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
Thalassa stared at the man in front of her. She was surprised but not shocked, because she knew he was coming.Having known him for more than two years even before they got married, she knew how impulsive he could get. That was why she told her security guards not to stop him if he sneaked into the house. She just hadn’t expected him to do it so soon.“Welcome, Kris. I have been expecting you,” she said calmly.He let out a laugh that had no warmth whatsoever. “Is that the excuse you’re going to use now that I’ve caught you?”“Now that you’ve caught me?” She rolled her eyes. “Oh please, don’t be such a drama queen. It doesn’t suit you.”Kris’s eyes blazed as he stared at her. Three years. He finally had her in front of him again after three years. He’d spent so many restless nights thinking about her, wondering where the hell she was, hating himself for it.Yet, now that she was in front of him, he felt a conflicting ball of emotions.“What did you think you were going to achieve with
A few minutes after Kris had left, while Thalassa was sitting on her bed taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart, Luisa rushed into the room with a worried look on her face.“Lassa, I just saw Kris being escorted out by the guard. What happened? What was he doing here?”“He sneaked into the house to verify his suspicions,” Thalassa answered.Luisa’s eyes widened. “So now he knows it’s you?” Thalassa nodded, and Luisa asked, “How did he react?”Thalassa shrugged. “As expected, he was furious.”Luisa’s eyes darkened. “Don’t tell me he tried to hurt you. Did he dare to touch you?”“No, Luisa,” Thalassa clarified, but a wry smile stretched across her lips.Yes, Kris hadn’t touched her or hurt her physically, but that hadn’t stopped him from doing everything he could to hurt her with his words. But the funny thing was that she had expected it.“How do you feel now that he has found out?” Luisa asked.“Nothing.”It was true. After her confrontation with Kris, all she felt was numb. She
“What?! What are you saying?!" Susan exclaimed. “You mean your ex-wife, Thalassa?”“Which other Thalassa do we all know?" Kris gritted out.“But... how can that lowlife woman be the owner of the biggest fashion business in Baltimore?” his aunt said until she saw the dark look on his mother's face. “I mean second best.”“Wait, my crush is that bitch?" Tyler fumed.“Now it all makes sense," his mother said, anger visible on her face. “That's why everything started going downhill for my fashion house when that stupid TT Fashion appeared. She was behind it all. She clearly wants revenge on me for how I exposed her and got her arrested.”His mother sounded like she was hyperventilating, so Kris immediately went closer to her. “Mum, calm down.”“No! How can I calm down? Didn't you see how I debased myself by going to ask for her help? I allowed that stupid woman to humiliate me.”Karen was the only one who hadn't spoken because she felt dumbstruck. If Thalassa had truly come back just to ge
Linda Miller was so shocked by the slap that she could only hold her burning cheek and stare at Thalassa in disbelief. During the time Thalassa had been her daughter-in-law, she had never dared to talk back to her or retaliate in any way, let alone slap her.“You! How dare you lay a hand on me, you imbecile!” Linda raged.“No. How dare YOU raise your hand at me!” Thalassa sneered back. “Do you think I’m still that naive, stupid woman who allowed you and everyone else to walk over her? Think again! Don’t throw hands if you don’t want hands, because if you throw hands, you’ll get hands. Is that clear?”“How dare you speak to my mother like that, you lowlife whore?! And how dare you lay your hands on her?!” Susan fumed as she charged towards Thalassa, but before she could do anything, Thalassa landed a hot slap on her cheek.Susan flew back, stumbling into her mother and aunt, causing all three of them to fall on the floor in a tangle of limbs.“Oh, children,” Thalassa sighed like a disa
Later that day, Thalassa was in her office reviewing some designs when she heard muffled bickering outside her door.“I told you, you can’t just go in,” her secretary Juana said.“Get out of my way.”Thalassa sighed, wondering who she would have to deal with now. Just then, the door burst open, and Karen stormed in.“Thalassa, I’m so sorry. I tried to stop—” Juana began to explain in a panic, but Thalassa calmed her down.“It’s okay, Juana. Leave us alone.”Juana nodded and walked out, not without glaring at Karen, who looked unapologetic.Once the door closed, Thalassa turned to Karen with a smile. “I was wondering when you were going to come to see me. I’m surprised you didn’t come with your accomplice.”Karen stared back at her. “You fooled us so well.”“Fooled you well?” Thalassa tsked. “I don’t think so. After all, your dear husband recognized me. That’s why he sneaked into my room last night to seek me out.”She smirked, enjoying how Karen’s face flashed with anger before she co
Karen took advantage of Thalassa's distraction to free herself and run into Kris's arms.“Kris... sweetheart, please help me. She wants to kill me. She wants to kill me. Just look... look what she has done to me," Karen cried, pointing at her face where Thalassa's slap had left it as red as a beetroot.Kris was stunned at what he was seeing on Karen's face. The slap marks were so brutal that he couldn't believe Thalassa had done something like this. He'd never known her to be a violent person. How could she have changed so much?“What has gotten into you? How dare you treat Karen like this?!” he sneered.“Don't speak to her like that," Zeke demanded as he appeared behind Kris and walked to stand beside Thalassa.Instinctively, he cradled Thalassa's cheek in his hands as he asked, “Are you okay?"Thalassa stiffened at the unexpected touch, but she didn't pull away as she nodded.Kris instantly recognized the man. It was Zeke Mathews, the man Thalassa had gotten involved with just a few
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
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