Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

After hanging up the phone, Victoria was seized by another violent coughing fit. She grabbed a few tissues to cover her mouth, knowing deep down that her days were numbered.

This time, the coughing felt as if it would pull the very air from her lungs. Erica brought her a glass of warm water and noticed the bloodstain on the white tissue in her hand.

"Madam, have swater," Erica urged, her voice tinged with concern. The sight of the blood was shocking, even to her, but Tina remained unbothered, as though she had grown used to it. Calmly, she wiped the blood away, tossed the tissue into the trash, and showed no emotion on her face.

After taking a sip of warm water, Tina's heart was still ice-cold. "Erica, what day is it today?" "Madam, Christmas just passed. Didn't you watch Ms. Aurora's livestream about her perfa few days ago?" Erica reminded her gently.

From a young age, Victoria had always had an excellent memory-a trait inherited from her family. The women of her lineage were born exceptional, with sharper minds and stronger memories than most.

How could she forget something as simple as the date? It was a sign of her worsening health, a decline that seemed to accelerate with each passing day.

"Oh, that's right. How could I forget so quickly?" Tina chuckled softly to herself. She picked up her tablet and opened videos featuring Aurora.

"Look at this child. She's incredible," Tina said, her voice tinged with pride. Erica already knew the truth and didn't bother concealing it anymore.

"Madam, how could your daughter not be incredible? Everyone's praising her new sales model, and the reviews for her perfare glowing. Speaking of which..." Erica hesitated, as if something had just cto mind. "What is it?" Tina looked at her suspiciously.

Erica retrieved a carefully wrapped box. Inside was a custom-made bottle of perfume, accompanied by a handwritten card.

"Merry Christmas, Mom!" There was no signature, but the bold, striking handwriting was unmistakable. Tears blurred Tina's vision as she read the words.

"That silly child... She's such a fool. Even after I abandoned her, she still acknowledgesas her mother." At that moment, Tina cried like a child herself.

Erica stood by, watching this woman who had always been a queen in the eyes of others-strong, untouchable, and commanding-now sitting on the edge of her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Erica could only sigh deeply. "Madam, Ms. Aurora is clever. She didn't sign the card because she must have sensed something." "Yes, Aurora has always been sharp. She's so clever... she deserves to live a long, ordinary life, like a normal person," Tina murmured, her gaze fixed on the screen playing Aurora's videos. The sight of her daughter only deepened her conviction that she had made the right decisions.

"Ms. Aurora is shining in the business world now, carrying the proud legacy of the R family's exceptional genes. Madam, you were always meant to stand above the rest," Erica said, her tone filled with admiration.

"The R family?" Tina let out a bitter laugh. "On the surface, it looks glamorous, but if I had the choice, I'd have rather been born into an ordinary family. I just wanted to live as a simple woman." "I know, Madam. I understand," Erica replied, fully aware of why Tina had urgently summoned John Walsh back. She feared John would reveal the truth to Aurora. As calculating as Tina was-someone who could play with others' emotions, even her own-she would do anything to protect her daughter.

"Erica, you've been withfor so many years. You know what I'm thinking, just as I know what's on your mind.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Yes, I called him back because I'm afraid he might disrupt Aurora's life. But there's another reason. My tis running out, and I want to spend what little I have left watching him." "Madam, could it be that you..." Erica was stunned. She had always thought that the events with the Montgomery family had shattered Tina so completely that she would never love another man again.

"I'm not heartless," Tina admitted, her voice soft. "I've seen everything he's done for me. I never responded because I was afraid. I knew I couldn't stay with him for a lifetime.

If I couldn't give him happiness, I thought it was better not to give him hope in the first place. That's why I kept pushing him away. But..." Her voice trailed off, and a gentle light flickered in her eyes.

"But now, the person I want to see most is him. I was the one who sent him away. I didn't want him to seelike this-so frail, so weak. I didn't want him to feel sorry for me.

And yet, I can't stop thinking about him. I miss him so much it's drivingmad. I know I'm selfish, but I can't help it..." Erica watched the once indomitable woman bite down on the edge of her blanket, tears streaming silently down her face. This was the most vulnerable and desperate version of Tina she had ever seen.

For years, Tina had hidden behind her cold demeanor, keeping everyone at arm's length-not because she didn't care, but because she didn't want to hurt anyone. In protecting others, she had only wounded herself.

Erica's heart ached for her. She leaned forward and embraced Tina. "Madam, you've done nothing wrong. Not a single thing. I believe that Mr. Walsh wants to be by your side.

Instead of suffering apart, why not spend the rest of your days together in happiness? Do you think pushing him away will make him stop loving you? When you left all those years ago, he still waited for you to return. No matter how you treated him, his devotion to you never wavered.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! You pushed him away, hoping he'd find someone else, build a happy family, and free himself from you. But after all these years, Mr. Walsh hasn't changed.

He loves you-madly, deeply. So why keep lying to yourself? Do you think that after you're gone, he'll move on to someone else? A man who loves you to his very soul won't stop loving you, whether you're in this world or not.

I can't speak for others, but I'm certain of this: Mr. Walsh loves you, and his love for you has consumed him Madam, don't push him away anymore. I hate seeing both of you so heartbroken." The scars on Tina's body were visible only to Erica. She had grown so used to hiding her pain, carrying all her burdens alone. She wanted to set John Walsh free.

When her illness began, she'd sensed it and made arrangements to send John away. But no matter how carefully she planned, she overlooked one thing: her own feelings for him.

Unknowingly, her love for him had grown deeper than she ever imagined.

Magnus had been a scar on her heart, but John Walsh was the one who kissed those scars away, making her forget the pain.

So she didn't hate Magnus. She didn't hate Genevieve.

Only after John left did she realize how much she missed him, how deeply she loved him.

"I thought I was so clever," Tina muttered, her voice trembling. "But I couldn't see things as clearly as you did. I let us waste so many years."

"Madam, as long as you're willing to turn back, it's never too late. Mrm Walsh has always been behind you. The moment you turn around, you'll see him," Erica reassured her. mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1