His Unveiled Passion

"Be good," Stephen murmured. "Don't worry. I bolted the door when I came in earlier. They won't be able to come in."

The door to the garden was made of solid wood. It had a bolt installed that essentially functioned as a lock. With the bolt slid into place, Sienna and Naomi could not open the door from the other side.

Stephen pressed close to Tessa and whispered into her ear, "Darling, they're worried that something's happened to you. Hurry and tell them that you're fine."

"I can't... Not with my voice like this..."

The moment she opened her mouth, the truth would come to light.

"If you don't respond to them now, they'll just get more worried. What if they call the police?"

"Are you still in there, Tessa?" Naomi raised her voice and asked again.

"Tessa, don't tell me you passed out?" Sienna called, panic lacing her words.

Tessa closed her eyes and steeled her nerves. "I'm fine," she replied.

Naomi and Sienna breathed a sigh of relief on the other side of the door.

a fright," Sienna said. "We thought something happened to you because you were soaking in the

that only Sienna could hear and asked, "Sienna,

her head and replied,

"I can't say for

Sienna asked,

didn't elaborate.

Want

voice once more and hollered, "Tessa, how much more time do you need? Sienna and to playcards with Samantha. We need four people

Tessa's response, she

to her lips and shushed Sienna. She then gestured for

little strange. "The three of you can go ahead without me,"

things, she wasn't completely clueless. Tessa's last reply had made it quite obvious what she was

to herself. Her tone was knowing when she replied, "You don't want to play cards with us? Alright, then. Sienna and I

response from

her mouth to stifle her laughter while she used her other hand to take Sienna's hand. "Let's go, Sienna," she said. "Let's not

was restored to the surroundings. Stephen only finished

but Stephen wasn't tired in the slightest. His breaths were steady as he carried