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.

Sienna said. "We thought something happened to you because

expression. She lowered her voice so that only Sienna could hear and asked, "Sienna, don't you

her head and replied, "No. Did she sound

as if..." Naomi muttered to herself. "I can't say for sure at the

what?" Sienna asked,

didn't elaborate. Instead,

Want

much more time do you need? Sienna and to playcards with

all across Sienna's face. Without waiting for Tessa's response, she whispered, "When did I say that

finger to her lips and shushed Sienna. She then

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

was personally inexperienced with such things, she wasn't

with us? Alright, then. Sienna and I will head back first.

from the people in the

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 get in the way

faded away, silence was restored to the surroundings. Stephen only finished about ten minutes after Sienna and

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