Thalassa felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over her head. She stood frozen for a few seconds—Kris and Karen? Karen and Kris? Kissing?She couldn't look anymore. She couldn't keep staring.Immediately, she turned and began to walk away, saying, “I don't feel like trying on the dresses. Let's just pay and go.”Neither Millie nor Luisa protested. When they got to the cash counter, Thalassa didn't protest when Luisa insisted on paying. Her mind was too numb to think.After paying, they were about to leave when Linda Miller stopped in front of them.“I hope you had fun in my boutique, Thalassa. Remember, I don't hold any grudges despite what you did to my family.”Thalassa just stared at her, feeling so much rage bubbling inside that she was afraid of what she could do if she stayed a second longer.Without honoring Linda with a reply, she walked out of the boutique, her friends following behind her. None of them said anything as they walked towards Luisa's car with thei
Three Years Later“Mrs. Miller, our stocks have dropped again.”“What?!” Linda Miller shot to her feet, her cold gaze directed at her CFO, who began quivering on her heels.The CFO was afraid of going on, but she knew the news had to be delivered. “Our stocks dropped by 8% just this morning.”Kris was sitting in the chair across from his mother's desk. Seeing the stricken look on her face, he feared she was going to have a heart attack. He quickly rushed to her side.“Mum, are you okay?”“Okay? How can I be okay, Kris? Didn't you hear what she just said? Our stocks have dropped again. 8% in less than a day!” Linda complained.Kris pursed his lips into a grim line, also knowing how serious this was. Within just one year, the stocks and sales of his mother's fashion company had fallen by a whopping 50%. An additional 8% meant they were close to 60% depreciation.And it was all because of a new rival company called TT Fashion.That company hadn't even existed until three years ago, yet i
Thalassa sat on the couch in her bedroom, flipping through pictures of an old, wrinkled woman, her face adorned with a beautiful laughter and warm, welcoming eyes. Some of the photos were of the two of them together, capturing moments of shared joy and laughter.She was so absorbed in the memories that she didn't notice Luisa's presence until she placed a hand on her shoulder.“You really miss her, don't you?” Luisa asked softly.Looking back at the picture on the screen, Thalassa felt her eyes sting with tears. They'd lost Granny six months ago to dementia, which had worsened significantly in her final year.On her deathbed, the old woman had taken Thalassa's hand in her frail ones and confessed that she had realized, somewhere along the years, that Thalassa wasn't truly her daughter, Agnes. Yet, she was still so grateful for all the love and light Thalassa had brought into her life in her last few years on earth.Right after that, she had passed away, still holding Thalassa's hand.
Kris froze. That voice... it sounded familiar. Too familiar. It sounded like the voice of the woman he'd tried his hardest to get out of his heart and mind for the past three years without any success.Suddenly, he was anxious to put a face to the voice, to see the face of the masked woman.“Wow, what an entrance!" His sister, Susan, gushed but instantly shut up when his mother gave her a hard glare.“Meet again?"“What does she mean by that?” the guests whispered among themselves.“Oh, my apologies," the masked woman on the stage said. “You must be confused by what I said. All I meant was that you don't know who I am yet, but I already know most of you.”This got the guests even more curious. Who was this woman who was the owner of TT Fashion? What was her name?“Please, enjoy yourselves at this party," the woman on stage said before the lights finally turned back on.Kris noted that she hadn't even mentioned her name.As soon as she stepped down from the stage, the guests surrounded
It had been three years, and yet when Kris grabbed her by the arm, Thalassa felt the same current as before. It irritated her because she wanted nothing to do with it.“I don't appreciate being touched without my permission, so let go of me, Mr. Miller. And what did you call me?” she said calmly.Kris narrowed his eyes at her. He'd felt her tense up when he called her Thalassa, but now he wasn't so sure, hearing the nonchalance in her voice. He wished he could see the expression on her face, but the damn mask she was wearing made that impossible.Reluctantly, he let go of her arm. “I don't like how you spoke to my mother.”“And how did I speak to her?” she asked.“You were rude,” he pointed out.Thalassa gritted her teeth. He knew the kind of woman his mother was and yet still defended her.“Well, good thing I'm not here to cater to what you like or don't like," she stated. “Besides, I wasn't rude to her. I merely told her what I would tell anyone who wants a meeting with me. She need
“I didn't threaten you with it," Karen sniffed. "I was just scared. I didn't want to give birth out of wedlock and watch our daughter grow up without the stability of a family.”“You know what, let's just end this conversation. It won't—" Kris was still speaking when a soft, sweet, tiny voice cut him off.“Daddy, why are you fighting with Mommy?"Kris turned to find his daughter standing in the doorway, realizing they'd forgotten to close the door. He immediately went to her and dropped to his knees, feeling his chest swell with love as he cupped her small face in his hands.“No, sweetie. Mommy and Daddy aren't fighting. We're just talking.”“Tal...king?”“Yes," Kris nodded with a smile, kissing her on the forehead.His baby. His Tessa. His little bundle of joy. She was the best thing that had happened to him in the past three years. There was no one he cared more about than her.She was the reason why he couldn't call what happened between him and Karen three years ago a mistake. Tha
When it was time for the appointment, Kris fetched his mother and drove to the Baltimore branch of TT Fashion. The building was magnificent, with stunning interiors and exteriors. They took the elevator to the top floor, where the CEO's office was located.They stopped by a desk in the most sophisticated area of the floor, and his mother asked, “Is this the CEO's office?”“Yes," the secretary responded. “How may I help you?”But his mother didn't wait. She turned and tried to open the door when the secretary rushed to stop her.“You can't just enter as you wish!”Indignation filled his mother's face. “How dare you speak to me in that tone? Don't you know who I am?”“Mum!" Kris quietly chastised her, feeling like she was frustrated with everything going on. His mother had always been a proud and self-sufficient person, so having to seek the help of someone else was hard for her.He turned to the secretary. “We have an appointment with the CEO.”“Of course. You must be the Millers. Plea
"Humiliate you? I wonder why you would even think that, Mr. Miller," Thalassa said in her ever-so-sweet innocent voice."You didn't even allow my mother to explain what kind of alliance she had in mind. And since we met you yesterday, all you've done is disrespect her—us."Thalassa raised a brow. "I am a businesswoman, Mr. Miller. I only form alliances where I see profits. Be honest with yourself. If you were in my shoes, would you have wanted to be associated with a company that's on the cusp of bankruptcy?"Kris gritted his teeth, knowing she was making sense, but at the same time, he felt this wasn't just about business. It seemed personal."If you'll excuse me, I have a lot to do," Thalassa said with the intention of opening the door for him, but she had only taken two steps past him when he suddenly grabbed her by the arm, pulling her close to his body. Too close."What are you doing?" she questioned as calmly as she could when her heart was pounding inside her chest."Who are yo
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
At Rita's revelation, Kris swallowed hard against the tightness in his throat. He thought he should feel shock or anger, but he didn't feel that. Not even disappointment. All he felt was a crushing sadness and a hollow ache in his chest that made it hard to breathe. Deep down, he'd known. He'd known his mother was behind it.But had it been too much to wish for his mother to prove not to be a monster for once? How far was Linda going to go? His jaw tightened as he looked down at Rita's frail form, her skin pale and her breaths shallow."I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt. He stepped closer to Rita, his hand hesitating before lightly brushing against hers. "I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve this. None of this." His throat burned as he forced the words out. "I promise you, I’ll get justice for you." Rita’s eyes fluttered open slightly, her gaze cloudy yet still warm. She gave him the faintest smile, her voice a faint rasp as she whispered, "Wha
Thalassa sat in the hard, plastic chair by the wall in Rita’s ICU unit, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The sterile scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, but she barely noticed it anymore. Her eyes were fixed on the frail figure lying in the hospital bed. Rita was surrounded by machines—a heart monitor that beeped steadily, an IV drip that fed her weakened body, and a nasal cannula that provided oxygen through thin, clear tubes resting against her pale face. She had always been so strong, so full of life. Seeing her like this, so still and vulnerable, made Thalassa’s chest ache. The machines keeping her alive felt intrusive, cold, and mechanical—so unlike the warm, loving woman who had been her pillar through so much. She rubbed her tired eyes. She hadn't slept a wink since last night, but sleep was the last thing on her mind. Her gaze darted back to Rita every few moments, desperate for any sign of movement. Nothing. A soft knock came at the door, pulling her from
Luisa opened her mouth to speak again, but Alden’s light squeeze on her hand stopped her. She turned to look at him, confused, but his subtle shake of the head made her pause. She clamped her mouth as she turned back to Kris. She could see it in his eyes—he knew the truth, but he wasn’t ready to face it. Thalassa stayed buried in Kris’s chest, unmoving except for the shallow rise and fall of her shoulders. She was too numb to cry anymore, too overwhelmed to speak. Kris’s hand rubbed her back in slow, soothing circles, but even that felt like a distant echo in the storm raging inside her. Without a word, they all walked back to the waiting area. The minutes stretched into hours. Somewhere during that time, a police officer came to take Bridget's statement regarding the attack.Midnight came and went, but no one felt even a little bit sleepy. Every nurse or doctor who passed by was met with hopeful eyes, but no one stopped to give them any news. Finally, after four grueling hour
The air in the hospital waiting room was suffocating with tension. Thalassa was leaning against Kris, her head heavy on his shoulder, while Luisa sat beside Alden, clutching his hand. After a while, Luisa’s voice cut through the silence. “How is it even possible for a prison transport to get hijacked? Aren’t there protocols to prevent this?” Alden nodded slowly, his expression grim. “There are, but law enforcement isn’t infallible. Sometimes, things slip through the cracks. And sometimes… they get blindsided.” Luisa’s eyes narrowed, her thoughts spiraling. “What if… what if she wasn’t kidnapped? What if she escaped? What happens then?” Kris exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. “If she escaped, she’s already out of the country by now. Prison was her worst nightmare, and there’s no way she’d miss an opportunity to avoid it.” Luisa sagged against Alden, her exhaustion evident in her trembling frame. Alden wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. “You need to rest, babe,” he
After turning off the TV, Bridget scanned her eyes around the empty space. Her eyes fell on Rita’s phone which was lying on the couch, face down. She'd forgotten to take it along.She smiled faintly, shaking her head, “Poor thing. She’s thinking about too much.” She picked it up and tucked it in her hand before making her way to the hall to flip off the lights. Then she made her way upstairs.When she reached her Rita's door, she knocked lightly, calling, “Madam?”There was no answer. She waited a beat, then knocked again, a little louder this time, her brow furrowing as she listened for any sign of movement. Silence.Bridget frowned, a little puzzled. Her boss had gone upstairs not even four minutes ago. Could she have already fallen asleep? It seemed unlikely, but maybe she really had been more tired than Bridget realized. “Well,” she mumbled to herself, “I can give it to her tomorrow.”She turned to head down to her room, but something stopped her. She turned back toward the door