Ch. 301..310
Always Been Yours Chapter 301
His gaze was intense as he stared unblinkingly at the stage.
The confidence Tessa was currently displaying was something he had never seen before. He felt that Tessa was like an uncut gem that was polished and finally shining at this moment.
Looks like this is her dream... he thought.
For some reason, seeing Tessa like this made Nicholas’ anger gradually subside. He truly couldn’t bring himself to hate her…
Two hours later, the concert finally ended. Tessa walked off the stage with the other orchestra members while holding ‘Nirvana. The two-hour performance had left her arms sore. But even so, it couldn’t affect her good mood.
When they arrived backstage, everyone started to relax and spread out to find a place to rest.
At this moment, the music director walked over with a smile. “Everyone has worked hard, and today’s performance was very successful, especially Tessa, who performed exceptionally well. Many people have asked me about you earlier.”
He briefly concluded the performance and praised the musicians who performed well. Tessa was highlighted amongst them and praised by him, making her extremely happy.
When Scott saw the beautiful smile on the girl’s face, he seemed to have been infected, as the smile on his face brightened too. He said in a gentle voice, “Congratulations. You’re going to become famous overnight.”
Tessa was embarrassed as she heard his compliment. “Actually, I should be thanking you, Mr. Brooks. If it weren’t for your guidance, I might not have played so well.”
“Nonetheless, this is the result of your hard work,” Scott replied as he declined Tessa’s thanks. He felt that he didn’t play that big of a role.
Tessa wanted to say something else, but there was a burst of cheers before she could speak. It turned out that the music director had finished his summary and had just announced that they could have dinner and enjoy themselves. Everyone was talking about where to eat and have fun.
Scott turned to Tessa and asked, “Do you have any plans?”
“I’m not up for anything. I just want to rest after this.” Tessa shook her head as she declined his invitation.
The injury she suffered earlier wasn’t healed yet, coupled with the extensive practice over the past two days and the high-intensity tension during the performance. Her arms were so tired that she could barely lift them.
Scott wasn’t aware of this, so he continued to persuade her. “The party won’t end very late.”
Tessa hesitated but eventually refused and told him about her injury.
When Scott heard this, worry flashed across his dark eyes. “When were you injured? Why didn’t you mention it?”
Tessa didn’t want to talk about her past, so she just gave him a short answer. “It’s not a big deal, so I didn’t say anything.”
Scott sensed that Tessa didn’t want to talk about it, so he stopped pursuing his line of questioning
“In that case, I won’t force you, but you have to take good care of yourself. I know a good physician. After we’re dismissed, I’ll bring you there and let him give you a proper massage.”
Tessa was a little stunned. “Mr. Brooks, you’re not going to dinner with them?”
“We can have dinner anytime, but you need to get treated now.”
Scott fixed Tessa with a solemn and grave look. “You have to remember that your hands are very precious as a violinist, and there can be no damage.”
As she was faced with such a strict Scott, Tessa felt like she was having flashbacks of the dean of high school. Só, at the end of the day, all she could do was obediently agree to his arrangement.
Not long after, everyone had everything packed up and was prepared to leave, so Scott brought Tessa to the music director and asked for the night off.
–
As soon as he learned that Tessa’s hands were injured, the music director made a few concerned remarks before dismissing them.
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Meanwhile, Nicholas, along with Harry and his wife, planned to leave as well.
“President Sawyer, I’ve already made a booking for you at the hotel, so please, allow me to take you there.”
As Harry walked out of the concert hall, he explained the arrangements he had made.
Nicholas glanced around the concert hall entrance, then said indifferently, “There’s no need for that. I’d like to walk around by myself.”
“In that case, I won’t disturb your night, President Sawyer.”
Harry nodded in farewell and walked away with his wife. At this moment, Edward stopped the car in front of Nicholas.
Nicholas opened the door and got in before lowering the window. Soon, Edward’s question sounded in his ears. “President Sawyer, where are we going next?”
“We’re not leaving.” A calm voice emerged from Nicholas’ mouth. He stared intently at the entrance of the concert hall.
The glowing moonlight enveloped him as if plating him with a layer of silver brilliance, giving him a mysterious aura. Edward noticed his president’s gaze and could already guess that Nicholas was waiting for Tessa to come out. He sat silently in the driver’s seat and waited with his president.
After a while, the concert guests dispersed, and the members of the Berlin Philharmonic walked out.
Tessa didn’t even know that Nicholas was nearby. After she and Scott said goodbye to the music director, they drove to the healthcare center.
Watching as the taxi gradually drove off, Edward swallowed and cautiously turned his head. Then, sure enough, he saw the unusually nasty look on his president’s face. The temperature inside the car plummeted even more as Nicholas exuded a freezing
aura.
Edward shivered, then summoned the courage to ask, “President Sawyer, should we follow them?”
“Follow them.”
After Tessa finished the therapy, her hand felt a lot better.
“This place is quite good. I should come by here more often,” she said as she walked out of the center with Scott.
Scott nodded in agreement. “Next time you come here, you should get a membership card to make an appointment in advance.”
Tessa nodded lightly in response to his instruction. Then, while the two of them stood on the side of the road, Scott raised his hand and glanced at his watch, then asked, “Do you want to have supper?”
Tessa’s hands didn’t hurt now, so she agreed. They found a late-night snack bar, where they had a pleasant conversation about music-related matters, all the while unaware that someone had been following them.
Inside a black car on the side of the street, Edward was almost frozen into a popsicle by the chilliness Nicholas was exuding. Unfortunately for him, he dared not protest, so he could only silently pray that Tessa would quickly finish her supper and leave soon.
Nicholas stared gloomily at the man and woman who were laughing not far away, only to find that the scene was an eyesore but also somewhat… comforting? The woman had never smiled so brightly in front of him before. Every time she saw him, she was either cautious or wary and distant. At this thought, an indescribable rage spread through Nicholas’s chest. He stared straight at Tessa with intense eyes.
Meanwhile, Tessa suddenly felt a coldness behind her, causing her to shudder.
Scott took off his coat and handed it to her upon seeing this. “The temperature at night here is much lower than it is during the day. Why don’t you put on my coat?”
For a moment, Tessa was surprised. Then, finding such an action would be a little too intimate, she shook her head and refused. “Thank you, but I’m not cold.”
A touch of disappointment flashed across Scott’s eyes, but he quickly recovered his composure.
After the meal, Scott sent Tessa back to her apartment.
“We’re here, Mr. Brooks. Please be safe as you return.” Tessa waved Scott goodbye while smiling as she stood under the apartment building.
At this, a hint of tenderness flashed across Scott’s dark eyes. He nodded but still watched as Tessa’s petite figure disappeared down the corridor before turning to leave.
When Edward saw Scott leave, he breathed a sigh of relief. He felt that he would turn into a frozen popsicle before tonight ended if this man didn’t leave anytime soon. As he felt the temperature in the car gradually warming up, he cleared his throat and suggested, “President Sawyer, would you like to go up and say hello to Miss Reinhart?”
Nicholas gave Edward a blank stare at his suggestion and looked at him as if he was staring at a retard.
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Edward choked on his words, then came to his senses and realized that it was a bad idea. If Nicholas went upstairs now to find Tessa, they might as well tell her that they had been following her all this while.
He let out a light cough, then returned to being his shrewd special assistant persona and asked, “President Sawyer, shall we return to the hotel?”
Nicholas ignored him, and his dark eyes were fixed on a window on the 17th floor, in which Tessa had just turned the lights on.
Edward knew his president’s answer and sat quietly in the driver’s seat upon seeing this. And there they stayed for the entire night.
Under the glow of the yellow street light, the black car stayed quietly parked at the residential area entrance. The surroundings were quiet, and the lights in Tessa’s room had already turned off, but Nicholas still couldn’t take his eyes off the windows.
He didn’t know why he followed Tessa back, but he just couldn’t help it. For some reason, he felt irritated.
Pop! A small blue flame ignited in the car.
Nicholas lit himself a cigarette, causing scarlet sparks to flicker in the night. He inhaled deeply, letting the strong and bitter taste of nicotine to barely calm his restless thoughts. He exhaled rings of smoke as his pondering gaze fell back onto the window of Tessa’s house.
As time went by, the sky began to brighten, Edward, who had been up all night, turned back and asked, “President Sawyer, it’s dawn. Should we book a flight back?”
According to the previous arrangements, they were supposed to return home today.
Nicholas massaged his mild headache due to a lack of sleep. A few moments later, he got out of the car, then glanced at Tessa’s window before speaking in a low and hoarse voice. “You can go back first. I’ll leave in two days.”
Edward already knew what his president wanted to do, having gotten this reply. Then, he nodded and drove away without saying a word.
Nicholas continued to stand across from the residential area’s entrance. He was leaning against the utility pole as he looked at Tessa’s windows and pondered if he
should go upstairs. After struggling for a long time, he still couldn’t decide.
During this period, people gradually entered and exited the residence. They cast inquiring and astonished glances at Nicholas, who was standing on the side of the road.
Although Nicholas hadn’t slept all night, he was still in good spirits. He was dressed in a black suit and white shirt, and his buttons were firmly done up. His slender figure made him look tall and handsome and with an outstanding style.
If it weren’t for his indifference that could be sensed from thousands of miles away, many people would probably want to go over and strike up a conversation.
Just as Nicholas was still hesitating whether or not to go upstairs, God had already decided for him. He saw Tessa hurriedly walking out of the apartment building carrying a violin case. She jogged out of the entrance as if in a hurry to leave. Then, after stopping a taxi, she got in without noticing that Nicholas was standing across the street.
It was too late for Nicholas to stop her, so he could only watch as Tessa left and eventually disappeared. Tessa was deep in thought as she sat in the car due to the contents of Scott’s phone call not long ago.
“Miss Reinhart, a famous teacher, will be attending the orchestra today. If you have time, please come over. The music director and I will introduce you.”
Tessa thought that this teacher was from the Vienna Conservatory, so throughout the whole journey, all she could think about was how to show her musical talent when they met and hopefully receive an admission offer.
Unbeknownst to her, Scott wouldn’t be introducing her to a famous teacher from the Vienna Conservatory but to the renowned violinist of the once-celebrated German Philharmonic.
Just a few years ago, the violinist had now retired because of his hands. This time, he came to watch the performance by chance and found that Tessa’s musical abilities and talents were excellent, so he wanted to have a chat with her.
It was only when Tessa arrived at Berlin Philharmonic did she find out that the situation was very different from what she thought. However, she wasn’t bothered but was extremely pleased by the turn of events.
That was because she could already recognize the teacher Scott wanted to introduce to her–Hathaway, a famous violinist from the German Philharmonic!
“Hello, Miss Hathaway,” she immediately greeted in barely concealed excitement.
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Tessa suppressed her excitement and greeted Hathaway. After learning that it was Hathaway who wanted to meet her, she nearly fainted from the shock. She never expected that she would get such a huge opportunity.
When Scott was done making the introductions, he sat aside with the music director and gave both ladies space to have a private conversation.
“After listening to your performance last night, I found that you have a rock-solid foundation. Your transposition was sophisticated. You must practice often, am I right?”
Hathaway sat with her hands gracefully folded on top of her knees like a noblewoman. She was looking kindly at Tessa.
Tessa noticed something, but although she was highly nervous, her every move was natural and graceful, neither humble nor arrogant. “I make sure I practice for two hours every day.”
Hathaway nodded and asked more music-related questions. Tessa could answer every one of them, sometimes even giving some of her unique insight.
“You have a great deal of knowledge. I wonder if you’d like to play ‘Canon’ live?”
‘Canon’ wasn’t a specific piece but a compositional technique, and everyone played it differently. Another point was that although all the parts of ‘Canon’ were imitations of another melody, different instrumental sections entered at certain intervals, creating a rise and fall that occurred continuously. All in all, this was a piece that would truly test her skills.
That request did not faze her as it wasn’t a problem for her. She knew this was the test Hathaway was giving her, and she was prepared to answer to the best of her abilities.
Immediately, she took out her violin, and after tuning it, she began to play.
The mellow and light sound of the violin rang out in the hall, sometimes cheerful, sometimes gentle. It was like water melting in winter, where spring had arrived to restore everything, and the place gradually filled with vitality.
Tessa took a deep breath and looked at Hathaway with anticipation as she finished the piece. “What do you think, Miss Hathaway?”
“That was an excellent performance.” Hathaway wasn’t stingy with her compliments, and her eyes were filled with admiration and respect for Tessa.
However, Hathaway couldn’t help but wonder. “Miss Reinhart, it stands to reason that you should have advanced a long time ago at your age, and with your talent, you should have achieved quite a lot by now. In other words, you should have had better progress. So, if possible, I’d like to know why you’ve been delayed until now.”
Tessa didn’t expect Hathaway to point out the problems with her development so straightforwardly. Left with no other choice, she could only briefly explain her family situation. “That’s pretty much it.”
Hathaway frowned and said with some disapproval, “So, up till now, you’ve been delayed by family issues.”
“Yes.” Tessa nodded in acquiescence.
At this, a thoughtful gleam flashed through Hathaway’s eyes.
“I see.” She nodded and asked some other questions, but she never made it clear whether she would accept Tessa.
When Tessa left the Berlin Philharmonic, she felt uneasy. Upon seeing how nervous Tessa was, Scott comforted her, “You don’t have to worry too much. Miss Hathaway didn’t explicitly reject you, so you should still have a good chance of getting it.”
Tessa knew that Scott was comforting her, so she nodded and smiled but said nothing. In fact, she didn’t have much hope of becoming Hathaway’s student.
Although she didn’t talk much with Hathaway, she could discern from Hathaway’s manner of speaking that she was someone who didn’t like trouble. Not to mention, there were many talented people in this world. Besides, she wasn’t the particularly outstanding one, so the chances of her being selected were low. She had always been unlucky, so how could she suddenly be favored?
Perhaps perceiving some of Tessa’s thoughts, Scott encouraged her again. “You should believe in yourself. You’re no worse than anyone else, including me.”
Tessa was a little surprised. She didn’t expect Scott to give her such high praise.
She was momentarily stunned by his praise but immediately smiled at him in appreciation. “Mr. Brooks, you’re right. I shouldn’t undermine my worth. Okay, this is where I’m headed. Mr. Brooks, hurry back and spend some quality time with Miss Hathaway. Today is a rare opportunity.”
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Scott did have questions for Hathaway, so he quickly parted ways with Tessa. As she left, perhaps she was comforted by Scott’s encouragement, so her mood was rather well, all things considered. She wasn’t discouraged about Hathaway not accepting her as a student either.
Not to mention, the music director of the Berlin Philharmonic promised her that he would introduce her to a teacher from the Vienna Conservatory. Now, all she could do was practice, practice, and practice for the upcoming interview.
As she gave her current situation a good thought, she felt that she had gone abroad in too much of a hurry, so there were many things she wasn’t able to bring with her. So, she planned to go around and find the items she was missing.
Somehow, she ended up at a flagship store that sold branded musical instruments. Every musical instrument there was exquisite, and it was difficult for her to look away from such a stunning display.
Tessa was utterly captivated. Therefore, by the time she returned to her senses and left the store, it was already evening. As she recalled that it wasn’t safe to wander the streets in a foreign country at night, she hurriedly went to the supermarket to buy some groceries, intending to go back and cook dinner for herself.
Unfortunately, just when she was about to reach the residence’s entrance, she was stopped by a few delinquents.
“Hey, pretty lady. Come drink with us.”
The delinquents sniggered as they surrounded her.
“Leave me alone. I don’t know any of you!” Tessa shouted at the few people who were snickering at her; soon, fear flashed in her dark eyes. She tightly gripped the bag, lowered her head, and tried to rush out.
Suddenly, one of the delinquents grabbed her wrist, dragging her back in again with a pull.
“What are you doing? Let me go!” she shrieked as she struggled against the man.
“Relax. We just want to have some fun.” The teenagers laughed and fooled around with great enthusiasm.
As they were talking, they dragged ‘Tessa along for several steps. She was terrified, and numerous terrible incidents in the news instantly flashed across her mind. In that instant, she was so scared that her face lost its color, and she was utterly frightened.
“Let me go! I don’t know any of you! I won’t go!” she yelled as she began to struggle harshly against them. Unfortunately, she was a weak woman, so she couldn’t fight against these young and energetic teenagers.
As she sensed that she was about to be dragged into a car parked on the side of the road, Tessa couldn’t help but feel a wave of despair. Her life had finally changed for the better, and she finally had something to look forward to, so why did God have to play such a cruel joke on her? She was not going down that road of despair again!
“Help! Save me!” Tessa began to cry for help.
However, it was dinner time, so there weren’t many pedestrians on the road, but it wasn’t as if there weren’t any. These passersby saw what was happening to Tessa, but they chose to stand idly by. After all, that group of teenagers looked like they weren’t to be trifled with, and none of them wanted to cause trouble.
When Tessa saw them just watching the scene unfold, her bright eyes lost a little of their luster. Just when she thought she was about to be violated, a harsh voice with a fierce aura sounded behind her.
“Where are you planning to take my woman?” The cold and familiar voice made
Tessa look up in astonishment.
Then, she saw Nicholas standing nearby in a black high-end business suit. When the yellowish glow of the street light landed on him, it was as if a layer of light was shining on him, like a god descending from heaven.
Tessa didn’t expect to see Nicholas here. At this moment, she was stunned and even a little incredulous, thinking that she might be hallucinating.
She didn’t react until the person who was holding her let go and ran away. Then, she watched the man walk straight toward her in a daze.
Nicholas peered at a dumbfounded Tessa and squinted his eyes. “What? Have you been scared silly?”
The man’s low voice made Tessa blink. In the next second, she reached out with difficulty and cautiously touched the man’s elbow.
At this touch, Nicholas’ eyebrows jumped up. At the same time, Tessa was also certain that the person in front of her was real. She jumped several steps back, then asked in shock, “What are you doing here?”
Nicholas wordlessly fixed his dark eyes on Tessa.
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After a while, he answered calmly, “I’m on a business trip.”
A business trip?
Tessa was stunned, but she was also unconvinced, as she figured it wasn’t possible for there to be such a coincidence. The area where she lived was a residential area, which was several blocks away from the commercial streets!
She found it strange, and she felt that Nicholas was actually looking for her. But, as soon as this thought popped up, she suppressed it. She had already made up her mind to forget him. But now, he suddenly showed up…
As she stared at Nicholas, who was standing coldly in front of her, Tessa felt overwhelmed with emotions. So, she turned around and planned to run off like a deserter. However, before she could take a step, she felt the collar around her neck tighten.
Nicholas grabbed the collar of Tessa’s shirt and pulled her back. “What are you running away for?” As he spoke, he let go of Tessa with slight annoyance, his voice a little cold.
Tessa’s shoulders trembled slightly, and she reflexively retorted, “I wasn’t running away.”
Nicholas snorted, obviously not convinced. Tessa was also aware that what she had just said was rather hard to believe. She bit down on her lip and looked at the tall man in front of her with complex emotions, then said in a strained voice, “President Sawyer, I wasn’t running away. It’s for everyone’s good. I think we should keep our distance.”
On the silent street, Nicholas and Tessa stopd face-to-face. Beside them, shadows were cast by the light-one tall, one short. It painted a beautiful image from a distance that was both austere and gentle. However, that wasn’t the case for them.
When Tessa said the words ‘keep our distance, Nicholas began to exude a frosty aura. Tessa was so overwhelmed by the heavy atmosphere that it felt like she was physically suffocating under pressure.
Just as she wanted to say something to ease the stiff atmosphere, she found that the man’s oppressing aura had vanished. Nicholas seemed to have forgotten what Tessa had just said as he said confidently, “I kept all my things elsewhere, and I have no
place to stay tonight.”
Tessa was a little confused as she thought about how drastic the change in topic was. Also, how could the dignified president of the Sawyer Group have no place to stay? Even if he didn’t have a place to stay, there were many hotels around.
“President Sawyer, there’s a hotel just down the street from here.” Tessa pretended not to understand Nicholas’ hint and pointed him to a street.
Nicholas didn’t even look at where Tessa was pointing as he continued to stare straight at her, which made her uncomfortable. Still, she said with strong composure, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.”
Almost as soon as she spoke, she turned and left. This time, she successfully left-it was so successful that it made her feel troubled and upset.
She walked sullenly for a while, then finally couldn’t help but stop and turn around, only to find Nicholas leisurely following behind her with his hands in his pocket. His innate temperament gave him an indescribable sense of nobility.
She forcefully suppressed her pounding heart and frowned as she asked, “Why are you following me?”
“I already said that I have nowhere to go.” Tessa’s mood turned sour when she heard the man’s righteous voice.
In the end, she had no other way but to take Nicholas home. After entering the door, Tessa only said one sentence before going straight into the kitchen with her groceries in tow. “Make yourself at home on the sofa. I’ll be cooking dinner.”
Nicholas silently watched as Tessa entered the kitchen before sitting on the sofa in the living room as she instructed. He surveyed Tessa’s new home and found that the house was tiny, with only one bedroom, but the decor was cozy.
Tessa finished cooking after a while, so she called Nicholas over to eat together. During the meal, neither of them spoke.
As Tessa peered at the man opposite her who was dining in silence, she actually wanted to ask about Gregory. However, when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back. Now that she had decided to stay out of their lives, it was better if she didn’t ask, lest she got hung up and could not forget them.
After the meal, Tessa figured Nicholas didn’t have any clothes to change into for the night, so she asked, “Do you want to go out to buy some clothes and toiletries?”
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Naturally, Nicholas needed them. So, the two decided to shop at a nearby mall for his things.
After returning home, Tessa stood in the living room staring at Nicholas while emphasizing, “I’m only taking you in for one night. You must leave tomorrow morning”
Nicholas shot Tessa a glance before nodding calmly.
That night, after the two of them had washed up, Nicholas lay down on the sofa to get some rest. He had gone two days and one night without any sleep, so he still needed the rest despite being young.
Tessa also decided to go back to the room and rest. Somehow, when she saw Nicholas’ tall figure squeezing himself on her small sofa, she was suddenly unable to leave. Especially after she saw that because there was no place to put his legs, they hung off the sofa’s armrests.
Although Nicholas had his eyes closed on the sofa, he wasn’t asleep. He sensed someone approaching, so he suddenly opened his eyes.
Tessa was so taken aback by that sudden action that she took a step back.
He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked in a husky voice, “What’s the matter?”
After she recovered her composure and remembered her reasons for approaching him, her expression became a little unnatural.
“Uhm, you can rest in my room for the night. I’ve moved everything out.”
As he processed her words, his gaze fell on what Tessa was hugging, and a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes. He didn’t refuse and simply got up and went to her bedroom.
The night was getting darker, and the entire place was silent. As she lay on the sofa, she couldn’t fall asleep no matter what she did.
In the bedroom, Nicholas was tossing and turning as well but couldn’t fall asleep. Tessa’s unique fragrance filled his nose, which made his irritable mood for the past few days gradually calm down. At that moment, he seemed to have come to a decision. So, he instantly got up from the bed and wanted to have a chat with Tessa.
After leaving the room, Nicholas saw that Tessa, who was supposed to be lying on the sofa sleeping, was standing on the balcony. The smell of alcohol was in the air, and there were several empty beer cans by her side.
Nicholas was displeased as he noticed this and walked over. “Why are you drinking so late at night?”
She turned at the sound of his voice, her dim eyes indicating that she was already drunk. Her suppressed emotions suddenly surged as she took in Nicholas’s incomparably handsome appearance.
“Nicholas, why are you always in my head? You’re showing up in front of me again.”
She stumbled to him, then clutched both of his wrists, her voice indescribably aggrieved as she said, “I’ve already made up my mind to stay away from you, yet you always show up like this. Do you know that that’s against the rules? How am I supposed to stay away from you if you continue to do this?”
During the first half of her rambling, he felt furious. But, after he heard her final complaint, all of his anger vanished into a puff of smoke. He lowered his head and asked meaningfully, “Why?”
“What do you mean ‘why?” she mumbled as she stared at him in a daze, her body shuddering
He held her up and asked, “Why must you avoid me, or even stay away from me?”
“Why am I staying away from you? Of course, it’s because we’re not suitable for each other…”
Although she was a drunken mess, she still managed to convey the wide gap between them. “Did you know that you’re like the unattainable star and moon in the eyes of others? You can be seen, but you’re untouchable, unattainable, and unreachable.”.
Nicholas frowned, not liking what Tessa had just said.
“You already said that that’s what other people think. Look at me. Am I not close to you now? As long as you reach out, you can reach me at any time,” he replied and wrapped his arms around her waist. Then, he lowered his head slightly, pressing it against Tessa’s cheeks.
Standing under the moonlight, they were just a centimeter away from kissing. Their hot breaths intertwined in the air.
She looked at the man’s handsome face that was suddenly up close, and her heart nearly stopped beating. Finally, she placed her hands on Nicholas’s chest and lowered her gaze. Then, with a note of bitterness in her smile, she said, “Stop joking around. In the end, I’ll only be a passerby in your life.”
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When Nicholas heard this, his eyes suddenly darkened. “Is that really what you think?”
Nicholas fiercely held Tessa’s chin, forcing her to look at him.
At once, Tessa frowned from the pain. Then, just as she was about to say something, the man’s low and husky voice sounded in her ears again. “What should I do? I don’t want you to be a passerby at all and won’t let you be one of them!”
Nicholas suddenly lowered his head and kissed Tessa’s delicate pink lips as he finished his declaration.
Tessa was dumbfounded, her eyes turned red-rimmed, and she was lost in the kiss. His kiss was gentle and skillful as he guided her little by little. She was so immersed in the kiss, and she even wrapped her arms around Nicholas’ neck.
Under the moonlight, the two of them kissed passionately, and something awoke in their hearts. It even made him impulsive as his warm hands moved against her back. She kept her arms tightly hooked around his neck. Her whole body felt as if there was a fire burning inside her.
At this moment, a cool breeze blew in the room. Tessa, who was in a daze, suddenly sobered up and shoved Nicholas away. She figured she must have been drunk, which was why she had done something so impulsive.
“It’s late. Hurry up and get some rest,” After saying that, she dared not even look at his expression as she fled the scene in a hurry and went straight to the bedroom.
However, Nicholas wasn’t satisfied, and his gaze was dark as he stared at the closed door.
That night, neither of them could sleep. When Tessa got up to refresh herself early the following day, she saw the dark circles under her eyes. She let out a faint sigh, forcing herself not to think about the night before. Then, after putting on some light makeup, she left the room.
Nicholas had already gotten up and was sitting on the sofa watching the morning news in the living room.
“Morning.”
“…Morning.”
As she saw the man was greeting her as if nothing had happened, this scene filled her heart with complicated emotions. She didn’t know how to face him, so she simply hid in the kitchen and prepared breakfast.
Meanwhile, Nicholas was unbothered as he stared at the kitchen with a glint of a smile in his eyes.
A while later, breakfast was ready, and Tessa’s mood had gradually calmed down. As she sat opposite of him, she asked blankly, “When are you leaving?”
“Why? Is something wrong?” Nicholas looked up at Tessa.
Tessa met his gaze and answered steadily, “I’m going out today.”
“Why are you going out?”
“I-I’m going to find a job, and I’ll lock the house.”
Truthfully, Tessa had no plans to go out, but she hoped that if she said that, Nicholas would leave earlier.
Undoubtedly, Nicholas knew what Tessa was implying. However, he didn’t plan to just leave. So, despite seeing through her, he didn’t expose her but simply said dispassionately, “In that case, just go ahead with your plans. Don’t worry about me. I can stay at home by myself.”
Tessa was stunned as she heard him shamelessly hogging her house. Does this mean he doesn‘t plan to leave?
At this thought, Tessa frowned and made it crystal clear. “It’s inconvenient for you to be here. Please leave after the meal.”
“I don’t think there’s anything inconvenient about this.”
As he spoke, he even had the audacity to look around. At this point, Tessa was a little exasperated, and her voice grew stern. “It’s inconvenient because I said so.”
“I think it’s quite fine.”
“It’s not!”
“It’s fine.”
The two began to squabble like children at the table. But, in the end, Nicholas still refused to leave.
Tessa was enraged by his actions. She glared at him in irritation and couldn’t help but ask, “Are you deliberately going against me? Why are you squeezing in this small space with me and not in the presidential suite of a hotel?”
“Because you’re here,” he said solemnly with deep emotions swirling in his dark eyes.
Her breathing stilled as she heard his statement, and her heart seemed to have stopped beating altogether.
Always Been Yours Chapter 309
A few moments passed before she calmed down, then she said in a light but bitter voice, “Do you know how much effort it took me to leave the country? To make up my mind to get away from everything back home?!”
Nicholas frowned, not understanding what this had to do with him staying.
Tessa understood the confusion on his face, and she couldn’t help but feel aggrieved, her eyes turning red-rimmed.
“Do you understand the feeling of someone who was forced to leave their family behind and live in a foreign country far from their familiar homeland? Not only do I have to familiarize myself with a new environment all over again, but I also have to find a new job.”
As Tessa spoke, her voice became choked. Tears flowed from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks before landing on the back of her hand.
When Nicholas saw this, his heart felt as though those tears pierced it.
“You—” Initially, he wanted to comfort her, but he was interrupted before he could finish speaking
She was having an emotional breakdown as she shouted with distress, “Obviously, I’ve already come all the way here to avoid you, so why do you still refuse to let me go? Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused me?!”
Unsurprisingly, the look on Nicholas’ face turned nasty. All of a sudden, he got up, looking calm as he approached Tessa. Then, he gritted his teeth and asked, “In your eyes, I’m just trouble? Is that what you think of me?”
As Tessa stared into Nicholas’ cold eyes, her heart shuddered, and her hand on the dining table was tightly clenched into a fist
“Yes, that’s what I think. Because of you, because I was close to you, I lost my job. I have nothing, and I can’t even stay in the country. What else do you want from me?!”
She vented all the frustration she had suffered all this while as her emotions had finally shattered that jar she had kept them locked in. Looking at him with desperation, she begged, “This is me begging you. Please leave me alone. Let’s not contact each other in the future.”
Nicholas was livid, but Tessa pretended not to notice as she turned and left.
“I hope I won’t see you when I return tonight.”
He stood still, staring at the closed door emotionlessly. After a while, he narrowed his eyes. Based on what Tessa had just said, it was clear that she was forced to leave the country. But who forced her to do so?
Almost instantly, Nicholas thought of Remus. After all, this domineering and unreasonable behavior was very much in line with his attitude. But… Why did Remus go to such lengths just to force him to get married?
All of a sudden, he figured out something. It seemed that Remus knew about Tessa’s identity, which was why he tried so hard to force her to leave.
When Nicholas came to an understanding, the look in his eyes was gloomy and terrifying. He hated it when others made decisions for him without his permission, even if that person was his most respected elder!
He suddenly scoffed in anger as he thought of Tessa crying in front of him just now. “You left just because someone asked you to? Since when did you become so obedient?”
Tessa, who had left the apartment, was in a complete mess. She wandered aimlessly along the road, not knowing where she should go.
Subconsciously, she had walked to the downtown area and decided to just roam around the area. She just hoped that during this period of time, Nicholas would leave. From then on, they would be strangers, and he wouldn’t be a disturbance in her life.
But…
When she thought about cutting off all relations with Nicholas and Gregory, Tessa felt suffocated and miserable, as if something was crushing her heart. She shook her head as if trying to get rid of the discomfort in her heart. “Don’t think about it. We’re not from the same world, so it’s good for us to be separated.”
After a while, Tessa’s chaotic emotions finally calmed down, and it was then that she received a call from Scott.
“Miss Reinhart, are you up yet?”
“I woke up a long time ago. Is something the matter, Mr. Brooks?”
“Do you have any plans for today? Would you like to go to the most famous conservatory in Vienna with me?”
Always Been Yours Chapter 310
Scott explained the purpose of his call on the other end of the line.
Tessa felt rather surprised and asked, “Mr. Brooks, what are you doing at the school?”
“This is my alma mater. I promised to be a guest lecturer for a class today,” Scott chuckled and explained, then asked again, “How about it? Do you want to go with
me?”
Tessa figured that she had nowhere to go anyway, so she agreed.
Scott sent the address to Tessa via text message, and they hung up after agreeing to meet at the school.
In the bright and spacious classroom, Tessa sat quietly at the end of the desk with her chin propped up.
Directly ahead, Scott stood at the podium in a black suit, giving a lecture humorously. The students present were attracted and responded eagerly, laughter spreading in the classroom from time to time.
Listening to all kinds of naive questions from the students, Tessa couldn’t help but recall her schooldays. At that time, like the students present, she was full of dreams and aspirations for the future.
Tessa’s thoughts began to wander as she listened to the lecture. Occasionally, she could hear discussions of the starstruck female students.
“Mr. Brooks is so handsome. I’m going to try my luck and ask for his number after class.”
“If Mr. Brooks becomes my boyfriend, that would be such a dream come true.”
“In your dreams. Mr. Brooks is mine.”
“Stop arguing. Mr. Brooks will belong to whoever wins him over.”
When the bell rang after class, Scott sorted out his coursework materials and announced, “Class dismissed.”
Almost as soon as he spoke, several attractive female students surrounded him.
“Mr. Brooks, can you leave your contact number? I’d like to ask you questions on some of the topics I don’t quite understand.”
“Mr. Brooks, can you give me your autograph? I really like your violin performance.”
“Mr. Brooks, do you have a girlfriend?”
The classroom was in chaos for a moment, and some students even confessed their feelings to him on the spot.
Sitting at the desk, Tessa sighed as she watched Scott, surrounded by students. It‘s so good to be young and carefree. Not to mention, she was envious that so many people liked Scott.
It wasn’t until the bell rang for the next class that he escaped the enthusiastic students. He tidied his messy suit and walked to Tessa with a smile. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Tessa shook her head, unbothered. Then, from the corners of her eyes, she noticed the students nearby who kept turning back, so she said with a faint smile, “They’re very friendly.”
“So friendly that it was a little bit more than a handful.” Scott patted his chest in fear.
As she noticed his expression, she recalled that many female students had used rather vulgar words with Scott just now. She teased, “This just shows that you’re very charming.”
“Sometimes, I really wish I’m not this charming.”
Scott looked distressed, so much so that she couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing the girl’s bright smile, he let out a relieved smile. “You’re finally smiling.”
When Tessa heard this, the smile on her face froze. She looked at Scott in surprise. “How did you know I was in a bad mood?”
“Because I have good observational skills.” Scott looked proudly at Tessa. “Do you want to talk about it? Why are you upset? I’ve been told that I’m an excellent listener.”
She fixed him with a somewhat complicated look at his inquiries. She thought she was hiding it well, so she didn’t expect him to see through her so easily.
“Actually, it’s nothing. It’s just some personal affairs.”
She didn’t want to tell him. After all, both of them weren’t close enough to share such personal matters.
Scott peered at Tessa for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled and said, “Well, I won’t force you if you don’t want to tell me, but…” He deliberately dragged his response.
She immediately cooperated and asked, “But…?”