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
"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
"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
Noelle saw Hendrix again two months later. It was at an auction Brandon had brought her to.At the time, she was in the backyard, and standing before her was Clark, whom she hadn't seen in months, either. Compared to their last meeting, he seemed much more dejected. His face had clearly grown thinner, but when he faced her, he still managed to force a smile."It's been a while, Noelle."Inwardly, she cursed Brandon several times for bringing her there, but on the surface, she maintained her polite smile. "Yes, it has," she said. "How have you been these days?" Clark asked."Pretty good.""Haven't you and Mr. Freeman reconciled?"The moment he said that, memories of that humiliating night in the car came flooding back to Noelle's mind. Her hands at her sides clenched slightly before she finally replied, "No."Clark fell silent.Noelle, however, couldn't bear the quiet tension hanging in the air. So, she said directly, "Please excuse me."As soon as she spoke, she started to
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
"Sandy! You…"As the car was about to start, someone rushed over, seemingly trying to remind Sandra of something. But Sandra quickly shook her head and said, "Noelle is my sister. I can't leave her behind. Don't worry. I'm fine."At that moment, her gentle and considerate demeanor seemed angelic to any onlookers. After finishing her words, Sandra swiftly rolled up the car window. Soon, only the two of them and the driver remained in the car. Sandra had originally planned to continue the act, but in the next moment, Noelle questioned, "Were you the one who told her?"By now, Noelle's rationality had slowly come back. With her head lowered, she kept her voice as calm as she could manage, though it still trembled slightly.Sandra looked at her for a moment and then smiled. "Yes."Noelle lifted her eyes."I put in quite a bit of effort for today's performance." Sandra winked and continued, "But Noelle, it's your own fault for being too naive. How could you trust a man like Clar
"You're talking nonsense!" Sandra blurted angrily. "Stop trying to drive a wedge between Hendrix and me. I know you're jealous, but—""It's true Beatrice asked Hendrix to marry me in the first place. But the problem is, he didn't stand his ground, either. Maybe, to him, it's all the same who he marries. More importantly, if Hendrix likes you, do you really think he'll let you get engaged to Maxwell?"Oh, Sandra, you shouldn't underestimate how possessive a man can be. All this just means he doesn't like you as much as you think. Besides, I'm no longer with him, which makes everything you're doing now even more pointless," said Noelle in one breath.Sandra's expression darkened. She just sat there, with her chest heaving violently, staring daggers at Noelle.Noelle didn't bother to say anything more. Instead, she ordered the driver in front to stop the car. The driver didn't answer. Nonetheless, the car slowly came to a stop."So what if what you're saying is true? You've already b
"It was me who arranged for you to meet Clark," Brandon finally admitted. "But I had no idea Sandra would show up out of nowhere, let alone… say those things. Noelle, you're my friend, no matter what. I haven't sunk so low as to scheme against you like that."Noelle said nothing. Instead, she slowly lowered her gaze, as if she were weighing the truth behind his words."Regardless, tonight was an oversight on my part," continued Branndon. "And I'd like to formally apologize to you. From now on—""That won't be necessary," Noelle interrupted. "I don't think there's any need for us to meet again in the future.""What do you mean?" Brandon's voice tightened. "You still don't believe me, do you?"Noelle smiled faintly. "I'm going to head up now. Goodbye, Mr. Quinlan."Without waiting for a reply, she started making her way home. But Brandon suddenly gripped her wrist just as she was walking past him."Let's get married."The suddenness of his proposal made Noelle jolt. She slowly tu
Noelle had never imagined that returning to Nivis Villa would look like this. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, on the day she left, she hadn't thought she would ever come back at all.It seemed Hendrix had dismissed all the maids, as the villa was completely dark when they entered.Hendrix led Noelle directly upstairs to the master bedroom. The furnishings inside seemed to have changed, but before Noelle could take in what was different, Hendrix had already pushed her onto the bed.He hadn't spoken a single word the entire way, though his face remained clouded with anger. Now, his actions were devoid of any gentleness. But Noelle had expected this, so she wasn't surprised in the slightest.She didn't resist either and simply lay there expressionlessly.Her unresponsive demeanor must have provoked Hendrix's dissatisfaction, because the next instant, he lowered his head and sank his teeth into her neck.He bit hard—so hard that Noelle could feel his teeth breaking her s
"Noe—" Dylan started, but Noelle didn't even glance at him.Instead, she strode directly toward Hendrix, stopping in front of him. "Let's go," she said hoarsely.Hendrix narrowed his eyes.Noelle, however, wasn't in the mood to think about anything else. She reached out and grabbed his arm without hesitation.Hendrix didn't put up any resistance, but just as they were about to leave, Dylan seemed to snap out of his daze and grabbed Noelle's other hand.The movement made Hendrix's expression darken, and he was about to say something when Noelle turned to Dylan first."There's no need to feel bad about this. I didn't choose you, either. With Elm Group in its current state, I can only take the path that benefits the company the most. I'd been thinking about how to tell you, but now, it doesn't matter. Neither of us has to feel guilty anymore. "As for the wedding… let's cancel it."With that, she pried Dylan's hand off her wrist and firmly pulled Hendrix forward.The club was sti
Hendrix didn't reply. Instead, he simply tossed the folder in his hand to Dylan.Dylan glanced down at the folder. Something flickered across his eyes, but in the end, he reached out and took it.The moment he skimmed the first few pages, his face turned as pale as a sheet, and his grip on the documents tightened instinctively.After a moment, Dylan finally looked at Hendrix. "What's the meaning of this?"Hendrix let out a soft laugh. "What do you think it means?"Dylan quickly regained his composure and asked, "Where did you get these?""That's not something you need to concern yourself with.""So? What do you want?"Sitting on the couch, Hendrix leisurely poured him a glass of wine and took a sip. Throughout the entire process, he maintained his usual elegance and composure, whereas Dylan's expression grew darker and darker.Finally, Hendrix said, "What do I want? I thought I'd already made it very clear.""Mr. Freeman, we're both men. Don't you think using tactics like thi
Hendrix grew exasperated. When he heard the sound of the door lock turning, he lifted his head and barked, "Get lost!"The single, decisive shout silenced everything outside instantly. Even the woman in his arms went completely still.Noelle seemed to realize that her resistance was futile. The hands she had been pressing against his chest slowly dropped away, and even the tears in her eyes vanished in that moment.She slowly sank back and tilted her head upward. Then, she simply stared at the glaring incandescent light with eyes filled with emptiness.Hendrix stared at her for a while before suddenly laughing. "Are you really that upset? Or do you feel wronged? Does it really hurt you so much to leave him?"He was smiling, even forcing a mocking tone into his words, but his hands were trembling uncontrollably. It was a pain that started deep in his chest, spreading through his bloodstream until it reached his fingertips.Noelle didn't answer him, but her expression was as good a
Hendrix reached out and gripped Noelle's chin. In a deep voice laced with a clear trace of anger, he asked, "You've fallen for Dylan, haven't you?"Noelle didn't answer, but she pressed her lips tighter and tighter. Her eyes still brimmed with tears, but the moisture only made them shine more brightly, more vividly. In their reflection, Hendrix could see himself clearly, and he could also see the unmistakable hatred within them.She hated him. Hendrix knew that, of course. From the moment he decided to take this path, he had already anticipated how she would react.But so what? Was he supposed to stand by and watch as they became nothing more than strangers who had nothing to do with each other?If that were the case, Hendrix would rather she hated him.He could live with that outcome—it wasn't something he couldn't accept. But the one thing he absolutely couldn't tolerate was her heart belonging to someone else.She could hate him because of the incident with Elm Group, beca
As soon as Hendrix finished speaking, Noelle suddenly stepped forward and raised her hand. But her slap never landed. Hendrix had caught her wrist, his face completely expressionless."You're crazy!" Noelle said.Hendrix smiled faintly. "Yeah, I know."Noelle didn't say another word, but she trembled even more violently as tears began to fall. Still, it seemed she refused to show any weakness in front of Hendrix. So, she quickly wiped away her tears."Dylan's grandfather is sick," she finally told Hendrix. "Alzheimer's. His condition is deteriorating quickly, and he might not remember anything soon. That's why Dylan proposed to me."But when she finished speaking, the answer she wanted never came.Hendrix's gaze remained cold as he looked at her. When he noticed Noelle was still staring at him, he even asked, "So? What does that have to do with me?"Noelle took a deep breath. "So, could the wedding—""No," Hendrix cut her off without hesitation, and Noelle's question was left u
Noelle's expression changed as she heard Hendrix's words, and she turned to look at him.Her expression made Hendrix feel like something was stabbing into his heart. It seemed like he was right.That contractual relationship seemed more than that now. Noelle had fallen for Dylan. If not, what could explain the look in her eyes now?Noelle didn't even react this way when he brought up her and Elm Group.The dull pain quickly spread across Hendrix's chest, accompanied by a familiar metallic taste. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and after taking several deep breaths, he finally managed to suppress the feeling and said, "It seems like you really care about him.""Hendrix, this is between us. Can you stop being so despicable and dragging innocent people into this mess?""Innocent?" Hendrix chuckled. "It seems like you really don't know much about your fiancé. Do you know what he's been doing behind your back?"Before Noelle could respond, Hendrix handed her a file. "Take a look
"That's right." Hendrix nodded satisfactorily. "We already had bad blood, so why bother with fake pleasantries now?"He continued as he picked up the coffee cup in front of him. "You must really wish for my death right now, don't you?"Hendrix's voice was calm, with a faint smile on his lips, but the words he spoke were enough to leave Noelle speechless.She paused for a moment, but she quickly responded with a smile, "Yes, so you know.""Mm, but unfortunately, I'm still sitting here just fine," Hendrix said, showing no concern. He met her gaze with a cold stare. "And based on the current situation, I doubt I'm the one who's going to be ending things first."Noelle couldn't reply. Although Hendrix had treated her with this kind of attitude before, she still remembered clearly the taste of the drinks he forced upon her that night in Vinton City. At this moment, all she could see in his eyes was an endless coldness.Noelle's voice grew hoarser. "If that's the case, Mr. Freeman, w
Noelle subconsciously glanced at the person in the hospital room after hearing the secretary's words.Dylan was sitting quietly there.Looking at him, Noelle suddenly remembered the hug he gave her that morning. She knew that her relationship with him was purely contractual, including their marriage, but all she wanted at that moment was a hug.She knew this went beyond the scope of their agreement, but Dylan didn't bring it up, and neither did she.Perhaps Noelle had been looking at him for too long. Dylan sensed something unusual and immediately looked over at her.Noelle took a deep breath. "I need to go back to the company for a while. I'll arrange for a nurse to come over. As for here…""It's fine. Go ahead," Dylan quickly replied. "I don't have much to do today anyway.""But…""Have you forgotten? We're getting married soon, so your father is my father-in-law. Isn't it normal for me to take care of him?" Dylan's words rendered Noelle speechless.It was clearly not appr