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
"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
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!
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
"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
Finally, Noelle clenched her fist and looked up at Sandra, who flashed her a doelike, innocent smile.After some staring, Noelle broke out in laughter. Then, she spat, "You're a bastard child."Everyone had their sore spot. She had hit Sandra where it hurt. The bastard child insult was taboo for Sandra, whose expression soured.Without thinking, she shoved Noelle to the ground. Engulfed in anger, she lost her calm and acted impulsively. It wasn't until she had lashed out that she realized she had done wrong.However, it was too late.They heard Matilda's shocked gasps. "What did you do?"Sandra froze on the spot. She quickly turned around to explain herself, but Matilda passed her by. Sandra's outreached arms hung awkwardly in the air.Noelle was quick to recover. She got up from the ground with a chuckle. "I'm fine."Her actions were reminiscent of Sandra's usual tactics, but her smile was more sarcastic than Sandra's.Matilda missed the sarcasm in Noelle's expression. She me
Considering the maid's testimony and Sandra's hesitation just now, Matilda weighed the pros and cons and came to a decision. She turned to Noelle and barked, "Noelle Swanson!"She would have slapped Noelle right there if Hendrix weren't present. She continued berating Noelle, "Sandy is your younger sister, and we Swansons see her as our daughter! Who do you think you are? And what do you take the family as?"Noelle did not reply. After looking at the tearful Sandra, she turned to Hendrix, who stared at her glumly.Of course, he was upset to learn about his wife making such crass comments about others. He must have hated for his childhood friend to be insulted in that way.Noelle was most devastated by Hendrix's unconditional trust in Sandra. He believed Sandra had a good reason to lash out against others. However, he never cared enough to inquire about the reason behind Noelle's fight with Ruth at the mall—it simply wasn't worth his attention.Hendrix would never defend her. All h
Noelle said she wanted a divorce, but Hendrix showed no reaction.He shot her a look before accepting the papers. Flipping through the pages, he arrived at the final page and saw that she had signed it. He chuckled.Before Noelle could read his reaction, he had torn the divorce papers in half, causing her heart to skip a beat.Soon, she calmed down and said to him, "Mr. Freeman, I can print a new copy for you if you're unhappy with the one in your hands."Remaining silent, he tossed the papers into the trash can while striding toward Noelle. She looked shocked when he closed in, and she instinctively backed off.She retreated until her waist was pressed against the edge of the table. The bruises around her waist hurt when she knocked against the table, causing her to draw a sharp breath.Hendrix grabbed her wrist. "Noelle, are you threatening me with a divorce? Or is this your way of giving in to make progress with me? Your crass tricks disgust me!"She could not believe that
Noelle's expression changed at that moment. It took her a while to find her voice to ask, "Is that what really happened?""Hendrix definitely hasn't told you all these, right?" Dylan smirked. "It's because he's too afraid to mention them. So, tell me. How could someone like him possibly deserve a happy life? "Don't worry. I'll make sure to take him down this time. Once I get your passport, you can go whenever you want."When he finished speaking, there was sincerity and seriousness in his eyes as he looked at Noelle. He really hoped she would stay. Of course, he wanted victory. But if he could have her by his side when he achieved it, that would be even better.Although once he reached the top, anyone could stay by his side. But the person he wanted most was Noelle."Thank you," Noelle said in the end.That wasn't the answer Dylan was most satisfied with. But he knew he couldn't afford to rush things just yet. For now, it was enough that Noelle was on his side."Alright, go to
As Dylan spoke, his teeth clenched tighter. It was unclear whether he was trying to convince Noelle or himself.Noelle remained silent, quietly watching him.After staring at her for a while, Dylan suddenly laughed. "So, do you know why we were celebrating tonight?"Noelle shook her head."Because we stole Fuer Fund's opportunity! It's all thanks to the plan you sent me before. Now, no matter what Fuer Fund does next, we'll know about it. "George is really happy, too. He used to doubt my abilities, worried that I'd drag down his fund, but you should've seen how he treated me tonight."Not just him, but the whole industry now recognizes me. I've finally established myself here!"Dylan's voice grew more excited as he spoke.Noelle, however, remained calm.The only sign of change was when she heard that he succeeded because of the plan she had given him—her brow slightly lifted. But it was just for a moment.She quickly regained her calm and nodded.Her reaction made Dylan fro
George didn't care about being cautious. He was too excited. He had clashed with Fuer Fund a few times before, but when faced with absolute power, he had barely gotten any scraps from the table.Now, to be able to seize such a large slice of the pie from Fuer Fund and force them to back off, how could George not be thrilled?Thus, the drinks kept coming, one after another.Even if Dylan hadn't planned on getting drunk, it was hard to refuse the goodwill of so many people. In the end, he was thoroughly drunk.When he returned to the apartment, his steps were unsteady. Seeing the light still on inside, he paused for a moment. Then, he suddenly remembered he didn't live alone anymore. Noelle also lived with him now.Though Dylan was well aware, and his rational mind reminded him repeatedly that he had essentially kept her here as a hostage. If Hendrix made any further moves, he would have no choice but to kill her.But when he saw the light she had left on for him, Dylan couldn't he
The plan Hendrix had given Dylan was, of course, real. Though he had been tempted to lace it with a trap and watch him walk right into it, he knew better—Dylan wasn't that stupid.More importantly, what Hendrix truly wanted wasn't just to bait Dylan into a trap. Even if Dylan didn't trust the plan, it didn't matter. Their team would still move forward with the plan. But if he did trust it, all the better.Fuer Fund wouldn't tolerate anyone messing with their slice of the pie. And what Hendrix wanted was to drag Erwin and the rest of them into the game.Dylan might have found himself a solid backer, but this wasn't Coppersville. Taking him down alone wouldn't be easy. But what if Fuer Fund collapsed with Hendrix? That would change everything, and that was Hendrix's real goal.Thus, Hendrix didn't even panic when Erwin called him out on it. He simply raised an eyebrow."If this gets out, do you still think you'll have a place in this business?" Erwin slammed his hand on the desk. "O
"Stay at your place?" Noelle asked."Yeah," Dylan said with a smile. "Hendrix already has another woman now, doesn't he? But don't worry. Unless it's something you're willing to do, I'll never touch you.""Alright."Dylan had planned to say more but was caught off guard by how readily Noelle agreed. Her response made even him freeze for a second. Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly."Do you need me to do anything else?" Noelle asked.She looked completely sincere and serious, like they were truly on the same side now.But Dylan still held on to a shred of suspicion. Regardless, Noelle was in his hands for the time being. If all of this really was an act, and she was lying to him, then she shouldn't blame him for what came next.With that thought, Dylan smiled slightly and gently took Noelle's hand. "Alright. I'll have someone make arrangements right away."Just as he finished speaking, his partner George called to inform him that Hendrix's side had already started moving."Tha
Dylan took Noelle out of the hospital. She truly wasn't feeling well. After Dylan drove for a while, her complexion turned even paler.In the end, Dylan had no choice but to take her to another hospital. While the doctor reported her condition to him, Dylan's gaze slowly fell on the person lying in the hospital bed.Noelle had fallen into a sleep. Her face was still pale, and her brows were tightly furrowed. She looked so fragile and delicate. But at that moment, Dylan couldn't be sure if she was scheming something.Ultimately, he didn't do anything. He just quietly sat by her side. He didn't know how much time had passed before Noelle finally woke up.When she saw him, she seemed momentarily startled. Then, a flicker of disappointment passed clearly through her eyes.Noticing this, Dylan narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing."Thank you," Noelle said softly.Dylan looked at her without responding."Can I see my phone?" she asked.He handed it to her in silence.Noelle
Dylan's gaze darkened. Just as he was about to step forward, someone else beat him to it.Hendrix crouched down in front of Noelle. "What happened?"Seeing this, Dylan almost laughed. He knew things wouldn't be that simple. With how devoted Hendrix had been to Noelle before, how could he possibly fall out of love so quickly?As expected, this was just a show the two of them had put on for Dylan. With that though, he didn't linger. He turned and was about to leave when he heard Noelle's voice."Let go of me!"Her voice wasn't loud in the noisy hospital, but Dylan heard it clearly. He immediately turned his head.Hendrix was holding onto her other hand, seemingly trying to take her away.But Noelle kept struggling. "Let go of me!""Noelle Swanson!""You already have another woman, so why do you still care about me?" Noelle gritted her teeth and glared at him. "Let me tell you—I don't want anything you gave me! And I don't want to see you right now, either!"As she spoke, she tr
Dylan still didn't believe what Noelle had said, including the plan she gave him. He thought the whole thing was just an act staged by Hendrix and Noelle together. But now, Hailey's words were starting to make him waver.Hailey was one of his people. He had deliberately instructed her to approach Amy today—something Hendrix definitely didn't know about. If this really was all an act, would they really go this far?More importantly, the plan Noelle gave him was airtight. It detailed Fuer Fund's upcoming plan to acquire and merge with Julius Fund. From strategy to step-by-step execution, everything was laid out with incredible detail.He had even gone over it with George Hardin. If the plan was genuine, they could move on Julius Fund before Fuer Fund did—selling it off at the right time.This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.Even if the plan was fake, it must have cost Hendrix an enormous amount of time. Dylan didn't believe he would waste so much effort crafting this elaborate
Amy spun around instantly and saw Hendrix walking toward her.Even though their relationship was purely transactional—and even though Amy knew better than anyone that catching feelings for a client was the worst mistake she could make—she still had to admit something.Even without Hendrix's status, his looks and presence alone were enough to make any woman blush and her heart race. Being able to call him her boyfriend, even if only on the surface, gave Amy a kind of prestige wherever she went.Seeing that Hendrix was about to reach her, Amy was about to greet him when Hailey suddenly stepped ahead of her."Hi! Are you Amy's boyfriend?" she asked.Hendrix narrowed his eyes at her. "And you are?""I'm her friend. We were out shopping together today. What a surprise to run into you like this!" Hailey said with a grin. "Amy's always bragging about you. Now, I finally see why she's been hiding you from us."As she spoke, Hailey moved to slip her arm through Hendrix's. She was wearing