《Pampered Wedding Marry Me, Mr. Langford》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The king-sized bed in the presidential suite was a mess. The man¡¯s face was divine, and yet there was bloodlust in his eyes and coldness that chills the bone. He was clenching on a woman¡¯s wrist as he viciously swung her out of the room. ¡°You tricked me! Get the hell out of here if you want to live!¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± Tina Lynd gasped in pain. ring red marks appeared over the delicate skin on her wrist, and her tears were streaming. Her whole body was shaking, and she was so afraid she could die. The man before her was Samuel Langford, the most ruthless tyrant of Freesia. Rumor had it that his methods were so brutal, any living being that provoked him would soon vanish from the grid, as if they had vanished into thin air¡­ But today, Tina hade to die! In fact, that was not all she was going to do here¡ªshe wanted to make it known to the whole city that she slept with Samuel Langford, and have her whole family buried along! Sniffling, she restrained the terror she felt even as her legs went limp. Throwing herself at Samuel, she wrapped her arms around his slim yet muscr hips, her tender hands trembling even as she took off his shirt¡­ Over twenty years, Samuel had never once shown interest in women¡ªone might even say he feels disgusted towards them because of a rare condition. Therefore, never could he have imagined that with this woman¡¯s deliberate teasing¡­ he actually felt something different! She came, throwing herself at him to help his condition! Laughing icily, he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to jump me? Fine, you¡¯ll have your wish tonight!¡± Rip¡ª Tina¡¯s eyes widened even as the sound of clothes echoed in the room. No way! He should be muddled, so what was giving him the strength? And before she realized it, Samuel had bitten down viciously on the fair skin of her shoulders. In the next instant, with his long fingers restraining her dainty chin, he pressed his lips over hers before she could even think. All at once, a domineering force akin to an avnche engulfed and invaded her.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Even as her very breath was encroached upon, Tina¡¯s mind was reduced to a puddle. As night eventually became day, she sneaked away before Samuel woke up, cutting a miserable figure even as she left the hotel. She returned to the Lynds¡¯ mansion at East Hill. *** There was a group of people in the backyard, where an outdoor party was held. The members of the Lynd family were each dressed brightly and dazzlingly as they gathered for a lively chit-chat. Still, one of the guests soon noticed Tina¡¯s presence. ¡°Eh? Why are you here, Tina? And dressed like that, too!¡± As a matter of fact, Tina¡¯s clothes were in pieces, and people would have thought her a beggar if it wasn¡¯t for her beautiful face. Nheless, she cut through the crowd and stared at the rest of the Lynds, all of whom were scowling uglily. This was the family who readily kicked her into hell. Using the excuse that they had raised and supported her for ten years, they sold her off for a million dors to the geezer named Mr. Wace, who had tormented and murdered countless girls They did not expect her to return alive, did they?! Not only did she survive and made her way back, she brought her family a present¡­ by offending Samuel Langford! Her adopted father strode towards her then, snapping in fear and shock, ¡°How did you make it back, Tina? How dare youe back?!¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Tina sneered. ¡°Worried about the one million dors from Mr. Wace after you sold me off? What a shame¡ªyour ns have been foiled!¡± ¡°You ingrate! We¡¯ve raised you, and now that it¡¯s finally time for you to repay us, you¡¯re talking to us with that attitude?!¡± Ellen Golding, Tina¡¯s adopted mother, shot back in disbelief. Her adopted daughter had always obeyed her every word, but now she was talking back at them in public! ¡°Just look at her, dressed in rags¡­ There¡¯s no telling how many men have touched her! Leave, you¡¯re an embarrassment¡ªdon¡¯t cause our family any further embarrassment!¡± Pearl Lynd, Tina¡¯s adopted younger sister, showed a look of utter disdain. To everyone else, the Lynds were simply gathered together and discussing something in private. None of them were aware that it was a conspiracy to murder! Everyst one of the Lynds were dressed impressively and spoke grandly, but they were all forcing Tina to her death. She had always remained stoic and given everything for her family, only to suffer a most tragic betrayal. Biding her time and then mounting a sessful escape, she swore that she would not let these animals get off scot-free! That was why she had banked on herst ounce of courage and provoked the terrible Samuel Langford, and now she just had to wait for him to descend upon them with his divine wrath and crush the Lynds! Now, Tina felt neither misery nor fear, because those stinking mouths before her were already walking corpses, their doom decided. ¡°You won¡¯t have the chance to hurt me anymore. Just give up.¡± With those calm words, Tina turned to leave. Ellen immediately reached out¡ªher embellished nails were as sharp as they were long, and she wanted nothing less than to stab Tina to death. ¡°Trying to run, ingrate? Dream on! You¡¯re going back to Mr. Wace right this instant!¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Tina Lynd glowered as she shook off Ellen Golding¡¯s hand. ¡°Move!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Pearl Lynd screamed as Ellen¡¯s nails dug sharply into her arm, and her cry startled everyone nearby! ¡°What happened?! What¡¯s wrong, Pearl?¡± Jonah Lynd reacted first and quickly moved to block out any inquisitive nces. ¡°We just remembered that there are certain family matters we must tend to¡ªexcuse us!¡± Once they heard Jonah insist that it was a family matter, everyone nearby quickly gave up no matter how curious they were. At the same time, Jonah grabbed Tina by the arm and dragged her firmly to the living room where there were no outsiders. Then, unable to repress his rage, he pped Tina viciously across the face! ¡°You little wretch! Are you fighting back now?! Look what you¡¯ve done¡ªyou¡¯ve hurt Pearl!¡± He bellowed in rage. ¡°Our family had raised you for ten years, so it¡¯s your blessing to be sold off to Mr. Wace, but you¡¯re rebelling instead? The insolence!¡± The p sent Tina tumbling to the floor and bleeding out the corner of her lips. Nearby, Pearl was beside herself with thrill¡ªshe would have done it herself if her arm wasn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Yes, Daddy! A wretch like that needs a proper beating! Disfigure that face so she won¡¯t seduce men everywhere!¡± Spurred on, Jonah was going to do just that when Ellen stopped him. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°What are you doing, Mommy?! Are you siding with that wretch?!¡± Pearl cried in disbelief. Ellen spat in disdain. ¡°Why would I side with her? I just remembered that she¡¯s still Mr. Wace¡¯s merchandise¡ªwhat if he demands a refund if she¡¯s hurt here, in our own home?!¡± Jonah promptly stopped. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right¡­ We still have use for her face. You, over there¡ªthrow her down in the basement and wait until our guests leave, and then I¡¯ll return her to Mr. Wace myself!¡± Two of their servants promptly walked up and pulled Tina off the floor. Still, despite being left in such misery, she left with poise and unyielding perseverance. ¡°I¡¯ll just wait for your deaths downstairs!¡± she said before she was gone from sight, her gaze sweeping across them icily. That naturally left Pearl fuming. ¡°Look at her being so smug, Dad! She¡¯s going to run away again¡ªwe have to send her back to Mr. Wace right now!¡± The fact that the geezer hadn¡¯t killed Tina already denied her a good night¡¯s sleep! Still, Jonah chuckled in cool contempt as he proimed confidently, ¡°Run? Where would a bumpkin like her run too? Does she really think she has a way to turn things around? She¡¯s not getting away even with divine intervention!¡± Meanwhile, as the basement door was mmed shut resoundingly, Tina merely sat in a corner, a smile of relief forming over her lips. ¡®Jonah Lynd, Ellen Golding, Pearl Lynd¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll be seeing you in hell!¡¯ *** Back at the presidential suite, the king-sized bed was exceedingly tidy, showing no signs of the mess from the previous night. Samuel Langford¡¯s assistant was there, respectfully passing the file envelope in his hand to the man before him. ¡°Here¡¯s all the information we have, Mr. Langford.¡± Leaning back on the couch made of real leather, Samuel¡¯s pronounced facial features beneath his ck hair was dark and sinister, even callous. Coupled with his ck shirt, his sheer presence was severe and imposing like a lofty king. In fact, no one would imagine that the tyrant feared by everyone in Freesia would be tricked¡ªand by an ordinary woman at that! N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Sandy did not dare to even breathe too loudly and kept his head down, worried that he would be silenced forever just because he knew about it. The air around Samuel seemed to turn cool as he pulled the sheets out of the file envelope with two long fingers. His icy re swept across the contents, just before he growled coolly, ¡°Her name is Tina Lynd? Tina Lynd¡­ Hmph. Well done, Tina¡­¡± There was a terrible threat in his bewitching voice! After all, being tricked by a woman was the worst humiliation he ever suffered over twenty years! The corners of his lips curled into a smile as he read through the details about the Lynds over thest few years, even as his gaze turned colder. Yet another sycophant who snuggled up to those with wealth and power¡ªSamuel had seen too many women of her type. And yet, she was the first one who got him, and he responded differently to her as well, despite his condition¡­ A storm brewing over his gaze as he red at the report, he snarled, ¡°There¡¯s really no way you could tell that a woman like her could pull a stunt like this!¡± mming the papers on the table, the very air around him seemed to cool because of his terrible presence. ¡°Go. Send our men and bring her here.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Langford.¡± Sandy promptly turned to leave. ¡°And don¡¯t let anyone find out that I¡¯m the one taking her away.¡± Samuel added quietly just then, his lips now arching to a sharp angle. ¡°Does she think that jumping me makes her Mrs. Langford, and in turn destroy the Lynds? Dream on. I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead!¡± ***¡¯ Half an hourter, multiple Range Rovers screeched to a halt right outside the Lynds¡¯ mansion. Then, as troops of ck-d bodyguards alighted, everyone in the building was left dumbstruck. ¡°Who are you people? Leave this instant, or we¡¯re calling the cops!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just barge in here¡­¡± Receiving word that those men were storming into his mansion, Jonah had rushed out for a look, and was immediately scared witless. The mere presence of the ck-d men was intimidating and they were clearly up to no good¡ªbut who on earth had sent them? ¡°Give us Tina Lynd, and we¡¯ll be gone immediately!¡± Jonah seemed to understand everything in those words. Who else would want that little wretch? Of course it had to be Mr. Wace, who had paid for her the previous night! Breathing a sigh of relief, Jonah promptly said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine¡ªwe¡¯ve kept her in the basement. Take her away!¡± While the bodyguards did not expect the issue to be resolved so easily, they did not ask any questions to avoid being unmasked as the Langfords¡¯ henchmen. Once the basement door was opened, the bodyguard in the lead who was wearing shades asked with an unfriendly tone, ¡°Are you Tina Lynd?¡± Tina nodded enthusiastically, her little eyes twinkling in delight. ¡°Yes, I am. You¡¯vee to take me to my death, haven¡¯t you? Hurry up then, let¡¯s not keep anyone waiting!¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Samuel¡¯s bodyguards were left utterly bemused. Whenever he sent them out for someone¡¯s head, every single one of them would end up panicking, going down on their knees as they begged for mercy¡ªeven wetting themselves, in worst-case scenarios. And yet, this young woman who looked soft and fluffy like pancakes wasn¡¯t panicking at all. Actually¡­ Didn¡¯t she look as if she was looking forward to this?! Still, they did not have time to think as they hurriedly brought Tina back to their car. Once they got in, however, Tina looked around and became a little disappointed. ¡°Wait, why am I alone here?¡± Weren¡¯t they supposed to bring the rest of the Lynds along? Did her n somehow fail, and Samuel had decided that he only wanted her head? ¡°Orders from above. Mr. Langford wants to meet you alone.¡± Tina¡¯s head was already dropping dispiritedly, but those words made her excited again. ¡°Really? I get to meet Mr. Langford? He¡¯s really upset, isn¡¯t he?¡± Afterwards, she tried to pry more information about Samuel, but the bodyguards were professionally trained and stayed silent throughout, so she had to give up. Clenching her fists ever so discreetly, Tina decided that since she was going to meet Samuel again anyway, she could just try harder. It would be too much of a pity if she died alone. She would only profit immensely if every other member of the Lynd family died with her! *** At a private premier hospital owned by the Langfords, Sandy Shaw handed a report to Samuel as he said, ¡°Here¡¯s the report after the checkup, Mr. Langford. It seems that you were drugged with sleeping pills¡­¡± ¡°Sleeping pills? Impossible!¡± Samuel¡¯s brow creased into a deep furrow. After all, he had retained most of his memories fromst night¡ªthat woman had to be using something special to lure him to bed¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve got her, Mr. Langford!¡± a bodyguard announced outside the hospital lounge just then. Well, regardless of whatever tricks she was up to, wouldn¡¯t the truth be revealed by asking the woman herself? Meanwhile, Tina had resolved herself that she was going to die when she was shoved inside the hospital lounge. Even so, she was dispirited the instant she saw Samuel. Hatred must have clouded her mindst night¡ªshe had ignored the palpable killing intent from the man as she persevered to provoke him for revenge. Today, however, she realized how frightening the man could be as he stood before her! All he was doing was standing there and leveling his cold, hawkish gaze at her, and she was already suffocating while her legs turned to jelly, and she wanted nothing more than to drop to her knees and beg for mercy. Noticing her fear, Samuel¡¯s disgust towards her grew. Wasn¡¯t she acting all impressivest night? And now here she was, ying meek and innocent¡­ She was as cunning as he had imagined her to be! ¡°Speak! What did you drug me withst night?¡± he demanded coldly. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Tina stammered. ¡°It¡¯s something cheap I bought from a nightclub yesterday¡­ I-If you want it, I still have half a bottle here¡­¡± She took out a small brown bottle from her pocket as she spoke. The temperature of the air around Samuel turned sub-zero. Something from a nightclub? She really had sinister motives. How utterly filthy! Beside him, Sandy¡ªwho knew how much of a clean freak his boss is¡ªpromptly took the bottle and had someone take it to ab. The report on the drugs would take some time, and though Samuel couldn¡¯t wait to kill Tina, he needed to keep her alive before he had viable information. Sitting down on the couch, he loosened his tie in irritation and undid several buttons, making him appearnguid and casual. Only Tina knew the robust muscles hidden beneath his shirt, and the explosive strength it boasted¡­ N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Ahem! Flushing, Tina promptly tried to clear those messy thoughts from her head, but Samuel noticed her stare anyway. ¡°You¡¯d better not get any funny ideas, Tina Lynd.¡± Tina flushed even redder¡ªwas she being that obvious? ¡°I won¡¯t, I won¡¯t¡­¡± She tried to defend herself, but Samuel wouldn¡¯t hear a word of it, so she started tentatively again, ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Langford¡­¡± Samuel promptly cut her short. ¡°I¡¯m not going to take responsibility for you¡ªI¡¯ve met too many scheming women like you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯d meant to do¡­¡± She hade here to die! Or was that not allowed either?! All those rumors must have been lies! Wasn¡¯t this tyrant supposed to kill without so much as a flinch?! That was when Sandy rushed into the lounge. ¡°Sir, the report¡¯s here¡ªthe pills match the substance detected in your bloodstream¡­¡± In other words, Tina¡¯s methods were out of this world, and not even the Langfords¡¯ state-of-the-art machinery could unravel the mystery of how she had beguiled Samuel! Chuckling icily but enigmatically, Samuel then said, ¡°Understood. Leave us, and lock the door behind you.¡± Sandy threw a sympathetic nce at Tina since she was dead meat. Tina, however, was utterly bemused¡ªif she was going to be killed, so be it. Why the theatrics? Still, once the lounge was locked, the man strode towards her. She tried to escape, but had nowhere to run to and was cornered to a wall, with strong male hormones engulfing him. Grabbing her by the chin then, Samuel stared down at her, killing intent mixed with his lofty presence as he breathed every word, ¡°Impressive, Tina Lynd¡ªto think that you are actually so extraordinary. Spill the beans, and I just might spare your life!¡± Having trained in martial arts, Samuel was strong enough to crush Tina¡¯s bones when he was lucid. Moreover, Tina feared pain, not death. As redness appeared over her fair skin, her tears began to roll without end. ¡°I-I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± What about her is so extraordinary? She had bought those sleeping pills on a whim, and didn¡¯t he already test it?! Just kill her already¡ªthere was no need for the drama! On the other hand, her innocence and grief only seem to irritate Samuel further. ¡°Speak! I¡¯ll kill you and your whole family along with you if you don¡¯t!¡± Tina did a double take. For real?! Wasn¡¯t that just great?! Samuel misunderstood that as finally catching her vulnerability, and became even more threatening as he whispered beside her ear, ¡°Try to y me any further, and I will spare you, just so that you could watch every person in your family die in agony, one after the other¡­¡± His voice was as sinister as a demon¡¯s, and yet as melodious as the sounds of nature to Tina¡¯s ears. She could tell that he was teetering on the edge of wrath, and decided to add fuel to the fire. Gritting her teeth, she threw her arms around him, and stood on her toes to kiss him! Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Samuel¡¯s body stiffenedpletely, obviously having not expected such a reaction from Tina. Even as she jammed her lips against his, she kept her arms tightly around his waist, bawling, ¡°Oh, Mr. Langford! I love you so much¡­ Please don¡¯t be so heartless, please spare my family¡­¡± Nheless, Samuel came to his senses before she could finish, and firmly shook her off. ¡°Get off! Get off me!¡± Like a provoked lion, he was staring daggers as if his eyes could slice through her. ¡°No! No!¡± Tina kept going regardless, shaking her head even as she grabbed her leg this time. ¡°Please, Mr. Langford, I won¡¯t ask you to marry me¡ªbefore I came here, my parents told me that I should agree to be your mistress if I have to¡­¡± Tina was basically glued to Samuel, and in his rage, he whipped out the gun he had holstered on his hip! ¡°No, Mr. Langford!¡± Tina cried, but she kept holding on to Samuel anyway as she closed her eyes. She was dying for real this time¡ªthe ten years worth of grief and grace faced after she was adopted by the Lynds would finally end here! And yet¡­ One minute passed, then two. What was going on? Tina kept waiting, but the gunshot never came¡­ She wasn¡¯t the only one surprised¡ªSamuel himself did not imagine that the woman had once again made him lose control! How long had it only been, and he was clearly lucid! How was this happening?! Then, when he saw Tina again, he firmly shook her off and pulled away. ¡°Someone get in here and take her away! Keep her locked up somewhere¡ªanywhere!¡± The bodyguards outside promptly entered and did as they were told, though Tina wasn¡¯t keen on the idea. ¡°M-Mr. Langford, please, listen to me¡­¡± Resisting his ring rage, Samuel coolly added, ¡°Gag her! You shouldn¡¯t talk if you don¡¯t know your manners anyway!¡± ¡°Oof¡­¡± Her voice muffled, Tina was hence dragged unceremoniously away from the reaper to a room in the hospital¡¯s basement. ¡°What the heck?! He¡¯s just dragging his feet now¡ªhe won¡¯t even kill me!¡± Even as her frustration grew at the thought, she picked up a pillow and flung it at the door when it opened by coincidence. ¡°Ahhh!¡± A startled cry could be heard outside then, and Tina looked up to find an elegantly dressed woman. The pillow hit her squarely on the face, and there was a clear imprint of her face on the white fabric of the pillow¡ªher makeup had clearly rubbed off. Startled, Tina promptly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry¡­¡± Nheless, the woman snapped in indignation, ¡°That¡¯s an orphaned bumpkin for you¡ªwith no manners at all!¡± Tina frowned. She hated being called an orphan the most. Was it her fault for being orphaned? ¡°You¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t knock,¡± Tina retorted curtly. ¡°And take a look at the mirror, granny¡ªdon¡¯t bother putting on makeup, you¡¯re so ugly that it¡¯s scary!¡± ¡°What did you say?! Granny?! Ugly?!¡± The woman almost fell over backwards in frustration. Still, as she took out a mirror from her pouch and saw how terrible she looked, her whole body was shaking with rage. Still, she took a deep breath and tried to maintain her noble and elegant appearance. ¡°So, you¡¯re the minx who seduced my son?¡± It was only then that Tina realized that the woman was Samuel¡¯s mother! ¡°Yes, that would be me. Did youe to kill me?¡± Tina remained curt. Despite her misgivings towards Tina¡¯s attitude, Mama Langford restrained herself and said, ¡°I have brought an agreement with me. Sign it!¡± Mama Langford believed herself to be noble and valued bloodlines the most. Naturally, she treats orphaned bumpkins like Tina with contempt. If Samuel wasn¡¯t cold towards women and had not constantly snubbed the fiancee she found for him, she would never have to resort to this. In fact, the first instant Mama Langford learned that an orphan like Tina had managed to get into Samuel¡¯s bed, she immediately spoke to doctors in concerned fields. Their response was that if Tina would cooperate, Samuel just might recover from his condition. That way, his wedding with Cindy Young could be brought forward¡­ which was why keeping Tina alive still served some purpose! With that, Mama Langford found a sheet of paper at Tina, who picked it up in curiosity and realized that it was a non-disclosure agreement. If she cooperated with Samuel¡¯s therapy for three months, she would be paid fifteen million dors afterwards. ¡°How about that? Not even the Lynds could offer that much money, could they?¡± In Mama Langford¡¯s mind, Tina was a golddigger, and would definitely agree to the condition. And yet, Tina eximed in shock as if she had stumbled upon a revtion, ¡°So, Samuel Langford really is sick? I guess the rumors are true¡­ There¡¯s a reason why he doesn¡¯t like women!¡± As forst night, the drugs she used must have been super effective¡ªthe pills definitely worked wonders! Nheless, Tina¡¯s reaction left Mama Langford clutching her chest. It was fortunate she didn¡¯t have high blood pressure, or she would have fainted right there. ¡°You little wretch! I¡¯ll have your whole family die with you, believe it!¡± ¡°Please do,¡± Tina replied fearlessly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask for more.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Mama Langford was left gaping¡ªshe had never expected Tina to get so pompous! Be that as it may, their conversation was cut short as Samuel had appeared at the doorway, and he looked very upset with Mama Langford¡¯s presence. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Composing herself, Mama Langford spoke mildly like a mother would, ¡°I heard that you wereing to the hospital, so I came to visit¡­¡± ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Samuel countered icily. Obviously, he didn¡¯t hold much sentiment for his own mother either. Mama Langford scowled. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good, child. You¡­¡± Before she could finish, however, Samuel had stormed past her and snatched the agreement from Tina. He gave it the briefest of nces, andughed coldly. ¡°Dear mother, you really know too much! Tell me, who ratted me out?¡± He turned towards Sandy just then, who immediately felt a chill down his spine. ¡°Sir, I¡¯d never betray you!¡± After all, Samuel hated traitors the most¡ªthose who did would either be left in pieces, or in worst cases, wished they were dead! Mama Langford knows that this was something that infuriates Samuel as well, and quickly exined, ¡°It¡¯s the hospital. A lot of people work here, and I just happened to find out¡­¡± ¡°Fine. Everyone is fired!¡± Samuel snarled, and there was something in his voice that permitted no refusal. ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯m your mother, Samuel! I¡¯m just worried about you!¡± Mama Langford snapped angrily. Samuel¡¯s gaze, however, remained intimidating. ¡°First it¡¯s Cindy Young, and now it¡¯s her. If you actually cared, woman, you shouldn¡¯t challenge the limits of my patience repeatedly.¡± In fact, it was thanks to Mama Langford that Samuel loathed women¡ªhe felt disgusted if any woman was close to him, let alone try to get close to one. ¡°This is thest time!¡± Mama Langford continued to attempt defending herself. ¡°Cindy is a good girl, and she put her life on the line to save you when you were children! Our families are of simr standing as well, and she¡¯s the right choice for Mrs. Langford¡­¡± Even so, Samuel had lost all patience and demanded coolly, ¡°Someone get in here and take this woman home. Keep her there, so that she won¡¯t bother me again.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. With those words to his bodyguards, he gestured for them to take Mama Langford away. Nheless, seeing that things were getting awry, she quickly yed her trump card. ¡°You don¡¯t have to care about me, Samuel, but you have to think about your poor grandma! All she wants is to see you get married before she dies and give her a healthy grandson! You don¡¯t want to disappoint her, do you?¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 As Samuel paused, Mama Langford promptly pressed her advantage, ¡°Your grandmother¡¯s health is declining, and the doctors are saying that she will onlyst a few more years. All she wants is for you to get married¡­¡± Samuel cut her short. ¡°I¡¯ll never marry Cindy. Even if she did save my life, I only think of her as a younger sister.¡± ¡°And, what? You want to marry this wretch instead?¡± Mama Langford asked, pointing at Tina. Samuelughed coldly. ¡°Her? That¡¯s even less likely!¡± ¡°Good.¡± Mama Langford breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll do it my way¡ªlet her cooperate with your therapy, and when that¡¯s done, you¡¯ll fulfill your grandmother¡¯s wish.¡± Then, as she hurried away, she added, ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. Think about it!¡± After all, Samuel could change his mind in an instant, and she was not about to be embarrassed in front of so many people. Meanwhile, Tina was left gaping as she looked on. It was often said that rich and powerful families tend to get dramatic, though she had never expected front row seats to the Langford¡¯s family drama. How heart-warming¡­ Turning towards her, Samuel asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Nothing. I mean, fine weather today¡­¡± She quickly tried to change the subject. ¡°Judging from that look on your face, you really want to sign this agreement, don¡¯t you?¡± Samuel asked with an icy smile. Tina, however, simply ignored his jibe and shed puppy eyes at him as she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t I know too much, Mr. Langford?¡± After all, knowing too much could be a cause for death. Given how swift and resolute Samuel could be to those underneath him¡ªeven his mother¡ªhe was coming for her now, wasn¡¯t he? Nheless, Samuel turned away so that he didn¡¯t have to look at her. He had just spent much time repressing the mysterious impulse he had been feeling, and he was not about to throw that all away because of this woman now. ¡°Get in here.¡± At his order, a group of medical personnel who were dressed in white appeared, and they were carrying various medical equipment. It naturally scared Tina a little. ¡°Just kill me already! You don¡¯t have to be so dramatic!¡± It spooked her further to see the syringes the medical personnel were holding¡ªit left her dazed just seeing it! ¡°I-I get faint just from seeing needles and blood! Just shoot me dead, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± She was choking with tears, and grabbed Samuel¡¯s arm by reflex. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened in turn. There she goes again¡ªshe was constantly trying to seduce him! ¡°It¡¯s just a medical examination. Let me go, or I¡¯m skinning you. I¡¯ll have my people cut you up, tiny pieces by tiny pieces¡­¡± Tina shuddered, and promptly became tame. ¡°Fine, whatever you want.¡± If it was a checkup he wanted, so be it¡ªanything but skinning her. Not daring to resist, Tina became as tame as a pretty doll as she allowed the medical personnel to inspect her health. Her medical report was presented to Samuel in no time at all, and there wasn¡¯t much issue aside from her being a little anemic. With that, he threw the agreement at Tina. ¡°Sign it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± When Tina tried to refuse, Samuel rose to his feet¡ªthe sheer presence of his towering figure virtually devoured Tina as he pinned her against the wall. ¡°Be a good girl, sign it, and I just might let you live long enough to run away in three months with your money. Think of what would happen to your family if you mess around.¡± Tina gulped, and asked gingerly, ¡°Are you saying that I won¡¯t die? But if I do badly, my family is going to die instead?¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°Yes.¡± And with those words, Tina promptly agreed to the deal. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll sign it!¡± She had to seize such a wonderful chance when it was presented right before her! On the other hand, Samuel wasn¡¯t surprised since he had already expected such vanity from her. Just then, Sandy spoke from outside, ¡°Sir, the meeting is starting¡­¡± Hence, Samuel threw his pen at Tina and watched her sign the agreement before turning to leave. ¡°Arrange for her to stay at one of our suburban mansions, then wait for my return.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Langford.¡± *** Tina was hence sent to one of the Langford mansions in the suburbs of Freesia, where the Langfords had arranged for a housekeeper as well. Having been briefed about everything by Mama Langford, the housekeeper shot Tina a haughty stare. ¡°You¡¯re Tina Lynd? Don¡¯t think you¡¯re high and mighty just because you¡¯re staying at this mention¡ªMr. Langford has his orders, and there are many things waiting to be done.¡± ¡°What things?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in a meeting at the moment and will returnte. There are no servants in this mansion¡ªjust you ¡ªand the first thing you must do is gardening¡­¡± ¡°I must warn you before that the nts in the garden here are more expensive than the lives of your family members. Mr. Langford himself has sent his people around the globe to choose and import them to this garden.¡± ¡°Also, you know how to cook, don¡¯t you? There will be imported food ingredients every day, and Mr. Langford is very selective about his food, so cook it to the appropriate standard.¡± ¡°In addition¡­¡± The housekeeper gave Tina tons of instructions, and she solemnly nodded as she remembered the gist of them. The nts were very precious, and if some were lost, her whole family would be sold off as ves¡­ Tina appeared so keen to learn that the housekeeper couldn¡¯t help casting a few more nces at her. ¡°Do you remember everything?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, don¡¯t worry,¡± Tina said with an earnest look. ¡°I¡¯ll serve Mr. Langford well.¡± The housekeeper nodded in satisfaction at that. ¡°I shall be returning to the main residence then. Stay here and don¡¯t go anywhere¡ªthere¡¯s no escape when Mr. Langford has you in his grasp anyway.¡± After that, Tina watched as the housekeeper left, before turning towards the precious nts in the garden. Picking up a pair of hedge shears, she¡­ *** A ck Rolls-Royce stopped outside the mansion. However, before Samuel alighted, Tina¡ªwho appeared to have been waiting for a while¡ªran towards him, eximing in joy, ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡¯ve been waiting for you! Wee home!¡± Her excitement didn¡¯t seem feigned, and her eyes were round like an enthusiastic, co-dependent puppy staring at him. Samuel frowned. He was actually quite familiar with those eyes. Many women liked to stare at him, but Tina was the first one who did not hide it, and her passion burned like mes. Did she like him that much? Nheless, he ignored her and walked past her as he headed inside. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Tina noticed the sharp smell of alcohol on him just then. ¡°Were you drinking, Mr. Langford?¡± When he didn¡¯t answer, she continued noisily, ¡°Would you like a stroll in the backyard, admire the view? I heard you really love those flowers, and I had to work very hard to clean them up¡­¡± Nheless, all Samuel felt towards her was annoyance. ¡°Is there something wrong with your head? Flower-viewing in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°Guh¡­¡± Tina was stumped¡ªshe had forgotten about that part. ¡°Well, I can cook for you, then. Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± Samuel replied. Tina stopped then, her eyes bulging as she snapped, ¡°You won¡¯t go to the backyard or eat? Then what can I do?¡± Samuel turned towards her then, finding her nk stare a little funny just then. Still, he restrained her smile and coolly said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it written clearly in the agreement?¡± Agreement? To tell the truth, Tina didn¡¯t pay much attention to the contents of the agreement at the time, and had forgotten about everything other than the ten million dors. As a matter of fact, Samuel had just sessfully negotiated for an international coboration project. Although he never liked to drink, he couldn¡¯t help doing so at the celebratory dinner. And right now, the sight of Tina¡¯s slightly parted lips left his throat parched. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Tina touched her cheek just then. ¡°Is there dirt on my face?¡± She must have been too distracted when she was gardening, and gotten something on her face? Nheless, Samuel caught her chin and leaned towards her. ¡°Right now, you¡¯re nothing more than medicine used for my treatment. You must agree to all my demands for three months, and that includes physical contact¡­¡± As he spoke, he was inching closer, his scorching breath spraying over her as he was about to kiss her! As his scent closed in, Tina¡¯s brain was left in a puddle. It wasn¡¯t as if she had never had boyfriends. In fact, right after she made it into university, an upperssman had pursued her relentlessly. And yet, she realized that the boy merely had his eyes on the Lynds¡¯ wealth just after she agreed to date him! After realizing that she was adopted and had no love from the family, he promptly switched his sights to Pearl Lynd instead. Those two hence conspired against Tina, spreading all sorts of nder against her and destroying her reputation, forcing her to be expelled¡­ Still, while they were dating, the most Tina had done was to hold hands. She had only jumped Samuel because she waspelled to. But right now, her mind was perfectly clear¡ªas she watched Samuel lean towards her, she pped him by reflex! Smack! Chapter 6 Chapter 6 The clear smack of the p echoed, and Tina was stunned by what she had done. S-She had just pped Samuel! Samuel had actually been a little tipsy, but he was fully awake now. ¡°Ti¡ªna¡ªLynd!¡± He snarled every syble in her name like a raging lion, as if he would tear her into pieces in the next instant because of her insult! He had strutted over Freesia for over two decades, and everyone held him in reverence, not daring to even get too close. Therefore, he never could have imagined that he would be tricked by a in woman, who ended up pping him afterwards! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Tina panicked, and stammered amid Samuel¡¯s wrathful presence, ¡°T-That¡¯s too sudden¡­¡± Samuel had no intention to wait for any exnation, however, and promptly turned to leave! He was afraid he would tear Tina into pieces if he didn¡¯t, and since she was useful alive, he was not about to let her die so easily! Tina couldn¡¯t help breathing a sigh of relief just then, since she had thought that she really was going to die¡­ Still, she was left with a headache¡ªshe had clearly resolved to die when she jumped Samuel, but after that failed, she became a little hesitant now! But did she really have to please Samuel? After a long night of messy thoughts, Tina woke up the next morning with dark circles under her eyes. Still, she was pleased that the housekeeper of the main Langford residence showed up once more with great news. ¡°Mr. Langford is busy, and won¡¯t be here for a week!¡± After the housekeeper left, Tina just stopped short of popping fireworks in celebration. *** During the weekend, Tina received a call from the orphanage. ¡°Are you free to visit the orphanage this afternoon, Tina? The children miss you.¡± Even as the orphanage caretaker spoke, a chorus of children¡¯s voices could be heard from the other end, calling out sweetly, ¡°We missed you, prettydy!¡± Tina stayed at the orphanage since she was seven. Although she was adopted by the Lynds under the excuse of charity, she would visit the orphanage from time to time and help as a volunteer. Tina felt spreading warmth in her heart at the children¡¯s voices¡ªeven if the Lynds treated her harshly, everyone at the orphanage granted her warmth as if they were all family. Remembering that Samuel wouldn¡¯t be back for a week, she agreed without hesitation. ¡°Alright, just wait right there¡ªI¡¯ll definitelye!¡± Indeed, she appeared punctually at the doorstep to the orphanage, and the children were buzzing as they surrounded her. Nearby, a shady man saw it and immediately made a call. ¡°Miss Lynd¡ªI¡¯ve found that woman!¡± He was speaking to Pearl Lynd, who replied in excitement, ¡°What? You¡¯ve finally found that wretch?! Hurry, give me the address!¡± When the ck-d bodyguards stormed into her family¡¯s mansion the other day, Jonah Lynd was under the impression that Mr. Wace had sent them. Naturally, he didn¡¯t expect that Mr. Wace would personally charge into their mansion after the bodyguards left. He pped Pearl¡¯s father across the face without a word, cursing as he demanded that Tina be returned to him! The Lynds were naturally dumbstruck, finally realizing then that someone else had taken Tina away! Afterwards, Mr. Wace gave them a week¡ªhe woulde and break the legs of every member of the Lynd family if Tina still didn¡¯t show up. The Lynds had to hire a number of private detectives just to find Tina, and one of them had finally sighted her. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chuckling with mischief, the private investigator who had found Tina said, ¡°Miss Lynd, about my reward¡­¡± ¡°Cut the crap!¡± Pearl snapped impatiently. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you double¡ªsend me her location this instant!¡± After all, what if they were toote and the wretch managed to run away again?! Then, having received the notification that a transfer had been made, the private investigator quickly gave Pearl the address. After hanging up on the private investigator, Pearl called Mr. Wace and said gingerly, ¡°Mr. Wace, I¡¯ve found that wretch. She¡¯s at Loving Heart Orphanage¡­¡¯ Mr. Waceughed coldly. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°Have fun, Mr. Wace!¡± Pearlughed with evil satisfaction as she hung up. That wretch was finally going to die! The very thought was utterly cathartic! Meanwhile, Tina was reading a storybook to the children when she heard a car¡¯s honk. When she looked up to find a ck sedan stopping outside the orphanage, she became wary¡ªdid the Lynds find her and were taking her home?! She quickly hid herself and peeked outside. A young man alighted from the ck sedan just then, and he appeared to be of mixed ancestry. His facial features were pronounced, and the prestigious tailored suit made it obvious that he was rich. Tina couldn¡¯t help sighing then. It seems that he was here for an adoption instead of capturing her¡­ The orphanage caretaker went out to meet him just then. ¡°Sir, have youe to apply for an adoption?¡± The children were all staring hopefully at the young man, all of them wishing to be adopted. Nheless, the young man shook his head and tly said, ¡°No, I¡¯vee to ask for information¡­¡± He spoke to the caretaker for a while, before disappointment showed on his face and he turned to leave. It was only then that Tina came out of hiding and asked the caretaker in curiosity, ¡°Did hee to adopt a child, madam? Why did he leave so quickly?¡± The caretaker shook her head then. ¡°Poor kid¡ªhe said that he was separated from his younger sister when he was a child, and their family had been looking for her for over ten years to no avail. Recently, they found out that she might have been abducted and brought into the country, which was why he came here expressly¡­¡± ¡°Still, if I have to put my finger on it, they won¡¯t find her in the country, let alone in foreignnds. He had made the trip for nothing!¡± Tina nodded in agreement and sympathy. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.¡± Then, seeing that it¡¯ste, she bade farewell to the caretaker and started to leave. And yet, she had just reached the door when an MPV screeched to a halt outside, blocking her path. A pudgy fifty-year-old man alighted right then and red at her with twisted hatred. ¡°You bitch! Let¡¯s see where you¡¯ll run off to this time!¡± Tina felt a chill down her spine right then. The old man is none other than Mr. Wace, who had tortured and killed countless girls! He had chased her all the way to the orphanage! Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Without sparing a moment for thought, Tina ran. She was afraid that Mr. Wace would extend his wrath to the caretaker and children of the orphanage, and ran as fast as she could towards the opposite direction. There was no way she could outrun an MPV, however, and was soon intercepted again, with two of Mr. Wace¡¯s goons keeping her restrained. Tina despaired. Did she go through great lengths to escape the geezer¡¯s clutches, only to die today anyway? ¡°What do we do with her, Mr. Wace?¡± one of the goons asked. Mr. Wace chuckled as he rubbed his hands. ¡°Tie her up, and wait outside the alley. I¡¯ll deal with her!¡± He had been nursing a terrible itch after Tina had escaped him before. This was the first time he had ever encountered such a spirited and rebellious woman, though that would only add to his thrill. Hence, his goons brutishly tied her up, threw her to the floor and left. Tina¡¯s tears streamed as her thin shoulder mmed on the concrete floor, but she restrained her voice as she leveled a look of anger at Mr. Wace. That look only served to stimte the man¡¯s impulse to dominate her, however, and he clicked his tongue. ¡°Little girl, I might just let you live if you y nice and obey me. Otherwise¡­ Hah! I guess you know the tragic fate experienced by those other girls who had fallen within my grasp!¡± Tina was left shuddering, and she wanted to curse and shout when she suddenly felt a brick and ss shards on the floor. Feigning fear, she cried, ¡°Please, Mr. Wace, I¡¯ll do anything you ask¡­ but could you please free my hands first?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Mr. Wace promptly refused. ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re going to run away?¡± Tina merely kept her head down and continued to pretend to be afraid. ¡°How am I going to run? This is an alley, and your men are standing guard. I would need wings to fly out of here¡­¡± She continued speaking to Mr. Wace, buying time as she worked hard to slice through the rope with a ss shard¡­ Thank goodness! The rope must have rotted a little after being kept in the MPV for so long, and she eventually did slice through it! On the other hand, Mr. Wace thought that she was being reasonable. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll loosen the rope.¡± Tina nodded repeatedly. ¡°Okay! Please, hurry up!¡± At the same time, her fingers were clenching on the brick behind her, and she watched as Mr. Wace slowly made his way towards her. Then, when he leaned his head downwards, Tina used every bit of strength she had to smash the brick on the man¡¯s bald head! Mr. Wace did not even manage to scream as he red at Tina with wide-eyed disbelief, and slowly fell¡­ Outside the alley, his goons were not particrly concerned about themotion, and they were actually discussing it in a carefree manner. ¡°Tut, tut¡­ sounds like things are getting spicy in there.¡± ¡°Is there anyone in Freesia who doesn¡¯t know Mr. Wace¡¯s fetish? Poor girl!¡± Meanwhile, after Tina knocked out Mr. Wace as violently as she could, she promptly scaled the wall on the other end of the alley. Then, seeing a car driving past on the street, her eyes lit up and she waved her hands as hard as she could to draw its attention. When the car showed no inclination of slowing down and just as Tina was about to miss it, she clenched her teeth and ran out on the road, fearful that she would be recaptured if she hesitated! She would rather get run over and die than fall into Mr. Wace¡¯s clutches again! Screech¡ª The car brakes screamed as it screeched to a halt, but it was no match for inertia as it continued streaking towards Tina¡¯s tiny figure! She closed her eyes, but fortunately, the driver managed to spin the wheel so that it missed her and stopped. Even as she breathed a sigh of relief and felt pleased about cheating death, she promptly lunged at the driver¡¯s seat and yelled, ¡°Sir, could you please give me a ride? I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± Before she could finish, she heard a snarl. ¡°Tina Lynd! Why do I always have to run into you?!¡± Tina did a double take since the voice was very familiar, and when she turned towards the backseat, she blurted out, ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± It was Samuel Langford himself! He had actually shown up here?! Her look of delight, however, looked sinister in Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°You really are quite something to chase me all the way here, woman!¡± he said coolly. On the other hand, Tina didn¡¯t even have the time to exin herself and pleaded, ¡°Please, Mr. Langford, let me in¡­¡± Her look of misery invoked the driver¡¯s chivalry. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Drive!¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was utterly cold. He hated such bothersome women the most, especially this one¡ªwho had repeatedly challenged the limits of his patience. It was as if she had a death wish! ¡°No, please, don¡¯t go!¡± Tina cried as she leapt out in front of the car. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving unless you run me over!¡± ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t dare, woman?!¡± Samuel¡¯s re was simply sinister. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. There was no question that Tina was scared. After all, Samuel was known to be The Tyrant of Freesia, and that his methods were utterly ruthless. There was no doubt that he would do that! Still, Tina suddenly remembered what Mama Langford told her. Feeling suddenly inspired by the urgency of the moment, she eximed, ¡°Your condition would never be treated if I¡¯m dead, Mr. Wace! It won¡¯t do if your grandmother never gets to see her great-grandson, right?!¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?!¡± Samuel¡¯s rage red. Tina gulped. ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡ªI¡¯m just stating facts!¡± Still, Samuel didn¡¯t have time to y around with her and took a deep breath. ¡°Fine. get in!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Langford!¡± Tina eximed repeatedly, and quickly sat beside him. ¡°Ride shotgun.¡± Samuel growled¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to see her face because it disgusted him. ¡°But I¡¯ll be seen if I do¡­¡± Tina muttered, when Mr. Wace suddenly appeared in front of the car with his two goons! He recovered so quickly?! It would be over if she got caught! Tina promptly threw herself into Samuel¡¯s arms then, and he could feel his scalding warmth as well as the faint fragrance after she showered. ¡°You¡­¡± Before he could finish, however, Mr. Wace and his goons had intercepted their car, with the old man clutching his head as he snarled, ¡°Get out of the car, all of you! You¡¯d better do, or else!¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 That little wretch had actually hit his head! It was lucky she had missed his vitals, or he would have died on the spot! Even as he nursed the terrible grudge, Mr. Wace swore that he would catch that wretch even if he had to search high and low, just to tear her into little pieces! Nheless, the people in the car before him weren¡¯t reacting at all. Mr. Wace¡¯s irk grew, but just as he and his goons were about to hit the car, a cool voice spoke, ¡°Hah! Someone is actually carjacking me in this day and age?!¡± Mr. Wace was taken aback. Why did that voice sound so familiar?! Then, when he finally saw the figure sitting at the backseat, Samuel¡¯s hawkish re left him sweating in fear! He must have lost his head because of that little wretch, and tried to stop the car of the infamous Tyrant of Freesia! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Mr. Langford¡­¡± Mr. Wace¡¯s legs turned to jelly and he almost dropped to knees. ¡°It¡¯s just a misunderstanding, we¡¯ll leave right now!¡± With that, he made way, and Samuel¡¯s chauffeur slowly drove off. ¡°Keep looking!¡± Mr. Wace barked afterwards. ¡°That wretch wouldn¡¯t have gotten far¡ªstop every car nearby, and find her even if you had to search high and low!¡± Unbeknown to him, Tina was inside Samuel¡¯s car all along, and escaped from right under his nose¡­ Nheless, Samuel coldly growled afterwards, ¡°Get off.¡± Tina promptly pulled away from him, but while she had expected him to say something, she simply kept staring outside the window and said nothing. She breathed a sigh of relief. That was when Samuel¡¯s car stopped outside Loving Heart Orphanage, leaving Tina a little surprised¡ª what was he going to do here? Samuel¡¯s chauffeur alighted just then, and returned after a while, shaking his head as he told Samuel, ¡°She¡¯s not here, Mr. Langford. She must have left early.¡± Tina was actually perplexed. Was he looking for someone in the orphanage? ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡­¡± She wanted to tell him that she was a volunteer at the orphanage, and he could ask her if he had a question. However, even before she could begin, Samuel growled hostilely, ¡°Tina Lynd¡ªkeep your mouth shut if you don¡¯t want me to throw you out of the car.¡± Naturally, Tina did. After the car turned and left the orphanage, the chauffeur asked, ¡°Sir, shall we head to the office or the main residence?¡± Samuel took his deep breath and closed his eyes. ¡°The mansion.¡± Realizing that he was talking about where she was staying, Tina waved her hands and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take me home, Mr. Langford. I could take a bus¡­¡± ¡°You give yourself too much credit.¡± Samuel snorted. ¡°You worked so hard to ¡®run into me¡¯ in the suburbs. Why else did you do that aside from luring me back to the mansion with you?¡± In fact, she had gone so far as to stop his car for that purpose, and threw herself into his arms. What upsetted him most was that she had seeded! It was proven that right then, this woman was the best candidate to cure her condition. ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence¡­¡± Tina exined. Still, Samuel clearly doubted that and gave her a mocking look. ¡°ying hard to get now?¡± Knowing that she would never be able to clear her name just then, Tina didn¡¯t bother to speak further and let the misunderstanding be. Even so, she was not a woman who was obligated to win his favor! *** Half an hourter, the car stopped outside the mansion. Once Tina alighted, she hurried upstairs to her room, but a long arm reached out to stop her just as she was about to close the door. ¡°Did you forget about the details of your agreement?¡± Samuel asked icily. ¡°All you have to do is properly help me with my condition¡ªying hard-to-get only wears out my patience.¡± Tina¡¯s heart sank. Guess there was no running away today. Samuel pinned her against the wall just then, and started to loosen her cor¡ªhe was quite keen about finding out if she could make him lose control every single time. And yet when he saw the bruise on her shoulder, he frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Tina flinched from the surprise and tried to push Samuel away, only for him to spot the scratch marks on her fingers. ¡°And that?!¡± Samuel grabbed her hand and asked loftily then. As a matter of fact, Tina had been wondering how he was supposed to exin those to Samuel. But given the disgust he felt towards her, he would never help her even if he found out that the Lynds had sold her. In fact, her ns would go up in smoke if he were to realize that everything she did was to retaliate against the Lynds. That was why she must keep quiet! ¡°I fell.¡± However, her evasiveness only drew Samuel¡¯s suspicion, and he chuckled coolly, ¡°Really?¡± Tina quickly threw her arms around him then. ¡°Don¡¯t mind that, Mr. Langford. Let¡¯s continue!¡± Nheless, it was now Samuel¡¯s turn to push her away and snap icily, ¡°I don¡¯t have that sort of fetish.¡± Tina watched as he left, but soon after she breathed a sigh of relief, she heard him calling from downstairs, ¡°Come down here if you don¡¯t want me to go upstairs to drag you.¡± Not daring to protest, she went downstairs to find that Samuel had actually brought out a first aid kit. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s see to those wounds,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just something minor. I can recover without much fuss¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself,¡± Samuel growled, frowning. ¡°Are you using this to besmirch my good name after you get paid?¡± Tina was speechless¡ªwhat was that ¡®good name¡¯ he spoke of? Still, she only dared to retort inwardly, but made her way towards him anyway. All she had were flesh wounds, so she had band-aids wrapped around her fingers and ointment applied to her shoulders. Even so, she was grateful towards Samuel, and decided to repay him properly. ¡°Do you want something to eat, Mr. Langford! I¡¯ll cook for you!¡± Samuel frowned. He still held his doubts towards Tina, but said, ¡°Sure.¡± Tina promptly headed to the kitchen¡ªever since she was adopted by the Lynds, she had been ordered around like a servant, and cooking naturally wasn¡¯t difficult for her. She was also talented and confident enough about her culinary skills that she wouldn¡¯t lose to three- star Michelin chefs! Meanwhile, once she left, Samuel¡¯s expression turned cold. He did not believe that Tina¡¯s wounds were from a fall, and felt suspicious when he remembered the men who had stopped his car. He texted Sandy, telling his assistant to get to the bottom of the matter. Soon, a car arrived at the front door. Aside from Sandy himself, there were two men who were bound¡ª Mr. Wace¡¯s goons. There was an underground basement in every mansion Samuel owned, used expressly for interrogation. And in less than ten minutes, both goons admitted everything. They were bouncers groomed at a nightclub. There would always be women in debt sent there to clear their debts, and if they dared to run away, both men would be dispatched to capture them. This time, they had orders from an employer to capture a woman who was sold to him, and they knew nothing else. Samuel remained impassive as he listened to everything, and turned to leave. ¡°What should we do with them, Mr. Langford?¡± Sandy asked respectfully then. ¡°Cut off their tongues, and break their legs.¡± As Samuel left the basement and the door was closed behind him, it cut off all the screams resounding behind the door. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. By the time he returned inside the mansion, Tina was stepping out of the mansion with the final dish while eximing excitedly, ¡°Everything is ready, Mr. Langford. You¡¯ll definitely like it¡­¡± When she ran up to Samuel, however, he pulled away. Even as he looked at her innocent facial expression, all he could think was how impressive her acting was. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, perplexed. ¡°You really disgust me, Tina Lynd.¡± With those words and a coolugh, Samuel turned to leave. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Tina froze. Still, when she saw that Samuel was about to head towards his car, she rushed towards him furiously, spreading her arms as she stood in his way. ¡°Exin yourself! I¡¯ve already cooked for you, and forget not eating¡ªwhy would you say something like that?¡± ¡°Move.¡± Samuel, however, had no intention to speak with her at all. Nheless, Tina was a little flustered and reached out to grab his sleeve, only for him to shake her off. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Caught defenseless, she fell to the ground, her recently bandaged wounds splitting open. Samuel didn¡¯t even care to look, and entered Sandy Shaw¡¯s car which drove off. He remained impassive even as he wiped his fingers with antibacterial wipes. Back then, that woman had relied on the nightclub to jump him¡­ but how many men had she jumped before with the same method? The thought that he personally bandaged her and the fact that he actually felt something towards her left him utterly disgusted¡­ *** Back at the courtyard of the mansion, Tina slowly pushed herself off the ground. She didn¡¯t cry as she restrained her inward grief, and returned to the dining room. Looking at the table filled with dishes she cooked painstakingly, she sniffled and quietly snapped, ¡°If you won¡¯t eat, I will!¡± She decided that she would stick to her original n¡ªannoy Samuel, and never cook for him ever again. Feeding a dog would be far better than feeding a man with brain damage! Turning her grief into appetite, Tina finished every dish on the table. Naturally, she ended up feeling bloated and wanting to barf. Holding herself against the toilet, she puked even as the world started to spin around her until sunlight breached the window, realizing she had suffered the entire night. She dragged her tired body to bed, but just as she was to rest properly, someone neutered her room. It was Mama Langford, and she snapped sharply, ¡°It¡¯s almost afternoon, and you¡¯re still lying around?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick,¡± a pale Tina replied. ¡°Don¡¯t try to wriggle your way out of this,¡± Mama Langford snorted. ¡°Get out of that bed, or get out of this mansion!¡± Tina took a deep breath right then. She must remain with the Langfords for now, or Mr. Wace would destroy her, let alone trying to bring misfortune down upon the heads of the Lynds¡­ Not wanting a repeat of what happened yesterday, she followed Mama Langford downstairs. Her obedience pleased Mama Langford slightly, and she sat on the sofa for a while before snapping again, ¡°Can¡¯t you even brew me tea? Don¡¯t you know basic etiquette? That¡¯s an orphan for you.¡± Tina cleared her throat feebly. ¡°I¡¯m worried you won¡¯t drink it.¡± ¡°True¡ªyou¡¯re filthy, and I value my hygiene,¡± Mama Langford appeared disgusted, before she cut to the chase, asking, ¡°Samuel was here yesterday, wasn¡¯t he? Why did he leave?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Tina felt her stomach churn when she remembered what happened yesterday. On the other hand, Mama Langford was flustered. Cindy Young¡ªher favorite daughter-inw¡ªwould soon return to the country, and if Samuel still couldn¡¯t correct his mild misogynistic nature, her hopes would be crushed! ¡°Well aren¡¯t you useless? Can¡¯t even steal a man¡¯s heart?¡± she snapped at Tina then. ¡°So what if I did? I would never be Mrs. Langford¡­¡± Tina muttered. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said that you¡¯re right. Please offer me guidance!¡± Being under someone¡¯s roof meant she had to keep her head down¡ªTina at least knew that after spending ten years with the Lynds. ¡°My guidance?¡± Mama Langford sneered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be very talented in this field? Why would you need my guidance if you could jump Samuel? I¡¯m born noble¡ªI¡¯d never know the filthy things that sluts like you are up to!¡± ¡°Let me tell you this¡ªyou have one month. If there are no developments, you¡¯re out of here!¡± Having no other choice, Tina cleaned the mansion from the inside out under Mama Langford¡¯s orders, who left after she had enough of ordering Tina around. ¡°Remember, one month! I want to see progress!¡± After seeing off Mama Langford, Tina didn¡¯t have the strength to eat even though she hadn¡¯t eaten since morning. Clutching her belly, she started to sweat bullets over her forehead¡ªshe didn¡¯t get gastroenteritis from going hungry, did she? This wouldn¡¯t do. She needed to get checked at the hospital. Dragging her exhausted body to the hospital, she used what little cash she had, which was just enough for a checkup. Her bank ount had been frozen by the Lynds, and the schrship funds she had earned over the years were therefore reduced to oblivion. Feeling through her empty pockets, she felt at once helpless and miserable¡ªit seems that she must come up with a n to make money¡­ Meanwhile, she had to queue up for a long while until her checkup was over, and then wait around half an hour to an hour for her medical report. The scent of antiseptic inside the hospital was repulsive, so she went to the garden at the back for a breather. That was when she saw an old woman dressed in patient¡¯s garb, holding a crutch in one hand and a fruit basket in another. Since she was idle anyway, she approached the old woman and said, ¡°Allow me, madam.¡± Grandma Langford nodded, having a good impression of thedy¡¯s clean image already. ¡°Oh, thank you, miss.¡± Tina followed her to her VIP ward then, which had its own kitchen. However, the chef was on leave to visit her parents, and having gotten sick of ¡®bnced¡¯ meals, Grandma Langford had wanted to cook something she liked to satisfy her cravings. As Tina helped her clean and cut the vegetables, she asked Grandma Langford about her tastes while cooking swiftly. Grandma Langford¡¯s favor towards her grew. ¡°If only my grandson was half as sweet. He dumped me here and never cared about me¡­ How great would it be if you were my granddaughter-inw! Honestly, any man must be virtuous over a few lifetimes to deserve a good wife like you!¡± Tina felt a little embarrassed from her ttery, and after Grandma Langford ate her cooking, she was so emotional she kept holding Tina¡¯s hands and asked about her family background. Although Tina tried to be vague about the fact that she¡¯s an orphan, Grandma Langford showed no aversion and instead patted her hand, saying, ¡°So what if you¡¯re orphaned? There¡¯s rarely a child as kind and polite as you are. If you don¡¯t mind, my grandson ising to visit me soon. If you would like to meet him¡­¡± Tina was at once amused and emotional. She could feel Grandma Langford¡¯s affection and kindness, and since she didn¡¯t want to hurt her, she tried to be vague again. ¡°Okay, we could meet again if there¡¯s another chance ¡­¡± Then, she remembered something with a start when Grandma Langford tried to ask for her number, and said, ¡°Sorry, madam¡ªI haven¡¯t received my report! I¡¯ll talk to youter after I get it!¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± Grandma Langford nodded. However, just as Tina stepped out of the VIP ward, she ran headlong into a man¡¯s cold, stiff chest. Even before she could react, he grabbed her wrist as a cold voice snarled beside her ear, ¡°Why are you here?!¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Tina had never expected to run into Samuel here at the hospital as well, and he had clearly misunderstood her once again. The man held her hand with a vice-grip, and shoved her dainty back against the cold wall, growling sinisterly, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Tina Lynd¡ªyou¡¯d better give up on your schemes! Showing up repeatedly around me, and now you¡¯reing for my grandmother? You¡¯ve got guts!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t hear a word of it, however, because the bones of her wrist felt like they were about to be crushed soon. ring at him, she snapped, ¡°What are you doing?! Let me go!¡± However, the sight of her innocent rage only seemed to annoy Samuel. ¡°Don¡¯t y tricks with me! Be careful or I¡¯ll¡ª¡± Even before he could finish, Tina had already started struggling and bit down viciously on his hand. Naturally, Samuel released her and gasped, ¡°Are you a dog, woman?!¡± Not only was she a schemer, but she was also unreasonable and never yed along, setting her apart from the daughters of the rich and powerful within his social circle. Nheless, Tina snapped furiously, ¡°You¡¯re the one who attacked me first, you deviant scumbag!¡± How on earth did she make him angry this time? From her point of view, the so-called Tyrant of Freesia who didn¡¯t hesitate to kill was clearly just a lunatic with a vtile temper! With those words, she tried to run off, but several ck-d bodyguards appeared and cut her off. At the same time, Samuel easily covered the distance between them with just a few strides thanks to his six foot frame and grabbed her again. Tina struggled like a rabbit seized by a hunter, but ended up being thrown inside an empty ward anyway. ¡°Listen here, woman,¡± he threatened. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for you right now. You¡¯d best stay here, and I¡¯ll come back for youter!¡± Tina was therefore left watching as he strode off and closed the door behind him. She punched the pillows in the ward in frustration, and kicked it a few more times for good measure, imagining that it was Samuel¡¯s head. *** Meanwhile, Samuel reached the VIP ward. ¡°Hey, grandma.¡± Seeing that her own grandson was here, Grandma Langford promptly beckoned, ¡°Oh, Samuel! Come on, sit here¡ªyou haven¡¯t eaten since you just had a meeting, right? Come here, try this!¡± Samuel sat beside Grandma Langford, appearing surprised by the dishes on the table. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°These don¡¯t look like Mrs. y¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°Of course¡ªshe¡¯s on leave to visit her parents,¡± Grandma Langford said mysteriously. ¡°Hurry, eat. Tell me if you like it!¡± Samuel had always been picky with his food, and he was only humoring Grandma Langford¡¯s whims whenever he ate with her. This time, however, the food fit his appetite¡ªboth in appearance and taste. ¡°It¡¯s good. It doesn¡¯t lose out to five-star chefs¡¯¡­ but haven¡¯t you always preferred home cooked dishes? Who¡¯s the chef?¡± he asked. Seeing that he liked the food, Grandma Langford unraveled the mystery. ¡°It¡¯s a young woman I met today. She¡¯s kind and a good cook¡ªand I really think you two deserve each other. That¡¯s why I decided to arrange for you two to meet! Both of you would definitely like each other.¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t help rubbing his forehead right then. This wasn¡¯t the first time his grandmother had be proactive about his marriage. ¡°Grandma, I told you¡ªI don¡¯t n to marry,¡± he said helplessly. Grandma took his hand and sighed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that, Samuel. I¡¯m sick and I won¡¯t live long. Before I go, the only wish I have is to see you having a happy family, to have someone willing to always stay beside you, caring and loving you¡­ Or I¡¯m going to die miserable.¡± ¡°Moreover, I could tell that the young woman is reallypatible with you. You¡¯re fulfilling my wish even if you just meet her.¡± Samuel pursed his lips and could only say, ¡°Okay.¡± He was actually slightly curious this time, however¡ªhis grandmother used to only persuade him verbally, but now she had really found a woman for him¡­ And what made her so special that his grandmother liked her so much? Beaming, Grandma Langford then said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s a promise. Actually, she just left almost right before you came¡­ I think she¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Nheless, ten minutes quickly passed, and eventually it was half an hourter, but there was no one to be seen outside the VIP ward. That was when Sandy suddenly appeared and informed Samuel, ¡°Sir, we have word from the office that Mr. Carter has just made an appearance¡­¡± Mr. Carter was the person-in-charge of the international project which Samuel had recently secured. However, Mr. Carter was exceedingly entric and his whereabouts were a persistent mystery, and he could always be spotted running around remote ces. Unless he initiated contact, even Samuel would have trouble locating him. Rising to his feet, Samuel said, ¡°Grandma, I still have work to do¡ªI don¡¯t think I can meet the woman you speak of.¡± Grandma Langford would have liked him to stay, but gave up since she knew Samuel well. ¡°I¡¯ll call you here again if there¡¯s another chance!¡± After Samuel left, Sandy quietly asked for his orders, ¡°Mr. Langford, what about that woman?¡± ¡°Send her to the mansion, and send several men to keep an eye on her,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t let her show up around me or bother my grandmother.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Sandy replied respectfully, and after Samuel left in his car, pointed at two bodyguards. ¡°You two will be in charge of watching Miss Lynd from now on. Don¡¯t let her run off.¡± Having received their orders, the bodyguards opened the door to the ward where Tina was being held. She was hugging a pillow, and looking wary just like a bristling critter. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Samuel Langford! Don¡¯t you touch me or I¡¯m¡ª¡± Before she could finish, she realized that Samuel wasn¡¯t outside¡ªonly the two ck-d bodyguards. ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Langford has ordered us to stay with you from now on.¡± Tina did a double take, but soon understood. ¡°Samuel Langford told you to keep an eye on me, didn¡¯t he?¡± The bodyguards said nothing, and instead gestured, ¡°Pleasee with us, Miss Lynd. There¡¯s a car ready to take you back to the mansion.¡± Tina wanted to leave anyway, and nodded when she heard that there was a car for her. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go¡­¡± Tina said, before remembering the old woman at the VIP ward, and that she promised to go back¡ªshe would definitely worry since Tina didn¡¯t return. ¡°Wait, I need to say goodbye to someone¡­¡± However, the bodyguards had no intention of making way. ¡°Please don¡¯t make this hard for us, Miss Lynd. Mr. Langford wants us to send you to the mansion as soon as possible, and stay there unless told otherwise.¡± Tina felt absolutely frustrated, but had no choice than to follow them to the mansion. She was tired and hungry after such a long day. Fortunately, her stomach didn¡¯t hurt that much, which was a sort of constion. Nheless, while Tina was kept at the mansion by Samuel, she got a call from Loving Heart Orphanage. Answering the call, she began with much chagrin, ¡°Sorry, madam, but I¡¯ve been too busy recently to visit¡­¡± However, the voice on the other end was an unfamiliar one. ¡°Excuse me, this is a call from the hospital emergency room. Are you Sylvia Wood¡¯s family member? She has been hurt while saving the children following an incident at Loving Heart Orphanage, and she is in critical condition. Pleasee by as soon as possible!¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The news was an absolute bombshell, and Tina was left with a dull hum in her head. How many days had it only been, and something so terrible had happened to Loving Heart Orphanage! And how is she supposed to go out with Samuel keeping her at the mansion?! ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Nheless, she asked which hospital Sylvia Woods was at, hung up and quickly rushed out of the mansion. The bodyguards posted there promptly got in her way. ¡°Miss Lynd, you¡¯re not allowed to leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital!¡± Tina cried anxiously. ¡°Someone important to me is hurt¡ªI need to check on her!¡± ¡°Family?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s family¡­¡± One of the bodyguards made a call then, and said, ¡°But your family is doing fine at home, Miss Lynd.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about them, they¡¯re not¡ª¡± Tina tried to exin, but then remembered¡­ Hence, she tried to make a run for it, but the bodyguards simply restrained her and locked her in her room. ¡°Samuel Langford, you scumbag!¡± Tina stamped her feet, hating Samuel to death even though he wasn¡¯t there. That was when she spotted a tree in the backyard with branches that had grown near the wall, and suddenly had an idea¡­ Ten minutester, she managed to climb down to the backyard from the window with torn nkets, and then used every bit of strength she had to climb up the tree. Eventually, she reached the top of the wall, and though her legs had turned to jelly and were shaking when she looked down, she gritted her teeth and jumped off. Still, she ignored the bruises and cuts all over her body and hailed a cab. ¡°Excuse me¡­ could you take me to¡ª¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. That was when she suddenly realized that she had used up all her money. ¡°Where are we going?¡± the cabbie asked impatiently then. ¡°Get in¡ªdon¡¯t just stand there.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ I-I think I¡¯ll walk,¡± Tina said awkwardly. ¡°Then why did you stop me? What a waste of time!¡± As the cab sped off, Tina tried to scrounge for some coins from her pockets. Then, she limped towards a bus stop as she withstood the pain¡­ Once she reached the hospital, she asked a nurse at the ER department desk, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Sylvia Woods.¡± ¡°Are you her family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tina nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± the nurse replied. ¡°She¡¯s at Ward 3398¡ªshe¡¯s not in danger for the moment.¡± Tina nodded, but the nurse called out to her when she was about to head upstairs. ¡°Hold on a moment¡­ Since Madam Woods was hit in the head during the incident, we scanned her head, and spotted a tumor in her brain.¡± Tina became worried right then. ¡°What? A brain tumor?! Is it malignant or benign?¡± ¡°No worries, it¡¯s benign. However, it¡¯s growing quite far inside and general surgery won¡¯t do. She needs to be transferred to a hospital specializing in neurology¡­¡± Tina basically had no idea what the nurse was talking about, until she mentioned an approximate cost for the surgery. ¡°¡­ It would probably cost fifteen grand.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Tina murmured. She entered the elevator, her thoughts a mess. She had grown up in Sylvia Woods¡¯spany and often volunteered at her orphanage, and no one knew about the circumstances better than her. The Lynds had funded the founding of Loving Heart Orphanage as a PR move, and basically did not care about it. In fact, any donations from any charitable person would end up in the Lynds¡¯ pockets. That was why life had never improved at the orphanage, and the children had to live frugally. Although Sylvia didn¡¯t have any children, she loved the children at the orphanage dearly and would use her own sry for all expenditures, even taking up a considerable debt¡­ How was she supposed to fork out fifteen grand for the surgery now? Meanwhile, Tina headed to Sylvia¡¯s ward, where she found Sylvia awake. ¡°Oh, Tina!¡± Sylvia grasped Tina¡¯s hands frailly, and there was trauma mixed with delight even as she murmured, ¡°Thank goodness I¡¯m still alive to see you! That was so close¡­ What would happen to the children if I¡¯m gone?¡± Despite Sylvia¡¯s long-windedint, Tina was also asking herself¡ªyes, what would happen to the children if Sylvia was gone? She had thought of Sylvia as family for the longest time. How could she just watch and do nothing? ¡°I wonder when I will get better¡­ This is definitely going to cost a lot.¡± Sylvia sighed just then. ¡°You¡¯ll definitely recover.¡± Tina gave her hand a squeeze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get the money!¡± ¡°Are you going to borrow from the Lynds?¡± Sylvia asked worriedly, even though she was still in the dark about Tina¡¯s family drama. ¡°I¡¯lle up with something.¡± Tina sighed and rose to her feet then. ¡°Wait for me, madam. I¡¯lle backter to check on you.¡± She made up her mind¡ªshe would go to Samuel Langford! ording to the agreement, she would be rewarded with fifteen million dors after three months. Surely she could ask to be paid a portion before that, couldn¡¯t she?! ¡°Move, littledy!¡± A car honked behind her. ¡°You¡¯re in the way!¡± Tina turned and realized that she was at the basement parking lot already. Her eyes lit up. She could just wait here, and Samuel would definitely show up! The thought affirmed Tina¡¯s decision¡ªshe must get to Samuel! Madam Woods¡¯s condition couldn¡¯t wait! As she turned to leave, she whipped out her phone and searched for Samuel¡¯s office address. However, she was so distracted she ran headlong into someone at a corner. ¡°Ouch!¡± Startled, Tina quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry¡­¡± ¡°Are you blind?! Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± The woman¡¯s sharp voice caused Tina to look up in panic. After all, the person she had run into was none other than¡­ Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Ellen! ¡°Tina Lynd!¡± She pointed at Tina¡¯s nose with equal disbelief. ¡°Good! It really is you!¡± She grabbed Tina by her hair even before she could run, while eximing excitedly, ¡°Talk about falling right into ourp! Well done, you little wretch¡ªhitting Mr. Wace in the head? We¡¯ve all suffered because of you¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s your own damn fault!¡± Tina yelled furiously. ¡°You got your just desserts!¡± There was a loud smack as Ellen pped her across the face then. ¡°You ingrate! We raised you for ten years!¡± Tina¡¯s face stung, and she didn¡¯t even need to look to know that Ellen must have torn open old wounds. Nheless, she struggled and bit down viciously on Ellen¡¯s hand, who screamed even as she released her. However, she did not make it far when Jonah and Pearl showed up, both of whom were immediately furious and excited to see Tina. ¡°Good! That little wretch actually showed her face!¡± ¡°Get her! Don¡¯t let her run away!¡± Tina didn¡¯t pick the right route in her desperation, and was cornered even as she despaired. Ellen chuckled icily. ¡°Let¡¯s see where you¡¯re going to run this time!¡± Beside her, Jonah¡¯s words were dripping with venom. ¡°We¡¯ll break her legs before we take her to Mr. Wace to make up for it this time. Let¡¯s see if she can still run away after that!¡± Pearl was absolutely thrilled. ¡°Let me do it! I¡¯ll cripple her!¡± As the family was utterly revolting, and Tina spat in anger, ¡°You people will get what you deserve!¡± ¡°What we deserve? We deserve a million dors for raising you over ten years! You¡¯re the one who would end up suffering for your actions!¡± The three of themughed out loud with utter catharsis. Tina gritted her teeth. She couldn¡¯t afford to die, let alone fall into Mr. Wace¡¯s grasp. She would live and get her payback against the Lynds, not to mention that Sylvia was waiting for her! Clenching her fists, she suddenly had a sh of inspiration. ¡°You simply want a million dors, right? Let me go, and I¡¯ll get you the money!¡± The Lynds did a double take, beforeughing out loud¡ªthey did not believe her at all. ¡°Are you crazy? You, getting a million dors?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, but someone can!¡± Tina said seriously. ¡°Did you forget about the people who had saved mest time around?!¡± On that day, the Lynds must have met the people Samuel had sent to capture her! Pearl snapped impatiently, ¡°Who cares? I¡¯ll break your legs right now just for the catharsis!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Wait!¡± Jonah promptly stopped Pearl when he remembered what had happened the other day, and red at Tina as she asked, ¡°Tell me then. Who was it?¡± ¡°The Langfords!¡± Tina cried. ¡°Impossible!¡± None of them believed it. There was only one family bearing that name in this city, and Samuel Langford¡ªthe famous Tyrant of Freesia¡ªwas a bigwig who could leave the city quaking if he stamped his foot. Therefore, someone like Tina gaining a connection with that family was absolutely impossible! ¡°The little wretch must be trying to get away again!¡± Ellen said, doubting her storypletely. ¡°I think we should just break her legs now and take her to Mr. Wace and end this once and for all!¡± ¡°Yes, dad! Don¡¯t be fooled!¡± Pearl sneered. ¡°Someone like her getting acquainted with the Langfords? She should just say that she knows Samuel Langford! Dream on!¡± Tina was naturally aware that they would never believe that she knew Samuel, and hence exined, ¡°Not him¡ªit¡¯s Sandy Shaw, his assistant.¡± And with those words, Jonah totally believed her. After all, if it was not someone as high-ranked as Samuel¡¯s very own assistant, how could she get help and make her escape repeatedly?! ¡°Can you really get a million dors?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Tina nodded repeatedly. ¡°You could send someone to follow me¡ªyou can just take me back if I was lying.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Jonah promptly agreed to it. Beside him, both Ellen and Pearl were seething, but they also knew Jonah¡¯s temper and hence remained quiet. With that, Tina was safe for the moment, and rode with the Lynds to the Langford offices. Still, Pearl found her very presence upsetting. ¡°That assistant must have been blind¡­ Falling for someone like you?!¡± ¡°Right, why don¡¯t you tell that to his face?¡± Tina countered. ¡°You!¡± Pearlughed despite his frustration. ¡°Hmph! Just you wait!¡± After all, if what Tina said was true, the man would definitely fall for Pearl instead when the timees, and she could trample all over Tina again. But if she was lying, she was dead meat¡ªending up in pieces in Mr. Wace¡¯s hand! Pearl looked forward to the idea very much. Eventually, the car stopped outside the Langford offices. Utterly nervous, Tina walked up to the front desk receptionist and asked, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m looking for Sandy Shaw, Mr. Langford¡¯s assistant¡­¡± The receptionist looked at Tina from head to toe, frowning as she asked, ¡°Do you have an appointment, miss¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tina shook her head, but added, ¡°I¡¯m Tina Lynd. Please give him a call, and he¡¯ll understand.¡± The receptionist smiled but said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t meet him if you don¡¯t have an appointment.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± When Tina tried to say more, the receptionist raised a hand and beckoned for a security guard. ¡°Security, could you pleasee here and show thisdy out?¡± Tina¡¯s heart clenched. The Lynds were waiting right outside, if she stepped out, her chance would be completely gone. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave, but could you tell me where the back door is? I¡¯ll go from there!¡± she pleaded. The security guard saw her miserable state, and since she wasn¡¯t being stubborn about staying, he said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s that way¡ªrun along now!¡± ¡°Okay, thank you!¡± Tina promptly ran out the backdoor, her thoughts a mess. She must see Samuel today, but he was nowhere to be seen. To make matters worse, the Lynds were following her¡­ What was she supposed to do?! Meanwhile, the Lynds started to get impatient since Tina wasn¡¯t showing up. ¡°Why isn¡¯t sheing out? Did she run off?¡± Jonah also had a bad feeling about it and hence went to the front desk to ask, and was left scowling as he came out. ¡°The wretch was lying! She ran out of the back door¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t have made it far, let¡¯s go!¡± At the same time, Tina watched as various cars left one after the other, feeling at once anxious and let down. When she felt like she could fall asleep from waiting, a familiar car showed up¡­ She stood up in excitement when she saw the figure stepping out of the car. It was Samuel! He was finally showing up! However, a figure moved quicker than Tina did. It was a woman in a white dress, who dived into Samuel¡¯s arms while eximing adorably, ¡°Samuel!¡± Tina did a double take, and saw that Samuel wasn¡¯t pushing her away. Wasn¡¯t it said that Freesia¡¯s most famous tyrant didn¡¯t like women? Who on earth was that woman, then?! Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Tina did a double take and kept watching, but Samuel did not push that woman away. Weren¡¯t rumors insistent that the famous Tyrant of Freesia didn¡¯t like women? Who was that, then? As a matter of fact, Tina stopped in her tracks just as she was about to rush out to Samuel. She hade to ask for money, but he seemed to be dating another woman¡­ And judging from how he was behaving, recklessly intruding would not get her the money¡ªshe might just be cut into little pieces for ruining the mood! Maybe she could follow them quietly, and ask Samuel after their date? While Tina was left in a dilemma at a corner, Samuel had his back to her, frowning as he watched Cindy, whounched herself into his arms. He had never liked women, and felt disgusted even though he was being intimate with Cindy, whom he had always seen as his younger sister¡­ ¡°Are you done? Let go,¡± he said coolly. ¡°Oh, Sam!¡± Knowing her cue, Cindy pulled away and continued in her tender voice, ¡°You must be tired after working all day, right? Shall I cook something for you?¡± ¡°Not hungry.¡± Samuel refused¡ªMama Langford was keen to have Cindy marry him, but he felt nothing towards her, and didn¡¯t want to give them too much hope. ¡°That won¡¯t do. You have to eat even if you¡¯re not feeling hungry,¡± Cindy said charmingly. ¡°I saved your life, Sam. How could you not cherish your body?¡± Samuel¡¯s cold heart stirred ever so slightly. Ten years ago, when he was still a child, he was abducted in a conspiracy to get back at his family. He was wounded grievously, and his consciousness was muddled after catching a high fever. Even so, he remembered that she had persevered and carried him on her little back, traversing a mountain to escape. Then, finally reaching somewhere with people, she had managed to contact the Langfords¡­ When he regained consciousness, Samuel had asked his family to find the girl who saved him. And that girl was Cindy. Back in the present, Cindy quickly pressed her advantage upon seeing the expression on Samuel¡¯s face easing. ¡°You¡¯re worried about your mother¡¯s n, right? Don¡¯t worry¡ªI know you¡¯ve always thought of me as your younger sister, but I don¡¯t care about that!¡± Indeed, Mama Langford was very satisfied with Cindy and had always wanted her to marry Samuel. For some reason, Cindy¡¯s delicate and tender nature made Samuel remember another woman¡­ She appeared harmless, and yet she was unyieldingly obstinate, fighting back like a bristling wild kitten swinging its razor-sharp ws. Samuel brow furrowed. Damn it, why was he remembering that woman? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. If he had never looked into the matter, he would never have uncovered her dirtyundry, and that everything about her was just an act! Cindy¡¯s heart skipped a beat just then. Under the impression that she had angered Samuel, she quickly said, ¡°Are you thinking that I disrespected your mother? Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it!¡± And yet, Samuel said, ¡°You said you were cooking? Let¡¯s go.¡± Cindy did a double take as joy erupted within her heart. Samuel had actually agreed to it! ¡°That¡¯s great! Thank you, Sam!¡± She grasped Samuel¡¯s hand in excitement, eximing, ¡°Shall we go ¡ª¡± Before she could finish, however, two ck-d bodyguards rushed to the scene and reported, ¡°Mr. Langford! I¡¯m sorry, but we just noticed that Miss Lynd escaped!¡± Samuel¡¯s face dropped and promptly shook off Cindy¡¯s hand while he strode forward, seizing one of the bodyguards¡¯ cor and coldly demanding, ¡°What?! Didn¡¯t I tell you two to keep an eye on her?!¡± The bodyguard felt his scalp go numb as if death hade for him. ¡°W-We didn¡¯t expect her to scale the wall! We only found out from the cameras three hours ago¡­¡± The air around Samuel turned icy right then, and the bodyguard felt his knees turn to jelly, almost dropping to his knees to beg for mercy. ¡°Sam? What¡¯s happening? Who is Miss Lynd?¡± Cindy asked softly then. However, she was absolutely aware who ¡®Miss Lynd¡¯ was¡ªbefore she returned to the country, Mama Langford had told her that Samuel had another woman now, that she had shamelessly jumped Samuel and managed to stay with him! Although Mama Langford had also told her that Tina was just medicine for Samuel¡¯s therapy, Cindy was still worried and hence asked Samuel about it. ¡°A woman with a death wish!¡± Samuel growled through gritted teeth, and nced at the bodyguard. ¡°Why do I bother keeping all of you if you can¡¯t even keep an eye on a woman?!¡± ¡°Please, Mr. Langford! Have mercy!¡± They were all scared witless. At the same time, Cindy breathed a sigh of relief even as she felt a little smug. How stupid was that woman? Angering Samuel? She was dead meat! Still, she quickly tried to intervene. ¡°Sam, you can¡¯t me them. You can let them make amends and find Miss Lynd before you decide!¡± Samuel snapped coldly at that, ¡°I want to see her, dead or alive!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the bodyguards all quickly replied, and gave Cindy looks of gratitude before they left as if she was an angel in white. Even so, all Cindy felt was disdain and loftiness. If it wasn¡¯t to maintain her kind and delicate appearance in front of Samuel, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered helping these wretches! That was when Pearl¡¯s shrill voice shrieked nearby. ¡°So you were hiding here, Tina Lynd!¡± Tina was left dumbstruck. She didn¡¯t expect Pearl to find her in the midst of all this! She reacted immediately and tried to run, but the bodyguards noticed her too. ¡°That¡¯s Miss Lynd, sir! She¡¯s right there!¡± Tina felt like she could cry from the urgency of the situation. Dear heavens¡ªwhat was her crime to be pincered like this?! How did everyone manage to discover her all at once?! Still, she had no choice but to run. However, she did not even manage two steps when she mmed into a man¡¯s arms as she turned a corner. Samuel had seized her with pinpoint precision, holding her tightly in his arms as he coolly growled, ¡°You have the guts to show up here, Tina Lynd?!¡± ¡°Listen to me¡­¡± Tina tried to speak, only to feel her legs suddenly rise into the air¡ªSamuel had lifted her, and was carrying her over a shoulder! Tina¡¯s face paled as she tried to struggle and punched him on the back. ¡°Let me down, Samuel Langford!¡± She was absolutely terrified¡ªnot just of the height, but also that Samuel would m her on the floor. ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t move!¡± Samuel snarled sinisterly. ¡°Move again and I¡¯ll cut your legs off!¡± Tina became afraid to even fidget right then, and her tears started to roll. With that, Samuel threw her inside his car. Her head was spinning and she tried to get up and retch when she heard the engine rumble. Samuel had jammed his foot on the pedal, and sped away with Tina¡­ Meanwhile, Pearl had her path cut off by the bodyguards before she could catch up to Tina. It took her considerable effort to leave the alley, and she had only managed to catch a brief glimpse of Tina¡¯s face from the car window. No way! Her eyes widened¡ªthe car was obviously expensive from a single nce. So how did Tina manage to get into it?! Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Did that mean everything Tina had said was true? That Samuel¡¯s assistant was really interested in her?! Shocked, Pearl started to run¡ªshe must tell her parents about that! Meanwhile, Cindy¡ªwho had been left behind by Samuel¡ªwas left in disbelief, and thought that she was dreaming just then. Was that woman who just showed up Tina Lynd? Wasn¡¯t Samuel supposed to be furious and looking like he would tear that woman into pieces? Then why would he carry that woman away with his own arms?! Did that mean she meant something different to Samuel?! A venomous look appeared in Cindy¡¯s eyes. She had presumed Tina to be medicine for Samel¡¯s therapy, but now it seemed that she definitely would get in between her and Samuel. She definitely couldn¡¯t be allowed to stay¡­ ¡°Are you alright, Miss Young?¡± The ck-d bodyguard whom Cindy had just rescued approached and asked her just then. Cindy shook her head and said meekly, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ By the way, was that Miss Lynd? And you¡¯re her bodyguard?¡± ¡°Yes, and yes, Miss Young.¡± The bodyguard nodded. Getting an idea just then, Cindy¡¯s lips curled into a smile as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The bodyguard appeared surprised, but answered softly, ¡°Victor Miller, Miss Young.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just returned to the country and I don¡¯t know much about what¡¯s going on here, so I¡¯m worried if I¡¯d made a mistake and anger Sam. That¡¯s why I want to ask you a few questions¡­¡± Cindy kept her head lowered, but despite her shy appearance, her mind was filled with venomous thoughts. ¡®Haha! You have the guts to seduce my darling Sam, Tina Lynd?! I¡¯ll have you die horribly!¡¯ *** Meanwhile, Samuel was still flooring the pedal of his car, which shot forward like an arrow let loose. Tina feared for her life, and clutched her seat even as she cried, ¡°S-Slow down, Mr. Langford! I think I¡¯m going to be sick!¡± Samuel chuckled coolly but ignored her. Yet another act from her?! Still, Tina really was going to barf, and she said palely, ¡°I¡¯m really going to throw up¡ªI¡¯m going to do it in the car if you don¡¯t stop soon¡­¡± Samuel could hear her retching, and promptly stopped the car beside the road. ¡°Get off!¡± Tina promptly scrambled out of the car and dropped to a crouch beside the road. She had been running for her life the whole afternoon, and was left nauseated after Samuel had lifted her over his shoulder, leaving her stomach agonizingly painful. And yet, she couldn¡¯t throw up no matter how badly she wanted to. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to throw up? Do it!¡± Samuel called out from behind just then. Tina shrunk her head into her shoulders and turned towards him. ¡°The urge is gone now, but my stomach hurts¡­ I think the gastroenteritis is hitting again¡­¡± ¡°Get back in here,¡± Samuel replied. She really was full of lies. None of her words could be believed! On the other hand, Tian did not dare to disobey him. She came out looking for Samuel in the first ce, so she promptly returned to the front passenger seat. ¡°Mr. Langford, I didn¡¯t mean to run away. I actually came looking for you¡­¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Samuelughed coldly. ¡°I could tell.¡± She showed up in front of her repeatedly, and not even the bodyguards he left with her could stop her. Shouldn¡¯t he praise her for that? Meanwhile, Tina was nervously tugging on her own skirt even as Samuel stared at her. ¡°Actually, I was looking for you because of something important¡­¡± ¡°Tell me,¡± he spoke tly. Tina lowered her head right then, and she took a deep breath as she continued, ¡°I need money urgently right now¡­ Could I get a portion of the fifteen million dors in the agreement up front?¡± Tina was already prepared for Samuel to refuse her the instant she spoke, but her words seemed to vaporize into thin air and received no response. Her heart skipped a beat. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Mr. Langford?¡± she asked gingerly just then. Samuel did not answer, however, and simply floored the pedal again. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Tina screamed¡ªshe almost knocked into the windshield since she was riding shotgun, and promptly clenched on her seatbelt as she eximed in fear, ¡°What are you doing, Samuel Langford?!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t I Mr. Langford just a moment ago? What, have you stopped pretending already?!¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was filled with derision. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Tina had no idea how she should exin either. ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t have to exin a thing,¡± Samuel said. ¡°You want money? Fine, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Tina did a double take, delight showing on her face just then. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°How much do you want?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°A million¡­¡± Tina thought about it, and then added softly, ¡°A million and fifteen grand, is that alright?¡± The one million was to stop the Lynds and Mr. Wace¡¯s incessant pursuit of her, while the fifteen grand was for Sylvia¡¯s surgery. ¡°Fine, a million and fifteen grand,¡± Samuel replied. Tina finally breathed a sigh of relief at that¡ªif Samuel agreed to it, he would not go back on his word. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Langford. Thank you so much¡ª¡± Before she could finish, however, Samuel suddenly made a sharp turn, and she looked up and asked, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°My private residence,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°Why did you take me here? I-I don¡¯t think this is appropriate¡­¡± Tina stammered right then. If Samuel hated her so much, why would he take her to his own turf? After Samuel stopped the car, he leaned towards her¡ªin the cramped interior of the car, his proximity pressured Tina immensely, who was trembling like a little rabbit that the big bad wolf had just nabbed. The man reached out with his long fingers and held her chin then, and spoke with both contempt and callousness, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? I can pay you, but don¡¯t forget the agreement still stands¡ªI have to judge if your body satisfies me.¡± Tina¡¯s brief delight was immediately ruined, and she was in the dumps again. Biting her lip, she said, ¡°Okay¡­¡± Samuel snorted at her reaction, and he resolutely led her upstairs and pushed her into the bathroom. ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you¡¯re some martyr, Tina Lynd. Wash yourself properly¡ªyour appearance right now doesn¡¯t appeal to me at all. In fact, it disgusts me.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Tina did not dare to protest. She hade to ask Samuel for money in the first ce, and she was supposed toply with all his demands as per their agreement. Right now, she was utterly ragged, which certainly wouldn¡¯t interest any man. She dipped herself in the bathtub then, and properly washed herself, hesitating when she saw the gruesome scar on her hip. She couldn¡¯t really remember her childhood. However, ording to the Lynds, there had been a kidnapping incident that had stunned all of Freesia ten years ago, and she was one of the children who had been rescued. That was why the Lynds had adopted her¡ªto secure a good reputation. The scar on her hip just happened to be a memento of that incident. And if Samuel were to see it¡­ Tina was left in a dilemma right then. That man was going tough at her, wouldn¡¯t he? Her head was left dazed by the steam from the bath, and she unwittingly fell asleep while thinking those messy thoughts. Meanwhile, Samuel was on his couch with a cigarette between his fingers, a dark look on his eyes as he waited for Tina to show up. There really was no end to that woman¡¯s antics. Didn¡¯t she show up repeatedly in front of him to carry out the contents of their agreement? Why did it have to be her that he feels something for? Damn it!This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Half an hourter, Samuel checked his watch, but Tina still hadn¡¯te out of the bath. ¡°Tina Lynd¡­¡± Loosening his necktie in his irritation, he growled severely, ¡°How long are you going to stay inside for?! Get out of there right now!¡± A shriek from inside the bathroom was the response he got. Tina had just woken up from a nightmare where she was captured by the Lynds, ignoring her resistance as they shoved her into a pit of mes. Coming to her senses, Tina looked around and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness it was just a dream¡­ Still, the water in the tub had already cooled. She had intended to get up and leave when a loud bang echoed from the bathroom door. Samuel appeared outside, his expression sinister as he asked, ¡°What are you up to this time, Tina Lynd?!¡± Tina just stepped out of the bathroom to find him storming inside, and slipped from the surprise. She closed her eyes from fear, believing that she was about to m violently on the floor, only for a firm pair of hands to catch her in time. Tina breathed a sigh of relief. Samuel snorted coldly. ¡°You really know how to act, Tina. Weren¡¯t you screaming just a moment ago?¡± He had thought that something would happen to her, only for it to end up being one of her moves to seduce him. On the other hand, Tina could feel Samuel¡¯s warmth since she was in his arms, and she picked up the thick scent of tobo and male hormones. She was still feeling light-headed, andpletely unable to take in Samuel¡¯s cool ridicule. Eventuallying to her senses, she pushed him away, and took a towel to cover herself and the scar on her hip, stammering, ¡°G-Go outside for now¡­¡± Samuel studied Tina from head to toe just then. She was slender and delicate, and her thin arms looked like they could be wounded even by the lightest of touches. And yet, even if she looked so slender and delicate, she was shooting him a resolute re for him to leave. Samuel chuckled coolly. ¡°Go out? Word of advice, Tina Lynd¡ªy hard-to-get one too many times, and even your quarry would get sick of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ying hard to get!¡± Tina exined. ¡°I just fell asleep and had a nightmare, that¡¯s why I¡­¡± Samuel, however, was already advancing towards her and pinned her against the wall. His thin lips were tightly pursed, his dark gaze narrowed dangerously. He growled beside her ear, ¡°Are you done pretending?¡± Then, seizing her chin firmly, he leaned downwards and said, ¡°If you were trying to seduce me, you¡¯ve seeded¡­¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Tina¡¯s eyes widened as his alluring voice echoed beside her ears. Was Samuel going to do it¡­ right here? That was when a phone started to ring abruptly. Tina turned towards Samuel and saw the terrible look on his face then, and quickly exined, ¡°N-No! It¡¯s not my phone!¡± Samuel¡¯s expression only darkened further, and he turned to leave and answered the call, which turned out to be from Sandy. ¡°Mr. Langford,¡± Sandy greeted him respectfully, unaware that his call had cut short their hanky-panky. ¡°We¡¯ve just received a reply from Mr. Carter¡ªhe said that he would like to visit you to discuss some of the specifics regarding our joint project¡­¡± ¡°John Carter?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was quite unfriendly. ¡°Now?¡± Sandy seemed to detect something right then, and asked tentatively, ¡°What would be a good time for you, Mr. Langford?¡± Samuel took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. John Carter was the most entric partner they had ever had, and if they missed this chance, there was no telling where the man would run off to next¡­ ¡°Forget it. Let hime,¡± Samuel said, hanging up and turning towards Tina. ¡°Stay right there.¡± Just as he was about to turn to leave, she panicked and quickly tugged at his sleeve. ¡°What?¡± Samuel frowned, his whole body projecting a king¡¯s imposing presence. Nheless, Tina asked softly, ¡°Are you leaving already? W-What about me?¡± Most importantly, the one million and fifteen grand¡­ ¡°Heh.¡± Samuel snorted, seeing through her thoughts with a single look. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving¡ªI¡¯m having a business discussion downstairs.¡± Relieved, Tina nodded repeatedly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± The sight of her tamely holding his sleeve left Samuel with a tender feeling in his heart, though he soon firmly shook her off. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me so casually. Know your ce, Tina Lynd.¡± He was almost bewitched by that woman¡¯s acting, damn it! Meanwhile, Tina watched him leave, and muttered softly in slight frustration, ¡°Who would stay with someone like you if not for money?!¡± Nheless, she got changed and waited patiently on the couch. She then checked her phone, and saw that she missed several calls from Sylvia, and promptly returned her call. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam. My phone was on silent, and I just saw your calls¡ª¡± Tina started apologetically the instant she answered, only for Pearl to answer from the other end. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Why is it you?¡± Tina¡¯s face fell. ¡°Why are you answering Madam Woods¡¯s phone?!¡± ¡°We checked the visitation logs and borrowed it from her,¡± Pearl replied. Tina clenched a fist tensely. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. We just want to know when we¡¯ll get our one million dors!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°Great! By the way, when do you have time toe have dinner with us? Bring Mr. Langford¡¯s assistant, too¡ªwe¡¯re family after all, so we should at least get to know each other, right?¡± As a matter of fact, Pearl was absolutely jealous to see Tina getting into a luxury car, and was bent on sabotaging Tina. ¡°He¡¯s very busy. He won¡¯t be free.¡± Having confirmed that the Lynds wouldn¡¯t do anything to Sylvia, Tina promptly hung up. Pearl was certainly frustrated from such treatment by Tina, and mmed the phone on the floor and stamped it viciously repeatedly. ¡°You wretch! What are you being all smug about?! I¡¯ll take your ce eventually!¡± On the other hand, Tina became worried after hanging up. She needed to get the money as soon as possible, or Sylvia would definitely get caught in the crossfire¡­ Unable to sit still, she left the room, intending to sneak a peek at the situation downstairs. Carefully tiptoeing down stairs, she peeked at the living room. Samuel¡¯s presence was strong and imposing, and he sat like a king on the couch, while Sandy stood near him, waiting upon him like a eunuch. The young man sitting opposite Samuel was unaffected by his imposing presence, however¡ªin fact, he was holding his own against Samuel. As an assistant passed him a document just then, Tina did a double take, realizing that she had seen that young man somewhere before. Wait, wasn¡¯t he the same person who had appeared outside Loving Heart Orphanage? The young man who was looking for his younger sister?! She didn¡¯t think that he would show up here, and now it seems that Samuel must have been shown up nearby as well because of that young man¡­ While her thoughts drifted away, the young man turned towards the stairs as if sensing something. She was startled and promptly tried to run away, and identally knocked a vase in the corner. ng! The vase dropped and shattered all over the floor. Tina¡¯s heart sank immediately. Oh no, she had messed up! ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Everyone in the living room was promptly on alert, and the bodyguard even whipped out their guns. A dark look shed over Samuel¡¯s face just then. That woman was really damned. ¡°It¡¯s just a cat,¡± he said with a tone that didn¡¯t allow questioning. ¡°Settle down.¡± John Carter lifted a brow and asked in slight humor, ¡°You like cats, Mr. Langford?¡± ¡°No, but that was an annoying wildcat,¡± Samuel snorted coolly. ¡°When that happens, I¡¯ll have someone clean up the mess.¡± John, however, appeared sympathetic. ¡°Coco loved cats. Spare it.¡± It just so happened that Samuel was aware why John was visiting Freesia¡ªto find his long lost younger sister, whose pet name was Coco. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll spare her since you¡¯ve spoken, Mr. Carter.¡± *** It waste at night when the details of the agreement was finalized. Samuel saw John off before heading upstairs, where he found Tina curled into a ball on a couch. He frowned. She actually was sleeping like a kitten¡­ Tina slept lightly, and she opened her groggy eyes when she heard his footsteps approaching. ¡°You¡¯re finally back¡­¡± Samuel looked down at her, feeling nothing inside. ¡°Get out.¡± Tina¡¯s head cleared up immediately. ¡°What?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Leave,¡± Samuel growled in irritation. ¡°Don¡¯t show up around me ever again.¡± That woman was simply greedy¡ªall thatmotion just now must have been to draw John¡¯s attention. And she tried to do the same when they first met to jump him. ¡°But¡­¡± Tina had no idea what made Samuel mad again this time, but she eventually calmed down and breathed through her teeth, ¡°But, the money¡­¡± Samuelughed icily. She did everything for money, didn¡¯t she?! He coolly whipped out a ck card and threw it on the floor in front of her. ¡°There¡¯s 1.5 million in there. Crawl for it if you want it.¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Samuel stared coolly at Tina. This was a test¡ªTina wouldn¡¯t crawl for the ck card if she had any dignity. And yet, he proved to have overestimated her. Tina took the car with no hesitation, even asking, ¡°Can I go now?¡± ¡°Leave!¡± Samuel¡¯s furious single word was the only response she got. Tina promptly ran away and breathed a sigh of relief. In contrast, such humiliation from Samuel was insignificant inparison to the humiliation she faced constantly with the Lynds. Moreover, once the Lynds get their money, they would not disturb her, and Sylvia would make a full recovery after her surgery. That was what mattered most! Nheless, after Tina left Samuel¡¯s house, a car nearby slowly followed her. The private detective inside called Cindy¡¯s number. ¡°Miss Young, the one you want me to keep an eye on is leaving.¡± ¡°Where did she go?¡± Cindy asked. ¡°Mr. Langford¡¯s private residence.¡± ¡°Alright, good work. Keep following her.¡± Though Cindy maintained her soft tone, her face turned ashen once she hung up. ¡°Tina Lynd!¡± Her teeth were clenched, and she wanted nothing less than to dice Tina into a million pieces. Samuel¡¯s private residence? How did that happen?! Cindy had never once managed to set foot there, and she had known Samuel for ten years! And now, not only did Tina jump him, she even got inside his private residence! What trickery did she use to bewitch Samuel?! No, she must not be left alive! ¡°You will die!¡± Cindy¡¯s words were dripping with utter venom. *** After Tina returned to her mansion, she quickly transferred the money to the Lynds, and then called the hospital and arranged for Sylvia to be transferred to another hospital specializing in neurology. She didn¡¯t dare to use the rest of the money, and she simply left them in the bank¡­ Soon, a month had passed, and Samuel never showed up around her again, let alone have anything happen between them. Tina remembered that Mama Langford had demanded that she seduce Samuel in a month, or she would chase her away. Instead of having Mama Langford knocking on her door, Tina simply moved out, and found a job as an attendant at a hotel. Every weekend, she would visit Sylvia, who then needed peace and quiet to recover after her surgery. Life was more or lessfortable, but the private detective Cynthia had hired told her about all those details. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Cindy, however, was suspicious. ¡°Impossible. Why would she leave the mansion just like that?!¡± After all, that wretch Tina had resorted to so much trickery¡ªwhy would she leave so easily?! ¡°Mr. Langford must have gotten tired of her,¡± the private detective suggested. ¡°If he really cared, why would he not show up around her after so long? If she had left so willingly, it has to be either under Mr. Langford or his mother¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Cindy became smug right then. She really was a fool¡ªMama Langford had always liked her, and would never let a wretch like Tina legally marry Samuel. And after knowing him for ten years, did she really not know what Samuel was like? He only cared about Cindy, his savior, and not those women who didn¡¯t know what was good for them. She was the one and only person who could stay at his side! Be that as it may, her hatred towards Tina did not diminish. After some thought, Cindy ordered one of herckeys to draw out Tina, and sent an anonymous text¡­ [You¡¯ve been looking for someone recently, haven¡¯t you? Head to this nightclub called Sombrero Nights tonight, and you would find yourself a surprise.] She was in high spirits once the text was sessfully delivered. After all, Tina would cease to exist in Freesia by tomorrow. That was the price for seducing Samuel! *** Meanwhile, Samuel had just finished a meeting and was rubbing his forehead in exhaustion. Once he stepped outside the conference room, Cindy¡ªwho had waited for a long time¡ªweed him in delight. ¡°Sam!¡± She reached out in an attempt to link arms with him, only for Samuel to shoot her a cool re. Cindy¡¯s heart skipped a beat¡ªthat was Samuel¡¯s look of impatience. He had always tolerated her, but once she crossed the line, he would show that look of impatience. As such, Cindy had to pull away and say, ¡°You must be tired, right? I¡¯ve spent the day brewing you some chicken soup!¡± Amidst her hopeful gaze, Samuel noticed the bandages on her fingers and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your hand? Were you hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Cnythia said, sounding a little flustered. ¡°I was scalded a little by ident, but your mother insisted that I get bandaged, so I did¡ªyou don¡¯t have to worry about it, Sam.¡± It was a deliberate hint to Samuel that Cindy had spent hours cooking that soup for him, and was injured severely because of it. Samuel naturally couldn¡¯t refuse, and nodded to going to her house. Soon, two cars drove out of the basement parking lot. Samuel¡¯s car was up front, while Cindy¡¯s was behind. Samuel had always been a clean freak who never allowed anyone else to ride in his car. Still, Cindy was used to it, though she was clutching her chest as her heart pounded in excitement at the backseat. Mama Langford called her just then. ¡°How did it go? Did Samuel agree to go to your house?¡± ¡°Yes, he did,¡± Cindy answered docilely. ¡°Good.¡± Mama Langford then started to speak mysteriously.¡±You have to seize this opportunity, Cindy! He¡¯s always so busy!¡± Cindy neither agreed nor refused. ¡°Oh, Mrs. Langford! Samuel doesn¡¯t want that, and I won¡¯t want him to hate me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Mama Langford replied enigmatically. ¡°You¡¯re the only daughter-inw I have in mind. I¡¯ll definitely allow you two to be together.¡± When Cindy hung up, she was grinning inplete satisfaction. She was aware that Mama Langford had always wanted to set her up with Samuel, but Samuel¡¯s aloof nature had prevented any development all this while. However, Mama Langford had started scheming again after Tina showed up. Also, the chicken soup that night contained certain extra spices¡­ and Cindy just might be Mrs. Langford by the next day. Even as she turned to look outside the window, the grin on Cindy¡¯s face broadened. This was the chance she had been waiting for ever since she had impersonated the girl who saved Samuel. Ten years, and sess was in hand! *** At the same time, Grandma Langford called Samuel when she heard that he was finished with work. ¡°Do you even remember your grandmother? How many days has it been since youst visited me?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll visit you tomorrow, Grandma,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°Now that¡¯s better.¡± Grandma Langford snorted coldly, before adding, ¡°By the way, you left early the other day, but that girl¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m very busy, Grandma,¡± Samuel said feebly. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to meet irrelevant people.¡± ¡°Who are you calling irrelevant? She will be the apple of my eye if she bes my granddaughter-inw!¡± Grandma Langford snapped in displeasure, but then added, ¡°After you left, that girl never came back¡ªI¡¯m very worried, so help me look for her.¡± It was only then that Samuel realized Grandma Langford had no idea who the girl was, let alone her name. Still, he agreed to help, and told Sandy, ¡°Remember to do a background check on her.¡± After all, he would never allow any potential danger lurking around his grandmother. Nheless, the matter at the hospital the other day made Samuel remember Tina. She had been quiet recently¡­ Could she be up to no good again? ¡°What¡¯s up with Tina Lynd these days?¡± he asked. ¡°She left the mansion, sir..¡± Sandy replied. ¡°What?!¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Who allowed her to leave?¡± Sandy started to sweat all over his forehead and passed him a document folder, stammering, ¡°S-She¡¯s at a nightclub.¡± Samuel remained impassive as he browed through the contents of the folder. The most recent entry was a camera photo, showing that not only was Tina at a nightclub, but that she had also headed to a hotel when she left! Samuel¡¯s wrath was irrepressible. She really showed her true colors when he wasn¡¯t around. Taking his money, and then hooking up with someone else in the blink of an eye?! ¡°Turn this car around,¡± he demanded. ¡°But sir, Miss Young¡­¡± Even so, Samuel had lost all sanity as he snarled every word, ¡°I¡¯ll cut her into tiny pieces with my bare hands!¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 An hour ago, it had been past work hours for Tina and she was just cleaning up when the manager approached her, saying, ¡°There¡¯s a delivery I need you to make.¡± ¡°A delivery? By myself? But it¡¯s already veryte¡­¡± Tina pointed at herself, perplexed. ¡°Yes, by yourself!¡± The manager nodded. ¡°Sombrero Nights. Go right now!¡± Tina naturally had to cave since she was under employment, and even though it was already veryte, she rode the little electric scooter that the hotel used for deliveries and arrived at Sombrero Nightclub. ¡°Excuse me, where is Mr. Jackson¡¯s private room?¡± The nightclub receptionist studied Tina from head to toe then, and once he saw that she was delivering food, he said, ¡°Third floor, Room 308.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± When Tina arrived at Room 308, she opened the door to deafening music and a floor littered with beer bottles. Everyone inside cheered when they saw Tina arrive. ¡°The food is here!¡± ¡°I¡¯m famished, Mr. Jackson. You have to feed me now¡­¡± Mr. Jackson was sitting on a couch, with a voluptuous babe eagerly wrapping her arms around him. ¡°No problem!¡± Mr. Jackson chuckled when he suddenly noticed Tina¡¯s face and flirted, saying, ¡°You look quite fair yourself! How about a drink?¡± Tina quickly shook her head. ¡°I still have other deliveries to make¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one drink, or am I not allowed to offer you that much?¡± Mr. Jackson glowered. The voluptuous babe also pointed at Tina and snapped, ¡°Mr. Jackson is being nice and offering you a drink! What excuse do you have?!¡± Deciding that it was better to keep her nose out of trouble just then, Tina drank the whisky offered to her. Tina had never drunk something with such a concentrated alcohol percentage before, and started to cough repeatedly while her cheeks flushed. Mr. Jacksonughed out loud with the babe in his arms. ¡°Good! Since you humored me and drank, here¡¯s three hundred bucks for you! You can go now!¡± Her head spinning, Tina picked up the three hundred dors and stuffed it into her pocket as she hurried away from the private room. Unbeknown to her, someone had already had her in their sights¡­ ¡°There she is, Mr. Wace!¡± Mr. Wace had just happened to be nearby, and was thrilled to see Tina¡¯s presence. He had been curious after receiving that anonymous text¡ªwhat surprise awaited him? He didn¡¯t expect it to be the little wretch named Tina Lynd! Just days ago, the Lynds had suddenly reneged on their deal to sell Tina to him¡ªeven if he offered to add another hundred grand to sweeten the deal. While he was left fuming, he didn¡¯t expect the little wretch toe knocking on his doorstep! ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you little wretch!¡± he eximed in venomous excitement. Under his orders, his goons captured an unprepared Tina, loaded her into his car, and headed to the hotel. In his hotel room, Tina was dumped in a corner after she was tied up. Her eyshes twitched as one of the goons sshed her with a bucket of cold water, and she stirred. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± Tina heard the familiar voice as she slowly opened her eyes, and shuddered¡ªthough it could have been caused by either fear or the cold. Still, she quickly realized that something was wrong and looked up. ¡°You!¡± she eximed in disbelief as fear appeared in her eyes. ¡°Why did you take me here?!¡± ¡°Tina Lynd¡­ Did you really think that I won¡¯t press the matter after the Lynds bailed you out?¡± Mr. Waceughed savagely. ¡°None of the girls I¡¯ve had my eyes on have ever escaped me, and today you will die like they did!¡± Tina naturally didn¡¯t expect that the geezer would ultimately kill her despite all her effort and struggles. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Her whole body was trembling, but she still had a shred of hope. ¡°I have money¡­ If that¡¯s what you want, let me go, and I¡¯ll give it to you¡­¡± Mr. Wace didn¡¯t listen at all, and simply beckoned at his goons, ¡°Let her drink it!¡± One of the goons approached Tina with a ss of pink liquid just then, and it doesn¡¯t take much imagination to tell that it was nothing good. ¡°Don¡¯te here!¡± Tina cried as if her doom approached, but she had nowhere to run. ¡°I¡¯m Samuel Langford¡¯s woman! If you do this to me, Samuel won¡¯t show mercy to you when he finds out¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha! Samuel Langford? Bleh! Just look at you, dressed in a hotel attendant¡¯s uniform¡ªyou¡¯re scum! Someone like Mr. Langford would never be interested in you!¡± With that, Tina was forced to drink the entire ss of unidentified liquid and tried her best to puke it out, but couldn¡¯t. Mr. Wace rubbed his hand indecently then. ¡°Quick, turn on the camera and record this! Let¡¯s see how you¡¯re going to keep pretending in ten minutes! We will all be enjoying ourselves tonight, brother!¡± The goons around him were shooting Tina repulsive nces as well. ¡°Amazing, Mr. Wace! She looks hot already, and we would definitely have fun when the drug kicks in!¡± ¡°Hehe! It¡¯s her own fault! Angering Mr. Wace? Let¡¯s make her wish she was dead!¡± Tina knew that she wouldn¡¯t survive after Mr. Wace captured her. Even so, she wouldn¡¯t let these animals get what they wanted! ¡°You won¡¯t have mercy from me even if I die!¡± Tina cried in despair, before ncing at the sharp edge of a table nearby and darting towards it without hesitation! Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Tina leveled her head at the sharp edge of the table and charged towards it, ready to kill herself. Nheless, Mr. Wace had already seen what she was intending, andnded a firm kick on her thin shoulder. As Tina was knocked to the floor, he watched her and chuckled smugly. ¡°Haha! Trying to die, little wretch? No way!¡± He pped Tina across the face then, but she closed her jaws on his hand, almost biting out a chunk of his flesh! Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Her vicious retaliation sent Mr. Wace stumbling two steps backwards as blood flowed freely over his palm! Losing his rationality; he yelled, ¡°Tina Lynd! You dare bite me?! Go, all of you-give her a proper beating!¡± With that, he kicked out viciously on her stomach! Tina¡¯s face turned pale from the pain and curled into herself, clutching her belly. She watched as the people surrounding her closed in and slowly closed her eyes, her tears streaming and mixing with blood as she was left helpless and despairing. It seemed that she was dying for sure this time¡­ Bang! Still, just as the goons were about to hit her dainty, delicate form, there was a loud crash at the doorway- ck-d bodyguards stormed inside, aiming their pitch-ck weapons at the goons! Mr. Wace panicked slightly, but he barked, ¡°Who are you people? Don¡¯t you know who I a m?! 14¡± Nheless, he almost dropped to his knees in fear the instant Samuel showed up. Why would the Tyrant of Freesia show up here?! Like a lofty king, Samuel slowly made his way towards Tina, who was left on the floor¡­ Though her consciousness wavered from the pain and she thought that she was seeing things, she struggled to speak, ¡°Samuel¡­ Help me¡­¡± And with that, she lost consciousnesspletely. Samuel¡¯s heart clenched. He had obviouslye to punish Tina, but her tragic sight left his heart softending Ignoring the bloodstains on her body, he scooped her tiny form up in his arms. At the same time, his icy gaze swept over the goons who were all prostrating themselves and begging for mercy, before he issued a ruthless order: ¡°Cripple them. All of them!¡± The bodyguards knew what to do despite the short order. Mr. Wace and his goons could not even scream as every bone in their bodies were smashed, and all of them were left crippled! Sandy had been waiting for orders outside when he found Samuel carrying Tina out of the hotel, and was so shocked that he thought he thought he was seeing things. ¡°Mr. Langford, w-what¡­¡± ¡°Hospital!¡± Samuel barked coldly as he carried Tina into the car. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Not daring to drag his feet, Sandy mmed his foot on the pedal. Meanwhile, Cindy had the look of a lurking viper in her eyes as she sat in a nearby car, staring fixedly where Samuel¡¯s car drove off from. ¡°Follow them!¡±. Her chauffeur, however, did not move. Impatient, Cindy snapped, ¡°I told you to follow them-are you deaf? Didn¡¯t you hear me?!¡± The chauffeur was employed by the Youngs, and he retorted in slight displeasure, ¡°Miss Young, you know what your father said.¡ªit¡¯s been ten years, but you¡¯ve still failed to marry M r. Langford. Instead of wasting your time like this, you really should go along with the marriage your father arranged for you¡­¡±. ¡°Shut up! That¡¯s never going to happen!¡± Cindy flew into a rage right then, with utter malice filling her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely marry Sam and be Mrs. Langford! No other woman will win!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you to follow that car-do it, or I¡¯ll kill you! You hear me?!¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Frightened by Cindy¡¯s madness, the chauffeur did not dare to say another word and quickly followed Samuel¡¯s car. *** Meanwhile, Samuel had his arms around Tina-she was trembling and barely lucid, though she was holding his hand with a vice-grip and didn¡¯t seem to be letting go anytime soon. ¡°Help me¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± Samuel was under the impression that Tina had vited their agreement and was intent on punishing her, only to end up foiling an abduction. Knowing that he had misunderstood her as he stared at her in her miserable state, he quietly said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Tina. You¡¯re safe now.¡± They eventually arrived at the hospital, but Tina still wasn¡¯t letting go. As such, Samuel stayed patiently at her side as a doctor tended to her injuries, but she was still not letting go even when she was supposed to be changed into patient garb. ¡°Stop it, Tina,¡± Samuel said coolly. Tina couldn¡¯t hear him clearly, however, and kept repeating, ¡°Don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± ¡°You little !¡± The doctor intervened then. ¡°Mr. Langford, your girlfriend has a high fever and can¡¯t hear you. Why don¡¯t you turn around instead? The sedative will take effect soon, and everything will be fine after she falls asleep.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Though Samuel felt like his patience had been tested repeatedly, he decided that he shouldn¡¯t b. e mean towards a patient and turned around like he was told. Tinay on her sickbed, curling into a ball out of insecurity even though she had fallen asleep from the sedative. Soon, Sandy appeared outside the ward. Stepping out to meet him, Samuel asked coolly, ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°Those men had abducted Miss Lynd and brought her to the hotel,¡± Sandy reported. ¡°Mr. Wace had killed many young women with the same method¡­¡± ¡°And there¡¯s a recording left in the room¡­¡± Samuel watched the entire video, and saw that Tina was unyielding even in the face of death, while rage and despair filled her eyes. If he hadn¡¯t rushed to the scene in time, that animal would have killed her. It seems that he had mismed her¡­ ¡°Are those people dealt with?¡± Samuel asked then. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ve entrusted them to the higher-ups.¡± Samuel chuckled coolly. ¡°Those people deserve to be hanged, drawn, and quartered.¡± While he spoke, Cindy appeared in the corridor, crying out anxiously, ¡°Sam!¡± She threw herself into Samuel¡¯s arms, giving him a tight hug. ¡°Did something happen? You left so quickly without saying a word¡­ Are you alright?¡± Cindy appeared anxious and on the verge of tears, and it was only then that Samuel remembered that he had left Cindy in the heat of the moment. She appeared to care so much for him just then that he did not push her away in disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine,¡± he said tly. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Cindy acted as if she was unaware of what had happened to Tina, and looked at him tearfully as she continued, ¡°Are we still going to ce, Sam?¡± Samuel frowned in slight hesitation. That was when he got a call from Mama Langford, who had received word that Samuel had left halfway when he was supposed to head to Cindy¡¯s ce, her words dripping with usation. ¡°You¡¯re out of line, Samuel! How could you just leave Cindy halfway through? I heard about that woman, too-are you actually worried that the doctor would let her die? Try to understand that Cindy is more important¡­¡± ¡°Is that your mother, Sam?¡± Cindy asked then. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I know you¡¯re busy-I¡¯m fine as long as I know that you¡¯re in good health, and I won¡¯t try to hurt the feelings between you and your mother¡­ As for anything else, I won¡¯t ask for more.¡± With those words, she made to leave, but Samuel caught her. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Cindy appeared delighted as she linked arms with Samuel, and threw a smug nce a t the ward. ¡®So what if you almost ruined my ns halfway through, Tina Lynd?¡¯ As long as Samuel goes home with her, her n to be Mrs. Langford shall seed! Chapter 21 Chapter 21 After Samuel followed Cindy back to her house, she changed into a thin sleeping gown and served him the chicken soup she had promised, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve done my best to boil this soup, Sam. I know that you¡¯re picky about your food, but please be gentle with me if I didn¡¯t do well Samuel took a sip. ¡°It tastes fine.¡± ¡°Really? Great!¡± Cindy eximed. ¡°I¡¯ll cook you something different every day from now on!¡± But for some reason, he remembered the food made by the anonymousdy when he visited his grandmother the other day. That was more to his tastes¡­ Still, he humored Cindy to the end and finished the soup. However, just as he was about to leave, Cindy caught him immediately. ¡°Please stay and chat with me, Sam. I¡¯m alone¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­¡±. Above her thin clothes was a look of utter vulnerability. Still, Samuel frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you have bodyguards?¡±. ¡°You know my father only cares about my younger brother,¡± Cindy said miserably. ¡°I don¡¯t matter to him, and would have been sold off if not for you, Sam¡­¡± There was a look of utter reliance in her eyes as she looked at him. However, it only made Samuel remember Tina, who was equally miserable¡ªeven almost getting killed hours ago¡­ He rubbed his forehead in irritation, but Cindy misunderstood that as her drugs taking effect. ¡°Are you sick, Sam? I¡¯ll give you a massage!¡± She quickly rose to her feet, looking as if she was going to give Samuel a shoulder rub, but suddenly slipped andnded squarely in his arms. ¡°Sam¡­ I¡¯m suddenly feeling dizzy too¡­ I feel so sick¡­¡±. Cindy wrapped her arms around Samuel¡¯s neck just then, her heart erupting in delight when h e didn¡¯t push her away. It seemed that she had really seeded! She moved ever closer to Samuel then, saying, ¡°You¡¯re feeling sick too, Sam? Why don¡¯t you stay the night and rest-Ah!¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Even before she could finish, Samuel had shaken her off and shended heavily on the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Sam! Where are you going?!¡± Cindy was already feeling light-headed from a single sip of that chicken soup¡­ so why was Samuel perfectly fine after drinking an entire bowl?! Nheless, Samuel had already sensed that something wasn¡¯t right, and had a hunch that this was Mama Langford¡¯s doing after seeing Cindy¡¯s reaction. ¡°I¡¯ll send you a doctor and two bodyguards.¡± with that, he ruthlessly shook her hand off and strode off. ¡°Why? Why is this happening?!¡± Cindy flew into a rage and sent everything on the table crashing to the floor. ¡°Why did that wretch seed while I can¡¯t?! It¡¯s all your fault, Tina Lynd! I¡¯ll kill you¡­ I¡¯ll tear you into pieces just to put my mind at ease!¡± Her madness only escted until a man showed up, bringing her mad rampage to a halt. ¡°Calm down, Miss Young!¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Victor Miller?¡± Cindy recognized the bodyguard¡¯s face-he was one of the bodyguards whom Samuel had sent to Cindy. Seeing that she recognized him, he eximed a little emotionally, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. You remember me, Miss Young?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Cindy held on tightly to his hand and mumbled miserably, ¡°Victor, I love Sam so much I can¡¯t live without him. I helped you so that he didn¡¯t punish you before, so you¡¯ll definitely side with me, right?¡± Victor nodded, and Cindy was utterly relieved. ¡°You¡¯re so nice, Victor. You¡¯re the only one I can count on now.¡± With those words, she fell like a delicate flower into the arms of Victor, who carefully carried her and ced her on the sofa. He turned around and left to get a doctor afterwards, and therefore didn¡¯t glimpse the contempt in Cindy¡¯s eyes. She wanted Tina dead without ruining Samuel¡¯s good opinion of her. And since Victor had almost died because of Tina, he must hold a serious grudge. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Cynthia decided that she would use Victor to destroy Tina! After all, he was the most convenient de she had at the moment! *** The first image that Tina saw was a doctor approaching her with a syringe, which left her, bristling in fear. ¡°What are you doing?! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Lynd,¡± the doctor assured her. ¡°You¡¯re safe now!¡± It was only then that Tina looked around her and finally realized that she had been rescued. Gathering the fragments of memory she had before losing consciousness, she asked, ¡°Did Samuel Langford save me?¡± ¡°Yes. In fact, Mr. Langford himself brought you here,¡± the doctor replied. ¡°You were drifting i n and out of consciousness while nursing a high fever at the time, but you kept holding his hand-he waited until you fell asleep before leaving.¡± Tina was left dumbstruck. Samuel had been staying with her? ¡°W-Where is he now?¡± she asked nervously. ¡°When is heing back?¡± Since Samuel had saved her life, she must thank him. ¡°That, we don¡¯t know.¡± The doctor shook his head. *** After Tina rested for the night, she received an unfriendly call from her manager early the next morning. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at work, Tina Lynd?! Did you think you can skip work just because Mr. Jackson tipped youst night?! Don¡¯t forget who gave you this chance!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but I had a little ident and was injured¡­ Could I take a few days off?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± the manager replied, but even before Tina could be d about it, he added darkly,¡± Rest as much as you want-you¡¯re fired in an hour if I still don¡¯t see your face! Remember, no other hotel would take in a cker like you, let alone ours!¡± ¡°Sir¡ª¡±Tina tried to exin, but the manager hung up on her even before she could exin. Since she couldn¡¯t afford to lose her job, Tina had no other choice. Moreover, all she had were flesh wounds anyway and no internal injuries, so she discharged herself from the hospital. Nheless, Sandy showed up at the hospital once she left, asking the nurse at the front desk, ¡°Where is Miss Lynd? Mr. Langford is asking to see her.¡± The nurse checked the records and replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but she discharged herself not long ago and has already left¡­¡± Sandy thought he was hearing things. ¡°What?! She¡¯s seriously hurt, but she left just like that?!¡± ¡°Well, she said that she¡¯s in a rush to get to work¡­¡± Get to work? Sandy then remembered the information he had gathered the previous night-Tina was working as an attendant at a hotel. ¡°Alright, got it.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He turned and left post-haste. After all, he would have to take responsibility if he wasted a single second of Samuel¡¯s time. *** The manager scolded Tina for half an hour when she finally reached the hotel, and fined her two month¡¯s worth of pay for losing the electric scooter that the hotel used for deliveries. Tina would cry if she had any tears. She had recently gotten this job and had yet to be paid, but now she already had two months worth of sry deducted! Still, she felt fortunate that she was alive-being broke was still better than being dead! Even as she reassured herself inwardly, she went to the lobby to receive some guests. ording to the manager, they were receiving VIPs today, and she might get tipped if she was lucky. And yet¡­ When she saw that the guests alighting from the car were the Lynds, Tina cursed her misfortune and kept her head down as she whispered to her colleague beside her, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little sick. I¡¯m stepping out for a moment¡­¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Nheless, Tina¡¯s sneaky departure still drew some attention, with Pearl asking suspiciously, ¡°Mother, do you see that attendant? She looks just like Tina from the back!¡± Ellen rolled her eyes without even a nce. ¡°Why would she work as an attendant here? She would never have been able to afford to pay us a million dors if she didn¡¯t have a patron!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Pearl agreed that she must be seeing things then. ¡°Right now, the only thing you have to worry about is how to find Tina,¡± Ellen said as she patted Pearl¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re smart ande from a good family-all Tina would amount to is getting a patron in Mr. Langford¡¯s assistant. On the other hand, you just might reach Samuel Langford himself and be Mrs. Langford!¡± Thrilled, Pearl started imagining herself as the daughter-inw of the most powerful family i n Freesia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother! I¡¯ll definitely trample Tina beneath my feet!¡¯ Meanwhile, after excusing herself, Tina was just as expected scolded by her manager, who tasked her with cleaning the washroom as punishment. He just didn¡¯t know that Tina couldn¡¯t ask for more-at that moment, she couldn¡¯t afford to run into the Lynds, since they were definitely going to harass her again! As she picked up a bucket and went to work, she soon felt soreness from her back while mopping the floor and convulsions from her stomach, leaving her with the urge to vomit. Clutching her stomach in pain, Tina, who was under the impression that she only had flesh wounds, remembered that she had also been kicked in the stomach the previous night. She couldn¡¯t have suffered internal injury, could she? ¡°Amazing! It really is you, Tina!¡± Pearl eximed as she suddenly appeared behind her.¡°! You¡¯re a hotel attendant now? You weren¡¯t dumped, were you?¡± Tina didn¡¯t expect Pearl to find her when she was hiding there, but retorted impatiently regardless, ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± ¡°You ingrate! What are you talking about?! You¡¯re a Lynd!¡± Pearl snapped, and was about to poke Tina¡¯s head with her index finger when Tina firmly pped her away. ¡°I¡¯ve paid you the money your family demanded. There¡¯s nothing between u s now!¡± ¡°Nothing between us?! Hah! Dream on!¡± Pearl¡¯s eves darted away, and she suddenly knocked over the bucket beside Tina and shrieked, ¡°Ouch! No, please! Stop!¡± Tina¡¯s manager promptly rushed to the scene, and was scared witless by the sight before him. ¡°Oh my gosh! What happened, Miss Lynd?!¡± ¡°The attendants in your hotel must be blind!¡± Pearl cried even as she pointed at her own skirt. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how much my clothes are worth?! Now you¡¯ve really done it-I can¡¯t show m y face in public anymore!¡± The manager was absolutely furious and snapped at Tina, ¡°What the hell are you doing?! Apologize to Miss Lynd right now!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it!¡± Tina was furious as well, even as her stomach pains worsened. Pearl had always med Tina for things she never did since they were children, and more frustratingly, everyone else believed Pearl¡¯s lies! ¡°What are you talking about?! Are you saying that I was trying to embarrass you, a hotel attendant?!¡± Pearlughed icily. Seeing that Tina was not caving to apologize, the manager raised her hand, positioning herself for a p in her rage. ¡°Still trying to argue?! You really need some discipline!¡± Tina clenched her jaw and closed her eyes stubbornly. There¡¯s no way she would bow down to Pearl However¡­ ¡°Stop!¡± someone bellowed from a distance just then The manager immediately recognized the person. ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ Mr. Sandy Shaw?¡±. Sandy Shaw? Tina opened her eyes to look, and it was indeed the man himself. But why was he there? Did that mean that Samuel was there too?! Beside her, Pearl was absolutely delighted. Heavens, that was effortless! She was looking for Tina just to hook up with that assistant, and he had really shown up! There were bodyguards following Sandy, and when they saw the scene before them, they promptly ran up to form a protective formation around Tina. At the same time, Sandy asked coldly, ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Tina¡¯s manager didn¡¯t expect Tina to know such an important man, and was naturally petrified. ¡°Well¡­.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Pearl promptly walked up to Sandy and said, ¡°You must be Mr. Shaw, Mr. Langford¡¯s assistant! I¡¯m Pearl Lynd-a dear sister to Tina here. That was all just a misunderstanding, sorry for making a scene.¡± Sandy ignored everything she said, however, and turned to ask Tina, ¡°Is that all really a misunderstanding?¡± To Sandy, Tina was Samuel¡¯s woman and absolutely must not be bullied, because that was equal to a p to Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°She knocked the bucket over and med me for it,¡± Tina replied. ¡°Don¡¯t lie!¡± Pearl snapped in distress. ¡°I know you¡¯ve always been jealous that I¡¯m a biological child to our parents, but you can¡¯t lie like this in front of Mr. Langford¡¯s assistant!¡±. ¡°We just have to check the cameras to see if it¡¯s a lie,¡± Sandy said right then. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Ah, I just remembered that our parents are waiting for us upstairs¡­¡± Pearl tried to flee right away, but the bodyguards that came with Sandy cut off her escape immediately. At the same time, Sandy snorted. ¡°Since your parents are here, we¡¯ll ask them to join us while we get to the bottom of this!¡± The turn of events left Pearl dumbstruck. Wasn¡¯t Tina supposed to be dumped by Mr. Shaw, which was why she was working at this hotel? And she was just trying to vent a little irritation-how did things turn out like this?! Soon, Jonah and Ellen were asked to join them even as they were left confused, and everyone watched as the footage from the cameras were reyed. It was only too obvious that Pearl had started the argument and knocked over Tina¡¯s bucket, while ming Tina for everything in front of the manager¡­ ¡°Oh, we¡¯re family! It¡¯s all just a prank!¡± Jonah tried to exin as cold sweat filled his forehead. Ellen nodded repeatedly as well. ¡°That¡¯s right! Mr. Shaw, please forgive Pearl¡ªshe didn¡¯t mean it!¡± Pearl quickly made a miserable face as well. ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean it, Mr. Shaw¡­¡± Nheless, Sandy asked, ¡°How shall we proceed, Miss Tina?¡± At those words, the family of three promptly turned towards Tina. ¡°Oh, Tina, we are all family, right? You don¡¯t have to go that far¡­¡± Tina wanted tough right then. Don¡¯t go that far? Who had started the trouble in the first ce? ¡°I was almost pped because of her. I don¡¯t mind forgiving her after seeing her pped!¡± ¡°Tina Lynd!¡± Pearl cried in disbelief. ¡°You weren¡¯t pped, why¡ª¡±. Sandy, however, had no intention of dragging out this drama with the Lynds. It would be on his head if Samuel runs out of patience! ¡°Go! p her ten times!¡± Having received the order, one of the bodyguards restrained Pearl while the other pped her a resounding ten times! Pearl was left dazed and seeing stars, unable to even breath a gasp of pain. ¡°I don¡¯t want this to happen ever again!¡± he barked, and told Tina, ¡°Come with me.¡± Tina ?odded repeatedly-Sandy must havee looking for her under Samuel¡¯s orders anyway. Catching up to Sandy while reminiscing about what had just happened, she eximed chipperly, ¡°Thanks for your help!¡± ¡°You should thank Mr. Langford instead¡ªI¡¯m not the one who helped you,¡± Sandy replied. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true.¡± Tina became even more grateful towards Samuel just then. ¡°He wants to see me now?¡± ¡°His instructions were for you to return to the mansion for now. He¡¯ll meet you once he¡¯s free.¡± ¡°Alright, no problem.¡± With that, Tina returned to live at the mansion once more. However, while she was under the impression that she would see Samuel soon, it turned out that he had gone on an urgent business trip. A few dayster, she received a call from the hospital and was going to visit Sylvia, only to run into a shady figure blocking her way¡­ Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ¡°You¡¯re a hard woman to find, Tina Lynd! Now stop right there!¡± Tina became a little wary. ¡°You again, Pearl? Why are you here? And what¡¯s with that getup?¡± Pearl was wearing shades while her head was covered in bandages, and Tina almost thought that she was a mental patient who had escaped from an asylum. en ¡°Thanks to you!¡± Pearl growled through her teeth. ¡°If your men didn¡¯t p me over a dozen times, I wouldn¡¯t end up like this!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your own fault. What, did youe here today for more?¡± Tina frowned. Pearl was obviously wary. ncing at the luxurious mansion behind Tina, she said bitterly,¡± How could you forget about your family after you rose to riches? Did you think the grace you owe our family could be paid for with just a million dors?¡± ¡°What on earth do you want?¡± Tina asked with a raised brow. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you in secret for days-you¡¯re alone in this mansion. Mr. Shaw doesn¡¯te by often, does he?¡± Pearl said with feigned sincerity. ¡°Since it¡¯s a waste for you to stay i n such arge house, why don¡¯t I move in? You¡¯ll at least havepany¡­¡± Naturally, Pearl had nned ahead. As long as she could move in, she would be able to meet Mr. Shaw. When that happens, Mr. Shaw would see that she was better than Tina, and naturally change his mind¡­ after that, Pearl would use Mr. Shaw¡¯s position to eventually climb up the ranks to reach Samuel, in turn bing Mrs. Langford¡­ And yet, Tina ruthlessly crushed her ns. ¡°Dream on, Pearl!¡±. ¡°What?!¡± Pearl eximed in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good, and you can¡¯t even appreciate that? Why did our family ever take in an ingrate like you?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just an ingrate-I¡¯m going to hit you too!¡± Tina warned viciously as she picked up the broom she used for sweeping fallen leaves in the garden. ¡°And I¡¯ll do just that if you don¡¯t leave!¡±); Pearl backed off in fright, and that was when a luxury sedan slowly came to a stop in front of the mansion.. An idea urred to her right then, and she promptly dropped to the floor, drawing Sandy¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me, Mr. Shaw? I¡¯m Pearl Lynd, I wanted to apologize to Tina today, but she did this to me¡­ She¡¯s so scary¡­¡± Sandy frowned. Pearl then exined, ¡°Check the cameras if you don¡¯t believe me, Mr. Shaw! I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s in the wrong this time!¡± Sandy, however, had no intention of getting involved with an idiot like her, and hence walked up to Tina, informing her quietly, ¡°Mr. Langford is returning tonight, Miss Lynd. Please prepare ordingly soon.¡± Samuel wasing? Tina then nced at Pearl just then-she was stubbornly sticking her butt to the floor and refusing to leave, which gave Tina an idea. Since Pearl wanted to stay so much, she could grant Pearl her wish! Tina knew that Samuel was a tyrant with a vtile temper, and that Pearl¡¯s fawning would end badly, in turn dragging the rest of the Lynds down with her. When that happens, Tina¡¯s objective would be achieved! Sandy frowned. Nheless, he had no choice but to agree, and therefore told the bodyguards, ¡°Let her in.¡± Pearl was under the impression that she managed to charm Sandy, and followed Tina into the kitchen, where she couldn¡¯t resist gloating, ¡°See, Tina? I got in anyway! You must be so afraid right now that I would steal Mr. Shaw from you, just like that ex-boyfriend of yours¡­¡±. Tina rolled her eyes but said nothing. She started to leave with a dishcloth, only for Pearl to intercept her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Wiping the table! What are you going to help?¡± Noticing that Sandy was sitting beside the table, Pearl promptly snatched the dishcloth away. ¡°Why should I afford you the pleasure? Let me do it instead!¡± Hence, Pearl started to bounce around, never once leaving Sandy¡¯s sight as she wiped the table, made tea for him, and then attempted to give him a shoulder rub. Utterly irritated, he started to leave, which left Pearl distressed. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡°Oh!¡± Pearl pretended to slip and fall right into Sandy¡¯s arms, sshing the ss of water she was holding all over his pants. ¡°Oh, gosh, I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Shaw¡ªI¡¯ll clean it for you¡­¡± Nheless, Sandy had reached the limit of his patience. ¡°Someone get in here!¡± *** Minutester, a shrieking Pearl was thrown into the mansion swimming pool to clear her head and was then chased out of the mansion raggedly. ¡°Mess around again next time, and we won¡¯t stop at clearing your head.¡± Sandy¡¯s voice was dripping with malicious threat. Pearl hastily made her retreat after the punishment, hatred filling her gaze. She had never been so miserable since she was a child. ¡®Tina Lynd! This was all your fault!¡¯ she thought vengefully, and schemed to return the favor tenfold when she gets the chance! *** Near the mansion, a figure turned and headed into an alley before dialing a number. ¡°Miss Young, that woman was chased away no sooner after she made it in¡­¡± As a matter of fact, the reason Pearl knew the address to Tina¡¯s mansion was because Cindy had texted it to her anonymously. She had believed that Pearl would prove slightly useful, only for Pearl to prove herself to be worthless. ¡°Got it,¡± Cindy replied coolly. ¡°What about Mr. Langford? I heard that he¡¯sing to this mansion tonight. Aren¡¯t you worried, Miss Young?¡± ¡°Save it. I naturally have my own ns.¡± Cindy hung up, her gaze dripping with venom. She would never let the wretch named Tina win! Samuel belonged to her and her alone! *** To tell the truth, Tina had never expected Pearl to be chased out of the mansion in such fashion. Still, Samuel did not arrive even after night arrived, and she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Is he reallying?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still having a meeting,¡± Sandy replied. Tina, however, was so groggy she yawned repeatedly. ¡°Can I take a nap?¡± ¡°Well, if Mr. Langford returns only to find that you¡¯re not there to receive him¡­¡± Sandy let his sentence trail off, but he might as well have said the next part: the consequences would be severe if Samuel gets angry. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯got it.¡± Tina was speechless-was Samuel some sort of emperor, demanding her to receive him at the gates without the hope for a nap? Nheless, a car eventually arrived outside the mansion. Samuel finally showed up. He immediately found Tina, who was nodding off while standing. Frowning, he gestured for everyone around them to stay quiet while he slowly made his way towards Tina, and growled in front of her, ¡°Tina Lynd.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m so sleepy,¡± she grumbled. Samuel chuckled coolly. ¡°Keep sleeping and I¡¯ll let you sleep with the fishes!¡± Tina immediately woke up with a start, her head clearing uppletely right then. She saw Samuel glowering, and promptly exined; ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to fall asleep¡­ I was waiting the whole night for you, and you only arrived past midnight¡­¡± There was grief in her tone, like a wife comining about her husband returning homete. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Samuel¡¯s heart softened just then. Remembering that Tina had just recovered from her injuries, having her wait for so long was indeed putting her on the spot. ¡°There¡¯s an international project mypany is involved in, with many aspects where I have t o personally oversee. Things won¡¯t be so troublesome soon¡­¡± As Samuel spoke, he suddenly frowned-why was he exining so much to her? Tina took no notice of the details, however, and asked, ¡°Well, can I sleep now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Having received Samuel¡¯s approval, Tina nodded in great relief. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to bed then -goodnight.¡± She was about to turn and leave when the man¡¯s powerful arms blocked her way. ¡°Did you forget about the contents of our agreement, Tina?¡± There was dissatisfaction in Samuel¡¯s voice. What was she pulling here, leaving so quickly? ¡°But it¡¯s already sote.¡± Tina mumbled gingerly, but she also noticed that the look on Samuel¡¯s face was getting darker, and cowered a little as she caved, ¡°Alright, I got it ¡ªI¡¯ll serve you properly.¡± And with that, Samuel strode off and was soon quite far away. It took her some effort to catch up, and she couldn¡¯t helpining in her head. Just as she had thought, he really was a tyrant with a vtile temper! . Honestly, she simply couldn¡¯t understand why so many women were eager to be Mrs. Langford. Had they been living so well and upset that they haven¡¯t suffered enough? Initially, Tina waited for him tamely while he entered the bathroom, her eyelids drooping as if : they weighed a ton. Soon, she was lying on the couch¡­ Later, Samuel stepped out of the bathroom in a loose bathrobe, moving ever closer towards Tina like a powerful and dangerous male lion. ¡°Do I have to ask, Tina?¡± he growled. Still, Tina was sleeping lightly and was soon jolted awake, and was greeted by Samuel¡¯s dangerous re that resembled a hunter¡¯s. She quickly got up. ¡°Was I asleep? Sorry, I¡¯ll¡­¡± However, she moved a little too quickly and slipped, losing her footing as she fell towards the ¡°Ahhh!¡± . She grabbed Samuel by reflex since he was closest to her, and because Samuel took a step back instinctively, her outstretched hand reached his bathrobe sash and pulled¡­ . ¡°Ti-na-Lynd!¡± A roar like a wrathful lion¡¯s resounded, startling Tina to her senses, and she quickly covered her eyes. ¡°I-I saw nothing!¡± Samuel was a little annoyed then-he did not expect her to be as unruly as ever. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t saying anything, Tina was afraid that he would make her sleep with the fishes, and hence tried to exin herself. ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean it! I almost fell just now, and reached out in reflex¡­ Anyway, I saw nothing¡­ Fine, I did see something, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with showing your six packs, i s there?!¡± Tinawas digging herself a deeper hole the more she exined, and Samuel¡¯s expression grew darker. Leaning downwards, she reached out to hold up her chin. ¡°I really want to cut off your tongue!¡± She might look poor and innocent, but her words were so sharp it made him murderous! ¡°No, wait!¡± Knowing that Samuel was a man of his word, Tina eximed, ¡°I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut, so spare my tongue.¡± The cowed, pleading gaze she leveled him which resembled a vulnerable fawn¡¯s left Samuel¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbing.; ¡°If you really want to keep your tongue, serve me properly,¡± he said coolly. Tina nodded repeatedly once he let go of her chin, and asked softly, ¡°W-What do I do?¡± ¡°Dry my hair for now.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Okay.¡± Tina promptly looked for a dry towel and started wiping his damp hair. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¡°You must be tired after such a long meeting, Mr. Langford. Let me give you a shoulder rub.¡± Tina said, and started to massage Samuel¡¯s shoulders. However, she seemed exceedingly trained in fawning, which irritated Samuel instead of improving his mood. Just as she was about to move to his legs, he caught her hand and pulled her into his arms. As hormones filled the air between them, Tina became a little afraid. However, she didn¡¯t dare to resist, and tightly shut her eyes. And yet, that was when a mobile phone started ringing, ruining the atmosphere. Samuel frowned, and saw on the phone disy that it was Cindy calling him-she usually wouldn¡¯t bother him unless there was something urgent. Once he answered it, Cindy¡¯s soft voice immediately spoke from the other end. ¡°Sam, it¡¯s a littlete. Am I bothering you?¡± Tina was actually curious about the voice. Why was a woman calling Samuel in the middle of the night? ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel asked. Cindy¡¯s tone became tentative right then. ¡°Sam¡­ Grandma seems a little sick tonight. She told me not to tell you, but I¡¯m really worried¡­¡± Samuel showed no hesitation once Grandma Langford was mentioned. ¡°Stay there. I¡¯ll be right over.¡± ¡°Okay, Sam. I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± Cindy replied. Hanging up, Samuel promptly left Tina and changed his clothes before hurrying away. Tina was left utterly perplexed. When she ran into Sandy in the corridor, she asked gingerly,¡± Mr. Shaw, Mr. Langford left after getting a call just now. Can I¡­¡± Sandy, however, frowned as he misunderstood something just then. ¡°I must advise you to watch yourself, Miss Lynd. You have no grounds to ask about Miss Young so casually.¡± ¡°Eh? Miss Young?¡± Tina appeared even more perplexed-she just wanted to ask if she was allowed to sleep now. ¡°Miss Young is Mr. Langford¡¯s childhood friend and the ¡®Mrs. Langford¡¯ that his mother had decided on long ago. You should recognize reality soon, Miss Lynd, and not retain your unrealistic delusions.¡± There was a clear warning in Sandy¡¯s voice even as he continued, ¡°That¡¯s the case especially for today. I won¡¯t report it to Mr. Langford this time, but I really hope that there won¡¯t be a second time.¡± After meeting the Lynds a few times, Sandy believed that he knew Tina better now- her whole family were all a bunch of schemers who were up to no good. And being Samuel¡¯s assistant, he naturally had to remove all unnecessary annoyances for him. On the other hand, Tina was left utterly confused. Miss Young? Samuel Langford¡¯s childhood friend? She then remembered the woman she sawst time, who was acting chummy with Samuel while he showed no disgust¡­ So, that was Miss Young? Still, that had nothing to do with her anyway. It¡¯s not like she knew the other woman¡­ Eventually, she watched as Samuel left with Sandy, breathing a sigh of relief as peace returned to the mansion once more N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Finally, some shut-eye¡­¡± As shey happily on her bed, Samuel¡¯s car sped to the hospital. ¡°Are you alright, Grandma?!¡± Samuel asked as he opened the door to Grandma Langford¡¯s ward, where Cindy was sitting beside Grandma Langford¡¯s bed and asking after her. TTI Grandma Langford was actually a little surprised to see him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I heard you were sick. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Samuel asked even as he strode towards her. Grandma realized something then and shot Cindy a look, who quickly put up¡¯a miserable face and said softly, ¡°I thought Sam would be worried, Grandma¡­¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 There was discontent in Grandma Langford¡¯s voice. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re calling¡¯ Grandma? I¡¯m not rted to you at all! Address me properly as Madam Langford!¡± Cindy became a little tearful right then, and nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, Madam Langford. That was my mistake¡­ I¡¯ve made you upset.¡± Samuel moved to stand in front of Cindy then. ¡°Don¡¯t me her, Grandma. Would I have found out if not for her?¡± ¡°And you should be resting after working so hard! It¡¯s only a little gastric pain, or do I have to ring a bell to summon everyone every single time this happens?¡± Grandma Langford shot a look at Cindy behind Samuel, and growled, ¡°Also, outsiders don¡¯t need to concern themselves with our family matters.¡± ¡°Cindy is no outsider, Grandma. She saved my life, and she¡¯s my little sister now,¡± Samuel said solemnly then. He was alive thanks to Cindy¡¯s monumental grace, and he would not let her be given grief whatever happens. Moreover, she had called him tonight clearly in consideration of his grandmother¡¯s safety. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He would not let her kindness go to waste. Grandma Langford sighed helplessly then. ¡°I know you¡¯re a loyal child¡­¡±¡­ After another nce at the delicate and vulnerable Gindy, Grandma Langford then remembered something and asked, ¡°By the way, did you find the young woman I told you to findst time?¡± Even if they had only met once, Grandma Langford was convinced that the young woman was most compatible with Samuel. ¡°I have people looking for her. Don¡¯t worry, Grandma.¡± ¡°How could I not be worried?!¡± Grandma Langford shot him a re. ¡°You¡¯re just humoring m e, aren¡¯t you? Worried that I¡¯ll force you into a blind marriage? If you really want to be a good grandson to me and set my mind at ease, get married so that I can see my great-grandchild soon!¡± That left Samuel with a migraine. ¡°Again with that, Grandma¡­¡± Cindy can¡¯t sit still right then, and quietly said, ¡°Madam Langford, Sam must have his own thoughts on the matter. If he really wants to, there are countless women who wouldpete t o marry him in Freesia. You don¡¯t have to worry at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ What woman wouldn¡¯t like my perfect grandson?¡± Grandma Langford was exceedingly satisfied with Cindy¡¯s ttery, but soon added solemnly, ¡°But do watch out would never allow some messy woman to marry into our family!¡± Cindy¡¯s heart skipped a beat at those words. Messy woman? Grandma Langford hadn¡¯t found out about that wretch named Tina Lynd, had she? She would definitely demand Samuel to chase her away if she knew! Hence, she said out of the blue, ¡°Actually, Madam Langford, you just might get to hold your grandchild soon, just as you wish.¡± ¡°What?¡± Grandma Langford appeared taken aback. ¡°I heard from Samuel¡¯s mother that he has someone he likes, and she already moved into one of his mansions. Isn¡¯t that true?¡± Cindy asked innocently. Grandma Langford was absolutely delighted at that. ¡°For real? She has moved into your mansion? Oh, you stinking brat! You really kept your cards close to your chest-bring her with you to meet me soon!¡± Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing, Grandma.¡± Cindy cowered in fear right then. ¡°Did I misspoke? I thought you really liked her, Sam¡­¡± Having watched Samuel grow up, there¡¯s no way Grandma Langford would miss the weird look on his face just then. Her expression darkened as she asked solemnly, ¡°What is going on here, Samuel? Does that girl exist?¡± Knowing that he couldn¡¯t hide the truth from her, Samuel admitted the truth. ¡°She does, Grandmother-but it¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Alright, but since she does exist, bring her tomorrow so that I could see for myself what she¡¯s like,¡± Grandma Langford said. Cindy was delighted inwardly. Her idea proved effective, just as she had expected. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Once Grandma Langford met Tina, she would be able to tell that Tina was a schemer and would defintely tell Samuel to chase her away. Meanwhile, Samuel sighed helplessly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll bring her here tomorrow to meet you. Just rest properly for the night.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He only left the ward after having finally reassured Grandma Langford. Cindy followed him, asking softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sam¡­ Did I speak too much and cause trouble for you?¡± Samuel was certainly troubled that he had to bring Tina here to meet his grandmother tomorrow, but he had no intention of taking his anger out on Cindy. He would suspect them of holding ulterior motives if this had happened with anyone else, but he would never suspect Cindy-he would be dead if she didn¡¯t carry his injured body over her dainty back all those years ago. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You were just telling the truth,¡± Samuel said. ¡°I know you¡¯re the best, Sam,¡± Cindy said emotionally. However, when she reached out to link arms with him, Samuel eluded her. ¡°Are you still worried about what happened the other day, Sam?¡± Cindy bit her lip miserably.¡± I really didn¡¯t know that there was something wrong with the chicken soup! I¡­¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Samuel replied tly. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought of you as my younger sister, and you should know that¡ªwhich is why you should be wary from now on too.¡± With those words, he had Sandy escort her away while he stayed at the hospital with his grandmother. Cindy looked absolutely reluctant to part with him. One way or another, she would have him. Tina, her only obstacle, would soon be eliminated, and her victory was assured. ** * Tina was sleeping soundly when her phone started to ring repeatedly, waking her even before daybreak and leaving her utterly annoyed. She did not even look as she answered impatiently, ¡°Who is this?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Two cool words from Samuel immediately made Tina sit up in bed. ¡°Oh, Mr Langford? Why did you call me personally?¡± Tina asked. Her fawning voice only left Samuel with a headache. ¡°Come to the hospital.¡± ¡°Eh? The hospital?¡± Tina asked anxiously. ¡°Did something happen to you?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone turned even cooler. ¡°Heh. Were you hoping for that, Tina?¡± ¡°No, of course not!¡± Tina denied it vehemently. Reluctant to speak further, Samuel simply told her the address and room number before hanging up Not daring to drag her feet, Tina cleaned up and rushed to the hospital without even cooking breakfast. * ** In Grandma Langford¡¯s ward, Grandma Langford learned plenty about Tina after asking Mama Langford about it, and she told Samuel from the heart, ¡°Samuel, it doesn¡¯t matter how beautiful she is-you have to break up with her. Nothing good woulde out of being with a schemer like her.¡±. ¡°If it were up to me, that young woman I met before fits you best. She¡¯s kind and innocent, and good at cooking-she¡¯s a match made in heaven with you¡­¡± Knock, knock Someone knocked on the door just then, and Sandy announced outside the ward, ¡°Mr. Langford, Miss Lynd has arrived.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Tina opened the door, still a little nervous.. Why on earth did Samuel call her here?! Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡® Tina pushed the door slowly, rather anxious. Little did she know, the olddy she metst time was in the room too. She was taken by surprise at this unexpected turn of events. Shocked, she blurted out, ¡°Madam? Why are you here?¡± Madam Langford was taken aback by Tina¡®s sudden appearance. Pleasantly surprised, she regained her composure and put on a calm smile. ¡°Youngdy,e here,¡± she said to Tina. ¡°Let me have a good look at you.¡± Still confused, Tina obeyed Madam Langford and didn¡®t refute the olddy¡®s gesture of holding her hand. ¡°Are you Tina Lynd?¡± Madam Langford asked. : ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Tina nodded. ¡°That¡®s great! And here I thought the girl Samuel mentioned would be someone else.¡± Madam Langford¡®s smile widened, her face beaming with joy. She took Samuel¡®s hand and said, ¡°What a coincidence! Samuel, she¡®s the girl whom I mentioned to you before!¡± It was only after Tina heard that did she realize the old woman here was none other than Samuel¡®s grandmother. No wonder Samuel was unusually angry thest time she met him. She was sure he had misunderstood something. Before Tina could exin herself, Madam Langford went on, ¡°Since both of you have known each other before, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. Let¡®s find a time to get you two married!¡± : Tina¡®s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°I beg your pardon? What marriage?¡±. ¡°Yes, your marriage with Samuel! Don¡®t worry, I know you¡®re a good person. I¡®ll make sure to give you a legitimate status in the Langford family,¡± Madam Langford said cheerfully. ¡°No, no, no. W¨CWhat are you talking about?¡± Tina waved her hand, anxious.¡± Madam Langford, this is a misunderstanding!¡± Tina had never thought about getting married to Samuel, of all things! ¡°You, say something!¡± Tina turned to look at Samuel. Samuel concurred and finally spoke after a long moment of silence. He chided his grandmother calmly, ¡°Grandma, you¡®re too impatient.¡± ¡°Me? Impatient? Are you telling me that : you don¡®t want to take responsibility?¡± Madam Langford asked angrily. She ced her hand on her chest and continued, ¡°You rascal! Do you intend to worsen my heart condition by angering me?¡± Samuel¡®s expression grew tense as he resisted the urge tosh out at Tina. However, he didn¡®t show the slightest anger on the surface and instead did his best tofort his grandmother. ¡°Grandma, that¡®s not my intention at all. The issue here is, I¡®ve only known her for a month.¡± ¡°He¡®s right.¡± Unaware of the situation, Tina immediately agreed and nodded profusely. ¡°Madam, we shouldn¡®t treat marriage lightly.¡± Madam Langford pondered over her words and proposed, ¡°Tina¡®s got a point. Well, why don¡®t we do this? Samuel, give Tina a job in yourpany. That way, you can still see her even when you¡®re busy with work. At the same time, everyone will know that you already have a partner. That¡®ll stop other women from fantasizing that they still have a chance with you. What do you think, Tina?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Tina was stunned beyond words. She was already shouldering immense pressure just by meeting Samuel at the vi, much less meeting him every day at thepany! Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Madam Langford, I don¡®t think I want to. U¨Cumm...¡± Samuel, on the other hand, cut her off with a nod and a swift reply. ¡°As long as you¡®re happy, Grandma, I¡®ll do everything you want.¡± A smile of content graced Madam Langford¡®s lips. Tina wanted to say something. s, her : stomach growled at a very inappropriate timing and stopped her short. ¡°What¡®s that sound?¡± Madam Langford asked, surprised. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Tina¡®s face flushed red from embarrassment. She felt so ashamed, she wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and shove her head inside. ¡°I left my house quite early today and I didn¡¯t get to eat breakfast yet. That¡®s why...¡± ¡°You can¡®t go on your day with an empty stomach!¡± Madam Langford admonished with a stern look. She turned to Samuel and said, ¡°Samuel, take Tina somewhere to eat. I¡®ve decided! From now on, she¡®s my future granddaughter¨Cinw. As long as I¡®m alive, nobody can treat her poorly! Do you understand me?¡± Feeling helpless, Samuel had no choice but to oblige. ¡°I understand, Grandma.¡± Then, he nced at Tina and said, ¡°Tina, follow me now.¡± : ¡°Okay.¡± Tina heaved a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to leave, Madam Langford called out to her again. While holding Tina¡®s hand, the old woman removed the jade bracelet on her wrist and slid in on Tina¡®s instead. ¡°This jade bracelet is passed down for generations in the Langford family. It¡®s yours now,¡± Madam Langford exined. Tina was at loss. ¡°Madam Langford, I can¡®t ept this. It¡®s too¡­¡± Before Tina could finish her words, Samuel grabbed her wrist, gesturing her to stop refusing. ¡°Grandma wishes to give it to you, so you should ept it.¡± He spoke in a calm and peaceful tone, but was deliberately exerting a lot of strength in his grip on Tina¡®s wrist. It almost seemed like he was trying to crush her bones. Left with no choice, Tina dropped her head low and agreed solemnly, ¡°Thank you, Madam Langford.¡± The moment they left the room, Samuel strode forward without uttering a single word. His fury was furious. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Tina trailed behind nervously, not knowing what to say or do. Looking at their route, it didn¡®t seem like they were heading to eat, either. So, she broke the silence. ¡°Mr. Langford...¡± All of a sudden, Samuel stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. Tina didn¡®t expect him to turn around so abruptly, and immediately knocked into his sturdy chest Her riose sore, she let out a gasp and breathed, ¡°I¡®m so¨C¡° Before she could even apologize, Samuel shoved her away with an indignant snarl. ¡°Tina, I didn¡®t expect you to be such a scheming woman! I thought you¡®d know your ce and stay silent, but you have the audacity to drag my grandmother into this!¡± Tina knew that there was some sort of misunderstanding between them. Panicked, she tried to exin herself. ¡°Mr. Langford, this is all a misunderstanding! Meeting your grandmother that day was just a coincidence...¡± ¡°And you expect me to believe that?¡± Samuel sneered again, suppressing the urge to strangle Tina to death. ¡°Stop pretending to be innocent! How dare you pull dirty tricks on my grandmother!¡± Tina was speechless. Samuel hated Tina to the core. Seething, he threatened, ¡°Let me get this straight. I . will never, ever marry you. You¡®d better think about how to convince my grandmother otherwise, or else...¡± Not only was Tina forced out of bed early in the morning and didn¡®t even have a chance to grab breakfast, but she was also humiliated and berated by Samuel at his residence. The injustice of it all stung her. Thinking about this, fury engulfed her whole and she exploded into a sarcastic retort. ¡°You¡®re right! I¡®m a scheming woman who just tricked your grandmother! Now that she¡®s taken me in as her future granddaughter¨Cinw, you have no choice but to listen to me! If you want me to solve this problem, give me money! Else, I¡®ll wreak havoc in your life!¡± Samuel red at Tina and growled, ¡°So! This is your true self, isn¡®t it? What¡®s wrong, are you tired of pretending?¡± : ¡°If you¡®re that unhappy, kill me! But before you do it, think about your grandmother¡®s health. She¡®s already given the family heirloom to me! That just proves how much she likes me. Let¡®s make a bet! Let¡®s see what¡®ll happen if she knows about my demise! I bet her health will deteriorate even further!¡± Tina refused to exin herself anymore. Instead, she red at Samuel and shot words that struck deep into his sensitive spots. ¡°Tina... Do you really think I won¡®t kill you?¡± With cold blooded eyes and a domineeringposure, Samuel took out his gun and aimed straight at Tina¡®s head. Tina squeezed her eyes shut and thought,¡® This is it! This is the day I die!¡® Bang! An ear¨Csplitting gunshot exploded right next to her ear. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Tina could clearly hear the bullet flying so close to her ear. It struck through the tree from afar, forming a huge hole in the sturdy bark. The near¨Cdeath experience weakened her legs and forced her to slump onto the ground. Samuel raised her chin with the fuming gun, eyes cold. ¡°Let this be a warning. It¡®ll be your head next time,¡± he said, every syble dripping with malice. Trembling from head to toe, Tina now had first¨Chand experience in validating the rumours about Samuel in Freesia stating that he was a devil reincarnate. Samuel ignored her and continued to speak, hatred written all over his face. ¡°I¡®ll never do anything that will anger ¨C Grandma. I¡®ll keep you alive just to make her happy. But you¡®ll never be my wife. A scheming woman like you doesn¡®t deserve such a prestigious status. If you¡®re still thinking about achieving that goal, I¡®ll make sure you suffer a terrible fate.¡± The moment he said that, Sandy rushed over with a team of bodyguards. They came in a panic after hearing that gunshot. ¡°Mr. Langford, what happened? We heard a gunshot. Who...¡± They scanned the yard and didn¡®t see anyone aside from a woman, who was shivering profusely at the corner. Instantly, Sandy registered what had happened. Samuel put his gun away and instructed Sandy, ¡°Sandy, take her to thepany and arrange a job post for her.¡± Having said that, he left. Sandy was dumbfounded. He thought this . woman was the president¡®s enemy! Then, his gaze fell on Tina¡®s wrist with the jade bracelet. Noticing the severity of the situation, Sandra didn¡®t prod any further and said curtly, ¡°Miss Lynd, you heard the president. Let¡®s head to thepany now.¡± Tina¡®s legs were still wobbly from the shock. ¡°I need some time to myself.¡± Sandy frowned. In the past, all the enemies that the president had personally dealt with were left traumatized and terrified. The only person whosted until now was Tina Lynd. That just proved how much of an evil schemer she was. Sandy thought about Miss Young, who was innocent and na?ve. Worry surged in his heart and he grew impatient with Tina. ¨C ¡°Miss Lynd, you heard the president. We should go now.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Tina stood up, albeit still weak in the knees. She couldn¡®t suppress her emotions anymore, and tears streamed down her face. As an efficient personal assistant, Sandy informed the HR department to arrange Tina to be the secretary as early as the following afternoon. Her sudden arrival attracted a lot of attention from the staff. Anyone who could be the president¡®s secretary was in no doubt an expert in the field, and definitely a force to be reckoned with. But judging by Tina¡®s appearance, she just didn¡®t strike them as someone who could take on such a big responsibility. The moment ¡®Tina sat down at her desk, the onlookers approached her. . ¡°What¡®s your name? I heard the president¡®s personal assistant escorted you here. I bet you graduated from a prestigious university!¡± Tina answered awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m Tina Lynd. I studied at the University of Conford.¡± Since she was forced to stop her studies just a while ago, she had zero working experience. Right at this moment, someone rolled her N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. eyes. ¡°Ourpany¡®s never epted graduates from The University of Conford before. The way you got the post as the president¡¯s secretary right off the bat seems to suggest that you¡®re just another woman who¡®s trying to seduce the president!¡± ¡°Don¡®t say that! I¡®m sure she¡®s special in some ways!¡± Tina was grateful to hear a positivement. Just when she was about to thank the speaker, the manager appeared and gave an announcement. ¡°Mr. Shaw has informed us to treat the neer like an intern.¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 : N?velDrama.Org holds this content. deliberately to torture her both physically and mentally. Defeated, Tina picked up the printed copies one by one from the floor. At this moment, someone¡®s voice shouted from outside. ¡°Everyone, Miss Young is arriving!¡± ¡°What? Miss Young¡®s here? I want to be the first to greet her!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Everyone left their posts immediately. Some even knocked on Tina¡¯s arm on purpose, sending all the documents flying to the ground again. While running to the entrance, they stepped on the papers, leaving footprints all over them. Tina heaved in a deep breath. ¡®Samuel L?ngford, I hope you never find yourself a wife in this lifetime! I hope you get struck by lightning!¡® she cursed inwardly, seething. After cursing up a storm under her breath, she instantly felt better and continued cleaning up the mess. Meanwhile, several people were weing Miss Young at thepany entrance, eager to receive her attention. Cindy got out of the car slowly, taking her time. She was d in a pure white dress, a lunchbox in one of her hands. Inside was a lot of delicious food. ¡°Miss Young, are you here to give Mr. Langford his lunch again?¡± ¡°Mr. Langford is so lucky to have such a caring girlfriend!¡± Everyone was doing their utmost best to get on Cindy¡®s good side. Pleasantly surprised by their praises, Cindy said, ¡°Everyone, you¡®ve got it wrong! I¡®m not Samuel¡®s girlfriend. He¡®ll . be angry if he hears about this!¡± Despite her¡®sweetly shy appearance, she was exploding in joy inside. ¡®Everyone knows that I¡¯m Samuel¡®s girlfriend,¡® she thought proudly to herself. Sooner orter, she would be Samuel¡®s wife. By then, she could get rid of all the women who ever dared to seduce him! While she made her way towards the president¡®s office, she saw a familiar figure in the printing room. ¡®Wait, is that Tina Lynd?¡® She was shocked. Cindy stopped in her tracks and shook her head. ¡°That¡®s not possible! Why is she here? I heard she was admonished by Madam Langford early in the morning. I bet she¡¯s crying in a corner somewhere right now! The manager noticed that Tina was in the printing room at that very moment, and exploded in anger. ¡°Tina! What are you doing there? Go get Miss Young a cup of tea, and be quick!¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡® Why are they all treating this woman like she¡®s some kind of god?¡® Tina thought. ¡°Alright, I¡®ll get on to it.¡± With just one glimpse, Tina noticed a woman in a white dress amongst the crowd. ¡®That¡®s probably Samuel¡®s potential girlfriend. She¡®s the one everyone¡®s referring to as Miss Young,¡® Tina went on specting ¡°Hello, Miss Young,¡± Tina greeted Cindy politely. Right after, she turned to the pantry to brew a pot of tea for Cindy. Cindy couldn¡®t believe her eyes. ¡®Why is this b*tch here?!¡¯ Suppressing the urge to smack Tina in the face, Cindy went straight to Samuel¡®s office, only to be told that he wasn¡®t in yet. : She sat in the resting lounge, unable to believe who she had just encountered. ¡®What on earth happened? I know that b* tch¡®s been pestering Samuel like a parasite, but for her to appear at thepany? That¡®s just impossible!¡® She hurriedly called the private investigator to ascertain what had happened. However, the private investigator was also in the dark about this situation. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡®s impossible! She clearly left the vi and went to the hospital. I saw it with my own eyes!¡± ¡°Well, why is she here at thepany?¡± Cindy demanded. ¡°I saw her entering the hospital, but I couldn¡®t get close enough. I was worried Samuel¡®s men might notice me. You¡®ve heard the rumors, haven¡®t you, Miss Young? Mr. Langford isn¡®t someone you¡®d ¨C want to mess with. I don¡®t want to lose my life for a job!¡± ¡°You useless b*stard! You¡®re fired!¡± Cindy was so enraged that she identally flipped the lunchbox, spilling all its contents over the floor. Right at this moment, someone knocked on the door. Tina¡®s voice came from outside. ¡°Miss Young, I¡®ve brought your tea. May Ie in?¡± Cindy tried her best to contain her emotions and regain herposure. She replied calmly, ¡°Come inside.¡± When Tina saw the lunchbox and its contents on the floor, she jumped in shock. ¡°What¡®s this?¡± ¡°Oh, I identally knocked it over.¡± Cindy smiled apologetically and continued, ¡°Is it alright if you clean it up for me?¡± ¨C ¡°No problem at all, Miss Young,¡± Tina replied. Having been treated like a mongrel the entire day, Tina was relieved to have someone treating her with respect. After she put the teacup on the table, she bent down to clean up the mess. However, the jade bracelet on her wrist quickly caught Cindy¡®s attention. Cindy stood up immediately and grabbed Tina¡®s wrist. ¡°Where did you get this bracelet? Why do you have it?!¡± Gone was her calm appearance. She was now shouting at the top of her lungs, her voice a screeching octave. She was so furious, she buried her nails deep into Tina¡®s flesh. Her gaze was so threatening that it looked like she wanted nothing better than to murder Tina. However, Tina didn¡®t catch Cindy¡®s threatening re. Instead, she shoved Cindy¡®s hand away with ease. ¡°That hurts!¡± ¡°What happened here?¡± The manager heard the ruckus from outside and rushed into the lounge. Cindy regained her meek attitude. She held in her fury and said gently, ¡°It¡®s nothing. Her jade bracelet just seemed oddly familiar to me, that¡®s why I...¡± Cindy stuttered, the picture of sweet innocence. At Cindy¡®s awkward words, the manager misunderstood the situation almost immediately. Knowing that Cindy and Samuel were childhood friends, the manager desperately wanted to get on Cindy¡®s good side. ¨C Without much thought, she turned to Tina and used, ¡°Tina, don¡®t tell me you¡®remitting theft on your first day of work?!¡± ¡°I didn¡®t steal this!¡± Tina tried to exin herself. ¡°Madam Langford gave this to me!¡± Everything was clear to Cindy now. The reason Madam Langford called Tina wasn¡®t because the olddy wanted to teach Tina a lesson. She even gifted Tina the family heirloom! At first, Cindy nned to get rid of Tina. Little did she know, her ns had turned against her brilliantly. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Cindy¡®splexion turned pale upon the realization. She wobbled back and forth, struggling to stand still. The manager was shocked. She supported Cindy from falling and yelled, ¡°Call the ambnce. We have to send Miss Young to the hospital! Call the police, too. Send this thief to the police station now!¡± Once again, Tina tried to exin herself. ¡°I already told you! I didn¡®t steal the bracelet!¡± ¡°Stop trying to defend yourself! You can talk to the police instead!¡± Today was truly an unlucky day for Tina. It was just one thing after another for her! After a long day suffering from unfair treatment, she ended up in the police station. She felt miserable. : There were a lot of people in the police station. After she was detained, the . officers made her wait on the long bench to await interrogation. Tina was fraught with worry, deeply anxious. Just then, her phone rang. A kind and gentle voice spoke through the receiver. ¡°Tina, guess who am I?¡± After a whole day of pent¨Cup frustrations, tears streamed down Tina¡®s cheeks when she heard Madam Langford¡®s voice. ¡°Madam Langford...¡°. When Madam Langford heard Tina¡®s sobbing voice, she changed her tone instantly ¡°What happened? Why are you crying?¡± Knowing that Grandma Langford had a weak heart, Tina didn¡®t want to make the sweet olddy worry. So, Tina wiped her . tears and fixed her tone. ¡°I¡®m not crying, I¡®m just a bit overwhelmed.¡± Madam Langford didn¡®t believe a word she said, ¡°Did Samuel make things difficult for you again? I knew that brat wouldn¡®t do as told! Just wait, I¡®ll smack him with a broom when hees back home!¡± Tina burst outughing at the absurdity of it all. ¡°Mrs. Langford, he¡®s your precious grandson! I know you wouldn¡®t do that.¡± ¡°I love my grandson, but I won¡®t let it slide if he dares to bully you!¡± Madam Langford was well aware that Tina was a pitiful orphan. She would do everything to make Tina feel loved and appreciated. Although Tina hated Samuel to the core, she was still extremely grateful to Grandma Langford. . ¡°Madam Langford, you don¡®t have to worry about me.¡± Tina was still trying to exin herself. ¡°Tina Lynd! It¡®s your turn to make your statement. You¡®d better be honest!¡± A loud voice sted through the receiver. Grandma Langford was curious. ¡°What statement? Tina, where are you? And why is it so noisy around you?¡± Tina hurriedly exined, ¡°I¡®m busy working at thepany now. I¡®ll call you backter, okay?¡± Tina hung up the phone instantly and followed the police officer into the interrogation room. Grandma Langford, who was in the hospital ward, couldn¡®t help but worry. She then called thepany using a different number. However, the reply she got was very different from what she expected. ¡°Tina Lynd? That person doesn¡®t exist in ourpany. Oh, wait. You¡®re talking about the neer, right? She was sent to the police station after being used of theft.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Grandma Langford couldn¡®t believe her ears. ¡°Did Samuel do this to Tina?¡± ¡°Who are you? How dare you address our president by his first name!¡± Grandma Langford could care less about the employee¡®s rudeness. She hung up and immediately dialed Samuel directly, but the call went straight to voicemail. Then, she dialed Sandy¡®s number. Sandy replied respectfully, ¡°Madam Langford, the president is currently in a meeting...¡± ¡°To hell with his meeting!¡± She gave an ultimatum. ¡°Tell Samuel that if he still refuses my call, I¡®ll kill myself right in : front of him!¡± Sandy didn¡®t expect Mrs. Langford to be in such a thunderous mood. Without a second¡®s dy, he ryed the message to Samuel. ¡°Mr. Langford, your grandmother demands that you answer her call immediately.¡± Almost immediately, Samuel answered her call. ¡°Get Tina out of the police station right now! If you don¡®t do that, I won¡®t see you as my grandson anymore!¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 After Madam Langford gave that order, she hung up the phone decisively. Samuel frowned. ¡°Where is Tina now?¡± Sandy was shocked. Did something happen to Miss Lynd? After making several phone calls to make sense of the situation, Sandy realized that Tina had been used of theft the o moment she started her first day of work. She even pulled Madam Langford into the mess! ¡°Miss Lynd is at the police station right now. I¡®ll send someone..¡± Before Sandy could finish speaking, Samuel cut him off sternly, ¡°I¡®ll head over there myself.¡± At the opposite end of the conference room, John raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Is something the matter, Mr. Langford?¡± ¡°I have some pressing matters to deal with at the moment. Let¡®s talk tomorrow.¡± He left the conference room in a hurry. Curious, John wondered to himself, ¡®I wonder what stirred Samuel up. Judging from their conversation just now, it seems like it¡®s about a woman. I thought Samuel isn¡®t the type to get involved in matters pertaining to love and rtionships.¡± ¡°Send someone to follow them,¡± John instructed. For some reason, he was interested in knowing the kind of woman Miss Lynd was. At the police station, Tina was undergoing a rough interrogation. ¡°I swear to god, I didn¡®t steal anything.¡± ¡°Where does the bracelete from, ¡® then? I don¡®t think an intern has the means to buy something so expensive!¡± ¡°Madam Langford gave it to me. I can¡®t ask her to testify, as she¡®s not in good health at the moment.¡± ¡°Then, is there anyone who could testify for you?¡± ¡°Yes, but I can¡®t seem to reach him right now.¡± Aside from Madam Langford, the only person she could seek help from was Samuel However, Samuel had always been the one to reach out to her. It was never the other way around. No matter how hard she tried to exin, she couldn¡®t get herself out of this mess. ¡°That¡®s enough! Since you refuse to tell us the truth, I¡®ll have no choice but to lock you up.¡± Just when Tina was about to be taken away, the door of the interrogation room swung open. Samuel appeared at the door, followed by Sandy and awyer. He nced at Tina, who was crumpled into a little ball on the chair. For some reason, she looked really small and pitiful. ¡°The jade bracelet is a gift to her from the Langford family. If you have any questions, you can ask our lawyer.¡± When Tina heard the familiar voice, she looked up in joy. She didn¡®t expect Samuel toe here personally. Looking at Samuel, her heart skipped a beat. As absurd as it sounded, at this moment, the hateful man was akin to Prince Charming saving the day. Finally, Tina was cleared of suspicions with the presence of a testifier. She followed Samuel to the car. Before Tina could thank him, Samuel snapped sarcastically, ¡°Tina, is this also part of your n?¡± ¡°I...¡± Exhausted, Tina answered helplessly, ¡°I didn¡®t do it on purpose.¡± Samuel bent down and pulled Tina¡®s cheek roughly, bruising her. ¡°It doesn¡®t matter if you did it on purpose or not. Let this be a warning to you! If you dare to make grandma worry again, I¡®ll make your life a living hell.¡± ¡°Is Madam Langford the one who asked you toe here?¡± Worried, she tugged at Samuel¡®s sleeve. ¡°Is she alright?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Tina didn¡®t expect Grandma Langford to notice that there was something amiss in the phone call just now. Samuel pulled back his hand and sneered, ¡°She¡®s alright. I¡®ll take you to the hospital right now to visit her. Make sure she¡®s not worried and anxious anymore.¡± ¡°Alright, I will,¡± Tina assured him. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Deep down, Tina was moved and grateful towards Madam Langford¡®s kindness. It only took one meeting for the olddy to be so emotionally invested in Tina. When they arrived at the hospital ward, Madam Langford was already waiting anxiously for their arrival. She held Tina¡®s hand and caressed them gently, concern in her gaze. ¡°Are you okay? You¡®re not hurt anywhere, are you?¡± ¡°Don¡®t worry, Mrs. Langford, I¡®m alright,¡± Tina joked. ¡°I saw a fight on the road, so the police wanted me to make a statement at the police station. I didn¡®t tell you on the phone because I didn¡®t want you to worry.¡± ¡°Are you telling me the truth?¡± Madam Langford found it difficult to believe . Tina¡®s story. She threw a skeptical nce at Samuel and pursed her lips. ¡°Did he make things difficult for you in any way? Tell me everything!¡± ¡°I¡®m telling the truth. Look, there are no injuries on me at all!¡± Tina ws lying. She wanted Madam Langford to have peace of mind, so the truth couldn¡®t be divulged. ¡°Since I¡®m already here, why don¡®t I make you some supper?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Madam Langford was delighted.¡° Last time when you made me something to eat, Samuel also tasted some of your food. He even praised your culinary skills!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tina was shocked. She wondered if she had heard wrongly. Then again, Samuel must¡®ve said that to please his grandmother. : While Tina busied herself in the kitchen, Madam Langford turned to Samuel with a stern expression. ¡°Samuel, I¡®ve already decided that she will be my future granddaughter¨Cinw. As long as I¡®m alive, nobody is allowed to make things difficult for her.¡± Samuel was confused. ¡°Grandma, what did Tina do to make you so in love with her?¡± ¡°I may be old, but I¡¯m not blind. I can see that Tina suits you best. You must treat her well, alright?¡± Samuel had no choice but to oblige. Right at this moment, Tina emerged with a steaming pot of supper. ¡°Madam, I made porridge from the ingredients you have in the kitchen. Let me know how it tastes.¡± Madam Langford ate a spoonful of . porridge and said happily, ¡°It¡®s been a long time since I had porridge as good as this one. Samuel, taste this!¡± Samuel frowned. It was obvious he wasn¡®t interested in something as ordinary as porridge. Noticing his disgusted expression, Tina hurriedly said, ¡°I¡®ll go to the kitchen to take out two bowls. I¡®m hungry, too.¡± She reached out to take the bowl, but Samuel stopped her by grabbing her hand. ¡°I¡®ll eat that.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tina retracted her hands. The moment he tasted the porridge, he was pleasantly surprised. He didn¡®t expect Tina to have such good culinary skills. Even though it was just in porridge, it was still rich in vor. ¡°How is it?¡± she asked expectantly. Samuel replied coldly, ¡°It¡®s nothing exceptional.¡± Tina wasn¡®t dispirited at all. After all, how could the Tyrant of Freesia be impressed by a bowl of in old porridge when he was used to eating expensive food? Thus, she ignored Samuel¡®s remark and started chatting with Madam Langford instead It was definitely an unusual sight to see Madam Langford, who was usually stern and reserved,ughing and chatting merrily. She hadpletely warmed up to Tina in just a short span of thirty minutes. Looking at the heart¨Cwarming scene, Samuel had to admit: despite Tina¡®s scheming nature, only she could make his grandmother smile like that. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Around midnight, Tina and Samuel prepared to leave. Madam Langford gave Samuel a timely reminder. ¡°Samuel, don¡®t forget what I said.¡± Tina soon left the hospital with Samuel. When she was in the back seat, she yawned and fell asleep. She didn¡®t know how long had passed before she woke up. Having risen, she paid attention to the scenery outside the windows. This ce looks oddly familiar. I think it¡®s Samuel¡®s private residence,¡® she thought. ¡°Mr. Langford, what do you mean by bringing me here?¡± Tina asked. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Samuel didn¡¯t say anything, and got out of the car in silence. Tina trailed from behind and asked carefully, ¡°Mr. Langford, should I take a taxi back home?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Samuel snarled coldly, ¡°From now onwards, you¡¯ll be living together with me. We¡¯ll be going to the company together early in the morning.¡± Then, he left without giving her any further exnation. Tina was left dumbfounded at the sudden news. ¡®Is he for real?! Am I actually living with him? What did I do to him? Is this his way of taking revenge?¡¯ She was in despair. Even though she deeply hated the idea, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to reject him. In a car stationed afar, someone was eavesdropping on their conversation. ¡°I heard Mr. Langford has never allowed women to live in his private quarters, Mr. Carter. It seems this woman is an exception.¡± The speaker was a scruffy-looking man none other than Mr. Jackson, the person Tina had bumped into while sending food at the nightclub. John thought about the incident and muttered, ¡°It seems she¡¯s the kitten fromst time.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that, Mr. Carter?¡± Mr. Jackson asked. The driver exined, ¡°During ourst visit to Mr. Langford¡¯s residence to discuss partnership, someone identally broke the vase by the stairs. Samuel imed a kitten did it. Seems the cat turned out to be a woman.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. I see, he¡¯s been ying around with that woman all this while.¡± Mr. Jackson grew even more curious. ¡°Since he¡¯s putting so much effort into hiding her, she should be a beauty. Pity, I can¡¯t see her face clearly because it¡¯s too dark.¡± Tina, on the other hand, had no idea that know that she was the current hot topic. Samuel strode forward quickly, not even bothered to turn back to check on her. Exhausted, shey on the sofa and called it a night. Early in the morning, Sandy arrived at Samuel¡¯s private residence on time as always. When he saw a person sleeping on the sofa, he jumped in shock. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Just as Sandy was prepared to storm into the living room with his bodyguards, Tina got up and rubbed her eyes in a sluggish manner. Sandy finally recognized her and asked, ¡°Miss Lynd! Why are you here?¡± When Tina tried to exin herself, she let out a loud sneeze. She didn¡¯t expect to catch a cold just from a night out on the sofa. Samuel frowned when he came downstairs, ¡°Why were you sleeping in the living room?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know where to sleep,¡± she replied quietly. You didn¡¯t arrange a room for me, either.¡± Last night, Samuel didn¡¯t even bother to show her around the ce. Worried that she would be scolded for searching the rooms without permission, Tina chose to spend the night on the sofa instead. Samuel frowned irritatedly, ¡°Sandy, arrange a room for her to sleep in. From now on, she¡¯ll be living here.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Langford.¡± Sandy appeared calm on the surface, but he was actually horrified by the fact that Samuel was actually living together with a woman. ¡®This is madness!¡¯ Tina then sneezed two times in a row. Looking at her haggard appearance, Samuel spat in disgust, ¡°Send her to the hospital. Make sure she doesn¡¯t fall ill.¡± ¡°This woman is unattractive in every single aspect imaginable. If it wasn¡¯t for Madam Langford, Mr. Langford would¡¯ve thrown her to the streets to fend for herself,¡¯ Sandy thought. After that, Samuel promptly left for work. ¡°Miss Lynd, pleasee with me,¡± Sandy said. ¡°I thought I had to go to work,¡± Tina said. Sandy smiled politely and said, ¡°Miss Lynd, the secretaries in the office are more than capable to handle everything. Your absence won¡¯t make any difference to them.¡± Tina understood what he meant instantly. Basically, she was just a nuisance in the office. Fortunately, Tina had just caught a cold and nothing more. She would heal in no time even with over-the- counter medications. After beingte for an hour, she arrived at the office. When the secretaries in the office saw her, they frowned. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°You thief! How dare youe back here after what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°She¡¯s so shameless! She¡¯s evente for work!¡± Her colleagues gossiped non-stop without any reservations. Toozy to exin herself, Tina ignored them and went to her post. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she giving us any reaction? God, she really is shameless!¡± Seeing that Tina was unfazed, they stopped and started ordering her around. ¡°Tina, you still haven¡¯t printed the copies from yesterday! Stopzing around and start working!¡± ¡°Get me a cup of tea now!¡± Tina did as told withoutining. During lunch break, the manager walked into the office and made an announcement. ¡°Everyone , Mr. Carter¡¯s arrivingter. Be prepared to wee him!¡± ¡°What? Did you hear that? Mr. Carter¡¯sing! I¡¯ll be the one sending refreshments into the officeter. This is my only chance to be with him!¡± ¡°What are you getting so worked up for? You sound so desperate!¡± ¡°Mr. Carter is almost as handsome as Mr. Langford. He¡¯s very mild-mannered, too!¡± Tina didn¡¯t have time to listen to her colleagues¡¯ inane gossip. After going through her lunch the fastest way possible, she went straight to the office toplete her tasks. Right at this moment, a woman in a white dress knocked gently on the office door. ¡°Excuse me, are you Tina Lynd?¡± Tina looked up, and noticed that the speaker was Miss Young from yesterday. She stood up quickly and said, ¡°Hi, yes. I¡¯m Tina.¡± Cindy put on a gentle facade and spoke in an apologetic tone. ¡°Please forgive me. I wasn¡¯t feeling too well yesterday. Before I fainted, I spouted some nonsense that led you to the police station. I¡¯m here to give you my sincerest apologies.¡± Pleased with Cindy¡¯s apologetic mannerisms, Tina said cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve already settled yesterday¡¯s problem.¡± Looking at Tina¡¯s smile, Cindy was beyond disgusted. However, she still spoke gently. ¡°You must be over the moon, since Samuel personally went to the police station to get you out. By the way, can you show me your jade bracelet again?¡± Tina reached out her hand. Cindy caressed the jade bracelet and murmured softly, ¡°This bracelet is the Langford family¡¯s heirloom. Why is it on your arm? What¡¯s your rtionship with Samuel?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tina stuttered awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Thinking about Cindy¡¯s rtionship with Samuel, Tina feared Cindy might misunderstand the situation. Before she could exin herself, Samuel¡¯s voice echoed from afar, cutting off her words. ¡°What are you doing here, Cindy?¡± Cindy saw an opportunitying. When Tina wasn¡¯t looking, she immediately feigned a fall. ¡°Oh, no!¡± Cindy pretended to fall on her back. From Samuel¡¯s perspective, it looked like Tina was the one pushing her! Samuel showcased his excellent reflexes as he pulled Cindy into the safety of his arms. Immediately after, he shot a deadly re at Tina. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Tina! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Yet again, Tina couldn¡¯t exin as Cindy spoke over her quickly. ¡°It¡¯s not her fault, Samuel. Miss Lynd didn¡¯t do anything to me. I identally lost my footing when I was looking at her jade bracelet.¡± However, Samuel didn¡¯t buy Cindy¡¯s story the moment he saw Cindy¡¯s expression. Judging by Tina¡¯s outrageous personality, she must¡¯ve shown off the jade bracelet. She probably attempted to hurt Cindy with it. ¡°Tina! Apologize this instant!¡± he roared, vicious. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Tina gasped, filled with disbelief. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°Samuel¡­ This really is a misunderstanding¡­¡± Cindy exined weakly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself!¡± Samuel barked indignantly. Tina straightened her back, upset. ¡°Why do I have to apologize? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± ¡°You!¡± Samuel was seething. Cindy was dumbfounded as well. ¡°How dare she defy Samuel¡¯s orders?¡¯ she thought, stunned. At the same time, she felt proud of herself. Based on Samuel¡¯s actions, she knew that she held an important ce in his heart. ¡°Mr. Langford, Mr. Carter¡¯s here,¡± Sandy informed, cutting them off. Samuel didn¡¯t want to cause a scene with outsiders around. Thus, he had no choice but topromise. ¡°Sandy, escort Mr. Carter to the conference room. Send Miss Young home after that.¡± He then nced at Tina and warned coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t do it again.¡± Having said that, he strode away in a huff. A man whose demeanor was a stark contrast to him arrived right after. Dressed in a suit and tie, he seemed like a person with a kind and gentle disposition. ¡°Hello, Mr. Carter,¡± Cindy greeted the neer sweetly. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. John Carter nodded politely in response. Immediately after, his eyes were drawn to Tina. For some reason, this woman felt oddly familiar to him. It was as if¡­ His heart skipped a beat as he stopped in his tracks. Turning his attention to her, he asked, ¡° Hello, have we met before?¡± Tina didn¡¯t expect Mr. Carter to talk to her. She quickly shook her head in response. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met before.¡± Tina had only seen John twice. The first time was at Loving Heart Orphanage, and the second time was at Samuel¡¯s private residence. Plus, Mr. Carter shouldn¡¯t be able to recognize her as she was only watching him from afar during those two encounters. When Tina replied, her voice cracked slightly from sobbing just now. John frowned, his face darkening somewhat. He didn¡¯t know why, but something broke inside him when he saw Tina¡¯s red and puffy eyes. She reminded him of his long-lost sister, Coco Carter, who would always cry at the slightest difort. He loved his sister deeply, more than anything. s, she was no longer by his side. Lost in his reverie, he subconsciously coaxed her, ¡°There, there, I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t cry, okay?¡± Before John knew it, he was reaching out and attempting to wipe the tears off Tina¡¯s cheeks. Tina was stunned, not expecting the gesture. She backed off immediately and maintained afortable distance from John. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she said, her eyes reflecting defensiveness. Sandy, who was standing next to them, made a timely interjection. ¡°Mr. Carter, Mr. Langford is waiting for you inside.¡± Noticing his inappropriate actions , John returned to his senses. The woman in front of him wasn¡¯t his sister, but Samuel¡¯s employee. He sent Tina an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was preupied with my thoughts just now. I didn¡¯t realize my actions would cause difort to you,¡± he exined. He paused before adding ¡°What¡¯s your name, miss?¡± ¡°Tina Lynd.¡± ¡°Tina Lynd¡­¡± When Samuel heard that, disappointment rose inside him. ¡®Weird. What was I expecting?¡¯ John shook away the messy thoughts in his head and reached for the napkin in the pocket on his suit before stuffing it into Tina¡¯s hand. ¡°This is for you.¡± Before Tina could refuse his offer, John had turned to leave as he followed Sandy into the conference room. ¡°Miss Lynd, I¡¯m sorry for the misunderstanding just now,¡± Cindy said pretentiously as she approached Tina, still putting on the innocent act. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I know you didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Tina shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to work now.¡± Looking at Tina¡¯s disappearing back, Cindy gnashed her teeth in jealousy. ¡®What a scheming woman! When Cindy recalled the time Tina was with John, she couldn¡¯t get over how close they seemed. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ¡®I can¡¯t let her stay in thepany! She needs to leave!¡¯ Cindy thought, panicking. It was at this moment that Tina received a call from the conference room. ¡°Please send in some refreshments.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Right now, Tina was the only person in the office. She stopped whatever she was doing and replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it now.¡± All this while, Cindy didn¡¯t leave the office. She stared at Tina, trying to think of a n to rid Tina once and for all. Very soon, a thought urred to her. She approached Tina, and spoke in her gentlest tone. ¡°Miss Lynd, do you need help? I know you¡¯re new here, so you might not know where some of the things are located.¡± Tina looked at Cindy gratefully, not at all suspecting anything. ¡°Thank you so much, Miss Young.¡± With Cindy¡¯s help, Tina prepared the refreshments in no time and served them to the conference room. Cindy sat in the resting lounge afterwards, awaiting the results of her n to manifest. As time dragged on, the smile on her face widened even further. The proud expression stered on her face made it obvious how proud she was of her work. Just now, she had changed the water Tina had prepared into alcoholic drinks! After spending quite a lot of time with Samuel, Cindy picked up a thing or two about John. John had downright terrible alcohol intolerance. Right now, Cindy was waiting patiently for John to drink the refreshments Tina served. She was certain that John¡¯s allergic reactions would soon disrupt the flow of the meeting, which would then raise suspicions about the drinks. Tina would be screwed! One minute, two minutes. The clock ticked on. When Tina left the conference room, Cindy prodded her gently, ¡°Have they drunk the refreshments?¡± ¡°Yeah, they did,¡± Tina said, nodding. Satisfied with her answer, Cindy deliberately blocked her way. Utina. I have something to ask you. How did youe to know Samuel? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tina didn¡¯t know how to exin herself to Miss Young, whom she thought to be a kind and saintlydy. Just then, they could hear a ruckusing from the conference room. It sounded like someone had identally knocked over something. Cindy¡¯s eyes immediately lit up with joy. ¡®It¡¯s about time! John must¡¯ve drank the alcohol, and now, he¡¯s in pain!¡¯ she thought in glee. ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± Cindy asked, feigning ignorance. Tina, still oblivious of Cindy¡¯s evil scheme, said worriedly, ¡°I¡¯ll head in and check what¡¯s going on.¡± Just as the door swung open, Cindy shoved Tina away and sprinted inside. As expected, John, seemingly in pain, bent forward as the people around him looked at him worriedly. ¡°Mr. Carter, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Mr. Carter! Mr. Carter!¡± Upon witnessing the chaos ensuing, Cindy smirked proudly. ¡®You¡¯re done for, Tina! Look at what you did to Mr. Carter!¡¯ ¡°Mr. Carter, are you feeling unwell?¡± Cindy approached John for a quick look. When she was certain that John had fallen ill, she shifted her gaze to the drinks on the table, let out a loud gasp, and picked up the cup to examine it. With a nervous tone, she added, ¡°Samuel! If I remember correctly, Mr. Carter has really bad alcohol intolerance, right?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°You told me before,¡± she exined. Then, she shifted her gaze to Tina. ¡°Miss Lynd, it seems there¡¯s something wrong with the refreshments. What exactly did you serve? There¡¯s alcohol in the drinks! You¡¯re in big trouble now!¡± Tina stood there with a face filled with bewilderment, frozen on the spot. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Cindy was incredibly proud of her achievements. ¡®Sooner orter, that b*tch will be chased out of the company! Samuel will never allow her to stay aftermitting such a terrible offense!¡¯ While she was entrenched in sinister joy, she didn¡¯t realize that no one in the room gave any form of reaction to her words. Nervous, Cindy pressed on, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Quick! We should call for an ambnce! Isn¡¯t he allergic to alcohol?¡± Finally, Tina came back to her senses and exined, ¡°Miss Young, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood the situation. Mr. Carter didn¡¯t drink anything.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cindy was petrified. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Didn¡¯t you all say that he drank it just now? On top of that, Mr. Carter didn¡¯t look well at all!¡± Though John looked pale and tired, he rubbed his forehead and exined patiently, ¡°Miss Young, I¡¯m sorry to have worried you. I was just experiencing a bad headache, though I didn¡¯t expect you to barge in and reach that conclusion. Thank you for caring about me.¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She pointed to the half-empty cup and said, ¡°But this cup¡­¡± Samuel wouldn¡¯t be the one to drink it, because he was already used to drinking freshly ground coffee. If John didn¡¯t drink it, then who did? ¡°I was the one who drank it,¡± Tina finally admitted, face filled with distress. After working the entire morning, she was famished and exhausted. So, she stole a sip to quench her thirst. She did think that the water tasted a bit strange, but it never slipped her mind that it was actually alcohol. Looking at Cindy, Samuel couldn¡¯t help but find the entire situation skeptical. ¡°Cindy, didn¡¯t I tell Sandy to send you back? Why are you still here?¡± All color drained from her face. She didn¡¯t expect her n to fail at all. Anxious, she scrambled for words and bbered, ¡°Samuel, I¡­ I was still feeling sluggish. That¡¯s why I stayed back. I was resting in the lounge when I heard amotion inside. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think twice before jumping to conclusions.¡± Samuel believed her every word. After all, someone as well-mannered and kind as Cindy would never plot anything for her benefit. Thinking about this, he felt bad for doubting Cindy¡¯s intentions. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, Cindy. Tina!¡± His gentle tone took a severe turn when he called out to Tina. ¡°I won¡¯t look into the fact that you¡¯ve sent the wrong beverage to us. However, you should take responsibility for drinking our refreshments without our knowledge. For your mistake, I¡¯m going to cut your sry by half. Don¡¯t do it the second time.¡± Tina was stung. She attempted to argue with Samuel, and retorted, ¡°That¡¯s not fair¡­¡± First things first, it wasn¡¯t her intention to work here at all. She was forced toe! Yet, Samuel was reducing her pay for something so petty. No matter how she thought about it, it just didn¡¯t feel right! ¡°I¡¯ll cut one month off your sry!¡± Samuel gave an ultimatum. Fueled with anger, Tina could feel her head throbbing in pain. Perhaps it was the alcohol taking effect, but she mustered the courage to scream back, ¡°You battard, I quit!¡± Samuel¡¯s face turned livid almost instantly. It was obvious that he was furious. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Cindy heaved a sigh of relief. Though her n didn¡¯t seed, everything still went well in the end. ¡®What a b*tch, I didn¡¯t have to do anything, and she still drove herself out of thepany!¡¯ Cindy was delighted. She hurried tofort Samuel, saying sweetly, ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ll convince her toe back.¡± ¡°No need! You don¡¯t have to worry about any of this. Sandy, send Cindy back home now! As for that woman, just let her be.¡± :. She knew Samuel hated women who liked to overreact over the slightest bit of difort. ¡®That woman will never work alongside Samuel now!¡® Feeling wronged, Tina stormed out of the conference room. Just as she was about to pack and leave, a group of women blocked her way. One of them hurtled a fierce p on Tina¡¯s face. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Tina wanted to fight back, but she had been rendered sluggish and weak due to her low alcohol tolerance. She couldn¡¯t muster the energy to fight back. The women dragged her to the bathroom, vicious in every way. Once there, one of them pulled at Tina¡¯s hair and began barking insults. ¡°How dare you take away our chance to serve refreshments?!¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a scheming woman! You¡¯re just a lowly intern! How dare you take advantage of our lunch break to approach Mr. Carter!¡± ¡°I heard you even tried to seduce him! You shameless sl*t!¡±.. ¡°I can¡¯t stand being in the same room with you! You¡¯re obviously just a country hick who happens to have a pretty face! Looking at you makes me sick. I wish I could ruin that face of yours!¡± They piled degradingments on Tina, and even took to sshing water at her. Tina, fuming, yelled back angrily, ¡°Keep doing this and I¡¯ll report you to the police!¡± ¡°The police? I want to see you try! A thief like you will go straight to jail!¡± ¡°Girls, look at her waist!¡± Tina¡¯s wet clothes were sticking to her skin after being sshed with water. One of them noticed a strange mark on her waist, and promptly reached out to lift her top for a better look ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Tina was enraged and shoved her hand away. Looking at Tina¡¯s hysterical reaction, wild assumptions rose in their minds almost immediately. ¡°Look at that! There¡¯s a scar on her waist. Oh my god, what a scandal! This sl*t has given birth to children before!¡± ¡°I told you she¡¯s a wh*re! God knows how many men she¡¯s slept with!¡± Listening to their tant humiliation, Tina couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin herself anymore. Instead, she shouted back sarcastically, ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m the sl*t here? Why don¡¯t you take a good look at what you¡¯re doing now? Your minds are all filled with dirty tricks on how to seduce Mr. Carter! I¡¯m sorry to tell you this, but he¡¯ll never consider dirty women like you!¡± Tina¡¯s words were akin to knives stabbing at their weak points. ¡°How dare you! Girls, let¡¯s all take turns to p her!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± A stern voice hollered from outside. The women were stunned silly. They turned and saw a man standing outside, only to be greeted with shock. ¡°Mr. Carter!¡±. ¡®Why¡¯s he here?¡¯ they thought, bbergasted. John red at them, anger burning in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to establish a business partnership with apany filled with employees with no basic moral values. I suppose I¡¯ll have to talk to Mr. Langford about cancelling our contract.¡± They were so frightened, their legs turned weak from the shock. If Samuel knew they were the ones who hindered hispany¡¯s development, he would definitely make their lives a living hell! ¡°Mr. Carter! Mr. Carter, it¡¯s not what you think it is¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s right! This woman right here is a thief! She¡¯s stolen what belongs to us.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more, she¡¯s been sleeping around with men. There¡¯s even a scar on her waist, here, look¡­¡± To prove their ims, they tried to take off Tina¡¯s shirt. Tina thrashed her hands and feet around and yelled, ¡°Get away from me!¡± John couldn¡¯t sit there and do nothing. Furious, he bellowed an order. ¡°All of you, get out now!¡± Noticing that Mr. Carter was letting them off the hook, they red at Tina before leaving the washroom. ¡°She¡¯s lucky Mr. Carter showed up. Next time, I¡¯ll make sure to rip off her face!¡± one of the women threatened. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Tina stood up awkwardly from the ground. She passed by John and thanked him in a low whisper. ¡°Thank you.¡± Drenched from head to toe, she looked just like a helpless kitten. John¡¯s heart went out to her almost instantly ¡°Wait,¡± he reached out his arm and blocked her path. Tina could feel something heavy on her shoulders. She looked up, and noticed that John was covering her wet body with his suit. It was still warm. ¡°Your clothes are all wet. Let¡¯s head to the resting lounge. I¡¯ll have my assistant bring you new ones.¡± Tina felt warm inside. When they first met this morning, Mr. Carter offered her his napkin. He was such a gentleman! However, Tina refused his gesture. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mr. Carter. I can take care of myself. Besides, I¡¯m not your employee, so you don¡¯t have to look out for me.¡± John replied, ¡°I¡¯m actually doing this for myself. You remind me of someone I love.¡± For some reason, the woman in front of him kept reminding him of his long-lost sister, Coco Carter. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Perhaps he was just trying to alleviate the pain of losing his sister by helping Tina. ¡®What does he mean by that? I wonder who I remind him of,¡¯ Tina thought. All of a sudden, she remembered what she had heard from the orphanage. Apparently, John had a sister who had been separated from him a long time ago. All these years, his family had never abandoned the hope of finding her. ¡°I guess he¡¯s helping me because I look like his sister,¡¯ Tina concluded. Words spilled out from Tina¡¯s mouth when she saw John¡¯s depressed look, ¡°Is this rted to your sister?¡± Shocked, John asked, ¡°How do you know that?¡± Tina covered her mouth when she realized that she had identally spilled her thoughts. OVE ¡°I, 1, umm¡­¡± Tina struggled to give him an answer. Suddenly, a man from behind dragged her forcefully into an embrace. Samuel¡¯s domineering voice sounded from above Tina, startling her. ¡°Mr. Carter, thank you for looking out for my employee. Since we¡¯re done discussing details about our partnership contract , I¡¯ll be taking my leave with her.¡± Judging by how Samuel was hugging Tina, suspicions arose in John. He asked Samuel, ¡°She¡¯s not just an employee to you, is she?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s the woman at Samuel¡¯s residencest night? That can¡¯t be right. If that¡¯s the case, why¡¯s he treating her so poorly at work? He didn¡¯t even do anything when Tina was getting bullied,¡¯ John thought For some reason, it ticked Samuel off to see John and Tina talking together. Samuel snapped coldly, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. Let¡¯s talk next time.¡± The moment Samuel said that, he tugged at Tina¡¯s wrist and strode towards the lift, dragging her all the way. After the door of the lift was closed, Tina mustered up all her strength to shove away Samuel¡¯s hand. Red marks appeared on her thin wrist. ¡°Stop that!¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes and threatened in an intimidating tone, ¡°How dare you seduce John in front of me!¡± ¡°When did I do that?!¡± Tina was infuriated. ¡°Why are you always ming me for things I didn¡¯t do? Stop making assumptions!¡± ¡°Can you me me for that? Remember what you did to force me to sleep with you.¡± When he saw the suit draping on her shoulders, he ordered domineeringly, ¡°Take off that suit right now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Tina refused, adamant. Samuel, infuriated, grabbed the suit and threw it on the ground. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Tina immediately bent down to grab the suit, but Samuel pressed on her hand, forcing her to stay still. Looking at her awkward pose and drenched clothing, he began shooting question after question. ¡°Look at you! Are you trying to seduce John with that pitiful look of yours? You scheming woman! I warned you, didn¡¯t I?! As long as our contract is still binding, you are my woman! Don¡¯t you dare go around sleeping with other men!¡± Samuel¡¯s words were rude and degrading, insulting everything about Tina. The way his eyes reflected his mounting suspicions was the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. Fury surged in Tina and she exploded. ¡°Your employees were the ones ganging up on me! Does it seem logical to you that I¡¯d pour water on myself? Mr. Carter was just walking past when he saw the incident and decided to help me. To you, his kind gesture also suggests ulterior motives. Why do you always think that the world is getting at you all the damn time? Are you that insecure?! Rumors have it that you don¡¯t like women, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true. I bet you¡¯re just an impotent b*stard who can¡¯t get it up! That exins why you can¡¯t find yourself a wife all these years! You disgusting trash!¡± Right at this moment, the lift gradually opened its door. Seizing the chance to escape, Tina pushed Samuel away, grabbed the suit, and dashed off. At first, she thought that she could leave after giving him a piece of her mind. Much to her dismay, Samuel caught up to her in no time. Ignoring her desperate attempt to escape, Samuel roughly yanked her by the cor, like how one would grab a cat, and mmed her into the backseat of the car. ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me!¡± Although Tina was thrashing her arms and legs like a maniac, Samuel could still subdue her with ease. He mounted on top of her and forced her to a corner. Tina was overwhelmed with fear when she looked at his wide shoulders and domineering position. ring at her, Samuel hissed venomously, ¡°Tina, I dare you to say that again.¡± Tina shivered. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t remember what I said,¡± she stuttered. ( ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯m impotent? Let¡¯s test that theory today,¡± he growled hoarsely. ¡°No!¡± Tina sobered uppletely when she heard that. ¡°I was just spouting nonsense just now! The alcohol made me do it!¡± Samuel sneered, ¡°It¡¯s toote now.¡± The woman in his arms smelled like flowers. With her body drenched, her clothes stuck to her body like a second skin and emphasized her alluring curves. Noticing that Samuel was slowly approaching her, Tina knew that she couldn¡¯t escape anymore. She closed her eyes tightly, preparing herself for the impending doom. Looking at how reluctant she was, Samuel felt a pang of irritation. a All of a sudden, images of Tina and John Carter in the washroom shed in his mind. She was all smiles andughter when talking to John. Yet when it came to Samuel, she acted as if he was threatening to slit her throat with a knife! ¡°Tina, don¡¯t forget about the terms and conditions in the contract. Since you¡¯ve taken my money, stop acting like I¡¯m forcing myself on you.¡± Guilt stabbed at Tina. It was true that she had taken 1.5 million dors from him. ording to the terms in the contract, she had to at least act like she was enjoying hispany. ¡°I understand.¡± Her heart hammering against her chest, Tina did her best to avoid looking Samuel in the eye and wrapped her arms around his neck. Just as Samuel was inching forward, Tina backed off. ¡°W-Wait! I just thought about something!¡± She thought about Cindy and asked, ¡°Samuel, is Cindy aware of our rtionship? Don¡¯t you think she¡¯ll be very sad if she knows what we¡¯re doing now?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ¡°Tina, do you want to die?¡± Samuel threatened. ¡°I-I¡¯m just looking out for you!¡± Tina ran out of words and ended up blurting out, ¡°You¡¯re in love with her, right?¡±. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Samuel heaved in a deep breath. He had a strong urge to punch her in the face. ¡°Get out, now.¡± Tina immediately got up. ¡°Alright.¡± The moment she stepped outside the car, Samuel stopped her. ¡°Wait, come back here.¡± Tina was frustrated. ¡°What do you want me to do?!¡± Samuel shot her an annoyed re. ¡°You¡¯reing back home with me. Also, don¡¯t forget to visit Grandma tomorrow.¡± Tina had a strong emotional attachment to Madam Langford, so she instantly agreed.¡° Alright, I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Samuel drove her home personally. The entire journey, none spoke a single word. Silence reigned all the way. Finally, they arrived at Samuel¡¯s private residence. Tina thought that Samuel would leave her behind and go inside. Unexpectedly, he grabbed her wrist roughly and grunted in displeasure, ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your room.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tina was stunned. Samuel frowned. ¡°What are you thinking? From now on, you¡¯ll be sleeping in the guest room. If you catch a cold again, Grandma will think that I¡¯m forcing you to sleep on the sofa.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tina obliged. Looking at her innocent expression, Samuel¡¯s mood went for the worse. ¡®What¡¯s she thinking about now? Half of the time, I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s straight-up lying to my face or if she¡¯s showing me her true intentions.¡¯ Tina¡¯s room was opposite Samuel¡¯s. After she entered her new room, she showered and changed into a clean set of clothes. Then, she jumped into bed and slept through the entire afternoon. The next thing she knew, she woke up from hunger at night. Noticing there weren¡¯t many helpers at his house, Tina wondered who prepared Samuel¡¯s meals every day. But even if they did prepare something for him, she knew for a fact that they wouldn¡¯t prepare hers. She opened the bedroom door and found the kitchen almost immediately. Fortunately, there were a lot of ingredients in the fridge. After selecting a few, she started preparing dinner. In the brightly lit kitchen, Tina shuffled from ce to ce, as if trying to search for something What Tina didn¡¯t know was that Samuel was standing outside the kitchen, watching her every move. Unfamiliar with theyout of the kitchen, she scanned the ce and finally found the condiments section. It was located on the shelf just above her. She stood on her toes and tried to reach for the items up there, but to no avail. So, she grabbed a stool and stepped on it. Most of the condiments inside were imported goods, and thebels were written in a foreignnguage. After searching through the shelf, she finally found something that she was familiar with: soy sauce. The moment she closed the shelf, the ss reflected the surroundings behind her. To Tina¡¯s horror, someone was standing just outside the kitchen door! The stool wobbled unsteadily as she jumped in shock. Seeing that she was about to fall, Samuel rushed forward and pulled her into his arms. He was disgusted. ¡°Why are you so clumsy?¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡°You scared me! Why are you sneaking around behind me?¡± Tina¡¯s soul almost fled out of her body from the shock. She thought he was a ghost! ¡°Me? Sneaking around? This is my house!¡± Samuel barked back, furious. Only then did Tina remember that she was currently living under his roof. Embarrassed , she lowered her head and asked politely, ¡°Have you had dinner? I¡¯ve prepared some food.¡± Even though Samuel had left the office early that day, he had spent the entire evening looking through documents in the study. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Samuel always ate at irregr timings. On top of that, he was also very picky with his food. Even Madam Langford couldn¡¯t coax into getting rid of his bad habits. Yet for some reason, he found himself getting interested in tasting the food Tina made. ¡°Sure,¡± Samuel grunted curtly, his tone grumpy. He purposefully made it sound like he was forced to do it. Tina rolled her eyes. It was a shame she didn¡¯t have poison right now. Looking at the condiments beside the table, she had the urge to flood the whole thing with soy sauce. Despite her evil desires, Tina still couldn¡¯t bring herself to waste food. At the end of the day, delicious food was still served. Samuel had tasted Tina¡¯s home-cooked food twice. Once was when she was at the hospital ward to visit his grandmother, and the second time was when she made supper for his grandmother. Tina looked at him nervously. ¡°How is it?¡± She was confident in her culinary skills, but she was still fearful when presenting her food to the hatefully overbearing president. ¡°Surprisingly, it tastes good. I hate to admit it, but you have talent,¡± Samuel said with a casual tone, though his words were insulting. He didn¡¯t dig deep into the details, there was no doubt that he was still praising her in a way. ¡°Really?¡± Tina was joyful. ¡°Eat more!¡± Samuel frowned when he saw her proud look. ¡®Why¡¯s she so happy over a small praise? I thought she¡¯s a scheming woman who won¡¯t show her true colors easily.¡¯ Tina noticed his questioning stare, but she chose to turn a blind eye to it. After they finished eating, Tina moved to clean the dishes. However, Samuel stopped her.¡± Leave it there. The cleaners will take care of it tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°I can wash them by myself,¡± Tina said. She was slightly moved by his unexpected show of thoughtfulness. Samuel cut her off with a grunt. ¡°The cutlery¡¯s expensive. I doubt you can pay for it if you break them.¡± Instantly, Tina retracted her hands. ¡®I should¡¯ve known better! Someone as evil-hearted as Samuel will never think about the wellbeing of others.¡¯ ¡°I have matters to attend to tomorrow morning. You should head to the hospital first. I¡¯ll join youter.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tina agreed. Samuel turned to leave after that. Tina returned to her room, and promptly fell into a deep slumber as her hunger had been satiated. The next morning after washing up, she thought about hailing a taxi to visit Madam Langford. Just as she was about to leave, a car unexpectedly drove past the gates of the house and entered the residence. At first, Tina wondered if Samuel had arranged for someone to pick her up. When the car window was rolled down, however, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°Mr. Carter! Why are you here?¡± Upon seeing Tina, John was certain that she was Samuel¡¯s lover of sorts. In a gentle tone, John asked, ¡°Is Mr. Langford at home? I can¡¯t seem to find him at thepany.¡± Only then did Tina remember that the two were business partners. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising for John to come here. ¡°He¡¯s not at home right now. He said he had something to attend to this morning.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± John didn¡¯t seem to care about that and added, ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll send you there.¡± Tina waved her hand to dismiss him. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I have to go to the hospital. I¡¯ll just call for a taxi.¡± ¡°Get in.I¡¯m heading to the hospital as well.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t bring herself to reject his offer and ended up getting in the car. While they were on the way to the hospital, a thought struck her. ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Carter? I¡¯ve washed your suit, but I¡¯ve forgotten to bring it out just now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Here, this is my card with my assistant¡¯s number on it. Just call my assistant when you¡¯re free. He¡¯ll head over to collect it from you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tina reached for the name card and kept it in her pocket. All of a sudden, John thought about something and began, ¡°Right, I almost forgot¡­¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Out of the blue, he asked, ¡°Umm, do you like to eat sweet things?¡± Tina nodded, joyful. ¡°Oh, I love them! Chocte cotton candy¡¯s my favorite.¡± Samuel was shocked. Coco¡¯s favorite food was also chocte cotton candy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Noticing his stare, Tina grew embarrassed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m too childish? I mean, cotton candy is something kids would like to eat¡­¡± John shook his head almost immediately. ¡°Not at all. What a pleasant coincidence, I also like chocte cotton candy!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tina was surprised. She didn¡¯t expect a gentleman like Mr. Carter to have a pte for sweets. ¡°I know how to make sweets, too. If you want, I can make some for you.¡± John nodded happily, smiling. ¡°Sure!¡± Tina warmed up to him instantly when he struck up the topic of desserts. She chatted merrily with John, her tone happy and eager. Aside from having the same preference for deserts, they also shared simr hobbies and interests. The entire time, Tina enjoyed herself. Before they knew it, the car came to a stop and the driver announced, ¡°Mr. Carter, we have arrived at the hospital.¡± Tina came back to her senses. She hurried to say, ¡°Thank you so much for sending me here, Mr. Carter. I¡¯ll take my leave now. Goodbye!¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She waved her hand and smiled brightly. John replied in a gentle tone, ¡°Goodbye.¡± He stared quietly at Tina¡¯s back as she left. Without knowing it, a warm smile graced his lips. He was beaming. The driver saw John¡¯s warm expression andmented emotionally, ¡°Mr. Carter ¡­ I haven¡¯t seen you chatting that happily with someone in ages.¡± Ever since the unfortunate disappearance of his sister, John had never been as chatty. He became more reserved, speaking only when he was required to at work. John heaved out a long, mournful sigh. ¡°The way she talks reminds me of Coco¡­¡± Coco was a girl with a bright personality, who also happened to love desserts. Sadly, John knew it was just a mere coincidence that Coco and Tina happened to resemble each other. Even after all these years, he was still dedicated to searching for his lost sister. Whenever he heard trails about Coco, he would immediately verify it personally. Thus, he also treated his encounter with Tina very seriously. Coco had a birthmark on her back. Using that clue, he searched through almost all the orphanages and hospitals in the city for relevant information. Still, nothing came up. After facing major disappointment time and again, he had to ept the painful fact that Coco wasn¡¯t in this city. After wrapping up his business with Samuel Langford , he would head back to his hometown. As for Tina, John could sense that she was an innocent and kind littledy. Before leaving, he decided to do his best to look out for her. When John¡¯s car drove away, two people got out of a car not far away from him. They were Samuel and Cindy. In Cindy¡¯s hand was a thermos with freshly brewed chicken soup. Cindy put on her usual sweet facade and said innocently, ¡°Samuel, I think I saw Miss Lynd getting out of that car just now¡­ That doesn¡¯t seem like a taxi. Is that her friend¡¯s car?¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Samuel spotted the car right away and recognized the owner, who was none other than John Carter himself. Yesterday, Tina was flirting with him. Now, she had already wormed her way into his car. If he didn¡¯t verify her actions with her own eyes, Samuel would¡¯ve thought that Tina was just an innocent woman. Now, however¡­ ¡°Let her be. She¡¯s just a tool I¡¯m using to please my grandmother. You should stay away from her, Cindy. Nothing goodes from associating with that scheming woman,¡± Samuel spat in disgust. ¡°Okay, Samuel. I¡¯ll listen to everything you say,¡± Cindy replied coyly. When Tina was chatting merrily with Madam Langford, Samuel and Cindy entered the ward. Tina wasn¡¯t a dense person. Noticing the loving couple, she made an attempt to leave the room almost immediately. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll cut some fruits for you. What about you two?¡± Cindy took advantage of the situation and ordered Tina around like an entitled mistress.¡± Tina, wash the apples and cut them into cubes. Then, peel the grapes and remove the seeds. After that, prepare a cup of Americano for Samuel. He can only drink coffee made from freshly ground coffee beans.¡± Tina was confused by the lengthy order. Dumbfounded, she stopped in her tracks and asked,¡± Do I really have to prepare all that?¡± Cindy was stunned. She was quick to act coy and apologized almost immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought you said you wanted to help. If you don¡¯t want to do all that, you can help in your way. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Tina said, waving her hand awkwardly. Madam Langford couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She interjected heatedly, ¡°Tina, you don¡¯t have to do all that. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re a helper. This is a hospital, not a hotel!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Grandma Langford. I don¡¯t mean to offend anyone.¡± Cindy looked at Samuel anxiously. ¡°Samuel, what did I do wrong?¡± Samuel hated the way his grandmother treated Cindy and tried to exin, ¡°Grandma, Cindy wasn¡¯t the one who started it. You can¡¯t me her for this.¡± ¡°Then are you suggesting that Tina is the one at fault?¡± Noticing how protective Samuel was over Cindy, Madam Langford grew flustered and angry. ¡°You insolent boy! How dare you defend an outsider? My future granddaughter-inw is Tina, not that woman!¡± ¡°Grandma, I told you before. Cindy¡¯s not an outsider, she¡¯s my sister. I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing when you¡¯re making things difficult for her.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Madam Langford was so angry, she couldn¡¯t catch her breath. Worried, Tina went up to Madam Langford and patted her back slowly. ¡°Grandma, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, but if they keep angering me, it won¡¯t be long before I pass on!¡± Madam Langford snapped. Cindy¡¯s eyes turned red as she whispered in fear, ¡°Samuel, have I really done something so wrong? Why does Grandma Langford hate me so much? Maybe I should just leave¡­¡± Samuel red at Tina. ¡®She must¡¯ve been badmouthing Cindy behind our backs. That¡¯s why Grandma hates Cindy so much!¡¯ ¡°Say, Cindy. Didn¡¯t you brew some chicken soup for grandma?¡± Samuel asked. Cindy remembered the thermos she brought with her and said carefully, ¡°Grandma, do you want to drink some chicken soup? I brewed it the entire night for you!¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Still stubborn, Madam Langford snarled angrily, ¡°No!¡± ¡°Grandma, please,¡± Tina persuaded in a soft tone. ¡°Chicken soup is good for your health. What¡¯s more, Miss Young made it especially for you!¡± Madam Langford was speechless to see Tina speaking up for Cindy. ¡°Tina, you can¡¯t give in that easily!¡± Helpless, she relented andpromised, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll drink some.¡± Cindy opened the thermos almost instantly. In fact, she didn¡¯t brew the chicken soup herself. She made a chef from a five-star restaurant prepare the soup instead, in hopes that Madam Langford would view her as a diligent woman who is better suited with Samuel than Tina. Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go as nned. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Madam Langford tasted the chicken soup. Already, a deep frown graced her lips. ¡°Why does this soup taste so nasty?¡± Cindy was stunned upon hearing that remark. ¡°T-That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± ¡°Did you add anything into the soup?!¡± Madam Langford started nitpicking at the soup. ¡°You didn¡¯t add any fragrant herbs at all! Did you boil the chicken once with hot water before serving it to me?¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t help but stammer. It was impossible for her to answer Madam Langford, as she wasn¡¯t the one who made the soup. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ I was just experimenting on the soup¡­¡± ¡°You were experimenting on it, yet you dared to serve it to me? What do you think I am? Your guinea pig?¡± Cindy¡¯s response only seeded in angering Madam Langford even more. Cindy was so furious that her face turned a brilliant shade of red. She hated that five-star chef from the bottom of her heart. He screwed up the job, despite having received a hefty payment from her. Not only did she fail to catch any praise from Madam Langford for being a virtuousdy, but she also seeded in angering thetter even more. ¡°I¡¯ll throw it right away, Grandma Langford,¡± Cindy suggested immediately. Tina couldn¡¯t help but interject. ¡°Dumping it is such a waste! If Grandma doesn¡¯t want to drink it, then I¡¯ll have it. I didn¡¯t eat much for breakfast, anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Tina here doesn¡¯t waste food at all,¡± Madam Langfordmented before shooting Cindy a disapproving look. ¡°If you¡¯re bad at cooking, don¡¯t go around wasting food.¡± Cindy had no choice but to ce the thermos sk in front of Tina. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, Miss Lynd, then you can have it.¡± Tina grabbed the sk. Coincidentally, she was feeling quite hungry as well. However, the moment she smelled the chicken soup, she could feel her stomach turning upside down. ¡°Urk!¡± Unable to hold herself back, Tina started dry heaving on the spot. Meanwhile, Cindy¡¯s face darkened even more at the sight of Tina¡¯s condition. ¡°What exactly do you mean by this, Miss Lynd?!¡± she asked in irritation. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Tina apologized , looking slightly embarrassed. ¡°M-My appetite hasn¡¯t been welltely.¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she started dry heaving again. Having observed Tina¡¯s condition, Madam Langford looked like she just realized something. She instantly grabbed the former¡¯s hand and started pelting her with questions. ¡°Tina, when did your appetite start deteriorating?¡± Tina took a moment to ponder over it. ¡°I think it¡¯s been a month. Maybe it¡¯s because of the weather.¡± ¡°Have you always been feeling drowsy or dizzy? Has your lower back been sore all this time?¡± Madam Langford perked up when she heard Tina¡¯s answer, and continued to ask her more questions. Tina hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°I think so.¡±. ¡°What about your period? Has it arrived yet?¡± Perhaps it was due to the fact that Tina had been working hard for her family since young, but her period cycle had always been unstable. She was already used to the abnormal cycle. Madam Langford¡¯s question served as a reminder for her as she tried her best to recall herst cycle. ¡°It¡¯s not here yet, but I think it¡¯ll be here soon,¡± she answered truthfully. ¡°Oh my god,¡± Madam Langford whispered, staring at Tina¡¯s stomach. She then eximed in surprise, ¡°Tina, could you be pregnant?¡± Tina was stunned. ¡°What? Pregnant?! That¡¯s impossible!¡± Before Tina could realize what was going on, Cindy¡¯s shrill voice knocked her out of her puzzled trance. Madam Langford was slightly annoyed by Cindy¡¯s behavior. ¡°Why are you screaming? Have you forgotten your manners?¡± she chided, livid. Cindy covered her mouth immediately upon realizing that she had lost her control in front of Madam Langford. Then, she looked at Samuel and asked, ¡°How can she be pregnant, Samuel? You¡¯ve been busytely! It¡¯s impossible for her to be pregnant!¡± There was no way Cindy would believe that b*tch Tina would get impregnated by Samuel. However, Samuel himself was unsure of what was happening. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After all, he and Tina had only done the deed once, even by ident. It happened about a month ago Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Back then, Samuel had quickly detained Tina and performed a check-up on her on the spot. However, he forgot to feed her the required medicine. Now that he thought of it¡­ Even if it was only an ident, the possibility of her being impregnated from that session was still there. Madam Langford stared at the duo¡¯s expressions. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that Tina was pregnant. ¡°You two! Don¡¯t you know anything about pregnancy symptoms? I can¡¯t believe that I need to remind you about them! Hurry and take Tina for a check-up, Samuel! It¡¯d be great if she¡¯s really pregnant! We¡¯ll hold a wedding right away! I can announce to Freesia that I have a granddaughter-inw now!¡± she gushed happily. Tina¡¯s head buzzed throughout Madam Langford¡¯s excited monologue. She had been suffering from stomach problems over the past month. Even her period had yet toe. Was she truly pregnant? It couldn¡¯t be¡­ Right? Samuel, on the other hand, had mixed feelings. He stole a nce at Tina¡¯s t stomach before finally speaking up. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a check-up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tina stood up immediately. Since she had risen to her feet too quickly, she ended up bumping into a corner of the table. The pain ring from her side made her gasp out loud. ¡°Move slower!¡± Madam Langford instantly reprimanded. Her tone was one ofint.¡± Even if you aren¡¯t pregnant with my great-grandson, you must take care of yourself. Don¡¯t be so brash in the future.¡± ¡°Got it, Grandma,¡± Tina replied, feeling her heart warming up in return. That elderly woman was the only one who truly cared about her. She followed Samuel out of the ward, a hand rubbing her stomach subconsciously as she walked. She was starting to space out as well. Samuel turned around at that moment only to see Tina rubbing her own stomach. For some reason, that image touched his heart. He had always been cold and aloof. He didn¡¯t care about anyone other than Madam Langford and Cindy. What if Tina was pregnant with his baby? Yet, the thought of this woman¡¯s true nature disgusted Samuel to no end. ¡°Tina, have you been nning this the whole time?¡± he asked coldly. ¡°What?¡± Tina snapped out of her trance. A look of confusion set in shortly after that. ¡°You hatched a plot to climb into my bed just so you can be pregnant with my baby and be a part of the Langford family, right?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but exin, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that much¡­ I was just trying to¡­¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She stopped talking all of a sudden. The reason she tried very hard to get into Samuel¡¯s bed was because she wanted revenge on the Lynd family. If Samuel were to find out about her purpose, her ns would most definitely be foiled. Samuel seemed to have seen through Tina¡¯s guilt. He started chuckling coldly. ¡°Even if you¡¯re pregnant with my baby, I won¡¯t ever let you into the Langford family. You may have fooled Grandma, but you can¡¯t fool me!¡± Tina was in no mood to listen to Samuel¡¯s ravings. ¡°You can think whatever you want.¡± The duo soon arrived at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, with the intention of doing a blood test. Tina feared pain the most. The moment she spotted the syringe that would be used to draw her blood, her face became as pale as a sheet. She couldn¡¯t help but shrink away from it. ¡°C-Can I not¡­ do the blood test¡­?¡± ¡°This is Grandma¡¯s order, Tina.¡± Samuel pressed Tina down on the chair impatiently. ¡°Or do you like it more when I¡¯m the one drawing blood from you?¡± If a doctor were to tend to Tina, it would be a normal blood-drawing procedure. But if Samuel was the one doing it, then she would most likely suffer a lot. In the end, Tina finally cooperated with the doctor and had her blood drawn. Herplexion still pale, she stood up from the chair with wobbly knees before copsing to the side uncontrobly. Samuel caught her instinctively. But the thought of Tina faking her copse popped into his mind at the next moment, prompting him to release her immediately. He didn¡¯t want to touch her at all. A short whileter, the doctor returned with the blood test report. ¡°What¡¯s the verdict, doctor?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. Samuel¡¯s brows were tightly knit together as well as he waited for the doctor¡¯s response. ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Langford. The blood test report has been released. ording to the report¡­¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¡°ording to the report, you aren¡¯t pregnant, Miss Lynd,¡± the doctor said. Tina could feel the invisible weight crushing her heart being lifted. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± She balled her fists together in triumph, feeling quite relieved. The doctor choked on his words upon seeing her reaction. In his line of work, he had witnessed a lot of patients who would do everything just to be able to conceive. It was his first time seeing someone who was happy about not being pregnant. Meanwhile, Samuel felt a mixture of emotions swelling in his heart as well. It was a great thing that Tina wasn¡¯t pregnant with his child. He didn¡¯t know why, but he was reminded by the scene where Tina had caressed her stomach. A pang of disappointment followed suit. ¡°Miss Lynd. You may not be pregnant, but you still need to rest a lot. Your anemia is on the severe side. You need to maintain a good sleep schedule by waking up and sleeping early. Your diet should consist of more meat, eggs, and milk. Also, please refrain from engaging in physical intimacy for the time being.¡± ¡°Ah. Alright,¡± Tina mumbled back in response. She could feel her ears heating up, so she bowed her head, not daring to look at Samuel. After that, they returned to the upper floor. Cindy approached Samuel anxiously and asked,¡° What¡¯s the result, Samuel?¡± In response, he simply shook his head. Cindy finally heaved a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that Tina wasn¡¯t pregnant with Samuel¡¯s baby. Having restored her elegant demeanor, she remarked gently, ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite unfortunate.¡± At the same time, Cindy vowed to herself that she would never let Tina get close to Samuel ever again. Luckily for her, Tina wasn¡¯t pregnant this time. If that filthy b*tch were to be epted into the Langford family due to her pregnancy, then she would most likely rece Cindy in bing Mrs. Langford. Madam Langford received news of Tina¡¯s condition from the others. She was slightly disappointed, but she was more concerned about thetter¡¯s health. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re severely anemic, Tina. You need to rest a lot. Don¡¯t worry about your job. Your health matters the most,¡± she said sagely. Madam Langford no longer insisted on having Tina to care for her in her ward. Noticing the latter¡¯s pale face, she said, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ll have someone send you home. Samuel, I¡¯d like to have a word with you.¡± ! Cindy could see that her presence wasn¡¯t needed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be taking my leave now, Grandma Langford.¡± Tina left the ward first. Soon, she heard Cindy calling out to her. ¨C ¡°Miss Lynd, wait up!¡± Tina stopped in her tracks before asking curiously, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Miss Young?¡± ¡°I know about everything that happened between you and Samuel,¡± Cindy said bluntly. Tina looked a little embarrassed. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I grew up with Samuel, so I know he¡¯s a responsible man. If he did rob you of your virginity, then he¡¯d definitely view you as his responsibility. Besides, it¡¯s obvious that Grandma Langford likes you a lot. She even gave you the jade bracelet that was passed down in the Langford family. You might stand a chance in bing the future Mrs. Langford.¡± Tina waved her hand and exined sheepishly, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand my intentions, Miss Young. I¡¯ve signed a contract with Mr. Langford. Once two months are over, I¡¯ll leave the Langford family on my own. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯ll leave the family by then?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But¡­ What if you identally get pregnant? There¡¯s no way the Langford family will allow their flesh and blood to be detached from the family¡­¡± The day¡¯s events had instilled a sense of danger and urgency into Cindy¡¯s mindset. She needed to act, and fast. If Tina wasn¡¯t under her constant surveince, there was a chance that she would snatch her rightful position in the Langford family away from her. ¡°Then what can I do to reassure you?¡± Tina asked. Cindy was satisfied by Tina¡¯s question. Tina was a smart one, that was for sure. ¡°How about this? You don¡¯t have a bodyguard with you, right? It¡¯s not safe for you, given your current status. Why don¡¯t I arrange a bodyguard to protect you? What do you think about that?¡± Protection? More like constant surveince. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Tina didn¡¯t mind the arrangement. Regardless of who wanted to monitor her, be it Samuel or Cindy, she would leave the Langford family once two months were up. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s up to you to make those arrangements, Miss Young.¡± Tina walked out of the hospital, only to see a car parked in front of her. The bodyguard, who got out of the car, greeted her respectfully. ¡°Hello, Miss Lynd. I¡¯m Victor Miller, your bodyguard. I¡¯ll be at your service from now on.¡± Soon, Tina got into the car and returned to the mansion. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. In the ward, Madam Langford was lecturing Samuel with a stern look ¡°Samuel. Now that Tina¡¯s your woman, you need to be responsible for her, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± he replied. ¡°I know Cindy saved you in the past, and that you¡¯ve been treating her like your little sister because of that. However, I don¡¯t think she views you the same way,¡± Madam Langford continued. The elderly woman wasn¡¯t blind. She could see through Cindy¡¯s intentions. All this time, she had been pretending to be ignorant to Cindy¡¯s little tricks. After all, there weren¡¯t any women hanging around Samuel. Since Cindy wanted to please him that much, Madam Langford allowed her to do as she pleased. But now, the elderly woman viewed Tina as her future granddaughter-inw. As the future Mrs. Langford, Tina mustn¡¯t be harassed by anyone at all. ¡°Tina is a nice woman. Not to mention, she¡¯s very considerate of others. These are her virtues and weaknesses. I don¡¯t want anyone bullying her. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Samuel closed his eyes in response. Tina? Nice? Considerate? Her acting skills were ster. She had sessfully fooled Madam Langford into thinking that she was a nice and innocent woman. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± However, Samuel¡¯s response didn¡¯t reassure Madam Langford at all. ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t ourpany hosting a banquet in a few days? All of the elites of Freesia will be there. It¡¯s a good opportunity to bring Tina and introduce her to everyone. It also serves the purpose of making other women give up on pining after you.¡± Samuel frowned immediately. He didn¡¯t agree with his grandmother on this suggestion.¡± Banquets like this don¡¯t suit her, Grandma,¡± he protested. ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you disgusted by her background?!¡± Grandma Langford chided right away, anger taking over her senses. ¡°I¡¯ll be attending the banquet as well, so I can back her up. Let¡¯s see who still dares to gossip and spread rumors about her by then!¡± ¡°Your health¡¯s been poortely¡­¡± ¡°Tina makes me happy! When she¡¯s around, my health improves by leaps and bounds. When she¡¯s not, it¡¯s natural for my health to deteriorate,¡± Madam Langford argued. ¡°Alright, Grandma. I understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take her to the banquet, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Upon returning to the mansion, Tina returned to her room to rest. The next dawn, Victor woke her up. ¡°Miss Lynd, pleasee with me,¡± he requested. Tina looked slightly dazed as she rubbed her eyes blearily. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Victor frowned instinctively while staring at the rude and uncouth woman in front of him. If it wasn¡¯t for Tina, he wouldn¡¯t have been punished by Samuel. Fortunately, Cindy was kind enough to protect him. Now that Tina had taken over Cindy¡¯s rightful position in the Langford family, all Victor felt when he looked at her was disgust. Thus, his tone gradually became one of impatience. ¡°This is Mr. Langford¡¯s order. Please stop dilly-dallying around, Miss Lynd,¡± he said harshly ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Tina was clearly used to Samuel¡¯s way of doing things. After freshening herself up, she followed Victor out of her room. Victor took her to a design studio. It was not until a bunch of designers surrounded her and started taking her measurements that Tina realized what was going on. She was there to have her gown custom-made as she would be attending the banquet. ¡°Huh? Am I attending the banquet as well?¡± she wondered out loud, filled with disbelief. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°That¡¯s impossible, right?¡± Tina asked, dumfounded. Samuel hated her guts, so why would he take her to the banquet? Victor couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin anything to her. Instead, he handed her a banquet invitation. ¡°Miss Lynd, this is the invitation to the banquet. Please keep it safe at all times. I¡¯ll guard the door.¡± It was obvious he didn¡¯t want to be around Tina at all. Tina, however, didn¡¯t mind the bodyguard¡¯s behavior. She nced at the invitation in her hands, noticing that the date was set for the next weekend. She had no idea why Samuel wanted her to be at the banquet. However, she was confident that he definitely had no intentions of letting her stay with him throughout the entire night. She was most likely attending the banquet as an invisible extra The designers of the studio were very experienced. After an in-depth analysis of Tina¡¯s body type, they quickly found a gown for her to wear. When Tina exited the fitting room, she had an awkward look on her face. At the moment, Tina was wearing a ck fitting fishtail gown studded with gems and rhinestones. The light¡¯s refraction caused the gown to sparkle like a beautiful night sky filled with shining stars. The gown¡¯s design was strapless, revealing Tina¡¯s shoulders and corbone while entuating the amazing curves of her body. She looked extraordinarily breathtaking in it, exuding a charm both innocent and sensual. The designers of the studio went all bright-eyed the moment they took in Tina¡¯s visage. They were quick to shower her with praises. ¡°Miss Lynd, this gown suits you perfectly!¡± ¡°Yes! This gown happens to be our one and only design. We were still wondering who on earth can truly bring out this gown¡¯s beauty. To think that you¡¯d appear on our doorstep today¡­¡± ¡°You look incredibly gorgeous! Even if you get pitted against models, you wouldn¡¯t lose to them!¡± Tina was embarrassed to hear the gushing praises from the designers. She replied softly, ¡°Um ¡­ Can I try on another gown? Maybe something with less pizazz and moremon-looking?¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. The fishtail gown was much too expensive. Tina should know; after all, she did steal a nce at the price tag earlier. It was worth a million dors! The thought of her wearing the million-dor gown made Tina feel like a walking, talking wallet. Needless to say, it stressed her out. ¡°Uh¡­ Well¡­¡± The designers looked at each other, clearly at a loss for words. They were used to serving young heiresses of Freesia. Such women were well-breddies would always demand for the best and most luxurious gowns, seeing as their main goal was to outshine the other in b*tches in their vicinity once they showed up at prominent venues. Never would they have thought that they¡¯d hear such odd requests tumbling out of their client¡¯s mouth. ¡°Well, Miss Lynd, if you prefer simplistic gowns, then we¡¯ll find you one.¡± Under Tina¡¯s request, the designers presented her a series of simple-looking gowns. Tina browsed through the gowns. In the end, she selected one that was cheaper than the others. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one,¡± she said. The designers shot that gown a quick look. ¡°This gown¡¯s style has already fallen out of trend some time ago. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to consider other gowns, Miss Lynd?¡± Not only was the gown out of trend, but it was also very lamepared to other gowns. However, Tina stood her ground firmly. ¡°This is the one. I like it a lot,¡± she insisted. Even a gown as old-fashioned as this was already worth a hundred thousand dors. ¡°Alright, then. We¡¯ll pack it up for you.¡± The designers couldn¡¯t help but exchange dubious nces once again. They all felt that Tina had an odd perception of beauty. Tina finally heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she sank down on a nearby couch and waited. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 All of a sudden, loudmotion exploded from outside the designer studio. ¡°Miss, only VIPs are allowed to enter the studio,¡± a voice reprimanded. ¡°What do you mean by that?! I¡¯m here to look for someone! Hey, Tina! Don¡¯t you dare hide there without making a sound! I saw you entering this ce! Come out if you dare!¡± ¡°How dare you not keep in contact with us? We¡¯re your family! This is way over the line, Tina!¡± Ellen and Pearl¡¯s shrieks drifted from outside the studio. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Lynd. Two women decided to show up and start a ruckus outside. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll dispatch someone to remove them from our premises immediately,¡± one of the designers said apologetically to Tina. Tina frowned immediately. ¡°I know them. Let them in.¡± She wanted to know what Ellen and Pearl were up to this time. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Ellen and Pearl were soon permitted entry into the studio. The moment they saw the piles of expensive gowns, their eyes lit up immediately before envy took over. ¡°Wow, Tina. Aren¡¯t you an amazing one?¡± Pearl¡¯s tone was one filled with jealousy. ¡°Now that Mr. Shaw¡¯s being held in high regards by Mr. Langford, you¡¯re definitely not the only woman he¡¯s seeing. Not to mention, you¡¯re so stupid. Hey, what if I stay with you and devise ns for you? I¡¯ll make sure that you can capture Mr. Shaw¡¯s heart right away.¡± Tina didn¡¯t hesitate to return fire in a mocking tone. ¡°Oh, yeah? Are all your ns going to be like that one time when you tried to seduce Mr. Shaw deliberately, only to get tossed into the pool to cleanse your brain?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Pearl¡¯s face cycled through different shades of green and white. The memory of what transpiredst time humiliated her terribly. Just when Ellen was about to chastise Tina, she noticed the invitation in thetter¡¯s hand. ¡°Hold on! What¡¯s that?¡± she pointed out. Ellen didn¡¯t hesitate to snatch the invitation over and scanned it. She shrieked excitedly, ¡°Oh my god! You actually obtained the invitation to the Langfords¡¯ charity banquet?¡± ¡°What? The Langfords?¡± Pearl perked up immediately. An idea popped into Pearl¡¯s head and she suggested, ¡°Tina, why don¡¯t you give the invitation to me? To be frank with you, you¡¯re just a secret lover who can¡¯t be showcased to the public. I¡¯m the heiress of the Lynd family. I¡¯ve always heard that Mr. Langford¡¯s single. If I have the chance to attend the banquet, I might attract his attention. Once I be Mrs. Langford, I might be gracious enough to y matchmaker for you and Mr. Shaw!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Tina. Why don¡¯t you let Pearl attend the banquet in your stead? Consider this as your repayment to our family¡¯s benevolence for raising you.¡± Ellen pitched in as well. Tina had the urge to let out a cold chuckle on the spot. Both Ellen and Pearl were greedy monsters. They had already taken five million dors from her, yet they insisted on bothering her with idiotic ideologies of having her to repay their benevolence. Pearl even had the idea of wanting to seduce Samuel, out of all people. She definitely had a death wish. Tina had never nned to attend the banquet in the first ce. Furthermore, she wanted the Lynd family to suffer. Thus, she said curtly, ¡°Fine. If you really want to attend the banquet , then I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Pearl and Ellen were ecstatic. ¡°However, you have to agree to my condition,¡± Tina continued. ¡°A while ago, Loving Heart Orphanage had copsed. The director, Madam Woods, suffered severe injuries. This all happened because the Lynd family decided to cut the budget and constructed the building without insufficient materials. I want you to rebuild Loving Heart Orphanage.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ellen¡¯s stingy nature kicked in right away. ¡°Do you know how much it costs to rebuild an orphanage? Dream on!¡± ¡°The Langfords¡¯ charity banquet will be held next week. If you start publicizing the news of you rebuilding Loving Heart Orphanage this week, Mr. Langford will most definitely pay attention to you. If you ask me, I think he prefers kind-hearted women.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Pearl piped up, her eyes already sparkling. She turned to Ellen and said, ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t obtain great rewards without making great sacrifices. The cost of rebuilding that orphanage is nothingpared to the price of me bing the future Mrs. Langford.¡± Ellen gritted her teeth. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll discuss this matter with your father. If it¡¯s for the sake of your future, I suppose we can spend some money on it¡­¡± Tina smiled at the sight of Pearl and Ellen hatching their ns together. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news,¡± Tina said. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 The moment she finished speaking, Tina spun on her heel and left. Just then, the staff member, who was done packing up the gown for Tina, showed up. She asked in surprise, ¡°Miss Lynd, your gown is ready¡­ Huh? Where did she go?¡± Pearl snatched the gown from the staff member¡¯s hands rudely. Smug, she sneered, ¡°It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s not going to the banquet, so this gown¡¯s now mine!¡± Tina left the designer studio with the intention to inform Sylvia of the good news. Victor, who was supposed to be guarding the door, was nowhere to be found. A whileter, he finally reappeared. ¡°Where did you go just now?¡± Tina asked curiously. ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to report my private matters to you, is there, Miss Lynd?¡± Victor replied rudely. His gaze then swept Tina from head to toe. ¡°Where¡¯s your gown, Miss Lynd?¡± Tina decided to let Victor have a taste of his own medicine. ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to report my private matters to you, right?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Disgust and disdain filled Victor¡¯s eyes. It was no wonder Cindy had gone to ask for his help. There was no way a weak and dainty woman like Cindy could have won against a vile woman with a sharp tongue and sassyebacks at her disposal. Tina got into the car right away and ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I need to go buy a fruit basket. Drop me off in front of the neurology hospital after that. I¡¯m visiting a friend of mine.¡± Half an hourter, Tina showed up in front of the neurology hospital with a fruit basket in hand. It contained Sylvia¡¯s favorite fruits. She rushed up the stairs happily and barged into Sylvia¡¯s ward while gushing, ¡°Madam Woods, I have good news for you!¡± The moment Tina entered the ward, she was surprised to see a man standing in front of her. Slightly stunned, she said, ¡°Mr. Carter? Why are you here as well?¡± John, too, was surprised to see Tina. One nce at the fruit basket in her hand told him that she was here to visit Sylvia. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d end up meeting here. Could this be our destiny?¡± he replied with a gentle smile. Sylvia looked rather curious. ¡°Tina, what¡¯s wrong? Have you met Mr. Carter before?¡± ¡°We bumped into each other by chance. He helped me before,¡± Tina exined briefly without going into the details. At that, Sylvia gave an emotional reply, ¡°Bless Mr. Carter for his kind heart. He¡¯s here because he heard of the orphanage¡¯s copse and wanted to offer me the funds required for the reconstruction¡­¡± Tina¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing Sylvia¡¯s words. John truly was an amazing man for doing that. He must be doing it for the sake of his long lost sister. . The aforementioned man said, ¡°I heard about the difficulties the orphanage is currently facing, so I¡¯d like to invest five million dors into the reconstruction of the building. After that, I¡¯ll be hiring a professional staff team to help Madam Woods. After all, it must be tough for her to run the entire orphanage on her own.¡± erosity. Thank you, Mr. but I¡¯ve already solved this Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Tina was touched by John¡¯s ge problem.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± John was surprised to hear the deration. ¡°Yeah. I came here just to tell Madam Woods the good news. The Lynd family has decided to rebuild the orphanage. This time, I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± Since the Lynd family was determined to get on the Langford family¡¯s good graces, they would most certainly pour in a lot of effort into the reconstruction. Sylvia stared at Tina gratefully and reached out to take Tina¡¯s hand. ¡°It must be difficult for you, Tina. Thank you so much. You¡¯ve been working so hard for the orphanage¡¯s sake¡­¡± ¡°Madam, I was raised there. The orphanage is my home, and everyone living there is my family. Of course I need to take all of you into consideration!¡± Tina said seriously. John was stunned to hear Tina¡¯s words. He never expected her to be an orphan. ¡°Miss Lynd, how old were you when you first arrived at the orphanage?¡± he suddenly asked, taking Tina by surprise. ¡°Oh, me? I think I was about eight years old.¡± Since Tina liked John a lot, she would answer all of his questions the best she could. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Eight years old¡­? John made some quick calctions in his head. He immediately deduced that Tina and Coco were about the same age. His heart started pumping wildly. Doe-like eyes stared at Tina intently as he asked, ¡°Miss Lynd, I¡¯d like to know if you have any birthmarks on your body.¡± That question caught Tina off guard. She was stunned for a moment. ¡°Huh?¡± Seeing as she was confused, John hurriedly exined, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand me, Miss Lynd. It¡¯s just that when I first saw you, I had a feeling that you look exactly like my long-lost sister. Her name¡¯s Coco Carter, and she¡¯s your age. Most importantly, she was born with a birthmark¡± A trace of hope lingered in his grim tone. However, Tina shook her head. ¡°Mr. Carter¡­ I don¡¯t have any birthmarks on my body.¡± It was true that she didn¡¯t have any birthmarks at all. However, there were a few scars on her waist that refused to fade away no matter what. ording to the doctor, those scars were remnants of the time she got rescued from her kidnappers. John¡¯s eyes immediately went dull. ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Why was he hoping for something impossible to happen before his eyes? There was no such coincidence in this world. How could his long-lost sister suddenly reappear in front of him? The sight of John¡¯s sad expression made Tina¡¯s heart throb in pain. She murmured softly,¡± I¡¯m sorry for letting you down, Mr. Carter.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be sorry for?¡± John squeezed out a smile at Tina. One could easily tell that the smile was filled with sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m already used to it after so many years.¡± This made Tina¡¯s heart ache for him even more. John had a heart of gold, and thest thing she wanted to see was his sorrowful visage. She didn¡¯t know what took over her. Before she realized it, these words were blurted out of her mouth all of a sudden: ¡°Mr. Carter¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll treat you as my older brother. Let¡¯s look for your sister together.¡± John was stunned upon hearing her request. ¡°What?¡± Tina finally realized what she had just said. She quickly pped a hand over her mouth while looking very embarrassed. Then, she exined awkwardly, ¡°I-I¡¯m not trying to take advantage of you, Mr. Carter! Honest. What I want to say is, I want to help you look for your missing sister. She must be a kind person just like you, Mr. Carter. They always say that kind people are blessed with good fortune. As long as you don¡¯t give up, you¡¯ll definitely have a chance to meet her in the future.¡± John couldn¡¯t help but crack a small, genuine smile. It was very rare to find a young woman as kind-hearted and sincere as Tina. He also had an inkling that they were meant to meet. When Tina referred to him as her older brother earlier, her words tugged on his heartstrings. ¡°Alright,¡± John agreed. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Huh?¡± Tina was stunned to hear the answer. ¡°Are you agreeing to the idea of me looking for your sister with you, Mr. Carter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s always nice to have an extra pair of eyes.¡± John paused for a moment before continuing,¡± Also, if you don¡¯t mind, you can always call me by my name. If Coco were here, she¡¯d have taken a liking to you as well.¡± Tina thought that she was hearing things. That, or she was experiencing auditory hallucinations at the moment. It was just a random idea that she happened to blurt out. She didn¡¯t expect John to agree to that idea. After all, he was John Carter, Samuel¡¯s coboration partner in many projects. To think that he would agree to her nonsensical request¡­ At that moment, John¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Sorry, I have to take this call,¡± he apologized. As he turned on his heel to leave the ward, Tina was still stuck in a trance. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± she wondered aloud. ¡°Silly girl, this is reality.¡± Sylvia¡¯s amused voice drifted into Tina¡¯s ear. A kind smile was stered across the former¡¯s face. John soon reappeared after that. ¡°Tina, it just so happens that I need to attend a banquet next week. Would you like to be my plus one?¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Tina didn¡¯t hesitate to ept the invitation with a nod. ¡°Sure thing!¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll pick you up on that day. Are you going home now? Do you need a ride?¡± John asked. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I didn¡¯te here on my own.¡± Tina waved the offer away. ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t returned your jacket yet¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. On the day of the banquet, I¡¯ll pick you up. You can always return the jacket to me by then,¡± John said kindly. Tina then set a meeting time with John before waving him goodbye. She walked all the way to the hospital¡¯s exit, feeling as if she was still stuck in a trance. Victor asked coldly, ¡°Miss Lynd, is there anywhere else you¡¯d like to go?¡± ¡°Nope. Let¡¯s go home,¡± Tina replied. The moment she returned to the mansion and entered her room, a notification sound red from her phone. It was a text message from John, asking if she had already reached home safely. At that moment, Tina finally realized what exactly happened to her. Good heavens, she must be out of her mind! She actually found herself a brother! Tina had only met John a few times in the past, yet she was daring enough to say such things right in his face. Oddly enough, John agreed to be her older brother instead of being disgusted by her tant rudeness. After reading John¡¯s text message, a strange feeling started spreading from the depths of Tina¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had an actual family member now Not daring to keep John waiting any longer, Tina quickly texted back to reassure him. The next few days went by peacefully and happily for her. It was obvious that the Lynd family had taken her words to heart. They didn¡¯t hesitate to dump a huge sum of money into the reconstruction efforts as they wanted to finish rebuilding the orphanage in a week. As a result, the orphans living there had a significant upgrade in their meal quality. When Tina went to visit Madam Langford, thetter was quick to discover her happy smile. ¡°What is it, Tina? Did something good happen to you? Why do you look so happy?¡± the elderly woman couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s a secret!¡± Tina teased. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Madam Langford became grumpy the moment she heard Tina¡¯s answer. She was about to throw a tantrum on the spot. ¡°What secret is it? Why can¡¯t I know?¡± Tina quickly did her best to appease the elderly woman. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandma. I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ll have to wait for some time before I can let you in on the secret.¡± She mustn¡¯t let anyone else know about her newly-formed rtionship with John. Tina still felt like she was living in a dream. The moment she was to tell anyone about that secret, she might wake up and realize it wasn¡¯t true. There was also a chance that John might regret his decision and everything would return to square one. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Madam Langford was satisfied with that answer. She then whispered, ¡°I have a surprise for you as well, but I won¡¯t tell you anything about it. You¡¯ll find out when the timees.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll be looking forward to it!¡± Tina nodded obediently. ¡°What would you like to have for dinner, Grandma? I¡¯ll start preparing right now.¡± ¡°I love eating whatever you prepare,¡± Madam Langford replied with a smile as she watched Tina leave her bedside. She was immensely pleased by thetter¡¯s mannerisms. In her heart, she had already viewed Tina as the future Mrs. Langford. Madam Langford dialed a phone number right away before saying, ¡°Hello, Samuel. I¡¯ve changed my mind. Not only will I be attending the banquet, but I also want to give Tina a surprise. You have to work with me on this, alright?¡± Time passed quickly. Soon, it was the day of the banquet. One evening, Tina received a call from John. ¡°Tina, are you ready? I¡¯ve just reached your house.¡± Tina didn¡¯t expect that John would show up as promised. She replied happily, ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs now.¡± Very soon, she spotted a car parked outside the mansion. Once she got into the car, she returned the jacket, which she had folded neatly, to John. There was a small box sitting atop of the jacket as well. ¡°Mr. Carter, I¡¯ve also made you some handmade desserts. You can taste them if you don¡¯t mind,¡± she told him. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 John lifted a curious eyebrow in response. ¡°Did you just call me Mr. Carter? Shouldn¡®t you be calling me something else?¡± Tina blushed in embarrassment and hurriedly amended her words. ¡°Right. John.¡± Happiness was evident in John¡®s eyes upon hearing Tina calling his name. He might have only met her a few times in the past, but destiny tended to work wonders. He even had a feeling that Tina was the younger sister whom he had taken care of since they were young. ¡°Let¡®s go,¡± he said. ¡°I¡®ll take you somewhere you change into new clothes.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Tina finally realized that she didn¡®t know where they were going. ¡°Um... Where are we going, by the way?¡± she asked ¡°We¡®re attending the banquet hosted by the Langfords,¡± John replied. Tina was shocked to hear the answer. She had just given her spot to Pearl, but she never expected that she had the chance to attend the banquet again. Then again, John was Samuel¡®s coboration partner. It wasmon courtesy to invite him to the banquet thetter hosted, after all. Meanwhile, the aforementioned man happened to be studying Tina¡®s expression. A misunderstanding was already brewing in his mind when he saw the shock on her face. Thest time they met, he had saved her in thepany. After Samuel whisked Tina away by force, John was worried about her. As such, he had his men poke around for information about them. Only then did he discover the duo¡®splicated rtionship As far as he knew, Samuel would be bringing Cindy as his plus one in the banquet. It was obvious that Samuel treated Tina like dirt. While gazing at Tina¡®splicated expression, John said in a soft yet serious tone, ¡°I¡®m here, Tina. I won¡®t let anyone push you around.¡°. Tina knew right away that John was misunderstanding her. ¡°Actually, my rtionship with Mr. Langford is...¡± ¡°It¡®s alright. You don¡®t have to tell me everything. I won¡®t meddle with you and Mr. Langford¡®s affairs,¡± John interrupted. ¡°After all, when you started your rtionship with him, we were still strangers. However, you¡®re now my younger sister. I will always stand with you on the same side. Just remember that.¡± John¡®s tone showed his protective nature. His words touched Tina greatly. She originally thought that he would be disgusted by her because of what happened between her and Samuel. At that moment, the driver spoke up. ¡°Mr. Carter, we¡®ve arrived at our destination.¡± that lol load taken dier to the saine designer studio that she Tina locked around and not hai been to previously This time, he was the one who took hier into the studio to browse for gowns ¡°This gown suits you,¡± Iohin suddenly sald The gown that he had his eye on happened to be the million dor gown that lina had worn thest time she was here, Tina rejected John¡®s suggestion immediately. ¡°N¨CNo, it doesn¡®t...¡± ¡°This is the one.¡± Her older brother¡®s tone was gente yet domineering at the same time.¡± You¡®re my younger sister, so this gown will be your weing present into the family Besides, you¡®re my plus one for tonight¡®s banquet. I can¡®t let you wear a simple gown to that banquet. I have a reputation to maintain, after all.¡± Tina had no choice but to slip into that gown for John¡®s sake, When she exited the fitting room, surprise and awe shed in John¡®s eyes. He praised happily, ¡°Just as I expected, this gown suits you perfectly.¡± After Tina was done with dressing up and applying makeup on her face, she and john left the designer studio, Soon, they arrived at the live¨Cstar hotel that served as the venue of the Langfords¡® banquet. Perhaps it was due to the fact that John was her partner, but the moment l¡®ina got out of the car, she attracted everyone¡®s attention immediately, Feeling quite awkward, she lowered her head and walked behind John. Before she could take a few steps forward, a piercing shriek rang from behind her. ¡°Tina?! What are you doing here?!¡±. Pearl couldn¡®t believe her eyes. To think that the gorgeous woman in front of her was actually Tina...! Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Pearl was d in a ck gown. She red at Tina, envy burning in her eyes. ¡°I knew it, Tina! I was wondering why you¡®d let me attend the banquet and give me your gown out of kindness! Turns out, you¡®ve been nning for this exact moment!¡± Tina looked so radiant in her expensive gown. She hadpletely outshone Pearl in terms of appearance and aura, much to Pearl¡®s dismay. The enraged woman was eager to tear ¡®Tina¡®s mask of deceit off her face. She raised her hand, ready to deliver a heavy p. ¡°I swear, I¡®ll...!¡± But Pearl¡®s p never connected with Tina¡®s cheek. The next thing everyone knew, John had blocked the p for Tina. His unexpected interference shook Pearl to her core. She didn¡®t expect that someone would jump out in Tina¡®s defense. Plus, the man seemed to have an extraordinary identity she couldn¡®t afford to mess with. ¡°Who are you?¡± Pearl demanded, seething. John ignored her question. Instead, he said with a frown, ¡°I¡®ll call security.¡± His words made Pearl go into a wild frenzy. ¡°What are you doing? I¡®m her younger sister! Don¡®t interfere with our family affairs!¡± she screeched. ¡°Your family affairs?¡± John questioned. ¡°Yeah. I¡®d like to talk to her for a moment,¡± Tina replied, looking awkward. John just frowned, but he didn¡®t press on any further. ¡°Alright, then. I¡®ll wait for you in the lobby.¡± After he left, Tina dragged Pearl all the way to a secluded corner of the hotel. Thetter spoke up immediately once they were out of John¡®s vicinity. ¡°Who the hell¡®s that guy? I never would¡®ve thought that you¡®d be seducing men left and right like a b*tch!¡±. Tina¡®s impatience grew with every word. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°That should be my question!¡± Pearl growled out in a domineering tone. ¡°I should be the one attending this banquet, and yet you¡®re here in your luxurious gown! Are you trying to humiliate me? If you leave now, I¡®ll pretend that none of this happened tonight. Otherwise, you¡®ll have hell to pay!¡± Now that Tina was John¡®s plus one, there was no way she could leave whenever she wanted. However, Pearl insisted on bothering her. If thetter couldn¡®t achieve her goals, she would most likely cause trouble for the orphanage in the future. ¡°I didn¡®t know I¡®d be attending this banquet as well, but don¡®t worry. Mr. Langford isn¡®t here yet. I¡®ll definitely leave before he does,¡± Tina promised. As soon as she finished speaking, she spun on her heel, about to leave. Pearl watched Tina¡®s retreating back, rage bubbling from the pit of her stomach. To her, ¡®T¡®ina was just a lowly b*tch that the Lynd family had adopted a long time ago. Who did Tina think she was, acting so high and mighty around Pearl? To add injury to the insult, Tina¡®s luxurious and beautiful gown made Pearl¡¯s outfit look like aplete knockoff. What if Samuel ended up being attracted to Tina? There was no way Pearl would allow that vile woman to attend the banquet! The women happened to be in a secluded corner of the hotel¡®s grounds. There was no one around during the confrontation earlier, too. Coincidentally, there was arge pool located quite close to where they were. Struck by malign inspiration, Pearl approached Tina and shoved her into the pool. ¡°I think it¡¯s best for you to go for a swim right now, Tina!¡± she screamed. Ssh! Tina, for her part, didn¡®t expect that Pearl would choose that moment to strike. She fell into the deep end of the pool, where her beautiful gown quickly became her greatest burden. Its waterlogged weight started dragging her to the depths of the pool. Since Tina didn¡®t know how to swim, all she could do was il helplessly underwater. s, it did nothing to help her situation. Her vision started to be blurry. As she watched a smug¨Clooking Pearl run into the distance, she felt despair consume her. Was she really going to die here? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Tina!¡± John had been waiting for Tina in the lobby, but she had yet to return after a long time. His gut told him that Pearl harbored vile intentions, so he wanted to go look for his younger sister. Unexpectedly, the first thing he saw was Pearl sneaking away from somewhere. He also noticed Tina struggling to get out of the pool after falling in. John dived into the pool immediately without caring about his expensive tux. He quickly rescued Tina in one fluid motion. She was already half¨Cconscious when he pulled her out of the pool. John gritted his teeth before leaning down to perform CPR on her. Finally... Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°Cough! Cough! Cough!¡± Tina had already regained her consciousness by then. She was in the midst of coughing heavily. Still dazed, she asked hoarsely, ¡°Did I get rescued?¡± ¡°Thank god you¡®re alright!¡± John didn¡®t hesitate to scoop Tina into a tight hug, delighted. He was clearly frustrated at himself as he dered in determination, ¡°I won¡®t let anything happen to you ever again!¡± He felt as if his heart was grasped by an invisible fist tightly throughout the rescue earlier. Back then, Coco disappeared because of his negligence. Because of that, they were separated forever. John spent thest ten years tracking her down, but to no avail. Fate had brought John and Tina together as siblings, but she almost lost her life because of his negligence once more. However, the duo didn¡®t realize a white sh appearing from a dark corner of the hotel grounds. A camera had captured the scene of them hugging each other tightly. Thanks to the pool incident, Tina¡®s gown waspletely ruined. There was no way she could attend the banquet now. ¡°I¡®ll take you to the hospital for a check¨Cup,¡± John said. Then, he tried to scoop Tina into his arms. Meanwhile¡­ ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford, you¡®re here!¡± ¡°Good evening, Mr. Langford, Miss Young!¡± The couple that had just appeared on the red carpet outside the hotel immediately attracted everyone¡®s attention. They crowded around the couple and greeted them heartily, doing their utmost best to please the two. Cindy had an arm hooked around Samuel¡®s. d in a luxurious gown, she acted as if she was Mrs. Langford while greeting the crowd. Just then, Samuel noticed John¡®s silhouette dashing into the distance. Not only that, but there was also a shivering woman cradled in his arms. Samuel frowned immediately. What on earth was going on? ¡°Samuel, why aren¡®t we walking anymore? The banquet is about to begin.¡± Cindy¡®s voice was extremely soft anddy¨Clike. She reminded him gently, ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting for us inside the hotel.¡± The moment Samuel heard her reminder, he pushed all thoughts out of his mind. He was the banquet¡®s host, so he shouldn¡®t be sidetracked by other things. Then again, John was still his coboration partner. It was better for Samuel to keep an eye on things concerning John. He instructed Sandy, ¡°Go and investigate what happened.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Langford,¡± Sandy replied before hurrying away to carry out his task The moment Samuel and Cindy stepped into the lobby, everyone started showering them with praises of how they were a match made in heaven. When Pearl witnessed that scene, jealousy and envy took over her senses. She muttered hatefully under her breath, ¡°A match made in heaven? I don¡¯t think so! Cindy stayed by Mr. Langford¡®s side for over a decade, yet she¡®s still not his wife. He probably doesn¡®t like her at all.¡± Thus, Pearl assumed she still had a chance in capturing Samuel¡®s heart. What if she were to be Mrs. Langford tonight? While she was still immersed in her little fantasy, someone in a waiter¡®s outfit approached her from behind. He asked politely, ¡°Excuse me. Are you Miss Lynd?¡± ¡°That¡®s me,¡± Pearl replied. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Now that I¡®ve found you, Miss Lynd, please follow me,¡± the waiter replied. ¡°Why should I follow you? Who do you think you are?¡± Pearl demanded haughtily. ¡°Mr. Langford was the one who summoned you. Pleasee with me. You¡®ll know the reason once you meet him.¡± ¡°What?! Mr. Langford?!¡± Pearl looked ted. ¡°Is that true? Is Mr. Langford attracted to me? Is that why he wants to meet me?¡± Could her unique temperament have attracted Samuel¡®s attention? The waiter sounded quite mysterious. ¡°Please follow me backstage.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Pearl left with the waiter giddily, all smiles.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Pearl was soon brought backstage. The waiter then told her, ¡°In just a few moments, you¡®ll be able to meet Mr. Langford.¡± Pearl was nervous and excited at the same time, feeling that she had made the right decision by attending the banquet. She knew Samuel would definitely be attracted to her. ¡®Oh, Tina! I¡®m finally more superior than you!¡® she thought smugly. At that time, the banquet was bustling with conversations andughter. Samuel¡®s every move attracted everyone¡®s attention. It was as if he was a natural king; his aura was so domineering that people couldn¡®t help but want to submit to him. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Cindy happened to be staring at him with a lovesick expression. She vowed to capture his heart once and for all. She was the only woman worthy enough to stand next to Samuel. Only she would be the king¡®s beloved queen. More noises erupted from the outside at that moment. ¡°Madam Langford is here!¡± Cindy wasn¡®t the only one surprised by the announcement. The majority of Freesia¡®s elites appeared quite astonished as well. Wasn¡¯t the elderly woman supposed to be hospitalized due to her poor health? Why would she be here? However, the fact that Madam Langford had made her appearance still stood. Cindy quickly approached the elderly woman to help her into the lobby. ¡°Grandma Langford, why did youe here?¡± she asked. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Madam Langford asked in response, a deep frown already set on her features the moment she saw Cindy. Then, she cast a look in Samuel¡®s direction. ¡°Where¡®s Tina?¡± ¡°I thought you wanted to give her a surprise,¡± Samuel replied lightly. ¡°I asked her to wait for me backstage.¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Madam Langford had a wide smile on her face. When Cindy overheard their conversation circling around Tina, she couldn¡®t help but ask,¡° Samuel, what are you and Grandma talking about? What surprise do you have in store for Miss Lynd? Why didn¡®t I know anything about this?¡± But Madam Langford just harrumphed and snapped, ¡°You¡®ll find outter.¡± Suddenly, Cindy had an ominous feeling pooling at the pit of her stomach. She watched in trepidation as Madam Langford walked up the stage. ¡°The reason I came here is because I have an important announcement to make,¡± the elderly woman began seriously. ¡°Everyone here knows that all three generations of the Langlord family have only produced an heir each. All these years, Samuel never brought home a partner, which worries me greatly. Thus, I felt I should take the initiative to break some good news to all of you on this fortuitous day. The Langford family is finally weing the future Mrs. Langford. Tonight will be her first time making a public appearance.¡± Just as Madam Langford finished speaking that sentence, Cindy¡®s face paled immediately. ¡®No! This is impossible! Why did Grandma decide to do this?!¡® she thought in rm. A quick nce in Samuel¡®s direction told Cindy that he wasn¡®t opposed to the idea of marriage at all. That meant he had already known about the decision right from the start. So, this was the surprise meant for Tina? Cindy wasn¡®t the only shocked one. Numerous pairs of eyes turned to look at her, various degrees of surprise shing in their orbs. They initially thought that she would be the future Mrs. Langford. Based on the words ¡°first public appearance¡°, this meant that the real fianc¨¦e was someone else. Cindy was the only woman who stayed by Samuel¡®s side over the past decade. Naturally, everyone had assumed that she would be the future Mrs. Langford. None of them could have expected the shocking announcement that blew them out of the water. At that moment, Cindy felt her hatred for Madam Langford grow. Why was that d*mned old witch siding with Tina all the time, to the point that she would humiliate Cindy in front of everyone? ¡°Now, I¡®ll introduce my future granddaughter¨Cinw to everyone. Samuel, hurry and invite her up the stage,¡± Madam Langford continued with a smile. Samuel approached the backstage, ready to fetch Tina. Everyone gazed at the backstage curiously. They wanted to see for themselves just how special Samuel¡®s fianc¨¦e was. After all, she was the one who obtained Madam Langford¡®s blessings to marry into the family. At the same time, murderous intent shed in Cindy¡®s eyes. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to kill Tina with her own hands. Only by tearing Tina¡®s skin from her bones would Cindy be able to soothe the tumbling rage in her heart. On the other hand, Pearl had been waiting impatiently backstage. The moment she saw the door being opened, she sprang to her feet. The first thing she saw was Samuel approaching her slowly, which excited her even more. ¡°Mr. Langford, you¡®re here!¡± she called out in glee. ¡®Oh my god! He¡®s really Samuel Langford in the flesh! He actually showed up in front of me!¡¯ Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Pearl approached Samuel, eager and ecstatic. She couldn¡®t wait to embrace him. But it was different from Samuel. The moment heid his eyes on the unfamiliar woman in front of him, Samuel¡®s expression darkened immediately. ¡°Who are you?!¡± he demanded. Pain red from Pearl¡®s neck. The next thing she knew, Samuel had gripped her by her throat and was strangling her. The sudden attack scared her out of her wits. ¡°M¨CMr. Langford, please don¡®t hurt me! It¡®s me! I¨CI¡®m Pearl Lynd!¡± she choked out in desperation Samuel had already known all about Tina¡®s background. Thus, he quickly recognized Pearl as Tina¡¯s younger sister. ¡°Why are you here?¡± His chilly gaze looked like it could easily swallow Pearl whole. Pearl was so frightened that she kept shivering uncontrobly. All she could think about at that moment was to me someone else for what happened. She screamed, ¡°Please don¡®t kill me, Mr. Langford! Tina was the one who told me toe here! I didn¡®t mean to seduce you! This is all her idea!¡± Before she could finish her words, Samuel tossed her to the side. His expression at that moment was incredibly frightening. He didn¡®t expect Tina to be this bold. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. It wasn¡®t enough that she was plotting on her own, but to think that she would arrange a meeting between him and someone from the Lynd family... ¡°Get the hell out of here!¡± Samuel roared, livid. ¡°Y¨C Yes, Mr. Langford!¡± Pearl scrambled up to her feet as quickly as she could before stumbling out of backstage. Everyone was stunned when she appeared from backstage. They didn¡®t expect to see a ragged ¨C looking woman running out. Madam Langford was shocked as well. She knew right away that something went wrong. Samuel had never returned from backstage for so long. Not to mention, a crazed woman had just run out of the same spot. The sudden change of events caused an uproar to tear through the lobby. Everyone was whispering among themselves, unsure of what was going on. Meanwhile, Madam Langford couldn¡®t wait any longer. She was here to give Tina a surprise by announcing her engagement to Samuel, so that Tina¡®s identity as the future Mrs. Langford could be confirmed. ¡°What¡®s going on I need to personally check it out,¡± she said in a hurry, making her way backstage Cindy also realized that something had gone terribly wrong. She could recognize at first nce that the haggard woman who ran out of the backstage earlier was Tina¡®s younger sister, Pearl Judging from the situation, that meant Tina must be in trouble. ¡®Hooray! God has been watching over me!¡® she cheered inwardly, overjoyed. Eager, she offered, ¡°Grandma Langford, let me give you a hand. We can go there together.¡± When Madam Langford arrived backstage, she saw Samuel standing there all alone. ¡°What happened, Samuel? Where did Tina go?¡± she demanded, anxious. The moment Samuel noticed how worried his grandmother was about Tina, his desire to kill that wretched woman grew tenfold. Madam Langford cared about Tina so much to the point that she wanted to give her a nice surprise. Yet, what did Tina do to repay her efforts? That wretched woman treated the banquet like an idiotic game. She even hatched a n and tried to push her sister into the Langford family as well. ¡°Tina Lynd isn¡®t deserving of the position as Mrs. Langford,¡± he remarked coldly. Madam Langford¡®s ire grew upon hearing thatment. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, Samuel? Hurry and call her out...¡± ¡°She won¡®t being, Grandma!¡± Samuel interjected coldly, his voice harsh. ¡°I can¡®t sit by and watch that woman make a fool out of you! I¡®ll chase her out of the Langford family right away!¡± Madam Langford¡®s health had been poor from the start. At that moment, Samuel¡®s attitude angered her to no end. ¡°Samuel, you... you unfilial little...! How dare you speak ill of Tina that way?! You...!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she clutched her chest and copsed to the floor. Chapteri Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Madam Langford was so furious, her chest ached and her breathing halted temporarily. Her sudden copse plunged the entire lobby into pure chaos. The ambnce arrived at the hotel soon enough. A group of paramedics quickly carted Madam Langford into the vehicle before rushing her toward the hospital. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Cindy sat next to Samuel outside the emergency room, pretending to look weak and helpless. ¡°Samuel, will Grandma Langford be alright?¡± she asked worriedly. The sight of Samuel¡®s tense expression encouraged her to go on. She pretended to be curious as she asked, ¡°What¡®s going on, Samuel? Is the reason Grandma Langford showed up at the banquet to announce Miss Lynd as the future Mrs. Langford? Why did she go missing, then? Is there some sort of misunderstanding going on...?¡°. ¡°There aren¡®t any misunderstandings,¡± Samuel answered coldly. Either he was being too kind to Tina, or she was an incredible actress. He hadpletely forgotten that her true nature consisted of pure greed and deceptive calctions. Samuel initially thought that Tina¡®s presence could make his grandmother happy. Yet, a tragedy had almost urred because of that decision. ¡°If anything were to happen to Grandma, I¡®ll make sure I send that woman to hell as well,¡± he gritted out furiously. Each word was coated with a thickyer of murderous intent. Cindy¡®s tone remained gentle and soft as ever. ¡°Samuel, don¡®t worry. Good people will always be blessed with fortune. I believe Grandma Langford will be alright. Besides, you still have me, don¡®t you? I¡®ll be here for you no matter what,¡± she said sweetly. ¡°You¡®re the only one who won¡®t lie to me,¡± Samuel said with an emotional sigh. His gazended on Cindy¡®s ne before he continued, ¡°It¡®s a good thing I found you back then.¡± Cindy¡®s heart skipped a beat at that moment. She clutched her ne, guilt suddenly gnawing at her conscience. She didn¡®t dare to meet Samuel¡®s eyes because of that. To be honest, she had obtained that ne by chance a long time ago. In the past, Cindy was the Young family¡®s b*stard child. As a result of her status, she was never loved and cared for. At least, wntil that fateful day, when she found out that Samuel was looking for the little girl who had saved his life. He didn¡®t remember what she looked like, but he remembered the essory that she was wearing. It was a ne that Cindy had found by pure coincidence. That was the reason why she decided to take the risk. She took the ne with her and pretended to be the little girl who had saved Samuel. Since then, her life went through a drastic change. Everyone referred to her as the esteemed Miss Young from the Young family. Plus, Madam Langford had once viewed her as the future Mrs. Langford. Cindy was the only one who knew the truth. No one, not even Sarnuel, suspected her the slightest As long as she kept a tight lid on the secret, Samuel would always adore and care for her the most. No one else could surpass her position in his heart. If that secret got leaked, Cindy would definitely suffer a fate worse than death in Samuel¡®s hands. He hated liars the most, after all. ¡°What¡®s wrong?¡± Samuel apparently sensed Cindy¡®s difort. Thetter¡®splexion was slightly pale. She replied softly, ¡°I¡®m fine, Samuel. I was just feeling a little dizzy.¡± Samuel was aware of Cindy¡®s poor health, so he issued an order to Sandy right away. ¡°Sandy, take her to a lounge and have her rest there.¡± ¡°B¨CBut I want to stay with you until Grandma Langford wakes up...¡± Cindy tried to protest weakly. ¡°Don¡®t make me repeat myself.¡± Samuel¡®s tone was cold andmanding. Naturally, Cindy didn¡®t dare to protest any longer. She had no choice but to follow Sandy obediently. A calctive glint appeared in her eyes. She couldn¡®t afford to wait a second longer. She must be the future Mrs. Langford as soon as possible. She needed to be the only woman that Samuel loved, and no one else. After Sandy returned from his trip, he noticed Samuel rubbing his forehead tiredly. ¡°Mr. Langford, you¡®ve spent days organizing the banquet,¡± he advised. ¡°You should go and rest as well.¡± ¡°Where¡®s Tina?¡± Samuel asked immediately, paying no heed to Sandy¡®s advice. ¡°I have yet to locate her for now,¡± Sandy replied. ¡°Hmph! She must have fled by now, hasn¡®t she?¡± Samuel growled, before laughing coldly.¡° Detain the entire Lynd family and interrogate them. Use any means necessary to extract information out of them. I refuse to believe that she won¡¯t show up after this!¡± He paused for a while before continuing, ¡°Also, tell John that I¡®ll be busy for the time being, so I won¡®t have time to meet up with him.¡± Madam Langford¡®s safety was his utmost priority at the moment. As for everything else, they could burn for all Samuel cared. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Tina ended the call immediately after, and then blocked all the Lynds¡® phone numbers. This was payback for her near¨Cdeath experience in Mr Wace¡®s hands. She had waited for so long and made so many preparations for this day toe. Finally, her wish was granted. If it wasn¡®t for the fact that she was still lying on the hospital bed, Tina would¡®ve rushed out to buy fireworks and set them off to celebrate the asion. ¡°Yes!¡± Tina cheered excitedly while clenching her fists. Samuel must be incredibly furious right now. Not only did he capture the Lynd family, but he was also trying to cause her trouble. Tina was no fool. Why would she appear at all? The contract signed between them would be nullified as well. Now, all she had to do was hide until Samuel¡®s fury had subsided. Then, she would be a free woman once more. The more she thought about it, the more excited Tina became. At least, until she heard the voices coming from outside the ward. ¡°Mr. Carter.¡± Tina froze. That voice belonged to none other than Samuel¡®s personal assistant, Sandy. She covered her mouth immediately, having almost forgotten that John had coborative projects with Samuel the entire time. Had Samuel discovered her hiding in this ward, and so sent someone to capture her? Anxiety gripped her heart, causing it to beat wildly. Tina opened the ward¡®s door by a small creak and peeked out for a look. ¡°Why are you in the hospital as well, Mr. Carter? Are you also feeling unwell?¡± Sandy asked in concern. ¡°My health has always been poor,¡± John replied with a small smile. Sandy didn¡®t suspect that reason at all. He continued , ¡°Regarding the coborative projects with Mr. Langford, I¡®m afraid the schedules might be dyed for an unforeseeable period of time. Mr. Langford has family matters to deal with at the moment.¡± ¡°Family matters?¡± John lifted a curious eyebrow. ¡°I thought Samuel has always been particr about separating his private life from his work life. Why is he dealing with family matters all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I think you¡®ve heard of what happened at the banquet, Mr. Carter,¡± Sandy hinted. ¡°I left quite early. What happened at the banquet, by the way?¡± John asked with a frown. Sandy exined, ¡°Madam Langford had copsed there. She¡®s still in the emergency room for now, so...¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± john responded with a nod. He knew perfectly well that Madam Langford was the only that Samuel truly cared about. With how the medical staff were doing their utmost best to save her life in the emergency room, it was no wonder he couldn¡®t leave the vicinity for now. While the men chatted among themselves, Tina¡®s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach pit. She felt as if she had fallen into an abyss. Tina couldn¡¯t believe what she had just overheard. To think that Madam Langford¡®s life was in danger, and she was in the emergency room because of it... Messy thoughts crammed her mind. She had no idea what was going on. Before Tina left Madam Langford¡¯s ward the night before, the elderly woman was still doing fine. She even said something about giving Tina a surprise. Tina¡¯s thoughts came to aplete halt after that. She remained rooted on the spot,pletely stunned. Madam Langford had copsed at the banquet, whereas she had failed to show up there. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Was that the reason Samuel was so furious and had sent his men to look for her? With that guess in mind, Tina would not sit still and do nothing. She stood up immediately and flung the door open with surprising strength. ¡°Sandy, tell me the truth!¡± she said loudly. ¡°What happened to Grandma?!¡± Sandy was still chatting with John when Tina suddenly spoke up. It scared the wits out of him. He stared at the woman before him, disbelief evident on his face. ¡°Miss Lynd, you were here all along?!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡®s me. I thought you guys were looking for me! I¡®m here now!¡± Tina replied anxiously.¡± loverheard you saying that Grandma¡®s in danger! What exactly happened?¡± When Madam Langford was mentioned, the sight of Tina¡®s concerned and anxious visage only disgusted Sandy even more. If it wasn¡®t for her, the elderly woman wouldn¡®t have to be sent to the emergency room in a critical condition. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Everything was all Tina¡®s fault! ¡°Madam Langford originally wanted to surprise you at the banquet. Thanks to you, Miss Lynd, you¡¯ve disappointed her greatly.¡± Sandy¡¯s tone was filled with disdain. What he said was akin to a hammer striking Tina in the head, leaving nothing but buzzes and echoes in her mind. Oh god... What have I done?¡± she thought helplessly. Originally, she thought her n could trick Pearl into invoking Samuel¡¯s wrath. She didn¡¯t expect that Madam Langford would attend the banquet as well. The elderly woman¡®s constitution had always been weak. She couldn¡®t afford to suffer from emotional trauma. ¡°Where¡¯s Grandma right now?¡± Tina asked anxiously. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°She¡¯s in the emergency room located on the top floor,¡± Sandy responded with a cold huff.¡° Don¡¯t worry, Miss Lynd. If anything were to happen to Madam Langford, Mr. Langford has made it clear that you¡®ll be buried next to her. You won¡®t be able to escape from him at all...¡± Tina tuned out the rest of Sandy¡®s words. She tried to run out of the ward as quickly as she could. Since Madam Langford was in the emergency room on the top floor, she needed to hurry there as soon as possible. However, Tina¡¯s constitution was extremely weak as well. She could barely take a few steps before cold sweat rolled down her face. Her breathing grew haggard, and she began panting heavily. At one point, she almost stumbled and fell. Seeing as the elevator doors were about to close in front of her, she hurriedly squeezed into the crowded metallic box. A chorus ofints erupted from the dissatisfied crowd immediately. ¡°What the hell? Are you trying to board the train to hell or something?¡± ¡°We¡®re already full here. Stop trying to squeeze into the elevator! Can you please wait for the next ride?¡± Tina kept apologizing profusely. ¡°I¡®m so sorry. I¡®m really sorry, but a person important to me is in the emergency room right now. I¡®m very worried about her...¡± She looked very rmed and pitiful. Those emotions were magnified by her sickly pale face. Someone couldn¡®t bear to watch her struggle like that, so they said, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡®ll wait for the next ride.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much!¡± It took the elevator a few minutes to rise all the way to the top floor. The moment Tina rushed out of the elevator, Madam Langford could be seen being pushed out of the emergency room. She was in the process of being transferred to a ward via another elevator ¡°Grandma!¡± Tina shrieked worriedly, attempting to pounce onto Madam Langford¡®s hospital bed. Samuel located Tina¡®s feeble form instantly. He moved forward and grabbed her roughly by her arm, seething ¡°Tina?! How dare you still appear in front of me?¡± he roared, fury evident in his tone. Despite the pain ring from her arm that was trapped in Samuel¡®s vice¨Clike grip, Tina continued, ¡°I didn¡®t expect that something like this would happen to Grandma! Is she alright? At least let me look at her!¡± The sight of Tina d in a hospital gown while looking extremely weak made Samuel frown, He barked disdainfully at her, ¡°Things have already progressed to this point, yet you¡®re still pretending till the end! Fine. Let me tell you this. You¡®re lucky that Grandma¡®s doing fine. If not, I would¡®ve killed you on the spot and buried you right next to her! Get out of my sight! I don¡¯t want to see you ever again!¡± He flung Tina to the side after that, not an ounce of gentleness in his actions. Since poor Tina was extremely weak to begin with, she fell to the floor in a haphazard manner. ¡°So, Grandma¡®s okay after all? That¡®s great...¡± Tina breathed out, exhausted. ¡°Mr. Langford, 1 know this is entirely my fault, but I can¡®t leave now. Please let me take care of Grandma...¡± ¡°Are you still putting up that act?¡± Samuel replied mockingly. He was repulsed. ¡°I don¡®t recall you being this faithful when the Lynds had called you for help just now!¡± A while ago, Samuel had listened to the entire phone conversation. He knew Tina¡®s response to the Lynds¡® calls for help was extremely cruel and cold. The sight of her pretending to care about Grandma Langford made his skin crawl in disgust. ¡°...¡± Tina was stunned by Samuel¡®s response. She had stayed with the Lynd family for a decade. Every day, she worked hard for them and served as their personal ve. Despite that, the Lynds were more than eager to push her into the abyss. Thus, Tina would never feel remorse from watching them suffer. However, Grandma Langford was apletely different story. She loved and cared for Tina a lot, so it was natural for Tina to want to repay her kindness. ¡°Mr. Langford,¡± Tina began. ¡°Please listen to my exnation Chapter 69 Chapter 69 However, Samuel had lost all of his patience for Tina He turned to his men andmanded, Drag her out of here. Don¡¯t ever let her appear in front of me!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Langford.¡± The bodyguards appeared instantly and dragged her away ruthlessly despite her struggles Despair filled ¡®Tina¡®s eyes at that moment, she looked incredibly thin and feeble in the hospital gown, Unfortunately for her, Samuel didn¡®t feel even an ounce of pily for her. He had finally seen her true colors, so she was undeserving of anyone¡®s trust, Just like that, ¡®Tina found herself tossed out of the hospital. A lot of people happened to be bustling in and out of the hospital at that time. They all gazed at her curiously, wondering, what on earth happened. Tina knew that she looked very ragged right now, but she could care less about the public¡®s opinion of her. She turned to beg the bodyguards immediately. ¡°Please let me in! I promise I won¡®t do anything to hurt Grandma! I¡®ll be satisfied as long as I can take care of her! At least let me take a look at her!¡± Despite her pitiful pleas, the bodyguards remained unmoved. Afterpleting their task, they left the lobby immediately without sparing her a single nce. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Poor Tina could only curl into a ball and cry tears of anguish while huddling in a corner, looking just like a cat that got abandoned by its owner. She appeared incredibly pitiful and weak A short whileter, John could be seen hurrying toward Tina after receiving the news. He ced a jacket on top of her quivering form before letting out a heavy sigh. ¡°Please don¡®t cry, Tina. You haven¡®t fully recovered yet. Why don¡®t you go back with me?¡± The moment Tina saw John, she looked like she had seen her knight in shining armor. ¡°John, can you help me? I didn¡®t know that Grandma would be in danger because of me. Can you please ask Samuel for permission to visit her on my behalf?¡± she asked pitifully. ¡°Tina¡­¡± John felt quite helpless. When Samuel made up his mind, nothing could change his decision. ¡°He¡®ll take care of Madam Langford. Don¡®t worry about her,¡± John finally said. ¡°I¡®m still worried! How can I not worry about Grandma?¡± The look on Tina¡®s face was extremely pitiful. ¡°I want to at least take a look at her...¡± John could only sigh. ¡°Oh, Tina...¡± The sight of his defeated expression made Tina realize how outrageous she was being. She quickly wiped her tears away. ¡°I¡®m sorry for being useless, and for making you worry about me. Let¡®s go,¡± she finally relented. She knew John was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. After all, he and Samuel were partners. How could he afford to offend thetter at a time like this, just for her sake? She refused to be selfish. Tina stood up slowly and was about to leave the hospital exit. John¡®s heart skipped a beat when he saw her prideful and stubborn back facing him. He couldn¡®t help but say, ¡°Alright. You said you¡¯ll just take a look at her, right? That¡®s the most I can do for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tina turned around to stare at John, hope sparkling in her eyes. John didn¡®t want her to keep being sad. And so, he said, ¡°Yes. Follow me.¡± At that time, Samuel had returned to the elevator. Cindy stood next to him. She happened to witness the scene earlier, which satisfied her greatly. Now that the troublesome woman was dealt with, Samuel finally belonged to her and her alone. After Madam Langford was wheeled into her ward, her doctor¨Cin¨Ccharge came out and said, ¡° Mr. Langford. Madam Langford¡®s condition is no longer critical, but she still needs some time before she can wake up. We¡®ll put her under full¨Ctime surveince. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Langford. We¡®ll have someone watch over her all the time. You look quite sickly, so perhaps you should go get some rest.¡± ¡°No need. I¡®m still worried about her,¡± Samuel said coldly. However, it was true that he was in a terrible condition. Not only did he ve over the banquet for a week, but he also didn¡®t sleep for the past twenty¨Cfour hours. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Cindy offered after sneaking a peek at Samuel¡¯s expression. ¡°Samuel, I promised that I¡¯ll take good care of Grandma Langford. You should hurry up and get some rest. What if you copsed before she woke up, Samuel? What should we do by then?¡± Cindy¡¯s soft voice, coupled with the throbbing headache that had been drumming against Samuel¡¯s skull, made him agree to the suggestion. ¡°I¡¯ll rest in the lounge next door,¡± he relented. You have to inform me if anything happens.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Cindy promised. She then walked Samuel into the lounge. Sandy said gratefully, ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re here, Miss Young. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t know what to do with Mr. Langford!¡± To him, Cindy was the perfect candidate to be the future Mrs. Langford. It was a good thing that Samuel had rid that Tina wench. ¡°It was nothing,¡± Cindy replied softly. ¡°By the way, regarding the matter concerning Miss Lynd¡­ Is it really not a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Miss Young, you¡¯re too kind-hearted for your own good. Once Mr. Langford has decided on something, he¡¯ll never go back on his word. It¡¯s fine if you talked about it in front of me, but please refrain from mentioning it in front of Mr. Langford in the future.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± With that, the invisible weight in Cindy¡¯s heart finally dissipated. That woman would never pose a threat to her ever again. Pleased, she turned around and left the lounge to keep watch over Madam Langford in her own ward. A short whileter, Cindy¡¯s phone started ringing. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Langford.¡± Indeed, the one who called her was Samuel¡¯s mother, Mrs. Langford. ¡°What happened? Why was Grandma sent to the emergency room?¡± she asked. Cindy quickly exined everything to Mrs. Langford. Mrs. Langford had always despised Tina. Now that she had known everything, she spat disdainfully, ¡°I knew it! That woman¡¯s a despicable b*tch. I already knew that she¡¯ll bring trouble to the family. It¡¯s a good thing Samuel dealt with her ordingly.¡± ¡°Mrs.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Langford, you can¡¯t say that! What if this really is a misunderstanding?¡± Cindy continued to uphold her kind-hearted facade. i On the other end of the line, Mrs. Langford harrumphed coldly before replying,¡± Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? She deserves to die! Whatever, let¡¯s not talk about that b*tch. How¡¯s Samuel doing right now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s resting in the lounge next door at the moment. He¡¯s extremely exhausted because of everything that happened. His condition worries me a lot¡­¡± Mrs. Langford started urging once again. ¡°Samuel will stay by Grandma¡¯s side over the next few days. You need to use this opportunity to work hard, alright?¡± Cindy replied bashfully, ¡°Mrs. Langford, I don¡¯t think this is a good time for me to do that. After all, I don¡¯t want to distract Samuel¡­.¡± ¡°You need to strike while the iron¡¯s still hot!¡± Mrs. Langford retorted in displeasure. ¡°If you continue waiting for the perfect chance toe, someone else might swoop in and be the next Mrs. Langford! I honestly have no idea what spell that b*tch cast to make Grandma like her so much. What if she insists on having that b*tch marry into the family once she wakes up? Use your time wisely, Cindy. Think it over!¡± With that, Mrs. Langford ended the call abruptly. Cindy¡¯s expression was thunderous upon hearing Mrs. Langford¡¯s words. What thetter said was right. Madam Langford had never taken a liking to her before, not even once. Cindy was fine with that, but the thing was, the old woman insisted on Tina bing her granddaughter-inw. The reason Tina was chased out of the family this time was because of Madam Langford¡¯s ident. What if the old woman wanted Tina to return once she regained her consciousness ? Samuel was a filial grandson, so he would never turn her down. Rather than Tina, Madam Langford was the biggest obstacle in Cindy¡¯s path to bing the future Mrs. Langford. She shot a cold look in the old woman¡¯s direction, who remained unconscious on her hospital bed. Tubes were injected into various parts of her body, making her look extremely weak. If Madam Langford were to die at a time like this, Samuel would definitely me Tina for her death. By then, Cindy would be able to get away scot-free. No one would suspect her as the true killer. Thus, a bold thought started manifesting in Cindy¡¯s mind. There wasn¡¯t a trace of worry in her heart when she cooked up her vile n. Instead, excitement coursed through her veins. I 11 to her feet and stretched her Cindy¡¯s expression gradually became more twisted as hand toward Madam Langford¡¯s oxygen tube¡­ ¨C Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Malicious intent surged within Cindy as she thought how unstoppable she would be once Madam Langford was out of the picture. On top of that, Tina would soon be dead. Cindy would be the mistress of the Langfords! Without hesitation, Cindy reached out to unplug Madam Langford¡¯s oxygen tube. Bang! The door was swung open in the nick of time. Tina felt her body freeze. Was Samuel still awake? She¡¯ll be damned if he sees her¡­ ¡°I-I¡¯m here to visit Grandma¡­¡± Tina exined anxiously, gasping for air. Cindy looked at Tina with disbelief, eyes almost popping out of her sockets. She was quick to regain herposure and asked scornfully, ¡°Weren¡¯t you kicked out? How are you still here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Cindy,¡± said Tina, trying not to sound nervous. ¡°I just wanted to check on Grandma. How is she doing now?¡± Cindy felt the tension left her body after realizing that Tina wasn¡¯t aware of her intentions. She pretended to be gentle, though she was gloating on the inside. ¡°As long as I¡¯m here, nothing will happen. Samuel¡¯s right next door, so you should leave. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee what he¡¯ll do if he finds out you¡¯re here.¡± Tina felt a rush ofplicated emotions when she looked at Madam Langford lying helplessly on the bed. She nned to leave as soon as she saw Madam Langford. Now that she was here, she was suddenly hesitant to leave. After all, Madam Langford was still in a horrible state. ¡°Cindy, can I stay to take care of Grandma Langford? Please?¡± Cindy began to feel impatient. It took her quite an effort to drive Tina away, and the woman might seduce Samuel if she were to stay. At the same time, Sandy also realized that something was amiss. He quickly brought a group of people with him. ¡°How dare you show your face?! Get her out of here! And tell the hospital to not let her in!¡± Tina grabbed the door frame with all her might, for she didn¡¯t want to leave this easily. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Yet how can the weak body of hers go against those strong bodyguards? One after another, her fingers were pried open forcefully. At that moment, they heard faint soundsing from the bed. ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± Cindy, who was the closest to the bed, shouted, ¡°Grandma¡¯s awake!¡± ¡°What?¡± Without hesitation, Sandy shouted anxiously, ¡°Get the doctor! i¡¯ll inform Mr. Langford that Madam Langford is awake!¡± Tina, who was left unattended,y nervously by the bed. Madam Langford looked at Tina and asked in a whisper, ¡°Tina, is that you?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Tina held Madam Langford¡¯s hand tightly and said in a choked voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know that you would show up at the event. I made the decision to give away the opportunity to someone else, but I never knew that it¡¯d give you such shock¡­¡± ¡°My dear, there¡¯s no need to cry. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Madam Langford coaxed her in a calming voice as she gathered what happened. ¡°It was Samuel who angered me. It has nothing to do with you.¡± Even in her terrible state, Madam Langford still had the patience tofort Tina. Tears streamed down Tina¡¯s face as immense guilt crushed her. ¡°Grandma!¡± Samuel rushed to the ward as soon as he heard the news. His eyes immediately turned cold when he saw a familiar thin figure by the bed. ¡°You dare to show up here, Tina?!¡± Tina felt a frightened chill run down her spine. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Madam Langford was furious with Samuel¡¯s behavior. Immediately, she yelled, ¡°You! How dare you bully Tina in front of me!¡± She had just gained her consciousness, and having to go through an intense range of emotions activated the rm from the machines. ¡°Calm down, Grandma!¡± Tina said anxiously. The medical team quickly did a checkup on Madam Langford. And all this time, Madam Langford didn¡¯t let go of Tina¡¯s hand. Seeing how protective she was towards Tina, everything others wanted to say died on their lips. Samuel endured his emotions as he shot them a furious re. ¡®Disgusting woman! How dare she put up an act in front of Grandma after everything that¡¯s happened. Madam Langford¡¯s condition started to stabilize after a while. Still holding Tina¡¯s hand, she said to Samuel sternly, ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left, and I don¡¯t wish to leave with regrets. Promise me that you¡¯ll take care of Tina no matter what. She¡¯s the only Lady Langford that I approve of! Do I make myself clear?¡±. Samuel answered gravely, ¡°Grandma¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go against my wishes!¡± Madam Langford was stubborn and assertive despite lying weakly on the bed. ¡°Swear that you won¡¯t hurt Tina! Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to gain peace in my afterlife! ¡°Fine. You have my word, I won¡¯t hurt her,¡± Samuel replied, left with no choice. A smile appeared on Madam Langford¡¯s face after she heard Samuel¡¯s words. ¡°Very well. I know you¡¯re a man of your word. You should spend your life happily with Tina¡­¡± She closed her eyes, and her voice sank into silence right as she finished her words. ¡°Grandma!¡± Tina shouted in panic. ¡°What is happening? Doctor, please help!¡± There was a dreadful pause, and then everything fell into chaos. Fortunately, Madam Langford¡¯s condition was stable. As it turned out, she merely passed out due to the fatigue from the emergency surgery. ¡°Judging from her condition, she¡¯ll need at least another half a month to recover,¡± the doctor said. Tina looked at Samuel and said, ¡°Samuel, let me stay behind and take care of Grandma for the time being. I¡¯ll do my best¡±. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Samuel stared incredulously at Tina, his eyes sharpened into a hateful re. ¡°And you think I would say yes to that?¡± he spat sarcastically. That stunned Tina. ¡°But¡­ But you just promised Grandma. ¡°I only said that so she won¡¯t be worried.¡± The coldness in his voice was so dreadful, Tina felt chills all over her body. ¡°I¡¯ll never let a maniptive person like you stay by Grandma¡¯s side. Someone, get her out of here!¡± Tina grabbed Samuel¡¯s arm as if he was herst hope just as the bodyguards approached her. ¡°Samuel, please. I really want to take care of Grandma. I¡­¡± Before she could even finish her sentence, she felt her visions getting blurry. She wobbled before falling into Samuel¡¯s arms. Samuel looked down at the woman in his arms, a sinister smirk gracing his lips. ¡®She still insisted on seducing me even at this mament?¡¯ Samuel pushed Tina¡¯s thin body away harshly, not an ounce of pity in him. He was repulsed. Just as Tina was about to fall to the ground, a figure dashed into the room and held her protectively. ¡°You?!¡± Samuel frowned. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 The one who caught Tina was none other than John Carter. John was d to have appeared just before Tina got hurt. Strangely enough, Samuel found the sight of them hugging to be unbearable. He couldn¡¯t believe that Tina managed to seduce John, too! 1. Samuel hissed through clenched teeth, ¡°John, you may want to stay away from this woman. She¡¯s nothing but trouble.¡± Knowing that he still needed Samuel¡¯s help to find Coco, John didn¡¯t want to get on Samuel¡¯s bad side. But seeing how terribly Samuel was treating Tina, John couldn¡¯t help but fight back for Tina¡¯s sake. ¡°I know what happened during the event. All Madam Langford wanted was to make her your wife, and that was the only reason she was there. And if I didn¡¯t save her that time, she would¡¯ve drowned to death!¡± John¡¯s words rang a bell. Samuel suddenly recalled pieces of what had happened that night. The girl John had in his arms was Tina! Did that mean she wasn¡¯t putting up an act?! This was when Samuel also realized how pale Tina¡¯s face and lips were. He started to feel guilty, but staunchly pushed that feeling away and snarled, ¡°What about Pearl?¡± If it weren¡¯t for Tina, how else would the Lynds family be there? ¡°From what I know, Tina was adopted by the Lynds family. Pearl was the one who pushed her into the water.¡± Everything was starting to make sense, especially Tina¡¯s coldness towards the Lynds family. They wanted her dead. ¡°I just arrived not long ago, so I haven¡¯t caught up with the details yet. But you should look deeper into the matter so that Tina won¡¯t be framed as a scapegoat. That¡¯s all from me. Goodbye.¡± John walked out of the room with Tina in his arms, turning away without sparing Samuel a single nce. Cindy, who had remained quiet on the sidelines, wasn¡¯t happy with the situation. ¡°That maniptive woman! How dare she seduce both Samuel and John!¡¯ . Samuel was drowned in his thoughts once more. ¡®Was this all another misunderstanding? If not, someone as gentle as John wouldn¡¯t have fought back so fiercely.¡¯ ¡°Sandy, look into Tina¡¯s rtionship with the Lynds.¡± Samuel ordered in a deep voice. Everything Sandy wanted to say died on his lips, for he suddenly felt quite certain that this was exactly what Mr. Langford wanted to know. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Samuel turned around to Cindy. ¡°Cindy, I¡¯ll send someone to look after Grandma. You should go back and rest.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Though Cindy wasn¡¯t satisfied, she had no choice but to obey and leave. She briefly nced through the room. Resentment brimmed in her displeased gaze. However, the thought that Samuel wasn¡¯t someone to change his words easily relieved her somewhat. Were it not for that, Tina might actually return today. ¡°Grandma Langford¡¯s ruining everything! Cindy had failed to get rid of that old woman for the time being. But she was certain she would seed the next time. She would make sure that old crone would be gone forever! Some timeter, Sandy returned with all the information that Samuel had requested. Everything was recorded in detail: how Pearl snatched Tina¡¯s boyfriend, and then forced Tina to get expelled from school. ¨C They even sold Tina to that disgusting and cruel Mr. Wace for money. All these were telling Samuel that Tina was never the gold digger he assumed she was. She only wanted to use Samuel as a means to get her revenge. Sitting inside his study, Samuel felt his anger building up. Furious, he mmed his table with a roar. ¡°How dare she!¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 As it turned out, everything she had done for the past two months was to take advantage of him. Despite knowing that Tina wasn¡¯t a gold digger, Samuel still found her unforgivable. He hated people who took advantage of him the most. And Tina, she had the guts to use him as a means of her personal revenge. Even if the reason she missed the banquet was because of Pearl pushing her into the pool, a maniptive woman like her will never be part of the Langford family. He would never allow her to get close to his grandmother. After the incident regarding his grandmother settled down, Samuel went back topleting his piled-up work. The next day, in front of the office. A delicate shadow shed in his direction and blocked his way. ¡°Samuel, we need to talk¡­¡± Before Tina could hear Samuel¡¯s response, the bodyguards were already dragging her away. She started to feel anxious. She knew full well that if she were to leave now, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to approach him anymore. ¡°Samuel, please! I know you hate me because you think I lied to you, but there was nothing else that I could do.¡± ¡°And we have a contract, remember? You¡¯re a man of your words, so you wouldn¡¯t breach the contract, right?¡± Samuel stopped as soon as he heard about the contract. ¡°Really? The contract?¡± he hissed. ¡°Yes,¡± Tina said. ¡°Samuel, our contract won¡¯t be over for another month. Could you at least let me stay by Grandma¡¯s side and take care of her? I promise to leave once the contract ends.¡± Samuel red at Tina, his face a sharp expression. The silence was dreadful. Tina didn¡¯t give up and went on, ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll disappear from your life right after I finish taking care of Grandma. I can even return all the money I¡¯ve received from you. I mean it. You have to trust me, Samuel!¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained the same, not a hint of change in his aloof look. It took him a while to respond. ¡°The contract? It¡¯s void.¡± These four words were enough to shock Tina to her core. Still, she persisted. ¡°But¡­ But you¡¯ve always kept your word. The contract can¡¯t be void¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve always kept to my words. However, this is an exception. I will end this contract right here and right now.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was grim, and then he pulled out his checkbook. He wrote and signed the check before shoving it into Tina¡¯s hands. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a sucker for money? Here, take this and nevere back. You and your pathetic acts disgust me!¡± Samuel looked at Tina, utterly repulsed. Tina¡¯s heart was torn into pieces as she stared at the check. He would never believe her, anyway. None of her exnations mattered in the first ce! Tina could feel her hands trembling as she clenched the check tightly. Her teeth chattering, she hollered, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave!¡± Samuel let out augh under his breath. So she really was a sucker for money¡­ But the next second, Tina tore that check worth of billions into pieces. ¡°I admit, I approached you with bad intentions. I wanted to take my revenge, but Grandma treated me so sincerely. My wish to take care of her was genuine. If you don¡¯t buy it, then there¡¯s nothing that I can do. And as for your pathetic money, keep it for yourself!¡± She flung the torn check back to Samuel and stormed away angrily.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Samuel was taken aback by Tina¡¯s unexpected reaction. ¡®So that¡¯s the real her? Stubborn, yet won¡¯t back down easily.¡¯ ¡®She was putting on an act the past two months just to get her revenge. ¡®What a maniptive woman¡­¡¯ Samuel nced at the check on the ground that had been torn to pieces. Complicated emotions surged in his heart. For some strange reason, Tina reminded him of the girl who saved him¡­ ¡°Is everything okay, Samuel?¡± Cindy asked softly, running towards him. She received news that Samuel would be in the office, and so she came to see him. But all she saw was Samuel staring quietly at the ground. Samuel looked at Cindy: ¡°Why are you here?¡± | ¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll miss your meals due to your busy schedule. So, I brought you lunch,¡± Cindy replied, blushing red. Samuel handed the lunchbox to Sandy. Subconsciously, his eyes fell on Cindy as he tried to look at her ne. Yet, her neck was bare. ¡°What happened to your ne?¡± That question shocked Cindy. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡®Why is he asking about the ne? Could it be¡­? Does he know something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bit unusual. You¡¯re not wearing the ne today when you used to wear it every day,¡± Samuel said calmly. Cindy felt a rush of happiness at his words. ¡®Samuel always acts like he doesn¡¯t care about me, but he spots even the smallest details about me. ma ¡°I¡¯ll wear it every day if you like it that much.¡±. ¡°That¡¯s good. That ne means a lot to us, so don¡¯t lose it,¡± Samuel said. LUMELE A lingering feeling of guilt struck Cindy. Nevertheless, she responded coyly, ¡°For sure! I¡¯ll just take my leave now¡­¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Samuel stared at Cindy, watching her back until she left the room. ¡®I should get rid of that absurd thought. Cindy¡¯s the little girl from back then. She has the ne, so she must be the one.¡¯ ¡°Oh, right. About the lunchbox, you may get rid of it,¡± was the first thing Samuel said to Sandy the moment he returned to his office. ¡°Mr. Langford? But¡­ That¡¯s from Miss Young¡­¡± Samuel threw Sandy a cold stare. ¡°If you like it so much, you can keep it for yourself.¡± That sentence alone was enough to kill all the words Sandy had on his lips. When Samuel looked at the lunchbox, he was reminded of Tina¡¯s meals. They might look unappetizing, but they were unexceptionally tasty. ¡°Ugh!¡± Samuel felt annoyed when he realized he was thinking about Tina again. He shook his head and hurriedly directed his attention to his work. Tina, at the moment, was penniless and homeless. She gave most of the money she had received from Samuel to the Lynds. The rest she had donated to the orphanage. Since the Lynds had cut off all possible connections with her and kicked her out of the house, she had to rent a unit near the hospital for the time being, Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Even though Samuel forbade her from entering, Tina still believed she would get the opportunity to see Grandma again if she stayed near the hospital. The only issue was that the rental fees for units near the hospital were expensive. Since she was a college dropout, nopanies would be willing to take her in. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Without any options left, Tina decided to take part-time jobs in the neighborhood. She worked as a dishwasher in the hotel during the daytime, and as a delivery staff at night. When she was lucky, she would receive some tips from generous customers. She didn¡¯t earn much, but she had enough to make ends meet. One particr night, an exhausted Tina was on her way back to her unit. Suddenly, a scream from behind alerted her. She had just walked past a pub. ¡°There you are, Tina!¡± Tina turned around, only to see Pearl. Thetter¡¯s face wasden with thickyers of makeup. Standing next to her was an intimidating-looking man. Pearl gnashed her teeth as she went on shouting, ¡°Do you have any idea how long we¡¯re trying to find you? How dare you make our family suffer so much! You¡¯re so dead!¡± Tina¡¯s mind went nk. All she knew was, she should run away. Previously, Samuel threatened the Lynds so that Tina woulde to him. Tina ignored the Lynds¡¯ calls and turned her back on them. Her actions infuriated them greatly. If they could get their hands on her, she would be finished! And so, Tina set off running as hard as she could. Unfortunately, the people behind her were even faster. Pearl shot her a hateful look as she screeched , ¡°Run? Do you think you can run away when I have Jeremy with me?!¡±. Jeremy easily caught up to Tina. Upon reaching her, he caressed her face with a perverse leer. ¡°Oh, wow, Pearl. She¡¯s really cute. Is she really your sister? You guys don¡¯t look alike!¡± Pearl¡¯s unsightly face scrunched in envy and annoyance. ¡°Sl*t! She keeps seducing everyone!¡¯ ¡°You might not know, but this woman is on Samuel¡¯s cklist. Our family suffered because of her, so don¡¯t fall into her trap!¡± Jeremy flinched when he heard Samuel¡¯s name. ¡°What? Samuel? Samuel Langford?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Pearl continued, ¡°Samuel was looking for her, but she got away.I guess this is where she was hiding. I¡¯m gonna send her to Samuel. He might even give me some money in exchange!¡± Jeremy instantly grew excited. ¡°Tie her up, quick!¡± This was a one in a million chance for him to get on Samuel Langford¡¯s good side! Imagine the benefits he could leech off Samuel! ¡°Pearl, you are my lucky charm! I¡¯m gonna get rich and marry you!¡± Jeremy said,ughing raucously. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. But this bit*h made my family suffer, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯m gonna send her away this easily!¡± Pearl eximed, her eyes full of resentment. ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s tear her face and ruin her looks! Hey, you! Bring me a knife!¡± Jeremy said, ordering his cronies. Tina couldn¡¯t stop trembling as she listened to their conversation. Pearl approached Tina slowly, knife in hand. She never liked Tina since they were kids. After a long period of waiting, she could finally get her revenge. ¡°Tina, you¡¯ve pissed Samuel off. You¡¯re dead meat!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your fault that our family had to suffer! I¡¯ll never let this go! I¡¯m gonna ruin that face of yours, so you can never seduce anyone again!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one here to save you this time! Hahaha!¡± Pearl cackled. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 As Pearl approached Tina with the knife, Tina had never felt more desperate in her life. No! She couldn¡¯t allow Pearl to do this to her! Never¡­! Quick as lightning, Tina threw herself towards Pearl and pounced on thetter. Pearl, caught by surprise, let out a high-pitched scream almost immediately. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Tina quickly took advantage of the chaos and snatched the knife from Pearl. She then held it tightly, determined. ¡°Let me go and leave me alone!¡± Her face, burning with anger, scared everyone. ¡°I- Jeremy! Look at how crazy she is! Y-You can¡¯t let her get her way!¡± Pearl was trembling now, her voice shaky. Even Jeremy was taken aback by Tina¡¯s sudden explosion of rage. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± he barked. Pearl, of course, wasn¡¯t satisfied with it. ¡°Why? Are you just going to let that crazy woman do whatever she wants? Jeremy, we outnumber her! We can definitely win¡­¡± But Jeremy wasn¡¯t in the mood for any more of Pearl¡¯s rubbish. Impatient, he swung around and gave her a hard p on the face. ¡°Do it yourself, then. Am I you ve? Why should I risk my life for you?!¡± Soon, Jeremy and his cronies disappeared. Pearl was the only one left with Tina. Tina red at Pearl and growled, ¡°We¡¯re the only ones left. Are you still nning to threaten me?¡± ¡°Just you wait!¡± Pearl shouted defiantly, covering her bruised face with one hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t over! I¡¯ll make sure you suffer, Tina!¡± Pearl fled right after that. Right then, all of the nerves in Tina¡¯s body rxed. She could feel the tension seeping out of her body. Both the knife and Tina¡¯s body dropped onto the ground. She was so tired, she had no energy to support her body. Luckily, she survived. After a momentary rest, she tried to stand back up. As she did so, a sharp pain stung her. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± It was only then did she realize that she had identally cut herself when she grabbed the knife from Pearl. Tina could barely drag her exhausted body back to her unit. She quickly took care of her wounds, and fell asleep immediately after. The next day, Tina was washing dishes as usual. She had rubber gloves on as she scrubbed the tes away. Cling, ng! A mountain of tes was piled in front of Tina. ¡°Here you go!¡± Tina nced through the kitchen. Strangely enough, it looked like she was the only one with such a heavy workload. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. But since she was a neer and she really needed the money, she had no choice but to ept it. She responded softly, ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Make sure they¡¯re all clean. I¡¯ll cut your sry if I find any dirt on them!¡± Tina worked the entire day, to the point she was forced to miss her meals. When she finally had the time to rest, her wounds fromst night got infected all over again. Just then, she received a call from the person in charge of the orphanage. That rang a bell. Tina suddenly remembered that she was supposed to help with the moving at the orphanage today. But¡­ Tina picked up the phone as she stared at her wounded hand in dismay. She mumbled apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam Woods. I think, today¡­¡± LINALOLO Chapter 78 Chapter 78 She wanted to make up some excuse, especially when so many things happened to her in such a short time. There was also the fact that Madam Woods had just recovered from her illness. Madam Woods would be worried sick if she were to know about Tina¡¯s wounds. Yet the voice that came through the phone was calm yet deep, a familiar masculine tone. ¡°I¡¯lle to lend a hand today, Tina.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°What?¡± It took Tina a while to register what had been said. She didn¡¯t expect to hear from John. ¡°You¡¯re living near the hospital, right? I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes. We can go together.¡± John ended the call right after he finished, not leaving Tina any room to speak. That further confused Tina. ¡®He¡¯ll be here in ten minutes?¡¯ She rushed back to her unit quickly to take care of her wounds, and made sure to put on thick gloves to cover them. Not longter, a luxurious car appeared at her shabby apartment. The unusual sight attracted the attention of many within sight. Tina got into the car hurriedly and urged John, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± John, who was sitting at the back, gave out a shocked gasp at how Tina was dressed. ¡°Tina, what are you¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s intentional. There¡¯ll be a lot of organizing and cleaningter, so I¡¯m wearing somethingfy and easy to work with.¡± John had never been to an orphanage, so what Tina said made sense to him. When they arrived at the orphanage, Tina was shocked to see how crowded it was. ¡°Where did these peoplee from?¡± she asked in confusion, knowing quite well that the orphanage couldn¡¯t afford to hire so many people. ¡°I figured that the burden would be too heavy on Madam Woods, so I did some advertising nearby and got quite a few volunteers,¡± John exined. It would be a lie if Tina said she wasn¡¯t touched, especially when she saw how much John cared about the orphanage. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m pretty sure things will be easier for Madam Woods now.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, the orphanage wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to be rebuilt,¡± John said, chuckling as he stroked Tina¡¯s hair. ¡°Let¡¯s go help them.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± With the volunteers there, there wasn¡¯t much for Tina to do. In the end, she was asked to do some organizing in the storage room. ¡°These are all the pictures of the kids here. I think you¡¯re the only person I can rely on to take care of them,¡± Sylvia said, as she walked down her memoryne. ¡°Who knows, you might even find pictures of your childhood!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. As predicted, she soon found an album from ten years ago The album was old, and all the pictures inside were dusty. However, she managed to find one picture with her name on it. The picture showed a little girl hiding behind an adult. Her face couldn¡¯t be seen. Yet, Tina immediately knew that the little girl was her. She also noticed a blue crystal shell ne around her neck. It was so pretty, it sparked her curiosity. ¡®Did I have a pretty ne like this?¡¯ She also noticed that this picture was taken on the day she was adopted by the Lynd family. Chances are, that ne was stolen by Pearl, that bully! Thinking back, she had endured all their abuse for almost a decade. Finally, she managed to cut ties with the Lynd family. Of course, it would be possible only if Pearl would stop bothering her! Tina gathered her thoughts, and continued organizing the pictures all the way until evening She then received a call from her boss to deliver a food order. But when she reached the shop, she found Pearl standing there instead of her boss. Pearl was still caught up with the thought that she couldn¡¯t get what she wanted from Tina. Fueled with a desire for vengeance, she stormed Tina¡¯s workce. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Seeing Tina, Pearl barked scornfully, ¡°I knew it, Tina. Someone like you deserves to work in a shabby ce like this! Hahaha! I¡¯ll smash everything here! Let¡¯s see if anyone¡¯s willing to hire you anymore!¡± . Apanying Pearl were several thugs getting ready to destroy the shop. Tina¡¯s eyes burned as she shouted angrily, ¡°Stop it, Pearl! That¡¯s enough!¡± ¡°What are you gonna do about it, huh?¡± Pearl shot Tina a look of loathing, her tone dripping with venom. ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll destroy your life! This is the price for ruining my family!¡± Tina threw herself at Pearl, but Pearl, who had been expecting this, managed to dodge. Her cronies then gave Tina a hard kick in the stomach, sending her crashing to the ground. Pearl cackled as she looked at the injured Tina, pleased. ¡°On second thought, I¡¯m gonna torture you slowly and make your life even more miserable! Today¡¯s just the beginning. I promise, I¡¯ll ruin you forever!¡± Pearl then left with her cronies. Just then, Tina¡¯s superior appeared. He pointed his fingers at her as he exploded. ¡°This is all your fault! You caused all this to happen! You have to pay for all the damages!¡± Tina¡¯s face went as white as paper. ¡®He¡¯s not wrong¡­ Nothing would have happened if it weren¡¯t for me!! ¡°I promise to pay, but I¡¯m broke right now,¡± Tina muttered timidly, her voice sinking into silence. ¡°Broke? Then I¡¯ll send you to jail!¡± the boss shouted, livid. ¡°I don¡¯t care who, but go borrow money from anyone!¡± Tina opened her phone and scanned her contacts, Helpless, she answered softly, ¡°I really don¡¯t have anyone¡­¡± Pearl had been bullying her since day one, and the fact that she was an orphan contributed to her small social circle. Now that she was in trouble, who would care to help? ¡°I don¡¯t care! Call someone, now!¡± he roared through gritted teeth. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll send you to a brothel!¡± Out of desperation, Tina made her calls. As expected, everyone hung up the second Tina mentioned about wanting to borrow money. Suddenly, Tina saw a familiar number. She didn¡¯t save that number, but she knew that it belonged to Samuel. ¡°What are you waiting for? Call now!¡± Tina took a deep breath. Mustering her courage, she dialed the number. Then again, he must¡¯ve blocked my number since he hates me so much!¡¯ Contrary to expectations, the call went through. For a second, Tina thought she dialed the wrong number. How was it possible for Samuel to pick up her call? N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. However, what Tina heard was a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Hello?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t recognize it. Hesitant, she said, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Tina¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Tina. I¡¯m Cindy. Why are you calling Samuel thiste at night?¡± Tina was shocked. This was indeed Samuel¡¯s phone, but the one who picked up was Cindy instead. A strange feeling pricked her heart. These two must be living together. Otherwise, Cindy wouldn¡¯t be picking up Samuel¡¯s phone¡¯. ¡°Cindy, I actually wanted to¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, Tina, but Samuel¡¯s justing out of the bath. I have to go.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Cindy cut Tina off without any reservations and went on, ¡°Oh, right. We¡¯re getting married soon. Now that your contract with Samuel is over, I do hope you won¡¯t contact him anymore. Wouldn¡¯t it be bad for you if word of this got out?¡± Once Cindy was done, she hung up without waiting for Tina¡¯s reply. Tina felt as if she had been pped in the face. ¡®Cindy must have misunderstood! I never nned to seduce Samuel in the first ce.¡¯ Unfortunately, this phone call had been herst chance. The boss had exhausted all his remaining patience when he saw that Tina¡¯s call got cut off yet again. ¡°Seems like nobody¡¯s willing to lend you any money! You¡¯reing with me to the brothel!¡± He was about to drag her away by force, only to be interrupted by a deep voice. ¡°Wait.¡± Tina¡¯s eyes widened as she looked in the direction of the voice, ¡°John?! What¡¯s he doing here?¡¯ ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± the boss sneered, scanning John from head to toe. ¡°I¡¯m her brother,¡± John replied. ¡°Brother? That¡¯s impossible!¡± The boss wasn¡¯t buying it, but he was quickly reminded of something. ¡°In that case, shouldn¡¯t you help your sister to pay for all these losses? Or should I send her to the brothel instead?¡± Tina wished she could hide in a corner, away from all the embarrassment. Never did she imagine that John would see this pathetic side of her. She was ashamed. John raised his hand, and the assistant behind him strode forward with a signed check. ¡°Write however much you want.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The boss looked hesitant. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to deceive an old man like me, right?¡± ¡°You can confirm with the bank, if you so desire.¡± At that, the boss made a quick call to the bank. After ten minutes, he reappeared with a huge grin on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s all good now! You may take her with you.¡± John approached Tina. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Tina followed him with her head down, looking like an embarrassed ostrich. She silently got into John¡¯s car. ¡°How did you know I was in trouble?¡± she asked awkwardly. ¡°I gave my number to everyone in your neighborhood when I dropped by your ce today. One of them called me when they saw that you¡¯re in trouble,¡± John replied. Warmth flowed through Tina¡¯s entire body as she heard this. She was grateful for his kindness, but when she spoke, the distress in her voice was obvious. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to trouble you.¡± However, her timidity angered John. ¡°What trouble? You¡¯re my sister! You didn¡¯t even bother to call me when you¡¯re in that mess! Do you even see me as your brother?¡± Tina was his sister, someone he wished to protect wholeheartedly. He had been deeply tortured when he lost Coco. He refused to go through the same agony ever again. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tina initially wanted to say that she would repay the money, but her words died on her lips. With the way John was feeling right now, he wouldn¡¯t ept it. Maybe I¡¯ll pay him back slowly when I have the money. Or maybe I¡¯ll just buy him a meal.¡¯ Aside from that, she wasn¡¯t sure what else she could do to repay his kindness. ¡°Mr. Carter, we¡¯re here,¡± the driver announced as the car came to a stop. Tina nced outside. Confusion bloomed on her face and she said tentatively, ¡°This is¡­¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡°This is a private condominium!¡± Tina was in shock. ¡°I don¡¯t think the environment of your current ce is safe enough for a woman to live alone. From now on, you¡¯ll be living here.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts! I know you want to pay me back for this. If it makes you feel bad, consider it a debt. You can pay me back when you¡¯re financially stable.¡± Aside from finding her an apartment, John also arranged for a job for her at a locally renowned art studio that he knew Tina used to study art when she was still in university. Since Tina was new to the job, she worked at the front desk weing guests and giving them tours around the studio. It wasn¡¯t an exhausting job. What was more, Tina¡¯s boss was deeply impressed by the skill sets Tina demonstrated at work. It seemed that her university studies were being put to good use. ¡°This is your pay for this month!¡± the boss announced to her. When Tina saw the numbers on the pay slip, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°Sir, I think you gave me more than promised!¡± When she started working, the boss offered around 500 dors a month. However, the payment slip stated 900 dors. It was almost double the amount! ¡°I¡¯ve been observing your work this past month, and I realized you¡¯re a talented and hardworking employee. This is just ? token of my appreciation.¡± The boss patted her on the shoulders and continued , ¡°T¡¯ll be bringing you along for business trips from now on. Don¡¯t disappoint me, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Tina said in determination, clenching her fists, Tina was ted. Who would¡¯ve known that her boss would recognize her efforts? Her hard work aside, Tina knew that John also yed a huge part in helping her gain the boss¡¯s favor. After pondering for a while, she made a phone call to John. ¡°Hey, how¡¯s it going?¡± John picked up the phone almost immediately. ¡°John, I have good news!¡± Tina said excitedly. ¡°Did you receive your pay today?¡± ¡°Yep, and the boss also doubled my pay! It¡¯s my treat today!¡± ¡°Sure. Why don¡¯t we have dinner at The Navy? The restaurant hired a renowned cook from France. The food there is really good.¡± ood Tina had heard of The Navy before. It was a five-star restaurant in Freesia. However, only customers with membership could dine in this prestigious restaurant. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t have a membership there.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve got it covered.¡± ¡°Alright, then!¡± Tina agreed. Then, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Go ahead and order all the dishes you like. Worsees to worst, I¡¯ll just work as their maid if I can¡¯t pay up.¡± John couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you resort to that.¡± After she hung up the phone, Tina was still worried. She looked up information about The Navy. As if it couldn¡¯t get worse, the restaurant also required a formal dress code! Tina frowned and thought, ¡®I don¡¯t have that much money to buy a gown! I guess I¡¯ll have to rent er. Just as she was preupied with her thoughts, her phone rang. She looked at the screen and noticed that it was a call from a stranger. ¡°Hello? This is Tina Lynd.¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, this is Cindy Young,¡± Cindy said with a gentle tone. Tina was stunned. ¡°Miss Young? Is there anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°Are you free right now? I¡¯d like to talk to you. It¡¯s about Samuel.¡± Instantly, Tina knew that Cindy must¡¯ve misunderstood something. She exined immediately, ¡°Is this about my phone call fromst time? I can exin , Miss Young¡­¡± However, Cindy cut her off instantly. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, okay? Samuel¡¯s looking for me right All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. now¡± 1 ¨C Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Cindy quickly hung up, and then sent Tina an address. Tina sighed in defeat. Despite this, she still decided to meet Cindy: ¡®I need to make everything clear to Cindy! She probably misunderstood the whole situation.¡¯ Later that evening, Tina followed the address and arrived at a prestigious hotel. Before she could enter, the security officer blocked her way and snarled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss, but you can¡¯t enter the premises.¡± Judging from Tina¡¯s crummy attire, the clothes she was wearing weren¡¯t even worth 20 bucks. Since the hotel could charge up to millions per night, Tina simply didn¡¯t look like she was a legitimate customer. Tina exined, ¡°I¡¯m here to meet someone. Is Cindy Young here?¡± ¡°Miss Young?¡± The security guard scoffed at Tina. ¡°What are you trying to y at? She isn¡¯t someone you can meet just because you want to! Leave now, or I¡¯ll drag you out of her!¡± The security guard shoved Tina away, so roughly she almost fell to the ground. Right at this moment, a car stopped in front of the hotel. In the backseat, Cindy had a look of deep satisfaction when she saw Tina being treated like vermin in public. In fact, Cindy made Tinae here on purpose just so she could enjoy the sight of Tina getting insulted and harassed by the hotel staff. This is what happens to anyone who dares to seduce Samuel. Just look at her! She¡¯s so pathetic! Cindy thought gleefully, amused. Noticing that Tina was about to be dragged away, Cindy got off the car slowly just at the right time. ¡°This is a misunderstanding! Miss Lynd is here to find me. Please let her go!¡± Everyone in Freesia was aware that Cindy was the famous Samuel Langford¡¯s partner. When the guards heard Cindy¡¯smand, they let go of Tina and said respectfully, ¡°Yes, Miss Young.¡± Cindy led the way, and entered the hotel with Tina in tow. She then took a seat just beside the windows. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I didn¡¯t expect something like that to happen at all,¡± Cindy said pretentiously, pretending to be a magnanimous person. Tina quickly waved her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I understand.¡± Before Tina could finish speaking, Cindy opened her handbag and took out a check. ¡°The reason I called you here today is because of this.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tina was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you sign a contract with Samuel in the past? When you called before, I remembered that you didn¡¯t receive the money even after the contract ended. That¡¯s why¡­¡± Tina refused to take the check and pushed it in Cindy¡¯s direction resolutely. ¡°It was true that I called Samuel to ask for money. Now that my problem¡¯s solved, I can¡¯t possibly ept this!¡± Cindy heaved out a heavy sigh. ¡°That¡¯s not it. You should follow what¡¯s written in the contract. Legally, the money is thepensation incurred after you did your part. What¡¯s more, I¡¯ll feel more at ease if you agree to take the money.¡± Tina considered Cindy¡¯s offer. She was broke to the point that until now, she still couldn¡¯t pay back her debts to John. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. If she epted the money, she could clear her debts and reassure Cindy. That way, she could kill two birds with one stone! ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take it.¡± Tina reached out for the check. Right at this moment, a cold voice sounded right from behind her. ¡°Tina Lynd.¡± When Tina heard the familiar voice, she jolted. TE Looking up in horror, she saw Samuel walking towards her. He gazed upon her like how a predator would to a prey, eyes filled with menace. Tina looked at the man before her, dazed. She didn¡¯t expect Samuel to be here! Chapter 83 Chapter 83 The moment Samuel appeared, Tina froze. Standing at a height of 1.9 meters and dressed in an elegant suit and tie, he exuded a domineering charisma that suffocated her. He grabbed Tina¡¯s hand roughly and spat, ¡°You should know your ce!¡± This woman is so shameless! I thought she¡¯d get out of my sight once and for all, but I was wrong. How dare she meet Cindy just to get to me!¡¯ he thought, fuming. ¡°I¡­¡± Tina tried to exin herself. However, Samuel¡¯s angry gaze was locked on Tina¡¯s hand. He sneered and snatched the check away from her viciously. ¡°I guess you¡¯re willing to do anything for money.¡± When Tina tore the check into pieces before, Samuel was slightly moved. s, that appeared to be one of her dirty tricks. He had been deceived! This time, she tore her facade once again to get money through Cindy. ¡®Am I a joke to her?¡¯ Samuel¡¯s anger seemed bottomless. Cindy approached Samuel and attempted to exin in a gentle tone, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯ve misunderstood Miss Lynd. It¡¯s not what you think it is. I¡¯m the one who invited her here.¡± In truth, Cindy couldn¡¯t be prouder of herself at the moment. When Tina called him, Samuel had been out to visit his grandmother. Cindy answered the call by pure chance. Only then did she realize that Samuel hadn¡¯tpletely cut ties with that wench. That worried Cindy to the point she couldn¡¯t eat or sleep. So, she looked through Samuel¡¯s work schedule and nned the perfect time to set Tina up. It was why she invited Tina to the hotel today. Cindy wanted Tina to fall into her trap, and fall in it Tina did. Her n was to let Samuel realize just how shameless Tina was. Samuel didn¡¯t betray Cindy¡¯s expectations. The man refused to hear out Cindy¡¯s exnation, preferring to pin the me on Tina. He ignored Tina¡¯s struggles and yanked both her hands on her back, disregarding how violent he was being. Then, he dragged her out of the hotel and flung her roughly into the car. Tina was fearful. ¡°W-What are you doing? Where are you taking me?¡± Samuel revealed a sinister smirk, his eyes cold. ¡°You¡¯ll know in a minute.¡± Cindy was ted. ¡®Tina¡¯s done for! Look how furious Samuel is!¡¯ ¡°Stop that, Samuel! Tina didn¡¯t do anything wrong! Are you bringing her to the underground chamber? She¡¯ll die if you do that!¡± Cindy cried, pretending to be considerate. ¡°Sandy, take care of Miss Young for me. Make sure she doesn¡¯t follow me!¡± Samuel ordered. Then, he stepped on the elerator and zoomed away without a single care. Cindy persuaded Sandy in a coaxing tone, ¡°Sandy, please follow them.¡± ¡°Miss Young, I think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t challenge Mr. Langford¡¯s orders. He¡¯s furious right now.¡± ¡°I understand¡­¡± Cindy wiped her crocodile tears, Unbeknownst to Sandy, she looked unbelievably sinister at this moment. Of course, she knew how furious Samuel was. That was why she wanted to witness him torturing Tina to death! Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. It was a shame that Cindy couldn¡¯t witness her victory in person. After being thrown to the back seat, Tina was trembling from head to toe. Tina thought about Cindy¡¯s words. Looking at the scenery outside, she realized that they were leaving the city and into the countryside. Engulfed in fear, she shivered and found herself stammering ¡°Samuel, w-where are you taking me? Are you really taking me to an underground chamber?¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Rumor had it that Samuel was a dangerous and cruel man who would torture anyone who got on his bad side. There was noing out once they got into his underground chamber, and they would suffer a fate worse than death. Tina was horrified. She didn¡¯t want to die! Samuel didn¡¯t answer Tina¡¯s questions at all. He stepped on the elerator and sped up on the road, ignoring her fearful stammers. It was so terrifying, that Tina shut her eyes tightly and cowered into a little ball at the corner. After a long time, the car stopped. Samuel turned to look at the pitiful and helpless Tina. There wasn¡¯t the slightest empathy in his voice as he barked a fierce order, ¡°Get off the car right now before I drag you out!¡± Tina saw the scenery outside the windows and realized that they were at the vi she used to live at. Without hesitance, she shoved the door open and sprinted for her life. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Right now, the only thing she wanted to do was to get away as far as possible from Samuel. However, her hopes were shattered into pieces. She didn¡¯t run far before both her legs rose to the air. Samuel carried her by the waist and stomped his way towards the vi, The vi was massive. The moment Samuel opened a secret entrance, Tina couldn¡¯t believe that she used to live in this hell hole for almost two months. To make things worse, a thick smell of blood wafted from inside. A wave of nausea swept through her as she retched. Tina¡¯s attempts to escape were fruitless. She was thrown to the floor with her hands and feet bound, helpless to escape. ¡°Samuel, are you crazy?..¡± she screamed, trying to throw some sense into Samuel. However, Samuel grabbed her chin and forced her into silence. He gazed upon her from above, cold eyes reflecting malicious ill-intent. ¡°Me? Crazy? Tina, you did this all to yourself! How dare you challenge me time and again?¡± 10 ¡°I can ignore the fact that you slept with me for your personal motives. However, I can never forgive you for drugging my grandma! Even until now, she still hasn¡¯t woken up from aa. I spared your life for that, but how dare you try to get at me again through Cindy!¡± ¡°Both of them are the most important people in my life. I can never forgive whoever harms them in any way! I¡¯ve given you a lot of chances, Tina. This time, I won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡± Everyone in Fressia knew how cold and callous Samuel was. In fact, he could be an outright monster. The only people whom he held dear in his life were Cindy and his grandmother. Unfortunately, Tina had sessfully stepped on hisndmines. Now that his grandmother was in aa, Samuel couldn¡¯t let the innocent Cindy fall into that wench¡¯s trap again. ¡°I¡¯ve never hurt them before! I swear to god, I have never!¡± Tina stubbornly tried to defend herself, gritting her teeth. However, Samuel only sneered disdainfully in response. ¡°Now that things havee to this, I¡¯ll never believe any of your words anymore. You can drop your act now. It doesn¡¯t work on me anymore.¡± Tina had given up all hope now. At first, she was terrified of Samuel. But now, she was tired of exining herself every single time. ¡°Drop my act? Fine, let¡¯s just treat it like I¡¯m actually acting. I guess the reason a man of such prestigious standing like you isn¡¯t capable of listening is that you¡¯re illiterate! I might as well shut up rather than talk to an idiot!¡± 1 Samuel was livid. ¡°Me? Illiterate? What do you mean?¡± At this point, Tina had given up all hope. If Samuel wouldn¡¯t believe her no matter what, she might as well do everything to tick him off before he killed her. ¡°Seriously? You can¡¯t even understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°You!¡± Samuel grabbed Tina¡¯s chin violently and howled, ¡°Do you really wish to die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. Just do whatever you want. I should be dead a few months before anyway,¡± Tina said with pride. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything in the first ce. I have nothing to lose! Just kill me already!¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Samuel frowned. He didn¡¯t expect Tina to react in such a way. She didn¡¯t bawl her eyes out or begged for forgiveness. Instead, she epted her fate with open arms. Her eyes did reflect desperateness and agony, but she didn¡¯t seem to have given up at all. They burned with such powerful fire, that even Samuel could feel it just by looking at her. At this, he hesitated. Right at this moment, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Mr. Langford, your grandmother has woken up!¡±) The doctor at the other end of the phone sounded excited. Tina was still awaiting her death when she heard the news. Shocked, she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Where¡¯s Tina? I want to see Tina right now!¡± Madam Langford¡¯s voice was frail despite her determination, ¡°Samuel, you insolent man! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve done something bad to Tina while I was in aa! If anything happens to Tina, I¡¯ll¡­!¡± When Tina heard her voice, she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. ¡°Mr. Langford, is that Grandma?¡± Samuel¡¯s frown deepened. Seeing that her eyes were glimmering with hope, it didn¡¯t seem like Tina was faking her emotions.. ¡°I heard Tina¡¯s voice just now. Let me talk to her!¡± Madam Langford ordered immediately. Samuel red at Tina as a warning, ¡°Alright, Grandma, I¡¯ll pass the phone to her.¡± He loosened the ropes around her arms and legs. Tina cupped the phone carefully as she shivered in excitement. ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Did Samuel bully you again?¡± Madam Langford asked. Tina looked at herself. She was dressed haggardly and had bruises all over her body, courtesy of Samuel. Despite that, she resolutely lied, ¡°He didn¡¯t. I¡¯m okay, Grandma.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± After Madam Langford made sure that Tina was safe and sound, she heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯m heading to sleep now. Come and visit me when you¡¯re free, okay?¡± After she hung up, Tina felt reluctant to let go of the phone. Just now, she was shrieking like a mad woman, but now, she was calm and collected. ¡°Mr. Langford, I think I should visit Grandma¡­¡± Tina began carefully. Samuel red at her coldly, his lips a snarl. ¡°You can, but remember to choose your words wisely when you see her.¡± While walking towards the door, he felt irritated. He had to admit that a small part of him felt bad for treating Tina poorly. It was obvious that she couldn¡¯t be trusted, given that she had deceived him time and again. So why did he fall for her every single time despite her lies? If his grandmother didn¡¯t instruct to spare Tina, would he have let her go? Tina, on the other hand, could care less about what Samuel was thinking. Her life was owed to Madam Langford again, for which she was extremely grateful. If it wasn¡¯t for Grandma¡¯s protection, she would have died today! Soon, Samuel brought Tina to the hospital. Madam Langford held Tina¡¯s hand. After talking for a short while, she grew sluggish and fell into a deep slumber. Tina then left the ward. She and Samuel were the only ones outside. Anxious about the impending doom, Tina asked, ¡°Um, Mr. Langford¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky today,¡± Samuel cut her off icily, not bothered to listen to anything she had to say. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Grandma¡¯s sudden recovery, you would¡¯ve been dead by now.¡± Tina lowered her head, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You can go now. I have a team of experts tending to grandma¡¯s needs. Youe here only when grandma wants to see you. I don¡¯t want to see you loitering around here!¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Tina could feel a weight being lifted off her shoulders when she heard that. ¡®He¡¯s a lunatic, so I¡¯ll definitely get as far away from him as possible!¡¯ While preupied with her thoughts, she sprinted ahead. The moment she entered the lift, she identally knocked into somebody. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 ¡°Ouch!¡± Someone knocked on Cindy¡¯s shoulders. Out of habit, she yelled in anger, ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, you idiot!¡± She looked up and, much to her shock, saw Tina. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡®Why¡¯s this b*tch here? I thought she¡¯s done for! ¡°I¡¯m here to see Grandma. I¡¯ll be leaving now, Miss Young.¡± Tina left as soon as she was done exining Cindy was furious. She ran towards Samuel with a pitiful expression,plete with doe eyes and trembling lips. ¡°Samuel, what¡¯s going on? Have youe to terms with Miss Lynd? Why is she here?¡± Samuel replied icily, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Grandma¡¯s sudden recovery, she would¡¯ve died a long time ago. Now, I¡¯m keeping her alive to entertain Grandma.¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t believe that the reason her n failed today was due to Madam Langford! Such bad timing! Cindy gritted her teeth, furious. What infuriated her more was that Madam Langford refused to see her when she requested a visit. ¡®You old b*tch! Why can¡¯t you just die?¡¯ With pent-up frustrations, Cindy stormed out the ward and returned to Samuel. She asked, ¡°Samuel¡­ Now that Grandma¡¯s recovered from hera, are we still going on that dinner date you promised?¡± Looking at Cindy¡¯s pitiful expression, Samuel didn¡¯t refuse her. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll meet you after my meeting.¡± Cindy felt relieved upon hearing his answer. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll wait for you at The Navy at night. Don¡¯t keep me waiting, okay?¡± Cindy had two motives today. The first one was to make sure that Tina fell into her trap, and end up murdered in the process. However, her n was hijacked by Madam Langford¡¯s sudden recovery. Though she found it to be a bummer, she had a far more important n. Cindy was as giddy as a child when she thought about her n for the night. As long as she slept with Samuel, she could be his wife. If that happened, she could get rid of both Tina and Madam Langford at the same time. ¡®How exciting! Tina had a narrow escape. After she arrived home by taxi, she heaved out a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew! That was scary¡­¡± When Tina thought about what happened today, fear crept up her body. Recalling the terrifying experience made her arms and legs weak. Fortunately, she got out alive! She slumped to her bed, and decided to call it a night. However, her phone rang all of a sudden. She looked at the screen and noticed that it was from John. At this moment, Tina sprung up from the bed. When she saw the time, she fell in shock. ¡°Oh, crap! I forgot I¡¯m supposed to have dinner with John tonight!¡± It was almost time. How could she have forgotten such an important arrangement?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Tina was conflicted. However, she still decided to answer John¡¯s phone call. ¡°Hello, John¡­¡± ¡°Tina, are you there yet?¡± John asked in a gentle voice. Tina looked at her haggard appearance and asked, ¡°John, can we change our dinner n to another date?¡± Since she had just escaped from Samuel¡¯s wicked grasp, she didn¡¯t have the time to rent a gown. If she were to enter the restaurant in this state, she knew she would be chased out immediately. Sensing that something was wrong, John¡¯s gentle tone grew stern. ¡°Tina, what happened?¡± ¡°Nothing happened.¡± Tina didn¡¯t want John to worry about her, so she said, ¡°I just realized that the restaurant required a formal dress code, and I didn¡¯t have enough time to prepare for one. I¡¯m sorry about that, John.¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s the problem,¡± John sounded relieved. ¡°Yeah.¡± Tina was overwhelmed with guilt. She was the one who wanted to treat John to a meal, but she ended up canceling it instead. ¡°I thought something bad happened to you. I was worried,¡± John heaved a sigh of relief and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll get my assistant to send a gown to you. He¡¯ll drive you to the restaurant as well. You just have to wait for me there, okay?¡± Tina felt really bad about it. ¡°But I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to treat you to dinner¡­¡± Her intentions were to express her gratitude to John. In the end, she only seeded in making John worry about her. ¡°We¡¯re a family, after all. You don¡¯t have to feel bad about something as trivial as this. I still have some work-rted matters to deal with. I¡¯ll head to the restaurantter. You just have to wait there patiently, okay?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tina agreed. She could hear some noises at the end of the phone. It seemed it was true John was still busy with work. John¡¯s assistant knew Tina¡¯s current address. It only took him a short while to send the gown, along with a makeup artist. Soon, Tina arrived at The Navy by car. ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Carter will arrive shortly. Please wait in the lounge in the meantime.¡± After rying the message from John, the assistant turned and left. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Tina looked at the beautiful decorations in the lounge, unable to stop herself from gasping in awe. At the same time, she was worried that she might not be able to pay for the meal. ¡°Can I afford this? If I can¡¯t, do I really have to work as a maid here?¡¯ Tina thought. Tina stared into space. In the evening, the flowers in the backyard garden bloomed, unleashing a sweet scent in the fresh air. Since Tina didn¡¯t have anything to do, she picked up the hem of her gown and went for a stroll in the garden. Tina slowly walked on the cobblestone road. Her graceful figure attracted a few men from afar. ¡°Who¡¯s that? All the customers in The Navy have prestigious social standings in Freesia, but I¡¯ve never seen that woman before.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her. Have you met that woman, Mr. Jackson?¡± ¡°Mr. Jackson, I heard that your taste in women has changed. You used to like sexy women. Do you prefer innocent-looking chicks like her now? Why don¡¯t you ask for her number?¡±. The menughed as they looked at Mr. Jackson, who was sitting beside them. Mr. Jackson was the sole heir of the Jackson Group, but he also had a reputation of being a yboy in Freesia. He often fooled around with women in various nightclubs during his free time. Now that his father had confiscated his credit card, he could no longer indulge himself. Right now, he was incredibly bored. When she saw Tina walking alone in the garden, he decided to approach her. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll ask for her number. Let¡¯s make a bet. I¡¯ll definitely get her number within 30 minutes!¡± ¡°Look at how confident Mr. Jackson is! We look forward to it!¡± Tina, meanwhile, was oblivious to her surroundings. After strolling for a while, she saw a team of bodyguards dressed in ck appearing out of nowhere. The restaurant¡¯s manager also stood up to wee the guests. She was still in a daze, when she caught someone talking from afar. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Young. We are fully booked tonight. You can opt for an appointment the next time you visit¡­¡± ¡®Miss Young is here?¡¯ Tina jolted in surprise. When Tina heard that, she spotted Cindy at the counter almost instantly. ¡®What am I going to do now?¡¯ Tina was in panic. Tina didn¡¯t know what to do. This morning, she had yet another misunderstanding with Cindy and Samuel, Who would¡¯ve known that they would meet again tonight? If Samuel saw her at The Navy, he would think that Tina was bumping into them on purpose. He¡¯d definitely end her then and there! Fearful, Tina didn¡¯t want to stay in the garden anymore. She grabbed the hem of her dress and dashed towards her private lounge. Cindy, for her part, was irritated by the manager¡¯s words. However, she knew she couldn¡¯t throw a fit in front of everyone. She had to maintain her angelic image. So, she said, ¡°I have an important appointment with Mr. Langford tonight. Could you go around the lounges and ask for a free spot? I¡¯m willing topensate ten times the amount if anyone is willing to give me their slot.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The manager was reluctant. Since everyone in the restaurant had power and influence in society, the manager didn¡¯t want to offend any of the guests. However, the person in front of her was none other than Samuel Langford¡¯s partner. Just when the manager was about to reject Cindy¡¯s offer, he saw Tina leaving the garden from a distance. A thought struck him, ¡®If I remember correctly, that woman booked a room all for herself. Who knows, maybe she¡¯s willing to give up her spot!¡¯ ¡°That youngdy over there! Excuse me, I have something to say to you!¡± When Tina heard the manager calling out for her, she became even more panicky and picked up her pace. She had just survived a painful ordeal with Samuel. She refused to fall into his cruel grasp again! Just as Tina was about to escape the garden, someone appeared in front of her. Tina turned left to avoid the man, but he mimicked her and turned left as well. When she turned right, he deliberately turned right to block her way. ¡°Why are you blocking my way?¡± Tina was anxious. She looked up and eximed in surprise,¡° Mr. Jackson?¡± If she remembered correctly, the man in front of him was Mr. Jackson. When she was a waitress at the hotel, she met him by coincidence when she was sending food to the nightclub. After he forced Tina to gulp down a cup of alcohol, he tipped her around 300 dors. Tina blurted out his name without thinking, and that piqued Mr. Jackson¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Do you know me?¡± The moment Tina said that, she regretted her words and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know you!¡± Although Tina wasn¡¯t sure exactly why Mr. Jackson was blocking her way, she knew that nothing good came from associating herself with a womanizer like him. The manager was about to reach Tina any minute now, but Mr. Jackson was still speaking. ¡°Youngdy, where are you rushing to? Let¡¯s get to know each other!¡± ¡°Get away from me!¡± Tina was so nervous that her face flushed red. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Looking at her red cheeks, Mr. Jackson was turned on. ¡®Such a pure and innocent woman! Looks like today¡¯s my lucky day!¡¯ ¡°Please don¡¯t run from me. I¡¯m not a monster! I¡¯ll leave if you give me your phone number.¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Tired of his tricks, Tina stomped on his legs as hard as he could. ¡°Get away from me! Stop blocking my way!¡± Mr. Jackson was caught unawares and shrieked in pain. Tina grabbed the chance to flee. Mr. Jackson was shocked, ¡®I thought thedies here were all shy and cute. I¡¯ve never seen one N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. so unreserved and cruel!¡¯ ¡°You!¡± Mr. Jackson wanted to chase after her, but a sweet and gentle voice stopped him. ¡°Hello there, may I know your name?¡± Mr. Jackson looked at the woman in front of him and immediately recognized her as Cindy Young. Although Samuel treated Cindy like a younger sister, everyone knew that Cindy was Samuel¡¯s girlfriend. Mr. Jackson regained his gentlemanly demeanor and answered in a tender voice, ¡°Hello, Miss Young. You can call me Mr. Jackson.¡± Cindy was well aware of Mr. Jackson¡¯s reputation as a yboy in Freesia. Though she scorned him deep down, she still had to put up an innocent facade. ¡°Mr. Jackson, I heard that the restaurant is fully ¨C booked, but Samuel¡¯s about to arriveter. Can you help me out?¡± Cindy asked coyly. Since Cindy mentioned Samuel, Mr. Jackson wouldn¡¯t dare to refuse her. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll have the waiters clean up my room so you can use it.¡± ¡°Thank you so much! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay you ten times the amount,¡± Cindy replied with a smile ¡°Is there anything else that I can help you with?¡± Mr. Jackson asked. All of a sudden, Cindy thought about the woman who was talking to Mr. Jackson just now. For some reason, she looked a lot like Tina. But How could that be? Cindy could still remember Tina¡¯s haggard appearance from this morning. She couldn¡¯t even enter a hotel with that attire, let alone a high end restaurant! Thus, she didn¡¯t want to question Mr. Jackson any further. ¡°No, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll ask my friends to leave now,¡± Mr. Jackson heaved a sigh of relief and left instantly The moment he returned to the private lounge, his friends started interrogating him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it only took 10 minutes to get thatdy¡¯s phone number?¡± ¡°As expected of the mighty Mr. Jackson!¡± When Jackson thought of the woman who stomped on his feet just now, for some reason, he grew even more interested in knowing her. However, now was not the time. He waved his hand in irritation and told them, ¡°Miss Young wants to use this room. We should leave now.¡± ¡°Miss Young?¡± ¡°Yes, Cindy Young. From the looks of it, Samuel will also be here any minute now¡­¡± ¡°What? The Tyrant of Freesia will be here too? Let¡¯s leave now!¡± When they heard that Samuel wasing, none of them was in the mood to fool around anymore. Immediately, they packed their belongings and fled. Meanwhile, Tina had also returned to her room sessfully. She mmed the door shut and peeked anxiously through the windows. When she saw that Cindy was heading to another direction, she heaved a sigh of relief and patted her chest. ¡°Phew, that was close! I¡¯d be done for otherwise! . ¡°What are you talking about?¡± A voice said from behind. Tina screamed as she turned around. ¡°Ah!¡± John was already waiting in the lounge when she ran inside. However, she didn¡¯t notice his presence at all. John was pleasantly surprised by Tina¡¯s reaction. He found it oddly amusing. Tina looked like a frightened fox, with her big round eyes staring innocently at John. She acted as if she wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why are you hiding? What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Tina replied immediately. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Tina didn¡¯t want to tell John about what happened today, so she told him about the incident with Mr. Jackson moments ago. ¡°I was strolling in the backyard just now when some man kept pestering me for my number. I took to my heel right after I stepped on his feet to distract him. That¡¯s why I was so anxious when I came back to the lounge.¡± John smiled and thought, ¡®That really does sound like what Tina would do!¡¯ ¡°You must be scared out of your wits! Not to worry, maybe some good food will make you feel better.¡± Tina nodded. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief. After the dishes were served, John¡¯s assistant entered the room and whispered something into his ears. John was surprised. ¡°Samuel is here too?¡± When Tina heard the name ¡®Samuel¡¯, she was so afraid that she couldn¡¯t even hold the cutlery properly. They slipped her hand and fell to the floor with a loud ng. Both John and the assistant turned to look at her at the same time. Embarrassed, Tina whispered in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s with me today.¡± ¡°Do you wish to see him?¡± the assistant asked, curious. Tina¡¯s heart almost stopped. ¡®No way! What should I do? I¡¯ve managed to get away from Cindy just now, but how am I supposed to make my escape now?¡¯ John could see that Tina was extremely ufortable with that idea. So, he said with a casual tone, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s best to separate work and personal time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the assistant turned to leave instantly. Tina heaved a sigh of relief when John refused to meet them. ¡°What exactly happened between you and Samuel?¡± John asked worriedly. Tina hesitated. She didn¡¯t know how to exin it to John and simply said, ¡°We have nothing to do with each other anymore.¡± ¡°Really?¡± John questioned. ¡°But why are you shivering in fear at the mention of Samuel? Did he do anything bad to you?¡± John sounded very much concerned. Tina was positive that John would actually confront Samuel then and there if she told him the truth. To avoid unnecessary problems, she gave an excuse. ¡°Everyone in Freesia¡¯s terrified of him. Now that we¡¯re not in a rtionship anymore, it¡¯s kind of awkward for me to bump into him. Besides, I saw Cindy earlier. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re here for a dinner date.¡± What Tina said made sense. Noticing that Tina was reluctant to talk about them, John didn¡¯t wish to pry further. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tina. As long as I¡¯m here, they can¡¯t do anything to you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Although Tina didn¡¯t bump into Samuel, the thought of his presence at the restaurant left her nervous to the point that she couldn¡¯t enjoy her meal at all. John also noticed that Tina was eager to leave. So, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll foot the bill!¡± Tina replied in a hurry. However, the waiter answered politely, ¡°The bill has been footed.¡± Tina was surprised. ¡°I thought I¡¯m supposed to treat you to dinner tonight!¡± ¡°I can see that you weren¡¯t enjoying your time here today. It¡¯s fine, you can treat me the next time we meet.¡± John strode towards the door. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Just as Tina was about to follow him, Cindy¡¯s coy voice rang from outside. ¡°Mr. Carter! Fancy seeing you here!¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 The moment Tina heard Cindy¡¯s voice, she stopped in her tracks and immediately hid behind the door John replied with a casual tone, ¡°Miss Young, Mr. Langford. Good evening.¡± ¡®Sh*t, Samuel¡¯s here too!¡¯ Tina was horrified. She patted her chest, feeling her heart hammering against it. She was relieved she didn¡¯t show herself just now. If she did, she was sure she would suffer a terrible fate! In the corridor, Cindy wrapped her arm around Samuel¡¯s while greeting John with a sweet smile. ¡°It¡¯s such a coincidence to meet you here! Today is Samuel¡¯s birthday. Do you want to celebrate with us?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s your birthday?¡± John sounded surprised. ¡°Yes. At first, Samuel wasn¡¯t keen on the idea of a birthday party because of his grandmother¡¯s recent health condition. However, I managed to persuade him to have dinner with some of our friends today as a small celebration.¡± Cindy¡¯s casual tone implied that she and Samuel had an intimate rtionship, and that she had a special ce in Samuel¡¯s heart. Mr. Carter, who are you here with today? Let¡¯s all celebrate Samuel¡¯s birthday together,¡± Cindy said, while looking inside the private lounge. Tina held her breath. Fortunately, John knew she wasn¡¯t keen on meeting them. He lied, ¡°I was having dinner with a friend just now, but she had already left.¡± ¡°Really, Samuel doubted his words. At the end of the day, John was only here to search for his long lost sister. Given his tight chedule, he wouldn¡¯t have the ume to go around making friends. Aller all, knowing more people will also increase my chances of finding my sister,¡± John patched up his lie Soon enough, John left with them Tina perked out At first, she wanted to take the chance to flee, but everyone was still talking in the ball it didn¡¯t seem like they would be leaving anytime soon Leaving her with no choice, shehid in the lounge and wated with red eyes. A lot of people with high social sundings in Freesta had gathered in the hall to celebrate Samuel¡¯s birthday Cindy isted like Samuel¡¯s wife as she wrapped her arms around his while greeting the guests. She even set up a champagne tower Tina could hear the waitresses gossiping from outside, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes, Miss Young and Mr Langford really do lookpatible as a couple!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I wonder when they¡¯ll get married!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure someone as powerful as Mr. Langford won¡¯t settle with just any woman. What¡¯s more, it¡¯s obvious that Miss Young is always by his side. Nobody will dare to interfere with their rtionship!¡± ¡°However, rumor has it that there¡¯s a third person in their rtionship¡­¡± ¡°Seriously? I wonder who that shameless b*tch is!¡± Hiding in the lounge, Tina didn¡¯t feel good about being called a b*tch at all. Although she wanted to defend herself, she still couldn¡¯t find the right reason. After all, it was true that she had ulterior motives when she first approached Samuel. Sulking, she made a vow to herself, and that was to get away from Samuel as far as possible. If not, her future would only be filled with dread and misery. Without realizing it, she dozed off. ¨C Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¨C Bam! ¨C All of a sudden, an ear-splitting noise exploded from afar. She woke up with a start, only to see that the crowd had left for the backyard to enjoy the fireworks. Samuel and Cindy were standing amongst the crowd, with their arms locked on one another. At this moment, Tina couldn¡¯t deny that they looked really good together. She got out of the room and realized that everyone, the waitresses included, had gathered in the backyard. She heaved a sigh of relief. ¡®I can finally go home!¡¯ Tina grabbed the hems of her dress and rushed downstairs. Just when she was about to leave, footsteps echoed from behind her. Shocked, she identally twisted her ankle. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 ¡°Ouch!¡± She let out a painful gasp, but covered her mouth almost immediately. Then, she slid under the table and covered herself with the thick tablecloth. Samuel happened to hear that voice and strode into the room, but there was nobody there. Cindy trailed from behind and scanned the room, ¡°Samuel, there¡¯s no one here. Everyone¡¯s enjoying the fireworks in the backyard. You must¡¯ve heard wrongly.¡± Samuel rubbed his forehead. ¡°Hm.¡± Cindy¡¯s heart was pounding hard in her chest. She couldn¡¯t contain her excitement any longer. Tonight, Samuel had consumed a lot of alcohol. Just now, she had drugged his drink and made sure he emptied the cup. Now that the crucial step had beenpleted, the only thing she needed to do was to wait for the drugs to take effect in his system. By then, she¡¯d be able to sleep with Samuel and be his official wife. Cindy coaxed him in a gentle voice, ¡°Samuel, today¡¯s not only your birthday, but it¡¯s also our ten-year anniversary. Do you remember?¡± At first, Samuel wanted to leave. When he heard that, however, his gaze softened. ¡°Of course, I remember. If you didn¡¯t save me from being kidnapped ten years ago, I would¡¯ve long been dead. I¡¯m fortunate to have met you, Cindy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If it wasn¡¯t for the ne, we wouldn¡¯t have recognized each other.¡± Cindy said, reaching for her ne. In the middle of the ne was a blue crystal pendant with the shape of a seashell. Under the lights, it reflected a crystal clear pale blue. Tina couldn¡¯t see the ne clearly under the table. However, their conversation shocked her nevertheless. ¡®What? Ten years ago, Samuel was one of the victims of the kidnapping case too?¡¯ She was in disbelief. Her curiosity grew, but unfortunately, the two didn¡¯t continue their conversation. Noticing that Samuel¡¯s complexion was getting redder, she tried her best to contain her excitement, ¡°Samuel, you don¡¯t look well. Are you okay? Let me apany you to the resting lounge¡­¡± She hugged Samuel¡¯s arm tightly, about to bring him to the room she had already prepared beforehand. She even ced his hand at her waist. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. However, Samuel retracted his hands and his face darkened. ¡°My drink¡¯s drugged. Get away from me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cindy was stunned. Just when did he realize that? When she saw Samuel¡¯s intoxicated expression, she gritted her teeth and embraced him,¡± Samuel, please don¡¯t go. It doesn¡¯t matter. I want to have sex with you¡­¡± Annoyed, he shoved her away and yelled, ¡°Scram! I don¡¯t want to repeat myself!¡± Cindy was petrified as she fell to the ground. However, Samuel didn¡¯t even think of helping her up. Instead, he left the room quickly. But Cindy refused to give up her chance. She believed that Samuel would never reject her once the drugs had taken full effect on him! This time, she had to make sure her n wasplete! ¡°Samuel! Wait for me!¡± She trailed from behind quickly, eager to catch up to him. Noticing that they were leaving, Tina climbed out awkwardly. ¡°Ouch, my ankle! It¡¯s so painful¡­¡±. Today was definitely Tina¡¯s unlucky day. Aside from twisting her ankle, she was also forced to hide under the table for a few hours straight! Her back was killing her! Tina staggered out of the restaurant. By now, it was alreadyte at night. She ran and turned into a corner, only to identally bump into someone. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 ¡°Ouch!¡± Tina was promptly knocked to the ground. She felt like she had bumped into a wall of steel. Her head dizzy from the impact, Tina was certain she was the unluckiest woman in the world. Bad things kept hitting her one after another. ¡°Who are you? Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± Tina was about to fight back, when the street lights illuminated the person in front of her. It was none other than Samuel Langford! He red at her condescendingly. As ill-luck would have it, she still ended up bumping into him after trying to avoid him for the entire day. Samuel frowned immediately. ¡°You !¡± Tina was frightened beyond words. Noticing his gesture , she shoved his hand away with all her strength ¡°Get away from me, you maniac! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± She turned and ran for her life. She thought that Samuel would chase after her, but she could only hear a loud thud from afar. Turning around, Tina saw Samuel lying unconscious on the ground. All of a sudden, she felt conflicted. She nudged him softly and thought, ¡®Did he faint?¡¯ Suddenly, she recalled his conversation with Cindy. It seemed like he had too much to drink, and the alcohol was drugged as well. A thought struck her ¡®Oh my god! Is he poisoned?¡¯ Cindy was terrified If he was dead, then she would be the prime murder suspect! The more she thought about it, the more worried she got. She approached him slowly and asked, ¡°Samuel, are you?¡± Sutmurl, who was supposed to be unconscious, gribbed her hand, ¡®He¡¯s awakel He must¡¯ve been acting to lure me into his trap!¡¯ Tina¡¯s panic intensitled Just as Tond was regretting her decision, Samuel said with a hoarse voice, ¡°Who are you?¡± She was stunned ¡°Whal.¡± He continued, ¡°You look really familiar. Have we met before.¡± He frowned and rubbed his forehead. Samuel was so intoxicated, he couldn¡¯t even recognize Tina She heaved a sigh of relief. Her life was spared today! Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. I¡¯m just a passerby! You¡¯ve had too much to drink. Do you want me to call an ambnce for you?¡± ¡°No,¡± he refused. Then, he told Tina his address. ¡°Send me to this location.¡± Although he was drunk, Samuel still sounded arrogantly high and mighty. Tina had the urge to just leave him on the road. However, her conscience dictated her to do otherwise. So, she hailed a taxi and helped him into it. After Samuel got into the car, he closed his eyes and rested. If it wasn¡¯t for his inability to recognize Tina, she would¡¯ve thought that Samuel was faking it. During their journey home, the taxi driver didn¡¯t even dare to breathe. ¡°We¡¯re here. You can leave now,¡± Tina nudged Samuel. However, he didn¡¯t give her any reaction at all. Noticing that hisplexion was unusually red, she reached out and touched his forehead. ¡®It¡¯s so hot! Does he have a fever?¡¯ she thought. That might be a possibility. She gritted her teeth and helped Samuel into the vi. Suddenly, Samuel and Cindy¡¯s conversation about the kidnapping incident a decade ago reminded Tina of something. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 In the past, she carried a boy with grave injuries on her back when escaping something. When Tina finally arrived at a ce with people, she fainted from exhaustion. After she woke up, she was already adopted by the Lynd family. She heard that a lot of children died in the kidnapping incident. She wasn¡¯t even sure if the young boy survived. While preupied with her thoughts, she finally arrived at the living room while enduring the pain in her ankle. She caressed Samuel¡¯s forehead, and realized that his temperature was soaring high. Fortunately, she knew where the kitchen was because she used to live at the vi for a few days. After getting some ice and a towel, she ced them on his forehead. After weighing her chances, she unbuttoned his shirt. She was about to wipe his body when Samuel grabbed her hand. He opened his eyes and stared at her with a cold gaze. Feeling ufortable, she wasn¡¯t sure if Samuel had recognized her. So, she exined immediately. ¡°Samuel, are you up? I noticed that you have a fever. That¡¯s why I¡¯m wiping your body to decrease your temperature. I swear, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± When she noticed that Samuel wasn¡¯t responding to any of her bberings, she decided to add a final note. ¡°Since you¡¯ve woken up, I¡¯ll be taking my leave!¡± However, Samuel immediately pulled her into an embrace before she could run away. ¡± ¡± When she felt his soaring body temperature, her mind went nk. She came to a revtion almost instantly. It seemed like his drink wasn¡¯t poisoned, but was infused with some kind of aphrodisiac. The next day. At the break of dawn, Tina felt as if all her bones were shattered to pieces. She looked at Samuel sleeping beside her, and the mess they had made all over the room. Dread dawned upon her almost instantly. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had done it with Samuel again. ¡®How did things escte to this?¡¯ She was in dismay She was helping him out of good intentions. Who would¡¯ve known that she would be embroiled in this mess?! Just when her mind was bursting with negative thoughts, someone¡¯s phone rang. It was hers! Immediately, she disconnected the call. She would be dead if Samuel were to wake up! If he knew that they had sex the night before, Samuel would definitely use her of seducing him! To protect herself, she endured the pain in her body and cleaned up the mess on the floor. Since her clothes were ripped off, she didn¡¯t have any spare clothes to wear. So, she searched through Samuel¡¯s wardrobe, wore his white t-shirt, and fled the scene. When she was making her escape, she failed to notice a car gradually driving into the vi. Last night, Cindy couldn¡¯t find Samuel no matter how hard she tried. This morning, she wanted to try her luck at his residence. It wasn¡¯t within her expectation to see Tina, of all people. ¡°Tina?! Why¡¯s that sl*t here?¡± The moment she saw Tina¡¯s furtive movements, her temper red. At first, Cindy wanted to chase after Tina. However, she noticed that the main gate was opened. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Only Samuel could gain ess to the vi with his fingerprints. If others dared to trespass, the consequences would be dire. Don¡¯t tell me they had sexst night?!¡¯ Cindy was furious. She snuck into the vi and found Samuel on the sofa. ¡®I was right! They did have sexst night! How dare that wench snatch away my opportunity? But¡­ Why is she so eager to leave?¡¯ Cindy wondered. While Cindy was preupied with her thoughts, Samuel frowned. He was about to wake up. Cindy¡¯s heart thumped in anxiety as a bold thought struck her. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Samuel woke up with a debilitating headache. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org He rubbed his forehead, and heard a startled cry. Instinctively, he looked in that direction. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he demanded. Wary of his surroundings, he realized someone had trespassed his living quarters. It seemed like someone had set him upst night! However, he was stunned to see the scene before him. ¡°Samuel¡­¡± Cowering in a corner in messy clothes, Cindy called out to him weakly. There were traces of bite marks and hickeys all over her body. ¡°What on earth happenedst night?¡± His voice was hoarse and his eyes were bloodshot. Cindy was overjoyed. It seemed Samuel was in the dark about what happenedst night! He wasn¡¯t aware that he had slept with Tina! She was right! ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened¡­¡± Cindy sounded terrified. Her eyes were red, and she was sobbing uncontrobly. She continued with a weak tone, ¡°Samuel, I didn¡¯t know things would end up like this¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s memory ofst night was hazy. He could only remember a small figure helping him into the vi. Plus, that person was going around the vi tending to his needs all night. When he saw Cindy¡¯s frightened expression, guilt engulfed him entirely. Cindy took in his emotions and took advantage of the situation. ¡°Samuel¡­ I¡¯ve loved you for a long time, but you¡¯ve always regarded me as just a younger sister. I couldn¡¯t profess my love to you, for fear of getting rejected and chased away. But now that things havee to this, I only hope to stay by your side as your lover. You don¡¯t have to marry me. Just let me stay by your side. Please, I beg of you!¡± Cindy had her knees on the ground. It was as if she had done something very wrong. The sight of her groveling pained Samuel to the core. ¡®What have I done?!¡¯ Samuel hurriedly stood up and grabbed Cindy¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t chase you away.¡± Cindy threw herself into Kevin¡¯s arms. ¡°Oh, Samuel! Are you saying that I can be your lover?¡± While Samuel looked at Cindy¡¯s delicate and pitiful expression, Tina¡¯s stubborn look shed across his mind for some reason. Though he was conflicted, he knew what he should prioritize right now. Samuel heaved in his breath and resisted the urge to push Cindy away. ¡°Cindy, I¡¯ve always regarded you as my family. It wasn¡¯t my intention for such a thing to happen at all. However, you can rest assured. I¡¯ll definitely give you a legitimate status in this family. I¡¯ll make you my wife.¡± Cindy¡¯s heart sank. ¡®Why is he treating me like this? Don¡¯t tell me he loves that sl*t even more than me!¡¯ She was incensed. Brewing in hatred and anger, she was determined to get rid of Tina once and for all. She was also well aware of the fact that once she became Samuel¡¯s wife, it would increase her chances of gaining his favor. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Cindy didn¡¯t make a fuss of the situation. ¡°As long as I can stay by your side, I¡¯m content.¡± At this moment, Tina was limping her way back to her apartment. When she recalled what happenedst night, exhaustion overcame her and she sank into a deep slumber. In the afternoon, someone knocked on the door.c om ¡°Tina!¡± John¡¯s voice called from outside. Tina woke up with a start. Only then did she realize that there were numerous missed calls from John. He must¡¯ve been worried sick about her. If he saw her current state right now, god knows what he would think. Worried, she rushed into the bathroom and removed Samuel¡¯s clothes. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 John, who was waiting outside, heard a loud noise from the bathroom. Growing impatient, he knocked down the door with his fellow men. When he saw the empty room, his heart sank. ¡°How could I lose my little sister again? Why is God treating me so unfairly?¡¯ He was in despair. ¡°Conduct a search for Tina all over Freesia now! Whoever finds her will get a hefty reward! As for those who dare to inflict harm upon her, I¡¯ll shred them into a million pieces!¡± John, who was usually mild-mannered, was now the epitome of fury. Right at this moment, the bathroom door swung open. Tina rushed out after changing into a new set of clothes. ¡°John, I¡¯m here! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, John was already walking toward her. He immediately pulled her into an embrace. ¡°Are you okay? You had me worried!¡± John med himself for everything. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t ask someone to send you homest night. If anything happens to you, I¡¯d¡­¡± John¡¯s voice was trembling. He had already regarded Tina as part of his family. Tina was deeply moved and very guilty at the same time. She immediately tried to exin things to John. ¡°John, I¡¯m sorry to have you worried. I was just very tired yesterday. When I came back home, I headed straight to bed and slept until now. From today onwards, I swear to answer your call every single time! If not, I¡¯l¡­¡± Tina looked really serious as she swore an oath. When John saw her serious expression, he gave her a mild finger flick on the forehead.¡± Promise me you¡¯ll take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t make me worry anymore, okay?¡± Tina backed off instantly. However, she wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, she rubbed her forehead and smiled brightly. John was attracted to his bright smile. All of a sudden, he asked, ¡°Tina, have you ever thought about searching for your birth parents?¡± ¡°I want to!¡± She nodded in anticipation. Then, she added with a sour expression, ¡°Problem is, I can¡¯t remember anything from my childhood.¡± ¡°I can help you with that,¡± John said. He once fantasized that Tina was actually his younger sister, Coco. However, he was disappointed to know that she didn¡¯t have a birthmark on her body. John heard from the orphanage that Tina was a survivor of an abduction case. Her parents must still be somewhere, searching for her. If he could help Tina to reunite with her family, he would be relieved. Tina was both delighted and sorrowful by his consideration. ¡°How can I ever pay you back for your kindness?¡± ¡°You can do that when you¡¯re finally reunited with your family.¡± John caressed Tina¡¯s head gently. Right at this moment, Tina¡¯s phone vibrated, indicating a message. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She took a look at it and herplexion changed. ¡°John, I¡¯m sorry. I need to leave for the hospital now.¡± John frowned. ¡°Are you visiting Madam Langford?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s woken up. She¡¯ll be worried if I¡¯m not there,¡± Tina said. John knew Tina was a person who valued her personal rtionships. Although he was against the idea of her getting involved with Samuel, it still wasn¡¯t his ce to impose his ideas on her. ¡°I¡¯ll send you there.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Not long after, the two arrived at the hospital. Tina rushed to the ward. Before she could open the door, Madam Langford¡¯s angry voice exploded from inside. ¡°No! I won¡¯t agree to this!¡± Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Tina was stunned. What was it that made Madam Langford so furious? Immediately, Tina pushed the door and shouted anxiously, ¡°Grandma! What happened?¡± Unexpectedly, she saw both Samuel and Cindy in the room. Noticing Samuel¡¯s eagle-like gaze, Tina immediately lowered her gaze, guilt stabbing her. Subconsciously, she raised her cor, for fear he would notice the hickey fromst night. When she thought about what happenedst night, her heart began thumping like crazy. She was extremely worried Samuel would find faults with her again and make her life miserable. Fortunately, Samuel looked away from her almost instantly. He held Cindy¡¯s hand and said with unwavering determination, ¡°Grandma. I knew you¡¯d reject the idea, but I have my own reasons to marry Cindy. She¡¯s the only woman who can be my wife.¡± Cindy hugged Samuel tightly and persuaded with a weak voice, ¡°Grandma, we are deeply in love with each other. As long as I can be at Samuel¡¯s side, I have noints.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Tina heaved a sigh of relief when she noticed that Samuel wasn¡¯t paying any attention to her. However, envy engulfed her when she saw the loving couple hugging each other. Last night, Tina was just having sex with Samuel Yet today, Cindy was about to get married to him! Thinking about the absurd timing, Tina felt relieved that she managed to run away without anyone noticing. She vowed to carry this secret to the grave. ¡°No! I don¡¯t care what your reasons are, but the only one I care about is Tina! I want Tina to be my granddaughter-inw!¡± Madam Langford insisted, refusing to relent, Tina immediatelyforted her and said, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t mind at all¡­¡± ¡°How can you say something like that? You are Samuel¡¯s fiance. It¡¯s only natural for him to marry you!¡± Madam Langford retaliated stubbornly. ¡°But¡­¡± Tina was in an awkward position. ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, nobody can change my mind! Get out, all of you!¡± Madam Langford was so riled up, to the point that the machine connected to her was ring its sirens. bne IL TOTTEL attempted to exin the situation to him. ¡°Mr. Langford, I didn¡¯t expect things to end up like this. I¡¯ll do my best to persuade Grandma But Samuel didn¡¯t even look at her as he turned to leave, leaving Tina standing there like an idiot. Looking at the awkward encounter between them, Cindy was sure that Samuel was unaware that the woman he slept with yesterday was Tina, Tina, on the other hand, was worried Samuel might make things difficult for her, which exined her silence. Proud of her achievements, Cindy stood in front of Tina and dered smugly, ¡°Miss Young, I¡¯ll marry Samuel with or without Madam Langford¡¯s blessing. An outsider like you shouldn¡¯t have to worry about our happiness. We¡¯ll take care of ourselves.¡± Tina lowered her head in defeat. She knew Cindy was being sarcastic. After all, it was true Tina used to have aplicated rtionship with Samuel in the past. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t be a nuisance to you both.¡± ¡°That sounds better,¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t hide her pride and shed Tina a wicked smirk. She would never allow Tina to disrupt their rtionship ever again! Nobody could know about what happened that night. Cindy was determined to get rid of Tina once and for all. After all, dead men tell no tales. With that thought in mind, Cindy headed to the bathroom and made a quick phone call. ¡°I¡¯m offering 450k for a woman¡¯s life. Are you interested?¡± Chapter 98 Chapter 98 The man at the other end of the phone went by the nickname ¡®Scarface¡¯. He was the most ¨C wanted and notorious fugitive in Freesia. He was also willing to do anything for money. Scarface could never let go of such a golden opportunity. He chuckled and replied sinisterly,¡± As expected of Mrs. Langford! 450k in exchange for a woman¡¯s life is an easy job for me.¡± ¡°Good! I look forward to hearing from you.¡± The moment Cindy hung up, her mood lightened up. She was looking forward to news of Tina¡¯s demise! She bumped into Samuel when she exited the bathroom, which shocked her somewhat. She was slightly nervous. ¡®Did Samuel hear what I said over the phone just now?¡¯ However, Samuel didn¡¯t seem to suspect anything at all and replied casually, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry. I¡¯ll send you back myself.¡± Cindy felt warm on the inside. It seemed she had made the right move when she got Samuel to recognize her as his legal wife. In the past, Samuel would deliberately put a distance between them. But now that he had promised her the status as his wife, he would go out of his way to look out for her. She wrapped her arm around his and walked outside the hospital with him. At that moment, she saw Tina standing in front of a luxury car while talking to someone inside. When the window was rolled down, she noticed that the man inside was John Carter. ¡°Samuel, look over there. It seems Miss Lynd has a really good rtionship with Mr. Carter,¡± Cindy commented slyly. Samuel burned with hatred at the mention of Tina. ¡°She¡¯s the type who¡¯s willing to do anything for money. I¡¯ll assign Victor as your bodyguard from now on. Make sure to keep away from Tina at all times, Cindy.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Cindy said meekly. She stole a nce at Tina before leaving. ¡®It seems they really do have an unusual rtionship together. That sl*t, I bet she¡¯s slept with a lot of men by now!! Her mind festering with envy, Cindy made another phone call right after she returned to the vi. ¡°I want to make another request. Not only do I want her dead, but I also want to witness the torturing in person. Since she likes seducing men so much, let¡¯s see if she¡¯ll enjoy being tortured by men.¡± ¡°As long as the money¡¯s enough, we¡¯ll grant you any wish. My gang¡¯s already prepared to make a move.¡± After Tina sent John off, she returned to the hospital and waited on the bench in the hallway. After pacing in front of the ward for a long time, she figured that Madam Langford¡¯s anger C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org had already subsided. So, she knocked on the door carefully. ¡°Come in,¡± Madam Langford¡¯s voice said from inside. When the old woman saw the person at the door, she was stunned. ¡°Tina! Why are you still waiting at the door?¡± ¡°I was worried that you might still be angry, so I waited for a while,¡± Tina replied truthfully. Madam Langford knew that the kind soul had been waiting for a few hours straight. ¡°Grandma, are you hungry? The doctor said you can enjoy some liquid food. Why don¡¯t I make some porridge for you?¡± Tina asked in concern. ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll eat anything you prepare for me.¡± Madam Langford was moved when she saw Tina¡¯s loving gesture. After spending some time in the kitchen, Tina cooked a bowl of porridge. She even spoon-fed Madam Langford as the old couldn¡¯t move as much.¡¯ After the porridge was finished, Tina made sure Madam Langford was in a good mood before asking her question. ¡°Grandma, I have something very important I wish to talk to you about¡­¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Before Tina could say anything, Madam Langford cut her off instantly. ¡°No! That¡¯s not an option!¡± Tina was dumbfounded. ¡°I haven¡¯t even said anything!¡± Madam Langford continued with an unpleasant tone, ¡°No need. It¡¯s written all over your face!¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be that obvious, right?¡± Tina touched her cheeks, a little embarrassed. Her gesture angered and amused Madam Langford at the same time. ¡°You silly child!¡± With shaking hands, she mustered all her strength to caress Tina¡¯s head. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Tina, you¡¯re too kind and innocent. You should marry Samuel before anything happens to me. Stop making me worry about you!¡± ¡°I know that I won¡¯t live for long. Before I die, I want to see you two as a happily married couple. The first reason is to have Samuel take responsibility for you, and the other reason is to realize the wish I¡¯ve had all these years. What¡¯s more, you¡¯re a perfect match for my grandson. I want to see you two building a family together.¡± When Tina discovered that Madam Langford was looking out for her future, her eyes turned red. Yet, she knew full well that Samuel would never love her. The only woman Samuel wanted was Cindy. ¡°But we don¡¯t have feelings for each other.¡± ¡°Be that as may, at the end of the day, Samuel will still need to take responsibility for you. Besides, feelings can be fostered. It takes time. What¡¯s important is that you have to be Samuel¡¯s wife. That way, I can pass on easily, knowing that you are protected and respected by the people around you.¡± Madam Langford was determined. She wouldn¡¯t let Tina refuse her order. Considering the old woman¡¯s health condition, Tina didn¡¯t want to say anything that would upset Madam Langford. She could only lower her head and say quietly, ¡°Okay, Grandma. I understand.¡± She chatted with Madam Langford for a while before leaving. When she left, it was alreadyte at night. Looking at Tina¡¯s back, Madam Langford heaved a dejected sigh. Then, she stretched out her shaky hands and yanked at the wires connecting to the machines around her. All of a sudden, rms red from the ward and alerted her medical team. When they arrived in her ward, Madam Langford gave them a stern order. ¡°I don¡¯t care what Samuel¡¯s doing right now. Drag him here right now!¡± The moment Tina left the ward, she was about to send a message to John so he wouldn¡¯t be worried about her. Typing and walking at the same time, she identally bumped into a person in front of her. ¡°Ouch!¡± Mr. Jackson turned and said irritatedly, ¡°How dare you knock into me? Do you know who I am, you prick?¡± Tina was shocked and quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The two looked at each other, momentarily stunned. Tina cursed under her breath. Who would¡¯ve known that the person she bumped into today would be Mr. Jackson? Instinctively, Tine turned to leave. However, he blocked her again. ¡°Youngdy, we meet again! You stomped on my feet thest time, remember? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve resolved that grudge yet. How are you going to make it up to me?¡± Tina was beyond annoyed. ¡®Why is he making things so difficult for me?¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ve already apologized. What more do you still want me to do?¡± ¡°An apology is not enough!¡± Looking at Tina¡¯s flustered expression, Jackson was even more amused. ¡°Why don¡¯t you be mine?¡± Tina didn¡¯t want to continue this conversation with him. Without any form of hesitance, she raised her foot and attempted to stomp on his feet again. Mr. Jackson already saw iting. This woman in front of him wasn¡¯t like the innocent and shydies of prestigious standing, nor was she simr to the sexy subuses in the nightclub. To be more urate, she seemed more like a proud fox who would mp its ws on you when you least expected it. He dodged her attack and said proudly, ¡°I already knew you¡¯d do that! Haha!¡± Tina was speechless. ¡°Go away!¡± ¡°Unless you agree to be my girlfriend, I won¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never agree to that! Just how shameless are you?¡± Tina red at him, seething. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Mr. Jackson decided to annoy her even further. ¡°I was only asking for your number thest time I met you, but you treated me like vermin. Are you aware of the humiliation I had to endure from my friends just because I got rejected by a woman like you? I won¡¯t let you off the hook this time!¡± ¡°Serve you right! If I were your friend, I¡¯d beughing at you too!¡± Tina spat sarcastically. Mr. Jackson stood rooted to the ground, amazed by this woman¡¯s audacity. Nobody in Freesia dared to regard him with such disrespect! Most of the time, they would let it slide because his father was also one of the powerful figures in Freesia. Women from all around would flock to him for a taste of money and power! All his life, he had never been rebuked by a woman. Tina was a unique exception. Right at this moment, someone spoke politely from afar, ¡°Mr. Langford, wee.¡± ¡®Mr. Langford? Samuel¡¯s here!¡¯ Tina was horrified. Herplexion changed instantly. She ignored Mr. Jackson and hid from view. Fortunately, she managed to avoid bumping into Samuel. Not long after, Samuel appeared. Mr. Jackson looked nervous and hurried to greet Samuel politely. ¡°Good day, Mr. Langford.¡± After all, nobody had the guts to ignore the Tyrant of Freesia. Samuel didn¡¯t even spare a nce at Mr. Jackson as he rushed to the ward. When Tina saw that he was gone, she heaved a sigh of relief. Tina¡¯s odd reaction didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Mr. Jackson. He asked curiously, ¡°Why are you hiding from Samuel? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Tina red at him. When he wasn¡¯t paying attention, she leapt to her feet and ran into the esctor. Extremely curious about Tina¡¯s identity, Mr. Jackson called his friends for information. ¡°That woman we saw at The Navy, find out who she is.¡± His friends instantly made fun of him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve fallen in love with her? Are you finally settling down? Your father will be very happy to know this!¡± ¡°Stop that! Are you going to help me or not? Cut the crap if you don¡¯t,¡± he spat. ¡°Of course we¡¯ll do our best! Your love life is at stake, after all.¡± Tina felt relieved when she finally got rid of that shameless pest of a man. She returned to her apartment to rest. The next day, while she was working, she received a phone call. ¡°Miss Lynd, this is Sandy.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Tina was shocked. Why would Sandy call her out of the blue? ¡°Mr. Langford wants to see you right now.¡± After saying that, Sandy forwarded an address to her. She couldn¡¯t believe it. What was Samuel ying at? Tina was sure that she didn¡¯t do anything that would offend him in any way. She thought about Madam Langford¡¯s words yesterday. ¡°Is he trying to warn me to stop manipting Grandma because he¡¯s getting married to Cindy?¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s a possibility. But if Samuel really wants to make things difficult for me, he would¡¯ve instructed his men to kidnap me. He wouldn¡¯t ask Sandy to ry the message. Cindy wouldn¡¯t dare to make him wait. She ran to her superior¡¯s office and requested for a few hours of leave. The superior agreed without a fuss. After Tina informed the taxi driver of the address, she sat in the car, worrying about what would happen to herter. Finally, she arrived. The car slowed down gradually and the taxi driver said, ¡°Miss, we¡¯re here.¡± After Tina paid the fare, the driver added a strangement. ¡°Congrattions! Have a good one, Miss. Bye!¡± Tina stared nkly at the car driving into the distance, utterly confused. Suddenly, Sandy appeared before her. ¡°Miss Lynd, let¡¯s go. You have to sign your name on the marriage contract.¡± Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Sandy¡¯s remarks stunned Tina. ¡°What?! Marriage contract?¡± It was then when she realized that she was getting off at the Civil Affairs Bureau. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Despite Tina resisting, Sandy insisted on dragging her into the building. Samuel wasn¡¯t there, and there was only a document with his signature on it. ¡°You just need to sign here,¡± Sandy said coldly. He didn¡¯t even bother to exin. Tina¡¯s brain grew muddled when she saw the marriage contract. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I think you got the wrong person.¡± ¡®Wasn¡¯t Cindy the bride-to-be? Why isn¡¯t it her instead?¡¯ Sandy answered sarcastically, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want? Ruining the rtionship between Mr. Langford and Ms. Young so that you can be the wife.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Tina exined hurriedly. but was reminded of Madam Langford. ¡°Could it be Grandma? I¡¯ll talk to her about this¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s Madam Langford¡¯s suggestion. iMr. Langford agreed to it too.¡± Sandy recalled the sight of Cindy crying her heart out and immediately felt that Tina was a wicked woman. Impatient, he snapped, ¡°Just sign this and you¡¯ll marry Mr. Langford. Don¡¯t expect anything from him, because it¡¯s Miss Young that he loves. Not you.¡± Tina had no choice but to sign the document. Soon, she received two marriage booklets with both hers and Samuel¡¯s names on. There was a picture of them standing together on the booklet, but Tina knew how much Samuel hated her. These were just superficial acts. Even so, the picture gave Tina an illusion that they got married because of love. Tina left the Civil Affairs Bureau and returned to work. When she reached the office, she overheard her colleagues¡¯ conversation. ¡°Have you heard? Tiffany and Jonathan are finally tying the knot!¡± ¡°Really? I knew they were gonna make it! They¡¯ve been together for almost a decade since high school.¡± ¡°Herees the two newlyweds! Congrattions!¡± Tiffany and Jonathan walked forward with big smiles, holding hands all the while. ¡°These snacks are for everyone. Make sure toe to our wedding!¡± ¡°Oh, for sure! We¡¯ll definitely be there!¡± For some reason, Tina felt a pang of annoyance. She, too, imagined a life where she would marry the love of her life and build a family together, but¡­ Tina gently patted the booklet in her pocket and gave herself a pathetic chuckle. Not wanting to listen to the conversation anymore, she made her way to the pantry. But then, she heard people talking behind her. Their voices were getting louder every passing second. ¡°Hey there, Tina. Why didn¡¯t you take the snacks?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I was preupied ¡­¡± Tina tried to squeeze out an excuse, when she was handed a handful of snacks. LIL ¡°These are for you! You¡¯re still young, so I hope these snacks can act as lucky charms for you to find your prince charming soon,¡± her colleague said cheerfully. Tina could only respond with a polite smile. She stared at the snacks, feelingplicated, as her colleagues left the pantry. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102 After work, Tina went to visit Madam Langford. Grandma Langford looked at Tina with a smile. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re here early today. Is there anything you wish to tell me?¡± Looking at Madam Langford, Tina could finally understand why Samuel changed his mind and married her. She ignored the clusters of emotions whirling within her and said shyly, ¡°Grandma, please stop teasing me.¡± Then, she took out the booklet from her pocket and handed it to the olddy. Madam Langford let out a satisfied smile when she saw the picture of Tina and Samuel on the booklet. ¡°This is great! Now that you two are married, I can finally stop worrying.¡± Just then, Tina heard footsteps approaching the room. Just as she expected, she saw Samuel when she turned around. Madam Langford nced at Samuel and said in an indifferent tone, ¡°You¡¯re only showing up now? Are you nning to ignore your wife for the rest of the day?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. There wasn¡¯t much expression on Samuel¡¯s face as he wrapped his hands around Tina¡¯s waist, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandma. Just like I promised, I¡¯ll take good care of her.¡± Tina was shocked by Samuel¡¯s strange actions, but quickly realized that these were all part of his charade for Madam Langford. She yed along and leaned on his shoulder. ¡°Exactly! Don¡¯t worry too much about it, Grandma.¡± Madam Langford said, ¡°I¡¯ll stop worrying, then. I don¡¯t wish to take away your time together. But it¡¯ll be so much better if I get to see my great-grandchildren soon¡­¡± Madam Langford nced at Tina¡¯s stomach, and then turned to stare at Samuel. ¡°We won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± Samuel assured. ¡°Very well. You two may leave now,¡± Madam Langford said. ¡°Oh, right. Leave your marriage booklets here so I can take a better lookter.¡± Tina did as told. As she pulled the booklet out for Madam Langford, some of the snacks she received earlier fell out. ¡°These are..?¡± Madam Langford asked as she stared at the snacks. Tina quickly exined, ¡°Oh, these are snacks for weddings¡­¡± Madam Langford nodded with an approving smile. ¡°That¡¯s more like it! The traditions must still go on even though you two got married so suddenly. Samuel, make sure you bring some wedding snacks to thepany tomorrow too.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandma,¡± Samuel responded obediently. They left the room together. The moment the door was about to close, Tina tried to escape TO01 Samuel¡¯s grasp. She didn¡¯t want to keep hugging him. But Samuel grabbed her arm and warned her in a sinister hiss, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare do anything weird, Tina. If Grandma notices anything suspicious, you¡¯ll be dead meat!¡± Samuel¡¯s ire for Tina was obvious. Thus, Tina wisely kept quiet. Samuel didn¡¯t let go of Tina all the way until they left the hospital. Just yesterday, he announced to Tina that Cindy was going to be his only bride. Who knew that Madam Langford would actually threaten him with her own life just for him to marry Tina? These are all part of her n! She acts all innocent, but she¡¯s just using Grandma as a pawn for her own selfish desires.¡¯ If it weren¡¯t for his grandmother, Samuel would¡¯ve long killed Tina in cold blood. ¡°Tina! I have to admit, you¡¯re one of a kind with your dirty tricks. Congrattions, you¡¯ve achieved your goals!¡± Sarcasm dripped from his every syble. He then nced disdainfully at her pocket and continued, ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve already expected me to marry you, huh? You even had wedding snacks prepared ahead of time!¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Tina said nothing, and responded with an awkward smile. She never prepared the wedding snacks as Samuel had used her of. But she also knew full well that Samuel wouldn¡¯t buy it even if she tried to exin. After all, she had ruined his precious rtionship with Cindy. ¡®What goes aroundes around. I¡¯ll just have to endure it.¡¯ Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Contrary to Samuel¡¯s expectations, Tina kept quiet the entire time, as if admitting to his usations. For some reason, he felt annoyed¡­ They spent the entire car ride together in silence. After a long time, they finally reached their destination. Before them stood a magnificent mansion only the Langford wives could stay at. As soon as Samuel got out of the car, a figure rushed towards him and threw herself into his arms. ¡°You¡¯re finally back, Samuel! I thought you¡¯d leave me¡­¡± Cindy burst into tears as she closed her arms around Samuel¡¯s waist. She was furious to see Tina sitting in the car as well, but ultimately chose to ignore it. Samuel didn¡¯t push Cindy away due to his overwhelming guilt. He knew he was supposed to protect Cindy and Madam Langford, both who he respected more than anything. Yet, both of them had to suffer because of Tina. Cindy went on, ¡°Samuel¡­ Now that you and Tina are married, it¡¯s no longer appropriate for an outsider like me to stay here. Maybe I should move¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Samuel cut her off at that very instant. ¡°We¡¯re married in name only, and all because of Grandma. To me, only you are qualified to be my wife.¡± ¡°Really? But isn¡¯t that unfair to Tina?¡± Cindy yed the role of a good girl, her eyes filled with tears. Samuel responded with a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re always putting others before you, Cindy. Tina¡¯s angered me so many times, and if it weren¡¯t for Grandma, I would¡¯ve killed her already.¡± Tina felt awkward as she sat in the car and listened to their conversation. Cindy pulled Samuel¡¯s hand gently and said, ¡°Oh, right. I prepared some of your favourtie food. Come try it!¡± Samuel nced at the car before leaving with Cindy, unbothered about Tina¡¯s fate. Tina peeked out of the window after some time had passed. She let out a relieved sigh when she realized both of them were gone. ¡°Thank god¡­¡± But where could she go? Looking at the humongous mansion, Tina felt a bit lost. Perhaps she should just leave? Samuel was an extremely moody and unpredictable man. She didn¡¯t want to live her entire life walking on eggshells. With that decision in mind, she nned to leave. Unfortunately, the ce was so huge that she couldn¡¯t figure out which direction she should be going. She ended up losing her way. The sky had started to darkened, but Tina was still circling the same area. She started I tried to call someone. Yet, there was no signal at all! Tina looked around, feeling helpless. Knowing that Samuel hated her to the bone, he probably wouldn¡¯t care if she died here. It was at that moment when she saw faint lights shing in front of her. Startled, she quickly ran in the direction of the lights. Meanwhile, a party was going on at the other side of the mansion. Mrs. Langford, currently the one with the highest status in this mansion, was busy chatting with Mrs. Carter, John¡¯s stepmother. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 The mansion was filled with soft music. Gathered under a luxurious chandelier were the elites of prestigious backgrounds. Mrs. Carter, John¡¯s stepmother, was talking to Mrs. Langford, Samuel¡¯s mother, on the balcony. As Mrs. Carter had been taking good care of her skin, her appearance belied her true age and she only looked like she was in her thirties. As the sun was almost setting, Mrs. Carter said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I should head back now.¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she saw a shadow standing under the bnce. She let out a startled cry from shock. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Mrs. Langford followed Mrs. Carter¡¯s stare and turned her head to look. Not far from the balcony, someone suspicious was standing there. Ineon C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org IN It was quite difficult to see the person¡¯s face due to the distance and the dimmed environment, but Mrs. Langford recognised it right away. ¡°Tina! ¡®How dare that wench show up in this mansion after taking what was rightfully Cindy¡¯s!! Mrs. Langford was furious but managed to keep her cool. ¡°That must be the new maid. I¡¯ll have someone chase her away!¡± The bodyguards went down at her behest and dragged Tina away forcefully. But Mrs. Carter had aplicated look and asked, ¡°Really? A maid? What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Who would know a maid¡¯s name?¡± Mrs. Langford responded callously. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Mrs. Carterughed it off. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± She turned around and left the balcony. Outside of the mansion, a luxury car was waiting for her. Mrs. Carter entered the car. John, her stepson, was sitting at the back. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Carter,¡± John said, his voice rather cool. Mrs. Carter was John¡¯s stepmother. His biological mother died shortly after losing her daughter, and her death was also the reason why his father remarried with another. Mrs. Carter wasn¡¯t on very close terms with John. But as John was the sessor of the Carter 1, she forced a smile in response and maintained a cordial rtionship with him. Right then, Mrs. Carter was reminded of the shadow she saw just now. For some strange reason, it was oddly familiar to her and it reminded her of John¡¯ste biological mother. The only one who looked like John¡¯s mother was the daughter, but she went missing years ago. Carefully, she asked, ¡°John, I know you¡¯ve been busy with work, but has there been any news about Coco?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± John responded curtly. ¡°Have you found her?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± John murmured, disappointed. Mrs. Carter felt relieved, but pretended tofort him. She said gently, ¡°That¡¯s okay, John. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find her soon.¡± She must have made a mistake a moment ago. After all, she was the one who sold Coco to human trafficker and requested to have the child tortured to death. It wasn¡¯t possible for Coco to appear at the Langford¡¯s mansion! Most importantly, no one should ever know about her crimes. ¡°Oh, right. Mrs. Carter,¡± John asked abruptly as he suddenly remembered something. ¡°Does Coco really have a birthmark on her?¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105 John had never paid much attention to Coco¡¯s appearance, and the reason he knew about the birthmark was because of Mrs. Carter. Perhaps Mrs. Carter remembered it wrongly? Tina could really be his sister! That thought itself was sufficient enough to give John some form of hope. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m certain there is!¡± Mrs. Carter said, though she was careful to avoid eye contact with John. ¡°Your father left a picture of her before he passed away, remember? That birthmark was so obvious in the picture!¡± John gave a forced smile as Mrs. Carter¡¯s reply killed hisst remaining hope. ¡°You¡¯re right. If Coco had the birthmark when she was a kid, then she would still have it now ¡®No matter how much Tina resembles Coco, she¡¯s not her.¡¯ Mrs. Carter looked at John in silence, thinking to herself. ¡®You¡¯re right, John. There¡¯s no way the birthmark would disappear! But when I sold her to the human traffickers, I already made sure they removed her birthmark.¡¯ ¡®Even if she¡¯s still alive, you won¡¯t recognize her!¡¯ At the other end of the mansion, Tina finally found some people after following that faint light she had seen. Just as she was about to ask for directions, a group of bodyguards appeared and dragged her away forcefully. ¡°How dare you enter the Langford estate without permission!¡± Tina yelled as she struggled, ¡°I didn¡¯t! Mr. Langford brought me here. My name¡¯s Tina¡­!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford? Ha! Don¡¯t you dare try to trick us.¡± The bodyguards were obviously not buying her words. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Her marriage with Samuel wasn¡¯t announced publicly, so it was only natural that no one else knew anything about it. That left Tina speechless. If only she didn¡¯t give her marriage booklet to Madam Langford! She could¡¯ve shown it to them as proof. By the time Tina gathered her thoughts, she found herself locked in an underground basement. The ce was bleak, cold, andpletely dark. Tina suddenly felt nauseous, and started vomiting half- digested food. After quite some time, the basement door was finally opened from the outside. It was Mrs. Langford! Tina thought the woman was here to save her, and said gratefully, ¡°Mrs. Langford? It¡¯s me, Tina¡­¡± ¡°Of course I know it¡¯s you,¡± Mrs. Langford spat scornfully. ¡°You! Hold her tightly.¡± Before Tina could even react, several maids held her hands and body, denying her escape. p! Tina was pped hard on the face. ¡°You bit*h! Sl*t!¡± Mrs. Langford sounded disgusted and frustrated as she pointed an angry finger at Tina.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to do justice for Cindy! How dare a lowly person like you marry Samuel! I¡¯ll never ept you! Your only role here is as a maid!¡± The right side of Tina¡¯s face was now swollen, with a clear palm print on it. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Tina held back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. As Mrs. Langford was about to give her another p, she shouted defiantly, ¡°I have to visit Grandma Langford every day. How am I supposed to exin to her my swollen face?!! Mrs. Langford¡¯s hand stopped mid-air. She snarled angrily, ¡°You¡¯ dare to threaten me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not! You can do whatever you want to me, Mrs. Langford. I just¡¯ don¡¯t want Grandma Langford to worry,¡± Tina answered truthfully. ¡®What this wench said makes sense. That old b?t would freak out if she found out that I¡¯ve been bullying her. ¡°Just you wait!¡± Mrs. Langford spat, her lips a crooked smile. ¡°She¡¯s not gonnast long. The doctor said she¡¯ll be gone in another 6 months!¡±. Tina felt as if her world was crumbling around her. ¡°What? 6 months?¡± ¡°Why else do you think Samuel was willing to marry you? He just wanted to fulfill Grandma Langford¡¯s final wish.¡± Tina felt her body trembling. ¡®No wonder Grandma was rushing the marriage. That exins why Samuel was alright with it¡­ It was all because of Madam Langford. Tina initially nned to repay Madam Langford¡¯s kindness in the future, but never did she imagine that the old woman might be gone in just a few months¡¯ time. Complicated emotions whirled in her, overwhelming her. Mrs. Langford went on in a harsh tone, ¡°Your only worth here is a maid. Don¡¯t you dare try to ruin Samuel and Cindy¡¯s rtionship!¡± Having said that, Mrs. Langford turned around and left the room in a huff. Meanwhile¡­ After a long time, it finally dawned on Samuel that Tina was missing. He turned to Sandy and barked, ¡°Where is she?¡± Sandy replied, ¡°Mrs. Langford said that Tina can stay at her ce for a while so that she wouldn¡¯t disturb you and Ms. Young.¡± Samuel remained silent throughout the entire time. Mother never liked Tina, so she definitely wouldn¡¯t treat Tina kindly.¡¯ ¡®She had iting for desperately wanting to marry me.¡¯ As Sandy left the room, Cindy appeared and gave Samuel an affectionate hug from behind. Her cheeks blushed sweetly as she said coyly, ¡°Samuel, it¡¯s gettingte. We should rest¡­¡± Before she could finish, Samuel pushed her away. ¡°I¡¯ll be workingte. Don¡¯t wait up.¡± Cindy didn¡¯t expect such a cold reaction from him. She thought he was only joking when he dered that he wouldn¡¯t touch her, but he actually meant it! This couldn¡¯t be happening! She must be pregnant with his child and marry him! ¡°But Samuel, I¡¯m already yours! I wish to have a child with you¡­¡± Cindy¡¯s words brought Samuel back to that one time when Tina was mistaken for being pregnant. He was disappointed when he found out that Tina wasn¡¯t pregnant, but strangely enough, he had a different reaction when Cindy was concerned. ¡°I don¡¯t like children. Let¡¯s talk about this some other time.¡± Despite her dissatisfaction, Cindy said nothing in response. She left the room and quickly made a phone call. She thought everything would change after tricking Samuel into thinking that they had a one night stand, but s! Tina always ended up in between them, some way or other. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She couldn¡¯t stand the thought that Tina was still alive and living in the same ce as her. ¡°Make it quick!¡± she snapped. ¡°I want her to be gone as soon as possible!¡± Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Meanwhile, Tina spent the entire night in the basement The entire night, she couldn¡¯t sleep. Her mind was upied with many thoughts.. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was her colleague. ¡°Tina, why aren¡¯t youing in for work today?¡± That reminded Tina. It was already the next day, and she had been trapped in the basement for the entire night. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± She hung up the phone and rushed out of the basement, only to stop when a sudden rush of dizziness struck her. ¡°argh!¡± Tina started vomiting again. She realized that she might have fallen sick after spending the whole night in a cold and ufortable basement. However, she had just started her new job. She shouldn¡¯t afford to bete often. Plus, her sry for this job was much higher than what she got during the time she worked as a dishwasher. While Tina didn¡¯t mind losing this job, she didn¡¯t want to disappoint John, who had helped her so much. Tina took a deep breath and headed to work. After sessfully exiting the basement, she asked for directions from some of the workers and was finally able to leave the mansion. No matter how much she tried to rush, to the point she even skipped breakfast, she still couldn¡¯t make it to work on time. Her boss was dissatisfied andined about it. ¡°Ms. Lynd. I know Mr. Carter referred you, but this is uneptable¡­¡± Tina, guilty, could do nothing but apologize over and over. Seeing how genuine Tina was, her boss decided to let her off the hook this once. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Just be mindful of this.¡± ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Tina left the room quickly. However, she felt her stomach rumbling again and ended up vomiting a second round in the toilet. Her colleagues were worried. ¡°Are you okay, Tina? Do you need some help?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯m just feeling under the weather. Maybe it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t have breakfast earlier,¡± Tina exined. ¡°I have some bread. You can have it! Still, you should take better care of your body.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± Tina replied gratefully. But Tina had lost all her appetite, and threw the bread away after two small bites. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re going to eat?¡± There wasn¡¯t anything Tina could do about her appetite. She said dejectedly, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll eat again during lunch. Should we get spaghetti?¡± ¡°Oh? I thought you hated spaghetti?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m craving it now.¡± Suddenly, they heard someone shouting from the lobby. ¡°Mr. Jackson!¡± That stunned Tina. ¡®Mr. Jackson?¡¯ As she predicted, she spotted Mr. Jackson walking in with a woman by his side. Only rich businessmen would visit this art gallery. As a receptionist , she should be greeting them. Still, she really didn¡¯t feel like talking to him! Chapter 108 Chapter 108 The first reaction Tina had was to run away, but her colleagues were already approaching her. They were quick to tell her, ¡°What are you doing, Tina? You should be showing Mr. Jackson around.¡± Mr. Jackson instantly looked into her direction. Tina was left with no choice. Tina walked up to him, and heard Mr. Jackson say, ¡°So, your name¡¯s Tina? I was starting to wonder where I can find you, but here you are!¡± The woman next to him was displeased with his words. She gave him a cold stare and snapped, ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr, Jackson? Today¡¯s our date! How can you say something like that in front of me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s who I am, and you know that,¡± Mr. Jackson replied with a shocked expression, ¡°I¡¯m a flirty guy. A ladies¡¯ man. I never said I¡¯d marry you anyway, so who are you to stop me from talking to other women?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The woman was helding in her anger, knowing well that she shouldn¡¯t infuriate him. And so, she turned to Tina and pped her. Tina immediately returned the p. Everything went so fast, it all happened within just a second. ¡°Ah!¡± The woman wasn¡¯t expecting Tina to retaliate, and let out a pained screech when Tina¡¯s hand smacked her square on the face. ¡°Y-You..! How dare you hit me! You bit*h!¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a bit*h?¡± Tina shouted back, just as angrily. ¡°You started it! p him if you have the guts!¡± Tina yelled, pointing defiantly at Mr. Jackson. The woman turned to Mr. Jackson, but all she saw was him looking curiously at Tina. Feeling ashamed, she ran away without even looking back. Tina also decided to leave, but Mr. Jackson was quick to stand in front of her and block her path of escape. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? You haven¡¯t even shown me around, Tina.¡± Tina was disgusted with him. To make matters worse, her stomach was rumbling again. Unable to hold in her anger, she hissed, ¡°Get lost, you bastard!¡± Mr. Jackson was taken aback by her temper. When he saw her face turning pale, he felt even more confused. Just then, Tina¡¯s boss appeared. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Mr. Jackson, that woman just now¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good!¡± Mr. Jackson said, waving his wand casually before pointing at Tina. ¡°But it seems like this worker here doesn¡¯t wee me. I¡¯d appreciate it if you changed her to someone else.¡± Tina¡¯s boss was angry. ¡°Is that true? Exin yourself, Tina!¡± TI Tina almost fainted when Mr.Jackson snitched on her.¡± I ¡°That¡¯s not true at all! Mr. Jackson was just joking! Allow me to show you around, Mr. Jackson.¡± Tina didn¡¯t want to lose this job over something so trivial, so she hurriedly calmed herself down. Mr. Jackson looked at Tina.¡±That was scary.¡± vas so However, Tina didn¡¯t give him a response and merely showed him around the art gallery. Finally, it was lunchtime. ehti Unfortunately for Tina, Mr. Jackson wasn¡¯t letting her leave again. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together, Tina.¡± Tina was about to reject him, when a loud roar could be heard from outside of the gallery. ¡°Who¡¯s Tina here?! Tina, get your ass out here right now!¡± Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Tina had a bad feeling about this. Nervous, she hurried out of the gallery. Of course it had to be her! It seemed she couldn¡¯t escape trouble wherever she went. Outside the gallery building, a fierce group of thugs had gathered. Tina walked toward them and said anxiously, ¡°I¡¯m Tina. What¡¯s going on?¡± They scanned Tina from top to bottom, taking in her appearance. This is the woman Ms. Young wants dead!¡¯. They hade here today to ruin Tina¡¯s reputation and torture her until she breathed herst, as per Cindy¡¯s orders. One of the gangsters roared, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Shouldn¡¯t you know already, you sl*t?!¡± ¡°Slu*t? Stop spouting nonsense!¡± Tina shouted back, enraged. ¡°If you¡¯re going to use me of that, show me your evidence!¡± ¡°Evidence? Come with us, then!¡± ¨C They grabbed Tina by the hand, yanking her away. Tina struggled and asked for help, but everyone just watched without doing anything. One person stepped forward and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just wait for the police. I¡¯ve already called them!¡± ¡°Police? Even if the police are here, I¡¯ll still bring her with me!¡± One of the gangsters cackled cruelly. ¡°Mind your own business, or you¡¯ll have a taste of your own medicine too!¡± The weapons in the thugs¡¯ hands and their sharp expressions sessfully stopped those who wanted to help. As Tina was forcefully dragged into their car, she had never felt this desperate in her life! What had she ever done to deserve such a terrible fate? Who knew what would happen if she were being dragged into the car?! Just then, a shadow dashed towards them. One of the gangsters who were grabbing Tina let out a painful shout. ¡°Who¡¯re you? Are you her boyfriend?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Come at me if you dare!¡± Mr. Jackson didn¡¯t even bother to exin himself as he went on threateningly, ¡°What are you still doing here? Do you want me to break that leg of yours?!¡± The gangsters were instantly terrified, and fled with their tails between their legs. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Didn¡¯t Ms. Young say that she¡¯s weak and all alone? Where did the boyfriende from?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be by her side all the time. We¡¯ll get our chance!¡± Mr. Jackson turned around and looked at Tina with a smug grin. ¡°That was pretty cool of me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± But Tina didn¡¯t look happy, and simply walked away without a word. Mr. Jackson followed her nheless, puzzled by her reaction. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chapter 110 ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with you? I just saved your life! How can you treat me like this?¡± He pulled Tina by the arm, but all he saw were tears streaming down her face. She sobbed bitterly, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault that they¡¯re here for me! You even told them you¡¯re my boyfriend! What do you want from me?!¡± She never offended anyone, except the woman that came with Mr. Jackson. This probably happened because the woman misunderstood her rtionship with him! . Mr. Jackson, however, had never thought of this. Being the yboy he was, he constantly flirted around with women. He never stopped to consider others¡¯ feelings. All of his enemies never had the guts to get revenge on him, so it could be possible that they went for Tina because of him. Judging from his expression, Tina saw that she was probably right. And so, she walked away without turning back. Knowing that he was probably the reason, Mr. Jackson tried to exin things to Tina. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be affected! I¡¯m really sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean it at all! But I really like you, and since you¡¯re also single, why don¡¯t we try¡­¡± Tina stopped walking and snapped, ¡°You¡¯re right, I am single!¡± Mr. Jackson smiled. ¡®I knew it, I still have a chance!¡± But before he could say anything more, Tina continued, ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m already married.¡± ¡°W-What? That¡¯s impossible!¡± These words slipped out of Mr. Jackson almost immediately.¡± You must be lying! How are you already married? You broke up with your boyfriend a long time ago!¡± Tina chuckled coldly. ¡®So, he already did a background check on me?¡¯ ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t know anything about my marriage. My husband is Mr. Samuel Langford.¡± Tina didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, so she mentioned Samuel in hopes that Mr. Jackson would back off. Mr. Jackson, however, didn¡¯t buy it and even startedughing. ¡°Please! That¡¯s just impossible. Why would Mr. Langford marry you? We all know that he loves Ms. Young!¡± At that, Tina felt her heart shatter into pieces. ¡®He¡¯s right. Samuel loves Cindy, and everyone knows that.¡¯ Tina wanted nothing more than to end the conversation, and so said, ¡°You¡¯re right, but I ruined their rtionship. You may do a new background check on me again. You might find something new!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Perplexed, Mr. Jackson took his phone out to ascertain her ims. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. I need you to check if Mr. Langford really is married¡­ ¡°Mr. Langford?¡± There was a yell from the other side of the phone. ¡°If he¡¯s married, everyone would know!¡± ¡°Just do it!¡± Mr. Jackson snapped. Not longter, his phone rang. Mr. Jackson was greeted with yet again another yell. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re right! How did you get this information ? Mr. Langford really is married, and the wife isn¡¯t Ms. Young!¡± Mr. Jackson¡¯s expression changed as he looked at Tina. ¡°Who¡¯s the wife, then? Is her name Tina Lynd?¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Chapter 111 The moment Mr. Jackson said that, the man on the phone replied in surprise, ¡°Yeah! How did you know that? I¡¯ve never heard of her name in the past. All I knew was that she¡¯s called Tina Lynd. Do you know her?¡±. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Make sure to not leak this information to the public, by the way. Be careful of Samuel. He¡¯s a difficult one.¡± As soon as he was done talking, Mr. Jackson ended the call. He stared at Tina, who stood in front of him. Disbelief was apparent in his eyes. ¡°How is this possible?! If Samuel really did marry you, then why doesn¡¯t anyone else know about this?¡± he asked. Moreover, Mr. Jackson could see that Tina was dressed in a cheap and ugly outfit. With Samuel¡¯s current position and power, there was no way he would let the woman he loved work for someone else while dressed so hideously. ¡°I have no obligation to answer you anything. Anyway, stop bothering me already. If Samuel found out about what you¡¯ve done, you should know what consequences await you,¡± Tina warned Mr. Jackson. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She turned on her heel and left. This time, Mr. Jackson no longer went after her. To think that he was enticed by a woman for the first time ever and desired to pursue her, only to find out that she was Samuel Langford¡¯s wife.. Perhaps there were hidden stories beneath this marriage. Was she forced to marry him? When Mr. Jackson noticed that Tina was about to cross the road, he decided to leave as well. At that moment, a van rushed out from a corner. The door was opened in a hurry, and an assant dragged Tina into the vehicle. Tina wasn¡¯t given a chance to struggle at all. Just like that, she and the van disappeared into the horizon. Mr. Jackson inhaled sharply upon witnessing the abduction. ¡°F*ck!¡± he shouted. Those people must be crazy to abduct someone right in front of him! Hold on¡­ Could they be targeting Samuel from the start? The more Mr. Jackson thought about it, the higher the probability. If the reason behind Tina¡¯s abduction was truly connected to Samuel, then it wasn¡¯t something he could partake in. Still, there was no way that Mr. Jackson would stand there and watch Tina getting dragged into danger. After gritting his teeth, he quickly dialed a string of numbers. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice came from the speaker. Mr. Jackson replied, ¡°Tina Lynd is your wife, right? Someone abducted her just now. Hurry and save her!¡± The moment Mr. Jackson was done speaking, he quickly ended the call. Then, he called his own father. ¡°Dad, I identally got myself into trouble and involved myself with Samuel¡¯s woman without knowing. You have to make some arrangements for me, and fast! I want to hide in another country until everything blows over,¡± Mr. Jackson requested. Lord Jackson, Mr. Jackson¡¯s father, was so angry that he almost popped a vein when he received the news. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that you¡¯ve been sleeping with every woman you meet all the time, but you¡¯ve actually gotten yourself tangled with Mr. Langford¡¯s woman?! Even if you have a death wish, I still want to live! D*mn it!¡± he roared into his phone, infuriated. ¡°Send someone to pick me up as soon as possible!¡± Mr. Jackson said before ending the call. He then gazed at the direction Tina was driven to, worry evident in his eyes. With Samuel plotting the rescue, she should be fine. Right¡­? Right after Mr. Jackson hung up on Samuel, thetter rose immediately from his seat. Why would that man know about his rtionship with Tina? He even referred to her as his wife¡­ Everyone¡¯s gazes were fixed on Samuel the moment he stood. They waited for his answer anxiously. ¡°The meeting is on hold!¡± Samuel announced before striding out in a hurry. ¡°Sandy, find out where Tina is right now!¡± A strange sensation started spreading from within his heart. For some reason, he felt slightly unsettled the moment the mysterious caller told him that Tina was abducted. He was quick to chalk it up to him viewing Tina as a useful asset to him, however. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 After all, Madam Langford only had half a year left to live. She absolutely mustn¡¯t suffer from any form of emotional triggers. No matter how much Samuel hated that disgusting Tina, it wasn¡¯t time for her to die yet. . Several minutes after Tina was dragged into the van, her hands and feet bound tight, she found herself in an abandoned factory. The factory was located in a rural area. Despite her efforts, she quickly realized that escape was impossible. Despair flooded Tina¡¯s heart. She gazed at the leader, whose face was scarred, and asked, ¡°Why did you abduct me? I didn¡¯t go around seducing anyone¡¯s husbands! If this is about money, I¡¯ll give it to you! Please, just let me go¡­¡± ¡°Let you go? Keep dreaming, woman!¡± Scarface laughed coldly in response. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Someone offered us thirty million dors for your life. They also want us to enjoy you thoroughly before we kill you. How could we possibly let you go?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Still, she held onto the trace of hope in her heart and pleaded, ¡°I don¡¯t have any enemies! How could there be someone willing to pay you thirty million dors for my life? You must¡¯ve gotten the wrong person¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Tina Lynd! They might have gotten the wrong person, but I¡¯ll never fail to recognize the right person. I want you dead!¡± At that very moment, a smug voice spoke from outside the factory. A figure emerged, and Tina was able to see the neer¡¯s face clearly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Miss Young?!¡± To say Tina was shocked would be an understatement. Before the revtion, multiple thoughts filled Tina¡¯s head. Perhaps Samuel had decided to kill her, or perhaps other forces at work were the secret masterminds¡­ To think that the one who wanted her dead was none other than the kind-hearted Cindy Young, whom Samuel loved with all his heart! TELE Cindy had always put on the facade of a saintly woman whose benevolence had no peer. Samuel never saw through her disguise, much less Tina! Never once did Tina pick up on the hints. In fact, she would always feel guilty whenever she saw Cindy. At that moment, the aforementioned woman approached Tina with a slow strut. The sight of thetter¡¯s haggard look heightened Cindy¡¯s arrogance. ¡°Tina, you f*cking b*tch! I¡¯ve been tolerating you for a long time. Ever since you climbed into Samuel¡¯s bed, I¡¯ve always wanted to hack you into pieces! Oh, right. You have no idea, do you? By the way, I was the one who leaked the whole thing with Mr. Wace! Who would¡¯ve thought that ab*tch like you would survive the ordeal? It¡¯s a good thing Samuel doesn¡¯t care about you the slightest! Now that you¡¯re in my hands, I¡¯ll make sure to torture you to my heart¡¯s content! I¡¯ll make sure to relieve every bit of my hatred for you!¡± Cindy announced, cackling. The sound was no different from a witch¡¯s evilugh. Tina could only grit her teeth in frustration. Never in her wildest dreams did imagine Cindy to harbor so much hate for her from the beginning. Despite the sorrow that overcame her, Tina still wanted to exin herself as a final ditch effort to survive. ¡°Miss Young, listen to me. Mr. Langford doesn¡¯t like me at all! Didn¡¯t he say that he wants to marry you? You two are the true couple, and I¡¯m only here under Grandma¡¯s orders! Besides, she¡¯s awfully ill right now. The doctor said that she won¡¯t live for more than half a year! My life isn¡¯t worth anything, so it¡¯s fine if I were to die right now. But Grandma¡¯s health is far more important! Please, at least let me live for another half a year! Once Grandma passes, I¡¯ll definitely leave, so¡­¡± Smack! A heavy p made contact with Tina¡¯s cheek, cutting her off instantly. Cindy gripped Tina by the hair like a lunatic, her usually pretty face twisted into an ugly, warped expression. Cindy began to spit venom. ¡°F*cking b*tch! How dare you mention that in front of me! If it wasn¡¯t for you, I¡¯d be married to Samuel a long time ago! He¡¯s been treating me like his sister for so many years ¡­ No matter how much I tried to seduce him, he wasn¡¯t moved at all. And then a filthy b*tch came along, and climbed into his bed in just one night!¡± In the throes of fury, she went on, ¡°Grandma Langford¡¯s obsessed over you to the point that she defends you from everything! That old b*tch has never paid any attention to me! I can¡¯t wait for her to die so she can stop messing with my ns! How is it that you¡¯re the one who can sleep with Samuel, but I can¡¯t?! That¡¯s why I want you dead! Since you¡¯re so good at seducing men, I won¡¯t let you rest in peace! I want to know if Samuel still cares about you once he finds out that you¡¯re dead!¡± All sorts of thoughts crammed Tina¡¯s mind. She knew how much Samuel hated her, so there was no way he would care about her. Cindy took in Tina¡¯s ragged appearance as she epted a syringe from one of the goons, an evil smirk ying on her red lips. ¡°The moment I stab you with this syringe, Tina, your life will be over!¡± she crowed, filled with maniacal glee. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Tina was already feeling ufortable from the start. The abduction had sapped her strength, so she couldn¡¯t muster the energy to struggle against her bonds. She could only close her eyes in despair and said through clenched teeth, ¡°You¡¯ll definitely reap what you sowed, Miss Young.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Cindyughed before replying smugly, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in such things! Back then, I took on someone else¡¯s identity and caused Samuel to treat me this way. Today, I¡¯ll step on you and be Samuel¡¯s one and only woman! By then, Tina no longer had the energy to decipher what Cindy meant. Just as Cindy was about to make her move, her phone suddenly rang. Victor¡¯s voice could be heard from the other end of the line. He reported anxiously, ¡°Miss Young, this is bad! Mr. Langford has discovered Tina¡¯s plight! He¡¯s on the way here, and he¡¯s about to arrive soon!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°How is it possible for him to know about Tina¡¯s abduction?! He was still at the meeting!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford received a call earlier , so he paused the meeting. After that, Sandy found out about Tina¡¯s location in the abandoned factory. I¡¯m about to move out with the rest of the bodyguards soon. You must hurry up and leave, Miss Young!¡± Victor exined in a hurry. He quickly hung up on Cindy right after he was done speaking, as though frightened of rousing anyone else¡¯s suspicion. Cindy was so furious that her expression became twisted. She delivered a few more ps to Tina¡¯s face once more before grabbing a fistful of her hair and asking her darkly, ¡°Who the hell is helping you, huh? I made sure to hide all traces of the abduction, so it¡¯s impossible for Samuel or Mr. Carter to find out! Who the hell told Samuel about this abduction?!¡± Tina was too weak to fight back, so she could only smile weakly and reply mockingly, ¡°How would i know? Maybe there¡¯s someone out there who hates how evil you are, Miss Young.¡± ¡°How dare you talk back to me even when you¡¯re about to die!¡± Cindy howled furiously. Cindy wanted nothing more than to stay back and witness Tina getting tortured, but due to Samuel¡¯s eventual arrival, she was forced to leave for now. Cindy then turned to the other goons. ¡°You lot, take her away. Drown her in some river, I don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t drag this out. Once everything¡¯s done, take the money and leave Freesia immediately. If Samuel finds out about this, neither of us will survive the consequences!¡± Scarface and the other goons showed obvious disappointment over the fact that they couldn¡¯t enjoy ravaging a beautiful woman like Tina. However, they knew very well of Samuel¡¯s cruel methods. All they wanted was money. There was no way they would mess around when their lives were at stake. They quickly grabbed Tina and dragged her toward the van that was parked outside the abandoned factory. Suddenly, Tina wiggled out of the bonds that bound her hands and feet. She quickly picked up a metal pipe from the ground and, without hesitation, smashed it into the goon¡¯s head in front of her. ¡°Argh!¡± That goon never expected that Tina would still try to survive after all this time, Right after she landed her hit, Tina bolted out of the area with all her might. Fortunately for her, the abandoned factory was surrounded by arge forest. As long as she was able to hide there and wait until Samuel made his appearance, she would be safe. With that thought in mind, Tina ran as quickly as lightning. Even if pangs of pain started ring from her stomach, she didn¡¯t dare to stop in her tracks. She found a secluded corner to hide in. Even though she realized that no one was chasing after her, she dared not let her guard down at all. However, Tina¡¯s earlier stomachache returned with a vengeance. The pain intensified more and more. She suddenly felt something gushing out beneath her. She caressed the spot, only to find bloodstains there. This discovery filled Tina with terror. Was her period here in advance, or had she suffered from internal injuries? Before she could ponder any further, she heard the loud rotor sounds of a helicopter flying above her head. Gunshots and car engines could be heard in the distance. Samuel was here! Tina¡¯s tense nerves gradually rxed. She could no longer hold on, so she started to lie down slowly¡­ . After an unknown period of time, she felt herself being cradled into a pair of strong arms that belonged to a man. At the same time, she smelled the familiar smell of tobo, which reassured her greatly. When Tina finally regained her consciousness, she realized that she was in the hospital filled with a strong smell of disinfectant. She quickly got up, anxious. After making sure that she was finally, she slowly calmed down. ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± A subordinate¡¯s voice suddenly rang from outside the ward, which gave Tina another huge scare. At that moment, Samuel opened the ward¡¯s door. The first thing he saw was Tina cowering in a cornerAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Tina¡¯s eyes were filled with raw terror. She was covered in bruises andcerations that indicated her earlier torture from head to toe. The moment Samuelid his eyes on her battered form, he couldn¡¯t help but feel frightened for her. It was a good thing she was alive. No matter how much Samuel hated Tina, he couldn¡¯t help but soften his tone when he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Those people were criminals who were on the run. They were shot to death on sight. All you need to do now is to recover,¡± he said. Tina was stunned when she heard those words. ¡°They¡¯re all dead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re dead. No one will hurt you anymore,¡± Samuel affirmed. Tina¡¯s emotions started running rampant at that moment. She grabbed Samuel¡¯s hand as she asked, ¡°W-What about Cindy?¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What does this have to do with her?¡± It was clear that he didn¡¯t know about Cindy¡¯s involvement. ¡°She was the one who wanted me dead!¡± Tina exined hurriedly. ¡°She spent thirty million dors to kill me! The reason why I got captured by Mr. Wace back then was thanks to her leaking the news! The one who wants me dead is Cindy! She¡¯s¡­¡± However, Tina couldn¡¯t continue speaking. She noticed Samuel¡¯s eyes slowly bing cold. ¡°Are you done?¡± Samuel looked at the woman in front of him, his tone coated with disdain. Whenever he started sympathizing with Tina, she would use her actions to remind him how maniptive and cunning she was. Even after going through that much turmoil and suffering, she insisted on framing Cindy, who was obviously innocent. ¡°Tina, let me remind you that Cindy has stuck by my side for ten years. It¡¯s impossible for her to do this sort of thing. Stop trying to sully her name! I¡¯ll pretend you¡¯re spouting nonsense since you¡¯re heavily injured, but if you do that again next time, I won¡¯t ever let you off the hook,¡± he snarled darkly. Samuel shook Tina¡¯s hand off ruthlessly, which resulted in the needle being pulled out of her arm as well. The sharp pain red from her arm, but she no longer cared. Her heart had sunk upon hearing Samuel¡¯s response. Right. Samuel never believed her from the start. Samuel and Cindy were deeply in love with each other. He wanted nothing more than to marry her, but Tina¡¯s appearance obviously threw a wrench in his ns. Since he hated her so much, why would he believe in anything she said? When Samuel noticed how pale Tina looked, he couldn¡¯t help but frown again. ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± og hill ¡°No,¡± Tina replied quietly.. She finally realized her purpose in Samuel¡¯s n. To him, she was just a tool to gain Madam Langford¡¯s favor. What else could she say to him when she was already reduced to that? All she needed to do was stick to her role and stay with Madam Langford during the olddy¡¯s final months. After that, she would leave everything. Meanwhile, Samuel couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed. That woman had always been sassy and stubborn, not to mention, she never surrendered. What was she nning to do by looking all defeated and feeble? Was she putting on another act for him? ¡°Tina, you¡­¡± Sandy chose to appear outside the ward at that moment. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Langford, we¡¯ve discovered some news rted to Miss Lynd¡­¡± he reported. Tina was stunned. What did Sandy mean by that? Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ¡°Speak.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was awfully cold. Sandy shot a look in Tina¡¯s direction before replying, ¡°Mr. Langford, we¡¯ve tracked down the identity of the person who called you. It was Mr. Jackson from the Jackson family, from the time¡­¡± It referred to the time Tina bumped into Mr. Jackson in the nightclub. Tina finally realized something. It was precisely because of that phone call that Samuel had discovered her plight, hence his rescue¡­ C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She didn¡¯t expect the caller to be Mr. Jackson. Despite her swift rejection of his advances, he still chose to help her out. Her tone tinged with slight worry, Tina asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Jackson right now?¡± Sandy didn¡¯t bother answering her question. Instead, he handed over the documents that he had been holding to Samuel to read. Thetter scanned through them once, his expression instantly darkening He hadn¡¯t paid attention to Tina recently, and she had already started seducing Mr. Jackson. Now, she was actually caring about another man right before his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re quite amazing, aren¡¯t you? You just won¡¯t stop seducing men wherever you go. How dare you show your concern for an adulterer in front of me?¡± he snarled, livid. As expected, Samuel knew he shouldn¡¯t ce his hopes on this worthless woman. On the other hand, Tina waspletely disappointed in Samuel after hearing him defending Cindy so strongly. Since he never believed her, Tina decided that she shouldn¡¯t waste her time in exining anything to him. Besides, once Tina was done apanying Grandma Langford on her journey to the afterlife, Samuel would be dying to get a divorce with her. ¡°Yeah. Can¡¯t I do that?¡± Tina chuckled coldly before replying in a mocking tone, ¡°I¡¯m just a tool tofort Grandma, not your real wife. Do you think I¡¯m going to be a living widow?¡± Her response ignited the fury within Samuel¡¯s core. His gaze became incredibly frightening as he strangled Tina mercilessly with one hand, uncaring if she was injured. ¡°I¡¯ve never met a wh*re like you, Tina!¡± Tina was unable to breathe properly. However, the sight of Samuel¡¯s furious expression didn¡¯t frighten her at all. She had lost count of how many near-death experiences she had, after all. ¡°Kill me now if you have the balls! End my suffering now so that I can go to the afterlife and keep Grandmapany!¡± Tina replied furiously. ¡°So what if I¡¯m acting like a wh*re, huh? You¡¯re not my real husband, so why should I care about your opinion?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Tina¡¯s words were akin to a sharp dagger that stabbed Samuel¡¯s heart on the spot. He wanted nothing more than to strangle the life out of the woman who repaid his kindness with malice, but the sight of her stubborn gaze reminded him of Grandma Langford, who was suffering from poor health. Samuel could only release his hold on Tina angrily and leave the ward with a thunderous expression, making sure to m the door on her. Tina knew there was no salvaging her rtionship with Samuel, so she copsed onto her bed. She closed her eyes and drifted away into dreand. Once Samuel left the ward, he got into his car. Tina¡¯s words made him so angry that his head started throbbing. Still, he suppressed his emotions and barked out an order. ¡°Sandy, gather everyone and continue the meeting!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Langford,¡± Sandy replied respectfully. Samuel closed his eyes in an attempt to rest. He really wanted to forget about that heartless woman, but images of her kept popping into his mind. She kept getting entangled in Mr. Jackson¡¯s affairs. Not only that, but she also repaid his kindness with malice by mocking him all the time. Once she woke up, she startedshing out anxiously and even told him that Cindy was the mastermind behind her abduction. Was that really the case? Samuel could feel his headache worsening. He shouldn¡¯t have suspected Cindy ¨C after all, she did save his life in the past. Also, he did have intimate rtions with her on the night when he had lost control of himself. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 However¡­ When Tina shot that disappointed look in his direction, for some reason, his breath got hitched in his throat. Once Samuel regained his senses, he realized he had pulled out his phone and dialed Cindy¡¯s number. In the past, she would always pick up his calls straight away. Yet today, no one picked up today. A frown graced his features as a seed of suspicion started taking root within his heart. Meanwhile, Cindy cowered in a corner while staring at the name that popped up on her phone screen in fright. She grabbed Victor¡¯s arm tightly while asking fearfully, ¡°What should I do? Samuel¡¯s calling me right now! He can¡¯t have discovered the truth, right?¡± The sight of a weak-looking and helpless cindy made Victor¡¯s heart ache for her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Young. Tina won¡¯t be able to affect your rtionship with Mr. Langford,¡± he tried to soothe her. All Cindy could mutter was, ¡°You don¡¯t know anything. You have no idea at all¡­¡± She spent ten years fooling everyone into thinking that she was the woman Samuel loved the most. However, she was the only one who knew that everything she had gained today was all thanks to a ne. If Samuel were to find out that she was an impostor, then she would definitely die the most painful death¡­ The reason why Samuel cared about her even more right now was because she was the impostor who took on Tina¡¯s identity as the one who was intimate with him that night. What happened after that? After that night, Cindy used every method she could think of to try and bear a child in order to strengthen her position within the Langford family, but Samuel wasn¡¯t tempted at all. The man she tried so hard to seduce ended up losing control right in front of Tina. How could she not be scared and worried? Soon, Cindy¡¯s phone stopped ringing. Victor¡¯s phone was the one that rang instead. He didn¡¯t have the guts to ignore that phone call, so he picked it up immediately. ¡°Mr. Langford,¡± he began nervously. ¡°Where¡¯s Cindy right now?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was apathetic. Cindy started quaking even more after hearingC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org that question. Victor quickly replied, ¡°Miss Young hasn¡¯t been feeling well, so she¡¯s currently resting. Is there anything you need from her, Mr. Langford? I¡¯ll get her on the phone immediately.¡± Samuel was silent for a moment, making both Victor and Cindy anxious. It took a while before Samuel finally replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Her health has always been poor, after all. I¡¯ll have Sandy send over some supplements for herter. I¡¯lle see her tonight.¡± After Samuel was done speaking, he hung up right away, certain that he was overthinking things. A dark expression was stered on his face. That Tina woman was able to make him lose all sense of judgment. This was not a good sign. Meanwhile, Cindy was surprised and delighted to hear Samuel¡¯s reply. Soon, Sandy arrived at her room. After poking around, Cindy found out that Tina and Samuel had gone through a huge fight because of her rtionship with Mr. Jackson. Thanks to that, Cindy was able to survive the ordeal. She couldn¡¯t help but say smugly, ¡°I knew it! That filthy b*tch tends to seduce men everywhere she goes! I¡¯m the only Samuel trusts, so how can he ever believe in her nonsense? I won¡¯t ever let her go! I¡¯ll make sure she suffers a fate worse than death!¡± However, Victor sounded quite hesitant. ¡°Miss Young, everyone knows how much Mr. Langford loves you. Why would you care about a wh*re like her?¡± Deep down, Cindy cursed Victor for being an idiotic buffoon. On the outside, she grabbed his hand and pretended to look pitiful. ¡°Victor, what you don¡¯t know is that I can¡¯t live without Samuel. I¡¯ll die without him. The whole ordeal about me dealing with Tina will be our secret, okay? You¡¯ll help me, won¡¯t you?¡± Victor could never turn Cindy¡¯s request down. The sight of her pitiful appearance made him agree immediately. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll definitely help you out, Miss Young. If anything were to happen, you can always me me for it. Think of it as my way to repay you for saving my life before.¡± Unbeknownst to him, all Cindy felt for him was disdain. Even if he never said anything about it, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to make him the scapegoat if Samuel were to discover the truth. At that time, she could only pretend to be touched by Victor¡¯s confession. She held his hand and said, ¡°Victor, I just thought of another great idea. You¡¯re the only one who can pull this off, so please do this for me¡­¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Tina woke up from the nightmare instantly. In her dream, she had returned to the time when she got abducted as an eight-year-old. Not only did she fail to save the injured boy, but she was also thrown into the river by Cindy and almost drowned there. Her eyes snapped open immediately and she took in her surroundings. She couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief after that. Tina was rescued by Samuel, but he didn¡¯t believe her exnation at all¡­ It was all thanks to Mr. Jackson¡¯s decision to notify Samuel that she was still alive right now, but what if the same thing were to happen to her in the future? Would Samuel stand aside and watch her die? Those thoughts clogged up Tina¡¯s mind immediately. Then, she saw the array of messages and notifications on her phone. One of them attracted her attention immediately. It was a message from an unknown phone number. ¡°If you¡¯re rescued, reply to this message so that I know that you¡¯re safe,¡± it wrote. The message was signed by Frederick Jackson. Mr. Jackson was the sender. Tina was worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to thank him for his help before that message popped up. She quickly called his number straight away. Soon, someone picked it up. Much to her surprise, a woman¡¯s voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s this?¡± Tina was stunned. She was sure that she dialed the right number, so she asked cautiously,¡± Hello. Is this Mr. Jackson¡¯s number?¡± The moment she heard Tina¡¯s voice, the woman subconsciously clicked her tongue. ¡°Oh? Are you here to look for Mr. Jackson too?¡± she asked. Tina could detect hints of hostilitying from the woman¡¯s voice, which annoyed her slightly. Since Mr. Jackson was an infamous casanova, this woman must have misunderstood her intentions. ¡°I¡¯m Tina Lynd. Can you please pass the phone to Mr. Jackson? He helped me out some time ago, so I¡¯d like to thank him,¡± she exined, maintaining her neutral tone to avoid sounding like she was being submissive or oppressive. The woman chortled coldly in response. ¡°Why are you still pretending? You¡¯re the eighteenth woman who wanted to talk to Mr. Jackson today. Do you really take me for a fool? Hmph!¡± She ended the call the moment she was done speaking. Tina was rendered speechless and quite helpless. She wanted to thank Mr. Jackson, but it seemed doing so was impossible. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Just then, Tina noticed a text message sent to her by one of her colleagues. They were inquiring about the reason behind her sudden disappearance. She finally realized that she had skipped her shift once again thanks to the abduction. What was worse, her boss had warned her about her tardinessst time¡­ ) Worries flooded Tina¡¯s brain immediately. She looked at her injuries before gritting her teeth and choosing to get discharged from the hospital. She wanted to exin everything to her boss and beg for another chance, even at the expense of getting half of her monthly sry deducted. But once Tina arrived at the art studio, she realized that her boss wasn¡¯t in his office at all. She quickly found out that he would return from his business trip in the evening. RII Right after that, Tina realized that the clocking system had malfunctioned when she tried to clock in for work. Her colleagues were also keeping their distance from her. What was worse, everyone decided to not sit with her during lunchtime. Just as she was about to head toward the pantry, she heard a conversation from that room. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she has the guts toe back to work! How shameless of her!¡± ¡°Yeah! I was super surprised when I saw her! She tried toe over and talk to me earlier, so I quickly left! I don¡¯t want to get infected by her!¡± ¡°Hey, do you think she¡¯s infected with that disease? Ugh, she¡¯s so disgusting! How can someone like her work with us?¡± Tina knew that her colleagues had the tendency to gossip. Initially, she wanted to avoid eavesdropping on them, so she nned to leave. Unexpectedly, someone asked the gossipers a million-dor question. ¡°Are you guys talking about Tina?¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¡°Who else would we be talking about?¡± The colleague, who originally had a decent rtionship with Tina, couldn¡¯t help butment. ¡°She¡¯s super disgusting! I was blind to have watched over her at work in the past! To think that she¡¯s a woman who¡¯d sell her own body! How disgusting!¡± When Tina heard her colleagues ndering her like that, she finally realized the reason why everyone ignored her today. Her head buzzing with countless thoughts, she rushed into the pantry impulsively out of anger. ¡°What the hell are you guys talking about? How dare you speak ill of people behind their backs! I hope your tongues rot and fall off one day!¡± Tina growled. Surprised by her appearance, those colleagues decided to reveal their true colors. ¡°Your face should be the one rotting first, you despicable homewrecker! You¡¯re such a shameless wh*re!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting this time?¡± Tina was so angry that her body shook. ¡°Is it because of the b*llsh*t those hooligans spouted when they came here yesterday? You guys choose to believe them just like that?¡± ¡°Everything happens for a reason! Why are you ming others for your own despicable actions? Why would they seek you instead of other people?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Stop using me of things I¡¯ve never done! I can always sue you for ndering my name!¡± Tina replied angrily, clenching her fists. ¡°I speak nothing but the truth. You speak as if I¡¯m scared of you suing me! I honestly have no idea how thick-faced you are for daring to return to this ce. The things that you¡¯ve done in the past are all exposed on the inte! What the hell are you acting all innocent for, huh?¡± A colleague unlocked her phone and showed a news article to Tina. ¡°Your immorality has been exposed on the inte. Look at this article. Half a year ago, you seduced someone else¡¯s boyfriend and got expelled as a result. After that, you start indulging in physical rtionships with countless others! Someone sought you out and punished you for wrecking their marriage! All the evidence is here, so I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯ll defend yourself!¡± Tina was shocked to find her picture stered on Freesia¡¯s local news. The reporter of that article used her old university¡¯s forum thread that ndered her name back then andbined it with the incident where the hooligans sought her out yesterday as reference. They made up apletely false article based on those references. She was so furious, her body shook. All of her colleagues in the pantry were staring at her mockingly, waiting for her to embarrass herself. Their eyes were filled with disdain, their stares like needles pricking her heart without stopping. But all Tina could say was, ¡°Things aren¡¯t like that!¡± However, no one believed her. ¡°Listen to her! She¡¯s still trying to lie to us after all this time!¡± ¡°How revolting. Everyone, stay away from her! Anyone who ate with her back then better go to the hospital for a checkup. Don¡¯t get infected with weird diseases because of her!¡± Tina could no longer bear to listen to such rumors ndering her name. She spun on her heel and ran out of the art studio. Just then, she bumped into her boss, who was returning from the outside. ¡°Ouch! Hey! Who ran into me?¡± the boss asked crossly. Tina was stunned for a moment before she grasped onto her boss¡¯ hand like he was her final hope. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re finally back! You know all about what happened to me, right? Please exin everything for me! I¡¯m not that kind of woman¡­¡± The moment the boss noticed Tina, his expression changed drastically and he stepped away from her quickly. ¡°You¡¯re already fired, so what the hell are you doing here?¡± he hollered. Tina couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Back then, her boss was kind to her and vowed to nurture her talent and potential. Why would he say such hurtful things? ¡°I¡¯ll give you three months¡¯ worth of sry. It¡¯s eighteen thousand dors, so I¡¯ll round it up to twenty thousand. Now, get the hell out of here! Don¡¯t bring trouble to my art studio!¡± he added, impatient. Tina¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°B-But¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to threaten me by using Mr. Carter¡¯s name?¡± The boss chuckled coldly. ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip these days, so he doesn¡¯t have time to deal with matters like this. Besides, he¡¯s only staying in Freesia temporarily to deal with the coboration, so he¡¯s just toying around with you. Now that you¡¯ve invited so much trouble to your doorstep, I advise you to think how you should exin everything to him later.¡± Then, the boss summoned the security guards to chase Tina out of the studio ruthlessly. Tina found herself walking aimlessly on the street. Not only did her injuries hurt, but her heart was also throbbing in pain. Why would everyone treat her like this? Who was the mastermind behind everything? If the mastermind knew about what happened to her in her university, did that mean the Lynds were the brains behind the operation? Tina¡¯s head was crammed with all sorts of thoughts. Just then, her phone started ringing from her pocket. The caller was John Carter. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 When Tina saw John¡¯s name being disyed on her phone screen, she didn¡¯t dare to pick up the call. Fear flooded her mind at that instant. She was afraid that John had seen the news and refused to believe in her exnation. The phone kept ringing for a very long time before the call eventually disconnected. Immediately after that, Sylvia called her. Initially, Tina thought that something bad had happened at the orphanage. The moment she picked up her phone, all she could hear was Sylvia¡¯s concerned voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tina? Did you have a fight with Mr. Carter?¡± ¡°What?¡± Tina was stunned to hear that. ¡°He called you earlier, but you didn¡¯t pick up. He was worried that you¡¯re mad at him. Did you two fight?¡± Sylvia borated. She had always busied herself with the orphanage¡¯s matters, so she didn¡¯t know about the news that ruined Tina¡¯s reputation on the inte. The older woman advised sincerely, ¡°Even though you two may not be rted by blood, I can still see that you treat each other just like biological siblings. Both of you are truly blessed to have found each other. Since you¡¯re a family, you have tomunicate with each other if you happen to be in a conflict¡­¡± Tears started rolling down Tina¡¯s cheeks. She couldn¡¯t stop her voice from choking up as she replied, ¡°Okay. I understand. I¡¯ll call him right now.¡± ¡°Oh dear, what are you crying for?¡± Sylvia asked in bewilderment. ¡°Did Mr. Carter really do something that hurt your feelings?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that.¡± Tina was afraid that Sylvia might misunderstand John because of her reaction. ¡°They¡¯re just minor things. Don¡¯t worry.¡± The moment she was done speaking, she quickly ended the call and took a deep breath. Then, she located John¡¯s phone number and dialed it. The moment the call went through, John¡¯s anxious voice could be heard. ¡°Tina, I heard that you got abducted yesterday. I called the hospital just now, but they told me you¡¯ve already left. Where are you right now?¡± Tina didn¡¯t reply at all. Feeling rather guilty, John continued, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m your older brother, but I wasn¡¯t there for you¡­¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Tina replied firmly. She had so many things to tell John. Sylvia might have referred to her and John as a family, but thetter was never her real older brother to begin with. What the boss said to her earlier rang true as well. She had caused so much troubletely. Did she really want John to deal with all of her problems for her? Since Samuel had never believed in her, should she tell John all about it? Even if she did, was she expecting John to get into a huge fight with his own partner just for her sake? Tina knew that John cared for her simply because he felt guilty about his own missing sister. She knew she didn¡¯t have that much power to make him sacrifice everything for her. In the end, she said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, John. Don¡¯t worry about me. I couldn¡¯t get used to the hospital no matter what, so I went home to rest.¡± After ensuring that Tina was safe, John believed her excuses and went back to work. As for Tina, now that she was fired, she had nothing else to do. So, she ended up spending a week recuperating in her apartment. Soon, Tina tried to look for other jobs. Every time, she would attend the interviews with a hopeful outlook. Yet, she would always return dejectedly. One month passed in the blink of an eye. Once again, Tina found herself receiving a call that notified her of hertest failure in an interview. However, the interviewer had told her confidently that she would most definitely pass just half an hour ago. To think that his tone would change drastically before she knew it¡­ Anxiously, Tina couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why did I fail?¡± The interviewer was silent for a moment. In the end, he could only hint at her helplessly, ¡°Ourpany prioritizes our employees¡¯ conduct and mannerisms. You might want to improve on this aspect. Also, I received orders from my superiors to kick you out. I fear that as long as your name is Tina Lynd, you won¡¯t be able to find a proper job in Freesia¡­¡± After saying all of that, the interviewer quickly hung up on Tina. She understood what he meant immediately. She was banned from all careers in Freesia. Tina could only hug her nket while breaking down into tears. Despair flooded her heart at that moment. Just then, someone called her. ¡°Are you Miss Lynd? Congrattions, you¡¯ve passed your interview. Our boss is very satisfied with you. You maye to work.¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Tina gasped in surprise, unable to believe her ears. ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Yes, but we don¡¯t know if you¡¯re suitable for this job¡­ ¡°I am! I can do anything! I¡¯m serious!¡± Tina quickly promoted herself. ¡°Alright, then. Pleasee over to the hotel as soon as you can. I¡¯ve read your file. The hotel is located quite close to your home. It¡¯s about ten minutes away.¡± Tina was stunned to hear the request. ¡°The hotel? Now?¡± She looked outside, noticing the looming dark sky. ¡°It¡¯s still early, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t you know that we pull overtime shifts all the time in thispany? It¡¯s the norm here to dine with the clients and entertain them all the time. Can¡¯t you even ovee this small challenge?¡± The voice from the other end of the line sounded displeased. Tina had been waiting for one long month. She couldn¡¯t bear to miss out on this opportunity. After gritting her teeth, she finally replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be there. Give me ten minutes.¡± Only then was the caller satisfied with her behavior. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Remember to dress up and look pretty. We¡¯ll be entertaining an important guest today, so you mustn¡¯t embarrass our boss!¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Tina ended the call, feeling slightly worried. Then again, this was herst chance in getting a job. She checked the location of the hotel, which was a five-star hotel. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems, right? With that thought in mind, Tina took a deep breath before hurriedly changing into a formal dress and rushed toward that hotel. Someone was already waiting for her at the entrance. They led her to a private room quickly. Many bosses were seated around the table in the room. They were all well-known characters in Freesia who had their fair share of media spotlight in the past. Tina finally heaved a sigh of relief. For once, it looked like everything will be alright. However, she noticed that other than the bosses, there were a few women her age sitting next to them. Tina found it odd, but someone next to her gave her a shove right at that moment. ¡°What are you standing there for? Pour Mr. Gomez a drink!¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Oh. O-Okay.¡± Tina quickly did as she was told. Mr. Gomez patted her on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Tonight¡¯s gathering is a small one. Keep working for me, and I¡¯ll take you to all sorts of events in the future.¡± Tina felt slightly awkward and flustered at the same time. Mr. Gomez added, ¡°Don¡¯t just keep serving me wine. You should drink some as well.¡± ¡°B-But I don¡¯t know how to hold my liquor¡­¡± Tina replied. Chooter 120 ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re disrespecting me?¡± Mr. Gomez sounded quite displeased. The other women started criticizing Tina¡¯s behavior. ¡°Mr. Gomez, is this the new secretary you hired? She¡¯s quite a haughty one, isn¡¯t she? I think she seems more like a bosspared to you! Others might think of her as thedy boss, yeah?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Speaking of thedy boss, I think only Miss Cindy Young has the right to be this haughty! ¡°That¡¯s right! After all, she¡¯s Mr. Langford¡¯s one and only woman! She¡¯s naturally blessed with amazing luck. The rest of us can only be envious of her.¡± Feeling awkward and embarrassed, Tina gritted her teeth and drank from the ss of wine in front of her. The wine was very strong. The moment she took her first sip, she couldn¡¯t help but cough violently. Her stomach churned uncontrobly, which made her nauseous. She quickly covered her mouth and tried to hold her puke back. At that moment, a voice drifted from the outside. ¡°Mr. Langford is here!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Is he really here?¡± The women all looked very surprised and delighted as they stared at the room door. Tina froze on the spot. Did she hear that person correctly? Who was the one that came here again? Chapter 121 Chapter 121 How many people in Freesia were referred to as Mr. Langford? Of course, there was only one person: Samuel Langford. He was the only reason why all the big bosses in the private room were gazing at the door expectantly right now. Tina didn¡¯t want to bump into Samuel on this asion. She wanted to use an excuse to slip out of the room. However, it was toote. Samuel¡¯s silhouette appeared at the doorway. Tina hoped with all her might that he wouldn¡¯t notice her, so she cowered right next to the vase in the corner of the room. However, she could still feel a pair of sharp eyes staring right at her back. Samuel took the main seat at the table. He emitted a regal aura no matter what he did. This was proven by the scene of everyone crowding around him and trying to please him. Tina felt quite unsettled. She snuck a look in Samuel¡¯s direction, noting his neutral expression. Perhaps he didn¡¯t even notice her at all. After a while, the atmosphere started to heat up. Mr. Gomez must have had too much to drink, because he suddenly turned to Tina. ¡°Why are you sitting so far away? Others might think that I¡¯m abusing my employees! Come closer, will you? Have a drink as well. I¡¯ll have you know that the liquor here is all imported, so they¡¯re a rare find¡­¡±. At that moment, Samuel¡¯s cold gaze was trained in Tina¡¯s direction. Tina was rmed. She tried to run out of instinct, but Mr. Gomez dragged her to a seat next to him. ¡°Hurry up and drink!¡± he urged. Everyone else started egging on Tina to do the same. ¡°Let¡¯s see how¡¯s your alcohol tolerance is like! If you can¡¯t drink a lot, then you can¡¯t do this job well!¡± Tina was starting to panic. She finallytched onto the job opportunity after such a long time. Would she be losing this job as well? Stuck between a rock and a hard ce, she could only grit her teeth. On the other hand, Mr. Gomez suddenly realized that something was off. Samuel was actually staring at the employee that he had just hired. It was a well-known fact that he never paid any attention to women at all. With that thought in mind, Mr. Gomez quickly changed his mind. ¡°Don¡¯t drink yet. Aren¡¯t you being a little rude here? Mr. Langford, why don¡¯t I let my new employee toast to your sess?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. rm bells rang louder in Tina¡¯s mind. The sight of Samuel¡¯s deep and dark eyes made her heart sink. As a result, she could only approach him. ¡°Mr. Langford¡­¡± Suddenly, Samuel let out a cold chuckle, interrupting Tina. Hemented coldly, ¡°Looks like your company is bad at judging one¡¯s character. Since that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no need for us to continue discussing the coboration deal.¡± The moment his words fell, he stood up and left decisively. Everyone in the private room was dumbfounded upon hearing thement. The atmosphere which was previously bustling with cheerful conversations andughter suddenly became as silent as a graveyard. All pairs of eyes were fixated on Tina. They were filled with so much hatred that they wanted to skin her alive. ¡°Mr. Langford! Mr. Langford!¡± Mr. Gomez quickly became anxious. Then, he pointed at Tina and started hollering at her. ¡°I knew that I shouldn¡¯t have hired you! Scram! Get the hell out of here now!¡± Tina knew that at this moment, she had lost her final opportunity to work in this city. She didn¡¯t know how she walked out of the hotel after that. Then, she started roaming down the street like a wayward soul. A cold gust of wind blew in her direction, making her stomach churn even more. Tina was instantly reminded of the wine that she had just ingested. Shetched onto a nearbymp post while heaving her guts out. The vomit was never-ending. Not only was her stomach shriveling in pain, but her abdomen also hurt to the point that she kept sweating cold bullets. At that moment, faint footsteps could be heard from the street. ¡°I just saw that woman heading in this direction. Since she¡¯s had some alcohol, she must be super drunk right now. There¡¯s no way she can leave this quickly!¡± ¡°She ruined Mr. Gomez¡¯s ns, after all. We won¡¯t let her off the hook easily!¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s precisely due to her good looks that Mr. Gomez chose her. He initially nned to sleep with her, but who would¡¯ve thought that she¡¯d offend Mr. Langford? At least now, we get to savor her¡­¡± Tina felt as if an invisible hammer had mmed into the back of her skull, because her head was ringing badly from all the vomiting. She wanted to get up and escape, but her body was so weak that she copsed to the ground instead. As a result, the loud thud attracted the men¡¯s attention immediately. ¡°She¡¯s here! That¡¯s the one!¡± ¡°Hurry up and take her away!¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 ¡°Let go of me!¡± Tina started struggling valiantly against the men despite her fatigue. The passersby around them looked rather confused by the sudden scuffle. However, the men chastised them immediately. ¡°What are you looking at? My girlfriend¡¯s drunk, so now she¡¯s gone crazy. I¡¯m trying to take her home right now. Mind your own business!¡± It was true that Tina¡¯s condition didn¡¯t look good. The passersby were still confused, but they didn¡¯t stop the men from taking her away. Just when Tina was about to be whisked away, a ck luxury car blocked their way. The men originally thought that the car was just passing by, but they didn¡¯t expect the door to be opened slowly. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Immediately after that, a few bodyguards rushed out of the car swiftly and apprehended the hooligans on the spot. Groaning in pain while lying on the pavement, the hooligans started hurling insults at the bodyguards. ¡°Where the f*ck did you guyse from? How dare you ruin our ns!¡± ¡°Are you trying to be heroes by saving a damsel in distress? Do you have any idea who you¡¯ve offended? If you don¡¯t want to die, then get lost! Otherwise, Mr. Gomez will never let you off the hook!¡± An icy voice drifted from the car. ¡°Is that so?¡± The hooligans widened their eyes in shock and stared in the direction of the voice. The blood in their veins froze. No one expected to see Samuel inside that car. Didn¡¯t everyone tell them that the woman had offended Samuel? Why was he here to save her? They were so frightened that all color drained from their faces. Dropping down on their knees, they started begging for mercy. ¡°Please spare us, Mr. Langford! We were just trying to avenge you¡­¡± ¡°Drag them away and send them to the police station,¡± Samuel ordered coldly ¡°No! Please help us! Spare us, Mr. Langford!¡± No matter how much the hooligans begged for mercy, they were still taken away by the bodyguards. Soon, Tina and Samuel were the only ones in that area. Thetter gazed at the former from above, taking note of her ragged appearance. Disdain was evident in his eyes. ¡°Get in,¡± hemanded coldly. Tina never would¡¯ve thought that Samuel would help her out. She thought she was still dreaming, so she could only stare at the man in front of her with a dumbfounded expression. His patiencepletely gone, Samuel said mockingly, ¡°Tina, I have very limited patience. Do you want me to personally invite you into the car? Don¡¯t ever think that I¡¯ll tolerate your shenanigans, you shameless wh*re. You deserve this fate.¡± When Tina heard Samuel¡¯s words, all the rage and aggrievance that she had contained over the past month finally erupted. ¡°Sure, me me for being a wh*re! It¡¯s my fault that I got into trouble! You might as well watch me die since that¡¯s the case! Why did you even save me, then?¡± she screamed. Before Samuel could reply, Tina continued furiously, ¡°Haha! Of course, I know the reason behind this! It¡¯s impossible for a man like you to tolerate my antics, after all! It¡¯s all because of Grandma that you¡¯re forced to save me! otherwise, you¡¯d be the first one to p happily when I die in front of you!¡± Samuel harrumphed coldly, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know your ce!¡± ¡°Then I might as well go die now!¡± Tina rose to her feet all of a sudden and rushed toward the road. However, she had only taken one step before Samuel grabbed her by her arm and pulled her back forcibly. She responded by biting Samuel¡¯s hand, making him gasp in pain. Still, he refused to let go of her. ¡°Are you crazy, Tina?!¡± Samuel was enraged upon witnessing Tina¡¯s suicidal moment. Then, he saw Tina breaking down in front of him. She decided to spill everything from her chest, not caring if her words would anger Samuel or not. ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s right! What if I¡¯m crazy, huh? No one here believes me! I managed to find a job after all this time, but it¡¯s gone thanks to someone ndering me in an article! No one in Freesia wants to hire me! The job I finally got today was my only hope, but I never would¡¯ve thought that I¡¯d be this unlucky to run into you! It was bad enough that I got fired, but I almost became the target for someone else¡¯s revenge plot!¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Tina no longer cared about Samuel¡¯s opinion of her. She wiped her tears away while continuing toment. ¡°You might as well just kill me right now. Think of it as granting me a sweet release from this insufferable life! Since you hate me so much, you must be dreaming about this for a long time, right?¡± Samuel no longer spoke. Instead, he just stared at Tina coldly. Thetter also returned the gaze steadily, waiting for his answer. The next thing she knew, she felt her feet leaving the ground. To her surprise, Samuel had scooped her into his arms. Tina was so surprised that she let out a shriek while wrapping her arms around Samuel¡¯s neck. ¡°Put me down! Where are you taking me?!¡± ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t scared of death. Why are you scared of this?¡± Samuel mocked with a cold chuckle. He threw Tina carelessly onto the backseat and drove away. Several minutester, Tina was stunned to recognize the surroundings when she looked out of the car window. ¡°Isn¡¯t this your house?¡± Didn¡¯t Samuel want to kill her? Why would he take her back to his house? He had no intention to reply to her. All he issued was a simplemand: ¡°Get out.¡± Tina got out of the car in a daze and entered the hall with him. ¡°Sit here and wait,¡± Samuel ordered before heading toward another direction. Tina was bristling with anxiety. Her heart kept hammering behind her ribcage. What was Samuel nning to do with her? Was she really going to die here? Soon, Samuel reappeared in front of her. This time, he was carrying a medical kit. Obviously, this surprised Tina a lot. ¡°Weren¡¯t you nning to kill me?¡± she asked dumbfoundedly. Samuel didn¡¯t bother replying to her question. Instead, he grabbed her arm and started applying ointment to her wounds. It was only then that Tina realized she was covered in wounds due to the struggles earlier. Unable to regain her senses, she could only stare nkly as Samuel tended to her injuries and wrapped bandages around them. She was very sure that everything she had witnessed just now was a hallucination due to her drunken state. ¡°Are you really not going to kill me?¡± she asked again. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org At that moment, Samuel¡¯s phone rang loudly. Since he was busy with patching Tina up, he left the call on speaker mode. Sandy¡¯s voice could be heard drifting from the speaker as he made his usual report. ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡¯ve already investigated everything. It turns out that the reporter from the local newsroom was bribed in advance. He exaggerated the article¡¯s contents in order to achieve the goal of ndering Miss Lynd¡¯s reputation. The other tforms have also lifted their ban on her name as per your order¡­¡± When Tina heard the report, she couldn¡¯t believe her ears at all. She muttered to herself, ¡°Why are you helping me? Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± ¡°Grandma needs your care right now,¡± Samuel replied coldly. ¡°Also, you¡¯re still my wife. I can¡¯t just sit here without extending a helping hand.¡± Even though Tina had done so many things that disgusted him greatly in the past, he would still be patient and settle the final score with her in the end. Before the arrival of that day, he refused to let anyone interfere with the matters that concerned both of them. This was his bottom line. Despite Samuel¡¯s icy tone, Tina couldn¡¯t help but feel affected by the word ¡®wife. She almost forgot that she was married to Samuel, but she would never expect to hear him saying that particr word. ¡°Wife¡­¡± Tina mumbled softly. ¡°But the woman that you¡¯ll ever acknowledge to be your wife is Cindy, right?¡± As usual, Samuel didn¡¯t bother exining himself. However, Tina looked incredibly vulnerable tonight. Besides, she had already lost her mind due to her drunken state, so he didn¡¯t want to be so critical of her. He exined coldly, ¡°My rtionship with her isn¡¯t what you think it is. She saved my life before. If it wasn¡¯t for her, I wouldn¡¯t have existed in this world. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to view her as my sister and take care of her forever.¡± Tina was suddenly reminded by the time when she had to hide under the table to avoid Samuel. Back then, she had eavesdropped on a conversation as a result. Cindy and Samuel¡¯s first meeting took ce after the abduction incident urred ten years ago. ¡°Is it because of the abduction?¡± she asked subconsciously. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Samuel was surprised to hear the question. His sharp gazended on Tina¡¯s form. ¡°The Langford family had sealed the news. No one knows about this. How did you find out?¡± he demanded harshly. Guilt gnawed at Tina¡¯s heart. There was no way she could tell Samuel that she had heard everything from under the table. ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t eavesdrop on you! That was because¡­ because I was¡­¡± Under Samuel¡¯s cold gaze, Tina started stammering in panic. Before she could finish her sentence, the former¡¯s phone started ringing again. ¡°Samuel¡­¡± A sickeningly sweet voice red from the phone¡¯s speaker at that moment. Tina shivered the moment she heard the voice. She quickly recognized the owner of the voice. That was Cindy! Samuel didn¡¯t notice Tina going stiff all of a sudden. He rose to his feet and picked up his phone. ¡°Samuel, I heard that you just attended a gathering. You must have drunk a lot, right? I¡¯m very worried about your health, so I made some hangover soup for you¡­¡± Samuel turned her down swiftly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to do that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Cindy obviously sounded dejected. ¡°I wanted to surprise you at first, so I¡¯m already in front of your house. Since you don¡¯t need it, I¡¯ll just go home.¡± Samuel¡¯s brows were instantly tangled together. ¡°You¡¯re already here?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Cindy let out a dejected sigh. ¡°I got too worried about you, so I did unnecessary things. I won¡¯t do things that will make you angry at me ever again.¡± Samuel rubbed his forehead in irritation. He couldn¡¯t possibly waste Cindy¡¯s efforts. She was already here, after all. ¡°Wait right there. I¡¯lle over,¡± he said. ¡°Really?¡± Cindy sounded incredibly happy. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, Samuel!¡± Then, Samuel shot a look in Tina¡¯s direction. ¡°Stay here. Behave yourself and don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± After that, he left hurriedly. If Tina was still dazed from her interactions with Samuel earlier, then the conversation between him and Cindy had definitely sobered her up. Its effects were as strong as someone dumping cold water onto her during a winter month. What exactly was she hoping for just now? Did she really want Samuel to treat her like his wife? How ridiculous. The reason why Samuel wanted Tina to behave herself was because he didn¡¯t want Cindy having her heart broken after seeing her there. After all, she was the harlot who had ruined their happy rtionship. Tina felt like vomiting once again, but then, she heard Samuel and Cindy¡¯s voices getting closer to the room that she was in. ¡°Samuel, can I stay here for a while? I need some rest,¡± Cindy requested. Tina got up in rm upon hearing that request. It was a good thing she had stayed in that house before, so she quickly fled the house via the back door. She stumbled all the way to the street while waiting for a taxi toe pick her up. The area that she was in right now was amunity meant for only the wealthy. The mansions surrounding her were brightly lit, asughter of various families drifted into her ear. Tina could only slump onto the bench and stare down at her injuries with the help of the dim streetlight. ck! ck! ck! Tina didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but the taxi hadn¡¯t arrived at her location yet. Instead, she heard high heels clicking behind her. Cindy¡¯s voice startled her at that moment. ¡°Tina Lynd, I was wondering where on earth you went. So you¡¯re here all along, huh?¡± The moment Tina heard Cindy¡¯s voice, she was instantly on her guard. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°What are you trying to do, Cindy? Samuel¡¯s right here, you know? If you did anything to me, he¡¯d definitely find out!¡± Tina hissed. Cindy was dressed in fancy, high-end clothes. She was covered in branded clothing from head to toe, her attire paired with an expensive-looking bag. The sight of Tina¡¯s ragged appearance filled Cindy with glee, and she had the desire tough out loud. She jeered, ¡°Oh, Tina! Look at you. What a pathetic woman! You¡¯re just like a drowning dog. Tell me, has your life been difficulttely?¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Tina didn¡¯t want to pay Cindy any attention at first, but it was impossible for thetter to ignore the opportunity to mock her. ¡°Hey, Tina! You couldn¡¯t find any jobstely, right? Don¡¯t you want to know who¡¯s the one who made your life hell?¡± she jeered again. ¡°You were the one behind this?!¡± Tina replied angrily. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was me!¡± Cindy admitted frankly, without the intention to hide that fact. Tina was so furious, she balled her fists. She roared, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might tell Samuel everything you did?¡± ¡°By all means, go ahead! Do you think Samuel will believe in what you say to him?¡± Cindy replied, still speaking in the same mocking tone. Her smug demeanor made it obvious that she feared nothing That sentence pricked Tina¡¯s heart greatly. Cindy was right. Samuel had always trusted Cindy all this time, so why would he believe Tina? He would most likely think that she was framing Cindy again. ¡°I understand everything now. I¡¯m the woman that Samuel trusts the most in this world. As for you, you¡¯re just his temporary ything. Rather than dirtying my hands with your blood, I¡¯d rather torture you and make you wish you were dead!¡± Cindy approached Tina slowly, a twisted and ugly expression on her face. She sounded very excited when she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll ruin your reputation bit by bit and make life difficult for you in Freesia, so much that you can¡¯t survive here. At the same time, Samuel will hate you beyond anything. This world will be a living hell for you!¡± Tina wanted to ignore Cindy, but thetter¡¯s repulsively malevolent expression made her unable to hold back her temper. ¡°Cindy Young, you vile, despicable woman!¡± Tina roared. p! A loud p rang across the street. Tina¡¯s palm made heavy contact with Cindy¡¯s cheek at that moment. Cindy was stunned. She thought she would be able to watch Tina break down and cry in front of her, all the while looking remorseful and pathetic. She didn¡¯t expect thetter to have the guts to assault her physically. ¡°How dare you p me! You filthy b*tch! You darey a finger on me¡­¡± p! C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Tina, however, replied with another p. mes of fury burned in her eyes as she hissed,¡± That¡¯s right. I have the guts to p you. I¡¯m not afraid of anything, anyway. Besides, I don¡¯t have anything now, and you even called me a drowning dog! Why should I be afraid of pping you?¡± Hearing Tina¡¯s response made Cindy more furious than ever. To think that the mongrel dared to p her in the face¡­ ¡°You f*cking b*tch! I¡¯m going to kill you¡­¡± Just as Cindy was about to pounce onto Tina and start beating her up, she froze, as if she had just seen something. A sinister glint appeared in her eyes before she twisted her ankle on purpose and let out a pained shriek. ¡°Ouch!¡± Cindy copsed to the ground in a haphazard fashion. Even the blue shell ne fell to the ground. Tina staggered a few steps backward to put some distance between her and Cindy. She didn¡¯t hesitate to mock her. ¡°How is it possible for you to fall even under those conditions, Cindy? You deserved it!¡± A sad and aggrieved look suddenly appeared on Cindy¡¯s face, and she put on a pitiful appearance. ¡°Do you really hate me that much, Miss Lynd?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tina replied without any hesitation. ¡°Then just hit me! Scream at me! I¡¯ll let you do anything to me as long as you¡¯re satisfied¡­¡± Cindy continued in an aggrieved tone. Tina¡¯s head had been spinning the whole time. It was at that moment when she finally regained her senses and took notice of something suspicious. ¡°Cindy, why the hell are you pretending¡­¡± ¡°Tina, what are you doing?!¡± The next thing Tina knew, a cold baritone snarled from behind her. Tina turned around swiftly, only to see Samuel ring at her. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Tina asked instinctively. Murderous intent was clear in Samuel¡¯s eyes. He suddenly felt that his act of pity was nothing but a big, fat joke. It was like the plot of a children¡¯s story that involved a kind-hearted farmer and a traitorous snake. Samuel no longer paid any attention to Tina. He immediately shoved her away, since she happened to be standing in front of Cindy. ¡°Move!¡± Tina stumbled away the moment she felt the force pushing her away. She lost her bnce and fell to the ground as well. Intense pain started ring from her stomach as a result. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126 As Tina watched Samuel helping Cindy up, she finally realized why thetter pretended to be weak all of a sudden. ¡°Things aren¡¯t like what you think, Samuel. Please listen to me..? Tina said, but as always, Samuel found her words empty and meaningless. ¡°Listen to you?¡± Samuelughed coldly in response. ¡°Tina, do you seriously take me for a blind man?¡± Cindy received two heavy ps from Tina, after all. Her cheeks were already red and swollen. Anyone whoid their eyes on her would¡¯ve thought that Tina was the one who bullied her on purpose. Tears started falling from Cindy¡¯s eyes. She said softly, ¡°Samuel, this is really a big misunderstanding¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin.¡± Samuel felt guilt gnawing at his heart, ¡°Come back with me. I¡¯ll apply medicine to your cheeks.¡± ¡°B-But Samuel, I thought you hate having outsiders in your house,¡± Cindy protested weakly, all the while pretending to be considerate about him. Samuel nced at Tina coldly. You¡¯re not the outsider. That woman is.¡± As soon as his words fell, he scooped Cindy into his arms and carried her bridal style. Thetter quickly wrapped her arms around his neck shyly before shooting Tina a wicked smirk. Mockery was written all over her face. See, Tina? Samuel would never believe you! You¡¯re a joke!¡¯ she thought joyfully. ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± Cindy suddenly noticed something on the ground. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve dropped my ne!¡± It was until then that Tina noticed a blue crystal shell ne sitting on the spot where Cindy had fallen earlier. Stunned by its appearance, she instinctively picked it up. Why did the ne seem so familiar to her? But before Tina could study it properly, Samuel snatched it viciously out of her hand. The duo disappeared in the distance right after. A short whileter, the taxi that Tina had been waiting for finally appeared. The driver was an honest-looking man. He apologized sincerely to Tina, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for beingte, Miss. Traffic was all clogged up, so I got dyed. Why do you look so pale? Do you need me to send you to the hospital?¡± Tina finally noticed her frightening appearance. She looked like a ghost who had just crawled out of a pool. She could only shake her head while clutching her stomach. ¡°I think my period¡¯sing¡­¡± Tina¡¯s health had always been poor. It was the norm for her to not have her period for two or three months, but once it was time, her body would be racked with pain. The day¡¯s events had infuriated her greatly, so her period probably decided that it was the best time to make her day even worse. At her reply, the taxi driver didn¡¯t ask her any more questions. Tina returned to her apartment like a lost soul. All strength was already sapped from her body, so she copsed onto her bed and fell into a deep slumber. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. It was barely dawn when Tina was awakened by a phone call. John¡¯s voice drifted through the speaker. ¡°Hi, Tina. You must be at work around this time, right? I¡¯ll go to the art studio and visit you there.¡± His words woke her up instantly. If John were to visit the art studio, he would have found out about her dismissal. As she didn¡¯t want to worry him, she quickly replied, ¡°I got sick, so I¡¯ve lodged a sick leave.¡± It was by pure coincidence thatst night¡¯s events made her voice incredibly hoarse, so she sounded very sick on the phone. John sounded quite concerned. ¡°You¡¯re sick? What are you down with?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Tina caressed her stomach instinctively. She thought the reason behind her sudden stomachachest night was because of her period, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°Maybe my period¡¯sing,¡± she replied. The moment John heard Tina¡¯s reason, he knew that it was an inconvenient topic for her to talk about. ¡°I¡¯ll drop by your ce soon.¡± Some timeter, he appeared in front of her door. John didn¡¯t beat around the bush and told her in a straightforward manner, ¡°I¡¯ve been collecting intel on your background. Unfortunately, the criminals involved in your abduction case are all dead. The orphanage didn¡¯t have a picture of you as well. Do you have any clues about your childhood?¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 When Tina noticed John¡¯s expectant gaze, warmth flowed into her heart. It was obvious that he was sincere in helping her out. However, she could only bite her lower lip and shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t really remember my childhood. The doctor told me that it could be due to the shock that I had received, but I ended up developing selective memory loss.¡± Johnforted her, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t remember anything. There will always be clues. I¡¯ll have someone look for them again¡­¡± Tina looked very crestfallen, and clutched her head. ¡°If only I can remember useful information..¡± she mumbled. ¡°Take it slow. It¡¯s best if you can regain your memories, but if you can¡¯t, then we can¡¯t force it to happen,¡± John coaxed her in a soothing voice while patting her head. ¡°Your health is the most important thing. I hear it¡¯s best to drink hot tea during your period, so I¡¯ll brew you a cup.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you, John,¡± Tina replied with a small smile. Then, she tried her best to recall her childhood. However, she couldn¡¯t remember much about the little boy in her memories. All she could remember was him being drenched in blood. After that, she recalled the way the Lynd family had beaten her up and treated her like a servant. Pearl also hated her a lot, and tended to steal from her¡­ Suddenly, Tina recalled something. She stood up immediately and blurted, ¡°The picture!¡± When she was tidying up the orphanage that time, she had located a picture of herself. Even though her face wasn¡¯t shown there, she remembered seeing a ne. That ne looked like the blue crystal shell ne. It must be a clue. ¡°John, I think I remembered a¡­! Tina rushed into the kitchen with the intention to tell John what she recalled. Knock! Knock! Knock! Suddenly, a series of knocks could be heard from the front door. Tina went to open the door, only to see Sandy standing there. ¡°Sandy?¡± She was confused. ¡°How did you know I live here?¡± The moment Tina asked the question, she instantly felt like a fool. It would be tremendously easy for Samuel to gather the information he wanted. Sandy couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer her question and said coldly, ¡°Miss Lynd, Madam Langford wishes to see you right now.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll head over to the hospitalter,¡± Tina replied with a nod Sandy frowned immediately. ¡°Miss Lynd, I mean you have to go there now,¡± he repeated. ¡°But¡­¡± Tina wanted to say something else, but John happened to walk out at that time. 0 ¡°Are you receiving a guest right now?¡± he asked, clearly not expecting the guest in question to be Sandy. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. At the same time, Sandy didn¡¯t expect to witness John and Tina together. Of course, he waspletely stunned. ¡°Mr. Carter? What are you doing here?¡± he asked! Feeling a little awkward, Tina said immediately, ¡°Let¡¯s go visit Granda, Mr. Shaw.¡± After bidding John goodbye, she got into the car with Sandy. When he saw Tina heaving a sigh, he couldn¡¯t help but mock, ¡°You¡¯re quite amazing, Miss Lynd. Last night, Mr. Langford ordered me to lift the ban on your name. Yet today, Mr. Carter is already staying by your side. Looks like this is another one of your performances, right? You¡¯re toying around with two men in one go, aren¡¯t you? Perhaps I should throw Mr. Jackson into the mix as well?¡±. Tina didn¡¯t bother to exin herself. She didn¡¯t want John to be worried about her. As for Samuel¡¯s subordinates, she would just let their imaginations run wild. ¡°So? Are you nning to tell Samuel?¡± she replied coldly. ¡°Naturally, Mr. Langford doesn¡¯t need to know about unsavory things like this. He¡¯s taken care of Miss Young the whole night, so he doesn¡¯t have the mood for insignificant matters.¡± Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Samuel took care of Cindy the whole night? So much had happenedst night, so Tina had forgotten most of them. However, she would remember Samuel¡¯s look of disdain vividly. She made sure to keep her expression as neutral as she could before saying lightly, ¡°It¡¯s true that my matters are insignificant, but aren¡¯t you free enough to meddle in them?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Miss Lynd, I¡¯d like to give you a piece of advice. The more bad things you do, the heavier your downfall will be. Now that you¡¯ve treated Miss Young that way, the consequence you have to face will be grim,¡± Sandy warned with a snort. Tina replied with a cold chuckle of her own. ¡°Oh yeah? It¡¯d be great if that advice doese true. Your precious Miss Young is in dire need of it.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Tina didn¡¯t mind the sudden change in the car¡¯s atmosphere. The only person in the Langford family that she missed right now was Madam Langford. The thought of her having only half a year to live gave her strength. No matter how much the rest of the family despised her, she would grit her teeth and spend the rest of Madam Langford¡¯s life by the old woman¡¯s side. Once they reached the hospital, Tina saw Madam Langford and Samuel, who was by her side. Samuel shot her a cold look. His eyes remained nk and emotionless. Tina didn¡¯t mind his coldness, for she no longer cared about how he felt for her. She went ahead to grasp Madam Langford¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here. What¡¯s so important that made you request my immediate presence?¡± Grandma Langford seemed to have detected something from Tina¡¯s expression. ¡°Tina, why¡¯s yourplexion so pale? Are you unwell? Or are you being bullied¡­?¡± Tina quickly shook her head. ¡°No, Grandma. You¡¯re overthinking right now. I just had my period today, so I feel a little unwell.¡± Madam Langford immediately said to Samuel, ¡°You brat! Don¡¯t you know that your own wife is having her period? Hurry up and fetch her hot tea and a nket!¡± Tina was surprised by the sudden demand. ¡°Uh¡­ That¡¯s too much, Grandma!¡± Oh, heavens! If Samuel did those things for her, he would most definitely get his vengeanceter. ¡°What do you mean by too much? You¡¯re his wife, so this is his duty! Hurry up and go!¡± Madam Langford demanded. Samuel didn¡¯t turn down his grandmother¡¯s demand. He spun on his heel and left the ward instantly. Tina thought about his gesture. As expected, Samuel would rather use an excuse to leave the ward rather than stay in the same ce as her. Madam Langford¡¯s grip on Tina¡¯s hand tightened. She whispered, ¡°The reason why I sent Samuel away is because I want to tell you something that¡¯s for your ears only.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Tina thought that the elder woman sounded quite mysterious. ¡°I know you two are newlyweds, but there are some things you should take the opportunity to do¡­.¡± Madam Langford whispered a few words into Tina¡¯s ear, causing her cheeks to flush immediately ¡°Grandma, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t want to think about that for now.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? You¡¯re the youngest Mrs. Langford, after all. The next generation of Langfords depends on you!¡± Grandma Langford sounded quite serious. Tina felt bitter on the inside. She and Samuel were just faking their marriage, and yet Madam Langford insisted on her getting pregnant with her precious great- grandchild. How would that be possible? Since Tina didn¡¯t want to upset the elderly woman, she could only reply, ¡°Okay. I get it, Grandma.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Madam Langford replied in satisfaction, a wide smile spreading across her face. Once Samuel was back with the nket and a cup of hot tea, Madam Langford ushered the couple to sit together. ¡°By the way, Samuel, don¡¯t you have some good news to tell me?¡± she asked. Samuel immediately called out to Sandy. ¡°Sandy, bring it in.¡± Sandy, who had been standing outside the ward, entered the room with a red velvet box. Once it was opened, a beautiful diamond ring was revealed. The diamond on the ring was the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg. It glittered beautifully under the light. ¡°When you two obtained your marriage certificate that day, you were unable to hold a grand wedding to celebrate that moment due to my illness. I know this must have saddened you, so you should hold a press conference first. Samuel will contact all of the media sources in Freesia. You¡¯ll show up at the conference while wearing this diamond ring. That way, everyone will know that you¡¯re the youngest Mrs. Langford.¡± Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 There was no way Tina would ever ept something as precious as that ring. After all, she wasn¡¯t the real Mrs. Langford of the family. ¡°But Grandma, I already have the ancestral jade bracelet that you¡¯ve given me. You shouldn¡¯t be giving me a diamond ring this big,¡± she protested. Madam Langford stared at Tina seriously before saying, ¡°No. This is different.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°The ancestral jade bracelet means that the Langford family has epted you. But once Samuel gives you this ring, it will be a symbol of the love you have for each other. Nowadays, the media loves making up stories out of nothing. If we don¡¯t announce your presence in a grand way, you¡¯ll most likely be gossiped and talked about behind your back. Things like this must be treated with care at all times.¡± Tina never expected that Madam Langford would consider that much for her sake. However, the fact that the ring symbolized true love between her and Samuel was a farce. It was impossible for them to have feelings for each other. Madam Langford urged, ¡°Samuel, put this ring on Tina¡¯s finger. Let me see how it looks on her.¡± Samuel grabbed Tina¡¯s right hand and slid the ring onto her fourth finger. Once they got out of the hospital, Samuel had no intention to talk to Tina. He was ready to get into his car and leave quickly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ia ¡°Wait!¡± Tina called out to him. However, Samuel¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°Just go,¡± hemanded. rm took over her senses as Tina quickly ran to the front of the car and spread her arms to stop it. As a result, she was almost knocked over by the vehicle. The chauffeur was very shocked and scared at the same time. ¡°Mr. Langford, what should I do?¡± That woman looked like she didn¡¯t want to live at all. Frost zed over Samuel¡¯s eyes. After he got out of the car, he grabbed Tina roughly by her arm and threw her to the side. ¡°Tina, what the hell are you nning to do this time?¡± he demanded. Tina¡¯s shoulder hurt so much from the force, but she managed to withstand the pain. She took off the diamond ring and said, ¡°I just want to return the ring to you. This is too precious, so I can¡¯t take it.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was coated with disdain and mockery as he replied, ¡°I hate all the things you¡¯ve worn. They¡¯re filthy. Besides, you seriously can¡¯t believe that I¡¯d buy a real diamond ring for a woman like you, right? This is a fake ring. It¡¯s just to fool the others. After all, things with beautiful exteriors and rotten cores fit you the most, Tina.¡± Samuel¡¯s words were incredibly humiliating. Tina bit her bottom lip, knowing that the former¡¯s misconception of her had gone too deep. It wasn¡¯t something that she could exin with a few sentences. She stowed away the diamond ring and replied, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take it. Also, what¡¯s the deal with the press conference that Grandma talked about earlier?¡± Was Samuel really nning to gather all the media in Freesia just to announce their marriage in front of them? ¡°That was just something I told Grandma to ease her mind. The person who¡¯ll be showing up at the press conference is Cindy,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Okay. Good.¡± ¡°What else do you want to know? Ask all the questions you have right now. I don¡¯t want you bothering me ever again.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was filled with impatience. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to make up excuses for what you¡¯ve done in the past, then I advise you to quit while you¡¯re ahead.¡± Tina knew that he was referring to Cindy¡¯s incidentst night. Since he trusted Cindy that much, what would be the use of her showing him the evidence? ¡°There¡¯s nothing else I¡¯d like to say.¡± A cold smile spread on Tina¡¯s lips at that moment. ¡°As long as I have a chance to stay with Grandma, then I¡¯ll be fine. I don¡¯t care about what happens between you two. I hope that you¡¯ll stay together forever and form an amazing family together.¡± Once Tina was done speaking, she turned on her heel and walked away without any hesitance. Her slender and feeble figure looked like she was about to copse just by a strong gale blowing at her. At the same time, her form radiated strength and tenacity. Samuel had no intention to ask her to stay, so he returned to his car. The sky started drizzling at that time. Tina and Samuel headed their respective ways, the distance between them growing more and more¡­ Tina soon found herself arriving at a certain ce without remembering how. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130 ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t you Miss Lynd? Today¡¯s not a weekend. What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you going to work? Is there something you wish to discuss with the director?¡± The security guard in front of the orphanage recognized Tina instantly. He was surprised to see her there. It was only then that Tina realized she had walked all the way to Loving Heart Orphanage. She didn¡¯t care about the Langfords¡¯ opinions of her. All she wanted was to not make the people she cared about worry for her. ¡°I just happened to pass by. There¡¯s no need to bother Madam Woods¡­¡± Tina was about to turn and leave before she remembered something. ¡°Oh, right! I¡¯m here to look for something that I left some time ago.¡± The security guard didn¡¯t suspect her motives at all. Tina was a kind-hearted woman who always dropped by to help out the orphanage personnel. Not to mention, she had a heart of gold. Naturally, she was epted as a member of the orphanage. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Tina walked all the way to the ce she had tidied up the pictures. There, she started searching for that particr picture with the ne. Soon, she found the old picture of herself. It was evident that she was wearing a blue crystal shell ne in the past. Unfortunately, that was the only picture of her, and it was in low quality to boot. She could only see the vague outline of the ne. Tina gritted her teeth angrily. All of her childhood possessions had been snatched away by Pearl a long time ago. That beautiful ne must be part of thetter¡¯s loot as well. It looked like she would have to visit Pearl. Once she got back her ne, she would be one step closer to discovering her own background. Tina decided to not waste any time. She stopped by a cheap caf¨¦ and dialed Pearl¡¯s number. ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s this?¡± Pearl asked after answering the call. ¡°It¡¯s me, Tina.¡± ¡°Tina?!¡± Pearl didn¡¯t hesitate to shriek into her phone. ¡°You f*cking b*tch! I was worried about not being able to find you! Turns out you have the guts to find me instead!¡± ¡°The reason I¡¯m calling you today is because I have something to discuss with you. Come over to the caf¨¦, Tina said calmly, not wanting to start an argument with Pearl over the phone. ¡°Are you nning to get revenge on me?¡± Pearl asked suspiciously. ¡°I heard a man paid your debt off for you and took you away. You must have seduced that guy, right? I¡¯m not falling for your lies this time!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin herself. She said, ¡°Pearl, I¡¯m not as vicious as you. I just have some questions to ask. It doesn¡¯t matter to me if youe or not.¡± ¡°What the hell is that attitude, huh? You¡¯re just a dog that our family took in! You¡­¡± Tina hung up on Pearl immediately. She was very sure that thetter would most definitelye. When they were still children, Pearl used to cause trouble for Tina because she disliked Tina from the start. Now that Tina had finally left the Lynd family and led afortable life of her own, there was no way her sister would let her go just like that. As expected, Pearl showed up at the caf¨¦ some timeter. ¡°Hey, Tina. Looks like your life is quite difficult now, huh? Your clothes look so shabby! Is your sugar daddy so stingy that he refuses to give you money to buy new clothes?¡± The moment Pearlid her eyes on Tina, she began mocking Tina relentlessly. Tina couldn¡¯t be bothered to care about Pearl¡¯s childish insults. She pulled out the picture from the orphanage and said, ¡°This is a picture of me when I was still a little girl. You should remember the ne I was wearing, right? I want it back.¡± ¡°You want this ne?¡± Pearl cast a nce at the picture and recognized it immediately. She had snatched the ne away from Tina on Tina¡¯s first day with the Lynd family. After that, she forgot where she had thrown the ne to. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. However, it was impossible for Pearl to tell Tina the truth. An idea popped into her head and she said with a cackle, ¡°You want it? Fine! Pay for it!¡± Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Once everyone knew that Tina was adopted by the Lynd family and wasn¡¯t treated as an equal there, they assumed Tina stole the ring from Pearl out of jealousy. The Lynd family even hired awyer and a jewelry appraiser to make their story credible. After making sure the diamond cost millions, they were determined to make Tina pay for her crimes. They wanted Tina to rot in jail for ten years! ¡°That¡¯s not possible!¡± Tina retorted immediately. ¡°That¡¯s a fake diamond ring! The appraiser is lying!¡± Samuel did tell her that the ring was a fake! The jewelry appraiser was indignant. He snapped, ¡°Miss Lynd, my family has been working in this line for generations. You shouldn¡¯t doubt my skills. Just admit it! You stole the ring, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Besides, I saw an auction on TV just a few days ago. It was an auction only the richest people in Freesia could attend. Given the short time frame, there¡¯s not enough time for fakes to enter the market yet.¡± . Pearl was ted. She wasted no time to sneer contemptuously, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re done for! Let¡¯s see if men still want you after you serve jail time!¡± Facing all the false usations, Tina clenched her fists and said slowly, ¡°You made up these stories without evidence. Just wait, I have someone to prove my innocence.¡± Even though Tina didn¡¯t want to bother Samuel with this, she was left with no choice. Otherwise, she would really be sent to jail. Pearl was confused when she saw Tina taking out her phone. She wasn¡¯t actually contacting John Carter, was she? But the moment Tina called the number, a robotic sound echoed from the receiver, ¡°The person you dial is currently unavable. Please call againter.¡± It was obvious Samuel had denied her call. At first, Pearl was worried. Now, she felt instant relief and began ridiculing Tina, ¡°He didn¡¯t even pick up the phone! Stop lying to everyone, Tina! Admit your crime and go to jail!¡± Tina wasn¡¯t surprised Samuel didn¡¯t pick up the call. She swallowed down her pride and said, ¡°Samuel Langford was the one who gave this diamond ring to me. You can ask him for verification.¡± Pearl, along with the onlookers, shot her sarcastic looks that showed their obvious disbelief. How dare she mention Samuel Langford¡¯s name just to get out of the situation? What a joke! Tina continued , ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to check my current rtionship status with Mr. Langford. We are currently registered as husband and wife.¡± Pearl interjected, ¡°Officer! We should stop listening to her inane bberings. She must be suffering from some mental illnesses that we don¡¯t know about. Let¡¯s lock her up!¡± Thewyer also took the advantage to fan the mes. ¡°Officer, the evidence has beenid out for you very clearly. There¡¯s no question she should be detained. Her mental state is quite questionable, though. Should we invite a psychologist to do an evaluation on her?¡± When Pearl heard that, she added enthusiastically, ¡°We should lock her up in an asylum!¡± At this point, they hadpletely disregarded Tina¡¯s plea. Unable to do anything, she delved into hopelessness.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Right at this moment, a familiar voice sounded from afar. ¡°Who do you n on sending to the mental asylum?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s Tina Lynd, that scoundrel¡­¡± Pearl replied proudly, before looking over her back. When she saw the owner of the voice, her eyes widened in disbelief. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Pearl was ted when she saw Tina drooping her head in defeat. But when she saw the man at the door, her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Oh my god! It¡¯s Mr. Langford¡± Nobody expected Samuel Langford to show himself. He scanned the room andnded his gaze on Tina, who was sitting in the corner. He ignored everyone¡¯s gazes and walked slowly towards Tina. ¡°What exactly are you ying at now, Tina?¡± he interrogated as he towered over her. His voice was cold and emotionless. ¡®I¡¯ve only been separated from her for a few days. What did she do this time? How annoying!¡¯ he thought, furious. Tina was terrified. She didn¡¯t expect Samuel to turn up at all. Samuel¡¯s attitude towards Tina left Pearl as giddy as a child. Last time, Samuel almost murdered her entire family just to root out Tina¡¯s location. That incident was still etched vividly in Pearl¡¯s mind. ¡®Samuel must¡¯ve heard about what Tina did. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s here to punish that b*tch!¡¯ Pearl thought in glee. Pearl knew this was her chance to get Samuel¡¯s attention. She exined enthusiastically, ¡°Mr. Langford, this b*tch right here stole a diamond ring. Not only was she caught in the act, but she also refused to admit her crime by giving excuses after excuses. Right now, she¡¯s about to be sent to jail! Listening to her wild usations, Tina clenched her fists and said, ¡°Pearl, cut your crap. I already told you, I didn¡¯t do it.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Pearl couldn¡¯t contain her emotions and burst outughing. ¡°Now that things havee to this, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still lying to save your own ass! If you didn¡¯t steal it, then where and how did you get the ring?¡± Own a Samuel listened to Pearl¡¯s usation. He immediately frowned. He looked at the diamond ring in Pearl¡¯s hand and replied in a cold hiss, ¡°That diamond ring belongs to me.¡± Pearl was stunned. She grew even more excited and spoke with renewed vigor. ¡°Oh, Tina! How dare you steal Mr. Langford¡¯s ring!¡± ¡®No wonder Samuel rushed here. Tina¡¯s in big trouble now!¡¯ Pearl thought, excited beyond anything She wanted Samuel to know she had nothing to do with Tina. So, she added, ¡°Mr. Langford, the Lynd family has severed ties with Tina a long time ago. I can¡¯t believe she did this to you! A woman like her must face grave consequences¡­¡± As Pearl bbered on, she noticed that Samuel¡¯s face looked a bit odd. It almost seemed like he was unhappy with what she said. Although she was confused, Pearl gritted her teeth and went on, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she gets the punishment she deserves!¡± Then, she stretched her long and ghastly nails out to p Tina. Right at this moment, Samuel grasped her arm tightly and stopped her. ¡°Ouch!¡± Pearl let out a pained gasp. Herplexion turned pale instantly. ¡°Mr. Langford, what are you doing? I¡¯m trying to help you! Why are you treating me like this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re helping me?¡± Samuel shed her a sinister smirk that sent shivers down one¡¯s spine He shoved Pearl away, sending her flying and crashing into thewyer. It caught them unaware and they both stumbled to the ground, presenting a truly ugly sight to the eyes. ¡°That diamond ring belongs to me. As for why Tina has that in her possession, that¡¯s because she¡¯s my woman! If anyone here dares to stir trouble with her again, I¡¯ll make sure you suffer an early death!¡± It almost seemed like everyone just stepped on andmine. The moment it exploded, they were petrified beyond all reasoning. Tina looked at Samuel¡¯s wide shoulders, rather stunned. All of a sudden, a sense of security rose inside her. Pearl was indignant. She screeched in disbelief, ¡°What? There¡¯s no way!¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 ¡®How could that be? Was Tina really telling the truth?¡¯ Pearl was horrified. Samuel didn¡¯t want to exin further. He swept his gaze at Tina, who was in a daze, and said,¡± What are you staring at? Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Tina didn¡¯t expect the situation to be resolved that easily. She stood up immediately. Samuel reminded her, ¡°Take the ring with you.¡± Quickly, Tina bent down to pick up the ring on the ground. Samuel didn¡¯t want to stay at this ce any longer. He took his handkerchief out and wiped his hand. When he thought about Pearl¡¯s nauseating perfume, he couldn¡¯t help but retch in disgust. If she didn¡¯t attempt to strike Tina earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have grabbed that woman¡¯s filthy arm. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Samuel strode out, with Tina trailing from behind in small but quick steps. With her stomach throbbing in pain, she voiced, ¡°Mr. Langford, can you walk slower?¡± However, Samuel didn¡¯t listen to her. Anxious, she reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Samuel barked, sounding stern and cold. Shocked, Tina retracted her hands and apologized immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. You were walking too fast.¡± Samuel sneered in disdain, ¡°Do you want me to get you a wheelchair?¡± Tina ignored his sarcasm. ¡°Mr. Langford, thank you for helping me today. I know you did it because of Grandma, but I am still grateful.¡± After she finished speaking, Tina turned to leave. ¡°Stop right there! Where are you going?¡± Samuel called out to her. Tina clenched her fists and said seriously, ¡°I can¡¯t let go of Pearl that easily. She tarnished my name and almostnded me a ten-year sentence in jail! Now that my name has been cleared, I¡¯ll sue her for defamation!¡± Pearl had tried to set Tina up time and again. This time, Tina almost fell into her trap! Tina didn¡¯t want to let go of this opportunity to get back at Pearl. However, Samuel didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Is this another part of your grand n? You knew Pearl has always tried to find faults with you, and yet you still want to butt heads with her. Since you know I¡¯ll save you because of Grandma, you¡¯re taking advantage of me to get rid of the Lynd family, aren¡¯t you? Tina Lynd, you truly are a scheming woman.¡± Samuel meant every word he said. Tina ignored Samuel yet again. As she turned to leave, Samuel grabbed her wrist forcefully and stopped her. ¡°Never in history has a woman tried to use me that tantly as you did. Well, too bad! i know your true colors now, and I won¡¯t dive into your trap again.¡± Tina¡¯s stomach was already throbbing in pain from catching up to him. Now that Samuel was blocking her way, she was so exasperated that tears streamed down her face. She shoved his hand away with all her strength and said furiously, ¡°Samuel Langford, what exactly do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it only normal for me to retaliate when I¡¯m obviously getting harassed? Why do you have to doubt my every action? You¡¯re really a heartless tyrant!¡± ¡°If I¡¯m really as heartless as you say, you would¡¯ve been dead a long time ago,¡± Samuel spat with hatred. ¡°You!¡± Tina was about to say something when she felt dizzy. Suddenly, everything in front of her turned ck. Without warning, she fell. Samuel supported her out of instinct. He looked at the woman in his arms and frowned. ¡°Tina, stop fooling me with your petty acts.¡± When he carried her in his arms, however, he noticed she had lost a lot of weight. Herplexion was so pale, it almost seemed like she was extremely ill. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Looking at Tina¡¯s weak frame, Samuel¡¯s heart went out to her. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡®I don¡¯t think she¡¯s acting. She actually fainted! Without hesitation, Samul carried her in his arms and strode outside immediately. Sandy was still waiting at the door. When he saw Samuel walking out, he approached Samuel and said, ¡°Mr. Langford, there are some matters at thepany that¡­¡± However, Sandy didn¡¯t expect Samuel to return with a woman in his arms. As it turned out, that woman was none other than Tina Lynd. Samuel appeared nervous. He ordered coldly, ¡°Head to the hospital, now!¡± Sandy wouldn¡¯t dare to disobey. He put matters of thepany aside and rushed to the hospital. Along the way, he peeked at the rearview mirror to make sure everything was okay. Samuel didn¡¯t even realize that he had been carrying Tina in his arms even after they got into the car. ¡®I don¡¯t think Mr. Langford has cared for anyone that much, especially not towards Cindy,¡¯ Sandy thought. A bold assumption rose to his mind. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Has Mr. Langford fallen for Tina? That¡¯s impossible! Mr. Langford¡¯s always wanted to marry Miss Young! Tina¡¯s obviously the third person in this rtionship! Whenever Mr. Langford talks about Tina, his eyes are always filled with hatred.¡¯ ¡®Samuel must¡¯ve chosen to put up with that woman because of his grandmother, Madam Langford doesn¡¯t have long to live. If anything happens to Tina, Madam Langford won¡¯t be able to handle the shock. That must be the reason,¡¯ Sandy told himself as he tried to make sense of the situation. Finally, they arrived at the hospital. Tina was sent to perform a full body checkup. When they made sure that her life wasn¡¯t in danger, Tina was sent to the ward to rest. The doctor walked into the ward and asked, ¡°Mr. Langford, are you Miss Lynd¡¯s family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is your rtionship with Miss Lynd?¡± ¡°I¡¯m her¡­¡± Samuel stopped speaking and continued with a complicated expression, ¡°I¡¯m her husband.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t expect that one day, he would have to admit his rtionship with Tina. The doctor didn¡¯t pay attention to the small details and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your wife¡¯s life is not in danger right now. But her other test results will still take a few hours toe back. You¡¯ll have to wait for a while. If there are any pressing matters, we¡¯ll notify you.¡± When Samuel heard that Tina¡¯s life was not in danger, he heaved a sigh of relief. Only then did Sandy bring up the pressing matter at hispany. ¡°Mr. Langford, you have a meeting at thepany at¡­¡± ¡°I am aware.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t hesitate to say as he turned to leave. ¡°Assign two bodyguards to guard her ward. Make sure Grandma doesn¡¯t find out about this.¡± Hearing Samuel¡¯s cold instructions, Sandy realized that Samuel hadn¡¯t fallen for Tina and heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do as told.¡± After more than 30 minutes, Tina woke up. She heard about what happened to her from the bodyguards outside. Just as she wanted to leave, the guards blocked her way. ¡°Miss Lynd, please don¡¯t move around so much before your test resultse back. Mr. Langford was very worried about you.¡± Tina sneered to herself. ¡®Samuel, worried about me? No way. He¡¯s just worried Grandma might know about this.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. I just want to use the restroom,¡± Tina said. The moment she said that, the bodyguards felt embarrassed and quickly let her off. While Tina was washing her hands in the bathroom, her phone rang. ¡°Hello, is this Miss Lynd? This is the police station.¡± ¡°The police station?¡± Tina¡¯s heart almost skipped a beat as she asked further, ¡°I thought the matter has been resolved.¡± ¡®Are they trying to find fault with me again?¡¯ she thought. ¡°Miss Lynd, you¡¯ve misunderstood. You left your bag at the police station.¡± Only then did Tina realize she had indeed left her bag there. ¡°Right, my bag! I¡¯ll be there in a jiffy.¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Tina didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. She didn¡¯t have any valuables in her bag, but there was an extremely important photo inside it. If she lost the picture, she would lose the only clue she had. Tina didn¡¯t even have time to inform the bodyguards as she left the hospital hurriedly. Right at this moment, the guards noticed something was amiss. They barged into the washroom, only to find women shouting at them. ¡°Eww! Why are you all in thedies¡¯ bathroom?¡± ¡°Pervert! Oh my god! Someone! There are two perverts in here!¡± After getting chased out of the washroom, the bodyguards finally realized their blunder. ¡°Miss Lynd is gone! We have to find her right now!¡± Both Tina and the bodyguards soon left the hospital. After a while, the doctor entered the ward with a big smile on his face. ¡°Congrattions! The reason Miss Lynd is so weak right now is because¡­¡± Before he couldplete his sentence, he noticed that he was talking to an empty ward. ¡°Weird, where did everyone go?¡± Tina rushed to the police station and recovered her old photo. Pearl didn¡¯t leave the police station. After using Tina of something she didn¡¯t do, the officers detained her for further interrogation. They called Tina over to ask her if she wanted to resolve the matter personally or through official procedures. Tina spotted Pearl instantly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Just a while ago, Pearl was determined to send Tina to jail. It was ironic to Pearl in the lockup after all that drama. With her messy hair and makeup, she resembled a ghost. The moment she saw Tina, she exploded into a furious yell. ¡°Tina, let me out of here this instant! If anything happens to me, my parents will never forgive you!¡± Tina sneered when she saw Pearl¡¯s manic state. ¡®Karma really does get back at you eventually,¡¯ Tina thought. Pearl wanted to frame Tina, but after everything, the former was the one who ended up in jail. ¡°Now that things havee to this, do you still want to threaten me?¡± Tina continued. ¡°Fine then, I¡¯ll just leave.¡± Panicking, Pearl called immediately out to Tina. ¡°Stop! Tina, what else do you want from me? I¡¯ll give you money!¡± Pearl was fueled with hatred. ¡®This b*tch! How dare she do this to me! I¡¯ll end her the moment I leave this ce! Tina saw the obvious hatred in Pearl¡¯s eyes. She knew letting Pearl out wasn¡¯t a good idea, but she still had something to ask her. ¡°I¡¯ll let you out of here, but on one condition. I want the ne in the picture.¡± *Sure, no problem at all!¡± Pearl agreed right away. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you the moment I¡¯m released.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to see it right now. If not, I¡¯ll just leave you here,¡± Tina said. What if Pearl refused to carry out her promise when she got out? Tina would never trust anyone from the Lynd family. The way Pearl looked at Tina was as terrifying as a viper. ¡°You¡¯re just an orphan! It¡¯s only because of us that you can live until today! How dare you betray us!¡± Tina was toozy to entertain Pearl¡¯s shenanigans. ¡°Fine then, I¡¯ll just leave.¡± ¡°No, please!¡± Pearl was fearful for her own fate. If Tina left, she would have to fend for herself. After all, Samuel had Tina¡¯s back! Pearl had no choice but to tell Tina the truth, ¡°I lied to you. I don¡¯t have the ne with me. I lost it a long time ago.¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137 For a moment, Tina still clung to hope. Little did she know that Pearl had gotten rid of the ne ages ago. The truth crushed Tina. Feeling dizzy, she wobbled unsteadily and gritted her teeth, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that everything you told me just now was a lie? You even dared to ask for 1.5 million from me!¡± Pearl unleashed the waterworks. ¡°I-I was just fooling around with you! Besides, you don¡¯t even have 1.5 million!¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, I sold the ne. If you really want it back, we can find it for you!¡± ¡°What¡¯s more, all these years, you would¡¯ve been dead on the streets if it wasn¡¯t for the Lynd family! Even though we haven¡¯t done much, we¡¯ve at least raised you until adulthood.¡± Tina was speechless at Pearl¡¯s shameless words. ¡°You what? Raised me? Pearl, don¡¯t you remember? The first day I arrived at the Lynd family, you pushed me into the swimming pool and I nearly drowned. ming me for dirtying the swimming pool, Jonah and Ellen forced me to scrub it until it¡¯s spotless.¡± ¡°I was the one who was forced to hand-wash all your family¡¯s branded clothes, all because you people think the clothes were too delicate for normal cleaning. I had to wash everything using cold water, even during winter! If I didn¡¯t finish my chores, I wasn¡¯t allowed to eat. Your family wouldn¡¯t even let me have the leftovers. In that house, my status was even lower than the dogs! Even the dogs had enough food to eat every day!¡± ¡°I thought that was the worst thing that ever happened to me, but that wasn¡¯t the end. You just had to nder my name at university, which ultimately got me expelled. After that, you even attempted to sell me to Mr. Wace, who had a reputation for torturing women.¡¯ ¡°Even after I gave you the 750k you demanded, you still tried to make my life miserable in any possible way you can think of.¡± ¡°Pearl, what part of my story suggests that the Lynd family did a great job in raising me?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. She blurted out all the terrible atrocities the Lynd family had done to her throughout her life. Pearl widened her eyes in shock. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°The only reason you¡¯re in jail today is because of karma!¡± Tired of Pearl¡¯s excuses, Tina added, ¡°I would¡¯ve forgiven you if you still had the ne, but you chose to deceive me even after everything that happened. You deserve to rot here!¡± Noticing that Tina wasn¡¯t buying any of her excuses, Pearl started hissing defiantly. ¡°Tina, you sl*t! How dare you leave me here! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± Tina sneered. Tina left without any hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to sue her for defamation.¡± Tina took the acknowledgement letter and left the police station right after. Tina heaved a sigh of relief. All of a sudden, she felt like a heavy weight had finally been lifted off her shoulders. After so many years of endless torture, Pearl finally received the punishment she deserved. Today was the happiest day of her life. If she didn¡¯t feel as tired, she would¡¯ve celebrated the asion. In the evening, Tina returned to her apartment, After that, she immediately sent her resume to a few companies that might ept her application. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. While she was doing so, she thought about the ne. She could still ask around for information regarding the buyer. Still preupied with her thoughts, she suddenly felt exhausted. Bad things kept happening to her one after another nowadays. Very soon, she slipped into a deep slumber. Meanwhile, Samuel had just finished working. When he returned home from work, Cindy was the first to wee home. She hugged Samuel¡¯s arm happily and said, ¡°Samuel! I thought you wouldn¡¯te home today.¡± Samuel let go of her hand without being too obvious about it and asked, ¡°How long have you been waiting?¡± ¡°Not too long¡­¡± Cindy said. Mrs. Langford, who was also there, couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. She demanded haughtily,¡± Samuel, just where have you been? Cindy¡¯s been waiting for you the entire day! You didn¡¯t even pick up your phone. Have you been spending time with that wench?¡± Obviously, Samuel¡¯s mother was referring to Tina. Cindy, wanting to maintain her angelic facade, exined instantly, ¡°Mrs. Langford, I¡¯m sure Samuel¡¯s just busy with work. Please don¡¯t scold him.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Chapter 138 ¡°Why are you calling me Mrs. Langford? You¡¯re about to get married to Samuel! You should call me mother!¡± Cindy pretended to be embarrassed. She looked at Samuel and asked timidly, ¡°Samuel?¡± Samuel knew she was hinting at him politely. Although he had a little bit of headache today, he rubbed his forehead andforted Cindy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I promise I¡¯ll marry you. You¡¯re my only wife.¡± ¡°I heard Madam Langford wanted to host a press conference about your marital status. By then, everyone in Freesia will know that Miss Lynd is your official wife instead of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be attending the press conference with me,¡± Samuel said. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed the reporters. Tina will only be there as proof to Madam Langford. Only you will be introduced as my wife during the event.¡± ¡®That¡¯s music to my ears! Cindy thought, giddy with happiness. Cindy was proud. When the time came, she¡¯d definitely pay back what Tina did to her back then. She would p that wench in the face ten times harder. ¡°Cindy, Samuel¡¯s probably tired from work. Why don¡¯t you apany him while he rests?¡± Mrs. Langford looked at Cindy, giving thetter obvious hints. Cindy was excited and quickly stepped into Samuel¡¯s room. ¡°Samuel, are we¡­¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°You can sleep here. I¡¯ll sleep in the study.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Samuel didn¡¯t want to listen to Cindy any further and walked through the secret door that led to the study, ignoring herpletely. Cindy was furious. ¡®Why is he doing this to me?! Why won¡¯t he touch me? Did I do something wrong?¡¯ In a fit of rage, she shoved all the things on the table to the ground. It caused quite amotion in the bedroom. Right at this moment, a phone rang. Only then did Cindy realize that she had identally shoved Samuel¡¯s phone to the ground. She picked it up hurriedly and noticed that it was from an unsaved number. ¡®Is that sl*t calling him again?¡± Cindy thought. Rage bubbled in her. Curious, she picked up the phone almost immediately. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Hello, this is from the hospital. Is this Mr. Langford on the phone? You¡¯ve forgotten to take the medical report.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Cindy demanded. The doctor asked hesitantly, ¡°Can I know who this is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his wife! Who else do you think I am?¡± Cindy eximed arrogantly. When the doctor heard that, he was delighted. ¡°Oh! Hi, Miss Lynd.¡± ¡®Huh? Why¡¯s he calling me Miss Lynd?¡¯ Cindy wondered. Before Cindy could say anything, the doctor went on. ¡°Your husband apanied you to perform a body checkup today, but you left early and forgot to take the medical report. Congrattions! You¡¯re pregnant! ¡± Cindy was petrified. Her face contorted with fury and she screamed in a sharp tone, ¡°Who¡¯s pregnant? Say it again!¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, you¡¯re pregnant. You are Tina Lynd, am I right?¡± The doctor was quite shocked by her shrill voice. Then again, it was normal for pregnant women to experience major fluctuation in emotions. Thus, the doctor didn¡¯t think much about it and continued, ¡°I¡¯m getting off work. Remember toe to the hospital and take the medical report tomorrow. Take care of yourself, Miss Lynd!¡± Then, he hung up. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Looking at the phone, Cindy was furious beyond anything. ¡®That sl*t is pregnant?! Samuel even brought her to the hospital himself! Has he figured out that the person he had sex with that night was Tina?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s impossible! If Samuel knows about this, he won¡¯t treat Tina like she¡¯s nothing, let alone recognize me as his official wife at the press conference. There¡¯s only one exnation to this. He still doesn¡¯t know!¡¯ Cindy heaved a sigh of relief. Very soon, the relief was gone as hatred and jealousy filled her mind. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. That fateful night, she nned out everything in detail just to make sure she would be pregnant with Samuel¡¯s child. However, Tina took advantage of it all and took her ce instead. Cindy must do something! She couldn¡¯t let Tina give birth to the baby. Knowing Samuel, he would definitely give Tina a ce in this household. Cindy must get rid of the baby in Tina¡¯s womb as soon as possible! The next day, Cindy went to the hospital in disguise and took the medical report. She also made sure to delete all the evidence in the system. She sat in the car and looked at the date on the medical report. Tina had been pregnant for a month. The records had validated Cindy¡¯s suspicions about the fact that Tina and Samuel had had sex that night. Aside from that, it wrote there that there was a high chance that Tina would miscarry. The hospital suggested Tina stay in the hospital to regain her strength. Cindy was overjoyed. She ripped the report into pieces, and an evil sneer appeared on her devilish face. Cindy immediately thought about a n that could make Tina lose her child without any direct interference on her part. ¡°Victor, make a phone call for me¡­¡± After Victor heard Cindy¡¯s n, he felt a rush of sympathy towards Tina and her unborn child. s, he knew that there was no turning back now. If Samuel knew Victor had tried to betray him before, the consequences would be dire. ¡°Okay, Miss Young. I¡¯ll do as told,¡± he relented, sighing. ¡°Tina has only herself to me! If only she hadn¡¯t met Cindy!¡¯ he thought miserably. The next morning, Tina was jerked awake by a sudden phone call. ¡°Hello, is this Miss Lynd? We¡¯re impressed by the resume you sent us the other day. If you¡¯re free today, please head over here for an interview at 9 a.m.¡± Tina was shocked. ¡°Really? I¡¯lle over right now!¡± Without the slightest dy, she hurried to said company. ¡°I noticed you¡¯ve worked for Mr. Langford before. Although you didn¡¯t stay there for long, you¡¯ve proven yourself by entering thepany itself. You can do so much more with such credentials. Why are you applying for a post as a housekeeper manager at the vi?¡± Basically, the job description of a housekeeper manager entailed providing cleaning and catering services. The job wasn¡¯t that different from a maid¡¯s, except for the fact that she would be working in an affluent suburban area. Therefore, the pay would be higher. Feeling awkward, Tina said guiltily, ¡°I think I¡¯m more comfortable working as a manager. After all, I¡¯m not skillful in other areas.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too humble.¡± The interviewer flipped through her resume and asked, ¡°Are you married?¡± ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± Tina nodded. The moment she said that, the interviewers fell into a whispered discussion. ¡°She¡¯s a lot more beautiful in person. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a suitable candidate.¡± ¡°I agree. Mr. Jackson¡¯s father did inform us to find a manager who could spy on Mr. Jackson and make sure he doesn¡¯t go around stirring more trouble.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how beautiful she looks. She¡¯s still a married woman. I don¡¯t think Mr. Jackson will flirt with a married woman, no? He already has his own pool of women outside.¡± ¡°What you said makes sense. What¡¯s more, the women who wanted this position all had ulterior motives in mind. Tina Lynd is the perfect candidate.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± After the discussion, Tina got the job. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 ¡°Congrattions, you got the job! You cane to work this evening.¡± Tina was over the moon. After going through the procedures needed to be on board, she took the keys and started her first day of work at the vi. Fortunately, there wasn¡¯t much she needed to do there. The owner had already hired experts to ensure the cleanliness of the ce. After a whole afternoon, Tina had finally finished her chores. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She heaved in deep breaths and wiped the sweat off her forehead, and muttered quietly under breath. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling very tiredtely¡­¡± In the past, she could work for the entire day withoutining. Now, she was already exhausted after half a day¡¯s work She sat there, her back sore and her legs cramped. While she was massaging her feet, the chauffeur called her. ¡°Miss Lynd, do you know how to drive? The owner of the vi will be returning this evening. Can you pick him up for me? I have an emergency to attend to today.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to drive!¡± ¡°Can you hail a taxi?¡± The chauffeur chose his words carefully. ¡°My child¡¯s currently in the hospital. I have to stay by his side today. I¡¯m really sorry for bothering you, but I¡¯ll definitely pay you for your service¡­¡± At this, Tina immediately replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll cover for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Lynd.¡± After Tina hung up the phone, she received details about the specific airline and a mobile phone number. For some reason, the number seemed oddly familiar. Tina brushed off the thought. Looking carefully at the details, she noticed that the owner would arrive at Freesia at two in the afternoon. At that time, her job would be to stand at the arrivals to pick him up. If he didn¡¯t show up, Tina would have to call him. After she rested for a while until her feet felt better, she hailed a taxi and rushed to the airport. There were many people at the arrivals. She squeezed into the front of the crowd, holding on steadfastly to the banner. A lot of people came and went past her, but she still hadn¡¯t met the owner. Her hands soon grew sore from raising the banner for too long, and she thought, ¡®Did I get the details right?¡¯ She took out the phone from her pocket. Just when she was about to make a phone call, someone jostled through the crowd and forced her to the side. ¡°Make way!¡± Tina didn¡¯t have time to react and she was pushed behind. She was about to fall, but someone supported her back with his arms. Tina never thought she would be saved by a stranger. She stood up and straightened her back, and immediately thanked him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No worries!¡± A cheerful voice sounded beside her. Soon after, they looked into each other¡¯s eyes and blurted out in unison: ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Tina was pleasantly surprised. The person in front of her was none other than Mr. Jackson, who saved her from her terrible fate that day. She didn¡¯t even have the chance to thank him. Frederick Jackson, meanwhile, didn¡¯t expect to see Tina here at all. ¡°Mr. Jackson, what a coincidence! I still haven¡¯t had the chance to thank you for saving me back then!¡± While Tina was speaking, she saw his luggage behind him and asked, ¡°You just got back?¡± Frederick replied, ¡°Yeah. My chauffeur can¡¯t make it today, so the new housekeeper is supposed to be here to pick me up instead. I¡¯m not sure where she went.¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone, too¡­¡± Tina bid farewell to Mr. Jackson, and was about to call her boss. She had just walked a few steps before someone¡¯s phone rang behind her. Coincidentally, the ringtone came from Mr. Jackson¡¯s pocket. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 A few minutester. Tina and Frederick were currently inside the same car. They both looked awkward, particrly Frederick. He was obviously very confused. When he saw Tina working a normal job, he knew that something odd was going on between her and Samuel. But when he heard that Samuel went to save Tina from the hitman in person, he second guessed his assumptions. Nevertheless, now that Tina was working as a housekeeper, Frederick was adamant that the rtionship as husband and wife between the two wasn¡¯t real. ¡°You¡¯re not Samuel¡¯s legitimate wife, are you?¡± Frederick asked, curious. ¡°Do you have some sort of binding contract with him? Like a contract marriage?¡± Tina had no choice but to admit it. ¡°Yeah, we are husband and wife on paper only.¡± ¡°I knew it! Cindy¡¯s the only woman Samuel wants to marry. If he truly loves you, you won¡¯t be working as a housekeeper right now. Besides, he won¡¯t expose you to any kind of danger at all.¡± Frederick¡¯s casual remark stabbed Tina right in the heart. ¡®He¡¯s right. To Samuel, I¡¯m just a tool to make Madam Langford happy,¡¯ she thought, feeling miserable. Tina didn¡¯t want to exin even further. She took the lead in the conversation and proposed,¡± I didn¡¯t expect my employer to be you at all. To make things lessplicated, I¡¯ll hand in my resignation letter right after I send you home.¡± Frederick tried to win her back almost immediately. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. Since you¡¯re not actually Samuel¡¯s woman, you don¡¯t have to leave. Besides, you¡¯re in a pinch, aren¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t it inconvenient for you to lose this job?¡± At first, Frederick thought he should abandon all hopes of pursuing Tina. Now that things had taken an unexpected turn, he felt he still stood a chance to win her heart. If he let go of such a golden opportunity, years of honing his technique of seducing women would have gone to waste! ¡°But¡­¡± Tina was hesitant. ¡°You¡¯ve signed the contract prior to starting work, right? If you breach the contract, you¡¯ll have to pay a lot of money!¡± Frederick reminded her. Only then did Tina remember the terms of the contract. She wouldn¡¯t be able to pay the hefty compensation fee even if she were to sell her organs. Frederick didn¡¯t seem like a bad guy, either. Well, he did save her life before. Putting their past conflicts aside, Tina thought it didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to work as his housekeeper. Fortunately, Frederick wasn¡¯t the same man he was in the past. He had stopped living a frivolous life frequenting nightclubs and fooling around with women. Now that his father had stepped in to discipline his son, Frederick was forced to work in theirpany on a daily basis. So, he wouldn¡¯t stay at the vi most of the time. Finally, Tina found her excuse to stay. All of a sudden, the atmosphere was slightly less awkward between them.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. One day, Tina was notified that Frederick would return to the vi with his friends. She was tasked to prepare dinner for them. So, Tina went to the supermarket to buy some ingredients for the night¡¯s meal. After she entered the supermarket, a car appeared from a corner. The person in the driver¡¯s seat was a woman covered from head to toe in a ck disguise. She shot a hateful re at Tina¡¯s back. She was none other than Pearl Lynd. She got out of jail after a mysterious man bailed her out. That man instructed Pearl to get rid of Tina once and for all. If Pearl¡¯s mission was sessful, she would receive a generous amount of money and a new identity to start a new life in another country. If she failed, her life would bepletely ruined by Tina. However, Pearl didn¡¯t even think twice before epting the man¡¯s offer. She hated Tina to the core, so much that she was willing to murder Tina even without the promise of money. Malevolence burned in her dark gaze as she looked at Tina. She sneered, ¡°Tina Lynd, today is the day you die!¡± Pearl was dying to knock Tina with the car! Tina was blissfully unaware of Pearl¡¯s plot. Currently, she was shopping for all kinds of ingredients. Tonight, she wanted to show off her culinary skills by preparing a feast! But as she carried the heavy bag and was about to pay at the counter, her legs suddenly grew weak. Without warning, she fell to the ground. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 The people around were shocked. They approached Tina and asked kindly, ¡°Miss, are you okay?¡± ¡°What happened? Do you want us to call an ambnce for you?¡± Tina was embarrassed. She didn¡¯t expect to fall down in public so openly. Her face flushed red, she stammered, ¡°I-I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m just feeling a little dizzy. I¡¯ll be okay after resting for a while.¡± The crowd dispersed when they heard that. Tina massaged her leg. A worried thought blossomed in her mind. ¡®What happened to metely? My body¡¯s been very weak. I can¡¯t even do simple chores like buying groceries now.¡¯ Right at this moment, someone sent her a message. It was from Frederick Jackson. ¡°Tina, I just got off work and I¡¯m about to go home. Have you prepared dinner?¡± Tina hesitated and sent another message to him. ¡°I¡¯m having an episode of anemia. I¡¯ll rest at the supermarket for a while. It¡¯ll probably take a while before I cane back.¡± ¡°Anemia?¡± Frederick didn¡¯t think twice before sending another message, ¡°Send your location to me. I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± Massaging her legs, she didn¡¯t reject his offer and sent her location to him immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Frederick looked at his phone with a smile. All this while, he had been busy with work. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to fool around with women. He wouldn¡¯t let go of this golden opportunity! After resting for a while, Tina¡¯s leg felt better and she walked to the cashier to pay for the groceries. Limping, she staggered towards the entrance of the parking lot and waited. After a while, Tina¡¯s phone rang again. Thinking that it was from Frederick, she didn¡¯t even look at the screen before answering the phone, ¡°I¡¯m at the parking lot entrance¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, an eerie voice echoed from the receiver. ¡°Tina Lynd.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She jumped in surprise when she heard that voice. 4 She looked at the screen and frowned. ¡°Pearl? Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I call you? How dare you leave me to rot in jail! Do you feel guilty now, you shameless prick?¡± ¡°Me? Guilty? Never in a thousand years!¡± Tina snarled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who put you in jail. You did that to yourself.¡± To Tina¡¯s surprise, Pearl didn¡¯t shout at her like Tina expected her to do. Instead, Pearlughed hysterically. ¡°Tina, don¡¯t you want to know why I¡¯m calling you? Do you want to take a guess?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it very obvious? You want me to withdraw mywsuit,¡± Tina continued without hesitating. ¡°Dream on! I¡¯ll never let you out of jail!¡± Pearl dered proudly, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Why don¡¯t you look behind you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Suddenly, Tina heard the sound of a car engine revving behind her. Turning back, she saw a car parked in the corner. The woman in the driver¡¯s seat took off her ck sses, revealing a face contorted with fury. Tina stared at the woman in disbelief. ¡°Pearl!¡± The moment they locked gazes, Pearl cackled maniacally on the phone. ¡°You¡¯re right! That¡¯s me! Die, you wench!¡± Pearl mmed on the elerator and grabbed her steering wheel, and rushed toward Tina with mad glee. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Tina looked at Pearl¡¯s evil expression, stunned. With her head buzzing, it almost seemed like she was living a bad dream. ¡®Why is Pearl here? How can this be?¡¯ Tina had filed awsuit against Pearl with sufficient evidence. Right now, Pearl should still be in lockup. How did she appear in front of her? Tina was dumbfounded. ted, Pearl mmed on the elerator and was about to knock into Tina with the car. Tina couldn¡¯t evade her sudden attack on time, given that her legs hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet. In the nick of time, a man sprinted from nowhere and pushed Tina away with great force. ¡°Watch out!¡± When Tina came to her senses, she staggered to her feet, but she didn¡¯t fall down from the impact. She looked at the man who saved her life, and noticed that it was none other than Frederick It was beyond Tina¡¯s expectation that Frederick would risk his life to save hers. Just then, a metallic screeching sound pierced through the evening air. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Petrified, Pearl stepped on the brakes and turned the steering wheel. She wanted to shift her aim towards Tina once more. However, the car spiraled out of control and rammed into the street light. The rear end swerved and sent Frederick flying to the other end of the road. Looking at Frederick lying helplessly on the ground, Tina was frozen stiff. ¡°No!¡± Limping towards Frederick with all her strength, she soon fell to the ground. She didn¡¯t even realize that she had scraped her knees. Frederick¡¯splexion was ghastly pale. His arm was fractured and dislocated, protruding outwards in awkward and terrifying angles. Tina stammered in horror, ¡°I¡¯ll call the ambnce right away! Ha¡­hang on! Don¡¯t die!¡± She tried to suppress her tears. She never expected that her past grudges would get Frederick in so much trouble. If anything happened to him, Tina would never forgive herself. Frederick¡¯s wounds were so painful that he wanted to scream and curse. However, when he noticed tears streaming down Tina¡¯s face, he offered her words offort instead. ¡°It¡¯s okay, love. Everything is okay. I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Come on, give me a smile: How did I look just now? Wasn¡¯t I very handsome?¡± At first, Tina was still wallowing in misery. When she heard Frederick¡¯s words, her tears went dry. ¡®Is he for real? His life is in jeopardy right now, and all he could think of is flirting? His reputation as a womanizer in Freesia isn¡¯t for nothing after all!¡¯ Jokes aside, Frederick¡¯s words did manage to calm her down. After ramming into the street light, Pearl realized she was in a disadvantaged position and hurriedly scampered away from the scene of crime. Tina, on the other hand, could care less about Pearl right now. She stayed beside Frederick and waited for the ambnce to arrive. Finally, they were both sent to the hospital. Tina waited anxiously in front of the operating theatre. After a while, doctors came out of the operating theatre. ¡°The patient suffers from bone fracture and he has lost a lot of blood. He is in need of an immediate blood transfusion,¡± the doctor exined nervously. ¡°However, we just found out that his blood type is Rh- negative. I don¡¯t think we have enough of that blood type in our hospital.¡± ¡°Call other hospitals now and ask if it¡¯s possible to send a few packs of Rh-negative blood to us!¡± The doctors were speaking to each other nervously Tina stood up immediately and asked nervously, ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Are there furtherplications?¡± The nurse looked at Tina. ¡°You apanied the patient here right? Are you her family member? The patient has a rare blood type called Rh-negative. Do you share the same blood type as him?¡± Tina was shocked. She didn¡¯t expect Frederick to have a rare blood type Chapter 144 Chapter 144 If she remembered correctly, her blood type was also the same as Frederick¡¯s. ¡°I think I¡¯m apatible donor!¡° Tina didn¡¯t hesitate the slightest as she rolled up her sleeves and showed her arm. ¡°If we have the same blood type, please use my blood!¡± ¡°You think so?¡± The doctor doubted her. However, they didn¡¯t have time to waste any more, and he quickly instructed the nurse. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Draw some blood from her. Check if she¡¯s apatible donor!¡± ¡°Sure! Pleasee with me,¡± the nurse said to Tina. Tina trailed from behind in quick steps. When she saw the nurse taking out the needles, herplexion turned pale. This was the least she could do for him. After all, Frederick did risk his life to save her. The nurse took a vial of blood. After a while, the results came back Tina asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± ¡°The results show that you are apatible donor,¡± the nurse said as she looked at the results and arrived at a conclusion. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Tina heaved a sigh of relief. The nurse took a closer look and frowned. ¡°Something seems a bit odd here, though. The indicators aren¡¯t supposed to look like this. I¡¯ll double check with the doctor.¡± That made Tina worry. After all the trouble, she really hoped that she could be of help. Thus, they went to the doctor together. The doctor took one look at the report and imed, ¡°She cannot donate blood!¡± Tina was exasperated. If she couldn¡¯t help Frederick, would his life be in danger? She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with my blood? Why can¡¯t you use it?¡± Tina sounded really anxious. The doctor wasn¡¯t in the mood to exin further. He scolded Tina, ¡°Given your condition, you are not allowed to donate blood! You should be aware of that! I understand that you want to help the patient, but stop wasting my time! The patient¡¯s life is in danger!¡± The doctor turned to leave. However, Tina blocked his way and said, ¡°Doctor, wait! I know I have a medical history of anemia, but this is an emergency!¡± Tina sounded really desperate. However, the doctor wasn¡¯t fazed as he replied sternly, ¡°A pregnant woman can¡¯t donate blood! If something happens to you or your child, the hospital will be responsible for it!¡± Tina widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°Pregnant? Who¡¯s pregnant?¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, you¡¯re pregnant! Have you been paying attention to the symptoms?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The doctor¡¯s words were like a giant hammer knocking sense into her. ¡°What? How did this happen?¡± she muttered under her breath, shocked. All this time, she thought that she was just suffering from anemia. Little did she know that she was actually pregnant! ¡®This is just impossible!¡¯ she thought. Without a second of dy, the doctor continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have already found a volunteer for the blood transfusion. In the meantime, you should go to the gynaecologist to have your baby checked.¡± A dazed Tina was led to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department. Soon, she was reading her medical report. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 It was true. Tina was actually, truly pregnant! ¡°You¡¯re lucky you found out about this early. Since you have a weak body, there are high chances you might go through a miscarriage if you find outter.¡± The gynecologist reprimanded her, ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought about the possibility that you might be pregnant? The symptoms must be very obvious!¡± ¡°My menstrual cycle has always been irregr. I¡¯ve suspected the possibility of pregnancy before, but it turned out to be a false rm.¡± In the past, Madam Langford thought Tina was pregnant because she had nausea. It turned out to be just amon symptom from her weak digestive system. That was why itpletely slipped Tina¡¯s mind this time. Her pregnancy definitely came as a shock to her. ¡°You stated you¡¯re married here. That¡¯s good, you should tell your husband the great news.¡± As things were, Tina didn¡¯t know whether to break the news to Samuel. ¡°My husband?¡± Under normal circumstances, it was only normal to yearn for a child when one is happily married. However, her marriage to Samuel was nothing more than a shame to please the sickly Madam Langford. Knowing that Samuel hated Tina to the core, how would he react if he knew she was pregnant with his child? Tina wondered if it was a good move to tell him. Right at this moment, her phone rang. The screen indicated that it was from Samuel. ¡®No way! Is he already aware of my pregnancy?¡¯ Tina thought anxiously. She picked up the phone, and Samuel¡¯s cold voice echoed through the receiver. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital.¡± ¡°Hospital?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tina heaved in a deep breath and continued, ¡°Samuel, I have something to tell you. I¡¯m preg¡­ Before she could finish speaking, Samuel cut her off. ¡°Tina, I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re doing right now. Grandma said she wanted to see you today, but you¡¯re already half an hourte. Stop acting like you¡¯re my actual wife.¡± Tina was stunned. Only then did she realize she had multiple unread messages on her phone. The messages were sent right when the car incident happened. She hadn¡¯t had the time to reply to any of the messages. She didn¡¯t expect them to be from Madam Langford. ¡°I just read the messages, but I can¡¯t go today. I have an emergency matter to attend to,¡± Tina tried to exin herself. Samuel said rudely, ¡°An emergency? Drop your act! I know you¡¯re lying to me again! Don¡¯t tell me you got into a car ident again?¡± Tina knew that Samuel would never believe anything she said. If she told him that she was actually involved in a car ident, he would probablyugh at her. Tina retorted furiously, ¡°I¡¯ll inform Grandma I won¡¯t be visiting her today. I really do have some pressing matters on my end, and I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± After saying that, she hung up immediately. Samuel called her again, but by then, she had already blocked his number. Hadn¡¯t he done the same to her before? C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Since they were just putting up an act in front of Madam Langford, it would be better if they stopped contacting and seeing each other personally. Even after blocking his number, Tina¡¯s anger still couldn¡¯t be suppressed. Holding on to her medical report, she felt awful all over. 1 Just exactly what was she expecting from Samuel? Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Samuel made it a point that he wanted to have nothing to do with Tina. Taking that into ount, would he even take responsibility for the child? If Tina told him, Samuel would definitely assume it to be one of her schemes to destroy his rtionship with Cindy and rise as his official wife in the Langford family. Thinking about the consequences, Tina changed her mind. ¡°Doctor, I¡¯d like to have an abortion,¡± she said without hesitation. The doctor was surprised. ¡°Have you discussed this with your husband? You really have to think it through. Since you¡¯re still in the early term of pregnancy, we can proceed with abortion through medication. However, it¡¯ll still inflictsting damage on your body. Do you want your husband to be with you while we go through the procedure?¡± Tina lowered her head and exined awkwardly, ¡°We aren¡¯t prepared to have children, and my husband is currently busy working. I¡¯ll be doing the procedure alone.¡± ¡°Okay. then,¡± the doctor didn¡¯t try to dissuade her any further. He gave her the medical report and asked her to wait at another department. The people at the door were all married couples or lovers. Tina was the only one who sat there alone. A forty-something woman approached her and nced at her medical report. ¡°I saw you earlier while I was going for a check-up. What happened? Are you forced to abort your baby?¡± Before Tina could say anything, the woman caressed her tummy and spoke to Tina with a sad expression. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted a baby for a very long time, but I just couldn¡¯t get pregnant. Now that I¡¯m finally pregnant with a child,plications arose and I have no choice but to let it go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still young. You still have chances. If I can¡¯t keep this baby, I won¡¯t be able to get pregnant anymore.¡± That woman seemed to be mentally disturbed. Noticing her odd behavior, her husband appeared and coaxed her gently to the side. Tina was conflicted and caressed her t stomach. In some ways, she could rte to the woman¡¯s pain and agony. She had always been an orphan. Her life hadn¡¯t been a smooth sail, even after she was adopted by the Lynd family. When she was young, her dream was to marry a man she loved and build a family with him. She didn¡¯t expect to marry Samuel in such an unconventional way, and she even got pregnant with his child. A thousand thoughts were flooding her mind. Suddenly, the nurse called out her name. Tina Lynd! Is Tina Lynd here? It¡¯s your turn now. Pleasee to the counter.¡± When Tina stood up, a young child ran toward her, slipped, and fell to the ground in front of her Tina helped the child up and realized that her pregnant mother was running over to get him. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d run over here when I was doing my regr check up earlier. Thank you for helping me.¡± ¡°No worries¡­¡± The mother nced at the medical report in Tina¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Are you here to check on your baby, too? Is your baby healthy?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s a blessing to give birth to healthy children. Jamie, say goodbye to this kinddy here.¡± ¡°Bye-bye.¡± The child waved his hand. His kind and adorable gesture almost melted Tina¡¯s heart. In the future, would her child be as cute and adorable?Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The nurse was nervous. After calling out Tina¡¯s name a few times, she was growing impatient. ¡°Is Tina Lynd here? Please head to the counter if you wish to proceed with the procedure.¡± Tina caressed her stomach and changed her mind again. All this time, she was always alone. The child in her belly was her only blood rtive. Her family ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not following through the procedure today,¡± she said, havinge to a decision Tina turned around and requested from the doctor a new prescription to protect the baby While she was queueing at the pharmacy for her medication, she could hear noises from afar. Tina Lynd!¡± A man¡¯s voice shouted at her from behind. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Tina was shocked. She turned around, and saw Samuel walking toward her. His presence attracted a lot of attention from the onlookers. Tina was petrified. She didn¡¯t expect Samuel to show up here. Samuel looked conflicted as well. After she hung up the phone, he had Sandy search for her whereabouts. Just when he was about to drag her back, he was shocked to discover that she was actually involved in a car ident. As it turned out, Pearl Lynd was temporarily released because someone bailed her out. Hoping to seek revenge, she attempted to murder Tina by knocking her with a car. Samuel was relieved to see Tina unscathed at the hospital. Soon, his gazended on the medical report in her hand. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Samuel frowned and reached out to her. ¡°Let me see that.¡± Seeing his outstretched arm, Tina was horrified. She had made up her mind. Even without Samuel¡¯s support, she was determined to raise her child alone. If Samuel were to find out about her pregnancy, wouldn¡¯t her ns be ruined? He would never agree to keep the child! ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Subconsciously, Tina backed off and hid the report behind her. ¡°I scraped my knees, and that¡¯s it. I don¡¯t have any major injuries.¡± From the looks of it, Tina didn¡¯t seem to be hurt anywhere. However, Tina¡¯s reaction raised Samuel¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Why are you hiding your report if it¡¯s nothing major?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s sudden appearance caught Tina unaware. She didn¡¯t know how to answer that question. Samuel ignored her exnation and grabbed her arm. Tina was flustered. If he saw the report and the prescription, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep the baby! ¡°I went to see a gynecologist!¡± Tina said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be interested to know about that, right?¡± Samuel, being a germaphobe, froze mid action. When he heard that, he frowned and his eyes reflected a hint of disgust. ¡¤ ¡°Why do you have to go to see a gynecologist?¡± ¡°Feel free to take a guess.¡± Tina maintained afortable distance from him and quietly slid the medical report into her bag. ¡°It¡¯s better if you stay away from me, just in case you get infected with any STDs.¡± Samuel snarled coldly, ¡°Since you¡¯re perfectly fine, we have to go now. Grandma is still waiting for you.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t,¡± Tina shook her head defiantly. ¡°Mr. Jackson¡¯s still undergoing surgery. I have to wait for him toe out. I¡¯ll visit Grandma tomorrow.¡± Samuel¡¯s face sank ¡°Which Mr. Jackson? Frederick Jackson?¡± Sandy had informed Samuel that Frederick had gone overseas. How did Frederick end up with Tina, and how did he get into a car ident with her? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡± Noticing that his expression was turning livid, Tina knew he had misunderstood her again. However, she was toozy to exin herself, especially when she knew that Samuel wouldn¡¯t believe anything she said. Right at this moment, Tina received a phone call from the doctor saying that Frederick was moved to a normal ward. ¡°He¡¯s awake now. I¡¯m heading over to take care of him.¡± The moment she said that, Tina turned and ran; partly because she wanted to check on Frederick, and also because she didn¡¯t want to spend another second with Samuel. However, Samuel grabbed her again before she could leave.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ¡°You wish to leave? Dream on!¡± Samuel hissed through gritted teeth. He ignored Tina¡¯s attempts to break free and carried her outside the hospital. Tina was terrified. Worried that she might hurt her baby, she refrained from thrashing around violently. She remembered the doctor¡¯s words. If she didn¡¯t take care of herself, she would end up losing her child. ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me, Samuel!¡± Samuel threw her into the car and snarled coldly, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been giving you too much freedomtely, Tina. How dare you betray me time and again?¡± He mmed on the elerator and drove away. Tina¡¯s expression turned pale. ¡°Just when did I betray you? We¡¯re notmitted to each other in any way! That¡¯s what you told me, remember? Why can¡¯t I have my own friends?¡± Livid, Samuel didn¡¯t reply to anything she said. Tina wouldn¡¯t be that afraid of him if she wasn¡¯t pregnant. Given Samuel¡¯s unpredictable and cruel nature, everything he did to her would pose danger to the child in her. She begged through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll stop hanging out with Mr. Jackson if that¡¯s what you want. Please, just let me out of here!¡± Looking at her desperate expression, Samuel¡¯s ire grew even more. ¡®Is she begging me to let her go just so she can go back to visit her lover? Is she for real?¡¯ Samuel had a strong urge to strangle Tina to death, but he held back. With Samuel driving at lightning speed, Tina covered her stomach as tears of agony streamed down her cheek. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. She couldn¡¯t believe she had only found out about her pregnancy today, and it was from a car ident! She even thought about living a peaceful life with her baby after leaving Samuel. Was her dream about to be shattered? Finally, the car gradually slowed down. With red and puffy eyes, Tina looked out of the car window. What greeted her sight was a familiar vi. She held onto her stomach and asked cautiously, ¡°What are you doing, Samuel? Are you trying to kill me?¡± Looking at her pitiful expression, Samuel¡¯s heart went out to her. However, his attitude turned cold at the thought of her betrayal and the way she looked and sounded when talking about Frederick. It made his blood boil. ¡°I don¡¯t want to dirty my hands killing someone as pathetic as you.¡± Tina asked fearfully, ¡°Then, what are you nning to do?¡± ¡°From today onwards, you¡¯re not allowed to go outside.¡± Tina understood what he meant instantly. She bit her lip. ¡°You want to put me on house arrest? How dare you!¡± ¡°Grandma has only half a year to live, and I won¡¯t allow anything to happen within this period of time. As yourwful husband, I have the right to do what¡¯s necessary.¡± Samuel dragged her into the vi and locked her inside the room. It only took half an hour for the guards to put up barriers and barriers of security measures. Now, not even a fly could sneak inside! ¡°Samuel, you b*stard!¡± Shivering from head to toe, Tina¡¯s temper red and she pped his face in anger. A trail of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. He wiped off the blood and grinned maliciously. Tina was exactly like a helpless prey making futile efforts to escape from its enclosure. ¡°Tina, it¡¯s better if you stop getting on my nerves. I told you right from the start that you¡¯re entitled to nothing but endless suffering. Remember, you¡¯re just a tool to earn Grandma¡¯s trust. Don¡¯t even think abou After that, he strode outside and mmed the door in her wake. Tina slumped to the ground helplessly, her stomach throbbing in pain as dizziness overcame her. All of a sudden, she felt blood stains on her pants. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 When she saw blood stains on her pants, fear overwhelmed her instantly. ¡°My child¡­¡± She had just found out about her pregnancy today and decided to keep the baby! ¡®Am I going to lose my baby today? No! I won¡¯t let that happen!¡¯ With herplexion as pale as paper, she mustered all her strength to push the door open. She wanted to escape, but someone barred her from leaving. The bodyguards stared at her with no empathy whatsoever. ¡°Miss Lynd, it¡¯s better if you stay here,¡± they hissed. Tina slumped to the ground and muttered weakly, ¡°My stomach hurts¡­ Please, I need to go to the hospital¡­¡± The security guards looked at each other. They felt that something was amiss and quickly made a phone call to Samuel. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Langford, Miss Lynd looks unwell. She said her stomach hurts. Should we send her to the hospital?¡± Samuel didn¡¯t believe Tina at all. He sneered, ¡°She had the strength to strike me across the face earlier, but now, she¡¯s having a stomachache? What a joke. She¡¯s obviously trying to visit her lover.¡± Listening to his cold voice, Tina didn¡¯t have the strength to retort anymore. ¡°My stomach, it¡­it really hurts. Please, I beg of you, please let me go to the hospital¡­¡± Her voice turned weaker and weaker at every word. Samuel was unfazed and snarled, ¡°Dream on.¡± The moment he hung up the phone, the bodyguards heeded Samuel¡¯s orders and closed the bedroom door on Tina. Tina hugged her stomach. When she saw her hand filled with blood, she didn¡¯t even have the strength to shed tears. ¡®My sweet child, I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡¯ It was the first time she ever looked forward to weing a family member. Was her hope about to be shattered into pieces? Just when she had lost all hope, her phone screen lit up and vibrated on the ground. It was from John. She wanted to answer the call so desperately, but there was just too much blood on her hands. She couldn¡¯t swipe the screen no matter how hard she tried. Tina was nervous. Finally, after great pains, she managed to answer John¡¯s call. Gathering all her strength, she spilled out the words: ¡°John, h-help me, please.¡± After that, she could hear John¡¯s panicking voice as he asked her to give him her address. However, Tina didn¡¯t have any strength in her anymore and lost consciousness soon after. Meanwhile, Cindy, who was currently in the vi, was furious when she heard the news. ¡°Pearl is so useless! That trash! Not only did she fail to murder Tina, but she also fled!¡± ¡°Just how lucky can a person get? Tina, that sl*t! How did she make all the men fall head over heels over her?! Why are they all protecting her?¡± Fueled with jealousy, Cindy shoved all the items on the table to the ground. ¡°Samuel even brought her back to the vi! That goddamn b*tch! How dare she approach Samuel again!¡± As Victor looked at the hysterical reaction of Cindy, who was supposedly a pure and innocent woman, she seemed like a stranger to him. However, there was no turning back. Victor had already tried to betray Samuel once. Right at this moment, Victor received a message. It was from the bodyguards at Tina¡¯s door. ¡°Miss Young, I have good news!¡± Victor dered. Cindy read the message, and was ted. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 ¡°Is it true? After Samuel locked her up, sheined about stomach pains and she¡¯s now bleeding out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure her child¡¯s dead now! My n¡¯s still a sess!¡± Though Cindy was overjoyed when she heard the news, she still wanted to see through the n. ¡°No¡­ I have to see that her baby is dead in person! Or else, I can¡¯t feel at ease.¡± After a while, Tina woke up once more. The moment she opened her eyes, she caressed her stomach gently. Although she wasn¡¯t bleeding anymore, her stomach was still throbbing in pain. Looking around her, Tina was devastated to find that she was still locked up in the vi. All of a sudden, she remembered her phone call with John just before she fainted. ¡®Right, John! John was the only person in Freesia who could save her now. Her hand shivering, Tina wanted nothing more than to call John for help. However, her phone was dead. Only a ck screen could be seen. ¡®Why is this happening to me? Is God trying to stop me from keeping my child?¡¯ she thought as she fell deep in agony. Tina gritted her teeth and resisted the strong urge to cry. She wouldn¡¯t allow herself to crumble now, not when her baby was still alive. She had a weak body in the first ce, and her baby¡¯s life was already in jeopardy. If she were to break down, there would be no hope left to salvage. Right at this moment, noises came from outside the vi. It seemed like a car was parked outside. Tina¡¯s heart was hammering against her chest. Who could that be? ¡®Could it be..?¡± she heard footsteps approaching and finally, someone opened the door. Tina stood up excitedly and blurted out, ¡°John!¡± But the next moment, her expression changedpletely and her heart dropped when she saw the person outside the door. ¡°Cindy Young? Why are you here?¡± Cindy shed Tina a smug look ¡°I am Samuel¡¯s rightful wife,¡± she eximed haughtily. ¡°This is my territory. I cane and go whenever I feel like it.¡± Tina gritted her teeth and instantly put up her guard. ¡°I bet Samuel¡¯s still in the dark of your pure and innocent facade. If anything happens to me, Samuel will know that you¡¯re a part of it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still useful to Samuel, so I won¡¯t do anything to you,¡± Cindy continued speaking with an innocent yet malevolent facade. ¡°But there¡¯s something inside you that I need to get rid of.¡± After that, Cindy pped her hands once. Victor appeared from behind her with a box of medicine. Tina had seen it in the hospital just a while ago. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. It was a medication used for abortion! Tina didn¡¯t expect Cindy to be aware of her pregnancy! How on earth did Cindy know? Tina changed her demeanor immediately and covered her stomach protectively. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do anything to my baby!¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re aware that you¡¯re pregnant. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Your baby will still die today!¡± Cindy instructed Victor to grab Tina¡¯s hand as she opened the box of medicine. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do it myself, but I don¡¯t want to drag this even further. If you want to me something, just me it on your wretched fate!¡± Worried that one dosage wouldn¡¯t take effect, Cindy took out all the pills and shoved them into Tina¡¯s mouth. ¡°Swallow them!¡± Cindy screamed, her face contorted with malicious intent. Though Tina couldn¡¯t move her arms and legs, she did her best to dodge Cindy¡¯s ws. ¡®I can¡¯t swallow this. I need to protect my baby!¡¯ Right at this moment, there was a loud ruckus outside. A cold masculine voice shook the air, filling the room. ¡°Stop this madness right now!¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Cindy heard someone shouting and promptly dropped all the medicine in her hand. She turned around, all color from her face drained away. She was as pale as a sheet. ¡°M-Mr. Carter?! What are you doing here?¡± ¡®What¡¯s Mr. Carter doing in the Langford¡¯s mansion?!¡¯ But John didn¡¯t even bother answering. If Cindy weren¡¯t Samuel¡¯s lover, he would¡¯ve annihted her on the spot! Victor wasn¡¯t as fortunate as Cindy. John¡¯s bodyguards punched Victor repeatedly without stopping, beating him up senseless until he lost consciousness. Tina grabbed onto John¡¯s arm, muttering weakly, ¡°Hospital.. Send me to the hospital¡­¡± She had to make sure her child was safe! ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡± John immediately picked Tina up. Just then, Cindy threw herself at John and grabbed his leg to stop him from moving. ¡°Mr. Carter! Please, I can exin¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it! Please don¡¯t tell Samuel, Mr. Carter¡­!¡± John only felt disgust. His face scrunched in repulsion, he didn¡¯t hesitate to give her a kick in the stomach and shoved her away with his leg. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± He dashed to the door with Tina in his arms. Cindy and Victor were left behind as everyone disappeared. ¡®What do I do?!¡¯ Cindy was in panic. ¡®Samuel wouldn¡¯t forgive me if he knew¡­!! Meanwhile, John rushed Tina to the hospital. When they reached the hospital, John received a call from Samuel. Samuel was informed that John took Tina away the moment they left the Langford¡¯s mansion. He demanded in a threatening baritone, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± John, who was usually gentle, started shouting at Samuel without an ounce of hesitation. ¡°What am I doing? Tina is my sister! I wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to harass her!¡± ¡°Sister?¡± Samuel let out a disdainful chuckle. ¡°Then, are you aware that she¡¯s my woman?¡± John frowned. ¡°You two broke up a long time ago, so how is Tina still your woman?¡± ¡°It seems like Mr. Carter isn¡¯t that close with your sister, after all. Tina is in fact my wife.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± John shouted back immediately. Samuel continued coolly, ¡°What a maniptive woman! Are you one of her victims too?¡± ¡°Tina is my wife, so that gives me the right to interfere with her matters.¡± ¡°If Mr. Carter doesn¡¯t buy it, you may go check it yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days, Mr. Carter. I believe three days is enough for you to think this through. After that, I¡¯ll send someone to bring her home. Samuel ended the call as he finished hisst sentence. John started to hesitate. There was no reason for Samuel to lie, but Tina never mentioned this to him¡­ Could this be a misunderstanding? Regardless, Tina¡¯s eyes were always filled with genuineness, just like Coco¡¯s. He would never believe her to be a maniptive person. But as he didn¡¯t want to drag this issue on, he ordered someone to look into the matter after making sure that Tina¡¯s condition was stable. Later that night, Tina was awakened by the smell of chemicals. She knew she was saved when doctors were the first thing she saw. Tina asked weakly, ¡°My child¡­ How¡¯s my child¡­?¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Tina¡¯s head was buzzing, and she couldn¡¯t talk properly. Even the doctors were shocked by Tina. They quickly answered her. ¡°It¡¯s all good. You¡¯re talking about your child right? Everything¡¯s fine!¡± ¡®Everything¡¯s fine! Tina let out a sigh of relief. ¡®Thank god nothing happened.¡¯ ¡°But your condition is unstable, so make sure to take your meds.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take them.¡± Tina responded. The doctor gave her some medicine, though she felt like vomiting just by looking at it. Tina had always feared bitterness, but she forced the pills down her mouth for the sake of her unborn child. She patted her stomach gently. No matter how disgusting the medicine was, she would still take them. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Tina asked, ¡°Oh, right. Where¡¯s Mr. Carter?¡± She remembered that John was the one who saved her right before she fainted. John¡¯s bodyguards replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Lynd. Mr. Carter left for work and will be back tomorrow.¡± After going through so much, Tina fell asleep shortly after she finished her medicine. She slept all the way until noon the next day. The only reason she finally woke up was because she was hungry. In front of her was a table of nutritious food, but for some reason, she had zero appetite. Seeing Tina forcing the food down with great reluctance, the bodyguards asked, ¡°Is everything okay, Miss Lynd? Do you wish to eat something different?¡± Tina shook her head, not wanting to trouble them. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± After finishing her food, shey on the bed for the rest of the day. On the second day, however, she began feeling suffocated. She could see how bright the sun was from her window, and was tempted to go out. ¡°Doctor, would it be okay if I take a walk outside?¡± ¡°Sure, but be careful,¡± the doctor replied after doing some simple checkups on her. ¡°I will.¡± Tina nodded. And so, she walked out in her patient¡¯s uniform. Just taking a few deep breaths had lightened up her mood. The phone of the bodyguards behind her rang all of a sudden. He told her apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lynd, I might have to leave for a while. Mrs. Carter is on her way here for her body checkup. I¡¯m just going to handle some documents. I¡¯ll be right back¡­¡± Out of curiosity, Tina asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Mrs. Carter?¡± ¡°Mr. Carter¡¯s stepmother.¡± Tina said, ¡°Ah, I see. No worries. I¡¯ll go back to my room in a short while.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you, Miss Lynd.¡± Not long after the bodyguard left, Tina nned to go back inside the hospital. While waiting for the elevator, she heard a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Wait!¡± It was Mrs. Carter, and she was running to the elevator when she noticed Tina, who was standing in the corner. All of a sudden, she let out a high-pitched scream. ¡°Ahhhhhh! G-Ghost! A ghost!¡± Chapter 153 Chapter 153 That gave Tina a terrible shock ¡®Ghost? What ghost?¡¯ When Tina saw Mrs. Carter sprawled on the ground, she bent down to help ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken, I¡¯m not a ghost¡­¡± Mrs. Carter stared at the girl in front of her, stunned and horrified. Everything about that girl reminded her of the woman she killed in the past! Her face wentpletely pale as Tina reached for her. Without thinking, she ran out of the elevator as fast as her legs could carry her. Tina was perplexed. ¡®Am I that scary?¡¯ Confused, Tina turned around and looked into a mirror nearby. All she saw was a haggard, pale -faced woman in a patient¡¯s uniform¡­ ¡®Okay, maybe I do look a little bit scary.¡¯ Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. However, Tina didn¡¯t concern herself much about that incident and went back to her room Just as she entered the room, a suspicious shadow appeared in the hallway. It was Mrs. Carter. At first, she truly thought that it was a ghost she saw. For some reason, the girl reminded her of the maid from Langford¡¯s mansion. Fueled by curiosity, she followed the girl¡­ As it turned out, the girl wasn¡¯t a ghost, but an actual human! ¡®She looked so simr to the woman! Could it be¡­?¡¯ Mrs. Carter felt confused and scared at the same time. Just then, her bodyguards from behind asked her, ¡°Mrs. Carter, are you here to visit Miss Lynd?¡± That gave Mrs. Carter a scare. ¡°What Miss Lynd?¡± The bodyguard pointed at the room that Tina just entered. ¡°Miss Lynd is Mr. Carter¡¯s sister, and she¡¯s now resting in that room.¡± ¡°What? Sister?¡± Mrs. Carter was in disbelief. She immediately blurted out, ¡°John found her already? But how did he even recognize her?!¡± The bodyguard only took it as Mrs. Carter being confused with the situation, and found nothing strange with her words. He exined patiently, ¡°Oh, no. Mr. Carter just thought that Miss Lynd looked like his lost sister, Coco. Plus, she doesn¡¯t have any birthmarks on her, so she¡¯s not Coco¡­¡± Mrs Carter, who was panicking, calmed down as the bodyguard finished talking She really thought she had seen a ghost just now, due to how simr the girl and the woman looked. But now, it seemed like it was a big misunderstanding. There was no way John could find Coco, especially if their only clue was just the birthmark¡­ Mrs. Carter already had people remove the birthmark off Coco, after all! ¡®It¡¯s possible that Tina is Coco. But as long as she keeps it a secret, nobody would know!¡¯ If John found out that she removed the birthmark, she¡¯d be done for! ¡°Do you want to go in, Mrs. Carter?¡± the bodyguard asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Mrs. Carter replied. ¡°Ah, right. John¡¯s nning to help Tina find more about her biological parents, right? In the future, just reporting the findings to me will do. John¡¯s a busy man, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± the bodyguard said. ¡°Now that you¡¯re helping, the burden wouldn¡¯t be just on Mr. Carter.¡± ¡°Haha. That¡¯s the least that I can do. Just tell me whatever you know.¡± A wicked smile appeared on Mrs. Carter¡¯s face soon after. ¡®So, John wants to find Coco?¡¯ ¡®I guess he¡¯ll never imagine that Coco is now right in front of him!¡¯ ¡®And he still dreams of finding Tina¡¯s biological parents?¡¯ ¡®As long as I¡¯m here, that¡¯ll never happen!¡¯ Meanwhile, Tina had been staying in the same room for two days. Despite that, it felt like two years to her. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 The entire time, she had been lying on bed and forced to drink awful medicine, Seeing how the nurses kept bringing in new medicine every now and then, Tina was soon at her breaking point. ¡°Just a few more days, and you won¡¯t need to drink it again,¡± the nurse tried to calm Tina down. ¡°Judging from your recovery progress, you¡¯ll be going home soon.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Tina forced the medicine into her throat as she patted her stomach. She had to do all these, for the sake of her unborn child. After the nurse left, Tina nned to take a quick nap. However¡­ Not long after lying down, there were noises outside of her room, ¡°Mr. Langford? What brings you here?¡± Samuel responded coldly, ¡°Is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t be here, especially when I¡¯m her husband?¡± ¡°But ? ¡°Out of my way!¡± Samuel barked. Tina, who was still sleeping, woke up immediately when she heard Samuel¡¯s voice, ¡°That evil demon Samuel is here?!¡¯ ¡®No! I won¡¯t follow him back! Never!¡¯ Just a few days ago, he forcefully locked her up in the mansion and almost lost her child. If she followed Samuel back, who knew what would happen. She couldn¡¯t afford to let anything happen to her child! With that in mind, Tina quickly got out of bed to escape Samuel. Just as she was about to reach the toilet door, Samuel appeared. ¡°Tina Lynd.¡± His voice alone was enough to give Tina chills down her back. She grabbed a fruit knife as she said angrily, ¡°I won¡¯t follow you back! Don¡¯te any closer, or I¡¯ll hurt you!¡± As he stared at her pale white face, Samuel realized that Tina had lost a lot of weight. He bit back coldly, ¡°And you think you could hurt me?¡± Tiina was speechless, She instantly remembered that Samuel was a skilled fighter, and there was no way she could hurt him. ¡°Still, I won¡¯t let you bring me back!¡± Tina spat determinedly through her teeth, staring down Samuel furiously. The fact that Tina was acting all defensively annoyed Samuel greatly. ¡°Put down the knife and let¡¯s go visit Grandma. I promise not to talk about what happened.¡± ¡°No,¡± Tina said, trembling. ¡°I¡¯ll visit Grandma myself! There¡¯s no need for me to go with you. Who knows what you¡¯re going to do to me next?¡± ¡®This guy is an absolute basta*d and lunatic! ¡®He even locked me up, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going with him!¡¯ Tina¡¯s reaction touched a nerve in Samuel. He was furious. ¡°Drop the act, Tina! First it was Frederick, and now, it¡¯s John.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a sl*t who forced me into this marriage. How dare you act like this? You disgust me!¡± But Tina was not affected by his words. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a disgusting woman, so why don¡¯t you let me go¡­¡± Samuel has had enough of Tina. ¡°Tina!¡± Yelling her name in anger, he approached Tina with a furious step.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 His sudden movement shocked Tina, who immediately swung the fruit knife toward Samuel to defend herself. ¡°Get away from me¡­!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Samuel grabbed the knife and held it with his bare hands. Tina, taken aback, looked at Samuel in horror. The knife was promptly taken away and thrown to the ground in a split-second. Everything happened so quickly, she couldn¡¯t process it. ¡°W-Why didn¡¯t you dodge?¡± Tina was confused by the situation, for she never meant to hurt Samuel. There was a deep cut across his palm, and the blood was trickling out non stop. The sight shocked her once more, and she dropped onto the floor in fright. She had ughtered ducks and chickens when she was growing up, but this was her first time hurting someone. To make matters worse, that someone was the cruel Samuel Langford! Samuel¡¯s expressions remained the same the entire time. He grabbed Tina¡¯s arm, as heartless as ever. Just as he was about to drag Tina forcefully out of the room, John appeared. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org (Wait.¡± The atmosphere turned freezing cold when Samuel saw John, who was bringing in food for Tina. ¡°John, if I were you, I wouldn¡¯t interrupt.¡± But John insisted on blocking the door. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why Tina doesn¡¯t want to follow you back?¡± John didn¡¯t let Samuel respond and continued in the same breath, ¡°I¡¯ve gathered quite a few proofs, but I think Miss Young should exin herself.¡± As he spoke, a small figure walked towards them from behind John. Tina frowned instantly when she saw who it was. ¡°Cindy!¡± ¡°Cindy? What are you doing here?¡± Samuel frowned as well. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cindy had never felt so hopeless when John confronted her. In the end, she was still clinging to the feeble hope that John would let her off the hook However, John was unmoved. If Cindy refused to admit to her crimes, he would expose everything she had done to Tina so far, including how much she had exploited the Langford family. If that happened, Cindy knew she would be done for! ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Samuel¡­ Please, please forgive me!¡± Cindy knelt and grabbed Samuel¡¯s leg, tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°I was blinded with jealousy! I was jealous that you two got married, and tried to get revenge. I ordered people to kidnap her and ruin her reputation, all just to make her leave you¡­¡± Cindy was crying loudly as she came clean with everything she had done to Tina. ¡°I know nothing can ever justify any of my actions. Let me pay my debt by giving you my life! Let¡¯s meet again in another life!¡± Cindy¡¯s eyes went red as she finished. Then, she banged her head against the wall. Samuel¡¯s stoic face finally had a change of expression the moment he realized it was Cindy who was the cause of everything that had happened. The truthid bare, he came to see that he had misunderstood Tina again and again¡­ But when he saw Cindy about to take her own life, he let go of Tina¡¯s hand and stopped Cindy. Cindy, on the other hand, was thrilled. She knew Samuel would never let her die! It was the only way to save her pathetic reputation! ¡°Samuel, just let me do it! I know how much you hate traitors. I don¡¯t wish to be hated by you, so just let me die instead¡­¡± Cindy wanted to continue acting, until she saw the cut on Samuel¡¯s palm. ¡°Ah!¡± Her face turned pale and she fainted instantly. John quickly stood in front of Tina to shield her and said determinedly, ¡°I never wanted to interfere in your private matters, Mr. Langford. But Tina is my sister, and there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to let her be the scapegoat!¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 ¡°Now that everything¡¯s been cleared and we all know that it was Cindy all along, you¡¯ll let Tina go, right?¡± Samuel red at Tina with a sharp expression. But that only scared Tina more. For some reason, he felt a painful pang in his heart. However, he didn¡¯t have the time to inspect that feeling. ¡°I¡¯ll have people investigate the things Cindy have done, Samuel said. He took a deep breath before picking up the unconscious Cindy and continued, ¡°But Tina must follow me back.¡± Tina quickly hid behind John. ¡°No! I will never follow you back.¡± John knew how powerful Samuel was, and it wouldn¡¯t do him good if he went against Samuel again. So, he made apromise. ¡°Mr. Langford, you gave me a few days to think things through. Why not give Tina a few days to calm down? Not to mention, she just got out of an ident. She needs rest.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze went from Tina to Cindy, who was lying in his arms. He tried to avoid that pain from his heart and replied coldly, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll exin things to Grandma myself.¡± Then, he left the room. Tina let out a sigh of relief as Samuel left. ¡°Thanks, John. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would¡¯ve¡­¡± But John just stared at her and asked sadly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me what you¡¯ve been through?¡± Tina suddenly recalled how she had been keeping everything Cindy did to her a secret from John. Guilty, she lowered her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to trouble you¡­ Plus, I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d believe me¡­¡± John kept staring at her for the next few seconds. Finally, he said, ¡°Go rest. We¡¯ll talk about this some other time.¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± John followed Tina into the room. As he entered, he saw the pile of blood on the ground. ¡°What¡¯s that? Are you hurt, Tina?!¡± Tina quickly exined, ¡°It¡¯s Samuel who was hurt, not me¡­¡± But John couldn¡¯t seem to calm down at all. So, Tina continued exining. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Langford was the only reason why I married him. I wanted to repay her for the next 6 months by taking care of her.¡± ¡°Then, we¡¯ll get divorced and everything will be back in ce.¡± ¡°Really?¡± John didn¡¯t seem convinced. If Samuel married her just for this reason, why did he lock her up? ¡°Of course, the one that he truly loves is Cindy. You saw it for yourself. He even carried Cindy in his arms. He hates me because I ruined his ns to marry Cindy¡­¡± Tina was about to continue, but John¡¯s bodyguards from outside interjected her. ¡°Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter requested to meet you.¡± ¡®Is something going on?¡¯ ¡®Why does she want to meet me?¡¯ Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. John stood up from the chair all of a sudden. ¡°Is it information about Coco? I¡¯ll be right there!¡± He left the room immediately, not even bothered to utter another word to Tina. Tina, who was left alone, felt a rush of sorrow. Though John had been treating her well, she was still not his true family¡­ Butshe wouldn¡¯tin, nor would she be jealous. ¡®My child, I wish you¡¯de out earlier.¡¯ ¡®I want to have a family, too.¡¯ Chapter 157 Chapter 157 After staying in the hospital for a few more days, the doctor finally approved Tina¡¯s discharge. The first thing she did after discharging was to visit Madam Langford. Madam Langford was worried sick about her. Immediately, she asked, ¡°Where have you been for the past few days, Tina? Samuel told me that you were sick. How are you feeling now?¡± Madam Langford wasn¡¯t told about the car ident, of course, considering that her body was too weak to take on any emotional distress. As such, Tina didn¡¯t mention a word about the car ident. ¡°My body¡¯s weak in the first ce. Anyway, I¡¯m sorry for not visiting you earlier¡­¡± ¡°Oh, my dear child! Your body matters the most.¡± Madam Langford gently stroked Tina¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Look at you, it seems like you¡¯ve lost some weight. You should eat more!¡± Tina nodded her head. ¡°I will.¡± She wasn¡¯t alone anymore. There was a child in her, so she must have a bnced diet. Madam Langford continued with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been in the hospital for too long, and I need some fresh air. I¡¯ll let Samuel take us hometer.¡± Tina was taken aback by Madam Langford¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s that expression on your face? Are you unhappy I¡¯ll be disturbing your time with Samuel?¡± Madam Langford teased jokingly. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m more than happy to have you home!¡± Tina exined hurriedly, but her suspicions remained. It was much too sudden from Grandma Langford. Not to mention, she wasn¡¯t Samuel¡¯s actual wife. As such, there was no need for them to sleep together. ¡®Will our lies be exposed now that Grandma will be living with us?¡¯ Tina initially nned to visit Frederick after dropping by Madam Langford¡¯s room. But now, it seemed she had no choice but to stick with Madam Langford. After thirty minutes, Samuel arrived. He asked Madam Langford, ¡°Grandma, are you getting discharged?¡± Grandina Langford wasn¡¯t happy with his tone. ¡°Is there a reason why I can¡¯t? I¡¯ve been rotting in this same room, and I¡¯m sick of it! Or are you worried I might discover that your marriage with Tina is a sham and that you¡¯ve been hurting her secretly?¡± Tina finally understood why Madam Langford insisted on going home. She was the main reason! Under Madam Langford¡¯s request, Samuel gave in Tina was forced into the same car as Samuel, and the feeling of them sitting together was ufortable, Tina thought they would remain silent for the entire car ride, until Samuel said something to break the silence. ¡°Cindy told me about everything.¡± He sounded calm as usual, with the exception that his eyes held mixed feelings. He knew he had misunderstood Tina yet again. Turned out that Cindy was behind all of these all along. She had acted out of jealousy. ¡°I see.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say?¡± ¡°What else is there to say?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t care less about Samuel¡¯s words, However, that attitude of hers just irked Samuel to no end. ¡°Cindy already apologized. In return, I¡¯ll grant you a wish.¡± Cindy saved his life, and he even married Tina despite agreeing to marry Cindy. There was no way Samuel could punish Cindy, so all he could do was compensate Tina But Tina only let out a chuckle. Cindy repeatedly tried to torture and kill her, yet Samuel tried to cover the entire thing with just a wish. That only showed how much Samuel loved Cindy and still chose to love her, despite knowing thetter¡¯s true colors. ¡°Wish? I don¡¯t dare to make any. I¡¯d be in trouble if you misunderstood me again.¡± Yet, Samuel remained calm despite Tina¡¯s provocations. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 ¡°What is your wish?¡± Samuel pressed. ¡°I wish for her to kneel before me and apologize. Can you grant that?¡± ¡°Tina, you¡­¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t make it happen, then don¡¯t mention wishes to me. I¡¯m disgusted just to hear it.¡± Tina went all out with her words, uncaring about the repercussions. She thought Samuel would rage again after hearing what she had said, but Samuel simply remained silent. ¡°Think about it again. My offer to grant you a wish will always be valid.¡± This time, Tina ignored him and looked out of the window quietly. If she had the chance, she would leave Samuel and run away with the child in her stomach. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Tina gently put her hands on her stomach. Her expression changed from defensive to soft almost immediately. Sam? ed to see this transformation of hers. He looked at Tina with mixed feelings. He thought he had understood her, but every time, she always managed to show a new side of hers¡­ ¡®Tina¡­ Which one is the real you?¡± The car soon drove into Langford¡¯s mansion. The moment both Tina and Samuel step foot in the mansion, the servants bowed and greeted politely, ¡°Wee home, Mr. and Mrs. Langford.¡± ¡®Mrs. Langford?¡¯ Tina was stunned to hear how the servants addressed her. Suddenly, Samuel wrapped his hands around her waist. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± His actions shocked Tina. She wanted to push him away, but Samuel only tightened his embrace. ¡°Grandma¡¯s watching.¡± That immediately made Tina alert. This was just a show, and she was nothing but a tool. Tina had epted this and agreed to continue this act, all for the sake of Madam Langford. But¡­ Samuel acted in a way that gave her a false illusion that he truly cared for her. Madam Langford felt satisfied as she looked at the two. She always trusted her test and judgement in people. The only person suitable for Samuel would only be Tina, and only Tina. ¡°You guys can go ahead. Tina just recovered so you should bring her back to her room, Samuel.¡± Samuel replied, ¡°Okay.¡± He walked into the mansion with his arms still on Tina¡¯s waist. The moment they entered the mansion, Tina pushed Samuel¡¯s arms away. She knew how much Samuel hated her, so it would be dangerous for her to be this close to him. Plus, she was bearing a child. She couldn¡¯t let anything terrible happen. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the room alone. You can leave now.¡± She didn¡¯t want to get close to him, not even a bit. Samuel frowned. He wanted to say something, but the butler walked towards them and whispered to his ear, ¡°Mr. Langford, Lord Jackson requested to see you¡­¡± ¡®Lord Jackson?¡¯ Tina was curious, but it was easy to guess that she was probably the reason Lord Jackson arrived. With that, she put her curiosity away and hurried to her room. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Tina let out a sigh of relief after entering her room. She finally escaped from that horrid man¡­ She nced at her surroundings as she ced her handbag on the table. In the bag were bottles of medicine. The doctor gave them to her. After eating the medicine, Tina went to have a shower. It had been a while since she took a nice, rxed bath. All of her worries and tiredness went away the moment she soaked in the bathtub. She felt so at peace, she almost fell asleep. Not long after, the door opened from outside. Samuel was standing in front of the door. ¡°Tina?¡± He saw Tina entering the room just now, but where did she go? Just then, he heard noises from the bathroom. The next thing he saw was Tinaing out of the bathroom with a towel around her body. She hadn¡¯t had time to unpack yet, so she forgot to bring her clothes to the bathroom. Little did she know, she would walk into Samuel. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Tina was genuinely terrified to see him standing there and let out a frightened scream. At the very least, she managed to hold on to her towel. ¡°Samuel?! Why are you here?¡± Samuel raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Tina then remembered that Samuel was her husband, and more importantly, this was his house. ¡°Go to another room!¡± Tina hissed, her face red. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for newlyweds to sleep in different rooms. Or are you trying to tell Grandma that our marriage was a lie?¡± Samuel continued staring at Tina, and then smirked mockingly at her. ¡°Or are you shy?¡± He wanted to tease Tina the moment he saw her face turn red¡­ Perhaps he wished to get closer to her emotionally. ¡°Shy?! Are you insane?¡± Tina was furious. ¡°I was just taking my clothes, so get out of my way!¡± She was about to push Samuel away, only to slip and almost fall Fortunately for her, Samuel was able to catch her. Tina could feel her heart racing in anxiety She subconsciously put her hands on her stomach, worried for the baby in her ¡°That was so closel It¡¯d be bad if I fell ¡± ¡°Where are your clothes? I¡¯ll take them for you.¡± Tina didn¡¯t dare to move anymore, so she went along with him ¡°It¡¯s in the bag, over there, on the table.¡± But when Samuel turned around and walked toward the table, Tina suddenly remembered the medicine in the bag The medicine from the doctor was in the bag with her clothes Her report was in there as well! Samuel must never, ever find out about her being pregnant! Tina screamed as Samuel¡¯s hands were about to touch the bag ¡°Ah!¡¯ Samuel immediately turned around and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 ¡°LL¡­¡±Tina quickly pointed at the ground. ¡°I saw a cockroach. I think it went that way!¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°How is it possible for a cockroach to be here?¡± This was the Langford¡¯s mansion, and Samuel was a neat freak. The chances of seeing a cockroach here were nearly zero. Tina had no choice but to continue the lie. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a cockroach, but I definitely saw something¡­¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to a cleaner room,¡± Samuel ordered coldly. Just when he was heading to the table, Tina shouted again. ¡°Ah! Wait, just wait!¡± Samuel started to get suspicious. ¡°Tina, what tricks are you trying to y?¡± ¡°I just remembered that I have my undergarments there, so you might want to avoid it.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t care less about being half-naked anymore and ran to the table to grab the bag, not giving any chance for Samuel to get near it. She then scampered back into the toilet. Tina never imagined that Samuel would be living with her, nor did she expect to be in the same room as him. That was why she made such a careless mistake. She almost got caught! She might need to be more careful in the future. After she finished dressing up, she hid the report and her medication in the lower drawer in the bathroom. Then, she walked out. Samuel¡¯s sharp gaze followed her as she walked out. Feeling anxious, Tina tried to change the topic. ¡°You¡¯re not really nning to sleep with me, right?¡± ¡°What else do you think I¡¯m here for?¡± Samuel answered coldly. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Seeing how Tina was constantly distancing herself, Samuel started feeling annoyed. He was frustrated, and quickly recalled what happened when Lord Jackson dragged Frederick to apologize earlier. His voice deepened and he shot her a dark usation. ¡°Were you such a prude when you¡¯re with Frederick Jackson?¡± Tina was confused as to why Samuel suddenly brought up Frederick However, the word prude implied that she was sexually promiscuous in the first ce. Stung, an angry Tina retorted furiously, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that you¡¯d do something terrible! | Even if I didn¡¯t seduce you, I¡¯m sure Cindy wouldn¡¯t be happy. ¡± Tina was obviously still bothered by Cindy. Samuel stood up and walked toward her without saying anything. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± She thought he was angered by her words, but he simply walked past her and went into the bathroom instead. ¡®Is he nning to ignore me?¡¯ Tina left out a sigh of relief andy on the bed. When Samuel saw Tina sleeping as he walked out of the bathroom, his anger diminished. Knock, knock, knock! Someone was outside. The butler came in with a tray. ¡°Mr. Langford, Madam Langford ordered the kitchen to make herbal soup for supper. Would you like to have it?¡± ¡°She¡¯s sleeping, so we¡¯ll pass, ¡± Samuel answered. The butler nced at Tina. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± There was no way supper would be served at this hour. The only reason the butler came was to spy on them. The butler continued, ¡°For Mr. Jackson¡­¡± Samuel cut him without hesitation and snapped, ¡°Tell him to continue kneeling.¡± ¡®Frederick had thising when he approached Tina. I could¡¯ve killed him, but I didn¡¯t. Kneeling for an entire night shouldn¡¯t be an issue for him.¡¯ ¡°Understood, sir.¡± The butler left the room right after answering. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Lately, Tina couldn¡¯t sleep well. She woke up all of a sudden in the middle of the night. The bedside light was turned on, and Samuel was nowhere to be found. Having sweated so much, Tina decided to go out and get some fresh air. She walked to the courtyard, and saw a group of servants walking in her direction. As she didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for anyone, she subconsciously decided to avoid them. At the same time, the servants¡¯ conversation andughter drifted into her ear. ¡°How many Mrs. Langfords are there in this ce? I thought Mr. Langford is in love with Miss Young. Why did he bring Miss Lynd home in such a high-profile manner?¡± ¡°I guess you have no idea what¡¯s going on. Miss Lynd is a seductress! She charmed Madam Langford with her words. She ended up securing an opportunity and got married to Mr. Langford.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk! What a maniptive and vile woman!¡± Tina could care less about the spitefulments directed at her. Just as she was about to leave, she heard the servants chatting about something else. ¡°By the way, I just saw Mr. Jackson. Is he seriously going to kneel in the courtyard all night? I heard he just went through a surgery after getting involved in a car ident. Lord Jackson sure is cruel!¡± ¡°There are no other choices left. If Lord Jackson doesn¡¯t do this, Mr. Jackson will face even worse consequences!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He did offend Mr. Langford, so this is the consequence he has to face. Mr. Langford isn¡¯t to be trifled with. Everyone knows he¡¯s the cold-blooded and ruthless Tyrant of Freesia.¡± Based on their conversation, it was obvious that the servants respected and feared Samuel at the same time. Soon, they left the courtyard. However, Tina was left rooted on the spot. What exactly did she just hear¡­? To think Mr. Jackson was kneeling in the courtyard¡­ Thinking that she might be hearing the conversation wrongly, Tina couldn¡¯t stop herself from running in the direction of where the servants came from. Just as she predicted, she noticed a familiar silhouette kneeling in the courtyard. That silhouette was none other than Frederick Jackson. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. He was stunned when he spotted Tina standing in the corridor. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked. Immediately after that, a bitter smile graced his face. Tina was Samuel¡¯s woman, after all. How could she not be here? ¡°Why did Samuel make you kneel here? Is it because of me?¡± Tina asked, staring at Frederick¡¯s arm, which was still in a cast. His complexion was slightly pale, too. ¡°This won¡¯t do! I¡¯ll go find Samuel right now. You shouldn¡¯t be kneeling like this since you haven¡¯t recovered from your injuries!¡± Tina was about to turn around and leave, when Frederick called out to her. ¡°Wait!¡± Frederick continued helplessly, ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Langford¡¯s woman right now. I¡¯ve already offended him in the past by trying to court you. This time, I knew about your rtionship with him, and yet I insisted on hiring you as my housekeeper. The fact Samuel didn¡¯t make me pay the price with my life is already a blessing for me. If you plead for my sake, I might lose my life for real!¡± Tina¡¯s face grew even paler. Her weak and thin frame started swaying slightly, as if she was about to copse. After all, Frederick ended up getting injured badly to save her. That day, she was unable to take care of him in the hospital. However, she didn¡¯t expect that she would be the cause behind his punishment When Frederick noticed the sorrowful expression on Tina¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but say,¡° It¡¯s just kneeling for one night. This is a piece of cake for me! Thanks to my father, I¡¯ve grown strong enough to handle stuff like this. He used to beat me up a lot when I was a kid. You should hurry up and return to your room. It¡¯s a chilly night. Not to mention, you¡¯re feeble and thin as well. If you¡¯re not careful, you might end up catching a cold.¡± Frederick might have sounded nonchnt, but Tina wasn¡¯t reassured at all. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. At least, let me keep youpany. Maybe it can help ease the guilt in my heart,¡± she said firmly. At that moment, lightning streaked across the dark sky. It looked like it was about to rain. When Frederick realized that Tina was about to stand in the rain with him, he quickly said, ¡° Alright, I yield. Samuel didn¡¯t post any guards here to watch over me anyway, so I¡¯ll stop kneeling now. Can you help me to the corridor so that I can get some rest?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Since Frederick had spent a long time kneeling, his legs had grown incredibly numb. He could only limp at the moment, so he ended up shifting half of his weight on ¡®Tina¡¯s frame. Tina propped him the best she could, feeling slightly stralned from his weight, Just as they reached the corridor, it started raining cats and dogs behind them. The sight of the duo looking so ragged made Frederick want to tease l¡¯ina again. ¡°Look at us. Don¡¯t we look like we¡¯re cheating on Samuel behind his back? Then again, since Samuel has already misunderstood you, why don¡¯t you agree to being my lover? Think of it as you making amends to me¡­¡± Before Frederick could finish his sentence, Tina released him immediately. He was in the midst of lowering himself to the floor slowly, so he ended up crashing onto the floor and let out a pained yelp. ¡°Are you trying to murder me?!¡± ¡°Stop cracking jokes like that!¡± Tina was angry at Frederick, but at the same time, she deemed it inappropriate to leave him sitting there. ¡°I pissed Samuel off this time. That¡¯s why he released his anger on you by punishing you. Previously, you¡¯ve saved my life, so I don¡¯t mind serving you, but please don¡¯t ever say things like this in the future. I¡¯ll never agree to bing your girlfriend.¡± Frederick could only shrink away from Tina, his expression all scrunched up in sadness. ¡°Do you really hate me this much? You¡¯re not even Samuel¡¯s wife. If you refuse to be my lover now, I can wait till you guys get divorced¡­¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with my hatred for you! It¡¯s impossible for us to be together! Even when I¡¯m divorced, I¡¯ll never be with you!¡± Tina replied firmly. Her immense dislike for Frederick was one thing. The point was, she was now pregnant with a baby. Her dream was to raise her child on her own. That was enough for her. She didn¡¯t want Frederick to waste his time on her. On the other hand, thetter¡¯s heart felt as if someone had dumped ice cold water on it. It was rare for him to develop genuine feelings for a woman, and yet God decided to torture him. Maybe it was due to him being a casanova in the past that the heavens deemed it necessary to deny him of his true happiness. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t think you and Samuel will get a divorce¡­¡± After mulling over the thought, Frederick decided toe clean with Tina. ¡°But I know you don¡¯t like Samuel. Rather than watching you getting tormented by him, I want to help you out. Just treat it as an act of goodwill from me. If you want to leave this ce, I can take you with me.¡± Tina didn¡¯t think the same way. She knew Samuel would definitely terminate the marriage berween them in the future. In fact, he must be itching to marry Cindy as soon as possible However, she found herself gr?ing to Frederick¡¯s offet That night, Tina and Frederick sat in the corridor. When it was almost dawn, Tina hurried back to her room since she would be discovered by others if she continued hanging around the corridor. She snuck back to her room and avoided the servants the whole time, so as to not get discovered Once she returned to her room, she couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she was safe and sound However, Samuel¡¯s cold voice drifted from the room the moment she entered ¡°Where the hell did you go this early, Tina?¡± he demanded icily. T¨ªna was scared out of her wits upon hearing the question. She never expected Samuel to appear in her room again. His tall frame was seated on the couch near her. d in a suit, he looked like a regal ruler who was about to judge her with all the harshness in the world. ¡°D-Didn¡¯t you leave?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°I¡¯m the one asking questions here.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes were incredibly sharp Tina¡¯s heart started beating wildly. There was no way she would tell him the truth. If Samuel found out she had gone to see Frederick, the latter would definitely be in more danger. ¡°LL.¡± Samuel rose to his feet, and started drawing closer to Tina Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Samuel stopped right in front of Tina. Thetter could feel his domineering hormones engulfing her. Samuel grabbed her chin and narrowed his eyes threateningly at her. ¡°Look me in the eye. Tell me. Did you do something unforgivablest night?¡± he demanded. Tina was speechless. Samuel¡¯s tone made her feel like she did cheat on him behind his back. However, she knew both of them didn¡¯t have feelings for each other. It was all just an act. With that thought in mind, she started calming down. She stared into Samuel¡¯s eyes and replied defiantly, ¡°Do I need to report to you wherever I go?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my wife now.¡± ¡°Since you referred to me as your wife, that means I¡¯m also Mrs. Langford of the Langford family. Why do you feel the need to interrogate me? All I did was take a walk around the grounds. You make me sound like I¡¯m a thief.¡± The sight of Tina looking irritated dispelled the suspicions that had been bothering Samuel. She even mentioned her identity as Mrs. Langford. For some reason, he didn¡¯t think she was disrespecting him. Instead, he found himself to be in a good mood after hearing Tina¡¯s reply ¡°Is that so?¡± he continued. ¡°Where did you go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m unfamiliar with this ce. I don¡¯t want to get lost here and make Grandma worry about me, so I came back.¡± Tina¡¯s response was logical. Besides, she also mentioned Grandma Langford, so Samuel no longer questioned her. ¡°Go freshen up and change out of your clothes. We¡¯ll greet Grandma togetherter.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tina was surprised to hear the request. ¡°I just changed into these clothes!¡± Samuel had always been picky with people¡¯s appearances. He scanned over Tina¡¯s attire quickly and realized that she was wearing extremely shabby clothes. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have minded her attire. Now, he thought it was painful to look at. ¡°I told the butler to send the most fashionable clothes of this season. Throw away the trashy clothes you¡¯re wearing immediately.¡± Tina was angry at his crude remarks, but she knew it wasn¡¯t a good time to pick a fight with him. All she could do was roll her eyes in secret. Trashy clothes¡­ In a way, he was mocking her for being poor, wasn¡¯t he? Samuel was definitely the trashiest b*stard out there! After sessfully fooling Samuel into believing her, Tina was soon greeted by the butler and the pile of trendy clothes he was carrying. Unfortunately, most of these clothes were too form-fitting. Just the sight of someone wearing them could make others feel cold for them. Since Tina was no longer the same woman as she was in the past, she picked out a few loose clothes and wore them withoutint. A short whileter, she exited the dressing room. Samuel happened to be waiting for her outside He shot her a nce before frowning. ¡°Why are you wearing these clothes?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I wear them?¡± Tina asked, Samuel didn¡¯t hesitate to strike back with poisonous words. Hemented in a nitpicking manner, ¡°Those who don¡¯t know you might think you¡¯re pregnant. You¡¯re clearly wearing maternity clothes. Change out of them right now!¡± T¡¯ina¡¯s heart skipped a beat at that moment. What Samuel said was correct. It was impossible for her to reveal her shock, so she replied in annoyance, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask the butler to send these clothes over? Yet here you are, nitpicking everything. If you don¡¯t like me this much, you¡¯re always wee to get rid of me.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Samuel was angry and helpless at the same time. That woman still had a sharp tongue and a venomous tone. Her personality didn¡¯t change the slightest Instead of arguing with her, Samuel kept silent and took her to visit Madam Langford. The elderly woman happened to be enjoying the sunlight in the courtyard. She sat on her rocking chair and started rocking in a regr rhythm. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tina started taking care of Madam Langford immediately by massaging her shoulders and back Judging from her actions, she was very familiar with the art of massaging. Madam Langford¡¯s cheeks had a healthy sheen of red. She looked much betterpared to her condition in the hospital, and Samuel happened to witness this. He had to admit that Tina was good at brightening up Madam Langford¡¯s day. If she wasn¡¯t present during the elderly woman¡¯s final days, thetter¡¯s mental state wouldn¡¯t be as good as it was as of now. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Madam Langford looked at Samuel, who was standing far away, before shifting her gaze to Tina, who sat next to her. She whispered to Tina, ¡°How was your sleepst night?¡± ¡°It was all right,¡± Tina replied. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I was asking¡­ How did both of you sleepst night?¡± Madam Langford rephrased her question. Tina was confused by the question. ¡°It was fine¡­ Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly realized the true meaning behind Madam Langford¡¯s question. Her face was instantly colored a brilliant shade of red. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°How was it?¡± the elderly woman pressed with a smile. ¡°When will I receive good news from you two about my great-grandson?¡± Tina was stunned to hear the question. She instinctively thought of her womb, where a baby was being nurtured there. Madam Langford continued, ¡°Don¡¯t me me for being anxious. I know I won¡¯t live for much longer. I just want to see both of you living happily ever after before I die.¡± ¡°Grandma, please don¡¯t say such unpleasant things,¡± Tina protested unhappily. The elderly woman decided to go along with Tina. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t say anything like that. My dear granddaughter-inw is mad at me for speaking like that, after all. I won¡¯t do that in the future.¡± The pair started talking about other things. However, Tina found it difficult to concentrate on the conversation. The doctor did mention that Madam Langford only had half a year to live, which meant she didn¡¯t have much time left. No matter how secretive the doctor was when it came to concealing the truth from his patient to avoid worsening her condition, Madam Langford must have sensed that she didn¡¯t have long to live. Her final wish was not only to see Tina and Samuel getting married, but also to watch them form their own family and produce the next heir of the Langford family. If Tina wasn¡¯t pregnant at all, then there was nothing she could do about that wish. She couldn¡¯t summon a baby out of nowhere, could she? Unbeknownst to the olddy, there was a baby currently growing inside Tina. It was bad enough that Tina kept her pregnancy a secret from Samuel. Would she really be that heartless to conceal the news from Madam Langford for the rest of thetter¡¯s limited life? Tina was still thinking about the dilemma even after leaving Madam Langford¡¯s courtyard. After breakfast, she snuck a peek at Samuel, who was seated next to her. He was currently reading the documents that Sandy had sent over, already looking quite busy with work. For some reason, he was able to sense Tina¡¯s gaze on him. He listed his head and asked,¡± What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tina was surprised by his sudden question. All she did was sneak a peek at him. How did he know that she was looking at him? ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Tina started stammering. ¡°I was just curious. Today¡¯s not a weekend, after all, Aren¡¯t you going to thepany?¡± Samuel replied lightly, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying in the manor during this period of time. It¡¯ll be considered as a form of vacation for me.¡± Tina could make out his hidden meaning. The reason he chose to stay in the manor was not because he wanted to spend time with her. He wanted to be there for Madam Langford during herst moments in life. ¡°Do you care about what Grandma thinks?¡± Tina asked again. Samuel frowned instinctively before replying coldly, ¡°Of course. Otherwise, why would I marry you?¡± When Tina heard his response, she choked on air for a moment. What he said made sense; if it wasn¡¯t for him being filial, he wouldn¡¯t have dumped Cindy and married a woman he hated, That was why, if he ever found out that she was pregnant¡­ He would choose to keep the baby because of Madam Langford¡¯s wishes, right? After all, the elderly woman wanted nothing more than to wee the birth of a Langford baby into this world. Once Tina noticed that Samuel had returned to his documents, she quickly made up her mind. She didn¡¯t want Madam Langford to leave the world with any regrets. Besides, she also wanted to give birth to her baby. Thus, she needed to let Samuel know about her pregnancy. Tina took a deep breath and said seriously, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯d like to tell you something.¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Samuel direted his razor-like gaze on Tina. He seemed slightly annoyed that she had chosen to interrupt him while he was working. However, Tina could care less about his feelings She nned to tell him about what happened on that fateful night two months ago, the night that had led to her pregnancy. ¡°Do you still remember the night when you drank too much, and.¡± Before Tina could finish, Sandy appeared at the doorway. He reported, ¡°Mr. Langford, Miss Young is here.¡± Tina was surprised to hear that. Miss Young? As in, Cindy? ¡°What¡¯s she doing here?¡± Samuel questioned with a displeased frown. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell her to stay at home?¡± Sandy shot Tina a look before replying, ¡°Miss Young wants to apologize to Miss Lynd properly. She even went all the way to the church and knelt there in order to obtain a blessed amulet. She hopes you¡¯ll ept it.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold chuckle while ncing at the amulet in Sandy¡¯s hands. ¡°You call that a blessed amulet? Why does it look more like a deadly amulet to me?¡± Cindy wanted nothing more than to kill Tina with her own hands. How could that woman give up on her goal so easily? Moreover, she didn¡¯t bother apologizing to Tina until Tina was sent to live with the Langfords in their manor. Plus, Samuel happened to stay there for the time being. Even an idiot could see the motives Cindy harbored. Samuel nced at Tina¡¯s direction, noting her disdainful look. A light frown graced his face, seeing as he was also unhappy with Cindy¡¯s actions. ¡°Send her back, Sandy,¡± he ordered. The aforementioned man looked slightly conflicted. ¡°Miss Young has a weak constitution, so we don¡¯t dare to force her to leave. Besides, she only wishes to meet up with Miss Lynd and apologize to her. Otherwise, she¡¯ll continue kneeling there.¡± ¡°I will never meet up with her. She can kneel for as long as she wants.¡± Tina took on a firm stance, refusing to budge. What if all of this was part of Cindy¡¯s new plot to kill her again? Samuel didn¡¯t reply. He put down the documents, stood up, and headed outside in silence. Strong gales graced the manor¡¯s grounds. Cindy could be seen there, dressed in very little clothes. She looked as pitiful as a white flower being whipped around by the strong wind. Her eyes lit up the moment she noticed Samueling out of the manor. Just as expected, he still cared about her. ¡°Samuel!¡± Cindy called out in a weak voice, putting on a pitiful act. ¡°Why are you the only one here? Where¡¯s Miss Lynd? Is she really not going to forgive me?¡± The sight of Samuel¡¯s dark expression made Cindy turn on her waterworks. ¡°I know I¡¯ve crossed the line, Samuel, but I have no choice! I don¡¯t want to leave you at all! I love you so much, I¡¯ve spent my days without you having nightmares¡­ Herplexion was awfully pale. Her body started swaying as she cried, before she copsed in Samuel¡¯s direction. ¡°Cindy? Cindy?!¡± Samuel¡¯s expression changed drastically. The servant who followed Cindy here exined, ¡°Mr. Langford, Miss Young has been sick for days. However, she was unable to stomach any medicine due to her overwhelming guilt. The doctor said her condition is worsening day by day, and her life might be in danger soon¡­¡± 1 Samuel felt Cindy¡¯s forehead immediately. Much to his surprise, she was burning up. It was evident that she had a high fever. With no time to waste, he scooped Cindy into his arms and ordered, ¡°Sandy, get the car ready. We¡¯re going to the hospital.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Sandy replied. Meanwhile, Tina sat on the couch for a very long time. She had been waiting for Samuel¡¯s return, albeit impatiently. Finally, she grabbed a nearby servant and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Langford? Why isn¡¯t he back yet?¡± ¡°Mr. Langford? He left with Miss Young,¡± the servant replied. Tina was stunned to hear the news. She asked right away, ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t he tell me anything?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When the servant heard Tina, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how close Mr. Langford and Miss Young are, Miss Lynd? Must he report everything to you? You¡¯re a strange one, aren¡¯t you?¡± the servant jeered. Even though Tina may be the official Mrs. Langford of the Langford family, all the servants knew who the real mistress of the family should be. That was the reason why none of them showed Tina any respect. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Tina¡¯s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach pit. She could hear many servants conversing among themselves outside. They described how weak Cindy¡¯s body was, and how anxious Samuel had looked when he saw her copsing. It was clear that the two were a match made in heaven. Yet Tina had forcibly separated them, turning them into star-crossed lovers who could never be together. Tina had just reached her room when she received a phone call from an unknown number, The moment the call went through, she heard a familiar voice drifting from the speaker. ¡°Samuel¡­¡± Cindy¡¯s voice was extremely weak. ¡°I¡¯ve done so many hurtful things to you. Not only that, but I also lied to you. Please, just let me die¡­¡± Samuel interrupted her words immediately, his tone domineering as usual. ¡°Stop saying ridiculous things! I won¡¯t let you die.¡± ¡°Even if you can forgive me, Miss Lynd will still take everything to heart. After all, I was clouded by jealousy back then¡­¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Right after that, Samuel¡¯s voice rang from the phone. ¡°Cindy, even if you don¡¯t do anything, I won¡¯t let her live afortable life. This is all because Grandma still needs her care. She only has half a year to live. You¡¯ve always been the most important person to me in this life, so please, don¡¯t do stupid things like this anymore. Your hands will be dirtied by them. Besides, I promised to grant her a wish. It¡¯s a form ofpensation to her.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was cold and ruthless. Each and every word lodged itself in Tina¡¯s heart like sharp daggers. Her head started buzzing from the conversation. She could no longer bear to listen to the rest of the conversation, so she hung up on the caller. Her mind may be chaotic at the moment, but at the same time, she was more sober than she ever was in the past. She could only caress her stomach, feeling the tiny life growing within her. All of a sudden, she felt like a clown. Earlier, she almost came clean to Samuel about her pregnancy, thinking that he would keep the baby due to Grandma Langford¡¯s wishes. Now, she finally understood everything. No matter how normal Samuel pretended to be, he would never let go of the hatred he bore for Tina. Once Madam Langford passed away, he would definitely not let her off the hook. If he found out that she was pregnant, the Langford family would take the baby away on the date of her delivery even if Tina sessfully gave birth. She would most likely be separated from her baby forever. Cindy would never make a kind stepmother, since thetter was vile in nature. Tina found it difficult to ept all those possibilities. As a mother, she definitely didn¡¯t want to be separated from her baby, much less allow them to fall into Cindy¡¯s hands. She could only conceal her pregnancy from Madam Langford. Aspensation, she would cater to thetter¡¯s every wish and demand during her final days. While Tina was busy thinking, she fell asleep without knowing. By the time she opened her eyes, the sky was already dark. It should already be evening. ¡°Oh no!¡± she shouted, remembering that she didn¡¯t take her required medicine today. Just as she was about to get up, she suddenly noticed a figure standing in her room. The unexpected sight frightened her greatly. ¡°Samuel!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief when she spotted the familiar face. She grumbled in displeasure, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you switch on the lights?¡± ¡°You were sleeping so soundly, I didn¡¯t want to disturb you,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°Also, I talked to Cindy. She promised me she won¡¯t do anything to hurt you ever again, so you don¡¯t need to worry about her.¡± Tina felt likeughing in Samuel¡¯s face the moment she heard his exnation. If she hadn¡¯t received the phone call, she would¡¯ve trusted himpletely. Seeing that Tina wasn¡¯t replying to him, Samuel added, ¡°By the way, I left in a hurry this morning. What were you nning to tell me?¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯vepletely forgotten about it.¡± Tina yed dumb without hesitation. However, Samuel repeated the things that she had said to him earlier in the morning. ¡°You asked if I still remember the night when I drank too much. Which night was it?¡± Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Tina¡¯s heart skipped a beat almost immediately. She didn¡¯t expect Samuel to still remember what she said earlier, especially when so long had passed. He even remembered every single word clearly. ¡°You must be hearing things. I didn¡¯t say anything about you drinking too much¡­ I can¡¯t remember exactly what I said.¡± Tina yed dumb till the very end, not wanting to admit to anything. Samuel narrowed his eyes immediately upon hearing her response. He walked toward the bed and gripped her chin tightly. ¡°Are you hiding something from me, woman? I hate liars the most.¡± Tina retorted in annoyance, ¡°Why would I hide anything from you? I wanted to tell you everything I wanted to say before, but you¡¯re the one who left me all of a sudden. Besides, it¡¯s been so long. I even took a nap! How can I remember what I wanted to tell you?¡± Samuel frowned, not bothering to investigate the matter anymore. ¡°Go freshen up. We¡¯re dining with Grandmater.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Over the next few days, Tina stayed in the manor and took care of Madam Langford. Since Tina was doing much better at the moment, she decided to cook chowder for Madam Langford in the kitchen. After taking a sip from her bowl, Madam Langford remarked in satisfaction, ¡°As expected, the food you prepare suits my taste perfectly.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve recovered from my illness, I¡¯ll be able to cook for you every day,¡± Tina replied sweetly. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. You¡¯re the youngest Mrs. Langford, after all. Leave the cooking to the chef. You don¡¯t need to cook every day. I don¡¯t want you feeling exhausted all the time.¡± Tina felt quite touched at Madam Langford¡¯s reply. ¡°Grandma, nothing I do for you is tiring as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Madam Langford smiled happily. Then, she shot a nce in the direction of Tina¡¯s t stomach. ¡°Exhaustion is bad for you if you¡¯re pregnant with my great-grandson,¡± she pointed out. Tina didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she caressed her stomach, guilt weighing on her heart. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°By the way, Samuel loves your cooking as well. He¡¯s been working nonstop in his study throughout the entire day, so he didn¡¯t get to eat anything at all. Why don¡¯t you bring some chowder for him?¡± Madam Langford suggested. Tina hesitated for a moment before deciding to bring a bowl of chowder upstairs. All the while, she felt helpless. How was it possible for Samuel to like her cooking? The chowder would most likely be wasted. Tina approached the study and knocked on the door lightly. There was no reply, which was strange to her. Perhaps Samuel wasn¡¯t in the study at all? She opened the door carefully by a crack, and soon heard faint voices drifting from inside the study. Sandy was speaking. ¡°Mr. Langford, the press conference will be held the day after tomorrow. Are we still proceeding with it?¡± Samuel grunted in agreement. ¡°Well¡­¡± Sandy continued, ¡°Are we still following the original decision when it¡¯s time to announce the identity of the future Mrs. Langford to the public?¡± Samuel would only acknowledge one person as the future Mrs. Langford, and that woman was Cindy. Who would have expected Cindy to do such idiotic things? Furthermore, Samuel seemed to be paying more attention to Tina nowadays, so Sandy had no idea what his employer was thinking Samuel¡¯s reply was instantaneous and decisive. ¡°No matter what happens, the Langfords will only acknowledge Cindy as the future Mrs. Langford.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Langford,¡± Sandy replied. He turned around and saw a figure standing outside the study. ¡°Miss Lynd? Why are you here?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darted to the doorway the moment he heard Sandy¡¯s question. All Tina could feel was great, burning shame. ¡°I knocked on the door just now, but I guess you didn¡¯t hear me. Grandma asked me to send dinner to you. I¡¯ll leave right away after putting it down.¡± Tina ced the tray on the table sitting at the doorway in a hurry. She was about to slip away when Samuel called out to her. ¡°Stop right there.¡± Tina had no choice but to do as she was told. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 ¡°Sandy, leave this room. Close the door behind you.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Sandy left after shooting Tina an odd look. The door was closed shortly after that, leaving Samuel and Tina alone in the study. Feeling quite ufortable by Samuel¡¯s presence, Tina said awkwardly, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve brought dinner here, I¡¯ll be taking my leave if there¡¯s nothing else¡­¡± ¡°What dinner? I don¡¯t see anything here.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was very cold. Tina was left speechless. The table was only a few steps away from him. Did he want her to serve him like a servant? Left without a choice, Tina could only bring the chowder to him. ¡°Eat up.¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Your attitude makes me think that you¡¯ve poisoned the chowder.¡± Admittedly, that idea did pop into Tina¡¯s mind earlier. Nheless, it was just an intangible thought that wasn¡¯t put into action. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t care less about Samuel¡¯s thoughts. The reason why she was there in the first ce was because of Madam Langford¡¯s request. Unexpectedly, Samuel didn¡¯t get angry at her rude response. Instead, he picked up the bowl gingerly and drank from it. A momentter, he finally spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s quite decent.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tina could only watch Samuel downing the bowl of chowder. A look of shock was stered on her face. She might have only stayed in the Langford manor for a few days, but she already caught wisps of conversations between servants who talked about how picky Samuel was with his food. The chef would look very troubled during mealtimes as well. To think he would prefer a bowl of simple chowder over a fancy spread¡­ However, she didn¡¯t think too much about it. To Tina, it was impossible for Samuel to like her cooking. He was definitely putting on an act for Madam Langford¡¯s sake, as he didn¡¯t want thetter to discover that their rtionship was built on a foundation of lies. Just as Tina cleared the table and was about to leave, Samuel stopped her once again. ¡°You should¡¯ve heard our conversation just now. The day after tomorrow is the press conference, so Sandy will be taking you to a designated studio to have your gown tailored for you.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Tina replied cooperatively before spinning on her heel and leaving without any hesitation. However, something unexpected happened the next day when Tina followed Sandy to the fashion studio. A familiar figure was seen sitting in the VIP lounge. ¡°You¡¯re here as well, Cindy?¡± Tina¡¯s tone was filled with hostility. Cindy sounded surprised when she saw Tina. ¡°Do you really despise seeing me that much, Miss Lynd?¡± ¡°Stop pretending,¡± Tina replied in disgust. ¡°Sandy isn¡¯t here. We¡¯re the only ones in this room.¡± Upon hearing the response, Cindy¡¯s surprise was reced by a look of arrogance. ¡°You must hate me so much that you want me to die, Tina. It¡¯s a shame Samuel¡¯s very protective of me. My name will be announced as the next Mrs. Langford in the press conference tomorrow. You, on the other hand, are just there to take a picture in order to appease Madam Langford. In other words, you¡¯re just a tool! How can there be such pitiful people in this world? The sight of you leading such a pathetic life just strokes my ego more!¡± Cindy was extremely arrogant at that moment. She finally realized that Samuel would always defend her no matter what she did, due to her identity as his childhood savior. Moreover, he thought the woman he had slept with that night was her. She had these two identities backing her up, whereas Tina had nothing. Tina didn¡¯t wish to talk to Cindy anymore, so she turned on her heel and was about to leave the lounge. Suddenly, Cindy spoke up. ¡°Tina, do you seriously think I¡¯m going to let you leave?¡± ¡°What?¡± Tina walked to the door. It was then that she realized that she had been locked inside the lounge with Cindy. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Tina¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°What do I want to do? Oh, Tina, you filthy b*tch! Shouldn¡¯t you know exactly what I want to do?¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Tina immediately clutched her stomach protectively. She remembered the time Cindy appeared in front of her and almost seeded in feeding her medicine that would cause her miscarriage. If John hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Tina would¡¯ve lost her baby. This time, Tina would never let Cindy seed in whatever scheme she had hatched. ¡°If you dare toy a finger on me, I¡¯ll fight back till the end! Even if I die, I¡¯ll haunt you forever!¡± Tina¡¯s voice was filled with rage and despair. Cindy, on the other hand, was shocked by Tina¡¯s ferocity. She harrumphed coldly before replying, ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m going to dirty my hands, Tina? You still remember what Samuel told me over the phone, right? He thinks I¡¯ll sully my hands if I were to deal with you directly!¡± Cindy¡¯s tactic was to use her words to provoke Tina. She wanted Tina to know just how much Samuel cared about her. However, Tina remained unmoved. Right now, she only cared about the baby that was growing in her womb. As for that man¡¯s opinions, she couldn¡¯t care less about them. Seeing as her provocation didn¡¯t work on Tina at all, Cindy immediately thought of another idea. ¡°You haven¡¯t told Samuel about your pregnancy, right? What if I call him right now and inform him of your pregnancy? Why don¡¯t you guess how he¡¯ll react, hmm?¡± As she spoke, she pulled out her phone and pretended to key in Samuel¡¯s number. Tina¡¯s expression changed at that instant. Samuel hated her a lot, so he would definitely assume that Tina was plotting something by hiding her pregnancy from him. At the same time, he cared about Cindy a lot. If she were to make demands, Tina was sure she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her baby. ¡°No!¡± Tina cut Cindy off anxiously. ¡°Miss Young! As long as you let me keep my baby, I¡¯ll do anything for you!¡± Cindy was filled with glee the moment she heard those words. Frankly speaking, Cindy herself wasn¡¯t sure about Samuel¡¯s stance on Tina¡¯s pregnancy as well. If he found out that the woman whom he slept with that night was Tina, the fact that she was pregnant with Madam Langford¡¯s precious great-grandson would plunge Cindy¡¯s situation into a dire one. Ever since Tina moved into the Langford manor, Cindy spent her days being paranoid and scared for her own life. Who would have thought that the filthy b*tch didn¡¯t tell Samuel about her pregnancy? It was then that Cindy knew that her chance was here. Hence, she formted a n immediately That day, she showed up at the entrance of the Langford manor under the pretense to apologize to Tina. Her true intention was to use her illness to lure Samuel away. After that, she dialed Tina¡¯s number and yed the edited audio clip containing that conversation. Today, she found out that Tina would be visiting this particr studio. Thus, she waited for Tina here on purpose in order to find out what thetter was thinking. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It appeared her n was a huge sess. Tina, the filthy b*tch, had fallen into Cindy¡¯s trap hook, line, and sinker. ¡°You¡¯ll do anything for me?¡± Cindy tittered gleefully. ¡°I want you to leave Freesia right now! Can you do that?¡± Tina replied bitterly, ¡°No, I can¡¯t. What will happen to Grandma if I leave now?¡± ¡°Haha! In the end, you¡¯re still nning to stay by Samuel¡¯s side and fight with me for his affection!¡± Cindy growled, before pping Tina. ¡°You filthy b*tch!¡± Having received the p squarely in her cheek, Tina could only grit her teeth and endure the pain in silence. ¡°Miss Young, I know you hate me for ruining your rtionship with Samuel, but I don¡¯t want to fight for his affection at all. All I want to do is to take care of Grandma during her final days. Then, I¡¯ll leave this city with my child. Please grant me this request, Miss Young. Please allow me to stay in this city for the time being. I promise I¡¯ll leave once my time here ends.¡± Cindy felt incredibly smug at the moment. Even if this filthy b*tch was able to seduce Samuel and live in the Langford manor, there was nothing she could do. Now, she could only beg like a filthy b*tch she was! ¡°Where¡¯s your sincerity? I can¡¯t see it at all. Why don¡¯t you kneel down and beg me? I might consider your request if you do that.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Tina shot a re in Cindy¡¯s direction. Cindy scowled immediately. ¡°How dare you re at me? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might tell Samuel about your pregnancy? Both you and your baby will definitely die!¡± Tina could disregard her own life without hesitation, but she didn¡¯t want to put her baby¡¯s life in risk. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Tina knew Cindy was deliberately tormenting her, so she slowly sank to her knees. ¡°Miss Young, you¡¯re a generous and kind-hearted woman. Please spare my life.¡± Ever since John Carter exposed Cindy¡¯s true colors, she had been leading her life in constant paranoia and fear. The sight of Tina begging for mercy on her knees satisfied Cindy to no end. ¡°Now, grovel to me! Keep groveling until I¡¯m satisfied!¡± Cindy commanded smugly. Tina gripped the hem of her shirt without moving, which irked Cindy. ¡°Oh? Are you nning to fight back?¡± ¡°Miss Young. I¡¯m willing to grovel to you, but tomorrow¡¯s the press conference. I still have to take a picture for Grandma¡­¡± Cindy had no choice but to dispel that thought when she heard the reason. No matter how much she wanted to punish Tina, she knew that now was not the time. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°That¡¯s true. I know you don¡¯t dare to tattle on me to that old b*tch, but if she were to notice that something¡¯s amiss, it¡¯ll be bad for me. You got lucky today, Tina! I¡¯ll torment you to my heart¡¯s content once the press conference is over!¡± Cindy sounded very excited and smug over the prospect. She pulled out a key and unlocked the lounge¡¯s door before skipping away happily. Tina shifted into a sitting position on the floor. Tears started rolling down her cheeks at that moment. She looked so helpless and weak. She knew Cindy¡¯s endless torture awaited her, but she was left with nothing in her life. She didn¡¯t have a home of her own, or people that she could call her family and friends. Not to mention, the chances of her finding a partner in the future was reduced to null. All she had right now was the baby growing within her. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I have, my dear baby,¡± she whispered to herself while caressing her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m willing to pay any price as long as I can protect you.¡± Wiping her tears away, Tina got up and left the studio. Even if life continued to y cruel jokes on her and tried to break her down, her skinny figure would always emit an aura of unrelenting determination. Soon, the time for the press conference was here, The Langford family was a renowned and wealthy family in Freesia. The fact Samuel had held a press conference and kept the contents under a tight lid piqued the interest of the mass media, who made guesses of their own. ¡°If Samuel¡¯s the one making the announcement, that means it must be something big!¡± ¡°My sources told me that he had married another woman, but she¡¯s not Cindy. Is he nning to address this matter?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard of that as well. Isn¡¯t Cindy Young the only woman staying by Samuel¡¯s side? Who else could he be marrying?¡± Everyone was discussing the mysterious woman from the rumors. Meanwhile, Tina walked past the gossipers in a simple gown. No one noticed her at all. She was taken to a private room to take her picture there. Soon, the photoshoot was over. The photographer said, ¡°You can leave now.¡± As expected, she was present only to be used as a tool. To think that she was discarded this quickly¡­ When Tina was about to leave the scene, voices erupted from the crowd of media personnel. ¡°Mr. Langford¡¯s car is here!¡± When everyone heard the announcement, they pushed forward immediately like a school of fish fighting for live bait. Tina didn¡¯t dare to go against the tide, so she was forced to follow them. A Stretch Lincoln Limousine slowed down to a halt under the bright, flickering camera lights. Samuel¡¯s figure appeared at that moment. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Dressed in a suit, Samuel looked every inch like a regal king. The moment he appeared, everyone could only submit to him. He didn¡¯t mind the lights shing and flickering around him. Spinning gracefully on his heel, he extended a hand to the person inside the car. That scene excited the media immediately. ¡°Oh my god! Is there someone else in Mr. Langford¡¯s car?¡± ¡°Could the rumors be real? Does Mr. Langford intend to announce the identity of the woman he¡¯s marrying in the press conference?¡± Cindy emerged from the car under everyone¡¯s expected gaze. d in a white, long, fancy gown, she took Samuel¡¯s hand shyly. The pair looked like newlyweds who appeared on the red carpet. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, the rumors of Mrs. Langford being another woman were instantly dispelled. It was evident that Cindy Young was the real Mrs. Langford. Tina stared at the couple standing under the limelight. Samuel was tall and handsome, whereas Cindy leaned against him shyly like a submissive woman who needed protection. ¡°As expected, Mr. Langford and Miss Young are a match made in heaven!¡± ¡°Looks like Miss Young is finally able to be together with Mr. Langford after waiting for so many years¡­¡± The media instantly presented their well-wishes to the couple. Cindy looked like a woman who had found her true happiness. When Tina noticed the radiant smile that seemed genuine, she couldn¡¯t help but feel bitter on the inside. No matter how vile Cindy was, she still had Samuel, who truly loved her. Maybe Tina really was destined to lead a difficult life. There was no way she could ever fulfill her dream of being able to find her partner. The only wish she had right now was to raise her baby on her own. She no longer wished to stay there. If they were to see her there, they might think she was nning to ruin their day. Tina turned around and squeezed her way out of the crowd. The people around her were displeased to see her doing this. Since she was just wearing a simple gown, they couldn¡¯t help but chastise her the moment they took in her attire. ¡°What the hell? Why are you squeezing your way out?¡± ¡°You¡¯re disturbing my photography session! Can you afford to pay me my sry if I can¡¯t hand in my article in time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m so, so sorry.¡± Finally, Tina was able to squeeze out of the crowd with her hand protecting her stomach. However, before she could reach the exit, a row of bodyguards suddenly appeared and shoved her away from the door. ¡°Go away! You¡¯re blocking the way!¡± Tina almost fell as a result. She started saying angrily, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What are you ring at us for? Mr. Cohen, the CEO of Weekly Bulletin, will being here soon! Don¡¯t block his way, or else get ready to face the consequences!¡± Before Tina could retort, a middle-aged gentleman walked through the door. He looked like a schr with his sses on. ¡°Everyone here is from the same industry. We¡¯re all colleagues, aren¡¯t we? There¡¯s no need to disrupt the peace because of this.¡± Then, the middle-aged man looked at Tina. ¡°You must be an intern from a news office, right? It must be difficult for a young woman like you to squeeze in the crowd just to get the scoop. My bodyguards are all careless brutes. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ve hurt you in any way, so it¡¯s best for you to get a check-up at the hospital. However, I do have some urgent business to deal with. This is my business card. If the check up shows that you¡¯re injured, you can call me on this number.¡± Before Tina could turn down his offer, Mr. Cohen left with his bodyguards immediately. The media personnel, who happened to witness everything, had mes of jealousy burning in their eyes. They couldn¡¯t help but discuss among themselves. ¡°Wow, that woman got lucky. She got Mr. Cohen¡¯s business card just by getting knocked down.¡± ¡°Then again, Mr. Cohen has retired from the limelight for so many years. I didn¡¯t expect him to show up in person.¡± ¡°Mr. Langford must have invited him here. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for Mr. Cohen¡¯s efforts in exposing the clues, Mr. Langford wouldn¡¯t have been saved so quickly from his captors ten years ago¡­¡± ¡°Speaking of which, Mr. Cohen¡¯s considered to be the one who brought Mr. Langford and Miss Young together. His presence serves as a blessing to the couple!¡± Tina was surprised when she heard the conversation. She didn¡¯t know Mr. Cohen was involved in the abduction case ten years ago. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Tina looked at the business card in her hands. Not only did Mr. Cohen look like a gentleman, but he also had a nice name. His full name was Raymond Cohen. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Since the Langfords were involved in the abduction case that happened ten years ago, most of the information regarding that case had been sealed from the public. Not even John, who wanted to help Tina investigate her background, could dig out much information regarding that case. As for Tina, she couldn¡¯t remember her childhood at all. The only clue she had was that picture and the ne Pearl had sold. Should she ask Mr. Cohen for more information? What if she could locate a clue or two based on their interactions? With these concerns in mind, Tina saved the phone number and the address on the business card into her phone. She nned to visit Mr. Cohen some time after the press conference was over. She walked out of the venue, feeling the cold, biting wind whipping against her form. She couldn¡¯t help but tighten the clothes around her in an attempt to feel warm. Beep! Beep! Beep! At that moment, a luxury car pulled up right behind her and started honking at her madly. Tina thought she had blocked its way, so she quickly moved away out of fright to avoid affecting her baby. However, that car kept sting its horn at her unrelentingly. ¡°Hey cutie, it¡¯s me!¡± Upon hearing that casual greeting, Tina looked up to see Frederick. Feeling quite angry, she yelled, ¡°Why can¡¯t you just leave me alone?¡± She was so scared by the honking just now, as she thought that she was in some sort of trouble. The sight of Tina¡¯s widened eyes made Frederick yearn for her even more. He used to flirt around with women and start rtionships with them before dumping them on the sidewalk ruthlessly after he found a new target. After meeting Tina, he finally knew what it felt like to obsess over someone he couldn¡¯t be with. It didn¡¯t matter if Frederick had been gued by bad luck ever since he bumped into Tina. Either Lord Jackson would scold him till his ears bled, or Samuel would almost kill him with one of his punishments. Despite everything that he had gone through, Tina still refused to acknowledge his existence. However, he still liked her a lot. Frederick adapted a shameless attitude as he said, ¡°You look so alone out here, so I took pity on you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity!¡± Tina tried to turn around and leave. Overcame by anxiety, Frederick quickly got out of the car and stopped her. ¡°Cutie, I saved you with my life back then! Because of this, Samuel directed his fury on me! Is this how you repay me?¡± ¡°Oh, so you know that Samuel¡¯s targeting you? Then why are you still here?¡± Tina gritted out furiously. It was true Frederick had done so much to help her, but he was being too shameless right now. ¡°Isn¡¯t he all wrapped up in the press conference with Cindy? He doesn¡¯t have time to deal with us,¡± Frederick argued. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s dangerous for you to be alone. At least let me give you a ride.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be unnecessary. I can always take a taxi home.¡± Tina turned him down immediately. ¡°You¡¯re going home? Are you nning to return to the Langford manor? Can you even do that now?¡± Tina didn¡¯t know what to say after hearing that question. What Frederick said made sense. She was supposed to be attending the press conference with Samuel right now. How was she supposed to return on her own? Wouldn¡¯t she have exposed everything right in front of Madam Langford by doing that? ¡°Not only is Samuel holding a press conference, but he¡¯ll also be hosting a banquet for the mass media at night. You can¡¯t return tonight, either,¡± Frederick continued. A sense of helplessness started flooding from the depths of Tina¡¯s heart. ¡°Tell me, where else can I go?¡± she asked mockingly. ¡°Into my arms, of course!¡± Frederick quickly stopped flirting around with Tina. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go on a ride with me? Think of it as a walk for you to distract yourself.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Just when Tina got into the car, her phone started ringing. The sight of the caller¡¯s name on her screen surprised her for a moment. Samuel was the one calling her. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Tina never expected to see Samuel calling her. Complicated emotions surged in her heart as she picked up the call. ¡°Hello?¡± she asked in an attempt to gauge Samuel¡¯s mood. However, nothing came out from the other end of the line. Could it be that he had mistakenly called her? Tina felt quite confused, but just then, Samuel¡¯s cold voice drifted from her speaker. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m outside right now.¡± Before Tina could finish her sentence, Samuel cut her off coldly and said, ¡°Go to the hotel. I¡¯ll have someone send you back to the manor tomorrow.¡± ¡°Which hotel?¡± Tina asked again. Cindy¡¯s voice rang from the other end of the line at that moment. ¡°Samuel, I felt that I was in an amazing dream when we were in the press conference earlier! I felt like a princess in your arms. Everyone else was giving us their heartfelt blessings. To be honest, I don¡¯t feel like waking up at all¡­¡± Cindy¡¯s tone was joyous and dreamy. It seemed as though she had realized something, because she added, ¡°Hmm? Samuel, are you busy at the moment? I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± Before Samuel could reply, Tina hung up on him. She had no intention of ruining the couple¡¯s day. It would mean trouble for her, after all. Upon noticing Tina¡¯s thunderous expression, Frederick asked, ¡°Are you all right, cutie?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied with a deadpan look. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t care where we¡¯re going.¡± After all, there was nowhere she could go. ¡°You¡¯re being decisive all of a sudden. Aren¡¯t you afraid I might sell you to human traffickers?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh in a self-deprecating way. ¡°Based on my soiled reputation, how much can you sell me for?¡± The sight of Tina looking so nonchnt made Frederick¡¯s heart ache for her. Originally, he thought she was a feral cat who always had her ws out and her fangs bared, but he didn¡¯t expect that she would have her vulnerable moments. A few minutester, Tina gazed out of the car window and noticed the change in scenery. To her surprise, the surroundings were quite familiar to her, ¡°Isn¡¯t this your house?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Frederick smiled at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know where else to take you to. All the ces that I know are either bars or nightclubs. I know you definitely don¡¯t want to go to such establishments, so I decided to take you home for a meal or two.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but remember that day. If it wasn¡¯t for Pearl staging that car ident, she might have still remained in the Jackson residence as their butler. She would be busy taking care of Frederick¡¯s personal affairs and meals. Feeling slightly emotional, she asked, ¡°By the way, what happened to the culprit?¡± Too much had happened to her within the recent period of time, so she forgot to ask about the aftermath of the ident till now ¡°You must be talking about Pearl Lynd, right?¡± Frederick had investigated Tina before, so he had a general understanding of her background. ¡°She escaped, so now, she¡¯s a fugitive on the run. The police are still hunting for her. Don¡¯t worry, the rest of the Lynd family is suffering a fate as bad as Pearl¡¯s right now. They¡¯ve been using the orphanage as an excuse tomit countless frauds. The police have uncovered their illegal deeds, mainly tax evasion and the acts of embezzlement. They won¡¯t be able to cause you trouble for the time being.¡± Tina didn¡¯t care about the Lynds at all. They did reap what they sowed, after all. After entering the mansion, she discovered it to be in a messy and unruly state. The sight made her frown instinctively. ¡°Why is it so messy here?¡± Frederick felt guilty all of a sudden. He quickly exined, ¡°I haven¡¯t returned to the mansion for a long time, but I did lend this ce to my friends to host their parties and other gatherings. They must¡¯ve caused this mess. Why don¡¯t you make yourselffortable here while I hire a cleaner¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I can clean this ce up.¡± 1 Tina worked swiftly in restoring the mansion to a clean and tidy state. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Tina even went to the kitchen to check out the situation there. The fridge¡¯s contents were incredibly messy as well. She noticed a few tomatoes, a block of cheese, and a few containers of leftover spaghetti inside. ¡°Why don¡¯t you throw them away?¡± Frederick asked after taking a look at the ingredients, Tina shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s too wasteful. Besides, I can whip up a quick pasta dish if you want.¡± ¡°Huh? Are these even edible?¡± Frederick looked slightly suspicious of the ingredients. ¡°Why don¡¯t I just order takeout?¡± Tina was very confident in her culinary skills. ¡°Just you wait!¡± At first, Frederick intended to help her out in the kitchen in order to demonstrate his skills in being a househusband, but he kept screwing everything up. Tina had to chase him out of the kitchen, swinging a large kitchen knife threateningly. About ten minutester, Tina was done making the pasta dish. Not only did it look appetizing, but it was also as tasty as the dishes made by the renowned chefs in the city. Frederick, who was already used to eating fancy meals, couldn¡¯t help but give Tina a delighted thumbs-up. ¡°You can definitely open a restaurant on your own! i¡¯ll book your restaurant and eat your cooking every day!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but giggle. All of the negative emotions in her dissipated on the spot. Her smile andughter were pure and sweet. Frederick couldn¡¯t help but sigh emotionally, ¡°As expected, you look prettier when you¡¯re smiling. I like it a lot.¡± He preferred the smiling Tina rather than the vulnerable and helpless version of her. The smile instantly evaporated from Tina¡¯s face. She quickly stepped away from Frederick while looking at him in alert. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Frederick was speechless when he noticed her behavior. Her mood changed so quickly, he didn¡¯t know how to react. At that moment, sounds of knocking echoed from the main entrance of the mansion. Tina was surprised to hear it. ¡°Did you seriously order takeout?¡± she asked. ¡°No.¡± Frederick rose to his feet, quite surprised as well. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± The moment he opened the door, his expression changed slightly. ¡°Grandpa?! Why are you here?¡± The only person whom Frederick would refer to as ¡®Grandpa¡¯ would be Lord Jackson ¡°So! I see you still remember who¡¯s your grandpa, eh? what¡¯s wrong? Are you hiding something from me? Why can¡¯t I visit you, hmm?¡± Lord Jackson was nearlng his eighties, but he was still strong and healthy. His spirit was unwavering, and he looked very energetic. Without giving Frederick a chance to react, he strode into the mansion after pushing him aside. Tina was still cleaning up the dining table at that time. She was shocked to see Lord Jackson entering the mansion. ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re the vixen who almost killed Frederick! How dare you stick around him after everything you¡¯ve done?¡± Lord Jackson¡¯s gaze was filled with nothing but disdain as he red at Tina. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve misunderstood everything! She didn¡¯t stick around me! I was the one¡­¡± Frederick quickly stood in front of Tina to shield her. But Lord Jackson demanded, ¡°Drag this useless grandson of mine out of my sight!¡± The butler and subordinates who followed Old Mr. Jackson into the mansion quickly whisked Frederick away the moment his words fell. Soon, only Tina and Lord Jackson remained in the kitchen. The former had never expected to meet the latter face to face. It was obvious that Lord Jackson had misunderstood her. ¡°Lord Jackson, I¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about!¡± Lord Jackson interrupted Tina¡¯s words immediately, mming his walking stick into the floor. ¡°Name the price. How much should I pay you for you to leave my grandson alone?¡± Tina¡¯s expression darkened immediately. ¡°I don¡¯t need money. I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Don¡¯t spout such nonsense in front of me. You may be able to fool Frederick, but you can¡¯t fool me!¡± Lord Jackson harrumphed coldly. ¡°Do you honestly think I don¡¯t know what methods you used to seduce Samuel Langford? Let me tell you this! The entire elite society of Freesia knows what you¡¯ve done! First, you used the opportunity to get married into the Langford family. Then, you start being ambiguous with John Carter. And now, you¡¯ve charmed my grandson into obsessing over you. Are you only satisfied when my only grandson is dead? Tina Lynd, you¡¯re an evil and maniptive woman!¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Lord Jackson kept humiliating Tina with his words. ¡°You¡¯vemitted so many evil deeds! Aren¡¯t you afraid of them biting you back when you least expect them? Your children will definitely suffer because of you!¡± Tina put down the dishes immediately upon hearing thest sentence. She did owe Frederick her life, and she also felt very guilty for what he had to go through. That was why she would endure whatever Lord Jackson hurled at her. But this old man involved her unborn baby, which was way over the line. She could never tolerate that. ¡°Lord Jackson, you spout such vile words despite your age. Shouldn¡¯t you be the one worrying about the repercussions that your words bring?¡± ¡°How dare you talk back to me!¡± Lord Jackson was enraged after hearing Tina¡¯s reply. ¡°You already called me a vile and maniptive vixen, didn¡¯t you? Why shouldn¡¯t I talk back?¡± she retorted sassily. Then, she started chuckling coldly before continuing, ¡°Also, your precious grandson is the one sticking around me. What can I do about him? You might as well chain him up at this rate to avoid Mr. Langford from finding out what¡¯s going on! Otherwise, he might lose his life! ¡°How dare you threaten me¡­¡± Lord Jackson¡¯s expression became stormy immediately. He no longer wished to waste his breath on that sharp-tongued woman. He pulled out a card and threw it to the floor. ¡°There are five million dors in this card. Take the money and get out of Freesia!¡± ¡°Oh, trust me! I¡¯ll be leaving this city, but now¡¯s not the time!¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t intend to leave?¡± Tina was toozy to exin everything to Lord Jackson. ¡°What do you mean by that? Freesia doesn¡¯t belong to the Jacksons! Since you¡¯re so worried about your precious grandson, keep a good eye on him. Don¡¯t let him anywhere near me.¡± Once she was done speaking, she strode out of the mansion immediately. The butler and the other subordinates happened to be restraining Frederick from re-entering the mansion. When he noticed Tina exiting, he said anxiously, ¡°Did my grandfather say anything to you? Please don¡¯t take his words to heart¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Jackson, thank you for taking care of me and helping me out all this time. I¡¯ll think of ways to earn money and repay your kindness.¡± Lord Jackson¡¯s angry voice drifted from behind Tina. ¡°Stop putting on a performance! You¡¯ll be repaying Frederick by staying away from him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s already thiste. You¡¯ll be in danger if you leave on your own¡­¡± Frederick was worried about Tina¡¯s safety. She could only sigh, feeling both touched and helpless at the same time. ¡°Lord Jackson is right. We shouldn¡¯t meet up in the future. It¡¯s for our own good.¡± After that, she turned on her heel and left. Her lonely silhouette disappeared into the darkness. Frederick tried to chase after her, only to be stopped by the others. Lord Jackson chastised furiously, ¡°Frederick, you¡¯re such a useless grandson! I can¡¯t tolerate your antics any longer! It¡¯s fine if you toyed around with those wh*res and b*tches in the past, but now, you¡¯ve actually presented your heart on a tter to that vixen! I¡¯m definitely teaching you an unforgettable lesson! Take him back to the manor! Let him kneel in the family crypt for the time being! I want his dead grandmother and parents to see the kind of a man he¡¯s grown into!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The butler and the rest of his subordinatesplied with his order immediately. Meanwhile, Tina walked on the street on her own. The night breeze was incredibly chilly, making her wrap her arms around herself and tighten her clothes immediately. Freesia was such a huge city, but there was nowhere for her to go¡­ At the moment, she looked quite lost. A few sleazy figures appeared in front of her all of a sudden and blocked her way. ¡°Hey, sweetie! Where are you going on your lonesome?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so dangerous out here around this time of night! Why don¡¯t we walk you to your destination?¡± The ones standing in front of Tina were drunkards who stank of booze. They pretended to be drunk in order to have their way with Tina. Her expression remained calm despite the confrontation. She watched them extend their hands toward her. The next moment those guys knew, a bloodcurdling scream echoed. ¡°Argh!¡± One of the hooligans felt intense pain racking up his arm as he howled in pain. When he noticed the bright blood coating his hand, he couldn¡¯t help but scream in fear. ¡°Y-Y-You¡­¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Tina was seen wielding an incredibly sharp de. The other hooligans quickly scrambled away from her out of fear. She could only smile at their retreating backs. Though her smile was feeble, it also held a trace of mockery. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 If it wasn¡¯t for the baby in her stomach, Tina wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it this far. Just as she was about to leave this area, a strong hand gripped her wrist. Scared out of her wits, Tina was about to raise her weapon to defend herself. ¡°Who¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± A familiar voice rang at that instant. Tina spaced out for a brief moment. As a result, her armed hand was quickly restrained. ¡°Tina, what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill your husband?¡± Samuel snarled coldly. Even though she was gazing at the cold and handsome face, Tina still felt as if she was dreaming ¡°Samuel? Why are you here?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask, confused. ¡°Can¡¯t I be here?¡± Samuel frowned before retorting. Tina was starting to suspect that the man in front of her wasn¡¯t the real Samuel. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be at the banquet?¡± she pointed out. Today¡¯s press conference was a grand event. Almost all of the mass media in Freesia was present. There would be many guests attending the banquet at night as well. Samuel should be present at the banquet alongside Cindy, so how could he appear in front of her? Samuel wrestled the de out of Tina¡¯s grip and threw it into a nearby trash can. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll take you to the hotel.¡± Tina finally understood what was going on when she heard Samuel¡¯s words. Since she didn¡¯t follow his instructions, he was out here looking for her. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Instead of fighting back, she chose to follow him into his car. Samuel shot a look at her, who was seated at the back obediently. The strange feeling that had been surging within him was finally appeased. He had no idea why he would be personally looking for her as well. He had other important matters to deal with, after all. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t help but worry when Tina hung up on him and didn¡¯t reply to his messages for a long time. That was why he went to look for her in person. At that moment, he was finally able to let go of his worries. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange two bodyguards for you tomorrow. Don¡¯t run out on your own next time.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was overbearing as usual. Tina didn¡¯t feel any warmth emanating from those words. She just smiled and replied mockingly, ¡°Are you that worried that I¡¯d cause more trouble by having someone to monitor me all the time, Mr. Langford?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was still cold. ¡°You can think of it that way.¡± ¡°What if I refuse toply with your orders?¡± Tina asked. She had nothing left, so she didn¡¯t want to lose thest bit of freedom she had. Almost immediately, a frown graced Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Tina, Grandma¡¯s condition mustn¡¯t get any worse.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t want to do this.¡± Tina continued to insist. ¡°You¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was tinged with fury. He felt like strangling the ungrateful woman, but he was unable to do so. The car¡¯s atmosphere went below sub-zero once again. Soon, Tina was taken to a hotel. Just when they arrived at the room, Samuel said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll fetch you tomorrow.¡± After that, he left the hotel. Tina entered the room and freshened up. Then, she realized that the hospital had sent her a message. It was a reminder for her to do her prenatal check-up tomorrow. She didn¡¯t dare to dy any of her check-ups. Since she would be returning to the Langford manor in the morning, she quickly made an afternoon appointment with the hospital. The next morning, Samuel appeared as promised and sent her back to the Langford manor. After meeting up with Madam Langford, Tina headed to the hospital on her own. But the moment Tina stepped into the hospital, someone spotted her immediately. The woman growled through gritted teeth, ¡°Tina Lynd!¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 The line of pregnant women waiting for their prenatal check-ups in the hospital was very long. After waiting for more than an hour, it was finally Tina¡¯s turn. ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s my baby?¡± She felt slightly nervous while waiting for the doctor¡¯s reply. After all, her pregnancy came so suddenly that she almost suffered from a miscarriage due to her negligence. Even though she had been taking her prenatal medicine as instructed by the doctor in order to recover properly, she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious as she waited for the doctor¡¯s reply. It was in her nature to worry for her unborn baby¡¯s safety. ¡°Your baby is two months old right now. Its heartbeat is fine, so it¡¯s doing all right in terms of growth.¡± Tina burst into happy tears when she heard the doctor¡¯s reply. She couldn¡¯t help but caress her stomach lovingly. Everything would be alright as long as her baby was doing well. ¡°However, you still have to pay attention to your health. You need to make sure you¡¯re eating nutritional meals and have enough sleep.¡± Tina thanked the doctor repeatedly before grabbing her prenatal report and leaving the office. She couldn¡¯t understand the scientific terms on the report, but she could see her tiny baby in the picture attached to it. That tiny life was currently growing within her womb. A few monthster, it would have developed into a tiny human. Soon, it would be able to stumble and crawl its way down the path before starting to learn how to walk. By that time, her child would be able to run into her arms and call out to her with a sweet, clear voice¡­ Mommy. Upon imagining that scene, Tina was filled with nothing but joy. No matter how difficult her life experiences had been so far, everything that she had gone through would be worth it if she could live peacefully with her baby. Immersed in her clustered thoughts that were filled with ns for her and her baby¡¯s future lives together, Tina failed to notice a figure sneaking behind her. Just when she had put away the prenatal report and was about to head out of the hospital, a woman¡¯s figure darted out all of a sudden and shoved her to the floor harshly. Then, the figure snatched her bag and bolted away. Tina staggered a few times and almost fell. All of her precious belongings were inside that bag, including her phone and her wallet. Anxiety flooded her senses immediately as she pursued that woman on foot. ¡°Stop right there! Give me back my bag!¡± That woman¡¯s figure was quite skinny. Driven by panic, she ducked into a secluded alleyway. Tina gritted her teeth, wondering if she should continue chasing that woman. Her thoughts were obstructed when she heard a dark voice ringing behind her. ¡°Tina Lynd, you filthy wh*re! It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯vest met!¡± Upon hearing that voice, Tina turned around to see a woman d in branded fashion apparel from head to toe. She looked like a rich woman, but her eyes were filled with nothing but hostility. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tina looked both alert and confused at the same time. ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°Of course! The entire elite society of Freesia knows all about what a filthy, seductive vixen you are! I don¡¯t understand what those men are thinking at all! You¡¯re just a in Jane in shabby clothes, so why are they so obsessed over you? Did you rely on your performance in bed to ensnare all of their hearts?¡± That woman sounded very hostile. The first thing she did was to humiliate Tina on the spot. Tina was quite confused, but she did her best to reel in her temper. Right now, she didn¡¯t want to make more enemies. ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t know you at all. Please stop humiliating me right now. Also, you must be the one instructing that woman to snatch my bag away, right? Please return my bag to me this instant, or I¡¯ll call the police!¡± That woman started cackling at the top of her lungs. ¡°You want to call the police? Sure, why not? Once the police arrive, the first thing they¡¯ll do is arrest a shameless, homewrecking vixen like you! Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll be able to seduce Frederick after this!¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Frederick? Tina couldn¡¯t help but frown the moment she heard the woman talking about Frederick ¡°Oh, I remember now. You¡¯re the woman who went on an arranged date with Mr. Jackson back then, aren¡¯t you?¡± When Tina was still working at the art studio, she happened toe across Frederick and a woman in the middle of an arranged date. However, that date quickly came to an unpleasant end due to her presence. Perhaps this woman had a grudge with her since then, and found her chance to exact revenge on Tina? ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s me, Fiona Moore!¡± The woman sounded very proud of herself. ¡°The Moores and the Jacksons are supposed to be together! No matter how much Frederick toyed with the women in the city, I¡¯m the woman he¡¯ll be marrying by the end of the day! How dare a nasty vixen like you seduce my fianc¨¦? I¡¯ll make you suffer!¡± Tina was speechless upon hearing Fiona¡¯s words. ¡°Both of you aren¡¯t even in a rtionship, and yet you¡¯re already referring to him as your fianc¨¦? Keep dreaming, Miss Moore.¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes turned as wide as dinner tes. ¡°You¡¯re just a filthy vixen from amoner¡¯s background¡­¡± ¡°All I hear is you calling me a filthy vixen. I may descend from amon background, but I have better mannerspared to you lot!¡± Tina was starting to lose her patience. ¡°I don¡¯t mind repeating myself to you. Frederick was the one who wanted to court me. Go seek him out and cause him trouble if you dare. Don¡¯t bother me anymore. Also, return my phone and wallet to me!¡± Fiona wanted to retort, but Tina suddenly pulled a de out of nowhere. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that dogs are able to jump over walls when cornered? Since I have nothing left, do you still intend to anger me even more, Miss Moore?¡± Nowadays, Tina would always bring a de along to protect herself from people who intended to cause trouble for her. As expected, Fiona turned deathly pale at the sight of the de. ¡°D-Do you even have the guts to hurt me?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you push your luck?¡± Tina snarled as she pressed the de against Fiona¡¯s neck, ferocity glinting in her eyes. A red outline appeared on Fiona¡¯s neck the moment the de was pressed into her skin. She was so scared, her knees almost gave out beneath her. Not to mention, she almost lost control of her bowel movement. ¡°P- Please don¡¯t hurt me! You, hurry and return her bag to her!¡± After retrieving her bag, Tina begrudgingly put away the de, ¡°Stoping after me. This warning isn¡¯t just for you. It¡¯s issued to everyone who intends to cause trouble for me.¡± Then, Tina left the area quickly. Fiona¡¯s hatred for her skyrocketed at that moment. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number immediately. ¡°Miss Young, this vixen is exactly as you described. She¡¯s too arrogant and evil for her own good! She almost killed me, too! I won¡¯t let her off the hook!¡± Cindy started telling Fiona her ns over the phone. Thetter listened for a long time before a look of excitement colored her face. ¡°Is it true that you have leverage over her? Are you able to make her kneel and beg for mercy? Alright, no problem! This idea is really amazing! Hahaha! I¡¯m calling my BFFs to help carry out this n with me! They all hate her guts, so they won¡¯t miss out on this chance to teach her a lesson!¡± Cindy, at the other end of the line, hung up on Fiona as a smug glint shed in her eyes. She could use Tina¡¯s pregnancy as her leverage to toy around with thetter. As long as that filthy b*tch wanted to keep her pregnancy a secret from Samuel, she would have to endure all sorts of torment Cindy would dish out. This would be very satisfying to watch. However, it wouldn¡¯t be a satisfying spectacle if Cindy were to do it alone. Not only did she want Tina to live in constant agony to the point that Tina wished for death, but Cindy also wanted Tina to be the most hated person in the elite society of Freesia. In the end, she would shatter Tina¡¯s dreams right before her eyes and drink in the raw despair and pain with her eyes. That was the best method of exacting her revenge. ¡®Tina, you won¡¯t be arrogant for much longer. Just you wait,¡¯Cindy thought darkly. ¡®I¡¯m not the only one tormenting you this time. You¡¯ll be facing an alliance of Freesia¡¯s heiresses who want nothing more than to oppress you permanently! Hahaha! Tina Lynd, you¡¯re doomed! Chapter 179 Chapter 179 After retrieving her bag, Tina didn¡¯t dare to linger in that area anymore. She went to the sidewalk in a hurry and tried to g a taxi home. However, a Stretch Lincoln Limousine suddenly pulled up in front of her. A few men in ck got out of the car swiftly. Surprised by the sudden turn of events, Tina immediately backed away from the men, her hand itching to pull out the de that she carried with her at all times. Unexpectedly, these men weren¡¯t there to cause trouble for her. Instead, they said respectfully, ¡°Mrs. Langford, pleasee with us.¡± Tina still looked vignt. ¡°What Mrs. Langford? I don¡¯t know you guys!¡± ¡°Mrs. Langford, please don¡¯t misunderstand us. Mr. Langford has prepared a surprise for you,¡± the men exined hastily. A deep frown appeared on Tina¡¯s face. She would never believe in such nonsense. As if Samuel would prepare a surprise for her! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. He hated her so much, after all. If it was a surprise, then it would be a nasty one. There was a chance he might sell her to the human trafficking ring when she least expected it. Tina didn¡¯t want to pay the men in ck any attention, so she turned on her heel and started walking away. Since those men couldn¡¯t persuade Tina to go with them, they had no choice but to dial Samuel¡¯s number. ¡°Mr. Langford, what should we do? Mrs. Langford doesn¡¯t trust us at all¡­¡± A few minutester, Tina¡¯s phone started ringing. Samuelmanded in a cold tone, ¡°Tina, turn around and get into the car right now!¡± ¡°Why do I have to get into the car? Where am I going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Are you seriously going to sell me?¡± Tina looked hypervignt at that moment. She decided to ask, ¡°If you don¡¯t exin everything to me, I won¡¯t get into the car!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Do I look like the type of person who does that?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± That answer belted out of Tina¡¯s mouth before she knew it. At the same time, she was afraid of pissing Samuel off, so she quickly changed her stance. ¡°I¡¯m worried about my own safety, all right? What will Grandma do if something bad happens to me?¡± ¡°Excellent. You¡¯re actually using my own grandmother against me.¡± Samuel sounded furious at that time. He really wanted to strangle Tina on the spot, consequences be d*mned. ¡°Woman, I already told you, didn¡¯t I? This is a surprise. I¡¯ll give you three more seconds to get into the car. Otherwise, I don¡¯t mind telling my subordinates to sell you.¡± ¡°I¡­ You¡­.¡± No matter how reluctant Tina was, she had no choice but to get into Samuel¡¯s car. Anxiety filled her heart throughout the journey. A short whileter, the car slowed down to a stop right in front of a fancy hotel, Samuel¡¯s figure could be seen standing a short distance away. Despite that, Tina could still feel the cold aura rolling off his form. He looked like he was going to kill someone anytime soon. ¡°Follow me,¡± he ordered coldly. Tina had the courage to sass back over the phone, but now, she could only shrink away from him and obey his everymand. She followed him into an elevator that took them all the way to the top floor. The moment the elevator doors were opened, the first thing she saw was countless flowers blooming in front of her. They were emitting a faint floral fragrance as well. This ce was the most beautiful establishment the hotel had. It was known as the Sky Garden. Soft music filled every nook and cranny of the Sky Garden. There was a table positioned in the middle of the garden, fancy cutlery already set atop. Dim light flickered from the candles on the table. All in all, it looked like a scene that could only be seen in dreams. Tina was stunned for a moment. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re having a candlelit dinner,¡± Samuel snapped coldly. A candlelit dinner? Tina looked even more confused. ¡°But why¡­?¡± She noticed a row of waiters standing next to the table. One of them had a camera in his hands. Realization dawned onto Tina at that very moment. Samuel was just putting on another act for Madam Langford ¡°Go change out of your clothes.¡± Samuel cast a nce in Tina¡¯s direction beforementing in displeasure, ¡°Stop wearing such shabby clothes. You make it seem as if the Langfords are treating you badly.¡± Tina didn¡¯t answer him. Instead, she started mocking him mentally. He made it sound like she was the real Mrs. Langford all along! It was as if she could change clothes every day without wearing them for the second time like Cindy. Truthfully speaking, if Tina dared to waste money on superficial things in the name of Mrs. Langford, Samuel would be the first one to settle the score with her. She had no intention of dying at all. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Soon, a waiter led Tina to a fitting room. She changed into a gown that was tailored ording to her measurements. She sat across Samuel at the table. The sight of thetter¡¯s handsome face made her space out for a brief while. It was as if she was having a candlelit dinner with the man she loved at that moment. Unfortunately, all of this was just a big, fat lie. Tina started cutting her steak quietly. After noticing the camera¡¯s sh being triggered, signaling that the picture-taking process was over, she put down her cutlery immediately ¡°Can I leave now?¡± she asked bluntly. ¡°Leave?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you putting on a show for Grandma? Now that the picture¡¯s taken, I should be able to clock off now, right?¡± Tina asked. Samuel¡¯s expression crumbled immediately ¡°Do you seriously think this is just an act for Grandma?¡± he asked darkly Tina couldn¡¯t help but shrink away. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Samuel let out a cold chuckle all of a sudden. It was true that this event was rted to Madam Langford. After Tina left earlier in the afternoon, the butler suddenly reminded Samuel that it was a special day Today happened to be Tina¡¯s birthday, a date that was shown on her identification card. Under Madam Langford¡¯s urging, Samuel made somest-minute arrangements and managed to prepare a surprise for Tina. Frankly speaking, Samuel hated the entire thing. After thinking about how he had wronged Tina in the past, he decided to suck it up and make it up to her by arranging a birthday celebration for her. But after that, things went awry. Tina had been reluctant from the start. Not only did she refuse to get into the car, but now she was also ready to leave at a moment¡¯s notice. Fury took over Samuel¡¯s senses. He no longer wanted to look at this woman. He was afraid he might strangle her for real. ¡°Get out,¡± he spat out venomously. Tina rose to her feet immediately. Then, she lifted her gown and started to run away However, she was still wearing high heels, so she identally twisted her ankle. ¡°Ah!¡± She started copsing in Samuel¡¯s direction Fear took over her. She mustn¡¯t suffer from a fall right now! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. In a moment of panic, Tina grasped onto Samuel¡¯s form and dangled off him like an octopus. Thetter couldn¡¯t help but frown. This woman¡­ The sight of her iling in panic softened his heart once more. With his arm closed around Tina¡¯s waist firmly, Samuel couldn¡¯t help but mock her with the most hurtful words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tina? Weren¡¯t you in a hurry to leave just now? Why are you so eager to fall into my arms? I definitely overestimated your endurance, Tina. You¡¯ve only kept to yourself for a few days, and yet you¡¯re already itching to seduce another man!¡± ¡°No!¡± Tina wanted to exin herself so badly. ¡°I don¡¯t usually wear high heels, so¡­¡± However, the sight of Samuel¡¯s expression told her that no matter how much she exined, he would never change his opinion of her. As long as he viewed her as a cunning and maniptive woman, he would always think that she was carrying out some sort of vile scheme no matter what she was doing. ¡°That¡¯s right. I do like seducing people, but I don¡¯t have the guts to seduce you. You did verify your rtionship with Miss Young in front of the entire city yesterday, after all. However, you¡¯re having a candlelit dinner with me today. If the mass media found out about this, they¡¯d definitely call me a home-wrecking vixen.¡± Tina¡¯s words were biting and cruel. The more she spoke, the darker Samuel¡¯s expression became. ¡°You.¡± ¡°I know. You want me to get lost.¡± Tina kicked off the high heels and left in a hurry. But just when she was about to leave via the elevator, a waiter could be seen pushing a meal cart toward her. A birthday cake filled with candles was seen on the cart. Tina was surprised when she saw the cake. ¡°A birthday? Whose birthday is it?¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 As Tina stared dumbly at the birthday cake on the serving table, her mind fizzled. She wasn¡¯t sure how to react. ¡®I don¡¯t think today is Samuel¡¯s birthday,¡¯ she thought to herself, puzzled. The waiter exined, ¡°Miss Lynd, today¡¯s your birthday! Mr. Langford brought you here so he could celebrate the asion with you!¡± From the moment the Lynd family adopted Tina, she had never celebrated her birthday. She was used to singing birthday songs and giving birthday wishes to Pearl alongside her family, every year. It was beyond Tina¡¯s expectation that Samuel would even remember her birthday, let alone celebrate it. ¡®Is this the surprise he¡¯s talking about?¡¯ she thought curiously. ¡®Oh! That¡¯s why he was so angry! I¡¯ve misunderstood his intentions!¡¯ Without hesitating for a second, she lifted the hem of her skirt and rushed outside. Right at this moment, the door of the lift opened and Samuel exited. She said immediately, ¡°Mr. Langford, I apologize. I forgot that today¡¯s my birthday! I hope you don¡¯t feel offended by what I said just now.¡± Samuel was unfazed as he continued to march forward. When he walked past her, he even maintained a distance from her deliberately and avoided eye contact. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tina stood there, motionless, as she looked at him getting into the car and leaving the ce. ¡°What¡­¡± All the waiters in the hotel were dumbfounded. They were tasked with assisting the birthday party today. Who would¡¯ve known that things would turn out so awkwardly? Once Samuel was out of sight, they erupted into heated gossip. ¡°What happened here? I thought this was a birthday surprise?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I heard that Mr. Langford is the host, I thought we¡¯d be in for generous tips today. How did things turn out to be like that?¡± ¡°That aside, who¡¯s that woman anyway? Isn¡¯t his girlfriend Miss Young? I thought that today was Miss Young¡¯s surprise party!¡± ¡°What a joke! From the way she dressed, I don¡¯t know how she managed to seduce Mr. Langford. Everything¡¯s all messed up because of her. This is just disappointing!¡± Tina picked up the hem of her dress and left the hotel with a depressed expression. When she arrived at the bus stop, the onlookers red at her with ridicule. ¡°What does she think she is? A princess?¡± ¡°A princess? Why is she taking the bus?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but why is she dressed like that in a public ce? Look, she¡¯s not even wearing shoes! Is she out of her mind?¡± Only then did Tina realize that she had been walking barefoot ever since she lost her shoes on the stairs. At this moment, she could feel waves of stabbing pain on the soles of her feet. However, it was toote to head back to the hotel now. She checked the bus schedule and found that it was thest line for today. If she missed the bus, she would have to hail a taxi back home. All her finances right now would only amount to around 2000 dors. Not only were her expenses much higher than her monthly ie, but she also had a baby on the way. By then, her expenses would be doubled. As such, she had to be meticulous when it came to spending money. After waiting in the cold wind for almost half an hour, the bus finally arrived. The people jostled through one another and rushed into the bus. Tina wouldn¡¯t dare to squeeze in with the crowd. She covered her stomach and waited for everyone to enter. Her legs were numb and weak after standing in the corner for a long time After switching bus lines two times, she finally arrived at the vi. Right now, it was alreadyte at night. The security guard saw a ghost-like shadow and was almost scared to death. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me¡­¡± Tina said weakly. The guard slid the gun back into his pocket. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Miss Lynd. I¡¯m sorry, I mean Mrs. Langford. Wee back!¡± There wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of respect in his tone, and his sarcasm was quite obvious. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Tina returned to her room with a haggard appearance and changed her attire. There were several deep scratches on her leg. While she was cleaning her wound, it was so painful that herplexion was pale as a ghost. Due to the severity of her wounds, she would have to limp for a while. Exhausted, all she wanted to do right now was rest. However, she still had to apologize to Samuel for ruining the birthday surprise. She walked out of her room and asked tentatively, ¡°Is Mr. Langford back home?¡± ¡°He came back two hours ago. Right now, he¡¯s spending time with Madam Langford in the garden.¡± The maid said, and sized Tina up rudely. ¡°Madam Langford said you were supposed to celebrate your birthday with Mr. Langford today. Where did you go? Why are you back sote at night?¡± Tina didn¡¯t reply to her question. Instead, she limped towards the garden slowly. Behind her, the maids chuckled. ¡°I think Mr. Langford stood her up!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! When she came back home just now, she didn¡¯t even have her shoes on! What does she think she is? Cindere?¡± ¡°What a joke!¡± At this point, Tina was already used to people talking behind her back. She tried her best to ignore the snidements thrown at her. Finally, she arrived at the garden. Madam Langford was resting, while Samuel was peeling some fruits for her. Looking at the heartwarming scene, Tina¡¯s heart melted. Madam Langford squinted andProperty ? N?velDrama.Org. squawked, ¡°Who¡¯s there? Is it Tina?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± Tina showed herself. ¡°Why are you here? Samuel said you¡¯re resting!¡± Samuel shot a prating re at Tina, warning her in silence. Tina held Madam Langford¡¯s hand and said sweetly, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here to pay you a visit. I¡¯ve missed you today.¡± ¡°I miss you too, darling. The only people who care about me in this entire household are you and Samuel.¡± Although Madam Langford¡¯s eyesight had deteriorated, she was still aware of Tina¡¯s love for her. Tina nced at Samuel. Noticing that Samuel wasn¡¯t even looking at her, she asked, ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡¯ll peel the fruits for you.¡± ¡°Why are you calling him Mr. Langford?¡± Madam Langford asked. ¡°I mean, Samuel!¡± Tina hurriedly covered her mouth in shock. Samuel was unfazed, ¡°Grandma, please have some apples.¡± Madam Langford frowned and stared at the couple squarely. Instantly, suspicion rose inside her. ¡°Have you guys been fighting? What did you do, Samuel?!¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Tina quickly exined. ¡°Samuel nned a birthday surprise for me today. I was so happy!¡± Madam Langford could already sense what was wrong. ¡°What happened during the birthday surprise?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t hide the facts any longer. She had no choice but to tell Madam Langford that she had never celebrated her birthday before, and that she almost misunderstood Samuel¡¯s intentions. Madam Langford sighed. She held both Tina¡¯s hands. ¡°The fact that the two of you can be together as a couple today is truly a blessing. Setbacks like this are bound to happen. Just treat it as a stepping stone and return even stronger. Don¡¯t let a small thing affect your rtionship.¡± ¡°Also, Samuel! I understand what Tina said might¡¯ve hurt your feelings, but you have to know that she has experienced so much in life. Despite her rough past, she still remains a kind soul. You have to cherish her, okay?¡± This was the first time Madam Langford spoke so much since she got out of the hospital. Madam Langford joined Samuel and Tina¡¯s hands, and went on. ¡°Although the birthday surprise didn¡¯t go as nned, as long as we are still a family, nothing can stand in our way.¡± ¡°Tina, make a wish,¡± Madam Langford said to Tina with a gentle smile. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 A family? C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org When Tina heard that, her eyes went red immediately. How good would that be if they were actually a family! Tina held both their hands, closed her eyes, and made her birthday wish. This was the first birthday she had ever spent with good wishes alongside her family. Her wish was simple. As long as Madam Langford could live a long and healthy life and her baby could be born healthy, Tina had nothing else to wish for. ¡°Have you made your wish?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A warm smile appeared on Tina¡¯s face. Samuel was drawn to her smile, and his expression softened when he looked at her. Snap! Before anyone realized it, the butler had taken a picture of that heartwarming scene just now. ¡°That was a pretty moment there. I couldn¡¯t help but take a picture.¡± ¡°Let me see it!¡± Madam Langford said. ¡°Tina¡¯s smile looks so warm and bright. At the same time, Mr. Langford¡¯s gaze at Tina seemed so genuine and happy. Just one look and I can feel the emotions inside this picture.¡± The butler was telling the truth. In the photo, Samuel¡¯s eyes looked gentle, and he had a warm smile on his face. Tina¡¯s expression turned red all of a sudden. She didn¡¯t know that Samuel was looking at her just now. She nced at him again, and noticed that Samuel¡¯s eyes had turned cold and stern again. Looking at his current appearance, Tina assumed that it might have been the angle of the camera that made Samuel look different than usual. Since it was alreadyte at night, Madam Langford was tired. However, she was still in a good mood. Before she went to sleep, she asked the butler to make a physical copy of the photo as a keepsake. Tina held Samuel¡¯s hand, and the seemingly loving couple left the garden. His palms were so big and wide that her hand could easily fit in his grasp. For some reason, his warm grasp gave Tina a false sense of security. The moment they left, Samuel loosened his grip and turned in another direction, leaving Tina to walk to her room all by herself. The next day, Tina noticed that the butler had hung the photo in the most conspicuous space in the house, Tina was shocked to see it. ck-jawed, she stammered, ¡°W-What¡­¡± ¡°Madam Langford wanted it to be there, so we could always remember this loving memory of you and Mr. Langford.¡± ¡®A loving memory?¡¯ she thought incredulously. ¡°Can you give me a copy too?¡± Tina asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Tina noted down the date the photo was taken, and then wrote two words behind the photo. ¡®My Family¡¯ Her family didn¡¯t only consist of Madam Langford, Samuel, and her. Her baby, who was currently inside her, was included as well. However, that was a secret only she knew for now. Just when Tina was about to keep the photo in her pocket, someone snatched it away. Tina looked up, only to see Cindy looming over her. Cindy looked at the photo, hatred and jealousy brimming in her insidious eyes. ¡°I heard Samuel nned a surprise birthday party for you yesterday.¡± ¡°How dare you hang the photo up there without my permission! Tina, you truly are a shameless sl*t!¡± ¡°Madam Langford¡¯s the one who wanted to hang it up,¡± Tina exined. Cindy flipped the photo over, and saw the words Tina wrote down just a moment ago. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Cindy spat sarcastically, ¡°Your family? An orphan like you needs to stop fantasizing about having a family! You should know your ce! Right now, you¡¯re only a tool!¡± Cindy¡¯s words were like a bucket of cold water sshed at Tina, pulling Tina back to reality Then, Cindy tore the picture into pieces and threw them on the floor. ¡°Come to a nightclub called The Jewel tonight. That¡¯s where a shameless sl*t like you belongs!¡± A nightclub? Tina frowned and asked cautiously, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also nned a surprise for you!¡± A crooked smile appeared on Cindy¡¯s face as she continued, ¡°You¡¯d better be punctual, or else.¡± Cindy¡¯s threatening gaze fell on Tina¡¯s stomach. Tina¡¯s face went as pale as paper. Only after seeing Tina¡¯s reaction did Cindy leave with triumph. Tina was akin to a deted balloon, all hope and strength in her disappearing as she stared at the torn pieces on the ground in dismay The only thing she could hold on to right now was her baby. The baby was her only family, and she would do everything to protect it by keeping its existence a secret Ever since Cindy knew about her secret, the former had been taking advantage of this weakness of hers. No matter how cruel Cindy treated her, Tina had no choice but to endure it. Later, at The Jewel. It was around seven at night, and there weren¡¯t a lot of people around The moment Tina turned up, the staff recognized her immediately. ¡°Are you Tina Lynd?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Come with me,¡± the staff said with an eerie smile. He brought her to a private lounge and said, ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting for you inside.¡± Tina was hesitant at first, but the staff pushed her inside. Shockingly, she didn¡¯t smell smoke and alcohol, but the scent of makeup and perfume wafted in the air Inside was a group of women, all dolled up to the nines. They looked upon Tina contemptuously and spoke to her in a high and mighty tone. ¡°You¡¯re Tina, right?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I thought you¡¯d look like an angel, but I guess I was wrong.¡± ¡°How disappointing!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re going to have fun today!¡± When Tina saw Fiona amongst the socialites, she instantly knew that they were plotting revenge against her. ¡°What do you want?¡± Tina stood straight despite the fact she was in a den of scheming vipers. Suddenly, someone threw a piece of cloth at her. It was a ragged shirt with many visible holes. ¡°Since you¡¯re a jobless whore who likes seducing men, we thought about a way to help you!¡± Fiona eximed proudly, ¡°After a long discussion, we thought you¡¯d do well working as a hostess in this night club.¡± ¡°Every single socialite in Freesia is aware of your long history of seducing men! While two timing John Carter and Samuel Langford, you even managed to get Frederick Jackson to fall head over heels over you! We¡¯re not the only ones excited to meet you. Even the men are all waiting to see you!¡± ¡°If you work here, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a lot of men asking for your service. Who knows? If you work hard enough, you might earn a years¡¯ worth of sry just by working for a few nights only.¡± ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s not a bad deal, right?¡±. Tina finally understood what Cindy meant by her surprise. ¡°What if I disagree?¡± Tina gritted her teeth. Fiona scoffed. ¡°Then your secret will be exposed to the public!¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious. What¡¯s your secret? Do you have STDs?¡± The moment someone asked that, all of the women pulled themselves away from Tina. It was as if they would get infected from being in the same room as Tina. ¡°The night club¡¯s about to open. Get dressed and earn that bread!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be here, watching your performance. Let¡¯s see if you can seduce all the men there!¡± The women couldn¡¯t wait to see Tina make a fool of herself. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Tina clenched her fists in anger. She knew she had gotten on the bad side of the rich people of high society in Freesia. If she refused them today, she knew they would stille up with another way to torture her. What was more, it was true she was broke. Her reputation was in ruins to begin with. It didn¡¯t matter if it got even worse now. She had nothing to lose, anyway. Tina didn¡¯t show them the slightest of emotion as she picked up the ragged shirt. She looked into the women¡¯s eyes, which were filled with excitement, and said, ¡°Are you sure I can earn money like this? You¡¯re not lying to me, right?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re not. Everyone who frequents this nightclub is all rich. They won¡¯t leave without tipping generously.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Tina hugged the clothes and turned to leave. When she showed herself in the crowd, everyone shot her a condescending look. They sized her up and commented rudely among themselves. ¡°Is she the one? She looks so in! I don¡¯t think she¡¯s any different from prostitutes!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! Did Frederick get into trouble because of this chick?¡± ¡°Are the rumors even true? Did she really make all the men fall head over heels over her?¡± ¡°Haha! Youngdy, why don¡¯t you perform for us? Let¡¯s see just how you managed to seduce all the reputable men in Freesia! If we¡¯re satisfied with your performance, we¡¯ll tip you a few thousand. What do you say?¡± The men were tant with their speech, and some of them even tried to molest her. Tina avoided their touch, which incurred their wrath. ¡°You sl*t, why are you pretending to be innocent? You¡¯ve agreed to this!¡± ¡°Stop her from leaving!¡± ¡°Kneel and apologize to us right now, or we won¡¯t let you off that easily today!¡± ¡°You hear that? Nobody¡¯s here to save you!¡± Tina wanted to fight back, but someone forced her to kneel on the ground. The crowd closed in to see what was happening. They were all humiliating Tina, treating her like aplete joke. A man then ced a pile of money on the ground and stepped on it with his expensive shoes. ¡°This money is all yours if you lick my shoe until it¡¯s clean!¡± All the women wereughing at Tina as well, amused. ¡°Let¡¯s see if she still has the guts to seduce rich men in the future!¡± ¡°Quick, take a video and send it to Frederick right now! Let him see just how despicable this woman is!¡± While they were about to record the video, amotion echoed from outside. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Frederick¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he grounded by his father? Why is he here?!¡± Frederick showed up, bursting into the crowd. Without hesitation, he balled his hand into a fist and punched the man who had forced Tina to kneel on the ground. ¡°How dare you treat her like this! Do it again, and I¡¯ll kill you!¡± he threatened, baring his teeth. Then, he pulled Tina¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, right now!¡± ¡°Stand right there! You¡¯re not allowed to leave!¡± Fiona was exasperated. She rushed towards them to block their way, panicky. ¡°Frederick, you¡¯re my fiance now! I forbid you to associate yourself with this woman in any way!¡± ¡°And as for you! You sl*t, aren¡¯t you worried that your secret might be exposed to the public? If you leave now, I¡¯ll make sure the whole world knows about it!¡± Tina shoved Frederick¡¯s hand away. ¡°Frederick, I won¡¯t leave with you. I am not held here against my will. I¡¯m just here to apany them while they drink. Nothing bad will happen to me!¡± She had owed too much to Frederick, and she didn¡¯t want his father to punish him because of her anymore. Frederick was worried and anxious. Tina was too innocent. Did she really think that they would let her off that easily just because sheplied? ¡°What¡¯s your secret? Tell me! I can help you!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t! Just go! I don¡¯t want your father to find fault with me, either. If that happens, I¡¯ll be in big trouble. Who will save me? I¡¯m just a normal person with no power and connections whatsoever!¡± Tina blurted, exasperated. She was so, so tired of everything. Frederick gritted his teeth. Finally, he said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave. But let me make this clear to everyone. Anyone here who dares to harm Tina in any way won¡¯t have a good ending! I¡¯ll make sure to tear you limb by limb and make your life a living hell!¡± The moment he said that, everyone was stunned. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Fiona was furious. Her goal was to torture Tina and ensure Tina made a fool of herself. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. However, the tides had turned drastically! Her own fiance turned against her and protected that sl*t instead! Now, she had humiliated herself in front of everyone. ¡°Frederick, you b*stard! How dare you protect her instead of me! At first, I didn¡¯t want to make things too difficult for her, but now, I¡¯ll kill her right here!¡± Having said that, Fiona rushed toward Tina like a maniac. She couldn¡¯t wait to tear Tina¡¯s pretty face into pieces. Only when Frederick dragged Fiona out of the lounge did the situation finally die down. The crowd lost their interest after the ensuing drama. ¡°How did things turn out like this? How disappointing!¡± ¡°I know, right? This is just disappointing.¡± The nightclub, which was booming with business at the beginning, lost its customers one by one, leaving nothing but a mess in the lounge. Tina closed her eyes. She prayed they would stop finding faults with her after this incident. Although Tina was exhausted, she still bent down and picked up the cash notes one by one from the ground. It was just like Fiona said. She did earn a lot tonight, and that was around 300 dors per night. She kept the notes in her pocket. Tomorrow, she would go to the bank and keep the money for future use. Just as she was about to change and return home, she realized she had a few missed calls. Upon closer inspection, she was shocked to discover that all of them were from Samuel. Before she left the house, she remembered the butler had informed her that Samuel had gone on a business trip. It was why Cindy was bold enough to show up at the manor this morning. Why would Samuel call her thiste at night? Tina was curious, but when she called him back, he didn¡¯t pick up the phone for some reason. So, she called the butler to ask if Samuel had returned to the manor. However, the butler¡¯s anxious tone echoed through the receiver the moment he picked it up. ¡°Miss Lynd, where have you gone the entire night? I searched the entire manor, but I still couldn¡¯t find you anywhere!¡± ¡°Madam Langford¡¯s illness got worse and she¡¯s already been sent to the hospital. You should head to the hospital now!¡± The butler¡¯s words were like a bomb exploding into Tina¡¯s ears. With her head buzzing in shock, Tina asked, ¡°Grandma¡¯s in the hospital now? How can this be?! She seemed fine yesterday!¡± ¡°I still need to go and pick up Mr. Langford. You should head to the hospital right now, Miss Lynd.¡± After he told her the hospital¡¯s address, he hung up immediately. Tina¡¯s legs went weak as she wobbled unsteadily. She had to go to the hospital this instant! Without a second of dy, she stormed outside and tried to hail for a taxi. However, none of the taxis were willing to take her in as a customer. They all acted like they didn¡¯t see her at all. Anxious, she stood in the middle of the road and waved her arms frantically. Finally, she managed to get a taxi to stop by the road. Before the taxi driver could yell at her, she took out a few big notes and interrupted him. ¡°I need to go to the hospital now! Whatever the fee is, I¡¯ll pay you!¡± Finally, she arrived at the hospital. As she rushed toward the entrance, the security guard immediately barred her from entry. ¡°You can¡¯t go in!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± Tina sounded frantic. Right at this moment, an exorbitant car stopped at the entrance and a man stepped out. When he saw Tina, he spoke to her in a cold and degrading tone. ¡°Tina! Why are you dressed like a whore at a hospital? What exactly are you ying at?¡± Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Samuel shot her a prating re, the hatred in his eyes evident. Only then did Tina realize she was still wearing the outfit from the nightclub. No wonder none of the taxis were willing to stop for her! Even the security guard wouldn¡¯t let her inside the hospital. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Her attire suggested that she was a prostitute trying to get customers! Tina didn¡¯t know how to exin herself. The security guard was dumbfounded as well. Little did he know, the frivolous-looking woman was acquainted with Samuel! ¡°Mr. Langford, can I know if¡­?¡± the guard stuttered. Samuel strode forward and ordered, ¡°Make sure she changes into decent clothing before she¡¯s allowed to enter the hospital!¡± Tina gritted her teeth. He was right. She shouldn¡¯t visit Madam Langford in that attire. She ran to the shops nearby and bought some decent clothes. Finally, she was allowed inside the hospital ward In the ward, the doctor was having a serious discussion with Samuel. ¡°Madam Langford¡¯s illness has a very high chance of rpsing. If you sent her to the hospital even a little bitter, her condition would¡¯ve worsened.¡± ¡°Although we have resuscitated her sessfully, she¡¯ll have to stay here for further observation I¡¯m not sure when she¡¯ll wake up. Even if she did, she¡¯s also at risk of partial paralysis of the body¡­¡±. With his face contorted with fury, Samuel directed his anger at the maids standing from afar Sandy, who was standing beside him, interrogated them, ¡°You have one job! That is to check up on Madam Langford constantly. How did Madam Langford turn out like this if you did your job?! Exin yourselves!¡± The maids were so scared that they knelt on the ground, They knew Madam Langford didn¡¯t have long to live anyway, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention to her. After they put her to bed, the maids gathered and yed cards together. That was why they didn¡¯t realize Madam Langford¡¯s rpse. 11 their behavior were toe to light, the consequences would be grave. Not only would they be fired, but their lives would also be in danger! Right at this moment, a maid saw Tina outside the ward entrance. She was quick to shout and me Tina ¡°Mt Langford, please forgive us. We actually spent the entire night looking for Miss Lynd!¡± Several maids added to her story, wanting to save themselves. ¡°Madarn Langford was worded about Miss Lynd¡¯s sudden disappearance at night. She wanted us to find her, but we didn¡¯t know things would turn out like this!¡± ¡°It¡¯s highly possible that her condition got worse because she was very worried about Miss Lynd!¡± ¡°She¡¯s right! We are all just doing what Madam Langford wanted us to do. Please, you have to forgive us!¡± Not only did they rid themselves of any ountability, but they even med everything on Tina. Right at this moment, Mrs. Langford and Cindy had also arrived. When they heard that, Mrs. Langford pped Tina forcefully on the face. ¡°You sl*t! How dare you make all of this happen!¡± ¡°Are you happy now? Madam Langford¡¯s condition got worse because of you!¡± Tina knelt on the ground. In a daze, she couldn¡¯t even feel the pain on her cheeks as her mind fell into a complete mess. Tina didn¡¯t know that her disappearance would cause Madam Langford so much distress, to the extent the olddy had to be sent to the hospital. ¡°Take her away and lock her up! Don¡¯t ever think of letting her go!¡± Mrs. Langford took the opportunity to get rid of Tina once and for all. A group of guards dragged Tina out of the hospital immediately. Samuel, who was aware of everything that happened, didn¡¯t even think about saving her. It was obvious he believed everyone¡¯s false usations, Cindy, on the other hand, was ted. Her n was a sess! She had sessfully killed two birds with one stone! Chapter 188 Chapter 188 After Cindy threatened Tina out of the manor that very same night, she bribed one of the maids to change Madam Langford¡¯s prescription to induce a sudden rpse. That way, she could me everything that happened to Tina. Now, it was evident that her goals had been met. Cindy tried to add fuel to fire and pretended to ask worriedly, ¡°Samuel¡­ Normally, Miss Lynd won¡¯t leave the manorte at night. Why did Grandma¡¯s condition get worse the moment she left? Something must¡¯ve happened today. Sandy, run an investigation and figure out what Miss Lynd was up to just now.¡± Sandy looked at Samuel. Since Samuel didn¡¯t voice anything, his silence meant consent. After a few minutes, Sandy, who looked shocked, presented his findings to Samuel. It was a video. Tina was at a nightclub, barely wearing anything. Around her was a group of men glowering at her with lustful eyes. What happened next was Frederick dragging her to leave, followed by Fiona¡¯s appearance and her fight with Tina. Cindy had gone through heavy edits to the video. She wanted Samuel to see for himself just how inappropriate Tina¡¯s behavior was. In Samuel¡¯s eyes, Tina had taken advantage of his business trip to seduce men in the nightclub and meet up with Frederick. Somehow, the news got into Madam Langford¡¯s ears, which triggered a rpse. With his eyes reflecting coldness, he grew so furious that heughed out loud. ¡°I see now! This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Tina¡¯s shown her true colors. She just never learns, does she?¡± ¡°If anything happens to Grandma, I¡¯ll make sure she suffers a painful death!¡± ¡°I knew something was very wrong with that woman! She deserves to die!¡± Mrs. Langford scoffed. Then, she added, ¡°Samuel, we¡¯re all aware of your grandmother¡¯s condition. The doctors aren¡¯t even sure when she¡¯ll wake up. Why don¡¯t you give her a surprise when she wakes up?¡± ¡°A surprise?¡± Cindy asked. Mrs. Langford continued, ¡°You should get pregnant with Samuel¡¯s child as soon as possible! That way, I¡¯m sure Madam Langford will get better! Samuel, your grandma has always yearned for a great-grandchild. Why don¡¯t you fulfill her wish now?¡± With a flushedplexion, Cindy looked shyly at Samuel. ¡°Samuel, should we¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this matterter, Samuel replied with a cold tone. Then, he turned to the ward without another word. Samuel¡¯s mother was anxious. ¡°Why is he giving you that attitude? Didn¡¯t you tell me both of you have slept together? If he has agreed to marry you, why is he behaving like that?¡± Cindy was flustered as well, To Samuel, that night was nothing but a mistake, Topensate for her losses, he had agreed to crown her as his official wife. However, he made a point to never sleep with her again, However, Cindy couldn¡¯t tell Mrs. Langford the truth. Instead, she tried her best to exin, ¡°I think Samuel¡¯s not in the mood to do that right now. After all, he¡¯s very worried about his grandmother.¡± Mrs. Langford pressed on further, ¡°No matter what, you should get pregnant as soon as possible. Only then will your position in this household be secured! How can youpete against that sl*t otherwise?¡± ¡°I can help you now, since Tina¡¯s the only one in the way. But what if other women showed up to seduce Samuel in the future? I¡¯ll be honest with you. There¡¯s only so much I can do if that happens. You need to have a child to bind your rtionship with Samuel!¡± Cindy was worried as well. Of course she knew that! Samuel, being a man who valued blood rtions, wouldn¡¯t abandon her if they had children together. But she couldn¡¯t just conjure out a child out of nowhere, right? Right at this moment, a sinister thought shed across her mind. She stopped panicking. A wicked smile graced her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll get pregnant in no time, ¡° Cindy eximed determinedly. Satisfied with her reply, Mrs. Langford said, ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± In the hospital, everyone surrounded Madam Langford¡¯s ward. When it was finally daybreak, Madam Langford¡¯s condition turned for the better. Only then did everyone go back home. Even Samuel went to the resting lounge to catch up on some sleep. Right at this moment, Cindy snuck up to the guard and asked, ¡°May I know where Tina is currently being held?¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Tina, meanwhile, had been dragged to the underground cell. The cell was cold and damp. After struggling to sleep for the entire night, her legs were constantly cramping. What was more rming was that she felt pain in her stomach as well. As of now, she didn¡¯t know if she was suffering from gastric issues, or her baby¡¯s life was in jeopardy. Thinking about her baby¡¯s safety, Tina was terrified. Last time, she almost lost her baby. Would she be going through the pain of almost losing her baby again? No! She wouldn¡¯t let that happen! Right at this moment, Tina heard footsteps from afar. Soon after, the sound of the lock being opened sounded from just outside ¡°Miss Young, you¡¯re here!¡± When Tina heard the people outside chattering, her face turned inexplicably pale. As expected, Cindy appeared just outside her cell. She covered her nose and said with disgust,¡± Ugh! Every time I meet you, Tina, your situation is worse than thest!¡± ¡°What are you here for?¡± Tina covered her stomach, eyes filled with hopelessness. ¡°Miss Young, are you going against your word now? I¡¯ve already done everything you told me to do What more do you want?¡±. Cindy¡¯s eyes were filled with menace as she looked at her own t stomach. Jealousy rose inside her. ¡®Ugh, I hate her so much! Why is she the one who got pregnant instead of me?! Soon, the fetus would pose a threat for Cindy¡¯s rtionship with Samuel! Thinking about this, she smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go back against my word.¡± Tina gritted her teeth. She doubted Cindy was speaking the truth. However, she was left with no choice. ¡°Miss Young, I beg of you. Please get me a doctor! My stomach hurts!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Seriously?¡± Cindy then looked at Tina¡¯s excruciating expression. ¡®She¡¯s not faking it!¡¯ Cindy thought, panicky. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s losing the baby! Why¡¯s she doing this to me now?!¡¯ Cindy walked out of the underground cell and ordered the guards, ¡°Take her to the hospital Tlow!¡± ¡°But Miss Young, Mr. Langford said that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin it to Samuel myself¡± Cindy snapped, sounding really arrogant, The guards knew who Cindy was to Samuel. So, they took Tina to the hospital immediately. Tina was unconscious for a while before she heard someone yelling beside her ear and startling her awake. ¡°Get up, now! Just how long are you nning to sleep?¡± ¡°Seriously, do you really think you¡¯re Mr. Langford¡¯s wife?¡± Tina forced her eyes open, only to realize she had left the underground cell and had arrived at the maids¡¯ living quarters. Noticing that Tina had woken up, they threw a set of clothes onto her. ¡°Tina, this is your working outfit.¡± ¡°My working outfit?¡± Tina repeated, confused. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Cindy, you wouldn¡¯t be released so soon! You should be thankful that she¡¯s pregnant!¡± The maid continued with a condescending tone. ¡°However, Mr. Langford made it a point that he won¡¯t let you off the hook that easily. To pay for your crimes, you are to serve the Langford family until you die!¡± When Tina heard that, she fell into a daze. ¡°Miss Young is pregnant?¡± ¡°Miss Young has been pregnant for two months, and Mr. Langford has allowed her to stay at his home now. She is to be Mr. Langford¡¯s official wife. You have no use for him anymore!¡± ¡°What are you waiting for? Get dressed and start cleaning the house!¡± Tina¡¯s head was buzzing in terror. The moment she woke up, she felt as if the sky was falling down. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Tina changed into a maid¡¯s uniform, and was promptly forced to sweep the backyard. The backyard was a beautiful ce, with flower petals scattered everywhere. However, the maids dreaded cleaning that area because there was just no ending to the falling petals. Now, the maids had assigned Tina the hardest job. Tina asked around for Madam Langford¡¯s condition. When she heard that her condition had stabilized, she heaved a sigh of relief. While she was sweeping the ground, the maids¡¯ voice echoed from afar. ¡°Mr. Langford¡¯s back!¡± Tina froze. Then, she saw a car slowing down at the entrance. Soon after, Samuel got out of the car and red hatefully at Tina with his eagle-like eyes. Tina jumped in shock. She thought Samuel was going to punish her again, but he averted his gaze. Then, he spoke in a gentle and caring tone that Tina never heard of before, ¡°Cindy, we¡¯re here. Let¡¯s go.¡± Holding on to Samuel¡¯s hand, Cindy smiled brightly. It was as if they were reliving the scene at the press conference. That day, they looked so perfect on TV, as if they were made for each other. ¡°Ouch!¡± Suddenly, Cindy¡¯s legs went weak and she threw herself into Samuel¡¯s arms. ¡°Samuel, my legs hurt a lot¡­ I think they¡¯re cramping!¡± Cindy wailed pitifully. Samuel wasn¡¯t angry at all as he carried Cindy in his arms. He walked into the manor under the admiring gazes of everyone. ¡°Mr. Langford and Miss Young look like the perfect pair! I¡¯m so jealous!¡± ¡°Hey, watch your mouth. We should address her as Mrs. Langford from now on.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Yes, Mrs. Lanford is truly a beauty!¡± While they were talking, they couldn¡¯t help but nce at Tina. Tina was about to continue her chores when someone yelled at her again, ¡°Tina! I heard that you are good at cooking! Go and prepare some dessert for Mrs. Langford! It¡¯s time you make up for everything you¡¯ve done for the Langford family!¡± Tina strode to the living room, In the living room, Samuel¡¯s mother held on to a medical report. She looked at it before making a satisfactory remark to Samuel and Cindy. ¡°This is great news! Congrattions! I¡¯m happy for you! Now, I can finally feel at ease.¡± ¡°Samuel, your grandmother will be happy when she knows about Cindy¡¯s pregnancy!¡± Cindy rested her head on Samuel¡¯s shoulder. While caressing her t stomach, she asked with a flushed complexion, ¡°Samuel, I didn¡¯t expect to get pregnant so soon! What should we name our child? I wonder if it¡¯s a boy or a girl.¡± Looking at the heart-warming scene, Tina felt bitter inside. She lowered her head and quickened her steps to leave. However, Samuel¡¯s mother noticed her and immediately let out a scornful screech. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Tina Lynd? Why is she here?¡± Samuel¡¯s mother snarled sarcastically. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay! I heard she¡¯s really good at cooking. Since Madam Langford hasn¡¯t woken up yet, she can help around the house.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see that sl*t walking around the house!¡± Samuel¡¯s mother scoffed. Her eyesnded on the picture hanging on the wall. That picture was taken on Tina¡¯s birthday. In the picture, Madam Langford was holding on to Tina and Samuel¡¯s hands. They looked like a perfect family. Yet at the moment, it seemed out of ce at the moment. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Get rid of that picture this instant! I don¡¯t want to see it anywhere in the house!¡± Tina¡¯s heart turned cold. That was the only picture she shared with Madam Langford. Right at this moment, Samuel spoke. ¡°Wait.¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Tina raised her head and looked at Samuel Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. For some reason, she was secretly looking forward to Samuel¡¯s response Mrs. Langford¡¯s face dropped instantly ¡°Samuel, do you feel bad for this lowly woman?¡± she seethed. ¡°Remember what she¡¯s done to you!¡± ¡°She¡¯s been having so many affairs with men, and yet your grandmother still chooses to believe her! Look at what happened to your grandmother now! She¡¯s in aa in the hospital!¡± ¡°What¡¯s more, Cindy is the one who¡¯s pregnant with your child! Are you really going to choose that slot over Cindy?¡± Cindy didn¡¯t utter a word as she caressed her t stomach, putting on a sad expression as she did so. ¡°Samuel, please¡­¡± Samuel wasn¡¯t oblivious to the situation. He looked at Tina, who was standing from afar Tina looked so thin and vulnerable in that oversized uniform¡­ However, Samuel couldn¡¯t let his emotions ovee his rational mind He still remembered everything Tina had done to his family As such, he revealed a sinister smile. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he snarled. ¡°I don¡¯t feel bad for her at all.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t feelfortable throwing away that picture because Grandma¡¯s in it. I¡¯ll think of a way to rub her annoying presence from the picture.¡± Tina¡¯s heart sank when she heard that. On the other hand, Cindy smiled proudly at his remark. It seemed Tina was of no use to Samuel anymore. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Samuel¡¯s mother added, ¡°Hey, you! Do what Samuel suggested just now. As for you, Tina, what are you standing there for?! Get on with your work!¡± Quickly, that picture was removed from the wall. Every maid in the manor knew that Tina was nowpletely abandoned by Samuel The only reason he left her in the manor was to torture her with crass work So, the maids assigned all the challenging and tedious work to Tina These days, Tina was tasked to cook all the meals, scrub the floors, and clean every nook and cranny of the house. Just when she was done with the chores in the kitchen, several maids blocked her way ¡°Tina, why are you out so early? Are you done with all the chores?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re cking off!¡± Tina replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done. You can inspect the area if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Her calm and collected demeanor infuriated the maids. Tina was just a nobody with no power and status in society whatsoever. After being noticed by Madam Langford, she was briefly crowned as Samuel¡¯s wife before she was forcefully turned into freebor in the manor. Thinking about Tina¡¯s past triumph, the maids were green with envy. Now that Tina had fallen to this position, the maids wanted to see her grovel and beg for forgiveness. Yet, Tina held her head high and remained stubborn. ¡°Why are you giving me an attitude? You¡¯re not Mr. Langford¡¯s wife anymore, remember?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a lowly maid with no ce in this household!¡± Then, all of the maids rushed into the kitchen and made a mess. They spilled all the food waste on the floor and smashed some of the tes, leaving the shards littering the floor. ¡°You¡¯re being too unreasonable!¡± Tina wanted to stop them, but someone pulled her back and she almost fell to the ground. Looking at Tina¡¯s change in demeanor, they were all beyond satisfied. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 ¡°Who says we¡¯re being unreasonable? This is just karma eating back at you! Who told you to get on Mrs. Langford¡¯s bad side? You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re still alive right now!¡± ¡°She¡¯s right! Clean up everything in the kitchen. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll have to starve!¡± ¡°She can just eat the garbage!¡± They left,ughing all the way. To make things worse, they even took away Tina¡¯s cleaning tools, forcing her to pick up the trash one by one with her hand. Tina heaved in a big breath and bent down to do the chores. If it wasn¡¯t for her, Madam Langford¡¯s condition wouldn¡¯t have grown worse. She had to wait for the old lady to wake up from hera. Right as Tina was picking up the shards, someone stepped hard on the back of her hand. Caught unaware, the shards prated Tina¡¯s skin and blood flowed out of her palms. Pain stabbed at her palms. The agony was so excruciating that Tina couldn¡¯t even make out a sound. What followed was Cindy¡¯s apologetic voice. ¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m so sorry for identally stepping on your hand! I didn¡¯t see you on the ground there, cowering like a dog!¡± Cindy didn¡¯t have a visible baby bump yet, but she was still wearing loose clothes meant for pregnant women. Although she looked frail and vulnerable, the force she exerted on Tina¡¯s hand was so strong that it almost broke Tina¡¯s bones. ¡°Push me away if you dare,¡± Cindy continued with contempt. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m not only Samuel¡¯s wife, but also the mother of his child. If you dare to even touch me, I¡¯ll make sure Samuel knows about it! You¡¯ll dread what¡¯s going to happen next!¡± Tina gritted her teeth. Though her forehead was filled with beads of sweat, she didn¡¯t utter a single word ofint. Of course, Tina was more than aware of how important Cindy was to Samuel. She had already caused harm to Madam Langford. If anything happened to Cindy and her baby, she wouldn¡¯t get out of here alive. Cindy stomped on Tina¡¯s palm a few times, but was irked when Tina wasn¡¯t giving her any reaction. So, she loosened her grip. ¡°How disappointing. I thought you were going to beg for forgiveness!¡± Tina smiled weakly, but she retorted with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°Miss Young, oh no, Mrs. Langford. Are you here just so you can step on my hands?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Cindy caressed her stomach and added, ¡°Samuel¡¯s really busy nowadays. He has to work and take care of Grandma at the same time.¡± ¡°As for me, I¡¯m now pregnant with the sole heir of the Langford family. I¡¯m busy taking care of my own body, so I can¡¯t apany him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I need someone to design theyout of the room for my baby. I don¡¯t feelfortable having the maids decorate the room for me. So, I thought of you!¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re also pregnant, I think you¡¯re more suitable to take on that task. Am I right?¡± Although Cindy sounded really calm and gentle, her words were like sharp knives stabbing into Tina¡¯s heart. They were both pregnant with Samuel¡¯s child, but the mistreatment aimed at Tina was more than obvious. Since Cindy was the only woman Samuel had ever loved, he would definitely provide the best education and a loving environment for her baby to grow up in. As for Tina¡­ Given her lowly family background, she and her baby would deserve nothing near that. Now, Tina¡¯s secret was at Cindy¡¯s mercy. If Tina did anything to infuriate Cindy, she was at risk of losing her only blood-rted family. Tina¡¯s face turned pale at that thought. Cindy¡¯s smile turned even more sinister upon seeing Tina¡¯s frightened reaction. ¡°Make sure to put in the effort to decorate the room. I¡¯m counting on you!¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Cindy turned to leave, leaving Tina alone in the kitchen. After dressing the wound in her palm, Tina still had to clean up all the trash that was strewn on the floor. She finally returned to the dorms in the middle of the night, sapped of her every strength. Her roommate had deliberately thrown away her mattress and nkets in the hallway. So, Tina had no choice but to sleep in the corner of the room. At the break of dawn, amotion could be heard outside the dorms. ¡°Madam Langford has woken up from hera! Quick, get some of the maids to take care of her at the hospital now!¡± Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Tina, who was sleeping in the corner of the hallway, was awakened by the noise. When she heard the news about Madam Langford, she got excited. She ran outside and asked, ¡°What did you just say? Grandma¡¯s woken up? Is that true?¡± When the maids outside saw Tina, they were shocked. ¡°Tina Lynd? Why are you here?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°It¡¯s true Madam Langford woke up from hera, but she needed someone to tend to her every need right now. What are you here for?! Get on with your usual work!¡± Tina begged, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to take care of Grandma. Please let me go to the hospital!¡± However, her pleading fell on deaf ears. Everyone in the Langford family knew that anyone associated with Tina wouldn¡¯t have a good ending. If they assign Tina there, they¡¯d eventually get into trouble for whatever she did. ¡°Get lost! Don¡¯t you dare try to find trouble with me! If you do, I¡¯ll make sure you suffer a painful death!¡± Tina was pushed away violently by Samuel¡¯s subordinates. Hopeless, she had no choice but to stare at the selected maids being led into the car before it drove away. The maids behind herughed sarcastically at her. ¡°What are you standing there for? Get on with your work!¡± ¡°Why¡¯s she still standing there like an idiot?¡± ¡°Hey, Tina Lynd! Where are you going? Stand right there! How dare you leave the manor! We have to drag her back here!¡± Tina sprinted outside the manor under everyone¡¯s watch. No matter what, she would have to see Madam Langford today. Meanwhile, at the other side of the manor.. Cindy also heard the news about Madam Langford¡¯s recovery. However, she wasn¡¯t as happy as Tina. Annoyed, she couldn¡¯t help but curse under her breath, ¡°Why¡¯s the old woman not dead yet? The doctor told us she didn¡¯t have long to live, anyway. Why can¡¯t she just die already?¡± Back then, Cindy¡¯s n was to kill two birds with one stone. Not only would she ensure Madam Langford suffered a sudden death, but she also intended to pin the me on Tina. Yet, it only took the olddy half a month to wake up from hera. Her bodyguard, Victor, chimed in. ¡°Miss Young, you should visit Madam Langford. Mr. Langford respects his grandmother the most. If you went to the hospital personally, Mr. Langford will be very moved. Who knows? Maybe Madam Langford will view you in a different light.¡± Cindy grew ecstatic. ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯m pregnant with the Langford family¡¯s heir. Hasn¡¯t that old bitch been yearning for a great- grandchild? If I tell her about the news, she¡¯ll definitely recognize my status!¡± At first, Cindy was worried that Madam Langford¡¯s recovery would stand in her way. But now, she wasn¡¯t worried anymore. If she told Madam Langford about the good news, the old woman would definitely ept her as Samuel¡¯s wife. By then, Tina would have lost her one and only hope for survival. Cindy was unwilling to visit that old fart at first, but she grew excited when she thought about the possibility of getting epted as a member of the Langford household. ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡± Cindy rushed to the hospital. As she had expected, she saw Samuel there. She immediately called out to him with a sweet voice. ¡°Samuel!¡± Samuel frowned when he saw her, ¡°Why are you here? I thought you felt unwell today.¡± ¡°I miss you¡­¡± Cindy simpered. When she noticed that Samuel seemed annoyed by her response, she swiftly changed her exnation, ¡°I heard Grandma woke up. It¡¯s only natural for me to visit her after hearing such great news.¡± Samuel finally smiled at that. ¡°Cindy, you¡¯re pregnant. You should get more rest. I¡¯m sure Grandma won¡¯t me you even if you didn¡¯te.¡± Cindy held on to Samuel¡¯s arm. She felt proud to be the center of attention. She loved the feeling of being envied by all the women around her, and that she was the only one who could be Samuel Langford¡¯s exclusive wife. Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Once her pregnancy was known to Madam Langford, Cindy was sure that she would be the luckiest woman on earth! ¡°How is Grandma? Why can¡¯t we go inside to visit her?¡± Cindy asked. Samuel replied, ¡°Grandma still needs some assistance in moving around. We¡¯ll have to wait for a while.¡± Does that mean¡­¡¯ This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡®Is it like the doctor said? Did the old fart¡¯s condition get so bad, to the point she¡¯s now paralyzed?¡¯ Cindy almostughed out loud Serves her right! How dare she treat me with disrespect in the past? Look at her now! Right at this moment, someone pushed the door of the ward and the doctor announced, ¡°Mr. Langford, Madam Langford is in the clear for now.¡± ¡°However, she¡¯s still too weak to ept too many visits. At the moment, she only wants Mr. Langford to see her at the moment.¡± ¡°What about me? I¡¯m Mr. Langford¡¯s wife Can I go in too?¡± Cindy asked, displeased. The doctor¡¯s reply was immediate ¡°Of course you can!¡± Cindy heaved a sigh of relief The doctor added, ¡°Your name is Tina Lynd right? Madam Langford made it a point that she only wants the two of you inside.¡± Cindy¡¯s face dropped instantly at that ¡®What?! That old b*tch! I¡¯m Samuel¡¯s one and only wife! Why can¡¯t I visit her?¡¯ she thought in anger Right at this moment, a weak and frail figure emerged from the crowd. ¡°My name¡¯s Tina Lynd! Mr Langford, please let me inside! Grandma wants to see me!¡± After she managed to escape the maids¡¯ scrutiny, Tina rushed to the hospital as fast as she could At first, Tina only wanted to sneak a peek at Madam Langford. But when she heard what the doctor said, she couldn¡¯t help but show herself. ¡°Tinal How dare you show up here!¡± Samuel roared, sting her with the full force of his inurderous intent. Tina was so afraid, her palms began to sweat. Yet she remained adamant in her desire to see Madam Langford. ¡°Mr. Langford, didn¡¯t the doctor say that Grandma wants to see me?¡± The doctor was confused. ¡°Yes, Madam Langford did say she only wants to see Mr Langford and Tina Why don¡¯t you unel your family discuss it ande back to meter? It¡¯s important that your decision doesn¡¯t upset Madam Langford in any way. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.¡± Having said that, the doctor left in a hurry. He refused to be involved in their family squabble. In the hallway, Tina refused to leave. Instead, she said stubbornly, ¡°Mr. Langford, please let me see Grandma.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t want to waste any more time and gave Tina a curt, cold answer. ¡°You can go in, but watch your mouth.¡± Cindy, who was beside him, whined in displeasure, ¡°Samuel! What about me?¡± Samuel held on to Cindy¡¯s hand and coaxed her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell Grandma about your pregnancy. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll want to meet you.¡± Cindy was relieved. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± She nced at Tina. All of a sudden, she felt very excited to know Madam Langford¡¯s reply. By then, Tina would have no ce in the Langford household. Tina was deeply saddened to hear the loving couple¡¯s conversation. Still, she knew she didn¡¯t have time to dwell on that. She trailed behind Samuel and entered the ward. Finally, she saw Madam Langford on the hospital bed. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Lying weakly on the bed, Madam Langford looked older and more frail than before. Tina bawled her eyes out the moment she saw the olddy. ¡°Grandma!¡± Madam Langford, who was motionless on the bed, looked over with hazy eyes. ¡°Tina¡­? Is that you?¡± she asked weakly ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t believe Madam Langford¡¯s vision had deteriorated to a point thetter couldn¡¯t even recognize her. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Madam Langford chuckled, ¡°There, there, child. Don¡¯t apologize.¡± Madam Langfod mustered all her strength just to give a reply. She wanted to caress Tina¡¯s head, but she could only move her finger. Tina got even more emotional as she ced Madam Langford¡¯s hand on her cheek. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m so sorry for making you worried. It¡¯s all my fault! As long as you can recover, I¡¯m willing to do anything for you!¡± Samuel looked at her crying face and immediately felt disgust surging in him. ¡®I apud her acting skills,¡¯ he thought. If Tina really cared for his grandmother, she wouldn¡¯t have done so many things that she knew would disappoint his grandmother. ¡°Samuel¡­ Come here, let me see your face,¡± Madam Langford said. Samuel had no choice but to endure his disgust towards Tina as he approached his grandmother and bent down. Though the old woman¡¯s hands were shaking profusely, she still joined the couple¡¯s hand together. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She heaved a long sigh, as though she was about to say herst words, ¡°I know I don¡¯t have long to live.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t feel like leaving so soon, I¡¯m grateful to see you two married and living a peaceful life together. Even if I die, I¡¯ll be passing on with no regrets in life.¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Tina didn¡¯t know what to say anymore. Even though Madam Langford was terminally ill, she was still worried about their future together. Samuel said determinedly, ¡°Grandma, you¡¯ll definitely get better. Madain Langford chuckled, ¡°We¡¯ll see. I¡¯m tired, I need to rest. Do you two have anything to tell me?¡± Tina bit her lip and caressed her stomach. She knew she shouldn¡¯t act so selfishly. ¡°Grandma¡­ Actually, I¡¯m¡­¡± Samuel cut off Tina¡¯s words at that very moment. ¡°Grandma, Cindy¡¯s pregnant.¡± Those few words left Madam Langford momentarily speechless. ¡°What? Who¡¯s pregnant?¡±. Before Samuel could continue speaking, Cindy, who was standing outside the ward, pushed the door and entered. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m pregnant!¡± Cindy announced proudly. However, Madam Langford¡¯s reaction shocked everyone. Suddenly, her tired eyes turned fierce. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?!¡± Madam Langford¡¯s hand jittered uncontrobly. ¡°How can this be?¡± Cindy, for her part, didn¡¯t expect Madam Langford to react like that at all. Cindy thought Madam Langford was asking for more exnation. Thus, she went on,¡± Grandma, haven¡¯t you been yearning for a great-grandchild? I¡¯ve been pregnant for two months. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you the medical report.¡± ¡°Get an abortion this instant!¡± Madam Langford exploded, furious. ¡°Only Tina is eligible to bear the heir of the Langford family! You are not qualified to be Samuel¡¯s wife!¡± That left Cindy absolutely petrified. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 ¡°Samuel, get rid of the baby now! Or else, I¡¯ll¡­!¡± Madam Langford stopped, unable to speak anymore. She was so riled up that the machines connected to her red their sirens, indicating an emergency The visitors couldn¡¯t stay in the hospital ward any longer, for fear of endangering Madam Langford¡¯s life. The medical staff politely asked them to leave. ¡°How can she say that?!¡± Cindy wailed with a pitiful expression, ¡°Samuel, I thought Grandma wanted a great-grandchild! I know she doesn¡¯t really like me, but how could she say something like that? Our child is innocent!¡± At that moment, Cindy hated that old b*tch and Tina to the core. These two kept interfering with her rtionship with Samuel. What was more, they kept embarrassing her in front of everyone. Samuel pulled Cindy into an embrace and promptlyforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you abort the child.¡± ¡°But¡­ What about Grandma?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Grandma about this,¡± Samuel said firmly, his tone domineering. ¡°Right now, you should focus on taking care of yourself and decorate the room for our baby. That¡¯s where he¡¯ll grow up with us.¡± At Samuel¡¯s reassurance, Cindy smiled happily. ¡°Alright, I believe in you.¡± She leaned into Samuel¡¯s chest, enjoying his warmth. Tina, who was sitting from afar, looked at them with a bitter expression. They were such a loving couple, yet she was nothing more but a joke. Soon, Cindy left the hospital. Tina didn¡¯t want to dy it any longer. She heaved in a deep breath and clenched her fists. Then, she stood in front of Samuel and said, ¡°Mr. Langford, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Go away!¡± Facing his wrath, Tina stood rooted to the ground. With eyes reflecting hatred and disgust, he continued directing his anger on her. ¡°Do not appear in front of me before Grandma wakes up. Your presence is revolting!¡± If it wasn¡¯t because of his grandmother, he would¡¯ve strangled Tina to death then and there. His bodyguards promptly shoved Tina away and escorted him to the resting lounge at the topmost floor of the hospital. Forlorn, Tina went to sit on the long bench and curled into a ball at the corner. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. A nurse walking by couldn¡¯t sit there and do nothing. She gave Tina a kind reminder. ¡°Are you Madam Langford¡¯s maid? There¡¯s a resting lounge just beside the ward. You can wait there.¡± Exhausted, Tina replied, ¡°Thank you.¡± After she entered the resting lounge, sheid on the foldable mattress and fell into a deep sleep In the evening, Madam Langford woke up once again. However, her body was weaker than thest time. The doctor advised her to rest. However, Madam Langford still insisted on seeing Samuel. When Samuel saw her questioning look, he heaved in a deep breath. ¡°Grandma, I know what you¡¯re trying to say. But at the end of the day, the baby is innocent.¡± Madam Langford was very disappointed in him. She replied weakly, ¡°Fine. She can keep the baby¡­¡± ¡°But!¡± her tone turned stern instantly. ¡°After she gives birth to the baby, Tina will be the one responsible for taking care of it. As for Cindy, I don¡¯t want to see her anywhere in the household. A scheming woman like her isn¡¯t qualified to be your wife, let alone the mother of your child! You must get away from her as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anymore of your nonsense! I¡¯m tired and I need to rest. Tina will apany me from now on,¡± Madam Langford said, before closing her eyes to sleep. Outside the ward, Victor, Cindy¡¯s bodyguard, was eavesdropping on their conversation Immediately, he ryed the message to Cindy Chapter 197 Chapter 197 At the manor¡­ Cindy discovered the contents of Madam Langford¡¯s conversation with Samuel through the phone. Furious, she exploded into a series of curses. ¡°That f*cking old fart! She should just die already! Before this, she wanted me to get an abortion. But now, she doesn¡¯t even want me to stay in the Langford family after the baby¡¯s born! What an evil b*tch! She still wouldn¡¯t ept me as her granddaughter-inw even at her deathbed!¡± In all truthfulness, Cindy wasn¡¯t actually pregnant. In fact, she was just faking it to get Samuel¡¯s approval and attention. Tina, on the other hand, had a baby on the way. The reason Cindy allowed Tina to live until now was because she wanted to im Tina¡¯s child as her own. That child could guarantee her status in the Langford family! Who knew that old b*tch had already thought about getting rid of Cindy so early on? Victor tried to calm her down. ¡°Miss Young, I don¡¯t think Mr. Langford will do as told.¡± ¡°Bah! As long as Madam Langford is alive, Samuel will definitely listen to her to make her happy!¡± Cindy went on in an eerie tone, angry and desperate. ¡°Fine¡­ If she really wants Tina to be Samuel¡¯s wife, I won¡¯t just sit around and do nothing Victor, I need you to do something for me.¡± Cindy covered the receiver and whispered, ¡°Victor, is there anyone around you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nobody around me. I deliberately chose a quiet ce to call you,¡± Victor replied. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Cindy chuckled maniacally. Then, she told him her n in great detail. Victor interrupted her, ¡°That¡¯s too risky, Miss Young! I can¡¯t possibly do that!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare disobey me!¡± Cindy interrupted him again. ¡°Victor, don¡¯t forget! We¡¯re on the same side. If we let Tina have the upper hand, what we did in the past will be exposed sooner orter!¡± ¡°Samuel will let me off because I saved his life before, but what about you? Not only will you die, but your family will all die with you!¡± Cindy threatened ¡°I¡¯ve also saved your life before! Following my orders is the least you can do to repay my kindness! I¡¯ll give you two days to think about your decision.¡± Cindy hung up without another word. Victor was horrified. He used to think of Cindy as a pure and innocent woman. Tina was supposed to be the sl*t who always got in the way of Cindy¡¯s rtionship with Samuel Now, he had finally seen through Cindy¡¯s facade. Her viciousness was truly beyondpare! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. With the fate of his family on the line, he had no choice but toply with Cindy¡¯s instructions. Conflicted, he returned to Madam Langford¡¯s ward and guarded the door. At this moment, Tina had woken up from her nap. She rushed to the entrance. ¡°How¡¯s Grandma?¡± Tina asked anxiously. ¡°Can I go inside to take care of her?¡± The bodyguard from beside said, ¡°Of course you can. Madam Langford wants you toe inside.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tina heaved out a sigh of relief. She was worried that Samuel might bar her from seeing Madam Langford. Tina entered the ward, oblivious of the events that were about to happenter on. Victor, on the other hand, stared at Tina¡¯s back with a conflicted expression. Madam Langford was already sound asleep. Tina entered the ward, but as she didn¡¯t want to disturb Madam Langford¡¯s slumber, she simply sat quietly at the old woman¡¯s side. After a while, the doctor called for her. ¡°Are you Madam Langford¡¯s caregiver?¡± Chapter 198 Chapter 198 ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Anxious, Tina asked, ¡°Doctor, is there anything I should pay attention to?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be responsible for doing her medical checkups. You should pay attention to her hygiene. For example, washing her hair, helping her change, and disinfecting everything around her.¡± While the doctor was speaking, he sized up Tina. ¡°Being a caregiver is not a one-man job. It¡¯s very mentally taxing and physically exhausting as well. Are you sure you can handle it?¡± ¡°I can!¡± Tina said. ¡°I¡¯ve done hardbor before. This is nothing to me.¡± The doctorplied. ¡°Alright, then. I wish you all the best.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± When Tina was about to leave, the doctor stopped her and gave her stern advice. ¡°Right, I almost forgot. Make sure to not upset Madam Langford in any way. Today, she almost rpsed the moment she woke up. It¡¯s best to refrain from telling her anything that will get her riled up for no reason. It¡¯s important that she has peace of mind.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Tina nodded. It seemed Tina should wait for a few more days to inform Madam Langford about her pregnancy. For the next few days, Tina didn¡¯t leave the hospital ward at all. She stayed beside Madam Langford and tended to the old woman¡¯s every need. Tina did everything from cleaning Madam Langford¡¯s body, cutting her nails, to spoon feeding her. Normally, such chores would require a few maids. However, Tina did everything on her own Grateful, Madam Langford held Tina¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Tina, you shouldn¡¯t do all these by yourself. It¡¯s an exhausting job. I can ask the maids to do all the chores.¡± ¡°No!¡± Tina rejected the idea tly. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m your granddaughter-inw. It¡¯s only natural for me to take care of you.¡± Madam Langford¡¯s eyes turned red instantly. ¡°You¡¯re such a kind soul. I knew you¡¯re different from the others.¡± ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t cry!¡± Tina chided Madam Langford gently. ¡°If you cry, the doctor will me me for making you upset! Do you want him to chase me out of here?¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I won¡¯t cry. Are you satisfied now?¡± Madam Langford smiled brightly. Only then was Tina satisfied. Heavy footsteps echoed from outside the hospital ward. ¡°Mr. Langford,¡± the bodyguards outside greeted Samuel politely. Samuel went inside the ward. When he saw Tina taking care of his grandmother, his eyes turned solemn. He thought about Cindy, whose health had been deteriorating because she was grieving over Madam Langford¡¯s disapproval of her status in the Langford family. The doctor told him that if Cindy went on like that, the baby¡¯s life would be in jeopardy. ¡®This is what Tina wants, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ he thought. Samuel had already seen through Tina¡¯s facade. With her excellent acting skills, she had sessfully fooled Madam Langford. Then, she took advantage of his grandmother to chase Cindy out of the household. What a scheming woman! ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re here!¡± Madam Langford said. ¡°Hello, Grandma.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Come here and sit down,¡± Madam Langford chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s all because of me that you haven¡¯t seen your loving wife for a few days. You won¡¯t me me for that, right?¡± A loving wife? When Tina heard the way Madam Langford addressed her, her ears went red. Samuel didn¡¯t reply, and instead grabbed the bowl away from Tina. ¡°I¡¯ll take over from here on. You should go and rest.¡± Madam Langford smiled brightly. ¡°Oh, Samuel! That¡¯s so sweet of you! Tina, he¡¯s right, you should get some rest.¡± Tina smiled bitterly. She knew Samuel hated her so much that he couldn¡¯t even stand being in the same room with her. She exited the ward, about to head to the resting lounge. Right at this moment, someone barred her way. ¡°Miss Lynd, I have something to tell you.¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 The person who blocked Tina¡¯s way was none other than Victor. Tina was immediately wary of him. She knew Victor was Cindy¡¯s subordinate. When Cindy plotted her murder, Victor was one of her aplices. Was he trying to harm her again? Tina put up her guard and frowned. ¡°What are you plotting again?¡± Victor gave her a hollowugh. ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Langford is inside the ward right now. What can I do to you in broad daylight?¡± What he said made sense. Samuel was just behind her. If she screamed loudly, it would definitely catch his attention. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Can we talk somewhere else?¡± Victor suggested. ¡°There¡¯s a cafe near the hospital. Let¡¯s go.¡± Tina rejected him immediately. ¡°I won¡¯t go with you. Did Cindy ask you to approach me again? I need to take care of Madam Langford right now. I can¡¯t just leave.¡± Victor¡¯splexion changed. ¡°You¡¯re such a kind person, Miss Lynd. Madam Langford is very lucky to have you as her granddaughter-inw.¡± ¡°Cut the crap! If you have anything to tell me, tell me right now,¡± Tina snorted disdainfully. Victor shifted his gaze to her stomach. ¡°I already told you, we shouldn¡¯t discuss this here.¡± Then, Victor stro de outside. He made it very obvious that he was waiting for Tina to catch up. Tina sneered. She finally figured out what his intentions were. Victor wasn¡¯t the one who wanted to talk to her. It was Cindy! What exactly was she ying at again? Tina had already decided to inform Madam Langford about her pregnancy. However, she still needed to wait until the old woman¡¯s condition stabilized. Since Cindy approached her today, Tina deemed it was time she broke free from Cindy¡¯s cruel clutches. Her mind made up, Tina trailed behind Victor as she followed him. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The cafe was located in a rather remote area. After they arrived at the cafe, Tina still didn¡¯t see Cindy anywhere. She sat down and asked curiously, ¡°Where¡¯s Cindy? Didn¡¯t she ask you to drag me here?¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, I¡¯m the only one here today.¡± Victor sat opposite her. ¡°Miss Lynd, I¡¯m here to apologize to you¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re here to apologize?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Victor began apologetically, ¡°Miss Lynd, I was wrong in the past, I thought you were the third wheel in Cindy and Samuel¡¯s rtionship. That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t really fond of you before_.¡± ¡°It took me a while to realize that Miss Young was more than what she appeared to be. I was foolish enough to fall for her schemes time and again. I even became her aplice numerous times to inflict harm upon you. I can¡¯t continue on like this anymore. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to apologize.¡± Tina frowned she didn¡¯t expect Victor to meet her because of such a thing ¡°Miss Lynd, I¡¯ve done so many bad things to you¡­ I really hope you can forgive me¡± As he spoke, he got even more emotional Then, he reached out and grabbed her shoulders Shocked, Tina quickly shoved his hands away ¡°What are you doing?¡± Even so, he didn¡¯t give up and knelt on the ground to beg for forgiveness Chapter 200 Chapter 200 ¡°Miss Lynd, I am deeply sorry for what I did to you! Please, you have to forgive me!¡± ¡°I know you won¡¯t forgive me that easily! What do you want me to do? I¡¯ll do anything to get you to forgive me!¡± Tina didn¡¯t expect Victor to grovel like a dog in front of her. Her shock aside, even the customers in the cafe were startled by his sudden actions. They all looked over curiously to see what was going on. Tina didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention. She quickly said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything! Just stop making my life difficult!¡± Noticing that Victor was about to knock his head on the ground, Tina stood up and left the cafe in a hurry. She was very confused. ¡°Why would he beg for forgiveness all of a sudden? That¡¯s so weird¡­¡± While muttering under her breath, she turned a corner and identally knocked into a sturdy chest. She jumped in surprise, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Tina looked up anxiously, and noticed that she had bumped into Samuel of all people. Being just inches away from him, she could smell the stench of tobo wafting in the air. For a moment, that familiar scent mesmerized her. Samuel sneered, ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t do it on purpose? The chances of us bumping into each other is slim. Don¡¯t ever think that I¡¯ll fall for your tricks again, Tina.¡± Embarrassed, Tina¡¯splexion flushed red. Just now, she was actually preupied with her thoughts and wasn¡¯t paying attention to where she was walking. It was why she identally knocked into Samuel. She didn¡¯t n this encounter at all! However, she knew Samuel wouldn¡¯t believe anything she said anyway. No matter how hard she exined herself, Samuel wouldn¡¯t buy it. ¡°I¡¯ll head to the ward to take care of Madam Langford now.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything more. The moment she wanted to leave, Samuel grabbed her arm. His tone was as cold as ever as he spat, ¡°Let this be myst warning. Don¡¯t ever think about ying dirty tricks on me again.¡± ¡°Right now, Grandma can¡¯t handle any more shocking news. Otherwise, her life will be in danger. As for Cindy¡¯s child, I¡¯ll never allow her to go through an abortion! Don¡¯t ever try to raise conflict between the two of them! If not, I¡¯ll make sure your life is a living hell.¡± After that, she shoved Tina¡¯s hand away violently and left. Tina¡¯s wrist throbbed in pain. Looking at his back, tears flooded her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Why couldn¡¯t he trust her? Why was he always using her of something she didn¡¯t do? How on earth did Cindy get away with everything? Cindy was the one who would do anything to gain Samuel¡¯s favor, and that included plotting Tina¡¯s murder! Even when the truth was revealed, Samuel chose to turn a blind eye. Worse, he even warned her not to inflict harm upon Cindy! How preposterous was that? It really did seem like Samuel hated Tina to the core. Tina felt wronged and angry at her misfortune. Before she knew it, she had wandered to Madam Langford¡¯s ward. She heaved in a deep breath Samuel did say one thing right, and that was Madam Langford¡¯s deteriorating health. She shouldn¡¯t do or say anything that would upset Madam Langford It had always been Madam Langford¡¯s wish to see Tina and Samuel being a happy couple. If the old woman knew Tina had been crying, she would worry her heart out. Tina wiped off her tears, calmed herself down, and entered the ward. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m back,¡± Tina said with a smile. For the next few days, Tina remained at Madam Langford¡¯s side. However, Madam Langford¡¯s condition became worse. One fateful day, she was sleeping longer than usual Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tina was sound asleep on the small bed when she heard the ring sirensing from the machine in the middle of the night. Madam Langford¡¯s life was in danger! Tina rushed out of the room and screamed, ¡°Doctor! I need a doctor now!¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Madam Langford was rushed into the emergency room as soon as possible. Samuel and his family also appeared in the hallway right at that moment. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say Madam Langford¡¯s condition has stabilized? How did this happen?¡± Mrs. Langford shouted at the doctors, enraged. The doctors exined helplessly, ¡°Mrs. Langford¡­ ording to Madam Langford¡¯s recent condition, her health has indeed stabilized. However, we also have to take ount of Madam Langford¡¯s age. It¡¯s common to have a recurrence at night¡­¡± Mrs. Langford, who was still unconvinced, caught Tina sitting on the chair from the corner of her eyes. ¡°You! It¡¯s all because of you and your dirty tricks again that Old Mrs. Langford is sick again! Isn¡¯t that right?!¡± Without waiting, she gave Tina a p on the face right after finishing her sentence. Tina¡¯s face was swollen, a bright red palm mark staining her cheek immediately after the p struck her. She felt weakness taking over her body and tried to exin softly, ¡°It¡¯s not me. I have no idea why this happened, either¡­¡± ¡°If anything happened to Madam Langford, you¡¯ll have to pay the price! Even if it means your death!¡± Mrs. Langford snarled. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tina was not in the mood to argue, as she was preupied with Madam Langford¡¯s critical condition. But if killing her was what was needed to save Madam Langford, Tina was willing to do it. ¡°Get out of my sight! You don¡¯t deserve to be here!¡± Mrs. Langford said scornfully. Tina bit her lip. She didn¡¯t want to leave so easily, but she knew she shouldn¡¯t be going against Mrs. Langford for the time being. The sight of Tina walking away helplessly frustrated Samuel, for some reason. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on that. Nothing was more important than Grandma Langford¡¯s health. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t tell me that you still care for her? She¡¯s having multiple affairs at the same time! That¡¯s the reason your grandmother¡¯s condition got worse. Don¡¯t ever forgive her!¡± Mrs. Langford¡¯s words reminded Samuel about Tina¡¯s awful misdeeds. His remaining bit of empathy vanished as he promptly said, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Mrs. Langford was delighted. Immediately after that, Samuel asked, ¡°How¡¯s Cindy?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been staying in the mansion all day long, but she¡¯s been suffering from nightmares and sleep deprivation. You should fulfill your responsibilities as a husband and take good care of her, Samuel.¡± When Mrs. Langford spoke of Cindy, her tone softened significantly as she lectured Samuel. Samuel was quickly reminded of the baby that Cindy was carrying. He had seen the report. The baby was almost 3 months old. The doctor also exhorted that Cindy had a weak body, and that she should be taken care of well. At the thought of Cindy having to bear his child with that weak body of hers, guilt stabbed Samuel. )) ¡°I¡¯ll take note of that.¡± Mrs. Lanford nodded her head with satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± On the other side, Tina went to the lounge after being chased away. Despite feeling tired both mentally and physically, she didn¡¯t dare to close her eyes still as she didn¡¯t want to miss any news regarding Madam Langford¡­ Ring! Ring! All of a sudden, her phone was ringing. That gave Tina a shock, but sheter realized that it was from an unknown number. Who would call her at this hour? Feeling confused, she picked up the call. ¡°Miss Lynd, it¡¯s me. Victor Miller.¡± ¡°Victor?¡± Tina was even more confused. ¡°Why did you call me?¡± Chapter 202 Chapter 202 ¡°Miss Lynd, is it true that Madam Langford is in the emergency room, and that Samuel and Mrs. Langford are waiting outside?¡± Victor asked, ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been chased away by Mrs. Langford, right?¡± Victor continued to ask Tina frowned, ¡°Are you trying to mock me?¡± ¡°No, Miss Lynd. I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± Victor sighed. ¡°I have a secret for you, Miss Lynd. I hope to see you at the main entrance.¡± ¡°What secret?¡± Victor responded, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when we meet up.¡± He then hung up. Tine started to worry, as Victor was one of Samuel¡¯s bodyguards, Did that mean that the secret would be how Samuel nned to punish her? After all, she was nothing but a mere tool tofort Madam Langford, Now that something had happened to Madam Langford, Tina was useless., Tina took the elevator, and soon saw Victor standing outside of the entrance. ¡°What is it?¡± Tina asked. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Victor stared at Tina. Her eyes were full of innocence, and she looked so much skinnier ever since she started taking care of Madam Langford. He felt guilty when he recalled Cindy¡¯s n, but.. He had no other choice. He had to protect his family! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lynd!¡± Victor suddenly said. Tina finally sensed that something was wrong. But Victor was much faster. He dragged Tina, who was about to run away, and stuffed her into a van. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Tina asked, her voice filled with helplessness. She thought Victor meant it when he knelt before her and apologized to her the other day, but now, he was hurting her, Victor¡¯s tone was deeply apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lynd. I was forced to do this. To protect my family, I have no other choice!¡± ¡°You have no one to me except yourself. This is what you get for upsetting a wicked woman like Miss Young!¡± Right after Victor finished spealdng, he stepped on the elerator and drove off. At the same time, he sent a message. An hourter¡­ The hallway was suddenly filled with footsteps, and a group of bodyguards appeared before Samuel. ¡°Mr. Langford, something bad happened¡­!¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Samuel snapped. Madam Langford was still in the emergency room, and he wouldn¡¯t allow any disturbance. The bodyguards remained anxious and terrified. ¡°Sir¡­ Tina Lynd ran away!¡± Samuel¡¯s facial expressions turned cold immediately. Mrs. Langford, on the other hand, was calm. ¡°Ran away? I knew she was up to no good! Just get someone to take her back! What¡¯s the big deal?¡± The bodyguards could still be seen trembling slightly at this point. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s voice grew colder. ¡°Speak!¡± The bodyguards knelt on the ground immediately. ¡°After Tina Lynd ran away, we received a call from the mansion. It said that Miss Young received a call from Mr. Langford to visit Madam Langford at the hospital.¡± ¡°But after an hour, Miss Young has yet to reach the hospital. We couldn¡¯t contact her¡­¡± ¡°We fear something terrible has happened to Miss Young!¡± Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Mrs. Langford suddenly grew fierce upon hearing this. ¡°What?! Are you saying that that bit*h kidnapped Cindy? But how is that possible? She¡¯s just a weak girl!¡± The bodyguard who had been talking trembled even more. ¡°It¡¯d be easier if Tina Lynd was alone, but we realized that Victor Miller was gone too! We found out that he left the hospital together with Tina, so this could be prenned¡­¡± Everything made sense now. Nobody expected Tina to be so wicked! Mrs. Langford felt anger building within her. She screamed, ¡°You¡¯re all a bunch of trash! Save Cindy and kill those two!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Cindy¡¯s my favorite daughter-inw! I watched her grow up. And with the baby that she¡¯s carrying, she can¡¯t take in any stress¡­¡± Before Mrs. Langford could finish, she lost consciousness and copsed to the ground in a dead faint. t Chaos erupted at that instant. With Madam Langford still in the emergency room and Cindy being kidnapped, the ce was a mess. Samuel was so furious, he only managed to utter one word. ¡°Go!¡± Immediately after, Samuel got into a car. He decided to save Cindy himself. He wouldn¡¯t allow anything to happen to Cindy and his unborn baby! ¡°Mr. Langford, we have information about Victor¡¯s whereabouts. Here you go, sir.¡± Samuel was handed a stack of papers. Inside the papers were Victor¡¯s whereabouts for the past few days. The intel showed that he had met up with Tina in a coffee shop. Based on the CCTV, it could be seen that they were arguing. Afterwards, Victor knelt in front of Tina. ¡°We also found a video of the two of them online, Mr. Langford.¡± The video was blurry but they had the audio specially processed, so they could hear everything clearly. ¡°Please, Miss Lynd! I can¡¯t do this!¡± Victor was shouting while kneeling on the ground. ¡°I can¡¯t do this to Miss Young. It¡¯s too awful!¡± But Tina¡¯s reply was cold and callous. ¡°Cindy tried to kill me before. Is it wrong if I want to do the same to her?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But the baby¡¯s innocent¡­¡± Victor said helplessly. Tina scoffed sarcastically and sneered, ¡°My baby was innocent too, Victor! You have two days to think this through!¡± Tina flung Victor¡¯s hand away and left the case soon after. From the information and video, the pieces of the puzzle were starting toe together¡­ Tina deeply resented Cindy, and so decided to take her revenge together with Victor Miller. Samuel frowned, anger filling his eyes. He took a deep breath, almost crushing the papers he was holding. ¡°Baby? What baby?¡± he managed to calm down and recalled what Tina said earlier. Under Samuel¡¯s livid gaze, the bodyguard¡¯s lips trembled as he stammered out a reply. ¡°We found out that Tina was pregnant¡­ The baby was half a month old, but we¡¯re not sure who the father is¡­¡± Half a month! Tina had an affair with another man half a month ago, and that was the reason Madam Langford was rushed into the emergency room. Right after that, she became a maid. The fact that she was pregnant during that time was enough proof that the father was not Samuel. It was possible that Tina was cheating on Samuel with Victor. After realizing that she was pregnant, Tina started threatening Victor to help her. Now, everything made sense. Samuel stared at the front as the car drove on, his eyes bloodshot. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 If Tina appeared right in front of Samuel now, he would certainly strangle that impudent woman to death! ¡°Mr. Langford, we¡¯ll be arriving in 10 minutes.¡± ¡°Make it five!¡± Samuel gritted his teeth and hissed, ¡°Quick!¡± He remembered vividly how cruel Tina used to be. She seduced him just to get her revenge against Lynd¡¯s family. Even after her intentions were exposed, she managed to get Pearl Lynd behind the bars¡­ Thus, it was possible for her to kidnap Cindy for revenge. Madam Langford was already in the emergency room because of Tina. Samuel wouldn¡¯t allow Cindy to get hurt because of Tina too! As for Tina, she was dragged to a small hotel. After a while, she woke up on a bed. She was confused, and began to wonder: why was she here? Very soon, all the memories came back to her; Madam Langford had been rushed to the emergency room, and Mrs. Langford had chased her away. After that, she received a call from Victor, who then kidnapped her. Tina immediately jumped out of the bed. As she moved, she realized the tapes on her hands were gone. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Without hesitation, she rushed to the door. Unfortunately, she saw someone else in the room. ¡°Ah!¡± Tina was shocked to see a person lying on the ground. Upon closer inspection, however¡­ Tina recognized that face immediately. ¡°Cindy?!¡± How was this possible? Why was Cindy here?! She was bound, andy unconscious on the ground. Tina¡¯s brain was overwhelmed with a myriad of questions. Was Cindy being kidnapped too? Unfortunately, Tina couldn¡¯t afford to solve the mystery. She had to get out, now! Tina gritted her teeth. While she thought of shouting for help, she realized the door had been locked from the outside. She turned around and scanned her surroundings. The unit she was in currently was too high to jump down from. 11 At this point, helplessness filled her. Was there no other way to escape? She didn¡¯t want to die! She must escape! Not to mention, she had a baby within her right now. Plus, Madam Langford was still waiting for her¡­ Tina started tearing the bed sheets, nning to make them into ropes. She then looked at the ropes that were on Cindy, and tried to take them off by pulling them away from Cindy¡¯s body. Just then, she heard footstepsing from outside. The door was flung open. Victor appeared. However, Victor was covered in blood. Upon seeing Tina, he shouted with all his might. ¡°Miss Lynd, there¡¯s no time! Run!¡± Right after he had said that, he copsed to the ground. Bang! The door was kicked open instantly after. Tina was thrilled to see the tall figure at the door. ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± It was Samuel! He had arrived! Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Tina wanted to stand up, but her legs were too weak to support her body. Because of that, she fell back to the ground again. Oddly enough, Samuel¡¯s bodyguards rushed into the room and pointed their guns at her. Tina was shocked. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± But what answered her was Samuel¡¯s cold snarl. ¡°Tina Lynd! You only have three seconds to let go of Cindy!¡± That was when Tina realized her hands were still on the ropes that bound Cindy. But to others, it looked like she was trying Cindy up. Tina let go of the ropes immediately and hurriedly exined, ¡°¡­¡± But the bodyguards rushed forward and took Cindy away without caring to listen to Tina¡¯s exnation. Then, they promptly tied Tina up. Tina thought she was finally saved. How did things turn out this way?. She was utterly perplexed. Just then, she heard the bodyguard talking to Samuel. ¡°Mr. Langford. Now that Miss Young has been rescued, what do we do with the other two?¡± Samuel picked Cindy up gently. On the other hand, he threw Tina a cold re of daggers. Within that re was bottomless wrath. ¡°Kill!¡± Tina felt a chill all over her body upon seeing Samuel¡¯s eyes. However, hismand was a bigger shock to her. ¡°No! I can¡¯t die!¡± Tina let out a shout. ¡°I still have a baby, Samuel! I¡¯m pregnant with your child¡­¡± ¡°It was three months ago on your birthday! Do you remember? I was there too when you were drunk! You brought me back to your mansion. After that night, I got pregnant with your child Atst, the cat was out of the bag. Unfortunately, Samuel didn¡¯t seem to care. He didn¡¯t even spare a look at Tina. All of his attention was only on Cindy. ¡°Kill them now,¡± Samuel growled. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. These three words were enough to destroy Tina¡¯s remaining hope. ¡°No!¡± Tina felt this terrified before, ¡°Samuel, I have your child! You can check it at the hospital!¡± ¡°Also, you promised Grandma you wouldn¡¯t hurt me¡­¡± ¡°You also promised me that I can request one thing from you, Samuel! You can¡¯t go back on your word like that!¡± Every word from Tina sounded so desperate. Finally, Samuel stopped walking. ¡°Do you still n to manipte me even until now, Tina?¡± This woman was always lying to him, from the very moment she seduced him¡­ And now, she still dared to bring up Madam Langford to justify her evil actions! ¡°I¡¯m not trying to manipte you,¡± Tina sobbed, tears streaming down her pale face. She didn¡¯t understand how things turned the way they did. ¡°Samuel, please. For Grandma¡¯s sake¡­ She¡¯s always wanted a great- grandchild. Please, just let me go¡­¡± 11 However, Samuel could no longer bear the sight of Tina. This woman had lied to him over and over again! This time, he wouldn¡¯t fall into her trap. ¡°Fine! You wanted to live, right?¡± Samuel exuded a matchless cruelty iparable to any creature, and his tone was devoid of mercy. ¡°I¡¯ll let you suffer even more when you¡¯re alive! You there, lock her up! I¡¯ll deal with her myselfter!¡± ¡°Yes! Chapter 206 Chapter 206 As Tina was violently dragged to the van, she had never felt this hopeless. She clutched her stomach all the way. At the very least, she still had a chance to live¡­ She must survive for the baby! Later, Tina was locked up in a dark and damp dungeon. The ce was horrible, and there were rats running everywhere. Miserable, Tina could only curl herself up like a ball on the floor. After some time, hunger and fatigue caught up to her. Even so, she didn¡¯t dare to close her eyes. She was afraid she might never wake up again if she did. Finally¡­ Bang! The door of the dungeon was kicked open. The sound of footsteps followed. Tina sprung up immediately and directed her gaze to the door. After confirming that it was Samuel, she burst into a hurried exnation. ¡°Samuel, please! Just let me go¡­¡± ¡°Grandma¡¯s still in the emergency room, and I have your baby. I know you hate me and want nothing except for me to die, but the baby¡¯s innocent¡­¡± Tina tried her best to form her sentences as she tried to exin everything. However, Samuel seemed not to care. ¡°Really? So you¡¯re saying that the child you¡¯re bearing is mine?¡± Tina nodded her head in desperation. ¡°Yes! The baby¡¯s almost three months old! I was afraid to bring it up to you¡­¡± A malevolent, humorless smile shed past Samuel¡¯s face. It was Cindy who took care of him three months ago. She was the one who was pregnant with his child. What Tina said wasplete rubbish. ¡°So what if you¡¯re pregnant with my child? Were you expecting me to take care of you two? Do you deserve it?¡± Samuel said the cruelest words in the calmest tone. Tina could feel her heart beinig stabbed multiple times from his callousness. This was the very reason she never dared to tell Samuel about the child. She knew full well he would respond in this exact way. Even so, never did she expect this day toe. ¡°No, Samuel! Please! At the very least¡­ Grandma wanted a great grandchild¡­¡± Tina¡¯s face turned white as she begged. Samuel, on the other hand, had enough of Tina. ¡°I won¡¯t let you die,¡± he began slowly. That stunned Tina. Before she could say anything, Samuel continued, ¡°After everything you¡¯ve done, do you think I¡¯d let you die this easily? Tina, I¡¯ll make sure to torture you to death.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re pregnant? Great. I¡¯m going to kill your child in front of you.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. No! Her child was already three months old. She can¡¯t afford to lose her child! This was her only family member left! ¡°No, Samuel¡­¡± Samuel violently dragged her out of the dungeon. Outside of the dungeon were a group of medical officers. In their hands were needles and syringes. They said respectfully to him, ¡°Mr. Langford, the tools for the abortion are ready.¡± Samuel threw Tina onto the ground, merciless. ¡°Do it! Kill that disgusting child now!¡± Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Chapter 207 ¡°No, no¡­!¡± Tina was terrified, but all she could do was shake her head while backing away as much as she could. ¡°Please! Don¡¯t hurt my child¡­¡± The medical officers looked at her with sympathy. Despite that, they insisted, ¡°We¡¯ve seen your report. Your child¡¯s only half a month old, so you wouldn¡¯t feel much pain¡­¡± Half a month? Driven to desperation, Tina begged, ¡°There¡¯s a mistake! My child is three months old!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how many months your child is. You don¡¯t deserve to be a mother,¡± Samuel snarled, ring coldly at her. Yet again, Tina was plunged into hopelessness. Samuel didn¡¯t care who the baby belonged to, or how old the baby was. He hated her so much, the only thing he wished to see was her crying over her dead baby. ¡°No! No!¡± When the nurse tried to grab Tina, she was suddenly charged with energy. As adrenaline rushed in her, she ran in a specific direction¡­ ¡­Which was next to the bag that was brought by the medical officers, where various tools were ced. She grabbed a knife and stared at everyone with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Nobody can hurt my child!¡± At this point, everyone was taken aback. Nobody expected Tina to be this strong despite having been tortured for so long! As for Samuel, he was already at his breaking point. So, she was willing to go this far just to save that child? Tina Lynd! ¡°Tina, you asked for this!¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes became red with anger. Tina burst into a hollow, patheticugh. ¡°I have nothing to lose! I have nothing left except for my own life and my baby¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look for me anymore!¡± Nobody dared to step up and stop her. In front of them was a woman and a would- be mother. Tina had been forced to be the monster she was now. If anyone were to go against her, it might not end well for them! This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Thinking this, they backed away in fear. Tina dashed away with all her remaining energy, running as quickly as she could¡­ But what brought her back to the hopeless pit was when Samuel caught up to her and grabbed her roughly by the arm. ¡°Let go of me!!!¡± As she struggled, a loud grunt caught her attention. It was then she realized that the knife that she was holding had stabbed into Samuel¡¯s chest. Shock struck her like lightning. She immediately let go of the knife and backed away. The bodyguards who were chasing Tina were all terrified at the situation. ¡°Mr. Langford! Mr. Langford!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Call an ambnce!¡± The situation erupted into chaos, and no one had the time to attend to Tina. She took advantage of the situation to flee with all her remaining energy, but a hand appeared to grab Tina viciously by the face. Feeling helpless, she copsed. Everything around her turned ck Three days later¡­ In the dungeon was a woman being locked up. Tina Lynd. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Tina looked devastated and emaciated, as if she would copse anytime. Just when she managed to escape the mansion the other day, Samuel caught her back and locked up in the dungeon again. For three days she stayed there. In that time, her hopes slowly vanished. Bang! As the door of the dungeon swung open, Tina tried to force her weak body to stand. Was she finally dying¡­? Now that she hadpletely angered Samuel, he would definitely torture her even more¡­ ¡°We meet again, Tina Lynd.¡± In contrast to Tina¡¯s woebegone state, the woman who appeared before her was elegant and clean. It was none other than Cindy. ¡°I bring good news and bad news with me today. Which one do you prefer to hear first?¡± Cindy asked, smugness radiating from her every pore. But Tina was too weak to even answer. She wasying on the ground like a broken puppet. ¡°The bad news, then! Samuel fell into aa ever since you stabbed him.¡± ¡°But before fainting, Samuel told me to torture and kill you.¡± Tina expected this. Cindy continued joyfully, ¡°As for the good news, it¡¯s regarding dear Madam Langford!¡± Madam Langford? Tina¡¯s body started trembling at that. ¡°Grandma¡­ How is grandma?¡± Her voice was hoarse, but her eyes were lit up with hope as she looked at Cindy. Was Madam Langford saved? Cindy onlyughed as she stared at Tina¡¯s reaction. ¡°You must want to know Grandma¡¯s condition very badly, right? Here¡¯s the good news! That old fart¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s finally dead!¡± Thest few words sent Tina straight to hell. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°No! That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Dead! She¡¯s dead!¡± Cindy was thrilled. ¡°All thanks to you Tina, that old fart couldn¡¯t handle the shock and died!¡± ¡°She was saved, but after knowing that you had an affair and stabbed Samuel, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and died right there and then!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes stared into the abyss. She shook her head slowly while mumbling, ¡°No, you¡¯re lying¡­ How could grandma die? I never had an affair¡­ Impossible¡­ This is impossible¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Cindy cackled. ¡°How is it impossible? I even took some pictures, just in case you won¡¯t believe me!¡± ILI ILI A big maniacal smile hung on Cindy¡¯s lips. ¡°Take a look, Tina! That hag who¡¯s been defending you all this while is finally dead!¡± Cindy then flung a stack of pictures at Tina. They were all pictures of Madam Langford¡¯s corpse. ¡°No¡­ No..!¡± Tina wrapped her hands around her head and started screaming, unable to believe her eyes. Cindy watched in pleasure, satisfied with how the events had unfolded. Finally, she made Tina suffer. The truth was, Cindy was responsible for killing Madam Langford when no one was in the ward. This was the cost for going against her! That hag had to pay! The bodyguards began to panic when Tina copsed. ¡°M-Miss Young, wouldn¡¯t this be too much for her? After all, she¡¯s still pregnant¡­¡± Of course, Cindy couldn¡¯t care less about it. ¡°As long as the baby¡¯s alive, who cares if she goes insane?¡± ¡°Plus, Samuel¡¯s still in aa. I¡¯ll be taking care of him. When the baby¡¯s born after seven months, I¡¯ll just dump this wench¡¯s body into the ocean!¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Cindy left the dungeon feeling satisfied. Tina, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t handle the news and fell unconscious from a high fever. Fortunately, she was soon rescued by the medical team hired by Cindy. As time went by, Tina¡¯s body grew thinner. She was forced to rely on nutrient solutions to stay alive. The only thing that was growing bigger was her child. Even under such dire circumstances, her stomach grew much bigger than that of other pregnant women. One day in July¡­ Her water broke all of a sudden. Despite feeling weak, Tina still managed to crawl out of the dungeon. All the while, she desperately begged for help. ¡°My stomach hurts¡­ My baby¡­¡± ¡°Get help! Call the ambnce! She¡¯s about to give birth!¡± The bodyguards were terrified by the situation as well. Tine felt herself being carried on a stretcher and ced on the midwifery table. ¡°Push! Push, you¡¯re almost there¡­!¡± ¡°Deep breaths, now! Take a deep breath!¡± Tina¡¯s head was buzzing so much, she couldn¡¯t hear what the medical team was saying to her. Finally, after what seemed an eternity¡­ ¡°Waaa! Waaa!¡± Tina fainted at the sound of a baby¡¯s loud cries. The bodyguards rushed forward right as soon as the door was open and the doctor walked out. They asked, ¡°Is the baby out?¡± ¡°Yes! Congrattions, they¡¯re twins! A boy and a girl!¡± the doctor dered in joy. ¡°A boy and a girl¡­?¡± That gave the bodyguards a huge shock They were sent to take the baby away, but now, there were two of them! ¡°Miss Young, that woman had given birth!¡± The bodyguards gave Cindy a call immediately. ¡°What are you waiting for? Bring it to me now!¡± Cindy was screeching on the other side of the phone. ¡°How long do you want me to stay in the emergency room? Mrs. Langford is going to get suspicious if it¡¯s taking longer than expected!¡± ¡°We understand!¡± The bodyguards were trembling, ¡°But we found out that she had twins, a Property ? N?velDrama.Org. boy and a girl. Are we going to bring both back?¡± After all, Cindy¡¯s act of faking her pregnancy centered around only one child. ¡°I want the boy,¡± Cindy said without hesitation. ¡°As for the other one, kill her along with the mother!¡± Cindy ended the phone call immediately. The two bodyguards were racked with guilt. After all, the baby was innocent. However, they didn¡¯t dare to disobey Cindy¡¯s orders. The fate of their families were in her hands. They didn¡¯t want to risk it! Tina woke up to the sound of a baby crying, but her head was still heavy. Even so, she could sense that she was holding a baby. Was this her child? Has her child finally been born? Very soon, she realized that she was in a bumpy car. However, the car suddenly came to a stop. The door was flung open. Before her and her babyy the endless ocean. A cold chill struck Tina¡¯s spine. ¡°Are¡­ Are you going to kill me?¡± Finally, the dreaded day had dawned. The two bodyguards ignored her, and carried her out with a stretcher. As she just finished giving birth, she was still too weak to move. Despite that, she still pleaded, ¡°No, my child is innocent! Please, please let my child go¡­ I beg you¡­¡± ¡°This is Mr. Langford¡¯smand. It¡¯s the price for hurting him and killing Madam Langford. You will have to pay with you and your daughter¡¯s life!¡± Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Right after they said this, they turned the stretcher around and watched as Tina fell down the cliff and into the ocean with lier newbom daughter. Tina was too weak to save herself. Unable to do anything, she could only hug her child close to her chest as they sank into the cold depths.. The two bodyguards returned to the car when they could no longer see Tina and her child. The moment they drove away, an unknown figure appeared. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Ssh! The man jumped into the ocean without hesitation, saving Tina and the child. Then, he carried out CPR on both of them. Five yearster¡­ France, Paris. A fashionpany. ¡°Linda! Linda!¡± A woman with wavy hair styled in big curls hurried forth in her high heels, a fashion magazine in hand. She pushed open the door to an office in excitement ¡°Oh my god, Linda! Great news! Your work¡¯s been published in the fashion magazine! Here, take a look.¡± The room was messy and chaotic. Drafts were scattered all over the floor, along with some tools and pieces of fabric¡­ Among the chaos was a woman standing in front of the desk, focused on her draft Even so, Tiffany Jones managed to make her way through the scattered items quietly. She didn¡¯t want to disturb the working woman. Linda was undoubtedly amon name. But there was only one Linda in the fashion industry, and five years was all she needed to gain sess and poprity. Five years ago, Linda was a nobody when she arrived in France. In fact, she was only an insignificant assistant Five yearster, she became a renowned fashion designer. It wasn¡¯t just her talent that got her to where she was now. It was also the blood, sweat, and tears she had invested for years. Tiffany looked at Linda with deep admiration, and simply stood next to Linda until thetter finished working. The Linda that Tiffany was looking at was in truth none other than Tina Lynd. Compared to five years ago, Tina¡¯s aura changed from energetic to elegant. Her skin was glowing, and casually tied up hair revealed her near-perfect neckline. In contrast to her lovely appearance, her outfit was rather simple. Despite that, the outfits she made were all extraordinarily beautiful and eye-catching. Quite some time passed. Tiffany could feel her legs getting numb. Right then, Tina was finished with her work. Tina took a big stretch, pushing her arms¡­ Today was a special day, and she must get home soon. Finally, she could now go home. After moving her body around a little bit, she spotted Tiffany, who was standing motionlessly by the door ¡°Tiffany? What are you doing here?¡± Tiffany responded quickly, ¡°Ie with great news! Look, this is the Paris fashion magazine! You¡¯re on the cover!¡± She ced the magazine in front of Tina. A famous international model was on the front page And she was wearing a piece of dress that was designed and made exclusively by Tina. Tina was pleasantly surprised. ¡°I thought my work wouldn¡¯t make it¡­¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you buy us all a meal? I want to spend some time with our great master Linda, too!¡± Tiffany teased, letting oul a cheekyugh Tina hesitated for a while. ¡°Not today. I have something going on, and I need to get home early.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Tiffany¡¯s tone suddenly turned flirty. ¡°Our great Linda, who always treats the office as her home, is nning to leave early? Are you heading out to meet your boyfriend? Is today your anniversary?¡± Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Tiffany was in a gossipy mood. Surprised, Tina could only shake her head helplessly. She exined, ¡°Where did you hear all these rumors? I don¡¯t have a boyfriend.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tiffany was dumbfounded upon hearing Tina¡¯s answer. She added, ¡°I did hear something about a man constantly sending you flower bouquets all the time ever since you brought your child here to work with us five years ago. That man was super romantic, wasn¡¯t he? If he¡¯s not your boyfriend, then who is he?¡± Tina replied, ¡°That man is a family member who¡¯s very close to me¡± ¡°Hehe! Alright, then. I did hear from the others that the guy looks super cute When can I meet him?¡± Ion1 Tiffany might look mature, but she had only tumed eighteen years old this year. She had decided to be an apprentice at the studio shortly after her birthday Her temperament was childish, signifying that she had yet to go through the ups and downs of a grown-up¡¯s life. She didn¡¯t know how to be tactful at all, seeing as she spoke whatever that was on her mind without hesitation, Tina could not help but feel amused when she noticed Tiffany obsessing over an unknown man. ¡°Sure. If I have the chance to introduce him to you, I¡¯ll do that. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± ¡°Okay, Linda. Bye!¡± Tiffany replied. After packing her things up, Tina left the studio. Rows of tall camphor trees stood along the Parisian streets A ck car was parked under one of the trees. A man, d in a smart ¨C looking suit, leaned against the car as if he was waiting for someone Before Tina could approach him, a small shadow appeared out of nowhere and rushed toward her like a ball of energy ¡°Mommy!¡± A child-like voice rang at that time. Tina found it difficult to move since that shadow was hugging her thigh tightly. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tina could only stare down helplessly at the little girl who was firmlytched to her leg like a ko bear. She reprimanded gently, ¡°Kara, let go of me!¡± ¡°Mommy, I miss you so much! I want a hug!¡± Kara Lynd spread her chubby arms, blinking innocently at her mother in an attempt to look cute. As Tina lifted the little girl with her hands, she felt a firm kiss nted on her cheek ¡°Mwah!¡± Kara made sure to leave a sloppy, saliva-infested kiss on her mother¡¯s cheek.¡± Mommy, I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time I miss you so much!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been barely a day since west saw each other, I miss you too!¡± Tina looked at der daughter in her arms while grazing Kara¡¯s tny nosc affectionately. ¡°ppy birthday, my dear Kara!¡± Five years ago, this exact day was a special y for ¡®lina. Not only did she give birth to Kara, but it also marked the day both mother and daughter almost lost their lives. Fortunately, his appearance saved them. Tina gazed at the man in front of her. Even though five years had passed, she still counted her blessings gratefully whenever Kara¡¯s birthday was here. ¡°Frederick,¡± she called out. The man who was waiting for Tina happened to be Frederick, also known as the casanova of Freesia. Five years ago, Frederick went to great lengths just to escape from Lord Jackson. His worries about Tina could never be reassured. He was worried she might be bullied by the elites of Freesia, but unexpectedly, he discovered that she had been inissing for a long time. Even after asking the heiresses all around the city, none of them, including Fiona, knew where Tina had gone. The first thing that popped into Frederick¡¯s mind was the Langford family. Samuel must have imprisoned Tina. As Frederick was about to tail the Langford¡¯s family car in secret to find out Tina¡¯s whereabouts, he witnessed the woman in the car getting tossed into the sea. Frederick never expected Tina lo be the unfortunate woman. To think Samuel actually tried to kill her! What was scarier was the fact that he noticed a newborn baby cradled firmly in Tina¡¯s arms when she got chucked into the sea. It was obvious Freesia no longer weed the mother and daughterbo. Lord Jackson was no exception. He already hated Tina¡¯s guts, so how could he tolerate the fact that she had a child out of wedlock? Hence, Frederick made a bold decision which openly defied Lord Jackson¡¯s orders. He took Tina and Kara to Paris, and started a new life there. Now, Frederick was a changed man. d in a suit, he looked like a professional elite of the upper-ss society. He was no longer the same yboy he was back in Freesia. He said to Tina, ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car.¡± Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Tina got in the car carefully with Kara in her arms. She had already reserved a table at a fanily restaurant in advance, just to celebrate her daughter¡¯s sisih birthday. Kara kept filling Tina in on her day at her kindergarten during the trip. Tina could only giggle as she listened to her daughter¡¯s ramblings. Frederick saw the mother and daughter pair interact with each other in the rearview minor. Joy radiated from within his eyes. He knew very well that Tina would never like him romantically. His feelings for her back then were nothing but a product of infatuation. Having spent five years with Tina and Kara, Frederick could safely im that he was a family member to them Even Kara ted referring to him as her uncle. He wanted nothing more than to take care of them. All he wanted was to let Tina and Kara lead peaceful and happy lives without suffering anymore However, the joyous atmosphere didn¡¯t continue for much longer. An ambnce sped past them. For some reason, the traffic started clogging up. ¡°I think there¡¯s a car ident up ahead,¡± Frederickmented with a frown. ¡°You two stay in the car. I¡¯ll go find out what¡¯s going on.¡± Having said that, he got out of the car. Tina stayed in the car with kara. The two waited for Frederick for almost twenty minutes, but he was nowhere to be seen. Feeling quite worried, Tina was about to get out of the car and look for Frederick when she saw paramedics appearing with a stretcher They were carrying a wounded patient into the ambnce. The patient was a tall and well-built man. His forehead was apparently wounded, as blood kept trickling down his face That man was clearly handsome, possessing sharp and refined features. He was even more attractive than mixed-blood models who conquered the catwalk during the Paris fashion week However, just one nce at the patient froze all the blood in Tina¡¯s veins. At that very moment, the man on the stretcher opened his eyes all of a sudden. His dark orbs were fixated in her direction. Tina was so frightened that her heart almost stopped beating for a second. She instinctively picked Kara up and turned around to stumble her way back into the car. That was Samuel Langford! . Tina had never expected to bump into that demon on the Parisian streets after five years. Why was he here? Did he find out about her surviving the ordeal, hence his decision toe all the way to Paris to assassinate her? Also, did he see her just now when he opened his eyes? She had to leave this ce right now, or else..! Then again, Tina had already fostered a deep rtionship with her colleagues in the fashion studio due to her many years of working here. Should she really give everything up, especially when her career had begun to flourish recently? Tina¡¯s heart started racing like it was running a marathon. She was so anxious that all she could do was hug her daughter tightly. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Kara didn¡¯t cry out in pain despite being trapped in a tight hug. Perhaps she could feel her mother¡¯s anxiety at the moment. She patted Tina¡¯s backfortingly and imitated Tina¡¯s story-telling tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Tears streamed down Tina¡¯s cheeks at that moment. Her precious daughter was so understanding and caring despite being at a tender age. Five years ago, Tina had almost lost Kara to the grim reaper. Five yearster, she would never let anything happen to her daughter. Frederick hurried back to the car right then, a grim expression set on his face. ¡°Tina, I got some information¡­¡± Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Frederick opened the car door. Clearly, he didn¡¯t expect to see Tina shivering in fright. Slightly confused, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tina? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Kara turned around to shush Frederick with a raised finger ¡°Uncle Frederick, you¡¯re too loud. Mommy got scared just now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Frederick¡¯s confusion deepened even more. ¡°There was an injured man being carried into the ambnce. Mommy must¡¯ve been scared by his appearance,¡± Kara exined, a serious expression on her chubby face ¡°Mommy gels spooked easily, so don¡¯t scare her!¡± Tina added softly, ¡°Frederick, I saw him. Il¡¯s him¡­¡± Who else could frighten Tina this much? A surge ofplicated emotions rose within Frederick¡¯s heart. ¡°I know. I was gathering intel on that guy just now.¡± Frederick didn¡¯t expect Tina to see Samuel with her own eyes, which gave her a huge fright That situation had thrown a wrench in their ns, so they had no choice but to cancel the trip to the family restaurant Frederick said, ¡°We should go home.¡± ¡°Are we not going to the restaurant anymore?¡± Kara asked, puzzled. She was looking forward to celebrating her birthday at the family restaurant There, she could y with many children of her age Frederickforted her soothingly, ¡°Darling, we can¡¯t continue down this road. Mommy suffered from shock as well, so it¡¯s better for us to go home and celebrate your birthday. I¡¯ll buy you a cake on our way hometer, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Kara loved her mother more than anything in this world, so she relented with ease.¡± Please buy Mommy a cake 100. She loves chocte cake with marshmallows on top¡­¡± Frederick replied with a smile, ¡°No problem.¡± He tumed the car around and started driving home. Tina asked in a quivering tone, ¡°What should we do, Frederick? Has he found out about my survival? Should Kara and I leave this city?¡± ¡°Calm down. Everything will be fine,¡± Frederick said gently, trying to soothe her. ¡°I asked around for more details just now. I even called my friends in Freesia to find out what¡¯s going on. He¡¯s here because of some personal matters. Him getting into an ident is just a coincidence. Don¡¯t worry about it, Tina.¡± The so-called personal matters revolved around Samuel¡¯s genius son, who suffered from autism. Frederick didn¡¯t feel the need to go into details about that. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Tina¡¯s mind was still buzzing with frantic thoughts. ¡°But¡­ But he opened his eyes just now! I¡¯m worried that he might¡¯ve seen me and Kara! i¡¯m so scared¡­¡± Frederick thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Five years have already passed since then. You don¡¯t resemble the woman you were five years ago. Even if someone familiar with your appearance were to stand before you right now, they would be dumbfounded when they see you. Besides, he got injured because of a car ident. Even if he felt that you looked familiar, he would treat what he saw as a hallucination. No one would think that a dead person could be revived. Remember, we¡¯re in Paris, not Freesia. No matter how powerful he is, there¡¯s no way he can track you down and harm you without anyone knowing. I have a lot more connections here than him. Concealing your existence here is as easy as taking candy from a baby.¡± Tina gradually calmed down after hearing Frederick¡¯sforting words. It was true that the old Tina had died back in Freesia. Samuel¡¯s heartlessmand had sealed her fate. However, she was a well-known fashion designer who went by the name ¡®Linda¡¯ in Paris. She had never revealed her face to the media, and the name she was using wasn¡¯t her actual name. Samuel clearly thought she was dead. If he realized she was still alive, he wouldn¡¯t have waited for five years just to settle the score with her today. ¡°Mommy, what are you two talking about?¡± Kara was confused after listening to Tina and Frederick¡¯s conversation. ¡°Who¡¯s this person you¡¯re talking about?¡± Tina gazed into Kara¡¯s bright and innocent eyes. She spaced out for a moment. That person was Samuel Langford, the murderer who had ordered for Tina and Kara¡¯s deaths. At the same time, he was Kara¡¯s biological father. However, Kara and Samuel¡¯s rtionship could be summarized in a few simple words. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 ¡°Thal person is someone I used to know.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Was it that man just now?¡± Kara was a smart girl She quickly realized that something was amiss based on her mother¡¯s reaction, so she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t we go and say hi to him?¡± ¡°No!¡± Tina replied nervously. ¡°If you ever see him in the future, you must run away! Got it?¡± ¡°Is that man a bad guy?¡± Kara seemed to have understood something. ¡°He must have done something bad in the past, right?¡± ¡°Yes! He¡¯s a really, really, really bad guy!¡± Tina agreed vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s why you and I have to hide properly! We mustn¡¯t get discovered by that viin!¡± Frederick added, ¡°If you¡¯re discovered, you and your mommy will be separated forever.¡± Listening to the two, Kara instantly knew that the man was bad news He was definitely the most wicked viin in the history of viins! And so, Kara said seriously, ¡°I won¡¯t ever let him discover me! Don¡¯t worry, Mommy 1¡¯ll stay with you forever.¡± ¡°Me too, Kara.¡± Tina hugged her daughter immediately. Frederick was tickled pink by Kara¡¯s response. On one hand, she was quite brave, since she wasn¡¯t afraid of a bleeding man. On the other hand, she was a cowardly little girl too, seeing as she was frightened by the idea of being separated from her mother Soon, the car stopped in front of a bakery. Kara quickly forgot all about the big bad wolf as she took Tina¡¯s hand and ran excitedly into the bakery. There, she started picking out her favorite cake. ¡°Mommy wants a chocte cake, and I want a vani cake! What would you like to eat, Uncle Frederick?¡± Frederick was touched upon hearing the question. ¡°Aww! You care about me a lot, Kara! Unfortunately, I¡¯m not a fan of sweel things. I¡¯ll just get some coffeeter.¡± A frown instantly appeared on Kara¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s so nice about coffee? It¡¯s so bitter!¡± sheined. ¡°A brat like you knows nothing about having good taste!¡± Frederick replied in disgust. Kara was miffed to hear the statement. ¡°My mommy¡¯s a designer, so I¡¯ll be a designer too! I¡¯m naturally artistic, so my taste is way better than yours!¡± ¡°As if that¡¯s the case. There¡¯s a saying that goes like this. Daughters tend to follow in their fathers¡¯ footsteps¡­¡± ¡°My daddy¡¯s already dead, silly uncle! Are you saying that I resemble a dead person?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The uncle and niecebo ended up bickering in front of the ss counter Having witnessed the scene, Tina didn¡¯t know if she should step in and break them up. She was no longer frightened All that was left in her eyes was amusement Al that moment, someone gasped from outside the bakery. The bumbling foreignnguage was automatically tranted into English as the conversation flowed into Tina¡¯s ear. ¡°Whose child is this?¡± ¡°Is he lost? He looks like a child model¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! What a beautiful child.¡± Tina lifted her head subconsciously. The next second, surprise filled her eyes. What a beautiful little boy! There was a little boy standing a short distance away from her at that moment. He seemed to be around Kara¡¯s age Kara¡¯s personality was carefree and friendly. She was akin to a pretty doll showcased in a disy window, bright and lovely, attracting people¡¯s attention and inciting them to adore her. But the little boy¡¯s aura was akin to an adult, cold and noble. As a fashion designer, Tina was used to seeing beautiful models. A thought popped into her mind when she saw the little boy. ¡®He¡¯s already this handsome when he¡¯s still so young Once he grows up, he¡¯s going to be the reason many girls get heartbroken!¡¯ With that thought in mind, Tina started approaching the little boy, as if she was drawn by him. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Soon, Tina found herself standing in front of the little boy. ¡°Why are you alone? Where are your parents?¡± she asked as she crouched down. However, the little boy shot her an alert look and started backing away from her. Tina could see vignce written all over his eyes. For a moinent, she could spot the cold and sharp glint in his eyes that no child his age should possess. Strangely enough, she found the feeling to be familiar. She had never seen that child before, hadn¡¯t she? If she did, there was no way she wouldn¡¯t remember him. However, this was not the time to dwell on other things. Tina exined to the boy, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not a bad person. I just want to ask about your parents¡¯ whereabouts¡± The little boy had no intention to answer her. All he did was stare at her coldly ¡°Do you know your parents¡¯ numbers? Should I call them for you?¡± Tina asked again Again, the little boy remained silent. Tina felt helpless He was too alert for a child his age, to the point he refused to talk to strangers at all. Then again, it was probably a good thing for himn. If Kara was the one getting lost in the streets, there was a chance she might follow someone else home due to her overt friendliness. At that moment, Kara ran to Tina and asked, ¡°Mommy, why are you out here? Uncle Frederick and I are done buying the cakes! Let¡¯s go home¡­¡± Suddenly, the little boy turned to look at Kara. Thetter was intimidated by the forner¡¯s gaze She hugged Tina while saying, ¡°Mommy, who¡¯s this kid? Was he ring at me? He¡¯s so rude!¡± ¡°I think he got separated from his parents, so he¡¯s skittish at the moment.¡± Tina defended the boy. It was only then that Kara¡¯s fright dissipated. Instead, she approached the boy with curiosity sparkling in her eyes. ¡°Are you lost? What¡¯s your name? Do you want to call the police, or do you want us to make a phone call for you?¡± Kara was a friendly girl by nature, so she had many friends at the kindergarten The little boy¡¯s aloof personality didn¡¯t bother her at all. She continued, ¡°You look pretty rich since you dress very nicely. Don¡¯t you have a butler or some bodyguards following you everywhere? It¡¯s best if you stick to your mommy and daddy all the time when you¡¯re out here. Since you look super cute, you might get kidnapped by bad guys. You¡¯d be forced to wear shabby and torn clothes, and you wouldn¡¯t be able to cat delicious cake cver again. All you could eat by then is dirt and dust!¡± When the boy stubbornly remained silent, Kara continued, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking to me? Are you mute? Well, why don¡¯t you try using signnguage tomunicate with me? Do you know how to write?¡± Once Kara started talking, there was no stopping her. Words would spill out of her mouth like rushing water from a broken dam When Tina noticed the boy¡¯s expression growing more and more thunderous, she tugged on her daughter¡¯s sleeve tacitly in an attempt to get Kara to mind her words. ¡°Kara, you should¡­¡±. Unexpectedly, the boy looked like he was unable to handle Kara¡¯s ramblings anymore. He spat out a few words immediately, as if he had a quota on spoken words. ¡°I¡¯m Keith!¡± he snarled ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± Kara asked. ¡°My name!¡± Keith said coldly, looking disgusted. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear your name the first time Can you repeat it for me?¡± ¡°Clearly, your ears are the problem here.¡± Not only did that little boy adopt an aloof attitude, but his words were also extremely sharp. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°My ears are fine. You¡¯re the one who couldn¡¯t speak well, okay? How is this my fault?¡± Kara replied with an indignant huff. ¡°What did you say your name was? Kiss?¡± Keith was speechless His name was Keith, not kiss! ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking anymore? Are you really mute? Or could it be that you have a lispor something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you pronounce your name properly?¡± Keith Langford had always been treated by all with the utmost respect in the Langford manor. At that moment, Kara¡¯s response left himpletely baffled. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as stupid as you in the entire world,¡± Keith remarked scornfully. Kara pouted immediately. ¡°Mommy, look at him! He¡¯s mad at me now! He even insulted me! How rude!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, please teach your child proper manners. Keep her away from me!¡± Keith said angrily to Tina Tina was speechless upon hearing Keith¡¯s words. ¡®Aren¡¯t you a child as well? Why are you acting all mature? if I didn¡¯t look at you properly, I would¡¯ve thought you were a short, grumpy old man in his eighties!¡¯ Tina finally understood something. That little boy might look pretty on the outside, but his personality was extremely off-putting. He was cold to everyone else, and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to say hurtful things. She could only lift Kara into her arms as she asked, ¡°Since you know how to talk, do you want me to call your parents or the police? It¡¯d be bad if you got separated from your parents, after all.¡± The mother and daughter pair were infuriating Keith to no end. He spat in a deadpan tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t get separated from my parents. I¡¯m here to look for someone. I have things to do.¡± Kara peered down at him curiously from her mother¡¯s embrace. ¡°Who are you looking for? What kind of things are you doing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. Please, just mind your own business.¡± Keith didn¡¯t hesitate to shut Kara up. Tina was once again renderedpletely helpless when it came to this stubborn little boy. She remembered that Frederick was still waiting inside the bakery. Plus, Kara was eager to go home and celebrate her birthday, so she suggested, ¡°Let me call the police for you. We¡¯ll leave once they¡¯re here.¡± It was obvious that the boy was a vignt little one. Since she couldn¡¯t pry any answers from his mouth, she would have to entrust him into the police¡¯s care. The moment Tina¡¯s suggestion fell, Keith¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°No! You can¡¯t call the police! I must never return home!¡± Seeing as Tina was adamant on calling the police, Keith knew that if he didn¡¯t say something, his ns would be foiled. ¡°You mustn¡¯t call the police! My parents abuse me a lot! That¡¯s why I ran away from home! If you called the police, i¡¯d be sent back and they¡¯d keep abusing me!¡± Tina was shocked to hear that. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Abuse?!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Keith pulled up his sleeves while he spoke There were terrible cuts andcerations crisscrossing his tiny arms. Tina¡¯s face turned grim when she saw them. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± shouldn¡¯t an adorable child like Keith be cherished and loved by his parents? It was no wonder he looked very alert around strangers. This was the reason. Kara was frightened when she saw the scars. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have called you rude! Do your arms hurt a lot? They look like they do!¡± she wailed sympathetically. Keith was speechless. Tricking the mother and daughter pair was so easy! He also realized that they were incredibly kind-hearted people, so he continued, ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t call the police. I ran away from home because I wanted to look for someone, but an unexpected change interrupted my ns. I never got to find her¡­¡± Then, he suggested, ¡°Well, how about this? Why don¡¯t you take me in for now? Once I¡¯ve found out more news about the person I¡¯m searching for, I¡¯ll leave your house straightaway. Before that happens, I can pay you rent I have some emergency cash on me, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Kara didn¡¯t hesitate to agree with the suggestion. ¡°Of course! We won¡¯t let you suffer from abuse any longer! Mommy, let¡¯s take him home with us!¡± Tina nodded as well. ¡°Okay. Go find your uncle for me. Let¡¯s go home together.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Kara ran into the bakery to do as told. A whileter, a confused-looking Frederick walked out of the bakery. ¡°Kara told me something about you taking a child home with you. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Frederick gazed at Keith as he spoke. Both of them made eye contact with each other. The former was stunned by thetter¡¯s unique aura Frederick mumbled subconsciously, ¡°Hmm? Why do I feel that he looks quite familiar?¡± Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Frederick had a hunch that he had seen the boy before. Just as he was pondering on thetter¡¯s identity, Kara interrupted his thoughts and called out impatiently, ¡°Uncle Frederick, stop dilly-dallying! Let¡¯s go home! I want to celebrate my birthday and have some cake!¡±. ¡°Oh! Alright, then!¡± Frederick could only carry out his duties as Kara¡¯s loyal chauffeur. She was the birthday star, so her orders must be heeded! Soon, the car came to a halt in front of an apartment building. Keith followed the others out of the car. ¨C Tina and Kara¡¯s living quarters might not be big, but the ce was decorated nicely. At first THE STREET nce, it looked very cozy to live in. Themon quarters were stered with artwork produced by Kara in her kindergarten sses. Everywhere Keith looked, he would spy cute plushies here and there. Kara was friendly and weing to the new guest. She demonstrated her hospitality by locating a pair of small indoor slippers. ¡°This is my favorite pair of slippers. They¡¯re shaped like cute bears! I¡¯ll let you wear them.¡± However, Keith¡¯s expression started bing grim. Not only did the slippers sport the appearance of cute bears, but they were also colored a bright pink ¡°I don¡¯t wear slippers like these!¡± he replied huffily. ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t like bears? What about yellow duckies?¡± Kara fetched a pair of bright yellow slippers that sported duckling patterns. ¡°I don¡¯t want those as well.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What about giraffes? Or sheep slippers?¡± Kara kept presenting more slippers in front of Keith, each pair cuter than the one before. The boy waspletely speechless by now. He was never talkative to begin with, but it was impossible for him to speak up in front of the mother and daughterbo, especially when Kara was involved. ¡°Do you have any normal-looking slippers?¡± . Kara felt hurt on the inside. ¡°These slippers are so cute! Why don¡¯t you like them?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t like them ?t all, okay?¡± Tina tried to appease the boy by saying, ¡°Kara¡¯s slippers are categorized under the theme of cute animals. If you don¡¯t like them, you can always wear regr grown-up¡¯s slippers.¡± . 11 I Keith finally agreed to that. Kara was quick to let go of her grievances. She couldn¡¯t wait to start her birthday celebration, so she took out the party hats, tes, forks, and a small bunch of birthday candles. ¡°I¡¯m turning five years old today, so we need to ce five candles on the cake! All of you can ce one candle each, and I¡¯ll ce the remaining two candles!¡± Tina and Frederick epted the candles, but Keith backed away from Kara with a look of disgust. ¡°Low quality candles can cause harm to the human body once lit. Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting poisoned?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Kara replied, ¡°Huh? We¡¯ll get poisoned by the candles? Then, let¡¯s skip the candle-lighting process. Can I cut the cake now?¡± ¡°Cakes aren¡¯t good for your health as well. Most of them are produced using hydrogenated vegetable oil, after all. Even the chocte used as your cake filling isn¡¯t real. It¡¯s actually a cocoa butter recer that contains trans fatty acid.¡± Upon studying the cake painted with rainbow colors and had animals drawn on the surface, Keith added in the same disgusted tone, ¡°Plus, your cake has so much weird stuff drawn all over the surface. That means the food coloring has definitely exceeded the safety levels.¡± Kara could only listen to Keith¡¯sints in confusion. Imaginary stars were beginning to spin around her head. After that, Keith nced at Tina and Erederick. ¡°Don¡¯t you know about all this information as parents? How on earth did you educate your child?¡± All three of them couldn¡¯t say anything in retaliation. In the end, Kara was the first one to speak up first. Confusion colored her tone as she eximed, ¡°T- Today is my birthday! Don¡¯t you eat cakes during your birthday?¡± ¡°I never celebrate my birthday! It¡¯s a ridiculously childish thing to do!¡± Keith might only be a child, but the moment he opened his mouth, his razor-sharp words could hurt everyone¡¯s feelings in the room. Sorrow overcame Kara at that instant. Her lips scrunched into a pout, and she could feel big fat tears rolling down her cheeks like broken strings of pearls. ¡°All I want to do is to celebrate my birthday¡­ I want to eat that cake¡­¡± Keith didn¡¯t expect to drive the little girl in front of him into tears, crying like a baby. ¡°What on earth are you crying for?¡± ¡°ir Chapter 218 Chapter 218 ¡°I want to light the candles, but you said they¡¯re poisonous. I want to eat my birthday cake, but it¡¯s also poisonous!¡± Kara¡¯s cries intensified the more she spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t want everyone to get poisoned, so I can¡¯t celebrate my birthday now! I¡¯m so sad¡­¡± For some reason, Keith didn¡¯t want the girl in front of him to cry. Maybe it was because she had a pretty name. Girls with such names should have pretty smiles all the time. But when she started crying, she no longer looked pretty. Keith took out a small handkerchief from his suit pocket and said in a cold tone, ¡°Hurry up and wipe your tears. If you want to celebrate your birthday, then do it. Why are you crying? You look so ugly when you do!¡±¡­ ¡°T-The poison¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already bought everything, haven¡¯t you? It¡¯s better to consume the cake rather than waste it. Just remember not to buy such things in the future.¡± Keith¡¯s words were still icy, but now, he was soothing the little girl instead of hurting her feelings. 4.2 ¡°Really? I can eat the cake?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already this stupid to begin with. A bit of cake won¡¯t do you any harm.¡± Kara filtered out the mean words automatically and smiled beautifully in response. ¡°Yay! We can eat the cake now! Let¡¯s cut it together! As a family, we should celebrate together!¡±. ¡°I¡¯m not a part of your family.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re already living in my house, that means you¡¯re a part of the family!¡± Keith was rendered speechless once more after hearing Kara¡¯s words. Never had he heard such unreasonable and illogical things before in his life. However, he deemed it inappropriate to continue being mean to the little girl. He might risk making her cry again. Kara grabbed Keith¡¯s hand and announced excitedly, ¡°Mommy, Uncle Frederick! Let¡¯s cut the cake!¡± Tina let out a sigh of relief. Children would always argue over minor things, but she thought it inappropriate to interfere with their squabbles as she was an adult. It was a good thing the children had solved their problem and sessfully made up. The entire family put their hands together on the knife and divided the cake into four quarters. By the time Kara had happily finished her cake, it was already dark outside. The approaching night was beginning to make her drowsy. ** ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m sleepy now. I want to go to bed.¡± ¡°Go brush your teeth and wash your face, Kara. I¡¯ll read you a bedtime storyter.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± While Kara ran off to do her nightly routine, Frederick decided to leave the apartment. Keith sat on the couch while staring at Tina, who was beginning to clean up the ce. For some reason, he started to think of this particr ce as his home. He felt closer to this mother and daughter pairpared to when he was with his birth mother At that moment, Tina noticed Keith¡¯s expression. She asked, ¡°Are you already tired? I¡¯ve tidied up the guest room for you earlier. You can sleep there for the night.¡± Qe innum ¡°I¡¯m not tired yet,¡± Keith replied stubbornly. ¡°Can you lend me yourputer? It¡¯s an emergency.¡± ¡°Are you going to y games on it?¡± ¡°No. I want to contact an acquaintance. Of course, this is my secret, so I can¡¯t tell you anything about it. It¡¯s bad for you if you know too much.¡± Keith sounded very serious when he said that. Tina didn¡¯t press on the matter, and simply shrugged helplessly. Perhaps it wasmon for children toe up with imaginary scenarios all the time. Keith made it sound so mysterious, as if he was about to contact an information broker. She handed Keith aptop and said, ¡°Have fun. I¡¯m going to read Kara a bedtime story.¡± Keith pulled out a specialized USB drive from his pocket and plugged it into one of theptop¡¯s ports. Then, he logged into a website. He looked very serious as he typed a message with the keyboard. ¡°Are you there? Soon, a reply could be seen on the chat window. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°What the heck? You¡¯re finally here, Boss! I thought you went missing! I¡¯ve already caused the car ident that you ordered to happen. That Langford man was hospitalized, but the autistic child meant to seek treatment there has disappeared to God knows where.¡± Keith sent another order. ¡°Forget about that child. I want information on the tenants of this apartment building, particrly the mother and daughter pair.¡± After that, he sent the address that he was currently staying at. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 ¡°Got it!¡± The person on the other side replied immediately. After that, Keith asked, ¡°Also, have you tracked down the woman I asked you to find?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve locked on a few locations, but I¡¯m still trying to filter them out. That Langford guy isn¡¯t an amateur when ites to this business. If I acted tantly, he¡¯d definitely raise his guard and sniff me out. I can only take this slow. I still need about seven days toplete this task.¡± Keith¡¯s gaze grew sharp and calcting at that moment. Two years ago, when he was starting to develop memories as a three-year-old, his birth mother Cindy was ruthlessly imprisoned by his father Samuel. Over the past three years, he never had the chance to meet her. Samuel had always thought that Keith was too young to remember Cindy. In reality, thetter remembered all the events clearly. The reason he plotted this for so long was so he could rescue his mother and whisk her away from the Langfords. In a faraway ce, Keith was certain they would be able to lead happy lives. Right now, Samuel was hospitalized due to the ident. This was Keith¡¯s perfect chance to track down his mother¡­ If that scary man were to find out that he had been pretending to be autistic all for the sake of saving his mother, both him and Cindy would be doomed for sure. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days. Find her location immediately!¡± ¡°B-But Boss¡­¡± Before the guy could finish typing his message, Keith unplugged the USB and severed his connection with the website. On the other end, Arthur Knight felt like bursting into tears on the spot. He used to be the best hacker on the inte, but he didn¡¯t expect to be defeated by a mysterious expert who had emerged a year ago. ording to the bet the duo had ced, Arthur was forced to work for the unknown hacker with weird mood swings for the next ten years, and that was for free. Of course, he was very frustrated about it. s, there was no way he could ever voice it to his boss. That hacker was more superior to him, after all. Since Arthur couldn¡¯t beat him, he might as well join him. With that resolve in mind, Arthur could only type away on his keyboard while watching lines of codes appearing on his screen. All he had to do was to keep working overtime in hopes of getting the task done. After stowing away the USB drive, Keith carried theptop with his arms. He wanted to return it to Tina. Just as he approached a room¡¯s doorway, he heard Tina and Kara¡¯s conversation drifting from inside the room. ¡°Tonight¡¯s bedtime story is called ¡°Tadpoles Searching for Their Mommy.¡¯ The warm spring is here¡­ A bunch of little tadpoles want to look for their mommy¡­ After oveing all the obstacles, the little tadpoles finally found their froggy mommy. Together, they lived happily ever after¡­¡± dm Tina¡¯s tone was gentle as she read the bedtime story out loud from the storybook to her daughter. Kara lay in her arms, her heavy eyelids already glued together. She struggled to say, ¡°The little tadpoles are very pitiful¡­ I won¡¯t be separated from you, Mommy¡­ Even if we do get separated, I¡¯ll find you quickly¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get separated from you too,¡± Tina replied softly. ¡°I¡¯ll always stay with you, my dear Kara. Sleep well.¡± ¡°Mommy, I want¡­ a good night kiss¡­¡± Once Tina nted a soft kiss on her daughter¡¯s forehead, thetter was already soundly asleep. lult, his mentality was still that of a No matter how much Keith carried himself like a min five-year-old. TEATTERIE TUTUP The sight of Kara and Tina¡¯s loving interactions made him ball his fists tightly. All he could feel at that moment was extreme difort. He turned around hastily and tried to leave the doorway. Bam! In his hurry to leave, Keith identally bumped into the doorframe, resulting in a loud noise. Tina was frightened after hearing the unexpected sound. She lifted her head, only to see Keith¡¯s tiny figure fleeing from the doorway. In his ce was theptop he had just borrowed from her. It was a good thing Kara couldn¡¯t be roused easily after falling asleep. After cing her daughter onto her bed and tucking her in, Tina left the room quietly. ¡°I heard you bumping into something just now. Are you all right?¡± she asked, clearly concerned for Keith. Thetter was seated on his bed, expressionless. ¡°I¡¯m fine. In fact, I¡¯m tired now, so I¡¯m going to bed!¡± It was a hint for Tina to leave him alone. Tina was both helpless and distressed when she heard those words. The little boy in front of her was the same age as Kara, yet he seemed so mature. Not only that, but he was also awfully alert around strangers.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Chapter 220 Chapter 220 His behavior must have been caused by his parents¡¯ long-term abuse, right? Tina didn¡¯t know what kind of heartless b*stards Keith¡¯s parents were. How could they have the heart toy a finger on such an adorable child? Having recalled the scars on Keith¡¯s arms earlier that afternoon, Tina said, ¡°I remember that you have a lot of cuts on your arms. Do they hurt? Let me tend to them for you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Those are just minor cuts,¡± Keith rejected her coldly. He was the only heir of the Langford family, after all. Naturally, no one dared to abuse him. Even though he shared a bad rtionship with Samuel, thetter didn¡¯t treat him badly either. Keith could request for whatever he wanted, other than an opportunity to meet his mother. Those cuts were just products of the car ident that he had caused in an attempt to escape from his father. To him, they were nothing HET SURI However, Tina grabbed a medical kit and pressed on sternly, ¡°That¡¯s it. Arms out right now. I¡¯ll bandage them for you.¡± ¡°I told you I don¡¯t need.¡¯ ed.nl ¡°What if you fae ill and have a burning fever if your cuts aren¡¯t treated? If you¡¯re sick, I¡¯ll have to send you to the hospital. Then, you might risk getting discovered and returned to your family!¡± Tina pretended to be angry with Keith Thetter frowned immediately. What Tina said made sense. He couldn¡¯t risk falling ill and getting himself admitted to the hospital right now. He still needed to save his mother, after all. ¡°Fine.¡± Keith¡¯s face was all scrunched up as he reluctantly extended his arms. He had inherited Samuel¡¯s strange pet peeve, and was an odd germaphobe like Samuel. He hated making contact with strangers the most. But due to the special circumstances, he had no choice but to allow the woman in front of him to tend to his cuts. Oddly enough, Keith was surprised to dis he was fine with Tina¡¯s touch when she carefully bandaged his arms. Tina started treating his cuts carefully by disinfecting and bandaging them seriously. If a normal child was in Keith¡¯s position, they would have cried and refused to cooperate with Tina. However, the little boy simply pursed his lips and refused to make a sound. ¡°Alright.¡± Tina was filled with distress as she released Keith¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m done treating your cuts. You can sleep now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Keith grunted back in response. Just as he was about to lie down, he heard Tina adding, ¡°Oh, right!¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tina leaned down and cupped Keith¡¯s cheeks. Then, she kissed him on his forehead. Smooch! Keith was shell-shocked after feeling the kiss on his forehead. ¡°This is a good night kiss. Good night. Sweet dreams.¡± Tina caressed Keith¡¯s head lovingly before spinning on her heel and leaving his room. Then, she closed the door softly behind her. All Keith could do was sit on his bed silently, as if he was a trance. He couldn¡¯t snap out of his shock for a very long time. When he finally regained his senses, he touched his forehead, thinking that everything that happened just now must be a hallucination. ¡®Is this how it feels like to have a mother?¡¯ Keith snuggled back under his covers. For some reason, his cold and hardened heart started looking forward to the future. Soon, he would be able to find his mother. When that happened, he would be able to feel his mother¡¯s love just like Kara, right? The family of three soon fell asleep during the night. In a hospital on the other side of Paris, a bodyguard opened the door with a heavy heart. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve searched the ten-mile radius of the ident¡¯s location, but we¡¯re still unable to locate Young Master Langford. Also, for some reason, we could only watch the footage of Young Master Langford leaving the scene. The rest of the surveince cameras didn¡¯t work at all. Even the headquarters of Paris¡¯s police department is unable to find the reason why.¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Of course, the man in the ward was none other than Samuel Langford. Five yearster, he looked colder and more mature than ever. He had sustained minor injuries from the car ident, so he was confined to bed rest for the time being. Many bandages were wrapped around various parts of his body. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Most people would look haggard and weak if they were in his position. However, Samuel¡¯s regal aura didn¡¯t diminish at all despite looking like a living mummy. After hearing the bodyguard¡¯s report, he chuckled coldly. To the former, it was filled with various lethal meanings. The bodyguard was so frightened that he almost sank into a kneeling position from his knees going weak. He begged pitifully, ¡°Sir, please give us one more chance. We¡¯ll definitely track down Young Master Langford¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°He did this on purpose.¡± ¡°What?¡± The bodyguard looked stunned. A momentter, he seemed to have understood something. ¡°Sir, a-are you saying that Young Master Langford is the one behind all of this? T-This is impossible, right? Young Master Langford is just a five-year-old, after all. Why¡­ How would he n all of this..?¡± ¡°Why, you ask? Naturally, he wants to meet his mother.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was icy cold, his eyes narrowing sharply. He had already seen through Keith¡¯s n. Since he was a little boy, Keith was diagnosed as an autistic child by the doctor. At the same time, he was a genius with an insanely high IQ. Samuel originally thought that no matter how intelligent Keith was, he was just a five-year old child at the end of the day. Now, it seemed like he had greatly underestimated his genius son. The fact that Keith was able to flee from the scene of the ident so calmly while evading a squad of bodyguards, not to mention the fact that the surveince cameras happened to fail at that time of the day¡­ Everything was definitely nned by that little boy. Keith was definitely his son. Unfortunately, the boy didn¡¯t execute his n well enough. ¡°Dispatch more of your men to move Cindy out of the mansion. Send her to a safer ce. I believe he¡¯ll return to me obediently once he fails to find her.¡± The bodyguard couldn¡¯t help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. As expected, the hardheaded father and son pair wouldn¡¯t be able to interact with each other Vio . 777 TATO well without the mistress of the family acting as a conditioner. Those who weren¡¯t familiar with their antics might have viewed them as archenemies. Unfortunately, the only woman who could manage Samuel and Keith¡¯s rtionship was Cindy. Back then, she had manipted Samuel into murdering that third wheel. As a result, Madam Langford was so furious that she died from emotional exertion. Upon investigating the incident and realizing that Cindy was the actual culprit behind everything, Samuel hadpletely lost his trust in her. Hence, when Keith turned two years old and no longer needed a mother¡¯s constant care, Samuel decided to dump Cindy into a random mansion and imprisoned her there. The bodyguard then remembered another matter. ¡°By the way, sir, your coboration partner has found out about your arrival. They¡¯d like to invite you to a fashion g that will be held in three days. Since you still need to rest, should I turn the invitation down for you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was ice. ¡°These are just minor injuries. I¡¯ll be discharged soon. Tell them that I¡¯ll attend the g.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± When the bodyguard left the ward, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a helpless sigh. Samuel¡¯s personality was colder and more aloof than ever. He would dly disregard his own health in pursuit of the greater goal, much less his own son. Samuel was then left alone in his ward. He finally looked away from the moon that hung outside his window before taking out something from his pocket. It was a pigeon egg diamond ring, which also happened to be the only belonging that reminded him of that woman. He nced at it coldly, his stoic face still expressionless. After a while, he ced it back into his pocket. The next morning, rays of sunlight poured through the window of a certain apartment. Kara was the first to awaken. She ran into Tina¡¯s room eagerly, wanting to wake Tina up. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 ¡°Mommy! Mommy! It¡¯s already sote in the morning! Why aren¡¯t you awake yet?¡± Before Tina could open her room door, an icy voice drifted from the guest room next door. ¡°Why are you so noisy? It¡¯s early in the morning, so keep it down!¡± Kara was shocked to hear the voice. She turned her head to look at the guest room before remembering that her family had allowed a pretty little boy to stay with them the day before. Right now, Keith was ring at Kara angrily. Irritation was written all over his face. After he fell asleep, he had an amazing dream. In that dream, he finally found his mother and took her to and far, far away. Having not seen Keith for many years, naturally, his mother missed him very much. She showered him with much love. She would send him to school in the morning, and at night, she would tell him bedtime stories in a gentle and loving tone. She even gave him a good night kiss. However, the dream didn¡¯tst long for Keith, seeing as Kara¡¯s loud voice had shattered it and startled him awake. The culprit was so scared of Keith¡¯s re that she couldn¡¯t help but shrink away from him. Then, she greeted him in a friendly manner. ¡°Good morning!¡± ¡°Bad morning. You woke me up.¡± ¡°Children shouldn¡¯t oversleep! They should wake up early in the morning to go to school! The early bird gets the worm, you know?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. At that moment, Tina finally opened the door. ¡°Good morning.¡± Kara hugged Tina¡¯s leg straight away while yelling, ¡°Good morning, Mommy! I¡¯d like a good morning kiss, please!¡± ¡°No problem, my dear Kara.¡± Tina hugged Kara and left a good morning kiss on her forehead. After that, she looked in Keith¡¯s direction. Thetter was stunned on the spot. He took a step backward out of instinct. ¡®Is she nning to give me a good morning kiss too?¡¯ Tina could sense the little boy¡¯s refusal. She understood that she shouldn¡¯t push the boundaries with her friendliness to avoid frightening him, so she greeted him verbally. ¡°Good morning. Go wash up now. I¡¯ll send both of you to the kindergarten before heading to work.¡± Tina led Kara into the bathroom as she spoke. in the Keith was left standing alone, a tight frown surfacing on his face. For some reason, he felt a strange pang of disappointment. After a simple breakfast, Tina drove Kara and Keith to Little Stars, an international kindergarten that epted foreign students. When the principal noticed Keith, she asked in surprise, ¡°Is this boy your son?¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s my rtive¡¯s son. I need to watch over him for a few days, so I sent him here with Kara,¡± Tina exined with ease. ¡°Haha! Those who don¡¯t know you well might think that these two are fraternal twins!¡± the principal joked. Then, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± The moment Tina heard that question, she realized she had never gotten the little boy¡¯s name the entire time he stayed with her and Kara. At that moment, Keith opened his mouth. ¡°My name is Keith.¡± ¡°Alright, then. Keith, let¡¯s have fun in the kindergarten for the next few days.¡± The principal then led the children away. Tina watched the children¡¯s fading silhouettes, feeling slightly emotional on the inside. It would be a good thing if Keith really was her son. She would definitely take good care of him. How could she ever let him get hurt? Since Tina had to go to work, she couldn¡¯t afford to daydream. Soon, she arrived at the fashion studio. Just when she entered the studio, her apprentice, Tiffany, hurried to her side immediately.¡± Oh my god, Linda! I have big news for you! In fact, it¡¯s great news!¡±. ¡°Everything¡¯s great news to you, Tiffany,¡± someone joked from the studio. Everyone couldn¡¯t help butugh. After all, Tiffany was the ray of sunshine of the bunch. She could always find the silver lining in everything. ¡°Hey, I speak nothing but the truth! This really is great news!¡± Tiffany eximed. ¡°A fashion g will be held in three days, and a mysterious VIP will attend it!¡± ¨C Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Everyone¡¯s interest was instantly piqued when they heard Tiffany¡¯s announcement. ¡°A mysterious VIP?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve asked around for the VIP¡¯s identity. Apparently, that person¡¯s a friend of the founder of Paris Fashion Week, which means it¡¯s definitely someone influential!¡± ¡°Do you know the VIP¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I haven¡¯t found out about it yet. That VIP keeps an extremely low profile, you know?¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t help but roll their eyes at that moment. ¡°Your so-called news isn¡¯t amazing at all!¡± ¡°Hehe! That¡¯s not necessarily the case. At the very least, no one else knows about the VIPing to the fashion g. With the information at hand, we can show off our fashionable sides. What if the VIP thinks highly of our studio because of our fabulous appearances and decides to work with us?¡± Tiffany balled her fists excitedly and looked at Tina. ¡°Miss Linda, you¡¯re the prettiest and the best designer out of all of us! It¡¯s all on you now!¡± Tina¡¯s current name was Linda, so it was natural for her to be referred to as such. She couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight of Tiffany being her bubbly and energetic self. Then, she nodded and replied, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± After a brief conversation, everyone returned to their stations and continued working. Tina¡¯s phone suddenly rang when she was in the middle of discussing the details of the newest design with her colleagues. ¡°I need to take this phone call.¡± Originally, Tina thought it was a phone call from one of her clients, but the moment she picked it up, she heard an anxious voice drifting from the speaker. ¡°You¡¯re Kara¡¯s mother, right? Your child is involved in a fight and has caused trouble!¡± ¡°What?¡± Tina was stunned to hear the news. Kara had always been carefree and friendly. How could she ever get into a fight with another child? ¡°Pleasee here as soon as you can! The other child¡¯s parents are already here!¡± Tina didn¡¯t dare to put the matter off any longer, so she could only lodge for the day off before hurrying toward Little Stars. The principal¡¯s office was on the second floor. Before Tina could open the door, she could already hear angry voices in there. ¡°Those children are incredibly rude! I knew I shouldn¡¯t have drafted my child into this kindergarten! All the children here have been misled! They already knew how to fight even at a young age! Their parents should kill themselves for having such awful children!¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Two parents, who were dressed extravagantly, screeched at two children loudly whileforting their crying, chubby child at the same time. Keith had already ced himself in front of Kara protectively. He might be small in stature, but he still stood upright. He showed no fear in the face of the angry parents admonishing him. His voice was icy cold as he said, ¡°Are we truly the rude ones? Everyone has witnessed your son starting the fight first, and yet you¡¯re the ones using us for being rude. Who exactly are the rude ones here?¡± ¡°How dare you talk back to us!¡± The chubby child¡¯s mother looked enraged. ¡°Not only did you break our precious son¡¯s favorite toy, but you also punched him in the eye. You¡¯ve made it swell like this! How dare you talk back, boy!¡± ¡°What the f*cking hell? How dare a b*stard like you talk smack to us aftermitting such heinous crimes! I¡¯ll f*cking punish you on behalf of your parents!¡± The chubby child¡¯s father cursed before raising his hand threateningly and was about to swipe at Keith¡¯s face. But Keith¡¯s gaze was cold and frightening. ¡°Do it. I dare you.¡± At that moment, the father was stunned and paused. Keith¡¯s aura red from his tiny form like a murderous wave. How could a five-year-old look so intimidating? At that moment, Tina¡¯s voice rang from the doorway. ¡°Stop it right now!¡± The moment she opened the door, the first thing she saw was the chubby child¡¯s father about to hit Keith on the spot. Her heart almost stopped beating when she noticed what was going on. How could they have the heart to beat up such a young child? Tina strode toward the children in wide steps and stood in front of them without any hesitation. She resembled a fierce mother hen spreading her wings in order to protect her beloved chicks. ¡°We can always talk this out. If you insist on using violence to resolve the matter, then I don¡¯t mind calling the police.¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 The chubby child¡¯s mother screeched, ¡°So you¡¯re these children¡¯s mother, huh? Why are you the only one here? Where¡¯s their father?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t Ie here on my own?¡± Tina frowned in response. The moment the unpleasant woman heard this answer, she looked smug all of a sudden. Then she said mockingly, ¡°I¡¯ve already heard rumors of b*stard children not having the chance to grow up with their father. It turns out that those b*stards are your children, eh? No wonder they¡¯re so rude!¡± Tina¡¯s expression changed drastically. She was fine with people mocking and ridiculing her, but she would never ept them humiliating Kara and Keith in her face. However, this wasn¡¯t a good time to argue with them. Tina did her best to suppress her rage before asking the principal, ¡°I¡¯d like to request to see the surveince footage. I believe it¡¯ll show us the truth.¡± The principal let out a sigh of relief. Tina was a rational and logical parent who didn¡¯t argue for the sake of arguing, which was a rare gem nowadays. ¡°Okay. Pleasee with me.¡± The principal led the small group into the control room before showing them the footage. It turned out that the chubby child was the one who stole Kara¡¯s toy away from her. He even referred to her as a b*stard child without a father. Kara didn¡¯t want to cause trouble, so she decided to let it go. However, Keith refused to tolerate the bully¡¯s behavior. He stepped in front of the bully and demanded that he apologize to Kara. The chubby boy adopted an arrogant attitude. Not only did he refuse to apologize, but he also tried to hit Keith. In the end, Keith tripped the bully over, causing thetter to fall to the ground. Tina was furious after watching the footage. All this time, she had always thought that Kara led afortable life in the kindergarten. She didn¡¯t expect thetter to be bullied all the time. ¡°It¡¯s clear to see who should be the ones apologizing by now,¡± she remarked coldly. However, the parents didn¡¯t look apologetic at all. Instead, they retorted shamelessly, ¡°At the end of the day, this is just a scuffle between the children! He¡¯s the one who forced my son¡¯s hand!¡± Tina was both enraged and dumbfounded by the parents¡¯ shameless behavior. After that, they continued, ¡°It¡¯s obvious that our son¡¯s injured, so you can¡¯t shirk the responsibilities, right? How about this? You don¡¯t need to pay the medical fees. Since you¡¯re just a single mother, we¡¯ll allow you to kneel and bow down to us. Then, we¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± Tina replied mockingly. ¡°This is my first time meeting such shameless people!¡± ¡°How dare you say that to me!¡± The chubby boy¡¯s mother was so furious that she wanted to p Tina right away. But the next second¡­ p! Tina was faster in delivering a heavy p on the rude mother¡¯s cheek ¡°How dare you hit me!¡± the unpleasant woman screeched again, cradling her face. ¡°Hubby, go screw her up!¡± ¡°You m*therf*cking b*tch! I¡¯ll f*cking beat the sh*t out of you!¡± Tina remained emotionless as she aimed a powerful kick at the man. Bam! ¡°Argh!¡± The arrogant parents were soon writhing in pain on the ground, thanks to Tina¡¯s reflexes. As a single mother, she had spent thest five years training the art of self-defense in order to avoid unwanted trouble. It was all so that she could avoid getting bullied like what happened today. ¡°Just because I¡¯m a single mother, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a pushover! If you dare to bully my children, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson more painful than this one!¡± After threatening the shameless parents, Tina led the children out of the kindergarten. Kara gasped out, ¡°Mommy, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re this strong!¡± ¡°You silly girl! Why didn¡¯t you tell me about you getting bullied?¡± Tina flicked her daughter¡¯s forehead before turning to look warmly at Keith. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. If it wasn¡¯t for the boy, she wouldn¡¯t have known that her daughter was being bullied in the kindergarten Keith had to admit that the moment Tina rushed to protect him and Kara, she looked like an absolute badass. However, he chose to harrumph haughtily instead. ¡°You¡¯re not bad yourself.¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Tina smiled happily in response. Keith may look cold, aloof, and mean, but he was quite caring on the inside. ¡°Both of you must be frightened by the incident. Since I¡¯ve already taken the rest of the day off, I can rx with you. Is there anywhere you¡¯d like to go?¡± she asked. Kara piped up happily, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯d like to go to the family restaurant with Keith! He¡¯s now my older brother!¡± ¡°Older brother?¡± Tina was surprised. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The little girl exined eagerly, ¡°Mommy, Keith and I were born on the same day! He¡¯s slightly taller than me, so I look at him as my older brother!¡± Keith didn¡¯t hesitate to add, ¡°Not only that, but I¡¯m also smarter than you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m smart too!¡± ¡°Compared to me, you¡¯re pretty dumb.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The sight of the children bickering with each other warmed Tina¡¯s heart greatly. At the same time, she felt quite emotional. She didn¡¯t expect to discover that the day before was also Keith¡¯s birthday. However, the little boy didn¡¯t say a word about it. It seemed his biological parents failed at parenting. ¡°You two shoulde with me to the studio first. Tonight, we¡¯ll head over to the family restaurant.¡± It was then that Tina decided that she would celebrate Keith¡¯s birthday tonight. ¡°Okay!¡± Kara was extremely happy to hear that. Everyone in the studio weed the little girl happily when they saw her. After all, Tina had spent thest five years stewing inside the studio, so everyone practically watched Kara grow up. ¡°Haha! Our little princess is finally here!¡± ¡°Wee!¡± However, they were stunned when they saw Keith, who stood behind Kara. ¡°What the heck? Oh my god, where did this little boye from?¡± ¡°Is he a model?¡± ¡°Miss Linda, you¡¯re being mean! Did you give birth to twins and decided that it was a good idea to hide one of them? Are you only introducing your son to us now?¡± Tina was tickled pink by the conspiracy theories. Her colleagues¡¯ imaginations were clearly to 225 going wild right now. ¡°He¡¯s my rtive¡¯s son, and he¡¯s staying over at my ce for a few days. Stop making those ridiculous guesses.¡± ¡°Aww! What a shame! If they really are twins, they¡¯d be the prettiest twins ever! If they modeled our designs on the catwalk, they¡¯d definitely be the event¡¯s spotlight!¡± The fuss over the children didn¡¯tst long, for everyone returned to their stations soon after. Kara went to have fun on the swings at the back of the studio. As for Keith, he used the excuse of wanting to nap in the lounge in order to slip away. There, he located aputer that no one was using and booted it up immediately. Once again, he logged into the website and asked, ¡°Do you have any news?¡± ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve found intel on the mother and daughter pair!¡± Arthur sent a document detailing the past five years of Tina and Kara¡¯s lives over the website. Keith scanned the document before asking, ¡°Is this everything?¡± ¡°Boss, there¡¯s something fishy about them. Even with my abilities, I¡¯m only able to find out intel on them from the past five years. I couldn¡¯t find anything on the timeline before that. It¡¯s obvious that this Linda woman is using a fake identity. I¡¯ll need more time to get the intel on her real identity. Do you want me to proceed with the investigation?¡± Keith frowned immediately. He originally thought that Tina and Kara were ordinary people, but he didn¡¯t realize that Tina had faked her identity as Linda. ¡°Do it!¡± he ordered coldly. Arthur continued reporting, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve made new discoveries on the woman you asked me to investigate. I¡¯ll be able to pinpoint where she¡¯s imprisonedtest by midnight.¡± A small smile finally appeared on Keith¡¯s stoic face. ¡°Excellent. Find it as soon as possible,¡± he replied before shutting down theputer. The location would be outtest by midnight¡­ That meant tomorrow, Keith could finally achieve his goal and whisk his mother away from this ce. The thought made him both excited and emotional at the same time. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Keith might have spent only two days with Tina and Kara, but he felt warm and safe when he was with them. Those emotions had never appeared in the past five years of him living with the Langfords Unfortunately, he would be separated from them soon. Tina finally got off work in the evening. When she opened the lounge door, she noticed a small figure all curled up. Keith was already asleep on the bed, a faint smile on his stoic face. Perhaps he was having a good dream. Tina didn¡¯t want to wake him up, so she carried him gently from the bed. But no matter how gentle and careful she was, Keith still woke up in the end. Still stuck between the folds of dreand and reality, the feeling of being cuddled by a pair of warm arms made him exim happily, ¡°Mommy, I finally found you¡­¡± The moment Keith lifted his head, the surprised delight quickly dissipated on the spot. Tina felt her heart throb in pain. She didn¡¯t expect that the little boy who looked so cold and mean was so vulnerable on the inside. She couldn¡¯t help but ask softly, ¡°Did youe all the way here just to look for your mommy?¡± Keith was used to concealing everything from everyone, but he found it difficult to lie to Tina¡¯s face when she had been nothing but gentle and kind to him. ¡°Yes. I ran away from home because I wanted to look for my mommy. It¡¯s been years since Ist saw her, but it¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll be reunited with her soon. There¡¯s no need for you to worry about me.¡± Tina could tell she would miss such a well-mannered and understanding boy like Keith after hearing his answer. Still, she gave him her blessings. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll definitely find your happiness.¡± Kara was ecstatic when she reached the family restaurant. She grabbed Keith by the hand and eximed, ¡°Let¡¯s go y on the see-saw!¡± ¡°That¡¯s too childish!¡± Keith looked repulsed by the very idea. He was a genius hacker, after all. How could he ever y such childish games? ¡°I want to y with you, that¡¯s all¡­¡± Kara looked aggrieved. Keith pondered for a moment. Since he would be leaving soon, he might as well fulfill the little girl¡¯s wish. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll y with you for a while,¡± he finally relented. Kara continued happily, ¡°I also want to y house with you! I¡¯ll be the mommy!¡± ¡°Then, what¡¯s my role?¡± Keith asked. ¡°You¡¯ll be my baby!¡± Keith¡¯s expression became awfully dark in an instant. To him, ying house was the worst and childish game ever. Out of helplessness, he had no choice but to entertain Kara by partaking in various childish activities and games. When it was dinnertime, Keith didn¡¯t expect to see a beautiful cake on the table. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked in confusion. Tina announced with a warm smile, ¡°Happy birthday, Keith!¡± ¡°But today¡¯s not my birthday¡­¡± ¡°This is to make up for yesterday¡¯s birthday!¡± Kara exined eagerly. ¡°Keith, I know you dislike candles and cake, but you still have to celebrate your birthday. I¡¯ll eat your slice for you!¡± Stunned, Keith could only stare at the mother and daughter pair who were grinning from ear to ear. A foreign feeling surged into his heart at that moment. Those two were definitely idiots. They paid so much attention to a child of unknown origins like him, to the point they would do anything for him. Weren¡¯t they afraid he might stab them in the back? That day, Keith finally experienced what it felt like to be a five- year-old celebrating his birthday. Upon returning home, Tina told Kara a bedtime story as usual. In the other room, Keith appeared to have changed his mind. He opened theptop and withdrew his order for the first time ever. ¡°Forget about tracking down the mother and daughter pair¡¯s intel. Also, if anyone else tries to dig up intel on them, make sure to protect them!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. At the same time, Arthur excitedlysent Keith a message. ¡°Boss, I found the mansion where that woman¡¯s staying in right now!¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Arthur sent the address to Keith immediately. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s just as we expected. That woman is imprisoned somewhere in Paris, France!¡± Before Keith could find delight in the news, Arthur continued, ¡°Huh? She¡¯ll be sent away tomorrow morning! What¡¯s going on?¡± Keith¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°Tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Arthur failed to understand what was going on. ¡°I¡¯m confident that my skills aren¡¯t the problem here. Did our n get discovered? That¡¯s impossible!¡± However, Keith understood the reason instantly. ¡°Samuel Langford!¡± That man must have realized that the reason Keith disguised himself as an autistic child was so that he could rescue Cindy, who had been imprisoned for many years. Any other person wouldn¡¯t have suspected a five-year-old, but Samuel was no ordinary person. Keith didn¡¯t have time to reply to Arthur. Instead, he memorized the address and disconnected from the website immediately. Cindy would be sent to another ce the next morning, which meant he must hurry to that address tonight. Otherwise, it would be toote for him to do anything. At that time, Tina had just coaxed Kara to sleep. Just as she closed the room door, Keith¡¯s small form rushed in to block her from leaving. ¡°Please take me to my mommy!¡± he begged. Tina was surprised to hear that request. After ncing out of the window and taking note of the darkness, she asked, ¡°Have you found her? It¡¯s veryte right now. Can¡¯t you wait till morning?¡± ¡°No!¡± Keith looked very serious. ¡°Soon, that man will take her away and imprison her somewhere else!¡± The moment Tina heard his answer, she realized how serious the situation was. Not daring to dy Keith¡¯s n, she replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± At that moment, Kara, who was supposed to be asleep, opened the door of her room.¡± Mommy, I want to go as well!¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you already asleep?¡± Keith was stunned to see the little girl. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Keith, are you leaving soon?¡± Kara¡¯s tone was determined. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay at home alone. I want to go with both of you too.¡± Just like that, the family of three rushed out of the apartment without even changing out of their pajamas. Tina sped toward the suburbs ording to the address Keith gave her. Keith then took a deep breath before saying, ¡°You can just drop me off once we reach there. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°No way! Didn¡¯t you say your mommy got imprisoned? What if something dangerous happens to you?¡± Tina asked seriously. ¡°There won¡¯t be any dangerous situations,¡± Keith replied with a cold chuckle. ¡°Even though that man imprisoned my mommy, he didn¡¯t station any guards around her as well. She¡¯s the only one inside the mansion. All I need to do is to enter the mansion and take her away.¡± Kara asked curiously, ¡°Where are you two going?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go to a ce where we¡¯ll never be disturbed again,¡± Keith answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day all this time!¡± Tina felt conflicted. Keith was just a five-year-old, yet he was forcefully separated from his mother for many years. Everything he had done was for the sake of reuniting with his mother and living with her. He would finally feel true happiness after finding his mother, right? More than an hourter, the night grew darker. Tina¡¯s car slowed down to a halt. A lit-up mansion was located some distance away from them. ¡°Is your mommy really there?¡± she asked, rather worried. ¡°Should I go with you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Keith replied, excitement coloring his tone. ¡°Mommy has been imprisoned for so long, after all. She¡¯ll definitely be scared of strangers. I¡¯ll go there alone!¡± After Keith got out of the car, he turned back to gaze at Tina and Kara meaningfully. ¡°Thank you for your help. Hopefully we¡¯ll meet again.¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 When Keith was done speaking, he tidied himself up before heading toward the mansion nervously ¡°Goodbye, Keith!¡± Kara waved at him. Tina felt rather sorrowful as she watched the little boy disappearing into the horizon. Once she finally saw him entering the mansion without a hitch, she turned the car around and left. Keith knocked on the mansion¡¯s front door. A momentter, the door was opened from the inside. A woman¡¯s eager voice drifted from within the mansion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ll fetch me in the morning? Why are you here this early? Could it be that Samuel changed his mind?¡± It was already midnight, but Cindy showed up at the doorway in fancy clothes and heavy makeup stered all over her face. However, her expression changed drastically the moment she noticed the boy standing outside the door. ¡°Whose brat is this? Are you here to disturb me? Go away! Don¡¯t bother me!¡± Just as Cindy was about to m the door in Keith¡¯s face, he yelled, ¡°Mommy!¡± The woman was shocked when she heard the word. Immediately after that, she finally looked at Keith¡¯s face, which she found to be very familiar. The little boy in front of her looked exactly like Samuel when he was a child. It was as if a miniature Samuel was standing there right now. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s me! I¡¯m Keith!¡± the little boy interjected. ¡°Oh my god! Are you really Keith? I missed you so much! Why are you here on your own? Wait, how could Samuel let youe here all by yourself? Did he send you here to fetch me?¡± Ovee with euphoria, Cindy grabbed Keith¡¯s hand tightly. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Has Samuel finally changed his mind and decided to forgive me? That¡¯s great news! I can finally be the true mistress of the Langford family!¡± Cindy¡¯s strong grip hurt Keith¡¯s hand very much, but thetter didn¡¯t say anything about it. Instead, he exined seriously, ¡°Mommy, Daddy isn¡¯t here. I¡¯m here to take you away. Please leave with me!¡± ¡°What? Samuel isn¡¯t here? That¡¯s fine. He must be busy. Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll go find him together!¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not it, Mommy!¡± Keith continued exining, ¡°That man has imprisoned you for so many years, and refused to let me see you! That¡¯s why I escaped from him! Mommy, I want to rescue you from this prison! Let¡¯s run away together!¡± His tiny face was filled with determination. However, Cindy didn¡¯t look as excited as he had initially expected. Instead, her expression crumbled on the spot. ¡°What? Are you trying to say that you came here on your own because you don¡¯t want Samuel to pick me up?¡± ¡°No,¡± Keith replied. ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s go! Otherwise, I won¡¯t have a chance to see you ever again once you¡¯re taken away tomorrow morning!¡± Keith grabbed Cindy¡¯s wrist and tried to drag her out of the mansion, but thetter refused to budge. ¡°You want me to leave with you? As if I¡¯ll do that!¡± she shrieked, her shrill tone piercing the ears. ¡°I¡¯ll never leave Samuel¡¯s side! You must be trying to separate us, right? I won¡¯t let you do as you please!¡± ¡®This little boy is definitely that b*tch Tina¡¯s spawn! He¡¯s already this evil at such a young age! At that very moment, Keith was stunned. He didn¡¯t expect his mommy to re at him in disgust and disdain. It was as if he wasn¡¯t her biological son at all. ¡°Mommy! If we don¡¯t leave now, we won¡¯t make it!¡± p! Cindy didn¡¯t hesitate to give Keith a heavy p on the cheek. The poor five-year-old could only copse to the ground, unable to withstand the force behind the p. Despite witnessing the child¡¯s copse, Cindy remained unmoved. Instead, she started attacking him with poisonous words. ¡°You shameless brat! Not only did you refuse to plead to Samuel for my sake, but you also want me to leave this ce? I¡¯m going to tell him all about it and have him take you away!¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Keith¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He stammered, ¡°Mommy¡­ Why..?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! I don¡¯t have a son like you!¡± Cindy was unable to relieve her anger at all despite having pped Keith. Thetter may resemble Samuel in every way, but she knew that the little boy shared one point with his birth mother. At that moment, his stubborn gaze greatly mirrored Tina¡¯s. p! p! Faced with this realization, Cindy delivered two more heavy ps on Keith¡¯s face. ¡°How dare you look at me like that! Are you tired of living, huh?! I¡¯ll tell Samuel that you came here! There¡¯s a chance he¡¯ll personallye and see me after that!¡± The thought of that possibility excited Cindy greatly. She pulled out her phone and dialed Samuel¡¯s number quickly. However, a cold automated voice drifted from the other end of the line instead. ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable.¡± It seemed Samuel had already blocked her phone number a long time ago. Cindy¡¯s expression warped into an ugly one before she red hatefully at Keith. ¡°Where¡¯s your phone? Give it to me right now! I want to call Samuel!¡± Keith, however, acted as if he couldn¡¯t feel the pain ring from his cheeks. He continued to convince Cindy in a tone of great anxiety, ¡°Mommy, please calm down! Don¡¯t call him! If Samuel found out, he¡¯d never let us go!¡± ¡°You called him Samuel?! He¡¯s your father! Your real father! This fact won¡¯t ever change even if you die! Besides, I¡¯ve given birth to a son for the Langford family, which means I¡¯m the biggest contributor here! The reason Samuel has imprisoned me for so many years is because he¡¯s angry at me for lying to him! Once he¡¯s calmed down, he¡¯ll wee me back into the family and allow me to take up the mantle as the official mistress of the family!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Cindy snatched Keith¡¯s phone from him without any hesitation, and dialed the same number. Finally, she was sessful in reaching out to Samuel. A short whileter, a deep voice drifted from the speaker. ¡°I see you finally decided toe back, huh?¡± This was Samuel¡¯s voice! Cindy was so emotional, her hand trembled violently. She cried out pitifully, ¡°Oh, Samuel!¡± Samuel didn¡¯t expect to hear Cindy¡¯s voice from the other end of the line. ¡°Why are you there?¡± ¡°Samuel, please don¡¯t hang up! Keith is with me!¡± Samuel chuckled coldly before replying, ¡°Did he really find you?¡± ¡°Yes! He tried to convince me to leave! Samuel, this boy¡¯s too silly for his own good! He¡¯s your son, after all. Who else can he go to? Please help me convince him to not do that!¡± Cindy¡¯s tone at the moment was weak and pitiful. She no longer sounded vile and mean spirited as she did before. ¡°Get the car ready,¡± Samuel ordered his assistant coldly before killing the call. Excitement coursed through Cindy¡¯s veins at that instant. ¡®Samuel¡¯sing! He really ising right now!¡¯ Keith couldn¡¯t help but ball his fists tightly after listening to the phone conversation. There was no way he would allow Samuel to capture him. If that happened, he could never escape from Samuel ever again. He got up and decided to book out of the mansion as quickly as he could. Upon seeing this, Cindy became nervous all of a sudden. If that little boy ran away, she wouldn¡¯t be able to face Samuel. She still needed Keith to stick around in order to garner Samuel¡¯s sympathy! ¡°Stop right there!¡± Cindy didn¡¯t hesitate to rush out and wrap her arms around Keith to stop him. What followed next was her angry screech. ¡°You d*mn brat! How dare you bite me!¡± Instinctively, she released Keith from her ws. The little boy struggled out of her arms like a slippery eel and dashed out of the mansion as fast as his little legs could carry him. ¡°D*mn it! That filthy brat is such a troublemaker!¡± Gritting her teeth furiously, Cindy stomped on the spot before rushing out as well. Meanwhile, Keith didn¡¯t expect that his beloved mommy would be a hideous monster. Why in the world would she treat him so terribly? Chapter 230 Chapter 230 He was her son, after all! Shouldn¡¯t she love and care about him? Images of Tina and Kara¡¯s loving interactions started shing through Keith¡¯s mind. They looked so cozy and happy together. He never expected things would progress like this. Keith ran as fast as he could, and ended up stumbling his way back to the road. Unfortunately, Tina and Kara¡¯s car had already disappeared. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Despair took over his senses as he just stood there mutely. He could hear Cindy¡¯s curses and insults increase in volume as she approached him. At that moment¡­ ¡°Keith!¡± Kara¡¯s sweet voice rang from behind the little boy. He thought he was hearing things at first, but when he turned around, he saw a pair of headlights lighting up in the distance. Tina and Kara soon stopped in front of Keith. A while ago, Tina decided to turn the car around and leave after witnessing the boy entering the mansion safely. However, anxiety lingered in her heart. She was afraid something bad might happen to Keith, so she changed her mind and returned to the mansion. She didn¡¯t expect her hunch to be correct. The sight of the bright red handprints on the boy¡¯s cheeks made Tina¡¯s heart throb in pain. ¡°Oh my goodness! What happened to your face?¡± Kara asked worriedly, ¡°Are you in pain, Keith?¡± At that moment, the little boy who had been trying to hold his tears at bay broke down into a sobbing mess He dove into Tina¡¯s arms while screaming, ¡°Hurry and run!¡± Tina didn¡¯t dare to drag it out any longer. She hurriedly got into the car with the children and drove home as quickly as she could. Al the same time, a ck luxury car drove past them. A man¡¯s side profile in the backseat shed past for a moment. Upon arriving at the mansion, Samuel asked coldly, ¡°Where¡¯s Keith?¡± ¡°Samuel, he escaped by getting into a car just now!¡± The man¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly remembered the car that drove past him just a while ago ¡°Chase after it!¡± He turned around to leave. However, Cindy quickly blocked his way. She said anxiously, ¡°Samuel, please take me with you! I¡¯m very worried about Keith as well! I¡¯m scared he might have gotten tricked!¡± Samuel avoided Cindy and replied in a tone of ice, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Samuel, please!¡± Cindy kept sobbing as she begged. ¡°I know I¡¯ve done unspeakable things to you in the past! I shouldn¡¯t have used you to get rid of Tina! I know you hate being manipted and lied to the most! I love you so much, Samuel! I really, really love you so much!¡± She continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything else other than staying by your side and taking care of our son! Keith¡¯s only five years old, yet he already knows where to find me! I can see that he misses me so much. Children can never leave their mothers, so please give me one more chance to take care of him!¡± Cindy¡¯s cries made Samuel frown deeply. He hated Cindy, but her words made sense. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said coldly before leaving. Cindy was ted upon hearing the response. Her chance to rise was finally here. After Keith reached home, he didn¡¯t hesitate to lock himself immediately in a room. He refused to make contact with anyone at all. The next day at the fashion g, Tina could barely concentrate on what was going on around her. All she could think about was the pitiful little boy. ¡°The VIP¡¯s here!¡± Tiffany grabbed Tina¡¯s wrist excitedly. ¡°Miss Linda, let¡¯s go!¡± For the sake of her career, Tina could only put on an energetic fa?ade and head toward the luxury car with her apprentice. However, the sight of the person who got out of the car made Tina¡¯s face go deathly pale. The so-called VIP was actually that man! Chapter 231 Chapter 231 The door of the ck Porsche Cayenne opened and Samuel got out of the car. At that moment, the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but gasp in disbelief. They thought the mysterious guest would be a fifty something old man with a huge beer belly, whose presence would be apanied by a few young beauties. Little did they expect him to be such a tall, fine man! He was even more handsome than the mixed-blooded models prancing onstage. What was more, he exuded a charisma far more superior than models who only had looks. Samuel was like an honorable and stern king, who could undoubtedly earn his people¡¯s respect and submission. ¡°What the actual f*uck?¡± Tiffany widened her eyes in shock, ¡°Is this the mysterious guest they¡¯re all talking about? Oh my god! He¡¯s so rich and handsome! What a gern!¡± While Tiffany was falling head over heels Samuel, she looked at Tina and realized that Tina¡¯splexion had turned unusually pale. ¡°Miss Linda, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay..?¡± Tiffany waved her hand in front of Tina¡¯s face. Right then, Tina returned to her senses. The moment sheid eyes on Samuel, her legs turned weak and her blood ran stale. Why was that man attending the banquet? She needed to escape now, or her life would be in danger! Without giving any further exnation to Tiffany, Tina picked up the hem of her dress and fled the scene. Tiffany was shocked. ¡°Miss Linda? Miss Linda! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± It was probably because of Tiffany¡¯s loud voice that Samuel turned to look in her direction. By then, Tina had run far off the venue. However, her thin figure caught Samuel¡¯s attention. Something sparked his mind. Why did this woman look so familiar? Samuel narrowed his eyes. He wanted to chase after her. Before he could do it, however, Cindy¡¯s sickly sweet voice spoke behind him. ¡°Samuel, my gown¡¯s really heavy and I can¡¯t get up by myself. Can you hold my hand while I stand up?¡± Samuel came back to his senses and turned to look at Cindy. She put her hand out and waited for his reply with an embarrassed expression. However, he rejected her coldly and snapped, ¡°If you can¡¯t even stand up by yourself, then you shouldn¡¯t have attended today¡¯s banquet. I¡¯ll have someone send you back home.¡± Cindy, who was flushed red, turned as white as a sheet. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that, Samuel! I know you¡¯re still angry with what happened a few years ago, but Cindy attempted to exin, but her words fell on deaf ears as Samuel turned to leave. She dug her fingers into the soft pads of her palms and clenched her gown in displeasure. Samuel had lost all trust in her. Did that mean she could never win his heart ever again? No! This wasn¡¯t the end! She could still take advantage of her prodigal son! The reason Samuel allowed her to stay by his side was because Keith ran away from home. That meant Samuel still cared for his own son. If she used Keith properly, she could definitely change Samuel¡¯s mind and earn his favor. With that thought in mind, Cindy regained herposure and quickly caught up to Samuel. The rest of the guests were all curious about Cindy¡¯s identity. ¡°Mr. Langford, who is thisdy?¡± Samuel held a ss of wine and didn¡¯t say anything as he gazed afar, seemingly preupied with his thoughts. Cindy approached the guests and said proudly, ¡°I am Samuel¡¯s wife. We¡¯ve been married for 5 years. We¡¯re even blessed with a child!¡± Samuel remained silent. To Cindy, that meant he had epted her ims!Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Samuel¡¯s silence meant Cindy still had a chance to win him over. ted, Cindy continued the conversation with the honorable guests at the banquet. Suddenly, Samuel said curtly, ¡°I¡¯m heading out to clear my head.¡± Without waiting, he headed in the direction of that woman who had left in a hurry just now. Cindy wouldn¡¯t dare to trail from behind. Thus, she continued talking to the guests about the current news in high society. In the meantime, Tina had run off to the hotel¡¯s backyard. Only when she realized she had left the banquet and out of Samuel¡¯s sight did she stop running Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Her phone rang. Tina looked at the screen and realized that it was a call from Tiffany. Tiffany sounded worried. ¡°Miss Linda, what¡¯s going on with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I had a terrible stomachache just now, so I couldn¡¯t tell you what was going on,¡± Tina said apologetically. ¡°Oh, alright then. That¡¯spletely understandable.¡± Tiffany didn¡¯t press on as she changed into another topic. ¡°Anyway, did you see that man just now? I heard his name is Samuel Langford, and he¡¯s from Freesia. He¡¯s a CEO whose worth is around billions of dors!¡± ¡°He¡¯s so fricking handsome! It¡¯s a shame he¡¯s already married. I saw him with his wife just now. I guess I don¡¯t stand a chance anymore. How disappointing!¡± Upon hearing Tiffany¡¯s words, Tina couldn¡¯t help but tighten her grip on her gown. Samuel¡¯s wife was none other than Cindy Young! The thought of the couple sent frightened shivers down her spine. Right now, her only wish was to live afortable life with her child. If those two found out that she was still alive, everything she had built so far would shatter into pieces! ¡°Hello? Miss Linda, are you listening to me?¡± Tiffany asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°When are you heading back to the banquet? The socialites heard that your design made it to the renowned fashion magazine in Paris! Right now, they all want to talk to you about their ideas with you. They¡¯re all potential customers!¡± But Tina would never dare to return. She gave another excuse, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t think I can go back. I just realized that I had my period, and it stained my gown.¡± ¡°Oh crap!¡± Tiffany said. ¡°Do you want me to help you? I¡¯ll have the hotel staff send over some essentials!¡± Tina rejected her offer instantly. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I n to leave by the back door.¡± Tiffany reminded Tina kindly, ¡°Take care of yourself, okay? Our livelihood depends on you!¡± Tina felt warm inside. Even though Tiffany was a few years younger than her, the former still tried to look out for her whenever possible. Throughout Tina¡¯s five years working in thepany, her colleagues had been working hard to achieve the same goal. Everyone looked after one another like how a family would. That was why Tina would never abandon her hard-earned job, if it wasn¡¯t for extreme circumstances. After hanging up the phone, Tina was prepared to leave immediately. But just as she made a move, she spotted a tall figure nearby. It was Samuel Langford! ¡®Why is he here? Has he found out about my identity?¡¯ Tina thought in horror. Her mind instantly went nk as she took to her heels. All of a sudden, her heels broke and she let out a gasp. Terrified, she covered her mouth and muffled her voice. However, the sound of someone stepping on the twigs echoed from the bushes of the backyard, which caught Samuel¡¯s attention Under the man¡¯s eagle-like intuition, there was no escape for Tina. She shivered in the corner of the bushes as she watched Samuel slowly approaching her. Hopelessness filled her, and she closed her eyes in despair. There was no escape!This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Where would Kara go if Tina disappeared? If Frederick knew about what happened to her, would he take care of Kara for her? Right then, someone called out to Samuel in a coy and flirtatious tone, ¡°Samuel!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Samuel turned and frowned. When he spoke, his voice reflected intense displeasure. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Cindy looked sad and wronged as she wailed, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m just worried about you! It¡¯s alreadyte at night, and it¡¯s freezing out here.¡± Noticing that Samuel looked angry, Cindy hurriedly exined further, ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t stay here any longer. I¡¯m really worried about Keith. He¡¯s been missing for days, and we still couldn¡¯t find him. What if something bad happened to him? As a mother, I can¡¯t breathe when I think about this.¡± While she spoke, sorrowful tears streamed down her face. Samuel frowned. It didn¡¯t seem like Cindy was faking it. After all, Keith was her biological son. As a mother, it was only natural for her to worry about his safety. ¡°Keith¡¯s a smart boy. I¡¯m sure he knows how to take care of himself. Besides, the reason I brought you here is to let him know that you¡¯ve returned to my side. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll show himself up sooner orter.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cindy wiped off her tears and said excitedly, ¡°Then, let¡¯s return to the banquet. Let¡¯s walk around together so that Keith will notice us ande back as soon as possible.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t reply. Instead, his gaze swept around the ce. There was nobody in the backyard. Perhaps, he had seen it wrongly. ¡°Samuel, what are you looking for?¡± Cindy asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Samuel looked at the bushes onest time and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cindy smiled brightly as she attempted to wrap her arm around Samuel¡¯s. However, Samuel walked past her and rejected her gesture coldly. Cindy gritted her teeth and thought angrily, ¡®It¡¯s alright! As long as I¡¯m the only woman around him, I still have a chance to win his heart.¡¯ After they left, Tina shifted ufortably in the bush.Her head popped out from the leaves. She smiled, relieved. ¡°That¡¯s a close call!¡¯ Her gown was destroyed by the twigs and branches around her, and she had sprained her knee from tripping on her heels just now. On top of that, her legs had grown numb from squatting in the bushes for so long. At this moment, she looked unkempt and haggard. Worried that the two viins would return, she didn¡¯t think twice before limping her way toward the back door. Tina returned to her apartment. When she entered the door, relief engulfed her as she slumped to the ground. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re back!¡± Frederick¡¯s voice rang from inside. Since Tina had to attend the fashion banquet tonight, Frederick was here to take care of Kara and Keith He heard the door clicking shut and walked toward the living room. The moment he saw Tina¡¯s appearance, he became concerned. ¡°Tina¡­ What happened to you?¡± he asked, worried. Tina was still shivering at the thought of what just happened. ¡°Frederick, I saw him at the banquet.¡± The only person who could frighten Tina like that was Samuel Langford. ¡°What?¡± Frederick¡¯splexion changed instantly. ¡°Did he see you?¡± Tina bit her lip and shook her head. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t! If he did, I wouldn¡¯t havee back alive!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Frederick heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he said worriedly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we change our schedule? I¡¯ll send Kara and Keith to school. As long as you don¡¯t show yourself to the public, I don¡¯t think he will spot you.¡± Tina nodded, agreeing ¡°We¡¯re left with no other choice.¡± Since Tina was back, Frederick didn¡¯t stay any longer and left the house. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Only after Tina took off her torn gown did she feel the stabbing paining from her knee. She took one look at her knee. It had already turned red and puffy. After bandaging up the wounded area, Tina slept while enduring the pain. However, she was awoken by a nightmare in the middle of the night. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. In her dream, Samuel had dispatched a team of hitmen to get rid of her when he realized that she was still alive. He wouldn¡¯t even let her five-year-old daughter off the hook The nightmare was too realistic. What made it more terrifying was the fact that Samuel was capable of doing such a heinous thing, given his cruel and inhumane nature. Though Tina was terrified, she still needed sleep no matter how hard it was. She twisted and turned on the bed, but to no avail. ¡°Mommy, you look really tired today.¡± On the dining table, Kara saw Tina¡¯s dark eye circles. She said curiously, ¡°You look like a panda!¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep yesterday because of a bad dream.¡± Tina tried to get her spirits up and smiled at her. ¡°Uncle Frederick will take you kids to the kindergarten these days, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± There wasn¡¯t any objection from Kara¡¯s side. Kara thought of Keith and asked worriedly, ¡°Keith hasn¡¯t been talking to me these few days. I¡¯m very worried about him.¡± Tina heaved out a sigh when she thought about that pitiful little boy. ¡°He¡¯ll be okay. Everything will be okay!¡± When Tina was prepared to leave, she thought about her current circumstances and decided to put on a disguise. Only then did she leave for the office. Her coworkers jumped in shock when they saw her entering the door. ¡°Who are you? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re Miss Linda!¡± ¡°Miss Linda, why are you dressed like that?¡± Tina was covered from head to toe, with the addition of a huge pair of sunsses covering half her face. Her outfit was also very loose. She looked like a heavily pregnant woman. Everyone was dumbfounded. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± Tina answered awkwardly, ¡°I¡­. Umm¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know how to exin herself. Tiffany noticed that Tina was in a tight spot and quickly exined in her stead. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with Miss Linda. She left early yesterday because she wasn¡¯t feeling well. The reason she¡¯s dressed like that is because she¡¯s still feeling unwell. Yesterday¡¯s attire exposed her body too much, and she was freezing at the banquet.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± More and more onlookers were growing curious. Soon, everyone knew that Tina was having her period. Not only was she forced to leave the banquet because of it, but she was also forced to wearfortable clothes to work. Tina was amused and speechless at the same time. However, she couldn¡¯t think of any other exnation. Her coworkers didn¡¯t find anything wrong with Tina and shifted the topic to yesterday¡¯s gossip. ¡°That guest who showed up at the banquet yesterday was very handsome! It¡¯s a shame he¡¯s already a married man.¡± ¡°His wife looks so pretty too. They really do look like the perfect match,¡± her coworkers said with jealousy. Tina didn¡¯t want to listen to them anymore, and she fastened her pace to leave. Right at this moment, someone reminded her. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mrs. Langford say that she¡¯de to visit us today? She was very interested in working with us when she heard that Miss Linda¡¯s design got on the fashion magazine¡¯s cover page.¡± ¡°Maybe she said that out of politeness. Who knows if she¡¯ll actuallye? I love rich people, though. They¡¯re willing to spend money on everything theyy their eyes on!¡± ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re right!¡± Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Preupied with her thoughts, Tina left in a hurry. She didn¡¯t get to hear her coworkers gossiping about Mrs. Langford. After reaching her work station, she heaved in a deep breath and tried to focus on her tasks. Only when she was immersed in work could she find peace in life. Soon, evening came. A ck Rolls-Royce stopped in front of thepany entrance. Tina¡¯s coworkers shouted in excitement, ¡°She¡¯s here! She¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Mrs. Langford¡¯s actually here!¡± Cindy got off the car gradually in her greatest finery. She looked exactly like a rich socialite. ¡°Mrs. Langford, you look really pretty today!¡± ¡°You¡¯re even more beautiful than yesterday! You look exactly like a model!¡± Upon hearing thepliments, Cindy¡¯s heart pounded in excitement. However, something was still on her mind. The only reason Cindy was released from her house arrest was because of Keith¡¯s deep desire to see his mother. However, she couldn¡¯t just rely on that boy. She still needed to win Samuel¡¯s favor, no matter the cost. Samuel¡¯s appearancest night attracted a lot of women¡¯s attention. Even though everyone knew that Cindy was his wife, it didn¡¯t stop them from staring lustfully at Samuel If Samuel was snatched away by another sl*t, her position as Mrs. Langford in the household would be in jeopardy She would never allow that to happen! During the banquet, she heard that Linda was a world-renowned fashion designer. Almost all the popr female celebrities had worn her designs before So, Cindy decided to coborate with Linda. Cindy entered the office under a shower of praises and took a seat in the guestroom. She looked around and asked in a condescending tone, ¡°Where¡¯s Linda? Why isn¡¯t she here to greet me when she¡¯s already heard that I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Miss Linda is still working on her designs. She¡¯ll be out in a minute.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that!?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Cindy changed her demeanor instantly. Sheunched a threat without hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t you know my husband¡¯s status? He¡¯s friends with the founder of the fashion magazine that you¡¯re featured on! How dare a mere fashion designer let me wait! One word from me, and her reputation will go down the hill!¡± The moment Cindy said that, Tina¡¯s colleagues turned as white as a sheet. They initially assumed Mrs. Langford to be gentle and polite, just as her appearance suggested. Little did they know she would turn out to be a rude customer! Someone as powerful as Samuel wouldn¡¯t find trouble with a mere fashion designer. However, their future would be in shambles if Cindy were to smear their name! ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask for her now.¡± ¡°Miss Linda! We have a super rude customer who wants to see you now!¡± When Tina heard her colleague¡¯s desperate tone, she stopped working immediately. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and see her now.¡± ¡°Miss Linda, I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Tiffany whispered in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You just have to get used to it.¡± Tina wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest. She continued calmly, ¡°Rich people are always rude.¡± In addition to her working experience in Freesia, she had already gotten used to the rotten attitude of high society after being in Paris for the past five years. Tina led Tiffany into the guest room. The moment Tina pushed the door, she greeted the guest before she even saw the guests¡¯ face clearly. ¡°I apologize for making you wait¡­¡± Tina looked up as she spoke, and was at once petrified. She didn¡¯t expect to see that vile woman again. It was Cindy Young! Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Cindy, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t recognize Tina the slightest. The moment Cindy saw the woman in front of her, she frowned and let out a scathingment. ¡°Oh my god! Are you actually Linda?¡± ¡°Your outfit is so ugly! You don¡¯t look like apetent fashion designer at all!¡± Tina was still wearing her disguise, which consisted of a loose dress and a huge pair of sunsses. At one nce, she seemed like a woman with no fashion sense whatsoever. However, Tina tuned out Cindy¡¯s criticisms with ease. She was filled with shock. She couldn¡¯t believe Cindy Young was sitting in front of her right now. What happened five years ago flooded her mind instantly. This vile woman right here had always framed her for something she never did. In the end, Cindy had convinced Samuel to be her aplice in her acts of cruelty. Together, they plotted to murder Tina along with her newborn daughter by drowning them in the sea. ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± Cindy snapped in displeasure. ¡°Is this how you greet your guests? Take off your sunsses now!¡± She approached Tina haughtily, about to snatch the sunsses away from Tina¡¯s face. The next moment, a shrill scream reverberated in the air. ¡°Ouch!¡± Subconsciously, Tina had grabbed Cindy¡¯s hand and twisted it out of reflex. Had Tina exerted just a bit more force, she would¡¯ve broken Cindy¡¯s wrist. Tina let go of Cindy¡¯s hand instantly. ¡®I can¡¯t hurt her! If I do that, she¡¯ll definitely tell Samuel about it. I can¡¯t let myself get exposed!¡¯ Tina thought, rmed. ¡°You scoundrels! How dare you treat your customer with such disrespect!¡± Cindy screamed at the top of her lungs. She didn¡¯t expect Linda to fight back. Tiffany approached Cindy and attempted to exin, ¡°We¡¯re really sorry! Miss Linda isn¡¯t in a good shape today. Plus, she learned martial arts before. Out of instinct, she identally¡­¡± Before Tiffany could finish speaking, Cindy gave the former a painful p to the face. Tiffany was caught unawares as a ring red mark appeared on one side of her cheek. The p was so awful, blood streamed down the corner of Tiffany¡¯s mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your useless exnation! I¡¯ll make sure my husband is aware of what happened today. You will pay for this!¡± Tina supported Tiffany, who was about to fall down. Overwhelmed with fury, Tina was tempted to punch Cindy¡¯s face. However, Tina resisted the urge. She knew better than that. Right now, Tina could never let Cindy leave this ce. ¡°Wait!¡± Tina called out to Cindy. ¡°What more do you still want?¡± Cindy sneered as she turned to re at Linda. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think that I¡¯ll ept your half-assed apology!¡± ¡°Mrs. Langford, please listen to me!¡± Tina clenched her fists and heaved in a deep breath. Then, she continued, ¡°We all know that your husband is a remarkable man. That being said, I don¡¯t think we should trouble him with something as trivial as this.¡± Cindy seemed hesitant when she heard Linda¡¯s words. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tina added, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have harmed you just now. I offer you my sincerest apology. Aspensation, we¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°I came here with the idea of coborating with you. Now that I¡¯ve seen the way you dress, I don¡¯t think I can trust you in designing my clothes.¡± ¡°Our designs can¡¯t possibly suit someone with such prestigious social standing as you!¡± Then, Tina added, ¡°However, our product did manage to get onto the cover page of a renowned fashion design magazine. That means our product exhibits a certain amount of quality, right?¡± Tina took a step back to praise Cindy, which left thetter bathing in a sense of superiority. However, Cindy wouldn¡¯t let Tina off the hook that easily. She rolled her eyes and ordered harshly, ¡°Fine. You¡¯re willing to do anything, right? Take off your sunsses right now and kneel on the ground as an apology!¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Tina clenched her fists, her hands sweating. If she took off her sses and revealed her face, she would be done for! ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to anger you. My face is a little bit deformed, and you might be shocked when you see me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, just take off those sunsses! Don¡¯t you dare defy me!¡± Cindy snorted scornfully. ¡°Let¡¯s see how ugly you are!¡± Tina clenched her teeth. She didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. When Tina was in a tight spot, Cindy¡¯s phone rang all of a sudden. At first, Cindy wouldn¡¯t budge until she saw Linda¡¯s face. However, herplexion changed the moment she saw the phone screen. ¡°Hello?¡± Cindy, who sounded arrogant and obnoxious before, changed her tone into that of a gentle and loving wife. ¡°Samuel!¡± The person on the other end of the phone was none other than Samuel Langford. ¡°What? You want toe here?¡± Cindy sounded extremely excited. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± After exchanging a few flirtatious lines, she forwarded the address of the office to him. Soon after, she hung up the phone and stopped pressing on the matter. ¡°You¡¯re lucky my husband ising to see me. Get me a few pretty dresses now, and be quick about it! If you can make my man praise my outfit of the day, I¡¯ll make sure to reward you!¡± Then, Cindy turned to leave. Cindy couldn¡¯t see Tina¡¯s facial expression right now because Tina was still wearing her sses. Tina¡¯s face had turned as white as a sheet pale the moment she heard that Samuel was visiting. Tiffany, who was still beside her, asked in a worried tone, ¡°Miss Linda, are you okay?¡± Only then did Tinae back to her senses. She looked at Tiffany¡¯s red and swollen cheek, and said regretfully, ¡°I should be asking you that question instead! You should head to the hospital to get your face checked. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you deal with that woman alone! She¡¯s obviously going to make things very difficult for you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can handle this.¡± Though Tina¡¯s palms were sweating from anxiety, she knew there was no escape from this crisis. She could only think of a way to resolve it. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That woman¡¯s here for me. Besides, she still has to maintain her false image in front of her husbandter. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t make her intentions too obvious.¡± Tiffany felt that what Linda said made sense. After all, Cindy did sound like an entirely different person during the phone call. ¡°If you say so, Miss Linda. I¡¯ll take my leave for now¡­¡± Tina smiled. ¡°Can you call my family and tell them that I won¡¯t be home tonight? Just tell them I¡¯m busy with work today.¡± If she couldn¡¯t save herself today, she could at least buy some time for Frederick to leave with Kara. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do itter.¡± Tiffany nodded. Tina heaved in a deep breath and walked outside. It was as if she was about to face a death sentence. Cindy could care less about Tina now. ted, the thought of winning Samuel¡¯s heart left her as giddy as a child. ¡°I want to wear that sexy dress which entuates my back! The more it shows my figure, the better!¡± ¡°No, no, I shouldn¡¯t strike as too sexy to Samuel. What if Samuel doesn¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Should I wear this gown instead? But Samuel¡¯s already used to seeing me in gowns!¡± While everyone was busy picking out dresses for Cindy, Cindy kept rejecting their ideas. Finally, Tina chose a long red dress and said, ¡°This one will look perfect on you.¡± ¡°The color is too bright! I don¡¯t think Samuel will like this!¡± Cindy rejected her suggestion again. Suddenly, the sound of the car engine echoed from outside the studio. Samuel was here. Nervous, Cindy didn¡¯t have much time to think and grabbed the red dress from Tina. ¡°I¡¯ll just wear this for now!¡± She entered the fitting room in a hurry. Soon after, Samuel appeared outside the door. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 When Samuel appeared, Tina lowered her head to make herself less noticeable. His chilling gaze swept across the crowd. For some reason, his eyes fell on Tina for a while. Tina¡¯s heart was racing. Was her identity about to be exposed? Soon, Cindy burst out of the fitting room. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re here! Take a look at my outfit! Do I look pretty?¡± Cindy asked with a flirtatious tone. Only then did Samuel shift his gaze away from Tina. Oddly enough, the old-fashioned and weird-looking woman seemed familiar to him. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He looked at Cindy, who was wearing a red gown. Her wearing such bright colors was unusual, as she always carved an innocent and gentle image for herself. Samuel frowned. ¡°This dress, it looks¡­¡± The design of the dress was simple yet intricate. It was fascinating how it enhanced Cindy¡¯s figure with such a simple design. Suddenly, another woman shed across his mind. Tina would look better in that. When Cindy noticed that Samuel seemed annoyed, she panicked. ¡°You don¡¯t like the dress, Samuel? I¡¯ll change right now!¡± Cindy red at Tina, who was standing mutely in the corner. She did it on purpose! She wants Samuel to think that I like sexy dresses so I can show my body off to other men!¡¯ ¡°Just wait! I¡¯ll make sure her life is a living hell!¡¯Cindy thought. Before Cindy could turn to leave, Samuel stopped her. ¡°Wait. The dress looks nice on you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cindy heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you like it!¡± Looking at her outfit, Samuel asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the designer of this dress?¡± Tina¡¯s heart stopped at that moment. Her coworkers said in unison, ¡°Miss Linda.¡± Then, they pointed at Tina. Samuel¡¯s terrifying gaze fell on Tina once more. ¡°Linda? I¡¯ve heard of that name.¡± ¡°Miss Linda¡¯s work has been featured on the cover page in the fashion magazine in Paris!¡± For some reason, Samuel had the urge to remove this woman¡¯s sses. However, he held back as he knew that would be inappropriate. ¡°Really? Why are you dressing like that if you¡¯re a renowned fashion designer?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Her coworkers didn¡¯t know what to say. Tina knew that she had to exin herself now. She didn¡¯t have a good night¡¯s sleep in the first ce, and her voice was hoarse. She took advantage of that and lowered her voice even further, ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling unwelltely. I have an allergic reaction to my face, so it¡¯s best I don¡¯t show myself to the customers.¡± Then, she lowered her head and coughed. ¡°Miss Linda is a workaholic. If it isn¡¯t because she has a daughter at home to take care of, she would¡¯ve slept in the studio every day.¡± The rest of her colleagues tried to patch up the lie. When Samuel heard their exnations, he erased his suspicions. She has a daughter? Looks like she¡¯s already a married woman.¡± ¡°Samuel, didn¡¯t you say that you want me to apany you to attend a banquet? When shall we leave?¡± Cindy asked excitedly. Samuel said coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He had no choice but to ask Cindy toe with him. It was a requirement to bring a partner to attend the banquet. Although he was irked by the idea of bringing Cindy to attend official events, she was still his official wife. It wouldn¡¯t look good if he brought just any woman with him. Samuel left, with Cindy trailing eagerly from behind. Tina finally heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Cindy recalled something and turned around immediately. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Tina¡¯s relief was stopped short and her anxiety reared its ugly head once more. ¡°Is there anything you still need, Mrs. Langford?¡± Cindy sized up Linda. Although Cindy hated the way Linda portrayed herself, thetter still did a great job in choosing the red dress for her. Linda¡¯s eye for good clothes even won Samuel over, who was often a critic of everything. Besides, Cindy also heard that Linda had a daughter. Even if Cindy kept Linda by her side, Samuel would never fall for someone who had already given birth. Thus, Cindy came to a decision. ¡°I take back my words earlier. Your designs aren¡¯t too bad. From now on, you¡¯ll be my personal fashion designer. Don¡¯t design clothes for anyone aside from me!¡± ¡°What?¡± Tina was shocked. She stuttered, ¡°But, I¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any excuses!¡± Then, Cindy turned to leave in a hurry. Tina stood rooted to the ground. Even after they left, she remained frozen on the spot. However, her colleagues exploded in excitement. ¡°Oh my god, this is such great news! Miss Linda, your designs are so good that it even piques Mr. Langford¡¯s interest!¡± ¡°Mrs. Langford even wants you to be her personal fashion designer! You¡¯re such a lucky woman!¡± ¡°She¡¯s right! Miss Linda, we have to celebrate the asion. Let¡¯s head out for a toast!¡± Tina¡¯s colleagues complimented her, apparently still oblivious of Tina¡¯s predicament. Today, she had wade her way through this obstacle using her strange fashion sense as an excuse. However, she didn¡¯t expect Cindy to appoint her as a personal fashion designer! What should she do? Would she be living in fear everyday until they decided to leave Paris and go back to Freesia? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Exhausted, Tina said weakly, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. I¡¯ll head back to rest.¡± Her colleagues wouldn¡¯t dare to stop her from leaving. Tired, Tina walked outside the studio. She heaved out a sigh, about to call Frederick to tell him that she was okay. ¡°Hello, Tina?¡± Frederick sounded really anxious, ¡°Your colleague called me just now. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Tinaughed bitterly. ¡°I managed to escape. Guess I¡¯m in luck today!¡± Right now, she had no choice but to appreciate the good things that happened to her while being embroiled in adversity. Tina soon returned home. Frederick had already sent kara back. When the little girl saw her mother¡¯s appearance, she jumped in shock ¡°Mommy, what happened to you?¡± ¡°I went to kill monsters,¡± Tina exined with a sigh. Kara was a bright child. She interrogated her mother immediately, ¡°Monsters? What kind of monsters? I know! You¡¯re talking about that bad guy we metst time right?¡± Tina was stunned and helpless at the same time. ¡®That bad guy? Silly child, he¡¯s your father!¡¯ Tina thought. However, Tina couldn¡¯t say that out loud. Instead, she replied, ¡°You¡¯re right, my smart girl.¡± Fuming with anger, Kara brandished her tiny fists and yelled, ¡°How dare he bully my mommy! I¡¯ll fight him!¡± Tina was amused by her daughter¡¯s reaction. She went to pinch Kara¡¯s plump cheeks. ¡°You silly child! He¡¯s not even here now.¡± Tina did some chores around the house and put Kara to head to bed. When Tina left for her room, Kara opened her eyes. Quietly, she opened the door of Keith¡¯s room and called out to him, ¡°Keith!¡± Keith, who was still typing on the keyboard, mmed hisptop shut when he saw Kara. He frowned. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend to be stupid. I know you¡¯re a genius,¡± Kara continued with a stern expression, ¡°I want you to help me search for a man who made my mummy sad!¡± Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Keith didn¡¯t expect Kara, who seemed innocent and gullible, to notice his unique traits. ¡°How do you know?¡± he asked as he frowned. ¡°It¡¯s so obvious! I can see it with my eyes!¡± Kara pointed at her own eyes and added angrily, ¡°I am not stupid, okay?¡± Keith was speechless. Then, he asked for further details, ¡°Do you know the man¡¯s name? What is he working as?¡± Keith¡¯s string of questions left Kara dumbfounded. ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°You stupid girl! If you don¡¯t provide me with the basic information, how am I supposed to find that man for you?¡± At first, Keith thought that Kara was more than she seemed. In the end, she was just a clueless five-year- old Kara was infuriated by Keith¡¯s ruthlessness. She clenched her fists and announced, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to help me, I¡¯ll find out about him myself!¡± Fuming, she bolted out Keith¡¯s room and went back to her own. Keith didn¡¯t think too much of what Kara said. He simply thought that she was just throwing a fit. So, he turned to his screen and scanned through some information. He was looking at some photos published by some of the media outlets. They were from a banquet attended by many honorable guests from high society. The photo that attracted his attention was one with two people in it. They were Samuel Langford and Cindy Young. If Samuel was willing to bring Cindy to a public event, that meant he had recognized her status as his wife. In other words, Cindy was no longer under house arrest. Supposedly, Keith should feel happy and eager to return home. But Cindy¡¯s face, contorted with hatred, was firmly etched in Keith¡¯s mind. It seemed Cindy cared more about Samuel than her own son. If Keith could choose, he wouldn¡¯t abandon the life he had now in this small apartment, where he was constantly showered with love and affection. Just the thought about going back to his house made him feel neglected and lonely. For the first time in Keith¡¯s life, he was conflicted to make a decision. The next morning before the sun came up, Tina got up and did her makeup. However, she wasn¡¯t making herself look pretty. ¡°Mummy, what happened to your face? Why is it so red?¡± Kara rubbed her sleepy eyes as she walked out of her room. When she saw Tina¡¯s face, she was so shocked that she snapped wide awake. Keith had also just got up from bed. He grimaced and contributed a ruthlessment. ¡°Your face looks like a monkey¡¯s butt!¡± The children¡¯s unfiltered criticisms made Tina feel awkward. ¡°I have an allergic reaction. It¡¯s not like I can do anything about it, alright?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Tina was at a loss. She didn¡¯t know what else she could do to ensure her face remained unrecognizable. To protect her identity and her family¡¯s safety, she had no choice but to put on a deformed appearance. After putting on a pair of sses and a face mask, she drove the children to the kindergarten and left straight for work. While she waited anxiously for Cindy¡¯s arrival, she received a phone call from the kindergarten. AI The teacher sounded nervous. ¡°Hello? Is this Kara¡¯s mother?¡± Tina heaved out a sigh and asked helplessly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did the kids fight again?¡± However, the situation was much more serious than that. ¡°You have toe over here right now, ma¡¯am! Your child is missing!¡± Stunned, Tina stood up from her seat. ¡°What did you just say?¡± she yelled, shocked. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Without a second¡¯s dy, Tina rushed to Little Stars as fast as she could. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± She questioned in disbelief. ¡°Kara¡¯s always been an obedient child. How could she just disappear out of the blue?¡± The teachers at the kindergarten were riddled with deep anxiety. ¡°We looked through the surveince cameras and found out that she climbed over the walls to escape!¡± ¡°How could this be?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t believe her ears. All these years, Tina had raised her daughter all by herself. She knew Kara best.Kara had always been emotionally attached to her mother, and had never caused any trouble for Tina. Kara leaving by climbing the walls was beyond Tina¡¯s expectations! The kindergarten teachers knew that Tina wouldn¡¯t believe them. So, they took her to the security room to watch the footage. The footage revealed that when all the children were having their afternoon nap, Kara snuck out when nobody was paying attention. Since the exits were all guarded by the teachers, Kara snuck to the corner and climbed over the walls to escape. Looking at Kara¡¯s cumbersome movements, Tina¡¯s head buzzed with worry. ¡°Please calm down, ma¡¯am. We¡¯ve notified the police. They¡¯ll definitely find your child!¡± The kindergarten teachers wiped the sweat off their foreheads. They knew Kara was a mild-mannered girl who always listened to instructions. As such, her unexpected actions hadpletely gone off the radar. Who would¡¯ve known that a five-year-old girl would plot her escape by climbing over the walls? ¡°No! I have to go and find her!¡¯ Tina couldn¡¯t wait any longer as she stood up. Right at this moment, a young but stern voice echoed from outside the security room. ¡°I¡¯ll find her with you!¡± That voice belonged to Keith Langford. In the past few days, Keith hadn¡¯t been talking to Tina at all. Tina knew he must be sad about what had happened to him, so she gave him some personal time to digest his emotions. ¡°No, you stay here. I¡¯ll find her by myself!¡± Tina reprimanded him in an equally stern tone. She didn¡¯t want to lose Keith in the process. Noticing that Tina was about to leave, Keith said anxiously, ¡°I know where Kara went! I think she went to find someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but yesterday night, Kara asked me to search for a bad man for her. But I refused. She got angry and told me she¡¯d go and find him herself.¡± Keith¡¯splexion was filled with remorse. ¡°I didn¡¯t think much about it because I thought she was just throwing a fit. I didn¡¯t know she¡¯d actually do it.¡± Tina was frozen to the ground. ¡®Is he talking about Samuel Langford?¡¯ Tina thought in horror. But how could Kara know where Samuel was? Right as she pondered about this, the kindergarten¡¯s television broadcasted today¡¯s news. ¡°The CEO of Langford group, Samuel Langford, has decided to coborate with the fashion magazine of Paris. This time, he has agreed to pour in an investment that might reach billions Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Samuel, along with the address of the hotel where they were signing a contract for coboration, was disyed clearly on TV. Tina was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t even stand straight. A terrible scenario shed across her mind. Tina was worried that Kara might misunderstand what she said yesterday, and assumed that she had been hurt by Samuel. After watching the news, Tina was determined that Kara had gone to search for Samuel using that address. ¡°I know where she is!¡± She could never let Kara fall into Samuel¡¯s hands! Tina turned and ran outside. Keith wanted to sprint outside as well, but the kindergarten teachers stopped him immediately. He was left with no choice but to stare numbly at Tina¡¯s car as it drove away into the distance. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Right now, the TV channel was broadcasting live news. After Samuel had signed the contract with the representative of the fashion magazine, the live broadcast ended Samuel was prepared to leave right after. However, the representative stopped Samuel from leaving and asked him respectfully, ¡°Mr. Langford, would you like to stay for a toast at the celebration feastter?¡± Samuel did sign a contract that was worth billions with them. If they could convince Samuel to sign a long-term contract, they¡¯d be earning even more profit! However, Samuel waved his hand and refused them. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have something to do.¡± The representative persisted. ¡°Is it because Mrs. Langford isn¡¯t here right now? I heard you and your wife have a really good rtionship. Why don¡¯t you ask Mrs. Langford to attend the event as well?¡± It wouldn¡¯t hurt to win Mrs. Langford over to their side. She might be able to convince Samuel to sign more deals with them. After all, husbands always listened to their wives. The representative was certain the same applied to someone in high society like Samuel. ¡°I do not wish to repeat myself!¡± Samuel snarled, his anger evident. His eagle-like re fell on the representative. It was apparent that Samuel had seen through thetter¡¯sme tactics. Samuel was exactly like the rumors said: as cold as ice. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The representative of the fashion magazine had finally confirmed the rumor with his own eyes. He was so shocked, his legs went weak. He slumped to his knees and dropped to the ground, and begged, ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡¯s not my intention to anger you. Please let me exin!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever try to talk to me about things that aren¡¯t rted to work!¡± With that cold remark, Samuel turned to leave. The representative wiped the sweat off his forehead, shivering. He finally understood what Samuel meant when thetter said they should treat their rtionship as business partners professionally. If he dared to pull any dirty tricks on Samuel, the consequences would be grave. The security guards escorted Samuel as he walked out of the hotel. When he was about to enter the parking lot, the guards alerted him. ¡°Mr. Langford, someone¡¯s following us!¡± ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Samuel snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± The guards working for Samuel were all highly skilled and trained to handle real-lifebat. The moment Samuel gave his orders, the guards turned to a corner and readied themselves to detain the suspicious person. However, they stopped in their tracks the minute they saw the suspicious perpetrator. ¡°Umm, Mr. Langford¡­ Our enemy is a little girl.¡± Samuel frowned. He thought he had heard it wrongly. ¡°What did you just say?¡± The guard was holding a little girl¡¯s hand. With big and watery eyes brimming with fury and stubbornness, the little girl looked just around four to five years old. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you grabbing my hand? You monster! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The little girl was none other than Kara Lynd, who had decided to sneak out of the kindergarten after she saw the news on TV. Kara already had a n in mind. She knew a small child like her could never win a fight with an adult. Despite her shorings, she could still puncture Samuel¡¯s car tire while he wasn¡¯t looking! ¡®How dare he hurt my mommy!¡¯ she thought indignantly. However, she didn¡¯t expect to be caught so soon! For some reason, Samuel had a good first impression of the young girl in front of him. She intrigued him. All this time, he had never been fond of children. He never really spent much time with Keith, either. However, this young girl seemed oddly familiar to him. He even found her angry expression endearing and adorable. ¡°Me? A monster?¡± Samuel raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why do you say so?¡± Kara replied furiously, ¡°You bullied my mommy!¡± ¡°I bullied your mommy? Who¡¯s your mommy?¡± Samuel was even more intrigued. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Kara thought for a while, and then decided to fight back with an angry retort. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you anything!¡± The moment sheid eyes on the big monster, she could already see why her mommy was so scared of him. If Kara told him her mother¡¯s identity, this monster would definitely make things difficult for thetter. She would never tell him, no matter what! Oddly enough, not only did Samuel find the young girl cute, but he also had the urge to y around with her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Samuel was calm and collected. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, you won¡¯t be able to go home. Won¡¯t your mommy be worried about you?¡± Kara was stunned. (TT ¡°No, I have to go home! If I don¡¯t, Mommy will be very worried. You monster, let go of me! I want to go home!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you go, as long as you tell me your mother¡¯s name,¡± Samuel persisted. ¡°I¡­¡­.¡± Kara began sobbing uncontrobly. ¡°You monster! I want to go home! I want to go home!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Looking at the child brazenly throwing a tantrum in public, the guards were dumbfounded. ¡°Mr. Langford, we¡¯ll take her away right now¡­¡± Samuel wouldn¡¯t even warm up to his own son, so forget calming down a stranger¡¯s child! If she continued bawling her eyes out in front of him, she would be dead in seconds! To everyone¡¯s surprise, Samuel wasn¡¯t as angry as they expected him to be. Looking at the crying child, Samuel frowned slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s send her to the police station. Get her in the car.¡± The guards were stunned. What on earth happened to their boss today? Did Samuel actually have a kind and gentle side that they didn¡¯t know of? Tina arrived at the hotel soon after. The guards looked at her lousy attire and barred her entry immediately. ¡°Who are you? Don¡¯t even try to barge inside! This is a five-star hotel! Not anyone can enter as they please! Leave now and don¡¯t block the guests¡¯ way!¡± The guard shoved Tina away, almost knocking her to the ground. Even so, Tina didn¡¯t have time to care about their rude behavior. She asked anxiously, ¡°Is Samuel Langford in there?¡± ¡°Samuel Langford?¡± The security guards snarled with contempt. ¡°Lady, are you here to stir trouble? Security! Throw her out right now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to find trouble with him! I want to find my five-year-old child!¡± ¡°Leave! There are no children inside!¡± Tina was thrown out immediately. They were so rough to her, she scraped her knees. However, the wounds on her body weren¡¯t as painful as the terrible emotions guing her heart. Tina could never lose Kara! Right at this moment, the kindergarten called her and a teacher informed her excitedly, ¡°Miss Linda! We found Kara!¡± Tina was stunned. ¡°What?! Where is she?¡± ¡°Just minutes after I lodged a police report, the police officers informed me that a kind pedestrian had sent her to the police station!¡± Tina heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go there now!¡± It seemed like Tina had guessed it wrongly. Kara didn¡¯te here to search for Samuel, after all. Thank god nothing bad happened to her sweet child! When Tina arrived at the police station, she didn¡¯t expect to see such a heartwarming scene. Kara, who was used to having afternoon naps, was sound asleep on the table. Next to Kara was a man with a stern expression, who was draping his jacket over her so she wouldn¡¯t catch a cold. ¡°The mother¡¯s here,¡± the police officer said. The man¡¯s sharp gaze landed on Tina, who waspletely stunned. She was horrified. ¡®Why is Samuel Langford here?!¡¯ Chapter 244 Chapter 244 There were two reasons why Samuel personally sent Kara to the police station. Firstly, this young girl seemed oddly familiar to him. Secondly, he wanted to see who her mother really was. How dare her child use him of being a bully! Samuel looked over in Tina¡¯s direction immediately the moment the police officer informed him of her arrival. When he saw the person standing outside the door, his frown turned into a grimace. ¡°Is she the one?¡± The woman had a haggard appearance. With her face covered with dirt, it almost seemed like she had tripped andnded squarely on her face. If she remembered correctly, this woman¡¯s name was Linda, the fashion designer. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tina stood rooted to the ground. She still hadn¡¯te back to her senses. Samuel sneered, ¡°You¡¯re her mother?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Tina broke out in cold sweat instantly. She didn¡¯t expect the kind pedestrian to turn out to be Samuel Langford. How could this be? He was always a cruel-hearted man who didn¡¯t care for anything. Why did he apany Kara to the police station? He shot her a cold gaze and said with a disgusted tone, ¡°As a fashion designer, your fashion sense is questionable. On top of that, you¡¯re extremely irresponsible as a mother.¡± Tina lowered her head and stuttered, ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Facing Samuel¡¯s condescending gaze, Tina grew embarrassed. Right at this moment, Kara woke up and interjected angrily, ¡°You monster! Don¡¯t you dare bully my mommy!¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°When did I ever do that? Your mother is the one who didn¡¯t take care of you. Why am I called the bully here?¡± Kara was even more infuriated. She brandished her ferocious little fists and exined, ¡°This has nothing to do with my mommy! I was the one who climbed over the walls and snuck out of the kindergarten when everyone was sleeping!¡± ¡°On top of that, my mommy is a very busy person. She works very hard to take care of me. If it isn¡¯t because she needs to raise me, she would¡¯ve been living afortable life!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare bully my mommy! Or else, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± At this moment, Kara was like an angry, puffed-up kitten. Even though she was as harmless as a hamster, she still had the guts to brandish her ws in front of Samuel ¡°Kara, stop spouting nonsense!¡± Tina was terrified. Worried that Kara¡¯s words would provoke Samuel even further, she rushed forward and scooped the child in her arms. ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡¯s all my fault! This has nothing to do with the child. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll leave now!¡± She turned to leave immediately, but was stopped by Samuel. ¡°Stay right where you are.¡± Tina didn¡¯t dare to defy him and stood rooted to the ground. ¡°Is the little girl telling the truth?¡± Samuel asked. Tina paused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you the only one taking care of her?¡± Samuel asked with a frown. Under his scrutinizing gaze, Tina didn¡¯t dare lie. She replied in a soft tone, ¡°It¡¯s not just me. She has an uncle who always drops by to look after her when I¡¯m busy with work.¡± ¡°What about the child¡¯s father? Where is he?¡± Samuel asked. Before Tina could say anything, Kara cut him off, ¡°My father¡¯s dead.¡± Samuel snorted. His expression as cold as usual, he added, ¡°Figures. If he can¡¯t take care of his family, he might as well be dead.¡± Tina was speechless. She couldn¡¯t help but wipe the sweat off her forehead. Struggling for words, she ended up replying with an awkward smile. Coincidentally, the father, a useless man who couldn¡¯t take care of his own family, was standing right in front of her. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Tina felt extremely awkward. Deep down, she swore she would never let Samuel know that he was Kara¡¯s biological father. If Samuel knew that both Kara and Linda were cursing him all the time, their lives would no doubt be in jeopardy. ¡°Mr. Langford, can I go now?¡± Tina asked carefully. Samuel asked her the same question, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± Tina hesitated. ¡°What do you want to do to my mommy?¡± Kara demanded, looking at him with vignce. Samuel was irked. He didn¡¯t know why this little girl hated him so much. Could it be that her mother had been constantly badmouthing him? Normally, Samuel wouldn¡¯t care about what people said about him. However, he was offended by the thought of Linda instilling inurate thoughts inside the mind of such an adorable girl. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to thank me for saving your child?¡± Samuel asked. Only then did Tina react. She hurriedly said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Langford!¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± Samuel frowned. It was obvious that he was dissatisfied. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Tina smiled bitterly. She wasn¡¯t sure what Samuel was hinting at. After all these years, she still couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. He was truly an unpredictable and moody man. ¡°I really do appreciate your help in saving my daughter¡¯s life! To repay your kindness, I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do.¡± Samuel seemed even more annoyed. ¡°Why do you make it sound like I¡¯m forcing you to repay my kindness?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Other women would¡¯ve tried to gain his favor and get something out of him. However, the mother and child seemed to hate him for some reason. Samuel was deeply offended by that. ¡°Well, what do you want me to say?¡± Tina felt helpless. Only then did Samuel reply slowly, ¡°If I remember correctly, Cindy wants you to work as her personal fashion designer. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a bad idea.¡± ¡°But I understand that you also have to take care of your child. I¡¯ll have the guards send and take her back from school every day so that you won¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Tina¡¯s heart sank. He was doing everything for Cindy. To ensure Tina¡¯s undivided attention at work and to please Cindy, Samuel was putting her child on the line by offering her his so-called services. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Langford, but I don¡¯t feelfortable leaving my child in your care.¡± ¡°Besides, there are still other renowned fashion designers in Paris that you can consider employing. I don¡¯t think an inexperienced designer like me is suited to work as Mrs. Langford¡¯s personal fashion designer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Tina left in a hurry with Kara in her arms, not leaving Samuel the chance to say anything else. Samuel frowned. Right at this moment, the guards approached Samuel and whispered to him, ¡°Mr. Langford, Mrs. Langford wants me to ask if you are going to return home today.¡± ¡°Tell her to mind her own business,¡± Samuel answered curtly, his frown deepening. An official status was the only thing that Samuel promised to give Cindy. Thus, she shouldn¡¯t be asking for anything more than that. ¡°Roger that.¡± When the guards were about to leave, Samuel stopped them. ¡°Find someone to trail the two of them.¡± The guards broke out in cold sweat and asked carefully, ¡°Mr. Langford¡­ What do you mean by that?¡± CIL Looking at their reactions, Samuel realized that Kara and Linda weren¡¯t the only ones who thought of him as a viin. In fact, even his subordinates thought he was sending a hitman to end the lives of the two. ¡°Escort them out of here and make sure they don¡¯t encounter any danger on their way back.¡± Samuel added, ¡°Another thing. Run a background check on them.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The guards left immediately. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Tina left in a hurry with her daughter in her arms. When she returned to the car, the back of her hand was filled with sweat and she was shivering profusely. ¡°Mommy! Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong!¡± Tina said, though she was trembling from head to toe when she pulled her lost daughter into her arms tightly. Kara could sense that her mother was terrified. She bawled her eyes out and wailed, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m so sorry! It¡¯s all because I wanted to get my revenge against that monster! At first, I just wanted to puncture his car tires. I didn¡¯t expect to be caught by him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault!¡± Tina¡¯s heart wrenched as she looked at Kara¡¯s crying face. ¡°Stop crying. You¡¯ll look ugly if you keep on crying.¡± ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m so sorry! Please forgive me!¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± Tina heaved out a sigh. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Tina changed herplexion to look stern. She warned Kara, ¡°I know you¡¯re looking out for me, but I¡¯m more worried about your safety.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s scared out of my wits. The kindergarten teachers and Keith are all worried sick about you!¡± ¡°You should never act rashly on your own again, okay?¡± Kara nodded obediently and said, ¡°I understand!¡± Hearing Kara¡¯s response, Tina¡¯s sorrow grew. The moment Kara was born, she and Kara were thrown to the sea and left to die under Samuel¡¯s command. It was Frederick who saved them. He immediately sent Kara to the hospital for emergency resuscitation. Fortunately, Kara survived the ordeal. She had always been an obedient child who had never thrown tantrums or made Tina¡¯s life difficult in any way. She was so obedient that the doctors suspected she had suffered trauma in the brain, and that there were still underlying side effects. Despite her sad past, Kara still grew up healthily into a smart and adorable child. Kara knew that Tina had been working hard to provide for both of them, so she had never stirred trouble at school. Sometimes, she would even try to make Tinaugh with her vibrant personality. It wasn¡¯t until Keith followed Kara to school did Tina know of the truth. Kara¡¯s life in the kindergarten wasn¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows like what she had told Tina. All this while, she had been bullied by the other kids there. Some even called Kara a fatherless child! The only time she decided to sneak out was also because she wanted to seek revenge for Tina. Tina felt extremely blessed to have such a caring child. Thus, she couldn¡¯t risk Samuel finding out about Kara. If her secret was exposed, the beautiful life she shared with Kara would be destroyed in an instant. Tina wiped off Kara¡¯s tears and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Little Stars for now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Tina heaved in a deep breath and got rid of her messy thoughts. Then, she revved up the car engine and drove away. In the distance, a small and inconspicuous car trailed from behind. Soon, Tina arrived at the kindergarten with Kara. With Tina holding on to Kara¡¯s hand, the small child apologized to the teachers one by one. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, she saw Keith in the corner. The boy¡¯s face was cold. ¡°Keith, I¡¯m sorry I worried you! You can shout at me if you want,¡± Kara said carefully. Keith, who always had a mean-spirited tongue, opened his mouth to say something. But when he saw Kara¡¯s tear-stained face, he changed his mind and instead snorted arrogantly, ¡°We¡¯ll talk at home. I won¡¯t shout at you now. It won¡¯t look good to the teachers if I do!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Keith then headed outside the kindergarten. The bodyguard who was assigned to trail after the mother and daughter saw him from afar. His eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the young master?¡± Chapter 247 Chapter 247 When the bodyguard saw Keith, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from gasping in disbelief.. The person they regarded as the young master was none other than Keith Langford, Samuel¡¯s son who had been missing for a while now. The rest of the guards didn¡¯t believe his words. ¡°What? The young master¡¯s here? How can that be? That¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°I saw him with my own eyes! He¡¯s standing at the entrance of the kindergarten!¡± All of the guards in the car hurried to look at the gate. But at this moment, it was already the end of the school period. Manyparents were gathered at the gate, here to pick their children up. The guard had only caught a glimpse of Keith before his view was blocked by other people. ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone! Did you see it wrongly?¡± The guard persisted. ¡°No, he was there! I saw him with my own eyes!¡± The rest of them doubted him. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Keith is a talented boy whose IQ exceeded a normal person¡¯s! He doesn¡¯t even need a teacher. Why would he be seen at a kindergarten?¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. A high IQ aside, he¡¯s also diagnosed with autism. He only likes to spend time in his room.¡± ¡°Also, we¡¯ve been taking care of the young master ever since he was a baby. We know his mysophobia is even more serious than Mr. Langford¡¯s.¡± ¡°To him, a kindergarten is like a gathering point for germs!¡± The guard was almost convinced by his colleagues. He scratched his head, confused. ¡°Have I really seen it wrongly?¡± ¡°We should stop talking. Linda¡¯s car is going away. We should follow her!¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. We need to act ording to Mr. Langford¡¯s orders. If we make any mistakes, he¡¯ll never forgive us!¡± At the mention of Samuel, the guard didn¡¯t dare to dy much longer. After arriving at the conclusion that he had seen it wrongly, he stepped on the elerator and trailed from behind. At this moment, Tina was driving home with the two kids in the backseat. Kara looked at Keith. ¡°Keith¡­ Don¡¯t be angry at me anymore, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry!¡± Keith snapped. However, he was obviously displeased and upset. Even Tina could feel Keith¡¯s threatening aura. 247 She didn¡¯t know from whom he learned that at such a young age. Thinking of this, a person shed across her mind. The man whom she met earlier had a domineering and threatening presence as weH. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kara sounded even more miserable, ¡°Keith, I know you¡¯re worried about me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried at all!¡± Keith snorted and turned to look at the scenery outside the windows. ¡°You¡¯re not even my real sister. Why should I be worried about you?¡± ¡°You can have my sweets, okay? Can you forgive me already?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want your sweets! I¡¯ll be an idiot like you if I eat your stuff!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shout at me¡­¡± Kara pleaded, sobbing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted me to shout at you earlier? What? You¡¯re going back against your word now? Hmph!¡± Looking at the children arguing with each other through the rearview mirror, Tina couldn¡¯t help but smile. At that moment, the three of them felt like a loving family. However, nobody knew how long that wouldst, When Keith looked out the window, his gaze shifted to the side mirror. He quickly noticed something odd. A car was trailing behind them in close proximity. Hisplexion changed instantly as he straightened his back and said, ¡°Someone¡¯s following us from behind!¡± Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Tina felt anxious when she heard that they were being followed. ¡°What? Who¡¯s following us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Look at your side mirror. When we were leaving the kindergarten earlier, I noticed that the car was leaving with us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been following us for a while. Something¡¯s wrong!¡± Keith looked distressed. In his mind, he already had a guess as to who was behind this. It was definitely Samuel! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Had Samuel found out that Keith was hiding at Tina¡¯s house? Tina¡¯s facial expression wasn¡¯t any better than Keith¡¯s. If her identity wasn¡¯t exposed yet, then why was Samuel instructing someone to follow her? Had she gotten on his nerves by what she said just now? Was that why he was trying to murder her family? What terrified Tina even more was that there was another child in the car. Keith was an innocent child who had nothing to do with any of this! Samuel, that heartless b*stard! Why wasn¡¯t he dead yet? All her problems would be solved if only she had stabbed him right in the heart and killed him then and there! However, Tina didn¡¯t want to expose her fear to the kids. She heaved in a deep breath and said, ¡°Sit tight, kids! Buckle your seatbelts! I¡¯ll think of a way to shake them off!¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy!¡± Being the obedient girl she was, Kara didn¡¯t hesitate and held to the seat belt tightly. Keith knew he could no longer hide his hidden potential anymore. ¡°Do you have aptop with you?¡± He asked anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m a hacker! I can hack into the car¡¯s navigation system and distract them!¡± ars Tina was beyond shocked. ¡°What? You¡¯re a hacker?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He continued with a serious expression, ¡°Give me yourptop now!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t believe her ears. The boy was just five years old! But judging by how firm and urgent he sounded, Tina didn¡¯t think that Keith was lying. ¡°Kara, give him theptop.¡± Tina instructed. ¡°Okay!¡± Soon, Keith got his hands on theptop. 1248 He switched it on, reached for the USB he always had with him in his pocket, and connected it to the laptop Keith bit his lip and started typing quickly on the keyboard. Looking at how skilled Keith was, Tina¡¯s doubts vanished instantly. ¡°I¡¯ve hacked into the car¡¯s navigation system to create an illusion, but it¡¯ll only work for 10 seconds!¡± ¡°There¡¯s traffic congestion ahead. Take another route by using the shortcut! We should have enough time to do that!¡± Without hesitation, Tina did as told. Even though Keith was only a five-year-old boy, she still decided to believe in him. By relying on Keith¡¯s orders and her impable driving skills, Tina had sessfully gotten out of the guards¡¯ sight. ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s the car?¡± ¡°Sh*t, we lost them!¡± The guards exchanged fearful nces. They were done for! What were they going to say to Mr. Langford? After Tina made sure she had lost them, she took the longer route home. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re safe and sound!¡± Tina and Keith heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed like the weight on their shoulders was finally lifted. Only Kara found the ordeal amusing, ¡°Yay! We got rid of the enemy! Mummy, I want to see it again next time!¡± Tina smiled bitterly and muttered, ¡°I really hope there¡¯s no next time.¡± Keith heard what she said. He gritted his teeth and dered, ¡°I think it¡¯s time I go back home.¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Tina jumped in shock. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Keith heaved in a deep breath and repeated, ¡°I said, I want to go back home to see my parents.¡± At first, Keith was still hesitant to leave. After all, his life with Tina and Kara felt more like aplete familypared to his actual home. However, he changed his mind when he witnessed the extreme measures his father was willing to undertake to achieve goals, as well as the frightful ordeal Tina and Kara had to go through to avoid his father. After all, Samuel¡¯s name as The Tyrant of Freesia wasn¡¯t for nothing. Even in France, he still held considerable power and influence. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him to inflict harm upon normal civilians like Tina and Kara. Keith didn¡¯t want Tina¡¯s family to be destroyed just because of him. Tina asked worriedly, ¡°You were abused in that household! If you go back, your life will be in danger!¡± ¡°Mommy¡¯s right!¡± Kara pulled Keith into a protective embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me! I want to go to school with you!¡± Keith made up his mind instantly when he heard their concerns. ¡°I¡¯ve lied to you about that. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°My parents didn¡¯t abuse me in any way. I had a fight with them, which is why I decided to leave.¡± Tina frowned. It was obvious that Keith was lying. ¡°How do you exin the wounds on your body and the red marks on your face?¡± ¡°They¡¯re from an ident!¡± Keith replied stubbornly. Tina hesitated, but finallypromised. ¡°Fine, then. I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Before Keith could say anything, Tina added, ¡°But I will have to hand you over to your parents personally, or else it¡¯s a no-deal.¡± Keith was speechless. ¡®Is she trying to dig a grave for herself?¡¯ Keith thought about it and agreed. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ask them to pick me up tomorrow.¡± Both Tina and Kara were reluctant to let Keith leave, but they still understood that Keith would have to eventually return to his parents. During dinner that night, Tina deliberately prepared a bigger portion for Keith. Keith had always been a picky eater. But at that moment, he didn¡¯t reject Tina¡¯s gesture and finished his meal obediently. After Tina told the kids a bedtime story and put them to bed, she returned to her room. However, Keith had already woken up before the sun was even up in the sky. At the break of dawn, he had already changed into a suit and tie. One look and you could tell that he was born into a rich family. Keith ced a hand-written letter on the table and left the apartment quietly. To him, the small apartment was a ce filled with warm and happy memories. Then, he made a phone call to his father. ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten minutes. Send someone to pick me up right now!¡± Shortly after Keith left, Kara woke up from her sleep and noticed that something was amiss. ¡°Mommy, Mommy! Keith¡¯s missing!¡± Tina ran into his bedroom and noticed that he wasn¡¯t there. Then, she found the letter on the table and ripped it open. For a young child, Keith had very good handwriting. ¡°Thank you for taking care of me all these days. I¡¯ve already sent you some money as a token of appreciation. I hope I¡¯ll meet you again someday.¡¯ Only then did Tina realize that her bank ount had an additional 1.5 million dors. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± Tina looked through the security footage and realized that it had only been ten minutes since he left. ¡°I¡¯ll go and look for Keith now! Stay at home, okay?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Okay!¡± Kara agreed. Right now, Tina could care less about putting on a disguise. Anxious, she rushed out of the apartment. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 d in her pajamas, Tina draped a jacket on her shoulders and went on the streets to search for Keith. He hadn¡¯t gone too far yet. So, she should still be able to find him! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The streets of Paris were cold and quiet. asionally, she would see homeless people roaming by, or drunken people vomiting or getting high. Tina¡¯s appearance attracted a lot of attention, with people sizing her up constantly. Facing their rude stares, Tina tightened her shirt and red back at them. Eventually, they broke eye contact and went back to their usual business. On the surface, Tina just seemed like an angry and unapproachabledy. Deep down, she was actually very anxious. A five-year-old boy was now roaming the streets in the dark. If she didn¡¯t find him as soon as possible, he would be in danger. While Tina was searching through the alleyways of the apartments, she didn¡¯t notice a car gradually approaching her. The Rolls-Royce seemed out of ce among the old and torn buildings. The driver drove slowly and went past a drunkard lying unconscious on the streets. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Langford, are you sure Keith is here? This ce isn¡¯t considered the slums, but it doesn¡¯t look any different than that!¡± ¡°Given Keith¡¯s medical history of mysophobia, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll stay in this ce. Do you think he¡¯s told you the wrong address?¡± The man in the backseat exuded a cold aura. ¡°I¡¯m sure about it. This is the address he gave me.¡± Samuel was intrigued. Although he didn¡¯t have a great rtionship with his son, he still knew that Keith had inherited a lot of his habits. Why would he turn up here if he couldn¡¯t stand being in dirty ces? The driver asked hesitantly, ¡°Mr. Langford, could it be that this is one of Keith¡¯s tricks?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see him try!¡± Samuel said, livid. Samuel could forgive Keith for the previous car ident, since he was just a young child trying to save his mother. But if Keith dared to y tricks on Samuel again, Samuel would definitely teach him a lesson! The driver didn¡¯t dare toment further as he drove forward. Suddenly, he said curiously, ¡°Why¡¯s there a woman running around in the middle of the street? Oh dear, I think she¡¯s in trouble!¡± Samuel shifted his gaze toward that direction. In the distance, he could see a woman walking around, seemingly in search of something. She was wearing pajamas, her long hair let down on both sides. Looking closely, her frail frame seemed oddly familiar! Right at this moment, the woman was ganged up by two men with obvious ulterior motives. Samuel held his breath as a thought struck him. ¡°That¡¯s her! ¡°Stop the car right now!¡± he shouted. Shocked, the driver did as told. P Was The next moment, Samuel got out of the car and walked on the streets. ¡°Mr. Langford, what are you doing?¡± The driver was confused. Everyone knew that the Tyrant of Freesia was a cruel and evil man. Was he trying to break his character by saving that woman? How odd! Samuel didn¡¯t exin further. Instead, he ordered, ¡°Go and pick up Keith on your own! And get me another car right now!¡± Then, he strode into the streets with a dark expression. The driver didn¡¯t dare to defy Samuel¡¯s order. Finding Keith was his top priority right now! Tina felt hopeless. She didn¡¯t expect to be surrounded by these two drunkards before she could even find Keith. ¡°Let go of me! Don¡¯t make me hit you!¡± Tina yelled angrily as her thin wrist was being held by one of the men. ¡°Hahaha!¡± The drunken menughed out loud and said condescendingly, ¡°You¡¯re going to hit me? I¡¯d like to see you try!¡± Suddenly, Samuel¡¯s fistnded squarely on their faces. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 ¡°Ouch!¡± The two drunkards¡¯ bodies flew in the air. They lost their consciousness immediately. Tina let out a sigh of relief. ¡®Thank god, I¡¯m saved!¡¯ She rubbed her wrist without raising her head up, ¡°Thanks for the help, but I have to leave now¡­¡± All she could think of now was Keith Langford. She might still be able to save herself, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for that child if he was in danger¡­ SO Just as she was about to leave, a tall figure blocked her way. Feeling anxious, Tina was about to push the person away when a cold voice reached her ears. ¡°Tina Lynd! It really is you!¡± It was just a few words, but they gave Tina a cold chill down her spine. She looked up, and the person standing in front of her¡­ Was none other than Samuel Langford! God! What was he doing here?! If the two drunkards from before gave her annoyance¡­ Then Samuel Langford gave her extreme fear! Samuel managed to grab Tina¡¯s shoulder just as she was about to make a break for it. His grip was so vicious, Tina felt like all her bones had broken. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Let go of me!¡± At this point, Tina had forgotten all the self-defense moves she had painstakingly learnt. She struggled violently, and even bit the man¡¯s arm. Even so, the man stared at her without flinching. Without warning, he took off Tina¡¯s jacket and tied it around her hands. A car appeared next to them at that instant. ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± The driver was about to open the back door for Samuel, but was immediately taken aback by what he saw. What was happening? Wasn¡¯t Mr. Langford here to pick the young master? Yet right now, Mr. Langford was hugging another woman! That woman was struggling and hitting, but Mr. Langford didn¡¯t seem bothered¡­ The driver was too stunned to react, and simply stood frozen. Samuel walked towards the car and bellowed, ¡°Open the door!¡± That finally snapped the driver back to his senses. Pulled out of his musings, he hurried to open the back door. Samuel threw Tina into the backseat and turned around to the driver. ¡°You may leave now.¡± Does that mean Mr. Langford nned to leave with that woman? If so, a driver like him should just leave. ¡°Understood, Mr. Langford.¡± Without much hesitation, he dashed away. Tina, who was trapped in the back seat, was furious. She hissed, ¡°Samuel Langford! Let go of me, you bastard! I¡¯m going to report you to the police, you devil¡­!¡±. Why?! Why did she have to meet him again?! Again and again, she was forced to return and suffer in this miserable hell! Tina was on the verge of breaking down as tears filled her eyes. Samuel, however, only found her reaction ridiculouslyic. This woman was still as maniptive as ever, trying to trick him with her obviously fake acts. He truly thought that she had died. Who knew that they would meet each other again after five years¡­ She was never dead! He was certain: all of these were part of her evil n! ¡°Keep acting!¡± he spat icily. ¡°Show me how much your maniption has improved over the years!¡± ¡°You absolute bastard! I¡¯m gonna kill you!¡± Tina red at Samuel with bloodshot eyes. Instead of being angry, Samuel grinned cruelly at her. ¡°Kill me? Very well, I¡¯ll give you the opportunity to do so!¡± Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Half an hourter¡­ Under the slightly dim sky, Samuel dragged Tina to one of his mansions. He carried her there all the way, finally threw her onto a sofa. Samuelughed. ¡°Show me how you¡¯re going to kill me, Tina!¡± Tina trembled with fear, for she knew there was no escape this time. Desperate, she lowered her voice and begged, ¡°Samuel¡­ Please, just let me go¡­¡± ¡°Let you go? Ha! You have to pay for your actions!¡± That sent Tina straight to hell. As expected, Samuel was still as cruel as he was five years ago. Despite knowing that she almost died that time, he still wanted to kill her. What a cruel demon! ¡°I don¡¯t want to die. Please¡­¡± Tina begged as her face turned pale. She couldn¡¯t die! Definitely not! Kara was still waiting for her at home, and Keith was still in danger. What would happen to the two children if she died? Samuel grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. His stare was intimidating and forceful, filled with cruelty. If anything changed for Tina over the past five years, it would be her beauty. She had much, much be prettier. Samuel came to wonder about the number of men she had been with for the past five years. The thought fueled his anger even more. ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to die?¡± Samuel lifted the corner of his lips into a terrible smile. ¡°Be my servant. Who knows, I might spare your life if I¡¯m satisfied.¡± Tina felt a surge of disgust. She didn¡¯t forget how closely Samuel had stood next to Cindy. Even her colleagues agreed that Samuel and Cindy were perfect together. However, Cindy would never know that the Samuel who loved her so much would behave so differently in front of another woman! Samuel grabbed onto Tina¡¯s chin forcefully and spat, ¡°You¡¯re not willing?¡± Feeling that her chin was about to break from his violent grip, Tina responded with trembling lips. ¡°L¡­ I¡¯m willing¡­¡± Everything was as he expected! The smile on Samuel grew even more twisted. No matter how much of a prude this woman pretended to be, at the end of the day, she was nothing but a sl*t. She was always ready to seduce people! ¡°Nice act.¡± Samuel chuckled darkly at her weak appearance. ¡°Tina, now it¡¯s time for me to see if you¡¯ve improved.¡± The sound of clothes being torn apart echoed in the mansion soon after. Tina closed her eyes, falling deep into a ck swirl of hopelessness and helplessness. The next day. Tina didn¡¯t wake up until the sun was shining through the window, golden rays spilling onto the bed. N She felt someone lying next to her, and subconsciously hugged that person while mumbling softly, ¡°Baby¡­¡± 11 However, she suddenly felt the air growing chilly almost immediately. That woke Tina uppletely, turning her sober. The person next to her wasn¡¯t Kara, but that demon from hell! Facing Samuel¡¯s disgust-filled gaze, Tina waspletely frozen. ¡°Baby?¡± Samuel was staring at her coldly, ¡°Which man are you referring to this time?¡± Knowing well that Kara¡¯s existence couldn¡¯t be discovered, Tina only gritted her teeth. If she let it slip, bad things would happen to both her and Kara! Tina clenched her fists and fought back, snapping, ¡°My baby¡¯s a hundred times better than you!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Tina¡¯s retort infuriated Samuel. She had touched a nerve. He didn¡¯t hesitate to strangle her and yelled darkly, ¡°You really think I wouldn¡¯t kill you?!¡± Tina could feel her entire body aching. She was too weak to fight back ¡°You promised to let me gost night. If you decide to break your promise, then there¡¯s not much that I can do, cant?¡± Samuel gritted his teeth. ¡°Tina, you disgust me¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m dirty and disgusting! You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s good and amazing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m confused. Why did you insist on sleeping with me when there¡¯s a bunch of better women out there?! I wonder if Cindy knew you had such a disgusting fetish!¡± Samuel tightened his grip on Tina, who simply gave up struggling, Just when she thought she was about to die, Samuel let go of her ¡°Leave!¡± That was the only word that Samue) said, But Tina didn¡¯t feel relieved, she knew that the worst had yet toe. ¡°As expected from Mr. Langford, Cruelty of the highest order!¡± She leapt out of the bed and mmed the door As she had expected, the sounds of things being smashed rang from the room. That shocked Tina, but she was also relieved that she left earlier Samuel¡¯s personality hadn¡¯t changed one bit. In fact, it had tumed even worse! After leaving the room, her stomach began to growl. She might just die of hunger if she didn¡¯t feed herself soon. She collected her own thoughts and headed to thetchen. s, there was nothing in the fridge. That only meant that Samuel didn¡¯t stay here often She picked her phone up from the floor, only to realize that her screen had cracked and her phone was completely broken. When she was close to giving up, she heard footsteps from the stairs. Samuel was heading down. He took a nce at the phone in her hand andughed. ¡°Don¡¯t think of running. You won¡¯t be leaving.¡± Tina was baffled, ¡°Leave? i think I¡¯d die of hunger instead!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel asked with a frown. Tina said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing in yourtchen, and my phone is broken. There¡¯s literally nothing to eat here.¡± Sarnuel checked the fridge and realized that there really wasn¡¯t any food inside. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He gave a call to his assistant and there were fresh groceries sent to the mansion within ten minutes¡­ Tina immediately prepared breakdast before she died of hunger, But Samuel was already sitting at her ce ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tina asked angrily. Samuel only responded coldly, ¡°What about my breakfast?¡± ¡°There¡¯s none for you.¡± ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡± Samuel threatened Tina. ¡°Fine! i¡¯ll make another one!¡± She turned around and walked back into the kitchen Tina soon realized that other than groceries, there was also a medical report and bottles of sleeping pills Chapter 254 Chapter 254 The sight of the pills gave Tina a strange feeling. Why did Samuel¡¯s assistants send him pills? Out of curiosity, she looked at the report. It was then she discovered that Samuel had sleeping disorders. As time went by, his condition worsened to the point he could only sleep with the help of pills. No wonder his personality had be so much more crooked. This was the reason! Serves him right! Tina couldn¡¯t help but curse viciously at him. Just then, Samuel¡¯s voice rang from outside the kitchen, ¡°Tina! Are you nning to starve me to death?¡± That gave Tina a shock, and she immediately put down the reports and the pills. Samuel was wearing bagay clothes, but that only made him look like a predator casually preying on his food. Tina could practically hear her heart pounding, as if she hadmitted some sort of crime. Feeling dissatisfied, Tina retorted, ¡°If you¡¯re dissatisfied with my speed, order takeaway for yourself.¡± Samuel chuckled in response. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re not here to enjoy your life. You¡¯re here to suffer.¡± Tina gritted her teeth, fuming. ¡®Demon!¡¯ With Samuel staring at her from the side, she started preparing the food. Washing, cutting. All the while, shafts of sunlight struck Tina¡¯s body. She had her hair tied up, revealing her perfect neckline that made her look so vulnerable¡­ Her clothes, too, had gone wrinkly from all the pulling from yesterday. Even though she was wearing an apron, her baggy clothes only made her look all the more alluring Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened immediately. As a healthy man, he hadn¡¯t had sex for years. Not even with Cindy. Last night was an exception. He was obviously dissatisfied fromst night¡¯s activities. Not to mention, how tempting was she to him at this very moment?!N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Tina could feel Samuel staring holes into her back, but she didn¡¯t dare to turn around and focused on finishing the breakfast instead. She never wished to be in the same room as him! But¡­ While she was putting the vegetables into the pot, Samuel walked toward her and carried her in his arms That gave Tina a shock She subconsciously wrapped her hands around his neck to defend hersell ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Tina was furious, on the verge of screaming her lungs out. But Samuel¡¯s re was so intimidating, it gave her chills. ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± Samuel shed her a wicked grin and said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Tina realized immediately Her clothes werepletely for and destroyed! Tina felt like crying. However, Samuel left the room and came back with a men¡¯s shirt. He said coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°The food¡¯s all burnt! How are we going to eat now?¡± Tina clenched her fists in anger. ¡°You can choose to starve if you can¡¯t solve it,¡± Samuel snapped. At that point, Tina wanted nothing more than to feed him poison. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Never would have Tina thought that she¡¯d be doing something like this right now, Still, she knew she had to escape. Otherwise, she might die in Samuel¡¯s hands. She thought of her daughter. Kara must be worried sick at home Because of her broken phone, she couldn¡¯t contact Kara or Frederick Those two were her family, and Tina didn¡¯t want them to feel sad or worried over her sudden disappearance Tina clenched her fists and entered the kitchen. After Tina left, Samuel looked at the papers in his hands They were divorce papers, He was nning to end his marriage with Cindy once and for all. Of course, he would make sure that Cindy and Keith would be well-taken care of even after the divorce. As he was going through the papers, his phone started ringing. It was Cindy ¡°Samuel!¡± Cindy greeted in a sickly sweet tone. ¡°Keith came back yesterday!¡± ¡°Keith, it¡¯s your father!¡± Keith, who was sitting next to Cindy, was hesitant to speak But that angered Cindy and she immediately pinched Keith roughly. ¡°Talk to your dad!¡± This little prick! Didn¡¯t they say he¡¯s smart and all?¡¯ ¡®Why¡¯s he behaving so stupidly now?!¡± For Keith, the pain on his ar was nowhere near the pain in his heart. He had no idea why his mother would treat him in such a terrible way Keith clenched his teeth and decided to speak ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel sounded rather cold. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Cindy, on the other hand, was furious. This son of hers was sopletely useless! She couldn¡¯t believe he failed to make Samuel like him despite all these years. Plus, he even dared to act cold and uninterested with Samuel! Cindy continued desperately. ¡°Samuel, when are youing back to see Keith? A child needs Cindy knew very well that Samuel was a responsible man. Despite not liking her, he would still be responsible for her. As she had expected, Samuel softened his tone. He nced at the divorce papers once more and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. Also, there¡¯s something that I want to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cindy didn¡¯t catch the meaning behind his words. She was far too busy immersing in the joy that Samuel would be meeting her With that, she whined in a spoiled manner, ¡°Samuel¡­ I know you¡¯re a busy man. Are youing back only at night? That¡¯s okay, I can wait!¡± ¡°Oh, right! There¡¯s a romantic French restaurant nearby. Why don¡¯t we have dinner there?¡± Before Samuel could say anything, Tina walked out of the kitchen ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± She mmed the dishes heavily on the table on purpose as a sign of protest. However, Cindy was taken aback to hear Tina¡¯s voice ¡°Samuel, where are you? Who was that?!¡± Cindy might sound innocent and curious, but she was actually furious. She heard a woman¡¯s voice from Samuel¡¯s side! She was certain. Another woman was trying to seduce her husband! Tina, on the other hand, thought that Samuel was working Even so, she still wanted her revenge. She went on, ensuring her voice rang loud and clear. ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡¯s been a long night. You must be tired, right? Why not have some of the food I just prepared?¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Samuel couldn¡¯t bother to reply to Cindy and ended the call. ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡± But Tina didn¡¯t feel like answering. After settling down, she finally got to eat the porridge that she had previously prepared. But as the porridge had been sitting out for too long, it had tumed cold. Samuel hadn¡¯t eaten Tina¡¯s cooking for quite some time, and he subconsciously missed it. However, the first taste gave Samuel a shock, and his face twisted into an ugly expression. ¡°Tina, how much salt did you put in here?¡± A lot of salt, of course. Since she couldn¡¯t poison this man, Tina decided she would torture him with ridiculously salty food Obviously, she wouldn¡¯t dare to admit that. ¡°Really?¡± Tina answered with an innocent look ¡°Maybe my hand was shaking a little too much when I was seasoning the food.¡± Sarnuel took a quick nce at Tina Her face was indeed pale. After some thought, he decided to let her off the hook Just when Tina thought Samuel would stor away in anger¡­ He betrayed her expectations and he actually finished the whole thing Did she put too little salt? Out of curiosity, she decided to try the porridge herself. The next second¡­ Cough, cough, cough! Tina couldn¡¯t help but cough violently. The food was ridiculously salty. It wasn¡¯t edible in the slightest! She looked at Samuel, who had remained calm the entire time. Perhaps he had sleeping problems for too long that his taste buds were affected?! Tina rushed to the kitchen and got herself a ss of water to drown away the saltiness N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Get me one too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tina responded obediently. Her obedience softened his heart even more. ¡°Sit next to me,¡± he ordered coldly. Tina froze, but she didn¡¯t dare to reject hismand, ¡°What are you afraid I¡¯ll eat you up?¡± Samuel felt annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m not cruel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tina was speechless at hisck of self-awareness. As if! Before she could even sit down properly, Samuel grabbed her by her waist and put her on hisp. Tina went numb when she felt Samuel¡¯s body warmth radiating around her. Fortunately, Samuel didn¡¯t do anything else other than read the paperwork on the table. Feeling confused, Tina asked, ¡°Samuel, are you working?¡± Didn¡¯t Samuel hate when there were people around him while he was working? Why was he hugging her...? What did this mean? ¡°Quiet.¡± Samuel cut her off without hesitation. That was enough to scare Tina. Nervous, she started pulling on her clothes. She was wondering when the medicine she put in his water would start working¡­ She was zoning out so much, she didn¡¯t notice how much she was moving on hisp. Samuel frowned and hit her. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 ¡°Ah!¡± Tina didn¡¯t expect it to hurt. She hissed angrily. ¡°Why did you hit me?!¡± He was the one who wouldn¡¯t allow her to leave, yet now, he was hitting her! He was just finding excuses to torture her. This demon! Samuel replied sarcastically, ¡°Are you still going to pretend? Where did you learn all these seduction skills?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying!¡± Tina stood up angrily and left. ¡°Come back here! Tina!¡± ¡°Come back so that you can torture me? Am I that stupid?¡± Tina turned around, ring at him. But Samuel¡¯s voice turned deep from fury. ¡°Leave? Try it!¡± Tina felt a rush of annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m just going to the toilet!¡± Samuel was obviously dissatisfied with the answer. He spat, ¡°Be quick.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Tina ran to the toilet. In truth, she didn¡¯t want to use the toilet. It was just an excuse. Tina squatted on the stairs and waited. Finally¡­ Bang! Noises came from the dining hall. Tina clenched her fists in triumph and took a deep breath before making her way to the dining hall. As expected, Samuel was lying on the floor. Her n seeded! She wanted to escape, but she also knew that the mansion was probably far away from the city. Thus, she needed to grab Samuel¡¯s car keys. Plus, her phone was broken and she had to return before anything happened. Tina walked toward Samuel cautiously to check on him¡­ This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Just then, her wrist was grabbed. ¡°¡®Tina!¡± Samuel yelled, fuming The shock stunned Tina ¡®He¡¯s still conscious?!! UT L O ..L..dute ohnor it off his arin Shobadoul in the sleeping pills so effortlessly¡­ Then again, it seemed the pills did work Yet Samuel¡¯s aura was still as intimidating as ever, especially when paired with his fearsome re. ¡°You! You dare trick me!¡± Samuel yelled hoarsely. Tina calmed herself down. ¡°Why not? Do you really think i¡¯d give my life up to you and let you torture me to death?¡± ¡°How dare you! Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯d kill you¡­?!¡± ¡°I am! I¡¯m afraid. I mean, is there anything that you wouldn¡¯t do?¡± Tina gave out a chuckle at his ridiculous words. He killed her once, didn¡¯t he? He didn¡¯t even blink when he killed his own child, too! If it weren¡¯t for Frederick, she and Kara would¡¯ve died long ago! ¡°You should be grateful that I only gave you sleeping pills!¡± Tina shot him a look of unbridled disgust. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll reap what you sowed! Go to hell! Don¡¯t evere near me ever again!¡± ¡°You!¡± Samuel had never looked more intimidating than he did at this moment. His re was akin to a fierce lion ready to hunt and kill. Tina didn¡¯t hesitate to grab his car keys and ran out of the mansion. As she rushed out, she failed to take notice of the divorce papers lying on the table. d in a man¡¯s coat, she left the mansion as soon as she could. Before heading out, she sent a message to Frederick She must leave before Samuel woke up! Otherwise, Tina kmew she would be dead meat! Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Tina stepped on the brakes and left the mansion with fervent speed, eager to escape Samuel¡¯s grasp. Meanwhile, Cindy was fueled with rage How was this possible? There really was a woman trying to seduce her husband! Incensed, Cindy tried calling Samuel again However, an automated message replied instead ¡°Sorry, the person you called is unavable. Please try againter.¡± Bang! Cindy¡¯s anger was through the rool. She proceeded to grab everything on the table and threw them to the floor, smashing them into bits. ¡°You bith! You slot! How dare you seduce my husband!¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill you! Ahhhh!!! Unable to contain her anger, Cindy dialed another number ¡°Get your ass to Samuel¡¯s mansion right now and find out who that woman is!¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna find that bith and kill her!¡± Cindy blurted everything out without caring that a child of five was right next to her. She had lost her composure, and went on screaming venomous streams of curses non-stop. Her maniacal fury was baffling. Keith, who had witnessed everything, was stunned and at a loss for words. He never knew that his mother could be this cruel! ¡°Mommy¡­ Calm down¡­¡± Keith said softly, trying tofort Cindy. However, his appearance only served to aggravate her even further. Keith¡¯s eyes were too simr to Tina Lynd¡¯s! She raised the phone in her hand and threw it at Keith without hesitation Bang! The phone hit Keith squarely on the forehead. Unable to handle the pain, Keith fell to the ground. The next thing he knew, blood was dripping to the floor¡­ Staring at the crimson liquid, Keith was frozen still. Even though he did not cry nor shout, the pain was unbearable. Yet, Cindy didn¡¯t seern bothered by it at all. He mumbled weakly under his breath, ¡°Why are you doing this to me, Mommy ¡°Why? Because you deserve it! You useless piece of trash! Samuel was seduced by another wornan because of you!¡± ¡°I thought my life would be better if I had a son, but you¡¯re so stupid that Samuel hates you!¡± The more Cindy spoke, the more upset she became She screamed shrilly, ¡°They say you¡¯re a prodigy, but you¡¯re nothing but trash! You, lock him up! Lock him up in the attic! If Samuel isn¡¯t here, just let him starve to death in there!¡± The servants were all terrified, but they were sympathetic towards Keith ¡°Young master, follow me to the attic! Give her some time to calm down!¡± one of the servants whispered to him After all, Cindy was no better than a madwoman at this point, Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The young master was her son! How could she have the heart to abuse him? Keith was soon brought to the attic Even there, he could still hear Cindy¡¯s endless screams, along with the servants¡¯ heated gossip He was reminded of thend woman and the cute Kara, Kara even shared her candies with him. Though he deeply regretteding back home, he was happy to know that neither Kara nos her mother were involved in this terrible situation Keith wondered how they were doing now¡­ Far away, Tina felt her heart clenching in agony. What happened? Why was she feeling this way? Chapter 259 Chapter 259 However, Tina couldn¡¯t find a reason behind her sudden unease. After a while, she came to assume that it was simply her worry for Kara. Finally, she reached her destination. Right when she got out of the car, a small figure dashed toward her. ¡°Mommy!¡± Tina immediately hugged Kara tightly ¡°Kara! Are you alright?¡± She turned Kara around and looked at her daughter avdously. After malding sure that Kara was okay, Tina let out a sigh of relief ¡°Where have you been, Mommy? I thought you were kidnapped!¡± Kara asked worriedly Tina bit her lower lip ¡°1 had something to take care of, so I had to leave. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re back! Oh, right Keith texted me this morning after he went back home.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tina was relieved to know that Keith was safe. But that wasn¡¯t enough to ease her worries. She tumed to Frederick. ¡°Frederick, I might need you to take care of Kara for me¡­¡± *Tina, you¡­¡± Frederick stared at Tina with aplicated look He was once a yboy, so knew what it meant when Tina returned d in a man¡¯s clothes. In fact, he could already guess what had taken ce. ¡°It¡¯s my fault I couldn¡¯t protect you!¡± Frederick clenched his fists in agony. ¡°How could he do this to you? How..?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the one to me, Frederick¡­¡± Tina shook her head helplessly. ¡°Still, I found out that he doesn¡¯t know Kara¡¯s existence yet. Could you take care of her for the time being, please?¡± Frederick¡¯s face changed immediately ¡°Are you nning to stay here alone? No, that¡¯s too dangerous! We can leave together, to a ce where he cannot find us¡­¡± Tina gritted her teeth. ¡°No, that¡¯s too dangerous!¡± ¡°He¡¯d never let me go. I¡¯ve angered him too much!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine if I suffer alone, but I can¡¯t let kara suffer with me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a nice girl. She likes to make friends, and she also wishes to be a star in the future.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to let her suffer with me and let the public criticize us.¡± Frederick responded helplessly. ¡°There must be some other way¡± Frederick, please. For thest time, I need your help. Kara only has you left. You¡¯re the only one that I can trust!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes were desperate, yet determined Share filled Frederick At this moment, he felt he couldn¡¯t be more useless. ¡°Alright. I promise you, Tina. I¡¯ll take Kara with me and treat her like my own daughter.¡± Finally, Tina felt relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± She held in the pain in her heart and looked at Kara with a smile. She then told Kara that she would be going on a business trip, so kara would have to stay with Uncle Frederick Kara, being obedient as usual, responded sweetly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I¡¯ll be obedient, and I won¡¯t trouble Uncle Frederick But when are youing to get me?¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapte 260 Kara¡®s question almost broke Tina. Still, she patted Kara¡®s head with a strained smile. ¡°I¡®m not sure either, but i¡®ll give you a call whenever I¡®m free. Okay?¡± ¡°Alright. You promised!¡± Tina looked at Kara with a smile. When Kara left with Frederick, her tears finally broke free and streamed down her cheeks. She felt as if her heart had been tom into hall. Her body had never felt this weak It was as if a simple gust of the wind could blow her away with ease. Despite that, she couldn¡®t give up so easily. Tina took a deep breath and called herpany ¡°What?! You¡®ll be gone for three months?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going back to my hometown so I might not be able to return during this period of time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tiffany responded. ¡°Maybe by the time you¡®re back, I¡®d be a professional already!¡± ¡°Alright, but remember to buy me a meal.¡± Alter settling her work affairs, Tina threw her phone away When Tina first came to Paris, she was a nobody. She had to rely on Frederick for the past five years to get to where she was now. who knew Samuel would easily destroy everything she had worked for. Tina took her remaining money and bought a fake identity card and a unit in a poor neighborhood It was an old unit, with multiple rooms on the same floor. Most of the residents of the unit were factory workers or women with inappropriate outfits. Now that Samuel had found out about her existence, Tina had no choice but to hide in shabby ces such as this Yet as soon as she appeared, everyone¡®s attention was on her. After all, she looked much cleaner and neaterpared to the rest of them. She didn¡®t have the time to change, and was still wearing Samuel¡®s clothes. ¡°Why¡®s someone like you here?! Your clothes look expensive! I think I saw them in a fashion magazine once. I bet they cost a lot, right?¡± One of the women approached her, wanting to strip the clothes off her. p! Tina pped the woman¡®s hands away immediately. ¡°It¡®s none of your business!¡± 1 Despite that, the woman thought that Tina was a pushover and continued harassing Tina. ¡°What kind of attitude is that? You¡®re just like us! We¡®re all selling our bodies for money.¡± ¡°I didn¡®t want to say this, but judging from your clothes, your customer must be rich!¡± After the woman finished her sentence, everyone realized what was happening and startedughing raucously. Tina couldn¡®t be bothered with their insults and closed the door immediately after entering her room. The room had no sound instion, so she could hear everything from outside. Thanks to Samuel, she had reverted back to her miserable life five years ago. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. For the entire night, she couldn¡®t sleep. As it was her first night here, she didn¡®t dare to close her eyes. It was not until moming that she dared to close her eyes and try to sleep. But just as she did so, loud noises came from outside. Chapter 261 Chapter 261 261 Tina was about to fall asleep, but the noise and movements outside her room woke her up Instantly. ¡°That thief is worth a lot!¡± ¡°She isn¡®t the only one that¡®s worth a lot, right? That diamond ring...¡± ¡°Oh my god! That¡®s a pigeon egg diamond ring! Even if we can¡®t catch her, we can still lead comfortable lives forever just by selling that ring!¡± The people outside kept gossiping loudly in excited tones. Tina might not be able to hear them clearly, but she still tensed up anxiously. What was going on outside? Did Samuel figure out her whereabouts? Right now, Tina resembled an easily frightened bird. She couldn¡®t help but feel paranoid whenever something happened around her. She opened her room door slowly, and noticed a small crowd conversing outside. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. However, everyone went quiet the moment they heard her question. The woman who argued with her yesterday noticed Tina¡®s disheveled appearance, and started mocking her relentlessly. ¡°Oh? Aren¡®t you supposed to be high and mighty? Whatever we talk about has nothing to do with you!¡± The people around that woman started mocking Tina as well. ¡°Hahaha! That¡®s right! Why do you want to know about our conversation? If you want to find out what we talked about, why don¡®t you...¡± Someone started scanning Tina¡®s body with a lecherous expression. ¡°You¡®re here to sell your body, aren¡®t you? Why don¡®t youe back to my room with me and 1¡®ll fill you in on the details?¡± Everyone burst intoughter when they heard the man¡®s sleazy words. ¡°Hahaha! That¡®s a great idea! In a way, you¡®re giving her ie!¡± ¡°Yeah! Besides, she just moved here. She doesn¡®t have any clients yet!¡± ¡°If we¡®re satisfied with her service, we might help her spread the word, eh?¡± Tina balled her fists tightly. She was used to not saying anything when faced with humiliating and degrading remarks about herself. ¡°Whatever!¡± With that, she mmed the door loudly. After that, she found it difficult to return to sleep. She looked at herself and realized that she was still wearing Samuel¡®s clothes, which disgusted her greatly It was definitely time to change out of these clothes. Tina went out, had a simple breakfast, and bought a simple set of clothes before returning to her room. However, when she took off the suit jacket, something fell out of the pocket. It ttered on the floor loudly. She looked down at her feet curiously, wanting to know what exactly fell out of the pocket. However, the moment she did, her expression changed drastically. It was a pigeon egg diamond ring. She would never mistake it for anything else. Tina still remembered Madam Langford, who looked so kind and gentle when she was still alive. The sweet olddy wanted her to get married to Samuel, but she was afraid that Tina might get hurt in the rtionship, so she had her grandson buy a pigeon egg diamond ring for Tina. It was supposedly a sign of true love... At that moment... Creak! All of a sudden, someone opened Tina¡®s door from the outside. A female voice drifted from the doorway. ¡°Hey, you... Huh? What¡®s that in your hand?¡°. Tina was shocked by the woman¡®s sudden appearance. She instinctively stuck the ring back into her pocket. ¡°Why did you enter my room without permission?!¡± That woman stared at the pocket that contained the ring for a moment before looking at Tina ¡°I wanted to tell you some good news out of the kindness of my heart. It¡®s fine if you don¡®t want to know about it.¡± After that, she turnedProperty ? N?velDrama.Org. around and left the room. Tina frowned immediately, perplexed by the woman¡®s intentions. However, she chose not to think about it. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 However, what Tina didn¡¯t know was that the woman who had barged into her room ran to the corridor sneakily afterward. She started whispering with everyone else about something mysterious. ¡°Are you sure? That¡¯s impossible, right? There are no such things as coincidences in this world! ¡°Yeah! Did you maybe see it wrong?¡± The truth was that someone had read important news from the day¡¯s newspapers. Samuel Langford, the CEO of the Langford Group, had issued a bounty with great rewards in hopes of tracldng down a despicable thief. Apparently, that bold thief had stolen a pigeon egg diamond ring from him. Since it was a priceless piece of jewelry, anyone who could provide him with vital information that could allow him to retrieve the ring could walk away with a million dors. Of course, the thief would not be spared. Anyone who managed to catch the thief would be rewarded four million dors. Altogether, Samuel would be rewarding five million dors for both the ring and the thief. The woman said confidently, ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I¡¯d never mistake it for something else. She was definitely holding the pigeon egg diamond ring. That woman is definitely weird! Now that I think about it, she resembles the woman on the bounty¡­¡± The other two men were starting to believe the woman¡¯s words. One of them pulled out the newspapers and started studying the bounty. Two pictures were printed on the bounty alongside words. 1 One was a picture of the pigeon egg diamond ring, whereas the other was a woman¡¯s picture. She looked like a fairly young woman with child-like features, as though she had yet to fully mature. All in all, she looked like any other normal woman. ¡°she doesn¡¯t look like the woman in this picture. They¡¯re definitely two different people.¡± The crowd started doubting the woman¡¯s words again. It wasn¡¯t their fault they couldn¡¯t recognize Tina¡¯s face in the newspapers. Five years ago, the Lynd family hated Tina very much. It was rare for her to have pictures of herself. Most of the time, Pearl would make fun of her, causing her to look ragged and dirty, before snapping pictures of her. That was the reason why the woman in the newspapers looked very normal. Having gone through five rough years of life¡¯s training, Tina¡¯s aura made her look like apletely different person than she was before. ¡°What if this is her original appearance before stic surgery?¡± Jealousy coated the woman¡¯s tone, who sounded like she looked down on Tina the whole time. Then, she continued, ¡°Whatever. I did see the pigeon egg diamond ring with my own eyes! Both of you just have to follow me into her room and pin her down. Don¡¯t let anyone discover our n. If I¡¯m able to dig out the pigeon egg diamond ring from her pocket, that means we have both the thief and the missing item in our grasp. We¡¯ll be able to receive five million dors! ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± The other two men were moved by the mention of five million dors. After all, the reward wasn¡¯t fifty grand or five hundred grand. It was a whopping sum of five million dors! The men had spent so long working for an illegal factory nearby. Even if they worked their asses off for the rest of their lives, they were still unable to earn that much money. Hence, the small group decided to act in the middle of the night. That was when Tina¡¯s guard waspletely down. At night, Tina couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, so she fell into a deep sleep Suddenly, sounds of a lock getting picked could be hearding from the outside. Tina instantly woke up. She gripped the rod that she used to defendThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. herself tightly as she yelled, ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± A woman¡¯s voice drifted from outside the door. ¡°It¡¯s me. I need to talk to you about something. Open up.¡± TV UDON voice. It was the same woman who had barged into her room earlier that day. She was instantly alert and put up her guard. ¡°What is it? Just talk to me through the door!¡± ¡°Are you sure? Take a look at the newspapers!¡± The woman slid the newspapers through the gap under the door. Tina could recognize the picture of herself that was taken five years ago instantly. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Panic started taking over Tina¡®s senses, but she forced herself to calm down. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°How is this rted to me?¡± The woman outside her room purposefully said, ¡°I was trying to tell you this earlier. Regardless if you¡®re the woman on this bounty or not, I advise you to leave this ce immediately!¡± After that, silence ensued from outside the room. It seemed as though the woman had already left on her own. ¡®Was she really here to help me out? Did she barge into my room this morning just to tell me this? Panicked thoughts started cluttering Tina¡®s mind. Even though the woman in the picture was completely different from how she looked right now, it was dangerous for her to remain in a ce that was packed with people. She gritted her teeth and thought for a while. Then, she slowly opened her door. The next moment, a smug voice drifted into Tina¡®s ear. ¡°Haha! I knew it!¡± The woman didn¡¯t leave the vicinity at all. Her face showed up at the crack of the door instantly. ¡°I knew that you¡®re suspicious! You¡®ve been tricked!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Sensing that something was wrong, Tina tried to close the door quickly. However, it was already toote for her. The two men behind the woman rushed into her room and swiftly tied her up. They even threatened her as they did so. ¡°If you dare to make a sound and attract everyone here, they won¡®t let you go as well!¡± ¡°We¡®ll kill you if you piss us off!¡± Tina knew there was no way she could escape. When she was thrown into aer with her limbs bound, despair clung to her. The woman started searching everywhere in the room. Finally, she found the thing that she had been looldng for the entire time. It was the pigeon egg diamond ring. ¡°I knew it! I knew it!¡± she cheered happily. ¡°Hahaha! She¡®s the thief! We got five million dors in our pockets now!¡± Tina finally realized that the people didn¡®t even recognize her from the bounty picture. It was because the woman had identally seen the ring during the day. Said woman unted the ring happily and taunted, ¡°Just you wait! Once I tell them that you¡®re here with us, get ready to die!¡± Feeling very smug, she hummed a happy tune while sashaying out of the room. The men were the only ones guarding Tina in the room. ¡°Hehehe! I didn¡®t expect such a beautiful woman like her would turn out to be a thief!¡± ¡°She¡®ll definitely die once she gets captured!¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡®s so beautiful, though. Isn¡®t it a shame that she dies like this after getting captured? It¡®ll be a long time before their men can reach this location, so why don¡®t we..?¡± The men started rubbing their hands gleefully while staring at Tina lecherously. It was obvious that they were up to no good. The sight of them approaching her made her grit her teeth. She said furiously, ¡°If you darey a finger on me, I¡®ll make sure to let everyone else know about what you¡®ve done to me! Let¡®s see if you can still receive that five million dor reward you were promised!¡± The men were shocked when they heard Tina¡®s words. It was obvious that money was way more important than her. Once they were rich, they wouldn¡®t have to worry about theck of women in their lives anymore. Tina could see the hesitation shing past their eyes, so she continued, ¡°Also, why isn¡®t that woman back yet? Maybe she already ran away with the money?¡± The men immediately rebuked her. ¡°That¡®s impossible! We agreed to split the reward!¡± ¡°How¡®s that impossible? I¡®m already all tied up here. Once she makes a phone call, she¡®ll be able to get the money. I mean, if I were her, I¡®d rather receive a full sum of five million dors than split it with two other people.¡± The men¡®s eyes widened in shock before they dashed out of the room. It was obvious that they were afraid of Tina being correct. That woman was a sly vixen, after all. What if she did run away with five million dors? Having latched onto the opportunity of being alone, Tina crawled over and grabbed a pair of scissors on the ground. Then, she quickly severed the bonds on her wrists and ankles. After that, she ran out of the room as fast as she could. Suddenly, a pair of headlights could be seening from the distance on the street. A luxury car was making its way towards her building, Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Tina¡®s blood froze in her veins at the sight of the headlights. Who else woulde to the rundown district in a luxury car other than people affiliated with a certain someone? They must be Samuel¡®s men, ready to apprehend her at first sight! While the car approached her from the front, sounds of people cursing at her could be heard from behind. They had discovered she had escaped, and were in hot pursuit. Gritting her teeth, Tina crouched behind a trash can filled to the brim with garbage that resembled a small mountain. She covered her mouth and tried very hard not to gag in order to avoid the pursuers. Soon, the luxury car stopped at the roadside. A group of bodyguards pooled out of the car immediately. ¡°Were you the one who discovered the thief?¡± they asked. The woman pulled out the pigeon egg diamond ring and eximed, ¡°That¡®s right! I found her. She¡®s inside the building.¡± ¡°Take us there!¡± said the chief bodyguard. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, the woman refused to budge. ¡°Hand me the money, and I¡®ll give the thief and the ring to you.¡± The bodyguards pulled out their guns immediately, the barrels all emitting a dangerous aura. ¡°We will give you the reward. But if you dare to dy Mr. Langford, not even dying a hundred times in a row can appease his anger.¡± The woman grew so frightened that her knees buckled together. For a moment, she thought she was going to urinate on the spot. ¡°1¨C1 didn¡®t mean it like that! I¡®ll take you there right now!¡± But before the woman could lead the bodyguards into the building, the two men appeared. The woman¡®s expression changed immediately. ¡°Why are you two here? Didn¡®t I tell you to guard the thief?! She¡®s worth four million dors, demn it! Four million dors! How could you let her escape?¡± ¡°It¡®s all your fault! You didn¡®t return for so long! Plus, you didn¡®t call or text anyone, so we got worried if you¡®d keep all of the money to yourself...¡± The men still tried to rebuke the woman. ¡°I¡®ll kill you!¡± The woman¡®s expression was twisted in an ugly fashion. She thought she was going to exact vengeance by sending Tina to hell, but she didn¡®t expect her hopes and dreams to be dashed by the men. They started fighting each other. The bodyguards didn¡®t bother to look at them. They quickly rushed into the rundown building and started looking for Tina¡®s tracks. When they were unable to find anything, they spread out to search for her. ¡°She¡®s alone right now, so she can¡®t have gone far!¡± After the bodyguards were gone, a silhouette crawled out from behind the pile of trash that was stinking up the area. Having tolerated the awful smell for so long, Tina finally ran to the sidewalk and started vomiting until her stomach was clear of gastric acid. She looked extremely ragged. Yet she had nowhere else to go, so she could only wander on the streets like a lost soul. There were a lot of people walking on the street at that time. The moment they saw her, disgust filled their eyes and they hurriedly walked away from her. At that moment, Tina looked like a homeless person. Not only was her hair messy and filthy, but she also carried a terrible stench due to her hiding spot. Even if Samuel were to appear in front of her right now, he wouldn¡®t have recognized her. She walked into a phone store numbly. The disgusted shop assistant watched as she used her fake ID to buy a phone for herself. She had no idea how long she would be able to survive in this world, nor did she know if she ever had the chance to see Kara again in the future. Thus, she wanted to listen to her daughter¡®s voice and look at her sweet face. Tina activated the phone. Before she could call a number, someone else called her instead. She identally hit the green button, which caused her to panic. Cindy¡®s voice could be heard drifting from the other end of the line. ¡°Linda, I heard you¡®ve gone back to your hometown. What¡®s the meaning of this?! Didn¡®t I tell you that you¡®re to be my private designer? Are you trying to put on airs around me?¡± Tina was stunned to hear the angry voice. How could Cindy call her at a time like this? Could it be that her identity wasn¡®t exposed yet? Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Tina originally thought her identity as a fashion designer would be exposed the moment Samuel put her on a bounty. If that was the case, her colleagues at the studio would find out that she was a woman named Tina instead of Linda. However, Cindy¡®s phone call made her realize that something was off. **Are you even listening to me?¡± Cindy screamed in dissatisfaction. ¡°You haven¡®t left Paris yet, right? I had someone check your schedule. You were just looking for an excuse! I want you to show up in front of me right now. Otherwise, I¡®ll tell my husband about what you did and make sure that your studio can¡®t stay open!¡± After that, Cindy gave her address before hanging up. If it was in the past, Cindy would not have bothered talking to such lowlymoners. However, the circumstances now were different. She never expected that her husband would be entangled with that minx once again. How could Cindy ever let it happen? She needed to find a way to make herself look more morous and beautiful in order to satisfy Samuel. She had to secure her position as the official mistress of the Langford family. On the other hand, Tina took a deep breath before calling Tiffany¡®s number. is the studio doing fine over the past few days?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everything¡®s fine.¡± Tiffany acted the same as before. She couldn¡®t help butin,¡± By the way, the fussy client, Mr. Langford¡®s wife, keeps demanding you to visit her. Ugh, she¡®s such a pain in the neck..!¡± Tina finally understood the whole situation. The only thing that Samuel knew was that she was still alive. However, he had no idea that she yed the role of Linda, a fashion designer. Right now, she had nowhere to go. Even if she were to run to another ce, chances were that she would be apprehended again. The most dangerous ce also happened to be the safest ce. Samuel wouldn¡®t expect that Tina would voluntarily pop over to Cindy¡®s ce. Not wanting to give up on hope, Tina quickly headed to the department store to change into fresh clothes and put on her disguise. Then, she arrived at Cindy¡®s mansion. Creak... The grand door was opened from the inside. A servant frowned at the sight of Tina standing on the porch, a judgmental look on her face. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡®m Linda, ¡± Tina replied calmly. The servant was baffled by Tina¡®s appearance. ¡®How could this woman be a famous fashion designer? No one would¡®ve thought that she looks like one! ¡°I¡®ll go inform Mrs. Langford.¡± The servant turned on her heel and left. Later, Tina found herself waiting outside for half an hour. Her legs were already sore from standing that long. Finally, the servant reappeared at the door and said, ¡°Mrs. Langford was napping earlier, so she couldn¡®t see you. Now that she¡®s awake, you may enter.¡± Tina Knew Cindy did that on purpose just to make her suffer. However, if she could trick Cindy, then Tina didn¡®t mind being a pushover. Cindy was sitting in the living room while waiting for Tina. The moment she noticed Tina, she couldn¡®t help but frown in disgust. ¡°Oh my god! What are you wearing? You look even worse than before! Those who don¡®t know you might think that you¡®re a homeless person! Also, what¡®s that smelling from you?¡± Cindy couldn¡®t help but pinch her nose in disgust. ¡°Oh my god! Did you crawl out of a filthy ditch like a rat?¡± Tina straightened up and said in a neutral tone, ¡°Mrs. Langford, you asked me to be here because I¡®m your private designer. As long as the clothes I design are pretty enough, you don¡®t have to mind other details. Right?¡± Tina was right This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Cindy also knew very well that the woman¡®s designs were the only ones that could earn Samuel¡®s praise. After all, he was known to be awfully picky and critical. No matter how much this designer disgusted her, Cindy had no choice but to ask her to stay. ¡°Fine. Go to another room and start designing for me. Just make sure not to taint my eyes with your presence!¡± A servant led Tina to a room that was located far away from the other rooms. The moment Tina closed the door, she couldn¡®t help but sigh in relief. Her back was already drenched in cold sweat. ¡®Yes! I gambled on the right person!¡® Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Tina was covered in cold sweat from head to toe. Right now, she looked very ragged. After locking the door, she took a long bath in the bathroom in order to feel morefortable. At that moment, her phone started ringing. She could see from the screen that Kara was requesting to start a video call with her. Just as Tina epted the call, she heard her daughter¡¯s voice. ¡°Mommy!¡± Karained. ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t you pick up when I called you yesterday?¡± The sight of her daughter safe and sound almost made Tina tear up. Kara looked very worried. She went near the screen to study her mother¡¯s face carefully. ¡°Mommy, why are your eyes so red? Are you crying?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tina quickly rubbed her eyes and did her best to conceal her sadness. She replied with a smile, ¡°I just took a bath earlier. Perhaps the water got into my eyes.¡± ¡°You have to take care of yourself, Mommy,¡± Kara said with deadpan seriousness. ¡°I¡¯m not with you now, so you mustn¡¯t forget to eat and sleep properly even if you¡¯re busy with work.¡± ¡°Yes, okay. I¡¯ll always listen to you. I¡¯ll report my schedule to you every night,¡± Tina said with a smile. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After that, Kara started talking about her own adventures in the kindergarten in Freesia, where Frederick had taken her. Apparently, she made a lot of new friends there. Frederick even took her to the amusement park once. Soon, the little girl got sleepy and started lowering her head tiredly. ¡°Mommy, the amusement park was so fun. Once you¡¯re here to pick me up, we should go there again¡­¡± Her words trailed off as she slumped onto her bed and fell asleep. Tina could only cover her mouth, tears already dripping down her eyes. At the same time, she didn¡¯t want to hang up at all. A long timeter, Kara¡¯s phone automatically switched off due to the dead battery. Tina could no longer stare at her daughter¡¯s sleeping face. She took a deep breath and managed to cheer herself up by balling her fists. Samuel had yet to discover her current identity, which meant all the hiding she had done over the past five years hade into fruition. After all, she had never gotten featured in any magazines, and had given her all to avoid interviews and photoshoots. If she could escape unscathed, there was a chance that she could continue living with Kara she must never give up! Tina¡¯s mind was cluttered with thoughts, but she forced herself to lie down and sleep. In the morning, someone started knocking on her room door. Knock! Knock! Knock! Tina quickly disguised herself. After making sure she wouldn¡¯t reveal any ws, she finally opened the door. The servant in front of her just looked annoyed when she spoke. ¡°Linda, what the hell are you doing? Mrs. Langford has been waiting for you for so long. Is this your so -called work ethic?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Cindy sat in thevishly decorated hall while waiting impatiently for Tina to appear. ¡°I¡¯m paying you to work for me. If you dare to ck off again, I don¡¯t mind chasing you out of the house and make sure that you won¡¯t be able to find a job ever again.¡± Tina lowered her head and tried to butter Cindy up. ¡°Mrs. Langford, I¡¯m so sorry. Your house is too grand andrge for me. The mattress is so soft that I identally overslept.¡± Cindy harrumphed smugly in response. ¡°You¡¯re such an uneducated hag! How did you even be a designer? Whatever. My husband will be home any second now. Hurry up and take my measurements. I want to wee him home in a beautiful outfit!¡± Tina¡¯s heart skipped a beat the moment she heard that Samuel woulde home soon. She didn¡¯t want to bump into him at this moment. However, she didn¡¯t dare to ask Cindy any questions, so she could only ask other people privately. She walked over and started taking Cindy¡¯s measurements. This was a vital step before designing clothes for her. At that moment, a servant rushed downstairs hurriedly and eximed in rm, ¡°Mrs. Langford, this is bad!¡± Chapter 267 Chapter 267 + Chapter 267 The servant¡®s panicked look displeased Cindy greatly. ¡°What¡®s wrong? Tell me exactly what¡®s going on right now!¡± ¡°Young master seems to be sick. A fever has broken out,¡± the servant reported worriedly. Young master? Was that Cindy¡®s son? Tina was momentarily baffled. Then, she chuckled bitterly in her heart. Since Cindy and Samuel were already lovingly married for so many years, it was natural for them to have a child together. However, the news of Keith being sick didn¡¯t affect Cindy in the slightest. She simplyughed coldly before eximing, ¡°He¡®s sick, you say? It¡®s only been a few days since I chased him into the attic. He must be acting!¡± Tina was shocked by Cindy¡®s selfish and vile nature. Inparison, the servant looked quite torn. ¡°M?s. Langford, Young Master really is sick. We just took his temperature. I think he hit 38 degrees already. Should we send him to the hospital and get him checked?¡± ¡°Why does he need to go to the hospital? Can¡®t you see¡®I¡®m busy? If Samuel found out, he might think I¡®m bad at taking care of children!¡± Cindy didn¡®t seem to care about her son at all. ¡°Just feed him a few antipyretics.¡± To everyone else, Keith may be her biological son, but to her, he was that filthy b*tch¡®s spawn. At first, she thought that he would come in handy. But what happened in the end? In the end, Samuel was still lured into the arms of another vixen. He never remembered the existence of his wife or his son. If Cindy was to be honest with herself, she wanted nothing more than to strangle that spawn. However, she couldn¡®t do it with her own hands. Thus, she hoped that either the fever or the medicine could kill that boy so that he would never taint her eyes with his presence. The servant didn¡®t want Keith¡®s condition to go untreated, but she had no choice except to lower her head in defeat. ¡°Got it, Mrs. Langford.¡± Tina didn¡®t expect Cindy to be so heartless to ignore her own son¡®s plight. All she did was order the servants to issue some antipyretics for the poor boy. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Was this really something a mother should do? The thought of the vixen and this useless son of hers infuriated Cindy off greatly. She looked down at Tina, who was in the middle of measuring her thigh, before aiming a ferocious kick at her and started screaming angrily at Tina. ¡°What are you standing around for? Keep taking my measurements! Are you even a famous fashion designer? Not only is your appearance tasteless and ugly, but the way you work is also clumsy and inefficient!¡± Tina didn¡®t expect that Cindy would kick her in the first ce, so she copsed to the floor in surprise. She gritted her teeth and suppressed her rage before replying, ¡°I¡®m sorry, Mrs. Langford. I¡®ll continue taking your measurements.¡± Finally, after obtaining Cindy¡®s full measurements, Tina retreated to her room tiredly. Tomorrow, Cindy wanted to see her designs, which meant she would have to work tirelessly throughout the night till the next morning. She let out a tired sigh. She was about to enter her room when she heard the servants talking among each other. ¡°Mrs. Langford is too heartless. Is Young Master even her biological child?¡± ¡°Biological parents won¡®t necessarily love their own kin. After all, Young Master was separated from her for a few years.¡± ¡°What should we do? After he took the antipyretics, his condition worsened!¡± ¡°I think he¡®s suffering from allergies too. What should we do? Could Young Master be in a really bad condition?¡± Tina was stunned to hear the conversation. Not only did the young master of the family suffer from a fever, but he was also suffering from allergies? Perhaps it was due to the fact that Kara was thrown into the ocean with Tina in the past, but when Kara was still a newborn, she had an awful constitution. She was always falling sick or getting fevers as a baby. As a mother, Tina often felt as if she was about to lose Kara anytime soon. She couldn¡®t bear to watch a child suffer in such a way, so she stepped up and said, ¡°I¡®m experienced at taking care of children. Please, take me to the young master right now.¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Chapter 268 A small figure was curled in the dark and narrow attic. Keith¡®s body was rmingly hot, and the fever showed no signs of dissipating even after he took the antipyretics. His exposed skin was littered with eerie¨Clooking red rashes, which presented both a shocking and disgusting appearance. He kept drifting in and out of consciousness as he mumbled weakly, ¡°Mommy...¡± Keith never thought that things would be like this. Why? Why would his mommy turn out this way after so long of separation? Was he... not her real son? Why did she not hesitate to strike him when the moment called for it? Why did she ignore him when he was down with a fever? Keith could never understand the reasons. At that moment, he heard the sound of the attic door being opened. ¡°Young Master is inside¡­ Are you really experienced in taking care of children?¡± ¡°Yes. I have a five¨Cyear¨Cold daughter who was always sick when she was still a newborn, so I know how to take care of children.¡± Tina approached the child on the floor as she spoke. One nce at the boy shocked her to the core. ¡°Why are you the one...?¡± She never expected the young master of the Langford family to actually be the boy she had N?velDrama.Org owns this text. met. Keith was also stunned to see Tina. Even though she had disguised herself and deliberately lowered her voice, he could still recognize her pretty easily. ¡°It¡®s... you¡­¡± His voice had be hoarser than ever. Right now, Keith looked startlingly different from his usual cold and sharp¨Ctongued self. His forehead was swollen, there was a scab forming on it, as if someone had bashed his head in. There were patches of red rashes covering his body as well. Tina propped him up while eximing in horror, ¡°Oh my goodness! His condition¡®s already this serious! Why didn¡®t anyone send him to the hospital? Do you want him to die here?!¡± She could barely believe her eyes. The condition of the child in her arms was already critical, and yet Cindy was more worried about what beautiful outfit to wear in order to please her soon to return husband! ¡°Well, we...¡± the servant stammered, looking torn. ¡°We¡®ll lose our jobs if we defy Mrs. Langford¡®s orders.¡± ¡°So, you¡®re willing to let a child suffer for so long in exchange for your jobs?¡± Tina was furious She quickly scooped the child into her arins and continued, ¡°If you don¡®t want to send him to the hospital, then I¡®ll do it!¡± ¡°No! We¡®ll be punished if you do that!¡± All the servants tried to stop her. 1 ¡°You b*stards!¡± Tina knew she could no longer waste time arguing with those people. She took a deep breath before saying, ¡°This is the attic, which means it¡®s filthy! Also, the young master is injured and weakened, hence the breakout of his allergies. I need to bring him to a clean room right now.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Besides, Mr. Langford ising back soon, isn¡®t he? If Young Master Langford died right here, all of you, who were supposed to be taking care of him, would never be able to exin yourselves to him!¡± Tina¡®s words made the servants¡® resolve waver. She took Keith back to his own room and gave him a quick sponge bath before helping him into clean clothes made of soft cotton. Not daring to feed him any more antipyretics, she could only lower his body temperature through physical means. Sheid a makeshift bag consisting of a towel and ced a bag of ice cubes on his forehead, making sure to change the towels and rece the ice cubes every now and then. It was only at midnight that Keith¡®s body temperature started going down. Tina couldn¡®t help but let out a sigh of relief. The boy was finally recovering. However, she couldn¡®t bring herself to rest. If Cindy couldn¡®t see the designs that she came up with the next morning, she¡®d definitely be chased out of the mansion. Hence, Tina had no choice but to drag her exhausted body back to her room and started working on the designs. Morning soon came. Tina didn¡®t need any disguises to make herself look ugly, since the heavy bags and dark rings under her eyes were more than enough to frighten everyone. Just as she was about to show Cindy the clothes that she had made, she heard a servant¡®s voice from outside. ¡°Mr. Langford, you¡®re back!¡± pro Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Chapter 269 An Aston Martin was parked right outside the mansion. The man was wearing a custom tailored suit that fit his figure perfectly. The moment he appeared at the doorway, his aura was more than enough to make everyone submit to him. Tina¡®s heart felt as though it was being gripped viciously by an invisible hand. Her first instinct was to flee. However, she was already very tired and weary from spending the entire night working. She was hugging a long gown to her chest as well. Out of carelessness, she identally stepped on the smooth fabric of the gown. ¡°Ah!¡± She let out a scream before slipping and falling to the floor. Samuel¡®s sharp gaze instantly swept over to her fallen form. Afraid of being recognized, Tina quickly scrambled to her feet and left hurriedly with the gown in her arms. The man couldn¡®t help but frown while asking, ¡°Who¡®s that suspicious¨Clooking woman?¡± ¡°That woman earlier was a fashion designer named Linda, Mr. Langford. Mrs. Langford was the one who invited her here.¡± Linda? So, that was the one. She looked even more ragged than thest time he met her. How did she even be a designer in the first ce? Samuel was reminded of the time he left the police station and dispatched his bodyguards to secretly tail the mother and daughter pair, only to lose them. A little girl¡®s face popped into his mind at that moment. That girl was a lot cuter than her mother, that was for sure. He asked, ¡°Is her daughter here as well?¡± The servant was stunned, clearly not expecting Samuel to ask about the woman¡®s personal life. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Um... I think she came here on her own...¡± ¡°On her own? What about her daughter?¡± Samuel¡®s frown deepened even more. Back then, that woman had turned him down, saying that she needed to take care of her daughter. However, the fact that she was here alone right now... What exactly did she mean by that? Meanwhile, the servant waspletely shell¨Cshocked. ¡®Doesn¡®t Mr. Langford hate trouble the most? Why would he ask about someone else¡®s personal matters? Plus, he¡®s actually asking about someone else¡®s daughter!¡® Well... Those who didn¡®t know Samuel would think that he was asking about his own daughter. While the servant was internally panicking, Cindy suddenly showed up. ¡°Samuel, you¡®re finally back!¡± she chirped happily as she attempted to hug his arm. However, one cold nce from Saritel¡®s direction frightened her to the point she withdrew her hands immediately. Ever since she was released from her imprisonment, Samuel had warned her not to attempt anything on him. Back then, she thought that he was still mad at her. Judging from how things were now, she was very sure that the vixen was the one who robbed him away from her. Hatred filled Cindy¡®s heart. The detective that she hired had yet to track down the vixen. But as she didn¡®t dare to ask Samuel about the unknown woman, she could only respond in a coquettish way. ¡°Samuel, have you had breakfast yet?¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied coldly. Cindy continued, ¡°Great! Let me prepare a breakfast of love for you!¡± The moment her words fell, she turned around and headed toward the kitchen. The servants quickly exchanged nces. Those who could scuttle back to their own duties quickly did so. ¡°A breakfast of love? I think she¡®s going to prepare a bomb of love!¡± Those poor chefs will suffer a lot. She ims to be the one preparing breakfast, but she¡®s the one who forces them to cook everything. Furthermore, she insists on causing trouble for the chefs. Ugh, the kitchen will be so dirtyter. I don¡®t want to go there!¡± The servants conversed among themselves when Tina blocked their way. ¡°I¡®m sorry, but I have a few questions for you guys. I¡®ve already prepared the clothes, but now that Mr. Langford is back, when can I present them to Mrs. Langford?¡± Tina was trying to gauge the servants¡® replies in order to determine when Samuel would leave the mansion. ¡°You can just wait. He¡®ll leave very soon.¡± ¡°Mr. Langford will leave because of Mrs. Langford, of course, don¡®t go meeting her so soon to avoid getting treated like a punching bag.¡± The servants were very experienced when it came to these affairs. Since Tina had taken care of Keith the night before, they decided to leave her with extra tips. ¡°Okay. Got it.¡± Tina heaved a sigh of relief. A short whileter, however, a servant knocked on her room door with a message from Cindy. ¡°Linda, Mrs. Langford is asking for you right now!¡± Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Tina was stunned when she heard the servant. Color drained from her face, leaving her complexion chalk white. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes, right now,¡± the servant replied, finding Tina¡®s response to be a little strange. ¡°The reason Mrs. Langford hired you to design clothes for her is because she wants to earn Mr. Langford¡®s favor. Now that he¡®s here, naturally, she wants him to look at the clothes.¡± Tina didn¡®t expect that all her hiding was for naught. In the end, she still had to appear in front of Samuel She could only hope that her current appearance was too disheveled and ugly. It would be best if Samuel didn¡®t want to look at her at all. That way, he would never recognize her. Tina took a deep breath before grabbing the clothes that she had just designed and heading out of the room. At that time, Samuel was seated on a couch. Cindy sat next to him while gazing at him admiringly. When she noticed Tinaing in their direction, she quickly spoke in eager tones. ¡°Samuel, the designer¡®s here. I¡®ll go change into the clothes she made right now. You can tell me if the clothes suit me or not!¡± While she spoke, she grabbed the clothes from Tina¡®s arms and headed upstairs gleefully. Tina could only freeze on the spot. It was inappropriate for her to leave straight away, but it was also dangerous for her to just stand there without doing anything. She could feel Samuel¡®s cold gaze sweeping over her, so she lowered her head meekly in order to diminish her presence. For some reason, Samuel found the woman in front of him very irritating. Maybe it was due to the fact that she dressed poorly for a designer, or perhaps it was because her stature looked a little like another woman... That d*mned woman! The thought of Tina made him look fearsome. Over the past few days, he had issued a bounty on her and promised great rewards, but he was unable to gain any information on her. When he finally discovered that thest location she was at happened to be a poor, rundown district, she decided to disappear. He would no longer tolerate her antics. Once he caught her, he would definitely tear her into pieces! Meanwhile, Tina could only shiver in fear at the sight of Samuel¡®s frightening gaze. If he found out that not only did she trick him, but had also pretended to be Linda the designer, then she would most definitely die a terrible death. The sight of the frightened woman looking so meek and submissive in front of him irritated Samuel even more. He said in an icy voice, ¡°I heard that you came here on your own. Didn¡®t you say that you were worried about your daughter? Does she not need your care right now?¡± When Samuel mentioned Kara, Tina couldn¡®t help but ball her fists tightly. Had it not been for him, she would have been living with her precious daughter instead of being separated from her. 11¨C 11 V . AN She couldn¡®t help but let out a cold chuckle. Then, she replied in a low voice, ¡°To think someone as high and mighty as you would care about other people¡®s trivial matters, Mr. Langford.¡± Samuel couldn¡®t help but frown. He never would have thought that the meek¨Clooking woman would turn the tables and mock him instead. ¡°I¡®m just worried about her. Last time, she got separated from you. Luckily, I was the one who bumped into her. If something else happens to her, will you be able to bear the consequences?¡± ¡°There¡®s no need for you to worry about her, Mr. Langford. I¡¯ve already made all the necessary arrangements for my daughter. If you have the time to worry about her, why don¡®t you use the time to care about your son? I heard that the young master was ill and feverishst night, but you didn¡®t even bother visiting him as his father. Doesn¡®t that make you a failure of a father?¡± Tina was unable to hold back her anger anymore and ran her mouth. Back then, Samuel almost killed her and her daughter. Now, his son was inches away from death. Yet, he didn¡®t give a d*mn about Keith. No wonder this man was a perfect match for Cindy! Both of them were equally vile and cold hearted. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Samuel¡®s tone turned icy in an instant. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Tina repeated, ¡°Didn¡®t you hear what I said just now, Mr. Langford? You should consider seeking treatment if you¡®re deal.¡± Samuel¡®s eyes zed over her with a thinyer of ice before he spat a venomous word out of his thin lips. ¡°Leave!¡± Tina¡®s fists were clenched tightly, already mmy with cold sweat. The entire time, she was waiting for thatmand. She didn¡®t hesitate to spin on her heels and walk away. At that moment, she didn¡®t bother hunching over to disguise herself, so her stubborn and straight figure appeared in Samuel¡®s line of sight. He frowned once again. The more he looked at her, the more he thought that she resembled that woman... Moreover, she was wearing a pair of sunsses and kept trying to hide her appearance. She didn¡®t dare to show her face at all. A sh of suspicion streaked through his dark orbs, which were slightly narrowed. At that moment, Cindy walked down the stairs slowly in her new outfit. ¡°Samuel, I¡®m done changing into my clothes. You...¡± Before Cindy could finish speaking, Samuel stood up and approached her slowly. Stunned, she could only watch his tall and well¨Cbuilt frame getting closer to her while her heart started beating wildly. A hint of embarrassment quickly appeared in her eyes. Did her n seed? Did Samuel find her appearance refreshing and delightful? Before she knew it, Samuel opened his mouth to pose a question in a tone of ice. ¡°Where¡®s Keith?¡± Keith? Cindy was surprised to hear the question. ¡°He... Um...¡± Samuel no longer hesitated to brush past Cindy¡®s shoulder as he strode toward Keith¡®s room. Cindy didn¡®t expect that he would care about that child. What should she do now? That d*mned filthy spawn! He couldn¡®t have picked a better time to break out into a high fever! Would Samuel me her for not taking care of their son? Cindy was so mad that she stomped her feet twice in a row before lifting the hem of her dress and rushing upstairs. At that time, Keith happened to be resting in his room. He was wearing his cotton pajamas O while leaning against the bedpost and reading quietly. ¡°Young Master Keith, your father has arrived to see you,¡± a servant whispered from the doorway. Keith lifted his head and looked at the doorway. A man who strongly resembled him happened to be standing there. It was Samuel. Keith¡®s voice was t and cold, just like the tone that was frequently adapted by the man before him. ¡°Wow. Either the sky¡®s falling soon, or pigs can now fly. When did you remember that you have a son, Mr. Langford?¡± His words were hurtful and cold as always. In a way, he was a miniature Samuel. However, the cool ster ced across his forehead made him look more childish rather than cold and aloof. Before Samuel could say anything, Cindy started scolding the boy. ¡°¡®Is this how you speak to your father, you ungrateful brat?! No wonder Samuel doesn¡®t like you at all! I see you¡®ve never picked up any manners during the time I was separated from you!¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Cindy was so furious at the filthy spawn, she was about tobust on the spot. She went through so much just to get out of her prison and return to Samuel¡®s side. Thanks to that vixen who kept seducing him, however, he was never interested in her. It was bad enough that Keith didn¡®t do his best to please Samuel. Instead, the stupid boy dared to mock Samuel Keith opened his mouth to retaliate. ¡°Mommy, I¡®m sick.¡± ¡°Just because you¡®re sick doesn¡®t mean you have the right to be rude! Hurry up and apologize to your father!¡± Cindy approached Keith immediately and grabbed him harshly by the arm.¡° Do it now!¡± Keith¡®s tiny frame couldn¡®t fight back against Cindy¡®s strength. Unable to tolerate the shenanigans anymore, Samuel demanded coldly, ¡°Stop it right now, Cindy.¡± ¡°S¨CSamuel! I¡®m just trying to...¡± Panicked, Cindy tried her best to exin herself. ¡°Get out of here right now! Don¡®t make me repeat myself!¡± She could only grit her teeth and shoot Keith a threatening re before leaving reluctantly. The moment the door was closed behind her, Samuel opened his mouth to speak to Keith. ¡°Keith, you spent so much time and effort trying to free her. Is this oue you desired?¡± Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Keith went silent. Samuel was right. Was this the oue he truly wanted? He thought he would be able to live happily ever after with his mommy when he first hatched the long¨C term n, but he didn¡®t realize that... ...His mommy never loved him in the first ce. Samuel continued, ¡°Cindy isn¡®t suitable to be a mother.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡®re right; she is unsuitable, but I also heard that you have a side piece. Are you nning to let that woman be my mother instead?¡± Keith replied with another question. Dark eyes flitted across the room and were trained on Samuel¡®s face. Keith was just a miniature version of Samuel. Most of his features took after Samuel; everything except for his eyes. Keith¡®s words, as well as his gaze, reminded Samuel of that particr woman. A surge of annoyance flooded his heart as he frowned instinctively. ¡°Where did you hear that rumor from?¡± ¡°The walls have ears. People tend to talk, and I always listen to them.¡± Keith looked slightly surprised. ¡°Are you really going to marry her? Who is she?¡± SIE Keith may be young, but he was very smart. Samuel didn¡®t like Cindy at all. The reason he married her was because he had assumed responsibility for her. Plus, he owed her his life. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The fact that a cold¨Chearted and ruthless man like him was willing to marry a woman meant that he really liked her, right? ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡± Samuel¡®s tone was unbearably cold. After he caught Tina that day, he vowed to keep her by his side at all times and never let her slip away from him ever again. He even had his men print out a divorce agreement so that he could officially end things with Cindy. However, what was her response? ¡°I hope you¡®ll reap what you sowed! Go to hell! Don¡®t evere near me ever again!¡± Her gaze was filled with disgust. The words that she spat out were akin to daggers carving down trails on his heart. From that day onward, he would never trust Tina ever again.. ¡°What do you mean, it has nothing to do with me? She¡®s about to be my stepmother, isn¡®t she? That has everything to do with me!¡± ¡°Ha! Stepmother? She doesn¡®t have the right to be the mistress of the Langford family. What awaits her will be the cruelest, most gruesome fate ever!¡± Those words were not supposed to be uttered in front of a child. However, Samuel still disyed his most ruthless and coldest side in front of his genius son with an extraordinarily high IQ. The moment his words fell, he spun on his heel and walked out of the room. Keith frowned immediately. His curiosity about that woman¡®s identity was piqued slightly. Just what kind of woman was able to anger a cold and heartless man like Samuel to this degree? Then again, Keith was still living under Samuel¡®s roof, so he didn¡®t dare to investigate the woman¡®s identity so tantly. He had to avoid causing friction between him and his father. Were it not for that, he would have loved to watch the spicy drama unfold before his eyes. Keith let out a sigh and felt the cooling ster on his forehead before lying back down on his bed to rest. When Tina got chased out of the living room by Samuel, she quickly returned to her room. Cindy¡®s instruction for her was to design clothes of various styles for her so that every time Samuelid his eyes on her, he would be constantly in awe by her new appearance. The poor woman had worked overnight to future. However, Tina didn¡®t know that Samuel had walked all the way to her room upon leaving Keith¡®s room. The sight of her silhouette working on the sewing machine made him barge into her room all of a sudden. When Tina heard the loud footsteps echoing behind her, she turned around instinctively. ¡°Who...?¡± Before she could react, the man took off the sunsses from her face. Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Ever since Samuel met Linda the designer, he had always been curious about her true appearance. It wasn¡®t until the moment he saw the irritatingly familiar silhouette that he decided to investigate Linda¡®s identity once and for all. That was the reason he pulled Tina¡®s sunsses off her face without any hesitation. Tina was already stunned by the sudden assault, so she could only stare at the man in a daze. Samuel nced at her before his brows tangled in a deep knot. That woman¡®s face... ¡°Ahh!¡± ¨C Tina reacted by screaming loudly. She quickly covered her face and curled into a quivering ball by crouching down. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Samuel saw the face under the sunsses sh past his line of sight earlier. It was a pale face with crooked and stiff¨Clooking features. At first nce, it looked like the woman had gone overboard with stic surgery. He realized that his guess about the woman was wrong. With a frown still nestled between his brows, he threw the sunsses back to Tina before saying, ¡°Sorry. I thought you were someone else.¡± When Samuel asked his bodyguards to investigate Linda, they found out that she had never revealed her face in public before. Whenever she appeared in front of people, her appearance would always seem so weird and unsightly. RW The truth was¡­ Her looks were so ugly that she couldn¡®t bear to face anyone at all. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Tina was still screaming at the top of her lungs. What Samuel did to her just now scared her to death. Samuel could no longer withstand the high¨Cpitched scream. He quickly left the room instead of lingering there a second longer. When he finally left, Tina, who still looked like she was scared out of her wits, stopped screaming immediately. She quickly got up and locked the door, feeling her legs wobble with every step. She thought she was a goner just now. Fortunately, she had already prepared a new disguise for herself. As soon as she was chased back to her room, she quickly grabbed the adjustable stic wax that was mostly used for special effects makeup and molded a new face for herself. Paired with exquisite makeup, Tina¡®s new face looked like a living nightmare from a stic surgery gone wrong. The only way to see through her disguise was to study her face at a close distance. Tina touched her face subconsciously. The feeling of the stic wax against her face was extremely ufortable. Then again, it was all thanks to this thing that she was able to trick ( Samuel into thinking that it was her real face. At that moment, someone started knocking rapidly on her door, which gave her another huge scare. ¡°Who¡®s there?!¡± Had Samuel realized that something was wrong and decided to return?¡± ¡°It¡®s me!¡± Cindy¡®s cold voice drifted from outside the room. Tina put on her sunsses before slowly opening the door. ¡°What is it, Mrs. Langford?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. p! Before she could finish speaking, a heavy p was delivered on her face. ¡°You filthy b*tch! Were you trying to seduce my husband? I just saw him exiting your room!¡± Cindy was so angry that her entire body shook, her expression twisted into something ugly and sinister. It was bad enough that Samuel hated her and chose to keep his distance from her. Later, she discovered that he rendezvoused with a mistress behind her back. Now, she caught him walking out of this woman¡®s room earlier. All these filthy vixens were clearly challenging her bottom line! ¡°You filthy b*tch! I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡± Cindy was about to pounce onto Tina when she identally knocked the sunsses off Tina¡®s face. The sight of that ghastly face scared the wits out of Cindy. ¡°Oh my god! Why do you look so hideous?¡±. Cindy¡¯s reaction was straightforward and bluntpared to Samuel¡®s long silence after seeing Tina¡®s fake face. Tina quickly picked up the sunsses from the floor with her head lowered as she said, ¡°Mrs. Langford. Now that you¡®ve seen my face, you should be reassured, right? How can I ever seduce Mr. Langford with a face like this?¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Cindy shot a disgusted look at Tina, who had already worn her sunsses. ¡°I never expected that you¡®d look this ugly!¡± ¡°Haha! That¡®s right. I¡®m not a natural beauty like you, Mrs. Langford,¡± Tina replied with a bitter smile Cindy was pleased to hear the praise. She thought the designer was bold enough to seduce her husband, but it turned out that thetter was no more than an ugly hag. So what if this woman was a famous designer? She didn¡®t even dare to reveal her face in public! ¡°People tend to say that ugly people cause the most trouble. You may be ugly, but I want you to remember this. My husband is the most capable man in this world. I won¡®t let any woman get close to him and seduce him. As for you, stop dreaming about doing any of those things. Got it?¡± Tina cradled her face gingerly. ¡°Got it...¡± Cindy was satisfied by that answer. Before she could turn and leave, she suddenly remembered that she was here with another purpose. ¡°Oh, right. I forgot to tell you something. The outfit that you designed for me is simply awful!¡± She dumped the clothes Tina had spent the whole night making on the floor and stomped on it a few times in a row. ¡°Redo everything for me! I want you to keep designing and making clothes until I¡®m satisfied!¡± Cindymanded. Then, she left immediately. Tina took a deep breath in order to calm herself. Then, she slowly bent down to pick up the clothes. However, a pair of smaller hands moved faster than her. Keith quickly squatted down and picked up the dirty outfit. While he patted the dust away, he said, ¡°I think this outfit looks really nice.¡± ¡°It¡®s you!¡± Tina was shocked to see him. The sight of the cooling ster on his forehead reminded her that he was still sick. ¡°Why are you out of bed? Your fever has just gone down, so you¡®re still very weak. It¡®ll be bad for you if you were to catch a cold at this time. Tina¡®s caring words made Keith frown. ¡°You can barely take care of yourself, and yet you¡®re still fussing over me.¡± He was as sharp¨Ctongued and cold as usual. However, Tina would never forget the sight of the little boy having a high fever and allergies in the attic while his birth mother, Cindy, didn¡®t bat an eyelid in his direction. . . At the end of the day, he was still a pitiful child. Tina said helplessly, ¡°That¡®s how the world works for adults like me. It¡®s a tough and cruel world out here. However, you¡®re still a child. You don¡®t have to care about all that. Hurry up and go rest in bed.¡± Then, she put the clothes away and returned to her room. Keith had no intention to leave. Instead, he trailed after her into the room while asking, ¡°Why did you come to my house? You even disguised yourself as an ugly woman!¡± Tina didn¡®t dare to tell him the truth. She could only smile bitterly at him in return. ¡°You saw what happened just now. If I don¡®t make myself ugly, I¡®ll suffer even more here.¡± Keith frowned deeply while nodding. ¡°You¡®re right. If she found out that you¡®re actually a prettydy, she might w your face...¡± | wing her face would be thest thing Cindy would do. If Cindy discovered that Tina had appeared in front of her alive and well, she would definitely rip Tina into shreds first. Tina knew very well how cruel and heartless Cindy was. However, the fact that Keith was able to say such things at such a young age made her heart ache. ¡°Don¡®t be too sad. I heard she got separated from you for a few years. Maybe she¡®s treating you like this because of the separation. Once you two have spent a long time with each other, she¡®ll gradually treat you better.¡± Keith replied sarcastically, ¡°Really? Let¡®s hope that¡®s the case.¡± Tina finally realized the reason she thought Keith looked so familiar at first nce. It was because when he smirked so coldly, he resembled Samuel. Truthfully speaking, she was surprised to see the resemnce. However, she quickly regained her senses a momentter. As she didn¡®t want Keith to be as cruel as Samuel when he grew up, she felt like she had to say something. At that moment, someone¡®s stomach let out a loud grumble in the room. . ET N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Tina knew that it wasn¡®t her stomach that grumbled. She nced at Keith and asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Embarrassment reced the previously cold and aloof expression on Samuel¡®s tiny doppelganger. ¡°It wasn¡®t me!¡± Keith quickly refuted with a reddened face. His retaliation made him look like a normal five¨Cyear¨Cold in Tina¡®s eyes. She did her best to stifle her giggles as she replied, ¡°Alright, you didn¡®t make that noise. I was the one who got hungry. Since your fever just went down and you¡®re still sick, why don¡®t you have a simple and light meal? I¡®ll cook some food for you.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Keith maintained his deadpan stubbornness as he replied, ¡°I don¡®t need it...¡± Grumble! His stomach chose to protest angrily against his staunch denial. ¡°Are you sure you don¡®t want any food?¡± Tina¡¯s tone was very caring. ¡°I think you¡®ll need it. Are you sure you don¡®t want to eat something, Young Master Keith?¡± At that time, Keith could feel his pride crumbling into dust. If there was a hole in front of him right now, he would dly dive into it. ¡°Fine! Hurry up and bring me a bowl of food!¡± After that, the boy clutched his stomach and ran upstairs. He was afraid that the longer he remained in the room, the more embarrassed he would be thanks to his grumbling stomach. Once Keith was no longer in her line of sight, Tina finally allowed herself tough loudly. She quickly tidied up her room before hurrying toward the kitchen. However, she didn¡®t know that Samuel had been standing behind a corner a short distance away the whole time. Having witnessed everything, he now had a strange expression on his face. His subordinate said to him, ¡°Mr. Langford, sir. After investigating for a long time, we finally discovered a picture of Linda before she went through stic surgery.¡± Samuel had ordered his men to investigate Linda¡®s background out of a whim. If his subordinates were unable toe up with any important information, he would just let it go. Now that this particr woman lived in his mansion and shared a close rtionship with his own son, Samuel couldn¡®t help but pay more attention to what his men had to say about the designer. Despite having seen her face, he still couldn¡®t ascertain if she was there without any hidden motives. The subordinate passed some documents over to his master. There was a passport picture of Linda attached to the documents that was taken five years ago when she was applying for a French passport in Paris. Samuel¡®s cold gaze fell on the picture. The woman in the picture looked like a in Jane with dull skin. The information written on the documents depicted that Linda stuck out like a sore thumb in the Parisian fashion world, particrly due to her in looks in an industry filled with good looking models. That revtion made her insecure, so she wanted to rely on stic surgery to make herself artificially beautiful. However, she didn¡¯t expect that her surgery would fail. Hence, she never revealed her face in public since then. Samuel stared nkly at the blurry picture. Now that Linda¡®s face waspletely exposed, all suspicions he had of her dissipated on the spot. Yet for some reason, he found himself feeling quite disappointed. ¡°Is there anything else, Mr. Langford?¡± the subordinate asked anxiously. ¡°No.¡± Samuel threw the documents aside. He seemed to have remembered something because he added coldly, ¡°By the way, the duke will be hosting a birthday banquet for his youngest son next week, so I need brand new designs of formalwear. Cindy, Keith, and I will be attending that banquet. Tell Linda to send the designs to my study by tomorrow night.¡± Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Even though Samuel disliked Linda, he was used to separating his private feelings from work matters. Since Linda had an innate talent for designing, he didn¡®t n to chase her out of the mansion. ¡°Understood,¡± the subordinate replied. At that time, Tina had no idea what Samuel had in store for her. She prepared some food in the kitchen and took a serving tray up to Keith¡®s room before knocking on his door. ¡°I¡®ve set the food aside earlier, so it¡®s warm now. Hurry and eat it. It won¡®t taste good once it gets cold,¡± she said as she set the bowl on the bedside table. If it wasn¡®t for Keith¡®s tough personality, she would have insisted on feeding him. The boy¡®s expression became increasinglyplicated before he asked, ¡°I¡®m not your real son. Why are you being so nice to me?¡± Tina was stunned to hear that question. ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡®t this obvious?¡± Keith continued. ¡°The reason why those servants treated me nicely is because they¡®re afraid of my father¡®s reputation. When I was severely ill and was on the verge of death, they didn¡®t dare to disobey Cindy¡®s orders at all. You were the only one who wanted to take me to the hospital and ignore her orders. Even though you didn¡®t seed in the end, you still didn¡®t give up and ended up taking care of me throughout the night. After that, you continued working till morning.¡± He asked, ¡°Typically speaking, you should hate me because I¡®m the son of the woman who harasses you non¨Cstop. Why are you being so nice to me?¡± Confusion and suspicion filled Keith¡®s eyes at that time. Tina, on the other hand, waspletely bbergasted at his words. What on earth was that five¨Cyear¨Cold thinking this whole time? She couldn¡®t help but ce a hand on Keith¡®s forehead. ¡°Is your fever not gone yet? Why else are you mumbling nonsense?¡± Keith was severely germaphobic. He rarely interacted with Samuel, let alone with anyone else. Upon seeing how much Tina cared for him at the moment, he didn¡®t p her hand away coldly. Instead, he tolerated her gesture. He replied, ¡°I¡®m not feverish. In fact, I¡®m perfectly sober right now. Am I wrong for saying all that?¡± ¡°Well, you do make sense. Then again, making sense is just one thing. You¡®re still an adorable five¨C year¨Cold at the end of the day. Anyone else would have done the same thing as I did.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡±. Keith lifted an eyebrow immediately. The way he suspected Tina made him look exactly like Samuel. . ¡°Have you forgotten how those servants stopped you before?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°They didn¡®t have a choice. After all, they didn¡®t want to invite trouble to their doorstep.¡± ¡°Then why were you the only one who wasn¡®t scared of trouble?¡± Tina waspletely speechless. That d*mned brat! Her act of kindness was just a very simple thing, yet he insisted on grilling her with so many questions! ¡°That¡®s because I¡®m a kind soul!¡± Tina replied shamelessly. ¡°A beautiful and kind¨C hearted woman like me is a raremodity in this world! You should appreciate me more, you know? Also, if you don¡®t eat your food soon, you¡®ll die of starvation!¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°If you don¡®t eat it right now, I¡®ll tell everyone that your stomach keeps growling loudly! Then everyone in the Langford manor will know about this embarrassing side of yours!¡± Tina¡®s threat was very useful in this situation. Not only was Keith cold, aloof, and mean, but he was also very mindful of his reputation and pride due to his young age. He didn¡®t dare to refute her upon hearing the threat, so he could only pick up the bowl and start eating the food slowly. At that moment, someone knocked on the door loudly. ¡°Linda!¡± Tina was surprised to hear someone calling her name. She turned around and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Keith snuck one nce at the door before rolling his eyes. ¡°Who else can he be? He must be one of Samuel¡®s subordinates, here to pass on a message to you.¡± The subordinate said, ¡°Linda, the Langford family will be attending a banquet next week. You are to design formalwear for them. Mr. Langford wants you to start working on the designs right now and send the drafts personally to his study by tomorrow.¡± Panic seized Tina¡®s heart the moment she heard the instructions. ¡°I have to personally send the designs to him?!¡± Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Chapter 277 ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± The subordinate had an odd expression on his face. ¡°Isn¡®t this what you should be doing? If there are any sudden changes to the drafts, it¡®s more convenient for Mr. Langford to tell you in person, right?¡± Tina went silent after that. She had no idea how to refute the subordinate¡®s words, so she could only¡®stay quiet. Now that he had carried out his role as a messenger, the subordinate chose not to linger anymore and left. On the other hand, Tina was left anxious and nervous. What should she do now? When Keith noticed her plight, he asked, ¡°Are you afraid of him?¡± She could only smile bitterly. ¡°I think everyone¡®s afraid of him.¡± Tina would be fine if Samuel merely wanted her to design for him, but the problem was... She didn¡®t have his exact measurements. Wouldn¡®t this mean that she would have to personally seek him out and take his measurements? The poor woman could only leave Keith¡®s room with a muddled brain. She had barely escaped from Samuel¡®s clutches earlier that day and gotten rid of his suspicions, but now, she had to return to him once again. What should she do this time? Tina was very frightened, but at the same time, she knew that she was left with no choice but to proceed. She took a deep breath, having steeled her resolve. She would die sooner orter anyway, so she might as well go seek Samuel out right now and perform her task. After asking for directions from a nearby servant, Tina finally found her way to the study. She prepared herself mentally for what was about to happen next while clutching the tools firmly in her hands. Then, she knocked on the study door lightly. Knock! Knock! Knock! Her heartbeat had already elerated by the time she knocked on the door three times in a row. She didn¡®t know how much time had passed before a voice finally traveled through the door from inside the study. ¡°Enter.¡± Tina opened the door slowly with sweaty hands. The interior design of Samuel¡®s study exhibited a mature and business¨Clike style. His work desk was sharp and angr, its dark and shiny surface emitting a cold glint. The man in question was still wearing the same suit as before. His long and slender fingers gripped a ck fountain pen sturdily as he made corrections on the documents before him. All in all, he looked cold and heartless as usual. Tina entered the study quietly, just like a mouse. Samuel rubbed his forehead and spoke to her coldly without even lifting his head. ¡°Just leave the coffee on the desk.¡± It was obvious he had mistaken her for a servant who came in to serve him with coffee. Tina spoke up carefully. ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡®s me...¡± Samuel frowned instinctively before lifting his head. He finally realized that Linda was the one standing in his study. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°I heard you¡®re nning to attend a banquet, so you requested me toe up with a few designs for you. However, I don¡®t have your body measurements. So...¡± Tina showed the measuring tools in her hands. ¡°Tch! How troublesome,¡± Samuel remarked in a slightly impatient tone. Tina¡®s heart skipped a beat out of fright. ¡°I¡®ll leave right now if I¡®m disturbing you, Mr. Langford. I¡®lle backter once you¡®re free.¡± (There¡®s no need for that. You can do your work now.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. The moment his words fell, Samuel stood up and started undoing the buttons on his suit jacket. In order to take urate measurements of one¡®s body, they mustn¡®t wear any excessive clothes, much less a suit jacket. The clothes would affect the final measurements, after all. As a professional designer, Tina knew that it was a very vital step when it came to taking measurements. However... The sight of Samuel taking off his suit jacket crisply without any hesitation made her blush slightly. Of course, Samuel didn¡®t think too much about it. He ced the jacket casually on the desk, now clothed in a white buttoned shirt. After he undid the buttons of his cuffs, he started folding his sleeves upward, revealing his strong and taut arms. At that moment, Samuel exhibited an attractive musk filled to the brim with masculine pheromones. He shot Tina an annoyed look, realizing that she was still standing there in a daze. It made him frown impatiently. ¡°What are you standing there for? Hurry up ande here!¡± Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Tina finally snapped back to her senses, realizing that she had been staring at Samuel like an idiot the entire time. It was a good thing she was wearing sunsses. As such, he had no idea that she was staring at him. Otherwise, she would have been thoroughly embarrassed and humiliated. Tina quickly lowered her head and replied meekly, ¡°Yes, sir. I¡®ll start working now.¡± Her legs felt like jelly when she sensed Samuel¡®s oppressing aura enveloping her. Guilt racked her brain, but at the same time, there were other reasons at y. Her heart beating wildly behind her ribcage, she started approaching Samuel slowly. Thetter asked coldly, ¡°Which part are you measuring first?¡± ¡°Um... Well...¡± Tina started stammering out of instinct. She ended up asking, ¡°W¨CWhy don¡®t I start from your wrist?¡± Samuel¡®s reply was dripping with impatience. ¡°Do I look like I¡®m the designer here?¡± ¡°I¡®m sorry! I¡¯m very, very sorry!¡± Tina quickly apologized. The sight of the woman acting so skittish around Samuel made him recall the scene that he had witnessed earlier that day. She wasughing and smiling when she hung out with Keith earlier. Now that she was right in front of him, she looked so meek and timid. Was she afraid that he might eat her alive? ¡°Am I that scary?¡± he asked. Tina would never dare to answer that question that spelt doom to her. Her voice was as soft as a drop of rainwater merging seamlessly with the ocean. ¡°N¨CNO...¡± ¡°Really?¡± Samuel chuckled coldly. Tina was so frightened that she shivered involuntarily. Being together with Samuel in a room was incredibly terrifying for her. It wasn¡®t because of his powerful aura, but due to the possibility of him recognizing her at any given moment. Tina no longer dared to dawdle, so she swallowed nervously and said, ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡®ll start measuring your arm.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t cause any trouble for her after that. He cooperated with her by stretching his arm. Tina was a professional fashion designer, so after taking his initial measurements, she finished the rest of the task easily and quickly. When his arms were done, she then measured his height, shoulder width, leg length... ¨C After making sure that she got all the main measurements down, it was time for Tina to focus on the details. She exined, ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡®ll be... um, I¡®ll be measuring your neck now. In order to measure it, I¡®ll need to wrap the measuring tape two centimeters below your Adam¡®s apple, so I might come in contact with your skin...¡± Everyone knew Samuel had severe germaphobia. It was dangerous enough for people to get close to him, let alone make actual physical contact with him. However, Samuel only frowned. ¡°Why are you saying all this nonsense?¡± He undid the first two buttons of his shirt swiftly as he spoke. Tina was quite nervous when she noticed how nonchnt Samuel seemed. She didn¡®t dare to stand in front of him, so she chose to stand next to him. Then, she stood on her tiptoes and started measuring his neck. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The moment her fingers touched Samuel¡®s neck, a dark expression appeared on his face. He wanted to shove her away instinctively, but he smelt a faint floral scent immediately afterward. His study was always neat and tidy. Things like perfumes and fragrances would never be used in this room. The light floral scent didn¡®t waft from his clothes, so the woman next to him was the only possibility... At the same time, that scent smelled so familiar. He had smelled another woman with that fragrance not too long ago... Samuel¡¯s expression changed all of a sudden. Then, he gripped Tina¡®s wrist firmly. He used so much strength that Tina thought her wrist was going to snap on the spot. He gazed down at her, a swirl of emotions flickering through his eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Tina was so surprised that she instinctively ripped her wrist out of Samuel¡®s grasp and retreated a few steps backward. ¡°M¨CMr. Langford, what¡®s wrong? Did I do something wrong?¡± she asked in a frightened tone. The sight of Tina looking so terrified allowed Samuel to gradually calm down. He did see her real face and investigated her background... It was all that d*mned woman¡®s fault! Not only did she betray his trust, but it was also thanks to her that he became an insomniac. Now, he was reduced to a paranoid shell of a man. Samuel rubbed his sore forehead in irritation before saying coldly, ¡°It¡®s nothing. I¡®m not used to a stranger touching me, that¡®s all. Keep going.¡± However, Tina hesitated to act. She continued asking fearfully, ¡°Are you sure?¡± When Samuel noticed just how frightened she looked, he realized his sudden change in attitude had scared her. ¡°Yes. I¡®m fine,¡± he replied. ¡°I was spacing out earlier and ended up thinking about a woman who should¡®ve died a long time ago.¡± His response drilled even more fear into Tina¡¯s heart. ¡¤ A woman who should¡®ve died a long time ago? That would be her, right? However, she didn¡®t dare to reveal her inner fear. All she could do was take a deep breath before approaching Samuel once again. Now, she acted more carefully than before. After measuring his neck, she went ahead and took his chest and hip measurements... Tina worked carefully and slowly, not daring to touch Samuel at all. It was as if he was a ticking time bomb in her eyes. Finally, she was done taking all the measurements. Tina let out a sigh of relief before saying, ¡°All the measurements have been taken now, so I¡®ll be taking my leave, Mr. Langford.¡± Before he could answer her, she hunched over and left the study immediately like she was running away from him. She felt as if she had just sessfully escaped from a demon¡®sir. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Whew! Luckily, I escaped just in time! That was so scary!¡± Upon returning to her room, Tina locked the door behind her and leaned against it while patting her chest to soothe herself. ¡°Did youmit a crime? Why do you look so scared?¡±. Suddenly, a child¨Clike voice drifted from a corner of the room. The sight of Keith¡®s face almost gave Tina a heart attack. ¡°Keith? Why are you in my room?!¡± she shrieked. ¡°Can¡®t I be here?¡± The boy frowned immediately. He continued coldly, ¡°This is my house, so your room is also a part of my territory.¡± ¡°You...¡± Tina was so angry that she shook. Then again, she couldn¡®t bring herself to argue with a five¨Cyear¨Cold, especially when he was still very ill. ¡°Go back to your room and rest there,¡± she said. ¡°Aren¡®t you handing over the designs to Samuel tomorrow? His measurements aren¡®t the only data that you need. You¡®ll have to take my measurements as well, right?¡± Keith continued speaking with the same frown. ¡°I came here to find you on my own just so you wouldn¡®t have to make an extra trip to my room in order to do your work. I didn¡®t expect you to chase me out of your room.¡± Tina didn¡®t know what to say. ; When it came to Samuel and Keith, she could never find the right thing to say. ¡°You¡®re right. Thank you foring here on your own. Stand up straight, now. I¡®ll start taking your measurements.¡± Compared to the tough time Tina had while taking Samuel¡®s measurements in his study, the process of taking Keith¡®s measurements was obviously shorter than easier. ¡°Alright, I¡®m done taking your measurements. Tomorrow, I¡®ll present you with a design that will make you look like a handsome young prince. No one else can outshine you in the banquet for sure!¡± Tina said. Keith rolled his eyes beforementing snidely, ¡°I¡¯m the heir of the Langford Group. If anything happens to Samuel in the future, I¡®ll be the new head of thepany. I don¡®t want to look like a prince! That¡®s so childish!¡± Tina didn¡®t know what to say. ¡®Heh... I guess I¡®m too na?ve and stupid to think that he¡®ll like that idea...¡® She could onlyugh dryly, already feeling the atmosphere bing awkward. Keith had sessfully inherited Samuel¡®s cold blooded trait and ruthlessness. Like father, like son. He was only five years old, yet he was already hoping that his father would die so that he could be the next head of thepany. ¡°Does Samuel know about your personality?¡± Tina couldn¡®t help but ask. Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Chapter 280 ¡°Of course he has no idea what I¡®m like. In fact, there¡®s a lot that he doesn¡®t know about me.¡± Keith harrumphed coldly, a trace of smugness in his tone. No one knew about his identity as a hacker, including Samuel. Oh, wait! Memories started flooding into Keith¡®s mind immediately. Back when they were trying to shake Samuel¡®s bodyguards off their car, Keith was forced to reveal his secret identity as a hacker to Tina and Kara. ¡°He doesn¡®t know a lot of things about me, but you do. Will you tell him everything about me?¡± he questioned seriously with a slight frown on his face. ¡°Of course not! Your secret¡®s safe with me.¡± ¡°I don¡®t believe you.¡± Keith was still suspicious of Tina. She could only smile helplessly in return. ¡°Then, what am I supposed to do in order to make you believe me?¡± Keith thought for a moment. For some reason, he was reminded by the memory of Tina and Kara interacting with each other. He blurted out; ¡°Let¡®s make a pinky promise! If you ever lie to me, you¡®ll have to swallow a thousand needles!¡± Tina was speechless after hearing the request. ¡®Isn¡®t he the childish one here?¡® However, she chose not to say anything about it. Instead, she stuck out her pinky and tugged onto Keith¡®s tinier finger as she promised to guard his secret. ¡°Now, do you believe me?¡± Tina asked in a tone that was clearly meant tofort children. For some reason, Keith didn¡®t find her tone unpleasant despite his hatred for being coddled. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she had been taking care of him all this time. He knew that she was the only person who would ever treat him with kindness. ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ll believe you for now.¡± The boy turned his head away in embarrassment. ¡°I have to go back to my room now. Have fun working.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Got it.¡± Tina smiled helplessly in return. After escorting Keith out of her room, she returned to her desk and started working on the designs, Upon returning to his room, Keith quickly switched on hisputer. He logged into the website meant for hackers and saw a few unread messages. ¡°Boss, you¡®re right! That Langford guy did investigate Linda! It¡®s a good thing you gave me instructions in advance. I drafted a fake profile on her and sent it to him! Also, even though you asked me not to pay close attention to that Langford guy¡®s affairs to avoid being detected by him, I still discovered something. Lately, he issued a bounty with great rewards on a woman.¡± Arthur sent over a picture while adding, ¡°Look at this picture! To me, she seems like a normal looking woman. She can¡®t be the rumored homewrecker, right? Maybe she¡®s just an ordinary thief.¡± The moment Keith nced at the picture, his expression turned grave. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes immediately. That picture was very blurry, and it was true that the woman on it looked very in¡­ However, Keith recognized the woman straightaway. The woman on Samuel¡®s bounty that promised great rewards to anyone who found her, also known as the alleged thief of the pigeon egg diamond ring, was in truth Linda the fashion designer, who was currently in a room downstairs. What... 1 D What on earth was actually happening here? Various guesses and theories flitted past Keith¡®s mind in a split second. Could it be that she had other motives in mind, hence her decision to treat him with kindness? After all, it was insanely difficult for him to find someone who would be nice to him without asking for anything in return. Keith¡®s mind was soon cluttered with so many thoughts. The expression on his face grew darker and more thunderous. Logically speaking, he shouldn¡®t ce his trust in a woman that he had just gotten to know for a short period of time. But¡­ But¡­ Despite having only spent a few days with Tina, Keith could clearly feel the gentle and kind aura radiating off Tina. Her daughter was a very friendly and energetic girl as well. Should he believe that woman? ¡°Boss, should we interfere with this bounty?¡± Arthur, Keith¡®s subordinate, messaged via the website. As a young genius hacker, he couldn¡®t wait to sow seeds of chaos in this world. {ife was only fun that way, after all. Keith thought for a very long time before sending his reply. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Chapter 281 ¡°Of course!¡± he eximed determinedly. ¡°I won¡®t let him off the hook that easily!¡± Arthur rubbed his hands, seemingly excited about his response. ¡°Alright.¡± Meanwhile, Tina was focusing on her work, oblivious of what was going on. With the number of orders she had, she made a few drafts. After they were approved, Tina started making her designs from scratch. The clothes she designed were all made to attend formal asions, so they had to be tailor made with great attention to detail. It wouldn¡®t be possible for her to get the job done in a short period of time, so she had to ask her colleagues for help. They finished making the elegant attires in less than three days, and the clothes were ready to be tried on by the customers. Everyone showered the family with extravagant praises. ¡°You¡®re so beautiful, Mrs. Langford! You can rock any outfit we put on you!¡± ¡°Young Master Keith looks really handsome, too!¡± ¡°The three of you look gorgeous together!¡± d in a tailor¨Cmade suit, Samuel looked dignified and expensive. Beside him, Cindy was dressed in a white gown which entuated her soft facial features. Their child, Keith, had undoubtedly inherited Samuel¡®s handsome features. With just one nce, the family of three would indefinitely toss heads and win praises no matter where they went.. Tina, who was looking at the picturesque family from afar, felt miserable from within. : Although she had only been separated from Kara for less than a week, the fleeting days felt like years to her. She really missed her darling daughter. Tina didn¡®t want to listen to the insufferable praises any further and was prepared to leave. However, someone stopped her. ¡°You have to follow us to the banquet!¡± Tina froze. She pointed at herself in shock and asked, ¡°Are you referring to me?¡± ¡°Do you really want me to repeat myself?!¡± Cindy continued arrogantly. ¡°A lot of influential people will be attending the banquet later. They¡®ll undoubtedly be very interested in your designs!¡°. ¡°Since you¡®ve helped us design such fine attires, I¡®ll introduce you to them! Aren¡®t you going to thank me for that?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Cindy¡®s attitude was deplorable. She was indicating that the reason Tina was famous was because of her, but not because of the quality of her work. Tina knew that she had no right to defy Cindy. She had no choice but to say, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Langford.¡± ¡°You¡®re wee!¡± Cindy snorted. She then turned to look at Samuel and simpered, ¡°After all... You like me for my kind and gentle personality, don¡®t you, Samuel?¡± Samuel was unfazed and didn¡®t utter a single word. In the distance, some of Samuel¡®s men made retching sounds and showed their obvious disgust. ¡°I can¡®t believe she just said that! She¡®s so shameless!¡± ¡°It¡®s obvious Mr. Langford despises her. He set his boundaries with her and warned her so many times, but she¡®s still pushing her limits. I think she really wants to die.¡± ¡°I wonder when Mr. Langford will file for a divorce.¡± All the men turned quiet the moment someone asked that question. ¡°Actually, he was going to do that.¡± Previously, Mr. Langford had an affair with another woman and even brought her home. Soon afterwards, he prepared a divorce agreement with Cindy. Samuel¡®s men thought that they were finally escaping the she¨Cdevil¡¯s torture. However, Cindy still managed to pull some tricks and fooled Samuel into thinking otherwise. ¡°I don¡®t think Mr. Langford will ever leave Cindy.¡± ¡°I bet her evil deeds will be brought to light one day!¡± ¡°We can only pray for that day toe soon...¡± At that, the men sighed in defeat. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 The men¡®s gossip didn¡®t reach Tina¡®s ears. Still overwhelmed with sadness over her separation from Kara, she returned to her room like a lost soul. Soon, it was time to attend the banquet. Tina boarded the limousine and arrived at thevish hotel. Luxurious fleets of cars stopped at the entrance, with famous guests from high society walking on the red carpet. At such a formal banquet, Tina knew better than to wear her sunsses. Her disguise would be too conspicuous. It was fortunate that she was in Paris, the city of fashion. Though half of her face was covered by a simple gown and a cocktail hat, none of the guests criticized her outfit. Some even found that she looked chic and fashionable. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Tina followed Samuel into the hotel and hid in a dark corner. . A The banquet was a perfect opportunity to gain valuable connections. However, she wasn¡®t in the mood to do that. . Due to Samuel¡®s scrutiny of her every move, it would be better if she stayed away from attention. Otherwise, she might incur his wrath. There weren¡®t just socialites attending the banquet today. Reporters from numerous media outlets were also present to broadcast the event. The headlines for tomorrow¡®s newspaper would definitely be filled with news about the birthday of the duke¡®s son. Meanwhile, Tina sat in an inconspicuous dark corner. At the moment, many socialites dressed in their greatest finery passed by Tina. They were discussing something in excited tones. ¡°Mr. Langford¡®s here! Have you seen him?¡± ¡°Yes, I did! He¡®s so handsome!¡± one of them gushed. ¡°Young Master Keith looks really adorable, too! He looks like a mini version of Mr. Langford. I¡®m sure he¡®ll grow up to be a splendid man, just like his father!¡± ¡°It¡®d be great if I have a daughter. I¡®ll make sure they befriend each other from childhood. If they can get married as adults, I¡®ll be Samuel Langford¡®s blood rtive!¡± ¡°Hahaha! You idiot, stop spouting nonsense!¡± While they were gossiping, Tina caught their attention. ¡°Oh? Your cocktail hat looks really unique!¡± F Tina didn¡®t expect anyone to notice her at all. She smiled in response and said demurely, Thank you for yourpliment.¡± Soon, the women were sizing up Tina and criticizing her choice of outfit. ¡°Are you even invited to the banquet tonight? You¡®re one of the staff, aren¡®t you? Why are you trying to hide your identity with that outfit?¡± ¡°What¡®s with her, acting all mysterious?¡± Tina didn¡®t react to any of their snide remarks. She knew that not all the rich had decent personalities. The higher they climbed up, the more arrogant they were. The reason they were so interested in her work was because they wanted the fame of wearing something that got in fashion magazines and worn by famous celebrities. If Tina were to present her designs she made a few years back, these filthy rich people wouldn¡®t even listen to what she had to say. In fact, they would simply toss her passion in a trash can before she could open her mouth. Tina didn¡®t want to argue with the likes of them, so she turned to leave. Noticing that Tina was easy prey, an evil thought struck their mind. They hurriedly stopped her from leaving. ¡°Hey, are you leaving? Stand right there!¡± ¡°Though you aren¡®t one of us, I still think your hat looks pretty cute. Take it off right now and let us have a look! Let¡®s see if it¡®s worth a cent!¡± Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Tina initially wanted to leave, but her way was unexpectedly barred. She clenched her fists and drew in a deep breath before saying, ¡°Why can¡®t you all just leave me alone? I¡®m just an ordinary person. With the kind of money you have, you can get any kind of hat you want, right?¡± (That¡¯s right! With our fortune, we can get whatever we want. That¡®s why we want the cocktail hat you¡®re wearing on your head right now! What¡®s wrong? Is that too much to ask for?¡± Quite evidently, this was a group of spoiled and troublesome brats. There was no way Tina was going to let them have their way. She purposefully took two steps backward. CLE Seeing her retreat, the expressions on thedies¡® faces shifted. ¡°So, you¡®re not going to go along with this?¡± ¡°We¡®re giving you a great opportunity right now! We were going to buy your cocktail hat and give you the chance to make some extra cash. Who would¡®ve expected that you¡®d give it up just like that?¡± ¡°Get that hat off her head now! I want to see how ugly this b*tch really is!¡± The woman gestured for the servants behind her to surround Tina. Pushed and shoved by these people, Tina fell to the ground helplessly. Her cocktail hat was about to be snatched from her head.. Right at that moment, a refined voice drifted over and interrupted them. ¡°The champagne tower¡®s been set up. Don¡®t youdies want to have a look?¡± Thedies turned their heads toward the source of the voice. ¡°Who¡®s nosing into our business Before they finished, they shifted their focus on the person before them. The man was handsome with a schrly grace. He wore a ck tuxedo that was apletely different stylepared to the other suits at the event. He seemed friendly enough, but none of these upper¨Ccrustdies had any chance of not knowing who he was. This time, Langford Group hade to Paris to coborate with thergest fashion group and had invested in a project to produce a fashion magazine. This individual used to be the boss of a news magazine. Naturally, he had also been invited to Paris by Samuel for the coboration. ¡°I¨CIt¡®s you...¡± The rich women who had been heckling Tina all changed their expressions at that instant. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡®ve been around here all along.¡± The tone of his voice was mild. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. What he meant was that he saw everything that these women had been doing. Things had be a little awkward. The wealthy women hurriedly changed the subject, slightly panicky. ¡°You said the champagne tower¡®s ready? Why don¡®t we all go and have a look?¡± ¡°My age is advancing, so it¡®s not a good idea for me to drink. This kind of thing is more for you youngsters to enjoy.¡± Raymond Cohen¡®s tone remained nd. Thedies did not dare to linger, feeling that their egos had taken a hit. Before leaving, they couldn¡®t help but re at Tina. Raymond held out a helping hand toward Tina and asked, ¡°Do you need a hand?¡± Taking the offered hand, Tina got up from the ground a little awkwardly. She adjusted the hat on her head and said softly, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cohen.¡± ¡°Mr. Cohen?¡± Raymond seemed stunned by this. Curious, he asked, ¡°I don¡®t use this name here. You sound familiar. Do we know each other?¡± Tina was taken aback as well. In an instant, her heart started racing. She had only ever met Raymond once, and that was during the press conference when Samuel had acknowledged Cindy as his wife five years ago. Raymond Cohen was the boss of Freesia¡®s news magazine. At the same time, he was also the person who had gotten Samuel and Cindy together. That was to say, Tina could not let this man learn of her identity. Otherwise, she would be done for! ¡°... I... I don¡®t think I¡®m familiar with who you are...¡± Tina quickly found an excuse. Lowering her head, she said quickly, ¡°I¡®m a little busy, so I¡®ll be going now!¡± Raymond was even more intrigued at Tina¡®s panicked look. Did he say something wrong? Why was she so frightened of him? ¨C Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Raymond¡®s gaze was filled with inquisition as his eyes followed Tina¡®s retreating figure. Right then, a voice came from behind him. ¡°Mr. Choen!¡± Cindy hurried over, pulling Samuel¡®s hand. Excitedly, she said, ¡°I never expected that you¡®d come out into the open after staying behind the scenes for so many years! It really is such an honor!¡± Raymond replied calmly, ¡°I wouldn¡®t dare reject Mr. Langford¡®s invitation.¡± ¡°Mr. Cohen, you¡¯re the one who brought Samuel and I together. Even if you didn¡®t ept the invitation, Samuel wouldn¡®t have done anything. Isn¡®t that right, Samuel?¡± Cindy looked over at Samuel, her tone affectionate. Samuel didn¡®t answer. Instead, he surreptitiously pulled his arm from her grasp. He said coldly, ¡°I have some matters to discuss. Why don¡®t you rx with Keith for a bit?¡± Cindy¡®s delighted expression froze. She knew Samuel was purposefully chasing her off, but she didn¡®t dare disobey him. Thus, she took Keith with her and left. ¡°What would you like to discuss with me, Mr. Langford?¡± Raymond asked curiously. ¡°I know you¡®re very well connected, Mr. Cohen. For someone in the news business, investigating someone should be no problem for you.¡± Samuel¡®s tone was icy as he brought out a photograph. ¡°I want to find her.¡± When Raymond saw the woman in the picture, his face turned ashen. ¡°Isn¡®t she already dead?¡± It was exactly because of this woman¡®s death that Samuel¡®s attitude toward Cindy had changed so much. What was all this about now? Samuel only gave a sneer in reply. ¡°That¡®s right, everyone thinks she¡®s dead. Only, I personally saw her running about, quite alive.¡± ¡°Now, that woman¡®s hiding in goodness¨Cknows¨Cwhere. I¡®ve dispatched my men to find her, but no one¡®s picked up any trace of her.¡± At the thought of that d*mned woman, Samuel could barely control the rage within him. Raymond himself never anticipated that the events of five years ago would have such a twist today. He hesitated before saying, ¡°It¡®s no issue to contact some old friends. I just have to put in a few words to them. The thing is, I wonder what you n to do once you get your hands on her, Mr. Langford.¡± ¡°I have some ideas.¡± Samuel¡®s tone was as frigid as the Arctic ice. Raymond wanted to convince Samuel otherwise, but kept his mouth shut at the other man¡®s expression. After leaving the ballroom, Tina hid herself in one of the rooms the hotel had arranged specifically for the guests. She cleaned up a bit, removing the haphazardly applied makeup from her face. Then, she video called Kara. PI UT ¡°Mommy!¡± The second the video call went through, Kara called out excitedly. ¡°Mommy, you¡®re pretty again!¡± ¡°You are too, Kara. Have you gotten taller recently?¡± ¡°That¡®s right. I¡®m growing now! Uncle even took me to the mall to shop for clothes a few days ago. Look!¡± On the screen, Kara twirled to show off her new clothes to Tina. Tina felt even more distressed. her daughter¡®s side. She could only watch from afar as Kara grew up. Just then, there came a knock at the door. Surprised, Tina asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± Was it room service? However, there were no voices from beyond the door. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Feeling that it was a little strange, Tina grew wary. She said to her daughter, ¡°Wait for me a second, Kara. I¡®m going to take a look.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kara waited obediently. Tina walked over and looked through the peephole to see who was on the other side of the door. Momentarily stunned, she quickly opened the door after recovering. ¡°Why are you here? Is something the matter?¡± Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Stunned, Tina opened the door. As the person behind the door was revealed, Kara¡®s excited voice came through the phone. ¡°Mommy, why¡®s Keith with you?¡±. The small figure at the door was none other than Keith Langford. Keith was surprised as well. Only after a beat did he realize that Tina was on a video call with Kara. . This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. With his hands in his pockets, he looked haughty and cool. He said self¨Cimportantly, ¡°What, can¡®t I be here? Am I not wee?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Kara said. ¡°When you ran off before, Mommy and I were so worried! Mommy even went out to look for you and didn¡®te home all night...¡± Taken aback, Keith¡®s eyebrows drew together unconsciously. ¡°How could she have looked for me all night? When I left, you were all asleep...¡± Mommy rushed out to find you.¡± Rather than hide what she knew, Kara blurted everything out with ease. Keith¡®s face nched for a swift second. In that instant, information he¡®d found shed through his mind. If he hadn¡®t left so suddenly, Tina wouldn¡®t have gone out to find him and end up bumping into Samuel. Thus, she was now being hunted down by his father. And here Keith had thought he had done all that he had to protect this mother and daughter. In the end, things had turned out this way after all. Keith was intelligent, and so quickly figured out what was going on based on these clues. With Keith looking so unsettled, the ever observant Tina soon figured out that something was amiss. ¨C ¡°What is it? Are you feeling unwell? Are you still sick?¡±. She touched Keith¡®s forehead out of worry. Keith shook his head and said, ¡°I¡®ve recovered, but... I¡®m sorry, I didn¡®t know...¡± . He even wondered for the briefest moment whether he had been the one who had caused all this. Seeing how mature the young Keith acted, Tina felt a little annoyed. ¡°Hey, kid, why are you apologizing to me? I¡®m an adult. I¡®m supposed to take care of you!¡± ¡°I...¡± ¡°Alright, let¡®s not talk about the past anymore. Let¡®s talk about happy stuff,¡± Tina said, Kara went right along with that, chattering about everything that was happening at her kindergarten in Freesia. After a while, Tina ended the call reluctantly. Sounding determined, Keith said, ¡°Don¡®t worry, I¡®ll protect you both.¡± Tina was taken aback. She didn¡®t expect to hear such solemn words from one so young. However, she didn¡®t make fun of him. She nodded and said, ¡°That¡®s great.¡± At that moment, a ruckus came from outside the door. It seemed like there was a group of people going around knocking on doors looking for something. ¡°What¡®s going on out there?¡± Tina was stunned for a moment. Keith nced at the child wristwatch he always wore and realized he had missed a lot of updates during the time he spent with Tina and Kara. ¡°Oh, no. They realized that I snuck out and are here to find me. I have to leave now!¡± Seeing that Keith meant to leave on his own, Tina said, ¡°Let me bring you there...¡± Keith snapped impatiently, ¡°I don¡®t think that¡®s wise, considering your current circumstances.¡± At that moment, Tina was bare of makeup. Indeed, it wasn¡®t a good idea for her to step out. She could only give up on the idea. ¡°Send me a text once you get back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As he spoke, Keith opened the door to leave. However... Right then, a man¡®s deep voice came from outside. ¡°Keith Langford, what did you run off here for?¡± Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Neither Keith nor Tina expected to find an uninvited guest at the door. Samuel Langford had actually shown up in person! Even more frightening was the fact that Tina was standing right behind Keith. If Samuel lifted his head ever so slightly, her undisguised face would be exposed to Samuel in all its glory! Tina couldn¡®t react. All the blood in her body froze. Thankfully, young Keith¡®s reflexes were lightning fast. Samuel had his head lowered to look at Keith, but when he realized there was someone else in the room, he prepared to look up. It was then that Keith shouted loudly. ¡°What¡®s that?!¡±. He stuck out his hand and pointed behind Samuel. Ever cautious, Samuel turned his head for a look. At the same time, Tina snapped back to reality and hurriedly hid herself in a corner. She picked up the cocktail hat from the ground and put it on, covering half of her face. ¡± Behind Samuel were only a few of his subordinates. Everyone else had already gone away. The moment he turned his head, Samuel knew he had been tricked. He nced coldly at Keith. ¡°What are you up to?¡± Anyone else would have wet their pants at such a frigid look from Samuel. However, Keith was unmoved. He only shrugged calmly. ¡°It¡®s just a joke. Are you going to be so particr with a kid like me?¡± Samuel was speechless. The employees around him couldn¡®t help but wipe away their cold sweat. All thought that Keith should have stayed silent. As expected, the aura around Samuel turned colder. Only, he really didn¡¯t seem interested in pursuing the matter any further with a child like Keith. Follow me. Don¡®t run off.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Surprisingly, Keith went along with it. From the surface, he still looked like the cool and haughty little man he always was. However, his small hands were clenched into fists. He was so anxious, his palms were covered in sweat. After all, he was worried he would identally cause Tina to be discovered by Samuel. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Samuel once again looked into the room. In her hat with her head bowed, Tina called out deferentially, ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± Samuel¡®s brows knitted together as he said, ¡°You have quite a good rtionship with this woman. Those who don¡®t know the truth might assume she¡®s your mother.¡± ¡°Is that so? I wish!¡± Keith said huffily. ¡°Even dogs get excited seeing someone who feeds them. I¡®m a kid. Of course I like hanging out with someone who¡®s nice to me.¡± With the cold way this pair spoke to each other, it seemed like the father and son were about to get into a fight. The subordinates around them quickly spoke up. ¡°Mr. Langford, you drank quite a lot at the banquet. You should probably hurry back and rest.¡± ¡°That¡®s right, that¡®s right! Now that Young Master Keith has been found, you can leave him to Us...¡± At these cajoling words, Samuel coldly turned to go and moved toward the room next door. ¡°Take good care of him.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!!! After Samuel left, the oppressive tension finally dissipated. The subordinates could finally breathe a sigh of relief. To Keith, they said, ¡°Let¡®s go back now, Young Master Keith.¡± Keith went along with them. Out of curiosity, he asked something. ¡°Is he resting alone in the room? Where¡®s my mom gone?¡± Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Keith only asked this because he was curious. After all, Samuel was drunk. Why would Cindy give up such a golden opportunity? But when the subordinates heard this, they found Keith pitiable... They exined, ¡°Um... Mrs. Langford had something to deal with, so she went home. You can follow us back, Young Master Keith...¡± They spoke very carefully. In truth, Samuel didn¡®t want Cindy to cause a fuss and so had sent her off. Keith wasn¡®t bothered by any of it. He shrugged and said, ¡°Alright, let¡®s go home.¡± Finally, all the people outside the door left. Yet, Tina could not rxpletely. After all, she had just seen Samuel right in front of her. Being in that beast¡®s vicinity was much too dangerous for her. How could she go on as if nothing had happened? After cleaning up a bit, she opened the door again and got ready to leave... It was at that moment that she heard the sound of something shattering on the floor. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Crash! Tina started in shock. The noise seemed to havee from Samuel¡®s room. If Tina remembered correctly, Samuel¡®s subordinates mentioned he was drunk and was alone in his room. Had he gotten himself into some trouble? When it came down to it, Tina really shouldn¡®t care what happened to Samuel. Upon thinking of young Keith, she felt she couldn¡®t just sit back and watch. What if Samuel ended up dead? Keith was only five years old. Wouldn¡®t he be left without a father? Even worse, Cindy was thest person Tina considered to be a decent mother. Keith¡®s life might very well be even more difficult... After considering it, Tina took in a deep breath and knocked on the door of the room opposite hers. But other than the noise from before, no other sounds came from within the room. Tina was ready to call the hotel to leave a message about this, Unexpectedly, the door opened with a gentle push. Huh? The door hadn¡®t even been locked? She hesitated slightly before mustering the courage to go inside for a look. Just as she had predicted, the floor was an utter mess. Everything that had been on the table. was scattered in pieces all over the floor. Even more frightening was the fact that Samuel was on the ground, too! Tina discarded all of her reservations and rushed over. ¡°Samuel? Samuel?¡± Samuel¡®s eyes were shut tight. His usually expressionless face was flushed red, stretching all the way down his neck... Tina was astonished. She couldn¡®t help butrecall the time she had taken care of Keith before. Was Samuel having an allergic reaction? Samuel was tightly bundled up in the many thickyers of his suit. Tina reached out, thinking that she should undo a few buttons to check. In the next second, Samuel grasped her wrist tightly. Samuel seemed to have startled awake the second he felt someone touching him. His eyes shot open, filled with an icy killing intent. ¡°Who are you?¡± His voice was thick with vignce. ¡°It¡®s me, it¡®s me! I¡®m someone you know!¡± Tina quickly cried out. ¡°I¡¯m Linda, the designer...¡°. Samuel red daggers at her and demanded coldly, ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± ¡°I heard some noiseing from here, so I came to have a look. I saw that your door wasn¡®t closed, so I went inside. I was only curious, so please don¡®t misunderstand...!¡± Tina still wanted to exin more. However, Samuel barely heard a word in his state. He smelled the floral scent Tina was giving off, and suddenly pulled her into his embrace. Chapter 288 Chapter 288 PEST This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Not expecting that, Tina couldn¡®t help but let out a short cry. \ Just like that, she ended up falling into Samuel¡®s firm embrace. She never imagined that Samuel would use such force. She had been kneeling next to Samuel. With just a light tug, half of her body was pressed against his. Tina got up in a flurry, her face going crimson. SER It wasn¡®t because of embarrassment. Rather, she was red from pure shock! ¡°I... I... That wasn¡®t intentional, I...¡± She wanted to keep going, but then she noticed that Samuel had closed his eyes again. Tina trailed off. He had looked so calm before. Had he risen from the dead? Oh, wait. Samuel hadn¡®t died yet... Tinained to herself about the injustice of it all, but things were much easier for her now that Samuel had passed out. She climbed up from Samuel¡®s chest and expended all her effort in moving the man to the She undid a few of his buttons, and then looked over him carefully. Only then did she notice that the redness on Samuel wasn¡®t because he was drunk Rather, he was allergic to the material of his clothes... Most people wouldn¡®t be too picky with the material of their clothes. Conversely, some people were allergic to certain fabrics. These were aspects that a fashion designer needed to consider. At this, Tina couldn¡®t help but wipe away the cold sweat on her forehead. Although she had noted down the fabrics she used for him in detail from the start, Samuel had never said anything about it. Now, it seemed Samuel was truly allergic to the material of the clothes. If Samuel decided to me this on her, the entire studio would go down with her! After some thought, Tina started taking Samuel¡®s clothes off bit by bit. This was the first time she had done such a thing, so her face started heating up during the process. Not only was she nervous, but she was also mortified. The thing was, she couldn¡®t be held back by such a thing now. She had seen Samuel naked long before. What was the issue with seeing him undressed for a bit? After finishing with all of Samuel¡®s clothes and preparing herself mentally, she called for some hotel staff to bring up a set of pure cotton pajamas. Finally! After dumping Samuel into bed, she started clearing away the clothes she had removed. It was then that she noticed that there was something in the suit¡®s pocket. V Tina hesitated. It seemed inappropriate to be peeking on someone else¡®s things. But what if it was something valuable? If it got lost or damaged, she might have to pay for it. After giving it more thought, Tina decided to have a look. Unexpectedly, the item in Samuel¡®s expensive suit wasn¡®t anything valuable. It was just a photograph. The photo was yellowing, and seemed to be of cheap quality. There were three people in the picture. They looked happy together, probably a family... Upon seeing the photograph, Tina was leftpletely stunned. The photograph showed... She couldn¡®t help but cover her mouth in shock. . The three people in the photo were her and Samuel, along with Madam Langford. It had been her birthday. The housekeeper had sneakily taken this photo from the side. This was one of Tina¡®s very few warm memories. Looking at Madam Langford¡®s kind old face in the photo, Tina¡®s sight blurred as tears fell from her eyes. She thought all of these photos had been destroyed upon Samuel¡¯s mother, Mrs. Langford¡®s order. Tina never expected to have the chance to see one again... Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Chapter 289 In an instant, Tina¡®s emotions became aplete mess. In the past, Samuel had given the order to remove her face from the photos using chemicals, She never expected her image to still remain... On top of that, Samuel even carried the photo with him on his person. Why? Could it be...? Tina dared not think too hard about this. After all, the thought that had just popped into her head was simply tooughable. How could it be possible that Samuel kept this photograph because of her? He was probably worried he would destroy the memories of his grandmother if he used chemicals to remove Tina¡®s face. Besides, Samuel hated her so much that this was the most likely answer. Perhaps he kept it just to ensure he didn¡®t forget what his enemy looked like. Just then, Tina heard a noise behind her. Taken aback from her guilt, she turned to check. Luckily, Samuel hadn¡®t woken up yet. Tina ced the photograph on the table and went to check on Samuel. The clothes that had caused his allergic reaction had already been taken off. By rights, he should be fine now, right? Tina was quite worried. She couldn¡®t help but touch Samuel¡®s forehead. He wouldn¡®t get a fever because of this, right? Right then, Samuel grabbed her wrist again. Tina was shocked into stuttering, ¡°I didn¡®t mean it, ...¡± Only then did she realize that Samuel¡®s eyes weren¡®t even open. It had to be just a reflex. Tina touched Samuel¡®s forehead carefully and found that it wasn¡®t hot. The man was probably fine now. That was good! Tina let out a relieved breath and got ready to leave. It was only then when she caught on to the fact that Samuel was still holding tightly onto her wrist. ¡°Um ? She was in trouble now! Anxiety creeping on her, Tina wanted nothing more than to pull her hand away. Unfortunately, she couldn¡®t beat Samuel in terms of strength. ¡°He can¡®t be doing this intentionally, right?¡± Tina was a bit muddled. RE ¨C Samuel had passed out after drinking too much. How was it that he could hold onto her without letting go?! The thing was, Samuel was such a haughty person. How could he possibly hold onto someone without letting go? ¨C Him hitting her in the face by ident while sleeping was much more likely! Tina tried several other methods, but still couldn¡®t extract her hand. She was utterly dejected. She couldn¡®t possibly call for hotel staff to help her out, right? If this news spread, Samuel would definitely do her in! In this one night, Tina experienced so many ups and downs that terror filled her entire body. Some way or other, she fell asleep in a daze.../ As the sky outside lightened, Samuel finally opened his eyes. He had a splitting headache that signaled a hangover. Butpared to how he usually had to use sleeping pills to fall asleep, this wasn¡®t too bad... Samuel absently brought his hand up to rub his forehead. 02 5 Y It was at that moment that he realized something in . N?velDrama.Org owns this text. nat T His expression changed as he finally noticed a woman next to him in bed. He was even holding her tightly! Tina was immediately shocked awake by an icy oppressive feeling. ¡°You¡®re awake?¡± . Samuel recognized the woman at a nce. It was the designer Linda. Even under such circumstances, she was still wearing her hat and shades, half of her covered up tight. ¡°Why are you here...?¡± he squeezed out frigidly through gritted teeth. ¡°L...¡± . ¡°. ¨C Without waiting for Tina to exin, Samuel spat out an icymand. ¡°Get out!¡± Tina stumbled out of the door. In her carelessness, she crashed into someone. L Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Chapter 290 What bold b*stard dares bump into me! Youplete moron!¡± tel Upon hearing that roar, Tina knew she was in hot soup. Of all the people to bump into, it just had to be Cindy! ¡°I¡®m very sorry, Mrs. Langford,¡± Tina apologized, lowering her head. .¡¯ Cindy¡®s expression changed. She spat ou? What bad luck!¡± PAL ¡°Yes. I¡®m very sorry!¡± Tina kept apologizing. When she saw Cindy dressed prettily and holding a hangover cure, she could guess what Cindy was up to. It was probably for Samuel. ¡°If there¡®s nothing else, Mrs. Langford, I¡®ll let you go ahead with your day.¡± Cindy had never liked this designer. Usually, she wouldn¡®t rest until she¡®d cursed the woman out thoroughly. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. However, she had to get on Samuel¡¯s good side. She didn¡®t have the time to be petty with this ugly sow. ¡°You¡®re in luck. I need to see Samuel now, so shove off quickly!¡± Cindy screeched arrogantly. Tina ran off as if she were a refugee. Once she got away, she breathed out a sigh of relief. Before long, Cindy entered Samuel¡®s room. She didn¡®t expect the door to be open, however. Perhaps Samuel knew she was coming and had opened the door for her in anticipation? A wave of sweetness filled Cindy¡®s heart. Feeling light, she immediately pushed the door to go inside. In the most syrupy voice she could manage, she simpered, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m here...!¡± Before she could finish, Samuel¡®s enraged roar came from within. ¡°How dare youe here? Didn¡®t I already tell you?! Get the f*ck out!¡± Cindy was scared into taking a couple of steps back. She stumbled on her high heels and nearly tripped tond on the ground. ¡°Sa...Samuel, it¡®s me!¡± Cindy said weakly. Despite being in his pajamas and with his hair slightly rumpled, Samuel still remained dignified. He massaged his aching temples. His eyes reddened to the point he looked like a bloodthirsty beast. Cindy felt her legs go weak, and she nearly fell to the floor. ¨C D Thankfully, Samuel finally got a proper look and found that the woman before him wasn¡®t the ursed Linda, but Cindy instead... His sudden temper burned itself out. However, he still felt a wave of disgust at seeing Cindy. Frostily, he hissed, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sensing the change in Samuel¡®s attitude, Cindy immediately grew bold. It seemed she was someone Samuel held in a unique position in his heart. ¡°Samuel, I know you drank a lot last night because of the problems regarding the coboration. You¡®re already suffering from insomnia and constant migraines, so I knew you¡®d be suffering badly now!¡± ¡°I specifically made you a hangover remedy early this morning. Give it a try!¡± Indeed, waves of pain reverberated in Samuel¡®s head. He really needed a cure for his hangover. ¡°Bring it here,¡± he ordered. Cindy was overjoyed. She acted like a favored mistress as she handed the hangover cure to him. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m pretty good at massaging. You must be really tired, right? Let me help you rx!¡± 111 Cindy was raring to go. She wouldn¡®t let this opportunity slip! Samuel looked strapping and mature. If she could get his love, she would be the luckiest woman in the world! But before she could get her hands on him, Samuel rejected her. ¡°There¡®s no need for that!¡± Cindy could only give it up, and kept up her act of a diligent wife. She looked at the messy room and said, ¡°Samuel, let me help you clean up...¡± ¡°Oh? What¡®s this?¡± Cindy suddenly noticed a photograph ced on the table. She seemed to have seen it somewhere before, and so reached out an absent hand to pick it up. Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Chapter 291 With that confusing statement from Cindy, Samuel¡®s gaze locked in on the photograph on the table. His pupils contracted rapidly. Seeing that Cindy was about to touch the photo, he grabbed her wrist and flung it aside, ¡°Get out!¡± Cindy fell to the floor with an unceremonious thud. She was so shocked, she felt like her soul had left her body. She didn¡®t expect Samuel to be so enraged, especially when she hadn¡®t even touched that d*mned photograph yet! ¡°Samuel, I¡®m sorry! I didn¡®t mean it!¡± ¡°I know you don¡®t like other people touching your things, but I only wanted to help you clean up...¡± Samuel quickly kept the photo and shot Cindy a terrifyingly icy re of daggers. ¡°Don¡®t make me tell you twice!¡± Cindy was so scared that her mind went nk. She escaped the room in a pitiable state. She waspletely lost. All she had done was touch a photograph! Why had Samuel gotten so angry? Moreover, she hadn¡®t even had the time to get a good look at the picture. Still, she kept having the feeling that she had seen it somewhere before! But... Where? Cindy¡®s head was such a mess that she unknowingly walked to a secluded ce. A group of waiters was taking a break in the hallway, busy gossiping about the banquetst night. ¡°As expected, all the newspapers are writing about the duke¡®s son¡®s birthday. It really is a big deal...¡± ¡°The duke¡®s what? In his seventies or eighties now? He only has one son! Of course it¡®s a big deal!¡± ¡°How do I say this... The old man¡®s still got it!¡± ¡°By the way, there¡®s one more thing. I¡¯ve got some gossip about Mr. Langford. Wanna hear about it?¡± ¡°Tell us!¡± Excited, the waiter started sharing his gossip with his coworkers. ¡°You¡®ve all heard that Mr. and Mrs. Langford have a great rtionship, right? From what I¡®ve seen, it¡®s all fake!¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyesst night! Some other woman went into his room. She even called to ask for a set of pajamas!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°As for that Mrs. Langford, I heard Mr. Langford sent her off earlyst night. If you ask me, it¡®s hard to say who¡®s the realdy of the house...¡± At that moment, a woman¡®s furious shriek echoed down the hallway. ¡°What did you say?! Which b*tch is it who went into Samuel¡®s room? Tell me properly!¡± When Cindy heard all this, she rushed forward in a near frenzy and held up that gossiping waiter roughly by his cor. ¡°Samuel and I are truly in love! If you keep spouting nonsense, I¡®ll knock all your teeth out!¡± Cindy had lost every bit of her elegant mannerisms. As of this moment, she was nothing more than a crazy woman. The waiter was scared out of his wits. He sputtered, ¡°I said nothing but the truth, Mrs. Langford! If you don¡®t believe me, you can check the camera footage! Everything I said was the truth!¡± Typically when Cindy heard such things, she would dismiss it as nonsense. After all, her Samuel would never give any b*tchy temptress the time of his day. But now, finding out that there was really someone by Samuel¡®s side nearly ruined her. All the more so since she couldn¡®t find anything out about that woman. Without any hesitation, Cindy contacted the hotel¡®s management to demand camera footage of what had taken cest night. ¡°You better watch out, b*tch! I¡®ll get my hands on you!¡± Cindy swore viciously In the past, she had taken out Tina Lynd with her schemes. Even that woman¡®s child had be her stepping stone. She didn¡®t believe she couldn¡®t deal with an insignificant seductress. Cindy¡¯s eyes were focused determinedly on the camera footage. She was definitely going to make sure that seductress pay! Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Chapter 292 The camera footage showed a drunk Samuel entering his room alone. Not long afterward, a woman¡®s figure exited from the opposite room and snuck over to push open Samuel¡®s door to enter. After that, there was no sign of the womaning back out. Worse, a hotel staff had dropped by to deliver a set of pajamas. It was only at dawn that the woman, with her clothes in disarray, rushed out anxiously. In her rush, she even identally bumped into someone... ¡°Mrs. Langford, this woman is wrapped up too tightly. Half her face is covered! There¡®s no way we can tell who she is!¡± ¡°But look here. She bumped into you! You should have seen her...¡± Cindy gnashed her teeth. ¡°I know who it is!¡± It was her! It was that designer, Linda! She initially thought Linda was no more than an ugly sow. That b*tch even had a daughter of her own. As such, Linda wouldn¡®t be a threat to Cindy. Who would have thought that she would be such a schemer! She actually waited for Samuel to get drunk and spend all night with him... What a f*cking b*tch! Cindy was never going to let her off the hook! Cindy immediately turned to make a phone call. ¡°Hey, I have a private issue I need your help with...¡± At that moment, Tina left the hotel to go to the design studio after escaping Samuel and Cindy. ¡°Miss Linda, you¡®re finally back!¡± ¡°It feels like ages since we¡®ve seen you. We miss you so much!¡± The moment Tina entered the studio, all her coworkers surrounded her and expressed their concern for her. A little impatiently, Tina said, ¡°Haven¡®t we just seen each other? I called you all here to help out with the outfits for the banquet.¡±¡® ¡°That¡¯s different! That was at the Langford residence, where we had to be deferential to Everyone. We can be more open here at the studio...¡± ¡°Speaking of that, it was the first time I¡®ve been to the Langford residence. Rich people have it so nice! Their vi¡®s so huge, I nearly got lost! The family seems really happy too...¡± ¡°Come on, we¡®re not the kind of people who even have the right to dream about living the lives of the rich! Oh, right! Where¡®s Kara, Miss Linda? I haven¡®t seen Kara in so long. I miss her so much!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. At the mention of Kara, Tina¡®s expression froze. She could only say, ¡°She went back home with her uncle...¡± ¡°Went back? Why?¡± Faced with the concerned looks from all these people, Tina felt a bitterness fill her heart. ¡°I.. Just then, Tiffany spoke up. Tiffany was a huge fan of Tina. She immediately defended her idol, saying, ¡°Hey, that¡®s Miss Linda¡®s privacy! What are you digging so deep into it for? If you want to ask, ask when she¡®s getting a boyfriend!¡± With that, everyone focused on the new topic. ¡°Oh, that¡®s right. Miss Linda, when are you getting a boyfriend? There must be men lining up from Paris all the way across the continent!¡± As everyone talked andughed, a sudden ruckus exploded from outside the studio, ck cars stopped in front of the entrance one after the other. Shocked, they all asked, ¡°Why are there so many cars outside?¡± ¡°What¡®s going on?¡± Right then, someone came out of a car and asked, ¡°Is there a designer named Linda at your studio?¡± ¡®Is this man here for me?¡® Tina wondered. Her eyebrows drew together and she inquired in confusion, ¡°What seems to be the matter?¡± Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Tina was a bit wary, for she had no clue what these people were here for. Right then, someone else came out of the car and pointed at Tina. She said, ¡°That¡®s her! That¡®s the designer, Linda!¡± Tina was taken aback. It was only then that she noticed Cindy was there as well. ¡°Mrs. Langford, what¡®s...?¡± ¡°You dare to still address me as Mrs. Langford? Husband¨Cstealing b*tch! See if I don¡®t mess you up now!¡± A vicious gleam in her eye, Cindy held up her hand and screamed, ¡°All of you, start taking pictures! Take as many as you need! I want the whole world to know that this designer named Linda is nothing more than a shameless b*tch!¡±. Just then, Tina realized that the cars were all filled with paparazzi. Following Cindy¡®s words, bright white shes started up as the paparazzi furiously clicked their cameras to record all that was going on, Tina waspletely bewildered. She was unprepared, and the paparazzi blocked her way so that she could not escape. Thankfully, Tina hadn¡®t removed her disguise in her rush. Her face was still made up, covered tightly by sunsses and a face mask. Scared and nervous in her heart, she clenched her fists and said, ¡°Mrs. Langford, have you made a mistake? You know what I look like. How could I possibly steal your husband..?¡± ¡°Don¡®t try to talk your way out of this! You b*tch! I thought that since you were ugly and have a kid, you¡®ll be more careful with your behavior! But I was wrong... Totally wrong!¡± . Tici . Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Because you¡®re ugly and weird, you got jealous of how loving I am with my husband. That¡®s why you got him drunk and snuck into his hotel room to seduce him! What a brilliant schemer you are!¡± Cindy started cursing Tina out. She was even more enraged when she saw that Tina was still in her sunsses and face mask. ¡°Look at you! Even now, you¡®re still in your sunsses and face mask. You can¡®t even bear to show anyone your face. I want the world to see just how f*cking ugly you are!¡± After she said that, Cindy lunged forward to pull Tina¡®s disguise off her face. Camera lights kept shing and the sound of loud clicks went on incessantly. Cindy had called the paparazzi using Raymond¡®s connections. . This b*tch hid her face because she was an ugly sow, right? Good! Cindy would show the whole world just how ugly this b*tch was! Tina never anticipated that things would turn out this way. Nevertheless, there was no way she would just stand idly by and let things happen. She instinctively fought back and pped Cindy¡®s hands away. Cindy suddenlynded to the ground and acted as if Tina had shoved her viciously, screaming loudly. ¡°D*mned b*tch! Not only did you steal my husband, but you¡®re also attacking me now?!¡± The paparazzi were roiled into an even more furious frenzy. They surged forward and shoved their microphones in Tina¡®s face. ¡°As a famous designer, you¡®ve never shown your face to the world. Are you really so ugly?¡± ¡°You must be insanely jealous of Mrs. Langford! She¡®s so beautiful, and has a capable husband as well as an adorable son. Are you trying to ruin her family because of your jealousy?¡± ¡°No! Get out of my way! Tina knew no one would believe her no matter how she tried to exin, so she put all her effort into pushing her way through the crowd to escape. Squeezed in the throng, she tripped over someone¡®s foot and stumbled to the ground. Cindy lunged over, her eyes shing with wicked se?s. ¡°Let¡®s show everyone just how ugly you are today, Linda!¡± Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Cindy¡®s eyes shone with a delighted gleam, her pretty features twisted up in wicked glee. As long as she could remove this ugly pig¡®s sunsses and face mask, she would expose this b* tch to the world through the paparazzi¡®s camera lenses. Within a day, everyone would know just how hideous and shameless this designer was. Cindy wasn¡®t the only one in the throes of excitement. The surrounding paparazzi shared the same sentiment, eager to see how things would turn out. The cameras were all pointed straight at Tina¡®s face ¡ª There was nowhere for Tina to go. 11 ¨C LE She sank into utter hopelessness. She could do nothing but struggle to avoid Cindy¡¯s outstretched hands, covering her face as much as she could... Just as her strength gged, a man¡®s voice bellowed not far away. ¡°Stop what you¡®re doing!¡± ¨C Cindy was so startled that she shuddered. She raised her head and looked over. ¡°Sa...Samuel!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. F*ck! What was Samuel doing here?! Seeing Samuel¡¯s tall figure, Cindy was briefly stunned. Then, she hurriedly climbed from the ground. ¡°Samuel, what are you doing here...¡± Samuel¡®s expression grew even more thunderous. Without saying a word, he turned to leave. Keith¡®s small figure appeared. He said in fear, ¡°Mommy! I couldn¡®t find you and got really worried, so I got Daddy to look for you! What now? Daddy¡®s furious!¡± Cindy couldn¡®t be bothered with Keith now. She was so frightened, her legs went weak and she nearly fell to the floor. . She was so dead. Samuel hated two¨Cfaced people. Would she be ignored now, even after spending so much effort to get on Samuel¡®s good side? ¡°Samuel, it¡®s not what you think! Let me exin...!¡± A panicked Cindy chased after Samuel. At this point, Cindy had run off and disappeared without a trace. The paparazzi left behind couldn¡®t help but exchange wary nces. They had been called over by Cindy. Since the situation had changed, should they keep taking pictures? At this moment, Keith waved a hand and said authoritatively, ¡°Party¡®s over. Go back to where you came from.¡± With the order from the Langford¡®s young son, the surrounding paparazzi all vanished without a trace. Tina got up from the floor in a pitiable state. Keith went up to her and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°You came to help me?¡± Keith nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± As a genius hacker, Keith had received the information that Cindy was nning to attack Tina the moment she made the call. Afraid of exposing himself, he found an excuse and got his father toe with him... In the end, he had shown up at the key moment to prevent Tina¡®s identity from getting exposed to the public. Seeing Keith¡®s concerned gaze, Tina couldn¡®t help but let out a pained chuckle. She was so useless that she needed a five¨Cyear¨Cold child to help her out! ¡°Thank you. You saved me! I don¡®t know how to repay you.¡± As she said this, she stretched out her hand to pat Keith¡®s head. Keith immediately moved away. Haughtily, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to repay me! You took care of me when I was sick. Consider this as a favor returned! ¡°Besides, you¡®ve provoked Cindy. My advice is to escape while you can...¡± Keith continued solemnly. Actually, Tina hadn¡®t only provoked Cindy, but Samuel as well. If her identity were exposed to Samuel, she would be absolutely done for. Of course, Tina was already aware of this. But where could she go? Kara was still young, and was waiting for her to return. What would happen to Kara? She couldn¡®t tell any of this to Keith, and could only smile bitterly. ¡°I¡®ll try my best to avoid her.¡± Keith couldn¡¯t stay too long and had to leave in a rush. Tina returned to the studio. Under the bewildered gazes of her coworkers, she packed up to leave. Right then, a figure came to block her way. ¡°Hold on.¡± Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Chapter 295 The way Cindy had brought a bunch of paparazzi to crowd at their doorway had given Tina¡®s coworkers a hint. Even though Tina was alone now, none of them dared to take a step forward. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Although Tina was a well¨Cknown designer and the backbone of the studio, Cindy was someone from the Langford Group as well as Samuel Langford¡®s wife. Unexpectedly, someone stepped before her and looked at her with concern. ¡°Tiffany?¡± Perplexed, Tina looked over at the young woman and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± There must be some kind of Tiffany ¡°Miss Linda, I trust in yo misunderstanding!¡± AM Tiffany was young and bold, daring to say whatever she thought. Tina was reassured by Tiffany¡®s gaze. Yet, she said, ¡°Thank you, but I have to leave.¡± Tiffany grew anxious. ¡°Miss Linda... Do you mean you¡®re leaving the studio?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Tina gave a pained smile. ¡°I¡®m sure I won¡®t be able to work in this industry anymore. I¡®ll only be dragging all of you down with me if I stay.¡± ¡°But...¡± Tiffany wanted to say something more. Tina patted the woman¡®s shoulder and said, ¡°It¡®s alright. I¡®m leaving now. I wish you all the best!¡± After leaving the studio, Tina returned home dejectedly. She felt as if all her strength had been sapped as she sat in a dark corner. Suddenly, the phone in her pocket rang. With a nce, she discovered that Kara was calling. Right then, Tina didn¡®t dare to hesitate. She collected herself and washed her face before answering the call, ready to greet her daughter with her best self. ¡°Mommy, I called you the moment I got home from school. Why did you take so long to answer my call? You¡®re so mean, Mommy!¡± Kara said huffily. Tinaughed and replied, ¡°I¡®m sorry, I didn¡®t notice your call! What did you learn today, Kara?¡± At this point, Kara immediately got excited. ¡°We were drawing today. Look! I drew our family, Mommy!¡± The way Kara showed off her drawing to the screen was like someone presenting a priceless gift. ¡°Mommy, look! There¡®s a big person and a small person. It¡®s you and me!¡± Tina looked at the big and small stick figures that were holding hands and wearing skirts. They looked close. Only, there was a scribble of ck to the side. Curious, she asked, ¡°What¡®s this ck thing over there?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡®s Daddy!¡± Stunned, Tina asked, ¡°What...?¡± ¡°I only drew you and me, but the teacher said to draw a father. Since Daddy died ages ago, I drew a huge coffin!¡± ¡°Aren¡®t I smart, Mommy?¡± Kara said, pleased. ¡°Those other kids said I drew differently from them, but they¡®re the ones without any artistic taste! Right?¡± Tina¡®s heart clenched in pain. ¡°They didn¡®t bully you, did they?¡± ¡°I don¡®t get bullied anymore! Keith taught me to fight back if anyone insults me. They don¡®t dare bully me anymore!¡± Although Tina felt sad, she smiled and said, ¡°Good job, Kara!¡± Just as Tina was about to say more, the phone screen shed with an unknown number. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Tina was momentarily stunned. She then said to Kara, ¡°Kara, let me answer this call first.¡± ¡°Okay. Is it rted to work? I won¡®t disturb you anymore, Mommy. Bye!¡± Kara said obediently. Tina answered the call. ¡°Hello...?¡± ¡°It¡®s me.¡± Cindy¡®s voice came from the other end of the line. Tina¡®s expression changed. Why was Cindy calling her now? However, the unexpected thing was how gentle Cindy sounded. It waspletely differentpared to her previous arrogance. ¡°About today... It was all a misunderstanding. I was too upset,¡± Cindy said. ¡°Pleasee over, Linda. I¡®ll apologize to you in person.¡± Tina became a bit nervous. Why was Cindy being so uncharacteristically nice? She didn¡®t believe it at all! ¡°There¡®s no need, Mrs. Langford. Since it was just a misunderstanding, let¡®s just leave it at that,¡± Tina said. Cindy¡®s kind tone changed at that very instant. She shot out angrily, screeching at the top of her lungs, ¡°You¡®re so uppity! I¡®m already saying I¡®ll apologize! Do you think I¡®d trick you? I can¡®t let Samuel think I¡®m an unreasonable woman!¡± ¡°Besides, I still have lots of your things with me. You bettere here quick and pack all your things up and go!¡±. After saying that, Cindy hung up the phone immediately. Tina gnashed her teeth. She had already offended Cindy. Who knew what kind of trick Cindy woulde up with if she refused to go now. Besides, Cindy didn¡®t know Tina¡®s true identity. The only reason she wanted Tina to be there was to maintain her pure image before Samuel. After all, what Samuel liked most was the soft and sweet Cindy¡­ After checking her disguise, Tina rushed to the entrance of the vi. As expected, Cindy had been waiting for a while at the door. Behind her, several servants had various bags in their grasp. They were all things Tina had left at the vi. ¡°Here, this is all your stuff! I got the staff to pack them all up. Take them all away and stop taking up my space!¡± Cindy screamed. Tina lowered her head and said meekly, ¡°Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Langford.¡± She got her things and was ready to go when Cindy called out again. ¡°I¡®m not done! It¡®s not polite for you to just leave before I finish speaking.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Tina¡®s heart was beating like a drum. Who knew what.Cindy was up to now? ¡°What else would you like to say, Mrs. Langford?¡± Cindy sounded overjoyed as she spoke. ¡°Samuel¡®s annoyed to find out that I went to make trouble for you today. He said that, as Mrs. Langford, I shouldn¡®t be bothered with insignificant people like you.¡± ¡°Besides, men like him prioritize their image to the world. I was too impulsive. I shouldn¡®t have called the paparazzi to cover the incident...? ¡°By the way! To reassure me, Samuel got me a diamond ring. Do you think it¡®s pretty?¡± As Cindy said this, she raised her hand and yed with the ring on her finger. At that, Tina raised her head for a quick look. ¡°That¡®s...¡± Tina was astonished. ¡°It¡®s a pigeon egg diamond ring! I¡®m sure you don¡®t know about it. In the past, only royalty could wear them! Even at an auction, it¡®s worth millions!¡± Cindy bragged. The diamond ring Cindy wore was familiar to Tina. It seemed the reason Samuel had expended so much effort to locate her, the thief, wasn¡®t to find her. Instead, it was to find that ring. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Thinking about it again, it made sense to Tina. Since Samuel loved Cindy so much, then he would want to give her the world. Her own life was worthless. The ring was much more valuable! Cindy was purposely showing off to Tina. Seeing that Tina wasn¡®t going to respond, she studied Tina¡¯s dull look and got even more pleased. ¡°Why are you staying so quiet? Are you stunned into silence because you haven¡®t seen such an expensive ring before?¡± ¡°That¡®s right. Mr. Langford simply spoils you, Mrs. Langford. I¡®m really envious.¡± Tina simply went along with Cindy. ¡°Is there anything else, Mrs. Langford?¡±. ¡°Yes, there is!¡± Cindy threw a check disdainfully at Tina¡®s feet. ¡°This is yourpensation. Hold onto it well! There¡®s no need to thank me. I know someone like you will never be able to make this kind of money, even if you work half your life!¡± Tina nced at the check by her foot and saw that it was worth 750,000 dors. It was indeed a lot of money. In fact, the amount was many times over what she had managed to save in the past five years! ¡°What, is it not enough?¡± Cindy spat arrogantly. ¡°That¡®s not it. It¡®s just so much money, I was taken aback. Thank you, Mrs. Langford.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Tina knew that Cindy was intentionally degrading her. Yet, she did not have the ability to go against Cindy. Therefore, Tina only lowered her head and reached for the check on the floor. ¡°If there¡®s nothing else, Mrs. Langford, I¡®ll be leaving now.¡± Tina kept the check, secured her bags, and turned to go. ¡°Hold on! Don¡®t leave from the front door. I don¡®t want your hideous appearance to bother Samuel. I¡®ll have a servant show you out. Just follow her!¡± The vi Cindy lived in was enormous. Without someone to lead the way, it was easy for one to get lost. Even if Tina had lived here for some time, she was still unfamiliar with the surroundings of the vi. PIV Following behind the servant with all her bags, she started sweating in no time. ¡°Excuse me, but could you please slow down? I can¡®t keep up,¡± Tina begged. The servant spat back insultingly, ¡°Can¡®t you walk any faster? I¡®m already going really slowly. | 1/2 If I get backte, Mrs. Landford will reprimand me!¡± Tina expended a lot of effort to follow the servant. But the further she went, the more she sensed that something was off. ¡°Have we been going in circles?¡± Not far away was a man¨Cmadeke. She had seen the sameke quite a few times already! Just as Tina looked around in curiosity, she suddenly realized that the servant showing the way had disappeared. Scared, Tina looked around her. Somehow, she had lost her way! What now? Tina grew anxious. It seemed she had gotten lost within the vi, and there were no servants nearby. Would she be stuck here for the night? Tina put down the bags in her hands and took out her phone for a quick look. The vi was so enormous that she didn¡®t even have any signal! Just as Tina was despairing about what to do, someone shoved her hard from behind. with a ssh, Tina ended up in the manmadeke. For a second, she was frightened beyond words. Right at that moment, she finally caught sight of the vanished servant. The servant stood on the bank, looking pleased. ¡°Mrs. Langford said that those who offend her must die!¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Chapter 298 After shoving Tina into the man¨Cmadeke, the servant stood on the bank and watched silently as Tina struggled in the water. After making sure that Tina didn¡®t know how to swim and watching her struggle, the servant said gleefully, ¡°This is what happens to those who offend Mrs. Langford. I don¡®t think you¡¯ll get to spend all that money anymore, you unlucky wretch!¡± ¡°Who knows how many pretty girls have died in thiske. They all tried and failed to get close to Mr. Langford. You¡®ll be the first ugly one. You should feel proud!¡± ¡°No¡­ Save me...!¡± ¡°There¡®s no one here to save you. You can scream all you want, but it¡®s pointless. Someone will fish your body out tomorrow!¡± Seeing that Tina¡®s struggling was weaker now, the servant left. She was pleased, certain that Tina would drown in a moment. After being thrown into the sea with her daughter under Samuel¡®s orders five years ago, Tina had developed a fear of water. It was because of this that she could never learn to swim. Who would have thought that her life would be at risk again? And she was drowning, too! N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Tina didn¡®t want to die. She wanted to live. However, the vi¡®s manmadeke was so deep that it might as well be bottomless. She felt as though her body was made of lead as she kept sinking. Her strength was quickly fading away... Just then, a sturdy figure leapt into the water with a ssh and retrieved Tina from the watery depths. The second she got ashore, Tina slumped and started coughing desperately. She spat out all the water that she had inadvertently drunk. She was now in an utter mess, her disguise lost to the water. Her baggy clothes stuck close to her figure from the water, her slim waist making her fragile and pitiful. As Tina coughed, her mind fell into a blur. Exhaustion settled as her strength failed her. Laying on the ground, she could just barely see a pair of men¡®s shoes in front of her. She raised her head weakly and said, ¡°Thank...you...¡± Yet at that moment, Tina¡®s words of gratitude suddenly cut off. This was because she finally noticed who was standing before her. It was Samuel Langford. Even worse was the sharpness in Samuel¡®s eyes as they regarded her loftily from above. Tina could see the way she looked through his eyes. Her disguise waspletely gone. Samuel wasn¡®t angry. Instead, he was calm in a way he had never been before as he regarded the haggard woman before her. Laughing coldly, he hissed, ¡°You dare show up before me, Tina Lynd?¡± At that moment, all the blood in Tina froze. A buzzing noise filled her mind. Between certain death in the water and life in Samuel¡¯s hands, Tina knew she was in trouble either way! Thoroughly soaked, Tina shivered. Whether it was from the cold or the fear was unknown. Samuel shifted his gaze away from the ursed woman and looked at the bags scattered around. ¡°So you¡®re that designer, Linda?¡± No wonder he couldn¡®t find that d*mned woman! Apparently, she had changed her name and transformed from Tina Lynd into this designer, Linda. No wonder he couldn¡®t locate Tina after the incident in the slums. It seemed she had made preparations to hide by his side early on. ¡°Good job, Tina. You¡®ve still got it,¡± Samuel spat. ¡°Every time you put on an act, it¡®s always so unexpected and so entertaining.¡± Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Tina turned to run away, but Samuel caught her by the neck and gripped it tight. ¡°You should¡®ve just drowned, Tina!¡± Samuel¡®s grip grew tighter, strangling her. After all her struggling in the water, Tina was too weak to fight back. Coupled with Samuel clenching her neck with a vice grip, her sight started to go dark. Before long, she lost consciousnesspletely. After who knows how long, Tina was awoken by a pain at her neck. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw someone in a white coat approaching her slowly. He seemed to be saying something... ¡°Who knows when she¡®ll wake up.¡± ¡°She¡®s very weak. I¡®m afraid she won¡®t be waking up soon. We better set up an IV drip...¡± Tina¡®s hearing was unclear. It was as if she was still at the bottom of theke, while the speakers were on the shore. When she noticed the cold glint of a needle closing in on her, she nched and instinctively pushed out a hand to shove it aside. ¡°W¨CWhat are you doing?!¡± Because she had nearly drowned, Tina¡®s voice was hoarse. Terror filled her gaze as she looked at the people standing around her. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The surrounding medical staff were shocked by her sudden outburst. ¡°We¡®re here to treat you, You fell into the water, and you need an IV...¡± Memories of the recent happenings past shed through Tina¡®s mind at that instant. She touched her neck and asked in shock, ¡°Am I still alive?¡± Her entire body ached, her head pounded, and her neck stung. She felt as though she had been throttled to death then brought back to life... However, the pain was proof that she wasn¡®t dead. Had Samuel showing up been just an illusion? ¡°Of course you¡®re still alive. When you wereatose, Mr. Langford sent you here.¡± As the medical staff exined everything, they regarded Tina with curiosity. After all, everyone knew Samuel Langford was already married. The Langford couple frequently attended events together. Mrs. Langford was always the center of attention when standing by Mr. Langford¡®s side. Everyone thought they were the ideal couple... Yet, Mr. Langford had been the one who sent Tina here, severely hurt. This sent everyone into a flurry of conjecture. | Intrigued gazes settled on her, but Tina ignored them all. Upon hearing that Samuel had sent her here, Tina¡®s mind imploded. She slumped into the sickbed, feeble and in despair... ¡°Don¡®t worry. Since Mr. Langford was the one who sent you here, we¡®ll definitely make sure that you¡®ll be fine.¡± ¡°That¡®s right. Please cooperate with us. Let¡®s hurry up with the IV...¡± Once again, the medical staff tried to approach Tina. However, adrenaline took hold of Tina and she exploded in a burst of energy. She renewed her struggle and screamed, ¡°Don¡®te any closer!¡± Noticing that the door of the ward was wide open, she shoved past everyone and rushed out as fast as her legs could carry her. ¡°Hey! Hey! Why are you running away? Stand still!¡±. ¡°Help! The patient in the VIP ward...!¡± Back in the ward, the medical staff hit the rm button. Sprinting through the hallways of the hospital, Tina grabbed a passing staff member and demanded in a frenzied tone, ¡°I want to get out! Which way is the exit?!¡± Frightened, the staff member pointed. Without hesitating, Tina ran in that direction. Not far away was the main entrance of the hospital... Tina¡®s eyes lit up as her heart burned with hope. Just as she stumbled over to the exit, a tall figure came into view after she turned into a corner. His arms were powerful as he effortlessly stopped Tina in her tracks. D Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Chapter 300 The way out was just right there. The moment Tina¡®s path was blocked, her heart froze, Just then, the medical staff rushed from behind. ¡°You¡®re still unwell, so don¡®t run about...¡± Now that they had caught up to Tina, they were about to take her away when they noticed the man standing there. They received such a great shock that they began to tremble. ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± They hurriedly bowed their heads and carefully avoided Samuel¡®s gaze as they greeted him respectfully. The person blocking Tina¡®s way was none other than Samuel Langford. Before, Tina had been on herst leg. Now, she was thoroughly out of energy. She slumped limply into Samuel¡®s embrace. Samuel, unaffected, scooped her up roughly and said, ¡°Lead the way.¡± The medical staff were all stunned by Samuel¡®s behavior. What was going on? Who was this woman that made Mr. Langforde here personally? He was carrying her too! It seemed not even Mrs. Langford received this kind of treatment. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Only, none of them dared to ask or say anything. They only lowered their heads and led the way back in silence. In no time at all, Tina was returned to her ward. Samuel dumped her into the bed without a care and retrieved a handkerchief to wipe his hands clean. His gaze tainted with disgust, he red at her and growled haughtily, ¡°You can¡®t escape. You¡®d better just stay put.¡± Tina had been trembling all over ever since she caught sight of Samuel. ¡°Please, Samuel, I¡®m begging you. Please let me go...¡± ¡°Let you go?¡± Samuel continued arrogantly. When he smiled, it entuated his well¨Cdefined features and chiseled jaw. He looked as if someone had just told him a hrious joke. ¡°How many times have you tricked me? Do you think I¡®d let you off the hook so easily?¡± As expected... Tina¡®s entire body went cold as her fear intensified. This man was practically a demon! O He kept holding a grudge against her. Even though he had already given the order to kill her once, he still wouldn¡®t let her go! Right then, there were knocks from the door. Startled, Tina curled into a terrified ball and shivered in fright. ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± A subordinate came in and handed over a dossier. He swept his gaze over Tina before saying deferentially, ¡°We¡®ve found her daughter¡®s location. She¡®s in Freesia...¡± Her daughter? In an instant, Tina felt like she was being throttled. She raised her head in disbelief. ¡°Samuel Langford, what are you going to do?!¡± Samuel epted the dossier from his subordinate. This time, the information he had about her was true. It detailed all that had happened to Tina in the past five years. ¡°No wonder you managed to escape. It seems Frederick¡®s put a lot of effort into this.¡± It was hard to tell how Samuel actually felt about this from his tone. ¡°Five years ago, no one knew if you were dead or alive, and Frederick Jackson left without any notice. Now, he brings a little girl back to Freesia. Everyone¡®s saying he¡®s eloped with some woman...¡± ¡°Seems you have a pretty good rtionship with each other. Back then, both of you were already tightly entwined. Now, you have a five¨Cyear¨Cold b*stard child with him too?¡± Hearing Samuel mention Frederick and Kara, Tina could no longer breathe. In desperation he forced herself forward and knelt before Samuel. ¡°Please, Samuel, I¡®m begging you! This has nothing to do with them. It¡®s all my fault. It¡®s just me. Frederick only saved me once, and Kara is just a child. Please let them go!¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Samuel, however, ignored the groveling Tina. Instead, he threw the papers he was holding and told his assistants, ¡°?o get that man and the child she gave birth to.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Terrified, Tina begged, ¡°Please! You can¡®t!¡± She had been hiding the entire time. She couldn¡®t drag Frederick and Kara into this mess! Never did she think that her worst nightmare would come true! The door was closed and locked from the outside, leaving Tina sinking in helplessness. She turned around and looked at the man standing in front of her. ¡°Mr. Langford, please! I¡®m the one you want! Don¡®t drag them into this! Please!¡± Samuel chuckled and repeated icily, ¡°You¡®re the one I want?¡± Samuel¡®s response lit up hope within Tina. ¡°Yes! You can do whatever you want with me! Even if it means killing me, I¡¯ll dly ept it. But Kara is innocent, and she¡®s only a child¡­¡± Samuel¡®s tone was full of sarcasm as he cut Tina off. ¡°Really? Why should I care?¡± Tina felt her blood turn cold. ¡°Did you really think you¡®re that special? I¡®ll make sure to torture anyone who angered me!¡± ¡°You¡®ve been having fun with Frederick for so many years. You even have a child with him! How naive of you to think I would just let you off the hook.¡± TU ¡°No, Kara is your child, she...¡± Samuel¡®s smile became even more twisted, ¡°My child, but with the blood with Frederick¡®s?¡± Kara had the same blood type as Tina, which was the rh negative blood type. Coincidentally, Frederick had the same blood type. Tina hurriedly exined, ¡°That¡®s just a coincidence. He has the same blood type as me! You can check...¡± ¡°Even if you¡®re righ?, so what?¡± Samuel said, ¡°A sl*t like you with my child? You don¡®t deserve it!¡± Every word was akin to a knife stabbing through Tina¡®s heart. Samuel finished his sentence and walked towards the door. While staring at the edge of the table, Tina suddenly had the desire to die But Samuel, who had not left the room, looked at her coldly, ¡°Don¡®t you dare, Tina.¡± With that threat, he left the room. Tina copsed onto the floor, all hopes lost. She couldn¡®t die. It was evident Samuel wanted nothing more than to torment Tina until she sumbed to death. Even worse, he was using Frederick and Kara as leverage... If she died, Samuel would definitely direct his wrath to them. No... She couldn¡®t die. The medical team soon appeared and looked at Tina, who was lying on the ground. ¡°Ms. Lynd, your condition is unstable. Please follow us...¡± ¡°Okay, I will.¡± Tina nodded her head without hesitation. ¡°I won¡®t die.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She must survive. In order to find hope, she mustn¡®t die. F Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Tina almost drowned and received a terrible shock, so she had a high fever right after Samuel left. The fever had left her feeling groggy. Yet, what worried her most was Frederick and Kara. She must alert them before Samuel could find them! Just as the medical officers were about to leave, she held desperately onto their sleeves. ¡°Can I borrow your phone for just a while?¡± All her belongings were dropped into theke, and the same happened to her phone. Currently, Tina was fraught with panic. She knew how cruel Samuel could be. After all, he had no qualms about throwing both her and her newborn in the ocean five years ago. Now that Samuel had sent people to get them, who knew what he would do to them! The medical officers hesitated, just as Tina had expected. ¡°Uh... Mr. Langford said that without his permission, you cannot contact anyone...¡± ¡°Please!¡± Tina shouted desperately, begging repeatedly. ¡°I just wish to know how my child is doing. Just one phone call, please? I just want her to be safe! She¡®s only five... Please!¡± Tina¡®s pale face brought pity among the medical officers. When she brought up her five¨Cyear¨Cold child, they were shaken. They knew Samuel was a deeply cruel and callous man, bordering on inhuman. He wouldn¡®t hesitate to torment the child. This woman in front of them had offended Samuel, so her death was a matter of course. But was it right to involve an innocent child?! After a few moments, the medical officer looked at the door. There were bodyguards outside the door guarding the room 24/7. ¡°The bodyguards are changing shifts. Do it now!¡± ¡°Okay! Thank you so much!¡± Tina pressed the keypads with trembling fingers. As Kara¡®s phone was programmed to not ept strangers¡® numbers, Tina had no choice but to call Frederick However, Frederick did not pick up. Her anxiety intensified ever more. Frightened, she continued calling him again and again. When she saw that the bodyguards were almost done changing shifts, she could practically hear her own heart pounding against her chest. Finally... The line went through, and Tina blurted in a high¨Cpitched tone, ¡°Frederick! It¡®s me, Tina! Samuel¡®s on his way to get you and Kara! You have to leave now...!¡± Tina quickly said all that she could and finished her sentence hurriedly, but there was no response from the other side. Confused, Tina double checked the phone number. It was the correct one. ¡°Frederick? Are you there? Please, talk to me...¡± Strangely enough, the sound of a man¡®s breathing could be heard from the other end of the phone. That man let out a cruel chuckle. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Frederick? Seems like you still wish to keep in contact with him.¡± Tina stood up immediately. All the blood rushed to her in an instant. ¡°S¨CSamuel..? How... Why are you¡­?¡± Why was Samuel using Frederick¡®s phone? Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Chapter 303 ¡°Why?¡± Samuel found her question to be the joke of the century. His tone grew sinister as he went on, ¡°I told you that I¡®ll torture you. Have you forgotten that already?¡± ¡°Tina! You need to run! You have to escape...!¡± Frederick¡®s voice could be heard from the phone. But before Tina could say anything, the call died there and then. No matter how many times Tina tried to redial, it was to no avail. Her number was blocked. Tina felt her entire body trembling. ¡®Samuel picked up the phone. He¡®s already got to Frederick!¡® That means...? Kara!¡® ¡°They¡®re in trouble! She rushed out of the room, ¡°I want to see Mr. Langford! Bring me to him!¡± But the bodyguards were twice her size and pinned her down almost immediately. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford had orders to keep you in the room.¡± Now that she knew both Frederick and Kara were in trouble, how could Tina sit still? She gritted her teeth and screamed fiercely, ¡°If you insist, then I¡®ll kill myself in front of you right now! He definitely told you that I can¡®t die, am I right? If anything happened to me, what do you think will happen to you guys?¡± Right then, Tina grabbed a sharp tool and pointed it at her neck. If anything happened to Kara, then there was no reason left for her to live! Her actions scared the bodyguards. This woman might look physically weak, but who knew she would be this determined to go against Mr. Langford! ¡°You...¡± Tina took a deep breath and cut herself even deeper. The medical officers were already panicking. ¡°No! If she cuts any deeper, then she¡®ll be in trouble...¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Finally, the bodyguards gave in. If anything did happen to her, they would be damned! ¡°We¡®ll call Mr. Langford now!¡± ¡°Put that down! We can talk this out.¡± Tina knew they were just trying to drag the time. Incensed, she continued furiously, ¡°I don¡®t have the time to chit chat with you! I need to see him now! I won¡®t let anything happen to my family!¡± The bodyguards can feel sweat drenching their entire body. They had never seen such a troublesome woman, yet Mr. Langford gave his orders to keep her alive! without further dy, one of them contacted Mr. Langford. ¡°Tina Lynd! You dare threaten me?!¡± From the other side of the phone came Samuel¡®s cold voice. Tina held back her tears andughed weakly as she went, ¡°I¡®ll be dead anyway, so why not? Juste at me and leave them alone, Samuel!¡± Samuel only sneered. Tina took another deep breath, ¡°If I die this easily, you won¡®t be satisfied either. Just let me meet them, please... You can do whatever you want with me...¡± But the only response she got was the sound of the phone hanging up. e Tina was inplete despair at this point. The bodyguard approached her and said, ¡°There¡®s a dinner tonight. If you can satisfy Mr. Langford, Miss Lynd, you might get your chance.¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 That stunned Tina. ¡°Dinner? What dinner?¡± But the bodyguard ignored her question and replied curtly, ¡°You¡®ll know.¡± However, that served to make Tina all the more anxious, Will Samuel really let her meet them if she behaved well? But Samuel hated her so much, so it definitely wouldn¡®t be easy¡­ Tina had no choice but to attend the dinner. She clenched her fists in determination, knowing this was probably her only remaining ray of hope. If this was how Samuel wanted to torture her, then she would have to follow. ¡°Mr. Langford will pick you up at night.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Tina was still feeling sick, especially after the events that had transpired that day. Yet, she dared not fall asleep and sat awake on bed, waiting anxiously for Samuel¡®s inevitable return. Finally... After waiting for quite some time, she heard the sound of cars. Cars were entering outside. Tina subconsciously stood up. Just as she predicted, the bodyguards soon opened the door. ¡°Mr. Langford is here. You may go now.¡± Tina stared dumbly at her current attire. How was she to go to a formal dinner with the way she was dressed? Perhaps this was Samuel¡®s way of humiliating her? Tina bunched up the corners of her clothes with her sweaty palms as she tottered down the stairs. The bodyguards were following closely behind her, fearing that she would flee at any second. But as Tina knew that Frederick and Kara were still in Samuel¡®s hands, she wouldn¡®t dare to run away recklessly. Like it or not, she had to obey Samuel¡®s every whim. Meanwhile, Samuel was sitting casually in the backseat of the car. Tina¡®s breathing stopped the moment she spotted Samuel. He was ring at her. The woman in front of him was wearing a patient¡®s uniform, too weak to even stand up straight In spite of her woeful state, she deserved none of his pity or sympathy. She had manipted him again and again, and he had enough of her schemes. His stare was full of disgust as hemanded, ¡°Get in now.¡± Without hesitation, Tina jumped into the car. She distanced herself from Samuel, opting to sit close to the car door. Now that they were in the same car, Tina could smell the alcohol reeking out of Samuel. She wondered, ¡®Did he drink?? Tina recalled that Samuel hade straight from a business meeting. Thus, it was only natural for him to drink... The only thing Tina should worry about right now was herself. Due to her anxiousness, she had been avoiding him since the start. However, Tina¡®s vision went ck as Samuel flung a dress on her. ¡°Put this on.¡± Confused, Tina looked at the dress. Upon seeing it, her face turned white immediately. ¡°This is...¡± To say the dress was sexy and revealing would be aplete understatement. It was scanty attire a prostitute would wear. Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Still puzzled, Tina asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± But Samuel wasn¡®t nning to answer. ¡°If you want to see them, then get dressed now.¡± Tina¡®s already pale face went paler as she clutched the horrible dress. ¡°H¨CHere?¡± ¡°Where else?¡± Samuel nced at her with an insulting sneer. ¡°Why are you acting like a prude all of a sudden?¡± She had done everything with Frederick, to the point she had a daughter with him. How dare she act all coy and innocent now! ¡°I...¡± Tina bit her lower lip in reluctance. s, she knew there was no hope in fighting back Her face still ashen, she agreed weakly. ¡°Okay, I will.¡± ¡®So this is how he is going to torture me.¡® Knowing well that Frederick and Kara¡®s fates depend on Samuel, Tina had no choice but to obey Samuel¡®s cruel whims. Tina unbuttoned her clothes with her trembling hands, trying hard to ignore the driver. As for Samuel, his face became more and more gloomy when he saw her doing so. He pressed a button, and the baffle rose. ¡°You¡®re really good at seducing men, aren¡®t you? To think you¡®re willing to strip in front of anyone.¡± Tina couldn¡®t respond as she was still trembling in fear. ¡®Isn¡®t this what he wanted?¡± She had no choice but to continue changing. Not long after, the car stopped. Samuel walked straight out of the car without bothering to wait for Tina. Tina too didn¡®t hesitate to follow Samuel. She soon realized that they were at a high¨Css restaurant, and that everyone around them was dressed formally. This inadvertently put Tina in the center of attention... She didn¡®t need to guess to know that everyone was looking at her as though she was a clown. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Tina clenched her fists until her nails dug deep in her palms. She controlled her urge to escape and followed Samuel meekly. She had her head down the entire time. When she reached the entrance, she was suddenly blocked from advancing. ¡°You can¡®t go in there!¡± Tina lifted her head up, only to see that Samuel was already walking in front of her. He had almost disappeared in the hallway. Afraid that she would anger Samuel, ¡®T¡®ina said anxiously, ¡°I¡®m here with him...¡± The bodyguard turned around to look, and it was Mr. Langford. Everyone knew who Samuel was. There was no way this woman came with him. ¡°That¡®s impossible! Go look in the mirror, you ugly woman! Stop having unrealistic dreams!¡± the bodyguard red at her sarcastically. Everyone around Tina startedughing mockingly at her. The bodyguards approached her to throw her out. Just then, they heard a voice interrupting them. ¡°Wait, I know thisdy. She¡®s my partner for dinner.¡± Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Tina turned around, embarrassed beyond everything. The speaker turned out to be Raymond Cohen. He was gentle and friendly as always. Just a word from him, and the bodyguards let go of her immediately. Released from the guards¡® capture, Tina quickly ran in Samuel¡®s direction. Not long after Samuel entered the private room, he saw ¡®Tina walking in, with Raymond following her at the back. ¡°Mr. Cohen,¡± Samuel said in a low tone. Raymond frowned as he looked at Samuel and back to Tina. Hesitating slightly, he began,¡° You¡®re...¡± ¡°Mr. Cohen. Like I said, this woman has offended me. She deserves this.¡± ¡°I¡®m open to talk about work¨C rted matters. Other than that, it¡®s none of your business.¡± Samuel¡®s tone and attitude were severe. Raymond was left with no option but to look at Tina with eyes of pity. All these years, countless women tried seducing Samuel. All of them died in silence. Yet, Tina was able to offend him again and again. Samuel might not notice this himself, but Tina definitely held a special ce in his heart. Otherwise, why was she able to survive until now? Unfortunately, Raymond was in no ce to make anyments. Afterward, people started walking into the private room. All of them were in formal attire. Only Tina stood out among them like a sore thumb. In particr, a man in his sixties couldn¡®t stop staring at her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Mr. Langford, this is...?¡± Samuel replied coldly, ¡°No one important.¡± Noticing Samuel¡®s icy tone, the man got excited and continued staring at her. He even stretched his hands to caress Tina¡®s revealed thigh. Bang! Samuel flung the documents on the table, making a loud sound. ¡°Who did this work? Didn¡®t they not notice such big mistakes?¡± That gave the man a good scare. He tore his eyes away from Tina and started scolding his secretaries. ¡°It¡®s all your fault! Didn¡®t I tell you to double¨Ccheck all the ounts? Quick, apologize now!¡± Oddly enough, the female secretaries were thrilled. They hurriedly approached Samuel. ¡°Apologies, Mr. Langford!¡± ¡°We made a mistake! Why don¡®t we pour you a drink? Please forgive us...¡± The secretaries were slowly leaning forward, trying to shift their bodies against Samuel. Samuel¡®s face became thunderous. ¡°This is a ce for work, not a brothel! Get out now!¡± Not only were the two secretaries kicked out of the room, but Tina was also forced to leave. The secretaries were furious, and started cursing in French. After all, that was a once¨Cin¨Ca¨Clifetime chance. Their employer was already in his sixties and looked utterly hideous. If only they were lucky enough to capture Mr. Langford¡®s attention! s, all of their ns were ruined! Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Tina, however, fled as quickly as she could. The waiters around her began to gossip and pointed fingers at her. ¡°How did such a person get into here? This is a high¨Css restaurant!¡± ¡°It seems she followed Mr. Langford. Mr. Cohen saved her¡­¡± ¡°Ew! Is she seducing two men at a time?¡± ¡°That¡®s so disgusting! What if she has some STDs? It might affect our business if other clients see her!¡± 1 Tina managed to hide in the washroom as everyone continued to gossip about her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Not longter, heavy footsteps came from outside. Suddenly, a huge obese figure entered the washroom and blocked the entrance with his portly belly. It was the same lecherous man back in the private room. Tina was shocked and went on the defensive almost immediately. ¡°Why are you here?¡± The man rubbed his palms together as he leered at Tina. ¡°Why can¡®t I be here? I¡®ve noticed you back there! You¡®re the one who offended Mr. Langford, aren¡®t you? It seems you¡®re having a pathetic life with him. Why note to me? I¡®ll make you one of my secretaries. What do you think?¡± Tina gritted her teeth and rejected him without hesitation. ¡°No thanks!¡± ¡°No? Stop pretending to be a prude!¡± Her words angered the man. ¡°Judging from your dress, isn¡®t it obvious that Mr. Langford is nning to sell you away?¡± Tina¡®s face turned pale instantly. She finally understood why Samuel brought her here. It wasn¡®t just to torture and humiliate her. He was nning to sell her away to others, just like what this man did to his two secretaries! Why else would he bring her here and force her in such a revealing outfit?! ¡°No, that¡®s not possible!¡± Despiteher terror, Tina still fought back with trembling lips. ¡°How¡®s that impossible? Just follow me!¡± The man strode towards Tina and grabbed her by the arm. ¡°If you can satisfy me, then I might request you from Mr. Langford. If not, be prepared to serve more men!¡± Not too long ago, she was resting in the hospital and recovering from her illness after an episode of almost drowning. At this point, Tina was too weak to fight back. She had no more strength in her. ¡°Let go of me... Someone, please help me!¡± ¡°Help you? Who would want to help a woman like you?¡± A wicked smile could be seen on the man¡®s wrinkly face. ¡°Nobody will care about you, not even Mr. Langford! He might as well just sell you to me!¡± Filled with desperation and hopelessness, Tina continued to struggle. Just then, the man let out a terrible scream. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± He stumbled to the side as a kick assaulted him. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Chapter 308 The kick came from none other than Samuel Langford. Specifically, Samuel¡®s kick was aimed directly at the man¡®s lower part. Soon the many crumpled on the floor, unconscious. Samuel red at Tina. When he spoke, his tone was full of insulting sarcasm. ¡°Tina! I told you to leave the private room, not to seduce men! Are you really this desperate?!¡± Tina was too weak to say anything. The only thing she could do was tremble in fear. Samuel looked at her, repulsion and hate evident in his dagger¨Clike gaze. As he turned around, Tina threw her body to him and hugged his leg tightly. ¡°Don¡®t leave...¡± Samuel yelled harshly, ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°No!¡± Tina was terrified, especially when she knew what would happen to her if Samuel decided to sell her. She would be damned! By then, nobody would be able to help her! ¡°Samuel...... I want to go... Please let me go...!¡± Tina begged in a shaky voice. ¡°Go?¡± Samuel stared coldly at Tina and chuckled. ¡°Isn¡®t this what you wanted? Don¡®t you want to see Frederick and your child? Are you giving up already?¡± Hearing Samuel mention the two, Tina trembled even more. ¡°I...¡± ¡°Aren¡®t you going to let go of me?¡± Tina gritted her teeth as sadness filled her body. She had nothing to use to retaliate against Samuel. If she wanted to, she could just kill herself and die But what about her family? What about Kara?! Standing before her was a demon who wouldn¡®t hesitate to direct his wrath anger to Kara and her family, and torture them in her stead! Tina slowly let go of her hands. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Samuel was incredibly annoyed. This woman had fooled him with her tricks again and again. He flung Tina¡®s hands away without a single ounce of pity. ¡°Get back to the car!¡± Samuel turned around without looking back. Tina tried keeping up to his pace as she knew if she couldn¡®t; Samuel might just leave her here. Unfortunately, she was too weak to walk properly. Soon, she fell to the ground again. Just then, a figure appeared before her. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Tina lifted her head and saw Raymond Cohen. Having gone through the lecherous old man prior, Tina could only stare defensively at him. Raymond couldn¡®t bother to exin himself, either. ¡°If you don¡®t walk faster, he¡®ll just drive away. How would you leave?¡± Without hesitation, Tina grabbed Raymond¡®s hand and got back up. When she finally got out of the restaurant, Samuel¡®s car was already leaving without her. Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Tina threw herself at the car without hesitation. That gave the driver a shock, and he immediately stepped on the brakes. ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± ¡°Open the door... Let me in...¡± Tina begged with all of her remaining strength. The driver turned back to look anxiously at Samuel. ¡°Mr. Langford, I...¡± Samuel remained silent. The driver took that as a yes. The door was opened, and Tina climbed into the car. But Samuel did not spare her a look and ignored herpletely, as if she was air. Tina, on the other hand, was trembling. She looked as if she was going to faint at any second. Unfortunately, she couldn¡®t faint. Tina pleaded, ¡°Mr. Langford... I did everything you asked for. I should be able to see my family now, right?¡± ¡°Family?¡± Samuel sneered. ¡°Are they family?¡± Tina didn¡®t bother to exin herself anymore at this point. ¡°Can I see them? Mr. Langford, you promised. Are you going against your word?¡± Tina continued to beg, her voice lowered to a small whisper. ¡°I said you had to satisfy me,¡± Samuel answered. Tina felt someone clenching hard at her heart, and she began to gasp for air. She clenched her fist and let out a weak smile. ¡°The only reason you¡®re letting me live is to torture me, isn¡®t it? You¡®ve achieved that today by humiliating mepletely. Isn¡®t that enough to satisfy you?¡± Samuel looked at Tina before giving her a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°Have youpletely given up on your acting? So, you¡¯re not even trying to fool me anymore?¡± Tina¡®s expression was calm. ¡°Isn¡®t this what you wanted?¡± Seeing how she had lost hope, Samuel felt anger rising in him. The car soon stopped outside the mansion. Samuel left while saying, ¡°What¡®s the rush? The night is still long, and since you still have the energy to talk, I¡®ll need to torture you more.¡± He dragged Tina by the hand and walked into the mansion. Previously, Tina was brought here after Samuel first found out that she was still alive. ¡°Get back to the car!¡± Samuel turned around without looking back. Tina tried keeping up to his pace as she knew if she couldn¡®t, Samuel might just leave her here. Unfortunately, she was too weak to walk properly. Soon, she fell to the ground again. Just then, a figure appeared before her. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Tina lifted her head and saw Raymond Cohen. Having gone through the lecherous old man prior, Tina could only stare defensively at him. Raymond couldn¡®t bother to exin himself, either. ¡°If you don¡®t walk faster, he¡®ll just drive away. How would you leave?¡± Without hesitation, Tina grabbed Raymond¡®s hand and got back up. When she finally got out of the restaurant, Samuel¡®s car was already leaving without her. Chapter 309 Tina threw herself at the car without hesitation. That gave the driver a shock, and he immediately stepped on the brakes. ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± ¡°Open the door... Let me in...¡± Tina begged with all of her remaining strength. The driver turned back to look anxiously at Samuel. ¡°Mr. Langford, I...¡± Samuel remained silent. The driver took that as a yes. The door was opened, and Tina climbed into the car. But Samuel did not spare her a look and ignored herpletely, as if she was air. Tina, on the other hand, was trembling. She looked as if she was going to faint at any second. Unfortunately, she couldn¡®t faint. Tina pleaded, ¡°Mr. Langford... I did everything you asked for. I should be able to see my family now, right?¡± ¡°Family?¡± Samuel sneered. ¡°Are they family?¡± Tina didn¡¯t bother to exin herself anymore at this point. ¡°Can I see them? Mr. Langford, you promised. Are you going against your word?¡± Tina continued to beg, her voice lowered to a small whisper. ¡°I said you had to satisfy me,¡± Samuel answered. Tina felt someone clenching hard at her heart, and she began to gasp for air. She clenched her fist and let out a weak smile. ¡°The only reason you¡®re letting me live is to torture me, isn¡®t it? You¡®ve achieved that today by humiliating mepletely. Isn¡®t that enough to satisfy you?¡± Samuel looked at Tina before giving her a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°Have youpletely given up on your acting? So, you¡®re not even trying to fool me anymore?¡± Tina¡®s expression was calm. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡± Seeing how she had lost hope, Samuel felt anger rising in him. The car soon stopped outside the mansion. Samuel left while saying, ¡°What¡®s the rush? The night is still long, and since you still have the energy to talk, I¡®ll need to torture you more.¡± He dragged Tina by the hand and walked into the mansion. Previously, Tina was brought here after Samuel first found out that she was still alive. At that time, she was desperate to escape. Now, she couldn¡®t. The next day. The man was nowhere to be found in the room, and there were torn clothes scattered all over the floor. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Even the servants who came in and saw the mess couldn¡®t help but blush. They couldn¡®t even look Tina in the eyes. ¡°Mr. Langford told you to go down right now!¡± Tina replied in a rather calm voice, ¡°Okay, but what about my clothes?¡± The servants were stunned. They went silent as they thought about it before replying, ¡°Mr. Langford didn¡®t prepare any.¡± ¡°So I¡®m supposed to go down like this?¡± Tina asked. Tina exchanged nces with the servants. Her body was a mess, and it was impossible for her to walk out in this state. ¡°Wait a second, you!¡± The servants left the room and came back not long after with wrinkly clothes. Tina walked down with difficulty. Samuel was sitting on the sofa. Upon seeing Tina, he threw a phone at her. Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Samuel threw the phone at Tina¡®s direction the moment she reached downstairs. Tina looked at him, confused. ¡°What¡®s the meaning of this?¡± Samuel spat back icily, ¡°Didn¡®t you want to meet your family? Do it with this phone!¡± Tina found herself shouting. ¡°But yesterday, we agreed that...!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. She wanted to meet them in person and made sure that they were safe, not through a screen! Even so, Samuel simply threw her a sarcastic look. Tina then recalled what Samuel said previously. He never mentioned that she could meet them in person. Tina clenched her fists. She felt a rush of humiliation surging in her, to the extent that she wanted to stand up and p him right that instant. Still, she knew she couldn¡®t do that. Tina kept quiet, though her face grew redder and redder. ¡°So, you¡®re not nning to see them?¡± Samuel nced at Tina before shifting his gaze on the phone on the floor. ¡°I can¡®t pick it up!¡± Tina shouted angrily. Samuel chuckled malevolently, his tone filled with mockery. ¡°Your hands are fine.¡± Thanks to Samuel, Tina felt sore all over her body. She had used up most of her energy walking down the stairs, and had no energy left to pick up the phone. She knew Samuel was treating her like a fool. Still, she remained determined and bit her lip as she bent down to pick up the phone on the floor. Tina only had thin clothing on her, and the neckline was exposed as she bent down. If she bent down even further, more things would be revealed... Samuel¡®s face darkened instantly. Without warning, he kicked the phone away. ¡°Tina, you¡®re such a sl*t!¡± He stormed out of the ce, as if he couldn¡®t stand being in the same room with her anymore. Tears rolled down Tina¡®s eyes as she saw the phone being kicked away. Samuel was a dangerously moody person, and his mood swings were frighteningly unbearable. His explosive temper seemed to have worsened over the years. The servants were terrified and immediately retreated to their initial position. Tina held back the pain as she picked the phone up and returned to her room. There was only one contact number, which Tina dialed without hesitation. The phone was picked up immediately. ¡°Frederick, is that you?¡± Tina asked, trying very hard not to sound nervous. ¡°...It¡®s me!¡± What responded to her was a terribly hoarse voice. Tina almost broke out in tears when she heard his voice, but she managed to reel in her emotions and stay calm. Tina continued, ¡°Frederick, are you in Samuel¡®s hands now? What did he do to you?! What about Kara? Is she with you?¡± Frederick¡®s voice was rather stiff and full of guilt. ¡°Don¡®t worry, I¡®m fine. But as for Kara, I don¡®t know where she is now!¡± ¡°Were you two separated?¡± Fear and panic spread within Tina. ¡°Yes. I was alerted, but I couldn¡®t escape in time. I was locked up. They took Kara away, but I¡®m not sure where...¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Frederick sounded full of guilt and remorse. ¡°It¡®s my fault for being so useless! I couldn¡®t protect you at all! In the end, I even failed to protect Kara!¡± ¡°No...! I have to go find her now!¡± Tina cried. Samuel was a big fat liar! He promised her that she would be able to meet up with Frederick and Kara. Yet now, Kara had gone missing! Kara was only a five¨Cyear¨Cold child. Despite that, she was taken away forcefully from her uncle. Right now, she must be quivering in fear on her own. With tears shining in her eyes, Tina scrambled up to her feet once again andtched onto a nearby servant. ¡°Where the hell is Samuel right now? I want to go see him!¡± At first, the servants were very wary of Tina. Samuel was known for his aversion toward women, after all. He wasn¡®t even interested in Mrs. Langford, who had given birth to Young Master Keith for him. The moment he brought a woman home on his own ord for the first time ever, everyone automatically knew what it meant. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. But not long ago, Samuel¡®s derogatory words and actions toward Tina allowed the servants to know her current position in the family. No matter how beautiful she was, at the end of the day, Tina was only a rich man¡®s ything. Hence, the servant shook Tina¡®s hand away harshly with an impatient look on her face. Already weakened from everything that had happened to her, Tina almost copsed to the floor as a result. The marks on her body that were revealed from under her clothes were suggestive enough to make people blush. Jealousy flitted past the servant who witnessed the marks, who remarked snidely, ¡°What are you pretending to be weak for? Didn¡®t you only spend a night with Mr. Langford? You act like you¡®re a fragile and precious heiress from a rich family!¡± Tina couldn¡®t be bothered with the servant¡®s rudeness. Instead, she demanded once more, ¡°I want to know where he is right now!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford is very busy right now. He¡®s currently dealing with work¨Crted matters in his study. I advise you to think twice about your current position. You¡®re just a ything brought home by Mr. Langford. He¡®s just toying around with you, so don¡®t go around getting into trouble!¡± The servant sounded like she wanted to warn Tina about something, but thetter refused to listen to her. Instead, she bounded up the stairs. As expected, she was stopped by Samuel¡®s bodyguards outside the study. ¡°You can¡®t go in.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Tina gritted her teeth before continuing angrily, ¡°Make sure to pass on this message to Samuel. He promised to let me see my family, but so far, I¡®m only able to contact one person! Where¡®s my daughter? I want to see her right now!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford is very busy right now, so he doesn¡®t have time to deal with insignificant matters like this. Please wait downstairs.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t insignificant at all!¡± Tina eximed emotionally. ¡°Kara¡®s my daughter! She¡®s only five years old, for god¡®s sake! What the hell did Samuel¡®s men do to her?! How the hell can I just sit by and wait?!¡± Tina tried to barge into the study without caring about the consequences. Meanwhile, the bodyguards could only swap nces, not knowing what to do. Samuel seemed like he hated the woman¡¯s guts on the inside, but the bodyguards knew for a fact that he almost printed divorce agreements for her sake. Should they stop her or not? It didn¡¯t help that Tina was wearing incredibly thin clothes. The bodyguards didn¡®t dare to touch her. In the end, she was able to reach the study¡¯s door. ¡°Mr. Langford. Apparently, the CEO fromst night was attacked by an unknown assant in the washroom and fainted. He¡®s being treated in the hospital right now, so the time set to sign the contract might be dyed...¡± ¡°Dyed?¡± Samuel¡®s sarcastic tone was so icy that he might spout hail from his mouth at any given moment. ¡°There¡®s no need to sign the contract anymore. Cancel the coboration this instant!¡± The subordinate wasn¡®t surprised to hear his deration. ¡°Understood, sir.¡± ¡°By the way, Mr. Langford,¡± he continued. ¡°That girl has been sent to Paris. What should we do with her?¡± Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Not long ago after discovering Tina¡®s identity, Samuel quickly dispatched his men to capture Frederick and take away Kara by force. As Samuel¡®s underlings, the bodyguards were highly trained and had killed countless people who had provoked him in the past. However, this was their first time targeting a five¨Cyear¨Cold girl. Furthermore, that girl¡®s mother had a special identity. As such, they had no idea how to deal with Kara. Hence, they decided to ask Samuel about their next course of action. Upon hearing his subordinate¡®s question, Samuel frowned instinctively. The little girl¡®s face subconsciously appeared in his mind. Keith was five years old as well, but he didn¡®t act like a typical child. Aside from the cold and aloof personality he had inherited from Samuel, he was also a genius with an extraordinarily high IQ, making him a miniature adult despite his young age. However, Kara was a normal five¨Cyear¨Cold girl. She was na?ve and innocent, but she had also inherited Tina¡®s stubbornness. A short while ago, she hade looking for Samuel. Her eyes red at him like wide saucers, and she behaved like a feral kitten that kept waving its tiny ws in the air. At the same time, she was adamant on avenging her mommy... Samuel may be a cold¨Chearted person, but even his heart melted in front of that little girl. No matter how much he hated Tina and her ambiguous rtionship with Frederick, he knew very well that Tina¡®s daughter was innocent. Moreover, he could see that the little girl was innocent and kind¨C hearted. Her pure heart had yet to be tainted by the filthy thoughts and intentions that the adults harbored in this world. Samuel replied lightly, ¡°Send her somewhere far away.¡± He nned to send Kara to a ce far, far away so that she could study with Keith in the future. That seemed like a decent choice to him. But before Samuel could finish his sentences, Tina barged into the study all after having heard everything from the outside. ¡°No! Samuel, you can¡®t do this to her!¡± Samuel¡®s expression darkened significantly upon seeing Tina in his study. The subordinate was shocked to see her there as well. ¡°Miss Lynd, how did you get in here?!¡± The bodyguards chasing after her all looked very conflicted. ¡°We.. We couldn¡®t stop her at all!¡± It wasn¡®t as if they couldn¡®t stop Tina from entering. Rather, they didn¡®t dare to stop her at all. Samuel ordered in an icy tone, ¡°Drag her out of here!¡± ¡°I¡®m not leaving! I won¡®t leave without seeing Kara!¡± Tina stopped in front of Samuel. ¡°What are you nning to do to Kara? I only saw Frederick, but I still haven¡®t been able to meet Kara! She¡®s only a five¨Cyear¨Cold little girl! She¡®s already scared enough when she¡®s forced to leave my side, so you mustn¡¯t send her to another ce far away from home!¡± The sight of Tina looking so anxious made Samuel chuckle coldly. ¡°Isn¡®t it enough for you to meet up with your adulterous partner?¡± ¡°I still want to meet Kara!¡± Tina retorted worriedly. ¡°I heard you¡®re nning to send her away! I won¡®t allow you to...¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Samuel was currently wearing a white buttoned shirt. He looked like a noble and elegant prince. He sat on his chair in a rxed position like a resting leopard as he looked down at Tina, who looked very ragged. Then, he spoke up in a sarcastic tone. ¡°Tina Lynd, please understand your role in the current situation. You¡®re at my hands right now, which means you¡®re just a tool I can mess around with at all times. You have no right to object to my decisions.¡± Tears trickled down Tina¡®s cheeks before she suddenly sank onto the floor in a kneeling position. ¡°Please... I¡®m begging you... I can¡®t live without Kara! You can do whatever you want to me, but please don¡®t touch my daughter!¡± The sight of her begging for Kara¡¯s life annoyed Samuel even more. The bodyguards rushed over hurriedly and tried to drag her out of the study. When she struggled against them valiantly, her shirt identally slid down her shoulders. Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Before the bodyguards could react to what just happened, Samuel had already thrown the documents onto his desk angrily. ¡°All of you, get lost!¡± The subordinates fled out of the study immediately and shut the door behind them. All of them looked at each other, raw terror written all over their faces. ¡°Did you see what happened just now?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°It¡®s a good thing we didn¡®t see anything! If we did, we¡®d be forced to gauge our own eyes out The memory of Samuel¡®s enraged expression and bloodthirsty gaze drilled fear into the subordinates¡® hearts. Back in the study, the floor was scattered with documents Samuel had thrown in a fit of rage earlier. He stared down at Tina, who kept shivering in fear, before spitting out in disgust, ¡°You can¡®t even wear your own clothes properly. You disgust me!¡± But Kara¡®s disappearance hurt Tina¡®s heart more than Samuel¡®s scathing words. ¡°I can¡¯t live without Kara! Samuel, I¡®m begging you! Please... Can you please not send her away?¡± Seeing as Tina was willing to go through so much humiliation for Frederick and Kara¡®s sake, Samuel had the sudden urge to strangle the woman on the spot. In the end, he managed to hold in his murderous urge. ¡°Fine. I¡®ll grant your wish,¡± he relented. Instead of feeling reassured when she heard Samuel¡®s reply, Tina became even more uneasy. As expected, Samuel continued speaking coldly. ¡°However, what can you offer to me in return?¡± Tina bit her bottom lip and lifted her head to look at him. She grabbed the hem of her shirt unconsciously out of nervousness. Samuel looked down at the trembling woman on the floor before ordering, ¡°Come here.¡± He sounded so cold and nonchnt, as if he was summoning a dog rather than a human to his side. Tina shook even more upon hearing themand. Samuel simply watched her reaction, a cold smirk ying on his lips. A momentter, she finally approached him slowly. Rip! There wasn¡®t an ounce of sympathy in his eyes as he shredded the thin shirt covering her bare body After an unknown period of time, Samuel left the study. The subordinates waiting outside had no idea what happened inside the study. They were all waiting for his nextmand. ¡°Mr. Langford, about the woman inside the study...¡± ¡°Ignore her,¡± he replied dryly. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Also, keep that girl in Paris for now,¡± Samuel continued coldly. ¡°Whether the woman meets the girl depends on her performance.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Samuel returned to the bathroom connected to his bedroom, and the servants brought him a set of fresh clothes. They seemed to have made different discoveries while checking his worn clothes. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Where did the suit jacket go? Is it still in the study?¡± ¡°Also, why is the shirt this wrinkled?¡± ¡°It¡®s covered with lipstick. The material of this shirt dictates that it can¡®t be washed nilly willy. What should we do now? This shirt must be spoiled, right?¡± The sight of those clothes in that sorry state was more than enough to make people imagine what exactly happened in the study earlier. The servants all blushed brightly at the revtion. At the same time, they were terribly jealous of Tina. ¡°That woman has absolutely no self¨Crespect! This must be the reason why she went to look for Mr. Langford earlier!¡± ¡°She¡®s such a despicable homewrecker! How disgusting!¡± The servants gathered together to gossip with each other. Their impression of Tina was already negative enough as it was. All the servants and subordinates busied themselves in serving Samuelter on, so no one cared about Tina, who slipped out of the study and returned to her room at a certain time. Fortunately, a suit jacket was left in the study for Tina. Otherwise, she wouldn¡®t know how she could slip back to her room. Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Tina hid in the bathroom and scrubbed her body ferociously. The memory of what transpired earlier made her stomach churn in difort. All she felt at that time was the urge to puke. However, she knew better than anyone that Samuel¡®s torment for her wouldn¡®t stop anytime soon. After he left the study earlier, she could hear his conversation with his subordinate clearly. Kara wouldn¡®t be sent away for now, but her chances of meeting Kara all depended on her future performance, which meant she would have to continue enduring Samuel¡®s inhumane torment. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Everything left Tina feeling so exhausted. She didn¡®t eat or drink at all since the start of that night¡®s banquet. After soaking in the hot water for a short while, she stumbled her way out of the bathroom. Spots of darkness eventually covered her vision to the point that she almost fell unconscious on the spot. Tina wanted nothing more than to lie down and rest, but a servant barged into her room the moment she let her guard down. ¡°I knew Mr. Langford¡®s suit jacket was with you! What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you trying to be a thief too?¡± Tina didn¡®t feel like replying to the servant at all. However, thetter clearly refused to let Tina rest. She continued urging, ¡°Do you seriously think you¡®re hired by Mr. Langford to sit and look pretty? You¡®ve already dirtied the clothes ¨C clothes that are so expensive that you can¡®t even afford them even if you sold yourself! Hurry up and take these clothes to theundromat for a dry¨Cwash cycle!¡± ¡°I¡®m required to do that?¡± Tina asked in surprise. ¡°Who else but you? Aren¡®t you the one responsible for causing this mess?¡± The servant rolled her eyes in response. ¡°Am I allowed to go out?¡± Tina doubted the servant¡®s words. Would Samuel really let her leave this easily? ¡°Why wouldn¡®t you be allowed to go out? I¡®ve already asked the others about your position here! Right now, you¡®re serving as Mr. Langford¡®s private secretary. Other than your primary function, which is to sleep with him, you¡®re also in charge of his private affairs. What else do you think you¡®re here for?¡± The servant¡®s tone came off as aggressive and crass. She threw a huge bag of clothes in Tina¡®s direction before leaving immediately. Tina took a deep breath. She had always thought she would be imprisoned by Samuel, but now, she became his secretary instead. However, she could never be happy about it. The memories of what happened in the private roomst night shed through her mind, The businessmen who were there to discuss their work all brought secretaries with them. However, those women were no ordinary secretaries. To put it bluntly, the women were just tools that could be traded and abandoned at will... Tina felt a mixture of difort and disgust guing her senses. Samuel had so many means under his belt to torment and break one¡®s mind. She didn¡®t dare to remain lying down any longer. After a brief respite, she changed into new clothes and went down the stairs. The bodyguards in the manor simultaneously shot Tina a look, but showed no signs of stopping her. It seemed Samuel was convinced she would never escape. Then again, he was right. There was nowhere for Tina to run to now that he had hostages under his control. Tina limped a few steps forward and saw a subordinate heading her way. He asked, ¡°Miss Lynd, where are you going?¡±. ¡°Theundromat,¡± she replied. The subordinate took one look at the bag of clothes and chose not to say anything. ¡°This is the car key. You can drive this car and run errands for Mr. Langford in the future.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After Tina sent the clothes to theundromat, she ate something to appease her stomach before rushing to the hospital and registered for an appointment with a gynecologist in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Right now, she already felt extremely ufortable just by walking a few steps at a time. It was obvious Samuel wanted to torture her. Tina didn¡®t want to continue suffering, so she could only go to the hospital and seek medical treatment on her own. Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Tina waited anxiously for her turn. After a long wait, her turn finally arrived. The doctor was visibly stunned the moment he saw her condition. He initially thought that she was being abused, which was indeed the case. However, Tina could never tell him the truth due toplicated reasons. After checking her over, the doctor issued some medicine that could treat her injuries and gave her some advice. ¡°Treat yourself with this medicine once you get home. You have to take note that you shouldn¡®t... Ahem! You shouldn¡®t go overboard in the next few days... Ahem! Tell your husband to be more considerate of your health and ask him to cooperate with you.¡± A bitter smile graced Tina¡®s face. Unfortunately, Samuel was never her husband to begin with. How could he ever care about her? The reason she was still alive right now was because he intended to continue torturing her. Otherwise, she would¡®ve been dead by now. After applying the medicine to her injuries, Tina finally felt slightly better. Just as she was about to leave the hospital, a figure bumped into her coincidentally. Tina¡®s knees buckled together. As a result, she almost fell to the floor. Vas But before she could speak up, the figure who bumped into her began chiding her out loud. ¡°Oh my god! Are you blind? What the...¡± The one who cursed was a tall and slender blonde woman with sparkling blue eyes. She was about to continue cursing at Tina when she suddenly noticed her. ¡°It¡®s you!¡± Tina, however, was stunned. She found the blonde woman to be somewhat familiar, but she couldn¡®t recall where exactly she had seen this woman. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Thus, Tina asked with a slight frown, ¡°Do I know you?¡± ¡°You don¡®t recognize me?¡± The blonde woman harrumphed coldly. ¡°Didn¡®t we just meetst night? What are you pretending for? Just because you wore extra clothes today doesn¡®t mean you get to pretend nothing happened!¡± Tina¡®s expression changed drastically when she recalled the events that happened in the private roomst night. The fat old man had brought two beautiful secretaries with him that night. The one who stood in front of Tina right now was one of the secretaries. She was chased out of the private room together with Tina, due to her flirtatious actions that angered Samuel greatly. Tina wasn¡®t even acquainted with that blonde woman to begin with. She tried to leave, but thetter quickly blocked her way. For some reason, the blonde woman was very interested in Tina. To be more urate, she was very interested in Samuel. ¡°Are you Mr. Langford¡®s woman now?¡± she demanded. Tina pursed her lips immediately. ¡°That has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°How the hell are you a match for Mr. Langford? This is so weird! Why would he have his eye on you?¡± The blonde woman eyed Tina up and down spitefully before continuing, ¡°During the time Mr. Langford came to Paris, many bosses offered countless beautiful women to him, only to be rejected coldly. I don¡®t know where the hell you came from, but you aren¡®t pretty at all...¡± Her tone was dripping with obvious jealousy. Tina was frustrated at the woman. She retorted, ¡°Fine. I¡®m super ugly in front of a natural beauty like you. However, he¡®s the blind one for choosing me over you!¡± The blonde woman was infuriated when she heard Tina¡®s words. She pointed at Tina furiously and snarled, ¡°You... You...¡± ¡°Stop repeating that word like an idiot. You should go get yourself treated if you¡®re mentally ill!¡± The moment Tina was done speaking, she turned on her heel and left. Fuming to herself, the beautiful secretary spun on her heel and walked into a ward. The fat old man fromst night was the patient of that ward. Before she could open the door, she could already hear slurs and cursesing from inside the ward. ¡°What?! Mr. Langford no longer wants to work with me?! That¡®s impossible! That¡®s... f*cking impossible! It¡®s all that f*cking b*tch¡®s faultst night! If it wasn¡®t for her, my coborative project with Mr. Langford wouldn¡®t have been canceled!¡± Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Under normal circumstances, the secretary wouldn¡®t dare to enter when she heard the old man losing his temper. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Upon hearing his grumbles, however, an idea suddenly popped into her mind. She flung the door open and strode into the ward. ¡°Sir, I just saw that woman! The one who was with Mr. Langfordst night!¡± That old man looked very haggard in the ward. Last night, he had his eye on the woman next to Mr. Langford. She was dressed like a slut, so it was obvious that she had no self¨Crespect. However, her temperament was calm and innocent. She was different than the usual wh*res that were offered to him. Thus, he stalked that woman immediately after Mr. Langford chased her out of the private room. He wanted to have his way with that woman before requesting Mr. Langford to give her to him. Unexpectedly, someone kicked him at that critical moment. Before he could figure out the identity of the mysterious assant, he passed out on the floor. Once he regained consciousness, he discovered that he was lying on a hospital bed. The deal he managed to snag with the Langford Group was now voided. The moment he heard the secretary¡¯s words, surprise and delight reced the warped expression on his face. ¡°What? You saw that woman? Where is she now?¡± ¡°She just left not long ago!¡± Upon hearing the news, the old man replied immediately, ¡°Great! This is great news! Men, bring her here by force! This filthy b*tch has cost me my deal with the Langford Group! That deal is worth hundreds of millions, for god¡®s sake! I need to skin her alive in order to release my anger! Hehe... Then again, I shouldn¡®t be so hasty when ites to punishing her. Since I didn¡®t get to have fun with herst night, I¡®ll f*cking use her like my personal toy until I¡®m sick of her! Then, I can kill her! Hurry and capture her, all of you! Just go already!¡±. The old man issued themand to his bodyguards, hoping that Tina would be captured and presented to him soon. His assistant, who stood next to him, looked apprehensive. He asked, ¡°That woman is Mr. Langford¡®s woman, right? If he found out about this, wouldn¡®t he be displeased with us?¡± p! Before the assistant could finish speaking, someone pped him heavily on the face. The beautiful secretary was the culprit. She looked very unhappy as she chided him, ¡°Who the hell is the boss here? As his subordinates, all we have to do is to listen to his orders! Why are you questioning him? Besides, isn¡®t she just a woman? If Mr. Langford brought her to the gatheringst night in that slutty apparel, that means she¡®s just a lowly woman to him! Why would he be mindful of amon b*tch like her?¡± The assistant was so scared that he bowed his head immediately. ¡°I¡®m sorry! I¡®m so sorry, sir The old man retorted arrogantly, ¡°You¡®re fired! Get the f*ck out of my sight! Alice, you did a great job. I¡®ll have a Hermes representativee over and present you with all of their limited ¨Cedition bags. Feel free to choose anything you like.¡± The beautiful secretary, Alice, was instantly pleased by the reward. Not only did she deal with that lowly b*tch that she was insanely jealous of, but she also obtained new bags as a reward. It was like killing two birds with one stone. ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± She leaned toward him happily. Despite being bedridden, the old man¡®s hands began roaming up and down Alice¡®s body without shame. The bodyguards were already used to that disy. After they chased the former assistant out of the ward, they closed the door behind them and started tracking down Tina. At that time, she happened to be limping back to her car. Before she could reach the car, her phone started ringing inside her pocket. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 For a moment, Tina was surprised. This phone was given to her by Samuel just this morning. Even her SIM card was brand new. Who would be calling her number at a time like this? C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Tina nced at the screen, quickly realizing that Frederick wasn¡¯t the one calling her. Instead, it was an unknown number. But before she could pick up the call, two tall figures suddenly appeared behind her and covered her mouth. Tina never realized that someone would still dare to make a move on her under broad daylight. She passed out, not having the strength to struggle against them. As she copsed to the floor in a dead heap, the phone that she was carrying slid out of her hand. The bodyguards that were dispatched to capture her had already studied her face beforehand, so they were able to determine her identity immediately. ¡°She¡®s the woman Mr. Langford brought with himst night, right?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡®s right. She¡®s the one. Take her away!¡± After Tina was taken away, the unknown number called her a few times in a row. Meanwhile, Samuel was throwing a hissy fit in the study. His subordinates all had their heads lowered, not even daring to breathe around him. ¡°Where the hell did she go?!¡± he snarled. ¡°Miss Lynd was carrying a bag of clothes just now. She said she was sending them to theundromat...¡± ¡°So she has time to go to theundromat, but she doesn¡®t have time to pick up my call? Good! This is wonderful!¡± When Samuel heard the dead toneing from the other end of the line, he threw the phone against the wall angrily, agitation bing increasingly obvious on his face. At that moment, he looked beyond frightening. Having noticed his furious state, the subordinates all wiped cold sweat off their brows. They all knew that Samuel was diagnosed with insomnia for many years, which made him incredibly bad¨Ctempered. But no matter how busy or tiring work was for him in the past, he had never lost his temper in this manner. To think that he would be enraged by a woman¡®s refusal to pick up his calls... The subordinates tried to appease Samuel by saying, ¡°Perhaps Miss Lynd is busy with something at the moment. She couldn¡®t have run away, right?¡± ¡°Run?¡± Samuel picked up that term sharply. A dark expression appeared on his face immediately. Right now, he had two leverages over Tina¡®s head. One was Frederick, while the other was Kara. Tina was willing to go through humiliation for the sake of those two. She made it seem as if she was unable to live without them. Then again, Samuel didn¡®t exclude the possibility of her putting on an borate act just to lower his guard. After all, he had seen for himself just how ruthless that woman was. Samuel didn¡®t hesitate to order, ¡°Investigate where she is right now!¡± He strode out of the study right away after issuing that order. The remaining subordinates could only swap nervous nces after that. ¡°Isn¡®t Miss Lynd just an ordinary secretary? Why did Mr. Langford go to great lengths for her?¡± ¡°I think he wouldn¡®t be this furious if Mrs. Langford was the one who got into trouble...¡± ¡°Come on. Remember when Mr. Langford couldn¡®t even be bothered to go look for Young Master Keith when he ran away from homest time?¡± ¡°She¡®s not a secretary, is she? She seems like the Langfords¡® ancestor or something!¡± At that moment, everyone felt like bursting into tears. At the same time, they quickly understood something about Samuel. The woman who seemed like a regr secretary must not be offended, no matter what. Otherwise, they would be in deep trouble! Meanwhile, Tina was thrown to the floor and was violently woken up by a pail of ice¨Ccold water. The moment she opened her eyes, she heard a smug female voice. ¡°So, you¡®re finally awake!¡± ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Tina recognized the beautiful secretary that she had met moments ago. Her expression changed drastically as she asked, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Alice the secretary couldn¡®t help but cover her mouth when she heard Tina¡®s question, a smug smile curled on her lips. ¡°Oh, wow! Don¡®t you know what we¡®re nning to do even after things have progressed to this point?¡± Tina¡®s head felt terribly heavy. She was under extreme difort, as if her limbs were filled with lead. She managed to lift her head to see not only the secretary, but also a figure lying on a hospital bed near her. It was the same old man who tried to molest her in the bathroomst night, only to get knocked out by a kick from Samuel Unexpectedly, that old man refused to give up. Instead, he had ordered his men to capture her. Bandages were wrapped around the old man¡®s head. He took in Tina¡®s pale and weak appearance before saying arrogantly, ¡°If it wasn¡®t for youst night, my deal with the Langford Group would¡®ve gone through without a hitch! Thanks to you, I got injured and hospitalized! In the end, not only did I not get to sign the contract with Mr. Langford, but he also canceled the deal! This is all your fault!¡± He then continued in a lecherous tone, ¡°If you serve me now, I might spare your life. Otherwise¡­ Hehe!¡± The old man¡®s bby cheeks shivered like jelly with everyugh he emitted. Tina was so disgusted by his words that she replied, ¡°I¡®m Samuel¡®s woman! If you dare toy a finger on me, he won¡®t ever let you go!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Just keep lying! There aren¡®t any women hanging around Mr. Langford at all! There¡®s no way he¡®ll even pay attention to you, what with your lowly identity and all! Do you seriously think you¡®re the mistress of the Langford family?¡± the old man retorted spitefully. Alice kept giggling as well. ¡°Sir, I think she¡¯s still pretty drowsy. Maybe she¡®s in too much of a daze to differentiate reality from fantasy. Why don¡¯t I dump more cold water on her to wake her up?¡± Once her words fell, Alice poured a few sses of cold water before dumping them on Tina. Tina¡®s wet clothes clung to her frail frame as a result. The old man¡®s excitement grew when he noticed Tina¡®s wretched state. He said enthusiastically, ¡°How can she sober up with just a few sses of water? Take her to the bathroom and bathe her there! Make sure she¡®s squeaky clean before bringing her back here!¡± The beautiful secretary, Alice, nodded before calling in the bodyguards. ¡°Stop gawking there! Didn¡®t you hear the boss¡®s order? Get in here and help me out!¡± ¡°Understood, ma¡®am.¡± The sight of ¡®Tina looking so limp and weak made them lower their guard. Without warning, she suddenly sprung up ferociously and grabbed one of the bodyguards¡® arms when they least expected it. She grabbed the electric kettle on the bedside table and mmed it on the bodyguard¡®s head. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Argh!¡± Bam! Shards littered the floor immediately. The group never expected that Tina would retaliate. Tina quickly rushed out of the ward, followed by the old man¡®s bodyguards. ¡°Hurry up and catch her! D*mn it! How dare she run at a time like this?! I wanted to give her a chance, but looks like tht there¡®s no need to spare her now! Kill her straight away once you catch her!¡± Tina was too exhausted to move. Every inch of her body screamed in agony. Her legs were especially weak and felt no different than limp noodles. Pain shot up her poor legs with every step she took The poor woman could only bite her bottom lip and did her best to endure the pain. Soon, cold sweat covered her forehead. But no matter how much she tried to run, her steps ended up bing slower and slower. Tina suddenly tripped over her own feet and started copsing forward. She thought she was going to die at that moment due to the harsh fall that she would suffer from shortly afterward. Unexpectedly, a figure suddenly appeared from a corner in front of her. She found herself copsing into the arms of that person. She also seemed to have smelt a familiar scent that made her feel safe amidst the awful haze. Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Seeing Tina copsing out of exhaustion, the bodyguards who caught up with her eximed smugly, ¡°We got her now!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Let¡®s see where else can you run to this time!¡± Just as the lead bodyguard tried to reach out to Tina in order and take her away by force... ¡°Argh!¡± He immediately wailed in pain. Apparently, someone had kicked him away at that crucial moment. As a result, he mmed into the other bodyguards that were behind him. The men copsed to the floor while screaming in pain, lookingpletely woebegone. ¡°Who dares to kick us? Do you know who our boss is?! Are you trying to be a knight in shining armor just to save the damsel in distress?! You insufferable b*stard...¡± The leading bodyguard was so exasperated that he couldn¡®t stop himself from lifting his head to look at the assant, intent to curse the air blue. The moment his gaze met the man¡®s icy one, though, his eyes widened in shock. ¡°M¨CMr. Langford! Why are you here?¡± The bodyguards were too shocked to realize what was going on. The sight of Tina copsing in Samuel¡®s arms in a dead faint made their hearts skip a beat simultaneously. Didn¡®t everyone say that Samuel wasn¡®t interested in women at all? Wasn¡®t she just a regr secretary? Why would he refuse to let go of her despite the differences in their statuses?! Having seen Tina¡®s wretched state for himself, Samuel realized what she had just gone through. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Those despicable b*stards... He issued amand in an icy tone. ¡°Deal with them.¡± The moment his words fell, he whisked the unconscious Tina and left. The old man¡®s bodyguards were so frightened that they started begging for their lives. ¡°Mr. Langford, you¡®ve misunderstood us! We were just following our boss¡®s orders! We had no idea she¡®s your woman! You¡®re a generous man, so please let us go...¡± Samuel stopped in his tracks immediately before replying mockingly, ¡°Your boss¡®s orders?¡± ¡°Yeah! Our boss is Robert!¡± the bodyguards borated immediately. There was a phrase saying that if you wanted to hit a dog, you would have to see who its master was. There was a chance that Samuel would spare their lives once he realized who their boss was. The subordinate next to Samuel added, ¡°Mr. Langford, Robert is the one who got hospitalized because of an ident. You canceled the deal with him after that.¡± Samuel chuckled coldly instead. ¡°So, he¡®s the one?¡± It seemed the kick he had delivered to that old manst night was much too light. But the bodyguards thought that they had a chance to live and tell the tale, so they continued, ¡°That¡¯s right! Please spare our lives, Mr. Langford! Our boss almost became your business partner, after all!¡± ¡°Our boss is still waiting for us to return to him...¡± Samuel watched the men beg for mercy from above for a while beforementing lightly,¡° Send them back.¡± The bodyguards didn¡®t realize the hidden meaning behind hismand. They all sighed in relief collectively. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Langford!¡± ¡°Actually, we can go back on our own...¡± Samuel¡®s subordinates stared at the ignorant bodyguards, sympathy shing through their eyes. Tina might look like an ordinary secretary, but in reality, her identity was special. Only Samuel was allowed to harass and torment her. Those men hadid their hands on her, yet they still intended to return to their boss without any interruptions? Unfortunately, their wishes would never be realized. ¡°Also, it seems likest night¡®s lesson wasn¡®t enough. Since Robert intends to harm my woman, I might as well nip everything in the bud.¡± The moment his words fell, Samuel left with Tina in his arms. After taking down all of the bodyguards, the subordinates soon approached Robert¡®s ward. Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Chapter 320 At that time, the beautiful secretary was busy taking care of Robert by feeding him peeled fruit slices. Upon noticing the ward door being flung open, Robert immediately straightened up in excitement. ¡°Did you guys capture that b*tch?¡± A group of armed men appeared at the doorway instead of his regr men. One nce at them told Robert that these people didn¡®te in peace. His expression changed drastically at the sight of the men. ¡°Who sent you here? Do you know who I am? If you leave right now, I might spare your lives!¡± The subordinates had half¨Chearted smirks on their faces as they reported, ¡°Mr. Langford ordered us to come here.¡± ¡°Mr. Langford?¡± Robert was surprised to hear Samuel¡®s name. An ted expression soon appeared on his face. ¡°Mr. Langford is here?! Where is he right now? Good heavens, why didn¡®t you tell me earlier?! I would¡®ve told my men to wee him here! Hurry ande in! Let¡®s sit and talk, shall we? Is Mr. Langford nning to resume the coboration with us? I knew it! Mr. Langford isn¡®t the type to break his promise...¡± As soon as the subordinates entered the ward, the beautiful secretary suddenly let out a piercing shriek of fear. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Robert couldn¡®t help but chide her. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± ¡°They... They...¡± Alice¡®s eyes were as wide as dinner tes as she pointed at the bodies that the subordinates were dragging behind them. ¡°Those are our bodyguards!¡± The bodyguards that were being dragged behind Samuel¡¯s subordinates all looked like they were on the verge of death Robert¡®s tion dissipated quickly. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°What¡®s going on, you ask?¡± The subordinates huffed coldly. ¡°This is the consequence of harming Mr. Langford¡®s woman!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford¡®s woman? You mean the woman just now?! That¡®s impossible! Isn¡®t she just a normal secretary?!¡± Alice screamed in bewilderment. Robert was also very terrified after hearing the subordinates¡® words. ¡°Yeah! She¡®s just an ordinary woman! Didn¡®t Mr. Langford take her to the gatheringst night? How could she be his woman?!¡± The subordinates just chuckled dryly. ¡°Well, now you know! Unfortunately, it¡®s toote for you to repent!¡± After that, the ward door was mmed behind the subordinates. Soon, bloodcurdling screams echoed throughout the ward. Meanwhile, Tina was also admitted into a ward. ¡°Why hasn¡®t she woken up yet?¡± Samuel sounded irritated as he gazed at the unconscious woman on the hospital bed. The doctor that was sent to check on Tina was also the same doctor that had treated her earlier. He didn¡®t expect to see her lying on the bed only moments after treating her, which angered him greatly. When he heard Samuel¡®s impatient question, he snapped back in a dissatisfied tone, ¡°She¡®s your wife, isn¡®t she? Don¡®t you know her condition?¡± Wife? N?velDrama.Org owns this text. For some reason, Samuel didn¡®t deny the doctor¡®s guess. He asked with a frown, ¡°What¡®s wrong with her?¡± ¡°Thisdy came for a check¨Cup just now. Her constitution is already weak to begin with, yet both of you kept going at it when ites to your bedroom activities! Naturally, she fell ill and came down with a high fever.¡± As he spoke, the doctor handed Tina¡®s medical report over to Samuel. ¡°I still have to tend to another patient, so you can read this on your own. Please be nicer and more considerate to your wife! Also, she must take and apply her medicine on time.¡± After that, the doctor left the ward immediately, leaving Samuel and the report there. The subordinates didn¡®t dare to breathe out loud for fear that the doctor¡®s words had angered their boss. If that were to happen, everyone in the ward would suffer. However, Samuel could only frown. His dark and sharp eyes scanned through the report meticulously. Immediately afterward, his expression became thunderous. He originally thought that Tina was putting on an act the whole time. Unexpectedly, her condition seemed a little too serious. Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Chapter 321 An annoyed Samuel threw the report away before ncing at Tina¡®s pale face. That woman might be maniptive, but her body was extremely weak. ¡°Take good care of her!¡± He left the ward after uttering the icy order. Originally, he still wanted to settle the score with her. Now, it looked like he would have to wait. He would deal with her in the future. His subordinates couldn¡®t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Langford, Miss Lynd needs to have fresh medicine applied to herter. Should we ask other people to do it for her?¡± Samuel paused in his tracks after hearing the question. All of a sudden, he spun on his heel and approached the subordinate in a dangerous fashion. ¡°Take her home to avoid embarrassing me further in public,¡± he hissed coldly. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. His words might seem harsh, but the subordinates quickly understood what he meant. They were quiet, but then swapped quick nces with each other. Samuel was nning to serve... Er, take care of Tina on his own. Tina didn¡®t know how long she remained unconscious. Upon waking up from the horrible nightmare, she extended a hand forward to grab onto something, as if she was drowning. She ended uptching onto a man¡®s strong and muscr arm. A frown already positioned on his face, Samuel demanded, ¡°Let go of me.¡± However, Tina had no intention to obey that order. Her mind was still a muddled mess. All she could feel was a reassuring presence near her, so she grabbed Samuel¡®s arm and refused to let go. At the same time, she mumbled faintly, ¡°Kara... Where¡®s Kara... I want to see her...¡± ¡°Keep dreaming.¡± Samuel¡®s tone was icy. He didn¡®t expect that woman totch onto him like an octopus and refused to let him go no matter what. Tina started sobbing pitifully. ¡°Where¡®s Kara right now? Kara, I can¡®t live without you!¡± Upon witnessing this scene, the subordinate had no choice but to pretend that he saw nothing. He bnced a tray of medicine as he said, ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡®s time for Miss Lynd to take her medicine.¡± ¡°I won¡®t take any medicine!¡± Tina suddenly shook her head. ¡°I want to see Kara! Samuel¡®s a despicable demon! If anything happened to Kara, I¡®ll kill myself so that I can apany her in the afterlife! I¡®ll curse him so he can never live his life without any regrets!¡± Tears trickled down Tina¡®s cheeks as she wailed loudly. Soon, the tears stained Samuel¡®s clothes. However, the words that she uttered were akin to daggers stabbing his heart continuously. A dark expression settled on his face. Did she just call him a despicable demon while cursing him out loud? When the subordinate heard Tina running her mouth, he quickly exined on her behalf, a frightened look on his pale face. ¡°Mr. Langford, Miss Lynd must be suffering from a high fever right now. That¡®s why she¡®s saying all these nonsensical things. If she doesn¡®t take the antipyretics and get the fever under control, her fever will continue eating at her. At this rate, it¡®ll be bad for her health...¡± Meanwhile, Tina was still crying and sobbing incessantly. ¡°Kara... I want to see my daughter...¡± Samuel rose to his feet immediately and threw Tina back on the bed. Then, he turned around and left. ¡°Mr. Langford, where are you going?¡± ¡°She wants to see that little girl, doesn¡®t she? Bring her to me!¡± Samuel sounded very irritated. ¡°That woman¡®s so annoying when she¡®s crying.¡± ¡°Y¨CYes, sir!¡± The subordinate quickly wiped cold sweat off his brow. Less than half an hourter, a little girl was brought to the mansion¡®s main hall. The moment she saw Samuel, Kara hissed like a feral kitten with its ws out. She demanded angrily, ¡°You meanie! I hate you! Where did you hide my mommy? I¡®ll never let you go! Return my mommy to me!¡± Samuel just peered at the girl from above before replying coldly, ¡°If you want to see your mommy, then settle down like a good girl!¡± Tina alone was more than enough to piss him off. If Kara intended to drive him crazy just like her mother, then his lifespan would have been reduced into half due to the constant anger. The moment Kara heard Samuel¡®s words, she calmed down immediately. ¡°What? Where¡®s my mommy? I want to see her!¡± Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Kara, who was aggressive earlier, widened her eyes and stared at Samuel. A sh of complicated emotions streaked past Samuel¡®s eyes when he looked at the little girl who greatly resembled Tina. ¡°Your mommy is resting in her room because she has fallen ill. If you want to see her, you need to be a good girl,¡± he said coldly. Kara grew anxious immediately. ¡°Mommy¡®s sick? I¨CI¡®ll be a good girl! Mr. Meanie, please don¡®t throw me out!¡± Samuel¡®s expression darkened even more. Mr. Meanie? Tina was definitely an amazing mother. Who knew what sort of garbage was she filling her daughter¡®s mind with? Then again, he didn¡®t feel the need to correct a five¨Cyear¨Cold. He immediately led her into the room. ¡°Mommy... Mommy...¡± Kara flung herself to the bed immediately. Upon hearing her daughter¡®s sweet voice calling out for her, Tina snapped out of her muddled state for a moment. ¡°Kara...? Are you Kara?¡± ¡°It¡®s me, Mommy!¡± Kara felt Tina¡®s forehead with her tiny hand in concern. She looked at the medicine sitting on the bedside table anxiously. ¡°Mommy, you¡®re burning up! Your forehead is so hot! Why didn¡®t you take your medicine? You¡®ll only make a full recovery once you finish your medicine!¡± Tears started rolling down Tina¡®s cheeks. For a moment, she wondered if she was hallucinating. She didn¡®t expect to see her daughter for real. Even after taking the medicine, Tina still felt drowsy and dizzy. However, she continued to embrace her daughter without the intention to let go. ¡°Mommy, once you¡®ve taken the medicine and have a good night¡®s sleep, you¡®ll be healthy again!¡± Tina was frightened to the core. She was scared that everything she saw was a mere hallucination. If she were to wake up from this amazing dream, she wouldn¡®t be able to see her precious daughter ever again... Meanwhile, Kara was troubled by the turn of events. ¡°Mr. Meanie, what should I do? Mommy doesn¡®t want to sleep at all!¡± Tina was stunned. ¡°Mr. Meanie?¡± ¡°That mister over there is a huge meanie!¡± Kara pointed at Samuel, who was standing some distance away from them. Tina finally realized that the tall figure was standing right there and watching her interactions with her daughter with a dark expression on his face. She was so frightened, she sobered up from her sickly haze immediately. To think Kara actually called Samuel ¡°Mr. Meanie¡± right in his face... His character was incredibly vengeful, which meant both she and her daughter would be done for this time! She wrapped her arms around Kara tightly like a protective mother hen. ¡°W¨CWhy are you here? Kara didn¡®t mean what she said. It¡®s my fault for teaching her such things...¡± Samuel chuckled coldly at the sight of Tina looking so anxious and scared. ¡°Of course. How is your daughter able to say such things without ¡®proper¡® education from a good mother like you?¡± ¡°I...¡± Tina wanted to continue speaking, but Samuel cut her off. Samuel continued coldly, ¡°Tina, I¡®ll only give you two days. I told you that your performance depends on your chances of meeting your daughter. So far, I¡®m satisfied with your performance. Hence, I¡®ve granted you a chance to be with your daughter. Of course, if you fail to recover from your illness in the next two days...¡± His words trailed away, reced by another cold and sinister chuckle. Then, he turned around and left the ward. Kara didn¡®t understand what Samuel meant. She said worriedly, ¡°Mommy, hurry up and rest! Mr. Meanie said I can live here for two days! Once you wake up,C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I¡®ll still be here!¡± However, Tina still felt extremely cold as she hugged her daughter tightly. Only then was she able to suppress the sorrow in her heart. ¡°Alight, I¡®ll go to bed right now. I need to recover from my illness as soon as possible.¡± Right now, she was just a ything for Samuel to toy around as he pleased. She could only protect her precious daughter if she made a full recovery. Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Under the effects of the medicine, Tina slept soundly. After she woke up, her mind was much clearer than before. At daybreak, she discovered Kara lying next to her. The little girl¡®s body was curled into a tiny ball, making her look like an abandoned puppy. Her heart throbbing in pain for her daughter, Tina got up and carefully moved the little girl to the center of the bed. After tucking her in, she went to freshen up in the bathroom. Having taken the antipyretics and slept through the night, Tina felt sticky because she had sweated a lot. Right now, she needed to take a shower. One showerter, she changed into a set of simple clothes. Just as Tina walked out of the bathroom, she noticed Samuel¡®s tall form standing quite close to her. ¡°Ah!¡± Surprised by his appearance, she couldn¡®t help but let out a shriek before quickly covering her mouth. ¡°W¨CWhy are you here?¡± Samuel didn¡®t bother to answer her question. He gave her a onceover, noting that she was recovering nicely since she was very vignt toward him. ¡°Come out. It¡®s time to apply medicine to your wounds.¡± Apply medicine? What type of medicine? Confused, Tina wanted to inquire more about the unknown medicine. However, she was afraid of waking Kara up. In the end, she obediently followed Samuel out of the room. Samuel soon led her to another room. Tina noticed the medical report on the desk as well as the medicinal ointment that was meant to be applied externally. She finally understood what was going on. Just a while ago, she had gone to the hospital for a check¨Cup. The doctor had administered the medicine to her. Unexpectedly, Samuel had discovered both the report and the medicine... Her cheeks were dusted pink as her head started buzzing. She wanted nothing more than to dig herself a hole and hide in it forever. ¡°What are you standing around for?¡± Samuel frowned while asking impatiently. ¡°Don¡®t you want to make a quick recovery?¡± That question served as a bucket of ice¨Ccold water that was dumped on Tina¡®s form, thus snapping her out of her embarrassment. She took a deep breath, bowed her head, and said in a self¨Cdeprecating way, ¡°I understand. I¡®ll recover as soon as I can to avoid dying your need to have your way with me¡± Oddly enough, Samuel wasn¡®t mad at all. ¡°Aren¡®t you a sassy one?¡± His deep baritone echoed coldly as he ordered, ¡°Sit down.¡± Tina was bbergasted when she noticed Samuel picking up the ointment. What was he trying to do? Was he nning to apply the ointment directly to her wounds for her? ¡°I¨CI can do it myself!¡± she stammered. However, Samuel refused to give Tina the chance to turn him down. ¡°I have a video conference to attend in ten minutes. Don¡®t waste my time.¡± Tina could only bite her bottom lip, extremely embarrassed. How ironic. Samuel had never once cared about her. How else would the wounds on her body appear in the first ce? Tina didn¡®t dare to struggle, so she could only undress herself with quivering hands. Some timeter, someone knocked on the room door politely. A subordinate reported in a cautious manner, ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡®s almost time for the conference.¡± Samuel exited the room in wide strides, looking as if nothing had happened just now. Meanwhile, Tina followed him out of the room in an odd gait. She gritted her teeth, her cheeks already ame. At that moment, she looked like a wife who had just gotten harassed by her husband. The subordinate nced at her quickly before looking away, not daring to let his gaze linger on her. Then, he dropped her a reminder. ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Langford¡®s conference will end in about an hour.¡± Tina wanted nothing more than to flee to her room and forget about the embarrassing and painful memory on hearing the subordinate¡®s words, she couldn¡®t help but feel surprised. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Chapter 324 The subordinate couldn¡®t help but ponder. ¡®What has the conference got to do with you? Of course, it has everything to do with you! You¡®re Mr. Langford¡®s special woman, after all!¡® ¡°Mr. Langford¡®s conference will end in an hour. By then, you and your daughter can have breakfast together with him,¡± he reported. A whileter, Kara woke up on the bed. Tina took the little girl to go wash up. After that, Kara rubbed her stomach and said sweetly,¡± Mommy, I¡®m hungry. When can we eat?¡± ¡°We just have to wait for a while longer. Then, we can eat,¡± Tina replied. As she said that, anger rose within her. It was fine if Samuel intended to torture her, but why did her five¨Cyear¨Cold daughter have to suffer from hunger as well? Not intending to wait any longer, Tina barged into the kitchen right away. ¡°Miss Lynd! You¡®re sick right now, so you can¡®t enter the kitchen.¡± ¡°That¡®s right. The greasy fumes won¡®t do your health any good.¡± ¡°We can¡®t afford to take the responsibility if you copsed because of the fumes.¡± Tina was so furious that she couldn¡®t help butugh mockingly. ¡°Is this what Samuel ordered you to do? Did he tell you to stop me from entering the kitchen? He wants me to wait till his conference is over before I¡®m permitted to eat with him? No problem! I¡®m fine with that. After all, I¡®m freeloading off him. Whatever he says is thew here, so I won¡®t protest at all. However, Kara¡®s just a five¨Cyear¨Cold girl! She¡®s in the midst of growing and developing right now! Why are you this heartless to make her starve with me? This is a little too cruel even by Samuel¡®s standards, right?¡± The subordinates were stunned when they heard Tina¡®s usations. ¡°Um... Miss Lynd, we didn¡®t mean it like that...¡± At that moment, a man¡®s cold voice drifted from the spiral staircase not far away from the group ¡°Tina! What the hell are you up to this time?¡± Tina looked in Samuel¡®s direction immediately, her fists already curled into tight balls. The sight of his arrogant and cold appearance made her want to mock him right there and then. However, she knew this wasn¡®t the time. She took a deep breath before bowing her head and exining, ¡°I¡¯m not nning anything. At first, we wanted to wait till your conference is over so we can dine together. But Kara¡®s so young that she gets hungry very easily. That¡®s why I wanted to enter the kitchen and look for snacks.¡± Samuel frowned instinctively. ¡°Since when did I tell you to wait for me?¡± Tina choked on her words, her fists growing tighter in response. The subordinate who had talked to Tina earlier exined frantically, ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡®s all my fault! I decided to take things into my own hands by telling Miss Lynd that she and her daughter should wait for you to eat together. I didn¡®t expect that the conference would be prolonged...¡± Samuel¡®s cold gaze flitted over to that subordinate¡®s trembling form. ¡°You took things into your own hands, huh?¡± The subordinate was so frightened that his knees buckled together and he instantly sank down to his knees. ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡®m willing to receive my punishment!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Watching the trite performance put on by Samuel and the subordinate, Tina could onlyugh coldly. The former was willing to go to such lengths just to torture her even more! She didn¡®t say anything about it. Instead, she asked softly, ¡°Can I call Kara over for breakfast now?¡± Samuel looked at Tina. Noticing how obedient and meek she looked, he looked away coldly. ¡°Go ahead.¡± The servants worked quickly. The moment Samuel¡®s conference had ended, the dining table wasden with hot, steaming food. Kara was so hungry that her stomach kept growling the whole time. She was starving to the point that she could swallow a cow whole. However, the sight of the man sitting at the head seat frightened her. She whispered to Tina softly, ¡°Mommy, why is Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Tina replied softly, ¡°Don¡®t be scared, Kara. I¡®m here, and I¡®ll definitely protect you. Let¡®s eat. I don¡®t want you to starve any longer.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Kara nodded happily. It was true that she was starving. The dishes on the table were delicately arranged and consisted of a wide variety of cuisines, which served as a great distraction for her five¨Cyear old brain. She couldn¡®t help but shove food into her mouth happily. ¡°Mommy, I want to eat this and that! The food here is amazing!¡± Kara was naturally friendly and cheerful, so she couldn¡®t help but sneak peeks at Samuel after sitting at the dining table for a while. ¡°Mr. Meanie, why aren¡®t you eating?¡± Tina was surprised to hear Kara¡®s words. She almost covered her daughter¡®s mouth instinctively. Oh god! Will Samuel get mad at Kara for calling him Mr. Meanie?!¡® she thought, feeling helpless. She snuck a look in Samuel¡®s direction. Having ended the conference, the man was in no hurry to start eating. Instead, he had been reviewing the documents at the head seat. After hearing Kara¡®s question, he put down the documents and asked coldly, ¡°Why?¡± Kara shrunk away from Samuel¡®s cold gaze instinctively, but she mustered her courage to reply to him. ¡°You should focus on your food when you¡®re eating. You shouldn¡®t do anything else. Also, if you don¡®t eat properly, mommy will punish you by smacking your butt!¡± The little girl sounded very serious. Samuel just chuckled coldly. ¡°You don¡®t know whose butt is going to be smacked in the end.¡± Tina was furious by that inappropriate response. ¡®D*mn you, Samuel! Why must you say such things in front of a child?!¡® ¡°Kara, stop talking nonsense. Eat your food,¡± Tina said seriously with a deadpan look. ¡°If you¡®re too full from all the eating, I¡®ll take you on a walk to help you digest your food.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kara was always obedient when Tina was the one lecturing her, so she continued eating quietly. Samuel¡®s mealtimes were always inconsistent. There were many instances when he would finally remember to eat after he was done dealing with his work. The fact he was able to eat on time was all thanks to Tina and Kara. Otherwise, his mealtime would have been dyed by another few hours based on his usual work routine. He didn¡®t n to revise the documents anymore, now that Kara had pointed his problem out to him. His gaze was soon trained on the mother and daughter pair. It made Tina feel more anxious. ¡®Is the demon angry because Kara disturbed his work with her overly blunt question?¡® In contrast with Tina¡®s anxiety, Kara was ignorant to what her mother was thinking. The sight of the five¨Cyear¨Cold inhaling food like she hadn¡®t eaten for ages made Samuel frown immediately. ¡°Don¡®t you eat regrly at home?¡± he asked icily. Kara was surprised for a moment. She looked like a squirrel that went into a sudden trace in the midst of eating. She stared at Samuel before pointing at herself. ¡°Mister, are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Who else would I be talking to?¡± A trace of curiosity rose within Samuel¡®s heart. He shot a look at Tina, who looked visibly nervous, before adding, ¡°No one¡®s fighting you for the food, so why are you wolfing everything down? Didn¡®t your mommy prepare meals for you at home?¡± ¡°She does!¡± Kara replied. ¡°Mommy¡®s cooking is amazing! I¡®d always finish everything served on the dinner table whenever she cooked. But I need to eat quickly when I¡®m away from home. During lunchtime at my kindergarten, other children would snatch my food away if I ate slowly.¡± Tina became even more anxious when she heard Kara¡®s reply. ¡°Did the other children bully you?!¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Kara saidfortingly, ¡°Don¡®t worry, Mommy. My dearest older brother taught the children at the kindergarten a lesson for me before, so they don¡®t dare to bully me anymore!¡± Upon hearing the girl¡®s reply, Samuel¡®s brows knit together instantly as he shot Tina a look. ¡°Big brother?¡± His tone was icy. ¡°Tina Lynd, just how many children do you have?¡± Tina was so frightened that her heart skipped a beat. The older brother that Kara was referring to was Keith, of course. Keith wasn¡®t her child. He happened to have run away from home some time ago, and she bumped into him coincidentally. Hence, he spent a few days in her apartment... But if she told everything to Samuel, he would definitely misunderstand her again and think that she was up to no good. ¡°I¡¯m Mommy¡®s only child! My older brother went back to his own home already,¡± Kara answered truthfully. Then, she asked, ¡°Why aren¡®t you eating yet, Mister? Aren¡®t you hungry?¡± Samuel finally dropped his suspicions and tilted his chin at Tina. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°What.. ?? ¡°Since she¡®s already full, you cane over and serve food to me,¡± he replied arrogantly. Tina was renderedpletely speechless. She could only stare at Samuel for a moment. Kara was just a little girl, so it was natural for Tina to help put food on her te. Samuel, on the other hand... He was the CEO of the Langford Group, for heaven¡®s sake! Whenever he appeared on the television screen, he was always portrayed as a domineering and fearsome man. Yet right now, he actually wanted Tina to put food on his te for him! Was he disabled, hence his inability to use his hands? ¡°Hurry up!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Samuel urged, impatient. Tina could only swallow theints she had for him. ¡°Kara, you should go on a walk now that you¡®re full.¡± After sending her daughter out of the dining room, Tina finally surrendered to fate and approached Samuel unwillingly. Whatever. She might as well serve him. Tina stood next to Samuel like a pitiful royal servant as she cut the steak into thin slices for him to eat. ¡°Mr. Langford, you can eat it now.¡± Tina pushed the te to Samuel. However, he simply nced at it without any intention to eat. She could only take a deep breath... Did Samuel wish for her to feed him? The man in question suddenly stretched out a hand to grab her arm. Since her constitution was already weak to begin with, she copsed right away, clearly not expecting his actions. ¡°Ah!¡± Just like that, Tina fell into Samuel¡®s arms. Scared out of her wits, she tried to scramble up to her feet. Unfortunately, the man pinned her down and stopped her struggles easily. ¡°Settle down. Don¡®t move.¡± She was reduced to a prey who was being picked up by a ferocious predator by its neck. Caught in Samuel¡®s arms, she dared not move the slightest inch. Thetter wrapped his arms around Tina, finally realizing that her figure was bing thinner and thinner. He could touch her randomly and still feel the bones under her skin. A frown graced his face as he pulled the te of cut steak over to Tina¡®s front. ¡°You only had a few bites just now, right? Finish this te.¡± Tina was slightly baffled to hear that. Her first instinct was to turn him down. ¡°Didn¡®t you say that this steak is for you? It¡®s fine, I don¡®t need to eat...¡± ¡°Eat everything. Don¡®t be wasteful.¡± The man¡®s tone didn¡®t allow any objections. Tina could only purse her lips while gazing at the te in front of her. She had cut about 600 grams worth of steam earlier. The side dishes served with the main dish came in a huge variety, not to mention they were all piled up like small hills on their own tes and bowls. How on earth would she be able to finish everything? However, this was Samuel¡®s order. He wanted nothing more than to torture her for his personal pleasure. She could never turn him down. Defeated, Tina pulled one of the tes to her. Then, she took a deep breath and dug into the food before her, looking as though she was ready to die anytime soon. As he watched her eating quickly, Samuel¡®s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Is the food here delicious?¡± Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Chapter 327 The steak on the te was made from wagyu beef of the highest quality. The marbled fat was spread across the meat b like dots of snowkes. If people were to take one or two bites from the steak, they would easily describe the meat to be tasty, as the tender meat would melt in their mouth with a few bites. But the more they ate, the more nauseous they would be. Tina gritted her teeth and tried to hold back the urge to puke as she struggled to say, ¡°I¨CIt¡®s decent...¡± ¡°Is that so? Let me taste it.¡± Samuel¡®s tone was light. He watched as Tina was about to plunge her fork into another slice of steak. Suddenly, his hand shot out quickly and grabbed her wrist. Tina was surprised by the action. The next thing she knew, she saw the steak being sent into Samuel¡®s mouth instead. ¡°... Um...¡± She waspletely bbergasted. ¡°... I used that fork just now...¡± Wasn¡®t Samuel severely germophobic? Wd Was she seeing things? Compared to Tina¡®s surprise, Samuel looked nonchnt. It was as if it was completely normal for him to use Tina¡®s fork to eat his food. His actions were so familiar, as if he had done it countless times in the past. Samuel was always a harsh critic. He would always criticize the meals prepared by the chefs every day. The servants surrounding them all looked quite anxious. This time, the man of the household actually gave the chefs a pretty high rating, a once in a blue moon urrence. ¡°The taste is pretty good. The control over the fire is just perfect.¡± Everyone heaved sighs of relief upon hearing his remark. At the same time, they looked at Tina. Everything was all thanks to her, right? However, a look of embarrassment appeared on Tina¡®s face the moment she sensed everyone¡®s gazes on her. It was incredibly embarrassing for her. Fortunately, she had predicted that Samuel would do something unreasonable to her, hence her decision to let Kara take a walk outside. If her little girl witnessed the scene earlier, Tina wouldn¡®t be able to exin herself at all. The sight of Tina spacing out made Samuel urge her even more. ¡°You¡®re such a slow eater! Hurry up!¡± The former didn¡®t dare to hesitate anymore as she forked more steak into her mouth. However... To begin with, she was already too full. Moreover, the wagyu beef was too greasy for her. In the end, her stomach started churning wildly. No matter how much resolve she had, she couldn¡®t stop the inevitable urge to vomit. Tina threw her fork away all of a sudden, covered her mouth, and broke free of Samuel¡®s embrace. Then, she rushed to the kitchen... This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Barf! Sounds of uncontroble vomiting could be hearding from the kitchen. When the servants heard that, they grew so scared that their faces turned pale immediately. ¡°What¡®s wrong, Miss Lynd? Do the dishes not fit your taste preference?¡± Goodness gracious! They already understood Tina¡®s position in Samuel¡®s heart based on the scene earlier. However, she ran into the kitchen to puke her guts out after taking just a few bites. That would spell disaster for the servants. Samuel¡®s expression darkened immediately. When he noticed Tinaing out of the kitchen while looking awfully pale, he gritted his teeth before snarling out icily, ¡°Tina! What the hell did you mean by that?¡± He had just used her fork, but she had the audacity to vomit in front of him! Clearly, Tina had thought of the same thing as well. She didn¡®t want Samuel to add another grudge to the list, so she exined quickly, ¡°I...I was too full. The steak was too greasy, and I ate too much, so I ended up vomiting. It wasn¡®t because of you using my fork and making me feel disgusted to the point that I vomited...¡± She could feel her stomach tumbling again when she spoke. Unable to hold back, Tina rushed back to the kitchen and started vomiting once again. Thanks to her actions, her exnation earlier just made her look more and more guilty. Samuel rose to his feet, a thunderous expression on his face. He left the dining room decisively without turning back. He feared that if he stayed there any longer, he would strangle the woman who continued to provoke and anger him consistently to death. Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Chapter 328 After hearing Samuel leave, Tina felt her heart being plunged into icy waters. She couldn¡®t believe that she angered him once again. This time, she was definitely doomed, However, she couldn¡®t control her stomach at all. After an unknown period of time, she finally emptied her guts out. Tina¡®s legs resembled a newborn fawn¡®s as she stumbled out of the kitchen with a wobbly gait. She almost copsed into a dead faint on the floor. Was ¡°Miss Lynd, are you all right?¡± A servant quickly went forward to stabilize her. Her tone sounded very concerned. Tina was surprised. ¡°W¨CWhat did you call me?¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, of course!¡± the servant replied. ¡°Are you dissatisfied with this term? Would you like me to call you Madam Lynd?¡± Tina was truly bewildered by the respectful attitude that servant showed to her, to the point she shivered involuntarily. Then, she scanned her surroundings. It was a good thing that Samuel wasn¡®t around. He didn¡®t overhear the exchange. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡®s no need for that. Just call me Miss Lynd,¡± she said curtly. ¡°Miss Lynd, I notice that yourplexion is unwell. Do you want me to call the doctor over and perform a check¨Cup on you? Since you haven¡®t recovered from your fever, let me help you back to your room.¡± ¡°I¡®ll help you too!¡± ¡°I¡®ll pour you a ss of warm water.¡± The servants crowded around Tina with the intention to butter her up. Their attitudes made Tina¡®s skin crawl in difort. She would never forget how arrogant the servants were a short while ago. They acted as if she owed them hundreds of thousands of dors. Did they wake up from the wrong side of the bed today? Why were they suddenly trying to please her? Tina pped the hand away, a cold expression on her face. She said, ¡°There¡®s no need for that. I¡®m just a secretary, so I can go rest on my own. You¡®re free to resume your duties.¡± ¡°Um...¡± The other servants no longer insisted on offering their services upon hearing her words. ¡°Alright, then. Please inform us if you need any assistance, Miss Lynd.¡± Tina fled back to her room by propping herself against the wall. The same group of servants couldn¡®t help butin about her behind her back. ¡°What the hell? Does that woman seriously think that she¡®s Mrs. Langford? How dare she act so arrogantly!¡± ¡°Tch! Mr Langford likes her, after all. Didn¡®you see how he used the fork that she ate from? It¡®s obvious she¡®s his favorite right now. We can¡®t afford to offend her!¡± The thought of Samuel¡®s germaphobia drilled fear into the servants¡® hearts. In the past, a bold servant who thought she was pretty enough to seduce Samuel pretended to fall into his arms by ident. The next day, her limbs were all broken by Samuel¡®s subordinates. She was almost reduced to a disabled cripple on the bed. Since then, all the servants understood just how brutal and ruthless Samuel was. While Tina may seem like an ordinary secretary, everyone knew very well that she was someone that they couldn¡®t afford to offend no matter what. Tina¡®s lever had just gone down, so her constitution was already weakened. The fact she was forced to stull so much steak into her stomach made it suffer from extreme difort. Pering that she might fall ill again, she had a servant call over a doctor. That doctor was Famous in the district for his herbal medicine. Soon, he administered some medicine for her condition Samuel had left in the morning, not nning to return the entire day. Tin let out a sigh of relief. She then took Kara to the courtyard to sunbathe, go on walks, and y games the whole day. The next dawn, a car could be seen parked outside the estate. ¡®Two of Samuel¡®s subordinates appeared in front of Tina¡®s room and knocked on her door politely ¡°Miss Lynch, I wo days have passed. We¡®re taking the girl away.¡± Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Tina¡®s heart felt like it was squeezed by an invisible hand. She had just rxed for two days before being forced to face the inevitable¡­ ¡°Can you please wait for a moment?¡± she asked pleadingly. ¡°Samuel promised me two days, but today is only the second day. I want to spend more time with my daughter. I don¡®t want her to leave me so soon...¡± The subordinates were very conflicted. ¡°Miss Lynd, it¡®s not that we don¡®t want you to spend more time with your daughter. Rather, it¡®s mainly...¡± Tina understood that it was Samuel¡®s order that led them here. ¡°Is he in the car?¡± she asked tentatively. ¡°Yes. Mr. Langford is there.¡± Tina balled her fists tightly. ¡°... I¡®ll go plead to him.¡± Perhaps it was due to that day¡®s incident that Samuel decided to take Kara away in advance. The subordinates exchanged nces with each other. Typically speaking, Samuel¡®s orders were not to be defied. However... The woman named Tina Lynd was clearly an exception. As they weren¡®t bold enough to stop her, they ended up following her to the car. It was a Rolls¨CRoyce Phantom. The car window at the back had descended halfway, showcasing a man¡®s figure and mature facial features. He looked like a chiseled Greek god statue; the shadows inside the car made his features look refined and intricate. Tina approached the car and knocked on the window softly. Samuel continued reading the documents in his hands, clearly undisturbed. The woman called out to him in a suppressed voice. ¡°Mr. Langford... It¡®s me...¡± Samuel flipped to the next page while letting out an annoyed huff. He knew that the neer was Tina even if she didn¡®t speak up. She was the only one bold enough to keep provoking him time and time again. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he demanded harshly. ¡°1... I¡®m here to apologize to you...Tina spoke anxiously. ¡°I was the one at fault for what happened that day.¡± Samuel lifted his head, his sharp gaze scanning her face. ¡°That day? Which day?¡± ¡°Um...¡± Upon detecting Samuel¡®s dangerous gaze that could kill her anytime, Tina felt chills running down her spine. ¡°W¨CWell... it¡®s the day when my fever went down. I was suffering from stomach problems, so I ... I displeased you by ident... I¡®m really sorry about that...¡± Tina continued nervously, ¡°Will you forgive me, Mr. Langford?¡± ¡°Did I me you?¡± he asked coldly. It was fine if Samuel was furious with her, but his current state of tranquility was what scared her the most. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She clutched the hem of her shirt tightly before replying, ¡°Mr. Langford, to tell you the truth, my body is... almost done recovering...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°If you want, I...I can serve you. I¡®ll do anything as long as it makes you happy...¡± Tina gritted her teeth and said a bunch of things that she clearly didn¡®t mean. Then, she asked, ¡°C¨CCan you please not ask your men to take Kara away from me?¡± Samuel froze for a moment before throwing the documents away. ¡°What do you mean by that, Tina Lynd?¡± ¡°I¡®m sorry, Mr. Langford! I didn¡®t mean to anger you...¡± Tina looked quite fearful. ¡°You didn¡®t mean it? I think what you want right now is to anger me to the point of death! Do you think the reason behind me taking Kara away is because I wanted vengeance for what you did to me? Hmm?¡± Samuel nced at Tina with a cold smirk yed on his lips. Thetter bowed her head immediately, not daring to make eye contact with him. ¡°That¡®s not what I meant...¡± How could she ever admit that fact? Her expression, however, ticked Samuel off even more. He said slowly, ¡°The past two days happened to be the weekend, so I had my men bring her over to the mansion. However, it¡®s a school day now! How on earth are you a mother, Tina Lynd? Your daughter has to go to school, doesn¡®t she?¡± Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Tina was shocked the moment she heard Samuel¡®s words. ¡°What?¡± She originally thought that Samuel ordered his men to take Kara away just to get revenge on her, but she didn¡®t expect that... It was because of school! ¡°Hurry up and bring your daughter here!¡± Samuel ordered coldly. ¡°If you keep wasting my time, she can forget about going to school!¡± Tina finally realized that she had misunderstood Samuel. His frightening gaze made her shiver involuntarily. ¡°I¨CI¡®ll bring her over right now!¡± A few minutester, Tina came back with a bleary¨Ceyed Kara in her arms. She sat on the backseat with Kara on herp. She had just sat down and was about to put on the seatbelt when Samuel ordered, ¡°Go now.¡± The driver didn¡®t hesitate to put his foot on the gas pedal, thus navigating the car to the front. Tina¡®s form shook violently from the inertia. It was fine if she were to fall in the car, but the point was, Kara might get hurt in the process. Cess. With one arm closed around Kara¡®s waist tightly, Tina stretched her other hand to Samuel and leaned firmly against him. A floral scent she wasn¡®t aware of wafted from her body. It was a light and vague fragrance that resembled tiny, slithering snakes that crawled their way into Samuel¡®s heart. Thetter¡®s eyes darkened before he snarled, ¡°What are you up to this time?¡± How dare she try to seduce him so early in the morning? Only she was bold enough to pull off such ssical seductive feats! ¡°I... No...¡± Tina failed to exin herself. She knew very well that once Samuel intended to find fault with her, no amount of exnations could help clear her of her sins. Before she was able to sit properly, he had already ordered the driver to start the car and drive away quickly. Besides, she was carrying her daughter as well. It was impossible for her to steady herself in that situation. Tina put some distance between her and Samuel, not feeling the need to exin anymore. Upset, she could only hold her tongue and stay as far away from him as she could. If she bumped into him again, he would definitely me her. Samuel frowned when he noticed Tina¡®s aggrieved look. He was so irritated, he couldn¡®t help but wonder if she was putting on another act. Clearly, she was a maniptive woman who had ambiguous rtionships with other men. Yet, she loved pretending to be an innocent and na?ve woman. The sight of her persona drove him crazy. Just like that, the atmosphere in the car grew awkward and tense. No one spoke during the journey. Finally, the car slowed down to a halt before the driver said, ¡°Mr. Langford, Miss Lynd, we¡®ve arrived.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Tina looked out of the window. As expected, their destination was the same kindergarten Kara used to study at. Little Stars. Tina took Kara out of the car hurriedly. She lowered her head, refusing to meet Samuel¡®s eye. ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡®ll be taking Kara to school now.¡± She made sure to walk far, far away from the car. After ensuring that she was out of Samuel¡®s line of sight, she heaved a huge sigh of relief. At that moment, Kara took in the familiar environment and chirped happily, ¡°Mommy, can I go to school now? That¡®s great! I can y with the children I¡®m familiar with now!¡± The teacher at the kindergarten was also very shocked to see them. ¡°Madam Lynd, why did you bring Kara back here? Didn¡®t you transfer her to another kindergarten back then?¡± Tina mumbled, ¡°Yeah... It¡®s better for us to return to this ce. Kara loves ying with the children at Little Stars, after all.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡®s true.¡± Kara didn¡®t need the teacher¡®s assistance at all. She bounded back to her original ssroom like a bird that was granted its freedom. The teacher seemed like she just remembered something all of a sudden. She said, ¡°By the way, this year¡®s parent¨Cchild sports meet is about to begin. I know you¡®re very busy, Madam Lynd, so will kara be participating in this sports meet with her uncle as usual?¡± Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Horrified, Tina froze. Kara¡®s uncle was none other than Frederick Jackson. Tina hadn¡®t seen him at all ever since Samuel found out about her identity. ¡°I¡®m quite busy these days. Her uncle couldn¡®t make it because he also has other things on his end. It¡®s too bad, but we won¡®t be able to attend the event.¡± Tina¡®s mind was preupied as she wandered away from the kindergarten like a lost sheep. Kara¡®s life was not in jeopardy at the moment. But when the kindergarten teacher mentioned Frederick, she couldn¡®t help but worry. ¡®Is Frederick alright?¡® ¡®What if Samuel did something awful to him?¡¯ she thought, her fear growing every second. She walked out of the gate with her head lowered in defeat, but her way was barred by a tall figure. She bumped straight into the person¡®s chest. Heaving in the putrid stench of tobo, a startled Tina was forced to look up. As expected, Samuel was looking down at her. His eyes were filled with repulsion. ¡°What are dilly¨Cdallying for?! Get in the car right now!¡± Tina was shocked. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± W She thought Samuel had left after she apanied Kara into the kindergarten. Didn¡®t he havepany matters to attend to? ¡°Have you forgotten who you are right now?¡± As Samuel stared into Tina¡®s bewildered eyes, he couldn¡®t resist the urge to squeeze her cheeks with great force. ¡°How dare you make me wait for so long!¡± Pain rose to her cheeks, the stinging ache so unbearable it almost sent he so unbearable it almost sent Tina to tears. Only then did she remember that she was now Samuel¡®s secretary. Her face now as pale as a sheet, she stuttered, ¡°I... I thought that¡­¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. At first, Tina thought that Samuel was simply fooling around with her. She didn¡®t know he was dead serious about his suggestion to make her his secretary! However, Samuel could care less about what she had to say as he got into the car. Tina wouldn¡®t dare to make him wait. She followed him into the car, buckled her seatbelt, and maintained a safe distance from him just so she wouldn¡®t get on his nerves again. She finally understood her current position. She was merely Samuel¡®s ything, and nothing more. Now that Kara and Frederick were held hostage, all she could do right now was to entertain Samuel as much as she could without enraging him. While Tina was still contemting her miserable life, the car had already arrived at the branch of Langford Group that was located in Paris. ¡°Hello, Mr. Langford.¡± ¡°Greetings, Mr. Langford!¡± All the staff in thepany greeted Samuel in unison the moment he appeared at the entrance. Following closely from behind were a few bodyguards escorting the president to the lift. Everyone¡®s eyes widened in disbelief when they noticed a woman right beside Samuel as he walked by Wearing a simple attire, Tinadidn¡®t fit in as one of the staff at all. Under normal circumstances, she would¡®ve been chased out of thepany. Nobody could believe that someone like Tina was even qualified to walk beside Samuel. with a height of 1.9 metres, Samuel gave off a firm and impactful charisma with each step he made. Tina, who still hadn¡®t recovered from her injury, gathered all her strength to limp forward. s, she still couldn¡®t catch up. Samuel tossed his head over to look behind him. When he realized Tina was falling behind, he slowed down. The staff gawked at the scene with awe. Panic struck them instantly. Judging from Samuel¡®s character, he wasn¡®t the type to stop for anyone. For him to turn back, something must¡®ve gone wrong. To the staff¡®s utter surprise, he looked over at the woman behind him and asked coldly, ¡°Why are you walking so slowly? Didn¡®t you have breakfast today?¡± Under the gazes of so many people, Tina¡®splexion flushed red and she lowered her head in fear. ¡°I... I can¡®t catch up...¡± ¡°What a useless woman,¡± Samuel snapped sarcastically. Not wanting to waste any more time, he tugged at Tina¡®s hand and dragged her forward forcefully, Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Chapter 332 What Samuel just did made everyone¡®s jaw drop. Did they imagine it? What on earth happened to Mr. Langford today? Facing everyone¡®s horrified stares, Tina desperately wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. She hurriedly followed Samuel to the lift, not daring to say anything further. Ding! The door of the lift opened, with the president¡®s office just right in front of them. When the personal assistant saw Samuel , she stood up and greeted him respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Mr. Langford.¡± The personal assistant noticed Tina behind him, and was shocked as well. Without deigning to exin any further, Samuel said curtly, ¡°From now on, she will be my secretary.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Then, he left Tina behind and walked into his office. Facing the personal assistant¡®s questioning look, Tina was beyond embarrassed. However, she was the first to break the silence. ¡°Hello, I¡®m new here. You can call me Linda.¡± ¡°Can I know what I should do here?¡± ¡°Umm...¡± The assistant wasn¡®t sure either. After all, she had just witnessed Mr. Langford holding that woman¡®s hand when he arrived. It was clear that Tina wasn¡®t just an ordinary secretary! The personal assistant asked, ¡°Why don¡®t you head over to the pantry and brew some coffee for Mr. Langford? You can send some documents for him to signter.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Tina asked nervously. ¡°You¡®re still new here. You can start by doing some simple chores,¡± the assistant said. What the assistant said made sense to Tina. The reason Samuel kept her by his side was only to scrutinize her every movement. Never in a million years would Simon leave important documentation under her responsibility. If Samuel actually assigned work to Tina, she would¡®ve made things even worse for him. After all, Tina was only an expert in fashion design. She had no ability in business management. Thus, Tina went to the pantry to brew the coffee. Samuel wasn¡®t a fan of instant coffee. He would usually only drink freshly brewed Americano Even after spending five years in Paris, Tina still couldn¡®t get used to the taste of coffee. She could barely drink it without milk and sugar, let alone a concentrated Americano. An Americano was even more bitter than medicine! How on earth did Samuel gulp that down without a flinch? She thought about how she had added a lot of salt to her cooking just to spite Samuel. Not only did Samuel finish everything, but he also didn¡®t even show any aversion to the food. Right at this moment, someone was making a ruckus just outside the president¡®s office. ¡°I¡®m sorry, but you can¡®t go in right now. Mr. Langford is still working.¡± Curious, Tina left the pantry and peered outside. What she saw next changed herplexion immediately. ¡°Do you know who I am?! I am Cindy Young, Samuel Langford¡®s wife! Are you out of your mind? How dare you stop me from entering!¡± Outside the office, Cindy was screaming and screeching at the top of her lungs without nary a thought to everything else. The sight of Cindy¡®s wicked face sent shivers all over Tina¡®s body. ¡®Why is Cindy here?!¡® she thought, panicking. If Cindy noticed that Tina was now Samuel¡®s secretary, the former wouldn¡®t just let it slide! Fortunately, Cindy still hadn¡®t noticed Tina, who was hiding in the pantry. Not long after, the door of the president¡®s office swung open. Samuel¡®s agitated voice drifted over, cutting off Cindy¡®s incessant shouts. ¡°Why is it so noisy outside?¡± Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Chapter 333 When Cindy saw Samuel, her features softened immediately. ¡°Samuel, you haven¡®t been home for a few days! I¡®m very worried about you,¡± she said with a tone of great concern. ¡°That¡®s why I came here. I wanted to see how you¡®re doing.¡± Seeing that Cindy was literally begging for his attention, Samuel didn¡®t want to make things difficult for her. He shot back coldly, ¡°Now that you¡®ve seen that I¡®m doing well, you can go back.¡± ¡°Samuel, 1 ¨C I¡®m here to remind you of something!¡± Cindy continued nervously, ¡°Have you forgotten that today¡®s your birthday? It¡®s the day we met, too!¡± ¡°I¡®ve never bothered you for anything because I know that you¡®re a busy man, but can we please celebrate the asion today? Please just fulfill my only wish!¡± ¡°Keith will being along as well! It¡®s been so long since the three of us spent time together!¡± ¡°Samuel, please! I beg of you...¡± Her request wasn¡®t over the top. Samuel¡®s brows knitted gradually. Noticing that, Cindy was quick to coax Samuel even more. ¡°Samuel, I won¡®t bother you for too long. Last time, I booked a restaurant for us to have a candlelight dinner, but you didn¡®t show up. This time, can you show up for Keith and me?¡± Samuel only replied with one word. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°That¡®s great! I knew you¡®d agree!¡± Cindy took advantage of the moment and rushed forward to hug him with a reddenedplexion. However, she released her grip immediately so she wouldn¡®t anger him Tina, who was standing from afar, saw everything that had happened. Worried that Cindy would notice her, Tina didn¡®t move forward to eavesdrop on their conversation. The only thing she saw was them hugging each other. For some reason, sorrow engulfed her almost instantly. Shame rose inside Tina upon recalling Cindy showing off just how much Samuel loved her when she thought that Tina was Linda. ¡°They¡®re truly made for each other! After so many years, their love for each other is still strong,¡® Tina thought Alter Cindy left, Tina tiptoed out of the pantry. She served the coffee to Samuel. He looked up and demanded, ¡°Where were you just now I was making coffee for you at the pantry.¡± Tina said Samuel nced at the coffee in front of him. ¡°Do it again! There¡®s too much water in there.¡± ¡°But you didn¡®t even have a sip yet.¡± ¡°The color¡®s off,¡± Samuel continued with a cold snarl. ¡°Plus, do you really think that I¡®d drink the coffee you make for me?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Back then, he decided to ce his trust in this woman. Yet, what did she do with his trust? She threw it away by drugging his drink Looking into Samuel¡®s hatred¨Cfilled eyes, Tina felt as though her heart was being stabbed. Now that things hade to this, she knew Samuel would no longer believe her She didn¡®t even try to defend herself as she clenched her fists and said, ¡°I¡®ll head out now.¡± Tina grabbed the cup, about to throw it away. At that moment, Cindy appeared at the door. ¡°Samuel! I have one more thing to tell you...¡± Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Chapter 334 The moment Cindy saw Tina, her eyes went wide in utter disbelief. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Cindy yelled, allposure lost. She was so terrified that she turned to run away, but her legs gave out as she fell andnded face down on the hard floor. The dumbfounded personal assistant approached and helped Cindy up. ¡°Mrs. Langford, are you okay?¡± ¡°I just saw a ghost!¡± Cindy said fearfully, pointing at Tina. To avoid unnecessary problems, Tina hid news about her survival from Cindy. However, Tina found Cindy¡®s horror¨Cstricken expression oddly amusing. After all, Cindy was the wicked and heartless demon who had almost seeded in murdering Tina. Yet, now? Was this woman truly fearful of the fact that Tina would haunt her as a ghost after death? Looking at Cindy¡®s shaky finger, Tina said with a calm tone, ¡°Mrs. Langford, I think you¡®ve seen it wrongly. I¡®m not a ghost. I¡®m Mr. Langford¡®s secretary now.¡± ¡°Mrs. Langford, this person is the new secretary. Her name is Linda,¡± the personal assistant chipped in. ¡®Linda? Isn¡®t she Tina Lynd?!¡® Cindy was horrified. She paused for a moment. Realization dawned upon her and her expression changed. ¡°Tina Lynd! You¡®ve been alive and well all this while!¡± ¡°How dare you approach Samuel by faking your identity as Linda? You f*cking b*tch! I bet you¡®re trying to sleep with Samuel again! I¡®ll kill you right here and now!¡± ¡®I can¡®t believe it! How is she still alive?¡® Cindy thought. Not only did Tina be prettier in the years she had disappeared, but she even rose to the position of Samuel¡®s secretary the moment she showed herself! The thought alone left Cindy writhing in hysterics. Cindy stood up and rushed toward Tina, already prepared to tear apart that pretty face of hers. Tina didn¡®t dodge her attack. Instead, she raised her hand and sshed the coffee all over Cindy¡®s face. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Ah!¡± Cindy covered her face in anger and cursed out loud, ¡°You damn b*tch! How dare you ssh me with coffee! Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°What makes you think that I¡®m incapable of doing that?¡± Tina sneered, ¡°Why can¡®t I do the same thing you did to me? You almost killed me! Do you know just how ridiculous you sound right now?¡± From how Cindy treated Tina in the past and the future, their hatred for each other was festering Five years ago, Cindy had done everything she could to ensure Tina¡®s life was miserable. Even after five years had passed and Tiny reappeared with a new identity as Linda, Cindy still tried to plot Tina¡®s murder by having the maids push her into theke! ¡°I¡®ll kill you, you b*tch!¡± Cindy screamed, her face contorted with fury. ¡°I¡®d like to see you try!¡± Tina smashed the cup on the ground and threatened, ¡°I have nothing to lose now! Unlike you, you have everything to lose!¡± ¡°I dare you to spread the news to the entirepany. Heck, it¡®s even better if you involve Samuel in our fight! Let everyone know just how cruel¨Chearted you really are! Let¡®s see if you can still maintain your facade by then! ¡°You... You !¡± Cindy was so furious, she shivered Tina¡®s words reminded Cindy of her vulnerable position. If Samuel were to see Cindy right now, how would he perceive her character? What was more, they were currently inside Langford Group. She was the one who had the official status as Mrs. Langford. It would be an embarrassment if news of their fight leaked out! Cindy could feel stabbing paining from her cheeks, courtesy of the coffee Tina poured all over her Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Chapter 335 ¡°You d*mn sl*t! Just wait!¡± Cindy screeched maliciously. ¡°I¡®ll let you see what I can do!¡± ¡°Bring it on! It¡®s not like I¡®m leaving anytime soon!¡± Tina stared after Cindy¡®s retreating back and turned to leave. Right at this moment, she noticed that Samuel was standing not far away from her. Exactly how long had he been watching? Tina couldn¡®t help but shudder at his grim re. She thought Samuel would explode in anger for what she did just now, but to her surprise, he didn¡®t utter a single word. Her heart hammering against her chest, Tina was sure that Samuel had witnessed the way she treated Cindy just now. He would never let her off the hook for treating his loving wife with such disrespect! She clenched her fists. Before Samuel could say anything, she broke the silence, ¡°I¡®m sure you¡®ve seen what happened just now. How do you want to punish me?¡± ¡°Punish you? Why do I have to do that?¡± he asked with a hoarse voice. Tina gulped, anxious. What did he mean by why? She just sshed coffee on Cindy! Strangely enough, Samuel wasn¡®t interested in looking into the matter in great detail. He strode outside and informed her, ¡°I have a meeting to attend now. As for you, stay here and mop the floor.¡± Tina was taken aback as she stared dumbly at Samuel¡®s back. She couldn¡®t understand his reaction. If it was the past, he would¡®ve never forgiven her that easily. For him to let it slide like that was simply impossible! Perhaps Samuel was in a hurry for the meeting, and that he didn¡®t have the time to make things difficult for her. Thinking about this, Tina grew even more anxious. Meanwhile, Samuel was conflicted with his own emotions. For some reason, he found the way Tina humiliated Cindy a cool and righteous thing. On the other hand, Cindy was beyond frustrated. Her pure white dress was now stained withrge ugly patches of ck coffee. Under the questioning gazes of the employees, she rushed back to the car. Gritting her teeth in fury, she cursed under her breath, ¡°That f*cking woman! I will never forgive her!¡± At this moment, a childish voice sounded from beside her. Looking at Cindy¡®s awkward appearance, Keith asked carefully, ¡°Mommy, what happened to you?¡± Only then did Cindy remember that Keith was still in the car. She turned and red at Keith in anger. ¡°Are you blind?! Can¡®t you see the stains on my dress?¡± Keith didn¡®t talk back. Instead, he reached for a small handkerchief inside his pocket and said, ¡°Let me help...¡± ¡°Don¡®t touch me! Go away!¡± Cindy pped his hand away without a second of thought. The hatred and disgust she harbored for Keith were all reflected in her eyes. She couldn¡®t stand looking at Keith in the first ce, for his eyes were exactly like Tina¡®s. Now that she knew that Tina was still alive, her disgust brewed into hatred. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Though Keith had always maintained a calm and mature front, he was still byrge a five¨Cyear ¨Cold child on the inside. Cindy¡®s words stabbed right in his heart and left him speechless. The driver looked into the backside mirror, his eyes reflecting his concern for Keith. Cindy red at the driver immediately. ¡°What are you looking at? Get me to the hospital right now! If anything happens to my face, I¡®ll have Samuel make your life a living hell!¡± The driver dared not pry any further. Soon, Cindy arrived at the hospital. She heaved a sigh of relief when the doctor told her there was nothing wrong with her face. Still unable to let go of her grudge, she quickly made a phone call. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Cindy dialed a certain number. After her call went through, a man¡®s cold and emotionless tone rang through the receiver. ¡°I¡®m in a meeting right now.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Said speaker hung up the phone almost instantaneously. If it was the past, Cindy wouldn¡®t have gone against Samuel when he showed her an attitude. But this time, she couldn¡®t let it slide. Tina¡®s appearance posed too much of a threat to her! Unwilling to give up, she called Samuel again and again until he finally decided to pick up the phone ¡°Cindy Young!¡± His tone was stern,ced with a hint of hostility. It was obvious that he was warning her to know her ce. Cindy burst into tears instantly in an attempt to curry his favor, ¡°Samuel, I know I shouldn¡®t disturb you while you¡®re in a meeting, but I¡¯m too worried!¡± ¡°I understand that men are not loyal creatures. I won¡®t dare to say anything if you fall in love with other women, but why does it have to be Tina Lynd?¡± ¡°She almost killed me just now! What if she actually kills me in the future? I¡®ll have to leave our five¨C year¨Cold son behind! What¡®ll happen to him?¡± Cindy¡®s sobbing annoyed Samuel to the core. However, he still needed to take responsibility when it was due. He massaged his temples, irritated, and spat coldly, ¡°She¡®s just a ything to me, but you are Mrs. Langford and Keith¡®s mother.¡± Cindy was ted to hear this. Still she pressed on. ¡°But Samuel...¡± Samuel interjected her, ¡°I¡®m still in a meeting. We¡®ll talk tonight.¡± Then, he hung up the phone once again. Cindy wasn¡®t upset. On the contrary, she felt warm and sweet inside. Given that he still remembered tonight¡®s date, it suggested that she still held a special ce in his heart. After Tina finished mopping the floor, she waited patiently outside the meeting room. While she was in the hallway, she could hear everything Samuel said on the phone As expected, she was just a ything to him. The reason he didn¡®t punish her was partly that he couldn¡®t be bothered about a fight between women, and also because he was waiting for Cindy to give the ultimatum! On the surface, it seemed the only person Tina had qualms with was Cindy. In reality, it was both Cindy and Samuel¡®s wrath that might result in an evil plot against her! However, Tina didn¡®t regret sshing that coffee on Cindy. After all, she couldn¡®t escape the miserable torment awaiting her. Treating Cindy with disrespect was one way for her to release her pent¨Cup anger. In the evening, Samuel didn¡®t even address Tina and left hurriedly right after he got off work. His driver found Tina and informed her, ¡°Miss Lynd, let¡®s go.¡± Tina asked cautiously, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± The driver was confused as to why Tina was so cautious. ¡°I¡®m tasked to send you back to the vi after work.¡± ¡°I¡®m just a secretary. I can go back by myself.¡± Tina gave him a t¨Cout rejection, leaving the driver no choice but to leave. After returning to the vi, Tina heard from the staff that Samuel and Cindy were on a date that night. After all, today was Samuel¡®s birthday. Since the three of them would be celebrating his birthday today, they probably wouldn¡®t return to the vi for the night. Tina heaved a sigh of relief. At the very least, she wouldn¡®t have to deal with the evil couple tonight Exhausted, she went to sleep. Much to her surprise, she was awakened by a sudden phone call in the middle of the night. ¡°Come to the hotel right now.¡± It was Samuel, and his voice sounded really hoarse. Based on his tone, he seemed to have drunk too much. Then, he hung up without another word. Tina grew apprehensive. It was obvious that doom awaited her. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Though Tina didn¡®t feel good about the situation at hand, she had no courage to disobey Samuel. She draped a jacket over her pajamas and rushed out of her room. The bodyguards outside jumped in shock to see her. ¡°Miss Lynd, where are you going out sote at night?¡± Tina exined, ¡°Mr. Langford called me just now. He said he wanted me to send him back to the vi tonight.¡± ¡°What? Mr. Langford¡®sing back tonight?¡± The guards were shocked. Tina found their reactions unsettling. ¡°What¡®s wrong?¡± ¡°Uh, nothing! I¡®ll drive the car. Please wait for a while.¡± Without a second¡®s dy, the guards drove out of the garage and handed the keys to Tina. Looking at the car leaving, the guards burst into gossip. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh my god! Is Miss Lynd Mr. Langford¡®s new ything now?¡± ¡°It¡®s understandable why he wants to keep her by his side at all times. But this time, he didn¡®t even want to spend time with Mrs. Langford on his birthday! Having the mistress pick him up is just outrageous!¡± ¡°I have to say, that mistress has skills. I have to give it to her!¡± ¡°We should stop discussing this. Let¡®s prepare to wee Mr. Langford home.¡± It took less than ten minutes for the news about Samuel¡®s return to spread through the entire vi. Tina, who was driving, felt really worried for herself. Finally, Tina arrived at the address given by Samuel. It was a prestigious high¨Cend hotel. The moment she reached the entrance, an unpleasant voice snapped at her. ¡°Tina! Why are you here?¡± Tina had already expected that she would bump into Cindy. ¡°Mr. Langford asked me toe over.¡± Cindy didn¡®t believe a word Tina said. Though she was wearing impable makeup and an elegant tube dress, the expression stered on her face was still as hideous as ever. ¡°You¡®re lying! Samuel told me he has somepany matters to settle. Why would he ask you toe here?! Cindy continued viciously, ¡°Did you rush here because you heard of our date tonight? You¡®re such a shameless sl*t!¡± ¡°Where is Samuel?¡± Tina asked, ignoring Cindy¡®s scathing remarks. ¡°I will never tell you no matter what!¡± After talking to Cindy, it seemed the reason Samuel called her over was not that he wanted to punish her. Instead, he wanted Tina¡®s help with work. Tina didn¡®t seem to care as she said, ¡°Fine then, I¡®ll leave. It¡®s not like I¡®m the one impeding his work. You can exin everything to him yourself.¡± ¡°You...¡± Cindy was seething. The years that had passed turned Tina into an annoying b*tch. ¡°Mommy, you¡®ve been outside for a while now. Why haven¡®t you returned yet?¡± Right at this moment, Keith¡®s voice drifted over. Tina was surprised to see Keith there. Her gaze fell on him immediately. ¡°What are you here for?! Get back inside!¡± Cindy yelled at Keith. Then she turned to Tina and sneered, ¡°Samuel just bumped into someone he knew upstairs, and he¡®s talking right now. You have to wait outside for now.¡± Cindy looked at Tina, and then back to Keith. A wicked sh of inspiration struck her. Suddenly, she thought of a way to torture Tina. The guards wouldn¡®t allow Tina to wait in the lobby due to Cindy¡®s insistence. Tina had no choice but to stay in the car. When she was fast asleep, she heard someone knocking at the car window. Samuel stood outside the car door, his face grim and severe as always. Petrified, Tina opened the car door and greeted him immediately. ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± Samuel didn¡®t say anything. The thick stench of alcohol wafted in the air. One whiff of the smell was enough to make Tina dizzy. He got into the car, leaned against the car seat, and yawned tiredly. Tina heaved a sigh of relief. She started the car engine and drove forward, not thinking much.. Suddenly, a small figure rushed to the middle of the road without warning. Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Tina was horrified. Why would someone sprint to the middle of the road all of a sudden? Fortunately, she managed to m on the car brakes in the nick of the time. Hiss! The ear¨Csplitting metallic screeching voice was apanied by a shrill scream of a woman. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Samuel¡®s eyes snapped open immediately, ¡°Tina!¡± he berated angrily. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Tina was in a daze. ¡°There¡®s someone in front of the car! i¡®ll check it out.¡± The moment she got out of the car, the first person she saw was Cindy. Cindy didn¡®t waste a single second as she rushed toward Tina and gave Tina a painful p to the face. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Tina, you heartless woman! Why do you have to do this to me?! Why do you have to knock down my child?¡± Tina was dumbfounded. ¡°What child?¡± Immediately, Cindy rushed to the front of the car and embraced the child who had fallen to the ground. Tears sprang into her eyes and she sobbed uncontrobly, ¡°Keith, are you okay? Keith!¡± The person Tina almost ran over turned out to be none other than Keith Langford! ¡°What happened?¡± Samuel said, his tone grim. Cindy looked up with a face filled with tears. ¡°Samuel! Tina almost murdered our child!¡± Tina¡®s head was buzzing with panic. She wasn¡®t affected by Cindy¡®s humiliating p, but her attention was drawn toward the small figure in Cindy¡®s arms. ¡®Is Keith alright? Oh my god, I almost... How could I...?!¡® Tina¡®s mind was in disarray. Still unable to wrap her head around the fact that she almost caused harm to an innocent child, Tina¡®s legs went weak ¡°How is he?¡± Tina wanted to approach Keith, but was instantly shoved to the ground by Cindy. ¡°Scram! You cruel woman!¡± Cindy shifted her gaze to Samuel and cried even harder. ¡°Samuel, what do we do?¡± Samuel ordered, ¡°I¡®ll call an ambnce right now!¡± ¡°I didn¡®t hit him just now. I think he just tripped and fell to the ground. I can send him to the hospital¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Is this one of your ns to murder my son?! Tina, you¡®re such a scheming woman!¡± Cindy was all riled up and showed no ns of stopping soon. ¡°I know what you¡®re plotting! You want to strip off my status as Mrs. Langford by getting rid of Keith! That way, you can be Samuel¡®s wife!¡± ¡°That¡®s not ¡± ¡°Stop making excuses! Back when you disguised yourself as Linda, you purposefully approached Keith because you knew he was my son¡® You wanted to use him to get revenge on me! How dare you involve an innocent child in your schemes!¡± Cindy had already prepared what she wanted to say as she ranted on Tina was caught unawares, taken aback by the suddenness of the situation, On the other hand, Samuel¡®s eyes were filled with doubt. Cindy¡®s words reminded him of many things Il was true Linda, or more urately, Tina, had a good rtionship with Keith Was getting on good terms with Keith really one of Tina¡®s ns? Tina was speechless She couldn¡®t bring herself to exin that meeting Keith was just a coincidence, and that she grew fond of him at first sight. She didn¡®t expect Keith to rush out to the road out of nowhere, either. While her mind was in aplete mess, she stared at the family of three as they boarded the ambnce Tina was left there, standing forlornly on the road. Before they left, Samuel gave her a stern warning ¡°Tina, I should warn you. Stop scheming! If anything happens to Keith, you¡®ll have to die along with your daughter!¡± Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Tina was beyond terrified. It wasn¡®t her intention to hurt Keith at all. She didn¡®t expect her idental actions might affect Kara as well. Still trying to register what had happened, she didn¡®t know how she got back home. The lights in the vi were brightly lit. Not only the guards, but even the maids had woken up to clean up the ce to wee Samuel back. The moment they saw Tina, the maids approached her excitedly. ¡°Miss Lynd, you...you¡®re back! What happened to your face?¡± Soon, many of the staff noticed Tina¡®s awkward appearance. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Her clothes were wrinkled and dirty, with ck patches on them. It was as though she had rolled around in mud. What was more terrifying was that half of her face was swollen. Only when the maids pointed that out did she feel the stabbing pain on her cheek. However, she was more worried about Keith¡®s safety and Kara¡®s frightening fate. ¡°Miss Lynd, what happened? Where¡®s Mr. Langford? I thought you said you went to pick him up.¡± Almost everyone stared at Tina questioningly. After all, they did wake up in the wee hours of the day to prepare the vi. Tina didn¡®t feel like exining herself anymore. ¡°Something came up. I think Mr. Langford won¡®t be home tonight.¡± ¡°What?¡± All the maids red at Tina angrily, switching their reverent attitude in a sh. ¡°Didn¡®t you promise us he¡®d be back tonight? Why would you lie to us?¡± ¡°Mr. Langford has always been very particr with the cleanliness of the house. I¡®ve mopped the floor three times, and you dare to tell me that Mr. Langford isn¡®t going toe back Lonight?!¡± ¡°Are we a joke to you?¡± Everyone was cursing at Tina. Tina couldn¡®t care less about what they had to say. Like a lost soul, she wandered back to her room. Instead of sleeping, she sat on the chair, stared at the time, and waited nervously. How could she fall asleep when Keith was still in the hospital? She would call to ask about Keith first thing in the morning. Meanwhile, the maids outside the vi were all making wild guesses. ¡°I don¡®t think she¡®s favored by Mr. Langford anymore.¡± ¡°You¡®re right! She¡®s really useless. Honestly, I don¡®t think Mr. Langford asked her to pick him up either. She must¡®ve made that up and took the opportunity to interrupt Mr. and Mrs. Langford¡®s date. That¡®s how she ended up with that swollen face! Serves her right for trying to destroy their marriage!¡± ¡°That homewrecker deserves it! How dare she make us wake up in the middle of the night and clean up the whole house for her?¡± ¡°Let¡®s call it a night. I¡®m positive Mr. Langford will get rid of her soon enough.¡± After that night, all the maids in the vi started viewing Tina in a different light. Tina couldn¡®t be bothered about their opinions. What she wanted more than anything was for daybreak to arrive. Her hands and feet numb and cold, she shivered as she made a phone call. However, nobody picked up the phone. She tried a few more times until she was blocked by that number. Did something really happen to Keith? Tina was absolutely hysterical at the moment. What could she do? She had to go to the hospital right now! Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Tina wanted to know Samuel¡®s current location through his bodyguards. She got up immediately and approached the guards working outside the vi. She asked anxiously, ¡°Do you know which hospital Mr. Langford is at right now?¡± The guard replied coldly, ¡°Miss Lynd, we can¡®t disclose Mr. Langford¡®s whereabouts. It is confidential information.¡± ¡°But I have something important to ask him...¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, we¡®re all aware of what happenedst night. You almost knocked into Young Master Keith with the car! Mr. Langford will never forgive you for that! My advice for you is to stay put and stop getting on his nerves.¡± The guards, who had been nice and patient with her before, had changed their attitude entirely. Their eyes even reflected pity for Tina. At first, they thought Tina was different. s, she turned out to be a complete idiot! She wasn¡®t only seen harassing Mrs. Langford in thepany, but she also almost killed Young Master Keith yesterday. Putting Keith¡®s life in jeopardy alone was enough to drive Samuel to madness. Tina was done for! The maids around her couldn¡®t help but shoot her sarcastic remarks. ¡°This is what you deserve for being an idiot!¡± ¡°Now, you¡®re putting your daughter¡®s life in danger!¡± ¡°Are you really thinking of visiting Mr. Langford in your current state? Look in the mirror and see how ugly you are right now!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Your face is so swollen! You look like a pig!¡± Like a lifeless puppet, Tina was unfazed as she endured the humiliation thrown at her. Suddenly, a maid received a phone call. ¡°Hello? Yes? Mr. Langford wants us to send someone to take care of Keith? Sure! We¡®ll send a few maids to the hospital immediately.¡± ¡°Hospital? Which hospital?¡± Tina asked excitedly, having returned to her senses. ¡°We are not obliged to tell you! Let go of me, or I¡®ll have the guards drag you away!¡± ¡°Tell me now!¡± Tina hadn¡®t slept the entire night. Not only did her cheek look swollen, but her eyes were also bloodshot. At the moment, she looked positively terrifying. The maid was frightened by Tina¡®s face. ¡°Are you crazy? Even if I tell you, you¡®re still not allowed to leave the vi. Besides, you¡®ll be dead in a second if you show up in front of Mr. Langford now.¡± ¡°Tell me, now!¡± Tina ordered through clenched teeth. At Tina¡®s determined and persistent voice, the maid suddenly felt that Tina resembled Mr. Langford¡®s for some reason. Perhaps Tina had caught some of his habits after spending much time with him. The maid had no choice but to tell Tina the address. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. After some time, someone reported Tina¡®s disappearance. She had escaped by climbing over the walls! Finally, Tina arrived at the hospital. She opened the door of Keith¡®s ward anxiously and looked around. Finally, she saw a familiar personying on the hospital bed. Keith was sitting on the bed reading a storybook, dressed in a small¨Csized hospital gown. His forehead was wrapped inyers of gauze. When he realized someone had entered the ward, he turned wary. ¡°Who¡®s there?¡± ¡°It¡®s me...¡± As Tina spoke, she sized up Keith. After she made sure that nothing major happened to Keith, she heaved out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness nothing happened to Keith!¡® she thought. Keith paid great attention to Tina¡®s face. After thinking for a while, he finally made out who she was. ¡°You... You¡®re Linda? No, I mean, Tina Lynd?¡± Keith was feeling conflicted after he discovered Linda¡®s real identity and the events that had transpired last night. ¡°Yesterday...¡± Keith began. Tina interjected him with a voice filled with abination of happiness and guilt, ¡°Thank god you¡®re okay! 1 almost ran over you yesterday!¡± Keith could feel that Tina¡®s concern was genuine. He clenched his fists and muttered, ¡°It¡®s not your fault. What actually happened was...¡± ¡°Why are you here?!¡± Right at that moment, someone appeared from behind and cut in on their conversation. Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Chapter 341 ¡°You d*mned woman! How dare you show up here!¡± Cindy was boiling in anger. ¡°I¡®m only here to check up on Keith...¡± ¡°You¡®re here to murder my son! Guards! Guards, take this woman away right now!¡± Cindy raised her voice and grabbed Tina¡®s arm in a vice grip. It was as if she was deliberately making a scene When Samuel entered the ward, he saw the women tugging at each other. ¡°Tina! How dare you show up here!¡± he shouted harshly, his eyes reflecting menace. Without an ounce of hesitation, Samuel instructed the guard behind him, ¡°Take her away right now!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. This time, the guard didn¡®t think twice before throwing Tina out of the hospital. Looking at Tina¡®s sorry state, Cindy exploded in joy. However, she still continued her pitiful act and threw herself into Samuel¡®s arms. ¡°Oh, Samuel! That was so scary!¡± Cindyuded herself for her genius. The n she thought of was simply impable! Yesterday, Cindy was the one who shoved Keith into the middle of the road. If Keith died in that car ident, Samuel would¡®ve made sure Tina died along with his son. Right before she died, Cindy nned to tell that wench that Keith was her biological son and that Tina had murdered him with her own hands. Cindy would¡®ve enjoyed watching Tina writhing in agony over the truth. Unfortunately for Cindy, Tina stepped on the brakes right on time and avoided a direct hit. In the end, Keith fell to the ground and only suffered a few minor scratches. However, Cindy changed her mind the moment she saw Samuel treating Tina like absolute scum She wanted to continue torturing Tina by making the mother and son hate each other As she thought about her ultimate goal, she revealed a proud smile. Knowing that Cindy was worried sick after what happened to Keith, Samuel didn¡®t push her away. He failed to see the eerie smile on her face. However, Keith, who was sitting beside them, saw his mother¡®s malicious expression. Though he wasn¡®t saying anything, he couldn¡®t help but clench his fist, Only when Samuel left for work did Cindy let down her guard. Cindy, who had been putting up a weak front before, stripped off her facade almost immediately. She turned to Keith and demanded with a domineering tone, ¡°What did that b* tch say to you just now?¡± ¡°She didn¡®t say anything.¡± Keith stared at the wicked woman before him, unable to believe that Cindy was his biological mother. ¡°Mommy, why did you push me to the middle of the roadst night?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?! Shut up this instant!¡± Cindy¡®s face dropped and she warned Keith, ¡°You should never tell Samuel what I did! In the end, everything turned out well. It¡®s not like you suffered from any grave injuries, anyway. I¡®m doing all this to get rid of that shameless sl*t!¡± ¡°You¡®re my son, and you should obey me no matter what! Tina would¡®ve torn our family apart if I didn¡®t make the first move!¡± Keith couldn¡®t help but add, ¡°She¡®s not that kind of person...¡± Cindy had a strong urge to p him in the face, but she restrained herself since they were in a hospital. Instead, she grabbed him and dug her nails into his small arm with all her strength. ¡°You have to listen to me because you¡®re my son! Never defend that shameless b*tch in front of me again! Otherwise, I¡®ll kill you!¡± Only when Keith nodded politely did Cindy feel satisfied. Then, she left the ward. The moment she opened the door, she saw someone standing outside. Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Chapter 342 At the sight of Samuel, Cindy¡®s heart came close to stopping. ¡°S Samuel?¡± ¡®Why¡®s Samuel here?! Hasn¡®t he already left? Why is he still here? Did he hear my conversation with Keith?!¡® Samuel didn¡®t realize that Cindy was caught off guard. He simply said calmly, ¡°I have a banquet to attend tonight. Get ready by then.¡± 11 Cindy heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed Samuel didn¡®t hear their conversation just now. ¡°A banquet? What kind of banquet is it?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°It¡®s held at the duke¡®s residence.¡± Joy colored Cindy¡®s face. Previously, the banquet she attended with Samuel was also held by the duke. It was a grand event, attended by a myriad of honorable guests from high society. She didn¡®t expect that she would be qualified to attend another banquet hosted by the duke. More importantly, they were invited to a family feast with limited guests! ¡°I¡®ll get ready by tonight,¡± Cindy continued ecstatically. ¡°I¡®ll wear my finest gown! Don¡®t worry, Samuel. I won¡®t embarrass you in front of the prestigious guests!¡± However, Samuel frowned and said coldly, ¡°We¡®re attending a family feast, and there aren¡®t a lot of guests tonight. Casual wear will do. When it¡®s time, I¡®ll have someone pick you up.¡± Cindy was still worried. ¡°Will I be seen as disrespectful if I dress too casually?¡± Samuel didn¡®t have enough time to borate further, and turned to leave. The duke was already an 80¨Cyear¨Cold man. Before, he didn¡®t even show up for his youngest son¡®s birthday banquet. This time at the family feast, Cindy might have a chance to meet the duke in person. If she did something that embarassed Samuel, she would be done for! Cindy thought about it and made a phone call. ¡°Where¡®s that wench? She hasn¡®t gone far, right? Get her here right now! I need her to do something for me.¡± It only took less than ten minutes for the guards to find Tina, whom they brought to Cindy. Tina looked into Cindy¡®s eyes with caution. ¡°What do you want from me, Cindy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to save your life!¡± Looking at Tina¡®s haggard appearance, happiness rose inside Cindy as she bathed in a sense of superiority. ¡°Samuel told me you¡®re nothing but a ything to him. You don¡®t even have a status in this household, so why should I bother arguing with you?¡± ¡°After all, I¡®m the only woman whose status is recognized by Samuel. As his official wife, I¡®ll be attending a family feast hosted by the duke tonight with Samuel.¡± ¡°I¡®m still thinking about what I should wear tonight. Aren¡®t you a fashion designer? I want you to dress me up.¡± ¡°Why does it have to be me?¡± Tina put up her guard instantly. What was Cindy nning to do this time? ¡°I want you to feel the difference between us. So what if you¡®ve been sleeping around with Samuel? In the end, you still have to listen to my orders. Your status is even lower than the maids at home!¡± Cindy had a new n in mind. Why would she murder Tina when there were better ways to make Tina¡®s life miserable? C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Tina knew Samuel and Cindy were the same type of people. To them, death was a simple solution. Thus, they would rather make her life a living hell. But to Tina, that meant as long as she was alive, she would still have a ray of hope in surviving. ¡°Sure, I¡®ll match your clothes for you.¡± Tina followed Cindy to her personal closet and chose a modest dress. Cindy was dissatisfied at her choice. ¡°The design is too simple!¡± She wasn¡®t the person she was before, where her status was still unknown to the public. Now that she had the status of Mrs. Langford, she shouldn¡®t wear something too simple in case others looked down on her. While Cindy spoke, she opened her jewellery box and browsed the contents. Tina swept her gaze at the box, and was stunned at what she saw next. One particr ne in the jewellery box seemed very familiar to her. It was a ne with a blue crystal pendant the shape of a seashell. Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Inside Cindy¡®s jewellery box were all kinds of exorbitant diamonds and rubies. That blue crystal ne wasn¡®t very unique in contrast to the other eye¨Ccatching ornaments. Without thinking, Cindy took out the most expensive ne inside the box. ¡°What do you think about this one?¡± Looking at Tina¡®s stunned expression, Cindy felt proud of herself. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She couldn¡®t help but show off and went on arrogantly, ¡°Samuel¡®s the one who gifted me all these jewellery. After all, I¡®m his one and only woman! He also gave me this ne in my hand a short while back. This one consists of 100 diamonds, and each has its own certification!¡± Tina looked at the ne and said, ¡°That ne doesn¡®t look good on you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cindy didn¡®t believe a word Tina said. ¡°Ha! Tina, are you jealous of me?¡± Tina didn¡®t reply. Subconsciously, she reached for the ne with a blue crystal pendant located in the corner of the box. ¡°I think this one suits you more...¡± ¡°What? This one?¡± Cindy nced scathingly at Tina¡®s choice. In the past, Cindy got this ne out of pure luck. Using it, she had sessfully reced that little girl¡®s identity and forced Samuel to believe that she was his savior. If it was in the past, Cindy would¡®ve worn it at all times so Samuel wouldn¡®t forget about her. Now that she had be Mrs. Langford, she would never wear it around her neck again. ¡°Tsk! This ne looks very ugly!¡± she spat. ¡°Only kids would wear something like this! Compared to diamonds and rubies, this crystal pendant isn¡®t worth as much. It¡®ll just be an embarrassment to wear something like this to the family feast!¡± For some reason, Tina found the ne with the blue crystal pendant very familiar. It almost seemed like she had seen it somewhere before. However, a lot of things had happenedtely, and Tina couldn¡®t think straight. What was more, she still had to deal with Cindy¡®s unreasonable request at the moment. Left with no choice, Tina had to give up pushing the idea to Cindy and chose other ornaments to match Cindy¡®s dress. In the evening, Samuel got someone to pick Cindy up. Only after she left did Tina heave a sigh of relief. However, she still couldn¡®t help but worry about her daughter¡®s safety. ¡°Can I visit my daughter?¡± ¡°Without Mr. Langford¡®s permission, you are not allowed to meet her.¡± The guards gave her a t¨Cout rejection. ¡°If that¡®s the case, can I video¨Ccall her through the phone? I just want to see if she¡®s doing well Finally, Tina had a chance to talk to Kara. When she saw Kara jumping around in excitement, she sighed and thought, ¡®Thank god Samuel still has some form of kindness inside him. It doesn¡®t seem like Kara¡®s being abused!¡® ¡°Mommy, tomorrow¡®s the family¨Cthemed Sports Day! You really can¡®t make it?¡± Kara asked with crystal clear eyes. ¡°I can¡®t, darling. I¡®m still busy with work...¡± ¡°How about Uncle? I haven¡®t seen my uncle in a very long time. How is he?¡± Though Tina felt dejected, she still tried to persuade Kara, ¡°Uncle Frederick¡®s doing well. It¡®s just that he¡®s also busy with work too.¡± ¡°Oh! Alright, then!¡± Kara¡®s disappointment was evident, but she still remained obedient and didn¡®t throw a tantrum. Tina could see Kara¡®s reaction clearly, which made her even more guilty and depressed. After she hung up, she left Cindy¡®s vi with a heavy heart. She was about to drive back to her ce when something happened. While she was on the road, an ident took ce just in front of her. ¡°Oh sh*t! A luxury car was involved in that ident! That car¡®s worth a few million, and now it looks beyond repair!¡± ¡°That¡®s horrible! I heard that a witness reported that the lorry rammed into it on purpose!¡± While the bystanders were in a heated discussion, Tina saw the personying on the stretcher. Her complexion changed instantly. Chapter 344 Chapter 344 At first, Tina was simply sitting in the car as she waited for the police to guide the vehicles to another route. However, she couldn¡®t sit still anymore when she saw that person. The man on the stretcher wasn¡®t just any stranger, but someone she was familiar with. Until today, she still harbored guilt and remorse toward that man. He was John Carter! ¡°John!¡± Tina got out of her car in a hurry and rushed forward for a closer look. However, the police officers stopped her from entering the scene. This time, Tina was sure that she didn¡®t see it wrongly. She was certain that the man on the stretcher was John Carter! After five years, she didn¡®t expect to see John again. At least, not in this way. John was a kind man who treated her like his own family. ¡°Officer, I¡®m not here to stir trouble. That man involved in the ident is my brother! I know him!¡± Tina said with excitement. However, the officer shot her a look of doubt. The people surrounding her couldn¡®t help but remark sarcastically, ¡°And you expect us to believe that? Why don¡®t you justpare the car he had and yours!¡± ¡°You two don¡®t share any simrities at all. What¡®s more, judging by the way you dress, it doesn¡®t look like you¡®re on the same level as him. Just admit it! You¡®re here to get something out of this tragedy, right?¡± ¡°This woman apparently has the looks, but not the brains!¡± Tina didn¡®t have the means to prove her identity. So, she could only stare as the ambnce left the scene with John. She knew it was useless to ask the officers the hospital John was being sent to. Instead, she rushed back to the vi and searched for the contacts of local hospitals in the area. Then, she relied on the most traditional way of getting information; cold¨Ccalling and emailing the hospitals to look out for John¡®s arrival. ¡°Hi, can I know if you¡®ve received any admission of a man involved in a car ident on the street called Les Champs¨C¨¦lys¨¦es?¡± A night went by, and she finally received some replies from just a few hospitals in the afternoon the next day. The patient¡®s life was not in danger, but the hospital couldn¡®t disclose more information about personal details due to confidentiality. Tina couldn¡®t help but sigh with relief when she found out that John¡®s life was not in jeopardy. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. However, she wasn¡®t nning on meeting John in person. After all, they were sworn into siblings only in the heat of the moment. After she was rescued from drowning and survived the ordeal, Tina escaped to Paris and lost all contact with John. Soon, five years had passed. Tina couldn¡®t bring herself to show up in front of John anymore. After Tina rested for a while, she was awakened by a sudden phone call from Cindy. ¡°Tina! Come to where I am now this instant!¡± Cindy continued arrogantly, ¡°I¡®m about to go shopping with a few of my friends, and we need someone to carry our bags around. Get your ass here right now!¡± Soon, Tina appeared in front of them. Cindy¡®s friends were wives of local renowned entrepreneurs who held respectable statuses. The moment they saw Tina, they were all shocked. ¡°Isn¡®t she the fashion designer Linda? I heard she¡®s really famous in the fashion industry! I bet you paid a lot for her toe here personally.¡± ¡°I paid her? She¡®s not worth that money!¡± Cindy continued with a condescending tone. ¡°Don¡®t you know who my husband is? One word from him, and she¡®ll be dead in seconds! She¡®s just a maid to me. You can ask her to do whatever you want!¡± ¡°Mrs. Langford, your husband must love you very much...!¡± ¡°I heard you attended the duke¡®s family feast with Mr. Langford yesterday. How was his house? I bet it¡®s really luxurious!¡± Cindy¡®s face dropped at the mention of the family feast. ¡°I don¡®t want to talk about it!¡± ¡°What happened that made you so unhappy?¡± they asked curiously. Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Cindy sighed. In a tone of displeasure, she said, ¡°I¡®m sure everyone here knows how important Samuel is in the business world. He has so much influence in society that even the duke wanted to get on his good side! That¡®s why the duke invited us to the family feast.¡± ¡°I did my best to dress up just for the event.¡± ¡°However, the feast was canceled the moment we arrived at his residence. The duke received news that his grandson was involved in a car ident. The event was postponed to another day, so we had no choice but to go back home.¡± Cindy continued, ¡°When the timees, we still have to visit him at the hospital. Ugh, I dread it so much!¡± At first, Tina remained silent as she followed the group of women from behind. After she listened to their conversation, her mind exploded with thousands of spections. She bumped into John yesterday, who was involved in a car ident. Coincidentally, the duke¡®s grandson also got into a car ident at the same time. If Tina remembered correctly, John left his home and stayed in Freesia to search for his long lost sister. As for his exact identity, Tina couldn¡®t be sure about it. Could John turn out to be the duke¡®s grandson? Cindy, who was standing from afar, yelled at Tina when she noticed that Tina had been daydreaming ¡°Linda, are you deaf?! I¡®m calling out to you! Can¡®t you hear me?¡± Tina got back to her senses and heaved in a deep breath. ¡°Do you have anything you want me to do, Mrs. Langford?¡± ¡°I really like those heels on the disy right there. Get it for me right now!¡± Cindy instructed. Tina obliged. She took the high heels from the disy and presented them to Cindy. Cindy didn¡®t reach out for the heels. Instead, she demanded, ¡°Kneel and wear it for me!¡± Tina knew that Cindy was deliberately making things difficult for her. She clenched her fists and said, ¡°Mrs. Langford, I¡®m a fashion designer, not your ve.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Cindy smiled and threatened, ¡°Have you forgotten that your daughter¡®s life is currently in Samuel¡®s hands?¡± Tina¡®splexion turned pale. Apparently, Cindy was already aware of Kara¡®s existence. Samuel had already told her everything. ¡°Kara¡®s just a child. For a kind and generous woman like you to make a move on a young child, what do you think society will perceive of your character?¡± ¡°Me? I won¡®t do anything to her, but I¡®ve informed Samuel that you¡®re now my secretary instead of his!¡± ¡°If you do your work sloppily and get on my nerves, who knows what Samuel will do to punish you?¡± Without a care for the world, Cindy spoke with a casual tone while inspecting her newly pedicured nails. From head to toe, the way she presented herself was to let everyone know that she was a wealthy woman. On her finger was a massive diamond ring that shimmered under the bright lights. From the looks of it, Samuel really did give Cindy everything. The only person Tina had was Kara, and Tina could never gamble with Kara¡®s life. Tina heaved in a deep breath and knelt on one leg. Proud, Cindy kicked Tina¡®s other leg and demanded further, ¡°You don¡®t look stable enough with one leg on the ground. It¡®s better if you kneel on both legs!¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Tina was left with no choice but to endure the humiliation as she helped Cindy wear the heels. For the next few hours, Cindy visited a lot of shops and never failed to treat Tina like a ve by ordering her around. At the end of the day, Tina was thoroughly exhausted. She felt as if all the bones in her body had shattered to pieces. ¡°Put all our things in the car right now! We are about to leave,¡± Cindy ordered haughtily. While Tina was walking, someone suddenly knocked into her at full force. Chapter 346 Chapter 346 After a whole day of verbal abuse and emotional ckmail, Tina was exhausted. All she wanted to do was leave immediately. She didn¡¯t expect someone to knock into her when she was already walking to the side, almost nearing the wall. All the things Tina had in her arms fell to the ground. Right at this moment, a high¨Cpitched voice screeched next to her ear. ¡°What are you doing? Are you blind?!¡± Tina looked up and realized that she had knocked into a woman dressed in an outfit with ringly bright colors. Wearing branded goods from head to toe, the woman gazed upon Tina with a disgusted expression. ¡°You stupid maid! Apologize to me in this instant!¡± she demanded arrogantly. Tina heaved in a deep breath and straightened her back. She snapped back coldly, ¡°Lady, you¡®re the one who bumped into me first!¡± That woman¡®s eyes went wide with disbelief. ¡°I dare you to say that again! Just look at yourself! For someone as poorly dressed as you to show up at this high¨Cend mall is truly an embarrassing sight! I bet you stole the things you have in your hands!¡± She spat a degradingment and sized up Tina condescendingly. The guests who were eligible to shop in this mall were all from wealthy backgrounds. It was apparent that Tina wasn¡®t well off based on her outfit. Tina frowned and retorted with displeasure, ¡°Lady, you can¡®t just use someone without evidence! I can sue you for defamation if you continue to use me of something I didn¡®t do!¡± ¡°You? Sue me? WhatPlease check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. a joke! Do you know who I am, you useless scumbag? One word from me and the guards will throw someone like you out of this mall instantly!¡± Her attitude was over the top Tina smiled. She couldn¡®t be bothered to exin her identity to this unreasonable woman. After all, she was no different than a servant. ¡°Do you know who I¡¯m working for right now?¡± ¡°Who?¡± she asked. ¡°I work for Mrs. Langford, the wife of Samuel Langford, who¡®s also the CEO of Langford Group. She¡®s currently in the resting lounge upstairs.¡± Remaining aloof, Tina continued, ¡°I don¡®t mind if you knock into me, though I can¡®t help but wonder. What do you think Mrs. Langford will do to you if she knew that you¡®ve knocked over all her carefully selected items to the ground?¡± That wornan was petrifled, and herplexion went as pale as paper. ¡°What? That¡®s not possible! You¡®re dressed so poorly, you don¡®t even look like a qualified maid! You expect me to believe that you work for Mrs. Langford?¡± ¡°We can go upstairs and verify my ims if you want.¡± Looking at Tina¡®s casual reply and nonchnt attitude, the woman believed Tina instantly. If Tina wasn¡®t spouting the truth, she wouldn¡®t be that arrogant. ¡°Stand right there, you d*mned woman! Don¡®t ever think I¡®ll let you off the hook that easily just because you have someone to vouch for you!¡± She blocked Tina¡®s way, frightened. ¡°Since you want topare who has more power in this situation, why don¡®t we see for ourselves who exactly has the upper hand? Let¡®s head upstairs now!¡± Tina sneered. She wasn¡®t afraid to turn this into a big deal. She even wanted to see for herself who would rise as the champion in this squabble. Cindy, or this woman? ¡°Stand right there!¡± The woman repeated, exasperated. Right at this moment, a man¡®s voice drifted over. ¡°What are the two of you doing?¡± For some reason, Tina found that voice to be oddly familiar. She looked up, and her expression changed drastically. That woman was ted, however. She sweetened her voice and called out, ¡°Desmond!¡± She threw herself into the man¡®s arms and said coyly, ¡°Desmond, you have to help me out! This maid right here is bullying me! She med me for knocking into her even though she was the one who did it! Now, she¡®s threatening to report me to Mrs. Langford!¡± While the woman spoke, the man named Desmond looked at Tina. He blurted out in shock, ¡°Tina?¡± Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Chapter 347 The moment Desmond called out to her, Tina¡®s face sank. She knew who this person was. He was Desmond Henderson! She would never forget this man, even when she was on her deathbed! The woman¡®s expression changed the moment Desmond called out to Tina. ¡°Desmond, do you know this woman? That¡®s impossible! She¡®s just a lowly maid!¡± Tina clenched her fists in anger. If she wasn¡®t consciously convincing herself to calm down, she would¡®ve charged at him and torn his face into pieces! They weren¡®t mere acquaintances. Desmond was Tina¡®s ex¨Cboyfriend! Back when Tina was still in university, Desmond tried everything he could to pursue her love. Little did she know that he was actually eyeing the Lynd family¡®s insurmountable wealth. In the end, Pearl and Desmond colluded and tarnished Tina¡®s name. From then on, her reputation went down the hill, so much that even the university¡®s upper management was aware of the scandal. It all resulted in her expulsion from her studies. ¡°We knew each other from university. I didn¡®t expect to meet her again so many yearster,¡± Ded said nostalgically. That woman took the opportunity to target Tina¡®s soft spot, ¡°She¡®s a friend you knew from university? Look at the both of you right now! You¡®re the CEO of a respectablepany, and she¡®s Mrs. Langford¡®s maid! She¡®s even hoping that Mrs. Langford will vouch for her after what she¡®s done!¡± ¡°You¡®re a maid now?¡± Desmond changed his attitude and said pitifully, ¡°Without a university degree, I guess the only job you could get is being a maid.¡± Hearing his pretentious words, Tina retched in disgust. Wasn¡®t he the one who was directly involved in her expulsion? That woman attacked Tina even further, ¡°Oh my god, she got expelled? That¡®s tragic! I think she deserves it though!¡± ¡°Felicia! Although she¡®s not on the same level as us, still, you shouldn¡®t degrade her like that,¡± Desmond continued with a flirtatious tone, ¡°I know you¡®re just being honest, but you shouldn¡®t just speak everything that¡®s on your mind, okay? It¡®s a bad habit. What¡®ll happen if my cutie¨Cpie gets into trouble?¡± ¡°Okay, Desmond! I¡®ll learn,¡± Felicia said with flushed cheeks. Tina couldn¡®t stand their public disy of affection. At first, she wanted to bring the issue to Cindy and watch the two silly women fight like dogs. She didn¡®t expect to bump into Desmond as well! A conceited man and a pretentious woman... Come to think of it, they were the perfect inatch. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Tina picked up the bags on the floor and turned to leave. If she didn¡®t leave anytime soon, she would actually vomit on the floor from pure disgust. When Tina was about to put the bags into the trunk, Desmond called out to her. ¡°Tina, wait!¡± Desmond caught up with Tina and blocked her way. ¡°How dare you show up in front of me, Desmond Henderson!¡± Tina spat coldly. Facing Tina¡®s interrogation, Desmond could only sigh in defeat. ¡°Tina, I know you still hate me for what I did to you back then. But you have to understand, I was in a pinch...¡± ¡°Me? Forgive you? Dream on!¡± Tina cut him off rudely. ¡°I canpensate for what I¡®ve done to you.¡± As he spoke, Desmond reached for his wallet in his jacket and sized up Tina¡®s attire. ¡°I heard from Felicia that you¡®re now working as a maid for the Langford family. Just look at what you¡®re wearing! It¡®s hard being a maid, huh?¡± ¡°Just name a price. I¡®ll treat it as an apology for what I did to you back then.¡± Still emotionless, Tina said, ¡°Oh really? Fine, then. I want 750,000 from you!¡± Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Desmond jumped in shock. He thought he only needed to give a few thousand to make Tina happy. Little did he know that she would ask for an impossible sum of 750,000! ¡°Tina, don¡®t you think you¡®re being too overboard?¡± Desmond said. ¡°I¡®m just trying to look out for you after all these years. How dare you take advantage of me like that!¡± ¡°Seriously? You¡®re looking out for me?¡± Tina was so furious that she exploded inughter.¡± You¡®re really shameless, you know that?¡± ¡°You¡®re just all talk! If you can¡®t give me what I want, then scram!¡± Tina¡®s words were as sharp as knives, leaving Desmond brewing in anger. He screamed,¡± Know your ce, Tina!¡± ¡°I think it¡®s the other way around. You should know yours! Why don¡®t you look at yourself in the mirror? Just look at how shameless you¡®re acting right now!¡± ¡°Don¡®t you dare test my limits, Tina!¡± Desmond¡®s expression turned even more livid. Since he couldn¡®t talk back to her, he raised his arm, about tond a painful p on Tina¡®s cheeks. Meanwhile, Tina had already prepared herself for what was about toe. Nowadays, she would bring along self¨Cdefense items to protect herself. If Desmond dared toy a hand on her, she would beat him to death to release her pent¨Cup anger. However, Tina¡®s wish went down the drain. The moment Desmond raised his arm, someone grabbed his arm from behind in the nick of time. ¡°Ouch!¡± Desmond shouted in pain. ¡°Who the f*ck dares to stop me?!¡± Desmond looked up, and noticed the man beside him. One look was enough to scare him out of his wits. ¡°You... You¡®re Samuel Langford!¡± Samuel sneered. He didn¡®t even bother to reply before shoving Desmond to the ground. With a tall and buffed figure, it was clear that Samuel was trained in martial arts. When Samuel grabbed Desmond¡®s arm, pain shot at Desmond with such intensity that it almost felt like his bones were about to be shattered into pieces. After being shoved away, Desniond lost his bnce and fell to the ground. ¡°Scram!¡± Samuel spat, his voice ice. Desmond was petrifled. He didn¡®t expect Samuel to show up! Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Mr. Langford, I¡®ll leave! I¡®ll leave now!¡± Desmond scampered fearfully, his tails between his legs. He looked like a proper gentleman just a while ago, but now, he looked like a dog that had just fallen into the drain. Tina was dumbfounded. She asked out of curiosity, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Why am I here?¡± Samuel repeated her question. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± His voice wasced with a hint of sarcasm. Only then did Tinae back to her senses. ¡®Why did I ask him that stupid question? It¡®s obvious he¡®s here because of Cindy! She¡®s upstairs in the resting lounge. He must be here to pick her up,¡¯ Tina thought. Looking into Samuel¡®s eyes, which were filled with disgust, she was conflicted. ¡®I thought Samuel hated me to the core. Why did he help me just now?¡® she wondered. While Tina was preupied with her thoughts, she didn¡®t realize that she had spoken her mind. ¡°Don¡®t you hate me? Why did you help me?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Only I can hit my own servants,¡± Samuel replied, sounding as heartless as ever. Tina¡®s heart sank when she heard his cruel response. As it turned out, he merely couldn¡®t stand outsiders treating his servants with disrespect. However, Tina¡¯s position right now was even lower than that of a maid. Right at this moment, Cindy appeared. ¡°Samuel, why are you here?¡± she asked, excited. ¡°Are you here to see me? Is there anything I Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Cindy was ted to see the man in front of him. Samuel swept his gaze over Cindy and he said, ¡°You look pretty.¡± ¡°Really? Do you really think so?¡± Cindy was all dressed up with diamond ornaments. She resembled a butterfly as she twirled gleefully in front of Samuel. What followed after was Samuel frowning with displeasure as he said, ¡°How can you go shopping when Keith is still in the hospital?¡± Cindy¡®splexion turned pale. Immediately, she tried to exin, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯ve misunderstood! I¡®m Keith¡®s mother, so of course I¡®m worried about him. But I¡®m not a doctor. What can I do in the hospital?¡± ¡°Besides, I can¡®t help much by staying there. That¡®s why I came outside to rx for a bit.¡± Samuel could care less about Cindy¡®s clumsy exnation. ¡°Follow me to the hospital right now.¡± He turned to leave. Cindy picked up the hem of her dress and trailed from behind quickly. Before she left, she turned and snarled at Tina, ¡°It¡®s all your fault that Samuel¡®s angry now! You were the one who dressed me up like this! I won¡®t give you a ride! Just walk back by yourself!¡± Tina was left standing alone as she watched them leave. Neither spared a second nce at her as they abandoned her. Tina couldn¡®t care less about them. Now that both Samuel and Cindy had left, instant relief surged in her. Instead of going back to the vi, she went to the kindergarten to check on Kara. By now, the family¨Cthemed Sports Day had already begun. Tina could see the children in the kindergarten were all apanied by their parents as they engaged in different sports activities together. The mood in the kindergarten was warm and happy. In contrast, Kara cupped her cheeks as she sat forlornly in the corner. Seeing her daughter sitting alone, Tina was heartbroken. Even though she was just outside the kindergarten, she wouldn¡®t dare attend the event with Kara. After all, Kara was now held hostage by Samuel. Without his permission, she wouldn¡®t dare to approach Kara, even though they were literally just meters away from each other. However, Tina felt relieved when she noticed that nothing bad had happened to Kara. After she returned to the vi, she video¨Ccalled her daughter through the phone. Kara said happily, ¡°Mommy, I had a st at school today! It¡®s a shame you couldn¡®t attend the sports events with me.¡± ¡°The teachers apanied me through the games, and I even won a lot of sweets! Mommy, when you¡®re here, I¡®ll give you half of what I earned today!¡± Thrilled to see her mother, Kara showed off the sweets she had in her hand. If it was under normal circumstances, Tina would¡®ve felt happy for her daughter. However, Tina¡®s eyes turned red when she heard Kara¡®s words. When Tina was spying outside the kindergarten earlier that day, she saw everything clearly. Kara was just sitting there on the bench as she looked at her friends spending time with their parents, filled with jealousy. 1. y. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Still, she didn¡®t throw a tantrum. She even pretended to be happy during their video call. Kara was still rambling on happily when she realized that her mother had been silent at the other end of the phone for far too long. Curious, she asked, ¡°Mommy, why aren¡®t you saying anything? Is it because of the bad inte connection?¡± Tina held back her tears and smiled. ¡°Nothing¡®s wrong with the connection. I want to hear more about your day!¡± Only when they hung up the phone did Tina cry out loud. Deep down, she knew she couldn¡®t continue living like this anymore. Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Tina heaved in a deep breath and wiped off the tears at the corner of her eyes. Under her red and puffy eyes wereyers of dark circles that had formed after enduring days of mental exhaustion. At this moment, Tina made up her mind. She would rather suffer alone than drag her only daughter into this mess! All of a sudden, a man¡®s figure shed across her mind. John Carter. She had to find him right now. John might not remember her after all these years, but it was still worth a try. Tina was clutching on straws at the moment. Her efforts could very well be fruitless, but she was left with no choice. Previously, she was only asking around the hospitals to make sure John was okay. This time, she was determined to ask John for help. After figuring out the address of the said hospital, she rushed there immediately. ¡°Hello, I¡®m here to visit Mr. John Carter. Can I know his ward number?¡± Tina had changed into a prim and proper outfit before she approached the counter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we cannot disclose the patient¡®s personal information to outsiders. If you didn¡®t book your visitation appointment in advance, we are not allowed to let you inside,¡± thedy at the counter exined in a t tone. Tina knew that this was going to happen, so she added, ¡°I am Mr. Carter¡®s newly hired fashion designer. I have some work¨Crted matters to discuss with him. If you don¡®t believe me, you can call him to verify my status. Just tell him that Tina Lynd is here to visit him.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Thedy doubted it. ¡°If you still don¡®t believe me, you can check recent news about my identity. My name is Linda, and my work has been featured in the local fashion magazine before.¡± Looking at Tina¡®s serious expression, thedy was partially convinced. ¡°Alright, then. I¡®ll make a phone call for you. What¡®s the patient¡®s name again?¡± Tina sighed with relief and said, ¡°John Carter.¡± However, thedy frowned. ¡°I¡®m sorry. We don¡®t have anyone registered under that name.¡± Tina was stunned, ¡°That¡®s impossible! I heard he was sent to this hospital after being involved in a car ident.¡± Thedy¡®splexion changed instantly. ¡°You don¡®t even know this man!¡± ¡°I know him, but I only know his English name. If you can reconfirm with him again...¡± ¡°Stop making excuses! You look really suspicious in the first ce. I won¡®t listen to your nonsense anymore Security, take this woman away!¡± To avoid causing a scene, Tina had no choice but to leave on her own ord. But the trip was worthwhile, because she could now confirm one thing. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The reason thedy at the counter was so nervous was because John wasn¡®t just any ordinary ciuizen in the country. Could he actually be the duke¡®s grandson? Walking on the road like a lost soul, Tina¡®s mind was buzzing with confusion. Since she couldn¡®t get in contact with John, she could only resort to waiting at the entrance every day to spot him. What she didn¡®t realize was a car driving into the parking lot of the hospital. The car lights shed across Tina¡®s face, which caught the attention of the passenger in the backseat That person widened her eyes in disbelief and shouted, ¡°Stop the car right now!¡± For some reason, Tina¡®s face seemned oddly familiar to him. Chapter 351 Chapter 351 There was a man in his sixties or seventies sitting at the back. His ck suit and his gelled ¨C back hair gave him a serious aura. At this moment, he was showing an exaggerated reaction that shocked the driver. The driver stepped on the brakes. ¡°Lord Carter, is everything okay?¡± That old man was none other than the famous Lord Carter. Lord Carter opened the car door without responding The confused driver asked again, ¡°Are you looking for something? Let me help!¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Lord Carter nced at the street. Disappointment filled him when he realized that figure was no longer there He let out a defeated sigh. ¡°It¡®s nothing. Let¡®s head back now.¡± Lord Carter left, not staying any longer. Soon, he entered a private lift in the hospital and arrived at a ward Inside the ward were John and another woman, his stepmother Mrs. Carter ¡°What brings you here, Grandfather?¡± John asked. Strictly speaking, John wasn¡®t biologically rted to Old Mr. Carter However, Lord Carter partook in many charities and adopted many abandoned infants. John¡®s mother was Lord Carter¡®s favorite adopted daughter. Sheter gave birth to a boy and a girl. One of them was John Carter. The other was the girl who had gone missing eight years ago, John¡®s sister Coco Carter ¡°Am I not weed here?¡± Lord Carter expressed his dissatisfaction. ¡°The doctor stressed that you need your rest. Plus, I¡®m fine now. There¡®s no need to trouble yourself,¡± John replied gently. Lord Carter replied gravely, ¡°Since we¡®re a family, we should spend more time with each other. Who knows if this will be our last reunion?¡°¡± John¡®s face darkened at Lord Carter¡®s response. The word family reminded him of painful memories, Lord Carter seemed to have recalled something, ¡°I¡®ve aged quite a lot, to the extent I mistook someone for your mother when she was young...¡± That shocked Mrs. Carter, who was just nning to leave. ¡°What?¡± she squawed. ¡°You saw someone like her? Are you sure?¡± Lord Carter answered, ¡°Yes, but she disappeared when I looked for her. Maybe I¡®ve made a mistake...¡± John was still a child when his mother passed away, so he had no recollection of her looks. ¡°Maybe they just look simr.¡± Compared to the two calm men, Mrs. Carter was panicking on the side. Someone¡®s face shed through her mind. Tina Lynd! Tina Lynd looked exactly like that woman! At that time, Mrs. Carter even made an excuse to take Tina away so John wouldn¡®t meet her. Later on, Tina disappeared before Mrs. Carter could take any action. Could it be that Tina was alive the entire time, and that she hade back?! Mrs. Carter couldn¡®t help but feel nervous. She would be confident if she only had to handle John alone. Now that both Lord Carter and John were here, it wouldn¡®t be easy. Not to mention, Lord Carter remembered clearly what that woman looked like. Mrs. Carter knew she would be doomed if anything went wrong! ¡°Bring me all the footage from the CCTV nearby!¡± Mrs. Carter demanded. Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Tina returned to the mansion, filled with despair, Initially, she wanted to ask for help from John However, the hospital kicked her out before she could meet him Was there really no other way? with the thoughts racing through her mind, she retreated to her own room, She didn¡®t even bother to turn on the lights as her mind was upied with thoughts of Kara. When she was about to force herself to sleep, she heard a voice from the darkness. ¡°I thought you didn¡®t want toe back anymore, Tina?!¡± That was when Tina realized she wasn¡®t alone in the room She saw the blurry shadow on the sofa, and instinctively let out a scream. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± She turned around and ran away, but identally bumped into the edge of a table. The sound of the collision echoed. The next thing she knew, she was lying on the ground with a pale face. Samuel stood up and walked towards Tina, frowning ¡°Don¡®t know how to walk? How can v fall just by walking?¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Tina felt as if her heart had stopped ¡°Why are you here? This is my room!¡± ¡°Your room?¡± Samuel snorted coldly, ¡°This entire mansion is mine. Why can¡®t I be here?¡± Tina found it impossible to refute his words ¡®Well, this ce is his mansion.¡® Even so, Tina was still upset. ¡°Why didn¡®t you switch on the lights? What were you thinking?¡± She was fine with him torturing her We how could be go so far as to pretend to be a ghost and scare her? Sanuel¡®s face darkened immediately. He would never admit that he was lulled to sleep on the s because of her familiar went, and that the trimat woken up only when she cane back. ¡°What was I thinking?¡± Sanusel steered with unpatience. ¡°¡®Shouldn¡®t you korow better than wiyut sawout my coulition?¡± Ay sorto as He Manished his contence, Tina recalled the repurt she had seci). Band had sevece aldemping disorden that Ronated his already temperamental anal explosive personality, and he had to rely on sleeping pills. Most importantly, she was the one who put sleeping pills into his water to escape him when he captured and trapped her some time ago. As such, Tina didn¡®t dare to fight back. She feared Samuel was here to get his revenge and torture her again. She wanted to live! Mockery stained Samuel¡®s hollowugh when he saw Tina¡®s guilty face. He pressed a switch, and the entire room was lit up. Upon seeing Tina¡®s clothes, he frowned in annoyance. ¡°Where were you and why did youe backte?¡± Tina felt even guiltier. For some reason, Samuel¡®s words created a false illusion for her. It was as if he was a husband questioning his wife who came homete. Tina lowered her head, doing her best to avoid his sharp gaze. ¡°Mrs. Langford ordered me to walk back home, so it took me a long time to reach home.¡± It was just a casual question from Samuel. Upon hearing Tina¡®s answer, however, his face darkened and he grabbed her chin roughly. ¡°Don¡®t lie to me!¡± ¡°I didn¡®t...¡± ¡°Do you think I¡®m stupid?¡± Samuel sneered. ¡°Are you telling me that you changed into a new set of clothes as you were walking on the streets?!¡± Tina was taken aback. Never did she expect that Samuel would pay attention to her outfits! Cold sweat drenched her back. She and Kara would be done for if Samuel found out about her n! Chapter 353 Chapter 353 ¡°I told you what you shouldn¡®t do, Tina!¡± Samuel stared at Tina with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Where did you go behind my back? Tell me!¡± Tina was so terrified, her heart almost stopped. W Samuel knew she wouldn¡®t run away, so he didn¡®t have people following her. The servants thought she was abandoned by him, so they avoided her. Plus, there was no CCTV in this mansion. As such, nobody knew Tina¡®s whereabouts... At that moment, Tina made up her mind and decided that she mustn¡®admit to anything. ¡°I didn¡®t. I walked home alone.¡± Tina gritted her teeth and continued, ¡°The reason I came backte with a new set of clothes was because I went to see Kara at the kindergarten.¡± ¡°Didn¡®t I tell you that you can¡®t meet her without my permission?¡± Samuel looked at her suspiciously and shouted harshly, ¡°Or were you nning to run away with her?!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡®t!¡± She shook her head and denied his usations hurriedly before grabbing her arm. ¡°Samuel, I didn¡®t want to go against your orders. I was just worried about her and looked at her from afar. She didn¡®t know I was there!¡± ¡°Plus, today was the parent¨Cchild sports day. All the other children have their parents with them, but I could only watch from afar. I was really worried about her, so that took up some time...¡± Tears were streaming down Tina¡®s cheeks. As the tearsnded on his hand, Samuel quickly pulled his arm away from her. He stood up and red at Tina, who had wrapped herself on the ground. ¡°Do you really wish to see your daughter that much?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tina answered softly. ¡°Did you forget about our promise? It¡®ll have to depend on your behavior. You can¡®t just cry in front of me.¡± That gave Tina a stun as she lifted her head to look at Samuel. ¡°What do you mean..?¡± ¡°Do you really not know?¡± Samuel looked at her mockingly. ¡°Get up!¡± Tina clenched her fists, feeling a rush of humiliation and shame. There was a reason why Samuel was in her room. There were certain things that he wanted to 1. do. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. At the end of the day, she was nothing but a tool. However, Tina decided to be obedient. She couldn¡®t risk Kara¡®s safety ¡°Alright...¡± She bit her lips and wiped her tears as she stood up. However, she forgot that she hurt her legs earlier, and ended up stumbling Samuel stretched out his hands and caught Tina before she hit the ground. ¡°Are you acting up already? Your seducing tricks are worse than your crying!¡± Tina didn¡®t bother to even exin for herself at this point, She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She wanted to take off his shirt with trembling hands, but she was stopped. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Didn¡®t you want to...?¡± ¡°I have no interest in a crying woman who was just on the ground a second ago.¡± Tina knew he was disgusted. If only this disgust could go on forever! In the end, she was forced to shower and walked out with a bathrobe... Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Samuel had been staring at Tina since she came out of the bathroom, his eyes never leaving het His eyes were full of judgment, as if he was trying to see through Tina. Tina could feel her heart racing, but she was unsure if it was because of her guilt or something else Just when she started to panic, Samuel stood up abruptly and walked towards her Her heartbeat rose as he approached her Anxious, Tina closed her eyes. However, Samuel simply walked past her and into the bathroom Even so, Tina still felt tense. Feeling exhausted and sleepy, she sat on the side of the bed as she waited for him toe out. ¡°Come bere,¡± he ordered coldly. ¡°Dry my hair for me.¡± Tina was speechless. ¡®He could¡®ve just tortured me in another way!¡® And why¡®s he asking me to do something like this?¡® Tina bit her lower lips as she inwardly cursed at Samuel She mumbled, ¡°I¡®ll get the hair dryer. ¡± Her steps were awkward, and she was walking in a strange way Samuel lowered his game and saw the bruises on her knees that hade from her earlier fall. He frowned and stapped impatiently, ¡°Were you sitting here the entire time without treating your bruises ¡°L. I forgot about it. ¡°Tina stuttered Forgetting was merely an excuse Where would she have the courage to move even an inch? What If Samuel was furious at her again? ¡°Come back only when you¡®ve treated your bruises,¡± Samuel snarled. ¡°Oh, o okay¡± Tina left and got a first aid box from the servants She had to m ake the bruises lor a while if she wanted them to heal faster But Tina was sensitive to pain Al the same time, she was worried that Samuel would be annoyed if she took too long. Thus, she went back to the room after putting on some simple ointment ¡°L. I¡®m back,¡± she stammered Samuel booked at her legs, cold¡°You call that treated?¡± Tina had never felt pere miserable in her life, In the first ce, she got hurt because of him. Anyway, he wasn¡®t the one in pain. Why wasn¡®t he letting her off the hook? Tina said, ¡°It¡®ll take some time to treat and massage the bruises, and I didn¡®t want to keep you waiting. If you¡®re so concerned about my leg, why not massage it for me?!¡± Tina knew she should keep silent and remain obedient to Samuel. However, his scathing arrogance was unbearable. She simply couldn¡®t take it anymore. Samuel paused for a while, but didn¡®t get angry. He grunted, ¡°Come here.¡± Instantly, Tina regretted her impulsiveness. At the same time, she noticed he wasn¡®t nning to punish her. Samuel pulled her into his arms when she stood next to him. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. He held her legs and pressed her bruises. The pain was unbearable for Tina, who grabbed his arms immediately. ¡°No! Stop!¡± Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Chapter 355 ¡°Hmm.¡± Samuel grabbed her more firmly with his muscr arms. ¡°Aren¡®t you the one who requested this? Are you scared now?¡± Tina¡®s face turned pale. ¡°It¡®s all good! It¡®ll heal on its own after a few days. There¡®s no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Langford.¡± ¡°Since I¡®ve already started, I¡®ll finish what I started.¡± ¡°No, you really don¡®t have to...¡± It wasn¡®t about finishing anything. It was about the unbearable pain! There was no way Samuel would be this kind to her. Tina finally understood that this was another one of his ways to torment her. Samuel sneered, ¡°Aren¡®t you a professional in manipting people? You can¡®t even take this, huh?¡± Tina was too weak to answer him. All she could do was cover her mouth so she wouldn¡®t cry out. After some time, Samuel finally finished massaging her legs and let go of her. ¡°Okay...¡± Tina let out a sigh of relief, thinking that everything finally ended. Just then, he heard him say, ¡°Let¡®s sleep.¡± Tina¡®s body froze. She expected another round of torture from him, but oddly enough, he didn¡®t do anything other than just sleep. Her face was pushed next to his chest, and she could practically hear his heartbeat. ¡®What¡®s going on?¡® She lifted her head up, and saw that his eyes were closed. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She could see his stubble from the front, which somehow made him look all the more attractive. ¡®So what he meant by sleeping was purely sleeping?¡® Tina could finally rx, but she still felt ufortable with Samuel hugging her so tightly. They weren¡®t even married anymore, so why were they so close to each other? Eventually, she fell asleep in his arms. The next morning, the servants knocked on the door softly. Samuel, who was sensitive and alert, opened his eyes instantly. He then heard Tina expressing her dissatisfaction by absentinindedly blowing her nose. He lowered his head and saw Tina next to him, sleeping soundly. It suddenly dawned on him that he was able to sleep through the night without pills just by hugging her, Samuel frowned as strange sensations red up within him. He moved around softly, trying hard not to wake Tina up. Samuel opened the door. The servant standing there spoke softly, ¡°Mr. Langford, your assistant is waiting for you downstairs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel walked out of the room. 1 The servant looked at the woman on the bed, and then back to Samuel. ¡°Mr. Langford, should we wake Miss Lynd up for breakfast as well?¡± After all, Mr. Langford was an extremely disciplined individual. It would be inappropriate for the woman to continue sleeping. ¡°There¡®s no need for that. Let her rest.¡± Samuel responded in an icy tone, and then made his way downstairs. After some time, Tina woke up from a distant dream. She looked at the time as she rubbed her eyes. Suddenly, she let out a scream. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Is everything okay, Miss Lynd?¡± The servants entered the room hurriedly once they heard her scream Tina looked at the time in disbelief. ¡°Did I really sleep until thiste?¡± ¡°Um... Mr. Langford said you needed rest, so we didn¡®t dare to wake you up.¡± The servant continued, ¡°Oh, right. Mr. Langford also prepared some clothes for you. Since you¡®re already awake, why not try them on?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tina was stunned. Immediately after, her face darkened. ¡°Where is he taking me this time?¡° Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Chapter 356 What happened in the past still haunted Tina. Samuel had taken her to dinner, only to torment her. In the end, she was almost sexually assaulted by a disgusting old man. Siad old man wanted revenge and tried to kidnap her afterwards. After what happened yesterday night, she had the naive assumption that Samuel wouldn¡®t torment her anymore. As it turned out, he was just as cruel as before! Fear and panic were written all over her face. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The servants looked at her, perplexed. ¡°Mr. Langford has to go out for dinner tonight, so he¡®ll need a femalepanion. Isn¡®t this a good thing?¡± Samuel had only introduced Cindy Young as hispanion in the past few years. Tina should be happy that she could be hispanion. This should be good news, right? However, this revtion only intensified Tina¡®s worries. It was the same reason all over again. A dinner, and needing a femalepanion! Who knew if she would be treated like an object once again?! However, this was Samuel¡®s order. Tina had to obey it despite the fear gnawing at her. Soon, she was shown the dress. Being a designer herself, she was stunned by the dress. ¡°This is...¡± ¡°This is thetest edition gown, and it¡®s very expensive,¡± The servant answered, eyes full of admiration and jealousy. Just when all the servants in the manor thought that Tina had fallen out of favour, she somehow managed to regain her ce in Samuel¡®s heart. Why would he send such a delicate dress otherwise? Even without the servant¡®s words, Tina could have guessed the value of this dress. Yet, this only served to contribute to her nervousness. She didn¡®t believe that Samuel was simply being nice to her. Finally, a car appeared outside the mansion later that night. Tina wore the dress and walked toward the car, but she soon realized that Samuel wasn¡®t inside. ¡°ls M?. Langford not here?¡± Tina asked cautiously. ¡°The hotel is near to thepany, so he went there right after work. I¡®m here to pick you up.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tina entered the car, though she remained suspicious. ¡°Which hotel are we going The driver answered with a prestigious hotel name. It was a ce fit for only the upper ss. ¡®That means it wouldn¡®t be as bad as before right?¡® With the invitation the driver handed her earlier, Tina entered the hotel with ease. However, she quickly realized that something was terribly amiss. She was too preupied with the thoughts of Samuel¡®s impending torment for her, so much that she failed to notice an important thing. She had forgotten to ask the driver where Samuel was. How was she supposed to find him?! This was a big hotel, and there were people everywhere. Suddenly, Tina felt like an outcast. With no options left, she stopped one of the waiters and asked, ¡°Do you know where Mr. Langford is? I¡®m looking for him...¡± Just then, a voice appeared from behind her. ¡°You?! Why are you here?¡± Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Tina turned around. What she saw next was a young woman with heavy makeup. Oddly enough, Tina found this woman familiar. Tina frowned as she asked hesitantly, ¡°You¡®re...¡± ¡°It¡®s you! I remember you! You¡®re Tina Lynd, right? Why are you here?!¡± Felicia demanded aggressively, her voice a shrill octave. Tina finally remembered who this woman was. She had bumped into this woman the other day; it was the rude woman who had been with Desmond! ¡°Why can¡®t I be here? Who are you to question me? Do you own this ce?¡± Tina fought back Her attitude set Felicia off. ¡°You¡®re nothing but a pet to the Langfords! How dare you talk to me that way?!¡± Tina was unbothered by Felicia¡®s aggressiveness. ¡°You said it yourself, didn¡®t you? I belong to the Langfords. That¡®s the answer.¡± ¡°You... How dare you!¡± Felicia screamed shrilly. ¡°You¡®re not here for Desmond, right? He¡®s my fiance now, so don¡®t you dare!¡± Tina sneered. ¡°Desmond? Sorry, but I¡®m not attracted to trash.¡± ¡°Who are you calling trash?!¡± Felicia¡®s anger was through the roof. Tina, on the other hand, was calm. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°You¡­ You...¡± Felicia pointed a shaky finger at Tina, though her eyes swept around the area with a hesitant gaze. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Tina knew Felicia wouldn¡®t do anything to her. After all, this was a location filled to the brim with elite guests. Felicia wouldn¡®t dare ruin her reputation. ¡°What are you saying? I¡®m done with you. See you.¡± Tina paused before adding, ¡°Oh, wait. I hope to never see you again!¡± She turned around and walked away, trying to find Samuel. However, Felicia wasn¡®t nning to let things slide this easily. She stretched her feet and stepped on the hem of Tina¡®s dress. ¡°Move,¡± Tina warned angrily. Felicia red a Tina and said viciously, ¡°If I¡®m not wrong, your dress was designed by a famous designer. It¡®s worth a fortune!¡± ¡°You¡®re just a nobody, so how can you afford this? You definitely stale k from Mrs. Langford!¡± Felicia¡®s words stunned Tina. This was sent by Samuel, but he wouldn¡®t be this nice. Perhaps this dress belonged to Cindy? It was this silence that gave Felicia the courage to continue. ¡°I knew it! There¡®s no way you can be here! I¡®ll have someone kick you out now!¡± Tina retorted, ¡°I have an invitation!¡± ¡°Bah! Who¡®d buy that? You¡®re not worthy of it!¡± ¡°You¡®re nothing but a gold digger! You exploited the Langfords and stole Mrs. Langford¡®s dress! I won¡®t let this rubbish go on!¡± Felicia thought she had discovered the truth and immediately called the security guards. ¡°This woman stole an invitation from the Langfords! Get her out now!¡± Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Chapter 358 ¡°Who gave you the right to kick me out?¡± Tina shouted back However, Felicia red back at Tina arrogantly, ¡°The organizer for tonight¡®s dinner is Mr. Beckett, and Desmond¡®s currently working under him. I must make sure that nothing goes wrong today!¡± ¡°As for a thief like you, you should be staying in the police station!¡± Tina, of course, wasn¡®t going to let that happen, Just when she was nning to fight back, a man¡®s voice interrupted them, ¡°What¡®s going on?¡± Tina lifted her head and turned in the direction of the voice, Samuel! The security guards didn¡®t dare to move when they saw Samuel ¡°Mr. Langford!¡± Samuel¡¯s sudden appearance scared Felicia, She waspletely drowned in Samuel¡®s looks and pointed usingly at Tina C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Langford, this woman is a servant! She snuck in!¡± Samuel looked at Tina, who was lying on the ground. ¡°Really?¡± He sounded calm Felicia was hesitant at first. However, Samuel¡®s response gave her the courage to continue. In fact, she was thrilled that he was talking to her! Was this her chance?! Felicia continued in a gentle tone, ¡°Yes, Mr Langford. She¡®s a lowly servant, but she¡®s still wearing such a delicate dress. She definitely stole it! ¡°I saw her holding bags for Mrs. Langford the other day, so she probably stole it on that same day!¡± Samuel remained quiet the entire time Felicia ranted on and on Felicia took the silence as approval that she could continue. ¡®Tina¡®s dooined!¡® ¡°Mr Langford, allow me to punish this woman in your stend. You therel Drag her out, and send her to the police station...¡± Tina tllought sanuzel would have her. When the wrw him, the f?lt a funt glimmer of hope Upon soluyg his.cold wyea, howpver, are knew it was imponsible He waan¡®t here to wwe boer He was here te humiliate her! Turhaus. Tra stood up ¡°I didn¡®t I came with an invitation you can only kick me out if you have per Thral set Felicia eft again ¡± wow you dare te lie even in front of Mr Langtord? You must be tired of living! She thung the hands at Tina¡®s face about to p tina But Tuna wasn¡®t having it she immediately grabbed Felicia¡®s arm trekta wus stalon She hissed. ¡°Get your hands off Thar ment thing that cane was a crisp skepping sound The gyd felkta and ¡°You bith How dare you siap me You¡®re dead real Atsther step waded eti Feliksa¡®se Immediately, two pn prats appeared on both sides of her face ¡°Mr Langford¡® You have to do worn thing! Felicta ned desperate Snuel agreed ¡°You¡®re right ¡± Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Felicia was taken aback at his reply. ¡°What?¡± ¡®Oh my goodness! Did Mr. Langford just agreed to help me?! Felicia was trying hard to restrain her excitement. ¡°Are you really going to help me, Mr. Langford? This is great! You¡®re such a nice person...¡± ¡°Throw her out,¡± Samuel finally said, his eyes locked on Felicia. Felicia couldn¡®t hold back anymore. She approached Tina haughtily, pride oozing out of her every pore. Tina¡®s face went pale. It looked like Samuel intended to torture her again! She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as the bodyguards approached her. ¡°No need for that. I can take my own leave...¡± Much to her surprise, they zoomed past her. Tina was confused. Felicia started panicking. ¡°What are you doing? Didn¡®t you hear Mr. Langford¡®s orders? Throw her out...¡± Upon seeing that they were walking toward her, Felicia knew something was off. ¡°What¡®s happening? Why are you grabbing me?! Mr. Langford ordered you to throw that woman out! Let go of me...¡± Just then, Desmond appeared. He was stunned to see the situation at hand. ¡°Felicia? What¡®s going on? What are you doing here, Mr. Langford?¡± Felicia ran into Desmond¡®s arms immediately, and started sobbing right then and there. ¡°Desmond, save me! It¡®s her! She snuck in! I was worried she would ruin the dinner, so I tried to make her leave. But then she pped me twice!¡± Desmond red at Tina. ¡°Tina! I didn¡®t know you were this cruel!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford, no need to trouble yourself. I¡®ll handle this woman myself!¡± ¡°No, I can handle this myself,¡± Samuel sneered, cutting Desmond off. ¡°If that¡®s the case, what are you nning to do...?¡± Desmon asked, hesitant. ¡®Didn¡®t they say Samuel hated trouble? Why was he going so far to do this?¡® He looked at Tina with pity. A shame that such a pretty woman like her had to offend Mr. Langford. ¡°Throw them out,¡± Samuel ordered. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°The bodyguards started acting as soon as they heard hismand. They tore Desmond and Felicia apart forcefully, not a single bit of gentleness in their gestures. Disbelief was written all over Desmond and Felicia¡®s face. ¡°Mr. Langford? What¡®s going on? This isn¡®t right! W¨CWhy are you throwing us out...?¡± However, Samuel didn¡®t even spare them a look. The bodyguards dragged the two out without hesitation. ¡°What¡®s going on? Damn it, there must be a misunderstanding! Why did Mr. Langford kick us out...?!¡± Desmond wanted to reenter the hotel desperately, but was thrown out by the bodyguards again and again. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Felicia started crying. ¡°Damn it! This is all Tina¡®s fault! Mr. Langford definitely transferred his wrath from her to us!¡± The two were humiliated and ashamed. Meanwhile, Tina was still confused. ¡®What... What just happened?¡® Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Tina looked at Samuel, puzzled. Didn¡®t he intend to humiliate her in public? Why did he kick those two out instead of her?! This was all too strange. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Tina wasn¡®t the only one perplexed. The crowd was just as confused. But Samuel didn¡®t even bother to exin himself. ¡°You¡®re causing trouble even when you¡®re attending dinner. You embarrass me, Tina Lynd.¡± Tina felt wronged. She never wanted this to happen in the first ce! Plus, she was alone. What else could she have done?! She held back the urge to retort, and instead bit her lips in silent anger. Samuel turned around. When he spoke, his tone was cold as usual. ¡°Keep up.¡± He walked away after finishing his sentence. Tina followed him without hesitation. As the two went their way, the crowd burst into guesses and gossips. ¡°What¡®s happening? Did Mr. Langford just help that woman?¡± ¡°God, who is that?¡± ¡°Didn¡®t they say Mr. Langford hated women? That he only has Mrs. Langford by his side? How did this woman manage to be by his side.?¡± ¡°If I was right, that woman was wearing a branded dress. Does that mean she¡®s his new lover?¡± Compared to the gossip, Tina only wished to know when Samuel would slow down! After all, she had to wear heels for this event. Walking around was tiring enough. Now that she had to match Samuel¡®s pace, she was forced to run the entire time. Her feet were starting to be in pain... At this point, her heels might even break. Just as she had predicted, her heels broke the moment she thought about it. Tina stopped in her tracks, almost falling down. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Tina shouted as she fell. She stretched her arms out to hold onto Samuel from behind, not wanting to land face¨Cfirst on the floor. Anger Laced Samuel¡®s voice as he shouted, ¡°What are you doing, Tina?!¡± Tina let go of her hands hurriedly. She wanted to stand up straight, but her legs gave away and she almost fell down again. Her face went red with embarrassment. ¡°My... My heels broke!¡± It was true, the back of her heels was broken. Samuel sneered as he shot her a contemptuous look. ¡°Hah,¡± he spat. Tina wished she was an ostrich so she could bury her head in the ground. She knew exactly what Samuel was thinking. He must be using her of acting or fooling around in order to seduce him. But Tina never wanted any of this to happen! She couldn¡®t help but get nervous around Samuel, especially when she herself was unsure as to when he would torture her again. The more nervous she was, the easier it was for her to make mistakes. Just then, another figure appeared in the hallway. ¡°You¡®re finally here, Mr. Langford. You had me waiting.¡± The man wasughing as he patted Samuel¡®s shoulder. It seemed the two were close friends. He was surprised to see the woman behind Samuel. ¡°Oh, you brought someone with you? Who is this?¡± Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Tina subconsciously lifted her head to look at the neer She recognized the man in front of her at first nce ¡°M¨C Mr. Beckett!¡± Mr. Beckett, also known as Leo Backett, was a bigwig in the fashion industry He was known as a genius who had garnered fame and reputation at a young age. He managed to st his way out of the masses of veteran fashion desis in Parts and sessfully made a name for himself. Hence, he was viewed as the pride of the Parisians Not only did he have many popr designs under his name, but his tales of romance that involved multiple heiresses were also lengthy Three days and nights weren¡®t enough for a storyteller to recount his saga ¡°You know me?¡± Leo asked, rubbing his chin curiously Tina looked slightly nervous as she introduced herself ¡°Of course! I¡®m.. I¡®m your fan! M My name is Lindal ¡°So you¡®re Linda the designer? I know who you are!¡± Leo was instantly filled with interest as he continued. ¡°I remetnter your designs ti t¡®u not mistaken, your designs got featured on the cover pige of fashion magazines back then As I was interested in your designs, I had my prople pokur around for your intommation I didn¡®t expect to meet a beautiful woman like you despite your luck of appearances in public C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Leo stuck out his hand as he spoke ¡°Hahaha! Since we¡®re destined to meet, let¡®s get xquainted with each other!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Tina extended her hand as well for a handshake But before both of them could shakr hands, Samuel¡®s cold voice rang dangerously from behind ¡°Tina Lynd, are you pretending that I don¡®t exist?¡± A trace of warning could be detected from his words. It was so frighteruing that Tina withdrew her hand timmediately Her situation right now wasn¡®t a tan signing conference, nor was it a gathering meant for designers She was Samuel¡®s secretary, which meanit she was only a tout. How could she steal his chunder! Having notked Sanuel¡®s territylng gure that could rip someone apart, le withdrew his hand Silently as well At the same time, his curtosky regandog Tina grow. What exactly was identy? What was het btionship with the topitud Sennel Langtore. It was a starke Ut leo haww Santial¡®s personality very well. If the batterien met and to awyrhine, anyukwhearted to pay the niwwer from his the samples incessant question would be met with a fate worse than death. ¡°Hmm? Why are you here alone? Didn¡®t your wifee with you?¡± Leo could only switch the topic to Samuel¡®s family life in order to relieve the tension of the atmosphere. ¡°By the way, why didn¡®t you bring your son here as well? I heard he¡®s five years old, and that he looks a lot like you. When are you going to let him meet me? As his uncle, I have the obligation to prepare a nice gift for him.¡± Samuel replied icily, ¡°Are you here to discuss the investment with me, or to court your death?¡± Leo shut up obediently, no longer intending to provoke Samuel any longer. ¡°Let¡®s talk business. Naturally, the investment is more important, but I think we still have to wait for a little longer. It seems that my secretary has yet to arrive...¡± Tina was stunned to hear Leo¡®s words. Secretary? If she remembered correctly, back when Felicia was boasting to her, thetter seemed to have mentioned something about Desmond being a certain Mr. Beckett¡®s secretary. ¡°Um... Mr. Beckett, by any chance, is your secretary named Desmond Henderson?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡®s the one.¡± Leo then asked curiously, ¡°How did you know his name? Do you two know each other?¡± Samuel shot Tina a dangerous look the moment he heard Leo¡®s question. He asked coldly,¡± Who¡®s that man?¡± The poor woman instantly felt pressureing at her from all directions. Samuel¡®s misunderstanding of Tina was as deep as a chasm. ¡°I... I don¡®t know him well. It¡®s just that the reason why your secretary isn¡®t here is because... um... he might be barred from entering this hotel...¡± Leo¡®s confusion deepened. ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Before Tina could answer, Samuel opened his mouth and interrupted with his usual icy tone. ¡°Simple. I was the one who kicked him out of the hotel.¡± Leo was bbergasted to hear the answer. ¡°W¨CWhy would you...?¡± Samuel huffed coldly before replying in a domineering way, ¡°Next time, choose a normal secretary. Don¡®t choose ones who cause trouble all the time without knowing who they¡®re messing with.¡± ¡°O¨COkay.¡± Leo had no choice but toply. After all, this was Samuel¡®s personality. He was fine if no one provoked him, but he wouldn¡®t hesitate to humiliate anyone who dared to anger him. ¡°I¡®ll have someone go to the hotel entrance and retrieve the documents from my secretary.¡± Samuel shot a cold look in Tina¡®s direction. ¡°You don¡®t have to do it yourself, Mr. Beckett. I¡®ll let my secretary retrieve the documents in your stead.¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± Tina couldn¡®t help but point at herself. ¡°What else are you here for? Are you just going to leech off me?¡± Samuel sounded impatient. Tina bit her bottom lip in response. Leo could see the hesitant expression on her face, so he said, ¡°Ahem! Miss Secretary¡®s high heels seem to have some problems, so why don¡®t I just send someone to...¡± Samuel¡®s expression darkened even more. ¡°Hurry up and go, Tina Lynd!¡± Any regr person who had seen her condition would have known that she wasn¡®t suited to run errands with her faulty shoes. But Samuel was no ordinary person now, was he? He was a cold¨Cblooded demon who wanted to torture her on purpose. Tina took a deep breath and steeled herself. ¡°Fine. I understand, Mr. Langford.¡± She didn¡®t want to limp her way to the hotel entrance, so she decided to take off her high heels and walk there barefooted. That meant she would have to traverse through the banquet hallter, which would attract everyone¡®s attention. It was fine if she made a fool out of herself. She was just an ordinary secretary. The one who would feel the stinging embarrassment was Samuel. As expected, when Tina hurried down the corridor with bare feet and her high heels slung from her fingers, many people were quick to notice her. She walked to the hotel entrance without looking at anyone. Instead of going out to meet Desmond personally to request for the documents, she had the bodyguards do it in her stead. However, the two people outside refused to cooperate with the bodyguards. They barged through the entrance just to see Tina standing there. ¡°So you¡®re the one behind all of this, Tina!¡± Desmond gasped, unable to believe his eyes. Meanwhile, Felicia¡®s cheek was still red and swollen as she snarled out, ¡°You¡®re Mr. Langford¡®s secretary? That¡®s why you picked a fight with me on purpose just to kick us out! Tina Lynd, you¡®re an awful and vile woman!¡± Tina chortled coldly, not in the mood to argue with these shameless people. ¡°Hand over the documents. If you choose to dy Mr. Langford and Mr. Beckett¡®s partnership deal, you won¡®t be able to lead comfortable lives in this city any longer.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You!¡± Desmond was enraged. ¡°Karma will bite you in the ass!¡± ¡°I do hope that¡®s the case. If karma ever drops by, I hope lightning will strike those who deserve it. Both of you can be the first ones to be punished!¡± The moment Tina¡®s words fell, thunder rumbled loudly in the skies above the hotel. Streaks of lightning could be seen shing through the thick thunderclouds. Ka¨Cboom! Both Desmond and Felicia were shocked when they heard the loud rumbling. Tina was caught off guard as well, but she continued, ¡°If you keep wasting my time here, lightning will definitely strike you!¡± ¡°You... You...!¡± Desmond no longer dared to waste Tina¡®s time and hurriedly handed her the documents. Then, he and Felicia left the hotel with their tails tucked between their legs. Tina returned to the conference room that housed Samuel and Leo via the same route, the documents stacked neatly in her arms. ¡°Your presence isn¡®t required here. Get out,¡± Samuel said coldly. Tina could only stand guard outside the door. However, a cold breeze kept blowing down the corridor. Not to mention, she was still standing on the floor barefooted. Soon, she was struck by a wave of dizziness, and she looked like she was about to copse. Click! At that moment, the door behind her swung open slowly. Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Leo opened the door first and walked out of the conference room. His tone was light and casual as he spoke. ¡°I hope our partnership can be smooth and fruitful, Mr. Langford.¡± At that moment, the figure standing outside the conference room wavered unsteadily. Leo extended his arms out of instinct. ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Are you alright?¡± Tina found herself being steadied by a pair of warm and strong hands. She realized that she had lost consciousness for a brief second, which resulted in her almost copsing on the spot. She was shocked by the revtion. ¡°I¡®m fine...¡± Just as she was about to push herself away from Leo, she felt a strong arm snaking around her waist and pulling her away from her benefactor. Then, she was thrusted into a firm and domineering embrace. The strength was so overwhelming that she found it difficult to breathe. Tina didn¡®t need to lift her head to smell the familiar stench of tobo mixed with masculine pheromones. Right there and then, she immediately knew that Samuel was holding her. ¡°Uh... Mr. Langford, your secretary looks pretty unwell. Could she have caught a cold? Does she need to be taken to the hospital for a check¨Cup?¡± Leo¡®s suggestion came out as an instinctive blurt. When he noticed Samuel¡®s deadly gaze, he quickly understood something. His will to live told him that he should leave Samuel and Tina alone right now. ¡°Uh... It¡®s fine. I just remembered that I have something to do, so I¡®ll be leaving first, Mr. Langford. We can chat more in the future.¡± Leo fled from the scene as quickly as he could. After that, Samuel pushed Tina away from him and pinned her on the wall. Pangs of pain shot down her spine due to the sudden collision against the wall, making her tear up immediately. ¡°Samuel, what are you doing?¡± The next moment she knew, Samuel¡®s hand was strangling her neck in a strong chokehold. Samuel seethed in a low and dark tone, ¡°I told you to behave when you¡®re around me! You just refuse to learn, do you? Now that you¡®re yearning forpany, you can¡®t help but seduce other men, huh?¡± What? Seduce? Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Tina was very frightened, and she could only grasp Samuel¡®s arm desperately. She was afraid that he migtut really strangle her to death on the spot. ¡°I don¡®t know what you¡®re talkdng about!¡± ¡°Do you really want je to tell you every detail?¡± Sanuel¡®s gaze grew dangerous and bloodthirsty. ¡°Let¡®s not talk about the fact that you know Leo¡®s secretary¡®s name. The moment you met Leo, you¡®ve been trying to seduce him so hard that it disgusts me! Just now, you even copsed into his arms on purpose! You deserve nothing but death!¡± As Samuel spoke, his grip around Tina¡®s throat tightened. Despair flooded her senses as she wailed, ¡°I didn¡®t seduce him at all...¡± Samuel chuckled mockingly in response. ¡°I saw everything with my own eyes, yet you still dare to talk back to me. You spout nothing but lies. I can never believe anything you say ever again!¡± Tina could feel her consciousness slipping away bit by bit. Her attempts to push Samuel away from her grew weaker and weaker. Tears streaked down the corner of her eyes before she closed them slowly. Suddenly, Samuel loosened his grip on her. She felt like a fish being tossed onto the shore as she took huge gulps of fresh air. Soon, she felt Samuel hoisting her up again. A loud click of the door being closed could be heard a momentter. ¡°I thought you¡®d keep to yourself since you got hurt and all, but it seems I was just overthinking. A woman like you will only spend all of your time plotting on how to seduce men, after all.¡± With that, Samuel ripped Tina¡®s expensive gown off her body in one fluid action,pletely destroying her clothes in an instant... The next noon. A servant sweeping the garden outside the estate suddenly discovered a figure heading her way from a distance. A trace of shock surfaced on her face shortly after. ¡°You are... Miss Lynd? Why didn¡®t you returnst night? It¡®s already noon! Wasn¡®t a car sent to fetch you home?¡± Tina walked all the way back to the estate on her own. She had no strength to reply to the servant¡®s questions. All she could do was to walk past her hurriedly with her head sunk low. ¡°Miss Lynd, don¡®t leave yet! I need to tell you something...!¡± Before the servant could catch up with Tina, a figure suddenly blocked thetter¡®s path. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Seeing as someone had stood in her way, a surprised Tina lifted her head subconsciously The next thing she knew¡­ p! A heavy p was delivered across her cheek. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She stumbled two steps backward, cradling her face. Finally, she was able to recognize the one who pped her. ¡°Cindy!¡± ¡°You d*mned woman! I heard you attended the banquet with Samuel in my ce while I stayed at home to take care of my child!! Jealousy was written all over Cindy¡¯s eyes as she eyed Tina¡¯s clothes up and down, Thetter happened to be wearing a set of men¡¯s shirt and jacket. What made things worse was that Cindy was able to recognize the clothes immediately. They belonged to Samuel. That meant the reason why Tina spent the night outside was because¡­ Rage filled Cindy¡¯s heart as she immediately pounced on Tina ¡°I¡¯ll f*cking ruin your face! I want you dead, you filthy wh*re! You f*cking b*tch!¡± Tina had no strength to defend herself from Cindy¡¯s attacks at that time, so she ended up getting shoved to the ground. The jacket was stripped off her during the process. The shirt that clung to her was loose, revealing a huge chunk of her corbone. Purple marks were dotted across her skin. The servants crowding around her couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. Hiss¡­ Anyone with eyes and had functioning brain cells could tell what happened to Tinast night. It seemed this vixen was very skilled. The embarrassing sight made Cindy¡¯s eyes redden even more out of anger. All these years¡­ No matter how much she tried to seduce Samuel, thetter would never be enticed by her. How was Tina able to climb into his bed over and over again? This wasn¡¯t fair! This was truly unfair! ¡°Argh! You filthy b*tch! I¡¯ll f*cking kill you!¡± At that moment, a woman¡¯s figure appeared out of nowhere, followed by a voice. ¡°Hold on, Mrs. Langford!¡± When Tina looked at the neer, her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Felicia was the neer who had chosen to show up at that time. At that moment, Tina finally understood the reason Cindy was present at the estate. This was all a part of Felicia¡¯s n. Seeing that Felicia was stopping her, Cindy¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°What are you doing? Didn¡¯t you fall into a trap set by that b*tch and suffer a lotst night? Why are you stopping me? Could it be that you two are actually on the same side?!¡± ¡°Mrs. Langford, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± An idea popped into Felicia¡¯s head as she spoke.¡± Since this filthy b*tch has a lowly background, why would you taint your hands by personally dishing out punishment to her? If anything were to happen to you, Mr. Langford would be heartbroken. How about this? I¡¯ll deal with this b*tch the way you want me to.¡± As expected, Felicia nned to make Tina suffer even more. Having heard the former¡¯s ttering words, Cindy started to calm down. ¡°Alright. It¡¯d be great if you¡¯re willing to punish this b*tch for my sake. I heard you were pped by her twice in a rowst night, weren¡¯t you? Excellent. I¡¯ll give you a chance to return the ps right now!¡± ¡°Great! Thank you, Mrs. Langford!¡± An ted glint appeared in Felicia¡¯s eyes. After getting chased out of the hotel in such a haphazard mannerst night, she started viewing Tina as her mortal enemy. Hence, she decided to spill the beans to Cindy with the intention of using her influence to get rid of Tina once and for all. At the same time, Cindy would owe her a favor. As Felicia had expected, her n was a huge sess! ¡°Grab her!¡± Felicia didn¡¯t hesitate to order the servants around her. Then, she shot Tina a smug look while saying, ¡°You humiliated me in front of everyonest night. I told you, didn¡¯t I, Tina Lynd? Karma¡¯s back to screw you up!¡± At that moment, a servant hurried to the scene. ¡°Oh no! Mrs. Langford! Something bad has happened!¡± Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Cindy was prepared to watch Tina getting beaten up. The moment she heard the panicking servant¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but snap impatiently, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m busy punishing this filthy b*tch? What happened? Why are you panicking so much?¡± ¡°This is bad!¡± the servant eximed. ¡°I just received news from the hospital that Young Master Keith identally tripped down the stairs earlier!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Cindy was bewildered to hear the news. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?! Didn¡¯t he remain in the ward the whole time? Why did he fall down the stairs?¡± ¡°Apparently Young Master Keith noticed that you hadn¡¯t returned for a long time, so he got very worried and wanted to sneak out of the ward to go look for you. That was how he tripped down the stairs in the first ce.¡± After the servant was done speaking, she added as an afterthought, ¡°Mr. Langford is at the hospital right now.¡± Ka-boom! Cindy looked as if she could hear loud thunder rumbling from within her head the moment the servant¡¯s final sentence came. Over the past few days, she had been staying in the ward to take care of her son in order to keep up the fa?ade as a loving mother in front of Samuel. Unexpectedly, Keith chose to get into an ident during the time she was absent from the hospital. That d*mned filthy spawn! Samuel would definitely me her for not taking good care of their son! Cindy lost the desire to deal with Tina at that moment. She hurriedly said, ¡°Tell the driver toe over right now to pick me up! I need to get there as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± the servant replied immediately. Felicia was stunned as she watched Cindy leave in a hurry. She blocked thetter¡¯s way instinctively, not knowing what to do. ¡°Mrs. Langford, what about that filthy b*tch?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The purpose of her seeking Cindy out was not only to deal with Tina, but to also form a rtionship with the esteemed Mrs. Langford. However, Cindy shoved Felicia aside without a care in the world. ¡°Are you dumb? Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m busy? Get lost!¡± Felicia didn¡¯t expect that Cindy would refuse to acknowledge her existence. Having staggered a few steps backward, she ended up tripping over her own feet and falling to the ground. Tina watched as Cindy left in haste, knowing that she had escaped her miserable fate for the time being At the same time, worry and anxiety started spreading in her heart. She had gone to the hospitalst time to visit Keith. He had only suffered from minor injuries, but she didn¡¯t expect him to have fallen down the stairs this time. Did he suffer from a bad fall? Were his injuries severe? Unfortunately, it was difficult for Tina to save herself now, let alone go to the hospital to visit Keith. Sorrow was all she could feel at that moment. She scrambled up to her feet from the ground. All she wanted to do was to return to her room to rest. ¡°Hold it right there!¡± Felicia called out to Tina.¡°Have you forgotten about Mrs. Langford¡¯s order? She said I have to p you twice in a row! Also, don¡¯t just stand there like idiots, you lot! Grab her!¡± Everyone hesitated for a moment before they approached Tina and tried to apprehend her. an Thetter took a deep breath before saying coldly, ¡°I¡¯m now Mr. Langford¡¯s woman! How dare you touch me!¡± The servants were stunned when they heard Tina¡¯s im. Meanwhile, Felicia looked anxious. ¡°Are you stupid? Even if she¡¯s Mr. Langford¡¯s woman, she¡¯s still a filthy homewrecker who can¡¯t be presented to the public as his partner! Mrs. Langford is the official mistress of the Langford family! Who¡¯s your real master here?¡± Tina continued speaking her piece. ¡°Mr. Langford said that before you hit a dog, you have to take a good look at who its master is! Even if I¡¯m a dog instead of a filthy vixen, it¡¯s not your ce to act like you¡¯re more superior than me here!¡± That phrase did sound like what Samuel would normally say. Tina nced at the servants, knowing that her words hade in clutch to save her from this mess. Tina pointed at Felicia once again and ordered fiercely, ¡°Throw her out right now!¡± Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Felicia eximed in disbelief, ¡°How shameful are you, Tina Lynd?! How dare you chase me out of here!¡± Tina looked like she had just heard the best joke of the day. ¡°I¡¯ll return the exact words to you. Since all of you are so shameless, why would I care about anything else? Speaking of which, not only do I n to chase you out of here, but I also want to return the two ps that Cindy gave me earlier! Thanks to you, she came here to cause me trouble! Why wouldn¡¯t I repay you the favor? You lot, p her now!¡± Tina¡¯s presence was so overwhelming that the servants around her didn¡¯t dare to disobey her. Tina might look wretched right now, but the fact that she was Samuel¡¯s favorite woman still stood. If this were to take ce in the royal pce of the medieval times, Tina would be the concubine that was favored by the king. Hence, the servants didn¡¯t dare to offend her. p! p! Under Tina¡¯s order, the servants not only held Felicia in ce, but they also delivered two mighty ps across Felicia¡¯s swollen cheek that had yet to heal. After Felicia got thrown out of the estate, she threatened darkly, ¡°F*ck you, Tina Lynd! I¡¯ll never let you get away with this!¡± ¡°It seems two ps aren¡¯t enough to deter you. Will you only learn how to hold your tongue if I were to p you a few more times?¡± Tina jeered. At that moment, Felicia didn¡¯t dare to say anything else. She quickly left the area like a wretched waterlogged dog. ¡°Miss Lynd, do you still require our services?¡± The sight of the servants¡¯ eagerness to please her disgusted Tina to no end. All the servants werep dogs who only sided with the strong. Back when Samuel ignored her, all of them looked down on her. Now, they were eager to butter her up. Tina was too exhausted to put on a fa?ade in front of them, so she replied coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯m going to rest.¡± ¡°O-Okay. This way, Miss Lynd¡­¡± Samuel and Cindy must have been too preupied with Keith¡¯s injuries that they ignored Tina for the next few days. After resting for three consecutive days, Tina¡¯s fatigue and soreness were finally gone. Ring! Ring! Ring! A telephone in the mansion started ringing. After a servant picked it up, she came looking for Tina a short whileter. ¡°Miss Lynd, this phone call is for you.¡± Surprised, Tina asked in a slightly frightened tone, ¡°Who is it? Is it Samuel?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± The servant couldn¡¯t help but wipe cold sweat from her brow. Tina was probably the only person who dared to call Samuel by his first name. Tina seemed quite nervouspared to the servant. ¡°It¡¯s not Samuel? Then is it Cindy?¡± Fortunately, the servant finally answered her. ¡°It¡¯s neither Mr. nor Mrs. Langford. However, that person should be an acquaintance of yours.¡± Tina heaved a sigh of relief. She was thankful the person wasn¡¯t here to cause her trouble. Then again, who could this acquaintance be? She had spent thest five years in Paris keeping a low profile and tried her best not to appear in public. The only people whom she allowed herself to be close to were her colleagues at the design studio. Tina had already quit her job at the studio in order to not involve those colleagues in her affairs. Who else could be her acquaintance in this city? Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Multiple questions popped up in her mind as she picked up the phone. Soon, a familiar voice drifted into her ear. ¡°It¡¯s me, Desmond.¡± m! Tina didn¡¯t hesitate to hang up on Desmond immediately. If Desmond was the one looking for her, then he was most likely up to no good. There was a high chance he wanted to shout at her over the phone on behalf of Felicia. But even after killing the call, Desmond still found a way to dig out her phone number and send her a text message. ¡°I need to discuss something with you, so I can¡¯t talk much about it on the phone. When can we meet up?¡± Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Tina couldn¡¯t help but let out a mockingugh when she read the text message. He had business with her? what sort of business was there between her and Desmond that required a physical meeting? ¡°You can just tell me what sort of business it is here. As for meeting you? Sorry, but unless you¡¯re dead and require someone to attend your funeral, I won¡¯t be meeting you, ever.¡± Desmond was ticked off when he saw the message. ¡°What the f*ck, Tina?! Are you crazy?!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t be bothered to reply to Desmond. Just as she was about to cklist his number, he sent her another message. ¡°I know all about you and your daughter. It¡¯s been a long time since you saw her, right? I won¡¯t dive into the details. If you¡¯d like to hear more about this,e meet me at this caf¨¦.¡± When Tina read the message, herplexion paled instantly. ¡°What do you mean by that?!¡± Could it be that Desmond and Felicia decided to imitate Samuel by targeting Kara just because they weren¡¯t able to exact vengeance on her? However, Tina¡¯s message couldn¡¯t be sent to Desmond¡¯s inbox. It turned out that she got cklisted by him first! Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. If she wanted to get to the bottom of this matter, she would have no choice but to meet him. Tina gritted her teeth angrily. She must take the initiative to do something for Kara¡¯s sake. She changed into an outfit and brought many tools meant for self-defense with her. Then, she exited her room. ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Langford told us that he¡¯ll being home tonight. Where are you going?¡± Whatever Tina feared the most, fate would always find a way to introduce that fear factor back into her life at the most inconvenient time. First, Desmond made his appearance with that text message. Next, Samuel announced that he would be returning home soon. No matter how much the news made Tina suffer andment on the inside, she still maintained a cool and calmposure on the outside. ¡°Is that so? I know he¡¯sing back, so I n to go out and buy something. Am I not allowed to do that?¡± The servant didn¡¯t dare to block Tina¡¯s way, and so stepped aside to let her pass. ¡°Of course, Miss Lynd. By the way, do you need me to call the driver over to send you to your destination?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll drive there inyself,Tina replied. More than ten minutester, she arrived at the caf¨¦ which served as the meeting ce. Tina looked around her surroundings. She discovered Desmond¡¯s silhouette in the most secluded corner of the caf¨¦, so she approached him. ¡°I¡¯m here. Are you happy now?¡± Desmond lifted his head and replied, ¡°Heh! What¡¯s there to be happy about? I was originally content with my job as a secretary, but thanks to you, I lost my job! I should be asking you that question, Tina!¡± Tina responded with a cold smirk. If it wasn¡¯t for Desmond and Felicia causing trouble for her in the first ce, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this today. Everything was just as they hoped for ¨C karma did bite them in the ass. But she wasn¡¯t there to argue with Desmond, so she asked, ¡°So, the reason you mentioned my daughter to me and forced me toe here is for you to have your revenge?¡± ¡°Heh!¡± A mysterious smile yed on Desmond¡¯s lips. ¡°Of course not. On the contrary, I¡¯m here to help you.¡± ¡°You, help me?¡± The entire situation felt ironic to Tina. Desmond ced a briefcase on the table and opened it. Then, he took out a document. ¡°Look at this!¡± Tina found the situation odd, but she still flipped the document open and took a look. The contents printed on the document were already published in the news in the past. Samuel came to Paris and became the biggest investor. In this period of time, he supported many new designers who were looking for a chance to shine in the fashion industry. Lately, he established a partnership deal with Leo. It was apparent that he intended to challenge all the bigshots who were dominating the French market. Even the business papers were willing to reserve their headlines and main article columns for him, just so they could talk about his feats and achievements. The more Tina read the document, the stranger she felt. In the end, her brows were tangled into a tight knot. ¡°What are you trying to do? How are Samuel¡¯s actions connected to your desire to exact vengeance on me?¡± Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Desmond siglied heavily before he started shaking his head. A smug expression was apparent on his face, as if he was the only one who knew the truth while the rest of the world was still in the dark. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t? i¡¯m here to help you, not to exact vengeance on you! I¡¯ve investigated your situation. You and Frederick Jackson eloped in the past and had a daughter together, but you were unable to stop Samuel from separating you from both of them. Your hatred for him must be over the charts, so you¡¯re finding ways to get revenge on him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Desmond continued, ¡°Now, your chance has arrived! Someone offered me a huge sum of money to ruin the partnership deal between Samuel and Leo. Since you¡¯re Samuel¡¯s partner in bed right now, if you have the chance to sneak into his study and steal some documents¡­¡± Before Desmond could finish his words, Tina¡¯s expression changed drastically. She threw the document away immediately, almost hitting him in the face. Then she rose to her feet and snapped coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d ever help you!¡± Upon noticing that Tina was about to turn and leave, Desmond felt anxiety wrecking his nerves. He instantly stood up and blocked her way. ¡°What do you mean by that? Don¡¯t you want to be with your original partner? Don¡¯t you want to see your daughter? Could it be that you enjoy being with Samuel this whole time? Wow, Tina! I never knew you¡¯re such a despicable wh*re despite your pure and innocent appearance ¡­ Argh!¡± Tina had lifted her leg mere moments before he could finish his sentence and gave him an angry kick in the family jewels. Desmond let out a blood-curdling shriek before copsing to the floor, looking like a toad with its belly glued to the floor. Tina replied mockingly, ¡°Shut up, Desmond! You¡¯re even more worthless than a dog right now. How dare you chastise me when you¡¯re the onemitting all these despicable and underhanded crimes? Hah!¡± Desmond didn¡¯t expect Tina to turn into someone hard to fool, especially with her naive outlook of the world a few years ago. ¡°You¡¯ll be back for my help!¡± he roared with a twisted expression. ¡°Haha!¡± Tina simply responded with a coldugh. She left without any hesitation, not even bothering to turn back to spare Desmond a look. She got into her car, stomped down on the gas pedal, and sped away from the caf¨¦. To her, Desmond¡¯s idiotic words had the same value as a fart. It wasn¡¯t as if she had never thought of escaping from Samuel. Even if she were to escape, she wouldn¡¯t be using such underhanded methods. Tina wanted to live more than ever. Not only that, but she also wanted to be a person of integrity while watching Kara grow upppily. Upon returning to the estate, she got out of the car, only to see a tall figure standing in the courtyard. The sight of that figure made her knees buckle together weakly as fear started overtaking her senses. It was Samuel Didn¡¯t the servant mention that he would only be home at night? Why was he already here before nightfall? Samuel was d in a suit as usual. He looked regal and domineering. A lit cigarette was trapped between his fingertips, the thin wisps of smoke clouding his dark and dangerous eyes. ¡°The servant mentioned something about you going out to buy something,¡± he said. ¡°Where is it?¡± Tina finally realized that she had left the caf¨¦ in a hurry just now, and had forgotten to buy something to back her excuse up. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t get to buy it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the thing that¡¯s so hard to buy?¡± Samuel let out a cold chuckle. ¡°Are you lying to me Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. again?? He didn¡¯t show any signs of losing his temper. He looked calm, but there was mockery written all over his face. It was as if he had already seen through Tina¡¯s true personality as a natural liar. Thetter could only swallow dryly. ¡°I¡­ I heard Keith fell ill, but I didn¡¯t have the chance to go visit him. Now that I¡¯m feeling better today, I wanted to buy something and have someone bring it over to him, but I don¡¯t know what he likes to eat. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t buy anything, and ended up returning empty handed¡­¡± Samuel lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Is that so? Do you want to see him that badly?¡± Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Tina nodded hurriedly. Her worry for Keitli was gentine, After all, they had spent a few days living together in the past. During the few days they spent together, she realized that she would space out and start thinking of Keith as lier actual son. Samuel studied Tina¡¯s expression while maintaining his high and mighty posture. Finally, he said, ¡°Okay. If you want to see him, you can go visit hiin tomorrow.¡± Tina was surprised for a moment before a smile bloomed on her face. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± She had always been meek and reserved in front of Samuel, not daring to reveal too many of her thoughts to him. After all, Samuel¡¯s emotions were so unpredictable that no one knew what he was thinking. There was a chance that any of her words could rile him up easily. It was only at that moment that Tina was able to let go of all her worries and smile brightly at Samuel Thetter¡¯s eyes darkened at the sight of her smile. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down involuntarily. ¡°It¡¯s too early for you to be happy. I have a few conditions for you. Just like that, Tina¡¯s heart fell back into the abyss. The reason Samuel came looking for her wasn¡¯t to make her happy, of course. What else could he seek from her other than her personal services? She could only bow her head and say dejectedly, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡± The sight of her meek and submissive form frustrated Samuel to no end. Was Tina that reluctant to look at him? She didn¡¯t even bother to conceal her true feelings from him. Samuel witnessed Tina being arrogant and strong in front of everyone else, but in front of him, she would put on a timid and frightened appearance. That transformation made him want to choke the woman in front of him to death. ¡°What are you standing there like an idiot for? Get in.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay.¡± Tina didn¡¯t dare to defy Samuel¡¯s order. She followed him all the way to the dining hall before surprise set in. ¡°Didn¡¯t you eat just now? Why are you eating again?¡± The servant was scared to death when she heard Tina¡¯s words. She quickly exined, ¡°Miss Lynd, you¡¯ve misunderstood! Mr. Langford is often busy with work, so he doesn¡¯t have regr mealtimes. I heard from his assistant that he¡¯s just finished his work for the day, so he finally has time to eat something.¡± Tina finally realized that the meal was meant for Samuel, and not her. She couldn¡¯t help but let her thoughts wander. How was it possible for Samuel to not starve to death despite working all the timeProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. without eating? ¡°What are you mumbling about, Tina?¡± Samuel¡¯s dark voice echoed from next to her ear. Scared out of her wits, Tina instinctively covered her mouth. Sh*t! Did she speak her mind subconsciously? After studying Samuel¡¯s expression, she deduced that he didn¡¯t hear her at all. Otherwise, he would have just chucked her out of the mansion instead of asking her that question. ¡°¡­ I wasn¡¯t mumbling anything at all! I was just thinking that you should take good care of yourself, since you don¡¯t eat regrly¡­¡± Even as Tina made up that excuse, she herself could barely believe the sincerity behind it. As expected, Samuel harrumphed coldly before asking, ¡°Why are you worried about me? Shouldn¡¯t you be wishing for me to die?¡± Guilt overcame Tina¡¯s mind as she chuckled dryly. Left without a choice, she kept making up more excuses. ¡°W-Why would I do that? Of course I¡¯m worried about your health, Mr. Langford.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a liar.¡± Samuel¡¯s reply was filled with disgust, but he didn¡¯t look like he was about to blow his lid anytime soon. He must be starving since he had chosen to let Tina off the hook for the time being. He had her cut up his steak and ce food on his te for him. After dinner, Samuel dabbed his mouth with a napkin before speaking. ¡°Return to work at thepany tomorrow.¡± Stunned, Tina couldn¡¯t help but ask in shock, ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Chapter 370 Chapter 370 ¡°Why? You¡¯re my secretary, aren¡¯t you? Are you nning to leech off me?¡± Samuel shot Tina a cold re. ¡°Also, your services are quite decent. You¡¯ll be in charge of my meals at thepany in the future.¡± The thought of returning to Samuel¡¯s side stressed Tina out immensely. However, she knew that it was a bad idea to turn him down. Thus, she could only grit her teeth and ask, ¡°You didn¡¯t bother drinking the coffee that I brewed in the past, Mr. Langford. What made you decide that I¡¯m the best person to be in charge of your mealtimes?¡± Samuel.lifted an eyebrow upon hearing her question. Why did she still remember that petty slight? ¡°Are youining to me?¡± His tone might sound casual andzy, but Tina¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but skip a beat at the sound of it. She could sense a trace of danger in that tone. She quickly replied, ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding me, Mr. Langford. I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I just thought that you¡¯re cing too much trust in me¡­¡± The sight of her trying to exin herself made Samuel¡¯s expression darken even more. ¡°That¡¯s true. At least you know your ce. Women like you aren¡¯t trustworthy at all.¡± Samuel rose to his feet immediately, the tes and cutlery ttering loudly during the process. He looked so terrifying that all the servants quickly bowed their heads out of fright. The man resembled a ferocious lion. Even after leaving the dining hall in wide strides, everyone was still intimidated by his frightening appearance. All Tina felt was a strong sense of frustration. Nothing would¡¯ve happened if only she was a mute. No matter how much she tried to exin herself, Samuel would never listen to her. Also, he would never believe in her words. Every time she said something, even a bit, he would lose his temper. Tina stood up silently and started clearing the table. Upon hearing the tes and bowls clinking against each other, the servants finally snapped out of their trance. ¡°Miss Lynd, we¡¯re responsible for cleaning up. Please put down the tes.¡± Tina replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can help you guys with the clean-up.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You¡¯re Mr. Langford¡¯s¡­ uh, secretary right now. It¡¯s not within your job scope.¡± Tina could detect a trace of hesitance from the servant¡¯s tone. Legally speaking, she was Samuel¡¯s secretary. But in reality, what exactly did her job scope epass? She was just a mere tool for him to vent out his sexual frustrations. Now that Samuel had flown into a fit of rage, everyone hoped for her to appease him and calm him down. However, Tina was no fool, How could she expose herself to more of Samuel¡¯s fits of rage at a time like this? Instead of exposing the servant¡¯s true intention, she simply opened her mouth to rebuke. ¡°Mr. Langford mentioned that I¡¯m supposed to resume work at thepany tomorrow by taking care of his meals. It¡¯s not wrong for me to practice in advance, right?¡± The servant didn¡¯t dare toment anything after that. Tina dilly-dallied in the kitchen till nightfall. It was already bedtime, and yet Samuel had no intention of summoning her to his bedroom. It seemed like she was able to escape from sleeping with him when he was furious with her. At that moment, a servant knocked on the kitchen door and said, ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Langford has summoned you to the study.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Her heart sinking rapidly, Tina had no choice but to wash her hands before heading toward the study together with the servant. The lights in the study were on. Samuel was seen d in a loose shirt as he went through piles of documents. He didn¡¯t even bother lifting his head when Tina came in. She stood in front of him till her legs were sore and wobbly. If it wasn¡¯t for Samuel¡¯s unspoken rule of barring anyone from entering his study without his permission, she would¡¯ve thought that the servant intended to pull a prank on her earlier. Tina couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth to say something. ¡°Mr. Langford, it¡¯s already thiste. Do you want to rest for the night¡­¡± ¡°Get out,¡± Samuel replied coldly. Needless to say, Tina was confused. Just as she was about to leave the study, she added another hesitant question. ¡°T-Then¡­ May I go to bed?¡± Samuel¡¯s one-worded response was packed with more rage than before. ¡°Leave!¡± Feeling her frustration spilling over the edge at Samuel¡¯s mood swings, Tina was about to rush back to her room when one of his subordinates stopped her hastily. ¡°To be honest, Miss Lynd, that wasn¡¯t what Mr. Langford meant¡­¡± Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Tina was unable to understand what the subordinate was trying to say. ¡°Then what did he mean?¡± As the subordinate had been standing guard outside the study the entire time, he was able to witness her interactions with Samuel. He couldn¡¯t help but wipe cold sweat off his brow as he shot a vignt nce in the study¡¯s direction. Then, he lowered his voice and whispered cautiously, ¡°Haven¡¯t you realized that Mr. Langford actually cares about you?¡± The moment Tina heard the question, she had a feeling that the subordinate was there to cheer her up with that joke. ¡°How¡¯s that possible? I have eyes, you know! I¡¯m not blind!¡± The subordinate was frightened by Tina¡¯s bold response. He wanted to cover her mouth, but at the same time, he was afraid that he might offend her by doing so. Hence, he replied anxiously, ¡°Please don¡¯t say such things in front of Mr. Langford! Oh, heavens, Mr. Langford¡¯s personality has always been like this! He tends to not spare people from humiliation¡­¡± ¡°Of course I know that. What does any of that have to do with him caring about me?¡± Tina¡¯s tone was awfully cold. The sight of her sudden apathy made the subordinate¡¯s heart go cold. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed it yet, Miss Lynd? The reason Mr. Langford had you wait in the study the whole time was because he was waiting for you to appease him with nice words! What if I tell you that if you return to the study and say something nice to him, he won¡¯t stay mad at you?¡± Tina was stunned to hear the subordinate¡¯s response. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Stay mad at me? What do you mean by that? Are you telling me that Samuel¡¯s throwing a tantrum because of me?¡± Tina could barely believe her ears. That was Samuel Langford they were talking about ¨C the esteemed CEO of the Langford Group! His words could determine one¡¯s fate, after all! Was there even a need for him to throw a tantrum because of her? Naturally, the subordinate was scared out of his wits. ¡°Please don¡¯t say those things in front of Mr. Langford! He can¡¯t afford to have his reputation ruined, after all! If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try my suggestion out!¡± Tina hesitated for a moment. She didn¡¯t think her words would possess such power and authority over Samuel, to the extent she could calm him down and rid him of his anger. The subordinate added, ¡°Besides, Miss Lynd¡­ Don¡¯t you want to see your daughter? If you can appease Mr. Langford and please him, you might be able to see her again!¡± His sentences hit Tina right in her weak spot. She took a deep breath. Since she hadpletely offended Samuel earlier, she didn¡¯t mind offending him one more time. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try it out.¡± Tina returned to the study once again. This time, she was back with a cup of fresh coffee and some snacks. She knocked on the door a few times while feeling anxious. Knock! Knock! Knock! ¡°Get lost!¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was cold and ruthless. Tina wanted to shrink away, but the subordinate standing behind her looked like he was cheering her on. Stuck between a rock and a hard ce, she could only open her mouth to say something. ¡°It¡¯s me, Mr. Langford¡­¡± Samuel frowned immediately, already forming a cold response. ¡°Why are you back? Didn¡¯t I tell you to get lost?¡±|| Tina replied dryly, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m here to serve you some coffee. Since you¡¯ve been working for so long, it¡¯s better for you to eat something in between¡­¡± Samuel gazed at her judgmentally ¡°Who taught you this?¡± As expected, he sensed that something was amiss. Suspicion was written all over his eyes. Tina was guilt-ridden, but she pretended to be cool and collected. ¡°No one taught me anything. I can¡¯t help but feel worried, so I came back¡­¡± Samuel responded by shooting her a cold smirk. It was obvious he didn¡¯t believe what she said. Miraculously, instead of telling her to get lost again, he merely tilted his chin and ordered,¡° Put down the tray.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised. Originally, she thought that this method wouldn¡¯t work. She would most likely get tossed out of the study by his subordinates at hismand. Unexpectedly, the method of her sacrificing her pride in order to please him actually worked. Chapter 372 Chapter 372 After setting the tray on Samuel¡¯s desk, Tina readied to leave. Unexpectedly, he called out to her. ¡°Why are you so eager to leave? Stop right there.¡± Tina turned around nervously as a result. ¡°Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Langford?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained cold and aloof. ¡°Do I have to teach you everything?¡± Tina was speechless when she heard his words. If he didn¡¯t make his requests clear to her, how would she know what she had to do? What if she angered him again? Swallowing her words, Tina attempted to gauge Samuel¡¯s reaction by asking, ¡°Why don¡¯t I massage your shoulders for you?¡± Thetter just grunted in response, apparently giving her permission to do so. Tina approached him from behind carefully and started massaging his shoulders with her deft fingers. He could feel her soft skin making contact with his shoulders. The light floral scent soon filled his nostrils, making his eves darken with lust. Just as Tina was about to massage Samuel¡¯s temples, he grabbed her hand immediately before snarling out in a deep voice, ¡°Tina Lynd, you really are a master at seducing men!¡± ¡°What? I never¡­¡± Before Tina could refute, she found herself being pulled into the man¡¯s strong arms right away. Having heard the movementsing from the study, Samuel¡¯s subordinate closed and locked the study door firmly without a word. Samuel left the study early in the morning. He sent an unconscious Tina back to her room so that she could rest better. It was already noon when Tina finally woke up groggily. The subordinate, who had been stationed to watch over the mansion, said to her happily, ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I, Miss Lynd? If you¡¯re more proactive, Mr. Langford won¡¯t do anything to you! What I said before was correct, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Tina¡¯s expression darkened as she massaged her sore lower back. She shouldn¡¯t have listened to the subordinate¡¯s suggestion. Not only was Samuel untrustworthy, but his men also spouted garbage all the time. ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± Tina replied huffily before mming the door in the subordinate¡¯s face, almost trapping his head between the door and the frame during the process. The subordinate was frightened by Tina¡¯s sudden disy of brutality. Just when he was about to leave, he heard her opening the door once more. ¡°Hold on. What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already noon. Once you¡¯re done freshening up, you can go downstairs for lunch,¡± the subordinate replied respectfully. Tina gasped out loud in response. ¡°Didn¡¯t Samuel tell me to go to work today? Why didn¡¯t you wake me up early in the morning?!¡± ¡°Mr. Langford told us that you were exhausted fromst night¡¯s events, so today will be your rest day. You can return to work once you¡¯ve made a full recovery. Don¡¯t worry, Miss Lynd,¡± the subordinate continued. However, Tina no longer dared to believe such words. ¡°I¡¯ve more or less recovered. It should be his mealtime now, right? I want to go to work right now!¡± ¡°Um¡­ Are you sure?¡± the subordinate asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Tina replied immediately. The subordinate could only make arrangements for her hasty departure to thepany. After that, he couldn¡¯t help but mumble to his partner, ¡°Is Miss Lynd¡¯s recovery rate too fast, or could it be that Mr. Langford¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run your mouth like that! We don¡¯t have the right to discuss Mr. Langford¡¯s private affairs!¡± his partner scolded. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. No one dared to bring Samuel¡¯s affairs up after that. However, they found themselves wondering about his health. Half an hourter, Tina arrived at thepany. She bumped into Samuel, who exited the conference room just in time. The sight of the flustered woman in front of him surprised him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡­. I¡¯m here with your lunch!¡± Tina exined. ¡°Oh? You still remember what I said to youst night?¡± ¡°Of course! I wouldn¡¯t dare forget what you said to me! Could it be that you don¡¯t want to eat yet, Mr. Langford?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It appears that I¡¯m hungry right now,¡± Samuel said coldly. Then, he issued an order to his assistant. ¡°The meeting will be dyed by half an hour. Everyone is dismissed for lunch.¡± Chapter 373 Chapter 373 ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The assistant looked at Tina, a mixture of awe and respect in his eyes. Once the assistant spread the news, all of the staff members who were supposed to attend the meeting were shocked, to say the least. A blue moon must have appearedst night. To think the demonic CEO of the Langford Group would choose to have lunch on time today¡­! While Samuel ate his lunch, Tina was constantly under stress and anxiety. Fortunately, since he was busy with work, he didn¡¯t cause trouble for Tina. Having filled his stomach with food, he left for his meeting quickly. Tina tidied up everything before asking the assistant, ¡°Is there anything I can help out with here?¡± ¡°Well, I do have a stack of important documents. Once Mr. Langford is done with his meeting, you can bring them over for him to look over and sign.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty simple task, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, it may be simple for you, but to us, that task is anything but that!¡± the assistant said meaningfully. Tina guessed that it was most likely due to Samuel¡¯s bad temper that went rampant at thepany, causing his employees to view him as a monster. Unfortunately, they overestimated her capabilities. She was also one of his victims, alright?! Tina didn¡¯t turn the task down. After all, she was also a part of Samuel¡¯spany now. As such, she shouldn¡¯t mooch off him for free. After receiving the documents, Tina ced them on her desk. Then, she switched on herputer and started working on a few Excel sheets in order to pass time. Since she wasn¡¯t an official employee of thepany, no one would entrustplicated tasks to her. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. A whileter, her phone started ringing. Tina nced at the screen. It was an unknown number, so she picked it up without studying the numbers. ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s this?¡± She continued typing away on the keyboard loudly while speaking, However, no one replied to her from the other end of the line. Did she identally hang up? Or was it possible that she didn¡¯t put the call on speaker mode? Just as Tina stopped typing, a coldughter drifted from the speaker. ¡°Tina, I heard he dyed the meeting just for you. I guess it¡¯s true that you¡¯re Samuel¡¯s favorite woman.¡± Her expression immediately changed when she recognized the voice. ¡°What the hell, Desmond? Are you done messing with me?¡± ¡°Of course not! I let you in on the confidential matters, didn¡¯t I? If you refuse to work for me, I won¡¯t be able to report to my superiors about the progress!¡± Tina didn¡¯t hesitate to rain on his parade. ¡°Your fate has nothing to do with me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty to draw conclusions, Tina. I¡¯m outside the Langford Group right now. Why don¡¯t youe over and meet up with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Just give up already!¡± ¡°What if I tell you that your daughter is with me right now?¡± Tina¡¯s heart lurched when she heard the rhetorical question. At the same time, she found herself cing unwavering trust in Samuel¡¯s methods of concealing Kara. If her precious daughter could appear anytime she wanted, she would¡¯ve thought of a way to escape with Kara unscathed a long time ago. ¡°I don¡¯t trust anything you say. Do you seriously think Samuel¡¯s men are incapable of doing their jobs?¡± Tina chuckled coldly in response. ¡°That¡¯s right. If I were alone, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. But the people backing me up are major yers in Paris. Compared to a foreigner like Samuel, they have many ways under their belt to whisk someone away in this country!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t budge unless you let me hear her voice right now¡­¡± Before Tina could finish her sentence, she heard Kara¡¯s cries drifting from the other end of the line. ¡°Mommy, they¡¯re all bad guys! Don¡¯t trust them!¡± Tina¡¯s mind went nk for a moment. No longer daring to hesitate, Tina stumbled out of the office in a state of panic. Chapter 374 Chapter 374 ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The assistant looked at Tina, a mixture of awe and respect in his eyes. Once the assistant spread the news, all of the staff members who were supposed to attend the meeting were shocked, to say the least. A blue moon must have appearedst night. To think the demonic CEO of the Langford Group would choose to have lunch on time today¡­! While Samuel ate his lunch, Tina was constantly under stress and anxiety. Fortunately, since he was busy with work, he didn¡¯t cause trouble for Tina. Having filled his stomach with food, he left for his meeting quickly. Tina tidied up everything before asking the assistant, ¡°Is there anything I can help out with here?¡± ¡°Well, I do have a stack of important documents. Once Mr. Langford is done with his meeting, you can bring them over for him to look over and sign.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty simple task, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Miss Lynd, it may be simple for you, but to us, that task is anything but that!¡± the assistant said meaningfully. Tina guessed that it was most likely due to Samuel¡¯s bad temper that went rampant at thepany, causing his employees to view him as a monster. Unfortunately, they overestimated her capabilities. She was also one of his victims, alright?! Tina didn¡¯t turn the task down. After all, she was also a part of Samuel¡¯spany now. As such, she shouldn¡¯t mooch off him for free. After receiving the documents, Tina ced them on her desk. Then, she switched on herputer and started working on a few Excel sheets in order to pass time. Since she wasn¡¯t an official employee of thepany, no one would entrustplicated tasks to her. A whileter, her phone started ringing. Tina nced at the screen. It was an unknown number, so she picked it up without studying the numbers. ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s this?¡± She continued typing away on the keyboard loudly while speaking, However, no one replied to her from the other end of the line. Did she identally hang up? Or was it possible that she didn¡¯t put the call on speaker mode? Just as Tina stopped typing, a coldughter drifted from the speaker. ¡°Tina, I heard he dyed the meeting just for you. I guess it¡¯s true that you¡¯re Samuel¡¯s favorite woman.¡± Her expression immediately changed when she recognized the voice. ¡°What the hell, Desmond? Are you done messing with me?¡± ¡°Of course not! I let you in on the confidential matters, didn¡¯t I? If you refuse to work for me, I won¡¯t be able to report to my superiors about the progress!¡± Tina didn¡¯t hesitate to rain on his parade. ¡°Your fate has nothing to do with me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty to draw conclusions, Tina. I¡¯m outside the Langford Group right now. Why don¡¯t youe over and meet up with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Just give up already!¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°What if I tell you that your daughter is with me right now?¡± Tina¡¯s heart lurched when she heard the rhetorical question. At the same time, she found herself cing unwavering trust in Samuel¡¯s methods of concealing Kara. If her precious daughter could appear anytime she wanted, she would¡¯ve thought of a way to escape with Kara unscathed a long time ago. ¡°I don¡¯t trust anything you say. Do you seriously think Samuel¡¯s men are incapable of doing their jobs?¡± Tina chuckled coldly in response. ¡°That¡¯s right. If I were alone, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. But the people backing me up are major yers in Paris. Compared to a foreigner like Samuel, they have many ways under their belt to whisk someone away in this country!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t budge unless you let me hear her voice right now¡­¡± Before Tina could finish her sentence, she heard Kara¡¯s cries drifting from the other end of the line. ¡°Mommy, they¡¯re all bad guys! Don¡¯t trust them!¡± Tina¡¯s mind went nk for a moment. No longer daring to hesitate, Tina stumbled out of the office in a state of panic. Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Desmond waved his arm. A man d in a ck windbreaker walked out of the corner. He happened to be carrying a camera with him. ¡°How was it? Did you take pictures of everything?¡± Desmond asked. The man in ck replied smugly, ¡°Of course! They¡¯re all high-quality pictures!¡± While he spoke, he showed Desmond the pictures he had taken before. One of them showed Tina approaching Desmond¡¯s car. The other one depicted her taking the check from him. The pictures after that showed the scene at the caf¨¦. Tina and Desmond were sitting in a corner, looking like they were plotting something. ¡°Hahaha! That filthy b*tch is dogmed!¡± Desmond¡¯s gaze was filled with smugness. The reason he came looking for Tina wasn¡¯t to help her, obviously. The moment she reappeared in his life, he was chased out of the hotel and lost his job in the process. His hatred for her was bottomless. Because of her, he was utterly humiliated. Not to mention, that he lost his job because of her. Originally, Desmond still had a chance to be with Felicia, who was an heiress, in order to raise his career to a higher level. Thanks to Tina, his ns were all ruined. This was the reason he hated her so much. When a mysterious client requested him to put on a show, he didn¡¯t hesitate to ept the offer. ¡°These are the rewards; a ne ticket and the check Boss promised you. Now that you¡¯vepleted your mission, you can leave this country now in order to avoid messing up the n that¡¯ll take ceter on.¡± The man in ck pulled out a yellow folder from one of the pockets of the windbreaker. Desmond opened the folder and took a look at the contents. ¡°Hahaha! No problem! Don¡¯t worry, I know when to stop! I promise I¡¯ll be gone tomorrow! Make sure that woman dies a gruesome death!¡± He left happily after that. The man in ck tucked away the camera and called a number as he was about to leave the area. ¡°Boss, everything is proceeding ording to the n. That woman will be dead soon!¡± Meanwhile, Tina took the elevator back to the floor that housed the CEO¡¯s office. The moment the elevator doors slid open, she noticed Samuel¡¯s silhouette standing next to her desk from far away. Surprised by the scene, Tina asked, ¡°Mr. Langford, did youe here after your meeting is over?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been ten minutes since the meeting¡¯s finished,¡± he replied coldly. His tone made Tina realize something. Oh heavens, did that mean that he had been waiting next to her desk for the past ten minutes? That should be impossible¡­ Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Tina shot a nce in the direction of the documents, which showed clear signs of having been flipped through. The reason Samuel was waiting for her here must be because of those documents. She quickly replied, ¡°I-I just went to the washroom earlier, so I took my timeing back. You carne here just in time, Mr. Langford. I was about to send these documents to your office. Do you have time to review them?¡±. Having felt Samuel¡¯s gazending on her, Tina felt stressed out immediately. The former chuckled coldly. ¡°True. These documents are supposed to be sent to my office, and yet I find myselfing all the way here to collect them personally. You¡¯re clearly the superior one, aren¡¯t you? Those who don¡¯t know you might think that you¡¯re the boss here.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tina could feel pinpricks of embarrassments smarting her cheeks. She was deceived by Desmond, so she left her desk in a hurry. How would she know that Samuel¡¯s meeting would end so quickly? ¡°Well, I¡¯m originally a designer, so I¡¯m not familiar with secretarial work. Why don¡¯t I make you a cup of coffee instead?¡± Tina had no choice but to swallow her pride just to please Samuel. Anxious, she subconsciously bit her bottom lip. Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Samuel took in Tina¡¯s pathetic appearance. His eyes darkened before he quickly averted his gaze. Then, he loosened his tie as an act of frustration. This woman was truly¡­ A master actress! However, he didn¡¯t have a way to deal with her at all. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Samuel no longer wished to stay in the same room as Tina. This was hispany, not his home. There might be a possibility that this woman would cause more trouble for himter on. He turned around to leave, his cold tone ringing in the air as he did so, ¡°Fine. Get the coffee ready, and rearrange those documents before you bring them into my office. They¡¯re so messy that no one wants to read through them.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but mumble inwardly to herself. When she left earlier, the documents were stacked neatly on the desk. The reason they were so messy was because Samuel flipped through them, didn¡¯t he? How could she be med for it? ¡°Okay. I got it,¡± she replied respectfully. Tina moved quickly. Soon, she delivered the documents and the coffee to Samuel. Just as she was about to leave the office, she heard him mentioning, ¡°After work hours, remind me to go to the hospital.¡± ¡°Hospital?¡± Surprised, Tina asked hesitantly, ¡°Are you feeling alright, Mr. Langford?¡± Bam! Samuel responded by tossing the documents on the desk angrily. He looked incredibly furious as he growled through clenched, ¡°Tina, are you ying dumb?¡± ¡°No!¡± Tina looked very aggrieved at that moment. ¡°I was just worried about your health¡­¡± However, her exnation only worsened things for her. Samuel¡¯s expression darkened with every word she spoke. What the hell was in that woman¡¯s pea-sized brain? This woman was introduced into his life just to counter him, right? Every time she spoke, he felt he was going to blow his lid and die of a heart attack on the spot. ¡°Looks like I was being too considerate of you last night, to the point that you have the time to start worrying about my health,¡± he snarled out icily. ¡°When I say I¡¯m going to the hospital, I mean I¡¯m going to visit Keith!¡± Tina finally realized that she had embarrassed herself in front of Samuel once again. Her face already tomato red, she wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and hide in there forever. She actually suspected that something was wrong with Samuel¡¯s body! Tina no longer dared to continue lingering in the office, so she snuck out as soon as she could. She continued to deal with simple Excel sheets until it was time to get off work. Then, she was granted the courage to stand in front of Samuel and remind him to go to the hospital. This time, Tina finally got to meet Keith. The little boy was lying on the hospital bed, looking thinner than ever. He was a lot more silent than before. The moment Keith noticed Samuel¡¯s presence, he simply lifted his head and shot his father a cold nce before pursing his lips. It was clear he didn¡¯t intend to say anything. His attitude resembled his father greatly. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped to zero degrees the moment both father. and son were together. One would feel chilly even without the need to switch on the air conditioner. Tina couldn¡¯t help but wipe the cold sweat off her brow before opening her mouth at the doorway. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m here to visit you, Young Master Keith. Can Ie in?¡± Having heard a familiar voice, Keith lifted his head once again. This time, shock was written all over his face. ¡°It¡¯s you! Why are you here?¡± ¡°I heard you suffered from a bad fall and got injured, so I came to visit you.¡± Tina produced something from behind her, as if she was performing a magic trick. ¡°Ta-dah! These are the snacks I¡¯ve made for you! Do you want to have some? They¡¯re nutritious and delicious!¡± Samuel frowned instinctively. ¡°Are you trying to coax a child?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He is a child, isn¡¯t he?¡± Tina asked. Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Whenever Kara fell ill in the past, Tina would always make a variety of snacks in order to cheer her up. Now, she used the same tactic on Keith. Samuel wanted to exin to Tina that Keith was a prodigy who hated being treated like a child, but¡­ ¡°It just so happens that I¡¯m hungry. I want to try those snacks. Give them to me.¡± Keith, who had always been known as a picky boy who hated being viewed as a child, stuck out his hand for the snacks. He seemed to be cooperating with Tina¡¯s efforts to cheer him up. Samuel quickly swallowed the words that he wanted to say. A frown instantly graced his face as he stared at his cold and aloof son. Since when did Keith have the tendency to be nice to strangers? Tina didn¡¯t know the little boy well. In her eyes, not only was he far too young to cope on his own, but he was also a pitiful child who never received his parents¡¯ love. She approached Keith¡¯s bed while saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like to eat, so I made a bit of everything. This is a cheese cracker, and that¡¯s a strip of dried fruit¡­¡± While Tina spoke, she noticed that Keith¡¯s arm was heavily bandaged. It looked like he had suffered a terrible fall. She quickly offered, ¡°I¡¯ll feed them to you. Say ahh¡­.¡± Then, she passed the cheese cracker to Keith¡¯s front. Samuel originally thought that his son would turn her down mercilessly, but he didn¡¯t expect to see thetter opening his mouth obediently and munching the cheese cracker Tina passed. Naturally, it rendered Samuel speechless. ¡°How was it?¡± Tina asked hopefully. Keith was willing to give her face. ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s pretty good.¡± ¡°Have a few more.¡± Then, Tina continued worriedly, ¡°You¡¯ve lost so much weight. Is it because the hospital food doesn¡¯t suit your taste?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Back when Keith stayed over at her apartment, she had seen for herself just how picky that little boy was. He must have suffered greatly during his stay at the hospital. ¡°Yeah,¡± Keith replied. ¡°Why don¡¯t I prepare meals for you¡­?¡± Tina offered subconsciously. Suddenly, she felt a cold chill running down her spine. She finally realized that Samuel, the devil, was still staring at her from behind. ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Langford, I¡¯m quite free during the day. Is it okay if I¡¯m in charge of you and your son¡¯s meals?¡± Tina asked cautiously. Keith also shot a nervous nce in Samuel¡¯s direction. He was afraid that his father might turn Tina down. For some reason, Samuel had a feeling that¡­ Tina and Keith were simr to a mother-and-son pair. When they were interacting with each other, they looked so happy and peaceful together. It felt as if they were supposed to be a family. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Just as Samuel was about to agree with Tina¡¯s preposition, a sharp voice rang from outside the ward at that moment. ¡°No! Hell no!¡± Surprised, Tina turned around to stare at the woman who suddenly appeared at the doorway. Cindy rushed through the door hurriedly and eximed in anger, ¡°Tina Lynd, you vile and awful woman! It¡¯s bad enough that you¡¯ve seduced Samuel! What are you nning to do to my son?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Get out! Get out right now! Only my husband and my son are allowed in this ward! As for you, you filthy, despicable homewrecker, get the f*ck out of my sight!¡± Cindy roared furiously. If it wasn¡¯t for Samuel being in the ward, she would¡¯ve attacked Tina on the spot. Tina could only shoot Samuel a hesitant and helpless look, not knowing what to do. Cindy quickly yed the pity card as well. ¡°Samuel, did that vixen lie to you? Don¡¯t forget, she was the one who almost killed Keith in that car ident! Don¡¯t trust her fa?ade! She¡¯s a big fat liar!¡± Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Cindy kept wiping tears from her eyes, looking very pitiful as she spoke. ¡°Samuel¡­ Even if you don¡¯t care about me, at least think about our son¡­¡± The aforementioned man¡¯s expression quickly darkened as soon as Keith was mentioned. Tina instantly understood the situation and spoke up immediately before Samuel could say anything. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for barging in, Mrs. Langford. I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± with her head bowed, Tina was about to leave the ward. Cindy immediately shoved her forcefully from behind. ¡°Get lost! Get the hell away from me and my family right now! Don¡¯t you ever show up in front of me and stain my eyes with your presence in the future!¡± Tina lost her bnce due to the painful shove and fell to the floor. Having seen her fall, Samuel was about to approach her and help her up. Cindy grabbed his arm immediately, stopping him. ¡°Samuel, are you seriously going to abandon me and Keith?! He¡¯s your only son!¡± Thanks to Cindy¡¯s efforts to hold Samuel back, Tina quickly scrambled to her feet and limped out of the ward. Soon, her footsteps faded down the corridor. Her knees hurt so much, as the fall had broken her skin and made her bleed. However, she didn¡¯t dare to slow down at all. She was afraid that Cindy would cause her more trouble. The moment Cindy made her appearance, Tina finally realized she had made a fool out of herself. Cindy was Samuel¡¯s wife, after all. Keith was their biological son. As for Tina, she was just a tool for Samuel. Her interactions with Samuel over the past two days had made her drop her guard. She hadpletely forgotten about how ruthless and cruel the man actually was. Tina¡¯s mind was like a pot of hot glue. Loud buzzing sounds kept filling her mind and guing her senses. She picked up the pace as she walked. By the time she reached the streets, she could only look around in a daze. She had no idea where else she could go at this point. Should Tina go home? But it was equivalent to being imprisoned by Samuel in his estate, so she had no home per se¡­ Even if she wanted to see Kara, she had no chance to do so. What should she do? Tina suddenly remembered that the hospital she was at was quite close to the hospital John had been sent to. Since she had nowhere to go now, she might as well head over to that hospital and try her luck. Perhaps she would have a chance to meet John there. A trace of hope started taking over Tina¡¯s heart. Soon, she arrived at the hospital¡¯s entrance. She tidied herself up to make sure she didn¡¯t look like a messy hag. Then, she took a deep breath and entered the hospital. The receptionist at the desk looked shocked when she noticed Tina. ¡°Why are you here again?!¡± Thetter looked quite surprised at the sight of the receptionist¡¯s expression. She pointed at herself in confusion. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Of course! You¡¯re here to cause trouble again, aren¡¯t you? I already chased you out that day! How dare you return today!¡± The receptionist sounded very impatient. She quickly summoned the security guards and chased Tina out of the hospital. When she was sure that Tina¡¯s figure had disappeared from the entrance, the receptionist quickly dialed a number using the telephone. Her impatient tone was quickly reced by one of respect and pleasing. ¡°Mrs. Carter, this is the receptionist at the front desk of the hospital. It¡¯s exactly what you said to me. The woman who tried to leech from Mr. Carter is back. We just chased her out of the hospital¡­¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Some time ago, Tina had appeared at this hospital. After the receptionist chased her away, Mrs. Carter had requested to check the security footage of that scene. Just as expected, Mrs. Carter was quick to recognize Tina on the screen. She quickly ordered the hospital personnel to be wary of the woman who tried to squirm her way into the Carter family. They mustn¡¯t give her a chance to get close to John, no matter what. If Tina were to make her appearance, anyone who found her must report to Mrs. Carter immediately. ¡°What? She appeared at the hospital again?¡± Mrs. Carter chuckled coldly. After hanging up on the receptionist, she issued an order to her subordinates. ¡°Bring her here right now!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± the subordinates replied. Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Kicked out of two hospitals twice in a row, Tina couldn¡¯t help but feel forlorn. Did she not deserve any hope in her life? Was she destined to be confined next to Samuel? Did she deserve to be tortured and imprisoned by that man, all the while hoping that he would let her go one day in the future? A crestfallen Tina walked on the street. However, a row of ck cars suddenly pursued her from behind. The cars came to a halt in front of her, blocking her way. Stunned by the sudden appearance of the cars, Tina lifted her head to see what was going on. The sight of the bodyguards ctin ck suits getting out of the cars made her expression change drastically. Tina had no idea whose tail did she step on this time, but running was always the safest option. Just as she was about to turn tail and flee, the leading bodyguard suddenly called out after her. ¡°Are you Miss Lynd? Mr. Carter would like to see you!¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The moment Tina heard the bodyguard¡¯s words, she stopped in her tracks immediately. Slightly confused by the request, she asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± The bodyguard had no intention to exin anything to her. Instead, he pointed at the backseat of his car. ¡°Miss Lynd, let¡¯s continue this conversation once we¡¯ve reached our destination.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what your true intention is! You could¡¯ve been here to make trouble for me!¡± Tina took two steps backward, already on her guard. ¡°Miss Lynd, if we really intend to capture you, remember that you only have two legs. You can¡¯t outrun cars with four wheels, not to mention there¡¯s so many of us.¡± The bodyguard¡¯s words made sense. There was no way Tina could outrun everyone and their cars. Besides, what if John did send those bodyguards after her when he found out that she had been trying to visit him? After all, not many people knew her actual surname. Tina didn¡¯t waste her time dilly-dallying any longer. With a heavy heart, she got into one of the cars. A whileter, the cars arrived at a hotel. ¡°Go to this location.¡± The bodyguard gave Tina a light push before telling her a room number. Tina asked anxiously, ¡°Why are we meeting in a hotel?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so that Mr. Carter can recuperate nicely, of course!¡± Tina thought the reason over. She did witness John getting into that ident after all, so it was reasonable for him to recuperate. If those people intended to harm her, there was no need for them to go this far just for that. After all, Tina didn¡¯t have a noble identity. She was just amoner and an orphan, to boot. It wasn¡¯t as if there was a bloodline of nobility or royalty flowing through her veins. That thought reassured her slightly. Tina took the elevator up to the required floor and tracked down the room with the room number that was given to her by the bodyguard. Just as the room door was opened¡­ She found herself staring at a foreign yet familiar face. However, the person standing there wasn¡¯t John. Instead, it was a noble-looking woman. Tina was stunned. ¡°Um¡­ You are¡­?¡± Meanwhile, Mrs. Carter kept staring at Tina¡¯s face. The more she stared at her, the more she felt that Tina resembled that d*mned woman back in the days. Thanks to that woman¡¯s presence, she was forced to be Lord Carter¡¯s secret lover for so many years. It wasn¡¯t until that woman¡¯s death that she was able to rise as the official mistress of the Carter family and enjoy thevish riches that only thedy of the family could enjoy. Now, John Carter¡¯s status in the family was on the rise. Mrs. Carter absolutely refused to let Tina¡¯s existence threaten her own status in the family. Despite the vile thoughts that gued Mrs. Carter¡¯s heart, she had a kind smile stered across her face. With the elegant temperament that a noble woman was born with, she said gently, ¡°You must have forgotten me, but we¡¯ve met in the past. I¡¯m John¡¯s mother.¡± Mrs. Carter¡¯s words made Tina remember many things that happened in the past. ¡°So you¡¯re Mrs. Carter¡­¡± Tina looked rather confused. ¡°Wait, so you were the one who wanted to see me instead of Mr. Carter?¡± Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Mrs. Carter led Tina through the door. She attempted to gauge Tina¡¯s reaction by asking, ¡°Miss Lynd. If I remember correctly, you¡¯ve gone missing for five years. Why do you intend to visit John after so long?¡± Had Tina perhaps discovered her own heritage? Mrs. Carter¡¯s question made Tina nervous. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I¡­¡± Tina lowered her head in response. There was no way she could tell Mrs. Carter that she wanted to try her luck by requesting John to save Kara. ¡°I happened to be at the scene when he got into that ident some time ago. It was then I realized that Mr. Carter was also in Paris, so I decided to go visit him at the hospital. However, * I don¡¯t think he refers to himself by that name here, so I got chased out of the hospital because they mistook me as someone who tried to cause trouble¡­¡± Mrs. Carter¡¯s eyes lit up. She then asked, ¡°Are you saying that John never told you his actual identity in France?¡± ¡°Yes. I have no idea what his identity is here.¡± Tina shook her head. Mrs. Carter visibly rxed when she heard Tina¡¯s answer. It seemed like this filthy b*tch had no idea that she was in truth John¡¯s biological sister. She was also oblivious to her identity as the duke¡¯s granddaughter. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Tina asked, ¡°Mrs. Carter, may I visit Mr. Carter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible. John has yet to recover from his illness, so he needs to recuperate for a very long time. Besides, that ident was potentially the product of an assassination plot. What if his location is exposed to those who want to do him harm if you were to meet up with him?¡± Mrs. Carter lied through her teeth as easily as breathing air. ¡°Is that so?¡± Tina felt bitter on the inside. ¡°Looks like I shouldn¡¯t disturb him.¡± There really was no hope for her at all. Even if she were to meet up with John, he had no obligation to help her out. The reason they were able to meet in the first ce was thanks to fate. However, she had gone missing for so many years, only to return just to get him to help her out. Even if they were actual siblings, she doubted he would help her at all. ¡°A word of advice for you, Tina. Don¡¯te running to the hospital every now and then. It¡¯d be bad if you got involved in this mess.¡± Mrs. Carter sounded like she cared about Tina¡¯s wellbeing. Tina was touched. She had worked as a fashion designer over the past five years in Paris. Thus, she had met countless elite socialites in her line of work. When Mrs. Carter appeared just now, Tina was quick to note the luxurious clothes and essories the older woman was wearing at first nce. That meant the older woman¡¯s status was definitely high. As Tina was used to witnessing the arrogant sides of those socialites who thought they were better than commoners, she was naturally thankful that Mrs. Carter cared about her. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Carter. You have a kind heart.¡± ¡°Haha! Really?¡± Mrs. Carter just smiled in response. Tina rose to her feet, a look of disappointment on her face. ¡°Well then, I should be taking my leave now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to the door.¡± While Mrs. Carter spoke, she rose to her feet with a ss of water. Suddenly, she stumbled over her feet, thus spilling the water. ¡°Oh!¡± Mrs. Carter identally spilled the water on Tina¡¯s shirt. Thetter¡¯s back ended uppletely drenched. ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s my fault for being careless! It¡¯s a good thing I only drink cool water here! It¡¯d be bad if I were to scald you with hot water!¡± Mrs. Carter sounded very concerned as she grabbed a fresh shirt from the closet and continued, ¡°You should change into this shirt before you leave the hotel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just water, after all¡­¡± Tina instinctively tried to turn Mrs. Carter down. ¡°Why are you being so courteous with me? You can just turn your back on me and change your clothes.¡± Mrs. Carter stuffed the new shirt into Tina¡¯s arms. She had already prepared the shirt in advance. Even though Tina looked exactly like that woman from the oast, Mrs. Carter still wanted to ensure her identity and ascertain if Tina truly was the lost little girl. Chapter 381 Chapter 381 John¡¯s mother was shoving an outfit over, and Tina couldn¡¯t refuse her kind offer. ¡°But there¡¯s no ce I can change.¡± ¡°We¡¯re both women. Why don¡¯t you just turn around?¡± John¡¯s mother demanded, ¡°I will not look at you. Don¡¯t worry!¡± What John¡¯s mother said was true. And Tina already had a daughter. She was not a young girl. She shouldn¡¯t have been so nervous about it. Tina turned around and took off her clothes. John¡¯s mother fastened her eyes on Tina and saw a scar on Tina¡¯s waist¡­ ¡®It was her! ¡°Tina was the little girl from back then!¡¯ At the same time, John¡¯s mother had a sharp intake of breath, with an obvious murderous look in her eyes! Tina heard the sharp breath behind her. She got a little embarrassed. She almost forgot that there was a scar on her waist, so obvious that John¡¯s mother must have been shocked. ¡°Sorry, I forgot I had a scar on my body¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay!¡± John¡¯s mother said. Tina changed into the clean outfit and packed up her wet dress. Then she left the room. At the moment when the hotel room door closed, John¡¯s mother¡¯s face immediately darkened, and her eyes welled up with deadly malice. Just then, her phone rang. ¡°Mrs. Carter, that woman has left the hotel. Should we follow her?¡± ¡°NO!¡± John¡¯s mother instructed, ¡°She is still with Samuel. If you follow her too often, they will find out. You must be very careful!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± The man on the other end of the line answered respectfully, ¡°So, do we continue with the previous n?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± John¡¯s mother said viciously, ¡°Don¡¯t let me wait all the time! Take action soon!¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Aster hanging up the phone, John¡¯s mother clutched the phone fiercely. As she had expected, Tina was the same little girl back then. ¡®She must die! Just like she was supposed to be!¡¯ She must die quietly, without drawing too much attention!¡¯ John¡¯s mother was determined to have Tina murdered, so Tina could never threaten her position! Tina went back to the vi. Her mood was so low that she really had no appetite for the chef¡¯s cooking, so she nned to cook something for herself. Just as Tina was busy in the kitchen. A maid¡¯s voice rang out in the corridor. ¡°Mr. Langford, you¡¯re back.¡± Tina was about to carry the soup out, when she saw Samuel appear outside the kitchen door. She was startled and almost spilled the soup in her hand. ¡°Mr. Langford, what are you doing here? Samuel looked at her and asked coldly, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee back?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡± Tina lowered her head, not daring to look at Samuel. She asked again,¡± Mrs. Langford and your son probably will not be happy about it.¡± Cindy made a scene today in the hospital, so Tina thought Samuel probably would note back to the vi today. Samuel was so annoyed that he wanted to pinch Tina¡¯s face to make her see the truth. He and Cindy, all along, had been a couple in name. Even if Keith was his own son, Keith had an aloof personality, and the boy turned out to be a genius. And his IQ was much higher than most people. He was not close with his father. Samuel did not bother to say so much. He just rebuked, ¡°Tina, it¡¯s none of your business!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tina¡¯s heart thumped. Samuel was bored of Tina¡¯s being timid all the time. He turned his back on her and demanded, ¡°Come out with me!¡± Tina was stunned. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Tina gritted her teeth and followed Samuel out. She was so nervous that she couldn¡¯t help but think about it. ¡®Does Mr. Langford want to punish me because of Cindy? Or did I piss him off at work today?¡¯ Samuel was walking ahead. Seeing that Tina was slow as a snail, he couldn¡¯t help but reach out and grab her wrist. Tina was startled and tried to break free, ¡°Mr. Langford, what are you doing? Where exactly are you taking me?¡± Seeing Tina so anxious, Samuel¡¯s face immediately darkened. ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you!¡± He then carried Tina up in his arms, lest he really changed his mind and ate her alive if she kept walking so slow. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Tina struggled, but suddenly, she heard a childish voice. ¡°Mommy!¡± Her body froze, and she thought she was mishearing. Tina then turned her head, and she saw a little girl in the yard! Samuel put Tina down, and she was dumbfounded. ¡°Mommy¡¯s back!¡± Like a swallow returning to the nest, Kara couldn¡¯t wait to throw herself into Tina¡¯s arms and hug her tightly without a second¡¯s rxation. Tina thought she was dreaming. ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Mr. Meanie told me toe!¡± The little girl whispered into Tina¡¯s ears. She was so excited. ¡°And Mr Meanje also bought me a lot of candy, but I did not eat it. I have saved it all for you! actually secretly took a bite. It was very sweet. Mommy, let me feed you!¡± Then Kara took a candy out of her pocket. It was the most expensive chocte in the world. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Kara hurriedly tried to peel off the wrapping paper of the chocte and wanted to share it with Tina However, as the chocte was very expensive, the packaging was also very delicate. It was difficult for the bottle girl to peel the wrapping paper ofl. Tina couldn¡¯t watch Kara trying so hard on the chocte, but she knew that Kara wanted to do it by hersell So Tina asked tentatively, ¡°May I help¡­¡± Before Tina finished her sentence, Samuel came over, Instead of taking the chocte away and unwrapping it for the little girl, he held Kara¡¯s hand and gently pulled it. The chocte wrapping paper was peeled off easily. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Samuel said lightly. Samuel didn¡¯t realize that because of the presence of Tina and her daughter, his cold temperament softened. The bodyguards and maids around were all stunned. They exchanged nces with each other and had the same thought in their hearts. Comparing with Samuel¡¯s state of being together with Keith and Cindy, people who didn¡¯t know the family would think these three were a family. Kara said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Meanie!¡± Hearing Kara¡¯s words, Tina was frightened. She lowered her voice and said to Kara, ¡°Sweetie, it¡¯s impolite to call Mr. Meanie¡­¡± ¡°Oh, thank you, Uncle!¡± Kara said again. She handed the chocte to Tina, ¡°Mommy, take it!¡± Tina didn¡¯t dare to look up to see Samuel¡¯s expression. She kept her head hung down and gently took a bite. The chocte had been in Kara¡¯s pocket for a long time, and it had melted a bit. The texture was sticky, but Tina was so happy. ¡°Is it good?¡± Kara asked. ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s delicious!¡± Tina looked into the little girl¡¯s big eyes and handed out the rest of the chocte, ¡°You can take the rest¡­¡± Before Tina finished her sentence, Samuel¡¯s big palm reached over, held Tina¡¯s wrist, turned the chocte around, and sent it into his own mouth! Kara had been expecting it! Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Tina waspletely stunned. She didn¡¯t make a reaction until she watched Samuel eating up the chocte in her hand little by little. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s for Kara!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Samuel said in a casual tone. And he even frowned, as he despised the chocte. ¡°The chocte is ordinary. I really don¡¯t know why you consider it delicious.¡± Tina looked at Samuel and then looked at Kara, who was upset but didn¡¯t dare to utter a word. Then she flew into a rage suddenly and couldn¡¯t help scolding, ¡°Samuel, what have you done? How can you rob Kara of her chocte?¡± The distinguished president of the Langford Group grabbed a child¡¯s chocte shamelessly. If the news spread, he would definitely be aughing stock. Looking at furious Tina, Samuel didn¡¯t get angry and exined, ¡°I¡¯ve asked someone to buy her a lot of choctes. Why can¡¯t I eat one?¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s different! If you want to eat, you can take another one. But why did you grab Kara¡¯s chocte?¡± ¡°How can he grab Kara¡¯s chocte?¡¯ ¡®I took a bite of the chocte, and there was even a tooth mark on it.¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t Samuel a neat freak?¡¯ Tina was stamping her foot in anger while Kara wasforting her. ¡°Mummy, it doesn¡¯t matter. I still have a lot of candies!¡± When Tina saw meek Kara, Tina couldn¡¯t help recalling the scene she secretly saw outside the kindergarten. Kara was sitting there alone, looking pitiful and helpless. However, in the video call with her, Kara looked so happy. Kara was so considerate at such a young age that Tina felt heartbroken. Tina exploded with her suppressed and umted anger again. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re such a bastard!¡± She clenched her fist and wanted to hit Samuel. But her fist was held by Samuel Samuel was much stronger than her, so he could subdue her easily. Tina didn¡¯t give up. Instead, she bit him on his arm violently. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Not only did Samuel give a gasp in pain, but his subordinates were stunned. They didn¡¯t know whether to stop Tina or not. Then Samuel carried Tina in his arms and took her upstairs regardless of her struggle. Looking at it, his subordinates shrugged helplessly. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Does a piece of chocte make Mr. Langford flirt with Miss Lynd?¡¯ Samuel¡¯s subordinates thought. ¡®Miss Lynd really upies an important position in Mr. Langford¡¯s heart.¡¯ Tina struggled violently. ¡°Let me go. Kara is still downstairs¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said that if you behave well, I¡¯ll let you meet Kara.¡± Samuel added in an overbearing tone, ¡°You behave well these days. Don¡¯t you want to see her in the next few days?¡± As soon as he said these words, Tina didn¡¯t dare to struggle. She was very eager to see Kara. When she thought that she was going to lose her sweetie, she couldn¡¯t even breathe. Seeing Tina lie obediently in his arms, Samuel felt satisfied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Samuel said in a low voice. ¡°As long as you apany me obediently, I¡¯ll give you anything you want.¡± These intoxicating love words did not warm Tina. On the contrary, she felt colder and colder. If she wanted to be free, could Samuel let her go? Impossible! So, all he said was empty talk.. She would never believe his empty talk! Early the next morning, Tina finally had the opportunity to take Kara to school. She kissed Kara goodbye reluctantly outside the kindergarten. ¡°Mummy, are you leaving again?¡± Kara asked cautiously. Tina answered affirmatively, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitelye to take you home today!¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll definitely wait for you to pick me up.¡± Kara nodded obediently. Then Tina returned to the car and went to thepany with Samuel. However, the moment they entered the door of thepany, Samuel¡¯s subordinate walked towards him in a hurry. ¡°Mr. Langford, please wait. Something bad has happened!¡± Chapter 384 Chapter 384 The assistant looked a little rmed. Apparently, something really bad had happened. ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel¡¯s brow furrowed, and his face was gloomy. The assistant walked forward and whispered something to Samuel. Instantly, Samuel exuded an icy aura. His eyes showed an appalling look. ¡°Inform everyone to have a meeting right now.¡± ¡°I got it!¡± The assistant wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Tina was taken aback by this scene. Although she didn¡¯t know how the business world worked, she had heard of Samuel¡¯s reputation. He had always made quick decisions in everything he did. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Tina wondered how serious the matter was that it could make him look gloomy. Tina only dared to wonder, and she knew she shouldn¡¯t know too much. She rode the elevator alone and made her way to the CEO¡¯s office. Tina had just put her handbag down when she heard a crisp voice from behind her. ¡°Hello, are you Miss Lynd?¡± Tina was startled and turned around. She had thought that the CEO¡¯s office was empty after the assistant left with Samuel. She realized that there was a woman in the office, not far behind her. Tina asked with some confusion, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the new secretary! My name is Lynne, and nice to meet you!¡± Lynne was dressed in work clothes and looked fit. She was dressed in a very innocent way, the type that made countless men swoon. She smiled sweetly at Tina and extended her hand. Tina froze for a moment and took her hand in hers. She asked, ¡°Are you a secretary too?¡± ¡°Yes! I am the CEO¡¯s secretary just like you. From now on, we will work together for Mr. Langford!¡± Lynne said in a casual tone. ¡°Miss Lynd, Mr. Langford didn¡¯t want a secretary at all before. I heard that you are the first secretary that Mr. Langford has personally chosen to bring to thepany. I¡¯m so jealous of you!¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be so lucky. I was called over by Mrs. Langford to be your assistant.¡± ¡°You must be very capable, right? Where did you graduate from? You must have graduated from a world- renowned university, right?¡± ¡°Or is it that you have a lot of work experience? Can you share it with me?¡± Lynne asked with a smile. Tina just felt ufortable. She didn¡¯t even graduate from college, because she was forced to drop out after being set up by Pearl and Desmond. And she couldn¡¯t even get a normal job. She started as an apprentice in Paris. She was lucky enough to be a designer because she worked hard night and day. However, her experience was not worth mentioning in Samuel¡¯spany. It seemed that Tina was hesitant. Then Lynne immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lynd. Are you uneasy about talking about it? Then I¡¯ll shut up!¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t me you,¡± said Tina. The smile on Lynne¡¯s face froze. At that moment, the elevator doors opened. Someone came in and hurriedly shouted, ¡°Miss Lynd! Help!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The man had a ttering smile on his face. ¡°Well, Mr. Langford is busy with a meeting right now, so we need someone to go in and several bottles of of water, so¡­¡± Tina figured it out. Because what happened this morning made Samuel upset, these people were afraid of being implicated by Samuel¡¯s anger. On normal days, Tina wouldn¡¯t want to get herself into trouble, but she didn¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t want to be in the same room with Lynne. Tina replied, ¡°Okay. Leave it to me.¡± Chapter 385 Chapter 385 The employee then grinned. ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯ll treat you another day!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Tina waved her hand and then headed for the elevator. However, at the moment the elevator door closed, the employee exchanged a nce with Lynne. ¡°She is definitely finished this time. Do you believe me?¡± Lynne asked with a smug on her face. The employee answered contemptuously, ¡°She thinks she¡¯s Mr. Langford¡¯s wife? She is just a mistress. After such an incident, she is definitely screwed!¡± Ding! The door of the elevator opened. Tina was carrying several bottles of water in her arms. Looking at the closed conference room door, she couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. She suddenly regretted it. ¡®Why did I agree to do it?¡¯ However, she hade here. She was going to do the task anyway. Samuel couldn¡¯t kick her in front of so many people. Tina pushed open the door. At a nce, she saw Samuel sitting on the head of the conference table and a bunch of employees with their heads bowed. Samuel had a stern look and a domineering air about him. His voice resounded clearly in the conference room. ¡°I¡¯ll give you guys one hour to find out what has gone wrong!¡± Right after that, he threw the pile of documents on the table, stood up, and walked towards the door. Tina was so scared that she took several steps back and involuntarily tried to avoid him, but Samuel stopped her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Samuel frowned. Tina got nervous immediately. She held the bottles in her arms tighter and replied, ¡°I came here to deliver the water.¡± Samuel took a deep breath, which helped him to suppress his temper. ¡°No need for that. Put it down here. They should be left alone to think about matters inside!¡± His tone was so cold and stern that Tina didn¡¯t dare to retort. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± She left the water at the door and followed Samuel behind. ¡°What are you doing following me?¡± Samuel asked impatiently. Tina was startled. ¡°I¡¯m your secretary. It¡¯s my job to follow you around and do as you order, right?¡± ¡°Stay away from me! Don¡¯t annoy me!¡± Samuel didn¡¯t want Tina following him around and disturbing his thoughts. His tone was impatient, and then he lit a cigarette. The smoke rose and blocked the two. When Tina was about to turn around and walk away, she suddenly saw Samuel¡¯s assistanting out of the conference room. She stepped aside and gave way, but to her surprise, the assistant gave her a deep nce before sweeping past her. ¡°Mr. Langford, I know what¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°What?¡± Samuel spat. ¡°Mr. Langford, we would never have the guts to leak the documents. How could we be so stupid? We are all terrified after hearing the documents leaked. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± The assistant¡¯s voice suddenly rose. He stretched out his arm and pointed towards Tina. ¡°But, I remembered, that day when I delivered the document to you for your signature, you happened to be in a meeting in the conference room, and I handed the document to Tina!¡± ¡°Tina was the only one who had ess to those documents during that half-hour! Yesterday, we investigated thoroughly all night, but we forgot that we should have suspected Tina!¡± Chapter 386 Chapter 386 Hearing his words, Tina was instantly dumbfounded in ce. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Since all of us signed confidentiality agreements, it is impossible for us to expose it. But she didn¡¯t do that. She wants to deal with all of us!¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes suddenly became appalling. He said, ¡°Tina.¡± Looking at his suspicious eyes, Tina trembled and said, ¡°No! How could I possibly do such a thing?¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Suddenly, the door beside her was opened. : Cindy suddenly appeared. She pointed at Tina and said, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m sure Tina did it! Not only did she lie to you, but she tried to make the Langford Group go bankrupt!¡± Saying that, Cindy suddenly threw many photos on the table. ¡°Look at these photos. How can you exin them?¡± Seeing those photos, Tina felt that the blood in her body seemed to freeze and her head was buzzing. Those photos were taken when she and Desmond were together! Some of them were taken at school five years ago! It seemed that Tina and Desmond had connections a long time ago. After that, she betrayed Samuel and exposed the documents of the Langford Group for a check for five million dors! Tina suddenly raised her head. Seeing Cindy¡¯s smug and malicious eyes, she suddenly understood what Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°No! That¡¯s not the truth. You want to set me up!¡± Cindy had set her up many times five years ago, and now she was trying to destroy Tina. Tina held back her tears as she pounced on Cindy. She would not let go of Cindy! ¡°Tina, you bitch, what do you want to do?¡± Cindy had been smug. However, when she saw Tina pouncing on her, she was terrified, so she eximed, ¡°Help.¡± Tina raised her arm and wanted to p Cindy. However, Samuel came back to his senses quickly and held her arm tightly. ¡°Tina, how dare you p her?¡± Samuel said in a dangerous and gloomy voice. After saying that, he flung Tina away without mercy. Tina fell to the ground in a mess. However, Cindy took the opportunity to jump into Samuel¡¯s arms and said, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m so terrified just now! I¡¯ve known that Tina was vicious for a long time. If she stays with you obediently, I won¡¯t bother with her. However, I was worried that she would cheat on you, so I secretly hired a detective to follow her. As a result, I found out that she had an affair with Desmond! They were a couple five years ago. Since Desmond was fired by Mr. Beckett, he holds a grudge against him. Tina felt that you got in the way of her and Mr. Jackson. So they conspired to deal with you! Samuel, don¡¯t let her go. This is too terrible!¡± Samuel looked at Tina with arrogant eyes and said, ¡°Since the evidence is here, do you have anything else to say?¡± Tina nced at Samuel and Cindy, who was holding his waist, with pale and powerless eyes. She suddenly remembered the sweet words that Samuel had said to herst night. At this time, seeing him protect Cindy, she doubted herself and felt extremely heartbroken. She didn¡¯t say anything now. Nor did she do it five years ago. She thought that Samuel only loved Cindy. ¡°Tina!¡± Samuel said in a cold voice. Cindy felt very happy in Samuel¡¯s arms. Samuel finally saw the real about this bitch and no longer rejected me.¡¯ ¡°Samuel, she¡¯s acquiesced!¡± Then she added, ¡°Send this vicious woman to the police station quickly to prevent her from harming others!¡± Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Tina felt so wretched. She was like a doll without a soul and gave up resistance. She knew that she had no room to resist. Samuel wanted to torture her, while Cindy wanted to kill her. They all wanted her to be miserable. Cindy was well-prepared and made a phone call. Before long, the police car drove to the door of thepany. Tina was caught by the police and left the meeting room. Arge group of employees gathered outside to rubbernecker. They couldn''t help covering their mouths and shouting. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. How ttering they were to Tina at the beginning, and now how disgusting they were. "God, I didn''t know that she was such a person!" "How nice Mr. Langford was to her. I didn''t expect that what he raised was an ungrateful woman. She screwed us over!" "Haven''t you heard of it? This woman didn''t even go to college. She dropped out of school because she was sleeping with her boyfriend and her private life was messed up. She couldn''t stay in Freesia before she came to Paris. She was shameless and tangled with different men." "What''s more, I heard that she pped Mrs. Langford''s face in protest on her first day at work. It''s just a woman who pursues money and has no brain!" "She''s disgusting." Tina only felt that what happened now was so ironic. She always knew that she was an ordinary person. What she wanted since childhood was very simple. She just wanted to have a loving husband and a lovely child. Her family could live happily together. Even if their family had no money, they could work hard together. Later, this dream was shattered by the Lynd family''s greed for money. She was forced to provoke Samuel. What she didn''t expect was that meeting Samuel was not the end of the nightmare, but the beginning of another nightmare. She almost died with the child. She thought she had escaped and lived in Paris for five years. She had thought her life could be so peaceful, but Samuel and Cindy appeared again. She seemed to be back five years ago. She was like an ant constantly wandering in ce to find her way, but she would always be cruelly pushed back by a pair of invisible hands. Why was everything like this? Tina was sent to the police car. Through the window, she saw the scene outside. All the people showed sarcastic expressions on their faces. No one believed her. Her eyes crossed the crowd and fell on the windowsill of the high-rise. Then she saw Cindy. Cindy noticed Tina''s gaze. She smiled and suddenly made a call. At the same time, the mobile phone in Tina''s pocket rang. Obviously, it was Cindy. Tina looked at her mobile phone numbly and connected the phone. Sure enough, a very proud voice came from the other end of the phone. "How about it? Tina, are you satisfied with the result?" Tina''s throat was dry. "Cindy, you did it." Cindy was not stupid. How could she take the initiative to admit it? "You deserve it! It''s you who misbehave! You can be in a tangle with other men. How dare you get entangled with Samuel?" "I tell you, I''m going to put you in prison this time. You can''t escape. I''m going to keep you in prison!" Cindyughed happily. Tina was unexpectedly indifferent. "Why don''t you talk?" Cindy was not satisfied with Tina''s reaction, and suddenly said, "Don''t you think that nothing will happen when you go to prison alone? Have you forgotten that you still have a daughter?" Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Tina''s eyes, which had a hopeless look, glowed with anger. She clutchei Cindy, how could you be so cruel? How could you do this to my daughter? She''s just a little girl. She doesn''t know anything!" "What c< into a little bitch. I definitely can''t let her off easily!" Cindy then said cannote to Paris to save you." "And you are going to be in jail. My young, so miserable, isn''t she? She will soon be an orphan, just like you were!" "What do you think I''m going to do with an orphan?" List* must know a ce." Cindy suddenly paused for a few seconds, and ther You should know the red-light district, right?" Immediately, Tina''s he being stabbed in her heart! The red-light district! Cindy was so viciou* would make her feel more awful than dying. "Cindy, leave my daughter You''re scared, aren''t you?" Cindy said contemptuously. "I''m telling yc she couldn''t even protect herself from Samuel and Cindy''s torment. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. If they reallyshed their hatred towards Kara, then... Tina could do n< saying, "Haha, Tina, for a woman of such a low status like you, what can you do to me? I''m so scared! People will think you''re a nobledy or a rtive of some duke!" "Come to me if you dare! Oh, by the way, if you break out of prison, I¡¯m afraid you will be sentenced to more years in jail. Haha, oh my god! Tina, I''m so looking forward to it!" Then Cindy hung up the phone. Immediately, Tina understood Cindy'' being sent to the police station, even though she might have to wait for a long time for that. Tina believed that she would not be wro never did. Cindy might set her up for a while, but she couldn¡¯t frame her for a lifetime. However, Cindy deliberately mentioned Kara, stupid for the sake of her daughter''s safety, leaving more evidence to Cindy... Tina was so anxious that she was like an ant in a hot pot. Sh? that Cindy could really be that merciless. Tina didn¡¯t dare to gamble on couldn''t! Kara was so well-behaved and adorable. She was considerate towards her mom at such a young age, which made Tina¡¯s heart ache. Tina had always felt guilty about not being able to apany Kara along. If anything happened to Kara, how could she st; front, "Here it is! Get out!" Tina took a deep breath and clenched her te stepped out of the police car, acting quite obedient. Just at the moment suddenly turned around and started running! She was going to save Ki anything happen to Kara! Chapter 389 Chapter 389 At that moment, Tina was running desperately along the street as if she was bursting with infinite power. On the other hand, the kinderg Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. One car after another arrived outside the kindergarten gate. Kara was leaning on the gate, gripping the railing with both hands, watching her ssmates being picked up by their parents. She looked like a puppy waiting for its master, looking forward to her mom¡¯sing. Kara''s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she saw anotf pulling over. One door of the car was opened, and a woman''s high hec on the ground. Kara instantly shouted, "Mommy!" ¡®Is this Mommy?¡¯ Kara rushed over and jumped into the woman''s arms. Kara was disappt "Kara, I''m going home with my mom. I''ll see you tomorrow!" The little girl said to Kara cheerfully. Kara''s spirit sank, but she soon pulled her head and smiled at the girl, "OK, see you tomorrow." Now Kara¡¯s moment ago. The teacher felt sympathy for Kara and asked, "Kara, is y? mommy reallying to pick you up today?" Kara nodded her head vij "Mommy will definitelye to pick me up. She promised me!" "But, your mommy''s phone is off. Maybe she''s busy. Maybe I''ll take you home?" People liked cute sweet kids. And Kara looked so ador; I''ll wait for her!" Just at that moment, a car slowly drove up. "Hey, he) Mommy promised me that she woulde to pick me up! Mommy! " Before the car pulled over, Kara ran out of the gate excitedly. Howe\ came out. "Uncle, howe it''s you?" Kara froze. She looked into the 1 again and asked, "Where''s Mommy?" All these days, Kara was picked u Kara the truth. He just said, "Ms. Lynd has work to do, so she can¡¯t pick you up today. You have toe back with me." When the bodygu< have called to tell me! You must be lying to me! Is it that Mr. Meanie stopped Mommy froming to see me again?" "I''m not going with you! If you don''t let Mommy see me, I''m going to find her myself!" Kara then suddenly rushed towards the stre control. The teacher was freaked out. She chased after the little girl, " there are too many cars outside. Come back! We can talk about what''s going on!" Kara wouldn¡¯t listen to the teacher. Just at that mo At the sight of the running girl, the driver mmed on the brakes. Squ Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Tina finally arrived at Little Stars. However, when seeing the locked gate, she suddenly froze. Kara had always been a sensible and obedient girl. She had told Kara that if she or her uncle couldn¡¯te to pick her up, she would call her in advance. This time, she had promised Kara that she would pick her up, and she thought Kara would wait for her at Little Stars......... Had Kara already been taken away by someone else? Tina couldn¡¯t believe this, and she felt temporarily limp with fear. She took out her cell phone and wanted to call Kara¡¯s teacher to confirm, only to find that her phone had run out of battery. She had to borrow a phone from passers-by. ¡°Excuse me, would you please...¡± However, that person directly walked away. She then stopped another passerby. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m in trouble now, and I would like to ask you for help...¡± However, this person also ignored her. Just as she was anxious like a cat on hot bricks, she heard some sanitation workers talking loudly not far away. ¡°She seems to be that little girl¡¯s mother, right?¡± ¡°Oh my god! She came here sote. Didn¡¯t she know that her daughter had an ident?¡± Tina suddenly turned around and asked in disbelief, ¡°What did you say? Who had a car ident?¡± She was so agitated that the sanitation workers were afraid to approach her. ¡°That girl called Kara is your daughter, isn¡¯t she? You can go and see for yourself. She¡¯s at the street corner ahead!¡± Tina seemed to hear a roll of thunder crashing in her ear. She rushed towards that street corner, and the scene of Kara having an ident kept shing in her mind. There were many vehicles passing by at the street corner, with some pedestrians walking in a hurry. She searched around in fear and panic until she heard a tender voice. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m here!¡± A little girl rushed up and put her arms around Tina¡¯s thigh. Kara said happily, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re here atst! I knew you woulde and pick me up! ¡± ¡°The bodyguard sent by that bad guy told me that you wouldn¡¯te to the kindergarten. I know he lied to me, and I won¡¯t be fooled!¡± Tina held her daughter tightly, as if she had just gotten her lost treasure back. Then she asked nervously, ¡°Did you have a car ident?¡± ¡°Mommy, how do you know that?¡± Kara was startled. She had wanted to hide this from her, but since Tina asked, she lowered her head and honestly told her the truth. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s all my fault. I ran around the street and almost hit a man¡¯s car.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so lucky that he is a good person. He drove away the bad guy¡¯s bodyguard and apanied me to wait for you...¡± ¡°By the way, he is over there. Let¡¯s go and thank him.¡± Kara seemed to like that kind-hearted man very much. If it had been in the past, Tina woulde to show her gratitude to that man, but now the situation was so urgent that she dared not stay here any longer. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of here first! ¡± Just as she picked up Kara, the screeching whistle of police cars sounded on the street. Tina¡¯s heart missed a beat, and she immediately ran in the opposite direction of the police car, heading toward an alley across the street Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Mommy, this is not our way back home.¡± Kara was confused, and she suddenly pointed to the front excitedly, ¡°Mommy, that kind- hearted person just came out of his car, and he¡¯s right there!¡± Tina subconsciously looked over. Hearing Kara¡¯s voice, the man also turned around. ¡°Tina?¡± Chapter 391 Chapter 391 Tina had never thought that she would meet John at such a moment after failing to find him for many years! She became stunned, and the police car behind was getting closer and closer to her. Tina felt flustered. She was about to turn around to run away when she was stopped by John. "Tina, you¡¯ve been missing for so many years. I thought something bad had happened to you, but I didn''t expect you to be alive..." "Are you this little girl''s mummy? What has happened?" There was aplicated expression on John¡¯s face, and he had a lot to ask Tina. Tina felt ashamed when she found that John still cared about her after they were separated for five years. 11 j 11 She still wanted to run away, but the police had almost chased her. "Stop, the woman in front!" "Don''t think you can threaten us with a child. I tell you..." "Mr. Smith? Howe you here?" Seeing John, all the police felt surprised. At this moment, Tina knew John''s identity. ¡®If I remember correctly, Smith is the surname of Duke! I once read it in the newspaper¡¯ ¡®John was very rich when I met him in Freesia.¡¯ ¡®Besides, on the night when I saw John being hit by a car, Duke of Smith cancelled the dinner party because his grandson was hurt in a car ident.¡¯ ¡®John turns out to be the grandson of Duke of Smith!¡¯ "Although I don''t know what she has done, I can vouch for her." John took several steps forward to protect Tina and Kara and said coldly, "Go back. I''ll ask awyer to contact you." "But..." The police looked at each other helplessly, and finally they chose to believe John. After all, in their opinion, Tina was just a suspect not a criminal. Besides, as John vouched for Tina, they believed that Tina was innocent. When the police walked away, John looked at Tina and the little girl in her arms with aplicated expression on his face. "Go with me. Get into the car." He got into the car. Tina pressed her lips and also got into the car. She didn¡¯t speak, as she didn¡¯t know how to face John. John didn''t utter a word either. But Kara was very curious about John and asked, "Uncle, do you know my mummy?" "Of course, I know." "What¡¯s your rtionship with my mummy?" Kara asked. "I''m her brother!" John answered without hesitation. Tina was shocked, and the tears in her eyes almost rolled down uncontrobly. ¡®John still regards me as his younger sister after five years! ¡¯ ¡®His status is so high and noble while mine is so low and humble. John is Duke of Smith''s grandson, but I¡¯m just an abandoned orphan...¡¯ Kara said happily, "It turns out to be so! As you are my uncle, it¡¯s no wonder that I feel close to you when I see you for the first time." Looking at cute Kara, John said with a smile, "When I saw you for the first time, I also felt close to you!" Probably by a strange quirk of fate, John decided to wait for Kara¡¯s mummy the moment he saw Kara. Unexpectedly, he met Tina. Tina didn''t want to cry in front of her daughter, so she wiped her tears and tried hard to hold back her tears. "I''m sorry, I..." "There is no need to say sorry." John interrupted her. "As long as you live a good life, I feel relieved." Tina felt more ashamed. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She followed John out of the car and into his house. However, before she sat down, the butler walked towards John in a hurry. "Sir, Duke of Smith hase!" Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Not only Tina but Also John was surprised. "Why is my grandpa here?¡± The butler was suddenly a little embarrassed and could not help but nce at Tina beside him. Tina understood something immediately. John, the duke''s grandson, had recently vouched for Tina on his honour. How could this not be known by the duke? Unexpectedly, the duke cared about John so much and even came as soon as he heard the news. Tina knew she was just an outsider. Although John was kind to her, she did not want to embarrass him. After all, John and the duke were blood rtives. She took the initiative to say, "Well, I will " ¡°You go upstairs and rest!¡± John interrupted her. "I''ll handle all problems!" "But..." "Do not worry. Listen to me, take Kara upstairs to rest." John had always been gentle and debonair. But he seemed particrly tough at this moment. He had lost Coco. He even did not notice that Tina had disappeared for a long time, just because of his negligence back then. He searched all ces without finding her. He met Tina again at present. She even had a lovely daughter who looked exactly like Coco when she was a child. Everything seemed to have been arranged by God. He was destined to protect them. Tina had to take Kara upstairs. After they went upstairs, John asked someone to invite the duke in. The duke, now in his 60s and 70s, liked to wear well-tailored suits. He was a famous phnthropist with a gentle heart beneath his austere exterior. At this moment, however, he walked in hurriedly, looking extremely angry. "Where is that woman?" the duke questioned. ¡°Which woman?¡± ¡°The woman involved in the crime. She has a child! ¡± The duke had learned about Tina from the police before he came. That woman, Samuel''s secret lover, gave birth to a daughter with another man. Moreover, she was a bossy woman and beat Samuel''s wife on her first day in thepany. At present, she was being caught by the police because she sold some important documents of the Langford Group. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She was a woman with such indiscretion and disrepute. The duke never expected that his gentle grandson who always preserved his moral integrity would have anything to do with her! "I don''t care what happened between you two. Send her away at once!" said the duke angrily. "Grandpa, you taught me from childhood that I should be kind to others in order to umte merits for Coco. I have always been doing as you told me. Why is this time different?" John''s voice remained calm. "We can be charitable, but not stupid!" The duke was even angrier. "What witchcraft has that woman used to make you so obsessed with her? ¡°I will tell you again. Send her and her child away at once!¡± "She is Samuel''s secret lover. Not only was she shameless, but she had also done many stupid things. For the charity, we need to send this woman to the police and let her repent for hurting so many people " "You are a bad old man. You are not allowed to talk about my mother like that!" A childish voice was heard. Kara rushed out of the corner, shaking her fist at the duke. Chapter 393 Chapter 393 John froze and didn''t think that Kara rushed out. "Kara." He immediately held Kara in his arms and stopped her. Kara, like a kitten baring its fangs and brandishing its ws, looked at the duke angrily. "You are a bad guy. You mustn''t scold my mom. My mom is the best person in this world. It''s all because of those bad guys that she suffers like this. You mustn''t scold her. Otherwise, I will hit you." Kara clenched her fist, looking fierce. The duke, who had been angry just now, waspletely stunned when he saw Kara. "How... How could it be possible?" He stepped back two steps, thinking he had got dazzled and muddled. ''Why does this girl look so much like Coco?'' In his memory, when his granddaughter Coco got lost and was abducted, she was the same age and lovely as the little girl. "This is... This is..." He put his hand, which was trembling, over his heart. "John, is she your illegitimate daughter?" ''If not for this, why would John suddenly bring this girl and her mother home? Moreover, she looks like Coco.'' John felt helpless, "No, I am unrted to her by blood. It''s just a coincidence..." He met Tina because of this simr coincidence. It was more normal that this little, named Kara, looked like Coco at that time. But the duke didn''t believe it at all, thinking that John didn''t want to admit it. After all, that woman had a very bad reputation. No one wanted to have anything with her. But the girl was really innocent, and she looked so much like Coco at that time, so it was impossible for John not to care about the girl. The duke frowned and looked at Kara seriously. Before he came here, he had made up his mind to drive Kara and her mother away. But when he saw Kara, his determination wavered a little. Kara waved her fist warningly, "Bad guy, why are you looking at me?" "What? You call me ''bad guy''? You should call me great grandfather," The duke said unhappily. John denied, "Grandpa, I keep telling you Kara isn''t..." "Okay. Whatever you said is right." The duke didn''t want to go into it seriously and added, "You can keep this girl, but her mother..." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "You mustn''t drive my mom away," Kara widened her eyes. John hardly ever held a child in his arms, and he had to stop Kara now, so his hands were tired. He said, "Grandpa, just leave, please. When I was on my way home, I asked mywyer to the police station to deal with it. And when the truthes out, you will know that Kara and her mother are innocent." "You... This..." The duke knew that his grandson''s decision was hard to change. Moreover, John was not a child now. John was not only his grandson but also the Carter family''s owner. The duke said, "I''ll just give you a week''s time. I will not allow you to pledge the duke''s name again until it is settled in a week. Even if you don''t feel it shameful, I do." "Thankyou, grandfather," John said. The duke came here angrily and left with aplicated expression on his face. "Sir, get in the car, please," The butler said politely. The duke was worried about John and said to the butler, "Find a way to get John and the little girl''s hair and send it for a paternity test." Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Originally, the duke wanted to turn Tina and Kara away, but he finally decided to give them another week because of Kara¡¯s arrival. Tina and Kara were able to live at John''s vi. The next day, thewyer called Tina and said that he still needed Tina''s cooperation for her deposition. "OK." Tina hung up, dressed up and was about to go out. Kara was sleeping. When she heard the noise, she woke up and said gingerly, "Mom, are you going to go out again?" Tina felt warm and said, "I will be right back. What would you like to eat? I will buy some snacks for you when Ie back!" Kara cheered up immediately. "Mom, I would like to eat choctes." "What kind of choctes would you like?" "I want the choctes that Mr. Meanie boughtst time." When Tina heard that Kara mentioned Samuel, Tina''s heart did a flip-flop, but she kept calm on the surface. "OK. I will go to the supermarket to see if that kind of choctes is avable." Kara nodded lovely and asked, "Mom, did you argue with Mr.Meanie again?" Tina opened her mouth, met Kara''s clear gaze and didn''t know how to exin. "You guess right. I argued with him." Kara asked curiously, "Why?" Tina had noticed that Kara was curious about Samuel and wanted to be close with him. Maybe it was because Kara and Samuel were rted by blood. But... It was impossible for Samuel and Tina to be reconciled. Many things between them were not suitable for Kara to know. Tina said, "It''s because he doesn''t allow me to see you." Kara frowned. "Mr. Meanie is too bad! I don''t like the choctes that he bought anymore. Please buy other kinds of choctes for me!" Tina was amused by Kara, but Tina felt sad in her heart. Kara was too sensible. She talked bad about Samuel just because she wanted to amuse Tina. When Tina was about to set off, a luxury car stopped in front of her suddenly. The backseat car window was rolled down, and John''s face was exposed. "John, why do youe back?" Tina knew that John had gone out in the morning for official business. To her surprise, he came back so soon. John said, "Are you going to the police station? I will drive you there." "No, thank you. I will..." Tina refused subconsciously and was reluctant to bother him again. But John frowned with dissatisfaction. "Am I not your brother? Do you regard me as an outsider?" Tina was unable to refuse again. Besides her only daughter Kara, "family" was the thing that Tina longed for all the time but had never had. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. She got into the car obediently and arrived at the police station. The deposition went smoothly. The police would continue to investigate it. Tina asked thewyer, "Sir, can I leave now?" Thewyer nodded. "Of course, you can leave now. Please wait for the good news." Thewyer''s tone sounded confident, so Tina was relieved finally. Her innocence would be proved soon. It was great... When Tina was about to go to see John, another luxury car stopped in front of her. When she saw the person getting down the car, she panicked and wanted to escape subconsciously. Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Tina had a desire to hide herself to save trouble. However, Cindy, who just got out of the car, quickly spot and shouted at her, ¡°Ha, Tina, how dare you still show up here? I¡± Tina felt rmed but straightened her back before looking at Cindy. She clenched her fist tight with a sneer, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here? Since you framed me up, can¡¯t I be here to clear up the fact?¡± ¡°The fact?¡± Cindy responded in a sarcastic tone, ¡°What you call the fact¡¯es from seducing one man after another? Ridiculous! Frederick isn¡¯t dead yet. How could you be in such a hurry to hook up with your ex-boyfriend!? Now you are again in a rtionship with the duke¡¯s grandson who¡¯s unexpected to be John Carter back then...¡± ¡°Tina, you¡¯ve got quite a few tricks. You are definitely a temptress having men fling themselves at your feet!¡± Such gossip and rumors can¡¯t upset Tina any more. Staring at Cindy¡¯s nasty look, she spoke coldly, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not a good woman. Don¡¯t you and your good husband find it five years ago?¡± 1 ¡°Well, I¡¯m actually curious about why Samuel Langford throws his wife, that is you, aside and keeps getting entangled with a dirty woman like me?¡± These words enraged Cindy instantly. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°What nonsense! You don¡¯t know how Samuel loves me. I brought a genius son to the world for him. I AM the happiest woman alive! Everyone agrees we¡¯re made for each other! ¡± The speech from Tina did touch Cindy on her most sensitive spot. She was the only one who knew how special this woman was to Samuel Langford. And she was really mad about her guts to reveal it. The fury blinded her good sense, ¡°But you are just a temptress with no sense of shame. How dare you provoke me at the moment? Go to hell!¡± That didn¡¯t frighten Tina at all. Kara was her only Achilles heel. As her daughter was safe now, she had nothing to fear. She made a quick decision to grab Cindy¡¯s arm. ¡°You bitch, take your hands off me...¡± ¡°Ah!¡± A painful scream was let out. Tina gave Cindy a quick overarm throw to the ground heavily. Which unavoidably attracted the people nearby toe over for a look. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she Mrs. Langford?¡± ¡°Er, Mrs. Langford, how may I help you?¡± Losing face in public, Cindy couldn¡¯t help but point at Tina and yell. ¡°This bitch! She had the nerve to hit me. I¡¯ll sue her! ¡± Tina just replied coolly, ¡°Mrs. Langford, this is the police station. I¡¯d caution you against slinging mud at me. It¡¯s obvious that you were the one who started the fight. I was only defending myself! ¡± ¡°Of course if you ever try to keep on bothering me, I won¡¯t mind if you talk to mywyer who¡¯s now inside.¡± ¡°You... you...¡± Cindy was astonished by her strong attitude. ¡°That you¡¯re messing around with John Carter makes you think of yourself as Mrs. Carter? You are just a whore. A loose woman who had a baby. You...¡± ¡°Having children makes a loose woman? Then what kind of woman are you?¡± Tina retorted without mercy, ¡°Mrs. Langford must not be thinking clearly after the big fall. You also have a son, remember? You were cursing yourself too.¡± Cindy med with rage, and her words were choked in her throat. All of a sudden, here came another car. When it was still moving, Cindy quickly changed the aggressive look on her face. ¡°Samuel, do me justice! ¡± Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Samuel! If it were just Cindy, Tina would dare to confront her. However, Tina couldn''t deal with Samuel. Without waiting for the car to stop, Tina turned around and ran without hesitation. Cindy was bullied, so Samuel would definitely help Cindy get back at Tina. Tina was not a fool. She wouldn''t wait for him toe to her. Samuel had just gotten out of the car when Cindy rushed to him and wrapped her arms around Samuel''s waist. "Samuel, you have to help me!" Samuel suppressed his disgust and tried to push her away, but he saw that Cindy was in a mess. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Why are you here? And what''s going on?" he asked with a frown. Hearing this, Cindy was happy, and she immediately cried even more pitifully. "I know I was wrong, I shouldn''t have been so concerned about your situation ande to the police station early, but I didn''t have a chance to see you, so I was worried... "But I didn''t expect that I would meet Tina! "To get back at me, she deliberately insulted you and the child, so I was angry and wanted to fight with her. I was thrown to the ground by her..." The moment she said that, Samuel''s face darkened. "Tina? Where is she?" Cindy was a little confused. Wasn''t Tina standing right behind her? Cindy subconsciously turned around and pointed somewhere. " She''s right there... That woman ran away! I knew it. She is crafty. How will she admit it? So she took the opportunity to run away!" "Where did she go?" Samuel asked someone not far away. "She seemed to have run in that direction..." The person was afraid of Samuel and subconsciously pointed somewhere. Samuel did not hesitate to push Cindy away and stride in that direction. "Samuel, where are you going? I know you care about me and want to take revenge for me, but you don''t need to..." Cindy subconsciously wanted to pull him but failed and almost fell again. She was so angry that she stomped her foot. "Damn Tina!" Cindy had thought that by taking advantage of her injury, she could get closer to Samuel. But her n was ruined! Cindy angrily instructed the people around her, "Go and chase after him immediately! Report to me if there is any news!" "Yes, Mrs. Langford." Tina avoided the front door and slipped out through the side door, running as fast as she could. She ran to the street and felt relieved. Luckily, she had escaped! The next moment, Tina''s cell phone rang, and she nced at it. It was John calling her. "Is it handled? I''m nearby. I''lle and pick you upter." "No need..." Tina subconsciously wanted to refuse him but bit her tongue. "I''m at the side door of the police station now. You can go and pick me upter... "By the way..." Tina remembered something else. "I said that I would bring food for Kara. Let''s go to the supermarketter." On the other end of the phone, John couldn''t help but let out augh. "What are youughing at?" Tina was puzzled. "I thought that you would refuse me again. Fortunately, I don''t even need to say angry words. You''ve be smart." John''s tone was as gentle as ever. He took her as his sister. Tina was touched. She hung up the phone and couldn''t help but smile. Just at that moment, a man''s cold voice sounded behind her. "Tina, you''ve had a good time when you weren''t by my side!" Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Tina was startled. She turned around, and instantly, her blood froze all over her body. "Samuel!" She didn''t expect Samuel to catch up and subconsciously looked around. Then she pulled herself up. They were on a busy street, with many people bustling around. She supposed Samuel couldn¡¯t do anything crazy. "Are you making trouble for me?" Tina already given my testimony to the police. If you want to ask anything, please contact mywyer. I''m sorry. You can''t wrong me anymore!" Tina said in a mocking tone. Samuel sneered, "I know you¡¯ve always be ungrateful woman, but I didn''t expect you to change your mind so quickly. You¡¯ve just hooked up with your old lover, John, and then you can''t wait to get rid of me?" ¡®John is not my old me!'' Tina said angrily, "Whe lover! Besides, it has nothing to do with you!" Tina''s wc Samuel approached Tina like a raging lion. Behind Tina v could only watch in fear as Samuel approached her. She felt the scent of tobo emanating from his body enveloping her. "Exin!" He reached out, cupped Tii make her look up at his eyes. Tina was terrified. She cou such a reckless move on her in the open street. '' Has he fo sneered, "You were so shameless getting into my bed and seducing me. Then you got close to my grandmother and got her to force me to leave Cindy and marry you. What''s even worse, you nearly caused Cindy to have an ident when she was pregnant..." "A with me? I may assume that after five years you''ve lost your memory!" Then Samuel¡¯s grip on Tina¡¯s chin gi wasn''t her chin but her neck! Tina was terrified and she s Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. afraid that Samuel might strangle her! "Samuel, let go of Luckily, John arrived just in time. Tina ran toward John h awful. "John, what do you want?" John was gentle yet ha< protecting Tina behind him. He answered,"Mr. Langford, I know that you hate betrayal." "But it was not you will know the truth in a week." "A man should not hi know that, Mr. Carter, the favorite grandson of the duke? ¡°Samuel sneered," Is this what the duke family wants to have on your family name?" Tina didn''t want J, in anger, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®a man should not hit on his friend''s wife¡¯? Your current wife is Cindy. Who are you to interfere with my affairs? " Samuel looked at T Because we haven''t divorced yet!" Chapter 398 Chapter 398 As soon as Samuel''s words came out, John and Tina froze. Tina was in disbelief and could not help blurting out. "How is it possible? Everyone thought I died at that time, and how could we still have a marital rtion?" Samuel sneered. "Tina, things are not as simple as you thought! You thought that after you faked your death, you could elope with Frederick and have no worries?" "Everyone did think you died at that time, but I didn''t find your dead body, so I didn''t believe you''re really dead. There is no reason to divorce until death is dered, so you are still my wife. Do you understand? 11 Tina''s head was buzzing, and she thought, ¡®This... this is a joke, right? How is that possible? If our marriage still exists, then what about Cindy?¡¯ "Then Cindy..." People all over the world knew that Cindy was Samuel¡¯s wife. Samuel didn¡¯t want to exin. He and Cindy had a nominal and fake marriage. 1 He gave Cindy the title and made her child be his heir. He had taken responsibility, and that was enough! "Tina,e back with me at once." Looking at the scene of Tina hiding behind John, Samuel felt annoyed. Tina suddenly shouted, "No! I won¡¯t go back with you! 11 At this time, John finally came to his sense. "Mr. Langford, although you still have a marital rtionship with Tina, as we all know, there is only one Mrs. Langford, Cindy. As for Tina, no matter what, she is my sister. As her brother, I can¡¯t just see and do nothing. " Samuel''s smile became more and more sarcastic. "I knew that the Carter family had always been fond of charity, but I didn''t expect that the Duke''s grandson was so kind-hearted that he treated Tina as his sister." "Whether she was in Freesia then or in Paris now, you took good care of her and even her father''s unknown bastard. People who didn''t know the truth would think you were in love with her." John looked calm, but Tina trembled with anger. "Samuel, you are dirty, but don''t think that people all over the world are all as dirty as you are!" "I''m telling you. Even if we are still married, we can divorce. After all, I don''t have any feelings for you!" "John, leave him alone, let''s go." Tina took John''s hand. This scene made Samuel''s face darker, and his words coldly burst out from his thin lips. "Tina, how dare you!" "Dare? Now there''s nothing I don''t dare. If Mr. Langford doesn''t mind letting passers-by see jokes, you can go on! " Now, they were not in a room but in a busy street. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. If it were not for the untouchable temperament of Samuel and John, the surroundings would be crowded with onlookers. After saying that, Tina took John and ran away. She seemed to have a tough attitude, but in fact, she was so scared that she dared not lookback, for fear of meeting Samuel¡¯s murderous gaze. Fortunately, Samuel didn''t chase them! When they got back to the car, John was the first to say, "I will ask someone I know in Freesia to investigate your marriage with Samuel." When he mentioned Freesia, Tina thought of something and hesitated to speak. "John, I have one more favor to ask of you..." Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Noticing that Tina was nervous, John couldn''t help smiling. "I know what you mean. Don''t worry. I¡¯ll ask someone to tell Frederick that you are safe." Tina became stunned, as she didn¡¯t expect that John could see through her mind. She was very moved, but meanwhile, she felt even more nervous. "Do you also think I have that kind of rtionship with Frederick?" She could ignore Samuel and Cindy¡¯s misunderstanding of her. However, John was so kind to her, and she didn''t want him to misunderstand her rtionship with Frederick. "No. I believe you," John answered in a serious tone. "I didn¡¯t take care of you then. If Frederick hadn''t helped you, I might not have had the opportunity to see you again. I should thank him." As John believed her firmly, Tina didn¡¯t know what to do and became anxious. "I don''t even know how to repay you..." "If you want to repay me, still regard me as your brother." Tina wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Thank you!" The car returned to the vi soon. Hearing the car stop, Kara ran downstairs and shouted happily, "Mummy, you finallye back!" At this moment, Tina suddenly remembered something. ¡®Oops, I promised Kara to go to the supermarket to buy chocte for her, but I forgot...¡¯ At this time, John handed a box of choctes to Tina and said, "You promised Kara to buy it for her, right? Take it." Tina asked in surprise, ¡°Why do you have it?" "Have you forgotten? I always put some sweets that Coco liked in my car," John answered in a gentle tone. Smiling, he added in a low, feeling voice, "Fortunately, now I have you and Kara. Both of you love sweets, so I don''t have to waste them." Tina could sense John''s hidden sorrow. She didn''t dare to mention Coco and thanked John. Then she got out of the car, feeling emotional. She knew that the reason why John treated her so kindly was because of his younger sister, Coco. If possible, she must find Coco for John to repay him. Though John took Tina home, he couldn¡¯t stay here for long, because under the current situation, it was inappropriate for him to continue staying here, lest the rumors about him and Tina would spread and tarnish her reputation. Seeing Tina hug Kara after she got out of the car, John felt warm and relieved. Then he asked the driver to leave. Tina handed the chocte to Kara and said, "Did I lie to you? I said that I woulde back soon and bring you something delicious!" "Yeah, thank you!" Kara rushed up and hugged Tina tightly. Tina also hugged her tightly. However, when Tina let go of Kara, she saw Kara frown and cover her arm... Tina was startled. "What''s wrong with your arm? Have I held you so tightly that your arm hurts?" "No!" Kara smiled immediately, not wanting Tina to worry about her. But Tina was very worried. "Let me check your arm." She lifted Kara''s sleeve and saw bruises. Kara had been weak and sick since she was born, and she always went to the hospital. Her blood vessels were very slender, and the marks on her arm were particrly noticeable! "I just left for a while. What has happened?" Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Tina''s face turned pale immediately. Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Kara was startled. She said cautiously, "Uncle Hunt said that everyone who lives in the vi has to do a blood test, and he brought a doctor. I wasn''t sure, so I called the hospital, and I saw the doctor''s note before they drew my blood. Mommy, don''t worry! I was not tricked!" Tina felt sore in her heart. She was afraid t< You are the smartest. But seeing you hurt makes me feel so bad..." "M< must be tired. Let''s go take a nap, shall we? I haven''t read you a story in a long time." "Great!" Kara nodded her head cheerfully. After Kara''s blood sample in the incubator to another box for transportation. Seeing Tinaing, both Hunt and the doctors were s You took my daughter''s blood sample. I''m her mother, but you all didn''t let me know. Do you think it¡¯s OK?" "Uh..." "I know the duke 1 such a thing to a five-year-old child! What are you trying to do by taking Kara''s blood sample? If you don''t give me a reasonable exnation today, I won''t let it off!" Everyone was shocked by Tina''s find Tina, who was said to be complicated-minded, burst out with such rage. Hunt could only tell the truth, "Miss Lynd, this is the duke''s instruction!" "Although the duke never liked you, he will not leave his granddaughter outside the family..." Tina froze at Hunt''s words. "Wh; great-granddaughter outside of the family?" "The duke said that Mr. ( all these years, Mr. Carter has no other woman with him. So, if Kara turns out to be Mr. Carter''s daughter, the family will definitely not leave her alone." Tina waspletely confused about v his lost granddaughter, Mr. Carter''s sister. If she is not Mr. Carter''s daughter, how can she look so much like Mr. Carter''s sister?" Hunt gave a skeptical look. Tina said, "That''s just a coincidence!" If Kara di< Unfortunately, however, Tina did not have the birthmark that John was looking for. There was no way she was John''s sister. As for Kara''s only take one tube of Kara¡¯s blood. We''ll be sure after the results floor! Pop! T1Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Tina shouted angrily, "Don''t you know what I''m doing? Because of your guess, you drew my daughter''s blood when I was not here. You failed this time, so you will do it again. I won''t give you any chance to do it again!" "Today, I only broke the blood vessel. If you do it again, I won''t let you off easily!" "I appreciate that the duke allows us to live here and temporarily gives me a chance to prove my innocence, but it doesn''t mean that I willpromise!" "Remember! No matter who Kara''s father is, it''s enough that I''m her mother! I won''t allow anyone to hurt her!" "Besides, I know that the duke dislikes me. I''m reluctant to get John into trouble. After I prove my innocence one weekter, I will take Kara to leave here and won''t disturb you anymore!" Tina said word by word and stood up straight and stubbornly. She was just a powerless woman and took her daughter to Pairs alone. What was worse, she was targeted by Samuel and struggled to survive. However, at this moment, as a mother, she was so powerful. The butler was surprised. He had seen many women. All of them were social climbers or hypocritical... Only Tina had the guts to say so! After Tina finished speaking, she turned around and left. The medical workers looked at the blood and broken ss on the ground. They got the blood with difficulty, but it was ruined. "Need we draw her blood for the test again?" The butler shook his head. "You can leave first!" "OK." The medical workers could only leave. The butler looked at the broken ss and recalled what Tina had said. He thought about it and made a phone call... Soon, the duke answered the phone. He asked, "How is it going?" The butler kept silent for a while and said, "When Tina went out for deposition in the morning, we seized the chance and called the medical workers from the hospital to draw Kara''s blood..." Hearing that, the duke became expectant. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Is that so? How long will I get the paternity test report?" The butler hesitated and said, "I''m sorry that I may not be able to provide it to you." "What do you mean?" The butler could only tell the duke what had happened in detail. Hearing what had happened, the duke also kept silent. After a while, the duke said, "Did Tina really say so? She didn''t care about who Kara''s father was and would leave as soon as possible?" The butler said, "Yes." "It seems that she is a good mother! You have dealt with her for a while. How do you think of her?" The butler said, "I heard from Kara that Tina was a famous designer. When the servants cleaned the room for her, they saw her works that were excellent indeed." "Although she has just lived in the vi for several days, I have seen her habits to get along with others. She has never ordered the servants rudely, and her daughter has been well-educated. Her daughter is polite..." "She is able to camouge herself, but her daughter who has been educated and brought up by her is the best mirror to reflect her character. It seems that she isn''t that abominable as the rumor said!" The duke thought about it for a while and said, "Alright, you have worked for John for so many years. I believe that you have a sharp eye. Ask Tina toe to see me." The butler felt surprised. "Oh, my god!" ''The duke ns to see Tina!1 Chapter 402 Chapter 402 The butler sounded very surprised, but the duke snorted and said calmly, "I''d like to see if she¡¯s as bad as they say, or she has a backbone as you say." "Besides, I¡¯ve seen that little girl with my own eyes. If there is no paternity test, how can I rest assured?" "Didn''t she say that no one could hurt her child without her permission? Then I will talk to her and let her know how much benefit it would bring if that little girl became the child of our family." "I¡¯d like to know if she will continue to think about the child, or if she will want to negotiate a higher price!" Only then did the butler learn what the duke was thinking, and he asked, "Mr. Carter, where are you going to meet her?" The duke thought for a while and said, ¡°Ask her to meet me at the resort hotel at three o''clock in the afternoon tomorrow." "Yes." The butler said. It didn''t take long for Tina to hear the news and asked in surprise, " What? The duke wants to meet me?" "Yes, he¡¯d like to talk about the child with you!" said the butler. Tina frowned, feeling angry and helpless. "Didn''t I say that the father of the child is not..." The butler sighed. "But the duke has seen the child with his own eyes. She really looks like Coco." Tina was speechless. Wasn''t it normal for children to look alike? Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. How could she exin it so that the duke would believe that Kara couldn''t be rted to John at all? The butler continued to persuade her, "Miss Lynd, if the child''s father is not Mr. Carter, wouldn''t it be good to clear up this misunderstanding as soon as possible?" "The duke is aging after all, and Mr. Carter has no children. Besides, the little girl just happens to look like his lost granddaughter, and it¡¯s inevitable... " Tina knew that if she didn''t meet the the duke, he would not give up. "Okay, I see. I''ll go over there and meet him," Tina said. "Okay, three o''clock tomorrow afternoon at the resort. Miss Lynd, you¡¯d better get there early. The duke doesn''t like to wait too long. " The butler said again. "Okay." The next day, Tina finished her design draft ahead of schedule. After tucking Kara in, she drove towards the resort hotel. Finally, she arrived at the gate of the resort hotel, "Excuse me..." The moment Tina appeared, the guard said calmly, "Ms., I¡¯m afraid you''vee to the wrong ce. We don''t ept outsiders here." Before Tina came, she naturally knew that this resort hotel catered exclusively to nobles. For example, the Carter family often appeared here. She took out the pass the butler had given her and said, "You misunderstood. I have an appointment." "Oh, you¡¯re from the Carter mansion." When the guard saw the mark on the pass, he suddenly realized something. He looked at Tina''s simple and in clothes and asked, "Are you the new maid?" Tina choked. She didn¡¯t bother to exin it, and said vaguely, " Yeah." "I''ll make sure." The guard said worriedly. Soon, in a room of the hotel, a servant received a call and said with confusion, "What did you say? A maid is here with a pass to the Carter mansion?" "What maid?" There came another voice. It was Mrs. Carter. 3 Chapter 403 Chapter 403 At this moment, Mrs. Carter was enjoying sunbathing in the resort hotel. She was applying a facial mask with a ss of sparkling water in her hand. She looked noble andfortable. It seemed she was in a very good mood. The servant said cautiously, "Madam, a maid is here with a pass to the Carter mansion." Mrs. Carter found it a little weird. "Really? I didn¡¯t ask any maid toe here with a pass. Is something happening at the Carter mansion?" She put down the ss in her hand, took off the facial mask, and beckoned, "Show me." The servant quickly showed the surveince screenshot sent by the guard to Mrs. Carter, "It''s this woman. Do you Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. know her?" Mrs. Carter just ncedzily at it. When she saw the woman¡¯s in clothes in the picture, she said, "How could she be..." "Wait!" Mrs. Carter suddenly widened her eyes when she saw the woman''s face. Oh, that face! It was Tina! Mrs. Carter couldn''t believe it and couldn''t help but blurt out, " How is this possible? Shouldn''t she be in prison right now? How could she show up here?!" She was instantly shocked. Mrs. Carter had set a trap after finding out that Tina was trying to get close to John. First, she bought Tina¡¯s ex-boyfriend off with a lot of money, told him to approach Tina deliberately, and induced her to do things that offended Samuel. Then she sent all the evidence to the Cindy who she believed would ruin Tina. She thought that in this way, Tina would never have any chance to turn the tide. She would just profit from it and stayed Mrs. Carter. However, after confirming that Tina was indeed the little girl she had deliberately sold back then, Mrs. Carter couldn¡¯t wait. She couldn''t wait for Tina to die, so she chose to speed up the n. After receiving the news that Tina was locked up in prison, Mrs. Carter breathed a sigh of relief and came to the resort, ready to rx... But she hadn''t expected that after just a few days infort, Tina would show up here instead of going to jail! Could it be that her n waspletely exposed? Mrs. Carter was so terrified that she almost fell off her chair. The servant next to her was frightened, "Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Carter, are you all right? What''s going on?" The servant asked, "Well, is this maid really from the Carter mansion? Or should I tell the guard to kick her out?" Hearing the servant¡¯s words, Mrs. Carter finally came to her sense. Yes, maid! If her n was exposed, and the truth about Tina being the little girl back then came to light, then how could Tina appear as a maid? Mrs. Carter said viciously, "Kick her out of here immediately!" "Yes, Mrs. Carter, I''ll tell the guard to kick this woman out right now." "No, wait a minute..." Mrs. Carter suddenly realized something and broke out in a cold sweat. "It''s not right. Why does she have a pass to the Carter mansion? What the hell is going on? Tell the guard to ask her about it!" Soon, a message came from the guard. The maid with the pass did note to see Mrs. Carter, but the duke... Mrs. Carter forced herself to calm down. "Let her wait. I''ll make a call to confirm first." "Naturally, we can''t disturb the duke''s rest with such a trivial matter, but you need to ask her what¡¯s going on because we can''t let unidentified people approach him." "Yes, Mrs. Carter." Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Outside the hotel. ¡°Do I still have to wait?¡± Hearing the doorman¡¯s reply, Tina couldn¡¯t help putting on a grim expression and looked at her watch anxiously. She came an hour earlier, thinking that there would be no problem for her to meet the duke. What she didn¡¯t expect was that it took so manyplicated procedures to just get permission to enter the gate.................................................................... Did she have to wait here for more than an hour? However, since she had arrived at the hotel, she had no other way but to wait. She couldn¡¯t call the duke and directly asked him toe out. After all, she was just a nobody. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll wait a little longer,¡± Tina said helplessly. Inside the hotel, Mrs. Carter made a phone call to her subordinate and swore at him. ¡°What a bunch of idiots you are! Didn¡¯t you tell me that Tina has been taken away by the police? Shouldn¡¯t she be put in jail? How could shee out and even show up here?¡± Feeling aggrieved, her subordinate couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Madam, since you were on vacation, we couldn¡¯t get you through on the phone. We didn¡¯t dare to disturb you, so...¡± ¡°You mean this is my fault?¡± Mrs. Carter got even angrier. The subordinate dared not reply. He immediately changed the subject and told Mrs. Carter what had happened a few days ago. Mrs. Carter had been trying every means to prevent Tina from meeting John. However, Tina was lucky enough to meet him by ident, and with John as her guarantor, she didn¡¯t have to go to jail. What was worse, since Tina¡¯s daughter looked so much like Coco, the duke suspected that she might be John¡¯s child and asked them to have a paternity test Today, the duke asked Tina toe over to further discuss this matter. When Mrs. Carter heard the report from her subordinate, she was so angry that she threw everything on the table to the ground. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°This damn bitch! Why is she so lucky? How could she still be alive?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have sold her to a trafficker back then. I should have killed her, and there would be less trouble now! ¡± Mrs. Carter was trembling with anger. What should she do? If she drove Tina away, the duke might get suspicious. However, if Tina met the duke, things would get worse. The duke asked for a paternity test after seeing Tina¡¯s daughter, and if he saw Tina¡¯s appearance, he would know the truth. While Mrs. Carter was anxious like a cat on hot bricks, the servant asked tentatively, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s been half an hour now. Do you want to let that maid in?¡± Mrs. Carter suddenly calmed down. She thought of a good idea, and a smug smile appeared on her face. Since the duke wanted to know more about Tina''s character, she would give them a chance to get to know each other! ¡°She is here to meet the duke, right? I just confirmed that she is allowed toe in,¡± Mrs. Carter said. After half an hour passed, Tina became more anxious. ¡°Have you confirmed my identity or not?¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help asking again. The doorman said impatiently, ¡°Stopining, okay? You¡¯re just a maid, and please don¡¯t think of yourself as a nobledy.¡± At this time, the doorman received a reply from Mrs. Carter, which said that Tina¡¯s identity had been confirmed. Only then did the doorman let her in. ¡°OK, you can enter the gate now!¡± Tina was relieved that she could finally meet the duke. Chapter 405 Chapter 405 After Tina walked into the hotel, she realized that the ce was veryrge. In addition to hotel rooms, there were a lot of entertainment areas, such as big swimming pools and a golf course. "You are the maid, right? Come with me!" A man appeared in front of Tina, ready to show her the way. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Tina nodded and subconsciously looked at her phone. There were only 20 minutes left. She hoped that it was not toote. Suddenly, the man said, "Give me your phone." He reached out to take the phone away. Tina dodged and asked, "What are you doing?" The man sounded impatient. "Are you a maid of the Carter mansion or not? Don''t you know that this is a luxury resort hotel? To protect the duke and other guests'' privacy, the staff is not allowed to take cell phones or other communication devices! "Hurry up and give me your phone. Don''t waste my time." Tina knew that many celebrities had many requirements when they met each other, let alone the duke. She had to hand over the phone. "Alright." The man was satisfied and hurriedly went forward. At first, Tina could keep up with him, butter, he led her to a ce surrounded by green nts. Tina subconsciously looked around, being surprised by these green nts, which were so tall as to block her view. After she turned a corner, the man disappeared. Tina was a bit anxious. "Where is he?" She saw that the road ended and subconsciously looked back, only to see various curved paths. She felt dizzy at the sight of them and had no idea where to go. There were just 20 minutes left. She had managed to get into the hotel, but she got lost. What should she do? Not far away, Mrs. Carter looked arrogantly down at what was going on. She said smugly, "Tina, this nt maze is usually open to rich people. You''re lucky to y in it. "It will take at least half an hour to get out of it." "The duke hates people who arete. Doesn''t he want to meet you? I''m going to let him know that you''re not only material and vulgar but also unpunctual. I''ll see if he still wants to see you!" Mrs. Carter turned around satisfactorily,y back in her chair, and continued to enjoy sunbathing. Meanwhile, Tina anxiously walked around in the nt maze. She didn''t have a cell phone to call for help. After a long while, she got out of the nt maze and kept panting. The person who had just left her behind appeared and said discontentedly, "My goodness! Where the hell did you go? I¡¯ve been looking for you!" Being med by him, Tina was confused. This person left her alone on purpose, didn''t he? She didn''t have time to think about this matter. "Hurry up and take me to the duke." "Are you kidding? You''ve wasted so much time! You''re alreadyte! 11 Tina couldn''t believe it. "What?" The man rolled his eyes and threw her phone in front of her. "Look at the clock. You''ve wasted more than half an hour. It''s long past the appointed time. "How could the duke wait for you? He left long ago. As for you, get lost right now!" Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Tina picked up the phone from the ground and said angrily, "You did that on purpose, didn''t you?" The man was very smug. "Yes, and so what? The duke has already left. If you dare to hit me, just do it. I''ll take you to the police station!" "You!" Tina wanted to say something else, but her phone rang. She nced at it. It was Hunt calling her. Tina didn''t dare to keep him waiting, wondering, ''Could it be that there is some news from the duke?'' She picked up the phone and heard Hunt''s unhappy voice. "Miss Lynd, what''s wrong with you? You''rete. You didn''t even answer your phone!" "I... I identally got lost..." Tina didn''t know how to exin it. She said, "But I''m out now. Where is the duke? Is he still there?" "The duke left a long while ago!" Hunt couldn''t help but sigh. Heined, "I told you that the duke hated people who were not punctual and told you to go over early, but you''ve messed up. "The duke is very angry. Besides, he thinks that a woman like you can''t teach your child well. Since you are not going to let the child return to the Carter family, he doesn''t want her anymore. "Miss Lynd, if you behave better, you and your child may live a better life. It''s a pity that you missed such a good opportunity." 11 j 11 "Forget it, Miss Lynd. It''s useless for you to exin to me. The opportunity has already been missed." Hunt added, "Mr. Carter ising back for dinner tonight, so you''d bettere back early." "Okay." Tina had to hang up the phone. She had wanted to see the duke and tell him that her daughter was not his granddaughter so that he would give up. Now the purpose was achieved, but unfortunately, the process was not as satisfactory as it should be. She couldn''t change the duke''s opinion of her, but Hunt was kind to her and Kara, so she decided to exin to them after she returned home. Tina left the hotel and drove back alone. She remembered what Hunt had said. John wasing back for dinner tonight. She wanted to buy some gifts for him. Tina turned her car around and went to a shopping mall that specialized in luxuries. The shop assistant at the counter had blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked at Tina''s dress and said bluntly, "Madam, this is a luxury store. Have youe to the wrong ce?" In the five years that Tina had been in Paris, she had always dressed casually and concentrated on her design work. Therefore, she hadn''t been disdained by others, but she didn''t bother to care about it. "No. I''m here to buy something." As soon as Tina opened her mouth, she released a different aura. The shop assistant froze for a moment and had to make way for Tina. "What do you want to buy?" "Men''s cufflinks," Tina said. For busy people like John, who wore suits almost all year round, cufflinks wouldn''t be the wrong gift. They would be used at parties. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I see." The shop assistant rolled her eyes, not believing that Tina would buy anything. She directly pointed at a pair of cufflinks and said, "What kind of cufflinks do you want to buy? With diamonds or gemstones? This is thetest one in our store. It isn''t very expensive. Just more than 300,000 dors. Do you want to buy it?" Tina was not satisfied with the style. "I don''t like this one. Please show me the others." Suddenly, a piercing voice came from behind. "Just say it if you can''t afford it! Stop pretending!" Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Hearing the familiar voice, Tina turned around. It was Cindy! Tina''s f< of the man that might be following behind her. Fortunately, Tina loo not there, except for the two maids who were carrying Cindy¡¯s bags. The moment Cindy appeared, the clerk at the counter who had ju looked down on Tina immediately put on a different face. "My goodnes What are you looking for?" Cindy was famous for her generosity in the bought just a few things, it could cover a whole year¡¯s sales of the clerk! Cindy tilted her chin up. She was enjoying thepliments. "I look around. Of course, if Iy my eyes on anything, I will definitely take it. I won''t be like some poor woman. How dare shee to such a luxury store? She''s humiliating herself!" The eyes of th? hatred toward Tina. "Yeah. I''ve seen a lot of such people! Not everyo you are, Mrs. Langford. You are so rich and have a husband who loves you so much! All women should be jealous of you!" "Haha..." T look at other cufflinks. The clerk at the counter followed Cindy around, left alone to look around. She soon found a pair of cufflinks with sapphires that would fit John. Tina''s eyes lit up. She was about to have appeared again. "I''ll take them!" Tina froze for a moment. She knew t for her. As Tina was in a hurry to go home, she held in her anger and said, " Mrs. Langford, what do you mean? I had my eye on these cufflinks first." "You had your eye on these cufflinks first? Did you pay?" Cin didn''t care. She looked at the clerk, "Wrap it up for me. I¡¯ll pay with my credit card!" "Yes, Mrs. Langford," The clerk then took out the cuff rolled her eyes at Tina. "What''s the point of bluffing in front of Mrs. Langford?" Afterward, whatever Tina wanted to buy, Cindy delibe first. Tina got furious, "Mrs. Langford, you are so rich and powerful. Why do you have to bother with a poor woman like me?" Cindy sneered "Why? Don''t you know very well? You are nothing to me. If you hadn''t hooked up with John, I couldn¡¯t wait to sh your face!" "But it seems John isn¡¯t so good to you. Look at you! You''re dressed so shabbily! You look like a maid!" Tina didn''t argue with her. I unchaste mother. She must be looked down upon for the rest of her life!" "In my opinion, you should send her to the red-light district. Maybe she can make some money for you..." Tina could no longer suj Cindy''s face. p! "Shut your mouth, Cindy!" Tina''s eyes looked fri¡ê how dare you pester Samuel" Cindy was clearly shocked, and her eyes disbelief look. After that, Tina left the store. She paid no attention to ? came to her senses a few secondster and started screaming and yelling. Just as Tina was about to go home, a ck luxury car blocked path.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 408 Chapter 408 The windows of the ck limousine fell. A man in a suit V solemn and stern. He cast his eyes on Tina and demanded, "Tina.¡± Tina thought Samuel wouldn''t show up. two bodyguards appeared silently behind her. They were tall and strong and blocked Tina''s way like a wall. Ti She crashed into Samuel. She immediately moved away in the corner like a scared wildcat. She hissed, "Samuel, Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. what are you doing? Let me go!" Samuel was silent. He was papers. Tina got furious. She stared at the locked window the drawn p of the car. She was now like a cat locked in < nowhere to go. The car sped up, and she didn''t know what horrifying ce it would take her... As Samuel was ig and snatched the papers out of his hand. The documents i and confidential. She acted like she was going to shred t and threatened, "Samuel, let me go now! otherwise, I¡¯ll tear up all these papers!" Samuel finally turned to her. Ins were deep and dark, as dangerous as a fierce beast. Goose b scared that her heart was racing. She couldn¡¯t help but swallow. "I''ll do it in ten counts. If you don''t let the driver si tear up all these papers!" "Ten!" "Nine!" Tina started COUI funnily, as if he didn''t believe Tina would dare do it. "Two!" ordered the driver, "Stop the car." The driver immediately s Samuel''smand. Tina was thrilled. ''It seems Samuel I documents...'' The car pulled up slowly at the side of the tried to open the car door. However, she couldn''t find the he mind.¡¯ Why did they hide the car handle? To make it look fancier?'' Samuel stretched out his slim fingers and took Tina¡¯s hand. Tina¡¯s body froze. She tried to break away from Samuel''s clutch. Then his deep voice rang in her ears. "The button. She immediately pressed the button. However... T1 her foot. She said angrily, "Is this the button?" Samuel le like a big enveloping her. The sense of oppression made Tina gasp a little. "The button is, indeed, that one." F Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Hearing Samuel''s words, Tina couldn''t help but stare at him, "What do you mean? Did you regret it?" Tina came back to her senses and added angrily, "Samuel, if you don''t let me go, I''ll..." She was just about to tear up the document In her hand when she found that the document was disappeared. Just now, when Samuel was close to her, he had already taken it away. ''Samuel doesn¡¯t want to let me go. He is deliberately tricking me!'' "Stay away from me! Don¡¯te to me!" Tina looked at him and said in anger. She wanted to push him away, but it was in vain. She only felt his strong chest. No matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t get rid of him. "Samuel, you bastard. I''m going to kill you." "Come on." "You''re so shameless!" Tina was so angry that her eyes turned red. Samuel sneered, "Shameless? Don''t worry. I can do something more shameless. Do you want to try?" Instantly, Tina''s blood all over her body was about to freeze. She was so scared that she trembled. Seeing her reaction, Samuel looked at her with colder eyes andughed, "Are you acting again? Tina, haven¡¯t we had sex before? Besides, you have affairs with so many men. If you give birth to a baby, you won''t know who its father is. What are you afraid of?" "This has nothing to do with you!¡± Tina said angrily, " You made me sick!" "You!" Samuel said while looking at her with murderous eyes. He suddenly strangled her neck fiercely. Tina gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, as if she were ready to die. However, he let go of her. Ignoring her, Samuel said coldly to the driver, "Go to the vi." The driver in the front seat was so scared that he whispered, "OK, Mr. Langford." Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Looking at the road moving backward outside the car window, Tina only felt desperate. She had just escaped from the hardship not long ago, but she was going to fall into the hands of Samuel! Soon, the car stopped outside the vi. Before the servants came to open the car door, Samuel had already taken the initiative to get out of the car. "Mr. Langford, wee..." Before a servant could finish speaking, Samuel walked towards the other car door. The servants looked at each other. ''What was going on? Is there anyone else in Mr. Langford''s car? Could it be Mrs. Langford? However, Mr. Langford didn''t open the car door for Mrs. Langford before.'' The next second, Samuel dragged Tina out of the car and carried her on his shoulders. No matter how she resisted him, he was indifferent. The servants were all stunned. They didn''te back to their senses until long after Samuel and Tina walked away. "Did I see it wrong? That woman seems to be Miss Lynd? IF "My goodness!¡± "I heard that Miss Lynd betrayed Mr. Langford and is going to be put in jail in the police station. Why is she here?" Everyone looked at each other and couldn''t help but gossip. Samuel took Tina upstairs, threw her onto the bed, and said coldly, "Wait here!" Saying that, he turned around and left. Of course, Tina was not willing to wait for him. She looked at the open window and suddenly said, "Even if I die, I don''t want to stay with you!" After saying that, Tina dashed towards the window. Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Tina rushed towards and leaned out of the window. However, she was suddenly held tight around her waist and pulled back by the strong arm of the man. "Hands off..." Tina struggled desperately and tried to pry his fingers from herself, all in vain. The furious man, with a horrible face, threw the woman onto the big bed, "Tina, you wanna die?" "Didn''t you see that? Yes, I wanna die!" Tina looked up without flinching and fear, and said, "I¡¯ve never expected a good end since you caught me!" Samuel broke intoughter angrily. He pinched her chin between the fingers and warned, " Death is too good for you. Listen, Tina, I would not allow you to go die so easily. You had rtionships with other men and almost sold me. You betrayed me again and again. How can I watch you die before I could take revenge?" "If I really betrayed you, I would admit it. But I¡¯ve never done anything like that." Tina felt wronged with anger. "I will never admit what I haven''t done. Mywyer already said that everything would be cleared up soon to prove my innocence. Why wouldn¡¯t you just stop trusting the nderous remarks?" Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Innocence? That''s a ridiculous word for you now!" Samuel continued in a more sarcastic tone, "But that reminds me. John is so sweet and cares about you so much. Yourwyer sent by him is known as one of the best of his profession in Paris. He¡¯s a brilliant talker who has the ability to distort the fact." "Even so, do you think you¡¯re getting away with it? You are mine but you betrayed me and put yourself into other men¡¯s arms behind my back. The evidence is really overwhelming. I will never let you off!" Tina became even more enraged, "You asshole!" She pounced on him with all her force, hopeless about hurting him, but unexpectedly gave him a p across the face. A prominent hand print emerged on Samuel¡¯s pretty face in no time and, several scratches, which seemed like being caused by an angry wild cat, were left on his jaw. He, born with thin lips, looked astonishingly handsome and dangerous, with the blood from his mouth. Tina got frightened. To her surprise, Samuel looked calm and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth in a casual manner. He then asked coldly, ¡°What? Can''t find any excuses? Irritated?" Again, Tina became enraged. "What is it that you said ''you are mine''? Samuel, you should be clear that I''ve never dreamed of being yours!" "Shut up!" "Why? There¡¯s no rtionship between you and me. Who are you to take me as yours? You..." Each word from Tina¡¯s mouth stabbed like a sharp knife into Samuel''s heart. She wouldn''t stop and nned to go on. She failed. A forceful kiss interrupted her. Engulfed by the man¡¯s smell of coldness and mercilessness, she could taste the blood spreading from her lips when it was hard to tell where the blood came from at the moment. Having heard a hissing sound from her clothes, Tina, with tears welling in her eyes, cursed unwillingly, "Samuel Langford, I hate you! Why don''t you just die? !" Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Samuel didn''t stop his movements and sneered, "Really? You hate me? Well, it''s very good. Tina, you''d better hate me forever." Tina closed her eyes, and tears ran down her face. Her fingers, which were pinching the sheet, were pale. Up to this moment, she retained herst stubbornness. All the pain Samuel had inflicted on her, now and in the past, was engraved on her heart at this moment, and she would never forget it. When she woke up, it waspletely dark outside. She had no strength, and she could hardly move a finger. Even if the nearby window was still open, it was hard for her to walk over. "Creak..." Hearing the sound of the door opening, she, who had been a little drowsy, suddenly came to reason. She looked back. Being like a cat in shock, she was a little angry. "Miss Lynd, it''s me," The servant''s voice came from outside the door. Tina breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "What are you doing here?" Afraid of provoking Tina, the servant just opened the door a crack and said in a low voice, "Mr. Langford asked us toe here to clean this room..." Tina sneered, "Then why do you have to ask me? Why not juste in directly and clean the room?" Samuel really wasn''t afraid that she would run away, for he must have known that wherever she ran away, he could get her back. She was like a canary in a cage and was unable to get out of his control. She was putty in his hands easily. The servant felt a little embarrassed. Thinking that Tina was getting into a huff, the servant exined to her, " Miss Lynd, we know you are tired. We didn''t pick this time to clean the room on purpose, mainly because Mr.Langford asked US to help you clean your body." Tina froze and rejected it without hesitation, "I don''t need it." "Well, but ording to your current situation, can you do it yourself?" The servant said. After the servant reminded her, Tina realized that she had no strength to move a little. She gritted her teeth in shame. ''Is this just Samuel''s way of humiliating me? This man is really a devil.¡¯ Then the servants helped Tina to the bathroom to clean her body. After the room was cleaned and the servants were about to leave, bearing her anger and shame in her heart, Tina suddenly cried out, "Wait." "Miss Lynd, what else do you want US to do?" After watching Tina break Samuel''s taboos several times, the servants were trying to please her now. Tina said, "Didn''t he ask you to bring me anything?" "What?" The servants became flustered suddenly, and one of them said, "Miss Lynd, is there something you need? We can go and buy now, or do you want Mr. Langford toe here?" Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "I didn¡¯t mean it. I meant...¡± Tina gritted her teeth and said, "I want to take a brith-control pill." "Miss Lynd, but Mr.Langford didn¡¯t ask US to do that," The servant said perplexedly. "Doesn''t it matter what I say?" Tina was a little angry. "Sorry. Sorry. We are going to get it for you.¡± The servants left the room immediately, but they couldn¡¯t help whispering. "What¡¯s wrong with her? Isn''t she trying to be with Mr. Langford just to have a baby and secure her position? Why does she go the opposite way?" "I''m afraid it''s her trick. You see, Mrs. Langford gave birth to a son, but it didn''t work." "Yes, what you said is right. Tut-tut, this woman is scheming..." Tina closed her eyes and wanted to take a rest for a while. In a daze, she heard the ringtone of a cell phone. Chapter 412 Chapter 412 ''The phone! My phone'' Only then did Tina remember that she originally nned to go back at night, but such a thing happened. Could it be that her cell phone hadn¡¯t been taken away? Was John calling her? The phone rang on the bedside table. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Tina subconsciously picked up the phone. However, on the other end of the phone, there was a ttering female voice. "Samuel, what''s going on? You said that you would pick me up at the mall, and I waited for you for a long while, but you didn''te. Are you busy?" This familiar voice was like a bucket of cold water poured on Tina''s head. She then noticed that the name disyed on the phone screen was Cindy. This is not Tina''s cell phone. ''It is Samuel''s phone. How could he leave such important stuff here?'' In an instant, Tina felt the phone in her hand was a hot potato. She subconsciously threw it back onto the table, not wanting to touch it again. If Samuel knew that she had touched his phone, he would have a reason to nder her again. The phone fell onto the table with a bang. However, the call continued. Cindy was terrified. "Samuel, are you angry with me? I¡¯m sorry. I didn''t mean toin to you. I''m just worried about you. You always work sote. I don''t care whether you can apany me or not. As long as you''re healthy, I''m relieved..." Cindy''s voice was so cautious and humble. Tina couldn''t help but frown. If she were not that familiar with Cindy''s voice, she would have thought it was another person. It seemed that Samuel loved Cindy so much that everyone envied them. It turned out that Samuel was putting on a show. He was a bastard. He was bad to Cindy, his true love who grew up with him. Tina felt it was ironic. Just as she reached out to hang up the phone, a man¡¯s icy voice came from outside the door. "Tina, what are you doing?" Tina was startled, not expecting that Samuel woulde back. She answered weakly, "I''m not..." However, Tina forgot that the cell phone on the bedside table was still connected. The moment Tina spoke, Cindy screamed. "Tina, howe it''s you?" Samuel approached the bed and frowned unhappily. "Why did you answer the phone without my permission? II "Samuel!" Cindy immediately began toin, "I know she must have yed dirty tricks to steal your phone. She wants to harm you. She..." Feeling Samuel''s sharp and cold gaze and hearing Cindy''s nder, Tina was enraged. "What do you mean by dirty tricks? I''m staying in my room, and this phone is on the bedside table. I thought it was my phone and picked it up. Was I wrong?" Tina looked at Samuel angrily. She turned to face the phone and said, "Cindy! Since you have the time to nder me, why don¡¯t you take a look at your face in the mirror? You¡¯re so despicable." "By the way, you''re so good at scheming against others, but why can''t you even tame a man?¡± Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Tina was harsh, and Cindy was mad. Cindy ignored Samuel and scolded Tina. "Damn you!" Tina hung up directly. Then she threw the mobile phone at Samuel. "That''s your mobile phone! Where''s my mobile phone? Give it to me!" Looking at the woman in front of him, Samuel caught the phone and said in a dull voice, ¡¯¡¯It seems that you still have energy." Tina shivered a little. She noticed Samuel''s gaze and thought of Cindy, who just hung up the phone, and sneered. "That''s who you are. You''re so heartless! Cindy has just been hung up by me. You don''t want tofort her. You still think about other things!" Tina decided not to care about Samuel''s feelings. She tried so many times, but she couldn''t escape Samuel every time. Since he wanted to torture her, she could never make him feel better. Samuel suddenly narrowed his eyes and asked, "why do you mention Cindy?" Tina was stunned. "What do you mean? She''s your wife. Don''t you care about her?" Samuel certainly didn¡¯t care. He and Cindy were just nominal husband and wife. Apart from the ident that got Cindy pregnant with Keith five years ago, they never had sex with each other. He had told Cindy not to have any thoughts about him from the beginning. He had fulfilled all his responsibilities and obligations. What else should he care about Cindy? Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Staring at Tina''s face, Samuel suddenly approached and asked, "Do you care about Cindy?" "What?" "Or are you jealous?" Samuel asked. Tina widened her eyes and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Samuel was really crazy. Was she jealous of Cindy? How was that possible? Hearing Tina said that without hesitation, Samuel showed a gloomy expression immediately. He turned and left, mming the door. Tina was confused. She had no energy to care about him. After a while, the servant brought the contraceptive. Without hesitation, she ate it andy down to rest. She couldn¡¯t do anything now and wanted to get better as soon as possible. On the other side, Cindy dared not call Samuel again. She was so angry that she smashed everything in her vi to the ground. "Damn! What a bitch! Damn slut!" Cindy shouted and screamed. At this point, she didn¡¯t have the pride and grace of Mrs. Langford. The servants around ran away in fear of being scolded by Cindy. At this time, the phone rang. Cindy suddenly became nervous. Did Samuel take the initiative to call to exin to her? ? knew Samuel cares about me!¡¯ Cindy happily picked up the phone, but the phone screen showed an unfamiliar number. She was so angry that she couldn''t wait to crush her mobile phone. "Who?!" Cindy said unhappily, "You''d better have something important, or I¡¯ll kill you!¡± "I''m the one who gave you the picture." A mysterious mechanical sound came. Hearing this, Cindy was quite sensible immediately and said, "It''s you!" "It''s me! I know you want to deal with Tina too! Then we can cooperate." "You want me to cooperate with you, right?" "Yes, as long as you do as I say." Chapter 414 Chapter 414 The voice on the other end of the phone was bing lower and lower, but Cindy was getting more and more interested, her eyes shing with excitement. "It''s a great idea! Just do it!" Tina was very tired, but she didn''t sleep well. She dreamed that because she disappeared, Kara sneaked out to look for her. Just when Kara and she were about to meet, a car galloped towards... "No!" Tina opened her eyes suddenly, and her body was full of cold sweat. At this time, the sky was bright, and the sun was shining. Then Tina realized that she had been dreaming. But the moment she remembered that she had been confined by Samuel, she felt cold and upset. "Miss Lynd, what has happened?" The servant''s worried voice came from outside the door. Tina answered, "Nothing! I just had a nightmare!" "Well..." The servant said. "Miss Lynd, it¡¯s time for breakfast. Do you want me to bring it in?" Tina felt more energetic, but she was not used to being served by others. She said, "No. I¡¯ll go downstairs to eat.¡± "OK." "Well..." Tina asked. "Is Samuel at home?¡± "No. Mr. Langford went out early in the morning..." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Great!¡± Tina washed up and went downstairs for breakfast. She had no appetite, but she must eat something, as she didn¡¯t allow herself to be sick. As Tina mechanically put thest piece of steak into her mouth, the sound of a car stopping came from outside the door. Tina stiffened. "Didn''t you say Samuel had gone out? Has hee back?" "Miss Lynd, it''s me!" A woman appeared, and Tina became stunned at the sight of her. "You are..." "I¡¯m Lynne. Have you forgotten me? We metst time. I''m Mr. Langford¡¯s secretary now. He asked me to take care of you." "Take care of me? I don''t need..." Lynne smiled and said very gently, "Actually, I also think that there is no need for me to take care of you, as there are so many servants. Moreover, I am not a professional servant. But perhaps Mr. Langford wants me to send some documents to him. After all, they are all confidential." Listening to Lynne''s words, Tina understood something immediately. ''Samuel must want Lynne to monitor me, probably because he is afraid that I''ll enter his study.¡¯ Tina just wanted to sneer. ''Even if there are so many servants in the vi, he still asked his secretary to watch me. He doesn¡¯t trust me at all.'' "Do as you¡¯re ordered." Tina didn''t talk to Lynne anymore. She took a few more bites of the food and then went upstairs. At this moment, Lynne suddenly answered a call. "Hello? What? Let me pick up Young Mr. Langford from the hospital? Now? Okay..." Tina paused for a moment suddenly and asked, "Is Young Mr. Langford going to be discharged from the hospital? Has he recovered?" When Tina saw Keithst time, he was much thinner than before, which distressed her. Unfortunately, because of Cindy''s appearance, Tina couldn''t stay in Keith''s ward for long. So, Tina didn''t know how he was now... Apart from Kara, Tina only worried about Keith somehow, probably because he and Kara were of a simr age and he was more considerate than his peers. Anyone would like and want to care about children like Keith. Lynne said, "You seem to worry about Young Mr. Langford a lot? How about going with me to pick him up? As Mr. Langford has assigned me many tasks, I can¡¯t finish them on my own!" "Can I go out?" Tina became stunned. Chapter 415 Chapter 415 "Sure, you can." Lynn was surprised, "Or do you need help?" Lynn''s eyes instantly became suspicious. After all, ¡¯ was limping when she was just walking. Tina felt strange. afraid she¡¯d run away? Tina was surprised Samuel didn¡¯t '' the house. Did that mean... "By the way, I can''t find my pho] phone?" "Sure." Tina thanked Lynne, took the phone, and d number as she remembered it. It was John''s phone. Johi but Tina didn''t go back. He was probably worried. However, through, probably it was a strange number to John. Tian he to the Carter mansion. "I have to go out." Tina said. "Youv with you. But before I go to the hospital, I want to go to another ce." "No problem." Lynn replied, "Miss Lynd, let¡¯: car." Tina then told Lynn the address of the Carter mansion mansion''s address, right? You know the duke''s family?" Til misunderstand. She just said, "Yes, sort of." "Is it Mr. Carte had heard a lot of gossip about John and Tina in thepany, and she asked, "I heard, just from the Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Langford can''tpete with you." Tina didn''t care what Ly] security guy stopped her. The security guy at the gate as you have an appointment?" Tina froze. She realized that t had been changed and were not the same ones she knew before. She hurriedly answered, "I''m Tina." "Tina? I''v impatiently, "We''ve seen a lot of people like you. Don''t try to break in again, otherwise, we won''t be so nice to you. Well send you to the police station." "I..." Just then, H knew her. "Hunt! It''s me!" However, when Hunt saw Tina, h a bad feeling... Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Tina didn''te back for just one night. How did thingse to this? Tina was stunned, and she asked, "Hunt, what happened?" "What happened? How dare youe over an about that!" Hunt used to be kind to Tina, but now, he was her. "Send her out! Don''t let her in again! If the Duke know she¡¯s here, he''ll be angry." "Yes." The bodyguard got Hur and took Tina out. Tina was confused. She lunged toward clutched the railing with both hands to keep from being taken away by the bodyguards behind her. She asked anxio understand that the Duke doesn¡¯t want to see me anymore because of what happened yesterday. But how is Kara?" Seeing Tina so anxious, the butler frowned and sai hesitantly, "Don''t worry. Although you can¡¯te in, the duke will raise your daughter and give her a good education." Tina was not relieved at all, but became more s1 the butler''s words. "What do you mean?" "I made it very cle away. She will have a better life than she has now, much better than staying with you." Then Hunt turned arot to Tina any longer. "She''s been taken away? What do you I to tell me!" Tina gripped the railing. She refused to leave. But she couldn''t fight the bodyguards, and she was taken away and shoved down the curb. Tina watched the vi Kara and her, but everything had changed overnight! She \ ground in a daze. Suddenly, Lynne''s exaggerated screams c behind Tina. "Oh my God! Miss Lynd, what''s going on? Wi supposed to find Mr. Carter? How did you get kicked out and sit on the ground? People will think you havee to make a scene." Hearing Lynne''s scream, Tina snapped ba senses. "Mr. Carter? Yes, John!¡± Tina hurriedly Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. demanded, '' Before she finished her sentence, she stopped abruptly. It struck her that she had just called John earlier... But th John at all. Lynne hid the smug smile on her face and pr¨ºt be concerned, "Miss Lynd, I know how you feel right now. But we should hurry to the hospital. We need to pick up Keith.¡± What else could Tina do now? She could c receding scenery outside of the car window, she suddenly understood something. ''No wonder Samuel didi house...¡¯ ''He knew that I couldn¡¯t get into the duke¡¯s house, didn''t need to...'' Tina clenched her fists tightly. She was d find Samuel and ask for an answer! As Tina was lost in thoi okay? If you''re okay, do you mind bringing Keith out of the ward? I''ll go through the formalities." Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Tina was yet to collect herself. Her mind was full of Kara who was taken away, and John, who couldn''t be reached. She gritted her teeth and said, "I won¡¯t go for the time being. I''m going to find John.¡± Since she had no ess to the Duke''s mansion now and couldn''t reach John, the only way left for her was to go to thepany to see if he was there! Lynne¡¯s face suddenly became gloomy. She had long heard that Young Mr. Langford had a bad temper and was a clean freak, and he hated strangers. Lynne wanted Tina toe over and be the fall guy. How could Lynne watch her leave? Lynne stopped being polite to Tina and threatened her. "Miss Lynd, what do you mean? Mr. Langford didn''t send me here to serve you. Now, you want to leave at will. You''re dreaming!" "I''ll only be away for a while, and I''ll be back soon..." said Tina. "Well, go ahead. Mr. Langford sent me to watch you. I''ll wait till youe back!" Lynne put her hands around her chest with a sneer. "Oh, poor Young Mr. Langford. He¡¯s waiting alone in the ward. Won''t something happen to him?" "But even if something happens, it¡¯s not my fault. Miss Lynd, since you do things as you wish without caring about others, I can''t help it!" Tina was bemused and immediately sulked. "You! How can you say this?" "Why can''t I? I''m not Young Mr. Langford''s mother. Why should I bother? Why don''t you leave, Miss Lynd? It would be best if you left quickly. It''ll save me a few more trips to pick up Young Mr. Langford, who''s so high maintenance!" Lynne made it clear that she didn''t care about Keith¡¯s safety at all, making it impossible for Tina to leave at ease. She gritted her teeth, opened the door, and said, "I''m going to the ward to pick him up!" "You should have said that earlier to save so much time! II Lynne said with a flicker of acent smile. Looking at Tina who limped out of the car, she sneered. "Miss Lynd, take your time. How humiliating it will be if you fall identally! Well, since we¡¯re in the hospital, do you need me to help you make an appointment with a doctor?" Tina hade to the hospital several times. She endured the pain and found the ward where Keith was. "Knock, knock, knock." She knocked on the door of the ward. Keith''s cold voice came from the ward, "I''m still packing up, wait!" Tina breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing this sound, she guessed Keith was doing great. Before long, Keith opened the ward. At this time, he had changed the patient''s clothing, dressed in a well-tailored suit. He had a straight look. Young as he appeared, he had a momentum that couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Rolling a small suitcase, he froze for a moment upon seeing the figure standing outside the ward door. A trace of joy showed on his cold face. "Why are you picking me up?" Keith was delighted at first, then worry took hold of him. His eyes averted to her both sides. "No, how could it be you..." Tina immediately understood Keith''s worry. Last time, she was driven out by Cindy who suddenly appeared. Her heart softened, and tears almost fell from her eyes. "Yes, it''s me. I pick you up today. Don''t worry." As she said this, she bent down and gave Keith a big hug. Holding Keith in her arms, Tina thought of Kara, who was the same age as him, and finally could no longer holdback her tears. Keith stiffened, not used to being hugged like this. However, he had no aversion to Tina''s care for him. When he felt Tina''s tears falling on his neck, Keith went nk for a moment and asked, "What''s wrong? Did you cry?" "I''m so happy to see you!" Tina hurriedly exined. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Really?" Keith doubted with a frown. Listening to the child''s innocent words, Tina didn''t want to continue lying to him, so she changed the topic. "Forget it. Your discharge procedures should bepleted now. Let''s go." Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Keith didn''t feel right. When he was about to say something, Tina took his hand and walked forward. When he felt Tina was holding his hand, Keith was speechless. Then, he raised his delicate little face and looked at Tina with aplicated look in his eyes. Keith thought, "Is this what it¡¯s like for a mother to touch her child?" He finally felt the loving touch of a mother from Tina since he grew up. However, what he did not expect was that Cindy, his real mother, whom he had been trying to save, would treat him that way. He found that Cindy was very different from what he thought she was. When Lynne saw Keith being led out by Tina, she felt some disbelief. "Gee! How could Keith let Tina hold him and walk out?" She deliberately asked Tina to pick up Keith from the ward because she wanted to make her a scapegoat and make her suffer in front of Keith. However, Lynne didn''t expect that Keith would let Tina lead him out now! Lynne thought, "Is Keith not as bad-tempered as rumors have it? " At this point, Lynne felt very remorseful. She should have gone to pick Keith up! Samuel only had one son, Keith. Although Keith was still very young, he had be the heir of the Langford Group. If she could win Keith''s affection, wouldn''t it be easier for her to gain a foothold in the Langford Group? Besides, if she got along well with Keith, she might get Samuel to look at her differently. And she would be able to keep her job. The more Lynne thought about it, the more she thought it was a possibility. Then, she couldn''t wait to walk over to Keith. "Mr. Keith Langford, I''m the secretary Samuel sent to pick you up. I¡¯m Lynne, and I''m the one who will be taking care of you. We''re going to get along well from now on." Lynne had a ttering smile on her face. Keith said in a cold tone, "Did you send her to pick me up?¡± He had wondered why Tina had suddenly cried. Now, it seemed that she must have suffered from this secretary''s bullying! The moment Lynne opened her mouth, all she said was to humiliate Tina. "Samuel only sent me to pick you up. But I didn''t expect this woman to be so shameless and follow me here. And she went to your room while I was going through the discharge formalities for you. She''s too devious!" "Alright, you can leave now. I''ll take care of Keith." Lynne said in a rude tone. Then she reached out and tried to separate Tina''s hand from Keith''s. However, Keith''s expression suddenly changed. "Snap!" He pped Lynne''s hand away as hard as he could! "Stay away from me!" Keith uttered these words in a merciless tone. Even though his voice sounded childish, it was a little scary, and it sounded exactly like Samuel''s tone! Lynne was startled. "Keith, what do you mean by that?" "What do I mean?" Keith sneered. "I am a clean freak. I don''t like women who wear a lot of makeup. And please brush your teeth properly before you leave the house. You''re full of crap! Your mouth smells bad." Keith looked cold when he had a stern face. When he spoke, his words sounded harsh! Not only Tina but also the passers-by could not help butugh out loud! In an instant, Lynne blushed and went furious! Although Tina didn''t like Lynne, she felt good when she saw Lynne being humiliated in public. However, Keith''s physical condition was more important. Then she tried to exin, " Lynne, you may not be familiar with Keith''s personality. He doesn''t like strangers very much, so his words might sound harsh." "Now he just got out of the hospital. Let''s go back! Let¡¯s not stay here for too long." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. However, Lynne didn''t even want to do as Tina said. When she looked at the expression on Tina''s face, Lynne felt angry. She felt that Tina must have deliberately said something bad about her to Keith behind her back when she had picked him up. Otherwise, how could a kid humiliate her? "How dare you call young Mr. Langford by his name?" Lynne¡¯s tone was aggressive. "Miss Lynd, don''t me me for not reminding you that you are just an outsider. Don¡¯t take yourself too seriously!" Then, in an angry tone, Keith added, "Let me teach you a lesson! She can call me by my first name. However, you take yourself too seriously. The consequence for you is that you¡¯re fired!" Chapter 419 Chapter 419 At this time, not only was Tina surprised but also Lynne couldn''t believe it. "What did you say? Fire me? Why?" "Why? Because I am the future heir of the Langford Group and I have the right to make this decision!" Keith turned around mercilessly and left with his suitcase. Lynne immediately became anxious and red at Tina, thinking, ¡®It''s all because of this damned woman. I should have gone to pick up Keith. Then I wouldn¡¯t be fired. I was set up by this bitch!¡¯ "Young Mr. Langford, wait a minute. Let me exin. I''m not..." Lynne tried to stop Keith, but then she saw him suddenly stop and turn around. With a smile on her face, Lynne thought she still had a chance! "What are you waiting for? Why don''t you keep up with me?" Keith frowned, directly ignored Lynne behind him, and said to Tina, who was still in a daze, "Tina, you come to take me home instead of standing here in a daze! Let¡¯s go!" Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Maybe it was because Keith was a dead ringer for Samuel, Tina''s heart tightened in an instant, and she was shocked by such a five-year-old child! "OK, I see." Tina hurried forward. Keith held out his hand with great dignity. "Hey, don¡¯t walk so fast. Have you forgotten that I''m just a five-year- old child? You have to hold me!" "Uh..." For a moment, Tina felt that she could not keep up with his rapid change! Keith Just now was ruthless and simply a living copy of Samuel, and she dared not breathe when he ordered. But now he said he was just a five-year-old child. Enduring the impulse toin, Tina continued to hold Keith''s hand and led him to the car parked outside the hospital. Just as Tina had just put away his suitcase and was ready to get into the car, Lynne came to her senses and immediately stood in front of the car. "Miss Lynd, what do you mean? Are you going to leave me alone? Since you are so ruthless, then I want to tell you if you drive me away, you''ll definitely be punished when President Langford asks." Lynne uttered in a somewhat threatening tone. Lynne was indeed sent by Samuel to monitor Tina. If Lynne ndered Tina in front of Samuel, Tina would have an unluckier life. However, Keith sneered, "Are you using President Langford to threaten Tina? Have you forgotten that I am President Langford''s son? I think he will trust me more than an outsider like you!" For a moment, Lynne was in a cold sweat. "Young Mr. Langford, that''s not what I meant..." Lynne did not expect that Young Mr. Langford would protect this damned woman again and again. She couldn¡¯t help asking in her heart, ''Why on earth is that? ording to Young Mr. Langford''s temper, it shouldn''t have developed like this!¡¯ "If that''s not what you meant, then get out of the way." Keith immediately began to count down. "Three, two, one..." Lynne was so frightened that she had no choice but to run away in a mess. Meanwhile, her cell phone rang. Looking at the name disyed on the screen, Lynne was surprised to get on the phone, "President Langford!" "How is Keith?" Samuel''s deep voice sounded. Lynne thought of a n and suddenly burst into tears. "President Langford, I¡¯m sorry! I missed Young Mr. Langford. Miss Lynd picked up Young Mr. Langford and left ahead of me. I don¡¯t know where she went!" Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Keith snorted contentedly when he saw the annoying person leave. He nced at Tina sideways and said, "Well, get in the car quickly. I''m in a hurry to go home!" Tina had to get in the car and couldn''t help but ask, " You hate that woman so much?" "Of course! I don¡¯t like such a dishonest woman!" Hearing the word "dishonest", Tina trembled with shock. He was indeed Samuel¡¯s son, and the words they chose were so simr. She held the steering wheel and continued, "I''m also a dishonest woman. Why didn''t you drive me away too?" "You? You¡¯re dishonest?" Keith looked a little surprised, and he blurted out, "How is that possible?!" Hearing Keith''s words, Tina immediately felt a littleforted. She said, "Yeah, that''s what Samuel said about me." Tina sounded casual, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel upset in her heart. Samuel believed that she was a dishonest woman who had betrayed him again and again. No matter how she exined or how much she wanted to get rid of him, she would be taken back to be tortured by him for revenge!Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Oh, he said that?" Keith snorted coldly, andined unceremoniously, "He''s getting old, and maybe he¡¯s a little confused now!" Tina didn''t know how to respond. Finally, she chuckled. "Don¡¯t you believe what I said because you think it''s funny?" Keith was a little upset, and his face darkened. Tina quickly exined, "No! I believe in you! I just didn''t expect you to be so harsh on Samuel!" Keith asked curiously, "Then are you feeling better?" "Of course." Tina nodded again and again. She couldn¡¯t help smiling. Samuel deserved it! It seemed that she was not the only one who thought so. Even his son thought there was something wrong with him! Tina had been quite upset, but she felt much better because of Keith''s appearance... But halfway, Tina suddenly thought of something and cried, "Oops!" "What''s wrong?" Tina was suddenly a little nervous. "I forgot to ask you where you were going, and I¡¯m subconsciously driving back..." "Back to where? Where did youe from?" Keith asked. Tina hurriedly gave him an address. Keith waved his hand and said casually, "It doesn''t matter. It''s the property of our Langford family anyway. You can stay wherever you want. Just drive on!" Tina fell silent. As the future heir of the Langford Group, he sounded confident indeed. This time, Tina did not hesitate anymore and drove back to the vi. When Tina got out of the car, a maid greeted her and asked, "Miss Lynd, I remember you went out with Lynne. Why did youe back alone now?" Before Tina could speak, there came Keith¡¯s unhappy voice from the back of the car, "She¡¯s not alone." As soon as he said these words, the servants and maids were all dumbfounded, and someone asked in disbelief, " Young master, why are you here?!" Keith jumped out of the car, and said with a frown, " Why, I can''t be here?!" The people around didn¡¯t dare to say another word, but they couldn''t help sweating. Miss Lynd was now Mr. Langford''s secret lover. When Keith appeared here, people would probably think they were a family of three! What the hell was going on!? Chapter 421 Chapter 421 The servants didn¡¯t dare to say anything. Keith got out of the car and followed Tina into the vi. There were many rooms in the vi, and the servants took Keith to the best room. "Young Mr. Langford, please wait a moment and hand your suitcase to US. We''ll sort out the stuff in your suitcase..." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Unexpectedly, Keith frowned and said in a harsh tone, " Don¡¯t touch my suitcase!" The servants were too frightened to move and looked at one another in fear. They didn''t forget that Keith disliked others touching his stuff. But as they saw that Tina took his suitcase from the car trunk just now, they thought that Keith had changed. But unexpectedly, Keith was still the same. The servants didn¡¯t dare to argue with Keith and immediately replied obediently, "Okay, Young Mr. Langford. Then we¡¯ll clean up the room..." "No need!" Keith said coldly. "I can tidy it up by myself.¡± Keith hated others touching or moving his things casually. Moreover, even if he only stayed here for several days, he didn''t want others to go into his room. "But...¡± The servants didn¡¯t know what to do. They had heardints from the servants in the Langford family that apart from Mrs. Langford, Young Mr. Langford was also difficult to serve. They didn''t expect that this little demon woulde to this vi suddenly... What should they do? Tina could notice that the servants became anxious. But she was worried that Keith was still weak, as he had just been discharged from the hospital. It was inappropriate for him, a five-year-old and weak boy, to tidy the room up on his own. "Could I clean up the room with you?" Tina asked. Keith couldn''t help frowning. Tina thought he was going to refuse, but unexpectedly, he snorted and agreed. "You can help me clean up the room, but don''t cause any trouble!" Tina only felt amused and a little helpless. Keith said as if she was a five-year-old child. "Okay, okay, I see. I won''t cause trouble!" The servants breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Young Mr. Langford, it''s almost time for lunch. What do you want to eat? We¡¯ll ask the chef to prepare it!" Keith frowned. "I don''t have an appetite. I don¡¯t want to eat anything." "How can you not eat anything? You are growing now. Besides, you have just recovered. If you are so willful, you¡¯ll go to hospital again," Tina couldn''t help saying. Keith felt a little unhappy. "Willful? What do you mean? Do you mean I''m causing trouble without reason?" Tina would not argue with Keith in terms of other things. But at this moment, she said very seriously, ¡± Yes, you are just being willful now." "I said that I had a bad appetite. I just don''t want to eat..." "No! You have to eat something!" Tina said in a serious tone. "I know that you don¡¯t want to eat because you are not feeling well. But if you don¡¯t eat, you''ll feel even more ufortable. Don''t harm yourself, okay? ¡± Keith became stunned, as no matter what he had said in the past, no servants dared to refute his words. It was the first time that his words had been refuted harshly. He became unhappy because he felt that he had lost face. But he also felt close to Tina at this time. When he lived in Tina''s home during that period, she treated Kara in the same way. She was tender and strict. Keith made a concession, but he asked willfully, "Well, I can eat some food. But can you cook?¡± Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Tina thought Keith would reject her again. After all, the 1 stubborn and would not be easily persuaded by others. Uni as the young master of the Langford house. "I''m not going or if it''s not good." "No problem!" Tina agreed. Keith said tl Michelin dishes but difficult to cook. Luckily, Tina was go Paris, she used to cook all kinds of food for Kara to make her happy. Keith knew that Tina was good at cooking, but : know that she had cooked all those dishes he had just ordered. Tina sighed with relief. ¡®Looks like this little brat ; eat today!'' After agreeing on the meal, Tina tidied up Kelt anyone touch it. He wasn''t willing to open it and let Tina see what was inside until that moment. There was a small leaf bookmarks in it, and at the bottom, a picture of a family... The photo looked old. It was delicately framed. Th( edges of the frame were a little worn. Tina''s face stiffene people in the photo... They were a happy family... Samuf wedding dress. They were smiling particrly happily. Th He didn¡¯t see Tina''s stiff expression. He pped his hands and had a satisfied smile. "It''s done!¡± Keith looked al loved his parents in his heart, right?¡¯ But Tina''s presence re supposed to give this child mass of happiness, even though she didn¡¯t intend to... Tina felt so awful that she Wc said, "Your room is ready. I''m going downstairs to cook the meal...¡¯¡¯ Before Keith could respond, Tina hurriedly left 1 room, as if she was running away. However, just Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. as she Wc kitchen to cook for Keith, she ran into a man''s chest at the corner of the stairs. Tina felt dizzy and sore in her nose. She caught the familiar scent of tobo on the ma body and her emotions, which she had been holding back, burst out. "Samuel, why are you standing here in sile Why did you go to pick up Keith and bring him here without permission? What do you want to do to him?" Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Samuel''s eyes were so cold and fierce, staring at Tina. Tin but raise her hand and p him across the face. p! Not couldn¡¯t believe she had pped Samuel without hesitance! "Tina!" Samuel called her name through his cl'' if he was going to kill her. After that p, Tina managed t Samuel, you''re suspecting me again, aren''t you? Are you Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. worried that I''m going to hurt your son?" "I never forgot wh in the driveway all of a sudden, and she had almost hit him. Andter Keith was taken to the hospital... Tina didn but Samuel also thought she deliberately tried to kill Keith! "It seems my p was not in vain. If I could, I would ( you another p." Tina hissed. "You!" Samuel''s eyes grew n nders anymore!" Tina exploded and she pushed Samuel He easily caught her hands. "Are you crazy?" Samuel said She could finally vent her indignation. "I wondered why yo I could still get out. I didn¡¯t know it until I was kicked out by the duke''s security. You knew that already, didn¡¯t you?" "And you still wanted to escape?" Samuel''s tone V grim. He curled his lips and had a mocking smile. "It¡¯s a pit remember? When are you going to believe it?" Looking at Tina wanted to give him another p. Unfortunately, her w Samuel that it hurt as if her bones were shattering. Tina''s f teeth, "I can¡¯t run away now. I don''t have any ce to go. And my only daughter is sent somewhere I don¡¯t know..." Tina felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart at the thought that she had never spent much time with her daughter over the years and that she now had no idea where Kara was. It hurt so much that she couldn''t breathe. "Where do I run to? I had no ce to go! I had to : Lynn to the hospital to get Keith back and listen to your false usations against me!" "If you thought I would hurt to the hospital yourself? You don¡¯t care much about your son, do you?" "Keith is so smart and well-behaved. A happy family, but you cannot cut me off..." "You can¡¯t even I taunted, "Samuel, you''re such a hypocrite! You''re disgusting!" Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Tina spoke very fast and touched Samuel¡¯s raw nerve. Sure enough, Samuel''s face became angry. "Tina, are you courting death?" He pinched Tina''s slender and fragile neck. Tina felt the man''s fingers tighten little by little, and her heart seemed to be beating violently, but she was not afraid at all. "Yes, I''m courting death. It would be better if you could give me a quicker death than being tortured and Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. humiliated by you!" Tina closed her eyes and looked somewhat determined. Samuel looked at Tina, his eyes became more and more frightening, and his fingers tightened hard. ? should have done this a long time ago!¡¯ ? should have strangled this damned woman earlier, so as not to be betrayed by her again and again and to be med by her like this!¡¯ Samuel''s hands were getting tighter and tighter. Tina was gradually out of breath, but she still clenched her teeth. She could feel the anger and cruelty that erupted from Samuel. However, she would never admit defeat, let alone bow to a man like Samuel! They were in a deadlock. Samuel¡¯s furious appearance made the servants passing by tremble with fear. Watching the frightening scene, the servants dared not let out a scream and directly knelt on the ground... Just then, a childish voice came from the aisle. "What are you doing?¡± Keith actually came out of the room! Almost at the moment of hearing the sound, Samuel suddenly threw Tina aside. "Get away!" Tina''s consciousness was vague as if she had just been fished out of the water, and she felt so heavy that she couldn''t use her strength. But she knew that Keith hade out. When she faced Samuel, she had countless ideas to get back at him to let him get the retribution he deserved. But in front of Keith, she only felt ashamed and dared not stay here any longer. Using a little strength left, Tina supported herself to get up and stumbled away. Seeing her awkward appearance, Keith felt a little angry, and his face was extremely cold. He was a living copy of Samuel. "What do you mean?" He asked. "What do I mean?" Samuel said coldly, "You are clever. Don''t you know that this woman is intentionally approaching you? Last time, she almost killed you, but today you dare toe back with her!" "I..." In an instant, Keith clenched his fist and thought, ¡¯ Last time, it was clearly a misunderstanding. No, to be exact, it was not a misunderstanding at all, but I was deliberately framed by Cindy, who was my birth mother! My birth mother, Cindy, pushed me out without hesitation and almost killed me in front of the car Tina was driving.¡¯ However, he could not say this secret, and it could only be deep in his heart. Once he said it out, his birth mother would suffer a lot! Even if his mother didn¡¯t like him, she gave birth to him, and she was kept under house arrest by his father for so many years. "I can see that she definitely didn''t mean it! She''s not that kind of person!" Keith said word by word, "Besides, what good would she have if she really killed me?" Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Keith tried to defend Tina in front of Samuel. However, Samuel sneered at what Keith had said. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "She has no benefits to kill you? She will have a lot of benefits. She hates your mother and me. She wants to take revenge on US, so she gets close to you!" Keith fell into a trance and refuted, "No! It''s impossible! She isn''t that kind of person. I can feel it..." "Feel it?" Samuel said coldly, "She just puts on acts in front of you! She has deceived me again and again. She even has deceived you. It seems that she is not simple." "I don¡¯t believe what you have said." Keith started to panic. Then he thought about the moments when he got along with Tina and calmed down. What had happened between them appeared in his mind. "I believe what I have seen. If she wanted to kill me, she had countless times to kill me, but she didn''t!¡± "When we came back on the way alone, she didn''t have the slightest thoughts of hurting me!" "After we came back, she cleaned up the room with me actively. When I had no appetite, she advised me to eat some and take care of myself..." Keith clenched his fists and said, "If she wanted to hurt me, she wouldn''t say so!¡± Although he was only five years old, he was neither stupid nor blind. These people, who wanted to get close to him with ulterior motives, were obsequious. Besides, their moves were so stupid that he didn¡¯t bother to pay any attention to them. Only Tina was different. She regarded him as a five-year -old kid to take care of. But she didn''t regard him as a kidpletely. Shemunicated with him equally. It was the first time that he felt maternal love... Thus, she wouldn''t hurt him! Keith''s tone was so firm. It was the first time that Samuel saw Keith defending a person so firmly. ''The damn Tina!'' Samuel hated Tina even more. ''How does Tian bewitch Keith? Keith believes her so much...¡¯ "If outsides hear what you have said, they may think that Tina is your mother!" Samuel said predominantly, "Don''t forget that your mother is Cindy. You are rted to her by blood." "Besides, no matter how Tina takes care of you and cares about you, she has a beloved daughter!" "Last time, she chose to betray me with her ex boyfriend for her daughter. If someone threatens her with her daughter''s life to kill you, how will she choose? II Keith fell into a trance. ''Dad is right. No matter how she cares about me, I¡¯m not her son...'' ''Only Kara will get her whole love.¡¯ Keith''s face turned pale, but he insisted. "I still believe that she won''t hurt me. It¡¯s impossible! Such a thing won¡¯t happen!" "You¡¯re too na?ve!" Keith sneered, "I will arrange for someone to drive you home. Pick up right now." "I won¡¯t go home." Keith refused fiercely. "I will stay here and won''t go anywhere else!" "Keith, what do you mean?" "Even if Ie home, you won''t care about me at all!" "As my father, when I got injured and was hospitalized, you just went to see me asionally and left immediately! Only carers took care of me!" "My mother always follows you. It won''t make any difference where I¡¯m." Keith''s tone was filled with sarcasm. "I believe that she will take care of me well. It¡¯s enough!" Samuel looked at the stubborn Keith and felt annoyed. At this moment, Keith was like Tina so much! "Tina taught you that, right? Alright, now that you insist on staying here, don¡¯t me me that I haven''t reminded you." Samuel was reluctant to argue with Keith anymore and left without hesitation. Keith clenched his fists tightly. He didn¡¯t believe what Samuel had said. He believed that Tina wouldn¡¯t hurt him. When he stayed by her side, he would figure it out and prove her innocence! Chapter 426 Chapter 426 After Samuel left, all the people in the vi still didn¡¯t dare to say a word, as if they were still scared by Samuel''s wrath just now A screeching car horn sounded outside the door. Lynne appeared again. She pushed the door open and said, "What¡¯s going on? Why are you all standing here?¡¯¡¯ Only then did those servantse to their senses. "Miss Wuther, you''re back...¡± "Yes, I¡¯m back!¡± Lynne said between gritted teeth. It was so embarrassing that she was just driven away from the hospital by Young Mr. Langford. Fortunately, she received a phone call from Samuel in time. After she spoke ill of Tina, he directly flew into a rage. Tina must be having a hard time now! Thinking of this, Lynne immediately asked with expectation, "Where is Miss Lynd? Why isn''t she here?¡± "Miss Lynd...¡± The servants looked at each other, and judging from their subtle expressions, Lynne knew what had happened. She felt extremely good. That fucking bitch would never act arrogantly in front of her again! How dare she gossip about her in front of Young Mr. Langford? As a result, she made a fool of herself and was even driven away by him. But she was d that Samuel had taught Tina a good lesson. "I¡¯m going to see Miss Lynd." Lynne hummed happily and went upstairs. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Tina''s miserable appearance. However, a small figure suddenly appeared in front of her. Keith frowned and looked down at her. "You have been driven away, right? How can you still be here?¡± Lynne got a fright and took a few steps back. She almost directly fell down the stairs. "Young Mr. Langford, why are you still here? Shouldn''t you have left with Mr. Langford?" Hearing this, Keith narrowed his eyes. He finally knew why Samuel suddenly appeared here and even shed with Tina It turned out that Lynne was behind all this. Just now in the hospital, she tried her best to discredit Tina in front of him. After being driven away, she must have made up more lies to nder Tina. The servants didn¡¯t know about the whole situation, and they exined it to Lynne. "When Mr. Langford left, he told Young Mr. Langford to stay in the vi!" "What? How Is this possible?" Lynne was startled. " Young Mr. Langford is his own son. How could he be left here alone?¡± The servant nced at Keith and exined in a low voice, "They seem to have had a quarrel. It was Young Mr. Langford who wanted to stay in the vi, and Mr. Langford was particrly angry when he left here..." When Lynne heard this, her eyes immediately brightened. It seemed that she had really killed two birds with one stone. Her n not only made Tina suffer, but also made Keith have an argument with his father. Keith walked down the stairs and said coldly, "I''m hungry, and I want to eat something. Also, you need to go and find a doctor.¡± The servants immediately became nervous. "Young Mr. Langford, are you feeling unwell?" "Not me!" Keith pursed his lips and said, "Find a doctor to check that woman¡¯s injury." He still remembered Tina was a little limping when she came to pick him up, and she had almost been strangled to death by Samuel She must have been badly injured, and she really needed a doctor. The servant immediately answered, "OK, I¡¯ll go to find a doctor..." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Lynne rolled her eyes and said, "No, I don¡¯t agree!" Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Keith''s eyes suddenly turned cold. "Who are you to disagree?" Lynne was scared by his eyes and became even more annoyed. He was just a five-year-old kid. ''If your father is not Samuel, how can you be able to order me?'' ¡±1 am the secretary sent by Mr. Langford, and I will take care of this vi. I have the right to intervene in Miss Lynd''s affairs. "Also, now Mr. Langford and Mrs. Langford have no time to take care of you, so I am now your guardian!" A light of viciousness shed in Lynne''s eyes. This abominable boy humiliated her. Since she had the chance to get back at him, she wouldn''t let him go. "Guardian? You are not worthy!" Keith said bluntly, " Drive her out of my house." "I''ll see who dares!" Lynne looked at the crowd. The surrounding people were in a dilemma. Keith was the future heir to the Langford Group, but he was only 5 years old. Lynne was a secretary, but she was sent over by Samuel and was rmended by Mrs. Langford. They were servants, so they didn''t dare offend Lynne. "Young Mr. Langford, Ms. Wuther is right." "Yes, yes. Ms. Wuther is helping you. She was sent here by Mr. and Mrs. Langford. She won''t harm you." "As for Miss Lynd, did she say something to you? You are young and can''t see people''s true features. Don''t be fooled by that woman." At once, all the servants were on Lynne''s side. No one supported Keith. He was so angry that he clenched his fists and said, " How can you do this?" He knew these guys were snobbish, but he had never expected them to be so disgusting. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Lynne was gleeful. "Stop it. Young Mr. Langford is angry. What if he gets sick and has to stay in the hospital again?" "Young Mr. Langford just said he was hungry and wanted to eat. Why don¡¯t you serve food right now?" Soon, the dining table was filled with all kinds of food. Keith, however, had no appetite at all, and when he saw the dishes that he didn''t like, he frowned. "These are not what I want to eat. Cook another meal for me!" "No!" Lynne said, "You are five years old. How can you still be picky about food? You are the heir to the Langford Group. You should behave yourself." "I don¡¯t like these dishes. I don¡¯t eat onion, ginger, garlic, ortro!" Keith said coldly. "That''s true. The cooks didn''t know that Young Mr. Langford hade back, so they made a mistake," the servant said. Lynne put on a disdainful look. "So what? Eat it! You''re spoiled. Onion, ginger, garlic, andtro won''t kill you!" "You!" Keith¡¯s face darkened. Lynne was overjoyed. This boy was arrogant in the hospital. Now that he was controlled by her, he had to do as she asked. "Or do you want me to feed you?" Lynne deliberately picked up a spoon oftro andmanded the surrounding servants. "Hold him! I''m going to make him change his bad habit!" Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Til see who dares!" Keith said coldly, trying to struggle. Yet, even if Keith''s momentum was so much like Samuel''s, he was now only a five-year-old child, so he could not resist these servants who were used to manual work. Soon he was captured by these servants. Lynne walked toward Keith slowly. Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from behind, asking, "What are you people doing?" Lynne was startled. The hoarse voice was scary as if it were from a demon who hade out of hell. She immediately looked back and then found that it was Tina! After running away from Samuel, Tina had wanted to stay in the room to have a good rest. But she never forgot that she had promised Keith she would cook a meal he liked for him. No matter how ufortable she was, she had summoned all her remaining strength toe downstairs. Even if she could only cook one dish, that was good. But she had not expected to see such a scene! Seeing her appearance, Lynne said proudly at once, "Oh, I was wondering who it was! Miss Lynd, you also finally came downstairs to have a meal?" "Hey, what are you people doing?!" Tina asked. Lynne instantly said impatiently, "What am I doing? Of course, we¡¯re trying to help Keith get rid of his picky habit about food! He''s so young, but he doesn''t eat so many things. What will be of him when he grows up like this? I''m doing this for his good!¡± Tina took a deep breath. She could not suppress her anger anymore. "Stop your fu*king nonsense!" The four words instantly shocked everyone around them. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Tina had been living in the vi for so long, but they had never seen her get so angry! And simply because of Keith! "No matter how picky he is on food, do you have to force him to eat like this?" "And there¡¯s a reason why he doesn¡¯t eat these things: he is easy to be allergic with his physique. You know nothing, but you want to force him to eat. You are out of your mind!" Tina would never forget that back then, when he was locked up in the attic by Cindy as a punishment, Keith had got a fever and even been allergic, because of too much dust. He had a special physique, and Lynne was doing this to kill him! "You have no right to tell me what to do!" Lynne went furious and continued, "Someone, lock up this mad woman! She has just done something wrong, making Mr. Langford angry. Mr. Langford will punish her!" "Mr. Langford will punish me? But you''ll be the first one I punish!" Tina was now quite weak, but she could easily deal with Lynne. In fury, she pounced on her without hesitation... "p!" A crisp p sounded. The strength bursting out of Tina instantly made Lynne see sparkles in her vision. She staggered two steps backward and fell to the ground. After striking Lynne down, she walked to Keith and red at these aplice servants. "Let go of him right now!" Her fierce voice scared these servants so much that they immediately let go. Tina instantly pulled Keith into her arms. Feeling the warmth from her, Keith was stunned! He had not expected Tina to protect him like this! The moment she pounced on Lynne, she had been so much like a mother leopard who risked her life to protect her young with fangs and sharp ws! "Let''s go!" Tina took Keith¡¯s hand and said without hesitation. Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Lynne came to her senses and screamed. "Ahhh!" "How dare you hit me, bitch! I won''t let you off today. No one is allowed to let her get out of this vi, or you¡¯ll face the punishment of Mr. Langford and me!" The maids said with trepidation, "Miss Lynd, you really can''t leave. Please don''t make things difficult for US.¡± "Am I? You''re such a bunch of weathercocks." Tina sneered. She was really disappointed in everyone in this vi! Samuel and those around him were all terrible. How could they do such a thing to Keith, a five-year-old child! "Whatever you say, you''re not going to leave this house!" They were persistent in intercepting her. Tina had used up her strength to p Lynne. There was no way she could break out. The maids were not the only ones in her way. There were bodyguards outside. She couldn¡¯t possibly overpower them! "I''m not that stupid!" Tina snorted, looked down at Keith, and said, "I promised to cook for you. Since you''re hungry, I''m going to the kitchen to cook your favorite food!" Keith listened to her gentle voice and had a strange feeling. ''Does she keep it in mind? I was just trying to give her a hard time.¡¯ To his surprise, she took it seriously! "Did youe down just to fulfill your promise?" "You bet. I''m a woman of my word," Tina replied. Keith was touched. But what Samuel had said reverberated in his mind. Was he Tina¡¯s son or not? Could Kara be the only child she loved with her whole heart? Keith sighed with emotions. "It''s so great to be your child. Kara is so lucky." At the mention of Kara, Tina felt bitter in her heart. To this day, she still hadn''t found where Kara was or reached her. Was it really great to be her child? She was the worst mother in this world! Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Lynne got to her feet, covered her swollen cheek, and snarled, "Miss Lynd! For the record, if you cling obstinately to one¡¯s course, Mr. Langford will find out and punish you." A sneer was Tina¡¯s only response. "He won''t find out unless you tell him. You were the one who asked me to pick Young Mr. Langford up from the hospital, and now you''re using me of harboring ill intentions and picking him up without permission?" "Are you behind all of this?" Tina had figured out everything. Samuel was too busy to watch her all the time. Presumably, Keith drove Lynne away, and she was holding a grudge and talked ill of Tina in front of Samuel! "I am speaking the truth." Lynne resorted to sophistry, " If you don''t restrain yourself, I''ll..." "So what! Go and tell on me. I won''t stop you!" Lynne was stunned. Tina then added, "If you disturb him with a trivial matter like this, I''d like to see if he¡¯lle back and handle it in person or just regard you as ipetent and arrogant. I am curious about his reaction!" Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Lynne''s eyes widened, and she said, "You!¡± Indeed, as Tina said, Lynne was just bluffing, and she had no right toin to Samuel at all. She could only report when Samuel called her and asked. But Lynne didn''t dare to admit it, and continued, "Why bother Mr. Langford with this trivial matter? Don¡¯t interrupt me. Today I''m going to correct Keith for his bad habit as a picky eater. No one is allowed to let her go to the kitchen to cook!¡± "I''m telling you. Keith''s bad habit must be corrected!" "I''m doing this for Keith¡¯s good. But this woman is so wicked. She just wants to spoil Keith on purpose! When Mr. Langford finds out, he certainly won¡¯t go easy on her! It Lynne¡¯s remarks made Tina so angry that she immediately took a few steps forward, "You..." Lynne was so frightened by Tina''s sharp eyes that she took a step back and shivered. "What are you doing? Are you going to hit me? Someone, stop her!" Suddenly, Tina''s body shook. Keith was the first to notice something was wrong, and asked nervously, "Are you all right?" After a long day, Tina was physically and mentally exhausted, not to mention that she had been fighting with Lynne for Keith¡¯s sake when she wasn¡¯t feeling very well. At this moment, she felt so dizzy as if there was a buzzing echoing in her head. Hearing Keith¡¯s concerned words, she shook her head and said, "I...I¡¯m fine..." Before she could finish her sentence, shepletely lost consciousness and fell to the floor. Keith was startled. He looked at Tina''s pale face and reached out his hand subconsciously. As expected, Tina¡¯s forehead was burning hot! "She has a fever. Call the doctor!" Keith said anxiously. When Lynne saw Tina fall, she put away her fear and became arrogant again. "She has a fever? Impossible! I think she''s in good health, otherwise, how could she have the strength to hit me?¡± "She has a fever. Her forehead is so hot..." Lynne waved her hand and said casually, "Okay, Keith, you¡¯re a child. What do you know? Put her in a room. She probably knows she''s in the wrong, and she¡¯s just pretending to be sick! Also, Keith, you haven¡¯t eaten yet M "I said I wouldn''t eat it!¡± Keith said angrily. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Lynne was even more annoyed, and just let it go, "Okay, then you can starve to death. I don''t believe you still won¡¯t eat when you''re hungry!" Lynne felt so embarrassed. Her head was swollen. She couldn¡¯t stay any longer, so she left angrily. Tina was unconscious and was taken to a room by the maids. Keith was very anxious and continued to urge, "Go and call the doctor!" The maids refused to cooperate, "But Lynne said..." "You bastards!" Keith was so angry. He touched Tina¡¯s burning forehead and felt terrible. He remembered how Tina had taken care of him when he had a fever before. He ran downstairs without hesitation, went to the refrigerator in the kitchen to get ice cubes, and put them on her forehead to cool her down. However, this method did not cure her. The temperature of Tina''s forehead rose instead. The maids were indifferent, and Lynne even deliberately unplugged the phone line, trying to stop Keith from calling the doctor. Keith gritted his teeth. It seems that he could only use that method... Chapter 431 Chapter 431 At this time, Samuel was having a meeting in the conference room. Suddenly, all theputers in the conference room fell into a ck screen... "My God. What''s going on? Myputer seems to fall into a ck screen!" Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Myputer also..." "What has happened? Is a hacker attacking ourputers?" Immediately afterwards, a line of words appeared on the screens of all theputers in the meeting room. "Samuel, I only warn you once. If you don''t go back, she is going to die!" The line of words jumped into everyone''s eyes. They couldn''t help giving a gasp in shock. "Jesus!" "Samuel? Who is the hacker? How dare he call President Langford''s name directly?" "What does the hacker mean that she is going to die? Is this a threat from the hacker?" Just when all the staff in the conference room were guessing what the hacker intended to do, the door of the conference room was pushed open. An assistant hurried in, with aptop in his hand. He said, "President Langford, something bad has happened. A hacker seems to have attacked many staff''sputers and left a sentence on the screens..." As the assistant was talking, he noticed that all theputers in the conference room were showing the same sentence. Everyone understood something now. The hacker was really extraordinary, as he had attacked all theputers in thepany! Obviously, the hacker aimed to warn Samuel. Samuel sat on the seat. Though he didn''t look angry, others had held him in awe. He ordered coldly, " Immediately ask all the technical staff to find out who the hacker is! I''ll see who dares to hack into the computers of mypany!" "Yes..." Before the assistant left, the line of words on theputer screens suddenly disappeared. Immediately afterwards, a few exmation marks and other words popped out. "Samuel, do you have a conscience? Your woman is going to die of Illness! stop investigating me! Hurry up and go back to care for her!" This frightened everyone. The hacker not only attacked all theputers of thepany, but he was still monitoring what was happening in thepany in real time! But the problem was... Not only did Samuel see the words on the screens, but also all the staff of thepany saw them. ''His woman is going to die of illness. What does it mean? ¡¯ All the staff thought. The assistant asked in horror, "Could it be that something bad has happened to Mrs. Langford?" "Impossible!" Samuel said. How could something bad have happened to Cindy? Just half an hour ago, Cindy came to the Langford Group to give Samuel a love lunch with chicken soup! But Samuel refused her and asked someone to take her home, so Cindy had no choice but to go home. How could Cindy die of illness? "It''s strange. Apart from Mrs. Langford, is there another woman who is with Mr. Langford?" The assistant couldn''t help murmuring. Suddenly, an idea shed across the assistant¡¯s mind. "Could the woman be Miss Lynd?" The assistant suddenly said these words. Immediately, all the people in the conference room fell silent, and even Samuel looked at the assistant suddenly and sharply. "What did you say?" The assistant was frightened, and he regretted having said those words. ''Why did I mention Miss Lynd?¡¯ ''All the people in thepany know that Miss Lynd betrayed President Langford and has been sent to jail by the police!¡¯ "I, I didn''t say anything..." However, Samuel felt uneasy and stood up abruptly. "Prepare a car for me! Now!" Then Samuel hurried out of the conference room. The assistant and other staff were left in the conference room, all of whom became confused. This... ''What''s going on?¡¯ ?S there really something bad that has happened to Miss Lynd? So, President Langford goes to save her?'' The assistant thought. Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Samuel walked outside as he ordered angrily, " Investigate it! Give me the hacker''s detailed information! II After he got into the car and the driver got the car started, he made a phone call to the vi. However, the telephone in the vi wasn''t connected... Then he called Lynne. It took a long time for Lynne to answer the phone. She said nervously, "Oh my God, Mr. Langford, what''s the matter? It''ste at night. Is there anything I can do for you?" Lynne was frightened. After she called a doctor to treat her face, she called a massagist to give her an essential oil spa. When she was enjoying the spa, Samuel called her suddenly! Samuel asked, "Where is Tina?" "Miss Lynd is sleeping..." "Ask her to answer the phone!" Lynne didn''t have the guts to ask Tina to answer the phone because Tina was in aa on the bed! "Miss Lynd said that no one was allowed to disturb her when she was sleeping. She even pped me..." 1 Lynne cried andined. At that time, a female servant rushed into the room and said, "Lynne, we''re in trouble. Miss Lynd has a fever of 39 ¡ãC. If we don''t call a doctor for her, she may die..." Lynne was so frightened that her heart almost stopped beating. "Mr. Langford, please let me exin it to you..." However, Samuel hung up on her. Lynne was furious. "Why didn¡¯t you knock on the door when you came in? If Mr. Langford mes US, all of US will be screwed." She jumped in anxiety and said, "Where is the doctor who treated my face? Call him back!" "Besides, send Keith to his room to take a rest. No one is allowed to let him out. otherwise, all of US will be screwed! Do you understand?" Lynne''s face twisted in anger. The servant was shocked and went to deal with it immediately. Within twenty minutes, a car''s engine sounded outside the vi. Samuel arrived at the vi. He wore ck clothes and integrated with the darkness. He was in a bad mood and looked cold and threatening. He walked toward Tina''s room without hesitation. When he was on the way, the doctor showed up and shouted to the outside, "The patient struggles, I can''t give her an injection. Anyonees here to help me!" Samuel asked in a deep voice, "How is she?" When the doctor saw Samuel, the doctor was shocked. Then he asked in confusion, "Who are...?" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Before the doctor finished speaking, Lynne¡¯s voice sounded in the room. She had the medicine in one hand and said tteringly, " Miss Lynd, you''re sick. Please don''t be so willful. It''s good for you..." She said as she wanted to let Tina take the medicine. "Don¡¯t touch me!" Tina knew that she had a fever of 39¡ãc. She felt sick and dizzy. Hearing Lynne''s disgusting voice, Tina just wanted to push her away subconsciously. But she had a fever and was too weak to push Lynne away. However, Lynne screamed suddenly and poured all the hot water and medicine on Tina''s body. "Oh my God! Miss Lynd, I didn''t mean to do that. I just wanted to help you..." Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Lynne knew that Samuel was right outside the door and wanted to continue putting on a show. The next second, Samuel coldly scolded the people in the ward. "Stop messing around. Get out!" Lynne knew that she had finally muddled through. She fled, not daring to look back. She was afraid that if Samuel questioned her, her tricks would be revealed, and then she would be finished. After all those people were driven out of the ward, Samuel went to Tina''s bedside and asked arrogantly, " Tina, what are you up to?" Tina was in a rage, and she felt ufortable with blood throbbing visibly at her temples. Samuel was here again! She thought, ''Why should I suffer this? Why did Samuele over at this hour?'' "Get lost!" She red at the man in front of her, trying to drive him out. However, her voice was soft and weak, and her cheeks and the corners of her eyes were red. Hearing this, Samuel was even more annoyed. "Get lost? Didn''t you ask me toe back?" Hispany was full of the world''s top talent. For the security of the files, allputer systems were guarded withyers of defenses, and special hackers were on standby for him. Unexpectedly... There was such a skillful hacker who was able to control all theputers in Samuel''spany just to tell Samuel that Tina was sick! This made Samuel upset. He thought, What is this damn woman hiding from me? What the hell is she going to do?'' The doctor couldn''t stand it anymore and immediately intervened in the tense atmosphere between Samuel and Tina. "You are a couple, right? stop quarreling. Hurry up and take the medicine. You can quarrel after you''ve recovered." Samuel pursed his lips, looking at Tina''s red face, and said, "Take the medicine." Tina clenched her teeth. "No." "Then have an injection," Samuel said without hesitation. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "It¡¯s okay, but the medicine has to be injected into your hip." Samuel directly raised Tina''s quilt and looked like he was about to take off her trousers. Tina was terrified. She was a 23-year-old adult and had a five-year-old child. Samuel often tortured and insulted her, but now, he even wanted to take off her trousers and asked her to have a shot on her hip as a child did. She held on to her trousers and cried in fear. "Samuel! You bastard! Don''t take off my clothes!" Samuel''s voice was low. "Then will you take your medicine?" "Yes! Yes!¡± Tina had topromise in tears. The medicine had been spilled by Lynne on purpose, so the doctor gave some fever-reducing medicine to Samuel. "After she takes the medicine, her fever will be gone. If there are any problems,e to me. "I''ll leave you alone." Even an aged person like the doctor felt it was too embarrassing to watch the young couple make a scene. Samuel directly handed the medicine to Tina. "Take the medicine quickly." Tina wrapped the quilt around herself, warily staring at Samuel. She looked at the medicine and said, "How can I take it without water?¡± Samuel then realized that the warm water had been spilled by Lynne and that a patient with a fever shouldn''t drink icy water. He immediately raised his eyebrows and asked, "So do you want me to feed you?" Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Tina was stunned for a moment and then asked dully, "Feed me? There is no water. How will you feed me?" Samuel looked at her red cheeks, and his heart softened a little. ¡®This woman only softens her spikes when she is sick, and her mind is not full of scheming at this time.¡¯ Tina was still at a loss, staring at Samuel. When she saw that he had taken out a fever-reducing medicine, her eyes widened, and she said with some anger, "That¡¯s my medicine, why do you even grab my medicine... uh..." The bitter taste of medicine immediately filled Tina¡¯s mouth. Samuel''s hot breath overbearingly eroded her sanity. After Tina was almost forced to swallow the pill, she was a little breathless and pushed him away. Tina covered her chest, gulping a breath of fresh air. Then she looked at Samuel and stuttered a little. "You... You..." "Me? What? There is no water. I just helped you." Samuel''s tone was very calm. Tina clenched her teeth and could not help blurting out, "Samuel, you are disgusting!" Samuel''s face suddenly darkened. "Tina, I warn you. At this time, don''t challenge the bottom line of my tolerance!" "You kissed me!" She was so angry that she punched him, but this punch was so weak that he felt it was a kitten¡¯s paw falling on his body and that he thought she seemed to be ying with him. Samuel''s cold and hard heart waspletely touched at this moment. "Kissed you? ? can do more. Do you want to have a try?" Samuel said bluntly. If Tina hadn''t still had a fever, she wouldn''t be as safe as she was now! After a while, Tina realized what he meant and immediately picked up the pillow to throw it at him. "You bastard! Get out!" Samuel didn''t want to argue with a patient, not to mention she was his woman. In order to prevent the next thing from getting out of control, he could only follow Tina''s words and walked out of the room. After seeing him go out, Tina soon fell asleep. She seemed to feel Samueling back again while sleeping. She had wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, like a silkworm pupa, but he easily pulled her out and picked her up with his powerful arms. He changed the bed sheet and quilt cover. Tina was sweating because of the fever, so her clothes also needed to be changed. Samuel was about to unbutton her clothes, but unexpectedly, she suddenly reached out and hit his hand with her eyes closed. "Bastard... Samuel, don''t... Don¡¯t touch me..." she murmured. Samuel became even more annoyed and thought, ¡®This damned woman is so defensive against me even in her sleep!¡¯ Then Tina got under the quilt and said, "I don''t want an injection!" Samuel was speechless, and his grumpy mood suddenly disappeared. Early the next morning, Tina woke up from her dream. She got out of bed, still vaguely remembering what happenedst night, and... The man who appeared by her side and took good care of her when she was weakest. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. All this was like an absurd dream! "Miss Lynd, you''re awake!" "Where is Samuel?" Tina asked. Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Chapter 435 "Mr. Langford leftst night after watching you take your medicine and making sure you were fine." The maid said, Tina was suq breakfast." The maid said. "Okay." Tina''s fever had just been reduced, across her body. All the bones in her body felt like they had been shattered, and it hurt so much, she took some porridge and then copsed down on her Suddenly, she straightened up and asked, "Wait a minute. Where is Keith?" Keith had been with Tina when she fainted yesterday, she wa to know what happened to the boy. At Tina''s casual inquiry, the maid strange. "Keith is resting in his room." Then the maid was about to lei check on him." The maid was startled, and she said anxiously, "Miss L} haven''t recovered yet. You''d better lie down and rest. Don''t move around." "Keith is so young. It wouldn''t be good if you go to see hh infect him. What do you think?" However, the maid''s deliberate obstru excuses made Tina even more worried. She remembered that yesterday she had deliberately instructed several maids to punish the five- year-old boy! Tina thought that the p she gave Lynne would deter t and that Samuel had come back, so Lynne wouldn''t dare to do anything to Keith for a while. Well, it seemed Tina was naive! "I¡¯ll jus fatal illness!" Tina pushed the door open and headed towards Keith''s r< despite the maid''s discouragement. Just as she got near Keith''s room, s until the maid woke you up! It''s so unbelievable! And, I''m going to take thisputer that I found in your room away. You''re so young. What are you going to do with aputer? You won''t object, right?" Keith shouted angrily, "Give me back myputer!" "1puter at such a young age. How can I let you? I''ll smash the crashing to the floor. Although Keith was only five years old, he was ¨ª with a super high IQ. when he was younger, he discovered his talent fot And then, since he was the young master of the Langford family, he assembled his own most unique and advanced tool. He had used thisputer for years. He could not believe that today theputer was about to be smashed by Lynn. Just as the over from the corner and caught it. Chapter 436 Chapter 436 Lynne took a closer look at the person who took theptop, when she found that the person was Tina, she said angrily, "Tina, how dare you appear again?" After Tina took theptop, she checked it carefully. She felt relieved when she confirmed that theputer was intact. Tina knew Keith''s secret ¡ª that is, he was a hacker of genius! Theptop was very important to him. How could it be destroyed casually? Tina returned theptop to Keith and said, "Take yourptop and go back to the room." "But..." "Listen to me!" Tina said in a serious tone. "I¡¯ll deal with this matter!" Pressing his lips, Keith had no choice but to turn around and return to his room. "Tina, I''m talking to you. Why don''t you go back..." "I should ask you this question, right?" Tina looked up at Lynne. In order to reduce swelling and avoid leaving a scar, Lynne covered the bump on her face with a ck ster, which made her very funny. "It seems that I pped you too slightly yesterday. How dare you bully Keith? He¡¯s still a child. You won¡¯t stop causing trouble until I p you again, right?" When Lynne was sneered by Tina, she red at Tina with hatred. "Bully Young Mr. Langford? Don''t defame me. I''m here to teach him how to behave well!" "Besides, what I have done is good for him. Even Mr. Langford and Mrs. Langford don¡¯t say anything, what right do you have to scold me? If you interfere again, I won''t let you live in peace. You¡¯d better go back to your room now!" Lynne''s words aroused Tina''s anger, and she became more eager to protect Keith. ¡®How can Samuel and Cindy allow their son to be bullied and punished this way?¡¯ Even if Keith was not the young master of the Langford family, but just a child from an ordinary family, Tina would still protect him, instead of ignoring what he had suffered. "No way," Tina replied icily. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Lynne ordered the servants angrily. "You really don''t know what is good for you. Catch her for me..." "I''m a patient now. Don''t touch me casually. If there is something wrong with me, Mr. Langford may put the me on you." As soon as Tina said these words, the servants hesitated. Anyway, Lynne and all the servants knew how important Tina was to Samuel. He even came here to take care of her for a whole night yesterday... Lynne hated Tina a lot. ¡®Tina is nothing except that she looks beautiful. But Mr. Langford takes a fancy to her.¡¯ ¡®In thepany, I¡¯m an unimportant secretary. In the vi, I¡¯m a servant who has to swallow my pride.¡¯ Lynne jumped with rage, boiling with jealousy and resentment. "Tina, you''re just a temptress. Do you really regard yourself as Mrs. Langford? Young Mr. Langford is not your son. What right do you have to care for him? Pay more attention to your own daughter. It What Lynne said immediately stabbed Tina¡¯s heart like a knife. It was probably because of the disappearance of Kara that Tina gave more care to Keith. "You feel sad, right?" Lynne asked in a proud tone, she suddenly walked towards Tina and grabbed her hand. ¡°Do you have a conscience? I hear that in order to hook up with Mr. Langford and live a wealthy life, you¡¯ve abandoned your daughter, why did you pretend to be a considerate mother in front of Young Mr. Langford? You¡¯re so hypocritical." Tina shook off Lynne''s hand suddenly. "Let go of..." Before Tina could finish speaking, Lynne''s face turned pale, and she fell onto the floor. "Ouch!" Lynne suddenly let out a scream, as if she had been pushed onto the floor maliciously by Tina. Immediately afterwards, a man''s stern scolding came from behind. "Tina!" Tina became nervous and anxious suddenly. Chapter 437 Chapter 437 ¡®Didn¡¯t the maid say that Samuel leftst night?'' ''Why is he back again?'' The moment Samuel appeared, he bumped into such a scene: Lynne was falling on the floor, in a mess, like she had been bullied. Seeing Samuel, Lynne''s eyes lit up, and she pleaded, "Mr. Langford, you''re finally here! You must help us! We can''t take care of Miss Lynd!" "What''s going on?" Samuel''s eyes were as sharp as knn ncing across everybody. Lynne was covering her face with one han( to his room to wake him up." "I identally found aputer in his rc young child use a computer? Just as I was talking with Keith and convincing him to let me take theputer away, Miss Lynd suddenly showed up and stopped me..." "And then, it turned into this side. They allined about what Tina had done. "We wanted Miss here..." "Andst night Miss Lynd probably wasn''t feeling well, so she pped Secretary Wuther. It was really frightening!" Tina then realizet to show to Samuel at the moment and to prove how crazy Tina was Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Lynne was stunned. Then she got thrilled and turned to Samuel. Altho outright and wondered what was going on in Tina''s head, she guessed that Samuel wouldn''t be forgiving Tina this time. Just after Tir turned to Tina with a touch of sternness. "Exin it to me! Clearly!" " recovered, she stood straight. Tina admitted directly that she had pp looked at Samuel. "So, how are you going to punish me, Mr. Langford?1 "You..." Samuel''s face tightened. Lynne had a smug smile on her face, c Langford, it''s okay! I forgive her." "Although Miss Lynd pped me doctor yesterday, the doctor determined it was only a minor injury, less than enough to put Miss Lynd in jail!" "But I don''t think M: paranoid mentally. She gave me a p yesterday. I''m not sure what she''s going to do next time." "I remember Mrs. Langford used to go Should we send Miss Lynd there to get some therapy and to calm her down?" Instantly, Tina''s whole body tensed up. she understood ev now... Lynne didn¡¯t mean for a simple argument, but something wors put Tina in a so-called sanatorium under Cindy''s instruction! Chapter 438 Chapter 438 Tina finally realized why Cindy hadn''te to cause her trouble recently. It looked like Cindy had set up a trap for her to jump into. At the thought of Cindy, Tina jerked up her head and looked over at Samuel. ''He is not gonna agree to it, is he?'' She somehow felt antsy. But in the next instant, Samuel rejected the idea in a deep voice. "We don''t have to do that!" Lynne immediately clenched her teeth. Samuel seemed to be more tolerant than she thought. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g For a moment, her jealousy burned stronger. "I see, Mr. Langford." And then Samuel turned his gaze on Tina, "Go and apologize to Secretary Wuther." Apologize! An apology to settle the scores? Not only Lynne, but the servants all around were also struck dumb. This was not the fearsome man they knew. Apparently, Samuel was partial to this woman. Lynne was not happy. Tina pped her so hard and humiliated her over and over again, she was unwilling to let it pass so easily. Tina, however, refused tly. "I won''t." "What did you say?" Samuel sulked. "I said, I won''t apologize. It''s not gonna happen!" Tina''s words shocked everyone once again. Mr. Langford acted out of the normal while Miss Lynd was fearless today. She was bold to deny the man. Samuel was fuming with rage. Thest bit of his conscience had been given to this woman. She, however, didn''t appreciate it at all. He shouldn''t have gone soft on her. "Tina, you..." Annoyed, he looked at her face and reached out his hand. At times, he itched to strangle this woman or rip out her heart and see if it was ck. How could there be such a hard-hearted woman? Tina knocked off Samuel''s hand without hesitation and looked up at the man. Although there was a gap between their heights, their auras were matched at that moment. "You''re so disappointing!" Her words stunned not only Samuel but also everyone else. Lynne almostughed out loud. ''This is great.'' ''This woman is insane. Mr. Langford intended to cut her some ck but got rebuffed. Now he has no choice except to punish her.'' Ignoring the others, Tina faced the angry man. Somehow, she felt difort in her chest and found it hard to breathe, perhaps because her fever had just subsided. "You''re so disappointing! You convicted me without listening to my exnation. You don''t trust me at all." "But you admitted it..." "Yes, but I only admitted that I pped her, and now what? You believe I had ill intentions and made trouble out of nothing. You listened to one side of the story and used me, didn''t you?" "Everything is as clear as day, isn''t it?" he sulked. Tina was disheartened. "There''s a lot I can exin!" With that, she darted a cold look at Lynne. Tina''s gaze made Lynne''s heart tremble and brought her a bad feeling. Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Tina stepped forward, causing Lynne to step back in fear. Lynne said, "Miss Lynd, what do you want to do? Are you going to hit me? II "You just said that I have a mental problem and you want to send me to a sanatorium to calm down?" "I didn¡¯t mean that, Miss Lynd, you misunderstood. I''m just a little worried about your mental state..." In front of Samuel, Lynne wanted to maintain her image and tried to exin. But Tina interrupted her again and continued to ask, "You just said I pped you. Do you want to send me to jail?" Hearing these words, Lynne straightened up. After all, for everything that had happened, Tina had no evidence to prove it herself. All the servants in the vi were on Lynne''s side. Tina was alone, and she couldn''t exin it. Even if Keith was on her side, he was only a five-year-old child and his testimony was even less convincing. So, the p mark on Lynne''s face was the very proof of Tina''s guilt! "Miss Lynd, how dare I send you to jail? I just checked the wound when I went to the doctor for treatment, and it was only a minor injury!" "Mr. Langford also said just now that you only needed to "You don¡¯t dare to ask for anything more? Well, I want to get to the bottom of it!" Tina said word by word. She looked aggressive and determined. Lynne was so frightened that she backed away. There was really no way out. Her legs felt weak, and she suddenly screamed and fell to the ground. 1 She said, "Miss Lynd, what do you mean?" She had thought she would certainly win and teach that bitch Tina a good lesson. Maybe she would be completely rejected by Mr. Langford, and then be driven out of this vi... However, Tina''s attitude suddenly terrified her to the core! Tina pushed Lynne into a corner and suddenly stopped, "I would like to ask, how many years will you be sentenced to for maliciously abusing your employer''s child?" "I also would like to know, how many years will you be sentenced to for joining forces to nder me?" "What I want to know more is, how many years will you bastards be sentenced to for doing what you¡¯ve done?!" Tina not only looked at Lynne, but also looked around at the servants. Not only was Lynne the culprit, but those servants were all scumbags and aplices without conscience! Her righteous usations suddenly frightened those guilty ones! "What do you mean? Miss Lynd, there is no evidence. Don¡¯t nder us!" "Miss Lynd, we''re just telling the truth. It''s so unfair to be ndered by you like this..." "Yes, they¡¯re nothing but groundless usations!" Tinaughed. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Groundless? Well, I just happen to have evidence!" Lynne blurted out in horror, "Impossible! It''s absolutely impossible..." "Well, I will prove it to you!" Tina''s tone was somewhat sarcastic. She turned around without hesitation, and walked to the flower pot ced at the corner. She stretched out her hand, and under everyone''s gaze in disbelief, she took out something from the flower pot. It turned out to be a cell phone! "The evidence you ask for is right here. I have recorded it all! I¡¯d like to see who will be sent to prison!" Chapter 440 Chapter 440 The moment when the phone appeared, those guilty ones werepletely stunned. As servants working in this vi, they knew where there was surveince and where there wasn¡¯t. This was not Samuel''s main house, and he didn''t pay much attention to it, so there were too many things they could temper with... Besides, Tina was just a woman under house arrest by Mr. Langford. She had no power or money, without Mr. Langford''s favor, she would be nothing. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. What was more, during this time, she had been bullied so much that the servants thought that she was just a pushover. They hadn¡¯t expected that Tina would be brave enough to use such a method to fight back. "Are you still gonna deny it? Or do you want me to y the video in front of everyone and see how you have joined forces to bully Keith when Mr. Langford wasn''t around?" Seeing their dumbfounded expressions, Tina smiled again, and continued, "Oh, right, I forgot!" "Last night, you held Keith and forced him to eat the food he didn''t like!" "I was not feeling well at that time, so I didn''t have time to record it all. But I think I probably have recorded a lot of people''s voices. Would you like to y it now for Mr. Langford?" Tina said confidently. She stretched out her hand to operate on the screen as if she was going to y the recorded video... Just when Tina was still operating, a servant suddenly couldn''t bear the pressure, and took the lead in kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy, "Mr. Langford, Mr. Langford, I''m sorry!" ¡°Lynne instructed me and threatened me, saying if I didn''t help her, she would fire me. I was really scared, so I did such a stupid thing..." With the first servant confessing, the other servants couldn''t bear the pressure and fell to their knees one after another. "Lynne threatened me..." "Mr. Langford, we didn''t mean to. It was her coercion and temptation..." In an instant, all the servants stepped forward and couldn''t wait to confess what Lynne had done. Samuel''s face was gloomy and cold. "Call the police!" He said coldly, and told the men behind him, " Send them all to the police station!" "No...." Everyone was crying. Lynne was even more stunned, she hadn''t expected that Tina would use such a method topletely turn it around! Besides, Tina had been under house arrest in the vi by Mr. Langford. When Tina made calls, she always borrowed her phone... Where did she get the cell phone? However, at this time, she was no longer allowed to think. Afraid of being dragged away by Samuel''s men, Lynne suddenly jumped up and blocked Samuel''s way, "No, it wasn''t me! I didn''t do it! Mr. Langford, please listen to my exnation!" "I was instructed by Mrs. Langford to do these things. Mr. Langford, you can''t send me to jail. If I go in, what should Mrs. Langford do!?" Tina hadn''t expected that Lynne would give Cindy up straight away. What really surprised her was that Lynne went on, "Mrs. Langford asked me to discipline Keith and teach Tina a lesson. I didn''t mean it, Mr. Langford!" Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Chapter 441 "What?" Tina couldn''t believe it. Cindy had only one son. How could she have deliberately let Lynne abuse him? Even the silent man beside Samuel couldn''t help but say, "Mr. Langford, this woman is talking nonsense, right?" "You lied and ndered Miss Lynd before. Now you''re ndering Mrs. Langford!" Lynne struggled up and cried with a snotty nose. The Band-Aid on her cheek fell, she looked terrible. "What I said is true. Although I have no evidence, I have met Mrs. Langford several times in private. This is indeed what Madam told me! "Mr. Langford, I''m not lying..." Samuel''s handsome face tightened. He did not want to hear any more and said coldly, "Take them away!" "Yes." Soon, in addition to Lynne, those servants were all taken away by Samuel''s men. The corridor, which had been noisy like a food market, became quiet in an instant. Samuel and Tina were left alone. "You..." Samuel seems to want to say something.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. However, Tina did not want to listen, turned around, and wanted to go back to the room to rest. Unfortunately, how could the man behind her let her do that? The man''s steady footsteps sounded behind her, and he soon caught up with her and pulled her arm. "Let go of me!" Tina struggled with annoyance, looking back at the man''s face, feeling it was ironic. "Samuel, now that the truth hase out, you don''t still think that this is a conspiracy that I nned, do you?" Originally, after Samuel took care of her all night, she was a bit swayed. But he had just asked her to apologize, which hurt Tina so much that she almost couldn''t breathe and was even more disappointed in this man. Faced with Tina''s mockery, Samuel would have felt annoyed if not for what had happened today. But at that moment... He was somehow sad. It turned out that she was sharp-tongued and vignt in front of him, but she was bullied like that. And he wronged her. "I didn''t expect it toe to this," Samuel said with a sigh. Samuel was used to being cold and ruthless in front of others, but now, he gave in to this woman. Unfortunately, Tina didn''t appreciate it. "Yes. Mr. Langford did not expect that I, an unreasonable and ill- intentioned woman, would be ndered! "If those people hadn''t admitted their crimes, I would be taken to the police station and be jailed, right? What a pity!" "I won''t put you in jail," Samuel said. "But you made me apologize! You just think that it''s all my fault!" Speaking of this, Tina clenched her fists, feeling aggrieved at being misunderstood by Samuel time and time again. Her beautiful eyes were full of stubbornness and anger. Samuel had to continue, "I have wronged you, so I can promise you one thing topensate you." Hearing this, Tina froze. Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Immediately afterward, her eyes, which had been full of resistance, were filled with anticipation! "Samuel, you didn¡¯t lie to me, did you? You said you would fulfill one of my wishes. Anything, right?" Watching the change in the look of her eyes, Samuel only felt helpless and wanted tough. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "What''s going on? Have you decided what you want?" asked Samuel. Tina said without hesitation, "I want Kara to be with me." As she uttered those words, she was full of hope inside. The next instant, Samuel''s face clouded over. "No way." Those two words were like a pot of cold water that doused all of Tina''s expectations. The moment Samuel''s words just broke off, she broke away from his grip. At that moment, Samuel felt his heart tighten and grabbed her again. Tina said, "Fine, since I can''t have Kara, I''ll make another offer. How about you let me leave here?" "No way!" Samuel still refused her offer without hesitation. Then, in an icy tone, he said, "Tina, I''m warning you not to say such things again!" Tina only felt ridiculous when she looked at Samuel''s angry look. She really thought Samuel had a change of heart the moment he said he would make it up to her. It turned out that she had made a mistake and misjudged him. He was still as domineering and ruthless as ever! "You''re denying every term I''ve offered. So you''re just writing a nk check when you say you''ll compensate me? People say the CEO of the Langford Group is a man of his word. But I think you''re a jerk and a liar..." "Shut up." He said coldly. "Why do you want me to shut up? You were the one who lied first! Who are you to keep me from saying..." Tina still wanted to continue to scold him to vent the anger and aggression in her heart. However, her mind went nk the next second. Samuel''s tall figure was like a mountain, enveloping her small body. Then Samuel pressed his lips against hers. Tina felt like she could not breathe. Her soul was being sucked out of her by Samuel. Her legs went limp. Then, he held her waist with his strong arms. It was as if she could hear the sound of her heart beating. And she felt the burning body heat of his body. She tried to struggle, pounding on his arm, but failed. It was a long time before Samuel released her, and Tina was already feeling exhausted. She didn''t even have the strength to stand up, so she fell into his arms. Tina was so ashamed and annoyed. Then she tried hard to say, " Samuel, you''re such a jerk." "I told you to shut up. Why are you still talking? Do you still want me to kiss you?" His chest pressed against Tina''s ear. When he spoke, his voice sounded a little husky. Tina shut up at once. Then, she covered her mouth and red up at him. Unfortunately, her re was not hostile to him at all, which made Samuel''s Adam''s apple bob up and down. "What are you doing?" Tina was afraid of falling, so she reached out to grab Samuel''s arms, she sounded a little panicked. Soon, she was led to her room by Samuel. Then Samuel threw her onto therge bed. Samuel leaned close to her. At this point, Tina''s heart was almost beating out of her heart. " Samuel, I''m warning you don''t touch me. otherwise, I''ll..." "Or else what?" He said as he had a faint smile on his face. "Or I''ll..." Tina couldn''t say anything harsh at all. she was like a piece of meat on a cutting board meant for others to toy with her. Watching Samuel get closer and closer to her, she could only close her eyes. Chapter 443 Chapter 443 However, what Tina feared did not happen. Tina thought Samuel woul and tugged Tina in. Tina was surprised. She opened her eyes in shock. Samuel''s tone. He looked down at Tina and said, "Have you forgotten that you''re a patient? Do you think I''m the kind of Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g person who would take advantage of you at such a time?" Tina subcon what was on her mind, she wrapped herself up, rolled to the corner, an warily. "It''s good you remembered I''m a patient. I''m very tired now. I want to rest. Excuse me." Samuel felt annoyed.'' Damn woman! s about Samuel, she shook her head hastily and said, "I''m going to rest r you busy? I shouldn''t waste your time. Get back to your business!" Samuel''s face eased a bit at Tina''s exnation, "okay. Remember! Be p at his back. ''What does he mean to be polite to him? He¡¯s not polite t all!'' Unexpectedly, the next second, Samuel turned around again, whicl startled Tina. Her heart raced, and she felt nervous, ''what? He doesn''t You can think about it." "But as I said, there''s no way I''ll ever let you excuse, I won''t let you leave. Think about it." After that, Samuel closed in the room dissipated. Tina froze for a moment. ¡®Was he exining tc to escape once I have the chance, so he wouldn''t allow it. Is that what he thinks?'' In fact, Tina was really worried about her daughter. Tinapressed 1 nket. ''Does what Samuel just said mean I still have a chance to see Kara?'' ¡®If I exin to him clearly, maybe I can see Kara?'' Tina was ¨ª asleep. It was the first time she had slept so deeply in so many days, was relieved, she even had a sweet dream. In the dream, Kara came bac was holding Keith''s hand and watching them. The four looked like a ha dream turned into bitterness and mockery in reality. It was only a dreai happen! Tina asked, "who is it?" Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Tina called out but got no answer. She nced outside at the sky and noticed that it was light. Then she realized that she had a sound sleep all night, which was to her surprise. Tina opened the door and saw the maid, but she found the maid was a stranger. "Who are you?" The maid bowed her head and replied timidly, "I''m the new maid... It Tina then remembered that Samuel had dismissed most of the maids yesterday, except Lynne. But Tina didn''t expect the new maids to be here so soon. "Is breakfast ready? I''ll change my clothes. Then I''ll be downstairs soon." Tina said. "Okay." The maid then left. After a good night''s sleep, Tina was refreshed. She changed out of her pajamas, fixed her hair, and made her way to the dining room. Samuel was sitting at the top seat of the dining table. Keith was sitting next to him. The little boy looked exactly like a smaller version of Samuel. The two were indeed father and son. They both had grim faces. They looked so cold that they didn''t look like they were here for breakfast, but like they had some kind of grudge against each other When Tina arrived in the dining room, she was a little nervous. However, Samuel and Keith soon noticed her presence. Their eyes both turned to her. Instantly, the depressing atmosphere in the restaurant was lifted a bit. Samuel put down the paper in his hand and asked lightly, "It looks like you''ve had a good rest. Are you feeling better?" "Yes, I''m feeling better." Tina was surprised that Samuel spoke to her in such a peaceful voice, and that he even cared how she was feeling. Keith didn''t say much. He patted the seat next to him and said to Tina, "Come sit here!" Tina nced at the seat, and she felt awkward. Tina would love to sit next to Keith, but the seat was between Samuel and Keith. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g If Tina sat there, she would be sitting between the two and forced to sit next to Samuel. The dream she hadst night came to her mind... ¡®If Kara was here, wouldn''t we look like a family?¡¯ "Come on." Seeing Tina standing there dumbfounded, Samuel urged. He didn''t object to Keith''s suggestion. Immediately, Tina snapped out of the trance. She drove the absurd thought out of her mind. She sat down in between the two, rather ufortable. She picked up her knife and fork and began to eat her breakfast. Suddenly, Keith put down his fork and said, "This omelet is overcooked and sprinkled with ck pepper. The vor is so strong." Samuel frowned and asked, "You don''t like it?" "No, I don''t like it." Keith shook his head. The maid standing next to the table was startled. She hurriedly exined, "I''m sorry, but the chef is new here. He may not be familiar with your tastes yet. should I take it back and ask the chef to make another one?" Samuel raised his hand and stopped the maid. He frowned. "All the maids and cooks have been fired because they deliberately force you to eat foods that you might be allergic to. But this food will not get you allergic. Keith, you should stop being picky about food." What did Samuel mean? Did he want Keith to finish the omelet he didn''t like? Instantly, the atmosphere got tense again. Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Keith¡¯s little face suddenly turned serious. "What if I don''t eat it?" His voice was young, but he looked overwhelming and was very much like Samuel. Samuel''s tone was still indifferent. "You can try." Unexpectedly, they were contending with each other. The new servants dared not say anything and wanted to bury themselves in the ground. Tina sat right between them and felt the pressure. Fearing that Samuel and Keith would quarrel or have a cold war, she took a deep breath and could not help saying, "uh, can I say something?" As soon as she opened her mouth, Samuel¡¯s gaze and Keith¡¯s gaze both fell on her. "Say it!" Samuel''s tone was slightly cold. "Well, I think he doesn''t want to eat overcooked omelet, and children have a better sense of taste than adults. ck pepper does taste a little spicy, so it''s normal for him not to like it..." Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Samuel frowned. "Are you speaking for him?" "I''m just exining the problem from the perspective of a child. That¡¯s simply a statement of fact." Tina looked very serious. Samuel sneered, "Tina, you really know how to please children. No wonder Keith wants to live with you." "Unfortunately, no matter what nice words you say today, I will not continue to allow him to be picky about eating. He has only one breakfast, and I won''t ask the servants to make another one. " Samuel''s tone was cold and harsh, giving no room for turning back. Keith was Samuel¡¯s son, so he not only looked like his father but also had the same temper. Keith said angrily, "I won''t eat. I¡¯d rather starve. Tina, you don''t have to exin to him for me." "Then be hungry!" Samuel dropped the document in his hand and stood up coldly. "Don¡¯t make him breakfast again. Tina, don''t me me for not warning you. You are also not allowed to go into the kitchen. I won''t let you spoil him any longer." Seeing the rtionship between Samuel and Keith deteriorating again, Tina only felt a headache, thinking, ¡®Oh my God! They really have a father-son rtionship, one with a bad temper and the other with a worse temper!'' "Wait!" She stood up and shouted, "I have a way to make Keith finish eating breakfast without making another one!" Samuel stopped, frowning, and felt a little surprised. "What?" "I''m sure I can!" Tina confidently promised. Not only in fashion design, but also in cooking, she could meet the needs of people from three years old to eighty years old. "Give me two minutes." Then Tina carried the te into the kitchen. Samuel did not know what Tina was going to do, so he said to the servant, "Keep an eye on her. Don''t let her secretly recook breakfast." "Yes..." The servant followed Tina at once. After a while, Tina reappeared, and now there was more than a omelet on her te. Keith saw it at a nce, and his expression was a little suspicious. "This is." "I made the omelet in a different way. Try it." Tina used the omelet as the bread and made a unique sandwich! Keith was a little confused, but he still gave Tina face and took a bite. The taste of ck pepper, which he hated, was diluted a lot, and the originally monotonous omelet became vorful. He had been hungry for a long time, so now he didn''t hesitate to finish the sandwich. Seeing this scene, Samuel took a deep look at Tina. "You do have a lot of ideas!" He did not expect that this problem was easily solved by Tina. Tina could not help saying, "This is my experience in taking care of children. Children are actually very easy to coax. Besides, Keith is so smart and sensible that he doesn''t eat because he really doesn''t like it. He doesn''t mean to lose his temper. You don''t have to be angry with him..." She watched Samuel''s expression with apprehension, when she found that his mood improved a lot, she knew this was an opportunity for her. So Tina said again, "Yesterday you said you could meet me a wish. In fact, I have already thought of one..." Chapter 446 Chapter 446 Samuel''s gaze became sharp. "Have you made up your mind?" Tina screwed up her courage and said, "I still want Kara to return to my side..." Samuel''s face clouded over suddenly. He turned around and left. She had anticipated his reaction and pulled his hand anxiously. "Please listen to me..." However, Samuel was stronger than her and shook her hand away easily. She was petite and unable to block his way. She made a dive for his arm and hugged it tightly to stop him. "Please don''t leave and listen to my exnation!" "I don''t mean to leave you. I just want Kara to return to my side. I don''t mean to defy you and seize the chance to escape either. I''m worried about her..." "Is that so?" Samuel felt disturbed because of her persistence and stopped. He looked down at her coldly and sneered impatiently, "when you hid beside John with your daughter, your attitude was not like that. IIBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. She knew that he still didn''t believe her. She bit her lip. "What I have said this time is true... Please..." "They took Tina away for no reason. I''m worried about her. Although she is always sensible and obedient, she is timid. If I''m not by her side all the time, she will be sad." Samuel pinched Tina''s chin and said coldly, "You''re worried about her? Then you will be disappointed. She lives a happy life. She is much better than when she stayed by your side." Tina felt confused, "what do you mean?" "Do you still want to y dumb with me?" Samuel''s tone became more sarcastic. "The paternity test result of your daughter and John hase out. She is John''s daughter and the duke''s great-granddaughter." "Even so, you still want her to return to your side, what do you mean? Are you still dreaming of bing John''s wife?" "It''s not strange. You''re a real flirt and scheming, when you meet such a good chance, it''s natural that you want to seize it. How will you be willing to miss such a good chance?" "Frederick is pathetic. He abandoned everything and wanted to elope with you, but he has been deceived by you for so many years and ced under house arrest up to now. Tina, you''re so capable!" Tina felt shocked by Samuel''s sarcasm... The so-called paternity test was more incredible for her! The duke suspected that Kara was John''s daughter because Kara looked like the duke''s granddaughter very much, so the duke wanted to do a paternity test... Tina recalled that night when she was stopped at the gate of the Carter Mansion and was stretched to contact John but failed. She never expected that it would turn out this way. It was ridiculous! Tina denied, "It''s impossible! How is it possible? Something is wrong! Kara isn''t John''s daughter! I have nothing to do with John... II "If the paternity test result didn''te out and the duke didn''t be suspicious because of Kara''s appearance, you even didn''t know who her father was, right?" Tina met Samuel''s scornful gaze and felt extremely sad... She had only slept with Samuel, and Kara was his daughter. No matter how she exined, he wouldn''t believe her. But Samuel was Tina''sst life-saving straw. She had to catch at him tightly. "Samuel, please. I won''t y any tricks or escape." "What I want is simple all the time. I just want to live a peaceful life with Kara..." "I don''t know why the paternity test goes wrong, but I''m willing to do anything as long as Kara returns to my side. Please..." Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Tina raised her little face with tears in her blurry eyes. She looked very fragile like an injured rabbit shivering in the snow. No matter how ruthless the hunter was, he would feel pity and want to protect her. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Samuel''s Adam''s apple rolled up and down. He had to admit that she be more feminine and charming now. Five years ago, she had been immature and pure. Moreover, she was clinging to his arm tightly and pressing her body against his. Maybe she didn''t realize how dangerous this move was. Or maybe she was acting and deliberately seducing him... However, Samuel remained calm despite her intimacy and said, " No way." Hearing his cold words, Tina trembled with frustration. If she had not leaned on his body now, she would probably fall to the ground. Seeing her be so distressed because of another man¡¯s child, Samuel felt very irritated. Moreover, she had a good rtionship with John. Samuel would never forget her reliance on John and the frightened look on her face when she had hidden behind John to avoid him. Therefore, he would never allow them to get back together and said mercilessly, "The Duke Mansion values their reputation the most. They can ept a five-year-old girl as John''s sessor, but the Carter family will not allow John to marry a woman like you. What¡¯s more, Kara will receive a better education than when staying with you, and the Duke Mansion will guarantee her safety." Tina could not hear anything more as if she had be a puppet whose soul had been taken away. She slowly released his arm and said, "I won''t stop you anymore. You can leave now." Samuel felt a surge of irritability, so he asked, "Are you driving me away?" "I don''t dare to drive you away, but I am having a hard time epting that my precious daughter has be someone else''s child for no reason. I want to calm down. Can you leave me alone?" When Tina wiped her tears off her face and looked up at him, he showed a gloomy face. She then smiled, "Sorry, I forgot this is your territory. I''m just a woman who has nothing, and now, I have even lost my kid. If I want to calm down, it is me that should leave, right? Fine, I''ll go right now." Tina then nodded to herself. After she let go of Samuel, she stumbled forward. In order to stop him just now, she had chased after him all the way to the gate. Now, she forgot there was a staircase underneath and walked outward without looking at the road, so as soon as she stretched out her foot, she missed her step. When she was about to fall, Samuel grabbed her waist, held her in his arms, and said, "Tina, if you hadn¡¯t taken your daughter to seek refuge with John to avoid me, the duke wouldn''t have suspected that John is her biological father or done the paternity test, and you would not have lost your kid. You brought it on yourself! How can you vent your anger on me now?" Hearing this, Tina didn''t even have the strength to speak, so she quietly looked in the direction of the gate as if her soul had been taken away. Seeing this, Samuel felt extremely annoyed... "You still have a chance to get her back." While speaking, even Samuel himself was a little surprised because he had not expected himself to say such words. Tina''s eyes lit up slightly as if she had a revived hope, but she was afraid she would lose hope in the next moment, so she cautiously asked, "What did you say?" Chapter 448 Chapter 448 Hearing Samuel''s words, Tina thought that she had had a hallucination or heard it wrong. Would he be so kind? But despite the desperate situation, she still held thest glimmer of hope and turned to look at him, hoping he would give herself an affirmative answer... Samuel gritted his teeth because he hadn¡¯t expected that he would say such stupid words on the spur of the moment. Tina still had a great influence on his mood. However, he was a man of his words, so he said, "I don¡¯t want to repeat my words. Since you''ve heard it, you know what I mean. But although there is still a chance, I can¡¯t guarantee you can get your daughter back for sure. After all, she is not only your Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. daughter but also John''s. She is the Duke''s great-granddaughter, and the Duke definitely wants to let his blood grow up by his side, what¡¯s more, he is very fond of her. If I help you snatch her back, I will offend the Duke, and it may do harm to the Langford Group..." The fire of hope in Tina''s eyes went out little by little. Samuel must take the entire Langford Group into his consideration. He hade to Paris to take the Langford Group up a notch. At such a critical time, how could he go against the Duke for a woman like her? "I see." Tina smiled bitterly, pushed his hand away, and said, "I know my position, so I won''t mention this to you anymore..." "Tsk,eback." Seeing her indifferent expression, Samuel became even more annoyed, so he pulled her back into his arms and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my words yet. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?¡± "You don¡¯t need to exin. I understand why you can''t help me." Tina lowered her eyes to hide the deep disappointment in her eyes, thinking Samuel would not believe her nor go against the Duke Mansion for her... Now, she could only rely on herself. She knew clearly that Kara was not John''s daughter and that they had nothing to do with each other. As long as she could find out what went wrong with the paternity test report, she could get her back... Looking at her expression, Samuel wanted to bite her to death. She had begged him for help just now, but now, she suddenly changed her mind and pushed him away. What was the matter with her? How could she change so fast? He grabbed her chin to force her to look at him and said in a cold voice, "Yeah, I won''t help you under normal conditions, but if you are willing to exchange something important for my help, maybe I''ll change my mind." Tina was stunned and then asked, "What important thing?" Hearing this, she felt puzzled for a moment and thought, ¡° Important things? But I have nothing..." She had no money or power. What important thing could she give the condescending Samuel to exchange for his help? Samuel narrowed his eyes as he gently rubbed her chin and said, " We should have a baby. If you agree, I will try to help you get your daughter back..." Hearing this, Tina looked at him in disbelief and said, "what?" "Are you unwilling?" He suddenly put forth more strength, grabbed her neck, and said, "You were willing to give birth to John''s kid but are unwilling to give birth to mine?" Tina said, "No, but I..." "Ah!" Suddenly, a woman screamed, interrupting their conversation! Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Tina became startled, she came back to her senses suddenly and looked in the direction that the voice came from. She and Samuel were standing not far from the gate. But the woman appearing outside the gate was Cindy, who was ring at Kara and Samuel with hatred... Finally, Tina noticed that Cindy was standing outside that gate. When Tina realized that she was still being held in Samuel''s arms, she pushed him away without hesitation. Whether it was because of the presence of others or because of the sudden appearance of Cindy, Mrs. Langford, Tina didn¡¯t want them to see her and Samuel this way. "Cindy hase here. I''m going to rest." Tina knew what she should do. Since Cindy came here, she must have something to talk about to Samuel. And there was no need for Tina to stay and be humiliated by this couple. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Besides, what had happened today was really absurd, not only because Kara became John''s daughter somehow, the child of the Smith family, but also because of what Samuel had said... All the things made Tina shocked and suspicious. At this moment, she desperately needed to hide in her room alone to calm herself down. Tina almost ran to leave here. When Samuel looked at Tina¡¯s back, his eyes became colder, and then he looked at Cindy sharply. "Why did youe here?" Though Cindy felt furious at the sight of Samuel embracing Tina just now, she was still freaked out by Samuel¡¯s question at this moment. Cindy had been with Samuel for so many years and had tried every conceivable way to seduce him, but she failed. ¡®Damn! Why does Tina ruin my ns again and again? she has seduced Samuel to have sex with her, and now she even dares to have affairs with him! ¡¯ At this time, Cindy could no longer control herself and burst into tears. "Samuel, what the hell is going on?" "I¡¯m your wife now. I¡¯m Mrs. Langford. I¡¯ve given birth to your only son. Why do you treat me this way?" "Why can''t you drive away that damn woman? I can''t stand you having affairs with her anymore!" A wave of disgust came over Samuel. He refrained from driving Cindy out and said coldly, "You should have known how I treat you. II "But I¡¯m your wife. We even have a son. We grew up together and should be the best couple in the world..." "Tina had bad intentions to approach you from the beginning. She has done so many bad things, when she was pregnant with John''s child, she even eloped with Frederick!" "She is a slut. She must end up miserably. If it were in the past, she would have been drowned with a cage." Cindy still wanted to say something, but was scolded by Samuel coldly. "Shut up!" Samuel flew into a rage suddenly, which frightened Cindy to take several steps back. Her legs turned into jelly, and she nearly fell onto the ground. "I just love you too much. I..." "If you came to me just to talk about these things, go away. I''ve already said that I can let you be my nominal wife, but I can''t give you anything else." Samuel always treated others coldly, arrogantly and ruthlessly, except Tina. Looking at Samuel, Cindy hatred towards Tina became stronger. However, after Samuel scolded her, Cindy also calmed down. She wiped her tears and exined, "I¡¯m sorry. I was too impulsive just now. I came to you because I had something important to tell you..." Chapter 450 Chapter 450 Samuel''s tone was cold. "Say it!" Cindy, however, looked around. She was like a delicate flower, shivering in the wind. She said carefully, "I feel tired standing like this. Can I talk to you in the study?" Samuel frowned slightly and turned to leave without hesitation. Although he did not say anything, what he did meant that he agreed. Cindy followed Samuel to the study. Under the man''s gaze, she suddenly knelt on the ground. "What are you doing?" Samuel frowned and wanted to help Cindy up, but she firmly refused him. Cindy restrained herself from crying and said, "I''m here to make amends! "I don''t deserve to be a mother. I''m so stupid, since I gave birth to Keith, I haven''t apanied him and watched him grow up. "We finally met after a few years, but I found out that I couldn''t protect him at all, and he was almost killed by a car and was taken to the hospital. "I was afraid that you would be angry and that Keith would hate me, so I ran away. After Keith was discharged from the hospital and was picked up by Tina, I was even more afraid. "I didn''t know what you were thinking, so I didn''t dare toe here. When I heard that he was picky about food and was spoiled by Tina, I became even more worried, so I told Lynne to take good care of him. "But I did not expect that Lynne would mistreat Keith and even im that I ordered her to do that in the police station. I was framed! "Every mother wants to make their children better. I couldn''t stay by his side, so I could only nurture him in this way, and I didn''t know that I was misunderstood by people with ulterior motives. "You can beat me and curse me. After all, I did not take good care of the child. You can punish me any way you want." Cindy cried. Samuel pursed his thin lips, looked at the pitiful woman, and said, " She ndered you without any evidence. She will be punished. I don''t believe that you hurt Keith. Get up." A smug look shed across Cindy''s eyes. She knew that as long as everyone thought that Keith was her child, they wouldn''t believe that she would harm Keith. However, she did not stand up. Looking at Samuel''s face, she decided to do something else. "No, I won''t get up. Just punish me! You can lock me up so that I won''t feel so guilty." Saying that, Cindy suddenly pped herself with all her strength. Samuel''s face darkened. Seeing that Cindy wanted to give herself another p, he immediately reached out to stop her. "Cindy, are you crazy?" "Yes, I am crazy. I can''t win your heart. I only have Keith, but he was bullied because I didn''t protect him well. I deserve to die!" Cindy became more emotional. When Samuel was not looking, she suddenly rushed towards the desk not far away. "Bang!"Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Cindy hit the desk solidly, but she avoided the sharp corner. At the same time, the papers on the desk were identally swept to the floor by her. Cindy used this opportunity to put something quietly under the desk. Samuel grabbed Cindy and scolded her sternly, "Cindy, what are you doing?" Cindy copsed into Samuel''s arms, crying so pitifully. "Samuel, why did you stop me? I can''t take good care of Keith, and you don''t love me. I shouldn''t be living in this world. Let me die..." "Stop talking nonsense! I''m taking you to the hospital right now." Samuel forcefully carried Cindy up in his arms. But Cindy struggled, "No, I don''t want to go to the hospital! I don¡¯t want to stay in that kind of ce!" "I haven''t seen you in a long time. Please, Samuel! I always knew you were busy. I was afraid you''d get angry, so I didn''t dare to disturb you..." "Could you let me stay here? I want to stay with you a little longer. Can you get the doctor toe here?" Cindy acted so vulnerable and miserable... Samuel agreed. He turned around, carried Cindy to a room, and kicked open the door. It was Tina''s room. Tina was about to take a nap, but she was startled by the sudden noise. The door was abruptly kicked open by Samuel with a bang! Tina was startled, she dimly saw the tall figure of Samuel and a delicate woman in his arms. "Samuel, what are you doing?" "Get out immediately!" Samuel ordered coldly. Cindy, who was snuggling weakly in Samuel¡¯s arms, suddenly raised her head. Her forehead was reddened as if she had been injured, she looked awful. But the way she looked at Tina was malicious, and there was a smug smile at the corner of her mouth... ¡®What trick was Cindy ying?¡¯ ¡®The woman was making a scene again! ¡¯ Before Tina took a step to get out of the room, suddenly, she stopped. She clenched her fists and yelled, "why should I go out? This is my room! You should go to another room..." "Don''t make me say it again! Get the hell out of here right now!" Samuel shouted bluntly. He should be very worried about Cindy. He brutally shouted to Tina to get out of the room. However, just a few days ago, Tina felt that Samuel had changed his temper... Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Looking at Samuel''s suddenly unfamiliar face, Tina clenched her fists. "Okay, that''s what you said! I''m getting out of here!" Before Tina walked out of the room, she nced at Cindy again. Cindy''s smile was so ironic, as if she wasughing at Tina. Tina felt that the change she had made in her opinion of Samuel during thest few days when she was alone with him was all a joke! The man hadn''t changed at all! Tina straightened her back and left the room. The maid downstairs didn''t know what was going on. When she heard the bang on the door and saw Tinae downstairs, she asked with concern, "Mrs. Langford, are you all right?" "Mrs. Langford?" who is Mrs. Langford?" Tina stopped when she heard the maid call her Mrs. Langford. The new maid was confused. "Aren''t you Mrs. Langford?" "You are mistaken. I am not Mrs. Langford. The woman who just showed up is Mrs. Langford!" The maid was astonished, "what? How is that possible? Mr. Langford and you love each other so much, and you have a lovely boy. If you are not Mrs. Langford, who else would it be?" Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Tina had a bitter smile at the maid''s words. How could she and Samuel love each other? It was such a ridiculous joke! "I''m just a stranger!" After that, Tina walked straight out the door. "Where are you going?" Suddenly, a childish voice sounded behind her. Tina stopped, turned her head, and saw Keith. The little boy was looking at her with a confused look in his eyes. Tina¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. "§¤§ä going out for a walk." "You¡¯re going out for a walk? what''s wrong?" Keith frowned. He was a little confused. He had just watched Samuel go upstairs with Tina after they finished their breakfast. The little boy hadn''t followed them. He had been staying in his room since then. However, not long after, he heard a loud bang upstairs, and immediately after that, Tina was going out... Certainly, Keith got worried about Tina. Looking into Keith''s innocent, worried eyes, Tina couldn''t tell him what was going on. "Nothing''s wrong. I ate too much for breakfast, so I wanted to go for a walk." Tina smiled, her tone was cheerful, but she didn''t dare look Keith in the eye. Keith was Cindy''s child with Samuel. Tina felt like she was the third wheel in the house. If she stayed here, both Cindy and Samuel would hate her and they would inevitably have conflicts, which would hurt Keith. So Tina thought she should leave and that it was the best choice for her. Keith was young, but he was a smart boy. Looking into Tina''s eyes, he guessed that she was upset with his father. "Did you guys just have a fight? Was it because of me being picky about food? Did he me you?" "No, of course not!" Tina didn''t want the little boy to worry, and she hurriedly exined, "I really just wanted to go for a walk." Keith''s grim face furrowed. He didn''t want Tina to go away. Somehow, he felt like clingy to Tina all the time. He felt secure with only Tina as she protected him wholeheartedly all the time... However, the boy answered coldly, "All right! Come back early." "Ok, Keith." Tina managed a smile. However, she wasn''t sure whether she coulde back! She then got straight out of the gate. As she was forced out of her room all of a sudden by Samuel, she didn''t have time to bring any luggage. She walked down the street alone, without any of her things with her. It was cloudy. She hadn''t walked long when a loud rumbling sound rang out in the air. It was going to rain soon. Tina panicked a little, she hadn''t brought an umbre when she came out. she had nowhere to go. what should she do? Just then, a bus drove up. Tina felt in her pocket, and a few coins were in there, enough to give her a ride to the apartment where she used to live... So she bought her ticket and got on the bus. After about an hour, she finally saw her former residence again, she had only been away from this ce for a few months, but it seemed like decades ago. Just as Tina was in a daze, suddenly, the dark clouds that had been hanging overhead condensed and it started pouring. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Tina was about to run to her apartment. Suddenly, a girl''s scream came from behind her. "Mommy!" Tina''s heart thumped, she turned around abruptly. "Kara?" Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Instantly, Tina''s nerves tightened, she saw a little girl from afar, standing alone in the rainstorm. ''Is that Kara? Did she find me?'' She was so excited yet so heartbroken. She remembered the dream she had earlier that Kara had run away to find her.'' Did my dreame true?'' "Kara!" Tina rushed straight towards the little girl. Just as she was about to hold the little girl in her arms, a woman appeared and pushed Tina away. Tina fell to the ground bluntly. The woman shouted in a shrill voice, "Who are you? What do you want to do to my child?" The woman was holding an umbre, clutching her child in her arms. She looked warily at Tina. The little girl clutched the woman and called out, "Mommy!" Now Tina heard and saw the little girl clearly. It wasn''t Kara. Tina''s face turned pale. "I''m sorry. I mistook her as my daughter..." "What do you mean? You tried to steal my child on purpose!" The womanshed out angrily. Apparently, seeing that Tina had just rushed at her daughter, the woman was frightened, and so was the little girl. The little girl cried, "Mommy, I''m sorry. I won''t run around anymore. Take me home." "I''m taking you home! If you run away next time, you¡¯ll be taken away by this strange woman!" The woman carried the little girl in her arms, held up the umbre, and left. The rain was still pouring. Tina''s clothes werepletely drenched. The rain was freezing cold, and Tina waspletely devastated. Just now, she really thought Kara hade to her! But it was all her illusion! After a long time, Tina didn''t know how long she had been sitting in the rain. Until a neighbor passed by, she was surprised to see Tina here. "Are you Linda? You haven''t been back for a long time. Why are you sitting here? Did you slip?" Tina came back to her senses, she stood up with the help of the neighbor, only to find that she had twisted her foot, standing up gave her a sharp pain. With the help of the kind neighbor, Tina made her way into the apartment building, she then used the neighbor''s cell phone to call herndlord and get a spare key. Curiously, the neighbor asked, "I remember you''re always traveling, right? Well, work is really annoying. Where''s your daughter? I haven''t seen her for a long time, will she be backter? Or is she still staying at your brother¡¯s house?" The neighbor''s session of questions, though not meant to be disturbing, made Tina''s face pale. Tina had spent five of her happiest years in this apartment. But now... In less than a few months, her life hadpletely changed. Not only had she lost Kara, but she had also gotten Frederick in Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. trouble. Seeing Tina''s pale face, the neighbor was frightened. She stopped asking any more questions. "Linda, you don''t look very well. You should go inside, change your clothes, and take a rest." Then the neighbor left in a hurry. Tina opened the door with a limp and entered the apartment. Everything in the apartment reminded her of the happy days in the past. Just as she was still dazed, the phone suddenly rang in the apartment. "Hello?" Tina picked up the phone. Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Tina picked up the phone, but, on the other end, there was a long silence. "Hello? Who is it? What can I do for you?" she asked again, but, there was still only silence... She frowned in confusion. ''Could he dial the wrong number?'' Just as she was about to hang up, a harsh voice finally rang out on the other end of the line. "Is that Tina?" It was a processed mechanical voice, cold and harsh, which instantly alerted Tina. Tina paused. Usually, people knew her by her name ''Linda''. Few people know her as Tina! She asked you warily, "Who are you?" "I know you want to know about your daughter." "If you want to know it, we can meet." Hearing the familiar rhetoric, Tina sneered involuntarily, "What ploy is this? Sorry, I won''t meet you. Forget about it!" After saying that, she hung up the phone abruptly. Tina was not a goldfish with only a seven-second memory. She remembered thest time Desmond used an excuse to approach her at Cindy''s instruction, and that Cindy had someone misleading photos to set Tina up. Tina almost went to jail because of those pictures! It took a lot of effort for her to clear her name. How could she possibly fall into such a trap again? ''Go to hell!'' Just after Tina hung up the phone, the telephone rang again... Tina hung up the phone directly without looking at it. And to block the harassment, she pulled out the phone line. Her clothes were all wet from the rain and stuck to her body, she felt ufortable. She wanted to go to the bathroom and take a shower. She didn''t notice that the second caller''s number was another one. At the hospital, John''s subordinate was calling Tina''s phone again and again. However, he couldn''t get through to Tina''s cell phone or the telephone in her apartment. He had tried all of the means to contact Tina but still could not reach her. In the ward, a man coughed. John didn''t look very well. Although he seemed fine when Tina saw him a few days ago, he was now in a very weak condition. Looking at the worried expression of his men, John frowned. "How is it going on? Have you reached Tina?" "I haven''t gotten in touch with Miss Lynd yet!" "You can''t get in touch with her? How is that possible? It''s been two days!" John didn''t know what had happened during the few days he was in the hospital. On that day, after his busy day at work, he nned to have dinner with Tina and Kara in the evening and update Tina on the progress of the things she had asked him to do so that she could rest easy. However, John had just been in a car ident, and he had been working for several days without rest, so he got sick. When his mother learned that John was sick, she insisted on sending him to the hospital. Unexpectedly, John''s sickness became more and more serious. He had a fever for a few days. He told his subordinate not to tell Tina he was sick so as not to worry her. Until yesterday, his condition improved. He wanted to contact Tina right away. However, his men couldn''t reach Tina yet, which made John start to worry about her. "What''s going on? what happened to Tina and Kara?"Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 455 Chapter 455 When the subordinate met John''s eyes, he felt so anxious! John had been in the hospital for several days. He didn''t know what had happened in the Carter mansion. A few days ago, Tina, ''the maniptive woman'' had been thrown out of the Carter mansion! And she was caught back by Samuel. Not to mention if she could be contacted, no one could tell if the woman was still alive! But in the current situation, the subordinate dared not tell John the truth. After all, if John became anxious and left the hospital to look for Tina after learning it, the duke and Mrs. Carter would surely me the subordinate. By then, he would be finished! "Uh... I don''t know..." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Should I make a call to the mansion and ask about it?" John''s face darkened immediately! "There¡¯s no need to make a call. I''m going back to see them!" Then John lifted the nket and got out of the 1 bed. The subordinate was shocked by John''s move. "Mr. Carter, don''t worry! You have not recovered yet. The doctor told you to get a lot of rest!" "Your condition has just improved a bit. If you leave the hospital now, what if your condition gets worse?" "What about?" John''s face was extraordinarily gloomy. He was always mild, but at this moment he chided sternly, "If you dare to stop me, you''re finished!" Just as the subordinate was in a dilemma, Mrs. Carter''s voice came from outside the ward. "John, what do you want to do?" Seeing his mothering, John said, "I want to go home." "Go home? what do you want to do when going home?" Mrs. Carter went on, slightly angry, "The doctor said you''ve just gotten better in thest two days, but you want to leave the hospital now. Is work really that important? Your health is more important!" "It¡¯s not about work. I haven''t been able to reach Tina for two days. I need to go back and see her." John exined. "Tina? Oh, you mean Miss Lynd!" Mrs. Carter showed she understood and said, "She''s staying at the Carter mansion. John replied, "I''m going back to check on her. I''m worried about her!" After all, his grandfather had nned to evict Tina and Kara from the house. John thought that after he left, Tina and Kara might be kicked out. He couldn''t stay at the hospital without worrying. "You''re such an idiot. What do you have to worry about? As long as she doesn''t want to leave, do you think we will really kick her out? Besides, she''s been concentrating on her designtely. It''s normal for her not to answer the phone!" "Really?" "Sure. John, lie down and rest." "You started working before you recovered from the car ident. Now the after-effects areing out. This time, you must rest until you fully recover!" "As for Miss. Lynd and her daughter, I''ll take care of them. You can trust me!" With Mrs. Carter''s promise, John was slightly relieved. After all, his mother had no reason to lie to him on this matter. After reassuring John, Mrs. Carter walked out of the ward with a smile on her face... Once out of the room, her face instantly twisted, and theers of her mouth curled up with a smug smile. Trust her? Certainly John could trust her! She could be sure that without John''s protection, Tina was now amb to the ughter! Mrs. Carter just wanted to keep John in the hospital for a few more days, andter she woulde up with a ploy with Cindy to make Tina and her daughter disappear from the world! Chapter 456 Chapter 456 When she got out of the bathroom, Tina shivered involuntarily. There was an uneasy feeling inside her. She thought it was because she had gotten wet from the rain, she was afraid she would catch a cold, so she rushed to blow dry her hair and went back to her bedroom... ncing around the apartment, Tina felt a sinking feeling in her heart. Tomorrow she must go back to the Carter mansion. She couldn''t believe what Samuel had said earlier. ¡®How could Kara be John''s child?'' ¡¯There was something wrong with that paternity test! ¡¯ Even if the Carters didn¡¯t want to see her and would kick her out, she had to exin it clearly! With such thoughts, Tina drifted off to sleep. The next day, just after dawn, Tina was waiting outside the Carter mansion. She didn''t go straight to the gate like she didst time. If she went to the gate, the security would definitely drive her away mercilessly. Therefore, she hid in a corner and waited... Finally, the gate was opened, and a limousine slowly pulled out. Tina rushed over and stopped the car. "I''m Tina, Kara''s mother! I have something very important to tell you..." Tina yelled to get the attention of the people in the car. Immediately, the security all saw her. They tried to drag her away. "It''s you again? stubborn woman!" "Let''s take her to the police station! How dare she rush out to stop the car..." Tina struggled, "I really have something important to tell the duke! II "Wait!" Just then, the window of the limousine was rolled down and out came Mrs. Carter''s voice. "I know Miss Lynd. Since she said she has something important to say, let her say it!" Immediately, the security let go of Tina. "Yes, Mrs. Carter." Tina thought she had finally found help. She had thought it was the duke''s car, but the duke had a bad impression of her, so it might take her a long time to exin... She didn¡¯t expect it to be Mrs. Carter! Tina ran to the car window and cried in an urgent tone, "Mrs. Carter, it''s me, Tina!" Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "I want to tell you that the paternity test report is absolutely wrong.¡± Mrs. Carter looked at Tina, who she wished to tear apart, and put on a polite smile, "Is that what you wanted to say? Do you have anything else to say?" "No. That''s all I have to say!" Tina''s expression was serious. Mrs. Carter responded calmly, "All right. I will tell the duke what you just said." Then she intended to raise the car window. Tina was suddenly confused, "Mrs. Carter, don''t you believe me? What I said is true!" "I can''t make a decision on this matter. The duke is on vacation abroad right now, and John is in the hospital because of his injuries from the previous car ident. I would love to help you. But there is nothing I can do!" "What? John is in hospital?" Tina instantly got worried. ''No wonder John didn''t answer my calls. He''s sick! '' Mrs. Carter added, "Miss Lynd, Kara will be well taken care of even if she''s not John''s child. Let''s wait some more days, what do you think?" Chapter 457 Chapter 457 IIJ II Tina only felt bitterness. What else could she do but agree? "Mrs. Carter, I want to see my daughter. Is that okay?" Tina said. "Sorry, Miss Lynd. Without the duke''s consent, I can''t let you see the child. "After all, since the duke takes her as his great-granddaughter, he naturally wants to protect her. "By the way, I have something urgent to do. If there is nothing else, I''ll leave." Mrs. Carter was so polite that Tina couldn''t continue to block her way. Watching the car leave, Tina felt depressed. Indeed, Samuel''s and Mrs. Carter''s words were reasonable. Kara was very safe. Tina thought, ''Is Kara used to the life without me telling her stories and putting her to bed? Is she afraid of staying in a new ce alone?'' Tina could only shake her head, not daring to think about it any further. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She was about to go back to her apartment, but unexpectedly, a tall figure suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking her way. "Tina, sure enough, you still want to be with John!" Tina was startled. The man grabbed her with his strong hands, she couldn''t even struggle. She looked up at Samuel, who was ring at her. "I don''t. I just want to see Kara. Let go of me!" "Let go of you?" Samuelughed coldly. "Without my permission, you escaped. Now you dare to order me, Tina, you''re bold enough!" The man''s angry face was scary. Moreover, he tightened his grip on Tina as if to crush her bones. Tina''s face turned pale as she gritted her teeth and said, "What do you mean by ''escaped''? I just did what you said! "I could have rested in my room if you had not barged in with Cindy in your arms and told me to get out of your ce!" She thought of the grievance that day and the fact that she failed to see Kara. Countless emotions mixed as Tina spoke. Her eyes turned red, and tears fell, she looked angrily at the man in front of her. Seeing Tina''s tears rolling down, Samuel was upset. Yesterday, just after he had settled Cindy, he intended to exin it to Tina, but he got the news that she had taken the opportunity to leave the vi. Because of that heavy rain, he couldn''t help but worry for this woman. He had searched for her for a whole night. He went to many ces, including the studio where she used to work, but he didn''t find her. Moreover, after this woman escaped, she directly came to the Carter mansion. She even wanted to meet John. "You''re pretending to be innocent. Don¡¯t cry!" he scolded in a stern voice. Tina was taken aback, she burped and cried even louder. "What are you talking about? You don''t listen to my exnation, and I can''t even cry? who are you to order me?" Samuel was so annoyed that he flung Tina towards the car. "Stop it. Get in the car and follow me back!" Tina staggered, she did not want to go back or stay with Samuel, but she wanted to wait for Kara''s news, so she had to open the car door. However... As Tina saw another figure in the back seat, her expression suddenly changed. Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Cindy was sitting in the back seat of the car now. As her forehead was wrapped in gauze and her face was pale, she looked very weak. However, when she looked at Tina, she gave a triumphant smile. "Miss Lynd, I''m really sorry to let you misunderstand." "You must be very tired after staying outside for a whole day, right?" Tina felt sick when she heard Cindy¡¯s hypocritical words andcent expression. Looking at Cindy''s triumphant smile, Tina remembered what had happened yesterday immediately. Then she closed the car door without hesitation, turned around and left! "Where are you going? stop," Samuel said in a cold and low voice. Tina clenched her fists and said, "Don''t worry. I won''t run around. I can walk home by myself!" "Why are you throwing a tantrum again?" Rubbing his forehead, he became more and more impatient, as his patience was running out. "Are you still angry about what happened yesterday?" "I admit that I was too anxious yesterday. I worried that Cindy would feel ufortable as her head had been injured, and your room was next to US, so I used it." "However, it had nothing to do with her. You can put the me on me. Let''s go home. I¡¯llpensate you." Even Samuel himself did not expect that he would eat humble pie one day. Probably he really felt guilty about what had happened yesterday. Besides, Tina looked weak and helpless, and Samuel couldn¡¯t bear to leave her behind. Cindy¡¯s triumphant expression was reced by a gloomy expression. ¡®What Samuel hates most is throwing a tantrum without reason! ¡¯ ¡®Tina goes too far, but he even eats humble pie in front of her! ¡¯ Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Samuel, it''s not your fault. It''s my fault!" A wave of jealousy came over Cindy, who couldn¡¯t wait to tear Tina to pieces. But Cindy controlled herself and forced herself to shed several tears. "It''s all my fault. When I made the decision yesterday, I was too impulsive. I wanted to die to atone for my sins, but I didn''t expect things to turn out this way..." "I know that I¡¯ve done so many bad things before, and it¡¯s understandable that Tina doesn¡¯t like me!" "But she didn''te back overnight. And it rained so heavily yesterday. Samuel, if you let her walk back, she must get sick and you must feel worried. I don''t want to embarrass you. I¡¯ll go home by myself." Cindy was about to get out of the car and give her seat to Tina. "Don¡¯t move," Samuel stopped Cindy without hesitation and said coldly. "The doctor said that you need to have a rest and recover. Actually, you shouldn¡¯t have followed me out, as it is bad for you to recover. There is no need for you to get out of the car." Looking at Samuel''s sharp eyes, Cindy felt a little frightened, but she insisted, "But you were really worried about herst night. I..." Tina just wanted to sneer when she found that Cindy was pretending to be considerate and tender! ¡®Bah! Cindy is really good at pretending to be a thoughtful woman.¡¯ ¡®Her acting skills are really outstanding. It''s really a pity that she doesn¡¯t be an actress! ¡¯ "No need!" Tina said without hesitation, looking at Cindy. "Even if you get out of the car, I won''t get into the car. The car disgusts me, as you have sat in it!" "Tina, don''t go too far. Get into the car. This is yourst chance," Samuel snapped. Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Tina stood there still. Samuel knew Tina was a stubborn woman, but he was surprised that she wouldn''t make anypromise at such a time. "OK. You asked for it yourself." Samuel was disappointed. Without hesitation, he mmed the car door and drove away, leaving Tina there alone. Watching the car drive away, somehow, Tina felt her heart ache as if it had been stabbed with a knife. She sniffled and wiped her tears haphazardly. ¡¯There''s nothing to cry about! ¡¯ Tina had always known that Samuel was cruel and merciless to her. Even if he did make some changes for her and surprised her many times in the past few days, once Cindy showed up, he was back to being the same as before. He only trusted Cindy, and no matter what tricks Cindy used to set Tina up, he would always be on Cindy''s side. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Tina wiped her tears, took a deep breath, and began to walk alone down the road. Just then... Beep-- A car sounded its horn as it drove past Tina. And suddenly, it pulled up not far in front of Tina. Tina wondered, ''Is Samuel back?'' However, it was an eye-catching red Ferrari sports car,pletely different from Samuel''s style. Tina immediately got alerted. Her face darkened, she turned around and was about to walk away. The man behind her shouted in haste, "Hey, are you Linda? shit! Do I look like a bad guy?" The man''s voice sounded so familiar, and Tina froze, she turned her head and saw a familiar face. "Leo?" Leo Beckett was one of the top designers in the fashion world. When Tina was with Samuel, she met Leo once. Tina stopped, she had a good impression of Leo. Even though she had only met him once in person, Leo''s name had been resounding in the fashion world during the five years she had been in Paris, from the time she started her apprenticeship until now. His name stood for the very best in design. That was the goal Tina dreamed of reaching. "Howe it is you?" Tina asked. Leo replied, "I just happened to pass by, and I saw ady crying alone on the side. I wouldn''t be a gentleman if I drove straight past. Shall I give you a ride?" Tina shook her head, "No. Thank you. I can go back by myself!" Leo was abruptly rejected. After a pause, he couldn''t help but ask, " Do I really look like a bad guy? It can¡¯t be!" 1 "It''s not because of you." Tina tried to exin. "Then what is it?" "It''s..." Tina was hesitating. "Oh, I see. Are you worried that Samuel will be jealous?" Leo rubbed his chin, "That man does get a little crazy when he gets jealous!" ''Samuel gets jealous?'' Tina froze for a moment. Then she hurriedly shook her head. ¡¯How could Samuel get jealous because of her?'' Samuel had a coborative project with Leo. If Tina was in contact with Leo, Samuel might suspect what she was up to. "I¡¯m right on my way to Samuel¡¯s office. I need to talk to him about our work. I''ll give you a ride. I can let you get off before we reach his office. It would be good for both of US. what do you think? II Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Leo was so considerate that Tina could not refuse; not to mention that she admired him so much! "All right, thank you very much." Tina had to get in the car. Leo was indeed a gentleman, opening the door for Tina. Tina directly said her addresses, and then Leo drove toward the destination. The car moved smoothly along the road, and the atmosphere inside the car was very quiet. While waiting for the traffic light at a fork in the road, Leo felt very boring, nced at the woman sitting in the back seat, and then said, "Linda, I''ve seen your name on the cover of magazines before, and I''ve tried to recruit you before, but I don''t know much about you..." "Recently, I heard you seem to have left the studio. Why? Are you done designing? This is too pity! I can see that your designs are very thoughtful and unique!" Tina could not help but clench her fist and asked in her heart, ¡® Why? I certainly want to stay in the studio if I can. No matter how hard and tired it is, it is worth it. Every sweat I pay has a corresponding harvest.¡¯ ¡®If it hadn''t been for Samuel, I wouldn''t have had to hide and leave the studio; I wouldn''t have been forced to stay away from the dream I''ve always had! ¡¯ Tina felt annoyed and sad, but she clearly knew that Samuel was Leo¡¯s partner. She couldn''t say too many things to Leo because she would suffer a lot if Samuel heard it. So she answered ambiguously, "Because of some private matters. Mr. Beckett, thank you for your concern." "Mr. Beckett?" Leo didn¡¯t like this title, "You know my first name, so you can directly call me Leo. We are both designers, and there is no need to call me such an unnecessary title." Leo was always following his heart and being himself. Tina smiled and said nothing. Leo could tell that she didn''t want to say anything more to him, so he shrugged and continued to drive. Soon they were near the vi. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Tina got out of the car a street away from the vi and solemnly thanked him again. In order to stagger the time with Leo and avoid being misunderstood by Samuel, Tina deliberately walked very slowly and lingered for some time in the nearby square, watching countless pigeons rise and fall. She finally returned to the vi. At this time, the new servants were all very busy carrying all kinds of things in and out... Tina felt it was a little strange and even thought that she was in the wrong ce. ¡®They are moving house? Or are they doing something else?¡¯ Her face changed when she saw some servantse out with arge stack of papers. "What are you doing? " Tina''s sudden sound immediately let those servants startled. Without hesitation, she came forward and said, "These are the drawings I designed. Why do you take them out?" The servants dodged her eyes, but they still said, "I''m sorry, Miss Lynd. This is Mrs. Langford''s order. These things are rubbish and upy the room, so we naturally must clean them up and throw them away as soon as possible!" Chapter 461 Chapter 461 When she was speaking, several servants carried over the mannequins that had been torn apart. As for the clothes on them, they had been crumpled up like rags and thrown on the ground! Tina said anxiously with a gloomy face, "Stop! Put the things in your hands down! They are all important to me!" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "They are important?" One servant said in confusion, "But Ms. Young said these are all trash and asked us to throw them away..." "No! They are not trash! stop it immediately! otherwise, I will fight you!" Tina''s words frightened the servants, so they immediately froze and stared nkly at her. Tina was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn¡¯t help clenching her fists. She could not go back to work in the studio to continue to pursue her dream, but since she had been ced under house arrest in the vi by Samuel, she had been designing clothes to kill time. These were fruits of her hard work! She hadn¡¯t expected Cindy was so ruthless that she would order people to throw away all her designs like trash! Thinking of something, Tina immediately rushed back to her room. However, after just one night, the room has been turned upside down and be a mess. All traces of her existence had been erased! She did not have time to get angry but asked anxiously, " Impossible! My designs should have been much more than what was left in the room now. What did you do with the things I left here?" Hearing her question, the servants panicked. "Last night, after you left, Ms. Young asked US to clean up the room... We worked all night, and other things have been taken away by the garbage truck. We were dealing with the rest when you came back..." Hearing this, Tina felt as if being knocked in the head, and her head kept buzzing. As soon as she had left yesterday, Cindy had ordered the servants to clean her room up! It meant most of her designs were gone! But they were the fruits of her painstakingbor! Tina''s body couldn''t help shaking, and she almost fell to the ground. When the servants saw her face be pale as if she had lost half of her life, they suddenly felt a little scared, and one of them exined, "Miss Lynd, are those things very important to you? But We don''t know about it. Madam said they are wastepaper and rags, so we thought we could just throw them away..." Tina had spent countless nights designing and drawing, but they had been thrown away as wastepaper! There was no professional machine here, so she had sewed those clothes by herself. She had hurt her fingers countless times, but they called them rags! Suddenly, Cindy came over and said unceremoniously, "New servants, what''s the matter with you? I asked you to clean up the trash in the room as soon as possible! why are you cking off now?" Tina gritted her teeth and said, "These are not trash! These are my designs!" Cindy pretended to be surprised and said, "oh my Goodness! If you didn¡¯t mention it, I would have forgotten that you are not only Tina but also a well-known designer Linda! Did I cause trouble again? If I remember correctly, the garbage truck left just now. I don¡¯t think it has gone far. If you go chase after it right away, you may still be able to get some of your designs back" Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Cindy pretended not to know about it, but Tina knew it was her dirty trick. "Cindy, you did it on purpose," Tina said angrily in a trembling voice, clenching her fists. Cindy walked toward her with a smug look on her face and lowered her voice, saying, "Yes, I did it on purpose. Bite me! Samuel kicked you out yesterday for me! Even though I threw away the trash, he would not me me! Anyway, you''re just a little designer. I''ve seen your designs. They''re ugly and rustic! They deserve to be discarded! There''s nothing you can do about it. Do you dare to hit me?" Cindy''s words were vicious. Tina knew she was deliberately egging herself on to hit her! Cindy looked fragile with gauze tied around her head like the weak. Not long ago, Tina had refused to get in the car and made Samuel think that she was throwing temper tantrums because she was narrow-minded. If she hit Cindy now, Samuel would probably think she was trying to retaliate... Reason told her not to act on impulse. However, when looking at the mess on the ground, she found she couldn''t endure the grievance because her designs had been destroyed. So, she raised her arms high to p Cindy who was smiling triumphantly. When she was about to hit her face, a man''s cold voice came from behind, saying, "stop!" 1 Tina''s arm was grabbed and flung aside, and then, she lost her bnce and fell to the ground! "Samuel!" A hint of contempt shed across Cindy''s eyes. She knew Tina was an idiot who couldn''t endure the grievance! As long as Samuel saw Tina hitting her, she would win! She took the opportunity to throw herself into Samuel''s arms and cried, "Samuel, I was scared to death. Miss Lynd intended to hit me as soon as she came back. I know she is still mad at me..." Resisting the disgust in his heart, Samuel didn''t push her away because she was very weak now. Then, he turned to look at Tina in dissatisfaction and said, "Tina, have you forgotten what I said? I''ve told you what happened yesterday has nothing to do with Cindy. I promised as long as youe back with me, I will make it up to you. But you lost your temper and refused to get in my car. And you even attempted to hit Cindy as soon as you came back! Do you really think I will continue to condone your unreasonable behaviors?" "Samuel, I am also to me..." Cindy spoke at the right time, intending to show her magnanimity. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Samuel snapped irritably, "shut up!." Although Cindy had the upper hand now, she was frightened when facing such a terrifying man, so she didn¡¯t dare to say anything more. Samuel looked down at Tina who had fallen to the ground without any pity in his eyes and said in a tough tone, "Apologize to Cindy." Tina looked into his eyes and felt he had be even more unfamiliar. Looking at the crumpled design drawings scattered all over the ground, she felt extremely disappointed and decided she would never apologize! Tine stood up slowly and looked at Samuel unyieldingly. Just as she was about to speak, a suspicious voice suddenly said, " Why are you all standing here? Wait! what are these things on the ground? They look familiar. Are they design drawings?" Chapter 463 Chapter 463 At Leo''s question, everyone looked toward the papers on the floor. Samuel came over first. And then Leo also showed up. After Leo''s reminder, Samuel then noticed the papers on the floor. Leo bent down and picked up a drawing. He ttened the drawing and took a closer look at it. At once, he was shocked. "These are all design drawings! They are not drafts. They should have been finalized after many revisions, what happened?" Except for Tina, Leo was the only one in the room who understood how important design drawings were to a designer. Leo hurriedly picked up the papers carefully on the floor. "Holy shit!" He looked at the drawings and cursed involuntarily, " They''re not just finished drafts, but the design drawings of an entire collection of apparel? Now they''re all ruined!" Leo''s face looked awful. He turned to Samuel, "Mr. Langford, are you kidding me? Are you going to throw away all these drawings? If the designer sees it, she will jump out of the coffin even if she is dead!" Only after Leo''s reminder did Samuel notice that all the papers the maids were to dispose of were design drawings! "What''s going on here?" Samuel questioned in a cold voice. The maids were scared and trembling. One of the maids replied hurriedly, "It is Mrs. Langford''s order. She told US to clean up the room, so we threw away the garbage..." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Are you saying these are garbage?" Leo couldn''t bear such a word. His voice pitched, "Are you kidding me? How can these be garbage! The designer is just as good as mine!" The maids all knew Leo. Besides the fact that he was a top designer in the fashion world, he was also Samuel''s business partner. He was one of the few designers who were qualified to work with the Langford Group! Leo got so indignant. These papers must be very valuable! The maids got more frightened. They looked over towards Tina. " Miss Lynd, we''re new here. We don''t know anything!" "We were cleaning up your room, and we thought those papers were useless, so we threw them away. Please forgive us!" Leo couldn''t believe it. Then he came to his senses, and he jerked his head toward Tina. "You designed all these by yourself?" Tina replied, "Yes!" "Howls it possible?" As a designer, Leo understood how difficult it was toplete a whole set of designs. He was a bit skeptical, "These drafts take at least a month to revise! And these are a whole series! That takes more time!" Tina fought the urge to sob and gritted her teeth stubbornly. "I''ve been working on them for a year! I started contemting the drafts five years ago, and I''ve been revising them since..." "But now, they''re all ruined!" Tina then red at Cindy. "Cindy! You just said you ordered the maids to throw these papers away!" Immediately, Leo and Samuel both turned their eyes to Cindy. "Mrs. Langford, did you tell the maids to throw away these drawings?" Leo blurted out. "You¡¯ve gone too far! If it were me, I''d rather you stab me in my heart than destroy my designs!" Samuel narrowed his eyes and asked, "Cindy, what is going on here?" Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Cindy got so angry. Moments before, Tina was about to be finished, but now, Cindy was being questioned! ''Damn Leo! why did he suddenly show up and intervene?'' "I have no idea!" Cindy burst into tears and exined pathetically, "I just saw that the room was messy, so I asked the maid to clean it up." "If it wasn''t for me, Tina wouldn''t have been forced to leave yesterday. I felt so guilty, so I thought rd have her room cleaned up to make her feel better before shees back." "But I didn¡¯t know I made a mistake..." "No wonder Tina was just so angry that she tried to beat me! So that''s what made her angry!" Cindy wiped tears from her eyes, she looked like she was really ming herself. Leo couldn''t help but speak up, "Mrs. Langford, this is your fault. Since you don''t know about it, you shouldn''t give instructions! Not to mention Tina just wanted to beat you, I also want to beat you now!" As Leo looked at the design drawings in his hand, his face showed the pain of losing precious design! Cindy, at once, choked on Leo''s words. She was so angry that she wanted to curse Leo, but since Samuel was present, she slowly looked up at Samuel and apologized, " Samuel, I''m really sorry. I shouldn''t have done that. I won''t do it again next time..." "Did you apologize to the wrong person?" Leo couldn''t help but ask, "Shouldn¡¯t you apologize to Tina?" Cindy finally couldn¡¯t hold it anymore and warned, "Mr. Beckett! I know you''re an important work partner to Samuel, but this is our family affair. You''d better stay out of it!" Just then, Samuel''s deep voice rang out. "I think Leo is right." Before Cindy could finish her words, she was stunned at Samuel''s words. "Samuel, what did you say?" Now Samuel had learned the whole story. It wasn''t that Tina was still holding a grudge against Cindy for what happened yesterday, but that Cindy had the maid throw away Tina''s designs! Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Samuel pushed Cindy away from his arms and said, "Cindy, you should apologize to Tina." Cindy couldn''t believe it! "Why do I need to apologize to Tina? No way! How can I apologize to her?" As Cindy got so indignant, her voice rose. ''Just now I had the upper hand. Howe things have changed now? And I have to apologize to Tina? It''s absolutely impossible for me to apologize to such a bitch! ¡¯ Samuel¡¯s face darkened at what Cindy had subconsciously blurted out. And Cindy panicked. She hurriedly exined to maintain her vulnerable image, "Samuel, I didn''t mean that. I was just too surprised. I..." However, Samuel interrupted Cindy abruptly, "It''s your fault." Cindy sensed Samuel''s attitude. She knew she had to apologize to Tina this time. Otherwise, Samuel might change his opinions about her. Cindy gritted her teeth and said, "Okay, I apologize..." Cindy then turned to Tina, anger burning inside her, but she could say, "Tina, I was really stupid to have done such a thing. I''m really sorry. Will you forgive me?" Chapter 465 Chapter 465 While watching the scene of Cindy lowering her head and apologizing to her, Tina sneered. "I won''t forgive you!" Tina said in a resolute tone. Cindy''s eyes widened as she asked, "what?" "You don''t look sincere. I''m not even going to ept your apology! II "Do you think you can just say a few words to make up for my loss? If you sincerely want to apologize, let me p you twice. Are you willing to do that?" Seeing Tina so overbearing, Cindy was angry but extremely d that Tina was reckless. "Samuel, what am I going to do? Miss Lynd won''t forgive me!" She looked pitiful. Samuel also knew that Cindy was weak, so he said, "She¡¯s not fully recovered yet. You can ask her to do something else." Cindy was so angry that she gritted her teeth. She thought, "Tina is so outrageous, and Samuel only wants Tina to change her mind?" Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g When Tina saw Samuel defending Cindy so much, her heartpletely turned cold. "You want me to change my mind? I don¡¯t need it!" The moment her voice broke off, she firmly turned around and walked away. "Stop! Where are you going?" Samuel pulled Tina. She shook Samuel''s hand away. She said in a mocking tone, "Don''t worry. Mr. Langford, I won''t leave without permission." "Mrs. Langford just said she threw out all my stuff. And the garbage truck hasn''t left yet. I''m just going over there to pick up my belongings!" After saying that, Tina left in a hurry. Tina was really worried that if she waste, her design manuscript would be thrown away. As expected, what she feared had happened. The moment she hurried out of the vi, she saw the garbage truck had driven far away. Tina tried desperately to catch up with it, but how could she outrun the truck? Watching the car getting farther and farther away from her, Tina waspletely desperate. "Beep!" Just at this time, an extremely mboyant-looking red Ferrari appeared in front of Tina. Leo sat in the driver''s seat and waved at Tina as he said, "Hurry up! I''ll take you there!" Tina seemed to see her lifesaver and hurriedly got in his car. With Leo''s help, the garbage truck was soon stopped. The driver just stopped the car and saw Tina rushing towards the pile of garbage. At this point, the driver looked confused! He had seen people stopping cars to rob, but he had never seen someone blocking a car like Tina to pick up garbage! Leo took off his expensive suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and rushed into the garbage! The driver was speechless. He felt that many strange things could happen these days. The garbage truck didn''t smell bad because it was carrying nothing but a pile of construction waste and all sorts of furniture and other items. Tina was anxiously looking for her things. Then, she saw Leo appear beside her as well. "Why are you here?" she froze. Leo said, "You will find your stuff faster if I help you look for it. Besides, I wanted to see if I had a chance to see a whole collection of your designs. It would be a pity if you lost them." "Thanks!" At that moment, Tina felt very touched inside. "You ''ve helped me so many times. I don''t even know how to repay you." When he heard her words, Leo immediately lifted his head. "Are you really going to repay me? Alright! I have one condition!" Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Hearing Leo say it in a firm tone, Tina couldn''t help being stunned for a moment and then asked, "What?" Leo frowned and asked in disbelief, "Did you make a casual remark just now?" Seeing his expression, Tina couldn''t help but burst outughing. She had never seen Leo in person before, so she had thought he was as rebellious and arrogant as he was described in the news. Unexpectedly, all the words he said when he was facing Cindy just now warmed her heart. And now, he was also speaking straightforwardly with her. "Why are youughing? Do you think I''m shameless?" Leo was a little unhappy. Tina hurriedly waved her hand and exined, "No! I am just a little surprised. You¡¯re different from what I heard before!" "Don¡¯t believe rumors. Most rumors are not true!" Leo snorted, " Those people are all jealous of my talent and handsome appearance!" If someone else had said such words, Tina might have thought he or she was overconfident, but she knew that Leo was telling the truth. "I know you''re outstanding." Leo had helped her many times, so Tina was not stingy with her praise, and then, she asked, "What is your condition? Name it!" "As you know, I''ve been working with Samuel, so I do notck money. I have enough funds, but I don''t like ordinary designers and their works, so I''ve been having a headache recently... However, I know how to solve the problem now." Then, he said without hesitation, "I want to buy all of your designs! It Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Hearing this, Tina was stunned and said, "What? " Leo wanted to buy all of her designs? "You¡¯re unwilling?" Leo said, "Don''t worry, I will not only buy your designs but also send a group of employees over to help you with the production. All the details will be under your control, so you don''t need to worry that the finished products do not ord with what you envisioned at the beginning. And I will hold a catwalk show for your designs and let them debut in front of all the designers in Paris. I will write all these conditions into the contract, so You don''t need to worry about me going back on my words! Do you think it''s okay?" 1 Leo''s tone sounded very serious, so Tina was shocked, feeling as if she were in a dream! All designers would dream of the conditions he had offered just now! Every designer in Paris wanted to make his or her designs appear on a catwalk show. Moreover, he had actually guaranteed the catwalk show would only disy her designs and everything would be under her control! Tina almost agreed in a fit of excitement, but reality ruthlessly forced her to calm down as if pouring cold water on herself. "Of course, I am willing to cooperate with you, but Samuel may disagree..." Leo asked, "You mean you will agree as long as he is OK with it?" "Yes, this is my dream! I don¡¯t want to refuse, and I feel like dreaming now!" Tina said, feeling ufortable in her heart. She had fallen into Samuel''s hands and waspletely under his control now, so she had no right to leave without authorization. But Leo guaranteed, "Don''t worry, I can definitely persuade him into agreeing! He is my business partner, so he will not refuse!" Tina smiled bitterly, "I hope so." Leo said energetically, "Good! Let''s continue looking..." After making concerted efforts, they found most of Tina''s design drawings. "Thank God! It seems that what they discardedst night are the materials I use to make clothes. Most of my important design drawings have been found! Great!" Tina said happily, "Leo, thank you!" She wanted to walk closer to him to express her gratitude again, but she stumbled and then uncontrobly fell toward the side where there were sharp fragments of ss on the ground. Chapter 467 Chapter 467 If she fell onto the sharp fragments of ss, she would be hurt severely! Tina was so frightened that she closed her eyes, but she subconsciously hugged her design drawings tightly for fear of losing them again... "Be careful!" Leo shouted. He was quick in reaction and hurriedly stretched out his hand to grab her arm. With his help, Tina steadied herself, quickly left the garbage truck, and walked to the t road. Soon, the driver drove the garbage truck away. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Tina''s heart was still throbbing violently, and her hands were shaking. It was indeed a narrow escape! "Thank you! Thank you so much!" Tina said, "Fortunately, I didn''t fall. If I had fallen on the fragments of ss, I would have been severely hurt!" All kinds of terrifying images kept popping into her mind. Leo was still holding her arm tightly because he could feel her trembling with fear. If he let go of her now, she would fall to the ground because her legs must have gone weak. Therefore, he said, "Don¡¯t be afraid! We have gotten out of the truck now, and most of your important design drawings have been found. You should be happy now." Hearing this, Tina remembered she was holding her design drawings in her arms. Although they looked dirty, she couldn''t help beaming with joy and said, "That''s right! I should be happy to get them back! Leo, thank you so much!" Her words were sincere, and her eyes were full of gratitude. Seeing her satisfied and grateful smile after she had found her design drawings, Leo was stunned for a moment and immediately looked away. "Are you OK now? Do you need me to help you get in the car and drive you back?" Only then did Tina notice that Leo was still holding her arm for fear that she would fall. She felt even more grateful and said, "No, thanks. I''ll go back by myself..." Before she could finish speaking, a man''s deep and cold voice suddenly sounded behind her, asking, "what are you doing?" Tina recognized the owner of the voice without looking back, and her hair immediately stood on end. Then, the man grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from Leo! When she staggered and looked up, she found Samuel''s figure was so tall that his shadow had enveloped her relentlessly. Tina could clearly see him grit his teeth and re at her with his sharp eyes. "It seems you hide a lot of things from me. I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a close rtionship with Leo!" 1 Tina''s heart skipped a beat because she thought Samuel must misunderstand after seeing Leo holding her arm. "You misunderstood. I have nothing to do with him. After he helped me find the design drawings, I tripped and almost fell, so he gave me a hand..." Tina exined without hesitation, intending to draw a clear line from Leo in front of Samuel. Leo knew that the rtionship between Samuel and Tina was unusual. He had never seen Samuel take the initiative to get close to a woman before. Moreover, Tina was covered with dirt and mud now, but he still possessively held her in his arms. Samuel was deliberately iming sovereignty for fear that he would covet Tina. Therefore, Leo also exined, "Mr. Langford, please don''t misunderstand. I know she''s your woman, and I just helped her in passing." Unexpectedly, Samuel suddenly sneered when hearing his words. Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Samuel asked coldly, "My woman? who are you talking about?" Leo froze. He pointed to the woman in Samuel''s arms and asked, "Well, isn''t it her?" Only at this time did Samuel notice that he had just subconsciously held Tina in his arms. "Of course not!" Saying that, he pushed Tina away from his arms without hesitation. Tina fell to the ground. Leo subconsciously wanted to help her, but was stopped by Samuel. "Leo, since you are my partner, I advise you to stay away from her! She is scheming and often pretends to be innocent. Don''t be fooled by her anymore. Last time, she and her ex-boyfriend leaked the confidential documents of our cooperation. Of course, you must know her ex-boyfriend. He is Desmond, your previous secretary!" Hearing his words, Leo was incredulous, let alone Tina. He said, " What?" Samuel''s words seemed to be a sharp knife that stabbed Tina''s heart. If he was talking about Tina, perhaps she would feel fine. After all, she had long been used to it. countless times and appreciated her work. However, Samuel was ndering her in front of Leo now! Looking at Samuel''s astonished eyes, Tina only felt very angry. She didn''t hesitate to stand up and said, "This is not true! I was framed. It was your wife Cindy who conspired with Desmond and asked him to deliberately approach me!" Samuel sneered and looked at her with a flicker of mockery in his eyes. "Tina, you''re so good at lying." "But I have proof. Don''t say anything more. I won''t believe any of your words." Tina clenched her fist, "Thewyer has already rified that for me! I didn''t do any of those things! Don''t nder me anymore, Samuel!" "nder? You seem to be innocent now, but thewyer who defends you is famous in Paris. Besides, John has an illegitimate daughter with him. Leo, have you heard about the current situation of the Carter mansion?" Hearing Samuel''s words, Leo was iparably shocked! "Yes, but I didn''t expect..." What he didn''t expect was that it was all rted to Tina! Looking at Leo''s expression, Tina only felt heartbroken. Hearing Samuel say these words to Leo, she felt very embarrassed. She was so angry that her eyes turned red, "Samuel, don''t go too far!"Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. But Samuelughed, "Are you angry because I exposed you for seducing men? After all, Leo doesn''t know you well, so it''s normal for him to be cheated by your innocent appearance." Leo wanted to say something, but he thought he shouldn''t stay any longer now, so he said, "I''ll leave first." "Okay." Samuel said in a cold and harsh voice, "Don''t contact her anymore!" 2 Seeing Leo leave, Tina couldn''t help but shed tears. Chapter 469 Chapter 469 When Samuel found that Tina was staring in the direction where Leo left, his eyes became colder, and he reached out to turn her head towards him. "What are you looking at? You and he have only met a few times. You are not willing to leave him now? Can¡¯t you live without a man? II Tina tried hard to push Samuel away, but he still stood unmoved. Only she stumbled back several steps. After standing steadily, she looked up at Samuel, who was much taller than her. "Samuel, I hate you!" she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Hearing her words, Samuel was calm. "You''ve already said that many times. I¡¯ve also told you that you''d better hate me forever!" Tina only felt extremely humiliated and anguished. She originally thought that Samuel had actually changed a little bit, but it was her own delusion... Samuel¡¯s actions always reminded her that he hated her a lot. However, she had no way to escape from his control. She was like a mouse caught and yed with by a cat. She constantly tried to escape and rebel, but her tail was trampled by Samuel again and again for pleasure! "I hate you! I''ll kill you one day. I''ll kill you..." Tina wanted to rush to punch and kick Samuel. However, she was too petite to beat Samuel, who carried her in his arms easily. Samuel didn''t want to quarrel with her at all and said, "Go home!" "I won''t go home with you. Let go of me. I¡¯ll kill you..." Samuel''s eyes became extremely cold. Looking at therge stack of dirty design drawings in her arms, he said icily, "If you continue throwing a tantrum, I¡¯ll destroy all your design drawings!" Tina¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡®Only a devil like Samuel will do such a cruel thing! ¡¯ She held the design drawings even more tightly. "Don''t touch my design drawings. Otherwise, I¡¯ll fight against you to the end!" Samuel snorted coldly, "Then you''d better listen to me!" Tina didn''t dare to struggle, her tears rolling down uncontrobly. She sobbed, "You are a devil! I hate you!" Samuel sneered, "Do you only have these words to scold me?" Tina only felt more humiliated. "Both you and Cindy are devils! I¡¯ll take revenge on you one day!" "Take revenge on me? Are you daydreaming?" Samuel asked. Soon, Tina was forcibly taken back to the vi by Samuel. Under the servants¡¯ surprised stare, he took Tina up the stairs with her in his arms. Samuel put Tina down in front of a door and said coldly, "Go into your room obediently." Tina became stunned, as Samuel brought her to her previous room. "Do you take me to the wrong ce? This is not my room!" "This is your room," Samuel said in a firm tone. "No!" Tina even took several steps back. "Hasn''t this room already been used by Cindy?" "Besides, all the things I put in the room before have been thrown away by her like garbage! I won¡¯t live here anymore!" This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Samuel frowned. Tina was always stubborn in terms of some matters and irritated Samuel. "There is no other room for you. If you don¡¯t want to live here, you¡¯ll live in the attic in the future." "Okay. I''ll go to the attic now!" Then Tina turned around to leave without hesitation. Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Tina was determined to leave, but Samuel grabbed her hand. His face was gloomy. His eyes were cold and sharp as he said, " Stop. Did I allow you to leave?" "You..." Tina felt furious. No matter what she did, this damn man would not be satisfied. "Then what do you want?" She tried to shake off Samuel''s hand, but he tightened his grip, making Tina¡¯s face turn pale. "You''re hurting me! Let go of me!" "I''m hurting you?" Samuel sneered, "when you rushed up and tried to kill me, you were not that delicate at all." Tina wanted to retort, but her face turned ashen. She could hardly speak. Her legs went weak, and she was about to fall. Samuel''s expression changed. He subconsciously supported her. He looked down and noticed that Tina was in a mess and that her hands were full of small wounds. The wounds were bleeding because of his grip, looking terrible. He raised her wrists and asked, "What happened?" Tina then realized that her hands were painful, mostly because she had just been in a hurry to look for the design drawings and had identally hurt her hands. She gritted her teeth and said, "Please stay away from me. I''ve juste out of the garbage!" Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Samuel''s face suddenly darkened. "What did you say? Garbage?" Tina felt the man stiffen and remembered that he was a neat freak. She said mockingly, "Thanks to Mrs. Langford, all my design drawings were thrown in the garbage by her servants. "To get them back, I stopped the garbage truck and rummaged for a long while before I found them! "I have not even taken a shower, let alone have washed my hands. You''d better stay away from me, or you may be infected by me!" Sure enough, as Tina described how she dug around in the garbage, Samuel''s expression became more and more frightening. "You hugged me just now. I advise you to take a shower and disinfect yourself." Tina wanted to anger him. However, Samuel looked at her face and suddenly gave a coldugh. "Okay. Since you have said so, let''s take a shower together!" Tina froze, "what?" The next second, she was picked up by the man. He directly opened the door and walked in. Tina was stunned, "what are you doing? I''m serious. I came out of the garbage." "I''m serious too!" Samuel said word by word. "You''d better shut up, or I''ll throw you and your design drawings back into the garbage truck!" "You..." Tina was brought to the bathroom. The man turned on the shower head, which immediately made the petite woman shiver and get wet. "Samuel, are you trying to kill me?" she identally choked, coughing and falling weakly to the floor. "Howe you are so useless?" Samuel raised her and reached out to take off her wet clothes. "What are you doing? Don''t do that!" Tina gripped her clothes in shock and looked angrily at the man in front of her. Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Samuel thought it was funny. "You''re in the bathroom now. what are you so nervous about? Like I¡¯ve never seen you naked before. I just picked you up from the trash. What do you think I''m going to do to you?" Tina did fear what Samuel might do to her. However, no matter how alert she was or how much she tried to resist him, there was no way she could get away from Samuel. He was cleaning her body like treating a dirty kitten... An hour or soter, Tina rushed out of the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe, her face totally flushed. She walked with a limp and almost fell to the floor. Samuel came out of the bathroom after her. Watching Tina''s back, he couldn''t help but snicker, "Tina, what are you afraid of? I''m not going to eat you. Even if I want to do something to you, do you think you can run away?" Tina became even more irritated, what had just happened in the bathroom had made her feel incredibly ashamed. But Samuel was right. If he really wanted to do something to her, there was nothing she could do... Tina shut her mouth tight. When Samuel saw Tina so miserable, his irritation dissipated. He sat down on the couch and beckoned to Tina, who was sitting afar from him. "Come here." Tina subconsciously shook her head. "You don''t want to dry your hair?" Samuel raised his eyebrows. After taking a bath, Tina''s body was cleaned of all the dirt, but her hands were hot and sore after the inevitable touch of water. "I can dry my hair myself!" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Having just been taken to the bath by Samuel, she felt so ashamed that she wanted to kill herself. Her hand wasn''t broken. She didn''t need him to dry her hair. She could do it herself! And yet... "Whoa-" Before Tina could get the towel in her hand, there was a sharp pain in her hand. Looking at her teary eyes, Samuel yanked her into his arms. "Stay quiet." He warned, "Think about your design drawings. You don''t want me to ruin what you''ve just got back, do you?" Tina stopped moving. She was small in stature. Sitting on Samuel''sp, she was like a kitten. Feeling the man''s body heat burning against her back, she didn''t dare to continue leaning against his body. She tried to move forward a little, and Samuel''s stern warning rang out from above her. "Dare you move again!" Tina didn''t dare move anymore. She sat there rigidly, letting Samuel dry her wet hair with a towel. However, to her surprise, Samuel was very careful. After drying her hair with a towel, he turned on the hair dryer and blew her hair from root to tip. When her hair was almost dry, he turned off the hair dryer. "It¡¯s done." Tina froze. The whole time, Samuel blew her hair with care! "You''re not leaving?" Samuel''s tone was impatient. She came to her senses and got off hisp. "I''ll go to the attic first..." "Stay here! Don''t go anywhere." Samuel ordered. Then he left the room. After a few minutes, he was back, carrying the medical kit in his hand. "Come here, §Ô 11 dress your wound." Samuel was like a totally different person. She couldn''t help but question, "Why are you suddenly so nice to me?" Chapter 472 Chapter 472 When Samuel found Tina was with Leo just now, he seemed to want to tear her up. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. However, after knowing that she was rummaging in the garbage for her design drawings, Samuel suddenly changed his attitude. Taking Tina to the bathroom to wash, Samuel dried her hair and even wanted to apply a ster to her. ¡®His change was too sudden, wasn''t it?¡¯ Tina felt very strange. Noticing her gaze, Samuel said impatiently, "why are you always having so many problems?" "Obviously, you hate me very much. You said a lot of nderous things in front of Leo, but now you are so good to me. of course, I can doubt it." Samuel took a deep breath. This woman always made him feel up and down with only a few words. "You think I''ve ndered you, right? It seems that you care a lot about your impression in Leo''s mind. That''s right. If he knows your nature, how can you hook up with him?" "Besides, I''m not treating you well. You''re not qualified." Samuel''s tone was sharp and full of contempt. "What I did is for Cindy." Tina was stunned. ''What does this have to do with Cindy?'' Samuel continued to exin, "Cindy threw away the things in your room. It was nothing at all. However, you deliberately made things in front of so many people, which made Cindy lose face. She was even so embarrassed in front of Leo." "You also deliberately went to the garbage to find out the design drawings, causing injuries all over your body. If anyone else knew about it, they would think that Cindy, the president''s wife of the Langford Group, would make trouble for an unknown designer." "Cindy is my wife and Keith''s mother. If she is being vilified, it''s not good for me." "Do you understand? Tina, don''t think too much. Don''t think I care about you." Tina suddenly felt very upset. Sure enough, Samuel couldn''t be good to her for no reason. She had expected it. But when she heard what he said about Cindy, she only felt extremely ufortable. "Come on, don''t waste my time. You put your hand out and deal with your injuries first, and then you can do whatever you want." "My only worry is whether you will implicate Cindy," Samuel said coldly. Tina thought it was ridiculous. Samuel and Cindy really loved each other. Even if Cindy wanted to give her a hard time, what he worried about was whether Cindy''s reputation would be damaged! Now she thought that the tenderness when he dried her hair should be left to Cindy. Tina suddenly felt a little bitter and she stretched out her hand with a cold face. Samuel was no longer gentle and careful when he dressed her wound. Samuel took out a bottle of purple-ck liquid, which was Iodophor for disinfection. The liquid was applied to the wound and Tina could barely bear the pain. However, Samuel seemed to retaliate deliberately. The cotton swab relentlessly touched the wound. The pain made Tina''s hand curl up. Samuel''s cold voice came over her head. "Stop it." Tina knew that her pain would not cause him any sympathy, so she could only endure it. When the wound on her body was coated with Iodophor, her back flowed with sweat. She just took a bath in vain! Samuel put away the medicine box with a cold face. Just when Tina thought Samuel was finally going to leave, he stopped. He looked at the stack of design drawings on the desktop. Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Tina followed his gaze and felt her stomach knot with fear. Is he going to avenge Cindy by destroying all the design drawings that I spent much time and enormous efforts in searching for? ¡°Did you draw them all by yourself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t reach out to leaf through those pieces of paper. The neat freak was ovee with a feeling of nausea at the thought of theiring from the garbage dump. After ncing through the several drawings scattered around, he gave a snort. ¡°You have design talent. No wonder Leo stuck up for you.¡± Samuel had cooperation with Leo, which suggested that they were equally demanding. However, Tina was not delighted at hispliment; instead, she even felt frightened. If it had not been for the hands covered with iodine, she would have rushed to put the drawings away to reassure herself. Seeing the source of her anxiety, Samuel uttered a snort ofugh, ¡° What? Are you worrying about me destroying them?¡± ¡°No...¡± Obviously, Tina told a lie. He continued to make a sneeringment. ¡°Tina, do you think I am as shameless as you?¡± ¡°I swore to take revenge on you for your betrayal, but I have no interest in destroying your drawings. I don¡¯t see the works of a humble designer like you worthy of me doing that.¡± His attitude enraged Tina who can¡¯t wait to dispel that point in no time. ¡°You can look down on me, but don¡¯t you ever devalue my works! ¡± She believed in her own ir for design! For five whole years, she grew up toughly from a humble apprentice to designer Linda whose works appeared on the Paris fashion magazine cover. Especially when she spent even more time and efforts on these drawings that Leo spoke highly of and even proposed to hold a special show... ¡°Don¡¯t devalue your works? You are much more self-conceited than Leo but less ipetent.¡± Samuel said. Tina¡¯s eyes were zing with fury, ¡°I¡¯m not self-conceited. It¡¯s my profession! stop ndering me! ¡± When saying so, her bright eyes were filled with seriousness, much more shining than usual. At the very moment, Samuel felt his heart pounding against his chest. He looked away and gazed at the drawings on the desk again. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Since you put it that way, I¡¯ll give you a chance. Do you dare to try it?¡± Amazed, Tina asked, ¡°What chance?¡± ¡°The Langford Group is going to hold a fashion designpetition together with the Beckett Group. Do you think you arepetent enough to attend thepetition?¡± Samuel told her the news in a cool tone while it burns within Tina. Samuel was going to cooperate with Leo? That would definitely stir up big waves in the whole fashion world. The fashion designpetition was bound to challenge those who had been dominating the fashion world. Any ambitious elite designer would not miss the chance. ¡°Am I qualified?¡± Actually, Tina was still hesitant about Leo¡¯s offering to buy her design works and help her realize her dream. Now faced with Samuel¡¯s offer, she was, instead, immersed in surprise and great joy. Did she finally had a chance to realize her dream?! ¡°If you have the ability.¡± Samuel answered. ¡°I am confident!¡± Tina nodded repeatedly, ¡°I can start preparing from nowon. I...¡± Knock knock! There came a tap on the door right at the moment to interrupt their conversation. Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Tina''s words were chocked in her throat. Samuel asked, "Who is it?" "Samuel, it''s me. It''s good that you are inside the room." Cindy''s voice came from outside the door. "It''s gettingte now. I know that you have been working hard and you always don''t sleep well, so I ask the cook to heat up a ss of milk..." Cindy''s voice was gentle, which made her look like an admirable mother. Hearing her voice, Tina felt very disgusted. Tina thought that Samuel would leave, but she didn''t expect that he answered coldly, "I don''t need it." "But Samuel, you have been so busy these days. It''s good for you to drink something warm..." "I''m not going to say it again," Samuel''s tone was still indifferent. Cindy didn''t dare say anything, and the voice outside the door disappeared soon. Tina felt a little strange. Cindy hade to the door, but Samuel rejected the milk brought by her, and he wasn''t about to leave. Tina didn''t have time to think too much. She was afraid that Samuel would leave, so she took the time to return to the subject they had just talked about. "Samuel, does what you just said still count?" "What did I say?" He nced at her. Tina became a little anxious and stoop up, "You just said you would allow me to enter a fashion design competition." Samuel looked down at her and raised his eyebrows suddenly. "Really? Did I say it? I don''t remember." After finishing his words, he was ready to leave the room carrying his medical kit. Tina couldn''t allow him to leave. If her hands hadn''t been covered with iodophor, she would have grabbed Samuel by his clothes. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She quickly got in his way, spreading her arms and standing in the doorway. "No, you can''t go out. You just said that you would give me a chance. You can''t go back on your words..." Tina was almost ready to cry. Her mood changed a lot today. Samuel gave her hope that her dream woulde true and then suddenly acted as if it had never happened, which Tina couldn''t ept anyway. "Do you want to enter thepetition?" "Yes," She said firmly. "Okay, I''ll send someone to take you to the studio. But there are many designers more excellent than you in the studio. ording to your character, maybe after two days, you wille back crying from being blown by other designers..." There was some sarcasm in Samuel''s tone. But Tina was relieved finally, what Samuel had just said meant that he promised it. As long as this man didn''t keep her locked up, she could do it. "I''m sure I can," Tina''s eyes suddenly lit up. While looking at Tina, Samuel''s Adam''s apple moved, and then he bent down. The next second, the tall figure of the man suddenly pressed down on Tina, which scared her. Unconsciously she looked away and asked, "What are you doing?" Samuel stretched out his arm to block her in the doorway. She heard a deep voice, "Just you and I are in this room, and you block me in the doorway deliberately, what do you think I''m doing here? II Tina recognized the danger in Samuel''s voice, and she was scared. "I didn''t mean to block you..." To tell the truth, she was just afraid that Samuel would go back on his word. "Okay, I''m going to leave..." However, she had no way back and was picked up by him. "It''ste." After finishing his words, he threw her on a big bed not far away. Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Tina subconsciously tried to sit up. But both of her hands were injured and coated with salve. It hurt so much to move her hand, she could only watch Samuel Her heart pounded violently. She suddenly blurted out, "What are you doing? Cindy is waiting for you outside!" Immediately, Samuel stopped his step. Tina continued, "Didn''t she just bring you milk? If you have any problems, shouldn''t you go to her?" Samuel narrowed his eyes and asked in a chilly voice, "what? Are you jealous?" Tina was dumbfounded. Seeing Samuel go on walking toward her, she yelled, "Cindy is your wife!" Samuel couldn''t help but snicker at Tina''s defensive look. Certainly, he could see what Tina was worried about. But he and Cindy had always been a couple in name only. He had only responsibilities for Cindy. He could take care of Cindy, but he didn''t love her. All the time, Tina was the only woman he loved. Coming out of the bathroom, Samuel was wearing a loose shirt, his sleeves rolled up, revealing his strong, powerful arms. He looked very attractive. Looking at Tina, he felt a little hot and thirsty. He tugged at his cor and unbuttoned it slowly. "Don¡¯t worry. Cindy and I..." Just as Samuel was about to exin to Tina, another sudden scream sounded. "Ah!" That was Cindy''s scream! Although it seemed to being from downstairs, not outside Tina''s room, immediately, the atmosphere in the room that was heating up was instantly freezing. Samuel''s face changed color. He turned around and opened the door. "What''s going on?!" He hurriedly went downstairs. Soon, Cindy''s voice came from downstairs. "Samuel, what are you doing here? Did I disturb you? I''m really sorry..." "I''m fine. You didn''te downstairs for a long time, so I tried to heat up the milk. But I got scalded by ident... " After hearing the noise, Tina also came out. She was standing by the stairs, and she could easily see Cindy falling into Samuel''s arms and crying. Cindy looked so fragile that Samuel couldn''t push her away. He picked up Cindy''s hand and saw that it was indeed red with burns. He immediately said to the maid, "Go, send for the doctor!" "Yes, Mr. Langford." The maid left in a hurry. Meanwhile, Cindy looked frightened, she snuggled into Samuel''s arms. She noticed Tina upstairs, and they looked at each other. Even from a distance, Tina saw the smugness and mockery in Cindy¡¯s eyes! Seeing Cindy leaning in Samuel''s arms, Tina felt her heart sink. Just a moment ago, Samuel and she almost had something... Tina felt sick at the thought. Hastily, she turned to leave and locked the door to her room. Soon, the doctor came. Seeing Cindy''s hand, the doctor was speechless. If the doctor hade a littleter, the red marks would have disappeared! "I''ll give you some ointment. It''s nothing serious. If it still hurts tomorrow, send someone to me." After that, the doctor left. Anticipation was in Cindy¡¯s eyes. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Samuel..." After making sure that Cindy was fine, Samuel pushed her away from his arms. He instructed the maid, "Put the ointment on Mrs. Langford¡¯s hand carefully and send her to rest." After saying that, he turned around and left. He went back to Tina''s room, only to find that the door was locked. Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Samuel frowned angrily. "Open the door." However, the room was silent. Samuel shouted threateningly, "Tina, you are so bold. Now you actually lock me out?" Finally, Tina''s voice came from the room. "Mr. Langford, your room is not here! It¡¯s sote; you had better go to bed early. You are so busy with your work, so be careful of your health." "You know very well about my health." Samuel sneered and irritably tugged at his cor. "Open the door! I will count to three!" Samuel''s attitude made Tina dare not continue to refuse. As soon as she opened the door, she was picked up by Samuel, and then she was on the bed again. It seemed that he wanted to continue what he had just done. "No, let me go." However, Tina resisted his approach more strongly than just now and wanted to kick him. Samuel pinched her ankle and lost interest because of Tina¡¯s reaction and Cindy''s interruption just now, so he said coldly, "Be quiet." Then he held Tina in his arms andy down. It was only then that Tina realized that he didn''t seem toe here to do that thing but simply came to sleep! ¡®But why does he have to sleep in my room?¡¯ ¡®Besides, Cindy just got scalded, why does this mane to haunt me?¡¯ Tina''s head was in a mess, and her mind was full of images of Samuel hugging Cindy tofort her. she felt somewhat disgusted in his arms, but she couldn''t escape at all because she was hugged tightly. She could not help but scold in her heart, ¡®Samuel, you are such a ya! Meanwhile, you are extremely ruthless! ¡¯ ¡®Cindy got scalded, but he still came to my room! ¡¯ However, she was already very tired and could not move, so she closed her eyes and fell asleep not long after she was pressed in Samuel¡¯s arms. The next day. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. When Tina woke up, she felt very ufortable as if her body had been run over by countless cars. She didn''t know whether it was because she had been held by Samuel all night, or it was because she had been tired. No sooner had she walked out of the door than she saw a man waiting in the hall. Tina subconsciously turned to leave. After all, most of the people who coulde to this vi were rted to Samuel. She was only an outsider, so it was better for her not to get involved. However, the man noticed Tina and asked, "You are Miss Lynd, right? No, Miss Tina?" Tina was stunned for a moment and stopped. "Are you here to see me?" "Yes, we got the news this morning that Miss Linda was going to join the designer studio of Langford Group, so I was sent to pick you up." Tina suddenly remembered that yesterday Samuel promised her that he would let her participate in the designerpetition, but she didn''t expect it was so soon! "Uh, isn''t Miss Linda going to join US?" The man looked at Tina¡¯s surprised face and asked questioningly. Tina hurriedly said, "No, I join. Of course I join. Let''s go!" After Tina eagerly left with the man, Cindy suddenly appeared with big dark circles under her eyes. "What happened to that bitch Tina? where is she going?" The servant was so startled that she almost thought she had seen a ghost! "Mrs. Langford, are you all right? You look terrible, what''s wrong with you?" Chapter 477 Chapter 477 ''What happened? When Cindy thought of that, her face twisted in anger. Yesterday, she saw Samuel walking into Tina''s room, so she sent milk to Samuel to disturb Samuel and Tina... Unexpectedly, Samuel ignored her and even didn''t open the door for her! But she was reluctant to give up. she pretended to be burned by the hot milk and screamed on purpose. She wanted to pretend to be weak, and thus Samuel would stay by her side. However, after Samuel knew that her injury wasn¡¯t serious, he left without hesitation! He stayed in Tina''s room for the whole night! When Cindy remembered that Tina seduced Samuel in front of her, she was so furious that she couldn''t sleep but kept tossing and turning in bed all night. Looking at the servant''s confused gaze, Cindy pped the servant suddenly. The servant cried out in pain, covered her face and fell to the ground. Looking at the servant''s swollen face, Cindy gave vent to her anger finally. "I was asking you the question. As a neer, don¡¯t you know the rules to work here? You''re just a servant. How dare you ask me in return?" "I didn''t..." The servant still wanted to say something. 1 Cindy kicked the servant. "How dare you refute? If you refute again, I will fire you!" The servant didn''t have the guts to say anything else. The surrounding servants also panicked. Cindy feltcent. ''Of course, the servants should respect and be afraid of me. I''m the hostess of the vi and Samuel''s wife!'' She asked, "where is Tina?" No servants had the guts to hide it from Cindy. They answered her actively. "Miss Lynd has gone to the studio..." "Which studio? Didn''t her previous studio drive her away?" Cindy didn''t believe it. "We''re not clear about it. Mr. Langford arranged it for Miss Lynd." "Mr. Langford made a phone call in the morning. He asked his assistant to arrange for Miss Lynd to join in the design studio of the Langford Croup..." "What? It''s impossible!" Cindy became more furious. "How can the bitch join in the design studio of the Langford Croup?" "She was Samuel''s secretary in the Langford Croup but betrayed Samuel shamelessly, why does he let Tina work in his design studio again?" Cindy didn''t believe it and shouted to the surrounding servants angrily. The servants were shocked and held their breaths. She was inwardly furious but knew that the servants didn''t have the guts to lie to her. She returned to her room angrily and made a phone call. "Hello." The person answered the phone soon. Cindy cursed, "what the hell are you doing? Didn''t you say that you would cooperate with me to deal with Tina?" "I have put up with the bitch for a long time and seen her hectoring in front of me all the time, what about you? Why haven''t you taken action?" Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Ms. Cindy, it''s not that simple! I can''t take action casually!" "I need to let her disappear in the world thoroughly and can''t let others notice that..." "I don''t care about others. I just want her to die..." "Alright, do you still refuse to take action? It seems that you''re sent by the bitch to fool me. I won''t cooperate with you and provide any news about Samuel to you again. I will take action by myself!" Then she hung up decisively! Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Cindy hung up the phone, and her eyes looked evil. She had no time to wait! If she continued to be like this, her status would be lower and lower in Samuel''s heart. And all those servants would look down on her if they knew she was not loved by Samuel. She couldn''t lose face like this! Thinking of this, Cindy picked up her phone and dialed.... Meanwhile, after being hung up by Cindy, Mrs. Carter called her back immediately. However, she didn''t get through because Cindy was already on a call. Was she cklisted? Mrs. Carter was so angry that she almost threw the phone to the ground. "What a fool! Cindy could not keep her temper. No wonder she could not make her husband love her after bing Mrs. Langford!" In order to deal with Tina and make her disappear from the world, Mrs. Carter cooperated with Cindy. Mrs. Carter tried her best to keep the duke and John busy with something else, and then let Cindy divert Samuel''s attention. At that time, she could send someone to take Tina away so that she could disappear without being unnoticed by anyone. Everyone would think that she eloped with a man! As a result, the n did notst long. She had turned the duke''s attention to Kara, the duke''s great- granddaughter, and persuaded John to stay in the hospital. She just needed Cindy to retain Samuel... What was the result? As a result, Cindy failed to retain Samuel in ordance with her requirements. Now, Cindy actually med her in return! Mrs. Carter was furious, and her subordinates began to worry. "What do we do now, madam?" "As we had nned, change the paternity test results so that the duke can think that the woman''s daughter was Mr. Carter''s child. "Let''s retain Mr. Carter who knows nothing about the fact so he can''t help the woman. ¡°When that woman dies, everything can be a misunderstanding and has nothing to do with you.¡± "But now, if Mrs. Langford does something to make the woman escape death, and the duke and Mr. Carter find something wrong, they will suspect you..." Mrs. Carter was furious. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She tried to change the number, but she still couldn''t get through to Cindy, so she gave up. Mrs. Carter couldn''t await her doom. She sneered. "Well, since she is so ungrateful, I will deal with you too." As she was saying, she whispered to her subordinates. Her subordinates nodded and went to do as she ordered. At this time, Tina, feeling excited, came to the costume design studio. Her former studio was very small and remote. She stayed there for five years. The studio of the Langford Group was a high building and resplendent and magnificent. "Linda, this is your work ce." The person who sent her here said, "Let me take you to go through the entry formalities. There''s a meeting today so you can meet the other designers." "OK." Just as Tina followed her workmate into the building, there was a loud noise behind her and a lot of people came towards her. "Get out of the way!" As they said, they pushed Tina away! Chapter 479 Chapter 479 As soon as the menacing crowd appeared, Tina was alerted. She nned to evade them, but a hand was stretched out to her. In reflex, she grabbed it. The other party was startled and shouted abuse. "Who the hell are you? Get out of the way. Do you know who ising? How are you..." "Ah!" A scream broke out. Tina''s entire body was sore, as if she had been run over by a car. Although she was unable to employ an overarm throw, she had other tricks up her sleeve, she kicked the man in the lower body. The man''s knee was hooked. He fell uncontrobly to the ground andnded on his stomach. In an instant, the hall fell into dead silence. Even the slightest sound would be heard. Everyone gaped at Tina. The woman might look petite, she was able to knock over a bruiser who was much taller than her. While the others were shocked, the man lying on the ground was pissed off. "Damn, how dare you hit me, bitch! I''m gonna teach you a lesson." He clenched his fists. Frightened by his aggressive look, those all around stepped back. The staff member, who brought Tina over, broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly exined, "This is a misunderstanding, she is Linda, a new designer in our studio, she didn''t mean to..." "Linda? Bah, I''ve never heard of her. A shammer from the countryside?" The man snorted and spat. "The designer who''sing over is top-notch. Even the CEO of the Langford Group offered an olive branch to her, and Leo calls her a master! she was invited to be a judge for the designpetition!" "Given your attitude, are you trying to y games with that exalted designer? Fine! Since you don''t appreciate our partnership, we will leave!" When the staff member heard that, his knees felt weak. He hadn''t expected Tina to offend such a powerful character. If it were just an ordinary client, this problem would be easy to solve. They could clear up the misunderstanding. But it was a judge they had invited over. No ordinary person could afford to offend the judge. Moreover, the Langford Group attached great importance to the cooperation. If this minor employee messed it up, he would be screwed. "No, you got me wrong. It''s not what I mean." "Isn''t it? But you just said this woman had joined your studio." The bruiser gave a coldugh. The staff member changed color and red at Tina.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. In an instant, Tina''s heart trembled, and she had a bad feeling. As expected, the staff member drew a line between them and said without hesitation. "I don''t know her!" Tina clenched her teeth. The bruiser gloated and looked over at Tina. "Heh heh, you don''t? In that case, this matter will be easy to solve! II "It looks like this woman has sneaked in to stir up trouble. She''s a mole who intends to sabotage the cooperation. Take her to the police station and teach her a lesson!" Chapter 480 Chapter 480 If it were someone else, to be ndered in public like this, he probably would have been trembled with fear. But Tina just felt like she wanted to sneer. She had seen the ugly mugs of many people and had experienced too much of this kind of thing... This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She really had enough! Tina was alone now. But in the face of these menacingly approaching people, she straightened her back with no fear. She raised her head and said, "You want to send me to the police station without any basis or evidence. Are you going to nder me? II Her question made all those people stunned! No one had expected that a petite woman like Tina would have the courage to refute in front of so many people! "What do you mean? Do you think you''re right? You just blocked the road and beat people up. If the designer can¡¯te over on time, you¡¯ll be punished! " "Huh." Tina smiled more and more sarcastically, and said, "Just now, didn''t you refuse to admit that I was an employee of thepany? Now, why did you bring it up? I''m sorry, but as the staff member just said, I haven''t joined thepany yet, so thepany''s affairs have nothing to do with me!" "This is a public area. What''s the problem with me standing here? When you showed up, you wanted to push me, and I just fought back for self-defense!" "Since you insisted on taking it to the police station, I would like to know whether I¡¯m going to locked up in prison, or you¡¯re going to be locked up in prison for nder?" Tina''s every word was loud and clear. Obviously, although she looked petite, young and immature, she was not a pushover! The bodyguard became impatient and said, "You bitch, you¡¯re still quibbling?" "Quibbling? I''m arguing with reason. Fortunately, there is surveince everywhere. Everything that has happened must have been recorded, right? Don¡¯t you dare to watch it?!" "You are sabotaging the cooperation..." "As I said, I''m not a designer of this studio, why would I sabotage the cooperation? I wonder what kind of designer would hire you bodyguards. You¡¯re like bandits!" "Isn''t the designer you mentioneding soon? I don''t mind asking that designer to take a good look at what has been happening here." "You...you..." The bodyguard was so angry that his face turned blue, and he pointed at Tina and cursed, "You troublesome woman, don''t stand in the way. This time I will let you go. Get out of here right now!" "I''m not going! I''ll just stand here!" Tina was not afraid of making a scene at all. she had nothing left and had been misunderstood and tortured by Samuel again and again. She wouldn''t be bullied so easily! The bodyguard was furious, and stretched out his hand to Tina, shouting, "I said, get out..." Seeing that he wanted to drag her away, Tina decided to use her self -defense skills to protect herself. It was impossible for her not to fight back under such a circumstance. She was even ready to get hurt a little. However, the screen of her phone in her pocket suddenly lit up, and a red dot was shing. In addition to recording everything that had happened, she was ready to call the police! 1 "what are you doing? stop it!" There suddenly came a man''s shout. Chapter 481 Chapter 481 The guard who was about to hit Tina was immediately pulled by a hand. Then the arrogant guard was violently thrown onto the ground! Everything happened in an instant. The moment the guard fell onto the ground, people around were all shocked. Tina also became stunned, she looked at the man who had just appeared. The man was... Leo!!! Leo was dressed in a suit and looked handsome. As a designer, he looked casual andnguid at ordinary times. But now, he looked angry and serious! The guard stood up from the ground, his eyes burning with rage. He couldn¡¯t wait to tear the person who had thrown him onto the ground to pieces, "who the fuck threw me onto the ground just now? I''m going to kill him!" However, others recognized the man who had just appeared in the hall. "Mr. Beckett!" "Mr. Beckett, howe you here?" Mr. Beckett? The guard froze, as he didn¡¯t expect the person to be Leo. "I threw you onto the ground just now. Are you going to kill me?" Leo asked in an icy tone. "I didn''t expect someone to bully others in my studio. Who allows you to do so?" The guard was so scared that his legs turned into jelly and he fell to his knees. "No, no, no! Mr. Beckett, you have misunderstood me. It''s all a misunderstanding!" "It isn''t I who took the initiative to beat the woman. It is this woman who was causing trouble that I had no choice but to ask her to go out!" "Yes. That well-known designer is going to arriveter, and we are ordered to clear the ce. But we didn¡¯t expect that there would be a woman causing trouble," other guards said. All the guards didn''t hesitate to put the me on Tina, and the guard who had wanted to hit Tina before immediately pointed to a staff member next to him. "This is the staff member of the studio. He has witnessed everything and can prove that I¡¯m telling the truth!" Leo looked at Tina. ¡®Tina muste to the studio to deal with something. How is it possible for her to cause trouble?¡¯ But Leo couldn¡¯t tell others that he and Tina were friends, so he looked at the staff member and asked. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. "Does the guard tell the truth?" The staff member felt that he was unlucky. He thought that he shouldn¡¯t have stood here just now and should have left. "I... I don''t know anything..." "How can you not know anything? Do you want to make Mr. Beckett misunderstand something and cause the cooperation to be cancelled?" The guard said angrily with his eyes widened. "I... I..." The staff member did not want to be retaliated against and screwed his courage to say, "It seems... It seems that thisdy blocked the way first. Then she and the guard quarreled!" "Really?" Leo asked again. The staff member looked at Leo and immediately nodded firmly. "Yes. Really!" "This gentleman, you are really good at telling lies even if there is a surveince camera over your head! We can check it to see what on earth has happened," Tina said coldly. When the staff member heard Tina¡¯s words, his face darkened. He said impatiently, "The studio has been moved to this building recently. All the equipment has been newly installed. The surveince camera doesn¡¯t work, and there is no video!" "And the only witness present is me. I have no grudge against you. Why do I tell lies?" "Mr. Beckett, though Miss Linda is a capable designer, which designer in our studio is not talented? she hasn¡¯t joined our studio yet, but she behaves so aggressively, she really goes too far." Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Facing the staff''s usations, Tina was calm, she said coldly, " Because the surveince is not working, you helped these people nder me unscrupulously, right?" The staff subconsciously shrank his neck. Inexplicitly, he was intimidated by Tina''s posture. "I''m not ndering you. I''m telling the truth!" The staff argued. Seeing Leo''s furrowed brows, Tina understood that with so many people making usations against her, he was in a dilemma! Tina also knew that she and Leo were not friends. She was just a new designer, she was nothingpared to those top gurus. It was such an easy choice for Leo which side he should be on. Therefore, Tina was blunt, and she continued, "Mr. Beckett, you don''t need to get involved. I can take care of this myself!" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ''Mr. Beckett?'' Looking at the distant and stubborn look on Tina''s face, Leo understood that she must have misunderstood him. Just as Leo was about to exin, there was amotion outside. A police car pulled up at the entrance. When the police came in, everyone''s face changed color. "Who reported the case?" A police officer appeared and asked. People all looked at each other. "Didn''t you just say you were going to take that woman to the police station? Did you call the police?" An employee asked the security guard. The guard was confused, "I didn''t call the police. I was just saying... II "Mr. Beckett, since the police are here, let the police take this woman to the police station! It''s not good to make such a scene here!" But Leo frowned, "Things aren''t clear yet. How can we send her to the police station?" "Why not? She''s so aggressive. Mr. Beckett, you should see her for what she is now. she should be sent to the police station and reflect on her behavior." "That''s right. I agree..." Just then, Tina bluntly interrupted the group, and she stated clearly, "Excuse me. I called the police!" "What?" "Why did you call the police? Do you have any evidence?" "Yeah, the surveince is not working, what evidence do you have? We have witnesses. We can sue you for nder!" "Mr. Beckett, this woman is really here to make trouble. She wants to ruin our project..." The police officer interjected, "Knock it off! What the hell is going on?" "I''m charging these people!" Tina replied. "You have no proof..." "Sorry, but I do!" Then Tina took her phone out. Under the skeptical gaze of the group, she clicked on the sound recorder. A recording began to y. First, the bodyguard imed he wanted to send Tina to the police station. Then the staff took his colleagues'' side and ndered Tina! Then Tina argued with them, and just as the confrontation broke out, Leo appeared... "I don''t know if the surveince is broken or not. I''m not from the studio. You guys have a great knack for ndering me. If you guys want to hide the evidence, there''s nothing I can do about it!" "But now I have this recording, and all your speeches were recorded clearly. Is it enough to be used as evidence?" Chapter 483 Chapter 483 At that moment, there were many people standing in the hall. Everyone went silent. They all looked at Tina with disbelief. No one expected that such a tender little girl like Tina would not panic at the moment when the incident happened. She was so calm that she even recorded the conversation. She didn''t show her evidence until the moment the police showed up! "Enough! That¡¯s enough. Everyonees with me." Given that she had hard evidence, the police didn''t hesitate to take those people away and stuff them into the police car. And Tina also had to follow those people to the police station. She straightened her back. She looked at Leo the moment she stepped in front of the police car. When Tina saw Leo''s surprised expression, she bent down and bowed to him! "Mr. Langford, I didn''t mean for this to happen." "You have helped me so many times before. And you spoke highly of my design drawings. And you helped me retrieve almost all my design drawings from the garbage truck. I don''t know how I can repay you for that." "At first, I hadn''t wanted to make too big a deal out of this. After all, I didn''t want to affect your cooperation either." "Unfortunately, things are not going to be as good as I thought." "In the face of so many people''s usations, I only did this to protect myself, so I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand me for deliberately sabotaging this cooperation." "Whether you believe me or not, there is nothing I can do about it. After all, I''m an outsider. I think what Samuel said may be more worthy of your trust!" Tina said in a self-deprecating tone. "That''s all I have to say. I''ll apologize to you after I''ve dealt with what happened today. Goodbye." After saying that, Tina turned around and walked to the police car. This time, she was not going to let go of these nderers.. However, Leo grabbed Tina''s arm in the next second. At that moment, Leo said, "I''ll go with you." She was a little surprised as she stopped in her tracks. "What? You''reing with me?" Tina asked, "what about your coboration?" "I want to work with that designer because I value the work that person creates. Therefore, I sincerely invite that designer to be the judge of this designpetition." "But I haven''t contacted him in person. I made an appointment to meet with him this time." "What I didn''t expect was that before that so-called master arrived, his bodyguard dealt with you like this without any reason. It seems that the designer''s character is also very questionable." "I don''t want to work with such a person either." Leo said in a decisive tone. "Besides, you just said that you are a designer who is ready to join the studio. I can''t possibly watch you being bullied. If I don''t do something about it, wouldn''t I be unworthy of being the CEO?" Tina froze because she didn''t expect Leo to not me her for making a big deal out of it. And Leo would even choose to be on her side! "But..." "There''s no more buts. Let''s go. We''lle back after dealing with it. Otherwise, it will make you postpone the date of your Leo said as he took the lead in the police car. He wasn''t just talking and had made up his mind. Tina could not waste any time and then got into the police car. Given Leo''s statement and Tina''s evidence, the incident was soon to be dealt with. Then Leo took Tina back to thepany and went through the formalities in person. Just in time, Tina could be able to attend a designer''s meeting. Then, Leo took her to the meeting and introduced her, "Let me introduce Linda, the new designer in our studio." Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Chapter 484 "Linda? I remember this name. Are you the one who designed the cover of Paris Fashion?" "I''ve seen your work, and it''s very good..." "Hello, wee to join us!" In the face of everyone¡¯s wee, Tina felt a little dazed because she didn¡¯t expect she still had a chance to be a designer. ¡®That''s great.¡¯ Tina was happy and said to herself. Then she warmly greeted all the designers and recognized them one by one because they had been famous in the fashion world for a long time. Her design works had also published in the Paris Fashion, but Tina thought she was still just a rookie in front of this group of masters. However, Tina did not feel any pressure. On the contrary, she felt extremely excited. She had never dreamed that she could get in touch with these masters. She had groped her way forward like a headless chicken, and now if those masters could give her some suggestions, her ability would be improved. It was a great blessing! Over the next few days, Tina seemed to return to the way she was when she first arrived in Paris five years ago. At that time, she was just an apprentice in a small studio. Now in the face of so many masters, she was still an apprentice, but now her goal was clearer than it was five years ago. Those masters dly epted Tina''s greeting. After all, in the fashion world, many high and powerful people begged for their designs, and many designers wanted to be their apprentices. "Linda, I need you to do a thing. I have ordered a batch of fabric and need you to check and receive them!" "I don''t trust the other assistants to do it. They are all clumsy. After all, if something goes wrong with the fabric, the rest of steps can''t happen, right? You''re more professional, so I''ll leave it to you! " "Linda, I also need you to do a thing. Please buy me a cup of coffee on your way back; with ice and no sugar!" "Oh, would you like to help me dispose of my discarded fabrics? My assistant has other things to do. Now you are free... " Tina soon became very busy. She carefully went out carrying arge pile of discarded fabrics and couldn¡¯t see the road clearly because the fabrics were heavy and high, so she kept staring at the ground under her feet. However, when she passed the corner, she identally bumped into a person. "Ah!" The fabrics in Tina''s hand were suddenly scattered all over the floor. clearly." She apologized and bent down to pick up all the fabrics on the ground. She still has a lot of things to do, and she didn''t want to be dyed for too long, so she acted in a hurry. The discarded fabrics were hard and studded with sharp rivets. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Her hand was pricked, and she gasped with pain. Before Tina could see her hand carefully, the man held her hand, squatted down, and asked anxiously, "Are you okay? Isn''t this what assistants are supposed to do? why are you dealing with it?" Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Chapter 485 "Oh, it''s you! Mr. Beckett! Thank God!" Tina breathed a sigh of relief. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Seeing Tina easing up, Leo was amused yet upset. "If you bumped into someone else, you would be worried. Howe you''re relieved when you see it¡¯s me? We don''t have a grudge, right? Or do you still hate me because of what happenedst time?" Leo was referring to the conflict they had the day Tina first came to the office. Tina shook her head and hurriedly exined, "No! How is it possible? You misunderstood me! Thest incident was solved. If it wasn''t for your help, it wouldn''t have been solved so quickly. I¡¯m new here. I was worried about offending people and leaving a bad impression..." Watching Tina seriously exining to him, Leo interrupted her, " Oh, I see. You mean you''re worried about offending others, but you''re not worried about offending me?" "I didn''t mean that. I just..." Watching Tina getting anxious, Leo stopped teasing her and hurriedly said, "I know. I was teasing you. I was joking. Don''t be serious!" "You..." Tina didn''t realize Leo was teasing her. She then gave him a stern re. "Don''t make such jokes! I''ll take it seriously!" Leo had a wry smile, "Fine, fine. I''m sorry. I apologize. I won''t do it again!" Leo apologized to Tina. Looking at the fabric scattered on the ground, he offered, "Let me help you pick up the stuff." "Okay, thanks." Tina didn''t refuse him. Leo asked while he was picking up the fabric, "Shouldn''t your assistant be doing this? why are you handling it yourself?" "My assistant is busy. I''m new here. I hope I''m being helpful. It''s not a big deal." Leo froze. He couldn''t resist asking, "But you''re a designer! You don''t need to do such things, do you?" "It is true. I''m a designer now, but I didn''t graduate from a professional college like you did. I started as an apprentice and made it this far!" Tina went on as she packed up the fabric, "I worked as an apprentice for years. It was a lot more tiring than it is now. There weren''t many hands in the studio, and I was new. There were so many things I needed to do..." "Sometimes I even had to dye the fabric, over and over again, and my hands peeled." "If the studio got some jobs, I had to do all the sewing by myself." "When the design was simple, it was easy for me, but sometimes the designs wereplex, it was a ton of work! I remember there was a customized gown, and the customer needed it in a hurry. The customer was going to wear it at her wedding. The dress required thousands of pearls to be sewn on it to be shining under the chandeliers." "Because all our costumes were couture, I needed to sew the pearls one by one by myself. It took me a whole week to get all those pearls done. I felt my eyes were going blind at that time, and I identally pierced my fingers several times." "So,pared to that time when I was an apprentice, this is just a piece of cake, no big deal." Listening to Tina recall her past in such a nonchnt tone, Leo was stunned. Chapter 486 Chapter 486 To Leo¡¯s surprise, this petite woman had been through so much. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. If his memory didn''t serve him wrong, she was only 23. At such an age, designers graduating from prestigious schools were proud and arrogant. He was like that when he was young. Fresh to society, they would not like to deal with such tiring trifles. After gaining a bit of fame, some designers gave up their dreams and turned into businessmen. They were nominal fashion designers, who hired other people to do the design, had their assistants and apprentices do the work, and stole the fruit. Tina was sort of a high-flyer in the fashion industry. It was not a coincidence or pure luck that her works were on the cover of Paris Fashion. It was absolute strength and talent. For so many years, she was one of the few remarkable designers he remembered. Yet, she was still doing the work of an apprentice instead of indulging in self-exaltation. It was surprising she remained so humble. Leo found it hard to understand her. "You... Well..." Tina had no idea what Leo was thinking about. She picked up the cloth, looked over, and asked wonderingly, " What''s wrong? Is there anything else I can help you with?" Leo didn''t know what to say. "It''s alright. Go ahead with your business." "Okay." As Tina left without hesitation, something urred to Leo. "By the way, you''re a designer of our studio, and everyone else has his assistants. Why don''t you recruit some to lessen your workload?" "Huh?" Tina froze for a moment and said, "Actually, I can''t afford it." "Howe? You''re famous in the circle." Leo was astonished even more. "In the beginning, I just wanted to make a living until I realized my passion for design, so I stayed in the studio to help out while designing my works." "Since my works were on the covers of fashion magazines, people have reached out and asked me to design clothes for them." "But some clients'' ideas sh with mine. I rejected most of the inquiries and only epted those in line with my preference." "So," Tina said awkwardly, "I don''t... have much money." Leo looked at her and said, "That''s okay. You can still recruit assistants. The studio will reimburse you for the expenses!" "Really?" "Yeah, you''re a designer here after all. It''s not glorious if you don''t have any assistants. If ourpetitors know, they may use our studio of treating the designers poorly." "However, we don''t have enough budget. Are you fine with only having one assistant? Do you need thepany to hire one for you, or do you have any candidate in mind?" Tina said in surprise, "That would be great. I''m fine with it, and there is a candidate!" Leo nodded and said, "Good. Take him or her to HR for registration. Alright, I''ll leave you to it." Tina was excited to hear the good news. Now that her work was done, she couldn''t wait to dial a phone number. Chapter 487 Chapter 487 In the five years, Tina had been in Paris, she had not known many people, but she had a very good candidate for her assistant. However, her call was not answered after a long time. There was only the cold mechanical voice, "Sorry, the subscriber you dialed cannot be connected for the moment, please redial Was she busy? Tina was a little puzzled and tried several more times, but the result was the same. It seemed that she could only go to the old studio in person this weekend! When she left the old studio, only Tiffany stood up and asked her to stay. Tiffany was thinking of her, and she didn''t want her to leave. If Tiffany could be her assistant, even if Tiffany couldn''t learn much from her, it would be good for her to learn from the masters around! After Tina made up her mind, she packed her things and prepared to leave when there suddenly came a car horn behind her. She was startled, and subconsciously gave way, but the car stopped directly in front of her... What did it mean? Soon, the car window rolled down, and a man''s voice came from the back of the car, "Get in the car." Tina suddenly became tense. Here it came! These days, Samuel had been away on business. He had been too busy to pick on her, so she had lived a fairly rxed andfortable life during these days. If it weren''t for the studio not allowing its staff to stay overnight, she could even have slept here. Samuel had left her alone when he was on a business trip, but Cindy was not a nice woman. Therefore, Tina had often gone back early in the morning orte at night to avoid any unnecessary conflicts. After she had acted carefully for so many days, Samuel came back and directly stopped her in front of her office building. Tina was somewhat resistant and hesitant. Her attitude immediately angered Samuel. Samuel sounded a little angry, "Why, Tina, do you want me toe over and invite you in person?" Tina came to her sense, took a deep breath, and prepared herself psychologically. She said, "No, no, I''ll get in..." Behind her was the hall, other designers and assistants had not left yet. If those people saw it and misunderstood her, it would be bad. She had finally found a purend where she could rx, and she didn''t want it to be destroyed by Samuel. Tina hurriedly opened the car door and sat beside Samuel nervously. Samuel seemed a little tired with his eyes closed. He said coldly, " Go back to the vi." Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Yes, Mr. Langford." The driver restarted the car. Tina felt his coldness and couldn''t help shivering. Looking at the scenery outside the car window, she couldn''t help stroking her arm. She was getting goosebumps from nervousness now... Tina didn''t say a word. It was silent in the car, and she could only hear her heartbeat. Just when she sneaked a nce at Samuel, wanting to see if he had fallen asleep, Samuel seemed to feel something and suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes looked sharp. Tina was startled and looked away awkwardly. Damn! She just took a peek and got caught! Seeing her guilty attitude, Samuel couldn''t help but smile, but he quickly turned cold again, "Tina, you haven''t seen me for a long time. I heard that you have been doing quite well." Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Tina''s heart skipped a beat. At the same time, she couldn''t help but feel a surge of anger and sadness. Samuel couldn''t bear to see her having a good time at all! Before she could answer, Samuel said again, "I heard that something happened the day you joined thepany, and the original cooperation was cancelled. Did you do it on purpose?" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Samuel''s voice was full of indifference. Tina lowered her head, she didn''t need to turn her head to feel him looking at her with sharp and mocking eyes right now. She clenched her fists and cried, "I didn''t." "Really? Huh." He let out a shortugh. Tina took a deep breath. Even though she knew she needed to be patient around Samuel, his sarcastic words could piss her off so easily. She said, "I said I didn''t." She couldn''t help raising her head and looking at Samuel, "Why do you just refuse to believe me? Yes, you think I¡¯m a calcting and evil woman. So no matter what I do, you doubt whether I want to harm you!" "You hate me, and there''s nothing I can do about it. But I didn''t start what happened that day. Since you heard about the cancetion of the cooperation that day, you should know that the police have made a judgment that I was the victim!" "I still have a recording of what happened at that time on my phone. If you don''t believe me, just listen to it, and you''ll know if I did it on purpose!" Tina angrily wanted to take out her phone and let Samuel see it clearly. But he remained indifferent and asked, "Do you think you''re innocent?" "For this coboration, Leo spent a lot of money and time, and finally invited the designer over. But in the end, everything was in vain because of you." "Should I praise you for your ability? So many men know your nature, and they don''t hesitate to pay so much." Tina was stunned, she said, "what do you mean? what happened to Leo?" "What? Your self-righteousness has ruined his reputation in the industry. Now everyone knows that Leo disregards cooperation for a woman, and his reputation is in jeopardy." "If it wasn''t for him being unable to take charge of his work recently, I wouldn''t have to rush back." "What happened to him?" Tina''s head was buzzing. Meeting Samuel''s eyes, she knew that there was no need for him to lie to her about it. But she still found it unbelievable! She said, "But what does this have to do with Leo?!" "It''s obviously the designer''s fault. No, obviously the designer''s bodyguard was rude first. Besides, even if there is someone to me, it should be me. Why is it Leo..." "Yeah, why? Maybe he was fooled by your acting skills." He sneered. "Look, you¡¯re still pretending to know nothing now. who would know you had lived in Paris for five years, and you were even a designer of some renown?" "Leo has poor judgement, and he deserves it." 1 At that time, Tina just didn''t want to swallow it when she was offended. Later, Leo seemed rxed and confident, so she had thought that it was over. She hadn''t expected it to end up like this! Tina grabbed Samuel''s arm subconsciously and said, "Then what should I do?" Chapter 489 Chapter 489 Samuel ignored Tina. He tried to throw her hand away. Tina got anxious. If she hadn''t known about it, she wouldn''t have been worried. But now she knew she had caused trouble for Leo, and she couldn''t stay out of it. "I really didn''t expect things would go so far. I was just angry, so I called the police..." "I didn''t know it would get Leo into trouble, what should I do? What if I don''t pursue the matter?" "Besides, Leo is also your business partner. If he gets into trouble, it''s not good for you..." Tina was flustered and worried. Suddenly, Samuel grabbed her chin with his strong palm and snapped harshly, "shut up." Tina then shut up and trembled in his cold gaze. Samuel bluntly threw Tina aside. His move was so brutal that she hit the car door. A sharp pain shot through her back. Her face turned pale, but she didn''t dare make a noise. "You don''t need to tell me about it. I came to settle this matter." "But you have caused trouble for me again and again, and now you are implicating Leo. I am warning you for thest time. Be careful of what you do..." Tina involuntarily clutched at her blouse. She never wanted to beg Samuel, but this time, she learned how ridiculous she was. She was a woman with no power or influence. It didn¡¯t matter if she was the one who was in trouble, but she always harmed the people who cared about her! "I know! I will." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Tina''s voice was trembling, either from the pain of just hitting the car door or from sadness. Seeing Tina instantly quiet down, Samuel was not happy. He became even more annoyed. ''This damn woman! She''s so obedient because she''s worried about another man!'' Samuel did not speak again, and Tina cowered in the corner. The atmosphere in the car was depressing. After a long time, the driver in front uttered timidly, "Mr. Langford, here we are." Samuel got out of the car straight away. After striding a few steps away, he realized that Tina was still in the car. "What are you still doing in there? You are noting out?" He shouted coldly. Tina came back to her senses and followed behind him. She was in a daze, she wanted to know how Samuel was going to help Leo, but she knew Samuel was in a bad mood and that he would be impatient with her questions... Just then, Cindy suddenly appeared and eximed in a deliberate voice, "Samuel, you''re back! Not seeing you these days makes both Keith and me lose our appetite." Cindy threw herself at Samuel and hugged him tightly. Samuel frowned with disgust in his eyes. But in front of so many people, he couldn''t embarrass Cindy. "Yeah? Where is Keith now?" He asked. Cindy froze at Samuel''s question. Samuel rarely cared about Keith. It was for him to ask where Keith was today. Cindy had always hated that boy. How did she know where he was? "He''s... He..." Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Seeing Cindy stammering, Samuel frowned. "You are Keith''s mother, and you don''t know where Keith has gone?" Cindy''s face suddenly turned pale, she was frightened. The maid next to her said, "Young Mr. Langford should still be in a training institution right now!" "Training institution?" "Yes. Young Mr. Langford is suffering from autism. He is a loner and a picky eater. "So Mrs. Langford is very worried. He can''t go to kindergarten at this age. It''s not good for his future. After all, Young Mr. Langford is the heir of the Langford Group. We can''t let anything go wrong with him. "Thus, he was sent to a special training institution to correct his bad habits." "What?" Hearing what the maid said, Tina froze. Since Cindy came to the vi, Tina hadn''t seen Keith for a while. Tina knew that Cindy hated her and didn''t want her to stay with Keith, but Tina had not expected that... So that was why she had not seen Keith for so long? Cindy was so cruel as to send him to that kind of ce. "How could you do that? Keith is just a bit introverted. How could you send him to a special training institution?" Tina couldn''t help but worry for Keith, looking at Cindy and wondering, ''How can Cindy be so ruthless to her son?'' Tina''s words immediately made Cindy very upset. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "What does it have to do with you? I''m doing that for Keith''s good. I ''m his mother. It''s none of your business. "Besides, I know your bad intentions! "I sent him to a special training institution to make him more normal and able to manage the Langford Group in the future. I have no choice! "As for you, what a despicable woman you are! You even want to destroy a five-year-old child by spoiling him. You''re so vicious! You can''t cheat me!" "You..." Tina wanted to retort. However, Samuel directly interrupted them. "Samuel, I didn''t mean to..." Cindy suddenly put on a pitiful look. " Do you believe her words and think that I''m bad to Keith?" "No," Samuel responded, showing his defense of Cindy. He coldly nced at Tina. "You have reasons for what you''re doing. You are Keith''s mother. There is no need to be angry with an outsider. "Moreover, a woman like her shouldn''t stay with Keith, or she will lead the child astray. Keeping her away from Keith is the best choice." Samuel''s words were like a basin of ice water in winter, sshing down on Tina''s head, she was stunned. Cindy was overjoyed, thinking that Samuel still had feelings for her. "You''re right. We are a couple. There is no need to care about an outsider''s gossip!" Tina''s face turned ashen, but she chose not to say a word. After all, she was just an outsider and the most vicious woman in their eyes. Seeing this, Cindy was gleeful and excited. Cindy thought, ''This is a signal.'' ''Samuel has met a lot of women. Although Tina is indeed a bit special, things havee to this, and Samuel is getting sick of Tina, an unchaste woman.'' ''As long as... I do something else to divide them, Tina will be finished!'' Cindy hastily said, "I have something to say..." Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Samuel asked, "what¡¯s the matter?" Cindy''s face suddenly became pink "Samuel, I know you have been very busy recently. Maybe you have forgotten that my birthday ising..." As soon as she said these words, Samuel paused for a moment. " Really? What gift do you want?" "I don''t need a gift. Since I can be your wife and give birth to a lovely son, this is already a gift from God." "I just wonder if you could apany me all the time at my birthday party..." Samuel knew what Cindy meant. Since Cindy became his wife, Samuel had been staying away from her. They were just a nominal couple. After she gave birth to Keith, Samuel confined her to a vi in a suburb of Paris. He didn¡¯t meet her often at ordinary times, let alone apany her at her birthday party. Cindy''s imploring eyes melted Samuel¡¯s heart, and he felt a little guilty towards her. "Okay, I''ll show up." "That''s great. As long as you apany me, no matter what the birthday will be like, it will definitely be my happiest birthday!" Cindy pouted her mouth prettily and encircled his hand. Samuel endured her touch for a while, but in the end, he couldn''t bear it and pulled out his arm. "I still have some tasks to deal with. I''ll go to the study. You can contact the assistant to organize your birthday party. I¡¯ll show up then." Cindy stiffened, she wanted to show off in front of Tina. But unfortunately, Samuel had work to do, so she couldn''t continue badgering him. She could only reply reluctantly, "okay, I know." Samuel turned around and left without hesitation. Tina was also about to leave, but she was stopped by Cindy. "Tina, stop." Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Tina nced at her defensively. "Mrs. Langford, what do you want to do?" "What do I want to do? Haven''t you heard what I said just now clearly? My birthday ising. I''m going to hold a luxurious birthday party. Samuel will show up. I''ll be the most beautiful and envieddy at the birthday party." "Aren''t you a costume designer? Design the dress I¡¯ll wear at my birthday party. You know what you''ll suffer if you can''t design it well!" Cindy regarded Tina as a servant. After Cindy said those words, she turned around and left without giving Tina a chance to respond. Seeing Tina drag herself to her room, Cindy standing in the corner of the corridor withdrew her vicious gaze and made a call. "Hello? I''ve decided to carry out the n at my birthday party! Just follow the n I¡¯ve said before!" After speaking, Cindy hung up, her eyes full of anticipation. ¡®Samuel¡¯s aversion to Tina is undisguised.¡¯ ¡®Obviously, because Tina causes trouble again and again, Samuel haspletely lost interest in her! He will drive her out as long as I > ¡®Apart from distinguished guests, countless media will be present at my birthday party...¡¯ ¡®I can''t wait to see how Tina is ruined and then how she is abandoned by Samuel!¡¯ Chapter 492 Chapter 492 In the next few days, Tina was busier than before. Cindy¡¯s birthday party would be held on a cruise ship at sea next weekend. She asked Tina to design an extremely luxurious evening gown for her, and it must be finished in a week! Tina knew that Cindy was deliberately making things difficult for her. However, she had no right to refuse her. Leo had been put in trouble because of her, and Samuel had alsoe back to personally deal with this matter. She felt rather guilty for causing them so much trouble, so she could only agree to Cindy''s unreasonable requirements. She felt awkward at the thought of going back to the studio to face Leo. Moreover, she had promised Samuel to behave herself, so it was really not suitable for her to spoil things again. Therefore, Tina simply chose to escape from those troublesome things. She buried herself in design day and night. After all, having something to do could make her feel better. ¡°This is the new gown I designed for you. Wearing a Tiffany ne with this white chiffon gown will make you have a simple yet gorgeous temperament...¡± Cindy took a nce at it and snapped, ¡°Change the design! ¡± ¡°It¡¯s my birthday party, and I attach great importance to it. Also, I want Samuel to be charmed by my stunning beauty, as if we were meeting for the first time. I want to bring his memory back to our wedding day.¡± ¡°Your design is so tasteless! The style of this white chiffon gown is too simple. Do you want others to think that the Langford Group has no money and I am not valued by Samuel?¡± ¡°I think you are deliberately trying to make me lose face in front of everyone. Tina. You are really vicious! ¡± Cindymbasted her, while Tina calmly took her design draft back. This was the thirteenth version she had designed in two days. However, Cindy had made up her mind to torture her, and she wouldn¡¯t easily let her off. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Okay. 1¡¯11 give you a new design,¡± Tina said. ¡°You must design a gown that I am satisfied with tonight. If you deliberately dy your work, I will have nothing suitable to wear at the party." Then Cindy turned to the servant and said, "Keep an eye on her, and don¡¯t let her ck off!¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Langford,¡± the servant answered. Tina hadn¡¯t had a good sleep for two days in a row. when looking at theplicated design draft, she was even a little absent minded. Seeing this scene, the servant immediately said crossly, ¡°Miss Lynd, I advise you not to ck off. If Mrs. Langford¡¯s birthday party is dyed, you have to take your consequences for it! ¡± ¡°I know...¡± She managed to brace herself up by pinching her arm from time to time, and she finally finished a new version of the design draft before dark. However, she still didn¡¯t get a satisfactory reply from Cindy. ¡°Your design is like rubbish! I don¡¯t want to take a second look at it! ¡± Cindy threw the design draft into the trash can. ¡°I knew you were stalling for time, and the gown designed by you got worse and worse. I think you¡¯d better use the first draft!¡± ¡°You hurry up and make that gown for me!¡± Pursing her lips, Tina picked up the design draft that had been thrown into the trash can. This was the draft that she had devoted a lot of effort to. Even though Cindy disliked it, she couldn¡¯t stand it being thrown into the trash can. ¡°OK, I know.¡± Looking at Tina¡¯s pale face, Cindy was d and she added, ¡°You must finish at least half of the gown tomorrow. Do not try to ck off!¡± Tina worked untilte at night. Even the servant who was in charge of supervising her began to doze off, while she was still choosing the most suitable fabrics. Holding the cloth, Tina went to find cutting tools. In a daze, she heard the sound of footsteps in the corridor. Since she was in a trance, she identally bumped into the personing across the corridor... Chapter 493 Chapter 493 It was a man''s chest that was strong. Tina had stayed upte for several days. She was so weak and stepped back involuntarily, what was worse, she was unsteady on her feet and fell to the ground... She closed her eyes in panic. But she didn''t feel the expected pain of falling to the ground. The man held her waist and pulled her into his arms. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She smelled the faint familiar tobo and knew who the man was... Samuel said impatiently above her head, "It''ste at night. Why do youe out? Pretend to meet me by chance? Or a coincidence?" She struggled in his arm weakly and failed to squirm free. She had no other choice but to exin, "It waste, so I didn''t expect you toe back. I didn''t pay attention to the road and bumped into..." He sneered, "Didn''t you wait for me on purpose?" She was stuck for words. ''He always doubts me and thinks that I show up with ulterior motives.'' "Mr. Langford, have you forgotten that your wife, Cindy, will hold her birthday party next week?" "She appointed me as her dress''s designer, so I have been busy with her dress these days. I don''t have any time to pretend to meet you by chance." Tina didn''t have the strength to argue with him. she just exined in a low voice. After she finished speaking, she steadied herself, pushed his hand away, turned around and wanted to leave. But he grabbed her again. "Wait." "Mr. Langford, is there anything that I can do for you?" she turned around. Her face was pale, she looked so weak even under the warm yellow lights. After he saw that, he frowned. Then he saw the fabric in her arms. He snatched it from her hands. Only then did he notice that the fabric was very heavy, although it looked fluffy. What was worse, she might slip if she stepped on it carelessly. He said coldly, "Go to take a rest." But Tina became a little angry. "Don''t snatch my fabric..." She stepped forward and wanted to snatch it back, but he stopped her with one hand easily. She was like a kitty that was making threatening gestures but harmless. "Go to take a rest." She said, "No!" "If you continue to work like that, you will be sick. It''s a good idea that you n to frame the Langford Group for squeezing the employees, but you won''t seed." Samuel''s attitude was arrogant. His voice was deep and pleasant, but what he had said was harsh and always made Tina lose her temper. "I have said that the time is not enough. I''m reluctant to be squeezed, but what I have said is useless." "I haven''t slept for two days because of the design drawing. If I fail to make the dress in time and influence Cindy''s birthday party, won''t you me me?" "You''re not the only designer who designs the dress for Cindy. There are many designers in the Langford Group. You''re just an unknown designer among them. Don''t think too highly of yourself. It "You''re right. It''s all my fault. I have thought too highly of myself. Even if I''m dead, it''s none of your business!" Tina was furious. Cindy made things difficult for her at first. Then Samuelughed at her. She snatched the fabric from Samuel and turned around to leave. However, she felt dizzy suddenly, she had a ckout and fell to the ground... Samuel shouted behind her anxiously, "Tina!" Chapter 494 Chapter 494 The sunlight beamed through the window. Baking in the sun, Tina opened her eyes, her mind in a fog. She remembered that she was designing clothes. What had happened? An unfamiliar voice came from outside the door. It sounded like a doctor. "She has a fever. Let her rest and take the medicine on time. Don''t work too hard. "She must have stayed up for several nights and got a cold, so she suddenly fainted. "Although she is still young, she has to take care of her health, or she will suffer when she is old." Immediately after, Samuel said in a low and mellow voice, "Okay, I see." Listening to their conversation, Tina then remembered what had happened yesterday. She met Samuel in the corridor and had a serious argument with him. Probably because she was too emotional and weak, she fell to the ground uncontrobly and lost consciousness. Soon, the door clicked open. Tina''s heart thumped in fear, and she subconsciously chose to avoid Samuel, closing her eyes and pretending to be sleeping. She could hear her heart pounding. However, the man walked to her bed, stayed for a long while, and had no intention of leaving. Tina thought, ¡®Why is he still here?'' She got anxious and couldn''t help clenching her hands. She could feel the man''s sharp gaze. After quite a while, she heard a teasing chuckle from the man not far away. "Tina, aren''t you good at acting? Why are you so clumsy when you pretend to be asleep?" Tina was amazed. She couldn''t believe that Samuel already knew that she was pretending because she woke up when he was outside the door. Tina was lost in thought when she heard Samuel speak slowly. "Since you want to continue pretending, there is nothing I can do, but the doctor instructed you to take your medicine on time. How about I feed you?" Saying that, the sound of a man pouring water came from the bedside table. Immediately after, the man encircled her with his arms on the bed. The familiar scent of tobo wafted over. Tina opened her eyes in fright. Not surprisingly, she saw the man''s faint smile. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "What... what are you doing?!" She was so scared that she wrapped the quilt tightly around her, quickly got out of Samuel''s arms, cowered in the corner, and looked at him warily. "What am I going to do? You''re ungrateful. You act as if I were harming you. "After you passed outst night, I got the doctor to check you, and just now I was nning to feed you medicine. What do you think I¡¯m doing?" Tina knew she had wronged him. Samuel had helped her today. However, she stared at Samuel''s eyes and could not help but retort. "Well, you helped me, but why did I have to stay up for so many nights that I fainted? "It''s because of what Cindy had done. The two of you put on a show to torture me and fool me for fun, right? Samuel''s face darkened. "Tina, you just woke up. You didn''t even say thank you. Now you''re ndering me?" "Am I wrong? Isn''t that the truth?" Tina stared at him angrily. Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Samuel was pissed off by Tina. He wanted to care about her, but she thought he had an ulterior motive. "I have told you; there are a lot of designers in the Langford Group, and you don''t have to work so hard!" "Have a good rest, and you don¡¯t need to continue to spend time and energy working on the next design." "What?" Tina was very angry. "You are really fooling me on purpose. I worked so hard to finalize the design draft, but now you say you don''t need it?" Samuel rubbed his forehead. He was only concerned about Tina''s health, but now he was speechless because she misunderstood him... When he remembered that Tina was a patient, he had to say with patience, "I don''t mean to negate your design." "Cindy''s birthday party will begin soon, and it''s impossible for you to finish it alone. I will keep your design draft and tell others to finish the rest of the production. You just need to have a good rest." Tina finally understood what he meant. She was a little suspicious, thinking, ¡®How could Samuel be so kind to me?¡¯ But, on second thought, she thought he wanted to let Cindy be the shiniest one at the birthday party. She couldn''t help feeling a little ufortable and was even a little breathless, but she didn''t know why... ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m still sick.¡¯ "I can''t lie down all the time. I have to keep an eye on the production process." "You mean my designers are not as good as you?" Samuel became impatient and said coldly, "All right, take care of your body first. You don''t need to worry about these things." "But..." "Besides, I don''t trust you to do Cindy''s clothes alone. What if you have some bad thoughts and do harm to her?" Samuel''s tone was indifferent. He blocked all the words that Tina wanted to say. ¡®Sure enough, he does all these things for Cindy! ¡¯ Her heart waspletely cold and sad. "OK, I see." Tina simply replied. Looking at quiet Tina, Samuel finally was relieved and handed over the pills and water on the bedside table. "Take medicine." "Hmm." Without any resistance, Tina obediently ate all the pills with water. "Take the rest of the pills after meals. You stayed up all night and probably didn''t take anything. What do you want to eat? I''ll let someone cook it." "Porridge." "Hmm." When Tina saw Samuel was leaving, she felt a little ufortable. She med it on her illness, so she wrapped herself in the quilt andid down, hoping for recovery. She had thought that Samuel had left. After all, he had his own business to do. However... Before long, Samuel once again appeared outside the door, holding a bowl of porridge in his hand. "Get up and eat porridge." Tina froze, "why are you still here?" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Why? What do you mean?" Samuel frowned. Tina''s dull appearance made him misunderstand something. "You can''t get up? Forget it. I''ll feed you." Then he condescended to pick up the bowl of porridge, scooped a spoonful of porridge, and handed it to Tina''s lips... Tina became more and more surprised and couldn''t believe it, so she couldn¡¯t help thinking, ¡®Am I hallucinating, or is Samuel crazy? He actually feeds me! ¡¯ Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Tina was shocked by Samuel''s move. She wondered whether she was so sick that she was hallucinating, or that she was dreaming. However, Samuel looked serious! "I can take it by myself..." How could she let Samuel feed her the porridge? she reached out her hand to take the spoon, but she forgot that the porridge was freshly made and boiling hot. When her finger touched the bowl, it was so hot that she let out a shriek. "It''s so hot!" Tina withdrew her hand. If Samuel hadn''t held the bowl firmly, she might have spilled the porridge. Watching Tina almost burn herself, Samuel couldn''t help but let out augh. Tina hung her head down. She couldn''t see the expression on Samuel''s face, but she could imagine that he must beughing at her again. He must have thought she was so stupid. She couldn''t help but wonder why she was always embarrassing herself in front of Samuel. Tina was annoyed, she felt so humiliated that she wanted to burrow her head under the nket just like an ostrich would bury its head in the sand. "Come on. Don''t waste any more time." Samuel''s tone got impatient. Tina then hissed, "Put it on the table! Let it cool down. It''s too hot..." "You''re so annoying. You want me to feed you, right?" Samuel asked in a cold voice. Tina instantly shrunk her neck.. Samuel had gotten her exactly right. But how dare she admit it? To avoid pissing him off, she hurriedly exined, "I was just worried that it was too hot..." "Is that so?" "Absolutely! I can''t let you blow it cool." Tina gave a wry smile. It was weird enough for Samuel to feed her the porridge himself. If he also blew the porridge cool for her, it would be... Before Tina could imagine the scene, Samuel frowned, "You''re such a headache." Then he slowly stirred the porridge in the bowl with the spoon and... He blew on it! Samuel was wearing a couture suit. He looked noble and superior, exactly the image of the president of the Langford Group. Yet, right now, he was sitting on the edge of Tina''s bed, holding a bowl of porridge in his hand and gently blowing on it, and then he scooped a spoonful of porridge and brought it to her lips. "It''s not hot anymore." Tina was stunned, she looked at Samuel and then at the spoon in his hand, and she opened her mouth dumbfounded. The porridge was not hot anymore. Tina swallowed it, and it made her empty stomach feel warm. After taking a bite of the porridge, she realized she was starving. She ignored Samuel''s weird behavior and had the porridge one bite after another. Samuel kept feeding her spoonful after spoonful. When the porridge was all finished, he asked, "How does it taste?" "It¡¯s delicious." Tina nodded her head repeatedly. She had been hungry all night. She would have eaten all of it, not to mention a bowl of porridge, even if it was a vegetable sd. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Are you full?" Samuel asked again. Tina touched her swollen stomach. Her stomach wasn''tpletely full now, but if she ate any more, she wouldn''t be able to rest well or take her medication on time. "Almost..." Just as she was about to answer him, the door to the room was suddenly pushed open. Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Outside the door, came Cindy''s voice. "Tina, I heard that Samuel let other designers take over my dress. What the hell are you up to again?" Cindy pushed the door open angrily, her pretty face grimaced with malice. Cindy caught a glimpse of Tina sitting on the bed. Tina looked pale and weak. Cindy was immediately enraged. "I knew you did it on purpose. You weren''t sick sooner orter, but right when Samuel came homest night!" "I assume this is your ploy, right? Bitch! I''m going to p you in the face!" Cindyunched into a frenzy. She rushed up to Tina and tried to give her a p in the face. However, as soon as Cindy raised her hand, it was caught by a man¡¯srge palm. Cindy got angry. "Who dares to stop me? Do you believe I will p your face as well?" "It''s me!" The man''s sudden and stern voice startled Cindy, and she almost copsed to the floor. "Samuel, howe it''s you? What are you doing here?" Cindy''s tone immediately softened while a moment ago she wasshing out at Tina. Tina was so amazed by Cindy''s acting that she wanted to give her a round of apuse. With Cindy¡¯s acting expertise, it was a pity that she didn''t join the show business. "Can''t I be here?" Samuel frowned, his tone very cold. "It was my idea to let other designers take over your dress. It has nothing to do with Tina." "But, Samuel, it was supposed to be Tina''s job. How could you let someone else do it?" Cindy looked miserable now. "And she''s obviously faking her illness. She''s just pretending to be vulnerable to your face. You have no idea at all how wild she is behind your back Tina couldn''t help but sneer at Cindy''s slur, "Mrs. Langford, you''re lying. The woman you''re talking about is you. How could it be me?" "You!" Cindy was instantly enraged. She stomped her foot and turned to Samuel,"Samuel, you see? Didn''t she say she was sick? Look at her! She''s fine as hell! She''s pretending to be sick!" This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Samuel felt a headache. He rubbed his forehead and scolded, "That''s enough." Cindy froze, "Samuel, why are you taking her side? I''m your wife." Cindy''s voice grew weaker as she met Samuel''s stern gaze, she even trembled a bit. Samuel said with a grim face, "I''m not taking her side, of course, I know that you are my wife." "So I don''t care if she''s sick or not. If she''s the only one making your dress, what if something goes wrong and dys the dress?" "Besides, I don''t trust her. That''s why I let other designers take over. Do you understand?" Samuel''s words made Cindy relieved. It seemed Samuel was doing this for Cindy! However, looking at Tina resting in bed, Cindy was not happy. "But she can''t just lie there and do nothing. That wouldn''t be fair to the other designers." "And I think she''s fine. She hasn¡¯t broken her arm or leg. She should be able to help out, right?" Tina was annoyed by Cindy''s words, she couldn''t hold back and burst out, "Enough!" Chapter 498 Chapter 498 As soon as she said these words, they both looked at her. Tina lost her temper, but she quickly slumped. How dare she make a scene under Samuel¡¯s nose? "Mrs. Langford, ? know what you mean, and I don¡¯t need you to say it. When my body recovers a little, I will also go help. After all, I don¡¯t want any problems with my design!" "Also, I have a bad headache now and I want to take a rest. I think you should leave!" With that, Tina fell back, she thought she could drive the two away, but she heard Samuel¡¯s footsteps instead. He said, "Didn''t you take medicine? Why do you still have a headache?" Tina was stunned for a moment because she hadn''t expected Samuel toe. Seeing that Tina didn''t answer, Samuel lifted the quilt and put his big palm on her forehead, as if testing the temperature. Tina was stunned, and Cindy couldn''t believe it and said, "Samuel... II Before she could finish her sentence, Samuel said impatiently, " Okay, why don¡¯t you go out?" Cindy waspletely stunned. She stood there. Seeing Samuel''s tender look, she gritted her teeth in anger! Samuel had never been so intimate with her in all these years. He had just pretended to be nice to her in front of outsiders on many asions... Cindy''s face darkened and she stared at Tina with vicious eyes. She hated Tina¡¯s guts. Seeing Cindy''s angry face, Tina just thought it was ridiculous, and she suddenly said, "I''m a little hungry." "Huh?" Samuel''s voice rose slightly, "Didn''t you just eat?" "I''m not full!" Tina couldn''t helpining, "Mr. Langford, are you trying to starve me to death?!" She couldn''t help but brush Samuel''s hand away from her forehead. Tina obviously looked arrogant to the extreme. Although she was still ill, she sounded so confident that she even dared to boss him around. But Samuel somehow didn''t feel annoyed. Samuel''s eyes slightly darkened, and he lifted her chin and said, "What, Tina, are you flirting with me?" Flirting? Tina was startled. Was she flirting with him just now? She was behaving like aining girlfriend! Obviously, she and Samuel were not in that kind of rtionship... Tina shrank back in fright, subconsciously trying to exin. But looking at Cindy behind him, she suddenly regained her courage. Hadn''t Cindy always disliked her, wanted to pick on her, and called her a little bitch? Okay, then she would confront Cindy today. She just wanted to piss Cindy off! Tina didn''t answer Samuel''s question and red at him, "You don''t really want to starve me, do you?" Samuel looked at her round eyes and swallowed, feeling a little annoyed. This damn woman really knew how to seduce a man... Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. But she was still sick! Seeing Samuel''s serious face, Tina felt flustered. Had she annoyed Samuel? He had been willing to take care of her for Cindy¡¯s sake. How could he allow her to boss him around?! Tina regretted it a little and was about to exin when she heard his deep voice, "okay, I see. I''ll ask the servant to make another bowl of porridge" Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Tina breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Samuel wasn''t angry. She didn''t dare to continue to test his bottom line and said, "Well, I''ll take a nap. You can go out." Samuel raised his eyebrows. Was she trying to drive him away? He said, "I''ll stay here to take care of you." "What?" Cindy stood behind him and couldn''t help but say, "Samuel, the servant can take care of her. Why are you taking care of her yourself? Why..." "Why are you still here?" Samuel frowned, "Go out. Don''t make me say it again!" Cindy hated Tina so much. She had bullied Tina to vent her anger, but she hadn''t expected it to end up like this. Tina was ill, and Samuel offered to take care of her personally! She went out in tears. Looking at this scene, Tina felt much better. She finally got back to Cindy. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "You should go out too. I can take care of myself. I don''t need you to take care of me." She urged again. Unexpectedly, Samuel stared at Tina¡¯s face with sharp eyes, suddenly sneered, and leaned over! Tina was startled and cried, "What are you doing?!" She shrank back in fright, but she was now lying on the bed with a cold wall behind her. How could she dodge him? Samuel looked dignified and untouchable in his suit. However, at this moment, he rolled up his sleeves and blocked Tina''s sides with his strong arms, blocking all her escape routes. The strong hormonal smell emanating from Samuel enveloped her, and Tina suddenly found her knees weak and her head dizzy! "What am I doing? I should ask you this question. Did you do it on purpose just now?" Samuel said in a pleasant voice "What?" Tina was a little stunned. "You always avoided me. How could you take the initiative to flirt with me? Now, as soon as she left, you couldn''t wait to ask me to leave. It confirms my guess. Are you trying to make Cindy angry?" Tina hadn''t expected that Samuel would see through her. "I...I didn''t..." Tina dodged with a look of fear, which made Samuel''s eyes even colder. This woman was really good at acting! He had been tempted a little bit. But seeing Tina''s attitude, hepletely changed his mind. Samuel straightened up and distanced himself from Tina. He was back to the arrogant and cold president of the Langford Group. He said coldly, "I admit, this time it¡¯s Cindy¡¯s fault that you¡¯re sick." "So, I reluctantly cooperated with you once to teach her a lesson. After all, she is the wife of the president of the Langford Group, and her words and deeds can never go wrong." "But it''s not because there¡¯s anything special about you. In my eyes, you''re just a ything." "It''s enough for you to y such a dirty trick once. Never do it again!¡± Tina had felt a little excited because of Samuel''s actions to protect her in front of Cindy. For a moment, she did feel that she was somehow special to Samuel. However, when she heard his cold words, her heart instantly sank... Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Her hands grasped the bed sheet so forcefully that her knuckles turned white. Unaware of that, Tina faced the fearsome aura of the man and nodded. "I see.¡± "Of course, in your mind, I''m just a ything. I won''t go beyond my bounds." Samuel sneered. "Let''s hope so!" With that, he turned to leave and mmed the door shut, which made Tina¡¯s heart tighten. Her actions today were indeed a bit impulsive and ridiculous. She was kidding herself by thinking that she was special in Samuel''s mind and Cindy was jealous of her. She thought that her n worked, and Cindy was infuriated. In the end, she was just a clown to Samuel. Her palms were full of fine sweat. She weakly copsed on the bed. Not long after, the sound of the door opening came. The maid knocked on the door, looked at the woman on the bed, and said, "Miss Lynd, here is your porridge." Tina remembered that she had asked for another bowl of porridge just now to provoke Cindy. "Sorry, I don¡¯t want to have it right now." "You don''t? But ording to Mr. Langford, you''re hungry." The maid was puzzled. Tina was not hungry at all. She told Samuel that just to annoy Cindy. If she asked the maid to take it away, Samuel probably would think that she was acting up again. She didn''t want to have another warning from him. "Yeah, I''m a little hungry. Just ce it on the table. I¡¯ll have it after a rest," Tina replied. "Okay, Mr. Langford asked US to make the porridge warm so that you could have it right away. Miss Lynd, remember to have it before it gets cold." Tina didn¡¯t listen to what the maid said afterward. She got under the covers and rested for a while before getting up to have the porridge. It was already cold, but she didn''t want to waste it. Spoon by spoon, she finished it, but the cold food made her stomach churn. Tina tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. When it was lunchtime, she didn¡¯t get out of bed. Till the evening, she felt colder and colder although she had wrapped herself in the nket. The coldness just bit her bones. She had such a severe headache as if her head was going to explode. The maid knocked on the door and said from outside," Miss Lynd, it''s dinner time. Are you up? Would you like to have dinner now?" Tina opened her mouth, trying to say something. She was shocked to find her voice hoarse, and the words wouldn''te out. "Looks like she still wants to sleep," the maid muttered to herself. "It''s normal since she is sick." Tina heard the leaving footsteps of the maid, struggled to get up, picked up the ss from the nightstand, and smashed it to the floor. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Crash! Attracted by the loud noise, the maid rushed into the room. After doing that, Tina felt weak and passed out. Her mind clouded, she heard the anxious voice of the maid who was making a phone call. "Mr. Langford, bad news, Miss Lynd seems to have a fever again. It looks pretty serious. Would you come for a look?" Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Somehow, Tina''s heart tensed up. She needed to figure it out... However, the man''s indifferent voice came over the phone, "I don¡¯t have time for that. Besides, even if she¡¯s dead, it has nothing to do with me. Don¡¯t waste my time over such a trivial matter.¡± Then the man hung up the phone abruptly. Beep- The busy sound of the phone was like a relentless knife stirring Tina''s heart. Her stomach ached. She couldn''t hold it together and passed out. Fortunately, Tina¡¯s fever was only due to the cold food she had eaten. After the doctor examined her and gave her some medicine, she felt better. "Don''t eat cold food. Your stomach can''t stand it." "Besides taking your medicine on time, you can warm your stomach with a hot water bag. It will help you recover faster..." After the doctor left, Tina was alone in the room. She held the warm water bag on her stomach in a daze. She felt upset. Why did she feel upset? Was it because she was sick or because of something else? Or was it because she fell in love with Samuel? So his indifferent remark made her feel bad? ''No, it can¡¯t be.'' Tina then found the thought beyond ridiculous. Her hair all over her body stood out at this thought.¡¯ This is absolutely never going to happen!¡¯ ''How could I fall in love with Samuel?'' ''That man is a monster! I can¡¯t wait to run away from him!'' ''How could I possibly fall in love with him? I can never fall for him!'' ''It must be because I''m sick that I''m thinking nonsense... I Tina wouldn''t let herself continue to think about it. She forced herself to sleep. For the next two days, Tina took her medicine on time. She was young, and her body was recovering quickly. Cindy''s birthday wasing up soon. Tina thought about the dress she had designed all the time, so she went to talk to the designers... Tina became busy again. She didn''t have time to think about anything else. Finally, the dress for Cindy''s birthday party was finished. When Cindy tried on the dress, she couldn''t pick anything wrong with it. Under the light, Cindy was dressed in the white sarong. She looked like an elegant princess. And the dress was studded with countless diamonds, so dazzling. Everyone''s eyes were attracted to her. It made Cindy so happy. She was thinking that if she wore this dress and stood next to Samuel at her birthday party, all the girls would be jealous of her! "Good, that''s it! Put the dress away! Don''t make any mistakes with it." Cindy was so happy with the dress. She turned to the designers and said, "Thank you very much! When Samuel sees me wearing this dress at my birthday party, he will appreciate all your work! Let''s go have dinner together, my treat!" Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Then Cindy invited everyone to dinner, except Tina. Just as Tina was about to turn around and leave, one of the designers called out, "Hey, Linda, why are you still standing there? Aren''t youing along?" Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Tina froze for a moment, not expecting someone to remember her. She said, "I have some things to...¡± "How can I invite her?" There was a hint of mockery in Cindy''s voice. "Last time, I only invited her, and she fell in my husband''s arms. What if she gets drunk this time? If something happens, I won''t be able to take responsibility." "Well..." Cindy''s words immediately made the atmosphere awkward. Those few designers all looked at Tina with disbelief. These days, the expertise Tina had shown won her these designers'' admiration. They thought that Tina was worthy of her fame. However... They were shocked to know that she was such a person who had even tried to seduce Cindy''s husband. Tina clenched her fist. She knew that Cindy had bad intentions. Cindy slighted her and even smeared her in public. "You have misunderstood. I was just..." "Just what?" Just then, the man¡¯s low voice sounded. Samuel came back unexpectedly. "Samuel!" Cindy was surprised and pounced over. "Why did youe back?" "I heard that your dress is finished, so I''m here to take a look," Samuel replied gently. Cindy leaned happily in his arms. "Yes, and I like it very much, but if you want to see it, you have to wait until tomorrow''s birthday party. "Besides, I am going to invite these designers to a meal. Will you apany me?" Cindy said casually. Samuel paused for a moment and nced impatiently at Tina, who was standing in the corner. He had already told Tina that she didn''t need to worry about the design. It seemed that this woman had not listened to him at all. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Samuel wanted to warn Tina, so he didn''t refuse Cindy as usual. "Yes,¡± he answered. "Great. Then let''s go." Cindy was excited, afraid that she would miss this wonderful opportunity. "Okay.¡± Samuel wrapped his arm around Cindy¡¯s waist and walked outside. The few designers couldn''t help but exim, "What an affectionate couple!" "Yes. I heard they grew up together. They''ve been married for so many years and still love each other very much! I''m so envious of her." "Of course, many women are envious of her, but unfortunately, no one can destroy their rtionship, right?" "Yes." Somehow, Tina felt that these people''s words were meaningful. What Cindy had said casually made them believe that Tina was a bad woman. They wouldn''t listen to Tina¡¯s exnation. Tina took a deep breath, watched Samuel embracing Cindy, and turned to leave. Thinking that at tomorrow''s birthday party, she might have to watch this couple disy their affection in public, Tina was upset and decided to stay as far away from them as possible at the party. The next day. Cindy''s birthday party was held on a luxury cruise ship. Many rich and powerful people attended the party. The waiters carrying wine sses walked back and forth on the deck. Tina went to a corner far away from the crowd to watch the scenery, waiting for the birthday party to end. 2 A voice came from behind her. "Why are you here alone?" Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Hearing his words, Tina was startled. She immediately turned around and said, "Who is that?" The man was also startled. He said, "Since we haven¡¯t seen each other for a few days, don''t you recognize me? Don¡¯t you have any impression of me?" Tina suddenly realized that it was Leo! Leo was worthy of being a top designer. His clothes for the banquet looked both luxurious and casual. He wore a white silk shirt with an open neckline. He also wore a ne as well as a ring, with a ss of red wine in his hand, which made him very handsome and gentle. Seeing Leo, Tina was immediately relieved. However, remembering that she had gotten Leo into trouble in the past, Tina said, "Why are you here?" Saying that, Tina subconsciously looked around, afraid that someone would see them and gossip about Leo. Seeing this scene, Leo misunderstood her. He said," There are too many people on the deck. I felt it troublesome to greet everyone, so I snuck to the side. I didn''t expect to meet you, so I said those words to you. Don¡¯t think too much. Don¡¯t you trust me?" Tina hurriedly waved her hand, "Yes, but that''s not what I meant. Of course, I know you are a good person. I''m worried that others will think too much if they see you and me are together!" Seeing her anxious look, Leo couldn¡¯t help but tease her, "Many women want to have something to do with me. Why don''t you want that? Do you look down on me?" "No." Tina said even more anxiously, "I just..." Leo was afraid that she would cry out in anxiety, so he said hurriedly, "Well. I know you didn''t mean it. I was just joking." Tina was a little angry. She had thought that Leo was a good person, but she didn¡¯t expect that he liked to tease people! She didn''t want to talk to Leo anymore, but she was worried about what had happened before would affect him, so she had to continue, "I don''t want to have anything to do with you because I already know that!" "What did you know?" "I called the police in public the first day I went to work and wanted to punish those bodyguards. This incident affects you, right?" Tina said worriedly. "Of course not." Leo subconsciously retorted. Tina said more anxiously, "This is what Samuel told me personally. There''s no need for him to lie to me." Leo couldn''t help but touch his nose awkwardly, without saying the rest words. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. "Do you get along well with Samuel? Why do you believe what he said?¡± Tina only felt a little awkward. It was impossible for her to get along well with Samuel. Samuel just wasn¡¯t bothered to lie to her. "No." Tina said. "Thanks to Samuel, it had been resolved long ago." Leo said, "Don''t worry. He is very reliable. I¡¯m not worried at all." "That''s good." Tina breathed a sigh of relief. Leo suddenly looked at Tina and said, "Excuse me, I wonder what is your rtionship with Samuel, and..." Before he finished his words, a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. "Miss Lynd, Mrs. Langfor need you to do one thing. Chapter 504 Chapter 504 Tina turned around and found that the speaker was Cindy''s maid. Cindy should be getting ready in the dressing room now. what was Cindy looking for her? She frowned and asked, "What''s the matter?" "There is something wrong with Cindy¡¯s high heels. The heels are broken. I want you to get a new pair of high heels from the storage room!" "Miss Lynd, you''d better hurry up and get it quickly. If you dy the appearance of Cindy, it''s terrible." With that, Tina had no chance to refuse. The maid put the key to the storage room into Tina''s hand and left in a hurry. Tina felt annoyed. Sure enough, Cindy had only stopped for a few days without bothering her, and Cindy was starting to trouble her again. It was just a pair of high heels. Was it necessary to take so much trouble to get them? Tina had no choice but to say sorry to Leo. "It seems that I have something to do. I''ll talk to you next time." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Leo said with a frown, "What does this mean? You are a designer, not a servant. Does Samuel know that Cindy treats you like this?" Tina smiled bitterly. How could Samuel not know? He even helped Cindy! However, she didn''t want Leo to know about it. So she said, "I should help. It''s gettingte. I''ll go first." Leo was worried. "The storage room is too far away from here. Well, I¡¯ll go with you. It Tina waved her hand and said, "No, I have to cross the deckter and others will see you. That''s bad for you. I can do it alone." With that, Tina left quickly. Leo couldn''t do anything with Tina. Knowing that she was deliberately avoiding him, he said, "okay, see you next time. Remember to invite me to dinner!" "Yes, I see," Tina answered. Cindy''s birthday party was held on a luxury cruise ship at sea, and the storage room was two floors below the deck. The light below the deck was dim, and the boat swayed from time to time. Walking uneasily alone, Tina wanted to find the high heels and went back quickly. Finally, she came to the storage room and opened the door with the key. There were many spare parts, some clothes, shoes, jewelry and so on. She recalled Cindy''s clothes and searched a pile of boxes for matching shoes. Then, there was a bang. The storage room door behind her mmed shut. Tina was shocked. She rushed to open the door but found that it had been locked. Even if she had a key, it was useless! "If you let me out, I won''t me you! what do you want to lock me up for? Is it Cindy who asked you to do this?" Tina knocked on the heavy door, but nothing happened outside because the storage room was under the deck. She could hear the sound of the waves. Suddenly, those memories that she almost drowned in the water made her cold. She couldn''t help shrinking in the corner. Tina pulled out her mobile phone, she was in the storage room, so the signal on the mobile phone appeared and disappeared from time to time. Tina was anxious, she clicked on the screen in despair and tried to send a message or call, but she didn''t get any response. Finally, one of her calls was connected. "Hello?" Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Tina went nk for a while when she heard the sounding from the phone, she finally reached Samuel! Then she saw the name shown on the screen. It was Samuel! At the other end of the phone, Samuel''s voice, tinged with impatience, came, "Tina?" "Samuel, I''m now..." The sound of the light going out sounded. All the lights suddenly went out. Tina covered her mouth in fear and let out a scream. "Ah!" "What the hell are you doing?" Samuel asked, frowning. Samuel was about to ask again when he was cut off! He wondered what was going on. Samuel grew worried at the thought of Tina''s scream. "Damn, what''s happening to her?" he thought. He strode out and was about to have Tina found. Cindy suddenly appeared at the door and said, "Samuel, look at the dress I''m wearing. Am I looking good?" Cindy stood there in a white dress which was embroidered with diamonds, wearing luxurious jewelry. She did a neat twirl in front of Samuel and waited eagerly for his reply. Samuel, however, took no notice of her no matter how dazzling she was now. He subconsciously reached to push her away. "I''m in the middle of something. Wait for a while." For a moment, the smile on Cindy''s face froze. She spent so much time dressing up that she thought she could impress Samuel, not expecting such an attitude from him! "Samuel, my birthday party will be held today. Didn''t you agree to apany me? It''s almost time. What are you working on?" said Cindy, holding Samuel''s arm. Hearing Cindy''s reminder, Samuel came back to his senses. Today was her birthday party, and countless upper-ss dignitaries and media were invited to the deck. His every move would make a difference. He took a deep breath, nced at Cindy''s worried eyes, and realized he was being impulsive just now. "Of course, I know. I''m just making a phone call," said Samuel coldly. His words left Cindy no reason to keep pestering him, so she let go of him. Samuel walked away to keep a certain distance from Cindy before he dialed Tina''s number. However... Again and again, he was told that the dial was not in service, andter, Tina''s phone was turned off! Samuel frowned, grabbed the bodyguard nearby, and asked, " Where is Tina?" "Tina?" The bodyguards were all startled. Samuel rubbed his forehead irritably. Realizing that these people didn''t know Tina, he said, "The designer named Linda." "Oh, you mean Linda. She told US as soon as she got on the deck that she was in the corner for some fresh air and didn''t want N?velDrama.Org ? content. to get involved in anything on the deck." This could also exin why her phone was not in service. Still worried, Samuel asked, "Where is she now?" "We just saw her when we were patrolling, she was near the bow of the boat, having a good chat with Mr. Beckett!" Mr. Beckett was Leo. Though the bodyguards didn''t know Tina, they could recognize Samuel''s partner. However, Samuel''s expression chilled them to the bone after he heard this! Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Samuel''s heart red with inexplicable rage. He had warned the woman to behave herself. However, as soon as she got the chance, she went to theer to meet Leo. A bodyguard asked with respect, "Mr. Langford, what can I do for you? Do you need US to inform Linda?" Samuel put on a sneer. He was worried about Tina earlier. Seeing Tina was with Leo, his tone immediately became harsh. He spat, " No need!" He was worried about the woman. Now it seemed she didn''t need him at all! Samuel was determined that when Cindy¡¯s birthday party was over, he would deal with Tina! ¡®Damn woman!'' The bodyguards were all startled by Samuel''s suddenly darkened face. "Yes, Mr. Langford, if you don''t need US, we''re leaving." The bodyguards left in a hurry. And some of them couldn''t help rubbing their arms and discussing, "Mr. Langford is so intimidating. It was so scary just now! I''m afraid I''m going to die in his gaze!" "But it''s so strange. Wasn''t Mr. Langford just asking about Linda? Why is he suddenly upset? Has he changed his mind?" "Who knows? Maybe Linda was talking to Mr. Beckett, and therefore Mr. Langford didn''t want to disturb them?" "It is possible..." The bodyguards walked away. Cindy came up to Samuel. "Samuel, did you get things done?" Samuel didn''t answer her. He headed outside. Cindy was dumbfounded, "Samuel, what''s wrong?" "What are you doing? The party is about to start. We should go out and meet the guests." Then Samuel held out his hand toward Cindy. Cindy''s eyes widened in surprise. ''Oh my God!!!'' This was the first time Samuel had reached out his hand towards her! ''Samuel was finally touched by my affection for him for so many years. Is he starting to ept me?'' Cindy was so thrilled inside. Today was a really good day. Not only was she going to disgrace Tina, but Samuel had be so gentle with her! Cindy ran up to Samuel like a little bird. She took his hand and leaned in close to him. "Samuel, let''s go." When the gorgeous couple appeared on the deck, all the guests apuded and gave their heartfelt amazement and blessings. In the dim storage room, Tina''s heart pounded violently. She was so scared. After that phone call, her phone was disconnected. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t send any messages! She could only count on Samuel, as she had only gotten through to him a few moments ago. Although she hadn''t managed to ask him to save her, Samuel should have heard her shriek. ''He wille to rescue me, right?'' This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. But now it was just the opening time of Cindy''s birthday party... ''Is Samuel going toe?'' Tina cowered in a ball on the floor. The storage room was freezing cold. She was shivering in the corner. She found some clothes in the room to cover herself to keep warm. Tina was waiting eagerly for Samuel. Time passed so slowly. Her head went dizzy. Suddenly, her cell phone made a sound! Tina was woken up by the alert, she looked at her phone but found that it was running out of battery and it was signaling that it was about to be turned off. It waste at night, and Samuel hadn''t shown up! Tina was desperate. Was she going to die in the dark storage room? Just then, suddenly, a huge noise came on the lock of the storage room... Chapter 507 Chapter 507 At first, Tina thought she was hallucinating and heard it wrong. She was stunned for a moment, and then she stood up excitedly. There was indeed someone opening the lock outside, and she would be saved! ¡®Could Samuel ask someone to save me?¡¯ Just when Tina wanted to run to the door of the storage room happily, she heard several men talking outside. "Are you sure the woman is in this room? Why can''t I use the key to open the door?" "She must be in this room. Maybe there are too many keys, and we haven¡¯t found the right one." "Hurry up! I can''t wait to see the woman. I hear that the woman has a good figure and that she is quite beautiful. We can enjoy her without spending anything!" "The day is going to break in a few hours, and the reporters wille here. We won''t have the chance to do it then!" Tina heard what the several men were talking about. For a moment, her face was extremely pale. ¡®They didn¡¯te to save me.¡¯ Just at this time, the door creaked open. The men outside the door became very excited. "We¡¯ve used the right key this time. The door is opened. The door is opened!" "Ha-ha, we¡¯reing..." Hearing those extremely obscene words, Tina felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and the blood all over her body had congealed. She didn''t expect that she would be locked in the storage room without signals and encounter these men who wanted to do something bad to her! ¡®Cindy is so cruel!¡¯ "Squeak..." As the door to the storage room opened, some light came in from the hallway. The several men outside the door looked very ugly, when they grinned, their yellow teeth appeared. "why is the storage room so dark? Is the light broken?" "It doesn''t matter, close the door now. I''ll see where the woman hides!" In desperation, Tina hid behind rows of clothes and wanted to take the opportunity to escape. But the moment the door was closed, it was impossible for her to escape. Tina saw them walking into the storage room and getting closer and closer to her. Their dirty hands were about to touch her. Gritting her teeth, she tightened her grip on the high heels with very long and pointed heels. She took a deep breath and finally smashed the high heels onto the hand in front of her. "Ouch!!!" Tina used all her strength to smash the hand, and the man in front of her suddenly let out a scream. Immediately afterwards, she rushed out of the wardrobe, knocked the man onto the ground violently, and rushed to the door to the storage room... As long as she ran out of the door, she could yell for help! Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. There were guards patrolling the cruise ship, and there were so many distinguished and noble guests. They would definitely save her. Tina¡¯s heart was beating at an unprecedentedly fast speed, when she turned the knob, she found that she couldn''t open the door, as it had been locked! Tina became hopeless suddenly. Immediately afterwards, her hair was grabbed by the men who were chasing her, and she fell directly onto the ground. The men¡¯s arrogant voices came. "Bitch, where do you want to run? It¡¯s impossible for you to run away!" "How dare you hit my brother? stay here and pay the price!" "Ha-ha..." "No!!!" Chapter 508 Chapter 508 The first rays of the morning sun were rising above the sea level. When the luxury cruise ship was sailing on the calm waves. All of a sudden, a scream pierced everyone¡¯s ears... ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± ¡°Thieves! Help! Somebody here to stop the thieves! ¡± The guests were startled to go out from the cabins to see what was going on. They soon saw groups of bodyguards and servants bustling around. ¡°There were thieves sneaking into the shipst night. They have stolen all Mrs. Langford¡¯s jewelry worth tens of millions of dors!¡± ¡°Everyone, please check the valuables around you and leave the room. We need to search for the thieves room to room to find out where they were hiding! ¡± The news heard over the radio scared the guests to go out of their rooms. Who¡¯s to say the thieves were not hiding in their rooms? What if they took a risk and held them hostage!? It didn¡¯t take much time for the guests to crowd the decks, where the wind was blowing so hard that both men and women were struggling to look decent and noble, making a marked contrast tost night when the male were in suits and the female were well- dressed. From the decks was bubbling a babble of voices. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± The noises attracted Samuel to appear from the gallery. At the moment, Cindy threw herself into his arms, crying and shouting, ¡°Samuel, I wouldn¡¯t have expected to find thieves on such a luxury cruise ship. All my jewelry is missing. It¡¯s awful! Hateful thieves!¡± ¡°Just something happened to the jewelry?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows in a subconscious attempt to grab Cindy¡¯s arms and push her away. Seeing the crowd around, he had to take a deep breath andfort her in patience, ¡°They don¡¯t matter, what matters is that you¡¯re safe. We can buy more jewelry at any time.¡± Followed by his words, an exmation burst out among the crowd. The president of the Langford Group really deserved the name! A real rich man spoke louder than others! Engulfed by the envy from the crowd, Cindy, though pleased, cried in a worse way. ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Common jewelry goes andes. I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s all because of the missing keepsake that brought US together!¡± Samuel¡¯s face changed color as he heard the news. ¡°You mean the blue crystal shell ne?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Cindy knew there were reporters taking photos at a short distance. She continued crying, pretty and lovable. ¡°We recognized each other because of the keepsake. It¡¯s also the witness of our love. Not so expensive as it is, that blue crystal shell ne is the most important thing in my heart! ¡± ¡°If it¡¯s lost, I will regret for the rest of my lifetime, so we must catch the damn thieves! ¡± Her speech quickly arousedpassionate feelings in the people around. ¡°I agree. Things that have sentimental value are undoubtedly more important than personal belongings!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Langford. Those damn thieves must be still on this ship and they will soon be caught by the bodyguards! ¡± Just then, a bodyguard came and eximed, ¡°We¡¯ve found the thieves through the monitors! They are just in the storeroom under the cabins!¡± Cindy, with sparkling eyes, asked in excitement, ¡°Really? I¡¯ll be right there to get my ne back! ¡± Another bodyguard rushed out and said in panic, ¡°Bad news! The door of the storeroom was locked from the inside, so we broke into it...¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t expect to see that... that...¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Looking at the bodyguard¡¯s expression, all the people on the deck were still puzzled. Tt was just that a group of thieves was caught. Why did the bodyguard look so grim? Was there something else going on down there? However, Cindy, who knew everything, felt extremely ecstatic! It was beyond doubt that there was a gang of thieves in the storeroom, and Tina was also with them! Under her vicious n, that damned bitch spent a night with that gang of thieves! Now that bitch would be doomed! Before the bodyguard finished his exnation, Cindy interrupted him directly. ¡°The thieves are still in the storeroom, why don¡¯t you hurry to catch them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go down there and get my ne back! ¡± She then turned around and said to all the journalists, ¡°You can also go down with me. since those damned thieves had the audacity to break into this cruise ship and spoil my birthday party, you must help me expose their crimes! ¡± Regardless of the bodyguard¡¯s dissuasion, Cindy walked in the direction of the storeroom with the journalists... A group of bodyguards was standing in the corridor outside the storeroom, and they all looked solemn. Upon seeing Cindy, they were stunned. ¡°Oh, my God! Mrs. Langford, why are you here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not suitable for you toe here, so please hurry back...¡± Looking at the panicked expressions of the bodyguards, Cindy was more sure that her n had worked out perfectly! ¡°Get out of the way! I¡¯ve booked this cruise ship to hold my birthday party. Am I not qualified to enter this storeroom?¡± ¡°Or do you want to take this opportunity to take away the jewelry stolen by those thieves? Get out of my way! ¡± Since the journalistsing with Cindy wanted to scoop other newspapers by revealing this matter first, they stood up for her. ¡°Mrs. Langford is right, what¡¯s wrong with you guys? It¡¯s just some thieves, and why did you stop US?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see Mrs. Langford is in a hurry now? The ne is her love token with Mr. Langford! ¡± The bodyguards were in a dilemma. ¡°Please don¡¯t go in. It¡¯s really not suitable for you to take pictures inside, because...¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t wait to see the scene of Tina making out with those thieves. In that case, Samuel would know that Tina was an obscene woman andpletely detest her. Thinking of this, she turned a deaf ear to the bodyguard¡¯s warning. ¡°I just want all the media to expose the crime of those thieves! Don¡¯t stop us and quickly get out of here! ¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. After saying that, Cindy violently pushed away the bodyguards and rushed towards the storeroom... At this point, the storeroom¡¯s door was still left unlocked. ¡°Bang!¡± Cindy pushed open the door without hesitation. She not only wanted to see Tina¡¯s miserable state on her own, but also wanted all journalists to witness this scene! Besides, she wanted Tina to see with her own eyes how her reputation was ruined in public! Cindy was so excited that her hands were shaking uncontrobly, and she blurted out the words that she had prepared in advance. ¡°On my god! What has happened? Isn¡¯t there only a gang of thieves? Why is there a woman inside? I can¡¯t believe she is...¡± While saying this, she looked towards the journalists behind her, feeling a little agitated. Those journalists were always eager to get first-hand news, why didn¡¯t they take pictures now? The news that Linda was raped after spending a night with a gang of thieves would surely attract the journalists¡¯ attention. However, looking at the stiff faces of the journalists, Cindy realized that something must have gone wrong. She turned her head slowly. This time, she finally saw the scene inside the storeroom... ¡°Ah!¡± Cindy let out an ear-deafening scream. ¡°Someone is dead!¡± Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Seeing the mess and blood stains on the floor, Cindy was terrified, and her eyes rolled upward. Just as she was about to faint and copse to the ground, a strong arm held her from behind. It was Samuel. Everyone was terrified and showed panic in their eyes, but Samuel nced around the storage room calmly. After ncing around, he noticed the blood stains all over the floor and that it was disturbing, but no one was in there! "Didn''t the surveince footage show that thieves went into the storage room? where are they?" Samuel asked in a grim voice. Under Samuel¡¯s stern gaze, the security were all terrified and perspiring with fear. "Mr. Flint, the surveince was brokenst night. We only saw the gang of thieves go into the storage room, and the rest of the footage was ruined. We are trying to restore it now." "Are these your security measures?" Samuel''s face grew darker, " Not only did you let the thieves sneak onto the ship, but the surveince was also destroyed?" Under Samuel''s questioning, the security went weak in their legs. They almost fell to their knees. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Mr. Flint, we''re so sorry. The incident is indeed due to our negligence!" 1 "We just identified the group of thieves and found some clues. We determined that they were previously in the ship''s crew. They were fired for theft. We assume they probably heard that Mrs. Langford was having a birthday party, so they took the opportunity to sneak in...." "We are still searching the whole ship right now. We''re sure we''ll find them! Please don''t worry!" However, Samuel couldn''t be relieved. Looking at the bloodstains all over the floor, somehow, a slim figure urred to his mind... At that moment, Cindy was leaning in Samuel''s arms, and she cried, "Samuel, I''m so scared. How did it happen? I cannot walk. Can you carry me to my room? I''m really scared." Cindy looked so vulnerable. No man could bear to refuse her. However, a thought shed through Samuel''s mind. He didn''t have the patience to soothe Cindy. He pushed her away bluntly. "Take Mrs. Langford to her room to get some rest!" Then Samuel turned around and strode away! Cindy froze at the scene. "Samuel, where are you going?" She wanted to follow him, but she was so scared that her legs were weak. She could barely take a step, she could do nothing but watch Samuel sweep away. She gnashed her teeth in resentment. ''Damn it!'' Cindy thought Tina was going to lose her reputation today, but she didn''t expect the ident to happen. ''And that bitch just got away?'' T won''t allow it! Absolutely not!'' After pushing Cindy out of the way, Samuel strode onto the deck and searched around for Tina. After the broadcast, all the guests should be on the deck. However, after a quick nce around, Samuel''s heart sank. ''That damn woman is not here!'' "Where is Tina?" Samuel fiercely grabbed a security guard''s cor and asked. "Excuse me?" "Tell me, which is Linda''s room? Now!" The security guard was frightened by Samuel¡¯s frightening gaze and trembled. Luckily, he quickly found the room where Tina was. Without a second''s hesitation, Samuel went to the room where Tina was. Bang- Just as Samuel pushed open the door, a shriek came from inside. "Ah!" Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Samuel opened the door of the room. Tina wasing out of the bathroom, wrapped in a bath towel. When she saw Samuel, she cried out in horror and almost Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. slipped to the ground... Samuel quickly stepped forward and held her waist. The moment he held Tina in his arms, his previous restless emotions immediately disappeared. ¡®Great. She''s fine!¡¯ Samuel frowned and reprimanded her coldly, "What''s wrong with you? You were still taking a bath? Why don''t you get on deck?" However, Tina was scared out of her wits! She suddenly struggled fiercely, pushed Samuel away, and said, " Samuel, let me go!" However, Samuel raised his eyebrows and said, "Let you go? Wasn''t that you who just slipped? And your bath towel is about to fall off." At this point, Tina noticed that her bath towel almost fell off because of her struggle. Samuel held out his hand, and said with augh, "You don''t wear your bath towel well, what are you trying to do? Seduce men..." "p!!" Suddenly, a p fell on Samuel''s face. The somewhat ambiguous atmosphere dissipated in an instant. Samuel''s face was gloomy. "Tina, do you know what you are doing? II Tina clenched her fist while looking at Samuel''s gloomy face, and her tears could not help falling. Last night, she called him. She waited so long, expecting him to appear to save her, but... He didn¡¯t appear! What she got was the bad news that Cindy wanted to kill her! Now although Samuel appeared in her room, he said to her sarcastically and suspected that she was trying to seduce men... She couldn''t stand it any longer! Tina shouted, "Get out! Get out! I don''t need you to say sarcastic words! " Samuel was the president of the Langford Group. Not only in Freesia, but also in Paris, he could let everyone respect him. However, Tina challenged her bottom line again and again, and even pped him without hesitation! Samuel was taller than Tina, and now he was like an angry lion, suddenly pinching Tina''s neck with his powerful arms. "Are you courting death?!" Tina could hardly breathe. Last night, she had barely escaped death, but she did not expect that she would fall into his hands and experience the feeling of dying again! "Well, strangle me. Samuel, I tell you; even death is better than staying by your side and being humiliated by you again and again... II Tina refused to admit defeat, and her words were stimting Samuel''s nerves. Her head was dizzy, and her vision blurred, she even could not see his appearance clearly, and she seemed to hear all kinds of voices, which were from Kara, John, and... Tina felt so sleepy that she was powerless to struggle and slowly closed her eyes. Just at this time, a figure rushed out and rescued Tina from Samuel¡¯s hand. "Stop it!" Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Tina thought she was about to be strangled to death by Samuel. The moment she was rescued, she started gasping for air like a fish that had fallen on the shore. Samuel looked over at the man who had rushed out to stop him. He was already very irritable. At this moment, he was even more furious and sneered as he said, "Leo, why are you here again? It seems that I came toote. Am I interrupting your date with Tina?" When Leo saw the murderous gaze in Samuel''s eyes, he felt his blood was about to freeze. "No! It''s not like you think. You got it wrong..." "I was wrong?" Samuel''s tone sounded even more contemptuous. " When all the guests were on the deck this morning waiting for the bodyguards to search the room, howe Tina and you were the only ones who didn''t show up?" Tina covered her painful neck and coughed desperately. As she listened to Samuel''s spection, she said, "If you think that way, I can do nothing about it!" More than the pain in her neck, she felt her heart tighten and feel ufortable. "So you admit it?" Samuel nced at Tina. Even though Tina was about to be choked to death by him, she would still want to make him angry. Then, Samuel couldn''t help but clench his teeth. There was a grimace on his cold face. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. As Leo watched Samuel and Tina confront each other, he had a headache. "Tina, why don''t you just stop talking?" Leo didn''t expect Tina to make Samuel angry like that. He had to admit that Tina had a great influence on Samuel! Leo realized that if he didn¡¯t exin clearly to Samuel, Samuel would be about to fight against Tina. He rephrased his words and said hurriedly, "Samuel, you really got it wrong!" "The reason she didn''t show up on deck was that she was locked in the storage roomst night!" "When I arrived, several bad people had broken into the storeroom. They even wanted to have ill intentions toward her. she confronted them with the spare scissors for cutting clothes, and there was blood all over the floor." Leo couldn''t help but shiver and take a deep breath when he thought of the desperate and stubborn look in Tina''s eyes at the moment he appeared. "Later, I rescued her. she rested for a long time but did not recover. I was worried about disturbing her, so I didn''t let her go out on the deck..." Hearing his words, Samuel froze. "What? She''s actually in the storage room too?" He didn''t need Leo to describe anything more. As he heard Leo''s simple description, he felt his heart clench! Not long ago, he had juste from the storage room. ording to the bodyguards'' words, they had seen the group of gangsters slipping into the storage room before the surveince camera was completely damaged. But at that moment, the storage room was empty, but there was only blood left in the room! Then he remembered that he had received a phone call from Tinast night. Could it be that she had already met the gang at that time? At that moment, Tina coughed for a long time, she regained some strength and said with a sneer, "Thanks to the kind-hearted Cindy who tried to kill me, but unfortunately, I escaped. Now, are you going to continue to judge me?" When he heard her words, Samuel frowned. "What does this have to do with Cindy?" Tina just felt heartbroken and didn''t want to say anything more. Leo knew that Tina was in shock and emotionally damaged, so he continued to help her, "Samuel, I know this is between you and Tina, but I just can''t stand it anymore." "Yesterday, I happened to be there. Cindy was the one who sent the maid to ask Tina to go to the storage room. Immediately after that, something like that happened..." "Do you think Cindy really had nothing to do with what happened to Tina?" Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Samuel took a deep breath and said nothing. He stood there, looking tall and handsome in his suit and leather shoes, which caused a strong sense of oppression. Samuel was silent for a moment, and then his eyes fell on Tina. Taking a closer look, he realized that she looked so fragile with obvious bruises and scars on her body. Even the marks on her neck became more and more obvious... They were inflicted by him. Samuel had to admit that he did have a trace of guilt towards Tina in his heart. If he hadn¡¯t chosen to ignore the phone call because of the news about her and Leo at that time, would she have had such a traumatic experience? However, at this moment, seeing Leo''s unconditional defense, Tina''s resistance to him and their unanimous doubts about Cindy, Samuel asked in a deep voice, "Where are those thieves?" "They¡¯re locked in my room," Leo said. Samuel nodded and said, "I will personally interrogate them this time. You can go back." Leo was stunned, "What do you mean?" "She still has injuries on her body. She needs to go to the hospital for examination. Do you want to help her get changed?" Samuel''s eyes were a little sharp. Only then did Leo realize that Samuel was nning to seek justice for Tina himself! Of course, he believed in Samuel''s methods. Since he said he would interrogate them personally, then no matter how stubborn and resistant those thieves might be, they would definitely reveal all the truth. Besides, given Tina''s current situation, she really should go to the hospital for examination. The return journey of this luxury cruise ship would take a day. In order to get her to the hospital as soon as possible, only Samuel had the right to get speedboats and helicopters. Leo said, "okay, I''ll leave it to you. I am leaving now..." Seeing that Leo was about to leave, Tina suddenly said, "No!" "What?" As soon as Tina said these words, the two men looked at her in shock. But Tina clenched her fists, full of doubts about Samuel, and said to Leo, "I think you must not hand over the thieves to him!" Samuel said coldly, "Why, don''t you want to know who tried to hurt you?" "Who else could it be? Except Cindy, no one would want to put me to death like that!" Tina said word byword, "If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t have been locked in the storage room, she must have nned it, so those unidentified people sneaked into this luxury N?velDrama.Org ? content. cruise ship..." "Now, you want these people to be handed over to you? I don''t believe you will make a fair decision!" Hearing Tina''s words, Samuel became colder and colder. Leo beside her was a little anxious and said, "You must have misunderstood him. I know him well. He has always been fair and will never be partial to anyone..." "Impossible!" Tina vetoed with a self-deprecating smile on her face, "Cindy is his wife, and I''m just a powerless outsider. Do you think he doesn¡¯t know who he should help in his heart?" "In my opinion, the so-called personal interrogation is false, but it is true that he wants to cover for Cindy!" "Huh..." Samuel stared coldly at the woman in front of him and said, "Then what do you think is fair?" "She wanted to hurt me, and she invited so many media. Didn''t she just want to ruin my reputation?" "Okay, then I want those thieves to be interrogated publicly, and I ¡®11 show all the media how she tried to hurt me!" Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Tina sounded determined, and her eyes looked serious. When she said this, Leo was shocked, "You..." Leo had never expected that Tina looked petite and fragile, but she was actually terribly stubborn. At this time, she still insisted on seeking justice for herself, though she was obviously no match for Samuel! Samuel was really pissed off by this damn woman. It seemed that she didn''t believe him at all! However, he still had a trace of guilt in his heart. Even if it was about to be worn away, he said coldly, "Indeed, as you said, Cindy is my wife, the wife of the president of the Langford Group." "You want them to be interrogated publicly in front of all the media. Do you think I will let you spread the scandal of the Langford Group?" As expected, Samuel had made up his mind to protect Cindy. Tina couldn''t help feeling sad, but she continued, "Don''t you believe in Cindy very much? Since you think she is as innocent and kind as she looks, why do you think that what has happened this time will be a scandal for the Langford Group?" "I just doubt her. That¡¯s why I want to interrogate them publicly so that would be fair to me." "Besides, if those people were really not sent by Cindy, I will bear the consequences of the public interrogation myself in the end!" "It will ruin my reputation. Isn''t this what you and Cindy want to see? Or, are you scared now?" Tina seemed aggressive, but actually she was vulnerable and sad now. Leo couldn''t help but feel worried for her and said, "There''s no need to go so far..." If there was no definite evidence to show that it was Cindy''s instigation, wouldn¡¯t the consequences of the public interrogation be her being criticized by the public? She was taking a big risk! Leo wanted to say a few more words to talk her out of it, but Tina interrupted him without hesitation, "Leo, thank you for having helped me so many times. This time, if it weren''t for you, I might have died. Anyway, I have treated myself as a dead person!" "I just want to do something to vent my anger instead of watching him cover for Cindy again and again!" "You don''t need to say anymore. My decision will not change." Leo met her firm eyes, and his words were choked in his throat for the first time. He fell silent and could only look at Samuel with deep eyes. Samuel said, "You hate Cindy so much?" It was more than hatred. Besides Cindy, she also hated Samuel a lot.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Tina was extremely weak both physically and mentally, but she still stood up straight, clenched her fists and said, "I just want fairness!" "Good! Very good!" Samuel nodded, but there was no smile on his face. He had nned to deal with it privately lest she would be hurt again in the future. Now it seemed that there was no need for this at all! "You want fairness, right? Well, Tina, then I''ll give you a fair chance as you wish!" 1 "I''ll give you half an hour to clean up. After half an hour, wait for the media¡¯s inerview" With that, he turned and left without any hesitation. Chapter 515 Chapter 515 Samuel left in a huff. Hearing Samuel''s words, Tina was assured of the trial, she finally got a chance to apeal to justice. Then her stiffened body copsed limply... Leo rushed to hold her up, but Tina only had a bath towel wrapped around her body. Although Leo had seen many pretty women, he was still stunned by this scene. His eyes avoided Tina. He took off his suit jacket and put it over Tina''s body. "Do you really have the energy to deal with the media now? Should you let Samuel take you to the hospital for an examination first?" "No, I don''t need to go to the hospital!" Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Tina''s hands and feet were chilly, and her body was trembling. However, she said through clenched teeth, "I can''t wait any longer. If I don''t do it now, I''ll lose the chance. I want a public trial, and I want Cindy to pay for what she''s done..." "I can¡¯t let her continue her outrageous plots again!" Leo''s lips parted. He had intended to persuade Tina to go to the hospital first, but now he realized that there was no way Tina would go to the hospital. Leo froze for a moment, and then he asked again, "It sounds like you are pretty sure about the trial?" But Tina shook her head. "No, I''m not." "What?" Leo was stunned. He couldn''t help but ask, "Have you found evidence that can prove Cindy instructed someone to harm you?" "I haven''t found any yet. I''m still working on it." Tina replied. Leo was dumbfounded, "You..." "Are you wondering, without any evidence, why I am so impulsive and must do it now?" Tina gave a bitter smile. "If you hadn''t arrived in time yesterday, or if you hadn''t stopped Samuel just now, I would have died." "Why should I care about my reputation when I''m already dead?" "Besides, all I want is to be fair and make Cindy pay the price. I don''t care about anything else." Leo remembered something. He wanted to speak but paused. After a few seconds, he asked, "But what about Kara? If something happens to you, who will look after Kara?" Hearing Leo mention Kara, Tina''s heart thumped with pain. "Kara is now at the Carter mansion. She''s living a better life than she would if she were with me. I don''t think your family will let her know these things about me." Since Tina lost everything, she was fearless, she would give it a bet. Leo was silent. Tina took a deep breath, "By the way, Samuel just said I have half an hour, right? I need to dress up. Excuse me." Leo sensed that it was inconvenient for him to stay, so he left. The moment before the door was closed, Leo said, "If the media questions you, I''ll be your witness." "What?" Tina froze for a moment, she realized Leo''s intention. She hastily refused, "No, I''ll do it alone!" 1 "No way!" Leo bluntly retorted and then said in a lighter tone, his back facing her, "I spotted Cindy''s maid asking you to go to the storage room. Andter I sensed something wrong and rescued you from the storage room, so I should be your witness for any reason!" Chapter 516 Chapter 516 Hearing Leo''s words, Tina felt shocked. "No!" She refused him without hesitation. "This is my business. I can deal with it myself. I don¡¯t want to get you involved in it!" After Leo helped herst time when she argued with the guards, his fame was adversely affected in the circle. If he defended her in public again, his fame would be tarnished again. And it would be more difficult to reverse people¡¯s opinions of him. Tina knew that she had nothing left, so she was not afraid to do anything, let alone took on Cindy. However, Leo was a well-known designer, and he had helped her many times. How could she trouble him again? If she really did it, she would be the person who bit the hand that fed her. Leo couldn''t help but sigh, feeling upset. It was precisely because Tina, a grateful person, distinguished kindness and hatred clearly that he couldn¡¯t help wanting to give her a hand again and again. Moreover, she looked very pitiful when he met her for the first time. To be honest, Leo regretted making friends with Tina toote. If he had found that she was a talented designer earlier, he would have saved her out of trouble. "Well, don''t worry about getting me involved. Even you are not afraid of what will happen. What should I be afraid of?" "Besides, I''m just a witness. I¡¯ll only tell the truth. This is what I should do!" "If I still hide the truth and worry about being affected, I¡¯m too cowardly." "But..." Before Tina could finish speaking, Leo closed the door directly. "Hurry up and change your clothes, I''ll wait for you toe out!" Taking a deep breath, she knew that she couldn''t change Leo¡¯s mind, so she quickly changed her clothes. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. However, she was not in a hurry to go out but stared at her phone anxiously... There were two reasons why she wanted to take on Cindy in front of the media. For one thing, she couldn¡¯t concede anymore. She would rather retaliate against Cindy and Samuel than allow them to kill her. For another thing, it was possible that she would manage to expose what a cruel and vicious person Cindy was in public. But the possibility was low, as she was not sure whether the person would help her. Looking at her phone, Tina found that it had been several hours since she sent the message. Time went by. As the deadline imposed by Samuel wasing, Tina''s heart couldn''t help thumping fast. Finally... Ding! A message was sent to Tina. "I''ll help you." Seeing the words, Tina burst into tears and replied, "I''m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have got you involved. I''m too selfish." The person replied to Tina immediately. ¡°There is no need to say sorry. You didn''t do anything wrong. The reason why I help you is that I uphold justice." Reading the person¡¯s considerate and righteous reply, Tina felt emotional and touched. She calmed herself down soon. Then she stood up, left the room, and walked towards the deck... Chapter 517 Chapter 517 There were many guests on the deck, and the scene of Tinaing out of the room immediately attracted their attention. Cindy was so surprised that she widened her eyes in disbelief! ¡°Tina, why are you here?¡± For an instant, Cindy even thought she was hallucinating! ''How could this be possible? why is that bitch here?'' she thought to herself. ording to her n, Tina¡¯s reputation should have been ruined after she was raped by a gang of thieves, why was she standing in front of her unharmed? If there hadn¡¯t been so many guests around, Cindy would have lost herposure and rushed up to that bitch to question her! Looking at Cindy¡¯s ferocious expression, Tina maintained calm, and she walked slowly to her side. ¡°Mrs. Langford, what do you mean? why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Before showing up on the deck, Tina still wondered if Cindy was behind all this, but when seeing Cindy''s expression, she was absolutely sure that Cindy had set her up! Otherwise, Cindy wouldn¡¯t have put on such a disbelieving expression when seeing hering out of the room. Cindy also realized that she was so excited just now that she blurted out her real thoughts without thinking. She immediately adjusted her mood and said, ¡°Everyone knows that a gang of thieves broke into this cruise ship this morning.¡± ¡°Now all the guests on the deck are cooperating with the search work. But you just got out of your room. How are you going to exin your abnormal behavior?¡± ¡°I know! Are you an associate of the thief?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Cindy was really skilled at framing others. A moment ago, the guests around had been a little surprised by Cindy¡¯s strange reaction to Tina¡¯s appearance. However, upon hearing her words, they immediately looked at Tina with suspicion. ¡°That¡¯s right. Why did it take you so long toe out? what did you do before?¡± ¡°How dare you talk to Mrs. Langford with this attitude? You¡¯re so bold.¡± After all, Cindy was Samuel¡¯s wife, the president of the Langford Group now. Because of her noble status, those guests certainly stood up for her, and they began to speak ill of Tina. ¡°It¡¯s of great possibility that this woman is those thieves¡¯ associate, because it¡¯s almost impossible for so many thieves to break into a cruise ship so easily! They must have helpers! ¡± ¡°Yes, this woman is very suspicious. Hurry up to arrest her and interrogate her! ¡± ¡°Where did the bodyguards go? They muste here now...¡± At this time, the bodyguards, who had scattered around, suddenly appeared and shouted. ¡°We caught that gang of thieves!¡± ¡°What?¡± This instantly attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Cindy was rather agitated, and she asked, ¡°You caught those thieves? Where are they?¡± Soon, several thieves with injuries were taken to the deck by the bodyguards. Cindy was stunned when she saw the miserable state of those thieves. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Tina stood on the deck unharmed, while the thieves she had deliberately sent to torture Tina were in a mess! ¡°Mrs. Langford, this group of thieves must have a contradiction. They got hurt after fighting with each other.¡± ¡°As for your stolen jewelry, we couldn¡¯t find it! ¡± The bodyguard continued, ¡°We have already called the police. Now that these thieves have been caught, your stolen jewelry will soon be found!¡± Cindy was too incensed to speak. Her jewelry was not missing at all! This was just an excuse she had made up. Her real purpose was to take all the journalists to the storeroom in the name of catching thieves, so that she could see Tina''s miserable state after Tina was raped by those thieves. In that case, Tina¡¯s reputation wouldpletely be ruined! Chapter 518 Chapter 518 But now, her n was ruined, and things were getting worse! Cindy said furiously, "Are you brain-damaged? What are you thinking in your head?" 1 "It''s horrible enough that these thieves broke into the storage room. I didn''t expect you to call the police. Do you want to make my birthday party a mess and make me aughing stock?" At that moment, Samuel showed up. When he saw this scene, he couldn''t help but frown. "Is that so? Don''t you want to call the police?" Honestly speaking, Samuel preferred to believe Cindy. Although he had no special feelings for Cindy, Cindy had been by his side for many years. When Samuel was a child, he escaped from his kidnappers with the help of a little girl. Since then, he vowed to repay the little girl who saved him. Later, he recognized Cindy through that one ne. Since then, he thought of her as her sister. They grew up together as childhood friends. He had always had a sense of responsibility to protect her. However, when Samuel watched Cindy get angry at the bodyguard, even though Samuel tried to keep his sanity, he couldn''t help but have doubts in his mind. "Why don''t you want to call the police?" His eyes were deep and sharp, when he looked at Cindy in front of him, he said in a questioning voice. At that moment, Cindy''s heart did a flip. Cindy thought, "What''s going on? Could Samuel actually be doubting me?" Then, she suddenly thought of Tina, who was standing behind her and appeared unharmed in front of her. Cindy thought, ''Is it because Samuel saved that bitch that she survived? Tina told him that I kidnapped her, so he suspected me!'' At this point, Cindy was panicking and hating Tina. She said, almost in tears, "Samuel, I did it all for you!" "For me?" Samuel asked with a frown and an icy voice. "If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have been able to throw such a big birthday party and wouldn''t have had the chance to be on this luxury cruise ship." "It''s because you''re here with me that I have this opportunity. If I had reported it to the police, I would have been the one to lose face, but I was worried that if word got out, I would be aughing stock." Cindy cried so hard and looked so aggrieved that Samuel became less suspicious of her. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "You worry too much. As long as I''m here, no one will dare tough at you." "Really? That''s great." Cindy sighed with relief and threw herself into Samuel''s arms. "Samuel, I''ll do everything you say and do what you want. You don¡¯t have to worry about me." As Tina watched Samuel and Cindy interact so intimately in front of everyone, she felt a little sick. She suddenly spoke up and said, "Excuse me. Besides calling the police to investigate the stolen jewelry, I actually have another question!" Cindy originally wanted to continue to act vulnerable in front of Samuel as a way to deceive him. However, Cindy did not expect Tina to ruin her n. At this point, Cindy was angry that she couldn''t help but re at Tina. "What''s your problem?" Tina asked in a very calm tone, "I actually want to know how these thieves actually got in. Since this is a luxury cruise ship, the ship must be equipped with a very good surveince system to let the police investigate, right?" Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Cindy thought that Tina would y some tricks, but Tina just thought of checking the records of the surveince tapes! Cindy sneered, and her eyes were filled withcency. "It seems that you still don''t know that. The bodyguards investigated it and found these thieves were crewmen on a luxurious cruise ship before. They were fired because they had sticky fingers. When they sneaked in, they had sabotaged the surveince cameras. The records of the surveince tapes can''t be checked at all!¡± "Besides, all the thieves have been arrested. Why do you ask such a useless question?" Cindy''s tone was scornful. ''Does the bitch want to deal with me by that?'' ''What a pity. I have destroyed all the evidence in advance!'' Tina nodded as if she had known about it. Then she said doubtfully, "By the way, I have another question.¡± "Now that the surveince cameras have been sabotaged, it means that no one knows when and where the thieves sneaked in." "Of course!" Cindy''s tone was firm. However, Tina''s face clouded over, and her tone became sharp suddenly. "Then why do you know that all the thieves have been arrested?¡± "Or have you already known how many thieves sneaked in?!" Tina kept calm and said word by word loudly. As soon as Tina said so, all the people present fell into a trance, including Samuel. Obviously, no one had thought about it. Cindy panicked. Her pupils contracted, and her heart did a flop-flip. "What do you mean?" Cindy''s tone became sharp suddenly. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. "Tina, are you questioning me? Are you doubting me?" Tina said, "I just raised my doubt. I didn''t say that I doubted you. Why do you be so emotional?" All the other guests also felt confused. Many upper-ss guests and media gathered on the deck. They looked at the scene with interest. After the reporters heard what Tina had said, their eyes lit up. They couldn¡¯t help but say, "She is right. Ms. Cindy, it seems that you are too emotional..." "Besides, no one knows the detailed information about these thieves indeed. How do you know that?" Cindy invited the most aggressive reporters in Paris who had the guts to report anything. They were hard to deal with, and their words were stinging. Cindy nned to let these reporters publicize the miserable situation of Tina being raped by these thieves. To Cindy''s surprise, these reporters couldn''t help but add fuel to the argument between Tina and her. Their questions really put Cindy on the spot. Cindy just sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind! Luckily, Cindy was smart. She said angrily, "Why don''t I know about that? The bodyguards have investigated it. Although these thieves have sabotaged most of the surveince cameras, there is a video about when they sneaked into the storeroom!" "So it''s clear how many thieves have sneaked in!" Hearing that, these curious guests thought that Cindy''s exnation was reasonable. Tina added, "I have another question..." However, Cindy interrupted her. "It''s enough. Why do you have so many questions?" "It¡¯s shameful enough that these things have happened at my birthday party. You make things difficult for me and incite these reporters. Do you want to frame me?" Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Cindy no longer gave Tina a chance to speak because she would lose face if she let Tina continue to speak! With Samuel behind her, Cindy was full of confidence, and her tone was unabashedly arrogant. "Tina, I know that you have always disliked me! You said these words on purpose only to attract Samuel''s attention. Poor trick!" "After all, I am Samuel''s wife. Many women envy me over the years!" "I shouldn''t have been haggling with you, but since you are being aggressive, I have a question you haven''t answered yet!¡± "Everyone was on deck just now. Why are you the only one in the room? What on earth are you up to?" "You¡¯d better exin it clearly in front of so many people!" Now Samuel was right behind Cindy, and Cindy was determined to let Samuel know what had happenedst night. Even if things didn''t go ording to her n, and nobody saw the situation of Tina being defiled by the thieves, it was an irrevocable fact that Tina had entered the storage roomst night. Cindy thought that she would see Tina¡¯s panicked face and could ask further questions. As long as this fact was revealed in public, Tina''s reputation would be tarnished! However... Tina looked so calm, and even breathed a sigh of relief as if she had been waiting for Cindy''s words! "Mrs. Langford should know very well why I didn''t show up in time. It¡¯s because..." The moment she was about to say what had happenedst night herself, a man¡¯s figure suddenly stood in front of Tina. He interrupted her and then said, "Mrs. Langford, why don''t you ask me about this thing?" Cindy was stunned for a moment, looking a little bad. It was Leo! "Mr. Beckett? This matter has nothing to do with you. What do you mean?" ¡®Why is he in the way here? Does he want to help Tina again?¡¯ Cindy did not forget that it was Leo who saw through her n of framing Tina and even let her apologize to Tina! However, Leo just smiled and said, "Mrs. Langford, it''s too hasty to say that." "The reason why she didn''t show up on deck in time was that she was set up and locked up in the storage roomst night!" "I found something wrong and saved her from the thieves!" "Do you still think this matter has nothing to do with me?" The crowd was in an uproar!N?velDrama.Org ? content. Cindy originally was worried that her n would go wrong, but after hearing that Leo unexpectedly revealed the thing that had happenedst night, she was suddenly ecstatic! ¡®Oh! God helps me!¡¯ Cindy tried to restrain her excitement and covered her face with great exaggeration. "Oh, my God, how is that possible? Mr. Beckett, you mean she spent the night with those thievesst night?" Chapter 521 Chapter 521 "Mr. Beckett, what you said concerns a woman''s reputation. You must be cautious!" Cindy''s voice was shrill. Instantly, the curiosity of the guests and journalists was aroused! "So that is what happened?" "No wonder the bodyguards found the group of thieves going into the storage room, but they didn''t find anyone inside. Mr. Beckett, is it because of your intervention?" This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. "My goodness! The floor of the storage room was stained with blood. It was not due to the thieves fighting each other, but because..." "There was a woman in the storage room!¡± The journalists kept clicking their cameras. They didn¡¯t want to miss any detail! "Miss, did you really stay with the gang of thievesst night? What happened? Can you give US some details?" "Miss, are you a designer in the fashion industry? And your name is Linda, right? Why were you in the storage room? Can you exin it to US?" The press gathered to ask questions one after another. They were like sharks who smelled blood and wanted to rip the prey to pieces! Tina expected this to happen. She wanted to face it alone. However, Leo always stood in front of her and defended her. This annoyed Cindy. ''Tina was indeed a slut. At this moment, there is still a man defending her!¡¯ Cindy yelled impatiently, "Okay, stop asking questions. Can''t you see that she doesn''t want to answer your questions? Don¡¯t rub salt into her wounds!" "The thieves are to me for the whole thing. Fortunately, they have all been caught. Ans justice will be there." Cindy deliberately stirred up things to make the journalists even more curious. Watching the various looks on everyone''s face, Cindy knew her n had worked! ''It''s perfect!'' It would make the media make up more colorful stories than if the journalists had only spotted Tina with the group of thieves. Not only would Tina lose her reputation, but people would despise her! Thinking about it made Cindy so excited! Just as she was imagining Tina being despised by people, Tina''s phone started buzzing. Leo was standing ahead of her the whole time. Looking at the message on the screen, Tina perked up. It was only five words, but it gave Tina confidence as if it gave a booster in her heart. "Trust me, you can start!" Tina didn¡¯t hesitate. She clenched her phone tightly in her hand and stepped forward from behind Leo! "Mrs. Langford, did you just say you were going to give me justice?" Cindy said hypocritically, "Yes, you had such a terrible ident, and you must be very depressed. Don''t worry. I won''t let the media write about you. I know what is most important to a woman..." Tina sneered at Cindy''s hypocritical words. Tina straightened her back. She lifted her chin. In front of the media surrounding her, and amidst the looks of disdain and pity from the guests, she said, "I don''t know what¡¯s most important to a woman, and I''m not interested in that!" "But I know that the most important thing for a person is justice!" "I believe in justice. More than this group of thieves, you, the one who set all this up behind the scenes, will not get away with it!" Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Tina spoke slowly and firmly as she looked calmly and fearlessly at everyone. The media and the guests, who wanted to make trouble for Tina, avoided her eyes. The deck was quiet for a moment. Surprisingly, the crowd was a little afraid of Tina''s frankness. Cindy was inexplicably disturbed and said, "What do you mean by that?" "What do I mean? Don''t you guys want to know what happened between me and those thievesst night in the storage room? Then go to the surveince room and have a look. "Compared to my empty words, the video may be more convincing!" After Tina said this, everyone was stunned. "What?" Tina was a victim. Moreover, this matter was so ambiguous. As Cindy said, it involved reputation and virginity, the most important things for a woman. However, the woman in front of them didn''t care about these things and even wanted to show them the video. Immediately after, the crowd realized something. "No. The surveince cameras on this cruise ship were all damaged long ago. What can be seen in the surveince room?" "Yeah. Those thieves said that they were the crew members, who used to work on the cruise ship before, had been prepared and destroyed all the surveince cameras." "Even if we want to repair it, it will take a lot of effort, right?!" They spoke with doubt, thinking that Tina was crazy because of the mental torture. Tina didn''t care about these people''s opinions. "Come with me, and you''ll see the truth." Her voice was confident. After saying that, she turned around and walked toward the surveince room! Seeing this, even those who questioned her hesitated for a moment and followed behind because of curiosity. In the surveince room, there were rows ofputers connected to the surveince cameras on the cruise ship. People could monitor every corner of the ship from all directions. However, just as the crowd followed Tina to the surveince room, they could not help but make a sound. "The screens of theseputers are all ck! What can we see? Are you fooling US?" "I said that the surveince cameras had long been destroyed by those thieves. This woman must have been overstimted and lost her mind." "Boring! Let''s get out of here. There is no need to waste time." Meanwhile, Tina was collected. She clutched the cell phone and looked around. Finally, she found the centralputer in the surveince room. She walked over and connected the phone to theputer in front of everyone. There was a hissing sound. Suddenly, all theputer screens in the surveince room shed. Immediately after, they heard constant beeps. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. All theputers were under control. They were restarting. The group of people, who had walked out of the room, heard the sounds from the surveince room and were all amazed. "What''s going on?" The next moment, rows of screens all showed the same image. In the surveince video, the maid appeared in front of Tina and said, "Miss Lynd, Mrs. Langford is looking for you." Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Everyone was shocked. Even Cindy¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief! ''What? How is this possible!'' Cindy had certainly had all the surveince broken in advance, to make sure that Tina would never have a chance to clear her name. ''Why is theputer ying yesterday''s footage, and with sound, and so clearly?'' What happened around the storage room was being yed on the surveince screen. ¡°Something went wrong with Mrs. Langford''s shoes. The heel is broken. She wants you to go to the storage room and get a new pair for her!" "Miss Lynd, hurry up. If the opening is dyed, you will be in trouble." The maid sounded bossy. After she shoved the keys to Tina, she turned and left! Next, Tina refused Leo''s offer to take her there and went to the storage room alone. Then, the scene changed to another view. On Tina''s way to the storage room, the maid who turned away secretly followed her behind. The moment Tina entered the storeroom, the door was mmed shut! The maid turned to a corner and handed the key to a man. "You should know what to do with the woman in the storage room, right?" The man and his aplices sneered, "Sure! Of course, we know!" "When the job is done, Mrs. Langford will give you some jewels as a reward. But if you fail, you''re screwed!" Suddenly, the surveince video stopped. "I''m not going to show you the footage afterward. It''s what you think, me fighting the thieves, and in the end, Leo saving me!" "I don''t care if you guess what the thieves did to me." "The important thing is that, besides the fact that the thieves should be brought to justice, I will never let off the woman who nned all this. What do you think, Mrs. Langford?" Tina hissed. Immediately, everyone''s eyes turned to Cindy. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Cindy''s face was instantly pale. She was so terrified. She couldn''t believe that Tina had such firm evidence and that the look in Samuel''s eyes was so stern! "No, the footage must be fake! You faked it!" Cindy cried out. "I saw Tina connect her phone to theputer, and then the picture came up. She must have done something to it. It''s not true..." Just then, ding-- Ding- Ding- Suddenly, a session of cell phone beeps rang. It wasn''t one phone, but everyone''s phone rang! Someone nced at his phone and immediately widened his eyes in shock. "Who sent me the file?" "I received one too!" "Oh my God! What''s going on here?" Then Tina spoke again, "I¡¯ve sent the original footage of the surveince that just yed to everyone''s phones!" "I''m sure you guys can identify if it¡¯s real or fake." "If you can''t, you can send it to the professionals!" Cindy also received the footage. Her eyes widened in horror. With what Tina had just done, Cindy could no longer argue. Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Everyone looked stunned. It was a day full of twists, and the guests were bbergasted. Those people from the media got even more excited! "My goodness, is this the truth, Mrs. Langford?" "You asked the servant to lock Linda up in the storage room? And the thieves appeared on the ship also under your instructions?" "As the hostess of the Langford family, don''t you think it''s nasty to do this kind of thing? How did Linda offend you? Do you have to kill an innocent person?" "No! It''s not me!" Cindy, who was driven crazy, subconsciously tried to escape, but those from the media surrounded her. Click! Click! Click! The camera shed and captured Cindy''s fierce expression. Tina should be the person facing the cameras and questions of the media. ''How did this happen?'' ¡öWhy?'' Covering her face, Cindy screamed and shoved her way out of the crowd regardless of her image. Atst, she saw the man not far away. Samuel was watching indifferently. Cindy burst into tears, stumbled her way to the man, and desperately exined. "Samuel! It was not me. I didn''t know anything!" "lean exin..." "Ah!" Cindy, who looked celestial in a white dress, identally stepped on the tail of her dress and fell to the ground. The crowd swarmed over and fanatically took pictures. The clicks from the shutters were incessant. Cindy could imagine how these wretches would cover this story. 1 Then... "That''s enough!" The deep voice of the man rang out. It shot shivers through those media people who were surrounding Cindy. In a sorry plight, Cindy felt warmth on her shoulders. It was the man who took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Then her body felt light. Her eyes rounded as the man picked her up. ''Oh my God!'' Cindy was struck dumb. Astonishment was etched in her tearful face. Equally surprised by Samuel''s action, those from the media looked at each other nkly. ''What...'' ''What is going on?'' Samuel opened his mouth. His tone was authoritative. "This matter today hasn''t been thoroughly investigated, so I won''t jump to any conclusion!" Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Likewise, I hope that everyone here will not spread rumors before the truthes out!" "Rumors?" His words immediately aroused doubt. "Mr. Langford, everyone knows how much your wife and you love each other, but that''s not the reason for you to cover up for her!" "Everyone saw in the surveince footage that Mrs. Langford helped those thieves sneak onto the ship and orchestrated the scheme. Linda almost got killed, and we have to endure the cold wind on the deck early in the morning!" "Yeah, the evidence is right in front of US. It''s not a rumor." Samuel took a prating look at everyone till his cold eyesnded on the pale face of the woman standing at the entrance of the monitoring room. Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Samuel witnessed everything Tina had done, and when he saw the surveince video, he knew what she had been throughst night. And that phone call... She must have been desperate at that time. When he knew that he had almost misunderstood her and that she had almost died, he felt a sting in his heart. However, seeing how pitiful Cindy looked now, he couldn¡¯t stay out of it. Samuel took a deep breath and looked away from Tina, deciding to make it up to her in the future. After all, he couldn''t leave Cindy to sink or swim herself and must shoulder his responsibilities... From the moment Cindy had saved his life, he had known that he owed it to her! Hearing everyone''s questioning, Samuel said coldly, "The evidence is indeed irrefutable. Tina, who is also the designer under the pseudonym of Linda, is a victim. And all these things are premeditated. But that is just a section of the surveince video, which can only prove she is framed. Cindy has never appeared in it from the beginning to the end. So, you can¡¯t say she was pulling strings behind the scenes." Everyone was stunned to hear this, and one person retorted, "But the servant said inly that she was obeying Madam¡¯s order..." Samuel''s vibes instantly became terrifying when he snapped in a sharp tone, "Are you sure that servant was telling the truth?" His words made all the other people speechless! Cindy''s eyes lit up, and she immediately cried, "I''m innocent! I''m really innocent! Why don''t you believe me? I was also framed! It''s all that d*mn servant¡¯s fault, she is too vicious! she wanted to seduce Samuel but failed, so she is jealous of me. She attempted to murder not only Tina but also me! This is terrifying! Samuel, you must believe me and teach her a good lesson! And I''m going to sue all the people who ndered me just now! None of you can get away with it!" N?velDrama.Org ? content. Samuel''s words and Cindy''s threats made the other people at present hesitate. Soon, Samuel said, "I don''t want to make any other remarks now. Neither a section of a video nor a servant¡¯s words can prove Cindy is guilty. We will leave this matter to the police. But I don''t want any remarks against her to appear before the truth is found out!" Then, the bodyguards behind Samuel surrounded the reporters. Obviously, they intended to delete all the photos they had taken and destroy all the documents they had received just now! Samuel picked Cindy up and turned around, but before leaving, he looked at Tina and said, "It is you that asked the hacker to do all these things, right?" When Tina had had a fever before, the hacker had hacked all theputers in the building to protect her. This time, the hacker had even helped her restore the surveince video... And even Leo had stood by her side and defended her! Thinking of this, Samuel felt a little annoyed, so he said in a colder voice, "I''ve already given you a chance to vent your anger, but I hope you can remember what I said. Don''t let the hacker do anything without authorization again, otherwise, both you and he would not be able to bear the consequences." After finishing speaking, he left with Cindy. Tina''s face became gloomier, and her body was shaky... Chapter 526 Chapter 526 Just now, Tina had been straightening her back in front of everyone no matter how they ndered her. However, she was an ordinary person. She managed to escape from the storage room, she did not have time to rest before she braced herself to face these vicious guys and stall for time. When the surveince video was disyed, she finally cleared her name and got back at Cindy. Tina originally thought that she could breathe a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, even though Tina had shown the video on theputer screens in the surveince room, Samuel was still on Cindy''s side. And he even warned Tina. Watching Samuel leaving with Cindy in his arms, Tina felt her head throbbing and couldn''t help but hold the door frame. At the same time, all the guests and the media on the deck were asked to return to their rooms by the bodyguards. The bodyguards came to Tina. They urged, "Miss Lynd, it''s time for you to go back." "After this cruise ship docks, someone will find out the truth." Tina thought, ''Find out the truth?'' ''How is it possible?'' She had thought that Samuel would let her tell everyone the truth about the matter, but it turned out that she was too naive. When Tina was attacked by the media, Samuel looked on coldly, but when Cindy was involved, he became worried. It seemed that Samuel was going to cover for Cindy. Tina thought, ''I will never get the fairness I want.'' "Miss Lynd?" The bodyguards beside her were a little impatient. "Please cooperate with US and hurry back to your room." "I got it." Tina''s voice was hoarse as she spoke with difficulty. After saying that, she withdrew her hand and walked forward, wanting to calm down. However, her head throbbed even more painfully, she felt dizzy as if she were stepping on cotton. Tina had wanted to struggle back to the room, but she identally tripped and fell toward the ground. She closed her eyes, feeling somewhat sad. If Samuel were here, he would want her to die. After all, if she died, no one would harm his beloved Cindy. Just as countless thoughts shed across her mind, she didn''t feel the expected pain. "Be careful!" A man''s fluttered voice came from overhead. Tina felt her waist being held by someone, she was saved from falling to the deck. She opened her eyes and looked over with mixed feelings. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Leo..." "I just saw you and was worried that you would fall. Sure enough, you almost fell." Leo sighed and said anxiously, "shall I take you back to your room? Besides, you look terrible. After the cruise ship docks, you must go to the hospital for a checkup." Tina had lost all her strength. She could only say, "okay, thank you." "Well, why don''t you just marry me to thank me?" Leo looked like he was telling a joke, but he stared nervously at Tina, wanting to know her reaction. Chapter 527 Chapter 527 However, Tina could not answer Leo. Her face was pale, and her forehead was covered with beads of sweat. Fromst night to now, she had exhausted all her strength, and her nerves were tense the whole time. Suddenly, she copsed into Leo''s arms. She didn''t hear what he just said. Leo had a bitter smile. He couldn''t help butin, "why did you pass out at this moment?" Although heined, he didn''t hesitate to carry Tina up in his arms and bring her to rest. On the other hand, Samuel took Cindy back to her room. When the door closed, Cindy was finally relieved, she felt so vulnerable and secure in Samuel''s strong arms. "Samuel, I knew you believed in me." Just when Cindy was feeling so happy and imagining that Samuel would kiss her, suddenly, Samuel threw her on the couch. "Ah!" Cindy screamed, she hit the couch. If she hadn''t grabbed the arm of the couch in time, she could have rolled to the floor! "Samuel?" Cindy looked up at Samuel, only to find an indifferent look in his deep eyes. She was terrified, and she shivered. She subconsciously asked, " Samuel, what''s going on? You just defended me in front of people. Don''t you believe me?" "I wanted to believe you." Samuel said in a low voice. He looked down at Cindy, "But the evidence speaks for itself, doesn''t it?" Cindy froze. For a moment, she was overwhelmed by a huge panic! "No! Samuel, what do you mean? Are you suspecting me too?" "I''m really innocent! I was set up by the maid. You just said it yourself." Cindy burst into tears, she tried to reach out and take Samuel''s hand. However, Samuel took a few steps back to avoid Cindy''s grip. He felt nothing but disgust. And Cindy, who was standing in front of him, was now so strange. "Are you really innocent?" "I..." Cindy was about to blurt out. Samuel said again, "You know I hate lying and betrayal." Under Samuel''s sharp gaze, Cindy knew she couldn''t lie any longer. She suddenly fell to her knees and pleaded, "Samuel, I was wrong. It was all my fault. Please forgive me!" "I love you too much. I can''t stand Tina staying around you!" "Why does the bitch stay around you? she has hooked up with so many guys. She''s a slut!" "So, I lost my mind. I wanted to teach her a lesson." "I really didn''t expect things would end up like this. Samuel, please forgive me!" Watching Cindy crying and making excuses for herself, Samuel lost his patience, and his eyes grew stern. "I forgive you." Cindy was excited, "Really, Samuel, I know you are always kind to me." Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "But, this is thest time." Samuel spoke coldly, "Cindy, we should get a divorce." Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Cindy didn''t expect Samuel to say so to her. ''Divorce? Samuel wants to divorce me?'' For an instant, Cindy was shocked and said, "Divorce? No! Do you want to abandon me?" "I love you so much. I have loved you for so many years. I only want to be your wife since I was young..." "I was out of my mind this time. I promise that I won''t do that again. Please forgive me!" She crawled to him and wanted to plead for his mercy. In the next second, Samuel said coldly, "It¡¯s OK that you''re reluctant to get a divorce." "But you will spend the rest of your life in prison for what you have done." Cindy was so frightened that her whole body blood almost congealed. "No! I don¡¯t want to go to prison! You can''t be so cold-blooded to me! You can''t!" She saw his icy gaze and felt hopeless! Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She started to shout suddenly. "I love you so much! It was me who saved you, so you survived. You said that you owed your life to me and would promise me anything, right?" "I even married you and gave birth to Keith for you!" "But you''re so aloof towards me and even don''t touch me. Thus, I''m jealous of Tina crazily!" "Why can she get your love? I promise that I won''t do that again. Please..." He was reluctant to hear her chicanery anymore. She was right. He had condoned her all the time and let her be his wife because he owed his life to her and she gave birth to Keith. However... At this moment, he cut ties with her calmly. "I owe my life to you indeed and can condone your for many things, but you are way out of line again and again." "Thus, it''s thest time." "I will divorce you this time whether you agree or not. of course, after I divorce you, I will clear up the mess for you, and you will have a good life for the rest of your life." "Keith is my only child. He still will be the sessor of the Langford Group. It won''t be changed." "After the cruise ship is moored, I will arrange for someone to send you back to calm down. I also will arrange for someone to send the divorce agreement to you. Think about it during the period." He was reluctant to waste time here. He turned around and left. The door was shut down with a loud sound. Only then did Cindy realize that Samuel had made up his mind to abandon her! ''He will divorce me and abandon me!'' ''It''s all because of the bitch, Tina! It''s all because of her!'' ''I framed Tina again and again but didn''t expect myself toe to be in such a state!'' "Ah!" Cindy''s face twisted, she shouted sharply and wailed over the ground. After dealing with Cindy, Samuel closed his eyes and heard her cry and shouts in the room faintly, but he didn''t feel sorry for her or hesitate anymore. He had returned the favor to her already. It was time for him to cut ties with her. Tina''s figure floated into his mind involuntarily. He saw her in front of the control room before... At that time, her face was pale, she looked weak as if she would faint at any time. Thinking of this, he went to Tina''s room without hesitation. Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Samuel had been working in the Langford Group for many years. No matter what happened and how tricky and urgent it was, he was about to stay calm, and his pace was steady and unhurried. However, he was probably worried about that woman or intended to exin something to her. Thus, Samuel uncontrobly quickened his steps and became somewhat anxious. Soon, he was closer and closer to Tina''s room. He just needed to round a corner to get to her room. However... Just at that moment, a man''s voice came from the corridor. "Hello? Is this Dr. Bradley? I am Leo. My friend doesn''t feel welltely, and I want you to give her a checkup at your ce." This was Leo¡¯s voice. Samuel paused and couldn''t help but frown. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Leo did not want to disturb Tina, who was resting in the room. Therefore, he was talking on the phone in the corridor and did not notice Samuel''s footsteps. "My friend is ady. Dr. Bradley, you''ve misunderstood. She''s not my girlfriend. She is a designer too. "Don''t make fun of me. Do you think I don''t want to find a girlfriend? I want her to be with me, but she may not like me. She won''t agree." Leo was about to continue chatting with Griffin. The next moment, a chill went down his spine. He suddenly felt something and subconsciously turned around. Samuel was right behind Leo. Samuel had well-defined features, looking like a mixed-race model. He was standing there with a strong aura. Moreover, his face darkened. This was probably because Samuel heard what Leo had said and had misunderstood. Leo couldn''t help but gulp. "Dr. Bradley, I''m hanging up. Talk to you next time!" He hurriedly ended the call. "Let me exin it. Just now, I..." The next second. There was a muffled and frightening sound. Without any hesitation, Samuel threw a heavy punch at Leo''s face. Leo instantly took two steps back. He was then kicked in the abdomen and fell to the ground. Samuel was kidnapped before, so he had practiced fighting skills since he was a child. Although he was always apanied by bodyguards, he was stronger than most people. The man was like a furious lion with overwhelming and destructive power. As for Leo, who was just a designer and was always carefree, he was no match for Samuel. Leo gasped with pain and said, "You''ve misunderstood. I was just joking!" Samuel wanted to sneer. He had been suspecting that Tina wanted to seduce Leo, but now it seemed that Leo also coveted Tina. Samuel grabbed Leo''s cor and said coldly, "Is that so? Misunderstanding? "Then why did youe to Tina again and again? Leo, you should stay away from your friend''s wife. Don''t you understand? 1 "This is my first andst warning. "We''re still partners. I''ve wasted a lot of time because of your mistake. I hope you know what you are doing." After saying that, Samuel let go of Leo. Leoy down on the ground. He wanted to get up, but unfortunately, he had been kicked in the stomach and hit in the face, so he couldn''t pick himself up. Seeing that Samuel was walking toward Tina, Leo was annoyed. "What do you mean by ''you should stay away from your friend''s wife''?" Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Chapter 530 ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve never had such kind of idea. I just want to help her when seeing her pitiful appearance again and again. Anyone with a conscience will lend a helping hand to her!¡± ¡°Besides, Even though you may have feelings for her, you shouldn¡¯t have used me with the identity of her husband. This is so strange! ¡± ¡°Tina is not your wife. You married Cindy, and you always stand up for her no matter what happens.¡± ¡°It¡¯s beyond doubt that Tina was framed by Cindy¡¯s vicious n, but you still helped Cindy against Tina. I can¡¯t believe you like Tina at all...¡± Leo didn¡¯t care about his own pain, because he was only slightly injured. When Tina¡¯s unconscious appearance shed through his mind, he really felt sorry for her. Before Leo finished his words, Samuel abruptly interrupted him and said coldly, ¡°Cindy won¡¯t be my wife for long!" Leo was stunned, and then he perceived the implication of Samuel¡¯s words! ¡°What do you mean? You were just defending Cindy, weren¡¯t you? Why did you say that? Do you want to get divorced and then marry...¡± However, Samuel didn¡¯t intend to continue to answer Leo¡¯s question. He opened the door of Tina¡¯s room, slowly walked in and then mmed the door. ¡°Bang!¡± Samuel¡¯s back looked ruthless, and hepletely prevented Leo from getting inside Tina¡¯s room. Leo worried that Samuel might do something bad to Tina. After all, he was already so furious after misunderstanding him. What if Tina was implicated? Besides, the reason why Samuel appeared here was that Tina exposed Cindy¡¯s vicious n on the deck before! Leo became anxious and wanted to enter the room to check Tina¡¯s condition. However, the door had been firmly closed by Samuel. The whole cruise ship belonged to Samuel. Even if he tried to break in, he would be mercilessly thrown out. Thinking of what Samuel just said, he felt extremelyplicated. ¡®Cindy won¡¯t be Samuel¡¯s wife for long. Does he want to marry Tina?¡¯ he thought to himself. However, at the thought of Samuel holding Cindy in his arms and leaving Tina behind without hesitation, he felt this possibility was quite slim. He somewhat felt a little distressed. However, he also hoped that Tina could lead a better life. Tina was a stubborn but fragile woman. With her character, she wouldn¡¯t stand being bullied by others. However, she was in a circle full of rich and powerful people, and if she had always been powerless, she might get into more trouble in the future... If Samuel could marry her, Tina would have a more peaceful and happier life. Leo thought a lot, and finally, he sighed helplessly. ¡°It better be like this.¡± He limped back... After Samuel entered the room, he saw Tina lying in bed. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her long eyshes were trembling uneasily, she tightly pressed her lips, and her face looked rather pale. Samuel looked at her and couldn¡¯t help frowning. Howe she was in such a bad state? Tina had always been in poor health, but she was so tough that she never revealed her weaknesses to others. Only when she fell down from exhaustion would people realize that she was also a fragile woman who needed care. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Samuel stared at her face and sighed. Then he leaned over... Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Samuel bent over and tucked Tina in so she wouldn''t catch a cold. He remembered that the maid called and told him that Tina had a high fever after he left. But at that time, he was angry with Tina because she had used him against Cindy, so he ignored it. Now he regretted it. If he had asked the maid to take good care of Tina then, maybe she wouldn''t have fallen unconscious. Thinking of this, Samuel reached out his hand and touched Tina¡¯s forehead. Just then... "no!!!" Suddenly, Tina, who had been in an unconscious state, screamed, she seemed to have sensed his approach and reacted subconsciously. She pped Samuel''s hand away, infinite trepidation in her scream. Samuel took a few steps back. "It''s me." Samuel whispered. He was about to pacify Tina, but then realized she was still unconscious. She wasn''t waking up. It¡¯s just her instinctive reaction to fear. The thought of Tina spending the night in the storage room gave Samuel mixed feelings. He sighed softly and said to Tina, "Tina, I promise no one will ever hurt you again." "I talked to Cindy. She''s gone too far. when the ship docks, she will no longer be my wife or Mrs. Knight in name..." "Don''t worry. I''ll make it up to you." It was probably Samuel''s low, husky voice and the tobo scent and hormone from him were soothing. Tina''s furrowed eyebrows rxed, and her hand, clutching the nket, let go. Samuel took her hand, and Tina subconsciously clutched his as if she was clutching at straws, she would not let go of his hand. Samuel sat by her bedside in silence and kept this posture, staying by Tina''s side. After a long time, Tina finally woke up. She felt a little hot. she difficultly opened her eyes and saw that she was in her room. She involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief. ''Great. I''m alive!'' She tried to get up, but then she realized that the nket was so tightly wrapped around her and she was like lying in a chrysalis! No wonder she felt hot! It was because of this! Tina then wondered how she always rolled around when she slept. How could she have wrapped the nket so tightly? The room was dim because it waste.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Tina tried to lift her hand, and then she realized that her hand was being held tightly. She got more frightened when she found that a man was sitting on the couch next to her bed, and he was asleep! Tina was startled. Soon, she remembered something. Before she passed out, Leo showed up and saved her... ''It should be Leo?'' Tina felt touched in her heart. She was surprised that he had been staying with her all along! But... Tina blushed when she realized that her hand was being held by the man¡¯s hand. She didn''t want to wake up Leo. She tried to pull her hand away quietly. However, the man was immediately alerted. He grabbed her wrist. Then he lifted his head! Tina was startled, "Leo, I''m sorry." "Leo? Tina, are you calling another man¡¯s name?" Samuel''s low and frightening voice rang out. Only then did Tina notice who the man by her bed was... She froze as she met his sharp eyes. "Samuel! How is it you?" Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Tina''s body tensed. Then she subconsciously moved back, but she was now lying on the bed. She was being held captive by Samuel, so she had no ce to run! Samuel couldn''t help but get angry as he watched Tina get so defensive of her. "What''s going on? Are you disappointed to see that I''m not Leo?" At this point, Tina felt disappointed, but she didn''t just feel that way. More than that, she felt scared! Tina said in a sad and indignant tone, "Samuel, have youe to kill me?" Samuel froze when he heard her words. Tina thought he had admitted it. Because she felt ufortable, she couldn''t help but explode. "It''s obvious that Cindy did this to me. And she tried to sabotage me many times, so I released the surveince video in front of the media to expose the things she did." "What''s going on? Are you now thinking that what I did hurt Cindy? So you''re going to punish me for your good wife? Samuel, you are such a jerk!" Tina did not care if she would anger Samuel. Then, she grabbed the pillow beside her and hit the damn Samuel hard! At that moment, she had no strength at all. what''s more, the pillow she smashed out was soft. And Samuel dodged the pillow easily. As Samuel looked at Tina''s angry face and listened to her words, he froze and then let out augh. "Tina, what''s going on in your head? why do you have to think that I''m here to hurt you? Is that who I am in your eyes?" In the dimly lit room, Samuel''s voice sounded low and melodious. He was frustrated and amused at the same time. "Aren''t you?" As Tina listened to hisughter, it felt like he was mocking her. "You knew all the things Cindy did, but you still defended her. And you even warned me to my face. How could I forget what you said? I don''t have memory loss!" Samuel rubbed his forehead and had a headache. He always had his own ideas about everything he did, so he didn''t need to worry about what people thought. Even if he was thought to be a cruel person, he did not bother to exin. At this moment, he knew he could only lower his head and exin to Tina for the time being. "I do protect her, but I have my reasons for doing so." " I know what your reasons are. Cindy is your wife. And you love her so much. If you don''t protect her, who should you protect? You don''t have to say your reasons. I guess the whole world already knew about it!" Tina interrupted him without hesitation.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Samuel knew that Tina had always had a sharp mouth, and when she was angry, she spoke even more aggressively. He couldn''t help but frown and say, "Just hear me out..." However, Tina did not want to hear his exnation, she just wanted to be alone! When Tina saw Samuel and thought of him defending Cindy, she felt very sad. Tina clenched her fists. Then she took a deep breath and said in an angry tone, "If that''s what you came here to tell me and to warn me again, then you can leave as you wish! I''m just an ordinary girl, and I have no power. Even if you don''t have to tell me, what ability do I have to resist you? I..." Before Tina finished speaking, she felt a shadow appear in front of her eyes. At that moment, the smell of tobo and masculinity on Samuel''s body enveloped her! Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Samuel suddenly pressed his lips on Tina''s and kissed her passionately, which made her feel suffocated! After a long time, Samuel let go of her. Her eyes were filled with tears, even if she had been trying hard to hold them back. Though her voice became soft and weak, she red at him. "You¡¯re a bastard..." She wanted to pull her hand out of Samuel''s hand. However, he held her hand very tightly and pressed it against his strong chest. She could feel his heart beating under her palm! "Yes, I''m a bastard," he said in a low voice. "You''re right. Cindy is my wife, and I should protect her. But you''re wrong about one thing. I don''t love her." Tina became stunned. ¡°How can Samuel not love Cindy?" She retorted subconsciously, "What does it have anything to do with me? I don''t want to hear..." "Do you want me to kiss you again?" Samuel asked in a threatening voice. Tina was startled, and she immediately understood what he meant. ¡®He is threatening me to shut up!¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s such a bastard!¡¯ Though one of Tina¡¯s hands was held tightly by him, she subconsciously covered her mouth with the other hand. ¡®I¡¯m not afraid of him. I just want to protect myself from being taken advantage of by him, so I have to give in! ¡¯ Samuel felt satisfied when he noticed that Tina didn¡¯t struggle anymore. He added, "Cindy and I have been a nominal couple all the time!" ¡®Samuel and Cindy have been a nominal couple all the time!¡¯ Hearing his words, Tina was shocked. "What?" she subconsciously eximed in shock. "It¡¯s impossible! How can it be possible?" Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. She felt that she must be hallucinating or mishear him! Seeing Tina''s reaction, Samuel was not stunned at all. But somehow, he wanted to tell her everything. After all, Tina really misunderstood him deeply! "Cindy saved my life, so I owe her a life. But I only regard her as my younger sister..." "If you only regard her as your younger sister, why did you marry her?" Tina couldn''t help asking. "Because that ident..." Samuel rubbed his forehead, as he didn''t want to mention that ident, which was undoubtedly a humiliation for him. "After that ident, she was pregnant, whether it''s for responsibility or for the sake of Keith, I should marry her." "Though she has been my wife and I¡¯ve provided her and Keith with the best life, I don''t love her. I¡¯ve never touched her again after that ident. Do you understand?" For the first time, Samuel told Tina everything about him and Cindy frankly. His tone was very serious, with his deep eyes on Tina. "But... What does it have anything to do with me?" Tina was still shocked, as she considered Samuel¡¯s words incredible. II II Taking a deep breath, he suddenly wanted to know what she was thinking about. ¡®She''s very smart sometimes, but she¡¯s also very stupid sometimes, she is being stupid now.¡¯ "Haven''t you understood what I mean yet?" Samuel asked impatiently, staring at Tina. "You are the only one I love. From the beginning to the end, I only love you." Chapter 534 Chapter 534 Samuel was so domineering, and what he had just said was so shocking! He said he had always treated Cindy like a sister and that he had never loved her. He also said that Tina was the only woman he had ever loved all the time! Tina was so shocked that she shook her head repeatedly. "No! You''re lying! I don''t believe you." What Samuel had just said to Tina sounded so ridiculous to her! Samuel was pissed off with the woman in front of him, but he understood it would take Tina a while to ept it. Samuel continued, "I promise that what Cindy did to you this time will be thest time." "I will divorce Cindy after the ship docks. I''ll make up to you for what she''s done to you." Samuel''s tone was so gentle, and his eyes were so affectionate. Tina felt her head dizzy. "But you just warned me in front of people II "That was in front of other people." Samuel gripped Tina''s hand tighter. "There were so many people. Besides the guests from the upper ss, there was so much media. I can only say that." "Otherwise, after the party, the media will make up colorful stories. Do you understand?" This was the first time that Samuel exined things to Tina so seriously! Tina''s heart was beating wildly, she wasn''t sure if it was because she knew about Samuel''s rtionship with Cindy, or that she herself was the only woman he had... However, what had just happened was still vivid in her mind. At that time, Tina felt such soreness and pain inside. Although she now learned that Samuel was only acting in public, she still couldn''t get it out of her mind! "Tina, the ship will dock in the evening. From tonight on, it will be just you and me. We''ll be together forever..." Samuel said again, his voice low as if an electric current hit Tina''s eardrums. Her heartbeat instantly grew faster. She suddenly withdrew her hand as if she had an electric shot. "Wait a minute!" She interrupted him abruptly as if she would pass out if he continued! Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "What''s wrong?" Samuel frowned. He was dumbfounded. Tina didn''t dare look Samuel in the eye. She clutched the nket and asked timidly, "Can you get out? I need to rest." "Tina," Samuel was upset. "You still don''t trust me?" "No, that''s not what I meant. I just feel it''s so weird. It''s like a dream!" "And I still have a headache. I want to rest. I want to be quiet." Tina said. "You have a headache? Let me see." At Tina''s words, Samuel subconsciously reached out his hand to touch her forehead. Tina hurriedly avoided it. "You are not a doctor. You can''t see anything. Please leave me alone. I just need to rest." Samuel knew that Tina was weak and that she needed to rest. Therefore, he could only listen to her and stood up. "I''m going to tell the crew to speed up the ship and dock as soon as possible, so we can go to the hospital." "Okay." Tina mumbled, she kept her head down and didn''t dare look at him. After a pause, Samuel added, "And..." Chapter 535 Chapter 535 When Tina thought Samuel was about to leave, he paused his steps as if he still had something to say. Then, he said, "I will divorce Cindy Soon. After that, will you be willing to..." Before he could finish speaking, Tina interrupted anxiously, " Samuel, I have a severe headache now. Can we talk about it after you get divorced?" N?velDrama.Org content rights. He shook his head in resignation and thought, ¡®How could this woman be like this...¡¯. 1 But he could not lose his temper now, so he could only grit his teeth and turn around to leave. After he left the room, the sense of oppression also disappeared, and Tina finally breathed a sigh of relief! After she sat on the bed in a daze for a while, she couldn''t help touching her face and found it was burning! Fortunately, it was getting dark now. If Samuel had seen her blush like this, she would have felt extremely embarrassed. Was she dreaming now? Maybe it was an illusion caused by the fever! Tina''s mind was a mess. Even though the headache was just an excuse she had made up to drive Samuel away, her head really started to ache after she thought about the matter for a while! She didn''t dare to think anymore, so shey back on the bed and soon fell asleep again... When hearing a knock on the door, she felt as if she had just closed her eyes. Knock! Knock! Knock! She felt her headache be more severe, so she couldn''t help covering her ears and shouted, "Who is it? Don¡¯t disturb me when I am sleeping!" A vague voice sounded outside the door, "Miss Lynd, the cruise ship has docked..." Tina was stunned, suspecting she had heard it wrong. So fast? She turned on the light, got out of bed, and opened the door. Sure enough, she saw the city buildings brightly lit up not far away instead of the boundless sea before. The bodyguard outside the door said respectfully, "Miss Lynd, please pack up and go to the deck with US. The car will arrive in ten minutes, and Mr. Langford will send you to the hospital.¡± Tina nodded, "okay." She changed her clothes before going to the deck. Now, the guests and reporters on the cruise ship were leaving one after another. The evening sea wind was strong and mixed with coldness, so Tina gathered her clothes around her when feeling cold on the deck. Suddenly, a man''s steady footsteps sounded from behind. Before she could turn her head back, she felt warmth on her shoulders. Samuel''s body temperature was high, and even his suit jacket was stained with a reassuring smell. Then, Tina saw him standing behind her in the light. He was tall and had wide shoulders and a thin waist. His facial features were well-defined, and his vibes were cold and stern. Tina was taken aback to see him, so she shrank her neck subconsciously and said, "Samuel..." She hadn¡¯t expected him to get so close to her, so she wanted to take a step back to keep a distance, but her waist was suddenly hooked. She shouted in shock and was then pulled into his strong arms. Now, Tina did not feel cold but felt hot as if her body were on fire. And, she was so shy that her face was burning! "What are you doing? Let me go!" "The car ising soon. Be obedient!" He said in a serious tone. Hearing this, she didn''t dare to move anymore, when she smelled the tobo on his body, she felt extremely relieved. 1 When the car arrived, Samuel picked her up, carried her into the car, and ordered, "Go to the hospital!" "Yes, Mr. Langford." But before the car was started, a bodyguard suddenly knocked on the window with a panicked look and said, "Mr. Langford, something is up!" Chapter 536 Chapter 536 Hearing this, Tina looked out of the car window subconsciously, and Samuel frowned, "What happened?" The bodyguard replied, "Mrs. Langford called me and mored to meet you..." N?velDrama.Org ? content. Mrs. Langford? Of course, it was Cindy! Tina who was in Samuel¡¯s arms subconsciously grabbed the corner of her clothes and raised her head to look at him, wondering whether he would go. Samuel bowed his head to look at her and then replied in an indifferent tone, "I said I won¡¯t go to meet her before she makes the decision. Ry my words to her." "But..." The bodyguard said hesitantly, "But she threatened to kill herself if you don¡¯t go to see her!" When Samuel heard this, his face suddenly became gloomier. He then parted his thin lips and said, "Give me the phone!" "Yes!" said the bodyguard. Tina''s heart skipped a beat because she thought he would... She had felt a little nervous just now but could only feel frustrated now, so she lowered her head. What was she expecting? Although Samuel kept saying that he didn''t love Cindy, thetter had given birth to his child, right? Now, she was even threatening tomit suicide. Obviously, she wanted him to go back... Would Samuel leave with her regardless of Cindy''s life? After thinking about it for a while, Tina believed it was impossible! She med herself for being too gullible. Samuel had just said those words casually, but she had been fascinated and almost forgotten the pain they had given her in the past! Before the bodyguard brought the phone over, Tina took a deep breath, pushed Samuel away, and said, "You should go." "What?" Samuel frowned at her. "Don''t you want to see Cindy? You can go now," Tina said expressionlessly. Seeing her expression, Samuel was stunned for a moment, and then he couldn''t helpughing, "Tina, are you jealous?" "Jealous? No!" Tina retorted in a fluster, "You don¡¯t need to wait for the phone. If you want to go, you can go right away!" He asked in a low voice, "Really? But if I go to see her, who will apany you to the hospital?" "I have legs, so I can go by myself!" Tina looked stubborn. Even at such a moment, she was not willing to go soft! Seeing his, Samuel was both angry and amused, so he couldn''t help tutting, "Tina, you''re such a stupid woman..." She had taken the initiative to let him leave, but this hateful man had still called her stupid! Tina flew into a rage, raised her head, and said, "Samuel, you..." Unfortunately, before she could finish her words, the bodyguard appeared again with a phone and said, "Mr. Langford, Mrs. Langford''s on the phone!" As soon as Samuel took the phone over, Cindy said in an impatient voice, "Samuel, I know I was wrong. Can you forgive me? Please! I can''t lose you. rd rather die than leave you!" Hearing her say those words while sobbing, Tina felt disgusted. She did not want to listen to their whispers of love, so she decided to get out of the car. At the thought of this, she turned around. Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Tina couldn''t bear to stay there for another second. She wanted to get off. The man sensed her intention and stopped her. Annoyed, Tina turned her head and tried to make the man let her go. However, the man didn''t even look at her. He just pulled her into his arms. Following that, the deep voice of Samuel rang out in the car. "I''ve told you all that I''ve got to say. I''ll warn you onest time. Threats are what I hate the most. All these years, I''ve conceded a lot of times for the sake of our rtionship. This time I won''t back down." "Like it or not, I will divorce you!" Samuel''s firm tone stunned not only the woman in Samuel''s arms but also Cindy, who was at the other end of the phone. "No, I don''t agree." "My patience is limited. Now, you''d better take my advice and leave with the bodyguards." The man then hung up the phone without hesitation. Tina was stupefied.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Before she coulde to her senses, the man''s dangerous voice reached her ears. "Tina, what was that about? Did you try to slip away while I was unprepared? That''s disobedient of you, and I may have to break your legs!" Tina shivered in fear, not only because of Samuel''s threat but also because his breath was scorching her ear. It was not until that moment that she found herself sitting on hisp. The situation was ambiguous and dangerous. "I... didn''t try to slip away." Tina tried to get off Samuel''s body, but the man held her tightly and reprimanded her. "Don''t move! You don''t want to challenge me soon after your recovery." "Did my words fall on deaf ears? My patience is limited. Believe it or not, I can show you the consequences of seducing a man right here." Tina was pissed off. "I didn''t seduce you. That''s nder," she sulked. "Listen to me then. Is it so hard?" the man said irritably. Tina didn''t dare to speak again. As the woman in his arms quieted down, Samuel was ddened and instructed the driver, "Drive to the hospital." "Yes, Mr. Langford." Eyes ahead, the driver seemed to be indifferent to what happened behind him. Tina only felt embarrassed. There was a third person in the car, but Samuel didn''t mind it when he was holding her. He knew no shame, but she didn''t want to lose face. The driver started the car steadily. The scenery on both sides of the road receded. So far, Tina still felt unreal. She had thought that Samuel would leave her behind and go to meet Cindy. Surprisingly, Samuel didn''t leave. The atmosphere in the car was too awkward. Tina was forced to lie in the man''s amis, she could feel the heat on her back, his strong heartbeat, and his faint breathing. It felt so strange. What was more, she couldn''t see the expression on Samuel''s face, which made her feel even more fidgety. Atst, she couldn''t help but break the silence. Chapter 538 Chapter 538 Chapter 538 "Samuel, why didn''t you leave?" Tina asked. After saying that, Tina was a little apprehensive. Behind her, Samuel kept silent. Could it be that he was asleep? Tina froze for a moment and then turned around. She found the man gazing at her intensely. He was not sleeping at all. She was startled and said with annoyance, "You scared me!" "How did I scare you?" The man frowned. "I was asking you, but you didn''t answer me, so I thought you were asleep, but you are staring at me. Isn''t that scary?" Tina couldn''t help butin. "Then what do you want me to say?" Samuel raised his eyebrows and asked in a cold voice, "Do you want me to go?" "I..." Tina was stumped by his question. The man''s eyes suddenly shed with some interest. He leaned toward Tina and said, "Or you don''t want me to leave?" Tina shrank back in fear, but unfortunately, she was in the car, so there was no way back. She had to meet the man''s gaze and say, "I was just worried that you would leave me behind to meet Cindy! In that case, how can I go back alone at night?" N?velDrama.Org ? content. Samuel failed to get the answer he wanted and was a bit upset. Unexpectedly, this woman was so good at angering him. "You think I''m that kind of person?" "Aren''t you?" Samuel tutted, looked Tina up and down, and said menacingly, " Don''t think that I can keep putting up with you just because you''re not well. If you provoke me like this again, I''ll get back at you! "I''ll give you onest chance to answer me again." "What do you mean?" "Do you want me to leave or not?" "I..." Tina couldn''t say anything. She was used to going against Samuel, but, at this moment, her emotions and Samuel''s threat made her hesitate. Finally, she clenched her fist and said, "I..." "Answer me!" Samuel ordered coldly. Tina gritted her teeth and obeyed her feelings. She blurted, "of course, I don''t want you to go!" Samuel smiled. The man always looked stern and ruthless but was now gentle and affectionate. "That''s more like it. You used to be an ungrateful nuisance." Tina thought, ''What does he mean?'' ''This damn man! How can he call me an ungrateful nuisance?'' "Of course, I don''t want you to go, but don''t misunderstand! That''s just because I want to let Cindy feel ufortable!" Tina couldn''t help but continue, "who knows if Cindy has thought of another trap for me? You know she has framed me so many times!" "Besides, if she calls you over and sweet-talks you, you will soon change your mind. That''s why I don''t want you to go..." Samuel scowled, "stop it." Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Chapter 539 "I''m just speaking the truth. I won''t change my mind even if you threaten me.¡± "Mmm!" Tina¡¯s words were muffled by the man''s kiss. She desperately hammered his shoulder, but he didn¡¯t even budge. Atst, the man let go of her. Out of breath, Tina could feel his dangerous and fervent gaze. It was unnerving. He was like a wolf ready to devour his prey. ''Oh no, does he want to do it here?'' Just then, the voice of the driver came from the front. "Mr. Langford, here we are at the hospital!¡± As soon as the words came out of his mouth, the air in the car got even colder. The driver had been ying dumb until a shiver shot through him and made him realize that he might have disturbed them. In the next instant, the man forced the words out of his gritted teeth. "Get out!¡± "Yes, Mr. Langford!" The driver didn¡¯t dare hesitate even for a second. Any dy might cost him his life. So, the driver scrambled out. Only Samuel and Tina were left in the car. Even more nervous and scared, Tina cowered into the corner and subconsciously grasped her clothes. "Samuel, you can''t..." she said. Regardless of her warning, he leaned over, and Tina closed her eyes in fear. Sure enough, she shouldn''t have expected Samuel to listen to her. Just as she thought something would happen, her eyes were suddenly covered by something. She was wrapped in a piece of clothes. Tina was startled. "What do you mean by this?" The man straightened up before adjusting the cor and sleeves of his coat. He irritably looked over at Tina. "What else can I mean? Put the clothes on." "Even if you want to get off now, check out your look. Besides me, who else do you want to see your clothes in disarray?" ''So, that¡¯s why Samuel asked the driver to get off.'' He just wanted her to put her clothes on. Tina froze and had an inexplicable feeling. Having no time to think about it, she quickly adjusted her clothes, draped the man¡¯s clothes on her shoulders, and got out of the car. Samuel was waiting outside. As soon as she came out, he reached out to smooth her hair and took her hand in his. "Let''s go." Tina¡¯s heart was thumping. She nced at the statuesque man and lowered her head. Two girls happened to get off the elevator. They bumped into the scene and whispered to each other. "Look, that man is apanying his girlfriend to thepany. She is wearing his clothes, and they¡¯re hand in hand. The man is hot, and his girlfriend is pretty!" "Enviable. I came to the hospital to receive treatment rather than see this. This is so sad for single girls like us.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Tina vaguely heard their conversation. Even though she tried to y dumb, her earlobes flushed uncontrobly. Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Soon after, Samuel took Tina for a full body checkup. She was very weak. She needed a good rest, so the doctor sent her to a ward. After they got off the ship, Tina''s heart was eased up. She could finally take a shower and have a good rest! She went into the bathroom. Thinking about what she had suffered on the ship, even though Tina had been trying so hard to pull herself together, she now felt scared. She scrubbed her body over and over again... It was the only way she could make herself feel safe and be sure she wasn¡¯t locked in that cold storage room where she was stained with filthy blood due to fighting with the group of thieves. After a long time, probably she had been in the shower too long, so she felt dizzy. She remembered what the doctor had told her earlier: her body was now weak. She needed to be careful. It would be a shame if she passed out because she had been in the shower too long. She straightened up, wrapped a washcloth around her body, and left the bathroom. Tina opened the door, the dizziness in her head easing after a breath of fresh air. Just as she was about to go to bed, she caught a glimpse of a man''s figure sitting on the couch not far away. "Ah!" She let out a short scream, and she almost slipped to the floor. Fortunately, she held onto the door just in time. Samuel was sitting on the couch. When he heard her scream, he immediately stood up and walked towards her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "What''s wrong?" "Don''te closer!" Tina cried in a hurry. Samuel paused in his steps. He frowned, "What the hell is wrong?" His tone was impatient, but he stopped in his tracks. Tina breathed a sigh of relief. She asked, "What are you doing here? And you''re sitting there silent. I thought it was a thief!" Tina was taken aback. Samuel subconsciously frowned at her words. It seemed she hadn¡¯t recovered from the earlier disturbance. Samuel had thought she was making a fuss, but now seeing her bad state, he felt so guilty. He held in his impatience and said gently, "I''m your carer." "You''re my carer?" Tina curled her lips, "There are so many carers at the hospital. There''s no one like you!" Not to mention the cold, intimidating aura about Samuel, given his status, how could he be her carer? "Now you see me." He grunted, "Come here! I''ll blow-dry your hair." "I can do it myself. I don''t need a carer.¡± "You can do it yourself? Yeah, well, if you fall, you have to lie in bed, and you''d need a carer then." Samuel said with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Tina was pissed off. ''Damn man! Can''t he say something nice? Does he really want me to be paralyzed in bed?'' However, Tina''s body was indeed weak. She did not dare to argue with him. She had to do as he said. Samuel started to blow-dry her hair, and Tina felt his big palm running through her hair, and she remembered what she had heard on the elevator. They did look a bit like a couple now... Just then, a bodyguard suddenly came in and reported in a frightened tone, "Mr. Langford! Mrs. Langford has