Chapter 334 First Love, Public Enemy
Someone posted six photos online.
On the left were Fiona and Darwin, and on the right were Lilian and Darwin.
In the shots with Fiona, Darwin hardly seemed close to her, but the vibe was unmistakably genuine.
On the right, most of the shots were staged to look intimate, but Darwin always appeared detached, nothing like the relaxed presence he had with Secretary Woods.
“Real talk, knowing Mr. Solomon, if there had really been something between him and Lilian, he wouldn’t hide it. After five years and all those photos, he never said a word. Solomon’s PR kept denying it over and over too. That says it all!”
“Right? If Secretary Woods was the reason for his marriage, wouldn’t it have been announced with great fanfare? At the end of the day, Lilian is nothing but a liar. She tricked us all!”
Some people were very creeped out by the posts as they thought about Lilian’s mother’s death and her brother’s disappearance.
“Remember the plane crash Woods was in? That happened soon after Lilian got divorced and returned to Bay City...”
“Eeek! Stop spreading rumors, it’s terrifying! She looks like she wouldn’t hurt a fly, and I even used her photo as my profile picture for such a long time!”
“Chill with the conspiracy theories, guys. If there was any real dirt on Lilian, she’d be behind bars. We wouldn’t just be talking about her.”
“Since we’re all throwing theories around, I’ll toss one out there. Whatever happened with the investigation into that wealthy socialite who was stabbed at the airport? Did they ever catch the culprit?”
Some people started digging into Lilian’s other dirty laundry as they discussed the decade-long love triangle.
P4
"Oh my God, it's about time everyone saw her for the viper she is!" exclaimed one of the workers at the factory. "She lies as naturally as she breathes, prancing around like she's Miss Innocence while harboring the most wicked intentions. Darwin spoiled her and she's been riding on Solomon's coattails, throwing her weight around town like she owns the place for years."
As the gossip continued, a litany of accusations unfolded against Lilian. She had stolen someone else's project, wiping out over six months of their team’s hard work. She had slyly secured resources that led to another manager's annual performance failure, nearly driving him to despair if Darwin hadn’t quietly fixed her mess. Shaken, the victim suffered a breakdown and felt forced to emigrate for a fresh start overseas. The stories went on and on.
"The whistleblowing isn’t the end of it. She bullied even more staff inside Solomon, ostracizing executives who were friends with Secretary Woods. She couldn't stand that the vice president of sales was in her way, pushing him to resign. That’s the 'sweetheart' you’ve all been gushing over. It’s just the tip of the iceberg!" the informant concluded.
At home, Thalassa was sprawled on the couch, reading aloud to Kenny beside her. The more she read, the angrier she got, finally hurling her phone onto the couch. "This is horrendous. How could she treat anyone that way? I'm way more competent than she’ll ever be. I’ve never mistreated anyone at my own company, and my partner, the future head of the Rhoads family, has never abused his position. How dare she?"
After venting, Thalassa started ranting about Darwin. "He's a total enabler!"
Kenny brought over a plate of freshly cut fruit, picking up a slice of apple to offer to Thalassa. She took the bite, still fuming.
"Are you satisfied, Mrs. Walker?" Kenny asked.
"Absolutely. She loved flaunting her persona online. It’s time for her to face a social media downfall!" Thalassa retorted with gritted teeth.
"Mrs. Walker, don’t we have more important things to focus on? Shouldn’t we set this aside for now?" Kenny pleaded, looking a little hurt. His wife had finally gotten two days off work, and they were slipping away into this mess.
"What are you talking about?" Thalassa glanced at Kenny, feigning ignorance.
She caved in a second when she saw his sad expression, clutching his arm and smiling. "Oh, you mean Grandma's birthday tomorrow? Yes, we have to introduce you to the family. I haven’t forgotten!"
His wife was playfully teasing him with a silly nickname...
"Shall we change and go pick out some more gifts for Grandma?" he suggested.
"I've already bought plenty!" Thalassa shook her head, took another bite of her apple, and averted her gaze from Kenny. "I’ve got nothing else on my plate today. Do you wanna meet my dad?"
Kenny blinked in surprise.
"If you don't want to—"
"Sure," Kenny said, nearly cutting off Thalassa.
As Thalassa spoke those words, he immediately felt a twinge of regret. He glanced at Kenny. "Don't you think it's a little soon?"
"If we plan to marry without rushing into it, it would only make sense to meet your father before getting the license," Kenny responded gently, a warm tone in his voice. "So no, it’s not too soon."
"Really?" Thalassa pursed her lips, a small smile forming nonetheless.
Kenny had always had this effortless way of lifting her spirits. She couldn't pin down exactly why his words made her so happy. They just did.
"I'll go change." Thalassa got up, walked a few steps, then turned back, "How about we both wear white tees and jeans?"
Kenny nodded with a smile. "Sounds perfect."
"OK!" Thalassa bounded upstairs happily.
After changing, she pulled her curly hair into a high ponytail and twirled in front of the mirror, youthfulness radiating from her reflection.
Over the years, Thalassa had been busy and didn’t often visit her father.
In her earlier days, most of her visits had been filled with sadness as she wept for long periods of time by his grave.
But as she matured, she realized that would cause her father to worry and his soul to rest uneasily. So, she began to share only good news with him.
But today was different. Today, she had truly joyous news to share.
Humming a tune, Thalassa went downstairs.
Kenny had already changed. His natural grace and handsome features, complemented by a white shirt and jeans, made him look like the heartthrob every co-ed on a college campus adored.
Thalassa's heartbeat quickened as she approached him. "Mr. Walker, you look so young. My dad might think I've led a college kid astray," she teased.
Kenny hadn't taken his eyes off her since she began descending the stairs.
"What college kid wouldn't count their lucky stars to be captivated by someone as stunning as you, Mrs. Walker?" Kenny played his usual straight bat.
Thalassa's cheeks flushed. Pushing him playfully, she chided, "That's enough mutual admiration for one day. Let's get going!"
Kenny's shoulders shook with laughter as they headed out, driving toward the rural cemetery.
Meanwhile, at the Solomon Corporation, the public relations department was in absolute chaos. The leaked information about Lilian, a Solomon executive, tied the company to more than a few controversial issues. Their phones were on the brink of exploding from the flurry of calls and messages.
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