My Love Burns for Anyone Worth It novel Chapter 14

**Vows Became Blame by Mark Twain**

**Chapter 14**

Tessa’s voice quivered, her words tumbling out in a chaotic rush, “No, that’s not it. I didn’t mean to say that. It was all…”

In her frantic search for an escape from the tangled web of accusations, her gaze flitted around the room until it landed on the phone she had carelessly dropped during her moment of panic. A spark of desperation ignited within her, and she pointed at the device as if it were a lifeline thrown into turbulent waters.

“Sebastian, Ronald, you have to understand! I meant none of that. It was that man! He was the one stirring up all this trouble for me. I just—”

Before she could articulate her thoughts, a rough hand seized her chin, yanking her head sharply to the side. The force of her body hitting the floor sent a jolt of pain racing through her spine, and she skidded nearly two feet before slamming into the bed frame. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, but she swallowed it down, determined not to reveal her vulnerability. Instead, she fought to summon tears, hoping to recreate the helpless look that had once sent Sebastian and Ronald rushing to her aid.

But this time, her performance fell flat. The cold, unyielding stares from the two men cut through her like ice, devoid of the warmth and concern she had once taken for granted. Realizing that they had already made up their minds to turn their backs on her, she dropped the facade, letting the mask of innocence slip away.

“Fine! You want to know the truth? I’m vicious. I’m envious of Bella—an orphan everyone seems to adore just because she happens to be an heiress. I’m consumed by jealousy over everything she receives effortlessly, while I struggle and toil for scraps that never seem to come my way. I wanted to watch you both make a fool of her, all because of a single, harmless suggestion from me.”

Her voice rose, fueled by a mix of anger and desperation. “But don’t stand there judging me as if you two are paragons of virtue. It’s almost comical. Did I ever force either of you to pursue Bella? Did I ever compel you to do anything against your will?”

The tension in the room thickened as she pressed on. “Bella couldn’t even muster the courage to file a police report after she was nearly assaulted—wasn’t that your doing? I never instructed you to save me instead of her when she fell into the water. I never told you to prevent her from reporting it.”

Ronald had never felt the need to don the mask of a gentleman for anyone he deemed unworthy. He had once lavished Tessa with affection when he found her appealing, but as soon as he realized she didn’t fit the flawless image he had crafted in his mind, that affection vanished like smoke in the wind.

Tessa’s glare hardened, a fierce hatred igniting within her chest. Weren’t they the very ones who had treated Bella with disdain? She had only plotted against Bella a handful of times, yet somehow she was the one facing condemnation.

“I’m gutter trash? Then what does that make you?” she shot back, her voice rising with indignation. “Your grades depend on Bella’s hard work. Your wealth is a byproduct of your family’s status.”

She took a step closer, her voice steady but filled with venom. “Everything I have, I earned through my own efforts. What about you two? Without Bella and your illustrious last names, you’d be nothing but rats scurrying through the sewers. If it weren’t for the G-”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of truth and accusation, as the tension in the room reached a boiling point.