CHAPTER 86

Kyle King

The King’s Company executives meeting lasted longer than I expected. After arriving home a few days ago, I had a lot of pending projects and bills to settle. Thankfully, I had been smart enough to deny my mother a place as a second signatory to the family account to avoid stories. 

So, I instructed the accounting department to settle the bills while I made sense of the demands of the executives. We had two major projects to execute, and one was with an Arabian engineering company. They were new in Nashville and were referred by a previous client who worked with Tessa.

Tessa.

I hadn’t thought about her since I arrived in Nashville, but Ava noticed my moodiness and pushed for answers until I told her part of the truth. She wasn't particularly pleased about Tessa having kids before her and remarried. It was hilarious to see her so jealous. She had always posed herself as a better woman and wife than Tessa, but now she was unsure. 

During breakfast, she had asked questions concerning Tessa’s company and made snide comments about her wealth. I was quick to defend Tessa by informing Ava that even though Tessa came from a wealthy dynasty, she still worked hard to make something for herself. She was angry, and that brought a dramatic end to breakfast.

The door pushed slowly, and Christine’s head popped. ‘Sir, your mother is here. Should I let her in?’

I grunted my teeth. ‘Christine, I specifically told you that if she shows up, you should inform her that I am in a meeting! What’s wrong with you today?’

She stepped in, avoiding my gaze. ‘I am sorry, sir. It slipped my mind.’

‘Just let her in, but next time, stick to my instructions, or you will be receiving a long list of queries. I don’t know why you are so absent-minded these days. Get your head in the game or else!’

‘I am so sorry, sir. I promise you that this won’t repeat itself.’

I raised my right palm and said, ‘This is your last warning. If anyone comes after her except Xavier, please let them in, okay?’

She shook her head. ‘No, I won’t. I understand what I must do now.’

I nodded, returning to my laptop to complete the Excel sheet I was working on. I knew once mom came in, I wouldn’t be able to do anything because she would be shooting questions and offering opinions about Ava and my fertility issues. I wasn’t ready for that discussion yet. 

‘Hello, son. I heard your voice. What did Christine do?’ Mom asked, setting her Gucci bag on the table carefully.

I replied. ‘Nothing specifically. I thought we were supposed to meet at the house and not here?

She chuckled. ‘This is my company as much as it is yours. Don’t you think I have the right to come in here anytime I want?’

‘I didn’t mean it that way. Anyway, the Arab engineering company will be sending two representatives tomorrow for their onboarding meeting. Would you like to attend? I could use your experience in the engineering field to catch them.’

‘Of course, I would like to come along. Their money is gold, and I would be pissed if those teenagers you call executives destroyed the partnership.’

I laughed, wondering how she could call grown men teenagers. Like how?

‘Mum, these ‘teenagers’ kept the company in shape while I was in California. You should give them some credit instead of throwing jabs at them.’

She smiled tightly. ‘You would support them, wouldn’t you? That’s your problem anyway. I will be at the meeting. By the way, Ava told me some interesting news. You met your barren ex-wife in California, didn’t you?’

Of course, there was no other reason that would make her leave her company but Tessa’s. 

‘Why are you calling her barren, though? Didn’t Ava inform you that she has kids now and is remarried?’

She scoffed, ‘I don’t believe that part. I am suspecting she adopted those kids. That young lady never even had a miscarrage or scared us a bit with a pregnancy rumor while she was here. How could she have gotten pregnant just like that? I don’t think miracles still happen just like that, son.’

I laughed, ‘You should have seen the kids. They look exactly like her. I think I have a picture of the twins. Xavier sent it to me yesterday. He got it from a connection.’

I scrolled through my phone, saw the picture, and handed my phone to her. ‘Do you still think that they aren’t her children?’

She studied the picture, an odd expression forming on her face. ‘When did she have these kids? I mean, how old are the kids?’

I shrugged. ‘They are four or five years old. Why are you asking?’

‘Don’t you notice something similar about the kids? Especially the girl? She looks almost like you when you were a toddler!’ Mom gasped, dropping my phone. ‘Are you sure they aren’t your kids?’

I shook my head. ‘Xavier said something like this, but I saw the kid's father. One Kanebi. They aren’t mine, and I don’t even see any resemblance. Even if they were mine, Tessa wouldn’t have kept it a secret. She’s not so cruel, Mom.’

Mom laughed, ‘I used to think I gave birth to a smart son, but now I doubt it. Have you forgotten how we treated her in this family? We made her feel like trash and unworthy of our love or care. Do you think that she will suddenly forgive you and let you know that she was pregnant for you? Think, son.’

I bit my lips, holding on to the words that were begging to sprout out. Maybe she made some sense, but still, if those were my kids, Tessa would have told me in California. She wouldn’t just hide vital information because of the past, which I tried my best to rectify.

She wasn’t that ruthless, or was she?