Chapter 74
Tessy’s POV
I opened my eyes slowly, the blinding brightness of fluorescent lights forcing me to squint. I lay in a hospital room, the white walls sterile and uninviting, their starkness overwhelmed by the rhythmic beeping of nearby machines. Each beep marked time in a place that felt both foreign and disorienting. A parched sensation clawed at my throat, and when I tried to speak, my voice came out as a hoarse whisper, raspy and strained, echoing the screams that had haunted me.
An agonizing weight pressed down on my chest, a suffocating presence that wrapped around my heart. Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, as memories surged like a tidal wave. I saw flashes of Dad’s warm smile, the fierce loyalty in Anthony’s eyes, the chaotic scene at the warehouse-the explosion that took everything from me. No, no, no! I couldn’t bear to relive it.
Words eluded me, slipping through my fingers like sand. My body trembled with unrestrained sobs that shook my very core, leaving me grasping for breath.
Days blurred into one another, merging into a haze where I simply existed, but didn’t truly live. I turned my back on everything-food remained untouched, water sat stagnant on the bedside table, and conversations passed over me like whispers in the wind. My mother would reach out, her eyes filled with worry, but I turned away, the anger and blame simmering just beneath the surface, a fierce fire that I couldn’t extinguish.
“For the sake of the child of your womb, you have to eat something, speak to me Tessy, I beg of you.” I ignore.
If only she had chosen to stay with Dad, perhaps this nightmare wouldn’t have unfolded. If only I hadn’t fallen for Anthony, I wouldn’t have gotten engaged to Eddy. Each thought twisted like a knife, carving deeper into my grief. The loss felt insurmountable; everyone I loved was now shadows in my mind, leaving me alone in this cold reality.
The quiet of my room was broken by the creak of the door, and Elizabeth rushed in, her face a canvas of sorrow streaked with tears. “Tessy, oh Tessy!” With arms that enveloped me like a lifeline, she pulled me into a tight embrace. I melted against her, the warmth of her body contrasting the chill that enveloped my heart.
“My dad… Anthony… they’re gone,” I managed to whisper, my voice a fragile echo of despair.
Elizabeth held me fiercely, her tears mingling with mine. “I’m so sorry, Tessy. I’m here for you,” she murmured, her voice a soothing balm even amidst the chaos of my emotions.
The funeral hovered in my memory like a wraith-faces blurred, voices muted. I stood there, feeling numb, a hollow shell amidst the crowd. Friends and relatives surrounded me, but their presence felt distant, like a world I could no longer connect with. My mother’s sorrow cascaded down her cheeks like rain, each drop a testament to the pain she felt, yet I found myself unable to forgive her. The chasm of blame stood wide between us.
As the coffins were lowered into the cold, unforgiving ground, I felt a piece of my heart tear away. Dad, Anthony-my protector and my love-is now lost to the earth. A heavy finality blanketed the moment, suffocating me further.
In the days that stretched ahead, my world crumbled like brittle stone, each fragment echoing my despair. I ceased caring for myself, my body a mere vessel, neglected and broken. I turned away from the mirror’s reflection, from the journey that lay ahead, from the baby growing within-a symbol of hope and pain intertwined, as though it taunted me with the life that could have been.
Through this dark void, Elizabeth remained a steadfast presence, her unwavering spirit attempting to coax me back to life. Yet the pain was a relentless tide, and I was but a forgotten ship lost at sea.
Then one day, as I stared blankly at the wall, lost in my grief, I felt something stir-a tiny kick in my womb, a flutter of life that eluded my comprehension. My baby. A living testament to both my father’s love and Anthony’s fierce spirit.
Tears cascaded down my cheeks afresh, but this time, something shifted within me. Deep in the shadows of my despair, a flicker of determination ignited.
For my child, for Dad, for Anthony, I realized I must find a way to heal-to navigate this heartache and forge a path forward.
But for now, I surrendered to the depths of my sorrow, mourning the profound loss of my loved ones, my heart a shattered mosaic, each piece sharp and painful, yet illuminated by the faintest glimmer of hope.
Right Hand, Dad’s loyal friend, stood before me, her eyes red-rimmed. “Tessy, your dad asked me to give you this.”
She handed me a small box. I opened it, revealing a stack of documents and a flash drive.
As I scanned the papers, my eyes widened in shock. A bank account worth billions of dollars, companies, houses, hospitals all in my name. The orphanage, too, was now mine.
Tears streamed down my face. I remembered Dad’s words: “I kept something for you.”
I inserted the flash drive into my laptop, and Dad’s face appeared on the screen.
“Tessy, my dear daughter…” His voice cracked. “If you’re watching this, I’m gone. I’m sorry for everything. I know I wasn’t the best father, but I loved you more than life itself.”
I sobbed uncontrollably.
“I want you to know that I’ve provided for you, for your future and your mom. You’ll never want for anything.”
Dad’s eyes dropped, his voice barely above a whisper.
“If there’s a next life, I promise to be good, to be worthy of your love. And if you’ll accept me, I want to be your father again.”
My heart shattered into a million pieces. I wailed, mourning the loss of my dad, my rock, my protector.
Right Hand wrapped her arms around me, holding me as I cried.
“Why did he have to leave me?” I whispered.
“He did it for you, Tessy,” Right Hand replied. “He wanted you to be safe, to have a chance at a better life.”
I clutched the laptop, Dad’s face still on the screen, and wept until darkness consumed me.
*
*
Five years had passed since that fateful day. I, Tessy, had rebuilt my life, becoming a successful doctor. My twins, Anthony D. (Dragon) and Martin V. (Viper), were the center of my universe.
On this sunny afternoon, I took them to the park, watching them laugh and play. Suddenly, someone started taking my photos, trying to yell. I stopped, a familiar face caught my eye, it was Jackson, I was shocked.
My jaw dropped as he approached, looking more handsome than ever.
“Tessy, you’re even more beautiful,” Jackson said, his eyes sparkling and he took one more photo of me.
“Jackson, it’s been a while.”
“Yes Tessy, you look good, I guess my lucky charm worked today seeing you again.” He smiled.
My twins ran to me, “Mommy, Mommy!”
Jackson’s gaze fell on them, and a warm smile spread across his face. “Wow, I didn’t know you got married.”
I hesitated, “It’s complicated but I never got married .”
Jackson’s eyes locked onto mine. “You never got married?”
I shook my head.
“Would you like to talk about it?” Jackson asked, his voice gentle. “Dinner with your kids at the lake? You know you always loved the lake and besides I never brought anyone, I waited for you.”
I smiled, feeling a long-forgotten spark. “Sure, I miss the lake and I am certain my kids will love them.” I can’t believe he still shows interest in me despite the fact that I have kids now.
As we exchanged numbers, our hands touched, sending shivers down my spine.
The twins giggled, sensing the tension.
Jackson and I shared a glance, and a connection I didn’t understand back then came alive again.
Over dinner, we reminisced about old times and shared our stories. The twins adored Jackson and he loved them like they were his kids. I was happy with everything and told Elizabeth over the phone, she is out of the country working as a doctor in Spain. She was happy for me saying give him a chance, you need love.
As the sun dipped into the lake, Jackson took my hand.
“Tessy, I never forgot you. I’m glad I found you again and I still love you. I don’t want to rush things but I really don’t know how to control my feelings around you.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“Me too, Jackson.”
The twins played nearby, their laughter filling the air.
As we watched them, Jackson wrapped his arm around me.
“So does this mean you will give me a chance?” he whispered.
I smiled, feeling whole again.
“Yes.”
And so, our love story began anew, with Anthony D. and Martin V. by our side.
THE END.