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.

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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

mean to

at all,” Sarah’s smile remained warm as her gaze flickered to Asher.

Our Asher here is notoriously particular–I’ve been

his attention. Now I understand completely.”

Thalia pulled out a chair.

hovered attentively. “Hope it’s to your taste.”

eyes danced with amusement as she

relax,” Asher interjected. “Dr. Bennett

fuss so.”

returned to her seat

my fun, Asher,”

“Did you bring the piece

house with me

course,” Sarah agreed

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually

Chapter 22

Sarah accompanied Thalia to the Winters

figurine. “Do

the pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly

held her breath.

in my hands, I promise to restore

in relief. “Thank you

“My pleasure.”

Asher’s restoration fee was

have any photos of the original

them to

need any other

me have the driver

be

restoration arranged, Thalia turned her thoughts to settling scores

called her cousin Alexander.

I need a favor.”

shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with an unknown New York

be a client,

Silence.

again

Still nothing.

speak, I’m hanging up.”

16:11

Digger is

Chapter 22

unblock my number

Her brow creased.

“No.”

I’ve missed you these past

anymore. We’re over.”

“I never agreed

Thalia’s tone was ice. “Don’t contact

blocked the new number.

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

join an established firm first, build her name, then strike out on

she shared this thinking with Asher, he was

for yourself. Have you considered Sinclair & Klein? They’re

nodded. “I’ll

his silent phone, feeling hollow.

could Thalia be so cold? Ending things without a

bed, breathing in the lingering scent from

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

he missed her.

“Drake? Dinner’s ready.”

her down suddenly, passion

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually

Chapter 22

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

him, Sienna froze.

face went white.

drinks to celebrate Thalia’s return.

women settled

N

Charlotte declared, downing her drink. “Her

appalling.”

rather difficult.

sounds better

widened–she hadn’t known Grace was

the Blackwoods take her in?”

lowered her voice. “According

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

newcomer was an elegant woman in

is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration expert I

lit up with surprise and delight. She’d expected

woman.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your help with

crinkling. “Dr. Bennett sounds terribly formal.

at her

14

so sorry–I didn’t mean to

as her gaze flickered

been quite

his attention. Now I understand

pulled out

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

amusement as she sipped. “Perfect.”

do relax,” Asher interjected. “Dr. Bennett is

fuss so.”

returned to her seat beside him.

my fun, Asher,” Sarah mock–pouted.

you bring

house with me after dinner? I can

Sarah agreed readily.

16:11

is Actually A True

Chapter 22

dinner, Sarah accompanied Thalia to the

figurine. “Do you think it can be

pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly

held her breath.

dear. Now it’s in my hands, I promise to

“Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.”

privately thrilled. Asher’s restoration fee was extraordinarily generous

any photos of

them to

I’ll contact you if I need any other details. Shall we

have the driver take you home.”

would be lovely.”

Thalia turned her thoughts to settling

called her cousin Alexander.

I need a favor.”

shower, Thalia’s phone

a client,

Silence.

again

Still nothing.

you won’t speak, I’m hanging

16:11

Gold Digger is

Chapter 22

voice. “Thalia, unblock my number and

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

doesn’t matter anymore. We’re over.”

“I never agreed to

divorce–I don’t need your agreement.” Thalia’s tone was

blocked the

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

firm first, build her name, then strike out on

she shared this thinking with

yourself. Have you considered Sinclair & Klein? They’re the top firm in London

Thalia nodded. “I’ll send them

his silent phone, feeling

Ending things without a backward

in the lingering scent from her

his face in it, he imagined her

he missed

“Drake? Dinner’s

pulled her down suddenly, passion

16:11

Digger is Actually

Chapter 22

Drake called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my Thalía, I

Sienna froze.

went white.

next day, Charlotte organized drinks to celebrate

three women settled

N

going to be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing her drink. “Her

appalling.”

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

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

Grace was

did the Blackwoods

lowered her voice. “According to James,

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

in her

introduced, “this is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration

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

woman.

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