Ivy Rowland confronted Thea upon her return to the Rowland mansion. "What possessed you to call off the marriage with the Hendrix family?" she scolded, pointing at Thea. "The Hendrix family is extremely influential. Couldn't you just pretend nothing happened? Breaking the engagement will ruin our reputation," Ivy continued.

Feeling uncomfortable and angry, Thea retorted, "Mum, if Emmalie were in my shoes, would you have made her stick it out?"

Ivy, slightly annoyed, replied, "Always bringing Emmalie into this when you make a mistake. Do you think she'd be as irresponsible as you? She even told me yesterday how much she missed you. What's with your attitude?" Thea scoffed, "That's just Emmalie's sweet talk to keep you in the dark."

Ivy, attempting to calm down, snapped, "Enough. Pull yourself together. Emmalie will be back tonight, and you're not missing tomorrow's welcome-back banquet. The Hendrix family will be there."

Thea's eyes reddened. "Mum, I think I'm sick. Can we go to the hospital?"

Ivy gave her a cold stare. Thea managed a weak smile, fighting back tears, and hurried upstairs.

Ivy's frustrated voice followed, "I can't believe I raised a daughter who feigns illness when things get tough. Why couldn't it have been her who got lost? My sweet Emmalie has been through so much, and I've poured my heart into raising Thea, only for her to be so selfish and moody. Anyway, Emmalie's coming back. Let's check on the soup I made for her."

Thea's limbs felt numb and cold, mirroring her heart. Since an incident at sixteen, she had become the family's black sheep. Once, sadness wasn't part of her vocabulary; she had someone by her side, someone who smiled at her like the sun. His eyes sparkled; he made promises: "Thea, I'm sticking by you forever," "Think of me as your family now," "I'm going to love you always, and I won't let anything hurt you."

Back then, Thea thought she'd overcome her sadness. But old memories crashed back like a tidal wave, revealing unhealed wounds. Overwhelmed, she curled up on the stairs, hugging her knees and crying.

The next day, Thea stunned the banquet guests with a dark green evening gown. Her curly hair cascaded behind her, and her striking red lips contrasted beautifully with her pale skin. Her features were delicate, yet her eyes conveyed a detached coolness. The bold combination of the dress and lipstick was undeniably Thea.

Ivy, socializing with other wealthy women and Emmalie, spotted Thea and gasped. Before she could react, Emmalie gently restrained her.

"Mum, there's no need to criticize Thea. With so many people here, it's natural she'd want to look her best," Emmalie said softly.

Ivy tapped her nose. "You're the only one who tolerates Thea's moods. Honestly, I'd worry less if she were as agreeable as you."

The others immediately praised Emmalie.

The Rowland family consisted of two daughters and two sons. The youngest daughter, Emmalie, had overcome a childhood kidnapping, becoming intelligent and well-mannered. She held a vice president position at the International Piano Association. The eldest son was a vice president at the Rowland Group, and the other son had successfully launched a new venture overseas. Thea, however, remained the black sheep, known for past bullying issues.

Noticing the tension, Emmalie said ironically, "Thea seems unhappy. I should go talk to her."

Thea, ever vigilant, saw Emmalie approaching, set down her glass, and turned to leave. Emmalie's advances often led to "accidental" drama. Thea went to the restroom. There, she heard a woman's wail and peeked around the corner. She saw a woman clinging to a man, her dress slipping. The man's back was to Thea.

Then she heard the woman's plea: "President Hendrix, I think I've hurt my leg. Could you check it for me?"

"President Hendrix?" Thea realized it was Jake's uncle, Nicolas. His presence at the party was unexpected. Hesitant to get involved, she was about to leave when her phone rang. She silenced it, only to meet Nicolas's gaze.

Caught, Thea stammered, "Uncle Nicolas, I, uh, just arrived. Didn't see anything"

Nicolas shifted his gaze, his face impassive. "Get lost," he coldly told the woman. The woman's face paled. Nicolas left, his indifferent gaze briefly meeting Thea's.

Thea touched up her lipstick and left. Outside, Ivy grabbed her arm. "You didn't even greet your sister, and you've ignored my calls. What's wrong?"

Thea sneered, "Weren't we supposed to be resolving things with Jake today? Why would I be focused on Emmalie?"

Despite Ivy's frustration, she insisted Thea interact with the Hendrix family.

Jake's expression soured at Thea's outfit. Tension filled the air as their eyes met, but Thea looked away. She greeted all the Hendrix family members warmly, except Jake.

Some elders joked, "Thea, young couples fight. They always make up."

Thea laughed. "Want to guess what Jake did?"