Chapter 86

The man noticed Thea's movements and effortlessly grabbed her wrist. Her eyes widened as she struggled, but she was too weak to pull away. In despair, she closed her eyes. Then, a familiar voice cut through the silence: "If I hadn't reacted quickly, my head would be cracked open by now."

Thea's heart leaped. Nicolas? Why is he here? she wondered. She tried to speak, but the drug made any sound embarrassing and sensual. She could only shut her mouth tightly, curling up on the cold floor, desperately fighting to stay conscious.

Nicolas crouched beside her, taking her hand. "How are you? Can you still muster any strength?" She weakly shook her head. He lifted her. As he touched her, his face hardened; she was burning up, clearly heavily drugged.

A cold voice came from above. "Who did this? Jake or Madelyn?"

Clinging to his clothes as if to a lifeline, Thea laughed bitterly, her eyes filled with indescribable emotion. Nicolas understood. The Rowland family guards outside confirmed his suspicions. It seems I underestimated their ruthlessness, he thought. He couldn't comprehend how the same parents could treat Thea and Emmalie so differently.

He had never pitied anyone before, yet his actions toward Thea were gentler than usual. As he laid her on the bed, she suddenly sat up and threw herself into his arms. She had lost all reason, breathing shakily, her face flushed. She began to remove her clothes. Her long hair, slightly disheveled, partially concealed her.

11:13 Mon, Oct 28

Chapter 86 (Continued)

But this glimpse of hidden beauty stirred his emotions even more. Nicolas held her waist, preventing her from falling, his Adam's apple bobbing. His voice was cold, yet hoarse. "Thea, do you know what you're doing?"

Leaning against him, her hair cascading down her back, she looked seductive. The cool scent of his cologne eased her discomfort, but not enough.

"Nicolas," she whispered, her eyes hazy, "Nicolas"

His body stiffened. The next second, he flipped her beneath him, pinning her wrists. His eyes swirled with inexplicable emotions. "Thea, do you know what you're doing? Do you know who I am?"

She smiled, dangerous and beautiful. "I know exactly what I'm doing, and I know who you are," she breathed, her words punctuated by gentle panting. "Nicolas, if I said I liked you, would you believe me?"

His grip tightened slightly. She winced in pain, letting out a soft whimper. His rationality returned, but before he could ask if she was unwell, she rose and kissed him.

This seemed to ignite everything. He didn't refuse, releasing her wrists to hold her waist. Amid her haze, he whispered, "Just don't regret it later."

The world spun. Moonlight spilled through the window, casting an intimate glow. The atmosphere was sultry and ambiguous. A sudden, searing pain tore through her. She bit his shoulder.

He groaned, then muttered in disbelief, "A virgin?"

Her mind clouded, she responded, "Jake wasn't worthy of touching me."

He seemed satisfied. He kissed her neck, leaving a trail of kisses

The passage ends abruptly. There are several grammatical errors and stylistic inconsistencies that require further editing and likely more context to fully resolve. For example, "o remove" is clearly a typo, and the narrative jumps somewhat erratically between the characters' internal thoughts and external actions. The ending is also abrupt and needs conclusion.