When She Walks Away (Teresa) novel Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Charles had arrived with Teresa. But when Xavier recalled Teresa saying she was only Charles’s secretary and then saw how tenderly Charles cared for Naomi, he became convinced Naomi must be Richard’s granddaughter–in–law.

Certain of his guess, Xavier smiled warmly at her. “It’s alright. Make yourself at home.”

Naomi, touched by his kindness, returned the smile. “Thank you.”

Xavier nodded and then turned to Ethan. “Charles, who’s this handsome young guy?” he asked.

He had noticed the stranger at the entrance earlier. Though unfamiliar, Xavier could tell he was someone important.

Over the years, only Jason and Finn had ever accompanied Charles, so this newcomer had to be significant.

Before Charles could answer, Leo scoffed and said, “Xavier, he’s just some nobody. You don’t have to pay any attention to him.”

Charles cut in quickly. “Xavier, this is Ethan. He does business with me and Jason.”

Xavier shifted his attention from Leo to Ethan, his eyes lighting up with genuine appreciation. “Ah, I see. So you’re one of the new talents. Young and promising!”

Ethan stood up and shook Xavier’s hand, humbly replying, “I’m grateful for your recognition, Xavier.”

Xavier smiled and greeted the rest of the table before moving on.

All the noise and posturing was typical among the wealthy, but Teresa had never liked such scenes.

She sat quietly, occasionally topping off her glass of red wine.

Beside her, Troy noticed how downcast she looked. It unsettled him, and he didn’t know how to comfort her.

Finally, he reached under the table and took her cold hand. “You should slow down. You’ll get tipsy if you keep drinking.”

Teresa gently pulled her hand free and smiled faintly. “It’s okay, really.”

She could hold her liquor; the wine wasn’t the problem.

What she couldn’t stomach was the atmosphere.

Across from her, Charles frowned as he noticed Teresa drinking more than usual.

He was about to say something when Naomi clutched his arm and whispered, “Charles, I need to use the restroom.”

Immediately, he shifted his gaze away from Teresa and turned to Naomi. “Alright, take you.”

As Naomi rose, Charles followed.

He shadowed her every step, hovering protectively as if worried she might stumble, even reaching out a hand to steady her.

Teresa looked up just in time to see them walking away together.

They were practically glued to each other, never leaving each other’s side.

It was such a painfully ironic sight.

After Charles and Naomi left, Teresa’s face showed a jumble of emotions. She looked lost, conflicted, and maybe even a little hurt.

Jason, sitting right across from her, caught Teresa’s disappointment in a heartbeat. For some reason, it made him secretly pleased.

Erhan, too, noticed her distress and silently wished she would break from Charles for good.

Troy, meanwhile, felt his chest tighten with frustration.

He cursed himself for lacking courage back then and hated that Teresa was still hung up on Charles.

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10:36 AM P

Chapter 164

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Around the table, silence fell. Each person was lost in their own brooding thoughts.

After making a few toasts, Xavier’s phone rang.

He glanced at the screen, then turned to the group he was about to toast. “Sorry, I need to take this. I’ll be right back.”

When Xavier got up to answer his call, nobody dared say a word.

Xavier stepped out into the backyard to take the call. It was Richard on the line.

“How’s it going?” Richard asked, sounding a bit anxious.

Xavier chuckled along with him, then asked, “Richard, I heard your granddaughter–in–law is studying medicine?”

“Yeah, she is,” Richard confirmed.

Xavier sounded impressed. “That’s pretty impressive. Medicine is tough.”

But Richard just brushed it off. “It’s not that big of a deal. You go back to your guests. I’m off to play some chess.”

After hanging up, Xavier headed back into the banquet hall.

Charles trailed behind Naomi, carefully lifting the hem of her dress so it wouldn’t drag. He didn’t care how it looked to anyone; he was happy to bend down and do whatever for her, even if others thought it was beneath him.

Teresa saw them come back, but before she could get a good look, a hand gently covered her eyes.

Across from her sat the guy she’d once bent over backwards to please, but all he ever wanted was to see her miserable and at her lowest.

Troy and his friends were strangers to her, and she felt like nobody to them.

Yet not only did they have no beef with her, they even stood up for her and had her back.

have

Thinking about all this, Teresa’s eyes reddened with tears. To Troy, it looked like she was crying for Charles, and his heart sank.

Troy was annoyed but mostly felt bad for her. He grabbed Teresa’s hand and said, “Come with me.

Teresa hurried after him, a little unsteady on her feet. Leo saw that Troy was about to leave and called out, “Dinner’s not even finished yet. Are you guys leaving already?”

Troy kept hold of Teresa’s hand, not bothering to look back. His tone was cold. “Skipping a meal won’t kill us, but who knows what might happen if we stick around with all this filth?”

Leo didn’t try to stop them. Instead, he nodded with approval. “That’s how a real man acts. Well done.”

Troy didn’t hear. His only thought was to get Teresa away.

Once they left the banquet hall, he led her outside to a swing set on the lawn.

He didn’t tell her to sit down, nor did he look at her. Instead, he turned away, gazing off in another direction.

The two of them just stood there on the grass, neither taking a seat on the swing nor saying a word.

The strange, heavy silence lingered between them for a long time.

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Chapter 164

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Finally, Troy couldn’t hold it in anymore. He spun around, frustration burning in his eyes as he gripped Teresa’s shoulders. “Just tell me, what did you ever see in Charles?”

Teresa looked right back at him and said, “I don’t like him anymore.”

She wasn’t lying; she had stopped loving Charles long ago.

But she knew she still couldn’t be totally numb.

How could she pretend that it didn’t bother her at all, especially after what had just happened?

She’d loved Charles with all her heart for eight years, and he didn’t give a damn about her.

Who wouldn’t be crushed by that?

Hearing Teresa sound so certain, Troy’s frown deepened. He stared at her as if he could see right through her, demanding, “Then why were you crying just now?”

Helpless against his own feelings, Troy hated knowing she still loved Charles, yet he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to protect her.

He was addicted to her, bound to her.

‘If I couldn’t have her in this life, he thought, ‘it would be the end of me.