At the same time, Linda cried out shrilly in despair, "Stop! No! Don't touch me! Let go of me!"However, Zach was just getting started and never heard the door open, let alone sensed that Henry came in.He never questioned Linda's sudden resistance and screaming, only presuming that she was getting into character.So he played along, pinning her down like an aggressor, faking violence while laughing viciously, "Scream! Scream louder, it'll just excite me more! Let's see who's going to help you now that I have you!"He was getting so into character that he never noticed Linda's smug smile. She suddenly cried, "Help me, Henry!"Zach paused, thinking that he had misheard right then.However, at the very next moment, he felt a force seizing him by the neck and pulling him.The man was so strong that he lifted Zach despite his six-foot frame, and even before Zach could react, he was kicked viciously in the chest.The kick left him stumbling backward, losing his balance and collapsin
If Henry was really convinced that Zach had forced himself on Linda, he would have Zach thrown in prison and made sure that Zach got a life sentence.Although Zach had willingly taken the prison sentence for Linda and Rory's sake two years ago, that was because he loved Linda and was convinced that Linda loved Rory as much as he did—that she loved and would take good care of their daughter.That was why he was comfortable letting Linda take care of Rory.But now, he knew that Linda was actually abusing Rory.He remembered the needle holes and the bruising across Rory's body, and how Mrs. Long described Rory leaving Linda's room with swollen cheeks, as well as the video where Rory was left freezing out there.But all he had seen was likely just the tip of the iceberg.Without him watching, who knew how much abuse Rory would suffer at the hands of Linda.And Zach could not bear to see his baby girl being hurt.That was why he could not go to jail again.He would reclaim Rory and
Linda was slightly stunned by Henry's question as she turned toward him in disbelief, grief showing all over her face and her tone wounded. "Henry…"However, Zach was stunned too.Because he did not have evidence.Linda had always been careful about that—forget photos, she would tell him to delete their call logs after every single phone call, even though they were calling each other on burner phones.There was no way he could prove that Linda had called him here!He used to think nothing of it—being careful was right, as it stopped Henry from catching on that they were basically having him raise their daughter.Moreover, Linda kept telling him how much she loved him, and he never suspected that she was just worried that he would keep evidence of their affair.And seeing that Zach could not show evidence, Henry glowered.How dare Zach mislead him into doubting Linda!He raised his foot and launched another kick at Zach, even more vicious this time.As Zach was left coughing b
Then, turning toward Henry with pleading tears, Linda cried, "He's not just trying to force himself on me, but he's trying to slander me too!"I want to sue him! I want him sentenced for life! Help me, Henry! Send him to prison! He ruined me… he ruined us and left me hurting for years!"I don't want to see him—I don't want Rory to know that her father is a rapist! I don't want that! Henry, you have to help me!"Zach was a timebomb, and he must be sent back to prison so that he would not ever bother her again.At first, she was worried that Henry would find out she and Zach were acquainted a long time ago, and that she was complicit to Tina's accident two years ago.But now, she was not worried at all—a rapist who loved her would definitely go to extreme lengths for her.And since she despised Zach so much, she would never conspire with him."I won't forgive anyone who hurts you," Henry assured her, passing her a tissue.He was a demon from hell, as he remembered how Linda was h
Pausing, Tina asked, "Why would you accuse Zach Foster of being a rapist? You have no proof, Henry Barnes—or are Linda's words alone enough for you?"Henry was stumped and scowled, and the air seemed to turn still, until Linda burst into tears behind Henry, her voice choking with tears as she cried, "Tina! I have no proof of what he did seven years ago, but he barged in and tried to do it again just now!"If Henry hadn't made it in time, I would almost b-be… defiled by that animal! And here's the proof of his crime!"As Linda finished, she threw off the suit that Henry had draped over her shoulders, revealing her sleeping gown that was ripped violently apart, as well as the hickeys that Zach had left after she tempted him.It was a gruesome sight, and Zach's eyes were red as he stared at her.Those marks were left whenever they made out, and never did he think that Linda would use them to accuse him of being a rapist.His heart felt as if it had been shot by a thousand arrows, ha
It took Tina a long while to calm her surging hatred so that Linda's provocation did not get to her. "I'll say it again—where's your proof? Spare me your nonsense if you don't have any."Then, she turned toward Zach who stayed on the floor and gestured for the bodyguards to help him up. "He's coming with me."Henry shot a look at Linda's bodyguards, who quickly moved to stop them."Out of the way!" Tina was insistent on leaving with Zach, but the two groups of bodyguards were evenly matched.Tina herself moved in front of Zach, refusing to let Henry take him from her.But Henry was not planning to let them go either—he grabbed Tina's wrist and pulled her away from Zach while kicking him down to the floor again.As Zach fell, Henry looked at Tina straight in the eye. "You are not taking him away. He'll be judged by the law for what he did!"Seven years ago, he raped Linda and put her through seven years of torment. Even though he failed on his second attempt, I'll make sure that
Linda was not about to let slip any chance to disparage Tina and attempted to direct the blame on her. "I didn't think that Zach knew, or that you'd slander me however you can!"This is your way of getting back at me, isn't it? You hate me, and that's why you're taking it out on Rory! It hurts you to see Henry doting on her or Rory doing fine!"Now, you made Henry let Zach out of prison, so that you can use him to slander me, and so that he'll take Rory away from me, didn't you? You want Rory to fall into the hands of a rapist, and rapists have no humanity to speak of! What do you think you're doing?!"You're just trying to ruin Rory's life, aren't you?! Rory is innocent!"However, this was not the same Tina from two years ago, who had always vehemently maintained her innocence whenever Linda slandered her, putting herself on the backfoot.This time, Tina simply pulled out her phone and played the voice recording of Mrs. Long's testimony.It stopped Linda's slander at once, and L
The video was the nail on the coffin, and Linda could not argue against it.Henry's face was cold as he reached out to take the phone from Tina and stared fixedly at the video.There was no question about it—that was Rory, standing in the garden in the middle of winter, her feet bare and wearing nothing but a thin sleeping gown.It was such an impactful scene that Henry wheeled on Linda with a furious glare, bellowing, "What's the meaning of this?!""It's not what you think…" Linda certainly could tell that Henry was furious, and her mind raced to come up with an excuse.However, none of the stuff she saw online was a reason she could use to justify abusing Rory.Worse of all, as she struggled to explain herself, the bodyguards returned with Rory in tow.Rory was beaming happily when she saw Henry's car outside and rushed inside, calling out, "Daddy!"She missed Henry as it had been days since he visited.As he rushed inside, she seemed to not notice anyone else and ran str
Even as she remembered everything that she had gone through last night, Linda could tear Tina into pieces where she stood.How dare she have her arrested and locked up!As such, seeing that Tina actually stopped, she refused to fail and kept taunting Tina, deriving great glee as she did."You should be thanking me, Tina! I'm being kind to you!" Linda laughed. "Your bastard was five when she died, and she must be lonely burning in hell alone!"You're supposed to be her mother, but you're so afraid of dying that you refuse to die and join her. Guess I have to do it as her stepmother and send her grandmother to join her instead!"Oh, but who knew that her grandmother would get lucky? She refused to die from the fall, and then, even after having her oxygen tube pulled out!"So why are you still alive? Why don't you just die and take your useless mom with you?! Go together to join your bastard in hell!"Seeing Tina shaking with rage but unable to do anything about it certainly satisf
After Zach was taken away, the case was closed.Weary in body and spirit, Tina refused to look at Henry or Linda twice. "John, let's go back to the hospital.""Okay," John replied, putting a hand over her shoulder and leading her outside.Tina did not push him away, leaning against him intimately.Henry's gaze darkened.Just seeing that really stung his eyes, and he was ready to stride forward to pull Tina away from John and into his arms.Still, he just took one step and paused, as he remembered that Linda was still there.Linda saw it anyway.However, she fought back her jealousy, as if she never noticed that Tina had Henry's attention.Tugging on Henry's hand, she asked meekly, "Can you help me with the paperwork, Henry?""Yeah," Henry replied quietly and turned away from Tina as he went with an officer to help Linda with the paperwork for her release.Linda watched and waited until he was out of sight, then turned back toward Tina, not hiding the flaring jealousy in her
Henry walked up to Tina, speaking under his breath, "This ends here, so quit causing a mess. To be fair to your mother, I'll make Zach pay for hurting her, okay?"He tried to offer Tina some assurance so that she would stop being stubborn.After Sophie's death, Tina was so prejudiced that she would immediately blame Linda for anything that happened.However, Tina was already doing her best to fight back her flaring impulses, but Henry's words made her wheel on him with a furious glare. "Shut up!"Beside her, John grimaced and put a hand around her shoulder, even as she shook with rage.Henry's gaze darkened even as he stared at the hand.That was when Linda arrived.A female officer had helped her clean the excrement off her body, but she was still haggard after being tormented that night, even looking like she had lost a few pounds."Henry…" she called out miserably when she saw him.As she steered her wheelchair up to Henry, she fell toward him, and he caught her.She leane
Tina clenched her knuckles as she fought against her rage and retorted against the officer, "Mrs. Fuller said it herself. It was Linda—""We've interrogated Mrs. Fuller too," the officer replied patiently. "It turns out to be mere speculation on her part, and she's never met Ms. Cook personally."When your mother fell down the stairs, she saw you accuse Ms. Cook, so she presumed that it was Ms. Cook who had contacted her."That was why she blamed Ms. Cook after she was caught red-handed, but her contact was Zach Foster all along."While Tina knew that the police investigation only went that far, Linda getting with it again left her absolutely discontent."Please, officer," Tina pleaded. "This can't be the whole truth—don't close the case so soon! Keep pressing Zach and try to find more evidence."He's not the culprit. He has no quarrel with my mother, it has to be Linda—""Tina Smith! Don't you blame Linda for everything!!!" Zach suddenly bellowed in agitation despite having sta
Tina was already suffering since the first day of her period and lay down as John suggested.As John tucked her under her blanket, Jimmy shot her a look.He talked himself hoarse, but she still refused to rest, insisting on staying up to keep watch over Mrs. Smith.And yet, with just a few words from John, she went to sleep without putting up a fight.Shaking his head, Jimmy left to get some rest too, letting John take the couch and turning off the lights before he left.John moved the couch between Tina and Mrs. Smith, sat down, and held Tina's hand as he gently coaxed, "It's alright. You can sleep."And with that, there were only shallow breaths aside from the equipment beeping in the hospital room.Tina, feeling relieved, quickly fell asleep.John closed his eyes as well once he made sure she was sleeping.He fell asleep quickly too, as it had been dozens of hours since he last slept.-Early next morning, Tina woke up as she was keen to find out how the investigation on
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