Tina returned home while Sean was talking to Gerald. She locked herself in the room, boiling rage rising within her. Her pulse sped up, and her breathing became shallow. Her nails cut into her skin as she clenched her fists so tightly.
She let out a loud growl of annoyance as she picked up the nightstand and hurled it against the wall.
Clang-Clung-Clang…
The bulb and the glass shade of the night lamp broke into pieces in an instant. A few dents also appeared on the metal body. The shattering noise added to her fury.
"Ah…" She screamed again, pulling her hair.
Knock-Knock…
"Madam, are you okay?" The worried voice of a maid came from the other side of the closed door.
"Get lost," Tina shouted and sagged on the bed, her entire body trembling. Warm tears poured down her cheeks.
She drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them as she rocked back and forth. Her eyes were red and puffy. She looked devastated.
Tina was furious with everyone. She was angry with Declan for hurting her feelings. She was upset with her brother for letting Gerald force Declan into this marriage. Sean had the power to stop this marriage, but he didn't. He advised her to wait for the right moment.
When would the right time come? After Declan fell in love with Yasmin?
Her anger intensified tenfold when Yasmin's name crossed her mind. She had not forgotten her daring remarks. She pinched her elbows, her face darkening even more.
"I will kill you, Yasmin," she snarled. "Your miserable days will start from now on. You make me cry. Trust me, I will make you cry every day, every minute, every second…" she yelled, slamming her fists on the bed. She sobbed and continued, "You are expecting Declan's love. He will soon start hating you, and I will make sure of it." She squeezed the bedspread.
As the time elapsed, the sadness overtook her. There was a heaviness in her chest. She dropped her head to her knees, her eyes filling with fresh tears.
Declan used to be in love with her. He had followed her around, clung to her, and was envious when he saw her with other men.
Tina used to love being the center of attention. She had often gone out with other male classmates only to see his reactions. She had made a mistake one day.
Declan had started ignoring her ever since. He had stopped talking with her. He had even changed school and had gone abroad for further studies.
Tina regretted her actions. She would have married him by now if she had not made that mistake. She had apologized to him several times. Declan had stated that he held no grudge against her. But he had shown no interest in rekindling their relationship.
Tina still had hoped that someday he would forgive her and take her back. However, Gerald had shattered her hope by forcing Declan into this marriage. That was an unexpected move by the Wilsons, who had always considered her as their daughter-in-law.
Caroline and Amber had consoled her by saying they would persuade Gerald to reconsider his decision, but they ultimately had done nothing to stop him. Even her brother, Sean, had not opposed it.
She had swallowed her pride and pain with the hope that this marriage would not last long. Her beliefs began to sway after meeting Declan and Yasmin. She was terrified of losing him completely.
She curled up into a ball, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes, soaking the bedspread.
Knock-Knock…
"Tina…" Sean's gentle voice rang out. "Open the door, please."
Tina curled up, even more, hiding her face in her knees. She refused to speak to anyone.
"Tina…" Knock-Knock… "Don't let me worry. Please open the door." Sean called out to her with the same soft tone.
"Go away, Sean," Tina finally voiced.
"I am not going anywhere until I talk to you. Let me in."
"Just leave," she yelled and hid her face on the pillow.
"Alright. I'll wait for you to open the door. It doesn't matter how long it will take. I could stay here all night, or even the next day. It is entirely up to you how long you can confine yourself."
Silence swept on both sides of the door.
Tina slowly raised her head and looked at the door. She knew Sean was still there. She also knew that he would not leave until he talked to her. That was how her brother was.
Sean was her only family after her parents died. He adored her and treated her like a daughter. Despite being 33, he hadn't yet married, fearing that his love would be split between his wife and sister. He reasoned that he wouldn't marry until Tina did. He even suppressed his feelings for Amber and let her marry Earl.
Tina couldn't stay angry with him for long. She clambered down from the bed and walked to the door, wiping her tears away.
Click…
Sean immediately pulled her into his embrace the moment she opened the door. "Don't ever lock yourself in," he warned her, his tone revealing his anxiety. He grabbed her shoulders from an arm's length away and examined her from head to toe, looking for any sign of injury.
"Did you get hurt?" he asked.
Tina nodded. "My heart hurts. It is more agonizing than any physical pain."
"Tina…"
"No, Sean…" Tina shoved his hands away, stepping back. She gave him an unpleasant look. "You asked me to wait. I listened to you. But what happened? Now he is falling for his wife. He is going to forget me. I am ruined. My relationship, my hopes, and my dreams were all shattered. And you did nothing but watch helplessly. Didn't you say you would go to any length to make me happy? Why did you allow him to marry another woman? Why haven't you stopped Uncle Gerald? Is your hold on the company slipping?"
"Don't worry. Have faith in me." Sean tried to make her understand. He approached her and added, "Everything, including the company and the Wilson family, will be under our control. Declan can no longer run away from you. He has to come back to you. If he shows his adamance, I will make him bend down. That young lady, Yasmin, can never stand between you and Declan. Just wait patiently."
"You said the same thing earlier," Tina snapped.
Every passing minute was like torture to her. She couldn't imagine what Declan was doing with Yasmin in his bedroom. The thought of his hands and lips on another woman's body made her stomach churn. Here, her brother asked her to wait.
"Wait, wait, wait… How long do I have to wait?" She spat out each word fiercely, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I want Declan. I can't see him with Yasmin. Throw her out of his life. Making someone disappear is not a big deal for you. You have done this before. Why are you not doing it now?"
"Tina, be careful with your words," Sean grumbled, his face darkening.
Tina flinched at his cold tone. She knew he was angry.
"Don't ever say such things," Sean continued his voice firm. "Yasmin is no longer an ordinary woman. She is now a member of the Wilson family. Declan will not remain silent if something bad happens to her. He will make every effort to discover who is responsible. He will come after us if he finds out that we have done something to her. Then forget about getting him back. Have patience and let me work accordingly. I promise to bring him back to you."
The evil glimmer flashed across his face as he took her in his arms and patted her head.