Tessa opened the driver’s door, got in, buckled her seatbelt, and took out her phone to make a call. “Pull up the internal files of Gomez Group for me.”

Her gaze was cool and steady as she tapped her fingers rhythmically against the steering wheel.

“And find a reliable private investigator. I need an investigation on Zachary.”

“Yes, Ms Yates.”

Hanging up, Tessa tossed her phone onto the passenger seat, stepped on the accelerator, and drove off.

Dusk had fallen, and the city lights began to flicker on.

During the evening rush hour, traffic clogged the roads, creating an endless line of cars. A black Rolls-Royce Phantom sat buried among the unmoving sea of vehicles.

The gridlock was enough to test anyone’s patience.

Just then, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen to find Stephen calling.

Even after their breakup, she had never deleted his number. Still, it had been a long time since it last appeared in her call log.

Her first instinct was to ignore it, but after a moment’s hesitation, she answered. He might be calling about Seline, after all.

“Hello? What is it?” Her voice was distant and indifferent.

“The police just called. They’ve coordinated with authorities in Arcton and finalized a plan to rescue Seline.”

Tessa’s heart clenched, and her breath quickened. “Do they think it’ll work?”

There was a pause before Stephen’s cool voice returned. “They can’t make any promises.”

Of course, she’d known that all along. But when Seline’s life was at stake, she couldn’t stop herself from asking anyway.

Silence hung heavy between them. Finally, she spoke again. “Is there anything else?”

Stephen hesitated. His husky voice drifted through the phone. “Tess, I—”

She could tell right away that whatever he was about to say had nothing to do with Seline. She cut him off. “If that’s all, I’m hanging up.”

“Wait,” Stephen said in a low and steady voice. “Tess, I’m sorry. About what my grandmother said to you earlier… I apologize on her behalf. I’m sorry.”

Tessa said nothing. She lifted her head and stared at the long line of cars stretching into the distance with an unfocused gaze.

To say she hadn’t been affected by Rowena’s words would’ve been a lie—even she wouldn’t believe that.

On the other end of the line, Stephen fell silent too, as if waiting for her response.

The air inside the car felt suffocating.

She lowered the window slightly, letting in the cold night air that eased the tightness in her chest, allowing herself to breathe again.

After a moment, she heard herself speak casually as if nothing had happened.

“Don’t bother. It’s not like I ever planned on marrying you anyway.”

She then hung up before she could reply.

The phone stayed silent after that. He didn’t call again.

…

By the time Tessa arrived at the Yates residence, it was already 9:00 pm.

Samuel was still at the hospital with Marianne, and Seline wasn’t home either. The spacious villa felt cold and empty.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom glided into the underground garage.

After parking, she took the car keys and rode the elevator up to the first-floor living room.

The housekeeper was mopping the floor. Seeing Tessa, she greeted her with a warm smile. “Welcome home, Ms, ates. Have you had dinner yet?”

She nodded, then asked, “Has Ms. Connors eaten? Did someone bring her food?”

“Yes, Mr. Yates hired a cook specifically to prepare meals for her at the hospital,” the housekeeper replied.

“Good.” Tessa turned toward the stairs. “You should get some rest too.”

Back in her room, she stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out blankly as her mind drifted. Thinking about Seline’s current situation made her chest ache with a dull, suffocating pain.

Stephen had said the police were

preparing to rescue Seline. She

wanted to call and ask for more

details, but checking the time, she held back. The officers were probably off duty by now.

After spacing out for a while, something seemed to occur to her. Her heart stirred.

She turned around and opened a storage box before carefully lifting out a painting.

Her eyes stung as she gazed down at it, and her hands trembled as she gently picked it up.

It was one of Seline’s paintings.