Mrs. Smith refused to let Tina stay and watch her for the night, because Tina would not be able to get any proper rest at the hospital.Tina's health had failed terribly, especially in the year she was recovering from her depression.That was when Jimmy Jones trained her in self-defense: mixed martial arts, boxing, Taekwondo, and the like.Her physique improved, but her health did not recover that easily, and the doctors had advised her to focus on a full recovery, which could take up to five years.That was why Mrs. Smith would keep both eyes on Tina's sleep cycles—that was a basic necessity to good health."Okay." Tina nodded, knowing that staying would just worry her mother and affect her rest.Before she left, she left some instructions with Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. Smith's care worker, thanking her for staying outside the ER before she arrived earlier.She also quietly slid Mrs. Fuller a small envelope.Seeing that there was money to be had, Mrs. Fuller was immediately assuring t
Tina had recovered from her depression, but she still suffered from poor sleep.As such, John had bought Tina many scented candles over the last six months, hoping that she would sleep tight every night."Thanks." Tina smiled as she took the box."Goodnight.""Goodnight."And with that, Tina entered her room, lighting the scented candle immediately as she entered the bedroom.It was an aroma she liked.By the time she was done bathing, her bedroom swirled with that faint aroma, and she lay in bed, sending John a photo captioned: [I really like it.]Just downstairs, John smiled as he replied: [Sleep tight.][It's late. Go home and sleep soon.]She could tell he was still there without checking.[Okay.]After he took a photo of him leaving the neighborhood, she replied: [Drive safe.][Thanks. You should sleep soon too.][Okay.]Just as Tina put down her phone, however, another text came in.The number was not in her contacts, but she recognized that it was Henry's right a
[Be a good girl and don't piss me off.]Tina's eyes went red with rage. "You mean Henry Barnes? You're refusing to operate on my mother just because he told you otherwise?! We're talking about a person's life here! Doesn't your conscience hurt?!"Yancy pursed his lips in silence, but he could well admit that he would not operate on Mrs. Smith unless Henry said otherwise.Seeing that she could not reason with him and more words were pointless, Tina turned and left, heading downstairs and calling John."Yeah?" John answered instantly.Tina could not stop her tears as soon as she heard his voice. "Yancy Sandler's refusing to operate on my mother because Henry told him not to!""Calm down. I'm coming over right now," John assured her.He knew that Yancy was Eric Sandler's younger brother, and that Eric was basically a brother to Henry too.That should not have been a problem—that was if John never gave Henry too much credit. The man was using Mrs. Smith's life to coerce Tina into
Henry's breath paused before turning ragged, while his gaze darkened at the sight before him.And as he was left stunned, Tina had reached for the last button off her blouse and was about to strip altogether when Henry strode up and caught her wrist."What are you doing?" he rasped.Tina narrowed his eyes coldly at him in turn, scoffing, "What are you pretending for? You've coerced me into coming to you for this—unless all you want is just a friendly chat?"Henry was stumped, but he just could not bear to see her being with another man.For two years, he had lived without knowing if she survived.But now, she had returned alive, only to make him watch her being with another man, displaying their affection for each other in every way possible.Forget watching—he could murder John Levine.She could only be his.So what if he played dirty, as long as she would know her place and return to his side?And once she did, there was no way he would hold back.But now was not the time
Tina started hacking worriedly, and Henry's face dropped and patted her back.Tina pushed him away, however, and rushed into the washroom, coughing and throwing up.There was not much in her stomach, so there was not much vomit, but it hurt nonetheless.It took a while for it to stop, and she straightened herself to find Henry standing at the doorway, holding a warm towel in one hand and a glass of warm water in the other."Rinse your mouth," he said—there would definitely be a bad taste in her mouth from vomiting.Tina remained impassive as she took the glass, chugged it, and rinsed her mouth.Henry stepped up, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, and asked quietly, "Do you have to behave like this? Can't you just get along with me?"All he wanted was for things to go back to the way they were, and he would give her what she used to want, bit by bit.Tina looked up at him and spat the water in her mouth all over his face.He was suggesting that time could heal everyt
Warm tears flowed out of the corner of her eyes along with the shower.It was autumn, but Tina stayed in the bathroom for almost until an hour, when someone knocked on the door. "Tina?"Hearing Henry's voice and knowing that he had gotten impatient, she turned off the sprinklers and wiped her face before picking up a towel to dry the rest of her body.She hastily put on some pajamas, her wet hair draped over her shoulders as she opened the door and made a beeline for the bedroom, striding past Henry without looking at him.She never saw Henry sighing in relief, as he was just worried as she had been taking too long.He entered the bedroom to find her eyes closed, lying still on the bed.Like she had resigned herself.Her breathtaking beauty no longer had that shyness and thrill he used to see.He went over and pulled her out of bed instead pinning her beneath himself.Tina kept her eyes closed, looking just like an empty shell of a body without her soul.However, her body sti
Otherwise, Henry's trump card to control Tina and make her stay by his side would be gone.As long as she was by his side, no man would get to take her away, and she would always be his.There was no hiding the possessiveness in his eyes despite him lowering his face.Picking up a hairdryer, he started to dry her hair.It was no strange occurrence, albeit their roles were reversed—it was Tina who blew dry his hair whenever he stayed at the villa, and this was the first time he had ever done it for her.Or any woman, for that matter.Tina was clearly resistant, but before she could speak, Henry shot her a glare, telling her that she did not get to choose.Tina gave up on resisting and simply pretended that he was some hair salon assistant—that was at least better than telling herself that Henry was touching her head.Though she closed her eyes and emptied her mind, she could feel that Henry was skilled with the hairdryer.It was obvious that he often helped someone with long ha
Henry even captioned the selfie assertively: [She is mine—in the past, the present, and the future. Stay away from her.]Once he sent it, he promptly blocked John's number, turned off Tina's phone, and threw it aside.When it was done, Henry looked down as Tina lay in his arms, unable to help caressing her cheek, eventually pausing on her parted lips.His heart pounding, he kissed her—without tongue.He wanted her, but it was not the right time for that, and he stopped after a brief peck.Then, he gently moved Tina so she could be comfortable, and he could smell her sweet scent as she lay in his arms.Satisfied, he could not help tightening his arms around her.She was alive—he could still hold her in her sleep.And it was good.Content, he closed his eyes and fell asleep almost instantly.He had not slept well for a long while too and was sleepless just like the days he could not find Orange in the two years Tina had died.However, just as he was about to go into REM, he wa
As Linda vomited, she also coughed out the dirty rag from her mouth, and it landed on herself along with her own vomit."Argh!"But as Linda screamed hysterically, the dirty rag was shoved into her open mouth again, stopping her from yelling or calling for help.Various colors alternated over Linda's face—she could not stand such disgust and retched again.She shook her head repeatedly as well, trying to get the rag out.This time, the woman shoved the rag deep, blocking her vomit completely.Linda was left spasming in misery, almost passing out from sheer disgust, and could die right then!At that point, the pride she carried at the start was completely gone.She leveled a tearful, pleading look at the moment, her tone muffled but clearly apologetic.But it was too late—and on top of that, the damsel in distress trick worked with men but only invoked disgust in other women.And to no surprise, the woman glared at Linda hatefully as she kicked her to the floor, snorting in di
That was when Henry, his eyes ablaze, asked Tina, "Why did you say that at the hospital earlier?"Tina closed her eyes and did not answer.The fact that Henry asked it meant he had already convinced himself that Linda was Orange, and Tina was not.Seeing that Tina was ignoring him, Henry's lips twitched, but he stayed silent.Once they reached the hospital, Tina alighted immediately.Henry did not, instead telling Andy to take him to hospital where Rory was to keep her company.-At the precinct, Linda was led to a cell.Having led a life of privilege, Linda definitely could not stand the environment in there and was frowning as soon as she was in.The air inside was stagnant, and there were many different scents in the mix, and it left her sickened as soon as it hit her nostrils.On top of that, the woman closest to her had a foul body odor, and she immediately snapped in disgust, "Get away from me. Don't you know that you stink?"Over the last two years, Linda had been faw
Linda's eyes lit up at Henry's quiet response—he trusted her.But before she could get all smug about it, Henry continued, "If it really wasn't you, the cops will maintain your innocence once their investigation is complete."When he told Tina that they could not believe Mrs. Fuller entirely to pin the crime on Linda, he did not say it to protect Linda—Mrs. Fuller did not produce solid evidence that proved it was Linda.But he would not stop the cops getting involved, and he would not protect Linda if her guilt was proven.Linda's eyes widened in disbelief. "Henry… You don't believe me?"Henry shook his head. "I believe you. But if it really wasn't you, why would you be worried?"The cops will uncover the truth and prove it wasn't you. And when Tina understands that it wasn't you, she won't get to keep accusing you!"Linda's heart skipped a beat, holding Henry's gaze with a look of grief as she sobbed, "Why would I be worried? I didn't do it! It's not like I'm upset that the cop
Linda wiped her tears and looked at Tina fearlessly. "Yeah! Go on, Tina! You said I'm not Orange, so where's your proof?!"As she was behind Henry, she leveled a contemptuous leer at Tina that basically goaded her to show proof if she could!She really loved it when Tina knew the truth but still could not do a thing about it!So what if Tina was Orange? Henry would never believe her from her words alone, and the only one who had proof could no longer talk.What did Linda have to fear?Still, Henry's question restored Tina's rationality.She could not remember the childhood memories she had of Henry, and now, Linda left her mother a vegetable.That meant she had no way to prove she was Orange.It was only in her frustration that she said Linda was not Orange, because Henry was stubbornly defending Linda.And since there was no proof and Henry obviously would not believe her, there was no reason to keep pressing the issue, or she would just humiliate herself.She had already
Smack!Tina slapped Henry across the face furiously, cutting him short while her chest heaved with rage.He was really blind—Mrs. Fuller had already made herself so clear, and he would still defend Linda!He already mindlessly protected Linda even after she murdered Sophie two years ago, and now, he was still doing the same after Linda almost killed her mother, leaving her a vegetable!To him, Sophie and Mrs. Smith's lives were trivial—only Linda mattered!The more Tina was reminded of Sophie's senseless death and her mother being comatose, the more furious she was!A slap was certainly not enough.Her eyes red, she started punching Henry's body, leaving him frowning and grabbing her wrists to stop her. "Just calm down for now, Tina."Now was not the time to be rash.He had many questions that needed answering."Calm down?!" Tina bellowed. "Linda has already murdered Sophie, and now, she has left my mom a vegetable! And you're telling me to calm down?! My mom must have been b
Tina glared viciously at Henry, who was pig-brained whenever Linda was concerned. "That pendant was never Linda's! She got it from someone else! You had the wrong person from the start!"If it was not for her mother, Madam Barnes, and Sophie's sake, she would not even bother talking to Henry, as she did not want him to keep protecting Linda mindlessly because he thought she was her savior.Otherwise, he could treat Linda as whoever he thought she was—she would not care!Henry stared at Tina in turn, asking before he knew it, "If Linda isn't Orange, then who is?"That was when Linda suddenly appeared at the doorway, crying out tearfully before Tina could speak, "Tina! What do I have to do for you to stop?!"You paid off Zach Foster to try to turn Henry against me! Now that it has gone south, you're lying to Henry that I'm not Orange! What do you want from me?!"And I'm not Orange, you say? Then who's Orange? You?!"However, Tina's eyes flared with irrational hatred the instant Li
Henry's eyes widened, unable to believe what he was hearing.It was Linda? How could it be so?!On the other hand, Mrs. Fuller could not help cringing from the cold air that seemed to spill from Henry.There was no turning back now that she already betrayed Linda, and she was genuinely terrified of Henry. As such, she decided to turn to Tina, who, between the two, was much more agreeable.She really did not want to end up in prison, and hence started begging, "Please, Ms. Smith—I'll tell you everything I know, just don't call the cops on me."Trust me—I never wanted to hurt your mother… But Linda Cook paid me so much, and I was tricked into doing such a thing."I have a big family with many mouths to feed… they're all hopeless without me. And you're so kind—you're not going to destroy my family, right?"Mrs. Fuller could have spent the money for her son's future, and then assumed a new identity to keep working.But now that she was exposed, she thought she could bank on Tina'
"Argh!!!"Mrs. Fuller could feel her collarbone breaking, and the agony left her face contorting!At that moment, she realized that Tina and Henry might have noticed something.But that should not be possible!She made sure the hallways were clear and even closed the curtains just in case.No one should have known!Still, even as Mrs. Fuller panicked, she told herself to stay calm.That was when Tina pulled out the IV drip needle and got out of bed."Tina!"Henry noticed that right away and turned to hold her down by her shoulder. "Just leave this to me. I'll make sure she suffers."She was too weak now, after all.However, Tina shook his hand off and strode toward Mrs. Fuller.Henry frowned but did not stop her since she was insistent, staying behind her while keeping a close eye on her.Mrs. Fuller was naturally relieved that it was Tina, who was definitely more agreeable between her and Henry.Henry was so scary that just one look made Mrs. Fuller think she was going t
However, Mrs. Fuller soon composed herself and leveled a wounded look at Tina."If you think it's my fault that this happened to Mrs. Smith, then I quit!" she snapped, tears welling up in her eyes as she complained, looking utterly aggrieved. "I believe I've done everything I could to take good care of your mother and have never once slacked. She has been good to me and treated me like her sister."I know that Mrs. Smith had an accident while I was away, and you held it against me. That was my negligence, and I'm sorry because I shouldn't have left her alone."But you can't blame her for going to shock me over one instance of negligence. You have no evidence and yet you still suspect me! You're breaking my heart!"However, Tina's question was just probing at best.There were just too many coincidences—Mrs. Smith first had an accident, and then went into shock in the half hour when she was gone.But it would all make sense if this was all done on purpose.And if it was, then Mrs.