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Chapter 18

Author: Jean Song
Finally, Noelle clenched her fist and looked up at Sandra, who flashed her a doelike, innocent smile.

After some staring, Noelle broke out in laughter. Then, she spat, "You're a bastard child."

Everyone had their sore spot. She had hit Sandra where it hurt. The bastard child insult was taboo for Sandra, whose expression soured.

Without thinking, she shoved Noelle to the ground. Engulfed in anger, she lost her calm and acted impulsively. It wasn't until she had lashed out that she realized she had done wrong.

However, it was too late.

They heard Matilda's shocked gasps. "What did you do?"

Sandra froze on the spot. She quickly turned around to explain herself, but Matilda passed her by. Sandra's outreached arms hung awkwardly in the air.

Noelle was quick to recover. She got up from the ground with a chuckle. "I'm fine."

Her actions were reminiscent of Sandra's usual tactics, but her smile was more sarcastic than Sandra's.

Matilda missed the sarcasm in Noelle's expression. She me
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    Noelle said she wanted a divorce, but Hendrix showed no reaction.He shot her a look before accepting the papers. Flipping through the pages, he arrived at the final page and saw that she had signed it. He chuckled.Before Noelle could read his reaction, he had torn the divorce papers in half, causing her heart to skip a beat.Soon, she calmed down and said to him, "Mr. Freeman, I can print a new copy for you if you're unhappy with the one in your hands."Remaining silent, he tossed the papers into the trash can while striding toward Noelle. She looked shocked when he closed in, and she instinctively backed off.She retreated until her waist was pressed against the edge of the table. The bruises around her waist hurt when she knocked against the table, causing her to draw a sharp breath.Hendrix grabbed her wrist. "Noelle, are you threatening me with a divorce? Or is this your way of giving in to make progress with me? Your crass tricks disgust me!"She could not believe that

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    Noelle lowered her eyes, staring at the photograph in the newspaper. In it, she looked disheveled and utterly humiliated.However, right now, she was calm. She did not say anything as she picked up the newspaper and threw it into a nearby trash can. Then, she opened the car door again."Let's go," she told Levi, her voice calm.Levi did not dare start the car. He just looked at Hendrix cautiously.Hendrix was staring at Noelle impassively.Noelle did not look at him. She didn't even give him a second glance as she rolled the window up.When that happened, Hendrix turned and went into the house without hesitation.He wasn't looking at Noelle, but Noelle was staring after him, watching his back as he left. She knew what he was telling her. He wasn't going to go to the party with her, so if she got ridiculed, she would be on her own.Then again, Noelle was used to this. After all, she'd always been alone.…The party was much livelier than Noelle had expected.The Quinlans had

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