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
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
“Good evening. I’m here for Mr. Joel Asante. Is he around?” Thalassa said to the lady at the front desk of the Astoria Hotel.She felt so tense that she didn’t realize she was tapping her fingers loudly on the desk until a woman standing beside her hissed and glared at her.Flashing an apologetic smile, Thalassa brought her gaze back to the receptionist who was done checking the appointment.“Yes, he is. And he’s expecting you. Suite 13. Take the elevator to the seventh floor and turn to your left.”“Thank you.” Thalassa said as she turned to go, her unease increasing with every step she took towards the elevator.Why did she feel like something was amiss?She had been sent to meet this Joel Asante by her mother in law, Linda Miller. Linda Miller had never liked Thalassa since she began dating her son, Kris Miller, and the dislike had increased even more since Kris and Thalassa got married a year ago.So today when her mother in law had called her and told her to deliver some document
Tears streamed down Thalassa’s face as one of the officers stepped behind her and took her hands, placing her wrists in cuffs. She stared pleadingly at Kris, hoping he would realize his mistake and save her from this humiliation, but he merely stared at her with nothing but coldness as she was led out of the room.As if this humiliation wasn’t enough, when they got outside, several reporters instantly rushed towards her, flashing cameras as they came.“Thalassa, is it really true that you married Kris Miller all for his money?”“How do you feel after your theft was discovered?”Thalassa had never felt this humiliated in her life, with people staring at her and reporters asking all sorts of questions as she was led into the police car.“Wait! Please, this is a mistake. I’m innocent. You’ve got to believe me,” she pleaded with the police officer who led her into the holding cell.The officer laughed as he locked the gate to the cell. “That’s what they all say. You really should’ve thoug
Thalassa’s hands shook as her eyes repeatedly ran over the bold words: DIVORCE AGREEMENT.Agreement? She certainly didn’t remember sitting down to talk about anything. This surely had to be a mistake.She turned her panicked eyes to the lawyer. “Is this a joke?”“I don’t remember ‘comedian’ being in my job description, Miss Thompson,” the lawyer said, sounding offended.“Then what is this?” Thalassa demanded, her voice louder than she intended, laden with frustration.The lawyer’s nostrils flared as he looked around at the people staring at them. “It’s exactly what you’re looking at, Miss Thompson. Kris wants a divorce.”Thalassa noted how he kept referring to her by her maiden name, as if she and Kris were already divorced.The lawyer took a step closer. “Look, don’t make this complicated. You’re lucky to be walking away with just a divorce. You could’ve spent several years rotting in jail. You should be thankful to Kris that he convinced his mother to drop the charges.”Just like th
The hall turned silent. So silent that you could hear a pin drop as everyone stared at Thalassa in shock, but the only reaction she cared about was Kris’s.His nostrils flared, his eyes widening as if demanding to know if she was telling the truth.“Yes,” she nodded earnestly. “It’s true. I found out yesterday. That’s why I called you so many times; I wanted to give you the good news, but you never picked up. And when I texted, saying I had something important to tell you, that’s what I wanted to share.”Her breath caught as she gauged Kris’s reaction, anxiously waiting for his response. His eyes scanned her face as if looking for any hint of lying, his gaze turning conflicted.Just as Thalassa began to think that he believed her, his mother appeared. “Son, you can’t possibly believe anything that comes out of this whore’s mouth after everything she has done. She’s lying! She’s obviously telling you this so that you won’t divorce her.”“I am not lying!” Thalassa declared fiercely. “Wh
“Isn’t that Thalassa Thompson?” “No way! The gold-digger who married Kris Thompson for his money?” “Yeah. She also cheated and had been stealing from him the whole time they were married.” “Yes, I heard about it. Poor man. He married her despite her low-class status only for her to betray him like that. But wasn’t she arrested?” “Both of you shut up this instant! How many times must I warn you not to gossip about our patients, especially in front of them?” Thalassa slowly opened her eyes but closed them instantly when bright lights attacked them. Blinking to adjust to the lights, she finally opened her eyes to find three women hovering over her. They were dressed in healthcare overalls. Two looked to be nurses, and the other looked to be a doctor. “She has woken,” one of the nurses observed, and they all focused on her. “Finally,” the one who looked to be a doctor said, then flashed a small smile at Thalassa. “How are you feeling, dear?” Bracing her hand on the
Earlier that morning..."We did it, Mrs. Miller!" Karen Blade squealed excitedly like a child.Linda Miller, on the other hand, simply smiled. "Yes. We finally managed to kick that social climber out of my son's life. This deserves a toast."Picking up the bottle of expensive wine, she poured it into the two glasses on the serving tray. She usually would have called one of the servants to do it for her, but she didn't want anyone listening in on her conversation with Karen.Once each had a glass in hand, they clinked them together in a toast. Linda brought her glass to her lips elegantly and took a sip of the wine, enjoying the taste of victory. Some would say it was too early to drink wine, but sometimes, you just had to make exceptions.Karen sighed blissfully. "Oh, Mrs. Miller, I honestly thought we would never see this day. After everything we did so that Kris wouldn't marry her, he still went ahead and married her. I thought he would never leave her."The night before Kris and Th
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