MATILDA’S POV.
“Gosh! Girl, you’re something else.” Tessy covered her mouth and her eyes widened. “Your tactics gives me goosebumps, it’s the way you involved Alex without spilling the milk for me.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Well, I’m sure one way or the other, my message would have been relayed to Saraya.”
Tessy chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. “Poor girl, I feel so bad for her.”
I rolled her eyes, “you feel bad for her? I can’t believe you’re saying that right now.” I was disappointed and I didn’t hide it. “So what about me?” I asked. “You don’t feel bad for me?”
“Easy girl, you know, not many people can pull off what you just did. Saraya is probably in one corner crying her eyes out as we speak.”
“That’s the plan,” I said. “Not only to make her cry but also to get her to retreat from my man. I can’t share Arlan with any other woman and definitely not with her.”
“So tell me, have Arlan come in terms with being a father and a husband?”
A smile played on my lips. “What other choice does he have?” I asked. “He can only resist for a while but how long can he do that with a child on the way?”
Tessy raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. “But Matilda, you do realize this can only go so far, right? You can’t control people’s hearts forever. What if Arlan doesn’t choose you, even after all this?”
I smirked, my confidence unshaken. “He doesn’t have to choose, Tessy. I’ve already chosen for him. If he wants to be a part of his child’s life, he’ll have to be a part of mine. It’s as simple as that.”
I looked straight in her eyes. “You seems not to trust me when I say I’ve got this, don’t jinx this for me, girl.”
Tessy sighed, “I really hope it turns out well.” She crossed her arms. “I mean it, Matilda. Trust me when I say I feel so unsettling about this, Arlan doesn’t seem like the type of man to let himself be backed into a corner.”
I chuckled softly, swirling the glass of juice in my hand. “That’s the beauty of it, Tessy. He doesn’t have to feel cornered. He has to believe this is the best path for him, for me, and for the baby.”
Tessy tilted her head, skepticism written all over her face. “And if he doesn’t believe it?”
My smile faltered for a brief second before I caught myself. “Then I’ll make him see, I’m not in a haste, Tessy. I’ve waited six years, nine months is nothing. Once the baby is here and he holds that baby in his arms, he won’t be able to walk away. It’s parental instinct.”
Tessy sighed heavily, leaning back in her chair. “And what about love, Matilda? You can’t keep clinging to this fantasy that Arlan will love you just because of a baby.”
I set the glass down on the table, my fingers tightening against the rim. “Love is overrated, Tessy. Stability is what matters. Arlan doesn’t need to love me to be a good father and husband. He just needs to be here, with me and our child. That’s enough for me.”
Tessy nodded slowly, I could tell she had a lot to say but was holding back. Her lips pressed into a thin line. “You say that now, but what happens when he starts resenting you? Resentment has a way of poisoning everything, Matilda.”
I stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. “Arlan won’t resent me. He’ll see that this is what’s best. He might not realize it yet, but he will. I’ll make sure of it.”
Tessy rose as well, she grabbed my arm gently. “Easy girl, I didn’t say this to upset you. I’m just saying this because I care, Matilda. I’ve seen how messy things can get when people force relationships. Think about the baby. Think about yourself.”
I pulled my arm away gently, my face hardening. “I am thinking about the baby. That’s why I’m doing this. Arlan will be part of this family, Tessy. He doesn’t have a choice.”
Tessy opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it. Instead, she sighed, shaking her head. “Just… be careful, Matilda. That’s all I’m asking.”
“Wait a minute!” I pointed my hand towards her. “What is going on with you and whose side are you on?” I asked.
Tessy looked taken back by question. “How can you ask me such a question, Matilda?”
“Because I want to know.” I retorted. “Firstly, you felt bad for Saraya and now you’re trying to talk me into retreating and reconsidering my actions. The Tessy I know would support all my decisions and I can boldly say today, you’re not her.”
Tessy’s eyes widened as she held her hands up defensively. “Whoa, Matilda, relax! I’m on your side, okay? I just… I don’t want you to get hurt. That’s all.”
I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes. “Hurt? How exactly would I get hurt, Tessy? By winning? By building a family for my child? Explain that to me.”
Tessy sighed. “It’s not about winning or losing right now. It’s about what happens after. You’re putting so much on the line, and I just-” She hesitated, searching for the right words. “I just don’t want you to end up in a situation where you’re constantly fighting to keep things together.”
Her concern only fueled my frustration. I turned away, walking towards the window. “You don’t get it, Tessy. I’ve waited years for this. Six years of watching him from afar, waiting for the perfect moment. I’m not about to let what is right or wrong or Saraya, herself ruin everything I’ve worked for.”
Tessy stepped closer, her voice softening. “I know you’ve waited a long time, Matilda. I know how much this means to you. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself if Arlan is what you really want? Or if he’s just… a fixation?”
I spun around, my eyes blazing. “He’s not a fixation. He’s the father of my child, Tessy. He’s the man who’s going to build a life with me. Don’t you dare question that.”
Tessy looked at me for a long moment, finally, she sighed and grabbed her bag from the chair. “I’ll let you cool off. Just… think about what I said, okay? I care about you, Matilda. I always have.”
I didn’t respond as watched herwalked to the door and let herself out. Turning back to the window, I clenched my fists at my sides.
“Tessy is wrong this time, she doesn’t understand.” I aloud though I was all by myself. “Arlan isn’t just some fleeting obsession. He is the future I’d been planning for years. And now, with the baby, that future was finally within reach.” I said as though she was standing in front of me.
“I would make him see.” I continued. “And as for Saraya? She’d learn that no amount of tears can undo what was already in motion. Arlan is mine. He always had been.”