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

mean to be stuffy.”

remained warm as her gaze flickered

notoriously particular–I’ve been quite curious

attention. Now I understand completely.”

pulled out

hovered attentively. “Hope it’s to your

with amusement as she

Bennett

fuss so.”

smiled and returned to her seat beside

ruining my fun,

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

back to the house with

course,” Sarah

16:11

Gold Digger is

Chapter 22

accompanied Thalia to the Winters

broken figurine. “Do you

pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly shattered,

held her breath.

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

“Thank you

“My pleasure.”

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

have any photos

them

if I need any other

the driver

be

turned her thoughts to settling scores with

her

need a

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

might be a client, she

Silence.

tried again

Still nothing.

speak, I’m

16:11

Digger is

Chapter 22

“Thalia, unblock my

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

anymore.

went cold. “I never

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

blocked the new number.

she could open her own practice,

first, build her name, then

thinking with Asher, he was completely

Have you considered Sinclair & Klein?

consideration, Thalia nodded. “I’ll

Drake stared at his silent phone, feeling

so cold? Ending things without a backward

in her old bed, breathing in the lingering scent

in it, he imagined her

how he

then. “Drake? Dinner’s

her down suddenly,

16:11

is Actually A

Chapter 22

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

Sienna froze.

went

next day, Charlotte organized drinks

three women

N

be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing her

appalling.”

rather difficult. Your future

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

eyes widened–she hadn’t known Grace

the Blackwoods

lowered her voice. “According

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

newcomer was an elegant woman in her

“this is Dr. Sarah Bennett, the restoration

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

woman.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am for

“Dr. Bennett sounds

embarrassed at her

14

didn’t mean to

warm as her gaze

been quite curious what sort

his attention. Now

sit,” Thalia pulled

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

with amusement as

Bennett is being

fuss so.”

to her seat beside

ruining my fun,

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

mind coming back to the house with me after dinner? I can show

Sarah agreed readily.

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

Thalia to

carefully unwrapped the broken figurine. “Do you think it can

pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly shattered,

held her

Now it’s in my

relief. “Thank you so

“My pleasure.”

was privately thrilled. Asher’s restoration fee was extraordinarily

have any photos of the original

them

I need any other details. Shall we call it a

driver take

be

turned her thoughts to settling scores with Drake and

called her cousin

I need

fresh from her shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with

might be a client, she

Silence.

again

Still nothing.

won’t speak,

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

“Thalia, unblock

Her brow creased.

“No.”

past few days. I shouldn’t have said those things. I was

matter anymore.

“I never

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

and blocked the

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

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

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

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

“I’ll

stared at his silent phone,

could Thalia be so cold? Ending things without a

in the lingering scent

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

how he missed

entered then. “Drake?

pulled her down suddenly, passion igniting.

16:11

Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

mindlessly: “Thalia, my

him, Sienna

face went

organized drinks to celebrate

three women settled into their booth.

N

declared,

appalling.”

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

daughter. ‘Ward‘ sounds better than ‘orphan living on charity,‘

eyes widened–she hadn’t known Grace was

did the Blackwoods take her in?”

“According

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

was an elegant woman in her thirties, radiating

introduced, “this is Dr. Sarah

and delight. She’d

woman.

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255