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.”

gaze flickered to Asher. “I must say, you’re quite

been quite curious what

Now I understand completely.”

sit,” Thalia pulled out a

hovered attentively.

eyes danced with amusement as she sipped. “Perfect.”

“Dr. Bennett is

fuss so.”

smiled and returned to her seat beside

my fun, Asher,” Sarah mock–pouted.

you bring the piece

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

course,” Sarah

16:11

is Actually

Chapter 22

dinner, Sarah accompanied Thalia to the Winters estate.

unwrapped the broken figurine. “Do you think

brow furrowing. “Quite

held her breath.

it’s in my hands, I promise

“Thank you so

“My pleasure.”

restoration fee was extraordinarily generous for such a small

have any photos of the original piece?”

them to

any other details.

the driver

be

arranged, Thalia turned her thoughts to settling scores with Drake

her

I need

her shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with

be a client, she answered. “Hello?”

Silence.

again twice.

Still nothing.

won’t speak,

16:11

is

Chapter 22

“Thalia, unblock my number

Her brow creased.

“No.”

you these past few days.

matter anymore.

cold. “I never agreed to

agreement.” Thalia’s

hung up and blocked the new

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

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

shared this thinking with Asher, he was completely supportive.

brilliant–you’ll make quite a name for yourself. Have you considered Sinclair & Klein? They’re the top firm in London currently.”

nodded. “I’ll send

at his

be so cold? Ending things

in the

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

he

“Drake?

her down

16:11

is

Chapter 22

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

Sienna

went white.

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

women

N

to be trouble,” Charlotte declared, downing

appalling.”

does seem rather difficult.

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

hadn’t known Grace was

Blackwoods

lowered her voice. “According to James, Lady Blackwood

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

elegant woman in her thirties,

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

up with surprise and delight. She’d expected an

woman.

Thalia Winters. I can’t tell you how grateful I am

“Dr. Bennett

flushed, embarrassed at

14

sorry–I didn’t mean to

all,” Sarah’s smile remained warm as her gaze

Asher here is notoriously particular–I’ve been quite

Now I understand completely.”

sit,” Thalia pulled out a

Thalia hovered attentively. “Hope it’s to your

amusement as she sipped. “Perfect.”

Bennett is

fuss so.”

and returned to her seat beside

ruining my fun, Asher,”

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

back to the house with me

course,” Sarah

16:11

is Actually A True

Chapter 22

accompanied Thalia to the

figurine. “Do

brow furrowing. “Quite thoroughly shattered, isn’t

her

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

exhaled in relief. “Thank you so

“My pleasure.”

Asher’s restoration fee was

have any photos of the

them

contact you if I need any other details.

driver

be lovely.”

her thoughts to settling scores with Drake

called her cousin

I need a

her shower, Thalia’s phone buzzed with an unknown

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

Silence.

tried again twice.

Still nothing.

speak, I’m hanging up.”

16:11

is Actually A

Chapter 22

voice. “Thalia, unblock my number

Her brow creased.

“No.”

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

anymore. We’re

His voice went cold. “I never agreed to

don’t need your agreement.” Thalia’s tone was

up and blocked the new

attention to her career plans. While she could open her

established firm first, build her

thinking with Asher,

Have you considered Sinclair & Klein? They’re the

consideration, Thalia nodded. “I’ll send

Drake stared at his silent phone,

cold? Ending things without a

in the lingering scent

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

he missed her.

entered then. “Drake? Dinner’s

down suddenly, passion igniting.

16:11

Digger is Actually A True

Chapter 22

out mindlessly: “Thalia, my

him, Sienna froze.

face went white.

day, Charlotte organized drinks to

three women settled into their booth.

N

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

appalling.”

rather difficult. Your future sister–in–law may

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

hadn’t known Grace was

the Blackwoods take her

“According

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

was an elegant woman in her thirties, radiating a refined

is Dr. Sarah Bennett,

delight. She’d expected an

woman.

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