Norah shrugged, “I’m not. I’ve never claimed to be Mrs. Sam.” After saying this, Norah let out a long sigh, “I came to see if there was anything fun, but I didn’t expect it to be so dull. Since that’s the case, I’ll take my leave.” She gave Ava a meaningful smile and patted her shoulder, “Don’t invite me to such boring things next time.” She had thought they could come up with something interesting, but they were so foolish; it was truly disappointing.
After Norah left, Adaline and Ava remained stunned in place. This person wasn’t even Mrs. Sam? One could only imagine how surprised Adaline and Ava looked, but what surprised them even more was yet to come.
They saw Sam Noah reach out and pull Thelma into his arms, holding her tightly. His expression was cold, and every word he spoke was powerful and resonant, “My wife is a low-key person. Out of respect for her, I have never disclosed her identity, but I didn’t expect it to cause such a huge misunderstanding. Today, I must formally introduce her to you all. This lady, Thelma, is my wife, Sam Noah.”
Hearing Sam Noah’s words, Ava felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Thelma actually married Sam Noah; what qualifications did she have? Her voice was gone, her innocence destroyed—on what grounds could she still marry Sam Noah?
Adaline also wore a face of disbelief. It seemed she had received the wrong information. However, being a smart person, she knew it was not the time to wade into this murky water, so she quietly slipped away while others were still in shock.
Chris and Susan were clearly shaken by the news as well.
Sam Noah’s gaze swept over Chris, and with an expressionless face, he said, “Mr. Chris, I respect you as Thelma’s father and will call you ‘Mr.’ However, when you fail to distinguish between public and private matters and show bias that harms Thelma, she has severed ties with you. She is my wife now; any mistakes she makes should be addressed by me.”
Although Chris was an elder, he was completely subdued by Sam Noah’s imposing presence. Chris understood that the man standing before him was not a junior or his son-in-law; he was simply someone with more wealth, connections, and power than he had. Having flattered and fawned over others in the business world many times, he could only force a dry laugh and say, “Mr. Sam is right; I was out of line. I misunderstood earlier and didn’t know Thelma had married you. I thought she was afraid of making mistakes, and I was only looking out for her.”
“For her good?” Sam Noah’s tone was laced with sarcasm, but he ultimately gave him a bit of face and did not pursue the matter further. His gaze then coldly swept to Susan.
Susan lacked Chris’s ability to handle the situation and immediately trembled in fear, her smile becoming somewhat stiff.
“You are also doing this for Thelma’s good?”
“I… I…” Susan was stunned by his words, stammering for a long time without managing to say a complete sentence.
Seeing this, Chris hurriedly interjected, “She hasn’t read much and doesn’t know how to speak appropriately. Mr. Sam, there’s no need to lower yourself to her level.”
Susan knew Chris was trying to help her out, but being called uneducated in front of so many people and having it implied that arguing with her was beneath him was too damaging to her pride.
Yet at that moment, she couldn’t say anything. Susan’s face instantly flushed red, and she lowered her head, biting her teeth hard.
“In the future, I don’t want to hear you speak ill of Thelma again. You know very well how you became her stepmother; what qualifications do you have to teach her a lesson?”
Sam Noah’s words were incredibly blunt. Those who knew him understood that he was quite adept at maintaining appearances and would never lack the necessary politeness in social interactions. It was rare for him to directly warn someone in front of so many people.
To be honest, as an observer, Thelma couldn’t help but feel a bit frightened by his demeanor. He was usually composed, handling matters calmly and decisively, yet he was so fierce in his protection of her.
He wrapped his arm around her, holding her tightly. His embrace felt like a harbor, a place where only she could dock. She turned her head to look at him, only able to see his profile. The overhead lights were dazzling, casting a soft glow on his face. His fierce words were meant to protect her, yet she found him incredibly handsome in that moment.
