Noelle didn't drink a lot today, but the dizziness she felt was just too familiar. Moreover, there was nobody left in the room.She immediately looked at Hendrix as she gritted her teeth and said, "Hendrix, how dare you use such despicable methods on me?"Her eyes turned red, and she clenched her fists. Furious and in disbelief, her arms and entire body were shaking.Hendrix also frowned, but he quickly reacted and said, "It's not me.""If not you, then…"Before she could finish, she thought of someone—Julio.No wonder!Judging by Hendrix's attitude tonight, he didn't seem entirely committed to cooperating with them, yet Julio had acted so confident earlier. So, this was Julio's plan all along—to offer her as a "gift" to Hendrix tonight.However, as this thought crossed her mind, Noelle quickly calmed down. She didn't argue with Hendrix further. Instead, she turned to leave. After all, she had no idea what Julio might have spiked her drink with, and she had no intention of ge
Hendrix sounded calm and serious.At that moment, Noelle suddenly recalled the scene on Serene Street, where Hendrix had mercilessly kicked Maxwell, with his expression just as serious and resolute as it was now.It was only now that she truly understood the madness lurking beneath his calm, composed exterior.He was never a kind or gentle man. For him, the end justified the means. This was who Hendrix truly was.The car soon pulled into the hotel parking lot. Hendrix stepped out, still carrying Noelle in his arms."Let… Let go of me!" Noelle bit her lip, her hands desperately shoving at his chest. "Hendrix, it's over between us! You're the one who said it was over!" Hendrix did not answer.Soon, the elevator door opened. Hendrix had booked the presidential suite, so the elevator brought them straight to his room. When he closed the door, he stopped controlling himself.Noelle was shoved against the door, and her coat was yanked off by him."Let go of me! Hendrix, you basta
Blood quickly seeped through Noelle's skin and hair. Even Hendrix was stunned briefly. It took him a while to recover before he snatched the ashtray from her hand.Seizing the opportunity, Noelle shoved him forward with all her remaining strength. She didn't say another word to him, nor did she spare him a glance. Instead, she turned and steadied herself, reaching for the door and pulling it open.But before she could step out, Hendrix's hand clamped tightly around her wrist from behind."Let me go! Hendrix, fucking let me go!" Noelle started shouting. Seeing that Hendrix didn't intend to let her go, she didn't care anymore and just bit his arm.She was on the verge of collapsing at this moment, so of course, she bit hard. Soon, she could taste the blood on her tongue, but Hendrix did not even make a sound.When Noelle was about to bite him again, his voice came from behind, laced with suppressed pain, "I'll send you to the hospital."…When Noelle woke up, she was in the hosp
When Noelle finished her soup, she saw Oliver, who was standing at the door and hesitating if he should come in.She glanced at him and said, "Come in.""Ms. Swanson, I really had no idea," said Oliver the moment he came in. "Mr. Garcia forced me to leave last night. He said you wanted to talk to Mr. Freeman. I swear I had no idea he would use such a despicable method!"Oliver sounded like he was wronged.Noelle did not blame him, either. She said, "Call Julio and tell him that I want to see him.""Now?""Yes, now." Noelle sounded sure, so Oliver didn't dare to ask anything else.When Julio arrived, Noelle asked Oliver and the caretaker to leave.Julio did not feel like he had done anything wrong. Instead, he seemed to be in a bad mood because his plan did not succeed."Was it you who laced my drinks with drugs?" Noelle asked.Julio glanced at her and just grinned. "I don't know what you mean.""I was admitted to the hospital last night. The doctor is fully aware of my con
Noelle's wound wasn't very serious. So, after the final checkup, she was discharged from the hospital.However, her wound hadn't fully healed yet, and there was a bandage on the corner of her forehead. The doctor said it would leave a scar.Well, Noelle didn't care. She was in the restaurant now, and the people kept giving her second glances. She just sat there silently.Outside the window were the busy streets of Vinton. The red taillights, the glowing lamps of the distant residential area, and the makeshift stalls selling fruits and hotdogs along the street created a city full of life and warmth. It felt much cozier than Coppersville, a place dominated by towering skyscrapers.As Noelle stood there lost in thought, a familiar sound of footsteps reached her ears.That sound—no matter how bustling the restaurant lobby was, she didn't need to turn around to know it was him.She had known him for many years—so many years that Noelle had forgotten when she first began secretly p
Then, Noelle looked at Hendrix. "What do you want to say?" Hendrix asked.This question caused Noelle's lips to press even tighter together. She set down her cutlery and wiped the corners of her mouth. "With this evidence, I can call the police," she said."Oh? Call the police to arrest me?" Hendrix smiled faintly.Looking at his smile, Noelle's brows furrowed even more. "What are you laughing at?""Oh? Should I not be laughing?"As if granting her wish, Hendrix quickly dropped his smile and asked again, "Since you plan to call the police, shouldn't you be at the station now? Why are you sitting here having a meal with me instead?"Noelle fell silent."Are you trying to use this to threaten me?" Hendrix continued, sliding on a pair of gloves as he began peeling shrimp with meticulous care.His actions were elegant, and his expression was composed, as though the two of them were merely on an ordinary dinner date.Then, he asked casually, "So, is this about getting me to hand
"He agreed to it?" Dylan asked.Noelle didn't seem to be in the right state of mind, so Dylan did not rush to push her. He only asked that question when they arrived at Galaxy Grove.Noelle was still in a daze, but she nodded."Are you still feeling uncomfortable?"Dylan reached out to caress her cheeks.This sudden movement spooked Noelle, and her body tensed up. But before she could dodge it, Dylan had already withdrawn his hand."Thank goodness your fever did not come back." Dylan retreated two steps and said, "But still, rest more."Noelle nodded.Before she went to her room, she turned around and said, "Thank you."Dylan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you thank Hendrix a lot when you were with him?"Noelle didn't expect him to ask this question, so she didn't know what to say.Dylan continued asking, "I'm actually quite curious. If Hendrix hadn't agreed to your conditions, would you still report him?""I… I will," answered Noelle, but her voice was weak. It was as i
"What do you mean? Are you saying Noelle really got it by…""How else? Didn't she use the same tricks to secure deals with Mr. Russo and the others before?""And Mr. Freeman doesn't mind? Wait. Isn't she Mr. Freeman's ex-wife?""Seems like it. Maybe this time she played the sympathy card. Poor Mr. Freeman, still stuck dealing with a woman like her..."The chatter abruptly stopped.The one speaking the most enthusiastically suddenly caught sight of Noelle stepping out of the elevator.Her face was expressionless, giving no clue as to how much she might have overheard. All they could do was awkwardly greet her.Noelle gave them a polite nod and, with the confident click of her high heels, headed toward the director's office, as though nothing had happened at all.…Noelle spent the entire day in the meeting room. Due to the cold air conditioning, her throat became a little painful again.When she went back to Galaxy Grove, it was already late at night.Dylan wasn't around, but
Noelle had no choice but to say, "I forgot. I just remember having a few meals with him.""So, it was a man?" Hendrix asked.Noelle nodded.Hendrix stared at her for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. "Then, he wasn't really paying attention to you. He didn't even remember you played an ordinary housemaid in that performance. You didn't even have a single line."After he said that, Noelle suddenly laughed.That small, sudden laugh made Hendrix frown deeply. Then, he realized something."See? You do remember!" Noelle said.Hendrix had no response. He probably hadn't expected that she would manage to trick him like that."So, you loved me back then, didn't you?" Noelle asked."No," Hendrix answered just as quickly.Noelle didn't press further. She just gave a soft "oh", then lowered her eyes. "I'm already like this—I even almost died. Even if it's a lie, you still can't bring yourself to say you love me?"As she spoke, her voice dropped a little, and she looked as if she wer
"No, not him," Noelle replied, but then, she seemed to think of something. "How is he now?""He's dead," Hendrix answered irritably, then asked, "So, who was it?"But Noelle was stunned by his previous answer."Noelle," Hendrix's voice came again, darker now. "I'm asking you—who was it? How many exes do you have exactly?""What do you mean, how many exes?" Noelle frowned as well. "He's just someone I know. Besides, how are you so sure it was a man?""Wasn't it?"Noelle paused, then said, "Tell me what happened to Dylan first.""Why are you still worried about that psycho? Tell me first—who else was watching you back then?""Are you out of your mind? I was on stage. There were tons of people watching me. Are you going to track them all down?"After she said that, Hendrix suddenly fell silent. Maybe he realized she had a point, or maybe he was too angry to speak.Noelle didn't speak again, either. She figured that if Hendrix had been able to say so casually that Dylan was dead,
The moment Hendrix fixed his eyes on Noelle, she suddenly found herself at a loss for words. As their eyes met, even the tips of her ears began to flush red without her realizing it."Why are you looking at me like that?" Noelle couldn't help but ask."So, have you remembered everything?" Hendrix asked instead. "Everything about us?""No," Noelle replied, turning her head away. "My head hurts. Didn't you say you were going to get the doctor? You can go—"But before she could finish, Hendrix suddenly grabbed her hand. His grip wasn't strong, but the way his fingers gently moved across hers felt like an intimate caress.Noelle couldn't help but tremble, and she instinctively tried to pull her hand back.But then Hendrix suddenly said, "Actually, even before we got married, I'd seen you many times."Noelle hadn't expected him to bring this up. She froze for a second. Then, she quickly said, "I know. Back then at college—""Not just at college. After I graduated, I went to see you,
"Who are you?"That was the first thing Noelle said when she opened her eyes.Hendrix had still been basking in the relief of her waking up, but the moment he heard those words, the expression on his face vanished completely."What did you say?" he asked, his voice slightly strained.Noelle didn't answer. She simply stared at him, confusion clear in her eyes.Hendrix clenched his fists tightly. Maybe it was because he had gone through something like this before that he was able to calm himself down quickly this time."I'm your husband. My name is Hendrix Freeman. Do you still remember your own name?" he asked."Husband?" Noelle frowned slightly. "As in—we're married?""Yes. And we have a daughter. Her name is Rosie. She's three years old. This is her picture."As he spoke, Hendrix started to pull up a photo on his phone.But Noelle quickly asked, "Then why don't I remember you?""You were injured. But don't worry. I'll get the doctor to take a look at you."As Hendrix moved
Dylan had been wrong all along.Money and power—none of that had ever been what he was truly meant to chase. Because no one could stay at the center of power forever, and no one could possess those things for all time. What he should have been chasing was just that one light. That one light that would stay on for him late into the night. But now, he knew it was all too late.As he closed his eyes, Dylan suddenly thought of his mother, Leah. He remembered how, as a child, he had longed for a new set of paintbrushes. He had asked his parents for them many times. He even wanted to use his own Christmas money to buy them. But they refused.They believed it was wasteful. It didn't align with the frugal and disciplined lifestyle they lived by. So in the end, Dylan stole the set of paintbrushes from the stationery store.Because he came from a prestigious scholarly family and always kept a refined, gentlemanly image in public, the store owner never suspected a thing.But his parents fo
"Are you crazy? Noelle, let go of the wheel!" Dylan struggled to regain control of the car, but Noelle held onto the steering wheel tightly, refusing to let go.The car didn't slow down. On the contrary, it raced forward at an even faster pace.How long did this go on? Maybe it lasted only dozens of seconds. But for Dylan, it felt like the blink of an eye. Because the next moment, he saw the oncoming car.That car was speeding as well.Dylan didn't even have time to grab his gun. Just as he was about to slam on the brakes, the two cars collided at high speed. There was a deafening crash as the cars were thrown into the air, then slammed back down.Dylan's eyes widened. But in that instant, his first instinct was to turn and look at Noelle. Her eyes were already closed. She looked as if she had been prepared to face death all along. She must have known what he intended to do, and she also knew he didn't actually want to die.The only reason he took her away was so he could use her
Erwin was just about to repeat his question when a voice came from behind."Excuse me, but I think I know where your wife is."Hendrix spun around immediately.Standing behind them was a woman with long hair and big eyes. "I saw her just now in the backyard. Someone was taking her away. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was Mr. Pritchett from Morphy Fund?"At the mention of Dylan, Hendrix's expression turned dark as thunder. He charged up to the woman. "Where did they go?""I'm not sure. But I did take down his license plate number. Do you need it?""Where is it?" Hendrix barked.The woman held out her hand. "I'll give it to you for 1,000 dollars."Hendrix didn't carry cash with him. But he shoved his bank card into her hand without hesitation. "The license plate number!"The woman looked at the card, a little dissatisfied. But considering Hendrix's status, she figured he likely wouldn't care about such a small amount of money. Thus, in the end, she still showed Hendrix the phot
"Erwin!"The voice came just as Erwin stood on the terrace, smoking a cigarette in frustration.Although they had technically won the battle and he had earned a great deal from it, he felt, strangely enough, not the slightest trace of satisfaction. Maybe it was because Hendrix had forced him into the game. Or maybe, by now, winning and losing simply didn't stir anything in him anymore.At the beginning, Erwin had been somewhat excited. He had thought Dylan would be a difficult opponent—someone who could cause serious trouble, maybe even defeat them entirely. That would have been interesting. But instead, everything had gone far too smoothly. There had been no twists and no turns. Just a clean finish. It was boring, to say the least.And the current victory party? Equally so.Hendrix had insisted Noelle attend the party, saying she had flawlessly completed her part of the plan and that this victory was also hers. So, the party had turned out very wholesome, or rather, dull.Erwi
Erwin still showed signs of dissatisfaction. It seemed he was saying something, but Noelle could no longer hear him. She didn't look back either, instead turning her gaze to the other people at the party.The loud music continued, and the excitement and energy of the crowd remained high. But Noelle knew that this wasn't the usual celebration. This, in fact, was just Hendrix's way of making her adapt and accept the situation.Though she had known this for some time, the realization still made Noelle uncomfortable. Then, she suddenly remembered something Dylan had told her a few days ago about her past with Hendrix.Even though she knew Dylan's words weren't necessarily true, that didn't mean everything he said was a lie. How much of the past he mentioned was real, and how much was false?Noelle actually thought her life was fine now. She was willing to accept her past choices and believed in Hendrix's feelings for her. At least, this was what she thought sometimes.But at other tim