Thalassa woke up with a start, her hand instantly reaching for her phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up, and she scanned it for any missed calls or messages from Kris. There were none.She sighed heavily, sinking back against the pillows, disappointment settling in her chest. Why hasn’t he called yet? Almost the whole of yesterday, she’d waited for him to call her or even text her. At first, she didn’t want to bother him by calling, knowing he’d said he’d be spending some time with his daughter, Tessa. But later, when she tried to call, his phone had been unreachable. Why hasn’t he contacted her? She placed a hand over her heart, a strange unease brewing in her chest. He'd told her that he would call, and he couldn't have just forgotten.Something felt off. She glanced at her phone again, the time revealing it was already mid-morning. She tossed the covers aside and slipped out of bed, her feet padding quietly across the floor.Downstairs, the aroma of breakfast greeted her. B
“Miller, your lawyer is here to see you." A guard informed Kris before he walked away. Kris barely reacted, remaining seated until the familiar figure appeared in front of his cell.“Mr. Miller,” his lawyer said, sounding both horrified and mortified. “Why didn’t you call me earlier?”Kris slowly stood, approaching the bars, his expression void of emotion. “Did Alden give you the bag?” he asked, ignoring the question.The lawyer nodded, still looking shocked. “Yes, he did. It’s already being processed. Within a few days, your mother will be transferred to prison to await trial.”Kris merely nodded, his face a mask of cold indifference, though the mention of his mother sent a painful squeeze through his heart. Linda was finally going to face justice, and yet, all he felt was a numbing emptiness.His lawyer sighed, changing the subject as he tried again. “Mr. Miller, seriously. Why didn’t you call me? You know I could’ve had you out of here within an hour. Instead, you’ve spent the wh
Thalassa's heart stuttered at his words. He was still looking away, but she forced him to look at her, cradling his face between her hands. "What are you talking about?" she asked, searching his tired eyes.His gaze dropped to the floor, and his voice came out in a hoarse whisper, barely audible. "This is my punishment. For everything I did to you years ago."Thalassa froze. "Kris..."Kris pressed on, his voice thick with regret. "I betrayed you. I put everyone else above you. I believed Karen. I believed my mother. Henry... But I refused to believe you, the woman I loved." His eyes squeezed shut, the pain seeping out of him. "When you told me you were pregnant... I called you a liar. I didn't trust you. I... I pushed you away."Thalassa's breath hitched as she remembered the ache, the heartbreak of that time. Kris's voice cracked as he continued, "We lost our child because of me. I am as much responsible as my mother was. And then I married Karen for a child I thought was mine. The
Karen stood beside Henry’s hospital bed, her stomach churning as she looked at his bruised, swollen face. His skin was an ugly mix of purples and blues, a stitched wound ran above his eyebrow, and his eyes were so swollen they seemed glued shut. His nose was heavily bandaged after the realignment surgery, and the sound of his labored breathing filled the sterile room. Guilt pricked at her heart. She knew kris would be angry but she hadn’t expected Kris to get so violent, to nearly kill Henry in a rage. She needed Henry alive—for now, at least—until she figured out how to get Kris back.Henry stirred, groaning awake, his face twisting in discomfort. Karen leaned over, her voice soft. "How are you feeling?"Henry grunted, trying to shift in the bed but clearly regretting it. "How do you think I feel?" he muttered, his voice gravelly. "I feel like shit. That bastard broke my nose. I can barely breathe, and I can't even open my damn eyes."Karen tried to sound reassuring. "The doctor sa
The room fell into a suffocating silence after Thalassa pressed play on her phone and the voice recording started.*THALASSA: Do you remember when I was arrested? You and your accomplice framed me and had me jailed. I spent three days in the same cold, bare cell. Not a single person came to visit me. KAREN: I had nothing to do with your arrest! That was all Linda’s doing. THALASSA: Just like what you did to me on my wedding night was also Linda’s plan?KAREN: Yes. You’ve got to believe me, Lassa. I didn’t want to do it because I never wanted to hurt you, but she made me. I don’t know how she convinced me. Thalassa, I could have let that man rape you. That’s what Linda wanted, but I didn’t. I strictly warned him not to because, despite everything, you were still my friend, and I didn’t want to harm you.The room grew Impossibly colder as the recording played on. Henry’s eyes darted between the two women his expression as tense as Karen’s.Thalassa stood tall and resolute, her voice
Henry looked at Karen, his mind racing. Karen stared back, her eyes pleading, her face twisted in fear and desperation.Thalassa waited patiently, her expression calm, confident, and completely in control.Henry’s teeth ground together, and through gritted teeth, he spat, “You bitch.”Thalassa rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You already called me that, Henry. Try something new next time.” She crossed her arms, her gaze never leaving his battered face. “Now hurry up and make a decision.”Karen stood frozen beside the bed as she stared at Henry. Why was he taking so long to decide? “Henry?”He looked at her, his jaw clenched. “What? What do you want me to do, Karen? Just let Kris go scot-free after he did this to me?” He pointed at his bruised face. His voice rose, filled with anger and frustration. “I can barely breathe. He destroyed my face. You want me to just let that slide?”Karen’s hands trembled as she clenched them into fists at her sides. “But they’ll put me
Henry curled his hands into tight fists, feeling trapped with Thalassa gaze on him.“Y-yeah,” he stammered, his eyes darting between Officer Swartz and Thalassa. “She... she can stay.”Karen opened her mouth to protest, but a sharp, pointed look from Thalassa made the words die on Karen's tongue. Begrudgingly, she turned and walked out of the room. Thalassa smiled with satisfaction. “You can go on taking his statement officer.”The officer cleared his throat and looked at Henry. "Mr. Fitz, could you describe what happened in your office?"Henry felt a surge of irritation rising in him, his fists clenching even tighter. Thalassa stood just behind the officer, her eyebrow arched, her gaze piercing into him. He gritted his teeth, but remembering all the information she had that could ruin him, he knew he had no choice."I don't plan to press charges," he muttered.The officer blinked in surprise. "Really? I was told you were nearly killed.""That's an exaggeration.” Henry said. “Kris an
“Where are you taking me? Your house?” Kris questioned as he sat in the front passenger seat of Thalassa’s car while she sat behind the wheel.“Nope.” She shook her head. “I have never seen your penthouse so your penthouse it is.”Kris smiled. Even though it was something small, it reminded him of the day she kicked him out of her house. Only Luisa had accompanied him to his penthouse because Thalassa had wanted nothing more to do with him. The fact that things were so different now pleased him so much.After Thalassa had parked in one of the two underground parking spots reserved for Kris, they made their way into the elevator.Thalassa had every plan of pinning Kris against the elevator wall, but her plans were derailed when they found an older woman already in it. And to make it more annoying, the woman’s floor was only two floors beneath Kris’s penthouse.She couldn’t wait for them to be all alone again.She managed to hold herself back long enough, but as soon as Kris unlocked hi
"I don't want anything more than a fling with Gendry either!"Maya seemed taken aback by Tessa's tone, but she didn't let that deter her. "Even after the truth that came out yesterday about what really happened at prom?"Tessa's face scrunched. "What does that have to do with anything, Maya?""I mean, if your brother hadn't played those tricks, you and Gendry would've dated, and who knows what could've come out of it?""Oh, please, Maya." Tessa nearly rolled her eyes in exasperation.As far as she knew, none of their classmates who had been couples—even the most popular ones—had gotten into anything serious after high school.Maya and Jace were no exception because they'd barely known each other back in school. They'd only met and fallen in love years after they'd graduated.Had Tessa and Gendry dated, it probably would've ended just like the rest of the couples in the school"What if Gendry wants more?" Maya asked, cutting into Tessa's thoughts.Tessa's heart raced inside her chest,
“When were you going to tell me about you and Gendry?”Tessa stiffened at Maya's unexpected question. She wracked her brain, trying to remember if it had been mentioned during their heated confrontation with Alex, but no such memory surfaced. So how did Maya find out?Her only conclusion was that Gendry had probably told Jace about it, even though they'd agreed not to say anything to their friends yet.“No, Gendry didn't tell Jace anything,” Maya said as if she could read Tessa's mind. When Tessa looked at her with a blank expression, she burst out laughing. “Girl, I'm not sure what you and Gendry were trying to do, but if you were trying to keep your affair a secret, you didn’t do a very good job.”Tessa shrugged, averting her gaze. “I don't know what you're talking about.”Maya gave her an amused look as if silently saying, Are we really going to play this game?“Okay, let's see,” Maya began. “I noticed immediately when something changed between you two. For the past three days, you
By the time they got to the villa, Tessa knew sleep wasn’t going to be kind to her, and she was right.In the middle of the night, she lay in bed, staring into the darkness, tracing the faint outlines of the ceiling designs while her mind raced with thoughts.Needless to say, after the confrontation outside, no one had been in the mood to return to the dinner venue and continue talking. So, they’d all agreed to head back.On the way to the rehearsal, Tessa had ridden with Maya and Jace’s parents while Jace, Gendry, and Jace’s cousin had taken another car. They returned to the villa the same way. Tessa and Gendry hadn’t exchanged a single glance. If he had been looking at her, she hadn’t noticed because she’d been too busy avoiding his gaze.They didn’t speak a word, either. It was the strangest feeling. On one hand, Tessa felt like they had so much to say to each other. But on the other hand, what was the point?It wasn’t like they could change the past. And even if they could… then
“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