The moment the door of their small rented apartment closed behind them, Tessa could no longer hold it in. The strength she had been clinging to in front of Chloe, Ares, Julian, Lady Bianca, and everyone else crumbled the instant she was back in her own space. Her knees buckled, and she sank onto the old, threadbare sofa. Her body shook as tears streamed down her cheeks. The sound that came out of her chest wasn't just crying…it was the raw, guttural pain of betrayal, the kind that left scars on a soul.
Ayisha and Mariam rushed to her, dropping their purses carelessly to the floor. They flanked her on both sides, rubbing her back, holding her trembling hands, whispering soft reassurances that barely made sense but were soaked with love.
"It's okay, Tessa," Ayisha murmured, though her own voice was quivering. "We're here. You're not alone."
Mariam wrapped an arm tightly around her. "Please, stop crying. You're stronger than this. Don't let them see you broken."
But the sobs refused to stop. Tessa's chest heaved. "It's not just them…" she gasped, clutching the edge of the sofa like it was the only thing tethering her to reality. "It's Chloe. She was my best friend, my sister. How could she stand there and look me in the eye… and let them throw me out like trash?"
Her words dissolved into another flood of tears. She buried her face into her palms, her whole body shaking.
Ayisha looked at Mariam over Tessa's bowed head. Their eyes met, both holding the same unspoken rage. They had endured humiliation tonight, but watching Tessa unravel like this cut far deeper.
Mariam stroked Tessa's hair. "You trusted her," she whispered. "You believed in her. That's why it hurts more than anything Ares' family could have done."
"She sold me out," Tessa said hoarsely, pulling her hands away from her face. Her eyes were swollen, her skin blotchy. "She took my children, my life, my everything, and she smiled in my face while doing it."
Ayisha pulled a tissue from her bag and pressed it into Tessa's hand. "She's not worth this many tears. You hear me? Chloe showed her true colors tonight, and now you know exactly who she is."
But Tessa shook her head violently. "No. No. It's not just Chloe. It's everything. My children are there, in that house, in the arms of strangers and I couldn't even hold them properly. Do you know how it felt to see Ares holding them while Chloe clung to him like she was the mother? Do you know?" Her voice cracked so hard it was painful to hear.
Mariam's own eyes welled up, but she held herself together for Tessa's sake. "We saw. We felt it. And I swear to you, you're not alone in this. Whatever happens next, we'll fight together."
Ayisha nodded firmly. "Ride or die. That's what we promised. Nothing's changing that now."
The three women sat there in the dim apartment, the silence broken only by Tessa's muffled sobs. They didn't know how much time had passed—minutes, maybe hours—when a sudden knock at the door startled them all.
Tessa froze, wiping at her face quickly. Mariam's instincts kicked in, she motioned for silence, then walked carefully to the door. "Who is it?" she called cautiously.
The voice on the other side was smooth, deep, commanding. "Marcus."
All three women's eyes widened.
Ayisha's lips parted in shock. "Marcus Langford?"
Tessa felt the blood drain from her face. "What… what is he doing here?"
The knock came again, more insistent. "Open the door. I don't have all night."
Fear and confusion tangled in the room. Mariam opened the door hesitantly, and there he stood—Marcus, Ares' father. He was tall, immaculately dressed in a black suit despite the late hour, his silver hair combed perfectly, his eyes cold and assessing. His presence filled the room with an air of authority that made the small apartment feel even smaller.
"Good evening," Marcus said smoothly, though his tone carried no warmth. He stepped inside without waiting for permission, his gaze sweeping the three women with calculated disdain.
Tessa instinctively stood, her hands clenched together in front of her. "Why are you here?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Marcus ignored her question, removing his leather gloves with deliberate slowness. "Let's not waste time. You know I hate my family name in the mud. First you came into my son's life and boom, got pregnant for him out of desperation. I was glad you left. When you left, we all had peace. I can't afford to see you come back. It's obvious he shines best when you are not in his life. I came here with a proposition. A simple transaction."
Mariam frowned, suspicion written all over her face. "What kind of transaction?"
Marcus met her gaze with a small, humorless smile. "One that will solve this… unfortunate situation for all parties involved." He pulled out a slim black checkbook from his breast pocket, opened it, and clicked a pen. "Ten million each. That is my offer. You will take the money, and in return, you will disappear. Permanently. No visits, no phone calls, no letters. You will never show your faces to my son or his children again."
The room went dead silent.
Tessa's mouth dropped open in shock. "Ten… million?" Her voice cracked, not from excitement but from disbelief. "You think you can pay me to walk away from my children?"
Mariam stiffened beside her. "Is this a joke? They're her kids. No amount of money can buy them away from their mother."
Marcus' expression didn't flicker. "You underestimate what money can do, Miss Mariam. It can buy silence. It can buy freedom. And most importantly, it can buy the future of those children without the shadow of scandal hanging over their heads."
Tessa's chest heaved, fury rising inside her. "They're my children," she repeated, stronger this time. "I carried them. I birthed them. No amount of your dirty money can change that."
Before Mariam could echo her, Ayisha suddenly cut in. She leaned forward, her eyes sharp. "Make it twenty million each, and it's a deal."
The other two women whipped around to stare at her. "Ayisha!" Tessa exclaimed, horrified.
Mariam's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"
Ayisha didn't flinch. Her gaze stayed locked on Marcus. "Twenty million each. You want us gone? Then you pay the real price."
For the first time, Marcus' calm mask cracked slightly. His eyes narrowed, his lips curling in disdain. "Greedy, are we?"
Ayisha smirked bitterly. "No. Just realistic. Ten million is pocket change to you. If you're serious about erasing us, you'll pay properly."
Tessa grabbed Ayisha's arm, her voice trembling. "Stop it! You can't be serious. I will never leave my children, not for any amount of money."
Ayisha turned to her, her tone sharp but steady. "Listen, Tess. Do you think we can fight them? They own the courts, the police, the media. One move against them and they'll crush us before we can even scream. But twenty million each—that gives us a fighting chance, a future. You don't have to take it, but at least let them pay for trying to throw us away like garbage."
Mariam stepped in quickly. "Ayisha, this isn't about money! It's about Tessa's children. How can you put a price tag on them?"
Ayisha exhaled heavily, torn between loyalty and practicality. But she didn't back down.
Marcus watched the exchange with a predator's patience. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and cutting. "Very well. Twenty million each. Wire transfer. Tonight." He wrote swiftly, tore out the checks, and laid them on the table with a cold finality. "You wanted the price raised. I expect compliance."
He turned to Tessa, his eyes steely. "You think this is about love, about motherhood. But let me tell you something, my son belongs to a world where emotions are luxuries. His children belong to a legacy, a dynasty. And you, Miss Tessa… you don't fit. Take the money, and accept that this is as close to mercy as you will ever get."
He slipped on his gloves again and walked to the door. Without looking back, he added, "If I ever see any of you near that house again, I won't be so generous." Then he left, the slam of the door echoing in the tense silence.
The room felt suffocating.
Tessa stared at the checks on the table as if they were poison. "What have you done?" she whispered to Ayisha, her voice shaking with fury and heartbreak. "You actually bargained with him? For money?"
Ayisha crossed her arms, defensive but not regretful. "I did what needed to be done. Don't you see, Tess? This is survival. We can't beat them head on. But with money, we can carve our own path."
Tessa shook her head violently, tears filling her eyes again. "I don't care about money. I care about my children. I will never abandon them."
Mariam moved to stand firmly beside Tessa. "Neither will I. You're right, Tess. We can't be bought. We're in this together, no matter how hard it gets."
Ayisha looked between them, her face torn between frustration and sorrow. "You two don't understand. This isn't about abandoning the kids—it's about living long enough to even have a chance. Marcus isn't playing games. If we don't take this, he'll make us disappear another way."
Tessa wiped her tears, her expression hardening. "Then let him try. I won't sell my soul. And I sure as hell won't sell my children."
The checks sat on the table, their crisp white paper glowing under the dim light, symbols of a choice that could shatter or save them.
For the first time that night, Tessa's tears dried. Her pain burned into resolve.
"No matter what happens," she whispered, her voice fierce, "I will fight for them. They are mine. No Marcus, no Ares, no Bianca, no Chloe, no one will take that away from me."