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"Finish inside me, or we'll ruin your bride's wedding dress."

I froze at the door—my fiancé with his assistant, on my wedding bed.

Rage surged through me, but before I could act, strong arms pulled me back.

It was him—my fiancé's uncle. The city's most desired man. The living embodiment of power.

"Want revenge?" he murmured, his voice a dangerous mix of charm and intent brushing against my ear. "Marry me."

***

Chapter 1 Call Off The Wedding

[Miss Rowland, your customized wedding dress just landed at the hotel. Hit us up if you need anything.]

Thea Rowland was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement when she got the text from the wedding dress shop.

She was tying the knot with her boyfriend of eight years in just a week. Venue booked, invites out, and everything was ticking along nicely.

After clocking out from work, Thea was all set to hit the hotel and maybe sneak a peek at their new menu offerings on the way.

But the moment she stepped in, the hotel manager was there, giving her this weird, twitchy kind of smile. "Miss Rowland, didn't expect you! Everything alright? Need anything?"

Thea, still riding that high vibe, said briskly, "Hey, my wedding dress is here, right? Can't wait to try it on."

"Oh, yes, got here about half an hour ago," the manager managed to say, but there was something off about his grin.

"By the way, we've got some new dishes we thought you might want to try out. If they hit the spot, we can add them to your menu. No extra charge."

"Let's hold that thought till after the dress," Thea said, making a beeline for the elevator.

"Miss Rowland!" the manager called out, trailing after her. "We've also got this recital team in today. Why not give them a listen and see if they vibe with your plans?"

That was when Thea's spidey senses started tingling. "Hold up, is there a problem with the dress?" she asked, the smile slipping off her face.

"Well..." the manager stuttered, looking like he was about to melt into a puddle.

That pretty much sealed the deal for Thea. Something was definitely up. Dodging the manager's attempts to slow her down, she made a beeline for her dress.

"Don't..." Only when she reached the door did she hear ambiguous sounds coming from inside the room. The woman was flirty, mixed with the man's moans.

Thea looked down at the text message on her phone and confirmed the room number. She had the right room.

"Jake, it doesn't feel right. What if we get caught?"

"Madelyn, do you have any idea how beautiful you look right now? I can't wait!"

Moans and heavy breaths interspersed with bits of conversation came out.

Thea's brain began to run out of oxygen. She felt like she was suffocating, and her head went blank. She forgot how she had opened the door to get inside.

Thea couldn't help but shake, feeling this intense ache in her heart, as she caught sight of the chaotic scene inside. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

She had to dig her nails into her palms to stop herself from collapsing and screaming.

Inside the room, two bodies intertwined. Thea's fiancé, Jake Hendrix, who was supposed to be on a business trip, was making out with another woman at that moment.

The woman's gaze was tender, her shoulders were exposed, and the layers of Thea's gorgeous wedding dress hems were untidily pressed under her.

At a glance, Thea recognized the woman as none other than Madelyn Terell, Jake's assistant.

They were cheating on Thea, and Madelyn was wearing her wedding dress. Her boyfriend for eight years, on the eve of her wedding, dealt her a severe blow.

It hit her like a ton of bricks. Thea was struggling to catch her breath, overwhelmed by a rollercoaster of emotions and feeling so dizzy she had to lean against the doorframe just to stay upright.

Hearing the noise, Jake pulled away from Madelyn as an afterthought, not forgetting to pull the covers over a startled Madelyn quickly.

Thea gritted her teeth and looked at them as if looking at two pieces of shit. "Mr. Hendrix, it looks like you're having a good time."

Her breathing was a little unstable, and she forced her tears back. "Do you want me to capture this wonderful moment for you?"

The slightest hint of guilt crossed Jake's eyes, more annoyance at being caught.

Jake just hung his head, not bothering to deny it. "Well, it's probably better you found out now. I was planning on telling you sooner or later anyway. Thea, to be honest, I've been really over this for a while now. You're super controlling, and you keep me at arm's length all the time. I'm a man with physical needs.

"Just be clever about it, and our wedding will go off without a hitch. Once we're married, you'll officially be my wife. Oh, and just a heads up, Madelyn is going to be sticking around with us."

Thea felt like she was about to lose her lunch. A mix of anger and embarrassment was doing a number on her sanity.

She stormed over and gave Jake a solid slap, practically in a frenzy. "You really think I'd still want to marry you after all this?"

Jake quickly swiped his tongue over the inside of his cheek, not even getting a chance to chime in before Madelyn, tears streaming down her face, rushed forward to grab Thea's hand.

"Miss Rowland, this whole mess is on me. Don't be mad at Jake. I'll even drop to my knees and beg if that's what it takes, okay? And about the wedding dress, wearing it was never my intention. It's all—"Madelyn explained.

Thea felt a shiver of annoyance. She yanked Madelyn's hands away, cutting her off, "Save the act for someone who's buying it!"

Madelyn stumbled backward, her foot catching on the wedding dress's hem, and she ended up smacking her head against the table corner.

Jake quickly ran over, shoved Thea aside roughly, and then reached out to help Madelyn up with a lot of care. He gazed at Thea, his eyes a deep crimson, and said in a chilly tone, "Look at you now, Thea. You're a crazy bitch. It's disgusting!"

Seeing the disgust in his eyes, Thea managed to stay surprisingly cool, though her hands were shaking a bit, hidden away behind her back where nobody could see them.

After eight years together, Jake's parting shot was calling her disgusting, making her wonder who was really the disgusting one here.

Suddenly, the manager burst in, looking completely freaked out. "Mr. Hendrix, we've got a problem. There's a whole bunch of reporters outside, and they're about to come in."

The mood in the room shifted immediately. Jake was quick to respond, his expression turning stormy as he stepped up and grabbed Thea's wrist. "Thea, you've really stirred the pot, haven't you?"

Thea felt like her head was spinning. 'Why on earth would reporters be here?' she wondered.

Even as Jake's words hit her, Thea couldn't help but snap back, her voice laced with defiance despite feeling weak. "Well, maybe you should've thought about that before cheating on me. This is on you, not me."

"Bitch!" Jake cursed and pushed her down, his voice cold and clear. "If anyone hears about today, I'll be having a chat with your big brother. And trust me, if my day gets ruined, you're tagging along for whatever comes next."

With that, he quickly walked away with Madelyn.

Thea's heart skipped a beat, that all-too-familiar feeling of being trapped washing over her. After spending so much time together, Jake had figured out exactly how to get under her skin.

Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit her like a ton of bricks. The urge to just lie down and let the tears flow was overwhelming. But, of course, life wasn't about to give her a break to just sit and wallow.

With a deep breath and a clenched jaw, she pushed herself off the ground and left the room, only to run into a bunch of paparazzi ready to snap away.

Thea didn't miss a beat—she dodged and weaved, sprinting away. A couple of reporters tried to keep up. Behind her, footsteps tried to close the gap, and distant voices were pleading for her to wait.

Accidentally, she ended up in a man's embrace. She was immediately struck by the cool, refreshing smell of peppermint mixed with a hint of nicotine.

Despite the warmth from the man's body, Thea couldn't shake off the feeling of a chilly stare fixed on her. Behind her, the reporter halted, and someone gasped, shocked.

Frozen in place, Thea managed a shaky plea. "Sir, please help me."

This area was for the presidential suite. Guests here had to be either loaded or titled. Thea was betting on her luck.

The cigarette between the man's fingers was still lit, its smoke making his already striking, frosty appearance seem even more intense.

He glanced down at Thea. Her hands were pressed against her chest, her eyes wide and filled with a haunting sadness, like a deer caught in headlights.

The man paused, giving a subtle wink to his assistant, his gaze narrowing ever so slightly.

The assistant stepped up, all smiles on the outside but radiating a vibe that was hard to pin down. "Hey, are you folks snapping pics of my boss?"

A few journalists shook their heads, their attention reluctantly shifting back to Thea.

"Hand over the memory card from your camera before you get lost," the assistant said, his smile now gone.

The sound of the reporters leaving dwindled away.

Thea let out a quiet sigh of relief, even as she heard the man's raspy voice, cool and detached. "Getting cozy in there?" he asked.

Taking a few steps back, Thea kept her head down, too scared to meet the man's gaze.

The man flicked his cigarette into the ashtray on the side table and crushed it, his interest in Thea visibly waning. "Get her out of here."

Approaching Thea, the assistant offered a friendly gesture. "Miss Rowland, let me get someone to escort you out."

'Miss Rowland? How did this random guy know who I am?' Thea couldn't help but wonder.

Asking him seemed too risky, almost like she was trying too hard to climb his ladder.

After walking a bit, she couldn't resist looking back. The guy was still there, tall and standing with such poise. At that glimpse, Thea felt a weird sense of familiarity.

Once she made it outside the hotel, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the swarm of reporters at the entrance, looking like something out of a zombie movie.

Thinking back on the cringy scene back in the hotel room made all those mixed feelings bubble up again.

Trying to shake off that icky feeling, she grabbed her phone and hit dial. "Hey Darwin, about the wedding with Jake next week... yeah, let's just call the whole thing off."

Chapter 2 The Banquet

"What is wrong with you to call off the marriage with the Hendrix family?" Ivy Rowland pointed at Thea, scolding, right after Thea got back to the Rowland mansion.

"The Hendrix family is big league. Can't you just pretend nothing happened? Ditching the engagement will drag our name through the mud," Ivy continued.

Thea, feeling hot under the collar and as uncomfortable as ever, pulled a face and shot back, "Mum, if Emmalie was in my shoes, would you have made her stick it out?"

Ivy, slightly irked, retorted, "Always dragging Emmalie into this when you mess up. Do you think she'd be as lost as you? She even told me yesterday how much she missed you. What's with the attitude now?"

Thea couldn't help but scoff, "That's all Emmalie's sweet talk to keep you in the dark."

Ivy, trying to cool down, snapped, "Enough. Pull yourself together. Emmalie will be back tonight, and you're not skipping the welcome-back banquet tomorrow. The Hendrix family's on the guest list, too."

Thea suddenly stared at Ivy, her eyes tinting red. "Mum, I think I'm sick. Can we go to the hospital?"

Ivy just gave her a cold stare, visibly annoyed. Thea managed a weak smile, fighting back tears, and hurried upstairs to be alone with her thoughts.

Ivy's voice trailed after her, filled with frustration. "I can't believe I raised a daughter who plays sick whenever things get tough. Why couldn't it have been her that got lost?

"My sweet Emmalie has been through so much, and here I've been, pouring my heart into raising Thea, only for her to turn out so selfish and moody. Anyway, Emmalie's coming back. Let's go check on the soup I made for her in the kitchen."

Thea's limbs were numb and cold, just like her heart. Ever since that thing happened when she was sixteen, she had become the family's black sheep, always on the fringes.

There was a time when being sad wasn't really in her vocabulary because she had someone by her side, someone who'd smile at her like the sun breaking through the clouds.

His eyes sparkled whenever he looked at her. He made her promises.

"Thea, I'm sticking by you forever."

"Think of me as your family now,"

"I'm going to love you for all my days, and I won't let anything hurt you, not even a little."

Back then, Thea thought she was over feeling sad. She brushed it off like it was nothing. But old memories had a way of crashing back in, like a tidal wave she didn't see coming.

Suddenly, she was hit with the realization that those old hurts hadn't healed. They were still there, aching.

Now, with what little strength she had left falling apart, she found herself curled up in a ball at the corner of the stairs, hugging her knees and just letting the tears flow.

*****

The next day, Thea turned heads at the banquet with her choice of a dark green evening dress.

Her wild, curly hair flowed behind her like seaweed, paired with these striking red lips that popped against her pale skin. Her features were gentle and understated, yet this chilly, detached vibe came from her eyes.

That mix of red lips with the green dress was bold. Only Thea could rock something that gutsy.

Ivy, hanging out with a bunch of noble ladies with Emmalie by her side, spotted a bold figure lurking in the background, and her eyes popped wide open.

Right when she was about to lose it, someone gently grabbed her from behind, pulling her back.

"Mum, there's no need to get on Thea's case. With so many people around today, it's only natural she'd want to spruce up and look her best," Emmalie said, her doe-like eyes blinking.

Ivy gave a helpless tap on her nose. "You're the only one who really spoils Thea in her moods. Honestly, I'd worry way less if she could be as sweet as you."

Immediately, everyone around chimed in, praising Emmalie for being a good daughter.

The Rowland family had two daughters and two sons.

The youngest daughter, Emmalie, had a rough start, getting kidnapped as a kid, but she bounced back incredibly, turning out super smart and well-mannered.

She even snagged a VP position at the International Piano Association at a surprisingly young age.

The eldest son had climbed his way up to become a young vice president at the Rowland Group, while the other son was the family's surprise packet, having set up a new venture overseas.

Then there was Thea. She became the black sheep, notorious for her troubling past with bullying both at school and at home.

Emmalie, noticing the tension, sighed and said with a hint of irony, "Seems like Thea isn't too happy. Guess I should go and smooth things over."

Thea, always on alert, had seen Emmalie approaching, set her glass down, and turned to leave.

Whenever Emmalie headed over, it almost always ended in some "accidental" drama, like a mysterious fall or a "why did you push me?" scenario.

Thea was heading to the restroom to freshen up her lipstick. It was only when she reached the restroom that she heard a strange wailing sound.

Thea paused, sneaking a peek around the corner with a mix of curiosity and caution.

She spotted a well-built woman tumbling into a man's embrace. The lady's face was flushed red, her halter dress slipping to reveal more skin than intended.

The man stood with his back to Thea, his tall and slender figure all that was visible.

Thea clicked her tongue in disapproval, ready to walk away, but then she overheard the woman's soft plea. "President Hendrix, I think I've hurt my leg. Could you check it for me?"

'Wait, President Hendrix?' Thea did a double-take. The only "President Hendrix" in the Hendrix family was Jake's enigmatic uncle, Nicolas Hendrix. 'Him, at a party like this? Unheard of. What's he doing here?' Thea wondered.

Mulling over his known temper and dark reputation, Thea decided she wanted no part of this drama. She was sneaking off when her phone blared.

Flustered, she killed the call before looking up and locking eyes with Nicolas.

The light cast his features into sharp relief, the shadows accentuating his face and the brooding look in his eyes. Known for his icy demeanor, Nicolas seemed even more intimidating now.

Caught, Thea stammered, "Uncle Nicolas, I, uh, just got here. Didn't see a thing..." Immediately, she wanted to facepalm. 'Great, that probably made things worse,' she thought.

Nicolas simply shifted his gaze away, his face a mask of indifference, and coldly told the woman in his arms, "Get lost."

The woman's face lost all its color. Nicolas spun around and strolled off, his indifferent gaze briefly meeting Thea's. It was quick, but enough to give Thea chills.

After he had left, Thea quickly touched up her lipstick and headed out.

As soon as she stepped outside, Ivy, with a frosty expression, grabbed her arm. "So, you couldn't even drop a hello when your sister got back into town, and you've been ignoring my calls. What's up with that?"

Thea rolled her eyes and replied with a sneer, "Weren't we supposed to be clearing the air with Jake today? Why would I be chasing after Emmalie?"

Despite Ivy's frustration at Thea's attitude, she insisted Thea should seek out the Hendrix family.

Jake's expression turned even sourer as he saw her gutsy outfit. The tension was palpable as their eyes met, but Thea quickly looked away.

She made it a point to warmly greet every Hendrix family member, except Jake, of course.

Some elders joked, "Thea, it's normal for young couples to fight. They always make up afterwards."

With a laugh, Thea playfully asked, "Want to guess what Jake had done?"

Chapter 3 Eight Years

Everything went quiet all of a sudden. People all kinda knew there was some drama going on between Thea and Jake, but no one had the full scoop.

Thea's attitude now spoke louder than words.

Then, someone in the crowd couldn't help but snort, making the already weird vibe even weirder.

Thea wanted to see who it was. Turning her head, she noticed Nicolas chilling on a couch not too far off.

She blinked a few times, thinking back to that scene she stumbled upon in the restroom.

Jake's face was a mix of emotions, struggling to stay put. "Thea," he started, his voice suddenly all gentle. "About the other day. I swear I can explain. I actually—"

But before he could get it all out, the waitress holding a cake next to him dropped the plate. Crash! It hit the floor, and she was all over it like a scared rabbit, trying to clean up the mess, her eyes red even behind her mask.

Jake's gaze quickly swept the scene, then froze. The tension built up in him as he reached out to grab the waitress's hand, only to let go real quick.

Thea, with a slight raise of her eyebrow and her arms crossed, glanced sideways. "Looks like Mr. Hendrix is a bit tied up with his own stuff right now. Maybe we should save this chat for later, once he's sorted his things out?"

Madelyn, tears starting to form, kept her gaze down. "I'm so sorry, Jake. I didn't mean to barge in like this. I'm just really worried about you. I wanted to apologize to Miss Rowland in person. I really don't want to be the reason you two split up."

Jake was heartbroken. "Madelyn, you don't have to do this."

Ivy's face was a mix of colors as she glared at Madelyn, her eyes filled with hatred and disgust.

Despite Thea's fiery temper, Thea was still her daughter. The alliance with the Hendrix family was too good to pass up, and it would be a real bummer if Madelyn messed it up.

Unable to stomach Jake and Madelyn flaunting their relationship any longer, Thea turned to leave, only to have her wrist caught in a sudden grip.

Madelyn spoke with a hint of apology in her voice. "Miss Rowland, I swear I didn't show up to cause trouble. You've got it all—looks, a great family. I get it. I'm not in the same league. I messed up and am willing to make it right, even if it means kneeling. Can you please forgive Jake?"

Jake's eyes were visibly wet. "Madelyn, you don't need to degrade yourself like this. Get up!"

But Madelyn was stubborn, feigning weakness while gripping Thea's wrist tightly.

Thea couldn't help but smirk a little. "Who said anything about keeping you two apart? Ease up on the drama. Let go."

Thea wasn't pushing. She was just trying to pull her hand back.

But then, Madelyn suddenly yelped, almost like she lost her balance, and ended up tripping over the table's corner. To anyone watching, it looked like Thea had pushed her.

The champagne tower on the table started shaking, and then it all came tumbling down on Madelyn.

Thea caught a quick sparkle of smugness in Madelyn's eyes. Without missing a beat, she stepped in and yanked Madelyn towards her.

This time, Madelyn managed to avoid the champagne tower but actually ended up falling for real. Just as she was about to make a big scene, she noticed the crowd was totally stunned.

The champagne tower crashed to the floor, drenching Nicolas' pricey suit.

Everything went quiet for a brief moment, and then Ivy, with her eyes wide, called out, "What are you standing around for? Check if Mr. Hendrix is okay!"

She then zipped around in her high heels, shooting Madelyn a sharp glance as she passed her. The room was buzzing with tension, and everyone was nervous.

Madelyn turned pale, looking totally freaked out and confused. She glanced back at Thea with tears welling up, but before she could say anything, Thea beat her to it.

"Miss Terell, why are you always causing a mess? If I hadn't been quick to stop you just now, you could've been caught in that mess yourself. And with Mr. Hendrix being the star of the show today, can you imagine if he got hurt?" she said.

Madelyn was struggling, tears streaming down her face. Jake quietly stepped in front of her, shielding her from Thea's gaze, clearly annoyed.

"It's Madelyn's first time at something like this. She's out of her depth, and instead of making her feel welcome, you're just piling on. Thea, if you've got beef, take it up with me. Don't make it hard for Madelyn," Jake said.

"If she really wanted to stir the pot, Miss Rowland would have shown her the door already," came a calm, deep voice.

Nicolas brushed off the towel a waiter had offered him and shot Jake a frosty look.

"Showing up as guests and then throwing shade at the host because your friend can't handle the scene? Is that the kind of stuff your dad taught you? That's pretty low," Nicolas scolded.

The last words hit Jake like a slap in the face. Everyone around was so stressed out by Nicolas's intensity that it was hard to breathe.

Nicolas was known for sticking to rules like his life depended on it, super strict. His annoyance at Jake's disgraceful behavior led to Jake getting publicly called out.

Ivy, trying to lighten the mood, cracked a smile and said, "Mr. Hendrix, we've got your dressing room ready. Why don't you head over and get changed?"

"Sounds good," Nicolas agreed, then glanced over at Thea, who was still caught up in the scene unfolding. "Miss Rowland, after you," he said, with a hint of a smile.

Thea was taken aback, musing, 'He wants me to show the way?' Awkwardly, she moved forward, politely gesturing for Nicolas to follow.

As she led him to the dressing room, Thea was about to shut the door behind her and leave. But then, Nicolas called out to her unexpectedly. "Miss Rowland, can we talk for a second?"

Thea's hand trembled a bit as she turned around. With a little nod, she stepped back into the room and softly closed the door, feeling like a kid about to get a talking-to from a teacher.

"Mr. Hendrix, I'm really sorry about stumbling into that situation in the restroom. And don't worry, my lips are sealed," she said.

Nicolas gave her a look, his deep eyes flicking through a storm of emotions she couldn't read, and his lips twitched slightly. "Mr. Hendrix? What's with the formalities all of a sudden?" he asked.

Caught off guard, Thea looked up and replied, a bit unsure, "Well, I've been doing some thinking. And I don't think Jake and I are a good match after all. So, calling off the wedding seems like the best move for both of us."

"Eight years," Nicolas said as he settled into his chair, a shadow cast by his long, dark lashes. His voice had a teasing edge, or maybe it was just light-hearted.

"Do you think it's that easy to just drop an eight-year relationship? Besides, you know a marriage between the Rowlands and the Hendrixes isn't something you can simply walk away from," he said, half reminding, half warning her.

Thea was just about to say something when she spotted a dark red mark on Nicolas' wrist.

"Mr. Hendrix, are you hurt?" she asked, quickly grabbing the medical kit nearby.

She then crouched down, taking Nicolas' hand in hers with a concerned look, revealing a scar on his arm as she pushed his sleeve up. It wasn't too deep but still noticeable. Efficiently, she began to treat his wound.

Nicolas gave her a look, his eyes dim and seemingly empty of any emotion. "You know how to do this?" he asked.

"Yeah, I had to pick up a few first aid tricks while living abroad by myself. Can't really survive otherwise," she replied.

His hands were noticeably pale and well-cared-for, his knuckles well-defined. The slight protrusion of veins on his arms added an unexpected hint of allure.

Thea found herself momentarily distracted by his appearance as she tended to his wound. It was only when their hands accidentally touched that she snapped back to reality.

"Oh, sorry!" she blurted out, her cheeks coloring as she started to pull away. But before she could, Nicolas caught her wrist, holding her in place.

Chapter 4 Being Set Up

Thea just looked at Nicolas, noticing his eyes were kinda spaced out. "You—" Nicolas tried to say but got cut off by a knock at the door.

Then came Madelyn's voice, sounding all frustrated. "Uncle Nicolas, are you okay? I messed up with what I did before, and I wanna say sorry face to face."

It might've been Thea's imagination, but it seemed like Nicolas got even more ticked off the moment he heard "Uncle Nicolas." His eyes went ice cold.

"Mr. Hendrix, chill here. I'll handle this," said Thea, taking the chance to stand up.

Opening the door, she saw Madelyn looking all teary but trying to keep a brave face.

Thea couldn't help but smirk. "Still got some nerve, huh? I wonder how you've got the guts to worm your way into the Hendrix family. Doesn't it feel weird calling Mr. Hendrix 'Uncle Nicolas'?"

Madelyn's response was to bite her lower lip, looking defiant yet somehow innocent. "I get it, you think low of where I come from. But aren't we all supposed to be equal? There's no high and low in people, right?"

Thea chuckled at that, stepping aside to let her in. "Wanna bet you'll be shown the door by security? Go on in if you're feeling lucky."

With that, Thea turned and strolled off. Madelyn clenched her teeth and followed up before grabbing Thea's wrist.

The soft, vulnerable look she usually had around others was gone, replaced by a steely determination in the dim corridor light.

"You've really changed a ton since you hit sixteen. That whole mess really got to you, huh?" Madelyn challenged, locking eyes with Thea. "We need to have a chat. Just us."

Thea, caught off guard, felt a flicker of surprise, wondering why Madelyn would know about that incident. Despite her reservations, she agreed, "Okay, follow me." She led Madelyn to her room, a silent agreement to this private talk.

As soon as they were inside, Madelyn dove straight in. "If you want to keep your secrets safe, you need to leave Jake. He's been over you for ages. Can't you tell?"

Thea, ever the picture of carefree grace, took a seat and faced Madelyn head-on. "Since we're laying things out, let me be clear. I'm calling off my engagement with Jake. But it's my call. I don't want him anymore. If you're so keen on picking up leftovers, be my guest. Just quit sneaking around."

Madelyn's face twisted with a mix of anger and envy, a clear sign she'd hit a nerve.

Suddenly, this weird smell just wafted through the air. Thea barely had a moment to think that something was off before it was way too late.

The sky started doing this crazy dance, and Madelyn morphed into a dark, ominous blur. Thea tried to stand and bail, but her body was weak, and she just crashed, out cold.

It took a moment for her brain to clear before Thea was roughly dragged off the bed and onto the floor. The fall was hard.

She heard a woman's anguished scream and Jake's low growl of rage. "I didn't think you'd stoop so low as to do this! You're a woman too. Your methods are too vicious."

Thea was still weak on all fours. She sat up, propped on the floor, looking sorry.

She met Jake's gaze, which was cold and filled with intense disgust. "What's going on?"

Her head was spinning, and her heart was suddenly pounding as she took in the chaotic scene before her.

Jake reached out and gripped her chin tightly, his tone indignant and icy. "What's going on? Hadn't you plotted all this? If I hadn't been there in time, Madelyn would have been raped by the thugs you arranged.

"I knew you were up to something when the champagne tower collapsed, but I didn't expect you to stoop so low!"

Jake's outburst had completely clued Thea into what was going on. She spotted Madelyn, all messed up and crying, looking like she'd been through the wringer.

Right then, Thea wasn't about to waste time guessing if Madelyn was faking it. Her mind was racing with the shock that she was being set up.

Summoning all her strength, she shoved Jake's hand aside and got ready to stand her ground. "Are you out of your mind? Why would you even think I did this? I just woke up, and I'm also a victim."

Jake gave a sarcastic sniff and mocked her, "You don't know why you passed out? Wasn't it just a slick move to throw us off your scent? We're in your room. Who else would be behind this but you?"

Madelyn took Jake's hand, her eyes brimming with tears she fought to keep at bay. "Jake, let's not jump to conclusions. It might not be Miss Rowland's fault. She was knocked out at the same time I was. Guess my bad luck just made me a magnet for those thugs."

Jake was getting madder by the second. "Thea, how can you be so evil?"

His words hit Thea hard, making it tough for her to breathe. She never imagined a day when he would call her "evil."

There was a time when he would shield her from any criticism or hostility, no matter what. But now, he was all about another woman, turning into the deepest cut she had ever felt.

Thea looked at Jake with a cold, detached gaze, feeling like he was a complete stranger. "Why would I even bother playing games with you? Is it worth throwing away my future over a man I'm already over?"

Perhaps it was the clarity in Thea's eyes that threw Jake off, making him think she wasn't just lashing out.

His panic started to creep up until Madelyn's shaky hand found his wrist, snapping him back to reality. He was all Madelyn had left.

A pair of cool, deep eyes observed the chaos unfolding in the room. Nicolas was standing quietly in the hallway, not wanting to butt in, yet he couldn't take his eyes off Thea's helpless, sad figure inside.

Next to him, Darwin spoke up in a hushed tone, "Mr. Hendrix, want me to go in and give a hand? She was the one—"

Before he could finish, Nicolas gave a slight twitch of his lips, a hint of a smirk, and asked, "Got nothing better to do?"

Darwin was promptly left without words.

A gasp of shock echoed from the doorway. "My God, what is happening here?" Emmalie rushed in, her dress trailing behind her, with a bunch of people in tow.

Ivy was so thrown by the mess in front of her that she nearly froze on the spot. Thea's brothers, Max Rowland and Duncan Rowland, came barreling in to tackle the chaos head-on.

"Thea, are you okay?" Emmalie looked super worried, her eyes all red. Thea just made a face and sidestepped a comforting hand.

Emmalie, trying not to show how hurt she was, bit her lip and said, "Why's everyone assuming Thea's behind this? Got any proof?"

Jake slowed at the memory and turned to command, "Bring those thugs here."

A few minutes later, several men with swollen noses entered the room, all tied up.

Chapter 5 Not This Time

As soon as they walked in, those thugs made a beeline for Thea, dropping to their knees with desperate looks. "Miss Rowland, we can't handle the beatings any longer. You're the one who paid us. You can't just bail on us now."

Thea stepped back, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you even talking about? I don't know you guys."

She was trying to make sense of the situation. "If I were the one who hired you, I wouldn't be dumb enough to reach out directly. Wouldn't that just make it easy for you to pin me down?"

The lead guy clenched his jaw and whipped out his phone. "Miss Rowland, here's the proof—calls and messages. You're not going to deny it, right?

"Plus, you wired a cool 35 thousand dollars from the Rowland account to me just the other day. We could just head to the bank and verify that."

Jake was visibly fuming, looking really upset.

Before he could even get a word out, Emmalie jumped in, saying, "Mr. Hendrix, Thea only messed up because she's way too into you. I apologize to Miss Terell on her behalf. Let's just put this behind us, okay? Whatever Miss Terell needs to make things right, we're on it."

Jake's mood went from bad to worse, and he shot Thea a scathing look. "So, you think you've outsmarted everyone, huh? If it weren't for me standing up for Madelyn, you would've had her played, wouldn't you?"

Out of nowhere, Thea burst into laughter as if a lightbulb went off in her head.

Turning to Emmalie, she said with a sarcastic tone, "We're still on this, and here you are, rushing to cover up and say sorry - are you so eager to pin this on me?"

Emmalie's eyes went wide, and before anyone knew it, she was crying."Thea, I really want to help you. Why would you even think that of me?"

Ivy was visibly upset and shot Thea a furious look. "It's tough for Emmalie to have your back when you're causing chaos at her welcome party. Do you only feel good when she's groveling and saying sorry for stuff you've done?"

Max just sighed, looking both helpless and tired. "Thea, just say sorry if you've messed up. We're all trying to help you here."

Duncan chimed in with a frown, "Honestly, Emmalie's the only one foolish enough to keep fixing your disasters, and she's been nothing but nice to you."

'Help me? By jumping to conclusions?' Thea thought in disbelief. Despite being used to not being trusted, Thea couldn't shake off the feeling of her heart being punctured, leaving her cold and empty.

She tilted her head, giving off a vibe that was both cool and dismissive. "Am I wrong? Right now, shouldn't we be focusing on figuring out the real story? Do you actually want to see me getting blamed for something I didn't do?"

Max remained silent, his eyes fixed on Madelyn, who looked visibly shaken.

Jake stepped in, his voice dripping with unfriendliness. "Look, it's clear as day. I get it. You're doing this because moving on is hard for you. But let's get one thing straight - Madelyn is innocent.

"She's been caught up in something she has nothing to do with. Just say you're sorry, and we can all move past this. I'm still here for you, but let's not make things worse with angry outbursts."

The others looked awkward, blushing for various reasons, not catching on that Jake was still willing to marry Thea despite everything.

Madelyn's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, betraying a sense of resignation.

Thea, all smiles, kept her tone polite but firm. "Mr. Hendrix, your generosity is touching, but I'm not about to confess to things I haven't done. And regarding the engagement..."

She glanced around the room. "Just to clear the air for everyone here, my engagement to Jake is off. From this point on, he'll go his way, and I'll go mine. We're not crossing paths anymore."

With every word, her red lips painted a picture, and Jake's expression shifted through an entire spectrum of emotions, as vivid as a kaleidoscope.

Darwin, hanging out in the doorway, couldn't resist jumping into the conversation. "So, Miss Rowland is really done with Jake, huh? She's making him look like a fool. Pretty slick."

Nicolas stayed quiet, a fleeting, mysterious emotion flickering in his eyes for just a second.

Madelyn felt a spark of hope and grabbed Jake's hand, pleading, "Jake, I shouldn't have messed with Miss Rowland. I'm sorry. If she can forgive me, I swear I'll leave the city for good."

Jake, who had just started to soften up, snapped back to his usual stern self. With a dark look, he shot back, "Thea, wanna test out how your family holds up against my fury?"

Max quickly chimed in, "Can't you just listen for once, Thea? Say you're sorry."

Jake and the Rowland family were pressuring her because they bet she wouldn't give up on love or family.

'I've been bending over backward, getting frustrated time and time again. Not this time. Not today,' Thea thought.

Thea whipped out her phone, a playful smirk on her face. "If you're really as innocent and wronged as you claim, let's get the police involved and see what they have to say.

"Lucky for us, I've got some juicy recordings on my phone. The police can figure out who's lying and make sure no innocent people get blamed."

"No!" Madelyn was quick to reject, her voice a bit sharp because of the stress.

She started panicking, looking for a way out, sounding shaky and lost. "If this leaks, my reputation will be in shreds," she hastily added.

Betting on whether Thea had incriminating stuff on her phone wasn't an option. If she did, Madelyn would be done for it.

Next to Ivy, Emmalie shook her head, clearly not impressed. "Isn't this messing with the Rowland family's good name? It's not cool letting this stuff get out."

She gave Thea a concerned look. "Thea, maybe we should just keep this low-key. Apologize to Miss Terell and get past this. Let's not wreck things with the Hendrix family, okay?"

Thea just winked and gave a mean sneer. "Why should I be scared? It's the person pulling strings from the shadows who should worry, right? For Miss Terell's sake, maybe it's time to let the police handle it and catch the real troublemaker asap."

It was pretty obvious who had sneaked into her room to set her up.

She was down for a drug test, and whatever banned stuff they could find in her system was solid proof.

As for witnesses, it seemed like those thugs who stirred up the mess didn't even hint at the possibility of jail time beforehand.

Thea was chilling, even though she had no recordings on her phone.

Those punks got all jittery the second they heard the word "police." But somehow, they were biting down hard, keeping silent.

Emmalie's got this shadow passing over her eyes like she just went numb for a second.

Max gave a sly nod to his bodyguard. "Thea's a bit out of it from all the drinks. Let's get her downstairs to crash off the buzz. I'll go to your place to apologize personally, Miss Terell."

Then, out of nowhere, Thea said, "Excuse me," dialing up the police with everyone listening in.

Chapter 6 Compensation Proposed By Nicolas

"Hey, officer. We have a serious situation involving attempted drugging and rape. Can you come check it out?" Thea's voice was steady.

After hanging up, she noticed Emmalie nervously clutching her dress. If they were going to take this seriously, she would play along.

The Rowland family's welcome party had turned into a complete disaster.

The police approached Thea. "We understand the basics, but since the suspects are all pointing fingers at you, we need you to come to the station to help with our investigation."

The Rowland family members had already left, not wanting to be tied to this mess.

Jake looked like he wanted to say something to Thea, but Madelyn started swaying again. Without hesitation, Jake scooped her up in his arms and walked away, leaving Thea behind.

In the night breeze, Thea's silhouette seemed lonely and cold.

As Nicolas watched the police car drive off, he looked away from the window and rolled it up. He absentmindedly fiddled with his watch, staring into space, his thoughts unreadable.

Darwin cleared his throat and said to the driver, "Let's hold off on going back to Belcrane Villa for now."

*****

At the police station, the lawyer hired by the Hendrix family said, "Miss Rowland, I've been informed about the situation. My advice is simple - compensation and an apology.

"The Hendrix family will pay, and you'll apologize. Then we can move on. Don't worry; I'll ensure your apology stays private."

He then adopted a haughty tone. "The Hendrix family believes that if you let this blow over, the marriage between the Hendrix and Rowland families will still happen."

Max, who seemed to have been waiting for this, visibly relaxed. He smiled and said, "I knew Jake was reasonable. Please pass on our apologies to him." He then gave Thea a pointed look, urging her to accept.

"No," Thea replied, her hair slightly messy but her head held high, her neck long and elegant. "I won't apologize. Let the police investigate and clear my name."

Everyone's expressions changed.

Frustrated, Max slammed his hand on the table. "Thea, can you please stop making a scene? So many people saw what happened today. You might not care about your reputation, but the Rowland family does."

Duncan scoffed, "She's just been spoiled at home. If it were Emmalie, she wouldn't be causing us all this trouble."

Thea let out a bitter laugh to herself. She was definitely not like Emmalie, who would stoop to any low to ruin her.

The Hendrix family's lawyer narrowed his eyes threateningly. "If you refuse to apologize, the Hendrix family won't bail you out. We'll also press charges against you for hiring someone to attack Madelyn."

Thea's heart sank. Jake was truly ruthless, not even pretending anymore.

As long as he stood firm, the Rowland family wouldn't dare come to her aid. She could end up spending the rest of her life in prison.

Thea let out a cold laugh, lifting her chin defiantly. "But I didn't do anything, and I won't apologize. If you want me to continue with the engagement, I have one condition - give me the security footage from today."

Max's expression shifted. "Jake already took the footage. He said if you keep causing trouble, he won't hesitate to make it public."

Thea's gaze hardened, her heart growing colder. "So none of you believe me, right? Not one of you even bothered to look at the footage, huh?"

Duncan replied impatiently, "Why would we? It's embarrassing enough as it is. Not making it public is for your own good. We're all worried sick about this mess, and here you are, still stirring things up. It's frustrating."

Thea suddenly felt exhausted. "If that's how it is, you can all leave. I don't need you to bail me out, and you don't need to waste your energy trying to force me."

Everyone's expressions changed. The Hendrix family's lawyer was the first to leave, muttering, "Ungrateful brat."

The Rowland family members started jeering. "Let's see how long you can keep this up. You'll come crawling back to us to clean up your mess."

Thea's pale, chapped lips twitched. She silently vowed that even if she died here today, she would never let anyone control her again.

After what felt like an eternity in her daze, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

"Thea, you're free to go. Someone's here to bail you out," an officer said.

Thea ran through everyone she could think of, but she couldn't guess who it might be.

At the police station entrance, a Pagani was parked by the curb, with a tall figure standing beside it.

The man was backlit, the shadows highlighting his profile, his eyelashes casting shadows beneath his eyes.

His cool demeanor and stern expression made him seem even sharper. His cold, dignified presence contrasted sharply with Thea's disheveled appearance.

Thea was momentarily stunned. "Nicolas?" she called out in surprise.

Realizing that might not be appropriate, she quickly corrected herself, "Mr. Hendrix."

"Yeah." Nicolas nodded slightly. "Get in the car."

Thea felt uneasy but obediently climbed in. She hadn't interacted much with this powerful head of the Hendrix family.

After all, Nicolas spent most of his time abroad managing their overseas markets. Their few meetings were limited to family dinners.

In Thea's mind, Nicolas was a golden boy, a business legend who, even in his thirties, exuded charisma and had never been involved in a scandal.

Jake both feared and resented Nicolas. Whenever he brought up Nicolas's achievements, his tone dripped with envy. With Nicolas around, Jake would never be the Hendrix family heir.

Thea was lost in thought, and her heart raced. 'I embarrassed the Hendrix family in front of everyone. Nicolas probably won't let me off easy. Even if he bailed me out, he's likely planning to confront me afterward,' she thought.

Just as panic set in, she heard Nicolas's clear, cool voice. "The Hendrix family owes you for this incident. What kind of compensation would you like?"

"Huh?" Thea thought she must have misheard.

Nicolas turned slightly to look at her, his deep, calm eyes both alluring and intimidating. "I know everything about Jake's situation. The Hendrix family will make this right. I promise that woman won't be around him anymore."

Thea snapped out of her shock. She suddenly understood what he meant.

The Hendrix family wasn't foolish; she was still the Rowland family's daughter. Even if she wasn't favored, she was better than Madelyn, who had no background or status.

Madelyn's family and education were mediocre; she wouldn't even qualify as a maid in the Hendrix family house. If Jake really married her, it would be a laughingstock for the Hendrix family.

Rationally, Thea should agree to this, continuing to secure the Hendrix family connection for the Rowland family. But...

Chapter 7 Madelyn's Excuse

Thea looked up at Nicolas, her voice steady. "Mr. Hendrix, I want to end my engagement with Jake. From now on, I want nothing more to do with him."

Nicolas raised an eyebrow, momentarily surprised. "Are you sure about this?"

Thea gripped her hands tightly on her knees. "I am. I hope you can understand my actions. No one wants to be cheated on. I didn't intend to embarrass the Hendrix family."

Nicolas said nothing in response but added, his tone remaining calm, "Take a few days to think it through. Don't make a rash decision you'll regret."

Thea misinterpreted his words, thinking he was threatening her, and her face grew even paler. "Mr. Hendrix, I—"

"I helped you today, but it comes with conditions," Nicolas interrupted, shifting slightly in his seat, his presence as cold and distant as stone.

"I know you don't want to stay at Avon Ventures, but I need you to finish the Warren Group project you're working on," Nicolas said. "You're a valuable employee, and I stepped in today because it was the right thing to do."

Thea felt her anxiety ease a little, offering Nicolas a sincere smile. "Thank you, Mr. Hendrix."

Avon Ventures was a key subsidiary of the Hendrix Group. Thea had joined the company alongside Jake.

Jake hated being bound by company rules, but his family pressured him into staying, so Thea ended up doing most of his work.

She even handled several projects worth millions of dollars on his behalf, without recognition.

The Rowland family hadn't objected, partly because they assumed she'd eventually marry into the Hendrix family, and partly because her efforts at Avon Ventures benefitted the Rowland family, too.

Now, as Thea reflected, she realized she'd spent years working for everyone else's gain. How foolish she'd been.

Upon arrival, Thea quickly disappeared into the night.

Darwin returned from a phone call, looking irritated. "Mr. Hendrix, they're not pleased with your sudden return without notice."

Nicolas's expression remained as cold as ice. "Are the executives at the foreign office completely useless?"

Darwin hesitated before mumbling, "You clearly don't approve of Jake's behavior, so why did you tell Miss Rowland to reconsider breaking off the engagement?"

Nicolas's eyes narrowed. "That's enough talk."

*****

The next day, rumors followed Thea the moment she walked into Avon Ventures.

"Did you hear? Miss Rowland lost it at the family party yesterday. She hired some thugs who almost raped Miss Terell," one employee whispered.

"That's taking things too far," another replied.

"Well, Madelyn shouldn't have been the other woman," someone added.

"You can't really say that. Miss Rowland and Mr. Hendrix weren't married. I heard he wanted to break up with her a while ago. He and Miss Terell are truly in love, but Miss Rowland won't let go. Jealousy can make people act crazy," another person chimed in.

"She's just throwing her weight around because of her money and connections. I've never liked her arrogant attitude. If I were Mr. Hendrix, I'd choose Miss Terell as well," a woman scoffed.

Thea heard these harsh comments but kept her expression neutral as she made her way to the meeting room.

However, someone stopped her with a forced smile. "Miss Rowland, all the meeting rooms are booked today. Did you have an appointment?"

"I do." Thea checked the time. "Warren Group is coming to review our products today. If everything goes well, we'll sign the contract this afternoon."

Her colleague looked hesitated. "Well, Mr. Hendrix already took Miss Terell to handle that. He said you wouldn't be coming in today, so he brought her instead."

Thea's mind went blank, her face growing tense. She rushed toward the meeting room, but it was too late.

Madelyn was already showing the Warren Group representatives around the product area. Since this was a major order that could be highlighted in the company's profile, the whole process was recorded and photographed.

Jake stood nearby, beaming with pride as he gazed at Madelyn, like he was saying, "Look how incredible my girl is."

Their eyes met often, full of sweetness. After the previous night's drama, they seemed even bolder.

However, all the product descriptions Madelyn was presenting had been painstakingly prepared by Thea over several nights. Jake didn't have an ounce of sympathy for her.

People around them cast looks of either mockery or pity in Thea's direction.

A Wintean from Warren Group was inspecting the products on display, speaking quickly to the person beside him.

That person turned to Madelyn and asked, "Miss Terell, could you please repeat that in Wintean?"

Madelyn's smile faded instantly, her face going pale with panic. She looked helplessly at Jake, her anxiety clear.

She didn't speak Wintean and had only gotten the position through Jake's connections.

Jake hadn't expected this situation, but he tried to calm her with a silent gesture of reassurance.

The client picked up on the tension and frowned. "Are you serious? You can't even handle basic Wintean communication, huh?"

Madelyn looked as if she might cry, clearly overwhelmed.

Jake scanned the room until his eyes landed on Thea, who had been watching everything unfold. His expression darkened as he strode over. "Thea, are you just going to stand there and watch Madelyn struggle like this?" His tone was sharp.

Before Thea could respond, Jake lightly pushed her forward, saying in a low, threatening voice, "The company's reputation is on the line. Don't be petty. Help Madelyn out so we can get this contract signed."

Thea nearly laughed in disbelief. She stood firm, crossing her arms, and gave Jake a cold look.

"When you handed my project over to Madelyn, did you tell her not to make things difficult for me?" She spoke loudly enough for everyone around to hear.

Madelyn's frail frame shook as she bit her lip, fighting back tears.

In a soft, tearful voice, she tried to shift the blame onto Thea. "It's not like that. My name is also on the project. I worked late on several proposals, and everyone knows that. Mr. Hendrix just wanted to give me more experience, so he asked me to handle the reception today.

"This is all my fault. You're the only one on the team who knows Wintean, and now I've embarrassed myself. Miss Rowland, you must have forgotten to mention that the clients were Wintean. That has to be it."

Before the project began, Jake had indeed insisted on adding a few names to the team, including Madelyn's.

Thea hadn't liked seeing Madelyn's name there, but she'd been too busy to worry about it at the time.

She had seen Madelyn's so-called proposals - they were worthless, lacking any real content.

Thea had been more than tolerant by not calling Madelyn out for contributing nothing but still accepting her share of the bonus. She never expected them to turn the situation around like this.

As Madelyn's tears fell, it painted Thea as the villain who bullied and overworked the newcomer.

Thea's chest rose and fell as she tried to contain her anger, but she didn't rush to defend herself. Instead, she looked straight at Jake, her eyes cold. "Mr. Hendrix, what's your take on this?"

The others might not know the truth, but he certainly did.

Chapter 8 Compete For Promotion

Jake's eyes darted around nervously as he cleared his throat. "Madelyn has put in a lot of effort. Thea, why don't you help her out this time? Think of it as mentoring a newbie."

With a sweet smile on her tear-stained face, Madelyn looked at Thea with a hint of challenge in her eyes. "Thank you so much, Miss Rowland."

Anger burned in Thea's chest, making her eyes sting. 'Madelyn's effort, huh? Then what about all the sleepless nights I spent working and the endless client dinners to secure deals?' she thought.

She recalled how Jake had come to her, desperate, telling her this deal was crucial. Nicolas had given him an ultimatum from overseas - either close this deal or pack up and return to the Hendrix family.

That was why Thea had pushed herself so hard. And now, it all felt like a cruel joke.

Her face hardened as she tossed the files she was holding onto the floor. "So this is how you want to play it, huh? Fine. I'm done with this project. You said it was all Madelyn's hard work, right? Let her finish it. I'm out."

Jake clenched his jaw and grabbed Thea's arm, dragging her toward the door. His grip was harsh, and Thea stumbled in her heels, struggling to keep her balance.

"Thea, I know I've been distant, and that's my fault. But I told you that Madelyn has nothing to do with this. Can't you just leave her alone? If you've got a problem, take it up with me," he said.

Thea yanked her arm free, wincing at the red marks his fingers left behind. She stared at him coldly. "All I want is for my hard work not to benefit someone else. Is that too much to ask?"

Jake took a deep breath, gripping her shoulders as he tried to look sincere. "I'm ready to let the past go. Tomorrow, I'll announce to the whole company that you're my fiancée.

"You're the daughter of the Rowland family, respected and accomplished. Madelyn's got nothing. Can't you just give her a break?"

Thea felt a wave of dizziness. She'd waited so long to hear those words.

Since she had started working at the company, Jake had insisted he hated office romances and didn't want anyone thinking he was relying on her. Even when rumors spread about their relationship, he never publicly acknowledged it.

Then Madelyn appeared, and some people even speculated that Thea was using her position to try to break them up.

Now, Jake was finally willing to claim her publicly - the very thing he had avoided for so long - but only to protect Madelyn.

Instead of the joy and excitement she had once imagined, Thea felt a knot in her stomach as she processed everything. "Announce what? I thought we didn't have a relationship, right?"

A dangerous glint flashed in Jake's eyes as he tightened his grip on her shoulders. "My patience has limits. Keep this up, and it really will be over between us."

He seemed so confident, so sure that Thea would back down, just like before when she would beg and plead, terrified of losing him.

A bitter smirk tugged at Thea's lips, but before she could respond, there was a knock at the door.

"Mr. Jake Hendrix, sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Nicolas Hendrix is here. He's called an emergency meeting and wants you and Miss Rowland there right away," an employee announced.

Thea reacted first, shaking off Jake's hands and walking out of the door with a blank expression.

*****

In the meeting room, Nicolas sat at the head of the table, cold and dignified as ever. He flipped through the company's financial reports, absently tapping his fingers on the table.

Everyone else held their breath. Avon Ventures was just a small subsidiary under Nicolas, and in a year, one could count on one hand the number of times he'd even set foot in the office.

Everyone was on edge, nervously reviewing their recent work decisions.

Thea and Jake entered one after the other, with Madelyn trailing behind Jake.

Darwin didn't hold back. "Didn't you see the memo? We don't need anyone serving refreshments. What are you doing here?"

Madelyn stood frozen, her eyes red and watery, looking at Jake with a helpless expression.

Jake's face darkened. "Darwin, she's with Miss Rowland's team. What's wrong with her sitting in to observe?"

Thea's eyebrow twitched, but before she could object, Nicolas pointed toward the door. "Grab a chair and listen from outside. The executive seats are full. There's no room for you here."

Madelyn swayed on her feet, biting her lip in humiliation as she kept glancing at Jake.

But Jake could only clench his fists in frustration; he didn't dare to challenge Nicolas.

Nicolas provided a brief overview of the company's situation. To everyone's relief, he didn't seem upset.

Then he turned his attention to Jake. "Your work performance over the past six months has been impressive - high quality and high volume. It must be a lot for one person to handle, so I'm considering promoting someone to deputy manager."

At this announcement, most people perked up, excited about the opportunity.

Thea wasn't surprised; she had already heard rumors and planned to go for the position herself. After all, she had done all of Jake's projects. A promotion seemed more than reasonable.

Jake cleared his throat and stood up, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "Well, I actually have someone in mind for the deputy manager position."

Everyone assumed he was about to name Thea. Even Thea believed it for a moment.

But Jake turned toward the door and said slowly, "I think Miss Terell would be an excellent choice. She's been by my side, helping secure all these projects. The recent partnership with the company from Wintoland was all thanks to her. I know what she can do. This promotion is well-deserved."

His words felt like two sharp slaps to Thea's face. She had tolerated Jake's shifting loyalties, but she never imagined he would erase their history so easily.

Maybe it was the intensity of Thea's gaze that made Jake avoid her eyes as he continued, "Miss Terell has worked tirelessly, and it's taken a toll on her health. Becoming the deputy manager has been her dream, and I hope you guys can find it in your hearts not to take that away from her."

The room fell silent. No one dared object.

Then, as if twisting the knife further, Jake turned to gaze lovingly at Thea and added, "I have one more announcement. Miss Rowland and I will be getting married soon, and we'd love for you all to attend the wedding."

The crowd was stunned for a moment before they started offering congratulations.

But with each passing second, Thea's expression grew colder, like she was on the verge of snapping. She wanted to expose the truth and tear down Jake's facade in front of everyone.

But when her eyes met Nicolas's, she hesitated. Jake was still a Hendrix, and humiliating him could be seen as an insult to the family itself. She couldn't afford to risk provoking Nicolas.

"Quiet," Nicolas said, his voice cutting through the room.

The chatter instantly ceased.

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