Chapter 5
The person approaching was Zion Jenkins, one of Zachary's friends.
He was the same man who had shown sympathy toward Tessa during that evening's gathering.
Tessa had known Zion for nearly three years and had always thought highly of him.
"I'm just picking up a few things," she said.
He glanced at the bag in her hand. "Is that for Zachary?"
Tessa didn't feel like explaining, so she gave a silent nod.
"This brand of watch isn't cheap. Even the most basic models cost five figures. You really don't need to
get him something so expensive. Zachary..."
"Didn't deserve it" was what Zion wanted to say.
Zachary had openly confessed that he couldn't let go of Wendy and was only using Tessa as a
placeholder.
Last night, he even abandoned Tessa and walked out with Wendy in front of everyone.
After leaving the birthday party, Zachary and Wendy spent the night together at a hotel. Tessa had no idea
what had transpired, but Zion knew exactly what had happened.
They had a small group chat for their circle of friends, and despite being with Zachary for three years, Tessa had never been added. But as soon as Wendy came back to the country, Zachary added her without a second thought.
Earlier that afternoon, Wendy had shared a photo of herself and Zachary in bed in their group chat, casually suggesting that Zachary keep it as a memento.
However, within minutes, she retracted it, claiming it was sent by mistake.
Zion had caught the message just in time. He had thought about saying something but ultimately decided against it. It wasn't his place, and it felt smarter to stay out of it.
As Zion thought it over, he had initially planned to tell Tessa the truth and urge her to move on. But just as he was about to speak, he hesitated and stopped himself.
"Zachary doesn't need things like this. You really don't have to spend months of your salary on such an expensive gift for him."
Zachary had been his close friend for over a decade, and it was difficult to bring himself to say anything too harsh.
Still, part of him considered telling Tessa that the gift might not even mean anything to Zachary.
those words seemed too cruel, and Zion couldn't find the strength to
hadn't even been meant for him. She nodded
more conversation, Zion
a deep sigh. "She's such a good person... How did she end up caught up with
the feeling, he opened WhatsApp and sent Zachary a
I just saw her buying you a watch that costs thousands, and she did
was having dinner with Wendy when he received
frustration that had been building inside him vanished in an instant as
to make up for things with the gift. If that was the
her not to take it too seriously. Afterward, he'd throw in a few compliments to smooth things over-Tessa would definitely appreciate that. "Zachary, what's going on? Who's messaging you?" Wendy asked,
push
few moments later, he excused himself to the restroom. Seizing the opportunity, she quickly grabbed his phone
him enter his password before it was his birthday, making it easy to
Wendy typed in the password and opened
that the last message
trip during the upcoming holiday, mentioning that it was her only chance
guides for places
hours to reply. "There'll be so
that, Tessa had stopped messaging him
destinations, a flash of
three-year relationship wasn't as
a trip with
even be bothered
Wendy left the chat and absentmindedly scrolled through Zachary's feed,
on the times Tessa had seemed entirely indifferent, a sense
ready to move on, but instead, Tessa
and turned off Zachary's phone. After placing it back where it had been, she took out her own phone and called
Mrs. Gomez. I was with Zachary at the jewelry store earlier and happened to run into
...
Tessa returned to the villa
gift for Stephen inside, his cold, handsome face suddenly drifted into her
Stephen had known each other
lived only a few hundred meters apart in the same neighborhood, so they frequently crossed paths
first time she saw him was at the Jacobson manor. Tessa's parents had taken her to visit the Jacobson family when she was only ten.
she saw Stephen-it took her
an almost intimidating presence, and his eyes as cold
snow.
greet him,
she remembered how Stephen had kept his
must be hard to get
stayed with her
struggling with math, Stephen's mother,
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