Chapter 9

Noelle could not stop herself from raising her voice, and tears streamed down her face without warning. She reached out and pried Xavier’s fingers off the handle one by one before shoving him away forcefully. “If both you and Winter aren’t to blame, does that mean that I’m the one to be blamed? If you had been even the slightest bit considerate of my feelings, you wouldn’t need to be doing all this today. Xavier Harris, you could have told me you didn’t like me, and we could have broken up. I’m not the type of girl who’d give you trouble over it. As for you, Winter Shaw, you say time and time again that we’re sisters, but what have you ever done for me? You could have told me you had feelings for Xavier, and I would have given you two my blessings when I realized he liked you too. After all, I would not have survived till today if it wasn’t for what you did all those years ago. But does that mean I’ll forever be indebted to you? Huh?”

Tears were flowing freely down Noelle’s face when she finished speaking. She could not wrap her head around it. One was her older sister, and the other was a man she had spent the past three years loving. How could they have hurt her this way?

“You’re asking me to settle for less after doing such things to me? Are you asking me to tell Grandpa that it was all my fault? Even a dog has more loyalty than you!” Noelle had never been one to cry much, but she felt overcome with aggravation right then.

“Noelle!” Winter clapped a hand to her mouth, tears flowing down her face as she gazed at her with a heartbroken expression. However, she collapsed into Xavier’s arms as she said, “Why would you say that? You’ve always been my beloved younger sister. Trust me, you’re the last person in the world I would ever hurt. Have you forgotten that I was the one who saved you when you were kidnapped as a child? If it wasn’t for me, how would you still be standing here healthy and in one piece?”

“Yes, you saved me, but does that mean I have to be under your thumb for the rest of my life?” Noelle asked as she gazed at Winter disappointedly. “You should leave. Like I said, you can do whatever you want to do. I’ve repaid everything I’ve ever owed you.”

Noelle slammed the door in their faces. However, after the door shut completely, she slumped against it and slowly slid onto the floor.

Winter continued rapping on her door, and her weak voice made it seem like Noelle was the evil one. Then, Xavier’s cruel words rang out. “I was wrong about you, Noelle. You’ve disappointed me greatly.”

Finally, everything went quiet. Noelle sat on the ground and curled into a ball, wrapping her arms around herself as she did so. Her tears soon formed a puddle on her knees.

A long time passed before she finally raised her head again, a dazed look in her eyes as she slowly got to her feet. After all, no matter what happened, life had to go on. She would not be that easily defeated.

Her phone began ringing, and a gloomy look appeared in her eyes when she saw the caller ID. “Hello? Grandpa! Yes, I just got home,” Noelle said as she sniffled, doing her best to sound like everything was perfectly fine. “Are you missing me, Grandpa?”

“Oh, you silly, silly girl!” Sebastian Jenkins said as he sighed ruefully. “Come visit me at home tomorrow!”

After getting the door slammed in their faces, both Xavier and Winter had ugly expressions on their faces. Winter gave Xavier a careful look before tugging on his jacket sleeve and asking aggrievedly, “What should we do, Xavier? If Noelle doesn’t come home with us, Grandpa will never agree to our marriage. I should have informed Noelle about this beforehand. I bet she hates us to our very core now. She’s always been a stubborn girl who doesn’t give a damn about how anyone else feels. I want to be with you, Xavier. I don’t want us to be separated.”

Winter fell into Xavier’s arms as she spoke and began sobbing.

Xavier frowned and patted Winter on the back as he spoke to her in a soft and comforting voice, any trace of guilt he felt toward Noelle vanishing. “Don’t worry. No matter what Noelle does, I won’t let her get what she wants. Our families are supportive of our marriage, and I don’t care if your grandfather refuses to give us his blessing. The Harris family is more than happy to welcome you into the family.”

Upon hearing Xavier’s promises, the corners of Winter’s lips curled upward as she held Xavier’s hands and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. “I love you, Xavier.”

“I love you too!” Xavier said as he wrapped his arms around Winter’s waist and kissed her passionately.

When the two finally parted begrudgingly, Winter lay her head on Xavier’s chest, an evil glint appearing in her eyes.

Look at your beloved man, Noelle Shaw. He’s nothing more than a fish caught in my net now!