Tessa and Marissa were happily chatting when Lester knocked on the door and walked into the office.


    "Tessa, are you avable tonight?"


    Lester looked at Tessa, who returned his gaze and asked, "Why? Do you need help with something?"


    Lester chuckled and replied, "Cassie hasn''t seen you in a while and has been asking for you. She wants to know whether you''d like to join her for dinner."


    Tessa stopped short. She could tell that Lester had feelings for her.


    Back then, Lester had brought Cassandra over to help Seline with her illness.


    Now that Seline was all better, Tessa had returned their kindness with meals and gifts. She had done more than enough to repay them.


    Still, she couldn''t help but feel that Lester was using Cassandra as an excuse to ask her out.


    Although she might be a little narcissistic to arrive at that conclusion, she had also begun to notice that Lester had been using Cassandra as a means to meet her outside of work.


    Sometimes they would meet at her ce, and sometimes they would choose to meet up elsewhere.


    If this continued, they would eventually cross the line of being just friends. Suddenly, a memory shed in her mind''s eye. She couldn''t help but recall that aloof silhouette standing under the eaves that one morning-and his warm embrace.


    Tessa lowered her gaze. "I have ns tonight. Please tell Cassie I''m sorry as I won''t be able to make it."


    Lester stiffened slightly. It seemed that he didn''t expect her to refuse his invitation.


    He looked at Tessa quietly before murmuring, "Alright."


    After Lester left, Marissa scrutinized Tessa with a knowing smirk on her face. "You rejected him because of Stevie, didn''t you?"


    Tessa busied herself with work, but she didn''t deny Marissa''s spection.


    When Marissa noticed Tessa''s silent


    ent, she felt a pang of


    heartache. Soon, the smile onel.ne?


    fan


    slipped away. Content Belongs


    She let out a weary sigh as her heart clenched in difort.


    Stephen was the man she had loved for seven whole years.


    Meanwhile, Tessa had saved her life.


    How was she supposed to choose between them?


    Was she supposed to give up on Stephen? She couldn''t do it.


    Yet, her other option was to betray Tessa and use any means necessary to make Stephen hers. How was she supposed to do that? She wasn''t an ungrateful


    backstabber.


    She had


    point.


    a what to do at this around." el


    t. Marissa shook her head, conflicted and resigned. "I''ll


    see


    you


    Tessa looked up from her work and gave her a meaningful nce. "Take care."


    ...


    That evening, Tessa was in a video call with Naomi and Sienna.


    The usually bubbly Naomi was oddly quiet today.


    Tessa couldn''t help but ask in concern, "Naomi, what''s wrong? You''re so quiet today."


    Sienna had also noticed that Naomi was acting a little off. "She''s right. Is something bothering you?"


    Naomi pouted before sighing.


    "What''s with all the sighing? Just what is going on?" Tessa pressed.


    Naomi''s face sank as she muttered, "Do you guys know who Diana Smith is?"