Chapter 26: The pendant
The next day...
Noah brought Tessa to his villa. He intended to make Elena insecure so she could stop ignoring him. But he still didn’t find her there.
"Where is Elena?" he asked. "She has not come back yet?"
Linda shook her head, pulling her chin down. "No."
"She has gone too far this time," he muttered.
Reaching into his pocket, he took the phone and dialed her number.
’The number you have dialed is out of the network coverage area. Please try again later.’
The automated female voice only deepened his irritation.
He lowered the phone and scowled at it. ’Where has she gone?’
Seeing the call had not connected, Tessa smirked sneakily. ’Her corpse must still be lying in that abandoned house. By the time anyone finds it, it will be rotten beyond recognition.’
The thought delighted her. No one would ever discover where Elena had disappeared. And in the end, Noah would be only hers. But she didn’t show her happiness. She pretended to be worried.
"She might still be angry," she said softly, holding his arm. "Don’t stress yourself too much. She will be back once she calms down."
Noah’s tension eased a bit.
Tessa was right. Elena would come back eventually. Where could she go?
Her bank account had been frozen. She couldn’t stay mad with him for any longer. She needed money for her aunt’s treatment. And without him, no one was there to help her.
Eventually, she would crawl back to him obediently.
He sat down on the sofa, an arrogant look crossing his face. "Yes, she has no choice but to come back."
Tessa smiled as she sat down beside him. "Then stop sulking." She linked her arm around his, drawing his attention toward her. "I’m delighted that I finally get to stay here with you. Thank you."
But Noah wasn’t truly happy. He would never let the two women of his life live under the same roof. He had only brought Tessa here to provoke Elena. Yet Elena’s absence made everything feel pointless.
"I want to take the master bedroom," she demanded.
Noah thought for a while. The master bedroom belonged to him and Elena.
Every corner carried traces of her. Elena had personally designed everything herself—the curtains, the furniture, the decorations. She had spent days carefully choosing every detail.
She would definitely explode in anger if she saw another woman had occupied that room.
But Noah didn’t stop Tessa. Instead, he agreed. "You can use it."
Tessa beamed, her lips stretching from ear to ear. "Thank you. I’ll go unpack my things."
She grabbed her luggage and hurried upstairs happily.
Linda watched everything quietly. Not only had Noah brought another woman into the villa, but he had also given her the master bedroom.
’Madam will be heartbroken if she sees this. Why is he doing this?’
Restless energy coursed through her, but she couldn’t question him.
Noah, seated on the sofa, glanced down at his phone, agitated.
Still no reply from Elena.
The thought that she had been deliberately ignoring his messages and calls only added to his fury.
"Fine. Keep being stubborn. I want to see how long you can survive without me."
He tossed the phone aside.
After some time, Tessa came back to his side. "Thanks, Noah. The room is spacious and airy. I like it. I’m sure I’ll recover soon."
She sat down beside him, coiling her arms around his.
Noah mustered a smile, suppressing the irritation in his mind. "As long as you are happy, I’ll give you anything you want."
She beamed. "Actually... I found something."
She opened her palm and showed him a blue diamond pendant attached to a gold chain. "I found this inside the wardrobe while unpacking."
Noah stiffened in his place. He recognized it.
"This is beautiful. Can I take it?"
Noah looked at her, hesitating.
That pendant was Elena’s most treasured possession. It had been the last gift from her father before he died.
Elena cherished it deeply. She would never allow anyone else to touch it.
Seeing him silent, Tessa’s smile faltered. "What happened, Noah? Why are you so silent?"
Noah quickly looked away. "This is... old," he said. "The design is outdated. I’ll buy you something expensive."
Tessa knew it was old. She had found a handwritten note in the wooden chest along with the pendant. She knew how much it mattered to Elena. And that was precisely why she wanted it.
Tessa would take everything that Elena cherished.
"But I want it," she insisted. "I don’t care if it’s old."
Noah still looked conflicted.
Tessa’s heart burned with annoyance when he remained silent. "You promised you would fulfil all my demands while I am here. Have you forgotten it, Noah?"
Noah’s chest caved; air left his lungs. Because of that promise, he had repeatedly hurt Elena for days. And now, she was furious with him.
She had ignored all his calls and messages. It had never happened before. If he gave the pendant to Tessa, Elena might not forgive him easily. But the promise... He couldn’t break it.
"Noah, don’t forget I’m your legal wife," she hissed, her voice sharpened. "I am the woman you love. Are you going to upset me over a small pendant?"
Her eyes filled with grievance.
Noah sighed, wiping his face. He thought he would buy something expensive for Elena later.
"Fine." He gave in. "Take it."
Tessa’s smile returned, her eyes gleaming triumphantly. "Then help me wear it." She handed the pendant to him eagerly.
Noah stared at the blue diamond for a moment, his thumb brushing over it. Then he suppressed the last trace of hesitation and clasped it around Tessa’s neck.
Tessa touched the diamond. "I love it. Thanks."
She leaned against his chest, hiding the vicious smile tugging at her lips.
Just then, the door opened, and Elena walked in. But the instant her eyes landed on Tessa sitting comfortably in the hall, she stopped.
’So he couldn’t wait to bring her home,’ she muttered inwardly.
Noah pushed Tessa away and stood up instantly. "Elena..."
Relief washed through him. He instinctively moved toward her, but Tessa hurriedly grabbed his wrist and stopped him.
Her face had gone pale. She had been certain Elena was dead.
’Didn’t those men kill her? How could she be still alive?’
"Elena..." Tessa forced out nervously before Noah could speak further. "You are finally back. Noah has been so worried about you. Where were you?"
Elena didn’t reply to her. Her cold gaze remained emotionless.
"This time, you have gone too far," Noah snapped. The softness in his eyes vanished, replaced by irritation. "You first paid those goons to kidnap Tessa. Then you disappeared for three days. It seems I have been too soft with you."
Elena snorted sarcastically. "As if you don’t know where I have been."
Noah scowled. "What did you say?"
Elena rolled her eyes and moved toward the stairs. She didn’t want to argue with them. She only came back to collect her things.
Noah came forward and tugged at her arm. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? I called you and texted you. But you kept ignoring me."
𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
Elena slowly looked down at his hand gripping her arm. Then she lifted her gaze toward him.
A mocking smile appeared on her lips. "Worried about me?" she repeated bitterly. "No, Noah."
Her eyes turned icy. "If you truly cared about me, you would never have done this to me."
She pointed at the bandage on the right corner of her forehead.
Noah’s expression froze. He instantly released her arm and stepped back. The image of himself pushing Elena down flashed in his mind.
At the time, he was so furious that he had not noticed she was hurt. And now, he regretted it.
"You want to know where I have been these days... Why don’t you ask your white lotus?"