Chapter 381 Thalia Lifts the Blanket
"Your choice - either let go of me, or I carry you out like this."
Wouldn't that blow her cover?
William was still as ruthless as ever.
"Fine, I'll let go. A man I can't have - might as well let him go."
A man she can't have?
William laughed in exasperation. "Say that again."
"I said I'm letting go." Thalia released William's neck, turned to pull open the door and bolted out. When she reached the staircase, she even put on a show of slowing down her steps.
"So? Who won?" As soon as Thalia came downstairs, Amara sidled up to her, looking at her with a gossipy expression.
Thalia clicked her tongue. "Need you ask? Obviously, I won."
"You sure? I feel like William won." Amara glanced at William coming down from upstairs. The man looked relaxed, radiating satisfaction from head to toe, like he'd just won a battle.
"Thalia, come here."
Hearing these sudden words, Thalia looked at Vaughn, somewhat at a loss. Was he about to lecture her?
She cast a pleading look at Amara, who thought to herself - she didn't dare rescue her. What if Vaughn turned around and lectured her instead? Wouldn't that be awful?
Thalia then looked at William pitifully.
William naturally wouldn't save her. She deserved this.
That's what she got for being so smug just now.
Thalia steeled herself and followed Vaughn to the backyard. Vaughn considered his words carefully before speaking cautiously. "William wasn't like this before. He's always held himself to high standards. I suspect the glitz and glamour of the business world have made him lose himself. If he really did something wrong to you, it's because I, as his father, failed to raise him properly. I apologize to you."
Thalia felt guilty.
She really deserved to die!
It was just a joke where they were messing with each other, but Thalia suddenly felt like something was stuck in her throat, not knowing what to do.
The less serious she was, the more unreliable she seemed.
To her, it wasn't anything important, but to Vaughn, it clearly was.
Otherwise, how could an elder bow and apologize to her?
She really deserved this!
"I..."
"Dinner's ready."
Just as Thalia was stuck, unable to move forward or back.
The backyard door opened.
William appeared as if he'd predicted all this, showing up just in time to rescue Thalia from her awkward situation.
Thalia looked at William like she was looking at a savior.
Those eyes, all watery, like an abandoned puppy reunited with its owner.
"Let's eat first! These are all small matters."
Hearing Thalia say this, William thought she was naturally heartless.
He shouldn't have come to rescue her - should've let her struggle with this little issue.
After dinner, Thalia and William left the Brown Mansion.
In the car, William took two calls from business partners. After brief conversations, as they neared Mistwood Hill, William put away his phone and looked at Thalia. "Don't you have anything to say?"
"I was wrong."
"Wrong about what?"
"Wrong to make that kind of morally questionable joke in front of your parents."
William thought, 'When did Thalia start admitting mistakes so quickly? Is this really her?'
The man leaned over and pinched Thalia's cheek.
"What are you doing? Face slimming injections are expensive."
"Apologizing so quickly? Let me check if you're real."
Thalia said, "I've always been flexible. This really was my mistake. I thought it was just a joke to get you in trouble; I didn't expect your dad to apologize to me. If I'd known, I definitely wouldn't have done it."
Thalia was truly arrogant and domineering, but she also truly knew where the line was.
After twenty-some years of living, she knew clearly what she could and couldn't do.
Kids fighting and teasing each other were normal, but you don't drag parents into it. She could take advantage of William, but not his parents.
After all, his parents didn't owe her anything.
Hearing this from Thalia, Finn couldn't help but glance at her.
No wonder straightforward women who don't put on airs are what many mature men dream of.
Thalia's personality was indeed more attractive than that of the affected women.
Right is right, wrong is wrong.
...........
"Mrs. Jimenez, this is today's gossip about Mr. Brown. Please take a look."
"Many people in the comments are saying Mr. Brown's rumored partner is Ms. Smith."
"But she hasn't confirmed or denied it."
Stefan handed the iPad to Eileen.
Looking at it, Eileen narrowed her eyes. Thinking of Thalia's face, she inexplicably felt a headache coming on.
"I really can't understand. What's so good about that arrogant woman working as an actress in the entertainment industry? Why do all these Emerald City men favor her one after another?"
Stefan didn't respond to Eileen's words.
If one person favored her, it might be that person's poor judgment. But if everyone did, it could only mean this person had something exceptional about her.
Thalia must have many things they hadn't discovered yet.
"Go see Grace."
Can't deal with Thalia, so go after her mother?
Wasn't this getting off track?
But Stefan didn't dare say this, just glanced at Steven.
"What are you going to see Grace for?"
"To build rapport."
"According to what you said, if she was there when you clashed with Thalia last time, do you think she'll want to build any rapport with you today?"
Eileen stiffened.
Steven spoke again. "Give it a rest! You can't rush this. Our target is William, not those messy relationships around him. This way, you're only making things more complicated."
Eileen was hurt by Steven's words and didn't respond right away.
She looked at him with a stern face, silent.
.............
"Are you going to the charity auction at the end of the month?"
Thalia came out after her shower, applying skincare while looking at William, who was reading a book on the bed.
"Is there something you want?"
"There's a jade bracelet I quite like."
"Show me."
Thalia picked up the iPad from the bedside, opened it to the information sent by the organizers, and found the jade bracelet listing.
Looking at the picture, this jade bracelet was crystal clear and translucent - a rare quality piece.
"Never seen you wear one before."
"Couldn't appreciate it before, but lately I've been obsessed."
"If there's something you want, go for it."
"You'll buy it for me?" Thalia threw back the covers and knelt on the bed, looking at William.