Hendrix had no choice but to return upstairs.On most days, Noelle and Rosie's routine was the same—they would go out in the morning and again in the evening. By around 11:00 am, Noelle would usually bring Rosie back for lunch and a nap.But today, they didn't return.It wasn't until evening that Hendrix finally heard movement across the hall. He immediately opened his door. But what he saw was a group of unfamiliar men.His expression darkened instantly. "What are you all doing here?"The sudden sound startled the group of men. They turned to look at Hendrix, confused. "And you are?""What are you doing here?" Hendrix asked again, his tone impatient. "Are you here to fix the wiring? Do you really need this many people to fix one wire?""No, we're here to move some things," one of them replied.Hendrix's eyes narrowed slightly. Then, he asked in disbelief. "Move things?""Yeah." The mover double-checked the unit number. "Block 5, Unit 904. Yep, this is the place."As he spoke
"Thank you," Noelle said as she took the invoice from the mover. While confirming and signing the document, she added, "I was going to ask my husband to grab you guys some energy drinks when he got back, but he couldn't make it back in time. Here. Take this cash and get some yourselves.""You're too kind, but we can't possibly take this." The movers initially refused but eventually relented.After they left, Noelle immediately placed a pair of men's shoes by the door and hung a few men's clothes on the balcony."Mommy, are we going to live here from now on?" Rosie asked."That's right, sweetheart.""What about our old apartment?""I gave it back to the landlord. This is our new home now.""Then, will I still get to see Marco and the rest of my friends?""Of course. This place is close to our old place, and you'll also get to see them when you go to kindergarten."Hearing this, Rosie finally nodded in relief.Noelle had spent the whole day unpacking and didn't have time to coo
As soon as the door opened, Noelle was hit by a strong smell of alcohol coming off Hendrix. She immediately frowned and tightened her grip on the doorknob, bracing herself against the doorframe."What do you want?" she asked.It was already very late at night.There were three other families living on this floor besides Noelle, and the last thing she wanted was to put on a scene for the neighbors. So, she kept her voice low.Just moments ago, Hendrix had been banging on her door, demanding she let him in. But now that she had actually opened it, he stood there in silence, staring at her.After a brief moment of eye contact, Noelle looked away. "If there's nothing else, please leave."She moved to close the door, but the next moment, Hendrix pressed his hand against it."Do you really hate seeing me that much?" His head was lowered, his voice raspy. "I just moved in, and you couldn't wait to move out? Noelle, are you really that heartless? Won't you even give me the slightest cha
Instead, Seline apologized to Noelle about Dylan."I didn't have all the facts before, and I ended up meddling in your relationship. Honestly, I never expected Dylan to be that kind of person!"Seline frowned as she spoke, but she noticed Noelle was looking at her intently. That gaze made Seline's frown deepen.Then, she asked cautiously, "You don't blame me, do you?""Why would I blame you?" Noelle found it amusing. "This has nothing to do with you.""But I was the one who pushed you into it—""I'm an adult. If I can't even think for myself on a basic level, does that mean I should blame someone every time I make the wrong decision?"Noelle let out a sigh before continuing, "Besides, I also thought Dylan was a good fit at the time. But the truth is, we just weren't compatible.""Not compatible? He's the one who doesn't deserve you!" Seline immediately retorted. "And you know what? Lately, people in the circle have been talking—saying that the woman who dumped Hendrix ended up
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
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
Instead, Seline apologized to Noelle about Dylan."I didn't have all the facts before, and I ended up meddling in your relationship. Honestly, I never expected Dylan to be that kind of person!"Seline frowned as she spoke, but she noticed Noelle was looking at her intently. That gaze made Seline's frown deepen.Then, she asked cautiously, "You don't blame me, do you?""Why would I blame you?" Noelle found it amusing. "This has nothing to do with you.""But I was the one who pushed you into it—""I'm an adult. If I can't even think for myself on a basic level, does that mean I should blame someone every time I make the wrong decision?"Noelle let out a sigh before continuing, "Besides, I also thought Dylan was a good fit at the time. But the truth is, we just weren't compatible.""Not compatible? He's the one who doesn't deserve you!" Seline immediately retorted. "And you know what? Lately, people in the circle have been talking—saying that the woman who dumped Hendrix ended up
As soon as the door opened, Noelle was hit by a strong smell of alcohol coming off Hendrix. She immediately frowned and tightened her grip on the doorknob, bracing herself against the doorframe."What do you want?" she asked.It was already very late at night.There were three other families living on this floor besides Noelle, and the last thing she wanted was to put on a scene for the neighbors. So, she kept her voice low.Just moments ago, Hendrix had been banging on her door, demanding she let him in. But now that she had actually opened it, he stood there in silence, staring at her.After a brief moment of eye contact, Noelle looked away. "If there's nothing else, please leave."She moved to close the door, but the next moment, Hendrix pressed his hand against it."Do you really hate seeing me that much?" His head was lowered, his voice raspy. "I just moved in, and you couldn't wait to move out? Noelle, are you really that heartless? Won't you even give me the slightest cha
"Thank you," Noelle said as she took the invoice from the mover. While confirming and signing the document, she added, "I was going to ask my husband to grab you guys some energy drinks when he got back, but he couldn't make it back in time. Here. Take this cash and get some yourselves.""You're too kind, but we can't possibly take this." The movers initially refused but eventually relented.After they left, Noelle immediately placed a pair of men's shoes by the door and hung a few men's clothes on the balcony."Mommy, are we going to live here from now on?" Rosie asked."That's right, sweetheart.""What about our old apartment?""I gave it back to the landlord. This is our new home now.""Then, will I still get to see Marco and the rest of my friends?""Of course. This place is close to our old place, and you'll also get to see them when you go to kindergarten."Hearing this, Rosie finally nodded in relief.Noelle had spent the whole day unpacking and didn't have time to coo
Hendrix had no choice but to return upstairs.On most days, Noelle and Rosie's routine was the same—they would go out in the morning and again in the evening. By around 11:00 am, Noelle would usually bring Rosie back for lunch and a nap.But today, they didn't return.It wasn't until evening that Hendrix finally heard movement across the hall. He immediately opened his door. But what he saw was a group of unfamiliar men.His expression darkened instantly. "What are you all doing here?"The sudden sound startled the group of men. They turned to look at Hendrix, confused. "And you are?""What are you doing here?" Hendrix asked again, his tone impatient. "Are you here to fix the wiring? Do you really need this many people to fix one wire?""No, we're here to move some things," one of them replied.Hendrix's eyes narrowed slightly. Then, he asked in disbelief. "Move things?""Yeah." The mover double-checked the unit number. "Block 5, Unit 904. Yep, this is the place."As he spoke
Hendrix had knocked out the wall in the middle. The master bedroom and study had been combined into one, and the secondary bedroom and living room now felt much more spacious.By now, Rosie was completely exhausted. The moment Noelle picked her up, she immediately leaned on Noelle's shoulder and fell asleep. As for where they were now, she didn't even notice."The bedding is clean. Do you need anything else?" Hendrix asked her from the doorway."No, thank you.""Don't you need to shower or change into pajamas?"His question immediately made Noelle frown.Hendrix quickly added, "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. So, um… Have a good rest, then. I'm in the room across the hall. Call me if you need anything."After saying that, he turned and left. But Noelle quickly followed him.Hendrix initially thought she had something to say to him, but the next moment, he realized she had closed the door behind him. He even heard the sound of the lock clicking into place.Hendrix paused mid
"I was the one who had the surveillance camera installed." As if reading Noelle's mind, Hendrix quickly explained, "But I did it for your safety. Take what happened tonight, for example. If it weren't for—"Noelle cut him off, "If you hadn't suddenly moved in, that man would never have entered our lives in the first place."Hendrix was momentarily stunned, then he couldn't help but laugh. "What are you trying to say? Are you saying this is my fault, too?""Isn't it?" Noelle shot back. "You were the ones who hired those movers!""I only hired the moving company. Who they employ is beyond my control.""But this all started because of you. If you hadn't moved here, none of this would have happened!"Hendrix fell silent because it finally dawned on him that Noelle was determined to pin the blame on him, and no amount of arguing would change her mind. So, he decided to say nothing more.Noelle didn't bother with him, either. She turned around and took Rosie back inside.But once the
Noelle's expression immediately darkened. She rushed forward and snatched the keys from Hendrix's hand."Did you—" She wanted to accuse him of stealing them, but before the words could leave her mouth, she realized how absurd that sounded.Hendrix, as if reading her mind, quickly explained, "You dropped them when you were taking something out of your bag earlier. I just picked them up.""Then, why didn't you give them to me right away?""You didn't give me a chance, did you?" Hendrix smiled faintly, his tone almost innocent. "Besides, Rosie was literally about to burst, and I was worried she'd pee herself."His explanation sounded perfectly reasonable.For a moment, Noelle was unable to come up with a retort. She stared at him for a few seconds before finally taking Rosie's hand and leaving."Aren't you going to drink the juice?" he called after her.Noelle didn't even glance back. She knew he had done it on purpose. Otherwise, he would have handed her the keys in the elevator.
"Hold the door!" a voice called out from outside the elevator.If it had been anyone else, Noelle would have pressed the button to keep the doors open. But this time, she lowered her gaze and began frantically pressing the close button instead.Alas, she was still too slow. Just as the doors were about to shut, a hand shot out and blocked them, causing them to slide open again.Noelle pressed her lips into a tight line.Despite being the one who forced the doors open, Hendrix still thanked her as he stepped inside.Noelle didn't respond. Instead, she silently pulled Rosie to the side, as if trying to put as much distance between them and him as possible.Hendrix noticed but said nothing, simply staring at the changing numbers on the elevator panel. Soon, they reached their floor, and Noelle stepped out with Rosie first.Noelle then reached for her keys to unlock the door, but she quickly realized her keys were missing."Mommy, I need to go potty," Rosie said."Okay, sweetheart
Dan was Hendrix's chief assistant, someone who was practically inseparable from him. So, who else could command Dan to do something like this if not Hendrix himself?Sure enough, the next moment, Noelle saw Hendrix step out. He was wearing a simple shirt with the sleeves rolled up, the white cuffs smudged with dust. His hair was slightly disheveled, but this touch of disarray made him seem more human.Noelle stared at him expressionlessly.After two seconds of eye contact, Hendrix said, "What a coincidence!"Coincidence?Noelle wanted to throw something at him because only a fool would believe this was a coincidence.She didn't even bother giving him another glance. When the elevator doors opened, she took Rosie's hand and stepped inside.Rosie, of course, recognized Hendrix. She had been staring at him intently, only turning to Noelle when the elevator doors finally closed. "Mommy, why is he here?""I don't know."This answer clearly didn't satisfy Rosie. She muttered under h