Chapter 9

THE UNEXPECTED

Hayes kept shooting daggers at the guy, his eyes finding it hard to leave the guy.

"Uh... I'm sorry if I disrupted, catch you later pretty" The guy quickly said and walked away, leaving Tessa.

Without speaking, Hayes began walking out of the store not interested in getting her new clothes again. Not after what he saw.

"Hey! Aren't we getting the clothes again?" Tessa continued shouting till Hayes got into his car.

"Come home by yourself not inside this car after talking to a stranger" He replied and finally zoomed away, making Tessa more surprised.

"What the heck was that?!" She wondered, throwing her hands in the air. "Just because she spoke to a stranger?"

The cool breeze became chilled driving her more crazy whenever she remembers that he actually left her alone.

She dialled Xavier's line since he was the only one who's gonna answer her. Natalie and Kingsley were busy.

"Hello" She muttered.

"Tessa? Where are you at? Are you okay?" Xavier asked at once.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine Xavier. I just need a tiny favor from you. Will you do it?" She asked.

"What's that?"

"Come pick me up at saint Monica mall store pls"

"What are you doing there?"

"Come pick me up and I'll explain pls"

******

Later, they were on their way back to Hayes's mansion after Xavier came to pick her up.

"Did Hayes really do that?" Xavier asked after Tessa explained everything to him.

"Obviously, and I don't know why" She rolled her eyes and Xavier only chuckled, making her turn to him.

"Why are you laughing? Are you also annoying like him? It's not funny!" She snapped.

"He did that out of jealousy Tessa. I know my brother very well, if you made him angry at a point, forget it because he won't care about you. Think he has started falling for you" He responded and Tessa smacked his head.

"Ouch!"

"Stop cracking expensive jokes"

"I wasn't joke seriously" He replied.

"Whatever" She rolled her eyes, chuckling happily slightly.

"Don't tell me you're blushing?" He smirked and Tessa instantly frowned.

"No, I wasn't" She quickly replied and he giggled.

******

"Thanks for the ride Xavier, honestly I appreciate" Tessa thanked him when she alighted from the car.

He had just stopped in the garage, not willingly to go in with Tessa since he knows the outcome of it already.

Hayes was in the living room, peeping through the window glasses.

"Give me a hug and I'll be much happier" He snickered and she smiled, embracing him. He hugged her back tightly, inhaling her baby scent and he felt gladness in his heart.

"Why are you making me feel loved when am with you? I feel like you should be mine already" He smirked and she quickly broke free from the hug.

"Really?" She blinked.

"Stop taking things seriously c'mon! I was just joking" He silted a laughter and she giggled nervously.

"Won't you come in to see the kids?"

"You know the outcome of it, and I always hate that feeling whenever we boty fight" Xavier replied and she nodded.

"Bye" She pecked his cheeks before rushing in, making him smile.

"So cute" He smiled again, walking back to his car.

He drove out of the mansion, and a shadow came to view, staring in front of the mansion with a phone on his hands.

"Ma'am, hint correct. He came here with the lady you told me about" The man said.

"Keep an eye on her and make a move when I tell you to do so" A female voice was heard from the other line and he hung up.

A dark smirk crept up on his lips as he continued monitoring the mansion.

*****

"Who brought you back home?" Hayes immediately fired as Tessa stepped into the house. She jumped up in fear until she realized it was him.

"Oh you scared me" She breathed out in relief..

"I asked you a simple question, Who brought you back home?" He demanded.

"Xavier brought me back sir" She replied, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"Are you both having a relationship that I don't know?"He asked.

"What are you implying sir? I and Xavier are just friends and there's nothing more" She answered.

"Better" He muttered and started walking away.

"Um, sir!" She called, and Hayes halted on the stairs.

"What do you want?"

"Sorry for prying into your privacy, but are you and miss Emery still together?" She asked and he hissed, without replying, he finally walked out of her sight.

"This guy can never change.. gosh, why am I even doing this!" She scoffed.

******

☆NEXT DAY~VANCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL☆

By the time Nathan and Liam arrived in the classroom, the students were all in preparing for classes.

"Look who's here, the two brothers!" Ian mocked, and few of the kids spranged up to look.

Liam scoffed inwardly, walking to his seat but then he bumped into Imelda.

She was actually his only female friend in school who had a crush for him.

"Hi Liam" She blinked cutely and Lism smiled awkwardly.

"Oh hi Imelda.. didn't see you there" He lied, which he knew he just did.

"What? Aren't you gonna reply me?" Ian said again and Nathan glared at him this time. They were like two enemies because Nathan always perform higher than him in class.

"Look everyone, my just bought me a new phone!" Desiree shouted and all eyes faced her as everyone started bringing out their phones except Nathan and Liam.

"Where's yours Nathan?" Ian smirked at him and Nathan clenched his fist.

"I forgot, how can a motherless child have one" He laughed hysterically and Nathan sped him, pinning him to the wall as he sent a punch to his face.

"Shut the hell up Ian! Stop saying what you don't know! We're not a motherless child and we have a mother!" Nathan shouted, Liam couldn't believe his eyes that moment as he watched intently.

His own brother was fighting.

"What's wrong with Nathan?" Imelda whispered to Liam.

"I'm surprised too, maybe his own his mood swings" Liam shrugged.

"What! Am I wrong Nathaniel? Where's your mom? Bring her to school tomorrow to prove me wrong then" Ian smiled creepily and Nathan let go of him, breathing heavily with an angry look on his face.

"Fine!" He snapped, walking back to his seat.

"What the heck just happened?!"

******

☆HAYES'S MANSION☆

Hayes was having his bath when Tessa tiptoed in without his approval. She couldn't sleep last night because she kept thinking about him which she knew no reason why.

"Good thing he's in the bathroom" She mumbled, walking to his inner room. She went to his walk-in closet and brought out a suit and hoodie. She started inhaling his sunflower scent.

"Gosh, I'm finally going insane for a jerk" She muttered, closing her eyes to welcome the sweet scent again.

She brought out one of his armless shirts and inhaled it too, thinking of the unimaginable.

"What are you doing?" A voice asked and her eyes flew open wide-struck as she slowly turned to see Hayes just coming in.

He was just on his towel and his hair were dripping wet making him look freaking hot and sexy that moment as his thin punk lips stood at attention which Tessa couldn't look away from.

"I... I..." She lost her words, and he started walking towards her. Tessa's throat itched nervously as she walked back continuously till she got to the wall.

"Ouch" She whimpered, and surprisingly, he smiled at her.

"Were you thinking about me?" He whispered and she tried avoiding his gaze but then he turned her to face him.

"I.. I only came to get your dirty clothes for laundry" She stuttered and he could feel that she just lied from her nervousness.

"Tell me the truth, were you thinking about me?" He whispered again, stylishly touching her hair making her close her eyes as she embraced the warm feeling. He kept touching her soft hair warmly then his fingers slowly moved to her face and her eyes opened.

His eyes fell on her cute kiss shape lips and so did hers. Their throat ran dry as they lost moment of time, staring into each other's eyes like they were the only one on earth that moment.

He leaned closer to her, going for her lips little by little and she slowly closed her eyes, withering under him, expecting a kiss.

Hayes lips formed a clever smirk as he leaned away from her, making Tessa's eyes open again.

"Stop thinking Tess, it's never gonna happen... Falling for you?" He chuckled, walking away from her. At that moment, Tessa felt sting of embarrassment rushing through her.

"We made a deal remember, and the way I'm seeing it, you're falling already miss Tessa Thompson" He added, picking a cloth from his closet.

"I.. I'm not falling for you" Her stuttered.

"So... Can you now leave my room? I wanna change or do you want to see another thing else" He smirked and Tessa scoffed, rushing out of his room.

He chuckled sillily, raking his hair with his fingers as he bit his lips hard, reminiscing about what just happened earlier.

"Damn, I felt like kissing her back there" He muttered, pulling the towel wrapped around his waist.

TESSA'S ROOM*

"Gawd! Gosh! What was I thinking?! He caught me!" Tessa dabbed her face in shyness as she stood in front of the dressing mirror.

"Why can't he find me attractive? I mean, I'm also pretty" She pouted, checking out herself in front of the mirror.

"Don't fall for him Tessa! He's gonna break you!"

******

The doorbell rang for the umpteenth time and Natalie grumpily walked to open the door.

She was preparing for her daily work.

"Kingsley!" Her eyes bulged open when she actually saw him standing at her doorstep.

He walked in fully.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you. You've been ignoring me ever since that incident occured between us" He replied, pocketing his hands in his pant.

"I'm doing fine Kingsley and please you don't need to. Just like after your sis. I told you, this thing between you and I can't..."

She wasn't chanced to finish her sentence when he pulled her by the waist and slammed his lips fu*king hard on hers. She wanted to break it and pull away, but he quick to shove his tongue into her, gaining entrance into her mouth.

A moan came from her when his tongue started challenging hers hungrily. He was kissing her like an expert and she found herself responding back.

She won't lie either, he was a very good kisser.

"N... Natalie!" Dexter blurted from the door. He actually just came in.

They both quickly broke the kiss to look at who was at the door.

"Dexter!"

"What are you doing here?" She frowned instantly but he kept shooting laser at Kingsley.

"Are you that cheap Natalie? You're letting him kiss you?! Isn't he younger than you! Tessa's brother?!" He shouted, hurtfully.

"Watch your tongue Dexter, you broke her heart remember? So don't try to act like the saint one" Kingsley snapped almost immediately and Dexter rushed to him, punching him across the face.

Almost immediately, Kingsley returned it back twice. Landing two heavy punched on Dexter's face making his lips burst.

"Both of you, enough!!!!" Natalie shouted and Kingsley pulled away from him.

"Please, the both of you... Get out!!!" She half yelled for her own peace of mind. "Were they actually fighting because of her?!"

"Natty, I..." Dexter made to touch her but she stepped away from him. Kingsley stared at her but she wasn't looking at any of them. With the way she was acting, he could tell that she was mad at him.

"This motherf**ker had to ruin the moment" He thought.

"Sorry Natalie" He said and walked out of the apartment first.

"Dexter, get out!" She said bluntly when Dexter refused to go.

"Hear me out pls Natty..."

"Stop calling me that! My name is Natalie and not f**king Natty!" She shouted and he sighed.

"Just get out"

He nodded once and finally walked out too. Natalie closed the door soundly, ruffling her hair in frustration.

"Gosh, Tessa help me out here!"

******

☆NIGHT~CINEMA☆

Tessa actually came here with the boys and Hayes to watch a movie. Hayes intentionally offered her to ride with them and she wouldn't stop thinking about it.

"Will you stop looking at me and just face the movie we're watching" He whispered like he could trade her thoughts.

"I wasn't staring at you" She threw her gaze away from him and faced the movie.

She was sitting uncomfortable, finding it hard to sit near him. Nathan and Liam were so engrossed in what they were that they didn't know what was happening.

"Um... I need to use the restroom" She stood up to leave, but he grabbed her hand, looking at her.

"To where?"

"Sir... I need to pee" She replied and he let go of her as she walked out of the cinema hall.

"Dad, where's Nanny Tessa?" Liam asked when he noticed her absence but Nathan wasn't speaking. He just kept wearing an expressionless look.

"She'll be back soon" Hayes answered.

"Nathaniel, are you okay? You lost focus on the movie we're watching" Hayes said.

"When are you getting us a new phone dad?! I need a new phone!" Nathan snapped angrily and Liam tried calming him down.

***

Tessa came out of the restroom after making use of it. She walked to the washer to rinse her hand when a figure appeared her from nowhere.

"Who are you??" She asked, turning her back to look at him.

Before she could think, the unknown guy brought out a sedative handkerchief and covered her nose. She struggled to free herself, but within two minutes she passed out on the floor.

"Done" The guy smirked creepily as he carried her despite her tiny body. He made sure no one sees him till he ran out of the place.

BACK INSIDE*

"Why do you suddenly need a phone Nathan?" Hayes asked gently.

"I need a phone! My mates have one and I don't have yet! Get me a new latest brand new phone dad!" He snapped and angrily stood up, running out of the cinema in the huge crowd of people.

"Nathan!" Liam ran after him. Hayes stood up too in surprise and went after them, passing through the crowd.

Nathan kept running in anger and teary eyes not minding where he was running to and Liam wouldn't stop going after him.

"Nathan! Please stop running! We're gonna get it!" Liam shouted, getting tired.

Hayes rushed out too.

"Nathaniel! Nathan!" He yelled.

An incoming Lexus was coming from another direction and Nathan was also running. The car came with full speed and tried holding the break of the car.

Nathan's eyes widened when he saw the incoming car but it was too late for him to run, the car collided with him, throwing him to the other angle.

Those who were passing through stood to watch the scenario with wide eyes.

👥What!!!!!

Hayes staggered backwards in shock, his eyes ran out of tears instantly as he felt his world crumbled immediately.

There, his son was lying in his pool of blood looking lifeless.

Tears welled up in Liam's eyes as he rushed to him.

"Nathan!!!!" He cried.