Tessa gave a nonchalant smile, replying, “Well, that’s because you don’t really know me.”

A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes as she teased Wendy, “Ms. Cox, are you sure you don’t want a photo? If not, I’m about to drive off.”

Wendy’s face flushed with anger. She desperately wanted to take a picture, but with Tessa still sitting in the car, she couldn’t muster the courage to ask.

“I don’t care,” Wendy snapped stubbornly.

“Alright, then. Bye!” Tessa waved and stepped on the gas, speeding off.

The blue Bentley vanished from sight.

Wendy snapped angrily, “Zachary, how could you fall for someone so materialistic?”

Zachary rubbed his temples. “She wasn’t like this before. I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately. First, she demanded marriage, and now she’s renting a car.”

She crossed her arms and looked at him with a knowing gaze. “She’s probably feeling threatened because I’ve been spending time with you. Renting the car is likely her way of trying to fit into our circle.” Wendy crossed her arms and sighed, her eyes brimming with pity.

“Tsk tsk, it’s a shame. Rented things are still just rented. All she can do is pose for pictures with it. How pathetic.”

“That’s enough. It’s embarrassing,” Zachary muttered before turning and returning to the villa.

Tessa drove around for a while before finally pulling into a paid parking lot near the villa complex. She didn’t want to park her car in Zachary’s garage, and it wasn’t the right time to tell him the truth. She had originally planned to tell Zachary about her family background in person, but now, she had second thoughts.

That night, as usual, the table was filled with various vegetarian dishes.

She placed the meal she had ordered from a specialty restaurant onto the table and sat down. She opened the box casually, and the rich aroma instantly filled the room.

Zachary couldn’t help but glance at the food she had ordered.

The barbecue and lobster looked mouthwatering, and the spicy scent was incredibly tempting. Before long, his mouth began to water.

However, when he looked at his own dishes, they seemed bland and unappetizing, leaving him with no appetite.

Tessa slipped on a pair of disposable gloves and started peeling the lobster.

Zachary used to love lobster too, and whenever they ate it together, she would always peel it for him.

He swallowed hard, trying to act casual as he glanced at Tessa, silently hoping she’d put a piece of the peeled lobster onto his plate.

But instead, after peeling one, Tessa popped it into her mouth and savored it.

Noticing Zachary’s gaze, she turned to him with a mouthful and asked, “What? Why are you staring at me like that?”

Zachary feigned a cough to cover his embarrassment and said indifferently, “Can’t you eat something that doesn’t smell so strong?”

Before Tessa could respond, Wendy interjected, “Oh dear, people from less affluent backgrounds tend to prefer spicy food. Ms. Yates, your taste is a bit too strong for this setting. Perhaps you could eat it outside?”

Zachary’s expression darkened.

He had been eagerly anticipating the meal, only to have Wendy suggest that poorer people like spicy food.

Tessa, licking her lips, peeled another lobster and taunted, “Ms. Cox, it seems you don’t know Zachary very well. Why not ask him if he likes it?”

Wendy was taken aback and turned to Zachary. “Zachary, you…”

Zachary’s eyebrows twitched as he forced a smile and picked up a piece of vegetable. “Forget it. Don’t mind her. Let’s eat.”

Meanwhile, Tessa hummed a tune as she finished an entire box of spicy lobster and barbecue, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

After the meal, Wendy wandered around the living room and remarked, “Zachary, these curtains are hideous, and this vase doesn’t match the rest of the room.”

She covered her nose as she looked at the flowers in the vase. “And I’m allergic to pollen, so can we get rid of these flowers?”

The curtains had been changed by Tessa, the vase on the table had been purchased by her, and the flowers had been arranged by her as well. Wendy was probably aware of this, which made her criticism feel deliberate.

Zachary replied casually, “If you don’t like it, we can change it.”

His gaze lingered on Tessa for a moment before he muttered, “Since you’re allergic, let’s just throw them away.”

Tessa watched the two of them quietly, saying nothing.

After all, it wasn’t her house, and she didn’t care.

But Wendy misinterpreted Tessa’s silence, thinking she was upset. A triumphant gleam flashed in her eyes as she thought, “Tessa, you lost.”

Zachary called the maid and ordered her to throw away the vase and flowers.

The maid hesitated, glancing at Tessa with a troubled expression, and said, “Mr. Gomez, these flowers were bought by Ms. Yates.”

Zachary’s face darkened, and his voice sharpened. “So what if she bought them? Have you forgotten who the master of this house is? Who pays your salary?”

Tessa remained composed and responded softly, “It’s alright, Emma. Just throw them away.”

Emma picked up the vase and walked out, muttering under her breath, “This man’s out of his mind, looking for trouble over nothing. And that Wendy ever since she moved in, it’s been nothing but vegetarian food. I can’t even eat meat anymore. When will this end?”

In the living room, Wendy smiled and looped her arm around Zachary’s, coquettishly saying, “Zachary, will you come with me to pick out curtains tomorrow?”

Zachary glanced at Tessa. Her calm expression betrayed no hint of jealousy, and that inexplicably irritated him.

Why wasn’t Tessa jealous?

He had her flowers thrown away, yet she hadn’t been upset.

Zachary couldn’t shake the unease creeping over him.

He had always valued Tessa’s obedience and compliance, but now, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was becoming a bit too much.

Perhaps a little jealousy wouldn’t have been such a bad thing.

Suddenly, he found himself growing weary of Tessa’s unwavering compliance.

Seeing that Zachary didn’t respond, Wendy tugged on his arm, her tone growing more coquettish.

“Zachary, are you even listening to me?”

Zachary turned his gaze away and responded with a vague, noncommittal hum.

…

The next day, Wendy made a spectacle of buying a whole new set of things, instructing the delivery men

to replace the curtains and rearrange the living room furniture.

She didn’t hesitate to toss everything Tessa had bought straight into the trash.

When Tessa returned, Wendy met her gaze with a smug, triumphant expression.

Tessa ignored Wendy and merely glanced at the chaotic living room and the bustling workers before heading upstairs to her room.

She gathered the things she would be taking with her and set aside the items she planned to throw away. Now, only a few daily necessities and a few days’ worth of clothes remained.

Tessa had hoped she and Wendy could coexist peacefully for the rest of the time, but she hadn’t

anticipated Wendy going so far to get rid of her.