Chapter 369: No Stopping at Night
"What did you talk about with Mrs. Jimenez?"
As soon as Zephyrine got home, Kurt's question came.
Under the eaves, he was playing with a bird wand, teasing the bird in the cage, his casual manner carrying a hint of post-retirement leisure.
Zephyrine walked under the eaves and poured herself a glass of water. "You might not believe it if I tell you."
"Try me."
"Nothing but showing off. Just because the Carter family relies on her in Regal City, she thinks she's superior. Every word she said to me dripped with arrogance, like she wanted to press my head down and make me kneel before her, demanding my complete submission."
"Figured as much." Kurt's tone was flat. He'd always known what kind of person Eileen was, and what role the Jimenezes played in front of the Carter family.
Over the years, the Carter family had indeed been under the Jimenez family's protection and received many benefits, but that was many years ago.
These years, the Jimenez family could barely take care of themselves and could not protect the Carter family.
On the contrary, they'd been taking plenty of benefits from the Carter family.
Part of the money Zephyrine sent to help the Carter family went into the Jimenezes' pockets, and the Jimenezes used that money to secure their own position. Instead of being grateful, they strutted around in front of the Carters.
Zephyrine took a sip of water and continued, "Eileen seems to have some history with Thalia."
"Hayden's daughter?"
"From what Thalia said, her entanglement with Eileen runs pretty deep. She said Eileen cursed at her. I'm guessing if Grace hadn't been there tonight, Thalia wouldn't have let it go so easily."
"Don't get involved in their mess. Let them sort it out themselves. Thalia isn't someone to mess with. Now that Eileen has crossed her, she's probably in for a rough time in Emerald City."
Who didn't know Thalia was the type to hold grudges?
"What I'm curious about now is why Eileen would have a conflict with Thalia? What's the story behind it?"
Kurt tossed the bird wand on the ground and spoke mysteriously. "Hard to say."
...........
"What are you doing here?"
"Got into a fight?" William's gaze swept over her from top to bottom before settling on her face.
Thalia shrugged, looking through the car window at the man sitting inside. "Almost. You're not here to arrest me because you're afraid I got into a fight, are you?"
"Mr. Brown was afraid you'd lose the fight, so he came to back you up."
"Really?" Thalia raised an eyebrow, somewhat skeptical of Finn's words.
Thinking about it, William had always been protective. That was nice of him.
Without waiting for William to answer, Thalia crooked her finger, signaling William to come closer.
The man complied.
Thalia leaned halfway through the car window, holding her bag in one hand and pressing the other against William's neck, planting a kiss on the corner of his lips. "Thanks."
William froze.
In the parking lot at night, fluorescent lights illuminated what would otherwise be darkness. Inside the black Bentley, the man's face flushed red, like someone who'd just emerged from a sea of pink flowers.
Finn thought to himself, we're done for.
With Thalia's tactics, even the coldest person could be completely charmed by her.
Let alone someone like William, who had strong desires and secretly liked her anyway.
Sooner or later, William would completely fall into Thalia's hands.
"That's it?"
"Not enough?" Thalia pulled back, looking at William.
The man said nothing, reaching out to pat the seat beside him. "Get in."
Finn immediately understood and raised the privacy partition in the driver's seat.
As soon as Thalia got in the car, she saw the partition slowly rising. "So tactful?"
William scooped Thalia onto his lap with one hand, looking at her. His thin lips were close to her face, and when he spoke, his breath mixed with the scent of tobacco swept across her face, ambiguous and entangling.
"Who did you run into?"
"Your grandmother."
"Wait, no," Thalia felt her relationship designation wasn't quite accurate, so she spoke again. "Technically, your step-grandmother."
"I just wanted to have a nice meal, but she cursed at me. That would've been fine, but she cursed at you too. Could I stand for that? I can take being wronged myself, but I absolutely can't let you be wronged. So didn't I have to argue with her?"
Hearing Thalia's words, William could barely contain the smile at the corners of his lips.
It was about to spill over. His palm rested on Thalia's lower back, gently caressing, couldn't be more tender.
"She cursed at you, and you just took it?" William asked.
Thalia snorted. "Are there few people who curse at me? If I cared about every single one, wouldn't that be pretty miserable?"
William's eyes softened, looking at Thalia with a smile. "How come I didn't know you defended me like this in front of outsiders?"
"There's a lot you don't know," Thalia pulled his hand from her waist and kissed it.
He couldn't keep touching, or they'd end up having sex in the car again.
William saw through her thoughts, but since he was in a good mood today, he wouldn't hold it against her. "Since you defended me like this, shouldn't I reward you with something?"
"Can I choose?" Thalia became interested.
William nodded generously. "Go ahead."
Thalia leaned forward slightly, reaching out to hook her arm around his neck. "I've had my eye on a car, but couldn't bring myself to buy it."
Who didn't know Thalia never cared about money and could get whatever she wanted?
Today, she actually said something like this?
Was she joking?
"Very expensive?"
Thalia nodded seriously. "Limited edition."
"Tell me about it."
"A global limited edition pink Ghost." When Thalia said this, her eyes were sparkling.
Looking at William, blinking her bright blue eyes, seducing him into spending money on her.
William thought for a moment. "I can buy it, but you have to agree to one condition."
"Forget one, I'll agree to ten."
William smiled, looking at Thalia. "Then ten it is."
Thalia asked, "What condition?"
William's hand hooked around Thalia's waist, pulling her against him, looking at her word by word. "No calling stop at night."
"Ten times, so that's ten nights."
Thalia was speechless.