Chapter 24

When Zachary was driven back to the villa, it was already 3:00 am. Stumbling into the bedroom, he collapsed onto the bed, barely able to keep his eyes open. He was jolted awake by a sharp pain in his stomach. "Tessa, my stomach hurts," he mumbled. "Get me some medicine." But there was no reply. He called out again, "Tessa? Tessa—" Suddenly, he sat up in bed, fully awake. A wave of realization hit him that Tessa had moved out. A mix of loneliness and discomfort washed over him. Clutching his stomach, he stumbled out of bed, desperately searching for the medicine, but it was nowhere to be found. The pain was unbearable, so he called Emma. Emma was startled when her phone rang. "Where's the medicine for a stomach ache?" Zachary asked. She took a deep breath, mentally reminding herself, "It's okay. He pays well. A little less sleep won't hurt." She glanced at the time, and it was 4:00 am. What was wrong with him? It was the middle of the night! She took a few more deep brea