Linda was so upset that she was beginning to hyperventilate, gritting out under her breath, “What the hell is she doing here? How did she...”“She’s obviously here to bother us as usual. She just won’t leave us alone,” Karen said as she held onto an irritated Kris’s arm.Linda turned to her children and Aunt Cynthia. “Did you tell anyone that our family would be coming to this function?”Tyler’s face scrunched with disgust as he also said quietly, “Tell our friends that we’re going to a charity event? How boring!”“Then how did she know that I would be here? Because I know this isn’t just a coincidence!” Linda silently fumed some more.Kris, on the other hand, was scowling for a whole different reason, watching how Thalassa’s hand was so intricately wrapped around Zeke’s arm and how close their bodies were.The event organizer had his eyes wide, but he soon frowned, not believing that anyone would be willing to pay so much for the painting.“And you are?”Before Thalassa could respond
“Mum, what have you done?”“How can you buy that ridiculous painting for that amount?”While the other family members chastised Linda, Kris only fumed silently as he stared at Thalassa. Ironically, he felt more upset about her being so close to Zeke than about his mother losing such a large amount of money.“Mrs. Miller, the foundation cannot even begin to express how grateful we are for your immense generosity,” the organizer said. “Please, I believe we would all like to hear a word from you.”Everyone was staring at her, so Linda plastered a smile on her face even though she felt like crying. She got up and walked to the stage. She knew she could withdraw her bid, but if she did, she would be even more humiliated.Forcing an even wider smile, she began speaking. “Ladies and gentlemen, this donation is from the heart. There’s nothing more important than these children. I’m glad that I’ve made the biggest donation, which can go a long way to support them.”Thalassa rolled her eyes. Tr
Linda’s face contorted with anger, the mere sight of Thalassa making her blood boil.Thalassa tipped her head to the side, shaking her head with an unsurprised look on her face. “I always knew you were a wretched woman, but you’ve reached an all-time low. Threatening a man who’s only politely asking for something you promised to give?”Linda shot to her feet and faced Thalassa. “You stupid girl. You tricked me! You tricked me into bidding that amount.”“Tricked you?” Thalassa couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t be so dense, Linda. I didn’t point a gun at your head to bid that high. You did it because you were too proud to lose to me. It’s your own stupidity that cost you.”Fury flashed across Linda’s face as she stepped forward and threw her hand, but Thalassa saw it just in time and grabbed her wrist, squeezing tightly.“You don’t learn, do you, Linda? I already warned you not to throw hands at me because I’ll throw it back at you.”“Let go of me,” Linda groaned in pain, trying to free h
Kris was so upset that the veins in his neck were popping from how hard he was clenching his fists.“Brother...Kris, I was just putting this bitch in her pla—”“Shut up, Susan,” Kris hissed, staring daggers at his sister. “Is it true? Everything you just said?”He felt so conflicted. Was this truly how his family had treated Thalassa three years ago? He’d known his family didn’t like her, especially his mother, but had it been that bad?“Kris, she attacked Mum in the organizer’s office. Look what she did,” Susan said, taking his mother’s hand to show the red marks on her wrist.“Just answer my question,” Kris gritted out, his anger and anxious need for an answer overshadowing his worry for his mother.Susan didn’t speak. Instead, it was Thalassa. “Why are you so surprised by what you just heard, Kris? How else did you expect them to treat me when you never treated me with respect?”Thalassa scoffed as she turned to Susan. “And you, what did you think you were going to achieve by bring
As Zeke drove Thalassa to her and Luisa's house, the ride was silent all the way. The few times he'd tried to initiate conversation, she'd instantly killed it with short, disinterested answers.Some time later, he pulled the car into the driveway of her house. Killing the engine, he turned to her, concern etched on his face.“Lasaa, are you okay?”She raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn't I be?”Zeke bit his lip, wondering whether to probe. Since the day she broke down in his arms at her office, she'd gone back to never sharing her thoughts or emotions with him. He knew she wouldn't tell him what was on her mind if he asked, but he was certain it had something to do with Kris Miller.“You shouldn't let him get to you,” he finally risked saying.Thalassa stiffened. “What are you talking about?”“I’m talking about Kris and his claims that he didn’t know how his family mistreated you. You shouldn’t let him deceive you. He’s obviously only trying to free himself from his guilt and—”“I’d rathe
On the other side of the city, the Millers weren’t in the best of moods by the time they arrived home. Susan was the most upset, immediately storming up the stairs to go to her room. Tyler followed shortly.“See how upset you’ve made Susan? You treated her—us—like we were strangers while you defended that woman,” his mother accused.“Mum, what Susan did was uncalled for,” Kris pointed out, his mood souring further.“Uncalled for?” His mother stared at him in disbelief. “Even after that woma attacked me in the organizer’s office and said she would help them sue and disgrace me?”“What you did wasn’t right either, Mum. What were you thinking, trying to use threats to withdraw your bid?”“But how do you expect me to pay that amount for that ridiculous painting?”“Then you shouldn’t have bid for it, Mum,” Kris snapped, much sharper than he’d intended to.Seeing the hurt look on his mother’s face, he let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Mum, but it’s the truth.”Karen stepped forward. “But it was T
“You’re going to make her yours?” Kris gritted out. “Thalassa is not an object to be owned. She makes her own choices.”Clark stared at him. “Of course I know that. But don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean. I’m just planning to win her over.”“Sure. Good luck,” Kris said sarcastically.Clark leaned towards him. “Come on, why don’t you help me out? You had better luck than me the first time. So tell me, what do I do to win her over? What are her likes and dislikes? What makes her weak in the knees?”Alden, who was taking a sip of his whiskey, nearly choked on his drink when he saw the murderous look in Kris’s eyes as he glared at Clark.When Kris didn’t bother to respond after a few seconds, Clark shrugged. “Even if you don’t help me out, I’ll figure a way to make her mine myself.”“Dude, chill, no?” Alden said, not liking how possessive the man sounded. “You just saw her again after a couple of years, and you haven’t even talked to her.”Clark sighed. “The truth is I never stopped
When the hug went on for too long, Thalassa shifted, which finally made Clark break the hug. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry if I’m acting all clingy,” he immediately apologized. “It’s just that I’m really happy to see you again.”“You weren’t exactly happy with me the last time we talked,” Thalassa recalled, adjusting herself in her seat.Clark cringed. “I was a bit of an ass, wasn’t I?” He chuckled lightly. “Well, to my credit, you’d just told me that you were going to choose Kris over me because he was the one you loved and not me. That really hurt.”Confusion marred his face. “Only for me to hear just a few minutes ago that the two of you aren’t together anymore. What happened?”Thalassa gave him a hard smile. “Am I really supposed to believe that Kris hasn’t already told you what happened or that you never heard it on the news?”He shook his head. “No, he refused to tell me anything. As for the news, I returned to Europe a few months after your rejection. I’ve been there all this time
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
Luisa opened her mouth to speak again, but Alden’s light squeeze on her hand stopped her. She turned to look at him, confused, but his subtle shake of the head made her pause. She clamped her mouth as she turned back to Kris. She could see it in his eyes—he knew the truth, but he wasn’t ready to face it. Thalassa stayed buried in Kris’s chest, unmoving except for the shallow rise and fall of her shoulders. She was too numb to cry anymore, too overwhelmed to speak. Kris’s hand rubbed her back in slow, soothing circles, but even that felt like a distant echo in the storm raging inside her. Without a word, they all walked back to the waiting area. The minutes stretched into hours. Somewhere during that time, a police officer came to take Bridget's statement regarding the attack.Midnight came and went, but no one felt even a little bit sleepy. Every nurse or doctor who passed by was met with hopeful eyes, but no one stopped to give them any news. Finally, after four grueling hour
The air in the hospital waiting room was suffocating with tension. Thalassa was leaning against Kris, her head heavy on his shoulder, while Luisa sat beside Alden, clutching his hand. After a while, Luisa’s voice cut through the silence. “How is it even possible for a prison transport to get hijacked? Aren’t there protocols to prevent this?” Alden nodded slowly, his expression grim. “There are, but law enforcement isn’t infallible. Sometimes, things slip through the cracks. And sometimes… they get blindsided.” Luisa’s eyes narrowed, her thoughts spiraling. “What if… what if she wasn’t kidnapped? What if she escaped? What happens then?” Kris exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. “If she escaped, she’s already out of the country by now. Prison was her worst nightmare, and there’s no way she’d miss an opportunity to avoid it.” Luisa sagged against Alden, her exhaustion evident in her trembling frame. Alden wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. “You need to rest, babe,” he
After turning off the TV, Bridget scanned her eyes around the empty space. Her eyes fell on Rita’s phone which was lying on the couch, face down. She'd forgotten to take it along.She smiled faintly, shaking her head, “Poor thing. She’s thinking about too much.” She picked it up and tucked it in her hand before making her way to the hall to flip off the lights. Then she made her way upstairs.When she reached her Rita's door, she knocked lightly, calling, “Madam?”There was no answer. She waited a beat, then knocked again, a little louder this time, her brow furrowing as she listened for any sign of movement. Silence.Bridget frowned, a little puzzled. Her boss had gone upstairs not even four minutes ago. Could she have already fallen asleep? It seemed unlikely, but maybe she really had been more tired than Bridget realized. “Well,” she mumbled to herself, “I can give it to her tomorrow.”She turned to head down to her room, but something stopped her. She turned back toward the door