Chapter 117

Emmalie looked righteous. "I know I shouldn't say this aloud because Thea is my sister. But I must speak out of conscience. Besides, Mr. and Mrs. Hendrix aren't easily fooled. Sooner or later, they'll investigate and discover the truth. Mom, do you think we can fool them?" She then looked at Thea bitterly. "Thea, you're still unwilling to admit it. Do you still want to find ways to frame Miss Terell? She's already suffered enough, and you're still unwilling to let her go?"

Jake, with a cold expression, said righteously, "Emmalie is right. Even if you want to hide it from us, can you hide it for the rest of your lives?"

He looked down at Thea contemptuously. "Thea, I'll give you one last chance to explain. Tell me, why did you hurt Madelyn? I've already promised you that you will be Mrs. Hendrix. Why are you still not satisfied?" Thea ignored him.

She raised her head and stared at Emmalie with a burning gaze. "Emmalie, what a coincidence. You happened to see me when I was doing something bad. I didn't even notice you. If you saw my plan from the start, why didn't you tell anyone and allow me to continue? Could it be that you also wanted to kill Madelyn's child?"

Emmalie was speechless for a moment. Anger choked her. "Thea, I was only thinking of you. I thought you wouldn't do such a despicable thing. Who would have thought you were so vicious? Besides, I can't predict the future. How could I know Miss Terell would have a miscarriage today?" Emmalie cried aggrievedly, her tears eliciting pity.

Ivy's suspicion immediately vanished. She rushed to comfort Emmalie. "I know it wasn't you. You're a good girl. If your sister were half as sensible as you, I wouldn't have such a headache." Turning to Thea, her tone hardened. "Emmalie is thinking of you wholeheartedly. But what have you done? You still have the cheek to question her after doing such a thing? I originally wanted to protect you, but it seems you deserve to suffer."

Thea smiled coldly. "Suffer? Haven't I suffered enough since I was eighteen? Now, you're just like those men. The moment something happens, you cast me aside. Back then, you sent me overseas to fend for myself; now, you plan to abandon me on a deserted island. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm really a Rowland family child."

Jake looked at Thea coldly. "Stubborn fool. I've given you a chance. You chose this. You can't blame anyone else. I don't want any more deaths. Since Mrs. Rowland has decided, we'll follow her plan." Ivy smiled. "Jake, don't worry. There are specialized control agencies on the island. They won't let her be alone. Her temper will improve after a while there." Jake's expression softened.

He was still reluctant to let Thea go. After all, compared to Madelyn, Thea was more suitable to be Mrs. Hendrix. They discussed how to handle Thea, smiling warmly. Their conversation felt less like discussing a person and more like discussing disobedient livestock.

A suffocating sense of powerlessness washed over Thea. She clenched her fists, furious and helpless.

The two bodyguards lifted her and dragged her out like trash. Thea struggled and shouted at Ivy, "Mother, if you do this, we'll no longer have a mother-daughter relationship!" Ivy's expression briefly stiffened before returning to normal. She said nothing, but her stance was clear: she planned to abandon her daughter. Thea held back her tears. She knew what kind of place the island was. Some families, unable to discipline their children, used overseas facilities. These were presented as rehabilitation centers for wealthy young people, but were primarily for mental control, akin to an internet addiction rehabilitation center, employing coercive methods. Thea would become a prisoner, subjected to torture designed to break her spirit and turn her into a docile puppet.

Thea bit her tongue to regain control, assessing her escape possibilities. She was forced into a car, her heart pounding as the engine started. The driver conversed with others outside:

"There aren't many flights now, right? But the Hendrix family said there's a private jet field nearby."

"I can't believe I'm still working this late. So unlucky."

"What else can you do? Who asked her to be so heartless and vicious? Any family with such a person is unlucky."

"In my opinion, they should send her to prison. Or, if they're embarrassed, they could just tie her up at home" The speaker was interrupted by a scream, "Ouch!" He was attacked, pushed into a corner, and beaten. A car crashed into them, blocking their escape. Burly men emerged, surrounding them. The driver trembled, beginning to identify himself and his employers when he was pulled from the car.

19:54 Mon, Oct 28

Chapter 117 (repeated)

The bodyguards beside Thea grabbed her hands. A knock on the car window revealed Nicolas. His cold, fierce eyes filled with determination. The bodyguards released Thea, trembling. Nicolas commanded, "Get lost!"

After they fled, Nicolas opened the car door and untied Thea. "Nicolas," she whispered, tears streaming. He patted her back comfortingly. "Can you walk?" Thea shook her head. The Rowlands had injected anesthetic into her legs; she couldn't feel her lower body. Killing intent flickered in Nicolas's eyes.