"Don't you have work to do? Or do you think it's not enough?" Noelle asked flatly."No, no. I'll leave right now," Oliver quickly responded as he gathered his things before heading out.Her expression still unreadable, Noelle didn't pay him any more attention. But when she turned back to her computer, the content of the emails suddenly seemed overwhelmingly chaotic, and she couldn't focus on a single word.In the end, she stood up. However, when she reached the door, she slowly calmed herself. She then returned to her desk and resumed working.In the evening, Hendrix sent her a text, asking if she wanted to have dinner together. Noelle didn't reply, so he sent two more texts before finally calling her."I have something to do," Noelle answered."Which is? Are you working late? That doesn't mean you don't need to eat—""I'm having dinner with Dylan," Noelle cut him off.Hendrix immediately fell silent.She could feel the tension and silence on the other end of the line, and the
When Noelle returned home, the place was pitch-dark, so she naturally assumed Hendrix had already left. But just as she raised her hand to turn on the lights, his voice suddenly came from the darkness.He asked, "You're back?"Noelle jumped in surprise, her hand instinctively pressing the switch. The living room lit up instantly, revealing the figure sitting on the couch and his intense gaze.Noelle immediately frowned."Where did you go tonight? Did you have fun?" he asked again.Noelle didn't answer him and instead shot back, "Why are you still here?""I've already brought my things over, so where do you expect me to go?"It was only then that Noelle noticed the two suitcases in front of her."Who gave you permission to move in?" she asked.Hendrix said nothing.For some reason, Noelle looked at him and almost felt like he seemed… hurt? But as soon as the thought surfaced, she quickly shut it down. She was really losing it. How could she feel sorry for Hendrix?Still, she
Hendrix still held the towel in his hand, its soft texture carrying a faint, pleasant scent. Thinking back to Noelle's angry expression earlier, he couldn't help but smile as he walked out with the towel in hand.With Hendrix causing such a disturbance, Noelle lost the mood to continue showering. She quickly rinsed off a few more times before putting on a bathrobe and stepping out. To her surprise, Hendrix was still there, and his two suitcases were plainly placed at his feet.Noelle's expression immediately darkened, but before she could say anything, Hendrix spoke up, "There's already stuff in your guest room, so I can't fit my things in."Noelle frowned. But then, she quickly remembered that Dylan had indeed stayed here before, and it seemed he had left some of his personal items behind when he left.Left without a choice, Noelle could only walk over to the guest room and take Dylan's clothes down. She was prepared to return to her bedroom with those clothes in hand when Hendrix
That huge pot of pasta was not only too much, but it was also terribly bad. Noelle couldn't remember ever having eaten something so awful. In the end, she couldn't help but turn the stove back on and cook him a new bowl.Hendrix just stood next to her, watching.Noelle turned around, about to tell him to leave, but Hendrix seemed to know what she was thinking, so he said, "I want to watch, so I'll know how to cook it next time.""Mr. Freeman, this doesn't suit your status," Noelle said flatly. "If you want, there are plenty of women who would be willing to cook for you.""I know," answered Hendrix simply, but that answer seemed to lead to another one.Noelle fell silent. She didn't say anything else. Instead, she simply placed the plate of pasta on the table and turned to leave."Did you tell Dylan tonight?" Hendrix suddenly asked. "About us.""Yeah.""Did he agree?""Yeah."Noelle's response was simple, with a touch of indifference.Hendrix didn't say anything more.Soon,
Seeing Noelle remain silent for a while, Oliver couldn't help but call out, "Ms. Swanson?"Noelle snapped back to reality and immediately put on a standard smile. "Of course, Mr. Freeman. Thank you for making the introduction.""We're all partners. It's the least I can do."As he spoke, Hendrix stood up and extended his hand to her.There were others in the conference room, and in their eyes, Hendrix was still the attention-grabbing man. So, Noelle had no choice but to extend her hand in return.But as she shook Hendrix's hand, she couldn't help but dig her nails into his palm. Her nails weren't long, but with the pressure, Hendrix surely felt some pain.Noelle noticed his brows twitching slightly. She didn't linger, though. After saying her goodbyes, she turned and walked out.The "Mr. Mueller" Hendrix mentioned was a major figure at Vinton Bank. Even if Noelle had dealings with the bank, meeting him in person would be out of the question. For Hendrix, however, it was a differe
Hendrix was clearly taken aback by what Noelle said.It was a strike to the heart.If he truly cared about her as much as he appeared to be, Noelle knew that just that one sentence would be enough to keep him awake all night. And the thought of that made her incredibly happy.Even though she understood that hurtful words in a relationship were like a double-edged sword—wounding her as much as they hurt him—in that moment, all Noelle cared about was that he felt the pain more deeply than she did.Noelle didn't look at him again and simply turned to leave. The cobblestone path wasn't easy to walk on.She knew the backs of her heels were bleeding, but she didn't pay any attention to them. She walked into the restaurant in her high heels, with Hendrix silently following behind her.Though it was called a farmhouse restaurant, the decor was far from ordinary. As soon as Noelle entered the lobby, she noticed two paintings hanging nearby. The signature on them was one she was very famil
Javier inquired, "You think it's pretty good, too, huh? That's the charm of Vinton City's landscape. If this were in Coppersville, it definitely wouldn't be the same. "Try this chicken soup. It's on a completely different level compared to the usual stuff out there. The restaurant's still in its soft opening phase, but give it some time, and it's sure to make waves in the scene…"Javier launched into an enthusiastic monologue.It wasn't until later that Noelle found out that Javier had a stake in the restaurant. That explained a lot.Noelle sat quietly, listening as Javier rambled on about the restaurant's future plans. After a while, she finally couldn't take it anymore, so she stood and said, "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom."Javier glanced at her but didn't bother to respond. He was simply too engrossed in his conversation with Hendrix. Not minding it in the slightest, Noelle smiled and walked out of the private dining room.The restaurant was massive, and it seemed th
By the time dinner ended, it was nearing 10:00 pm.Javier seemed quite satisfied with the evening's discussions. Before leaving, he told Noelle that he would review her proposal first. His tone had noticeably softened, and Noelle responded with a bright, enthusiastic smile.As for Sandra, who had unexpectedly shown up tonight, she had been practically invisible throughout the evening—except for the moment she glanced at Hendrix as she boarded the car.It was a look filled with a mix of grievance, resentment, and a hint of hope. Whatever response Hendrix gave, Noelle didn't witness it, because in the next instant, Sandra had already entered Javier's black Bentley, which swiftly drove into the night.The smile Noelle had been forcing onto her face disappeared instantly. Without sparing a glance at the man beside her, she turned on her heel and headed straight for her own car. But Hendrix was quick to grab her arm."What are you doing?" Noelle immediately brushed his hand off. "Have
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