A Love as Restless as the Wind novel

---- Chapter 21 Tessa sat in an elegant Michelin -starred restaurant , staring down at a beautifully plated Franco meal she used to love. But now, she had no appetite at all. Clifford sat across from her, watching her nervously. " Tess... don't you like the food? Should we go somewhere else?" "No." She looked at him emotionlessly. "Say what you need to say. After today, we're done for good and will never see each other again." "Done for good?" Those words hit him like a punch to the gut.

His eyes welled up with tears, and a low sob slipped from his throat. "Tess... can you just let go of the 20 years of relationship we had?" "What is there left to say, Clifford?" Her voice was cold. "I've already stepped aside for your happy little family of three." "Tess, that child was never mine." His expression conveyed his deep remorse.

"I told you before that the only child I'd ever acknowledge is yours..." He stared at her desperately , searching her face for any sign of lingering affection. But her expression was cold and distant, and her voice was firm. "Just skip to what you have to say. I've got things to ---- do." Tessa checked her watch and looked back up, urging him to get on with it. Clifford opened his mouth but couldn't speak. His heart was already shattered. "Where... are you going?

"he finally asked through gritted teeth. "What does it matter to you?" She snapped, irritated. "If this is all just going to be pointless small talk, then don't waste my time." She stood up and pushed her chair back to leave. But he blocked her path and said pleadingly, "Please, Tess, just tell me. Let me know what could possibly be more important than me." Her voice was flat. "Everything else is more important than you. But if you're so desperate to know, fine. I'll tell you.

I'm going for my wedding dress fitting." "What?" His fingers clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He asked again, as if unwilling to believe it. His voice trembled with pain, his eyes bloodshot. " Tess, don't lie to me. If you're just saying this to hurt me, you might as well kill me now." He instinctively reached out, gripping her tightly, as though trying to force the truth from her. "Don't lie tome, Tess!" She frowned. "Let me go, Clifford.

You're the one who said you wanted closure, and that's the only reason I ---- came. But clearly , you were just looking for another excuse to play games. "T should've known better than to trust you again. I've lost count of how many times you have lied to me. Ever since Tania showed up pregnant, it's been one lie after another." She tried to leave again. "Let me go, Clifford. Let yourself go, too. There's no future for us. I'll live my life, and you'll live yours.

Isn't it better to part ways with some dignity?" But whatever thread was holding Clifford together had already snapped. He couldn't imagine life without her. "Tess... I can't live without you..." He desperately begged . "Please... come back to me, okay?" "Have you ever thought about the fact that marrying you was already a huge compromise for me?" Tessa pulled her hand away sharply. "All I ever wanted was a free, easy life. But for you, I gave everything up.

I wore a mask every day just to play the part of the perfect Mrs. Jones. "But you didn't appreciate any of it. You had a kid with another woman and expected me to just... accept it. And then you kept feeding me the same line about how you 'had no choice'. What kind of excuse is that?" Her throat was dry. She grabbed the untouched glass