Ch. 1171..1180
Chapter 1171 Work Report
Even after she left the hospital, the matter still lingered in her mind, and her frown never did disappear.
Nicholas noticed her sour mood, and he pulled her into his embrace. “Don’t let her ruin your mood. She’s inconsequential. Annoyance isn’t allowed here.” He then kissed her forehead.
Tessa could feel his concern. She pursed her lips and mumbled, “I know, but it’s annoying to know that she’s causing a scene all the time. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Easy. Just leave it all to the servants. You did your part. That’s more than enough,” Nicholas suggested. Tessa thought he had a point, so she nodded. She had already calmed down when they came home.
Nicholas stayed with her for a moment, then he went to the study to work. Since Tessa had nothing to do, she entered the music room and practiced her violin.
Later that day, Andrew knocked on the door. “Madam, Miss Alice is here.” “Okay,” Tessa said. She put her violin down and descended the stairs.
After Tessa came downstairs, Alice gave her the work report. “Sofia called me. She found a place for the orchestra to practice. It’s around the outer ring of the city. I’ve taken the liberty to survey it. It’s nice.”
“Sofia chose the place. I trust her judgment.” Tessa nodded, smiling. She had faith in Sofia’s tastes. Alice teased, “Don’t butter her up. Not like I’m going to tell her that.”
“I’m not buttering her up. I’m being serious.” Tessa played along with the tease and put on a serious look.
Alice burst into laughter. The ladies bantered for a while before they return to business.
Alice reported, “A message from Sofia. Keep practicing. She sent a team over. They’re gonna be here in a few days.” Curious, Tessa asked, “Do you know whom she’s sending?”
“Didn’t say, but you can always call her if you want to know,” Alice suggested. Tessa shook her head. “Forget it. It’s not important. There’s no need to call her for this. I don’t wanna disturb her.”
Alice nodded and returned to the report. After she was done, she remembered something, and Alice smiled. “I almost forgot. Pre-orders for the tickets of your performance are available for sale online.”
“So how did it go?” Tessa looked at her, anticipation and anxiety in her eyes.
Alice didn’t answer right away. Instead, she raised a finger. Confused, Tessa asked dumbly, “What’s that supposed to mean? Did the sales flop? Only one-third of the tickets are sold?”
“On the contrary, sales roared. Sold out in an hour,” Alice answered happily. Tessa froze for a moment, surprise seizing her heart. It was delightful to hear that her tickets sold like hot cakes. Finally, something happy for the day.
Alice looked at the happy Tessa and said, “We’ve finished early preparations. Now it’s up to you and the orchestra. I wish you a perfect performance.”
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.” Tessa nodded, her eyes flaring with fighting spirit.
Alice was about to leave after she was done reporting to Tessa, but before she did, she said, “I’ll take you to the training center tomorrow.” Tessa said yes.
…
Since Tessa had an appointment, she woke up early the next morning, but when she was about to leave, Andrew came in.
Chapter 1172 The Training Center
He smiled at Tessa. “Ah, Madam Tessa. Here to welcome your brother, I see.” Timothy entered the living room.
Tessa was surprised to see him. “Timothy? What brings you here?” He should be in Vienna. Why did he come back all of a sudden? Tessa had a bad feeling about it. “Did something happen in Vienna?”
“No. Don’t think too much about it, Tessa,” Timothy denied. He didn’t want her to worry about him. But Tessa didn’t buy it. “Are you sure you’re fine?”
“I’m fine. The Vienna branch is already established, and Nicholas is helping me out with the management. I’m not needed at the moment. I just so happen to have something important to settle back home, so I came,” he explained patiently.
Tessa heaved a sigh of relief. “When did you come back? You should’ve called me.” She shot him a look of a complaint. “I landed this morning. I didn’t call because I wanted to give you a surprise,” he quickly explained.
A frown creased Tessa’s forehead. “So, you’ve been up the whole night?” Before Timothy could say anything, she turned around. “Andrew, tell the chef to make something light.”
Andrew nodded and left.
Timothy was touched that his sister cared about him so much. “You’re the best, sis.” He hugged his sister and rested his chin on her shoulder, just like how he did when they were kids.
A smile formed on Tessa’s lips. He’s still so reliant on me. She said, “You’re all grown up now. Stop acting like a kid and finish your breakfast, then get some sleep.”
“You’re still my big sis no matter what my age is. I can always act like a kid around you.”
Timothy let go of her. Tessa smiled. “Go get your breakfast.” “Man, I am famished. I didn’t get a bite of anything on my way here.” Timothy nodded and rubbed his belly, his lips pursed.
Worried, Tessa asked, “Why didn’t you eat anything? Are you down with something?”
“Nope. Airplane meals are disgusting,” Timothy complained. I can’t believe him. Just when she was about to lecture him, Alice called her. “I’m outside your house, Tess. You done?”
“Yep. Coming right now.” She hung up and looked at Timothy. “I need to settle something. You finish your breakfast and catch some rest.”
She left the house and went to the temporary training center Sofia rented for them.
They got out of the car, and Alice introduced, “Not too much traffic around, so you don’t have to worry about the noise. There’s a park nearby. If you feel burned out from practice, you can always take a stroll there. There’s a street further ahead. You can shop around if you want.”
Tessa looked around. Not bad. The ladies then entered the training center. The decor was fairly new, and there was ample space for the orchestra. Lots of instruments were lying around as well, much to Tessa’s surprise. “This place used to be a training center as well?”
“The owner didn’t say, but it was probably used for music-related events. Training centers, classrooms, you get the idea. My men have checked the gear. They’re good, and you can find almost every instrument here. Once the orchestra is here, you guys can hop into practice right away.” Alice looked satisfied with the place.
Tessa nodded. “This is a good place. Saves us a lot of time.”
Chapter 1173 First Place
Alice nodded in agreement, and then she remembered something else. “I also have a surprise for you.” She smiled. “What is it?” Tessa asked curiously.
Alice gave her a cryptic answer, “You’ll see.” That stoked Tessa’s flame of curiosity.
When they were almost done with the tour, Alice took her to a room. “Sofia told me to keep this room for you. You can take a break in here when you get tired from practice.” Alice smiled. “She specifically told me to make sure you’re never exhausted. Sofia’s really nice to you. I’m very jealous,” she teased.
Tessa looked around the waiting room, and a surge of warmth welled up in her heart. “Thanks to the baby, I guess.” She rubbed her belly, a sweet smile curling her lips. She then gave Alice a look of gratitude. “You did a lot for us, Alice. Thank you. For everything.”
“It’s nothing. Not like I’m doing it for free. Sofia pays me a lot for this.” Alice winked cheekily. “But if you can convince her to increase my bonus, that’d be swell. Makes for better motivation,” she teased Tessa.
She really loves money, huh? Tessa chuckled. They happily went around the place, and Tessa took a lot of pictures and shared them with Nicholas after the tour was done.
A while later, Nicholas called. “Nice training center you got.” “I think it’s nice too.” She told him everything about the new place, including the fact that Sofia prepared a waiting room for her.
Nicholas thought Sofia had done well. “She did well.” They made small talk, and then he asked, “So are you coming back later?”
“Why?” Nicholas smiled. “I can pick you up. I’m seeing a client nearby.” Tessa happily agreed. The couple returned to Dynasty Gardens in the evening.
After they got out of the car, Andrew approached them, a smile hanging on his lips. “Sir, madam, Mr. Hall is here.”
Tessa’s eyes shone. Oh, that can only mean one thing. The calligraphy competition’s results are out. She held Nicholas’ hand, and they made their way to the living room.
Gregory and Quinton were on the couch. The moment the couple entered, both of them stood up. “Mommy, Daddy, you’re back. We’ve been waiting.” The boy waddled over to his mother, excited. “Mr. Hall said the results are out.”
Tessa thought Gregory already knew the results seeing how excited he was. She bent over and asked, “So, are you in first place?”
“I haven’t asked. I was going to wait until you guys came back, but I’m sure I got first place.” Gregory raised his head confidently.
Tessa was surprised the boy could hold his curiosity back, but Nicholas wasn’t. He seemed to have expected this. “So, what’s his result?” He looked at Quinton.
Proudly, Quinton announced, “First place, just like he said. And he’s the youngest champion since the competition’s inception.”
The results surprised Tessa.
But she quickly snapped out of it, and happily, she praised, “Well done. You broke the record.”
“Told you I’d get first place.” The boy shook his head smugly, but Tessa thought he looked adorable.
She poked his forehead endearingly. “You have to learn to be humble.”
Chapter 1174 Gift
Gregory held his forehead, protesting, “No. I just got first place. I have the right to brag.” Tessa thought he had a point.
Nicholas smiled. “You got first place because of Mr. Hall. He taught you well. Say thank you.” Gregory might be talented, but he only got first place because Quinton taught him well. Gregory politely thanked Quinton. “Thank you, Mr. Hall.”
Quinton appreciated that. He was proud he had a talented student like Gregory, and he couldn’t help but advise, “Gregory, you’re talented, but if you want to be better, you need to stay humble and keep training. I’ll teach you everything I know, but it’s up to you if you want to reach greater heights.”
“I know. I’ll do my best.” Gregory nodded. And then it was time for dinner. Tessa happily invited Quinton to have dinner with them to celebrate Gregory’s win. Quinton accepted the invitation, and they had a great dinner.
Not too long after dinner, Quinton left. Right now, only three of them were left in the living room.
The boy suddenly hugged his mother’s legs. “Mommy…” he purred, his eyes glinting with anticipation, making them look like diamonds.
Tessa saw through him, but she pretended to have no idea what he was saying. “What’s the matter?”
The boy blinked. She didn’t get it? He reminded her, “I got first place.”
Oh, he’s so cute. Tessa held her laughter back and kept teasing, “Yes, I know. Wonderful job, Gregory. You did as you promised.” She then kissed his forehead.
Gregory froze up. Hey, that’s not what I wanted. Did she forget about my present? He puckered his lips and was about to cry.
Oh no, he’s going to cry! She quickly came clean, “Don’t cry, Gregory. I was just kidding. I have your present right here.”
Oh, so Mommy was playing with me? “You’re so bad, Mommy. You tricked me.” He shot his mother a look of a complaint.
Sheepishly, Tessa held his hand. “Aw, but you’re just so cute. I just had to play with you a little.”
Nicholas stared at them silently, love filling his eyes.
Finally, Tessa managed to calm the boy down, and she whipped out the present. The boy took it, and he wondered what was inside. He opened it up and saw a beautiful little violin in it. Tessa had been asking Louis to make this for the boy a long time ago, so it was smaller than regular violins. However, since the materials required were scarce, Louis took a long time to finish this. Tessa asked, “Do you like it?”
“I love it. Thanks, Mommy.” He nodded with a big grin. The boy happily placed the violin in a safe place and turned his attention to Nicholas. “Oh, Daddy…” He addressed his father the same way he called his mother earlier. Obviously, he was expecting another present.
Nicholas cocked his eyebrow. Calmly, he said, “It’s on the way.” The gift was imported goods, so it was taking its time to get here.
The boy didn’t expect that and was a little disappointed. “What? It’s still on its way?”
“You should’ve told me sooner if you wanted a gift.” Nicholas shot him a look.
Can’t argue with that. Gregory pouted.
Chapter 1175 Family Talk
Yet, his disappointment was replaced by anticipation not long after. Daddy promised me the gift. I’ll get it sooner or later. At this thought, he waddled around in excitement.
While they were chatting happily, Andrew came in and announced, “Sir, madam, Master Timothy and Master Kieran are here.” Kieran and Timothy made their entrance.
“Fancy seeing you two together.” Tessa was surprised to see them together. Timothy smiled. “I ran into Kieran this afternoon, so we thought we’d have a drink tonight. He said Nicholas has a lot of good stuff, so here we are. In his words, we’re here to clean out the cellar.”
“You want to clean out my cellar?” Nicholas shot his brother a killer look. Kieran cowered at once and shouted for help. “Help me, Tess!”
Tessa was amused. A while later, everyone started talking about Gregory and his getting first place in the competition. “He got first place out of a few thousand contestants. That’s awesome.” Kieran gawked at the boy.
Surprised, Timothy nodded. “Very well done. And he broke the record of the youngest champion.” Gregory felt a little sheepish from all the praise he was getting.
Nicholas said, “It’s his first competition. Shouldn’t you give him something to commemorate the event? You’re his uncles, after all.” Hey, they’re here for my wine, so I have to extort something from them. That’s my prerogative.
Kieran and Timothy realized they had to gift the boy something. “We should, but I didn’t know you won the competition. I’ll give you something next time, alright?” Timothy looked at the boy gently.
Kieran said, “Me too. I’ll give you something next time.”
Gregory was fine with it, and then they sat down for a little chat. Tessa asked, “Tim, you told me you have something important to handle. How’s it going?”
“It’s in the negotiation process. The client’s a bit of a hassle, but I can handle this, sis. Don’t worry,” Timothy answered. Gently, Nicholas said, “I’ll keep an eye on it. Nobody’s taking advantage of him.”
Tessa was thankful for his help.
Then, Timothy asked her about the performance. “How are the preparations going? Do you need help?”
“It’s fine. I can deal with it.” Tessa omitted the bad parts, and before they knew it, they were talking about Amber.
Timothy said, “You don’t have to deal with her anymore. I’ll pay her a visit when I have time, then I’ll get someone to keep an eye on her. You focus on your performance, sis.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the help.” Tessa nodded with a smile. She was grateful her brother would shoulder that burden all so she wouldn’t have to deal with the bad part of their past.
Timothy didn’t mind. Furthermore, the most he would do for the old hag was to pay for her medical expenses, and nothing more. He didn’t care about her. After all, she never once showed him or his sister love, so she had no right to ask for affection in return. Timothy would have left her for dead if not because he pitied the academy, and he was only taking over so that old hag wouldn’t yell at his sister.
That night, the whole family gathered in the living room and chatted.
Just when the mood felt right, Kieran thought it was time to go for his brother’s wine. “Nick, we should celebrate Greg’s victory with some wine.”
Gregory exposed his little scheme. “Uncle, don’t drag me into this. You want Daddy’s wine, you tell him yourself.”
Chapter 1176 Tickle
“Fine, then!” Kieran mumbled his rebuttal. In fact, he wasn’t sure if Nicholas would let him have the wine, so he just stared at Nicholas and hoped that he would agree.
Nicholas doted on his brother, so he asked Andrew to get some of his good wine for them, and the gentlemen popped the bottle open.
Oh, they need some drunk food for this. She made some drunk foods for them and served them up on the table. Kieran speared a piece of meat. It felt chewy and juicy. He couldn’t have enough of it.
“This is good. There’s nothing like Tessa’s cooking. Nobody cooks as well as she does.” Gregory raised his head proudly. “Of course. Mommy’s the best cook in the world.”
He really idolizes his mother. Kieran smiled, and he nodded. “Yeah, she’s the best cook I’ve ever seen. I envy you, Tim. You grew up with her cooking.” He looked at Timothy. Timothy arched his eyebrow. “You got a problem with that?”
“Yes, I do.” Kieran nodded jokingly. Timothy humphed. “So? She’s still my sister anyway, not yours.” “The hell she isn’t. She’s my sister-in-law.” Kieran cocked his eyebrow and looked at Timothy smugly.
Timothy shot him a glance and drove a point home. “She is, but she has a husband, a child, an unborn baby, and her husband’s parents on the list. I’m still higher than you on the priority list.”
Kieran shut up and speared more food. Disgruntled, he said, “I’m going to eat as much as I can. Tim, you grew up with her cooking, and you, Nick, you can have her cooking anytime you want. I don’t have that kind of luck, so I’m taking every chance I get.”
Gah, Kieran. Look at you, fighting over food. Have some dignity, will you? Nicholas shot him a look of scorn. “Tessa’s not your personal chef.”
Timothy nodded, and he retorted, “Do you know how hard cooking is? Nick and I don’t even want her to exhaust herself. You think you can waltz in and ask her to be your personal chef just like that?”
He emphasized the last sentence, and Nicholas played along by shooting his brother a killer glare.
Kieran wasn’t scared of Timothy, but he was terrified of his brother. If Nicholas took this the wrong way, it’d be over for him. “No, Nick. I didn’t mean that,” he apologized quickly. And then he said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dreamed of having Tessa cook for me. She’s a queen. She should be protected and cherished.”
Tessa thought this was amusing, and she chuckled.
Gregory joined in the conversation. He waddled about and cutely said, “If you want home cooking, why don’t you find yourself a girlfriend and have her cook for you?”
Timothy thought the boy had a point, and he nodded. “Greg’s right. You want home cooking? Get a girlfriend. Hands off my sister.”
“Yeah, uncle. Hands off Mommy. Get a girlfriend.” Gregory tried his best to look fierce, though he still looked cute anyway.
Oh, woe is me. I’m unloved, thought Kieran. “Greg, I’m your uncle. You can’t do this to me.” He crossed his arms and looked at the boy sadly.
The boy laughed, his voice silvery.
Oh, he’s so cute when he laughs. Kieran held the boy in his arms. “Oh, someone’s having fun bullying his uncle.” He tickled the boy, hissing, “I don’t need a girlfriend. I just need to focus on you, dear nephew. You’re so much fun.”
“But I don’t need you to play with me. I have Daddy, Mommy, and Uncle Tim. That’s more than enough for me.”
Chapter 1177 A Little Fight
Gregory giggled while looking at his uncle. What he said upset Kieran a little. “Oh, you think I’m redundant, huh?” He tickled the boy again, and he laughed.
Tessa, Nicholas, and Timothy looked at them quietly. A moment later, Kieran held the boy up. “Now, tell me you love me.”
“I do love you, uncle, but I’m worried about you.” Gregory looked at Kieran innocently. His interest piqued, Kieran asked, “What are you worried about?”
Gregory rested his head on his hands, staring at his uncle sadly. “That you might still be single after I grow up and get married.”
Tessa and Nicholas laughed, and Timothy nodded. “That’s not impossible.” Kieran was a little miffed, and he jokingly retorted, “Tim, you’re single as well.”
“But I’m still young. You’re not,” Timothy rebutted calmly. Gregory nodded as well. “Uncle Tim’s right. You’re not getting any younger, Uncle Kieran. Pretty ladies don’t like old men.”
“Gregory!” Kieran gritted his teeth. Ooh, I want to spank this kid. Oh no. Things just got out of hand. The child slid off his uncle’s legs and scurried off at once. As he ran, he shouted, “Uncle Kieran’s angry! Run!”
“Nobody calls me an old git, boy! You’re getting your *ss whooped tonight!” Kieran put on a fierce look and gave chase to the boy.
Just like that, the two of them started a game of chase. The air filled with the sounds of their laughter.
Tessa smiled at them. “Slow down, Gregory. You don’t want to trip.” It didn’t take long for the boy to be caught, and Kieran kept tickling him.
“That’ll teach you never to call me an old git.” “Alright, alright, I yield! Let me go!” The boy was laughing at the top of his lungs.
The gentlemen had enough to drink later that night, and all of them were a little tipsy. The servants took Timothy and Kieran to the guest rooms while Tessa took the boy to his bedroom. He took a shower and got ready to sleep.
Once he was done showering, the boy stared at his mother intently. “Mommy, can you sleep with me tonight?”
Tessa couldn’t say no to the adorable boy, so she agreed. But just when they were about to sleep, in came Nicholas. He was in a black robe, and his head was still sopping wet. His cheeks were rosy from the alcohol, and the look in his eyes was drowsy. He looked charming.
Nicholas had been waiting for Tessa, but when she didn’t show up, he knew Gregory must have convinced her to stay in his room for the night.
Tessa saw him, and she put her phone down with a smile. “Oh, you’re here. I was just about to tell you I’m not going back to your bedroom tonight.”
Upset, Nicholas said, “Vetoed.”
“Objection denied. Mommy agreed to sleep in my room tonight.” The boy hugged his mother’s arm and looked at his father smugly.
That annoyed Nicholas more. He stepped forward and pulled Tessa into his embrace.
Infuriated, the boy stood on his bed, growling, “Let her go, you meanie!”
“She’s mine. You want to sleep with someone, find yourself a girlfriend.” He took Tessa and left the room.
Tessa rested her head on Nicholas’ chest, saying nothing. They were her family, after all. She didn’t want to show preference to anyone.
…
The next morning, the family sat in the dining room.
Chapter 1178 Turn Down
Livid, Gregory glared at his father and whined aggrievedly, “Mean Daddy! How can you take Mommy away from me? She already promised to sleep with me last night!”
“And why should my wife sleep with you?” Nicholas retorted impassively. “Mean Daddy!” The little guy puffed up his cheeks in anger.
“I swear, Nick, you’re hopeless. Must you be resentful of your own son?” Kieran couldn’t help ribbing as he watched from aside.
“Says the bachelor who still can’t find a girl.” Nicholas jabbed his brother’s raw nerve, defeating the young man for good. Meanwhile, Tessa muffled her chuckles as she watched the three bicker.
On the other hand, Timothy lamented as he watched the heartwarming scene, feeling genuinely grateful that Nicholas and his family held his sister dearly. After breakfast, everyone parted ways.
While Kieran and Nicholas headed to the Sawyer Group, Timothy also went to his company. When Sabrina saw him enter his office, she immediately grabbed the documents and updated him on their work.
After spending half an hour arranging the work, Timothy asked about the new project. “What did they say after I left?”
“They’re still unwilling to negotiate and are insisting on the original rate,” Sabrina described the situation after Timothy left, causing the latter to frown and ponder for a while before deciding, “Since they insist, we’ll call off the deal then.”
“Call it off?” The decision stumped Sabrina.
Timothy looked up at her in response, causing her to jolt and nod at once. “Got it. I’ll tell them right away.”
With that, she immediately gave the other party an answer after leaving Timothy’s office. “I’m sorry, but the rate you’ve requested has exceeded our company’s budget, but we hope there’ll be another opportunity for us to collaborate again.”
The person in charge was rendered stumped after hearing Sabrina’s words. Realizing that Reinhart Group had decided to call off the deal, he became anxious. “Are you saying Mr. Reinhart has decided to call off the deal, Miss Gulliver?!”
“More or less,” Sabrina replied honestly while also being well-rounded with her words. “Mr. Reinhart thinks we can’t get anywhere since your company insists on keeping the initial rate and refuses to negotiate. So, we’ve decided to call off the deal. That way, your company can also seek partnership with another company sooner.”
After the call ended, the person in charge looked less than pleasant Meanwhile, Wanda had just arrived in her office before the phone she left on the desk rang.
Seeing that the caller was none other than the person in charge, Wanda smirked and answered, “Have you gotten the deal, seeing that you’re calling me first thing in the morning?”
“How can I bag the deal when the rate has increased so much?” the person in charge grumbled, causing Wanda to frown.
However, before she could say anything, the person in charge continued, “I said not to raise the rate so much, didn’t I? However, you insist on the figure. Look at it now. What other company should I talk to now that Reinhart Group has called off the deal?!”
Their company needed to upgrade its internal system, and Reinhart Group was currently the best in the country.
Reinhart Group was a rising star with its two co-founders; their programming technology was one of the best, and so was their after-sales service.
Wanda, on the other hand, turned grim after hearing the man’s complaints. Shifting the blame now, are we?
She had merely given a suggestion when she went to him initially. It was he who bit more than he could chew, but who’d have thought he’d throw the blame at her?!
That said, Wanda still smiled and comforted him despite her anger. “So be it, then. I’ll introduce you to an even better tech company later. The best of the best overseas.”
Chapter 1179 Tessa’s Condition
It wasn’t that she didn’t have a temper but that keeping a good partnership with those people would leave them at her disposal whenever she needed them.
Of course, the person in charge was oblivious to that. As soon as he heard that Wanda wanted to introduce him to a good overseas company, all his resentment disappeared. “In that case, I’ll be waiting for your call, Miss Muller.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Wanda ended the call and chucked her phone on the desk, snorting dismissively. Though her plan to set Timothy up failed this time, she would eventually find a way to take him down.
Yes, since her last defeat and what happened to Leah Stone, Wanda learned that defeating Tessa was impossible. However, defeating the people around her was still simple, and Timothy was her latest target.
She had looked into it; he was Tessa’s only living family left and also the one she cared about the most.
“I’d like to see you sit back and do nothing while you watch your brother panic, Reinhart. Once you help your brother, I’ll turn him into a black hole. Let’s see if the Sawyers can still tolerate you,” Wanda scowled through gnashed teeth.
Either way, she would take that woman down. Meanwhile, Tessa had no clue about Wanda’s scheme.
The young woman was swamped with rehearsals every day since the practice room was ready, and in about a couple of days, the rest of the members of the Sofia Symphony had arrived.
To support Tessa and help her gain fame in the country, Sofia sent her available students over, whom she went to pick up at the airport.
“Steven, Daniela!” Tessa beamed when she saw her two seniors, Steven Hurst and Daniela, who also greeted her enthusiastically.
Later that night, Tessa played host and treated the entire orchestra to dinner, and after a night’s rest and a full day of fun, everyone dove into hectic training.
Because Tessa and the orchestra were already familiar with each other, they didn’t have to go through the break-in period. Hence, the rehearsal went very smoothly.
That night, after a full day of intensive training, Tessa returned home exhausted, and she had just finished freshening up when Andrew came to report, “Miss Tessa, Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer are here.”
The Sawyer couple were here to visit Gregory.
As the little one wasn’t willing to live with them, they could only come over every now and then.
Down in the living room, Stefania furrowed her brows when she found Tessa descending the stairs with ill-concealed tiredness. “You don’t look so good, Tessa. Have you not been resting properly because of training?”
She was aware that Tessa had an upcoming recital within the country.
To be honest, she wasn’t into it when the news first broke out, but what could she do when her son supported the idea?!
However, seeing how tired Tessa looked, she couldn’t help rambling, “I’ve told you, haven’t I? You should be resting in your current condition. What if you overwork yourself?! What’s more, your body’s already weak, to begin with. How can you wear yourself out when you’ve finally improved your condition a little?”
Tessa felt touched as she listened to Stefania nag, for she knew her mother-in-law was worried about her. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m taking care of myself. It is a little stressful, but I can still manage it,” she said with a smile.
“You know what? I’m not going to say a word more. I feel that whatever I say is useless.” Stefania looked helplessly at her.
With that, she turned her attention to Gregory, who was an astute one. “Don’t worry, Grandma. Daddy and I will take good care of Mommy,” said the little one as he hugged Stefania’s arm.
Tessa, too, joined in on cajoling the elder, and in no time, Stefania smiled again.
That said, she was still worried about Tessa’s condition.
…
The following morning, Andrew approached the dining table when Tessa, Nicholas, and Gregory were having their breakfast.
Chapter 1180 Sabrina Gets Fierce
“Master Nicholas, Miss Tessa, a few people are at the gates. They said they’re here on Madam Sawyer’s orders to take care of Miss Tessa.”
While Tessa was still reeling in shock, Nicholas had already told Andrew to let them in, and in no time, a few people had gathered in the living room.
“Miss Tessa, they are the nutritionist, dietitian, and masseur. Madam Sawyer hand-picked them carefully, and they are dedicated to looking after your health,” Andrew introduced. With that, those whom Andrew had named went up and greeted Tessa deferentially.
Following that, the butler gestured to the two medical practitioners in lab coats and said, “They are the doctor and nurse Madam Sawyer hired to be on standby 24/7 in case of an emergency.”
Tessa thought it was a little too much as she looked at the row of people, but she knew her mother-in-law meant well. Hence, she didn’t turn the kind gesture down. Instead, she felt all warm and fuzzy.
This is how a real family should be, right? Though Stefania would complain about her all the time, the former genuinely cared about her health.
On the contrary, the Reinhart Family never gave her such love and care. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Amber sat idly in bed inside her premium ward after having breakfast.
At the thought that Tessa hadn’t visited her for a few days, she interrogated the maid, who was busy cleaning up aside. She asked, “What is Tessa, that h*ssy, been up to these days? Why hasn’t she come to the hospital lately?”
“Miss Tessa is preparing for her violin recital. I heard that she’s been very busy lately,” replied the maid honestly while automatically ignoring Amber’s not-so-pleasant salutation.
Amber became grim after hearing the maid’s answer, very displeased. “It’s just some stupid wooden box that can make music. As if it’s more important than her grandmother! The way I see it, she plans to throw me here and let me fend for myself.”
“You’ve got it all wrong, Old Mrs. Reinhart. That’s not what Miss Tessa thinks at all,” the maid defended Tessa, but little did she know that it only made the elderly even more furious. “Of course, you’d defend her when you’ve taken that h*ssy’s money! I knew that h*ssy’s a good-for-nothing!”
Naturally, Amber insulted Tessa with her most colorful language when she got aggravated, and it just so happened that Timothy arrived at the ward with Sabrina.
Upon hearing the elderly insulting his beloved sister, he turned beyond grim at once.
“Enough!” He entered the ward with a sub-zero gaze. “If my sister is as ungrateful as you say, would you be staying in such a luxurious ward?!”
It took Amber a while to realize who had suddenly come in, and when she did, she became even more aggravated. “You’re finally willing to show up, huh, you son of a b*tch?! Have you finally come because you think I’m about to die?! I knew both you and your sister are pieces of trash, you ungrateful coffin magnets!”
Awful wasn’t enough to describe Timothy’s countenance right then after hearing such hostile words.
Even Sabrina felt insulted, and she had no sympathy for the elderly at all after hearing her colorful words.
At that, she stepped in to defend her crush. “Just how shameless can you get?! How can you call people ungrateful when you’re using their money, staying in the ward they paid for, and even ordering the maid they hired around?!”
Amber turned grim at once, and she snapped at the young woman, “And which yokel are you?! What do you care when I’m scolding my grandchildren?!”
“I care when you’re insulting my boss,” Sabrina rebuked, unafraid of Amber’s scowling at all. “They all say decency is something only humans have, but you’re living less and less like one. Do you know what your behavior now is called? Biting the hand that feeds you. Don’t be ungrateful when someone’s still willing to care if you live or die. You should be thankful for my boss’ generosity and his willingness to give a damn about you despite all the wicked things you’ve done in the past.”