But the difference in strength between a man and a woman was vast. Before Karina could even touch Noah, he shoved her away.


    Noah had never been so furious, nor so utterly humiliated.


    Everyone in the private room was a close friend, people he''d known for years, some since childhood. And Karina had just burst in, making a scene without any regard for the asion,pletely disgracing him.


    But Karina still saw herself as the victim. Pointing first at Cynthia, then at Noah, she wailed, "Noah, after your car ident, when your future was ruined, this woman abandoned you! I was the one who took care of you, who stayed by your side and helped you get back on your feet. Now you''re the CEO of the Thompson Group, and shees back, and you''re fawning all over her like apdog! How pathetic can you be! Is this fair to me? Is this fair to Nic?!"


    When Karina finished her tirade, she found no sympathy, only contempt in the eyes of the others. Everyone knew that after Noah''s ident, Cynthia had never left his side. It was Noah, in his own insecurity, who had pushed her away.


    "What a psycho, acting like she''s some kind of savior," Molly sneered. "Noah, get your crazy wife out of here before she bites someone."


    "Cynthia, I''m sorry for ruining your party. I''ll make it up to everyone another time," Noah said apologetically, preparing to leave.


    Cynthia still looked at him with that dazed expression, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "Noah, I... I don''t think I can hear."


    "What?" Molly''s face went pale.


    "It must be from that p."


    "This is assault. Should we call the police?"


    The others began to panic, all talking at once.


    Noah didn''t say a word. He walked over, swept Cynthia into his arms, and hurried out.


    Noah drove Cynthia to the nearest hospital.


    Cynthia''s temporary hearing loss was due to a perforated eardrum caused by the blow. It was treatable, but recovery would take time.


    The doctor, seeing Noah bring Cynthia in, instinctively assumed it was a domestic dispute that had turned violent.


    "A grown man should know better than to raise a hand to his wife, no matter how angry he gets. Look at her face, it''spletely swollen perforated eardrum is no small thing. If it causes permanent deafness, you''ll regret it for the rest of your life."


    The doctor scolded Noah sternly, and Noah didn''t argue back. He just followed the doctor''s instructions and had Cynthia admitted to the hospital.


    Cynthia settled into a hospital room, half her face still swollen. Unable to hear out of


    one ear, she looked helpless and dazed, a truly pitiful sight.


    In that moment, Noah felt as if he were pulled back several years, to when Cynthia hac lost ther child.


    She had looked just as dazed and lost back then, unable to even cry.


    It seemed all her pain had been brought upon her by him.


    "I''m so sorry, Cynthia. I''m so sorry." Noah didn''t know what else to say. He knelt by her bedside, repeating his apology over and over.


    "I''m fine, Noah. Please, don''t be like this." Cynthia was as gentle and understanding as ever. She took his hand to pull him up, continuing to console him. Noah, I''m okay. The doctor said a perforated eardrum is treatable. I''ll be able to hear again soon."


    But the more she tried to reassure him, the more guilty he felt. "A perforated eardrum is grounds for an assault charge. If you want to press charges against Karina..."