On the second floor of a certain vi, a man''s and a woman''s clothes were scattered across the floor. A pair of ck stockings-torn and ripped-hung precariously on the couch, leaving an unmistakable air of indulgence and debauchery.


    James leanedzily against the headboard, casually smoking a post-coital cigarette with satisfaction lingering in the sharp lines of his brows and eyes.


    Beside him, the woman''s cheeks were still flushed, and her expression was soaked in the afterglow of their wild encounter.


    His phone vibrated. James took a drag of the cigarette before calmly answering.


    "Mr. Fullerton, the Yates family just held a press conference announcing the cancetion of their engagement with the Jacobson family," Liam reported respectfully. "Also, rumors are circting online that Stephen was spotted entering a hotel with a popr actress. People suspect he cheated."


    "Heh." James let out a derisive chuckle. "And here I thought he was some devoted lover. Turns out he''s just as much of a womanizer as his father is."


    "What should we do about the Yates family then?" Liam asked.


    James lowered his eyes in thought. "Keep an eye on them. For all we know, this ''breakup'' might just be a trick to throw me off."


    "Understood."


    "Pay special attention to Tessa''s whereabouts and report any movements immediately."


    "Yes, Mr. Fullerton."


    ...


    After resting at home for a day, Tessaposed herself and returned to work at thew firm.


    The past two days had been rtively calm-no strange idents or unexpected incidents urred. Both she and her family were safe and well.


    She pressed her lips into a faint smile, though a trace of bitterness was ever- present. It seemed that breaking off the engagement and ending the rtionship did have its advantages. At least that lunatic, James, would no longer have a reason to harm her or her family.


    As she walked into the firm, her colleagues greeted her one after another.


    She returned their greetings with a polite smile, the heels of her ck leather pumps clicking lightly against the floor as she made her way to her office.


    The firm had a strict dress code-professional attire and ck leather shoes. Today, she wore a sleek ck suit. Her long hair was pinned neatly at the back of her head. Concealer hid the dark circles beneath her eyes, and the touch of vintage red lipstick added color to herplexion.


    Compared to the haggard woman of the past few days, she looked like apletely different person. No one could tell she''d just been through a heartbreak.


    Her new supervisor, Vivian, had assigned her three fresh cases.


    Unlike Sarah, Vivian bore no


    personal grudges against Tessa and wasn''t one to target her. Without the


    added stress of workce politics,


    Tessa found her work far more manageable.


    That evening, after voluntarily stayingte to finish her tasks, Tessa turned off the lights and prepared to leave. Just as she was about to step out, she heard a faint sound of crying somewhere outside.


    She paused, frowned slightly, then closed her office door and stepped out to investigate.


    The soft sobs seemed to being from the assistants'' work area.


    Unlike thewyers, the assistants didn''t have private offices; their desks were arranged in an open space, separated only by partition panels.


    As Tessa approached, she quickly spotted the source of the sound-it was none other than Jasmine.


    "Jasmine, what''s wrong?" Tessa asked gently. "Did something happen?"


    Jasmine hastily grabbed two tissues and wiped her tears. "It''s nothing, really... I''m fine, Ms. Yates."


    Tessa pulled over a nearby chair and sat down beside her. "Come on, no need to put on a brave face with me. Tell me what''s going on. Maybe I can help."


    Jasmine''s eyes were red from crying. She hesitated for a moment before mumbling, "It''s not that big of a deal, I just..."


    Just then, two colleagues passed by. Worried they might overhear her, Jasmine immediately mmed up, swallowing the rest of her words.


    Tessa understood right away. "Is it something you can''t talk about here? Do you have any ns tonight? If not, let''s grab dinner together."


    "I don''t have any ns," Jasmine replied.


    "Alright, then pack up. We''ll head out."


    ...


    Tessa chose a barbecue restaurant she thought Jasmine might like.


    The restaurant was elegantly decorated, with dim lighting that created a cozy and intimate atmosphere.


    Jasmine had heard of the ce


    before. It was a high-end


    establishment known for its upscale meny and ambiance. Rumor had it the average price per person was several hundred dors.


    A trace of unease crossed her face. "Ms. Yates... Isn''t this ce a bit too expensive?"