Chapter 156 Jealousy
Chapter 156 Jealousy
She looked especially young, her soft, round checks still carrying the innocence of youth, though the faint upward tilt at the corners of her eyes tempered that sweetness.
“Mr. Stone, who is this?<b>” </b>
She lifted her head, her gaze firstnding on Tess, then stealing a careful nce at the child cradled in Steven’s arms.
“Tess, meet my intern assistant, Jolie Reagen.”
Steven didn’t answer Jolie’s question directly. Instead, he turned to Tess to make the introduction.
Tess gave Jolie a polite nod. “Hello, I’m Tess Ember, Mr. Stone’s friend.”
The words “Mr. Stone” rolled off Tess’s tongue with an unexinable softness.
Steven shot her a mock re.
<i>Seriously</i>? <i>With </i><i>how </i><i>close </i><i>we </i><i>are</i><i>, </i><i>she </i><i>still </i><i>acts </i><i>that </i><i>formal</i><i>? </i>
In a rare yful mood, Tess caught his reproachful look, raised <i>a </i>brow, and stifled augh.
Their brief exchange drew a shadow over Jolie’s face. She lowered her head, letting the thick rims of her sses slide down just enough to cover most of her eyes.
“Mr. Stone, this is theb report that just came in.”
She raised her voice and handed him the folder.
Her bluntness made Steven’s brow crease, though he said nothing, simply reaching out to take it. “Got it. You can head back now.”
But Jolie didn’t move. Her feet seemed nailed to the <i>floor</i>.
Still looking down, she stubbornly added, “The director asked you to handle it quickly and give
him an answer.”
Her uncharacteristic persistence made Steven study her for a moment longer.
Noticing his gaze, her shoulders stiffened, and her fingers twisted together even tighter.
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Chapter 156 Jealousy
Tess nced between them and broke the silence first. “If you’ve got work, go ahead. It’s getting dark–I should be heading back.”
“Alright. I’ll be waiting for you next time.”
5 Free Cons
Steven’s lips softened into a smile, his expression warming as he looked at Tess. The clear,posed lines of his face held a tenderness Jolie had never seen before.
Tess took La from his arms and strode off.
By now, evening had nearly fallen. A breeze lifted the hem of her skirt, making her look like a white lily swaying gracefully. She was tall, slender, and impossibly poised.
Something dark andplicated flickered in Jolie’s eyes, a thin thread of jealousy weaving through her chest.
With Tess gone, Steven’s demeanor cooled instantly, returning to his usual distant, untouchable self.
He flipped through the report in his hands, cast Jorie a sidelong nce, and without a word, turned back toward theb.
Jolie followed in stiff silence.
Tess, meanwhile, slid into Steven’s private car. The driver, now familiar with her, struck up a
conversation.
“Ms. Ember, did you just get divorced?”
He knew his boss’s temperament well, and he’d never seen Steven care about anyone like this before.
The question caught Tess off guard. She recovered quickly, her smile calm and unshaken. “My husband’s dead.”
The driver <i>froze</i><i>, </i>then stumbled through an apology in broken Crorusese.
Tess smiled, shook her head, and waved it off.
He didn’t dare ask more, fearing he would cross a line.
As Tess gazed out the window, her delicate profile remained just as striking in the distorted
view of the rearview mirror.
The driver couldn’t help but think, <i>Such </i><i>a </i><i>beautiful </i><i>young </i><i>woman</i>, <i>with </i><i>an </i><i>adorable </i><i>child </i><i>… </i><i>and </i>
Chapter 156 Jealousy
<i>already </i><i>widowed</i>.
He sighed quietly to himself.
s
Tess, of course, had no idea what he was thinking. If she did, she might haveughed out loud.
The night breeze followed her home to Evermount Vi. By the time she arrived, the sky was a deep twilight.
La, still restless without her evening bottle, babbled softly in her arms.
Tess quickened her steps, heading straight into the vi.
Outside, the dim light was just evening haze–but inside, not a single light was on. The darkness was so heavy she couldn’t see her own hand in front of her face.
The silence felt unnervingly sharp.
Her heart tightened, and her steps automatically slowed.
Fingers brushing the wall for guidance, she made her way toward the center of the living room -only to catch the faintest hint of light ahead.
Her brows knitted as her gaze followed it. There, sunken into the couch, two figures were pressed close together.
Nadine was sprawled against Finn’s chest. In the stillness, the only sound was their mingled breathing–slow and deep, then quick and shallow.
“Tess…”
The man’s voice came rough and low in the dark.
Nadine’s heart pounded, her face flushing a deep, feverish red.
She tilted her head up shyly, fingertips brushing his chest in a slow, deliberate caress. “Finn … it’s Nadine. I’m here.”
The brush of her hair against his cheek made Finn’s eyes narrow. In his haze, he could almost see Tess standing right in front of him.
His back went taut. His hand suddenly mped down on Nadine. “Tess …”
Even that single syble, drawn out in his deep voice, was enough to ripple the air with heat.
19:16 <b>Thu</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>2 </b>
Chapter 156 Jealousy
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5 Free Coins
Nadine’s pulse kicked hard. Her bright eyes lifted straight into Tess’s gaze from across the
room.
She’d heard the footsteps; she’d known exactly when Tess had arrived.
Tess’s figure was swallowed in shadow, while Nadine and Finn sat under the dim pool of light, the warm amber glow wrapping them in an intimate haze.
Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.