felt a little guilty. ¡°Young master has just been sent into the operation room. He shed a lot of blood.¡± Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Nichs pursed his lips, and before he could ask about the situation, the door of the operating room opened. ¡°The hospital¡¯s blood bank urgently needs RH-negative blood. Are your family members here?¡± He was not of this blood type, so he said solemnly, ¡°Edward, find the blood source. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I have the blood type needed,¡± a gentle female voice sounded beside him. Tessa pursed her lips and stood up while staring at the nurse with firm eyes. ¡°Nurse, I. am of the RH- negative blood. Take me to the blood bank.¡± Nichs suddenly raised his head and looked at Tessa-she also had RH-negative blood? Was this really a coincidence? Although he was calm on the surface, his exploratory eyes kept lingering on Tessa as she was too mysterious. Edward was also surprised. He had known Tessa¡¯s blood type, but it had been so long that he forgot about it. Now that Tessa mentioned it at this moment¡­ After the nurse drew a little blood from Tessa, she hurriedly went to check Tessa¡¯s blood type. It didn¡¯t take long for the blood type matching results to be released and confirm that both of them had RH-negative blood. The nurse hurried to Tessa and said, ¡°Miss, the blood type matching is sessful, so pleasee with me.¡± Tessa also breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she was a sessful match. It was great that she could save Gregory! She quickly followed the nurse¡¯s footsteps and entered the blood transfusion room. The cold needle pierced into her delicate skin before the hot blood flowed into the blood bag along the blood transfusion tube. Tessa was afraid of the pain and would feel a little dizzy from the sight of blood. However, she was not afraid at all now. At this point, she only kept thinking that the nurse should take more blood and faster. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. She looked at the nurse and asked, ¡°Can you speed this up?¡± ¡°No way, ma¡¯am. If we speed up this process, you won¡¯t be able to stand it. While we ensure the safety of the child, we must also ensure your safety,¡± the nurse answered. After that, she nced at the anxious Tessa again. ¡°I know a mother¡¯s mood, and I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re eager to save your child, but our doctors are all professionals. You just need to trust us.¡± Mother? Tessa¡¯s face flushed instantly as she quickly defended, ¡°No, I¡¯m not his mother.¡± It would be great if she was truly his mother, she added silently in her heart. Outside the operating room, Nichs stared at the direction where Tessa was leaving until her figure disappeared from his field of vision. Only then did he speak with a hoarse voice. ¡°Edward, go collect Tessa and Greg¡¯s DNA. Don¡¯t let anyone check it, and don¡¯t test it here either. I¡¯ll give you an address where you can send it toter.¡± Edward nodded. ¡°Yes, President.¡± In the end, Nichs had grown suspicious. It would be good to do a test so that many things could be determined. However, he was also thoughtful. If they tested the DNA here, the old man would definitely find clues about it and they were not sure what would happen at that time. As far as the old man¡¯s attitude toward the siblings was concerned, he could also vaguely guess that if it was indeed her, then this ending would definitely not lead to a good oue. Nichs walked to the quiet stairwell and made a phone call. A cheerful male voice came from the phone. ¡°Yo, Young Master Sawyer. Why are you calling me today? You probably missed me, right?¡± Nichs was not in the mood to joke with him and said coldly, ¡°I will send you two samples in the next few days. Do a test for me.¡± ? The other party was slightly taken aback. ¡°Is it a paternity test? Are you not from your family? How is this possible? What about the tens of billions of family assets?¡± He held back his anger and questioned, ¡°Are you trying to get me to kill you? It belongs to Greg.¡± After being startled again, the other party quickly realized that the test was not for the identification between Nichs and Greg, but Greg and another persona woman. He immediately inquired, ¡°Have you found your child¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nichs replied indifferently, ¡°You are responsible for this matter. During this process, remember to not let others interfere.¡± Chapter-276 ?Chapter 276 He Will Be Fine "Understood. Don''t you already know me? I''ll make sure to do things properly for you." The cheerful male voiceughed a few times before he continued, "However, how does it feel to find the mother of your child? Are you happy? Are you excited? However, I never thought that you would be looking for that woman. Where did you find her? What does she do? Is she married?" Nichs pinched his brows. "Don''t ask so many questions." Then, he ignored the other party''s chatter, hung up the phone without saying a word, and went back to the waiting area. After he sent the address to Edward, he sat on the stool and looked in the direction of the blood drawing room. Tessa hadpleted her blood drawing at this time and walked out of the room. Her face and lips were pale. Nichs walked quickly to her. "Why do you look so pale? Are you alright?" She nodded her head and said, "I''m fine. It''s the first time I''ve donated blood, so I''m a little dizzy. Resting will do." He helped her to sit down on a chair. "You really don''t look well. Greg probably won''te out so soon. I''ll send you back first and let you know when his surgery is over." Nichs saw that she looked unwell, and his voice involuntarily softened. "No, it''s the same even if I rest here. I want to see hime out safely so that I can be rest assured," Tessa said worriedly. While she was in the blood drawing room, she chatted with the nurse for a while. The nurse replied, "The child''s condition is quite serious. It is noughing matter when an adult rolls down the stairs from the second floor. What more when the child is only five years old. Besides, he also bled a lot. Almost all the blood of his blood type in the hospital has been used to treat him, but it is still not enough." When Tessa heard these words, she was dumbfounded. "It doesn''t matter if there is no blood in the hospital. I have it here, and you can draw more of my blood so that the child can be cured."Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The nurse had already pulled out the needles, but Tessa was still persuading the nurse to continue drawing her blood. In the end, the nurse couldn''t resist her persuasion, so she could only take Tessa out of the blood drawing room and ask the family to watch over her. Tessa couldn''t help muttering in her heart; they had shared the same blood type, they got on well together, and she was so concerned about the child''s affairs. How could she not be the child''s mother, or was it all a lie? "Greg will be fine." Nichs was also worried about his child, but when he saw Tessa like this, he couldn''t help butfort her. She nodded. "I know, but I still want to wait here." "Okay." When he saw that she was determined and wanted to wait here, he had no choice but to agree to her request. As he sat beside Tessa, Nichs felt that she seemed to be trembling a little. He turned his head and saw that she was still pale while her hands were equally cold. He asked softly, "Are you alright? Do you want to see a doctor?" Tessa still shook her head. "I''m just a little dizzy after donating blood. The nurse said just now that I will be fine in a while, so don''t worry." Nichs pursed his lips, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over Tessa''s body. As the big coat covered her body, it made the originally tall woman look extra petite and pale, and anyone who saw her would undoubtedly pity her. He helped her to button up his coat and nced at her hesitantly. In the end, he still didn''t say anything before he turned to look at the direction of the operating room. Edward was sent to work while there were only Tessa and Nichs outside the operating room. The two of them sat side by side on the stool without speaking, and they stared in the direction of the operating room very tacitly. The operation was very long. Yet another half an hour had passed, but the doctors and nurses had note out yet. Tessa just donated a lot of blood, and because of Gregory''s ident, she was too anxious and nervous. Although she was sitting and looking at the surgical light that indicated that an operation was in progress, she felt a little groggy with the surgical light seemingly hypnotizing her. There was some fatigue gradually showing on her face before her eyelids began to flutter, and her consciousness gradually blurred. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Tessa wanted to hold on so that she wouldn¡¯t fall asleep, and she wanted to wait for Gregory to be safe before resting. However, she was still defeated by exhaustion in the end. Her heavy eyelids finally closed, and she slowly tilted toward Nichs. Nichs kept staring at the operating room, and because his heart had suddenly started racing, he was a little disturbed and deliberately ignored Tessa. Suddenly, there was a weight on his shoulder as a head rested on him. He was stunned for a moment and wanted to push the head away, but he turned to look and saw that it was Tessa. He stopped his movements and whispered, ¡°Tessa?¡± She seemed to be aware of him, and gave a soft grunt in acknowledgment. Then, she slightly moved on his shoulder, found a morefortable angle before falling asleep again. Nichs¡¯s mood inexplicably improved for the better. He chuckled lightly and no longer disturbed her rest, but merely looked at her with very gentle eyes. Tessa¡¯s unique fragrance lingered on the tip of his nose. He felt that this fragrance was better than those expensive perfumes because it was refreshing. He didn¡¯t hate the smell, and even felt that it was too familiar to the point where he was falling into it. After Edward dealt with Nichs¡¯ instructions, he returned to the waiting room and saw Tessa sleeping on Nichs¡¯ shoulder. His footsteps could not help bute to a stop. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He rubbed his eyes forcefully as he suspected that he was seeing wrong. His president was not only mysophobic, but also hated close contact with women. Just a single touch, and he would have to throw away those expensive clothes. The man had shoulders that made women go wild but they could only dare to watch from a distance, but now Tessa could lean on him to sleep like this? The president, who had always been at the top and inexplicably more outstanding than others, seemed more humane and gave people a sense of warmth now. This scene really subverted Edward¡¯s perception of his own president. However, this puzzled Edward a little. Nichs had already doubted Tessa¡¯s identity, so why did he treat her so well? After all, Edward also knew how much Nichs hated that woman who gave birth to a child for some money, and abandoned her child for some unknown reason. When he saw this scene, he deeply felt that his Nichs hadpletely changed. If it weren¡¯t for his usual tactics in the business world, he would have suspected that the Nichs in front of him was a fake. Forget it. He shouldn¡¯t even be third-wheeling here. After making up his mind, Edward started to retreat, but he had just taken a few steps back when he bumped into an approaching Kieran. ¡°Edward? Isn¡¯t my brother there? Where are you going? What¡¯s wrong with Greg? Is the operation over?¡± Kieran asked in confusion. When he asked so many questions in one breath, Edward was a little dumbfounded. ¡°Master Kieran, the young master isn¡¯t out yet, and the president is also waiting over there.¡± ¡°However, Master Kieran, I¡¯m going to look for a ce to stay for a while and I advise you, don¡¯t go to him now. Come to the other end with me and stay in the corner.¡± Edward hooked his lips and smiled before he pulled Kieran in the other direction. Kieran frowned in displeasure and asked, ¡°Why are you hiding? Why can¡¯t we go over there, and what about my brother? I have to watch our baby boy, and I¡¯m worried to death. As soon as I got home, I saw the news and rushed here. What are you doing pulling me away?¡± ¡°Shh, Master Kieran, keep quiet. If you want to know, I¡¯ll show you why you can¡¯t go there.¡± Edward pretended to be mysterious. ¡°What¡ªthis is crazy. If my brother knows about this, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll ask you to get your brain checked out.¡± Although Kieran said those words to Edward, his feet followed Edward willingly. The two of them hid in the corner, stretched out their heads, and looked in that direction. They saw that Tessa leaned on Nichs¡¯ shoulder and was asleep. And the legendary masculine President Sawyer did not only push her away, but he even ced his hand on her shoulder for fear of her falling. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Chapter 278 This was a really beautiful scene. Kieran opened his mouth wide in shock and quickly reached out to cover his mouth -what did he just see? Although he wanted to take a photo of the two of them, he was afraid of being chased and killed by Nichs. Since this disy of affection was quite hard for Kieran to continue looking, he put down his mobile phone and looked at Edward. ¡°Let¡¯s go, this PDA is too much and I can¡¯t stand to watch anymore.¡± Edward felt the same way. He nodded and resolutely followed Kieran¡¯s footsteps to leave. However, it was at that moment when the lights in the operating room went off. The door of the operating room opened slowly, and several doctors came out together. As if sensing something, Tessa woke up instantly. After seeing the doctor, she immediately stood up and went to meet them. However, because she had donated blood and she rushed to her feet, she fell to the side in her dizzy state. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Nichs¡¯ eyes and hands were quick, and he hugged her by the waist, preventing her contact with the floor. He asked solemnly, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Several doctors were also stunned for a moment as they wanted to go forward to check on her. Tessa shook her head and replied a little embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡­ stood up too fast.¡± Kieran and Edward couldn¡¯t help butugh. When she heard their chokedughter, Tessa was a little embarrassed. She broke free from Nichs¡¯ arms, turned to look at the doctor, and asked, ¡°How is Gregory now?¡± The doctor didn¡¯t say anything when they saw that she was alright, and answered, ¡°The child fell from a height and hit his head many times.¡± Tessa¡¯s heart froze instantly, and she hurriedly probed, ¡°Then, how is he now?¡± The doctor added, ¡°Fortunately, the rescue was timely. Although a lot of blood was lost, fortunately there was no blood clot in the brain, and the child is not in serious trouble now.¡± She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°However, after all, the child has been hit many times in the head and has a moderate concussion. This must be taken care of. When the child wakes up, don¡¯t get too excited, don¡¯t shake the child, and don¡¯t let him shake his head or anything like that. Slight dizziness is normal in this situation,¡± the doctor warned while looking at Tessa. When she thought of her actions earlier, Tessa blushed and nodded. ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± During this period, Nichs didn¡¯t say a word and only kept staring at Tessa with a heavy gaze, as she pulled the doctor to ask some questions. After Tessa asked a series of precautions, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, patted her racing heart and whispered, ¡°As long as he¡¯s okay¡­¡± Kieran gave her a funny look and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Miss Reinhart, what are you doing?¡± Tessa couldn¡¯t help blushing again and said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. When Greg didn¡¯te out just now, my heart was beating hard. Now that the child is all right, I can finally calm down.¡± He nced at his brother teasingly and thought, I¡¯m afraid your restlessness is not because of Greg, but because of someone else¡­ However, he didn¡¯t dare to say this out loud. Otherwise, he might receive serious beatings from Nichs and would have to run around to escape him. When Kieran turned his head, he saw Tessa¡¯s pale face. She seemed to be much paler than normal people, and he asked with some concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face? You¡¯re not really scared because of Greg¡¯s situation, are you?¡± Tessa shook her head and didn¡¯t want to say more. The matter of saving Greg was her own will, so talking about it everywhere would be equate to bragging and this was not her original intention. However, Nichs, who was on the side, said, ¡°She donated blood to Greg.¡± Kieran was shocked when he heard this. He looked at Tessa in shock, then at his brother, and his eyes finally fell on Edward. Edward nodded silently at him, but shook his head again. He instantly remembered the previous information, and quickly understood what Edward meant. Then, he pretended to be calm and said, ¡°Then, you should have a good rest, Miss Reinhart. Since Greg is all right now, why don¡¯t we send you back?¡± Edward on the side also said, ¡°Yes, Miss Reinhart. The young master may not wake up so quickly. You have been here for a long time and have donated quite arge sum of blood, so you should have a good rest. Otherwise, when the young master wakes up and you¡¯re sick again, that won¡¯t be good.¡± Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Tessa still shook her head and she turned to look at Nichs. ¡°My health is fine. A little blood is not a problem and now that I have rested, I am fine. Can I wait for Greg to wake up? I have agreed to meet him today. I want to let him know that when he opens his eyes, I am there for him.¡± Nichs was silent for a few seconds. When he saw that Tessa¡¯s eyes were firm, he knew that even if he persuaded her again, there was no way to change her mind, so he said, ¡°Okay.¡± She pursed her lips and smiled in relief. Then, a group of people came out and transferred Gregory to a suite ward. She remained motionless as she sat in front of the hospital bed and looked at him. Edward went out halfway, and not long after, he entered the ward again and whispered to Nichs, ¡°President, Miss Stone is here.¡± Hayley had been frightened from Gregory¡¯s injury. The housekeeper ignored her and only sent someone to watch her, waiting for Nichs to deal with her. Nichs nodded. He looked at the pale child on the hospital bed, and Tessa, who was equally pale in front of the hospital bed, before leaving the ward. Hayley cried as soon as she saw Nichs and tugged on his sleeve tightly. ¡°Nichs, it wasn¡¯t me. I really didn¡¯t do this; you have to believe me.¡± ¡°Get your hands off me.¡± He coldly shook off her hand. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. She had cried so much, but her eyes were looking at Nichs with expectation as he hoped that he could believe her. Kieran looked at her with some doubts. ¡°Miss Stone, why would you be in Dynasty Gardens in the first ce?¡± ¡°O-Old Master Sawyer told me to go, saying that he wanted me to develop a rtionship with Greg, so I really wouldn¡¯t hurt him. If I really wanted to hurt him, it would be impossible for Old Master Sawyer to let me get close to the child in the first ce. It¡¯s even more impossible for me to marry you, and I understand the truth of loving you and your child.¡± Hayley didn¡¯t dare to hide anything at this time, so she immediately outed Remus and expressed her desires. Kieran shifted his gaze to Andrew. ¡°Andrew, is that the case? Has she really beening here often these days?¡± ¡°Yes, the old master won¡¯t let me talk about it, so I hid it from you,¡± Andrew said, a little troubled. If he had told them this earlier, would this not have happened? ¡°Who was there on the second floor at that time?¡± Nichs frowned in displeasure, but returned to the original question. Hayley¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she still replied, ¡°I-I don¡¯t remember. It seemed like a vague shadow had walked over, but I¡¯m not sure. It was just me and Greg that I can be sure of.¡± Andrew also nodded. ¡°Master Nichs, I was in the kitchen, so I didn¡¯t really witness the situation at the time, but the servants said that only the two of them were seen on the second floor. At that time, Miss Stone was standing at the entrance of the stairs and seemed to be talking to Young Master Gregory.¡± Hayley couldn¡¯t justify this, so she could only slowly retell the scene at that time. ¡°That¡¯s true. At that time, I was talking to Greg. I wanted to go out for a walk with him. He had been at home for several days. I was kind, but Greg refused, so I only left it at that.¡± After saying this, she added with some uncertainty, ¡°However, at that time, I felt like someone had pushed me behind my back and I stumbled toward Greg. I am a little uncertain, though, and can¡¯t remember what happened in the end.¡± All of a sudden, she remembered that there seemed to be several cameras in Nichs¡¯ house, but she couldn¡¯t remember whether there were any at the entrance of the stairs. Now, she could only gamble. She really had no way to clear the suspicions around her except this method. Gregory was badly injured because of her. She was afraid that she would never be able to enter the Sawyer Residence again¡­ She pleaded, ¡°Nichs, you have to believe me. I really have no ill feelings toward Greg. Is there any surveince on the stairs in your house? If the surveince proves that it is really me, I will admit it. If it¡¯s not me, and if there is indeed someone else, then I will definitely seek justice.¡± Although Nichs didn¡¯t know Hayley well, what she said had made sense. He nodded, ¡°Andrew, check the surveince-the stairs, the corridor, all of them.¡± Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Chapter 280 ¡°Yes, Master Nichs.¡± The housekeeper nodded. The surveince footage at that time was soon found. In the beginning, it was only Hayley and Gregory who appeared in the camera footage. In the footage, she was indeed talking to him and was even half-squatting. It seemed that she was trying to please the child, but he didn¡¯t speak and merely shook his head. Then, suddenly a figure carrying fruits passed by and the person¡¯s elbow mmed hard on Hayley¡¯s back. After that, Hayley fell onto Gregory and the perpetrator vanished into Gregory¡¯s music room. Soon, a group of servants appeared to swarm and surround Gregory. Nichs¡¯s expression instantly turned severe and Andrew was also embarrassed, thinking that there was such a traitor working under him. He hurriedly borated, ¡°Master Nichs, I was the one who recruited these people, and I can¡¯t help but feel like it was my mistake for this¡­¡± ¡°Okay, Andrew. Now is not the time to investigate your dereliction of duty. There should be someone behind the servant. Before anyone runs away, arrest her first,¡± Nichs ordered coldly. He returned to the ward and said to Tessa, ¡°I have something to do at home. I¡¯ll go back and deal with it. You can stay here and if you¡¯re tired, take a rest. Don¡¯t keep staring. If you need anything, just call me.¡± Tessa nodded, knowing that Nichs was going back to deal with how Gregory became hurt. Then, she replied, ¡°You can leave Gregory to me. Hurry up and go back.¡± Back at Dynasty Gardens, the servant was still stunned when she was caught. ¡°What are you doing? Why did you arrest me?¡± The rest of the servants looked at her curiously and whispered, ¡°Did Master Nichs arrest her because the person who hurt Young Master Gregory was not Miss Stone, but in fact someone else?¡± When she heard this, the servant¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You are talking nonsense and ndering. You all saw it at the time. It was Miss Stone who pushed the young master! If you say that I¡¯m the one who hurt the young master, then you must show evidence!¡± ¡°Evidence?¡± A cold voice entered the vi. ¡°Master Nichs!¡± The bodyguard at the door saw himing and hurriedly bowed to greet him. Nichs strode into the vi and nced at the servant with icy eyes. The pressure around him dropped sharply while the whispers disappearedpletely. The servant who was kneeling on the floor did not dare to struggle any more. For the first time, she felt how terrifying Nichs was when he was angry. He said coldly, ¡°Andrew.¡± Andrew stepped forward and yed the surveince video in front of the servant, after which her face instantly paled. She was a neer and had only been working in the vi for less than half a month. She knew that there were several obvious surveince cameras in the vi, but didn¡¯t know that there were also some hidden ones. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Immediately, she hurriedly begged for mercy, ¡°Master Nichs, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to. I didn¡¯t mean to bump into Miss Stone. I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± Kieran couldn¡¯t stand watching her, so he spoke a step ahead of his brother, ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Hey, look at the surveince video carefully. The corridor is so wide, and yet you wanted to squeeze in that direction? Is my brother¡¯s house corridor not wide enough for you?¡± The servant shook her head vigorously. ¡°It¡¯s really not me! I just, just,¡± ¡°Just what?¡± Nichs queried coldly. Originally, he gave people a strong sense of oppression, but now that he was condescending, it made people fear that death was on the way. In front of him, the servant did not dare to lie at all and hurriedly said, ¡°Someone asked me to do this.¡± ¡°Who is it? What benefits did they promise you?¡± Kieran stepped forward and narrowed his eyes slightly at her. The servant stammered, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know her name. I-It happened this morning. She stopped me and gave me 20,000, saying that I only need to frame Miss Stone, so¡­¡± ¡°So, for the mere 20,000, you hurt Gregory and framed Hayley?¡± an angry Kieran queried. He was exasperated that for the sake of 20,000, she could hurt a child¡¯s life. The servant said again, ¡°No, it¡¯s more than 20,000. She said that after the matter ispleted, she will give me 100,000 more.¡± Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Chapter 281 ¡°Where¡¯s the money?¡± Nichs asked in a deep voice. ¡°S-She hasn¡¯t given it to me yet. I only have the 20,000 in cash. It¡¯s all in the bag. Master Nichs, Master Kieran, please let me go. I¡¯ll give you all the money; I don¡¯t want it anymore!¡± the servant cried. ¡°Is our family short of 20,000 from you? You must be joking!¡± Kieran really was on the verge ofughing from anger. Nichs mentioned coldly, ¡°What does that person look like?¡± ¡°S-She has a mole under her eye. She¡¯s tall, fair, thin, well-dressed and um, she has very delicate makeup¡­ Other than that, I can¡¯t remember¡­¡± the servant answered. ¡°A mole under her eye?¡± Kieran frowned and thought for a while. ¡°Roselle Gingham!¡± He quickly flipped out his phone, found Roselle¡¯s social media to pull up her photo, and showed it to the servant. ¡°Is that her?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her!¡± the servant said quickly. ¡°Who is it? Who wanted to hurt my precious grandson?¡± At this time, Stefania also arrived. When she saw the servant on the ground, she stepped forward and pped the servant¡¯s face. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s not me, it¡¯s really not me. It¡¯s her-this woman named Roselle. It has nothing to do with me.¡± The servant¡¯s face swelled up and she cried. Stefania was infuriated. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s her?¡± The servant continued to howl, ¡°I¡¯m sure, I can¡¯t forget her mole. Madam, Masters, please forgive me. I will never dare to do something like this again.¡± At the Gingham Residence, when Roselle saw the news that Gregory was admitted to the hospital, she was so happy that she couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut. She never imagined that the servant would be so determined that she would actually push people down the stairs. Now, no one could oppose her anymore. Apart from her, no one else deserved to be in that position! She was happy, but the doorbell at home kept ringing like an incessant reminder, which disturbed her good mood. She got up and opened the door with a sullen face. ¡°Who is it? What¡¯s with the noise?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. As a result, Roselle saw Stefania with a dark face and several bodyguards behind her standing at the door. She was stunned for a moment. ¡°Mrs. Sawyer?¡± Stefania didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she just raised her hand to p Roselle in the face. Roselle was dizzy from being pped and almost fell to the ground. Ayer of mist instantly formed in her eyes and she asked, aggrieved, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, you-what¡¯s wrong? Why did you p me so hard all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Why? Are you really asking me why? You instructed someone to hurt my baby grandson, and you still have the gall to ask!¡± Stefania said angrily. ¡°What, Greg is injured? What happened? Is he okay now? Mrs. Sawyer, what happened? Tell me, and I can help!¡± Roselle asked hypocritically. ¡°The evidence is solid, so how can you deny it?¡± Stefania¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°What evidence?¡± Roselle asked. ¡°Okay, you want evidence. Fine, I¡¯ll show you then!¡± After speaking, Stefania took Roselle back to Dynasty Gardens to look for Nichs. When she saw Nichs, Roselle¡¯s eyes brightened and she instantly felt wronged. ¡°Nichs, Mrs. Sawyer said that I hurt Greg, but I really didn¡¯t.¡± In fact, she had expected that this matter would be exposed, but she had no fear. When approaching the servant, she could avoid all the cameras and use cash, so even if the servant testified against her, it would be useless. ¡¤ He was also aware of this. When he found out it was her, he asked people to search the surveince cameras near Dynasty Gardens, but he didn¡¯t even see a glimpse of her. Then, Nichs said coldly, ¡°Let Roselle go first and send the servant to the police station.¡± ¡°Yes, President Sawyer.¡± Edward took the order. Roselle still wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Nichs. ¡°Sorry to trouble you, Miss Gingham. You may return first while we make sense of today¡¯s matter.¡± Before she left, she frequently turned her head and stared at Nichs¡¯ back. After she left, he said to Andrew, ¡°Go check on Roselle.¡± ¡°Yes, Master Nichs.¡± Andrew nodded. After dealing with this matter, Nichs looked at the time with the expectation that Greg should be waking up soon. He said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going back to the hospital now, do you want toe with me?¡± Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 ¡°Why don¡¯t you head first? I¡¯ll go over on my own in a while,¡± Stefania said. She was attending an important party earlier and she came back when she learned that Gregory was injured. Now that she knew that Gregory was stili alive, she had to finish her affairs over there. There was still something going on at thepany, so Kieran didn¡¯t return to the hospital with Nichs as well. When Nichs returned to the hospital, the ward was still silent. He stood at the head of the bed and first nced at Gregory. His face looked much better and he was not as pale as before, but his face was still scrunched up, as if his wound was still hurting. He covered Gregory with the quilt, then turned to look at Tessa. She had no idea that someone had entered. She was lying on the head of the bed and was sleeping soundly. Her fair hand was unconsciously holding onto Gregory¡¯s little hand. Her soft hair slipped down and draped over her pretty but still pale face, and the sunlight outside the window shone on her body, which cast a warm halo on her. Nichs looked at Tessa andughed lightly. He took Gregory¡¯s little hand out of her hand and carried her before turning around and heading to the neighboring bed meant for caregivers. Nichs, the legendary president, even carefully covered her with a quilt. This was the first scene that Gregory saw as soon as he opened his eyes and his mood suddenly improved. His little head no longer hurt, and he sensibly didn¡¯t bother Nichs from doing what he was doing. If Daddy and Miss Tessa were like this all the time, that would be great! he thought secretly in his heart. Maybe it was because he was looking so intently at them that Nichs seemed to sense something. As soon as he turned around, he met Gregory¡¯s bright eyes and ced his hand to his lips and made a silent gesture. The doctor was afraid that Gregory would shake his head and make himself dizzy, so he specially made Gregory wear a sleeve on his neck and head to fix him in ce. However, before the father and son could speak, Tessa opened her eyes suddenly. She nced around in a daze, thinking that she was in the hospital bed before looking in the direction of the hospital bed beside her. When she saw that Gregory was awake, Tessa got out of bed quickly. She went to him, touched his hair in distress and asked softly, ¡°Do you have a headache? Do you want to vomit? Do you feel ufortable?¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t felt anything before, but when she mentioned it, he felt the back of his head. It felt like he was hit by a blunt object and the pain came in waves, repeatedly hitting him. Gregory¡¯s eyes that were originally bright and sparkling had be dense with unshed tears, and he blinked, feeling aggrieved. Tessa¡¯s heart instantly softened. She wished that the person who was injured was herself instead. She looked back at Nichs. ¡°Can he use the analgesic pump?¡± Nichs shook his head. ¡°Greg is too young, so it¡¯s not good to use it too much.¡± Tessa felt even more distressed. ¡°Greg, let¡¯s bear it a little longer, alright? It won¡¯t hurt in a few days.¡± ¡°Miss Tessa, I want to eat your little pastries as well as the sweet little bear biscuits you made.¡± Gregory blinked. Tessa nodded quickly. ¡°Okay, whatever you want to eat, I will cook it for you.¡± At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the ward, and Timothy pushed open the door and came in. ¡°I just heard that the young master is injured, so I¡¯vee to visit him. How is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s already awake,¡± Nichs answered. ¡°Mr. Timothy!¡± Gregory was even happier when he saw Timothy. Timothy couldn¡¯t help being a little surprised when he saw Gregory¡¯s head covered with gauze and his neck was still fixed in ce. ¡°Why is it so serious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Miss Tessa promised to make me small pastries, so it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Gregory smiled. Timothy was stunned for a moment before his expression gave way to a smile. ¡°Then, Miss Tessa is probably your medicine. As long as she is here, then you won¡¯t be in pain.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Yes, yes. How did you know?¡± Gregory asked happily. Someone could finally understand him! This was really good! Tessa was stunned for a moment, and she felt a little embarrassed for no reason. How could this sound strange? It was fine when Gregory talked about it, but then her brother started talking nonsense as well. Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Chapter 283 ¡°Greg, Grandma is here. Are you still¡± It was at this moment when a gentle female voice permeated the air. Everyone in the room turned to look, and when they saw Stefania, Tessa was rooted to the spot. In the same way, when Stefania saw Tessa, Stefania forgot what she was here for. She just froze in ce, and it took a while for her to regain her senses. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, Why did Tessae here? Moreover, she has also brought her brother with her to y with Gregory as if they were a family and not strangers. This would not do! Stefania was a little annoyed. Tessa clearly promised her that she would no longer have any contact with Gregory and Nichs, and she vited their agreement again. However, her son and grandson were all staring at her. She couldn¡¯t be too rude and question Tessa in front of them. She still chose to be more amiable and smiled at Tessa. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here too, Miss Reinhart?¡± Tessa also nodded at her. ¡°Mrs. Sawyer.¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± Gregory looked at Stefania with a smile and called out sweetly. The moment Stefania saw Gregory, she felt so distressed that an obedient child such as him was used in a scheme by those vicious women like Roselle. Those people were wretched! She stepped forward and touched Gregory¡¯s face in distress. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Gregory shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± ¡°Do you have anything you want to eat? I¡¯ll buy it for you. If you have any requests, feel free to ask,¡± a distressed Stefania said. ¡°No need, grandma. Miss Tessa promised to cook delicious food for me, and her cooking is super delicious!¡± Gregory boasted. He raised his head and looked at Tessa happily. In his eyes, no one could match Tessa¡¯s cooking skills. Tessa smiled in embarrassment and did not speak. However, the smile on Stefania¡¯s face suddenly froze because she hadn¡¯t asked anyone to investigate Tessa recently. When did Gregory taste the food that Tessa made? Could it be that Tessa showed up here, not by ident but because she already knew what was going on and had been keeping contact with them all these while? Tessa picked up the kettle next to her and said, ¡°I¡¯m going outside to grab some water.¡± Not long after, Stefania also rose to her feet and walked out of the ward. She was standing at the door waiting for Tessa toe back. Just when Tessa was about to enter the door, Stefania shouted, ¡°Ms. Reinhart, Nichs is over there with Gregory. You are not needed now. I want to have a good chat with you.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. When Tessa saw her expression, Tessa also guessed her intentions. She couldn¡¯t hide it anyway, so she nodded. ¡°Okay, Mrs. Sawyer, what do you have to say?¡± At a corner of the hospital, Edward was holding a document bag and was about to look for Nichs when he saw two people at the door of the ward. The atmosphere seemed to be a little off. Edward subconsciously retreated to the side to lean against the wall and thought, Is there something between Madam and Miss Reinhart? At this point, he could sense that there was something wrong with Stefania¡¯s expression. Stefania unconsciously touched the bracelet on her hand, but she did not have a cordial tone. ¡°Miss Reinhart, you must have forgotten what you promised me.¡± Tessa said, ¡°I didn¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t? Well, I want to ask what you are doing now then, Miss Reinhart? Greg is injured, and you knew about it before me, his grandma. If you didn¡¯t forget, why would Greg have the chance to eat what you have cooked for him?¡± Stefania queried with anger. Tessa did not answer. Stefania sneered. ¡°Miss Reinhart, you came here to take care of Greg this time and I am grateful to you, but this is not a reason why you can break your promise. What did you promise me in the beginning? You promised that you would leave Greg and Nichs? It didn¡¯t take long. I thought that you were someone who meant what she said, but I didn¡¯t expect that I still overestimated you. What¡¯s the difference between you and those vain women?¡± She sneered and continued, ¡°Yes, there is indeed a difference. You didn¡¯t take the money that I gave you at the beginning and yet you have been waiting here. I hope you at least have some self- awareness that it is impossible for you to enter the Sawyer Family. Gregory is still young, and when he encounters a different elder, he likes to stick to her. When he grows up, he will naturally know what the right choice is. At that point, you will still have to leave. Women should not be too dependent on a child, or a man.¡± Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Tessa couldn¡¯t listen to her anymore. She couldn¡¯t help but say coldly, ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, I know what I¡¯m doing. I don¡¯t need you to teach me like this, and I never need others to judge what I do.¡± Stefania was so choked up in anger that she was speechless. ¡°Y-You know what to do? What do you know?!¡± At this time, Timothy walked to the corner and saw the two talking from a distance before he said, ¡°So, it turns out that you and Madam Sawyer are chatting here, Tess. The young master is looking for you both, asking how you have managed to disappear while getting some water.¡± Tessaposed herself and nodded to Stefania. ¡°Mrs. Sawyer, Greg is looking for me. If there¡¯s nothing wrong, then I¡¯ll go first.¡± After finishing speaking, she turned to leave. Stefania looked at Tessa¡¯s back as she left and felt a little flustered in her heart. She never understood what was so good about Tessa and why her son and grandson were heads over heels for someone like her. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Stefania sighed and stood at the door of the ward and watched them for a while. The four people inside were happy together, just like a family. Her hand on the doorknob stayed still in the end. She was not in the mood to enter and stay with Tessa. She had already investigated what happenedst time. The person who gave the order was Remus. Since the old man took action against Tessa, there was no need for Stefania to make a move. After all, there was no need for her to make a move on a viin like this. It was moments after Stefania left the hospital that Edward slowly walked out of the corner and pushed up his sses with aplicated mood. He never expected that he would hear such a shocking revtion. When he calmed down, Edward walked into the ward, handed over the documents to be processed to Nichs, and whispered the news that he had heard to him. Nichs¡¯ expression changed upon hearing Edward¡¯s words. For the previous few times, Tessa¡¯s sudden cold attitude toward him was not because of Remus, but because his mother had also participated in this incident¡­ Tessa knew all about it, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Even though she had adored Greg so much, she still ruthlessly refused to have any contact with the child. So, this was what happened¡­ Everything that Nichs didn¡¯t understand before suddenly made sense in an instant. With a profound look on his face, he took a gaze at Tessa, who didn¡¯t seem to be affected by those words and was still ying with Greg ¡°Then, President Sawyer, what are we going to do now?¡± Edward asked. Nichs answered coldly, ¡°Just do your own thing. Don¡¯t ask or care about other things.¡± ¡°Yes, President Sawyer.¡± Edward nodded subconsciously. However, when Edward thought about it, Nichs was right. After all, it could be seen from the conversation that Stefania had no malicious intentions. She only hoped that Tessa would leave. This was already considered a mild approachpared to the one taken by Remus. The test results had not been released yet and it was really inappropriate to take any action at present. Tessa came to the hospital to meet Gregory on a daily basis for the next few days. She gave him meals that she cooked herself and yed with him. Today, Nichs was working in the ward and Tessa was talking to Gregory. Edward suddenly knocked on the door of the ward. ¡°President Sawyer.¡± From the pile of documents, Nichs looked up at the document bag in Edward¡¯s hand and nodded slightly before the two walked out of the ward together. ¡°The test report has been sent over.¡± He handed the document bag to Nichs. Edward¡¯s heart raced as his hands trembled slightly. If this really confirmed Tessa¡¯s identity, all the previous doubts he had would be solved. Nichs¡¯s face was calm, but his heart thumped. He hurriedly opened the document bag, which contained only a DNA test report, with slender fingers that moved quickly When Nichs saw the words 99% kinship on the report, his pupils shrank suddenly. His fingers holding the document started to move moments before the thin paper instantly wrinkled and the corner of his mouth was suddenly raised upward. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Chapter 285 It really is her¡­ Edward was a little flustered to see him like this. ¡°President Sawyer, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Without turning back, Nichs replied, ¡°You can go back first.¡± Feeling slightly worried, Edward hesitated about whether or not he should leave. ¡°But, President Nichs looked back as his eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°Go back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Edward couldn¡¯t help but shudder when he saw how Nichs had acted. He was still young and valued his life, so he quickly left this ce. After Edward left, Nichs sat on the bench outside the ward for a long time. He had guessed this answer early on, but he dyed detection because he was rather afraid to face the truth. He instantly found it ridiculous. The dignified president Sawyer Group, a retired member of the special forces, had something he was afraid to face? However, he truly didn¡¯t know how he was supposed to face Tessa. Once upon a time, he hated the woman he knew that gave birth to Gregory for money, then left him for unknown reasons to live a happy and carefree life. Now, she had shown up in his and Gregory¡¯s life that way, and she was even living together with them like a family now. What¡¯s the reason for this? Does Tessa know that she¡¯s Gregory¡¯s biological mother? Was it premeditated or¡­ As Nichs stood at the door of the ward watching the two mother and son interacting inside, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel hatred. All he felt wereplicated emotions. Nichs sat outside for a while before he finally decided not to reveal the secret yet. He wanted to see whether Tessa knew about it. Is her return premeditated? Solving a mystery didn¡¯t bring him joy, but it made him even more puzzled instead. Now, there was another question of why she left and returned. With a cold expression on his face, he entered the ward. Gregory was eating the custard that Tessa had made. As soon as he saw Nichs, he shouted sweetly, ¡°Daddy!¡± Nichs¡¯ gaze swept across Tessa and Gregory before he let out a faint sigh as if nothing had happened. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°President Sawyer, would you like to try some custard?¡± she asked. Nichs answered coldly, ¡°No.¡± Seeing that he had left and returned with a cold attitude and a sour expression, she was a little puzzled. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°No.¡± Then, he rose to his feet. ¡°Help me to take care of Gregory.¡± With that, he strode out of Gregory¡¯s ward without looking back. Upon seeing this, Tessa felt that Nichs was a little strange today, but she couldn¡¯t tell what was wrong and decided to keep her mouth shut. He was the president of Sawyer Group, so it was only natural that he had many problems to solve, none of which was of her concern. Feeling a little confused, Gregory asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Daddy?¡± Tessa shook her head. ¡°Perhaps too many things are happening in the office. Do you want more custard?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Gregory had recently removed his retainer, so he nodded vigorously. ¡°Miss Tessa, your custard is the best custard I¡¯ve ever had!¡± She couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You have the sweetest little mouth. When I¡¯m gone, no one will eat it anymore.¡± He pursed his lips and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. From now on, just make it for me. Don¡¯t cook it for other kids, Miss Tessa.¡± ¡¤ A dark figure shed past the door of the ward. Nichs had never left, but he was standing at the door and eavesdropping on their conversation. His heart wavered, and he didn¡¯t know whether he should tell Gregory the truth. In the end, he chose to keep his mouth shut. This matter had yet to be investigated clearly. He didn¡¯t know how Gregory would react in the face of the truth. He couldn¡¯t take risks and let Gregory suffer any harm. On this day, when Tessa was cooking for Gregory at home, her phone rang. She nced at it and found that it was a strange number. Thinking that it was just an advertisement, she didn¡¯t answer. However, the other party didn¡¯t seem to give up as they made several consecutive calls. The phone rang without interruption, as if urging her. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Tessa found it a little strange, so she hesitated for a moment before finally answering the phone. ¡°Hello.¡± An old person¡¯s voice sounded from the other end and they spoke in an indecisive tone that demanded no interference. ¡°Miss Reinhart, let¡¯s meet.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± She was confused as she didn¡¯t know any old people at all. How did he know that myst name is Reinhart? And why does he want to meet me? There¡¯s something really strange about this person. Besides, why¡¯s he so certain that I would meet him? The old man responded, ¡°I¡¯m Nichs¡¯ grandfather and Gregory¡¯s Great-Grandpa. I think you must have a lot of doubts about me, so you¡¯ll definitelye.¡± Tessa¡¯s heart thumped when she heard this and she asked, ¡°Where should we meet?¡± Remus answered, ¡°We¡¯ll meet at 3.00PM. The address will be sent to you by text message.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tessa agreed to meet. Immediately after that, she received a text message with the address. Although she had a bad feeling about this, she still decided to meet the old man at this moment. She and her brother had been suppressed in every way because of Remus, but they never received an exnation, so she could use this opportunity to rify matters. Otherwise, there would always be a lump in her heart. Judging from Remus¡¯ voice, he didn¡¯t seem like an aggressive old man. Instead, he sounded rather kind, so she reckoned it shouldn¡¯t be hard to talk things through with him. After Tessa finished mentally establishing the situation, she remembered that they had agreed to meet at 3.00PM, and it was almost time. It was probably toote to prepare the snacks for Gregory, so she called Nichs. ¡°President Sawyer, I have a private matter to deal with this afternoon, so I can¡¯t go to the hospital to visit Gregory. Please help me to pass the message to him.¡± Nichs simply gave her an indifferent response. After hanging up the phone, Tessa cleaned up a little before going for the appointment After she arrived at the designated venue, she didn¡¯t see the legendary figure and found it a little odd. Although she wanted to see him and rify matters, why was Remus asking to meet her? She couldn¡¯t shake off the weird feeling. Could it be that he had deliberately deceived her and was going to let her wait there? However, she had arrived early, so it was okay to wait a while. She would just take things as they came. If he lied to her, he would certainly have a purpose, and she wanted to know the reason too. Before she could finish thinking about it, an old man dressed in a sophisticated suit and with a mahogany cane that was carved with a coiled dragon appeared in front of her. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Tessa stood up subconsciously. The old man exuded a strong aura, which made her a little afraid to look directly at him. His aura was the same as Nichs. Although it was her first time seeing him, she was almost certain that he was Remus Sawyer. She greeted the old man politely, ¡°Hello, Old Master Sawyer.¡± Remus gave a slight nod. ¡°Miss Reinhart, have a seat.¡± As they sat opposite each other, Tessa was rather nervous. ¡°Old Master Sawyer, I wonder why you have called me here. He swept his sharp gaze over her. Picking up the teacup in front of him, he took a sip of tea before slowly saying, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been taking care of Gregorytely.¡± Her head jerked up as she looked at the dignified elderly man. ¡°I know you like that kid, but, Miss Reinhart, I don¡¯t care how devoted you are to Gregory. You just have to understand one thing. As long as I don¡¯t agree to it, you can¡¯t marry into the Sawyer Family,¡± said Remus, his eyes sharpening instantly. . Although Tessa felt a little anxious from his gaze, she held onto her sanity. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve misunderstood. I never wanted to marry Nichs.¡± ¡°Then, why are you approaching the father and son time after time?¡± Remus ced his teacup down as his whole demeanor suddenly changed. ¡°Because I like Gregory,¡± she answered. He replied coldly, ¡°Like him? No, girl. You¡¯re not worthy. I called you out today to remind you to leave the two of them, and leave Brentwood.¡± Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the reason? Why should I leave?¡± Tessa was incredulous. ¡°Gregory sticking to you is the reason, and your familial background is another reason. Do you really think that you can marry into a wealthy family with your identity? Know your ce,¡± Remus sneered. Tessa found Remus even more unbelievable. ¡°I never said that I want to marry Nichs. It¡¯s not my fault that Gregory wants to stick to me.¡± ¡°However, if your brother, and the people around you, suffer unfair treatment as a result, it¡¯s all your fault,¡± he reminded coldly. Her heart tightened instantly. ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve made my intentions perfectly clear. Everything that has been happening to you and your brother is indeed rted to me. I¡¯ve warned you two many times before, yet you still don¡¯t know your ce. Don¡¯t hold this against me.¡± Remus¡¯ gaze was fixed on Tessa¡¯s beautiful face, and he seemed sure that she would give him the answer he wanted. Tessa¡¯s face was a little pale. Her mind was full of the odd things that had been happening around her recently, and all the weird things that followed. If she didn¡¯t leave, he would definitely make things hard for Timothy with Remus¡¯ ability. Now that Henry and thepany¡¯s staff had been implicated, she did not dare to think about the consequences if she carried on like this. She truly didn¡¯t want to get many innocent people involved because of her selfishness and she couldn¡¯t also deal with the huge Sawyer Family. Tessa was both resentful and annoyed. She hated how useless she was and her inability to go against Remus. It was pitiful to be weak. ¡°Miss Reinhart, have you thought it through?¡± Remus asked in a profound manner. Tessa gritted her teeth and nodded. ¡°As long as I leave, you won¡¯t go against them again and everything will return to its original state?¡± ¡°As long as that¡¯s what you want, everything will be as you wish,¡± he answered. ¡°Okay. I believe you¡¯re a man of your word, Old Master Sawyer. You won¡¯t deceive people like me. If you can keep your promise, then I¡¯ll definitely leave Gregory, Nichs, and everyone in the Sawyer Family. However, if you can¡¯t or even cause more harm to them, then I¡¯ll definitely return to haunt everyone in the Sawyer Family even if it means death.¡± This was the most cruel thing Tessa had ever said. Despite that, she didn¡¯t feel more at ease, but even felt a vague sense of pain, as if there was a hole in her heart. I really have to leave this time¡­ Remus nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as you don¡¯te back, I will never touch them. However, if youe back, I can¡¯t guarantee what will happen to them.¡± Tessa gritted her teeth and nodded. ¡°All right.¡± Both of them were threatening each other. As long as no one vited the agreement, everyone would be safe. A satisfied Remus then left the store with the cane supporting him. As soon as he left, there was no point in staying, so Tessa went straight home. The moment that Tessa arrived home at Regal Gardens, Timothy was already there. ¡°Tessa, you¡¯re back. Didn¡¯t you go to the hospital to visit Young Master Gregory today?¡± Timothy nced at the time and asked with some confusion. She shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Tessa, what happened? D-Did you quarrel with President Sawyer?¡± He was a little worried when he saw that she was in a gloomy mood, seemingly with a lot on her mind. Tessa couldn¡¯t bear to hear Nichs¡¯ name now and her mood turned even worse. ¡°No, it has nothing to do with him, but I¡¯ve been feeling a little tired recently.¡± ¡°How¡¯s thepany doing? Henry¡­ How¡¯s his father now?¡± she asked hesitantly. ¡°Same as usual. His dad has still been staying hometely.¡± At this, Timothy¡¯s mood grew solemn too. The atmosphere in the office these days has been rather terrible. Although Nichs had already made the rification, now that this incident had urred, otherpanies still chose to wait and see how it yed out since they were still unwilling to coborate with Timothy¡¯s corporation. Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Tessa concealed her emotions and nodded. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± ¡°Yeah, I also think that nothing else can stump us once this difficult time has passed.¡± Timothy nodded calmly. Seeing how high-spirited he was, she hesitated. ¡°Timothy, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it, Tessa?¡± Timothy was slightly puzzled. ¡°I think I¡¯ll study abroad for these two years.¡± Tessa bit her lip. He was a little surprised. Last time, she was unwilling to go abroad, but now, she was talking about leaving all of a sudden. He asked, ¡°Why the sudden decision?¡± ¡°Well, I was thinking that I should go and broaden my horizons while I¡¯m still young. I can¡¯t learn anything by staying in Brentwood, and you¡¯re aware of the current situation. I¡­¡± Tessa was troubled. Now, Timothy¡¯spany had only just started, yet they had already encountered these changes. She was actually embarrassed at this moment to reveal that she was leaving It was as if¡­ When her brother was doing well, she bathed in his glory, but now that he was in trouble, she didn¡¯t provide help but ran away instead. However, her absence was the best help that everyone could have and this was the only way to make everything better. Timothy was only surprised for a moment before he smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right, Tessa. I¡¯ll support you, of course. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Didn¡¯t you say thatst time? I¡¯m your pride, so don¡¯t worry, and leave boldly. I can take care of our family matters.¡± Tessa gave her brother a forceful hug. ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°I believe in myself too. I believe that I can give you a better life, so that you can be free to pursue your dreams,¡± he said with a smile. There were tears in Tessa¡¯s eyes. She turned away from Timothy to wipe her tears away before turning to face him again with a smile. ¡°We can do it.¡± ¡°Where do you want to go, Tessa?¡± Timothy asked. Tessa hesitated for a while. In fact, she didn¡¯t even think about leaving and heading to another city, but now, she had to ce this matter on the agenda at first instance, so she answered, ¡°Vienna.¡± For a moment, Timothy was taken aback, and he felt a little troubled. Tessa had an opportunity to study abroad and attend university, but she gave it all up for him, so he always felt that he was the one holding her back. Fortunately, after so many years, she was once again setting foot on thend of her dreams. Timothy withdrew his emotions andmented with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s still that ce. You¡¯ve thought about going there to study before, so I guess it¡¯s a dreame true. Then, I¡¯ll help you to make the arrangements now. However, do you want to inform President Sawyer and Young Master Gregory about this?¡± She shook her head without thinking twice. ¡°No. Even after I leave, you don¡¯t have to tell them where I went. Don¡¯t say anything. Even if Gregory asks, you have to keep it in and not tell him.¡± When Timothy heard this, the doubts he had before climbed into his mind again. What is she avoiding? Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t say anything,¡± Tessa emphasized again. Timothy had always supported all of Tessa¡¯s decisions. Since she didn¡¯t want him to tell, he would treat it as if he didn¡¯t know anything. Nodding obediently, he promised, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t say anything. Even if someone holds a knife to my neck, I won¡¯t say anything either.¡± She nodded, then went back to the house to pack up her belongings. Meanwhile, Gregory had been waiting for the entire day, but Tessa didn¡¯t show up even until night time, so he asked Nichs, ¡°Daddy, wasn¡¯t Miss Tessa going to make me cookies today? Why hasn¡¯t she come yet?¡± When Nichs heard Gregory¡¯s inquiry, he said coldly, ¡°She¡¯s busy, so she won¡¯te today.¡± ¡°Does that mean I won¡¯t get to eat those bear biscuits today?¡± Gregory felt a little downcast. He had been yearning for those bear biscuits for a long time. After pestering Tessa for many days, she finally promised to make them for her today, but the n was ruined once again. Hearing Gregory¡¯sints, Nichs frowned slightly, then said in an educational manner, ¡°Miss Tessa has her own life too. She can¡¯t possibly be by your side all the time to take care of you. You¡¯re not three years old anymore, so you don¡¯t need someone to be by your side all the time to guard you.¡± Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Chapter 289 ¡°Daddy, I know that. I know that I can¡¯t keep bothering Miss Tessa; and I¡¯m very happy that she has taken care of me for so many days, but I¡¯m still a little upset because I really like her very much.¡± Then, Gregory sighed and said hopefully, ¡°I¡¯m tired, Daddy. Will Miss Tessae and visit me once I wake up?¡± For a moment, Nichs was speechless. Even though Gregory kept saying that he wouldn¡¯t cling onto Tessa, he was actually being needier than before. Regarding this situation, Nichs didn¡¯t know whether it was a good or bad thing. In the end, he merely said coolly ¡°Go to sleep.¡± After that, he tucked Gregory in and coaxed him to sleep. Early the next morning, Gregory¡¯s eyes popped open the moment it was bright and looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Miss Tessa? Why isn¡¯t she here yet?¡± Unwittingly, Nichs knitted his brows. ¡°It¡¯s so early now. Don¡¯t start a tantrum.¡± ¡°Oh, I miss her and wish to see her the moment I wake up.¡± A disappointed Gregory lowered his eyes in sadness. After a while, the nurse came to change the dressing for him, and when she saw that the slim figure who had been taking care of him in the room was gone, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°Where¡¯s Miss Tessa, Young Master Gregory?¡± Immediately, Gregory pouted his lips and looked a little aggrieved, but when he saw the look his father was casting at him, he forced himself to suppress his whining. ¡°Miss Tessa has her own life and I¡¯m not a child who needs an adult to look after me all the time anymore. There¡¯s no reason to have her revolve around me,¡± he grumbled unhappily. Seeing a toddler saying all these big ideas seriously, the nurse almost turned into jelly. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that an aloof Nichs was also in the room, she would have given Gregory a kiss and pinched his cheeks. Chuckling, she said, ¡°You¡¯re very sensible, young master.¡± Tilting his head, Gregory acknowledged, ¡°That¡¯s because Daddy and Miss Tessa taught me well!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± The nurse couldn¡¯t help but smile. When the dressing was done, the ward was once again left with only Gregory and Nichs, who was working the whole time and would only asionally lift his gaze Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. at the child and get him some food and drinks. Now that Gregory was bored to tears, he whined, ¡°Daddy, why isn¡¯t Miss Tessa here yet? Can you give her a call?¡± Nichs knew his son very well; Tessa only mentioned that she wouldn¡¯t visit yesterday, but not today, and Gregory was already at his limit waiting for her for so long. If this dragged on without an absolute answer, Gregory would definitely throw a tantrum. Hence, he took out his phone and gave Tessa a call. The second the call was answered, Gregory hurriedly snatched the phone and greeted sweetly, ¡°Miss Tessa!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Tessa answered casually. ¡°What is it?¡± Realizing that she wasn¡¯t as friendly as she used to be, he shifted his tone and he sounded more cautious. ¡°Miss Tessa, you¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to visit today?¡± On the other end of the line, Tessa paused while packing, but she immediately answered with calmness, ¡°I¡¯ll be busy recently, so I won¡¯t be visiting. Take good care in the hospital.¡± ¡°Then, when will you be done?¡± he asked, sounding upset. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but there are a lot of things going on. Greg, I¡¯m hanging up because I¡¯m busy now.¡± Casually, Tessa made up some excuses to coax Gregory and hung up after that. A dejected Gregory nced at Nichs¡¯ cell phone. ¡°Miss Tessa said that she won¡¯t be here recently.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± An expressionless Nichs didn¡¯t say anything else. Meanwhile, Tessa was ready to hop into the cab after she was finished with her packing and booking the flight ticket. Standing at the entrance of their home, Timothy asked in concern, ¡°Tess, are you sure you don¡¯t need me to send you off at the airport?¡± ¡°Yeah. Do you think I¡¯ll get lost in the airport at my age? Get back to work quickly. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Then, she climbed into the cab and waved at him. The car started to move and her tear-filled eyes turned away. She didn¡¯t even dare to take another look at her brother because she was worried that she couldn¡¯t control herself and wouldn¡¯t want to leave anymore after a few more nces. Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Chapter 290 After this goodbye today, I wonder how long it will be until I see him again¡­¡± Now that she was alone in the airport, Tessa finished with all the procedures and sat in the boarding hall quietly in a daze. She would soon be leaving this city which she loved and hated at the same time but still lived here for more than two decades. She would also be leaving her considerate brother, the mess with the Sawyer Family and all the chaos here. Goodbye, Brentwood. A few hourster, the nended. After retrieving her luggage, Tessa went out of the airport and gave Timothy a call. ¡°Tim, I¡¯vended safely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I was just wondering why you haven¡¯t given me a call yet,¡± he said. Hearing the delight in his voice, she teased him on purpose. ¡°Is it a good thing that I left? Are you happy that you¡¯re no longer in my evil ws?¡± Actually, she wanted to find out whether Remus had realized his promise to her. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯m happy, Tess? It¡¯s not because you left, though. I can¡¯t bear to see you leave at all,¡± Timothy answered with a chuckle on the other end. ¡°What is it, then?¡± she asked again. ¡°Good news. The university just called me earlier, saying that I¡¯m innocent after their discussion and canceled my demerit because of that. Mr. Tompkins has been asked to return to work and Leo is back in ourpany.¡± A little excited, he added, ¡°All the bad luck from before has disappeared. It¡¯s such a happy day.¡± Upon hearing all that, Tessa was also relieved. Old Master Sawyer has really fulfilled his promise, and everything is back on track. She noted with a smile, ¡°All these are good news, indeed. I wish all the best for us where we will have a safe and smooth-sailing life.¡± ¡°Safe and smooth-sailing life, Tess.¡± After hanging up, a huge weight was lifted off Tessa¡¯s shoulders, but an inexplicable sense of mncholy washed over her and gushed straight into her heart. A bitter smile tinged the edges of her lips. Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have contacted N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Gregory and Nichs since the beginning. Then, all these things could have been avoided. It was not their fault, though. When Remus warned her the first time, she should have known it better and left straight away instead of dragging the situation on and off, Fortunately, it was a right decision for her to leave now; everything had returned to its original situation, and all the unrted people wouldn¡¯t be unnecessarily involved in the mess. Leaving the airport, Tessa found and checked into a hotel with a few stars and a nice environment in the city. After washing up simply, shey down to rest on the bed to adjust to the time difference. By the time she woke up, the sky was already dark outside. With a click, she turned on the lights next to the bed, and the dark room lit up instantly Then, her cell phone on the side started to ring and it was a video call from Timothy. When the call was connected, his handsome features appeared on the screen. ¡°Tess, did you already have your dinner?¡± ¡°I just woke up, and I n to unpack a little before calling for room service,¡± she answered with a faint smile, sounding a little hoarse after waking up moments ago. ¡°What about you? Did you have your meal yet? Are you in the office or back home already?¡± ¡°I ate in the office together with Henry, and I¡¯m home now,¡± he answered truthfully and urged her to get out of bed to unpack and order room service. A little while after Tessa had ced her order, she plopped onto the couch and continued to chat with Timothy. ¡°Tess, what are your ns afterward?¡± he asked. Giving it a thought, she then responded, ¡°I¡¯ll find a ce to settle down first, then I¡¯ll report myself at the school, and if it¡¯s possible, I would like to look for another orchestra band.¡± Timothy nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to send me the address once you get it.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Tessa agreed with a smile, but her leisure expression became serious as something else popped up in her mind. ¡°Tim, if someone asks about my whereabouts, don¡¯t tell them no matter what. Don¡¯t mention where I went or which country I¡¯m in¡­¡± Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Looking at the seriousness in Tessa¡®s eyes, Timothy inwardly sighed because he knew that she meant Nichs and Gregory by that. He had a hunch that they had something to do with her sudden decision to further her studies abroad. Unfortunately, it seemed like she didn¡®t n to tell him what had happened. So, he didn¡®t press her about it in the end. The next day, Tessa left the hotel early in the morning to look for an apartment. After viewing a few ces, she decided on one located in the heart of the city. Although it wasn¡®t a huge ce, it had everything Tessa needed. Then, she moved her belongings in and cleaned up her future home. Despite the room looking neat, it hasn¡®t been upied for a while. Therefore, many areas were covered in ayer of dust. After all the cleaning, a day had passed without her realizing it. After dinner, Tessa sat on the couch, watching TV while taking a break. She couldn¡®t focus on the TV program for some unknown reason, and her heart felt empty like she was missing something. Shaking her head, she tried her best to focus on the TV program, but to no avail. Nichs¡® tall and well¨Cbuilt figure kept appearing in her mind, and she could still hear Gregory¡®s sad little voice in her ears. ¡°Miss Tessa, don¡®t forget to look for me when you¡®re done with your work. I¡®ll be waiting for you, Miss Tessa.¡°¡°Miss Tessa, I¡®ll be a very good boy, so you muste and visit me.¡± Recalling Gregory¡®s hesitant and tentative look whenever she left him, she felt agitated. It was as though an invisible pair of hands clutched her heart, making her feel painful and breathless with each breath. A few minutester, she took a deep breath and forced herself not to think about all these things. I¡®m not good enough for the Sawyer Family. She kept telling herself. Leaving was the correct thing to do, and it was the best for everyone. She wasn¡®t sure if such a hypnotic method was working, but gradually, her emotions started to calm down with each repetitive chant. For the next few days, to stop her thoughts from running wild, Tessa had nned to go around a little for sightseeing to experience this city that was filled with musical and artistic values. Located on the Danube River, Vienna housed many gorgeous buildings. Due to this city¡®s strong ssical music atmosphere, it was an attraction and gathering ce for many musicians worldwide. It could be said that Vienna was a paradise for many who had a musical dream, especially because Vienna also had the world¨Cfamous concert hall¡ªthe Wiener Musikverein! Tessa temporarily forgot all of her miseries as she stared at the elegant Wiener Musikverein in front of her. All she felt was the beating desire of her dreams. The stage filled her gleaming, dark eyes with a fighting spirit as she admired the sacred location in the middle. ¡°One day, I¡®ll be standing right there, and everyone worldwide wille to watch my performance!¡± After another day of sightseeing, she gradually adjusted her mentality regarding her choices and started looking for a band, nning to provide herself with a steady ie. She found a few bands looking for a violinist via the inte, and before leaving for the interviews, she practiced a little. She propped up the violin in a brightly lit music room and yed it gracefully. At this very moment, she seemed like apletely different person than her usual self, radiating confidence and greatness. After ying the piece, she slowly opened her eyes and ced the violin next to herself, bowing and saying, ¡°That¡®s the end of my performance.¡± ¡°Miss Reinhart, judging from your basic performance skills, your foundation is solid, but that doesn¡®t mean anything here because there are many individuals with amazing foundations as well. Nobody likes a performance without any panache. So, we¡®re very sorry,¡± the interviewermented objectively about her performance. After Tessa heard that, the light in her eyes immediately dimmed, and she walked out of the room dejectedly. Even her shoulders, which were straight, were now hanging She had failed five interviews already. It didn¡®t ur to her that thepetition overseas would be much greater than back home, and the requirements were also much higher. However, on second thought, this madeplete sense because this was Vienna. It was the ce where musicians from across the globe gathered. There were many musical geniuses who wanted to make a name for themselves here. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Therefore, it was only natural that thepetition was greater in any other ce. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Back at home, Tessa received a video call from her brother after she finished dinner. Timothy would contact her every evening for the past few days to learn about her situation. ¡°Tess, how did the interview go today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I guess. They told me they would get back to me,¡± Tessa lied as she didn¡¯t want Tim to worry about her. Then, she casually changed the topic and asked him about his life in Southend. They both chatted about their daily lives, and none of them brought up Nichs or Gregory in their conversation in tacit understanding. After she hung up, the smile on her face gradually fell, and she unconsciously rubbed her fingers on her smartphone¡¯s screen. Despite appearing as though she had forgotten about Nichs and Gregory¡¯s existence, she was actually just forcing herself not to think or care about them. After her phone call with her brother, the room slipped intoplete silence as she sat on the couch quietly. As still as a sculpture, she pondered without knowing how much time had passed. Then, suddenly, the phone in her hands started ringing, breaking the silence. Lowering her head, she saw that Scott had called her. Curious, she ced the phone next to her ear and answered the call. ¡°Hello, Mr. Brooks. It¡¯s already sote. Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m fine. Actually, I just want to ask if you would like to have a coffee together tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not because I¡¯m not in Southend now.¡± Surprised, Scott uttered, ¡°You¡¯re not in Southend?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m now in Vienna.¡± However, unexpectedly, the words had just left her lips when Scott¡¯s delighted voice echoed through the phone. ¡°What a coincidence! Our band will be performing in Vienna in the next couple of days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s truly a coincidence,¡± she said, surprised. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s meet up then,¡± he said, taking this opportunity to ask her out. With a slight smile, she epted his invitation. ¡°Sure.¡± Two dayster, at the Vienna Airport, Scott, dressed in a light blue casual suit, slowly followed his other band members out of the airport. His dashing and straight figurebined with his gentle and elegant aura attracted the attention of countless tourists who passed by. However, as though he didn¡¯t realize their attention on him, he offhandedly passed his luggage to his assistant. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet a friend and won¡¯t be going with you guys to the hotel. So please just bring my luggage to my room.¡± After saying that, he went to inform the music director and left in a cab. Meanwhile, he called Tessa and invited her to meet up in a coffee house. Half an hourter, he sat across from Tessa in a coffee house with a minimalistic theme. They made a great-looking couple that was pleasing to the eyes-a handsome man with a beautiful woman-and the cafe¡¯s customers nced at them curiously. But unfortunately, the both of them didn¡¯t notice any of it and had their coffee by themselves. cing down his coffee cup, Scott cast her an apologetic look, saying, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about what happened that day.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Knowing that he was referring to her dismissal, she shook her head nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I was the one who offended someone that shouldn¡¯t be trifled with at the time.¡± Scott¡¯s brows locked together tightly, and just as he was about to ask who this overbearing person was, Tessa¡¯s voice, which sounded a little bitter, echoed again. ¡°As for who that person is, I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t say it.¡± Stumped for words, Scott didn¡¯t know what he should say, and the atmosphere suddenly became pin- drop silent. Sensing the awkwardness, Tessa changed the topic on purpose. ¡°Mr. Brooks, will your performance this time be at the Wiener Musikverein?¡± Surprised, he then chuckled. ¡°Our director did want to perform there, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t allow us the chance.¡± As she heard this, Tessa chuckled along, and she gave him words of encouragement. ¡°Although there are no chances now, I believe that it won¡¯t take long for them to perform at the Wiener Musikverein with the Berlin Philharmonic¡¯s current achievements.¡± At her words, a longing look appeared in Scott¡¯s eyes. Not only was the Wiener Musikverein Robert¡¯s target, but it was also his. Or perhaps, it was the target of all musicians. After all, it was a well-known fact for every musician that only after standing on the Wiener Musikverein stage would it be their first step to fame. Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Chapter 293 ¡°May your wordse true.¡± Then, snapping back to reality, Scott passed a ticket to Tessa, smiling as he invited her. ¡°This is the ticket to our performance. I hope to see you on that day.¡± Taking the ticket, she broke into a smile. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll definitely be there.¡± Seeing the pretty smile on her face, Scott was in a daze for a second but quickly jolted back to his senses and hurriedly kept his gaze away. Then, picking up his coffee, he took a sip to hide his gaffe earlier. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Meanwhile, Tessa didn¡¯t realize that he was behaving out of the norm as she kept the ticket properly away in her usual handbag, and when she was done, Scott had already recovered. Rubbing the rim of his coffee mug, he asked, ¡°Why did youe to Vienna, Miss Reinhart?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to further my studies at a music school here.¡± As she felt that there was nothing to hide, she told him the real reason. Astonished, he asked, ¡°Why the sudden decision to further your studies? I¡¯ve never heard you mention anything about it before.¡± A bitter look shed past Tessa¡¯s eyes for a split second as she heard his question. Then, she lowered her gaze and gave her coffee a gentle stir, saying softly, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not sudden because I wanted to do this a long time ago. Unfortunately, many things happened back home, preventing me from doing so. So, to maintain my family¡¯s livelihood, I could only give up on the idea temporarily. However, things are different now. I don¡¯t have to worry over my brother any longer, and the situation at home is well at hand. So, it¡¯s only natural that I decided to make ns for myself this time.¡± After she finished speaking, she took in a deep breath and looked up at him with a smile. Looking into her bright, dark eyes, he was stunned momentarily butter nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s time you make ns for yourself.¡± Grinning, Tessa took another sip of coffee, and they started chatting about their shared interest, which was music. Since it was a topic that the both of them enjoyed, they were very engrossed, and it was already evening before they realized it. Scott gazed at her and extended his invitation with a gentle look in his eyes. ¡°I wonder if I have the honor of inviting you for dinner tonight, Miss Reinhart.¡± After he had a conversation with her for half the day, his admiration for her had grown greater. Even though she was still somewhatcking in music theory, he was sure that she would be an aplished violinist in time, given her talent. Not knowing that he thought so highly of her, Tessa blinked yfully at him and jokingly said, ¡°It¡¯s my honor that a future violinist is buying me dinner.¡± Scott couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Then, he brought her to a high-end Western restaurant. Whilst h?ving their meal, they chatted happily in a harmonious atmosphere. Later, when they were finished with dinner, as Scott still had to practice for the performance, they didn¡¯t make any more ns. Finally, he returned to the hotel after sending Tessa back to her apartment. In Southend¡¯s Regal Gardens, the doorbell rang after Timothy hung up from a call with Tessa. When he opened the door and saw the person standing outside, he couldn¡¯t help but look shocked. ¡°Greg, why are you here?¡± he asked, ncing behind Gregory but he saw no one else. In that instant, he knew that Gregory hade here alone again. Immediately, a disapproving look appeared on his face. ¡°Greg, didn¡¯t I already tell you that you shouldn¡¯t go ces by yourself because there are a lot of bad guys out there?¡± ¡°Mr. Timothy, I didn¡¯te alone. The driver dropped me here, and Daddy knows about it as well,¡± Gregory exined, tugging the hem of Timothy¡¯s shirt. Hearing that, Timothy breathed a sigh of relief and let Gregory into the house. Then, after cing a ss of water in front of him, he asked, ¡°Why are you here at such ate hour?¡± ¡°Mr. Timothy, I don¡¯t understand a part of the program you taught me before, so I came here to ask you.¡± Even though that was what he said, his eyes which were scanning around the room, betrayed him. After looking around, he didn¡¯t see Tessa anywhere, and his eyes couldn¡¯t hide the disappointment he was feeling. Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Pretending not to see his indiscrete actions, Timothy asked, ¡°Which part don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°Uh, this part.¡± Then, he took out a notebook from his little backpack, carelessly flipped to a page, and pointed to a spot. While Timothy checked the notebook, Gregory fixed his eyes again on Tessa¡¯s tightly shut bedroom door. Why isn¡®t Miss Tessa out yet? Didn¡®t she hear my voice? Half an hour passed by, and Timothy stopped his exnation and turned to look at the distracted Gregory, asking, ¡°Do you understand it now?¡± Snapped back to his senses, Gregory nodded sheepishly. ¡°I got it, Mr. Timothy.¡± Nodding, Timothy chose not to expose him. ¡°It¡¯ste. I¡¯ll send you home,¡± he said, cing his notebook into the backpack before he stood up to send him off. Unwittingly, Gregory started to be anxious because he deliberately used learning as an excuse to visit Tessa, but he didn¡¯t even get to see her at all. At the thought of this, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Timothy, I¡¯ve been here for so long, but why didn¡¯t Miss Tessa evene out to see me?¡± Seeing the eagerness in Gregory¡¯s eyes, Timothy felt a little sorry, but when he recalled Tessa¡¯s reminder, he toughened his heart and said, ¡°My sister has gone to sleepover at a friend¡¯s ce.¡± Gregory was taken aback, ¡°So, Miss Tessa isn¡¯ting back tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah, she won¡¯t be back,¡± Timothy answered with a nod. The light in Gregory¡¯s eyes dimmed immediately after he heard that, and he hung his head with an unmistakable look of disappointment. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Miss Tessa for so many days, and I really, really miss her.¡± Since Timothy didn¡¯t know how he couldfort Gregory, he merely ruffled his dark hair gently and stayed by his side silently. Just then, the doorbell rang again, and when Timothy opened the door, he saw Nichs dressed in a tailored ck suit outside his door. His well-sculptured face was wearing an aloof expression. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up Greg,¡± he said, peering past Timothy and straight into the living room. There was no one else besides Gregory in the living room, and Nichs¡¯ brows furrowed inscrutably. Finally, he said, ¡°Come home with me, Greg,¡± in his usual calm tone. ¡°Okay,¡± Gregory replied as he trodded lifelessly to the door. Nichs narrowed his eyes a little; Gregory would only have such a bleak look when he didn¡¯t get to see Tessa. ¡°Are you home alone? Where¡¯s your sister?¡± he asked casually. ¡°She¡¯s not home,¡± Timothy answered and told him the same excuse he used on Gregory earlier. Nichs didn¡¯t think too much about it and left with Gregory. In the next few days, Gregory woulde every single day to look for Tessa using learning as the excuse. However, he didn¡¯t get to see her even once, to his dismay. And every single time, Timothy would tell him that she was staying over at a friend¡¯s ce. Once or twice was fine, but when the excuse was used too often, not only was Gregory suspicious, but even Nichs became dubious. He had investigated Tessa before, and he knew very well that this woman didn¡¯t have many friends in Southend. So, how could she stay at someone else¡¯s ce for so many days? Wait a minute... Is she avoiding us? As Nichs came to an epiphany, his face turned grim as he was seated on a genuine leather office chair. Suddenly, it came into his mind that during the past few days when he went to Tessa¡¯s ce, besides the fact that she wasn¡¯t around, even a lot of her possessions were missing as well! Shocked, he concluded. No, Tessa isn¡®t just out of the house. She isn¡®t living in the house at all! At this thought, he quickly contacted Edward. ¡°Within an hour, I want to know Tessa¡¯s whereabouts for the past few days,¡± he said, his voice interspersed with anger. On the other end of the line, Edward heard the displeasure in his tone and immediately ordered someone to check up on it, thinking that something had happened to Tessa. An hourter, he read the information in his hand in shock.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Edward didn¡®t imagine that Tessa had left the country a week ago and even settled down abroad. Nevertheless, he hurriedly sent the information packet to Dynasty Gardens, not daring to withhold the information. Nichs sat at the desk dressed in casual home attire in the ck and white minimalist study, emanating an ominous air around him. ¡°Where¡®s she? Did you find her?¡± Sensing the pressure in the air, Edward immediately reported the results of his investigations respectfully. ¡°I found her. Miss Reinhart bought a ticket and left the country a week ago.¡± As soon as he said that, the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees lower, and as expected, Nichs¡® face was terrifyingly solemn. Great, just great, he thought sarcastically. This woman actually left without a word! Edward asked cautiously, peering at his boss, who had an unusually glum look on his face, ¡°President Sawyer, should I bring Miss Reinhart back?¡± ¡°For what?!¡± Nichs snapped, his voice filled with anger as he cast an icy stare toward Edward. Secretly, Edward sulked, thinking, You¡®ll still have to get her back in a couple of days¡® time. After all, Young Master Gregory can¡®t do without Miss Reinhart. Speaking of the devil, Gregory pushed the door open with red¨Crimmed eyes. At first, he wanted to look for Nichs to help him think of a way to meet Tessa. However, he didn¡®t expect to overhear the news that she had already left the country instead. ¡°Daddy, is Miss Tessa noting back anymore?¡± He gripped his pajamas mournfully and started to whimper as he said, ¡°Am I not going to see her again in the future?¡± Nichs kept quiet, unsure of what he should say, and Gregory understood the look in his eyes. Then, in an instant, he started bawling. ¡°Why did Miss Tessa leave? Is it because I¡®m not a good boy? Daddy, will you get her back for me? Please?¡± The way he twitched and jerked while crying looked so heartbreaking that Edward couldn¡®t bear it and hurriedly crouched down. While wiping his tears away, he assured him, ¡°Young Master Gregory, maybe Miss Reinhart went abroad because of some business and would be back after a few days.¡± As soon as Gregory heard that, only then did he try his best to stop his cries. ¡°Hic... Really? Will she be back after a few days?¡± Even though he was asking Edward, his tear¨Cfilled eyes nced over at Nichs seated at the desk. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Realizing this, Edward turned to look at his boss as well, squinting at Nichs in hopes that he wouldn¡®t expose his white lie from earlier. However, Nichs ignored him entirely and kept his eyes on the pitiful Gregory as his heart filled with resentment and anger at Tessa, who left without a word. A few years ago, she abandoned her son because of money, and she¡®s still the same a few yearster! This woman is just as heartless as she was before. ¡°Daddy...¡± Gregory cried when Nichs didn¡®t answer him for a long time. Then, meeting Gregory¡®s eyes, Nichs was soft¨Chearted for a split second. Still, he finally steeled his heart and warned strictly, ¡°You¡®re not allowed to think about Tessa Reinhart and you¡®re also forbidden to go to their ce to look for Timothy Reinhart from now on.¡± Stunned, Gregory cried and yelled angrily, ¡°Daddy¡®s a meanie! You can¡®t stop me from seeing Miss Tessa. I want her and I don¡®t want to be separated from her.¡± After saying that, he turned around and dashed off. He wanted to find Tessa and didn¡®t want to be with his mean father. ¡°Gregory Sawyer, stay right there!¡± Nichs shouted loudly. Unfortunately, Gregory didn¡®t care and dashed out of sight. Nichs chased after him with a stone¨Ccold face with an air of fury surrounding him. Noticing the situation spiraling out of control, Edward followed behind closely. After they came out of the study, Nichs saw Gregory making a scene, crying as he ran for the main doors. Then, he immediately ordered the servants, ¡°Stop Young Master Gregory!¡± The second he said that, servants from all sideas lunged forward and surrounded Gregory ¡°Go away, all of you! I want to look for Miss Tessa,¡± Gregory bawled, shoving the servants in his path. Despite his efforts, he was too young and too weak to shove them aside. At that moment, he knew it was a futile effort and that he couldn¡®t leave on his own without help. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Abruptly, Gregory turned around. Then, feeling heartbroken and angry, he shouted at Nichs, ¡°Bad Daddy! I hate you!¡± As soon as these words left his lips, Gregory rushed to the second floor like a tornado. Then, he returned to his room and mmed the door hard. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Bang! The whole second floor shook like an earthquake had taken ce. Nasty was not enough to describe the sullen look on Nichs¡¯ face. There was even a feeling of helplessness in his heart. At that moment, Nichs knew very well that his rtionship with Gregory, which took much effort to be somewhat of a father and son again, would return to square one after today. But, even so, he did not regret it at all. I will never allow anyone to harm Greg! Even if that person is his biological mother! ¡°President Sawyer¡ª¡± Edward wanted to say something. However, he was interrupted by Nichs before he could finish his sentence. ¡°You have no business here. Leave.¡± Looking at the cial look on Nichs¡¯ face, Edward could only bite back the words that he was about to say. Then, he nodded and left. ¡°In the future, Greg is not allowed to go out without my permission.¡± After giving his order, Nichs also turned around and went back to his study. Two dayster, Timothy realized that Gregory had not shown up for several days. And thus, he vaguely figured out a few things. That night, Timothy told Tessa about this matter when he was on a video call with her. ¡°Tess, President Sawyer seems to have noticed your departure. He didn¡¯t let Grege to find me these days.¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa stayed silent for a moment. Later, with a hint of bitterness in her smile, she said softly, ¡°It¡¯s fine even if Greg didn¡¯t show up. After all, we¡¯re from two different worlds. They are bound to simply be passers-by in our lives.¡± Timothy quietly looked at Tessa on the screen. I can sense the reluctance in Tess¡® words. It¡®s just that I have no idea why she insisted on leaving. But since Tess doesn¡®t want to talk about it, I won¡®t push for answers until she¡®s ready to talk about it herself. As he thought about that, Timothy changed the subject. He asked Tessa about the progress of her college application. ¡°Tess, have you sessfully registered for college?¡± In the past few days, Tessa had been applying for enrolment into Vienna Conservatory. It was just that the progress was not looking well. The college admission qualification in Vienna was challenging to obtain. Tessa had been running around ces for so many days but still couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of everything during that process. In actuality, she felt somewhat frustrated with herck of progress. However, in order to not worry Timothy, she pretended to be okay. ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for the news, but I¡¯ll find a way. So, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Seeing that Tessa was looking confident, Timothy did not say anything. Instead, he chatted about some family affairs. It was some timeter when the call was finally over. As Tessa held the phone, the smile on the corners of her lips slipped off her face as she returned to the bedroom. After that, Tessa threw herself on the bed. She stared at the ceiling above her head, feeling lost and miserable. Right now, her mood was very down. She was feeling down not only due to the college affairs. However, it was more because she had a hunch that this time, she might never cross paths with Nichs and Gregory ever again in the future once she parted with them. ¡°Greg must be sad,¡± Tessa whispered sadly. Her heart throbbed in pain as her mind was full of Gregory¡¯s reluctant look when parting with her every time. As for a particr callous guy, Tessa decisively chose to forget about him. The atmosphere in the room fell into somber silence. Tessa did not know how long the time had passed when the phone that she had left aside rang, breaking the silence. Grabbing her phone, Tessa checked who the caller was. She was a little surprised when she found out it was a call from Scott. Logically speaking, tomorrow is the performance day for Scott and his orchestra band. They should be rehearsing at this hour. Why does he still have time to call me at this hour? Feeling perplexed, Tessa answered the phone, ¡°Mr. Brooks, is something the matter?¡± ¡°Miss Reinhart, I might need your help with something. The assistant concertmaster of our orchestra was temporarily unable to perform due to a car ident. Unfortunately, the orchestra could not find a recement for the time being. So, I rmended you to Mr. Miller. Since this is a rare opportunity, do you want toe and give it a whirl?¡± Scott told Tessa the whole story. As Tessa listened, her heart was pounding. Once, I had practiced the notes on the music sheets day and night just to be able to perform as an assistant concertmaster. But an ident urred when I was one step closer to achieving my goal, and the position of the assistant concertmaster that I had earned through blood, sweat, and tears was given to someone else. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Although it had been a long time since the incident, Tessa had always regretted it in her heart. At that moment, she wanted to promise Scott out of impulse. However, her pragmatism held her back. Tessa hesitated for a split second. Then, she politely declined, ¡°Mr. Brooks, I¡¯ll definitely help if it¡¯s another position in the orchestra. However, I may not be able to help you if it¡¯s the position of an assistant concertmaster. I have no experience performing as an assistant concertmaster, and I have no experience coborating with the others in the orchestra. So I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll only hold you guys back.¡± ¡°Every musician umtes their experiences performance after performance. And if you don¡¯te and try it out, how will you know that you won¡¯t coborate well with us?¡± Unwilling to give up, Scott continued to persuade Tessa, ¡°Besides, there will be many orchestra leaders among the guests who wille and watch the performance tomorrow night. If your talent got scouted by them and they put primary focus on your training, you would be able to spare yourself five years¡¯ worth of struggle!¡± ¡°Let me think about it again.¡± Tessa was a little tempted. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Sensing that Tessa was a little enticed, Scott continued persistently, ¡°Also, Mr. Miller even recognizes the teachers of the Vienna Conservatory. Didn¡¯t you say that you have been looking for admission qualifications? As long as you¡¯re willing to help us, you may have a chance when the timees.¡± This time, Tessa had absolutely no reason to reject Scott¡¯s offer. These days, I have gone to many ces for the sake of the admission qualifications. But I was left out in the rain. So now that I finally have an opportunity, it¡®s only natural for me to grab it. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try.¡± After hanging up the phone, Tessa cleaned herself up and rushed to the studio temporarily rented by the Berlin Philharmonic. Under the front deskdy¡¯s guidance, Tessa arrived at the studio¡¯s door. However, before she could knock on the door to enter, noises of arguments came from the ajar door. ¡°Mr. Miller, how can an unknown violinist be the assistant concertmaster of the orchestra at this hour? Isn¡¯t this like ruining tomorrow¡¯s performance?¡± ¡°I also disagree with this decision.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more, we¡¯ve been practicing day and night for these performances. We have already developed a tacit understanding. The violinist is an interim member. Can he coborate well with us? Mr. Miller, I think we can¡¯t let there be a w in the performance even if there¡¯s no assistant concertmaster this time.¡± At once, members of the Berlin Philharmonic expressed their dissenting opinions. Robert kept listening to them silently. He waited until everyone finished expressing their opinions. Then, he turned to look at Scott. ¡°You¡¯re the one who rmended that violinist. So, wh?t do you say?¡± ¡°I trust my friend. If everyone is unconvinced, you can all wait for my friend toe over and y a live performance. We shall let our skills speak for themselves!¡± Scott said with a determined voice as his dark eyes nced at the band members. Meanwhile, Tessa felt a little moved outside the door when she heard Scott standing up for her. Since Mr. Brooks believes in me so much, I can¡®t let him down. Tessa took a deep breath, knocked on the door, and entered. ¡°Mr. Brooks, I¡¯m notte, am I?¡± Pretending she did not overhear the argument from earlier, Tessa carried the violin case on her back. She stood tall at the door Her face without makeup was even more beautiful than the female band members adorned in makeup presently. Her looks amazed many people. Scott was dazed for a moment. Then, he quickly snapped back to reality and smiled lightly. ¡°No, you¡¯re notte. In fact, you came just in the knick of time.¡± Upon hearing that, Tessa nodded. Then, she turned her gaze toward everyone else. She greeted Robert, ¡°Mr. Miller, we meet again.¡± Robert looked somewhat awkward. After all, they had parted on terrible terms not too long ago. He never thought that the ¡®assistance¡¯ that Scott invited was actually Tessa. At this moment, the band members who were initially stunned also recognized Tessa. So, one by one, they started whispering. ¡°She¡¯s the ¡®cavalry¡¯ invited by Mr. Brooks? Is this a joke? How can a mere student be the assistant concertmaster?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t let Mr. Brooks act recklessly. He¡¯s going to ruin the performance.¡± ¡°Mr. Brooks, I don¡¯t agree if you let a student Mr. Miller expelled take over the position of an assistant concertmaster.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree either.¡± The objections of the members of the Berlin Philharmonic continued to sound around the studio. However, neither Scott nor Robert said anything. Tessa knew that they were waiting for her to deal with this matter. Immediately, she took off the violin case that she was carrying on her shoulder. Then, she scanned the agitated crowd indifferently. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Chapter 298 ¡°I am aware that everyone has great doubts about my capability. So I¡¯ll tell you what: I¡¯ll y a song, and we¡¯ll use our capabilities to prove everything! How about that?¡± Upon hearing that, everyone gazed at one another in silence, and they agreed to Tessa¡¯s proposal in the end. After a few minutes, Tessa adjusted the strings and put the violin on her shoulders. ¡°Hey, look at the violin in her hand. Isn¡¯t that Nirvana that Maestro Flores once used?¡± Someone recognized the violin in Tessa¡¯s hand, and there was a sudden uproar. ¡°I hope this woman¡¯s capability is worthy of the famous Nirvana violin.¡± As Tessa listened to the discussion around her, her initially quiet heart gradually became tense. Finally, she took a deep breath as she tried to mute the surrounding sounds. Then, she began to pull the bow against the violin¡¯s strings. The piece that Tessa would be ying this time was ¡®Violin Concerto in D major. Tessa knew that if she wanted these people to recognize her capability, she had to show them her skills. And ¡®Violin Concerto in D major¡¯ had very high requirements in terms of rhythm. Apanying the soft sound of the violin, the people who were previously discussing the matter of her ownership of such a famous violin immediately quieted down. Then, one by one, they closed their eyes and listened to her y. Perhaps it was because of her nervousness that Tessa¡¯s performance was not stable at first. Many people frowned, and some even looked derisive. Fortunately, Tessa did not see that. Otherwise, it would affect her performance even more. Tessa, of course, also knew that she did not y well at the beginning. Therefore, she tried hard to adjust herself, while she yed the piece. As she gradually got into a better headspace, the faces of the people who initially belittled her became serious. After all, to be an official member of the Berlin Philharmonic, every musician must have had the utmost talent in music. As of this moment, they could all feel that Tessa¡¯s musical talent was not inferior to any of theirs. On the contrary, even the emotions conveyed by Tessa¡¯s musical sense were more powerful than theirs. The light and agile musical notes continued to sound in the studio, showing the fullest extent of cheerful, lively, and youthfulness. As the song ended, Tessa let out a sigh of relief. Then, she put down her violin and bowed. ¡°My performance is over.¡± p! p! Scott was the first to p in support. Then, the others came back to their senses and apuded her performance. Listening to the round of apuse, Tessa felt very relieved. It seems like I¡®ve passed the challenge! Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. After the apuse ended, Scott left his remarks for Tessa¡¯s performance. ¡°Compared tost time, your performance has improved a lot this time, especially emotionally. It feelsplete this time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tessa looked back at Scott in surprise. Then, the smile on her face became even brighter. Like a tiny flower blooming in spring, Tessa¡¯s dazzling smile made the others unable to take their eyes off her. Even Scott could not help but be mesmerized. Meanwhile, Robert also made a decision. ¡°I have decided that Tessa will take over the position of assistant concertmaster for tomorrow¡¯s performance.¡± At this moment, Tessa¡¯s ck eyes burst into a pure brilliance and joy. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Miller!¡± Tessa excitedly thanked Robert. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Right now, time is money. You need to be familiarized with the repertoire by this afternoon and evening.¡± After Robert decided to hire Tessa, he arranged training for Tessa vigorously and resolutely. He did not let Tessa rx for even a minute. For the next whole day and night, Tessa spent her time rehearsing. In the luxurious president¡¯s office of the Sawyer Group, Nichs, as usual, wore a ck bespoke suit. He was sitting at arge desk, and even so, one could still see his tall and straight body. At this moment, Nichs¡¯ domineering aura filled the entire office. When Edward knocked on the door and entered, he could feel the invisible pressure circting in the air. He straightened his mind, walked to the center of the office, and respectfully reported to Nichs, ¡°President Sawyer, thetest partner for our branch in Europe requested to meet you before they agree to sign the contract.¡± Nichs frowned in displeasure. Noticing Nichs¡± frown, Edward immediately exined to him, saying, ¡°President Sawyer, he¡¯s a member of Asiatic Inc. He wants to meet you because he also knows a lot about your achievements, in the hope of making friends with you.¡± At the mention of that, Nichs¡¯ expression rxed. The position of Asiatic Inc. in Europe is simr to Sawyer Group¡®s position in Southend. Undoubtedly, befriending such people is very beneficial to our branch¡®s development in Europe. Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Chapter 299 ¡°When did the other party ask to meet?¡± ¡°Preferably, tomorrow.¡± ¡°I got it. Go and make the necessary arrangements for the job, then wait for further instructions from me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Edward epted the order and left. Nichs tidied up slightly before picking up his car keys from the table and left inrge strides. That evening, he returned to the Dynasty Gardens and brought the sulking Gregory directly to the Sawyer Residence. After all, he was going on a business trip for a few days. Therefore, he would not be at ease if he left Gregory at home alone. That was why he decided to send Gregory to his parents. After making arrangements for Gregory, he contacted Edward and told thetter to meet him at the airport. That night, the two of them took an overnight flight to Europe. By the time the nended, it was already daytime in Europe. After washing up quickly, Nichs went to meet their client with Edward in tow. Their client was the CEO of Asiatic Inc., Mr. Harry Sullivan. During the banquet, Harry and Nichs chatted away happily. They clicked immediately even though it was their first meeting, as though they were old friends, not strangers prior to this meeting. Harry originally wanted to bring Nichs to the clubhouse in the evening. However, Nichs was not interested and declined the offer. Harry was not bothered by Nichs¡¯ refusal and continued to invite Nichs to other venues. ¡°Mr. Sawyer, do you have an interest in listening to a musical performance? There is a performance in Vienna tonight. It will only take us two hours at most if we drive there. We can still make it in time.¡± Being invited so graciously, Nichs could not refuse without seeming rude. Thus, he nodded in agreement. The concert hall was full of guests, and they filled every corner of the quaint and gorgeous building with a cultural atmosphere. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°President Sawyer, this way, please.¡± After getting out of the car, Harry made a gesture of invitation to Nichs. Nichs nodded and followed Harry into the auditorium. Then, he saw the posters advertising the performing orchestra along the corridor. It turned out to be the Berlin Philharmonic. He raised his eyebrows slightly, suddenly feeling that it was much too coincidental. Tessa was in the backstage area. She had no idea that Nichs was here too. Thinking about the uing performance made her so nervous that her entire body trembled. Upon noticing her uneasiness and restlessness, Scott walked over to her with a warm smile. He was dressed a lot more formally than usual for the performance today. The ck and exquisite tuxedo he wore made him seem noble and gentlemanly. He asked, ¡°Nervous?¡± Tessa made a nonmittal sound in reply and worriedly added, ¡°Mr. Brooks, what if I make a mistake during the performance?¡± Looking at the girl¡¯s uneasy expression, he encouraged her. ¡°Don¡¯t think about that. Rx. You have to believe in yourself. You can do it.¡± That¡®s right. I should believe in myself. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Surprisingly, with each breath, she gradually became less nervous. She looked at him gratefully and smiled. ¡°Thanks forforting me, Mr. Brooks. I¡¯m much better now. We¡¯re going to perform on stage soon; I¡¯m going to recheck my violin.¡± He nodded and watched her work. That night, the Wiener Kursalon was fully packed. Many well-known orchestra members were among the guests who came to appreciate the performance. They exchanged greetings and interacted with each other. The atmosphere was very harmonious. At 9:00 PM sharp, the musical performance officially began. Dressed in a plunging V-neck ck evening gown, Tessa filed onto the stage with the rest of the Berlin Philharmonic members. The form-fitting dress revealed her exquisite figure to the fullest. She had teased her thick hair into light curls that fell softly around her cheeks. Her palm-sized face bore a light but gorgeousyer of make-up, making her seem dignified instead of coquettish. Even when she stood beside Scott, she was not overshadowed by the light radiating from him. On the contrary, the two of them standing together made a very pleasing sight. ¡°Who is that girl next to Mr. Brooks? Why is she standing in the assistant concertmaster¡¯s spot?¡± ¡°When did the assistant concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic change?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Annie Patel the assistant concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic? What happened to her?¡± A series of discussions swept across the audience. Seated among the VIP seats on the second floor, Nichs immediately spotted Tessa in the crowd at a nce and froze when he saw her. It never urred to him that she would be here, much less performing as a member of the Berlin Philharmonic. However, when he looked at the handsome man standing side-by-side with her, the perfect-couple image they gave off suddenly seemed extremely irritating to him. He felt white-hot rage in his heart at the sight of the two of them for no apparent reason. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Harry, sitting next to Nichs, was a little stunned when he noticed Nichs¡¯s unmistakable irritated aura radiating from his person. Following Nichs¡¯ line of sight, he saw Scott standing tall and straight among the crowd. He asked tentatively, ¡°President Sawyer, do you know Mr. Brooks?¡± Nichs denied it without even thinking, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± Harry didn¡¯t really believe those words, but he tactfully said nothing after looking at Nichs¡¯ cold expression mixed with a hint of anger. Nichs¡¯ gloomy and icy gaze shifted from Scott to Tessa. Could she have left without a single word because of this man? But... didn¡®t she say the Berlin Philharmonic fired her? So why is she performing with the Berlin Philharmonic again? At this moment, he felt as though he had been deceived. When he thought about how Gregory could neither eat nor sleep because of this woman, Nichs could not suppress the rage in his heart, and the atmosphere around him became even colder than before. Another person entered the VIP seats at this moment. It was Harry¡¯s wife, Georgia Gardner. She was a beautiful and delicatedy. ¡°President Sawyer.¡± Georgia greeted Nichs with a smile after Harry introduced them. She observed Nichs discreetly. She could sense that the man was radiating an indescribably arrogant and domineering aura thatpelled a person to submit to him. Nichs nodded with an indifferent expression, not wanting to talk. Knowing that Nichs was not in a good mood, Harry tugged at his wife so that she did not disturb Nichs. In the next second, Georgia¡¯s voice sounded again in surprise. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t Annie Patel the assistant concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic? Why have they reced her tonight?¡± Unfortunately, nobody could answer her doubts. The performance soon began. After the conductor commenced the performance, the lights on the stage gradually dimmed. Only a few beams of silver light remained, shining down on the seven leading performers standing on the stage. Under the illumination of the lights, they were akin to pure and holy messengers of music sent by God¡­ A deep melody carrying a hint of cheer came from the stage, instantly attracting the audience¡¯s attention. Following that, a shocking auditory feast began. Many people closed their eyes and listened with bated breath. On the stage, Tessa was tense under the illumination of the silver ray of light. She was so nervous that her palms were sweating profusely. Fortunately, despite her nervousness, she had no problems keeping up with the rhythm. Nevertheless, there were some ws to her performance. Scott was standing next to her. Due to their proximity, he soon discovered the problem. He looked up and nced at the nervous-looking woman with a slight frown on his face. Then, he pressed his bowstring more firmly against his violin to increase the volume and drowned out the problems that came up with her ying. Naturally, she noticed the change in his ying and nced at him in surprise. Their gazes met. He parted his lips and whispered soundlessly, ¡°Rx. Enjoy the performance.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She immediately felt grateful toward him, knowing that he was covering up for her mistakes. Closing her eyes, she strove to calm herself down. She gradually got better under his guidance, even immersing herself in the performance. Although this is not the Wiener Musikverein, I am still very satisfied. At least, I¡®ve taken a small step forward toward my dreams. So, I will treat tonight as a dream and enjoy this experience to the fullest. It might be due to the change in mentality, for at this moment, Tessa was like a butterfly that had broken out of its cocoon. The atmosphere around her changed, and she began to bloom with a brilliance that belonged only to her. Her superb performance gradually attracted the audience¡¯s attention, and they started discussing it among themselves. ¡°Although this assistant concertmaster¡¯s performance is pretty good, I still prefer Annie¡¯s style.¡± ¡°I wonder what¡¯s the deal with this assistant concertmaster. I didn¡¯t hear anything about Annie leaving.¡± ¡°The Berlin Philharmonic didn¡¯t give any notice either, even though they made a substitution on the spot.¡± ¡°Perhaps something happened at thest minute. Let¡¯s not talk about this. We should just concentrate on enjoying the music.¡± An older man spoke up, and the chatter in the audience gradually subsided. As Nichs was sitting in the VIP seat on the second floor, he did not hear any of this discussion. Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Chapter 301 His gaze was intense as he stared unblinkingly at the stage. The confidence Tessa was currently disying was something he had never seen before. He felt that Tessa was like an uncut gem that was polished and finally shining at this moment. Looks like this is her dream... he thought. For some reason, seeing Tessa like this made Nichs¡¯ anger gradually subside. He truly couldn¡¯t bring himself to hate her¡­ Two hourster, the concert finally ended. Tessa walked off the stage with the other orchestra members while holding ¡®Nirvana. The two-hour performance had left her arms sore. But even so, it couldn¡¯t affect her good mood. When they arrived backstage, everyone started to rx and spread out to find a ce to rest. At this moment, the music director walked over with a smile. ¡°Everyone has worked hard, and today¡¯s performance was very sessful, especially Tessa, who performed exceptionally well. Many people have asked me about you earlier.¡± He briefly concluded the performance and praised the musicians who performed well. Tessa was highlighted amongst them and praised by him, making her extremely happy. When Scott saw the beautiful smile on the girl¡¯s face, he seemed to have been infected, as the smile on his face brightened too. He said in a gentle voice, ¡°Congrattions. You¡¯re going to be famous overnight.¡± Tessa was embarrassed as she heard hispliment. ¡°Actually, I should be thanking you, Mr. Brooks. If it weren¡¯t for your guidance, I might not have yed so well.¡± ¡°Nheless, this is the result of your hard work,¡± Scott replied as he declined Tessa¡¯s thanks. He felt that he didn¡¯t y that big of a role. Tessa wanted to say something else, but there was a burst of cheers before she could speak. It turned out that the music director had finished his summary and had just announced that they could have dinner and enjoy themselves. Everyone was talking about where to eat and have fun. Scott turned to Tessa and asked, ¡°Do you have any ns?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not up for anything. I just want to rest after this.¡± Tessa shook her head as she declined his invitation. The injury she suffered earlier wasn¡¯t healed yet, coupled with the extensive practice over the past two days and the high-intensity tension during the performance. Her arms were so tired that she could barely lift them. Scott wasn¡¯t aware of this, so he continued to persuade her. ¡°The party won¡¯t end veryte.¡± Tessa hesitated but eventually refused and told him about her injury. When Scott heard this, worry shed across his dark eyes. ¡°When were you injured? Why didn¡¯t you mention it?¡± Tessa didn¡¯t want to talk about her past, so she just gave him a short answer. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, so I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± O Scott sensed that Tessa didn¡¯t want to talk about it, so he stopped pursuing his line of questioning ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t force you, but you have to take good care of yourself. I know a good physician. After we¡¯re dismissed, I¡¯ll bring you there and let him give you a proper massage.¡± Tessa was a little stunned. ¡°Mr. Brooks, you¡¯re not going to dinner with them?¡± ¡°We can have dinner anytime, but you need to get treated now.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Scott fixed Tessa with a solemn and grave look. ¡°You have to remember that your hands are very precious as a violinist, and there can be no damage.¡± As she was faced with such a strict Scott, Tessa felt like she was having shbacks of the dean of high school. S¨®, at the end of the day, all she could do was obediently agree to his arrangement. Not long after, everyone had everything packed up and was prepared to leave, so Scott brought Tessa to the music director and asked for the night off. ¨C As soon as he learned that Tessa¡¯s hands were injured, the music director made a few concerned remarks before dismissing them. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Meanwhile, Nichs, along with Harry and his wife, nned to leave as well. ¡°President Sawyer, I¡¯ve already made a booking for you at the hotel, so please, allow me to take you there.¡± As Harry walked out of the concert hall, he exined the arrangements he had made. Nichs nced around the concert hall entrance, then said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯d like to walk around by myself.¡± ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t disturb your night, President Sawyer.¡± Harry nodded in farewell and walked away with his wife. At this moment, Edward stopped the car in front of Nichs. Nichs opened the door and got in before lowering the window. Soon, Edward¡¯s question sounded in his ears. ¡°President Sawyer, where are we going next?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving.¡± A calm voice emerged from Nichs¡¯ mouth. He stared intently at the entrance of the concert hall. The glowing moonlight enveloped him as if ting him with ayer of silver brilliance, giving him a mysterious aura. Edward noticed his president¡¯s gaze and could already guess that Nichs was waiting for Tessa toe out. He sat silently in the driver¡¯s seat and waited with his president. After a while, the concert guests dispersed, and the members of the Berlin Philharmonic walked out. Tessa didn¡¯t even know that Nichs was nearby. After she and Scott said goodbye to the music director, they drove to the healthcare center. Watching as the taxi gradually drove off, Edward swallowed and cautiously turned his head. Then, sure enough, he saw the unusually nasty look on his president¡¯s face. The temperature inside the car plummeted even more as Nichs exuded a freezing aura. Edward shivered, then summoned the courage to ask, ¡°President Sawyer, should we follow them?¡± ¡°Follow them.¡± After Tessa finished the therapy, her hand felt a lot better. ¡°This ce is quite good. I shoulde by here more often,¡± she said as she walked out of the center with Scott. Scott nodded in agreement. ¡°Next time youe here, you should get a membership card to make an appointment in advance.¡± Tessa nodded lightly in response to his instruction. Then, while the two of them stood on the side of the road, Scott raised his hand and nced at his watch, then asked, ¡°Do you want to have supper?¡± Tessa¡¯s hands didn¡¯t hurt now, so she agreed. They found ate-night snack bar, where they had a pleasant conversation about music-rted matters, all the while unaware that someone had been following them. Inside a ck car on the side of the street, Edward was almost frozen into a popsicle by the chilliness Nichs was exuding. Unfortunately for him, he dared not protest, so he could only silently pray that Tessa would quickly finish her supper and leave soon. Nichs stared gloomily at the man and woman who wereughing not far away, only to find that the scene was an eyesore but also somewhat¡­forting? The woman had never smiled so brightly in front of him before. Every time she saw him, she was either cautious or wary and distant. At this thought, an indescribable rage spread through Nichs¡¯s chest. He stared straight at Tessa with intense eyes. Meanwhile, Tessa suddenly felt a coldness behind her, causing her to shudder. Scott took off his coat and handed it to her upon seeing this. ¡°The temperature at night here is much lower than it is during the day. Why don¡¯t you put on my coat?¡± For a moment, Tessa was surprised. Then, finding such an action would be a little too intimate, she shook her head and refused. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not cold.¡± A touch of disappointment shed across Scott¡¯s eyes, but he quickly recovered hisposure. After the meal, Scott sent Tessa back to her apartment. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯re here, Mr. Brooks. Please be safe as you return.¡± Tessa waved Scott goodbye while smiling as she stood under the apartment building. At this, a hint of tenderness shed across Scott¡¯s dark eyes. He nodded but still watched as Tessa¡¯s petite figure disappeared down the corridor before turning to leave. When Edward saw Scott leave, he breathed a sigh of relief. He felt that he would turn into a frozen popsicle before tonight ended if this man didn¡¯t leave anytime soon. As he felt the temperature in the car gradually warming up, he cleared his throat and suggested, ¡°President Sawyer, would you like to go up and say hello to Miss Reinhart?¡± Nichs gave Edward a nk stare at his suggestion and looked at him as if he was staring at a retard. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Edward choked on his words, then came to his senses and realized that it was a bad idea. If Nichs went upstairs now to find Tessa, they might as well tell her that they had been following her all this while. He let out a light cough, then returned to being his shrewd special assistant persona and asked, ¡°President Sawyer, shall we return to the hotel?¡± Nichs ignored him, and his dark eyes were fixed on a window on the 17th floor, in which Tessa had just turned the lights on. Edward knew his president¡¯s answer and sat quietly in the driver¡¯s seat upon seeing this. And there they stayed for the entire night. Under the glow of the yellow street light, the ck car stayed quietly parked at the residential area entrance. The surroundings were quiet, and the lights in Tessa¡¯s room had already turned off, but Nichs still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the windows. He didn¡¯t know why he followed Tessa back, but he just couldn¡¯t help it. For some reason, he felt irritated. Pop! A small blue me ignited in the car. Nichs lit himself a cigarette, causing scarlet sparks to flicker in the night. He inhaled deeply, letting the strong and bitter taste of nicotine to barely calm his restless thoughts. He exhaled rings of smoke as his pondering gaze fell back onto the window of Tessa¡¯s house. As time went by, the sky began to brighten, Edward, who had been up all night, turned back and asked, ¡°President Sawyer, it¡¯s dawn. Should we book a flight back?¡± ording to the previous arrangements, they were supposed to return home today. Nichs massaged his mild headache due to ack of sleep. A few momentster, he got out of the car, then nced at Tessa¡¯s window before speaking in a low and hoarse voice. ¡°You can go back first. I¡¯ll leave in two days.¡± Edward already knew what his president wanted to do, having gotten this reply. Then, he nodded and drove away without saying a word. Nichs continued to stand across from the residential area¡¯s entrance. He was leaning against the utility pole as he looked at Tessa¡¯s windows and pondered if he should go upstairs. After struggling for a long time, he still couldn¡¯t decide. During this period, people gradually entered and exited the residence. They cast inquiring and astonished nces at Nichs, who was standing on the side of the road. Although Nichs hadn¡¯t slept all night, he was still in good spirits. He was dressed in a ck suit and white shirt, and his buttons were firmly done up. His slender figure made him look tall and handsome and with an outstanding style. If it weren¡¯t for his indifference that could be sensed from thousands of miles away, many people would probably want to go over and strike up a conversation. Just as Nichs was still hesitating whether or not to go upstairs, God had already decided for him. He saw Tessa hurriedly walking out of the apartment building carrying a violin case. She jogged out of the entrance as if in a hurry to leave. Then, after stopping a taxi, she got in without noticing that Nichs was standing across the street. It was toote for Nichs to stop her, so he could only watch as Tessa left and eventually disappeared. Tessa was deep in thought as she sat in the car due to the contents of Scott¡¯s phone call not long ago. ¡°Miss Reinhart, a famous teacher, will be attending the orchestra today. If you have time, pleasee over. The music director and I will introduce you.¡± Tessa thought that this teacher was from the Vienna Conservatory, so throughout the whole journey, all she could think about was how to show her musical talent when they met and hopefully receive an admission offer. Unbeknownst to her, Scott wouldn¡¯t be introducing her to a famous teacher from the Vienna Conservatory but to the renowned violinist of the once-celebrated German Philharmonic. Just a few years ago, the violinist had now retired because of his hands. This time, he came to watch the performance by chance and found that Tessa¡¯s musical abilities and talents were excellent, so he wanted to have a chat with her. It was only when Tessa arrived at Berlin Philharmonic did she find out that the situation was very different from what she thought. However, she wasn¡¯t bothered but was extremely pleased by the turn of events. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. That was because she could already recognize the teacher Scott wanted to introduce to her¨C Hathaway, a famous violinist from the German Philharmonic! ¡°Hello, Miss Hathaway,¡± she immediately greeted in barely concealed excitement. Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Tessa suppressed her excitement and greeted Hathaway. After learning that it was Hathaway who wanted to meet her, she nearly fainted from the shock. She never expected that she would get such a huge opportunity. When Scott was done making the introductions, he sat aside with the music director and gave both ladies space to have a private conversation. ¡°After listening to your performancest night, I found that you have a rock-solid foundation. Your transposition was sophisticated. You must practice often, am I right?¡± Hathaway sat with her hands gracefully folded on top of her knees like a noblewoman. She was looking kindly at Tessa. Tessa noticed something, but although she was highly nervous, her every move was natural and graceful, neither humble nor arrogant. ¡°I make sure I practice for two hours every day.¡± Hathaway nodded and asked more music-rted questions. Tessa could answer every one of them, sometimes even giving some of her unique insight. ¡°You have a great deal of knowledge. I wonder if you¡¯d like to y ¡®Canon¡¯ live?¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Canon¡¯ wasn¡¯t a specific piece but apositional technique, and everyone yed it differently. Another point was that although all the parts of ¡®Canon¡¯ were imitations of another melody, different instrumental sections entered at certain intervals, creating a rise and fall that urred continuously. All in all, this was a piece that would truly test her skills. That request did not faze her as it wasn¡¯t a problem for her. She knew this was the test Hathaway was giving her, and she was prepared to answer to the best of her abilities. Immediately, she took out her violin, and after tuning it, she began to y. The mellow and light sound of the violin rang out in the hall, sometimes cheerful, sometimes gentle. It was like water melting in winter, where spring had arrived to restore everything, and the ce gradually filled with vitality. Tessa took a deep breath and looked at Hathaway with anticipation as she finished the piece. ¡°What do you think, Miss Hathaway?¡± ¡°That was an excellent performance.¡± Hathaway wasn¡¯t stingy with herpliments, and her eyes were filled with admiration and respect for Tessa. However, Hathaway couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Miss Reinhart, it stands to reason that you should have advanced a long time ago at your age, and with your talent, you should have achieved quite a lot by now. In other words, you should have had better progress. So, if possible, I¡¯d like to know why you¡¯ve been dyed until now.¡± Tessa didn¡¯t expect Hathaway to point out the problems with her development so straightforwardly. Left with no other choice, she could only briefly exin her family situation. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it.¡± Hathaway frowned and said with some disapproval, ¡°So, up till now, you¡¯ve been dyed by family issues.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tessa nodded in acquiescence. At this, a thoughtful gleam shed through Hathaway¡¯s eyes. ¡°I see.¡± She nodded and asked some other questions, but she never made it clear whether she would ept Tessa. When Tessa left the Berlin Philharmonic, she felt uneasy. Upon seeing how nervous Tessa was, Scott comforted her, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. Miss Hathaway didn¡¯t explicitly reject you, so you should still have a good chance of getting it.¡± Tessa knew that Scott wasforting her, so she nodded and smiled but said nothing. In fact, she didn¡¯t have much hope of bing Hathaway¡¯s student. Although she didn¡¯t talk much with Hathaway, she could discern from Hathaway¡¯s manner of speaking that she was someone who didn¡¯t like trouble. Not to mention, there were many talented people in this world. Besides, she wasn¡¯t the particrly outstanding one, so the chances of her being selected were low. She had always been unlucky, so how could she suddenly be favored? Perhaps perceiving some of Tessa¡¯s thoughts, Scott encouraged her again. ¡°You should believe in yourself. You¡¯re no worse than anyone else, including me.¡± Tessa was a little surprised. She didn¡¯t expect Scott to give her such high praise. She was momentarily stunned by his praise but immediately smiled at him in appreciation. ¡°Mr. Brooks, you¡¯re right. I shouldn¡¯t undermine my worth. Okay, this is where I¡¯m headed. Mr. Brooks, hurry back and spend some quality time with Miss Hathaway. Today is a rare opportunity.¡± Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Scott did have questions for Hathaway, so he quickly parted ways with Tessa. As she left, perhaps she wasforted by Scott¡¯s encouragement, so her mood was rather well, all things considered. She wasn¡¯t discouraged about Hathaway not epting her as a student either. Not to mention, the music director of the Berlin Philharmonic promised her that he would introduce her to a teacher from the Vienna Conservatory. Now, all she could do was practice, practice, and practice for the uing interview. As she gave her current situation a good thought, she felt that she had gone abroad in too much of a hurry, so there were many things she wasn¡¯t able to bring with her. So, she nned to go around and find the items she was missing. Somehow, she ended up at a gship store that sold branded musical instruments. Every musical instrument there was exquisite, and it was difficult for her to look away from such a stunning disy. Tessa was utterly captivated. Therefore, by the time she returned to her senses and left the store, it was already evening. As she recalled that it wasn¡¯t safe to wander the streets in a foreign country at night, she hurriedly went to the supermarket to buy some groceries, intending to go back and cook dinner for herself. Unfortunately, just when she was about to reach the residence¡¯s entrance, she was stopped by a few delinquents. ¡°Hey, prettydy. Come drink with us.¡± The delinquents sniggered as they surrounded her. ¡°Leave me alone. I don¡¯t know any of you!¡± Tessa shouted at the few people who were snickering at her; soon, fear shed in her dark eyes. She tightly gripped the bag, lowered her head, and tried to rush out. Suddenly, one of the delinquents grabbed her wrist, dragging her back in again with a pull. ¡°What are you doing? Let me go!¡± she shrieked as she struggled against the man. ¡°Rx. We just want to have some fun.¡± The teenagersughed and fooled around with great enthusiasm. As they were talking, they dragged ¡®Tessa along for several steps. She was terrified, and numerous terrible incidents in the news instantly shed across her mind. In that instant, she was so scared that her face lost its color, and she was utterly frightened. ¡°Let me go! I don¡¯t know any of you! I won¡¯t go!¡± she yelled as she began to struggle harshly against them. Unfortunately, she was a weak woman, so she couldn¡¯t fight against these young and energetic teenagers. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. As she sensed that she was about to be dragged into a car parked on the side of the road, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of despair. Her life had finally changed for the better, and she finally had something to look forward to, so why did God have to y such a cruel joke on her? She was not going down that road of despair again! ¡°Help! Save me!¡± Tessa began to cry for help. However, it was dinner time, so there weren¡¯t many pedestrians on the road, but it wasn¡¯t as if there weren¡¯t any. These passersby saw what was happening to Tessa, but they chose to stand idly by. After all, that group of teenagers looked like they weren¡¯t to be trifled with, and none of them wanted to cause trouble. When Tessa saw them just watching the scene unfold, her bright eyes lost a little of their luster. Just when she thought she was about to be vited, a harsh voice with a fierce aura sounded behind her. ¡°Where are you nning to take my woman?¡± The cold and familiar voice made Tessa look up in astonishment. Then, she saw Nichs standing nearby in a ck high-end business suit. When the yellowish glow of the street lightnded on him, it was as if ayer of light was shining on him, like a god descending from heaven. Tessa didn¡¯t expect to see Nichs here. At this moment, she was stunned and even a little incredulous, thinking that she might be hallucinating. She didn¡¯t react until the person who was holding her let go and ran away. Then, she watched the man walk straight toward her in a daze. Nichs peered at a dumbfounded Tessa and squinted his eyes. ¡°What? Have you been scared silly?¡± The man¡¯s low voice made Tessa blink. In the next second, she reached out with difficulty and cautiously touched the man¡¯s elbow. At this touch, Nichs¡¯ eyebrows jumped up. At the same time, Tessa was also certain that the person in front of her was real. She jumped several steps back, then asked in shock, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Nichs wordlessly fixed his dark eyes on Tessa. Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Chapter 306 After a while, he answered calmly, ¡°I¡¯m on a business trip.¡± A business trip? Tessa was stunned, but she was also unconvinced, as she figured it wasn¡¯t possible for there to be such a coincidence. The area where she lived was a residential area, which was several blocks away from themercial streets! She found it strange, and she felt that Nichs was actually looking for her. But, as soon as this thought popped up, she suppressed it. She had already made up her mind to forget him. But now, he suddenly showed up¡­ As she stared at Nichs, who was standing coldly in front of her, Tessa felt overwhelmed with emotions. So, she turned around and nned to run off like a deserter. However, before she could take a step, she felt the cor around her neck tighten. Nichs grabbed the cor of Tessa¡¯s shirt and pulled her back. ¡°What are you running away for?¡± As he spoke, he let go of Tessa with slight annoyance, his voice a little cold. Tessa¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly, and she reflexively retorted, ¡°I wasn¡¯t running away.¡± Nichs snorted, obviously not convinced. Tessa was also aware that what she had just said was rather hard to believe. She bit down on her lip and looked at the tall man in front of her withplex emotions, then said in a strained voice, ¡°President Sawyer, I wasn¡¯t running away. It¡¯s for everyone¡¯s good. I think we should keep our distance.¡± On the silent street, Nichs and Tessa stopd face-to-face. Beside them, shadows were cast by the light-one tall, one short. It painted a beautiful image from a distance that was both austere and gentle. However, that wasn¡¯t the case for them. When Tessa said the words ¡®keep our distance, Nichs began to exude a frosty aura. Tessa was so overwhelmed by the heavy atmosphere that it felt like she was physically suffocating under pressure. Just as she wanted to say something to ease the stiff atmosphere, she found that the man¡¯s oppressing aura had vanished. Nichs seemed to have forgotten what Tessa had just said as he said confidently, ¡°I kept all my things elsewhere, and I have no ce to stay tonight.¡± Tessa was a little confused as she thought about how drastic the change in topic was. Also, how could the dignified president of the Sawyer Group have no ce to stay? Even if he didn¡¯t have a ce to stay, there were many hotels around. ¡°President Sawyer, there¡¯s a hotel just down the street from here.¡± Tessa pretended not to understand Nichs¡¯ hint and pointed him to a street. Nichs didn¡¯t even look at where Tessa was pointing as he continued to stare straight at her, which made her ufortable. Still, she said with strongposure, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Almost as soon as she spoke, she turned and left. This time, she sessfully left-it was so sessful that it made her feel troubled and upset. She walked sullenly for a while, then finally couldn¡¯t help but stop and turn around, only to find Nichs leisurely following behind her with his hands in his pocket. His innate temperament gave him an indescribable sense of nobility. She forcefully suppressed her pounding heart and frowned as she asked, ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°I already said that I have nowhere to go.¡± Tessa¡¯s mood turned sour when she heard the man¡¯s righteous voice. In the end, she had no other way but to take Nichs home. After entering the door, Tessa only said one sentence before going straight into the kitchen with her groceries in tow. ¡°Make yourself at home on the sofa. I¡¯ll be cooking dinner.¡± Nichs silently watched as Tessa entered the kitchen before sitting on the sofa in the living room as she instructed. He surveyed Tessa¡¯s new home and found that the house was tiny, with only one bedroom, but the decor was cozy. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Tessa finished cooking after a while, so she called Nichs over to eat together. During the meal, neither of them spoke. As Tessa peered at the man opposite her who was dining in silence, she actually wanted to ask about Gregory. However, when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back. Now that she had decided to stay out of their lives, it was better if she didn¡¯t ask, lest she got hung up and could not forget them. After the meal, Tessa figured Nichs didn¡¯t have any clothes to change into for the night, so she asked, ¡°Do you want to go out to buy some clothes and toiletries?¡± Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Naturally, Nichs needed them. So, the two decided to shop at a nearby mall for his things. After returning home, Tessa stood in the living room staring at Nichs while emphasizing, ¡°I¡¯m only taking you in for one night. You must leave tomorrow morning¡± Nichs shot Tessa a nce before nodding calmly. That night, after the two of them had washed up, Nichsy down on the sofa to get some rest. He had gone two days and one night without any sleep, so he still needed the rest despite being young. Tessa also decided to go back to the room and rest. Somehow, when she saw Nichs¡¯ tall figure squeezing himself on her small sofa, she was suddenly unable to leave. Especially after she saw that because there was no ce to put his legs, they hung off the sofa¡¯s armrests. Although Nichs had his eyes closed on the sofa, he wasn¡¯t asleep. He sensed someone approaching, so he suddenly opened his eyes. Tessa was so taken aback by that sudden action that she took a step back. He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked in a husky voice, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± After she recovered herposure and remembered her reasons for approaching him, her expression became a little unnatural. ¡°Uhm, you can rest in my room for the night. I¡¯ve moved everything out.¡± As he processed her words, his gaze fell on what Tessa was hugging, and a hint of a smile shed in his eyes. He didn¡¯t refuse and simply got up and went to her bedroom. The night was getting darker, and the entire ce was silent. As shey on the sofa, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep no matter what she did. In the bedroom, Nichs was tossing and turning as well but couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Tessa¡¯s unique fragrance filled his nose, which made his irritable mood for the past few days gradually calm down. At that moment, he seemed to havee to a decision. So, he instantly got up from the bed and wanted to have a chat with Tessa. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. After leaving the room, Nichs saw that Tessa, who was supposed to be lying on the sofa sleeping, was standing on the balcony. The smell of alcohol was in the air, and there were several empty beer cans by her side. Nichs was displeased as he noticed this and walked over. ¡°Why are you drinking sote at night?¡± She turned at the sound of his voice, her dim eyes indicating that she was already drunk. Her suppressed emotions suddenly surged as she took in Nichs¡¯s iparably handsome appearance. ¡°Nichs, why are you always in my head? You¡¯re showing up in front of me again.¡± She stumbled to him, then clutched both of his wrists, her voice indescribably aggrieved as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve already made up my mind to stay away from you, yet you always show up like this. Do you know that that¡¯s against the rules? How am I supposed to stay away from you if you continue to do this?¡± During the first half of her rambling, he felt furious. But, after he heard her finalint, all of his anger vanished into a puff of smoke. He lowered his head and asked meaningfully, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®why?¡± she mumbled as she stared at him in a daze, her body shuddering He held her up and asked, ¡°Why must you avoid me, or even stay away from me?¡± ¡°Why am I staying away from you? Of course, it¡¯s because we¡¯re not suitable for each other¡­¡± Although she was a drunken mess, she still managed to convey the wide gap between them. ¡°Did you know that you¡¯re like the unattainable star and moon in the eyes of others? You can be seen, but you¡¯re untouchable, unattainable, and unreachable.¡±. Nichs frowned, not liking what Tessa had just said. ¡°You already said that that¡¯s what other people think. Look at me. Am I not close to you now? As long as you reach out, you can reach me at any time,¡± he replied and wrapped his arms around her waist. Then, he lowered his head slightly, pressing it against Tessa¡¯s cheeks. Standing under the moonlight, they were just a centimeter away from kissing. Their hot breaths intertwined in the air. She looked at the man¡¯s handsome face that was suddenly up close, and her heart nearly stopped beating. Finally, she ced her hands on Nichs¡¯s chest and lowered her gaze. Then, with a note of bitterness in her smile, she said, ¡°Stop joking around. In the end, I¡¯ll only be a passerby in your life.¡± Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Chapter 308 When Nichs heard this, his eyes suddenly darkened. ¡°Is that really what you think?¡± Nichs fiercely held Tessa¡¯s chin, forcing her to look at him. At once, Tessa frowned from the pain. Then, just as she was about to say something, the man¡¯s low and husky voice sounded in her ears again. ¡°What should I do? I don¡¯t want you to be a passerby at all and won¡¯t let you be one of them!¡± Nichs suddenly lowered his head and kissed Tessa¡¯s delicate pink lips as he finished his deration. Tessa was dumbfounded, her eyes turned red-rimmed, and she was lost in the kiss. His kiss was gentle and skillful as he guided her little by little. She was so immersed in the kiss, and she even wrapped her arms around Nichs¡¯ neck. Under the moonlight, the two of them kissed passionately, and something awoke in their hearts. It even made him impulsive as his warm hands moved against her back. She kept her arms tightly hooked around his neck. Her whole body felt as if there was a fire burning inside her. At this moment, a cool breeze blew in the room. Tessa, who was in a daze, suddenly sobered up and shoved Nichs away. She figured she must have been drunk, which was why she had done something so impulsive. ¡°It¡¯ste. Hurry up and get some rest,¡± After saying that, she dared not even look at his expression as she fled the scene in a hurry and went straight to the bedroom. However, Nichs wasn¡¯t satisfied, and his gaze was dark as he stared at the closed door. That night, neither of them could sleep. When Tessa got up to refresh herself early the following day, she saw the dark circles under her eyes. She let out a faint sigh, forcing herself not to think about the night before. Then, after putting on some light makeup, she left the room. Nichs had already gotten up and was sitting on the sofa watching the morning news in the living room. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°¡­Morning.¡± As she saw the man was greeting her as if nothing had happened, this scene filled her heart with complicated emotions. She didn¡¯t know how to face him, so she simply hid in the kitchen and prepared breakfast. Meanwhile, Nichs was unbothered as he stared at the kitchen with a glint of a smile in his eyes. A whileter, breakfast was ready, and Tessa¡¯s mood had gradually calmed down. As she sat opposite of him, she asked nkly, ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°Why? Is something wrong?¡± Nichs looked up at Tessa. Tessa met his gaze and answered steadily, ¡°I¡¯m going out today.¡± ¡°Why are you going out?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m going to find a job, and I¡¯ll lock the house.¡± Truthfully, Tessa had no ns to go out, but she hoped that if she said that, Nichs would leave earlier. Undoubtedly, Nichs knew what Tessa was implying. However, he didn¡¯t n to just leave. So, despite seeing through her, he didn¡¯t expose her but simply said dispassionately, ¡°In that case, just go ahead with your ns. Don¡¯t worry about me. I can stay at home by myself.¡± Tessa was stunned as she heard him shamelessly hogging her house. Does this mean he doesn¡®t n to leave? At this thought, Tessa frowned and made it crystal clear. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient for you to be here. Please leave after the meal.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything inconvenient about this.¡± As he spoke, he even had the audacity to look around. At this point, Tessa was a little exasperated, and her voice grew stern. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient because I said so.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s quite fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The two began to squabble like children at the table. But, in the end, Nichs still refused to leave. Tessa was enraged by his actions. She red at him in irritation and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you deliberately going against me? Why are you squeezing in this small space with me and not in the presidential suite of a hotel?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re here,¡± he said solemnly with deep emotions swirling in his dark eyes. Her breathing stilled as she heard his statement, and her heart seemed to have stopped beating altogether. Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Chapter 309 A few moments passed before she calmed down, then she said in a light but bitter voice, ¡°Do you know how much effort it took me to leave the country? To make up my mind to get away from everything back home?!¡± Nichs frowned, not understanding what this had to do with him staying. Tessa understood the confusion on his face, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel aggrieved, her eyes turning red-rimmed. ¡°Do you understand the feeling of someone who was forced to leave their family behind and live in a foreign country far from their familiar homnd? Not only do I have to familiarize myself with a new environment all over again, but I also have to find a new job.¡± As Tessa spoke, her voice became choked. Tears flowed from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks beforending on the back of her hand. When Nichs saw this, his heart felt as though those tears pierced it. ¡°You¡ª¡± Initially, he wanted tofort her, but he was interrupted before he could finish speaking She was having an emotional breakdown as she shouted with distress, ¡°Obviously, I¡¯ve alreadye all the way here to avoid you, so why do you still refuse to let me go? Do you know how much trouble you¡¯ve caused me?!¡± Unsurprisingly, the look on Nichs¡¯ face turned nasty. All of a sudden, he got up, looking calm as he approached Tessa. Then, he gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°In your eyes, I¡¯m just trouble? Is that what you think of me?¡± As Tessa stared into Nichs¡¯ cold eyes, her heart shuddered, and her hand on the dining table was tightly clenched into a fist ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I think. Because of you, because I was close to you, I lost my job. I have nothing, and I can¡¯t even stay in the country. What else do you want from me?!¡± She vented all the frustration she had suffered all this while as her emotions had finally shattered that jar she had kept them locked in. Looking at him with desperation, she begged, ¡°This is me begging you. Please leave me alone. Let¡¯s not contact each other in the future.¡± Nichs was livid, but Tessa pretended not to notice as she turned and left. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I hope I won¡¯t see you when I return tonight.¡± He stood still, staring at the closed door emotionlessly. After a while, he narrowed his eyes. Based on what Tessa had just said, it was clear that she was forced to leave the country. But who forced her to do so? Almost instantly, Nichs thought of Remus. After all, this domineering and unreasonable behavior was very much in line with his attitude. But¡­ Why did Remus go to such lengths just to force him to get married? All of a sudden, he figured out something. It seemed that Remus knew about Tessa¡¯s identity, which was why he tried so hard to force her to leave. When Nichs came to an understanding, the look in his eyes was gloomy and terrifying. He hated it when others made decisions for him without his permission, even if that person was his most respected elder! He suddenly scoffed in anger as he thought of Tessa crying in front of him just now. ¡°You left just because someone asked you to? Since when did you be so obedient?¡± Tessa, who had left the apartment, was in aplete mess. She wandered aimlessly along the road, not knowing where she should go. Subconsciously, she had walked to the downtown area and decided to just roam around the area. She just hoped that during this period of time, Nichs would leave. From then on, they would be strangers, and he wouldn¡¯t be a disturbance in her life. But¡­ When she thought about cutting off all rtions with Nichs and Gregory, Tessa felt suffocated and miserable, as if something was crushing her heart. She shook her head as if trying to get rid of the difort in her heart. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. We¡¯re not from the same world, so it¡¯s good for us to be separated.¡± After a while, Tessa¡¯s chaotic emotions finally calmed down, and it was then that she received a call from Scott. ¡°Miss Reinhart, are you up yet?¡± ¡°I woke up a long time ago. Is something the matter, Mr. Brooks?¡± ¡°Do you have any ns for today? Would you like to go to the most famous conservatory in Vienna with me?¡± Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Scott exined the purpose of his call on the other end of the line. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Tessa felt rather surprised and asked, ¡°Mr. Brooks, what are you doing at the school?¡± ¡°This is my alma mater. I promised to be a guest lecturer for a ss today,¡± Scott chuckled and exined, then asked again, ¡°How about it? Do you want to go with me?¡± Tessa figured that she had nowhere to go anyway, so she agreed. Scott sent the address to Tessa via text message, and they hung up after agreeing to meet at the school. In the bright and spacious ssroom, Tessa sat quietly at the end of the desk with her chin propped up. Directly ahead, Scott stood at the podium in a ck suit, giving a lecture humorously. The students present were attracted and responded eagerly,ughter spreading in the ssroom from time to time. Listening to all kinds of naive questions from the students, Tessa couldn¡¯t help but recall her schooldays. At that time, like the students present, she was full of dreams and aspirations for the future. Tessa¡¯s thoughts began to wander as she listened to the lecture. asionally, she could hear discussions of the starstruck female students. ¡°Mr. Brooks is so handsome. I¡¯m going to try my luck and ask for his number after ss.¡± ¡°If Mr. Brooks bes my boyfriend, that would be such a dreame true.¡± ¡°In your dreams. Mr. Brooks is mine.¡± ¡°Stop arguing. Mr. Brooks will belong to whoever wins him over.¡± When the bell rang after ss, Scott sorted out his coursework materials and announced, ¡°ss dismissed.¡± Almost as soon as he spoke, several attractive female students surrounded him. ¡°Mr. Brooks, can you leave your contact number? I¡¯d like to ask you questions on some of the topics I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± ¡°Mr. Brooks, can you give me your autograph? I really like your violin performance.¡± ¡°Mr. Brooks, do you have a girlfriend?¡± The ssroom was in chaos for a moment, and some students even confessed their feelings to him on the spot. Sitting at the desk, Tessa sighed as she watched Scott, surrounded by students. It¡®s so good to be young and carefree. Not to mention, she was envious that so many people liked Scott. It wasn¡¯t until the bell rang for the next ss that he escaped the enthusiastic students. He tidied his messy suit and walked to Tessa with a smile. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Tessa shook her head, unbothered. Then, from the corners of her eyes, she noticed the students nearby who kept turning back, so she said with a faint smile, ¡°They¡¯re very friendly.¡± ¡°So friendly that it was a little bit more than a handful.¡± Scott patted his chest in fear. As she noticed his expression, she recalled that many female students had used rather vulgar words with Scott just now. She teased, ¡°This just shows that you¡¯re very charming.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I really wish I¡¯m not this charming.¡± Scott looked distressed, so much so that she couldn¡¯t help butugh. Seeing the girl¡¯s bright smile, he let out a relieved smile. ¡°You¡¯re finally smiling.¡± When Tessa heard this, the smile on her face froze. She looked at Scott in surprise. ¡°How did you know I was in a bad mood?¡± ¡°Because I have good observational skills.¡± Scott looked proudly at Tessa. ¡°Do you want to talk about it? Why are you upset? I¡¯ve been told that I¡¯m an excellent listener.¡± She fixed him with a somewhatplicated look at his inquiries. She thought she was hiding it well, so she didn¡¯t expect him to see through her so easily. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just some personal affairs.¡± She didn¡¯t want to tell him. After all, both of them weren¡¯t close enough to share such personal matters. Scott peered at Tessa for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Well, I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t want to tell me, but¡­¡± He deliberately dragged his response. She immediately cooperated and asked, ¡°But¡­?¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Chapter 311 ¡°But, since you¡¯re here, I think you should really get the full experience of my alma mater. Remember, this is a happy experience, not a sad one.¡± Tessa was taken aback for a moment then she understood that Scott was just trying to cheer her up. At that moment, she was touched and warmed by his kindness. Afterward, the two of them took a detailed tour of the university. Scott was a conscientious tour guide, as he brought her to all the interesting spots in the school. He didn¡¯t even miss out on the school¡¯s grove, at which they interrupted many couples from having a good time. After leaving the school, he continued to bring her around to visit many famous sights in Vienna. Perhaps it was because of his remarks at the beginning of their adventure; it gave her the chance to let down her hair and actually have fun as she thoroughly enjoyed her day. She felt so great that the smile on her face never disappeared In the evening, Scott brought Tessa to a local bar with a particrly artistic atmosphere for a drink. Unlike the noisy environment at the other bars, this ce was rtively quiet. It was simply the best portrayal of leisure as they enjoyed their time under the yellowish lights, soothing music, and private guest tables. ¡°I never knew a bar could have such an atmosphere.¡± Tessa curiously surveyed her surroundings, and her gaze slowly filled with love for this bar. Scott smiled and said, ¡°If you like it, you could visit more often in the future.¡± Tessa nodded and continued drinking with Scott. As time flew by, it waste at night before they knew it. Scott nced at the tipsy girl opposite him, and his gaze was particrly gentle. ¡°It¡¯ste. Let me take you back.¡± ¡°Is itte?¡± Tessa dazedly checked her phone for the time. ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight. We should really get going.¡± She staggered as she stood up, so he hurriedly stepped forward to help her. After they settled the bill, the two of them walked out of the bar. ¡°We¡¯re here. Please have a safe trip back. Thank you for today. I truly appreciate it. I¡¯ll treat you to a drink some other day.¡± As they arrived at the residence¡¯s entrance, Tessa stumbled out of the car. The fun she had today, coupled with the alcohol in her system, made her feel like she was floating on cloud nine. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Scott was uneasy as he watched Tessa, who was standing outside the car window, swaying left and right due to the alcohol in her system. So, he unbuckled his seat belt, opened the car door, and walked over to her. ¡°Which floor are you on? I¡¯ll escort you home.¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine. I can go back on my own. You should hurry back.¡± Tessa broke away from Scott and stood firmly to the side, looking much soberer. Upon noticing that her eyes didn¡¯t look unfocused or too wasted, he didn¡¯t force the matter. Tessa watched as the car gradually disappeared down the road, then she turned and was about to walk back to her unit. She looked around her room and found that it was dark, and it was evident that no one was in it. Click! The originally dark living room lit up when she turned on the lights. Then, she closed the door and walked into the living room, only to find that Nichs had cleared up the dining table. She didn¡¯t see his clothes on the sofa either. She pursed her lips and sat on the sofa as she stared at the white wall in front of her, her vision unfocused. There was silence all around, the only sound being the asional noise of car engines from the cars passing by outside the window. After a certain period of time, Tessa recovered from her stupor. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the empty and silent room. But she didn¡¯t manage to savor that relief until a sharp pain stabbed through her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but reach up to ce her hand on her heart, feeling difort in that area, as if something was missing, leaving it empty. ¡°Isn¡¯t this good? There¡¯s nothing to be sad about,¡± Tessaforted herself. After a while, perhaps her self-hypnosis had an effect, as she didn¡¯t feel so ufortable anymore. So, she decided to wash up in her room. However, she hadn¡¯t even taken two steps before a tall, dark figure stepped out from the balcony, to her surprise. Nichs came from behind and trapped Tessa up against the wall. Then, a voice containing slight anger sounded in Tessa¡¯s ears. ¡°That man must be the real reason you¡¯re driving me away, am I right?!¡± It turned out that Nichs, who had been standing on the balcony, saw Scott sending Tessa back. He grew irritated as he thought she might have been with that man the entire day, so his remarks were barbed. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Tessa was caught off guard when she saw Nichs suddenly appear in front of her. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet? You¡­¡± She frowned, not knowing what to say. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She then nced at the balcony. He had obviously misunderstood her rtionship with Scott. Not to mention, seeing her being so reluctant to spend time with him angered him even more. Nichs sneered, ¡°Why? Are you eager for me to leave so that you can be with your talented musician?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Tessa reflexively defended herself. However, she was interrupted by Nichs¡¯ cold voice before she finished speaking. ¡°I think you do!¡± At this moment, Nichs¡¯ sanity was upied by a little something called jealousy. ¡°All that talk about being forced to leave the country and me causing you trouble? I bet those are excuses you¡¯re using because you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll disturb you from being with other men.¡± When Tessa heard his thorny remarks, she felt so embarrassed that she exploded in anger. She didn¡¯t expect that after she gave up everything and left the country, she would be ndered by Nichs in such a manner. There was a sharp pain in her chest as if someone was slicing her heart with a blunt knife. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her and why she felt so upset when she heard Nichs¡¯ statements. ¡°Since you¡¯ve said that, then I¡¯ll tell you this! So what if it¡¯s true?¡± Tessa looked broken as she shouted at Nichs with red-rimmed eyes. ¡°Who are you to me? Why do you care if I¡¯m with someone else? What right do you have to control me?!¡± Nichs was livid, and the veins on his forehead bulged in his fury. Ha! This woman actually said I have no right to care about this? Oh, the person who has the most qualifications to bother you about this matter is me! Nichs thought angrily. She was Gregory¡¯s mother, and since Gregory liked her so much, she couldn¡¯t be involved with other men! Nichs¡¯ dark eyes were burning, and he said sharply, ¡°I¡¯m not qualified? So if I became the man in your life, would that make me qualified in your eyes?!¡± ¨C ¡°Nichs, do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± Tessa stared at Nichs in astonishment, her eyes filled with shock. ¡°Of course! I couldn¡¯t be more aware!¡± After speaking, he didn¡¯t give her a chance to react, as he immediately picked her up by the waist. Then, he strode to the bedroom and threw her onto the bed. The bed was soft, and shended with a bounce before finally recovering from his bold statement ¡°What are you doing?¡± she questioned him sharply with a panicked look in her eyes. Her glistening eyes looked like that of a frightened fawn, which only made him want to bully her fiercely. As he studied her, it was as if something was awoken in his body. ¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m bing your man, of course!¡± While speaking, he threw the coat he had taken off aside, then pulled off his tie before lowering himself, trapping her between the bed and his arms. Tessa was frightened when she saw his handsome face looming closer. Upon thinking of Nichs¡¯ statement, she suddenly panicked. She ced her hands against his chest, her voice trembling with fear. ¡°Go away! Get off me!¡± Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t push his heavy body away no matter how hard she tried. She was so scared that she began to fight back with her entire body, like a trapped beast making a final struggle. There were even a few times when she almost broke free from him. When he felt her determined resistance, his eyes darkened slightly, and he pressed her harder against the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Get away from me!¡± she shouted in a hoarse voice. At this moment, Nichs noticed that Tessa¡¯s tearful face was filled with desperation. He was taken aback, and his heart suddenly ached. In the end, he gave up on the idea of intimidating Tessa, then lowered his head lovingly and ced a light kiss between her eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m not going to do anything to you.¡± Tessa closed her eyes as her body shuddered. It took several seconds before she reacted and opened her eyes. ¡°Is that true?¡± With her eyes full of tears, she cast him a dubious look. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true.¡± Nichs nodded, then paused. His tone changed slightly, and he smiled meaningfully as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything else, but¡­¡± Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Nichs purposefully let his sentence hang in the air, and then he kissed Tessa on the lips. ¡°I must do this!¡± Her eyes widened as she felt his lips on hers, and she stared nkly at him as her mind went nk with shock. He didn¡¯t mind her inattention as he continued to kiss her intently. He kissed her much more tenderly this time than he did the previous night. She was almost immersed in it again. While she was in a trance, her hands unconsciously clutched the sheets under her. The atmosphere in the room gradually became heated. Before Nichs let go of Tessa, his breathing heavy, a long time had passed. Looking at the dazed girl on the bed, he made a decision. ¡°Be with me, Tessa. Come back to me¡­¡± She was stunned when she heard his plea. After being lost in thought for a moment, she eximed in shock, ¡°Nichs, do you know what you¡¯re saying? You must be crazy!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crazy!¡± He pressed down hard on her shoulders, his face even more solemn than ever before. He fixed her with his dark gaze. ¡°Whether you believe it or not, I just want to keep you by my side. Not only because Gregory likes you, but because I can¡¯t live without you either!¡± Her head exploded with a bang at that deration, leaving her in a nk state. Her eyes widened, and her dark pupils were filled with disbelief. ¡°You¡­ Is this you confessing to me?¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded. Tessa was in utter bewilderment now. Looking at the girl who had fallen silent again, he pressed her for an answer, ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± She looked at the man¡¯s serious expression. Everything that had been happeningtely shed past her mind, and her mood was a different type ofplicated. If you get involved with my grandson, the people around you will lose their original lives because of you. At this moment, Remus¡¯ statement rang through her ears. . In the end, Tessa closed her eyes, her hoarse voice carrying a hint of bitterness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Unsurprisingly, Nichs¡¯ expression was a little awful. After all, he was rejected after confessing for the first time. Anyone else would¡¯ve been in a bad mood too. When she saw the bitter look on his face, a trace of fear emerged inside her, and she felt that she had been too hasty with the rejection. She would certainly suffer if he was further enraged, especially since they were alone. At this thought, she hastened to fix the situation. ¡°Nichs, I¡¯ve said it before. We¡¯re not suitable for each other, and I can¡¯t afford to be a part of the Sawyer Family. I just want to be an ordinary person and not be held back from doing what I like.¡± For some reason, after saying this, Tessa felt her heart ache as if someone had pierced it with a needle. Although she tried her best to hide the sadness in her eyes, Nichs still caught it. As he sensed that Tessa wasn¡¯t as indifferent as she seemed, his expression eased slightly. Combined with what she had just said previously, he knew that arge part of the reason she rejected him was because of the pressure from Remus. As he thought of this issue, his expression was serious as he promised, ¡°If you want to pursue your dream, I won¡¯t stop you, and I¡¯ll even support you. Of course, that also means I will never allow anyone to stop you either.¡± She was astonished. She didn¡¯t expect that he would still insist on being with her after such a rejection The man¡¯s serious voice sounded in her ears again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to care about what other people think, especially those who have opinions about us being together. It¡¯s my marriage, and I can make my own decisions. No one can stop me from doing what I want.¡± Nichs paused for a moment once he said that. Then, he met her gaze fearlessly, and his dark pupils showed deep affection for her. He said, ¡°Tessa, the only one I want is you.¡± She was dazed and flustered, but it was mixed with joy too. However, reason calmed her down in no time. Although Nichs¡¯ words made her heart flutter, there were too many problems between them. Not to mention, how could Nichs possibly¡­ like her? Perhaps he noticed the disbelief in her gaze, so he hurriedly added, ¡°I won¡¯t be epting any rejections from you.¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Chapter 314 As soon as Nichs said this, he caused Tessa¡¯s answer to stay lodged in her throat. When she saw the man¡¯s serious and persistent expression, her heart suddenly softened, and she pursed her lips before saying, ¡°Give me some time to think about it.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you time to think it over.¡± Nichs noticed the softening of Tessa¡¯s attitude, so he didn¡¯t force the issue anymore. However, in order to prevent her from dying it any further, he added, ¡°The time is limited to tonight. You must give me an answer tomorrow morning¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Tomorrow morning? That¡¯s too soon.¡± Tessa frowned, feeling that it wasn¡¯t enough time. He acted as if he didn¡¯t notice her dissatisfaction. Then, he lowered his head and gave her a light kiss, and he said with a smile, ¡°As there isn¡¯t much time, you have to really think about it. So I won¡¯t bother you anymore. As she stared at the gradually closing door, she couldn¡¯t help but grumble inwardly that this man was too overbearing, but¡­ But for some strange reason, there was a hidden burst of joy inside her. That secret delight even made the gloom following her for days dissipate considerably. After a simple wash, shey on the bed and stared at the ceiling up ahead, somehow unable to sleep. What he said kept echoing in her mind. ¡°Tessa, the only person I want is you.¡± Those words haunted her as she tossed and turned on the bed, feeling like her heart was pounding out of her chest. Finally, she couldn¡¯t deny it any longer. She had to admit to herself that she actually liked him. After thinking about it, she figured that it wasn¡¯t such a strange thing to fall for him. He was such a wonderful man, so it was likely that no one could resist his charm. Tessa still couldn¡¯t fall asleep in the middle of the night, so she slowly opened the bedroom door. Initially, she wanted to check if Nichs was asleep but found that the light in the living room was still on. Inside the living room, he wasn¡¯t sleeping. Instead, he was dressed in his pajamas and dealing with work-rted matters as he sat on the couch. Under the soft glow of the light, the man¡¯s sharp aura faded considerably, making him look harmless. However, he was still iparably beautiful. . Perhaps her gaze was too intense as he suddenly raised his head. When their eyes met, she was startled and embarrassed, feeling as though she was a peeping tom caught red-handed. In an instant, a wave of heat crept up her cheeks. She didn¡¯t even need to think to know that her cheeks must be red now. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s a bit hot, so I came out to take a look.¡± She pretended to feel hot and fanned herself: Nichs raised his eyebrows slightly but said nothing. At this point, she remembered her purpose ofing out, so she went over to him. She resolutely stood in front of Nichs and said, ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡± Nichs intently listened on as Tessa continued, ¡°I admit that I like you. But I don¡¯t know if I can be with you. To outsiders, it may seem like wishful thinking, but¡­ In this life, I like you.¡± She said everything she wanted to say all in one breath. When Nichs heard this, the corners of his lips raised with pleasure, his smile making him look sinful but beautiful. He pulled the nervous Tessa into his arms, and his voice was indescribably gentle. ¡°Since you¡¯re so uncertain, why don¡¯t we give it a try? I will prove myself to you until all your doubts are dispelled.¡± Her heart trembled slightly, and she sat in his arms in a daze. She breathed in the man¡¯s uniquely chilly scent, the smell making her feel at ease like never before. After hesitating for a while, she carefully reached out and wrapped her arms around the man beside her. When he noticed her small movements, he already knew her choice, which put him in an unusually good mood. ¡°Tessa,¡± he called out, letting the word linger as he gently caressed Tessa¡¯s cheek with one hand while he slowly approached her. The two kissed under the bright white light, oblivious to everything else. Tessay on the bed in the dim room, touching her lips in a daze as if his breath was still on them. She found it hard to believe that she had confirmed her rtionship with him just like that. She thought about how she left so spontaneously earlier, thinking that she would never have any contact with him again. Who would¡¯ve thought that not only did he