Chapter 4

Noelle was speechless.

Quentin continued to walk away without stopping once.

Noelle's heart sank into her stomach as she wondered whether she had to do with Quentin's sudden departure. Unease filled her chest as she finished the chess match and stood to leave, too.

She had just arrived at the yard when a blinding beam of light shined at her, so she covered her eyes.

That was when a deep voice rang out from behind the light. "Get in."

Noelle frowned. The Maybach's headlights had switched off when she approached it. She got into the backseat.

She once saw Quentin driving and Xyla sitting in the front passenger seat. Due to that, she never sat in the front with Quentin.

Quentin's threatening voice sounded from the driver's seat. "Did you tell my mother?"

"Tell her what?" Noelle was confused.

Quentin scoffed lightly. He was evidently feeling infuriated by her innocent reaction. "I gave Xy a diamond necklace worth one million for her birthday.

"It seems you, my wife, got jealous and demanded a five-million-dollar diamond necklace from my mother. You even complained about me spending time with Xyla to her while you were at it."

He didn't care about Noelle getting the expensive necklace. What annoyed him to his core was she had complained to his mother.

Noelle was so upset that she straightened her back and snarled, "Have you lost your mind? Who cares about such superficial things!"

If she liked expensive jewelry that much, her jewelry wouldn't be sitting in a drawer collecting dust. Besides, how would she know what present Quentin had given Xyla?

Her breathing had grown heavy. Yet, she couldn't help but add, "Why would I need to complain to your mother about you and Xyla's affairs? Everyone alive knows about it!"

She said the same thing as Janet.

Quentin snorted. His cigarette had burnt out, so he tossed it outside and rolled up the window before driving.

However, he had only driven a short distance from the villa when he stopped. He barked, "Get out!"

Noelle jolted, then widened her eyes in disbelief at him.

Various cars' headlights flashed by. They illuminated Quentin's dashing side profile. Noelle had a better look at his grim expression and pursed lips.

She realized he was serious about asking her to get out. So, she no longer hesitated as she opened the door and exited the car.

Quentin's Maybach soon drove away and blended into the other cars in the night traffic.

Noelle watched the car leave with a heavy heart. She couldn't believe the rotten man she had married. She could let it slide that he had accused her of things she didn't do, but how dare he dump her in the middle of the road?

Lowe Mansion was in the suburbs. Although many cars traveled down this stretch of road, it wasn't easy to wave down a taxi. Noelle waited for half an hour before she finally got a cab.

…

Noelle stood beside the bar table at Summer Night Bar. She chugged the cocktail prepared by the owner, Lorraine Summer.

"He ticked you off again, huh? I told you! You can't rely on a man like Quentin Lowe!" Lorraine smirked as she mixed a drink and handed it to another customer. Her captivating figure leaned closer to Noelle while she spoke. "Shall I introduce you to some hunks, so you can have some fun?"

Noelle choked on her alcohol. "No!"

She refused to stoop as low as to fool around with other men.

Lorraine chuckled yet motioned someone over. "Bring them all here!"

Soon enough, many good-looking and built young men arrived before Noelle.

Lorraine declared, "Have a look and take your pick. You can have one or all of them! I, the generous Lorraine, won't charge you a single cent for it!"

A mouthful of alcohol spattered from Noelle's lips. "Stop it! Stop this right now!"

She wouldn't feel sorry for Quentin if she actually screwed these men. After all, he fucked another woman behind her back first. However, she'd feel terrible and couldn't bear to face Janet.

Janet had raised her like a daughter. Not to mention, Fred also treated her like his granddaughter.

Lorraine's lips curled up with mischief. "Oh, alright. Whatever you say."

Noelle stayed in the bar and only left in Lorraine's car after midnight. Even so, she didn't return to Windsor Villa. Instead, she headed to her loft apartment. It was her private property, and Quentin had no idea it existed.

She stayed here for two consecutive days.

By the third day, Lorraine came to pick Noelle up, stating she wanted to introduce a few friends to Noelle. She even brought Noelle for a makeup appointment before heading to the event.

Noelle was much more captivating than usual after wearing some makeup and a long white dress gifted by Janet. She saw her graceful figure in the mirror and thought, "It's no wonder Quentin is into women like Xyla. Dressing this way does indeed exude a feminine charm."

Lorraine brought Noelle to a manor in the western suburbs. There, Lorraine introduced the latter to her friends.

That was when a man arrived. It was Quentin, and he donned a dark suit while exuding an air of grandness. His dark gaze settled on Noelle for a second before flickering elsewhere.

Beside Quentin was a man who had waited for the chance to converse. He pointed out, "That woman seems to be your wife."

He had met Noelle at Lowe Mansion once.

Quentin rolled his eyes. "You've got the wrong woman."

Not far away, Noelle raised her glass but froze upon realizing the men's conversation.

She and Quentin had a low-profile wedding. Plus, Quentin never publicly disclosed her identity as his wife. Still, it pained her to see him cruelly deny their relationship.

"Apologies, I need to use the washroom," Noelle said to the man opposite her. Then, she lifted the hem of her skirt and walked toward the washroom. Once she turned around, her face paled as she couldn't conceal her emotions.

The path to the bathroom had an antique archway with beaded curtains strung from its frame. As Noelle walked past the archway, someone threw one of the beaded curtain strings at her face.

Noelle let out a dull cry before cupping her face and turning to find the culprit.

A towering Quentin walked past the beaded curtains. His condescending tone filled the air. "Aren't you drained from trying to imitate another woman, Ms. Xanthos?"

The spot on Noelle's face heated up as she seethed, "Cut to the chase if you want a divorce that badly, Quentin! Let's meet at the courthouse tomorrow morning. Whoever doesn't go is a coward!"

She left after that. She could no longer tolerate coexisting with the awful Quentin.

Quentin tensed as the beaded curtains separated him from her.

Noelle had never thrown such a temper at him before. She didn't react this way when someone snapped a photo of him and Xyla exiting Cedarfield Villa together or when he stayed the night at Xyla's place—not even when he ditched her alone in the middle of the road.

Yet, all it took was the phrase "imitate another woman" to hurt Noelle deeply.

…

The next day at 8:00 a.m., Noelle arrived on time and waited at the courthouse's entrance for Quentin.

However, he didn't show up, even after an hour.

Noelle phoned him, but he didn't answer.

She called Quentin's assistant, Martin Powell, who informed her that Quentin was in a meeting.

At 10:00 a.m., she called Quentin again, only to get the automatic reply that he was busy. So, she called Martin to ask, "Has Mr. Lowe's meeting not ended?"

Martin peered at Quentin, whose head was lowered and seemed hard at work beside him. He was unsure why Quentin claimed to be busy this early in the morning. He even lied about having a meeting when there was never one.

He then chuckled awkwardly at his phone. "Yeah, he's still in the meeting."

A frown marred Noelle's face. "Then, please ask him to come to the courthouse once he's done."

"Got it," replied Martin.

Another hour passed, and Noelle realized the courthouse was about to close for the day. She called Quentin's phone again, but he had switched it off. With her patience running thin, she phoned Martin once more. "Hello, please get Quentin to answer his phone."

Martin glanced at the tall figure who ascended the plane's ramp then. He didn't quite understand what was happening. He hadn't heard any project issues on the other end, so why was Quentin suddenly leaving on a business trip?

He barely had enough time to pack Quentin's luggage, even.

Regardless, he spoke into the phone. "Mrs. Lowe, Mr. Lowe is going on a business trip. He's already boarded the plane!"

Noelle was speechless.

…

Later, Quentin wore an eye mask, shut his eyes, and rested on the plane.

Martin spoke with the utmost cautious tone. "Why are we traveling to Havenport City now, Mr. Lowe?"

Quentin's low voice rang out. "You're my assistant, yet you don't know and are asking me instead?"

That rendered Martin speechless. Deep down, he thought, "I bet you don't even know why we're going there!"