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Chapter 821

Author: Jean Song
Noelle frowned, finally piecing it together. "He's your friend?"

"No," Hendrix denied it without hesitation. "I don't have friends this stupid."

As he spoke, he signaled a crew member to fetch a gangplank to help Noelle step up onto the yacht.

Meanwhile, the safety team had already fished Erwin out of the water. Drenched from head to toe, he had been cursing nonstop until the frigid temperatures sent him into a sneezing fit, forcing him to retreat inside with assistance.

Hendrix paid him no mind. Instead, he tossed a stack of cash to the fisherman before leading Noelle away.

"So, you two know each other?" Noelle asked again.

"Yes," Hendrix admitted. Then, he quickly added, "But I had no idea he called you. At the time, I was locked in a room by him, I swear."

"Why did he lock you up?"

"I wanted to go home to you, but he wouldn't let me."

His answer came naturally, yet Noelle's expression turned oddly pensive.

She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt someth
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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 822

    Noelle had already sensed it earlier. That whole excuse about not letting Hendrix go home—he wasn't a child, and Erwin wasn't his father, so why would he stop him from leaving? Unless there was something else going on.So, Hendrix definitely hadn't been alone in that room earlier.Noelle's expression dimmed little by little, and she moved to pull her hand away. But Hendrix had already sensed the shift in her mood, and instead of letting go, he tightened his grip and pulled her straight into his arms.Then, he looked at the man across from them and said, "She's my wife."The man, clearly drunk, was still letting his gaze roam all over Noelle. He completely ignored what Hendrix said. In fact, he even looked upset when he saw Hendrix hold Noelle like that."Hendrix, why are you being so possessive? Aren't we supposed to share everything?""Shut up!" Hendrix cut him off without a second thought, then turned back to Noelle. "Let's go back to the room first."Noelle didn't respond, bu

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 823

    "Why are you with these people?" Noelle finally asked.It was the first thing she had said since they entered the room.Hendrix knew his answer was crucial, as it would decide whether she could accept what she had seen and heard. More importantly, it might decide the fate of their future together.So, he didn't hold back. He told her everything about Erwin, those people outside, and his connection to them.As Noelle listened, her brows drew closer and closer together.At the end, Hendrix emphasized, "I really don't hang out with them anymore. Back then, it was because everything in the country felt meaningless. I couldn't really find any real challenges. But now, I have something better to pursue. So, I barely touch those things anymore. And besides…"He looked at her then. "You already knew about all of this.""I did?""Yeah. You and Erwin know each other, too.""So, I knew you were messing around at their parties?""I never messed around," Hendrix denied without hesitation.

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 824

    "Perfect timing. You can explain things to Noelle," Hendrix said, standing in front of Erwin.Erwin stared at him in disbelief. "What did you say?"He came to settle a score with Hendrix, not to patch up their relationship."You're the one who caused this mess, so don't you think you should help me out here? Or is it that you're happy to see me struggling?" Hendrix asked.Of course, Erwin was happy. After all, he had always been on his own. Moreover, he believed that people like them didn't need a partner. They could have female companions or go on dates, but nothing deeper than that.There wouldn't even be any real emotions involved. What existed between them was merely a transaction. Their inner worlds were something no one could understand, nor did they need anyone to understand.But now, Hendrix was clearly going down a completely different path. Not only was he now bound by those things, but he even expected Erwin to help him out? It was pure insult!"Do you still want your

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 825

    "I'll go with you," Hendrix said as he tried to get out of bed, but Noelle quickly pressed him back down."The bathroom is just inside the room. Why are you getting up?" she said with a frown, her tone tinged with displeasure."Oh, right," Hendrid replied. Only then did Noelle release her grip on him and get up.By the time she came back from the bathroom, Hendrix was fast asleep again.Noelle, however, still didn't feel sleepy. After taking a look out of the window at the pitch-black sea, she decided to go to the deck for some fresh air.Hendrix had only shown her the way once, but Noelle remembered it instantly. However, her timing was unfortunate, as someone was already on the deck.A man stood there smoking. The smoke rings left his lips, dissipating in the sea breeze before they could fully form.Noelle stood behind him, and the scent drifted over—pungent and sharp. She couldn't help but sneeze.The man immediately turned around. His body had been tense, his eyes sharp

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 826

    "Marla hasn't done anything out of the ordinary. She just sits there all day in a daze, silent and motionless," the doctor said as he led Noelle forward.Even though it was the best psychiatric hospital available, its core nature remained the same. As they walked, Noelle couldn't help but feel a heavy sense of oppression in the air.The corridor was lined with locked doors—not regular hospital doors, but ones reinforced with metal bars. It looked less like a medical facility and more like a prison.The deeper they went, the more tightly Noelle's brows knit together.Marla was in the room at the very end. She was sitting with her back to the door, staring blankly at the small window above, lost in thought.Just the sight of her silhouette made Noelle feel as if she had been dealt a heavy blow to the chest."Marla," the doctor called her name.But she didn't offer any response.So, he tried again, "Marshall Swift."This was the only name that had elicited any reaction from her r

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 827

    It took a while for Noelle to realize this was the Swift residence. Logically speaking, she shouldn't have had any memories of this place. After all, she had never come here since her return.But the body remembered things the mind could not lie about.Seated behind the wheel, Noelle could almost see glimpses of her past self walking through the gates. Back then, the Swift household must have been filled with laughter. Yet, how much time had passed since then?The desolation before her was jarring. She didn't know how long she had been staring when her phone rang. It was Hendrix."Where are you?" His voice was tight, filled with worry.Noelle paused before answering, "The Swift residence."A heavy silence followed on the other end. Then, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard, he asked again, "What did you say?""The Swift residence," Noelle repeated. "But the villa has been sealed by the court, so I can't go in."This time, Hendrix heard her clearly, and he believed

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 828

    In truth, Hendrix had never intended for Marshall to die. Even the doctors had said—the real cause of death was that he had lost all will to live.When someone gave up on life themselves, no amount of medical intervention could bring them back. But to claim Hendrix bore no responsibility wouldn't be entirely true, either.Dylan had always stayed close to the Swift family with ulterior motives, so even without Hendrix's involvement, it was only a matter of time before their assets were completely devoured by Dylan.But the fact remained that Hendrix had indeed helped speed things along. He was the force that hastened the Swift family losing everything.Hendrix was well aware of this. So, when faced with Noelle's question, he didn't know what to say.When his silence stretched on, Noelle finally turned to him with a puzzled look."Are you blaming me now?" Hendrix asked quietly.Before she could answer, he grasped her hand. "I admit I sped things up, but do you really think they'd

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 829

    "So, I think he's probably partnered with another fund by now." Noelle wasn't sure if she was right since it was just a guess.After all, Dylan might have fallen from grace in the country, but the assets he took with him were substantial. That fortune alone could provide him a comfortable life abroad. So, it wasn't impossible for him to simply vanish.However, Noelle didn't believe Dylan would give up that easily. A person who would stop at nothing to climb to the top wasn't someone who would simply settle for a quiet and stable life. Thus, it was more likely that Dylan would bide his time for revenge to ideally strip Hendrix of everything.But after Noelle finished speaking, Hendrix went quiet. His prolonged silence made Noelle frown. "Did I say something wrong?""No, I just didn't expect you to think this way."Noelle studied him with knitted brows."So, you don't blame me at all?" Hendrix asked."Why should I blame you?"Hendrix didn't answer. But their current location and

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  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 861

    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

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 860

    "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

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 859

    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

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 858

    "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

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 857

    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

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 856

    Dylan didn't dare to stay there. He immediately drove back to his place.He wanted to take Noelle with him and leave. Even if she didn't have her passport, it didn't matter. After all, there were definitely people looking for him right now.But no matter what, he was going to protect her. Even if they had to roam the world, it didn't matter. As long as they were together, it was fine. Even if it was just a shabby house, as long as there was a light on, that would be their home.However, when Dylan returned to the apartment, he found Noelle nowhere in sight. Gone also were all her things. The desk and floor were spotless, as if nothing had ever existed there.Dylan remained standing where he was. It took him several minutes to finally process what he was seeing. Then, he couldn't help but laugh. It was as if he had just heard the biggest joke—he laughed so hard that his whole body shook.Of course, how could he have thought she would be waiting for him here? How could she possibly

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 855

    "I'm damned for ever believing your words! Now, just die!" George didn't give Dylan another chance to speak. He pulled the trigger, aiming to shoot a bullet through Dylan's forehead.In that instant, Dylan finally understood. This time, Hendrix didn't intend to leave him alive.If the goal had only been to swallow up Morphy Fund and make Dylan lose everything, the matter would have ended there. However, it seemed that Hendrix must have said something to George, which led him to believe that Dylan and Hendrix were working together—that Dylan had betrayed Morphy Fund.At this point, George had no way out. So, it wouldn't be surprising if he shot Dylan in the head. What Hendrix wanted was for him to die.Dylan didn't know what he was thinking at that moment. By the time he reacted, he had already grabbed the gun's barrel and twisted it violently. The bullet scraped past his head.Without hesitation, George moved to pull the trigger again when Dylan, still holding onto his wrist, forc

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 854

    Dylan still remembered the victory party at the villa a few days ago. At that time, George had pushed him in front of everyone. He had enjoyed all the praise and recognition while sipping glass after glass of champagne.He knew that no matter how much doubt and skepticism there had been about him in the past, it all vanished that night. That was also why George had thrown him a victory party at the very first stage.After all, only by telling everyone about his achievements would they believe in him and entrust him with their funds. But they probably didn't expect the final result to be like this.Actually, when Fuer Fund continued to add to their position after reaching the peak, George had already warned Dylan that there might be some issues. But the market was unpredictable—a moment's decision or a few seconds of hesitation could lead to failure.Thus, Dylan didn't wait. He thought Hendrix was also gambling. So, he disregarded the risk and pushed all the funds in. He wanted Hend

  • The Sway and Slide of Love   Chapter 853

    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

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