Thea stared at Nicolas, noticing his glazed eyes. "You—" Nicolas began, but a knock interrupted him.

Madelyn's frustrated voice followed, "Uncle Nicolas, are you alright? I messed up earlier and want to apologize in person."

Thea thought—or maybe she imagined it—that Nicolas’s expression hardened at "Uncle Nicolas." His eyes turned icy.

"Mr. Hendrix, relax. I'll handle this," Thea said, rising.

Opening the door, she saw Madelyn, tearful but attempting a brave face. Thea smirked. "Still got nerve, huh? How do you manage to insinuate yourself into the Hendrix family? Doesn't calling Mr. Hendrix 'Uncle Nicolas' feel strange?"

Madelyn bit her lip, defiant yet innocent. "I know you look down on my background. But aren't we all equal? There's no social hierarchy, right?"

Thea chuckled, stepping aside. "Want to bet security will show you the door? Come in, if you're feeling lucky."

Thea turned and strolled away. Madelyn clenched her teeth, then grabbed Thea's wrist. The soft vulnerability she usually displayed was gone, replaced by steely determination in the dim corridor light.

"You've changed a lot since sixteen. That whole mess really affected you, huh?" Madelyn challenged, meeting Thea's gaze. "We need to talk. Just us."

Caught off guard, Thea, surprised Madelyn knew about the incident, agreed. "Okay, follow me." She led Madelyn to her room, a silent pact for a private conversation.

Once inside, Madelyn launched into it. "To keep your secrets safe, you need to leave Jake. He's been obsessed with you for ages. Can't you see?"

Thea, composed as ever, sat and faced Madelyn directly. "Since we're being frank, let me be clear: I'm breaking off my engagement with Jake. It's my decision. I don't want him anymore. If you're so eager to pick up the pieces, be my guest. Just stop sneaking around."

Madelyn's face contorted with anger and envy, revealing a nerve had been struck.

Suddenly, a strange smell filled the air. Before Thea could react, everything went wrong. The sky seemed to swirl, and Madelyn blurred into a dark, ominous shape. Thea tried to escape but felt weak, collapsing unconscious.

Thea's consciousness returned as she was roughly dragged from the bed to the floor. The fall was hard. She heard a woman's anguished scream and Jake's enraged growl, "I didn't think you'd stoop so low! You're a woman too. Your methods are vicious."

Weak, Thea sat up, looking apologetic. She met Jake's cold, disgusted gaze. "What's going on?"

Her head spun, her heart pounded as she took in the chaotic scene.

Jake grabbed her chin, his tone indignant and icy. "What's going on? Didn't you plan this? If I hadn't arrived in time, Madelyn would have been raped by the thugs you hired."

"I suspected something when the champagne tower collapsed, but I never imagined you'd stoop this low!"

Jake's outburst clarified the situation. Thea saw Madelyn, distraught and crying, clearly traumatized. She wasn't going to waste time questioning Madelyn's sincerity; the shock of being framed overwhelmed her.

Summoning her strength, she shoved Jake's hand away. "Are you insane? Why would I do this? I just woke up; I'm a victim, too."

Jake scoffed sarcastically. "You don't know why you passed out? A clever ploy to mislead us? We're in your room. Who else could be responsible but you?"

Madelyn took Jake's hand, tears welling. "Jake, let's not jump to conclusions. It might not be Miss Rowland's fault. She was knocked out at the same time as me. I guess I was just unlucky enough to attract those thugs." Jake's anger intensified. "Thea, how could you be so evil?"

His words were a crushing blow. She never imagined him calling her "evil." He used to shield her from criticism; now, he was consumed by another woman, inflicting the deepest wound she had ever experienced.

Thea regarded Jake with a cold, detached gaze, seeing a stranger. "Why would I bother playing games with you? Is it worth ruining my future over a man I've already moved on from?"

Perhaps the clarity in Thea's eyes unsettled Jake, making him question if she was merely lashing out. His panic grew until Madelyn's hand found his wrist, snapping him back to reality. She was all he had left.

Nicolas stood quietly in the hallway, observing the chaos. He didn't want to interfere, yet he couldn't look away from Thea's helpless, sorrowful figure. Darwin, beside him, whispered, "Mr. Hendrix, should I help? She was the one—"

Nicolas smirked slightly. "Nothing better to do?"

Darwin was speechless.

A gasp echoed from the doorway. "My God, what's happening here?" Emmalie rushed in, trailed by several people. Ivy froze, overwhelmed by the scene. Thea's brothers, Max and Duncan Rowland, charged in to address the chaos.

"Thea, are you alright?" Emmalie asked, worried, her eyes red. Thea grimaced, avoiding a comforting hand.

Emmalie, trying to mask her hurt, bit her lip. "Why is everyone assuming Thea is responsible? Any proof?" Jake paused, then commanded, "Bring those thugs in here."

Minutes later, several bound men with swollen noses entered the room.