Noelle felt a heavy weight on her chest. When she first met Lorraine, Lorraine was already Mark's mistress, and she had managed to keep it a secret all these years. In all the time she had known Lorraine, she had been completely unaware of her relationship with Mark.Lorraine probably didn't tell her because she was afraid it would affect their friendship. Noelle remembered how she had asked about that person many times, yet Lorraine had always warned her that it wouldn't do her any good to know. Lorraine was probably afraid that if she found out that person was Mark, it'd put her in a tough spot. Noelle's heart ached once more as she thought about her. "Be more careful when you befriend others in the future." Janet gently ruffled Noelle's hair. Noelle nodded, although she didn't think Lorraine was a bad person. It was getting late, and she didn't want to keep Janet up any longer, so she left with Quentin.On the way home, Quentin received a call from Zion. "Xyla's not doing so
Quentin was at a loss for words. Even though the alpaca grossed him out, he had to put up with it because it was his wife's pet. He wiped the spit off with a tissue and gave the alpaca a dirty look."Stay down there; don't you dare come upstairs!" she said without a backward glance, assuming he would follow her upstairs. Quentin was dumbfounded. He turned around and glanced at the small, five-foot-long fabric couch. He tugged at the corner of his lips before walking over to lie down on it. He was stoked that she was letting him crash here, so he wasn't going to be finicky about anything.Noelle felt so safe with Quentin around that she fell right asleep and didn't have any nightmares that night. She slept like a baby, but Quentin wasn't as lucky. At nearly 6'3", he found it incredibly difficult to get comfortable on the small couch. He tossed and turned all night, and just when he was about to drift off, the alpaca came over and spat right in his face. He opened his eyes and look
Noelle shuddered at the thought of how he had once ordered people to gang-rape and torture Lorraine. The chilling possibility that he might also be the one who had burned Lorraine to death made her silently clench her fists.Fortunately, at that moment, a familiar voice called out from behind, "Elle!" Quentin hurried over and said, "I'm back." Once he was close, he held her hand. Noelle felt a wave of relief as his warm hand enveloped hers. Quentin, too, felt his anxiety dissipate, as even a second apart from her was enough to make him feel uneasy now.Mark chuckled. "And here I thought you guys had gotten into another argument." He turned around and told Fred, "Since Quentin's here, let's head out." With that, he left the ward.Quentin wheeled Fred out of the hospital. All of them got into the MPV and returned to Lowe Mansion. Inside the slowly advancing black sedan, Mark glanced at the MPV that had been left far behind and asked lowly, "It's been days; haven't you guys found a
Hence, when Janet emerged from Fred's bedroom, Mark cornered her in the kitchen and pulled out a delicate jewelry box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a stunning necklace from a high-end brand. "Do you like it?"Janet looked at the necklace and wondered if he had used similar gifts to cajole his mistress. "I bet you've used this trick countless times on your mistress, huh?" she sneered as she took the box from him.With an arched brow and a touch of mockery in her gaze, she suddenly seemed more alluring. Mark found himself strangely drawn to her. "She can't even hold a candle to you!" He reached into the box and was about to place the necklace around her neck. Janet released her grip on the box, letting it and the necklace fall to the ground. "I bet you've said those exact words to your mistress as well, Mr. Lowe!"Mark was caught off guard. Then, he smiled. "Of course not. I was just fooling around with that woman; she's nothing compared to you!"Lorraine had always been
Noelle felt like she was about to crack. Sitting next to such a monster and listening to him jest about her future sent shivers down her spine. Noelle forced a smile, and as soon as the chess game was over, she left in defeat.Fred's return from the hospital brought his sons and their families to Lowe Mansion, filling it with chatter and activity. However, Noelle felt a persistent chill, as though Mark was constantly watching her from behind.From a distance, Madison noticed something was off with her expression, so she came over and asked, "Noelle, you don't look so well. Are you okay?"Noelle smiled. "Yeah, sort of." She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. She didn't want to stay another minute in Lowe Mansion."Let me take you to the hospital!" Madison offered, concerned."I'll take care of that." A tall figure strode over. Quentin held Noelle's hand and led her away."What's wrong?" Chance asked as he walked over.Madison shook her head. "It's nothing." She turne
Quentin walked over to the couch to take a call. Chance was on the line. "You've always been the one in charge of the Havenport City project, so why are you sending me there?"Quentin responded, "I can't go because Xyla's surgery is the day after tomorrow.""Alright," Chance responded.As soon as Noelle came downstairs after changing her clothes, she heard Quentin's voice. She silently clenched her fists and laughed at herself for being moved moments ago. "You really are too easy to impress, you fool," she thought to herself. Noelle went straight to the kitchen to make herself something to eat. She hadn't had lunch at Lowe Mansion, so she was pretty hungry at the moment. Quentin hung up the phone and walked over. "I'll do it." He rolled up his sleeves, took the vegetables she was about to wash, and rinsed them carefully under the faucet. He looked every bit the ideal husband—except for the fact that he was always thinking about another woman.…Meanwhile, everyone had left aft
Quentin walked over and hugged Noelle. "Once Xyla's discharged from the hospital, I'll send her off to the Utopia States right away. Then, no one will be able to bother us again."Her heart skipped a beat. Could he really follow through this time?Just then, his phone rang. He let go of her to answer it. After listening to what was said on the other end, he frowned. "How could he have fallen from the escalator? Alright, I'll be right there!"He ended the call and told Noelle, "My father just fell off the escalator. I'm going to check on him. Do you want to come along?"There was a glint in his eyes, a look she couldn't quite place. "Go ahead without me," she said, shaking her head. Mark was a wolf in sheep's clothing; she wanted nothing to do with him, so there was no way she'd go see him.Quentin's expression softened. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled and pinched her cheek. "Alright, you can stay here then."His demeanor made her feel a little disoriented. Fortunate
Quentin responded, "Keep going until he's admitted to Bedlam Hospital!"Bedlam Hospital was a mental asylum in Dragfort, so the person on the other end of the line immediately caught on. "Understood, Mr. Lowe."After hanging up, Quentin tucked his phone into his pocket and stepped into the elevator. As the numbers on the display ticked down, his expression became more resolute. …Noelle felt a sense of relief when she learned that Mark was hospitalized. Surely a man with a broken leg wouldn't be scheming against her within the confines of a hospital?Just then, the door creaked open, and Quentin walked in. He was holding a white plush dog. As soon as he walked in, he handed it to her. "This is for you. Do you like it?"He had never given her gifts before. The only times he did were on her birthday or their anniversary, and even then, it was done more out of obligation. So, she was genuinely surprised when he gave her that stuffed animal.However, the puppy was just too adorable
"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