Chapter 94 I'm Going to Take a Shower and Meet William
Chase snapped at her, "Cut the crap. Is Hayden dying or not?"
Thalia shrugged, signaling the servant to pour her a glass of water. "Chill out, Chase. If Hayden kicks the bucket, you'll be the first to know."
"Thalia, you think I won't call the cops?"
She laughed, taking the glass from the servant. "Go ahead, call them! Who do you think you're scaring?"
Luna, watching Chase get played by Thalia, stepped in, looking annoyed. "Thalia, if your dad's really in bad shape, you and Chase should be on the same team, not at each other's throats."
"Splitting the inheritance between you two is better than having those dozen illegitimate kids take a piece."
Thalia shot Luna a look. She's always sticking her nose in.
Chase couldn't handle Thalia, so now his mom had to jump in. Interesting.
Thalia took a sip of water and asked, "I'm curious, where'd you hear this news?"
"Why does everyone else know something I don’t?"
"Why don't you tell me who started this rumor first?"
Chase, fed up with Thalia's attitude, snapped back, "Does it matter who spread it? What we need to know is if Hayden's really dying."
"No clue," Thalia replied curtly.
"Whoever told you Hayden's dying, go ask them. Stop bugging me."
"Show them out. If they don’t leave, throw them out," she instructed the butler beside her.
The butler shivered under her gaze.
"Thalia, don't push it," Chase shouted from the doorway.
Thalia ignored him.
...
Whisper Hall.
Serenity Powell was surprised to see Thalia.
"Thought I was seeing things. Your dad's dying, and you have time to come here?"
Serenity said as she went to the bathroom to wash her hands. When she came back out, she saw Thalia casually wiping a knife from her desk. Her tone was indifferent, "Even you know about it."
"Guess the whole Emerald City knows."
Thalia's slender fingers brushed the sharp blade. "Who do you think spread the news?"
Serenity grabbed a tissue from the table to wipe her hands. "For the news to spread so fast, it had to be an insider. No doubt."
Thalia flicked the blade with her delicate fingers. "We think alike."
"So, is your dad really not doing well?"
Thalia glanced up at Serenity.
Serenity saw her look and smiled faintly.
No more questions.
"How's the selection process for the people I asked you to find?"
"Come on, I'll take you to meet them."
Serenity put a baseball cap on Thalia's head and led her downstairs. As they exited the elevator, they heard a drunk man cursing, "Just a whore, acting all high and mighty? Whisper Hall? It's just a dumpy karaoke bar, pretending to be classy. Everyone knows the owner's a prostitute."
Thalia paused and looked sideways at Serenity. "Who's that idiot?"
"Want to find out? Come on, I'll show you."
They walked down another corridor and saw a man lying on the ground, drunk out of his mind.
"He's somewhat related to you."
Thalia's mouth twitched as she looked at the man on the ground and laughed, "How is he related to me?"
"He's your half-sister's fiancé."
Thalia rolled her eyes. "You could've just said Raymond."
"He's quite the character. He blows hundreds of thousands here every night, just drinking with a bunch of women. And when he gets drunk, he acts like this."
"He yells and shouts, sometimes even asks us to record videos," Serenity chuckled, finding the antics of these rich kids amusing.
Thalia shook her head. "Rich and stupid."
...
"Why'd you bring so many people back?" Grace asked, puzzled, as she looked at the dozens of people standing in the yard.
"To keep you safe."
Grace sighed. "Thalia, you're smart but you never take the easy way."
Inside, Thalia went straight to the bedroom, and Grace followed.
Grace watched her undress and asked, "What's on your mind?"
"What did Timothy say?"
"Your dad's health is going downhill. It's only a matter of time before he passes. If we don't prepare now, Chase and William will team up, and we'll be in trouble."
Thalia threw her underwear on the bed and put on a bathrobe. "You believe what William says? Have you heard his reputation? Anyone who crosses him ends up with nothing."
"Mom, do you really not know or are you just pretending? In recent years, William has taken over both the Jackson and Wilson families. He's the real power behind their businesses. For them to willingly work for him, he must be very capable. And now he comes to you with promises, and you believe him?"
"Is he stupid? Offering me a billion dollars and a two-year marriage? Does he do losing deals? With his status in Emerald City, he can have any woman he wants. What does he want? My face or my body?"
"Aren't you afraid he wants to marry me to take over the Smith family business when Dad passes away?" Thalia's last sentence was sharp.
Grace accidentally knocked over a figurine in the bedroom.
When the figurine hit the ground, it shattered.
Thalia didn't want to care, but the incident under the bed last time left her with a bad feeling.
She walked over and kicked the shards with her foot.
"What's wrong?" Grace found her behavior strange. Thalia withdrew her foot. "Nothing, I'm going to take a shower and meet William."
...
At Aurora Tower, William sat on the couch, lightly tapping his cigarette.
Nicholas lounged on the couch. "Isn't it strange that everyone in Emerald City knows Hayden is dying?"
"Someone's definitely spreading rumors."
"The Smith family is going to be interesting to watch."
"Mr. Brown, aren't you curious at all?"
William tapped the ash into the ashtray with his pinky.
Before he could say anything, the door to the private room opened.
Finn stood at the door and looked at him. "Mr. Brown, Ms. Smith is here."
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "No wonder you're so enigmatic! While everyone else is gossiping, you get the main player to come straight to you."