Chapter 177: My husband feeds me well

Meanwhile, Julianna stood before Thomas, who regarded her with a skeptical expression.

"I thought I was hired by a man," Thomas said, looking her over. "But you’re a woman?"

The confusion was evident in his voice. When he had first encountered the person who hired him that night, he hadn’t been able to see their face clearly. However, the person’s appearance and voice had led him to believe he was dealing with a man.

Julianna, however, had no interest in explaining herself.

"Did you bring what I paid you for?" she asked coldly.

Thomas glanced at her, then nodded.

"Why do you want it?"

Julianna’s expression hardened. "You’re not being paid to ask questions. Give me the thing, and your money will be sent to you."

Thomas hesitated.

He had agreed to the job for the money, but he wasn’t stupid. Whatever this woman had asked him to obtain, it was clearly something dangerous. He didn’t want to know the details, but he also didn’t want to become involved in something that could land him in trouble.

"I’m just trying to understand what I’m getting myself into," he said cautiously.

"And I’m telling you that you don’t need to understand anything," Julianna snapped. "You were hired to do a job. Now hand it over."

Thomas studied her for another moment before finally reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small bottle.

Julianna immediately took it from him.

"Now leave," she ordered. "And remember, don’t let me see your face again."

Thomas frowned at her bluntness but said nothing.

Julianna turned and walked away, unaware that two pairs of eyes were secretly watching her from behind the hedge.

Thomas let out a long sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Finally..." he muttered.

But just as he turned to leave, a firm kick struck him from behind.

"AGH!"

Before Thomas could scream again, Clara pressed a cloth over his face. With Hannah’s help, she grabbed a discarded blanket lying near their hiding spot and dragged him toward a secluded corner.

Hannah stared at Clara, clearly impressed by her strength.

"I never knew you were this strong," she said.

Clara winked at her. "My husband feeds me well."

Hannah shook her head.

Here she goes again with the husband thing.

There was no doubt Dominic took excellent care of Clara. However, hearing her mention him at every opportunity sometimes made everyone else feel painfully single.

Thank god I have Mark.

Hannah decided not to comment. She knew that if she encouraged Clara, she might spend the next ten minutes praising Dominic’s cooking, affection, generosity, and possibly his ability to breathe.

Instead, she helped drag Thomas into the secluded spot.

"Careful," Hannah muttered. "He’s heavier than he looks."

"That’s because he’s full of secrets," Clara replied.

"And probably sandwiches."

Together, they hauled him into the corner before Clara released her hold and let him slump against the wall.

"Agh!" Thomas groaned, slowly regaining consciousness. His hand immediately flew to his face, and he tore the cloth away.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded, glaring at them.

But the anger vanished from his face the moment his eyes landed on Clara.

His eyes widened.

Clara smiled sweetly. "Hello, Thomas. We need to have a little chat."

Thomas felt as though he had been struck by lightning. He knew the woman standing before him. She was the same woman he had seen with Gen that night.

And if that realization wasn’t shocking enough, he also remembered what she had done. Clara had fought men twice her size, leaving some of them crying in agony while others had fled because they couldn’t endure the pain shooting through their stomachs.

"I-I didn’t do anything," Thomas stammered.

He tried to scramble to his feet and escape, but Clara swiftly kicked him in the shoulder.

Thomas yelped and fell back against the wall.

Hannah’s eyes widened.

"You can fight too?" she asked, staring at Clara in disbelief. "I didn’t know that!"

Clara glanced at her, looking almost offended.

"What did you think I did all day?"

"Talk about your husband?"

Clara paused.

"That too."

Hannah pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.

She had always believed Clara’s greatest weapon was her sharp tongue—although that tongue often wandered into the most ridiculous conversations imaginable. But watching Clara deliver a precise kick with such effortless ease made Hannah wonder how many hidden talents the woman possessed.

Could she fight? Apparently.

Could she manipulate people with a single look? Definitely.

Could she turn every conversation into a discussion about Dominic? Without question.

Thomas, meanwhile, stared between the two women in growing panic.

"Look, whatever you think I did, I swear I—"

"Relax," Clara interrupted, crouching in front of him. "We’re only going to ask you a few questions."

Thomas swallowed nervously.

"Then why did you kick me?"

Clara tilted her head.

"To make sure you stayed for the conversation."

Hannah nodded thoughtfully.

"Very effective method."

Thomas looked at them both and silently wondered if he had somehow fallen into a nightmare.

His mind raced as Clara crouched in front of him, her expression far too cheerful for someone who had just kicked him into submission.

"What do you want?" he asked nervously.

Clara smiled. "That depends. What did you give Julianna?"

Thomas froze.

Hannah noticed the sudden change in his expression and leaned closer. "Oh, look. He knows exactly what we’re talking about."

"I don’t know anything!" Thomas protested.

Clara sighed dramatically. "Thomas, please. You’re not very good at lying."

"I’m excellent at lying!"

"Then you should know that announcing it makes you sound less convincing."

Hannah covered her mouth, hiding a laugh.

Thomas glared at them. "You two are insane."

"Maybe," Clara replied. "But we’re also curious. What was inside that bottle?"

Thomas’s face paled.

Clara’s smile disappeared, replaced by a cold, warning stare.

"Answer me."

Thomas glanced toward the exit, but Hannah stepped in front of it, folding her arms across her chest.

"Don’t even think about running," she warned. "I may not be able to fight like Clara, but I can scream loudly enough to bring half the crowd here."

Thomas looked between them.

"Are you threatening me?"

"No," Hannah said sweetly. "I’m informing you of your unfortunate options."

Clara nodded approvingly. "She’s very good at that."

Thomas swallowed hard. "It was just a small bottle. I don’t know what’s inside—Agh!"