“Sure,” was Tessa’s disinterested reply.

“I saw the news about your engagement to him being cancelled. The two of you aren’t together anymore, right? Since you’re single now, can I pursue you?”

“No,” Tessa responded as she got to her feet, not wanting to listen to Zachary’s nonsense any longer.

Noticing how she planned to leave, he quickly grabbed her hand. He didn’t manage to say a word before Tessa flipped their hands around. She gripped his wrist so tightly that it started to make cracking noises.

The pain was instantaneous, causing him to hiss out in pain. She tossed his hand aside, not bothering to hide the loathing in her eyes. “Zachary, I already made myself very clear the last time. What part of ‘don’t bother me anymore’ do you not understand?”

Zachary looked upset. His gaze was filled with infatuation as he stared at Tessa. “I can’t do that, Tessy. I won’t give up on you.”

“You disgust me, Zachary,” Tessa spat out before turning on her heel and leaving without a single glance back at him.

Zachary chased after her. “I bet Stephen was already cheating on you with that female celebrity when the two of you were still a couple. Their dating rumors exploded immediately after you broke off your engagement with him. Did you break it off because you found out that he was being unfaithful?”

Tessa pursed her lips. Her gaze was frigid as she quickened her footsteps, refusing to answer Zachary’s question.

He tailed closely after her. “Are you going to watch the entertainment industry’s awards ceremony tonight? Stephen and that female celebrity are going to walk the red carpet together. It’s their way of announcing their relationship to the public. Tessy, you should give up on him.”

Her footsteps faltered when Zachary spoke about Stephen and Nancy making their relationship public. Seeing how Tessa had stopped in her tracks, a smile tugged at Zachary’s lips. “Tessy, I—”

“Fuck off!”

“Tessy, don’t chase me away. I know that you’re—”

“I told you to fuck off!”

There were security guards stationed in the hotel lobby. So, hurrying over to them, she said “Hi, I’m a guest here. This man i

harassing me. Please help

“Tessy! Tessy, listen to me,” Zachary pleaded as he followed after her.

The guards grabbed Zachary. “Sir, please do not harass our female guests.”

Zachary’s temper flared, turning his face beet red. “Harass? She’s my girlfriend. We just fight with each other sometimes. Let go!”

The guards turned to look at Tessa with questioning gazes.

Tessa’s expression remained icy. “We’re not a couple,” she mentioned before turning and leaving.

“Tessy, don’t go. Tessy-” Zachary called after her.

The guards had a death grip on Zachary. “Sir, please don’t harass our female guests. You will affect the business of our hotel-”

“Let go of me! Fuck!”

“Sir, if you don’t stop, we’ll have no choice but to report you to the police.”

“I’m not harassing her. I already told you that we’re a couple!”

Tessa returned to her room and closed the door before leaning against it. She was in a daze as she stared holes into the floor. A few moments later, she numbly grabbed her phone and navigated to Twitter’s trending topic page. Stephen and Nancy’s photograph jumped out at her.

The phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. The

evening breeze billowed in throl net

the open window, sending the white, sheer curtains aflutter in the air.

Tessa felt like she had been struck by lightning. Her blood felt like it had frozen in

her veins. She stood under the light, her face drained of color.