Chapter 504

"Be good," Stephen murmured. "Don't worry. I bolted the door when I came in earlier. They won't be able to come in." The door to the garden was made of solid wood. It had a bolt installed that essentially functioned as a lock. With the bolt slid into place, Sienna and Naomi could not open the door from the other side. Stephen pressed close to Tessa and whispered into her ear, "Darling, they're worried that something's happened to you. Hurry and tell them that you're fine." "I can't… Not with my voice like this…" The moment she opened her mouth, the truth would come to light. "If you don't respond to them now, they'll just get more worried. What if they call the police?" "Are you still in there, Tessa?" Naomi raised her voice and asked again. "Tessa, don't tell me you passed out?" Sienna called, panic lacing her words. Tessa closed her eyes and steeled her nerves. "I'm fine," she replied. Naomi and Sienna breathed a sigh of relief on the other side of the door. "You gave us qu