hapter 24 It became easy to handle now. Only, she felt a pang of regret for missing out on a golden chance to fire Thalassa. She quickly composed herself and politely said to the police, “Sir, please follow me. Evelyn is right over here” In the office. Thalassa was halfway through tidying up, deeply troubled about her four children. She called Evelyn, “Mom, the kids showed up at my workplace just now. Are you around?” Her biggest fear was the kids running lost. “I found them! These little rascals came back to me on their own! I just brought them out for some fresh air and to broaden their horizons, but these little devils ran off and nearly scared me half to death! What did I do to deserve this kind of torture! Evelyn roared, her voice high pitched and filled with panic from crying Thalassa held the phone a bit further from her ear, else she’d be deafened by the yelling. Though Evelyn was complaining, Thalassa caught the main point -the kids were back with her. That was a relief. “Mom, thanks, we all love you. Take good care of the little ones, I’ll bring some treats home after work, Thalassa said softly, trying to soothe Evelyn. At that moment, the office door was opened and several people walked in. Thalassa spun around in alarm and saw Faye and two police officers at the door. She hurriedly said into the phone, “Mom, I’ve got some stuff to deal with now, I’ll talk to you later.” And with that, she hung up and quickly pocketed her phone. Seeing Thalassa’s reaction, Faye’s anger and hostility grew. She had heard Thalassa’s phone call when she walked in. Those four children were definitely Thalassa’s! And one of them was Mr. Sinclair’s child! Faye felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown from jealousy, but she had to keep her calm and deal with the situation in a polite manner. “Evelyn, you’ve stirred up trouble. You’ll have to sort it out at the police station, despite her best efforts to remain composed, Faye’s tone was sharp and noticeably hostile when she spoke to Thalassa. Thalassa gave Faye a slight nod in acknowledgment. She walked up to the police officers and said, “Could you please wait a moment? I haven’t found David yet. I’ll get his contact info and give him a call. “Sure.” Thalassa was about to head out to the Human Resources Department to get David’s contact info, but then she paused. Faye was Lysander’s secretary so she should have David’s number. Why go through all that trouble? She politely asked Faye, “Faye, could you please give me David’s number? I need to give him a call.” Faye was reluctant. She was wishing Thalassa would end up in jail, why would she want to give her David’s number to help prove her innocence? But with the police standing there, if she refused, it would be too obvious. A CEO’s secretary not having the assistant’s phone number would be totally unacceptable. Suppressing her resentment, Faye gave Thalassa the number. Thanks,” Thalassa expressed her gratitude and dialed the number. After two rings, the call was picked up and a formal male voice came through, “Hello, this is David. Who am I speaking to?” “David, this is Evelyn. I need your help with something.” Thalassa spoke with respect and courtesy. At that moment, David was with Lysander. The volume on his phone was loud enough for the conversation to be heard by those nearby. Lysander’s eyes showed a flicker of thought before he turned to David.
Chapter 23 Faye thought, “Lysander wants Thalassa to stick around? He also hopes she can dig up whether the woman from five years back is truly dead. Why? Because of that single kiss between them? This made Lysander wonder if Evelyn, the current janitor at the Sinclair group, is Thalassa?” Faye clenched her fists, her sense of crisis intensifying, becoming increasingly intolerable. Lysander approached the private elevator reserved for the president. Two cops stepped out from the elevator that just arrived. Seeing Lysander, the two cops showed respect, “Mr. Sinclair, we’re looking for Evelyn.” Lysander’s deep eyes, cold as the winter sea, fix on them. Evelyn again. This woman not only annoyed John, tried to allure his assistant David, but even the cops are after her now? Seeing Lysander’s grim face, the police thought they disturbed him, explaining. “There’s a case that requires Evelyn’s attention. She said she needs David as a witness, we are here to see how their discussion went.” “What case?” Lysander’s handsome face became colder. This woman only joined the Sinclair group two days ago and already she had caused so much trouble that the cops had to show up personally. She sure had guts Remembering the uncontrollable kiss he gave her, Lysander became more agitated. How could he lose control over a woman who always caused trouble? It was right to keep her in the Sinclair group. He had to face her temptations calmly and collectedly, not impulsively and uncontrollably. Not until he developed immunity to her, truly felt disgusted, then she could leave the Sinclair group. He had gone through all sorts of trials since he was young, handled each one well. He never lost control. This time wouldn’t be an exception, he absolutely wouldn’t allow any hidden dangers, it must be completely resolved. His life couldn’t have any blemishes. “Here’s the thing, regarding John’s leg injury incident, John’s wife is suing Evelyn for intervening in their marriage, ruining their family, and even accusing her of breaking John’s leg out of spite when she failed to seduce him.” The other cop slowly and politely explained to Lysander. Evelyn was Lysander’s employee, so he should know about the case. Also it would facilitate their investigation. Faye, not far ahead, saw the two cops talking to Lysander and overheard their conversation, she was very nervous If Lysander knew she lied about Evelyn accepting John’s pursuit and becoming his girlfriend, he would definitely be furious and would further investigate Evelyn’s background. He already had suspicions about Evelyn. No, she couldn’t let Lysander know the specifics of this case. Faye nervously walked forward, trying to take responsibility for the situation. Hearing the cop’s explanation, Lysander’s brow furrowed slightly. So that John guy had a wife! That woman, she even wrecked someone else’s family. totally unacceptable! “You can take her straight to the police station for questioning, no need to be considerate.” Lysander said, then walked into the president’s private elevator and closed the door behind him. Faye’s nervousness finally eased. Mr. Sinclair’s attitude towards Evelyn was so indifferent, without any emotional trace, which indicated that he did not have any feelings for here.
Chapter 22 She’s got more stuff on her plate, with the police waiting for her to bring in a witness. Plus, she needs to ring up Evelyn to check if her kids made it to the Sinclair group, and if she’s hanging around there. If not, she needs to go find the munchkins. Four kids, none of them older than five, wandering around is like playing with fire “What’s with the ‘you? This is your responsibility! Trying to slack off?” Faye snapped, her words dripping with warning. Thalassa rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright” Then Faye chased after Lysander in a hurry. Outside the office corridors, Faye was following Lysander’s steps. His aura was overwhelming, his male allure was off the charts, his regal demeanor, and his handsome face all had Faye hooked. Lysander was the man of her dreams. “Faye, you seem preoccupied lately? Even making such rookie mistakes? Lysander stopped in his tracks, his icy gaze fixed on her. He had warned her yesterday, to not let irrelevant people onto the executive floor. She had agreed verbally but today, she let four naughty kids into his office, making a complete mess out of it. Besides holding the kids responsible, he also needed to hold Faye accountable for her negligence. Faye quickly bowed her head in admission of her fault, “I screwed up, please punish me, Mr. Sinclair. “Since you can’t focus on your work then…” Lysander began. Before he could utter the word ‘fired, Faye quickly looked up, anxiously blurting out, “Mr. Sinclair, I promise to improve, please don’t fire me” She had been by Lysander’s side for a decade, what would she do without him? Lysander scrutinized her coldly for a few seconds, she was as stubborn as ever, unwilling to leave her position as a secretary “Take an extended leave. Don’t bother coming to the company for the next three months.” Lysander declared, turning to leave. Faye hurried after him, trying to negotiate, “Mr. Sinclair, three months is too long, three days will do. I promise to work diligently and not neglect my duties. Whatever you command, I’ll do right away. I’ll inform HR now to fire Evelyn.” Faye remembered that Mr. Sinclair had instructed her to fire Thalassa, but she almost forgot about it due to the kids‘ debacle. This Thalassa needs to be fired, as long as she’s in the Sinclair group, Faye can’t find peace. She was about to call HR. Lysander suddenly interjected, “Don’t bother, if we fire her, we’ll have to hire another cleaner. It’s the same either way, why go through the trouble.” What irked Lysander was that he felt the same emotions with the second woman as he did with a woman five years ago, and he even lost his control and kissed that woman! He was always able to keep his composure, never losing control over someone. But this woman made him break his rule! He decided to keep her around, to test his self–control. He can’t lose control anymore! This time was an exception, but he can’t let it happen again! If he wanted to withstand the test, he had to let the woman who made him lose control once stay by his side. “Also, during your leave, you can head to Hollowbrook to check if that woman is dead, or if she has any sisters.” Lysander added. Faye stopped in her tracks, watching Lysander’s retreating figure.
Chapter 21 Faye, a career woman, couldn’t help but feel frightened and uneasy when Lysander lost his temper. She quiltily and cautiously replied, “Mr. Sinclair, four kids just barged into the office and made a huge mess” As she responded, she dared not meet Lysander’s gaze, her heart pounding in fear that he would probe into the matter of the four children More than the office being messed up, what Faye feared most was Mr. Sinclair finding out that the four kids came looking for him, asking if he was their father. Upon hearing Faye’s words, Thalassa next to her held her breath in shock. Not only did Dorian come, but the other three kids too? They were the ones who messed up Lysander’s office? If Lysander caught them, would they be punished? Thalassa bowed her head, trying to make herself unnoticeable, daring not to make a sound. Lysander rubbed his forehead, too angry for words. His stern face was even gloomier than the outside sky. “I don’t care how you do it. Find those pesky kids, notify their parents. These damages must be compensated!” Lysander was already annoyed because Thalassa had just seduced him, and he had uncontrollably kissed her. The chaos in the office only added fuel to his anger, making him irritable. What? Those pesky kids? Hearing Lysander describe her adorable four children that way, Thalassa, their mother, felt upset. Her four children were sensible and wouldn’t mess up his office for no reason. There must have been something that scared them, causing them to run around and accidentally make a mess. Although she was uncomfortable, Thalassa still kept her head down, not daring to utter a word. Lysander was angry and demanding compensation from the parents. As a parent, she felt distressed. She only hoped Lysander couldn’t find the children and wouldn’t make her compensate. She was already living hand to mouth, struggling to afford three meals a day, let alone compensation. Faye glared at Thalassa with anger and hostility. Just now, Lysander had ordered her to find those kids and notify their parents to compensate. She was worried that Thalassa would step forward and claim to be the children’s mother. If she brought the children to apologize to Lysander, then Lysander would know he was the children’s father, and the truth would be out. Lysander would also know that Thalassa was the woman he had been looking for and that she was not dead. However, Thalassa didn’t step forward but kept her head down pretending to be uninvolved. It seemed that Thalassa didn’t know that Mr. Sinclair was the father of her children. Otherwise, she would have spoken the truth in front of Lysander long ago, instead of keeping her head down in such a timid manner. After quickly analyzing the situation, Faye, feeling guilty and uneasy, nodded and responded, “Alright, Mr. Sinclair, I’ll find a way to locate those kids.” Lysander, who was a stickler for cleanliness, could not tolerate the mess in his office. He shot Thalassa a cold glance and strode out of the room. Faye followed closely, and Thalassa also prepared to follow. Faye stopped and stared at Thalassa with a strict and disgusted gaze, “Where do you think you’re going? Clean up the office!” “But I…” Thalassa attempted to speak.
Chapter 20 Faye stepped in for Thalassa to introduce her hometown. After finding out Thalassa was working at the Sinclair group under the name Evelyn, Faye dug up all her dirt, even memorizing her ID card info. She couldn’t let Lysander find out Thalassa was actually from Hollowbrook. Otherwise, all secrets would be blown wide open. If the lie was exposed. she’d never get another chance to get close to Lysander. Thalassa chuckled awkwardly, admitting, Faye’s got it right.” Thalassa’s mom, Evelyn, was indeed from Eldoria, while Thalassa lived in Hollowbrook because her aunt Astrid Pendleton married Ryan Everhart. As a kid, her mom brought her to live with Astrid. She’d been daddy–less since birth, and when she asked her mom about her father, her mom snapped, “You’re my kid, and you have no father!” Knowing that asking about her father would make her mom mad, Thalassa stopped asking. And Isabella’s dad? Turns out he was Ryan’s brother. Lysander’s gaze turned cold. From Eldoria? Not Hollowbrook. Seems like he got it wrong again. Disappointment welled up in Lysander, his anticipation fading. Looking at Thalassa, his gaze hardened, his tone icy, “What are you doing blocking my office door? Looking for trouble?” He’d let himself be tempted by her, even kissed this sly fox woman. Lysander was filled with regret and anger at her actions. Suddenly. Thalassa remembered her kid, Dorian, had earlier messed up his office. She went pale, nervously stuttering, “I, I was looking for assistant David, I need something” Looking for David? Hearing this, Lysander got even angrier. She was not only trying to seduce him but also get close to his assistant David! Lysander scoffed, his eyes flaring with anger. He shot Thalassa a look before heading to his office. Thalassa and Faye hurriedly followed, trying to stop Lysander, but he was faster and pushed open the office door. Thalassa’s heart pounded in fear of Dorian being discovered. Faye held her breath, worried that Lysander would blow a gasket when he saw the state of his office As the door opened, the chaotic state of the office revealed itself. Thalassa quickly scanned the room, not seeing any sign of the kid. She then remembered hearing the sound of a child passing by when Lysander was kissing her. Dorian must have left then, and she hadn’t noticed. The room was a total mess. Seeing Lysander’s stern expression, Faye guiltily lowered her head. Lysander was a neat freak, the disorder in his office was a slap in the face. His temples throbbed with anger, Walking in, his gaze fell on his beloved goose down sofa, now marked with kid’s dirty shoe–prints. Dark mud on pristine white fabric, it was a sight to behold. Lysander’s face turned red, veins popping out on his forehead. Walking over to his desk, he found it covered in ink, white documents soaked black, the words drowned out by the ink, rendering them unrecognizable. A trophy from his bookshelf lay broken on the floor, shattered into two. His anger sparked, burning like a volcanic eruption. Lysander gritted his teeth, angrily demanding, “Faye! Who did this?”
Chapter 19 Just at the nick of time, Thalassa took the lead, cupping Lysander’s face with both hands, squashing her cheek against his, and blocking his vision with the side of her hand. Then, the second, third, fourth kid all bolted out of the office! They hustled past Thalassa and Lysander in the corridor. Lysander couldn’t see anything because of their intense embrace and Thalassa’s deliberate blocking The kids had no clue their mom was right in front of them. They dashed into the elevator, slammed the door shut, and were gone. Faye came storming out. Seeing the smooching couple, she felt like she was hit by a bolt of lightning. Pain, shock, unbearable. The man kissing the woman was Lysander, the one she loved for ten years! She stood there, frozen, her eyes filled with anger and envy. Thalassa was panicking, her heart was racing. His passionate and intense breath sprayed between her nostrils, full of possessiveness. His lips were hot, pulsating with her heartbeat. Thalassa was so scared she forgot to react. A few seconds later, her brain was kissed into a daze, feeling dizzy and weak. If it wasn’t for his arm supporting her, she would have slid off him. In her daze, his other hand found its way into her clothes, stirring a current on her smooth back. Thalassa snapped back to reality, realizing what they were doing. She pushed him away in a panic, stammering, “Lysander, what the hell are you doing?” Her clear eyes were watery and her reddened lips were moistened with saliva, looking like a ripe rose waiting to be plucked. Lysander looked deep into her eyes, his voice hoarse, “Isn’t this what you want? Stop pretending. You were enjoying it, even held my face to deepen the kiss Thalassa took a sharp breath, realizing her lapse. She quickly jumped off him. She had jumped on him out of fright when she heard thunder, clinging to his neck. Ever since that stormy night five years ago, when a man took her virginity in an abandoned house, she had been terrified of thunderstorms. Any thunderclap felt like it was echoing in her heart, making her scared and stiff, wanting to hide somewhere warm. She used to hide under her blankets at home. She tried to overcome this fear, but that didn’t work. Today was an exception since she instinctively jumped on the man Feeling awkward and a little guilty, Thalassa scratched her head, forcing a smile, “Mr. Sinclair, I’m sorry. I’m scared of thunder, and I didn’t mean to offend you Thalassa, petite and short, was standing before him. He looked down at her, her long lashes trembling due to nerves, looking helpless and pitiful. Lysander wiped the corner of his mouth, his deep voice hiding his anger, asking, “Where are you from?” The touch of her skin, the sweetness of her lips, all reminded him of a woman from five years ago. He couldn’t help suspecting her identity. If she were that woman and was messing with John, he wouldn’t let her off! He even kissed her just now. Although all evidence indicated that the woman at that night had died in that dilapidated house, she felt too familiar to him. “Mr. Sinclair!” Faye hurriedly approached, her eyes full of disgust, she gave Thalassa a warning glance. Then, as a subordinate, she reported to Lysander, “I’ve checked with HR. Evelyn is from Pinecrest, Rivertown, Eldoria.”
Chapter 18 The police gave John’s wife a stern warning, reminding her to watch her manners. Thalassa couldn’t tolerate anyone bad mouthing her, especially with an irrational attitude, so she decided to seek justice. I’ve got tangible proof and an eyewitness, Thalassa said firmly, locking eyes with John’s wife, then turned to the police, “Just give me a second, I’m going to bring a witness who can testify that John was harassing me The police nodded and Thalassa went to find David, who was around when John was harassing her. He had helped her stand up for her rights before To Thalassa, David was a fair assistant, so she decided to ask him to testify. The weather was cloudy, and the air was oppressive. It looked like a heavy rain was about to fall, matching Thalassa’s gloomy mood. Faye had just returned to the secretary’s office and was about to call the head of Cleaning Department to fire Thalassa. Just then, a call came in from the reception, saying that Mr. Sinclair’s nieces and nephews were looking for him and they were at the front desk. “Mr. Sinclair’s nieces and nephews?” Faye asked in surprise. “Yes, they’re four adorable kids,” the receptionist replied. Faye, clueless about the situation, asked the receptionist to hold on while she called Mr. Sinclair to confirm. “They’ve already stepped in the elevator and should be on the top floor soon,” the receptionist informed her. Normally, the reception wouldn’t have let them go up, but one of the boys, Dorian, who looked like a pretty doll, was crying his heart out. He looked like a lost child searching for his parents Dorian sobbed, “Our parents don’t want us anymore. Mr. Sinclair is our uncle. I want him to help us find our parents. Please, beautiful lady, let us in to meet our uncle.” Moved by Dorian’s crying and their looks, and seeing that two of the boys bore some resemblance to Mr. Sinclair, the receptionist believed them and let them go up Faye immediately hung up the phone and headed towards Mr. Sinclair’s office. At that moment in Mr. Sinclair’s office, the four kids were looking at each other. They were actually looking for Lysander, but he wasn’t there. They had planned since yesterday to come looking for Lysander today, to ask him face–to–face if he was their father. Their grandmother’s emerald pendant was a family heirloom of the Sinclair family, and as Lysander was the head of the Sinclair family, he could probably be their father. When Faye arrived and saw the four kids, she was taken aback and asked in surprise, ‘Are you Mr. Sinclair’s nephews? Dorian nodded and said, “Yes.” “What are your parents‘ names?” Faye asked, puzzled, as she had never heard of Mr. Sinclair having such young nephews. “My mom is Thalassa,” Elowen quickly answered Dorian was also very active, “We don’t know who our father is, so we’re here to ask if Lysander is our father.” The innocence and honesty of the children shocked Faye. Their mother is Thalassa? They came here to find Lysander and ask if he’s their father? Faye was so shocked that she swayed. Thalassa had four children! And could these four children potentially be Lysander’s? The answer came quickly as one of the boys looked strikingly similar to Lysander! Even if not all four children were Lysander’s, at least one of them was! Thalassa’s children had found their way here! No, she couldn’t let Lysander see them. She immediately put on a stern face and snapped, “I don’t know this name! Kids can’t lie like this! Get outta here, stop causing trouble!” After saying that, she went to grab them to throw them out. “That lady is so mean,” Elowen, her face flushed from fear, muttered before quickly running off. Faye went after the other kids. They scattered, not letting Faye catch them. Faye became even more desperate and drove them away, resulting in a mess. One kid hid under the table, another climbed onto the executive chair, knocking over the ink bottle on the table and spilling ink everywhere. Another climbed onto the pristine white down sofa, smearing dirt from his shoes all over it. The last one opened the bookcase and hurriedly crawled inside, knocking down the trophies on top, which fell to the ground with a loud clatter Faye gasped in shock, trembling all over. Good heavens, what had just happened! Outside Mr. Sinclair’s office, Thalassa had reached the door. She didn’t know where David’s office was, so she had to come to Mr. Sinclair’s office to find him. She gently knocked on the door and found that it wasn’t fully closed. She pushed it slightly open and peeked inside. Immediately, she saw a child lying on Mr. Sinclair’s desk Wasn’t that her son Dorian? Inside the office, papers were scattered all over the marble floor, and black ink was spilled everywhere! Thalassa was so nervous she almost stopped breathing. Had the kid done all this? Oh no, if Mr. Sinclair found out, they were done for! Just as she was about to go in and take Dorian away, she saw a tall figure approaching from afar. Oh no! Lysander was back! Thalassa quickly closed the door and greeted Lysander with a smile, “Mr. Sinclair, let me shine your shoes. Let’s go to the lounge” Disgusted, Lysander shook off her hand, “Get off!” She had seduced others and now wanted to seduce him. What a disgusting woman. His eyes, cold and filled with disgust, glared at Thalassa before he strode towards his office
Chapter 17 Thalassa was already in a crappy mood, and now the CEO was going out of his way to make things worse for her. Faye, seeing Thalassa acting all high and mighty, was about to give her a piece of her mind when a single glance from Lysander shut her up. “Are you blind or something? Can’t you see my foot here?” Lysander stood up and walked towards her, his tall figure casting a gigantic shadow over her, his icy aura following him. Wasn’t she trying to get his attention? Rubbing against his suit, sweeping his shoes with her broom. Let’s see what else she’s got! Thalassa took a step back under his intimidating presence and finally noticed the white dust on his shiny black shoes. It wasn’t a footprint, but a mark left by the broom His shoes were so shiny that the fine line of dust seemed glaringly obvious. Thalassa suddenly realized she might have accidentally swept his shoes. No wonder he accused her of not using her eyes. This was him picking a fight. He was a big deal, not someone she could afford to piss off. She looked up at him, a nervous smile on her face. “Yeah, Mr. Sinclair, you’re right, my bad. I’ll clean it up for you, don’t be mad.” She quickly took out a cloth from her waist and squatted down, giving his shoes a quick wipe. Just then, her phone rang. It was the head of the Cleaning Department. She hurriedly answered, ‘Okay, I’m on my way” She only managed to clean one shoe when she had to leave, still in her squatting position, looking up at his handsome face with its sharp features. From this angle, his face seemed to glow under the lights, making him look divine. Thalassa was so taken aback, her heart beating fast. She quickly said, “John needs me, I have to go, bye, Mr. Sinclair Without waiting for his response, she threw the cloth down and ran out of the meeting room like a scared rabbit. Watching Thalassa run off like a bunny, Lysander’s face became icy, his mood sour. He couldn’t believe a woman had the guts to leave him with only one shoe cleaned. She was bold! Lysander asked Faye coldly, “Who’s John?” The man made Thalassa leave without even cleaning both his shoes. Was that man more important to her than him?! Used to being worshipped and prioritized, Lysander’s mood worsened. Faye answered, “He’s the security guard who confessed to her at the elevator yesterday.” Faye was pissed at Thalassa’s constant attempts to attract Mr. Sinclair’s attention and allure him. Exaggerating, she said, “I heard from the head of cleaning, she turned down John at first, but when he said he has two houses here in the city, she agreed to be with him. She’s probably meeting him now.” Yesterday, Lysander saw Thalassa being pursued at the elevator, but she firmly rejected the guy, so he didn’t think much of it. How could a cleaner catch his attention? But hearing Faye’s report now, a wave of anger surged in him, his face darkening further. She was nothing more than a pleasure–seeking, cunning, and frivolous woman! She must have been trying to seduce him for money! Disgusted by such a mercenary woman, he said, “The Sinclair Group doesn’t allow office romance! Fire both of them!” Faye was overjoyed and agreed, “Yes, I’ll do it right away” Just then, Lysander received a message from David, who had chosen a venue for a fashion show and wanted Lysander to take a look. So, Lysander left. for the venue. After leaving the meeting room, Thalassa immediately took the elevator to the 10th floor. The head told her the police were here and she needed to handle it. It was about John and his wife. Thalassa couldn’t explain the situation to Lysander in a few words, and she didn’t want him to know that she, a mere cleaner, brought the police to the Sinclair Group. It would make him think she was a trouble, not a benefit, and he might fire her! So, she simply said John needed her. After all, she was dealing with John–related matters, so it wasn’t exactly a lie. When she arrived at the Cleaning Department on the 10th floor, she walked into the room to hear John’s wife spewing venom at the cops, twisting the truth. Her mood instantly sank, and all the anger from the meeting room exploded. She approached the police with a polite smile, calmly saying, “Sir, don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s framing me, and there’s no evidence.” “The fact that my Husband’s leg is broken is the evidence! You shameless woman, still denying it!” John’s wife cursed Thalassa. Maintaining a fake smile, Thalassa calmly responded, “You only heard your husband’s side of the story I have a recording here, want to listen?” Thalassa had recorded what John said to her yesterday at lunch. She wasn’t bluffing. Having worked in factories, delivered food, washed dishes, waited tables, and recently worked as a salesperson at a nightclub, she had seen all sorts of people. Life at the bottom was tough, and she learned to protect herself. The first time John harassed her, she thought to turn on her phone’s recording function it was her proof for self–defense! John’s nasty and arrogant threats came through the phone. He said that as long as Evelyn agreed to sleep with him, he would no longer make life difficult for her. She wouldn’t have to do the dirty, tiring jobs anymore, just the easy stuff. But Evelyn shot back at this proposal with fury and sharpness. While working at the Sinclair group. Thalassa used Evelyn’s name and ID card, and her salary was directly deposited into Evelyn’s account. Therefore, everyone in the company called her Evelyn, including John When John’s rough voice came through the phone, John’s wife instantly turned pale. But she still insisted that it was Evelyn’s fault, that she was the one who seduced John first Thalassa snorted and said, “The current situation isn’t about you suing me, it’s about me suing you, accusing John of harassment and your verbal abuse towards me. All of this has caused me great mental harm! John’s wife didn’t expect Thalassa, who seemed soft and easy to bully, to keep a clear mind at the critical moment and show a strong momentum. A hint of panic flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly concealed. She pointed at Thalassa and yelled. “You lowlife, what tricks did you use to bewitch John into saying those things” Her expression was fierce, as if she was mocking Thalassa, looking extremely ugly
Chapter 16 The middle–aged lady was making a scene, her face twisted in rage and her hair flying around due to her excessive agitation Her eyes were bulging out, her arm thin as a blade, swinging towards Thalassa’s face. Thalassa felt the icy chill of the wind hitting her face, the pain cutting like a knife. She held her breath, watching the woman’s hand swing down rapidly. Al a distance of just a centimeter from her face, she managed to grab it accurately “You dare to resist. You lowly woman, you’re asking for it” The woman was arrogant and violent, raising her other hand. Thalassa kicked at her hand, pushing her away with force. The middle–aged lady was strong, so Thalassa had to use all her strength just to counter her. After this series of movements, she was totally drained. The lady took a step back, steadied herself and charged at Thalassa more fiercely. Thalassa’s pupils dilated, she had no strength left to fight How could this woman be so difficult, attacking without reason. Thalassa took a few steps back, trying to create sorne distance, but the woman was determined to hit her, relentlessly pursuing. Just as Thalassa was about to be cornered and be hit by the woman’s fist, the supervisor from the cleaning department stepped in, stopping the woman’s actions. Lady, this is the Sinclair group, not a place where you can cause a ruckus. Watch your behavior.” The supervisor spoke formally, representing the authority of the Sinclair group. The lady was taken aback by the supervisor’s stern attitude. No matter how arrogant she was, she dared not challenge the authority of the Sinclair group. She ranted, exaggerating the story to the supervisor of how Thalassa had seduced her husband, and when rejected, had hired someone to beat him up Thalassa couldn’t stand it; this was clearly slander. She retorted breathlessly, “Get your facts straight. It was your husband who harassed me. Despite being rejected numerous times, he still wouldn’t leave me alone. The CEO’s assistant saw it and fired him. Your husband’s broken leg has nothing to do with me, and I had no idea what happened.” “You dare to refute me. I’m going to call the police on you Let’s see if you can still deny it.” The middle–aged lady was sputtering, looking repulsive. Thalassa stood her ground. “Go ahead and call the police. I’m going to sue your husband for harassment.” The lady was furious, pulling out her phone and started dialing the police, cursing all the while. The supervisor didn’t pay much attention to the matter. He said to Thalassa in a leader’s tone, “You go clean the conference room first. I’ll call you when the police arrive.” “Alright.” Thalassa complied and left. The lady continued swearing, trying to stop her, but was blocked by the supervisor. Only her second day at work and she had already run into such annoying problems. Thalassa felt frustrated. While cleaning the conference room, she was distracted, without any energy. She picked up the trash around Lysander’s area, accidentally bumping into him. The employees in the conference room, seeing Thalassa’s body making contact with Lysander’s neat suit, were all shocked. The already solemn atmosphere turned even more oppressive, silence ensued. Faye, standing in front of the projector, was displaying the design materials of each employee. Seeing Thalassa getting close to Lysander, her face darkened. The blue light of the projector shone on her face, and coupled with her gloomy expression, she looked cold and intimidating. Was this Thalassa trying to catch Mr. Sinclair’s attention on purpose? Thalassa, the person involved, was lost in her thoughts, completely unaware of the severity of the situation. She swept the floor casually with a broom, sweeping over Lysander’s shiny, spotless leather shoes. There was a collective gasp from the room, everyone feeling nervous for Thalassa. Faye saw Thalassa’s actions and was so angry that she gripped the projector’s remote control tightly. The design materials on the big screen started jumping around because she was pressing the buttons on the remote, but she didn’t even notice. Lysander’s deep gaze, full of pressure, was fixed on the woman in front of him. She was sweeping around his feet haphazardly, as if they had a grudge or something. Was she trying to catch his attention on purpose? Lysander sneered in his heart, filled with contempt. After Thalassa finished sweeping up the crumpled paper, she picked up the broom and walked to the coffee table to pour some coffee. She was so distracted that she spilled the coffee over the edge of the cup, burning her hand. She winced, flapping her hand, and knocked over an empty cup beside her. The cup bounced twice on the wooden floor, emitting a dull noise. The entire room fell silent. Thalassa was startled and widened her eyes in shock. As the cup settled, she breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, the cup was still intact and hadn’t broken. She thought, how come yesterday it was a porcelain cup, and today it was plastic? She quickly picked up the cup. At this time, on the conference table side, the meeting was proceeding normally, someone was presenting a plan, and Faye had adjusted the projector to project the design images onto the big screen. Lysander, who should have been listening to the plan, had his eyes locked on Thalassa, observing her every move, his gaze deepening. The employee who had just finished presenting her plan carefully sat down. It was as if she had spoken in vain. The CEO didn’t seem to have heard a thing Where did this janitor come from, and how did she manage to capture the attention of everyone in the meeting room? Even Mr. Sinclair found his gaze drawn to her. This was the first time he hadn’t immediately rejected a proposal due to distraction. Everyone seated around the conference table was on edge, their nerves taut, beads of sweat forming on their brows. Lysander stared at Thalassa, seeing her pick up the cup and wipe her burned, reddened hand with a napkin. This scene seemed to touch a nerve. He hated people who were disorganized, who didn’t even know how to treat their injuries. Was she an idiot? His brows knitted together, full of displeasure, his gaze returned to the conference table, and he said, “The plan just now is approved. Meeting- adjourned.” Everyone looked at each other, feeling both surprised and incredulous. The clothing design plan that had been rejected by the CEO for almost half a month was suddenly approved The employee who had just presented the plan felt even more incredulous, both clated and nervous. She held her design plan and excitedly left the conference room. The other employees left one after another. Thalassa dried her hands, and in a daze, she realized the meeting had already concluded. She turned her head and saw Lysander’s dark and indifferent gaze, which was as cold as ice Her heartbeat quickened. This man, with just one look, could strike fear into anyone. Surely, he must be displeased with the way she had been handling things. Thalassa tensed her back and lowered her head, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. She quickly tidied up her desk and poured the coffee she had just made back into the sink. After finishing her tasks, she turned to leave, passing by Lysander. She accidentally stumbled over his shoe, letting out a cry of surprise as her body leaned forward, as if about to make contact with the ground A strong hand suddenly wrapped around her waist and yanked her back upright. She found herself crashing into a broad and sturdy chest. Staring into Lysander’s handsome face, her heart pounded with surprise. Hastily, she pushed him away, stood up, and blurted out in a state of panic and fear. You tripped me on purpose.” Chapter 17
Chapter 15 “He once gave me an emerald pendant. I should be able to track him down through this pendant, but I lost it five years ago I have no clues, so how am! supposed to find him?” Thalassa spilled her guts to Hertha Between them, there were no secrets. “Do you remember what the pendant looked like?” Hertha asked 1have a vague memory, but I carit recall the details. It had been so many years, and she was so upset and angry back then, she didn’t pay much attention to the pendant. How could she remember it clearly? “Why don’t you try to draw the pendan? Let me see Hertha suggested. Being a jewelry designer, she might be able to help. Dipping her finger in water. Thalassa drew the shape of the pendant on the table- it was shaped like a cloud. Hertha scratched her head and stumped “Seems like I’m out of my depth here, I have no idea where to find this pendant” At that moment, the four kids saw the pendant’s shape on the table. They quickly retreated to their rooms. Atticus grabbed his tablet and started to operate it quickly, the screen filled with images of emerald pendants shaped like clouds. Sharp–eyed Sophia pointed at one of them: This one was once a royal collection. The rest are modern knock–offs.” Sophia had a knack for studying jewelry and antiques. She could tell real from fake just by looking at a picture. She was a whiz at this. Thalassa made sure to educate her children well. In their free time, she often took them to the bookstore to read and learn. The kids would always find their favorite books to read. Thalassa thought they were reading fairy tales, so she didn’t interfere much. But in reality, the books they were reading had nothing to do with fairy tales. Hearing Sophia’s remark, Atticus quickly did a search on the emerald pendant. Soon, he had all the details about the pendant’s origin and history. The pendant was indeed part of the royal collection and then ended up with the Sinclair family, becoming their heirloom. The Sinclair family! “Lysander!” Atticus exclaimed, his young voice filled with surprise. That was the man their mother had offended. “Is he our father?” Elowen asked softly. Sophia shook her head. “Not sure, if the pendant we found isn’t the one mom had, we may be barking up the wrong tree.” “Right, if the pendant dad gave mom was just a regular emerald pendant with his name or special marking on it, we might be on the wrong track.” Dorian, usually a crybaby, was now stroking his chin thoughtfully, looking all serious. “The only way is to find Lysander and ask him if he’s our dad: Atticus was always the one to come up with solutions when they disagreed. “Okay, good idea” Dorian agreed Just then, the door was pushed open and Thalassa walked in. Atticus quickly closed the tablet and put it on the bed, feigning innocence. Thalassa saw it and laughed, “Atticus, you’re still young. You can’t play electronic games with your siblings. It’s bad for your eyes” “Mom, I won’t play anymore” Atticus replied obediently. Each time he used the tablet to research, Thalassa thought he was playing games. He once explained that he was doing something important, but she just laughed, saying what important things could a kid do with a tablet? He was worried telling her the truth about his tech savvy might scare her, so he kept it to himself. Now, they had decided to find their father, and if he spilled the beans, she would definitely stop them and be worried about their safety But they just really wanted to find their dad. “Alright, come out and play with toys. It’s almost dinner time.” Thalassa’s voice was gentle and warm. She never raised her voice at the kids, since they were very understanding The kids all came out and started to play with their toys. Thalassa sat back at the table, continuing her chat with Hertha “How was your first day at work?” Hertha asked with concern. “It was okay, except for this one guy who’s a real pain in the neck. He keeps harassing me and saying disgusting things. I was scared out of my wits.” Thalassa said angrily as she mentioned a guy named John. She fanned herself, trying to calm down. “Oh my, I thought the Sinclar group had more class than this.” Hertha was shocked. The Sinclair group is a big corporation, and you’d expect everyone there to be top–notch. Who knew they’d have people like this?” “No matter where you are, people are a mixed bag. Some people might seem nice on the outside, but who knows what they’re hiding inside?” Thalassa usually had a positive outlook, but she knew to stay alert. She’d have to be extra careful at the office. “Yes, keeping yourself safe means keeping your family safe. Be careful” Hertha agreed. The next morning was gloomy The sky was overcast, looking like it would rain any moment. Thalassa didn’t like this kind of weather, but she still had to go to work. She hailed a cab and headed to the office. She was late yesterday, so she didn’t manage to clean the top floor before the president started his day. Today, she came in really early, and boy, she cleaned like a whirlwind. By 9 am, she was done with the top floor. She hit the elevator button, ready to head down to the 10th floor for a breather. Unbeknownst to her, Faye slithered out of the secretary’s office, her eyes like storm clouds, glowering at her retreating figure. This Thalassa, in just one day, had David wrapped around her little finger and even got John sacked. She really had underestimated her. This woman was slick. How else would she have Mr. Sinclair hung up on her? Thalassa had a bad feeling, and she turned around to face the source of her unease, only to find no one there Maybe it was just her imagination. Shaking her head, Thalassa stepped into the elevator, the gloomy weather always made her feel all kinds of blah As she settled into a chair on the 10th floor, a shrill voice pierced the silence of the break room Evelyn, you get your ass out here right now! Thalassa shot up, a woman with a pinched face and skinny figure stormed in, fuming Feeling a little panicked. Thalassa asked. “Ma am, can I help you with something?” Evelyn that bitch Couldn’t snag my husband John, so she had someone break his legs I wont rest until I give her a taste of her own medicina, the woman bellowed, her eyes popping out of her skull Thalassa was dumbfounded When had she made a move on John? And when had she broken his legs? “Evelyn, go tidy up the conference room The cleaning department head walked in and instructed her “So you’re Evelyn I’m gonna whoop your ass “The woman’s face twisted with rage as she raised her hand and lunged at Thalassa
