Just as Quentin was about to pour himself some water—Martin having stepped out a few minutes earlier—Zara quickly walked over."Mr. Lowe, let me help you with that!" she offered.Quentin looked at the unfamiliar doctor in the white coat and replied coolly, "Thank you."Zara smiled warmly. "No need to thank me, Mr. Lowe. I'm Zara Patel, currently rotating in this department. If you need anything, you can always ask me."She handed the water to Quentin.Quentin, having encountered many women like this before, took the glass with a detached expression. "I don't need anything. You can leave now."Zara's face stiffened slightly, but she wasn't ready to give up. "Have you had your ointment applied? I can help with that."She reached for the ointment on the bedside table, taking the initiative to apply it for him.Quentin's patience reached its limit. "I told you to leave. Are you deaf?"His gaze was sharp, his mood already sour, and he didn't appreciate this intrusion.Zara's face
Chance stepped outside for a cigarette, and by the time he returned, Quentin was already getting dressed in his own clothes, looking like he was about to leave."If you don't care about her, then don't string her along. End things on good terms. Otherwise, you'll end up like me," Quentin said, offering Chance advice before leaving the room with Martin.Chance frowned, sensing something, yet not fully understanding it. He soon followed them out.After leaving the hospital, Madison called Noelle. "Noelle, I'm fine. Don't worry, it was just a routine checkup.""That's good," Noelle replied.There was a pause on the other end of the line before Madison asked softly, "Noelle, you're on your own now—are you doing okay?"Noelle hesitated, sensing that Madison's wasn't as simple as it sounded. "Is something going on?"Madison remained silent.The man she loved had died in an accident when they were in university, and with him, her heart had died too.So when her parents arranged for h
Quentin couldn't help but follow the girl with his gaze, watching as she stood outside the emergency room, tears streaming down her face.A voice echoed in his mind, questioning, "Have you ever considered that Xyla might not be that man's sister at all?"Quentin's ear twitched as the voice continued to replay in his head, "My feeling is that the two of them don't look alike at all. Like you and Yvette, Chance. Even though you're cousins, there's still a faint resemblance in your features. But Xyla and that man? Not even a little."Then, another voice chimed in, "Maybe one takes after their father, and the other after their mother!"A chill ran down Quentin's spine, a growing sense of unease gnawing at him.It was as if a fundamental belief he held was on the verge of being shattered.He turned to Martin and instructed, "Investigate that girl standing outside the emergency room."Martin glanced over at the girl.With her build and features, she could almost be mistaken for a man
Quentin felt like a fool.Noelle couldn't help but find the situation deeply ironic."You've been treating a devil like a treasure all these years. That must feel pretty great, right, Mr. Lowe?" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she turned to look out the window.Quentin's heart clenched.Memories of Xyla flooded his mind—the years he'd spent protecting her, providing for her, giving her the best of everything, even neglecting his own wife for her sake time and again.His eyes grew moist. He realized just how utterly wrong and foolish he had been."If you're not feeling unwell, Mr. Lowe, I'll be on my way," Noelle said as she reached for the door handle.Quentin grabbed her arm, his eyes still wet. "Elle..."But Noelle calmly shook off his hand, opened the door, and left.Whether Xyla was that man's sister or not didn't matter to her anymore.She had left the past behind and started a new life, one where those old wounds no longer needed to be reopened.Quentin st
Noelle retorted, "Then you better watch out, or one day I might just swat you down!"Christian was momentarily speechless.Noelle turned and walked away.Christian had only come over because he saw that man hitting on Noelle.When he glanced up, he noticed his friend watching him with an amused expression from a distance. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he hurried over to join them.Meanwhile, Quentin felt deeply unsettled, he went to a secret underground location where Xyla and Ava were being held.Xyla's once beautiful face was completely ruined, and she hadn't received any medical treatment. Her appearance was beyond horrific.She sat on the cold, concrete floor, trembling in her tattered clothes, staring up at Quentin in fear.Just a few months ago, he had treated her like a precious gem.Back then, if she had even the slightest headache or fever, whether real or feigned, he would appear at her side immediately, rushing her to the hospital and tending to her with utmost care.
The soft, sweet voice wrapped around Quentin like a venomous snake, reminding him of Xyla. She had spoken to him like this for years.Suddenly feeling nauseous, Quentin shoved Zara away and stumbled towards his car.He grabbed the door handle, trying to steady himself enough to open it.Unwilling to give up, Zara spoke again, "Mr. Lowe, do you like Noelle? She's always cozying up to rich men. I heard she was married before, but the guy wasn't successful or wealthy, so she dumped him and hooked up with that Blackwood heir. Now she's after you, trying to have it both ways and play you both!"Earlier that evening, Zara had seen Noelle getting into a luxury car after work, and the man inside was none other than the one standing before her now.Zara's heart twisted with a mix of jealousy and bitterness.Quentin felt a sudden wave of sobriety wash over him.He turned to look at her, his handsome face flickering in and out of the streetlights as cars passed by, his expression dark."W
Noelle had been running herself ragged the past few days. The attending physician she was shadowing, Kara Poole, was notorious for her bad temper and habit of dumping work on the students. Just a moment ago, Kara had taken a call from her husband, and it sounded like they argued. Without a word, she left the clinic.Meanwhile, several patients were waiting outside for their follow-up appointments.After waiting for what felt like forever, and with no sign of Kara returning, Noelle decided to call her.Kara answered with a voice full of irritation, "You've been following me long enough—have you learned anything? Do you need to call me about every little thing?"With that, she hung up.Noelle felt a wave of frustration.Following Kara for five days didn't qualify as "long enough," and besides, she didn't even have the authority to see patients on her own.The patients outside were growing impatient, some of them coming in to ask about the delay.Noelle did her best to reass
Noelle nodded. "Yes."She lowered her eyes but couldn't hide the sadness in them.Why did she have to be born into a family like this? Why did Emmie have to end up with a man like Michael, someone she couldn't seem to shake off?Emmie noticed the look on her daughter's face but didn't mention it. Instead, she asked, "How's work been lately? Are you too tired?"Emmie's delicate features radiated concern and warmth as she reached out and lovingly stroked Noelle's head.Noelle felt a lump in her throat and had to take a deep breath to push back the emotion. "I'm fine. You need to take care of yourself."She picked up a glass of juice and took a small sip, using the motion to hide the moisture in her eyes.Not far away, a well-dressed couple entered the restaurant.Lia noticed Emmie and Noelle right away.She wasn't sure if Michael had seen them too, but she simply tightened her grip on his arms as they sat down at their table.With a coy smile, she said, "Michael, I've been feel
"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