Tessa averted her gaze awkwardly and pretended that she hadn’t heard Lyanna’s words.

Meanwhile, Lester could only massage his temples helplessly. “Lyanna, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“How can I not worry?” Lyanna exclaimed. “Don’t you know how worried your mother and I were for the last few years? You didn’t show any interest in women at all, so we thought you might be attracted to men. We were so worried, but we also couldn’t summon the courage to ask you about-”

Lester hastily covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence. “You’re ridiculous!”

Tessa couldn’t control herself and burst out in laughter.

Lyanna rushed to clarify the situation. “Ms. Yates, please rest assured that Lester is only interested in women. I still have some business to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave now. Enjoy the rest of your meal!”

“Alright, goodbye,” Tessa replied politely.

Lyanna’s eyes were crinkled into crescents when she exclaimed, “See you, niece- in-law!”

Her words left Tessa speechless.

After Lyanna left, Lester turned to Tessa, looking immensely apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Yates. Lyanna likes to joke around. Don’t take her words to heart.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Tessa responded with a smile. “I didn’t think that you’d be rushed into marriage. I thought someone as outstanding as you would already have a girlfriend or even a fiancée.”

Lester shot a meaningful look at Tessa upon hearing her words but quickly averted his gaze after a few seconds. “I’m waiting for someone.”

“What?”

Tessa didn’t understand what he meant at first. She was about to ask him to clarify before she suddenly realized what he was implying. “So it’s like that, huh?”

“It’s late. Let me send you home,” Lester offered as he rose to his feet and grabbed his jacket.

“There’s no need. I drove my own car,” Tessa replied as she also got to her feet. Lester reminded, “Don’t forget that you drank wine earlier.”

“Oh, you’re right. I can call a driver to pick me up. There’s no need to trouble you.” Besides, she had already planned to drop by the Yates residence to visit Seline. Lester didn’t insist, letting her do as she pleased. “Alright, then.”

Zachary was in a villa that was located in a secluded area. He was beyond furious as he shouted at Jacqueline. “You wanted to use me to get rid of Tessy? You knew that James would kill the hostage if the police were alerted, yet you still told me to call them?”

Jacqueline barked out a condescending laugh. “So what? It would be perfectly fine with me if Tessa died.”

“Jacqueline Sanders!” Zachary bellowed, the veins in his forehead pulsing rapidly. “You said you only wanted to separate Tessa and Stephen. You never said anything about wanting her to die!”

“That was in the past.” Jacqueline’s eyes were filled with mockery as her lips curled upward. “Now, I only want her dead. Only when she’s dead will I be able to monopolize Stephen’s attention.”

“You’re insane!”

Zachary’s chest rose and fell rapidly from anger. He rushed forward, wanting to strike Jacqueline, but was stopped in his tracks by her bodyguard.

“You’re so utterly useless, Zachary. What can you even do? No wonder Tessa didn’t want you,” Jacqueline said in a disdainful tone. “Even though she and Stephen are no longer together, she didn’t even spare a single glance at you. I no longer have any use for you, so I’m ending our partnership right now.”

Zachary threatened, “Aren’t you scared that I’ll tell Stephen everything that you’ve done?”

Jacqueline burst into peals of laughter as if she had heard something that was exceptionally funny. “Did I hear you right? Are you trying to threaten me? Don’t forget who is supporting me behind the scenes. I’m much more useful in James’ eyes compared to you.

“Just think about what would happen if the Jacobsons kicked me out after you tell them what I’ve done. If I’m no longer useful, James will never let you off the hook.”

Fear flickered in Zachary’s eyes at the mention of James’ name. He was a madman who would use a heavy rifle in broad daylight just for a chance to kill Stephen. Stephen was able to escape with his life, but Zachary probably would not be so lucky.

He was just a regular

second-generation heir of a wealthy family. He was just a man who knew how to enjoy life. Although he had devoted much of his efforts to running the business recently and no longer wasted his time fooling around, he was just a normal man when it came down to it.

He didn’t have any authority, and he certainly didn’t have a group of professionally trained mercenaries at his beck and call. He only had a few hired bodyguards, though they would probably fall within seconds if they had to go up against James’

men.

If James wanted to get rid of him, there was no way that Zachary would survive. When he thought about all this, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure.

Jacqueline ended her cooperation with Zachary. Neither of them noticed that they were being recorded by a camera that was hidden in the trees surrounding the villa.