"Why are you in such a hurry to find Braden?" Sarah asked sharply. "What makes you think you can convince him? Are you two so close?"

Thea frowned, realizing Sarah had misunderstood. She was about to explain when she saw a glint of something shiny behind Sarah—a kitchen knife. Panic seized her, and her mind went blank. "What are you doing? I'm just here to help. There's nothing going on between Braden and me."

But Sarah wasn't listening. Her expression twisted into something vicious. She snapped, "You bitch! This is all your fault. You seduced Braden to steal company secrets, and now we're ruined! Someone told me about your affair; otherwise, I wouldn't have known. You're going to pay for this!" Before Thea could react, Sarah lunged, yanking her hair and slamming her to the ground.

Pain shot from Thea's scalp through her body as she struggled to push Sarah off. But Sarah, surprisingly strong, sat on top of her, pinning her down. A manic gleam shone in Sarah's eyes, but she didn't use the knife. Instead, she began tearing at Thea's clothes, muttering, "That person told me the best way to ruin you is to take nude photos and post them online. Everyone will hate you!" Thea screamed, trying to explain, but Sarah ignored her.

In the chaos, Thea found her phone. She pressed the power button three times—a shortcut to her emergency contact, Jake. Across town, Jake's phone rang, but a hand reached over and ended the call.

A slightly tipsy Jake glanced up. "Was that Thea?"

Madelyn deleted the call log with a blank expression. "No, just a spam call."

Back at the apartment, Sarah pulled out her phone, ready to take pictures. Thea closed her eyes in despair, feeling helpless.

Suddenly, the door burst open, sunlight flooding the room. Nicolas strode in, swiftly kicking Sarah off Thea and tossing his jacket over her trembling form.

Terrified, Thea huddled, wrapped in the jacket. Her pale face was filled with fear and anger. However, Nicolas ignored her. His cold eyes were fixed on Sarah, who cowered on the floor.

"She's from the Rowland family and the future lady of the Hendrix family. Who gave you the nerve to touch her?" he said icily.

Braden's position in upper management at Compton Group meant Sarah understood the power of the Rowland and Hendrix families. Her face drained of color, but she still tried to argue. "So what if she's from a rich family? She's the one who shamelessly seduced my husband—"

Before she could finish, Nicolas's expensive shoe came down on her hand, eliciting a sharp scream as he pressed harder. Her grip on the phone loosened, and Nicolas kicked it toward Thea, who was now fully dressed.

"Erase everything on that phone," he said coldly, his long lashes barely concealing the fury in his eyes.

Thea picked up the phone with trembling hands. Summoning her strength, she grabbed a nearby stool and smashed the phone repeatedly, pouring her anger and fear into each blow. She didn't stop until her arms ached.

With a gesture from Nicolas, his bodyguards entered and restrained Sarah, dragging her away.

Thea, still pale and unsteady, limped toward Nicolas. "Mr. Hendrix, I owe you another favor."

His gaze turned icy. Thea's lashes fluttered nervously as she met his eyes. Nicolas's lips tightened, his brow furrowed with impatience.

His voice was laced with disdain. "Thea, is this the determination you wanted to show me? With such a lack of composure and awareness, how did you ever think you were capable of working with me?"

His words cut deep, but they were true. Thea's eyes welled up, not from his words, but from her anger at herself. She didn't dare imagine what might have happened if Nicolas hadn't arrived.

"I…" She tried to speak, but the room spun, and she fell into his embrace.

As Thea drifted in and out of consciousness, her dreams were unsettlingly vivid, each featuring Nicolas.

In one, she held his hand, feeling the warmth and roughness of his fingertips. It felt so real.

Thea awoke drenched in cold sweat. Outside the door, she overheard the doctor. "'She inhaled a dangerous amount of carbon monoxide. It seems the suspect had a backup plan—if she couldn't kill this lady, they'd die together. Fortunately, the patient was brought in quickly. With rest and observation, she should recover fully.'"

"Good," Nicolas replied, his voice deep. A moment later, he entered the room.

More alert, Thea noted his handsome, distant expression. Memories of her dreams flooded back, and her face flushed.

Nicolas sat by the bed. "Acting rashly, you aren't suitable to be working with me."

Thea fumbled for words. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hendrix. I caused a lot of trouble. I got ahead of myself. It won't happen again."

Nicolas shifted the conversation. "Sarah's been handed over to the police. If you want answers, you can ask her. But my patience is running thin. Don't let something like this happen again." Thea nodded, her gaze soft and almost submissive. "Okay."

Nicolas left. Darwin was waiting.

As soon as Nicolas appeared, Darwin hurried over. "Sarah was stubborn, but after some tough measures, she's ready to confess. The lawyer says her actions will likely be classified as attempted assault, meaning she could be out in a year or two. Isn't that too light?" Nicolas lit a cigarette. Through the smoke, his eyes gleamed with murderous rage. "Make sure she doesn't get too comfortable. Arrange for her to be sent abroad when she's released. You know what to do." Darwin nodded. "Understood."

Thea remained in the hospital for another week, but Nicolas never visited. When her leg healed, she checked out. Her first stop was the prison where Sarah was being held.

After her visit, Thea left looking visibly upset. She headed back to the Rowland family home.

The once-grand residence had changed. The new decor gave it a cozier feel. Warm light poured from the dining room, where a family of three sat enjoying a meal. But Thea's arrival broke the harmony. Their cheerful expressions shifted.