Michael remained as focused and composed as ever, easily performing one of the most complex surgeries in the world.The surgery was a success, and as he exited the operating room, the patient's family gathered to thank him. He simply waved them off and walked away with the team of doctors.For a moment, that figure in white seemed especially grand in Noelle's eyes.After work, Noelle went to visit Yvette. She bought some nutritional supplements for her, knowing she would return to her home country the next day.She wasn't sure when they'd meet again—perhaps when Yvette gave birth, though Noelle wasn't certain she'd be able to come then.This time, there was a new addition in Yvette's home—an Eastlandian maid named Raven Skinner.Raven mentioned that Yvette had taken a fall a few days ago, but fortunately, nothing serious had happened.When Raven mentioned Yvette's fall, Noelle's heart skipped a beat."I really think you should tell your family. You can't hide this from them for
Quentin turned to Noelle and asked, "Do you know?"Noelle shook her head, "Now isn't the time to worry about who the father is. The baby is almost full-term, and an abortion would be extremely harmful to her. So, Mr. Lowe, the most important thing right now is to help her keep this secret and ensure she delivers the baby safely."Quentin still couldn't believe it."So you're just planning to raise this child on your own?" he asked Yvette incredulously.Yvette bit her lip and replied, "Nephews often take after their uncles, don't they? And uncles can be like fathers too, right?"She threw the responsibility back at Quentin.He was immediately at a loss for words.If he had known it would come to this, he might not have come at all. Now, he was stuck with this mess—how was he going to explain it to Yvette's parents, Ryan and Olivia?"I have a house in the countryside here. It has staff and a driver, the air is good, and it's close to the hospital. It's a perfect place for you to
Zara transferred the money for the wallet to Noelle, who accepted it and promptly put the matter out of her mind.When she arrived back at the house, she was greeted by the sight of Christian's tall figure standing in Emily's living room. His handsome face showed a bit of anxiety. He glanced at his watch just as Noelle walked through the door.Christian's furrowed brows relaxed as soon as he saw her. "Where have you been? I was starting to think you got kidnapped!"Noelle was speechless."Could you say something a bit nicer?"Kidnapping was practically her worst nightmare.Christian chuckled, his bright eyes sparkling like stars. As she bent down to change her shoes, he walked over and placed one hand on the wall beside her, half-caging her in. "Call me hubby, and I'll protect you from now on!" His voice naturally carried a playful edge, and Noelle's back stiffened slightly. "Get lost!"She shot him a glare, finished changing her shoes, and sidestepped out of his little trap.
Christian's sudden move caught Noelle off guard, and she nearly collided with his chest. She quickly stepped back, her hands gripping the kitchen counter for support.The memory of that quick kiss in the hospital hallway flashed through her mind, and she felt a warm flush rise to her cheeks."Selling pigs now, are we? Talking about claiming? Get lost!" Noelle snapped, her face stern as she lifted her foot to kick Christian's shin.Taking advantage of his momentary pain, she quickly made her escape.Christian watched her retreating figure, clearly flustered by his teasing. His lips curled into a smirk, but in the next instant, he started after her.As Noelle hurried up the stairs, she suddenly tripped and fell, landing in an undignified heap.Christian heard the loud thud and saw her sprawled out on the stairs, which sent a jolt of fear through him. He rushed over to her in just a few steps."Where did you hurt yourself? Does it hurt anywhere, hmm?" he asked, his voice filled wit
"I'll watch you sleep," Christian said softly, a smile playing in his eyes.Noelle, feeling a sudden wave of heat, quickly pulled the covers up and turned away, closing her eyes. Without hesitation, she spat out a single word, "Leave!"Christian's lips curved into a grin.He wrapped his arms around her through the blanket, leaning down to whisper in her ear, the only part of her still exposed. "You're blushing."Just then, the door creaked open, and Emily poked her head in. "Elle..."Emily was just about to ask Noelle if she had tripped—she'd heard a loud thud from the bathroom—but she paused, seeing the scene in front of her.She quickly pulled her head back out and closed the door."Get out!" Noelle snapped, glaring at Christian.Christian chuckled softly, then stood up, "Alright, I'm leaving. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Babe."He stood by the bed, touched his fingers to his lips, and blew her a playful kiss.As he headed downstairs, he spotted Emily in the living ro
Noelle instantly fell silent, knowing that Christian was the type to do whatever he wanted.Just then, Quentin and Martin, both dressed in dark coats, happened to walk by.Quentin's eyes locked onto the scene, and he froze in place. At that moment, his heart was overtaken by a powerful mix of bitterness, anger, and resentment. His expression quickly turned cold.When their eyes met, Noelle hesitated.Then she noticed Quentin turn to a nearby airport staff member and ask in Phonish, "Aren't your luggage carts meant for luggage?"Though phrased as a question, his tone clearly expressed disapproval of using the cart to carry a person—especially an adult.Immediately, the staff member walked over to Noelle and Christian. "Sorry, but the young lady needs to get down from the cart."Noelle felt a wave of embarrassment.From a distance, Quentin's lips curled into a mocking smile before he turned and walked away.Noelle was about to get down when Christian extended his arms toward her
Just then, Julian brought Noelle a glass of peach juice, which she quickly drank to hide her embarrassment.“Is it sweet?” Christian asked, sitting across from her, his lips curving slightly, a playful glint in his eyes.Thinking he was asking about the juice, Noelle nodded without looking up.Christian's smile deepened. "Very sweet?"Noelle nodded again. "Mm-hmm"The amusement in Christian's eyes was becoming harder to conceal. He leaned forward, closing the distance between them. "Do you want it even sweeter?"Noelle nodded again, but then, realizing what he might mean, quickly shook her head. "No, it's sweet enough!"She meant that she didn't need anything sweeter.But before she could react, a fresh, woody scent enveloped her, and when she looked up, Christian's face was just inches away.Christian pressed lips to hers.He kissed her gently, savoring her sweetness, the sensation like tasting the most delicate jelly, making it hard to stop.Noelle's eyes widened in shock
Lia asked the sales assistant to bring over the limited-edition handbag, and Michael casually handed over a card. In just a few minutes, they completed a transaction worth several hundred thousand.After paying, Lia, holding the branded shopping bag, linked her arm through Michael's, her face full of affection."That looks like Elle!" she remarked, spotting Noelle.Michael glanced up briefly, his eyes flicking toward Noelle in the VIP lounge.That look seemed deep, yet also conveyed nothing at all. "Hmm," was all he said."Should we go over and say hi?" Lia suggested. They were on the next flight after Noelle's.Michael's expression remained indifferent. "We don't have time for that."Lia was pleased, noting how Michael didn't seem to care about his daughter at all.Once she bore their son, everything Michael had would eventually belong to him.Lia pursed her crimson lips. "Alright then."The two turned and headed towards the VIP lounge for their flight.When Noelle saw Mich
"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