Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Zeke Mathews was a businessman. Not just any businessman, but one of the youngest bachelors to establish such a successful empire in New York.

Thalassa had heard about him in business conversations but had only seen a picture of him once. Perhaps that was why she didn’t recognize him immediately.

The morning after their agreement, Zeke came to pick her up to take her to his house to meet his grandmother, On the way, he tried to make conversation, but Thalas**a wasn’t in the mood. She gave him one-word answers until he gave up trying to get her to speak.

The car pulled past automatic steel gates, and Zeke drove until he parked somewhere in the compound.

“Let me get your door,” he said as he got out.

He intended to open her door for her, but Thalassa quickly got out by herself. Her brows creased as she stared at the house in front of her.

“Is that your house?” she questioned.

“Yeah, Why?”

Thalassa frowned. “I thought you said you’d only be in Baltimore for a month.” 2 She looked back at the house. It wasn’t a mansion, but it was too grand for someone who didn’t live permanently in Baltimore.

“Yes, that was the plan, but I’ve decided to set up a branch of my company in Baltimore, so I might be coming down here every once in a while,” he explained “So this is a business trip? And you brought your entire family?”

He shrugged. “The doctor thought it might be good for Grandma to have a change of scenery. My sister wanted to come too, and her boyfriend insisted on following us.”

The way he said ‘that boyfriend’ made it obvious he didn’t like his sister’s boyfriend.

Zeke chuckled a bit, expecting Thalassa to do the same, but she didn’t even c**k a smile. Her face remained straight.

He held back a sigh. He knew they weren’t friends and he’d only known her for two days, but it still bothered him that she hadn’t smiled at him even once. Her eyes were always cold and aloof, but he knew it wasn’t because of him.

He just hoped she wouldn’t show the same coldness to his grandmother.

“Shall we go in? They’re expecting us,” he said. When she nodded, they headed towards the house together.

The inside of the house was just as beautiful as the outside, but it had little to no decor, just furniture. Thalassa noticed a woman at a distance, and Zeke called out.

Hey Millie, where’s my sister?”

+25 SONUS Chapter 12 “She said she was going sightseeing with her boyfriend,” the woman responded.

“They couldn’t even wait,” Zeke sighed before doing the introductions, “Millie, this is Thalassa. Please prepare a room for her beside my grandmother’s. Thalassa, this is Millie, a temporary help I hired while we’re in Baltimore. Shall we go see my grandmother now? I told her I would be bringing you to her.”

Thalassa nodded, but even before they could move an inch, the frail yet excited voice of an old woman filled the air.

“Agnes, you came! You came!”

They turned to find Granny almost running from a room downstairs towards them. Zeke immediately rushed towards her.

“Careful, Grandma. You might fall.”

But his caution was unheeded as the old woman rushed towards Thalassa and instantly engulfed her in a hug.

“My darling, thank you so much for coming. You don’t know how much I missed you.”

Zeke held his breath, wondering whether Thalassa would behave coldly towards his grandmother too, but to his relief, she said, “I missed you too, Mum,”

And then she smiled. And what a beautiful smile it was. Zeke caught himself staring for a bit too long. After they broke the hug, his grandma held Thalassa by the hand and pulled her towards the couch.

“You’ve looked after yourself so well, my darling. It’s as if you haven’t aged a day.”

Thalassa smiled. “Thank you.”

Then suddenly, his grandmother broke into tears. “Forgive me. Please forgive me, Agnes. I wish I had supported you better.

Then you wouldn’t have left home and gone away for so long. Please tell me you forgive me.”

Thalassa was caught off guard but quickly remembered Zeke telling her about something like that. It still confused her why the old woman thought so strongly that she was her daughter.

Zeke had shown her pictures of the real Agnes, and Thalassa didn’t even look much like her.

She also felt like she was committing some deception against the old woman by pretending to be Agnes, but if this was what would make the old woman better, then so be it.

“Yes, I forgive you, Mum. I’m sorry that I left for so long she said.

Instantly, Granny pulled her into a tight hug as she cried Her pain was so palpable that Thalassa felt saddened.

“So tell me all about the time when you were away,” Granny said after finally breaking the hug. I hope you were happy.

was so happy even though I missed you all,” she assured as she wiped the tears from Granny’s face. Granny clapped her hands together excitedly like a child. “Then tell me all about it +25 BONUS Zeke watched from another couch as Thalassa began to make up story after story to entertain his grandmother.

amazed him that she could be so warm with his grandma even after acting so cold towards him.

After about an hour, when he realized that his grandma was beginning to sound tired, he cleared his throat “Grandma, I think it’s time to go to your room and lie down a bit,” he suggested.

Panic entered his grandmother’s eyes. “No! I won’t go anywhere, or else Agnes is going to leave again.”

Thalassa and Zeke shared a look before Thalassa turned her attention to the old woman. “Zeke is right, Mum. You need to rest a bit. I’m not going anywhere.”

“You promise?” Granny asked, sounding so vulnerable.

“Yes, I promise. In fact, I’m going to take you to your room and sing you a lullaby until you fall asleep.”

Granny beamed once again as Thalassa helped her up. She’d seen the room Granny had come out of, so she led her there.

Zeke watched them go until the door closed behind them. A few minutes later, Thalassa came out of the room. Zeke got up to meet her halfway.

“She’s asleep already? m “Yes,” Thalassa answered simply, her expression blank.

Zeke’s lips spread in a smile. “Thank you, Thalassa, for agreeing to do this for me.”

I’m Tm not doing anything for you. I’m doing it for your grandma,” she pointed out bluntly.

Zeke sighed. The cold Thalassa was back again. It was as if she wasn’t the same person who had been laughing along with his grandma. Or had she just been pretending?

1 know that. But I’m grateful anyway.”

He’d never seen his grandma so happy in a long time, and he had Thalassa to thank for that.

“Hey, bro, we’re back,” a male voice announced.

Zeke gritted his teeth. It was the voice of his sister’s boyfriend, Brandon. He hated it when Brandon called him that.

“I see you’re the famous ‘Agnes’ my grandmother can’t stop talking about. Well, welcome back home, Murn,” his sister, Luisa, said in amusement.

“Luisa, don’t mock Grandma,” Zeke chastised.

Luisa rolled her eyes. “Ugh, you’re no fun.” She stopped in front of Thalassa, stretching out her hand. Anyway, it’s nice to meet you.”

She was a beautiful woman, tall above average, and had blue eyes and dirty blonde hair just like her brother “Likewise, the corner of Thalassa’s mouth twitched slightly as she shook Luise’s hand.

Chapter 12 “This is my boyfriend, Brandon. He’s-” Luisa was beginning to make the introduction when Brandon suddenly cut her off.

“Wait, I know you,” he said, staring at Thalassa. “Aren’t you the woman who’s all over the news? The gold digger who betrayed her husband and stole from the Miller family?”

Thalassa froze.