After putting the phone on silent mode, Tessa finally got a good night’s sleep. By the time she woke up next, it was already 1:00 pm.
Stephen was long gone, leaving her alone in bed.
She ran a hand through her hair. Then, she lifted the blanket to freshen up. But the moment her feet touched the floor, her legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed. After Zachary left, Stephen followed her into the bedroom to sleep. He had promised to just hold her and do nothing more. But in the end, he still couldn’t resist and ended Tup wearing her out.
It took her a while to get used to the soreness before she finally managed to walkout of the bedroom Stephen was on the couch in the living room. He crossed one leg and placed his laptop on his knee. There was something undeniably attractive about a man when he was deep in work.
The snow had stopped, and the golden sunlight streamed in through the windows. As it bathed Stephen in its warm glow, it seemed to soften his sharp features. The heater was tumed on in the house. Stephen had his black dress shirt buttoned all the way up to the collar. His face was unteadable as he stated at the screen, his fingers flying over the keyboard.
At that moment, he looked completely composed and untouchable.
But last night, those beautiful hands of his had slowly unbuttoned her clothes,
Tessa knew all too well how wild Stephen could be beneath that cold and distant exterior. Seeing him so focused on work for the first time, the contrast was almost jarring.
She couldn’t help but watch him for a moment
Sensing her gaze, Stephen glanced over. His cold expression softened instantly, and a gentle smile played on his lips, “Tess, you’re up?”
Tessa nodded and walked over. She sat cross–legged beside him, tilting her head to glance at his laptop screen.
Stephen said in a gentle voice, “Grandpa officially put me in charge of the company. So, I’ve been pretty busy lately.”
That left Tessa confused. After all, Caleb was supposed to be the president of Jacobson Corporation.
But since it was their family matter, she knew better than to pry.
To her surprise, Stephen brought it up himself. “What Susan did was actually linked to my dad’s illegitimate son.” When he said that, he kept his eyes on his laptop screen. He showed no emotion, as if he were merely stating a fact. Tessa’s eyes widened in shock. “An illegitimate child?–
Stephen finally showed some emotion. He stopped typing, a mix of struggle and sorrow flickering in his eyes. Tessa had never seen that look on his face before.
His voice was soft as he said, “When my mom was pregnant with me over 20 years ago, my dad cheated on her.
“Shortly after I was bom, his mistress showed up with a hospital pregnancy report and confronted him. She wanted to use the baby to force them to divorce, so she could take my mom’s place.
“When my mom found out, she completely broke down. She fell into postpartum depression and almost jumped off a building.
“My grandparents tried to pressure iny dad into making his mistress get an abortion. But he truly loved that woman, so he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He told my grandparents that he would make her get an abortion. But In reality, he secretly sent her abroad
Chapter 141
Chapter 141
Tessa was so shocked that she was left speechless.
She had no idea that the Jacobson family had such a scandal in their history. She had never even heard a whisper about it. They seemed to have kept it completely under wraps.
Stephen continued, “Speaking of which, that mistress was probably my dad’s true love. But unfortunately, they were never meant to be together.
“My grandma really despised immoral homewreckers. As for my grandpa, he was a man of integrity. There was no way he’d ever allow a mistress to join our family and ruin our reputation
“In the beginning, my dad had everyone fooled. They all thought he had taken his mistress for an abortion and cut ties with her for good.
“But when I was five or six, my mom discovered the truth and fought with him. At the time, they were on the verge of divorce. It got so bad that both sides of the family had to step in. After all, their marriage wasn’t just about the two of them; it was tied to the interests of both the Jameson and Jacobson families.
“In the end, they didn’t get divorced. The pressure from both families forced my dad to break things off with his mistress
“But even then, my mom could never really get past it. When I was a kid, they would fight all the time about that mistress and her son.
“Later, we were told that the mistress had passed away. That’s when my dad tried to bring her son back and officially acknowledge him as his own. “But my grandparents never approved. In the end, nothing came of it. After feeling down for a while, my dad eventually refocused on the family.” Tessa was even more shocked now,
Caleb had always seemed like such a gentleman–lind, polite, and humble. Tessa never would’ve guessed he was the type of man who would disregard his family and cheat on his wife
Sophia was such a gentle woman. The thought of her almost jumping off the building made Tessa feel a mix of sympathy and fear.
If Sophia had really gone through with it, Stephen would’ve lost his mom. If Caleb’s mistress really married into the Jacobson family with her son, Stephen’s life would’ve been a nightmare too.
Thankfully, that kind of tragedy didn’t happen,
Nouding that Tessa had gone quiet, Stephen shifted his gaze from the laptop to her. His deep gaze carried a silent plea.
He said. “Tess, do you think my family is a mess? Don’t worry, I’m nothing like my dad. When I was a kid, I promised myself I’d only ever love one person. I swear, I’ll be loyal and devoted.”
At that moment, he seemed a bit vulnerable. It felt like he was worried his family’s drama would make Tessa see him as just another Caleb and drive her away. Tessa’s eyes began to fill with tears as a rush of emotions hit her.
She felt a mix of both heartbreak and warmth,
Stephen’s painful past broke her heart. On top of that, he even put himself down in front of her, she just couldn’t believe he was afraid she might leave him. But at the same time, it showed just how much he cared about her. That thought deeply moved her.
Tessa snifted and pulled Stephen into a tight hug
Teats welled up in her eyes as she choked out, “Stephen, I low, I low everything ”
She knew he wasn’t the type of person to hurt her. Since the moment they had been together, she had never doubted his love. Stephen wrapped is an around her and closed his eyes. The scent of her calmed him in a way nothing else could.
Tessa continued, “As long as you don’t leave me first, I’ll never leave you ”
Her gemle words eared the andety in Stephen’s heart, stirring something deep inside him that almost brought him to tears. Tessa was so amazing How could be ever leave her first?
Chapter 142
