"Mr. Lowe, it's time for you to go to the hospital for your IV treatment," Martin reminded Quentin.Feeling the discomfort in his body, Quentin stood up and said, "Let's go."On the way to the hospital, they came to a roadblock.Quentin instructed, "Go and check out what's going on up front."Martin went to investigate and quickly returned, saying, "Mr. Lowe, it's Mrs. Lowe's car; she's been in a rear-end collision."Quentin's brows tightened.After leaving the supermarket, Noelle was on her way back home when a Volkswagen suddenly changed lanes on her left and cut her off. She couldn't react in time, resulting in a rear-end collision.Although the other driver was at fault, he was being aggressive. He grabbed her by the collar and demanded 100 thousand dollars for compensation, acting quite arrogantly.That was when Gabriel appeared. He got out of a Cayenne, his sturdy figure moving swiftly, and grabbed the man's hand, flinging him aside."Talk if you need to, but there's no
Right then, jealousy welled up in Quentin's chest as he pulled Noelle into his Bentley, shoving her into the driver's seat before slamming the door shut and climbing into the front passenger seat himself."I'm an ugly potato, and Gabriel is your white knight. Is that it?" he questioned with a harsh tone.She rolled her eyes and replied, "Mr. Lowe, are you blind? Can't you see he was just helping me?"She couldn't fathom how he got these absurd ideas from. A white knight? She'd only met Gabriel today.Quentin retorted, "You have poor driving skills. If he's helping you, he's doing you a disservice!"Thinking back to the way Gabriel was talking to Noelle, Quentin could feel his anger flaring up. Although he knew it was the other driver who had abruptly changed lanes and caused the collision, he still said it that way."Fine, fine!" she said.She was done arguing with him. Sure, she wasn't the best driver, but didn't he see how carefully and diligently she drove every time?"Ms. C
Quentin reluctantly stretched out his right hand.Noelle tied a band around the back of his hand, gave it a tap to find a vein, and then inserted the needle.He yelled out in pain as his hand jerked violently."Do you even know how to do this?" he exclaimed.The needle almost made him jump off the bed.Embarrassed, she said, "Mr. Lowe, you're the one who asked me to do this! I studied clinical medicine, not nursing. If you want me to play nurse, I can't promise perfection."She knew the process of administering an IV but wasn't any good at it.Quentin was tongue-tied. He couldn't admit that he didn't know about that. He assumed that anyone who studied medicine could administer IVs.Nevertheless, the needle was in place, and the blood return was normal.She applied some medical tape to secure it but noticed that he was staring at a specific spot on her."Where are you looking?" she snapped.Quentin wore an indifferent expression when he replied, "Aren't you exposing it for pe
Quentin suddenly grabbed Noelle's wrist. With just a little force, he pulled her down onto his chest."Really? Do you seriously think I'm only hard-mouthed and not anywhere else?"He held her lower back with his left hand, keeping her from getting up.With her laying on him, their bodies pressed together through the thin fabric of their clothes. She could feel the changes in his body.Looking into his meaningful eyes, she felt her cheeks burning like she was on fire. She felt both embarrassed and panicked."Let go of me!" she exclaimed.He still couldn't behave when getting an IV; she knew she shouldn't have cared for him.Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside. Then, Martin walked in and froze when he saw the scene inside the room."How can he be so witless?" Quentin grumbled internally before letting go of Noelle's waist.All flustered and blushing, she quickly got up. Her heart was racing as she thought, "What a dog of a man. He's utterly shameless!""I'm so
"Mrs. Lowe," the security guard from earlier greeted Noelle politely."The actual 'Mrs. Lowe' is right here. Let's see how that other woman can pretend now!" he thought."Hello," Noelle replied with courtesy.As she looked up, she noticed a figure dressed in white standing not far away. It was Xyla. Her slender frame was wrapped in a long dress, and her red lips were pouting. Her narrowed eyes glared at Noelle. She was clearly angry about something.Noelle didn't want to engage with her, so she took out her phone to message Summer, asking where she was. Summer was supposed to pick her up soon after meeting some friends nearby."Noelle, don't you have any shame?" Xyla burst out, shouting at Noelle furiously."I've told you so many times that Quint doesn't love you! Why are you sticking around? Are you dense? Don't you know that you're the third party now?"Noelle's lips twitched with anger at her nonsense.She refuted, "Xyla, do you seriously not realize who's the third party
One Night's Stand was the name of the nightclub.Martin was trying to figure out what to cook for Quentin because the only thing he could make was boxed pasta, but then Quentin told him to drive him to One Night's Stand.Immediately, he perked up and grabbed the car keys to get the car ready.Noelle blinked, and Summer was nowhere to be seen. As she wondered where her friend had gone, she turned around and bumped into someone dressed as a monster.She quickly apologized, but the man cornered her against the wall and said, "Hey, pretty. Let me show you something cool."He acted like he was presenting a treasure as he reached toward his waist and flashed out his manhood.Noelle's eyes widened in shock."Who wants to see your filthy stuff?" said a stern male voice from behind before he grabbed the sleazy man's shoulder.Then, she saw Quentin swinging his fist, knocking off the man's mask and sending him staggering.It turned out to be a middle-aged man with an unfamiliar face. He
"Then who are you planning to make your husband, huh?" Quentin asked, his breathing unsteady.Noelle had no interest in engaging with him anymore since he was always turning things upside down. She reached for the car door, but he grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the seat.He leaned in close and kissed her forcefully, his lips crushing hers like he was staking his claim.Her eyes widened in shock. For a moment, she forgot to breathe. So, she only stared at him in shock.Martin, in the driver's seat, saw through the rearview mirror that they were nearly on top of each other. He was so frightened he almost crawled under the car.He quietly opened the car door and tumbled out as fast as he could.Quentin's kiss was forceful and possessive as if declaring his dominance. At first, Noelle was too stunned to react, but soon she began to resist.However, she couldn't fight off his advances, and he pushed her down into the seat. Her breathing grew unsteady, and her cheeks burned.
Summer had thought about betraying that man just once, but at the last moment, she couldn't go through with it. She felt like a coward.Why was it that he could have one woman at home and another outside? Why could he come to her only when he wanted her body, while she had to wait through so many lonely nights for him?She took out her phone and saw a call from Noelle. She wanted to answer it, but the call had already ended. She then checked the message Noelle had sent and went to find her at the entrance.Noelle sat on the steps, traumatized by the pervert. She felt like someone might suddenly expose himself to her.She was on edge after waiting for Summer for over half an hour, which felt like an eternity.Just then, Summer walked over while taking off her headpiece, revealing her alluring face in the night."Why did you leave so early?" she asked, seeing the figure on the steps.Noelle felt nauseated thinking about the pervert.She blurted, "Don't mention it. I ran into a pe
"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