Chapter 156

Thea’s voice was icy. “I’m not joking. I really am married. If you don’t believe me, feel free to verify my marriage records immediately.” Max’s face grew serious. Thea didn’t look like she was bluffing. He subtly signaled one of the bodyguards.

Duncan, slightly annoyed, muttered under his breath, “Max, just send her to the Xander family already. Even if she’s unwilling, there’s nothing she can do. She’s just trying to buy time, probably waiting for someone to come help her.” Though he spoke quietly, his words reached Thea’s ears. Her hand gripped the armrest tightly. Duncan had finally shown a bit of cleverness, but Max only sneered in response. “What, you think Nicolas is going to rescue her? She’s just a mistress with no status. Nicolas probably forgot about her already. If he wanted to save her, he’d have taken her away last night, not left her here.” A pang of pain constricted Thea’s heart as confusion clouded her eyes. Nicolas hadn’t come yet. She wondered if he had abandoned her, if the suit jacket and note were an empty promise.

Before long, the investigator returned with the results. Instead of announcing them, he whispered something in Max’s ear. Max walked over to Thea, gripping her wheelchair forcefully, his expression intense. He asked, “Tell me, who is that man?” “What?” Thea was momentarily caught off guard.

Max was angry. “The man you married. You really did get married. It’s a big deal, and you didn’t bother consulting your family? Not only that, but you managed to keep this man’s identity completely hidden. My people couldn’t find a trace. Who on earth is he?” “You mean, you still don’t know who my husband is?” Thea gave him a strange look. “Max, think it through. Even if I were that resourceful, how could I have hidden this from your people? Which means whoever he is, he’s beyond the reach of your resources. Are you sure you want to continue treating me like this?”

A flicker of fear crossed Max’s gaze, though he quickly composed himself. After a moment, he straightened up, turning to Corey. “There’s been a misunderstanding. She’s not married at all. You can take her away.” Corey exhaled, visibly relieved.

Thea stared at Max in disbelief, wanting to ask if he’d lost his mind. He knew she was married, but he insisted on handing her over to the Xander family.

“Max!” Her voice trembled. “Are you sure about this? Are you not afraid that he might turn out to be Nicolas?”

Max looked completely unruffled. “Oh, I forgot to mention,” he said. “Emmalie has a dinner date with Nicolas tonight. Yes, he’s already in town. If he were the one, why hasn’t he come for you by now? And as for anything else, I have ways to handle it.” As long as Thea’s mysterious husband wasn’t Nicolas, he could manage the rest.

Sooner or later, Thea would reveal who this man was. Once they located him, arranging a divorce would be easy; they wouldn’t even need Thea’s involvement. After all, once she married into the Xander family, everything would be taken care of.

“You’re all mad!” Thea shouted, her body trembling. “Every one of you is out of your minds!”

Ivy avoided her accusing gaze, waving a hand. “Hurry up and take her out.”

Unable to walk, Thea could only let them wheel her away. Just then, she encountered Nicolas head-on. He strode forward, but never glanced at her.

Thea’s heart sank. She had been clinging to the hope of his arrival since last night, but now that he was here, all she felt was a cold, bitter emptiness. Thea forced back her tears, refusing to look at him.

Emmalie brightened upon seeing Nicolas, laughing coyly as she ran to greet him. But just then, a heavy hand gripped Thea’s wheelchair. The tires screeched against the floor, nearly flinging her forward. She raised her head, giving him a puzzled look, unable to decipher his intentions.

Standing tall, Nicolas faced the stares around him and asked, “Where are you planning to take Thea?” Max offered a forced smile. “Well, Thea has long been promised to Mr. Xander. The two of them have reached the age of marriage, after all.”

A chill ran down Max’s spine. Emmalie quickly added, “Exactly. It’s all Thea’s own decision. She and Mr. Xander have known each other for ages and have a perfectly normal, loving relationship.”

Corey stepped forward, positioning himself on the other side of Thea. He met Nicolas’s eyes squarely. “Thea and I are a perfect match,” Corey declared calmly. “I don’t mind that she had a seven-year relationship in the past. To me, she is already my wife.”

Nicolas ignored him. He turned his head and called out, “Darwin.” Without hesitation, Darwin advanced and delivered a solid punch to Corey. Everyone was stunned. Corey nearly stumbled, clutching his bruised cheek with a look of indignant rage. He sputtered, “Mr. Hendrix, what’s the meaning of this?”

Max, flustered, stepped close to Nicolas. “Mr. Hendrix, I understand your anger, and we beg your forgiveness. I know Thea’s relationship with you, but she can’t remain a mistress forever. She needs to marry and have a family. We ask for your understanding.”

“Mistress?” Nicolas murmured, finding the word absurd. His gaze intensified as he looked at Max. “Who told you Thea is my mistress? She’s my legal wife.”

His final words, though spoken softly, struck like thunder. Max stood in stunned silence, wishing he’d misheard. Emmalie was even more shaken, her voice shrill with disbelief. “That’s impossible! You’re saying you married Thea?”

“What’s wrong?” Nicolas’s sharp gaze swept over everyone present. “Do you need me to produce our marriage license to prove the truth of my words?”