Chapter 30.

**Tessa’s POV.**

Everything had been going well, I mean, Gabriel was the world’s best boyfriend but he was the best I had ever had. Of course, we got into loads of fights but I assumed that was how a relationship should be- fight and make up with a hot as hell make out session.

We had been joined to the hip for the past month, hardly ever leaving each other’s side unless he wanted to go to work or for a meeting and immediately, he got back, we were at it again. I spent most of my time in his room, enjoying the luxuries that came with dating Gabriel O’Connell and one of those luxuries was having a valid, solid reason to avoid my mother.

I always got home late and my mother had stopped acting like a creepy stalker, waiting for me in the darkness to come home so she could turn on the lights to scare the crap out of me.

Even though I was extremely happy and practically glowing from all the orgasms I had received from Gabriel, something still bothered me- a lot. I had tried to reach out to both Alex and Kevin the past month, I hated the way I left things with the both of them and I wanted them to know that I do not hate them, I also hoped they did not hate me too.

I was proved wrong though, it turns out that they did hate me- both of them did. They ignored me like I wasn’t even there and acted as if no one was talking- I had fucked up badly and I was not afraid to admit it. I still loved them a lot and even though I had no romantic feelings for them anymore, it still hurt to see them act like that towards me- it hurt so much that I cried for a whole night.

I was in my mother’s quarters, getting ready to spend another day in Gabriel’s room when a knock came from the main door, wondering who it could be, I put on my shoes and walked to the door quickly, “Yes?”, I said to whoever was at the door pushing it open, “Oh, Hi Andy”, I greeted the familiar man wearing a completely different guard uniform from the last time I had seen him, “I haven’t seen you in a while, what can I help you with?”,

“Yes”, the smile on his face was wide, friendly and warm, “I got promoted to work on Mr. O’Connell’s personal security team”,

“Oh my god”, I squealed, “That is wonderful news”, I was genuinely happy for him, he seemed like a great guy so he deserved to get the promotion,

“Thank you”, he replied before clearing his throat and getting down to business, “I am here because Mr. O’Connell requires your presence in his home office”, his revelation brought surprise unto me,

“Mr. O’Connell, why?”,

“I don’t know”, I had a feeling he knew something but he wasn’t to keen to tell me about these things- his face said it all though, his once happy demeanor had turned sad and worry was evident in his eyes, “He requires your presence now”.

What the hell was going on?

There was only one way to find out, I walked out of the door and shut it behind me, letting Andy lead me to the large double doors of Mr. O’Connell’s office, “This is where I stop”,

“You are not coming in with me?”, I could not imagine staying alone with Mr. O’Connell in his office,

“No, this is a private discussion but your mother is there as well”, great, I rolled my eyes. Giving me this slight piece of information had just proved to me that nothing good was coming out of this meeting. He knocked on the door and waited for his boss to let me in, “I will see you later”, before I could question him on what he meant, he turned around and left.

I pushed the one of the large doors open and walked into the dark huge office which was extremely dark and scary. The whole atmosphere was freezing cold and I immediately regretted my choice of clothing, I should not have worn a tank top and shorts.

“Tessa”, I heard his harsh voice call from across the room, making the air on my neck rise as fast as Gabriel’s cock when he sees me half naked. Andrew O’Connell sat majestically behind his large desk with files upon files arranged neatly in front of him, I walked over to where he was with my eyes on my shoes like they were the most captative things in the world.

“You asked for me?”, I said nervously, rubbing my now sweaty palms together,

“Yes, Tessa, sit down”, I did as I was told and waited for him to say something else all the while not lifting my head up to face him, “I like you Tessa, I really do”, he began, “But your presence in my sons lives has caused a huge rift”, I looked up at him in question,

“Excuse me?”, what the hell did he mean by that?

“This relationship you have with my sons- its bad for business”, he pointed out, I was about to speak but he raised up his hand, telling me he was not done, “They have all lost concentration; Gabriel has been coming late for meetings and he has been skipping work a lot, always giving me bullshit excuses every time. Kevin and Alex can’t seem to do anything right and they are always thinking about God knows what.

They attack each other unnecessarily during meetings and cannot even compose themselves in front of the shareholders, they are making a mockery of my company and I will not allow it”.

I was lost and surprised, why was he telling me all of this? How was I related to all this? “You might be wondering why I am informing you of all this, well, it is simple; you are the cause of all these problems, you are a plague in my company Tessa and I am afraid that I must get rid of you”,

One of my eyebrows cocked up in confusion, “Me?”, what the hell did he mean by getting rid of me?

“Yes, you. Ever since you came, my sons have been scratching each other’s throats more than they did before, it was fun to watch at first but now it is affecting the growth of my company- I will not take it lightly anymore”, his words hurt me deeply, was I really that bad? How had I not noticed that Gabriel was more present than he usually was? How did I not question it or even stop to think once?

“What are you going to do to me?”, my heart began to beat quicker than usual,

“I am sending you away, far, far away”,

“What? No!”, I was not going anywhere! He could not do that to me! He could not do that to Gabriel! It would hurt him a lot and I would not allow that to happen.

“Yes Tessa”, my mother finally spoke up, I was wishing that she would have no part in this conversation but unfortunately, she did, “You are going whether you like it or not, Mr. O’Connell and I have decided this”,

“You do not have a say in my life-”, the fucking bitch cut me off,

“Technically, I do, I am your legal guardian and I can decide whatever I want to”,

“No, you can’t, I won’t let you!”, I was on the verge of tears by now.

“But I will”, the useless father in front of me said, “You see Tessa, if you don’t go where I want you to, I will be forced to take away Gabriel’s inheritance and leave him with nothing”, he was playing a game and he was playing it well,

“You wouldn’t do that to him”, I was in denial, could a father really be that terrible to his own son?

“It is your choice Tessa, what would it be?”.