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Chapter 604

Penulis: Jean Song
All afternoon, the movers across the hall were busy moving things in. Even with the door closed, Noelle could still hear them talking loudly. It sounded like the new tenants were doing some renovations, too. For hours, the sound of hammering and drilling echoed nonstop.

As exhausted as she was, Rosie tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. In the end, Noelle had no choice but to lie down beside her, gently patting her back.

But Rosie's eyes remained wide open, staring at Noelle.

Noelle couldn't help but laugh, then said helplessly, "Alright. What do you want to do?"

"I can't sleep."

"Close your eyes, and you'll fall asleep soon."

Rosie obediently closed her eyes, but within seconds, they popped open again. "See, Mommy? I just can't sleep?"

"So, what do you want to do instead?"

"I want to draw. Or read a book."

"In other words, you just don't want to sleep, right?"

Rosie giggled sheepishly.

Noelle was about to say more when there was a sudden knock at the door.

Rosi
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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 605

    The fans of both leads were at each other's throats, but the production team and the streaming platform were more than happy to see this. After all, in this day and age, even explosive controversy was better than being ignored entirely.Around this time, Evelyn reached out to her with a new project.Noelle hadn't released any new works in the past two months, only taking on smaller, freelance gigs. With the TV drama gaining so much attention, the company naturally wanted to capitalize on the momentum and give her career a boost."I haven't had much time or inspiration lately. Let's talk about it another time.""Come on. You've been saying that for months now.""I know, but Rosie's still young, and it's not like she can grow up overnight.""Alright, fine. If you're not ready for a new project, how about an interview? Surely you can do that?""What kind of interview?""It's a live podcast interview hosted by a publisher we've worked with before. Since the drama's doing so well, t

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 1

    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 Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 2

    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

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   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 w

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 4

    Noelle's body stiffened. Her eyes flew open, and she tried to push Hendrix away with all her strength. However, Hendrix acted as if he hadn't heard anything. He gripped her wrists effortlessly and pressed her against the wall. His movements were as forceful as ever.Noelle wanted to cry out, but she quickly remembered that Sandra was right outside. She bit her tongue and swallowed the helpless whimper that was about to escape her lips just in time. The sound of the water from the shower continued. With the door between them, Sandra seemed to be unaware of what was happening inside. She called out again, "Hendrix?"Noelle turned her head to look at Hendrix. Her face was flushed, possibly due to anger or some other intense emotion. Her eyes were opened wide as she glared at Hendrix. In contrast to her usual quiet and withdrawn demeanor, she looked far more animated at that moment. Her expression caused Hendrix's movements to become bolder. It was almost as if he were venting. The

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 5

    Sandra had grown up with Hendrix, so she was even more familiar with Freeman Manor than Noelle. As soon as she entered the house, she walked over to the elderly lady while exclaiming, "Grandma Ophelia!""Oh, it's Sandy!" Hendrix's grandmother, Ophelia Jones, was overjoyed. "Let me take a look at you. Have you lost weight again?""Not really. Look! I made some crab cakes for you," Sandra replied."You sweet girl! How thoughtful of you," Ophelia praised. The two of them chatted affectionately, and Ophelia was all smiles. However, the moment Noelle approached, her smile faded significantly.Noelle acted as if she hadn't noticed anything and respectfully greeted, "Grandma."Ophelia glanced at her and was about to say something, but Noelle shifted her attention to the top of the stairs and called out, "Mom.""Madam Freeman," Sandra greeted, straightening up. She had been leaning on Ophelia's shoulder just a moment ago. She became timid the moment she saw the person at the top of the

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 6

    Hendrix returned just before dinner. Ophelia was naturally all smiles when she saw her grandson. She held Hendrix's hand and asked him about his day."Look at you. You've lost weight again," Ophelia said with displeasure. "How is it that you've gotten even thinner after getting married? How has your wife been taking care of you?"Her criticism was directed at Noelle. Before Noelle could respond, Sandra spoke up, "Grandma Ophelia, please don't scold Noelle. She's been very busy lately. I heard she has another comic that is about to be published. Didn't you notice that she's also lost a lot of weight? I felt so bad for her when I saw her yesterday."Sandra's words seemed to be in Noelle's defense, but something about them felt off. Of course, only Noelle could fully grasp the hidden jab in them.After hearing what Sandra said, Ophelia's displeasure deepened. "Bah, comics! Those worthless things can't even be called art. You—"Ophelia was about to lecture Noelle when Hendrix interr

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 7

    "Hendrix, thank you for speaking up for me earlier," Sandra said from the back seat on the way home.After that, she continued yammering nonstop, "I had no idea Mom would talk to Madam Freeman about this. I was so scared! Luckily, you stepped in, or I wouldn't have known what to do. I don't want to get married so soon."Hendrix was driving. He merely said a faint "hmm" in response. He seemed to be flippant toward her, but Sandra knew that was just the way he was. So, she didn't mind. She turned her attention to Noelle, who was in the passenger seat. "By the way, what did Madam Freeman say to you when you both went upstairs?""Nothing," Noelle replied dismissively, not even bothering to entertain Sandra at all.Sandra pursed her lips in slight dissatisfaction but quickly changed the subject. "Oh, right. Did you know that Max is coming back to the country?"Noelle's composed expression shifted slightly at those words.At that moment, the traffic light ahead turned red. Hendrix sm

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 605

    The fans of both leads were at each other's throats, but the production team and the streaming platform were more than happy to see this. After all, in this day and age, even explosive controversy was better than being ignored entirely.Around this time, Evelyn reached out to her with a new project.Noelle hadn't released any new works in the past two months, only taking on smaller, freelance gigs. With the TV drama gaining so much attention, the company naturally wanted to capitalize on the momentum and give her career a boost."I haven't had much time or inspiration lately. Let's talk about it another time.""Come on. You've been saying that for months now.""I know, but Rosie's still young, and it's not like she can grow up overnight.""Alright, fine. If you're not ready for a new project, how about an interview? Surely you can do that?""What kind of interview?""It's a live podcast interview hosted by a publisher we've worked with before. Since the drama's doing so well, t

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 604

    All afternoon, the movers across the hall were busy moving things in. Even with the door closed, Noelle could still hear them talking loudly. It sounded like the new tenants were doing some renovations, too. For hours, the sound of hammering and drilling echoed nonstop.As exhausted as she was, Rosie tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. In the end, Noelle had no choice but to lie down beside her, gently patting her back.But Rosie's eyes remained wide open, staring at Noelle.Noelle couldn't help but laugh, then said helplessly, "Alright. What do you want to do?""I can't sleep.""Close your eyes, and you'll fall asleep soon."Rosie obediently closed her eyes, but within seconds, they popped open again. "See, Mommy? I just can't sleep?""So, what do you want to do instead?""I want to draw. Or read a book.""In other words, you just don't want to sleep, right?"Rosie giggled sheepishly.Noelle was about to say more when there was a sudden knock at the door.Rosi

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 603

    "Yeah, they've got four elderly parents and two kids to take care of. One of them got laid off, and the other had their salary cut. If they don't sell the house, they might not be able to make ends meet.""True. That's why it's better to work for a big company. The benefits are good, and the job's more stable.""Exactly.""By the way, Noelle, that friend of yours runs a company, right? How's he doing these days?"Noelle had been listening quietly for a while without chiming in, so when the conversation finally turned to her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of "I knew it!".She almost wanted to laugh, but she held it in and instead asked, "What friend?""You know…""Rosie's dad!" someone quickly interjected, finding what they thought was an appropriate way of addressing Hendrix. But almost immediately, they seemed to regret it and cautiously added, "He is Rosie's dad, right?""I don't know much about him," Noelle replied bluntly. "We've been divorced for years, and we hardly

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 602

    Noelle wasn't surprised to see Hendrix's name on her phone screen. Without hesitation, she answered the call.Her decisive action seemed to catch Hendrix off guard. There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before he finally asked, "What did you call me for earlier?"Noelle knew he was waiting for her to take the initiative. That was just the way he was. No matter what it was, he always expected others to make the first move.Only after he got what he wanted would he consider giving a little in return. And even then, he'd act as if that little bit was some grand favor, making him a textbook egotist through and through."Why aren't you saying anything?" After just a couple of seconds of silence, his impatience flared, and he urged her to speak.Noelle snapped out of her thoughts and replied, "It's nothing important. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."Though her words sounded apologetic, Hendrix detected no trace of remorse in her tone. He couldn't help but let out a cold

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 601

    Noelle hadn't noticed that her phone had gone silent.By the time they arrived at the apartment complex, most of the crowd that had gathered earlier had already dispersed. Moreover, it seemed like many of them were holding new toys.Noelle was taken aback."Noelle, thank you," someone said to her. "And, um… don't pay attention to what's being said in the group chat. Seriously, they're acting way too entitled now.""Yeah, they're just greedy and never satisfied," another chimed in quickly.Noelle frowned, then suddenly realized something. "Who gave you these toys?""Mr. Freeman, of course. But he said he had something to do today and couldn't come, so he sent his assistant instead to make sure no one was disappointed. Did he not tell you?"Noelle's voice tightened. "When was this?""Hmm… It took them about two hours to finish distributing the gifts since there were so many people, so probably around 11:00 am?"Hendrix had called Noelle around noon, which meant he had already ar

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 600

    Noelle had already muted the group chat, but private messages kept popping up.They were from the mothers she'd met in the apartment complex while taking Rosie out to play. They were all asking when Hendrix would arrive today. Some even said that if he wasn't coming, he should've given them a heads-up, since their kids had been looking forward to it all day.Noelle stared at the messages blankly. Truthfully, she should've seen this coming from the moment Hendrix started this charade. Manipulating people and controlling them like puppets were the things he had always excelled at.She had finally found some stability in this apartment complex, but now, he had ruined it. He certainly understood the saying, "Give someone an inch, and they'd take a mile", better than anyone.And the money he spent on all those toys? It meant nothing to him. What he really wanted was to control people's minds and shatter Noelle's peace."Mommy! Mommy!"Rosie's voice brought Noelle back to reality. She

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 599

    Rosie's straightforward answer made Noelle smile. "Alright. Let's go home, then."With that, they walked away hand in hand, as if the noise and excitement behind them seemed to have nothing to do with them.…The next day, Hendrix came again. This time, he wasn't alone, as several bodyguards followed him, each carrying heavy bags.Without Hendrix even saying a word, all the children rushed over. Even kids from neighboring apartments had heard about it and came running.Hendrix didn't discriminate—any child who approached was given a gift. Today, he didn't need to interact with them personally, so he had time to glance over at Noelle to gauge her reaction. However, he quickly realized that Noelle and Rosie were no longer there. He hadn't even noticed when they had left.The same thing happened on the third and fourth days, but by the fifth day, Hendrix didn't show up. But after several days of free gifts, both the children and their parents had gotten a taste for it. Now, they

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 598

    "So, does that mean you're not going to accept my apology?" Hendrix asked.Noelle finally snapped out of her daze. She stared at him for a moment before picking up her glass and lightly clinking it against his.Noelle wasn't sure what Hendrix was trying to do. After all, based on his past behavior, he wasn't the type to just apologize like that. Yet here he was, doing exactly that. She found it strange but decided not to dwell on it, pretending nothing had happened as she took a sip of her water.Hendrix didn't say much after that.Surprisingly, the meal passed in relative peace. Noelle couldn't even remember the last time they had shared a meal so quietly.So, when Hendrix later suggested that he might occasionally come over to have meals with Rosie, Noelle was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.Hendrix, however, took her silence as permission granted. He then pulled a plushie from a bag and handed it to Rosie. It was a character from the stage performance they had seen a

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 597

    Noelle had been to this restaurant a few times before with Dylan, so the server immediately recognized her. One of them started approaching her with a warm smile, but the moment she saw the man walking behind Noelle, her expression faltered slightly.Noelle ignored her reaction and simply said, "I'll have my usual order and an omelette for my daughter.""Got it," the server said with a nod, though she couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Hendrix before turning and heading back to the kitchen."Have you been here before?" Hendrix asked.Though the restaurant was decently decorated, it showed its age. The tables and chairs were made of lacquered wood, clean but with a noticeable sheen of grease from years of use.Noelle noticed Hendrix frowning slightly, but he didn't say anything. The frown lasted only for a brief second before he sat down as if nothing had happened. Then, he looked at her, waiting for her answer."Yeah. I've been here a few times.""With Dylan?" Hendrix aske

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