Way Back Into Love (Essie)

Chapter 89 Don't Touch It (Part One)

The storm grew increasingly fierce and showed no signs of abating.

Most of the coconut trees on the beach were uprooted. It looked like the end of the world was

approaching. The terrible weather affected the air inside the cave.

Zac groaned, a tinge of pain flashing across his eyes.

Essie anxiously watched his movements.

Although she kicked with no great strength, Zac himself was at the most vulnerable state that a man

could be in, even someone who was extremely heroic and strong as he was.

Taking a deep breath and letting go of her, Zac sat up and said, "Honey, let it go, or you won't be happy

in the future."

Her face contorted in a slight grimace. "If it fails, you're going to use your brain, for sure, and you will

never be fickle in love."

His face took on a bitter, aggrieved smile. "Evidently, it recognizes only you. How could I be fickle?"

Zac sounded like an affronted virgin. But in Essie's mind, he was a playboy who went through

thousands of battles and won many girls' hearts. And Leila was one of them.

Again, the thought inexplicably made her feel bitter. She turned her back on him to tidy up the hay, lay

down, and closed her eyes. "I'm sleepy. I want to sleep for a while."

He lowered his head and sighed slightly, looking extremely pitiful in his dejection.

By the next morning, the storm had blown over, and the sea became quiet again.

The hiker leader and Mandy arrived with several patrolmen.

Last night, after the leader went ashore, she counted down the number of people on her team. As soon

as she realized that Essie was missing, she immediately called the police.

However, they had no choice but to wait until morning because the storm was too strong.

In order to cover up her crimes, Mandy pretended to be worried and sad over Essie's disappearance.

However, her feigned agitation became real when she realized that Zac was also on the island. Her

beautiful face reddened with her extreme jealousy. If not for the fact the she was in public and had an

image to uphold, she would have stepped forward and slapped that bitch.

"I'm glad you're all right." The leader heaved a sigh of relief and apologized for her negligence.

Mandy cast a cold sidelong glance at Essie. Then, she turned toward Zac and said in a sweet voice, Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Zac, what are you doing here?"

"You did leave her behind. Of course, I had to go and find her," said Zac coldly.

Seeing the displeasure on Mandy's face, Essie thought helplessly, 'People in love are always so

sensitive. Making mountains out of molehills.' She said, "I tried calling you yesterday, but your phone

was turned off. I didn't know the leader's number." She knew she was rambling, but she had to explain.

"Zac really cares about you. The storm last night was so strong that even the police couldn't take

action, yet he went out to rescue you." Mandy's tone was as sour as lemons.

Zac leveled Mandy with an icy glare. "What I do is none of your business." His eyes were cold, and his

voice was even colder.

Mandy felt like her blood turned to ice, yet her hatred for Essie had burned hotter.

Essie could do nothing but complain inwardly.

After returning to the shore...

Essie asked Zac to head back first. She wanted to have a talk with Mandy alone.

"Mandy, do you think that ice guy shouldn't have come to look for me?" she asked the other woman

point-blank. They had been friends for ten years, but she never imagined that Mandy would be

someone who would treat a close friend so despicably. She would rather let her friend be stuck on the

island rather than have the prince charming she liked save her.

"Don't put on an act, Essie. I've been wondering whether you've been getting along with him secretly.

He even gave you a ring," Mandy snorted derisively.

Essie was stunned.

How did she know that the ring was given by Zac?

She told no one about it.

"Who told you that Zac gave me the ring?" she quickly asked.

"Leila told me." Mandy thought it was pointless to keep her meeting with Leila a secret from Essie. With

her lips curled in an unpleasant sneer, she continued, "She also told me that you were dumped by

Hanson during the opening ceremony of fashion week, and that Zac made an appearance and

announced that you were his woman. He even carried you out in his arms."

'Leila, you bitch!' Essie thought vehemently. 'How dare you stir up trouble between my friend and me?'

Her eyes flickered with anger.

Maybe Leila saw the ring when Zac bought it and thought that it was for her... but then Zac went and

placed it on Essie's finger. That must be why she threw a fit in that cafe.

Essie shook her head in disbelief. All along, she thought that these messy scenes were only seen in

dramas. It was a wonder how they had happened in real life.

"At the opening ceremony, he only said that to help me out. As for the ring, you're correct; it was a

birthday gift from him. I was afraid that you would misunderstand, so I didn't tell you," explained Essie

to her friend.

"He really cares about you. A man doesn't give a ring to a woman casually, does he?" Mandy leaned

on the railing, her hair as ruffled by the sea wind as her heart.

Essie rolled her eyes and then laughed. "I got the ring on purpose. Didn't you want me to play the

devil's advocate to destroy his relationship with Leila? They were fine, though. They stayed together all

day long, and Zac even moved to her place and stayed with her for a week before coming back. I was

just thinking of how to get her to misunderstand me. It just so happens that my birthday is coming, and

when that ice guy asked me what gift I wanted, I seized the opportunity for him to get me a crystal ring.

I was thinking that if Leila saw the ring he gave me, she would become angry enough to break up with

him,"

she spoke in so much detail, even she herself almost believed what she was saying.

Why in the world did she have to come up with these lies, anyway?

Lying was bad, but she could not come up with a sufficiently plausible explanation that could dispel

Mandy's doubts.

Lies made in good faith were still lies in fact, but at least they could clear up misunderstandings and

prevent unnecessary trouble. Anyway, she had a clear conscience—she and ice guy were innocent.

The only person that would be happy over Essie's and Mandy's broken friendship would be Leila.

Mandy was not a fool, and she was not the sort of person who believed easily. However, Essie was

good at deciphering people's thoughts and taking them under consideration before speaking. She

deliberately emphasized to Mandy that Leila and Zac lived together, and the other woman immediately

lost her reasoning.