Chapter 208

Thea leaned against Nicolas, languidly, like an elegant Persian cat. Nicolas looked down at her with tenderness and asked, "Is the collaboration between Sparkle Rocks and the Langstaff Group going smoothly?"

Thea shook her head. "It wasn't ideal, but not disastrous. Song is Duncan's fiancée; they're birds of a feather. Even without deliberate sabotage, I'd struggle to trust them as business partners. Fortunately, I met Ollie Windrow, the second son of Silvercreek's richest man—you know him. With his help, I can salvage the situation."

Nicolas sighed. "You're remarkably honest. Why didn't you ask me for help? How much money do you need? Just tell me."

Thea looked up seriously. "I dislike relying on others. If I need help with everything, what's the point of exploring the world? I might as well be a stay-at-home wife." Nicolas lowered his head and kissed her gently. "Don't overwork yourself. I understand, whatever you do."

Thea smiled brightly.

Nicolas added, "By the way, Ollie seems careless, but he's not so simple. I'd prefer you avoid interacting with him if possible. Be cautious."

Thea replied calmly, "For now, he seems non-hostile. I'll take things one step at a time."

Nicolas gazed at Thea's beautiful face, his heart stirred. Anticipating his thoughts, Thea stood. "It's late. I need to rest. Goodnight, Nicolas."

She walked to the door, winking—a clear signal they'd sleep in separate rooms. Nicolas wasn't angry; he smiled gently. "Goodnight."

The next morning, Nicolas left after preparing a gift for Thea. When Thea awoke, she found Joyce in the living room, her face filled with resentment.

"Nicolas is outrageous! He visited, but why did he have to trick me away?"

Thea sat beside her, taking her hand. "I'll be more careful next time. I won't be fooled again."

Joyce scoffed. "Notice you're trapped? I don't think you need a month's probation for him."

Thea blushed, but maintained composure. "We still need to follow procedure. I can enjoy this now, but I still can't trust easily."

Joyce empathized, warning seriously, "Though Nicolas seems kind, men are good at pretense. Don't be deceived. Max pretended to be kind and gentle to the Maddox family, but in reality"

At the mention of Max, Joyce's disgust was evident. "How good can a man be who abandons his first love?" she said. "It's good that such people reveal their true colors. The scariest are the ones you can't see through." A handsome face inexplicably flashed in her mind.

Thea's phone vibrated. It was Ollie.

"Mrs. Hendrix, are you free tonight?" Ollie's lazy tone was overlaid by loud music; he was clearly at a bar.

Thea didn't answer directly. "What's the matter?"

"I've bought many raw stones. Aren't you having dinner with me?"

Thea frowned.

Joyce whispered, "Don't go. You're already at a disadvantage. Who knows what tricks he'll play?"

Ollie overheard. He snorted. "Since you distrust me, what's the point of working together? Forget it. Let's end our cooperation."

Thea almost laughed. "Mr. Windrow, that wasn't what you said last night." However, she agreed. She owed him a favor, regardless of his motives.

After hanging up, Joyce worried, "I'm afraid he's trying to make things difficult."

Thea shook her head. "He could have done it yesterday. No need to wait until today."

Joyce frowned, worried. "I worry about you going alone. Why not have Nicolas go with you? He can protect you."

"No need," Thea sighed. "These are trivial matters compared to what we face."

They arrived at Sparkle Rocks to find a huge crowd at the entrance, some holding banners, demanding Thea's resignation and the return of their money. They were mostly Sparkle Rocks factory employees, all involved in hard labor, and strong.

The instigators were unknown, but anger and hostility filled the air. They chanted slogans calling Thea a parasite, incompetent, and responsible for losing the Langstaff Group and incurring three months of losses, resulting in unpaid wages. The commotion attracted media attention.

A middle-aged woman was being interviewed, skillfully directing questions towards Thea. "The new CEO is too young and inexperienced. She doesn't understand the company's situation. I understand her decisions, but we need to be paid. She hasn't even visited the company since arriving in Silvercreek. We don't even know what she looks like. She never discusses things with us executives. However, I still hope everyone gives her time. I believe she can solve the problem."

Joyce was indignant. "Yesterday, when you were in a difficult position, these executives said nothing. You were forced to work with Ollie. Furthermore, Sparkle Rocks has been losing money since last quarter. How can you be blamed?"

Thea wasn't surprised. "I'd be surprised if they didn't make a scene." She walked towards the crowd.