Chapter 157

Thalia frowned, staring at the text message and sinking into deep thought. The message could be from Tom Malfoy's associates, but it might also be from someone with ulterior motives impersonating them. She couldn't act rashly; she needed to verify the source before taking action. She refused to be manipulated.

Lying back down, Thalia remained wide awake. The thought of her missing sister—with no news of her life or death—weighed heavily on her heart. Sienna's extreme fans also posed a significant threat. The bespectacled man's vicious expression—hatred etched into his very being—as he threw acid at her was deeply imprinted in Thalia's mind, haunting her nightmares. She had never experienced anything like it. She'd been lucky to escape him, but what about next time?

Sienna had over five million followers. While obvious dangers could be avoided, hidden attacks were difficult to prevent. Thalia didn't know when she might face retaliation from other fans. This wouldn't do. She needed to take preventative measures. Her mind raced.

Thalia's eyelids grew heavy, drowsiness finally overtaking her as she closed her eyes. Her sleep was restless; she woke several times, tossing and turning. She finally awoke at eight in the morning, with the arrival of daylight.

The first thing Thalia did was call a friend, a technical expert in communications. "Can you help me trace the source of this number?" The text message number wasn't the usual eleven digits, but a long string, like those from spam messages. She couldn't identify the source and needed her friend's help.

Her friend replied, "No worries. I'll get back to you shortly."

Her friend called back quickly. "The message was sent domestically, from right here in London."

London? Did Tom Malfoy still have people working for him in London?

Her friend said, "I'll send you the detailed address."

"Brilliant."

After hanging up, she received the address via WhatsApp. Thalia immediately forwarded it to another contact, requesting an investigation. As a daughter of the prestigious Winters family, she had numerous resources at her disposal. Investigating such matters was child's play.

Soon, that person replied: "It's an apartment. The property owner is named Sienna."

Thalia's expression stiffened. Sienna. Sienna again! Was this woman always this desperate for attention? Her account had been permanently suspended, she'd received a lawyer's letter, and yet she still wouldn't back off? Sienna had been present when Thalia spoke to Drake Ashcroft previously, overhearing everything. It wasn't surprising she knew about Lucy's kidnapping. The account suspension seemed to have driven Sienna to desperation—using Lucy to threaten Thalia. Both stupid and malicious. Sienna needed a lesson she wouldn't soon forget.

Thalia investigated Sienna's background and found her father's company—Fred Carroll's clothing business—with limited liability. Its registered capital was only £500,000, and not fully paid up. For a small company like this, Thalia could bankrupt it with ease. Previously, she'd dismissed Sienna as a clown, a virtual pet unworthy of her time. But things were different now.

With her sister kidnapped, Thalia was emotionally devastated, physically and mentally exhausted, and constantly on edge. And now Sienna had chosen this crucial moment to spread rumors, orchestrate online attacks, incite her fans to cause harm in real life, and even use Lucy's situation to manipulate her. Thalia had reached her breaking point.

Bringing down the Carroll family business was a minor task requiring no personal intervention. She merely needed to communicate her requirements, and plenty of people would be willing to orchestrate the company's downfall—all to curry favor with the Winters family heiress.

In the afternoon, Thalia visited the hospital. Victoria's mood remained desperately low. She looked terrible—pale-faced, haggard, with dark circles under her eyes. Randolph Winters had returned to the company, leaving only the caregiver in the hospital room.

"Thalia, any news about Lucy?" As soon as she mentioned Lucy, Victoria's eyes welled up.

Thalia silently shook her head. Tears streamed down Victoria's face. The woman sobbed uncontrollably. Thalia, deeply concerned about her sister, was also in tremendous pain. She tried to comfort Victoria, but to no avail.

"Aunt Victoria, please get some rest. Try not to worry yourself sick. I'll come back to see you tomorrow."

With that, Thalia left.

After leaving the hospital, she went straight to the police station. It was the same story—Lucy's kidnapping case was complex, involving transnational crime, making an arrest challenging. The police were doing their utmost and would notify her immediately of any developments.

Thalia left the police station disappointed, wandering the streets in a daze. Suddenly, images from last night's nightmare flashed through her mind: Lucy tied to a chair, with Tom Malfoy pouring petrol over her. This was exactly the sort of thing that lunatic Tom Malfoy might do.

Thinking about Lucy's situation, Thalia shuddered, her face turning pale, unable to bear thinking about it further. Just then, a woman rushed from the roadside, pointing at her and hurling abuse.

"You shameless cow! How desperate must you be to seduce someone else's boyfriend? Didn't your parents teach you any bloody morals?"

"You look like a proper little tart, always trying to snare men. Absolute slag!"

Thalia was instantly furious, her gaze sharp as she swept her eyes over the woman. "Another one of Sienna's brainless fans? You'll believe anything she says. I'm genuinely curious how someone with the brain of a pea has survived this long."

Hearing Thalia insult her, the woman became even more agitated. "You bloody slag! Born with a mother but raised like an orphan. I'll fuck your—"

"SLAP!" Before the woman could finish, Thalia slapped her across the face. The woman was stunned. She hadn't expected this seemingly frail woman to dare strike her—a robust 160-pound person who looked physically strong.

Thalia's eyes blazed red with rage, pure fury and murderous intent radiating from her. "Dare to say one more word about my mother, and I'll destroy you."

Her gaze was so terrifying that the woman instantly cowered. In Thalia's eyes, she clearly saw anger and killing intent. She had a premonition that if she uttered another filthy word about mothers, this woman would absolutely end her.

Sienna's deranged fan trembled with fear, unwilling to risk her life. As the fan turned to flee, she was blocked by two men in black suits. Thalia's gaze remained sharp, her expression dark, as if the very air around her was saturated with frost. One of the bodyguards kicked the back of the fan's knee, causing her to collapse.

"Apologize," Thalia commanded, her pitch-black eyes radiating an intimidating light.