Chapter 4

"I'm doomed..."

Hayes began striding toward their location. Tessa's legs trembled, immobilizing her. Liam and Nathan remained wide-eyed.

"Sir," she stammered as he finally reached her, his gaze blazing with fury.

"What have you done?!" he bellowed angrily, causing the boys to flinch. They had witnessed their father this enraged before.

"Sir, she... She intruded, and... and I advised her against it... then she slapped me... and I couldn't bear it, so I retaliated," she stuttered nervously.

"She slapped my girlfriend!" he yelled again, and Tessa shut her eyes in fear.

Emery slowly groaned, regaining consciousness. Her eyes snapped open, and she swiftly stood up.

"Hayes, darling!" she pouted, rushing to embrace him.

"You should thank your lucky stars she's awake, or who knows what I might have done to you," he continued glaring at her, and Tessa swallowed nervously.

"Boys, back to your rooms!" Hayes commanded, his gaze still fixed on Tessa's.

"Yes, Dad," they chorused, hurrying upstairs.

"Who is she, babe? You should fire her! She's impolite! Can you believe she spoke to me rudely when I came in looking for you? She even insulted me!" Emery complained, feigning tears, and Tessa gasped, attempting to speak.

"Don't!" he snapped at her.

He turned to Emery, wiping away her tears.

"Let's go inside," he said, and she nodded, linking their hands as they ascended the stairs.

Tessa bit her lip hard as she watched their entwined hands, fueling her anger.

"Why am I even working with this man?!" she thought, seething.

Suddenly, her phone rang from her pocket, and she retrieved it, checking the caller ID.

"Hello, Natalie," she answered.

"Tessa..." Natalie trailed off.

"Yes?"

"It's your brother. Kingsley is back from college," she announced, and Tessa's eyes widened as her phone slipped from her grasp, crashing to the floor and shattering.

"K-Kingsley?"

*****

☆NEXT DAY~PARK☆

"I'm never riding that rollercoaster again," Liam lamented, clutching his stomach.

Tessa and Nathan exchanged glances and burst into laughter. It was Saturday, and Hayes had instructed her to take them out for fun.

"You're shivering, yet you're a Mama's boy," Tessa teased, and Liam scoffed.

"C'mon, Nanny, let's go for another ride. That was fun," Nathan giggled, and Tessa smiled at him.

"What? Are you two leaving me here?" Liam asked.

"You don't want to ride," Nathan shrugged.

"Of course, I do. Let's go back," Liam forced a smile, knowing he was lying.

Tessa booked another ride when it was their turn again, and they fastened their seat belts.

"Hold on tight to me," she half-yelled. Nathan grabbed her left hand, while Liam seized her other hand tightly.

"Whooo!!!" Nathan screamed as the rollercoaster careened wildly. The cool breeze swept over them.

"Mummy!!! Tessa, I'm going to vomit!!!" Liam cried out, looking at Tessa. Tessa stared at him in shock. "Did he just call me by my name?"

"Hey kid! I'm your elder; at least add 'Nanny' to my name," she scoffed.

"Nanny Tessa!!!" he screamed again, clinging to her tightly. The ride was so fast and wild that he felt his eyes spinning.

"Yippee!!!" Nathan shouted, giggling happily, and Tessa couldn't help but smile.

Soon, the ride was over, and they were instructed to disembark for the next group. Liam hurriedly got off first and staggered a bit before vomiting on the ground, feeling dizzy.

"Liam! Liam!" Tessa rushed to him, followed by Nathan.

"That ride was insane," he lamented, wiping his lips, and Tessa sighed in relief.

"We won't ride it again, then," she said, and he looked at her. For the first time, a genuine smile graced his lips, and she felt her heart melt.

"Are you always this adorable?" she muttered dreamily.

"Huh? What did you say?" he glared at her, and Tessa laughed nervously.

"C'mon, let's go get some ice cream before you two start flirting in my presence," Nathan rolled his eyes, walking away jealously.

"Flirting? I can't flirt with her! Wait up, Nathan! Nathaniel!" Liam hurried after him.

"These kids," Tessa shook her head, laughing as she followed them.

*****

"Nobody told me vanilla ice cream was this delightful," Nathan said as he licked his cone.

"Why? Don't you like vanilla?" Tessa asked, curious.

"It's not that, it's just Dad never has time to take us out like this, like you're doing now," he replied.

"You know, Dad's girlfriend was rude last night," Liam interjected.

"Yeah, and I dislike her. I don't want her to marry Dad," Nathan said, crossing his arms.

"Now, don't say things like that. It's not nice to gossip about others, especially those older than you. It's harsh," Tessa reprimanded.

"But she was rude to you too," Liam grumbled.

"Still, she's older than you, so don't say things like that," she smiled at them.

"Okay, NANNY!" they exclaimed in unison, rolling their eyes, and Tessa almost laughed.

*****

☆HAYES'S MANSION~HAYES'S ROOM ☆

"Hey, guys!"

"It's your girl, Emery!"

"So, you all know I'm going to be engaged to Hayes in a few days, and I'm finally going to be married," Emery blushed as she recorded herself on TikTok.

"Am I dreaming? Pass me some tissues," she cried, feeling emotional before laughing.

"Oops! I guess I'm not dreaming," she chuckled.

"Whoops! Gotta go, fans. Bye! Catch you later!" she smiled, waving at her screen before putting her phone down.

She got up and left the room, craving some food.

"Where's that incompetent nanny?" she muttered, heading to the kitchen, but she couldn't find her. The house was silent, leaving her to fend for herself. She opened the fridge to find raw ingredients that needed preparation before consumption.

"Oh no! How do I even cook this? I can't even cook," she groaned, picking up the cooking knife.

She took out an onion and began to slice it, but she missed and cut her fingers.

"Ouch!!! Mommy!!!" she cried out, rushing out of the kitchen as blood oozed from the cut.

"My fingers!! My precious fingers!!!"

"Mommy!!!"

*****

☆TESSA'S PLACE☆

Tessa hurried straight to her place after dropping the boys at the mansion, only to find her brother there.

He was taller than her, but despite being the older sibling, she couldn't deny his attractiveness with his jet-black hair and hazel eyes.

Just like T