Chapter 344

"Tess, it's over. James is dead. It's all over now." Stephen's voice was low and hoarse. Tessa's heart suddenly skipped a beat. "Are you… Are you alright?" There was a brief pause on the other end. Then came Stephen's calm reply through the phone. "I'm fine." Good. He was safe. Tessa exhaled, the knot in her chest beginning to loosen. She had feared he might get hurt while handling James in Arcton. "I'm going to hang up now. It's dinnertime," she said. "Tess, wait for me." Stephen's voice turned gentle. Tessa gave no response. She ended the call without another word. Her mind was a tangled mess. Sure, the James matter was resolved. But what about Rowena? And then there was her father, Samuel, who had deep grievances toward the Jacobson family. She also could not simply ignore all the pain she had endured in the past. Restarting anything with Stephen wasn't a decision she could take lightly. "Tess, dinner's ready." Marianne's voice called out, pulling her thoughts back to the