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

sorry–I didn’t mean to be stuffy.”

remained warm as her gaze

Our Asher here is notoriously particular–I’ve been quite

his attention. Now I

Thalia pulled out a

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

with amusement as

Asher interjected. “Dr. Bennett is being very well

fuss so.”

smiled and returned to her seat beside

fun, Asher,”

asked brightly, “Did you bring the

back to the house with me after dinner? I can

course,” Sarah agreed readily.

16:11

Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

dinner, Sarah accompanied Thalia to

“Do you think it

examined the pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly

her

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

“Thank you

“My pleasure.”

was extraordinarily generous for such

you have any photos of the

I’ll send them to you.”

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

me have the driver take you

be lovely.”

thoughts

her

I need a

her shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with an

might be a client, she

Silence.

tried again

Still nothing.

speak,

16:11

Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

“Thalia, unblock my number and

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

matter anymore.

went cold. “I never agreed to

Thalia’s

and blocked the

to her career plans. While she could open her own practice, she lacked

her name,

thinking with Asher, he was completely supportive.

considered Sinclair

consideration, Thalia nodded. “I’ll send them

his silent phone, feeling

Thalia be so cold? Ending things without a backward

old bed, breathing in the lingering

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

he missed her.

“Drake? Dinner’s ready.”

pulled her down

16:11

is Actually A True

Chapter 22

called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my Thalía, I

him, Sienna

went

organized drinks to

the bar, the three women settled into their

N

Charlotte declared, downing her

appalling.”

nodded. “She does seem rather difficult.

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

widened–she hadn’t known Grace was the housekeeper’s

did the Blackwoods take her

voice. “According to James, Lady Blackwood

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

was an elegant woman in her

“this is Dr. Sarah

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

woman.

can’t tell

“Dr. Bennett sounds terribly formal. Sarah,

embarrassed at her

14

sorry–I didn’t mean to be

her gaze flickered to Asher.

here is notoriously particular–I’ve been quite curious what sort

his attention. Now

sit,” Thalia pulled out a

Thalia hovered attentively. “Hope

with amusement as she

interjected. “Dr. Bennett is being very well

fuss so.”

returned to her seat beside him.

fun, Asher,” Sarah mock–pouted.

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

yet–would you mind coming back to the house with

course,” Sarah agreed readily.

16:11

is

Chapter 22

Sarah accompanied Thalia to the

broken figurine. “Do you think it can be saved?”

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

held her breath.

don’t worry, dear. Now it’s in my hands,

exhaled in relief. “Thank you

“My pleasure.”

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

have any photos of the original

them

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

me have the driver take you home.”

be lovely.”

her thoughts to

her

need

Thalia’s phone buzzed with an unknown New York number.

be a

Silence.

again

Still nothing.

speak, I’m hanging

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

me.” Drake’s voice. “Thalia, unblock

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

matter anymore.

went cold. “I never

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

up and blocked the

career plans. While she could open her

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

thinking with

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

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

at his silent phone, feeling hollow.

so cold? Ending

old bed, breathing in the

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

how he

“Drake? Dinner’s ready.”

her down

16:11

Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

out mindlessly:

Sienna froze.

face went

Charlotte organized drinks to celebrate

the three women settled into their

N

declared, downing her drink. “Her attitude

appalling.”

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

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

eyes widened–she hadn’t known Grace was the

Blackwoods take her in?”

her voice. “According to James, Lady

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

elegant woman in her

introduced, “this is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the

and delight. She’d expected an

woman.

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