Chapter 136

Nicolas carried Thea to the car. Seeing her distressed condition, he rushed her to the hospital.

It wasn't until early morning that Thea's high fever subsided. Seeing her sleeping peacefully, her breathing gradually stabilizing, Nicolas breathed a sigh of relief. He sat by the bed, watching her. He didn't know how long he sat there until Thea opened her eyes.

"Nicolas?" Her voice was hoarse, confusion in her eyes. "Am I dreaming?"

Nicolas looked down at her. "I went to a great deal of trouble to find you. Do you know what could have happened if I hadn't arrived coincidentally today?"

Thea's mind went blank momentarily as she looked at his cold expression. Perhaps because she was weak, she didn't care about anything else. She reached out and took his hand, her eyes glistening with tears. "Thank you. If it weren't for you, that beast would have…" Nicolas's gaze softened. Sometimes, he hated himself for being unable to be firm with Thea.

"Don't you find this scene familiar?" Nicolas asked.

Familiar? Thea didn't understand.

Looking at her confused expression, the light in Nicolas's eyes dimmed. Perhaps she had long forgotten it, though it was the most important memory of his life. Back then, Thea had appeared like a godsend when he was at his weakest. She could have ignored it, but she didn't.

He later learned she had been sent to Yurtinas by members of the Rowland family. She had struggled to survive alone, facing countless hardships. Yet, she had persevered. At that time, she wore inexpensive clothes, far less elegant than the wealthy young ladies of the country. However, for some reason, he remembered it vividly, even now.

He held her hand, softening his tone. "Let's pretend nothing happened. Come back with me. We'll talk. If there are any problems, we'll solve them together."

Thea shook her head. She couldn't leave. She still had the contract with Corey.

Nicolas was patient. "Why?"

Thea bit her lip, remaining silent. She had secretly gone to see Corey behind Nicolas's back.

Seeing her unwillingness to tell the truth, the warmth in Nicolas's eyes faded. He asked, "Is Corey that important to you? Even after what happened, you're still unwilling to leave?"

Thea shook her head wearily. "It's not like that. I promised him. It wouldn't be right to break my promise again. Thank you for saving me. I won't trouble you with the rest."

Nicolas stood up, seemingly angry, about to question her. He opened his mouth, saw her pale face, and hesitated. After a long stare, he said coldly, "This is your choice." He turned and left.

Confused, Thea watched his back. She wondered why he was angry. Is it because he cares about me? Probably not. He only cares about my identity. After all, I'm his wife. If word gets out, it will be bad. This thought made her realize she needed to keep things secret. Brannon deserved to die, but yesterday's events couldn't be revealed. She suspected someone else was behind the plan, making it even more crucial to keep the news quiet.

Darwin got into the car and saw Nicolas's dark expression. He said, "Mr. Hendrix, Mrs. Hendrix came to see me earlier and instructed our subordinates not to spread what happened yesterday. She's still thinking of you. She's afraid yesterday's events will cause you trouble."

"You think so?" Nicolas chuckled, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Darwin coughed. "Mr. Hendrix, are you angry with Mrs. Hendrix? I investigated. She doesn't have much contact with Corey. It seems to be a regular employment relationship. You know Mrs. Hendrix's personality. She wouldn't have an ambiguous relationship with…"

Nicolas looked out the window and sighed. "I'm not angry she won't leave with me because of Corey. It's that I can't understand why she never seems to treat me as one of her own. No matter what happens, she tries to handle it herself. She never asks for help."

Darwin considered this. "Perhaps she's not used to relying on others, or maybe she's always only trusted herself."

Nicolas glanced at him and pressed his forehead. "Let's go."

After returning from the hospital, Thea found April anxiously waiting at the door. Seeing Thea, April rushed to her, grabbing her hand. "Thea, did something happen last night? Don't be afraid. Tell me. If anyone bullies you, I'll fight them!"

Thea smiled and gently pulled her hand away. "I'm fine. I just went out for drinks last night and happened to have a friend there. Why do you think something happened to me?"

April was speechless, staring at Thea, trying to discern her emotions, but failed. Thea remained calm, a hint of mockery in her smile. April's heart pounded. Did she know something? But that's impossible. I never directly interfered.

Thea suddenly smiled and playfully punched April. "Alright, don't worry. I'm fine. Chad isn't that bad!"

Relieved, April's gaze remained fixed on Thea. Why did it fail? Thea should have been with Brannon this morning. What went wrong?

After their conversation, Thea returned to her room. April's smile vanished, her eyes darkening. She went to a corner, took out her phone, and made a call.

Angrily, she scolded, "What happened? It was foolproof! Why is Thea fine?"

The voice on the other end was incredulous and innocent. "I saw her drink it. I watched her go to the hotel last night. I waited downstairs, worried something would go wrong. How could there be a problem?"

April was frantic. "Thea is unharmed! We risk exposure! I don't care. I'm helping you attack Thea. Even if I'm caught, you'll be the mastermind."