Yvette looked Gabriel up and down with disdain. "So, you're telling me that you're still whining about a kick my cousin gave you a month ago? Seriously? Aren't you supposed to be a man?"Gabriel's expression hardened. He vowed to himself that once he took over the Lowe family, he'd make this insolent young lady pay.Noelle frowned and called out, "Yvette!"Yvette huffed and fell silent."Please don't take her words to heart, Mr. Kingston. Yvette's still young, after all," Noelle said apologetically. She had always thought of Yvette as her younger sister. "Young?" She's in her 20s!" Gabriel brooded. However, he plastered a smile on his face and said, "It's okay. The Lowes have never liked me, so I can understand why she feels this way."Yvette huffed and turned her head away, as she couldn't be bothered to deal with him. "I'll leave you two to it." Gabriel nodded politely at Noelle and left.Yvette's brows drew together. "Don't let him deceive you, Noelle. Everyone in his fami
In the car, Quentin called Yvette. "Where's my wife?"Yvette had just arrived home. "Noelle must be home already!" Since she'd left the restaurant with Noelle, it was only natural for her to assume that she had gone home.Quentin demanded, "Call her and find out where she is!"His voice was so stern that Yvette could feel her eldest cousin's commanding presence through the phone. Annoyed, she pouted and called Noelle, oblivious to the way Quentin had addressed Noelle. "Where are you, Noelle?" Yvette asked as soon as the call connected.Noelle responded, "I'm at Corner Café. What's going on?""Oh, nothing much," Yvette said. As soon as she hung up the phone, she called Quentin back and told him where Noelle was. After hanging up the phone, Quentin hopped into his car and sped off to the Corner Café. Even from afar, he could see Gabriel and Noelle chatting animatedly in the café. It was clear that they were enjoying each other's company. However, to Quentin, Gabriel was nothin
Even though Gabriel's message made her sick to the stomach and wiped out any gratitude she felt for him, Noelle was still mad at Quentin. "Fine, if you don't believe me, then don't." Quentin rose from his seat and left. Noelle felt a knot in her stomach and left soon after. As soon as Quentin got into the car, Martin sent him the call logs he'd copied from Gabriel's phone. Quentin went through the call logs and found numerous entries between Gabriel and Xyla over the past two months. Xyla had even reached out to Gabriel when she had been isolated in that remote village. Quentin inhaled sharply. He doubted Xyla could pull everything off on her own. Hence, he was convinced that Gabriel was the person who was helping her behind the scenes.…Meanwhile, Gabriel was finally freed from the storage room. He picked up his phone off the ground and, in a fit of rage, trashed the entire café. After trashing the place, he called Noelle. He didn't want her to think he was the type to bail o
Noelle was equally baffled. "I think it's because her ex keeps pestering her, so she's using this method to get rid of him," she speculated.Danielle shook her head, exasperated. "Alright, I'll give the OB-GYN a heads-up!""Thanks, Danielle!" Noelle's eyes crinkled into a smile.Zion cocked his head and watched her silently with interest. As soon as she left, he asked Danielle, "Is your junior seeing anyone?"Danielle pondered for a moment, "Noelle's divorced, so that means she's single." Hence, she shook her head. "Nope."He asked, "Could you set me up with her? My parents have been urging me to settle down. It's not every day that I come across someone who catches my eye, so I have to act on it!"Danielle was at a loss for words.…After leaving the doctor's office, Noelle spotted Ava wheeling Xyla down the corridor, and there were two well-dressed women standing across from them. Xyla was wearing a remarkably realistic wig and had her face made up; she looked much better tha
Noelle was just about to walk over and greet Lorraine when a man walked up to her. "Hurry up, Ms. Summer, you still need to do a blood test!"Noelle had no idea who this man was, and as she wondered who he might be, he said, "Mr. Lowe's waiting for you!"Noelle's mind went blank, and she froze. Which "Mr. Lowe" was he referring to? Was it Quentin? As soon as that thought crossed her mind, her blood ran cold.If Lorraine's "used dildo" was Quentin, she wouldn't know how to face her from now on. But if it wasn't Quentin, she couldn't think of another wealthy Lowe family in Dragfort. No wonder Quentin had always urged her to stay away from Lorraine! He must've been worried she'd find out about their affair if they got too close! Noelle shook her head as she tried to make sense of it all. She trudged back to her apartment, threw herself onto the bed, and felt utterly drained. Even when she went to Restaurant Blanc later that night, she still felt hazy and disoriented.Danielle introd
Quentin's eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared at Zion. "Do you have a death wish?" he asked through gritted teeth. Zion was stumped.Quentin reached out and seized Noelle's arm, yanking her away from Zion. Zion frowned, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. "What on earth are you doing, Quentin?""What am I doing? I should be asking you that!" Qunetin's eyes bore into Zion with such intensity that the latter felt a shiver run down his spine.Dennis pulled Zion aside. "What's wrong with you? Why are you hitting on Noelle of all people?""Hang on, what was her name again?" Zion asked, as he thought her name sounded familiar. Dennis reiterated, "Noelle! Quentin's wife!"Zion's body instantly went rigid. He had been in the Utopia States during the three years of Noelle and Quentin's marriage. He had never seen her in person; he had only seen their wedding photo, but he had long forgotten what she looked like.Yet, he did remember her name. What a bizarre coincidence. Elle was Noell
Noelle was lost in thought when Quentin took her hand and led her toward his Bentley. "This woman just needs to be put in her place!" he brooded. He shoved her into the car and hopped in with a scowl. "Take us home!" he demanded.Martin was in the middle of a video call with his girlfriend when Quentin and Noelle jumped into the car. He was startled and immediately ended the call. While wondering what was going on with these two now, he started the engine. "Stop the car!" Noelle yelled. Of course, Martin wasn't going to do what she said. He worked for Quentin, after all. He slowly maneuvered the car onto the main road. Furious, Noelle yanked on the car handle. Quentin hurriedly seized her arm. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?""You're fucking insane, Quentin Lowe!" she cursed. His face flushed with anger, and he sneered, "Oh, I'm the one who's insane? I'm probably insane because of you!" Out of the blue, she had accused him of cheating on her with her best friend.
Noelle: "He didn't."Zion breathed a sigh of relief. "Anyway, feel free to ask me anything anytime!"Noelle: "Thank you." She was equally surprised to find out that Zion was friends with Quentin. There was no further response from Zion, so she continued studying until she was tired and then went to bed. Zion realized it wouldn't be appropriate for him to contact Noelle directly, considering how possessive Quentin was. However, he had already told Noelle at Restaurant Blanc that he had a book that would be helpful for her next exam, and he had asked her to come to his office to pick it up tomorrow. If she made the trip to his office and Quentin found out, he'd definitely flip out. Also, there was no telling what he might do when he was angry. "I'll just ask Quentin to come by and get it," Zion concluded.Hence, he called Quentin. "I have a book that'll really help your wife with her exam. Why don't you swing by and get it for her tomorrow?""She doesn't need it!" Quentin snapped
"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