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Chapter 50

Penulis: Jean Song
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2024-12-03 10:26:21
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
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  • 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'

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  • 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 53

    At the entrance of the restaurant, it was Levi's reminder that finally drew Hendrix's attention to the man speaking with Craig. Looking visibly annoyed, Craig stepped around the man and walked away.However, the persistent man wasn't ready to let him go and followed closely behind. Seeing that Craig was about to get into his car, he raised his voice. "Mr. Swanson, if you don't agree, I'll have no choice but to go back to Mr. Freeman and tell him everything about Luna."Hendrix had been ready to leave. After all, neither Noelle nor the Swanson family had anything to do with him anymore.But upon hearing William's words, he suddenly froze mid-step."Mr. Freeman?" Dan called out, but Hendrix ignored him, turning his head to the side to see that the previously indifferent Craig had already let William into his car.Hendrix narrowed his eyes slightly."Mr. Freeman, the 'Luna' that he mentioned…" Dan spoke with confusion. But before he could ask, Hendrix had already climbed into his

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 54

    Noelle returned to Coppersville. She wasn't sure if Craig still had people watching her, but she made no effort to avoid meeting William.They met at Quivo—a famous restaurant in Coppersville. When Noelle arrived, William was already there, sitting in a chair with one leg crossed over the other and flirting with a waitress.His gaze was invasive, and his words were vulgar. The young waitress, visibly distressed, kept her head down while tightly gripping the menu.Even though Noelle had prepared herself for this meeting, the sight of William still made her feel uneasy.At that moment, William noticed her. He immediately got up and waved eagerly. "Luna!"With clenched fists, Noelle approached the table. The waitress, seeing her arrive, quickly set down the menu and fled as if she'd been granted amnesty.William's gaze lingered on the waitress' retreating figure for a moment before turning his attention back to Noelle. "Long time no see, Luna! You're even more beautiful now!"As

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 55

    After a brief pause, Noelle turned back and said, "Go ahead and tell them."Her response left William stunned. Before he could react, Noelle had already walked away.Furious, William slammed his hand on the table and got up to follow her, only to be stopped by a waiter. "Sir, you haven't settled your bill yet.""What bill? I didn't even order anything!""Sir, even without ordering, we still charge a seating fee," said the waiter, his eyes scanning William with unconcealed disdain.William trembled with anger. He was about to slap his bank card—which held his last 50 thousand dollars—onto the waiter's face when another voice interjected, "I'll take care of it."Hearing the voice, William's expression shifted abruptly. He turned around to see Sandra handing her card to the waiter. She then turned and smiled at him. "You must be Mr. Kaplan, right?""And you are?""I'm Noelle's sister, Sandra.""Ah, the little orphan the Swansons picked up." William sneered, his gaze roaming ove

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 56

    Noelle and Liam met at a private restaurant.Despite having lived in Coppersville for a few years, Noelle never would've known that such a place existed if Liam hadn't brought her there that day.The restaurant was tucked away on the border between the urban and rural areas of Coppersville. It featured white walls, black tiles, lotus ponds, and bamboo groves. At first glance, Noelle mistook this place for a scenic garden rather than a restaurant.The owner of the restaurant was a young woman whose appearance was unremarkable, but she exuded grace and spoke with elegance.It seemed that Liam had made all the arrangements beforehand. Without even taking their order, the woman simply served them coffee and left the room."Their ingredients are all prepared fresh daily. So, I had to pre-order the dishes yesterday. I hope that's okay," Liam explained with a gentle smile. One wouldn't be able to tell from his face that he was annoyed with Noelle for losing contact with him two days ea

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 57

    "I didn't know you would also come here tonight, Mr. Freeman. Had I known, I would've invited you to join us," Liam said with a smile, his tone composed and showing no signs of awkwardness at all.Hendrix released his grip and cast a glance at Noelle, who kept her head low, making it clear she had no intention of acknowledging him.Withdrawing his gaze, Hendrix replied to Liam, saying, "Since you're on a date, I won't bother you. Goodbye.""Okay. See you."After the brief exchange, the owner continued to escort Hendrix into the restaurant, while Liam returned to his seat across from Noelle."I didn't know he'd be here tonight," Liam explained."It's fine," Noelle responded with a smile, her expression already returning back to normal.Liam didn't press further, though the atmosphere now became tense and awkward. With him no longer driving the conversation, an awkward silence settled between them.Noelle hesitated for a moment. As she prepared to tell Liam her decision, a voic

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 58

    William remained silent, narrowing his eyes at Noelle.Noelle chuckled. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?""Noelle," Liam interjected. Sensing the rising tension, he stood up and tugged on her hand.But Noelle stood firm. "You're not leaving, huh? Fine, then I'll go."With that, she turned to leave. Liam started to follow, but he heard William say mockingly, "Ah, living as a rich heiress for a few years really boosts you confidence!"But Noelle, don't forget your roots. If it weren't for me, you'd have starved to death ages ago. Then, where would you get the strength to boss people around like this?"And now, you've turned your back on me because I'm of no use to you? Let me tell you, Noelle. I've been holding back out of respect for the fact that you're my daughter. But if you keep being so heartless, don't blame me for spilling all your dirty secrets!"As William finished speaking, Noelle's footsteps slowly came to a stop. She turned to look back, only to see him smirki

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 74

    "Yes," Noelle answered curtly."So, what right do you have to criticize me, Noelle? Didn't you also resort to underhanded tactics to be with Hendrix?"Noelle's eyes turned solemn at Maxwell's accusations.When she wanted to say something, Maxwell continued, "If you're already over him, why did you choose to get into this car? Why didn't you go to the hospital instead? Wasn't this… your plan?"Noelle, what happened last night… I was wrong. You said that you can't handle my affection, but fundamentally, we're no different from each other."You chose to get into his car last night because you were sure that he wouldn't ignore you. Am I right?"It was midday, and the strong sunshine shone upon them. Their skins were burning, but all Noelle felt was a chill all over her body. Even her balled fist was slowly loosening.Staring at her pasty face, Maxwell reckoned that he had hit the nail on the head, and his smirk deepened. However, the look in his eyes turned sinister at the same time

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 73

    Hendrix was mocking Noelle. After all, after giving her all to leave him, she ended up in a place no bigger than a pigeon hole. Noelle wanted to say something, but he didn't give her the chance, turning to leave after a curt answer.At the door, he came to a sudden stop and said, "You should change the lock on your door. The people hanging around here are rather dodgy. It's for your safety."Without waiting for a reply, he continued forward, as stoic as he had always been.Noelle glanced at the door lock and shut the door with a bang in a swift move.Hendrix couldn't help but pause for a split second while going down the staircase, but he didn't turn back and continued downstairs.Levi was waiting for him by the side of the road. The luxurious car and number plate immediately attracted quite a few spectators. Nevertheless, they seemed invisible to Hendrix as he climbed into the car expressionlessly.After closing the door for him, Levi went around to the driver's seat in the fr

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 72

    Noelle's current address was No. 37, Serene Street, and it was Hendrix's first time there.Despite being a giant in the property industry, Hendrix wouldn't have known that such an area existed in Coppersville if Noelle hadn't shown them the way.Noelle didn't bid him goodbye, merely thanking Levi before hopping off. To her surprise, Hendrix climbed out of the car after her.She stared at him. "What are you doing?""I'm coming upstairs to take a look."Noelle had no idea what he was up to and took a deep breath. "It's not convenient.""Why not?" Hendrix took a glance at the various advertisements glued to the wall next to them and asked, "Is there someone else in your place?""Of course not.""Then, why not?"In an uptight tone, she replied, "I just don't understand the point of you coming upstairs.""I want to check if there's anyone else at your place. That's the point." He shifted his gaze slowly back at her. "During this period, I hope that our relationship will be clean."

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 71

    Noelle gritted her teeth, her voice already as raspy as it could be. She thought that she had already walked out of her relationship with Hendrix, but she just realized that she had overestimated herself.Whatever the Swansons did couldn't affect her anymore, but a few words from Hendrix were the sharpest knives, stabbing her deeply.Hendrix sat across from her, holding her gaze. After a while, he sniggered. "Do you feel mistreated? Then, do you think it's an honorable act to go on a blind date less than a week after a divorce?"Noelle was quiet.Reaching out, Hendrix held her chin. "Also, you're the one who climbed into my bed last night. Why didn't you think that you were being cheap at that time?"His eyes turned cold all of a sudden and were so full of disdain that it felt like a slap on her face. She gritted her teeth even harder, but her tightly balled fists slowly relaxed.However, Hendrix didn't have the patience to continue this conversation with her and rose to his feet

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 70

    "Yes. I'm happy," Hendrix replied without hesitation."I can leave now, right?" Noelle said as she stood up to leave before his voice rang out again the next moment. "Noelle, do you think being drugged absolves you of the responsibility for what happened last night?"His words left her stunned.Noelle slowly turned to look at him, her mind racing with different thoughts in the brief following seconds.What kind of price was he expecting him to pay? Was he planning to use this as leverage against her? Or was it only an excuse because he couldn't let her go?She instinctively tried to suppress the last thought that surfaced in her mind before he spoke again, asking, "Isn't your adoptive mother staying in the hospital?""What are you trying to do?" Noelle's expression immediately shifted, and her eyes filled with vigilance and anger.Hendrix merely glanced at her. "I can arrange for her to be transferred to a better hospital. You won't have to worry about the medical expenses. I'

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 69

    Noelle had no idea where she had headed afterward.It felt as though her world had shrunk to house only Hendrix. She clung to him throughout the time as though she could not stand on her own, surrendering entirely to his demands.…The unrestrained indulgence took a toll on Noelle's body, leaving her feeling as though she had been run over by a truck when she woke up the next day. Her throat was parched and burning.A sharp pain shot through her calf as soon as she tried to move.She couldn't help but let out a soft groan, lying still on the bed for a moment before slowly lifting her head.The room looked unfamiliar to her. It wasn't her tiny rental apartment, nor was it Nivis Villa.However, Hendrix owned numerous properties in Coppersville, so it didn't surprise her that he owned a place like this.Noelle didn't have the time to dwell on it at the moment. She bent down to pick up her clothes from the floor before putting them on slowly and carefully.Her phone had finally po

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 68

    Noelle straightened her back and lifted her head to kiss Hendrix on the lips.However, Hendrix quickly turned his head and evaded her attempt.Her body stiffened for a brief moment before she lowered her head and extended her tongue to trace it lightly over the sharp line of his Adam's apple without hesitation.Hendrix's body tensed instantly. He then grasped her chin and forced her to look up at him.Her eyes were already reddened, and her loose hair framed her face in damp strands. She looked like a helpless kitten caught in a stormy night.Hendrix frowned slightly.However, Noelle paid no heed to his reaction and extended her hands to tug at his belt without hesitation.He had intended to stop her before her phone rang. He glanced at it and caught Maxwell's name displayed on the screen.The familiar sound of the ringtone seemed to jolt her back to her senses. Her body stiffened slightly before Noelle turned to reach for the hand gripping her chin.Yet, Hendrix's warm hand c

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 67

    "Ma'am, please calm down. Let's find a place to talk this through…" The hotel staff desperately tried to restrain Ruth when the door in front of them suddenly opened.Noelle was indeed inside. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her cheeks were unnaturally flushed, yet her gaze was icy."Well, well! So you are here! Where's your lover? Is Maxwell hiding inside? Let me…"Noelle ignored Ruth entirely and strode over to Sandra in just a quick few steps.Her movement was so swift that Sandra barely had the time to react before Noelle snatched the phone from her hand."Noelle…" Sandra was about to say something when Noelle deleted the video she had recorded and smashed the phone without hesitation."What are you doing?" Ruth had intended to barge in to find Maxwell before she was startled by the commotion. She immediately rushed forward to protect Sandra.However, Noelle didn't give them a chance to recover. She raised her hand and delivered a crisp slap across Sandra's face."S

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 66

    Hendrix's blunt question left Sandra hesitant.She lowered her head and nervously fidgeted with the hem of her dress for a moment before softly replying, "I'm not entirely sure. But he and Noelle were very close back when we were in school."Hendrix remained silent.Sandra was worried he might misunderstand and quickly explained, "But Maxwell went abroad to study not long after. I'm sure there's nothing between them. I feel like I shouldn't be engaged with him even if that's the case. "Rix, do you think I'm being selfish? Am I a terrible person? My family needs me now more than ever, but I…"Her eyes reddened as she spoke.Hendrix remained silent. He merely lowered his gaze and was lost in thought.Sandra bit her lips and continued, "Rix, what did you talk to my dad about last time? I… I really don't want to get married now. Can you help me?"She extended her hand and was about to tug at his sleeves as she spoke before her phone suddenly rang. She startled at the sound of the

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