Chapter 183

Joseph’s POV

Why couldn’t I remember correctly?

I’ve been to this farm before, and I recognized her father. Seeing him standing before us on the front porch, it was like a rush of memories flooding into my mind. But I couldn’t figure out why I remembered him. But it was obvious that he knew he remembered me and telling from our interaction and his reaction toward my presence, it wasn’t a good memory for him.

It took everything I had not to grab Tessa and take her with me back to the city. I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, but he was her father. He wouldn’t hurt her.

I had to stop being so paranoid about this.

It didn’t take long to get back to my Villa and when I did, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled out my phone and saw Tessa’s name flashing across the screen.

I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I walked into my study and opened the text message thread.

Tessa: I’m so sorry about my father ☹

Me: Don’t even worry about it. I’ll see you come back to the city.

Tessa: Why are you so great?

Me: Because I love you. I want to take you on a real date tomorrow night. So, be ready around 8 pm.

Tessa: I’ll be ready.

I smiled and put my phone on my desk. But the smile soon faded as thoughts of her father roamed through my mind.

Where had I met him before?

I opened my laptop and went into my recent searches. My research on Tessa was still in the recent searches. I didn’t find much about Tessa and her family when I did research, but maybe I didn’t look deep enough.

Her father’s farm was the first to appear in the Google search because of how popular the farm is. He holds a lot of business with local businesses around that town and he even ships worldwide. His farm is all the rage; it's quite impressive honestly.

Her father’s smiling face appeared on the home page of the farm’s website and in his arms was baby Tessa. She had a large smile on her face, and she wore a cute pink dress with matching pink bows in her short brown hair.

Beside her was a woman that looked like an older version of Tessa. She looked incredibly happy and held onto Tessa’s father’s arm with delicacy.

I assumed she was Tessa’s birth mother.

I knew Tessa didn’t remember much about her mother besides what her father had told her. But as I looked into her mother’s eyes in the picture, I couldn’t help but feel some kind of familiarity toward her as well.

Had we met before?

…..

Tessa’s POV

I woke up early the next morning. I was so ready to return to the city and leave this farm behind me. I didn’t want to continue having awkward conversations with my father.

I was still in shock after he told me he met Jospeh a long time ago and that he witnessed some of Joseph’s powers back then. He figured out on his own that Joseph was a vampire, but when he saw Joseph standing on his front porch and it was clear he hadn’t aged a day in his life, Joseph’s identity was confirmed.

I wondered if Joseph remembered my father like my father remembered Joseph. I made a mental note to ask him when I saw him tonight.

My father was reluctant to let me return to the city, but he knew that I couldn’t stay here forever and that I had a life back in the city. Graduation was only a few weeks away, which meant my time at school was crucial. I had a lot of studying I needed to do to prepare for my finals next week. These finals were going to determine whether I graduated or not.

My father and I didn’t talk much since last night.

Breakfast was quiet and awkward besides Penny's attempt at small talk.

Thankfully, Joseph didn’t come up in any of the conversations we had. I don’t think my father bothered to tell Penny that he actually met Joseph a long time ago. I feel like that’s probably something she would have asked about.

I didn’t bother telling Ruby about any of this because I wasn’t really sure how to explain it to her without telling her that Joseph was a vampire.

After breakfast, Ruby and I went to our rooms and packed our things. As nice as getting away from everything was, I was ready to return to my life in the city. Especially now that I had Joseph waiting for me.

I was excited for our date tonight and for whatever future lay before us.

“Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” My father asked. “I feel we didn’t properly talk since last night.”

I held up my hand and shook my head.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” I told him, trying to keep my tone as calm as I could. “Whatever you have to say, it’s not going to change my mind about him.”

My father’s body visibly tensed as he assessed my face.

“You are planning on staying with him?” He asked, furrowing his brows together.

“Of course, I am,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. “You don’t dictate who I see and who I don’t.”

Before he could say anything, I turned and walked out of the house. I needed to see Ivy before I left the farm because I wasn’t sure when I be back next, and I was going to miss her the most.

As I got into the stable, I heard a soft voice coming in the direction of Ivy’s stall, which made me freeze.

“I know we had a rough start. But I’m glad I got to know you. Thanks for being a good girl,” the female voice said.

I furrowed my brows together as I got closer to her stall and then to my surprise, I saw Ruby petting Ivy with a fond smile on her lips.

“Ruby?” I asked, raising my brows.

She quickly turned to face me, her eyes large and her cheeks flushed.

“Oh, hey Tess,” she chuckled. “I was just saying goodbye.”

“I can see that,” I said, giving her a smile in return as I joined her in the stall.

Ivy snorted as I approached, and I reached my hand out and pet her long and narrow nose.

“I’m going to miss you, girl,” I breathed, smiling up at my beautiful stallion.

“Did you talk to your dad?” Ruby asked, eyeing me from the corner of her eyes.

I sighed, not really wanting to talk about this.

“Not really,” I murmured. “At least not about Joseph.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, giving me a small smile.

After a little while we left the stable and went to my father’s waiting car. Our suitcases were already in the trunk, and he was waiting for us in the driver’s seat. Penny stood on the porch, smiling at me.

It was a little awkward, but I felt I needed to hug her. She did help me out with the Joseph thing after all.

“Thanks,” I said to her as I hugged her.

She was initially surprised by the hug, but after a minute she hugged me back.

“I’ll see you at your graduation,” she breathed. “Don’t let your father control who you date. I know you like this man. I don’t blame you. He’s a looker.”

I flushed at her words, but I offered her another smile as we pulled apart.

The drive to the train station was extremely quiet. Not even Ruby dared to speak. When we got to the train station, my father helped us bring our luggage to the train and to the man who was loading the luggage.

Ruby went on the train first to give me some privacy with my father. She gave him a quick hug and thanked him for his hospitality and then boarded, leaving my father and me alone.

“I wish you wouldn’t see him again, Tess,” my father said, narrowing his eyes at me. “He’s not good news. His kind is never good news.”

“That’s for me to figure out,” I said to him, giving him a quick hug. “I’ll see you at my graduation.”

I didn’t wait for him to respond; I brushed past him and went onto the train without even giving him a second look.

This was not how I thought this trip was going to end. My heart hurt knowing that my father and I weren’t on good terms. I hated fighting with him like this; we had never fought like this in all my years of being alive.

As I sat beside Ruby, she wrapped an arm through mine and offered me a small smile to reassure me that everything was going to be okay. I gave her one in return and glanced out the window.

My father stood there and stared up at me. I saw the dismay on his face and when he noticed me looking at him, our eyes met.

Something else flashed through his eyes at that moment and gave me a chill that coursed throughout my body and made me visibly shiver.

It was anger.

My father was angry.