Noreen had long since stopped expecting anything from Seth, so she certainly didn’t hold out hope he’d ever defend her.
She quickly averted her gaze, her expression calm and indifferent.
When she looked at Jude, it was as if she were staring at something
filthy.
Jude had been itching to throw a few barbs Noreen’s way–to w back some dignity after being put in her ce just moments before.
But he hadn’t expected this kind of reaction from her.
Noreen’s face was open andposed, utterly devoid of the anxious guilt one might expect after being “caught in the act.” In fact, her eyes were filled with nothing but disdain.
With the alcohol already burning in his veins, Jude’s irritation red, and whatever came out of his mouth now went far beyond mere sarcasm.
“What are you staring at me for? Did I say anything wrong? You’re a hypocrite, Noreen! And let’s not forget yourck of integrity–always scheming, always chasing after whatever benefits you the most, no matter the cost-”
“That’s enough.”
Seth, whose face had remained impassive throughout, finally spoke up.
Jude still hadn’t vented all his anger, but with Seth intervening, he had no
choice but to swallow the rest.
Standing awkwardly to the side, Bianca offered a hasty apology. “Sorry,
Noreen. He’s had too much to drink.”
Noreen’s tone was icy. “Then please, Mr. Harcourt, keep your dog on a leash. Not everyone’s as fond of him as you are.”
20:24
“Noreen, you-”
“Leave it, Jude. Just let it go.” Bianca hurried to restrain him before he could say anything else.
As Noreen and Yves left together, Bianca nced at Seth, curious to <i>see </i>how he might react to all this.
But Seth’s expression stayed as detached as ever.
It was as if Noreen were nothing more than a stranger to him.
The moment she walked out, he looked away, as though he couldn’t even be bothered to spare her a second nce.
The next day, Noreen arrived at Monarch Capital as scheduled to discuss the project with Yves.
Yves’s sess wasn’t just a matter of luck–he had a keen eye for
investments.
He’d reviewed Noreen’s business proposal in depth and was clearly
interested.
But the partnership he proposed gave Noreen pause.
In essence, Yves wanted her to join Monarch Capital, incubating the project under their roof as a project manager. In other words, he was after more control and arger share of the profits.
That was the mark of a true capitalist–profit above all else.
If that had been the only condition, Noreen might have considered it. After all, Monarch Capital had deep pockets, and Carman desperately needed a cash injection. Sacrificing some of her own stake was something she could live with.
But Yves wanted more. He insisted that Carman sign a nonpete
agreement.
Yves was shrewd; he’d already figured out that Carman was the real linchpin of the project, so he wanted to tie him down.
213
20-24
Noreen could overlook her own interests, but not Carman’s.
So she politely turned Yves down.
He didn’t seem disappointed. Instead, he reminded her, “I know a bit about your situation, and I know you’ve approached a lot of other firms–with no luck. Sure, you can keep searching for fresh investors, but this industry moves fast. Wait too long, and you risk being left behind.
Think it over. There’s no rush for an answer.”
After leaving Monarch Capital, Noreen went straight to the hospital to pick up Carman, who’d insisted on checking out early despite the doctor’s objections.
Her n had been to take him home to rest, but Carman was adamant about stopping by the studio first, iming he needed to pick up some important documents.
It wasn’t until they arrived that Noreen realized what he meant by “important documents“-he wanted to sign the contract with her.
“I know you’ve been stalling on signing this contract so I’d have more options,” Carman said, looking her in the eye. “But I’ve told you before, I only want to work with you. So let’s stop dragging this out and get it done today.”
<b>3/3 </b>