Chapter 144 CHAPTER 144
I have a business proposal
The wind outside was gentle that morning, brushing through the curtains of the small living room where Tessa sat quietly, her hands moving rhythmically as she knitted a cream colored sweater. The soft clicking of her needles filled the silence, a small, calming sound against the distant hum of traffic outside. The apartment smelled faintly of lavender detergent and fabric softener, the air calm, almost deceptively so like peace trying to disguise heartbreak.
A small basket of yarn lay beside her foot, colors tangled like the threads of her life: messy, vibrant, impossible to separate cleanly.
Tessa exhaled softly, trying not to think too much. Knitting helped, it gave her something to focus on. It was something that didn’t talk back, didn’t betray her, didn’t walk out.
The door creaked open, and Ayisha stepped in, holding two mugs of hot tea. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, her expression tired but affectionate.
“I brought tea,” she said, walking over.
Tessa smiled faintly. “Thank you.”
Ayisha handed her one mug and sat down beside her on the couch. For a while, they drank in silence. The clock ticked softly on the wall, the faint laughter of children could be heard from outside, the kind of sound that made you ache a little when life wasn’t going as planned.
“So,” Ayisha began, setting her mug down on the small coffee table. “What’s the plan?”
Tessa didn’t look up. “I’m still trying to figure it out.”
Ayisha leaned back, watching her. “You’ve been saying that for days now.”
“Because it’s true.”
Ayisha crossed her legs, her voice calm but probing. “You can’t just sit here knitting forever, Tess. You’ve got four kids. You’ve got rent. You’ve got—”
“I know,” Tessa interrupted gently, her voice low but firm. “You think I don’t know that?”
Ayisha sighed. “I’m not saying you’re not trying. I just… I think you need to look at things from another angle.”
Tessa’s hands paused mid-motion. “What angle?”
Ayisha hesitated, her eyes scanning Tessa’s face carefully before she said it. “The Richard angle.”
Tessa looked up slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly. “What about him?”
Ayisha folded her arms. “You said you… had sex. Masked. You’ve been saying you don’t know how all of that went down that night. What if… just what if, Tessa—Richard is really the biological father of your kids?”
The knitting needles stopped moving completely. The air between them grew tight.
Tessa stared at her, unblinking for a long time, then shook her head slowly. “No.”
Ayisha frowned. “No what?”
“No man will ever have my kids,” Tessa said softly but firmly, her tone unshakable. “Not Richard.”
Ayisha studied her. “Tess, that’s not how DNA works.”
“I don’t care how it works,” Tessa snapped suddenly, her voice cutting through the calm room. “Those children are mine. They came from me. I carried them, I raised them, I protected them when everyone else turned their backs. I don’t care who did what, who claims what, no man will ever have the right to them.”
Her hands trembled slightly, the knitting falling into her lap.
Ayisha sighed quietly. “I get that. I really do. But what if—”
“There is no ‘what if,’” Tessa said, her tone softer now but still full of conviction. “I’ve made my peace with it. I’ve made my decision.”
Ayisha tilted her head. “What decision?”
Tessa leaned back in the chair, her eyes fixed on the small window where sunlight filtered through. “I’ve changed their last name.”
Ayisha blinked. “You did what?”
“I changed it,” Tessa said again. “They’re not carrying Ares’s name anymore. Or anyone else’s. Their surname is Monroe now.”
Ayisha’s eyes widened. “Monroe? You used your name?”
Tessa nodded. “Yes. They’re my children. They deserve a name that’s not tied to chaos. Not to Ares’s temper or Richard. A clean start.”
Ayisha leaned forward, still processing. “Wow. That’s… that’s a big move.”
“It was necessary,” Tessa said quietly. “I don’t ever want them growing up thinking they belong to someone who treated them like they were temporary.”
The silence after that felt heavy, but it wasn’t empty. It was full of things both of them wanted to say but didn’t.
Ayisha ran her fingers through her hair, watching her friend. “You’ve really changed, Tess.”
Tessa smiled faintly, the kind of smile that came from pain, not joy. “I had to. The old me died the day Ares told me to leave.”
Ayisha looked down at her mug, thoughtful. “He might regret it someday.”
“Maybe,” Tessa said softly. “But by then, it’ll be too late.”
There was a small knock on the door. Both women turned.
It opened a second later, and Chloe stepped in. Her face looked pale, makeup slightly smudged, her bag slung carelessly across her shoulder. There was a sharp restlessness about her, like she hadn’t slept in days but her mind was still running at full speed.
“Morning,” she said, forcing a smile.
“Morning,” Tessa replied carefully.
Ayisha narrowed her eyes slightly. “You look like you’ve been in a fight.”
Chloe scoffed lightly. “You could say that. Life’s been… kicking me around lately.”
Tessa motioned for her to sit. “How’s the baby?”
“Fine,” Chloe said quickly, sitting down on the edge of the couch. “At least, I think so. Doctor says I should rest more, but who has time for that when you’re broke?”
Tessa exchanged a look with Ayisha. “You don’t have to stress yourself. We’ll figure something out.”
Chloe laughed under her breath. “Figure something out? Tess, come on. You’re planting vegetables in your backyard and knitting sweaters to keep yourself sane. Ayisha’s working two shifts. Dorcas is barely getting paid. We’re surviving, not living.”
Ayisha frowned. “So what’s your point?”
Chloe leaned forward, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. “My point is—I have a way out.”
Tessa stared at her. “What are you talking about?”
Chloe’s eyes glinted, excitement flickering there. “A way to make all of us rich.”
The room went still.
Ayisha blinked, confused. “Rich? What do you mean rich?”
Chloe leaned back, a smile tugging at her lips. “I mean exactly what it sounds like. No more worrying about rent. No more cheap schools for the kids. No more stretching meals or fighting to breathe. I’ve found something… someone… that could change everything.”
Tessa slowly set her knitting down. “Who?”
Chloe smirked faintly. “Let’s just say—someone powerful.”
Ayisha raised a brow. “You’re not getting involved in anything illegal, are you?”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m not stupid.”
Tessa’s voice was calm but cautious. “Then what exactly are you planning?”
Chloe didn’t answer immediately. She looked between them, her smile deepening as if she enjoyed the suspense. “You’ll see,” she said finally.
Ayisha exchanged another look with Tessa, both uncertain.
Chloe stood up, straightening her blouse, her voice suddenly sharp with confidence. “Trust me, you two. This time next month, we won’t be sitting in this tiny apartment knitting sweaters and drinking cheap tea.”
Ayisha frowned. “Chloe…”
But Chloe only smiled wider, her tone smooth and full of quiet danger. “We’ll be living like queens.”
The air in the room shifted, something dark, something thrilling, something uncertain.
Tessa and Ayisha both stared at her, confused, curious, uneasy… but undeniably drawn in.
The faint ticking of the wall clock filled the silence again as Chloe stood before them, that confident smirk never leaving her lips.