In Thalassa's office, after her call with Kris, Luisa and Millie were staring at her with varying degrees of shock and confusion.“I can’t believe this! You’re really willing to let Karen out of jail?!" Millie exclaimed.“All because of what her mother came here to say?” Luisa fumed. “What if the two of them were in cahoots to deceive you?”“Rita is an honest woman and would never connive with anyone, not even Karen,” Thalassa replied calmly.“Even so!” Luisa stared at her like she was going crazy. “I thought you wanted Karen to pay for everything she has done to you. I can't believe you’re just letting her get out so easily.”Though Thalassa was exasperated, she could also understand her friends' frustration and confusion. Sighing, she stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window on one side of her office, which overlooked a breathtaking view of the city.“Luisa, do you remember my main motive for coming back to Baltimore?” she asked, still looking out the window.“Yes. You wan
Karen's hands shook as she raised her head to meet Kris's cold eyes. "I don't... I don't understand. What is this?"His nostrils flared impatiently. "I don't remember you being illiterate.""Divorce? Kris, you can't divorce me," she protested."Do you still doubt something even when you have evidence in your hand? Just sign the divorce papers, Karen. I can't continue being married to a woman like you. This marriage shouldn't have happened in the first place.""But... but what about the luggage? Why have you brought all my things out?"Kris glared at her. "Since you seem to have lost your comprehension abilities, I will explain it to you. I don't want you in this house, not in my life.""But... Tessa... what about our daughter? You can't separate me from her," Karen said, turning her panicked eyes to her mother, who was standing behind her. "Mom, please tell him that what he's trying to do is wrong."Rita felt helpless, u
"Then the twirl... No, no! How many times do I have to tell you to twirl the dress in tune with the turn at the endpoint?....I need a bit more elegance and grace....What is this? What is wrong with you today, Carmen?.....No, that's not it! Why are you so rigid?" Thalassa continued making comment after comment as she watched the model on the makeshift runway walking back and forth in one of their top dresses. Nothing the model did seemed good enough for her. Carmen, the model, looked like she was about to cry, no longer knowing how to move her body to Thalassa's liking. "I'm sorry, Lassa." Thalassa scoffed. "I don't need your apology, Carmen. I just need you to put in the right effort. Is that too much to ask for?" "Lassa!" Luisa hissed as she finally decided to intervene. "What is wrong with you? Why are you talking to her like that?" She looked at the model. "Carmen, please go and take off the
Her heart skipped a beat when something hard was pressed into her back. It was the unmistakable barrel of a gun.“Don’t move,” a deep voice hissed behind her. It was the voice of a man. “You’re going to come with me without making a sound. Is that clear?”Thalassa’s heart raced, but she forced herself to remain calm. “And if I don’t?”The man made a choking sound in his throat, as if he hadn’t expected her to talk back. “Then you won’t see tomorrow. Isn’t that clear enough?”Oh, it was quite clear, but Thalassa knew she couldn’t panic. She needed to keep her cool.“You really don’t want to do this,” she said evenly, her voice betraying none of the fear she felt. “Think about what you’re trying to—”“Shut up,” the man hissed, pushing the gun harder against her spine. “Just move. Right now.”Thalassa took a slow step forward, her mind whirling. She needed to buy some time, to figure out a way to get out of this. The man’s hand was trembling slightly against her back, and she could feel
“Clark!” Thalassa shouted, panic flashing in her eyes, thinking that Clark had been stabbed in the stomach.Clark grimaced but tried to stay upright, his hand clutching his side. The knife had only slashed the left side of his torso, and though the wound wasn’t deep, there was still blood soaking the blue shirt he was wearing.“I’m... I’m okay,” he managed to say through gritted teeth.But the man didn’t pause. He turned his focus back to Thalassa, coming at her again with the knife raised. This time, Thalassa was ready. She dodged his thrust and grabbed his arm, using his momentum against him.They struggled for control, the knife glinting in the dim light, until she managed to twist his wrist, forcing him to drop the weapon. With a swift kick, she knocked the knife out of his reach before jamming her knee into his stomach, sending him to the ground.Grabbing the man by the front of his shirt, she slammed him against the car, her breath coming in short, furious bursts. “Who sent you?
Clark looked at her, waiting for an answer. An answer that never came as Thalassa quickly changed the subject.“We better get out of here before that bastard comes back, don’t you think?” she said instead.Clark nodded, realizing she didn’t want to talk about it. “We need to report this to the police.”“Sure. But let’s just go to the hospital first, Clark,” she said, her voice indifferent.With his key, Clark unlocked the car door, but before he could open the driver’s side, she took the key from him.“I’ll drive.”Clark didn’t protest. “Okay, but I need to get something.”He opened the door and picked up what looked like a napkin. Thalassa watched him curiously as he bent down and picked up both the gun and the knife with the napkin, groaning as he did.“What are you doing?”“This is evidence we can present to the police when we file the report.”Thalassa pursed her lips before reminding him, “He was wearing gloves, Clark. There won’t be any fingerprints to trace.”Clark pondered thi
Their eyes locked for a second. Thalassa was the first to look away. Suddenly realizing that he was still holding her hand, she gently shifted it, prompting him to finally let go. Clark cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for keeping you later than expected with this hospital trip. I’ll take you home immediately after this. As for the report, don’t worry about it. I’ll personally take care of it. But before that, I really need to know, Lassa, who do you suspect sent that man to attack you?” Thalassa’s expression darkened. “I’d rather not talk about it.” Clark let out a long sigh. “You never want to talk about anything I ask about. You never even told me what happened between you and Kris to make you two get divorced.” Clicking her tongue, she grew annoyed with his insistence and sneered, “Do you mean to tell me that you never bothered to look it up, even after I told you it was all over the news?” “No,” Clark shook his head. “I never looked it up because I was hoping that one day
It took Thalassa a couple of seconds to recover from the shock of Clark's unexpected kiss. When she finally did, she braced her palms against his chest and pushed him back as gently but firmly as she could.“Clark, what are you doing?”“I'm sorry, I just had to. I've been dying to do that since we met again." Clark said, but his expression was far from apologetic. “Isn't it obvious that I still have feelings for you? I'm sure it's written all over my face every time I'm with you because that's just how much you affect me."“Clark..." Thalassa tried to say, but he cut her off.“I wish I hadn't stepped away when you told me you wanted to be with Kris. I genuinely thought you were going to be happy with him. If I'd known he would only make you suffer, I would have never let him have you.”Thalassa pursed her lips into a grim line. “That wouldn't have been up to you to decide."“Yes," Clark nodded in agreement. “But I wouldn't have stopped fighting for your love. That's what I mean.”He s
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