Thalassa

Chapter 43 

The files mentioned that Lysander spent the night with a woman named Celia Everhart. 

Celia’s dad kicked the bucket when she was just a little squirt due to sickness. 

Celia lived with her mom, aunt, and cousin, who was her aunt’s daughter. 

Her aunt, named Evelyn, hailed from Rivertown, Eldoria. She was a bit of a wild child, she had a kid out of wedlock and couldn’t register the kid’s identity So she moved to Hollowbrook and registered her daughter under Celia’s parents’ names as Thalassa. 

Thalassa had been using her mom’s ID card all along, which explained why shed tell Lysander she was from Rivertown, Eldoria. 

However, five years ago, Celia got whacked by a collapsing old house during a heavy downpour, leaving only her mom, aunt, and cousin in the family 

Thalassa was no saint. She had a sticky finger habit since she was a kid, she even got nabbed for it and spent some time in the slammer, so she had a criminal record. 

With the record, Thalassa found it tough to get a job or do anything, so she’d been out and about using her mom Evelyn’s ID, pulling all sorts of scams, doing odd jobs, and reeling in men. 

Now, the janitor at the Sinclair Group named Thalassa was Celia’s cousin 

Just like the file said, not only was she good at getting men all wound up, she was a crook too! 

Lysander didn’t see it coming that she was also a thief and had even been tossed into the police station for stealing. 

How could such a woman be Celia’s cousin? 

They grew up together, could their characters be somewhat similar? 

Lysander had a poker face and deep black eyes 

Maybe he could figure out Celia’s character from Thalassa 

After all, they grew up together, under the same roof, and received the same upbringing 

Even if Thalassa’s character wasn’t exactly like Celia’s, it certainly had similarities 

That night, if it weren’t for Celia saving him with her body, he’d be pushing daisies by now 

And that night, amidst the thunderstorm, he tried to have his way with her. 

She bit him hard, and he felt her helplessness and fear 

The taste of her lingered in his mind. 

She was irreplaceable to him and she was the only past he couldn’t forget. He longed to find her and apologize deeply. 

No wonder he found Thalassa familiar; it turned out she grew up with Celia and lived under the same roof for over twenty years. 

Celia and Thalassa must have similarities, that’s why he sensed familiarity with Thalassa. 

Although Isabella was Celias cousin, he never had a soft spot for her, she was just like a stranger 

If it weren’t for Isabella being Celia’s cousin, he wouldn’t let her step foot in his office. 

After skimming through the files, Lysander put the files back, and his deep gaze fell on Faye: “How much green did you give the Everhart family back then?” 

Lysander gave Faye 5 million dollars back then and asked her to help Celia’s family with it and distribute it among her relatives and friends. 

He didn’t ask for the nitty-gritty because he had always trusted Faye’s ability to handle things. 

Faye was a bit guilty, but she hid it well. She sat up straight and answered Lysander directly: “I gave them 3 million. The remaining 2 million was handed over to her other relatives and friends.” 

“Yes, Faye gave me and another uncle 500,000 each At this point, Isabella also came forward to defend Faye, 

After speaking, she swiftly glanced at Faye, who also silently returned the glance. 

The two exchanged tacit understandings; this was the understanding that they had developed over the past five years.

Chapter 44 

The truth was, Faye transferred all five million dollars to Isabella. 

Isabella eavesdropped on Faye’s phone call and found out that Faye mistakenly claimed that the woman who had a past with Lysander was dead. 

But the only woman who had a past with Lysander was Thalassa! 

Faye just couldn’t let Lysander know about it. 

Isabella threatened Faye with this, saying she would spill the beans if Faye didn’t cough up the cash. 

So Faye handed over the whole five million to Isabella to keep her trap shut 

Over the past five years, due to this secret, Isabella kept shaking Faye down for money 

This time, when Lysander asked Faye to dig up info on that woman, she immediately rang up Isabella, telling her to cook up a seemingly legit and foolproof profile and get it into the boss’s office 

Isabella’s timing was spot on, any delay, and Lysander would have known Thalassa’s real identity. 

With Faye and Isabella’s stories adding up, Lysander didn’t smell a rat, but he was puzzled: “That family only has three people left. With three million bucks, how could they be strapped for cash?” 

Why would Thalassa have to steal and resort to fraud? 

Isabella had her answer ready. She coolly told Lysander, “Mr. Sinclair, you might not know that Thalassas mother, also known as Evelyn, is a gambling junkie, she can lose a fortune overnight Three million bucks is peanuts to her. And poor Thalassa, all the money she cleverly earned was blown by her mother. I offered her a job at my company out of pity. But she made less dough there than at the Sinclair Group; maybe that s why she hid her identity. preferring to pull a fast one on the Sinclair Group just to keep her job here Mr. Sinclair, please don’t hold it against her. After all, shes got a tough life.” 

To make it more believable, Isabella even pretended to put in a good word for Thalassa and plead her case in front of Lysander. 

After all, if she came across as kind-hearted and friendly Lysander might buy her story. 

If Lysander started to smell a rat and decided to dig deeper, that would be bad news. 

After all, Celia did exist and did pass away, but she drowned in a village pond when she was three not killed by a falling object. And she died a long time ago, not five years ago. 

If Lysander dug deeper, he would find holes in the story. 

Lysander was a bit worn out so he waved them off, “Got it, you can all take a hike now” 

Isabella nodded slightly. She was the first to leave the boss’s office 

David also left. 

Faye stayed and she asked, “Mr. Sinclair, Thalassa has been working at the Sinclair group with a fake ID card, that’s fraud. I’ll fire her right away and call the cops 

She had to get rid of Thalassa from Lysander’s life completely to have peace of mind. 

Lysander barely lifted his eyelids, looking lazy and tired. “No need, just have her correct her identity info,” 

Faye felt a sinking feeling in her heart and asked urgently, “Why?” 

Why was it that despite all the bad things Thalassa did, Lysander still wouldn’t fire her? 

Mr. Sinclair once said, A lowly cleaner was not worth making a fuss about, if they fired her, they would have to find a replacement, and that’s too much hassle. Faye thought this reason was acceptable. 

After all, a clearer was indeed a small fry. 

But the situation was different now, the cleaner had character issues, and quite serious ones at that 

Mr. Sinclair always had no patience, even a strong aversion to people with bad character. 

But why was he still unwilling to fire Thalassa? 

Did he have a soft spot for Thalassa? 

Faye felt anxious, and resentment started to build up.

Chapter 45 

Lysander looked at Faye, his expression gloomy. Her face was pale, and her eyes were anxious. He furrowed his brows slightly and said, “She’s Celia’s cousin. We should give her some space You’re not doing so hot lately Starting tomorrow, take a break. No need to show up at the office” 

Faye had been working with him for years. She was proficient and had always been able to control her emotions. She had never been this worked up or out of control 

However, these past few days, Faye had been making mistakes left and right. One moment she let some random kid wreck havoc in the CEO’s office, the next she showed a side of her that was far from her usual classy and polite demeanor. 

Lysander needed someone who knew their stuff to handle business by his side. 

The measure of a good secretary was whether they could remain cool under pressure and always maintain a polite and distant demeanor 

If an employee was always emotional, he’d rather not have such an employee. 

Faye wanted to say something more, but seeing Lysanders icy face and deep gaze, she knew he was pissed. 

Continuing to talk would only annoy Lysander further. 

All she could do was swallow her grievances, nod slightly, and walk out of the office. Returning to her own office, she couldn’t calm down for a long time. 

Was Lysander really just being lenient because Thalassa was Celia’s cousin? 

The more Fave thought about it, the more scared she became. It felt like the crisis was getting closer. 

Thalassa had only been at the Sinclair Group for a few days, and Lysander was already bending over backwards for her 

This woman really knew her stuff! 

After leaving the CEO’s office, Thalassa went to the cleaning department. She told the head that she needed to take half a day off to rest at home. 

Actually, she knew that her ruse of using someone elses ID card had been discovered Lysander surely wouldn’t keep her around. She was waiting to be fired. 

Rather than let HR tell her she was fired, she’d rather leave on her own terms, preserving the last shred of her dignity. 

After Hertha left the CEO’s office she found Thalassa and left with her. 

She pouted her lips, her face full of regret, and said, Tm sorry, Thalassa. I didn’t know you were still using your mom’s ID card at the Sinclair Group. If I had known, I wouldn’t have called you Thalassa” 

She had exposed Thalassa’s true identity, which cost her her job, 

Thalassa gave a chuckle and patted Hertha’s hand. “Why do you look like you’ve done something wrong? I’m not upset with you and I did mess up this time. Getting found out was just a matter of time. I thought using my moms ID card would be more convenient. That way, when the salary comes in, I can directly transfer the money to my mom’s card. She can buy stuff for the kids without having to ask me for money.” 

Although her mom was a nag, she had a lot of pride. Asking her for money might be okay once or twice, but any more than that, she’d either feel inconvenient or be too embarrassed to ask. This would make her easily inntated 

Knowing this, Thalassa had always used her moms ID card to work. 

Her jobs were mostly entry level, requiring older people. 

“What to do now? You’ve lost your job too. Hertha wasn’t the brightest bulb, but she understood what Mr. Sinclair meant when he asked her to leave. 

Didn’t that mean Thalassa was fired? 

Hertha grabbed Thalassa’s hand, her face full of concern, worried for Thalassa. 

“I’ll just find another job. Nothing can beat me. It’s just a job. I’ll find another opportunity” Thalassa’s smile was optimistic and cheerful. 

Just then, the elevator reached the first floor, and the door opened. 

In front of them stood a tall and thin man. He was wearing a thin black trench coat, unbuttoned, revealing a white shirt and black trousers tucked inside. His legs looked incredibly long, and his proportions were great. 

He had a cunning smile on his face, looking like he didn’t give a toss about the world yet was very 

carefree.

Chapter 46 

When Thalassa saw this man, she felt a sense of familiarity. Where had she seen him before? 

But she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. 

Upon seeing her, the man’s eyes sparkled, and with a mischievous grin, he said in a laid-back tone, ‘Hey, club girl, I didn’t expect to see you at the Sinclair group. Here for Lysander?” 

His casual and cheeky words were just so him. 

Thalassa instantly remembered who he was. 

That rich young man she met when she was working at the club, surrounded by gorgeous women, looked the most satisfied when a lady was feeding hirn fruit. 

Thalassa became alert immediately, holding onto Hertha tightly and keeping him at a distance. 

She gave an awkward laugh and said coldly. “Sorry, sir, you’ve got the wrong person. 

After saying that, she tried to leave with Hertha 

However, just as they were about to exit the elevator, Hertha broke free and ran towards the man, looking up at him with twinkling eyes and an infatuated smile “Hey, handsome, I’m her friend. Can I get to know you?” 

As she said this, she quickly pulled out her phone, opened a WhatsApp QR code, and handed it to him, indicating she wanted to add him as a contact. 

Thalassa looked at her puzzled 

What was up with Hertha? Was she smitten? Where was her self-control? 

Why was she drooling and grinning like an idiot at him? Her eyes were practically shooting laser beams 

Seeing Hertha acting so strangely, Thalassa stepped in, grabbed Hertha’s hand, and said to the man with a laugh. “Sorry about this; my friend’s a bit overzealous on the social front. She likes to add whoever she meets to her WhatsApp” 

She was about to apologize and take Hertha away 

But Hertha kept pushing her aside, holding up her QR code stubbornly, her eyes fixated on the man, even licking her lips. 

This infatuated behavior was really weird. Thalassa felt a headache coming on 

Alaric raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of amusement as he watched Hertha, especially the part where she licked her lips like a hungry cat looking at its favorite can of tuna, almost unable to hold back 

Alaric found it pretty entertaining, but he didn’t laugh out loud, holding it in. 

‘Man, I’m just too charming. I can’t even walk down the street without being hit on by a beauty. It’s tough being this handsome, Alaric said, bragging arrogantly while casually scanning the QR code Hertha was holding up 

Only then did Hertha put away her phone, satisfied. 

Thalassa couldnt stand it anymore and dragged Hertha away 

Before leaving, Hertha turned back and told Alaric, “Handsome, my name’s Hertha, dont forget to tag my name in your phone!” 

Thalassa practically dragged her out of the Sinclair group. 

Once they were on the street and sure no one was around, she let go of Hertha, holding her forehead, and said, “Hertha, what on earth were you doing 

back there?” 

“Picking up a hot guy, of course! Didn’t you see that hunky boy? His looks really swept me off my feet. With his mischievous smile, his bright eyes, and those long legs of his, my heart was doing somersaults!” 

Hertha said, cupping her flushed face in her hands, her heart racing just thinking about it. 

Was this what love felt like? It’s way too sweet! 

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, Thalassa reminded her

Chapter 47 

She told Hertha about what she saw when she was working in the nightclub the other day. Alaric was surrounded by women, even enjoying the sight of beauty feeding him fruit. 

She wasn’t trying to be a buzzkill for Hertha, she just wanted to let her know the kind of scene her potential beau was in and the kind of sketchy stuff he’s been up to before she got all heart eyed 

So that Hertha could brace herself 

As Hertha’s bestie, it was her duty to give her a heads-up and let her know whether the guy was a keeper or a total douche before she decided to fall head over heels 

She couldn’t let Hertha dive in headfirst, knowing fully well that there was something fishy about the guy. 

It would be too late by the time she was truly head over heels and then found out he’s a jerk. 

Hearing Thalassa’s description, Hertha’s fiery heart seemed to have been doused with cold water, and she cooled down a bit. 

She pouted and asked. ‘Is he really that flaky?” 

“Why would I lie to you? Didn’t you hear him calling me a nightclub waitress when he greeted me just now?” Thalassa stepped forward, took her arm, told her to take it seriously. 

Hertha’s face blew up like a frog’s belly, all grumpy “Guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover” 

Such a hunk, but he turned out to be a flaky guy. 

www 

It was such a pity. The feelings that were just starting to stir in her heart were extinguished before they could even boil, 

“Alright, let’s drop it for now, let’s go home. Thalassa took her arm, hailed a tax on the street, and the two of them got in. 

Meanwhile, Alaric added Hertha’s contact info, immediately checked her WhatsApp profile picture, and found a selfie. 

He looked at her status updates and found out that she’s quite narcissistic, posting selfies every day. 

With her round face, big eyes, and cherry lips, she looked really cute 

Remembering her drooling over him earlier, Alaric finally let out the laugh he’d been holding in, laughing so hard he was bending over backwards 

“Hahaha.” 

The elevator reached the top floor, the doors opened, and Alaric was still laughing. 

David, who was waiting for the elevator, thought he’d run into some nutcase. He looked and saw it was Lysander’s buddy, Alaric 

He asked in confusion, Mr. Falconer, what’s so funny? Care to share?” 

Still chuckling, Alaric walked out of the elevator, palted David’s shoulder, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, and said, “I just ran into a smitten woman downstairs. She was drooling over my face, even licked her lips. You should’ve seen it, it was hilarious! 

Alaric was doubled over laughing 

He’s encountered countless smitten women over the years, but this was the first time he’d seen one drool over him so openly. 

Plus, with her round and cute expressions, she was like a little kitten in heat, both adorable and hilarious. 

“Well, that just shows Mr. Falconer’s irresistible charm, attracting crowds wherever you go. David commented smoothly. 

and 

Alaric was pleased with the compliment. David was indeed Lysander’s most competent assistant, every word he said hit the right notes, making one feel proud and happy 

“You got that right, describing my looks as ‘perfect isn’t an overstatement at all.” Alaric chuckled proudly, his eyes sparkling with a charming light. 

He was indeed very handsome, even men would be compelled to admire his good looks. 

But compared to Lysander, he was a bit inferior 

Alaric’s handsomeness had a certain flamboyant quality to it, as if there was a feminine beauty and charm to him, 

Whereas Lysander was all masculinity. His face was incredibly handsome, with deep-set eyes, a prominent nose, and sexy, thin lips. He was both handsome and rugged, full of male hormones; his aura was awe-inspiring 

He was quite chummy with Alanc.

Chapter 48 

With a smile, David asked, “So, do you mind telling me who from the Sinclair group has caught your eye? I might know them” 

“Sure thing” Alaric replied candidly, we just swapped contacts on WhatsApp. This is her; take a look” 

He handed his phone to David, showing a selfie of a woman. 

David took a quick peek at the photo and blinked in surprise. He then turned to Alaric and said, I’ve got something to say, but I’m not sure if I should” 

“Spit it out, man. When did you start beating around the bush?” Alaric put his phone away, still sporting a smile. 

Clearing his throat, David said, “This woman’s name is Hertha. She was the one who just came to Mr. Sinclair’s office to apologize and offer compensation.” 

Indeed, it was Hertha. She’d made a point of telling him before she left. 

“Why would she need to apologize and pay Mr. Sinclair? Alaric asked curiously. 

“Because her four kids wrecked Mr. Sinclair’s office couch,” replied David. 

The smile faded from Alaric’s face, and a shadow passed over his eyes 

“You mean she’s a mom of four kids?” Alaric asked back. 

David nodded. 

“Holy cow! She’s so young, and she’s a mother. I’m going to delete her Alaric, who had found the woman interesting and cute just moments ago, instantly blocked her after hearing David’s words. 

David lowered his voice and said, “Her husband passed away a long time ago. Maybe you could” 

“What could I do? I couldn’t. The last thing I want is to raise someone elses kids, Alaric interrupted. 

He had a rule no dating widows or divorcees, let alone a single mother! 

He, Alaric, having a thing for a widow? 

After being delighted earlier, Alaric was now fuming and marched into Lysander’s office. 

Watching him walk away, Dand scratched his nose and silently took the elevator 

“Lysander, I’m heartbroken. You’ve got to have a drink with me tonight. That’s the only way to console me, Alaric said, leaning on Lysanders desk with a hurt expression, 

Lysander glanced at him and said flatly. “Buzz off!” 

Alaric clutched his chest dramatically. “Oh, I’m so hurt but you even told me to buzz off.” 

“Spit it out already! Lysander said it coldly 

Having a friend like Alaric, who was more annoying than any woman, was a real pain in Lysanders neck. 

“Do I need a reason to visit you? It’s been several days since we last had a drink. What do you say about tonight?” Alaric was here for a drink. 

His earlier claim of being heartbroken was just an excuse. 

Lysander signed his name on the last page of the contract, put it in the folder, and placed it in the file cabinet. 

In a deep voice, he replied. After I finish my work” 

He had been feeling quite agitated over Thalassa’s case and needed to unwind. 

“Alright.” Understanding, Alaric lounged on the sofa, sipping his coffee while waiting for him. 

Inside a taxi

Chapter 49 

Hertha was scrolling through Alaric’s social media feed when she came across a selfie of him at a bar, drink in hand. 

Maybe it was the bar lights, or maybe love made people look more attractive, but as Hertha stared at the photo, the man’s face seemed to glow, becoming more and more charming 

Just a single photo, and she was already head over heels, her heart racing as she ogled the picture. 

Some people just knocked her off her feet at first sight 

She barely had a look at him and was already hooked, how could she possibly forget him? 

Hertha secretly saved the picture on her phone. 

After a bit of thinking, she decided to give herself a shot. 

Otherwise, shed have regrets. 

She opened the chat with Alaric and typed, Hello. 

No, that was too ordinary 

She deleted it and typed again Hey handsome, this is Hertha. Fancy grabbing a bite to eat tonight? My treat 

Having typed the message, she bit her lip, pondering for a while. 

Every word she wrote was carefully considered Gathering her courage, she hit “send”. 

The message was sent. 

Her heart was pounding, her nerves were on fire, and she was uncertain of what the response would be 

But before she had the chance to ponder the possible outcomes, she realized that after a while, the message hadn’t shown the two gray ticks. 

Was his signal bad? Or couldn’t he receive messages? 

Oh crap! 

She realized she couldn’t see his profile picture; had she been blocked? 

Hertha panicked, burying her face in Thalassa’s shoulder. Her emotions swung from nervous to excited to disappointed in just a few seconds. Overwhelmed, she broke down in Thalassa’s arms and said, “Thalassa, he blocked me. He rejected me before anything even started.” 

It was funny to think that she was even considering him to be a playboy 

He simply wasnt into her 

Thalassa was taken aback for a moment, then started to comfort her by patting her back 

11’s okay, the next guy will be better,” Thalassa said 

Hertha’s sobs were muffled against her shoulder, her warm tears soaking her clothes. 

Thalassa felt sorry for her, her heart was aching 

She only met the guy once, fell for him, and got so crushed after being blocked. 

If they’d actually been in a relationship and it didn’t work out. Hertha would surely be in more pain 

It was a good thing it ended before it began. With Alaric’s playboy personality, there was no way he could give Hertha a future. 

Otherwise. Hertha would’ve been hurt even worse 

Hertha was crying as the taxi pulled up at Thalassa’s place. Thalassa paid the fare and helped Hertha out of the car. 

After a good cry, Hertha seemed better. She wiped away her tears, managed a smile, and told Thalassa, “You’re right, the next one will be better. It’s just a man, no big deall Come on, the four kids are waiting for us.” 

Hertha lightly held onto Thalassa’s arm, appearing as if she didn’t have a care in the world, full of energy and sunshine. 

But Thalassa saw her swollen eyes and the lingering tears and knew that she hadn’t let go so easily

Chapter 50 

She’s been through that heart throb, how could she just let go so easily? But there’ll come a day when Hertha will move on 

When she got home, the moment she pushed the door open, the whole room was filled with a warm atmosphere. 

Four little rascals were playing marbles on a foam mat, each of them having the time of their lives, their innocent laughter filling the entire room 

Evelyn was planted on the couch, glued to the TV 

Thalassa felt the warmth of home, her heart was filled with comfort, and a smile spreading unconsciously across her face. She said softly, Kids, we’re 

home.” 

At her words, the little devils playing marbles turned their heads like meerkats. The moment they saw her, their eyes lit up like twinkling stars 

“Morn, Hertha” Elowens sweet voice was the first to be heard 

She had been sprawled on the mat, her legs curled up, trying to get up, but her chubby body was a bit clumsy, and she took a tumble. But she quickly got up and ran towards Thalassa and Hertha 

Donian followed suit, throwing his arms wide open and waddling over to Thalassa and Hertha like a little penguin 

“Mom, Hertha, you’re back!” 

Thalassa and Hertha both squatted down to catch the incoming little rascals, holding them tightly. 

Thalassa picked up the squishy Elowen, planting a kiss on her soft face. “My sweetheart, you’re so cute!” 

“What about me? Am I cute?” Dorian asked eagerly. 

Hertha pinched his little face gently “You’re cute 100 

“I love Hertha the most.” Conan laughed, hugging Hertha and nuzzling his face against hers. 

The more reserved Atticus and Sophia were sitting on the mat, marbles in their hands. But their innocent eyes were fixated on Thalatha and Hertha 

Evelyn shot them a glance, her face stern “Thalassa, why are you back so early? it’s only four, isn’t it still work time?” 

Thalassa scratched her head awkwardly and said “Mom, I lost my job.” 

“What? You just started working, and now you’re unemployed! We’re out of food, the kids have no formula, and we owe Hertha three grand. Now that you’re telling me you’re out of work, what are we supposed to do? Wait to starve to death?” 

Evelyn shot up from the couch, her face flushed with panic, and rushed over to Thalassa. 

She was genuinely worned this time. 

No money meant life was tough. 

Life was already hard, and the kids had wrecked someone’s couch. The three grand in compensation was fronted by Hertha 

As Thalassa was about to respond, Hertha stepped in and said, its alright. Don’t worry about the money for now. I’ll go get some formula for the kids and pick up some necessities. Thalassa losing her job was just a fluke, she’ll find a new one. We have to believe in her 

Thalassas unemployment did have something to do with Hertha. 

Thalassa really had it tough. 

After all, raising four kids was no walk in the park. 

“What job pays that much? Two thousand eight hundred a month? She wouldn’t dare to dream.” Evelyn sobbed. 

Thalassa hurried to console her, saying, “Mom, don’t worry. I can work part-time at Sapphire Skyline tonight. If I can sell some wine, the income’s not bad.” She had the contact information for the manager at Sapphire Skyline 

She didn’t dare to before, afraid of stepping on toes. But now that her life was already a mess, what more could she be afraid of? 

Evelyn dried her tears and said, “We have no other choice. We cant keep burdening Hertha, she’s already helped us a lot.” 

Thalassa nodded. “I know, I’ll contact the manager at Sapphire Skyline right away” 

Thalassa put Elowen down and took out her phone to dial.

Chapter 51 

Elowen sauntered over to Evelyn, tugging on the hem of her dress, her big and shiny eyes looking up at her. “Granny, don’t be so hard on mom. She works so hard. We dont need baby formula anymore. Granny, stop scolding mom” 

Dorian broke free from Hertha’s arms and toddled over to Evelyn. He raised his innocent little face and said in a soft voice, “Granny, when we grow up, we’re going to make big bucks and buy you and mom a big house. Can you give mom a break, please?” 

Atticus sat on the floor cushion, his baby lips pursed. After a pause, he said, I can be a hacker, I can support my siblings, granny and mom by hacking!” 

Thalassa’s heart melted at the kids words. Just as she was about to respond, the phone rang, and she went to the balcony to answer it. 

Evelyn sternly told Atticus, “What do you know about being a hacker? Watch your mouth, especially in public. It’s said that hackers make illegal money and can end up behind bars.” 

Evelyn wasn’t trying to scare him; she was worried that he might go down the wrong path and land in hot water 

Atticus lowered his head, his eyes full of disappointment, and stopped talking 

“Alright, I’ll be there tonight.” After hanging up. Thalassa returned to the living room. 

She smiled at Evelyn and said. “I can work tonight, so no need to worry.” 

“You should be more ambitious and stop stirring up trouble. You should set a good example for the kids “Evelyn sighed deeply 

It wasn’t that she didn’t care about her daughter, but life was cruel. If she didn’t push her, their family wouldn’t make ends meet. There’s really no other choice. 

“I know, mom” Thalassa obediently responded. 

After dinner, Hertha’s parents called her to come home, so she had to leave 

Evelyn stayed home to take care of the kids, while Thalassa went to Sapphire Skyline. 

This time, the manager noticed an issue with her ID card and said, “Evelyn, this isn’t you, right?” 

Thalassa pursed her lips and said, a bit guilty. “That’s my mom” 

“You better switch back to your ID card Our boss made a new rule: everyone has to use their own ID card, no exceptions,” the manager said. 

Thalassa quickly took out her own ID and bank cards and handed them over for registration. 

She had already made up her mind to use her own cards this time. She had learned from her previous mistake, she couldn’t take chances or just opt for convenience, or she’d face bigger trouble down the line. 

After registering her ID and bank cards, the manager gave her the uniform to change into. 

It was a short skirt and a V-neck shirt 

Thalassa actually wanted to refuse 

But it was the shop s rule, she had no choice. 

Her job was still to deliver goods to the private rooms and promote wine. 

She served several rooms, but every time she tried to sell the wine, the customers would wave her away. 

She had no choice but to leave the room, feeling defeated. 

Suddenly, the manager led a line of ladies towards Box VB, and Thalassa ran into them head-on. The hallway was too narrow, so she stepped aside to let them pass first. 

When the manager saw her, he said, “Thalassa, take them to Box VB. The customers inside requested it.” 

Thalassa blinked in surprise, stammering and at a loss for words. 

She thought her job was just to deliver drinks and such, but now she had to deliver “women.” 

“What’s the matter? Don’t want to do it?” The manager’s tone turned cold, seeing her standing there speechless 

Thalassa quickly shook her head and said, “No, I’m just a bit surprised. I’ll take them right away!” 

She picked up the tray and led the line of ladies towards Box V8. 

When she reached the door, she knocked, and a voice from inside said, “Come in.”

Chapter 52 

Thalassa kicked open the door with one hand, all smiles and politeness plastered on her face. “Esteemed guests, your grub is ready” 

Seeing the four men seated in the room, her smile instantly froze on her face. 

This scene seemed oddly familiar. 

Four men, all familiar faces. 

The one at the very end, a hunky, cool dude with a face like a stone-cold fox, all dressed in black, sharp as a tack. His penetrating gaze was making her 

heart race 

It was Lysander! 

A meter away from him sat the rosy-cheeked Alaric 

Next to Alaric was the sunshine-bright Ethan. 

And at the very end was the bespectacled and scholarly-looking Richard. 

Weren’t these the same four dudes from Box V8 last time? 

Why them again? 

Did they basically live in Box V8, or was this their regular haunt? 

Thalassa’s smile seemed rather stiff. She managed a forced grin and said, “Here’s to a grand evening, gentlemen,” 

Just as she was about to hightail it out of the room, Alaric’s playful voice chimed in, “Evelyn, you’re also part of our service tonight. Come here and serve 

me.” 

As he said this, Alaric’s eyes darted towards Lysander, making it clear he wanted him to hear. 

He’d noticed that Lysander seemed to have a bit of a soft spot for the woman. He’d bumped into her earlier at the Sinclair Group, so he couldn’t help but link her with Lysander. 

“1,” Thalassa was about to clarify that she was just a waiter, not part of their meal. 

Lysander interrupted her coolly, saying, “You’re mistaken, she’s Thalassa.” 

“Oh? Thalassa” So Evelynis just her stage name?” Alaric raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. 

He remembered that the last time they were in Box VB, she’d introduced herself as Evelyn. 

Lysander scoffed, “A stage name? That’s too refined for her. 

-Thalassa could tell that Lysander was mocking and looking down on her. 

She clenched her teeth in anger, forcing a smile. “Mr. Sinclair, I’m no longer an employee of the Sinclair group. You don’t need to keep picking on me. I admit I made a mistake by pretending to be someone else, but I didn’t cause any harm to the Sinclair Group. Instead, I worked for a few days without pay Even if I didn’t make a big contribution, I did put in the effort. Does a bigshot like you enjoy picking on the little guys when you’re bored? Don’t you have anything better to do?” 

Thalassa couldn’t stand being told she was “unworthy”. 

To her, it was a huge insult. 

She didn’t think she was any worse than anyone else. She made a living with her own two hands and never broke the law, so how could she be “unworthy” of anything? 

Thalassa stood tall and countered Lysander, leaving everyone in the room stunned. 

Alaric, Ethan, and Richard exchanged glances, then all eyes turned to Lysander and Thalassa. 

They sensed there must be some untold stories between these two, otherwise, no woman would dare provoke Lysander like this. 

The other girls Thalassa brought into the room were too scared to make a peep. 

After Thalassa finished speaking, she locked eyes with Lysander’s icy stare. She felt a chill run down her spine, and fear filled her heart. 

Just as she was about to make an excuse to escape, Lysander stood up and walked towards her. His overpowering presence made Thalassa back away, but she was caught by the collar by Lysander. 

His grip was so strong that she was lifted off the ground. He looked down at her, his icy and powerful aura washing over her. “Like this? You like the feeling of being grabbed by men, don’t you?”