“Yes, I don’t have any feelings for you at all. All I want is to make use of your talent!” Chris answered her just as decisively as how he did it earlier.
Nina did not utter a word in response.
Her face turned ashen in an instant. She barely got to enjoy much time in the realm of love that she had fantasized about before she was ruthlessly thrown back into the cold and harsh world of reality again. All the rosy illusions she had harbored toward her love life were crushed by the truth.
Just moments earlier, he was still her Prince Charming to whom she planned to marry once she reached adulthood. She would then live happily ever after with him, just like Daddy and Mommy. Little did she know, she had already walked right into the booby trap Chris set for her. It was pathetic that not only did she fail to realize his ulterior motive, but she also even gleefully helped him with his scheme, assuming that he was the love of her life.
As it turned out, things that happened in fairy tales were impossible to take place in the real world. She thought what she had with Chris was real love, but her bubble was burst. The man she saw as her Prince Charming turned out to be nothing more than a conman…
“Nina, now you know why we were trying so hard to stop you from getting in touch with him. We wouldn’t have to do that if he really has feelings for you. There’s no way we will allow him to deceive you and use you as a tool for his personal gains!”
Nina was jolted back to senses by Davin’s voice. Looking up at Chris, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. After shouting an “I hate you!” at him, she dashed out of the room.
“Nina!” Just as Nicole wanted to run after her, Sheila stopped her just in time. “Nicole, you should stay here because your body is weak. Let me go and catch up with her!”
“Mommy, I’ll go with Aunt Sheila too!” With that, Maya and Sheila sprinted out after Nina.
Evan shot Jensen and Jeremy a look. The two took his cue and hurriedly ran out of the room too.
In the meantime, Davin gave Chris a baleful glance and a thorough examination. With a satanic smile, Davin lifted his arm and punched Chris in his face twice. Taken aback by his sudden attack, Chris stumbled backward. He could only barely stand straight by holding on to the wall behind him.
“Steer clear from Nina from now on, you scoundrel! If I find any signs of you plotting against Nina again, I won’t hesitate to beat you to death!”
Chris felt a burning sensation on his cheeks. He reached out to wipe the corners of his lips to find the back of his hand stained with bright red blood. I can’t believe he’s this brutal!
“Evan, just let him go. If words about this go out, it won’t do Nina any good,” Davin spoke.
Evan glowered at Chris dangerously and snarled, “If you dare to do anything to harm Nina ever again, I’ll make sure you pay the heaviest price you can imagine! F*** off!”
Without uttering a word, Chris left with one hand covering part of his face.
“Evan, will Nina be able to accept such a huge blow? I think I should go and take a look at her.”
“I’ll go too!” Nicole chimed in.
“Just stay put while I phone Jensen and ask him to bring Nina back.” Evan stopped Davin and Nicole from leaving, proceeding to make a phone call.
Nicole was left on tenterhooks at the moment, wondering whether Evan would punish Nina for making such a huge mistake.
Jensen brought Nina and the rest back ten minutes later. With despondence written all over her face, Nina looked like an emotional wreck.
Evan gave her a fleeting glance before he snapped, “Go home!” After that, he strode out of the room without hesitation.
Nicole walked up to Nina and held her hands. “Come on, let’s go home.”
Before leaving the room, Davin and Sheila reminded Nina to offer an apology to Evan. That was the only way to stop Evan from lashing it out at her.
Instead of responding to them, Nina slouched her way out of the room together with Nicole.
Back at Imperial Garden, Nina sprinted back to her room as soon as she got out of the car. There was a trace of pain and distress in Evan’s as he watched his daughter leave.
Evan knew she must be devastated to be betrayed by someone she genuinely loved. Nonetheless, a mistake had to be rectified no matter how painful the process was. One could only learn from one’s mistakes by facing them and shouldering all the consequences that followed fearlessly.
“Evan, please give Nina some time to sort out her own emotions before you lecture her. I’m really worried that she wouldn’t be able to handle such a huge blow. She’s only a fourteen-year-old girl, after all.”
