Chapter 101 Too Bad

“As long as the people I care about understand why I’m doing this and what kind of person I am… that’s all that matters.”

Tilda spoke gently, comforting Una.

If she cared so much about what others thought, she might as well have ended her life.

Even in her past life, independent Tilda had never cared about anyone else’s opinion of her.

Well, of course…

Except for the Jensons.

Tilda had always cared about their opinions. Every expectation, every little thing they scrutinized, made her nerves tighten. She feared failing them, feared not being perfect–because perfection was still never enough.

It would only make them dislike her more, hate her, push her away…

But now, after giving up on the Jensons, the world suddenly felt wide open.

Or rather…

This was the Tilda who had never met the Jensons! The real Tilda had come back to life!

“Yeah! Tilda, if you ever need to vent, just call me. I’ve got your back–always. Other than that… I’m kinda clumsy and useless, but I’ll do what I can.”

Una would use every bit of her strength to support Tilda. Even if, to outsiders, that strength seemed tiny, almost negligible.

“Idiot… just knowing you trust me and have my back is more than enough.”

“Anyone who calls you clumsy and useless? They’re about to find out I don’t play nice.”

“Thanks, Tilda. Okay, logging into my accounts. I’m putting my A-game to work today–gonna roast as many netizens as possible so they finally shut up about you!”

After hanging up, Andy couldn’t help asking, “So… that’s the Una you were talking about?”

I hardly ever saw Tilda act this gentle. Andy had never actually met Una. He only knew that she existed. Judging by their conversation… It’s clear Una isn’t just a friend–she matters to Tilda.

“Someday, I’ll introduce you two.”

“Are you serious?”

Andy was a little surprised. He was part of the dark web, after all.

“You’re just as important to me as Una is. I think the three of us would get along great. And hey, don’t look so shocked. Remember, I’m part of the dark web too. I’ll make sure to protect the people I care about. Not a single scratch will come to you.”

Tilda said it with absolute certainty. This version of Tilda–confident enough to say something like that–was no longer the pitiful girl shackled by her so-called family.

“Oh, Tilda…”

Andy’s heart softened, and he couldn’t help but whine a little. The soft, neutral voice calling her name didn’t feel forced at all. It felt like a little warmth breaking through the cold one had been carrying.

“You’re really amazing!”

Being recognized by Tilda as someone important, someone she’d protect, made Andy feel alive in a way he hadn’t before. A lot of people had ever said anything like this to him. But no one–not a single person–had ever been like Tilda.

Just a simple promise, and Andy couldn’t stop the grin tugging at his face. Because it’s you–the one and only you. Even the simplest words from you are enough to make me feel completely alive.

“Alright, enough talking. We’ve pretty much hit our goal already. Still … I’d love to see for myself just how much chaos the Jensons are in right now. Too bad–we can only picture it. Doesn’t hit the same as watching it unfold with our own eyes.”

Tilda wasn’t wrong.

When Russell and the others got back home, Harold was slumped on the couch, his face dark. The reporters’ live coverage had already spread like wildfire. These days, news didn’t take long–one spark online, and it was everywhere, coast to coast, even overseas.

Not to mention, the Jenson Group was a powerhouse in Slosa, with a reputation that carried across the whole country. And now? The scandal about its chairman and the long-lost heiress who’d returned after 19 years–yeah, that was the kind of juicy drama people lived for. The drama inside this wealthy family was better than anything on TV. Naturally, it shot straight to the top of TikTok’s trending list.

“Dad!”

The moment Howard saw Russell walk in, he shot to his feet. “Where’s your mom?”

“She’s dealing with the shareholders over at the company… Dad, Dominic–I swear I deleted every single video back then! I have no idea how Tilda got her hands on those two clips!”

Howard rushed to explain. Dominic had already filled him in on everything that went down in the court over WhatsApp.

“I know this isn’t on you,” Russell said, his voice low. “One student’s phone recording would’ve been bad enough. But the surveillance footage too? And Tilda managed to get her hands on both? How the hell did she pull it off… Was it Andy? Even if that kid had some freakish talent, the data was completely wiped. It’s been days. There’s no way he could’ve recovered it.”

He rubbed his temples, frowning.