Chapter 23
“To adopt Grace?” Thalia asked.
Victoria leaned closer, lowering her voice. “More than that. She asked Asher’s mother to have him marry Grace when they grew up.”
Thalia’s eyes widened in shock.
“Christ,” Charlotte exclaimed. “The nerve of her!”
“Lady Blackwood must have found some way to refuse,” Victoria continued. “The housekeeper eventually accepted just the adoption as repayment.”
Charlotte scoffed. “Obviously. As if Lady Blackwood would let her only son marry a housekeeper’s daughter.”
“Exactly. The heir to the Blackwood name? Impossible.”
Thalia sipped her cocktail thoughtfully.
None of them noticed the woman watching them from across the bar, her eyes cold with hatred.
After a few drinks, Thalia stood. “Just need the ladies‘.”
In the narrow corridor outside the restroom, two men blocked her path.
One was heavily built, head shaved, tattoos covering his arms. He whistled crudely. “How about some company, love?”
Thalia, who’d been checking her phone, glanced up briefly. Discreetly, she switched to her recording app before slipping the phone into her pocket.
His companion, thin with bleached hair, smirked around his cigarette. “Pretty thing like you must be fun.”
“Charming,” Thalia said coldly. “Is that mouth always so delightful?”
Bleached Hair grinned nastily. “Name your price, sweetheart.”
The corridor was too narrow to slip past them. Thalia crossed her arms, maintaining her composure.
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“Let’s see… funeral services start at five thousand. Extra for the wake, two thousand for professional mourners, brass band’s another three… Cremation’s the budget option. Shall I price up a coffin? Family discount for multiple deaths.”
“Mouthy bitch,” Bleached Hair spat. “Think you’re clever?”
Tattoos stepped closer, unbuckling his belt. “Playing hard to get? Let’s see how innocent you are in the
gents‘.”
They moved toward her.
As Tattoos reached for her, Thalia’s kick landed precisely between his legs with devastating force.
He collapsed with an agonized scream, curling into a fetal position.
Bleached Hair lunged with a snarl.
Thalia caught his arm in a joint lock, twisting until something popped. His scream joined his friend’s.
“Is that all?” she asked mildly, wiping her hands with a tissue. “Pity. My Krav Maga’s getting rusty–I was hoping for a workout.”
The insult stung more than the pain.
Bleached Hair tried to swing with his good arm. Thalia executed a perfect throw, pinning him with her stiletto against his cheek. “Do practice more.”
“Help! Someone help!” Tattoos was writhing, blood seeping through his jeans.
Thalia glanced over. Perhaps she’d used excessive force.
Bar staff arrived, freezing at the scene.
“Call a bloody ambulance,” Tattoos gasped. “She’s broken something!”
A crowd gathered quickly.
Charlotte and Victoria, worried about Thalia’s long absence, pushed through–and stopped short.
“Holy shit!” Charlotte exclaimed. “The ninja skills are back!”
Victoria assessed the groaning men, then Thalia. “You’re not hurt?”
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Thalia flipped her hair. “Please. They couldn’t touch me if they tried.”
“Remind me to take those self–defense classes with you next time,” Charlotte said admiringly.
The police and ambulance were called. The men were taken to hospital while Thalia and the bar manager were escorted to the station.
Charlotte and Victoria followed.
As the crowd dispersed, Grace emerged from behind a pillar, eyes glinting coldly.
Useless thugs. Two against one, and they couldn’t handle her.
Who would have thought the delicate–looking Thalia was trained in combat?
Ordinary roughians wouldn’t do. Next time she’d need professionals.
Asher arrived while Thalia was giving her statement.
The CCTV footage confirmed the men had initiated the confrontation, making it self–defense.
However, the hospital reported serious injury–a ruptured testicle requiring surgery.
The police suggested Thalia’s self–defense might have exceeded reasonable force.
As Asher reached for his phone to make calls, Thalia stopped him.
Calmly, she addressed the officer: “A single testicle constitutes minor injury, both would be major. If both were ruptured requiring removal, then yes, it might exceed reasonable force and warrant assault
charges.”
This was her legal territory now.
“However-” She played the audio recording.
The men’s threats were captured clearly.
“Officer,” she said evenly, “I have evidence of attempted sexual assault. Against such a violent crime, my response was entirely proportionate. I’d like to formally report their attempt to rape me.”
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Chapter 24
Chapter 24
“We’ll investigate the attempted rape,” the officer said professionally. “However, we’ll also need to look into the assault charges. As it’s a criminal matter, the court will determine if it was reasonable
self–defense.”
Thalia nodded. “Understood.”
After posting bail, she left with Asher.
“I can have the charges dropped,” he offered once they were in his car.
“No need,” she said. “I can handle this.”
Night had fallen around them.
In the darkness, Asher’s features were barely visible.
“Lia,” his voice was soft, “you always handle everything alone. You could try leaning on me sometimes
Thalia fell silent.
Then sighed.
“After Mum died, I was lost for a long time,” she said quietly. “When Father remarried, it felt like I had no
one left in the world.”
The night was still around them.
Her face was hidden in shadow, concealing the pain in her eyes. She tried to sound light. “I suppose I got used to handling everything myself.”
“Because I didn’t know who else to trust anymore.”
Something in Asher’s chest constricted.
“You have me,” he said softly, his voice aching.
Thalia didn’t respond.
Victoria’s words about Grace had planted a seed of doubt.
