Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Samantha was someone who paid great attention to decorum in front of others.

She did not want to hog the entertainment news headlines with Timothy for two reasons: firstly, she did not want to be the subject of other people’s after-dinner gossip. Secondly, she wanted to maintain Timothy’s image because he was intrinsically connected to the Barker Group.

It would be detrimental to Timothy’s image, as well as that of the Barker group, if he made the entertainment news headlines time and time again.

On that day however, she found it a little difficult to control herself and did not really feel like exercising that level of self-restraint.

Samantha bit her lower lip gently, then looked up at Timothy before asking in a very, very low voice, “I want to kiss you, Honey.”

Words were no longer sufficient to express how touched and loved she felt right then.

Timothy cocked his eyebrows. “Here? Now?”

Samantha nodded repeatedly. “May I?”

“No.” The man replied unhesitatingly.

“Oh…”

Samantha’s disappointment was obvious, but she understood that Timothy had always been a very low-profile person. Doing so on such an occasion was indeed very inappropriate.

The next second, however, she heard the man’s low and sweet voice ringing in her ears. “When it comes to stuff like this, men are the ones who should take the initiative.”

At the end of his sentence, Timothy wrapped his long arms around Samantha’s slender waist and held her tightly before him. He then lowered his head and planted his thin lips on hers.

Samantha’s dark eyes widened all of a sudden and her mind went blank for a second. That surprise soon turned to joy. She closed her eyes slowly and tiptoed so she could hook her arms around his neck.

She kissed him back without a care in the world.

The staff, who were all watching from one side, gasped one after another. They scarcely expected to lay eyes on such a spectacle. Samantha and Timothy were a bona fide couple after all, and since the both of them were attractive individuals, the staff members began applauding loudly while watching them.

The female staff members were getting progressively more animated and could not contain themselves from screaming with excitement.

One of them commented, “Oh my God! I can’t believe I’d live to see this! Mr. Barker is handsome and a good kisser! I can’t take it anymore. I feel like I’m losing my breath soon!”

The second woman said, “I feel like I’m watching the live version of those romance dramas, or rather, the version that transcends all other versions. Ms. Larsson is much prettier than those female leads, and don’t even get me started on Mr. Barker! His handsomeness is making me dizzy!”

A third remarked, “I wish my soul could inhabit Ms. Larsson’s body!”

The fourth exclaimed, “I couldn’t agree more!”

Everyone else was either cheering them on or gushing at them, but Harmony was the only one who watched angrily and resentfully at the two people kissing in front of her.

She did not know how she managed to exit the studio. All she knew was that she would have gone up and ripped Samantha’s face to shreds if she did not come out!

Samantha did not deserve all that because she was a b*tch who stole Harmony’s life and happiness!

Harmony stood by the window and strained to take a deep breath, and then another. She needed a considerable amount of time to force herself into calming down.

She was too impulsive earlier.

In fact, she had been too impulsive ever since she returned to the country.

That was why she was always engaged in petty little fights rather than actually getting down to business.

For that reason, Samantha gained the upper hand time and time again.

It was all about to come to an end though.

Samantha was her rival after all, and there was no point being lenient.

Harmony took out her cell phone and dialed a number swiftly. Once the call was connected, she coldly ordered, “My plan…can officially begin.”

…

Once Samantha and Timothy were done kissing, she immediately buried her head in Timothy’s arms. Her cheeks had turned red and she could not bring herself to face anyone.

Her emotions had gotten the better of her rationality, but that rationality has since returned. She started fretting over how she was going to face people, especially her colleagues, in the future…

Impulsiveness really was a bane!

Timothy lowered his eyes and could only see the lush black hair covering the top of her head. He smirked and teased her unceremoniously, “What’s wrong? Are you finally feeling shy now?”

“Where was all that eagerness to kiss me? Hmm?”

He deliberately whispered into her ears and caused them to redden even more.

Samantha gritted her teeth. “Hush. Let’s leave already.”

She felt as though she had died of embarrassment

“A husband is bound to obey her wife’s commands.”

Samantha instantly had a bad feeling when she heard that sentence, that feeling came true because she felt her entire body rising into the air the very next second.

Timothy lifted Samantha up in a bridal carry and strode out of the studio.

Samantha was speechless.

‘I said we should leave. I didn’t ask you to carry me out!’

Samantha thought for a moment. Between the choice of struggling and giving up, she eventually chose the latter.

Like it or not, she had already put on a public display of affection, so she might as well just continue all the way to the end.

At most, she could wear a hood or something when she came for work the next day.

Timothy carried Samantha into the car before putting her down.

Ronald could not help but lament to himself in the driver’s seat. No wonder everyone used to say that people who were in love were spoiled to the extreme. The textbook scenario was playing out right before his very eyes.

Samantha slowly reverted back to calmness and finally remembered something. She immediately asked, “Hey, Timothy, shouldn’t you be signing a contract in Emsteldt right now? Why did you show up here all of a sudden?”

Timothy replied curtly, “I’m heading there right now.”

‘Right now?’

Did he…postpone the contract signing for her sake?

Although she was both extremely touched and happy that his presence allowed her to successfully complete her debut, she felt somewhat dismayed that he had to delay his work because of her.

“Will this affect your work, Timothy?” Samantha was a little uneasy.

He rubbed her head gently, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. “Don’t worry.”

Although he was unwilling to say anything further, those two words alone carried a strong comforting aura. Samantha did not doubt his abilities either.

Timothy was confident in everything he did.

“I’ll send you to the airport then.”

Timothy did not refuse. “Okay.”

The car drove slowly into traffic and headed right for the airport.

Harmony placed her phone down and watched the car gradually drive away from upstairs. Her eyes stared intently at the car through the floor-to-ceiling windows until it finally disappeared from her line of sight.

She smirked but there was no joy in her eyes.

‘Enjoy the last of your happy moments, Samantha, because you’ll soon be sent right into hell. You…will…lose…everything! And Timothy…will come back to me. The two of us will love each other, like we always have, and be together until the end of time.’

Euphoria rose from the depths of her eyes as she gradually allowed herself to let loose.

…

Samantha stood outside the airport and watched as Timothy’s flight took to the air. She turned to leave only after the plane glided across the sky and left behind a line in the clouds.

Back at the villa, Old Madam Barker and Aunt Julia held a special celebration for her debut.

Once Samantha ate the celebration dinner they cooked for her, she went back to the room and lay on the bed after taking a shower.

She could not help but smile when she recalled the scene where Timothy appeared below the stage and cheered her on.

It was as if her affection for Timothy grew a bit more as compared to the previous day.

The defence in her heart was starting to crumble.

She felt that it was only a matter of time before she fell in love with Timothy again, and she wondered if she could finally start loving him.

Samantha had sweet dreams that night and went to work the next day in a buoyant mood.

Unfortunately, everyone cast angry glances at her as soon as she stepped foot into the office!