“Oh, you’re so boring!” She rambled on about how she met him and introduced herself as a close family friend of Ace to make some connections with him. It could get her new offers. “And I found out she’s a psychiatrist. I’m thinking about how a film and ad producer met a doctor. What an interesting pair. But I’m wondering how they manage their long-distance relationship. His job is here, and his wife is oceans away in the UK.”

I stopped whatever I was doing. Now that caught my attention.

UK?

TWENTY: CONFRONTING TESS

The aroma of fresh spices and sauce wafted across the kitchen, proclaiming the delicious food getting ready for the special Italian dinner. The provoking sweet goods baking inside the oven had me salivating.

The hunger of my tummy spiked at that. The result of not eating the whole day. How could I when my mind spiraled with a vanished man’s thoughts all the time?

“I’m happy you’re here, Em. With all the preparations for the wedding going on, we haven’t spent enough time together.” Tess added some basil in the spaghetti.

I nodded. “Yeah, but don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere, at least not for three months. So, we’ve got a lot of time to fix that.”

Something flickered over her blue irises, but then she smiled. “Right. Anyway, how was your day?”

“It was good.”

Not good. Not at all. After last night, I didn’t get any peace. What Caleb said about their relationship, about her involvement with Ace, kept my mind busy. Then he suddenly vanished from the country.

In the evening, when I got Cassie’s call and got to know about Leyla being in the UK, it raised a lot of questions in my mind. He had no one out there except her, so the suspicion that she could be one of the reasons for his frequent visits there wasn’t unrealistic. Even if I didn’t have any right to feel vexed about it, I was. But somehow, I knew he wasn’t there for her. There was nothing between them like I thought at the beginning. They were just friends.

That’s what you thought about Ace and Tess, too.

That was the main reason for me being here. I wanted answers to my questions. And at this moment, only Tess could enlighten me. I’d lose my sanity if she didn’t.

Fidgeting in my seat, I cleared my throat. “I was thinking of asking you something…”

She looked up. Observing my hesitation, an understanding etched on her features. “You can ask me anything, Em. I’ll try to answer them as long as it’s about me.”

I took a deep breath. There was no point beating around the bush now. “Did you cheat on Caleb with Ace seven years ago?”