As soon as the little boy set eyes on Thalassa, his face broke out with pure delight. "Mummy!"“Sweetheart,” Thalassa croaked, moving toward the bed and pulling him into a tight embrace. She held him close until he wriggled in her arms.“Mummy, let go!” he giggled.Thalassa chuckled softly and loosened her hold, pressing a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I’m sorry, baby. Mummy’s just feeling a bit emotional today.” She wiped away a stray tear and glanced at Betty. “Why was he crying?”Betty smiled warmly. “You know how he gets when he doesn’t see anyone after waking up.”Thalassa sighed and met Betty’s gaze. “You don’t seem surprised.”Betty scoffed lightly. “That Kris is the father of Alex?" Betty scoffed. "Oh come one. I knew it the moment I saw him on the CCTV. Even a blind person won't fail to see how much the boy looks like his father. I assumed it was a lovers falling out thing and now he's trying to make amends.""What surprised me," she continued. "was when he didn't even once a
“Oh my goodness, I don’t even know what to say. I can’t imagine how it must feel to be told that,” Betty whispered, her voice thick with sympathy.Thalassa didn’t need her to say anything more. She burrowed deeper into the older woman’s embrace, crying much harder than she'd cried in such a long time, until her sobs subsided.“Nobody deserves to go through something so cruel. Trust me, that woman won’t get away with her crimes forever,” Betty murmured, her voice firm. “Karma will take care of her.”“Karma?” Thalassa let out a bitter chuckle as she pulled back from the hug. “I don’t need karma to deal with her, Bertha. I’ll bring justice for the child I lost myself.”“That’s why you returned to Baltimore and only visit Alex every two weeks,” Betty deduced, her perceptive gaze fixed on Thalassa. “You've been trying to get justice.”Thalassa nodded, silence falling between them for a few seconds before Betty hesitated, then asked, “Does Kris know his mother had you attacked the day you g
The slap was so brutal that Karen’s head spun, her ears ringing loudly as she clutched her cheek in pain.“Mrs. Miller, it’s not what you think—” Henry started from behind Linda, but she whirled around and silenced him with a slap of his own.“Oh, really?" she snarled. “What is it then? Karen was feeling aches all over her body, so instead of going to a spa, she came to your apartment for a naked massage because you're such an expert?”Another slap followed, snapping Henry's head to the side. His nostrils flared, and he glared at her, stepping forward threateningly.“What are you going to do?” Linda asked coldly, tilting her head challengingly. “Hit me? Go on. Hit me.”Henry clenched his fists but, after a tense moment, he stepped back. Linda scoffed, disgust twisting her lips. “Now I see why I never liked you. For a moment in the past, I thought you were the better friend after I asked Alden to convince Kris to drop his ridiculous idea of marrying Thalassa, and you agreed to do it. I
Thalassa's plan to return that night was derailed by another storm. But deep down, she was grateful for the delay, because it meant she got to spend more time with Alex.Thankfully, Kris didn’t show up outside the gate like he had the day before, which would have forced her to let him in again.However, that didn’t stop him from sending her a series of texts from a different number, telling her how much he missed her, how he couldn’t stop thinking about their night together, and how he planned to make her the happiest woman on earth when she gave him another chance.‘When’, not ‘if’. Every time she read one of those messages, she felt a few bricks fall from the walls she’d built around her heart.The following morning, she flew back to Baltimore. After dropping off her luggage at the house, she headed to the office, texting Luisa to let her know she was back.A few minutes later, her office door swung open. Thalassa stood up, and they embraced.“I can’t believe I missed you this much
Thalassa had been ready to fight, but at the sound of the familiar voice, accompanied by the familiar scent of cologne she knew all too well, her defenses crumbled.“Thalassa, it’s me,” Kris whispered softly into her ear, his warm breath grazing her skin."Kris," she breathed, her heart suddenly racing at his closeness. Kris slowly released her, allowing her to turn and face him."What are you doing here?" She demanded, wondering why she had calmed down the moment she realized it was him. She was supposed to be angry at his invasion, but her voice lacked the anger she wanted to show.“I went to Zeke’s house this morning,” Kris began, “only to be told you’d already returned to Baltimore. I thought you would stay in New York longer.”Though the lights were off, the moonlight was enough for her to see the curiosity in his eyes. “Why did you go there in the first place?”Thalassa grimaced, raising a brow. “Did you come here to interrogate me?”Kris shook his head quickly, taking a deep br
For a moment, Kris didn’t move, too stunned to react. But then his face broke into a look of pure relief, his eyes filling with tears before he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, his heart thundering in his chest.“You don’t know what this means to me, Lassa,” his voice trembled. “You just don’t know. I promise, you’ll never regret this.”He hesitated for a moment, then leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. Thalassa’s breath caught in her throat, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she responded, kissing him back with a passion that surprised them both.The kiss wasn’t as furious as it had been in New York. This time, it was slow, sensual, but equally messy as they kissed through their tears.Her hand moved up his shirt, reaching for his first button, but Kris placed his hand on hers, stopping her. Maybe it was a little too late considering what had already happened between them in New York, but he wanted to do this the right way. To wait until she was ready to trust
The press release set the fashion world and the internet ablaze, spreading like wildfire. Opinions were divided; some sympathized with Linda Miller for being falsely accused, others still believed she was involved, and a few concluded that Thalassa Thompson must have deliberately planned the whole thing.In her office, Linda was sulking over her financial reports as usual when the door suddenly burst open, startling her.“Susan, what the hell? You gave me a scare!” Linda hissed as her daughter rushed in, phone in hand.“Mum, Thalassa just released a statement clearing your name!”Linda scoffed. “As if that stupid bitch would do that.”“No, Mum, it’s true. It’s posted on TT Fashion's website and all their social media. Everyone’s talking about it.” Susan insisted, holding out her phone.Linda snatched the phone, the disbelief on her face slowly turning into a smirk as she saw it was true.“She really cleared my name.”Susan nodded excitedly. “And your stocks are back up by 11%! We’re g
“Our sales have dropped by 3% since the press statement was released because a small group of people is speculating that you specifically planned the sabotage to blame Linda for it,” Luisa informed Thalassa as she paced in front of the desk.“Okay. What else?” Thalassa asked, her tone calm.Luisa paused, raising an incredulous brow. “What else? Thalassa, you don’t seem bothered at all.”Thalassa sighed. “Luisa, our stocks and sales rose by over 100% after the fashion awards. Why should I focus on a 3% drop?”Luisa shook her head in disbelief. “Okay, but what about this? Miller Fashion’s sales have risen by almost 12%. If this keeps up, they’re projected to return to where they were before the awards.”Thalassa remained unfazed. “Which is still a far cry from what they once were. And don’t worry, this recovery won’t last long.”Luisa sank into one of the visitor chairs. “I wish I had your confidence. Are you really sure this plan is going to work?”Thalassa pursed her lips, her eyes th
Karen stared back at Kris. For a moment, her expression faltered as her mind raced, remembering the threat Linda had given her at the jail that she was going to come after her daughter.She wasn't stupid. She knew Linda could very well carry out her threats, and she didn't know what would happen to her if something happened to Tessa. But was giving her to Kris the best.Remembering that just a few days ago, Kris had vowed to take Tessa completely away from her, her expression hardened again.He was just trying to manipulate her into keeping Tessa with him, and she wasn't going to allow it.“I’m not stupid, you know,” she finally said sharply, breaking the silence. “I know your mother might target us. That’s why I’ve already taken precautions.” She straightened her posture. “I’ve requested for bodyguards from an agency. They’ll be here soon, and they'll protect Tessa and me. I can protect my daughter as much as you or even better.”Kris drew in a sharp breath of frustration. “Karen...
Karen’s face twisted into a mask of disbelief. “And who the hell is Alexander Thompson?”For a moment, she looked as though the wind had been knocked out of her. She turned sharply to Thalassa, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.“You have a son?” Karen’s voice was filled with disbelief. “How the hell is that possible? You...you lost your pregnancy when Linda sent that man to attack you. So how the hell do you have a son?”And how come her mother knew but never told her?Thalassa stood, her expression calm, but her voice edged with frost. “I don’t owe you any explanations, Karen.”Karen laughed bitterly. “You’re wrong,” she snapped. “You owe me more than that! You owe me an explanation for how you managed to make the will say this! There’s no way this could’ve come from my mother in her sane mind! I am her only daughter. I deserve to have everything!”Kris had been silent till now but was tired of the sheer unreasonableness. “Tessa was given half of everything too, Karen.”Karen whippe
Karen paced the living room like a storm brewing in a too-small teacup, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She shot a glare toward her mother's lawyer who sat calmly with his briefcase beside him, waiting.“I don’t understand,” Karen snapped. “You’re already here, so why aren’t you reading the will? In fact, why do we even need to read it? I was her only daughter. I'm sure she's giving everything to me anyway.”Mr. Sawyer adjusted his glasses. “Ms. Blade, I ask for your patience. There is one more person who needs to be present before I proceed.”Karen’s nose wrinkled as she tilted her head. “What are you talking about? Who else could possibly need to be here?”As if on cue, the doorbell echoed through the house. Karen’s lips thinned, her irritation clear.“I’ll get it,” Bridget murmured, hurrying toward the door. Moments later, the click of heels and a deep, familiar voice caused Karen to freeze.Kris stepped inside first, his hand resting protectively on Thalassa’s lower back
As Thalassa stepped down, the room was filled with sniffles and silent tears. Though she wasn't crying, the devastated look on her face and her touching words brought tears to everyone's eyes. All except for Karen, who was glaring at her from across the aisle.The somber mood in the chapel persisted as Bridget stood up and walked to the altar.“You were my boss,” Bridget began, her voice breaking slightly, “but also my best friend. A person with the rarest heart—one who could make anyone feel seen and valued.”She paused, swallowing back the lump in her throat. “You loved with your whole being. That’s who you were. To lose you… is to lose a light in this world. But I take solace in knowing you're at peace now, somewhere you can finally rest after all the pain life threw your way. You'll never be forgotten, dear madam.”The room was silent, save for the occasional muffled sobs of mourners. When Bridget sat down, the priest returned to the altar, gesturing for everyone to bow their head
“You signed Mum’s death sentence. It’s your fault she’s dead!”Karen’s tear-streaked face twisted in raw pain as she turned to Thalassa, her voice rising like a jagged knife.“That's not true!” She shouted, her hands shaking. “I didn’t know this would happen! How could I have known?”Thalassa’s eyes narrowed, her body trembling with barely restrained fury. Before she could speak, Kris stepped behind her, his jaw tight.“So it is true, Karen?” he asked, each word laced with disbelief. “You told Linda it was your mother who gave me the evidence? What the hell were you thinking?”Karen’s lips quivered, and she stumbled over her words. “I didn’t mean to! It just… slipped out while we were talking. I couldn’t take it back!”Thalassa let out a bitter laugh that was chilling to the bone. “Oh, I’m sure that’s the excuse you told yourself to sleep at night,” she snapped. “But we both know the truth. You knew exactly what you were doing. You were scared Linda would come after you, so you decide
Karen gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove, her frustration building with every mile. It had been three days since her mother last called her.Since the day she told her mother that she didn't want anything to do with her, the woman would call at least twice a day. But she'd gone three days without doing so, and it was grating on Karen's nerves.Had she given up already? Karen was damned if she would allow that.Right now, she was driving to her mother’s house, but she wasn't going there to reconcile. She just wanted to remind her of her betrayal and make her beg for her affections again.Pulling up to the gate, she frowned. The gate didn’t open like it always did. She waited a moment, growing impatient before honking the horn. Nothing. Annoyed, she picked up her phone and dialed Bridget’s number. “Why is the gate locked?” she demanded when Bridget answered. “And why isn’t anyone opening it?” Bridget’s voice was quiet, but the exhaustion in it was evident. “Because no
The room was quiet for a moment after the doctor’s announcement. Juana’s eyes glistened with tears as she looked up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “Thank you so much.”Upon waking up and being unable to move her legs immediately, she'd truly been terrified, but this had given her so much hope.The doctor gave her a kind smile. “You’re a fighter, Ms. Juana. But remember, no stress. Rest if your head feels heavy. If it worsens, inform us immediately.”Juana nodded as tears spilled down her cheeks. Thalassa and Luisa exchanged a glance before speaking in unison, their voices filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Doctor.”He nodded again and excused himself, leaving the three women alone. Luisa and Thalassa moved to either side of Juana’s bed. Luisa gently placed her hand over hers. “I’m so happy to see you awake and well,” she said softly, her voice filled with relief.Thalassa bit her lip. “Juana, I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you saved my
Thalassa’s hands trembled at her sides as her furious words hung in the air. The weight of what she had just said, what she had admitted she wanted to do, filled the room with shock.Luisa placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, her voice trembling with worry. "Thalassa... please don’t talk like that. You don’t mean it." But Thalassa’s cold, unwavering gaze shot through her. "I mean every word," she bit out, her voice low and steely. "I want to kill her. I would be doing the world a favor by getting rid of someone as vile as Linda Miller. She’s a waste of a human being." Luisa swallowed hard, unease crawling up her spine. She had seen Thalassa enraged before, but never this murdurous rage. It scared her. "I know you’re upset," Luisa said, her voice soft but firm. "You have every right to be angry, but this isn’t you. You’re not a murderer, Lassa. You’re nothing like Linda Miller." Thalassa shrugged off Luisa’s hand with a sharp jerk. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes burned with fu
Thalassa buried her face in Kris’s chest, her sobs muffled against his shirt. His arms wrapped tightly around her.She clung to him, trembling, her mind screaming against the reality she didn’t want to accept. Rita was truly gone. The door creaked open, and Kris lifted his head. The doctor entered, followed by a nurse. This time, he didn’t ask them to leave. Instead, he approached Rita’s still form, his expression solemn as he checked her vitals. After a moment, the doctor straightened and glanced at the nurse. His voice was steady as he said, "Time of death: 7:21 AM." The words felt like a punch to Thalassa’s chest, knocking the air from her lungs. Her knees threatened to buckle, but Kris tightened his grip, holding her upright. The doctor turned to her, his face filled with sympathy. "I’m very sorry for your loss," he said softly. "It happened quicker than I expected. I’ll prepare the death certificate and arrange for her body to be transferred to the morgue whenever you’re