On his way to Neon Nights, Stanley called up a few friends.In the private room, his friend, Gerald Davison, wasted no time asking, "Where've you been these past few days? We've been trying to reach you, but you've been MIA!"Another friend, Cliff Sherman, gave Stanley a once-over, taking in his sharp suit, neatly styled hair, and the gel holding it all in place. "All polished and proper. Did you go on a date or something?"Stanley tugged at his tie, sitting down on the couch with a serious expression. "The Xanthos family's little lady is going to be my wife."Gerald raised an eyebrow. "The Xanthos family? As in the big-shot medical family?"Stanley nodded. "Who else? Do you think there's another Xanthos family with a daughter worthy of me?"Gerald let out a low whistle, then burst into laughter. He playfully slapped Stanley on the shoulder. "Man, you've hit the jackpot. You're marrying into a high-class family! So, how's the girl? She must be pretty, right?"None of Stanley's
Quentin stood there, his gaze lingering on Noelle with an unreadable expression.Suspicious, Noelle picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside, she saw a blur of white. She pulled out one of the photos.The image showed three men and one woman in a depraved, disturbing scene—something far beyond what she could have ever imagined. Her stomach lurched violently, and she immediately felt her breakfast rising in her throat.Covering her mouth, she bolted from the room.The photo fluttered to the floor.Quentin picked it up and tucked it back into the envelope.Only one other student was in the office, but they were seated far enough away that they hadn't noticed what was happening. They glanced up briefly, but seeing nothing unusual, returned to their work.Quentin slipped the envelope into his coat pocket and followed Noelle toward the restroom.From the hall, he could already hear the sound of her retching. He raised an eyebrow and thought, "What taste I must have, fallin
"Thank you, Dr. Poole," Noelle said, taking the meal box from Kara and sending her the money for it.Kara glanced at Quentin, who stood tall not far away, then leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Your ex-husband?"Noelle nodded softly as she opened the box and started eating. "Mm-hmm."Kara sighed. Quentin was impossibly handsome, almost unreal, but clearly, he didn't know how to value a woman like Noelle.Quentin left soon after, making a call to Martin as he walked away. "Keep an eye on Stanley."Noelle wasn't a concern anymore.There was no way she'd fall for someone as repulsive as Stanley, but Quentin still worried Stanley might try something stupid. And Lia—well, she definitely needed to be taught a lesson, too.Stanley came looking for Noelle again. She had just finished her shift. When he noticed her slender frame walking out of the outpatient building, he shut his car door and strode toward her."Elle, I'm here to pick you up. Surely you have time to meet my fam
Stanley was already plotting how to ease Noelle into getting comfortable with his "friends." Once she got used to them, everything would fall into place.He gave them a reminder, "Listen, behave yourselves tonight. She's my future wife. Well… our wife," he added in a lower voice, smirking.Miles Cantrell grinned. "What kind of woman could make someone like Stanley, who's seen it all, fall head over heels? I can't wait to meet her."Brian Medina chimed in, "Same here. I'm dying to see what she's like."Stanley flashed a confident smile. "You guys act like I'd go after anything less than perfection."Knock, knock."Stanley?" A man's voice called from outside, calm and neutral, impossible to read."Who the hell is that?" He walked to the door and opened it, glancing left—nothing. He turned right...Suddenly, a hand like a steel vice grabbed his throat, yanking him forward. Before Stanley could even process what was happening, his head slammed against the wall with a sickening th
Noelle tilted her head up, locking eyes with Christian's cold, stormy gaze.Gone was the charming, playful man she once knew. His eyes were like a turbulent ocean, the dark blue depths swirling with danger. Looking into them was like staring into an abyss.She struggled in his grip. "Let me go!"Christian's hold only tightened, his breath a mix of icy chill and burning heat as if he were both freezing and smearing her at the same time. There was no escape."If you've got the strength, go ahead—free yourself," he challenged, making it clear he had no intention of letting her go.Noelle tugged harder, but his grip was unyielding.His hand clamped around her wrist like a vice, holding her as if she were a helpless animal caught in a trap.Furious, she grabbed his arm with her free hand and leaned down, sinking her teeth into his wrist.Christian was wearing a black leather coat, with just a sliver of skin exposed at the cuff. Noelle didn't hold back, biting down as hard as s
Noelle struggled in disgust, but Christian's arm was like a black iron, pressing down on her shoulder, unmoving.The more she squirmed, the harder he pressed.Frustrated that she couldn't break free, Noelle mentally cursed Christian several times over.Quentin's dark eyes swept over her, trapped under Christian's arm. "She doesn't look too willing, Mr. Blackwood. Didn't you notice? Or do I need to call the police for you to let go?"There was a menacing edge in his tone, subtle power radiating from his figure wrapped in that black coat."I'm willing! Who said I'm not!"Noelle leaned closer to Christian's side. She didn't want to deal with either of these men, but she didn't want to give Quentin the satisfaction of thinking he had the upper hand.Her soft body pressed against Christian's solid frame. His lips curved into a crooked smile, and the look in his eyes softened slightly as he glanced down at her, his grip loosening but still keeping her close. He raised a brow at
Noelle felt her breath catch in frustration once again. "You..."It was clear now—neither of these men would let her off easy. Furious, Noelle spun around and stormed off.Behind her, sparks flew between Quentin and Christian, the thick tension hanging like the smoke of an impending battle.Meanwhile, Lia slowly came to, her vision adjusting to the sterile white ceiling above. For a moment, she didn't recognize where she was until her gaze landed on Michael, sitting nearby. Her heart clenched, and she immediately sat up. "Michael, no—I swear, I don't know what happened!"A dull pain throbbed in her lower abdomen, but it wasn't just there—her entire body ached, and certain places even more so. As fragmented memories of the private room flooded back, she quickly covered her mouth, her eyes widening in horror."You mean to tell me you had no idea Stanley was capable of that? Or were you unaware the baby wouldn't survive?" Michael's tone was calm, almost too casual, as he spun a
Lia's heart clenched as she instinctively shrank from Emmie's gaze, inching closer to Michael.Her trembling hand crept toward Michael's arm. "Michael, save me..."Emmie approached calmly, her face devoid of anger or frustration, and positioning herself in front of Michael and behind Lia.She unzipped her handbag and pulled out a small fruit knife, which clattered onto the coffee table with a sharp sound."Lia's tongue—she can cut it out herself, or you can do it for her."Lia's entire body went cold. She gripped Michael's arm even tighter, shrinking further into his embrace, her face draining of all color.Michael's dark brows furrowed slightly. He lifted his eyes and looked up at Emmie with calm, calculating eyes."Elle is my bottom line. She targeted Elle. If Elle hadn't had a stomachache, she would've been the one assaulted. So tell me, will you do it, or will she?"Emmie had never been like this before. She had always been gentle, graceful, and elegant. But now, her ey
"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