Tessa came out of the black limousine, she had to report back to her father before she goes to her room, she already knew what to tell him, nothing but the truth actually.
She entered the living room, and she saw her father close to the wine cabinet, he was facing the wine rack, and a glass of wine was in his right hand.
Tessa stopped in her tracks, seeing her father drinking alone made her remember her grandfather.
Anytime her father was available in the house, he would always be having a drink with her grandfather, that was the only thing he did when he was free, and sometimes she stayed in between them and heard some adventure stories from her grandfather.
Tessa threw the thought away and approached her father, she wanted to say something when Sir Mateo sounded.
"Do you have any idea what your actions might or would cause us"
Tessa was dumbfounded, she had no idea what her father was talking about.
What action? What did she do?
Mateo turned to face Tessa, his expression was deadly, and he roared upon facing her.
"How could you! How could you leave a ninth-star king of war and go for a low-life bumpkin kid, a mere private in the military? Do you have any idea what you just did"
Tessa's face darkened, her father knew already, and it was definitely Jeremy who informed him.
Thinking about it made Tessa's eyebrows push down to her eyes.
Sir Mateo pointed at Tessa.
"You have just angered a king of war, a king of war could bring down an entire family overnight. Do you have any idea the power they possess, do you? Answer me!!!"
Tessa tightened her shaking fists, her eyes were wet a little, she didn't want to argue or have this kind of conversation with her father.
He didn't know what happened, all he knew was that she rejected a king of war, explaining it to him would be difficult now, he would not listen, she knew him too well.
He hadn't changed one bit.
Tessa responded in a shaking voice.
"Because he is a king of war, I am supposed to jog around him like a fool, obey his every command like it's God's words"
She raised her voice.
"He tried to take advantage of me, I only did what was best for myself"
Mateo's face darkened more, his ugly expression wasn't going away.
"Why the Private?. you could've choose anybody else, why the goddam Private, do you know the humiliation you caused the king of war and the problem you have brought to our family!! Do you even care about this family, do you?
"Are you part of this family or are you an intruder? Who are you, Tessa? which side do you belong to, make your stands clear now!"
Tessa's breath was vibrating, she hated to be misunderstood, to be misjudged and dictated for. She took a deep breath before she answered.
"Why the Private?"
Tessa laughed silently and continued.
"Because while everybody's legs were shaking, he was standing tall. He wasn't scared like the rest. That is exactly the kind of man I want, and if I remember correctly, grandfather didn't say I have to marry a king of war or a head commander or commander. He said, marry someone from the military"
Several lines were displayed on Sir Mateo's forehead, Tessa's words exploded the anger inside him, he couldn't stand Tessa's face anymore.
"Get out"
He threw the glass of wine away and roared.
"Get out!!!"
Tessa stared at her father for a while before she faced the doorway, she didn't want to have this kind of conversation with her father, not after everything that had happened, her grandfather's death, she disappearing for three years. Now she just want to be close to her father.
She was the only person in his life now, although their relationship wasn't all that smooth in the first place, but with a little understanding, anything could work out.
Tessa stopped close to the door.
"Father, you don't have to worry about me. I know what happened, and I know what needs to be done"
She faced her father and continued.
"I promise I will lead this family back to its initial height. If there is a problem because of the king of war incident, you should let me know, I am the heir to this family. I would take responsibilities for my actions"
Mateo's forehead folded completely, he sat on the chair in the wine rack, his eyes moved to the floor, he didn't hate Tessa or anything, he just wanted to guide her properly.
She had no idea how the world works.
If Tessa continued to make silly mistakes like this, she would not be able to control the family elders, they would turn against her in the future.
"It's one thing to be a leader, and it's another thing to be a respected one. A symbol"
Sir Mateo looked at Tessa.
"Every decision you take would not only affect you but the family too. If you are going to be a respected leader, you must put the family first before yourself"
Tessa nodded to her father's words.
"I won't let grandfather down"
She walked away, she came out of the main house, and Jeremy was standing close to the door. He wanted to say something when Tessa shot him a deadly glare, she walked past him without taking another look at him.
Tessa came back to the room where she was imprisoned last time, she understood her father, and she wouldn't let her grandfather down for allowing her to lead the family.
She must marry a high-ranking officer in the military to raise the family. She had to get married before her grandfather's commemoration ceremony, which was a month from now.
Tessa entered the room and shut the door locked, she remembered Klaus, although her grandfather didn't state that she must marry a high-ranked person in the military, but marrying a low-ranked one would be a downgrade.
She would lose the family's respect, and so with other families' respect, they might even become a laughingstock in the community.
Tessa faced the mirror in the room, there was a reason her grandfather didn't choose to give it out to the family elders or her uncle.
He could've given her father, but it wouldn't be right, because her father and her uncle equally deserved the position, so her grandfather gave it to her, meaning he saw something.
Her grandfather made a bold decision.
The Wood family have so many enemies according to Jeremy, no matter what, for her safety, and for the family, she would not be able to marry a low-ranked person.
'It has to be a high-ranked person'