Ch. 351..360
Always Been Yours Chapter 351
Mommy, Hug Me
“Miss Tessa, you look beautiful.”
Gregory was the first to return to his senses before he clapped and shouted in surprise.
At this time, Nicholas and Timothy also regained their composure.
“You’re beautiful,” Timothy praised Tessa as well.
When she heard all the compliments, she felt embarrassed.
Then, Nicholas walked over with Gregory in his arms. His handsome face bore the kind of tenderness that no one else had ever seen before. “See, I knew that this dress would compliment you well.”
With that, he raised his arm in Tessa’s direction and motioned for her to tuck her arm in his.
Only then did Tessa realize that the dress she wore had perfectly matched Nicholas’ black tuxedo.
When she thought of the man’s secret thoughts, her heart felt like it was dripping in honey.
When they were going out, Tessa held Nicholas’ arm while he carried Gregory.
As for Timothy, he followed behind them.
Hunky men and a beautiful woman with a cute child—it was a sight for sore eyes.
When they arrived at the banquet hall, the waiter present took the initiative to greet Nicholas and the rest of them with a subservient attitude.
At this time, there were already many guests wearing suits and leathers being accompanied by beautiful and elegant women in the banquet hall.
The soothing violin music created a cheerful atmosphere in the air.
Gregory looked left and right in Nicholas’s arms while Timothy also looked around without leaving a trace.
Nicholas leaned against Tessa’s ear and explained in a warm voice, “This banquet is organized by the cruise company, and only the guests of the VIP suite are eligible to enter. The purpose is to provide a place for the established guests to make connections, which is considered a fixture activity of this cruise ship.”
After she listened to his introduction, she looked curiously at the guests around her and found that they were all from all over the world.
It was a grand party with a magnificent atmosphere where these people seemed like they could have small talk with their peers.
At this time, a waiter came over and since Tessa was a little thirsty, she took a glass of juice from him and sipped on it.
Nicholas looked at her peaceful appearance just as the corners of his mouth curled up into a beautiful arc.
He turned his head and said to Timothy, “You may have unexpected results when you walk around.”
Timothy also had this intention. Since he wanted to expand the company, connections were essential.
When Tessa saw this, she did not interfere but looked at Nicholas and asked, “What about you? Do you want to establish connections?”
“My task today is to accompany you,” he replied softly in a tone that was full of tenderness.
Their eyes met, and they shared a sweet moment.
However, such a good atmosphere was ruined by Gregory who didn’t understand their meaningful glance.
“I want to accompany Miss Tessa too.” He raised his little hand and looked at Tessa with joy.
Helplessness danced in Nicholas’ eyes. If he had known earlier that this would happen, he would have asked Timothy to take the child away.
Tessa saw Nicholas’ depressed look and laughed. “Well, Greg, I’m very happy with you accompanying me too.”
After chatting and laughing for a while, they found a place with a good view where the sea breeze was blowing against the railing.
At this time, a man of foreign descent approached them.
He was a gentleman who seemed to be interested in Tessa as he asked her with a glass of wine, “Hey beautiful, I wonder whether I have the chance to invite you to a glass of wine.”
Tessa was stunned for a moment as she didn’t expect that someone would come to talk to her.
Just as she was about to refuse, she saw that Gregory had reached out from Nicholas’ arms and yelled, “Mommy, hug me.”
She was shocked.
The man was also slightly stunned, after which he looked at Gregory and at the stunning Nicholas standing next to her before breaking into a knowing smile.
“Sorry for bothering you,” the man apologized. Then, he turned around to leave without pestering her anymore.
At this time, Tessa also recovered from her shock. She hugged Gregory and asked, “Why did you suddenly say that?”
“Daddy taught me to say that.” He immediately betrayed his father.
Tessa didn’t know whether to laugh or cry while she looked at Nicholas standing next to her.
Nicholas noticed her gaze, and his expression was calm.
Always Been Yours Chapter 352
May I Have This Dance?
After all, it was not wrong for Gregory to call her that.
Tessa didn’t know this, so she blushed a little instead.
She didn’t know what to say to Nicholas, so she deliberately forgot the little episode earlier and laughed with Gregory.
Timothy returned a short while later. When she saw that he was in a good mood, she guessed that he probably gained something.
“Let’s go and get some food.”
Nicholas glanced at the time and led Tessa toward the dining table.
She did not refuse as she felt that this banquet was a simple social occasion, unlike the upper class society in the country that had many rules.
Anyway, she was still very relaxed and comfortable after a while.
The group of four found a table by the window after taking their dishes and sat down.
They ate their delicious food while admiring the view of the sea.
At this time, a handsome emcee in a tuxedo took to the stage to give a speech.
“Thank you very much for participating in this cruise…” There were a lot of formal words in his speech before he changed his tone to announce with a smile, “In addition, I was entrusted by a guest tonight to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday here. Tonight, all the expenses in this banquet hall will be covered by this guest.”
As soon as the emcee finished speaking, there were cheers and applause from the audience.
Those present were searching for the identity of the said guest and his girlfriend.
Tessa was stunned for a moment.
She subconsciously looked at the man sitting opposite her with a racing heart.
The corners of Nicholas’ mouth were slightly upturned while a faint smile appeared in his dark eyes.
At this time, the emcee spoke again, “Now, let’s all welcome Mr. Sawyer and his girlfriend, Miss Reinhart.”
Almost as soon as the words fell, the bright white spotlight shone on them.
Nicholas and Tessa instantly became the focus of the audience as they erupted into warm applause again.
“My God. this is too romantic.”
“That woman is so lucky.”
“I envy that woman.”
When she listened to the envious voices all around her, Tessa covered her mouth. She no longer knew how to describe her excitement at that moment and her eyes had started to sting a little.
Then, Nicholas stood up and extended his right hand to her.
She didn’t know what he was going to do, but she still put her hand in his without any hesitation.
When he felt the softness of her hand in his palm, he tightly held onto her.
He gazed at Tessa and said in a pleasant voice, “Leave it to me tonight.”
After he finished speaking, he led her toward the emcee.
All eyes were on the two of them.
The emcee passed the microphone with a wink and gave up his seat when he saw them.
Tessa looked at Nicholas who brought them to the stage and had already guessed in her heart what he was going to do.
Sure enough, in the next second, she heard the gentle and pleasant voice of the man resounding throughout the banquet hall.
“Today is the first birthday that my girlfriend and I are celebrating together since we started dating. It has a very special meaning to us. Thank you for being here and I hope you have a good time here tonight.”
After Nicholas finished speaking, he looked sideways at Tessa.
The two looked at each other affectionately with thunderous applause ringing in their ears.
On the side was the emcee, who coaxed and suggested, “Miss Reinhart, since you’re the birthday star tonight, why don’t you have an opening dance with Mr. Sawyer?”
A dance…
Tessa looked forward to it but she was also a little embarrassed to look at Nicholas.
Under the light, the man was tall and slender. His facial features were as handsome and flawless as though he was crafted by the gods, and he had a tenderness that seemed to indulge people.
Nicholas noticed Tessa’s gaze and smiled.
Then, he took a step back like a knight in a fairy tale to bend forward and offer his hand to her. “Do I have the honor of inviting my girlfriend to a dance?”
“Certainly.”
At this moment, Tessa felt as though she was a young girl whose heart was about to explode. As if there were a thousand butterflies in her stomach, her heartbeat accelerated instantly and it couldn’t stop at all.
With a sweet smile on the corners of her mouth, she placed her hand in the warm palm.
A beautiful waltz music then sounded moments later.
Always Been Yours Chapter 353
Nicholas danced with Tessa in his arms.
The two were so close that they could hear each other’s heartbeats. They stared at each other deeply. as if everything around them was blurred where they only had each other in their eyes.
Some people gradually joined the dance floor with their female partners.
However, the stage lights were only on Tessa and Nicholas.
Timothy held Gregory while glancing at the brightest pair in the center of the dance floor and joked, “It seems that we can only dance together.”
Then, he stretched out his hand to Gregory in a chivalrous manner.
When Gregory looked at the clean, slender fingers in front of him, he mischievously replied, “Okay. Since you don’t have a girlfriend, I’ll reluctantly dance with you.”
When they saw the interaction between this adult and child, many people were amused by the cuteness of it all and laughed in good nature.
Gregory and Timothy didn’t care either and entered the dance floor with giggles.
Although the two had quite a huge height difference, they were still able to have a harmonious dance.
The two danced and came to Tessa and Nicholas’ side.
She looked at the two of them having a good time, which rendered her stunned for a moment before she couldn’t help laughing while Nicholas’ face was full of tenderness.
Later, in the second half of the music, Timothy and Nicholas exchanged dance partners.
“Miss Tessa.” Gregory happily took Tessa’s hand and imitated his daddy’s dance steps earlier.
Tessa was also happy to cooperate with Gregory while Nicholas and Timothy smiled at each other before they stood on the edge of the dance floor.
When the song was over, everyone stopped dancing.
At this time, the lights at the scene suddenly went dark, after which the birthday song started playing. A waiter then emerged from the darkness with a three-tiered cake.
Tessa’s eyes grew misty in surprise.
The surrounding guests spontaneously sang the birthday song as well.
It was not until the cake was pushed in front of Tessa that the singing stopped and the lights were turned on again.
She looked at the delicate cake. Her eyes finally fell on Nicholas to tell him that she was touched.
At this time, Gregory excitedly took Tessa’s hand and urged, “Miss Tessa, quickly make a wish! Make a wish and we will slice the cake together.”
I wish that in the future, my brother and I can be safe and successful in our careers.
I wish that my relationship with Nicholas will have fewer ups and downs. It will not be tumultuous, but rather flat and smooth-sailing.
I wish that Greg will be happy every day, and free from illness and disaster.
After silently making her wish, she blew out the candles on the cake.
“Miss Tessa, what did you wish for?” a curious Gregory asked.
Nicholas and Timothy also looked over at her.
Tessa thought of her wish and felt a little embarrassed. She rubbed the tip of Gregory’s nose affectionately and responded with a smile, “If you say your wish out loud, then it’s not a wish anymore. Come on, let’s slice the cake.”
Gregory was really distracted and smiled happily. “I want to slice the cake with you, Miss Tessa.”
“Okay, let’s do it together.”
As soon as she said this, she noticed a hot gaze on her and realized that it was Nicholas staring at her with a faint expression. Her cheeks were slightly red as she invited, “Why don’t you join us?”
And just like that, Tessa held Gregory and Nicholas to slice the cake together.
After distributing the slices of cake, the emcee came over at this time on behalf of the cruise company. “Miss Reinhart, this is a birthday gift that was specially customized by our company for you. I hope you like it.”
Tessa was surprised. She didn’t expect the cruise company to prepare gifts.
She opened the gift box and couldn’t help but exclaim.
It turned out to be a set of figurines in the gift box which astonishingly resembled just like her and Nicholas. Gregory was of course included too.
There were three figures together-they looked like a beautiful family and Tessa loved this gift a lot.
“Thank you. I like it very much.”
“I’m glad you do, Miss Reinhart.”
After saying those words, the emcee then said his farewell.
Tessa was holding the gift box and feeling unbelievably happy. Then, she looked sideways at the calm man beside her with sweetness. “Nicholas, thank you.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 354
Thank you for giving me such an unforgettable birthday.
Nichola’s stretched out with his hand and pulled the woman into his arms. His voice was soft and pleasant as he answered, “You don’t need to thank me. I am willing to do this for you.”
When she heard those words, Tessa only felt that she was extremely blessed.
Nicholas left the banquet hall with Tessa later that night.
She originally thought that he was just bringing her out for a drive, but who knew that he wanted to bring her to the restaurant to be alone together with her?
As she followed him, she looked sideways at the banquet hall that was getting farther from her sight and asked, “We’re leaving? But what about Greg?”
“It’s fine with your brother watching over him.”
He led her to walk down the quiet aisle.
Tessa thought about it too, so she felt relieved and followed Nicholas out. “When did you arrange the plan at the banquet earlier?”
When she thought of what had happened at the banquet, she was curious. She felt that there would have been no way for him to prepare so many surprises in advance.
Nicholas smiled mysteriously and said warmly, “You will find out later.”
“So mysterious?” Tessa muttered with laughter, but she couldn’t help looking forward to it.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the restaurant.
“Mr. Jackson, why are you here?!”
Tessa looked at Edward standing at the entrance of the restaurant in surprise.
The man was wearing a black suit and he had a small smile on the corner of his mouth. After greeting Tessa, he explained, “I was here a few days before President Sawyer.”
In short, Tessa already understood how Nicholas was able to execute everything without her knowing.
Everything on the cruise ship was obviously communicated by Edward in advance.
He continued, “President Sawyer, everything has been arranged here. I wish you and Miss Reinhart a happy night.”
After a pause, he looked at Tessa and showed a sincere smile. “I also wish you a happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” Tessa thanked him.
Edward nodded before he proposed to leave with the other two since he had planned to head to the banquet hall to look for Timothy and Gregory.
Only Nicholas and Tessa were left in the corridor.
“Let’s go in.” Nicholas led her into the restaurant.
As soon as she entered, she found that the interior of the restaurant had been carefully arranged.
The rose petals that were everywhere permeated the air with a faint floral fragrance.
There were some candles scattered in every corner of the restaurant that was now lit and gave the entire restaurant a hazy yet romantic aura, as if it was a scene in an oil painting.
Tessa’s heart throbbed when she saw this. She looked at Nicholas with a laugh. “How many surprises have you prepared for me?”
“Take a guess,” Nicholas said as he brought her to the dining table.
He was very gentle and thoughtful, and even pulled the dining chair for her.
When she sat down, he took a detour and sat opposite her.
As soon as they were seated, the waiters of the restaurant emerged to place the exquisitely cooked dishes on the table and quickly backed out.
After a while, it was only Tessa and Nicholas left in the restaurant. At this time, the soothing music sounded.
She was in a great mood while eating delicious food. Then, she propped her chin, looked at Nicholas with a smile, and forced herself to ask, “Be honest. What else have you prepared for me?”
Nicholas smiled lightly.
At this time, an explosion came from outside the window.
.
Tessa turned her head and saw the gorgeous fireworks outside the window before being stunned.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The fireworks continued and illuminated the dark sky. At times, they looked like a meteor or a spark at other moments with its color and beauty.
After a few minutes, the sky returned to calmness and darkness.
She looked at the man opposite her with tears in her eyes. She had already lost count as to how many times her heart has been moved tonight.
“Do you like it?”
The man’s hoarse and low voice sounded in her ears, like a cello.
Tessa took a breath and nodded vigorously.
Nicholas curled the corners of his lips to reveal a beautiful smile. He placed the stack of peeled shrimp in front of Tessa. “I’m glad. Then, let’s eat.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 355
Under the yellowish candlelight, the figures of both people became illusory and beautiful.
After the meal. Tessa looked at Nicholas with a smile and asked, “Where are we going next?”
“Come with me.”
He led her where they thereafter started to climb the stairs.
The sea breeze blew and caused Tessa’s black hair to blow in the alr, and her white skirt Muttered in the wind to reveal her slender, beautiful long legs.
A few minutes later, the two were standing on the top deck. Tessa looked around, but unexpectedly discovered that there was no one else here except for them.
As if he saw through her doubts, Nicholas placed his arms around her slender waist and lowered his head slightly before he approached her small and exquisite ears. “This place is off limits.”
Off limits? She blinked her eyes and said in surprise, “Don’t tell me that you reserved this place too?”
“You guessed it right,” he responded with a smile.
She was stunned again. “You are too extravagant.”
“Well, I did say that the first birthday we’re spending together is very memorable.” Nicholas didn’t think it was a waste at all. On the contrary, he was elated. “Follow me.”
He pulled Tessa inside, and there was another staircase leading up.
After going up, she was stunned by the scenery in front of her.
The top floor had also been clearly decorated with care where there was a white light and a fence wrapped with colorful small lights.
At the very center of the top floor was a large bouquet of champagne roses with its faint floral fragrance permeating its surroundings.
Nicholas walked over and held the bouquet before standing in front of Tessa again.
Tessa only thought that there was a bouquet in front of her, but she saw Nicholas taking out an exquisitely crafted necklace with a unique shape from the bouquet of roses, as if he was doing magic.
She could also read the words engraved on the necklace through the light. After she did so, she covered her lips as her heart exploded.
“I’ll put it on for you.”
While speaking, Nicholas shoved the bouquet of champagne roses into Tessa’s arms and walked behind her.
Tessa looked down at the necklace on her chest, only to realize that the words engraved on it seemed to be the date that they became a couple.
At this moment, she was very moved.
Very few men remembered things such as anniversaries.
“Nicholas, how can you be so good to me?”
“Because you deserve the best.” Nicholas looked back at Tessa, his dark eyes filled with endless tenderness. “Tll show you one more thing.”
He pulled her to the place where the champagne roses were placed earlier.
It was only then that she discovered that there was also a big gift box, which she thought was touching yet rather comical. Haven’t I already received enough gifts?
Nicholas didn’t know Tessa’s thoughts.
He helped her to place the bouquet of champagne roses aside before taking the big gift box, “Open it up and take a look.”
Tessa glanced at him and stretched out with her hand to untie the ribbon on the box.
The moment the gift box was opened, she froze in place.
It was an exceptionally delicate violin. She recognized this violin almost at first glance. It was the famous Thena’ worth 45 million dollars and also the one handcrafted by the famous Italian violinist Tradivari.
*This is too expensive for me to accept.” Tessa came back to her senses and immediately closed the gift box
“There is nothing you can’t accept.” Nicholas insisted on gifting the violin to her.
She was afraid of breaking it, so she had to gingerly pick up the gift box when his low and pleasant voice sounded again in her ears.
“I had searched high and low for this violin. I hope it can signify the meaning of our being together, and at the same time, I want to use it to celebrate the meaning of your new career journey. Of course, I hope it can also accompany you to perform on the best stages in the world in the future!”
After Tessa listened to Nicholas’ words, she was so moved to tears that she almost cried.
She sniffed and blinked hard, trying to hold back her tears, but it was a pity that her attempts did not work.
Then, she pretended to be fierce and shouted, “Why are you so sensational? Don’t you know that I can’t cry on my birthday?”
Always Been Yours Chapter 356
“Alright. It’s my fault for making you cry.”
When she looked at the man who took the initiative to admit his mistake, Tessa burst into tears and smiled.
Nicholas looked at her with eyes that were full of tenderness and affection. “Before I met you, I would never have thought of living such a life, but after meeting you, it seems that such a life is not so bad.”
When she heard the man sigh, she stared at him for a few seconds.
Afterward, she set the violin aside, and took the initiative to step forward and hug him. “Thank you. I really enjoyed everything today.”
“As long as you liked it.” Nicholas hugged her back.
Under the colorful lights, the scene of them both embracing was beautiful.
After a while, Tessa raised her head and asked with a smile, “Do you want to listen to the violin? I’ll play a song for you.”
“Yes.” He did not refuse the offer.
She nodded, walked to the side and took out the violin before the romantic A Midsummer Night’s Dream slowly rang in the air.
The light and agile sound of the violin that was accompanied by the sound of the waves, the wind and the occasional chirping of seagulls resembled the mermaid from the sea singing. It was wonderful and pleasant to the ear.
In the first class, people who played the violin were more like elves exuding light, which was fascinating
At the end of the song, Tessa looked at Nicholas expectantly. “Does it sound perfect?”
“It’s wonderful,” Nicholas responded as he walked over step by step. He stood still in front of Tessa, his voice soft and charming. “Do you know what I really want to do now?”
Tessa’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat. She shook her head. “I don’t.”
“I want to kiss you.”
Nicholas took the violin in her hand and put it on the table beside him, then lowered his head suddenly and kissed her soft lips.
The fragrance that belonged to her kept attracting him to deepen the kiss.
He couldn’t help but clasp the woman’s slender waist tightly as if to absorb her into his body, but even so, he still felt that it was not enough.
Tessa was dizzy and weak from the kiss, and she could only instinctively grab the item next to her for support.
While she was in a state of confusion. Nicholas suddenly released her and lifted her into the air.
Tessa, who had lost her balance, instantly sobered up. She looked at the man with forbearance and knew very well what might happen next.
In an instant, she became nervous and panicked.
“I didn’t take the violin.”
She tried to divert his attention and stall for time.
However, Nicholas didn’t care at all. “Someone will come up to clean this place later.”
After that, he carried her and strode away.
Back in the room, Tessa looked at the big bed that was getting closer. Her nervous heart jumped to her throat and her whole body was stiff.
The next moment, she was placed on the bed and a dark shadow pressed down on her.
Nicholas was leaning against Tessa, and he was naturally aware of her tense body.
He suppressed his body’s urge and kissed her eyebrows lightly before speaking in a sexy and hoarse voice. “Don’t be scared, okay?”
Tessa looked at the blue veins on Nicholas’s forehead that popped out due to his patient endurance. Her heart suddenly moved, as if she had nothing to be afraid of.
She nodded lightly, as if giving Nicholas some kind of signal.
The air in the room suddenly increased in temperature.
At the banquet, Greg was unhappy that he had been left behind. He also wanted to live with Aunt Tessa and give gifts to her as well.
“Daddy is really rude. Bad Daddy, stinky Daddy,” he scolded his daddy in anger as he pouted.
Edward and Timothy laughed when they saw this.
“Okay, Greg. Don’t be angry. Your daddy will come back with your Aunt Tessa in a while,” Edward coaxed the child, but it did not do much.
“Daddy was the one to surprise Miss Tessa first, so I can’t surprise her with my gift anymore.” Gregory folded his arms and pouted softly.
His small appearance simply made people think that he was adorable.
As Timothy was affected by his cuteness, he crouched down and cajoled, “Then, I’ll take you to Miss Tessa’s room, and we’ll come up with a surprise for her while waiting for her to come back. Okay?”
Always Been Yours Chapter 357
This Is Quite Inconvenient
When he heard this, Gregory’s dim eyes immediately brightened.
“Okay, okay. Let’s go to Miss Tessa’s room now.”
Then, the two adults and one child returned to the door of the deluxe suite.
As it was inconvenient to open the door with Gregory in his arms, Timothy handed the room key to Edward and asked him to unlock the door instead.
Edward was about to push the door to enter when he heard some movement from the bedroom and he smoothly shut the room door.
“Mr. Jackson, what are you doing?” Timothy watched Edward’s series of actions and did not know why he did that.
Gregory also asked, “Mr. Jackson, what are you doing when you open and close the door? We haven’t even entered yet.”
“Well, Mr. Reinhart, Gregory, let’s wait in the next room.” Edward laughed dryly and tried to persuade the two to head next door, but unfortunately failed.
A suspicious Timothy frowned. “What are we going to do next door? Let’s just wait in my sister’s room.”
“Yeah, I have to prepare a surprise for Aunt Tessa.” Gregory nodded.
When he saw Timothy wanting to get the room card to reopen the door, Edward was in a hurry. He stopped Timothy’s hand more and hinted at him, “This is quite inconvenient.”
“What’s the inconvenience?”
As soon as Timothy finished speaking, he became stunned for a moment and looked at Edward suddenly, as if to ask something in the silence.
Edward nodded knowingly.
In an instant, Timothy had an indescribable expression.
The atmosphere suddenly became weird as Gregory didn’t understand what kind of riddles Timothy and Edward were playing.
His jet-black eyes gazed between them both as he urged, “Mr. Timothy, let’s go in quickly. Or else, Miss Tessa will come back later, but my surprise is still not ready yet.”
Timothy coughed awkwardly when he heard Gregory’s suggestion. “Greg, let’s go to your father’s room and wait instead.”
Gregory was suspicious. “Miss Tessa doesn’t live at Daddy’s place, so why should I wait at Daddy’s place?”
Now that the child had posed such a question, Timothy was at a loss of words and said dryly, “Aunt Tessa will go to your father’s room. Be good and listen to me, alright.”
Gregory looked at Timothy with skepticism, then looked at the closed door, and agreed in the end.
In the large and bright living room, Timothy sat on the sofa with Gregory in his arms and Edward.
Minutes passed and Gregory was so sleepy that he rubbed his eyes.
He tugged on Timothy’s sleeve and asked in confusion, “Mr. Timothy, how long will it take for Aunt Tessa and Daddy to come back? I’m so sleepy.”
Timothy and Edward subconsciously glanced at the time and found that it was past one o’clock in the morning. They both knew that Tessa and Nicholas would not be appearing again tonight.
At that moment, both of them sympathetically looked at Gregory.
In the early morning of the next day, she felt as if she had been run over by a car when she woke up, and her entire body was sore.
A pleasant magnetic voice sounded in his ear. “You’re awake.”
Tessa saw that Nicholas was already dressed and sitting on the chair by the window, looking refreshed. At this sight, the memories of last night also poured out like a tide.
She blushed instantly and pulled the quilt to cover herself. It was crazy last night.
She also went crazy with Nicholas…
When he looked at Tessa trying to hide herself, Nicholas laughed before he stepped forward to pull the blanket and said warmly, “Don’t suffocate yourself.”
“That’s none of your business.” Tessa’s dull voice emerged.
Who could’ve predicted that there really was no movement outside the quilt as soon as these words came out?
She couldn’t help pulling off the quilt and unexpectedly saw a magnified handsome face.
After being startled, she asked sullenly, “Why are you scaring me?”
Her voice was very soft and she sounded a little coquettish.
Nicholas was enjoying this a lot and said with a chuckle, “I didn’t scare you. I just wanted to see how long you plan to hide under there. If you’re suffocated, then I’ll save you at first instance.”
Tessa’s already blushing cheeks became even hotter when she heard this.
Always Been Yours Chapter 358
Present
“I don’t need your help.”
“Yes, of course you don’t.”
They played around for a while, and Tessa started to let loose. Nicholas noticed that, and he picked her up. “Alright, fun’s over. Time for breakfast. And we’ll have to pamper Gregory a little.”
“Huh? Why?” Tessa looked at him, confused.
Nicholas smiled. “We left him alone the whole night, and he’s going to be angry about it. Not to mention I took you for myself the whole night.”
For some reason, she had a feeling Nicholas was trying to say something else, and she glared at him in embarrassment. “It’s all your fault!”
Wait. Gregory was with Timothy. Oh no. That means Timothy knows about this too. Her face turned pink. How am I supposed to face them? She still had to see them no matter how reluctant she was. Fortunately, she calmed down a lot after she washed herself up.
A while later, they went to knock on the door of the house next door, and Timothy came to open it. He looked at the two of them, his gaze mysterious.
Nicholas let him look all he wanted, though Tessa seemed fidgety. She tried to ease the awkward air, and she said, “Good morning, Timothy.”
“Morning, Tessa.”
It got even more awkward. In the end, Tessa put her pride aside and asked, “Is Greg up?”
“Yes, and he is sulking.” He opened the door fully and let them in.
They saw Gregory in the living room, though his back was turned on them angrily. Amused, Tessa went and sat beside him. “We’re back, Greg.”
Gregory puckered his lips. “Miss Tessa, Daddy’s gone too far. He promised we’d celebrate your birthday together, but he took you for himself the whole night!”
Tessa nodded. “Yeah, he did go too far.”
“I don’t like him anymore.”
“Yeah, you do that.”
Nicholas shot Tessa a look, and she looked back at him. The look in her eyes said, ‘Your son said that himself. I have nothing to do with it’. Since Gregory still looked sulky, Tessa ignored Nicholas and went back to coaxing the boy. She held him in his arms, saying, “I’m really, really sorry I stood you up last night, Gregory.”
Gregory pursed his lips, and he finally relented. “Fine. I’ll forgive you then, but you have to give me something in return.”
“Of course. You can have anything you want, as long as you don’t stay angry.” Tessa touched his nose with hers. “Why don’t I spend the whole day with you then? I’ll do everything with you.”
Gregory’s eyes shone, and it was as if stars twinkled within them. “That’s a promise then, Miss Tessa.”
“Of course. Pinky promise?” Tessa raised her pinky.
Gregory pulled her hand down and smiled. “It’s alright. I trust you.”
Tessa heaved a sigh of relief seeing that he finally smiled again.
Just then, Gregory seemed to remember something. He got off the sofa and said, “Give me a minute, Miss Tessa. I have something for you.” He went into his bedroom and came back a while later, though he had a little robot following him.
Tessa noticed that the robot was a miniature version of the one in Dynasty Gardens’ basement.
“Here’s my present for you, Miss Tessa.” Gregory sent the robot up to her using voice command. “You don’t have that big robot overseas, so I’ll give you this little one. Now we both have our own secret robot.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 359
Talk
Tessa felt touched that the boy cared so much about her. She patted his head and thanked him. “Thank you, Greg. I like it a lot.”
“No problem,” the boy answered, a smile curling his lips and eyes.
Timothy came with his gift as well, and he handed it to her. “I prepared this a while ago, but I didn’t manage to give it to you in time. I hope you’ll like it.”
“Of course I’ll like it.” Tessa took it happily, and to her surprise, she realized that the gift was an expensive violin. “Why did you give me a violin again?”
“I couldn’t give you a good one before, but now I can, so I want you to use the best there is. I hope you can achieve your dreams, Tessa,” Timothy wished her well. He promised, “Now that I’m a successful man, it’s time for me to protect you. You did the same for me for a long time now.”
“Me too,” Gregory interrupted, and he looked serious.
Nicholas said nothing, but the look on his face told her everything she needed to know.
Tessa looked at them, and she teared up. Is this what happiness feels like? She sniffled and tried her best not to cry. I should be happy about this.
Nicholas knew it was time to switch the topic, or she would really cry. “Right. Breakfast time. And then we’ll be strolling around the ship. The trip will be over tomorrow.”
Tessa looked down and wiped her tears away. She took Gregory and went to the dining hall with everyone else. After breakfast, Tessa went with Gregory and did everything with him as promised. She took him on a stroll around the ship, and they noticed that there were a lot of entertainment facilities on it, including a playground for kids.
“Miss Tessa, I want to play here. Can you come with me?” Gregory stared at Tessa.
Tessa wouldn’t refuse him, of course, and she took the boy there. The men followed them, but as Tessa and Gregory played around, they looked at each other.
Timothy suggested, “Wanna get some coffee at the café next door?”
Nicholas didn’t say no. At the same time, he told Edward to send him the files that needed his approval.
While Nicholas was going through his files, Timothy drank his coffee and looked at him. He seemed to have something to say.
Nicholas noticed that, and he cocked his eyebrow, but he didn’t bring it up. He could guess what Timothy wanted to say, and he was just waiting for it.
A while of hesitation later, Timothy finally asked, “Mr. Sawyer, are you serious about dating my sister?”
Nicholas squinted. He stopped his work and reclined into his chair. “What do you think?” he asked. He knew the answer would sound too weak for Timothy no matter what it was, so he threw the ball back into his court.
Timothy frowned. He said, “Tessa gets serious really easily, especially when it comes to relationships. She gets into it easily and stays loyal.”
Nicholas listened to him quietly.
“I know there’s a big gap between our family and the Sawyers, but my sister is still the most important person to me. I’m still young, so I can work my way up. Nobody will look down on my sister when I become wealthy myself.” He then changed his tune and said adamantly, “If you let her down, I’ll do everything to go against Sawyer Group and protect my sister.” He looked at Nicholas in the eye, his eyes burning with a flame of resolve.
Nicholas met his gaze, and he saw the fire and courage in Timothy’s eyes. Tessa has a good brother.
Always Been Yours Chapter 341
“It is a pity.”
In the meantime, the corners of Nicholas’ lips rose inscrutably, and his smile was a mysterious one.
However, Tessa was preoccupied and didn’t notice his peculiarity. Although she was rather disappointed, she quickly regained her spirit and said with a smile, “Although you can’t watch me performing live, I can ask someone to help me record the performance. Then, I’ll send it to you after your meeting is over.”
He only smiled and nodded at her arrangement.
Since its day of establishment, Vienna Conservatory has had a history of more than 100 years. There were dozens of famous musicians who graduated from this school. Therefore, the day of the school anniversary was extraordinarily grandiose. The college would also be opened to the public on this day, allowing them to visit.
Tessa had arrived early at the music college while carrying her violin on her back. Currently, many elites and celebrities from all walks of life have arrived at the college.
The bespoke suits, perfumed dresses, and gorgeous hair; it was indeed a beautiful sight to behold. There were also a few media reporters at the scene, and they were akin to busy bees running around interviewing people and taking pictures.
Tessa went straight to the college’s auditorium to get ready after a simple glance at the venus. In the backstage of the auditorium, it was crowded and boisterous. Everyone was busy with the anniversary event.
She walked through the crowd with difficulty, and when she finally arrived at the place that belonged to their orchestra, she saw Hathaway talking to a middle-aged foreign man in a tuxedo. She could see that the man had an artistic aura from a quick glance.
“Tessa, come over here.”
Hathaway also spotted her when she arrived, so she called out to her. Then, she introduced her to the man. “This is the principal of the college, Mr. Byrne. And this is the person I mentioned to you a while ago, Mr. Byrne. My protégé, Tessa Reinhart.”
“Hello, Principal Byrne.” Tessa smiled and nodded politely.
Byrne regarded Tessa kindly. The girl wore a simple T-shirt and a pair of jeans. She tied up her jet-black hair into a ponytail, and her face, although without make-up, showed a youthful vigor.
“Such a spirited looking child. It’s no wonder you took a fancy to her.”
Byrne said to Hathaway, and then he turned to Tessa and said, “Hathaway told me just now that your music is very compelling. So, I’m very much looking forward to your performance later.”
Tessa looked at Hathaway in surprise. She did not expect her teacher to have such high praise for her toward outsiders.
Even though Hathaway noticed her surprise, she did not say anything. Instead, she asked Tessa to get ready for the performance.
Meanwhile, at the Vienna International Airport, Nicholas led Gregory off the plane with a stern demeanor. Timothy walked behind the two with a smile on the corner of his mouth. He wore a black suit, looking like an elegant gentleman.
After they walked out of the VIP passage, Gregory started bouncing in happiness as he asked, “Daddy, will we be able to see Miss Tessa soon? Can I call her?”
“That’s right! You can see Miss Tessa soon. But this is our surprise for her. So you can’t tell her in advance.”
Nicholas lowered his head and glanced at Gregory as he instructed him. His facial expression softened a little at Gregory’s evident excitement.
When he heard that they would surprise Tessa, Gregory was full of glee. He nodded firmly and promised, “Then, Miss Tessa will definitely be surprised if we suddenly show up in front of her without calling her.”
As if Gregory’s happiness infected him, Timothy widened the smile on his face even more as he listened to Gregory’s cheerful voice.
Suddenly, Timothy thought of a question and asked, “President Sawyer, Tess went to perform today. Could it be that we’ll head to the venue directly?”
“Well, I have already arranged for someone to save us seats.” Nicholas nodded.
Timothy was so shocked that he went speechless. As expected of President Sawyer, his
influence is unparalleled. He can even give instructions to someone in Vienna.
An hour later, the three rushed to Vienna Conservatory. But, unfortunately, the performance had already begun.
“President Sawyer, right this way, please. The seats that we have arranged for you are here.”
The staff in charge of ushering guests immediately led Nicholas and others to the second floor of the auditorium. After they were all seated, the employees retreated.
At the moment, the performance on the stage was a piano performance of ‘Mozart’s Piano Sonata No.8 in A Minor’.
Always Been Yours Chapter 360
Family
A smile curled his lips, and he praised, “You have courage. Keep it up.”
“I am not kidding.” Timothy frowned.
“I did not say you were,” Nicholas answered, and his smile disappeared. “I just wish that if the day comes where I can’t keep her safe anymore, you’ll take my place and protect her. But I don’t think you’ll have that chance.”
“I won’t be too sure about that.” Timothy felt a little convinced, but for the most part, he didn’t believe Nicholas.
Nicholas could tell what he was thinking, of course. “Just like your sister, I too am loyal to a relationship.”
Timothy looked at him for a while, trying to see if he was lying. A long while later, he begrudgingly acknowledged Nicholas. “You had better be.” He snorted.
“I am loyal,” Nicholas answered confidently.
Timothy shut up.
The conversation ended, and Edward gave Timothy an impressed look. That’s the second time someone took that attitude with Mr. Sawyer. Ms. Reinhart is the first. I guess they are a family. They’re brave.
They heard Gregory’s happy laugh coming closer, and Tessa came in with the boy. She noticed the tension between her brother and Nicholas, and she asked, “What were you guys talking about?”
Timothy gave Nicholas a glance. “Nothing. Just talking about the development of the GPS with your husband.”
Tessa choked on herself in surprise. “My husband?” She stared at her brother in shock, then she turned her attention to Nicholas. What on earth did you two talk about while I was gone?
“Did I say something wrong? Did you two, you know…” Timothy feigned ignorance and looked at Tessa.
He didn’t finish, but Tessa knew what he was getting at, and her face turned beet red.
Nicholas smiled. “I like that title.” This kid gets it.
Tessa’s face got even redder, as if she was in a sauna.
Nicholas saw that, and he thought she was adorable. He teased, “Well, it is a bit early to call me her husband just yet. I still need to give you a red packet for that. I’ll do it next time.” He directed the last part of that reply to Timothy.
Timothy nodded. “Thank you, Nick.”
Even Tessa’s neck was getting red with embarrassment. She couldn’t do anything to Nicholas, so she glared at her brother. “Timothy!”
Timothy wasn’t scared at all, and he called for help. “Nick, Tessa’s mad! Calm her down!”
Gregory looked around. His instincts told him that his father was bullying Tessa, and he went to her defense. “You’re a meanie, Daddy! Don’t bully Miss Tessa!” The air felt even warmer with him joining in, and they looked even more like a family.
Edward was single, and the scene hurt him. “I went all the way here to work overtime, and I’m forced to see a family having the time of their life while I’m all by myself. Oh, all by myself,” he muttered softly, but Timothy heard that.
“You can get a girlfriend too. There are a lot of women on this ship,” Timothy suggested.
Nicholas heard that, and he gave Edward a mysterious smile. “I can arrange a date for you if you want.”
For some reason, Nicholas’ smile sent a chill down Edward’s spine. He refused, “It’s alright. I think I’m fine just like this. Yes, I am.”
The look on his face made Tessa laugh.
Nicholas’ phone rang. Kieran? He took his phone and went away. “What is it?”
“When are you coming back? The old man is trying to locate you.”