Sea goddess Thetis saved Marius, founder of the Sterling family, decades ago—and he later saved her. On his deathbed, Marius asked her to protect his grandson Julian for five years. Thetis hid her divinity and married Julian. For five years, he saw her as a jobless housewife—while she secretly used her power over tides and storms to fix Sterling's routes, avert disasters, and secure key projects and alliance membership. Julian credited himself and his returning ex Vivian. Thetis never argued, keeping her promise to Marius. When the five years ended, she signed the divorce and became herself again. Only at the Thalassa Circle ceremony, when global shipping elites bowed to her, did Julian realize—the tide goddess he prayed to daily was the "worthless" wife who had held up his empire all along.