Linda was livid with indignation. "Kris, how can you ask me to apologize publicly to that woman? That's going to make people think even less of me."

Kris nodded slowly, his expression calm. "I figured as much." He hadn't expected his mother to agree. If anything, she was as stubborn as Thalassa, if not more. "Since you can't apologize to her publicly, please don't expect her to do the same for you." "But it's different! Can't you see that?" Linda tried again to reason with him. "We can't be sure if the embezzlement was truly a misunderstanding. All the evidence pointed to her, and-"

"I don't care what the evidence said, Mum. Not after everything we've been through. I believe Thalassa when she says she's innocent," Kris snapped, his tone sharper than he intended.

"Daddy, are you angry with Grandma?" Tessa's soft, confused voice broke through the tension.

Kris looked down at her and forced a small smile. "No, sweetheart. Daddy isn't angry with Grandma. We're just... talking. Do you want to go and play?"

"Yes!" Tessa responded eagerly.

"Good. Let's go."

He took her hand and was about to lead her away when his mother grabbed his arm. Her eyes shone with unshed tears as she looked up at him.

"Kris... what about my fashion house? Are you really going to watch me declare bankruptcy and lose everything I've worked so hard for?" She stepped closer, her voice trembling. "Can you at least invest some money into it? Miller Textiles belongs to the family, not just you."

Kris smiled bitterly. "I've already invested billions, Mother, and it all went down the drain. But you're right-you have shares in Miller Textiles, too. You're free to sell them and invest in your fashion house. Just know it'll go down the drain as well. I'm sorry, but it's time you accepted that your fashion house can't be saved."

He let out a breath. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I came here to spend time with my daughter."

Thalassa had thought kicking Kris out of her house would send a clear message that she wanted nothing to do with him. At least, she had hoped so.

But the very next day, while in her office with Luisa going over some documents, a basket of her favorite chocolates was delivered.

It came with a note that read

'Dear Lassa,

Since you've blocked me on your phone and blacklisted me from your office, this was my only option. I just want to apologize for what I asked of you yesterday. It was thoughtless of me, especially after everything we've been through. Please accept my gift as a token of how much I need your forgiveness. I still remember that these are your favorite.

Kris.'

The basket was filled with small, heart-shaped chocolates. There had to be at least 50 of them.

"Oh, that's sweet," Luisa commented, earning a hard glare from Thalassa.

Sweet? What was Kris trying to prove? That he still remembered her favorite things? And what did he mean by " everything we've been through"? The only one who had gone through something was her, so he had no right to say that.

Thalassa turned to the delivery man. "Take this back to whicever sent you. I'm not signing for it."

She placed the card back on top of the chocolates, but before the man could leave, Luisa quickly snatched one of the chocolates.

"Put that back, Luisa!" Thalassa hissed.

"But it's my favorite chocolate too. How can I just watch it slip away?" Luisa pouted.

"You're rich enough to buy billions of those. Put it back! I don't want Kris getting any ideas."

Sulking, Luisa dropped the chocolate back into the basket and rolled her eyes. "You're no fun."

The next day, it was a wrapped-up CD along with a card. The card read:

'Day two of letting you know that you mean the world to me. On this CD is the playlist you forced me to save on my phone five years ago because they were simply the best songs ever. Guess what? They truly are. Just because they are your favourite. I'm lying here with the hope that you'll force me to listen to them again some enough. 1

Yours lovingly, Kris.'

Luisa was amused as usual. "That's cheesy. Who the hell uses CDs anymore."

Thalassa gritted her teeth and thrust the package back into the delivery man's hands. "Take it back to him."

The following day, he sent a box of ice cream. It was a flavor she could never forget-not because it was her favorite once, but because it brought back memories. Steamy memories she wanted no part of.

The note read: 'Dear Lassa,

I vividly remember the taste of this ice cream mingling with the essence of your skin as I spread it all over your body and licked it off inch by inch. I still think it's still the most exquisite taste ever, and I know you remember, too. I'm more than ready to recreate those memories, by the way. 1noveldrama

Kris.'

"Oh my God!" Luisa exclaimed. "He's getting bolder, isn't he? But I didn't know you guys were this freaky in the bedroom."

She leaned closer. "Tell me, did he spread it on your pussy too? Wouldn't that be too cold? Or you were just too horny to feel it?"

"Luisa!" Thalassa snapped, cutting her off before she could finish.

Luisa's eyes widened as she realized the delivery man was still in the room. "Oops, sorry."

Thalassa shoved the ice cream and the note back into the man's hands. "Take this back. And tell him to stop sending me these things.'

The delivery man's face fell. "Ma'am, please accept it. He promised me a huge bonus-more than I'd earn in a month-if you accepted it. Please accept it?"