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
"Dar… Darling," Noelle stammered.Quentin's lips formed a pleased smile. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her gently off the countertop. Blushing furiously, Noelle scooped up some ravioli and carefully carried it to the table. Her cheeks were still flushed. They each had a bowl of ravioli in front of them.Noelle buried herself in her meal. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment while Quentin juggled eating with a phone call. His expression darkened as he listened intently."Who would tamper with it?" After the call ended, Quentin shot Noelle a serious glance."Your Mom's injury wasn't just an accident." Noelle's heart skipped a beat. Her fork clattered into her bowl of ravioli."What do you mean?" she asked. Quentin's voice was grim. "The collapse was no accident. It was deliberate sabotage." Noelle's appetite vanished instantly. "Who would harm my mom?" she exclaimed. Quentin's expression darkened further. "We're looking into it. It seems to involve
Quentin gave Noelle a stern look and said, "Since we're not pursuing a divorce, it would be best if you continued to fulfill the role of my wife. Otherwise, I might question why I should assist you in finding the culprit."Noelle quickly nodded, understanding that she still needed his assistance. Noelle could have revisited the idea of divorce once her mother's problem had been settled.Noelle obediently nestled into Quentin's embrace as his arm became increasingly tight around her. Despite being exhausted and likely to spend another night in the hospital, Quentin had other ideas.After gently running his fingertips along Noelle's earlobe, he kissed her lips. Although initially anxious, Noelle quickly calmed herself after remembering Quentin's request. She softly wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss.Eventually, Noelle resolved to treat Quentin like a top-tier gigolo. After all, he was handsome, fit, and blessed with stamina. Noelle, who was rarely so engrossed, f
Quentin couldn't get the image of Noelle's tear-stained face and murmured calls of "darling" out of his head, which softened his heart.Flushed with embarrassment, Noelle quickly pushed away the memories from the previous night. In stark contrast to the monstrous being she had experienced under the sheets, the man standing before her appeared calm and collected. "There's no need," she answered, hurriedly going downstairs, trying to avoid the haunting memories from last night. When Quintin and Noelle reached the hospital, they saw Janet's expression lit up with a smile as radiant as a gentle spring breeze, though it was unclear what she had been talking about. Even though Emmie was in so much pain from her injuries, she forced a smile. "Mom." Noelle greeted Emmie, pushing open the door to the ward. "Hey," Janet and Emmie responded with a smile. Janet asked Quentin, "Is there any news regarding the collapse?"Quentin replied, "I'm still looking into it."He didn't inform Jan
"Are you close to him?" Quentin inquired, casting a sidelong glance at Noelle and appearing unaware of Emmie's presence.Noelle felt irritated. Why did Quentin constantly appear jealous?"He's just an acquaintance from school," Noelle replied, trying to keep her tone neutral.Quentin persisted, "Then why did he search for your whereabouts from others?"As if Noelle were trying to hide something, Quintin wore an air of suspicion. Noelle was exasperated. Before Noelle could respond to Quintin, Emmie interrupted them with a cough."Quentin, would you mind peeling an apple for me? I'm feeling a bit hungry," Emmie asked.Upon retrieving the partially peeled apple from the floor, Quentin paused momentarily before discarding it and opting for another one to peel.Noelle had never seen Quentin peel an apple before. Instead, Noelle frequently peeled apples and delivered them to Quentin's study.But now, watching Quentin expertly peel the apple with even thinner and more intact skin than
Quentin didn't press further. He received a call and left after informing Noelle about an issue at Dennis' place.Shortly after Quentin left, Emmie fell asleep. Noelle took out her phone and checked the lighting photos John had sent. She sifted through each one, finally circling a few favorites with red lines."I prefer these, Mr. Xenos. It's wise to seek your family's input. Lighting fixtures are meant for the home, and it's ideal if everyone approves!"John seemed preoccupied on his end since he did not respond right away. Noelle waited for a bit but couldn't resist the impulse to fall asleep.Meanwhile, Emmie had a dream in which she saw Lia beaming triumphantly. In the dream, Lia boasted, "Emmie, don't assume Michael won't divorce you because he still loves you. He's just taking advantage of someone who doesn't cost anything. It's all for the free ride. Haha…" Emmie felt uneasy, so she awoke immediately after falling asleep.Suddenly, the phone on the nightstand dropped to t
As far as Noelle was concerned, Quentin was just a jerk who couldn't help but think about nonsense. She cursed him for it!Quentin responded, "I wasn't thinking about anything."But really, how often did clients fantasize about the wives of others? Suddenly, Quentin’s phone rang, and he checked the caller ID before responding."Quentin, I'm feeling pretty good now. I'm ready to leave the hospital," Xyla said in a low, soothing voice.Quentin's tone softened as he responded, "I'll arrange for Martin to handle your discharge soon."Xyla listened to Quentin's deep and soothing voice, biting her lip as she wondered why Quentin wasn't coming over with Martin. She had assumed he would be there to pick her up from the hospital. Xyla regretted not feigning illness and staying at the hospital longer."Ah!" Suddenly, a loud crash and a scream erupted on the other end of the line. Quentin jolted in his seat, gripping the phone tightly."What's wrong?" Quentin asked.Despite the chaos on t
"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