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
Quentin stood tall and firm. His gaze was fixed intensely on Noelle. Noelle let out a frustrated sigh, feeling speechless."Perhaps you should get your eyes checked, Mr. Lowe!"As Noelle turned to leave, Quentin grabbed her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks."If you're upset with me, just talk to me about it," he said accusingly.Quentin pledged never to abandon Noelle, but he broke that promise. While she could seek retribution against him, hurting Xyla was a boundary she couldn't cross."Fine. I said fine," Noelle replied curtly, turning away without looking back.If Noelle didn't need Quentin's help to find her mother's attacker, she wouldn't tolerate being around him for another second.After Emmie's colleagues and students departed, Noelle took a deep breath and stepped into the ward. Emmie's complexion seemed slightly improved."Elle," Emmie greeted warmly."Mom," Noelle responded, settling into a seat and grabbing an apple to peel. Her heart weighed heavily, and havi
Suddenly, the other side of the bed sank in. Quentin loomed over Noelle. "You still have unfinished business, Mrs. Lowe!" he remarked. Noelle choked. She pressed her hands against his chest and protested, "Mr. Lowe, my period is here!" Quentin's gorgeous eyes pierced into hers, and his throat bobbed. He then rose from atop her. Soon, Noelle drifted off into a peaceful sleep. When Noelle awoke in the morning, the room was empty. Quentin had already traveled to a neighboring city for business.Before going to the hospital, Noelle grabbed Emmie's favorite breakfast at Bellagio Bistro. When Noelle entered the ward, she was surprised to find it vacant, save for two caregivers tidying up. "Where's my mom?" Noelle asked anxiously. One of the caregivers responded, "Madam Fox has been discharged, Ms. Xanthos!" "What?" Noelle exclaimed. The caregiver explained, "A man visited last night!" The caregiver described the visitor's appearance. "After he departed, Madam Fox remained
"Noelle!"Xyla's face turned pale. Noelle stared coldly at Xyla with her beautiful eyes."If I'm not mistaken, you fabricated the story about me accidentally pushing you and your hand getting cut by the glass, didn't you?"Xyla raised an eyebrow and sneered, "He believed it, didn't he?" The triumphant expression of "I can make Quentin believe anything" was written all over Xyla's face. Noelle smiled faintly and swung her hand from behind her back. She looked at her phone, nodding satisfactorily. "Yup," Nolle answered. "You!"Xyla understood she'd fallen into Noelle's trap. She was so angry that her face flushed scarlet, and she nearly had an asthma attack. "Delete it!" Xyla demanded. Quentin's opinion of her would take a nosedive after listening to the recording. Noelle chuckled, "Why would I listen to you?"Noelle had set out to intentionally rile up Xyla, testing if Xyla would really adopt an asthma attack. There was nothing recorded on her phone. Frustrated and emot
It was Quentin. The next morning, Noelle headed to her studio. Her assistant arrived carrying a stylish handbag with "Collinview Tower" printed on the front. "Noelle, this was addressed to you," her assistant informed, placing the bag on her desk. Noelle retrieved a beautifully crafted red box from the bag. Inside lay a set of keys. Collinview Tower, the most prestigious property in Collinview City, had been priced exorbitantly since its debut five years ago. Its value had only escalated over time, reaching a staggering 300 thousand dollars per square foot. Suddenly, Noelle's phone rang. Quentin's calm voice was on the line."A gift for you. From now on, you'll have a place in Collinview City." Noelle paused, taking everything in. According to the information provided with the bag, the grand penthouse was valued at nearly 100 million dollars. "You sure know how to make a statement, Mr. Lowe!" Noelle remarked. She understood Quentin's gesture. He was trying to win her h
As they traveled together, Quentin would make fun of Noelle, calling her a snail and joking that if she drove too fast, she would murder people on the road. Noelle believed her nervousness behind the wheel was somehow connected to Quentin. John's reassurance gradually helped Noelle relax. The rest of the journey went much smoother.When they arrived at their destination, Noelle wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Mr. Xenos, I finally got you safely here." John chuckled, finding Noelle charming. "Come upstairs for some coffee!" he said. "I appreciate it, but I still have work to do. Until next time, then," Noelle declined, not wanting to cause any trouble. She knew how jealous Quentin could be. Noelle hailed a taxi. As the blue taxi pulled away, John watched it depart with a knowing smile. He turned and headed into the office building. Leslie went into John's office with a cup of coffee, showing no signs of discomfort from the restaurant earlier. "Mr. Xenos, am I c
Noelle was worried for Quentin. "Turn off the surveillance cameras," he whispered in her ear as he kissed her. Quickly, Noelle located the phone on the desk and deactivated the surveillance system through the app. She dimmed the lights in the studio using her phone. "Quentin, please. Let me drive you to the hospital," she urged. "No," Quentin replied firmly. His hand glided down her back, hampered by her jeans. He began unbuttoning her pants. Noelle resisted being intimate with him, especially after his defense of Xyla the previous day. "I'll call Ms. Cadwell for you!"Noelle grabbed her phone. Why did Quentin assume he could treat her whatever he wanted after some gifts? Quentin grasped Noelle's arm, lifting it above her head in the darkness. She heard him whisper near her chest, "I just want you." A wave of shivers overwhelmed Noelle. She nearly lost control. Suddenly, Quentin stiffened. His eyes glared in the dark."You lied to me!" Noelle stuttered. Quentin fe
"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