Noelle tightened her grip just enough to make Laura wince in pain. Her gaze was icy as she said, "You have everything, yet Cedric still doesn''t want you. Maybe you should be asking yourself why."


    She released Laura''s wrist with a slight shove. "Ms. Merlock, if you want to keeping after me, I''ll be more than happy to y along. I still have plenty of dirt on Samantha."


    If Noelle exposed what she had on Samantha, it would not just ruin her reputation —it would drag the entire Merlock family down with her.


    Laura''s face darkened. She had assumed Noelle would be an easy target, just some nobody from a small-town family. However, it turned out Noelle was not so easy to crush.


    In the end, Laura scoffed. "All Liddells are desperate to climb the socialdder. Donovan even shamelessly agreed to be the Cantrells'' live-in son-inw just for power and status."


    Noelle said with a smirk, "You''re absolutely right. Just like how you sat in a café and lied to my face without even blinking. That was pretty shameless, too."


    She did not care what Laura thought about the Liddells. Then, noticing that thepetition was about to start, she turned and headed toward the backstage area to prepare.


    Laura clutched her designer bag tightly, ring at Noelle''s retreating figure. She cursed under her breath, "We''ll see about that, you little bitch!"


    Noelle joined her teammates backstage. Raymond, the second-best yer on the team in terms of skill, was discussing tactics and potential scenarios for the uing match. She stood by, watching, and suddenly felt a surge of confidence this match was as good as won.


    When thepetition began, Noelle led her team out onto the stage. Outside, fans held up signs with her name, cheering loudly. The cameras were mostly focused on her, as she was not only a popr streamer but also known for her exceptional gaming skills, which made her a fan favorite.


    During the match, Noelle and


    Raymond worked together seamlessly, their chemistry undeniable. They yed wlessly and secured a solid victory. The crowd erupted in apuse and cheers, the energy in the room electric.


    Noelle smiled, though she was not surprised by the oue. The preliminary


    rounds were always rtively easy.


    After the win, a reporter approached


    her for an interview and asked,


    "There''s been a lot of spection about you frequently ying with a gamer whose username is


    ''ReverseTime.'' Is he your boyfriend?"


    Noelle paused for a moment before replying, "No, he''s not."


    She thought, "Well, he used to be, but not anymore."


    The reporter then turned to Raymond. "You two have such great synergy, and you''ve trained together for so long. Is there any romantic spark between you?"


    Raymond was caught off guard by the question. He nced at Noelle, then chuckled. "We''re just really good teammates right now."


    Noelle knew the reporter had mistaken Raymond for Cedric since they shared the same in-game name. Once the interview wrapped up, Noelle and her team headed back to their school, where she had already nned a celebratory dinner for the evening.


    However, when they arrived, Howie Lambert, the school administrator, personally approached Noelle and announced, "The celebration dinner has been arranged at L Bistro."


    The team was stunned. "Wait, L Bistro? That super exclusive, members-only ce? Since when does the school splurge like this?" one of them eximed.


    The administrator smiled. "It''s all arranged by the investors. They were impressed with your performance today, so make sure you all go."


    However, Noelle could not shake the feeling that Laura was the investor behind this. She wondered, "What is she up to? Is this just a show of power, or is there something more to it?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!