Lahat ng Kabanata ng Leaving You Bereft: Kabanata 921 - Kabanata 930

Tessa drove to the hotel. It was the night before New Year's Eve, and the hotel wasn't too busy.After giving her team their final instructions, she stayed in the office playing computer games to pass the time, planning to do a final round of inspection around 9:00 pm before calling it a night.In between, her blind date, Miles, texted her, inviting her to his place for dinner over the holiday.Tessa thought about it. They were only trying things out, not actually dating, so she politely suggested meeting somewhere outside instead. Thankfully, Miles was decent enough to get the hint and changed the plan to dinner at a restaurant.After putting her phone down, she couldn't shake the feeling that she and Miles weren't right for each other.It wasn't that he wasn't good. He was too good, in fact. Perfect on paper, but beyond that, there was just no spark.Still, she wanted to give it a try. She couldn't help thinking of Benedict. He'd said he wanted to give them a try, too.Leaning

Half an hour later, Benedict's black Range Rover slowly pulled into the Frey residence.It was a red-brick, ivy-covered villa, about 12,000 square feet in size.When the car stopped, Benedict turned his head toward the black coat lying on the passenger seat. He stared at it for a long time before finally picking it up and stepping out of the car.As he passed through the foyer, the family's longtime household staff, Kara Estrada, looked startled. "Mr. Benedict, you're home! Mr. Rowan was just furious earlier, saying you're never around—like a wild bird that comes and goes as it pleases. Mrs. Frey tried to explain for you, but it didn't help much."Benedict handed her the coat to hang up and gave a faint laugh. "A wild bird? That's a new one."Kara replied innocently, "Mr. Rowan said you were talking nonsense."Benedict was at a loss for words when Sapphire came slowly down the stairs. She looked at Benedict with mild reproach. "Your father was furious tonight. You should try no

Tessa froze.She thought, "Benedict proposed to me? What on earth was he thinking?"But seeing how grandly the Freys had arranged everything, she knew that if the Ziegler family refused, it would seem awkward. Though young, Tessa could understand the power dynamics and Benedict's standing in the Rhys family of Hortosia.Just as she was startled, Sawyer gently put an arm around her shoulder. "With me here, there's nothing to fear."…At 9:00 am, Sawyer, along with Tessa, Maisie, and their children, stepped into the Ziegler residence's main hall. Naturally, they greeted everyone as they entered.Tyler looked at Sawyer, and then at Willow, feeling reassured. He instructed the household staff to add extra seats and invited Sawyer to sit on equal footing with the Freys, introducing him to Dorian from Hortosia. "This is the head of the Hall family… Sawyer Hall. Honestly, the younger generation is outshining the older one. Compared to his father, he's truly outstanding."Dorian stu

Of course, Tessa wasn't rushing anywhere.She just wanted to go home and catch up on sleep.But there was no need to explain herself to Benedict, so she smiled faintly and said, "This isn't your concern, Mr. Frey."Benedict also smiled lightly. "Yes, it isn't my concern."He stepped back a pace, still smiling. "Drive safely, and Happy New Year, Tessa."Tessa's hand lingered on the car handle for a moment before she finally opened the door and got in.The car started, leaving Benedict behind, growing smaller in the distance.Half an hour later, Tessa's car slowly pulled into the gates of Tessa Villa.Although Tessa always spent New Year's at the Ziegler residence, she still made sure to decorate her own home festively, capturing the spirit of the holiday. In the grand hall stood a potted bush clover, a symbol of good luck.This year, the tree was hung with small plush toys she liked. Each one was adorable.The household staff said with a smile, "Mr. Ziegler came last night a

Tessa answered decisively, "No!"For her, it wouldn't be Miles and certainly not Benedict.She struggled on his lap, a mix of embarrassment and irritation on her face. “Benedict, put me down. This is forcing me. You're shameless."Benedict gently brushed his fingers along her cheek, his voice low and almost tender. "So you think I'm forcing you? I'm not trying to do anything—I just wanted to talk to you. But you're being stubborn, so you have to sit on my lap. It seemed like the only way to make you stay still long enough to hear me."Tessa lifted her gaze and glared at him.But her features were delicate and refined, carrying little real threat. To Benedict, it only made her seem more charming and approachable. He suddenly remembered the first time they had been together—though he had been with many others back then, he remembered their time together so vividly.Perhaps it was because she wasn’t an outsider, or perhaps he had always held a soft spot for a woman like her.Bene