The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet (Thalassa and Elowen)

Thalassa turned down Joshua's kindness, locking her heart away to keep from setting herself up for another letdown.

Once, she had thought Bruce was her dad. She had longed for a father's love even amid Bruce's true colors as a scoundrel. But Bruce was rotten to the core, wounding her over and over again, leaving scars that ran deep.

She had become utterly disenchanted with the idea of a father. She couldn't dare to let herself be vulnerable to that kind of disappointment again.

Joshua tried to lighten the mood, offering her a piece of fried chicken with a smile, "Here, have some of this, it's full of protein."

Thalassa was about to respond when Rosalind interjected with a forced smile, "Thalassa, look how much Daddy cares for you. You should eat what he's given you. Otherwise, he'll be so disappointed. At home it's always us serving him, and he's never once served us. You're getting the royal treatment."

As she spoke, Rosalind shot a look across the table at Joshua. Her eyes were heavy with unspoken grievances, but she masked them well.

before, and I missed out on your growing up.

was no fool; he could tell Thalassa held her distance, her heart sealed off, unwilling to blend into

vigilance made Joshua's heart

amends, but she wouldn't accept his attempts at generosity. Sᴇaʀch

tried to

trying to give Thalassa money

YOUR

any more of this. Picking up her fork, she took a bite of her salad and said, "Thanks, but I can

wanted Joshua to stop serving her, to avoid stoking Rosalind's

her brother and adored by her parents. The sudden appearance of Thalassa, a

front of Rosalind, it was

didn't need another