Chapter 18
Thiago mused, ‘The one who used to pursue me is now asking me to express my love for her openly? Time sure is mysterious!
“Whitney, give me some time. Stay, and let’s talk things through.” Thiago had never properly looked at Whitney. Her delicate features seemed to radiate with a newfound glow.
“Were her eyes always so clear and bright?‘ he wondered.
Thiago didn’t know.
His impressions of Whitney were formed after the divorce, which was ridiculous.
Seeing that Whitney remained silent, Thiago added, “I am serious.”
Whitney barely smiled back. Her stance remained unwavering. “Thiago, Thiago, I think we’re done talking. A year ago, you refused to listen to my explanation, so let’s not bother talking about it now. Stop pestering me.”
“I was just…” Thiago wanted to explain himself.
“Your past thoughts don’t matter. Enjoy life, and be your own CEO. I have my own life. I have my own path to follow. I’ll continue moving forward, just like I have over the past year,” Whitney declared. She had no desire for any further involvement with Thiago.
Thiago had dampened the atmosphere. Jonah could sense Whitney’s thoughts with just a glance. He made up an excuse and ended the gathering with a wave.
Seeing that everyone was ready to leave, Steven realized he couldn’t shamelessly tag along with them. Regardless, he had his own gathering tonight. He sent Thiago a message and went upstairs to the second floor.
The gang passed Thiago on their way out. Whitney ignored him directly. Jonah and Sophia didn’t bother with pleasantries eith a naive young man, looked at Thiago with confusion and said, “Whitney, isn’t this your friend?”
t Lester,
Thiago glanced at Lester several times after hearing him speak. It was the first time that night that he had taken notice of Lester’s presence around Whitney. He seemed vaguely familiar.
“Let’s get going,” Sophia said as she reached out and pulled Lester back. “You must be drunk and mistaken him for someone else. We don’t
know him.”
“That’s impossible.” Lester scratched his head. Thiago excelled in both appearance and temperament. Just when he wanted to look back, Sophia pressed his head down and shoved him into the back seat of the car. The door was then shut, and he couldn’t see anything.
As soon as Jonah and his friends left, Thiago exited the club. He got into his car and, recalling his interaction with Lester, felt a gnawing sense of familiarity. He took out his phone and called his assistant. “Last time I asked you to investigate Whitney, did you check the people around
her?”
The assistant was baffled. “No, I only investigated the relationship between Ms. Collins and the Greene family.”
Thiago frowned, thinking, ‘The Greene family.. What else about Whitney am I unaware of?‘
Thiago pursed his lips, his expression serious as he spoke. “Check the people around her meticulously, Don’t overlook anyone. Scrutinize
them all.”
17:14 Fri, 21 Jun GBG.
Chapter 18
44%
After hanging up the phone, Thiago only felt a headache. Since Whitney reappeared, his life had been thrown into disarray, stirring up a tumult of emotions within him. Steven’s words echoed in his mind, and being her ex–husband, Thiago felt he had no right to cling to these
feelings.
The night was long and lonely.
With the aid of alcohol, Whitney soon managed to push aside the shadows cast by her out of her coat. Exhausted, Whitney drifted off to sleep.
lago. Jonah brought her back to the studio and helped
Seeing Whitney in this state, Jonah didn’t say anything more. He knew that by morning, she would likely have forgotten all about it anyway.
He smoothed her hair and covered her body with the quilt. Jonah smiled. “Good night, my Winnie.”
The next morning, Whitney was awakened by her alarm clock.
She slapped the alarm clock to stop it from beeping. The man on the couch glanced up at the closed door, then casually looked away, crossed one leg over the other, and continued reading the magazine.
After what felt like an eternity, the scorching sun pierced through the curtains, and the heat woke Whitney up.
It was twelve o’clock at noon.
After getting up and washing up, Whitney emerged from her room, yawning. The moment she opened her eyes, she was startled by the elegant and handsome man before her and almost screamed.
Whitney patted her chest and said with a livid face, “Hayden, how did you get in? Why didn’t you tell me? You scared the hell out of me.”
“I’ve been sitting here all morning,” Hayden remarked, closing the magazine and stretching. He turned to face Whitney. “Don’t stay out too late in the future. If something were to happen, how could we
” –
“Okay, stop it,” Whitney interjected and changed the subject. “What brings you here today?”
“I heard about what happened between you and Thiago,” Hayden remarked, pushing Whitney to sit down with a solemn out affectionate gaze. “Winnie, I’m preparing for an art exhibition. I hope you can join me.”
“Hayden, I’m not qualified to participate in your art exhibition,” Whitney said.
‘He must be kidding!‘ she thought. Hayden was a globally acclaimed young artist. He had organized only a handful of art exhibitions before, and each one was considered a valuable opportunity. Many renowned enterprises sought to collaborate with him, leaving Whitney feeling inadequate in comparison.
Moreover, it had been eight years since Hayden’s last art exhibition, and the public must be eagerly anticipating the exhibition after such a long hiatus.
“You’re my sister, and no one is more qualified than you,” Hayden asserted, pushing up his glasses. It was never a joke when he said he wanted to help Whitney.
No one knew how sad and disappointed the Greene family was when Whitney decided to marry Thiago. Whitney was the pride of the Greene family. However, since she joined the Mackenzie family, she had faced nothing but mistreatment despite her efforts to please them.
Whitney frowned and said, “Hayden, you know that’s not what I meant. Well, I have something else to do at noon. You should head home quickly so Dad won’t start nagging later.”
17:14 M, 21 Jun G
Chapter 18
Then, Whitney started dragging Hayden out.
3.44%
The studio was still some distance away from the road. Hayden didn’t drive here, so Whitney accompanied him to the side of the road and waited for the taxi. Even when she tried to change the subject along the way, Hayden remained persistent.
“Winnie, since you chose to open your own studio, then you are a businessperson. I hope you’ll be realistic and business–minded. Consider expanding your studio and spreading your dream worldwide,” Hayden said.
This was quite different from what Thiago had said to her.
Whitney was about to reply when Hayden intervened, “The goal of joining the art exhibition is to boost your popularity, Winnie. Even if your ideas and products are excellent, if you keep them hidden, no one will recognize their worth.”
No one would pay much attention to a hidden treasure.
This applied not only in the business field but also in life.
