After crying herself to sleep, Thalassa woke up feeling refreshed. The storm of emotions that had overwhelmed her last night seemed to have passed, and now she felt calm and composed.She vowed not to let herself be that vulnerable again. Last night had been a moment of weakness, and she didn’t plan to repeat it.She reached for her phone, dialing a number before rolling out of bed. After a quick conversation, she made her way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face and brushing out her hair. Her reflection in the mirror showed the tear patches on her cheeks, bags beneath her eyes, and her touched head, evidence of her breakdown last night.She looked away and proceeded to freshen up. Done, she headed downstairs, spotting Luisa setting the dining table.“There you are,” Luisa said, glancing up. “I was just about to come get you.”Thalassa gave her a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I’ve been leaving everything to you lately. You’re the one making our meals every day.”Lu
“I wasn’t talking about a specific person,” Thalassa responded to Luisa's question. “I just mean… I’m not going to keep pushing men away like I’ve been doing for almost four years now. I want to give myself a chance to love again.” Luisa bit her lip. “What about Kris?” she asked tentatively. Thalassa pursed her lips into a thin line. “Practically all of my adult life has revolved around Kris, Luisa. He was my first love, and I never allowed myself to look at anyone else, even when he was making me suffer. Even after we divorced, I kept every man at a distance because I was still so angry, so consumed with getting justice. And all of that—my anger, my pain—was still tied to him.” She clenched her fist briefly around her fork before releasing it. “I’m tired of my life revolving around him.” Luisa frowned and pointed out, “But… your life won’t stop revolving around him, Lassa. You two have a son together.” She paused, hesitant to ask her next question. “Are you really planning t
All three women stared anxiously at the lawyer, waiting for his response to Thalassa's question.Mr. Baelish shook his head. “No, I'm not saying she will be released. The evidence is enough to bring the case to court, which is already damaging, but we’ll need something stronger to convict her. We need to link her directly to the more serious crimes—drug and human trafficking. What happened to the evidence you mentioned two days ago?”Thalassa's expression hardened as she recalled the sinking feeling she'd had when she found the safe empty. “I don't know how, but Linda found out what I was planning, and she had the evidence removed from the safe before I could get to it.”The lawyer raised an eyebrow. “‘Had’ it removed?”“Yes," Thalassa nodded, her voice firm. "From the way the safe was left open, it looked like whoever took it was in a hurry. The evidence was cleared minutes before I went into the room. Linda couldn’t have done it herself—she was at the party downstairs the entire tim
“What do you think will happen when I hand all that evidence over to the police?”Linda's heart thundered in her chest, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to let her anxiety show as she glared at Karen.“You wouldn't dare.”“Wouldn't I?” Karen scoffed, looking unfazed. “I have evidence in my hands that can destroy you. Your reign over me is over, Linda Miller. And just to be clear, the 2 billion you demanded for Henry to invest in your failing fashion house is off the table. Now, I’m the one calling the shots.”“You don’t know who you’re messing with, you stupid girl," Linda sneered. "If you truly saw what was in the bag, you should know I’m capable of much more than just telling my son that your daughter isn’t his. I’ve told you before, and I’ll repeat it: you don’t want to be my enemy, Karen."For a moment, Karen felt a shiver run down her spine, but she quickly shook it off, maintaining her confident expression. She wasn’t going to let Linda intimidate her—not this time.“What’s a
Millie slowly awoke from her deep slumber. Fluttering her eyes open, she tensed when she realized she wasn't in her own bedroom.The room was different. More importantly, the loud snoring from Francis, which both grated on her nerves and terrified her, was absent.Instantly, the memories from last night came crashing through her mind: Francis catching her speaking with Zeke over the phone, flying into a rage, and beginning to beat her; Zeke’s sudden intervention, taking her to his house; and her breakdown when he asked why she wanted to return to Francis.He had held her while she cried, and that was the last thing she remembered. How had she ended up in this room and bed?Shifting onto her back, she winced as she felt stinging pain, but it didn’t hurt as much as it had the first time—or the countless other times.Whenever Francis was upset with her, her back always suffered the consequences. He never hit her face or arms—only places that could be hidden by her dresses.A gentle knock
Their gazes held for a few seconds before Zeke cleared his throat and looked away.“Why do I really want to help you?” He let out a small chuckle. “I mean, do you really even have to ask? It's because I... uh... I really meant what I said over the phone last night. I care a lot about you because... you're... I consider you a very good friend.”“Yeah. Of course.” Millie nodded, forcing a smile to mask the stinging feeling in her chest.Zeke, on the other hand, felt shaken by himself. Why had it been so hard for him to give her an answer that should've been so simple?He cleared his throat. “About what we were talking about earlier, I could hire—”“Zeke, that idea won't work. I don’t think my boss will allow it.”“Kris?” Zeke scoffed. “He won’t have a choice. In fact, I’m going to call him right now to tell him you’re taking the day off.”“Zeke...” Millie protested with an exasperated chuckle.Zeke pulled out his phone and dialed Kris’s number. It rang until it went to voicemail. The se
Thalassa’s body went rigid the moment Zeke’s lips touched hers, completely caught off guard. His lips moved softly over hers, as if pleading for a response.But she couldn’t. Her body refused to respond.Bracing her hands against his chest, she gently pushed him back. “Zeke, what are you doing?”Zeke looked at her, his face flushed, partly from embarrassment and partly from hope.“Something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I met you,” he whispered, feeling breathless from how hard his heart was pounding.He studied her, trying to gauge her emotions, but what he found wasn’t what he expected.“You don’t even look that surprised,” he said with a short, awkward chuckle. “Was I that bad at hiding my feelings for you?”“Zeke...” Thalassa began, fumbling for the right words.She hadn’t expected Zeke to kiss her, nor had she ever thought he saw her as anything more than a friend. Yet, strangely, she didn’t feel entirely shocked. It was as if her mind had pieced together his past reactions
Thalassa sat in her study, her eyes glued to the screen as she worked through the endless pile of emails. Though she hadn't gone to the office, she still had to work from home because there was a lot to do.She was trying to focus, but her thoughts kept wandering back to Zeke's unexpected confession. She sighed, shaking her head as she scrolled down. Just then, her phone buzzed on her desk. The screen lit up with a call from her security guard.“Ms. Thompson,” the guard’s voice crackled through the line. “You’ve received a package. It’s from Mr. Mathews, I believe.”“Zeke?” Thalassa muttered to herself, a small frown forming on her lips. He really hadn't been joking. “Alright, bring it in.”Getting out of the study, she went to the door and opened it to receive the package from the guard. Thalassa thanked him and took it inside. A sense of deja vu washed over her; It was a neatly wrapped basket filled with her favorite chocolates.There was a note attached. Thalassa peeled it off and
The bullet hit Linda square in the shoulder. Linda crumpled to the floor, clutching her arm. She groaned in pain as the blood seeped through her fingers, mixing with the gasoline pooling beneath her. Karen didn’t hesitate. She immediately rushed towards Thalassa’s chair, her movements frantic but determined. “Hold still,” she muttered, her trembling hands fumbling with the ropes binding Thalassa’s wrists. After some seconds, the ropes finally loosened. Thalassa pulled her hands free and immediately bent down to help Karen untie her legs. The knot slipped, and she finally stood, her heart pounding wildly. “We need to leave, Karen,” she said, her voice sharp with urgency. “Yes.” Karen nodded, breathless. “Let’s go.” Neither of them saw Linda reaching into her handbag and pulling out a pistol. Just as they turned to run, a gunshot exploded in the air. Thalassa froze as Karen let out a gasp of pain. “Karen!” she screamed. Karen staggered, her hand clutching her stomach where blood
After spreading one gallon of the gasoline. Linda moved to the next, then the next. And the next.The pungent liquid soaked into the cracks of wooden members, splattered against the cardboard boxes strewn around the room, and puddled near Thalassa’s chair.Thalassa’s heart hammered violently in her chest, but she kept her face a mask of defiance. No. She had to do something. You couldn't die. Not today.She needed to get back to Alex and Kris. They were waiting for her. Alex needed her. But no matter how she wriggled her wrists, the rope refused to loosen.Linda finished pouring the last gallon, letting the empty container clatter to the floor. Straightening up, she brushed her hands against her dress, a twisted smile curling her lips as she turned to face Thalassa.From a nearby chair, she grabbed her handbag and pulled out a somewhat small device. Then she walked back toward Thalassa, holding it up like a trophy.“This,” Linda began, her voice laced with cruel amusement, “is a deto
Thalassa's heart pounded violently in her chest as the thugs came closer and closer.She kept her face hard, her jaw clenched. Every instinct screamed at her to panic because she knew this was no joke, but she refused to give Linda or her thugs the satisfaction."Don't you dare come closer," she spat through gritted teeth, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her.One of the thugs threw his head back and laughed. "She's trying to act hard.” His lips curled into a lecherous grin. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll break you in no time. Turn you into a nice, docile little bitch begging for our cocks."Thalassa jerked her chair back as far as it could go, her muscles straining against the ropes that bound her. But one of the thugs circled behind her, his rough hands already reaching for the knots securing her wrists to the chair.She could feel his breath on the back of her neck as he muttered, "Don't make this harder on yourself by resisting.”He had begun untangling the ropes
Kris paced back and forth in the living room like a caged animal, his jaw clenched and his hands tugging through his hair in sheer frustration and desperation.His voice was low, barely above a hiss, as he spoke into his phone. “What do you mean the surveillance ends at that spot? And the car is never seen again? Did it fucking disappear into thin air?”His steps quickened as his anxiety surged. “Listen to me, Smoke. The next time you call me, you better have something useful to tell me.”He ended the call with a sharp tap and flung the phone onto the couch, his breath coming in uneven gasps. Alden and Luisa were sitting on the couch across from him, their expressions tense as they silently watched.Tessa was curled up in Luisa’s arms, her small chest rising and falling as she slept. Luisa stroked her hair absently, her eyes rimmed with exhaustion, but no one said a word.It had been hours since Thalassa’s car was found in the middle of the road with bullet holes and shattered glass.
Karen hesitated in front of the door, her hand hovering over the knob. Her breathing was shallow, her chest aching. She was in front of the door to her mother's room.It was the first time she’d stood here since her mother’s death. No, not just her death. It had been years since she’d stepped into this room. Her fingers tightened around the knob, turning it slowly. The door creaked open, and Karen stepped inside. Everything was exactly as her mother had left it: spotless, warm, yet eerily silent. Her eyes scanned the familiar space, and a wave of nostalgia washed over her, nearly knocking her off her feet.She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, taking in the faint scent of lavender that still lingered in the air.Her throat tightened as memories came rushing back. She remembered when she was eight years old and her father’s death was plastered across the news. He'd died while cruising on the sea.She hadn’t understood it at the time, but the image of the wrecked yacht
Thalassa groaned as consciousness crept back to her. Her head felt heavy, like a storm had taken up residence in her skull. She blinked her eyes open, and she was greeted by nearly pitch-black darkness.The air was cold and stale, tinged with the metallic scent of rust and dampness. She was sitting in a chair, and it didn't take long for her to realize that her wrists and ankles were bound tightly to the chair.She wriggled her wrists, trying to see if she could free her hands from the ropes, but they only dug painfully into her skin. The knots didn’t budge.The sound of footsteps broke the silence, sharp and deliberate against the concrete floor. Then the voice of the woman she hated more than anything in the world echoed through the space.“Don’t bother, darling. You’re only wasting your time.”Thalassa froze, her breath catching in her throat. The dim light overhead flickered on, falling on the woman in front of her.Linda.She was standing a few feet away, a satisfied smirk on her
The engine’s steady hum filled the car as Thalassa leaned back against the plush leather seat, her phone pressed tightly to her ear.She barely registered the bodyguards seated in the front, their voices muffled as they exchanged words about security measures. Her focus was solely on the call.She'd been dialing Betty's number since Kris left a few minutes ago, but the other woman wasn't picking up. Finally, the tone of the call being answered came through.“Thank God you finally picked up, Betty,” Thalassa said, her voice trembling just enough to betray her nerves.“Thalassa?” Betty’s warm, familiar voice came through the line. "Oh, sorry, I was in the shower. Is something wrong? You sound... tense.”Thalassa closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Please,” she begged, her words rushed. “Tell me my son is safe.”There was a short pause before Betty chuckled lightly. “You called to ask that an hour ago. Alex is fine, I promise. Safe and sound. He’s having the time of his life with tha
Kris groaned, the dull ache in the back of his head pulling him from the haze of unconsciousness. His vision blurred as he blinked rapidly, trying to focus. A small, trembling voice broke through the fog.“Daddy, please wake up,” Tessa sobbed, her tiny hands clutching at his arm. She was hunched over his body, tears streaming down her cheeks, her whole frame shaking.Kris forced himself upright, wincing as his fingers pressed against the throbbing lump on his head. His heart clenched at the sight of his daughter’s tear-streaked face.“Tessa,” he rasped, pulling her into his arms. “I’m okay, baby. I’m here. Don’t cry.”He cradled her against his chest, rocking her gently, ignoring the sharp pain in his skull. Her sobs slowly subsided as he murmured soothing words, stroking her hair.After a moment, Kris pulled back to look at her. “Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?”Tessa shook her head, her lip quivering. “No… but I was so scared, Daddy. They had guns.”Kris swallowed hard, h
Kris’s fingers tightened around the phone, his knuckles white against the smooth surface. For a moment, the world around him seemed to freeze, his mind struggling to process Karen’s words. Tessa. Taken. His breath caught in his throat. Then, the cold reality slammed into him like a freight train.“What do you mean they took her?!” Kris hissed, his voice sharp and rising in panic.Karen’s voice came through the speaker again, shaky and tearful. “They— they shot the guard, Kris. They came into the house with guns. They said they’d hurt me if I didn’t give them Tessa.”His stomach churned, dread twisting his insides. “And you did?” he bit out, his voice breaking with a mix of anger and desperation. “I didn’t have a choice!” Karen cried. “I tried to stop them, but they hit me—I couldn’t—” Her words dissolved into sobs.Kris raked a hand through his hair, feeling like he was going crazy. “I told you! I told you to let me take her!” His voice cracked with raw emotion, his anger barely mas