Janet glanced back, her tone firm. "You've brought this upon yourself. You have a good wife waiting at home, yet you insist on pursuing other women."With a dismissive air, Janet turned away, making her way upstairs without sparing her son another glance. Quentin felt increasingly uneasy. It was as if everyone was targeting him.Just then, Dennis called. "Care to join me for a drink at noon?"Feeling despondent, Quentin agreed without hesitation. After three drinks at Bellagio Bistro, Dennis leaned back in his chair and carelessly loosened his tie."I heard Xyla had another medical emergency yesterday. Why does she keep getting sick? Why won't she kick the bucket already?" Dennis remarked casually.Quentin shot Dennis a sharp look and responded, "Watch what you say. She was spooked by Michael."Dennis continued, unfazed, "Why doesn't Michael go scare someone else?"Quentin was left speechless, wondering whether Dennis had intentionally called him out to upset him."How would I
Noelle could not believe Quentin had the nerve to accuse her of seducing him.Quentin's large hands firmly gripped Noelle's waist, the warmth of his palms seeping through the thin silk pajamas and onto her skin. His gaze lingered somewhere on her body. Noelle noticed his stare and quickly pulled up her pajamas to conceal her chest."Hadn't you had enough of Xyla?" she asked disgustingly.Quentin remained silent, frustrated by Noelle's constant mentioning of Xyla. With his hands still holding her waist, Quentin lifted Noelle and placed her on the bed. His towering figure loomed over her, his handsome eyes burning."I've never seen her naked. I only see her as a sister," Quentin declared. As Noelle lay beneath Quentin, her silky hair cascaded like a waterfall. The contours of her body were visible through her pajamas.Quentin's mind drifted back to when their bodies had been intertwined. A surge of desire coursed through him as he leaned in to kiss her. But Noelle quickly covere
Xyla stood by the window in a hospital gown, her hair disheveled. The window was open, and her fragile form seemed unsteady. Quentin dashed over to the window and drew Xyla down into his arms.Tears welled up in Xyla's eyes as she cried, "Quint, please let me die. There's no point in living anymore. Let me be reunited with my brother..."Quentin furrowed his brow and gently laid Xyla on the bed."What are you saying? It's just asthma. You'll be fine with proper care."Quentin took out a handkerchief and wiped away Xyla's tears. His gaze was compassionate, and his voice was soothing."Your brother will blame me if you reunite with him."Quentin felt a sense of sadness at the mention of the person who had died so young. Hence, he treated Xyla even more tenderly.A glimmer of resentment flashed in Xyla's eyes at Noelle's words. "Darling, don't stop", reverberated in her mind. The thought made her feel so disgusted that she gritted her teeth tightly.Xyla had never experienced an
Noelle and Lorraine met two years ago when Lorraine had a miscarriage. Noelle happened to pass by and took her to the hospital.Noelle offered to help Lorraine contact her family, but Lorraine said she had none. Noelle couldn't help but imagine a typical love story gone wrong—a woman pregnant, and a man abandoning her.Noelle felt terrible for Lorraine and dropped by the hospital daily to see her. She would occasionally bring supplements with her and give them to Lorraine.Soon, they became friends. Lorraine opened the bar with the money she received as compensation from the man after being discharged from the hospital. It was at a prime location worth millions of dollars.In Dragfort City, Noelle failed to locate the man with a history with Lorraine. The man was rich, handsome, in his thirties, and a heartbreaker. Now that Lorraine was single, it was inevitable that she would have physical needs.Noelle thought she had acted rashly and embarrassed herself when she almost barged i
Quentin's sarcasm was evident on his face. After speaking, he released Noelle and strode down the steps toward the Maybach parked under the moonlight. "Your mother got injured. She's in the hospital!" he said before promptly getting into the car. Noelle's breath caught in her throat. She immediately quickened her pace toward the Maybach."When did it happen? How is she?"After Noelle settled into the car, she closed the door behind her. An invisible force tightened around her chest, making it hard to breathe.Quentin glanced at her and answered, "Five hours ago. Her arm got fractured." An accident occurred at the excavation site, resulting in Emmie injuring her arm. Quentin searched for Noelle for three hours, but she didn't answer her phone, and he couldn't find her anywhere. Noelle's chest tightened once more. Quentin had tried to call her numerous times, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of disgust whenever she saw his number and ignored his calls.If it hadn't been
Noelle took a moment to collect herself, dried her tears, and dove headfirst into the cleaning.Emmie was switched to a private room upstairs due to Quentin's connections. Otherwise, Emmie would have had to wait three days for a private room. Emmie sent her two students to rest and then turned to Quentin."Quentin, you should go home now. Elle is here with me. And don't tell your mother about my injury."Emmie did not want Janet to worry. She owed her dear buddy a great deal after all these years.Quentin smiled faintly and insisted, "I'll stay with you together with Elle." Emmie countered, "You shouldn't. You've already stayed up for hours. It's almost dawn." Quentin shrugged and took a seat on a chair. "Mom, we're all family here. No need to treat me differently. I'm your son-in-law. You can boss me around like a son." Noelle rolled her eyes at his remark. Everyone knew Quentin wished he were Xyla's family instead. But what did Emmie mean when she said Quentin had stayed up
However, Quentin couldn't promise to keep the news entirely under wraps. After all, the fact that the other side could locate Emmie when she landed in Dragfort City indicated that the man was carefully monitoring her movements. Noelle overheard fragments of their conversation but could not make out the contents. When she opened her eyes, it was already daylight.Emmie's arm hurt, and she had barely slept all night. She awoke feeling unwell in the morning.Throughout the process, Quentin accompanied Emmie and Noelle whenever the doctor visited to review the surgery details. His energetic presence resembled that of a doting son-in-law.Whenever the doctor summoned a patient's family member, Quentin was always the first to volunteer. Noelle began to imagine Quentin genuinely cared for her, as only someone in love would prioritize her family.As Emmie was led inside the operating room, Noelle began to feel uneasy. Even though the procedure wasn't complicated, and Quentin found the be
Quentin shielded the laptop's camera with a tissue. On the other end, people exchanged glances.Wasn't the one leaning on Quentin's shoulder Noelle? They seemed close, contrary to rumors. Moreover, Quentin's glance at Noelle was unmistakably affectionate! Noelle slept deeply until the car reached the Windsor Villa. Startled, she looked at Quentin. He opened the door and stepped out of the car. "This place is spacious. It's perfect for resting and for our mothers to watch over things." Noelle considered his words and agreed. She opened the door and requested, "Come with me this afternoon to handle the paperwork." Quentin paused and glared at Noelle."Are you really in such a hurry?" he asked. Noelle nodded eagerly and replied, "Yes, I am!"Quentin was speechless. He entered the house without saying a word. Noelle followed him and continued, "Don't you wish you could tie the knot with Ms. Cadwell right now? After all, tending to your planted seeds at the hospital is not ve
"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