Desire had ignited within Zachary, and the atmosphere grew increasingly heated. That night, he took her over and over again.

He surrendered to indulgence and was lost between ecstasy and oblivion. But when he opened his eyes the next morning, he was shocked to find that the naked woman lying beside him was Wendy.

At that moment, it felt like the world had collapsed around him.

How could it be Wendy?

It was obviously Tessa last night.

He lashed out at Wendy furiously.

Instead of getting angry, Wendy looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, biting her red lips as she cried.

“Zachary, if you like Tessa, I can imitate her. Didn’t you say I look a little like her? I can dress like her, wear her makeup, style my hair the way she does. I’ll do anything you want, just don’t make me leave, okay?”

The memories of last night flashed through his mind, and he hesitated.

She did look a lot like Tessa last night.

Sensing his silence, Wendy clung to his hand and shook it gently as she cooed softly and sweetly, “Zachary, you enjoyed yourself last night too, didn’t you?

“Let me stay by your side. I’m willing to be Tessa’s substitute,” she pleaded in a low voice.

No man could resist a woman begging him humbly, especially a beautiful woman whose heart belonged solely to him.

Zachary rubbed the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep sigh. He missed Tessa so much that the days without her were driving him insane. When Wendy pressed her body against his and kissed him, he gave in.

Defeated, he thought, “If I can’t have Tessa, then a substitute will have to do.”

Wendy stayed by his side ever since that night.

And he had to admit that she played the role of a substitute well. Just like she’d promised, she copied Tessa’s outfits and hairstyles, even wearing the same perfume that Tessa used.

He loved holding her from behind, burying his face in her scent. Their silhouettes looked nearly identical, and the fragrance was exactly the same, sending waves of exhilaration through him.

Even in bed, he preferred taking her from behind.

This way, he could keep lying to himself, sinking deeper into the illusion.

But in the end, a substitute was still just a substitute-she could never take Tessa’s place in his heart.

She could never truly become Tessa.

Now, sitting on the couch,

surrounded by the sultry atmosphere of the nightclub, Zachary found himself consumed by thoughts of Tessa. The longing in his chest spread like wild vines, suffocating him.

The ache in his heart was unbearable, and he could only numb it by drinking glass after glass of liquor.

Somebody in the room suddenly said, “Hey, check out the trending topics on TikTok. There’s big news!”

At first, Zachary paid them no attention. He had no interest in celebrity scandals, after all. That was until he heard Stephen’s name.

He tilted his head and glanced over sharply. “What did they just say about Stephen?”

A woman looked

up, meeting his

gaze. “He’s caught up in a scandal with an actress, Nancy Lloyd! Check the trending topics on TikTok. There

are paparazzi photos of them going into a hotel together. And some insiders claim they’re dating! Nancy’s an A-list star. This is huge!”

Jodie chimed in. “Wasn’t Stephen engaged to Tessa? How could he…”

Her voice trailed off, and she glanced at Zachary with a knowing look. “Zachary, you’re pretty close with Tessa. Did they break up?”

Wendy stiffened beside him, and her pale face was hidden by the dim lighting.

“That’s impossible!” she blurted, and her voice rose involuntarily. “They’re madly

in love. They’re about to get married. You must’ve read it wrong!”

She was so close to success.

Zachary was already addicted to her body. If she could just get pregnant with his child, she’d marry him without question. At this critical moment, she couldn’t afford any complications.

Tessa and Stephen couldn’t break up. They couldn’t give Zachary a chance.

“Well, see for yourself, Wendy.” Jodie held out her phone, the trending headlines plain as day. “We’re not making it up.”

Before Wendy could reach for the phone, Zachary snatched it from Jodie’s hand.