“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
Luisa's heart raced. Love. He said he was in love with her. Her heart soared, but it didn't take long before fear clipped its wings.Tears burned her eyes as she shook her head. “You can’t just say things like that, Alden."“Why can’t I say it when it’s the truth?” Alden asked. “I know it sounds crazy, and we haven’t known each other for long, but I’ve fallen in love with you, Luisa.”“Just like you loved Vanessa?” The words escaped her mouth before she could hold them back.Alden stared at her, then sighed. “Everything was different with Vanessa. I thought I loved her, I don’t know. When she cheated on me and left with another man, I thought it would hurt, but it didn’t. That’s when I realized I probably didn’t love her like I thought.”That didn’t do much to ease Luisa’s anxiety as she asked, “You thought you were in love with her but later realized you weren’t. How do I know it’s not the same thing? That you’re not just confused?”Alden smiled patiently. As frustrated as he was, he
"You said you wanted to talk?" Thalassa asked as she stepped away from Kris, gesturing toward the couch. Kris nodded but held onto her hand, gently pulling her down beside him."I saw the press statement, and obviously everyone's talking about it," Kris began, his voice tinged with concern. "I just want to know why you did it. Why did you decide to clear my mother’s name?"Thalassa swallowed but maintained a neutral expression. "You asked me to do it once, didn’t you?"Kris nodded, regret filling his expression. "Yes, but I apologized in the card I sent you because I realized how unfair it was of me to ask you to do something like that. You shouldn’t have done it because of me.""I didn’t do it because of you, Kris," Thalassa replied, her voice steady.Kris’s brow furrowed in confusion. "You didn’t?""No, I did it for myself," she said firmly, watching his perplexed expression. She sighed and continued. "I’m tired, Kris. Tired of holding on to so much resentment and anger. I want to b
Before Kris knew what was happening, Zeke grabbed him by the collar of his suit and yanked him away from Thalassa, shoving him with such force that he would have crashed to the floor if the couch hadn’t cushioned his fall.“Zeke!” Thalassa gasped.“How dare you lay your filthy hands on her and kiss her?” Zeke raged, the veins on his forehead and neck bulging as though they were about to burst.“What the hell is your problem?” Kris hissed, pushing himself to his feet. He clenched his fists, wanting to punch the hell out of him, but a pleading look from Thalassa made him hold back.“No, what’s wrong with *you*?” Zeke shot back. “When will you understand that Thalassa doesn’t want anything to do with you? Now you’re forcing yourself on her?”He turned to Thalassa, gently cradling her face between his hands. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”The sight of Zeke’s hands on Thalassa made Kris’s blood boil. His jaw tightened as he fought the urge to tear Zeke away. Thalassa wasn’t his—not reall
Zeke's nostrils flared as his eyes moved from Alden to Luisa. “Oh, so you're back together with this idiot who two-timed you with another woman?” he scoffed in disbelief. “Great. Just great.”Without another word, he stepped past them and walked out of the office. Tension hang in the air seconds after his departure.“Well, at least he didn’t try to punch the hell out of me,” Alden joked to lighten the mood.No one else laughed, but the tension eased slightly.“Hey, are you ready to go, or should I leave without you?” Alden asked Kris.“No, I’ll go with you. I’m sure Lassa has a lot of work to do,” Kris responded.It still felt surreal to call her "Lassa" without her telling him it was reserved only for her loved ones. Did that mean he was part of her loved ones now?Smiling to himself, he moved to stand in front of Thalassa. “I’ll go now. See you at your house this evening?”“Sure,” she whispered.Leaning down, Kris placed a gently kiss on her lips, and when he pulled back, he couldn'
The Miller mansion was glowing with lights as guests began streaming in, dressed in their finest attire. Inside, the grand hall had been carefully decorated for the evening.Linda Miller walked around, a smile etched on her face as she greeted and welcomed guests, her eyes scanning the room to ensure everything looked as perfect as it could.Spotting a small group of women standing near a corner, she smirked as she made her way towards them. She had been closest with them, but ever since her company's crisis got worse, they'd begun avoiding her because she apparently wasn't on the same level as them anymore. Tonight, she wanted to show them."Ladies," she greeted warmly, offering brief hugs to each of them. "I’m so glad you could make it."One of the women, an older brunette in an emerald dress, gave Linda a polite smile, but there was something mocking in her tone. “The decorations are beautiful, Linda. But it does feel... different from what you used to do. Quite a change.”Linda’s
“Thalassa.” Linda nodded slightly after several tensed seconds, her smile returning as she extended her hand. “I’m very glad you could make it.”“I’m sure you are.” Thalassa’s lips stretched into a smile as she took Linda’s hand for a handshake.The handshake lingered a bit too long, so tense that everyone in the hall could feel it as the two women stared into each other’s eyes.Linda was the first to break the stare, pulling her hand back from Thalassa’s grip. Thalassa’s lips twitched in amusement.“I’m happy you decided to do the right thing by clearing my name,” Linda spoke evenly.“Oh, I had to,” Thalassa replied, her gaze sharpening despite her smile. “After all, that’s what just people do. They expose the truth for everyone to see. Wouldn’t you agree?”Linda’s smile faltered slightly, her eyes narrowing. “Yes, I agree.”They stared at each other again, the tension building until Susan and Cynthia appeared behind Linda. “Welcome to our party, Thalassa. We hope you have a good eve
“Kris...” Thalassa swallowed, trying to keep her expression neutral. “Were you speaking to someone?” he asked again. “Uh... no... I was just talking to myself," Thalassa quickly said, praying he hadn't heard what she had been saying. Thankfully, he didn’t press further. His eyes lit up as they scanned her from head to toe. “You look gorgeous,” he whispered. His closeness was unsettling Thalassa. She needed him away so she could do what she’d come to do without any second thoughts. “Kris, we’ve already talked about this, haven’t we?” Kris stared at her, his eyes squinting in confusion. “You said you didn’t want people to see that we’re together again, but we’re not doing anything, Thalassa. We’re just talking. Surely, nobody will suspect we’re a couple just because of that?” “You’d be surprised how some people think. I don’t want to take that risk, Kris. Please understand.” She saw the hurt flash across his face before she turned and walked off, forcing herself to return to the
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