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Chapter 53
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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
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
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
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
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
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 59
Everyone in the world… was the same.Even if she spoke the truth, and everyone knew she was the victim—so what? Even her own biological mother couldn't accept her and treated her with disdain. What more other people?Noelle didn't stay any longer to be made a fool of. After casting a glance at Liam, she turned to leave."Luna! Noelle! Stop it right there, you bitch!" William's voice roared from behind, but Noelle didn't even flinch and quickened her pace instead.She had planned to hail a taxi and leave immediately. But upon leaving the restaurant, she realized there was still a considerable distance to the main road. Plus, this area was catered to the wealthy, meaning there was no use for taxis here.So now, she was the only person on this empty road.Noelle pulled out her phone to call for an e-hailing ride. But as she held her phone, she found her fingers trembling uncontrollably.It took her several minutes just to unlock the device, and when she finally did, she couldn't lo
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 60
Hendrix didn't respond to her, and since he said nothing, Levi naturally didn't follow Noelle's instructions, either.Noelle couldn't help but clench her fists tighter. She knew that Hendrix didn't care about her. In his eyes, she likely had no dignity to begin with, but she still didn't want him to see her in her current state.It didn't matter if he looked down on her, mocked her, or even despised her like everyone else. She just wanted to maintain her last shred of pride.At this moment, she just wanted to leave the car with her last bit of dignity left.But even this small request seemed like something Hendrix couldn't even grant her. Without his word, Levi continued driving forward.Noelle wanted to say something more, but her phone suddenly rang. The name on the screen… was exactly who she had expected."Noelle, get back here right now!" Craig's angry voice burst through the phone, breaking the silence in the car.Noelle wasn't surprised. She simply hung up the phone and t
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 61
Noelle managed to dodge.The vase was smashed onto the floor and shattered into pieces. The sharp fragments sliced into her calves, causing blood to gush out.But at this moment, no one paid attention.Craig pointed a finger at her. "You did it on purpose, didn't you? Making a scene in front of so many people just to completely ruin yourself! You wanted the entire Coppersville to know that you're damaged goods, didn't you?"How did I end up with such a shameless daughter? If I'd known, I would've strangled you to death when you were born! I shouldn't have brought you back into this family. You've done nothing but ruin the Swanson family's name!"No one in the room dared to speak. Craig's voice echoed loudly in the high-ceilinged living room, each word cutting into Noelle like a blade.Yet, she didn't feel any pain. She didn't even avoid Craig's gaze, simply standing still and meeting his eyes head-on."You still dare to look at me like that? Fine! If I don't beat you to death to
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Noelle's slap was purely reflexive, as Hendrix was far too close to her. In truth, she knew that with his reflexes, he could have easily caught her hand and stopped her if he wanted to. But he didn't.The handprint from last night still lingered on his face, and now, it had been joined by a fresh one. A darkly ironic thought crossed Noelle's mind—at least his face was symmetrical now."Did you have a nightmare?" Hendrix asked, seemingly unfazed by the pain.Noelle didn't answer."Everything's okay. It's just a dream," Hendrix said, as if to himself. He continued getting dressed. "I'll be very busy today, so I won't join you for breakfast. You can go visit Craig at the hospital later. Oh, and while you're there, let him know the wedding with Dylan has been called off. As for the company, once I've taken care of things, I'll explain it to him myself."His words were succinct, leaving no room for discussion."What are you planning to do?" Noelle asked.Hendrix's hand paused sligh
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Now that Noelle had withered and faded away, any belated attention and care were meaningless.She was about to close her eyes again, but in the next moment, something on the dressing table caught her attention. If she wasn't mistaken, the set of skincare products sitting there was from her usual brand.Then, her gaze shifted to the curtain ties on the bay window, followed by the glass doors of the walk-in closet across the room. Through the transparent panels, she spotted clothes that looked all too familiar.It was at that moment Noelle realized—he had brought over all the things she had once left behind here. But the truth was, those items weren't really hers.The clothes had been the ones Beatrice insisted she buy, so she could live up to the title of "Mrs. Freeman" whenever she stepped out. They weren't bought with her own money, which was why Noelle hadn't taken them when she left.As for the skincare products, they were probably expired by now.Just as Noelle's thoughts wan
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 296
Noelle had never imagined that returning to Nivis Villa would look like this. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, on the day she left, she hadn't thought she would ever come back at all.It seemed Hendrix had dismissed all the maids, as the villa was completely dark when they entered.Hendrix led Noelle directly upstairs to the master bedroom. The furnishings inside seemed to have changed, but before Noelle could take in what was different, Hendrix had already pushed her onto the bed.He hadn't spoken a single word the entire way, though his face remained clouded with anger. Now, his actions were devoid of any gentleness. But Noelle had expected this, so she wasn't surprised in the slightest.She didn't resist either and simply lay there expressionlessly.Her unresponsive demeanor must have provoked Hendrix's dissatisfaction, because the next instant, he lowered his head and sank his teeth into her neck.He bit hard—so hard that Noelle could feel his teeth breaking her s
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 295
"Noe—" Dylan started, but Noelle didn't even glance at him.Instead, she strode directly toward Hendrix, stopping in front of him. "Let's go," she said hoarsely.Hendrix narrowed his eyes.Noelle, however, wasn't in the mood to think about anything else. She reached out and grabbed his arm without hesitation.Hendrix didn't put up any resistance, but just as they were about to leave, Dylan seemed to snap out of his daze and grabbed Noelle's other hand.The movement made Hendrix's expression darken, and he was about to say something when Noelle turned to Dylan first."There's no need to feel bad about this. I didn't choose you, either. With Elm Group in its current state, I can only take the path that benefits the company the most. I'd been thinking about how to tell you, but now, it doesn't matter. Neither of us has to feel guilty anymore. "As for the wedding… let's cancel it."With that, she pried Dylan's hand off her wrist and firmly pulled Hendrix forward.The club was sti
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Hendrix didn't reply. Instead, he simply tossed the folder in his hand to Dylan.Dylan glanced down at the folder. Something flickered across his eyes, but in the end, he reached out and took it.The moment he skimmed the first few pages, his face turned as pale as a sheet, and his grip on the documents tightened instinctively.After a moment, Dylan finally looked at Hendrix. "What's the meaning of this?"Hendrix let out a soft laugh. "What do you think it means?"Dylan quickly regained his composure and asked, "Where did you get these?""That's not something you need to concern yourself with.""So? What do you want?"Sitting on the couch, Hendrix leisurely poured him a glass of wine and took a sip. Throughout the entire process, he maintained his usual elegance and composure, whereas Dylan's expression grew darker and darker.Finally, Hendrix said, "What do I want? I thought I'd already made it very clear.""Mr. Freeman, we're both men. Don't you think using tactics like thi
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 293
Hendrix grew exasperated. When he heard the sound of the door lock turning, he lifted his head and barked, "Get lost!"The single, decisive shout silenced everything outside instantly. Even the woman in his arms went completely still.Noelle seemed to realize that her resistance was futile. The hands she had been pressing against his chest slowly dropped away, and even the tears in her eyes vanished in that moment.She slowly sank back and tilted her head upward. Then, she simply stared at the glaring incandescent light with eyes filled with emptiness.Hendrix stared at her for a while before suddenly laughing. "Are you really that upset? Or do you feel wronged? Does it really hurt you so much to leave him?"He was smiling, even forcing a mocking tone into his words, but his hands were trembling uncontrollably. It was a pain that started deep in his chest, spreading through his bloodstream until it reached his fingertips.Noelle didn't answer him, but her expression was as good a
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Hendrix reached out and gripped Noelle's chin. In a deep voice laced with a clear trace of anger, he asked, "You've fallen for Dylan, haven't you?"Noelle didn't answer, but she pressed her lips tighter and tighter. Her eyes still brimmed with tears, but the moisture only made them shine more brightly, more vividly. In their reflection, Hendrix could see himself clearly, and he could also see the unmistakable hatred within them.She hated him. Hendrix knew that, of course. From the moment he decided to take this path, he had already anticipated how she would react.But so what? Was he supposed to stand by and watch as they became nothing more than strangers who had nothing to do with each other?If that were the case, Hendrix would rather she hated him.He could live with that outcome—it wasn't something he couldn't accept. But the one thing he absolutely couldn't tolerate was her heart belonging to someone else.She could hate him because of the incident with Elm Group, beca
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 291
As soon as Hendrix finished speaking, Noelle suddenly stepped forward and raised her hand. But her slap never landed. Hendrix had caught her wrist, his face completely expressionless."You're crazy!" Noelle said.Hendrix smiled faintly. "Yeah, I know."Noelle didn't say another word, but she trembled even more violently as tears began to fall. Still, it seemed she refused to show any weakness in front of Hendrix. So, she quickly wiped away her tears."Dylan's grandfather is sick," she finally told Hendrix. "Alzheimer's. His condition is deteriorating quickly, and he might not remember anything soon. That's why Dylan proposed to me."But when she finished speaking, the answer she wanted never came.Hendrix's gaze remained cold as he looked at her. When he noticed Noelle was still staring at him, he even asked, "So? What does that have to do with me?"Noelle took a deep breath. "So, could the wedding—""No," Hendrix cut her off without hesitation, and Noelle's question was left u
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 290
Noelle's expression changed as she heard Hendrix's words, and she turned to look at him.Her expression made Hendrix feel like something was stabbing into his heart. It seemed like he was right.That contractual relationship seemed more than that now. Noelle had fallen for Dylan. If not, what could explain the look in her eyes now?Noelle didn't even react this way when he brought up her and Elm Group.The dull pain quickly spread across Hendrix's chest, accompanied by a familiar metallic taste. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and after taking several deep breaths, he finally managed to suppress the feeling and said, "It seems like you really care about him.""Hendrix, this is between us. Can you stop being so despicable and dragging innocent people into this mess?""Innocent?" Hendrix chuckled. "It seems like you really don't know much about your fiancé. Do you know what he's been doing behind your back?"Before Noelle could respond, Hendrix handed her a file. "Take a look
