Her Story: Rise Of Tiffany novel Chapter 201

Chapter 201
There used to be a saying that the more a mother-in-law saw her son-in-law, the more she liked him. Thalia had encountered Richard several times before. At first, she assumed someone of his stature would be hard to get close to. After all, the rumors described Richard as having unpredictable moods and an intimidating, harsh presence.
But once she spent time with him, she realized that Richard had impeccable manners despite being only twenty-five and already at the pinnacle of wealth and success. Though he appeared distant and reserved on the outside, he was steady and composed and always treated her and her husband with kindness and respect.
Moreover, Thalia was quite confident. She wasn’t one to boast, but with Tiffany’s striking beauty and sharp, clever personality, it was hard to believe that the famously aloof Richard wasn’t interested in her. After all, he had handed it over to the Kelley family without any strict conditions or demands in the fiercely competitive Old Alley renovation project, treating it almost like a casual decision.
It included the humility he displayed by treating them as elders and showing the respect expected from someone younger. It wasn’t a case of instantly connecting by coincidence-it was clearly because of Tiffany. While Charlie might not have picked up on it, Thalia understood it perfectly.
Charlie paused momentarily, then said, “You’re overthinking it, honey. Mr. Hampton isn’t someone we can get close to like that. People must address him respectfully whether it’s Lovell City or elsewhere.”
In comparison, the Kelley family was worlds apart from him, like heaven and earth. Charlie shook his head, not even daring to entertain the thought.
He immediately noticed Thalia’s expression turn cold and unsettling. “Are you saying our daughter isn’t good enough for him?” she asked.
“No, no, no. Our daughter is a stunning beauty; she would be more than a match for anyone!” Charlie replied.
“Well, then that settles it!” Thalia said.
“However…” Charlie wanted to say more, but seeing the look on her face, he feared he might end up in the guest room again that night. So he quickly changed his tune, saying, “Yes! Whatever you say, honey!”
“That’s more like it,” Thalia said, finally showing a hint of happiness.
Just as Eric came downstairs, he looked utterly confused. He had splashed some oil on himself while eating and had run back to his room to wash up. Eric wondered what had happened in his absence. Seeing his parents being lovey-dovey on the sofa, he slapped his forehead and turned around to return upstairs.
He sighed inwardly, thinking, “The lingering taste of them lovey-dovey was unbearable.’
*****
At that moment, late at night, Tiffany sat on her bed, her gaze fixed on the nearby window. The window was unlocked, and the curtains were only half-drawn. A breeze drifted in, causing the delicate pink sheer curtains to flutter up and down repeatedly, accompanied by a subtle chill in the air.
What was different from the past was that no one lifted that sheer curtain anymore. No one casually jumped in with a smile, looking at Tiffany. Habits can be terrifying; she had grown accustomed to that person’s presence without realizing it. And now everything had returned to square one.
Tiffany shook her head, turned off the light, and closed her eyes to sleep. She didn’t know that across from Cedar Ridge Villa, a tall figure leaned against the trunk of a lush oak tree.
The dense foliage perfectly concealed his figure, and no one noticed his presence. It wasn’t until the light he had been watching for a long time finally went out that he withdrew his gaze and silently slipped away.
08.13
חד
Chapter 201
*****
After kicking off her blanket in the middle of the night, Tiffany woke up the next morning feeling dizzy, clearly coming down with a cold. She didn’t bother with medication for such a minor issue. After having breakfast at home, she headed off to school as usual.
Surprisingly, due to the bright and breezy weather, there were no classes that day, so the school organized an impromptu outdoor sketching activity. The students met this announcement with cheers, as sketching felt like a disguised field trip. After the recent monotony of classes, getting outside for a change was a welcome treat.
)
The outing’s destination was a picturesque rural village in Lovell City. As the students boarded the bus arranged by the school, Tiffany and Zoe found that it was nearly packed by the time they got on.
Ged waved his hand. “Over here!” He had claimed three seats at the back row of the bus, which spanned the entire width. Tiffany and Zoe made their way over, one following the other.
On the bus, someone discreetly stretched their foot out toward Tiffany. The bus aisle was narrow, and she could easily trip and fall without being careful. However, Tiffany’s reflexes were sharp.
The moment that foot extended, Tiffany noticed it but acted as if she hadn’t seen it. It only encouraged the boy further. As Tiffany approached, he eagerly anticipated her stumbling and making a fool of herself.
To everyone’s surprise, Tiffany walked right over and stepped on his foot without a hint of hesitation. “Ah!” he yelped in pain, pulling his foot back suddenly. Before he could curse, Tiffany grabbed him by the neck and yanked him out of his seat.
“What’s the benefit of messing with me, huh?” she said before throwing a punch that landed squarely on the boy’s face, leaving him bloodied.
This sudden turn of events took aback the other students, and they quickly stepped in. “Tiffany, why did you just hit him out of nowhere?”
“Isn’t that a bit too much?”
“We’re all classmates; can’t we just talk things out? Why do you have to bully him like this?”
With a faint smile barely reaching her eyes, Tiffany shot a cold glance at them. “Unconvinced?” she asked, her demeanor radiating an air of arrogance and disdain. Her gaze was sharp as a knife, reminiscent of a poised leopard ready to pounce, exuding a lazy yet fierce intent.
The group that had just been so indignant was instantly taken aback and intimidated into silence. They quickly fell quiet, not daring to say another word.
Seeing the situation unfold, Kenneth was about to say something when he heard Melody speak up, surprisingly coming to Tiffany’s defense. “Could there be a misunderstanding here?
“I believe Tiffany isn’t that kind of person,” she said, her voice calm and soothing, effortlessly easing the tension in the air.
The boy who had been punched, with blood dripping from his nose, retorted, “What misunderstanding could there be? She’s just that overbearing, attacking for no reason!” He looked furious, conveniently omitting any mention of his earlier attempt to trip Tiffany.
Amid the chaos, no one had seen his sneaky actions from behind. As a result, the atmosphere inside the bus quickly turned against Tiffany, with an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction directed at her. Even though no one dared to confront her directly, others felt anger simmering beneath the surface, voicing their frustration silently.
Tiffany couldn’t be bothered to explain herself to the group. “If you can’t back it up, then just shut up. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to bully the weak.
“Got it?” she said before walking straight to the back of the bus where Ged had saved a seat for her.
08.13
Thu
Chapter 201
+5
The others could only return to their seats. As the boy who had been punched stuffed a wad of tissue up his nose, he glanced back at Melody. Their eyes met momentarily before quickly shifting away, and the incident was effectively brushed aside as if it had never happened.
The bus soon started moving, heading toward a rural village.
Several villages nestled among the mountains, surrounded by lush greenery, came into view. The picturesque scenery along the way was captivating, making it an enchanting experience.
Upon reaching their destination, they were allowed to disperse. After getting off the bus, everyone grabbed their sketchpads and formed small groups, wandering through the village in search of the most captivating scenery to capture.
Tiffany had no desire to wander far. Shortly after stepping off the bus, she spotted a melon shed and decided to sit there, enjoying the gentle breeze. Since she chose to stay put, Ged and Zoe naturally decided to remain with her. But to their surprise, Melody joined them, too.
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