Noelle helped Eleanor pick out a few outfits and then Eleanor chose a few more on her own while Christian paid for everything. Eleanor glanced at Noelle, then at her eldest grandson, wondering if the young woman would be interested in him. With a smile, she asked, "Elle, do you have a boyfriend?"Since she was divorced, it was safe to say she didn't have one. Noelle shook her head and smiled. "No, I don't."Eleanor continued, "What do you think of Chris?"Christian was at a loss for words. Couldn't she give him a heads-up before she tried to play matchmaker?Noelle glanced at the man, who was standing there awkwardly, and thought of what he'd said in the private dining room. With a smile, she responded, "He's great, but a fortune-teller told me I'm destined to be a widow, so I wouldn't want to waste Mr. Blackwood's time."Christian was dumbfounded. Eleanor was taken aback as well. At her age, she couldn't help but believe in things like fate. "Oh dear, we need to find a way to c
Noelle was at a loss and had no idea what to do. She had no choice but to sit on the floor and tell Zara, "I can't make him change his mind, but I can drink with you!"Noelle called a waiter over and ordered two bottles of wine. "Let's have a drink, shall we?"Zara was taken aback. "You're not going to work tomorrow?" she seemed to have sobered up a little.Noelle responded, "I would do anything for you!"Zara shook her head again, her face still wet with tears, but she had already stood up. "No, I can't let you. What if you make a mistake tomorrow? I'd be the one to blame!"Noelle figured she wasn't that drunk. She stood up and said, "Alright then, let's go home." She extended her hand to Zara and led her away.From a nearby booth, Christian withdrew his gaze and glanced at Leonard. "Is there someone named Zachary in the hotel?"Leonard responded, "I think there's a housekeeping manager named Zachary Hughes."The Four Seasons Lodge was owned by the Blackwood family, and Leonar
Michael laid Emmie down on the bed and sat beside her. Taking her sprained ankle in his hand, he started to massage it. Emmie hissed. Without a word, he continued to massage her ankle for a while before standing up and leaving the room.As soon as he was outside, he pulled out his phone and made a call. "Tell Elijah to behave himself. If he contacts Emmie again, he can forget about his treatment and head straight back to his hometown!" Michael's voice was cold and menacing. He then hung up on them.His gaze landed on the medication that he had brought home from the hospital, sitting on the coffee table. His expression darkened further as he took the medicine and a glass of water and returned to the room.Michael measured out the prescribed amount of medication and held it out to her. Emmie hesitated for a moment, her hand shaking as she accepted them. He watched as she took the pills. He then sat on the couch across from her. Just then, her phone, which was on the coffee table,
Lia had already changed into a sheer silk robe. She walked toward Michael, her hips swaying suggestively as she wrapped her hands around his neck and pressed her soft body against his chest. Her voice was sweet and seductive as she murmured, "Michael…"The man's eyes held a mix of tenderness, indulgence, and a touch of indifference. He held her arm and pulled her away from him. "How long has it been since the surgery? Are we allowed to do it now?"Lia had a miscarriage six months into her pregnancy and had been bleeding continuously since then. His words instantly dampened her mood. She sat on the bed, frowning and pouting, clearly upset. Michael walked over and gently squeezed her shoulders. "Don't worry. We can take it slow."Lia was on the verge of tears. she wanted to take it slow, but how could she when his mind was constantly occupied by thoughts about another woman? He handed her a glass of milk. Holding the glass in her hands, her eyes were filled with tears as she ponde
Tears welled up in Noelle's large eyes, dampening her thick lashes. Her expression was so pure and innocent that it stirred an inexplicable sense of guilt within Christian.He looked into those eyes and felt his heart race. He, who had been confessed to by numerous girls since his teens, was starting to feel like he was going to lose control. Christian stood up and pulled out an exquisite little box from his pocket. "My grandmother wants you to have this."He handed her the small box, then pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hurry up and fix the elevator!" He regretted having someone stop the elevator and scaring the young woman. Her fright seemed to tug at his heartstrings, making him uncomfortable. He couldn't even remember why he'd trapped her in the elevator in the first place.Noelle looked at the jewelry box in her hand, then at the tall figure standing near the elevator door. She straightened up and carefully stood against the elevator wall, as if she might fall at
That person sighed. "You're such a sentimental man, Mr. Lowe." "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Quentin thought about the past and suddenly felt overwhelmed. He got up and walked away.Noelle was back to her radiant self when she emerged from the restroom. Just then, she noticed a man approaching from the side. Noticing the tall figure in a beige sweater and jeans, Quentin froze. "Elle."Noelle frowned when she heard that familiar voice, wondering why he hadn't returned to Dragfort yet. She turned around and looked at the handsome man. "Can I help you, Mr. Lowe?" Her expression was indifferent, as if she was looking at a stranger. It was almost as if they had never been married for three years. Quentin felt a dull ache in his chest. "Please don't be like this, Elle." He walked up to her, his gaze deepening as his heartache was etched on his face. He reached out to grasp her delicate wrist.Noelle shot him a disdainful look as she swatted his hand away. "Don't be like wha
"She's so sassy," Christian mused, watching Noelle walk away. He regretted being fooled by her teary eyes, but he couldn't deny that her sharp tongue was kind of hot."Mr. Blackwood!" Zachary called out as he walked over.Christian glanced at him. "Ask your girlfriend to find out who that guy was to her."Zachary just realized why Christian had offered him such a high salary to get back together with Zara. It turned out that he had ulterior motives. Christian's real goal was to get close to Zara's best friend.Zachary smiled ingratiatingly. "I'll make sure to get it done, Mr. Blackwood!"By the time Noelle got to Zara's table, she had already composed herself. "Here, take a look at the menu, Elle. Zachary's treating us today, so don't be shy!" Zara handed her the menu. "That's right, don't be shy!" Zachary chimed in, settling in next to Zara. Noelle ordered a few dishes.Zachary asked nonchalantly, "I noticed you were with a guy earlier. Is he your boyfriend? He's quite the loo
Quentin responded, "Then, I'll get roses and lisianthus. Please send them to this address." He placed a note on the table with Noelle's name and the address of the hospital that was affiliated with Collinview University already written on it.The florist asked, "Would you like to include your name?"Quentin hesitated for a moment before responding, "No." Since he'd never given her flowers before, he figured she wouldn't know it was from him. But he didn't give his information to the florist. After paying for a month's worth of fresh flowers, Quentin left. …A busy day at the hospital began in full swing at 8:30 am. Noelle was going through patients' test results on the computer when someone walked in with a large bouquet of flowers. "Excuse me, are you Dr. Xanthos? These flowers are for you." The delivery man set the flowers down and left.Noelle picked up the bouquet and took a look at it, but she couldn't find any information about who sent them, so she set them aside. Just
"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