Chapter 98

After a long moment, Nicolas withdrew his gaze. "Let's go," he said coldly.

Darwin spoke up. "I noticed Miss Rowland didn't look well. Perhaps something's wrong. Mr. Hendrix, should I check on her?"

Darwin sensed Thea's lack of feeling for Jake, but Nicolas seemed perpetually bothered by it. This wasn't surprising; even eight years earlier, when they were together, Nicolas had harbored a grudge. The names Thea and Jake, separately, posed no problem, but together, they were guaranteed to irritate Nicolas. Nicolas looked up, giving Darwin a cold, indifferent stare. "If you're so free, I can find you more work."

Darwin fell silent.

The coldness in Nicolas' eyes intensified. "Drive. Back to the office."

Thea felt her marriage with Nicolas nearing its end. She hadn't seen him at Avon Ventures for days, and rumors about Nicolas and Stephanie were proliferating online, growing louder daily. Intrigued, Thea investigated Stephanie.

Stephanie was an overseas celebrity. While not exceptionally talented, she possessed considerable resources. Her good looks and warm personality made her popular in the entertainment industry. Perhaps due to her recent search history, Thea's social media feed was flooded with Stephanie's videos.

One day, Thea saw a photo collection of Stephanie. She paused, focusing on one particular picture. It showed Stephanie in a restaurant, smiling brightly, her dimples visible. Her eyes sparkled with unmistakable sweetness and happiness. Next to her, a hand was peeling shrimp. At a glance, Thea recognized Nicolas' hand.

"No wonder she's so happy," Thea thought.

She sighed, closed her phone, and considered divorce. "Should I suggest it, or wait for Nicolas to initiate it?"

Having mentally prepared herself over the past few days, Thea no longer felt bitterness or heartache. She had more pressing matters to attend to—the group that had attacked her. Although they'd masked their faces, they hadn't concealed everything. Thea had noticed something unusual.

All the attackers had a snake coiled around a poisonous flower tattooed on their necks. The tattoo was small; Thea had only noticed it when one of the men crouched to negotiate with her. Closer inspection revealed a similar dark mark on each man's neck, nearly identical in color and shape.

After returning to her hotel, Thea's curiosity led her to an online search. She uncovered clues in the darker corners of the web, revealing a criminal organization that provided mercenary services. They had a long history of illegal activities, yet the police had never apprehended them.

Reading this, Thea knew Madelyn couldn't have hired them; she lacked the resources.

"Emmalie," Thea mused, "you certainly go to great lengths to keep me in mind. Well, I suppose it would be unfair to waste such dedication."

After reviewing the information, Thea waited until the end of the workday. She took a taxi to a race track in the western suburbs. This group had a rule: to make a deal, one had to race against them first. Most people hired professional drivers, but Thea wished to avoid complications. Conveniently, she possessed relevant experience.

"It's merely using her own tactics against her," Thea thought.

Upon arrival, Thea heard the roar of engines and the excited shouts of the crowd. The scene was surprisingly well-organized, not chaotic or lawless. She even noticed several well-dressed individuals in the audience.

Observing her surroundings, Thea speculated. While their activities hadn't involved murder or arson, they were still illegal. The police's inability to act suggested powerful backing, perhaps the team's founder. But the nature of this backing remained unclear.

Thea approached a staff member to register for the race. The staff member looked at her strangely, speaking cautiously. "Miss, the races here aren't child's play."

Thea nodded. "I know. Do I need certification?"

Thea hadn't brought documents and wasn't sure if online certificates would suffice. The staff member shook his head, handing her a waiver. "Just sign this. If anything happens—injury or worse—we're not responsible." Without hesitation, Thea signed. Her decisiveness surprised the staff member, who gave her another look, a complex expression on his face. He seemed to have guessed her purpose.

The race began, and it was finally Thea's turn. She hadn't brought her own car, so she used one provided by the track—essentially a death wish for experienced racers, as the car's condition was uncertain and adjustment time was lacking.

Thea adjusted the controls and took a deep breath. She had modest expectations—simply race and survive.

Several women stood in the center of the track. With a wave of their flags, the race started. The cars sped off like bullets.

Thea felt a surge of excitement. It had been a long time since she'd felt this way. In high school, she'd enjoyed extreme sports. Before a certain incident, she had been energetic and adventurous. Her family's neglect and the school's pity for Emmalie had led her to abandon interpersonal relationships, finding solace instead in thrill-seeking activities.

Years later, her body seemed to retain muscle memory. Everything felt natural. She could hear people discussing her:

"Who is that woman? She's really pretty. Definitely not a pro." "Yeah, for sure. We'd recognize the pros. But her technique isn't bad." "Hey, I think it's just average. No way she's beating that guy." "She's probably just here to show off. Wait till she gets targeted, she'll start crying soon enough."

Soon, Thea noticed hostile stares. She wanted to accelerate, but the others maintained a similar pace. Some cars had better performance, making it a contest of subtle adjustments and skill. Thea felt unease, particularly when a turquoise-blue car suddenly appeared in front of her. A quick reaction prevented a crash.

She swerved to overtake, but another car blocked her. She was trapped between two cars.