Chapter 3

At 7:00 pm, Hendrix returned to the villa right on time. Sandra happened to be in the living room when he returned.

The moment she saw him, she walked over excitedly to greet him. "You're back, Hendrix!"

Hendrix gave her a slight smile as he looked up at her.

Noelle pursed her lips and stepped forward to take his coat. She said to him, "Dinner is ready."

…

"I'm sorry, Hendrix. Am I encroaching on you and Noelle by staying here?" Sandra asked quietly at the dinner table. She snuck a glance at Noelle before continuing, "I told Mom I could stay home on my own, but she insists that she doesn't feel at ease if I'm alone at home…"

"It's fine. Stay as long as you like. If you need anything, just ask," Hendrix replied.

"Really? I don't want to be too much trouble."

"It's no trouble at all."

"Ms. Sandra, it's better that you're staying here," Mabel chimed in as she served the dishes. "It's been a long time since this house has felt so lively."

Upon hearing that, Noelle's hand that was holding the spoon froze midair.

Nevertheless, Mabel wasn't wrong. Noelle was rather quiet and reserved, unlike Sandra, who could easily get everyone to like her. It wasn't just Mabel—Noelle had never heard Hendrix speak so much before.

Noelle knew she was just taking up space by being there. So, she hastily finished the food on her plate and stood up. "I'm done eating. So, I'll head upstairs first. You all take your time and enjoy your food."

"Are you sure you've had enough, Noelle? You ate so little. Shall I accompany you upstairs?" Sandra offered with concern.

"That's not necessary," Noelle replied, pulling her hand away from Sandra's grasp. "It's fine. Enjoy your dinner."

With that, she turned and walked upstairs. Just before leaving the dining room, she overheard Sandra asking cautiously, "Hendrix, is Noelle upset? I guess I shouldn't have come here and disrupted your lives…"

There was a hint of grief and a slight choke in Sandra's voice when she said that.

Noelle didn't want to hear anymore. She didn't care how Hendrix responded to Sandra, either.

Back in her room, she opened her computer again. But even after she opened her work file, she couldn't seem to start on it. She didn't know how much time had passed before a message popped up on her phone.

It was from Hendrix, and there were only two words: "Come over."

Noelle glanced at the message but chose to ignore it. Hendrix didn't send a second message.

She stared at the uncolored panels on her screen for a while longer. After some time, she turned off her computer and left the room.

This was the reason Hendrix never needed to send a second message—he knew she would eventually go to him.

When Noelle arrived at the master bedroom, Hendrix had just stepped out of the bathroom. The first thing he noticed was that she hadn't even bothered to change out of the clothes she'd been wearing earlier.

He frowned slightly but didn't dwell on it. He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the bathroom forcefully.

Warm water cascaded down onto Noelle from the showerhead, drenching her hair and body in an instant. The discomfort from the wet clothes sticking to her skin made her wince. Just as she was about to push Hendrix away, he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her.

Their lips and tongues intertwined. Hendrix was assertive and domineering—so were his kisses. Even after two years, Noelle still hadn't fully adjusted to it. Being in the bathroom with him only intensified her sense of suffocation.

Her legs weakened, and her whole body slumped against Hendrix's.

At that moment, they both heard a feminine voice from outside the door. "Hendrix, are you in there?"