Chapter 37

Thea felt a definite sense of unease. She couldn't help but recall yesterday, when Lan had initially agreed to meet but then abruptly canceled, claiming she had something to attend to. Looking at the comments section, it was clear Lan and Emmalie had a close relationship. It seemed likely Lan favored Emmalie becoming Nicolas's wife, which might explain her dislike of Thea and her departure with Carly.

Thea closed the post and considered sending these rumors to Nicolas via WhatsApp. But as her finger hovered over his avatar, she hesitated. "There's really no need to bother him with this," she thought.

Meanwhile, Emmalie capitalized on the recent buzz, announcing she would be teaching students at Aurelia University and giving a solo performance there. The hype surrounding Emmalie and the university surged.

Seeing Emmalie's post, Thea began formulating her own plans. The university president would be attending the event. Perhaps Thea could still get another chance. She had to try, even if the odds were stacked against her. After all, with her younger sister Emmalie basking in the spotlight, Thea, as the older sister, felt compelled to make a "grand gesture."

In the moving car, Nicolas rubbed his temples, trying to alleviate a throbbing headache. His mind was clouded by fragmented memories from the previous night. "Where's Thea? Still resting at the hotel?" he asked.

Darwin answered honestly, "Ms. Rowland checked out and said she was heading to Emmalie's welcome party at Aurelia University, likely due to the university's partnership with the Virtuex Group." Glancing at Nicolas in the rearview mirror, Darwin couldn't resist asking, "Mr. Hendrix, are you going?"

Nicolas looked up, his gaze indifferent. "She can handle it. I don't need to be there."

Darwin hesitated before speaking. "Mr. Hendrix, you rarely follow online gossip, but you might not know about the rumor that you and Emmalie are engaged. Several business partners who've worked with the Hendrix Group have subtly inquired about its truth. Should you clarify this?"

"An engagement with Emmalie?" Nicolas chuckled, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Darwin wanted to mention how convincing the online rumors seemed, but seeing Nicolas's expression darken, he remained silent.

Nicolas tapped his knee rhythmically. "Ignore these rumors. The truth will come out."

Darwin wanted to argue that while true, Thea, Nicolas's actual fiancée, was likely feeling uncomfortable. But before he could respond, Nicolas shifted gears. "Fine. Arrange for the university to hold a seat for me tonight."

"Yes, sir," Darwin replied.

What was intended as a welcome party had transformed into a fan meeting. Fans flooded Aurelia University, many content to stand at a distance for a glimpse of Emmalie. Soon, Thea entered the campus. The staff, upon hearing her name, gave her a curious look before leading her to the dressing room near the performance hall.

"Thea!" Emmalie called out. Surrounded by makeup artists and stylists, she exuded her usual air of being the center of attention. Emmalie's team had been meticulously prepared by Max to ensure her flawless appearance.

Emmalie lifted her elaborate gown and approached, having deliberately chosen four-inch heels to tower slightly over Thea. Alone with Thea, Emmalie dropped the pretense. She smiled maliciously. "It must have been rough these past few days, huh? Realizing no school wants to work with the Virtuex Group?"

Thea looked at her calmly. "So, it was you."

Emmalie covered her mouth and giggled. "I'm about to marry Nicolas, marry into the Hendrix family. Soon, everything that belongs to them will be mine. So, removing an insignificant employee from one of my future companies a little early isn't too much to ask, right? But you know"

Emmalie pretended to adjust Thea's collar, her words dripping with malice. "If I were you, I wouldn't even have the face to stay with the Hendrix family. I can't believe you're so shameless. No wonder they can't get rid of you. It's no fun if I don't use a little trick to make things uncomfortable for you."

Thea remained silent, her gaze drifting to Emmalie's sheet music. Then, calmly, she said, "So it's that piece, huh?"

Emmalie laughed, waving the music sheet in Thea's face. "Yeah, the one your master wrote just for you. But what can I say? The family always adored me. Even if they knew it was written for you, what does it matter? As long as I ask, they'll hand it over to me. It's childish, really, but a lot of people seem to love it. They'd rather hear me play it. Not you."

"Is that so?" Thea raised an eyebrow. "But didn't the master say you could be his student, but under no circumstances were you allowed to perform this piece publicly? Do you forget?"

For a moment, Emmalie's composure faltered, her face contorting with rage. She remembered the days when she couldn't compete with Thea. Thea had been a prodigy; Emmalie, a product of wealth and resources. When the maestro chose a student, he selected Thea outright. Emmalie cried for days, and the Rowland family pressured Thea, even threatening to harm her hand, to force the maestro's acceptance of Emmalie.

From that moment, Thea knew her piano career was over. Foolishly, she'd believed giving Emmalie this opportunity would earn her praise. They praised her, but when Emmalie fell ill from her hunger strike, Ivy's gaze turned cold and resentful. "You're so selfish," Ivy had said. "You could have studied anything else. Why fight with your sister over the piano? If you'd given in, she wouldn't have suffered."

The maestro had been disappointed in Thea but had established a rule: Emmalie could never perform the piece he'd composed for Thea. The Rowland family, however, found someone to rework the composition. That performance launched Emmalie to fame.

Emmalie scoffed. "Trying to get under my skin with that? Even if he liked you more, look at you now. Haven't you become exactly the kind of person he'd despise? A plain, ordinary woman with nothing special."

Thea's face remained impassive as she pointed at the music. "Even so, you still lost. You lost from the very beginning."

Emmalie gritted her teeth, her face livid. She lifted her chin. "We'll see who really lost after tonight."