The Boy Who Tattooed My Name on His Chest novel Chapter 25

“She was ugly to begin with, now she’s even uglier with a bruise.”

A sudden thunderclap cracked through the sky, and Gina flinched.

Her body went rigid, as if something had nailed her to the spot, and instinctively, she raised her hand to touch her face.

The spot Zoe had slapped her still burned with pain.

"Let’s leave it at that, I’m hanging up."

After hanging up, Luke turned around.

Their gazes met for a moment, and Luke seemed momentarily stunned.

“What are you doing out here?”

Gina handed him the coat. “It’s raining. You should put this on.”

She tried her best to act nonchalant, but her hands couldn’t stop shaking.

Luke took the coat but didn’t wear it. Instead, he draped it over her.

“I’m not cold. I saw you touching your face earlier. Is it still hurting?”

Gina pressed her lips together, the words from earlier — "She was ugly to begin with, now she’s even uglier with a bruise" — echoed in her mind.

It was as if her heart had been covered in thorns, the pain spreading, impossible to ignore.

"Who were you talking to just now?" Gina finally couldn’t hold back and asked.

"Basketball team member Zack helped me out in a game today. The opposing player fouled him, causing an injury. As compensation, I transferred him some money for a meal and invited him to dinner."

Luke spoke as he led Gina to the sofa, gently peeling a boiled egg.

Just as he was about to bring the egg close to her face, Gina turned her head away.

Luke froze, raised an eyebrow, and handed her the phone. "Don’t believe me? Feel free to check the phone, huh?"

Gina glanced at the phone, then looked into his eyes, which showed no hint of guilt.

After a long pause, she suppressed the odd feelings rising in her chest and smiled. "No."

Luke smiled back, carefully using the egg to reduce the swelling on her face, blowing on it softly now and then to avoid causing her more pain.

Gina closed her eyes.

She had gotten hurt while playing for him, but why did the situation feel like it was her fault for "not wanting to slap anyone in the face"?

“Don’t you have eyes?” Gina lost her balance and fell onto the broken glass.

Pain shot through her palm, and blood quickly soaked the floor.

She looked up, meeting Zoe’s gaze.

Zoe looked down at her from above and smiled.

“Oh, isn’t this Gina? You’re so poor now that you have to come to a bar to serve drinks? Or are you… selling yourself?”

In that instant, the pain in her hand was drowned out by the humiliation welling up in her chest.

Lowering her eyes, Gina managed a faint smile. “I’m just working for an honest living. I don’t understand what Miss Cooper is talking about.”

Zoe scoffed. “Does Luke know what his girlfriend is doing?”

Before Gina could respond, the door to the VIP room cracked open.

“Zoe, where have you been? Hurry, the game’s about to start.”

Zoe shot a disdainful glance at Gina. “I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll let you go. Now, get lost!”

But just as Zoe stepped into the room, Gina lifted her head, her gaze falling into the VIP room.