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Chapter 44
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 45
"Mr. Swanson, it's been a long time."The Hawthorne couple, Gregory Hawthorne and Wendy Spencer, exchanged polite handshakes with Craig. Then, their gazes converged on Noelle almost in unison.Craig glanced at Noelle. After she briefly clenched her hands together, she finally managed to force a smile."Let me introduce you to my daughter, Noelle," Craig said."She's very beautiful," Gregory responded first, then motioned to his son.The man across from Noelle then extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Liam Hawthorne."He was dressed in a crisp suit, with black-framed glasses perched on his nose. His features weren't striking, but they were well-balanced, and he wore a friendly smile. Noelle kept her strained smile in place and slowly reached out her hand. "Hello.""Let's all sit down!" Craig called out.Everyone settled into their seats, and Craig seamlessly started discussing business matters with Gregory.If Noelle hadn't been so clearly aware of their intentions, she might have
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 46
The dinner passed quietly in the end.Noelle didn't return with Craig. She asked the driver to take her back to her apartment instead. The driver glanced at Craig for confirmation. When Craig didn't object, he switched on his turn signal and took a different route.Noelle wasn't in the mood to talk to Craig. She turned her head, staring out the car window.But a moment later, her phone vibrated. She didn't look at it.However, Craig spoke up, "That's Liam, isn't it?"His words sounded like a reminder, but the underlying tone was clearly one of warning.Noelle finally unlocked her phone. Sure enough, the message was from Liam."It was a pleasure meeting you. I have two tickets to a concert tomorrow. I was wondering if you'd like to join me? Of course, I completely understand if you're busy."Liam's invitation wasn't exactly abrupt, but his intentions were clear.Noelle pursed her lips and replied, "Sure."After sending the message, she turned her phone toward Craig. "Satisfi
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 47
The dining table was left with just the two of them—mother and son."When are you moving back in?" Beatrice asked calmly, taking a sip of her soup.Hendrix furrowed his brows."I asked you to move out before because it was inconvenient for you to live here with Noelle. Now that you're divorced, you might as well move back," Beatrice continued."No need," Hendrix replied. "It's more convenient where I am now.""What's convenient about it? Bringing a new girlfriend back?" Beatrice's words sounded calm, but to Hendrix's ears, they were laced with subtle mockery.He set his cutlery down and looked at her with a neutral expression.However, Beatrice seemed unaffected and continued, "I'm serious. If you think your father's matchmaking was a mistake, then go ahead and make your own choices. I won't stop you."Beatrice paused, then added, "There's only one thing—Sandra. I will never allow her in this house.""Why?" Hendrix asked.Beatrice's face darkened. "Are you really thinking of
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 48
Noelle was wearing a long black dress. Her hair fell loosely over her shoulders, the ends slightly curled. There was a gentle smile at the corners of her lips, and she looked incredibly serene.Liam must have said something to her because her smile deepened, and then she lifted her eyes to look at him. Her gaze shimmered, like a glimmering lake under the sun.Hendrix realized he had never seen her smile like that before. In his memories, Noelle had always been quiet and dull.But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, another memory surfaced.It was from the last time in the car, when she had kissed him suddenly—an impulsive kiss that landed on his lips while they fought over the sketchbook.That had been Noelle's first kiss to him. And it seemed it would also be the last.As Hendrix lingered on that thought, ahead of him, Liam had taken a few steps forward. He turned and said something else to Noelle, who smiled and shook her head.Liam didn't say anything more. He just opene
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 49
Noelle knew it all, but she still found herself instinctively saying what she said out loud. Then, in his response, she heard the answer she had already known, and it felt almost like self-inflicted torture."I understand," Noelle said. "Have you said everything you wanted to say, Mr. Freeman? Can I get out now?"Hendrix didn't say another word, but the car slowed down slightly. Finally, he pulled over to the side of the road.Noelle didn't hesitate. She turned and reached for the door."Noelle," he called out suddenly from behind her.She paused while opening the door, but she didn't turn around.Hendrix gripped the steering wheel, carefully considering his words. "For the sake of our time as a married couple, you… can come to me if the Swansons are facing any difficulties."Don't try to disgust me like this."Noelle slowly tightened her grip on the door handle.After a long pause, she said, "Well, thank you, Mr. Freeman."With that, she opened the door. She didn't look at h
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 50
Noelle didn't sleep a wink that night. Every time she closed her eyes, the nightmares crept in.A damp, dark room, a door that never quite closed, clothes inexplicably soiled and drawers rifled through, and finally, the man's disgusting, lecherous face.Eight years had passed, yet Noelle still couldn't escape the haunting memories. And now, her adoptive father, William Kaplan, was out of prison.He was free!Noelle didn't know how William had gotten her number, but the feeling it brought—the suffocating sense that she could never outrun him—was all too familiar.Even this apartment, the one she had only recently rented, no longer felt safe. She couldn't shake the sensation of unseen eyes watching her, waiting to pounce.Noelle couldn't stay here anymore.But where could she go?In the end, she went to the hospital.Noelle knew there wasn't much Cynthia could do for her, nor could she tell the latter anything. But just being there and seeing her gave Noelle a small measure of c
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 51
Finally, Noelle sank onto the couch, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.Just then, the same unknown number flashed on her phone again.She hadn't saved the number, but after seeing it just once the previous night, it was already seared into her memory. Without hesitation, she grabbed the phone and hurled it to the floor.…At Nivis Villa, Mabel stood on the other side of the ornate iron gate, her sharp gaze fixed on the scruffy man in front of her. "And who are you supposed to be?""I'm William Kaplan. I'm Luna's… I mean, Noelle's father," William said, baring a grin that revealed yellowed teeth. "I know she's staying here. Tell her to come out and see me."It was common knowledge in Coppersville that Noelle had been missing as a child and had spent over a decade in the countryside. One glance at the man, and Mabel instantly recognized who he was. Her lips curled in disdain as her gaze swept over him."Ms. Noelle has moved out.""She moved out? How is that possible? Isn'
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 52
Thanks to Mabel's reminder, Hendrix remembered that his birthday was approaching.Once he got into the car, he instinctively pulled out the lighter he always carried. It was black and gold, unadorned except for his initials engraved in the lower corner.It was a simple, unremarkable gift.However, it was the only gift Noelle had ever given him.The second year…Because he hadn't bothered to show up at their anniversary party, Noelle hadn't even sent him a perfunctory gift for his birthday last year.And this year…Hendrix cut the thought short, slipping the lighter back into his pocket before opening the tablet in front of him.But before he could focus, the car lurched to a sudden stop. The jarring motion made his brows furrow sharply, and his eyes were stern. Levi hurriedly explained, "Apologies, Mr. Freeman, but up ahead…"Before the man could finish, someone who had been blocking the car moved to Hendrix's window and began banging on it. The man appeared to be in his 50s
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 800
"Why?" Noelle asked."What do you mean why?" Hendrix's voice carried an edge of irritation. "How would I know he's not a good person?"Noelle shook his head. "What I mean is, if he's not a good person, why was I going to marry him in the first place? And he mentioned I lived in Stormridge before. Were we divorced then?"Now that the questions had started, she might as well get everything out in the open.The moment she finished speaking, Hendrix's expression darkened further.Noelle wasn't in a rush. She simply waited, watching him expectantly."Yes," Hendrix finally answered her. "You almost did marry him. But then he betrayed you, so you broke it off.""Betrayed?""Yes. To secure an investment, he slept with his ex-wife. And that ex-wife ended up dead overseas because of him. You even suspected he was involved. Because the moment she died, Dylan inherited her money. His company was saved overnight. And you don't remember this, but his ex-wife—""Hold up." Hendrix had said to
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 799
Dylan went on, "Later, we got together. We were going to get married. But then Hendrix used underhanded tactics to target my company, and you chose to go back to him because you didn't want to drag me down."And I don't think he even loves you. The only reason he's so obsessed with keeping you is because he can't stand losing. It's just possessiveness. He—"Dylan never got to finish. Someone slammed into him from behind, shoving him hard enough that he staggered back several steps before crashing to the floor.But he barely registered the pain. Slowly, he lifted his head.Hendrix stood shielding Noelle, his expression thunderous.Instead of responding with anger, Dylan laughed softly. "There's no need to get so worked up, Mr. Freeman. I was just so happy to see Noelle that I might have let something slip out of excitement. Or are you feeling guilty about something?"Hendrix didn't dignify that with a response. He didn't even spare Dylan another glance. Instead, he just grabbed No
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 798
Dylan had imagined a thousand ways Noelle might respond to him, but he had never expected her to ask, "Who are you?"He stood frozen in place, momentarily questioning whether he had misheard her. Or had he mistaken someone else for her?"I should know you, right?" Before he could react, Noelle spoke again, "But I'm sorry, I can't remember who you are."She couldn't remember? Dylan almost laughed. And then he did.What was this? Was she trying to tell him that she no longer had any feelings for him? That now, she had even forgotten who he was?His jaw clenched, his gaze locking onto her.Noelle sensed his anger. Realizing she might have misspoken, she quickly explained, "I'm sorry. I was injured before, so I forgot some things. If I said something wrong, please forgive me."At that, Dylan loosened his fists. Then, he looked at her in disbelief. "What did you just say?""I said I forgot some things, so—"Noelle wasn't even sure if she should know him. But the way Dylan was looki
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 797
"How is it that Hendrix could find Noelle, but you idiots still couldn't dig up a single clue after months? Useless! Every last one of you!" Dylan's voice burned with fury. He barely held back from erupting completely.He knew it. He freaking knew it!The way Hendrix had looked at him last night—that gaze had been telling him everything. Not only was he back, but he had brought Noelle with him.So what now? What the hell was all Dylan's effort for? After everything he had done, was he still supposed to slink away in defeat? Meanwhile, they got to live happily ever after? Why the hell should things turn out like that?"Where is she now?" Dylan asked.The question stunned the person on the other end. "W-What did you say?""I asked you—where is Noelle right now?""S-She's on her way to the hospital?""The hospital?""Yeah, we're tailing their car. It looks like she's going to see her adoptive mother at the hospital."Dylan stopped listening. He hung up and stormed forward. He fo
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 796
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Dylan hadn't slept a wink.He didn't even step foot into his bedroom. Instead, he'd spent the entire night in his study, staring at streams of data on his computer.He had expected Hendrix to make a move. After all, how could he possibly do nothing now that he was back?And yet, there was nothing. Or was it that Dylan couldn't see it yet?No. That wasn't right. A sudden thought struck Dylan—Hendrix had told everyone that he had been on a vacation.And earlier today, Dylan had seen for himself that aside from the injury on Hendrix's arm, there wasn't a single mark on him. Which meant Hendrix had been conscious this entire time. But if he had been conscious, why had he taken no precautions against Dylan's moves?Unless this was all a trap. A hole was dug in advance, just waiting for Dylan to step right in.A cold sweat broke across his back at the thought of that. He immediately began tearing through the files, cross-referencing data with
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 795
"You go ahead and sleep. I'll take a shower first," Hendrix said."Okay," Noelle replied, turning away immediately.Though she had accepted her identity, she was still clearly uncomfortable being close to Hendrix. The tips of her ears burned red as she faced the other direction.Hendrix was about to tease her when his phone rang. The name on the screen wiped the smile from his face.After glancing at Noelle, he stepped out to answer."We just got word—the Swift family has pulled their funds together," the person on the other end reported. "Seems they've heard you're back and decided to pause their plans."Amity Group was too massive to target. It would take months to fully dismantle it.Dylan had gotten this far as he did not because Hendrix's absence left the company in chaos but also because of the Swift family's backing. Now that Hendrix had returned, they knew things wouldn't be so simple.And without a swift victory, prolonged financial strain would become a problem—even f
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 794
"Rosie's fine. I already calmed her down," Hendrix replied.But Noelle didn't relax at his words. She continued to peek worriedly into Rosie's room."Don't worry. She's already asleep," Hendrix assured her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "You've had a long day too. Go get some sleep."Noelle didn't say anything, but the disappointment in her downcast eyes was unmistakable. "There's an event at her kindergarten this Friday," Hendrix suddenly said. "You should go."Her head snapped up in surprise."You were the one who always attended before. And if you go, Rosie will definitely be happy."After a brief hesitation, Noelle nodded."Come on. Let's get some sleep."As Hendrix led her to bed, Noelle suddenly asked him, "Can you tell me about my past?"The question caught Hendrix off guard. "What?""Anything that happened in the past," Noelle said. "About Rosie or anything from before her."Hendrix went quiet. His mind raced through their shared history. Then, he realized
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 793
Hendrix had rushed back because Rosie was crying—loudly and heartbreakingly so. Since the day he first met her, this was the first time he had ever seen her cry like this.Earlier, Rosie had been overjoyed to see Noelle, clinging to her and refusing to let go.But now, Noelle stood beside her, completely at a loss.Hendrix took one look and immediately knew what was going on. He crouched in front of Rosie. "Don't cry."Rosie glanced at him, only to wail even harder.Hendrix frowned and turned to Noelle. "Did you say something to her?""Not much." Noelle twisted the hem of her shirt. "She mentioned her birthday is coming up, and I said I forgot."Of course. Hendrix wasn't surprised. He grabbed a tissue, wiped Rosie's tears, and picked her up.Noelle moved to follow, but Hendrix quickly turned his head around and said, "Go back to your room first. I'll come find you later."Noelle stopped in her tracks, her eyes lingering on them until Hendrix shut Rosie's bedroom door behind hi
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 792
The banquet continued.Once the crowd confirmed the man before them was indeed Hendrix, they swarmed him with questions and concern."Where have you been all this time?""Why was there no news of you at all?""I knew those reporters were unreliable! But it's such a relief you're safe.""What are your plans now, Mr. Freeman?"In reality, Amity Group's current situation wasn't optimistic. But some people were simply born with a presence—no matter what circumstances they were in or what challenges they faced, they remained composed. And in doing so, they inspired confidence in everyone around them.Dylan stood there, watching him coldly. Then, something occurred to him. He turned away and dialed a number."When did Hendrix return? And did he come back alone?"If Hendrix was back, what about Noelle? Something about Hendrix's demeanor felt off to Dylan. Before his disappearance, Hendrix had been outright hostile toward him. Yet tonight, he'd greeted him willingly, and he hadn't men
