Quentin made his way to Dennis' office. He plopped onto his leather couch and lamented, "Noelle won't forgive me. What should I do?"After listening to Quentin's account, Dennis looked at him helplessly. "Didn't she tell you what she wanted? All you have to do is turn back time to that night."Quentin was at a loss for words. Was he trying to annoy him on purpose? If he had the ability to turn back time, he wouldn't be here.Dennis exclaimed, "Oh, but I still can't believe you promised to spend her birthday with her and then went back on your word. Who else can you blame but yourself?"Also, just like you said, it was her first birthday after you guys decided to start over. In all these years, have you ever celebrated her birthday? I'm sure you've celebrated countless birthdays with Xyla but never with Mrs. Lowe, right?"Quentin frowned and remained silent."Honestly, I think you're screwed!" Dennis didn't mince words. Quentin was a shrewd businessman, who had zero emotional inte
"Please don't do anything drastic. I'm here for you!" he told Xyla, sitting on the edge of the bed.Xyla looked scared and anxious. "Quint, will the police come and take me away?"All of a sudden, she grabbed his hand. "Could you tell Noelle that I'll give everything back? Just don't let the police take me away! I won't take anything from you again, I promise!"His heart ached. He took her hands, pulled her into his embrace, and gently patted her back. "No one is going to take you away. The things I gave you are yours; no one has the right to take them away!"Xyla rested her head on his shoulder and nodded. "Okay."After calming her down, Quentin rose to his feet and reminded Ava, "Be more careful in the future. Keep anything dangerous out of Xy's reach!"Ava hurriedly nodded. "Understood, Mr. Lowe."In the quiet room, his breathing grew heavy. He turned around and left. A sly smile crept onto Ava's face. When she turned around, her eyes crinkled. "Ms. Cadwell…"…Meanwhile, o
Noticing the sarcasm in her expression, he frowned at her. "What do you mean?"Noelle responded, "I meant what I said." At this point, she had completely given up on him. She didn't even want to say another word to him. Xyla's tricks had always worked, not just because of her acting skills but because he'd enabled her. Just then, Xyla's attending physician came over and told Quentin, "Mrs. Lowe's test results from this morning are out, Mr. Lowe. Please come with me to pick them up later. Mrs. Lowe's condition is still very unstable. As her husband, you should spend more time with her."Quentin felt awkward and was about to correct the doctor when Noelle chuckled. Her eyes were brimming with sarcasm as she asked, "When did you marry another woman, Mr. Lowe?"His forehead creased. "Noelle, I—" However, she had already turned and walked away. In her haste, she ran into a cleaning cart, hitting her ribs. Then, she staggered. The pain made it hard for her to catch her breath. All tha
Quentin came to a halt in front of the female doctor. Several young medical personnel were also present. All of them were taken aback by his imposing presence.Quentin said coldly, "Listen here, Xyla Cadwell is not my wife. My wife's name is Noelle Xanthos. I am not Xyla's husband; I am Noelle's husband! From now on, be careful of what you say!"The female doctor's eyes darted around nervously as she stammered a few incoherent words in response. It was obvious that she was intimidated by his imposing presence. She was new to the hospital, having just been transferred from another region, and had no idea who Quentin was or what rumors surrounded him.After he left, the medical personnel started gossiping, "Xyla wasn't Mr. Lowe's wife to begin with. Who said she was his wife? She's just a mistress who wants to take the rightful Mrs. Lowe's place!"The female doctor's face flushed from embarrassment. She immediately grabbed Xyla's medical record, stormed into her ward, and flung it
"I ran into the hospital's cleaning cart, but it's okay. I'll be fine after a short rest," Noelle said sheepishly. Yvette insisted on calling John, and she couldn't stop her, nor did she have the strength to do so.Overwhelmed by concern, John rushed forward to help her up. "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital!""I'm fine, really. I'm a medical student. I know what I'm doing!" That accident wouldn't have hurt her much; she was probably just emotionally strained."Then, let me call my family doctor over!" His usually gentle eyes were now clouded with worry because of her.Her eyes misted over. Why did the warmth she so desperately craved always come from someone other than Quentin? Why was he only capable of causing her heartache? "Okay…" she choked out. John immediately contacted his family physician. After hanging up, he turned to Noelle. "What happened?" He wondered why she would run into a cleaning cart."Did Quentin pick on you?" he inquired, noting her silence. He was
Quentin shot her a menacing glare. "Do you want me to tell your parents that you were out hiking Cedarfield at night?" Yvette's heart skipped a beat. She immediately shook her head, shut her mouth, and obediently backed away.When her cousin wasn't mad at her, she'd dare to push his limits a little. But she wouldn't dare to do so in this situation. Deep down, she feared Quentin, the future head of the family and her eldest cousin."Get your ass over here, Noelle!" Quentin called out grimly. Noelle frowned. Was he going to assert his dominance over her again? "What can I do for you, Mr. Lowe?" she asked calmly with a frown. He responded, "You're my wife. Why do you think I called you over?"He then shifted his attention to John. "Mr. Xenos, are you just going to stand there and watch us get it on?" After saying that, he loosened his tie and sat on the living room couch as if he owned the place.Her breathing grew heavy with rage. "Quentin Lowe, how dare you?" Who gave him the ri
Quentin snapped, "We don't need it!" Then, he slammed the door shut.The family physician was startled. How could John's friend be so rude? At a loss, he called John. "Mr. Xenos, it appears that Ms. Xanthos doesn't need my services." Even if he didn't treat Noelle, he had to let John know. The latter fell silent for a moment before he realized what was going on. Quentin would never allow his doctor to treat Noelle. "You can head back now."Suppressing his anger, he called Noelle. She picked up the phone from her nightstand and answered it. John's voice was gentle yet laced with concern. "How're you feeling now? Are you feeling better?"Noelle responded apologetically, "I feel much better now, Jo." She felt embarrassed for making him worry so much about her."That's good to know," John responded. He hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately didn't. "Get some rest.""I will." After hanging up the phone, Noelle looked up and noticed Quentin standi
Noelle's stomach didn't hurt anymore, so she took a short nap. When she woke up, Quentin was still asleep, and his features seemed softer. Noelle picked up her phone and noticed a message from Yvette: "Did Quentin give you a hard time, Noelle?"Noelle: "Nope."Yvette: "Even though I'm rooting for Mr. Xenos, I still hope things work out with you and Quentin. After all, both of you are closer in age. Mr. Xenos is a little older… F-Forget what I said. Don't listen to me…" she sent a bunch of gibberish.Noelle tugged at the corner of her lips. Yvette was probably scared of her cousin and was ready to give in, which was why she sent all these messages.Noelle: "I know what to do, so you should focus on your studies!"Then, Janet called, and she answered it. "Elle, come over to Lane Mansion in a bit. By the way, is Quentin with you? Come together. I want to celebrate your birthday."Noelle glanced at the man, who was still asleep beside her. She was tempted to turn Janet down, as she w
"Sorry, but if I ever get married, it definitely won't be to either of you."Noelle had originally come to visit Christian, but now she didn't feel like staying anymore. She was beyond frustrated.Christian's sharp, dangerous eyes narrowed in an instant, brimming with hostility as he locked his gaze on Noelle. Quentin's handsome face darkened as well, his mood turning stormy.Noelle spun around and walked out."We'll see about that," Quentin muttered, getting up to leave as well.As he passed by the clinic where Noelle worked, he cast a glance in that direction before heading out.Near the end of the workday, Russ called. "Ms. Xanthos, Mr. Xanthos has arranged for you to meet a boxing champion. Are you free now? I can take you to meet him."Noelle couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and bitterness. She had lived 24 years, and only now did he care about whether she had any self-defense skills. Isn't it a little late for that?Still, she went.After one session, she was dr
Noelle quietly closed the door behind her. Leonard glanced over, saw it was her, and put away his phone. "He just fell asleep. Ms. Xanthos, you should head home and rest. I'll keep watch tonight," he said softly.Noelle shook her head. "He took the knife for me. How could I go home? I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. I'd rather stay here and keep an eye on him."She sat down on the couch, her gaze heavy with concern as she looked at Christian sleeping.Leonard nodded. "Alright, you stay here. I'll step out for a bit," he said before leaving the room.Noelle nodded.Christian's phone, sitting on the nightstand, pinged with a WhatsApp notification.Noelle walked over, picked up the phone, and saw a message from someone with the nickname "The Blomming Fifties.""What a flashy name," she thought with a faint smirk.But for some reason, curiosity tugged at her—she suddenly felt a strong urge to peek into Christian's private world as if she might uncover something hidden beneath t
Noelle remained silent.In Dragfort, ever since Quentin had learned early that morning about Christian taking a knife for Noelle, he had locked himself in his office. It had been three hours now.The morning executive meeting was canceled, and his client appointments were rescheduled. Senior staff members who needed his signature on documents stood hesitating at the door, feeling the oppressive atmosphere even from outside the office.Department heads waiting to give their reports also lingered at the door, too intimidated to enter.In the end, they all turned their pleading eyes toward Martin.But even Martin was hesitant to go in.After all, he had witnessed the weight of Quentin's emotions—shock, frustration, and a deep sense of defeat—that had cast a heavy, oppressive mood over the office.Martin made a call to Dennis, knowing only he could possibly get through to Quentin now."Mr. Jackman, you need to come over," Martin said quietly, making sure to step into a quieter co
Even though Christian was in obvious pain, he forced himself not to make a sound.Such a stubborn fool.The door knocked twice, and Leonard walked in. Seeing Noelle, he greeted her, "Ms. Xanthos."Noelle's eyes were red, but she didn't respond.Christian opened his eyes slightly and said, "Don't tell anyone I'm injured."Leonard nodded."Tell them I'm on a business trip," Christian added.Leonard raised an eyebrow, "Bro, with a wound like that, how long do you think this 'trip' will last before people catch on?"Christian shot him a cold glare, and Leonard quickly relented, "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll handle it."Christian closed his eyes again, waves of pain crashing over him like a relentless tide.Suddenly, he opened his eyes once more. "Silly girl."Noelle paused, her tear-filled eyes looking at him.A smile tugged at the corner of Christian's mouth. "Get out for a bit. You look terrible."Noelle's lips twitched as her damp lashes fluttered, and a surge of unexplainabl
Just as the man raised the knife for a second strike, the security team arrived and swiftly pinned him down.Noelle heard a low grunt behind her, followed by Christian's pained chuckle. "Good thing it wasn't him."Noelle's heart clenched as she turned to see Christian, clutching his shoulder, slumped against her legs.He was wearing a beige coat, now stained with a large patch of blood around his shoulder.Christian was rushed to emergency surgery, but Noelle remained frozen in her chair, her mind replaying his words, "Good thing it wasn't him."Who wasn't it? Quentin?Why did he say that? Why did he act this way?The image of Christian's blood-soaked coat lingered in her mind. The wound—how deep was it?Noelle sat there, numb and lost in thought for an unknown period, until Michael appeared.He glanced at her through the doorway, but without a word, he continued walking past.A little while later, Kara gently patted her shoulder. "They've moved him to a room. You should go s
Emmie smiled and placed a few more ravioli on Noelle's plate. "Then eat a little more. It's your mom's first time cooking, and once you're in the Utopia States, you won't have this."It wasn't like she had never cooked before—she had made instant noodles when she was alone.Noelle ate a small bowl of ravioli without pausing, her stomach now full and round. Her eyes welled up with tears, though whether it was from happiness or something else, no one could tell.After dinner, Noelle stayed for a bit before leaving.Emmie watched Noelle's car disappear down the driveway before finally going upstairs.Michael, leaning back on the bed, heard her soft footsteps approaching and lifted his eyelids.The bedroom was dark, and when Emmie stepped in, her gaze met Michael's dark, piercing eyes. She paused at the doorway, and he continued watching her."Lia must be blind. She couldn't tell if it was you or the driver," Emmie said coldly, walking straight to the other side of the bed and pulli
Emmie was at a loss for words.Michael said, "Your daughter's leaving for the Utopia States soon. You should take this time to spend with her."Emmie's breath hitched. "Elle agreed?"Michael nodded. "Yes."It was the best way for Noelle to get away from those two men and focus on her own growth.After a night's rest, Noelle felt much better the next morning. Emmie called her, inviting her to Gentle Glades after work.What Noelle didn't expect was to see Michael there as well.He was lounging on the couch in casual clothes, flipping through a medical journal. Emmie, wearing an apron, seemed to be busy in the kitchen. When Noelle walked in, Emmie immediately came out."Elle!" Emmie's gentle face was filled with warmth as she took Noelle's hand.Noelle felt a bit disoriented.In her memory, Emmie's life was filled with books and work, never with the kitchen. And Michael—she hadn't seen him so relaxed and calm, casually reading a magazine on the couch, in over a decade.It felt
Michael couldn't forget the look Elijah had given him that day—a mocking smile, full of meaning. Elijah slowly pulled back, revealing Emmie's curled-up body underneath him.Without a word, Michael opened his phone and pulled up a social media app. He tossed the phone to Emmie. "Take a look for yourself."Emmie looked down and saw a video posted by Elijah just minutes earlier. It was of her feeding him. She watched in disbelief, then replayed it. The account was undeniably Elijah's."Scroll down. There's more," Michael's voice drifted from the couch.Emmie's fingers moved down the screen, her peripheral vision catching a glimpse of Michael sitting with his legs crossed, taking a sip of coffee handed to him by the housekeeper.Further down, she found a photo posted by Elijah a month ago, showing her preparing his medicine. The footage seemed to be taken from security cameras.But none of these posts had appeared on her social media feed.She had never seen them on her phone.Mich
Quentin didn't deny it.Noelle's chest tightened as she remembered that day in Ocean City when Christian had said Gillian deserved to be slapped. Now, it all made sense.At the time, she had sarcastically asked him if he would treat her the same way once he got tired of her.His response had been, "Do you think I'm tired of her, and that's why I did it?"Now she understood. Christian had known all along that it was Quentin who had called Gillian to Ocean City.A wave of frustration swelled in Noelle's chest. Her fingers clenched tightly as the memory of Christian's sweet words clashed with the thought of him being with Gillian. Bitterness gnawed at her.Just then, the door opened again, and a strong, steady figure entered. His gaze swept silently over the two men in the room before he walked straight to the bed."Elle?""Clement!" At the sight of him, Noelle's eyes brimmed with tears."Let's go home," Clement said as he turned and carefully lifted her onto his back. Noelle res