Chapter 1009


    Thssa was shocked but ttered when Joshua initiated conversation with her. A bit flustered, she


    hurriedly responded politely, “Thank you, Mr. Joshua. But there’s no trouble at all.”


    Lysander hadn''t offered her a seat, and she knew better than to just plop down beside him without


    being asked.


    “Mr. Joshua asked you to sit, so please, take a seat.” Lysander said.


    Thssa stood rooted to the spot, not immediately sitting, as if she was absent-minded.


    Was Lysander truly inviting her to sit? Next to him, of all ces?


    “Thssa, have a seat. Mr. Joshua is very easy going, so please help yourself.” Richard said, pulling


    out a chair next to Lysander and gesturing for her to sit.


    Thssa looked up and saw Joshua''s friendly smile beaming back at her.


    If she didn''t sit down now, she''d appear rude.


    So, she seated herself beside Lysander, slightly nervous.


    A waiter nearby began pouring wine into their sses, even filling Thssa''s ss halfway with red


    wine. Thssa nodded and smiled at the waiter to show her appreciation.


    Meanwhile, Lysander, Richard, and Joshua didn''t give the waiter a second nce as their sses were


    filled.


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    Once their sses were attended to, Joshua lifted his and looked at Lysander with a smile. “Aren''t you


    going to introduce us to the lovelydy by your side?”


    Hearing Joshua prompt Lysander for an introduction, Thssa''s heart skipped a beat. She averted her


    gaze and looked to Lysander''s profile, feeling uneasy and unsure about how he would present her.


    “My ex-secretary, Thssa.” Lysander said with a brevity thatcked any warmth.


    Just an ex-secretary, not a girlfriend, not a fiancée, and certainly not the mother of his children. Just


    Thssa, his ex-secretary!


    His tone was as cold as ever, and Thssa felt her heart plummet, as if pushed from a cliff''s edge and


    braced for a shattering impact.


    Although she had always known she meant little to him, hearing it spelled out to someone else made


    her heart wrench with pain, which even made breathing a struggle.


    She retracted her gaze, her hands trembling slightly on herp, and reached for the wine ss to


    steady herself.


    “So, you''re Thssa.” Joshua''s eyes lit up with curiosity and delight. “I''ve heard your name before.


    You''re quite the legend. Do you drink? Shall we have a toast?”


    Joshua had heard from Zephyr that Lysander had fathered quadruplets with a woman he had no


    intention of marrying.


    To say Thssa was Lysander''s ex-secretary was an understatement; really, it was better to say that


    she was the mother of his children. This rtionship was as intimate as it was distant – without


    marriage, they were practically strangers.


    Feeling her spirits dampen, Thssa struggled to respond to Joshua''s proposition. Her hand was


    already on the ss; to say she didn''t drink could seem like a snub.


    Forcing a smile, she lifted her ss and toasted to Joshua. “It''s an honor to share a drink with you, Mr.


    Joshua.”


    “Ha! For thatment alone, I must drink up. Here''s to you.” Joshuaughed heartily, draining his


    ss in one shot.


    Seeing this, Thssa felt obliged to follow suit out of respect for his kindness.


    She took a deep breath, ready to down her drink in one gulp. But as she brought the ss to her lips,


    Lysander''s strong hand suddenly grasped hers and stopped her halfway.