"No. Tina already buried her."Henry rasped, his voice and heart aching at the very mention of it. "I'm Sophie's father, but I only found out yesterday… I feel so sorry for her!"The rim of his eyes reddened again.Yesterday, he had knelt before Sophie's grave, telling her sorry a million times.But what was the point? Sophie was never coming back, and he could not make amends!Linda watched as Henry grimaced in misery, sitting by his bed as he took his hand, her own eyes tearful as she consoled him, "You have to move on, Henry!"I know Sophie's death hurts, but she loved you so much—she definitely wouldn't want to see her daddy hurting wherever she is now, or she'll be sad.""No." Henry shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "She'll just blame me and resent me."They said that men did not cry, but that was only because they were not hit where it hurt.And Henry could not stop his tears even as Linda kept comforting him. "No way! Sophie would never blame or resent you.
Early next morning, Henry headed to the graveyard again.His fever had just broken, and his head was bandaged, and his mind groggy.Tina had really gone all out when she threw that vase at his head.If it were not a vase but something hard, she would have killed him.The thought left his heart sinking.He paused for a moment in the car before alighting, picking up Sophie's favorite food and the dress she loved but never gave it to her.As he went up the stairs, each step hurt after kneeling for an entire night and swimming for two hours.After no more than a few steps, his foot wobbled."Watch out!" Linda cried, rushing over from behind and catching him.Seeing her, Henry frowned and asked in annoyance, "What are you doing here?"Yesterday, at the hospital, she had asked him which graveyard Sophie was buried in and said she wanted to visit.He knew that Linda was being kind, but he also knew that Tina was ready for murder whenever Linda was mentioned.If Tina were to know t
Linda did not bother to delete the missed call logs either, because she knew Henry would not care.Then, using the excuse of getting Rory's medication from the pharmacy, she went downstairs to watch Tina's misery with her own eyes.It pleased her to see Tina suffer—she loathed Tina and her bastard.If not for Tina, she would have become Mrs. Barnes long ago! If not for that bastard, the hag would not have a reason to force them abroad!And worse of all, neither of them stayed away when Linda returned to the country, even claiming her rightful place!It was all their fault—they were all asking for it!-Seeing that Linda was really sad, Henry told her, "Like you said, Sophie's a sweet child. She won't blame you.""Yeah." Linda stopped crying, knowing when to quit while she was ahead.As she pulled away from Henry's arms, she wiped her tears and asked very softly, "May I visit Sophie? If you refuse, I can keep my distance. I'll at least have ease of mind if I see you."Seeing
Tina's eyes widened in fury.She rushed over, kicking away all the food placed in front of Sophie's grave.Shaking with rage, she turned and glared at Henry with bloodshot eyes as she bellowed, "Henry Barnes, you monster! Not only do you refuse to avenge Sophie, but you're bringing her murderer here to hurt her more?!"And you're even asking Sophie to reincarnate so she would be your daughter again?!"That was the worst curse possible for Sophie!In her rage, she flung the vacuum flask she was holding at Henry's head, with every intention to kill!Henry's eyes flashed in panic when Tina suddenly appeared.He was just going to stand up and explain himself when the flask struck him squarely in the chest, and he grunted dully in pain.He was already consumed with grief, and his insides seemed to churn as he wobbled, while blood crept out of the corner of his lips."Henry!"Linda paled in shock as she leaped up to catch him, looking at him with a pained expression.Then, turning
Hearing Henry defending Sophie's murderer right in front of Sophie's grave left Tina screaming hysterically, "Get out! Get as far away as you can!"Her resentment had gone over the brink, but she remained ever helpless and despairing!However, Henry kept holding her in his arms, refusing to let go no matter how she fought.He certainly could not leave her here alone when she was going crazy and could not be reasoned with.At the same time, he wheeled on Linda behind him and snapped sternly, "Go home!"He should never have relented!"Henry…"Linda certainly would not want to leave—not when she had not mocked Tina enough.However, Henry's glare silenced her before she could speak.He might be defending her with his words, but that glare made it clear that he blamed her for this—he should not have agreed to her request and let her visit Sophie's grave, disturbing Sophie's final rest.Linda was fuming but did not dare show it, even looking aggrieved as she said meekly, "Okay, I'l
Henry tried to advance, but the dozenish bodyguards stopped him. "Sorry, Master Barnes."They were very respectful, but none of them were backing off."Move!" Henry snapped, his voice chilling the bone as he swept a sharp glare over them.His very presence was intimidating, but the bodyguards still did not make way despite their fear.Henry clenched his knuckles but did not start punching as he glanced at Tina's grave."Henry…"Meanwhile, Linda's hands and feet were bound and gagged, even as she looked tearfully at Henry and breathed his name through the gag.Only Henry could save her and protect her now!Meanwhile, Tina had moved to Madam Barnes' side, taking the whip from a bodyguard, her eyes red with hatred as she glared at Linda on the ground.She did not hesitate to raise the whip."Tina!!! Don't you dare!!!"Henry bellowed to try to stop her, but it was pointless.It was as if Tina did not hear him, her movement not passing at all as she whipped Linda.Her heart f
But even as Linda cried foul, she was leering at Tina gleefully and provokingly from behind Henry's back."You bitch!" Even Madam Barnes could not help swearing—how could this woman be so deceitful?!As she raised her hand to hit Linda, Linda hid behind Henry, terrified like a damsel in distress."Grandma!"Even as Henry moved between them, he had to move to avoid Madam Barnes, and Linda along with him.However, his attention was fixed on Madam Barnes, and he never noticed that he was bringing Linda right in front of Tina.Already seething, Tina did not hesitate to kick Linda as hard as she could down the stairs right behind her, knocking her off balance and missing her step."Argh!!!"Linda screamed as she fell, rolling down the stairs.The bodyguards around them could have caught her, but they stood by and watched.They would not move unless Madam Barnes told them to."Linda!"And it was too late by the time Henry realized what had happened—Linda was already falling.H
Sighing, Madam Barnes finished, "Even if there's no evidence and we can't make Linda pay with her life, I'll make sure that she suffers."Tina merely pursed her lips and stayed with Madam Barnes to watch her eat.After a little chat and seeing that Madam Barnes was tired, she coaxed Madam Barnes to sleep and left only after Madam Barnes was asleep.Soon after Tina left, a nurse came to change Madam Barnes' IV drip while she was still asleep.While the care worker was not paying attention, she pulled out a syringe from her trolley, quickly injecting it into the IV bottle.Then, when it was done, she pulled up her mask, keeping her face lowered as she hurried away.However, she was moving too quickly, and the trolley struck the door with a loud bang, jolting Madam Barnes awake.The care worker had already found the nurse's behavior strange, as this was a VIP ward, and interns should not be allowed here.But seeing that Madam Barnes was up and looked fine, she did not dwell on it.
Rory asked, "Daddy? Is that my birthday present?"At the same time, she knew very well that if Henry saw what that straw doll really was, he would be absolutely furious.That was why he must not let him see at any cost.However, Henry was still glowering as he threw the gift aside, taking a step forward and glaring at her menacingly. "Show it to me!""Daddy…"More tears gushed from Rory's eyes, as if Henry terrified her.And yet, she gingerly reached out, tugging on the hem of Henry's shirt, chirping sweetly, "Daddy, you're scaring me. Don't look at me like that."At that moment, she was once again the Rory that Henry was so familiar with.Mature and obedient.Kind and innocent.Guileless and harmless.But Henry could not forget about the Rory he saw just now.And seeing that she kept trying to manipulate him, he lost all patience and pushed her aside, while reaching for the blanket with his other hand."Daddy! Don't look!"Rory cried as she lunged over in a panic to stop
As Henry opened the door, he was left staring in shock as Rory knelt before her own bed, her young, dainty face contorted with sinister malice that did not suit her age.Just seeing that left Henry wondering if this was still the sweet, disciplined Rory whom he knew? He just could not connect that other Rory with the one he was looking at now.As she held a tiny straw doll in one hand and a long needle in the other, cursing Sophie's name while stabbing the needle repeatedly into the straw doll, it was clear that the straw doll was meant to represent Sophie.A fire flared inside Henry's mind—Sophie's death had always been an agony to him, and he owed her plenty and wanted nothing less than to give her a better afterlife.More than that, he yearned for the day that Tina forgave him, and then they could have another child.With that, Sophie could reincarnate and become their daughter once more, so he would have a chance to make amends.When he yearned for those things so much, how
After Henry found out that Tina was the real Orange, watching the footage of Sophie only made him regret even more.He really wanted to go back to seven years ago and beat his past self up violently.Even as he looked tearfully at Sophie—the child of her and Orange's love, so cute and pretty on the screen—he thought she should have grown up pampered as the happiest princess.And yet, he had scorned her even before she was born and treated her with utter insignificance after she was born.Just thinking about how she looked at him, yearning for her fatherly affection, left his heart feeling like it was being stabbed a thousand times over."I'm so sorry, Sophie! Can you come back to me?" he asked, gently brushing his finger against her photo on the gravestone.However, there was no answer to his question, and he felt like he was stabbed again as he kept watching the video alone in the cold winter night.When the video was finished, his tears covered his face.The more Sophie loved
Rory was endlessly confident that she mattered most in her daddy's heart.However, Henry usually arrived very early on her birthdays. When he did not show up by eight, Rory called his number, but no one answered.Still, she was afraid to keep calling and instead texted him.[Daddy, when are you coming?]Once again, there was no answer—he did not pick up as she tried to call later too, and nor did he show up as noon arrived.Even as she felt disheartened, she peered at Linda with the corner of her eye.Linda had gone the extra mile to look pretty, as she had promised to persuade Henry so that they could celebrate her birthday together.She quickly tried to call Henry as there was no sign of him, and they continued to wait all the way to the evening.Meanwhile, Linda had already received the message that Henry had gone to Sophie's grave first thing in the morning and never left since.Furious, she steered her wheelchair and rammed into Rory, knocking her to the floor, all whil
Linda told Rory that Sophie was Henry's real daughter.Because they were connected by blood, if they spent more time with each other and bonded, Rory would become unimportant because she was not really Henry's daughter.There was no way Rory would let Sophie take her daddy away, so she agreed to let Linda make her sick.Then, Linda waited until Henry was on the way to the amusement park before calling him, to make sure Henry would walk out on Sophie.After that, Linda told her that Sophie had stupidly waited for half a day at the amusement park and died.Sophie was really stupid—she knew that Henry did not love her, but she still thought she could steal Henry away from Rory on her birthday!However, because Sophie died, Henry never took her to the amusement park last year for her, even though he had promised to do it every year.Still, seeing that Henry was silent, she promptly played the mature daughter and said, "It's alright, Daddy—I was just asking. It's okay if you just spe
Henry nodded. "Good."After Andy left and Yancy arrived, Rory already changed into fresh clothes, hugging Henry's arm as she sat beside him on the couch, leaning on him with an utterly clingy look.Yancy went over and examined her before concluding, "She's lucky you found her in time and didn't catch a cold. But you have to be more careful—she's still recovering and wouldn't survive an infection."And with those instructions, Yancy left.The rim of her eyes reddened, Rory knew she was in the wrong and apologized, "I'm sorry, Daddy. I should have behaved instead of making you worry. It won't happen again.""As long as you understand. Don't do something like that ever again," Henry rebuked her, but his tone was gentle.Rory nodded repeatedly and threw herself into his arms As Henry still had work to do, he was going to ask Andy to take her home, but she refused. "It's been two weeks, Daddy. I'll stay with you a little longer. I promise to stay in a corner and read my books withou
Rory was crouching at a corner of the office building, her clothes soaked through and her tiny form curled up.She was trembling in the cold as she looked at Henry."Rory!" Henry's eyes widened and he hurried over, catching some of the rain as his bodyguard could not keep up with him.Still, Henry could not care less as he rushed to Rory's side, taking off his suit jacket and wrapping it around Rory, and then scooped her stiff little body up in his arms.As he did, he felt her hands too—they were as cold as ice, leaving his heart tightening.Her large eyes were filled with tears, and she was not behaving like before.After all, whenever Henry picked her up, she would always hug his neck, calling him 'Daddy' sweetly as she leaned her cheeks on his chest.In the winter rain, the chilling winds cut to the bone.Even though Henry had realized that something was wrong with Rory, he did not ask her immediately, but instead strode into the building with her in his arms and took the el
"I need some rest, Rory," he said, his tone a little cool. "I'll drop by later to visit. Just go home and get some rest."It was meant as a warning to Linda as well, to discourage her from using Rory to bridge the distance between them ever again."Daddy…"However, it was the first time Henry was being that cold toward Rory. Before he could reach her, Andy stopped her, "Please, Rory—Mr. Barnes is really feeling ill and needs rest. If you really care, you should listen instead of bothering him further."Rory pursed her lips as she stood at the doorway, her tears welling up in her eyes as she leveled a doleful look at Henry.However, as Henry closed his eyes and she could not get anything from him, she left, looking back every other step.She was very much panicking—was Henry really angry at her this time?And if Henry did not love her, then Linda would not either.What could she do at that point?Nonetheless, she got downstairs and got into a car parked outside.And seeing h
"It doesn't hurt. Really," John teased, seeing the grim look on Tina's face.Annoyed, Tina shot him a glare and pressed on the cotton bud.John gasped, "Oof…"Tina promptly withdrew her hand but still scoffed. "I thought you said it didn't hurt!""My bad!" John promptly apologized—he simply could not be harsh on her.Still, Tina became even gentler then as she worked meticulously.At the same time, Tina's phone kept jingling with text messages, all of which were from Henry, who kept apologizing.However, she only picked up her phone after disinfecting John's face and did not read a single text as she blocked Henry.John then led her to the main bedroom, where the sheets were already changed.He really was attentive as ever.Nonetheless, Tina was really spent. "Goodnight.""Goodnight," John replied and lit some scented candles to help her sleep, while Tina lay under her warm sheets.Outside, the rain was getting heavier.She thought she would stay wide awake after the night