Chapter 186

Thea almost rolled her eyes. Instead, she turned and walked into the ward. Stephanie was half-lying on the hospital bed, wearing a man's shirt. Seeing the slightly messy bed, Thea's face darkened. This was Nicolas's ward; she remembered it clearly. What were they doing here? A wave of nausea washed over her.

Resisting the urge to vomit, she placed the basket on the bedside table. "He saved me last time. These are thank-you gifts from my employees."

Stephanie glanced inside, then unceremoniously overturned the basket, covering her nose with a look of disdain. "What is this? It's disgusting! Full of bacteria. Take it away!"

Thea almost laughed. "Ms. Ralap, are you unfamiliar with—"

"—these items? While not worth a fortune, they are rare and valuable. Silvercreek's excellent ecological environment produces superior goods. I wonder how much effort Eric put in to acquire them, only to have you carelessly waste them?"

Stephanie crossed her arms, arrogant. "This trash isn't worthy of my attention, or Nicolas'. Take it away!"

Thea clenched her fists. "This wasn't for you, but since you've damaged it, you should compensate me."

Stephanie laughed. "Oh my god, you're poor and want me to compensate you? I heard you're starting a business. You must be—" She rummaged in her purse and threw a wad of cash on the floor.

Thea refused to pick it up. Stephanie tossed more money down. "Not enough? Don't be greedy. Consider it charity." She reached for more.

Thea grabbed her hand. "Ms. Ralap, let me remind you: are you sure you want to buy all this?"

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "Can't I afford to compensate for your subordinates' gifts?"

Thea smiled coldly. "It's not just what they bought for Nicolas. I bought things too."

"What do you mean?" Stephanie frowned.

Thea pointed to the scattered items. "Nicolas is my husband. He's hospitalized because of me, so I bought the best herbs. They're priceless. If you don't—"

Chapter 180 (Continued from previous section)

Stephanie gritted her teeth. "Then tell me, how much?"

Thea held up two fingers. "Two million dollars."

"Two million?! You're extorting me!" Stephanie sputtered. She couldn't afford it, but refused to let Thea win. "I'll tell Nicolas. He'll see your greed. You married him for his money, right?" She reached for her phone.

Thea remained calm. "Go ahead. I want to ask Nicolas about the supplements you wasted. Was that his intention?" It clearly wasn't.

Stephanie suspected Nicolas's interest in Thea. She hesitated, then gritted her teeth and wrote Thea a check.

Thea accepted it with a smile. Before leaving, she reminded Stephanie, "Those things are still edible after cleaning. He needs them; you need them – especially to nourish your brain. Get out!"

Stephanie threw her phone, shattering it at Thea's feet. Thea merely glanced at it and left. She had a social gathering; she lacked the patience for Stephanie. Whether the items reached Nicolas was irrelevant; they were on good terms. She'd seen it: Stephanie held a place in Nicolas's heart. Thea couldn't be with someone who wasn't fully hers.

She hurried to the social gathering, caught in a sudden downpour. She arrived late, calling Sparkle Rocks' secretary for a change of clothes. Heading to the restroom, she heard sounds from inside – a couple. Confirming it was the women's restroom, she remembered Nicolas at the banquet and felt frustrated. Without hesitation, she entered.

Chapter 186 (Continued from previous section)

A couple was at the sink, intimately entwined. The woman's clothes hung loosely. Thea doubted they'd restrain themselves if not in public. The man was middle-aged and overweight. She couldn't believe the woman's choice.

Thea began washing her hands, ignoring them. The man pushed the woman away, eyeing Thea's rain-soaked appearance. "You're a waitress, right? What are you staring at?" he said arrogantly.

The woman was attractive and scantily clad. She rolled her eyes at Thea. "She's jealous. Look at her eyes, glued to you!" A lecherous glint appeared in the man's eyes. He had to admit, the waitress was beautiful—cold and aloof, like a fairy.