All Chapters of The True Heiress, His Worst Nightmare: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Curtis held her hand till they reached outside the company, his grip firm but not forceful, like he wasn’t entirely sure if she would pull away or not. The tension between them lingered in silence, both of them walking side by side without speaking, each lost in their own thoughts. The noise from the company faded behind them, replaced by the distant hum of traffic and the occasional footsteps of passersby. The moment they stepped into the open space outside, Tessa pulled her hand away fiercely, like she had only tolerated his touch for as long as necessary. She adjusted her handbag around her shoulder, her movements sharp and controlled. “Thank you for earlier,” she said without meeting his glance, her voice calm but distant. Curtis studied her face for a moment, noticing the tension in her jaw, the way her eyes avoided his. “Your dad asked you for money to gamble?” he asked, his tone quieter now, less aggressive than usual. Tessa let out a dry breath, her lips c

The hall was already alive with quiet chatter and soft laughter, their sounds floating gently above the clinking of glassware. Every table had been arranged with care, covered in crisp linen and decorated with bottles of wine that gleamed under the soft golden lights. It was the kind of setting that spoke of wealth without needing to say a word, the kind that made people straighten their backs and watch their manners.At the far corner of the hall stood Harper Dean, calm and composed, a glass of wine resting comfortably between his fingers as he spoke with a small circle of investors. His voice carried authority without needing to rise, and the men around him leaned in slightly, hanging onto every word like it mattered. There was a quiet respect in the way they looked at him. “Dad,” Lauren’s voice came, light and bright, cutting through the conversation as she approached him with a smile that seemed almost too perfect. “You don’t have to throw me a birthday party.” Her tone carr

The man’s smile faltered almost immediately, the earlier smugness on his face dissolving as Tessa’s words settled in. He shifted slightly, clearing his throat as he turned his face away, suddenly finding the contents of his wine glass far more interesting than the woman standing before him. The confidence he had carried just moments ago slipped quietly, replaced by an awkward silence he didn’t quite know how to handle.“What are you all doing?” a familiar voice cut through the tension, firm and sharp.They all turned at once.Curtis stood a few steps away, his expression dark, his eyes sweeping across the small crowd that had gathered. His presence alone seemed to break whatever momentum the confrontation had built, and a few people instinctively stepped back, not wanting to be caught in the middle of whatever was about to unfold.Lauren reacted first.The shift in her expression was almost instant. The smirk disappeared, replaced by that soft, harmless look she wore so effortlessl

“Take it,” he said to Tessa, his voice low but firm, the kind that did not leave room for argument.For a brief second, the world around them seemed to pause. The faint hum of conversations, the clinking of glasses, the soft music playing in the background, all of it faded into something distant and hollow. Tessa looked at the box in his hand like it carried a weight far heavier than its size. Her fingers hovered for a moment before she finally took it, her touch cautious, almost reluctant.“So it’s your birthday today as well?!” Lauren snapped, her voice cutting sharply through the calm that had settled between them.Heads turned. Not many, but enough.“Oh!” Rosa’s voice followed immediately, laced with mock amusement as she folded her arms across her chest, tilting her head slightly. “I get it now. You’re here for a free birthday party!”The words landed exactly how they were meant to; heavy, insulting, and loud enough to draw attention.Tessa didn’t flinch.Instead, she let out

“Mr. Deveraux,” Tessa said, turning slowly to Curtis, her voice calm but carrying a sharp edge that cut through the thick tension in the hall. “Last time, you insisted that the baby wasn’t yours. Wasn’t that the reason you used to divorce me so you could marry Lauren instead?”Her words were steady, but the weight behind them pressed heavily on everyone present. Conversations that had barely resumed moments ago died down again.Curtis’s jaw tightened.For a second, he didn’t respond. His gaze locked onto Tessa’s face, searching, almost as if he was trying to find something familiar there; something he could hold on to. But all he saw was distance.“Tessa,” he said finally, his voice low, controlled, “let’s go outside.”Before she could react, he reached out and grabbed her hand, his grip firm, instinctive; like it had always been. Then he turned slightly, already pulling her along, as though he expected her to follow without resistance.But this time was different.Before he could