Thea smiled faintly and replied, "Mr. Hendrix, what are you talking about? What do you mean by 'I'm happy'? I'm just doing my job."

She paused, her voice rising. "She made a mistake that delayed my partnership, and I'm expected to just swallow that? What kind of reasoning is that? Besides, the order with Ms. Maddox is a long-term deal. You can't possibly be unaware of how much profit that brings. The fact that Madelyn ruined it all for her selfish reasons is something I've already acknowledged. Honestly, I've given her enough leeway by not demanding compensation from her or alerting the industry about this situation."

Jake fumbled for words, unable to retort. His irritation mounted, and he finally burst out, "Why she did that is your fault! You've been pushing her too hard. Just look at how you've targeted her all this time. Can you honestly say you're blameless in this?"

Thea felt a surge of anger, her smile turning icy. "Of course, I'm at fault. My mistake was allowing her to join Avon Ventures in the first place. I should have filtered her out during the interview."

"Your—" Jake exclaimed, clenching his fists. Suddenly, he seemed to have an epiphany, and the look in his eyes shifted to something more sinister. He said coldly, "You've got a bad relationship with your family. They must have ways to threaten you. So let me be clear: if you don't go to headquarters and get Madelyn reinstated, I'll tell my dad to cut off all cooperation with the Rowland family. You're forcing me into this."

Thea's gaze turned dangerous. She suddenly realized how naive she had been, how she had blindly trusted him, exposing her vulnerabilities. Grinding her teeth, she retorted, "Jake, do you even know what you're saying? You're threatening me, using my weaknesses to force me into a fight with you?"

Jake's pupils flickered slightly, his expression shifting. But he insisted, "It's just a concession, not like I'm asking you to give everything up. Thea, don't be so selfish."

Thea averted her gaze, determined not to look at him. "I get it," she said, and turned, walking away.

Jake felt an inexplicable sense of panic. His phone vibrated; it was Madelyn. All his complicated emotions cleared away in an instant. When he looked up, Thea had already gotten into a car and left. Was it his imagination, or did that car look a lot like Nicolas'? He dismissed the thought quickly, his anger flaring again. A limited-edition Maybach—not many people could afford a car like that. It was clearly a man's car.

The Rowland family didn't have a good relationship with Thea. Jake clenched his fists, feeling a bit guilty about his behavior over the past few days. He'd planned to ease Madelyn's emotions, then make amends with Thea, perhaps even woo her. But now he seemed too presumptuous. It turned out Thea was already involved with another man. No wonder she'd been so distant. A flash of bitterness crossed his eyes.

Jake glared in the direction Thea had left. He could do without Thea, but she had no right to be involved with other men.

Meanwhile, Thea stared out the window, lost in thought, her brows furrowed with worry. Nicolas caught a glimpse of her expression and pursed his lips, displeasure crossing his handsome face. "Did you have a conflict with Jake?"

Thea replied instinctively, "It was a bit unpleasant, but just a minor issue." She didn't notice the coldness intensifying around Nicolas.

Nicolas lowered his gaze, concealing the chill in his eyes as he twisted his ring, his tone turning cold. "Is it about Madelyn?"

Thea was surprised and glanced at him. He's truly omnipotent, she thought. Nothing escapes his eyes. Seizing the opportunity, she spoke directly. "Mr. Hendrix, can I withdraw the complaint and get Madelyn reinstated?"

Darwin, who was driving, remained silent. Nicolas smiled slightly, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. His deep, calm gaze radiated coldness. "You're asking for a favor for Madelyn?"

"Yes." Thea kept her head down, feeling nervous. She was furious with herself. Nicolas probably thinks I'm super weak. But there's no need to offend the Rowland family since I haven't yet fully established my own standing. Moreover, she was sure Jake had more sway in the Rowland family than she did.

In fact, she had considered asking Nicolas for help, but on second thought, this marriage had already benefited her greatly. It seemed selfish to bother him with these small matters.

Even with her head down, she could feel Nicolas' gaze lingering on her, as if he wasn't truly angry. But she felt immense pressure, like a heavy stone on her chest. Gritting her teeth, she continued, "I know this request is unreasonable, and a complaint can't just be withdrawn. If there are any penalties, just impose them. Just don't let me get fired. I can accept anything."

Nicolas chuckled softly, but the coldness in the car thickened. The car came to a stop. He said coldly, "Get out."

Thea looked up in shock. Nicolas' features remained indifferent and dignified. He usually hid his emotions, but she sensed genuine anger. The sharpness in his eyes intensified. She felt anxiety and wanted to explain, but Darwin had already opened the door, gesturing for her to leave.

"Ms. Rowland, Mr. Hendrix has a few meetings left. If there's anything, please wait until he's done," Darwin said.

Thea felt helpless, but her first thought was, I don't want him to be angry.

After getting out of the car, she watched Nicolas' vehicle disappear, kicking at the stones on the ground. She decided to wait until he returned and apologize. That request had indeed been excessive.

Nicolas seemed to be looking out the window casually, but his gaze lingered on the rearview mirror. He could see Thea looked downcast. He hesitated, his lips moving slightly, but in the end, he said nothing.

Darwin couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Hendrix, weren't you supposed to have dinner with Ms. Rowland tonight?"

Nicolas smiled coldly. "Right now, she probably isn't in the mood to have dinner with me. And her mind is all on Jake."