chapter1014

Thalassa paused at the entrance of the private room and stole a glance behind her. Susan was

prancing along, her skirt held up with one hand, and her assistant following closely.

Susan's eyes flashed a silent warning as she caught Thalassa’s glance.

With a tension in her breath and a firm grip on the wine bottle, Thalassa's brow furrowed. She turned

back and pushed open the door to enter.

As she was about to close the door, it was held open by Susan, who slipped through with a make-up

plastered face that quickly morphed into a facade of gentle politeness. "It’s you, Thalassa! I thought it

was you from the back so I followed, and I was right! It's so good to see you." she said, her voice

pitched for all to hear.

Thalassa knew all too well that Susan's words were meant for the others in the room to hear. She was

there to keep tabs on her.

Biting back her anger, Thalassa let go of the door and returned to her seat beside Lysander.

She set the bottle of red wine on the table.

Undeterred and uninvited, Susan breezed in with a sweet smile, "Oh! Mr. Sinclair, and Mr. Richard too!

And who might this be...?"

She greeted warmly, her gaze lingering curiously on Joshua who was unfamiliar to her.

Joshua, ever the gentleman, offered Susan a polite nod and a smile.

Susan, basking in the attention, quickly sidled up next to Joshua and perched herself on the seat

beside him, her face beaming, "Hello there, you must be Mr. Sinclair’s business partner. You look so

young and dashing!"

Thalassa could hardly stand it. Susan was so thick-skinned and shameless.

Richard coughed lightly into his fist, incredulous at Susan's lack of decorum and brazenness. "Thinks

she's endearing when she's just crossed lines." he thought, as he worried about her possibly offending

Joshua.

As he uncorked the wine Thalassa brought in, Richard filled the empty glasses in front of Joshua and

Lysander.

"Susan, why don't you sit across from me?" he suggested, pointing to a vacant seat. "There's an empty

glass there, and I can pour you a drink. This seat is Mr. Joshua's personal space."

"Oh! Mr. Joshua, what a pleasure! I'm Thalassa's sister, Susan." she said, ignoring Richard's hint to

keep her distance from Joshua and continued to engage him in conversation.

She thought she could curry favor with Lysander by cozying up to Mr. Joshua.

Joshua's polite smile faded as he subtly shifted away from Susan.

Her overbearing presence was unsettling, and what had started as a courteous nod was now turning

into a deliberate avoidance.

Susan’s smile waned as she noticed the lack of response and the disdain on Joshua's face. "I can't

miss out on a toast with such esteemed company as Mr. Sinclair and Mr. Joshua." she said, finally

moving to take the seat suggested by Richard.

Susan looked across to Richard, "Could you please pour me a glass, Mr. Richard? Thank you."

Despite his dislike for her, Richard poured her a drink with outward civility.

Susan raised her glass first to Lysander, then turned to Joshua with an enthusiastic air. "Mr. Sinclair,

Mr. Joshua, I'd like to offer a toast on behalf of my sister Thalassa. Thank you, Mr. Sinclair, for taking

care of her, and thank you, Mr. Joshua, for your continued support of the Sinclair group."

Thalassa was astounded by Susan's brazenness.

Like father, like daughter — Susan's hypocrisy and shamelessness were spitting images of her father

Bruce.

How did she dare present herself as Thalassa's sister, and on what grounds was she thanking

Lysander?

And as for thanking Mr. Joshua for supporting the Sinclair group — it was even more laughable. Did

she really think she had any place to issue such thanks? She was truly adept at aggrandizing herself.