Chapter <b>153 </b>
Thalia opened the driver’s door<b>, </b>sat down<b>, </b>fastened her seatbelt, and made a call.
“I need you to check the business records of Ashcroft Group,” she said.
Thalia’s eyes were cold as her slender, pale fingers tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel.
“Also, find me a reliable private investigator. I want to investigate Drake Ashcroft.”
“Yes, Miss.”
After hanging up, Thalia tossed her phone onto the passenger seat, pressed the elerator, and drove away.
Dusk was falling, and the city lights were beginning to illuminate the streets.
It was rush hour, and the roads werepletely congested. Her ck Rolls–Royce Phantom was buried in an endless queue of traffic.
The gridlock was irritating and frustrating.
Just then, her phone rang. Thalia picked it up and nced at the screen.
It was Asher calling.
After their breakup, Thalia had kept Asher’s number, though it hadn’t appeared in her call history for quite some
time.
She initially didn’t want to answer, but then thought he might <b>be </b>calling about Lucy. After a moment’s hesitation, she answered.
Her tone was cold and distant. “Hello, what is it?”
“The police just called to say they’re discussing a n with Russian authorities to rescue Lucy,” Asher said.
Thalia’s heart skipped a beat, her breathing quickening. “Do they think they can seed?”
Asher paused, his cool voiceing through the phone. “On that point, the police couldn’t give any guarantees.”
How well Thalia understood this.
But because her sister’s life was at stake, she couldn’t help asking.
After a moment of silence, Thalia asked, “Is there anything else?”
98.1<b>% </b>
Heiress
Asher hesitated, his voice bing slightly hoarse through the phone. “Lia, L…”
Sensing that what Asher was about to say had nothing to do with Lucy, Thalia interrupted, “If there’s nothing urgent, I’m going to hang up.”
“Wait,” Asher quickly said. “Lia, I’m sorry about what my grandmother said to you at our house earlier. I apologise on her behalf. I really am sorry.”
Thalia remained silent.
She looked up through the windscreen at the endless queue of traffic, her gaze unfocused.
To say she hadn’t been affected by Lady ckwood’s words would be a lie she wouldn’t even believe herself.
The person on the other end of the line also fell silent.
He seemed to be waiting for her response.
The air felt stifling.
Thalia lowered the window slightly to improve cirction.
The cold wind from outside rushed in, finally allowing her constricted chest to breathe normally.
After a moment, Thalia heard herself speak in a deliberately casual, indifferent tone.
“No need. It’s not as <b>if </b>I ever wanted to marry you anyway.”
With that, not waiting for Asher’s response, she hung up.
He didn’t call back.
By the time she reached the Winters estate, it was nine in the evening.
Randolph was at the hospital with Victoria, and Lucy was gone. The grand Winters mansion felt cold and empty.
The Rolls–Royce Phantom entered the underground garage.
After parking, Thalia took her keys and rode the lift to the first floor.
The live–in housekeeper was mopping the floor in the living room. Seeing Thalia return, she smiled warmly. “Good evening, Miss Thalia. Would you like something to eat?”
Thalia nodded and, thinking of Victoria in the hospital, asked, “Has Victoria had dinner? Is someone looking after her meals?”
98.2<b>% </b>
The housekeeper replied, “Yes, Mr. Winters arranged for a cook at the hospital to prepare proper meals.”
“I see.” Thalia turned to go upstairs. “You should get some rest too.”
Back in her room, Thalia stood by the floor–to–ceiling window, allowing her mind to empty itself for a while.
Thinking about her sister’s current situation, Thalia felt a heavy ache in her heart.
Asher had said the police were formting a n to rescue Lucy. She wanted to call and ask about the progress but, looking at the time, she restrained herself. The police would likely be off duty and resting by now.
After letting her mind wander for a while, something suddenly urred to Thalia. She opened a storage box.
Inside was a drawing.
Thalia’s eyes shed with pain as her trembling hand reached for the picture.
Lucy had drawn it.
The picture showed their happy family of four.
Randolph and Victoria on either side, with Thalia and Lucy in the middle, all holding hands, harmonious and
happy.
Thalia’s slender, pale fingers gently brushed over the drawing, her fingertips lingering on Lucy’s figure.
Almost instantly, Thalia’s eyshes glistened with tears. “Lucy… sister…”
A tear fell.
St.
Itnded on the drawing.
Lucy had given this picture to Thalia shortly after she’d returned from Manchester.
At that time, Thalia had been aloof towards her clingy little sister.
But Lucy hadn’t been deterred by her attitude. Instead, she’d be increasingly attached, increasingly obedient
and considerate.
Her sister was the most well–behaved, adorable, and thoughtful child in the world.
Thalia’s eyes were damp, her eyelids reddened.
During the day at the ckwood residence, she had strictly controlled her emotions. Now, at home, she no longer needed to maintain that restraint.
98.3%
With waves of pain shooting through her heart, tears fell uncontrobly like pearls from a broken string.
Thalia covered her face with both hands, lowering her head in anguish. “Lucy…”
After his call with Grace, Drake realized he had been used and had nearly indirectly caused Thalia’s death. He was filled with regret, pain, and self–reproach.
He called Thalia several times, but she didn’t answer a single call.
Sienna noticed his depressed mood and approached tofort him, only to be pushed away.
In Drake’s office.
Sienna fell to the floor, her gaze fixed on a spot on the ground, a cold light shing in her eyes.
Thalia Winters, you forced me to do this.
That evening, Sienna logged into her TikTok ount and started a livestream.
Sienna had previously posted videos of herself ying the piano on TikTok, gathering quite a following.
By the time she returned to Britain, her ount already had over a million followers.
Recently, Sienna had gained even more followers by posting a series of “CEO Boyfriend POV” and “Day in the Life of a CEO’s Girlfriend” TikToks.
In her recent videos, she frequently showed glimpses of Drake’s luxury cars, his mansion<b>, </b>corners of his expensive bespoke suits, his well–defined hands, or his tall, straight silhouette from behind…
Meanwhile, she always showed her face on camera, wearing meticulously applied makeup, dressed in luxury brands, carrying designer handbags–theplete image of a wealthy socialite.
Netizens were obsessed.
Whenever she posted a video, herments section would explode.
“The way I just GASPED. The wealth gap is real<b>, </b>bestie?”
“My phone watching me watch people who can afford Hermès: ???”
“No because WHY am I watching this while eating beans on toast?<b>” </b>
“My toxic trait is thinking this could be me someday”
98.5%
Heiress
“The algorithm is just bullying me at this point”
“This is my viin origin story fr”
“Living vicariously through you because my bank ount could never”
“Alexa, how to manifest a CEO boyfriend overnight”
“Sorry, I think you’ve got my life by mistake. I’d like it back please x”
“Your boyfriend’s HANDS?? Ma’am I’m on my knees”
“Just a day in the life of the girl I wanted to be when I was 7?.
“Your life is literally my dream scenario in the notes app”
“Rtionship goals! You two are MADE for each other?”
“Does your boyfriend have a brother/cousin/friend who’s single? Asking for me actually”
Simrments were endless, with each video unting her love life and luxury lifestyle receiving hundreds of thousands or even millions of likes andments.
Sienna loved the feeling of being admired. Every time she read thements, her vanity was immensely satisfied.
Bytching onto Drake Ashcroft and showing off their rtionship and wealth, her follower count had surpassed five million.
Tonight, within five minutes of starting her livestream, there were already over ten thousand viewers in her chatroom.
In the livestream, Sienna appeared with perfect makeup, crying beautifully.
The chat immediately flooded with concerned messages: “OMG WHAT’S WRONG” “Why are you crying queen?” “Who hurt you? I just wanna talk?” “Someone’s getting cancelled today”
Sienna gently bit her lower lip, her innocent and pitiful eyes looking into the camera. “Good evening, everyone. I’ve been strugglingtely because there’s been a problem in my rtionship with Mr. Ashcroft…”
“Someone’s been trying toe between us…”
? (0)
Се
98.6%
“The algorithm is just bullying me at this point”
“This is my viin origin story fr”
“Living vicariously through you because my bank ount could never”
“Alexa, how to manifest a CEO boyfriend overnight”
“Sorry, I think you’ve got my life by mistake. I’d like it back please x”
“Your boyfriend’s HANDS?? Ma’am I’m on my knees”
“Just a day in the life of the girl I wanted to be when I was 7?”
“Your life is literally my dream scenario in the notes app”
“Rtionship goals! You two are MADE for each other?”
“Does your boyfriend have a brother/cousin/friend who’s single? Asking for me actually”
Simrments were endless, with each video unting her love life and luxury lifestyle receiving hundreds of thousands or even millions of likes andments.
Sienna loved the feeling of being admired. Every time she read thements, her vanity was immensely satisfied.
-Bytching onto Drake Ashcroft and showing off their rtionship and wealth, her follower count had surpassed
five million.
Tonight, within five minutes of starting her livestream, there were already over ten thousand viewers in her chatroom.
In the livestream, Sienna appeared with perfect makeup, crying beautifully.
The chat immediately flooded with concerned messages: “OMG WHAT’S WRONG” “Why are you crying queen?” “Who hurt you? I just wanna talk?” “Someone’s getting cancelled today”
Sienna gently bit her lower lip, her innocent and pitiful eyes looking into the camera. “Good evening, everyone. I’ve been strugglingtely because there’s been a problem in my rtionship with Mr. Ashcroft…”
“Someone’s been trying toe between us…”
? (0)