Thalia didn’t dare consider this possibility.
Her heart rose to her throat, her fingers trembling slightly.
It couldn’t be.
Asher wouldn’t do this!
He had told her that she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
But how could she exin the recording Drake had just yed?
Thalia’s mind was in turmoil.
Drake remained silent for a moment.
Giving Thalia’s racing thoughts ample time to spiral.
After a while, Drake continued: “Vanessa kidnapped your sister and tried to kill you. Asher took a knife for you–she nearly killed him! Logically, after everything Vanessa did, the ckwood family wouldn’t possibly let her go free. But think about it–Vanessa was already in police custody. Why was she abducted immediately after iming to be pregnant?”
Thalia’s brow furrowed deeply, her lips pressed tightly together as she remained silent.
“You might wanna consider whose baby Vanessa might be carrying?<b>” </b>
This question struck like lightning from a clear sky.
Thalia was so disturbed that her body trembled uncontrobly.
“Shut up!“.
She was visibly upset, looking up to re fiercely at Drake as she shouted: “Stop spreading these ridiculous lies! Asher isn’t that sort of person! He’s nothing like you! Don’t project your own foulness onto
others!”
A sh of hurt crossed Drake’s dark eyes, a bitter feeling rising in his chest.
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Your Gold Digger is Actually A True
Was Asher really so perfect in her eyes?
Was he himself so utterly contemptible?
How ironic.
Drake suppressed the bitterness in his heart,posed himself, and affected an air of casual indifference, his eyes glinting with amusement. “I’m only telling you the truth, Thalia. You trust Asher too much. If he had nothing to hide, why would he keep this from you?<b>” </b>
“Get out!” Thalia demanded furiously.
Drake shrugged, smiling slightly. “Asher is with Vanessa right now. Why don’t you call and ask him yourself?”
“Stop trying to drive a wedge between us!” Thalia gave Drake a forceful push and turned to enter her t.
Drake grabbed her wrist and yanked her back toward the door, causing Thalia to stumble and nearly fall.
Drake caught her by the waist, leaning down to inhale deeply near her hair, a look of obsession on his
face. “Thalia, leave him. Come back to me.”
Thalia drove her knee hard into Drake’s stomach.
Drake let out a cry of pain and released her.
Thalia unhesitatingly delivered a resounding p to Drake’s face.
“SLAP!” The sound echoed sharply in the corridor.
Thalia’s eyes shed with angry sparks as she berated him: “Drake, stay away from me! You’re not
worthy!”
Drake’s head tilted from the force of the p.
Then he raised his eyes to look directly at Thalia, the corners of his eyes reddened, the handprint clearly
visible on his face.
“Thalia, why are you so cruel to me?”
His voice was soft, sounding genuinely hurt.
Thalia gave a coldugh, her eyes filled with contempt.
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Your Gold Digger is Actually A True Potes
“You really need to ask why? Because you’re tainted now. We can never go back to the way things were.”
Thalia raised her chin, looking down at him haughtily. “A man who doesn’t respect himself is like a rotten cucumber. I never make the same mistake twice!”
With that, she gave Drake no chance to respond, turning to m the door shut with a resounding “BANG.”
Drake stood outside, staring at the closed door, profound pain brewing in his dark eyes.
Because you’re tainted now.
We can never go back to the way things were.
Her words cut him deeply, one by one, like needles piercing his heart, leaving it riddled with wounds, a
bloody mess.
Drake returned dejectedly to the t he had just purchased.
Right next door to Thalia’s.
He turned on the shower and scrubbed his body over and over.
“Thalia, Thalia…”
Drake rubbed his skin forcefully until it turned red.
He called Thalia’s name as tears mingled with the shower water streaming down his face.
“I’m not dirty… If I wash thoroughly enough, I won’t be dirty anymore, don’t reject me…”
Back in her room, Thalia couldn’t calm her thoughts.
The recording Drake had yed was clearly Vanessa’s voice.
Had she really been abducted from under the police’s nose? Why hadn’t Asher told her?
What was the urgent matter he mentioned tonight?
Could it really be rted to Vanessa?
Thalia tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
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Your Gold Digger
Actually A True
After much deliberation, she finally couldn’t resist calling Asher.
The phone rang for a long time with no answer.
Until it automatically disconnected.
This was the first time Asher hadn’t answered her call.
Thalia’s heart grew even more troubled.
Shey in bed.
Scenes from over a month ago reyed in her mind again and again.
The way Vanessa had looked at Asher, so intense and obsessive.
Seeing her and Asher embracing, Vanessa had charged forward with a knife, intending to stab her to
death.
How could a woman be so deranged over love?
Even after loving someone unrequited for ten years, surely one wouldn’t be so extreme as to attempt murder?
Could there be something more to this story?
After Asher was stabbed, Vanessa had broken down, crying andughing hysterically, appearing genuinely remorseful and frightened. It hadn’t seemed like an act–she had been truly terrified that something might happen to Asher.
Thinking back to when Asher was injured.
Thalia clearly remembered that even as Ashery wounded, his life hanging in the bnce, he had
wiped away her tears, softlyforting her, telling her not to cry.
He had been on the verge of death<i>, </i>yet his eyes had shown only relief.
Relief that she hadn’t been the one injured.
Asher loved her so deeply–how could he possibly betray her?
Drake must be trying to cause trouble between them!
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Your Gold Digger is Actually A True
Asher had been willing to risk his life for her, not hesitating for even a moment when taking that knife for her. How could his feelings for her possibly be false?
As for the recording…
Even if it was genuine, the recording was clearly edited, proving nothing.
The recording contained only Vanessa’s voice, not Asher’s.
Drake’s purpose in ying it was to make her doubt Asher, and she couldn’t fall into his trap.
Asher had said he would exin everything in person after handling the urgent matter.
All she needed to do was wait.
She couldn’t let Drake’s words lead her astray.
He imed Vanessa was pregnant, but first of all, was that even true?
Even if it were, how could he prove it was Asher’s child?
Drake wanted her to specte wildly, to believe that Vanessa was carrying Asher’s child.
She couldn’t let him seed!
With this realization, Thalia gradually calmed down<i>, </i>her chaotic thoughts settling.
She opened her phone and sent Asher a text message.
[Tried ringing earlier but no answer. Hope everything’s alright with your urgent matter. Give me a call tomorrow when you’re free. Off to bed now. Night x]
<b>(</b><b>3</b><b>) </b>
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