Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

Chapter 21

The light streamed through the window, casting its brilliant glow upon Sherri’s eyes, too intense to bear. She winced and squinted. Her head felt as though it were encased in a dense cloud of cotton, causing her great discomfort.

Extending her arms in a languid stretch, she arched her back lazily, emitting a hearty yawn, and opened her eyes, only to be struck with the scene in front of her.

“Oh, shit…” she thought. “Where am I now?”

The surroundings and the furnishings of the room were unfamiliar. It was clearly not her own room.

Her mind reeled in confusion.

“Could it be possible that last night I have been taken away by a strange man, and then…”

Thinking of this, Sherri immediately threw back the covers to inspect the lower half of her body. After ensuring there was nothing wrong and finding her clothes unchanged from the day before, she breathed a sight of relief!

Involuntarily, she instinctively patted her chest.

She attempted to make a sound, but her cheeks were so sore that articulating even a single word proved difficult.

Surveying her surroundings, her gaze collided with an array of vibrant balloons, triggering a fuzzy recollection that played out hazily in her mind. She shook her head and slowly recalled a night of drunken madness. And she even kept blowing balloons all night!

“Oh my, this was not true!” Sherri couldn’t believe it. She yearned to disappear from this world!

While soothing her aching, swollen cheeks, she contemplated her next

move.

Sherri was well aware of her proclivity for drunken madness. To dissuade her from getting drunk outside and being obstreperous at home, Edward had purposely captured her intoxicated state on video as a stern warning

(Zapter 2:

Every time she contemplated indulging, she would watch the playback of

that video first.

Upon viewing it, any desire to drink dissipated, replaced only by an overpowering sense of shame that made her want to crawl into a hole.

and never come out.

Anyway, the most important thing was to get out of here first.

Swiftly rising from the bed, she tidied her attire and prepared to make her stealthy escape. Just as she tiptoed toward the front door, a voice of deep and low magnetism from the living room halted her in her tracks. “Is this how you conduct yourself, Miss Landor? Sneaking away without uttering a word of gratitude?”

regained her composure and feigned serenity. Straightening her stiff back, she gracefully turned. around, came back to the living room, and said to Hackett with a smile plastered on her face,

beneath his gaze. “Encounter?

how could I get so drunk that

a mischievous. grin, feigning indifference to her embarrassment. “Well, thank you for taking care of me last night, Mr. Blackwell. I must return

the previous night had been witnessed by Hackett.

had been damaged, and she only

easily. After all, she had caused enough disturbance for him last night, and the lingering ache from last

at this time. And last night, Miss Landor, you

10:22

Chapter 21

drunken antics. She knew exactly what she looked like

happened last night was my fault… I crossed the line. I was just indulging in a bit of alcohol. Can we

cost of the 500 balloons I bought for you. Since I’ve bought those balloons especially for you,

abruptly, and a sharp pain flushed her cheeks, reminding her once again of the foolishness she

Miss Landor. Sherri was rendered speechless.

reckless have I been to ask for 500 balloons last night? Could it be that this scoundrel

was skeptical about what Hackett said, but it was true that she

facial paralysis today. But it still surprised me that you actually blew up 250 balloons in total. Thanks to my big house, you were able to get enough

wanted to play tricks on Sherri to vent his anger, so he had forced Frank to buy the balloons, but unexpectedly, once Sherri saw the balloons, she would focus on blowing them up and didn’t tie them up

250 balloons, but he also had to tie up 250 balloons. His hands were now still a little

Chapter 21

that he had actually stayed up all night with her, tying up balloons

her lip

on WhatsApp? It’ll be easier for us to communicate and handle

and she didn’t want to have any further contact with him and planned to blacklist

WhatsApp and

said with a smile, “Actually, there’s another way to let me keep it a secret. Do you

the bush.” Sherri’s cheeks were so sour

night will only be a secret between you

Hackett said, she refused without hesitation. “No, don’t even think of that. Change the terms, or you can state a price,

look like someone who is short on money

the money she gave to Hackett was not even enough for him, the son of the real estate tycoon in Athana, to play

a million

recorded everything that happened last night, Miss Landor.

wolf, but Hackett had got something on her, and she could only manage to hold back her anger. “Calm down!” she

Chapter 21

guilt

I’ve given you her contact information, whether she adds you as a friend on WhatsApp

however, said, “I can’t trust you. What if you deliberately do not let