His Unveiled Passion novel Chapter 3

It wasn't until that moment that Zachary seemed to realize Tessa was still there. As if snapping out of a daze, he quickly withdrew his arm from around Wendy's waist and stepped back, distancing himself by a couple of paces.

Noticing the shift in his gaze, Zachary's friends finally registered Tessa's presence. They jumped in quickly, eager to defuse the growing tension.

"Alright, let's keep going. Wendy, if your stomach's acting up, you don't have to drink. If you lose, we'll switch to Truth or Dare instead."

"Great idea. Truth or Dare, it is!"

After steadying himself, Zachary returned to the couch.

He was expecting Tessa to react—perhaps show some jealousy or make a scene, but to his surprise, she said nothing.

Her indifference unsettled him, a nagging unease creeping into his mind.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Tessa was somehow different from how she used to be.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them.

Just as Zachary was about to say something, the teasing voices from across the room interrupted him.

"Wendy, you lost again! Truth or dare?"

Zachary's attention snapped back to Wendy, his eyes locking onto hers.

"I choose Dare."

Wendy turned to face him, her gaze meeting his as she flashed a playful, enigmatic smile.

"Alright, here are the dares," someone called out, holding up a stack of paper slips. "Go ahead and pick one!"

Wendy casually grabbed a slip, and as the person unfolded it, his eyes widened in disbelief.

He shot a nervous glance between Wendy, Zachary, and Tessa.

A curious woman leaned in to take a look. "What does it say? Let me see!"

She gasped loudly, clearly shocked by what was written on the note.

A wave of curiosity spread through the group.

"What did it say?"

"Come on, tell us! What's on the note?"

"Randomly choose someone of the opposite sex and kiss them," the man read aloud, his eyes darting toward Zachary.

The moment Zachary heard those words, his face froze.

A chill seemed to fall over the room as if the temperature had dropped.

Wendy, however, acted as if nothing had changed. With a carefree smile, she stood up and walked over to a handsome man standing nearby.

"Andy, would you mind if I kissed you?" she asked.

Andy Lennon glanced at Zachary, whose face was twisted in a storm of anger. He froze, barely daring to exhale.

Ignoring the tense silence, Wendy leaned in closer, slipping her arms around Andy's neck as if the kiss was inevitable.

"That's enough!" Zachary's voice boomed through the room.

Unable to tolerate it any longer, he seized Wendy's hand and stormed out of the room, pulling her along.

The others exchanged nervous glances, and soon, all eyes turned to Tessa, full of sympathy.

Unfazed, Tessa took a sip of the juice on the table, flashing a casual smile. "What are you all staring at?"

The others quickly turned away, pretending to focus on their drinks or conversations, acting as if nothing had happened.

As Tessa drank her juice, a coldness settled in her heart with each passing moment.

In her mind, Zachary had always been calm and composed, as if nothing could ever disturb him. This was the first time she had seen him lose control so completely.

Once her glass was empty, Tessa stood up and headed toward the restroom.

Through the door, she could hear the voices of several women chatting near the sink outside.

"Zachary's really lost it! I can't believe he left his girlfriend here and took off with Wendy."

"Looks like Wendy's the one he cares about most."

"Yeah, did you see his face? When Wendy was about to kiss Andy, Zachary looked absolutely terrifying."

"I saw it. Her girlfriend is really pitiful, having to watch her boyfriend fall apart over another woman right in front of her."

"Poor thing. It's obvious she's just there to fill the spot."

"Honestly, I think Zachary and Tessa are on their way out. It's pretty clear he's in love with Wendy."

"Yeah, I think—"

Suddenly, the woman froze, her gaze meeting Tessa's reflection as she stepped out of one of the restroom stalls.

The other two women noticed Tessa too. Without another word, they quickly lowered their heads and hurried out of the restroom.

Tessa approached the mirror, washing her hands with an air of composure. Indeed, she and Zachary were likely nearing the end of their relationship.

However, it wouldn't be because he had decided it, or because he didn't want her anymore.