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
When Noelle arrived at the office, her assistant informed her, "Ms. Swanson, Mr. Garcia wants to see you in his office."She couldn't help but frown, but she didn't say anything else. She just nodded and took the elevator up.Compared to his attitude yesterday, Julio seemed very warm today. "Noelle, you're here! You left quite early last night. Did something happen?""Oh, my boyfriend came back," Noelle answered calmly.Her words stunned Julio for a moment. Then, he remembered the call with Hendrix last night.No wonder…Julio chuckled, and said, "Mr. Pritchett is back? It seems like his business trip this time is quite long, right?""Yeah, almost a month.""He keeps going on business trips, so I guess you guys are going through something similar to a long-distance relationship, huh? Aren't you afraid that your relationship might face some problems?"Upon hearing that, Noelle frowned. "This has nothing to do with you. Did you ask to meet me so early in the morning just to ask
Oliver walked right by her side. After Noelle's last "reminder," he no longer pried or gossiped about the relationship between Noelle and Hendrix, though his gaze kept darting toward her on the way, his expression hesitant. It wasn't until Noelle rolled her eyes at him that he finally stopped.To Noelle's surprise, tonight's dinner was uneventful. As the host, Julio focused on discussing the details of the collaboration with Hendrix, while Noelle, as an accompanying member, only needed to chime in occasionally or join in a toast.Throughout the evening, Hendrix barely gave her a glance.But Noelle quickly understood why and recalled her last conversation with him.Even if he was unwilling, Hendrix was not the type of person who would run back to his ex. He wouldn't date her again. He would not, and his ego would not allow it, either.Thinking of this, Noelle let out a sigh of relief.Right at that moment, her phone rang. The ringtone broke the jolly atmosphere of the privat
Noelle didn't drink a lot today, but the dizziness she felt was just too familiar. Moreover, there was nobody left in the room.She immediately looked at Hendrix as she gritted her teeth and said, "Hendrix, how dare you use such despicable methods on me?"Her eyes turned red, and she clenched her fists. Furious and in disbelief, her arms and entire body were shaking.Hendrix also frowned, but he quickly reacted and said, "It's not me.""If not you, then…"Before she could finish, she thought of someone—Julio.No wonder!Judging by Hendrix's attitude tonight, he didn't seem entirely committed to cooperating with them, yet Julio had acted so confident earlier. So, this was Julio's plan all along—to offer her as a "gift" to Hendrix tonight.However, as this thought crossed her mind, Noelle quickly calmed down. She didn't argue with Hendrix further. Instead, she turned to leave. After all, she had no idea what Julio might have spiked her drink with, and she had no intention of ge
Hendrix sounded calm and serious.At that moment, Noelle suddenly recalled the scene on Serene Street, where Hendrix had mercilessly kicked Maxwell, with his expression just as serious and resolute as it was now.It was only now that she truly understood the madness lurking beneath his calm, composed exterior.He was never a kind or gentle man. For him, the end justified the means. This was who Hendrix truly was.The car soon pulled into the hotel parking lot. Hendrix stepped out, still carrying Noelle in his arms."Let… Let go of me!" Noelle bit her lip, her hands desperately shoving at his chest. "Hendrix, it's over between us! You're the one who said it was over!" Hendrix did not answer.Soon, the elevator door opened. Hendrix had booked the presidential suite, so the elevator brought them straight to his room. When he closed the door, he stopped controlling himself.Noelle was shoved against the door, and her coat was yanked off by him."Let go of me! Hendrix, you basta
Blood quickly seeped through Noelle's skin and hair. Even Hendrix was stunned briefly. It took him a while to recover before he snatched the ashtray from her hand.Seizing the opportunity, Noelle shoved him forward with all her remaining strength. She didn't say another word to him, nor did she spare him a glance. Instead, she turned and steadied herself, reaching for the door and pulling it open.But before she could step out, Hendrix's hand clamped tightly around her wrist from behind."Let me go! Hendrix, fucking let me go!" Noelle started shouting. Seeing that Hendrix didn't intend to let her go, she didn't care anymore and just bit his arm.She was on the verge of collapsing at this moment, so of course, she bit hard. Soon, she could taste the blood on her tongue, but Hendrix did not even make a sound.When Noelle was about to bite him again, his voice came from behind, laced with suppressed pain, "I'll send you to the hospital."…When Noelle woke up, she was in the hosp
When Noelle finished her soup, she saw Oliver, who was standing at the door and hesitating if he should come in.She glanced at him and said, "Come in.""Ms. Swanson, I really had no idea," said Oliver the moment he came in. "Mr. Garcia forced me to leave last night. He said you wanted to talk to Mr. Freeman. I swear I had no idea he would use such a despicable method!"Oliver sounded like he was wronged.Noelle did not blame him, either. She said, "Call Julio and tell him that I want to see him.""Now?""Yes, now." Noelle sounded sure, so Oliver didn't dare to ask anything else.When Julio arrived, Noelle asked Oliver and the caretaker to leave.Julio did not feel like he had done anything wrong. Instead, he seemed to be in a bad mood because his plan did not succeed."Was it you who laced my drinks with drugs?" Noelle asked.Julio glanced at her and just grinned. "I don't know what you mean.""I was admitted to the hospital last night. The doctor is fully aware of my con
Noelle's wound wasn't very serious. So, after the final checkup, she was discharged from the hospital.However, her wound hadn't fully healed yet, and there was a bandage on the corner of her forehead. The doctor said it would leave a scar.Well, Noelle didn't care. She was in the restaurant now, and the people kept giving her second glances. She just sat there silently.Outside the window were the busy streets of Vinton. The red taillights, the glowing lamps of the distant residential area, and the makeshift stalls selling fruits and hotdogs along the street created a city full of life and warmth. It felt much cozier than Coppersville, a place dominated by towering skyscrapers.As Noelle stood there lost in thought, a familiar sound of footsteps reached her ears.That sound—no matter how bustling the restaurant lobby was, she didn't need to turn around to know it was him.She had known him for many years—so many years that Noelle had forgotten when she first began secretly p
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
"Then why is Seline laughing?" Rosie asked."She just remembered something happy," Noelle answered."Yes, I'm happy. Very happy," Seline echoed, immediately following Noelle's lead. Then, she added, "Let's go, Rosie. I'll send you home.""Oh…" Rosie was clearly still puzzled, but neither of them seemed inclined to explain further, so she didn't press the matter.Seline personally drove them back to Sienna Villa. She was in a good mood the entire way, humming a tune as she gripped the steering wheel. She could hardly wait to call Hendrix and tell him to catch Angela in the act at the hotel.But she held herself back. After all, Hendrix catching Angela red-handed wasn't enough. Seline wanted everyone in their social circle to know so that Hendrix would be completely humiliated."Don't stir up trouble," Noelle said bluntly from the back seat.Seline paused. "I'm not. What did I do?"Noelle didn't believe her. "In any case, it's their business. So, don't meddle in them."Seline po
Noelle didn't comment on Seline's remark. In truth, she still didn't know who was behind the downfall of the Fisher family. But no matter who it was, she didn't want to ask about it anymore.Once Rosie got off the carousel, the three of them left the arcade together.Rosie was so excited from playing that her face was covered in sweat. Just as Noelle was about to crouch down to wipe it off, Seline suddenly grabbed her arm.Her grip was tight, almost painful. Noelle couldn't help but frown.But Seline seemed oblivious. She pointed ahead and said, "Look! Who's that?"To avoid drawing attention, Seline kept her voice low and didn't point directly.Noelle followed her gaze.They were in a shopping mall, and with summer vacation in full swing, the place was crowded. So, for a moment, Noelle couldn't figure out who Seline was talking about.Seline stomped her foot impatiently. "Right in front of you! The one about to enter the Armani store!"Noelle wasn't wearing her glasses today.
In the following days, Noelle didn't see Hendrix again. But she didn't dwell on it. After all, he rarely came around before, so she didn't find it particularly unusual.As for who Angela was, it was Seline who filled Noelle in."I heard she used to be an influencer, working as a live streamer," Seline said with a frown.In her eyes, being an influencer or live streamer wasn't exactly a respectable profession. Especially when it came to someone as attractive-looking as Angela.Seline even showed Noelle some of Angela's past live streams. In the video, Angela was wearing a white dress, chatting and smiling with her audience.Noelle nodded and said, "Oh.""That's it?" Seline widened her eyes. "You're not going to say anything about it?""What should I say?" Noelle found it strange. "Oh, she's quite… pretty.""That's just the filter! And didn't you see how much makeup she's wearing?""Well, isn't that how it is in that industry?""Yes, but Hendrix's taste has really gone downhill
Hendrix remembered the scene from the last night when he stood on the balcony, watching Rosie smile and wave goodbye to Dylan. To be honest, the three of them looked incredibly good together, almost as if they were a real family.At this moment, if he wasn't mistaken, this was the first time Rosie had spoken to him on her own initiative. Yet, what she said was she didn't want to see him.Hendrix wanted to retort that this was his house, so why couldn't he be here? But when he met Rosie's eyes, he swallowed back his words.Then, he simply replied, "Okay."His response was straightforward, but Rosie didn't seem to think much of it. She merely nodded in satisfaction and went downstairs to find Noelle.Hendrix watched her retreating figure, his hands clenching involuntarily.It wasn't until the ache in his chest became unbearable that he finally snapped out of it and slowly made his way downstairs.Beatrice was already in the living room. When she saw him, she immediately called out
Noelle had initially wanted to explain that their meeting with Dylan had been purely coincidental. But after a pause, she simply said, "Thanks for your concern, but both Rosie and I know the truth of the matter. So, there's no need for you to worry about anything."With that, Noelle walked forward with Rosie in her hand. Rosie naturally followed her, and from the beginning to the end, she never showed Hendrix even the slightest trace of unnecessary emotion.But when Noelle was bathing her later, she suddenly asked, "Mommy, does Daddy hate me?""Of course not," Noelle denied without hesitation."Then, why does he always look like this when he sees me?"As she spoke, she furrowed her brows and pursed her lips.Honestly speaking, the expression she made was very similar to Hendrix's, and Noelle couldn't help but laugh."Trust me. He doesn't," she said, pinching Rosie's nose. "That's just how he is. It has nothing to do with you.""Really? But Mommy, you said before that I was th