Chapter 110

Simone looked at Jepson. "Let's find a way to hide this first. There's no hurry. We'll find a solution." Jepson nodded and then addressed Max impolitely: "Mr. Rowland, the rest is family business." Max walked away, his expression dark.

Thea, in a good mood, hurried to catch up. After getting into the car, Max slammed the steering wheel. He was still angry—a calm and reserved man who rarely showed his temper. This outburst was unprecedented, revealing his shock at the Hendrix family's audacity.

Thea remained cheerful. "Max, you don't need to drive me back. I know you're upset and probably don't want to see me. Drop me at the foot of the mountain; I'll take a taxi." Max's chest heaved as he fought to calm down. He stared coldly. "Did you do this on purpose?"

Thea looked back calmly. "What's on purpose? Jake's always been like this. You all pushed me into this marriage, wanting me to have influence within the family, not to be bullied. If I agreed to raise Madelyn's child, you know what awaits me." Max's gaze softened, the hostility fading. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it through." But Thea knew his apology wasn't about her future with the Hendrix family.

She continued, "Why the rush? Jake won't love Madelyn forever. Now, everything I do is wrong because they're in love. If I marry him and she has a son, he might love her more because of the child, leaving me with nothing. Why not wait for their relationship to end? Then I can make Jake lose interest." She was buying time to become stronger, tired of being manipulated by the Rowlands.

Max was speechless, but then had an idea. "After today, Madelyn will stay with the Hendrix family. Don't worry, I'll find a way for you to stay, too. You just need to wait for the right time. Thea, I know you've had a bad relationship with our family because of Emmalie, but you've always been sensible, willing to sacrifice for the Rowlands, haven't you?"

"What the f***?" Thea almost swore, clenching her fists to control her anger. Finally, she said, "I can go to the Hendrix family, but you can't restrict my freedom."

Max, a little unhappy, hesitantly nodded, "Okay." He dropped her at the mountain's foot. Thea simply stared coldly, finding it amusing. She opened her taxi app. Within minutes, a car stopped. The window rolled down, revealing a beautiful, feminine face. The man's eyes were cold as he smiled. "Miss Rowland, have you forgotten something?"

Thea was stunned, confused. She had forgotten something—she couldn't even recall the man's name. Corey gritted his teeth, angry and helpless. His expression darkened. "Miss Rowland, you're the first to agree to work with us and then stand me up."

Thea coughed. "I remember now. I'm sorry, I've been overwhelmed lately. But I didn't stand you up; I said I'd think about it. The deadline's passed; consider it a refusal. Put me on your blacklist." Corey's eyes twitched. By the time he reacted, Thea was walking away. He sped to catch up, but slowed down.

Thea was helpless. "Mr. Sandy, it's inconvenient for you to be seen. There's no need to go to such lengths. I've thought it over; this isn't suitable for me. It's not good for my profile to be too public."

Corey chuckled. "Is the Hendrix family, or the Rowland family, that frightening?"

Thea's eyelids twitched; she glared. "You investigated me?"

Corey was honest. "Of course. I need to ensure my clients aren't criminals."

Thea was amused. "You're doing something almost illegal. What kind of client vetting is this?"

Corey boasted shamelessly. "It's a small business; these things matter." He stopped, put on a mask, and approached Thea. Tall and slender, he exuded nobility, lacking Nicola's oppressive aura. He possessed a feminine beauty, but his gaze was dangerous. Thea didn't panic, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

Corey lowered his voice. "I'll give you another chance. Don't worry about the Hendrix or Rowland families; I won't expose your identity. I'll help you with three things. Isn't that tempting?" Thea pursed her lips. This wasn't tempting before, but now She realized Max was too preoccupied with her.

She looked up. "Okay, I agree. Shall we sign?"

"Of course." Corey produced two contracts. Thea coughed lightly. He'd been prepared. After signing, she made her first request: "Find some scandalous information about Emmalie. Sensational, with conclusive evidence; the buzz needs to last." Corey sneered, keeping the contract. "Miss Rowland, that's a tall order. We might not find anything."

Thea smiled nonchalantly. "If she doesn't have any, can't you create some rumors?" It was unkind, but Thea felt it was justified. Corey raised an eyebrow, got in his car, and drove away.

Thea returned home, packing. Nicola's absence was oddly liberating, making it easier to avoid explaining her day. Her phone beeped; a notification from Stephanie.