Dumping My Fiancé For His Uncle



Chapter 23

After the auction ended, Darwin walked in, holding a tray draped with a red cloth. Thea barely glanced at him until he approached her directly. "What's this?" she asked, her heart fluttering slightly as she instinctively looked over at Nicolas.

Nicolas's gaze shifted to the tray. "Open it. It's for you. Consider it an apology on behalf of the Hendrix family and Avon Ventures for Jake's behavior."All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Thea hesitated, then lifted the red cloth, revealing a pair of earrings. They were silver, shaped like crescent moons, each adorned with pure light blue gemstones that seemed to capture the glow of moonlight.

The earrings were none other than Moonlight Fantasy, the final creation of a world-renowned jewelry designer, with a starting bid of 10 million dollars. Nicolas had won them for close to 15 million dollars.

No woman could easily resist such exquisite jewelry, and Thea was no exception. Still, she shook her head. "Mr. Hendrix, this is too much."

Nicolas's calm gaze rested on her. "If you hadn't spoken up today, I might have assumed Jake handled all those projects himself.

"I was about to entrust him with a deal worth tens of millions of dollars. By telling the truth, you saved me from taking a major risk. These earrings are simply compensation for all the bonuses Jake took credit for in your name."

Thea's cheeks warmed as she listened. She had done so much for Jake in the past, never expecting Nicolas - who was known to be ruthless - to not be angry and even acknowledge her contributions. She guessed he must value her abilities.

With that realization, Thea smiled and accepted the gift. As she held the earrings, she couldn't help but wonder when Nicolas had started looking out for Jake so much, even wanting to clean up his messes.

Jake had always painted Nicolas in a negative light. He'd told Thea that Nicolas was cold-hearted and emotionless, even recounting how, when his grandmother passed away in front of him, Nicolas hadn't so much as blinked. Jake had made him sound utterly indifferent to anything and anyone.

Thea had believed it. For years, even when she saw Nicolas at family gatherings, she had kept her distance.

For seven years, her perception of the Hendrix family's leader had been shaped by Jake and his parents' fragmented, critical comments.

But in a twist of irony, the man Jake had described as heartless was the first to truly consider her side of things.

Whether it was because he valued her skills or because of Jake, it didn't matter. What mattered was that Nicolas had given her an opportunity to keep going.

*****

The announcement from headquarters came swiftly. Thea was cleared of any wrongdoing in the company data leak, and the real culprit was still under investigation.

While her former position as deputy manager wasn't reinstated, she was given a new role as secretary to the CEO's office at Avon Ventures, with authority equivalent to Jake's. Meanwhile, Madelyn's position as deputy manager was eliminated. Going forward, Jake would need Thea's approval for any decisions.

As Thea moved her belongings back into the office, she made a point of passing by Madelyn's workspace.

The office door was ajar, revealing Jake and Madelyn in an embrace. Madelyn sobbed uncontrollably in Jake's arms, her frail form trembling as if she might faint.

Jake held her close with one hand, murmuring reassurances, but his other hand was clenched in a fist, his suppressed rage evident.

Thea knocked on the door, cutting into their moment. "Excuse me, Miss Terell. Could you hurry and pack your things? Mr. Nicolas Hendrix has assigned me a lot of work, and I need to get started.

"You wouldn't want to hold up someone else's job, would you? Also, I don't like the tacky decorations in this office, so make sure to get rid of everything."

Madelyn's sobs grew even more pitiful.

Jake's eyes reddened with fury as he shot a glare at Thea. "Are you happy now? Look at what you've done to Madelyn."

Before he could continue, Madelyn shook her head, her tearful face full of sorrow. "Jake, don't blame Miss Rowland. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have tried to take this position. She's right to punish me." Her voice trembled as tears streamed down her face. Jake's anger only deepened. His expression hardened as he turned back to Thea. "This is Avon Ventures, part of the Hendrix family's empire. You don't get to call the shots here.

"I'll be going to the Hendrix family this week to officially end our engagement. Let's see how you continue to act so arrogantly at Avon Ventures without their protection."

Instead of reacting with panic, Thea remained calm, even showing a trace of disdain.

She sighed, "I can't believe I wasted seven years on you. If you just stopped to think for a second, you'd realize why Mr. Nicolas Hendrix demoted Madelyn and removed her from power. Do you think it's because of me? Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not that influential." Thea's gaze then shifted to Madelyn. "You know what you did."

Madelyn's sobbing abruptly ceased. Her eyes widened with a mix of fear and confusion.

As Thea left the room, Jake stood frozen, staring after her as if he was still struggling to comprehend what had just unfolded.

Madelyn gritted her teeth and suddenly clung tightly to Jake's hand. "Jake," she began, her voice wavering with desperation, "you won't leave me, right? Will you take me back to the Hendrix family and announce our relationship?"

The affection in Jake's eyes instantly faded, and his tone was cold. "Madelyn, that's not what you said before."

Madelyn lowered her face weakly into Jake's palm. "But I'm carrying your child."

*****

After work, the sky, once bright in the morning, had turned rainy.

Thea felt a headache coming on. She gritted her teeth and used her bag as a makeshift umbrella, hurrying into the rain.

It felt as if all the wind and rain were targeting her. Cold water trickled through her sleeves and collar, sending a shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, a tall figure in a suit appeared in front of her. A shadow fell over her, blocking the rain.

Thea looked up and found herself face to face with Nicolas, his expression composed and dignified. She felt momentarily dazed.

"Mr. Hendrix." She shivered as the cold breeze hit her wet clothes.

Noticing her discomfort, Nicolas asked, "Didn't you check the weather before leaving?"

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Thea lowered her head. "I just forgot my umbrella."

Nicolas shifted his gaze and walked away. Thea quickly followed.

"In the future, when you accompany me on business trips, understanding the local weather and customs will be a basic part of your responsibilities," Nicolas said. Thea nodded, taking his words seriously. Glancing up, she realized he had led her to his car.

Standing by, Darwin opened the car door for her.

Noticing her confusion, Nicolas explained calmly, "You're coming with me to deal with a troublesome person."