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Chapter 131

Author: Jean Song
The rooftop grew increasingly crowded, with the sound of fireworks blooming above adding to the chaos.

But for some reason, Noelle suddenly felt as if everything around her had gone quiet. It was as if the entire world had faded away, leaving just the two of them.

The people, the noise, even the fireworks overhead, all seemed to vanish.

Then, the words Jennifer had told her some time ago began to echo in her mind. At the time, she hadn't reacted to Jennifer's words. On the surface, she had even dismissed them as nonsense.

After all, Hendrix didn't seem like someone who would ever do such a thing. Even if he did, it wouldn't be toward her.

However, those words had been like a stone dropped into the calm surface of her heart. It hadn't caused a storm, but it had left ripples that lingered. Those ripples hadn't faded, even until tonight.

And now, Noelle saw Hendrix's steps shifting forward one step closer. That single step felt like a jolt of adrenaline, shooting straight into her
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    The snow outside the window continued to fall. Inside, the heating was on full blast, and Noelle didn't feel cold at all.In fact, she thought the room's temperature might be too high, leaving her emotions feeling overly saturated.It wasn't just her. Hendrix felt the same. Only a month ago, they had been arguing. She had even resolved never to see him again in this lifetime. Yet, she always found it so easy to forgive him. He was like a persistent illness lodged in her heart. She had tried countless times to heal it. Yet, it kept flaring up again and again.The step he took toward her on the rooftop earlier had been enough to give her boundless courage. After all, he was someone she had loved for so many years.No one could resist imagining being with the person they loved. What one couldn't have would always leave regret. No one would want to live with regret.Noelle turned her head to look at the snowflakes falling softly outside, paired with the glittering night view of Sint

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    Seeing how Noelle wouldn't believe her, Jennifer paused for a moment before saying, "Why not think about it from a different perspective?""What do you mean?""For example, what if all of this was actually arranged by Mr. Freeman, and I was just the one carrying it out?"Jennifer's words made Noelle pause in surprise, but she quickly dismissed the idea. "Impossible," said Noelle.Jennifer replied, "Why is it impossible? Do you still doubt Mr. Freeman's efforts for you? And think about it. What kind of man is he? "If he were just looking for a woman, why would he go to all this trouble with you? To be honest, I even thought about throwing myself at him back then."She had said it with such frankness that Noelle couldn't tell if she was joking or serious."But I do have some self-awareness," Jennifer added, candidly recounting what had happened that evening. She continued, "From the moment he looked at me, I knew he wasn't interested. A man like him, someone who rejects so de

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    When this question surfaced in Noelle's mind, she suddenly thought of the couple from the Swanson family. Facing them, she had asked herself this same question countless times.But deep down, she had always known the answer. No matter how many disappointments she had endured, she couldn't help but cling to hope again once those wounds healed, until they smashed her heart to the ground and crushed it completely.Yes, what was she hoping for? Was she hoping they would love her or that Hendrix would treat her differently? For the past two years, she hadn't been able to warm his heart—how could he possibly draw closer to her suddenly?She had overestimated herself, or maybe she was just delusional. It was just like the time when she was a child. She stood outside the school gate and stared at the old man running a cotton candy stall. On his stand were cotton candies in various colors and flavors.At the time, she wanted so badly to have just one bite, but she had no money. So, all sh

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    Yvonne didn't give Noelle a chance to refuse. There was nothing Noelle could do now. Before long, the two of them were seated in the café."When did you arrive in Sintrun?" Yvonne asked directly.Noelle held her cup and calmly answered, "A few days ago.""Oh? By yourself?"Noelle didn't reply. She simply lifted her gaze to look at Yvonne.After holding her gaze for a moment, Yvonne suddenly smiled and placed a few photos in front of Noelle. "The person in these photos is you, isn't it?"In the photo, two people were kissing on a lively rooftop while fireworks lit up the night sky. Hendrix's face was unmistakable. He was holding Noelle in his arms, with one hand gently cradling her cheek. Her face, however, was mostly obscured.At this point, denying it clearly held no meaning. After clenching her hands briefly, Noelle finally nodded and said, "Yes.""Ms. Swanson, then, you must also know that Hendrix is no longer your husband but my fiancé, right?" Yvonne continued slowly, "I

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    "Mr. Freeman?" asked the person on the other end of the call, puzzled while waiting for Hendrix's response."I understand," Hendrix replied curtly before hanging up.He then turned his gaze back to Noelle and asked, "What are you doing?"His voice seemed calm but carried an unmistakable tension."Packing up. I'm heading to Coppersville," Noelle replied, as if she noticed nothing unusual. She continued fastening the lock on her suitcase without looking up.His expression remained unreadable. "What do you mean?"She finally raised her head, offering a faint smile. "Since Ms. Wright is already here, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to stay, would it?"Hendrix narrowed his eyes slightly at her words."Isn't she your fiancée?" Noelle asked.Her question prompted him to let out a soft chuckle. "So, are you jealous?""No," she said, lowering her gaze. How could she be? She didn't have that right.He said nothing more. He casually tossed his jacket aside and lit the cigarette betwe

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    "Thank you for your care the past few days, but to avoid any misunderstandings with Ms. Wright, we shouldn't be staying in contact anymore," Noelle continued.Hendrix didn't respond immediately. He sat there, expressionless, and watched her. After a long silence, he finally let out a faint chuckle."So, Noelle, you want to draw a clear line between us?"She didn't answer. She simply pulled her suitcase closer in silence. That attitude said everything.He laughed aloud and said, "You're right about one thing. If I want someone, there are plenty of options out there. Don't think you're anything special, Noelle.""I know that," she replied with a forced smile. "I've always known that, in your heart, I was never the special one. So, let's not waste each other's time anymore."Hendrix said nothing further.Without hesitation, Noelle bid him farewell. "Then, I'll leave now. I wish you and Ms. Wright all the best and a happy ever after."With those words, she turned away, pulling her

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    Clark froze in place, and the woman quickly pointed a finger at Noelle.She reprimanded, "You're doing all this for this worthless woman, huh? Do you know why Hendrix divorced her in the first place? It's because she slept around! "She was in her teens when she got involved with that adoptive father of hers. Now, you're messing around with her. Aren't you afraid of getting sick?"At this point, nearly everyone in the front hall had gathered around.The woman's words were spoken quickly, her piercing voice reaching the ears of everyone present.Noelle stood frozen, unable to move. Even the words she had been preparing to say disappeared.Clark's expression shifted, and slowly, he turned to look at Noelle. His shocked gaze, combined with the sudden eruption of voices from the crowd, felt like a tidal wave crashing over her, completely drowning her.She had thought she wouldn't care about this. After all, months ago, she had revealed this dark past of hers in front of so many pe

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