Chapter 9

Tessa had come here looking for Elyse and hadn't expected to see this scene. As luck would have it, the waitress who was being humiliated was the very woman she was trying to find.

Tessa thought that Ethan should really see for himself what his so-called kind and gentle junior was truly like.

Elyse stumbled back from the force of Charlotte's shove and landed hard on the floor. But Charlotte didn't spare her a single glance. Instead, she strutted past in her heels like a proud peacock.

Humiliated, Elyse sat there, her face pale. Her whole body was trembling. But all she could do was clench her fists and hold back her emotions as she discretely wiped at her tears.

Tessa was about to step forward to comfort her and strike up a conversation when a sharp pain suddenly shot through her eyes. Her vision went dark, and she nearly collapsed. Fortunately, she managed to steady herself against the wall just in time.

By the time she steadied herself, Elyse was gone. The hallway led to the back garden, so Tessa guessed that Elyse had gone there to collect herself. Ignoring the sharp pain in her eyes, she hurried outside.

The back garden wasn't crowded, with only a few guests lingering over drinks, chatting idly. Tessa scanned the area but saw no sign of Elyse.

As she was heading toward the greenhouse, the sharp pain in her eyes flared up again when she passed by the pool. Her vision suddenly went black.

Before the darkness could fully consume her, she managed to grab onto a nearby lamppost to brace herself. She waited for the episode to pass.

Suddenly, a powerful force struck Tessa from behind, sending her stumbling forward. Just before she hit the water, a heavy, cloying perfume filled her nose.

She had smelled it not too long ago. She recognized that the scent belonged to Jennie.

The freezing water swallowed Tessa whole. She thrashed wildly, trying to stay afloat. "H-Help! I-I can't swim!" Her eyes burned, and her vision was still gone. The more she flailed, the more she sank. The icy grip of despair tightened around her, dragging her under.

She wondered if this was how it was going to end for her.

Just when Tessa thought she was done for, she suddenly heard a splash. It was the sound of someone jumping into the water. Then, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her upward.

The moment her head broke the surface, Tessa desperately tried to take in the fresh air. But in her haste, she ended up coughing uncontrollably.

The darkness clouding her vision slowly faded. When she turned to see who had saved her, a familiar, handsome face filled her view.

Ethan? No, wait. It wasn't him.

The resemblance was there, but Ethan's features were sharper and colder. He always carried a cutting edge in his gaze.

But the face before her exuded a more composed and reserved presence, with a gentler gaze when it met hers.

Tessa felt like she was losing her mind. She wondered why she was still seeing Ethan everywhere when she was about to divorce him.

"Are you okay?" The soothing voice reached her ears, carrying a hint of concern.

Tessa managed a weak smile. "Yeah. Thank you for saving me."

"Let's get you out of here first."

Keeping one arm around her, the man cut through the water with effortless strokes, bringing her swiftly to the edge before lifting her onto the poolside. Then, he pulled himself out after her.

The damp dress clung to Tessa's body, accentuating her graceful figure. The worst part was that her dress was white, and once wet, it became almost see-through.

Almost everyone in the back garden was staring in her direction. Several men's eyes lingered on her, their gazes filled with unwanted interest.

Tessa awkwardly wrapped her arms around herself. She stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Then, a coat was draped over her shoulders, shielding her from those prying eyes.

Tessa looked up at him and offered a polite smile. "Thank you. I'll dry clean the coat and return it to you."

The man's gaze was intense as he looked at her. After a long pause, he asked, "Don't you remember me?"

"You are…" Tessa squinted at his face, studying him carefully. Slowly, memories clicked into place, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Zachary Ziegler? What are you doing here?"

Zachary was a classmate from her college days. He had come from a poor family but was incredibly gifted. Thus, he was often bullied by others because of it.

Even the exchange student and scholarship spots he earned through hard work were stolen from him by people with ill intentions. It was Tessa who fought to get them back for him.

After graduation, Zachary started his own business, and Tessa secretly had Adam invest in it. Back then, she was still the glamorous heiress to the Langford family, but now...

Looking at him now—dressed in an impeccable, custom-tailored suit—Tessa could tell that he'd made it. He was a success, and his presence exuded a quiet, refined confidence.

"I was invited here. I never imagined I'd run into you." Zachary's gaze burned with intensity as he looked at her.

He silently marveled to himself. He was relieved that he'd come that night. After all, who knew when he'd have the chance to meet her again?

After Tessa had helped him all those years ago, their relationship had remained solid. But then, the Langford family had fallen apart, and she had suddenly married Ethan. She'd withdrawn into her new life as Mrs. Ziegler, cutting off most of her social connections, including him.

Tessa was surprised to see Zachary again. She asked him about how things had been going for him lately.

As expected, he had successfully built his business and was now the CEO of a publicly listed company. Although he wasn't in the same league as those top-tier families, he had a solid social standing.

After sharing his story, Zachary turned the question back on her. "How about you? How have you been?"

Tessa paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "I'm doing alright."

Being Mrs. Ziegler had its perks. Everything she needed was at her fingertips. She didn't have to worry about running from creditors or struggling to get by. In that sense, life was good.

Zachary's eyes flickered with an emotion she couldn't quite read. It passed quickly, swallowed up by a calm smile.

"Since we've run into each other, let me take you out for a meal. I remember you're a bit picky about food, and I'm sure you didn't eat much at the banquet."

His words made Tessa realize that she was actually hungry. But she couldn't forget about finding Elyse to discuss the cornea donation. She knew she couldn't delay it any longer.

"I'll take a rain check. I'm not in the best shape for it right now."

Zachary immediately understood. She was still a mess and knew that it wouldn't be right to continue the evening out.

"Let me give you a ride home then," he suggested.

"Okay." This time, she didn't hesitate to accept.

Tessa gave him Rosalie's apartment address, and he drove her to the building. They exchanged numbers and agreed to meet for a meal next time. Only then did Tessa get out of the car.

As she entered the building, the pain in her eyes flared again, and the light around her dimmed.

Tessa didn't want Zachary to notice, so she pretended everything was fine and followed her memory as she made her way through.

Just as Tessa was about to relax after entering the building, her calf suddenly bumped into the trash can in the stairwell.