REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 111 – 120
By Presh Alicia Daisy.
CHAPTER 111 – 114
SURPRISE AND AN EYE-CANDY.
A week later, Kracus had just finished getting ready for work when Bose entered the room, holding Kracus’s cellphone.
“Boss, your sister called. She couldn’t reach you on your personal phone. She said it’s urgent.”
Kracus took the phone and placed it against his ear. “Hello?”
“Mom isn’t feeling well again, Kracus. I’m already back home, and the doctor is here to see her.”
“I’m on my way,” he replied before hanging up. Turning to Bose, he said, “Change of plans, we’re heading back home.”
“I’ll inform Clinton.” Bose swiftly responded. He left the room and began searching for Clinton.
After a brief search, he found Clinton in the bedroom down the hall where Tesiera was recovering. He heard Clinton’s laughter even before reaching the open door.
“Another day to enjoy the sunshine, savor that hospital scent, and maybe even get some action. And here you are, confined to a room with your leg all bandaged up, looking like a mummy auditioning for a role in an Egyptian blockbuster.”
“I might just strangle you one of these days, Clinton.” Tesiera grunted, looking unamused.
“You’re welcome to try, Princess.” Clinton retorted with a wide grin.
Bose entered the room, “There’s been a change of plans; we’re returning to the boss’s family house.” he announced.
“Is everything okay?” Clinton asked, concerned.
Bose hesitated. “Valerie called. It seems something happened to the boss’s mother.”
Clinton’s playfulness disappeared instantly. “Damn, I’ll inform the driver and prepare everything.”
As the two men turned to leave the room, Tesiera had managed to get up from the bed and was heading towards the door too.
“Wait, what are you doing?” Bose inquired.
“I’m coming along,” she stated matter-of-factly.
“Hell no. The boss—” Clinton began to protest.
But Tesiera cut him off. “You just try and stop me, Clinton.” She got l right in his face, her eyes filled with fire, “You just try and stop me.”
Clinton sensed they had gone too far. In recent weeks, he had tested her patience with his behavior and his antics, and she had reluctantly tolerated it even when it irritated her. But now, she was filled with resolve to do this, and would even result to physical fight if it came to it. A suffocating silence enveloped the room.
Finally, Bose sighed, breaking the tension. “We’ll be ready to leave in a few minutes. Do you think you’ll be prepared by then?”
Tesiera gave a curt nod, “Yes.”
Bose returned the gesture, “Okay then.”
Tesiera headed toward the door without her crutches, and she wasn’t limping. She put weight on her injured leg and thigh as she made her way to her bedroom to get ready.
“That’s gotta hurt,” Clinton winced as he watched her. “Why did you agree to let her come along? The boss won’t be happy about this; she needs to heal.”
“Or maybe she’s just what the boss needs right now. Perhaps her presence will make things easier, don’t you think?” Bose mused, leaving Clinton to ponder the idea.
“Perhaps he’s right.” Clinton muttered under his breath at last, and followed Bose out.
***************
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 111 – 120
Moments later, they all gathered in front of the car, waiting for Kracus as he emerged from the house.
Kracus saw Tesiera fully dressed and standing by the car door, apparently ready to accompany them, and his steps faltered.
Tesiera walked up to him without any noticeable limp, but Kracus knew her wounds hadn’t healed enough to support such confident movement. Her face had a neutral expression, but Kracus knew she was really good at hiding the pain.
She approached him and took his suitcase from the female houseworker who had been following him. “I want to come along,” she told him. Her head lowered a bit, her voice gentle as she added, “Please.”
Kracus took a deep breath, grappling with the decision. “Anne?”
“Yes, sir?” the houseworker replied.
“Please go and fetch her crutches.”
Tesiera’s head snapped up, “I don’t need—”
“You need them,” Kracus asserted firmly. “You either use them or you’re not coming with us.”
For a moment, Tesiera looked like she wanted to argue. In the end, she deflated. “Fine. But only if it’s a single crutch or the cane. I’m sure as hell not gonna do my job leaning into two crutches.”
Kracus sighed in resignation, “Anne, please fetch the cane,” he instructed.
“I’m on it, sir,” Anne responded, heading off to retrieve the cane.
One hour elapsed, and the car glided to a halt within the vast, sprawling compound that cradled the monumental duplex that had held most of his childhood memories. Bose got out, opening the door for Kracus, and he stepped out of the car. His feet met the familiar gravel driveway, and with each echoing footfall, his childhood memories replayed in his mind…his best times spent with his mom.
As they approached the grand front entrance, the imposing wooden door, beautiful carved with unique designs greeted them. Clinton held the door and opened it for Kracus to go through.
“SURPRISE!!!” Numerous jubilant voice rang out as Kracus stepped foot through the door, the familiar scent of their home enveloping him.
Kracus froze in the entryway. His brow furrowing in confusion as he scanned the room. Bose, Tesiera, and Clinton, trailing behind him, exchanged confused glances as well.
“What’s going on here?” Kracus asked, slowly.
Valerie, her husband Jack, and Hazel stood at the center of the living room, holding a bunch of colorful balloons. The normally spacious living area was filled with people—housekeepers, gardeners, the groundskeeper, the maintenance crew, guards, and security personnel, all holding various types of balloons. It was like a celebration of some sort.
Valerie approached him with a huge smile and hugged him. “Welcome home, big brother.”
“Where’s Mom?” With one arm wrapped around Valerie, he looked around in search.
“Stop worrying, Mom is perfectly fine. Do you remember James Knowles?”
“The owner of ThunderFill Ltd? What about him?” Their families had been friends for generations.
“Yes,” she nodded. In a hushed voice, filled with excitement, she added, “I’ve seen him with Mom a lot lately. Mom says they’re friends, but I think there might be more to it from the way they look at each other. He’s here too; he’s with Mom.”
Is his sister being serious right now? “I don’t care about that right now, Val. You genuinely had me worried about Mom’s health,” he scolded, his voice revealing his concern.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking unapologetic. She pulled away from him. “I had to get you here somehow. You work so hard that you don’t have much time for anything else. You even forgot it’s Mom’s birthday today. Even if you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have left work for a second to attend, so I had to get you here any way I could. Let’s have some family time; it’s been so long.”
“But you had me so worried that she was—”
“Uncle Kay!” Hazel interrupted him. The little girl ran toward him, and Kracus bent down to pick her up.
“How’s my little princess doing today?” he asked indulgently, his anger fading.
“I’m fine, Uncle Kay. We’re celebrating Grandma’s birthday.” She showed him her balloons.
Mom’s birthday? Kracus mentally ran the calculations, sifting through the dates in his head. A sinking feeling settled in as he realized it was his mother’s birthday. Damn, how could he have forgotten?
“I can see that, sweetie.” he responded to Hazel, “Your mom tricked me.”
“Who got tricked?”
The familiar, soothing tone of his mother washed over Kracus, wrapping him in a comforting embrace of familiarity. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he carefully lowered Hazel to the ground.
His gaze underwent a thorough examination of her, from head to toe, to ensure her well-being, searching for any signs of illness or distress. Finding none, a wave of relief washed over him. “Mom,” he opened his arms to her.
Vera Kingston’s face glowed as she weaved her way through the small crowd, and into the arms of her son. She felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and love as he embraced her.
“Mom, it’s so good to see you,” Kracus murmured against her.
“It’s good to see you too, Lenny. God, I’ve missed you so much. You don’t come home anymore.” Her tone was sad.
“Sorry, Mom, you know how it is at the hospital. I’ve been so busy.” He apologized with a grimace, his expression filled with guilt and regret. Reluctantly, he pulled back, to look at her face.
“I know, I know,” Vera relented. “But you’ve got to make time for your old mother.”
Tesiera watched them. Vera Kingston looked like an older, petite, feminine version of Kracus. She had an average body type, with a smattering of gray in her black hair. She was stunning.
Tesiera didn’t usually warm up to people, especially not on first sight. However, as she watched the heartwarming exchange between mother and son, an unfamiliar warmth spread over her chest as a soft smile graced the older woman’s face.
She had never had a mother; her own had passed away from cancer when she was just five years old. Was this what it felt like to have a mother? Tesiera couldn’t help but wonder.
She had heard so much about Vera Kingston, and now she tried to reconcile the image she had in her head of a broken woman who had been through hell with the image of the happy, radiant older woman before her. It didn’t quite fit.
“And who’s this pretty lady? It’s been ages since you brought a woman home, Lenny,” Vera Kingston remarked, addressing Kracus by his middle name, Lysander.
Tesiera inclined her head respectfully. “Tesiera Rinderson, ma’am. I work for your son.”
Vera looked at her son for confirmation, and Kracus explained, “She’s my new personal bodyguard.” He almost added more but held back, not knowing how Tesiera would feel about it, especially in front of an audience.
Besides, he didn’t want his mom prying into their personal affairs. His dear mother meant well, but her enthusiasm could be overwhelming for others.
“You’re welcome, dear,” the older woman replied with a courteous smile directed at Tesiera.
Vera’s gaze then descended to the cane and Tesiera’s bandaged ankle, and her eyes widened with concern. “Oh dear, what happened!?”
“Just a minor accident, ma’am. Please rest assured it won’t hinder me from doing my job to protect your son.” Tesiera responded firmly but politely.
“I have no doubt you can do your job well; my son always hires the best,” Vera nodded with a warm smile. “But try not to put too much pressure on that leg today, so it doesn’t hurt, dear.”
Tesiera dipped her head in acknowledgment. The kind-hearted woman then proceeded to Bose and Clinton and embraced each of them warmly as she moved down the line.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 111 – 120
Vera Kingston’s birthday celebration unfolded beautifully. Friends and privileged members of society joined in as the day progressed, transforming what started as a simple gathering into a sophisticated affair. The event revolved around eating and drinking, with everyone in the household participating. By late evening, the guests returned to their respective homes.
Little Hazel spent more time by Tesiera’s side than with her own parents. Tesiera couldn’t fathom why the girl liked her company and even seemed to like her sullen, grumpy, unsmiling presence.
But as time passed, and Hazel stuck to her like glue—sometimes placing her small hand in hers, other times just being beside her and going everywhere with her—Tesiera admitted that it felt good. Hazel was too young to fake such affection. Her heart warmed at the thought that the little girl genuinely enjoyed her company.
So, Tesiera took the girl everywhere she needed to be for the day, running errands with Hazel attached to her side, listening to the girl excitedly recount episodes of her daily life.
Tesiera also witnessed a different side of Bose in front of Vera, and it surprised her.
He was almost like Clinton—relaxed, playful, and very happy around the older woman. In fact, to a stranger’s eyes, it would seem like Bose was Vera’s bodyguard rather than Kracus’s, given the way he left them all beside Kracus and positioned himself beside the woman all day. Surprisingly, Vera appeared to enjoy his company as well.
“They have a special bond,” Clinton had commented when he caught her staring, but he didn’t elaborate.
Tesiera couldn’t help but wonder how they had formed such a close connection.
During dinner, Vera insisted that she, Clinton, and Bose sit and eat with them. Vera’s friend, James Knowles, occupied the seat to her left, while Bose sat on her right. All seats were occupied by the time Tesiera joined them, except for the empty chair to the right of Kracus, where she ended up sitting.
Conversations were kept simple and comfortable during dinner, punctuated by easy laughter. Tesiera had initially expected to feel uncomfortable eating with others, spending so much time with different people.
However, she was pleasantly surprised at how relaxed she felt, despite the persistent pain in her leg.
Both Clinton and Bose had repeatedly tried to convince her to sit down and take it easy during the birthday celebration when the guests were still around, offering to handle all the work. But she had bluntly refused. No way in hell would she allow herself to be perceived as handicapped in front of others.
As night fell, Tesiera had to admit that her injured left leg was killing her.
She had hidden the pain well, but she was grateful to finally get off her feet during dinner. Throughout the meal, she discreetly stole glances at Kracus whenever she was sure no one was watching. Especially Bose with his keen eyes,
After her conversation with Bose in the conference room, she had become extra cautious about her behavior concerning Kracus whenever the man was around.
During dinner, she made sure Bose occupied either conversing with Kracus’s mom, Clinton or digging into his meal, before allowing herself to steal her glances at Kracus. Tesiera savored the sight of the man who had captured her attention over the past few months. Oh, she’d never get tired of looking at the handsome doctor.
Their eyes occasionally met when she stared at him. Tesiera didn’t know whether he was stealing glances at her or trying to convey that he was aware she was admiring him. However, she didn’t care.
She refused to appear embarrassed for being caught fucking him with her eyes. Instead, whenever their eyes locked, she boldly held his gaze in a way that said; “I’m not gonna stop either. And so? What are you gonna do about it?”
Each time, a warm, amused smile graced Kracus’s lips, before he returned to savoring his meal.
As conversations continued around them, occasionally, he’d flash her that heart-stopping smile that never failed to make her heart race.
How could a person smile so perfectly? How could someone look so damn good smiling? She wondered, sighing inwardly. It wasn’t fair.
As if that wasn’t enough, he winked at her.
it took Tesiera a moment to realize that she herself was smiling in return, against her better judgment.
“You’re so beautiful,” he mouthed to her. Then, he blew her a kiss.
She snorted silently and shook her head, as if he were a lost cause. Yet, her smile widened despite her best efforts to hide it.
Tesiera looked at Bose, satisfied that he was still preoccupied, thoroughly engaged with his chicken.
Clinton was engrossed in laughter, involved in some lively argument with Valerie’s husband. No one seemed to notice her covert exchange with Kracus, and she sighed in relief.
However, as she tried to focus on her food, she sensed the prickly sensation of eyes on her. Her instincts guided her gaze to the source, and her eyes automatically met the intense scrutiny of Vera Kingston.
From the look of it, Vera had witnessed all their silent exchanges.
Tesiera’s reaction to Vera’s intense scrutiny was entirely impulsive. She ducked her head and directed all her attention to her food as if it had suddenly become the answer to the universe’s unanswered questions.
Surely, Vera hadn’t noticed anything, right? There was nothing suggestive or unusual about looking at another person, right? Plus, she was Kracus’s bodyguard, so it was perfectly normal for her to occasionally glance at him to ensure his safety, right?
Of course, nothing unusual. Feeling justified in her actions, she continued eating. This time, she made an effort not to indulge in lingering gazes at her eye-candy.
After dinner, Kracus excused himself to take a long phone call from the hospital.
Tesiera’s leg was causing her considerable pain, but she did her best not to let it show on her face as she cleared one of the tables that had been used for the meal.
However, Clinton passed by and gave her a knowing smirk, as if he had figured something out.
Tesiera gritted her teeth and ignored him.
As she made her way to the kitchen, she tried hard not to lean too heavily on her cane. She continued her duties for another hour, but she knew she needed a break or she’d start heavily limping while walking. Her cane was already bearing much of her weight.
So, Tesiera made sure Hazel was with her mother before sneaking away to one of the bedrooms that had been allocated to her.
With the house finally quiet, she took a quick shower and changed her bandage. She was just finishing up when a knock came at her door.
“Come in,” she called, hoping it was Kracus.
To her surprise, it was Vera Kingston who entered the room.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
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