While they were planning on how to defeat Theodore, Gina got drunk in the bar. She was so drunk that she could barely tell what was going on around her.
"Ma’am, it’s closing time now," the bartender said with a hint of exasperation. "You need to leave now."
Gina lifted her head slightly, her eyes glassy and unfocused. "Just...one more drink," she slurred.
The bartender shook his head firmly. "No more drinks. We’re closing. You need to go home."
But Gina’s hand reached weakly toward her empty glass, a look of desperation flickering in her hazy gaze. "Please," she mumbled. "Just one more..."
The bartender sighed helplessly. "Do you have someone with you?" He looked around the almost empty bar. Only two men lingered in the far corner. He leaned down, softening his tone. "Are they your friends? Or you call someone to pick you up."
"I have no one in this world," she mumbled, her heart twisting in agony. "I don’t know anyone."
The bartender shook his head. "But you can’t stay here. You should leave."
The two men from the corner came over in the meantime. "Don’t worry about her," one of them said. "We’ll take care of her." They threw a meaningful look at each other, their eyes flashing with a lecherous glint.
The bartender looked at them with raised eyebrows. "Do you know her?" he asked skeptically.
The second man nodded eagerly. "Yeah, we’re friends. Poor thing just broke up with her boyfriend. We’ll make sure she gets home safe."
He glanced down at Gina, whose head had dropped again, oblivious to the exchange around her. The two men shifted, their intentions far from friendly, and the bartender’s face tightened with concern as he weighed what to do next. Yet, he didn’t stop them as he was in a hurry to close the bar and leave.
Gina protested feebly when the two men dragged her out of the bar. She squinted up at the two men beside her, trying to focus on their faces. "Where...where are you taking me?" she slurred, confused. "Who...who are you?"
One of the men gave her a disarming smile, tightening his grip on her arm. "We’re friends," he said smoothly. "Don’t you remember? We’re here to take you home."
"Home? No... I don’t want to go home," she whined, trying to wrench her arms free from their grasp.
The men exchanged glances, their grips tightening as they half-led, half-dragged her toward a dark car parked near the curb. Her murmurs of protest grew more frantic. "Where are you taking me? Leave me alone. I don’t want to go with you."
But her struggles were weak as she couldn’t even stand properly on her own. Her vision swam, and her head spun.
"Be good and obey us. We won’t hurt you."
But Gina wouldn’t go with them. "Leave me, leave me," she shouted frantically.
One of the men let out an impatient sigh, his face twisting with irritation. "Keep your mouth shut and do as we say," he hissed. "We won’t hurt you if you cooperate."
"No! Leave me alone!" she cried.
The other one tugged at her arm forcefully and squeezed her jaw, startling Gina. "If you don’t listen to us, we will fuck you right here and throw you on the side of the road. Then the passing-by drunkards will fuck you as well."
The venom in his words snapped Gina into a state of sheer terror, cutting through the fog of alcohol with chilling clarity. Her blood ran cold, and her body went rigid as horror settled deep in her bones, numbing her.
Gina swayed slightly, her mind spinning with a mix of fear and disorientation. Just as she thought she was in big trouble, a deep, powerful voice thundered through the night air. "Touch her, and you will regret it."
Startled, the two men holding her turned sharply toward the voice, only to find a tall, imposing figure advancing toward them. He moved with a fierce, purposeful stride. Gina squinted, her vision blurred, but she still recognized him.
Her face lit up with a smile. "Theo! You are here."
Immediately, the men let go of her, stumbling backward under the weight of Theo’s formidable presence. The aura of danger he projected was unmistakable, and it sent them into a panicked retreat. Within seconds, they vanished into the night.
Gina blinked up at the towering man, her face lighting up with disbelief and gratitude. "Theo! Is that really you?"
Theodore’s jaw clenched with restrained frustration. Though he had no fondness for Gina, he refused to stand by and watch her be mistreated. He looked down at her with a mix of exasperation and concern. "What were you thinking, getting this drunk?" he scolded her. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this could have been?"
Gina’s mouth formed a pout. "I was sad," she admitted. "They lied to me... kept things from me. I hate them. I don’t want to see their faces ever again."
Theodore’s eyes narrowed as he processed Gina’s words. The implications of her words raised doubts in his mind. Had she somehow uncovered the truth?
Everything became clear to him. He understood why Gina had got drunk so much all of a sudden. Somehow, she had discovered the long-hidden secrets about her parents, which was why she was so sad. A wave of sympathy swept over him.
In all this conspiracy, Gina was innocent. As much as he resented Claudia, Theodore couldn’t bring himself to use Gina as a pawn. Whatever bitterness he harbored, Gina didn’t deserve to suffer for it.
"Alright. It’s late now. Get into the car."
"You are taking me with you." She beamed at him.
Theodore nodded. He then glanced at the driver and signaled him to put her into the car. The driver put her in the backseat.
Theodore hopped into the passenger seat. And in the next minute, the driver took the wheel and drove off.
The next morning, when Gina woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar room. Confusion quickly gave way to a throbbing headache. "Ugh, my head," she groaned, clutching her temples as she sat up.
Just then, a maid entered, holding a glass of lime juice. "Good morning, Miss," she greeted.
Gina blinked in recognition—the maid worked for Theodore. In a flash, the events of the previous night came rushing back to her. She remembered Theodore’s sudden arrival, his imposing figure scaring off those men, and then... him taking her to safety. Her heart leaped as she realized: Theodore had brought her to his villa.
Despite the hurt and betrayal from her own family, she found a sense of safety here with him. Theodore would never betray her, she thought.
"Please take this," the maid said, handing her a tablet along with the juice. "It’ll help with your headache."
Gina nodded, taking the tablet and swallowing it with a sip of juice. The refreshing lime cut through her foggy mind, easing her headache slightly. "Where is Theo?" she asked, setting the glass aside.
"He is in the study," the maid replied politely. "Please, freshen up first. I’ll bring some clothes for you shortly."
With renewed energy, Gina made her way to the bathroom, her mind racing. She would thank Theodore for coming to her rescue and tell him everything she had uncovered about Claudia’s deceit. Her heart pounded at the thought of confiding in him.
"But I failed to find that tape!" She breathed out a deep, disappointed sigh. "Anyway, it doesn’t matter. As long as Theo is mine, I’ll not let Claudia hurt him. I’ll make her pay for messing with him and for lying to me." Her face darkened in fury.
Inside the study...
Theodore leaned back in his chair, a rare smile lighting up his usually stern face as he listened to Bella’s voice over the phone.
"I have some exciting news for you!" Bella chirped with enthusiasm. "My designs have finally launched, and they’re doing amazing!" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Theodore’s smile widened, pride swelling in his chest. "I’m so proud of you," he replied sincerely. "I knew you’d do wonderfully."
"The CEO is thrilled with the results," Bella continued with excitement. "She thinks my designs might be the season’s big hit."
"Of course, I didn’t doubt it for a second."
"Not only that," Bella went on, "she has given me the responsibility of managing the upcoming fashion show next week. It’s a huge opportunity, but I’ll be swamped. I might not have much time to call you."
Theodore nodded understandingly. "No problem, love. Focus on your work. I may be able to resolve a few things on my end in the meantime."
"Really?" Ava exclaimed excitedly.
Theodore smiled and pressed the phone against his ear. "Soon, you will be with me. No one will keep us apart."
"I can’t wait to be in your arms," Bella whispered, emotions almost choking her. "I miss you so much. I want to see you."
Theodore’s heart ached slightly at her words, but he kept his voice steady. "Just a few more days, love. I promise."
Bella shrugged. "This is what I am doing these days." Her eyes moved to Tristan, who was in the driver’s seat, navigating the car through the busy road of the city. "By the way, Tristan has been a great help. Thank you for arranging him as my driver. But you’ve demoted him from secretary to chauffeur. I think he deserves a raise for putting up with me!"
Theodore’s smile turned wry. "Don’t worry, darling. I haven’t forgotten him. I’ll see to it."
Knock-Knock...
Theodore stiffened as he glanced at the closed door. "I’ll call you later. Take care. Bye." He ended the call. "Come in," he summoned.
The door creaked open, and Gina stepped in with a bright smile. "Good morning," she greeted warmly. "Thank you so much for saving me last night."
Theodore nodded, his expression unmoved, his tone almost detached. "You shouldn’t have drunk that much. And don’t go to bars alone—it’s dangerous."
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