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Chapter 9
Kaugnay na kabanata
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 10
To most outsiders, Noelle seemed like a rigid and boring person. Most of the time, it was rare to see any emotional fluctuation from her. But now, she was like a cornered wild animal, shedding her usual gentle demeanor and baring her claws.However, this small display of resistance was nothing to Hendrix. He didn't even bother responding to her. Instead, he lifted her from the bed and began to dress her himself. Noelle tried to push him away, but the difference in their strength was too great. In the end, he dragged her downstairs without much issue."Mr. and Mrs. Freeman…" Mabel, who was already downstairs, paused in surprise when she saw the tug-of-war between them.Upon seeing her, Noelle quickly composed herself and stopped struggling. Then, she followed Hendrix out the door.Once they had driven for a while, Noelle gradually calmed down.After taking a deep breath, she turned to Hendrix and said, "There's no need for us to go to the hospital. I'll explain everything to Mom
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 11
Even Martin, with his experience in the field, looked taken aback when he heard Noelle's remark. Most of his patients wanted children. Hence, it shocked him to learn that Noelle had been taking birth control pills.Martin could not help but glance at Hendrix. Hendrix frowned. He did not seem aware of the birth control pills that Noelle had been taking.However, Martin quickly gathered himself. After a pause, he recommended, "Well, you should stop taking birth control pills. I'll prescribe you something. You need to nurse your health for now."Noelle said nothing more, though she was quick to accept Martin's prescription. "Thank you."With that, she left without so much as looking back. Hendrix followed behind her.Knowing he had no time for her, she went ahead to hail a cab after leaving the hospital. However, he pulled her back. "Get into the car." His tone was icy, just like the look in his eyes."It's fine. I'll call a cab home.""Noelle Swanson, I'm asking you to get into
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 12
In the end, Hendrix didn't send Noelle to the villa. After he made himself clear, he dropped her off at a random intersection.Before she even stood still, he had sped away in his black Porsche without hesitation. That did not surprise her at all. Still, she couldn't help but curl her fist out of anger, digging her nails into her palm.She felt a slight pang of pain in her flesh—a warning to herself not to hold any hope for Hendrix.Since she was still out there, she decided to go shopping. Alas, luck wasn't on her side. She bumped into someone she despised when she entered the mall."Hah! Mrs. Freeman, is that you?" Ruth said with a grin. "How surprising! I thought an uppity woman like you would never go to the mall!"As Sandra's best friend, Ruth was the one who loved picking on Noelle the most. The other friends had mellowed down after Noelle married Hendrix, but not Ruth. Instead, she seemed to grow more vicious in her attacks.Unwilling to waste time on Ruth, Noelle planned
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 13
Noelle laughed loudly after hearing Ruth's mockery. Ruth's smug smile turned into a frown. She asked Noelle, "What are you laughing for?""Ms. Upton, you should brush up on basic knowledge. You don't want to be both crude and ignorant—a dumb yet evil woman!" Noelle had been rather restrained in her sarcastic jabs earlier, but now, she openly mocked Ruth.Ruth's expression fell. She even reached out to grab Noelle's hair when the latter tried to walk around her.Ruth barked, "How dare a country bumpkin like you insult me? Look in the mirror! Do you think you're something after you married up?"However, her insults were cut short by a clean slap from Noelle. Taken aback, she soon shrieked and threw herself at Noelle.In the midst of the chaos, Sandra hit a glass wall on the side—perhaps she had been shoved by Ruth when she tried to stop the latter, or it could be a deliberate attempt to victimize herself.She was on the floor amidst the screams of some passersby. Arm raised, bloo
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 14
"Noelle!" Sandra rushed up to Noelle and grabbed her hand. "Noelle, are you mad at me? Mom meant well. It was my fault for accidentally hurting myself."Don't worry. I'll move out of your house. I won't be a bother to you and Hendrix…""Great," Noelle agreed without hesitation. Matilda frowned at her response while Sandra looked surprised."I'll leave now." Without a care, Noelle removed her hand from Sandra's grip to leave.Sandra's tearful voice could be heard from behind. "Mom, what do I do? Noelle probably hates me now…"For a moment, Noelle had the urge to turn around and admit that she indeed hated Sandra, but she quickly struck down the thought. She didn't want to be slapped by Matilda.After all, Matilda had hit her before over some words.At first, Noelle could not believe that her parents would play favorites against their biological daughter. She soon realized that they felt ashamed of her past in the countryside.They refused to accept the rural mindset of their d
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 15
Noelle jolted in shock. She instinctively covered up before she turned to Hendrix with a frown. He did not look any happier to see her.Engaged in a staredown, they appeared more like enemies than a married couple."Please get out. I'm going to bed soon." She finally opened her mouth.To her surprise, Hendrix did not lose his temper. He decisively turned around. Before leaving, he reminded her, "Keep your calendar empty around noon tomorrow."She blurted out, "What for?"Hendrix did not answer. Staring at him, Noelle insisted. "If you're thinking of making me apologize to Sandra, I won't do that."He finally stopped in his tracks, confirming her guess.She clenched her fist."Noelle, she's your sister," Hendrix remarked with a flat expression."I don't have a sister. Besides, she fell down and hurt herself. Why would I apologize when I haven't done anything wrong?""But did you do anything right by her?" He smirked. "How dare you get into a fight with your status?""Right!
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 16
In the end, Noelle put away the divorce papers.The next day, she drove herself to the Swanson residence without waiting for Hendrix. The residence was slapped right at the border of downtown Coppersville and the countryside—an expensive area renowned for its suburbs of villas.A maid immediately spotted Noelle right after she parked her car. The said maid did not greet Noelle. Instead, she hurried back into the house.Noelle saw the maid scurrying inside, but she didn't mind. She got out of the car. Before she made her way there, she specially bought a few gifts. After all, she was there to "apologize".The moment Noelle stepped foot in the house, the same maid who ran into the house to alert everyone showed up and smiled at her. "Ms. Noelle, you're here."Noelle gave her a nod."Noelle!" Sandra hurried down the stairs in a white dress. Her curls cascaded down her shoulders. She looked ravishing with that innocent look.Though Sandra was calling out to Noelle, her eyes searched
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 17
"Oh, how could I ever blame you?" Matilda instantly felt sorry when she saw Sandra's pitiful demeanor. She pulled Sandra closer. "Why did you make such a silly move? Thank goodness you've only hurt your arm. What if you hurt and scar your face?"Sandra shook her head forlornly. "I couldn't think of a better idea. Anything was better than having Noelle and Ruth fight…"Something crossed Matilda's mind when she heard Sandra's words. She glared at Noelle. "Look at what you've done! You're older than Sandy, but she has to help you out! Don't you feel ashamed?""I don't need her help."Matilda's face fell at Noelle's reply. "What did you say? What length would you go to if Sandy hadn't held you back? Do you know you were fighting in public? You'll be a disgrace to the family if those clips of the fight make it to the Internet! What would the Freemans think of you?"Noelle stayed quiet, yet the look in her eyes suggested indifference. Noting her nonchalance, Matilda started shaking in
Pinakabagong kabanata
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 750
"Nelly?" a voice called out, and Noelle snapped out of her thoughts."Mom, what's wrong?" she asked."I should be asking you that," Irene said, tapping the edge of Noelle's bowl with a frown. "You're supposed to be eating. What are you daydreaming about?"Noelle let out a soft "oh" and obediently lowered her head to continue eating.With a frown still on her face, Irene asked, "Are you still thinking about what happened today? Those cops were talking nonsense! Anyway, the date is already set, so we'll go ahead with the wedding. "You're not getting any younger. Once you're married, hurry up and have a baby. I can help take care of them.""Who am I marrying?" Noelle asked."What are you talking about? You're marrying Sid, of course. I've already accepted the wedding gift. What else do you want?" Irene furrowed her brows tighter as she spoke.Noelle quickly shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just asking.""You must be over the moon, huh? Wasn't this already decided before? Bes
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 749
"Mrs. Wallace, look. This is a photo of Mr. Freeman's wife, and she looks exa—"Irene cut Jerry off, "What photo? What do I care what his wife looks like? This is my daughter!" "I understand, but since there's doubt, why not settle it with a DNA test? Once the results are in—""What DNA test? I won't do it! You're all out of your minds! How could my daughter suddenly be someone else's wife? Nelly, we're leaving!"With that, Irene grabbed Noelle's hand and turned to leave.Jerry was about to step forward and say something, but Hendrix stopped him."Mr. Freeman, what are you—""Where do they live?" Hendrix asked."What?""The village they mentioned—where is it?"…People always said it wasn't unusual for two people in the world to look alike. But Hendrix knew he hadn't made a mistake. There was no way he could have been wrong.In truth, he could have taken Noelle to the hospital right then and there, and a simple DNA test would have confirmed her real identity. Even if she h
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 748
"Isn't there a hospital nearby?" Hendrix asked, his impatience creeping into his voice. "A DNA test would settle this, wouldn't it?""Yes, that's right." Jerry finally remembered this option and immediately arranged for someone to take them to the hospital.But Sid wasn't having it. "No way! You're all in on this! Don't think I don't see what's going on—you're just sucking up to this guy because he's rich. And when the results come back, you'll make sure they say whatever he wants!""Mr. Hodge, please watch what you're saying." Jerry's expression darkened. "Do you even realize where you are and what you're saying?""I—whatever! You're all in this together. We're leaving right now!"With that, Sid grabbed Noelle's hand and was about to pull her away when Hendrix stood up."Let go of her hand," he said icily."This has nothing to do with you! I'm telling you. They might suck up to you, but I'm not afraid of you! You can—""Mr. Hodge, if you insist on leaving now, we can charge yo
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 747
"His wife? No, this is my wife. We're going to register our marriage today. Her mother has already accepted the wedding gift!" The man's voice grew louder.Hendrix snapped back to the present. Slowly, he turned to look at Noelle, as if waiting for her to explain. But she wouldn't even meet his gaze.She didn't seem the least bit happy at seeing him again. Instead, she was trying to pry his fingers off her in a bid to free herself."Noelle," Hendrix called her name. "What are you doing?"But she gave him no response.Hendrix clenched his teeth, and he was about to pull her closer to question her when Noelle screamed, "Let me go!"Her sharp voice forced Hendrix to release his grip. Noelle immediately stepped back and hid behind the man."See? She doesn't know you at all. So like I said, she's not your wife. I think you're just trying to take advantage of my wife because she's pretty! You might look decent on the surface, but you're nothing but a shameless scumbag!"The man was fu
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 746
Hendrix's phone continued to ring. Beside him, Jerry was still rambling about something. The man sitting next to her was speaking animatedly, trying to explain himself.But all those sounds faded into nothing for Hendrix. His vision narrowed to only the woman in front of him. She was sitting beside the man, wearing a rough but clean white shirt, her hair tied into a low ponytail.Hendrix was actually standing quite far from her. But the woman's figure was etched into his mind. His breathing grew rapid, his hands clenched, and even his shoulders began to tremble slightly."Mr. Freeman?" Jerry had been talking the whole time. But when he realized Hendrix hadn't responded, he couldn't help but call out to him.Hendrix didn't answer. He just stood there, staring intently at the woman."Mr. Freeman, are you—" Jerry wanted to say more, but Hendrix had already started walking toward her.At first, his steps were hesitant, stiff, and slow. But then, his pace quickened.By the time he re
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 745
But in the end, Hendrix still managed to finish his sentence. Even Jerry couldn't help but be moved by the sight of him. He quickly nodded and said, "Don't worry. I'll definitely help you. I mean, this is our duty, after all. So, you can rest assured!"As he spoke, he signaled to his colleague to print out the photo of Noelle from Hendrix's phone.When Jerry saw the photo again, he furrowed his brows slightly. He couldn't help but feel like he had seen the woman in the photo somewhere before. But he couldn't remember where."Captain Ortiz?" someone beside him called out cautiously.Only then did Jerry snap out of it and realize Hendrix was still in the office."Oh, right. This way, please, Mr. Freeman. I'll take you to the hotel now.""Thank you." Hendrix nodded at him.Jerry smiled and opened the office door for him.Meanwhile, the man who had just been brought in was still arguing. "It's not like that. We're really getting married out of our own free will. We're from the sa
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 744
To avoid his superiors blaming him for Hendrix losing too much blood, Jerry had him taken to his office. As he questioned Hendrix, he also tended to his wound.Just as he finished, officers returned from the scene with two more people in tow."What are you doing? We're completely legal! I even gave her mother a wedding gift! Why are you bringing me to the station?" the man kept shouting angrily as he walked in.Jerry frowned and turned to his colleague. "What's going on?""Oh, the courthouse reported them," the colleague explained. "They were there to register their marriage today, but the bride's ID didn't match her. The age didn't line up, either. "Plus, she couldn't remember her full name and seemed a bit off. The courthouse staff suspected human trafficking, so they called us."As the colleague spoke, Jerry glanced at the two newcomers.He noticed that the woman was quite beautiful. Though she was dressed in rough clothes and her hair was disheveled, her tanned skin and del
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 743
So, had something really happened to Noelle? Was she really dead?No, that couldn't be possible. But if she wasn't, then why couldn't Hendrix find a single trace of her? Even when he had already exhausted all his connections and resources. And more importantly, if she were still alive, how could she not send him even the slightest message?This was a possibility Hendrix had considered before, but he had never been able to accept it.Now, his worst fears had been confirmed. The one thing that had kept him going all this time crumbled in an instant. He stood frozen, unable to react.At that moment, the men charged at him, their weapons aimed directly at him.Even though he had gone stiff and no longer had the will to live, Hendrix instinctively raised his arm as the blade came down.The blade struck his arm, and the sharp pain snapped him back to reality. He kicked the man in front of him away. Then, he opened the car door and got inside without hesitation."Don't let him escape!"
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 742
The plane landed safely. Hendrix then drove himself to Creston.The journey took five or six hours, but he didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue. He had considered bringing someone with him, but Dylan had insisted he come alone. Otherwise, all he would find was Noelle's corpse.Hendrix didn't want to take that risk. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Noelle. Besides, he had already made arrangements for what would come after. If he really died there, Dylan wouldn't survive, either.Once Dylan was gone, the people backing him would lose their support, and they would have no choice but to release Noelle. That was if Noelle was still alive.But if something had already happened to her, then it was only right for him to join her in death. He knew this was irresponsible of him—especially toward Beatrice and Rosie, and just when Rosie had finally started to warm up to him.But before he was a son or a father, Hendrix was first and foremost himself—and Noelle's husb
