Chapter 944

It was Ethan on the phone.

She hadn't gone to work today, and she hadn't even called Ethan to take a sick day.

Last time, she promised Ethan that she would never skip work again and that she would always give him a heads-up if something came up. And yet, here she was, breaking her promise again.

It wasn't like she wanted it this way; she just couldn't help it.

Thalassa put down her fork, slid her finger across the screen, and answered, “Mr. Ethan, just hear me out...”

She preempted any anger from Ethan by explaining the situation before he could get upset.

She was only halfway through her explanation when Ethan's teasing laughter came through the line, “I get it; you and Lysander are in the honeymoon phase. Things can get a bit...uncontrollable.”

Thalassa’s cheeks flushed with heat, and she wished she could just disappear into a hole.

How did Ethan always seem to know everything? But he was wrong about one thing—there was no romantic relationship between her and Lysander, so where was this so-called honeymoon phase coming from?

“Mr. Ethan, I truly had an unavoidable reason today. Is it too late to ask for a day off now?” Thalassa tried to cover her embarrassment and spoke to him in as normal a tone as she could manage.

If she could count today as a sick day and not as skipping work, she wouldn't get her pay docked.

“It’s too late for that.” Ethan chuckled. “You’ll need to do overtime tonight to make up for today’s absence.”

“Overtime?” Thalassa asked, puzzled.

“Yes, you were handling the PR for Crawley Electronics, right? The TV station wants to do an exclusive on the Crawley Group tonight. They’ve been snapping photos and filming all day. I won’t have time to deal with them this evening, so you’ll need to step in and handle the communication.”

Ethan’s typically playful tone had shifted to one of seriousness.

Usually, Ethan appeared jovial and fond of jokes, but when it came to work, he was all business, serious and focused.

He might let the world down, but never his career.

It seemed a trait shared among Lysander's close friends; they were all like that—Ethan, Alaric, Richard.

Probably influenced by Lysander, who always put work first, even to the point of forsaking personal ties for business gains.

Knowing Ethan’s steadfast approach to work, Thalassa, as his employee, felt in the wrong for missing a day. She realized she couldn’t really say no to this overtime.

“Alright, I’ll come to the office after lunch.” Thalassa agreed without hesitation.

“Take your time. No rush,” Ethan said before ending the call.

After lunch, feeling somewhat refreshed and less achy, Thalassa knew she had to switch into more professional attire for work.

She chose a black and white business ensemble—a short-sleeved, collared blouse ideal for concealing the stubborn love bite on her neck, paired with a knee-length A-line skirt.

After applying a touch of makeup and ready to head out, Fitch brought the kids home.

“Mommy!” The four little ones ran towards Thalassa in unison.

She wrapped her arms around them, speaking softly, “Mommy has to work overtime tonight and won’t be able to be with you. Fitch will play with you, okay?”

“Mommy’s working overtime? When will you come back?” Dorian looked up at her with big, hopeful eyes.

The separation had only just begun, and already there was anticipation for their reunion.

“Hmm, probably around ten tonight, once the work is done. You all need to be good and go to bed early, okay?” Thalassa patted their damp, sweet-smelling heads, feeling a tender warmth in her heart.

“Ugh, I hate overtime! When I grow up, I’m going to smash overtime so Mommy never has to work late again.” Elowen pouted, clenching her tiny fists, her youthful brows furrowed in a display of adorable determination.