Married to a Secret Billionaire (Stella Taylor)

Chapter 113 Clean Hands

Chapter 113 Clean Hands

Noah's cold stare persisted, his eyes filled with vigilance and a dangerous intensity.

"Liam." Jericho sneered, giving him a sly gaze. "The rent and decor of this place must have cost you

quite a bit. Where did you find all that money?"

"That's none of your business." Noah's expression remained icy.

"We're buddies. I've had your back in prison before, remember?" Jericho arrogantly continued, "If

you're short on cash, just say the word. I'll lend it to you. I don't want you to struggle too much, you

know."

"Thanks, but I'm good."

"So now you've got some principles, huh? Liam, are you depending on your wife, as the rumors

suggest?"

Jericho's gaze shifted to Stella, who was standing behind Noah.

Noah clenched his fist, the veins in his strong forearm tensing visibly.

"Enough with your nonsense," a small yet resolute voice chimed in.

Stella positioned herself in front of Noah, her beautiful, large eyes displaying unwavering determination.

While she might appear delicate in some matters, she would not yield when it came to defending her

husband.

"Mr. Hart, my husband gave me this store as a gift, and we are not short of money. He's working hard

and is dedicated to our family. He shares all his earnings with me. In my eyes, he's the best husband in

the world. So please, be mindful of your words in the future and refrain from making judgments based

on such a limited perspective."

Jericho's eyes carefully studied the young woman standing before him.

After a moment, he let out a soft snort and emphatically replied, "Lady, it's not that my perspective is

limited. It's just that your husband is a truly disappointing individual. Do you know why he was

imprisoned in the past?"

"Jericho!" Mia suddenly stepped forward, her eyes fixed on him. "You are not welcome here. Please

leave!"

Jericho's heart tightened.

He slowly turned around and removed his sunglasses. Eight years had passed, and the woman he had

once known felt distant and unfamiliar.

Their dynamics and the way they looked at each other had transformed from what it used to be.

Jericho forced a smile and asked, "Miss Thompson, have you been well?"

Mia could not sense the effort he was making to keep his voice steady.

"Jericho." She took a deep breath. "Today is a joyous occasion for my friend's grand opening, and we

don't want your presence to spoil the celebration. So please, be sensible and leave."

"Who said I came to cause trouble?" He scoffed and pointed to the rows of flower baskets outside. "I've

even brought congratulatory gifts!"

"Besides, you consider that man your friend?" Jericho's gaze held a hint of disdain, and he sneered

arrogantly.

Mia frowned, her body trembling slightly. "Stella is my best friend! Since she married Liam, Liam has

been my friend as well. I won't allow anyone to disrupt things in my friend's place!"

His fingers on the sunglasses tightened again.

He looked at her quietly, and a hint of warmth flashed in his profound eyes.

She's still the same, standing up for her friends, loyal, and sentimental. But does she ever realize that

the world is full of traps, and one could easily fall into an abyss without realizing it?

Jericho remained silent for a while, then chuckled and signaled for his men to enter the cafe.

Over a dozen black-clad men entered, instantly changing the atmosphere in the small cafe.

"You're joking, Miss Thompson." He grinned. "I'm not here to cause any trouble. I'm just a guest." Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

He turned his gaze to the couple. "Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson, could you kindly prepare some coffee

for us? Lattes with no sugar!"

As Stella had never been in such a situation before, her heart raced with anxiety, even if she appeared

calm on the surface.

She instinctively held Noah's arm and shot him a quick, nervous glance.

Her husband, however, remained composed. He stepped forward and calmly addressed the situation.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have enough supplies today to serve so many people. Mr. Hart, you're welcome

to return another time if you'd like a coffee."

"No coffee? Well, how about some dessert then!" Jericho noticed some cookies on the table and

casually reached for one.

However, Noah swiftly cleared the tray and gave Jericho a sharp, warning look before the latter could

grab a cookie.

Jericho was caught off guard, and his expression turned hostile. He reached out to grab Noah's hand.

Noah had anticipated the move and swiftly sidestepped, seizing Jericho's wrist. The two locked in a

tense standoff, creating a palpable atmosphere of tension.

The dozens of black-clad men around them also seemed ready to spring into action.

Stella's back was drenched in cold sweat.

Jericho suddenly threw a fierce punch, but Noah swiftly seized it, his expression icy and domineering.

The sheer force in the standoff made Jericho's heart skip a beat.

"Mr. Hart." Noah's tone carried a sardonic smile as he emphasized each word. "If you wish to practice

boxing, you are welcome to come to my boxing gym, and I'll gladly spar with you. However, today is the

grand opening of my wife's cafe. It would be best if you refrained from causing trouble. Otherwise, you

and your associates may find yourselves ill-matched against me!"

Jericho's brows furrowed deeply, and he suddenly focused his gaze on Noah's hand.

The Liam Anderson he had in mind had a burn mark on the back of his hand, but the man standing

before him showed unblemished skin without any signs of injury.

Jericho bit his lip and slowly straightened up in silence.

"Hmph, you sure are blessed to have a caring wife." He sneered. "But, Mrs. Anderson, you'd be better

off with anyone else besides this man here with your figure and looks. I have plenty of young talents

under my command. Shall I introduce one to you?"

"Why you-"

Stella was about to retort, but Mia rushed forward and delivered a heavy slap across his face before

Stella could speak.

"Mia..."

"Get lost." Mia sternly glared at the man before her. "Leave!"

The group of black-clad men began to stand up, but Jericho raised his hand to halt them. He touched

the side of his face that had been slapped, and the stinging pain seemed to penetrate deep into his

heart.

He chuckled softly, a faint sorrow crossing his eyes as he looked at her.

"How did you become like this?" Her voice trembled. "Jericho, take your men and leave right now. Do

not disturb my friends anymore."

He nodded and swiftly reverted to his usual rogue-like demeanor.

Jericho put his sunglasses back on, and with a casual wave, his entourage followed him out of the

courtyard. The several Porsche cars at the door roared to life and kicked up a cloud of dust.

The cafe gradually settled back into a tense calm, yet everyone was still shaken by the encounter.

Noah held Stella gently in his embrace while she worriedly glanced at Mia.

Mia did not appear well at all. Her face had turned pale, and she had to steady herself on the table. It

was as if Jericho had taken her soul with him when he left the cafe.

Aiden mustered the courage to hold her hand, but her icy touch surprised him.

"Mia." Stella went over and embraced her, whispering, "Let me take you home first."

Mia was silent for a long moment, her voice choked with emotion as she finally uttered, "I'm sorry."

With a smile, Stella shook her head and gently tucked away some loose strands of hair near Mia's ear.

She then instructed Noah to attend to the remaining guests and guided Mia out of the courtyard.