As the car door opened, Henry reached out to help Tina out of the car, but she shook him off, staggering toward a trash can and puking into it.Her mind cleared a little when she was done.Henry stood beside her, quietly passing her a bottle of water.Tina did not refuse because she had to wash the sickening taste in her mouth.But she paused as she took it, as she saw the scars on her wrist exposed.However, she did not try to hide them—seeing that her wrist brace was pulled upward, she knew that Henry had seen them.Despite her surprise, she calmly took the bottle and drank."Why didn't you tell me?" Henry then asked quietly.Tina laughed in cold contempt before shooting back, "Tell you? What would that change? Will you kill yourself and Linda to atone for Sophie's death? Or will you find mercy in your heart to spare my mother and myself?"No, you won't, so don't try to pretend to be human when you're not. You have no reason to do that!"Two years ago, in the days immediate
At the hospital, the doctor's expression darkened after examining Tina, and he snapped, "Don't you know that you suffer terrible period cramps? And you're taking so much hormonal birth control? Are you trying to kill yourself?""Sorry…" Tina murmured, enfeebled but aware the doctor was just being concerned, and no doctor would like to see a woman sabotaging their own health.Seeing that she was really in a lot of pain, the doctor calmed down. Tina was quite young too, so he added, "Don't ever do that again, or you might never get pregnant.""Yeah," Tina murmured softly.With that, the doctor left so that she could rest.Henry, who was outside, glowered as he heard everything the doctor said and understood.Tina was hurting because she took birth control pills without a care for her health—why she had induced her period was all too obvious.She did not want him to touch her.Did she really hate him so much that she would hurt herself just to stop him?!His chest heaving, he l
All Linda could think about was what Zach said: I've been released from prison. I'm free now.Spacing out, she inadvertently pulled the lever of her wheelchair.She was already at the doorway in front of some steps, and it was too late when she realized that the wheelchair kept going."Argh!!!" She screamed as she crashed down the stairs along the wheelchair and was thrown to the ground, dropping her phone.Hearing Linda's scream on the other end, Zach promptly asked, "What's wrong, Linda?""No, I'm fine…"Linda's face was pale in pain, and her voice too soft for Zach to hear her over the phone.Panicking, he cried out worriedly, "Why are you being quiet, Linda? Are you hurt? It's alright, I'll be right there!"Linda panicked at his words, as she was really concerned that Zach would show up without a care for the consequences.It was daytime, and if someone saw them, someone might tell Henry.Linda did not dare to imagine what Henry would think if he knew she knew Zach…Not c
For Linda, if Zach stayed in prison forever, it would mean all the perks without any consequences.But now, Tina had returned alive, so it was good that Zach was released—he would once again be his sharpest blade to eliminate Tina.Better yet, it would get rid of Zach for Linda too.Still, even as she hatched the most evil plan there was in her mind, she did not forget to comfort Zach. "Don't say that. I'm willingly doing this for you and Rory. There's no reason to doubt my love for you…"As she sounded hurt, Zach was immediately heartbroken, slapping himself audibly on the cheeks and hating his big fat mouth back then. "No! I deserve to die! Don't cry, Linda—you'll break my heart! I'll do everything you say, okay?"Linda only waited until he was done slapping himself to pretend to stop him. "What are you doing? You'll break my heart too if you hurt yourself. You know how much I care about you…"Her heartbroken voice left Zach beside himself in joy, and he promptly said, "Okay, o
Henry had just finished work himself. "Go to bed."Tina did not put up a resistance, as it was pointless.She put her draft in her bag and pulled out her pill box before stepping out.Thanks to her medication, her period came early, so Henry could not touch her.Even so, he insisted that she stay with him, even sharing a bed.There was no way she could sleep in his bed, but since she could not refuse, she had to take melatonin pills.Otherwise, her health would fail if she did not sleep well.She took solace that her theory that Linda and Zach were closer had been proven true after Zach was released.They just had to stay on Zach, and they would soon get leverage against Linda.Zach was the key to all the vile things Linda had done.Even as the thought occurred to her, Tina felt Henry getting into bed and hugging her from behind.She stiffened but bore with it until her pills kicked in.Feeling her body relaxing, Henry held her even more tightly.-At Rose Garden, a satis
But in no time at all, a hole was burned into Henry's expensive suit, running it.While he looked speechless, he quickly picked up another set and put it on himself before holding out his necktie to Tina, "Help me with this."Tina took it.She actually did not know how to tie one at first, but she had learned it for Henry's sake.She was very clumsy too, but in time, she learned multiple ways of tying a necktie until her technique was perfect.All because of him.Despite remembering her insignificant past self, Tina did not let it show.Still, as Henry lowered his gaze, ready to hold her waist as he got near, she pulled.The necktie tightened around Henry's neck, suffocating him and leaving his handsome face flushed.Before he knew it, he grabbed the necktie to stop her from tightening it further, though Tina seized the moment to release her grip without resistance.She would simply strangle him if she did not have other things to worry about.Seeing the hatred overflowing i
After that, John's bodyguards 'invited' Zach to one of his private properties.Zach was gagged but flailed around, cursing throughout the journey until he was dragged inside.He paused when he saw Tina sitting on the couch, glaring at her warily. "What do you want?! Murder is a crime!"He had sabotaged her car so that she would get in an accident so terrible it either maimed or killed her.And yet, she returned alive.It was thanks to that he was released from prison early.Now, he was afraid of revenge and did not want to die."Did you think she'd stoop that low for the likes of you?" John snapped, kicking him to the floor viciously.But that was how scum were—they just thought everyone else was just like them.Zach paled as he clutched his stomach in pain, but his glare still wary. "Then why did you drag me here?!"Tina did not waste her breath.Throwing the photos of him with Rory in front of him, she said bluntly and confidently. "Rory Cook is your daughter."Zach's eye
However, Zach bellowed at Mrs. Long, "How much did Tina pay you to slander Linda? What did Linda do to deserve this?"Linda had mentioned that Mrs. Long was paid very well, but she would backstab Linda when she was given such treatment?Mrs. Long was left stumped in turn.Tina did pay her off, but she was also telling the truth."I have proof," Mrs. Long said, taking out her phone and showing Zach a video.Zach trusted Linda unwaveringly, but he also loved Rory very much.As those thoughts clashed, he could not help reaching out to take Mrs. Long's phone.It was a video lasting over a dozen seconds, showing Rory standing outside the house in the middle of winter, her hands and feet bare and wearing nothing but a thin sleeping gown.Her skin was turning red and purple from the cold. "Ms. Cook sent me to fetch groceries from a grocery store very far away, but I made it back early and saw this," Mrs. Long then said.She disliked Linda and had taken that video to share with her
However, Linda was not all that confident even as she spoke, as she knew that Henry absolutely hated her now.Even so, she had to harass Tina—just seeing Tina upset made her happy.After Henry stormed out of Rose Garden last night, a security guard had to carry a wounded Rory home.And when Linda tried to call Henry, she realized that her number had been blocked and understood that Henry was really upset after last night.But he loved Rory, so he definitely would just be upset for a moment.Once he calmed down, Rory just had to play the victim card again and sweet talk him to earn his forgiveness.Linda had no doubt about that.Ever since Henry found out that Tina was the real Orange but still pampered Rory, it was clear he really loved Rory.And Sophie was dead—how was she ever going to win against Rory?As such, Rory was now Linda's pride.With Rory, she could continue to lead a life of privilege and swipe credit cards without a spending limit, as well as stay in their pres
But what if Sophie was alive?John really wanted to ask the question but calmed down before he breathed those words, stopping himself just in time.He was still looking.He must never give Tina false hopes before he found anything definitive, because she loved Sophie very much and it would leave her devastated again.On the other hand, seeing that John suddenly trailed off, Tina asked, "What…?""Nothing. Why don't you rest on the couch and let me handle breakfast?"John smiled, ultimately saying nothing about Sophie while putting a hand on her shoulder, gently nudging her to get some rest."No, I'll help." Tina shook her head and worked with him to cook breakfast.Soon, they were done and finished breakfast together.While John headed to work, Tina went to the mall.Mrs. Smith was recovering better than expected, thanks to Yancy helping her with a special recovery plan.As such, Tina had time to buy her new clothes and a birthday present for Helen Moore, as the latter's birt
John did not hide his selfish nature when he was around Tina.In the end, he was really not that confident in himself—not after Tina had been in love with Henry for so many years, and John himself knew all too well how difficult it was to get over a person after loving them for so long.Still, Tina knew what John was getting at. "I'll never forgive Henry Barnes for the rest of my life, nor return to his side."There is no question that Linda was the one who murdered Sophie. But without Henry's involvement, she would never have had the chance."What she did was horrible, but he's just as unforgivable."That was why she loathed Linda as much as Henry.And the way she saw it, Sophie's death would always stand between her and Henry—there was no chance for her to turn back to him in this life.Seeing the determined expression on her face, John understood that the chief reason that Tina hated Henry so much was because of Sophie's death, and she refused to forgive him.But what if Sop
As Henry turned toward Tina, he could imagine how much despair she would have suffered that night, having to wipe blood off Sophie's gravestone.And she had loved Sophie so much that she bought that specific plot of land for Sophie's final resting place, just so that Sophie could be reborn into a better family in her next life!"Tina, can you check on the stew?" John came up with an excuse for Tina to leave, as there were more things that he did not want Tina to remember.Tina nodded quietly and entered the apartment without another look at Henry, while John shut the door as he watched.Then, turning toward Henry again, John asked, "Now, let's talk about Linda's legs. Did you know why Tina pushed her?"Henry could not even answer at that point.Just the two things mentioned earlier was more than what he could take—his heart was almost in pieces and bleeding for Sophie, and for Tina even more so.And yet, John continued, "It was all Linda. She found that Tina was severely depress
Henry's eyes widened—that was the day… Sophie was buried?!What the hell was he doing?!He felt a chill creeping up from his toes and wobbled backward until his back hit the wall.He never thought about that, because he did not know Linda had every intention to murder Sophie.And now that John laid bare the truth before him, he remembered what he did.Rory had won third place in some jogging event at her kindergarten, and she harmonized perfectly with Linda at Rose Garden.While Rory was coaxing Henry sweetly to celebrate it for her with a grand party, Linda appeared disapproving that he was spoiling Rory, but then offhandedly mentioned they should do it on the weekend.And on the day of the party, Linda had deliberately called Tina to invite her to the party, even asking Tina to bring Sophie along since Henry had not seen Sophie for a while.At the time, Henry was completely skeptical of Sophie's death and missed Sophie since it had really been a while since he saw her.He wa
As Henry dropped to his knees, his blood freezing up, he realized had really been harboring Sophie's murderer all along.Remorse and regret struck him everywhere all at once.He looked up at Tina, wanting very much to tell her that he did not know.If he had known that Linda had taken the kidney meant for Sophie maliciously, he would not have protected Linda even if he was still under the impression that Linda was Orange.But he also realized that it was not as if he did not have the chance to find out.It was all because of his suspicion toward Tina that he denied her any chance to speak up.Or perhaps she had already given up on him at that point.Tears were welling up in Tina's eyes as she realized what Henry meant to say.Time seemed to turn back to the day when Sophie died, and she was once again mourning Sophie.It had been over two years, but she could never get a good night's sleep at the notion that Sophie was not avenged and therefore could not rest in peace."I've
Henry did try to force Zach to give up the alleged evidence he had against Linda and even put him through pain that only professionals could endure, let alone a normal person.But since Zach did not give up, he simply presumed that Tina bore a grudge and framed Linda, all because Linda had stolen the kidney meant for Sophie, allowing Rory to survive while Sophie died.If the truth was what Tina had claimed, however—that Rory was not even a match for the kidney transplant meant for Sophie—then that could only mean that Linda had meant to murder Sophie in the first place.Everything she said—that she loved Rory too much and did not want to lose her, and that she felt guilty from picking her own child out of selfishness… Those were all lies!On the other hand, tears were welling up in Tina's eyes as she felt as she was brought back to that day."Linda never meant to let Sophie live from the start. And she didn't just steal the kidney meant for Sophie—when Sophie's condition turned te
Tina glared icily at Henry as she snapped, "What's the point of kneeling here?! You don't even get to apologize as long as you have yet to avenge Sophie!"Henry's burly figure clearly cringed from Tina's words.His lips parted but he had no idea what to say, because he had a hand in Sophie's death too.If he had not told Eric Sandler to prioritize Rory if there was a donor match, Linda would not have been able to steal the kidney meant for Sophie, and Sophie would be alive.Even if he did not know, he was still the reason Linda succeeded, and that made him the chief culprit of Sophie's death."Tina…" He tried to speak despite the difficulty, only to stop.However, Tina knew what he was going to say, seeing the look on his face, and was absolutely seething as she stared daggers at him. "Are you going to tell me that Linda has already suffered for it?! That she's lost her legs and now a hand—""No…."Tina's outburst certainly reminded him of the dastardly things he said to defend
The instant Tina tapped on the notification, she found Henry kneeling outside her door, motionless.She swiped through her phone and saw that most notifications were from Henry, with the first of many being sent at three in the morning.That meant Henry had driven straight to her place after leaving Rose Garden and knelt outside her door for almost four hours.But Tina remained unaffected.Remembering the video John had sent earlier, she had a hunch that Henry was outside after he became aware of Rory's true nature.She soon tapped out of the notifications and kept chatting with John since she found herself in a good mood first thing in the morning.When John said he had yet to have breakfast, Tina could read between the lines and did not play dumb, telling him that she would cook extra portions for him when he came over.John replied: [Already on my way.]Tina could not resist a smile. [Drive safe. See you soon.]After putting down her phone, she went about her daily routine—