chapter386

Once they were alone, Hertha leaned in, her voice hushed. “Thalassa, the liability... is it really that severe? And despite everything, he hasn't moved to enforce the claim?”

Thalassa nodded, her energy spent. “He’s keeping the situation in a state of professional stasis. It’s a subtle form of leverage, Hertha. He’s conflicted.”

“It sounds like more than a legal strategy,” Hertha mused. “A man like Sinclair doesn't ignore a hundred-million-dollar loss unless there’s a profound personal motivation. He values your presence far more than the assets.”

Thalassa felt a flicker of heat in her cheeks, but she quickly pushed the thought away. “He gave me the car to ensure I could manage my commute without delay. My mother thinks it’s a standard company perk. Please, let’s keep it that way.”

“I understand,” Hertha said, her playfulness returning slightly. “But you have to admit, standing your ground against a man of his stature is a feat in itself. You’re navigating a path that most would find impossible. Just remember to protect your own heart while you’re protecting everyone else.”

Thalassa smiled weakly. She couldn't explain the full depth of the conflict—how Lysander had discovered her connection to Bruce, the man he held responsible for his childhood tragedy. To Lysander, she was a focus for his unresolved resentment; to her, he was a man she was beginning to understand far too well.

“I should head home,” Hertha said, standing up. “My parents are expecting me.”

Thalassa walked her to the door, the moonlight casting long shadows across the hallway.

Meanwhile, in the children’s room, Dorian and Atticus sat in the dim light, their voices barely above a whisper.

“Did you hear?” Dorian asked, his dark eyes wide with concern. “Mom is carrying a heavy burden because of that debt. She’s worried about what happens next.”

Atticus nodded, his expression remarkably grave for his age. He had absorbed the tension of the conversation in the dining room. “She’s trying to protect us, Dorian. Lysander is the one keeping her away, and she’s staying so that we stay safe.”

“We have to be even better for her,” Atticus concluded, the moonlight shimmering in his eyes. “We have to make sure she knows she’s not alone, no matter what happens with Mr. Sinclair.”