Noelle felt as though she were some kind of object, being fought over and placed wherever others pleased. After a brief pause, she walked straight up to Hendrix and reached for her suitcase.Hendrix noticed what she was doing and took this as her giving him an answer. He tensed up instantly and gripped the suitcase tighter.Noelle naturally felt the increased pressure from his hold, and she couldn't help but frown. Then, she looked at him and said, "Let go."Hendrix pressed his lips into a thin line, and the veins in his forearm started to bulge from how much force he was exerting.He stared at Noelle in disbelief. So, between him and Dylan, she had actually chosen the latter?Beatrice also witnessed what was happening. She immediately furrowed her brows as she stepped forward. "Noelle, why don't you just let—""Hendrix Freeman, I said let go!" Noelle didn't even wait for Beatrice to finish her sentence. She kept her eyes locked on Hendrix and repeated herself firmly.Hendrix me
The house in Stormridge hadn't been lived in for quite some time. After returning, Noelle spent several days cleaning before it was finally somewhat livable.Throughout the process, Rosie followed her around with a rag, buzzing about like a busy little bee. Just when Noelle thought their days would continue peacefully, an unexpected apology statement surfaced online.It was about the scandal involving her and Ebony from a few months ago. The person who had spread the rumors admitted that they had never actually seen Noelle harassing Ebony. They had simply been unhappy about Ebony working with Noelle and had chosen to fabricate the story to ruin her reputation.By now, most people online had already forgotten about the whole thing. But the entertainment industry was what it was—especially when it involved a celebrity with a massive following like Ebony.The moment the news broke, it immediately sparked widespread attention.Ebony also took to Twitter, stating that he and Noelle h
"It's me," Noelle said."I know," Hendrix replied."Did you handle the situation with Ebony?"Though she phrased it as a question, her tone said otherwise.Hendrix paused on the other end before responding with a quiet, "Yes.""Thank you for your help, but let's end it right here. There's no need to blacklist him.""What's the matter? Are you feeling sorry for him?" Hendrix asked, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Why would you feel sorry for a man who threw you under the bus the moment things went wrong?"Noelle naturally understood his implication but simply replied calmly, "If he had spoken up for me back then, it would've only made things worse. Besides, we were just colleagues, so he had no obligation to defend me. And it's not like he was the only one who stood by and did nothing, right?"Hendrix was left momentarily speechless by her words.Noelle didn't wait for his response and continued, "Regardless, I still appreciate what you've done. As for the rest, let's just for
Dylan had brought another gift for Rosie—a fluffy, white bunny plushie.This time, Rosie didn't refuse it. After getting Noelle's permission, she thanked Dylan and hugged the bunny tightly to her chest.Dylan smiled at her before turning his attention to Noelle. "How have you two been lately?""We've been doing well.""That's good. I saw the news today. It's great that everything's been cleared up. Does that mean your work can move forward smoothly now?"Noelle nodded. "More or less.""Awesome!" Dylan said with a nod.But soon, the conversation between them lulled into silence. Before coming here, Dylan had planned to say a lot to Noelle. Yet now, he suddenly didn't know how to begin. In the end, it was Noelle who broke the silence first. Is work not keeping you busy?""Oh, it's been manageable lately," Dylan replied. "The last quarter's projects wrapped up nicely, so I've got a bit of a break these days. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had time to come see you. Actually, I was ab
In the end, Noelle agreed to go on the trip with Dylan.Rosie was thrilled. She even packed her toy shovel into her suitcase, declaring that she was going to build a sandcastle for Noelle at the beach.Noelle smiled and agreed, helping her fit everything into the suitcase.Seline only found out about the trip later, and she was fully supportive. She even sent a package to the hotel for Noelle to pick up upon arrival.She had been mysterious about it, and Noelle had a bad feeling. When she finally received the package at the hotel, she had the urge to just throw it away.At the time, Dylan had gone ahead to check in while Noelle and Rosie waited in the lobby. Noelle was holding Rosie's hand as the two of them admired the fishes in the large fish tank there.When Dylan returned with the room keys and a pink bag, Noelle was puzzled."This… This is from Ms. Swift," he said.Noelle was taken aback. When she opened the bag and saw its contents, her face flushed red.Dylan quickly av
The passionate lovemaking in the bedroom finally came to an end two hours later. Soon, there was the sound of water splashing on tiles coming from the shower. After resting for a few minutes, Noelle Swanson got out of bed with trembling legs as she picked up her clothes from the floor.Hendrix Freeman had been rougher than usual today, so she felt a little bewildered. She fumbled with the buttons of her pajamas several times but couldn't get them done up. Soon, Hendrix came out of the shower. He was tall, with strong, handsome features. He'd just showered, so he only had a towel wrapped around his waist at the moment. Droplets of water trickled down his abs. When he noticed that Noelle was still there, he frowned a little. Noelle didn't look at him. She kept her head down and continued to struggle with the buttons. "Sandra will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow," Hendrix suddenly said as he walked past her. "Go pick her up. I've already promised your mother that she c
The person speaking was Sandra's good friend, Ruth Upton. She was a heiress of a wealthy family. Ruth and Sandra had grown up together. She had always been the biggest supporter of Hendrix and Sandra's relationship. Now that Noelle had become Hendrix's wife instead, it came as no surprise that Ruth was unfriendly toward her.Even when she noticed Noelle standing at the door, she didn't feel the least bit embarrassed or uneasy about what she'd said.It was Sandra who greeted her first. "You're here, Noelle."Noelle nodded. "I'm here to take you home. Have you packed your things?""Yes. I'm all set. Let's go," Sandra replied good-naturedly. Ruth couldn't help but ask, "Where's Mr. Freeman? Sandy is being discharged today. Isn't he coming to pick her up?""He's gone to the office," Noelle replied."Oh, he seems really busy. I wonder if he's too busy to come or if you didn't let him come," Ruth conjectured with disdain.Before Noelle could respond, Sandra interrupted softly, "Ru
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 w
In the end, Noelle agreed to go on the trip with Dylan.Rosie was thrilled. She even packed her toy shovel into her suitcase, declaring that she was going to build a sandcastle for Noelle at the beach.Noelle smiled and agreed, helping her fit everything into the suitcase.Seline only found out about the trip later, and she was fully supportive. She even sent a package to the hotel for Noelle to pick up upon arrival.She had been mysterious about it, and Noelle had a bad feeling. When she finally received the package at the hotel, she had the urge to just throw it away.At the time, Dylan had gone ahead to check in while Noelle and Rosie waited in the lobby. Noelle was holding Rosie's hand as the two of them admired the fishes in the large fish tank there.When Dylan returned with the room keys and a pink bag, Noelle was puzzled."This… This is from Ms. Swift," he said.Noelle was taken aback. When she opened the bag and saw its contents, her face flushed red.Dylan quickly av
Dylan had brought another gift for Rosie—a fluffy, white bunny plushie.This time, Rosie didn't refuse it. After getting Noelle's permission, she thanked Dylan and hugged the bunny tightly to her chest.Dylan smiled at her before turning his attention to Noelle. "How have you two been lately?""We've been doing well.""That's good. I saw the news today. It's great that everything's been cleared up. Does that mean your work can move forward smoothly now?"Noelle nodded. "More or less.""Awesome!" Dylan said with a nod.But soon, the conversation between them lulled into silence. Before coming here, Dylan had planned to say a lot to Noelle. Yet now, he suddenly didn't know how to begin. In the end, it was Noelle who broke the silence first. Is work not keeping you busy?""Oh, it's been manageable lately," Dylan replied. "The last quarter's projects wrapped up nicely, so I've got a bit of a break these days. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had time to come see you. Actually, I was ab
"It's me," Noelle said."I know," Hendrix replied."Did you handle the situation with Ebony?"Though she phrased it as a question, her tone said otherwise.Hendrix paused on the other end before responding with a quiet, "Yes.""Thank you for your help, but let's end it right here. There's no need to blacklist him.""What's the matter? Are you feeling sorry for him?" Hendrix asked, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Why would you feel sorry for a man who threw you under the bus the moment things went wrong?"Noelle naturally understood his implication but simply replied calmly, "If he had spoken up for me back then, it would've only made things worse. Besides, we were just colleagues, so he had no obligation to defend me. And it's not like he was the only one who stood by and did nothing, right?"Hendrix was left momentarily speechless by her words.Noelle didn't wait for his response and continued, "Regardless, I still appreciate what you've done. As for the rest, let's just for
The house in Stormridge hadn't been lived in for quite some time. After returning, Noelle spent several days cleaning before it was finally somewhat livable.Throughout the process, Rosie followed her around with a rag, buzzing about like a busy little bee. Just when Noelle thought their days would continue peacefully, an unexpected apology statement surfaced online.It was about the scandal involving her and Ebony from a few months ago. The person who had spread the rumors admitted that they had never actually seen Noelle harassing Ebony. They had simply been unhappy about Ebony working with Noelle and had chosen to fabricate the story to ruin her reputation.By now, most people online had already forgotten about the whole thing. But the entertainment industry was what it was—especially when it involved a celebrity with a massive following like Ebony.The moment the news broke, it immediately sparked widespread attention.Ebony also took to Twitter, stating that he and Noelle h
Noelle felt as though she were some kind of object, being fought over and placed wherever others pleased. After a brief pause, she walked straight up to Hendrix and reached for her suitcase.Hendrix noticed what she was doing and took this as her giving him an answer. He tensed up instantly and gripped the suitcase tighter.Noelle naturally felt the increased pressure from his hold, and she couldn't help but frown. Then, she looked at him and said, "Let go."Hendrix pressed his lips into a thin line, and the veins in his forearm started to bulge from how much force he was exerting.He stared at Noelle in disbelief. So, between him and Dylan, she had actually chosen the latter?Beatrice also witnessed what was happening. She immediately furrowed her brows as she stepped forward. "Noelle, why don't you just let—""Hendrix Freeman, I said let go!" Noelle didn't even wait for Beatrice to finish her sentence. She kept her eyes locked on Hendrix and repeated herself firmly.Hendrix me
In the end, Noelle accepted the gift Dylan had given to Rosie. However, Rosie didn't like the diamond hairpin. After glancing at it a couple of times, she placed it in a drawer in her room."Aren't you going to take it with you?" Noelle asked her.Rosie shook her head."If you don't like it, should I return it to Mr. Pritchett later?""Okay," Rosie agreed without hesitation.Noelle found this strange. "I thought you liked Mr. Pritchett. So, how could you not like the gift he gave you?"At her words, Rosie's expression shifted slightly. Then, she said, "I do like Mr. Pritchett. I just don't like the gift he got me."Noelle narrowed her eyes.Rosie quickly turned her head to avoid meeting her gaze. "I still prefer plushies. Mom, can you tell Mr. Pritchett to get me a bunny plushie next time?"As Rosie's mother, Noelle could naturally sense that something was off. But she didn't press further, simply agreeing to Rosie's request.It had already been decided that Dylan would take
Angela answered with complete composure, staring straight into Seline's eyes.Seline, on the other hand, was shaking with anger, feeling as if Angela was outright insulting her intelligence.So, this was the same excuse she had given Hendrix back then? And more importantly, did he actually believe it?If that was the case, then Seline had truly misjudged Hendrix. It seemed he wasn't a lunatic—he was just a complete fool.Noelle quickly grabbed Seline's hand. Then, she smiled politely at Angela before turning to leave.But Angela called out from behind them. "Ms. Swanson, I have something else I'd like to say to you.""What could you possibly have to say to her?" Seline was the first to turn around. "Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to talk to us!""Ms. Swift, I was addressing Ms. Swanson, not you.""You!" Seline was thoroughly enraged and itching to charge up to Angela and grab her by the hair.Noelle quickly held her back. She then turned to Angela and said,
When Noelle stepped out of the restroom, she happened to hear Seline say, "Please stop drinking. It hurts me to see you like this. Ugh!"Seline was standing in front of the mirror, washing her hands while mimicking what Angela said to Hendrix. She had never liked Angela, but after tonight, her dislike had turned into outright disgust.Noelle glanced at her and said, "She hasn't done anything to you, so why do you hate her so much?""Why do I hate her?" Seline widened her eyes as if Noelle had asked the most bizarre question."Why should I not hate her? Did you see how fake she was acting? And wasn't she subtly taking digs at you? She was basically saying you and Hendrix are ancient history! It's ridiculous! I wasn't even talking about that long ago when she was out shopping and checking into hotels with that other guy."Is Hendrix out of his mind? How can he even stand to be with a woman like her, who has nothing going for her? Do you think he's doing this just to provoke you? Hon
Seline couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. Then, she asked, "Ms. Rhett, right? I've seen you online before.""Oh, is that so?" Angela finally turned her attention to Seline, smiling. "So, I take it you're actually a fan of mine?"Fan? As if Angela would ever be worthy enough to have Seline as a fan.Seline barely held back the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm not exactly a fan. It just so happened I saw you a few times. But now that I think about it, didn't you have a boyfriend before? Wasn't he your classmate or something?""Yes, but we've broken up," Angela admitted freely. "It's not a crime to date around, right? After all, who here doesn't have a past?"As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward Noelle. It was as if she was telling everyone present that Noelle was Hendrix's "past".Seline gritted her teeth, about to retort when Noelle gently tugged her hand. This caused her to frown.Meanwhile, Dylan raised his wine glass and said, "Speaking of which, it's been a while since I've