Chapter 1471Thalassa turned down Joshua’s kindness, locking her heart away to keep from setting herself up for
another letdown.
Once, she had thought Bruce was her dad. She had longed for a father’s love even amid Bruce’s
true colors as a scoundrel. But Bruce was rotten to the core, wounding her over and over again,
leaving scars that ran deep.
She had become utterly disenchanted with the idea of a father. She couldn’t dare to let herself be
vulnerable to that kind of disappointment again.
Joshua tried to lighten the mood, offering her a piece of fried chicken with a smile, “Here, have
some of this, it’s full of protein.”
Thalassa was about to respond when Rosalind interjected with a forced smile, “Thalassa, look how
much Daddy cares for you. You should eat what he’s given you. Otherwise, he’ll be so disappointed.
At home, it’s always us serving him, and he’s never once served us. You’re getting the royal
treatment.”
As she spoke, Rosalind shot a look across the table at Joshua. Her eyes were heavy with unspoken
grievances, but she masked them well.
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“Exactly, Thalassa, eat up,” Joshua chimed in. “I didn’t know about you before, and I missed out on
your growing up. I owe you over twenty years of a father’s love. I’m sorry, and I hope you can
gradually accept my care.”
Joshua was no fool; he could tell Thalassa held her distance, her heart sealed off, unwilling to blend
into the Reed family.
Her constant vigilance made Joshua’s heart ache.Thalassa was his daughter, and he wanted to make amends, but she wouldn’t accept his attempts
at generosity.
Ever since acknowledging Thalassa as his own, Joshua had tried to provide for her financially, but
she had turned down every offer.
Rosalind had somehow caught wind that he’d been trying to give Thalassa money for years and had
just confronted him about it earlier.
novelbinThalassa didn’t want to hear any more of this. Picking up her fork, she took a bite of her salad and
said, “Thanks, but I can serve myself. I’ll just take what I fancy.”
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She wanted Joshua to stop serving her, to avoid stoking Rosalind’s jealousy.
Rosalind had been the Whitman family’s darling girl, pampered by her brother and adored by her
parents. The sudden appearance of Thalassa, a stranger laying claim to a share of their father’s
affection, was bound to stir discomfort.
Especially with Joshua showering Thalassa with attention in front of Rosalind, it was an invitation for
resentment.
Thalassa didn’t need another adversary.
“Alright, serve yourself,” Joshua conceded. Just seeing Thalassa accept the piece he offered was
enough to make him content.
The meal proceeded quietly, with Thalassa eager to finish and leave.
Joshua’s intention was for her to integrate into the Whitman family, to become familiar with them,
which is why he had invited her to dinner.But Thalassa knew she could never truly be a part of the Whitman family. All their pleasantries were
merely for show.
Midway through the meal, Matilda elegantly set down her utensils, dabbed her mouth with a napkin,
and said, “Joshua, when will you introduce Rosalind to Lysander? Three years ago, Zephyr
discussed the marriage between Rosalind and Lysander. Because of Zephyr’s suggestion, Rosalind
has been waiting for three years.”
At these words, Thalassa’s grip on her fork tightened involuntarily.
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