Inside Percy Gardens, Hendrix sat in his study, scanning emails on the screen as his fingers drummed lightly on the phone beside him.Notifications kept popping up on his feed, but he only glanced at them, uninterested.It was past 11:00 pm when the front door creaked open.Hendrix stopped tapping on his phone but didn't get up. Instead, he turned off his screen with an unreadable expression.Noelle moved quietly, her steps barely making a sound. She checked his bedroom first, but when she found it empty, she headed to the study. The door was closed, and she stood outside for a while, not making a move. Hendrix ignored her, his face blank as he looked at the computer screen.Two minutes passed before she finally knocked. However, Hendrix didn't respond. After a brief hesitation, Noelle turned the handle and opened the door."You're... still working?" she asked softly, standing in the doorway.Hendrix finally looked up. Noelle had just showered, her damp hair clinging to
Hendrix never brought up that night again, and Noelle didn't, either.Two days later, Clark asked her out again, saying he wanted to grab some sliders.It was the first time Noelle realized asking someone out could be that simple.Clark was fun to be around. He loved a good time and always knew how to make it happen. He grew up in Coppersville, where nearly everyone in his circle knew him. Yet he wasn't drawn to flashy, extravagant clubs or bars. Instead, he preferred taking Noelle down old alleyways. Sometimes, they'd try a local delicacy, and other times, they'd pick up quirky trinkets.Hendrix, who also grew up in Coppersville, never took Noelle to places like that. They went out alone only a few times, and when they did, it was always to high-end restaurants.The only exception was when Noelle took him to a barbecue joint, though they didn't even manage to finish their meal that time.Clark was the complete opposite of Hendrix. He didn't carry the aloof, superior attitude t
Noelle didn't answer. She slowly took the stuffed animal from Clark's hands.Clark immediately noticed something was off. "What's wrong?"Noelle didn't respond. She lowered her eyes and murmured, "It's nothing. Let's go.""What happened?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.She took a deep breath. "Someone bumped into me just now."Clark froze for a second. Then, as realization sank in, his expression shifted. "Which one?""What?""I said, which one?" His voice was sharp, and without waiting for her answer, he turned, scanning the crowd.At that moment, the man who'd bumped into Noelle walked up to another girl, still wearing that same sleazy grin."Is that him?" Clark asked, eyes narrowing.Before Noelle could respond, he had already rushed forward and punched the man in the nose."How dare you?" he yelled...."Mr. Freeman, the painting's been delivered. Here's the acceptance form," Dan said, handing Hendrix the paper.Hendrix nodded without a word.Dan hesitated.
Clark's jacket was draped over Noelle's shoulders, and she sat with her head lowered.She held the steaming cup of coffee the officer had given her, yet her body trembled uncontrollably.Clark had suffered a severe beating, outnumbered by the group. At first, he had held his own, but once they surrounded him, the fight quickly turned in their favor.Noelle had tried to step in, but Clark had blocked her way. No one could've imagined what might have happened if the arcade staff hadn't intervened so quickly."I'm fine. Don't worry," Clark said, still giving his statement to the police. When he noticed how pale Noelle looked, he gently took her hand.Noelle finally lifted her gaze, intending to say something. Yet, she froze as if she'd seen something too terrifying to process. Her already pale face drained further, and her fingers turned icy cold.Clark noticed and started to turn around, but a hand landed on Noelle's shoulder before he could check."I'm here to bail her out," Hend
Dan felt like he was uncovering something significant with Noelle standing beside Hendrix.His mind raced, but he forced himself to step forward. "Mr. Freeman."Hendrix barely glanced inside, and Dan understood immediately. "Don't worry. I'll handle it."Hendrix didn't say anything more. He practically threw Noelle into the car first, then tossed the teddy into a nearby trash can.Noelle watched his every move from the car. She opened her mouth to speak but ended up saying nothing.Hendrix quickly got in, and the car sped off. Noelle's heart raced as she turned to fasten her seatbelt. He didn't so much as glance at her.The scenery blurred as they drove, becoming more and more unfamiliar. Noelle frowned and was about to ask where they were going when Hendrix suddenly slammed on the brakes. The jolt threw her forward. Her seatbelt yanked her back, but her head slammed into the seat, sending a sharp pain through her head.She winced and turned toward Hendrix. His hand gripped th
"Hendrix, Clark is my friend. I just don't want you talking about him like that," Noelle said. She bit her lip and added, "He got hurt because of me tonight. I—"Hendrix laughed suddenly, his smile sending a shiver through Noelle."Noelle, have you forgotten the agreement we made?""I've told you. Clark and I are just friends. I—""If you're just friends, why lie?" Hendrix's voice grew colder, his gaze fixed on her.Noelle was about to deny it, but Hendrix cut her off, "Last week, the night you were late, you were with him, right?"Her words were caught in her throat, and Hendrix didn't give her a chance to answer. "If I'm not mistaken, you showered before going to Percy Gardens. What was it that made you need to shower?""We were just walking around the food festival!" she said quickly."So, you were with him," he said, his smile returning.Noelle's throat tightened, and she was speechless.Hendrix's smile grew wider as he watched her reaction. He reached for the cigaret
"But did you manage to keep your end of the bargain? Did you have fun at the ball? At the food festival? At the arcade? What other social rights do you have?" Hendrix questioned.He chuckled while adding, "Noelle, do you really think you're irreplaceable?" Having known him for so long, this seemed to be the most Noelle ever heard Hendrix say to her. However, each word seemed like a sharp knife, piercing directly into her heart. Noelle had known from the beginning that Hendrix was haughty and aloof, but he usually concealed that side of him. But at that moment, he was no longer hiding it. His disdainful gaze kept reminding her that they weren't in an equal relationship from the beginning until now. That was why she didn't have the so-called right to make friends. Noelle was just an accessory to Hendrix. Naturally, he didn't want her anymore since she was already considered filthy. "Get out. Don't make me say it for the fourth time," Hendrix said again.Noelle met his gaze fo
It was Noelle's first time seeing Hendrix like that. In fact, his current expression was far more interesting than his typical calm and composed demeanor.Noelle also finally realized at that moment that his emotions were triggered due to her. That was really interesting. But it made sense. Any man who heard what she said earlier would be enraged. In contrast, she was feeling extremely at ease. She met his gaze for a moment before asking, "Didn't I make it clear earlier? I said…"Before she could finish speaking, Hendrix suddenly raised his hand. Noelle was very familiar with that movement. After all, she had experienced slaps often since she was a child. She even shut her eyes subconsciously, waiting for his slap. Yet the expected sting did not happen for a long time. She slowly blinked open her eyes. Hendrix's hand still hung in midair. His brows were still furrowed, and she noticed that the vein on his temple was throbbing. Noelle ended up laughing after looking at him.
"Mr. Freeman, it's time to change your dressi—" The doctor's voice suddenly broke the silence.The unexpected interruption sent a jolt through Noelle. It was as if she had suddenly snapped back to reality. In a flurry, she pushed Hendrix away.She looked as though she had been caught doing something wrong. She stumbled backward several steps, her hands rising and falling repeatedly. Her lips quivered as if she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. Panic filled her eyes, unmistakable and clear.The doctor, however, was tactful. "My apologies. I didn't mean to interrupt," he said quickly before excusing himself and leaving.Noelle's face turned an even deeper shade of red at this. She wanted to chase after the doctor, but Hendrix grabbed her hand again."Let go of me," Noelle said when she finally managed to find her voice.She had intended to reprimand him. But after the kiss and the nervous tension, her voice came out slightly hoarse, sounding almost alluring. Even Noelle
Noelle hadn't expected Hendrix to bring this up, so she was stunned for a moment. Then, she looked at him with confusion."I wanted to use the bathroom," he answered with a cheeky grin."Oh." Even though Noelle felt flustered, she still quickly stepped aside.Hendrix, however, remained seated. Noelle looked at him, puzzled.He chuckled and said, "My arm is injured. I can't even feed myself—do you think I can go to the bathroom on my own?"Noelle's expression changed instantly. "W-What do you mean?"Hendrix reached out and took her hand. "Help me," he said in a low and raspy voice.Noelle immediately shook her head. "No way!"As she spoke, she tried to pull her hand away.But even with only one good hand, Hendrix's grip was still strong.Not only did he not let go, but he slid his fingers through Noelle's and pressed his palm firmly against hers. The dry, burning warmth of his hand made Noelle's cheeks flush instantly. It was as if, at this moment, she wasn't holding his hand
Inside the bag was a thermos of soup she had made that morning. It was made with chicken and mushrooms she had bought early at the market. She had simmered them for half an hour, and as soon as she opened the lid, the rich aroma of the soup spread throughout the hospital room.Hendrix suddenly remembered the bowl of soup Noelle had given him late that night two days ago. Good food was never something he lacked. In fact, to him, food was just a necessity for survival. But that night, something about that simple bowl of soup had brought him to the brink of tears.He had found her. There had been a time when he truly believed she had vanished from this world. He thought he would never see her again. It was also in that moment that he fully understood what Noelle meant to him.After all, he had seen the light, so how could he ever return to the darkness? His life had been set on a certain path. Even Beatrice had never cooked him a bowl of soup before, and he had accepted that kind of li
The moment Noelle saw her reflection in Hendrix's eyes, and when he stood under the streetlight and smiled at her, those feelings of resistance and fear vanished instantly.At the time, Noelle felt as if she had known him for a long time. Even under the dim light, she could vividly trace the contours of his face in her mind. It was as if she had done this countless times before.Even though her memories of the past remained a blank, just seeing him made her heart race. The feeling was unfamiliar, yet she knew exactly what it was and what it meant.She liked him, and it felt like she had liked him for a long time.…That night, Hendrix had to stay in the hospital. His whereabouts were supposed to be confidential, but the local authorities were already aware of his presence. After receiving Jerry's report, Austin Warren immediately came to visit with his team.Of course, Hendrix didn't tell them the truth about how he got injured. Instead, he simply claimed he had tripped and falle
Noelle wasn't quick enough to stop Irene this time.When Irene swung down her hoe, Hendrix instinctively raised his arm to block it. As a result, the wound he had just had re-bandaged at the hospital that day split open again. There was even a faint cracking sound, as if a bone had been fractured.Even for someone as tough as Hendrix, the intense pain was enough to make him frown, and cold sweat quickly beaded on his forehead."Mom!" Noelle rushed forward and grabbed Irene's arm.But was still in the heat of anger. She pushed Noelle aside and was about to strike again when Jerry, who had received an emergency call, arrived on the scene.Jerry felt his vision darken for a moment when he saw Hendrix's injury. Then, without hesitation, he and his team restrained Irene."What are you doing? You bunch of ass-kissers! Let me go!" Irene struggled fiercely, her curses never stopping.Jerry was at a loss. He was about to have her taken to the police station when Hendrix grabbed his arm.
"I haven't eaten yet. Will you grab a bite with me?" Hendrix asked Noelle.Noelle was stunned. But before she could react, Hendrix had already taken her hand and started leading her forward.Jerry had wanted to say something to Hendrix, but all he got was a distant wave as Hendrix took Noelle straight to the car.This was the car Hendrix had someone bring over yesterday. The once gleaming paint was now covered in splatters of mud after driving through the village's dirt roads. But he didn't mind.It wasn't until they had driven for a while that Noelle finally snapped out of her daze. "My mom will find out!""Don't worry. If she gets mad at you, I'll explain it to her.""She'll definitely hit you."Hendrix, holding the steering wheel, glanced at her. "What? Are you worried about me?""Of course not!" Noelle replied immediately. Then, she turned to look out the window.Hendrix watched her for a moment before reaching over and taking her hand."What are—" Noelle's eyes widened.
Irene owned a plot of land in the village. She used to grow corn on it, but in the past two years, a contractor from the neighboring village had come by, so she switched to growing strawberries instead.It was now the season for planting seedlings. After the morning's commotion, Noelle had convinced Irene to rest at home and took over the planting work herself.The task wasn't particularly strenuous, but bending over for long periods was exhausting. Noelle squatted down, but after a while, she started feeling dizzy. She closed her eyes, preparing to take a short break, when somebody suddenly yanked her up.Hendrix frowned at her and asked, "What are you doing?"Noelle was startled for a moment, then clumsily pushed his hand away. Only after taking several steps back to put a safe distance between them did she finally ask, "What are you doing here?"Hendrix's frown deepened at her reaction. "Are you afraid of me?""No," Noelle quickly denied it. Her flustered expression made it se
Hendrix wasn't a particularly delicate person, but even he found the environment hard to endure. Not long after, he was woken up by a commotion outside. He opened his eyes and pushed himself up, just in time to see what was happening outside the window.Irene was chasing someone off with a broom. Despite her age, she still had the energy to scold while giving chase, her voice so loud and full of vigor that it startled everyone inside and out. And then, she turned around and scolded the onlookers as well.Noelle followed closely behind her, sheltered under her protection. Her eyes were curious as she glanced around, but she didn't dare stray more than half a step from Irene.Just as Hendrix was watching, Noelle noticed him, too. She seemed to freeze for a moment, then quickly looked away and tugged at Irene's hand.After a bit more commotion, Irene finally pulled her inside and shut the door with a loud bang.Once inside, Irene turned to Noelle and said, "Don't worry, Nelly. Sid's
Noelle immediately turned around with panic written all over her face.Irene narrowed her eyes. "What were you doing outside so late in the night?""I-I thought I heard a cat meowing, so I went to check.""A cat?" Irene frowned. "What's so strange about a few cats in the village?"Noelle fell silent.Irene didn't press further, simply telling her to go to bed early before turning and heading back to her own room.Noelle followed behind her. The window in her room faced the house across the street—the one with the lit window, where Hendrix was staying.The broken glass in the window had been repaired earlier that day. The warm yellow light shining through matched the glow in her room. Noelle stared at it for a while before finally lying down to sleep.The night passed quickly.Irene didn't need much sleep. Before dawn even broke, she had already taken her hoe and headed out to work in the field.After making her bed, Noelle started preparing breakfast. Just as she was beating