MY SUGAR MUMMY IS A BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE

Chapter 102: Chess or checkers?

As the SUV glided smoothly into the expansive penthouse of Rose Shelly, Reggie, Gunther, and Randal stepped out, their movements precise and synchronized. The imposing structure loomed before them, a testament to Rose's wealth and power.

Down by the pool, Rose sat regally, her hat casting a shadow over her face as she reclined in her lingerie. The setting sun bathed her in a warm glow, highlighting the contours of her form as water cascaded down her sleek, black hair.

The trio approached her with deference, bowing low in acknowledgment. "My Lord," they chorused, their voices reverent.

Rose remained composed, her attention fixed on the horizon as she swirled the wine in her glass. "Yes, how did it go?" she inquired, her voice carrying an air of authority.

Reggie stepped forward, delivering his report with precision. "I think she has gotten the message. If Tessa's who she really is, then she must understand by now that we know," he stated, his tone matter-of-fact.

Rose nodded thoughtfully, considering their words. "Hmm, and no one else other than her mother and herself saw you?" she queried, her gaze finally turning to meet Reggie's.

"We actually encountered an old man by their garden, but we quickly disposed of him. So yes, we were not seen by anyone else," Reggie confirmed, his expression unwavering.

"Excellent," Rose remarked, a hint of satisfaction coloring her tone. "Let's see if this warning is enough for her. If she's smart, she would run. But I see her taking an alternative route. She may want to hit a loud gong to the world," she mused aloud, her mind already calculating the possibilities.

"We will be on her case before then," Reggie assured her, his determination evident.

"Good. I want results this time. You three have been sloppy as of late. This is your chance at redemption. Fix it!" Rose commanded, her words final as she waved them off dismissively.

Alone once more, Rose contemplated her next move, the wheels of her mind turning with calculated precision. She understood the power of fear, of leveraging the unknown to her advantage.

With Tessa now squarely in her sights, Rose knew she had the upper hand. But she couldn't afford to underestimate her adversary, not when the stakes were this high.

She sat contemplating her next move.Already the seeds were planted. One thing she understood was that human's were afraid of the unknown.It explained the fear and hatred they harbored for her.

She had figured out after trailing Josh to Tessa's apartment a night ago that Tessa was related to this Josh guy in some way and after doing her own digging, she realized, Josh, Becky and Tessa were all seemingly together.Except, Tessa was the unwitting pawn in the entire game as she was being used by Josh.Now that she identified who her enemies were she knew how to strategize better.

But with all that had happened lately, she had to thread carefully. Not for her sake but for Blake's sake.She didn't want to do anything rash that would implicate him further which was why she sent her three trusted aides to Tessa's house.

"Tessa Morgan. Your father was a great man. It's a pity...the road you are threading now is what got him killed. Hmmm...I hope you know what you are up against," Rose took a sip of her wine and proceeded to jump in her lavish pool.

*********

Tessa paced nervously in her mother's living room, her mind swirling with doubts and fears. Finally, unable to contain her unease any longer, she reached for her phone and dialed Josh's number.

Josh was lounging comfortably in Becky's bed, basking in the afterglow of their tryst, when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, a hint of annoyance flickering across his features before he answered.

"Speak of the cry baby with Daddy issues," he whispered to Becky before answering the call.

"Hey, Tess, what's up?"

"Josh, something's not right," Tessa blurted out as soon as Josh picked up. "You won't believe what just happened. Three men came to visit Mom claiming to be Dad's old colleagues. They were strange, Josh, like they were hiding something."

Josh's relaxed demeanor instantly shifted, his muscles tensing as he processed Tessa's words. "Wait, what? Three men? What did they want?"

"They said they were Dad's colleagues, but I don't buy it. Something about them just feels off," Tessa continued, her voice tinged with concern.

Josh's mind raced, scrambling to make sense of the situation. "Uh, yeah, that does sound weird. I mean, I've never heard of them. Do you think they're involved in something shady?"

"I don't know, Josh, but I have a bad feeling about this," Tessa replied, her voice trembling slightly. "I think they're hiding something, and if they are, we could be in way over our heads."

With a heavy sigh, Josh nodded, the weight of uncertainty pressing down upon him. "Okay, Tess. I'll come over right now. We need to figure out what's going on."

As the call ended, Josh's mind spun with conflicting emotions. Guilt gnawed at his conscience, threatening to consume him as he grappled with the realization that Tessa's suspicions could unravel everything they had worked so hard to achieve.

As he gathered his things to leave Becky's apartment, he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at his conscience. What if Tessa's suspicions led to their secrets being exposed? What if their carefully constructed facade crumbled under the weight of her scrutiny?

But as Josh relayed the gist of his conversation with Tessa to Becky, a spark of opportunity ignited in his mind. A small voice in the back of his mind whispered a tantalizing possibility "Maybe I can use this to our advantage," he mused aloud, his voice tinged with a hint of excitement.

Becky's eyes gleamed with anticipation as she listened to Josh's plan unfold. "Yes, Josh, that's brilliant," she exclaimed, her voice dripping with malice. "We can turn Tessa's doubts against her, make her question her own sanity. And in the end, she'll be the one left feeling like a fool."

The pair shared a wicked laugh, reveling in the prospect of manipulating Tessa's emotions for their own gain. "Justice for daddy, indeed," Becky quipped, a cruel smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

Josh hastily bid Becky goodbye and made his way to Tessa's house, his mind consumed with thoughts of how to navigate the precarious situation unfolding before him.

Meanwhile, Tessa anxiously awaited Josh's arrival, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation. As the minutes ticked by, she found herself lost in a whirlwind of doubt and suspicion, questioning everything she thought she knew about the people around her.

When Josh finally arrived, Tessa greeted him at the door with a sense of urgency. "Josh, I'm so glad you're here," she said, her voice tinged with anxiety. "We need to talk."

Josh forced a reassuring smile, masking the turmoil churning within him. "Of course, Tess. What's on your mind?"

Taking a deep breath, Tessa recounted the unsettling encounter with the three mysterious men who had visited her mother earlier that day. She described the strange aura that surrounded them, the chilling sensation she felt when shaking their hands, and the nagging sense of unease that lingered long after they had left.

As Tessa spoke, Josh's mind raced, searching for a way to steer the conversation away from the dangerous territory she was treading. "Wow, that does sound intense," he said, feigning concern. "But maybe you're just overthinking things, Tess. I mean, it's not uncommon for people to come out of the woodwork claiming to know your dad, right?"

Tessa's brow furrowed in frustration. "I know it sounds crazy, Josh, but there was something off about them. And I can't shake this feeling that they're connected to something bigger, something dangerous."

Josh's facade wavered for a moment, a flicker of panic betraying his usual composed demeanor. "Tess, listen to me," he said, his tone pleading. "You're letting your imagination run wild. We don't have any proof that these guys are up to no good. Let's just forget about them and focus on more important things, okay?"

Tessa hesitated, torn between her gut instincts and the soothing reassurances of her longtime friend. But deep down, she knew that ignoring her suspicions would only lead to more trouble down the line.

"Josh, I can't just brush this off," she said firmly, her resolve hardening. "I need to find out who those men are and what they're hiding. And if you won't help me, then I'll do it on my own."

A flicker of frustration flashed across Josh's face, quickly masked by a forced smile. "Fine, Tess. If that's what you want, I'll help you," he said, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "But promise me you won't go looking for trouble. We'll figure this out together, okay?"

Tessa nodded, though she couldn't shake the feeling that Josh unusually assured. Too calm even. She knew him to be a bigger coward than this and would flee from trouble but he was being supportive and strangely self assured. Or was it all because their dynamics had changed and they were now lovers? Was he trying to play the stereotypical "Brave man in face of the storm" with her?

Or was he hiding something from her.

But for now, she pushed aside her doubts, determined to uncover the truth no matter the cost.

As they settled in to discuss their next steps, neither of them noticed the shadowy figure lurking in the darkness outside Tessa's window, watching their every move with cold, calculating eyes.