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Chapter 865
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 1
The passionate lovemaking in the bedroom finally came to an end two hours later. Soon, there was the sound of water splashing on tiles coming from the shower. After resting for a few minutes, Noelle Swanson got out of bed with trembling legs as she picked up her clothes from the floor.Hendrix Freeman had been rougher than usual today, so she felt a little bewildered. She fumbled with the buttons of her pajamas several times but couldn't get them done up. Soon, Hendrix came out of the shower. He was tall, with strong, handsome features. He'd just showered, so he only had a towel wrapped around his waist at the moment. Droplets of water trickled down his abs. When he noticed that Noelle was still there, he frowned a little. Noelle didn't look at him. She kept her head down and continued to struggle with the buttons. "Sandra will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow," Hendrix suddenly said as he walked past her. "Go pick her up. I've already promised your mother that she c
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 2
The person speaking was Sandra's good friend, Ruth Upton. She was a heiress of a wealthy family. Ruth and Sandra had grown up together. She had always been the biggest supporter of Hendrix and Sandra's relationship. Now that Noelle had become Hendrix's wife instead, it came as no surprise that Ruth was unfriendly toward her.Even when she noticed Noelle standing at the door, she didn't feel the least bit embarrassed or uneasy about what she'd said.It was Sandra who greeted her first. "You're here, Noelle."Noelle nodded. "I'm here to take you home. Have you packed your things?""Yes. I'm all set. Let's go," Sandra replied good-naturedly. Ruth couldn't help but ask, "Where's Mr. Freeman? Sandy is being discharged today. Isn't he coming to pick her up?""He's gone to the office," Noelle replied."Oh, he seems really busy. I wonder if he's too busy to come or if you didn't let him come," Ruth conjectured with disdain.Before Noelle could respond, Sandra interrupted softly, "Ru
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 3
At 7:00 pm, Hendrix returned to the villa right on time. Sandra happened to be in the living room when he returned. The moment she saw him, she walked over excitedly to greet him. "You're back, Hendrix!"Hendrix gave her a slight smile as he looked up at her. Noelle pursed her lips and stepped forward to take his coat. She said to him, "Dinner is ready."…"I'm sorry, Hendrix. Am I encroaching on you and Noelle by staying here?" Sandra asked quietly at the dinner table. She snuck a glance at Noelle before continuing, "I told Mom I could stay home on my own, but she insists that she doesn't feel at ease if I'm alone at home…""It's fine. Stay as long as you like. If you need anything, just ask," Hendrix replied."Really? I don't want to be too much trouble.""It's no trouble at all.""Ms. Sandra, it's better that you're staying here," Mabel chimed in as she served the dishes. "It's been a long time since this house has felt so lively."Upon hearing that, Noelle's hand that w
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 4
Noelle's body stiffened. Her eyes flew open, and she tried to push Hendrix away with all her strength. However, Hendrix acted as if he hadn't heard anything. He gripped her wrists effortlessly and pressed her against the wall. His movements were as forceful as ever.Noelle wanted to cry out, but she quickly remembered that Sandra was right outside. She bit her tongue and swallowed the helpless whimper that was about to escape her lips just in time. The sound of the water from the shower continued. With the door between them, Sandra seemed to be unaware of what was happening inside. She called out again, "Hendrix?"Noelle turned her head to look at Hendrix. Her face was flushed, possibly due to anger or some other intense emotion. Her eyes were opened wide as she glared at Hendrix. In contrast to her usual quiet and withdrawn demeanor, she looked far more animated at that moment. Her expression caused Hendrix's movements to become bolder. It was almost as if he were venting. The
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 5
Sandra had grown up with Hendrix, so she was even more familiar with Freeman Manor than Noelle. As soon as she entered the house, she walked over to the elderly lady while exclaiming, "Grandma Ophelia!""Oh, it's Sandy!" Hendrix's grandmother, Ophelia Jones, was overjoyed. "Let me take a look at you. Have you lost weight again?""Not really. Look! I made some crab cakes for you," Sandra replied."You sweet girl! How thoughtful of you," Ophelia praised. The two of them chatted affectionately, and Ophelia was all smiles. However, the moment Noelle approached, her smile faded significantly.Noelle acted as if she hadn't noticed anything and respectfully greeted, "Grandma."Ophelia glanced at her and was about to say something, but Noelle shifted her attention to the top of the stairs and called out, "Mom.""Madam Freeman," Sandra greeted, straightening up. She had been leaning on Ophelia's shoulder just a moment ago. She became timid the moment she saw the person at the top of the
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 6
Hendrix returned just before dinner. Ophelia was naturally all smiles when she saw her grandson. She held Hendrix's hand and asked him about his day."Look at you. You've lost weight again," Ophelia said with displeasure. "How is it that you've gotten even thinner after getting married? How has your wife been taking care of you?"Her criticism was directed at Noelle. Before Noelle could respond, Sandra spoke up, "Grandma Ophelia, please don't scold Noelle. She's been very busy lately. I heard she has another comic that is about to be published. Didn't you notice that she's also lost a lot of weight? I felt so bad for her when I saw her yesterday."Sandra's words seemed to be in Noelle's defense, but something about them felt off. Of course, only Noelle could fully grasp the hidden jab in them.After hearing what Sandra said, Ophelia's displeasure deepened. "Bah, comics! Those worthless things can't even be called art. You—"Ophelia was about to lecture Noelle when Hendrix interr
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 7
"Hendrix, thank you for speaking up for me earlier," Sandra said from the back seat on the way home.After that, she continued yammering nonstop, "I had no idea Mom would talk to Madam Freeman about this. I was so scared! Luckily, you stepped in, or I wouldn't have known what to do. I don't want to get married so soon."Hendrix was driving. He merely said a faint "hmm" in response. He seemed to be flippant toward her, but Sandra knew that was just the way he was. So, she didn't mind. She turned her attention to Noelle, who was in the passenger seat. "By the way, what did Madam Freeman say to you when you both went upstairs?""Nothing," Noelle replied dismissively, not even bothering to entertain Sandra at all.Sandra pursed her lips in slight dissatisfaction but quickly changed the subject. "Oh, right. Did you know that Max is coming back to the country?"Noelle's composed expression shifted slightly at those words.At that moment, the traffic light ahead turned red. Hendrix sm
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 8
Noelle remained seated in the front passenger seat. She thought she had grown numb enough, but at that moment, she still felt a sharp pain stabbing at her heart. It was as if something was gnawing at her from the inside.She suddenly recalled something from a long time ago. It was shortly after she had returned to the Swanson family. She remembered clearly that it was raining that day. Matilda had personally come to pick her and Sandra up from school, but they got into a car accident on the way home. Though the accident wasn't serious, the driver swerved to avoid another car and crashed into a nearby median. Noelle had hit her head on the window and was knocked unconscious.Before she lost consciousness, she remembered seeing Matilda bypass her and reach out to Sandra. Matilda sobbed gut-wrenchingly as she held Sandra back then.At that moment, Noelle understood—the only reason they had found her again was because she carried their bloodline. But to them, Sandra was the daughter t
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The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 865
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
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 864
"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 Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 863
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,
The Sway and Slide of Love Chapter 862
"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
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
