Chapter 187

Thea resisted rolling her eyes and shook the water from her hands. "Me? Interested in him? Who does he think he is? Does he think he's worthy of my company in a place like a toilet?"

The man smiled, approaching and offering his business card. "Miss, let's get acquainted. I'm a manager, earning at least $100,000 annually. Keeping someone like you? No problem." Thea glanced at the card. She recognized the company: Sparkle Rocks.

"Well, isn't this a coincidence? I never expected to run into an employee here," she thought.

Thea had come to check on things at Factory Manager Eric's plant. She knew few people at Sparkle Rocks and rarely appeared in public. She certainly hadn't anticipated this.

Seeing her silence, the man assumed she was awestruck by his wealth and continued, "Of course, $100,000 a year might seem low, but I have other income streams. Did you see the Rolls-Royce outside? That's mine." Thea recalled seeing it.

'$100,000 a year, and he spends over a million on a Rolls-Royce?' Thea wondered, feeling uneasy.

Without revealing her thoughts, she casually asked, "So, what's this side hustle? Care to share?"

The man chuckled, smiling mysteriously. "Naturally, it's a secret. But if you're interested, come with me. I'll get you a job and take care of you. Show me you're worth it, and I'll share the profits. That's better than being a waitress, isn't it?" The woman beside him became agitated. She clung to his arm, pouting. "What do you mean? You said you'd keep me. Now it's her? You're interested in her now, not me?"

The man, visibly irritated, tried to soothe her. "I can manage both of you. It's no problem. You'll always be my sweetheart." Although he spoke to her, his gaze remained fixed on Thea, with undisguised interest.

Thea felt only disgust and suspected he was connected to Sparkle Rocks somehow. It seemed there were some corrupt individuals within the company. Her unexpected encounter was proving advantageous.

She offered a cool smile, meeting his gaze with a frosty tone. "I'm sorry. I'm not interested."

She turned to leave, but he rushed forward and grabbed her wrist aggressively. "You heard my secrets, and you think you can just walk away? You have two choices: come with me, or I'll make sure you can't survive here!" Thea struggled, her tone ice-cold. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with?"

The man sneered. "I'll find out soon enough. You don't look important."

Thea's revulsion intensified. Seizing her chance, she bit hard on his hand. He howled in pain. The man, clutching his injured hand, cursed and called for help.

"A mere manager with his own men and resources? Sparkle Rocks is full of surprises," Thea thought.

Chapter 187 (Continued)

Outside, she searched for an escape route, guessing both exits were blocked.

She could call the police, but that would expose her identity. This encounter was a reminder to remain hidden and avoid alerting anyone to her presence.

As footsteps approached, Thea gritted her teeth and darted into a nearby private room.

She collided with someone's chest, her nose hitting their torso, causing sharp pain.

"You…" Thea began, but was pulled into their embrace. The man quickly released her.

He was impeccably dressed, exuding wealth. However, irritation marred his calm demeanor. "The service here has really declined, hasn't it? Even VIP private rooms are fair game," he scoffed, his voice smooth and deep.

Thea gritted her teeth, her nose throbbing. "Do I look like a server?"

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering. What else? his look implied.

Taking a deep breath, Thea identified him. "You're Ollie Windrow, son of Silvercreek's wealthiest man. You run a raw stone gambling business, and you're here to negotiate acquisition prices with Sparkle Rocks' new CEO."

Ollie's brows furrowed. "If you're not a server, you're a stalker? Haven't you been warned about following me?"

Thea felt a headache coming on. "I'm Thea, the CEO of Sparkle Rocks, here to discuss that deal with you, Mr. Windrow. Don't you check your negotiation partners beforehand?" Surprise flickered across Ollie's face as he signaled his guards to release her.

Tilting his chin, he replied coolly, "Why bother looking you up? I'm doing you a favor. I'm Silvercreek's largest buyer of your raw stones. This 'discussion'? I'm here to inform, not negotiate." His arrogance hid an undeniable truth. Thea lacked a counterargument.

The people searching for her arrived, seeing the VIP sign and knocking respectfully. "Excuse us, Mr. Windrow? Have you seen a woman behaving suspiciously?" Thea's face paled. They'd found her too quickly. Ollie stared at her silently, his eyes narrowed, weighing his options.

Thea took a breath and moved closer. "Mr. Windrow, work with me, and I guarantee I'll make your business thrive."

Ollie smiled mockingly. "Do I look like I need money?"

Thea shook her head. "No, but you lack a reputation. You don't want to be known as just the Windrow family's rich kid."

The smile vanished, replaced by a dark glint. "So, I'm nothing but a spoiled child living off my parents?"

Chapter 187 (Continued)

Thea didn't deny it. Isn't that exactly the case? she thought. If Ollie had real skill, his ventures would be more substantial. Besides, a raw stone gambling business was shady at best.

Ollie took a deep breath. His assistant moved toward the door.

Thea's heart skipped, but she remained composed. At worst, she'd reveal herself. Those people wouldn't dare touch her.