Chapter 28 Always Giving, Ending Up with Nothing
In the restaurant, the entire family stared at William, their eyes full of questions.
Everyone was thinking about how to interrogate him.
Vaughn broke the silence, "So, Thalia?"
William: ...
Amara chimed in, "It has to be. William clearly likes her, but he just won't admit it."
Amara: "If you like her, just bring her home! Our family doesn't care about a girl's profession, as long as you like her."
William: ... headache.
Vaughn: "The Smith family has a prestigious background. Do they look down on us?"
Amara: "William has his own business, right? It might not be as big as Hayden's, but he should have enough to support Thalia's spending for a lifetime."
Amara: "William!"
William leaned back in his chair with a sigh of resignation, "Where are you all getting this from?"
The trending news was a few days old. He had already put out statements to the media, and the buzz about him and Thalia had started to die down.
For them to know so much, it wasn't normal.
Amara's back tensed up at William's question. Should she tell him she had infiltrated their company's gossip group?
"There are plenty of sources."
William: ...
Amara curiously leaned closer to William, "William, were you two just having a heated moment? Your foundation is smudged."
"Thalia's makeup artist is famous in the industry! They say Thalia's makeup doesn't even budge when she's shooting a movie. But you two..."
"Amara," William warned her through gritted teeth, gripping his utensils.
Amara continued, "Everyone in our department says Thalia liking you is a blessing. She's fair-skinned, beautiful, with long legs, and a billionaire. Marrying her would save you ten lifetimes of hard work!"
William kicked them all out.
Once the room was empty, he instantly felt a sense of peace.
William flexed his fingers, looking down with a darkened gaze. The warmth of her touch still lingered on his fingertips.
For a moment, William felt like it wasn't over, that they were still in that small room.
The next morning, Thalia went to her company and attended a few events.
She managed to find time to deal with William by the time it was getting dark.
Thalia glanced at the time and sighed.
"Tired?" Layla asked, hearing her sigh.
"No," Thalia said, running her fingers through her hair.
"Then why the sigh?"
"I'm sighing because I don't have time to mess with a man..."
Layla: ... "You keep giving, but don't end up with nothing."
"Say something positive," Thalia couldn't stand hearing that. Recently, Grace had brainwashed her so much that whenever she heard "end up with nothing," she imagined herself begging on the streets.
It was unbearable.
Thalia was born wealthy; how could she end up doing such a thing?
"I can't think positively!" Given Thalia's current situation, not being sarcastic was already a good thing.
"You got into the entertainment industry because your dad spent money on it. Thalia, to put it bluntly, the most successful thing you've done in this life is being born into your dad's family. Your dad isn't even dead yet, and several brands are secretly looking for other spokespeople. They're just waiting for your contract to expire to seamlessly replace you. If your dad really dies, just think about it..."
Thalia: ... "Am I really that miserable? What should I do then?"
"Control your temper and be nicer to your sponsor."
Layla's harsh words left Thalia feeling down, sitting in the nanny van with a face full of sorrow.
When Evelyn called, she answered dejectedly.
Evelyn was taken aback, "Did your dad die?"
Thalia: ... "Speak plainly."
Evelyn awkwardly coughed, "Want to go out for a drink?"
"Sure."
Live for the moment. She was already feeling depressed; why not go out and have some fun?
Life was too hard. While she still had money, she had to enjoy life. Otherwise, she'd have to work in the future and wouldn't be able to enjoy it.
In the bar, when Thalia walked in, Evelyn was flirting with a guy.
The guy kept calling her "sis," making Evelyn so happy she almost lost control.
"That's enough, let him go!"
Evelyn clicked her tongue, "I just want to be happy!"
Thalia gave her a look.
"What's up?" Evelyn said leisurely.
Thalia gave her a thumbs-up and looked at the bartender, "Give me something colorful."
"What color do you want?" The bartender was obviously familiar with Thalia. Who wouldn't want to know the princess of Emerald City?
"Give her something yellow," Evelyn interjected, taking the bartender's phone.
Thalia didn't bother choosing, "Listen to her."
Evelyn propped her head up, watching Thalia. She had just come from an event, changed her clothes but hadn't removed her makeup. She wore a black turtleneck sweater with high-waisted wide-leg pants, giving her a sharp, elite look. The fitted sweater accentuated her figure, making her look irresistibly alluring.
Thalia glanced at Evelyn's hand on her waist, "Where are you touching?"
"Sisterly benefits, let me feel."
"Aren't you afraid people will say I'm gay?" Thalia pushed Evelyn's hand away.
Evelyn curiously leaned closer to Thalia, "Do you think William can't perform? You're so seductive, and he can still hold back."
Thalia: ... William's words flashed through her mind. Can he perform? Haven't you tested that already?
"Answer me! Why are you blushing?"
Thalia's eyes narrowed as she glanced at Evelyn, "Why don't you ask him?"
Evelyn tapped her fingers on the bar, "I heard the Lewis family is considering marrying into William's family."
Thalia's face stiffened, "Scarlett Lewis?"
"Yeah," Evelyn nodded.
"William is a hot prospect in Emerald City right now. He's a legal powerhouse and a rising star in business. He made the wealth list last night. For these wealthy families in Emerald City, the most appealing thing about William is his simple family background. Such a man is perfect for a son-in-law. Internally, William's legal status is prestigious. Externally, they can boast that William is marrying up, which is enough for them to show off."
Thalia: ... It indeed matched the behavior of Emerald City's wealthy families.
They coveted him but looked down on him, yet still wanted to curry favor with him.
Interesting.
Thalia took a sip of her drink and sneered, "They have to have the skills to take him from me first."