Chapter 211 Must Be Love, Right?
"Dying before achieving success" - that's pretty much what this means.
Thalia watched Dane throwing a fit, practically jumping up and down in anger.
The livestream had just started and got shut down right away. And it was the company's official account that got banned - restarting a livestream wouldn't be that easy now.
"Why'd you come out?"
Thalia sighed and said, "It's over."
Layla looked at Thalia, about to figure out what she meant, when she saw Gregory coming out too.
"What happened?"
"The livestream got reported and shut down."
Layla: "........Can't you do a recorded broadcast?"
Thalia pulled a blanket over herself: "Dane won't agree. He decided to reschedule."
"Why won't Dane agree?"
"Didn't you watch the stream? Right when it started, someone dropped hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts. What do you think - why wouldn't he agree?"
Layla: "......... Your schedule isn't worth anything, is it? What did Gregory say?"
Just as Thalia was about to speak, someone knocked on the car window. Opening the door, Luca stuck his head in: "Thalia, our tire's flat. Can you give us a ride?"
Thalia glanced at the front windshield and indeed saw Gregory's driver checking the tire.
Isla tactfully moved to the back, Layla went to the passenger seat, leaving the middle spot for Thalia and Gregory.
"Can Gregory's schedule be adjusted?" Layla asked curiously, glancing at him.
He nodded: "I suppose I can manage."
Since Gregory agreed, what else could she say?
Thalia just wanted to sleep once she got in the car.
She had absolutely no intention of talking with Gregory, which made Luca in the back seat so anxious!
He practically wanted to wake Thalia up.
When the car drove back to the city, Layla asked Gregory where to drop him off.
"Just drop me somewhere convenient for getting a cab."
"How about we take you home?"
"No need to trouble you, we can just catch a cab," Gregory declined.
Layla nodded and watched Gregory get out.
Layla gave him a few reminders, and just as she watched him walk away, the sleeping Thalia woke up: "Did you set an alarm or something?"
Thalia kept her eyes closed, pulling at the blanket: "Don't ask stupid questions like that in the future. Gregory lives in Mistwood Hill."
"How do you know?" Layla was surprised. Mistwood Hill - that area only has about ten villas total. Anyone who can live there isn't just rich, they definitely have their own power base!
"I've run into him before." Last time when returning to Mistwood Hill, she saw Gregory's car behind her, so she switched cars next time. Celebrities! Having several work vehicles is pretty normal.
Taking him home would be fine, but she didn't want Gregory to know she lived in Mistwood Hill. Better to avoid trouble.
Layla was speechless.
"So just how rich is Mr. Brown to own a villa in that area? Didn't they say both his parents were teachers?"
Thalia yawned, glanced at the buildings passing by outside, and responded absentmindedly to Layla: "Pull over. I'm going to get a spa. Can't wake up early for nothing."
Thalia took Isla into a nearby seven-star hotel. This hotel's spa was famous in the entertainment industry. The penthouse suite with floor-to-ceiling windows - you could enjoy the view of the entire business district while getting top-notch service. After sleeping through it, Thalia felt completely refreshed.
She rubbed her neck, fixed her hair and stepped into the elevator. While touching up her makeup, she saw a petite figure slip into the elevator.
Even Isla was stunned. What a coincidence!
Running into each other like this?
"Aria?" Thalia frowned slightly, looking at Aria with some confusion.
"Thalia......" When Aria saw Thalia, it was like seeing her savior. She suddenly raised her voice to call out to her.
The footsteps rushing through the hallway stopped at that sound.
Until the elevator doors closed.
Thalia looked her up and down, seeing the bruises all over her body, not knowing what to say for a moment.
"Ms. Smith, please help me."
"Help you with what?" Thalia asked coldly.
Aria's words reached her lips but she swallowed them back. Facing Thalia's question, she didn't know how to answer for a moment. Yes, help her with what? Help her escape the Wood family? Or help her sneak the child out?
She opened her mouth, somewhat at a loss for words.
The elevator descended rapidly. Aria watched the numbers change, her heart pounding with panic like a drum.
William hadn't harmed her in any way. On the contrary, their cooperation was consensual, and it was already over. But she had gotten greedy during this cooperation, wanting other things.
The elevator quickly reached the basement level. Thalia didn't get tangled up with Aria, instead striding out of the elevator.
Just as she reached the parking lot, Aria rushed out urgently from behind: "Ms. Smith, everything I did back then wasn't......"
"Thalia—" William's steady voice interrupted Aria's words. The Maybach's window rolled down, revealing William's handsome, cold features. Just from his profile, she could see this man was full of fierce energy. Aria's words suddenly stopped.
She didn't dare say another word.
"Ms. Clark, everything you did back then wasn't what?" Thalia turned to look at her. The latter's steps were unsteady, somewhat trembling.
"Nothing... nothing."
Thalia frowned slightly, somewhat impatient.
She didn't want to get involved with the Wood family again. Walking around to the side, the guard tactfully opened the car door. She got in and drove away.
Aria stood there, watching three shiny black Maybachs slowly drive out of the parking lot.
Just from William's calling out "Thalia," Aria could hear his deep, devoted love for Thalia.
William must really love Thalia, right? Otherwise, why would he set up such an elaborate trap to lure her in?
She was Thalia! The princess of Emerald City! Deserving of the best of everything. And herself?
She had become a sacrifice to her own greedy desires.
"Ms. Clark, Mr. Brown says if you want to leave, leave openly. But remember, once you leave, there's no second chance."
The bodyguard upstairs saw everyone leave and came out, standing behind her with no intention of dragging her back.
On the contrary, he seemed quite respectful of her wishes.
William was someone with tough methods. He wasn't kind-hearted or soft. In his early years, he'd been through hardships, getting stabbed in the back while starting his business. Later, after establishing himself, he always remembered the losses he'd suffered from being soft-hearted, so over the years, his business empire expanded more and more, and his heart grew harder and harder.
If someone wanted to court death, he wouldn't applaud, but he wouldn't stop them either.
Not kicking people when they're down, not bullying people when he's on top - that was his principle. As for Aria, she was just a chess piece he'd planted in the Wood family early on.
What he wanted wasn't just Thalia.
Though the Wood family wasn't doing well, their manufacturing business was still an industry leader.
"I... won't leave."
Aria stammered. She knew in her heart that if she went back to the Wood Villa, she wouldn't have a good ending. Just as Finn said, the child was the Wood family's bloodline - the Wood family would never do anything to the child, but going back herself would be different.