Chapter 139

"You're not willing to tell me, are you? This question is important to both me and Nicolas. If you won't tell me, you must be willing to tell him." Thea pulled out her phone and called Darwin. Brannon grew even more agitated. He must have suffered greatly at Darwin's hands. Darwin, playing along, smiled respectfully. "Miss Rowland, don't worry. I'll help you find out. If I can't, Mr. Hendrix can."

Brannon, terrified, was a mess of tears and snot. He was a far cry from the confident entrepreneur at the dinner table. "I'll tell you! Okay?" he blurted.

He composed himself, lowering his voice. "Those two aren't Sandys. They seem powerful. Corey, however, is disfavored in his family; he has many siblings. He pursued this career to make a name for himself, but his traditional parents never supported him. That's all I know. Please don't ask me anything else. Even if you beat me, I won't say anything more."

Thea looked at Darwin. "I'm done questioning him."

"Got it," Darwin nodded, glancing at the room where Brannon was confined. He then saw Thea leaving and slapped his head, realizing he'd almost forgotten his own business. He hurried after her. "Mrs. Hendrix, this situation is unusual. Mr. Hendrix still hopes you'll return to him. Corey isn't simple; he may have ulterior motives."

"I know," Thea replied calmly.

Darwin smiled. "If you understand, Mrs. Hendrix, why don't you—"

"I'm not leaving. I have to stay. Tell him I caused this trouble and I'll handle it. I don't want to bother him. And I hope he won't worry."

"But Mrs. Hendrix" Before Darwin could finish, Thea was already far away.

Darwin sighed. He wanted to tell Thea that Nicolas never considered her a burden. But after considering it, he realized only Nicolas himself could say that effectively.

Soon, it was the day of the competition. Before Thea reached the arena, a radio announcement declared her disqualified for suspected cheating. She hadn't broken any rules; it was clearly a targeted attack. Brannon was already imprisoned. The organizers had brought in new staff, but the judges remained the same. Thea found this suspicious.

Corey's actions made Thea's expression darken. She sighed. Corey's poor acting—the smugness in his eyes was almost palpable. As a newcomer to this competition, Thea was largely unknown. The sudden accusation against a newcomer piqued everyone's interest, and her name would soon spread. This would hinder her future participation and prevent her from fulfilling her contract. Corey was like a venomous snake, his next move unpredictable.

Undeterred, Thea went straight to April, who was arguing with the judges. Had it not been for recent events, Thea might have considered April a friend.

"You need evidence! What did she do wrong? You can't wrongly accuse her!" April exclaimed.

The bespectacled judge said darkly, "We have our reasons. Further questioning will only make things worse; we'll have to release the evidence."

April's voice rose. "Then do it! I want to see it. My friend is innocent! What right do you have to frame her?"

A judge, unable to contain himself, spoke up for the others. "Your friend's name sounds feminine. How can a woman race? There's a high chance she has an inappropriate relationship with someone powerful."

"You!" April rolled up her sleeves, ready for a fight. She hadn't realized that defending Thea would only draw more attention. Thea was originally an unknown rookie; now everyone knew her name. The judges arguing with April were the ones who had chatted most with Corey at the dinner. They treated me like a fool, Thea thought.

Worry etched Thea's face. She pulled April behind her. "Thank you for speaking up, but this is a special case. I don't want to involve you."

April was clearly upset. "I can't accept this! You're so amazing! Why are they framing you? Don't worry; even if we can't do anything, Corey is here. We won't let you suffer."

Thea whispered, "It's okay. I have a solution."

April's eyes widened. "You have a solution?"