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Chapter 379
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 380
After leaving the hospital, Hendrix took Noelle out for breakfast.She hadn't seen the sun in days, so for the moment, she forgot about the tension between them and simply sat there, eating in silence."Do you know what Maxwell has been up to lately?" Hendrix suddenly asked.Noelle paused, then replied, "I've been locked in a room for so long. How would I know?"There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.But Hendrix didn't mind. He simply chuckled and continued, "This isn't something he just started working on. You really don't know?""I don't. I haven't been in contact with him for a long time."Hendrix hummed in acknowledgment. "Aren't you curious about what he's doing?"Noelle glanced at him."He's trying to pull your father into a new energy project. I've read the proposal. It's well put together."Noelle frowned but didn't respond."A 30% return rate sounds pretty good, doesn't it?" Hendrix added.Without thinking, Noelle blurted out, "That's a scam, isn't it?"Hendrix
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 381
Hendrix's gaze lingered on the baby store for a long moment before he finally opened the car door.Before he could get in, Noelle had already shifted to the far side of the seat, staring out the window, clearly trying to put as much distance between them as possible.Hendrix noticed but said nothing of it.As the car moved forward, Noelle suddenly spoke, "Can you stop locking me up? Don't worry. I won't harm the baby anymore. I've thought it through. No matter what, the child is innocent."But you can't keep shutting me away like this. Even if I wasn't sick before, you're going to drive me insane."Her voice was soft. It was as if she were calmly negotiating with him.Hendrix narrowed his eyes slightly and replied, "If you don't want to stay home, that's fine. From now on, I'll take you to work with me every day."Noelle froze and looked at him."I'm not joking," he added quickly, as though he knew exactly what she was thinking.Noelle gave a faint, sarcastic smile. "Aren't yo
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 382
Noelle's grip was light, but when she tugged at Hendrix, he immediately stopped in his tracks.Hendrix turned to look at her. "Yes?""Are you heading out?" Noelle asked."Yeah, to the construction site. It's not a good place for you right now. Just stay here and rest.""But I'm bored. I want to watch a movie," she said. "Find me a tablet or a laptop to use."Hendrix didn't respond right away. Instead, he stood there staring at Noelle, his sharp gaze like a blade poised to pierce right through her.Time stretched on. Just as Noelle started to feel suffocated under his scrutiny, he finally let out a quiet chuckle and replied, "Alright. I'll get you a tablet."He left the room and returned shortly after, handing her a tablet.Noelle recognized it instantly. It was the one he used all the time."You can watch anything on here," Hendrix said while passing it to her. "The passcode is still your birthday. But don't stare at the screen too long. Call me if you need anything.""Okay,"
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 383
Noelle quickly pushed the feeling down, turned over, and went back to sleep.She didn't know when Hendrix had returned. Half-asleep, she vaguely sensed someone watching her.The curtains were drawn, and the room was completely dark.Even though she had a feeling, she still jumped in fright as soon as she opened her eyes. She let out a sharp gasp and instinctively shrank back.Hendrix hurriedly turned on the lights. "It's me."His voice sounded low and steady.Noelle frowned at him."I just got back. You looked like you were sleeping well, so I didn't wake you," he explained slowly. "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"Noelle swallowed back the curse sitting on the tip of her tongue and said, "I'm not hungry.""I got you a cake," Hendrix said suddenly. "But chocolate this time. Want to try some?"As he spoke, he pulled out a box.However, the sight of the cake made Noelle feel queasy because it reminded her of that night. And the moment those memories surfaced, she
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 384
Hendrix's voice was unremarkably calm, as if he were casually telling Noelle to pick up something from the grocery store.Noelle's expression shifted slightly. After a long pause, she finally asked, "Is it… that serious?""Yes." Hendrix nodded. "Besides, didn't he bully you before? Consider this payback."When she didn't respond, he looked at her. "Don't tell me you feel sorry for him?""No." Noelle's voice was steady. "I'm just… a little surprised.""Well, someone like him doesn't deserve sympathy," Hendrix spoke as he opened the cake box. Since Noelle didn't want it, he scooped up a spoonful and put it into his mouth."Not bad." He nodded, then scooped another spoonful and held it out to her. "Want to try?"The smell still made Noelle a little queasy, but in the end, she opened her mouth."Is it good?" Hendrix's smile deepened.To keep herself from gagging, Noelle swallowed it whole, barely tasting anything. But since he had asked, she still answered, "It's okay."Hendrix n
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 385
Hendrix knew this might just be a dream. If possible, he wished it would never end.Time passed quickly.Autumn in Coppersville was always short, and in the blink of an eye, winter arrived. On the first day of winter, Beatrice called Noelle and invited her to dinner at Freeman Manor.Before Noelle could respond, Beatrice said, "By the way, I heard you're pregnant. Ophelia was thrilled when she found out. You two haven't been back in a while."Of course, if you don't want to come, that's fine. I'll just head over to Nivis Villa instead. Either way, I have to make sure Ophelia's sentiments are conveyed."She wasn't giving Noelle any room to refuse.Noelle pressed her lips together, but in the end, she agreed.When Hendrix returned from his meeting, she told him about it.Hendrix frowned. "You said yes?""Yeah.""Alright. Then, we'll go together tonight."Then, he casually handed her an invitation letter. "This just came in. Take a look."Noelle paused briefly but instinctivel
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 386
"Here."Once inside the study, Beatrice handed Noelle an envelope.Noelle was puzzled but took it anyway. When she opened it, she found a check and a small note that contained flight details.A shiver ran down her spine. She looked up sharply. "What…""My private plane," Beatrice said. "The flight's already booked. To Nestville. But once you arrive, you can take a car somewhere else. If you have another place in mind, let me know, and I'll arrange it for you."Her voice was steady, and each word was crystal clear.However, Noelle felt like she couldn't understand what Beatrice was saying."Don't you want to leave?" Beatrice asked. "Elm Group's situation has been settled. Nothing is keeping you here anymore.""But…""Don't worry. I'll take care of Hendrix. He won't stop you."It was only then that Noelle truly understood what she meant. Her voice quavered as she asked, "What are you planning to do?"Beatrice merely smiled.Noelle bit her lip. "I don't know what's going on be
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 387
Beatrice continued, "And all those other Freemans… Why am I supposed to accept Nathan's return? I stayed here all these years—threw away so much of my life—so Hendrix could inherit everything. Then, Ophelia decides Nathan should return, and suddenly, he's here."And I'm supposed to go along with it? Why? My future is ruined, my past erased, and Hendrix had his share in it. You want me to remember I'm his mother, but does he even remember what he's supposed to be to me?"Her eyes burned red, her body shaking uncontrollably.Noelle had always seen Beatrice as the image of refinement—graceful, composed, and distant. It was as if there was a barrier between Beatrice and the world, like a figure sealed inside a glass case—perfect in every way yet unreal.But now, Noelle finally saw the truth—Beatrice wasn't immune to emotion, after all.She walked across the jagged remains of her shattered glass case, closing the distance between her and Noelle. Blood marked her steps, and her face—con
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 842
"Do you not trust me?" Noelle asked.Hendrix was momentarily stunned, then he slowly frowned. "What did you say?""Do you not trust that I can protect myself or that I can help you? Or do you think I'm just a burden?""Of course not," Hendrix immediately denied it, his expression growing darker. "How could you think that of yourself? If I thought that, why would I bring you here?""Since it's not that, then why don't you want to—""Because I don't want you to be in any danger," Hendrix said in a low voice. "Clearly, we could have used other methods, couldn't we?""But right now, this one is the fastest and most convenient, right?"Hendrix couldn't answer.Noelle smiled. "See? You're admitting it, too. And honestly, you don't have that much time, either. So, weighing the pros and cons, doesn't it make the most sense to choose the most efficient option right now?""No," Hendrix said through gritted teeth.Yet, he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.After meeting his gaze
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 841
"I know things aren't that simple," Noelle said quietly.Her sudden change of topic caused Hendrix to furrow his brows slightly.He wanted to say something, but Noelle continued, "If it were that simple, you wouldn't have agreed to let me use this method to lure Dylan out from the start. This isn't Coppersville, and more importantly, the people around you now are only driven by self-interest."So, it would be impossible for them to help you find Dylan and make him lose everything. That is—unless he makes a move against you first. But in that case, Dylan would definitely be extra cautious. He might even hide for years or decades."As Noelle spoke, Hendrix suddenly laughed. "So what? You think I can't wait?""I know you won't wait." Noelle looked up at him. "I know you're not as indifferent as you appear to be about what happened to the Swifts. If I don't do this, you'll definitely think of other ways, right?"And I also know that those ways of yours would be even more dangerous tha
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 840
The text message Hendrix had received just now was from Noelle. It contained the motel's address and the room number she had booked.The two of them hadn't seen each other at all these past few days—not even a phone call. Noelle wasn't sure if Dylan had sent anyone to watch them, and even the slightest trace of contact could become the reason everything fell apart.Noelle knew she wasn't clever enough to cover every detail flawlessly, so instead she put on a performance so convincing, even she almost believed it.She understood that in Dylan's mind, he always believed himself to be a noble man. The belief came from the way his family had raised him and the public image he maintained.Dylan and Hendrix were completely different. Hendrix had never cared about what others thought of him. Even in public, if he disliked someone or found them disgusting, he wouldn't bother pretending otherwise. The fact that he didn't humiliate someone outright was already the limit of his courtesy.Wh
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 839
Amy figured that maybe Hendrix had somehow found out what she had been thinking earlier and wanted to kill her now to keep her quiet. After all, no one who could survive in that circle was really normal.She knew how this worked. To people like him, women like her weren't even human. If he was in a bad mood and decided to use her to vent, that would be totally normal to him.She licked her lips, just about to try explaining, when she realized that he wasn't even paying her any attention. He got out of the car without a word and walked straight inside.That reaction left Amy completely thrown. For a moment, she was at a loss for what to do.Should she follow him? But what if he really was planning to do something to her? If someone like her died here, no one would even notice.But if she didn't follow, and he wasn't planning anything, wouldn't she be missing a golden opportunity?Amy felt completely torn.As she watched him disappear into the motel, she threw all her concerns away
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 838
This was the second time Amy had seen Hendrix. The last time, he had picked her out of a group—and today, he did the same.More importantly, Amy was now wearing the jewelry he had bought her. That piece alone had cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and he hadn't even blinked at the price.From that alone, Amy was certain that she had won. She had stood out among the prey and become the object of his favor. The only thing she wasn't sure of was how long his interest toward her would last.In the social circles of Nuvark, women like Amy had their own internal rankings—a list sorted from most to least desirable targets. Hendrix wasn't on that list, but Amy knew that he was easily one of the top players in the game.She could tell that just by how Erwin and the others treated him. So, the fact that she hadn't hesitated and went straight for the win was the right call. And now, all the others could only look at her with envy and jealousy.The uniquely styled sports car sped down the
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 837
Then, Dylan hesitated a little. "Are you pitying me?""No, no!"Noelle quickly shook her head. "I just feel like I dragged you into this. It's like because I almost married you back then, Hendrix has been targeting you ever since. If not for that, you'd probably still be doing fine back home, and the Swift family wouldn't have ended up like this. So, I feel guilty."Her voice grew more hoarse as she spoke.Dylan stared at her for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. He laughed like he had just heard the funniest thing in the world, completely delighted."So, now you finally see Hendrix for who he really is?" he asked. "I told you before—he's never treated you right. Otherwise, why would you have taken Rosie and run to another city in the first place?"And back then, if it hadn't been for me, you never would've been forced to marry him. So, Noelle, have you remembered now? The one you actually love is me."Noelle stared at him, stunned.Dylan stood up at that moment, closin
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 836
As soon as Noelle asked that, the man across from her clearly froze for a moment. Then, he chuckled softly.Noelle didn't say anything else. She just stared at him, steady and sure. There was something in her gaze—something unmistakably certain.Dylan no longer tried to keep up the act. He simply raised a hand and took off his sunglasses.His appearance had changed a bit since the last time. His beard was longer, his eye sockets deeper, and his overall presence had taken on a sharper, more dangerous edge.But when he looked at Noelle now, he smiled slightly. "So, you remember me?"Noelle didn't respond. Of course, Dylan hadn't forgotten the last time they had seen each other. And he wasn't sure if Noelle actually remembered everything, which made his smile a little stiff.But the next moment, Noelle asked, "Why are you here?""I'm working here. I couldn't survive in Coppersville anymore, remember?" Dylan replied.As he spoke, he kept his eyes on her, clearly watching for her r
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 835
Erwin was even beginning to wonder if Hendrix had actually lost his mind.But Hendrix just looked at him and countered, "Weren't you always the one telling me to live this way? Now that I'm finally enjoying it, why are you calling me crazy?"Erwin had no comeback for that.Hendrix glanced at him, then suddenly slung an arm around Erwin's shoulders and pointed at a woman up ahead. "Check her out. What do you think?"…Noelle spent three days alone in the hotel. During those three days, Hendrix never came back.She ate alone and sat alone in a hotel lobby, staring blankly into space. In the end, she decided to book an early flight home.Just as she lowered her head to check flights on her phone, someone suddenly sat down across from her.It was still bright outside. The hotel lobby lights were on, and a hanging lamp above them cast the man's shadows long across the floor.Noelle kept her head down. But the moment the man sat down, it was as if she could sense something. Her hand
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 834
Noelle hadn't gone far. When Erwin came downstairs, she was standing at the entrance of the hotel, lost in thought.This wasn't Coppersville. Even in a place this well-lit, as a woman, she was still in danger. Moreover, she had obvious traits that made her an easy target—an innocent face, small frame, and delicate appearance.Hendrix had brought Noelle to Nuvark before. But at that time, he treated her like a fragile porcelain doll. Wherever she went, he followed closely, as if terrified that the slightest accident might befall her.But tonight…Erwin felt the situation was a bit too complicated. This, he thought, was more complicated than having to analyze hundreds of data sets at work.However, he didn't say much. As a host, he simply walked over to Noelle and told her he would have someone send her back to the hotel.Upon hearing his voice, Noelle slowly turned her head to look at him. When their eyes met, Erwin immediately frowned."Thank you," Noelle said softly, her eyes ev
