Chapter 136 The State of Your Engagement
Chapter 136 The State of Your Engagement
Ste was momentarily stunned when Audrey approached her, and they shared a big hug.
"Ste, it''s been so long! Haven''t you missed me at all?"
Ste chuckled and yfully pinched Audrey''s little nose.
"Of course I missed you! Life felt less exciting without your chattering in my ear."
Audrey''s eyes sparkled with delight as she let out a joyful giggle.
However, Ste could not help but notice the middle-aged woman standing behind Audrey.
Despite her well-maintained appearance for her age, her short, wavy hair, the boldly branded suit, and
the Herm?s limited edition bag hanging over her shoulderbined to give her an outfit that felt
somewhat peculiar andical.
"Ahem!" The woman cleared her throat pointedly.
Audrey promptly pulled her over and introduced her to Ste. "Ste, this is my mom. She''s here in
Eldoria to visit me!"
Ste was surprised to learn that this was the Martinez family''s matriarch.
Aren''t the Martinez family known for their prestige and wealth? It''s a bit unexpected to see someone
adorned in brands from head to toe...
To avoid appearing impolite, Ste maintained a reserved smile.
"Ms. Opal Moss." Audrey yfully grimaced. "This is Ste. She''s my closest friend here in Eldoria!"
Opal removed her sunsses and appraised Ste from top to bottom.
So, this is Ste. The woman who has stolen Noah''s heart and turned him into a lovestruck husband,
making the famous Noah Martinez live a low-profile life in Eldoria. Ste Taylor?
Opal frowned.
At a nce, she could not discern anything particrly exceptional about Ste. She remarked that
Ste was slender, with a delicate, clean appearance and finely chiseled features.
However,pared to the women Noah had associated with in the past, she believed Ste fell far
short of their standards!
Hmph, I didn''t expect this little white rabbit to manage to catch Noah''s attention!
"Mom!" Audrey nudged Opal, giving her a meaningful look. "Don''t stare at people like that!"
"Oh, my apologies!" Opal quicklyposed herself, putting on a friendly smile. "Miss Taylor, you''re
absolutely stunning, and this cafe is delightful! You must be quite aplished!"
Ste offered a bashful smile and gestured for Opal to take a seat.
They settled in the courtyard, basking in the warm sunlight. Thete summer air carried a hint of
crispness while the irises swayed gently in the breeze.
Ste engaged in a brief exchange of pleasantries and was about to stand up to prepare coffee at the
cafe when Noah emerged from the shop.
"Honey, the cookies are done!"
Opal was taken aback by his appearance.
In a simple T-shirt, jeans, and an apron, he seemed like a man who embraced his inner child, dashing
about with enthusiasm.
Seeing Ste, Noah smiled and gave her a yful little head bump, kissing her cheek.
His sunny smile was a sight Opal had never witnessed at home.
She was shocked, momentarily unable to collect her thoughts.
On the other hand, Noah was equally taken aback when he noticed her.
After a brief pause, his face lost the smile and reverted to its usual cold and guarded demeanor.
Ste smiled and linked her arm with him. "Darling, this is Audrey''s mother. She came to Eldoria to visit
Audrey."
Audrey hastened to rify. "Oh... Mom, his name is... Liam Anderson. He''s Ste''s husband."
She emphasized the name "Liam Anderson" strongly.
Opal reacted swiftly and immediately smiled, addressing him as "Mr. Anderson."
Noah maintained a stern expression, nodding slightly.
Ste gave an embarrassed smile.
She was well aware that her husband possessed many admirable qualities, but his initial expression
when encountering strangers was consistently bewildering to people.
"Darling..." She gently tugged at him. "How about you bring us some cookies? We''ve baked cranberry
cookies this time, and Audrey loves them."
"Sure." Noah agreed in a nonchnt tone before turning to go inside.
Audrey exchanged a nce with Opal and told Ste, "Ste, I need to use the restroom!"
Ste was momentarily surprised but was then led by Opal to continue their conversation, unable to
continue with making coffee.
She smiled and decided to sit in the courtyard to chat with Opal.
Once Audrey was inside, she immediately spotted the broad back of the man behind the bar. As she
quietly approached, Noah suddenly turned and fixed his icy gaze on her.
The girl''s heart trembled intensely, and she nervously called his name. "Noah..."
His expression darkened, and he questioned, "Why did you bring Opal here?"
Audrey anxiously waved her hands in denial.
"I didn''t intend to do anything! Noah, you should thank my mom. If it weren''t for her intervention, Gwen
would be the one visiting today!"
"What?"
Noah raised an eyebrow, and his gaze turned even darker and more intense.
"She knows?!"
"She probably doesn''t know you''re here. I''ve been in Eldoria for a while, and she''s been talking about
He nodded, and his furrowed brows rxed slightly.
"Don''t worry. Although my mom tends to nag a lot, she knows precisely when to speak and when to
hold her tongue." Audrey assured Noah.
He did not have much to worry about this aspect either, given Opal''s kindness to him over the years.
However, he could not shake the unease about so many peopleing to Eldoria.
"If there isn''t anything else, get back to your seat." His expression softened. "Uncle Christopher and the
others still believe I''m in Mintwale. It might arouse suspicion if you keep visiting Eldoria."
"He still thinks you''re in Mintwale!" Audrey grinned. "Have you forgotten that my mom is aputer
genius? Those videos of you feeding pigeons in the square, which ended up in Uncle Christopher''s
hands, were all her doing! He can''t tell the difference."
Noah nodded in acknowledgment as he looked at her. "Pass on my thanks to Opal."
"My mom says we''re all family, so no need for thanks!" she replied.
He chuckled and patted her shoulder.
However, Audrey broached a rather sudden topic. "Noah, are you not nning to return to Emberfall?"
Noah furrowed his brow and gazed at her with confusion.
"Gwen has been quite persistenttely. She''s always inquiring about you and bringing up the
engagement. Noah, I understand your feelings for Ste, but what do you n to do about your
engagement with Gwen?"
His eyes tensed, and his demeanor swiftly turned stern.
"When did I ever have an engagement with the Kent family?!"
Noah''s actions were somewhat forceful, and he identally sent the coffee pot crashing to the floor
with a resounding noise, creating a mess on the ground.
Audrey stood there timidly, herplexion paling, not daring to utter another word.
Since meeting Ste, the mere mention of engagement had be a painful subject for him.
In truth, it was not a formal engagement he had willingly epted, and there had been no clear
indication from both families to solidify a marital alliance.
However, due to Gwen''s longstanding closeness to Noah since their school days and thepatibility
of their families, their parents had subtly arranged it this way.
He held no affection for her to the extent that he could not even recall her appearance clearly.
Before meeting Ste, he had assumed that his choice of a life partner held little significance. But now,
he wished for nothing more than to be solely with Ste after meeting her.
"What''s going on?" Ste arrived in response to themotion and beheld Noah''s ashen face, Audrey
standing frozen at the side, and the shattered coffee pot.
Oh, no!
Ste could not help but wonder if his temper had red up once more, causing Audrey to be
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