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
When Hendrix just got into his car, he received a new message again.He wanted to delete the text straight away because he knew it would be photos of those two people again. But now, no matter how many pictures he received, it was pointless.Just like what Noelle said. She had moved on, so it was time for him to do so, too.As for what Julio said…Hendrix couldn't help but laugh coldly.What did Julio want to say? So what if Dylan was just a university lecturer? Was Julio trying to make Hendrix win over Noelle back by using those stupid methods?What a joke.Since when did Hendrix ever need to do such things, becoming a third wheel in other people's relationships?When he thought about that, he found it quite amusing.But his finger hovered over the screen. He could clearly see the "delete" option, yet he couldn't bring himself to tap it.After several seconds of hesitation, he opened photos instead.Noelle and Dylan had already finished dinner, and after a brief stop at the
After smoking two sticks of cigarettes, Hendrix finally calmed down. Then, he made a call.Julio answered the call very quickly. "Hello, Mr. Freeman?"Hendrix tossed the lighter onto the center console and said, "I've thought about the collaboration, but as for your sincerity, you'll have to show me."…Back at Galaxy Grove, by the time Noelle finished showering, Dylan was still working in the living room. He had his Bluetooth earphones on while typing on his keyboard.Noelle called out to him."Give me a second," he said to someone on the line and looked at Noelle."Are you not going back tonight?" she asked."Yeah. There's still some issue in the house. I'm going on a business trip next week, so can I stay here for a few days?" he asked."Alright. Just use anything in the guest room. Make yourself comfortable."With that said, Noelle turned around, but Dylan stopped her. "I have prepared some cough syrup for you in the kitchen. Take some."Noelle wanted to tell him that sh
Hendrix stood there in silence. Only he knew what had driven him to make that proposal earlier. Noelle was right—he hadn't forgiven her. He also knew their relationship was riddled with emotional scars.But they had a good time together today, didn't they?Hendrix admitted that his initial suggestion to join them had been motivated by Dylan. He didn't want the person standing by Noelle's side in the end to be him. So that was why he had inserted himself into their plans, to which Noelle had agreed.To his surprise, he had genuinely enjoyed himself today. So, he had thought, maybe the three of them could just continue like this—even if it was just for Rosie's sake.But now, Hendrix realized how naïve he had been. Noelle had only wanted to create a good memory for Rosie, with emphasis on the word "memory". Meaning to say, there was no future for them to be together anymore.At this thought, Hendrix couldn't help but laugh. "Then, who do you feel comfortable being with? Dylan?"He k
Rosie was clearly exhausted from the day's activities and slept soundly in Noelle's arms the entire ride home. She had been much happier recently and had put back on some weight. By the time Hendrix parked the car, Noelle's arms were almost completely numb.Hendrix quickly got out of the driver's seat and walked around to her side. "Let me carry her up.""No, it's fine," Noelle replied without hesitation.But after taking a glance at her slender arms, he asked, "Are you sure you can carry her up? Or should we wake her and let her walk by herself?"Noelle really couldn't carry Rosie anymore, yet she couldn't bring herself to wake the little girl when she saw how peacefully she was sleeping.Hendrix took one more look at her, and without giving her any time to hesitate, he simply bent down and scooped Rosie up in his arms.He had initially wondered how heavy such a small child could be. But now, holding her, he realized it wasn't as easy as he had imagined. Especially since she was
Soon, they reached the amusement park.Even though it was a weekday, the place was still bustling with people. But Hendrix had made arrangements in advance, so as soon as they arrived, staff members came out to greet them.They were given exclusive access to whatever ride Rosie wanted to go on, so they didn't have to wait in line at all. Noelle actually didn't want to take advantage of this. After all, she and Hendrix were no longer together.Not to mention, this was his first time taking Rosie to the amusement park, and it would likely be his last. So, Noelle didn't want Rosie to get used to this kind of treatment or develop any false expectations.But right now, Rosie was clearly excited, and standing in long lines under the sun wouldn't be good for her health, either. So, Noelle bit her tongue and stayed silent.Once inside the park, Hendrix took Rosie to the carousel first. This particular carousel had a fountain in the center, and at certain points, water jets would spray out
Rosie looked at Hendrix, then at Noelle.Finally, she answered, "The carousel.""Just the carousel? Have you tried the space tunnel? Or the pirate ship? What about the roller coaster? There's also a special stage show. Would you like to take photos and interact with the sea lions?"Hendrix had experience in the amusement park business as well. Even though he had never personally spent much time at one, he was now rattling off various rides and activities with ease."You like Simba, right?" Hendrix suddenly remembered the lion plushie she had. "There's a stage show about that. I can take you to see it."Though Noelle didn't want to think of him that way, at this moment, Hendrix seemed like a devil who was trying to tempt Rosie. And as her mother, Noelle could naturally sense Rosie's resolve wavering. Especially when the little girl heard about the stage show—her eyes lit up instantly.It was something Rosie had always wanted to watch. But the last time they went to the amusement
Hendrix's eyes snapped open. The dream had terrified him, and a cold sweat had broken out of his forehead.He closed his eyes for a moment, and once his mind cleared, he got out of bed. As soon as he stepped out of his room, he saw Rosie.She had already changed into a dress, her hair tied into a small braid. She sat obediently on the living room couch, holding her water cup, waiting for Noelle.When she heard the sound of footsteps, she immediately looked up. But the moment her eyes met Hendrix's, her expression changed. Then, she quickly turned her head away.If this had happened in the past, Hendrix might not have paid her any attention. But this time, after a brief pause, he walked over to her."Are you going out with your mommy?"Hendrix had no experience talking to children. He tried his best to soften his tone, but his voice still came out stiff and awkward. In fact, it sounded more like an interrogation than a question.Rosie turned to look at him again, studying him car
Hendrix kept moving closer toward Noelle, leaving her no choice but to step back. But soon, her back hit the glass door of the balcony—there was nowhere left to retreat."You're overthinking it," Noelle said. "I didn't say anything because it's none of my business."Hendrix finally stopped moving."That's between you and Ms. Rhett. It's not my place to comment or interfere," she continued. "As for the people around you and what they want, that has nothing to do with me, either. So, can you please move aside now?"By the time Noelle finished speaking, all expression had vanished from Hendrix's face. He stared at her intently, as if trying to find some trace of emotion or crack in her composure. But there was nothing.Noelle stood there calmly, meeting his gaze. Hendrix couldn't help but clench his fists tightly.Seeing that he had nothing more to say, Noelle turned to leave, planning to walk past him. But Hendrix quickly grabbed her arm. "Did I say you could go?""Let go of me.
The sudden noise startled Rosie, and she immediately buried herself in Noelle's arms, her wide eyes fixed on Hendrix.But Hendrix didn't even notice her reaction. His gaze was locked on Noelle as he said, "Come out."As soon as he finished speaking, Rosie grabbed Noelle's hand tightly. "Mommy, don't go."Rosie had always been wary of Hendrix, but this was the first time Noelle sensed genuine fear in her. Her little fingers were gripping Noelle's hand so tightly that they had turned pale.Noelle quickly reassured her, "It's okay. I'll just go see what he wants.""No!" Rosie shook her head without hesitation.Noelle glanced at the door. Hendrix was still standing there, unmoving. The tight set of his lips and his grim expression were nothing short of sharp and severe.Rosie's grip on Noelle's hand tightened even more.Noelle had no choice but to hand Rosie the little lion plushie beside her. "Wait here for me, okay? I'll be right back."Rosie still didn't want to let go, but she
Hendrix moved quickly. As Seline instinctively reached for her phone, her fingers nearly got caught in his car door. But Hendrix didn't even bother to apologize. He simply had Levi start the car and drove off without another word.Seline stood there for a moment, stunned. Then, as if snapping out of it, she shouted at his retreating car, "Hendrix Freeman, what the hell is wrong with you? You emotionally unstable lunatic! Serves you right for being cheated on!"Hendrix didn't respond, of course. In fact, he didn't even bother to listen to what she was saying. The first thing he did when he got into the car was to call Angela.Angela answered the phone quickly. "Hello, Mr. Freeman.""Did you run into Noelle today?" Hendrix asked.It had been a long time since he had mentioned that name. After disappearing from Coppersville for so long, the name "Noelle" was unfamiliar to Angela.But she was quick on her feet. After running through the list of women associated with Hendrix in her mi
After hearing Noelle's response, Hendrix didn't say anything more. He simply left Sienna Villa with his entourage. When he reached the parking lot, he spotted Seline standing there.Because of Noelle, Seline had never been particularly fond of Hendrix. Even though her position technically required her to maintain a good relationship with him, she still refused to do so. In fact, she couldn't even be bothered to put on a front.But today, when Seline saw Hendrix, she seemed to be in an unusually good mood. She even took the initiative to wave at him."Hello, Mr. Freeman," she greeted.Even though Hendrix found this odd, he didn't say anything about it. He simply gave her a slight nod before getting into his car.Like hell Seline was just going to let him leave like that!The situation with Angela was something Seline wanted to blow up into a big scandal, but Noelle had a point, too. On the surface, Seline had no real connection to Hendrix, so whether he was being cheated on or not