A Name To The Face
Tessa sat curled up on the couch, a half eaten slice of toast and an empty cereal bowl abandoned on the coffee table. She never believed she'll be raising a baby without a father.
The TV droned in the background, a morning talk show she really enjoyed. She had barely slept the night before. Her body ached.
“....and up next, our special guest. Billionaire real estate mogul Damien Holt, fresh off a record breaking deal in Midtown…”
The name didn't ring a bell. But just as she was about to look elsewhere, she froze.
Tessa's breath hitched.
The face looked familiar, it was the face of Mr Stranger from the club. There's finally a name to the face.
And there he was in a perfectly tailored suit, smiling at the cameras. Damien Holt, the man whose name she never knew until now. The father of her baby.
The host’s voice rang out. “.....Damien Holt accompanied by his personal assistant, Evelyn Crest.”
The camera shot at the most beautiful blonde she's ever seen. Her hair tied up in a sleek bun, she turned to acknowledge the host.
Picking up her phone, Tessa dialed Maya’s number.
“Hey girl, how's our baby doing?” Maya said through the speaker, teasing as always.
“Guess who's on TV.”
“Barrack Obama? How I'm I supposed to know that?” Maya blurted out.
Tessa smiled to herself. Maya was a handful.
“It's the stranger I met at the club.”
“You mean the stranger you had sex with, without protection and the one who's responsible for your accidental pregnancy?” Maya was pushing it, she knew she was getting on Tessa’s nerves, and she loved it.
“Whatever,” Tessa responded, unfazed. “He's on TV, and this is where it gets interesting, he is a billionaire!”
“Girllllll, I knew you were going to change our lives. So when do I quit my job? I mean I can do that now, because we are rich.” She squealed. “I'm almost done here, would you like me to grab anything for you on my way?”
“Tiramisu chocolate ice cream, please.”
Maya rolled her eyes.
.
.
.
.
Both ladies sank into the couch. Maya's fingers were already flying across her screen, searching up Damien Holt.
As Maya typed in his name, her screen exploded with glossy photos of the young billionaire. There wasn't a single bad picture of him, and under some of those pictures were intriguing headlines. But one article caught their attention.
“Utah's Most Desired Bachelor: Damien Holt is the most sought after young billionaire bachelor in Utah, the successful….”
Maya let out a low whistle, and she turned to look at Tessa who hadn't said a word.
“Are you okay?”
“No,” she responded. “I'm not okay, it was easier having to carry this baby without knowing who its father was, but right now I feel worse, knowing who he is and not being able to tell him.”
“You've got to be kidding me,” Maya muttered in disbelief. “Who said you won't be able to tell him? Girl, this baby deserves to have a father in its life. You have to tell him.”
“How am I supposed to do that? I can't just go back to the club, hoping he'll come again and then tell him I'm carrying his child. What if he doesn't remember me?”
“Of course he will. You'll go to his company tomorrow, and have a conversation with him. He deserves to know. I would have really loved to come with you, but you know my boss won't let me leave the office.” Maya said as she patted her back, still locked in a hug.
Tessa hugged her back as she wondered what she's done to deserve a friend like Maya.
“Come on let's get you fed. I got the ice cream.”
The sound of ice cream immediately improved her mood.
“Do you think he'll accept the baby?” Tessa asked, following Maya into the kitchen.
“Does he have a choice? He’ll be crazy not to.” Maya stopped, turning to face her friend. “Stop overthinking, everything is going to be fine.”
.
.
.
.
The sound of the alarm went off, Tessa couldn't sleep, so she stood up and got ready for today.
Walking into the kitchen, she took out the pan and prepared pancakes for breakfast. Her nerves were all over the place, as she thought of how Damien would react to the pregnancy.
He barely knew her, for all he knew she was a fling, so showing up in front of his office would only make her seem desperate.
All these thoughts were going through her head that she didn't realize her pancakes were burning. The fire alarm startled her, and she immediately took down the pan, turning off the alarm.
The feel of hot water on her skin, eased her tensed muscles a bit. She stepped out of the shower, when she heard her phone ring.
Standing outside The Holt Consortium, Tessa's eyes climbed its endless height. The bold letters on the revolving doors practically shouted his name.
She felt so small and invisible.
Beyond that door held not just answers, but the risk of being dismissed and humiliated, again.
Walking up to the reception, after the polite young lady at the front desk took her name, she asked her if she had an appointment, Tessa knew seeing him without an appointment was almost impossible.
Just as she was about to turn back, she saw the blonde lady from the news. She couldn't remember the name, but she knew that it was Damien Holt's personal assistant. The one with the perfect face.
Before the lady at the front desk could stop her, Tessa was already half way up. Breathless and exhausted, she walked down to Evelyn Crest, who was about to enter yet another office that looked like her whole apartment. She knew that was his office.
“Hello,” Tessa smiled, waving at her. She looked flawless, and her body was fire. These are the kind of girls men like Damien go for, not girls like her.
“And who are you?” The blonde lady asked, she looked irritated.
“I'm here to see Mr. Holt.”
“What for?”
“It's something private, and I'd love to talk to him alone please.”
“Unfortunately you'll have to talk to me because he's busy.”
Tessa was already fed up with this bitchy blonde.
“I think it's better I talk to him, because I'm carrying his child.” Tessa snapped.
But whoever this b*tch was, she wasn't fazed. This wasn't the first time she was hearing this.
“Of course you are, wait here.” She walked into his private office.
Tessa could hear their conversation.
She didn't hear what the lady said, but she could hear Damien's angry voice.
“What? Now ask her to leave. All the ladies I sleep with always claim to be pregnant, I've lost count. And I don't know any Tessa, if whoever this woman is doesn't leave here, call the security.” He yelled. “And whoever let her up here is fired.”
Tessa heard footsteps, and almost immediately Evelyn appeared.
Tessa couldn't see clearly, the tears were making her vision blurry. She knew coming here was the worst decision of her life.