Henry felt like something was stuck in his throat, choking him.Eventually, he rasped, "Sorry."He did not think that something so insignificant like visiting an amusement park was so important to Sophie.Tina closed her eyes when she heard the apology.As she opened them again, she slowly turned, leveling her puffy red eyes straight as his with hatred as she growled every word. "Sorry?! Your apology is worth nothing!"Henry saw that she was losing her mind and remembered how she had begged him on her knees.He had been busy then—Rory was complaining about being afraid of her surgery, and he had promised to stay with her.He immediately refused Tina as soon as he asked, but surprised that Tina would go that far to beg him, he eventually relented, only to break that promise."I made a mistake. I'll make it up to Sophie," Henry said, humble around Tina for once.However, Tina clenched her knuckle and strode up menacingly instead of relenting. "Make it up to her?! How?! Do you kn
Henry's brow eased as Tina finally relented."Alright." He promptly stood up, taking her hand and hurrying outside impatiently.Once they got in, he helped her with her seatbelt while asking, "Where to?""I'll point the way," Tina replied, as she was worried that Henry would call her crazy like before if she said it was the graveyard."Okay." Henry shrugged, too happy about seeing Sophie again to be petty.As he drove out of the garage, neither of them spoke as they were both caught up with their emotions.Tina kept her eyes on the road, giving directions seriously until Henry's phone rang halfway.It was a call from Linda.Hearing that familiar ringtone, Tina's body stiffened, and she promptly turned to Henry.He turned to her as well, and seeing her cool glare, he was able to tell that she did not want him to answer his phone.Henry gave in and declined the call, only for his phone to ring again.When he was about to answer, Tina warned icily, "This is your last chance. Mi
Linda's eyes were red and swollen from crying as she begged, "Please, just let go of my daughter—we can talk about this. My daughter is innocent—don't hurt her, please!"As Henry watched, she even bowed repeatedly and forcefully but was seemingly unaware of the pain or that she was bleeding as she continued.Henry's face dropped, and he shook off Tina as he rushed inside, knocking her off balance and dropping to the floor.She had her back against the wall, taking moments to fight back the dizziness and look up.From her angle, she just happened to see the side of Linda's face, who looked at the man while she looked up between bows.There was no fear or plea in her eyes. If anything, it looked like a signal…Still, Tina was in a daze and wondered if she was seeing things.Even she could not believe that Linda was crazy enough to hurt her own daughter!Nonetheless, Linda once again had her head down when Tina's eyes cleared, while the man suddenly bellowed, "Innocent?! Your da
Just as Henry finished, they heard a purr of an engine, and Andy soon rushed inside with Carl Sandler.Carl spotted Tina on the floor first and was ready to examine her since she looked terrible."Get over here. Rory's hurt," Henry growled icily right then.Tina looked up to see the hostile glare on his eyes, as if saying that she was trivial and who cared if she died because Rory mattered most!Carl stared at Tina for another beat but soon turned, taking his medical briefcase from Andy and hurried over, crouching by the couch to examine Rory."Don't worry, sir—her vitals are fine. I'll stitch her up now."As Rory was a child, he applied a local anesthetic before tending to her injuries.However, she was still in shock and trembling in Henry's arms.Henry watched her with a tender smile, patiently comforting her.Tina looked on, remembering the moment when Sophie was first sent to the hospital.Every other child had fathers hovering around them, comforting them—but not her.
Even as Linda sobbed, she screamed hysterically at Tina, "I know you're upset I cheated! But if you have a problem, take it up with me! Why do you have to send someone so terrible and goad him to hurt me and Rory?!"If Henry did not answer my call and make it in time, he would've killed us! Do you really hate us so much, Tina?!"Tina shook Linda's hand off and retorted icily, "Where's your proof?""Proof?! Do I need proof?! You're the only one who deliberately mentioned it in front of Henry! And it's just the three of us! Who else could it be?!"Even as Linda bawled and accused Tina, she was convinced that Henry would definitely believe her, since he loved her so much. However, Tina smirked. "There's you too, no?"Linda's eyes widened, and she turned toward Henry tearfully, waiting for him to intervene.But he did not.Her chest heaving, Linda's tears gushed right then as if humiliated. "You liar! I'm not like you! You used Sophie like a tool just to get Henry's attention!"S
Linda certainly had the look of a mother who would do anything as long as their child was fine. "I thought I could pretend nothing ever happened as long as you understood you made a mistake—""How are you this good? Hollywood really owes you an Oscar."Tina smirked in disdain, cutting her short impatiently. "Also, are you done? Like I said—where's your proof?"Since she did not do it, she doubted that Linda could show any proof at all.If anything, Linda had the guts to frame her solely because Henry trusted her unconditionally.Linda's eyes went red as if in desperation, and she shrieked, "Fine! Proof, you say?!"She lifted the man by the collar, shaking him in agitation, "Talk! Who gave you my address?! Who sent you after us?!"The man merely leveled a ferocious glare at Linda but said nothing.Seeing that Tina remained calm as if it was none of her business, Henry glanced at Andy, who promptly leaped up and took the man off Linda's hands.Then, throwing him to the ground, h
Linda glanced at Henry from the corner of her eye.Worried that Tina's calmness would make him doubt her, she kept snapping at Tina, "You're such a horrible woman! How could you do such a thing without your conscience hurting? Is it because of Madam Barnes?! Do you think you can do anything you like, now that she's back?!"She did not just make sure to use words that would touch Henry's nerves either—she started to bawl and wobble as if she was falling apart.As if she had proof but could not do anything about Tina.Once she was done, she glanced at Henry to see a scary glower on his face.It was all over for Tina now—she was not going to leave in one piece once she was locked up!As Linda lowered her face, her eyes flashed viciously.Still, before she called the cops, Henry suddenly growled, "Andy, go to the precinct.""Yes, Mr. Barnes." Andy strode up and dragged the man out.On the other hand, Tina could not quite keep up.However, she had done nothing and was therefore no
"Shut up!"The mere mention of the police left Henry's expression darkening as he glared at Tina. "You really are fearless."At that point, Tina understood.Henry believed Linda, thinking that Tina insisted on going to the cops not because she was innocent, but because she had Madam Barnes' backing.It was fine as Madam Barnes loved Tina and despised Linda, and she would use the family influence to bail Tina out unscathed—just like how Henry brainlessly protected Linda.If that happened, he could not get payback for his beloved woman and daughter.Tina thought that her heart was impervious, but at that moment, her heart still stung terribly.She bit her lip and whipped out her phone—even if he did not want to call the cops, she could do it herself!However, she had just pressed the numbers when a hand snatched it out of her grasp before she could dial."Give it back!" Tina snapped, reaching out to grab it.However, Henry turned it off and threw it on the couch.Missing her m
"Tina… Don't cry…"It was only when Madam Barnes called out to her lovingly, gently lifting her hand to wipe her tears, that Tina realized this was reality.Madam Barnes was really awake!Not caring about her own misery just then and forgetting the buzzer, Tina tearfully rushed outside and called out to the bodyguards nearby, "Madam Barnes is awake! Get the doctor!"The doctor soon arrived, giving Madam Barnes a full-body examination to ascertain that she was fully conscious and that other vital signs were in normal range."Remember, the patient mustn't be put through further shock."Madam Barnes was old and could not take that much, after all.Tina nodded, while Sam's wife escorted the doctor out of the room.Still, even as Madam Barnes was being examined, she was holding Tina's hand throughout, her eyes on her with overflowing pain."Leave us, and don't tell anyone I'm awake for now," she told Sam's wife.Sam's wife was actually about to call Henry and the rest of the Barne
In her heart, Tina resented Henry's brainless protectiveness and Linda's vile nature while also resenting her own incompetence.And the more she resented her own incompetence, the more guilty she felt toward Sophie, feeling that she owed her but could not avenge her.That frustration and helplessness was a boulder weighing on her chest, suffocating her.As Tina's psychiatrist told her to talk to someone to ease her mind, which was already on the brink, she immediately thought of Madam Barnes.Madam Barnes was still comatose, but she was also one of the few who loved and cared for Tina.And since she was comatose, Tina did not have to worry about her going into shock when told that Linda killed Sophie.Heading to the hospital right then, Tina headed straight to Madam Barnes' room once she parked her car.Madam Barnes was still unconscious, and Carl had no idea when she would wake up.Sam's wife was there and was concerned when she saw how pale Tina was. "Are you losing sleep fro
Tina woke up early the next morning, not sleeping for long despite being sedated.She felt a splitting headache even as she opened her eyes and soon realized that she was on the giant bed of the main bedroom back at the villa.Soon, memories of last night rushed into her mind, to the moment when Linda had so spitefully thrown the dog's blood laced with cursed talismans on Sophie's gravestone, as Linda wanted Sophie to suffer even in the afterlife.As Tina was about to set out, feeling hatred welling up in her as well as the impulse to murder Linda, she heard Henry's voice from the balcony.His tone was gentle as he comforted Linda, who appeared scared. "It's alright—last night was just an accident, and it won't happen again. I've arranged for bodyguards, and she's never going to hurt you and Rory…"Tina could not be bothered to listen to the rest, as all she heard was that Henry had arranged for bodyguards to protect Linda.And that meant Tina could not even reach Linda now.Her
Henry was serious about making amends to Sophie, so why did Tina have to be so stubborn about it?And he should be upset, but the sight of her being so pale in his arms stopped him from being too harsh on her.He should also be leaving her in Carl's care too, but his body reacted quicker than his mind, and he scooped her up in his arms."Henry…"Watching as Henry's attention was completely fixed on Tina, Linda had to fight back her jealousy and call out meekly to Henry.She appeared more hurt than Tina, so Henry was not going to leave her behind…Henry glanced at her but did not leave Tina with Carl as she had expected, instead telling Carl, "Take care of Linda."Carl had served the Barnes family for years, and Henry trusted the family doctor."Yes, Mr. Barnes!"With Carl's reply, Henry promptly strode out, still carrying Tina.Linda's eyes widened in disbelief, finally realizing that Henry was really leaving her, despite her being injured, and leaving with Tina."Henry…"
"Henry!!!"Linda suddenly yelled, grimacing as if her heart broke from seeing Henry's wounded arm.Not caring that Tina was a threat, she ran toward her with eyes filled with concern. "You're hurt…"She seemed to have moved too quickly and slipped, while Henry relaxed his grip from Tina's wrist and reached out toward Linda in reflex.As Linda fell into Henry's arms just like that, she did not seem to notice Tina behind her back, as her eyes were glued to Henry's injury.Her eyes teary, she called out to Carl, who was just a few paces away, "Dr. Sandler, please, you have to help Henry…"While she was a little afraid that Tina could kill her, she was even more certain that no harm would come to her as long as Henry was right there with them.Therefore, she was not actually worried at all.As for Tina, she knew that Linda was not actually worried that Henry was hurt—Linda was yelling to interrupt what she was about to say.However, Tina did not care.She had come to kill Linda a
There was no hiding the concern in Henry's voice, and he was studying Tina from head to toe as he spoke.He could not see under her clothes, which were not torn, so he had no idea where she was hurt and did not pull her too forcefully.However, he kept holding on to her wrist firmly, stopping her from freeing herself while shooting Carl a look to examine her.Carl was stunned as Tina looked positively demonic just then, and he could not quite recover.It was Henry's sharp glare that jolted him to his senses, and he hurried over.Seeing that Tina was not in her right mind, he said mildly, "Please, Ms. Smith. Madam Barnes' heart would break if she woke up to see you hurt."Although Tina twitched ever so slightly at the mention of Madam Barnes, the flaring hatred in her eyes did not die off.Instead, she told Carl calmly, "Don't worry. I'm not hurt, Dr. Sandler. This isn't my blood—it was Linda who…"Tina remembered Linda's heinous act even as she was about to mention the dog's bl
Tina was always earnest toward anyone and anything, unlike Linda, whom Carl despised for her hypocritical nature despite her ability to keep up appearances perfectly.When Tina was first brought to Barnes Ranch, she considered herself an outsider and took everything lying down.Carl heard that she eventually gained some confidence because of Henry and changed just slightly but never abused his concern to start trouble. However, she would still fight back if someone pushed her too far.Therefore, if Tina really did attack Linda tonight, it could only be because Linda had really driven her to the brink.As Carl glanced at Henry, he really wondered why Henry could never understand that.He knew that he should not speak right now, but he could not help asking, "Ms. Cook, may I ask why Ms. Smith attacked you?"Linda was clearly taken aback but soon gathered herself and looked up from Henry's arms at Carl, shaking her head as her tone turned even more aggrieved. "I don't know—why wou
Linda was clearly shocked, not expecting Henry to immediately guess that Tina had hurt her.However, that reaction put her mind at ease.She had already thought of a plan—Tina could only have known that she killed Sophie from Quentin, so she was lucky that Quentin was dead.There was no evidence proving her crime now, and without evidence, Henry's immediate reaction to anything was to take her side when it came down to her and Tina.So what did she have to worry about?Her heart utterly gleeful, her lips curled up slightly as she looked up at Henry, who was glowering because Tina had hurt her.Still, she restrained herself and called out to her maid, "Mrs. Long, could you take Rory upstairs?" She would never forget to maintain her perfect image as a mother at every waking moment and take care of Rory even if things were bad."Mommy…" Rory looked at her worriedly."Be good now." Linda smiled at Rory. "Don't worry about me—I'm fine, and Daddy's here. Go to bed now.""Go on," H
Linda was just thinking about what she should do about Tina to keep driving her further from Henry.Tina clearly resented Henry now because Henry protected Linda unconditionally, so Linda just had to trick Henry into hating Tina once more…But even before she could finish the thought, her face dropped as Rory bawled beside her, telling her that she had called Henry."Who told you to do that?!" she snapped at Rory right then.The brat could never do anything right!Linda was never going to tell Henry in the first place, as she had no idea what she should say when he asked how she got hurt.Her tears still on her cheeks, Rory was left too scared to say a word even though her lips twitched.Linda was really too weary for her, but the damage was done. She could not call Henry to tell him not to come either, as it would be obvious that she had something to hide.After some thought, Linda sent Rory to the doorway to wait for Henry, while she quickly cleaned her forehead and lay on