Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The newcomer was an elegant woman in her thirties, radiating a refined presence.

“Thalia,” Asher introduced, “this is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration expert I mentioned.”

Thalia’s eyes lit up with surprise and delight. She’d expected an elderly academic, not this striking

woman.

She rose quickly to shake hands. “Dr. Bennett, I’m Thalia Winters. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your help with my figurine.”

“Oh dear,” Sarah laughed warmly, eyes crinkling. “Dr. Bennett sounds terribly formal. Sarah, please.”

Thalia flushed, embarrassed at her over–formality.

14

“I’m so sorry–I didn’t mean to be stuffy.”

“Not at all,” Sarah’s smile remained warm as her gaze flickered to Asher. “I must say, you’re quite

surprising. Our Asher here is notoriously particular–I’ve been quite curious what sort of woman could

capture his attention. Now I understand completely.”

“Please, sit,” Thalia pulled out a chair.

After pouring tea for Sarah, Thalia hovered attentively. “Hope it’s to your taste.”

Sarah’s eyes danced with amusement as she sipped. “Perfect.”

“Thalia, darling, do relax,” Asher interjected. “Dr. Bennett is being very well compensated. You needn’t

fuss so.”

Thalia smiled and returned to her seat beside him.

“Always ruining my fun, Asher,” Sarah mock–pouted.

Turning to Thalia, she asked brightly, “Did you bring the piece with you, dear?”

“Not yet–would you mind coming back to the house with me after dinner? I can show you then.”

“Of course,” Sarah agreed readily.

16:11

Your Gold Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

After dinner, Sarah accompanied Thalia to the Winters estate.

Thalia carefully unwrapped the broken figurine. “Do you think it can be saved?”

Sarah examined the pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly shattered, isn’t it?”

Thalia held her breath.

“But don’t worry, dear. Now it’s in my hands, I promise to restore it properly.”

Thalia exhaled in relief. “Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.”

Sarah was privately thrilled. Asher’s restoration fee was extraordinarily generous for such a small project.

“Do you have any photos of the original piece?”

“Yes, I’ll send them to you.”

“Perfect. I’ll contact you if I need any other details. Shall we call it a night?”

“Let me have the driver take you home.”

“That would be lovely.”

With the restoration arranged, Thalia turned her thoughts to settling scores with Drake and Sienna.

She called her cousin Alexander.

“Alex? I need a favor.”

That evening, fresh from her shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with an unknown New York number.

Thinking it might be a client, she answered. “Hello?”

Silence.

She tried again twice.

Still nothing.

“If you won’t speak, I’m hanging up.”

16:11

Your Gold Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

“It’s me.” Drake’s voice. “Thalia, unblock my number and WhatsApp.”

Her brow creased.

“No.”

His tone turned awkward. “Can’t we stop fighting? I’ve missed you these past few days. I shouldn’t have said those things. I was wrong.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. We’re over.”

“Over?” His voice went cold. “I never agreed to that.”

“This isn’t a divorce–I don’t need your agreement.” Thalia’s tone was ice. “Don’t contact me again, Drake.”

She hung up and blocked the new number.

Thalia turned her attention to her career plans. While she could open her own practice, she lacked the reputation to make it successful immediately.

She decided to join an established firm first, build her name, then strike out on her own later.

When she shared this thinking with Asher, he was completely supportive.

“You’re brilliant–you’ll make quite a name for yourself. Have you considered Sinclair & Klein? They’re the top firm in London currently.”

After consideration, Thalia nodded. “I’ll send them my CV.”

Meanwhile, Drake stared at his silent phone, feeling hollow.

How could Thalia be so cold? Ending things without a backward glance?

He lay in her old bed, breathing in the lingering scent from her pillow.

Burying his face in it, he imagined her face. “Thalia, I miss you.”

God, how he missed her.

Sienna entered then. “Drake? Dinner’s ready.”

He pulled her down suddenly, passion igniting.

16:11

Your Gold Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

At the height of intimacy, Drake called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my Thalía, I miss you so much…”

Beneath him, Sienna froze.

Her face went white.

The next day, Charlotte organized drinks to celebrate Thalia’s return.

At the bar, the three women settled into their booth.

N

“That Grace is going to be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing her drink. “Her attitude yesterday was

appalling.”

Victoria nodded. “She does seem rather difficult. Your future sister–in–law may prove challenging.”

Charlotte scoffed. “Sister–in–law? Please. She’s the housekeeper’s daughter. ‘Ward‘ sounds better than ‘orphan living on charity,‘ doesn’t it?”

Thalia’s eyes widened–she hadn’t known Grace was the housekeeper’s child.

“Why did the Blackwoods take her in?”

Victoria lowered her voice. “According to James, Lady Blackwood was being robbed. Their housekeeper took the knife meant for her. Before she died, Lady Blackwood promised her

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The newcomer was an elegant woman in her thirties, radiating a refined presence.

“Thalia,” Asher introduced, “this is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration expert I mentioned.”

Thalia’s eyes lit up with surprise and delight. She’d expected an elderly academic, not this striking

woman.

She rose quickly to shake hands. “Dr. Bennett, I’m Thalia Winters. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your help with my figurine.”

“Oh dear,” Sarah laughed warmly, eyes crinkling. “Dr. Bennett sounds terribly formal. Sarah, please.”

Thalia flushed, embarrassed at her over–formality.

14

so sorry–I didn’t mean to be

remained warm as her gaze flickered

Asher here is notoriously particular–I’ve been

his attention. Now

pulled out a

pouring tea for Sarah, Thalia hovered attentively. “Hope it’s to your

eyes danced with amusement as she sipped.

Bennett is being very well

fuss so.”

to her

ruining my fun, Asher,” Sarah mock–pouted.

“Did you bring the piece with you,

house with me

Sarah

16:11

Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

Sarah accompanied Thalia to

the broken figurine. “Do you think

furrowing. “Quite thoroughly shattered, isn’t it?”

held her

dear. Now it’s in my hands,

relief. “Thank you

“My pleasure.”

privately thrilled. Asher’s restoration fee was extraordinarily generous for such a small

have any photos

them

other details. Shall we

me have the driver take you

be lovely.”

her thoughts to settling scores

her cousin Alexander.

I need

Thalia’s phone buzzed with an unknown New

a client, she

Silence.

again twice.

Still nothing.

won’t speak, I’m hanging

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

“Thalia, unblock my

Her brow creased.

“No.”

missed you these past few days. I shouldn’t have said

anymore. We’re over.”

cold. “I never agreed to

your agreement.” Thalia’s tone was ice. “Don’t contact me

hung up and blocked the new

could open her own practice, she lacked the reputation to make it

build her name, then

this thinking with Asher, he was completely supportive.

for yourself. Have you considered Sinclair

consideration, Thalia nodded. “I’ll send them my

Drake stared at his

so cold? Ending things

her old bed, breathing in

imagined her face. “Thalia, I miss you.”

he

then. “Drake?

down suddenly, passion

16:11

is Actually

Chapter 22

height of intimacy, Drake called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my Thalía,

him, Sienna

face went white.

Charlotte organized drinks

women settled

N

be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing her drink.

appalling.”

“She does seem rather difficult. Your future sister–in–law may prove challenging.”

Please. She’s the housekeeper’s daughter. ‘Ward‘ sounds better than ‘orphan living

known Grace was the housekeeper’s

the Blackwoods

voice. “According to James, Lady

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

newcomer was an elegant woman in her thirties, radiating a refined presence.

is Dr. Sarah Bennett,

eyes lit up with surprise and delight. She’d expected an elderly academic,

woman.

I can’t tell you

dear,” Sarah laughed warmly, eyes crinkling. “Dr. Bennett sounds

embarrassed at her

14

sorry–I didn’t mean to be stuffy.”

her gaze flickered to Asher. “I must say,

been quite curious what sort of woman could

attention. Now I

Thalia pulled out

Thalia hovered attentively. “Hope it’s to

eyes danced with amusement as she sipped. “Perfect.”

darling, do relax,” Asher interjected. “Dr. Bennett is being very well compensated. You

fuss so.”

smiled and returned to her seat beside

my fun, Asher,”

Thalia, she asked brightly, “Did you bring the piece with you,

house with me after dinner? I can

Sarah

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

accompanied Thalia to the Winters estate.

“Do you think it can be saved?”

brow furrowing. “Quite

her breath.

dear. Now it’s in my hands, I

“Thank you

“My pleasure.”

was privately thrilled. Asher’s restoration fee was extraordinarily generous for such a small project.

any photos

send them to you.”

contact you if I need any other details. Shall we call it

driver take you home.”

be lovely.”

restoration arranged, Thalia turned her thoughts to settling scores with Drake

her cousin Alexander.

I need a

phone buzzed with an unknown

might be a client, she

Silence.

tried again

Still nothing.

speak, I’m hanging up.”

16:11

Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

voice. “Thalia, unblock

Her brow creased.

“No.”

stop fighting? I’ve missed you these past few days. I shouldn’t have

doesn’t matter anymore. We’re

voice went cold. “I never

agreement.” Thalia’s tone was ice. “Don’t contact me

up and blocked the new

turned her attention to her career plans. While she could open her own practice, she lacked the reputation to make

join an established firm first, build her name,

thinking with Asher, he was completely

considered Sinclair & Klein?

consideration, Thalia nodded. “I’ll send

at his silent

could Thalia be so cold? Ending things

in

in it, he imagined her face. “Thalia, I miss

he

then. “Drake? Dinner’s ready.”

her down suddenly, passion

16:11

is Actually A True

Chapter 22

the height of intimacy, Drake called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my

him, Sienna froze.

face went white.

Charlotte organized drinks to celebrate Thalia’s

the three women

N

Grace is going to be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing her drink. “Her attitude yesterday was

appalling.”

seem rather difficult. Your future sister–in–law may prove challenging.”

scoffed. “Sister–in–law? Please. She’s the housekeeper’s daughter. ‘Ward‘ sounds better than ‘orphan living on

widened–she hadn’t known Grace was

the Blackwoods take

her voice. “According to James, Lady

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

in her thirties, radiating a refined presence.

“this is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration expert I mentioned.”

with surprise and delight. She’d

woman.

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