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
"Okay." Noelle finally felt reassured and nodded.Zion really wanted to comfort the young lady a little more, but he was at work, and he had no time to spare. "I have to get back to work now. If you need anything or have any questions, just give me a call!"Noelle nodded again, and Zion went off to work, looking quite dashing in his white coat. Noelle turned around and left the hospital. After she left, Quentin also left Xyla's ward. As soon as he got into the car, Martin said, "We've got an update on Xyla, Mr. Lowe."Quentin had just placed a listening device under Xyla's bed. The device was linked to Martin's phone. "Go ahead, play it," Quentin said, leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed.Martin launched the listening app, and they heard Xyla's smug voice. "Gabriel, Quentin said he'll marry me as soon as I'm in better shape. You need to get a move on! You had so much time to win Noelle over; what's taking so long?"Xyla couldn't rest easy until Gabriel had slept with N
Noelle pondered for a moment. "Let's call her Nellie! Nellie Xanthos!"John chuckled, smitten by her cuteness. "That sounds perfect."He stroked Nellie's head and said, "You have a new owner now, so be a good girl and listen to her, okay?"Nellie hummed in response. "So, what do you plan to do now?" he asked, his expression growing solemn. He hadn't expected Quentin to agree to the divorce, but considering the rumors that he was divorcing Noelle to be with Xyla, his doubts were eased.Noelle cocked her brow. "I'm going to study hard and become a doctor."Then, she smiled and lowered her head to talk to Nellie. "My place is a bit on the small side, Nellie, so you might feel a little cramped over there. But I promise to take you out for walks every day, okay? I hope you won't be too upset about it!"Unable to speak, Nellie nuzzled her hand affectionately. For a moment, John felt disappointed, but he soon came to terms with it. The age gap between them was just too great; her fa
Nellie spat at Quentin again. Quentin was ready to take that damned thing out. Noelle couldn't help but laugh. She bent down and gave the alpaca a big hug. "Good job, Nellie!"He looked at her in disbelief. "You named her Nellie?"Noelle straightened up and arched her brow. "Yep!"Quentin was at a loss for words. He tossed her the book and left. Once he was outside, he found his clothing unbearably gross. He pulled out his phone and wallet and tossed his coat into the trash can.Just then, his phone chimed. After getting into his car, Quentin checked his phone and realized Xyla had sent him a series of wedding gown pictures. "Which one of these should I wear for our wedding, Quint?"Quentin felt a strong physical revulsion toward Xyla. He had no desire to reply to her messages and deleted her from his contacts. Xyla had tested his limits countless times, leading him to block her a while back. He had only unblocked her after she was diagnosed with leukemia.The fact that Xyla wa
"The Utopia States branch needs you more than we do," Quentin stated unequivocally, leaving no room for discussion. "Alright, please make the necessary arrangements. The new finance director will be taking over your position shortly."Quinn stormed out of the CEO's office. Mark had told her to make the most of the opportunity, yet Quentin was transferring her! In the heat of the moment, she went straight to see Mark.Soon, Quentin received a call from an angry Mark. "Why are you transferring Quinn?" He assumed Quentin was going to take his advice and express his feelings to Quinn. To his dismay, Quentin was transferring Quinn to another country. Quentin responded casually, "This is a routine personnel transfer within our company. As an employee, Ms. Walsh has the option of either accepting the transfer or submitting her resignation."Mark was at a loss for words. In the end, he snapped, "You're such a fool!"After hanging up the phone, he had no choice but to reassure Quinn. "Why
"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