Kris’s hand quivered, his breath coming out shakily as anger rushed through him. He hadn’t considered Karen as a possible culprit since she had nothing to do with the fashion world, but what Alden was saying made a lot of sense.He immediately jumped off his stool and grabbed his bottle. Bringing it to his lips, he chugged the remaining beer, his grip tightening around the bottle as he wished it was Karen’s neck so that he could strangle the hell put of it.“Where are you going?” Alden asked, holding him back as Kris was about to storm off.“Do you really need to ask?” Kris sneered.“Touché.” Alden nodded. “You’re going to confront Karen. Fine, but give me the keys. I’ll drive. You’re drunk.”Kris glared at him. “I’m not drunk.”As much as he’d wanted to drink himself into a stupor, he knew he needed a clear head to think, which was why he’d opted for beer instead of whiskey.The bartender, who had obviously been listening to their conversation, chimed in. “He’s right, Alden. He only
“I meant everything I said on that stage. This award isn’t just for me; it’s for all of us because we’re a team. Without all of you, this wouldn’t have been possible,” Thalassa said to the gathering of her employees at TT Fashion House the following morning.“And as I mentioned, prepare for a percentage increase in your various salaries because you deserve it,” Luisa added, standing beside Thalassa and heightening the excitement of everyone present.“Thank you, Luisa and Lassa. You two are the best bosses ever!” one of the women said, receiving echoes of agreement from the rest.“Please don’t let what Carmen did get to you. None of us would ever do something like that to you,” another employee assured.Thalassa’s smile faltered slightly. “I hope so.”She knew better than to be naive and assume none of them would betray her. She hadn’t expected Carmen’s betrayal, but all it had taken was a bribe, and Carmen had turned against her.“Thank you, everyone,” Thalassa said, bringing the smal
“I’m fucking going crazy, Alden. I need to see her,” Kris gritted out, pacing his office.Last night, after leaving the Miller Mansion, he had wanted to go straight to Thalassa to reaffirm his innocence. But Alden had dissuaded him from it, telling him that he needed to wait for some time for Thalassa to reflect on everything so that they could have a calm conversation about it later.And today, Alden was saying the same thing.“How long is it going to take?” Kris muttered, his frustration bubbling over. “Surely, she’s had enough time to reflect and will be willing to listen to reason by now.” With a decisive nod, he added, “I’m going to see her. I can’t wait any longer.”Just as he was about to leave his office, a knock sounded at the door. Kris opened it to find Millie standing there.“You’re late,” he saud, a barbed edge to his voice.“Sorry,” Millie replied, stepping inside. “I had to go see Thalassa after hearing about what happened.”Kris’s ears perked up as he closed the door b
Walking back to his desk, Kris picked up his phone, which he'd nearly forgotten in his earlier haste to see Thalassa. “Who are you calling?” Alden asked as Kris began tapping rapidly on it. Kris didn’t respond, dialing a number and bringing the phone to his ear. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk as he waited for Smoke to answer. When the man finally picked up, Kris hissed, “I told you I wanted the report on Clark Morgan immediately, but it’s been five days already.” Smoke cleared his throat on the other end. “Forgive me, Mr. Miller, but my contacts overseas had a hard time searching for information on Morgan.” Kris’s nostrils flared. “So you don’t have anything yet?” “No,” Smoke clarified. “I do have something. I’m just trying to explain that—” “What are you waiting for, then? For me to roll out the red carpet before you come and give me the information?” “No, sir. I’m just on my way to your office now. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” “Make it quick,” Kris said,
“Lassa, the orders we’ve been receiving and the deadlines outweigh our capacity. There’s a lot of pressure right now because we need to deliver them all on time if we want to ensure customer satisfaction,” the man in front of her informed her.He was in charge of production across all the sewing factories of TT Fashion, which were spread across the entire country, with some on other continents.Thalassa bit her lip thoughtfully as she looked at the stats showing the ratio of orders to production capacity. She finally looked up at the man.“Andrew, talk to the procurement team. I need more factories set up—enough to meet the demand. Also, instruct the managers of all the factories to offer the workers as much incentive as possible. Increase each seamstress’s salary by 10%.”Andrew blinked in surprise. “But the seamstresses are already getting above-average pay for their work.”“It doesn’t matter,” Thalassa said flatly.Andrew cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind me making a suggestio
Thalassa gritted her teeth, fuming. “What is this, Kris? Let him go!” she demanded.Kris refused to release his grip, his eyes boring into Clark’s, but Clark’s eyes only seemed to mock him as he remained still, not trying to defend himself.“Kris!” Thalassa hissed, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him away.“Lassa, I’m so sorry. I tried to stop him. Should I call security?” Juana asked in a panic.“I know, Juana. And no, I can handle this,” Thalassa responded before turning her blazing eyes back to Kris.“Do you always have a penchant for violence, Kris? Because this isn’t a very good look,” Clark pointed out calmly.Gritting his teeth, Kris shoved Clark away, causing him to hit the couch with a thud. A hand shoved him back on the chest.“What is wrong with you? How dare you lay a hand on Clark?” Thalassa raged, smacking her hand on his chest.The smack didn’t hurt, but the fact that she was defending this man infuriated him.“I’m trying to protect you,” he gritted out.Thalassa sn
Thalassa’s brow rose slightly as she looked at Clark, waiting for his reply. Clark already had one prepared.“It’s simple. I just had a hunch. Thalassa already told me everything you and your family did to her. And knowing how important the awards show was, I had a feeling one of you would try something again. But I must admit, I was quite disappointed to find out it was you. I thought you were better than that.”Kris’s blood was above boiling point now, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The only thing preventing him from punching the hell out of the man was that Thalassa was standing between them.“Just get out of here, Kris,” Thalassa finally spoke again, her expression hard. “Be the man you claim to be and accept your deeds for once in your life instead of always finding someone else to blame.”Kris was pained, knowing she thought so low of him, but he couldn’t give up.“Thalassa, please, I just want to protect you. He’s not who he seems to be,” he said,
Clark stiffened, disliking how Thalassa’s gaze remained pointed and questioning. He let out a small chuckle. “Didn’t I? I think I did.”“No, you didn’t, Clark,” she calmly stated, shaking her head, still waiting for an answer.Clark swallowed. “Uh, the last woman I was with... she was called Meghan. I never married her, though, because after the first two experiences, I didn’t want to be attached to anyone else. But we were together, and I thought she had gotten better until she had a bad relapse and had to be sent back to the mental hospital. She committed suicide in there.”He let out a sorrowful sigh. “I guess I didn’t tell you because remembering this has become too painful for me.”“And what about the inheritance you got from all of them? You didn’t tell me about that either,” Thalassa continued.Clark subtly gritted his teeth, wondering why she wasn’t letting it go. “I... I didn’t think it was important. Yes, they were well-to-do, but almost everyone in the foundation I joined w
“What do you have to say for yourself, young man?” Kris demanded when Gendry remained silent for several seconds. “Did you say those things about my daughter?”Regret flashed across Gendry’s face as he nodded. “Yes.”Kris’s jaw clenched. “So you really did mean to make a fool of my daughter after all.”“No!” Gendry’s response was immediate, his voice sharp. “That was never my intention.”“Then why did my daughter hear you saying those things about her?”Gendry hesitated. “Because I..." He swallowed hard, as if he found it hard to admit his next words. “Because I felt humiliated. I was hurt that Tessa thought so little of me after I’d gone out of my way to show her how much I liked her.”Blowing out a heavy breath, he ran a hand over his face, then dragged it through his hair. “Yes, I know what I did was wrong, but back then, I thought that if we arrived separately, people would ask questions. I thought she would tell them she sent me away for being a lowlife, and I’d become the laughi
Tension crackled in the air like an overcharged high-voltage wire waiting to snap as Tessa waited for her brother to say something.Her brother, who was most certainly not capable of doing what Gendry had accused him of.When seconds passed and he still hadn’t spoken, her heart began to sink. She shifted her stance, positioning herself so she could look him straight in the eyes.“What is he saying, Alex?” she repeated, her voice laced with urgency. “Tell me he’s wrong. He’s wrong, isn’t he? You didn’t say any of those things to him. He’s lying, right?”The longer Alex kept his silence, the more her heart plummeted, and the faster her patience wore thin. Finally, the wire snapped.“Alex!” she bit out, smacking him hard on the chest. “Answer me, damn it!”Her voice rang out louder than she intended, the sharp sound echoing back at her like a taunt. She searched her brother’s face, but his expression remained frustratingly impassive.Just seconds later, the dining hall doors swung open,
Stiffening , Gendry let out a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was to deal with this control freak.He turned his head to glance at Alex for a second before looking away again, keeping his gaze fixed on the sky. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.Alex stepped closer, standing beside him, his posture rigid. “Whatever game you’re playing this time, it won’t work,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Stay away from my sister.”A mirthless chuckle escaped Gendry. He turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at Alex. “Isn’t Tessa old enough to decide the people she wants around her?”“Yes, she’s old enough,” Alex admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop protecting her.”Gendry clenched his jaw, his temper flaring. Protect her? From who exactly?“From what, Alex?” he bit out, finally turning to face him fully. “From me? Because you still think I’m not good enough for her?”Alex met his glare without hesitation. “Yes,” he sai
The next day, Gendry adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as he stood at the edge of the altar behind Jace, watching the wedding rehearsal unfold. Maya and Jace were standing in front of the altar, holding hands while the priest explained how things would go tomorrow. Jace wore a simple button-down and slacks, while Maya was in a flowy sundress.Since this was just the rehearsal only family and those who had important roles to play in the ceremony were present. That included him and Tessa, Tessa's family, Jace's parents and aunt, and one of Maya's cousins.Gendry wasn't looking at any of them. His eyes were drawn to the maid of honor. Standing on Maya's side, Tessa was quite a sight. Her hair fell in soft waves, the light fabric of her dress clinging to her just enough to taunt him with the memory of last night. God, last night.He clenched his jaw, shifting his weight as flashes of her moans, the way her body had writhed against his, consumed him for the hundredth time that day. And y
Tessa was lying flat on her back, staring at the ceiling, her fingers clenched in the sheets. It had been two hours since she told Kevin she wanted to go to bed early, and yet here she was; wide awake, tossing and turning, unable to shut off her mind.She hated that her thoughts kept circling back to the conversation with Gendry in the car. His accusations about her thinking other people just weren’t good enough. His claim that he had firsthand experience of it years ago.What the hell had he meant by that?She should be angry. His words were baseless and unfair. And yet, instead of dwelling on that, all she could think about was everything he’d done to her body this time yesterday. And again this afternoon.A frustrated groan left her lips as a familiar ache coiled between her thighs. Damn him. Damn him and his expert tongue, his manipulative fingers, his very potent d–God, she couldn’t even finish the thought without feeling heat creep up her neck. How had she turned into this pers
The tension broke when Kevin suddenly appeared beside Tessa, a broad smile on his face as he looked at her parents. Gendry and Alex finally released their handshake, and Gendry stepped back, returning to his previous spot.After a few seconds, Kevin glanced at Tessa and arched a brow, silently prompting her for a formal introduction.Tessa cleared her throat. "Uh, Mum, Dad, this is Kevin Balthazar. Kevin is..."She trailed off, and Gendry unknowingly held his breath, waiting for what she was going to say."...a very good friend," she finally completed.Kevin beamed. "I'm very honored to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Tessa has told me a lot about you." He stretched out his hand eagerly.Both Kris and Thalassa shook his hand, looking slightly amused by his enthusiasm. Then Kevin turned his attention to Alexander."I'm a huge fan of yours, Alex." His eyes widened. "I can call you that, right?"Alex smiled and nodded. "Of course. My sister's friends are my friends."Gendry snorted. Why d
Tessa’s happiness at seeing her family was unmistakable. After hugging and rocking her little sister for a bit, she moved toward her parents, who both engulfed her in a warm embrace.Gendry’s breath hitched. He’d seen Tessa wear a lot of expressions; angry, frustrated, annoyed, flushed, and pleasured, but he’d never seen her look so at peace before.It was obvious she loved and adored her parents, and she felt safe with them. Gendry wondered if there was a story there he didn’t know.“Hey, I’m feeling incredibly left out right now,” Alex said in a mock-grouchy voice.Tessa’s parents released her from their hug. She shrugged, looking at her brother.“I’m only hugging those I missed the most. I didn’t miss you much, so—”“Stop being silly and come here.”Tessa shrieked with laughter as Alex pulled her into a hug. Their bond as siblings was undeniable, their closeness evident in the easy way they teased and held each other.
Tessa’s heart caught. What he'd just told her could mean two things: that he wanted her so much that he’d set his rule aside because of her, or that she was worthless to him, which was why he was willing to sleep with her with no intention of having a relationship with her. The possibility of it being the latter stung more than she could ever admit. But why? It wasn’t like she wanted a relationship with him either. With her mood suddenly soured for reasons she couldn’t understand, she looked out the window at the buildings whirling by. “What about you?” Gendry’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts. Tessa pulled away from the window and looked at him. “What about me?” she asked, confusion in her voice. “You already know I’d never been with any man... until yesterday” “Yes. I know.” Gendry nodded. “The question is why. You’re beautiful, and you know it. It couldn’t possibly be because no man has approached you before. I know you probably have a thousand flocking around you, so wh
On the way back to the villa, the car was filled with a comfortable silence, but Tessa's mind was stuck on something she couldn't stop thinking about. It had been on her mind since morning, and she needed an answer. Before she could change her mind, she spoke. “This morning… what Jace said… what did he mean?” She saw Gendry’s hands tense around the steering wheel. “Jace said a lot of things,” he pointed out. “Yes,” Tessa agreed. “But I meant… what he said about thinking you’d lost interest in women.” Gendry briefly took his eyes off the road. “I can stop the car and show you right now that he was talking nonsense—just like I showed you a few hours ago.” Tessa’s cheeks flushed, wild images flaring through her mind at his words. “You’re evading my question.” “And you seem to have forgotten your own rules,” Gendry mused wryly. “No talking about each other’s personal lives, remember?” His voice had an edge to it, and Tessa wondered if she should drop it, but the curiosity was eati