Chapter 394 A Crushing Blow
As Thalassa pondered, she suddenly remembered that day on the mountain with Jessie and how drunk she had been, seemingly snapping many photos.
She got so caught up in the hustle that she hadn't organized those photos yet. Thalassa eagerly flipped open the photo album, scrolling until she found the shots from that day. She was speechless at her attempts – her photos were either blurred trails or shrouded in pitch black.
Just when she thought all was lost, there was a photo leaping out at her. This one couldn't have been hers; the angle suggested Kenny must have confiscated her phone. Under a canopy of stars, they were face to face, locked in a kiss. The vibe was electric – stunning!
Thalassa was in awe. "He's not just a brainiac for nothing," she thought. "Everything he touches turns to gold."
After completing his run, Kenny took a refreshing shower and changed into clean, casual clothes. Noticing Thalassa hadn't woken up, he decided it was time for breakfast.
While walking, he opened WhatsApp and clicked into his social stream, only to be stopped by a new post. "Honeymooning with my pup," the caption read, accompanied by the image of their kiss under the stars. Kenny read and reread the text countless times.
"I'm so late!" Thalassa raced downstairs like a whirlwind. Only then did Kenny shift his gaze from his phone.
"Take it easy," he said, pocketing his phone and closing the distance with long strides.
"I'll skip breakfast; I'm running late!" Thalassa said as she dashed toward the door.
With a quick move, Kenny reached out, pulling her into his arms and hoisting her up effortlessly.
Thalassa was taken aback. "Wow, since when have you been this strong?"
"Why dash off?" Kenny placed her on the kitchen countertop. "Scared of the little pup biting you?"
Her laughter was immediate. "Aren't you a fan of pups? I am... maybe I should delete and repost?"
His gaze fixed on her, finding it increasingly hard to resist. She called him her little pup and professed her love for pups.
"Don't delete it," Kenny shook his head. "I love being your little pup."
Thalassa paused momentarily, then laughed and leaned in to initiate another kiss.
Kenny caught up and suddenly asked, "You've never posted on the social stream before. Why the sudden change? Did you see I posted and felt like..."
"You reminded me that I should," Thalassa answered honestly, "Kenny, my last relationship wasn't... healthy. There are a lot of things..."
"I get it," Kenny said, not wanting to dwell on her past but acknowledging the scars that didn't need to be reopened for his sake.
"So, want another kiss?" Thalassa asked with a playful smile.
As her words hung in the air, Kenny kissed her fiercely.
Meanwhile, the wedding arrangements for Chris and Crystal went on unabated. Fully recovered, Chris was now in Fiji with Crystal, capturing their love in a series of stunning wedding photos.
When Chris stumbled upon Thalassa's social media update, he was exhausted. He'd intended to catch a breather while Crystal was busy with her makeup routine. He'd been family friends with Thalassa and her brother for over a decade, sharing a wide circle of mutual friends. Even after Thalassa had blocked him, many of their friends remained connected with her, and it didn't take long for screenshots of her latest post to reach Chris.
"Chris, is your family celebrating double happiness? Is Thalassa getting married, too? Congratulations!" texted one friend.
"Dude, your sister's getting hitched? No wonder you never set us up—she's taken! Heartbroken, man, but still, all the best to her!" chimed another.
Staring at the messages, Chris' hand trembled as he clicked on the screenshot. In that instant, it felt like a silent, invisible blade descended from the heavens, slicing him in two. A dull, prickly pain began to spread across his heart.
"Mr. Rhoads, what's wrong with you?" A passing employee spotted Chris, his hand clutched over his chest.
Chris, clutching his phone until his knuckles turned white, said nothing. The pain grew more intense as if his heart truly shattered.
He couldn't accept that Thalassa no longer loved him and had married someone else. Yet, the evidence mocked him repeatedly. She had never shared anything about him on her social media—no, that wasn't entirely true.
There was one time, shortly after they'd become an item when they held a family dinner, and she posted several photos on an overseas platform. Buried within those photos was a single discreet image that included his hand. And how did he react? Furious, he demanded she take it down and warned her never to do it again, or there would be consequences for their relationship.
Had he not reacted so poorly, would she have shared sweet, endearing posts about their relationship?
"Mr. Rhoads, you look terrible! Mrs. Rhoads!" The employee was frightened and urgently called out for Crystal, who was still in makeup.
Crystal hurried over. "Chris, Chris, what's wrong with you?" she gasped, seeing his state. "Call an ambulance, quickly!"
Chris remained silent, tears streaming down his face, squeezing his phone as if it might shatter.
Mrs. Rhoads? Who was Mrs. Rhoads?
He looked at Crystal, her features distorting into something grotesque amidst his hallucinations, starkly contrasting with the beautiful image of Thalassa etched in his mind.
A sharp, buzzing noise pierced the air as Chris coughed up blood. Then, everything went black as he plunged into darkness.
*
For a long time, Darwin had been plagued with terrible sleep.
He woke up enveloped in Fiona's scent, deeply at peace, as if making up for all his missed sleep, sinking into a profound slumber.
Chicago and Charles sat side by side, watching him from the edge of the bed.
"Charles, is he still alive?" Chicago asked.
Charles nodded, "He's breathing, very much alive."
After a brief moment, Chicago tilted her head and, as if to reassure herself, stood up, approached Darwin, and placed her finger under his nose.
Feeling his breath,
She finally exhaled in relief and sat back down.
"Alright, no more watching. Remember the promise you made to Mom." Charles stood up. "It's time to study."
Chicago hung her head. "He said yesterday he would study with me. I have to wait for him to wake up."
Charles remained silent.
"Chicago, you still need to keep your promise to Mom," Charles said earnestly.
"I will!" Chicago answered confidently, "He's amazing and will teach better than any teacher!"
Charles sighed in exasperation, then he sat back down.
Darwin slept soundly until past three in the afternoon.
Slowly opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was Chicago.
"He's awake!!"
Chicago jumped up joyfully, "Burl, no need to call Mom, he's up!"
"Chicago? Charles?" Darwin sat up, feeling incredibly refreshed and surprised to see both Charles and Chicago by his side.
"Oh, Darwin, you finally woke up. I was worried sick about a blood clot or something. I just got off the phone with my sister!"
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