Ch. 381..390
Always Been Yours Chapter 381
Nicholas Arrives
He wanted to know why Tessa was feeling down, and more importantly, he didn’t want her to misunderstand him.
Kathleen knew what he was thinking, and she looked at Tessa with displeasure. “Scott, I was just being kind, and you’re complaining about that? I don’t care. You’re having dinner with me tonight! As an apology!”
Tessa looked at them for a moment and left. Better give them some personal space.
Scott wanted to stop her, but Kathleen wouldn’t let him go, so all he could do was watch as Tessa left the room.
Tessa went straight home after that. The weather was getting colder, and the nights got longer. The staircase was dimly lit, so she watched her steps carefully. Just when she was about to open her door, someone suddenly hugged her from behind. Shocked, she almost screamed, but then she noticed a familiar scent enveloping her. She asked in disbelief, “Nicholas?”
Nicholas chuckled, and he whispered sexily, “Surprise.”
Tessa didn’t know how to describe what she was feeling right now. It felt like a dream. She turned around and hugged him tightly, feeling the warmth coming from him, drinking in his scent greedily. Only then did she feel that it was real. “What brings you here?”
Nicholas held the trembling Tessa, chuckling. “If I don’t come soon, someone’s going to cry again.”
Tessa froze up, and she thumped his chest playfully. “I’m not crying. You’re crying!” Her tear-streaked cheeks turned pink, looking just like a ripe peach waiting for someone to pluck.
Nicholas stared at her, his eyes filled with lust. “Aren’t you going to take me home?” he asked hoarsely.
Oh yeah. We’ve been standing out here for a while.
When they went inside, Nicholas couldn’t hold his longing back anymore. He pinned her against the door and kissed her. Tessa paused for a moment, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and responded to his kiss. The house got hot and heavy a moment later, and they kissed all the way to the bedroom.
A long while later, the bed stopped rocking, and Tessa leaned against Nicholas’ chest languidly, the dim light illuminating her face. She would look up at him occasionally, thinking that everything was still unreal.
“What is it?” He looked down, a devilish smile curling his lips. He knew what she was thinking, but he wanted to tease her a bit.
Tessa was drawn into his captivating smile. “This just feels so unreal.” She told him her honest thoughts, and he chuckled. Tessa snapped out of it, and her face burned up.
Before she could realize what was happening, the world started to spin. Nicholas inched closer, and she thought he was going to have another go. Immediately, she pushed him away. “Stop, stop!”
Nicholas got what she was saying, and he chuckled again. “I just wanted you to feel if I’m real enough, but you’re quite a bit of a perv, aren’t you?” He huddled closer and whispered the last part into her ear, his voice seductive.
Tessa’s mind exploded, and her face turned even redder, which wasn’t supposed to be possible. Oh no. I misunderstood him, and he misunderstood me.
Always Been Yours Chapter 382
Dinner
Tessa wanted to hide in a hole. “Nicholas!” She gritted her teeth angrily.
Whoops. She’s angry. Gotta distract her. He put on his puppy pout. “I’m hungry.” He had come over right after he disembarked, so he hadn’t gotten any food. After the earlier exercise, his stomach was already growling.
Tessa paused. She had never seen him putting on a puppy pout. In the end, she couldn’t let him starve, so she got out of bed. “I’ll make something for you.”
Nicholas looked at her, and a smile curled his face. He wore his clothes and went out with her. Tessa was making something in the kitchen, and Nicholas felt happy seeing her like that. It felt like home.
Tessa was done cooking in half an hour. She made a simple ramen, but it smelled great. She served it on the table and asked Nicholas to come over.
They sat across from each other, the light casting their shadows on the wall. When they were done with supper, Tessa stacked the dishes before her and looked at Nicholas. “How long are you staying?”
Nicholas answered honestly, “One day. I’ll have to leave after tomorrow.”
Tessa was visibly disappointed.
Nicholas didn’t want to leave her, but he had no choice. He explained, “I canceled some work for this trip. That’s why I don’t have much time. I’ll make sure I free up more of my schedule next time.”
Tessa was surprised that he canceled work just to see her. She felt guilty, but also touched. “I’m fine. You don’t have to come all the way to Vienna.”
“I know, but I don’t want to leave you unhappy.” He looked at her, his gaze serious. For some reason, ever since they got together, he couldn’t ever leave Tessa unhappy, nor would he let her cry. Every time she did, it felt like someone was stabbing his heart.
Their eyes met, and Tessa fell into his gentle gaze. She felt touched that Nicholas was so thoughtful when it came to her.
They sat together on the couch after dinner and had a long chat. Most of the time, Tessa was the one who talked. She talked about the things that happened in her orchestra and also the interesting stuff she saw when she was out with Hathaway.
Nicholas was a good listener. He seldom spoke, but he wouldn’t let Tessa feel like she was the only one who was talking. A lot of times, he could come to great conclusions.
“I wish time could go slower.” Tessa looked at the clock on the wall, and she sighed.
Nicholas knew she didn’t want him to leave, and he smiled. “We have a lot of time ahead of us. You don’t have to feel down because of this.”
Tessa nodded. She knew that, but she just didn’t want to say goodbye. She used to be an independent girl, but ever since she got into a relationship, she started getting dependent on Nicholas.
Nicholas noticed that she was still looking sad, and he scraped her nose. “It’s alright. Don’t be sad. I’ll come over whenever I have time.”
Tessa felt comforted. She held his hand and smiled sweetly. “Remember to bring Greg along with you. He’s probably going to complain to me tomorrow, and I bet he’ll argue with you once you get back.” Tessa smiled as she was reminded of Gregory’s antics.
Nicholas didn’t really care. “It’s alright. He doesn’t know I’m here.”
Tessa blinked, and she realized what he was getting at. Oh, so he lied to the boy again. She asked curiously, “How did you manage to hoodwink him this time?”
“I told him I was going on a business trip.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 383
Interrogation
“And he believed you?” He used the same excuse before, but Greg is smart. He couldn’t have believed it so easily.
Nicholas could guess what she was thinking, and he smiled. “Yes. I told Edward to let him go through my schedule.”
Tessa smiled. That boy’s really unlucky he got this kind of father.
She woke up early the next morning, since she had to go to the orchestra. She made breakfast and asked Nicholas to come over. “I can’t take any leave because the orchestra’s going to perform in Filisburg, so I can’t stay with you,” she said apologetically.
“It’s alright. I can wait for you at a nearby café.” Nicholas smiled. “You can come over during lunchtime.”
Tessa didn’t expect him to come up with this idea. She thought about it for a moment and thought it was great. After breakfast, Nicholas sent her to the orchestra, and Tessa couldn’t stop smiling.
Nicholas asked Tessa to give him a goodbye kiss and only let her go after she gave him what he wanted. He said, “Go now. I’ll be waiting at the café across the street.”
Tessa was blushing, but she nodded and got out of the car.
Nicholas saw her off before he turned the car around and parked it across the street. Then, he went to the café with his laptop in hand.
The waitresses were excited when they saw the handsome Nicholas coming in. When he finally stepped through the front door, a sexy blonde came over shyly. She won the little scuffle of who was going to serve Nicholas. “Alone, sir?” she asked.
She kept fidgeting and sending hints to Nicholas. He was in Vienna after all, and they were open about this.
Nicholas saw through her. He shot her a sharp look, and the air around him changed. The waitress who was smiling earlier blanched, as if she just saw the most horrifying thing in the world. Her eyes were filled with terror, and she knew that the man before her was not to be trifled with. She stopped being flirtatious and said politely, “Come with me, sir.”
Nicholas looked away and picked a seat close to the window.
Tessa had no idea what happened. She was still feeling happy about Nicholas’ visit, and her performance was a lot better than usual.
Even the members noticed her improvement eventually.
Kathleen teased, “Miss Reinhart, you seem happy today. Are you in love?”
Everyone agreed.
“Kathleen, is that a rhetorical question?”
“I’m experienced with this. I’m sure Tessa must be in love.”
“No wonder she looks so out of it a few days ago. They must have gotten into a fight, and now they made up. That’s why she’s in such a good mood.”
They wouldn’t stop joking, and Tessa blushed.
Then, someone said gently, “Well, everyone seems happy. What’s the occasion?” Scott was standing outside the practice room. He was in a beige casual suit, looking like a gentleman.
Kathleen looked at Tessa, and she smiled. “Hi, Scott. We were saying that Miss Reinhart has fallen in love.”
Scott paused for a moment, and he looked at Tessa. “That can’t be, can it?”
“Why not?” Kathleen puffed her cheeks, seemingly displeased by Scott’s suspicion, then turned to Tessa. “Miss Reinhart, tell him, are you in love?”
Tessa disliked how interrogatory that sounded, and she frowned. “That’s my private matter. I don’t think I have to report to you, do I? Excuse me, but I have some practice to do.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 384
Lunchtime
And then she left without a word.
Kathleen’s face fell. She was annoyed by Tessa’s attitude, but she put on a smile again quickly.
The other members looked at one another. They knew Kathleen was doing that to Tessa on purpose, but they didn’t mind. It was normal to see two women fighting over one man, and they went back to their practice a while later.
Kathleen thought that was smart of them, and she smiled. She stayed with Scott, asking, “Scott, how long are you going to be on break? Why don’t I get some days off and go on a vacation with you?”
“You can tell Miss Hathaway if you want to rest, not me. And I’m going back to the orchestra soon. I don’t have time to go on a vacation with you,” he answered, oblivious to the hints Kathleen was giving him.
Kathleen was speechless, but she dragged the conversation on anyway. “Alright, forget it. The orchestra’s going to have a performance soon, and Mommy probably won’t let me rest.” She held his arm and talked about something else.
Scott answered perfunctorily, his face filled with impatience.
Fortunately, a member called Kathleen over for practice a while later. “I’m going to practice now, Scott. Wait for me. We’ll have lunch together.” She went away without giving Scott any chance to say no.
Scott heaved a sigh of relief. I’m going to say no when lunchtime comes. He went away to look for Tessa.
Tessa was practising alone in the room next door. She was holding her violin and playing it elegantly, her eyes closed. It was as if she was shining without any light, and nobody could look away once they saw her. Scott stood outside, admiring her performance.
When she was done, Tessa opened her eyes and saw Scott outside the door. “When did you come, Mr. Brooks? Where’s Kathleen?” She looked behind Scott.
It wasn’t as if she didn’t want to see Kathleen. She just didn’t want to get into any trouble. She could see that Kathleen was obsessed with Scott, and she didn’t want to cause any unwanted trouble.
Scott didn’t know what she was thinking, and he said, “She went to practice. I’m here to see how you’re faring.”
Tessa heaved a sigh of relief. Nobody would like it if a sarcastic person was around them all the time. She shifted the topic. “What do you think about that piece?”
“Not bad. It’s filled with emotions,” he praised. They talked about music for a while, and he suddenly asked, “I heard your performance next month will be done in Filisburg, not Xerthania.”
Tessa nodded. “Yes. Miss Hathaway said it’s changed because of some problems.”
Scott asked her about the rehearsals, and she answered his questions. Then, he looked at the time and asked, “Why don’t we have lunch together?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Brooks. Not today and tomorrow. I already have dates.” She looked at him apologetically.
The light in Scott’s eyes dimmed, but he forced a smile. “I see. That’s fine. We can have lunch some other time.”
Tessa nodded. She still felt apologetic, since this was not the first time she refused his invitation, and he did help her a lot these days. They spoke for a while longer, and Scott left, while Tessa went on with her practice.
Nicholas texted her when it was nearly noon. It was the location of a restaurant, and she knew that was where they were going to meet. After practice was done, she went straight to that place. It was a luxury Oriental restaurant, and a waitress led her to a room.
The table was already filled with all of Tessa’s favorite food. When she came in, his tense look was replaced with a gentle smile. “Sit down and dig in.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 385
Evening
She nodded at him and sat down. “What were you doing the whole morning?” she asked with a smile. “Were you bored?”
“Dealing with work.” Nicholas smiled back and fileted a piece of fish for Tessa. “It was almost noon when I was done. Time flew by, so I wasn’t bored.”
She nodded and happily bit into the fish he fileted for her.
They chatted as they ate. When they were finished, Nicholas asked, “Are you going back to the orchestra now?”
“No. I can stay for a bit.” Tessa wanted to stay with Nicholas for a while longer. She suggested, “Why don’t we shop around for a bit? Wash down the food.”
Nicholas didn’t refuse her. He wanted to stay with her a bit longer as well. They held hands and went around the streets, and their outstanding looks attracted everyone’s attention.
Scott and Kathleen were coming out of a Western restaurant from across the street. Kathleen noticed Tessa by chance, and she looked surprised. “Hey, isn’t that Miss Reinhart?”
Scott looked where Kathleen was looking, and he saw Tessa walking together closely with another man, but because of the angle, he couldn’t see the man’s face.
Kathleen said happily, “See? I told you she’s in love, but you didn’t believe me.” She felt ecstatic, as nobody would take Scott away from her now that Tessa had a boyfriend.
Scott didn’t know what she was thinking. He forced a smile and said nothing, but when he looked at Tessa, something uneasy stirred in his heart.
Tessa had no idea about that. She was holding Nicholas’ hand, and they were shopping around like any other couple. She also bought a lot of stuff for Gregory, and Nicholas was supposed to bring them back.
Nicholas felt jealous that she was only buying things for Gregory. “Tessa,” he said softly.
“What is it?” Tessa looked at him curiously, holding a pair of denim jeans for kids. She asked with a smile, “Does this fit Greg?”
“Gregory has enough clothes. You don’t have to buy any more for him.” He took the jeans from her and placed them back on the rack.
Tessa blinked. Why is he so upset? Did I do something wrong?
Her train of thoughts were interrupted as he whispered, “My fall season clothes aren’t complete yet. Do you want to come with me to the men’s fashion store?”
Tessa paused for a moment. She looked at him for a moment, and she realized that Nicholas was jealous of his son. She was amused, but she took him to a few men’s fashion stores anyway.
Nicholas looked at her gently as she picked his clothes out for him, which made the retail assistants feel envious.
About an hour later, Tessa had to return to the orchestra, but at least practice could help stave off the longing.
Time flew by when she was working, and it was evening soon. Tessa quickly packed up and left. When she walked through the doors, she saw Nicholas standing outside, a smile curling his lips. “Nicholas!” She trotted over to him.
Nicholas looked at her and held her hand. “I’ll take you somewhere after dinner.”
She got in his car and asked curiously, “Where are we going?”
“You’ll know eventually.”
“Ooh, mysterious. I’ll be looking forward to it.” She winked at him cheekily. It’s not every day you get to see him this mysterious.
After they had dinner, Nicholas drove Tessa to Vienna’s bustling city center.
Always Been Yours Chapter 386
A Performance
Tessa was in the passenger seat, looking forward to what would happen. A while later, they stopped outside of Wiener Musikverein.
“We’re here. Come now.” Nicholas got out of the car.
Tessa got out of the car and looked at Wiener Musikverein in surprise. “Why are we here, Nicholas? There aren’t any performances here, nor is it open.” She looked at him curiously.
Nicholas went over to her and smiled. “Come with me, and don’t ask any questions.” He then held her hand and went up to Wiener Musikverein.
Tessa was worried the crew might stop them, but they went in without any trouble. “How did you do it, Nicholas?” She stood in the resplendent hall, looking in awe.
Nicholas smiled. “I have my ways.” He took her to the hall and stopped before the stage. Nicholas looked at her lovingly and said, “There aren’t any performances here tonight, so it belongs to you and only you, while I am the only audience. Will you perform for me?” He took the violin on the stage and handed it to Tessa.
Tessa looked at the violin, her eyes filled with tears. She had dreamed of performing in Wiener Musikverein all her life, so of course she would perform. “But performing in this attire looks so informal.” She looked at her clothes, and frustration welled up within her. If I had known this, I would have worn a dress, not a T-shirt and jeans.
Nicholas noticed the frustration in her eyes, and he smiled. “That’s easy. Come with me.” He took her backstage.
When they came in, she saw a team of stylists waiting for her, and when they saw them, they greeted, “Hello, Mr. Sawyer. Hello, Miss Reinhart.”
Nicholas nodded and looked at Tessa gently. He told the stylists, “Style her up.” And he told Tessa, “I’ll be waiting for you outside.”
Tessa nodded and saw him off. A stylist came up to her with a few beautiful dresses and asked, “Miss Reinhart, I picked this based on your body shape. Which one would you like?”
Tessa looked at the dresses. They were all beautiful, and it put her in a dilemma. In the end, she picked an off-the-shoulder silk dress. When she came back out wearing the dress, her beauty surprised the stylists. Her skin was fair and shining, her hair long, lustrous, and tumbling down her shoulders. Her face had no makeup on, but she was already gorgeous enough.
The makeup artists snapped out of it and praised, “You look beautiful even without makeup. I’m sure you’ll stun Mr. Sawyer once you’re all dressed up.”
Tessa gave them humble replies, but she too looked forward to how surprised Nicholas would be. An hour later, she was finally done, and she held her dress as she went to the door. A crew member gave her the violin, and she thanked him.
The crew member smiled and pushed the heavy door open.
Tessa looked at the stairs before her, and she took a deep breath. She held her dress and stepped onto the stage carefully, as she was wearing heels. When she came onto the stage, a beam of white light shone down on her, making her flawless face sparkle even more. She went to the center of the stage and looked at the only audience in the first row of the seats. Then she smiled and started her performance.
Always Been Yours Chapter 387
Performance Ends
A beautiful tune filled the air of Wiener Musikverein. Tessa immersed herself in the world of music, playing the violin with her eyes closed. She was elegant, sacred, and the most brilliant being in the hall at that moment.
Nicholas watched her performance unblinkingly, his eyes drawing in anything and everything near him. When the performance was done, Nicholas clapped for her.
Tessa put her violin down, and a smile curled her lips. “So, how was it?”
“Great.” Nicholas looked at her lovingly, his voice filled with tenderness. “You’ll have the stage for a whole hour.”
Tessa was touched, and her eyes were filled with tears. Then she remembered something, and she smiled. “Since you’ve given me a surprise, I have a surprise for you as well.”
Nicholas arched his eyebrow.
She continued, “I have been composing a new piece lately, and it’s for you.” She started blushing, but she was still looking at Nicholas. “I’ll play it for you now. Do you want to hear it?”
“Of course. It’s a gift from you.” He looked at her, surprised. Nicholas didn’t expect her to compose a piece for him.
Tessa didn’t know he was surprised. After she got his answer, she held her violin up again, and a moment later, a soothing tune filled the air. It was as if a woman was whispering into her lover’s ears. Tessa was playing the violin, but her eyes never left Nicholas.
Nicholas gazed back at her as well, and love started to rise in the air. It was as if they were the only ones left in this world. The performance was over a moment later, but their gazes were still locked. Nicholas leaped up onto the stage and slowly walked toward Tessa, his eyes filled with happiness.
She stared at him dumbly, and her heart skipped a beat. In the next moment, she was pulled into his warm embrace, and before she could react, he was already kissing her. The kiss was gentle, though it did catch her by surprise. But a moment later, she hugged him back and responded to his kiss.
The love was almost palpable, and a long, long while later, Nicholas finally let her go when she was about to suffocate.
He brushed his hand across her pink cheeks, whispering, “I love that surprise. I know you can stand on this stage one day with your skills.”
Tessa looked up at him, and she met his loving gaze. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she sniffled. “I will. And thank you for letting me have a taste of my dreams tonight.”
Nicholas chuckled, and he wiped her tears away. “It’s fine. I wanted to do this for you.”
Tessa was so touched, she didn’t know what to say. She stared at him, her heart filled with joy and love.
Nicholas said nothing. He took her to the piano and said gently, “Let’s play a piece together. I’ll play the piano, while you play the violin, alright?”
“You can play the piano?” Her eyes widened in surprise. She had seen Gregory play the piano before, but never Nicholas.
Nicholas cocked his eyebrow. “Where do you think Gregory got his piano skills from?”
Tessa shut up and changed the topic. “So what are we playing?”
“How about Atimeforus? The one you taught Greg?”
Always Been Yours Chapter 388
Atimeforus
“Sure.” She nodded and held her violin up again.
A while later, the sound of violin and piano started to dance together in the air. It was their first time playing together, but they meshed perfectly. Their eyes met, and everything else melted away until they were the only things left in the world. The love was getting denser and denser, as if it would become honey and appear out of thin air.
When the song was over, Nicholas sat her down on the long chair and wrapped his arms around her waist. “See? We are made for each other. It’s our first time playing, and we mesh together so well.”
She leaned against his chest, happiness bubbling inside her, and she felt touched. Tessa knew she would never forget this night for the rest of her life.
When their time was up, they went back to her apartment, and the moment she closed the door, Nicholas picked her up and went to the bedroom. She knew what he wanted to do, but she didn’t stop him. A while later, the bed started to rock lusciously, and it went on for hours.
She leaned against his chest weakly, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. It calmed her, but she felt upset when she remembered that he would be leaving the next day. She asked sadly, “What time is your flight tomorrow?”
“Seven in the morning,” he answered raspily.
Tessa gave him a tight hug and acted like a child for once. “But I don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to leave.”
Nicholas kissed her forehead. “Neither do I, but I believe that this separation is only going to end in a better reunion.” He wanted her to be with him at all times if he could. “Remember your dream? You told me you won’t give it up, so I’ll support you. I’ll be waiting for you to realize your dreams. Do your best, my love.”
Tessa would be lying if she said she wasn’t touched. She sniffled and nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
…
They woke up early the next morning, as his flight was the earliest one.
When they came to the gates, she sent him off tearfully, like a loving wife. “Take care of yourself, and don’t forget to eat. I’ll ask Edward about it. And… I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too. Take care of yourself. I’ll come again when I have time.” He wiped her tears away and said a gentle goodbye, then he went through the gates.
Her heart was gripped by a sad feeling after she sent him off, as if something was missing. But she cheered herself up and went to the orchestra. It was getting busier every day, since the performance was drawing near. She went to her practice room and started playing her violin, and eventually, she was immersed in the beautiful tune. It managed to soothe her sadness, albeit only a little.
She heaved a sigh after she was done with the tune. Tessa was going to have a little break and look through the music sheet, but then she saw someone at the door from the corner of her eye. “Kathleen, Mr. Brooks? What brings you here?” She was surprised to see them here, and she looked at them.
Scott knew she had misunderstood something, and he explained, “It’s not what you think. I’m just here to say that my break is over, and I’m going to leave on a tour. I’m here to say goodbye, but I bumped into Kathleen on my way, and she insisted on coming with me.”
Kathleen’s smile was wiped off her face right at that moment.
Always Been Yours Chapter 389
Tantrum
Tessa noticed the look on Kathleen’s face, and she realized that what she did was inappropriate. She had only wanted to help Kathleen, but she never expected Scott to be this honest. No wonder he’s still single. She pretended not to have seen Kathleen’s upset face and continued, “I see. Have a safe trip then.”
Scott nodded with a smile. “I might not be in Vienna, but you can call me if you need any help in your training. Or just text me. I’ll contact you once I see it.”
“That’s—” Before she could finish, she saw Kathleen glaring at her, and it amused Tessa. She really thinks of me as her romantic rival, huh? It’s a pity that I already have someone I like. Mr. Brooks is just a teacher and a friend. But she couldn’t say that, so she said, “We’ll see. You should be busy now that your break is over.”
Scott didn’t notice anything, and he smiled warmly at her.
Kathleen couldn’t take it anymore, and she asked weirdly, “Oh yeah. We saw you having lunch with a guy yesterday? He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he? You two seem close.”
Tessa didn’t like how Kathleen was talking, but she didn’t deny it. “He is. He came all the way here to spend time with me.”
The light in Scott’s eyes dimmed, and he felt upset for some reason. Suddenly, he wanted to leave, so he said goodbye. “I’ve been out for a while now. It’s time to go back.”
Tessa nodded at him, saying goodbye.
Kathleen saw him off for a moment. She then shot Tessa a warning glare and chased after him. “Scott, wait for me!”
Her voice rang through the corridor, but Scott didn’t stop. However, she caught up to him just a moment later, and she complained, “I called out to you multiple times. Didn’t you hear me?”
“Sorry. I was stuck in my mind, so I didn’t hear you,” he answered coolly. If Kathleen looked closely, she would have seen the resignation in his eyes.
But Kathleen didn’t see that and happily asked, “Since you’re leaving, why don’t we have lunch together?”
“Maybe next time. I have a lot to do in the orchestra. You go back to practice as well.” Scott got in a taxi and left.
She saw him off, her eyes filled with anger and frustration. Kathleen snorted and went back to the orchestra. When she saw Tessa practising by herself, she got angry at her for some reason. Scott only ignored me because of her. I’ll show her! She said, “Miss Reinhart, come here for a minute.”
“What is it, Kathleen?” Tessa put her music sheet down and went up to Kathleen, confused.
A fake smile curled Kathleen’s lips. “My assistant is on leave today. Since you’re Mommy’s student, I’ll let you be my assistant for the day. Come with me.” She went to the main practice room without giving Tessa a chance to speak.
Tessa frowned. What is she up to this time? She didn’t like it, but she went with her anyway. She was Hathaway’s daughter, so if things got tense, it would put her teacher in a difficult position.
When everyone saw Kathleen and Tessa coming in, they were about to greet them, but then Kathleen said imperiously, “Miss Sawyer, my glass is empty. Get me some water please. And make it hot.”
That surprised everyone, but then they saw Tessa taking Kathleen’s glass, and it perplexed them.
Kathleen said again, “Miss Sawyer will be our assistant for the day. If you need something, she can do it for you.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 390
Family Talk
Everyone could see that Kathleen was pulling a prank on Tessa at this point.
“Kathleen, this isn’t a good idea. If Miss Hathaway sees this, she’ll be furious.”
“Yeah. Tessa needs to practice like the rest of us. Don’t waste her time.”
“Just get a crew member to handle this.”
Someone defended Tessa, but Kathleen ignored them. She had decided to order Tessa around today no matter what.
When Hathaway came back later and saw Tessa doing menial jobs in the practice room, she frowned. She went over and demanded, “Tessa, why aren’t you practising? What are you doing here?”
Everyone stopped practising and looked at Hathaway.
“I—”
Kathleen interrupted before she could finish, “Mommy, my assistant is on leave today. She doesn’t really do anything around here, so I asked her to be my assistant for the day. Not like she’s going to perform anyway, so missing one day of practice is fine.”
“What do you mean missing one day of practice is fine?” Hathaway’s face fell immediately. “You could have asked a crew member to help you. Tessa is not a maid. You can’t ask her to do stuff like this. What did she do to you? Why are you doing this to her?”
Kathleen never expected her mother to scold her this openly, and her face fell. Hathaway didn’t care. She warned, “Tessa is my student. No next time.”
Kathleen bit her lip. She didn’t want to agree to that, and Hathaway noticed it. She warned sharply, “Did you hear me, Kathleen?”
Kathleen was scared of her mother when she got angry, so she answered reluctantly, “I did. I won’t do it again.”
Hathaway stopped scolding her, and she asked everyone to go back to practice. Then she took Tessa to her practice room next door. She looked at Tessa apologetically. “Don’t take it to heart. She’s a spoiled girl.”
“It’s fine,” she lied. Tessa was feeling slightly upset.
But she threw that out of the window a while later, since she received Nicholas’ call the moment she arrived home in the evening. He had disembarked and arrived at Dynasty Gardens.
The sight of him made her smile from ear to ear.
But just a moment after they talked, Gregory snatched the phone away. “Let me talk to Miss Tessa, Daddy.” The screen rumbled for a moment, and Gregory showed up. “I miss you, Miss Tessa.”
“I miss you too, sweetheart.” Tessa smiled at him.
Gregory still looked unhappy though. He pouted and complained, “It’s been so long. When can I see you again?”
Tessa blinked and answered mysteriously, “Soon.” They hung up, and she called Timothy. They made small talk first, then she asked about his work. “How’s work?” she asked.
Timothy only told her the good news. He smiled. “It’s fine, Tessa. Everything’s fine. I just got in touch with some companies, and they want to work with us.”
“That’s good to hear.” She felt more at ease, and she went into his studies. “So what about your studies? Everything is getting on track, so are you going back to school?”
“I was just going to tell you that. I want to give up on this chance to study abroad.” Timothy told her about his plan. “After everything that’s happened, I think studying abroad or not makes no difference. I’d rather stay here and work on my career. It’s getting on track now, and they need me for a lot of stuff.”