Christian rarely lit a cigarette, but now he did. He maintained his usual nonchalant, defiant expression.The police officer surveyed the scene—the shattered plates, the spilled food—and their brows furrowed. That's when Leonard stepped forward, eager to explain. "Officer, it's true! My bro is just trying to cheer up his future girlfriend! He even had the whole restaurant's plates and cups brought out for her to smash"The officer's face twitched. He glanced over at the row of waiters holding trays. What a waste of money.It did seem like some kind of bizarre relationship drama, but the officer wasn't entirely convinced. He turned to Noelle and asked, "Miss, is what he's saying true?”Noelle blinked her clear eyes and said, "Officer, I don't know what kind of 'relationship fun' he's talking about. This man has been pursuing me, and I've already rejected him. But he had me locked in here, saying I couldn't leave unless I agreed to date him."Her eyes blinked again, and this tim
Through Noelle's damp lashes, she noticed a tall figure seated diagonally across from her. Quentin was dressed in a navy coat, he looked slightly different from when she had seen him earlier that day—now, a scarf was wrapped around his neck. The scarf she had knitted for him.He accepted a drink from the waiter, sipping slowly.As he drank, his eyes drifted toward her, seemingly casual, yet deliberate.Their gazes locked. He raised his glass in a silent toast, then tipped it back, draining it in one go, before showing her the empty bottom.A stillness hung in the air between them for a few long moments. Noelle set down her glass, rose from her seat, and walked out.Outside the bar, a valet stood waiting. Spotting her, he approached. "Miss, need a driver?"Noelle nodded and tossed him her keys, then slid into the passenger seat. As the valet rounded the car to the driver's side, she glanced back toward the bar. There, in the doorway, Quentin stood lighting a cigarette,
At that moment, a knock came at the door of the private room.A waiter entered, carrying two bottles of whiskey. "Mr. Blackwood, these are from Mr. Lowe in the next room. He wishes you a happy future… perhaps with a specialist in family affairs."The waiter, oblivious to the meaning of the message, simply repeated Quentin's words. He placed the bottles on the table with a slight bow. "Would you like me to open them?" he asked Christian.A dark, intense anger flashed across Christian's features. He loosened his tie and sank into the couch, his tall frame tense. "Open them—why not?"The waiter calmly uncorked the bottles. "Enjoy."Noelle hadn't expected Quentin to pull a stunt like this. The fact that he was in the next room was no coincidence—it had to be deliberate.Before the waiter could leave, she stopped him and handed him a card. "Send the same bottles to Mr. Lowe and congratulate him on his upgrade to the specialist in family affairs."The waiter blinked, confused by t
Noelle paused mid-step, her gaze shifting to the half-open door of the private room, where Quentin's inscrutable dark eyes were watching her.She blinked, her expression cold and distant. "Do as you please, Mr. Lowe."With that, she walked away.Frustration surged in Quentin's chest, and he downed a large gulp of his drink.Zion chuckled. "You're not groveling enough, man! Haven't you heard of the dramatic saga of chasing after one's wife when it was too late? You've gotta turn yourself into a total simp if you want her back!"Quentin shot him a withering look. Not groveling enough?If that's what it took, he could definitely lower himself further.Half an hour later, Quentin stepped out of the private room. Zion had already left, and just then, Christian and his group were emerging from the room next door.Christian's eyes followed Quentin's tall figure. Sensing his gaze, Quentin turned his head, their eyes locking—silent sparks flickering between them.Quentin lit a ci
As Lia spoke, she quickly pulled out her phone and dialed a number.The moment the call connected, her voice turned into a sob. "Michael, Elle, she—"Splash! Another glass of water drenched her head."Go ahead, tell him Noelle threw water at you again!" Noelle said, her cold eyes locked on Lia.This time, it wasn't water—it was fruit wine. An icy chill ran down Lia's body as the red liquid dripped from her hair, blurring her vision. On the verge of breaking down, she cried into the phone, "Michael... I don't want to live anymore..."She stood up and bolted from the restaurant.As she ran out, the reality of her pregnancy hit her like a jolt of lightning. This baby was far too precious—if she had another miscarriage, she might never have children again. Panic gripped her, and someone caught her as she lunged forward, nearly tripping over herself. Christian's hands steadied her. "Old lady, if you're going to fake an injury, at least do it right," he said in his usual lazy
Just as Noelle felt both angry and helpless, unable to deal with Christian's stubbornness, two people walked into the restaurant.It was Gillian and her friend.The moment Gillian saw the man with what looked like paint splashed across his face, she realized it was Christian. Her mouth dropped open in shock.Her friend angrily said, "What's Mr. Blackwood doing? Is he really letting that Xanthos woman throw things at him? Gillian, aren't you going to do something? Your man's about to get stolen!"Gillian bit her tangerine-colored lips, clearly wanting to intervene. But Christian's earlier warning echoed in her mind. In the end, she lowered her voice. "Let’s go somewhere else."She turned to leave.But a cold female voice rang out from behind. "Ms. Pearce, don't go. Since you're already here, why not join us for a meal?"Noelle's sharp gaze had landed on Gillian.Gillian froze mid-step. She didn't need to turn around to feel the piercing stare on her back, like an invisible
"Sarah," Noelle's tone suddenly turned serious. "Don't mention my connection to Michael."Sarah nodded. "I know, I won't say a word!"Noelle gave a small nod. "Good."The window rolled up, cutting off the view of Noelle's striking features as the car drove away. Sarah got into her SUV and left as well.Meanwhile, Lia's frustration grew with every passing minute. As she drove away from the restaurant, she headed straight for the Xanthos residence.As Michael's mistress, Lia enjoyed a life of luxury, but she still hadn't fully secured her place. The Xanthos family's first and second wives had no regard for her, but Lia knew how to charm her way into people's good graces, especially Mabel. With a baby on the way, Mabel doted on her, and the household staff treated her with the utmost respect.Lia went directly to the house where Mabel lived. She didn't mention what had happened at the restaurant. Instead, she entered with a bright smile and pulled an ultrasound scan from her
"I'm Stanley Gardner. My family owns half the pharmacies in Collinview City."Noelle's expression turned cold. "I don't care who you are. I don't know you. Leave now, or I'll call the police."Stanley leaned on the desk in front of her, one arm on his hip, his lips curling into an amused smirk. "Your family already accepted my gift. You don't get to reject me! I'll let it slide since you don't know me yet. "After your shift tomorrow morning, you'll come with me to meet my parents, and we'll settle things. We'll be married before the new year—my parents are ready for grandkids."With that, Stanley straightened up and left.Noelle's mind raced back to the call from the Xanthos residence earlier that evening. Could this guy be someone Mabel had arranged for her?As she pondered, her phone rang again. The caller ID showed it was from Xanthos' residence.Noelle answered, and this time, it was Mabel's voice on the line."Elle, I need you to come over tomorrow morning. Grandma's fo