Chapter 11 Kiss His Lip
William had just hopped into the car and told Brian where they were headed.
Suddenly, the door on the other side flew open.
Thalia, looking a bit frazzled, slid in and, without giving William a second to react, yanked him by his tie and kissed him hard on the lips.
Brian: ...
William: ...
William tried to pull away, but Thalia grabbed his shirt collar, locking him in place.
Brian stared at the backseat, wide-eyed. This girl was something else!
Daniel was right; there wasn't a man Thalia couldn't get.
It was like a femme fatale squaring off with a stoic man. Who would come out on top was anyone's guess.
Thalia took charge, pressing her hand against William's chest while leaning back against the car door. She then rolled down the window...
The breeze from the parking lot, the flash of cameras, and the sounds of gasps blended into a chaotic symphony.
"What!"
"Quick, get the shot..."
The media had already crafted their headlines upon seeing Thalia and William's passionate kiss.
— "Innocent Starlet Caught Kissing Boyfriend in Parking Lot"
This was going to be explosive...
Thalia, noticing the media's reaction, had a smug look in her eyes as she slowly raised the window.
Not only could Thalia seduce men, but she knew exactly when to play her cards right.
With her cunning and unshakable composure, she could easily navigate the treacherous waters of romance.
William had been played.
Thalia pushed William away, her fingers with nude-colored nails slowly brushing over his lips. "Mr. Brown, sorry for the inconvenience."
"Have you seen enough? Raise the partition already!" William's angry voice filled the small space, making Brian jump. He quickly raised the partition and started the car, all in one swift motion.
"Why so angry, Mr. Brown? Look how scared you made him..."
Thalia's words were cut off as she leaned closer to William, her breath brushing against his face, disturbing the fine hairs on his skin. "Mr. Brown, are you mad because I kissed you?"
"Thalia..." William's breath hitched as he turned his head, trying to keep his cool.
Just as he turned, Thalia's slender fingers pressed his head closer.
William's mind went blank.
When Thalia wanted something, whether it was a person or an object, she always went straight for it.
"That kiss just now was for show, but this one... is genuine."
"Mr. Brown, did you feel it?"
"Ms. Smith, you haven't changed at all over the years."
She was bold, vibrant, and never resorted to pretentious tactics. That was her charm.
Unlike others who weighed the pros and cons, Thalia's straightforwardness was a rare commodity in this world.
"Only those without talent need to constantly change themselves. As for me, even if I do nothing, my charm remains."
William grabbed Thalia's chin, pulling her closer. "Is that so? Let's see if Ms. Smith will ever change."
The more arrogant she was, the more he wanted to clip her wings.
Conversely, the more godlike William appeared, the more Thalia wanted to pull him down to earth.
...
"Are you really into William?"
"What's so appealing about that boring guy?"
In the apartment, Thalia lounged on the balcony in a wicker chair, swirling a glass of red wine.
Layla stood behind her, looking at her with a mix of annoyance and concern.
Thalia took a sip of her wine. "He's handsome."
"Can handsome put food on the table?"
"I don't need food."
Layla rolled her eyes. "If you're so high and mighty, why don't you give away your dad's fortune?"
Thalia's gaze slowly returned from the bustling streets outside. "I think I felt his abs today."
Layla: ... "You've slept with him, and you don't know if he has abs?"
"That time I was drunk! Thinking back, I regret it. If I could do it again, I'd make sure I was sober."
"Thalia, you're hopeless," Layla said, exasperated. "If you get involved with William, you'll end up with nothing if you divorce him."
"Marrying a ruthless lawyer like William, you'd lose a piece of yourself with every floor of his thirty-two-story firm."
Thalia would be cursing every lawyer in every department.
"Who said I wanted to marry him? I just want to sleep with him."
Layla: ...
"Layla, it's trending," Isla said, coming out of the room and handing a tablet to Layla.
"Shocking! Starlet Caught Kissing Boyfriend in Parking Lot"
Layla angrily tossed the tablet to Thalia. "If I'd known you'd make your own headlines, I wouldn't have bought you anything."
"What a waste of money."
...
The next day, when William arrived at the law firm, he found the building surrounded by people.
"What's going on?"
Brian silently pulled up the trending topic and handed it to him.
He didn't dare speak; after all, Thalia had been really bold last night!
When she set her sights on a man, she went for it, no matter the time or place.
Seeing the trending topic, William's eye twitched. "Get them to leave and issue a clarification."
Brian glanced at William, then opened his messages.
Thalia's playful voice came through: "Brian! Make sure to tell Mr. Brown that if he dares to say anything, I'll hold a press conference and say he dumped me. Doesn't Mr. Brown like to keep a low profile? I'll have my fans camp outside your firm every day."
Brian awkwardly scratched his nose, looking at William. "Mr. Brown, maybe we should let it go. Ms. Smith has brought us a lot of business. We've gotten several high-profile divorce cases because of her. People are saying Ms. Smith brings us good luck."
William: ... She was a master at winning people over.
She could effortlessly win hearts.
William had known this for a long time. He wouldn't let it bother him... But he was furious, and Thalia was probably delighted.
"Mr. Brown, good morning!"
Suppressing his anger, William pushed open his office door to find Thalia sitting in his chair.
She rested her chin on her hand, smiling at him. The pink strap of her top hung loosely on her shoulder, her long hair casually draped over her chest, hinting at her cleavage.
It was a scene that left much to the imagination.
William felt that if Thalia kept this up, he would eventually succumb to her.
Thalia's seductive gaze, her supple waist, and the teasing glimpse of her cleavage were all temptations leading him to sin.