she's everything he never wanted, but she makes him doubt everything he ever believed in.....

Chapter 2

It was eight the next morning when the boys were finally loaded in their car seat, and Tess left her house in the city of Jacinto.

Thankfully, it was a Sunday. The wichita traffic was light, making getting out of town a breeze. But she wouldn't have needed to worry about traffic for a while. Summer vacation has just begun, and she had almost three months to do whatever she had to do and spend time with her babies, who were our world.

She loves her job, and it was not easy to have time to spend with her sons.

The boys were contented passengers, especially since they were armed with their favourite toys, oat cereal in a plastic snack container, and their sipping cup filled with orange juice. They chattered and giggled for the first hours of the trip and then eventually fell asleep, leaving Tess with only the soft music playing on the radio and her own thoughts.

MomAid, she'd met the woman in a chat room for a women support group when she first discovered that she was pregnant, and since then, their friendship has been instantaneous. It was MomAid that helped throughout the dark times and talked her through the fear of raising triplets alone.

When Tess's grandmother had a heart attack and died, MomAid was there to comfort her.

Even after MomAid had given her the information about Kane Cole, Tess hadn't been sure if she wanted to reach out, still near fire out break had her make up her mind. That night, she realised that if something were to happen to her, there would be no one to take care of her boys except for Jayden, who couldn't even take care of himself.

She glanced at the directions MomAid had given her to Cole Empire Manor. She can't get herself to imagine that MomAid would have an ulterior motive other than to help her find the father of her sons.

Tess wanted nothing from a handsome man who she spent a single night after downing too much of alcohol. She is certainly not expecting any form of relationship from an asshole who never tried to contact her after their night together.

But she believes he has the right to know his babies and hopefully wants to be a part of his children's lives.

She wanted that more than anything for her boys. She never got the chance to have her father around while growing up and can't stop missing him and imagining what life would have been like with him around. The absence of her father left a hole in her heart and soul. She suspects that Jayden also thinks about their parents as well. Of cos she can't imagine why any man wouldn't fall in love just looking at her boys' adorable face and won't want to be part of their lives as well.

Thankfully, she was able to set a room at a small motel in town, with the understanding that she might stay longer. If MomAid was right and the address Tess had was accurate, then she prepared to stay a bit longer in town to enable him spend sometime with the boys and they could settle on how to handle things in the future.

She slowed the car as she realised she was near turnoff, which would lead to the Cole Empire Manor. She was surprised that the sleeping babies in the backseat slept almost throughout the journey.

She was suddenly incredibly nervous. Afraid that she'd been a fool for trusting a woman she'd never seen in person before. Afraid that this was a disaster waiting to happen or crazy wild goose chase.

Patting the bag, she felt herself calm down. Her gun was still in there, loaded, and ready to use if necessary. She won't hesitate to fire if she has to not just for herself but most importantly her children if their safety was in peril.

Her nerves eased a little more as she approached the huge gate. The mansion stood there as if the surrounding nature had embraced it, that the flora flowed within it as much as around it. For the architect had loved the trees so much that there was a mighty oak in the centre, centuries old, and the great house had been built around it. She wasn't expecting this, definitely not a place like this, not a place an old creepy man would lounge about pretending to a woman named MomAid.

Still, as she pulled up in front of the house and parked, the first thing she did was to slip her gun into the pocket of her pink blazer.

"Better safe than sorry," She muttered under her breath. The boys still soundly slept as she got out of her car. She left her car window cracked open a bit to allow in the sweet summer breeze, and she figured it won't take long to find out if she was at the right place or not.

Her nerves twisted in her stomach and walked towards the front door. The worst that could happen was if she was to be at the wrong place or even reject them and if any of this has to be the case she and her boys would check into their hotel and make the drive back home in the morning.

As she reached the front porch, she glanced at car one last time and reminded herself why she was doing this in the first place. She used one hand to press the bell and the other hand on the butt of the gun in her pocket.

Just then, the door opened, Tess's breath caught in the back of her throat. She stared at the father of her sons.

She'd forgotten just how hot he was with curly sandy hair and chiselled features. The last time she'd seen him, the man I met at the wedding had a touch of the Brad Pitt about him with his dark suit and white shirt. He now wore a pair of ripped tight blue jeans that showed his slim hips, black T-shirt, and a red leather jacket that stretched across his broad shoulder, pairing it with Michel Jordan white sneakers.

A coil of heat began to unfurl in the pit of the stomach. It stopped as she saw the utter blankness in his miss matched eyes. Instead of the heat, embarrassment blew all over her. He can't even recognise her.

"Yess?" He asked with a pleasant smile of someone greeting a stranger.

She was struck by a new attack of nerves. "Wait here," she finally said and ran off the porch.

She ran towards the car, her heart pounding a billion miles per minute. She opened the trunk with the press of a button on her key and quickly withdrew the oversized stroller.

It took her only a few minutes to unfold the stroller and placed the sleeping babies and a diaper bag. As she pushed the boys back towards the house, she saw his expression transform from pleasant to utterly stunned.

Returning back to the porch ''Let me jog your memory," She said. "Nineteen months ago, Mia and Sam's wedding party? My name is Tess Matthew. We were together at the wedding and the next morning you left me with a surprise. I'd like you to meet your sons."

"Maybe you should come inside where we can talk,' he said, his eyes dark and troubled. "I'm afraid you've made a mistake. I'm not the man you're are looking for and I've never seen you before in my life."

Zane Cole instantly knew he'd said the wrong thing. Her pretty cheeks filled with colours as her Hazel eyes narrowed dangerously. "The last thing I expected was for you to denial meeting me,"She roared angrily, her voice icy with an edge of contempt. "At least surely you can remember attending the wedding,"

"Please, come inside and have a seat so we can talk more comfortably. " Zane grabbed one end of the stroller to it up the stairs and into the house. As they gazed at the sleeping boys, there was no doubt in his heart that they were definitely Cole. Their little head was covered with dark sandy curly hair, and the shape of their faces remained him of the baby photos he'd seen of himself.

There was no doubt in his mind who exactly was responsible for this woman standing in front of the door with three babies. His stomach knotted with anger. This was one mess that he could just make go away, wouldn't be to bribe or do some fast talking to make this disappear.

Once they had the stroller inside the living room, he gestured to the couch. As she lowered herself down, he took the seat opposite her.

He couldn't help but admire Tess Matthew, She is a gorgeous woman. Her long red hair and her long legs seemed to go on forever beneath the black slacks she was wearing. At the moment, her beautiful Hazel eyes were burning with anger, and her lush lips were compressed tightly together as he glared at him.

"I didn’t exactly expect you to joy for at the unexpected news of being a father, at least not the of three," She said. "I know it was just a one night stand, but we together all through the wedding."

"There's some misunderstanding, I should explain n cle........." he tried saying.

"Of course, you make it a habit of sleeping around, that you don't remember them when you meet again out of bed," She continues, cutting him off right in d midsentence. "Allow me to jog your memory, Mia's wedding at Chicago?"

"I wasn't........"

"Look, if you are worried that I want something from you or even need anything, then there's no need for that. I just thought you had the right to know that you are a father."

"I'm not saying that__"

"We could have a DNA test done if that's what you want." She straightened herself on the couch, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know for sure that you're the father because I have never been with anyone before except you, cos you were my first. But I would understand if you have any doubts considering the circumstances."

Once again, her cheeks flushed red. "You don't know me or what kind of person I am, and I can understand the fact how I ended up in bed with you so easily that night might make you see mee as cheap and might make you think I do that all the time___ which not true. I've never done such a thing like that in my life, and I will say it again you were my first. My only excuse was that night for the first time in my life, I had too much to drink."

Zane didn't even try to say anything. He can guess she wasn't done talking yet and, in any case, wouldn't let him say a word. The anger he'd felt moments ago has passed, and instead, a weary resignation.

It was obvious what happened at the wedding party was a night of too much booze and unprotected s*x. Now, someone has to step up and do the right thing. Zane was certain it wasn't going to be him.

Sometimes, he feels had done nothing but spent every waking day of twenty-eight years of existence doing what is right for everyone else except for himself. Now the table has turned, it's time he starts doing what's right for him, and does no way he intends getting caught up in this drama.

Yet, even as he thought it, he knew there's no way he won't get entangled in this mess. The adorable little treasure asleep in the stroller would ensure he becomes part of his craziness in one way or another.

"I don't need any child support from you. I just thought you might want a dad to the boys. Boys need their father in their lives."

"There was a wealth of emotions in her voice, then she finally took a breath and stared at him expectantly. At the moment, Zane's brother walked into the living room.

Tess's mouth formed a perfect 'O' as she looked from one man to the other. Just then, one of the boys woke up crying as if protesting the fact his mother had no idea who their father is.