His Unveiled Passion

It wasn't until that moment that Zachary seemed to realize Tessa was still there. As if snapping out of a daze, he quickly withdrew his arm from around Wendy's waist and stepped back, distancing himself by a couple of paces.

Noticing the shift in his gaze, Zachary's friends finally registered Tessa's presence. They jumped in quickly, eager to defuse the growing tension.

"Alright, let's keep going. Wendy, if your stomach's acting up, you don't have to drink. If you lose, we'll switch to Truth or Dare instead."

"Great idea. Truth or Dare, it is!"

After steadying himself, Zachary returned to the couch.

He was expecting Tessa to react-perhaps show some jealousy or make a scene, but to his surprise, she said nothing.

Her indifference unsettled him, a nagging unease creeping into his mind.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Tessa was somehow different from how she used to be.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them.

Just as Zachary was about to say something, the teasing voices from across the room interrupted him. "Wendy, you lost again! Truth or dare?"

Zachary's attention snapped back to Wendy, his eyes locking onto hers.

"I choose Dare."

Wendy turned to face him, her gaze meeting his as she flashed a playful, enigmatic smile.

"Alright, here are the dares," someone called out, holding up a stack of paper slips. "Go ahead and pick one!"

Wendy casually grabbed a slip, and as the person unfolded it, his eyes widened in disbelief.

He shot a nervous glance between Wendy, Zachary, and Tessa.

A curious woman leaned in to take a look. "What does it say? Let me see!"

She gasped loudly, clearly shocked by what was written on the note.

A wave of curiosity spread through the group.

"What did it say?"

"Come on, tell us! What's on the note?"

"Randomly choose someone of the opposite sex and kiss them," the man read aloud, his eyes darting toward Zachary.

The moment Zachary heard those words, his face froze.

A chill seemed to fall over the room as if the temperature had dropped.

Wendy, however, acted as if nothing had changed. With a carefree smile, she stood up and walked over to a handsome man standing nearby.

"Andy, would you mind if I kissed you?" she asked.

Andy Lennon glanced at Zachary, whose face was twisted in a storm of anger. He froze, barely daring to exhale.

Ignoring the tense silence, Wendy leaned in closer, slipping her arms around Andy's neck as if the kiss was inevitable.

"That's enough!" Zachary's voice boomed through the room.

Unable to tolerate it any longer, he seized Wendy's hand and stormed out of the room, pulling her along. The others exchanged nervous glances, and soon, all eyes turned to Tessa, full of sympathy.

Unfazed, Tessa took a sip of the juice on the table, flashing a casual smile. "What are you all staring at?" The others quickly turned away, pretending to focus on their drinks or conversations, acting as if nothing had happened.

As Tessa drank her juice, a coldness settled in her heart with each passing moment.

In her mind, Zachary had always been calm and composed, as if nothing could ever disturb him. This was the first time she had seen him lose control so completely.

Once her glass was empty, Tessa stood up and headed toward the restroom.

Through the door, she could hear the voices of several women chatting near the sink outside.

"Zachary's really lost it! I can't believe he left his girlfriend here and took off with Wendy."

"Looks like Wendy's the one he cares about most."

"Yeah, did you see his face? When Wendy was about to kiss Andy, Zachary looked absolutely terrifying."

"I saw it. Her girlfriend is really pitiful, having to watch her boyfriend fall apart over another woman right in front of her."

"Poor thing. It's obvious she's just there to fill the spot."

"Honestly, I think Zachary and Tessa are on their way out. It's pretty clear he's in love with Wendy." "Yeah, I think-"

Suddenly, the woman froze, her gaze meeting Tessa's reflection as she stepped out of one of the restroom stalls.

The other two women noticed Tessa too. Without another word, they quickly lowered their heads and hurried out of the restroom.

Tessa approached the mirror, washing her hands with an air of composure. Indeed, she and Zachary were likely nearing the end of their relationship.

However, it wouldn't be because he had decided it, or because he didn't want her anymore.

It would be because she didn't love him anymore and because she no longer wanted him.

...

By the time Tessa got back to Zachary's villa, it was already past 11:00 pm.

She was completely drained. After a quick shower, she crawled into bed and fell asleep almost instantly. Zachary didn't come home until the next afternoon.

When he opened the bedroom door, his gaze immediately fell on a suitcase sprawled open on the floor. "What's this about?" he asked, confusion flickering across his face.

Tessa peeked out from behind the wardrobe. "You're back. I'm planning to head home for a bit."

Over the past two years, she had collected quite a bit-clothes, shoes, and various odds and ends. While some things weren't worth taking back to Rivertown, everything still had to be sorted, packed, or thrown away.

By the time she left, there would be nothing left of her here.

As soon as she finished speaking, Tessa's gaze fell on the unmistakable red marks on Zachary's neck. She paused for a moment, then quickly averted her eyes, pretending she hadn't seen them at all. She had already given up on Zachary.

What he did with anyone else didn't matter to her anymore.

Zachary frowned as he processed her words. "Why the sudden urge to go back home? Are you still upset about last night? Is this your way of avoiding me?"

"No, I just miss my parents and want to visit them."

His frown softened at her response. "I guess going home for a visit isn't such a bad idea."

In the three years they'd been together, Tessa had never returned home.

Even during the holidays, she spent them alone.

Zachary had never once skipped the New Year with his family to be with her, nor had he ever taken her home for the holidays.

He knew his mother, Yanis Morgenstern, would never accept a woman without a solid family background. After a brief pause, he spoke again. "I've been really busy lately, so I won't be able to go with you. When's your flight? I'll have the chauffeur take you to the airport."

Tessa picked out a few of her favorite clothes and laid them neatly on the bed. She folded each piece meticulously before packing them into her suitcase.

"It's okay. I'll call a ride. Someone will be there to pick me up."

At her response, Zachary couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He had been worried she might ask him to go with her to meet her parents.

They had been together for three years now, and for most couples, it would be the time to meet each

other's families and start discussing marriage.

Zachary was not like most people, though. He was the only child of the Gomez family and the sole heir to the Gomez Group.

The rift between their families was a gulf too wide to ever be crossed.

Zachary knew there could never be a future for him and Tessa.

With that in mind, meeting her parents was unnecessary.

Thankfully, Tessa understood this as well and didn't press him to accompany her.

With that thought, Zachary couldn't help but silently appreciate Tessa's understanding and composure once again.

Last night, he had left her and gone off with Wendy on a whim, expecting Tessa to be upset and create a scene today.

But to his surprise, she remained calm and didn't cause any trouble, easing the situation for him.

In the three years they had been together, Tessa was never like other women. She didn't monitor his

every move, nor did she start arguments when he spent time with other women.

At that moment, his best friend's voice echoed in his mind.

"Just juggle both of them. If you feel bad about Tessa, buy her some gifts to make it up to her. Women are pretty easy to win over, you know."

Maybe he could marry Wendy and keep Tessa as his secret lover.

After all, a man like him-privileged and from a well-established family-was a rarity. An ordinary woman like Tessa might never have the chance to meet someone like him again.

Given how deeply Tessa loved him, there was no way she would walk away.

Nonetheless, Zachary decided it would be best to wait until she returned from her hometown to have a proper conversation.

"Stay safe on your way back. Let me know when you get home, and when you're back in Haverford, just give me a call-I'll come pick you up," he said.

Tessa looked down, her voice barely above a whisper as she replied, "Okay."

However, in her heart, she knew she wouldn't be returning.

Just as Zachary was about to say something else, his phone rang.

He answered the call.

A few minutes later, he ended the call and turned to Tessa. "I need to step out for a bit. About last night, I

was in the wrong. I shouldn't have left you there alone. I got you a gift, and my assistant will bring it over soon."

Tessa replied distantly, "Okay."

Without another word, Zachary turned and left.

Not long after he was gone, she received a message from Stephen.