The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet novel Chapter 1016

Of course, Lysander couldn't hear Thalassa’s silent prayers. He lifted the wine glass to his lips and took a sip.

Thalassa's heart, which had been fluttering like a trapped bird, sank into the depths of despair as she watched the red wine sliding down Lysander's throat. He had drunk the wine, and with it, her last sliver of hope seemed to dissolve.

Just like Joshua had earlier, Lysander set the half-empty glass back on the table. His piercing, icy gaze shifted to Susan on his side, and his voice, low and threatening, broke the silence, "Is your little performance over, Susan? What's your game?"

Susan, who had been smirking triumphantly at Lysander's sip of the wine, felt a sudden pang of panic at Lysander’s interrogation. Did he suspect something was wrong with the drink? Her heart raced with fear, but she quickly regained her composure. If Lysander had truly suspected the wine, he wouldn't be asking about her intentions.

The wine was brought in by Thalassa, and Lysander trusted her. He wouldn't doubt the drink; he was only questioning Susan's motives intruding the private room.

Susan's smile stiffened for a moment, but it was a fleeting tell. She quickly shifted back to a facade of friendliness. "Mr. Sinclair, it was Thalassa who confided in me, complaining about not wanting to be around you, claiming you forced her to do things against her will. She wanted to throw you my way, and I believed her. I thought I was helping her by diverting your attention, so she wouldn't be the sole focus of your pursuits.

I've reflected on my actions, and I was wrong to try and seduce you. I realize my mistake, and I won't dare again. Could you please forgive me for my previous indiscretion, Mr. Sinclair?"

With each word Susan spoke, the air around Lysander seemed to grow colder, more oppressive. His gaze turned razor-sharp as it landed on Thalassa.

Thalassa felt as if her heart was being sliced open under his piercing stare. Susan’s talent for twisting the truth was truly remarkable.

"I never..." Thalassa started to defend herself but was interrupted by the vibrating of her phone in her pocket, startling her enough to halt her words. She caught Lysander's hawk-like eyes, and her nerves tightened.

The persistent buzzing of the phone seemed to tug at Thalassa's heart, her pulse racing with anxiety. She dared not take the phone out, nor answer the call. If it was Callum on the other end, and if Lysander saw that, her night would surely end in disaster in his rage.

"Answer it." Lysander commanded briefly, his voice heavy with authority.

His voice seemed to weigh down her heart even further.

Avoiding his gaze and feeling the sharpness of his eyes on the top of her head like icy daggers, she reluctantly pulled the phone from her pocket.

Her hands trembled with trepidation, fearing it was Callum calling. But when she flipped the screen, it read "Evelyn Pendleton".

Her heart released a sigh of relief, and she meekly met Lysander's eyes. "It's my mother. I’ll take it outside."

Lysander's handsome features were cold and unyielding as he looked away and picked up his glass of wine. He downed the rest of it in one go, without a word. He didn't trust Susan, but he believed that Thalassa was indeed capable of saying such things. This realization only made him even more furious and annoyed.

Susan watched Lysander finish his wine with a smug curl of her lips. Her heart bloomed with delight. She was already savoring the moment she would become his, with a triumphant smile hidden within her.

Joshua and Richard remained silent.