CHAPTER 6

Kyle King

I watched Tessa and the chauffeur arrange her luggage in the Porsche while my mother taunted her. I should stop my mom, but Tessa was taking care of her by giving her the silent treatment, and it was working well. I smiled a bit and dropped to the bed. I was going to miss Tessa, but not for long. I finally had the woman I had always wanted in my life—Ava—and from our last-night conversations, I know it won't be long before a baby comes into the family.

I groaned, trying to suppress the memories of Tessa, but they won. Tessa was that college girl who was popular because of her grades and her family. She had few friends, and one was Ava, whom he had eyes on. He tried to get Ava, but she wasn't ready for a deep relationship, even though she liked him. So, he decided to go for Tessa, who had been crushing on him. She didn't know his family needed an heir, and marriage was the only way he could take the position. He hid from her and made sure he pretended he was in love with her so that she could stay with him.

Year after year, he waited for a child from her, but nothing happened. They went to hospitals, but still, nothing changed. His mother and other family members were pressuring him, but he fought hard to make them understand that the King's family wouldn`t be outstanding and influential if not for Tessa. 

Nothing has changed.

He started avoiding conversations with her, stayed more in the office, and had brief naps beside her. He knew she noticed the changes, but she didn't say anything. How could she? The Kings family had taken her in after she fell out with her family, and she knew nobody in Nashville. So, his family`s benevolence kept her locked in until he discovered Ava was returning to the States.

His mother didn't know he knew about Ava`s return or their previous connection in college. He had kept it  from her because she was a nosy and manipulative woman. Ava fit his future plans; she was what the King`s family needed in terms of publicity, glamour, and popularity.

Tessa was the brain of the King`s company, but in the few years she spent, he ensured she trained interns on different aspects of the job, and she had done dutifully as a good wife should. She had nothing more to give to the family, and since there was no child, it felt easy to divorce her.

He didn't feel bad about his decision; only her boldness shocked him. Tessa had been a docile and gullible wife. When he yelled, insulted, or dropped innuendos about her barrenness, she would smile and drop comforting words, but everything changed when he divorced her, and she stormed into his office and almost made him lose a million-dollar deal.

`Hello, baby. I hope you aren't missing your worthless wife. You should be glad she's gone.`

I smiled, caressing Ava. She smelled of honey and sweet lavender oil. `Yeah, I am glad she's gone already. Good riddance to bad rubbish, right?`

She chuckled, getting up from the bed. `Right, so no more thoughts about her again. I need to attend to some fashion business, and then we can go on a lunch date later in the day. What do you think?`

`I love that idea, and maybe you can wear that sleeveless black gown I got for you yesterday?`

She smirked, pausing at the bathroom entrance. `I will do that, dear. Enjoy your day at work.`

The day seemed longer than I expected. There were a lot of activities to follow and I had to avoid the gossip going around and focus on the meetings that laid ahead for me.

`Sir, you have a visitor. A young lady who introduced herself as your girlfriend.` Christine said, interrupting my thoughts.

`Oh, that`s Ava. Let her in, and don't let anyone come in to disturb us.` I replied, arranging my desk. Ava had called informing me that her meeting got cancelled, so she will be joining me at the office.

I needed her to help with the company business if she was going to be my wife and part of the family.

`Hello, Kyle. I heard you have been busy, so I decided to bring lunch to you. We can always reschedule our lunch dates and have a good time.` She dropped off a box of Chinese food and my favourite cranberry juice.

`Thank you, Ava. I am glad you came because I need to discuss something with you.` I said, helping myself to the food. I would like to offer you a place in the company as my girlfriend and soon-to-be-wife. Also, from your great records, you`ve been a persuasive business strategist, and we need that persuasion in the company at the moment.`

She smiled, looking at her manicured fingers. `I appreciate your offer, but I will pass, Kyle. I didn't return to the States, and you became locked in your company. I am a fashion icon, and my brand needs me, so I am sorry, I won't be able to do it.`

I glanced at her, wondering what I was thinking when mom brought up the idea, and I agreed. I should have known someone like Ava would never want to sit in the office and actually work. Her fashion house  was run by her employees while she closed deals and showed up at events when necessary. 

`Alright. I thought you might be interested in knowing what your boyfriend does for a living, but it's fine if you aren't interested.`

'Yeah, and you know I am not Tessa. She was the dutiful wife who did everything you wanted. I am different, and like your mother said, a 'fertile, beautiful lady who will produce the heir to your properties.`

I smiled, changing the topic. There was no need to try and change her mind on something I knew was impossible at the moment. Besides, we just started our relationship, so there's no need for me to push it.

                                                                  ****

I clenched my fists, then breathed slowly as Mom and Ava made crude jokes about Tessa. She was gone, but they still felt it was right to ridicule her.

`I think that's enough for today. Tessa has gone, and I don't think she's worth the conversations anymore,` I said, glaring at my mom. She had never liked Tessa because of her background and boldness.

Ava sneered, `Are you missing your dutiful, gullible wife already? I wish we had given her a proper farewell party before she left, and maybe you wouldn't be sulking and thinking about her!`

I sighed; things weren't going how I planned them to. `I am not sulking or thinking about her. I am just saying I would prefer to talk about the weather than about a barren woman. Remember, I wasted five years with Tessa and had nothing to show for it? How can I miss such a woman?`

`Then, stop behaving like she's important to your life. I hated that woman and her guts. I brought her from the thrash and made her some Daddy, but she couldn't produce a child! She wasted our time, and you defended her until I had to threaten you.` Dahila sniffed.

I knew it was a ploy to make me feel guilty for not giving her a grandchild and sticking with Tessa. `I am sorry, mom. I just felt that since she's out of our lives, there's no need to talk about her anymore.`

`Kyle, we won't do that anymore. I have some good news. I just secured a brand fashion project, and I will be starting tomorrow.` Ava announced, falling into my mom's arms.

`Congratulations, dear. If you need anything, do let me know, okay? I said, smiling broadly.

`Yeah, about that, I need like ten thousand dollars to settle my workers. I haven't been able to pay them because of my issues with my French accounts. I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't necessary, and I promise I will repay you once it's settled.` Ava was pleading, rubbing my hands.

I wanted to say no. I wasn't a man who trusted ladies who asked for money; almost immediately, a relationship started, but it was Ava, and she came from a well-to-do family. There was also my mother; she would kill me if I refused to help Ava. It was just ten thousand dollars, right?

I typed into my phone, `I've transferred the money and you don`t need to worry about returning it, okay?`

She yelled excitedly, hugging me, but my mind was somewhere else. What was Tessa up to at this moment?`

I wondered if I should reach out to her but discarded the thought. I had told her, she was worthless and our marriage was a pretense. She had been so broken i couldn`t dare look her in the face.