Chapter 56

Thea was furious. She glared at the phone, ready to hang up, but Nicolas had a firm grip on her hand.

Noticing her reluctance, Nicolas’ eyes glinted with mischief. He pulled her into his embrace and playfully bit her collarbone. The call was still connected. Thea gasped at his sudden action and quickly closed her mouth, realizing this.

To her surprise, Nicolas didn't stop. He grabbed her chin, tilted her face up, and forced her to look at him. Then he began planting kisses along her pale neck.

Thea was so stunned she couldn't breathe. Terrifying memories surged from the depths of her mind, causing her to tremble uncontrollably. Clenching her fists, she bit down hard to suppress any sound, but eventually, she pushed Nicolas away.

Gasping for breath, Thea steadied herself as her frayed nerves relaxed. When she met Nicolas’ cold gaze, she realized what she had done. Jake was still on the other end, frantically questioning what was going on.

“It’s ridiculous,” Thea thought. “Jake actually has the nerve to interrogate me about whether I did anything wrong.”

Feeling utterly exhausted, Thea crouched down, picked up her phone, and hung up. Her head was still foggy from waking up, and she felt drained. Looking down, she avoided Nicolas’ gaze and spoke coldly. “I’m not feeling well, Mr. Hendrix. If you’re fine, I’ll be leaving.”

Without waiting for a response, Thea turned and walked away. Unseen by Thea, Nicolas remained, his eyes swirling with complex emotions. He clenched his fists and slammed them down hard on the couch.

Frustrated, he wondered, “Why did I lose control and act like that?”

At that moment, Darwin called, saying the video was fake. Many people at the scene reported hearing Thea’s cries for help; she had only approached Jake for a life jacket.

“Mr. Hendrix,” Darwin asked, “how should we deal with the person who spread that video?”

Nicolas smiled coldly, a glint of malice in his eyes. “If he loves the spotlight so much, let’s give him his moment.”

Darwin understood and tentatively asked if he and Thea had a falling out.

Nicolas’ voice carried a hint of defeat. “The video is fake, but I can tell she still has feelings for Jake.” He had intentionally gotten close to Thea to gauge her reaction; they had even shared a bed in the past. But this time, Thea had been extremely resistant, as if every fiber of her being was screaming “no.” Could it really just be because she’s on the phone with Jake? he thought.

Darwin hesitated, wanting to speak but knowing he shouldn’t. He wanted to ask when Nicolas’ personality had become so… but his life was more important, so he carefully said, “Mr. Hendrix, why not just tell her how much you care? You’re worried she’ll be deceived because…”

Nicolas raised a hand, cutting him off. “There’s no need. It’s a small matter. She probably doesn’t even remember it.”

Darwin sighed, then recalled something else. “About the yacht incident, we have some leads. It wasn’t an accident; it looks like it was deliberate, aimed at Jake. Should we target those he’s angered?”