"Michelle, I happen to need someone to cook meals for me. I''ll send you the address. Come over whenever it''s convenient for you. Just let me know before you head out," Tessa said.


    Michelle chuckled cheerfully. "I''m free right now. Are you home? I cane over now."


    "Sure,e on over."


    After the call, Michelle turned to Stephen. "Mr. Jacobson, Ms. Yates agreed."


    "Good. She tends to forget to eat when she gets busy. The ce is close to her firm, so you''ll need to deliver lunch to her office on weekdays. I''ll cover your sry for that. But if she offers to pay you, don''t refuse. And don''t tell her I sent you."


    Hearing that she could earn double pay, Michelle beamed with joy and quickly replied, "Of course, Mr. Jacobson. I''ll make sure to take good care of Ms. Yates."


    ...


    After New Year''s Day, Stephen was swamped with work, barely finding time to catch his breath.


    He didn''t dare slow down. The moment he stopped, Tessa''s face would creep into his mind, and he couldn''t shake the thought of her.


    He sat at his desk in the CEO''s office and was focused on hisputer.


    Quentin lounged on the couch nearby and watched him with aplicated expression. "Stephen, there''s something I''m not sure if I should say."


    Without looking up, Stephen replied coldly, "Then don''t."


    Quentin opened his mouth, hesitated, then said, "It''s about Tessa. Are you sure you don''t want to hear it?"


    Stephen''s hands froze mid-typing. He raised his eyes. "What is it?"


    "I knew it," Quentin thought. "If it involves Tessa, there''s no way he wouldn''t care."


    But this was tricky—if he said it, Stephen would definitely get upset.


    "Uh..." Quentin cleared his throat. "Naomi''s been talking about setting Tessa up with a few college guystely..."


    As he spoke, he snuck a nce at Stephen, whose face had already darkened.


    "College guys?" Stephen''s jaw clenched as he asked in an icy tone.


    "Yeah." Quentin swallowed nervously, trying to phrase it more delicately.


    Stephen''s thin lips pressed into a hard line, and his dark eyes glinted with suppressed anger. "What college guys?"


    "Uh... quite a few, actually. One''s six-feet-two with an eight-pack, another''s a six-feet-three athlete, and then there''s a ''soft and sweet puppy boy'' and a ''wild and rugged wolf boy... A whole bunch of them..."


    Stephen''s expression grew darker as Quentin spoke, so thetter decided to stop


    before he made it worse.


    Silence.


    A heavy, suffocating silence followed.


    Feeling awkward, Quentin fiddled


    with his hands and took a sip of


    water, "You know how Naomi


    is always into shy stuff. But don''t worry, I already scolded her for you."


    He was just making this up. When Naomi showed him pictures of those college guys, he felt irritated for some reason. He''d thrown a few sarcastic remarks her way. In response, Naomi had pinched him so hard that the spot still hurt.


    "What did she say?" Stephen asked coldly.


    "Huh?" Quentin blinked.


    "What did Tessa say about Naomi wanting to introduce some men to her?"


    Quentin''s expression turned awkward. He hesitated, then asked, "Do you really want to know?"


    "Yeah."


    "Don''t get mad, okay?" Quentin braced himself and answered, "From what Naomi said... Tessa agreed on New Year''s Eve."


    "Agreed to what?"


    Without thinking, Quentin blurted out, "She agreed to let Naomi introduce her to other people."


    As soon as the words left his mouth...


    The ceramic teacup on Stephen''s desk hit the floor with a loud bang.


    Fortunately, the floor was carpeted, so the cup didn''t break.