Then, the burly man kicked Linda, sending her tumbling into the car.Her head struck the car seat hard, and she was still in a daze when she felt her hair being grabbed."Argh!"She screamed shrilly as she was pulled inside and forced to look up to a pair of cool eyes.It was Tina—she had come to make Linda pay!Still, Linda's panic faded as soon as she saw that it was Tina, and she sat up fearlessly, even raising her brow at the woman who was left haggard and pale after a night of torture.Talk about dumb luck, coming out unscathed!And it went without saying that Madam Barnes must have freed Tina!Despite her frustration, Linda still noticed Tina's bandaged fingers and felt endless glee as she begged endlessly last night.However, she did not let her feelings show, fearlessly asking as if a damsel in distress, "Why are you doing, Tina? Let me go!"You know how much Henry loves me. If he finds out that you didn't learn your lesson and hurt me again, he would get upset… and w
In the silence inside the car, Linda was left staring at Tina as she kept her eyes out of the window, unsure of what she was up to.Could she actually have been mistaken?Linda also knew that whoever spoke first would lose the advantage but could not help it anyway, as she snapped at Tina, "What do you want?"She always had kept this woman and the bastard the woman had given birth to under her thumb.Tina had no right poising herself so loftily in her presence!"You'll find out soon enough," Tina replied quietly with a meaningful look.Linda seemed to see something she could not recognize in Tina's eyes just then, and not knowing left her dreading.Even as Tina watched her, she started to get flustered but forced it back as she snarled through her teeth, "If you hurt me, Henry will definitely get you for this!"Right now, she was hearing two voices.One told her that Tina would never dare to hurt her.Be it before she headed abroad or after she returned, she had exploited Hen
The favor that Tina had asked from Madam Barnes was to investigate the attack on Linda and her daughter, though Madam Barnes told Tina that she had already done so.While Tina's number had been used to contact that thug, it had been hijacked—she had an alibi of the login time and location, which proved her innocence.Sam had investigated Linda as well but could not find any evidence against her, as she had never met that man before, and there was no record of any contact between them.And if Madam Barnes could not find anything, that meant that there was nothing to be found.With that evidence, they could at best prove Tina's innocence to Henry—they certainly could not expose Linda's true nature and that she had orchestrated the attack.That was why Tina refused Madam Barnes' suggestion to show Henry the proof and to demand his apology and penitence.To Tina, an apology was pointless—the damage was already done.How much would it be worth anyway?Moreover, Henry cared so little
Tina held zero hope in Henry now.Linda had been banking on his obsession to pin the blame on her, goading him to lock her in that basement and torturing her.While Tina was not about to forget that grudge, she wanted Linda to have a taste of what she had been through, after causing it in the first place!Even if she could not avenge Sophie soon enough, she was not about to take last night's grief lying down."Don't you dare! Henry will definitely get you for this!" Linda kept threatening Tina with Henry nonetheless. "Really?"Tina laughed coolly—she would actually like to see what he would do. "Throw her inside!"At Tina's cold demand, the bodyguards flung Linda into the room without regard for chivalry."Oof!"Linda grimaced in pain as she slammed heavily into the floor, turning and glaring at Tina, surprised that Tina would come good on her threat.But that was all there was to it! What else could Tina do to her?Soon calming down and glaring at Tina in contempt, she c
Linda was so scared that she could die!Gulping, she softened her quivering voice as she tried to reason with Tina.After all, Tina was the biggest softie there was.As long as she could coax Tina into releasing her, she would make Tina pay later!However, Tina was not bothered to entertain her.Tina dropped to a crouch and put on the pair of gloves handed to her by the bodyguards before she took out one of the snakes as Linda looked on in fear.Tina was calm and collected, while Linda was utterly terrified, her eyes wide and her pupils shrinking.Even as she stayed on the ground, she shook her head repeatedly as she murmured, "No, no… Stay away from me!"But even as she screamed, Tina threw the snake at her.After all, Linda must have been the one to throw the rat through the window last night to scare her.Linda and Irene were the best of friends, and Irene would definitely have bragged about it to Linda.The coldness in Tina's eyes grew as she remembered everything she ha
Linda was not getting off easy!"Henry…"Even as Linda called out miserably, the door shut with a clang.At the same time, Tina smirked coolly despite Henry's furious glare, fearless as she asked in return, "Why wouldn't I dare?"Seeing that a conflict was brewing between Henry and Tina, Andy strode up, reasoning quietly, "Ms. Smith, Mr. Barnes made sure you weren't implicated, so don't—""So you're saying that I should thank him?" Tina asked sharply, remembering everything that had happened last night as she did. Andy was clearly telling her that Henry was protecting her by locking her up last night.However, she was completely innocent—why would she need his help?If only Henry had been a little fair between her and Linda, or even trusted her one tiny bit instead of jumping to conclusions that she was to blame, telling the cops would not even be a matter of discussion, just as he would not have tried to coerce her into reflection and apologizing with the one thing she feared
Madam Barnes had clearly rushed to the scene.Tina had asked her to call Henry earlier, so that he left Linda's side, and she could make the grab.Madam Barnes was ready to get even for Tina's sake, and she was delighted when she insisted on doing it herself.After all, Tina loved Henry too much before and tolerated his every whim!However, Madam Barnes quickly realized that something had gone wrong when Henry had never shown up at Barnes Ranch.She promptly told Sam to look for him and discovered that he had really come here instead.And now, Madam Barnes herself strode toward Tina, shielding her protectively."Grandma."Henry lowered his foot and turned toward Madam Barnes.Though he was still glowering in rage, his tone calmed considerably. "You can't tolerate her hurting Linda endlessly just because you like her more—""Do you think I'm you?!"Madam Barnes cut him short bluntly. "I love Tina, but I'm not senile! I've already asked Sam to investigate what happened—yes, th
In the room, Linda could not hide her glee when she heard Henry's determined retort.Still, she flinched as she felt the snakes slithering over her.She really did not want to stay here for another moment longer, and hence cried miserably, "Henry, I'm so scared… Get me out of here…"While she really was scared, she wanted to add insult to injury too.After all, Tina had barely locked her in here for a minute, and Henry was already ready to free her.On the other hand, he did not give a damn even though Tina had been locked up for almost a day.She certainly felt cathartic as she imagined the door opening and Henry carrying her out of her while Tina watched!Tina would never win against her!Outside, Henry told Madam Barnes, "Let Linda go. This has nothing to do with her— I was the one who locked Tina up."That only left Madam Barnes laughing coldly. "No chance—not after you locked up Tina for an entire day for Linda! I'm giving it to you straight—if she isn't locked up just as
"Yes, it's ready," Yancy said. "Do I send it now?""Yeah," Henry replied.He had personally arranged for everything Mrs. Smith could possibly need, as he wanted very much to make amends.At the same time, he was fulfilling the promise he made when he was ten—to repay Mama Orange's grace.Now that he realized she was alive, he wanted to give her all that was good in the world, so that she would not have anything to worry about for the rest of her life.As they left prison, Andy took a cab.He arranged for all the presents prepared to be delivered to Tina's apartment, while Henry drove straight to the hospital on his own.-Linda was watching as Henry drove off and promptly alighted.She was never one to sit back and wait to die.The first thing she must do now was to determine if Zach had given Henry the evidence and decide what to do from there.If Zach had, then she just had to come up with another plan.Otherwise, she would never let Henry get his hands on the evidence ag
It was Henry's car.He really came, and he arrived earlier than she did.At that moment, Linda felt a chill creeping up from her toes, extending throughout her body.She was terrified at the idea that Zach would really give Henry the evidence.Without evidence, she could just stubbornly deny anything that Tina accused her of doing, and even Henry could not do anything about that.That meant she would still have a chance to use Rory and turn things around, reclaiming her life of privilege.On the other hand, it would be all over for her if Henry really received the evidence.-Meanwhile, Henry was watching Zach with his dark eyes that seemed to pierce his heart, while speaking quietly, "I'm a man of my word, Zach Foster. That little bit of money is really nothing to me."There was no doubt that his offer was very tempting—right now, all Zach wanted was for his daughter to be healthy.Once he served his term and was freed again, he could spend the rest of his life with her, tak
That was why Zach presumed that Henry would keep granting Rory the same life of privilege he gave her before, not knowing what Henry really meant.After all, sending Rory to the worst boarding school, ensuring that she would not starve to death but otherwise completely neglecting her until Zach left prison, could still count as taking care of her.Doing that much, and getting Zach's evidence in exchange, was assuredly a bargain.Still, Zach's eyes widened, his pupils dilating as Henry mentioned Linda hiring someone for murder.His reaction only made Henry even more certain that he had evidence.Nonetheless, Zach only pursed his lips, not acknowledging right away that he had evidence, and did not take Henry's deal.He lowered his gaze, silently thinking.Since he was behind bars, he had no idea what was going on out there.But judging from the fact that Henry came asking, he must have seen through Linda's true nature and would never believe a word she said ever again.And that
But when Zach returned to Linda's hospital room later, he suddenly claimed that there was never evidence—that Tina had bribed him to slander Linda in the first place.Henry found that very suspicious—why would he suddenly change his mind?Then, he remembered that when he caught Linda with Zach the first time, Linda accused Zach of forcing himself on her.Zach denied it and even exposed Linda for abusing Rory to take Rory away from Linda.He had been crying and begging to separate Rory from Linda, or Linda would keep abusing Rory.Henry saw in his eyes then that he really loved Rory.After he left Tina's apartment earlier today, Henry started to reevaluate all the moments in the past that involve Linda.He knew that Zach had lost all hope in Linda and exposed her to take Rory away.That meant Rory would also be the reason he suddenly changed his mind, even allowing himself to be scapegoated for Linda's crimes.That meant Rory was Zach's weakness.So Henry decided to visit him—
Even if Henry heard Rory, she could cry herself hoarse but he would not change his mind.Meanwhile, the security guards kept Linda toward Rory, who had long since lost her shoes, while her socks were torn as they scraped along the ground.The fake nails that she had gone through lengths to maintain were chipped, while one of her nails was knocked off.She grimaced, turning pale in terrible pain.When she finally recovered enough to talk, the security guards dumped her like trash beside Rory, along with her wheelchair."Stay as far away as you can. If you show up here again, we won't be gentle!"With those words, the security guards left.Rory was sobbing as she dropped to her knees beside Linda, fumbling to help her off the ground.Seeing the marks left around her neck and her bleeding legs, her tears poured with heartache. "Does it hurt, Mommy? I'll blow on it, and it won't hurt anymore…"As Linda straightened her back, she completely ignored Rory's concern and slapped her ac
As Henry strangled Linda, he snarled, "Why would Tina push you in the first place?! You knew she was depressed and tried to drive her to suicide with Sophie's ashes! That's why she snapped and fought back!"It's your comeuppance, and you dare blame it on Tina?! You must want to die so badly!"His hands were very strong, and Linda could not breathe.As the fear of death seized her, she clawed at Henry's hand while gasping through her teeth, "I didn't… Tina's lying… Sophie's ashes are still in her grave… You can't take Tina's words at face value…"She had been prepared for this for two years, but Henry was not buying any of it.She was just humiliating herself even though she tried to maintain her innocence. Over the years, she never needed proof to make him believe her just because she had been Orange in his mind.But now, the same thing applied to Tina—Henry was completely refusing to listen to her and had already decided she was guilty.He absolutely hated her guts, and his h
The security guards had seen how Henry cradled Rory in his arms, smiling at her with more affection than they would with their own daughters.That was why despite what Henry said, they were afraid to get physical, in fear they misjudged their strength and hurt Henry's treasured daughter.Then, after a couple days of when he calmed down, he would be coming for their heads…Still, Henry shot Andy a look just then, and he returned to the security guards as he explained coolly, "Mr. Barnes absolutely loathes these two. You have nothing to worry about."After what Linda and Rory had done, Henry would not stand the sight of them, let alone dote on them.In fact, he only gave a damn before he loved Orange too much and really believed that Linda was Orange, blindly following his feelings instead of being rational. "Yes, Mr. Cox."Andy was Henry's right-hand man, and his words were as good as Henry's words. And Henry's position was clear—Linda and Rory were not allowed to show up here
Rory never realized—or perhaps she never felt like she had been the aggressor, even smartly avoiding the more important issues so that she could elaborate on what would make Henry care all the more.That was when Henry coolly pulled his leg out of Rory's grasp, and she lost her balance, collapsing and sprawled on the floor."Daddy…?" She looked up blankly, confusion starting to show in her eyes.How could Henry be so indifferent to her injuries, even pulling away from her touch?In fact, he did not look like he cared at all as she fell over, let alone reach down to help her out or blow the pain away.However, Henry's opinion of Rory had changed altogether after last night, and he was now further convinced that the apple did not fall far from the tree—that she was beyond saving.If the teachers at the elite school had not contacted him first to probe his reaction, he really would not have known.That Rory, who was always so kind and well-behaved around him, was not just bullying
Rory was unaware of that and was feeling frustrated after Henry walked out on her last night.So when she came to school, she was keen to vent her feelings on one of her classmates.She had her friends drag her next victim to the washroom again, but even as she was ready to dish out a beating, her friends and the next victim suddenly turned on her. Working together, they gave her a beating, repaying her with the pain she had dished out for so long, even shoving her head down the toilet.She begged for mercy, but to no avail.-When Linda arrived outside the principal's office, she ignored the other parents and examined Rory's injuries in silence.Then, she took her hand and led her outside the room."Mommy…?" Rory called out softly.However, Linda continued to steer her wheelchair out of the school before finally telling Rory, "Let's go to your daddy. Do you know what to say?""Yes!" Rory promptly nodded—she really wanted to see Henry too.And with that, they took a taxi to