Your Gold Digger is Actually A True Heiress by Vera Fiore

Chapter 18

After taking photos, Asher handed back her phone, his expression carefully neutral. “You have a message”

“Ohp”

Thalia opened it, her face stiffening at Drake’s words. She knew message previews appeared automatically–Asher must have seen it.

She glanced back at him nervously, explaining, “My ex. We’ve broken up.”

“I see.” Asher’s expression remained impassive, his eyes unreadable.

“I’ve blocked him on everything else–forgot about his number.”

Thalia felt oddly flustered. She was twenty–five; having an ex–boyfriend was perfectly normal. Besides, she’d dated Drake before agreeing to the arrangement with Asher. She had nothing to feel guilty about.

Realizing this, she calmed herself. “I’ll block him now.”

She did so immediately, with Asher watching.

“Trust me,” she added, “once I agreed to our arrangement, any past relationships became exactly

that–past.”

Asher nodded, his dark eyes still inscrutable. But as Thalia turned away, the faintest smile played at his

lips.

After several days of exploring the city together, it was time to return to London.

She hadn’t told her family she was coming home, so no one from the Winters household was at the

airport.

Instead, Asher’s assistant met them with a black Rolls–Royce Cullinan.

“Shall I come in with you?” Asher asked as they pulled up to the Winters estate.

Thalia shook her head. “No need.”

“Alright.”

the gates, hesitating. Sensing

his car disappeared did Thalia ring the bell. Three years ago, she’d left without her keys. Now she needed to be buzzed into her own home–the irony wasn’t lost on

housekeeper of fifteen years, opened the door and froze. “Miss… Miss

home?”

cracked with emotion.

throat tightened as she nodded.

your father right away.”

“He’s not here?”

stepmother’s at

in relief.

facing them all–her stepmother, half–sister, and the father she’d been at odds

left it, immaculately

daily.

Clarke’s knock. “Miss Thalia? What would you like for

dinner?”

opened the door with a slight smile.

Mrs. Clarke beamed, genuinely delighted.

grow up, loving her like a daughter. She’d been the one to carry young Thalia in from the snow the night

Randolph retreated into depression after Rosalind’s death, neglecting his daughter, Mrs. Clarke had stayed

her grief, it was Mrs. Clarke who coaxed

Mrs. Clarke, Thalia might not have survived

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Digger is Actually A

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Chapter 18

to her father in three

her a beautifully wrapped

make some

shook her head. “This is for you. I’ve had plenty. I wanted you

“I couldn’t possibly-”

the gift into her hands. “Please. After everything you’ve done for me, it’s the

offer.”

welled up.

rang out as a small girl ran forward, throwing her arms around Thalia’s legs.

much!” Eight–year–old Lucy Winters looked up at her half–sister, eyes shining with

She couldn’t help associating Lucy with Victoria, her stepmother–her mother’s former best

bring herself to be cruel to such