Chapter 349 Because of You
Kenny looked at her with an unmistakable twinkle in his eye. Unknown to Thalassa, Kenny had overheard much of her conversation with Chris. He had quietly gotten someone to pull the surveillance tapes and secretly saved the recording, watching it whenever he had a chance.
He watched his wife's first heartfelt declaration of their bond and chuckled to himself.
Kenny and Thalassa spent a delightful birthday with Grandma Carey. At dinner, Thalassa even shared a little drink with her. After seeing Grandma back to the hospital, Thalassa, filled with a sudden whim, insisted on stargazing.
Luckily, the weather was clear.
Kenny took her to a scenic hill just outside the city. After parking the car, Kenny pulled two camping chairs from the trunk and set them up in front of the vehicle.
It was a little chilly at the top of the hill.
Before long, Thalassa and Kenny were snuggled up against each other.
Her eyes, misty with emotion, gazed at the stars scattered across the sky.
"I told Grandma about helping Dad with the move," Thalassa mumbled. "She cried a little. I think she has some regrets."
Grandma Carey said she would have thought twice about giving that money to Maria if she had known she would just be supporting her next husband with it.
She would secure a fine gravesite for her son, rather than having him rest in some distant, overcrowded cemetery.
"Everything will be alright," Kenny whispered soothingly.
"I know," Thalassa nodded, then, feeling it wasn't quite emphatic enough, turned to look up at Kenny, "I really do know."
Kenny looked down at her, puzzled. "Hm?"
"I know," Thalassa repeated, tears welling up in her eyes, "because I have you now. Everything's going to get better, I know it."
Kenny's heart felt as if a kitten's tiny paw had gently pressed against it.
Their gazes locked for a moment.
Then, Thalassa suddenly tilted her head back and kissed Kenny.
Unlike yesterday, she didn't just sample the kiss and delve deeper slowly.
Instead, she kissed him tenderly, continuously, until Kenny took over, leading the kiss as if he was conquering new territory.
In the sky, the stars twinkled on and off.
The stars above witnessed the souls entwined by destiny in their kisses.
Around the same time. Darwin went to see Charles in the dead of night again.
"Chicago went back home," Fiona told him. “She said she had a painting to finish. She probably won’t come back until Charles is discharged."
Darwin's disappointment was visibly apparent.
Fiona still hadn’t warmed up to Darwin. He didn't linger long and left.
In the garage, Darwin and Burl crossed paths unexpectedly.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite brother-in-law," Burl sneered.
Darwin looked at him coldly. "What are you doing here so late? Why aren’t you at home with Chicago?"
"I’m just bringing my sister some late-night snacks," Burl replied. "What about you? Looking for trouble?"
Darwin knew Burl was picking a fight.
But since Burl was his brother-in-law, he chose to ignore him and started to walk away.
Burl's voice rang out behind him again. "Darwin, are you going to let Lilian go just like that?"
Darwin paused mid-step.
"Do you even know why Charles fell ill so suddenly?" Burl continued.
Darwin turned back to face Burl. "Why?"
Burl gave a wry laugh. "When you and my sister nearly got blown up, Charles was furious. He was determined to uncover the perpetrator, so he stayed up all hours, glued to his computer looking for leads. That cell signal we found at your mother's house? That was because of Charles."
Darwin's brow furrowed deeply.
“After that day, Charles began to burn up with a fever that came on fast and furious. If you ask me, it's all because he worked himself to the bone day and night hunting down the killer. And the root of all evil? That would be Lilian, the one who paid for the hit!" Burl's fury grew as he spoke. "But instead of holding her accountable, Charles' own father protected that vile woman!"
Having vented his anger, Burl realized his late-night snack had gone cold and wasn't worth eating anymore. He walked off, cursing under his breath.
Darwin hadn’t known that there was this whole other drama unfolding behind Charles' illness. He got into his car. The driver, sensing the oppressive atmosphere, didn't dare utter a word or even breathe too loudly.
Back at Darwin's hospital, he seemed to make a decision, pulling out his phone and placing a call. "I need a favor." After giving his instructions, Darwin returned to the patient's room.
He had just settled into bed after freshening up when his phone rang. It was the return call from the number he had dialed earlier.
"Mr. Solomon, Lilian isn’t at her residence," the voice on the other end informed him.
Letting Lilian walk hadn't put Darwin's mind at ease. He'd had people watching her closely. She hadn't set foot outside her home for the past two days.
"I've combed through the place inside and out. She's definitely not there."
Darwin had ordered a meticulous search. The next morning, he received the results of the investigation. Lilian's escape seemed to have happened the previous night, under the cover of darkness. Several large trucks had rolled into the neighborhood, marked with a moving company's logo.
The surveillance team confirmed with property management that the unit next door had been leased to new tenants who were moving in. Some delay had occurred, explaining their late arrival.
Since it was late at night, the movers were trying to be as quiet as possible. But you can't move large furniture silently, and it wasn't long before the neighbors emerged and began a commotion.
In the chaos that ensued, Lilian had slipped away unnoticed and hidden herself in one of the moving company's trucks.
The darkness of the night, along with a conveniently broken streetlight near Lilian's house and some obstructions, made finding that particular frame a hassle.
"Mrs. Solomon's guards watched over Lilian for days without incident, but she escaped within a day under your watch," Darwin said, massaging his temples. "She's gone."
Xavier, drenched in cold sweat and visibly pale, responded, "It was our mistake, Mr. Solomon. Rest assured, I’ll locate her as soon as possible and bring her back."
Before Darwin could reply, his phone vibrated insistently. He looked at it with a scowl, then furrowed his brow. It was a message from Lilian.
Opening the app, he was met with an image of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian man.
He held Lilian's phone in his hand, shirtless, taking several provocative photos. Among them, two pictures captured Lilian, asleep on the bed. A final message had been sent to him. "You’re out!" A smirk of disdain curled at the corner of Darwin's mouth.
The man in the photos wasn't just anyone. It was Lilian's ex-husband, Prince Simon.
He thought to himself, since Lilian’s current reputation was taking hits from all sides back home, who else would make such a public declaration to come to her aid? So, she'd turned to her ex for help?
"No need to search any further," Darwin said icily, forwarding the incriminating photos with Lilian to the head of public relations, "Release the news of Lilian and Prince Simon's reunion."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
