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 that, Thalassa felt hope spark inside her. Kris had convinced his mother to drop the charges. That could only mean that he loved her. There was definitely an explanation for all this. Mr. Sawyer drew a pen from his bag. “Here, please take the pen and sign the papers. There’s no alimony because Kris said you can keep the millions you stole into your offshore accounts. All you have to do is sign at the required spots, and he’ll have your belongings delivered to wherever you want.” Before the lawyer could finish speaking, Thalassa had turned and began storming out of the police station. Reaching the roadside, she quickly waved her hand at an approaching cab. The car stopped in front of her, and she didn’t waste time entering. “The Miller mansion,” she instructed the driver. She still had the divorce papers in her hand, and her heart pounded as she stared at them. It couldn’t be true. This had to be another one of Linda Miller’s schemes to separate her and Kris. She wasn’t going to believe it until Kris himself told her that he wanted a divorce. When the driver stopped outside the Miller mansion, she reached into her bag and pulled out some dollar notes. Not caring how much it was, she tossed it at the driver and got out. She was just about to enter through the gate when a burly security guard stepped in front of her. “You can’t go in,” he said gruffly. Thalassa glared at him. “What do you mean I can’t go in? This is my house! I’m Kris’s wife!” “I know that. But I’ve been given orders by Mrs. Miller not to let you in.” Of course, it was Linda Miller’s orders. Thalassa roughly ran her fingers through her hair, feeling like she was going insane. Without a second thought, she ran past the security guard onto the mansion’s compound. “Hey, I told you you can’t go in!” the man hissed, running after her, but his speed was no match for Thalassa’s desperation as she ran on and finally entered the house. The Miller family was all gathered in the living room, but Kris was nowhere in sight. All of them turned to look at her disdainfully before storming towards her. “What are you doing here, you thief?!” Cynthia, Kris’s aunt, demanded. “This bitch really has some guts!” Tyler, Kris’s younger brother, scoffed. “I’m going to drag her out by her hair!” Susan, Kris’s younger sister, gritted out. “Ma’am, I tried to stop her, but she just ran past me,” the security guard said as he appeared behind Thalassa, grabbing her by the arm. “It’s okay. Let go of her arm,” Linda Miller said as she finally stopped in front of Thalassa. The rest of her family also stopped behind her, their eyes blazing like vultures, waiting to tear Thalassa to shreds. “You have no shame showing your face here after what you did to my son and our family,” Linda sneered, her voice dripping with disgust. Anger shot through Thalassa as she snapped. “I did not do anything, and you know it! You were the one who sent me to meet that man. Why are you doing this? Why are you lying?” Her voice broke, which only increased the pleasure on her mother-in-law’s face. “My son wants nothing to do with you anymore, Thalassa, so you have no business being here. Get out of here.” “You’re nothing but a snake! I am not leaving until I speak to Kris!” Thalassa stated firmly, glaring back at her. “Don’t speak to my mother like that,” Kris’s harsh voice sounded as he approached. Thalassa immediately ran towards him, holding up the divorce papers. “Kris...your lawyer...he came to me and gave me these papers. He said you wanted a divorce, but I know it’s got to be a mistake. It’s all a mistake, right?” Kris stared coldly into her eyes as he answered, “There’s no mistake.” Thalassa stumbled back, shaking her head in disbelief. “Kris...please, you can’t... Let’s save our marriage. All this is a misunderstanding. I didn’t do anything. Please, you’ve got to believe me.” “Do you really still believe that I want to continue being with a woman like you? You don’t even have the decency to admit what you did,” Kris snorted, his cold eyes boring into her. “But I didn’t do anything!” Thalassa declared desperately, grabbing onto his arm. “Kris, please be–“ “Let go of me!” he hissed, snatching his arm from her hold. “Why is the door left open?” A voice came from behind Thalassa. It was the voice of Karen Blade, her best friend. Hope beamed inside Thalassa. “Thalassa...” Karen gasped with surprise when she finally saw her. “You’re out of jail?” Thalassa instantly moved towards her and grabbed her hand, leading her to where Kris was standing. “Karen, please tell Kris. Tell him how I called you after his mother sent me to give the documents to that man. Tell him how I was hesitant because something didn’t feel right. Tell him that I’m innocent.” Thalassa waited. Waited for Karen to tell Kris exactly that, but the next words out of her best friend’s mouth sent her whole world crashing down. “I’m sorry, Thalassa, but I’m tired of always covering up your lies. You never called me.” Karen’s denial was like a slap, causing Thalassa to stumble backward as her mouth dropped open in shock. “But...but Karen...what are you saying? What lies? I called you to tell you about it. You even called me later to ask whether I was on my way to do what my mother-in-law had asked.” Karen’s eyes, which usually always shone with affection, now blazed coldly with malice. “Enough already, Thalassa! Aren’t you tired of always telling lies? I’m so tired of always having to lie for you, but I can’t anymore. Kris is a good man and he doesn’t deserve your deceptions.” Thalassa’s head spun as she tried to process everything. Was she dreaming? She had to be dreaming. Otherwise, why would her best friend, the person she trusted and confided in the most, betray her like this? Feeling like her heart was beating out of her chest, she turned to Kris, looking at him pleadingly. “Baby, please, I... I don’t know why Karen is lying, but please believe me. I haven’t done anything. I’ve never lied to you.” “You lowlife thief! So everyone else is a liar except you?” Susan, Kris’s sister, snorted as she crossed her arms over her chest. Thalassa paid no heed to her words because they didn’t matter. The only person whose opinion mattered to her at that moment was Kris. “Kris, why aren’t you saying anything? Please tell me you believe me.” “I have nothing to say to you apart from the fact that you should sign the divorce papers and disappear from my life. I want nothing to do with you.” “No!” Thalassa declared loudly, throwing the divorce papers to the ground. “I refuse to sign them. Kris, you can’t possibly believe that I could lie and steal from you in such a way.” She grabbed his hand, staring into his hard eyes with her pleading ones. “You promised me that nothing would ever come between us. What happened to that promise?” “That’s because I didn’t know I was marrying a liar, a thief, and a slut,” he hissed, jerking his hand away. “It’s okay. I’ve had enough of this woman,” Linda Miller said. “If she refuses to sign the divorce papers, we can get it another way. Take her away.” Immediately, the security guard grabbed Thalassa’s arm, but just as he was about to drag her away, she yelled, “I am pregnant!”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
Two days later...“You're being discharged today, Thalassa. You can go home now,” the doctor announced.Thalassa sat up with a sigh. Was she crazy for wishing she could spend a few more days at the hospital? It seemed so much better than going out to face her new reality. But she knew she eventually had to.She forced a smile for the doctor's sake. “Thank you, doctor. I'm so happy that I'm finally being released."The doctor's expression dropped a little, and she bit her lip before adding, “Uh... So, since nobody has been here to sign you out, you'll have to take care of the bills before leaving.”Thalassa let out another sigh. Did they think she was helpless without her ex-husband?“I know that, doctor. Like I said, I'll take care of the bills.”When she was ready to leave, she was taken to settle the accounts. Her eyes widened when she saw her total bill. The amount she had to pay for her three-day stay in the hospital was simply outrageous, even with insurance.She took a deep brea
“Your...your daughter?” Thalassa blinked, staring at the woman with her brows furrowed in confusion. “Ma'am, are you looking for your daughter? Is that why you're wandering alone?”But her questions seemed to fall on deaf ears. The woman began running her hands all over her—her face, her arms, her hair.“It’s you. It’s really you. Oh, thank you, God. I knew you would bring her to me.”Thalassa was increasingly weirded out by the woman's touches, but that was the least important thing right now. She needed to call the police to take the kidnapper away.She endured the old lady’s odd touches as she pulled out her phone, but before she could dial 911, the kidnapper suddenly jerked up from the ground with a groan.Thalassa immediately pulled the old lady behind her, posing defensively as she narrowed her eyes at the man.“I called the police while you were passed out. They're going to be here any moment, so you don't have time,” she warned.She fisted her hands, expecting the man to attac
Zeke took in the tense posture of Thalassa and her fisted hands, immediately realizing that she was afraid that he was going to hurt her.“Hi." He said it calmly and casually, hoping that would calm her tension.It didn't.“What do you want? How did you know that I was staying at this motel?” She questioned me gruffly.“Damn, relax. I'm not here to cause any trouble.” Zeke said, raising his arms in a peace gesture. “I just came here to apologize for how I behaved with you last night. I was very rude to you, even though you didn't deserve it. My grandma told me about how you saved her from a kidnapper, and I wanted to thank you for that. I'm so sorry for how I behaved.”The tension in Thalassa's shoulders eased a bit. “Well, I'm glad you realized your mistake, but next time, try not to project your own irresponsibilities on other people."The man stiffened, and for a moment, Thalassa thought he was offended, but a smile soon tipped the corners of his lips. It was a beautiful smile.“Yo
At the same time that evening, Kris was at The View, a popular nightclub where he and his friends, Henry and Alden, often went to talk over drinks. Henry and Alden had just returned from a business trip to the news of Kris's divorce from Thalassa.“So you finally made her sign the divorce papers and kicked her out? I'm so happy for you, man.”That was Henry, a dirty blonde guy in his late twenties who had no filter whatsoever when it came to the things he said and slept around with no intention of settling down.Alden glared at Henry. “Do you really think saying all that will make him feel better? Can't you see he looks miserable as it is?”Alden, also in his late twenties, was tall with dark hair and easily the most handsome among them. He was usually the voice of reason.“Oh, please,” Henry rolled his eyes. “He's going to get over it soon. The fact that that lowlife is finally out of his life is so much better. She never deserved to mingle with people like us anyway.”“Lowlife? Henr
“Karen...what are you doing? Put your clothes back on.” Kris chided sternly despite his drunk voice as he looked away.Karen refused, stepping closer to him. “Kris, I can make you forget, I promise. I can make you feel better.”She took his face between her hands, trying to kiss him, but he shoved her away. Karen would’ve fallen if she hadn’t held on to the edge of the bed for support.Kris was glaring at her as he shook his head. His vision was becoming blurier and blurier as sleep beckoned. “Karen, I appreciate that you helped...me see the kind of woman Thalassa truly was, but nothing like this can happen between us again.”Straightening, Karen was frustrated. She’d thought in this state, he would be so vulnerable that he would take what she was offering him. Yet he wasn’t even looking at her.“Please...put...on your clothes...Karen.” Kris’s voice slurred.He bent down, trying to pick the dress up from the floor for her, but the world spun in front of his eyes. He felt like shit. No
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