Noticing Tessa's discomfort, Stephen offered gently, "Take a look around and let me know if you need anything. I'm heading upstairs to take a shower."

"Wait," Tessa called out.

He paused and turned around. "What is it?"

She opened her backpack and handed him a bottle of milk. "Stephen, could you have this tested? I think something's wrong with it."

His expression tightened as he looked at the bottle. "Do you think someone's trying to hurt you?"

She nodded solemnly. "I think so, but I'm not sure. It's better to be cautious."

"Alright, I'll take care of it."

Stephen pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Come here. I have something for you to take care of," he said curtly before walking away and disappearing around the corner.

Tessa let out a quiet breath, finally able to relax.

When she had handed him the milk, their eyes had met. His dark, intense gaze had made her heart skip a

Milk frothed on Tessa's lips, creating a striking image.

Stephen's gaze flickered, his eyes darkening slightly before he quickly looked away. His Adam's apple bobbed as he cleared his throat, awkwardly murmuring, "Get some sleep. Goodnight."

Without waiting for her response, he turned and strode toward the stairs.

Oblivious to his inner turmoil, Tessa simply looked away and continued sipping her milk.

The next morning, Stephen knocked on Tessa's door, before her alarm even went off. "Tess, time to get up."

Tessa opened her eyes, reached for her phone beneath her pillow, and checked the time. It was 9:59 am.

Perfect timing.

After getting ready, she came downstairs to find breakfast already set on the table.

It was a simple but hearty plate of a big breakfast.

She took a bite, and her eyes lit up in surprise. "This tastes exactly like the place near our law firm!"

Stephen, seated

After hanging up the phone, Tessa reflected on the events of the evening.

Why would Wendy sneak into her room while she was showering? It couldn't have been for the innocent reason that Wendy had claimed. The woman must have had some other motive.

Tessa began to pace around the room, scrutinizing her belongings. Everything seemed in place, except for the broken porcelain doll.

Then, her gaze landed on the glass of milk on the nightstand.

She had a habit of drinking a warm glass of milk before bed.

The maid had prepared the milk before Tessa showered, ready for her to enjoy later. The porcelain doll had been placed there too, before it was broken.

Since Wendy was the one who had shattered the doll, it seemed she'd been near the nightstand when she entered the room.

That meant it was very likely Wendy had tampered with the milk.

Stephen arrived in Haverford three hours later.

By the time Tessa received his call, he was already on his way to the Evergreen Villa.

At that moment, she was hauling bags of unwanted items to the villa's garbage bins.

"Stephen, I won't be staying here tonight," she mentioned, walking toward the villa while still on the phone. 

There were still more things to throw out, and with the maid off duty, she had decided to handle it herself.

Stephen simply replied, "Okay."

"Have you booked a hotel?" Tessa asked.

He then named a hotel.

"Alright, I'll book a room there too. We can meet later. You don't need to come here. Just head straight to the hotel."

She planned to finish packing and leave the villa that night.

It was time to say goodbye to Zachary.

Tessa placed her suitcase in the trunk and pulled out her phone to book a room, only to discover that the hotel was fully booked.

It turned out there was a major exam at a nearby school the next day, and almost every hotel within a few kilometers was already taken.

After some searching, she found only one budget motel with an available room. Tessa scrolled through the reviews and grimaced at both the photos and the negative comments.

One of the reviews read, "The soundproofing is awful. I couldn't sleep a wink because I could hear the couple next door so clearly. It felt like they were broadcasting live in my room."

Tessa understood.

She had a court hearing scheduled for 3:00 pm the following afternoon, and the drive there would take about three hours. Considering the time she needed to pack, shower, and have lunch, she had to be up by 10:00 am at the latest.

It was already 11:00 pm, and she was supposed to meet Stephen soon. She didn't have much time to rest.

If any noise disturbed her sleep during the night, she would definitely feel drowsy the next day.

After a brief moment of thought, she sent Stephen a message. "The hotel is fully booked, and all the nearby ones are too. Can you help me book a room, Stephen?"

While the regular rooms at those high-end hotels were all taken, they usually reserved luxury suites for VIPs.

After all, Stephen was the scion of the Jacobson family and the CEO of Jacobson Corporation, so booking a room would be easy for him.

He replied almost immediately. "My room is a duplex penthouse with two bedrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. If you don't mind, you're welcome to stay with me for the night."

Tessa hesitated for a moment.

It had been over three years since she'd seen Stephen. Wasn't it too soon to be moving in together right after reconnecting?

However, where else could she find a place at this hour?

A duplex didn't seem like a bad idea. There were two separate rooms—one upstairs and one downstairs.

After a few minutes of contemplation, Tessa decided it was the best option.

Just as she was about to start the car, a message from Zachary popped up.

He had sent a few photos. Wendy's hand was wrapped in layers of bandages, and the injury looked serious.

"Tessa, you've gone too far this time. Come to the hospital and apologize to Dee Dee immediately. I won't forgive you unless you do. You can still stay in the villa if you do as I say."

Tessa sneered, didn't reply, and simply blocked and deleted Zachary's number.

At the hospital, Zachary stared at the bright red exclamation mark flashing on his phone screen. His expression was cold, his face dark.

"Tessa has enabled friend verification. You are not his/her friend. Please send a friend verification request. Once the request is accepted, you can chat. Send the friend verification."

Tessa had actually blocked him!

His eyebrows twitched, and a surge of anger bubbled inside him.

She had changed, and now she even knew how to block people.

Wendy, lying in the hospital bed, noticed his gloomy expression and couldn't help but ask, "Zachary, what's wrong?"

Zachary quickly masked his emotions and replied coldly, "Nothing."

She didn't ask any more questions. Her beautiful eyes remained fixed on him as she feigned a fragile expression. "Zachary, is my hand ruined? Will I ever be able to play the piano again?"

Wendy had studied piano at a prestigious music academy abroad. Before returning home, she had started a short video account on a popular platform and gained over a million followers, making her a well-known internet celebrity.

Upon hearing her words, Zachary's expression softened, and a hint of sympathy and affection appeared in his eyes. "No, the doctor said it's just a superficial wound. No tendons or bones were damaged. It'll heal in a few days."

Wendy looked sad, her eyes brimming with tears. "Really? Zachary, you're not just saying that to comfort me, are you?"

He gently ruffled her hair. "No, I'm not."

She looked up into Zachary's eyes, her voice trembling. "Zachary, what if... my injury is worse than we thought, and I can never play the piano again? Would you ever forgive Tessa?"

Zachary's gaze was intense, his voice unwavering. "Don't say that. Even with your current injury, I won't forgive her unless she apologizes. And if you really can't play the piano anymore, I'll make her pay."

Tears welled up in Wendy's eyes as she leaned her head against his shoulder, her voice soft. "Zachary, I knew you were the best for me."

Zachary wrapped his arms around her, but his mind drifted to Tessa.

Had he been too harsh when he told her he never wanted to see her again at the villa?

However, she had hurt Wendy first, and it was her fault!

She had blocked him, probably expecting him to chase after her and beg for her forgiveness. This time, he refused to, though.

…

Tessa stepped into the hotel lobby and immediately spotted Stephen.

Dressed in a black shirt and pants, he exuded an air of elegance. His broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, and sharp features made him as handsome as ever.

Beside him stood a man in a suit, slightly shorter, who seemed to be his assistant.

As soon as Stephen saw her, he walked over to her and took her suitcase. "Tess, are you alright?"

She pursed her lips and responded softly, "I'm fine."

"Mr. Jacobson, I'll take my leave now," the assistant said respectfully.

Stephen nodded in acknowledgment.

The suite on the top floor of the five-star hotel was luxuriously appointed, offering a panoramic view of Haverford. From the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city's glittering night lights were a sight to behold.

"Tess, would you prefer the upstairs or downstairs room?"

Tessa felt a little nervous and awkward at the thought of sharing a room with such a handsome man. "I'm fine with either," she stammered, trying to keep her composure.

She thought she heard a soft chuckle but didn't dare meet Stephen's gaze. In a deep, soothing voice, he responded, "Then, you can take the upstairs room. Call me if you need anything."

A blush spread across Tessa's cheeks as she nodded. "Okay."

Noticing Tessa's discomfort, Stephen offered gently, "Take a look around and let me know if you need anything. I'm heading upstairs to take a shower."

"Wait," Tessa called out.

He paused and turned around. "What is it?"

She opened her backpack and handed him a bottle of milk. "Stephen, could you have this tested? I think something's wrong with it."

His expression tightened as he looked at the bottle. "Do you think someone's trying to hurt you?"

She nodded solemnly. "I think so, but I'm not sure. It's better to be cautious."

"Alright, I'll take care of it."

Stephen pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Come here. I have something for you to take care of," he said curtly before walking away and disappearing around the corner.

Tessa let out a quiet breath, finally able to relax.

When she had handed him the milk, their eyes had met. His dark, intense gaze had made her heart skip a beat.

His eyes were stunning, but it wasn't just that. His entire face seemed like a work of art, 

Chapter 16