Hendrix was in no hurry to go back to dinner after finishing his call. Instead, he hung back in the yard to have a smoke. As the minty taste of the cigarette slowly filled his mouth, so did his emotions gradually subside.Suddenly, his phone rang just when he was about to finish smoking. He immediately declined the call after taking a glance at the caller ID. But the other party called again not even one second later. Hendrix frowned, and after hesitating for two seconds, he finally gave in and accepted the call."Hendrix, did you purposely let Brandon win the bidding for the Extensa Project?" asked Maxwell, his voice tight."Yeah," answered Hendrix softly.Maxwell suddenly laughed. "My! You really are quite generous, aren't you? It's not every day I hear about someone handing over such a big project to their business competitor. Are you really that eager to help Brandon climb the ranks?""Are you done?" asked Hendrix impatiently. "Because if you are, I'm going to hang up now.""
"And since she doesn't exist, you might as well marry a woman who can help you with your career," argued Beatrice, all logic.Hendrix was familiar with this side of her. After all, he wouldn't be where he was now if she hadn't brought him up that way.After staring intently at her for a while, he finally asked, "Why must I get married?"His question stumped Beatrice.Hendrix chuckled softly. "It's true I don't have anyone I like right now, but that doesn't mean I'll be willing to use my marriage as a barter. So, no. I'm not going to marry Yvonne, nor will I have any other relationship with her once the collaboration between our companies ends."He was about to walk away when Beatrice asked, "But haven't you done it once already? What does it matter if you do it again? Or could it be the reason you were willing to do it the first time was because the woman you were marrying was Noelle?"Her last question made Hendrix stop in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder and questioned,
For some reason, Hendrix found himself at Serene Street. Gripping his steering wheel, he glanced at the winding alleys ahead a few times but ultimately didn't get out of the car. Instead, he turned the car around.Soon, he saw Noelle. She was walking out of a pharmacy with her hands in her pockets, eyes lowered, and head bowed. The temperature in the city was very low today, so she was dressed in a black down jacket. She looked very soft and serene with her hair falling over her shoulders and the tip of her nose slightly red.As Hendrix watched her, he suddenly recalled what Beatrice had said to him earlier tonight. Indeed, he had no intention of using his marriage to gain anything, but back when the two families met to discuss his and Noelle's marriage, Hendrix didn't feel much resistance to the idea.He had always thought it was Beatrice's words that had stirred something in him. So he figured, why not fulfill Gerald's dying wish if marrying anyone was the same to him? But now,
As soon as Maxwell spoke, Noelle noticed the smell of alcohol on him. His eyes were slightly red, and he certainly didn't look sober."If you have something to say, just say it," Noelle said.Maxwell stood by the door, staring at her for a while before finally asking, "Why didn't you come to my engagement party?"The two of them hadn't had any contact with each other since the last incident, so Maxwell's question actually caught Noelle off guard.But she quickly regained her composure. "There was no need for me to attend.""What do you mean, 'No need for you to attend'? Aren't we friends?"The word "friends" sounded incredibly awkward when Maxwell said it.Noelle looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "No. We haven't been friends since you and Sandra teamed up to hurt me.""So you chose Brandon as your way of getting back at me?" All the expressions on Maxwell's face suddenly vanished as he locked his eyes on her. "Is getting married to him another way of getting back at me?"
As Maxwell spoke, his breath brushed against Noelle's cheek. That sensation suddenly reminded her of the times she had faced William, causing the same nauseating feeling to surge up within her in an instant.Clenching her teeth, she fixed her eyes on Maxwell in front of her. "Maxwell, if you so much as lay a finger on me, I'll call the police immediately.""Go ahead. Call them," Maxwell replied with a chuckle, then added, "Do you really think that with your current reputation, anyone will believe a word you say? Believe me when I say that everyone will just assume it was you who seduced me."Maxwell's face was lit with a subtle smile. It was the same smile Noelle was so familiar with. But now, that familiar face felt more like the devil's. She suddenly found herself at a loss for words. She parted her lips to speak, but in the end, no words came out.Maxwell's smile deepened further when he saw her like that. He tightened his grip on her shoulder while his other hand slid around
It was precisely because of Hendrix's calm demeanor that Noelle felt an even deeper sense of fear. This was the first time she had ever seen him like this.Normally, someone fought when they were driven by anger. But it was the complete opposite with Hendrix just now. Noelle could sense that he was unnervingly calm.In that brief moment, she couldn't shake the feeling that Maxwell was nothing more than an insignificant object in Hendrix's eyes—something he could control at will. Whether Maxwell lived or died seemed of no concern to him.When Hendrix spoke again, Noelle was still frozen in shock. Without sparing her another word, he glanced at her once more before pulling out his phone. Just as he was about to call the police, Noelle rushed forward and grabbed his hand to stop him."Don't…"Hendrix lowered his gaze to her, his eyes still devoid of any emotion."Let's get him to the hospital first." At last, Noelle found her voice.Hendrix didn't respond, nor did he move.After w
Hendrix's voice remained cold, but his grip on Noelle's wrist tightened. His actions gave Noelle an unsettling feeling, as if one wrong answer from her was enough reason for him to crush her bones."It's not that I don't want to see you," replied Noelle.Hendrix didn't respond immediately. Instead, he lifted his gaze to meet hers."It's just… I don't see the need to." Noelle pressed her lips together. "We—""Why did you marry me in the first place?" interrupted Hendrix.Noelle hadn't expected the question. The suddenness of it caused her expression to change, but she quickly regained her composure. "It was something our families decided.""Was that really the only reason?""What other reason could there be?"Hendrix fell silent, but his grip on her wrist loosened every so slightly.Noelle initially thought the conversation had come to an end, but the next moment, Hendrix spoke again, his voice calm but deliberate, "Noelle, based on your ability to sever ties with the Swanson f
Noelle swallowed back her words and glared at Hendrix with gritted teeth.Hendrix smiled out of the blue. "I just realized something. I can't seem to marry anyone else. But the strange thing was, when I was about to marry you, I didn't feel much resistance. Can you tell me why that is?"Noelle felt as though everything before her was unreal. It was as if she were standing on the edge of a cliff, one foot already slipping, her whole body about to plummet. But instead of the expected shattering impact, nothing came.On the contrary, it felt like she had fallen onto a vast, soft cloud. A cloud that was warm and sweet, a sensation she had never even dared to imagine before. Slowly, Noelle opened her eyes. The warmth of the sunlight greeted her. There was no cliff, no cloud, but the familiar bedroom in Percy Gardens.So that meant everything that had happened last night was not just a dream. As Noelle sat there, lost in thoughts, the phone next to her suddenly dinged. It was a messa
A sharp pain shot through Dylan, forcing him to his knees. Gritting his teeth, he looked up, only to see Hendrix already standing and shielding Noelle behind him.Hendrix locked his gaze onto Dylan. His eyes were full of disdain, like Dylan was beneath him."You should be explaining yourself to Mr. Swift right now. Why don't you tell me what really happened?"As he spoke, his eyes flicked toward Marshall.By then, Marshall's expression had already turned ashen, and his chest was rising and falling violently. He looked as if he might pass out any second.But Hendrix didn't care. He just grabbed Noelle's hand and walked out.Noelle glanced back at Dylan one last time.He was staring straight at her.That look felt strangely familiar to Noelle, like she'd seen it somewhere before. She tried to catch a glimpse of Marla and Marshall, but before she could, Hendrix yanked her out of the private room.Noelle couldn't help but ask, "Will they be okay in there?""Relax. I told the staf
After taking another sip of wine, Hendrix turned to Marshall. "Mr. Swift, you didn't invite us here today just to exchange pleasantries, did you?"His words made Marshall pause. He then slowly pressed his lips together."I'm well aware of Amity Group's current situation," Hendrix continued. "We all know survival of the fittest is the law in the world of business. But have you ever considered whether your business partners are truly reliable?"Dylan's expression darkened instantly. But then, he quickly scoffed and said, "Mr. Freeman, are you trying to drive a wedge between me and Mr. Swift?""Drive a wedge?" Hendrix's smile deepened. "You flatter yourself too much. After everything you've done, do I really need to do that?"Dylan clenched his fists.Just as he was about to retort, Hendrix shifted his attention back to Marshall. "Mr. Swift, you must be confused at what I'm talking about right now, but tomorrow's headlines will make it clear. The Amity Group shares you've acquired a
Hendrix's attitude was uncharacteristically deferential—enough to arouse suspicion and anxiety.But Marshall remained far calmer than Marla. He raised his glass without hesitation and said, "No need for apologies. What matters is that Noelle's been found.""Thank you for your concern, Mr. Swift," Hendrix replied.The two men conversed pleasantly, and after downing his drink in one gulp, Hendrix turned to look at Noelle.Noelle was frowning at the Swift couple, as if something had just occurred to her—or perhaps she was simply trying to recall a memory.But even that small action was enough to make Marla visibly uneasy.Clutching her wine glass, Marla hesitated for a moment before asking Noelle, "But why was there no news from you during that time? You have no idea how frantic Mr. Freeman was searching for you here. Were you unreachable, or was there another reason?"Marla probed carefully, her eyes fixed on Noelle, searching for something in her expression.Though she had alrea
Noelle looked calm.Honestly, Hendrix suddenly thought that her memory loss might not be such a bad thing.If this had been the old Noelle—given her feelings for Seline—she might not have been able to stay this composed."What do you want me to do?" Hendrix countered.Noelle met his gaze for a moment before slowly lowering her eyes.Outside the car window, the world blurred past as neon lights flickered across her face. Hendrix could see the faint crease between her brows. He tightened his grip on her hand unconsciously."If I'm guessing correctly, you're planning to take revenge against them, aren't you?" she asked.Though she'd forgotten the past and didn't know Hendrix well, she was inexplicably certain.And she had guessed right, of course.Hendrix paused for a moment but didn't deny it. "Yeah," he uttered softly."I see."Her response surprised him."But you wouldn't take a life, would you?" she asked."Of course not.""Alright."Even after her answer, Hendrix kept
On the way to the restaurant, Noelle asked Hendrix, "Who's Mrs. Swift? Didn't you say before that I didn't need to know these people?"Though she didn't want to stay cooped up at home every day, Noelle found herself inexplicably resistant to people from her past ever since running into Dylan at the hospital. She didn't know what kind of attitude she should take toward them."Do you remember Seline Swift?" Hendrix asked her.Seline Swift? The name gave Noelle a strange feeling—one that sent a faint, electric jolt through her, stopping her in her tracks.It was similar to what she had experienced when she first saw Hendrix. She knew she had met Seline before and that Seline might have been someone very important to her."Swift… So, is Mrs. Swift Seline's mother?" Noelle asked. "Was Seline someone I knew?""Yeah, she was your friend.""Friend?" Noelle froze, then frowned. "I had a friend? Then, why didn't you tell me about her before? I still haven't seen her until now. She—""She
People always subconsciously justified their past actions when recounting events, positioning themselves as morally righteous. Dylan had done it earlier, and now, Hendrix, too.The same incident became two entirely different stories when told by different people.But Noelle didn't press further. After all, no matter what, she had ultimately chosen Hendrix in the past.Moreover, she now knew that the reason Hendrix had gone to the village back then and gotten injured was all because of her. However others might judge it, his feelings for her were indeed genuine.Therefore, she should trust her feelings in this moment, and she should also trust the choices she made in the past.Choosing not to dwell on it any longer, she simply looked up at Hendrix. After meeting his gaze for a moment, she nodded. "Okay."Hearing that, Hendrix finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he offered her a smile.Noelle had already seen Cynthia. Just as Hendrix had warned, Cynthia's condition was dire.
"Why?" Noelle asked."What do you mean why?" Hendrix's voice carried an edge of irritation. "How would I know he's not a good person?"Noelle shook his head. "What I mean is, if he's not a good person, why was I going to marry him in the first place? And he mentioned I lived in Stormridge before. Were we divorced then?"Now that the questions had started, she might as well get everything out in the open.The moment she finished speaking, Hendrix's expression darkened further.Noelle wasn't in a rush. She simply waited, watching him expectantly."Yes," Hendrix finally answered her. "You almost did marry him. But then he betrayed you, so you broke it off.""Betrayed?""Yes. To secure an investment, he slept with his ex-wife. And that ex-wife ended up dead overseas because of him. You even suspected he was involved. Because the moment she died, Dylan inherited her money. His company was saved overnight. And you don't remember this, but his ex-wife—""Hold up." Hendrix had said to
Dylan went on, "Later, we got together. We were going to get married. But then Hendrix used underhanded tactics to target my company, and you chose to go back to him because you didn't want to drag me down."And I don't think he even loves you. The only reason he's so obsessed with keeping you is because he can't stand losing. It's just possessiveness. He—"Dylan never got to finish. Someone slammed into him from behind, shoving him hard enough that he staggered back several steps before crashing to the floor.But he barely registered the pain. Slowly, he lifted his head.Hendrix stood shielding Noelle, his expression thunderous.Instead of responding with anger, Dylan laughed softly. "There's no need to get so worked up, Mr. Freeman. I was just so happy to see Noelle that I might have let something slip out of excitement. Or are you feeling guilty about something?"Hendrix didn't dignify that with a response. He didn't even spare Dylan another glance. Instead, he just grabbed No
Dylan had imagined a thousand ways Noelle might respond to him, but he had never expected her to ask, "Who are you?"He stood frozen in place, momentarily questioning whether he had misheard her. Or had he mistaken someone else for her?"I should know you, right?" Before he could react, Noelle spoke again, "But I'm sorry, I can't remember who you are."She couldn't remember? Dylan almost laughed. And then he did.What was this? Was she trying to tell him that she no longer had any feelings for him? That now, she had even forgotten who he was?His jaw clenched, his gaze locking onto her.Noelle sensed his anger. Realizing she might have misspoken, she quickly explained, "I'm sorry. I was injured before, so I forgot some things. If I said something wrong, please forgive me."At that, Dylan loosened his fists. Then, he looked at her in disbelief. "What did you just say?""I said I forgot some things, so—"Noelle wasn't even sure if she should know him. But the way Dylan was looki