But now, Linda was terrified by the thought that Rory might really die.After a long night, the doors of the emergency room that were tightly shut throughout swung open.Linda's face was haggard after staying up the entire night, but her bloodshot eyes were filled with hope as she looked up at the doctor.She promptly steered her wheelchair toward him, asking, "How's my daughter? She's fine now, right?"However, the doctor replied grimly, "Sorry. We did our best."Linda did a double take. Did that mean Rory could not be saved? What was she going to do?!Panicking, Linda lost herself right then and grabbed the doctor's white coat maniacally, bellowing furiously, "You're a quack doctor! Can't you even do your job right?! It's just a fever, and you say you did your best?!"I'm warning you—I'll make you pay painfully if anything happens to my daughter! Now get back in there and cure her, you hear me?! She can definitely still be saved!"Linda thoroughly refused to accept reality
However, Linda already had a taste of carnal pleasure, and Zach was really good in bed, delighting her every time they did it.That was why she could not abstain for long—she really wanted some action, and so did it with Zach again.She lied to Zach, telling him that he was the only one she loved, even though Henry had fallen in love with her at first sight.She said that she was just staying with Henry for his money and would leave him once she got enough. After that, she would move to another town with Zach, getting married and starting a family there.Zach was so lovesick that he believed everything she said, even believing it when she said she would keep herself chaste for his sake and would not get intimate with Henry.And seeing how far she was going for the sake of their future, Zach believed and obeyed her every word.At that time, she felt like she was in paradise—she had Henry's affection and wealth, and Zach, who would do his damndest to satiate her carnal desire.Tha
Stricken by terrible panic, Linda's fingers were shaking as she pulled out her phone from her pocket and called the ambulance.After she told the emergency services about what had happened to Rory and where they were, she then looked down at Rory.Smacking her cheek, Linda warned, "Keep it together. Don't die on me, okay?!"Rory had not passed out entirely, but even if she heard Linda, she no longer had the strength to respond.And while waiting for the ambulance, Linda struck the gates as hard as she could, yelling, "Henry! Rory is really going to die! I'm begging you to come out and take her to the hospital!"As long as there was still time, she would not give up on luring Henry out, still delusional that Henry would come out and forgive Rory when he saw her so sick.However, the front door remained tightly shut and was so soundproof that Henry heard nothing from inside.-When the ambulance finally arrived and took Rory, she had already gone into shock.The doctor onboard h
In the villa, Henry was looking outside the gates, and he could see that Rory was really sick—very seriously at that.That was why they should have gone to the hospital instead of coming here.Earlier, when he got a call from Andy reporting that Linda and Rory had visited Zach in prison after they left, he quickly went there again to see Zach.And this time, Zach refused to see Henry no matter what he offered, and Henry immediately knew that Linda had once again persuaded Zach to take her side, using Rory as a bargaining chip.Even now, as the mother and daughter pair were tearfully begging outside the villa gates, it was all just an act in Henry's eyes.He knew very well why they had done it too—they were convinced he still cared about Rory and wanted him to change his mind about her.Henry's lips curled up into a cold smile at the thought.This time, he would not even answer them.It's not as if he could not tell that Rory would really die if this went on, but what did her fa
Linda snapped right then, "Get back in there."Left terrified by Linda's threatening glare, Rory promptly returned under the cold shower. "Mom, it's very cold… I can't take it…" Rory gasped even as she hugged herself, but that effort did not keep her warm.On top of that, her cuts and bruises were swelling under the rushing cold water, and her face turned pale while her lips were grey.But Linda completely ignored it—she was panicking after seeing how cold Henry was toward her today.There really was no room for error now—this was her final chance.While some minor illness would not get Henry to budge, he might care if Rory got really sick.And if Henry cared, she won.That was why she did not care how much Rory suffered—all Linda wanted was to succeed.It was only when Rory's face turned ashen gray and was almost frozen rigid—when she really could not take it anymore—that Linda finally steered her wheelchair over to Rory and turned off the shower.Under such circumstances,
Rory was devastated. How could Henry bear to let her live in a place like this?Her face paled when her call was cut off, with the notification saying that her number had been blocked.Linda watched coolly as Rory hung up and turned gingerly toward her. "Mommy…"She was absolutely terrified.If Henry had really left her, then Linda would do the same…Still, Linda held Rory's gaze for a while and asked coolly, "Do you still want your daddy to love you?""Yes!" Rory nodded repeatedly—she could not stand living in this rental, let alone the fact that Linda would never smile at her again if Henry was really gone.Kneeling by Linda's feet, Rory looked up at her as she asked, "Mommy, can you tell me what I should do to change Daddy's mind?""What do you think?" Linda asked in return.Rory quickly realized and was a little afraid. "But the doctor said I must never get sick…"The doctor had made it clear to her parents that she must never get sick now, or it would cause an infectio
Even after the elevator doors closed, Tina did not snap at Jimmy.Having known each other for years, they were also the ones who knew each other best—so Tina could tell that Jimmy thought it would be a real waste to not accept those gifts.Moreover, Tina had to stay with Henry for five years without being given anything, and he kept hurting her through it all.Jimmy had always felt indignant for her, and that Henry could give her all his fortune for that."Never waste money." Jimmy grinned as he passed the deeds to Tina.She took everything—she was not about to reject everything anyway.As Jimmy had put it, there was no reason to refuse money given freely.Still, Mrs. Smith felt a little worried and whispered to John, "Please don't misunderstand. Tina is only accepting the gifts—she isn't planning to forgive Henry."John smiled, shaking his head. "It's alright. Tina deserves all those things in the first place."Relieved, Mrs. Smith headed inside the apartment with John, when
However, Mrs. Smith was not turning toward Henry, instead calling out, "Jimmy?"She certainly would not forget about her godson, who was closer to Tina than actual siblings despite not being related by blood."Yes, Mrs. Smith?" Jimmy replied crisply.As he walked past Henry, he stopped and shoved a couple of ten dollar bills into Henry's pocket. "Your fare."Once he did, he skipped toward Mrs. Smith and the others, happily going inside together, leaving Henry alone out in the cold.And he stood there, motionless for a long while.Still, Tina noticed that the hallway was clean and the elevator smelled brand new, though it had been a while since she returned.It was not Jimmy's first time there either, and he exclaimed when he took notice, "Huh. So the management found their conscience?"Tina never answered, as her instincts told her it was Henry.In fact, she was right.Henry knew she would not remain in John's apartment once Mrs. Smith got discharged, and that meant she would
As Henry stared at Tina in the backseat from the rearview mirror, his heart swelled with bitterness to see that she was not looking at him at all.Nonetheless, he drove steadily to Maple Park.When they arrived downstairs at Tina's apartment, he noticed a towering figure leaning against his car.Seeing Henry's car, John hurried over, while Mrs. Smith was beaming at him.Tina did as she suggested, texting John on the way here.And John promptly drove over—he could just work overtime to deal with any work he had put off.That was simply how important Tina was to him.Opening the back door and helping Mrs. Smith out of the car, he then turned to Henry. "Why, Mr. Barnes—thank you for chauffeuring Tina and Mrs. Smith all the way home."Henry was just getting out of the car and was left glowering at John for firing the first shot.Before he could retort, Mrs. Smith turned and beamed. "Thanks for coming to pick us up, John."She had been affectionate toward Henry like that too, back