Despite the rushed nature of the wedding, all the important guests were still invited. Noelle, as the bride's family, stood at the entrance with Craig.She wore a champagne-colored gown, and her long hair was neatly styled up, exposing her slender neck. Her makeup was subtle, enhancing her natural beauty and giving her an exquisitely refined appearance.Although her outfit was modest enough, it was inevitable that people would still gossip about her due to the recent events. They naturally didn't say anything in front of Noelle, but the odd glances directed toward her still cut her like a knife.However, Noelle had anticipated this would happen before arriving, so she didn't react at all. Instead, she continued to greet everyone with a smile. It was at this moment that Ruth appeared.She was dressed quite extravagantly, wearing a pale, moon-white gown, seemingly unconcerned about clashing with the bride's wedding dress. Her makeup was strikingly bold, so much so that before anyone
Noelle simply smiled. She waited until Ruth had entered before lifting her gaze to welcome the next guest."Welcome."As she got to the last syllable, her voice noticeably softened, and her smile faltered for a brief moment. But she quickly regained her composure, her smile blossoming once more."Hello, Mr. Freeman."She wasn't sure when Hendrix had arrived, but judging by the presence of others behind him, it seemed he must have overheard her exchange with Ruth.Hendrix quickly swept past Noelle with his gaze before walking up to Craig."Congratulations.""Thank you."It wasn't even a second that they shook each other's hands before releasing them again.Noelle, however, was no longer looking at him. Instead, she turned her attention to the other guests, her smile still as bright as ever.…There were over a thousand guests today. Just the greeting portion alone made Noelle feel like her smile was about to freeze on her face. The next part of the event no longer required he
The ballroom was filled with a lively buzz in the air. Despite the rush, everything had gone smoothly, and the wedding was turning out just fine.Now, they had reached the moment of the evening—the exchange of rings, an event that would mark the climax of the night.Sandra looked at the man standing before her and asked suddenly, "Do you know whose idea it was to have the wedding today?"Maxwell didn't answer.Sandra smirked. "It was actually Noelle's idea. Don't you still have feelings for her? And look what happened. She didn't hesitate to drag you down just to spite me."Maxwell remained silent, as if he hadn't heard a word. He simply continued with the ceremony, slipping the ring onto her finger.Sandra clenched her teeth in frustration. "Does she think that just because I'm getting married, I'm no longer part of the Swanson family? Well, she's wrong. I agreed to this only because I wanted my dad to see how much I've been wronged. "Just wait. I'm going to take back what's m
Noelle didn't respond to his words. Instead, she simply glanced at this retreating figure before slowly turning her gaze back to the portrait of the deceased. The woman in the photo was Matilda in her younger years. Ironically, she looked almost exactly like Noelle.On the day of the funeral, rain suddenly began to fall in Coppersville, and the temperature seemed even lower than it had been during last year's winter.Noelle had already put on her coat, but as she stood in the cemetery, she could still feel the cold wind seeping deep into her bones.The urn containing Matilda's ashes had already been laid to rest. It was only when the sound of the pastor's voice echoed through the cemetery that Noelle, almost as if waking from a daze, fully realized that Matilda was truly gone.Whether it was love or hate, it all seemed to vanish with Matilda's death. Noelle suddenly recalled the day Matilda closed her eyes for the last time. She wasn't sure whether it was guilt or something else, b
"Ms. Swanson, are you sure it's a good idea to have dinner alone with Mr. Carter? I mean, he—" Her assistant, Oliver Shaw, hesitated, leaving the rest unsaid.Noelle, of course, understood their concern. Ethan's reputation in Vinton City was far from stellar. His insistence on having dinner alone with her tonight naturally set off Oliver's alarm bells—and rightly so."It's fine. It's just dinner," Noelle replied calmly.After that, she opened the car door and stepped out onto the pavement. She had chosen the restaurant herself and, to avoid any potential "surprises", arrived half an hour early to order the food in advance.Ethan arrived just as Noelle finished filling up her glass with water."My apologies for keeping you waiting, Ms. Swanson.""No worries. I just got here myself," Noelle replied with a smile.Their first interaction was smooth, and everything seemed normal so far.After a few glasses of red wine, the conversation began to shift."Ms. Swanson, you've been here
The woman continued her conversation, her eyes lighting up as she spotted something. She waved excitedly in that direction.Then, Noelle saw it, too—a sleek black car in the rain-soaked night. The license plate was unfamiliar, but the car's model was one Noelle recognized all too well. After all, it was Hendrix's favorite.She paused for a moment before turning her gaze away. Instead of calling for a ride, she decisively turned around and walked off into the rainy night.…"You're here!" Lana Ray didn't seem to notice anything else.As the driver stepped out to open the door, she eagerly got into the car.Hendrix was already seated inside, dressed in a black shirt with dark gold cufflinks featuring an intricate, elegant pattern. His slender hand rested on his knee, and his strikingly handsome face was devoid of any expression. His deep, piercing eyes stared ahead, shadowed by a hint of somberness."Mr. Freeman?" Lana called him again and followed his gaze for a moment, but she d
Noelle nodded, showing no doubt about Dan's explanation, and then pressed the button for her floor.Dan glanced at the two lit-up numbers and asked, "Ms. Swanson, how are you—"Before he could finish his question, Noelle's phone rang. She gave Dan an apologetic smile before answering the call."Mr. Russon? Yes, it's me. Oh, you were there at the restaurant, too? Sorry. If I'd known, I would have come over to offer you a drink," Noelle said with a smile. "I'll make it up to you by treating you to a meal next time. Of course, you can pick the place."There were only two of them in the spacious elevator, and while Noelle was speaking softly, Dan could still hear each and every one of her words clearly. In the end, he swallowed back the question he was going to ask her.It wasn't until the elevator reached Noelle's floor that she ended her call. Then, she turned to Dan. "Mr. Hurley, what were you about to say?""It's nothing, just… My girlfriend lives here by herself. If it's okay wi
Noelle smiled at the man, Dominic Russo. "How could I forget, Mr. Russo? I was just worried you might be too busy. After all, there are so many people vying to have dinner with you—I was afraid I wouldn't make it on the list."Her smile was dazzling, and even if Dominic had been annoyed moments before, her charm smoothed over any displeasure.Dominic slid a hand toward her waist. "Well, I have time now. So, Ms. Swanson, when are you planning to fulfill your promise and have dinner with me?"Noelle deftly sidestepped his touch, grabbing a glass of wine from a nearby server and placing it in his hand instead. "I'm always ready, of course. How about this? I'll contact your assistant tomorrow to set up a time.""Why go through so much trouble? Don't you already have my personal number?" Dominic said as he accepted the wine glass, his hand brushing lightly against the back of Noelle's.Though Dominic wasn't overweight, and his features could even be considered refined, the gesture stil
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
"Noelle, I'm just an ordinary friend of his. I don't have that kind of influence." Sandra laughed, then added, "Actually, if you want to meet Mr. Mueller, maybe you should have Dylan…"Dylan, who had been sitting nearby, finally lifted his head when Sandra mentioned his name.But Noelle didn't pay him any attention. She grabbed Sandra's hand and pulled her out of the room."What's this about, Noelle? You're hurting me!" Sandra still spoke in a sweet tone, but as soon as Noelle dragged her to an isolated spot, she immediately yanked Noelle's hand away, her voice turning cold as she asked, "What do you want?""I should be asking you that," Noelle replied. "You should know very well what's going on with the family right now. If I could contact Javier myself, that'd be one thing, but the problem is now…""Now what? Noelle, I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be the one asking me for help." Sandra laughed, raising her chin and looking at her. "So, go ahead. Ask away. If it's a r
Noelle looked at Dylan for a long while, then smiled. "No need. Just stay with me like this." Dylan reached out and pulled her into his arms. His hug wasn't tight, and the faint fragrance on his body instantly filled Noelle's nose. Noelle made no effort to resist but slowly reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist. "How's your father?" Dylan asked her. "Acute stroke," she said softly. "But we got to the hospital on time, and the doctor said that as long as he wakes up, everything will be fine." "Mm, how about you go back and rest? I'll keep an eye on things here." "No. I won't be able to sleep even if I go back. Haven't you noticed my phone hasn't stopped ringing?" Dylan didn't reply. Noelle didn't know if he was feeling guilty for being unable to help her, so she said, "The wedding doesn't need to be postponed. Your grandfather has been looking forward to it for so long, so we can't disappoint him." "But…""Don't worry. I can still spare a day, and with Elm