TEACH ME NOT 2 HATE LOVE

37

🧑Nik Anthony POV🧑

Instead of meeting up at my office at ten a.m. like I promised Tyrone last night, I had to reschedule our meeting for eleven thirty a.m. at my house.

We discussed business for about less than an hour. And what he had proposed and the way he presented it, I must admit, won me over. His idea was excellent. Brilliant. I see where it could make us both some strong dollars. That is why I agreed to fund this project.

But first, we both have to sign up some paperwork to finalize what we discuss and get it going ASAP. I truly look forward to the outcome of this.

The guy had thanked me about a million times before he left. He's a strange one.

And while he was leaving, Tajea was coming in for work. Not that there is much time left or anything much to do here anyway. Mother had already taken care of little Nik and took him to school before going about her own business.

Yeah, I've decided to send him back to school, even after what took place a few days ago. Tajea convinced me into doing so. But with extra security measures, of course. And new teachers too. After all, one can't be too careful when it comes to their child or children.

I was about to head up to my room to avoid any awkwardness between Tajea and me when she asked. "How do you know, Travis? And what did you do to his family?"

I was a bit surprised she even knew about that. But eventually she would have found out anyway. After all, what's in the shadow must come into the light, they say. I might as well tell the truth and get this over with. "What they deserved."

"And what is it that they deserved?" She pressed me.

"Didn't he tell you?" I asked, assuming that Travis—no. Gary had made contact with her, informing her that I had ruined his family.

That's the only logical explanation as to how she found out about this. But from her confused expression and questions, it seemed he failed to elaborate on what I did. As for the reason why I did it, I have no doubt he told her.

"No. And how do you know he talked with me? Are you having me followed or something?" She accused me of being a stalker before I could get to tell her what I did. Unbelievable.

"Yes and no," I replied.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She put on a brave face, but I can tell she was a little frightened of me, disgusted even. "Are you telling me you are some kind of crazy stalker?"

"No. I'm not," I responded. "However, whenever you are out with little Nik, I have my security team keep a close eye on you both to keep you safe. That's it."

"So that means that blabbermouth Kenneth told you everything that happened at the park on Saturday," Tajea voiced, disgruntled. "I told him not to tell you."

"Yeah, he did." I looked away. I couldn't bear to see the look of hurt and pain in her eyes. Not to mention, she was embarrassed that I knew her truth. I don't want her to feel that way with me.

"So you know how much he humiliated and broke me." She could barely find her voice. Tears welled up in her eyes. This broke my heart.

"Yeah, I do," I said, a little tense. It's killing me to see her like this.

"So whatever horrible thing you did to his family, you did it for my sake, then, is that it?" We made eye contact when she asked me this. But why does she seem so displeased rather than happy about it?

"Yes. I did." I nodded.

"And what did you do to them, exactly?" She got louder and even more upset.

"Let's just say the whole family got what they deserved," I replied more fiercely than intended. "Anything else you want to know?"

"Just because you know what he did to me. That doesn't give you the right to do whatever cruelty you did to his family, Nik." She flipped, leaving me a bit shocked. "I don't need a knight in shining armor to fight my battles."

"I'm well aware of that, but—"

"Do you?" She cut me off. "Travis. Or whatever his name is. He said they were going to kill him. Are you trying to kill him?"

So that's why she's been acting up—why she is so troubled and demanding to know what I did to that wretched family. She thinks I did something vicious and inhumane to the Montgomerys—that I am a monster, and this truly angers me.

"If I wanted to have him, kill. He would have been dead already," I assured her. And that's the truth. Besides, I don't want him dead. I want him to suffer.