Chapter 122
The next day, Thalia slowly opened her eyes. A merciless headache pounded from her hangover. Looking down at her pajamas, she was momentarily bewildered. How had she gotten home last night? Who had changed her clothes? She only remembered going out for drinks, Victoria urging her to check out The Dreamboys. She couldn't hold her alcohol well and had gotten drunk after just a few glasses. Vaguely, she recalled thinking she’d seen Asher. Was it just her imagination?
Reaching under her pillow for her phone, Thalia called Victoria. The phone rang twice before someone answered.
"Hello?"
Thalia was startled. "Sebastian? Why are you answering? Where's Victoria?"
Hearing Thalia's voice, Sebastian instantly became alert. He had been sleeping peacefully with Victoria in his arms when the phone rang. In his drowsy state, he’d assumed it was his own phone and answered without thinking. The realization alarmed him considerably. His mind raced as he quickly fabricated an excuse. "Victoria left her phone in the downstairs lounge last night. She’s still asleep upstairs in her room. Did you need to speak with her about something?"
Thalia couldn’t yet know about his relationship with Victoria. He wasn’t concerned about gossip for his own sake; if word got out, people would merely consider him a ladies' man. But for a woman, it would be entirely different. People would gossip behind Victoria's back, accusing her of incest and loose morals. The rumor mill could be merciless, and the resulting backlash devastating.
Thalia didn’t question his explanation. "Oh, I see. When she wakes up, could you ask her to call me back?"
Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief. "Of course."
After hanging up, Sebastian glanced down at Victoria beside him. "Awake, are you?"
Victoria’s face still showed signs of sleepiness, her eyes half-open as she murmured a soft, "Mmm." Having just woken up, her voice was incredibly soft and sweet. That single sound was enough to ignite Sebastian’s desire. He leaned down to kiss her lips. "Fancy another go, darling?"
Hearing this, Victoria snapped fully awake. She clutched the duvet to her chest, her eyes wary. "Get off!"
Sebastian’s gaze was tender, his lips curving into an indulgent smile. "Do you have any idea how irresistible you look right now?"
Victoria held onto the duvet tightly, so nervous she began to stammer: "S-Sebastian… don't you dare. Last night… last night we were both completely plastered. We're adults—I can pretend nothing happened. From now on… we can just go back to being like brother and sister."
Sebastian laughed, raising an eyebrow. "I wasn’t drunk last night. I was completely sober."
Victoria’s eyes widened in shock.
Sebastian continued leisurely: "Darling, I was entirely clear-headed. I knew exactly what I was doing. The truth is, I’ve been aware of my feelings for you for quite some time, but I’ve been holding back. Last night, when you were flirting with that host and leaning against him, I simply couldn’t control myself any longer."
Victoria looked incredulous. "You… you’ve fancied me all this time?"
Sebastian nodded. "Since when?"
"I’m not sure exactly when it started. I suppose it developed gradually over time."
Victoria bit her lip. "But I… I’m not ready for this."
Sebastian gently caressed her face, asking softly: "Darling, do you fancy me? Not as a brother, but as a man?"
"Absolutely not!" Victoria denied vehemently.
Sebastian chuckled softly before leaning down to kiss her again. "That’s alright. We have plenty of time to develop those feelings." He deliberately emphasized a certain word. Victoria’s face flushed crimson to the tips of her ears.
What followed was another bout of passion. Several days passed in London’s winter snow, and soon it was mid-January. That day, Thalia received a call from the head of Sinclair & Klein.
"Thalia, I hear you play golf?"
Thalia wondered who had mentioned this, then remembered filling out an intake form when she first joined the firm. Under "hobbies and interests," she had written that she enjoyed playing golf.
Thalia replied: "Yes, that’s right. Is there something specific?"
The head partner chuckled warmly. "I have an important client, Mr. Johnson from Caresoul Group. He’s quite fond of golf. I’ve arranged to play with him at St. Andrews Links on the 18th. I’d like you to join us."
Thalia thought that accompanying the head partner should be straightforward enough, so she agreed: "Of course, I’d be happy to."
"Mr. Johnson has several cases he might be willing to entrust to our firm. If we secure the deal, you’ll receive a 20% commission. Thalia, I know your family is quite well-off and you’re not concerned about the money, but as solicitors, we need to continually develop our negotiation skills through practical experience." The fact that Thalia was the Winters heiress had already spread throughout the firm, and the head partner had certainly heard about it.
"I understand completely."
"Excellent. Prepare yourself well. My assistant will book your flight ticket."
"Very good."
After ending the call, Thalia glanced at the calendar on her desk. January 13th already. It had been thirteen days since New Year’s Eve. She and Asher hadn’t seen each other for nearly half a month. During this time, she had thrown herself into work, trying desperately to stay busy. Whenever she had a moment’s respite, her thoughts inevitably turned to Asher, causing her unbearable pain.
Entertainment news was filled with stories about Asher and Laurina. Thalia didn’t actively seek out such information, but she frequently overheard colleagues gossiping about them.
“Have you seen what’s trending? Laurina Kensington and the Blackwood heir are holidaying in the Maldives. They make such a perfect couple—they’re absolutely gorgeous together! I’m totally shipping them!”
“My idol’s beauty is beyond question. She’s undeniably the top female celebrity in the industry! No one else is worthy of the Blackwood heir.”
“Hey, isn’t Thalia from our firm the Winters heiress? Did you know she was almost engaged to that Blackwood bloke?”
“Yes, yes, I heard about that! It’s true—the Blackwood heir used to be Thalia’s boyfriend. I even saw him outside our office once. He’s incredibly handsome in person!”
“Really? Thalia and the Blackwood heir were together before?”
“Shh… keep it down. Don’t let Thalia hear us…”
Thalia stood at the doorway of the break room with her water cup, listening to their conversation. She paused, sighed helplessly, and walked away without saying anything. Sometimes, when she saw Laurina’s giant billboards on the LED screens at shopping centers, Thalia would unconsciously stop, her heart filled with mixed emotions. So that was the type of woman he preferred. Strikingly beautiful, exuding charm and allure when she smiled.
Soon, the day of the business trip arrived. Thalia boarded the flight to Edinburgh with the head partner. As they walked past the first-class section, Thalia unexpectedly caught sight of the face she had been longing for day and night. She stopped abruptly, her expressionless face showing a momentary crack in her composure. Asher sat there in a black coat, looking dignified and elegant as he worked on his laptop. Beside him, Laurina was smiling radiantly. Sensing an intense gaze, Asher looked up from his laptop screen and met Thalia’s eyes, momentarily stunned. The atmosphere grew awkward. The air seemed to be permeated with a subtle hint of jealousy, tinged with bitterness. Laurina smiled brightly and greeted Thalia: "Miss Winters, we meet again."