Noelle looked down at the tiny baby, wondering what it must feel like to be a mother.Just then, her phone rang again—it was John.She glanced at Yvette and asked softly, "Do you want to talk to Johnnie?"Yvette's eyes suddenly widened, a brief glimmer of emotion cutting through the exhaustion from childbirth.But just as quickly, her expression darkened, and she shook her head. "No, there's nothing to say. Just tell him I'm fine."If John ever found out she was the woman from that night, would he hate her? And if knew she had secretly given birth to his child, he'd probably be furious.It was better for her to disappear from his life completely.Noelle stepped into the hallway to take a call.John's voice was filled with concern. "If Yvette's sick, you should tell me. I can visit her. We're friends—it doesn't have to be this distant."Noelle sighed inwardly but stuck to what Yvette had asked her to say. "Johhnie, she's fine. Just a small cold. The doctor says she needs rest.
"Quentin, you shouldn't be doing this. Have you forgotten how Noelle left you? You broke her heart. What you're doing now isn't winning her back—it's pushing her further away. If you keep this up, she'll never belong to you again!"Yvette stood in the doorway of the hospital room, her body weak from childbirth, but her expression filled with worry for Quentin.Quentin crushed his cigarette against the trash can and tossed the butt inside, then turned and walked in the direction Noelle had gone.Noelle was in the bathroom, washing her face, when a shadow appeared in the doorway."There are no photos. I lied. You don't need to be afraid. Even if I had them, I'd never show them to anyone. Whether you believe me or not, I truly love you. There will never be another Xyla. All my love belongs to you. If you want the stars, I won't offer you the moon. Just come back to me!"Quentin took a deep breath, his emotions swirling, barely able to hold himself together. His eyes began to glisten.
A flurry of footsteps echoed outside the hospital room, and the door suddenly burst open. A middle-aged couple rushed in. "Yvette?"Yvette's eyes widened in shock at the sight of them."Dad, Mom..." she stammered, disbelief clear in her voice.Olivia's gaze darted to the baby in the crib, then back to Yvette. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes. "Look at you..."The words caught in her throat, and she pressed a hand to her chest, overwhelmed with emotion. "This is such a disaster!"She sank into the nearby chair, covering her face with her hands.Ryan's face was just as grim."Shame on the family…" he muttered, before letting out a deep sigh and walking out of the room.Noelle looked over at Yvette, whose face had gone pale—she looked as lifeless as a wilting flower, drained of all color and vitality."Aunt Olivia, please don't cry. What's done is done, and nothing can change that now. The most important thing is to take care of Yvette," Noelle said, trying to calm her dow
Noelle felt a tightness in her chest, and her emotions swirling. Nothing about Quentin's behavior made her feel any betterSuddenly, she stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.Quentin hadn't expected her to stop so abruptly, and he paused, the umbrella slipping away from its protective place over her head. He quickly adjusted, bringing it back to shield her again.He looked at her, confused and unsure.Noelle's eyes were cold, a bitter smile tugging at her lips.The mockery in her expression was unmistakable. "Why bother, Mr. Lowe? Is it because Ms. Cadwell no longer matters to you that you're acting this way with me?"If Ms. Cadwell were still as sweet and understanding as before, and she and I were both standing in the rain, whose head would your umbrella be over then?"Quentin froze.She always had a way of cutting straight to the heart of things, silencing him with her sharp word.His face shifted, torn between conflicting emotions. "Elle…""Enough, stop followin
Julian had been standing at a distance the entire time, but now he stepped forward, lowering his voice. "Mr. Blackwood was here just a few days ago. This time, he came specifically for Ms. Xanthos."Noelle froze, glancing toward the tall figure now making his way back to her.Julian quickly stepped back to his previous spot.Christian approached, holding a hairpin studded with small diamonds. "I couldn't find one exactly like yours, but this one's pretty close."Noelle's body stiffened as she gathered her long hair back up, but her mind echoed with Julian's words—Mr. Blackwood cam specifically for Ms. Xanthos.Behind her, Christian's pleasant voice broke through her thoughts. "Is this how it goes in?"He was trying to pin her hair, but each attempt failed. And with every movement, his firm body brushed against her hips, while the warmth of his breath occasionally touched the back of her neck.Noelle felt like she was standing in front of a furnace, the heat making her want to
The blush on Noelle's face had just begun to fade, but now it flared up again as if set on fire. She stared at Christian, who stared right back, and in the end, it was Noelle who had to look away, defeated. The redness on her cheeks quickly spread to her ears. Christian was setting traps for her everywhere. She was now almost certain that even when he'd been pinning her hair earlier, he'd done it on purpose.Grabbing the glass of orange juice Julian had placed in front of her, she took a sip, trying to hide her embarrassment.Then, without a word, she stood up, snatched her suitcase, and walked off.If she didn't leave now, who knew how many more teasing remarks Christian had lined up for her?Christian was quick to follow, his long legs easily keeping pace as he trailed behind her toward the boarding gate"We're early," he murmured near her ear.They still had five minutes before boarding began.Noelle felt his warm breath against her ear, making her shoulder jerk instinc
Noelle's lips twitched.She frowned at Christian and mouthed, "Your mom invited me to dinner. Tell her no!"Christian's lips curved into a charming smile as he smoothly took Noelle's phone from her and put it to his ear. "Mom, the little imp is too shy. I’ll bring her over when she's grown a thicker skin. That's it, bye!"As soon as Christian hung up, Noelle gave him a swift kick. "Christian!"Still annoyed, she lunged at him, her small fists pounding against his chest. "You're the imp! You're the real monster!"Just then, the car took a sharp turn, causing her to lose her balance and fall straight into Christian's arms.Strong hands gripped her waist, holding her firmly in place.In one swift motion, Christian lifted her by the waist and settled her directly onto his lap, facing him."This way, it's easier for you to hit me," he teased.Noelle's cheeks turned a deep shade of red as she stared at his mischievous expression. "Christian, put me down!"Christian's eyes sparkled
Noelle prepared a meal of garlic butter shrimp, sautéed green beans with bacon, rice as the main course, and grits on the side.She set everything on the table, and Christian sat down.He looked at the well-presented dishes and let out a dramatic sigh. "How am I supposed to eat this?"Noelle frowned, confused. "What do you mean, how?"Christian replied, "This is a single portion—just enough for me."Noelle rolled her eyes. "You can eat a little less."Maybe that would stop him from making so many flirty remarks.Christian narrowed his eyes. "Worried I'll overeat?""Mm-hmm!" Noelle nodded firmly.Christian picked up his spoon, finally starting to eat.After dinner, Christian left.Noelle, feeling exhausted, took a shower and went straight to bed.The next morning, Janet called, her voice warm and caring as always. "Elle, you're not at work yet, are you?""I'm just about to head out, Mom. How are you?" Noelle asked, slipping on her shoes while speaking.Janet replied, "I sa