Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Chapter 223 – Cry

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Opal’s questions had attracted the attention of more and more onlookers. After all, any conflict between the rich and the poor was bound to arouse public sentiment very easily.

Her confidence returned when she saw everyone looking at Timothy and Samantha with a dissatisfied look.

Although she was afraid of Timothy, she was certain that he would not do anything to her in front of so many people.

Her main goal that day was to make sure Samantha was not let off the hook so easily.

After all, that was the only way she could get justice for Linda, who was still lying unconscious on the hospital bed.

An ordinary person’s life was still a life nonetheless.

Timothy’s dark pupils stared at Opal with a dark, bottomless, and strongly intimidating look.

Opal could not help but avoid his stare after looking at him for only a few seconds.

The man opened his lips and spoke in a cold voice. “It is the truth that determines whether or not my wife did anything wrong. You don’t have the final say, and the same goes for the rest of you present here as well as those keyboard warriors!”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to seek justice for your friend, but your first step should be to seek the truth instead of blindly telling everyone to attack. This is what’s called utter stupidity.”

“I believe that my wife—or rather Ms. Larsson—has a clear conscience with regards to all her actions! She will give the public the truth!”

“If that doesn’t happen, I’m willing to bear all the consequences and accept punishment!”

Those resounding remarks left everyone speechless.

He even swore by himself that he would bear all the consequences and accept punishment if Samantha really deceived the public and did something unconscionable!

Timothy stood at a much higher level than Samantha in terms of social status and influence, but the remarks he made clearly showed his unwavering trust in Samantha.

Such trust was admittedly very touching.

After all, Timothy represented not only himself, but the Barkers and the Barker Group too.

He was putting everything at stake just to give her a guarantee.

Despite Opal’s desire to refute and provoke, she opened her mouth but could not bring herself to say anything.

Timothy opened his lips again and repeated the same statement, “Scram.”

Everyone retreated immediately, but Opal froze for a second. No one knew if she was really shocked or whether she was speechless, but she ended up walking away too.

Timothy stretched out his long legs and strode over to Samantha. He knelt down on one knee and stretched out his long arms to support her limp body.

He embraced her tightly and pressed his thin lips against her ears to whisper, “I’m sorry I came late, Sammy.”

She would not have suffered so much by herself if he had come back earlier.

Samantha was no longer the fragile little princess who used to cry at every turn, and she did not even feel like crying when she was surrounded, beaten, and dragged around by the group of people earlier. However, the second Timothy whispered that into her ear, there was a sudden bitterness in her throat and she could not even utter a single word.

She raised her arms, put them firmly around his neck, and shook her head while she was still being hugged.

He was not late.

He was not late at all.

Timothy lifted Samantha up in a bridal carry and took large strides towards the car that was parked on the side of the road.

He placed her in the front passenger seat and fastened her seat belt before closing the door and going around to the driver’s seat. After getting in, he started the engine and immediately drove off.

Behind the bus stop sign on the roadside was a slender figure, who clenched their hands pensively with a hateful look while watching the car disappear into traffic.

…

The car drove for a considerable distance before Samantha’s emotions had gradually calmed down. She glanced at Timothy from the side and somehow recalled what he had just said to her. She could not help but ask, “Don’t you have even the slightest doubt over whether I did the bad stuff they accused me of, Timothy?”

After all, the impression given by the available evidence was that she did commit such unsavory acts to get famous, reach the top, and be popular.

How many could resist such huge temptation?

Timothy replied without hesitation, “I don’t.”

“Why?”

The traffic light turned red and Timothy stopped the car. He glanced at her from the side and smiled. “Remember that night you were working alone in the study? You were so tired that you fell asleep right there on the table, so I carried you up to the room and had a look at the investigations you did.”

“You weren’t working that night; you were chasing your dream.”

A person in pursuit of their dream would never do something that would tarnish it.

Samantha’s heart was severely shaken and she felt beyond touched.

Having just one person to trust and rely on was enough for her to die without regrets.

More importantly, he understood her, trusted her, and believed her when everyone else doubted her.

Then there were those words he said in front of everyone earlier.

He stood firmly by her side even though the whole world was against her.

In order to prevent Old Madam Barker from getting too worried, Timothy went to the hotel he frequented rather than driving back to the villa.

At the hotel room door, Timothy asked the waiter to bring in the first-aid box. When Samantha came out of the bath, he led her to the bed and deftly helped her to apply some medicine.

However, his expression sank as soon as he saw the wounds on her body and a murderous aura surfaced.

Samantha saw the change in his expression and gently held his hand to persuade him softly. “I’m fine. I have thick skin! This is just a little skin wou—”

Timothy stared at her coldly before she finished speaking.

Samantha closed her mouth tactfully and acted kittenish toward him while hugging his arm, “Honey, it hurts really bad, but it’ll be better if you kiss me.”

She even pouted at him on purpose while she spoke.

The next second, Timothy gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead instead of pushing her away in disgust.

Samantha was taken aback.

The man’s big palm lightly rubbed her hair, “Don’t act tough in front of me if you’re clearly in pain and feeling uncomfortable. Shout if you feel pain and cry if you feel uncomfortable, or else what is the use of having a husband like me?”

What was his purpose then if she continued to bottle up all her emotions?

His remark was a direct hit to Samantha’s heart. She blinked a couple of times and she could not control herself from shedding tears.

He could always see through her emotions so easily.

None of it was her fault, but it still became so in the end. The hate and anger that everyone directed toward her would crush even a heart of steel.

She bit her lower lip and said in a mournful tone, “You’re such a meanie, Timothy.”

‘Why do you have to see right through me?’

Even so, what she really needed at the time was for him to be ‘mean’.

Crying and letting it all out during moments of unhappiness was much more comforting than bottling it up in one’s heart.

Timothy rested his big palm on Samantha’s head and pulled her gently but firmly to him. He then urged in a soft voice, “Let it out..”