Chapter 481: You Got My Person and Love, and Still Want to Be Open
Emerald City Private Café.
The minimalist decor, a glass door blocking out the noise and views from outside.
Selene looked at Dione across from her, completely stunned by her beauty and grace. Her emotions took a long time to settle. She had thought William was already breathtakingly handsome, but seeing Dione today, she finally understood what true elegance and nobility looked like.
"Ms. Peterson?"
"Sorry," Selene suddenly snapped back to reality. "I've just never seen a woman as elegant as you."
Hearing this, Dione seemed unsurprised. She had someone pour Selene a cup of coffee, as if such compliments were nothing special in her life anymore.
In her youth, she was the most beautiful woman in Regal City.
Now in Regal City, she held a high status and power. Any one of these titles and positions was something others could only envy.
"I heard you're interning at the Celestia Group?"
"Yes."
"Ms. Peterson, you studied law?"
"That's the direction."
"Ms. Peterson, which area did you focus on in school?"
"Intellectual property."
Intellectual property? But she'd heard William put her in the family law department? Handling divorces and estate divisions?
Probably to remind this young woman that marriage wasn't anything good.
"Ms. Peterson, are you also doing intellectual property work at the Celestia Group?"
Selene was young after all, and facing a big shot like Dione, she answered every question.
"No, I'm in the family law department."
Dione turned the teacup in her hand, her expression calm. "The family law department has a lot to teach. William must have high hopes for you."
Hearing this, Selene's face flushed. "I just graduated, there's still so much I need to learn."
"Tomorrow's Monday, don't you have to go to work?"
Selene froze. Actually, she was on leave right now, but when Dione said this, there was such expectation on her face that Selene forced herself to nod. "Yes."
Dione smiled slightly, her smile like pure white snow on a mountain peak, making people want to praise it.
"Work hard."
........
"Did you find it?"
"No, Ms. Peterson's car was clean, no extra items. The only electronic device was her phone," Dione asked Jacob as soon as she got in the car after leaving the café.
Hearing this answer was expected. "No rush, as long as she goes to work at the Celestia Group, we'll have our chance."
"Any reaction from William's side about the secret marriage news?"
"Not yet."
"What about Thalia?"
Jacob shook his head. "Nothing either."
Dione's lips curved slightly. "They're keeping their cool."
"Reporters surround the Celestia Group entrance, and Thalia didn't go to the set today either."
"No rush, just wait..."
..........
"How is he?"
"He's fine, just had a bad fever. He'll be better once it breaks."
"Really?" Harper was still worried.
"Really."
"You still don't trust me? Would I harm him?"
"Alright, go downstairs and rest!" Amara put her arm around Harper's shoulder and led her away.
Harper was half-pushed, half-guided out of the bedroom, looking back every few steps.
Worried sick.
"Thalia doesn't seem like someone who knows how to take care of people."
Amara sighed. "Even if she can't take care of people, that's between the married couple. Why are you, a mother-in-law, getting so involved? And a stepmother at that - do you want to make yourself unwelcome?"
"If Thalia can't take care of people, can you follow them around taking care of them forever?"
"Who's born knowing how to take care of others? Who didn't have a mother before getting married? After marriage, everything has a first time. Practice makes perfect. If you don't even give her a chance to practice, do you want her never to grow up?"
Amara nagged all the way downstairs and poured Harper a glass of water. "Rest a bit."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going upstairs to rest too."
That's what she said, but what Amara was really thinking was that she wanted to watch the show.
The more miserable William was, the happier she was.
In the bedroom, Thalia received a call from Layla.
"How is it?"
"Not great."
"Was it really William's scheme? Can't the news be taken down?"
Thalia leaned back on the sofa, looking at William lying in bed, tapping her forehead with her finger. "Who did you tell me was evading taxes last time?"
"Why?"
"Got any proof?"
"The best way to suppress one piece of news is to break an even more explosive one to shift everyone's attention."
Layla thought for a moment. "Wouldn't that be a bit awkward for everyone?"
"So what?" Thalia asked back.
"Isn't the entertainment industry just a place full of fierce competition and hidden rules anyway?"
That afternoon, news about a newly crowned best actress evading taxes hit the trending topics, and the gossip about Thalia and William was pushed down.
When Angelina and Daniel saw the news, they had to admit that Thalia had brains.
After all, she was a girl who grew up in the battleground of wealthy families - she had her methods.
Near evening, William woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Thalia sitting by the bed, a cigarette between her fingers - his usual brand.
Seeing him awake, Thalia brought the cigarette to her nose and sniffed it. "Awake?"
"Yeah!"
After the injection, William's fever had gone down a bit. He felt more refreshed, not like the confused, dizzy state of the morning.
"I just checked the home surveillance and saw you standing on the balcony last night in short sleeves and shorts, drinking ice water."
"William, to escape this disaster, you really put in a lot of effort! How come you didn't freeze to death?"
"Since this is a contractual relationship, then follow the spirit of the contract. You're really not satisfied - you got my body, got my love, and you still want it to be public."
"Thalia..."
William called out hoarsely, probably feeling his throat uncomfortable, reaching out to grab the water glass on the nightstand.
His fingers had just touched the cup when Thalia took it away.
"William, don't you know? Me giving willingly and you scheming behind my back to get it are two different things."
"It wasn't me."
"If not you, then who?" At this point, he was still pretending.
"I admit I had the thought, but I wasn't the one who did it."
"Then tell me, who was it?" Thalia's voice grew louder, looking at William, her anger rising.
"I care about you, I protect you, and in the end you scheme against me. William, you've gone too far."
"You like scheming, right? Then scheme some more and see what it'll take for me to forgive you." Thalia put the cup on the coffee table, and after speaking, turned to leave.
"Thalia..."
Seeing her about to leave, William panicked. He reached out and pulled the needle from the back of his hand, not caring if it was bleeding, got out of bed, and chased after her.
But as soon as his feet touched the ground, his legs gave way, and he fell to the floor.
Downstairs, Harper and Vaughn both stopped what they were doing and looked up at the ceiling. "What was that noise?"