Chapter 5
A Love That Fights
Jeffrey’s attempts to reclaim Tessa escalate, his manipulation and threats becoming more overt. He confronts James directly, his venomous words aimed at undermining their relationship and sowing doubt. But James doesn't flinch. Instead, he stands firm, a quiet strength emanating from him as he shields Tessa. He addresses Jeffrey with a resolute calm, his gaze unwavering, making it clear that Tessa is under his protection. He speaks of his love for her not as a plea, but as a declaration, a promise that he will not let her be harmed again.
The air in the dimly lit bar, once a sanctuary of rum-fueled anonymity, now crackled with a different kind of tension. Tessa felt it first, a prickle on her skin, a familiar tightening in her chest as Jeffrey’s shadow fell across the threshold. He was a ghost from a life she’d fought tooth and nail to escape, a specter of fear and pain that had haunted her dreams for years. Beside her, James’s hand tightened almost imperceptibly on hers, a silent anchor in the rising tide of her anxiety. He hadn’t asked what was wrong, hadn’t pushed, but his awareness was a balm she hadn't realized she desperately needed.
Jeffrey’s eyes, cold and hard, swept over the table, landing on her with a possessiveness that made Tessa’s stomach clench. He sauntered towards them, his smile a predatory baring of teeth. “Well, well, look what we have here,” he drawled, his voice dripping with insincerity. “Still chasing the bottom of a glass, Tessa?”
Tessa’s breath hitched. She could feel James’s steady presence beside her, a silent wall against the onslaught she knew was coming. She didn’t look at Jeffrey, her gaze fixed on the condensation beading on her empty glass, willing herself to remain calm.
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