Mark's expression changed slightly when his gaze landed on Lorraine. Janet picked up her shoes, surprised to see Noelle walking over. "What a coincidence, Elle!"Noelle linked her arm with Janet's affectionately. "Mom, this is my friend, Lorraine Summer." Lorrain's eyes crinkled into a playful smile as she greeted, "Hello, Mrs. Lowe."Across from them, Mark's eyes flickered. Lorraine pretended not to notice and turned her attention to Janet. "You carry yourself so well, Mrs. Lowe! You don't look your age at all."Janet responded, "You're too kind, Ms. Summer. I'm getting old; aging is inevitable."Mark gently said to Janet, "Alright, I think it's time we leave these youngins to their own devices. It's time for us 'ol timers' to head home."Janet smiled. "You're right!" She turned to Noelle and said, "Elle, if you see something you like, just get it; don't hesitate to treat yourself!"Noelle responded, "Got it, Mom."As she watched Mark and Janet disappear around the corner of th
Noelle took a look and noticed it was the person whom John had referred to her, Grover. She immediately opened their chat box. Grover: "Hello, Ms. Xanthos. I'm Grover. If you need anything, just let me know."Noelle got straight to the point and told him to keep an eye on Mitchell. Grover promptly responded. "Okay."As the sky darkened, Noelle started preparing dinner. Her phone rang, and she picked it up from the coffee table while cooking frozen ravioli. Quentin's voice came through. "Why aren't you here?" He thought she would be waiting for him at Windsor Villa, but as soon as he got home, he noticed the house was empty. She had left again.Noelle tugged at the corner of her lips. "I'm used to living here." She refused to stay there until he had sorted things out with Xyla.Quentin grumbled, "I'll come over then." He couldn't understand why she preferred that tiny apartment over their spacious house. Before leaving, he gathered a few changes of clothes, packed them into a
Quentin and Noelle had never spoken so intimately before. After a fiery night of passion, their feelings seemed to have deepened, drawing them closer together. Noelle melted into his embrace, burying her head in his chest, wishing that this moment would last forever.Wrapped up in each other's warmth, the couple stayed close for what felt like an eternity, until the rumbling of their stomachs broke the silence. Feeling a little embarrassed, Quentin pushed the soft, delicate figure in his arms away. "Um… I need to get something to eat."Both of them were so lost in their passion that they had barely touched their food. As soon as his words fell, Noelle realized she was hungry too, especially after their intense and prolonged workout. She felt as though she could eat a horse. Quentin went downstairs to reheat the ravioli, but he didn't know what to do as he stood in front of the microwave. Noelle walked over. "Let me handle it."She was already in her pajamas, her dark, silky hair c
Xyla snorted, "I want him to marry me right. How could I possibly bear his child out of wedlock?"Ava's forehead creased. "You fool! The matriarch of the Lowe family adores that little bitch; she would never let Quentin divorce Noelle! But things would be different if you bore Quentin's child; you could rise in power through the child!"That little bitch has been with Quentin for so many years, and she hasn't birthed a single child; she's probably infertile. If you were to bear Quentin's child, it would be the eldest grandson of the Lowe family. The Lowes would have to accept you! Once you become the mistress of the Lowe family, your child will be the future head of the family, and everything will belong to him!"Xyla frowned and remained silent. She didn't want to become his woman through such means; she wanted him to court her like he did Noelle, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and gradually making her fall for him. That would make her truly feel his love."I don't want to
Xyla yanked the sock out of her mouth. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she dry heaved for several minutes. "I'll make you pay for this, Layla!" she cursed inwardly. …As dawn broke, Noelle rose early and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Quentin descended the stairs while buttoning up his shirt. "Don't bother with mine. I have something to take care of, so I'll be heading out early." He walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a quick peck on her rosy lips. Her heart sank. There on the counter was the breakfast she'd put so much effort into preparing. Noelle suddenly lost her desire to continue. She turned to him and looked a little disappointed. "What's the matter?" His eyes flickered for a moment, and he instinctively lied through his teeth, "There's been a problem with one of the projects. I should've dealt with it yesterday."Noelle nodded. "Alright."Quentin planted another kiss on her forehead and said, "I'm off. See you tonight."
"I'm tired, Quint. Why don't you go about your own day? I'll be fine here. I'll be all good after a few days of rest," Xyla said weakly.Quentin nodded. "I've already arranged for bodyguards to stand guard outside your ward. No one will dare to harm you again."Xyla nodded obediently. "Okay."As soon as he left, she sent a message to Mitchell. "Help me come up with a plan. The foreign specialist will be here to treat me tomorrow!"Mithcell was so sick and tired of Xyla. If she didn't have dirt on him, he would've blocked her ages ago. "He's a specialist. I'm just an ordinary guy. What can I do?"Xyla: "You're the deputy director of this hospital; you're not just an ordinary guy!"Mitchell gritted his teeth. "There's nothing I can do! The hospital agreed to bring the specialist in. I don't have the authority to deny him entry!"Xyla: "Find a way to stop him from coming then!" Exasperated, he decided to ignore her. However, she called him and said, "If you don't help me, I'll go
Noelle's curiosity grew. "What is it? Why are you beating around the bush?"Quentin finally found his voice. "Did you send someone to slap Xyla last night?" His tone was gentle, yet his dark eyes were piercing, as if he were attempting to see through her. After saying that, he pressed his lips together and waited for her response.Noelle was caught off guard. Her brows drew together as she asked, "What are you on about, Quentin? Don't you know who I was with last night? Do you think I can be in two places at the same time?"He called her over and sat her on his lap, only to say something that cut deep. Noelle felt hurt and upset.His expression darkened. "Xyla was slapped multiple times last night, and her face is severely swollen. I was just asking; I didn't mean anything else. I just need you to be honest with me. If it were you, I'd understand and forgive you. After all, that's what I promised you."Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes were filled with disbelief and anger
After he arrived at the hospital, Quentin immediately spotted Mitchell stepping out of the elevator. His head was hung low, and he looked rather upset, as if he were mad at someone. He didn't notice Quentin and walked straight out of the elevator.Quentin proceeded straight to the security department. He had already called the director of the hospital beforehand, and the head of security was waiting for him at the door. When the latter spotted the former, he greeted him respectfully, "Mr. Lowe."Quentin handed him a cigarette. "Help me check the surveillance footage from the tenth floor of the inpatient department last night."The head of security shook his head when he heard Quentin's request, declining the cigarette. "I'm afraid I can't check the surveillance footage there, Mr. Lowe. The system was down last night.""It was down last night?" Quentin asked, surprised.The head of security confirmed. "Yes, it was.""What a coincidence," Quentin thought. "Alright then, don't let m
"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