Jake gave Thea a helpless look. "They absolutely don't want her there. Bringing her along will just make them angry."

Madelyn smiled softly and blinked. "It's okay. I'll try to speak positively about Miss Rowland. Even if it doesn't change their minds, at least the effort will show the company that she tried. Maybe that'll help ease things a bit." Jake nodded, then turned to Thea with an icy tone. "Madelyn is going out of her way for you, and you can't even say thank you?"

"Why should I?" Thea crossed her arms, her voice cold. "You two are too noisy. If you're so great, go and get them to sign with you. Then you can come back and boast all you want, and I won't say a word. Right now, you've got nothing to show for it, so what's there to be—" Jake's face darkened. He grabbed Madelyn's hand and headed upstairs. "I told you, with her attitude, why bother?"

Before leaving, Madelyn turned back to Thea with a smug smile. "Don't worry, Miss Rowland. Even if you end up leaving Avon Ventures, I'll write you a recommendation letter to help you find a better job."

In the private room, Joyce was growing impatient. She was stunningly beautiful but possessed a straightforward and decisive personality. If it weren't for her brother repeatedly reminding her that Nicolas was influential, and that even if the deal fell through, they couldn't afford to make a scene, Joyce wouldn't have tolerated this dinner meeting.

She was about to make up an excuse to leave when the door suddenly opened. A couple entered—the man decent-looking, the woman delicate in appearance, with what seemed a timid personality. For some reason, Joyce disliked them at first glance.

Madelyn's eyes lit up, and she quickly extended her hand in a fawning manner. "You must be Ms. Maddox. I'm Madelyn, the assistant from Avon Ventures who's been in contact with you."

"Oh, it's you," Joyce said, suppressing her impatience and irritation.

When Madelyn first contacted Joyce, she tearfully explained that she had been dating her boyfriend for three years when her female superior intervened and nearly ruined her life at the company. She also mentioned that if that superior successfully closed a deal with Joyce's company, she would face even more bullying.

Joyce wasn't usually one to meddle in others' affairs. But hearing Madelyn's story, she couldn't help but think of her soft-hearted mother, who had almost been driven to the brink by her father's mistress. Joyce disapproved of such behavior, so she agreed to Madelyn's request, seeing it as a good deed. Joyce forced a polite smile. "Now that your superior isn't bothering you anymore, I take it things are going well with your boyfriend? Are you two planning to get married soon?"

Jake's brow furrowed instantly, but Madelyn flashed a sweet smile and looked gratefully at Joyce. "Thanks to your help, Ms. Maddox, everything is great between us."

Joyce nodded half-heartedly, already thinking of leaving. But Madelyn stepped forward and linked arms with her as if they were old friends. "Joyce, I wasn't sure what you'd like to eat, so I ordered everything on the menu. I hope there's something to your taste."

Joyce's expression shifted slightly; she couldn't stand this sudden familiarity. Though tempted to pull her arm away, she managed to keep her composure, but her tone turned colder. "That won't be necessary. I have something to attend to and need to leave soon."

Even after such a clear signal, Madelyn still clung to her. She lowered her eyes, tears welling up. "Joyce, please. I need your help just once more. My superior still won't let me go. She's making me come here to close this deal, and if I don't, she'll fire me. I'm really scared." She shuddered as she spoke.

Joyce frowned. "Is that really the case?"

Madelyn took the opportunity to embellish the story, recounting her encounters with Thea both yesterday and downstairs. Naturally, she painted herself as the helpless victim.

"I just don't know what to do. Jake and I truly love each other, but she keeps making my life miserable. Is it just because he loves me and not her?" Madelyn said, wiping away fake tears.

Joyce let out a cold laugh. "Avon Ventures has quite a reputation in the industry. Keeping an employee like that around doesn't speak well for their culture."

Despite her sympathy, Joyce had no interest in partnering with Avon Ventures. Madelyn might evoke pity, but Joyce could already tell she lacked the competence to handle this deal. Discreetly moving away from Madelyn's hold, Joyce stood up. "I'll bring this up with Nicolas. If he gets rid of that employee, we might reconsider working together in the future." Madelyn's face stiffened at Joyce's refusal to commit, but the mention of firing Thea immediately brightened her up again.

Eagerly, she took out her phone. "Joyce, thank you for supporting me. Since we're friends now, how about we exchange contact information?"

Joyce forced another strained smile, her patience waning. Her assistant rolled her eyes, silently questioning how Madelyn could be so oblivious. It was clear Joyce had no interest in furthering their relationship, but Madelyn continued playing her innocent, desperate act, making it hard for Joyce to find a polite way to refuse.

When Joyce didn't respond, Madelyn's face fell, and she whispered, as if on the verge of tears, "Joyce, do you look down on me as well?"

Joyce's temple throbbed as her patience neared its breaking point.

Then a cold voice cut through the tension, breaking the awkward silence. "Madelyn, you've really mastered the art of playing the victim and guilt-tripping people. I've never seen anyone so shameless as to force someone to exchange contact information."

Madelyn froze, choking on her words when she saw Thea enter the room. Instantly, she retreated behind Joyce, looking scared. "Ms. Rowland, I didn't come here on my own. Mr. Hendrix brought me along," she said. Her behavior made it seem as though Thea had forced her there. Joyce frowned slightly. "So, you're Thea, right?"

Thea confidently stepped forward, extending her hand. "Yes, that's me. I'm the person who's been in contact with you all along, Ms. Maddox. I've been hoping for a chance to speak with you and clear up any misunderstandings. I managed to arrange this meeting using our—"

She then briefly glanced at Madelyn and continued, "If you personally dislike me, that's one thing, and I can respect that. But if someone's been spreading false rumors and damaging our company's reputation in your eyes, that's a serious issue."