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
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
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