āđāļāđāļēāļŠāļđāđāļĢāļ°āļāļāđāļāļĢāđ
Chapter 89
āļāļāļāļĩāđāđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļ§āļāđāļāļ
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
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 91
Sandra had a whole plan, and she even prepared a dance to further her personal agenda tonight. However, all of it went down the drain, and it was all because of Noelle.Noelle wore a mask, and her appearance was completely different from her usual getup. However, Sandra recognized her at first glance.At that moment, Sandra had the strong urge to make a dash at Noelle and tear off the latter's mask or just give her a hard shove. However, she did nothing of the sort. After all, she would've destroyed the image she had painstakingly maintained all these years.Sandra remained where she stood. She nearly ground her teeth to dust with how much gnashing she was doing. But aside from that, there was nothing else she could've done. This moment suddenly took Sandra back to when she was 14 years old. It was the time when she heard that Noelle would rejoin the Swanson family. For the last ten years, Sandra had reveled in all the attention and affection she received in the Swanson family.
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 92
"Six o'clock. Do you see the man standing there?" Brandon asked. He and Noelle were dancing. So, their bodies were pressed up against each other. It had been a long time since Noelle had done something this fun, and her breathing became a little uneven now. The tip of her nose was covered in sweat as well.After she heard what Brandon asked, she immediately looked over. "Yeah. So?""That's the son of Brennan Townsend, the CEO of Tidalwave Holdings. He has been watching you for a while now. I'll introduce you two later, and you'll dance with him for a while. How does that sound?"Noelle chuckled. "Why should I?""I'm going to collaborate with Brennan." Brandon didn't hide anything from Noelle, either. He continued, "If you help me this once, I will let you have direct shares in the production of your comic adaptation. If the TV series becomes insanely popular, you'll get your fair share of profits as well."Noelle merely chuckled again. It seemed like she wasn't much interest
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 93
"You're going to have to get in line, mister," Clark said as he turned around with a grin on his face. Hendrix responded calmly, "I beg to differ. I think the lady gets to choose who she's dancing with."What he said had Clark stumped. Hendrix no longer looked at Clark. Instead, his gaze was fixed on Noelle. His eyes had always displayed calmness, but it seemed like there were some repressed feelings underneath them.Noelle's hands hung by her side, and she couldn't help but clench her fists. After a brief moment, she suddenly giggled and rested her hand on Clark's palm. She agreed to dance with him. Hendrix's expression instantly darkened, and he clenched his palm. He intended to look at Noelle again, but she had already turned around with Clark. He gnashed his teeth as he looked at their retreating figures.At that moment, Brandon stepped forward and said, "Hi, Mr. Freeman."Hendrix looked at him with a blank face. Brandon continued with a smile on his face, "I didn't thi
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 94
Noelle and Clark's negotiation went smoothly. In fact, they went ahead with their second dance instead of leaving the dance floor even when the first song had ended."I don't think I've got your name yet," Clark couldn't resist asking her.Raising an eyebrow, she replied, "It's a masquerade ball. I don't see a need for us to exchange names.""But you already know who I am. Isn't that a little unfair for me?""There are plenty of people who are aware of your identity here. There's nothing I can do about it when you're so famous." There was a tinge of resignation in her tone.However, Clark didn't appear the slightest bit angry. Instead, he simply asked, "Does that mean that I won't get the chance to take you out for a meal after tonight?""Oh, you can still take me out." Noelle nodded earnestly as she continued, "When the time comes, you can bring your father along, and I'll come with Mr. Quinlan. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a meal together?""So, it turns out you're Brandon's
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 95
Only then did Noelle realize that something was amiss. She slowly drew back her foot, which was just about to give Hendrix another kick in the crotch.His gaze was piercingly cold, even with the mask in place. It felt as if he couldn't wait to tear her apart piece by piece.Noelle met his gaze for a long while. In the end, she still broke the silence as she spoke up, "WhyâĶ Why did you bring me here?""What's the matter? Are you upset that I've ruined your plans?" He sneered.Hendrix's face grew stormier as his grip around her chin became tighter. It was clear that he was holding a grudge because she'd rejected his dance invitation earlier. The kick she'd just given him only added fuel to the fire.Right now, his grip was so strong that it felt as if he was about to crush her bones.Noelle couldn't help but furrow her brows in pain. She was just about to push his hand away when Hendrix pinned her hands down. Then, he pushed his knee up and got right between her legs."You're cert
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 96
"What are you doing?" Noelle froze for a moment before she began struggling to break free from Hendrix's grasp. "Let me go! I said, let go of me!"Her legs thrashed around incessantly, and she even knocked off one of her high heels in the struggle.However, the hotel's corridor was carpeted. Not a single sound was heard when her heels dropped to the ground.Hendrix let Noelle down when they were in the elevator before trapping her in the corner. She was just about to leave when he grabbed her by the chin and pulled her into a kiss.But Hendrix didn't give her the chance to hesitate, let alone struggle. He pried her mouth open roughly with his tongue the moment his lips met hers.His relentless advance instantly left Noelle feeling suffocated. She couldn't even push him away when he'd pinned both of her hands down. Thrusting his knee up, it quickly found its way between her dress.He was clearly more familiar with her body than anyone else could ever be. But his rough-like actions
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 97
Noelle's tears started to fall uncontrollably."Jerk," she muttered through clenched teeth, her voice trembling.Hendrix, who had been ready to bite her neck just moments ago, froze when he heard her words. Then, he lifted his gaze.Noelle's lipstick was smudged, her eyeliner smeared from the tears that rolled down her cheeks, and her hair was a mess. She looked utterly disheveled.Yet, Hendrix's heart skipped a beat when he saw the tears glistening on her lashes.His movements slowed. Instead of continuing, he cupped the back of her head gently and kissed her.This kiss was much softer and tender. Noelle didn't resist the way she had earlier.In reality, Hendrix couldn't bear to see her in pain, either. But now, as her resistance eased, Hendrix found himself regaining his composure.Just as he was about to speak, hoping to reason with her, Noelle suddenly bit down hard on his lip.âĶ"Mr. Freeman."It had been a day, yet Dan still couldn't stop glancing at Hendrix's lips whe
āļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 842
"Do you not trust me?" Noelle asked.Hendrix was momentarily stunned, then he slowly frowned. "What did you say?""Do you not trust that I can protect myself or that I can help you? Or do you think I'm just a burden?""Of course not," Hendrix immediately denied it, his expression growing darker. "How could you think that of yourself? If I thought that, why would I bring you here?""Since it's not that, then why don't you want toâ""Because I don't want you to be in any danger," Hendrix said in a low voice. "Clearly, we could have used other methods, couldn't we?""But right now, this one is the fastest and most convenient, right?"Hendrix couldn't answer.Noelle smiled. "See? You're admitting it, too. And honestly, you don't have that much time, either. So, weighing the pros and cons, doesn't it make the most sense to choose the most efficient option right now?""No," Hendrix said through gritted teeth.Yet, he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.After meeting his gaze
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 841
"I know things aren't that simple," Noelle said quietly.Her sudden change of topic caused Hendrix to furrow his brows slightly.He wanted to say something, but Noelle continued, "If it were that simple, you wouldn't have agreed to let me use this method to lure Dylan out from the start. This isn't Coppersville, and more importantly, the people around you now are only driven by self-interest."So, it would be impossible for them to help you find Dylan and make him lose everything. That isâunless he makes a move against you first. But in that case, Dylan would definitely be extra cautious. He might even hide for years or decades."As Noelle spoke, Hendrix suddenly laughed. "So what? You think I can't wait?""I know you won't wait." Noelle looked up at him. "I know you're not as indifferent as you appear to be about what happened to the Swifts. If I don't do this, you'll definitely think of other ways, right?"And I also know that those ways of yours would be even more dangerous tha
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 840
The text message Hendrix had received just now was from Noelle. It contained the motel's address and the room number she had booked.The two of them hadn't seen each other at all these past few daysânot even a phone call. Noelle wasn't sure if Dylan had sent anyone to watch them, and even the slightest trace of contact could become the reason everything fell apart.Noelle knew she wasn't clever enough to cover every detail flawlessly, so instead she put on a performance so convincing, even she almost believed it.She understood that in Dylan's mind, he always believed himself to be a noble man. The belief came from the way his family had raised him and the public image he maintained.Dylan and Hendrix were completely different. Hendrix had never cared about what others thought of him. Even in public, if he disliked someone or found them disgusting, he wouldn't bother pretending otherwise. The fact that he didn't humiliate someone outright was already the limit of his courtesy.Wh
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 839
Amy figured that maybe Hendrix had somehow found out what she had been thinking earlier and wanted to kill her now to keep her quiet. After all, no one who could survive in that circle was really normal.She knew how this worked. To people like him, women like her weren't even human. If he was in a bad mood and decided to use her to vent, that would be totally normal to him.She licked her lips, just about to try explaining, when she realized that he wasn't even paying her any attention. He got out of the car without a word and walked straight inside.That reaction left Amy completely thrown. For a moment, she was at a loss for what to do.Should she follow him? But what if he really was planning to do something to her? If someone like her died here, no one would even notice.But if she didn't follow, and he wasn't planning anything, wouldn't she be missing a golden opportunity?Amy felt completely torn.As she watched him disappear into the motel, she threw all her concerns away
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 838
This was the second time Amy had seen Hendrix. The last time, he had picked her out of a groupâand today, he did the same.More importantly, Amy was now wearing the jewelry he had bought her. That piece alone had cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and he hadn't even blinked at the price.From that alone, Amy was certain that she had won. She had stood out among the prey and become the object of his favor. The only thing she wasn't sure of was how long his interest toward her would last.In the social circles of Nuvark, women like Amy had their own internal rankingsâa list sorted from most to least desirable targets. Hendrix wasn't on that list, but Amy knew that he was easily one of the top players in the game.She could tell that just by how Erwin and the others treated him. So, the fact that she hadn't hesitated and went straight for the win was the right call. And now, all the others could only look at her with envy and jealousy.The uniquely styled sports car sped down the
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 837
Then, Dylan hesitated a little. "Are you pitying me?""No, no!"Noelle quickly shook her head. "I just feel like I dragged you into this. It's like because I almost married you back then, Hendrix has been targeting you ever since. If not for that, you'd probably still be doing fine back home, and the Swift family wouldn't have ended up like this. So, I feel guilty."Her voice grew more hoarse as she spoke.Dylan stared at her for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. He laughed like he had just heard the funniest thing in the world, completely delighted."So, now you finally see Hendrix for who he really is?" he asked. "I told you beforeâhe's never treated you right. Otherwise, why would you have taken Rosie and run to another city in the first place?"And back then, if it hadn't been for me, you never would've been forced to marry him. So, Noelle, have you remembered now? The one you actually love is me."Noelle stared at him, stunned.Dylan stood up at that moment, closin
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 836
As soon as Noelle asked that, the man across from her clearly froze for a moment. Then, he chuckled softly.Noelle didn't say anything else. She just stared at him, steady and sure. There was something in her gazeâsomething unmistakably certain.Dylan no longer tried to keep up the act. He simply raised a hand and took off his sunglasses.His appearance had changed a bit since the last time. His beard was longer, his eye sockets deeper, and his overall presence had taken on a sharper, more dangerous edge.But when he looked at Noelle now, he smiled slightly. "So, you remember me?"Noelle didn't respond. Of course, Dylan hadn't forgotten the last time they had seen each other. And he wasn't sure if Noelle actually remembered everything, which made his smile a little stiff.But the next moment, Noelle asked, "Why are you here?""I'm working here. I couldn't survive in Coppersville anymore, remember?" Dylan replied.As he spoke, he kept his eyes on her, clearly watching for her r
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 835
Erwin was even beginning to wonder if Hendrix had actually lost his mind.But Hendrix just looked at him and countered, "Weren't you always the one telling me to live this way? Now that I'm finally enjoying it, why are you calling me crazy?"Erwin had no comeback for that.Hendrix glanced at him, then suddenly slung an arm around Erwin's shoulders and pointed at a woman up ahead. "Check her out. What do you think?"âĶNoelle spent three days alone in the hotel. During those three days, Hendrix never came back.She ate alone and sat alone in a hotel lobby, staring blankly into space. In the end, she decided to book an early flight home.Just as she lowered her head to check flights on her phone, someone suddenly sat down across from her.It was still bright outside. The hotel lobby lights were on, and a hanging lamp above them cast the man's shadows long across the floor.Noelle kept her head down. But the moment the man sat down, it was as if she could sense something. Her hand
The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 834
Noelle hadn't gone far. When Erwin came downstairs, she was standing at the entrance of the hotel, lost in thought.This wasn't Coppersville. Even in a place this well-lit, as a woman, she was still in danger. Moreover, she had obvious traits that made her an easy targetâan innocent face, small frame, and delicate appearance.Hendrix had brought Noelle to Nuvark before. But at that time, he treated her like a fragile porcelain doll. Wherever she went, he followed closely, as if terrified that the slightest accident might befall her.But tonightâĶErwin felt the situation was a bit too complicated. This, he thought, was more complicated than having to analyze hundreds of data sets at work.However, he didn't say much. As a host, he simply walked over to Noelle and told her he would have someone send her back to the hotel.Upon hearing his voice, Noelle slowly turned her head to look at him. When their eyes met, Erwin immediately frowned."Thank you," Noelle said softly, her eyes ev
āļāļēāļāļāļĩāļāļļāļāļāļēāļāļāļ°āļāļāļ
