Chapter 521 Winning Back His Heart
Chris looked at him, clearly weighing the truth in his words.
"Anyway, since you interrupted me, you must now convince Thalassa not to drag out the cremation of Maria for an overly extended period, which would be incredibly annoying!"
After saying his piece, Justin walked away.
Chris stood there for a while before pulling out his smartphone from his suit pocket, which was still in recording mode.
Here's a statement combining the elements and building suspense:
‘Thalassa's overthinking seemed justified. The deaths of Justin and Maria – were they truly unconnected? And his mother's past accident... could it have been more than just bad luck?’ A storm of questions raged in Chris's mind, each one chipping away at the foundation of his reality.
Suddenly, his phone began to ring.
It was Crystal calling.
He stared at the phone for a moment, sighed, and answered.
The Shaw family was now teetering on the brink of collapse.
Thalassa didn't need him anymore.
Crystal was the only reliable person left in his life.
He answered the call, his voice laced with an undeniable weariness. "What's up?"
"Was it really Mrs. Maria who died?" Crystal asked.
Chris responded with a simple confirmation, "Yeah."
"Then Thalassa must be devastated!" Crystal's voice was grave. "Thank goodness her husband is with her. She couldn't cope on her own, could she?"
Chris felt a sudden discomfort and irritation brewing within him.
"Are you still there?" Crystal continued. "Even though Thalassa sued my grandma, she's still your sister. Comfort her, alright? And if you need help with anything, just let me know."
"I'm aware," Chris replied, patience thinning. "We were supposed to go wine tasting for the wedding setup, but now it looks like you'll have to handle it alone."
"It's okay," Crystal reassured kindly. "We're about to be spouses; we should be understanding and supportive of one another."
"Crystal..." Though Chris was not in love with Crystal, her attentiveness and care during this period had earned his genuine gratitude. "Thank you."
"Talking nonsense, aren't you?" Crystal said with a chuckle. "Alright, get some rest when you can. I'm off to try out the menu at the next hotel with my mom."
"Alright."
The call ended.
Chris let out a long sigh.
Once Crystal ended the call, the tenderness on her face vanished.
Chris had not picked up on the remarks about Thalassa's husband, nor about Thalassa being his sister.
‘Was I overthinking things?
‘Or was there something more?’ she thought.
However, it was all speculation with no evidence.
Besides, she had encountered Thalassa and her husband by chance once outside.
The two of them seemed very much in love.
She lowered her eyelids.
It didn't matter anymore.
She loved Chris, and as long as he stayed by her side and lived a good life with her, treating her well, that was enough.
Time is quite mysterious.
Given enough of it, she believed she would eventually reclaim Chris's heart from whoever else might hold it.
Kenny had stayed by Thalassa's side, taking care of the arrangements needed to preserve Maria's body.
Kenny didn't take Thalassa to the old house, but instead returned to Fiona's home. The old house had been a shared abode with Maria, and he feared the memories it held might be too painful for her.
Upon entering, Thalassa offered a few listless greetings before retreating to his room. Fiona exchanged a glance with Kenny, who gave a slight shake of his head before following Thalassa upstairs.
"Man, I never saw it ending this way for Maria," Janna sighed, her voice laden with regret. She had never liked the way Maria treated Thalassa, who was such a dear and sensible kid. Yet, she didn’t believe Maria’s actions warranted a death sentence.
"Jeez, do you think Thalassa might be overthinking it?" Burl rubbed his stubble, his chin shadowed with a day's growth. "Justin didn't have much of an alibi; he stayed holed up in that villa he bought for his mistress all day long, never set foot outside."
The reservoir where Maria drowned was secluded, with outdated surveillance that had been out of commission for who knows how long. There were several access roads, none with cameras, and the site was popular among anglers. Any potential evidence from the surroundings had long since vanished.
"You met Maria twice yourself. Didn't you think she seemed the type to off herself?" Fiona asked Burl, who pondered a moment before honestly shaking his head no.
"Plus, on the day in question, she not only contacted Thalassa but also reached out to a divorce lawyer. If she wasn't planning on leaving this world, why would she seek divorce advice rather than a relationship counselor?" Fiona continued.
There was definitely something else. When she saw Justin at the police station, Fiona felt a wave of discomfort. His tears, his sorrow—it all seemed too staged to her. On multiple occasions, she could swear she saw the corners of Justin's mouth fighting back a smirk.
"If it really was him, that guy has nerves of steel," Darwin commented coolly. "I had some digging done, and his first wife's death had its own set of mysteries—and her family still believes Justin was responsible."
"Really?" Janna frowned. "Why wasn't there a police report?"
"There was," Darwin replied. "But the body was cremated before anything could be proven, and well, all her close relatives have since passed away. Justin inherited everything in record time."
"In a nutshell, Justin was a nobody until his wife died, and with her family gone too, he inherited all her family’s money and company," Fiona summarized succinctly.
Burl let out a curse, "Sounds like he cleaned house!"
"That's one way to put it," Fiona agreed with a nod.
Janna shuddered with fear. "Why wasn't Maria more careful before she got married, to get to know the guy better?"
"With the way she was all about love..." Fiona shook her head. "Let's let bygones be bygones. The dead deserve respect. Right now, what's critical is to catch the murderer and prevent him from slipping away."
Meanwhile, Thalassa was curled up in the blankets, Kenny held her gently. "Honey, you haven't eaten in a while. Do you want to eat something?"
Thalassa shook her head, her voice hollow. "I can't swallow anything, Kenny. You don’t have to stay with me all the time; I'm not going to do anything rash."
Kenny wanted to say something, but Thalassa spoke again, "Really, just let me be alone for a while."
With his lips pressed tightly together, Kenny kissed her cheek. "I'll be downstairs."
Kenny stood up, took one last look at her filled with tenderness and fury, and then walked out.
He was just about to head downstairs when his phone rang.
He quickly took it out.
It was a message from Carey.
He read it, then immediately called her back.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
