At the hospital, Xyla's bleeding finally stopped.Quentin breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of how this child came to be, he couldn't take away Xyla's right to be a mother. The matter of the abortion would have to be reconsidered.He had Ava stay with Xyla and returned to Windsor Villa himself. By this time, it was already midnight. He tiredly loosened his collar and walked upstairs.The moonlight illuminated the empty bed in the master bedroom, and Quentin's fatigue disappeared instantly. He quickly turned on the light, "Elle?""Elle!"He called out, and seeing the usual study materials gone from the nightstand, he held his breath.Just because of Xyla's issue, had she left again?Feeling suffocated, Quentin immediately went back downstairs and headed to Harmony Creek.But no one was there.Quentin came out of Noelle's apartment and immediately called her, but she declined the call.He quickly typed out a message on his phone. "Elle, where are you? Don't you know it worri
After saying that, Lorraine went to wash up. Noelle took a deep breath to calm herself down. In the blink of an eye, it was morning. Quentin called early in the morning, but Noelle didn't pick up. So, he texted Noelle. "I've made an appointment with the photo studio for our wedding photos. Let me know where you are, and I'll come get you!"His anger had subsided overnight. He was aware that letting her stew in her anger would only deepen the rift between them. Hence, he decided to swallow his pride and let bygones be bygones.However, Noelle found the situation laughably ironic. How was he so confident that she'd agree to take wedding photos with him? Noelle: "I believe you've got it wrong, Mr. Lowe. We should be heading to the courthouse to finalize our divorce instead. Check your schedule, and let's get it over with. Let's not keep Ms. Cadwell waiting too long. After all, she might be able to wait, but the baby inside her can't!"Quentin felt his chest tighten with anger when
Quentin's heart blazed with anger. He stormed over, snatched the scarf from Gabriel's grasp with one hand, and punched him hard with the other, sending him reeling backward."How dare you touch what's mine? Huh?" He raised his leg and kicked him. Blood trickled from the corner of Gabriel's lips as Quentin struck his abdomen, sending him flying. Noelle yelled at Quentin, "Have you lost your mind?" She rushed over to help Gabriel up. "Are you okay? Let me take you to the hospital!" Her voice was trembling, and it was obvious that she was terrified.Gabriel glanced at the enraged man out of the corner of his eye. Then, he clutched his chest and coughed a few times with a pained expression. "I'm okay. Don't worry about me! I'm afraid he might come after you if he gets any more pissed." A wave of anger welled up inside Quentin. "I can't believe you still have the gall to stir things up!" He lunged forward, grabbing Gabriel by the collar and raising his fist."Go ahead! Punch me!" Gab
Quentin responded, "Don't worry. I promise I'll get you fixed up in no time!" But in his head, he thought, "Fix my ass!"Noelle went to the registration desk and came back with the number token. There were still about a dozen people ahead of them. Meanwhile, Quentin helped Gabriel to a chair, where he could rest while they waited.Noelle returned with some warm water in a disposable paper cup. "Here, have some water!"After seeing her approaching him with a cup of water, Gabriel's eyes lit up. "Thank you." He knew then, without a doubt, that he wanted this woman. He accepted the cup of water, but before he could even bring it to his lips, an arm abruptly extended from the side and knocked it over. "There's something on your head, Elle." When he realized he had knocked over Gabriel's cup, Quentin looked apologetic. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Let me get you another cup of water." With a smile, he rose from his seat. Shortly after, he returned with a new cup of water. Noelle didn't think m
Fortunately, the results came out shortly. Gabriel's internal organs and ribs were all fine. Noelle breathed a sigh of relief.The doctor prescribed Gabriel some medications to promote blood circulation and reduce inflammation. Noelle went to get them. After she left, Quentin leaned in close to Gabriel's ear and whispered, "Sorry to disappoint you." Then, he smirked. There was a glint in his eyes as he turned to leave. Gabriel's expression changed drastically.As soon as he left the CT room, Quentin took Noelle's hand and led her away. "Let go of me, Quentin!" Noelle snapped. Before she could put up a fight, he scooped her up and carried her outside. Noelle was livid, she punched him and yelled, "Quentin Lowe, you creep!"Ignoring her protests, he carried her straight to his Bentley, opened the door, shoved her inside, and climbed in after her, slamming the door shut.Enraged, Noelle scrambled to her feet and attempted to climb over him and get out. However, just as she
Quentin pressed his forehead against Noelle's. "I want to make things work between us, Elle! From now on, let's not say things we don't mean in the heat of the moment, okay? It really tears us apart."Noelle mocked him. "Don't you think your excessive care for Xyla is what's tearing us apart?"He fell silent for a moment, as if deep in thought. After a while, he said, "I don't know what to do about Xyla either, Elle. She's in this situation because of my mother, and I have no idea what to do about that baby in her womb. Could you help me come up with a solution?"Quentin looked genuinely troubled when he mentioned Xyla. Noelle snorted, "How do you know that baby isn't just a ploy she's using to guilt trip you?"Quentin fell silent once again. … Meanwhile, Gabriel's face contorted with rage as he watched Quentin whisk Noelle away. "Seriously, you're pathetic, letting such a great opportunity slip through your fingers!" came the biting tone of a woman's voice. Gabriel looked
Quentin frowned. "What else did the villagers say?"The other person responded, "Well, the villagers said the two women stayed at Eugene's place for a while. The older woman even had an affair with the old widower who lives across the street from Eugene's place!"Quentin felt a wave of nausea. "Tell me something else!"The other person's heart skipped a beat. "The younger woman… slept with Eugene." He paused for a moment. Noticing that Quentin hadn't stopped him, he continued, "Then, Eugene left with the two women. I heard they went to the big city, but the villagers weren't exactly sure where." Quentin's expression grew solemn. Could those two women be Xyla and Ava? "Get a photo of Xyla and ask around if it's her!" He paused before continuing, "If you don't have a photo of Xyla, go to the hospital and take one!"The other person responded, "Roger that!"Noelle, who had been listening on the side, asked, "Do you not have a single photo of Ms. Cadwell on your phone, Mr. Lo
Quentin responded impatiently, "If her stomach aches, she should see a doctor. I don't know how to save her baby. Shouldn't you have called a doctor right away?"Ava was stumped, as she hadn't expected him to react this way. After all, he had asked her to take good care of Xyla and to call him if anything happened last night when he left."Mr. Lowe—" Quentin had already hung up the phone. He thought, "If it truly was Xyla who had slept with Eugene, and the baby was Eugene's, then I'd no longer have any reason to feel guilty about her situation." Ava turned stiffly and told Xyla, "He hung up on me."Xyla's face twisted in anger. "That damned bitch must've said something to him. That must be the reason why he won't visit me!" She clenched her fists. When she looked up, there was a malicious glint in her eyes. "Just you wait, Noelle. I'll make you pay for this!"…Quentin set his phone down and suddenly thought of something. He turned and walked out of the living room, heading
"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