At that moment, Tyler recalled when Toby forced him to apologize to Tina two days ago. Even though he hadn’t done anything, Toby assumed that he was in the wrong as soon as Tina cried. What happened back then was eerily similar to what was going on now.
As he was immersed in his own thoughts, he heard Toby calling out to him. “Why are you still standing there? Let’s go!”
Snapping back to his senses, Tyler jogged over with his basketball. “Where is the press?”
“Toby dismissed them,” Tina replied gently.
All the while, Tyler was staring at her with a complex look, like he was trying to see through her.
Feeling uneasy under his stare, Tina caressed her face. “Tyler, why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?”
“Nope.” Tyler averted his gaze before shaking his head.
Tina smiled. “I thought there’s something on my face.”
“Alright, let’s get into the car. There might be more of the press coming,” Toby said while holding Tina’s shoulder. With a nod, Tina grunted in agreement.
All of a sudden, Tyler blurted, “Toby, I won’t be coming with you. I’m going somewhere else.”
“Where are you going?” Toby gazed at him.
Something flashed across Tyler’s eyes. “It’s my secret. Just know that I’ll be going back late. I’m leaving now!” With that, he ran to the side of the road to leave in a cab he hailed.
While Toby was frowning, Tina watched him with a smile on her face. “Could Tyler have a crush? I saw him reading a letter that day.”
A letter? Toby arched his brow, recalling the letter he saw in Tyler’s room. Could that be a love letter?
“Toby, what are you thinking about?” Tina nudged Toby with her shoulder.
After regaining his senses, he cleared his throat. “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
“Alright.” Tina agreed to it smilingly.
After getting into the car, Toby stared at the road ahead of them before suddenly asking, “Tina, do you have anything to do with the incident online?”
Tina tensed up a little when she heard that, but she pretended to look a little sad. “Of course not. Toby, are you suspecting me?”
Toby pulled his lips into a thin line; he didn’t actually admit to her claim, but he didn’t deny it either. “I saw the image posted on the status post. It’s a screenshot of Sonia and me while we were watching the basketball match. You told me that you were watching the livestream.” Sonia was right in the sense that Tina would do something like that out of jealousy. After all, she had a record of doing that.
Upon hearing that, Tina teared up. “Toby, how could you think of me like that? Yes. I watched the livestream, or else I wouldn’t have known that you’re hurt. However, it doesn’t mean I will do something like that. Besides, I already promised that I will never target Miss Reed anymore. I wouldn’t dare to disappoint you. What if you abandon me?” With that, she turned away to look out of the window indignantly, seemingly giving no more attention to Toby.
When Toby saw from his peripheral vision the look of chagrin on her face, he felt sorry for her, and was regretting his actions. Perhaps I am being overly suspicious of her. “Sorry, Tina. I shouldn’t have doubted you.” After parking the car by the road, Toby unbuckled his seatbelt to reach out and hug her.
While huddling close to Toby in her aggrievedness, Tina sobbed. “It’s alright. I know people will suspect me as soon as something happened to Miss Reed because of the bad blood between us. I’m already used to that.”
Upon hearing that, Toby’s heart ached for her as he patted her on the back. “No, I will never doubt you ever again.”
“Really?” Tina looked up with her eyes moist with tears.
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