Ch. 21..30

Always Been Yours Chapter 21

“Greg likes you. While you may not be aware of this, Greg is a child who loves to keep to himself so much that he’s been diagnosed with mild autism. He doesn’t like to associate with anyone else, but you seem to be his exception, which means you’re special to him. So, if you stay, you could perhaps change Greg’s life for the better.”

Upon hearing that, Tessa was touched, yet surprised at the same time because she didn’t expect that something so dramatic would befall an adorable child like Gregory. How could something like this ever happen to this cute little boy? Look at his smile. He is such a lovely child!

Soon, Gregory sensibly approached Tessa and hugged her lap, sincerely begging her not to leave. “Miss Pretty Lady, please be my music teacher, would you? You’re so good at playing the violin, and I want to learn from you.”

As soon as Tessa heard the boy’s adorable voice, she naturally cast all her doubts aside. Not knowing well, she couldn’t bring herself to turn down Gregory’s request, so she nodded and replied, “Alright, I’II stay and be your teacher.”

Gregory was delighted, evident in his blushed cheeks and happy look. “This is awesome! I’ll be able to see you every day then, Miss Pretty Lady.”

Tessa smiled, for her mood lifted when she saw Gregory’s exhilaration.

In that instant, Nicholas unknowingly curled his lips upward for a split second just before his smile disappeared. He then stood up and said, “Well, now that you’ve accepted my offer, I suppose you could start your first lesson today, Miss Reinhart. I still have some business to attend to in the office, so I’m going to leave Greg in your hands.”

“Alright.” Tessa agreed without much hesitation, thinking she should just obey her employer’s wishes. Furthermore, she reckoned she had just moved on since she had already forgiven him after he apologized.

On the other hand, Nicholas was about to leave home, but before he did that, he spoke to Andrew and said, “Keep an eye on Tessa for me. If she ever acts strangely, I want you to let me know immediately.”

“Sure.” The butler nodded but felt stunned and wondered whether Nicholas still didn’t trust Tessa.

When Nicholas returned to his office, he gave Edward an order. “I want to buy the Heavenly Chorus Orchestra over. Get it done as soon as you can now!”

“Alright, President Sawyer.” Edward heard his instruction and went ahead to do as he was told without asking any more questions.

Meanwhile, Tessa proceeded to conduct her first lesson with Gregory not long after Nicholas left his home, Dynasty Garden. Able to play the piano well, Gregory demonstrated a good memory and understanding of music theories, which made Tessa feel grateful because it would make her job a lot easier.

At the same time, the butler, Andrew, secretly observed Tessa but failed to notice anything wrong with her as she taught Gregory with patience and dedication. I don’t understand. She is showing traits of a good teacher, so what could go wrong with that?

In the meantime, Nicholas was occupied with several meetings throughout the morning before going through dozens of documents, which barely left him with any free time.

When he finally had his break in the afternoon, Stefania called to remind him of something. “Nicholas, you need to pick Roselle up at the airport in another half an hour. I have already given her your number,

so she’ll contact you by then.”

After hearing that, Nicholas didn’t say anything, only answered briefly, “Alright, I heard you.” Upon hanging up the call, he gave Edward an instruction. “Prep the car. We’re heading to the airport now.”

Edward nodded in response. Ten minutes later, Nicholas received a phone call from Roselle when he was on his way to the airport. “Hello, Nicholas. This is Roselle speaking.”

The lady on the other side of the phone introduced herself with a soothing and gentle voice, but Nicholas somehow felt nothing about it. Instead, he even found it uncomfortable to hear her address him by his first name. Thus, he frowned and asked coldly, “Is this Miss Gingham?”

Roselle paused and continued her speech in a tender manner. “I’m so sorry for the sudden call if I did interrupt you, but I wanted to let you know that my mom and I just arrived after our flight touched down not long ago. I heard from Stefania that you’d be picking us up, so I was hoping you could bring Greg along… Because I haven’t seen him in a while. Besides, I didn’t manage to make it back in time during his birthday back then, so I got him a present and would like to give it to him in person. Is that perhaps possible?” Roselle spoke with a gentle voice that no one else could bear to reject in Nicholas place.

Always Been Yours Chapter 22

Any man would succumb to my soothing voice!

Roselle was confident with her voice, believing Nicholas would soften up upon hearing it.

Nonetheless, Nicholas didn’t seem to feel anything when he heard the lady’s words. After all, he was a man who preferred living his life as a bachelor, and he wasn’t interested in women at all. Thus, Roselle’s voice didn’t really do its trick and work on him.

Furthermore, he could sense something awry about being sent to the airport by his mother, but despite his unhappiness, he didn’t turn down Roselle’s sudden request. “Alright, I’ll bring Greg along later.” Nicholas gave a calm reply, which put a smile on Roselle’s face on the other side of the phone.

After the phone call ended, Nicholas called his butler, who was at Dynasty Garden. “Andrew, please bring Greg to the airport.”

On the other hand, Gregory showed strong reluctance when he learned that his father wanted him to leave home. He then hugged Tessa with a stubborn look on his face while acting up. “No, I’m not going anywhere. I want to be with Miss Pretty Lady.”

Helpless, Andrew tried his best to persuade the boy. “But Master Nicholas has made it clear that you must be there, so you’ll only make it difficult for me if you won’t come along…”

Gregory reacted with a bitter expression on his face, but after a short hesitation, he turned his attention to Tessa and asked, “Miss Pretty Lady, would you come along with me?”

“What?” Tessa was stunned as she was prompted by her subconsciousness to say no, but before anything could come out of her mouth, she was interrupted by the boy.

Gregory murmured and said, “I want Miss Pretty Lady to be with me! If you don’t come along, then I won’t go anywhere.”

When Andrew heard that, he turned his gaze to Tessa. “Miss Reinhart, please come with us.”

“Alright then.” Tessa was amused yet helpless but eventually decided to go along with the butler.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the airport, where they met up with Nicholas. When Nicholas noticed Tessa’s presence, he couldn’t help but feel stunned about it.

Tessa awkwardly said, “It was Greg who insisted that I tagged along…”

“Yes, it was my idea for Miss Pretty Lady to come along.” Greg made his point clear by emphasizing it once more.

Meanwhile, Nicholas fixed his gaze on the boy and Tessa without saying a single word more but somehow decided it wouldn’t make any difference anyway. While the man was pondering, Roselle and her mother, Yana, showed up with their luggage at the airport’s gate. Standing in place with his body straight, he greeted the two ladies just when they got closer. “Hello, Mrs. Gingham. Hello, Miss Gingham.”

“Long time no see, Nicholas.” Roselle curled her lips upward and smiled gracefully, just as her beautiful make-up accentuated her aura as the daughter of a prestigious family. At that moment, she looked at Nicholas with the admiration she could barely hide.

Oh gosh! This guy looks so much more handsome and outstanding than he did a few years ago. Not only is he gorgeous and decent-looking, but he is also giving off a manly aura. I guess there is a reason why he is the one I have had a crush on for years, but the only sad thing is the way he addresses me. He is making us sound like strangers, doesn’t he?

“Oh wow! We haven’t met for years, but now you look like a successful and talented businessman, Nicholas. Now that you’re running the Sawyer Group, you seem even more manly and capable to me, which reminds me of your father when he was younger. In fact, it seems to me that your charm can match his back then.” Soon, Yana, who was dressed like a typical rich man’s wife, joined the conversation and complimented Nicholas while keeping her eyes on him.

“Thanks for the compliment,” Nicholas coldly answered and waved at Gregory. “Come here and say hi, Greg.”

Upon hearing that, Gregory came closer and greeted the adults politely. “Hello, Mrs. Gingham. Hello, Miss Gingham.” In spite of his courteous greetings, his tone somehow sounded rather cold and indifferent, as if there was an estrangement between them.

On the other hand, Roselle smiled and approached Gregory when she saw him. “Oh gosh! You’ve grown so tall, Greg. You’re such an adorable kid who looks just like your father. I’m Roselle, by the way, and I even carried you in my arms before when you were little, but I doubt you remember it!” She then stretched out her arm to pinch the boy’s cheek, only to be met with a reaction that would leave her embarrassed.

It turned out that Gregory dodged the lady’s hand with a long face and a pair of furrowed brows while clearly expressing his dislike for Roselle, who froze awkwardly in response.

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Upon witnessing the awkwardness, Yana immediately tried to defuse the situation with a smiling face. “Oh dear, it looks like Greg is pretty shy in front of strangers. No worries. We’re all like a family to you. so we’re not going to hurt you…”

Then, she turned her attention to Nicholas and added, “By the way, Roselle missed Greg so much when she was away, so she specially prepared some presents a week before she returned. Look at the suitcases, three of which are full of presents for Greg, and they are all some toys and tidbits that she prepared for him. My daughter may not be perfect, but she is definitely one thoughtful and tender lady.”

Roselle then pretended to be humble when she heard her mother’s compliment. “Stop it, Mom…” After that, she bashfully gazed at Nicholas and said, “Please just forget what my mom said, Nicholas. It’s just some presents that I prepared, and my mom was surely overreacting about that. Furthermore, I don’t know if Greg is going to like them.”

Nicholas coldly replied, “Thank you, Miss Gingham.”

On the other hand, Gregory pursed his lips unhappily in response. Despite his young age, he could still tell that Roselle wanted to be his father’s woman and take over the place of his mother. Thus, he couldn’t help but feel disgusted, coldly saying, “Thank you, Miss Gingham. I don’t think I need anything at the moment, but I do appreciate your kind intention.” Although the boy put his words politely, he didn’t seem to be as happy or excited as expected. Instead, he only seized Tessa’s finger with his little hand.

In the meantime, Roselle had long noticed Tessa’s presence, finding it hard to ignore the fact that Gregory rejected her but was close to Tessa. She then knitted her eyebrows unknowingly and asked, “And who might this be…? It appears that we haven’t really met before, have we?”

Tessa was stunned, but as she was about to answer, Nicholas beat her to it and replied, “She is Greg’s violin teacher, Tessa Reinhart.”

“Oh, so this is Miss Reinhart!” Roselle greeted her with a smile while still politely showing decency. “Greg has always shied away from strangers, yet he is close to you. Perhaps there is something special about you, Miss Reinhart, and that we should really talk about it.”

Upon hearing the lady’s words, Tessa paused for a split second, somehow finding it weird even though Roselle struck her as a courteous lady at first. Deep down, it seemed to Tessa that Roselle was acting like she was the Sawyer Family’s matriarch, but even so, she didn’t dwell too much on it and went on to nod politely.

Soon, Nicholas knitted his eyebrows unhappily and said, “This is not the place to talk. Let’s go back.”

Roselle smiled and replied with a smile, “Sure, let’s head to the hotel.”

Nicholas was about to say something, but Yana was one step ahead. “Of course not! The hotel is nowhere as comfortable as home. Moreover, Stefania and I haven’t met each other for a while, and we’re going to have so much to talk about, plus you’re going to have to drop by and say hi anyway, so how does staying in the hotel seem convenient to you?”

“But… are you sure it won’t be troublesome for them?” Roselle appeared a little hesitant.

As the mother and daughter put on a show, Nicholas went on to say, “Well then, let’s go back home. We have a lot of empty rooms anyway.”

Roselle continued to pretend that she was hesitant for a while and said, “Alright, we’ll just do as Nicholas says.”

After that, the few of them returned to the car, whereupon Roselle wheeled her luggage to the trunk and was about to put them in it. Meanwhile, Yana, who was also lugging the heavy luggage right behind, saw that and subconsciously shifted her gaze to Tessa.

Feeling unhappy with her presence, Yana tried to boss her around. “Miss Reinhart, would you help us load the luggage, if you don’t mind?”

“S-Sure.” Tessa was caught in a trance before she nodded.

Nonetheless, just when Tessa got closer to help, Nicholas frowned and got in her way, staring at Yana with a glacial look. “This is no job for a lady like you. Edward can take care of it.”

He then called out to his assistant. “Please load Miss Gingham’s bags for her.”

Always Been Yours Chapter 24

Upon witnessing the awkwardness, Yana immediately tried to defuse the situation with a smiling face. “Oh dear, it looks like Greg is pretty shy in front of strangers. No worries. We’re all like a family to you. so we’re not going to hurt you…”

Then, she turned her attention to Nicholas and added, “By the way, Roselle missed Greg so much when she was away, so she specially prepared some presents a week before she returned. Look at the suitcases, three of which are full of presents for Greg, and they are all some toys and tidbits that she prepared for him. My daughter may not be perfect, but she is definitely one thoughtful and tender lady.”

Roselle then pretended to be humble when she heard her mother’s compliment. “Stop it, Mom…” After that, she bashfully gazed at Nicholas and said, “Please just forget what my mom said, Nicholas. It’s just some presents that I prepared, and my mom was surely overreacting about that. Furthermore, I don’t know if Greg is going to like them.”

Nicholas coldly replied, “Thank you, Miss Gingham.”

On the other hand, Gregory pursed his lips unhappily in response. Despite his young age, he could still tell that Roselle wanted to be his father’s woman and take over the place of his mother. Thus, he couldn’t help but feel disgusted, coldly saying, “Thank you, Miss Gingham. I don’t think I need anything at the moment, but I do appreciate your kind intention.” Although the boy put his words politely, he didn’t seem to be as happy or excited as expected. Instead, he only seized Tessa’s finger with his little hand.

In the meantime, Roselle had long noticed Tessa’s presence, finding it hard to ignore the fact that Gregory rejected her but was close to Tessa. She then knitted her eyebrows unknowingly and asked, “And who might this be…? It appears that we haven’t really met before, have we?”

Tessa was stunned, but as she was about to answer, Nicholas beat her to it and replied, “She is Greg’s violin teacher, Tessa Reinhart.”

“Oh, so this is Miss Reinhart!” Roselle greeted her with a smile while still politely showing decency. “Greg has always shied away from strangers, yet he is close to you. Perhaps there is something special about you, Miss Reinhart, and that we should really talk about it.”

Upon hearing the lady’s words, Tessa paused for a split second, somehow finding it weird even though Roselle struck her as a courteous lady at first. Deep down, it seemed to Tessa that Roselle was acting like she was the Sawyer Family’s matriarch, but even so, she didn’t dwell too much on it and went on to nod politely.

Soon, Nicholas knitted his eyebrows unhappily and said, “This is not the place to talk. Let’s go back.”

Roselle smiled and replied with a smile, “Sure, let’s head to the hotel.”

Nicholas was about to say something, but Yana was one step ahead. “Of course not! The hotel is nowhere as comfortable as home. Moreover, Stefania and I haven’t met each other for a while, and we’re going to have so much to talk about, plus you’re going to have to drop by and say hi anyway, so how does staying in the hotel seem convenient to you?”

“But… are you sure it won’t be troublesome for them?” Roselle appeared a little hesitant.

As the mother and daughter put on a show, Nicholas went on to say, “Well then, let’s go back home. We have a lot of empty rooms anyway.”

Roselle continued to pretend that she was hesitant for a while and said, “Alright, we’ll just do as Nicholas says.”

After that, the few of them returned to the car, whereupon Roselle wheeled her luggage to the trunk and was about to put them in it. Meanwhile, Yana, who was also lugging the heavy luggage right behind, saw that and subconsciously shifted her gaze to Tessa.

Feeling unhappy with her presence, Yana tried to boss her around. “Miss Reinhart, would you help us load the luggage, if you don’t mind?”

“S-Sure.” Tessa was caught in a trance before she nodded.

Nonetheless, just when Tessa got closer to help, Nicholas frowned and got in her way, staring at Yana with a glacial look. “This is no job for a lady like you. Edward can take care of it.”

He then called out to his assistant. “Please load Miss Gingham’s bags for her.”

Always Been Yours Chapter 25

In the meantime, the black Maybach was traveling on the road while Tessa was hugging Gregory quietly beside Nicholas. Glaring at his own father with apparent dissatisfaction, the boy murmured. “I don’t like that woman. I hate her.”

Nicholas raised his eyebrows and met his son’s gaze calmly. “That woman is Grandma’s guest, like it or not, but you mustn’t show your dissatisfaction. Show some manners, at least.”

“Hmph! Of course I know that, which was why I greeted her politely!” Gregory thought to himself that he wouldn’t have entertained Roselle if she hadn’t been his grandmother’s guest.

Nicholas smiled and went on to say, “Don’t forget that we’re going to have dinner with them tonight, so you’d better behave yourself. Do you hear me?”

“Can I choose not to go?” Gregory asked bitterly.

“No!” Nicholas rejected the boy meanly.

Gregory bitterly asked, “Can Miss Pretty Lady come along?”

Tessa heard the boy and replied with a smile, “That’s your family dinner, Greg. I’m an outsider or your violin teacher at most, so of course, I can’t go.” Considering herself as an outsider, she didn’t think it was appropriate for her to join the Sawyer Family’s dinner.

“If Miss Pretty Lady isn’t going, then I’m not going either, Dad. You could dine with them by yourself!”

sourly just when Nicholas knitted his eyebrows helplessly and stared at his son’s stubborn look Oh boy, here we go again. Nicholas’s face darkened as he was about to lecture Gregory.

Nonetheless, Tessa beat him to it and said, “Greg, how could you throw a tantrum at this moment? You’re the Sawyer Family’s little master, so you’re obligated to receive your guest, but as for me, I really shouldn’t be there, considering my position. For that, I need you to stop being mad and behave like a good boy!”

Gregory remained silent, keeping his head down while refusing to listen to anyone’s words.

“Sweetheart…” Tessa couldn’t stand to watch Gregory in that sympathetic state, so she pitifully and coax him. “Sweetheart, please be a good boy. It isn’t appropriate for me to be around for the occasion, so what do you say that I wait for you at home until you’re done?”

While Gregory remained silent, Nicholas felt helpless, knowing that it was his son’s trick to make him give in to him. Thus, he rubbed his forehead and said, “Maybe you should join us, Miss Reinhart. We’re just having a family dinner after all, plus you’re Greg’s teacher, and I can introduce you to our family. Nothing wrong with that, right?”

Tessa was surprised to hear that because she was actually reluctant to visit the Sawyer Family due to her fear of how awkwardly it would play out. However, Gregory continued to wrap his arms around her neck like tree roots without showing any signs of letting her go, stubbornly begging her to join them for dinner.

In the end, she gave in to her sympathy in the face of the boy’s lovely voice and coy behavior, unwillingly agreeing to join the dinner.

Later that night, Nicholas arrived at the Sawyer Residence just on time with Tessa and Gregory around 7.00 PM. The moment they stepped into the house, they were greeted by the sight of Stefania happily chatting with Roselle and Yana. As soon as the old lady saw Gregory, she excitedly approached him and hugged him lovingly, asking, “Oh, my dear handsome boy! Have you missed me?”

“Yes, I have. Grandma.” Gregory nodded obediently with a bright smile on his face, lifting Stefania’s spirit so much that she couldn’t help but gently pinch the child’s chubby cheek.

At the same time, Roselle rose from her seat and greeted Nicholas with a smile. “You’re back. Nicholas.”

Nicholas nodded indifferently in response while Roselle squinted and gazed at Tessa unhappily. Why is this lady here again?! Despite her frustration, she didn’t show it as she smiled faintly at Tessa. “You’re here too, Miss Reinhart.”

As Tessa nodded, Stefania soon noticed the former’s presence but couldn’t place her face, although it felt like she had seen her somewhere else at first sight. Trying to jog her memory, she asked, “Who might this be?”

Always Been Yours Chapter 26

“She is Greg’s violin teacher, and her name is Tessa Reinhart,” Nicholas answered on Tessa’s behalf.

At the same time, Gregory excitedly helped introduce Yessa to his Stefania. “Have you forgotten Grandma? She was the one who played the violin during my birthday party!”

“Oh, so that was her! Now I remember. She played the violin really well.” Stefania took a while before she recalled the last time she saw Tessa.

Meanwhile, Tessa smiled faintly and replied, “Thank you for the compliment, Madam Sawyer, but at the same time, I’m sorry for coming here without informing ahead.”

“No, please don’t be,” Stefania responded with a friendly attitude. “I didn’t expect that Greg would agree to let you be his violin teacher. After all the commotion he made on the ferry, it seems that he truly likes you! Come, please take a seat.”

Surprised by the pleasant attitude that Nicholas’s mother showed, Tessa immediately thanked her and sat down.

Then, Stefania went on to order the butler to prepare some refreshments before she proceeded to ask Tessa more questions. “I didn’t get a good chance to know you, Miss Reinhart. May I know which music institute you graduated from?”

“I’m a graduate from Southfield Music School,” Tessa replied steadily, presenting herself with decency and politeness.

Upon hearing that, Stefania wasn’t unimpressed at all because Southfield Music School was the best music school in their country, although it was still outclassed by some other international colleges.

Therefore, she believed Tessa was no phony at all and had nothing to pick on her. “Oh, you graduated from a prestigious school. No wonder you played the violin so well.” Then, she added, “Well, since you’re already here, you might as well join us for dinner.” Stefania appeared to be satisfied with Tessa.

On the other hand, Roselle, who witnessed the happy conversation between the two ladies, could no longer hold her frustration back as she smiled and seized the right opportunity to say something. “It seems to me that Greg has changed a lot, Mrs. Sawyer. He used to shy away from strangers a lot, but he no longer does that now.”

When Stefania heard that, she said, “Not really. Greg still tends to avoid strangers most of the time.”

“Really?” Roselle ambiguously shifted her gaze to Tessa, smiling in an unfathomable manner. “But it seems to me that Greg is really close with Miss Reinhart.”

At that moment, Tessa felt her heartbeat rising, finally sensing the sarcasm behind Roselle’s words. She then turned her attention to Roselle, noticing the unfathomable aura beneath the gentle look on her face.

After that, she knitted her eyebrows and replied, “Well, I guess Greg probably liked it a lot when I played the violin well the last time, which is why he’s started to grow so close with me.”

When Stefania heard that, she smiled and answered, “That could be possible! Greg has always had it in him since he was little when it comes to music. After all, he picked it up pretty fast when a piano teacher was previously hired to teach.”

“Well, Greg is indeed an observant fast learner in music, and that he is an absolute talent. Tessa complimented Gregory, putting a smile on the boy’s face. At the same time, Gregory’s face blushed adorably right after the lady’s praise filled him with happiness.

In the meantime, Yana somehow felt disgusted with Tessa as she continued to listen to their conversation. Thus, she sniggered and suggested something.

“Stefania, I can see that Miss Reinhart will be a good teacher, but If you really want to hone Greg’s musical talent, you should probably hire someone from overseas to help him. Don’t you think so?”

Nonetheless, Gregory refuted the lady with a long face as soon as he heard what she said. “No! I only want Miss Pretty Lady and no one else to be my teacher!” Then, he freed himself from Stefania’s arms and hugged Tessa’s lap, emphasizing his point like he was asserting dominance. “I said I only want Miss Pretty Lady!”

While Yana was instantly humiliated by the boy’s response and put in an awkward position, Roselle quickly interfered to help her mother by hoaxing Gregory. “Greg, my mom was just kidding, so don’t be mad.”

However, Gregory ignored her and looked away, turning his attention to Nicholas. “Dad, I don’t want any other teacher!”

Always Been Yours Chapter 27

Nicholas sat aside indifferently but gazed at Gregory with a pair of tender eyes. He then gently replied. “Alright then, If you don’t like it, we’ll just stick to Miss Reinhart as your teacher.”

While Gregory was delighted upon hearing that, Yana started to hate the child, showina a darkened look on her face.

Damn you, child! How dare you ruin my daughter’s plan!

However, Yana’s train of thought was soon interrupted by the return of Tobias and Kieran as the two men’s tall build came into view after they entered the house. While the father’s stern look gave off an made him look like a powerful old king, Kieran had a pair of attractive eyes and charisma on par with his handsome brother that could take anyone’s breath away.

When the maids noticed their arrival, they immediately bowed down and greeted the two men. “Old Master Sawyer, Master Kieran.”

Soon, Roselle walked closer to them and courteously looked down. “Mr. Sawyer… Kieran, long time no see.”

“You must be Roselle. It’s indeed been a while since the last time we met. You’ve grown up a lot and become so much prettier,” Tobias replied with a smile.

Kieran politely greeted Roselle back. “Miss Gingham, Mrs. Gingham.” Then, when he shifted his gaze away to the others, he went on to greet his brother. “Nicholas, when did you arrive…?” As soon as he finished his sentence, he noticed Tessa from the corner of his eyes and paused in a trance. “Tessa? What brings you here?”

“Um…” Tessa felt a little awkward but decided to explain why she was there one more time before she greeted the father and son.

While Tobias had nothing much to say, Kieran looked at his brother confusedly and leaned closer to him. “What’re you doing, Nicholas? Why are you still keeping her by your side? Isn’t this lady your…”

Nicholas gazed at his younger brother and interrupted him with a deep voice. “I can’t confirm her identity at the moment, which is why I have kept her by my side until I can get to the bottom of the matter. If she turns out to be the lady I was looking for, I’ll make sure she disappears forever!”

In that instant, Kieran didn’t dare to say a single word more because he knew what his older brother was capable of.

Nicholas has always been a man of his word and will not hesitate to do what he means to. So, if Tessa is really the lady who abandoned Greg back then, she will likely be as good as dead.

Meanwhile, Roselle had always thought highly of her own status as she was used to being the center of attention wherever she went, yet she was neglected and left in the cold, again and again, this time on her return. Thus, she quickly found herself at the end of the rope, barely able to hide her darkened eyes.

Soon, the butler came over to inform. “Sir, Madam, the dinner is ready, and you may help yourself anytime now.”

Thus, Stefania immediately summoned everyone to the dining area. When they all surrounded the table to grab a seat, Roselle wanted to sit beside Nicholas, but before she could do so, Gregory beat her to it and sat there. Therefore, she was forced to step aside and take the seat next to the boy, only to be stunned by his reaction.

“Sit here, Miss Pretty Lady!” Gregory patted the seat and called out to Tessa.

Roselle’s face stiffened as she made her way to ihe other seat next to Nicholas on the other side, but once again, she was one step behind Kieran, who apologized to her. “I’m sorry, Miss Gingham, I’d like to have a word with my brother. Please sit there, would you?”

In the face of several thwarted attempts to sit beside Nicholas, Roselle was overwhelmed by the anger that was written all over her face. Nonetheless, she forced herself to stay calm in front of everyone else in order to maintain her decency. Upon suppressing her anger, she returned to her mother and grabbed a seat courteously.

During dinner, Kieran’s presence filled the atmosphere with a lot of energy and liveliness, which Yana sentimentally commented about. “Kieran and Nicholas are starting to look like their father, who dominated the commercial world back then. The Sawyer Family is so blessed to have these two sons.”

As the compliment put a bright smile on Stefania’s face, she couldn’t deny that she couldn’t be any prouder of her sons, but even so, she decided to react with humility. “Aw, you’re flattering me. While Nicholas is reliable and mature, Kieran is a bit of a free spirit who worries and frustrates me because he simply won’t want to settle down and get married.”

Kieran was displeased with his mother’s words. “Come on, Mom. I did carry out my responsibilities, didn’t I? But speaking of marriage, I can’t force what’s not meant to be mine!”

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“Hmph! Look at yourself, foot. Who would want to marry you? You’re destined to be single forever!” Stefania sniggered with disgust.

Kieran was helpless upon hearing that. “Come on! Do you have any idea how many people are dying to marry me? You can’t ditch me like that, Mom. What am I to you? A disposable ‘rubber sheath’ that you have just used for once and threw away?”

While everyone laughed in amusement after hearing his hilarious reply, Roselle thoughtfully placed some dishes on Nicholas’ plate. “Nicholas, I remember this is your favorite dish. Please have more of it.”

Although Stefania and Tobias had no comment about Roselle’s thoughtful action, Kieran couldn’t help but be scared for her. After all, he was aware of his brother’s mysophobia as Nicholas had always preferred to enjoy his meals without sharing anyone else’s silverware. What is Roselle trying to prove by picking up and placing dishes on Nicholas’ plate with her own fork and spoon? Oh dear, is this lady trying to make herself look special?

Soon, Kieran peeked at his older brother and realized that he had his eyes coldly fixed on the food with an unhappy frown. Nonetheless, Nicholas didn’t express his dissatisfaction but instead calmly expressed his gratitude. “Thank you.”

For the next few moments, Kieran continued to observe his brother and discovered that Nicholas never touched the dish that Roselle had just placed on his plate.

Meanwhile, Roselle also noticed that as her face slightly paled. However, she wasn’t about to give up like that, so she turned her attention to Gregory and grabbed a nice juicy shrimp for him. “You need to eat more so that you can grow healthier, Greg.”

Nonetheless, as soon as the shrimp fell onto Gregory’s plate, he instantly furrowed his eyebrows in disgust.

A few seconds later, Tessa quickly collected the shrimp and took it away from the boy’s plate, smiling while saying, “Miss Gingham, Greg is allergic to seafood, so he can’t eat this.”

“O-Oh, really?” Roselle reacted with a bitter smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that…”

“It’s okay.” Stefania smiled in an unconcerned manner and shifted her gaze to Tessa. “I didn’t know that you were even aware of Greg’s allergy to seafood. You seem to know Greg well, Miss Reinhart.”

“Well, President Sawyer told me about that.” Tessa silently lowered her head.

In the meantime, those words sounded like jarring noises that annoyed Roselle when she heard them. Is this lady trying to show off her relationship with Nicholas? Who is she to deserve Nicholas’ favor?

In spite of her irritation and frustration, Roselle hid her feelings well, though.

At the same time, Yana, who was also unhappy with Tessa, succumbed to her evil intentions. Then, she ambiguously said in a coy manner, “I understand that you’re thoughtful and close with Greg, Miss Reinhart, but if anyone who is unaware of the situation sees this, they might probably think that you know everything about Greg because you had been stalking him.”

While Yana’s words might have sounded ordinary and innocent, they inevitably portrayed Tessa in a bad light to make her look like she had a hidden agenda by warming up to Gregory.

As Stefania and Tobias furrowed their eyebrows upon hearing Yana’s words, Gregory sensibly interfered and explained Tessa’s innocence. “I was lost a few days ago until Miss Pretty Lady found me and took me back to Dad. In return, Dad thanked her and treated her to a meal, which was when

she found out about my allergy to seafood.”

When Stefania and Tobias learned about the truth, they were both relieved to find out that Tessa was not like who they thought she was.

Then, she courteously looked at Tessa and said, “Speaking of this, that little boy never stops wandering off, but anyway, I guess I owe you my thanks for having taken Greg back to his father.”

Tessa smiled in relief. “You’re welcome. I was just doing what I should.”

While Nicholas silently shot a gaze at his son after witnessing how he defended Tessa, Gregory looked back at his father and raised his eyebrows complacently, as if he was trying to boast his competence in protecting Tessa.

Nicholas smiled in response to his son’s behavior whereas Roselle completely lost her appetite since she found it hard to continue enjoying her meal in front of Tessa. This woman is really grinding my gears!

Unable to maintain the smile on her face any longer, she quickly came up with an excuse and walked away. “Excuse me, I need to use the washroom, so please carry on with your meals without me. I’ll be right back shortly.”

The moment she turned around, her rage and wickedness filled her eyes as it surged through her.

At the same time, Yana saw Roselle’s reaction and followed her daughter to the washroom.

“Who is this lady? Where the heck is she from?!” Roselle’s face twisted in anger.

Noticing her daughter being grumpy, Yana couldn’t help but feel frustrated while trying to comfort Roselle. “She is but a violin teacher, nothing more than a nobody. In fact, I can tell that she is just an ordinary lady whom we can easily get rid of. Just like crushing an ant!”

“I want her gone then! She is such an eyesore to me!” Roselle slammed the basin with a sinister look on her beautiful face.

Always Been Yours Chapter 29

“Alright. Alright, just calm down, would you?” Yana tried to pacify her daughter.

Soon, Roselle took a deep breath and was finally able to keep a cool head moments later. Then, her eves were filled with arrogance and insolence. “Mom, the aim of our return this time is for me to win over Nicholas, so you have to lend me a hand! If we can be the bridge between the Sawyers and the Ginghams, I’m sure our family’s status will reach a higher peak than we ever have before! Besides, with regards to Nicholas… I have always loved him deeply, so I’m never going to give up on him!”

Yana patted Roselle’s back steadily and reassured her with her promise. “Don’t worry, girl. I’ll keep what you said in mind! From today onward, all you have to focus on is to win Nicholas’ heart because I…” She squinted and grunted coldly, her eyes filled with malice and wickedness before continuing, “I will get rid of everything that stands in your way for you!”

As Roselle eased her mind after hearing Yana’s promise, Yana noticed her remaining calm again and reminded her to return. “Alright, girl. We’ve been away for too long, and it’s time for us to return.”

Roselle nodded in response, whereupon the mother and daughter made their way back to the dining area and rejoined the others. An hour later, they returned to the living room right after they were done with their dinner.

On the other hand, Tessa was thinking that her opportunity to leave had perhaps arrived as she didn’t e dinner at all, finding it hard to fit in among the people in the family.

However, before she could say goodbye, Tobias called out to Nicholas and asked, “Fancy a chess game? You and I haven’t played together in a while, so let’s do that now.”

As Nicholas nodded without any rejection, the rest of them sat on the couch and watched the game, which forced Tessa to follow suit and take her seat.

Meanwhile, Roselle seized the opportunity and asked, “Mr. Sawyer, would you like me to make you some tea? I have brought some overseas premium tea back with me, and they’re different from the local ones. So, maybe it’s a good chance for you to try them out now.”

“Sure, that’s a great idea.” Tobias nodded in agreement.

Roselle’s lips curled upward as she began to make some tea. Witnessing her skilled mastery amidst the preparation, Stefania could tell that Roselle had been practicing it a lot.

Thus, she nodded and complimented, “Roselle is such a tender and thoughtful lady. Whoever marries her will be so blessed and fortunate.”

Roselle bashfully looked down to act coy. “Aw, you must be kidding me, Mrs. Sawyer. I haven’t planned to get married yet.”

“Silly girl, who wouldn’t want to get married? Furthermore, you’re an outstanding beauty and I believe you’re the type of lady that every man dreams of.” Stefania smiled in embarrassment.

Yana, who was listening to the conversation aside, chuckled and responded, “You think too highly of Roselle, Stefania. She can never match Kieran and Nicholas whom every lady dreams of. In fact, we had heard stories about them even when we were living abroad. So, I bet every single lady in Southend must admire them.”

Upon hearing Yana’s words, Stefania couldn’t help but comment in worry, “Well, how is all that admiration going to help if both of them aren’t concerned about their relationship status? Neither one of them seems willing to settle down and start a family.”

“I beg to differ.” Yana smiled and steered the conversation in the direction she wanted it to go. “Kieran and Nicholas are probably still waiting for the right people to show up in their life. Take Nicholas for example. He is a handsome man successful in his career, so if he can marry a capable and thoughtful wife, I believe it’ll surely help him to further his career.”

Despite Yana’s indirect meaning behind her ambiguous words, Stefania quickly caught on to what she was trying to say and immediately sized Roselle up. Well, this lady looks decent, so maybe it’s not such a bad thing either if she can be the Sawyer Family’s daughter-in-law. Furthermore, I can tell that she is deeply in love with Nicholas.

At the thought of that, Stefania nodded with a smile and said, “Well, if the feelings are mutual between the kids, I wouldn’t object!”

She had implicitly phrased her words, but both ladies were able to read between the lines. At the same time, Roselle shifted her gaze to Nicholas, barely hiding her admiration for him. Nonetheless, Nicholas was only seen with a glacial look as he calmly concentrated on his chess game while pretending like he hadn’t heard anything at all.

Always Been Yours Chapter 30

Neran stood by the side, feeling appalled Don these elders have anything else to talk about besides ome people’s major hfe events To prevent them from grilling him next, Kieran immediately changed the subject and asked Gregory. Greg do you want to go out after dinner? I can take you out for a walk.”

Much to his surprise, Gregory pouted and looked at him disdainfully. In a babyish voice, Gregory revied ruthlessly. “I don’t want to. I want to accompany Miss Pretty Lady You, on the other hand, are a single man who should be looking for a girlfriend now.”

The corner of Tessa’s mouth twitched as she resisted a slight smile. Initially, her presence here made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles as she couldn’t make conversation with others. When she heard him saying those words, she couldn’t help feeling better.

As for Kieran, he looked hurt. He didn’t expect that even Gregory felt disdainful of him and immediately retorted, “Greg, your father is also a singleton. Why don’t you speak of him?”

Gregory said seriously. “That’s because Daddy already has a baby, but you don’t.”

The minute Kieran heard that, he felt as if he was hit by a critical attack and suffered lots of damage.

Stefania was also amused by Gregory’s behavior, so she hurriedly added with a laugh, “Do you hear that? Even Greg knows this. Why don’t you hurry up?”

Of course Kieran didn’t want to, so he retorted, “I don’t care. I won’t get married if my brother doesn’t! In any case, if things don’t pan out, I’ll go for artificial insemination and give you a few babies who will all bear the Sawyer name!”

As soon as she heard this, her expression changed greatly and she stepped forward to land a blow on him. “You little idiot, what nonsense are you talking about? See if you dare to try this! See if I don’t break your legs after the fact if you do!”

“Ouch, it hurts! Mom, I was wrong! I was wrong!” he cried in pain; his tears almost flowing.

Then, she released him while scolding, “Good to know that! You little b*stard, see whether you dare to do anything like that or not!”

Rubbing his ears aggrievedly, Kieran couldn’t help saying, “Sure enough, I was probably picked up from the garbage dump as a child. My parents don’t love me. I’m really heartbroken and think this family is not suitable for me. I’m leaving…”

After speaking, he slipped away and ran off faster than a rabbit. A speechless Stefania sighed as she felt a little helpless.

Seeing this made Roselle smile and she praised, “Kieran is still so spirited.”

Amidst the laughter, Tobias and Nicholas had finished a game of chess. Tobias had won by a small margin, but he wasn’t happy with it because it was Nicholas who obviously allowed him to emerge as the winner. Feeling unhappy, Tobias ordered, “One more round!”

However, Nicholas didn’t care for it. “I have an online meeting later, sool have to go back first. I’ll come again next time.”

With that, he rose to his feet and was ready to leave. Hearing this, Roselle immediately followed suit and tugged at his jacket. “Nicholas, won’t you stay here? It’s rare to see you and Greg. I still want to chat more with you. Besides, online meetings can be held at home, right?”

Yana quickly helped Roselle by adding, “Yes, Nicholas, it’s not convenient for you to drive at night, so stay here.”

A frowning Nicholas subconsciously pushed Roselle’s hand away. His tone was calm and firm without any room for discussion as he responded, “No need. Greg only likes his own bed, so he won’t like sleeping here. Besides, it’s not appropriate for Miss Reinhart to stay here either.”

Roselle’s heart suddenly constricted when she heard the words and she asked all of a sudden. “Miss Reinhart, will you be going back to your own home tonight?”

At that, Gregory suddenly answered in a loud voice, “No, she will live in Dynasty Gardens to further teach me how to practice the violin. She will stay with me.”

When she heard that, Roselle was completely stunned. Her gaze tightened subconsciously as she stared daggers at Tessa. This woman is living in Nicholas’ villa?

At the same time, Tessa was also a little confused as she wondered when she had lived in the villa. She wanted to explain, but since Roselle was glaring at her, she chose to remain silent.

Stefania was also extremely surprised when she heard it. Other than the father and son as well as the housekeepers and servants, there was basically no one else staying at Dynasty Gardens on the weekdays because her son simply would not allow it. Yet, this violin teacher is actually staying there?!

Yana was equally startled and she at once questioned, “Is that even appropriate? You guys are unmarried. How can you live together?”