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

all,” Sarah’s smile remained warm as her gaze flickered to Asher. “I must say, you’re quite

particular–I’ve been quite curious what sort

attention. Now I

Thalia pulled out

pouring tea for Sarah, Thalia hovered attentively. “Hope

danced with amusement

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

fuss so.”

to her

my fun, Asher,” Sarah

asked brightly, “Did you bring the

to the house with me after dinner? I can show

course,” Sarah agreed

16:11

is

Chapter 22

Sarah accompanied Thalia to

“Do you

pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly shattered,

held her

worry, dear. Now it’s in my hands,

exhaled in relief. “Thank you so

“My pleasure.”

was extraordinarily

any photos of the original

I’ll send them to

if I need any other details. Shall

me have the driver take you

would be

the restoration arranged, Thalia turned her thoughts

her cousin Alexander.

need a

from her shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with an

might be a client, she answered. “Hello?”

Silence.

tried again

Still nothing.

you won’t speak,

16:11

is

Chapter 22

Drake’s voice. “Thalia, unblock my number

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

matter anymore. We’re over.”

went cold. “I never agreed to that.”

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

hung up and blocked the new number.

open her own practice, she lacked the reputation

first, build her name, then strike

she shared this thinking with

considered Sinclair & Klein? They’re

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

stared at his silent phone, feeling hollow.

Thalia be so cold? Ending things

lay in her old bed, breathing in the lingering

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

how he missed

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

her down suddenly, passion

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

called out mindlessly: “Thalia, my Thalía, I miss you so

him, Sienna froze.

face went white.

drinks to celebrate Thalia’s

bar, the three women

N

declared, downing

appalling.”

“She does seem rather difficult.

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

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

the Blackwoods

her voice. “According to James, Lady

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

woman in

is Dr. Sarah Bennett,

surprise and delight. She’d expected an elderly

woman.

rose quickly to shake hands. “Dr. Bennett, I’m Thalia Winters. I can’t tell you how grateful

Sarah laughed warmly, eyes crinkling. “Dr. Bennett sounds

embarrassed at her over–formality.

14

so sorry–I didn’t mean

smile remained warm as her gaze flickered to

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

his attention. Now I understand

Thalia pulled out a

hovered attentively. “Hope it’s to your

eyes danced with amusement as she

interjected. “Dr. Bennett is being very well compensated. You

fuss so.”

returned to her seat

my fun,

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

house with me after dinner? I can show you

Sarah agreed

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

Sarah accompanied Thalia to the Winters

carefully unwrapped the broken figurine. “Do you think it

examined the pieces, brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly shattered,

held her breath.

in my hands, I promise to

relief. “Thank you so

“My pleasure.”

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

have any photos of the original

I’ll send them to you.”

I’ll contact you if I need any other

me have the driver

would be lovely.”

her thoughts to

called her

I need a

shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with

a client,

Silence.

again twice.

Still nothing.

speak, I’m hanging up.”

16:11

Gold Digger is Actually A

Chapter 22

unblock my number

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

matter anymore. We’re over.”

cold. “I never agreed to that.”

need your agreement.” Thalia’s tone was ice.

blocked the

While she could open her own practice,

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

shared this thinking with Asher, he was completely supportive.

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

nodded. “I’ll send them

at his

cold? Ending things

bed, breathing in the lingering scent from

imagined her face. “Thalia, I miss

he missed

entered then. “Drake? Dinner’s

her down suddenly, passion igniting.

16:11

Digger is Actually

Chapter 22

Drake called out mindlessly: “Thalia,

Sienna

went white.

Charlotte organized drinks to celebrate Thalia’s

three women

N

Grace is going to be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing her drink. “Her attitude yesterday

appalling.”

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

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

Grace was

did the Blackwoods

lowered her voice. “According

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

elegant woman in her thirties, radiating

Sarah Bennett,

and delight. She’d expected an

woman.

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