Chapter 409 Are You Really That Obsessed With Love?
Thalia let out a huge sigh of relief.
Exhaling a quiet breath, she forced her stiff hand to relax, slowly releasing her grip from William's thigh. Her palm lingered for a moment as she gave his leg a gentle rub, an unspoken apology meant to smooth over the marks she'd left.
"John, come in."
"Ms. Smith."
"Go to the car and get me a checkbook."
She had to make a donation.
William was both annoyed and amused by Thalia's blatant way of celebrating. She wasn't even trying to hide it.
Right on cue, John silently entered the space, dutifully presenting the checkbook to Thalia. Barely even acknowledging him with the wave of her hand, she clicked her pen and proceeded to write out a jaw-dropping check of six hundred and sixty-six thousand dollars, acting as if it were mere pocket change.
........
"Slow down! The mountain road is so steep, wait for me!"
After they left Peace Church, William was pretty upset and he quickly strode off . Thalia followed behind, half-chasing, half-running, her legs practically a blur.
"William, this isn't fair. I'm not the one who said the timing wasn't rightt. Why are you mad at me? Are you trying to show God that we don't get along, so He'll just end this relationship early?"
Suddenly, William stopped short, and Thalia didn't react in time, nearly crashing into him.
She pressed her hands against his chest to stop herself.
There was quite a distance from the chapel to the parking lot, downstairs along a stretch of road. They were now stopped on the mountain road section. Luckily, at this hour, people were just starting their prayers at Peace Church, so not many were passing by.
"Are you happy?" William's tone was stiff.
Thalia reined in her expression and shook her head. "No."
"Then why did you donate?"
"Just doing a good deed!" Thalia declared with an innocent smile, her tone dripping with a feigned innocence that dared him to challenge her. It was a highly frustrating fact that no matter what kind of probing question William threw her way, Thalia's sharp mind could effortlessly concoct a brilliant lie on the spot.
William's chest heaved with frustration.
He didn't want to argue with her and turned to leave.
"Don't walk so fast!"
Thalia finally caught up to the car and watched as he stepped up to get in. Just as she was about to follow, bang - the door slammed shut. There were people coming and going in the parking lot, and those who saw this scene were more or less curious.
Eyes wide, wanting to watch the drama unfold.
Thalia cursed under her breath. Afraid of being recognized, she quickly got in the car.
"We've only been married half a year. There's no rush to have kids, right? Besides, your career is on the rise, the Celestia Group is expanding - having a kid now would just hold you back, wouldn't it?" Thalia sat beside William, turning to face him, trying to reason with him patiently. "We're still young. There's no need to put ourselves in chains right now."
Chains?
When William heard that word, his gaze at Thalia carried an inexplicable hint of menace. "You think a child would be chains for you?"
Thalia was a realist. All the issues she considered came from a realistic perspective - she never held any illusions about this real life.
In the cramped air, their emotions collided and cracked open. "Isn't it? If a couple loves each other, they don't need a child to strengthen their relationship. If they don't love each other, what's the point of having a child?"
"Your mother and my father are the best cautionary tales. I think growing up in that kind of environment, we should be extremely careful about having children, not just rashly bring a kid into the world on a whim without any preparation. Are you ready to be a father? What kind of father? When the child has various issues with education, how will you handle and solve them?"
"After the child is born, will you spend more time with the family or will I? Will you sacrifice more or will I?"
"We..." William tried to say something.
Thalia cut him off. "Don't tell me we can raise and educate the child together. There's no absolute equality in marriage, and even less so in parenting. Between the two of us, one person will always have to give more - will that be you or me?"
"Money can solve 99% of problems, but that remaining 1% is still a problem for us."
After finishing her long speech, Thalia picked up her thermos and took a sip of water.
"I want the child to come after we're completely prepared, not like this." After saying this, Thalia pulled a blanket over her head, her whole body radiating anger.
After thinking it over, still feeling unsettled - a man like William shouldn't be this impulsive.
Thalia threw off the blanket and sat up, looking at William, who was still upset, and delivered another blow. "Are you really that obsessed with love?"
.........
When Angelina got in the elevator that morning, she ran into William and saw him with such a dark expression that he practically had icicles forming around him.
She instinctively shrank back, keeping her distance.
Didn't they go to Peace Church? Why did he come out looking so grim?
What happened? Got diagnosed with infertility?
If so, wouldn't Thalia be thrilled?
"Angelina."
Angelina was lost in her wild thoughts and didn't quite register being called at first. "Huh? What?"
"Am I obsessed with love?"
Angelina stammered. "I... how would I know?"
"Why don't you go back and ask Ms. Smith?"
At the mention of Thalia, William's expression darkened even more, looking like he could devour someone.
Angelina rubbed her arm before daring to exit the elevator.
That evening, William was so upset with Thalia that he didn't go home.
Everyone on the top floor had to work overtime with William, forced into service. People who normally left right on time were stuck in the office until ten o'clock. The entire Celestia Group was lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Ms. Jolie, what's wrong with Mr. Brown?"
"He got his feelings hurt."
Brian was shocked. "By who?"
"Who else has that kind of power?"
It had to be Thalia!
Brian got it and nodded. "Well, this isn't going to work."
"The way Mr. Brown's acting, we won't be leaving before midnight tonight."
Angelina added, "Go in and check - see if he's constantly poking at his phone waiting for a call. If he is, find a way to get Ms. Smith here. Once she shows up, you can all go home."