"Yes, I'd be very happy to wear a scarf that was knitted by my wife."Quentin's words broke down her defenses again. Noelle nodded. "I'll knit one for you. But you have to be patient because I'm not very skilled at knitting."With a smile, he pinched her cheek. "Take your time."…Meanwhile, Xyla was slashing the two scarves into pieces with a pair of scissors in another apartment, as if this was the only way to vent her frustrations.Ava sighed. "What's got you all worked up? The fact that he had Martin drive you home shows that he still cares about you."Xyla froze, realizing Ava was right. All her efforts were starting to pay off. He was starting to care about her.Just then, her phone rang. Xyla dropped everything and answered it. Gabriel's mocking voice came through. "I bet you were humiliated again, huh, Xyla? Instead of wasting your time knitting those useless scarves, why don't you figure out a way to win Quentin's heart? It's been almost a month, and he's still indiff
"When I return in a week, my bruise should be healed," Quentin thought. Once it was healed, Noelle wouldn't be able to notice it. …At long last, Noelle had finished weaving the scarf. As she imagined Quentin wearing the blue scarf she had woven for him, her heart swelled. She waited for him to come home, picturing his smile as he beheld the scarf. Yet, she received a call from Quentin, informing her of his sudden business trip. Even his luggage was collected by Martin.Noelle felt disappointed. This was the first time Quentin had been away for such a long time since they reconciled, and her heart was heavy with longing. Her voice cracked as she spoke into the receiver, "What am I going to do without you?"His heart melted, and he felt a pang of guilt. But all he could do was console her, "I'll be back in a week, okay?"Noelle asked worriedly, "Did something happen? Why'd you have to leave so suddenly?"Quentin didn't want to lie to her, but he had no other choice. Suppressing
Noelle couldn't eat anything because she felt nauseous, so she went straight to the library. However, the image of Quentin fighting desperately to save Xyla kept resurfacing in her mind, and Xyla's words kept ringing in her ears.Lost in thought, she couldn't concentrate on her studies all morning. At noon, she went to the restaurant next to the library as usual for lunch. But her appetite was poor, and she could barely eat, leaving more than half of her meal unfinished.Noelle left the restaurant, feeling depressed. As soon as she stepped out of the restaurant, the entire building collapsed with a deafening crash without warning. It crushed the people who were dining inside in an instant.Noelle injured her foot, rendering her immobile. In the end, she was taken to the hospital by rescue personnel.Sitting in the crowded emergency care department, she watched as one after another, blood-soaked patients were wheeled in, their cries filling the air. It felt like the landslide incide
Noelle told Gabriel, "Mr. Kingston, I'll be alright here, so you can go about your day. There's no need to concern yourself with me. Thank you for everything you've done for me, by the way!"However, he insisted, "Don't worry about it. We're family; there's no need for such formalities. It's just that Quentin's not answering my calls." He frowned and looked annoyed. "You should call him. He's your husband; he should be here to look after you."Quentin… Noelle smiled wryly. If it were Xyla who was injured, he'd probably find out about it in no time and rush back. "I'll ask Yvette to come over. There's no need for you to worry about me." She smiled, not wanting to expose her crumbling marriage to anyone else.Gabriel responded, "Yvette's probably at school right now. I don't have much going on, so I'll stay here with you. Hospitals tend to have tests and such, so I can help you out." He then stepped out again. This time, he returned with a basket of fruit. He sat on a chair and star
Quentin could still vividly remember the crazed look on that woman's face back then. Her behavior was undoubtedly influenced by her husband's and Gabriel's instigations. He felt repulsed just looking at Gabriel's contact number. So, he refused to answer his calls. …In the evening, while Quentin was at a business gathering, his client mentioned the collapse of the restaurant in Dragfort. That was when he realized that the restaurant he had been to with Noelle had collapsed during the lunch rush.He immediately called Noelle, but she didn't answer. Martin, on the other hand, showed him the rescue footage on his phone, and he immediately recognized a familiar figure being carried into an ambulance.Quentin's heart leaped into his throat, and he immediately asked Martin to book him a flight back to Dragfort. …Meanwhile, Noelle hadn't received a response from Lorraine, but she urgently needed to use the restroom. There was no way she could ask Gabriel to help her to the restroom
However, the director promptly informed Quentin that there were no other available rooms. Due to the influx of patients that afternoon, not only were all of the private rooms in the hospital occupied, but so were the emergency beds. Quentin had no choice but to contact another hospital. He couldn't let Noelle stay in such an environment. After contacting the other hospital, he returned to the ward.Noelle had already emerged from the bathroom with Yvette's help. She walked very slowly. Because her foot was heavily bandaged, he couldn't tell how serious her injury was. Quentin regretted leaving for another city; if only he had stayed and had lunch with her, perhaps nothing would've happened to her. He stepped forward, took her arm, and scooped her up before walking out of the ward. "I found a better hospital for you. Let me take you there," he said gently.Anger was written all over her face, but she didn't want to make a scene in the ward. Once they were outside, she demanded,
Quentin thought Noelle must have heard those rumors, and that was why she was so heartbroken.Immediately, a wave of guilt and heartache surged within him.He stepped into the hospital building.In the hospital room, Yvette was angrily telling Noelle, "Noelle, don't be sad. There are plenty of good men in this world. If worse comes to worst, just dump Quentin! After all, he's blind and heartless!""What are you talking about?"When Quentin's ominous voice sounded, Yvette stood up from the bedside while puffing out her cheeks in anger.Despite the immense pressure emanating from Quentin, she grew even more furious.She stood there and pouted angrily, not saying a word.Quentin glared at her fiercely. "Get out!"So, this was what Yvette said about him when he was not around. He had just been telling others off for gossiping, but it turned out Yvette was also gossiping with such righteous indignation!Yvette pursed her lips and stormed out angrily.Quentin's dark gaze softened
The car was driven into the courtyard of the mansion.Mark walked into the house with a steady stride.Janet had spent the day volunteering at a welfare home with her good friends and had just arrived home. Seeing Mark return, she said, "Perfect timing, help me with my zipper."Janet was wearing a dress with a zipper at the back, which was stuck halfway and wouldn't budge.Mark walked over with a smile in his eyes. He grabbed the zipper tab and pulled it down, freeing it. "It was stuck," he said.His face showed the same gentle affection as when he was young. Janet couldn't help but tiptoe and kiss the corner of his mouth before smiling and saying, "I'm going to take a shower.""Mm." Mark's gentle affection was flawless.Janet walked toward the bathroom in just her underwear. Though she was middle-aged, her figure was still well-maintained, and she retained her youthful grace. Her skin was soft, and though slightly loose, it was still much better than most women her age.Mark 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