My Love Burns for Anyone Worth It novel Chapter 7

**TITLE: Vows Became Blame by Mark Twain**

**Chapter 7**

“Alright, fine. I was merely testing the waters for a single day. If you truly don’t want me here, I can just walk away. I simply didn’t want to take your money,” Tessa murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Surrounded by Sebastian and Ronald, she lowered her gaze, attempting to mask her pride beneath an act of shyness. The weight of their scrutiny felt heavy, and she wished to slip into the shadows.

As she spoke, Sebastian’s frown began to soften, a flicker of warmth igniting in his eyes. “My heart, my life, everything I possess is yours, Tessa. Does a little money even matter in the grand scheme of things?” His words were laced with an earnestness that made Tessa’s heart flutter.

“Exactly, Tess. Please don’t say things like that again,” Ronald chimed in, his voice unexpectedly gentle, as if he was unaware of the change in his tone.

The three of them stood in a close-knit circle, an unspoken bond enveloping them, creating a world where no one else could possibly intrude. It felt like a sanctuary, a bubble of familiarity and comfort, where laughter and whispered secrets danced in the air.

Bella, observing from a distance, had hoped to remain untouched by the emotions swirling around her. After all, she had already endured this heartache once before. But as she watched the scene unfold, it was as if a knife had pierced her heart, twisting painfully with every shared smile between them.

These were the boys she had grown up with, the ones who had sworn to be by her side through thick and thin. Now, they seemed ready to cast her aside for someone else without a second thought, as if their promises were nothing more than fleeting words.

She maintained her smile, but it felt brittle, and soon tears brimmed in her eyes. With a quick swipe, she brushed them away, steeling herself to leave without uttering a single word. Yet, as she turned to go, the movement caught their attention.

“Bella! What happened to you?” Sebastian’s voice cut through the air, laced with concern as they rushed toward her, their earlier camaraderie forgotten in an instant.

Before she could respond, Tessa, who had been trailing just behind them, interjected. “I think I might have overdone it with the drinks. My head is spinning. Could one of you please take me to the hospital?”

The moment her soft, delicate voice reached their ears, Sebastian’s and Ronald’s expressions transformed. In an instant, they were both hovering around her, their voices overlapping in a rush of urgency.

“I’ll take you!” Sebastian exclaimed, his eyes wide with determination.

“No, I’ll take you!” Ronald countered, the same fervor evident in his tone.

Neither was willing to yield, both subtly competing to be the one to assist her as they led her away, their focus entirely on Tessa.

Sebastian and Ronald were now entirely consumed by their devotion to Tessa. No matter what evidence she presented, they had made up their minds, and she could feel the walls closing in around her.

“Fine. If this police station won’t take my case, I’ll just go to the next one,” she declared defiantly, refusing to meet their gaze as she turned away.

Neither of them moved to follow her. Instead, Sebastian’s voice was cold and unyielding. “We’ve already spoken to people. No police station in the entire city will take your case.”

Bella spun around, disbelief washing over her. Their hardened expressions felt like a slap to her face, and she staggered back, her legs trembling as if struck by lightning.

They had shared a childhood together. Seeing her in such distress seemed to soften Ronald’s tone slightly, and he attempted to reason with her. “Bella, don’t make a scene. This isn’t something Tessa would ever do. And even if she did, you’re classmates.”

“School’s starting soon. There’s no need to ruin her future over this,” he added, as if her suffering was an inconvenience to be swept aside.

In that moment, they felt like complete strangers to her—people she had never truly known. She had nearly been assaulted, and here they were, urging her not to disrupt someone else’s future. The betrayal cut deeper than she could have ever imagined.