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

so sorry–I didn’t mean to

Sarah’s smile remained warm as her gaze flickered

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

attention. Now I understand completely.”

Thalia pulled out a chair.

for Sarah, Thalia hovered

danced with amusement as she sipped. “Perfect.”

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

fuss so.”

and returned to her

fun, Asher,” Sarah mock–pouted.

“Did you bring the piece with you, dear?”

with me after dinner? I can

Sarah

16:11

Digger is Actually

Chapter 22

accompanied Thalia to the Winters estate.

“Do you think it can be saved?”

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

her breath.

Now it’s in my hands, I promise to restore it properly.”

“Thank you

“My pleasure.”

Asher’s restoration fee was extraordinarily generous

any photos

them to you.”

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

the driver

be

arranged, Thalia turned her thoughts to settling

her cousin

I need a

fresh from her shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with an unknown New

a client, she answered. “Hello?”

Silence.

tried again twice.

Still nothing.

won’t speak, I’m

16:11

is Actually

Chapter 22

Drake’s voice. “Thalia, unblock my number and

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

matter anymore. We’re over.”

“I never

divorce–I don’t need your agreement.” Thalia’s tone was ice. “Don’t contact me

up and blocked the

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

to join an established firm first, build her name, then strike

this thinking with

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

“I’ll send

stared at his silent

Ending things without

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

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

how he missed

“Drake? Dinner’s ready.”

down suddenly, passion

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually

Chapter 22

called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my Thalía, I

him, Sienna

went white.

organized drinks to

bar, the three women settled into

N

declared, downing

appalling.”

difficult. Your future

‘Ward‘ sounds better than ‘orphan

eyes widened–she hadn’t known Grace was

the Blackwoods take her

“According to

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

elegant woman in her thirties,

is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration expert I

up with surprise and delight. She’d expected an elderly academic, not this

woman.

“Dr. Bennett, I’m Thalia Winters. I can’t

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

at her

14

didn’t mean to be stuffy.”

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

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

attention. Now I understand

pulled

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

with amusement as

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

fuss so.”

to her seat beside

my fun,

to Thalia, she asked brightly, “Did you bring the

you mind coming back to the house with me after

Sarah agreed

16:11

is Actually A True

Chapter 22

Sarah accompanied Thalia to the Winters estate.

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

brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly

her breath.

Now it’s in my hands,

relief. “Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.”

was extraordinarily generous for such

photos of the original piece?”

them to you.”

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

have the driver

be

her thoughts to settling scores

called her cousin Alexander.

I need a favor.”

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

be a client,

Silence.

again

Still nothing.

speak,

16:11

is Actually

Chapter 22

voice. “Thalia, unblock my number

Her brow creased.

“No.”

past few days. I shouldn’t have

anymore. We’re

“I never agreed

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

hung up and blocked the

attention to her career plans. While she could open her own

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

she shared this thinking with

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

“I’ll send them my CV.”

Drake stared at his silent phone, feeling hollow.

cold? Ending things

old bed, breathing in the lingering scent from

in it, he imagined

he missed

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

pulled her down suddenly, passion

16:11

Digger is

Chapter 22

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

him, Sienna

face went

Charlotte organized drinks to celebrate Thalia’s return.

women

N

be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing

appalling.”

difficult. Your future sister–in–law may prove

housekeeper’s daughter. ‘Ward‘ sounds better than ‘orphan living on charity,‘ doesn’t

known Grace was

did the Blackwoods take her

voice. “According to

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

elegant woman in her thirties, radiating a refined

is Dr. Sarah

and delight. She’d expected an elderly academic, not this striking

woman.

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