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 stuffy.”

as her gaze flickered to Asher. “I must

notoriously particular–I’ve been quite curious what sort of woman could

attention. Now I

pulled

Sarah, Thalia hovered

danced with amusement as she sipped. “Perfect.”

Bennett is being very well

fuss so.”

smiled and returned to her seat beside

ruining my fun, Asher,”

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

yet–would you mind coming back to the house with me after dinner? I

Sarah agreed readily.

16:11

is

Chapter 22

Thalia to the Winters estate.

“Do you think it can be

examined the pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite

her

dear. Now it’s in my hands, I

exhaled in relief. “Thank you

“My pleasure.”

restoration fee was extraordinarily generous for such a small

you have any photos of the

them to

any other

me have the driver

be lovely.”

Thalia turned her thoughts to settling scores with Drake

called her cousin

need a favor.”

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

be a

Silence.

again twice.

Still nothing.

you won’t speak, I’m

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually

Chapter 22

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

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

anymore. We’re over.”

“I never

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

blocked the

attention to her career plans. While she could open her

firm first, build her name, then strike out on her

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

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

“I’ll send them

his silent

cold? Ending things

in her old bed, breathing in the lingering scent

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

how he missed

“Drake? Dinner’s ready.”

pulled her down

16:11

Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

Drake called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my Thalía, I miss you so much…”

Sienna

face went

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

the three women settled into their

N

trouble,” Charlotte declared,

appalling.”

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

sounds

known Grace was

the Blackwoods take her in?”

lowered her voice. “According to James,

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

woman in her thirties, radiating a refined

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

delight. She’d expected

woman.

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

crinkling. “Dr. Bennett sounds terribly formal.

at her over–formality.

14

mean to be

remained warm as her gaze flickered to Asher. “I must say,

notoriously particular–I’ve been quite curious what

Now

Thalia pulled out a

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

danced with amusement as she

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

fuss so.”

and returned to her seat beside

ruining my fun, Asher,” Sarah

you bring

the house with me

Sarah

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

Sarah accompanied Thalia to the Winters estate.

carefully unwrapped the broken figurine. “Do you

brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly

her

it’s in my hands, I

exhaled in relief. “Thank you so

“My pleasure.”

fee was extraordinarily

have any photos

I’ll send them to you.”

I need any other details. Shall we call it

me have the driver take you home.”

would be lovely.”

turned her thoughts to settling scores with Drake

called her cousin

I need a favor.”

her shower, Thalia’s phone

a client,

Silence.

again twice.

Still nothing.

won’t speak,

16:11

Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

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

Her brow creased.

“No.”

fighting? I’ve missed you these past few days. I shouldn’t have said those things. I

anymore. We’re

went cold. “I never agreed to that.”

Thalia’s

up and blocked the

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

first, build her

with Asher,

considered Sinclair & Klein? They’re the top firm in London

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

Drake stared at his

could Thalia be so cold? Ending things without

in the lingering scent

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

how he

entered then. “Drake?

pulled her down

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

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

Sienna

went

organized drinks to celebrate Thalia’s return.

the three women settled into their

N

to be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing her

appalling.”

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

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

known Grace was the housekeeper’s

the Blackwoods

voice. “According to

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

was an elegant woman in her

is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration expert

She’d expected an

woman.

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