114

114
Chapter 114

Tessa couldn’t focus. Her lines blurred. The next scene was a disaster. Her mind was no longer on set … it was on Julian’s face, the hurt in his voice, the ultimatum he had given her.

When the director yelled “cut” again, she ripped off her mic and fled the set. She ran until she was outside, the night air cold against her skin. I didn’t know where she was going, only that she had to get away.

Her chest burned. Tears streamed down her face.

“It’s over,” she whispered to herself. “She ended it again as she’s used to doing ”

She sank onto the pavement, hugging her knees, her body shaking with sobs.

A pair of headlights washed over her. She kept running.

Running and pacing without any direction.

Then she heard a voice drifting from the direction she was running.

“Tessa.”

She looked up and saw Desmond…. her co-star, her crush… stepping out from his car. He has been following her, his face full of concern.

Desmond exhaled, his jaw tight. “She heard everything,” he said softly. His eyes were calm, steady… not judging her. “He ended it because of me. Because of that kiss scene.”

“It’s not your fault,” she whispered. “This always happens. Every argument ends the same way. He breaks up with me, then comes back, then breaks up again. I can’t do it anymore. I won’t.”

She shaked… storming hard. Her breath came in short, sharp bursts as tears streaked down her face. Her hands were clenched so tight her nails dug into his palms,

“I… I just need to breathe, Desmond. I can’t continue to stay in the set. Not after everything Julian said.”

He nodded once, then stepped out of the car and opened the passenger door. “Come on. Let me take you home.”

She hesitated at first… pride was screaming at her when to keep walking… but her legs were already trembling. She got in.

The ride was quiet except for the low hum of the engine. She stared out the window, watching the streetlights blur past. She was shaking, though whether it was from anger, pain, or exhaustion, she couldn’t tell.

When they reached her apartment, she got in quickly and went straight to her room. Desmond followed her in silence, leaning against the doorway as he watched her throw clothes into a bag.

“Haha,” he said finally, “what are you doing?”

“Packing.”

He took a step closer. “Where are you going?”

“ l don’t know.” Her voice broke. “l just needs to get out. Away from this place. Away from Julian. I can’t keep living like this…arguing every other day about my career, about who I am. I’m so tired, Desmond. So tired.”

He stayed quiet for a long moment, then said carefully, “What if I come with you?”

She froze mid-motion, turning to face him.

He sighed and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed.

“My mum’s been on my neck too. She hates my career, keeps saying I should quit and settle down. She wants grandchildren, Tessa. She says I'm an only child, and it’s my responsibility to get married on time. I can’t breathe under all that pressure. I was planning to disappear for a while… cool off, clear my head. Maybe this is the sign I needed. We could go together. Just… leave.”

She blinked at him, surprised. The idea sounded crazy. Irresponsible. And yet… liberating.

“You mean… right now?”

“Why not?” His lips curved into a small smile. “Pack light. Tonight, we choose peace.”

For a moment, she stared at him. Then something inside her broke… or maybe it healed. She dropped the shirt in her hand and nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

They drove through the night, leaving behind the chaos, the shouting, the pain. By dawn, they were on the road leading to a quiet villa outside the city.. Desmond’s secret escape.

The place was stunning. A whitewashed building surrounded by flowering trees, with a view of the hills that seemed to stretch into forever.

She stepped out of the car and breathed in deeply. The air was crisp, clean, untouched by the noise of the city.

“Wow,”she whispered.

Desmond grinned at her reaction. “Wait until you see the inside.”

They toured the villa together.. Tessa ran her fingers over the polished wooden banisters, peeked into the sunlit kitchen, and stopped to admire the balcony that overlooked a sparkling pool.

For the first time in months, she felt her chest loosen.

Later that day, they went out exploring the nearby town. They bought roasted corn from a street vendor, took pictures by the riverside, and laughed at silly things.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself to forget everything… Julian’s accusations, the arguments, the pain.

That evening, Desmond surprised Tessa with dinner at a cozy restaurant. They sat outside under strings of fairy lights, the night air warm against their skin.

Halfway through the meal, Desmond stood up, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Just stay here,” he said, grinning. “I want to get you something …you’ll love it. Don’t move.”

She rolled her eyes but smiled faintly as he left. She sat there quietly, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her glass.

Then, out of nowhere, her breath caught.

A shoe … not just any shoe … caught her eye. It was the same designer shoe Julian wore on the night of their first date, the one she had teased him about because it looked too expensive to touch the ground.

Her gaze slowly traveled upward, and her heart stopped.

He was standing right there.

Julian.

He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t angry either. His eyes locked with hers, but why does the world around her seem to blur and vanish?

He was back again but … this wasn't what she was expecting… because it is bad.. She just said yes to dating Desmond.