Chapter 189

Tessa’s POV

“Let me drive you home.”

My entire body tensed when a deep voice sounded from behind me. I slowly turned to see Joseph standing before me. That same concern lingered in his eyes as he stared around my tear-soaked features.

“I’ll call Ruby,” I whispered, dropping my gaze from his.

“I don’t want you standing out here in the cold,” he said, his frown deepening. “Let me drive you, Tessa.”

As much as I wanted to argue, I also really didn’t want to have to explain to Ruby why I was so upset. I knew she would ask me questions about why I was crying and what Joseph did to upset me now. Truth be told, I wasn’t upset with Joseph for sharing this information with me. I was upset about the situation.

I was upset that I was left in the dark my entire life about who my mother truly was. I was upset with my father for lying to me about how she actually died.

I was upset that I didn’t know I had a witch lineage.

“We don’t have to talk,” Joseph added as if I needed more convincing.

“Okay,” I managed to muster.

He looked relieved and he gave me a faint smile.

“Okay,” he repeated, sighing.

On that note, he turned in the direction of his car and I followed at a distance behind him. I kept my head down as if lifting it was too much effort. It was too much effort. My entire body was screaming at me to slow down.

My heart ached painfully in my chest.

How was I going to get through these next couple of weeks with my head as clouded as it was? There was no way I was going to get through these exams.

I slid into the passenger seat of Joseph’s car, and he slid into the driver’s seat. I was grateful that he turned on the radio and soon the car was filled with a melody that put my mind at ease. I leaned back in my seat and gazed out the window. I watched as the villa grew smaller in the distance and then the many buildings and trees whipped past us as Joseph drove down the road.

He kept his promise and didn’t make me speak. I felt bad that I was keeping him in the dark about what I was thinking and feeling. But the truth was, I didn’t know what I was feeling. I wanted to let him in, but I wasn’t sure how to do that when I couldn’t even tell myself what I was feeling.

I glanced over at him, and I saw that his hands were at 10 and 2. He was clutching the steering wheel tightly to a point where his knuckles had gone white, and I saw him clenching and unclenching his jaw.

There were so many things he wanted to say, but I knew he couldn’t get the words out. He was trying desperately to keep his promise.

I turned my head and gazed back out the window as more tears sprang free from my eyes and soaked my features. I didn’t know what I was going to do.

Was I going to call my father? Would he tell me the truth if I told him that I already knew?

Who was this coven my mother was part of? The lunar Coven. I had never heard of it before in my life.

It didn’t take long before we reached my apartment building. Joseph stopped the car out front and put the car in the park.

We both sat there for what felt like an eternity; both of us silent with a million unspoken words lying thick in the air.

“I had a nice evening…” I managed to whisper.

Joseph glanced at me, seemingly surprised. His brows were raised, and his lips were pressed together in a thin line.

“I did too,” he finally said after a short pause. “Can I call you?”

It was such a simple question and hearing it from Joseph’s lips actually made a smile tug at the corner of my mouth.

I nodded my head once.

“Of course,” I said to him, meeting his eyes. “I’m not mad at you,” I found myself saying.

I think it was something I needed to say and something he needed to hear. He needed to know that I wasn’t upset with him. This wasn’t the end of our story. I was still very much in love with this man, and I needed him to know.

He gave me a faint smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I love you,” he finally said and for the first time since leaving his house, I felt like I could breathe.

It’s amazing how three little words can affect my heart in such a way and open a passage of air and light.

“I love you too,” I whispered.

He looked relieved as well and this time, he reached his hand over to my face and ran his fingers down my cheek, leaving goosebumps in place of his touch. I closed my eyes, leaning into his warm touch and wanting so much more of him.

I was suddenly regretting cutting our evening short. But I also knew that I needed time to think about all that I had learned this evening. I needed a minute to really grasp my new reality and figure out what my next steps are going to be.

Joseph leaned in and brushed his lips across mine. His warm breath hit my features and took my own breath away. I closed my eyes and allowed for his kiss to soothe and comfort my entire body. My heart skipped a beat as he deepened the kiss, still cupping my cheek in his hand.

Words couldn’t express how much I loved him.

The kiss ended and when he pulled back, I was feeling cold and alone. He looked less worried now, but I knew he still had a lot of questions in his mind. Questions I wasn’t sure how to answer right now, so I didn’t.

“I should go inside,” I whispered.

He was hesitant, but he nodded.

I leaned toward him and kissed him gently on the cheek. He closed his eyes and basked in my nearness. I loved that I had this effect on him; it was the same effect that he had on me.

“Goodnight,” I said to him as I opened the car door.

“Goodnight,” he said in return.

With those words left in the air, I got out of his car and walked toward the front door of the apartment complex.

I turned back and saw Joseph watching me. I knew he wasn’t going to drive away until I was securely inside. I smiled at him and used my key to get into the front entrance. As soon as the door shut behind me, I heard his car driving away.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, and more tears sprang from my eyes.

It felt like a long walk upstairs and into my apartment. As much as I loved spending time with Joseph at his villa, I was glad to be home. I needed to be home after the day that I had.

I went into my room and saw the makeup that was still scattered across my vanity from when I was getting dressed. I glanced at the clock and my eyes widened when I saw that it was just past 1 am.

Tomorrow was our review day and then every day this week was going to be exams. My stomach lurched at the thought of these exams. I spent a lot of time studying with Ruby in the library, but with everything that’s been happening these last few days, with my father’s farm and Joseph and me getting back together. Now this new information concerns my mother. I was suddenly feeling less prepared and sicker to my stomach.

I wanted to call my father and ask him about all of this, but I was way too late to do so. He usually got up early, so I would have to call him first thing in the morning, or I was never going to get through this week.

I stripped off my clothes and put my pajamas on. I threw my hair in a messy bun and then curled up in bed.

I knew after tomorrow after I spoke to my father, everything was going to be different. My life was never going to be the same again.

…..

The next morning.

“Hello?” My father’s familiar voice said on the other end of the phone.

My heart was racing in my chest and my palms were suddenly very clammy. It was 6 am and I knew my father had been awake for the past hour. He liked starting his day at 5 am. I was running on only a couple of hours of sleep, but that was to be expected after the night I had.

“Hey, Dad,” I said, my voice low. I don’t think I could speak any louder if I tried.

“Hey, Tess. Everything okay?” He asked, hesitantly.

“I have a question and I want to know the truth,” I said in a breath.

He was quiet for a long while and for a moment, I feared that I lost connection.

“Dad?” I said slowly.

“Yeah, sorry. What’s up?” He asked, sounding worried.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“It’s about Mom,” I said, my voice dropping to only a whisper.

He was quiet again and I knew different thoughts were probably racing in his head.

“What about your mother?” He finally asked.

I swallowed; my hands trembling and my stomach turning.

“Was….” I paused, unsure of how to ask this. I guess I should just ask and get it over with. I took a deep breath and tried again. “Was mom a witch?”