Henry witnessed the whole thing. He approached Alanna in shock. "Ms. Jacinto, why didn't you just put up with her?"He meant to say that Alanna should've just compromised whenever possible since it wasn't every day that Melanie showed up there.Some time ago, Melanie had been in a bad mood and proceeded to find faults with the secretarial department whenever she came. The entire department had to tolerate her antics.However, Alanna decided to do the opposite today. After what she did, she'd probably have to face Melanie's wrath.Alanna smiled bitterly. "Even if I didn't do that, do you think I wouldn't get in trouble? I'm still going to get told off, anyway. Might as well do it, then. At least I get to entertain myself.""But…"Alanna chuckled. "It's fine."Truth be told, she didn't give a damn anymore. Hades could get mad at her for all she cared. It wasn't the first time it happened, anyway.…Melanie went downstairs. Without even knocking, she shoved the meeting room door
Upon seeing the tears streaming down Melanie's face, Hades eventually nodded. Melanie suppressed her anguish. Then, she took the clothes Henry handed her and left to change.Then, Hades asked Henry, "Where's Alanna?""She went to the studio," Henry replied.Hades snorted. "Acting as though none of this has anything to do with her, huh?"Henry paused before explaining, "Mr. Florentine, actually, Ms. Smith splashed coffee on herself before Ms. Jacinto did."The emotions in Hades' eyes were unreadable. Henry couldn't help but clench his fists on either side of him.After a long pause, Hades asked, "So?"Henry bit the bullet and answered, "Ms. Jacinto isn't at fault."Hades smirked. "Did she do it?"Henry pressed his lips together before saying, "She did."Hades scoffed again. "Then why did you say she wasn't at fault?"Henry stiffened. In the end, he heard Hades say, "You're dismissed."…Alanna was waiting for Hades' call, but to her surprise, she heard about Henry's dismiss
Alanna's response didn't make Hades feel any better. Still, he didn't say anything about it.While gently pinching her face, he bent over slightly to kiss her on the lips. "Don't start a fight with her the next time something like this happens. Just come to me."Alanna wanted to ask if he would side with her if she did so, but in the end, she decided against it. One shouldn't get their hopes up when the outcome was clearly impossible."Alright," she replied nonchalantly.Hades stroked her hair. "You should get back to work, but don't exhaust yourself."He paused before continuing, "I won't be back for dinner tonight."Alanna didn't ask further. It was evident that he was going to console his crush. Perhaps she was so used to it that she felt nothing.Calmly, she nodded and left the office. She had a short exchange with Henry and went back to work.After work, Alanna headed straight for the hospital Tara was at. She hadn't visited Tara for some time now.As usual, Tara lay moti
Alanna thought an apology was all she'd get from Bernice. It surprised her to find out that Bernice had been placed in custody.Alanna smirked. "So what? I warned you, didn't I? You'll still have to go to jail for slandering!""But I wasn't behind all those rumors on the internet!"Alanna lowered her gaze with a sneer. Indeed, Bernice wasn't the mastermind, but Alanna had suffered because of her all the same.She replied, "You should confront Melanie about this. After all, you were taking the blame for her!" A flicker of hatred crossed Bernice's pale face when she heard Melanie's name. "Let's have a chat, Alanna."Alanna shook her off. "Sorry, I'm not interested in whatever you're proposing."Then, she walked around Bernice and headed for the roadside.However, Bernice called out, "Alanna, I know how you miscarried!"Alanna halted abruptly. She felt as though someone was squeezing her heart. She turned around and asked, "What did you say?"A savage grin flashed across Bernic
After stopping the recording, Alanna casually pocketed her phone. Then, she calmly hailed a taxi and returned home.The moment she entered her house, she felt completely drained. She stood at the doorway in a trance for a long time before taking her phone out and playing the recording again.After she did so, she felt an agonizing stab of pain in her chest. She'd never imagined that that was the truth behind her miscarriage. Melanie was behind it all along!Alanna clutched her phone tightly. After who knew how long, she suddenly started laughing. However, the anguish in her laughter was palpable.In the dark room, she stood there at the entrance. She was still in a daze. It seemed as though she was doing her very best to suppress the rage within her.The deafening silence was only broken when her phone rang. Alanna took a deep breath to calm herself before picking up her phone.Chelsey's voice rang out through the receiver. "Ally, it's almost New Year. I'll have three days off. S
However, Chelsey could only watch. Even if she knew that Bernice was most likely telling the truth, she felt helpless.Alanna took another deep breath and laughed. "Alright."After ending the call, she sat at the bar counter. She just realized that the first snow in Jagersville had started.As she watched the fluttering snow outside the window, Alanna didn't know what to think. Was Hades really oblivious to Melanie's scheme?A voice within her prompted her to think about the possibility that he might not have known about it.But so what if that were true? Would he take her side? Would he help her gather evidence that his sweetheart was behind her miscarriage?She wanted to call Hades. But though her finger lingered above his contact for a long while, she didn't go through with it. She lacked the courage and the confidence to do so.She didn't know whether or not Hades would come home tonight. As though trying to prove something, she insisted on waiting for him.Time passed, and
Hades' eyes narrowed, and he smirked. "Bernice told you that?" he asked as he released her.He lowered his head and puffed on his cigarette before looking at Alanna impassively. He continued, "So you'll believe whatever she says?"Though he remained expressionless, the air around him turned dense and cold. Evidently, what Alanna said had put him in an unpleasant mood.Alanna's lips pressed tightly together. Of course, she didn't believe Bernice fully. But now that she'd heard about it, there was no way she'd let it slide that easily."I'll take it as it is, even if it turns out to be just another trap!" She stared right into his eyes unwaveringly.Hades' expression was sour. Moments later, he asked, "Do you really have to make a fuss, Alanna?"As Alanna gazed at him, her tears fell uncontrollably. "Hades, I just want to know the truth!"Hades fixed his gloomy gaze on her. His expression was one of indifference. "What could you do even if you learn the truth? Could you change wha
Even if Alanna had been acting up recently, the most she had done was give him the silent treatment.He said, "Alanna, you should understand that that baby wasn't supposed to exist in the first place. Even if no one caused your miscarriage on purpose, I wouldn't have let you keep it anyway!"Alanna stared at Hades intently. He'd told her from the start that the baby should never have come into being. Regardless, that wasn't the ending the baby deserved!Alanna laughed. What was supposed to be a dazzling smile seemed unusually unsettling amid her tears."That's true," she said. "You wouldn't have let me give birth to it. But you and I are the ones who have the right to determine whether or not to keep it, and not your fucking sweetheart!"Hades, it's true I'm only with you for the money, but I'm not indebted to anyone! Who are you to get me to endure Melanie's ways again and again?"Do I owe it to her? She's your darling, not mine. If you want to repay her, do it yourself! Why sho