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Chapter 163
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 164
Sandra and Ruth ran into each other in the restroom. Their interactions had noticeably decreased since Sandra's engagement to Maxwell, though not to the point of outright hostility. Now, upon seeing each other, they exchanged polite nods and brief pleasantries."How's Maxwell doing?" Ruth asked, glancing at Sandra, who was touching up her lipstick in the mirror."He's doing quite well. In fact, he's already discharged from the hospital."Even though Sandra was behaving as usual, Ruth couldn't help but feel something was different about her. But before she could probe further, Sandra had finished washing her hands and left the restroom.Back in the private room, the party was already in full swing. However, when Sandra entered the room, she found the crowd surging toward the exit in a chaotic rush. She couldn't dodge in time, but luckily, Ruth managed to pull her back."They're heading to the terrace," explained Ruth when she noticed Sandra's confusion. "It's nearly time for the ci
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 165
"What the… It really is her!""Sandra, when did Noelle and Hendrix get back together?""Wait. What does Hendrix even see in her?"The endless chatter buzzed around Sandra, each word a sharp sting that exploded in her mind. Not a single reaction or word came from her. She simply kept her eyes fixed firmly on the couple ahead while her whole body trembled faintly with a mix of anger and agitation.On the terrace, Hendrix noticed something was off. He frowned when he noticed the group watching them. Without hesitation, he pulled Noelle into his arms, shielding her protectively."Hendrix, what a coincidence!" someone in the crowd called out to him immediately. "Is this your new girlfriend? Why didn't you tell us you got yourself a new girlfriend?"Tonight's group were all young people roughly the same age as Hendrix, so no one bothered with formalities.Since earlier, Noelle had been facing away from the group, and now, Hendrix had her pressed against his chest. If Ruth hadn't calle
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 166
Hendrix and Noelle didn't stay long. After watching the fireworks for a while, they took their leave from the group. Noelle even smiled and waved goodbye to them. But the smile on her face disappeared the moment she turned around.Then, she immediately tried to pull Hendrix's hand off her waist. However, Hendrix only tightened his grip, as if he wanted to crush her waist with his hold.Noelle couldn't help but hiss in pain. "Don't think I won't bite you!""Oh, yeah? Where are you going to bite me?"Noelle was stumped, and Hendrix couldn't help but laugh at her flustered, speechless expression.Finally, Noelle said through gritted teeth, "I want to go home.""Alright. Let's go home together," replied Hendrix matter-of-factly."Don't you find my humble abode stifling at all?""Well, you could come stay with me at Percy Gardens, or Nivis Villa would work, too.""No. I'm not going to either of those," Noelle answered without a second thought.Hendrix glanced at her but said nothi
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 167
It felt as though their souls had merged into one.The neighbor had already moved out, but Noelle still didn't dare to make too loud of a sound. When pushed to the edge, she could only bite down on Hendrix's neck. Hendrix didn't flinch at the pain. Instead, he gently held her chin after she was done biting him and kissed her lips.The room remained shrouded in darkness. They could hear the distant bursts of fireworks coming from outside, and mixed in with the sound was the ringing of a phone. Noelle heard it, too, and immediately tried to push him away. But Hendrix didn't stop, nor did he seem inclined to answer the phone, either.The person on the other end of the line was persistent, and unable to take it any longer, Noelle called out to Hendrix several times. It was only then that Hendrix finally answered the phone in annoyance."Hello?" His voice was raspy and tinged with obvious impatience.The person on the other end must have said something, because Hendrix's expression
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 168
Ophelia had always been known for her disciplined lifestyle. At this hour, she was usually long asleep. And most of the Freeman household followed her lead, adhering to her routine like clockwork. But tonight, the entire manor was still ablaze with light despite it being nearly 1:00 am.Grant had been waiting in the courtyard for some time, and his eyes lit up the moment he saw Hendrix's car pull up. He quickly rushed forward. "Mr. Freeman, you're finally back!"Hendrix glanced at him. "What's going on inside?""Mrs. Freeman Senior is furious. Mrs. Freeman has returned as well, but their conversation didn't go well. You must try to calm them down once you're insi—"Hendrix had already strode into the manor before Grant could finish his sentence. It was just as Grant had described—the atmosphere inside was suffocating.Ophelia sat on the couch, her face taut with anger. Her fingers were gripping the armrest so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Standing across from her w
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 169
The teacup shattered against the back of Hendrix's head, and blood began to seep through his hair, trickling down his neck.Ophelia froze in place while Grant rushed forward. "Mr. Freeman, are you alright? This—"Before he could finish, Hendrix raised a hand, blocking Grant from checking on his injury.He then pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the blood off his neck. Once that was done, he turned to Beatrice and asked in a cold, emotionless voice, "What's his name?"Beatrice visibly trembled at the question before looking at him in disbelief. Hendrix simply stood there, meeting her gaze, as if patiently waiting for her answer. After a moment, when it became clear she wasn't going to respond, he simply nodded and pulled out his phone to have someone investigate the matter.Beatrice knew Hendrix well, so she immediately understood his intentions the moment he took out his phone. Without hesitation, she grabbed his hand to stop him. "What are you doing?""If you won't tell me, I
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 170
Noelle didn't sleep well that night. After tossing and turning in bed for what felt like an eternity, she finally drifted into a light, hazy slumber.She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she suddenly felt as though there was someone by her bedside. Still groggy, she tried her best to open her eyes, only to see someone truly sitting there.Noelle jumped in fright, letting out a sharp scream."It's me," Hendrix said. His faint, weightless voice in the dark night felt hollow.Still startled, it took Noelle a while to process what was happening. Then, without thinking, she lifted her leg to kick him. She was undeniably angry. After all, anyone would be in a foul mood to be scared awake after finally managing to fall asleep.However, Hendrix caught her ankle effortlessly just as she raised her foot. Noelle's feet had finally warmed up after hours under the covers, but a shiver shot through her entire body the moment Hendrix wrapped his cold hand around her ankle."Let go! Y
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 171
At the moment, Hendrix just sighed and said, "My grandma and mom fought tonight. Do you know why?"His words made Noelle stop whatever she was doing. However, she calmed herself down and turned to him. "Oh? Why?"He looked at her. "Because my mom is dating someone."Although Noelle was already assuming this, when Hendrix told her so directly, her expressions still shifted a little.Before she could say anything, Hendrix said, "So, you've already known, haven't you?""What?""Noelle, don't try to lie to me." Hendrix remained expressionless. The way he looked at her returned to the usual sharp and cold gaze he always gave her previously.Noelle couldn't help but clench her fist.After a brief moment, she slowly nodded."When did you find out?" asked Hendrix.Noelle didn't answer him."Answer me now.""Is it important?" she countered. "Actually, I think…""Of course it's important," Hendrix cut her off and added, "So, you knew but chose to hide it from me? Do you know how s
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 605
The fans of both leads were at each other's throats, but the production team and the streaming platform were more than happy to see this. After all, in this day and age, even explosive controversy was better than being ignored entirely.Around this time, Evelyn reached out to her with a new project.Noelle hadn't released any new works in the past two months, only taking on smaller, freelance gigs. With the TV drama gaining so much attention, the company naturally wanted to capitalize on the momentum and give her career a boost."I haven't had much time or inspiration lately. Let's talk about it another time.""Come on. You've been saying that for months now.""I know, but Rosie's still young, and it's not like she can grow up overnight.""Alright, fine. If you're not ready for a new project, how about an interview? Surely you can do that?""What kind of interview?""It's a live podcast interview hosted by a publisher we've worked with before. Since the drama's doing so well, t
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 604
All afternoon, the movers across the hall were busy moving things in. Even with the door closed, Noelle could still hear them talking loudly. It sounded like the new tenants were doing some renovations, too. For hours, the sound of hammering and drilling echoed nonstop.As exhausted as she was, Rosie tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. In the end, Noelle had no choice but to lie down beside her, gently patting her back.But Rosie's eyes remained wide open, staring at Noelle.Noelle couldn't help but laugh, then said helplessly, "Alright. What do you want to do?""I can't sleep.""Close your eyes, and you'll fall asleep soon."Rosie obediently closed her eyes, but within seconds, they popped open again. "See, Mommy? I just can't sleep?""So, what do you want to do instead?""I want to draw. Or read a book.""In other words, you just don't want to sleep, right?"Rosie giggled sheepishly.Noelle was about to say more when there was a sudden knock at the door.Rosi
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"Yeah, they've got four elderly parents and two kids to take care of. One of them got laid off, and the other had their salary cut. If they don't sell the house, they might not be able to make ends meet.""True. That's why it's better to work for a big company. The benefits are good, and the job's more stable.""Exactly.""By the way, Noelle, that friend of yours runs a company, right? How's he doing these days?"Noelle had been listening quietly for a while without chiming in, so when the conversation finally turned to her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of "I knew it!".She almost wanted to laugh, but she held it in and instead asked, "What friend?""You know…""Rosie's dad!" someone quickly interjected, finding what they thought was an appropriate way of addressing Hendrix. But almost immediately, they seemed to regret it and cautiously added, "He is Rosie's dad, right?""I don't know much about him," Noelle replied bluntly. "We've been divorced for years, and we hardly
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 602
Noelle wasn't surprised to see Hendrix's name on her phone screen. Without hesitation, she answered the call.Her decisive action seemed to catch Hendrix off guard. There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before he finally asked, "What did you call me for earlier?"Noelle knew he was waiting for her to take the initiative. That was just the way he was. No matter what it was, he always expected others to make the first move.Only after he got what he wanted would he consider giving a little in return. And even then, he'd act as if that little bit was some grand favor, making him a textbook egotist through and through."Why aren't you saying anything?" After just a couple of seconds of silence, his impatience flared, and he urged her to speak.Noelle snapped out of her thoughts and replied, "It's nothing important. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."Though her words sounded apologetic, Hendrix detected no trace of remorse in her tone. He couldn't help but let out a cold
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 601
Noelle hadn't noticed that her phone had gone silent.By the time they arrived at the apartment complex, most of the crowd that had gathered earlier had already dispersed. Moreover, it seemed like many of them were holding new toys.Noelle was taken aback."Noelle, thank you," someone said to her. "And, um… don't pay attention to what's being said in the group chat. Seriously, they're acting way too entitled now.""Yeah, they're just greedy and never satisfied," another chimed in quickly.Noelle frowned, then suddenly realized something. "Who gave you these toys?""Mr. Freeman, of course. But he said he had something to do today and couldn't come, so he sent his assistant instead to make sure no one was disappointed. Did he not tell you?"Noelle's voice tightened. "When was this?""Hmm… It took them about two hours to finish distributing the gifts since there were so many people, so probably around 11:00 am?"Hendrix had called Noelle around noon, which meant he had already ar
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 600
Noelle had already muted the group chat, but private messages kept popping up.They were from the mothers she'd met in the apartment complex while taking Rosie out to play. They were all asking when Hendrix would arrive today. Some even said that if he wasn't coming, he should've given them a heads-up, since their kids had been looking forward to it all day.Noelle stared at the messages blankly. Truthfully, she should've seen this coming from the moment Hendrix started this charade. Manipulating people and controlling them like puppets were the things he had always excelled at.She had finally found some stability in this apartment complex, but now, he had ruined it. He certainly understood the saying, "Give someone an inch, and they'd take a mile", better than anyone.And the money he spent on all those toys? It meant nothing to him. What he really wanted was to control people's minds and shatter Noelle's peace."Mommy! Mommy!"Rosie's voice brought Noelle back to reality. She
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 599
Rosie's straightforward answer made Noelle smile. "Alright. Let's go home, then."With that, they walked away hand in hand, as if the noise and excitement behind them seemed to have nothing to do with them.…The next day, Hendrix came again. This time, he wasn't alone, as several bodyguards followed him, each carrying heavy bags.Without Hendrix even saying a word, all the children rushed over. Even kids from neighboring apartments had heard about it and came running.Hendrix didn't discriminate—any child who approached was given a gift. Today, he didn't need to interact with them personally, so he had time to glance over at Noelle to gauge her reaction. However, he quickly realized that Noelle and Rosie were no longer there. He hadn't even noticed when they had left.The same thing happened on the third and fourth days, but by the fifth day, Hendrix didn't show up. But after several days of free gifts, both the children and their parents had gotten a taste for it. Now, they
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 598
"So, does that mean you're not going to accept my apology?" Hendrix asked.Noelle finally snapped out of her daze. She stared at him for a moment before picking up her glass and lightly clinking it against his.Noelle wasn't sure what Hendrix was trying to do. After all, based on his past behavior, he wasn't the type to just apologize like that. Yet here he was, doing exactly that. She found it strange but decided not to dwell on it, pretending nothing had happened as she took a sip of her water.Hendrix didn't say much after that.Surprisingly, the meal passed in relative peace. Noelle couldn't even remember the last time they had shared a meal so quietly.So, when Hendrix later suggested that he might occasionally come over to have meals with Rosie, Noelle was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.Hendrix, however, took her silence as permission granted. He then pulled a plushie from a bag and handed it to Rosie. It was a character from the stage performance they had seen a
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 597
Noelle had been to this restaurant a few times before with Dylan, so the server immediately recognized her. One of them started approaching her with a warm smile, but the moment she saw the man walking behind Noelle, her expression faltered slightly.Noelle ignored her reaction and simply said, "I'll have my usual order and an omelette for my daughter.""Got it," the server said with a nod, though she couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Hendrix before turning and heading back to the kitchen."Have you been here before?" Hendrix asked.Though the restaurant was decently decorated, it showed its age. The tables and chairs were made of lacquered wood, clean but with a noticeable sheen of grease from years of use.Noelle noticed Hendrix frowning slightly, but he didn't say anything. The frown lasted only for a brief second before he sat down as if nothing had happened. Then, he looked at her, waiting for her answer."Yeah. I've been here a few times.""With Dylan?" Hendrix aske
