Leonard wasted no time.He walked over and kicked the man fumbling with his zipper square in the back, sending him flat on his face just as he was about to expose himself.Then, without missing a beat, Leonard delivered a hard slap to the other man's face.Noelle scrambled to her feet and darted behind Leonard, trembling.Leonard positioned himself protectively in front of her. "Noelle, don't be scared, I'm here! Damn it, these idiots! Just what I needed—a reason to beat someone up!"He grabbed one of the men by the collar and started pummeling him, then turned to deliver a beating to the other.They were just a couple of workers Andrew had bribed, and neither tried to fight back.Within minutes, Leonard had them both on the ground, beaten senseless.Thinking quickly, Leonard pulled out his phone and called Christian. "Christian, someone tried to mess with Noelle!"Meanwhile, Andrew, who had been watching from a distance, had already bolted.Noelle couldn't believe something
Another time, Quentin had promised to pick Noelle up from her studio but never showed. Instead, a group of thugs arrived.Not only did they trash her studio, but they almost assaulted her. She escaped only by smashing a flowerpot over one of their heads.Back then, she had been terrified, but she never expected Quentin to be of any help.She had no choice but to endure the fear alone, retreating to her tiny apartment, quietly nursing her wounds by herself."Okay, I'll stay with you," Christian said softly.His tone was incredibly gentle, a stark contrast to the carefree man she usually knew.His beautiful eyes were filled with tenderness—so careful and deliberate as if he were handling something fragile.He held her still-cool hand."Just lie down for a bit. Philbert will be here soon with some food, alright?"Noelle dozed off for a while, and Christian softly patted her shoulder. "Wake up, babe. Time to eat."She groggily sat up, greeted by the comforting smell of food.Chr
When Christian returned, Philbert was still standing guard outside Noelle's apartment, like a sentry. Seeing Christian approach, he greeted him, "Mr. Blackwood."Christian's handsome face still held a trace of coldness.Unbuttoning his coat one by one, he told Philbert to head home. Christian went inside alone.Noelle was dreaming about the scene in a hospital parking lot. She woke up screaming, immediately falling into someone's arms."Don't be scared, I'm here," Christian's gentle, concerned voice came from beside her.Noelle opened her eyes to see his face close in front of her.He was holding her, and the soft glow of the bedside lamp blurred the sharp angles of his features. His eyes were full of warmth and concern.This scene jolted her fully awake.Quickly, she moved away from his arms, her face flushing red. "I thought you left."Christian's arms hesitated for a moment as she pulled away, but then he curved his lips into a smile, his eyes sparkling with a playful glint
Michael's gaze was sharp. "Today's surgery will be even more complex. Pay close attention."Noelle nodded. "Mm."As they spoke, the elevator stopped, and Michael and Russ stepped out first, with Noelle followed behind them.Zara, feeling bitter after seeing that she wasn't on today's surgery team while Noelle was, happened to catch sight of Noelle and Michael exiting the elevator together.It even looked like they were talking."Noelle must be flirting with Michael again," Zara thought bitterly.Why else would Michael always pick her for surgeries?"Mr. Xanthos!" she called out, quickly walking towards his tall, straight figure.Michael stopped and turned to look at Zara, his thick brows furrowing. "What is it?"Zara glanced around, making sure no one else was nearby, then lowered her voice. "Mr. Xanthos, whatever Noelle's given you, I can give you too."Michael's expression flickered. "What has she given me?"Zara bit her lip. "She's been in so many of your surgeries, and y
Noelle suddenly realized what Russ had mentioned earlier—someone from Collinview University had gone to Michael and said awful things.That person was Zara.She looked at Zara in disbelief. "You really don't know what you did?"Noelle didn't know exactly what Zara had told Michael, but judging from the scolding she had received, she could guess.Standing up, Noelle walked over to her. "Zara, we've been classmates for half a year. Haven't I treated you well? When you needed help, I was there. When you couldn't cover your tuition, I helped pay for it. When you had nowhere to live, I let you stay at my place."When you needed something, I went out of my way to get it for you. Every time an opportunity came up, I thought of you first. And yet, you accused me of overcharging you for a wallet I bought on your behalf, and now you run to Mr. Xanthos to bad-mouth me? Where's your conscience?"The Noelle standing before Zara was completely different from the kind, smiling person she usuall
Noelle's fury boiled over, and she raised her voice. "No, Quentin! Are you deaf?""Fine!"A vein throbbed on Quentin's forehead as he released her, stepping back to put some distance between them. "Perfect timing. I've got some things on my phone… wasn't sure if I should delete them. Now I know. I'll keep them—for my own enjoyment."With that, he turned to leave.Noelle's pulse quickened, and for a moment, her heart seemed to stop. "What do you have on your phone?"Quentin paused mid-step and glanced back, his expression unreadable. "Just a few intimate moments between husband and wife. I doubt Ms. Xanthos would be interested."Without another word, he continued walking away."Quentin!"Noelle's hands trembled, and the pastries and meal box slipped from her grasp, crashing to the floor.She ignored them and ran after him. "Quentin, what do you have?"A deep sense of dread surged through her.She suddenly remembered a time when he'd mentioned recording them. She'd been in tea
Noelle had lost her appetite ever since Quentin said what he did.Now, she stared blankly at the table, a feast of dishes spread before her.Christian placed a few servings on her plate. "Why aren't you eating? The chef here is a descendant of the palace cooks from the last kingdom. You won't find food like this anywhere else. And even if you do, it won't taste the same."His hands moved with practiced care, his pretty eyes filled with gentle concern. But if you looked closer, there was a glint of coldness beneath the warmth.Noelle picked up her fork and took a bite of the braised pork.It was perfectly tender, but it felt as though something was lodged in her throat. What should have been rich and flavorful now tasted like sawdust.She couldn't swallow.Across from her, Christian watched silently, his gaze steady but unreadable, like a storm gathering on the horizon—perhaps nothing at all.He reached for the fist next, carefully removing the bones before placing a delicate pi
As Adele stood up, she pouted, looking visibly upset.Danny rose as well."Sorry, Chris. Noelle," he apologized before following Adele out of the room.The door clicked shut behind them, leaving an oppressive silence in their wake."What's your plans for tomorrow?" Christian leaned back, draping one arm casually over the chair, his legs crossed. He looked perfectly relaxed."Reading," Noelle answered, her thoughts still lingering on Adele's visit. She had almost forgotten Christian's earlier remark."I'm going on a business trip to Southern City. Want to come?"Noelle hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "I've got exams coming up. I need to study."Her mind was far too consumed to think about traveling right now.The situation with Quentin was like a ticking time bomb—she lived in constant fear that it could explode at any moment, destroying her life."Alright." Christian dropped his arm and sat up straight. "Are you done eating? I'll take you home."Noelle, havin