chapter1010

Thalassa hesitated for a moment. She gazed instinctively at Lysander, whose handsome face was as

stoically cool as ever. He took the wine glass from her hand and looked intently across the table at

Joshua.

"She's got work later. I'll drink this one." Lysander declared, emptying the glass in one smooth motion.

Thalassa was astonished, not expecting Lysander to intercept the drink meant for her.

His reason was because she had work later, and he was concerned that drinking might impair her

performance.

Was it because Atticus had mentioned earlier that he would be waiting at home for her, ready to tutor

her on the new software and help with her workload?

Thalassa couldn't tell if Lysander was stepping in to prevent disappointment for Atticus, who might be

left waiting in vain if she returned home drunk and unable to focus, or if he was simply worried about

her getting intoxicated.

In that moment, was it Atticus, his son, whom Lysander truly cared about, or was it Thalassa herself?

After a second of astonishment, Thalassa's rationality returned. Of course, he cared about his son.

How could he possibly care about her?

If he really did care, he wouldn't have put her through hell time and again, especially at her most

vulnerable moments, without any regard for her feelings.

"Well, it's all the same if Lysander drinks it." Joshua said with a smile that was loaded with meaning as

he glanced between Thalassa and Lysander.

Thalassa snapped back just in time to catch Joshua's knowing smirk, full of implication and a hint of

mischief.

It was obvious he was relishing the drama unfolding between Lysander and her.

Thalassa's eyes widened for a moment, feeling uncomfortably exposed by the blatant and yet subtle

gossip about her relationship with Lysander, especially coming from an elder. This was a first for her.

Feeling awkward and at a loss for words, she wanted to clarify that there was nothing between her and

Lysander, but she didn't know where to begin.

"Our stoic Lysander has finally surrendered. There used to be rumors saying that Lysander was not

interested in women. Now, the rumor is proven wrong." Richard chimed in from across the table, his

voice laced with mirth as he glanced at Joshua and then looked at Lysander and Thalassa with warm,

congratulatory eyes, as if they were newlyweds.

Richard's comment amplified Thalassa's discomfort, turning it into unease and embarrassment.

She had been by Lysander's side from the start without any official status. He had never acknowledged

her publicly as his woman.

Her presence in his life was hidden from the light of day, yet it was a constant source of teasing.

Thalassa felt her dignity trampled underfoot, carelessly stepped on by others, leaving her scalp tingling

with humiliation.

"Mr. Sinclair has always been interested in women. There was his ex-fiancée Charlotte Ravensong,

and then his faithful secretary Faye Brennan who loyally stood by his side for ten years. Both left the

scene eventually, probably when the novelty wore off." Thalassa replied calmly to Richard, masking her

inner turmoil.

She picked up a glass of juice and took a sip, trying to cover her panic and deliberately ignoring

Lysander's intense and commanding presence beside her.

Her words were a subtle counterattack. It suggested that Lysander wasn't indifferent to women; he just

preferred to keep his affairs private. Once the novelty faded, everyone had their exit, including

Thalassa herself.

Joshua's smile faltered upon hearing her words. Then, he let out a sigh that was both lamenting and

laughing. "You're young. There are some things that you just don't see through yet. But, please

remember to cherish what you have."

Sensing Lysander's icy glare and the tension rising, Richard knew he was on the verge of provoking his

anger.

He quickly attempted to defuse the situation. "Mr. Joshua is right. The most important thing in a

relationship is to cherish what you have."

He busied himself pouring wine for Joshua and Lysander and skillfully changed the subject. "Mr.

Joshua, have you had any luck finding those Phoenix jade pearls you mentioned?"

"I took a look at the Draven Group's jade auction today. There was a variety of jade and emeralds, but

nothing that I was searching for." Joshua replied, getting back to business and taking a sip of red wine

from his glass.

Joshua's main reason for returning to the country was to find a set of jade pearls he had given to a

woman 28 years ago. The jade pearls were engraved with the image of a flying phoenix.