Noelle kicked the slippers away and demanded in a cold voice, "Give me the phone."


    Frank swallowed his bitterness and tried to change the subject. "Do you want to eat something? Do you feel unwell?"


    Noelle felt utterly powerless. She looked up at Frank and asked, "Why can''t anyone understand what I''m saying?"


    They imed to want to make it up to her, but they never gave her what she wanted.


    "I understand you''re mad at ke, Noelle, but you know how hot-tempered he''s always been. Don''t hold it against him.


    "He''d always gone out of his way to avenge you when you were bullied as a kid. Have you forgotten that?"


    Frank gently exined so Noelle wouldn''t misunderstand ke. Noelle resented the Liddells deeply, and he didn''t want things to worsen further.


    Noelle let out a mockingugh. "Avenge me?"


    "Yes. maybe you were too young to remember."


    "What I remember is that his bad temper and strong ego made it impossible for him to get along with his ssmates. When those people couldn''t fight him, they picked on me instead."


    Noelle vividly recalled ke being the reason she''d been harassed when she was younger. It was easy to say that he''d avenged her, but the truth was that they''d targeted her because of ke.


    Back then, she cared about ke and continued following him even when bullied. No one else wanted to talk to him, after all.


    Then, Xenia came to their family. Noelle''s social standing at school plummeted with her maniptive encouragement, and she waspletely isted.


    She had been blind to it all in her previous life and foolishly believed ke stuck up for her.


    Frank''s expression faltered. "I didn''t know that was the case."


    Noelle lowered her gaze. She was the youngest in the family. Donovan, Frank, and Carl were all busy with work. Wyatt was a loner, and Lucas was practically ke''s shadow.


    She could only trail behind ke and Lucas, but she didn''t mind though she knew those ke had fought would eventuallye after her.


    ke would fight back for her, and she felt she mattered in those moments.


    Frank cautiously added, "I''ve talked to ke. He won''t do it again."


    Noelle''s lips curled in mockery. "What you''re doing now is no different from ke."


    "I''m worried about your health, Noelle. Let''s get the doctor to check before you leave. Could you stay so we could have a meal together?"


    "No." With that, Noelle raised her hand and knocked Frank out cold. Handling one person was manageable for her.


    She moved him onto the bed and noticed he''d lost quite some weight. He felt so light almost like he was all bones.


    The thought crossed her mind briefly before she released him. As she picked up her phone, she saw several missed calls and messages from Cedric.


    She put on her shoes and left the room. She refused to stay any longer.


    But as soon as she stepped out, she saw arge group of ck-suited bodyguards standing outside the door.


    Her steps faltered at the sight, but she bit her lip and walked forward.


    The bodyguards immediately surrounded her. "You can''t leave, Ms. Liddell."


    "Since you''re calling me Ms. Liddell, obey my words and step aside."


    "I''m sorry, Ms. Liddell." Noelle ended up being carried back into the room.


    James hurried in with a sk. He nced at the bodyguards and chided, "Get out. No one said you could mess with Ms. Liddell."


    Noelle red at him somewhat impatiently. "Let me go," she demanded.


    James sighed and said, "I''d like to, Ms. Liddell, but my words don''t carry weight. Mr. ke did go out of line.


    "I assure you that you''ll be free to leave once Mr. Frank wakes up. Wait, what happened to him?"


    James noticed Frank lying unresponsive on the bed, and his face instantly paled. "Call the doctor right away! He must''ve fainted because of his illness!"