Chapter 28

At the hospital, Thalia met Asher's gaze with quiet resolve. "If I told you there's more to Grace's story, would you believe me?"

Silence stretched between them. Thalia's heart sank; what a foolish question. Of course, he would choose Grace, his sister of so many years, over a fiancé he barely knew.

But Asher's response came without hesitation: "I trust you completely."

The words hung in the air, stunning them both. Grace's face went ashen. "Asher, how can you—she's lying! I'm your sister!"

"That's enough," Asher's voice was sharp. "From the moment you met Thalia, you've shown nothing but hostility. And now this ridiculous story about her frightening Snow?" His eyes hardened. "I know Thalia. She would never do something like that."

Thalia stood speechless, her throat tight with emotion. She had been so certain he would side with Grace. The depth of his trust left her reeling.

"Grace," Asher's tone could have frozen fire, "remember your place in this family." The implied message was clear: being the Blackwoods' ward didn't make her truly one of them.

Grace's lips trembled; tears streamed down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, but no sound emerged.

"Get some rest," Asher said curtly, turning to leave.

By Grace's bedside, Thalia regarded the sobbing girl with cool detachment. "Was it worth it?"

Outside in the parking lot, Asher fell into step beside Thalia. "I'm sorry about all this."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Grace's behavior—it's inexcusable." He ran a hand through his hair. "I'll get to the bottom of this."

Thalia gave a soft, humorless laugh. "No need. I already know why."

"What do you mean?"

She met his gaze directly. "You really don't see it? Grace is in love with you, Asher. That's why she sees me as competition."

Asher's brow furrowed as understanding dawned.

"I'll maintain appropriate boundaries with her from now on," he said firmly.

"Just like that?" Thalia asked, surprised. "Why?"

His eyes softened as he looked at her. "Because I want you to feel secure with me."

"That's not what I meant," Thalia shook her head. "Why did you believe me over Grace? She's been your sister for years."

The parking lot lights cast a warm glow through the windshield as Asher turned to face her fully. The love in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Because I love you," he said simply. "And love means trust without question."

Thalia's heart skipped a beat. She turned away quickly, grateful for the darkness hiding her flushed cheeks.

Catching sight of her reddened ears, Asher smiled softly. His Thalia was adorable when flustered.

The next day validated Thalia's innocence. Snow's medical examination showed no health issues but revealed a needle scratch on the horse's neck—a mark only someone riding could have made. The evidence spoke for itself.

Afterward, Asher stopped visiting Grace at the hospital entirely. Though he arranged premium care for her—private nurses and regular meals—he chose to spend his days with Thalia.

They fell into a pleasant routine, selecting engagement party details together. Whether choosing Thalia's gown or jewelry, Asher remained steadfastly by her side. No matter Grace's protests, he didn't return to the hospital.

The incident had backfired spectacularly. Instead of driving them apart, as Grace had schemed, it had brought them closer. Asher's unwavering support and subsequent confession had begun to chip away at Thalia's carefully constructed walls.

While she wasn't in love—her experience with Drake had left her wary of rushing into feelings—she found herself warming to Asher's steady devotion. There was something profoundly moving about being trusted so completely, being chosen so decisively.

They set their engagement party for November 15th, just over a month away.

One afternoon, while browsing a luxury boutique's private salon, Thalia's phone buzzed. Models similar to her build showcased the season's collection as Asher leaned close.

"That pale blue dress would look stunning on you," he murmured near her ear.

"I like it too," she agreed. "And that cream coat caught my eye."

Her phone chimed again. Asher deliberately turned away, giving her privacy—a small gesture that didn't go unnoticed.

Opening her messages, Thalia found several photos from Sienna. They showed her and Drake at Glacier National Park in Montana. The accompanying text dripped with spite:

[Enjoying the fall colors you'll never see. Remember when he said holidays were too crowded? Funny how he changed his mind for me.]

Thalia rolled her eyes. During her three years with Drake, she'd worked regular hours as a lawyer, carefully saving her precious vacation days for travel. She'd specifically mentioned wanting to visit Glacier National Park during fall break, drawn to its stunning landscapes and autumn foliage. But she'd hesitated to go alone, and Drake had dismissed the idea with his usual, "Everything's crowded during holidays. What's the point?"

Now, ironically, she found Sienna's attempt at provocation amusing in its desperation. Sienna’s messages were entertaining in their transparent attempt to provoke a reaction. Meanwhile, in Montana…

Sienna nestled against Drake in their luxury lodge as she sent the carefully edited photos, while he watched intently, hoping to provoke a reaction from Thalia. Would she be angry seeing them at the very place she’d begged him to visit? Would she finally reach out to him?

He’d avoided contacting her for days, allowing Sienna to send the photos. He wanted—needed—to see Thalia fight for him, to show she still cared.

But hours passed without response.

"Maybe she blocked me?" Sienna wondered aloud. "No, the messages went through…"

"Perhaps she hasn't seen them yet," Drake offered, more to convince himself than her.

By the next evening, with still no response, Drake’s composure cracked. While Sienna was out, he called his assistant, his voice tight with barely controlled frustration.

"Find me Thalia's family address in London."

The darkness in his tone suggested this was far from over.