Mag-log inShare
Chapter 82
Kaugnay na kabanata
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 83
Ophelia seemed to be in high spirits. When Hendrix walked in, he overheard her excitedly chatting with someone, her hearty laughter filling the room.Grant was the first to notice him. He smiled and said, "Mr. Freeman is back."Hendrix gave a brief nod in acknowledgment, then turned his attention to Ophelia.Ophelia waved enthusiastically at him. "Come and take a look at this.""What is it?"Hendrix's smile remained for a moment, but it faded slightly when his eyes landed on the tablet screen."What do you think of this one? She's the Johnson family's daughter. Last time, she was at…""Why are you looking at these things?" Hendrix asked as he straightened up, clearly uninterested."What are you saying? Naturally, I'm looking for a potential granddaughter-in-law. Look. I was saying—""I'm not thinking about that for now," Hendrix cut her off."I didn't say you had to get married now! I'm just asking you to take a look. And if there's someone suitable, you can get to know them
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 84
Two days later, it was Hendrix's birthday.He had never really cared much about birthdays, but when his family insisted on throwing him a party this year, he didn't refuse. Noelle, of course, wasn't going to attend the event. Instead, Hendrix sent her a message in the evening, asking her to wait for him at Percy Gardens.The party was a success. Nearly everyone who mattered in the social circles had shown up. While the event wasn't open to the public, a few minor celebrities had managed to sneak in.Since Hendrix's divorce had become public knowledge, more people seemed eager to get close to him. Their motives were more obvious now—straightforward, even.Over the course of the night, Hendrix had his clothes ruined three times. By the time the last person spilled a drink on him, he didn't even bother to change. He simply pushed away the hand that tried to touch him."Mr. Freeman, why don't you let me clean that up for you?" The woman, wearing a strapless gown, looked at him with
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 85
But eventually, Noelle couldn't hold out any longer. Since she couldn't go to the room directly, she just collapsed onto the couch to catch a brief nap.When she woke up, the first thing she felt was the weight of a figure pressing down on her.Noelle gasped in shock and instinctively opened her mouth to scream, but Hendrix quickly covered her mouth with his hand.It was only when his palm pressed down on her that Noelle realized who it was. Her body, which had been rigid with tension, relaxed at once.Hendrix noticed the change and pressed his weight into her even more without hesitation, lowering his head to kiss her lips.Noelle could smell the alcohol on him. Just as she was about to pull away, he gripped her chin firmly and bit her lip.The taste of champagne mingled with the kiss.Combined with the overzealous energy Hendrix was showing, Noelle couldn't help but make a soft protest. She instinctively pushed against his chest, trying to create some distance.But Hendrix qu
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 86
By the time Hendrix walked out of the bathroom, Noelle was no longer in the bedroom. He was stunned a little before he exited the room.Noelle was slipping into her shoes at the door. Hendrix looked at her, and his expression darkened. "Where are you going?""Home." Noelle didn't even turn around to look at him. Hendrix immediately pursed his lips, and the coldness in his eyes intensified. However, Noelle ignored him and opened the door. Afterward, the door was closed again, and Hendrix was left all alone in the spacious house. When he turned around, he swung his foot and kicked the trash can, toppling it. Noelle didn't notice what Hendrix had just done. She kept the cufflinks in her bag, and she thought about tossing them into the trash can when she walked past one. However, her hand was suspended in midair for a long time, and she still couldn't let it go. That was when Noelle's phone rang. "You're not asleep yet, are you, Elle?" Evelyn sounded very exhilarated over the
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 87
Evelyn was good at socializing. She might've been a little timid at first, but she came into herself after she warmed up. Eventually, she was exchanging business cards with everyone. "Hi, Mr. Yoder!"At last, she saw the man she was looking for tonight. She immediately extended her hand and said, "I'm Evelyn from Galaxy Comics. We talked on the phone before this.""Oh, it's you." The man standing opposite them shook Evelyn's hand before he slowly looked at Noelle and scanned her from head to toe. "She's the comic artist behind 'Crabapple Haven.'""Oh. Have we seen each other before?" Maxton Yoder raised an eyebrow. "Why do I get the feeling that you look familiar?""I don't think so. I don't usually go outside," Noelle merely responded with a smile. Maxton still felt suspicious, but he quickly said, "I've seen your comics, and they are indeed suitable for an adaptation. Moreover, Mr. Quinlan also found it interesting after he read it. He even said that he wanted to meet with
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 88
Noelle seemed very solemn, but Brandon merely chuckled. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry. That was inconsiderate of me." He was very sincere when he apologized, and she looked a little pushy in comparison. Noelle also realized it. So, she apologized and said, "I got worked up just now.""It's fine. Your reputation is at stake, after all. It's only understandable that you reacted like that. It's my bad to begin with." The elevator door slid open as Brandon spoke. He was absolutely right when he said that the view on the balcony was wonderful up here. The distant neon lights flickered gently, and the blowing wind lifted Noelle's spirits. Brandon glanced at Noelle's reaction and confirmed that she was happy with this spot before he continued, "Actually, I'm quite against the idea of Maxwell and Sandra being together."Maxwell is my younger brother. Although I wasn't willing to accept that fact, blood is thicker than water. As far as I'm concerned, Sandra isn't a good choice for
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 89
Noelle tapped on the car window gently. "Mrs. Freeman!"Noelle corrected Levi multiple times, but the latter was still used to addressing her in this manner. By now, she couldn't be bothered to correct him anymore. She nodded. "What are you doing here?""Mr. Freeman went out on a work trip," Levi explained. "He went overseas and won't be back until after a week. This is the invitation and plane ticket he wanted me to give you."Noelle was stunned. By the time she lowered her eyes, she found that the audition invitation Hendrix gave her was already in her hands.Noelle left it at Percy Gardens previously, but she didn't expect him to send it back to her once more. He even bought her a plane ticket to Leverton. Just as Noelle was staring at the ticket and spacing out, Levi spoke up again, "Mrs. Freeman?" He was also giving her a strange look.Noelle came back to her senses and shook her head. "I'm not taking them.""Um… Mr. Freeman prepared these just for you, Mrs. Freeman. Mor
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 90
"Mr. Freeman," Dan greeted when he saw Hendrix.Dan was at Coppersville Airport, and he could tell at first glance that Hendrix was displeased. He still handed the latter the file in his hand. "This is the data report from Zenvora. They have just sent it earlier. Please have a look at it."Hendrix cast a glance at it and asked, "And?""Huh?""What comes after the market valuation? How are they going to attract the investors? What about the relevant analysis report and media outreach plans?"Aside from that, Hendrix asked Dan a barrage of questions so overwhelming that the latter was stumped. Initially, he was walking, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Then, he turned around and looked at Dan, and his expression was as dark as coal. "I can look past it if they didn't know me well enough, but you've been working for me a long time now, Dan. How could you not have figured out something this simple?"Initially, Dan thought Hendrix would take a look at this report and determine
Pinakabagong kabanata
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 798
Dylan had imagined a thousand ways Noelle might respond to him, but he had never expected her to ask, "Who are you?"He stood frozen in place, momentarily questioning whether he had misheard her. Or had he mistaken someone else for her?"I should know you, right?" Before he could react, Noelle spoke again, "But I'm sorry, I can't remember who you are."She couldn't remember? Dylan almost laughed. And then he did.What was this? Was she trying to tell him that she no longer had any feelings for him? That now, she had even forgotten who he was?His jaw clenched, his gaze locking onto her.Noelle sensed his anger. Realizing she might have misspoken, she quickly explained, "I'm sorry. I was injured before, so I forgot some things. If I said something wrong, please forgive me."At that, Dylan loosened his fists. Then, he looked at her in disbelief. "What did you just say?""I said I forgot some things, so—"Noelle wasn't even sure if she should know him. But the way Dylan was looki
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 797
"How is it that Hendrix could find Noelle, but you idiots still couldn't dig up a single clue after months? Useless! Every last one of you!" Dylan's voice burned with fury. He barely held back from erupting completely.He knew it. He freaking knew it!The way Hendrix had looked at him last night—that gaze had been telling him everything. Not only was he back, but he had brought Noelle with him.So what now? What the hell was all Dylan's effort for? After everything he had done, was he still supposed to slink away in defeat? Meanwhile, they got to live happily ever after? Why the hell should things turn out like that?"Where is she now?" Dylan asked.The question stunned the person on the other end. "W-What did you say?""I asked you—where is Noelle right now?""S-She's on her way to the hospital?""The hospital?""Yeah, we're tailing their car. It looks like she's going to see her adoptive mother at the hospital."Dylan stopped listening. He hung up and stormed forward. He fo
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 796
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Dylan hadn't slept a wink.He didn't even step foot into his bedroom. Instead, he'd spent the entire night in his study, staring at streams of data on his computer.He had expected Hendrix to make a move. After all, how could he possibly do nothing now that he was back?And yet, there was nothing. Or was it that Dylan couldn't see it yet?No. That wasn't right. A sudden thought struck Dylan—Hendrix had told everyone that he had been on a vacation.And earlier today, Dylan had seen for himself that aside from the injury on Hendrix's arm, there wasn't a single mark on him. Which meant Hendrix had been conscious this entire time. But if he had been conscious, why had he taken no precautions against Dylan's moves?Unless this was all a trap. A hole was dug in advance, just waiting for Dylan to step right in.A cold sweat broke across his back at the thought of that. He immediately began tearing through the files, cross-referencing data with
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 795
"You go ahead and sleep. I'll take a shower first," Hendrix said."Okay," Noelle replied, turning away immediately.Though she had accepted her identity, she was still clearly uncomfortable being close to Hendrix. The tips of her ears burned red as she faced the other direction.Hendrix was about to tease her when his phone rang. The name on the screen wiped the smile from his face.After glancing at Noelle, he stepped out to answer."We just got word—the Swift family has pulled their funds together," the person on the other end reported. "Seems they've heard you're back and decided to pause their plans."Amity Group was too massive to target. It would take months to fully dismantle it.Dylan had gotten this far as he did not because Hendrix's absence left the company in chaos but also because of the Swift family's backing. Now that Hendrix had returned, they knew things wouldn't be so simple.And without a swift victory, prolonged financial strain would become a problem—even f
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 794
"Rosie's fine. I already calmed her down," Hendrix replied.But Noelle didn't relax at his words. She continued to peek worriedly into Rosie's room."Don't worry. She's already asleep," Hendrix assured her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "You've had a long day too. Go get some sleep."Noelle didn't say anything, but the disappointment in her downcast eyes was unmistakable. "There's an event at her kindergarten this Friday," Hendrix suddenly said. "You should go."Her head snapped up in surprise."You were the one who always attended before. And if you go, Rosie will definitely be happy."After a brief hesitation, Noelle nodded."Come on. Let's get some sleep."As Hendrix led her to bed, Noelle suddenly asked him, "Can you tell me about my past?"The question caught Hendrix off guard. "What?""Anything that happened in the past," Noelle said. "About Rosie or anything from before her."Hendrix went quiet. His mind raced through their shared history. Then, he realized
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 793
Hendrix had rushed back because Rosie was crying—loudly and heartbreakingly so. Since the day he first met her, this was the first time he had ever seen her cry like this.Earlier, Rosie had been overjoyed to see Noelle, clinging to her and refusing to let go.But now, Noelle stood beside her, completely at a loss.Hendrix took one look and immediately knew what was going on. He crouched in front of Rosie. "Don't cry."Rosie glanced at him, only to wail even harder.Hendrix frowned and turned to Noelle. "Did you say something to her?""Not much." Noelle twisted the hem of her shirt. "She mentioned her birthday is coming up, and I said I forgot."Of course. Hendrix wasn't surprised. He grabbed a tissue, wiped Rosie's tears, and picked her up.Noelle moved to follow, but Hendrix quickly turned his head around and said, "Go back to your room first. I'll come find you later."Noelle stopped in her tracks, her eyes lingering on them until Hendrix shut Rosie's bedroom door behind hi
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 792
The banquet continued.Once the crowd confirmed the man before them was indeed Hendrix, they swarmed him with questions and concern."Where have you been all this time?""Why was there no news of you at all?""I knew those reporters were unreliable! But it's such a relief you're safe.""What are your plans now, Mr. Freeman?"In reality, Amity Group's current situation wasn't optimistic. But some people were simply born with a presence—no matter what circumstances they were in or what challenges they faced, they remained composed. And in doing so, they inspired confidence in everyone around them.Dylan stood there, watching him coldly. Then, something occurred to him. He turned away and dialed a number."When did Hendrix return? And did he come back alone?"If Hendrix was back, what about Noelle? Something about Hendrix's demeanor felt off to Dylan. Before his disappearance, Hendrix had been outright hostile toward him. Yet tonight, he'd greeted him willingly, and he hadn't men
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 791
Anton was the first to frown. At first, he thought someone had come to cause trouble.He was about to signal his bodyguards to check on the situation when he saw someone walking straight toward him.The man was dressed in a black suit with a white dress shirt underneath. There seemed to be an injury on his arm, so his jacket was draped over his jacket instead.His hair was neatly combed back, revealing a strikingly handsome and chiseled face. His perfect features and commanding presence instantly overshadowed everything else in the banquet.And along with the fading colors of the scene, Dylan's face also paled. Everyone else was shocked, but he was the only one who was truly panicked.What was going on? Hendrix was still alive? No, that was impossible. If he were still alive, why hadn't the people Dylan sent out reported back at all?No, that didn't make sense. If Hendrix had really been alive all this time, how could he have remained completely silent while Dylan made all those
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 790
Night fell, and the city lights flickered to life.The banquet was being held at Anton's private vineyard. By the time Dylan arrived, it was already in full swing.The front courtyard was packed with luxury cars, and the moment he stepped into the hall, the crisp scent of champagne hit him.The room was filled with men and women in lavish attire, a scene of pure indulgence and decadence."Mr. Pritchett, you made it!"A year ago, Dylan would've been ignored at an event like this. But now, the second he appeared, someone was already slinging an arm around his shoulders, striking up a conversation."These spineless hypocrites," thought Dylan with disdain. But on the surface, he effortlessly slipped into a practiced smile as he exchanged pleasantries with the other guests, making his way toward Anton."Good evening, Mr. Sherman."Anton turned at the sound of his voice, eyes skimming over Dylan before recognition flickered. "Oh, it's you, Mr. Pritchett."A few older men stood aroun
