Hendrix gazed at her in silence.Noelle could barely stand at this point. She was relying entirely on the last thread of willpower left in her mind to hold herself up. But the moment the elevator doors opened and she saw Oliver standing outside, that last thread of willpower instantly snapped.Noelle knew precisely what Dominic's intentions were. Although she had come alone tonight, she had sent Oliver a message earlier, informing him that he would need to pick her up when the time came.Oliver, knowing exactly where to find her, had been anxiously scanning the restaurant lobby. So when he finally spotted her in the elevator, he let out a sigh of relief.Ignoring Hendrix standing nearby, Noelle staggered a few steps toward Oliver before collapsing entirely. Without a second thought, Oliver rushed to catch her."Take me to the hospital," Noelle managed to whisper through the pain before everything went black and she passed out.Oliver didn't have the chance to ask what had happene
"Didn't you meet with Hendrix last night?" Craig mercilessly exposed her lie.Noelle fell silent.Craig, as if he knew what she was thinking, said, "Amity Group is planning something big over in Vinton City. By now, you should have a clear understanding of the current market trends there. If you can secure this partnership, you should know what it means for Elm Group."You wouldn't want to stay stuck in that subsidiary company forever, would you? If this partnership is finalized, it will prove your capabilities to everyone. When that time comes, I will officially transfer you back, and no one will question your position as a successor."Craig's words were unhurried.Noelle was tempted to take him up on his offer, but she was also well aware that he absolutely wouldn't really agree to let her go back and become the successor.The death of Matilda had always stayed with him, and the only reason he let Noelle stay in the company was merely because she was his only biological daughte
After seeing Clayton off, Noelle stood alone in front of the café. The heatwave rolling in from the street was a sharp contrast to the cool air from the air conditioning inside, and it made her throat itch uncomfortably.Fighting the urge to cough, Noelle pulled a throat lozenge from her bag and popped it into her mouth just as a call from the office came through, urging her to return for a meeting.The meeting's agenda was similar to what Craig had mentioned to her a few days ago. The past two years had seen a sluggish market, but Amity Group, as the industry leader, seemed untouched by the downturn.The incident with Beatrice had caused quite a stir at the time, and Hendrix was labeled as cold and unfilial by the media. He was also accused of pushing Beatrice to the brink, leaving her with no choice but to take that tragic path.Meanwhile, the couple who had lost their son, Lloyd, took every opportunity to find reporters to smear his reputation. Hendrix seemed completely unconcer
"We're at Neufit Sports Arena. Mr. Freeman mentioned he'd like to speak to you personally," said Julio.Noelle froze for a moment, then frowned. "With me?""Yes. Where are you right now? Should I have the driver come pick you up?""No need. I'll drive myself over."Noelle wasn't sure what Hendrix wanted, but since Julio was Craig's man and had already made it clear she should go, refusing would undoubtedly result in a report back to Craig. Reluctantly, she headed over.Hendrix and Julio were at the tennis court. Today, Hendrix was dressed casually in a white sweatshirt, his bangs falling over his forehead, giving him a slightly youthful, almost boyish look."Noelle's here." Julio quickly walked over and patted Noelle's shoulder in a mentor-like manner. "Even though she's only been with the company for a few months, her performance has been outstanding. "Take this recent project proposal for the Continental Reach—her ideas were so impressive that I—""Ms. Swanson, is it true th
"Noelle," Julio called her name as soon as she stepped out of the restroom.He was frowning deeply—it was clear he wasn't pleased with how she acted earlier."You know how important this project is to the company, don't you?"Noelle simply nodded."Then, why are you acting so cold toward Mr. Freeman?" Julio's eyes darkened. "Don't tell me you can't tell what he's hinting at."A project as massive as Continental Reach was still in its early stages, and the workload Hendrix had to be managing was beyond imagination. Yet today, he had spent time playing tennis and having dinner with them.And before Noelle's toast, that deliberate glance he gave her—it didn't take a genius to figure out his intentions. But Noelle didn't take the bait."I'm already divorced from him," she said after meeting Julio's gaze for a moment.Julio chuckled lightly. "So what if you're divorced? Does that mean you're married to Mr. Carter and Mr. Russo now?"Noelle's expression changed instantly, her eyes s
"I can't give you this project directly, but I can provide a fair chance for competition," Hendrix said.Noelle sneered. "What's the condition?"The moment she finished speaking, Hendrix laughed. His lips were arched, and even the smile in his eyes deepened, making him appear delighted."How do you know I have a condition?"Noelle did not reply and just stared at him.Hendrix quickly dropped his smile, and his fingers caressed the coffee cup in his hands. He said, "What Lana and I have are only scandals. It was done for a public stunt."Noelle didn't know why he was explaining himself, so she frowned."The doctor said… my mother's condition has improved. It's very possible for her to wake up," continued Hendrix. "For the previous matter…""Mr. Freeman," Noelle cut him off. "Do you remember the things you've said to me in Dynalis? You said we are impossible."Hendrix remained silent."It might seem like I'm getting ahead of myself when I say this, but by what you meant just no
Noelle left the restaurant soon after.Earlier, she had actually taken Julio's advice to heart—to treat Hendrix as just another client or business partner, like before.She'd use the faint, ambiguous connection between them to achieve her goals.Although Noelle had always loathed gender discrimination and preferential treatment in the workplace, she realized after stepping into this complicated world that her ideals couldn't change anything. She even found herself skillfully leveraging those very dynamics to her advantage.But when the person involved was Hendrix, she discovered she couldn't handle it as calmly as she thought.She had once loved him sincerely for many years, after all. There was even a time when her feelings were reciprocated. She had felt, however fleeting, a genuine warmth in him.Even though all of it eventually turned out to be nothing but an illusion, she still couldn't treat him like a stranger. Not even when Julio bluntly reminded her that this was just bu
Dylan was dressed in a beige trench coat, his short hair neat and clean, and a pair of silver-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Overall, he looked elegant and refined.He quickly walked over. "Have you been waiting long?"Noelle sent off her message and replied, "Not really. I just got here.""Alright. Let's go." Dylan nodded, pulling his suitcase with one hand while slightly bending the other arm.Understanding his gesture, Noelle quickly put away her phone and took his arm."Shall we grab dinner first?" Dylan asked.Noelle nodded. "Sure.""Your voice doesn't sound quite right," he remarked.Noelle coughed lightly. "Caught a cold a while back, but I'm much better now. Just a bit of a cough left.""I'll get you some cough syrup later.""Okay."…At Amity Group's subsidiary company in Vinton, Hendrix was sitting in front of his desk with a poker face, staring at the photo he just received on his phone.It was a photo of a couple, looking like a good match.H
"Mr. Freeman, it's time to change your dressi—" The doctor's voice suddenly broke the silence.The unexpected interruption sent a jolt through Noelle. It was as if she had suddenly snapped back to reality. In a flurry, she pushed Hendrix away.She looked as though she had been caught doing something wrong. She stumbled backward several steps, her hands rising and falling repeatedly. Her lips quivered as if she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. Panic filled her eyes, unmistakable and clear.The doctor, however, was tactful. "My apologies. I didn't mean to interrupt," he said quickly before excusing himself and leaving.Noelle's face turned an even deeper shade of red at this. She wanted to chase after the doctor, but Hendrix grabbed her hand again."Let go of me," Noelle said when she finally managed to find her voice.She had intended to reprimand him. But after the kiss and the nervous tension, her voice came out slightly hoarse, sounding almost alluring. Even Noelle
Noelle hadn't expected Hendrix to bring this up, so she was stunned for a moment. Then, she looked at him with confusion."I wanted to use the bathroom," he answered with a cheeky grin."Oh." Even though Noelle felt flustered, she still quickly stepped aside.Hendrix, however, remained seated. Noelle looked at him, puzzled.He chuckled and said, "My arm is injured. I can't even feed myself—do you think I can go to the bathroom on my own?"Noelle's expression changed instantly. "W-What do you mean?"Hendrix reached out and took her hand. "Help me," he said in a low and raspy voice.Noelle immediately shook her head. "No way!"As she spoke, she tried to pull her hand away.But even with only one good hand, Hendrix's grip was still strong.Not only did he not let go, but he slid his fingers through Noelle's and pressed his palm firmly against hers. The dry, burning warmth of his hand made Noelle's cheeks flush instantly. It was as if, at this moment, she wasn't holding his hand
Inside the bag was a thermos of soup she had made that morning. It was made with chicken and mushrooms she had bought early at the market. She had simmered them for half an hour, and as soon as she opened the lid, the rich aroma of the soup spread throughout the hospital room.Hendrix suddenly remembered the bowl of soup Noelle had given him late that night two days ago. Good food was never something he lacked. In fact, to him, food was just a necessity for survival. But that night, something about that simple bowl of soup had brought him to the brink of tears.He had found her. There had been a time when he truly believed she had vanished from this world. He thought he would never see her again. It was also in that moment that he fully understood what Noelle meant to him.After all, he had seen the light, so how could he ever return to the darkness? His life had been set on a certain path. Even Beatrice had never cooked him a bowl of soup before, and he had accepted that kind of li
The moment Noelle saw her reflection in Hendrix's eyes, and when he stood under the streetlight and smiled at her, those feelings of resistance and fear vanished instantly.At the time, Noelle felt as if she had known him for a long time. Even under the dim light, she could vividly trace the contours of his face in her mind. It was as if she had done this countless times before.Even though her memories of the past remained a blank, just seeing him made her heart race. The feeling was unfamiliar, yet she knew exactly what it was and what it meant.She liked him, and it felt like she had liked him for a long time.…That night, Hendrix had to stay in the hospital. His whereabouts were supposed to be confidential, but the local authorities were already aware of his presence. After receiving Jerry's report, Austin Warren immediately came to visit with his team.Of course, Hendrix didn't tell them the truth about how he got injured. Instead, he simply claimed he had tripped and falle
Noelle wasn't quick enough to stop Irene this time.When Irene swung down her hoe, Hendrix instinctively raised his arm to block it. As a result, the wound he had just had re-bandaged at the hospital that day split open again. There was even a faint cracking sound, as if a bone had been fractured.Even for someone as tough as Hendrix, the intense pain was enough to make him frown, and cold sweat quickly beaded on his forehead."Mom!" Noelle rushed forward and grabbed Irene's arm.But was still in the heat of anger. She pushed Noelle aside and was about to strike again when Jerry, who had received an emergency call, arrived on the scene.Jerry felt his vision darken for a moment when he saw Hendrix's injury. Then, without hesitation, he and his team restrained Irene."What are you doing? You bunch of ass-kissers! Let me go!" Irene struggled fiercely, her curses never stopping.Jerry was at a loss. He was about to have her taken to the police station when Hendrix grabbed his arm.
"I haven't eaten yet. Will you grab a bite with me?" Hendrix asked Noelle.Noelle was stunned. But before she could react, Hendrix had already taken her hand and started leading her forward.Jerry had wanted to say something to Hendrix, but all he got was a distant wave as Hendrix took Noelle straight to the car.This was the car Hendrix had someone bring over yesterday. The once gleaming paint was now covered in splatters of mud after driving through the village's dirt roads. But he didn't mind.It wasn't until they had driven for a while that Noelle finally snapped out of her daze. "My mom will find out!""Don't worry. If she gets mad at you, I'll explain it to her.""She'll definitely hit you."Hendrix, holding the steering wheel, glanced at her. "What? Are you worried about me?""Of course not!" Noelle replied immediately. Then, she turned to look out the window.Hendrix watched her for a moment before reaching over and taking her hand."What are—" Noelle's eyes widened.
Irene owned a plot of land in the village. She used to grow corn on it, but in the past two years, a contractor from the neighboring village had come by, so she switched to growing strawberries instead.It was now the season for planting seedlings. After the morning's commotion, Noelle had convinced Irene to rest at home and took over the planting work herself.The task wasn't particularly strenuous, but bending over for long periods was exhausting. Noelle squatted down, but after a while, she started feeling dizzy. She closed her eyes, preparing to take a short break, when somebody suddenly yanked her up.Hendrix frowned at her and asked, "What are you doing?"Noelle was startled for a moment, then clumsily pushed his hand away. Only after taking several steps back to put a safe distance between them did she finally ask, "What are you doing here?"Hendrix's frown deepened at her reaction. "Are you afraid of me?""No," Noelle quickly denied it. Her flustered expression made it se
Hendrix wasn't a particularly delicate person, but even he found the environment hard to endure. Not long after, he was woken up by a commotion outside. He opened his eyes and pushed himself up, just in time to see what was happening outside the window.Irene was chasing someone off with a broom. Despite her age, she still had the energy to scold while giving chase, her voice so loud and full of vigor that it startled everyone inside and out. And then, she turned around and scolded the onlookers as well.Noelle followed closely behind her, sheltered under her protection. Her eyes were curious as she glanced around, but she didn't dare stray more than half a step from Irene.Just as Hendrix was watching, Noelle noticed him, too. She seemed to freeze for a moment, then quickly looked away and tugged at Irene's hand.After a bit more commotion, Irene finally pulled her inside and shut the door with a loud bang.Once inside, Irene turned to Noelle and said, "Don't worry, Nelly. Sid's
Noelle immediately turned around with panic written all over her face.Irene narrowed her eyes. "What were you doing outside so late in the night?""I-I thought I heard a cat meowing, so I went to check.""A cat?" Irene frowned. "What's so strange about a few cats in the village?"Noelle fell silent.Irene didn't press further, simply telling her to go to bed early before turning and heading back to her own room.Noelle followed behind her. The window in her room faced the house across the street—the one with the lit window, where Hendrix was staying.The broken glass in the window had been repaired earlier that day. The warm yellow light shining through matched the glow in her room. Noelle stared at it for a while before finally lying down to sleep.The night passed quickly.Irene didn't need much sleep. Before dawn even broke, she had already taken her hoe and headed out to work in the field.After making her bed, Noelle started preparing breakfast. Just as she was beating