Chapter 2

Tina Lynd glowered as she shook off Ellen Golding’s hand. “Move!”

“Argh!”

Pearl Lynd screamed as Ellen’s nails dug sharply into her arm, and her cry startled everyone nearby!

“What happened?! What’s wrong, Pearl?”

Jonah Lynd reacted first and quickly moved to block out any inquisitive glances.

“We just remembered that there are certain family matters we must tend to—excuse us!”

Once they heard Jonah insist that it was a family matter, everyone nearby quickly gave up no matter how curious they were.

At the same time, Jonah grabbed Tina by the arm and dragged her firmly to the living room where there were no outsiders.

Then, unable to repress his rage, he slapped Tina viciously across the face!

“You little wretch! Are you fighting back now?! Look what you’ve done—you’ve hurt Pearl!” He bellowed in rage. “Our family had raised you for ten years, so it’s your blessing to be sold off to Mr. Wallace, but you’re rebelling instead? The insolence!”

The slap sent Tina tumbling to the floor and bleeding out the corner of her lips.

Nearby, Pearl was beside herself with thrill—she would have done it herself if her arm wasn’t hurt.

“Yes, Daddy! A wretch like that needs a proper beating! Disfigure that face so she won’t seduce men everywhere!”

Spurred on, Jonah was going to do just that when Ellen stopped him. “Wait! Don’t do it!”

“What are you doing, Mommy?! Are you siding with that wretch?!” Pearl cried in disbelief.

Ellen spat in disdain. “Why would I side with her? I just remembered that she’s still Mr. Wallace’s merchandise—what if he demands a refund if she’s hurt here, in our own home?!”

Jonah promptly stopped. “Yes, you’re right… We still have use for her face. You, over there—throw her down in the basement and wait until our guests leave, and then I’ll return her to Mr. Wallace myself!”

Two of their servants promptly walked up and pulled Tina off the floor.

Still, despite being left in such misery, she left with poise and unyielding perseverance.

“I’ll just wait for your deaths downstairs!” she said before she was gone from sight, her gaze sweeping across them icily.

That naturally left Pearl fuming. “Look at her being so smug, Dad! She’s going to run away again—we have to send her back to Mr. Wallace right now!”

The fact that the geezer hadn’t killed Tina already denied her a good night’s sleep!

Still, Jonah chuckled in cool contempt as he proclaimed confidently, “Run? Where would a bumpkin like her run too? Does she really think she has a way to turn things around? She’s not getting away even with divine intervention!”

Meanwhile, as the basement door was slammed shut resoundingly, Tina merely sat in a corner, a smile of relief forming over her lips.

‘Jonah Lynd, Ellen Golding, Pearl Lynd…

‘I’ll be seeing you in hell!’

***

Back at the presidential suite, the king-sized bed was exceedingly tidy, showing no signs of the mess from the previous night.

Samuel Langford’s assistant was there, respectfully passing the file envelope in his hand to the man before him.

“Here’s all the information we have, Mr. Langford.”

Leaning back on the couch made of real leather, Samuel’s pronounced facial features beneath his black hair was dark and sinister, even callous.

Coupled with his black shirt, his sheer presence was severe and imposing like a lofty king.

In fact, no one would imagine that the tyrant feared by everyone in Freesia would be tricked—and by an ordinary woman at that!

Sandy did not dare to even breathe too loudly and kept his head down, worried that he would be silenced forever just because he knew about it.

The air around Samuel seemed to turn cool as he pulled the sheets out of the file envelope with two long fingers.

His icy glare swept across the contents, just before he growled coolly, “Her name is Tina Lynd? Tina Lynd… Hmph. Well done, Tina…”

There was a terrible threat in his bewitching voice!

After all, being tricked by a woman was the worst humiliation he ever suffered over twenty years!

The corners of his lips curled into a smile as he read through the details about the Lynds over the last few years, even as his gaze turned colder.

Yet another sycophant who snuggled up to those with wealth and power—Samuel had seen too many women of her type.

And yet, she was the first one who got him, and he responded differently to her as well, despite his condition…

A storm brewing over his gaze as he glared at the report, he snarled, “There’s really no way you could tell that a woman like her could pull a stunt like this!”

Slamming the papers on the table, the very air around him seemed to cool because of his terrible presence. “Go. Send our men and bring her here.”

“Yes, Mr. Langford.” Sandy promptly turned to leave.

“And don’t let anyone find out that I’m the one taking her away.” Samuel added quietly just then, his lips now arching to a sharp angle.

“Does she think that jumping me makes her Mrs. Langford, and in turn destroy the Lynds? Dream on. I’ll make you wish you were dead!”

***’

Half an hour later, multiple Range Rovers screeched to a halt right outside the Lynds’ mansion.

Then, as troops of black-clad bodyguards alighted, everyone in the building was left dumbstruck.

“Who are you people? Leave this instant, or we’re calling the cops!”

“You can’t just barge in here…”

Receiving word that those men were storming into his mansion, Jonah had rushed out for a look, and was immediately scared witless.

The mere presence of the black-clad men was intimidating and they were clearly up to no good—but who on earth had sent them?

“Give us Tina Lynd, and we’ll be gone immediately!”

Jonah seemed to understand everything in those words.

Who else would want that little wretch?

Of course it had to be Mr. Wallace, who had paid for her the previous night!

Breathing a sigh of relief, Jonah promptly said, “It’s fine, it’s fine—we’ve kept her in the basement. Take her away!”

While the bodyguards did not expect the issue to be resolved so easily, they did not ask any questions to avoid being unmasked as the Langfords’ henchmen.

Once the basement door was opened, the bodyguard in the lead who was wearing shades asked with an unfriendly tone, “Are you Tina Lynd?”

Tina nodded enthusiastically, her little eyes twinkling in delight.

“Yes, I am. You’ve come to take me to my death, haven't you? Hurry up then, let’s not keep anyone waiting!”