Chapter 199 What's the Deal with Hugging Thalia's Thigh?
"My mom."
Thalia froze, stuttering for a long moment: "Your... your mom?"
Amara nodded with a beaming smile: "Yes, my mom."
Awkward moments never give you a heads-up.
Thalia had always known that Vaughn later got together with a teacher from the school. Two middle-aged people who understood and accepted each other, deciding to form a family and live together. Both were big names in academia, quite a good match.
What people said was that their souls were compatible, and they decided to form a family and spend the rest of their lives together.
This beautiful and admirable love story didn't resonate with Thalia.
Yet she had mistaken William's stepmother for his family's housekeeper...
How ridiculous.
Thalia was annoyed. She reached out to grab William's arm, grinding her teeth as if she wanted to eat him alive: "Why didn't you tell me that was your stepmother?"
William calmly freed his arm: "Did you ask?"
"If I don't ask, you won't tell?"
"If you don't ask, why would I tell?"
"If I don't ask you, would you take the initiative to tell me how many ex-boyfriends you have?"
Thalia: ......... "Is that the same thing? Those you mentioned are outsiders, but this is your stepmother."
When William heard Thalia call her "stepmother," his brow furrowed. Although there was nothing wrong with this term and everyone else used it too, hearing it from Thalia's mouth somehow made William feel a bit displeased, and he couldn't find a reason for this displeasure.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Thalia asked.
"Since you're already here, why not come in?" Harper was a very gentle woman. Today William had mentioned in advance that he would bring Thalia home for dinner, so she had specially dressed up, wearing a black dress that showed off her elegant figure. The demeanor of a university teacher radiated from inside out.
It made Thalia feel intimidated at first sight.
Seeing them at the doorstep but not coming in, Harper took the initiative to link arms with Thalia: "Thalia, you're not angry that I didn't tell you the truth, are you?"
"No," with the elder taking the initiative to address that matter, it would make Thalia seem tactless instead.
"Then come inside, it's getting dark and there are lots of mosquitoes in the yard."
They say life is like a play, isn't it?
Thalia followed Harper inside. Amara followed behind William, tugging at his sleeve: "Did you top up my card?"
"What card?"
"Beauty card."
William suddenly understood. He knew Amara would bring this up today: "It wasn't me."
"Then who was it?"
William raised his chin and looked at Thalia ahead, being led into the house by Harper.
"Impossible." Amara couldn't believe it. She and Thalia weren't that close - how could she top up two hundred thousand dollars on a beauty card for her?
William calmly hummed in acknowledgment, then added: "She wanted to top up five hundred thousand dollars, but I stopped her."
Amara had no other hobbies except loving money. She had been poor for twenty years, and her biggest joy in life was telling William before Christmas that she wanted her gift in cash. Nothing gave her more security than the balance in her account. Fortunately, William understood and did just that.
Over the years, she lived on her meager hospital salary and occasionally helped one or two poor people who couldn't afford medical care. At least she didn't starve.
She could live like a human being entirely thanks to William's occasional charity and support.
Hearing William say this today, she completely lost it.
She stood in the yard, watching Thalia and her own mother arm in arm looking so close ahead, and couldn't help but call out: "Thalia."
Harper was stunned by her shout: "Have you lost your mind?"
Thalia raised her eyebrows questioningly at William. William coughed as if watching a show: "Let's talk inside."
"Give me back the card."
"What card?" She hadn't even given out any card, how did Amara know about it?
"The beauty card you got me," Amara stared at Thalia with a worried face.
In the living room, Finn was directing people to bring in gifts one by one.
Seeing this situation, he became curious.
Vaughn looked at the scene before him, confused: "Amara, if you have something to say, sit down and talk. What's the point of hugging Thalia's leg?"
Amara hugged Thalia's leg and wouldn't let go: "Promise me first, or I won't get up."
Thalia looked at William questioningly. He reminded her: "The beauty card you got her."
Thalia: ....... "Can't return it now, right?"
"Think of a way!" Amara was about to cry. Two hundred thousand dollars - how many years of her salary was that, just topped up on a card like that?
Wasn't this killing her?
"How about I give you another two hundred thousand dollars?" After thinking for a while, Thalia figured this was the most appropriate solution.
Hearing this, Amara looked up at her with teary eyes: "Really?"
Harper was annoyed by Amara and slapped her on the head: "How can you have the nerve to ask Thalia for money? She doesn't owe you anything."
Harper's slap left Thalia stunned.
That was pretty harsh, wasn't it?
If she ever brought up divorce with William in the future, would Harper hit her too?
Taking advantage of Amara raising her hand to cover her head, Thalia sidled over to William like a crab, blinking at everything before her, not daring to speak.
"Harper, what's this about?" Vaughn stopped Amara.
"Look at her..." Harper pointed at Amara, still wanting to hit her. Seeing things going badly, Amara quickly crawled on all fours to William's other side, hugging his arm and shouting: "Go ahead and hit me! Keep hitting! Look at yourself now - be careful not to scare Thalia into thinking everyone in our family has violent tendencies, and she'll go back and divorce my brother."
William glanced sideways at Amara, watching her hug his arm and arrogantly say things cursing him with divorce. He wanted to pull his arm away.
Amara grabbed his arm tight. If she let go, Harper would crack open her skull!
"Sir, everything's been brought in."
Seeing things weren't going well, Finn quickly spoke up.
"Shall we sit down and talk?" Being sandwiched between three women was quite uncomfortable for him too.
Hearing this, Thalia realized she had been too obvious and awkwardly withdrew her hand.
"So when you were hesitating this afternoon while swiping the card, did you know Amara didn't want the card but wanted money instead?"
William acknowledged with a sound.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't care about that two hundred thousand dollars. Your happiness is what matters most."
Thalia: Why is my anger being suppressed?