Even as Emma spoke, she glanced at Tina, and there was no hiding the admiration in her eyes.After all, she loved Tina's work for the competition—in her mind, Tina was first place.Pausing for a moment, she then announced, "As the first and second runner-up of this competition have proved their outstanding skills, the executives of the Continental had a discussion, and decided to induct them as interns as well.""It's our hope that all three winners will keep striving to do their best. May we all be graced with even more impressive work than the sublime pieces we've already had the pleasure to feast our eyes on tonight!"The hall was once again abuzz with excitement—it was the dream of any jewelry designer to get a job at the Continental!Naturally, it was Tina's dream too, so she could hardly believe what she was hearing."Really?! That's wonderful!"Still, Yvonne's joyful exclamation and Linda's ashened face were very much proof that it was true—that this was very real!And e
John and Tina arrived at a restaurant, and he pulled the chair out for her."Thank you," Tina smiled as she sat. People often said that John was as civilized as he was gentlemanly, and the praise was certainly deserved.Still, as John took his seat and after they ordered food, neither of them spoke.Tina waited for John to start discussing her work, but the man was simply staring at her.Though his gaze was tender and didn't invoke disgust, being stared like that still left Tina slightly uncomfortable.Eventually, she frowned slightly, meeting his gaze as her expression turned a little cold.Could he be just messing with her? Perhaps the rumors were just exaggerated, and he was just a rich playboy like any other?But even as her suspicions gnawed, John calmly spoke in his deep, magnetic voice, "You really don't remember me?""Huh?"Tina did a double take, staring at John blankly.What was that supposed to mean? Were they actually acquainted?Still, John smiled as he presse
Tina raised her foot right then, kicking Henry viciously on the shin!Thud!Caught off guard, Henry gasped in pain and stumbled backward.At the same time, Tina shoved him, sending him stumbling and dropping on the toilet, while she quickly opened the door and fled.As Henry followed out of the cubicle, he paused at the doorway, glaring as Tina left like a hunter glaring after his prey…Like he could skin her and eat her right then!However, no one noticed Linda standing behind a potted plant, her knuckles clenched.Be it five years ago or now, everyone knew that Henry loved her, spoiling her endlessly…Even so, that man never looked at her like that!-By the time Tina made it back to the table, the food was already served.John didn't start without her, however, so she apologized, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Levine.""It's alright," John replied, his gaze lingered on her swelling red lips just a second before turning away.Tina started eating, keeping her head lowere
Tina's slap came so quickly that it caught Linda' off guard, launching her face sideways.Since Henry wasn't around, her face contorted viciously right then.But even as she raised her hand, Tina caught her before she could slap her back and shoved her forcefully away."Linda Cook," she warned coolly. "If you have the time to come after me, you should instead put a leash around Henry Barnes and stop him from chasing me around!"And with those words, she turned to leave.-After finishing her paperwork to get discharged, Tina headed to the elevator.As she passed the nurse station, two nurses were gossiping quietly, as one of them had witnessed Tina's confrontation with Linda and came to tell the other nurse."Urgh, and here I was wondering why that bitch was so cold," she sighed. "So they were after the same man.""What are you talking about?" her colleague asked half-heartedly, busy cleaning her table."Don't you remember Sophie? That sweet, pretty little girl."Tina stoppe
There was no doubt that Linda knew Sophie was dead, but she kept mentioning her around Tina.If anything, Tina was dead sure that Linda planned this call, deliberately choosing the day of Sophie's funeral for some bullshit party.It was also to brag to Tina that Henry loved Rory, and not her darling Sophie!Even when Sophie was alive, Linda had used Henry's absolute affection for herself and Rory to hurt Sophie as much as she could. And they weren't letting up even after she was gone!Such humiliation and insults… Linda was truly savage!"Hello? Are you listening, Tina?" Meanwhile, Linda's voice remained sickly sweet, leaving Tina absolutely disgusted.Even so, she sneered as she answered, "Sure."And with that, she hung up, kissing the photo of Sophie on the tombstone before she got up."It's alright, Sophie. I won't let you suffer anymore."-Meanwhile, at Saint Holden Hotel, Linda's smile stiffened when Tina told her "Sure".She was actually surprised that Tina would co
As Henry clenched his fingers around Tina's wrist, the pain left her lowering her hand.Linda promptly turned and threw herself into Henry's arms.Clutching her swollen cheek, she sobbed at Tina, "Sophie's your daughter! Why do you keep saying she's dead? Are you trying to curse her so? Just because she couldn't help you win over Henry?"Tina's eyes flashed with cold savagery. "Mention Sophie again and I will slap your mouth right off!" Sophie was dead, but Linda refused to stop hurting her, trampling all over her memory!"You hurt Mommy!"Rory heard the commotion and ran toward Tina in her pretty princess gown. "You bad woman! You're just like Sophie! Always bullying us!"She grabbed Tina's hand, ready to bite down, but Tina pulled her hand off, glowering.It knocked Rory off balance, and she dropped on her rump.She quickly fell backward, forgetting the tower cake that was just delivered, and knocked it over herself."Wargh!!!"While she was just going to pretend to cry e
Even as Linda cried out in panic, Tina did not hesitate to pull the tablecloth with all her strength. Crash!!!Everything from the plates, confectionery and drinking glasses on the table were sent crashing down on the floor, leaving an utter mess."Stop it already, Tina!" Henry bellowed at her.Stop?!Tina smirked—the only reason she came here today was to ruin this party for Linda and Rory!In fact, even as Henry kept bellowing at her, Tina strode off to knock over the stacks of presents, sending everything crashing down, reduced to trash."Wargh!!!" Rory bawled even harder as she watched.She was going to show off to all her friends, only for Tina to destroy everything!It was all ruined now!"That's enough from you!" Linda sprang to her feet furiously, her eyes widened in rage as she charged at Tina.As she grabbed Tina's hand, she shoved her towards the nearby champagne tower.Once Tina crashed into it, she would definitely be disfigured!However, Tina's was just too
Tina struggled as hard as she could, but simply couldn't free herself.She could only watch as the gang leader's shive streaked toward her hand…That was when the door opened from the outside.The three women inside clearly didn't expect that, and were taken by surprise.Tina also seized the moment to pull her hand back to herself, but the gang leader quickly realized it. She thrust her shive downward, but it missed and struck the floor with a sharp, audible clang."What are you doing?!" The captain of the precinct bellowed when he saw what happened inside.Even before he charged inside, a figure dashed inside, covering the distance between the four women and the doorway in just a few sides.The man most famous in Jadelight for his gentlemanly demeanor lost his composure right then, as he glowered and kicked the gang leader brutally!"Argh!" She screamed shrilly as she slammed heavily on the floor.Her two lackeys, already spooked at John's intimidating presence, promptly re
As soon as Henry heard that Tina was hurt and hospitalized, he got into his car and rushed to the hospital, only to see John touching her upon arrival.However, John had already been furious with Henry when he found Tina in her tragic state.If he had not dumped her at that isolated place, she would not have suffered so much.Hence, John stood up.Henry presumed that he was backing down and released his grip, only for John to suddenly get up and punch him in the face viciously.It came so quickly it caught Henry off guard, and it struck him true.While John was a gentleman, and this was the first time that he had ever punched anyone, he did it so viciously.Henry stumbled backward once before catching his balance and felt blood in his mouth.Still, his face contorted savagely, but as he was about to return the punch, Tina suddenly got out of bed.She knew him too well and scrambled out of bed to stand in front of John.Henry's eyes widened and promptly stopped, his fist just
"Tina!" John cried, grimacing in heartache as he dropped to one knee, wrapping his coat around her before carefully picking her up.However, she was hurting everywhere after the robber kicked her repeatedly.She gasped in pain without knowing as John touched her and could not see where she was hurt under her clothes.She was not loud, but the pain in his eyes showed even more.He gathered her in his arms even more carefully this time, while Ian drove over in his black Maybach.Ian opened the door, and John put Tina in the backseat, barking, "Get us to the hospital!"At his order, Ian floored the gas pedal and sped off.-Much later, John was sitting by a hospital bed, his eyes fixed on Tina, who lay frailly on it.The doctor told him that Tina was bruised all over, clearly having been kicked repeatedly.John's heart clenched at the thought, his pain welling out.That was when Tina woke up and found herself staring at John's dark gaze right away.She was awake but also felt
The robber started fantasizing—once he got rich, he would kick his wife and the three money sinks to the curb and get himself a young pretty face to carry his genes.With that thought, he cheerfully returned to his bike and sped off, not caring about what happened to Tina.She lay on the ground, watching as the last thing she kept of Sophie disappeared from her sight, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Sophie…"In time, her body slowly turned stiff from the cold as she lay on the icy ground.Her tears would dry up quickly, but more would flow soon after.There was no telling how long had passed before she completely passed out.-After getting Henry's call, Andy promptly drove to where Tina was, but she was not there when he arrived.He alighted and yelled, "Ms. Smith!"There was no response, so he returned to his car and called Henry, but the call was cut off right away.After all, Henry had called him to pick Tina up while he sent his people to save Linda. At this time, he m
Furious, the robber lunged at Tina viciously. "You bitch! You asked for this!"Tina was flat on her back and did not have the strength to fight back as the robber charged at her again.She could only curl up to hold onto the necklace containing Sophie's bone."Give it up!" However, the robber was a blue collar worker and very strong.His hands were like pliers that grabbed firmly on her arm as he attempted to unfold her.He did not expect Tina to hold on so tightly that his temple veins were bulging, and he could not even pull her arm off."Fuck! Don't think I can't make you budge!" he swore as he sprang to his feet again. Unable to pull her off, he kicked her repeatedly.He did not hold back, just like how he never held back on beating his wife whenever he got too drunk.In fact, he was furious this time and kicked Tina even harder.However, Tina only curled into herself even tighter amid the pain.Even as she started blacking out, she held onto the necklace containing
Tina was the one who had taken care of Sophie from birth.Since jewelry was cumbersome when taking care of children, she was used to not wearing it even after Sophie's death.At most, she wore a watch to work—hers was not all that valuable, but she took it off even though it was hidden under her sleeve.Having given the robber everything, and seeing that he was still measuring her from head to toe, she said earnestly, "I really have nothing else."She had been very compliant, and the robber believed her and started stuffing everything into the handbag.However, just as he was about to get on his bike, he spotted the necklace around Tina's neck.His face dropping, he hung the handbag on the bike while snarling as he returned to Tina, grabbing her shoulder, "You bitch! You lied to me!"He was a big man and could crush her collarbone right then.Even as Tina shuddered in pain, she did not know what had gotten the robber upset, fighting back her panic as she said, "I've really give
It was a voice that would invoke any man's chivalry."I won't leave!" Henry promised Linda again.Relieved, Linda calmly closed her eyes, her breathing turning rhythmic.Thinking that she was asleep, Henry pulled his hand away…"Henry!"Linda promptly jolted awake, her eyes wide open.However, seeing that Henry was just moving to sit by the bed, she calmly closed her eyes again, this time holding firmly on his shirt to keep him.Nothing would change, even if Henry found out that Tina was not the one who had drugged him five years ago!In his mind, Linda would always be his savior, the woman he loved the most!He would love her like nothing ever happened no matter what she had gone through, and Tina had no right to compete with her!-Meanwhile, Tina continued walking along the eerily silent road after Henry had left her there.She would be lying if she said she was not scared, but she fought her fear and hurried along.It would take several hours to reach the city, but tha
It was a line that reminded Henry of that moment five years ago, and he nodded. "Yeah. I told you I'd never let you get hurt again, Linda."The single line offered Linda assurance, and she threw herself into Henry's arms."Henry…" She sobbed endlessly, at once hysterical and miserable. "You came for me!"Pained, Henry pursed his lips and scooped her up in his arms. "It's alright. I'm taking you home right now.""Yeah," Linda murmured, hugging his neck and pressing her cheek against his chest, shuddering endlessly.She seemed horrified, refusing to leave his embrace.And that was how Henry carried her to his car, quietly telling the chauffeur to head to Rose Garden.It was almost ten when they arrived.As Henry carried Linda inside as well, the maid heard them and came out.Bowing respectfully at the two when she saw them, she said, "Mr. Barnes, Ms. Cook. Rory's asleep.""Good," Henry replied quietly and leaned down to tell Linda tenderly, "We're home, Linda."Linda did not s
Seeing that Henry was stopping to listen, the man's eyes lit up with hope, and he quickly said, "It's the truth, Mr. Barnes—I'm not lying! She really came on to us!"That woman's acting was just too good.If they had not personally been there, even they would have doubted that the same person who came on to them was also the same person who had accused them!"It's the truth, Mr. Barnes!" the other man promptly echoed, his tone earnest as he tried to convince Henry.Regret was twisting their insides to a bunch too, as they did not have evidence—if they did, they would have shown it!They had been feeling gleeful earlier that they were doing it in a place without cameras.And now, they could not even defend themselves!Henry looked at them then.He could see that they were just stopping short of swearing it was the truth, and there was no hint of guilt in their eyes as they looked at him in turn."No!!! Get away from me!!! Please don't touch me!!! Henry!!! Henry!!!"But even as
Henry's eyes were on Tina even as he held his cigarette and answered the phone.Tina ignored him as he had clearly mentioned Linda's name to screw with her, but just as she got up, Henry's face dropped.He dropped his cigarette on her too, and she flinched in pain, losing her balance and falling again.However, Henry was busy assuring Linda endlessly as she screamed in terror on the other end. "Calm down! I'm coming right now—I'll save you! It's alright!"He did not hang up as he continued offering words of comfort, completely ignoring Tina as if she was never there.As soon as he returned to his car, he floored the gas pedal, disappearing into the night."Henry Barnes!" Tina yelled just as she got up, but her voice was drowned out by the roaring engine, and she was left standing as she watched Henry's car disappear from sight.A cold breeze blew just then, and the rustle of leaves echoed on both sides of the road.As Tina shuddered, she picked up her bag from the ground and to